#password notebooks are a great idea

[hisoknen]

every time twitter shows me suguru i feel life being shoved into me. fucking breathed into this rotted and mottled corpse of mine

[malsmind]

file/information —

hacker!matt desperatly has to find a way to hack into

popular!reader's phone again.

file-warnings: stalking, male and female masturbation

you sat in the cramped lecture hall, the faint hum of the projector overhead mixing with the rustle of notebooks and the occasional cough from someone a few rows back. it was a typical tuesday morning at college—intro to programming, a class you only half-paid attention to because the professor’s monotone voice could put anyone to sleep. your phone buzzed on the desk, screen lighting up with a text from a friend about some party this weekend. you smirked, tapping out a quick reply, oblivious to the pair of eyes watching you from across the room.

matt slouched in his seat near the back, his hoodie pulled low over his forehead, hair spilling out in messy strands. he kind of looked like every other guy to be honest. he didn't dress in any 'weird' or 'nerdy' way, but there was something sharper in the way his blue eyes flicked toward you. he wasn’t just some slacker coasting through college. matt was a hacker, the kind who could dismantle a system in his sleep, and he’d been trying to crack into your phone for weeks. not that he hadn't done it before, he's hacked into your phone and other devices multiple times, but recently, your phone’s security was tighter than usual, probably because apple had sent you a warning when matt wasn't careful enough with hacking into it last time. some custom encryption he couldn’t quite unravel, and it was driving him up the wall.

the reason why exactly it was making him go insane was because last night, when he went to touch himself, knowing after a long day and a night out you'd shower, maybe even find relief in touching yourself as well, he was left needy and frustrated when your phone kept kicking him out. no mater what he did, your phone just wouldn't cooperate.

he chewed the inside of his cheek, spinning a pen between his fingers as he watched you scroll through your screen. he’d tried phishing links, brute-forcing your password, even sniffing the campus wifi for vulnerabilities—nothing worked. it was starting to feel personal, like your phone was taunting him. then, last night, hunched over his laptop in the living room of the house he shared with his brothers, the idea hit him: if he couldn’t hack it, he’d break it. get you a new one. slip in a backdoor before you even turned it on. his lips had curled into a grin at the thought, a little twisted but undeniably clever.

now, he just needed an opening. class ended, and you shoved your stuff into your backpack, slinging it over one shoulder as you headed out. matt followed at a distance, hands in his pockets, blending into the crowd of students spilling into the hall. he caught sight of you by the vending machines, fishing coins out of your jeans to grab a soda. perfect. he ambled over and “accidentally” bumped into you just as you turned around. your phone slipped from your hand, clattering to the tile floor with a sickening crack.

“shit, my bad,” matt muttered, crouching down to pick it up before you could. the screen was shattered, spiderwebs of glass radiating from one corner. he held it out to you, his expression all apologetic, but inside, he was buzzing. “damn, that looks rough. still work?”

you took it from him, frowning as you pressed the power button. nothing. just a dead, black screen. “great,” you sighed, “there goes my whole life.”

“m' sorry..” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “i’ve got an extra one back at my place, though. new model, still in the box. you can have it if you want—save you the hassle of dealing with the repair shop.” his tone was offhand, like it was no big deal, but his pulse ticked up a notch waiting for your answer.

you hesitated, eyeing him for a second. you’d seen matt around—quiet guy, always tinkering with something in the lab—but you didn’t really know him. still, a free phone was a free phone. “yeah, okay,” you said finally. “that’d be awesome, thanks.”

he flashed a lopsided grin, leading you across campus to his place. he dug through a drawer, pulling out a sleek, unopened phone box. “here,” he said, tossing it to you. “all yours.”

you caught it, tearing into the packaging while he leaned against the desk, watching. what you didn’t know—what you couldn’t know—was that he’d already cracked it open days ago, slipped in a custom firmware with a remote access trojan buried deep in the system. camera, mic, everything—he’d have it all. you powered it on, the screen glowing to life, and started setting it up, oblivious to the way his fingers twitched slightly, itching to get back to his laptop.

“looks good,” you said, pocketing it. “thanks..”

“nah, don’t worry about it,” he replied, shrugging. “just glad it’s not going to waste.”

you left, and he waited a few minutes before locking the door, rushing up to his room and booting up his rig. the monitor flickered on, lines of code scrolling as he connected to the backdoor he’d planted. your camera feed popped up, grainy at first, then sharpening as you walked into your dorm room across campus. he leaned back in his chair, heart pounding a little harder than he’d admit, watching you toss your bag onto the bed and kick off your shoes. nothing special yet, just you being you, but the thrill was in the control. he could see you whenever he wanted again.

later that night, he couldn’t sleep. the room was dark except for the blue glow of his screen, the hum of his pc fan the only sound. he pulled up the feed again. you were in bed, the soft light of a lamp casting shadows across your walls—posters, a cluttered bookshelf, a half-dead plant in the corner. you’d changed into an oversized t-shirt, hair messy, scrolling through the new phone he’d given you. then, the phone started moving in a way that made him sit up straighter, turning up the volume of his headset. matt saw the expression on your face, hearing the small whimpering noises slipping past your lips, and knew what was going on behind the screen.

he'd been waiting for it all night..

matt’s breath hitched. he shouldn’t—he knew that somewhere in the back of his head—but the line was already blurred, and he was too far gone to care. he unzipped his jeans, hand slipping inside as he watched you shift, the shirt riding up slightly to expose the soft skin of your perfect tits. "shit—" matt hissed, his grip tightened, movements slow at first, eyes locked on the screen. your room smelled like lavender, he imagined from what he'd seen trough your camera so far, from that candle you always burned. he pictured the way you’d gasp if you knew, and just as his thoughts wandered to what your reaction would be if you knew what was going on behind the little screen you held in your hand, you moaned, wet sounds of your fingers working on yourseld echoing. he thought about what those moans would sound like if he was the one pulling them out of you, the thought sending a jolt through him.

the feed stuttered slightly as you picked up your pace, fingering yourself, but matt reloaded the page, keeping you in frame, fresh and in perfect quality. his hand moved faster, rougher, the sound of his breathing filling the silence of his room. "fuuuuck, y/n—"he whimpered pathetically, watching you as you bit your lip, breathing heavily as you tried to hold back your moans, and he groaned low in his throat, imagining the heat between your legs, the wetness clinging to his fingers instead of yours, the slickness he couldn’t see but could guess at. "fuck—fuck—fuck..." matt gasped out, body tensing up as cum hit his knuckles, hot and sticky, as he finished, chest heaving, eyes still glued to you lying there, oblivious, reaching your orgasm in synch to him without even knowing.

he wiped his hand on his shirt, leaned back, and smirked at the screen. “so fuckin' sexy..” he muttered to no one, already thinking about tomorrow, and the day after, and the many more days he'd watch you touch yourself, doing it with you.

@loser41ifee GAVE THE IDEA FOR THIS! (i hope i did a good job cause omg this took me way to long to actually start writing.)

series link

taglist

—

@backwardshatnick @sturniolosymphony @sturns-mermaid @realzula @courta13 @sturnzzlovee @chrissweetheart @sturniolosymphony @sturniolo1trips @freshsturnzx @sturnslutz @sturrrrnslvt

[neopuppy]

Bestfriend Jeno who invades readers privacy and goes through her computer filled with videos of ykyk💀

warnings. errrhhmmm🤔 masturbation, yeah..

“Damn, he really did a number on your phone.” Jeno’s fingers drag down the shatter of cracks distorting your screen, neck ticking to the side. “I can definitely fix it though.”

“You can?”

“Yeah, I worked at one of those phone repair kiosks a couple summers ago, these screens cost a fortune to get fixed you know? I have a lot of leftover supplies, can probably find something in my stash that will fit.” He informs, patting your shoulder. “Means you’ll have to be disconnected all day though, is that okay?”

“I guess, have some lectures to get through and a group project to finish so I’ll be at the library most of the day if anything.”

“Alright, write down your passcode and maybe your apple log in just in case.” Jeno nods to a notebook, grabbing a pen to hand you.

“Why the log in?” You hesitate, eyeing your phone nervously.

Jeno shrugs, holding your phone out to you. “I only want to help, I know you’re kind of down on your luck right now. I understand if you want to be around when I fix it but today’s one of my only free days for the rest of the week, so..”

“No no, it’s fine.” You sigh, pushing the phone back toward him. “I might be back late, don’t know how long this meeting with my group will take. If you could leave my phone on DND? I’ll probably still be texting from my laptop.”

“Yeah, not a problem.” Jeno nods to his notebook, smiling as you scribble down your passcode and password. “I’ll get this all fixed up for you, free of charge.”

“I’ll have to repay you somehow..”

“What are friends for?” He laughs, motioning to the living room area scattered with your belongings. “Shit happens..”

“Thanks Jeno, everything you guys have done for me..” trailing off, you murmur shyly. “I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you and Jaemin for helping me out like this.”

“Don’t worry about it, focus on school.”

After bidding you goodbye and good luck with your project, Jeno moves to his bedroom, whistling to himself as he traces down the largest crack on your phone screen. “Gosh, what a dick..”

He didn’t ask what the fight was about, the timing didn’t feel right with you sniffling as he and Jaemin helped you carry your belongings in. He never liked your boyfriend much anyway, or well, ex-boyfriend..

Jeno boiled it down to jealousy at times, whenever he’d have to witness the unfortunate public displays of affection between the two of you. It’s not that he likes you, not necessarily.. but your friendship hadn’t exactly stemmed from genuine interest in forming a platonic relationship. It just so happened that while he had one idea, your mind had already honed in and focused on another.

“Eh, I always knew he wasn’t right for you.” Jeno mumbles to himself, tapping your phone screen to the image of your now ex-boyfriend’s lips squished against your cheek. “Gross.”

Jeno gets to it, unwrapping a new razor to begin removing the old screen topper first and see the real damage. Lucky for you, he’d gifted you a durable screen protector when you’d gotten a new phone. Great for dropping, not so much for a crazy boyfriend hurling it at a wall though.

He’s pleased to see the damage is a lot more minor under the protector, mentally patting himself on the back for handling that for you in the first place. A text pops up lighting the bare screen. “Oh right, do not disturb.”

Jeno taps in the passcode, swiping down to turn off notifications only to come to a pause as another text comes in.

‘It’s easy money, I did it my first year of college to cover rent, and you're shit out of luck at this point if you think a dorm will open up this far into the semester.’

He knows he shouldn’t, but there’s no way you’d find out anyway..

‘Isn’t that prostitution?’

The last text sent from you has his eyes going wide, quickly reading through the chat between you and the name he recognizes as your best friends, the same one whose car Jaemin had found you using as a makeshift home..

‘It’s not illegal in our state, and it’s anonymous. You won’t get caught or anything. Trust me, I worked there for 11 months, best money I’ve ever made.’

Jeno mumbles a ‘what the fuck.’ To himself, opening his phone to copy down the address she sends in next.

‘Besides, what difference does it make? You were getting fucked by your asshole ex on stream for way less.’

“What?!” Jeno looks around in shock, covering his mouth in case someone else is home. An arsenal of unanswered questions race through his mind, swiping to put your phone on ‘do not disturb’ finally as he takes a deep breath to calm down.

“There’s no way..” he chuckles, licking his lips nervously as he taps open your photos and scrolls until a locked album named ‘delete’ catches his eye.

Jeno spent a year learning different ways to break into stolen phones with not even a passcode to assist, the thrill of unknown has his thumb punching away before he can even talk himself out of it. Not that he would..

Why wouldn’t you immediately delete photos or videos you wouldn’t want anyone to see anyway? You can’t be that stupid..

“Oh shit.”

You are that stupid.

Jeno groans, leaning back in his computer chair as he slowly scrolls through the album of over 1000 photos and videos, most consisting of topless shots. More scandalous as he reaches the middle and sucks in a deep breath reading the time on the first video he sees.

Eight minutes and twenty seven seconds..

Patting around for his headphones, he plugs them in and opens the video up to hit play, sinking deeper into his seat as your face appears half-fucked out with dreamy eyes and saliva wet lips.

The deeper familiar voice he recognizes as your ex’s comes through, making his stomach tighten. “Fuck.”

‘How can you ask me for more after I just fucked you full?’

‘Please daddy, n-need more.’

The camera runs down your bare body, laid back against dark sheets with your thighs hoisted up and open; panning down to where white streaks of cum paint your stomach and mound. ‘Feel that? My dicks still so hard.’

‘Keep fucking me, don’t stop fucking me. Fuck that cum deep inside of me.’

Jeno pants, short of breath as he digs the heel of his palm against his groin and groans. Fuck fuck fuck… he knew it. The past few years of having to pretend he valued your friendship more than his desire to fuck you, he always knew you were nothing but a pathetic sobbing whore. The sound of your sobs and aroused whines vibrating through his ears has him ready to make a mess, smoothing in past the waistband of his sweats to free his length, he’s thankful for the point of view shot; making it easy to tune out the masculine grunts passing between your pretty cries.

‘Fuck. I’ll breed you better than that.’ Jeno voices to himself, surprised your lazy ex didn’t make you get on top. The amount of cum covering your lower half has his hips jumping from the chair, eager to fuck into his fist faster.

One thought continues to pass through his mind as he grips around his cock and strokes to match the pace pushing you up and down along the screen.

He needs to fuck you.

[lgwifey]

MAKING THE BED

Chapter Three     • Chapter Two Here •

(Casanova) Remus Lupin x Fem!Lestrange!Reader

Chapter Warnings : pureblood ideology & slurs, general misogyny

The start of year feast was nothing out of the ordinary.

They had eighteen first years sorted into Slytherin.

Y/N spent most of the time zoned out of the speech and sorting ceremony, only noticing when others around her started applauding, she followed their pattern of clapping. There was also the time when the table of obnoxiously loud Gryffindors across the room would dramatically scream and whistle whenever an eleven year old was sorted into their house, the hollers of disgrace off them when a child was sent to sit at the emerald green house's table. She didn't join the glares being sent by her brother and cousin, her brain still malfunctioning from the train.

She was filled with nauseating worry through out the whole meal, only having a small plate of roasted potatoes whilst everyone around her stuffed as much food into their body as possible.

Would her mother hear back off other parents about the interactions of the train ? Well at least the last one, thankfully no one was around for the first one. Either way, a Gryffindor had spoke to her in public, very loudly and very ludely. A half blood Gryffindor at that.

Her mother would crucio her into St Mungo's if she found out.

When she found out.

She always found out.

Oh Merlin, she was screwed !

A hard object smacked against her forehead, the wind from it messing up her fringe and leaving a greasy circle on her forehead. The girl drew herself out of her thoughts to glare at her attacker. Her cousin with an empty fork and a beaming grin across from her was not hard too difficult of a suspect to incriminate. Her eyes drew down to the single boiled carrot that had dropped from her face onto the table before looking back to Evan.

Beside the blonde boy, Regulus rolled his eyes at the childish behaviour.

"Seriously Evan, have some decorum."

"Yes Rosier, before I get Barty to hex you into New Year."

Y/N followed Regulus' scolding, punctuating each word with annoyance. From the table next to them, Barty looked over at the purebloods with the mention of his name.

He tapped Y/N's on the shoulder, the girl just giving him a quick shake of her head before turning back to where her cousin was slouch dipping his potatoes in gravy, a glare being sent his way once again before she nibbled on her own roast.

•

"Prongs ? Mate, you still with us ?"

The boisterous voice of Sirius Black drew James' eyes away from the table of the opposing side of the Great Hall.

"Huh ? Sorry yeah, what were you saying ?"

The longer haired boy's eyes drifted over to where his best friend had been gazing at before, wanting to know what was so important it divided his attention for their upcoming start of year marathon of pranks.

"Well we're tryna find a new way into the Slytherin common room. After last year they've changed the way the password's given."

"Yeah apparently they don't appreciate our lovely colour bombs. Who would've thought ?"

Peter followed Remus' explanation, a small notebook in his left hand to jot down their ideas whilst his right loosely held a fork he occasionally used to shovel scoops of his pie into his mouth.

"Ah, I don't know, we'll figure something out though."

A round of hums left the rest of the boy's mouths, Sirius' being absentminded as his eyes narrowed at the sight of his younger brother muttering with an irritated expression.

"We always do. We've got time still, I was thinking we should get one on Lestrange too, he's got some dirty tricks on the field for this year if last year was anything to go off."

Peter swallowed his last bite of pie, dropping his fork before mentioning one of his notes from the small book. Next to him, Remus grew a smirk. His hazel eyes darting to look behind him, the whole group following his eye-line, now practically staring at the pureblood girl with her back to them.

"Or I could just give his little sister one, that might get him back for knocking Marlene off her broom last year."

The three other boys just turned to look at him in shock, the brunette shrugging his shoulders when he turned away from the green dressed table to see a mixture of shock and confusion gracing his friend's expressions.

"What ? You saw her before, she's practically gagging for some action. Desperate posh girls are always good, they appreciate it more, annoying Lestrange would just be a bonus."

James held back his glare to Remus, biting down hard on the inside of his cheek as he hoped one of the others would explain what the 'before' he mentioned actually entailed.

"Mate, she was just embarrassed she left her jumper."

Sirius shook his head whilst Peter collected another slice of pie from the middle of the table, James staying silent, slowly eating the kidney beans from his meal as he let the others inform on the younger girl he'd secretly harboured a crush on since his fourth year.

"She's too Pureblood for you Moons. She's never even kissed someone. Raphael, well more Estelle, has got a tight reign on her."

"How would you know that !"

"Well she's my Aunt Druella's niece, and we used to be engaged ."

A choke was vaguely heard by the two muttering sixteen year olds, both swivelling around to find their tanned friend dropping his fork and forcefully slamming his fist into his chest. A panicked expression dropped on Sirius's face as he looked towards the professors, silently begging McGonagall to notice the Potter boy choking.

As if he was the only one with any common sence, Remus rushed over to the other side of the table and slammed his palm into the back of James. A few seconds passed before he coughed up the lodged bean, frantically turning to a still panicked Sirius with stitched eyebrows.

"You were engaged !"

"Well yeah, up until fourth year. It was awful though, either her parents wouldn't leave us alone or it was her brother glaring me down. I tried to kiss her once and she started crying. I pity the poor bloke that ends up with her."

Sirius ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head remorsefully at the lack of action he received whilst engaged. James just remained in a state of utter shock.

"Nah I recon I could get some off her. Posh birds love a bit of rough, don't they."

Remus finally appeared back in his seat on the other side of the table, Peter slouching down next to him with a plate refilled with food.

"You still talking about Y/N ? Nah, she's with Crouch isn't she."

"Is she ?!"

The information was new to James, he kept his plate far away from him whilst they still talked about 'the love of his life's' love life. Those little red legumes now scared him.

"I assumed so, they're always together."

"Nah they're just mates, I heard Regulus mention it once. Her uncle suggested him when our engagement was broke off and her mother threw a fit ! 'I do not care if his father is the Minister of Magic, my daughter will not be seen with a half-blood'."

Sirius mimicked Estelle Lestrange's voice, swaying his head dramatically as he did so, small laughs leaving Remus and Peter's lips whilst James remained in a state of concern and panic, unnoticed by his friends.

"Surely she had some say in who she marries ?"

"Poor, innocent, naive little Wormtail."

Sirius shook his head whilst mockingly tutting, he went to touch Peters hand, only for the younger boy to slap it away with a joking glare,

"Of course she doesn't, she's a girl for a start. In pureblood terms that basically a small step above a house elf."

The black haired boy took a bite of his potatoes before carrying on.

"Y/N Lestrange will marry who her parents tell her to, probably some middle aged creep knowing Estelle, and she'll give them as many heirs as they want from her. Destined to live her life out as a beyond bored housewife who'll eventually start depending on a bottle of firewhisky each night just to numb the pain of her existence and gain some form of rest."

His friends looked at him with wide eyes at the morbid description he'd quickly rambled off, Sirius just taking a sip of pumpkin juice waiting for someone else to speak.

"That's rough."

"It's life."

Sirius gave a shrug at Peters dropped jaw, all eyes quickly turning to Remus as he let out a cough.

"Christmas break."

"What about it ?"

"Sixteen weeks. I'll have had Y/N Lestrange in our dorm, in my bed, at least once in that time." He paused for a second, "Or a broom cupboard."

James choked again, first balling up as he held back from knocking his friend off his chair and violently breaking his nose in at least two places. Thankfully Peter spoke up before he had time to send one of his closest friends to the infirmary.

"Moony, you can't target her like that."

"Why not ? Sirius does it all the time."

"Yeah but mate, she's a snake."

Sirius' upper lip turned at the word, his eyes shifting to a darker blue for a moment.

"And y'know, we shouldn't view women as objects to achieve."

Slowly, both Remus and Sirius turned to look at the thin blonde with twined eyebrows and puffed upper lips. Peter just took another bite of the pastry on his plate.

The older halfblood of the group blinked a few times before turning back to his previous thoughts, the side of his lip pulling slightly as he glance at the immaculate girl across the hall.

Y/N shuffled her robes off her jumper-clad shoulders and folded them neatly onto her lap as she grew warmer with the mass of body heat building in the large room. She delicately fixed her hair back over her shoulders whilst Regulus Black and Evan Rosier spoke with few words directed to her in their conversation.

"Look lads, she could be a Death Eater for all I care, have you seen that body ?!"

A hot blush decorated James' skin, ears burning up as he rubbed the cartilage nervously.

"You think sixteen weeks is all you need ?"

The desi boy hoped that Remus would retract his previous thoughts, not wanting Y/N to be viewed as what most would call 'easy'. He held back from mentioning how it wasn't just her body that was extraordinary. Her mind was beyond that, he'd heard professors mention how brilliant she was in class and how they'd asked her parents to allow her to be moved up a year - although from what he'd heard off his own parents, Raphael and Estelle Lestrange couldn't care for their daughter's schoolwork as long as she was sticking to what they expected off her socially and morally. She could get all Ts and get no reaction - as long as she didn't smile at a muggleborn she was brilliant .

"Prongs, girls like her are only waiting for someone lower than them to try it on. Their lot don't know half the stuff that we do."

The Lupin boy gave a playful wink, James just responding with a forced, small laugh.

•

Silver clinked as it dropped onto the plain china infront of the new heir, pearlescent teeth gritting together as his pale jaw tightened and firsts clawed up.

"If they look over here one more time-"

"We know, you'll Avada the whole lot of them Regulus."

Evan rolled his eyes, flinging a gravy soaked carrot into his mouth. Regulus' short fuse was starting to annoy him but he did have to admit it was strange how often the quartet of troublemakers from the Gryffindor table where turning to watch them, muttering unheard words between them with the occasional grin off the Lupin.

Regulus sent him a glare, jaw loosening.

Y/N gently placed her fork down, turning her body to face the boys Regulus was being unintentionally irritated by only to find all four of them turned towards her, all meeting her eyes at some point before she quickly spinned back around. A light red blotched across her cheeks as she shuffled uncomfortably on her chair and flicked a few strands of hair over her shoulder.

Her manicured fingers twiddled with the edge of her skirt as she tried to think of ways to justify the other boys' behaviour to defuse Regulus' temper.

"They're probably scheming something for quidditch, you're both on the team so it makes scence."

Y/N didn't really know why she was trying to defend the Gryffindors. They weren't just from the red house but blood traitors and halfbloods at that. 

A snarl came from the black haired boy as he returned his focus to his food, a snarky 'probably, but I'll still hex them all" leaving his lips before Evan changed the conversation over to how spectacular the latest laws being discussed on classroom divisions would make learning.

She always zoned out when the boys would start talking politics. She didn't have an opinion on it. It wasn't her place to. She was just there to be directed, whatever she was told to do she would. After all, that was what was best for her. If her mother or father found her even thinking of informing herself on the political state, she'd be in a shallow grave and they'd be on their way to Azkaban.

Knowing that the boys would be too deep in their discussion to notice where her eyes where falling on, the girl of the group discreetly turned herself and her neck to have a slightly blurred but okay-ish sight of the brown haired boy across the room.

She pretended to have her head rested on her hand in a state of light exhaustion as she watched the Gryffindor give wide smiles comments to his friends. She had to bite her lip to stop any smile forming as she people watched the guy she'd hidden her feelings from for years.

Unfortunately for her, James suddenly turned his head. He had the feeling someone had their eyes directed near him, but it wasn't an uncomfortable one.

As his eyes drifted across the Great Hall, he landed on the relaxed expression of Y/N Lestrange, sending the girl a small smile.

She didn't return it.

Y/N's eyes shot wide open, her body shooting to correct her posture and face Evan and Regulus. Thankfully they were both still too engrossed in their politics to notice her sudden shift in position or the started expression on her face and the beet red blush dancing heavily on her skin.

Unfortunately for her, not everyone was so oblivious.

A soft smile danced onto James' chapped lips.

Was she looking at him ? His brain ran overtime on all the possible reasons she had been trying to look in his direction unnoticed.

And unfortunately for him, her eyes had been directed a meter infront of him at the scarred boy who had handed her jumper back.

Chapter Four

Series Masterlist

Main Masterlist

[bubblegoespopminddrops]

So I was reading this post before I made my own account about being a good bimbo, and it suggested making your password a mantra/affirmation and to make sure it doesn't save to your browser so you have to write it out each time. I thought!!! Great idea! Came up with one. Then when I went to log in today I realized I didn't remember it lol. And it kind of turned me on a bit because what a Bimbo forgetting her own bimbo style password? Being kind of brainless and ditzy just makes me so happy <3 <3 <3 Made a new one today and made sure to write it down juuuuuuust in case. (and now I'm thinking about getting a notebook just for bimbo stuff)

[devildom-moss]

Hmmm I'm kinda curious maybe some Yandere Mephisto? (either headcanons or whatever works for you) I'm interested to see how you'd write it. Thank you and hope ur having a good day!

Super late on this, but I hope you'll still enjoy it, anon! I went with some headcanons - sfw and nsfw are clearly separated. Thank you for the request and I hope you have a good day, too.

yandere!Mephisto headcanons

(Mephisto x gn!MC)

(18+, dark themes for SFW and NSFW, NSFW)

(NSFW and other tags: yandere and general creepiness, mentions of: possessiveness, harm and cruelty to others - not MC, stalking and tracking, stealing clothes, recording without consent, marking, dubcon and implied potential noncon - only in the nsfw hypnosis section, hypnosis and magic, collaring, bondage, exhibitionism)

He likes to stalk gather information about you when he has time to spare. He’ll sometimes make a whole weekend out of it if he can – which can be awkward when someone asks him to do them a favor or spend time with them. Unless it’s Lord Diavolo (or MC, of course), he’ll just say he already made plans.

Mephisto keeps a notebook with facts about you (your favorite foods, flowers, where you spend days off, where you go to calm down, who you spend the most time with – he’s got more than a few pages). At least the man is smart enough to password seal his notebook with magic.  

He invites you over for Demonus tastings and asks for your opinions – he even asks you to take notes. It’s not even scratch paper notes – he’s got sturdy cardstock prepared with sections for appearance, aroma, taste, body, finish, etc. If you have no clue what you’re doing, he gets immense pleasure in teaching you. Surprisingly, he’s not too critical of your ability to take good notes; he adores the fact that you’re willing to do this with him – even if it does seem a bit pretentious. Mephisto will photocopy your notes and put one copy in his notebook about his demonus collection alongside his own notes and keep the original in his room. More on this in the NSFW section.

He will give you jewelry – but only pieces that he thinks you will love and wear often. For special occasions, he might even get something custom made. When you wear it, he feels like he’s claiming you. You’re wearing his gift. Unfortunately, he gets angry when you don’t wear one of his gifts – but he tries not to show you that side because he doesn’t want you to think he’s being irrational. Classmates, other members of the newspaper club, and any lesser demon who crosses his path the wrong way will face his wrath instead. He might bring it up casually to you, though. “Oh, MC, that necklace I got you would look great with your uniform, don’t you think?”

His favorite thing to gift to you are shoes. He loves the idea of you slipping something he gave you onto your precious feet. It’s like he’s taking every step with you. Mephisto will insist that you change shoes immediately when he gifts them, and he will often ask to put them on for you. His touch is so gentle and tender when he drops to one knee and slips the shoes onto your feet. He takes pride in securing the buckles comfortably around you or tying the perfect bow. Only once he’s done will he look up at you with an affectionate, “gorgeous.”  

Sure, he may have been rude to you when you first met (and let’s face it, he still is on occasion after he realizes he wants you), but he will find any demon who is rude to you and hurt them – depending on the severity of their actions. If lesser demons touch you, he will personally kill them. A man of his means has ways of washing his hands clean of any dirt that dares to lay an undeserving hand upon you. He might be crueler if he thinks you were nice to that demon (for example, if a demon bumps into you and drops their papers, and you help them pick everything up). No one deserves to touch you except him – and maybe Lord Diavolo. He makes an exception for those you might miss – anyone from Lucifer to one of the little D.s – even though he’d rather destroy anyone that gets between you and him.

You run into him (possibly a little too often) on outings – especially if you’re alone. It’s not enough to draw serious suspicion or to expect it any time you’re out and about, though. He knows just where to draw the line. Plus, he has things to do; he can’t stalk you and find you every time you’re alone. Mephisto doesn’t want you wandering the Devildom by yourself. He just feels more relaxed when he can watch over you, and getting to spend time alone with you is a bonus. Still, just in case he can’t be there, he tracks your D.D.D. constantly (and he put a few tracking spells on some of your most worn accessories and clothes).

He’ll try to be chill when he “runs into you�� – unless he finds you with Lucifer or Diavolo. That gets on his nerves more than the others. He wouldn’t be happy to find you on a date with anyone else, but seeing you with Lucifer makes him hostile, and seeing you with Diavolo can make him passive aggressive. He often mentions how rare it is that Diavolo has a spare moment to spend with you. “You aren’t avoiding any work are you, My Lord? What would Barbatos say about that?” If he sees an opportunity to steal you away, he will. If he can do so without getting caught or in trouble, he’ll sabotage your date. It rubs him the wrong way when someone else shows you a good time, even though he wants you to be happy.

He records conversations with you to play back later. Sometimes he “forgets” to hit stop after an interview with you and your entire off the record conversation stays on his D.D.D. Oops. Other times, he just “accidentally” hit record when he sat down or something. How unusual.

If you’ve been testing him a lot (by being social), he’ll invite you over and take you into his room. He wants your scent everywhere. Nap in his bed, borrow his shirt, use his shower – just exist where he does for a minute. He loves and hates bringing you into his room because he knows he’ll have to let you leave at some point. Someone would come looking for you if he kept you there. As much as it breaks his heart, you’d probably want to leave after a while, too.

If you want tattoos, he asks if he can help you pick a design for your next tattoo. I don’t think he has the skill to tattoo you himself, so he would stomach someone else touching you if that means he would get to be a part of something permanent on your body. He wants you to think of him every time you look at yourself.

When he has you all to himself and you’re on much friendlier terms, he will ask if you’d like to try hypnosis or guided meditation with him, especially if you seem stressed or sad. He pitches it like it’s an opportunity to just relax and let go. All you have to do is trust him. If you agree, Mephisto uses magic and does his best to make it a soothing experience for you. He wants you to come to him whenever you need to relax or want comfort. It isn’t until after he’s wormed his way into that pretty little head of yours that he pushes the boundaries – asking you to desire him more than anyone, telling you to kiss him, demanding that you pull away from the others. More on this in the NSFW section.

NSFW

Remember those notes about Demonus that Mephisto keeps in his room? He’ll pour a glass of one of the bottles you shared and find the corresponding notes. He absolutely would masturbate to your handwriting and cum on the paper – probably moaning your name the entire time. Mephisto likes to imagine you drinking with him and taking advantage of his inebriated state. The thought that you could want him so much that you’d touch him when he was in no position to refuse you turns him on so much (not that he would ever refuse you). Despite that recurring fantasy, he rarely gets drunk around you because he’s terrified of making a fool of himself in your presence – especially since you’d be unaffected by the Demonus. After he’s ruined your handwriting sample, he’ll burn the incriminating evidence. It’s become a strange ritual for him, and he can’t seem to go a month without it. He may get extremely pushy about you coming over to try new bottles with him if he starts to run low on his MC handwriting sample supply.

Don’t let this man over and leave him unattended. He will use your brief neglect as an excuse to rummage through your laundry. Isn’t it lucky for him that underwear and socks are such easy garments to steal? He doesn’t really care whether they’re clean or dirty as long as you’ve already worn them before (and ideally if they smell like you). If you get the clothes back (not guaranteed), he will sneak them back after reluctantly washing them, but they definitely had his cum all over them at some point. He’s more likely to give clothes back if he bought them for you. Expect gifts of cute socks and if you’re already having sex with him, he’ll buy you underwear, too. Just don’t be too shocked if they go missing.

Speaking of not leaving him unattended, during those trips where everyone leaves, if you don’t invite him, he takes that as an invitation to break and enter sneak into your room. Mephisto – pent up with jealousy and need – will climb into your bed and touch himself. His mind gets fuzzy as he imagines you laying in bed with him. He moans loudly; he’s moaning for you, after all. He’s usually pretty careful not to make a mess when he does this. Mephisto doesn’t want to get caught, and he knows that if he leaves a mess in your sheets, he won’t want to clean it. The temptation to make you sleep in his cum is too strong, and it would make him feel better about not getting invited, so he avoids making a mess altogether. He might take something while he’s there, though. You deserve a punishment for leaving him alone, don’t you?

Did you really think hypnosis would stop at something as simple as a kiss? He is a demon, after all. He’d rather use hypnosis to enhance the experience of sex with you by calming your nerves, increasing your sensitivity, or overwhelming you with pleasure, but if he has to use it to get what he wants, he will. He wants you so much that he’ll resort to using magic. It’s a last resort, though, and he really wants you to want him on your own. There’s only so much a demon can take.

The next few are more of an established relationship yandere headcanon, but once he gets you in his bed, it takes every ounce of restraint he has to not keep you there. He wants to chain you to his bed (but rope works too) and tend to your every desire. If you let him, he’ll make you cum so much and so hard that you lose track of time. He’ll keep you there for multiple days, pleasuring you until you can’t think of anyone else but him. (He’ll let you go to eat, go to the bathroom, etc.) If your phone doesn’t get charged and no one can get ahold of you for a day or two, it’s not that big of a deal, right?

Mephisto will mark you up – biting and leaving hickeys all over your body. He wants others to see.

He will try to collar you – he’d even let you pick the style of collar that you want. If he can get you to wear it outside of the bedroom (although, if you’re already having sex, that is not contained to a bedroom), that’s even better. He wants to show off that he owns you. You belong to him. He’ll wear a collar for you, too, though. This man wants to be owned just as much as he wants to own you.

[menlove]

thank you @therealsaintscully for tagging me !! i always love writing tag games asjdfajsdf

how many works do you have on ao3?

on naturechild, i have 8. on my older, multi-fandom account (jamestkirk) i have 13. thennnn i have 2 orphaned ones in the star wars fandom & then on an ancient one i abandoned in 2014 i have 21. and i know i orphaned at LEAST 3 others at some point. so that's... like 44?

what’s your total word count?

141,179 on naturechild, 139,838 on jamestkirk, and then i have no idea what the password for my old one is so idk there. but at least 281,017. even though i had 21 on that super old one, they were all really short, and the orphaned ones i have are only a few thousand each. so probably around like the 290-300k mark.

what are your top 5 fics by kudos?

and oh, my heart was flawed (aziraphale/crowley)

is it a great or little thing we fought? (han/luke)

i'm not trying to write a love song (steve/bucky)

and all i ever knew (only you) (aziraphale/crowley)

the star to every wandering bark (aziraphale/crowley) (abandoned)

do you respond to comments? why/why not?

i try to !! i certainly read them all. i tend to get overwhelmed easily by responding to people, like just in general, so like any inbox i have (email, text, tumblr, discord, etc) i have a ton i haven't replied to. but i try for the first few weeks after a fic drops at least fjsdfjasdf

what's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

oh hm. well, i need you (never leave me alone) ends on an angsty note but there's the third installment planned where john survives getting shot and they wind up fine, so while the fic ends sad their arc isn't. so with that excluded, your midas touch (quentin/eliot) is probably the winner. it's just really angsty sex where they aren't together but they know they want to be together but eliot turned quentin down (like in canon for those of u who were wise enough to not watch the magicians) so it's just. smut and sadness.

what's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

uuuuh hm i tend to write a lot of like mid-canon fics i guess or angst or like fics that finish off with a Hopeful tone but not happy or sad but i guess the one that i'd say is the happiest ending is probably i'm not trying to write a love song. it's a stucky fix-it fic bc i was so mad about endgame that i had to make myself not mad by writing this, but it's essentially just. 5 times bucky "jokingly" asked steve to marry him and one time steve actually asked him. i'm gonna be so real i do not remember the plot of this at all beyond that.

do you write crossovers?

not anymore, no! i wrote some waaay back in the day on deviantart- most notably i was kicking around a star trek/beatles crossover as a kid where spock, bones, kirk, and uhura swapped places w the beatles. i don't remember where i was going with it at all, but i wrote it in a notebook at summer camp lol

have you ever received hate on a fic?

yeah lmfao most recently i had someone tell me i was ableist for not tagging a 7k fic "slow-burn" bc they didn't get to anal sex right away. mind you, they were still fucking, there just wasn't anal. and this meant i was ableist. absolutely insane comment i still think about it like weekly.

do you write smut? If so, what kind?

yeahhhhh most of my fics on naturechild are explicit. and idk i'd say usually just Porn With Feelings like i love using smut as a way to explore characters and relationships rather than just straight up being hot. which is maybe my downfall but hey i'm having fun

have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i'm aware of!

have you ever had a fic translated?

i don't think so? i think i've been asked a few times but no

have you ever co-written a fic before?

yeah! i co-wrote a beatles fic w a friend in middle school, i co-wrote the star to every wandering bark w my ex, and i'm writing i want you, need you, i love you with @forthlin. there's ALSO in the works a thing i'm co-writing w @dykebeatles at some point that exists in our minds and is very beautiful such a beautiful world

what's your all-time favorite ship?

i truly couldn't answer this w a gun to my head this changes frequently. but my ones that keep returning are: kirk/spock(/bones), (redacted star wars ship u could all figure out w the slightest sleuthing), charles/erik, and john/paul. and then i'm also huge into mulder/scully, twelve/clara, and doctor/master, but i don't tend to read or write fics for those i just witness them on my screen and go crazy.

what's a wip that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

the star to every wandering bark will never get finished bc we broke up and then we were Planning on finishing it and he didn't get back to me lmaoooo. but also the universe for is it a great or little thing we fought? i thought was very neat and wanted to finish and then never got around to. given that it's literally 8 years old at this point i don't think i'm ever going to but i loved that little world!

what are your writing strengths?

i've been told i'm good at dialogue and i think i'm good at painting emotional pictures honestly !!

what are your writing weaknesses?

i get really bogged down sometimes and it's hard for me to know what to cut to make the action flow so it's not just chunks of rambling that take too long to move from one action/scene to the next. i'm trying to Actively work on this and get better though so ! i'm also not the strongest at smut bc again, i use it as a character study more than anything. trying to improve on that as well!

what are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

like prev said, depends on how well it's done. i've seen it done really well and really poorly. regardless i definitely think you should probably try and find someone who speaks that language and not just use google translate bc oh boy.

what was the first fandom you wrote for?

fasdfasdf kim possible when i was 9...... first time i started taking fanfiction SERIOUSLY though was the beatles when i was 11

what's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

ohhhh hm. i really wanna write a mcharrison fic but they're so bittersweet to me and idk if i could do them justice. i've also only ever written one cherik fic and that's criminal, i'd love to write another one

what's your favorite fic you've written?

okay i know it's recency bias but it's between cut to chord: subliminal flash of love-making like i don't think i've ever been as proud of a fic as that one, and then i want you (every time that you're near) was just so fun to write and so adfasdf i love them

tagging: yall don't have to do this but tagging some ppl i know have published fics and may not have been tagged ! @forthlin @wronglennon @dykebeatles @sgtpeppers and anyone else that would like to do this can say i tagged them <3

[dadjokestop]

The Art of Crafting Laughter If you’ve ever wondered how to write jokes, you’re not alone! Crafting a good joke is like baking a cake—you need the right ingredients, a pinch of creativity, and, most importantly, a dash of humor! Whether you’re looking to entertain your friends, spice up a presentation, or just make someone chuckle, understanding how to write jokes is a superpower everyone can benefit from. So, grab your thinking cap, and let’s dive into the wonderful world of joke writing! Understanding the Basics: The Setup and Punchline The foundation of every great joke is the classic setup and punchline structure. The setup creates an expectation, and the punchline flips that expectation on its head. It’s all about subverting what people think they know. Brainstorming Ideas: The Comedy Goldmine When you’re figuring out how to write jokes, brainstorming is key. Keep a notebook or a digital app handy to jot down any funny thoughts, observations, or experiences. Here are some tips to fuel your brainstorming sessions: Everyday Life: Sometimes the funniest material comes from the mundane. Observing daily situations can spark inspiration. Wordplay: Puns, homophones, and double meanings are great for creating clever jokes. Pop Culture: Current events, movies, and trends can be excellent sources for relatable humor. The Magic of Timing: Delivery Matters Once you have a joke, it’s all about how you deliver it. Timing is everything! Practice saying your jokes out loud to find the best rhythm and pace. Often, the pause before the punchline can build anticipation, leading to a bigger laugh. Experimenting with Styles: Find Your Voice There are various styles of humor, and finding your own voice can make your jokes more authentic. Here are a few styles to consider: One-liners: Quick, punchy jokes that deliver humor in a single sentence. Storytelling: Weaving a narrative around your joke can create suspense and engagement. Observational: Pointing out the absurdities of everyday life connects with audiences on a personal level. Jokes to Get You Started Now that you have a grasp of how to write jokes, let’s look at some examples to inspire you. Here are 30 unique jokes that illustrate the various styles we discussed: What Do You Call a Fish with No Eyes? “Fsh!” Why Did the Scarecrow Win an Award? “Because he was outstanding in his field!” How Does a Penguin Build Its House? “Igloos it together!” Why Don’t Scientists Trust Atoms? “Because they make up everything!” What’s Forrest Gump’s Password? “1forest1!” Why Did the Mummy Go to the Party? “Because he heard it was going to be a real wrap!” What’s a Ghost’s Favorite dessert? “I-scream!” How Does a Computer Get drunk? “It takes screenshots!” What Do You Call Fake Spaghetti? “An impasta!” Why Can’t Your Nose Be 12 Inches Long? “Because then it would be a foot!” How Do You Organize a Space Party? “You planet!” Why Did the Coffee File a Police Report? “It got mugged!” What Do You Call Cheese that Isn’t Yours? “Nacho cheese!” What Did the Traffic Light Say to the Car? “Don’t look! I’m changing!” Why Don’t Skeletons Fight Each Other? “They don’t have the guts!” What Do You Call an Alligator in a Vest? “An investigator!” Why Did the Cookie Cry? “Because his mom was a wafer (away for) so long!” How Do You Catch a Squirrel? “Climb a tree and act like a nut!” What Did the Ocean Say to the Beach? “Nothing, it just waved!” Why Can’t Toads Play Poker? “Because they might croak!” What Do You Call a Bear with No Teeth? “A gummy bear!” Why Did the bicycle fall over? “Because it was two-tired!” What’s orange and sounds like a parrot? “A carrot!” Why Are Ghosts Bad Liars? “Because you can see right through them!” How Do Trees Access the Internet? “They log on!” Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants?

“In case he got a hole in one!” Why was the math book sad? “Because it had too many problems!” What do you call a can opener that doesn’t work? “A can’t opener!” Why did the picture go to jail? “Because it was framed!” What did one wall say to the other? “I’ll meet you at the corner!” Why do cows have hooves instead of feet? “Because they lactose!” Conclusion: The Craft of Comedy Awaits! Now that you know how to write jokes, it’s time to put pen to paper and unleash your inner comedian! Remember, humor is subjective, so don’t be discouraged if every joke doesn’t land perfectly. Keep practicing, experimenting with styles, and refining your delivery. The world can always use more laughter, and you could be the one to bring it! So get out there, write those jokes, and spread the joy of laughter wherever you go!

[writingbrainrot]

When your great idea to keep passwords safe BACKFIRES CUS YOU CANT FIND THE FLIPPING NOTEBOOK AND YOU CANT REMEMBER THE MASTER PASSWORD CUS YOU MADE IT PURPOSEFULLY TO BE SOMETHING YOU WOULD NEVER THINK OF/srs

IM FINE!/lie

DONT I SEEM FINE TO YOU?!/s

Anyway this is a good way to keep adhd impulse purchases under control but i don't like it

[bouwrites]

Show Your Fangs: Chapter 5

The Great Map Heist

First, Previous, Next.

Ao3.

Story under read-more.

The first thing Harry does with his freedom, while all the students are at breakfast getting their timetables, is walk up to Gryffindor Tower. There, he lounges on a windowsill just outside the Gryffindor Common Room where he can keep an eye on the portrait of the Fat Lady who guards the entrance, and he plots.

Harry needs to get his paws on the Marauder’s Map. He can’t risk Ron or Hermione checking it out of desperation and finding him here, not while being caught means being turned into Dumbledore, sent back to the Dursleys (who will undoubtedly be informed how he hides and will beat him senseless for doing something as freakish as turning into a cat), and then having his wand snapped by the Ministry.

Maybe even prison by that point, for fleeing from the Ministry in the first place.

It’s just not an option, and the Marauder’s Map is the one thing that can definitively out him, so Harry can’t suffer allowing it to remain out of his reach.

The problem is how in the world he’s going to get it back while he’s a cat. Well… that and what in the world he’s going to do with it to keep it hidden once he gets it, but one problem at a time.

It has to be with either Ron or Hermione’s belongings. Or maybe Fred and George nick it back, but that seems less likely. But either way, it means that Harry has to somehow infiltrate the Gryffindor Common Room.

Learning the password should be easy enough, but Harry can’t use it as he is. He can change back to give the password, but then the Fat Lady will identify him and the whole castle will know he’s around by the next morning and everyone will know to look for him here.

Most students won’t let an animal they don’t recognize into the common room on account of them not wanting to accidentally trap another student’s pet there and prevent it from getting back to where it’s meant to be. If he were disillusioned, then he might be able to slip inside, but Harry will have to do that as a human and he isn’t sure he can disillusion himself and then turn back into a cat without breaking the charm. Maybe worth a try?

But then the exfiltration will be very tricky. Slipping through with a student works when he isn’t carrying a sheaf of parchment which will not be disillusioned with him, even if he is, himself. But the map will immediately draw attention to him and then everyone will be wondering why there’s a disillusioned cat trying to steal this parchment from their dorm and it’ll only make everything worse.

Not to mention that Harry has a very, very bad track record at exfiltration. (Magical Menagerie…) Although maybe since no one would actually be looking for him he might have better luck? If nothing else, he does have a lot of practice, so he’s got to pull it off one of these days, right? 

Ugh. He flicks his tail in annoyance. He knows he’s impulsive and not the most organized person, but there’s definitely truth in that saying that you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. Harry would kill for a notebook and a pen right now so he can organize his thoughts.

Okay. So, step one: infiltration. Entering the Gryffindor Common Room.

Step two: find the map. Probably in either Ron or Hermione’s trunks. (Harry really does not want to dig through Hermione’s trunk. That’s just… inappropriate. But he has to keep himself safe.)

Step three: exfiltration. Get out without anyone catching him or the map. Ideally without anyone being the wiser that he has the thing, just in case Ron and Hermione piece together that Michael’s cat steals the Marauder’s Map and make a scene with him trying to get it back, because uh… they would. Make a scene, that is.

Step four: hide(?) the map. Harry honestly doesn’t have the foggiest idea what he can possibly do with the thing, he just knows it needs to be away from the two (four, including Fred and George) people in this castle who can use it.

Minor problem with that step: Harry cannot think of a single place in the castle that Fred and George do not stand a decent chance of uncovering the map should he hide it there. Hiding it from Ron and Hermione surprisingly isn’t that hard so long as he has the opportunity, but Fred and George? Oof.

Step five: profit. He guesses.

Simple. Now, if only Harry can figure out how to do literally any one of those steps, he’d be flying with the hippogriffs.

Oh! Harry has an idea. He should steal more stuff. That way, if he is seen taking the map, Ron and Hermione won’t have any reason to think he goes after the map specifically, and won’t suspect he knows anything or is anything more than the cat he presents himself as.

Cats steal things, right? Harry thinks he remembers that cats sometimes steal little hoards. He doesn’t actually know if that’s true, but if he establishes it as part of his character then he doesn’t need to worry about not being seen leaving the common room with the map, only not being caught.

Which is much easier. In theory. Again, Harry does not have the best track record with escaping.

Great. He can get started on that while he continues to think over how to get into Gryffindor.

With something actionable to do, Harry gets back up and trots down to the Grand Staircase, then up towards Ravenclaw Tower. He’s just entering the hall that leads to the tower when he notices a single shoe laying dejectedly half-hidden behind the foot of one of the blue arches decorating this corridor.

And Harry thinks, well, why not? Why shouldn’t he take it? He may as well get started as soon as he can, right?

So, he approaches the shoe, eyes it for a moment because it’s pure white but has been doodled all over and clearly has been worn often in the dirt and grass from the stains on it, and he wonders who it belongs to. Not many people would lose a shoe in the middle of the corridor. At least, not many that would then proceed to keep walking, presumably with only one shoe left.

Location would suggest a Ravenclaw. They by far use this hall more often than anyone else. (Most other houses would use this path as an alternate route, not the primary or shortest path to their classes or anywhere else in the castle.)

He wonders if the other shoe is around here somewhere, too. Even if it’s not, maybe he can find some other things to swipe to establish a little hoard before he gets back in the Ravenclaw Common Room and takes things more directly.

A cursory inspection of this hallway reveals nothing new, so Harry picks up the shoe and heads off in search of a place to keep his hoard. Somewhere close to Ravenclaw Tower.

His answer, serendipitously, comes literally the very moment he enters said tower. Just on the right, before the tight spiral staircase that leads up to the common room, is a room Harry recalls no one ever entering.

He finagles the door open with a lot of jumping and scrambling trying to catch the doorknob, but he manages it, and pulls the shoe inside the room that’s… storage, it looks like?

At least, Harry can’t imagine any other reason why there would be a stack of bathtubs piled up all the way to the ceiling. Oh, ew, there’s a toilet in here, too. Obviously, it’s not attached to the plumbing, as it’s balanced precariously atop a battered and toppled bathroom sink, but still. Gross.

Harry figures the tubs are his best bet at hiding his stash and jumps up, climbing carefully to the topmost one. It is, thankfully, empty inside, so Harry drops the shoe and heads back to the door, closing it behind him, to look for more goodies throughout the castle.

-----

By the end of the first school day, when Harry determines it’s late enough that he needs to climb back up to the common room, Harry proudly gathers in his claw-foot bathtub three quills (one broken), a gobstone, a mirror some girl leaves on a bench, half a chocolate frog card, a paper clip, two earrings (not matching), the very angry black rook of a wizard’s chess set, four (four!) blank pieces of parchment (he’s planning ahead!), and the match to that shoe he finds first (it’s up in the trophy room of all places).

So, altogether a very successful day if he does say so himself.

…What was he supposed to be doing? Something about the Gryffindor Common Room?

Well, he really needs to get back to Michael before he worries. Not that Harry doesn’t know Michael doubtless worries all day. He will continue to do so until Harry comes back, and then a few more times after that, at least, until some more trust is built there.

Hm, now that he thinks about it… surely, there’s a way in and out of the common room for pets, right? Crookshanks is out in the middle of the night sometimes, and Harry sincerely doubts Hermione goes and lets him out. He knows that she makes sure he’s in at the end of the day, because she and Ron get in such an argument about it all the time since Crookshanks was after Scabbers.

Ironically, Ron actually tells her to kick Crookshanks out overnight so that he isn’t a threat to Scabbers, but Hermione emphatically refuses, saying she’ll just ensure he’s in the girls’ dorm and out of the boys’, but Harry distinctly remembers the cat being out on the grounds at night.

…Probably not something Harry can rely on to get into the Gryffindor Common Room, but he should definitely figure out how to get in and out of Ravenclaw. He wants access to Michael’s prank items during the day, and he can start taking stuff while everyone’s in classes.

He should probably learn the access into the Gryffindor Common Room, too, if it’s something he can use. He doesn’t know if he’ll need it, but options are never a bad thing.

He approaches the Ravenclaw eagle door knocker, and then feels very, very stupid because a smaller door appears magically just at the base of it, opening all on its own to admit him in.

House elf magic. Duh. The elves that bring the pets up to the dorms in the first place ensure the rooms are open to them. Harry wonders if Michael has any control over whether the common room “cat flap” is open or shut to him.

Unfortunately, he can’t say for certain based on Hermione and Crookshanks’ behavior. Hermione leaving the cat door open makes just as much sense as her closing it, so it’s really up in the air.

(Sometimes, Harry really wishes he had a pet here that’s not an owl. He might actually know some of the rules and restrictions on him if he did.)

Well, whatever. Far be it from Harry to look a gift horse in the mouth. He enters the common room, searching for Michael.

His chest warms pleasantly and his tail wags when he sees the look on Michael’s face when he catches sight of him. The sheer relief and delight… he’s just so happy, and so Harry can’t help but feel a bit of that happiness, too.

Harry spends much of that evening curled up dozing on Michael’s lap, and then deigns to join him in his bed this time, instead of betraying him for Anthony again. (Although Terry does try to tempt him with a treat. Michael is very smug that Harry chooses him over it.)

Unlike Anthony, though, Michael does cuddle, so Harry quickly finds himself enveloped with Michael curling around him. Harry doesn’t have any complaints about his night at the foot of Anthony’s bed, but… he doesn’t mind this, either.

He feels loved.

Of course, the next morning, Harry takes one of Michael’s socks, the shoelace off one of Terry’s boots, and Anthony’s spare prefect badge to his tub stash, all before Michael even wakes up.

And then it’s another day of stealing things for his stash. Harry even makes sure to get caught a few times, because the point is to get a reputation, and he makes sure to get stuff from people of every house, too.

Just two days later, Harry is finally satisfied with the state of his stash and decides that, to cement it in everyone’s head that “Michael’s cat takes things,” he should let someone find the stash.

And he very conveniently has just the means of doing that. Since he realizes the day before that those shoes he finds the first day, that are doodled all over and covered in grass stains, actually belong to that Luna girl who is not wearing them that first day not because she’s weird, but because she doesn’t know where they are.

Well, Harry is more than happy to give them back.

He jumps ahead of Michael in the common room, bounds up to the pale-haired girl, and steps on her feet, rubs against her legs.

“No shoes again, today, Luna?” Michael asks sympathetically, attention drawn to her feet since he’s watching Harry.

“No,” says Luna, not sounding bothered in the slightest about it. “They haven’t seemed to find their way back to me, yet.”

Harry meows loudly, to get their attention, and bounds towards the staircase to the door, wagging his tail, waiting for them to follow. It takes a moment, but Luna eagerly follows him and Michael is bemused enough (and has nothing else to do) to allow him to go where he pleases and simply follow him to watch regardless.

Harry leads them down the spiral staircase to the door where his tub stash is hidden, jumps onto the handle to open the door (he’s good at it, now) and then climbs up to the topmost claw-foot bathtub, where he meows expectantly at the witch and wizard below.

Michael eyes the pile of tubs warily. “Do you think that’s stable?”

Luna just gasps, “There must be something at the top!” and she starts climbing.

(Okay, Harry really likes this girl.)

Michael hurriedly pulls out his wand to cast sticking charms on the stack of tubs so that Luna’s weight doesn’t send them toppling over as she climbs up to Harry’s level. Her head pops up over the rim of the tub, at last giving her a look inside. “Oh! My shoes!”

“Seriously?” says Michael. “How’d they get up there?”

Luna grabs for her shoes, dropping them behind her (Michael has to jump out of the way as she doesn’t actually look to see where she’s dropping them) and then curiously examines the rest of Harry’s collection. “I think Tiger found them for me,” she says. “I guess he realized they were mine when you commented on my feet this morning.”

Michael balks. “I did not comment on your feet, I just asked about you still not finding your shoes!”

“Oh, look,” Luna chirps, grabbing onto the mirror Harry takes after some girl leaves it on a bench. “I think this is Felicity Eastchurch’s.” Replacing the mirror, she pokes at some hair ties, then picks up the gobstone to examine in the light as if it’s a precious gem.

“Just what exactly do you have up there, Tiger?” Michael asks, exasperated.

“Some quills, lots of parchment, a few earrings,” Luna starts listing, “oh, even a muggle pen. A chess piece, some hair ties-”

Michael groans. “I leave you alone to go to class,” he moans, “and you become a thief. Tiger…”

That is… exactly true, yes. Harry wags his tail, holding eye contact with Michael unrepentantly.

“Luna, is there anything there that’ll actually be missed?”

“Whoever lost these butterbeer corks must want them back,” Luna answers. “They keep the nargles away, you know.”

Michael’s head drops into his hands. Harry kneads the edge of the bathtub unconsciously, trying desperately to hide any too-human sign of his amusement. Harry, really, really likes this girl.

After a fortifying breath, Michael reexamines the stack of tubs, shrugs, announces, “Alright, I’m coming up,” and starts climbing himself. As he reaches the top, Harry walks onto his shoulders and flops down, laying across them as he purrs.

“Merlin, Tiger,” Michael sighs. He still gives Harry scritches behind the ear, though, before he focuses on looking through Harry’s pile of collected treasures.

He quickly sorts out anything that might potentially be missed. Blank parchment and quills and the like are ignored (as Harry plans), as are the various “trash” items like the butterbeer corks that Luna points out, but the bits of jewelry, the chess piece, the Gryffindor tie Harry snags right off of Seamus’ sleepy neck one morning at breakfast, a single green dragonhide glove, and the mirror are all shoved into Michael’s pockets for the climb down.

“You said something here belongs to Felicity?” Michael asks. Luna points out the mirror to him. “Oh, yeah, she’s been moaning about losing that.”

In Harry’s defense, she does leave it. Harry just picks it up. He does take some things directly from the students, but that isn’t one of them.

“Great,” Michael sighs, “now I have to go around trying to find who owns these.”

Uh, Harry does? Obviously? He steals them fair and square.

Luna giggles. Maybe at Michael, maybe at the look on Harry’s face, he doesn’t know, but Harry supposes Michael can return all that stuff to their places since it’s time for him to get moving on the next part of the plan, anyway.

It already makes his fur itch knowing it’s been days and he doesn’t have the map yet, even though he knows that Ron and Hermione shouldn’t have any reason to bother looking at it. They surely don’t suspect Harry is in Hogwarts any more than anyone else. And that assumption is the only reason that Harry is as patient as he is.

Thankfully, he does consider his plan while he’s busy making his reputation, so he already knows how to proceed. With luck, Harry can execute his plan and have the map back by tonight.

Step one: infiltration.

Harry stays on Michael’s shoulders even when he goes back to the common room, making quite clear his intentions to tag along today. Since it’s a Saturday with no classes, Michael is happy to have him. Michael himself is nervous because he has a study date with Ginny – one of their first hangouts of the year – and he’s still not sure how that’s going to go.

Harry knows how it’s going to go. He knows how he’s going to make it go, even though he has misgivings about the whole thing.

The two settle in the quad courtyard where they can be louder than in the library and chat about things other than their schoolwork, then get out their homework for the first couple of days and idle through it as they begin a conversation about quidditch.

Quidditch. Harry is as happy to talk about quidditch as the next guy, but come on. Quidditch? Ginny obviously just picks the first, safest topic she can think of and rolls with it, and Michael’s quiet frown when she’s not looking at him makes it clear that he notices, too.

After brushing him off all summer, she wants to just act like none of that happens? It yanks the strings in Harry’s chest bad, mostly because he suspects that Ron and Hermione would do the same thing to him if he comes back as a student. Ron does do just that after the first task of the Triwizard Tournament.

Well… he does apologize, but still. After that, he just goes about like it never happens.

Harry loves Ginny. He loves all the Weasleys, but… Ginny really doesn’t deserve Michael. Maybe it’s mean to think it, but that’s how Harry feels. He wants to get between them, to hiss and scratch at Ginny until she just leaves Michael alone and stops playing with his heart like this.

Unfortunately, Harry needs her.

So, instead of biting her like he wants to do, he cuddles up to her. He swallows the bitter taste on his tongue to crawl into her lap. (He absolutely gets in the way of her work, and yes, it’s petty, but that’s what “affectionate” cats do, isn’t it?)

Michael tries to ask her about her avoidance twice, just she dodges the question both times. It’s not until Harry meows at him, annoyed, that Michael decides to talk about him instead, and Ginny deems Michael’s new cat a safe enough topic, and the classic Weasley love of pranks has her doubled-over laughing in no time at Harry’s antics as Tiger and Michael’s suffering love for him.

And the ice there seems to break. Conversation flows easily after that. Ginny even teases Michael that he loves his cat more than her, and he laughs it into a joke, but Harry flexes his claws. He’s on her lap. It will be so easy to just grab. A few scratches on her thighs aren’t going to hurt her, right?

Harry catches Michael eyeing him a few times, sensing that something is up. Harry takes Anthony’s side that first night to avoid the consequences of his stink pellets (the boys still don’t find the one in the extra bed) but other than that Harry always prefers Michael. So, him latching on to Ginny, purring loudly and snuggling into her lap is unusual behavior for him.

Harry is starting to branch out. Luna picks him up yesterday, and he climbs up Anthony the night before only because he’s the tallest and Harry wants to see if he can get to the top. He sits next to Terry, accepting pets, while Terry reads the night before. But that’s all while Michael is doing other things. Generally, if it’s a choice between Michael or anyone else, Harry is closest to Michael.

Partly because Harry knows Michael the best, partly because he’s just showing loyalty since he is Michael’s pet. (Michael spends nine whole galleons on him! That’s… not actually a lot, but way more than he expects anyone to spend on him! More than anyone has done before, for sure, except McGonagall and Sirius when they buy him his brooms.)

Harry makes a show of liking Ginny, because Ginny will assume he’s just friendly or likes her for some reason and Michael should know better, so when their time together ends amicably and optimistically and Michael reaches for him so that they can go, Harry gives him a hard look.

Michael hesitates. He looks between Harry and Ginny for a few moments, then he smiles. He digs into his pocket for the treat bag he keeps on him, bends close to Harry’s head and pets him with his free hand just to disguise the movement of his lips as he whispers, “Give her hell, Tiger.”

Michael brings a cat treat to Harry’s lips, pinched between his thumb and forefinger, but Harry catches the stink pellet he hides between his next two knuckles, and Harry paws at Michael’s hand for the treat, but also to grab the stink pellet which he hides in his fur and pins in place with his leg tucked up against him just like he does with the fizzing whizzbee in the train station.

Michael’s smile turns blinding – Harry knows he can count on that man. He worries, because it looks like things go well, which they have to for Harry to conceivably go with Ginny afterwards, but Michael might not want to risk pranking her after only just smoothing things out between them.

But there’s a hard look in Michael’s eye, too, and Harry recognizes it because he feels the exact same way. They might get over the awkwardness today, but Ginny still never explains, never apologizes… she deserves what she gets.

Besides, it’s Ginny. If she of all people gets angry over a prank, then it’s not really the prank that riles her up, anyway.

“Hey, Gin,” Michael says. “Looks like Tiger really likes you. You’re just going back to your common room after this, right? Why don’t you take him with you? I’ve got to meet the guys in the library anyway, so I’d feel better if he isn’t alone.”

Harry wags his tail smugly. Good man.

“Sure, I don’t mind,” says Ginny. She picks up Harry as she stands, ensuring he doesn’t have to drop the stink pellet.

“Oh,” says Michael. “And don’t worry if he disappears on you. He does that, sometimes. He’ll make his way back to Ravenclaw when he wants to.”

The two part ways. Harry watches Michael’s smirk from over Ginny’s shoulder and smiles. Michael reads his intent, trusts him, and helps him just like that. They don’t pull off any joint pranks yet like Michael plans the moment he buys Harry, but it already feels like they’re partners.

It feels good. Even Ron and Hermione would question him first or refuse to allow him to go off alone. Michael doesn’t even know Harry’s plan; he just knows that Harry is putting on an act of liking Ginny for some reason and enables him.

And he trusts Harry to come back. Every day, that doubt that so fills his expression every time they part dissipates more and more. Today, there is only pride and eager apprehension, excitement to hear later about what Harry pulls off in the Gryffindor Common Room.

Harry isn’t going to let him down.

Step one: complete. Step two: find the map.

Ginny brings Harry up to the fourth-year girls’ dorms, which is overall much tidier and better-smelling than the boys’, but otherwise pretty much the same. Harry uses the quiet moment following to breathe and ready himself for the next step.

“How’d it go with Michael?” The voice catches Harry off guard because it doesn’t belong to a fourth-year. The one who speaks, the only other girl in the room, is Hermione.

“It was fine,” chuckles Ginny. “You know he’s always good for a laugh.”

A laugh? Harry glowers at her words. Who thinks of their boyfriend as nothing but a laugh? Michael is funny, yes, but he’s a lot more than just something to laugh at!

Merlin, Harry is going to enjoy the next few minutes.

“I think it’s going to be okay,” Ginny says. “He tried to ask about the summer a few times, but I somehow got things moving again without saying anything.”

She did? Since when? Harry remembers it being Michael, trying so hard to keep their relationship together, who focuses on something she won’t avoid and deflect just so that things aren’t so awkward.

Hermione winces in sympathy. “I’m sorry, Ginny. It must be hard to keep it from him. But you know how dangerous it is…”

“I know. It’s fine.” And Ginny really does sound like it is. It pisses Harry off. It’s not fine. No part of this is fine! “I just wish I knew who we can trust…”

Harry can’t resist yowling in offense. If she can’t trust her boyfriend, then why is she even with him? He squirms, not wanting to be touching her any longer.

Who they can trust- Right, just like they can’t trust Harry. Who do they think they are? How can they just accept that they can’t trust him? Or Ginny’s own boyfriend? And they keep going on as if nothing’s wrong!

“Is that Michael’s cat?” Hermione asks, wide-eyed at the scene Harry is making of himself.

Ginny groans. “He does love to talk about how smart Tiger is. I guess he understood what we’re saying. Probably offended on Michael’s behalf.” She tries to soothe him, but Harry hisses and squirms. “Sorry, Tiger,” Ginny says. “It’s just without Dumbledore’s permission-”

Oh, Dumbledore’s permission? Harry sees red. They need Dumbledore to tell them who to trust? Like risking his life against a troll, or a basilisk, or going back in time with them isn’t enough for them to think for themselves and make their own decisions? Dumbledore is the final say on who’s trustworthy and who’s not?

Because the man who sends Harry back to the Dursleys every summer, and isolates him there right after he watches someone die and fights for his life against Voldemort, is the epitome of trustworthy. The man whose response to the Ministry attacking and attempting to snap the wand of an underage student is to tell that student to sit still like a good boy and do nothing?

To hell with that, and to hell with them. Harry drops the stink pellet.

It hits the ground and bursts, dispelling an odour like dung all around them. Both girls reel back, Hermione confused and startled, and Ginny wincing.

“Where did that come from?” Hermione shrieks.

“Okay,” Ginny admits, “maybe he doesn’t forgive me. Ow!”

Before either girl can recover, Harry bites Ginny with a vengeance to force her to let go of him, and he sprints out the door.

But as much as Harry wants to lash and spit and linger on all his unkind thoughts towards the girls right now, he has something more important to do. He forces himself to put it in the back of his mind and darts up the stairs to the fifth-year dorms.

Hermione’s trunk isn’t hard to find. It’s the only one Harry actually recognizes since as a boy he can’t ordinarily come in here and he never shares a compartment with the others on the train. Well, except for this year, but he doesn’t pay attention to Parvati or Lavender’s luggage at the time.

He forces Hermione’s trunk open, praying she doesn’t put any dangerous security charms on it, and rummages as quickly as he can.

Unfortunately, he can’t be as thorough as he’d like. He’s on a bit of a time crunch, especially for this one, but he can’t find anything that looks like the map. As a consolation prize, he snatches the tassel of a bookmark and yanks it right out of the book, then runs off to try the boys’ side of the dormitories.

It being the middle of the day on a Saturday, none of the boys are in. That’s good for Harry. He thinks he loses the girls. They don’t really chase him in the first place and shouldn’t have any reason to guess he might try to go into the boys’ dorms, so if they do look for him, he should have a few minutes at least.

Still, he doesn’t waste time. He doesn’t even worry about security on Ron’s trunk, knowing very well that there isn’t any, and he starts digging.

It’s good he has more time here, because Ron’s trunk is actually harder to look through than Hermione’s. Hermione’s is organized, and Harry can just look for any hidden places she might think to put the map. Ron just has all his things in a big pile jumbled together, so Harry has to paw through it all to even see anything underneath.

But he finds it. Together with his invisibility cloak, in a bundle buried at the bottom of Ron’s trunk, Harry finds the Marauder’s Map. Excellent.

Step two: complete. Step three: exfiltration. It’s time to escape.

Harry takes the map and Hermione’s bookmark and cautiously checks outside the dorms. He can hear Hermione and Ginny downstairs, but no one is stomping around up here yet. Good.

He slips into the stairway. Rather than going downstairs, however, he goes up. To the seventh-year dorms.

Now, these trunks Harry is almost certain are booby-trapped, so he searches the room first, hoping to find something without having to open them. And he is moderately successful. Between the twins and Lee Jordan, they apparently don’t feel the need to hide their joke products. Harry’s heart soars upon finding a pack of (possibly half-finished?) fireworks just sitting out on one of the twins’ bedside tables.

So, he snatches that, decides he’s really running out of room to carry things with his mouth and briefly misses having opposable thumbs, but nonetheless decides to risk looking for one more goody to really make his mark.

He unlatches the trunk that he thinks is Fred’s, pushes it open, and takes cover.

There’s an unholy shriek from a caterwauling charm – oops – and Harry is assaulted by a horde of rubber snakes springing out of the trunk, which, yeah, that’s funny.

Knowing that someone will be up shortly to investigate the racket, Harry jumps up, snatches the first box that looks even remotely usable, and darts back onto the staircase.

“You!” Ginny shouts.

Harry, mouth full with Hermione’s bookmark, the Marauder’s Map, a bundle of fireworks, and a small brownish box (and thanking Merlin that all but the Marauder’s Map have ties so he can actually fit them all at once, allowing them to dangle like kittens picked up by their scruffs) only pounces.

He narrowly evades her grasp on the stairs, peeling out into the common room proper at the bottom of them, then he hears Hermione shouting an incantation.

“Wait, don’t!” Ginny shrieks, but it’s too late.

Hermione really should listen to Michael’s stories about how he and Harry meet.

Of course, the incantation Hermione uses is for the stunning spell, so Harry really doesn’t feel bad at all about what happens next. Never mind that being stunned won’t actually hurt him.

Harry twists, maneuvers the fireworks into the path of the spell sent his way, and the magic makes them erupt.

The Weasley twins clearly work hard on them, because the chaos that follows is way more impressive than the filibuster fireworks in the Magical Menagerie.

Dragons comprised entirely of green and gold sparks soar through the common room, emitting loud fiery blasts and bangs as they go; shocking-pink Catherine wheels five feet in diameter whiz lethally through the air like so many flying saucers; rockets with long tails of brilliant silver stars ricochet off the walls; sparklers write swear words in midair of their own accord; firecrackers explode like mines everywhere Harry looks, and instead of burning themselves out, fading from sight or fizzling to a halt, these pyrotechnical miracles seem to gain in energy and momentum the longer he watches.

Harry loves the twins.

Hermione desperately tries to vanish the things, but it only makes them multiply. The few people in the common room scream and run around like headless chickens.

Only Ginny seems able to still focus on Harry, determinedly fighting through the dazzling flashes and dangerous bangs to get to him. Harry narrows his eyes. She narrows her eyes back.

And Harry picks up the bookmark and the map, turns tail, and kicks over the box he brings down from Fred’s trunk.

Immediately, a stench like rot fills the room. The stone floor turns to water and weeds, dense plant growth sweeps out from the upturned box in a tidal wave. The Gryffindor Common Room turns into a swamp.

Oh, and the fireworks are still only gaining momentum. On the bright side, the swamp puts out the fires.

Merlin, but Harry loves the twins.

Ginny is trapped waist-deep in muck and Hermione is still on the other side over by the stairs, leaving Harry to cockily jump from exposed tree-root to fallen log to get to the door, where the panicking Gryffindors unlucky enough to get caught up in the whole incident are escaping themselves. Harry slips out wholly unnoticed by the panicking students.

Step three: complete. All that’s left is step four: ditch/plant the evidence.

Because it’s actually fairly close by, Harry stops by his tub stash first and drops off the bookmark there with the myriad pieces of parchment he steals previously. But since this place is known and Hermione very well might try to go to Michael to get the map back, Harry can’t put the map here.

Now, this is the part Harry doesn’t quite get to in the planning stage. Frankly, he’s impressed with how well step three goes, and attributes it entirely to dumb luck and Fred and George’s brilliance considering Harry’s plan is just to grab something of theirs to make a distraction. Harry doesn’t even know what that swamp box is when he grabs it, but it’s more glorious and useful than he ever would imagine.

All Harry knows is that he needs to get as far from Gryffindor Tower as he can and put the map somewhere that even Fred and George won’t discover it.

So, he just kind of peels off into the castle. He considers the Ravenclaw Common Room. No one there would know the parchment to be any more than parchment so the only real risk would be someone taking it to use for notes or something. But any one of the Ravenclaws inside might see him with it and rat him out to Michael if Hermione goes to him looking for the map, so it’s too risky.

Instead, he races through the corridors, avoiding students as much as possible (Which isn’t difficult. It’s the middle of the day on a Saturday; most students are outside enjoying the grounds.) looking desperately for anywhere to stash the thing where there’s no risk of passersby noticing it and getting their hands on it.

By sheer happenstance, he winds up in the astronomy wing, up on the seventh floor, in front of a tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy teaching trolls to do ballet, lashing his tail and pacing because the only thing up from here is the astronomy classroom and tower, where there are no good hiding spots Harry knows of. So, he has to backtrack, which he’s nervous about since he doesn’t know if Hermione or Ginny will get out of the common room and pick up his trail.

And then a small cat door appears in the blank wall. Harry stops. He stares at it, wondering if he imagines seeing the thing materialize right in front of him or if he just somehow misses it until now.

Well, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Hermione and Ginny would have trouble even getting through that door, which makes it the perfect place almost no matter what’s behind it.

He shoves inside, stumbles a little, then gawks up at the mountains and mountains of miscellaneous goodies. It’s perfect.

(It makes Harry’s tub stash feel inadequate, which is rude.)

Harry stumbles through the room, terrified of getting lost in the piles of things. Well… Step four: complete.

That’s a job well done.

[leftluminarytragedy]

How to Start Writing a Diary in 10 Steps

You can express your emotions, write down dreams or ideas, and reflect on your daily life in a secure, private setting by keeping a journal. There is no one set method for keeping a diary, but there are certain simple techniques you may use to make the most of your writing. Using starters like motivational quotations can help you start fresh entries if you’re stuck for ideas. Your thoughts, feelings, and opinions about anything—from job to school and everything in between, can be kept private in a diary.

1- Start Diary Writing by Following 10 Steps

How to start writing a diary? What are the things to write in a diary? There is no correct or incorrect approach or things to write in a diary. Everything comes down to personal liking and what works for you. However, I hope the following advice and tips on How to start writing a diary will help you get started.

2- Choose the type of diary that you desire.

A good diary will motivate you to write every day, so it is important to choose it wisely. You don’t have to limit yourself to maintaining a diary on paper; there are many different solutions available. You can utilize a private, password-protected website or blog in addition to keeping a traditional paper diary. You may also just use a computer document.

Paper notebooks allow you complete control and privacy, but without making copies, you won’t have a backup alternative. Remember that anything you keep online can be hacked, so even if your online journal is password-protected or secret, there’s still a chance someone could access it.

3-Ask yourself- WHY?

Before finding the answer to ‘How to start writing a diary?’, you must be clear with ‘why.’ Why do you want to keep a diary, you could ask yourself? – The importance of diary writing. Understanding why you want to keep a journal is the first step at the beginning of writing one. Maybe you want to start a new task, or maybe you just need a way to put your ideas down on paper. In either case, knowing why you want to keep a diary will help you choose the kind that’s best for you.

4- Things to write in a diary-

A regular diary- about routine tasks that you do

A food diary – about various food items (if you are foody)

A business idea diary – if you get business ideas and love to gather them somewhere

A creative writing diary- if you want to write your poems, articles, etc

A Travel diary – if you like to keep a record of places you travel.

It’s critical to keep in mind that journals are designed to be personal and private. This is a fantastic way to keep track of your daily thoughts and experiences. Journals can also be used to keep track of past objectives or goals that you have made. Blogging is a fantastic additional alternative to journaling. Through their own personal blogs, people from all over the world may communicate with one another and share thoughts and experiences.

Establish a schedule.

Set aside a particular time each day to write if you want to be sure you do it. Perhaps you prefer to write about the previous day first thing in the morning, or perhaps keeping a diary helps you decompress. It is more crucial to write every day than it is to write when. You can use your smartphone or your watch to set a reminder to write every day at the same time to ensure that you keep to your writing schedule.

READ MORE....Become the next great creator | Learn from the legends | mugafi

[zenruption]

Technology Distrust or How to Navigate The Digital Password Fortress

I don’t trust technology. Why would I anyway? I still remember the days when people could communicate comfortably without needing to remember a ton of passwords. But things have changed, and having passwords makes you more vulnerable to breaches. 

Did you know, for instance, that the average person must remember at least 100 passwords? Ultimately, when you think about it, we all use emails, planners, productivity apps, shopping apps, social media, fitness and health apps, collaborative tools, and many many more. So, at the end of the day, it makes sense why we may be using 100 passwords at any given time. 

According to NordPass researchers, this is a problem because the more passwords we need, the least secure they tend to be: 

“We now partly understand why people use easy-to-guess passwords — they simply have too many to remember. So, it’s hardly surprising that people use either very simple passwords or have a few and reuse them for all accounts”

If this sounds familiar, this article might give you some food for thought about creating and managing secure passwords in an era where technology advancements can be both overwhelming and empowering. Techno fear has become, unfortunately, a common answer to its fast evolution pace. Yet, it is time for us to learn and recognize that technology can also be an ally in our quest for better password security. 

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Embracing secure password practices

Technology moves fast, but it never moves silently. It always shares newtools and knowledge. The question you need to ask yourself is: Have I been paying attention? 

Creating passwords that are meaningful to you is the best and easiest way to remember them. Yet, beware of obvious and simple passwords, such as the name of a loved one or a date of birth. If you are not au fait of the latest recommendations for generating passwords that are memorable and also hard to crack, it can be a good idea to turn to Ai. While artificial intelligence, and ChatGPT, can make us feel uneasy, there is one thing it excels at. It can extract pre-existing knowledge and summarize it in an easily digestible format. For instance, you could ask ChatGPT for tips on how to create a suitable password. Bear in mind, the tool cannot generate a password for you. But it can certainly help you implement password best practices. 

Storing your passwords somewhere safe

The idea that you shouldn’t write your password anywhere is inaccurate. Many people have been told that writing passwords down could increase security breaches. In reality, hackers are far less likely to go through your physical possessions as they are to enter your digital sphere. 

Nevertheless, there is still a risk remaining. That’s why you want to use smart notebooks for your passwords, such as Shieldfolio, which has been designed specifically for crypto passwords. This could be a great tip to store your passwords in a physical location. 

There are also tech alternatives for password storage and management. Indeed, tools such as LastPass can provide a great solution to keep all your passwords in one place online. Similarly, if you are an Apple user, you are probably familiar with the iCloud Keychain, which can keep your passwords and other information secure and updated across all your Apple devices. This idea is to create a secure vault that will hold all your passwords, and therefore also remember them for you. 

This is where technology can make things a lot easier for general password holding. While you want separate storing options for crypto activities (as your SEED password, for example, needs to be kept separately), most passwords can be safely stored in a digital vault. That being said, each digital vault, regardless of the tool you are using, will require some protected authentication mechanism for access. In other words, you will still need to remember one password, the one that gets you into the vault. 

The advantage of password managers

Password managers can make it not only easier to remember those infamous 100 passwords, but they also serve another important purpose. Many password managers are able to generate random and secure passwords for you. 

Apple users on Safari have probably seen this feature before. When using Safari on an Apple device, users can receive a strong password suggestion. 

Alternatively, LastPass and similar password management tools also have a generator function. Typically, the strong password consists of:

A long string of characters (much longer than typical human-generated passwords)

A combination of numbers, letters, and symbols

The inclusion of randomized capital letters

These passwords are much harder to crack. They are also tricky to write down if you wish to keep them on paper. That’s precisely where technology can help you. It can create and remember secure passwords for you. Is it entirely safe? Technically, the first password, the one giving you access to your vault, is likely to be the only weakness as it is human-generated. 

So what do you think? Will technology solve once and for all the challenges of digital passwords? 

[mary-is-writing]

Hey so, funny story, this kinda happened to me before.

The year was august. I'm just starting my second year of middle school and I transfered to a new school to spend my last two years there. This was a fancy private school, and we got ipads as a requisite to study here. So my parents bought me an ipad, and all students had one, and we used it instead of computers 99% of the time to do things like videos and presentations and whatnot. The school gave us for free a bunch of apps that'd normally be pay to use as well as blocking the app store so we wouldn't download games and get distracted (they used to do this only once at the begining of the year but once a classmate figured out the password to unlock it with an algorithm and the spots the fingers left in the keyboard and when the teachers figured this out they started changing the code every few months or so)

Senior year comes and I get an idea for a new wip, as usual. I start writing it in the notes app of my ipad, in one of the apps the school gives us. The year goes by. I write up to five chapters + a prologue, and each chapter is like at least 1K words and at best maybe 3-4K. Its not great but it's a first draft, it doesn't have to be.

I graduate. The app restriction is lifted and the apps the school gave us are removed. Cool, whatever, I can use my ipad now freely I guess.

Then on the ride home it hits me like a truck.

My writing. My writing.

The app is gone. I can't download it again cause it's a pay to use app. Everything I once wrote there is gone forever. FIVE WHOLE CHAPTERS GONE LIKE THAT.

(Later on I realized I backed up like 2-3 chapters on my email so it wasn't a complete loss, but before knowing it my world was destroyed for a few days)

I rewrote what I lost and swore off writing on digital for the entirety of high school. Then I got an accident in which my backpack, where my notebook with my draft was, got wet by the rain and the notebook almost got ruined, so I decided hey y'know what maybe I should do both, digital and traditional, and also send the docs to myself via email in case my laptop ever dies or something.

[notabled-noodle]

studying while neurodivergent big post

this post is mainly targeted at people who are at university/college and have a disorder that makes studying challenging (e.g. you experience executive dysfunction, perfectionism, concentration issues).

however. some of these tips might be useful in general, so I'm not going to stop anyone from following my advice even if they're neurotypical

preparing for class

in general: do it. prepare for your classes. it makes it more likely that you're actually going to show up (in my experience)

you don't have to read every single word of every single reading. read the introductions, the abstracts, the sub-headings, and the conclusion. you can go back and read the rest if it feels necessary

take notes while you read. they don't have to be pretty, it's just about keeping your brain engaged with what you're learning

bring all your notebooks into uni with you if possible! this way, there's nothing stopping you from procrastinating studying for one class by studying for another class (which is a fine and good thing to do)

most textbooks are available for free or for cheap in the depths of the internet or in a secondhand bookshop :)

things to keep in mind for being in class

uni is not high school. it's unlikely that a lecturer or tutor is going to get mad at you if you bring something to stim with (as long as it isn't super disruptive)

go to class! even if you haven't done the readings! going to class will give you access to class discussions and a general flow of ideas that will help you with your assignments

skipping class to do an assignment might feel like a good idea, but it's actually a very terrible idea. don't do it. it is not worth it

be honest with your classmates about what you're finding confusing. chances are that they'll either have a cool way to explain it, or they'll be just as confused (in which case, you may have just given them the courage to ask!)

you're allowed to just walk out early if you start to get overwhelmed. people won't judge you or call you out for it. it's okay to leave early

general studying tips

association is the name of the game! pair a certain song, smell, taste, or colour with each class, and be consistent with it. our memories are deeply tied to our senses, and this kind of association will help to remind your brain what class you're doing

don't do what looks pretty or sounds cool, do what works. if you like to listen to your lectures as if they're podcasts while you're doing the dishes... great! if you like to turn facts into puns... awesome! whatever works is good!

count yourself in. if you've been sitting around thinking "I need to do maths" for the past however long, trick your brain by saying out loud "5, 4, 3, 2, 1, MATHS!" and then GO

another cool brain trick is to tell yourself that you're only going to study for 10 minutes, or you're only going to read one chapter. this lowers the barrier to getting started, and will usually help you get into the flow and get at least something done

if body-doubling works for you, then do it! organise a day each week to meet up with a friend and study together! you'll both appreciate it

keep your phone in a different room from your studying gear

get one of those content keeper extensions on your computer, and get your best friend to set the password. this will protect you from the pull of Tumblr when you're meant to be reading about politics in Botswana or whatever

essays

read the question! read it again! highlight the important words in the question! read it out loud! and only THEN figure out how you're going to answer it

you can't edit a blank page. whack some words down. come back to them later. your first go does not have to be perfect

organise your notes by theme, not by which article gave you the idea. this will help you to turn notes into paragraphs with consistent arguments

cite as you go. take note of where you found each of your quotes. it is so much better this way, I promise

your essay plan only needs to make sense to you. lay out your plan however you like. again, it's better to have something on the page than nothing

make your essay writing timeline as if you know that disaster will strike the week of the due date. pretend that the due date is a week before it actually is. give yourself due dates for smaller parts of the assignment. whatever it takes to trick your brain into actually doing it ahead of time!!

use text to speech to catch grammar mistakes! hearing your essay read back out loud to you will make it easier to tell when something sounds wrong or bad or clunky

self-care advice

you won't do well on your exams if you're having several meltdowns a day, so you better be looking after your emotional health!!

eat three meals a day if you can. bring snacks with you everywhere. studying makes you hungry, and your brain needs the fuel. carrying around emergency muesli bars everywhere never hurt anyone

have a big water bottle and also carry it around with you everywhere. when you're studying, it can be easy to forget to keep your fluids up, but having your drink bottle on your desk can be a visual reminder to keep on drinking

STRETCH! stretch in between classes. stretch after taking lots of notes. you do not want to damage your arm muscles from typing/writing too much

don't abandon your hobbies during the semester if it is at all possible. don't sacrifice your weekend knitting or your early morning jog. those are the things that you enjoy, and they are the things that will keep you sane once the stress hits

sleep early, sleep often. all-nighters are not the way

this is kind of all I can think of at the moment! I hope at least something on this big long list is helpful for anyone who is studying at the moment. remember that your grades don't define you, and that you are more than just a student!

[mmikmmik2]

Some Vee headcanons

Initially, staying with Camila was just a longing “what if” fantasy, and she just kept up the Luz identity because she realized it would let her attend a crash course in acting like a normal human

She was quiet and passive at the camp at first, watching how other kids tied their shoes or operated faucets or addressed adults before trying it herself. It still took her a few days to realize humans don’t refer to themselves as “humans” and that bananas need to be peeled.

It wasn’t shown onscreen but Luz must have had more luggage for a three month trip than just the satchel she brought to the Boiling Isles. The rest actually did make it to camp. Vee learned Luz’s handwriting from a notebook she was using for conlang practice.

Vee ransacked that luggage for clues and borrowed a phone to frantically cyber-stalk Luz and Camila, when camp was almost over and she realized the real Luz still hadn’t come back and she might get to actually keep this up long term. That relatable moment of searching for your quasi-mom on LinkedIn because you don’t actually know what she does for a living.

When she was secretly cramming Spanish, she tried to find video or audio of Dominican Spanish speakers to get the accent and grammar right - kind of for her disguise, but mostly just because she wanted to sound like Camila.

Vee kills at spoken languages (it’s a basilisk thing) but she’s never great at reading or writing, even in English. She crossed out “Lus” on a letter instead of starting over because she was not going to write all that over again.

Part of why Camila wasn’t suspicious of “Luz” suddenly changing so much: Luz and Vee were around the same age that Camila was when she started working really hard at masking her own ADHD

Vee was seriously stressing out the first few days home from camp, alone with a stranger with no peers to copycat and no structured environment for guidance. Camila was really worried Luz was afraid of disappointing her or something.

Vee never did figure out Luz’s laptop password and just had to awkwardly ignore it and use her new phone for everything

After Yesterday’s Lie, Camila had to have several gentle but very serious “hey, you realize that behavior is actually really messed up, right” conversations. Vee honestly thought that committing to tricking and lying to Camila forever while Camila’s real daughter was missing and maybe dead, dooming herself to the constant underlying stress of believing her own mother would reject her as an imposter or even a monster if Camila actually knew anything about her, was a great idea and win-win for both of them. Once she’s learned more about what familial love should be like, she’s mortified by remembering how she used to think.

Camila also gave a nice pep talk about what “Noceda” means… Vee went from giving up super easily to diligently working on moving on from her past traumas at her own pace.

Vee honestly had complete confidence in Luz and Camila and the Hexsquad to defeat Belos and the Collector but she was not expecting it to take like three days.

Luz and Vee were friendly and hung out sometimes during the Thanks To Them time period, but they didn’t really become sisters until after Watching and Dreaming when Luz wasn’t isolating herself as badly and they had more one-on-one time with the other kids moving out.

Basilisks can mimic a huge range of voices and sounds and Vee sometimes pranks people by making cell phone notification noises

[samwisethewitch]

dorm friendly magick for broom-closeted student witches

Got roommates that aren’t into witchcraft/magick? Can’t burn incense in your dorm room? Don’t have time for elaborate rituals between studying for exams and writing papers? I’ve been there. Here are some of my favorite undercover spells and rituals for witches living that college life. 

Journal Magick

Keep a manifestation journal! Find a journal that really speaks to you and makes you feel good every time you open it, whether it’s a bulky leatherbound tome or has a holographic cover and hot pink pages -- what matters is that you feel a connection to it. 

Every morning, write down the things you want to manifest in your journal in the present tense, as if they had already happened. [Note: this works better if you are writing the same thing every day for at least a few weeks. Consistent intent is key!] 

For more information on this type of manifestation, just search “scripting” on YouTube and you’ll find approximately 642934 videos on the subject. 

This is a really great technique for closet witches, because no one is going to be suspicious of you writing in a notebook -- plus, it’s normal for people to want to keep their journals private.

Work with correspondences just like you would for a normal spell! You can print out photos of herbs, crystals, tarot cards, astrological signs, or moon phases that correspond to your intention and glue them into your journal (or draw them, if you have artistic talent). You could even get an essential oil that matches your intention and dab a drop of it on the page. You’re essentially creating an altar dedicated to your intention, just on paper instead of in a physical altar space.

Tap into the magick of color by writing your intentions with a pen in a corresponding color (green = abundance/wealth, pink = love and friendship, yellow = academic success, etc.).

Tea and Coffee Magick

Tea and coffee are already essentially potions, and no one is going to think twice about a college student drinking a lot of coffee/tea. 

Coffee is associated with grounding and protection, and it adds energy to any spell it is added to. Black tea is associated with protection, courage, and abundance. Green and white tea have their own, slightly different magickal uses. Based on these correspondences, you can use coffee and tea as a base for undercover potions!

For mental clarity and memory retention, brew a mixture of black coffee, lion’s mane, chaga, and ginger. For a caffeine-free alternative, brew an herbal tea with rosemary and peppermint. 

To cleanse negative energy and release stress, brew a mixture of black coffee, Ashwagandha, cinnamon, tulsi or basil, and Eleuthero. This is based on a Four Sigmatic blend, lmao.

For a sneaky prosperity spell, brew a mixture of black coffee, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla. Yes, that is essentially pumpkin pie spice, and yes, you can use a pre-mixed pumpkin pie blend instead of buying the individual spices.

I could go on, but you get the idea. You can customize your morning beverage to suit any magickal or spiritual need. 

Most plants have medicinal uses that are the same or similar to their magickal uses. So if anyone asks, tell them you’re adding these extra herbs for their nutritional and/or medicinal value. 

You can also charge your tea or coffee with crystals. Just set a small crystal associated with your intention (amethyst for mental clarity, black tourmaline for protection, citrine for prosperity, etc.) next to the mug for a few minutes, or place it on top of your coffee maker. Be sure to charge both the crystal and the drink with your intention!

Candle Magick

If your dorm lets you have candles then congrats, because candle spells are both super powerful and a super easy way to hide your magick in plain sight.

Find a candle in a scent and color that match your intention. For example, you could use a pink, rose-scented candle for a love spell. 

You can find custom spell candles made by witches for witches on Amazon and Etsy, and these have the added bonus of having been specifically created for magickal use. Some of the businesses I’ve personally had good experiences with are Art of the Root (available on Amazon), Esoteric Arts (available on Etsy), and Crystal Journey (Amazon). 

That being said, I’ve gotten good results with $1.99 scented candles from Walmart, so please don’t feel like you need to spend a fortune on special candles for your spell to be successful.

In a pinch, an unscented white candle can be used for any intention. You can get these at the dollar store, and it’s never a bad idea to have a few on hand.

Oil Magick

Your dorm has a no-open-flames rule, so candles and incense are out of the question. No problem -- you can get similar results with essential oils. 

An essential oil literally contains the concentrated essence of a plant. Magickally speaking, this makes them a powerful way to add some oomph to your spells. They’re also commonly used for aromatherapy, so your roommate probably won’t be phased by you diffusing them in your dorm.

You can create custom EO blends the same way you would create an incense blend, by combining different plants based on their correspondences. You can also buy pre-mixed blends online if you’re feeling lazy or if you have a certain blend you know you’re going to use a lot like, say, a focus-enhancing blend for studying.

Another option, and one that’s more traditionally witchy, is to use magickal oils/ritual oils. A magickal oil is an oil that has been created for a specific magickal purpose -- it’s like a spell in a bottle. A ritual oil is created for a specific use in magickal ritual. You can find tons of different ways to incorporate these oils into your daily life for some very subtle witchcraft.

You can create your own magickal oils by combining herbs, essential oils, and crystals that match your intention, or you can buy magickal oil blends from witch-owned businesses. Art of the Root has my absolute favorite oils -- I have like six different blends, and they’re all ridiculously powerful.

Some ways you can use magickal oils: 1.) wear them as a body oil, 2.) diffuse them like you would an essential oil blend, 3.) use them to anoint and bless objects, like tests or study guides, 4.) add them to spiritual baths, and a million more. [Note: many magickal oils come with real herbs and resins in the bottle. These chunky bits could damage a diffuser, so do keep that in mind.]

Personally, I wear magickal oils on a daily basis in the place of perfume, since most of the ones I own smell really good. As I apply them, I say a small incantation to power them up. For example, if I’m wearing an attraction oil, when I put it on I’ll say something like, “I am powerfully attractive to the people and things that will improve my life.” Which oil I choose to wear depends on the day and the area of my life where I want some extra help. 

Tech Magick

The nice thing about being a witch in the 21st century is that, if all else fails, you can keep your entire magickal practice contained on your laptop and/or phone. And even if you’re not doing 100% of your witchcraft in a virtual space, you can still use your technology as a tool in your practice. 

Pinterest is the ultimate visualization tool. You can create a virtual altar to a deity or spirit guide by dedicating a Pinterest board to them, or create vision boards for the things you want to manifest, or create a brainstorming space to plan your full moon rituals... the possibilities are endless. 

Keep your Book of Shadows and/or manifestation journal in a Word document. If you’re really concerned about privacy, you can even password protect these documents. Another pro of an electronic Book of Shadows is that most word processors have a “search” function that lets you look things up more easily. 

Make a devotional playlist for a deity or spirit guide. Making Spotify playlists for my deities is one of my favorite devotional acts! I’ll put together all of the songs that remind me of that deity, and I can listen to it anytime, anywhere to instantly connect with them. And don’t be afraid to ask your deities what type of music they like -- you may be surprised by the answer!

If any other witches have similar tips, feel free to add onto this! This is just stuff that I’ve found works for me, but magick is deeply personal and everyone will do things a little bit differently. 

And not to shove my content in everyone’s faces, but I did just post a spell to enchant your school notebooks on my YouTube channel, so check that out if you’re interested!