#rowan and chester

[needleandstory]

✵ Just fuck me up, bebby whoever you wanna.

Send ✵ and my muse will answer the following.  

XANDER/ABBEY

Their first impression of your muse: Weird nun :/

Current impression:   A kind, generous, and delicate soul, handle with care

Are they attracted to your muse?:  Somewhat, yes. Not so much physically, but she really activates his protective instinct, he wants to see her smile and defend her from every bad thing in the world. (But in an abstract way where he acknowledges the impracticality.)

Something they find frightening about your muse: Her nervousness. The thought that he could make a wrong move and scare her and then he'd become one of the bad scary things in her world.

Something they find adorable about your muse:  Her enthusiasm over his teaching.

Would my muse sacrifice themselves for yours?:  Yes absolutely in a heart beat.

Would my muse go on a date with yours?  platonic/romantic:  Yes definitely. He'd love to see her excited and having fun.

One word my muse would use to describe yours:  Anxious

Would my muse slap yours if they could?: Never, not for all the money and fame and power in the world

Would my muse hug/kiss yours?: Yes, either, but she would have to initiate in some way. He wouldn't so much as lay a finger on her without her say.

XANDER/ALICE

Their first impression of your muse: Weird little freak. Kind of off-putting. What does Jay see in her? Super anxious too.

Current impression: Gushing and gushing and gushing. Literally the best. Brave and strong and smart and cool and caring and determined and amazing and adorable. Still a little weirdo though. <3

Are they attracted to your muse?:  Oh yeah, big time.

Something they find frightening about your muse: How much about her he doesn't understand. How adamant she was about her own death.

Something they find adorable about your muse:  Her nicknames for people generally and him specifically.

Would my muse sacrifice themselves for yours?:  He's done it once and he'll do it again.

Would my muse go on a date with yours? romantic:  He would love to.

One word my muse would use to describe yours:  Funny

Would my muse slap yours if they could?: Only if needed to snap her out of something.

Would my muse hug/kiss yours?: Yes and yes, he's already looking for little excuses to touch her.

CYRUS/ALICE

Their first impression of your muse: Touchy, obnoxious, persistent, immature, rude, holier-than-thou

Current impression: Silly and funny in a way people like. Beloved. Kind. What’s it like to want to die and have so many people come chasing after you?

Are they attracted to your muse?: Not even a little

Something they find frightening about your muse: How much better she is than him. The thought that jay might like her so much that she realizes how shitty he is.

Something they find adorable about your muse: Her enthusiasm for bugs.

Would my muse sacrifice themselves for yours?: Probably not. Probably.

Would my muse go on a date with yours? platonic/romantic: Not unless someone else set them up.

One word my muse would use to describe yours: Fine

Would my muse slap yours if they could?: Yeah. Would probably feel kinda good.

Would my muse hug/kiss yours?: Don’t touch him.

JEREMY/MADDOX

Their first impression of your muse: Tired and stressed, but cool. Nosy and popular.

Current impression:   He's had some shit happen to him, huh?

Are they attracted to your muse?:  N/A

Something they find frightening about your muse: How much he tries to be cool about everything

Something they find adorable about your muse:  His lamest jokes

Would my muse sacrifice themselves for yours?:  He might try.

Would my muse go on a date with yours?  platonic/romantic:  No thank you.

One word my muse would use to describe yours:  Thoughtful

Would my muse slap yours if they could?: Noooope

Would my muse hug/kiss yours?: A hug, maybe? But probably not, maddox doesnt seem like a hugger.

ROWAN/CHESTER

Their first impression of your muse: Uptight and insufferable

Current impression:   Uptight and tormentable. Reliable. Uncomfortably generous.

Are they attracted to your muse?:  It's not a hard no, shockingly? I'm as surprised as you are. I'm pretty sure it's the tormentability.

Something they find frightening about your muse: How much he owes him.

Something they find adorable about your muse:  Kitty <3

Would my muse sacrifice themselves for yours?:  Could go either way, but probably not.

Would my muse go on a date with yours?  platonic/romantic:  Only if by "date" you mean "go somewhere and judge people"

One word my muse would use to describe yours:  

Would my muse slap yours if they could?: Yeah! For fun.

Would my muse hug/kiss yours?: No real inclination there. on either of these.

ROWAN/NIL

Their first impression of your muse: The most annoying kind of liar. (Thinks he's being helpful, actually just being a pain.)

Current impression:   Generous, but also overbearing and condescending. Still a liar. At least he's good at his job.

Are they attracted to your muse?:  Not at all.

Something they find frightening about your muse: The power he currently holds over Rowan's life.

Something they find adorable about your muse:  His sewing room

Would my muse sacrifice themselves for yours?:  No way in hell.

Would my muse go on a date with yours?  platonic/romantic:  Not a chance.

One word my muse would use to describe yours:  Insufferable

Would my muse slap yours if they could?: Gleefully

Would my muse hug/kiss yours?: No.

NAT/FENN

Their first impression of your muse: Heheh idiot can't climb a tree

Current impression:   Best friend (for now), rough and adorable <3

Are they attracted to your muse?:  Nat's not picky but Fenn's not generally their type either.

Something they find frightening about your muse: Nothing?

Something they find adorable about your muse:  How flustered she gets when they hold hands <3

Would my muse sacrifice themselves for yours?:  Never

Would my muse go on a date with yours?  platonic/romantic:  Yes! For fun! Plus they'd enjoy seeing Fenn's flirts.

One word my muse would use to describe yours:  Gruff

Would my muse slap yours if they could?: For fun, yeah~

Would my muse hug/kiss yours?: Absolutely.

[domaslut]

Felix is so done with Mc’s shit.

[bvttercvp-l0ver]

Uh oh! Looks like Chester got possessed by Bill!!!

[catohphm]

First Year Frantics

Hi everyone! Welcome to to a new fanfic about my HPHM MC, a Ravenclaw named Cato Reese. In this story it will be explored how he and his new friend Rowan Khanna faced the antics of the Slytherin school bully Merula Snyde in their first year and the consequences her actions would have on Cato's life at Hogwarts.

Fascination and excitement await in most, if not all first year students coming to Hogwarts. Cato Reese was no exception. The expulsion and disappearance of his older brother roughly a year before had been a point of contention in his family but it had been set aside by the busy working of their parents and the prospect of Cato's first term at the prestigious magic school.

However, it was inevitable that the young boy would become caught up in the social drama, rumors and discourse that circulated in the student body like many kids before him. It is important to note that the Daily Prophet had already been running stories on the Reese brothers before Cato first arrived at Hogwarts. From these articles many only knew him as a weird kid at risk for falling into the same dangerous path and misdeeds as Alex. This assessment came about from the Prophet's intrepid, scandalous reporting and the ignorance that collected as a result of little evidence of Alex's behavior at school available to the public. The coverage of his drama had a long-term impact on Cato's Hogwarts education as he arose into his teenage years.

What follows is a recount of a few encounters early in Cato's first year establishing his conflict and rivalry with the school bully Merula Snyde and other bullying and drama incidents later on. Through overcoming these hurdles, he became stronger, mature and confident as an individual.

While on their way to their first Potions Class with Professor Snape, Cato's new friend Rowan was ahead of him when they crossed paths with a Slytherin girl in their first year.

"Just look at what we have here in the halls on their way to potions." She said smugly. "You. Let me deal with your little friend here first and then you're next, Reese."

Back in Diagon Alley, the two Ravenclaws had agreed to look out to each other as friends. While reluctant at socializing, Cato was loyal and he would do his best to stand by his friends if they got into trouble.

Merula started to escalate her confrontation with Rowan. As Cato watched from a few inches back, shocked that this girl he didn't know knew his name, more so stopping them right there regardless, his brows slowly furled.

"What's your name, bookworm? Merula demanded. "R-Rowan, Rowan Khanna." Cato's friend answered nervously. "Oh, I see. You won't amount to anything, just like him." She said. "What do you know about Cato? He's just my friend." She continued "Reese is bound to be a heap of trouble just like his hothead brother, he'll only spell doom for this school. I won't let that happen again, for I will become the most powerful witch at Hogwarts."

Rowan didn't buy her proclamation "What? I seriously doubt that you're gonna earn any friends with that attitude" questioning Merula.

"Silence!" She snapped. "Admit that I'm the most powerful witch at Hogwarts." Rowan froze for a second with a shocked look on his face. "Admit it!!" she then yelled at him.

Cato had enough. He stopped in telling Merula "Please get away from my friend. Just leave him alone." in a serious tone.

"Coming in to save your weak little friend like a hero, Weirdy Reese? That will only make things worse. You're only gonna get exp-"

She was cut off by the school bell ringing and an agitated Professor Snape coming out of the potions classroom wanting to know what's taking them so long. He told the three to step inside the class and have a seat before he started taking off house points before being late, dismissing their tattles against each other.

The lesson went smoothly until the very end. Cato had just finished his Cure for Boils when the cauldron started smoking then burst. Everyone at his table springed back to avoid the many small debris flying everywhere while a very dismayed Snape confronted him.

"I knew you would only be trouble, Mr Reese." He said as he put his hands on the table in front of what remained of the cauldron. "Blasting the cauldron on your first day. Not looking good at all for you. Now explain yourself for this dire mishap."

"Professor, I swear, I didn't put anything in my potion that made it blow up." the Ravenclaw told Snape. "Is that true? Who may be responsible other than your very careless self?"

Rowan chimed in "I-I believe it was Merula, sir. She attempted to trifle with us in the halls but Cato told her to leave us alone."

"Is that true, Miss Snyde?

"No, professor." She denied "I'm telling you, they would do anything to make mine and others' time here difficult."

"Yes, Miss Snyde, I understand you come from a highly respected family and will do well to maintain and carry on the good name of their time-honored legacy." She nodded in agreement "Much obliged, professor."

"As for you, Mr. Reese, the mess and shame is on you. 20 points from Ravenclaw." Merula smirked and winked at Cato as the potions master deducted points from the eagle house. He looked down in shock and disappointed as Rowan looked at him with a hint of worry and concern.

The bell then rang. "Class dismissed." announced Snape as Cato and Rowan left their station. He then turned to the two Ravenclaws. "I've got my eye on you, Mr. Reese. On your best behavior you must be, the consequences for further fumbles will be servere. Carelessness and pranks have no business in my classroom, ever. Now get out of here before I take more points away from Ravenclaw."

Feeling rather intimidated by the imposing, cold and towering demeanor of the potions master, Cato was led out of the class by Rowan.

-

Later that day, Cato and Rowan explained what happened during potions to their perfect, Chester Davies. He produced a note addressed to Cato from Professor Snape.

It read:

Mister Reese,

Perhaps there is some truth to the claim that Miss Snyde botched your Cure for Boils. I have evidence proving that she may be guilty. I want you to head down to my storage and gather a few jars of Pickled Slugs I need for my next class. Return to me in my office adjacent to my classroom with them. Then will discuss the possibility of getting your lost 20 house points back for Ravenclaw.

Directions to my storeroom are on the back of this note.

Professor Snape

"I hope he means it and returns our points back."

Cato was skeptical. "I wouldn't be so sure, Chester. Professor Snape told me he would keep a close eye on me in his classes. He sounded quite serious about it. It doesn't make sense that he'd suddenly change his mind and want to work with me."

"He's right." agreed Rowan "Snape kept on denying our side of the matter. He constantly defended Merula because of her affluent family and her resolve to live up to that reputation."

"Perhaps," consider Chester. "I mean, Snape strongly prefers Slytherin students over other houses in his class. After all, he is the Head of Slytherin."

Cato nodded "That makes some sense, though the professor is still siding with a student just because of her family connections."

Raising an eyebrow, Chester pointed out "what's most peculiar about this message though is this handwriting. I can't argue that it looks like Snape's handwriting. It may be his." he noted. "If I were you, I would still go and check out what he seeks. Snape is no teacher you want to keep waiting at all."

Sharing Cato's skepticism, Rowan offered to accompany his friend to the potion master's storeroom. "It's the least I can do to help you after you stopped Merula." Without any second thoughts Cato agreed. "Sure, Rowan. Snape's letter seems real but I can't shake the feeling this may be a trap. We'll go together."

Following the directions on the note, they arrived at the supposed storeroom in the East Tower.

"Strange," said Rowan. "I thought the storeroom was in the Tapestry Corridor." His friend replied "True, like there may be others, but I don't know what's behind this door. Let's pull out our wands and be ready. Good thing Professor Flitwick already taught us Lumos."

Rowan nodded in agreement. The boys drew their wands. Cato went first and slowly creaked open the door, revealing a pitch black room. "Lumos!" he quietly called out. From the tip of the wand a powerful ball of light flashed out and around. It illuminated the room, revealing a huge array of large green spiked tentacles that revolted and let out a loud hiss in reaction to the blinding light. Cato went "No!" in a panicked gasp upon seeing the menacing green mass. He banged the door shut at once without forethought.

"Rowan! That isn't a potions storeroom. We've been duped. I saw what looked like a huge plant with tentacles in there." Cato's friend immediately knew what he was talking about. "That's a Devil's Snare, Cato. Those plants try to strangle their victims with their tentacles and tighten their grip when they try to resist. Weak to sunlight. They literally hate it and will pull back when any light source hits them." Rowan explained to him. "I know my mum mentioned them a few times. She used to be an herbologist. But I never expected to see such a dangerous plant at Hogwarts." Cato added.

Watching from behind a pillar about a foot away was Merula, she had been secretly observing the entire situation unfold. When she learned that Cato and Rowan had seen through her plan to scare them, she was angry that the Ravenclaws outsmarted her. The Slytherin girl left in a huff when Hagrid showed up to investigate the commotion. Determined to keep her ego covering her own insecurities and traumas afloat, she sought to learn some fighting spells with the intent to get back at Cato and Rowan.

-

Following the trouble on the first day, Cato was more wary of others outside of the security of his common room. Besides Rowan and those he knew since childhood, he didn't interact much with many others outside his house. An exception was Ben Copper, who spoke to Cato in the following days. The muggle-born Gryffindor boy admired his ability to stand to Merula, Ben was also a target of her bullying because of his blood status. She called him "mudblood" on the train while chasing him. This wrecked poor Ben's confidence in being able to meet new people. He elaborated that he had been watching the first encounter between Merula and the Ravenclaws unfold and observing her so that he would be able to avoid a future confrontation with her in the hall.

Cato understood the poor Gryffindor's predicament. He let Ben know that he got his back and that he would try his best to keep Merula at bay. More than grateful, they introduced themselves to each other and parted ways, Ben feeling a bit better that he found someone at Hogwarts who could be his friend and protect him from the Slytherin girl's tyranny.

To distract from Merula, Rowan helped Cato introduce himself to their fellow Ravenclaws. Out of the group, they got along with Badeea the most. Talbott was silent and distant, Tulip, who was still working with Merula at this point, wanted nothing to do with "weirdy Reese" and while Andre was friendly, he was cautious about getting close with Cato because of the rumors. Badeea however did not pay attention to the news as much. She liked to stay in the peace and quiet of painting pictures. Badeea happily invited Cato and Rowan to come and watch her paint after they complimented her artwork.

The two boys liked to watch her paint on weekends and offered her constructive advice. Badeea got to know them as they all conversed together during her work sessions. They would all bond over their shared appreciation for art and disdain for the drama surrounding the Reese family. Non-judgemental, Badeea assured both Cato and Rowan that they could always confide in her and she would be supportive of them.

-

In addition to watching Badeea paint, the boys found shared pleasure in the wizarding favorite gobstones. During these games, Cato and Rowan exchanged details about their respective lives at home and their family situations. Yet their peace would soon be disrupted by Merula.

The Ravenclaws were in the middle of a game one day when Merula noticed and approached them, obviously displeased with their presence. "I thought you two would have already been on the train home by now. You're just a danger to the school lurking around like this, weirdy Reese." The boys stood up. Wiith a scaredy glare, Cato responded "I thought I told you to stay away from us." Rowan spoke on his friend's side. "Don't we want anything to do with you? You tried to verbally pummel me on our first day." Cato then added "You blew up my cauldron! You put Bulbdadox powder in my Cure for Boils and made it bust."

Merula wasn't having any of it. "You two aren't making any of this simple. Should've just left quietly when you had the chance. Time we settle this in a duel, Reese." He was shocked. "What!? I don't know how to fight!" Rowan was just as well "M-m-me neither! They haven't taught us those kinds of spells yet." Not looking to fight or be in one, Cato then told Merula "Just me and Rowan alone and go back to your miserable day. You're the one who's a danger, not us."

The witch's face turned red. "That's it, weirdy Reese. I'm gonna make something out of the cowardly little Ravenclaw you are!" She quickly pulled out her wand at him and shouted "Flipendo!" ferociously. There was a bang and the beam from Merula's wand struck Cato, knocking him down to the cobblestone. He yelped and grunted in pain as he went down. Rowan shouted "Cato!" as he went to his side straight away. "Ow! Merula! What's wrong with you!? You just hit me with that spell."

She showed no remorse for hitting Cato, gloating instead. "Look at you spread out on the cold floor. Again if you only had just le-."

Angered that his best friend had gotten hurt over someone's stupidity and brashness, Rowan cut her off "Quiet, Merula! If a teacher saw this, they'd make sure your house would go down with you. This is not at all okay!"

She went "Hmph. You two are very lucky I'm backing off now. It would be too… dishonorable for me to hit someone wounded and needing tending to."

"How in Merlin's beard did you learn that spell?"

With rolling eyes, Merula answered "I've been training while you Ravenclaws have your heads stuck in books and homework. I don't see why any of you couldn't learn how to fight, spending all that free time in the library, not that it matters."

"Why?" asked Rowan.

"Cause I'm going to be the most powerful witch at Hogwarts and show you all I cannot be beaten. I hear you've been giving that poor mudblood Ben company."

The remark about the Gryffindor boy disgusted both Ravenclaws. "Merula!" Cato shouted at her while Rowan glared at her.

"Once I'm through with that filthy little horklump, I'll be after you both. Be ready, or not. Mark my words." the Slytherin ended before departing.

Cato exhaustedly told his friend as he lay on the cobblestone "We've got to learn how to defend ourselves if we're going to stop her." A concerned Rowan agreed "You're right, Cato. Merula doesn't appear that she's going to let up if no one does anything. She's been causing a ruckus all over Hogwarts."

This did not help the mood of Rowan's friend. "No one should have to be in fear of her."

"I'm with you on this and will be all the way, Cato. I will do my best to help you. Our common room should have some spell books for dueling."

"Yeah," said Cato. Defence Against the Dark Arts is a load of rubbish. Maybe we can also ask Professor Flitwick for help." Rowan agreed with his suggestion. "Our head of house was a dueling champion when he was a student here. He must know a few charms that can help you protect yourself against Merula."

"We'll have to ask him later," said Cato. We should get back to our common room now before our prefect gets too worried."

Rowan helped his friend back up onto his feet and they returned to the Ravenclaw Common Room together.

-

While Merula's attack on Cato was flagrantly past the line, it was an isolated incident they could not do much else about. A concerned Chester agreed with their assessment about learning self-defense to keep Merula at bay, but he advised Cato and Rowan to keep the matter on the down-low. Dueling was tightly regulated and unauthorized matches were not taken lightly by the teachers.

Cato's social confidence was also negatively impacted by Merula's actions. He was more avoidant of others and jumpy out in the halls. Already a shy boy with anxiety, the Slytherin's aggressive behavior only made Cato's situation worse. While his boundaries had been pushed greatly by Merula and others shoving the drama of his expelled brother and the Cursed Vaults in his face, Cato's loyalty and devotion to his friends kept him going as he gradually built up his strength studying dueling spells with Rowan in the event should they be pulled into such a confrontation with Merula again.

As they always did though, rumors of Cato and Rowan's struggles with Merula circulated throughout Hogwarts. They resonated with many others who had the misfortune of being subject to her torment and bullying. The boys did not know much of it, but many students were rooting for Cato to step up and put the menacing Slytherin in her place.

[helenadurazzo]

My Favorite HPHM Characters

[usernoneexistent]

Juniper and Rowan finally get the chance to uncover why Ben was in the corridor and how is it linked to the cursed vaults.

Warnings: injury, more hospital phobia

Juniper took a deep breath as she and Andre sat on the bench. She could see the mist out of her mouth through the cold November. Despite all that practice, blood, sweat and tears she shed, it was thrown for sitting on the bench for their first match. Orion tried his hardest to keep the team's focus on balance and harmony. Still, the friendly competition has grown fierce since the previous game. On the bright side, Juniper wanted to see it as unlikely to be sent to the hospital wing.

Whispers about someone intentionally sabotaging the Gryffindors caused tensions and accusations between the houses and the quidditch teams. Juniper laid low, hoping no attention or clues would land on her.  

Orion, Skye and Lucas played hard against the Hufflepuff team. Using the thimblerig shuffle, which she learned from Skye, dazzled the other chasers. Still, what the Hufflepuff lacked with their chasers was made up for with their talented keeper, Morris Beetle. The fifth-year made it challenging, with the points being neck and neck until the Ravenclaw seeker, Roan Smith, took the team to a win. 

Dots of blue and bronze were in motion, cheering as Roan Smith held up the golden snitch in victory. This win had just bought them second place on the leaderboard behind Gryffindor. Their next match was with Slytherin, which Juniper was dreading. Her stomach would not stop twisting in knots as when Professor McGonagall. The Professors had cleared Slytherin of guilt and said the sabotage was likely from a third party. However, it didn't stop the resentment and mistrust between not only Slytherin and Gryffindor, but it was affecting the other teams too. 

She knew she had to do what was right and eventually say something. It was ruining the game and mostly gnawing away at her consciousness. Still, it would also mean unravelling her openly secret investigations with the cursed vaults. Skye would also accuse her of not focusing enough on quidditch. Maybe Skye was right? Juniper only joined because it seemed fun and valuable. Instead, she has become a hindrance.

While quidditch was slowly making her burdensome, Juniper found some success in Transfiguration. Over a month of handing homework with extra pages and practising her spells, Professor McGonagall finally sent that all-so-important owl.

Juniper jumped for joy and almost gave Rowan an unnecessary heart attack before she joined in. It meant being able to open that passage shortly before Christmas.

"Miss Moss, welcome in."

"Hello Professor McGonagall." Juniper observed the cup with a rat tail on her desk. "Thank you for this private lesson."

"You've earned it, especially with your work ethic over the past month. There has been a great improvement in your classroom and private work." A faint smile formed on the Transfiguration's teachers.

"So, do I finally get to learn Revelio?"

"You do indeed. Please pay close attention." Professor McGonagall pulled her wand out of her dress. "The Revelio charm is used to show the true form of things, and to make the invisible visible. Let us begin."

She had a book on her desk, which they used as an example. The Professor made her practise her forms first, getting her pronunciation and flicks right.

"Well done, Miss Moss. Lets try it on this book."

Juniper inhaled before focusing on revealing the book. She visualised it like she was mentally pulling an invisibility cloak away and showing the book.

The book flickered before finally fully revealing itself. Good, but not perfect enough. Juniper needed to master it, as she would have to cast a spell on a large wall area. 

"For a first attempt that was well executed for an advance spell." Professor McGonagall encouraged. Juniper felt a little more confident.

After an hour of constant practising, she got it nearly perfect. The Professor seemed to approve, and Juniper thanked her for the lesson.

She rushed to the common room to find Rowan sitting with her feet tucked on the blue armchair, scribbling down on the parchment. At the foot were her shoes, while on the small dark table was a stack of books with a few open. 

She looked so serene, even with scrunched eyebrows; Juniper knew that Rowan was lost in her mind while studying. 

"I've learned Revelio. Just had my lesson there with McGonagall." Juniper whispered. Rowan perked with a wide smile. She couldn't let Chester overhear their plans of sneaking out. Once the Prefect hears, he'll never let the girls out of his sight ever again.  

"Oh perfect, Juniper. That means we can visit as soon as tonight."

"Good we can't wait any longer."

"What are you two up to?" Chester stood in front, one hand struggling to hold all his textbooks and the other on his coffee mug.

"Nothing."

Chester shifted his eyes between the two.

"It better stay that way." He said sternly before leaving them.

Rowan and Juniper locked eyes with a serious yet worried expression. They might want to reconsider their sneaking technique if Chester was onto them, especially since Skye also mentioned noticing their disappearances in the night.

Later that night, Juniper was more acutely aware; now she crept, each movement more carefully, including ensuring that Skye didn't hear them. Night patrol had increased, but they managed to narrowly avoid them. Rowan ensured they wore more appropriate clothes, later with jumpers and scarves to handle the cold.

"Alright, let's do this." Juniper got into a ready stance. It's one step closer. The cursed vault was just behind that wall within her reach.

"Just be careful, Juniper." Rowan situated herself behind her friend; she had her wand ready, too. "We need to be ready for anything because we have no idea what might appear."

Juniper flicked her wand exactly like Professor McGonagall taught. She imagined the brick wall revealing the cursed vault. She had to get creative; it was small and claustrophobic, but her brother was there. The cheeky grin, that mischievous glint in his eyes, and his blue hair falling onto his face.

"Revelio!"

The wall disappeared and...It revealed a staircase, to her disappointment. Not precisely the cursed vault she had hoped for, but there was something familiar. 

"By merlin's beard, Juniper! You unvanished a secret staircase!" Rowan's eyes were wide at the unveiling.

"It's the same staircase from my vision," Juniper said out loud. She subconsciously took a step forward, somewhat drawn by the stairs, but recalled that after the stairs was an ice knight. But another part wanted to run up and ask if she could find Jacob.

"And most likely the same staircase from the message we found carved in the cursed ice," Rowan recalled, but she hesitated. "Where do you think it leads?"

"Don't know, but we have to check it out. It could be the cursed vault." Juniper said excitedly. Goosebumps formed from the increased cold, the thrill, or both; she couldn't tell.

"Are you sure? The message also that the ice knight guards stands guard past the vanished stairs."

"Nope, but we have to see where this goes. Lumos!" Juniper was getting ahead, and the footsteps of the other Ravenclaw followed suit. "Wait for me!"

Rowan caught up; her breath could be seen in the freezing cold.

"We just discovered an unexplored section of Hogwarts, Juniper. Do you understand how amazing that is?!" Rowan took a deep breath filled with excitement. 

"We're making history here. You better note it down for when you write your first history book." Juniper joked as Rowan rolled her eyes in return. They knew she would note it done once they returned to their beds. 

As they reached the top of the stairs, Juniper felt her joints stiffen as winter-like weather hit them like a tidal wave. What's worse was they came prepared, which seemed insufficient. They reached the archway, where ice covered every inch of the room, and it was reminiscent of the ice room with the runes in year one.

"It's so c-c-c-cold...Unnaturally cold..." Rowan's teeth chattered loudly. They were faced with a cloud of blue mist. Juniper buried her face into the scarf to block the cold, hoping the wool's warmth would be enough. 

"This must lead to one of the cursed vaults." Juniper knew deep down in her gut that this was the cursed vault. Something here in this chilly room called to her. 

"Let's hurry and see what we can find. And come back later with a warm coat...." Rowan snapped Juniper out of her weird trance. "Let's go now, Juniper."

Juniper wasn't ready to leave. Even when her fingertips' turned blue, she needed to press further. Strange patterns formed on the ground caught her attention.

"Footprints. Someone else was here, Rowan." Juniper informed as Rowan's head snapped to where her friend was pointing.

"Who? What? How? When? Why?" Rowan replied with a battery of questions.

"I don't ken, but we have to see where it goes."

Rowan was shivering, using her scarf to wrap around her body. "It's freezing...I don't know if we can walk through this, Juniper."

"We don't have to," Juniper smirked, whipping out her wand. "Flipendo!"

The mist cleared and showed steep stairs leading to the large iced snowflake covering a large door. A knight statue stood guard at the side of the door. The ice was crackled and frosted, but some parts were so reflective she could see herself.

"Whoa!" Juniper and Rowan stared in awe at the small pathway to the large door.

"This has to be the cursed vault." Juniper found herself hypnotised. Her hand reached out like an electrical impulse.

"Juniper, I think it's best if we analysed the situation first," Rowan warned. She tried to physically stop her, but Juniper's hand was faster.

"I need to ken, you ken? I don't care about the curses."

Her mind grew cloudy as images flashed throughout her mind. Like a bird, she viewed these rooms in shadowy clouds. Juniper's eyes flickered open with Rowan holding her head.

"Juniper! Are you okay?!"

Juniper was lying on the ground. She seemed to have collapsed like last year; only Rowan caught her time.

"I'm fine, but I had another vision." Juniper clutched her head as a mild but irritating ache spread.

"What did you see?"

"Two rooms. One was dark, and filled with books. The other was cluttered, with a door outlined in chalk." She listed, trying to retain every detail of that vision.

Rowan helped her up. "Well, at least this one doesn't seem as threatening as your last vision." She tried to joke, but Juniper was concerned about the last vision.

"There was one other thing...."

"What?"

"You-Know-Who."

Rowan's face looked like it was hit by the freezing charm stuck on stun and worry. A loud bang from behind the door 

"We'll talk about this later. We should go, Juniper. This strange coldness, this entire place, I think it's having a bad effect on us both."

Rowan was right. Their fingertips were blue -purple- even with their darker skin. Juniper licked her chapped lips, already missing the warmth of the Ravenclaw common room despite winter being one of her favourite seasons. However, this is different from the winter she wants. 

Ice spat out from the door, narrowly grazing Rowan's arm.

"It must be enchanted!"

"Great now, so the door is attacking us instead. Where's the ice knight?"

"The ice knight is the least of our worries right now. I would rather be fighting an enchanted door," Rowan responded. 

Before Juniper had time to think of a witty response, Rowan shoved her body to the side. "Watch out, Juniper!"

Juniper let out a loud groan; her sides ached. Next to her was Rowan's body splayed as her dark hair covered her face. Motionless. 

For a second, Juniper forgot to breathe. 

"Rowan!"

The Ravenclaw scrambled to get up to avoid the incoming ice attacks. Juniper managed to drag Rowan by her arms while dodging the spears of ice until she was safe away. Juniper used all her strength to pull Rowan over her shoulder despite her lanky friend towering over her. 

She found Professor Flitwick on night patrol by pure chance and luck, who immediately took the unconscious student. Juniper wanted to follow her to the hospital wing, but Chester, called down by the head of the house, escorted her back to the common room.

"Didn't I say not to get up to anything mad or reckless?" Chester huffed out as the young Ravenclaw followed in tow.

"I ken," Juniper said quietly, fighting back her tears.

"You're lucky that you ran into Professor Flitwick."

"I ken."

"If you had run into Snape or Filch on patrol, you would be in a lot more trouble than you are right now."

"I ken."

"Can you stop saying I ken?!" Chester snapped. The floodgates of her tears were wide open.

"I'm sorry." She sobbed, causing the Prefect to startle and stop in his tracks. 

"I...only wanted to...to find my brother...I did nae think that R-Rowan would...get hurt!" Juniper hiccuped through her tears. As much as she tried to wipe them away, they kept returning, slowly decreasing in volume. Chester awkwardly patted her shoulder as she cried in the common room.

"...I'm sorry that I upset you." He tried to comfort her, and Chester quickly conjured a hankie for her. Juniper dried her tear-stained cheeks.

"Thanks, Chester." She sniffled as it seemed she cried out everything she had. "It seems like I'm committing one disaster after another."

Chester sat them on the sofa, and the fire nearby kept them warm.

His dark brows knitted in. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I...well, as you ken, Rowan is hurt because of me. Ben disappeared and was found with no memory. I thought I could help Skye and ended up making things worse with her." Juniper incoherently rambled on. She omitted the specific details about her involvement with the Slytherin attack and her findings with the cursed vault but summed up everything else.

Chester sighed, which made Juniper nervous. Was he going to get her into trouble? Did she admit too much?

"Sounds like you did a lot, especially dangerous things but I think I get it." Chester sympathised; he clasped his hands together. "I mean, my little brother Roger would do the exact same thing if I disappeared."

A small smile formed at Juniper at Chester's admission.

"But you wouldn't. You would never chase after the cursed vaults. My stupid brother just had to disappear, didn't he?" She cried and laughed. Words that she had never dared to breathe around anyone before. She was Jacob's only line of defence, ensuring a few people knew her brother wasn't mad or dead. That someone hadn't given up yet; she wondered why it was so reliving to call him that. 

Her shoulders felt light. Confiding in Chester helped her a lot. In his own way, he comforted her. Chester made her hurry back to her bed, where she heard rustling inside the dorm.

Juniper quickly rushed inside, but the person must have leapt into one of the bunks. As if her night couldn't be any worse. 

She couldn't remember much once her head hit the pillow, but the morning before class felt lonely. Not even Penny could fill that void, who came rushing with Tonks to the Ravenclaw table who somehow already heard about what happened. Juniper spilt all the details of her and Rowan's excursion, minus the tears from last night.

"Rowan is going to be fine, Juniper." Tonks munched through her cereal.

"I can check in the hospital wing for you if you need me to," Penny discreetly offered. Juniper didn't want any more people to know of her slight phobia.

Juniper shook her head and determined that she would make it to Rowan's side for Ben.

"No, I'm going to check on Rowan during the break."

"Are you sure?" Penny said softly. Her soft blue eyes looked at her, full of worry. "Why didn't you tell me? I could have provided with extra help."

"I don't ken. I have been so distracted by everything. Sorry, I did nae ask." Juniper admitted.

"You know we're here for you, Juniper."

"Yeah, you can't have all the fun adventures by yourself. Sharing is caring, right?" Tonks winked, which caused the other two to giggle, which was what Juniper needed before heading to her first lesson. 

Juniper couldn't focus in any of the classes. Especially since neither Ben nor Rowan was with her. At the break, she mustered enough courage to waltz into that hospital wing...was what she had hoped for. Instead, her legs seemed controlled by an immobolus jinx. She spent her entire break staring at the entrance as the nauseating smell of cleaning products hit her. Madam Pomfrey used the same ones as the St. Mungo Hospital she connected. Juniper determined to make a later attempt at lunch.

Her legs refused.

Juniper wanted to scream and cry at her body for why she couldn't simply see her best friend. Madam Pomfrey noticed the young Ravenclaw lingering.

"If you're going to loiter about, then I suggest you, Miss Moss." The Matron said sternly. She was much more likeable as the patient than the visitor.

"I really want to visit my friend Rowan but I..." Juniper started her knuckle cracking, and her heart was racing. What could she say? That she has a fear of hospitals. "Hospitals make me really uncomfortable."

"I have noticed." Madam Pomfrey sighed. She knew that Juniper desperately wanted to see her friend, so she made a suggestion. "Would a calming draught help?"

Juniper nodded. She hated that all her life; she had avoided using calming or sleeping draughts like her mother, yet Juniper found herself requiring the aid of those dreaded potions to even be able to stand in a hospital on her own.

The wave of calmness washed over her. She understood more and more why her mum would constantly take them. Madam Pomfrey guided her over to Rowan, who sat up and met her with an awkward grin.

"Rowan! Are you okay?" Juniper rushed in and smothered Rowan with a hug. It earned her a tut from the Matron, and she commented about being careful with her patients.

"I feel like I got run over by the knight bus." Rowan wheezed while receiving a disapproving stare from Madam Pomfrey. "How did you manage to get in here on your own?"

"Madam Pomfrey gave me a calming draught before I came inside."

"They work wonders, don't they?" They heard a voice pipe up. Juniper pulled the curtains and found a much healthier-looking Ben. "Sorry, I just overheard you guys." Curiously, he glanced at the witch. "Why do you need them, Juniper? I mean, you're so brave, so I never thought you would need something like potions to help you stay calm."

Juniper stared between her two friends. Rowan arched an eyebrow to indicate she could not conceal her fear for long from Ben. 

"I'm terrified of hospitals, actually," Juniper said in a low voice. 

"Oh, I didn't know. That does kinda make me feel better," Ben admitted. 

"Speaking of feeling better." Juniper quickly changed the conversation. "When are you going to be let out?"

"Tomorrow, hopefully. I have so much to catch up on school work." Ben was rubbing his temples. Worry creases formed already for the young Gryffindor.

"I can help you with that," A gleeful Rowan determined. Of course, schoolwork would bring the biggest smile to the studious Ravenclaw. "Juniper knows where I keep all my notes, so you can use that to help."

The worry lines didn't disappear, but they were more faded. They chatted for a bit longer. The Ravenclaws updated the boy on their findings in the forbidden corridor and again asked if he had any recollection before being found again. 

The next day, Juniper was so happy to finally have at least one of their friends back. She missed having someone to chat with between corridors and whisper in classes, passing notes. Though she dreaded attending potions class alone. She would have to suffer the unbearable Merula, who was surprisingly quiet for the past semester.

"I haven't had to see much of you outside of class, Moss. What have you been doing?"

Juniper rolled her eyes and ignored the Slytherin. She pulled out her textbook and the half-written homework. She knew she would receive a big fat zero on the essay from Snape, but Juniper had more pressing concerns than a five-page essay on swelling solution.

"Avoid me while you can, Moss. When my plan comes to fruition, no one will be able to ignore my power." Merula was annoyed by the cold shoulder. Juniper accidentally let out a snicker at her childish sayings. She was so tired of everything.

"You do realise how stupid you sound? Is it because everyone is ignoring you so you need some attention?" Juniper mocked, pretending to make a sad face for Merula. "I wonder why you don't have any friends?"

"Shut up, Moss!" Merula hissed, clearly upset at Juniper's verbal attack. "I do have friends! Actually I have a friend helping me to find the cursed vaults before you and your stupid friends do. That cursed vault is mine you hear?"

"What was that?" Juniper covered her ears. "I could nae hear you."

Merula looked like she was ready to pounce on Juniper. The girl knew she may have taken it too far. Still, she noticed the uncomfortable stares of Professor Snape throughout their lecture. After the lesson, he informed Juniper to stay behind. Merula bared a pearly grin. Juniper knew that the devious imp had a hand in whatever trouble she would find. Juniper worked hard to keep clear of Professor Snape's radar, who was eager for any reason to hand out punishments. 

"You are in for it now, Moss. I wonder...will Professor Snape expel you, or murder you?" She said sinisterly.

"Not long ago I visited your dormitory, Moss." He stated monotonously. Juniper couldn't get a read on his mood. 

"Why?"

"I received information that you have been stealing supplies from my classroom."

Juniper was stunned. Yes, she has done mad things, but directly stealing was something she hadn't done. "That's ridiculous. Why would I do that?"

"I can think of a multitude of reasons like you thought it would somehow help with your foolish pursuit of the cursed vaults? Because like your brother, you insist on testing the bounds of school rules, and my patience?" Snape listed. Unfortunately for Juniper, some were entirely plausible reasons. "I have no desire to know what goes on in your warped, tiny mind. Explain why there were stolen potion ingredients in the drawer next to your bed."

Juniper glared at the grinning witch and pointed to her. "Merula obviously put them there. She sabotaged me before, and she'll do anything to get me expelled."

"How would Miss Snyde even get into the Ravenclaw common room?" Professor Snape argued.

"I wouldn't put it past her to bribe or blackmail or trick someone into helping her." The Ravenclaw argued back. Wait, that night she came to her dorm after visiting the cursed vault, someone was rustling about in her dorm.

"Is this true, Miss Snyde?" His eyes looked bored by this line of questioning.

"Of course not." Merula's voice squeaked. "I want to see Moss expelled, but only because he's disgrace, and a danger to everyone at Hogwarts."

The potions professor sighed. Juniper's heart started to race.

"I geniuenly wish you weren't lying."

"Excuse me?"

"Your eyes dart back and forth ever so slightly when you aren't telling the truth, Miss Snyde. You are an absolutely atrocious liar. Particularly for a Slytherin." Snape berated her. Juniper stifled a laugh from the imp being found a liar finally. "You will stay after class every day for the remainder of this year to clean and organise organise my supplies as punishment for attempting to frame Moss. Dismissed."

He didn't need to remind her twice as Juniper sprinted out of that potions class. But it left her with an important question. Who in her dorm would want to work with Merula? Or better yet, who would want to frame her?

Previous chapter: chapter 15

Next chapter: chapter 17

[the-al-chemist]

Artemis Hexley: The Wilderness Years

Chapter 8: Me Without You

A/N: Artemis catches up with two of her dearest friends over the Christmas period. Warnings: mentions of past trauma and canon character death, spoilers for Y6 of HPHM, language.

Christmas Day at the Burrow was lazy and cosy, and quiet considering the location. With the four youngest Weasley children staying at school for the Christmas break, Artemis and Fergus the cat spent the day with Bill, Charlie, their parents, and their younger brother Percy. 

The traditions had been much the same - Mrs Weasley’s homemade fudge, Charlie’s hand-knitted and endearingly ugly socks, and  mountains of food - but it was a more laid back affair with only adults around. There had been no crack-of-dawn awakening, fewer presents to be opened, and far less noise and movement. It was lovely, and yet somehow, it had lost a little of its joyful spark. 

Artemis had assumed that it was she herself who had lost her joyful spark, having been broken up with only a month earlier, but it seemed that Mrs Weasley shared this view.

“It’s very exciting for Ginny and the boys to go to a ball this year. But I must admit, I do miss having them here for Christmas. It seems awfully quiet without them,” she told Artemis at the very end of the day, after her husband and Percy had already gone to bed. “Still, it’s been lovely having you here instead. Reminds me of that time you came to stay when you were still at school. You and that other girl. What was her name? Meredith?”

“You mean Merula?”

“Of course. Merula. Goodness, it’s so hard to keep up with all the friends my boys have brought back over the years. What is Merula up to these days?”

“I dunno. I never hear from her anymore, not since I left Gringotts. Bill might know, though.” Artemis said, as Bill emerged at the top of the stairs with his pyjamas on and earring taken out. “Bill, you heard from Merula lately?”

“Not for a few months. She left Gringotts back in the summer. Not as dramatic an exit as some people have made” - Bill raised an eyebrow at Artemis, who rolled her eyes - “but still. She’s taken a job with an independent Curse-Breaking agency.” He frowned at Artemis. “I thought you knew that. You still write to her, don’t you?”

“Not really. I just send her a card at Christmas. She never sends anything back, though.”

“So why do you keep sending them?”

Artemis shrugged. “She doesn’t really have anyone else to send them to her.”

“That’s very sweet of you,” said Mrs Weasley. Her smile turned into a yawn. “I really must go to bed. Can I get you anything before I-”

“No thank you, Molly.”

“Okay, dear. Charlie, can you make sure you put out the fire before you go to bed.”

Mrs Weasley bade them all goodnight and went up to the room on the landing which she shared with Arthur. Once the door had closed behind her, Bill descended the staircase and sat down on the bottom step, his head tilted as he looked at Artemis.

“Why so glum, chum?”

“I’m not glum,” Artemis told him. “I’m fine.”

“No, you aren’t,” replied Bill. “You aren’t still moping around after Chester, are you?”

From his seat on the armchair nearest the fireplace, Charlie raised his head and looked at his brother.

“Bill…”

“I’m just saying that it’s not like Artemis to be so het up about a bloke,” Bill said. He turned back to Artemis. “Was it a bad break up? Do you need me to go and hex him for you?”

“I’m perfectly capable of hexing people myself, and you know it,” Artemis muttered wryly. She shook her head. “No, it’s just… It’s fine. I’m fine.”

Bill looked like he was going to say something to contradict her again, but he did not. Instead, he glanced sceptically at Charlie before shaking his head and also going to bed. 

The sitting room was quiet. Artemis lay back with her head on one arm of the sofa, watching Fergus’ chest rise and fall as he slept on the other. Charlie cleared his throat, and she sighed before turning her face towards him.

“What?” she asked him, and he smiled good-naturedly at her.

“Do you want to play chess with me?”

“I’m not good at chess.”

“Me neither,” said Charlie. “Do you want to play chess with me?”

Artemis shrugged her shoulders and slid off the sofa and onto the floor. Charlie summoned an old and battered chess set, and sat opposite her in front of the crackling fire. As they played, he kept his eyes fixed on the board, as if he expected Artemis to see his every move in them.

“I met up with Jae yesterday,” he told her conversationally, as his bishop moved across the board. “He said he’s back with Chiara.”

“Yeah, they’ve been seeing each other every now and then since the World Cup,” replied Artemis. “They’re taking it one day at a time.”

“That’s what he said. Apparently it’s going well, though.”

“Yeah.”

“Better than last time, from the sounds of things. He said she’s told him stuff that she never told him before. He didn’t say what.”

“Probably because that’s her stuff to tell and not his,” Artemis said pointedly, fixing Charlie with a stern look. Charlie shrugged, still looking at the chess pieces.

“Oh, definitely. I didn’t want to pry,” he said. “It is weird though, isn’t it? What people will and won’t tell the people they’re going out with.” He paused before adding, “Like you not telling Chester about Rowan.”

Artemis narrowed her eyes at him. “Really? You’re having-”

“I’m not having a go,” Charlie said gently. For the first time, he looked up from the chessboard. “I’m just confused as to why you wouldn’t tell him about her. She was your best friend. You loved her so much…”

“I still do.”

“Exactly. So why didn’t he know it was the anniversary of her death?”

“I dunno.”

“Does he know about any of the stuff that happened when we were at school? Or before? The Vaults, Jacob, your parents?”

“No,” Artemis said. Now she was the one stubbornly looking at the chessboard, across which one of Charlie’s rooks moved two places to the right. 

“It’s your move, Artemis.”

She lifted her eyes to meet Charlie’s. He was not talking about the game. She sighed heavily, and uncrossed her arms.

“We had a fight,” she told him. “Chester asked me to go to his family’s for Christmas and I said that I wanted to come here instead, but he didn’t understand why. And he said it was my fault he didn’t understand because I never told him about all that stuff.”

“Why not?”

“I didn’t know how. I mean, how do you explain everything that happened with the Vaults and my family to someone who doesn’t already know about all that?”

“Fair point,” said Charlie, his red eyebrows raising slightly.

“It was easier just to ignore it and not tell him, so I didn’t.” Artemis scratched her temple with her forefinger before continuing, “And then, the longer it went on without me telling him, the harder it got to tell him, because I’d gotten used to him knowing me without knowing all of that.”

“You must’ve known you’d have to tell him eventually, though.”

“No. Why would I? It’s all in the past. Why would he need to know when it happened such a long time ago?”

“Because it still happened,” Charlie told her. His matter-of-fact tone made her bristle, and she shook her head. “It’s still a part of what makes you you.”

“Well, maybe I don’t want to be me anymore!”

Artemis hadn’t meant to snap, but Charlie didn’t recoil when she did. Instead, he sat still, his eyebrows knitting together.��

“Why wouldn’t you want to be you?”

“Because,” Artemis shrugged, “I’m fucked up, aren’t I?”

“You’re not. You just…” Charlie looked as if he were searching for the right words. Eventually he chose them. “You’ve been fucked over.”

“And over.”

“And over again, probably.”

Though Artemis frowned, the corners of her mouth twitched. 

“Is there a difference?”

“Yeah. For sure.” Charlie nodded sagely. The look on his face made Artemis laugh softly and shake her head.

“The stuff that happened back then, it was bad. I mean, not all of it, but a lot of it. The important bits, anyway,” she said. “I liked being free from it in someone else’s eyes. It was almost like really being free from it. I wasn’t just ‘the Cursed Vaults girl’, I was someone else, someone who didn’t go through all of that. I kind of liked being that person for a change.” She swallowed, hard. “I guess being someone else made me feel safer, too.”

“How come?”

“Because even if I was the real me, then this still would’ve happened eventually. And when it did, he’d just become another person who left me. Because that’s what people do. They all leave me.”

“Not all of them,” said Charlie. He looked almost hurt. “The people who matter haven’t left you. Tonks, Penny, Chiara, Ros, Kingsley, Bill, Mum and Dad, me… We’re all still here.”

Artemis nodded. “Yeah. You are. Sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Charlie shrugged. “As for you wanting to be someone else… You know, someone once told me that it was fine for me to just be me, and that you wouldn’t want me to be like anyone else.”

“I meant it.”

“So do I. Yeah, you’re ‘the Cursed Vaults girl’, but that just means that you’re the girl who did all that incredible stuff. You went through all that and you’re still here. You’re still Artemis. And if that’s not good enough to make someone stick around, then that’s their problem. Their loss, not yours. Alright?”

“Alright,” said Artemis.

She gave Charlie a smile that he didn’t return. He looked to be deep in thought, and his front teeth grazed his bottom lip before he said:

“You won’t know unless you tell him, though.”

“Maybe. I dunno,” said Artemis. Exhausted, she rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands.  “I don’t know what to do. Everything feels like a lot at the moment.”

“You could come back to Romania with me for New Year’s, if you like. Might be good for you, give you some space to think.”

Charlie’s offer was genuine, Artemis could tell, but she declined it with a shake of her head and derisive chuckle.

“I don’t have enough thoughts to take up that much space. Besides, I have somewhere I want to be for New Year’s.”

Just north of the summit of Primrose Hill, overlooking the park and with a clear view over London in the distance, stood three tall trees. Their branches in the summer would be decked with thin green leaves, white flowers, and red berries, but for now, they were bare, save for a fine layer of frost that glittered in the dimming light.

Artemis sat on the ground beneath the middle one, her back pressed against the cool rough bark of the trunk, one forefinger running the length of a groove in a root, as she watched the sun set over the city that was just starting to rise. This was not the first time that she had found herself beneath a rowan tree at sundown on New Year’s Eve, having done so every year since what would have been Rowan Khanna’s seventeenth birthday.

She could, of course, have gone back to Hogwarts and sat beneath the rowan tree there, the same rowan tree she had sat beneath the first time - although back then, she had not known that there would be more times to come - but given that Hogwarts was still playing host to the students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, it would probably have felt too crowded.

“It did feel strange going back there. Hogwarts, I mean,” she said aloud. “Going back there for the challenge and seeing what it’s like now… Well, it’s kind of exactly the same as it was. That’s why it’s strange. It looked the same, but felt different. Not really home anymore, but still homelike. And there are so many memories there. Everywhere I looked, it was like I remembered something, and it felt like it was so long ago it happened, and at the same time like it only happened the week before.”

And thus, it made Artemis feel almost like a child again, and yet so old, both at once. And with Rowan’s memories living in the brief flashes and echoes of the past, she felt both closer to and more distant from Rowan than ever. She had felt that way all year.

“Sometimes I can’t help but wonder what you’d think of me now. What I’m doing. I’m trying to make you proud, but sometimes I can almost hear you tutting at me. I know you would have thought I was stupid betting that I could get Ludo his dragons, and you’d have told me to think before losing Tonks and Chiara and trying to help fight when the Death Eaters came to the World Cup. You’d have come up with something better than just running straight in. You always did come up with something better. And you’d have known what I should’ve done about Chester, too. If you were still here, it wouldn’t have all gone wrong.”

Artemis sighed. If Rowan were still here, she would not have done the things that had caused everything to go wrong. She had not wanted to tell Chester about Rowan’s death, and if Rowan hadn’t died, there would have been nothing to tell.

“Not that I blame you, obviously. It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I’m sorry I didn’t tell him about you. I was stupid not to, really. I should be telling everyone about you, because you were the best person I ever knew. You still are.

“You’d like Chester, though, I think. He’s probably as clever as you, and he’s sensible, and he works really hard and thinks even harder. I don’t think hard enough, so that works out well. Well, it did, anyway. And he likes solving problems and books. He has so many books, and he is always reading, like you were. He’s quite a lot like you, actually.” Artemis tilted her head and raised her eyebrows as she realised something. “I think that’s why I liked him. And it’s probably why it hurts that we broke up, because it’s like losing you all over again.”

Having Chester around had been like having Rowan around again, after all. Like Rowan, he always had a book to hand, and whenever he read he seemed thoroughly engrossed in what he was reading. He was tall and slender, and serious, and sighed whenever Artemis said something stupid. Rowan had done that, too.

“It’s not quite the same, though. He doesn’t understand me like you did. I dunno why I thought he would. It’s not like anyone could ever really understand me like you did. I just… I just miss you, I guess. I wish you were here. I wish…”

But Artemis knew as well as anyone that wishing never changed anything, and never would change anything. It was too late for that.

It had gotten late in the day, too. The sun had fully set now, and she was alone in the dark. It was time for her to leave, to return home to Tonks and get ready to meet Penny and Chiara. So, she stood up, reached into her cloak, and pulled out the book she had bought in the Muggle bookshop earlier that day, one with a blue-and-white cover that the bookseller had recommended. It was a romance and the year’s bestseller, or so she had been told. 

“I don’t really know what a mandolin is, but apparently it’s good. I hope you like it.”

She looked over her shoulder to make sure that there were no Muggles around before using her wand to levitate the book up into the tree, where it settled among the bare branches.

“Happy birthday, Rowan.”

With that, Artemis left the tree and walked back down Primrose Hill in the direction of her house in Camden, her coat pulled tight around her and the lower half of her face buried in an old striped scarf with pom-pom tasseling that was wrapped around her neck. The scarf had been Rowan’s, once upon a time. She had bought it the first day that they met, ten years previously. Five years after Rowan died, the scarf still smelt like her, even if it was so faint that Artemis might have imagined it. Still, even if she had imagined it, even if it wasn’t real, it would have to do. That was how Rowan existed now: in the lingering faint smell of her old scarf, in her undying smiles in old photos, in Artemis’ memories and the stories she and her girlfriends liked to tell one another when they were feeling nostalgic. That was how Rowan lived on, the only way she lived on. 

By the time she had reached the bottom of the hill, tears had begun to sting Artemis’ eyes. She turned to take one last look at the rowan tree before she Disapparated, suddenly knowing exactly where she wanted to go; not to the tall, narrow house she had grown up in and now shared with Tonks, but to the door of a flat in a red-bricked building, which opened to reveal Chester’s tired-looking but handsome face.

Chester seemed more than a little surprised and not entirely pleased to see her. He eyed her with mingled weariness, hope, and suspicion as he asked:

“Why are you here, Artemis?”

“I just want to talk.”

“What about?”

“Everything,” Artemis told him. She took a deep, shaky breath. “Anything.”

Chester’s eyebrows raised sceptically. “Anything?” 

Artemis nodded her head, suddenly realising how desperate she was to be heard, to be understood, to not feel as if there was something - or someone - missing. 

“I'll tell you whatever you want to know.”

[wally-b-feed]

Anthony Fineran (B 1981)

[marmotish]

Maybe it was a good thing that Freyja wasn’t there as an Auror in the Hogwarts’s Hospital Wing when Bill was recovering from getting his face maimed by a werewolf.

Would she have been there for him + the Weasleys + Tonk? Absolutely.

Would she have also regretted being there when the romantic drama exploded in her face? Oh ABSOLUTELY.

Mrs. Weasley: *being a worried sick mother while also assuming fate of wedding based on superficial perceived notions of Fleur*

Fleur: *wins over Mrs. Weasley by serving the latter some much needed slices of humble pie and establishing her place in the Weasley household she should never have proved to earn to her female future in-laws*

Tonks: *chooses this moment to be inspired to shake sense into her older werewolf companion by calling him out for his moody (hur hur) way of avoiding his feelings by confessing her love to him for the upteenth time.*

Moody: *chocolate/sleep-deprived, current sole survivor of best friend group who didn’t turn to villainy who’s been a target of prejudice bc of being an unwilling furry doesn’t know how to handle his crush for his most recently deceased friend’s much younger cousin beyond moody angsting*

Freyja: *standing there awkwardly; was there to get statements about Fenrir Greyback and provide what little emotional support she could give to her old classmates/friends and their family before reporting back to Chester WHAT-IN-THE-NAME-OF-SOAPBOX-DRAMA-SHENANIGANS-IS-GOING-ON-RIGHT-NOW???*

—

Had Rowan been alive and been a teacher at Hogwarts, you just KNOW she would have been there as well eating this romantic garbage right up (yass queeeeeen-ing Fleur and oh my gosh they were co-workers-ing at Tonks x Lupin)

“Sir I quit. It was like Coronation Street on crack.”

[dweemeister]

Whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you. And so will I.

Born to a turbulent family on a Mississippi farm, James Earl Jones passed away today. He was ninety-three years old. Abandoned by his parents as a child and raised by a racist grandmother (although he later reconciled with his actor father and performed alongside him as an adult), the trauma of his childhood developed into a stutter that followed him through his primary school years – sometimes, his stutter was so debilitating, he could not speak at all. In high school, Jones found in an English teacher someone who found in him a talent for written expression, and encouraged him to write and recite poetry in class. He overcame his stutter by graduation, although the effects of it carried over for the remainder of his life.

Jones' most accomplished roles may have been on the Broadway stage, where he won three Tonys (twice winning Best Actor in a Play for originating the lead roles in 1969's The Great White Hope by Howard Sackler and 1987's Fences by August Wilson) and was considered one of the best Shakespearean actors of his time.

But his contributions to cinema left an impact on audiences, too. Jones received an Honorary Academy Award alongside makeup artist Dick Smith (1972's The Godfather, 1984's Amadeus) in 2011. From the end of Hollywood's Golden Age to the dawn of the summer Hollywood blockbuster in the 1970s to the present, Jones' presence – and his basso profundo voice – could scarcely be ignored. Though he could not sing like Paul Robeson nor had the looks of Sidney Poitier, his presence and command put him in league of both of his acting predecessors.

Ten of the films James Earl Jones appeared in, whether in-person or voice acting, follow (left-right, descending):

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) – directed by Stanley Kubrick; also starring Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn, and Slim Pickens

The Great White Hope (1970) – directed by Martin Ritt; also starring Jane Alexander, Chester Morris, Hal Holbrook Beah Richards, and Moses Gunn

Star Wars saga (1977-2019; A New Hope pictured) – multiple directors, as the voice of Darth Vader, also starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, and Frank Oz

Claudine (1974) – directed by John Berry; also starring Diahann Carroll, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, and Tamu Blackwell

Conan the Barbarian (1982) – directed by John Milius; also starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sandahl Bergman, Ben Davidson, Cassandra Gaviola, Gerry Lopez, Mako, Valerie Quennessen, William Smith, and Max von Sydow

Coming to America series (1988 and 2021; original pictured) – multiple directors; also starring Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, John Amos, Madge Sinclair, Shari Headley, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, and KiKi Layne

The Hunt for Red October (1990) – directed by John McTiernan; also starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, and Sam Neill

The Sandlot (1993) – directed by David Mickey Evans; also staring Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Patrick Renna, Chauncey Leopardi, Marty York, Brandon Adams, Grant Gelt, Shane Obedzinski, Victor DiMattia, Denis Leary, and Karen Allen

The Lion King (1994) – directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, as the voice of Mufasa; also starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Moira Kelly, Niketa Calame, Ernie Sabella, Nathan Lane, and Robert Guillaume, Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Jim Cummings, and Madge Sinclair

Field of Dreams (1989) – directed by Phil Alden Robinson; also starring Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, Ray Liotta, and Burt Lancaster

[queersrus]

request for cottagecore + sad-ish? id pack? please + thanks!

here's my attempt!

assuming id pack includes more than just the usual npts i'll throw in a few cottagecore and sad related labels i found

(nick)names:

ambrose, amos, ansel, acacia, ada, adelaide, arwin/arwen, ava, avery/averie, aviva, amaranth, able, arbor, art, arty/artie, asher, ainsley, acheron, adalia brandy/brandi, branwen, billie/billy, bryony, bill, banner, booker, bram

barley, brion, brian, bryce chloris, chandra, cyrene, cayenne, cade, clyde, chester, cliff denna, diana/dianna, diona, donna/dona, derby, dallas, danica, daphne, dixie, dawn, dylan

edmund, elenore, elodie, eudora, elenore/eleanor, ebony, erica, eila, eira, eve, eithne, everlee, elize, eliza, elizabeth, everlyn, elwood, emerson, elowen finnegan, freddy/freddie, frederick, fallin/fallon, florance/florence

fable, frank, frankie/franky, franklin/franklyn, faine, filbert, finneas ginny/ginnie, gale, georgia, george, georgina, granger halcyone, hana/hanna/hannah, harriet, harry, hayley/hailie/hailey, halie/hallie, heather, harlowe/harlow, harrow, hadar, hawl, hayes,

huck, holden, huso ilana, illiana/iliana, ingrid, ivory jane, janet/janette, jesse/jessie, josie, jose, jack, jackie, jackson kingston, kodi/kodie, kodiak, kylan

lupin, lian, liana/lianna, liane/lianne, linc, linden, lyle, lucius maisie, matilda, maude, mabel, merle, marin, mica/mika, mason/macon, martin, miller, miles nellie, nyssa, ned, nick, ness

opholia, oliver, olive, olivia, oleander, odell, oriel, oscar paisley, poppy, posie, phineas, parker rose, rosemary/rosemarie, rosy/rosie, rory, rosette, rosetta, rue, rosabel/rosabell/rosabelle, rosa, rosabela/rosabella, rosella, rosaria,

rosario, rob, robert, ray, reed, ridge, ryland, rowan, roan shiloh, sharon, scarlet/scarlett/skarlett, sam, samantha, samuel, sunny/sunnie, sawyer, shaw, shay, steve, stevie, stevia, sorell/sorrell, seb, sebby/sebbie, sebastian, saddie/sadie, sade

theodore, theo, tori, toria, tamie/tammie, tawny, terra, timber, tim, timothy, tanner, teddy/teddie, trevis/travis, trevor, tyler, tristan/tristin, tristah/trista, trystia verginia, vicky/vickie, victor, victoria, viola, violet/violette,

violeta/violetta, valerian, vernon winnie, willa, winston, winifred, winslow, will, william, willow, wade, wagner, warren, watts, watson, wilhelmina yvonne, yves zephyr/zephyre, zara, zinnia, zion

surnames:

appleyard, ashton, ashwood baker, brookstone, butterfield catkin, cobbler, cooper, copper, copperwood, copperfield, crestfallen dogwood, direwood, direbrook, direfield, desperfield, downyard

doleman fenlon, falkner, forlorn greenwood, greenfield, golding, goldwood, goldfield, griefman, griefwood, gardner

hilbrook, holbrook, heath, horsewood, horsefield, hawksley, harrowing, hawkswood, hawthorne, hawkner, hawkfield, holloway, hallowood

larken, limewood, lockhart, lovejoy mourner, mournwright, mournman nettleship

plowman, penrose, penwright redbrook, rosedale, redwood, rosewood, redfield summerfield, sweetnam, seawright, sorrowfield, sorrowbrook, shamewood, shamewright

thacker, thatcher westfield, wainwright, write/wright, wagonwright, woodsman, wyrmwood/wormwood, winterwood, winterrose, wretchwood, wretchman

system names:

the cottagecore *system, the sorrowful system, the melancholic cottage system, the mourning flowerbed system, the gloomy garden system, the tearful system, the harvest system

1st p prns: i/me/my/mine/myself

ci/cotte/cottagy/cottagine/cottageself hi/he/hy/harvestine/harvestself gi/garde/gardy/gardine/gardenself si/sade/sady/sadine/sadself si/sorre/sorry/sorrowine/sorrowself mi/me/mely/melancholine/melancholyself

2nd p prns: you/your/yours/yourself

co/cottager/cottagers/cottagerself ho/harvester/harvesters/harvesterself go/gardener/gardeners/gardenerself so/sader/sadders/sadderself so/sorrower/sorrowers/sorrowerself mo/melancholer/melancholers/melancholerself

3rd p prns: they/them/theirs/themself

co/cottage, cott/age, cot/cottage, cot/tage, cottage/cottages, cottage/core har/vest, ha/harvest, harv/est, harvest/harvests gar/den, gar/garden, garden/gardens, garden/core farm/core sa/sad, sad/sads, sa/ad, sad/sadden, so/sorrow, sor/row, sorr/ow, sorrow/sorrows, sorrow/sorrowful mel/melancholy, mel/ancholy, melan/choly, melancholy/melancholies, melancholy/melchancholic

titles:

the weeping gardener, the mourning farmer, the sad cottage dweller, the melancholic planter, the sorrowful woodsman

**one who lives a sad cottage life, one who mourns within ones cottage, one who weeps amongst ones gardens, one who copes with sadness through cottage life

book titles:

the sad little cottage, a melancholic villager, the weeping willows, the mourning garden, the sorrows of an old cottage, a pitiful harvest

genders:

buncottagecoric(link),

cottagegoric(link), cafdreamian(link), cottagecrittean(link), cottagecoric(link), Cálidatierramielgender(link)

epuisetristic(link)

gendersob(link)

Sadnostacatgender(link)

orientations: (n/a)

other:

cottagecore bpd(link)

many can be found by searching cottagecore genders/mogai/liom as well, there are many versions of cottagecore flags especially for lgbt related labels so they should not be hard to find if you feel like looking!

*system can be replaced with any alternative (ex. cluster, collective, hoard/horde, etc)

**one can be replaced with any prn

[needleandstory]

[[ ask ; @scxrytxles ]]

"Rowa-" The word cuts off behind his teeth, almost as if it were a thin strip of paper bearing the same message, final letter clipped away with wicked scissors. The door shuts silently behind him, knob twisted in his grip to make it so. He takes one, then two silent, sliding steps across the floor, knees bending to make him smaller.

His brain, however, screeches and objects. It reminds him that he hasn't been of the feline persuasion for many years now, and this is ridiculous, because That FUCKING thing on the wall is a small speck of red light, not a bug or a bird or something he can eat or kill-

His pupils widen, and he sidles up against the back of the couch. Clawed fingers scratch at the upholstery, threaten to puncture it. Stupid light, he wants to catch it so bad.

Rowan is right there.

"Can you put that away?" Chester asks, and he hates that his voice is at the volume of The Hunt.

He climbs onto the back of the couch, lanky body curled into a terse, poised posture. The dot skirts upward and his head bobs on his neck. He huffs.

"Rowan-"

Oh. My god. Rowan had noticed Cat's Eye was a particularly on the nose name for Chester's law office, but this was a whole other level. Proper, upright, dignified Chester was slinking. Rowan grinned.

Lazily, he spun draw the laser pointer in slow circles, drawing his legs in as Chester climbed the couch. "What's wrong? Is it bothering you?" Quick, he darted it across the wall.

[domaslut]

MC spilling tea.

[bvttercvp-l0ver]

Erm...gay?

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

Time For Tea: Introduction

Lavender Haze ( Violet Kingsleigh & Cian Hearts ) has now been merged with Long Live The Queen ( Queenie Hearts & Ace Hearts & Maria Frollo & Helena ) to create a clusterfuck political intrigue series, and several more Wonderland characters have been added to the mix

PS: huge thanks to @cecexwrites @ginevrastilinski-ocs @the-witching-ash for listening to me completely lose my mind and jump all over the place as I figured this out!

The OGs

Ace Hearts [ Curran Walters ] – Long Live The Queen; son of the Queen Of Hearts, Queenie's left hand man & chief enforcer

Cian Hearts [ Gavin Leatherwood ] – Lavender Haze; son of the Queen Of Hearts, invited to the isle because reports say that the child of the Queen of Hearts is running the Isle and they assume it must be her son

Helena [ Tegan Croft ] – Long Live The Queen; daughter of Hades & Persephone, Queenie's right hand man, and other chief enforcer

Maria Frollo [ Elle Fanning ] – Long Live The Queen; daughter of Judge Frollo, grew up locked in his tower and has only recently been freed and brought to Crims, manages Crims

Queenie Hearts [ Madison Davenport ] – Long Live The Queen; daughter of the Queen Of Hearts, unofficial Queen of the Isle, runs her crew with an iron fist and military precision

Violet Kingsleigh [ Meg Donnelly ] – Lavender Haze; daughter of Alice & The Hatter, heir to Wonderland, goes to Auradon because Wonderland suspects Auradon of poisoning the White Queen

The Wonderland Crew

Caoilinn Whittemore [ Florence Pugh ] – daughter of the White Knight & Violet’s personal guard; goes to Auradon with Violet

Arley Whitaker [ Tom Holland ] – son of the White Rabbit & Violet’s personal secretary / manager / wrangler; goes to Auradon with Violet

Chelsey Chester [ Rowan Blanchard ] – daughter of the Cheshire Cat

Tenney Earwick [ Jack Wolfe ] – son of the March Hare

Mallaidh Merrick [ Mary Mouser ] – daughter of the Dormouse

Deirdra Taggart [ Ella Hunt ] – daughter of Tweedle Dee

Deryn Taggart [ Joe Keery ] – son of Tweedle Dee

Duncan Taggart [ Joe Keery ] – son of Tweedle Dum

The Isle Crew

Neasa Kearney [ Kaia Gerber ] – daughter of the Red Queen, runs recruitment & orientation for the crew

Caitria Devlin [ Billie Lourd ] – daughter of the Duchess, crew manager

Keira Knave [ Alba Baptista ] – daughter of the Knave of Hearts, combat trainer

Killian Knave [ Freddy Carter ] – son of the Knave Of Hearts, combat trainer for the crew

Shiloh Reece [ Emilia Jones ] – daughter of the Cook, medic

Bonus – existing ocs who have been added to Time For Tea as part of Queenie's crew

Nettie Tremaine [ Peyton Elizabeth Lee ] – daughter of Anastasia Tremaine, medic

Raisa Rasputin [ Sophia Ann Caruso ] – daughter of Rasputin, barge day coordinator, collector

Rini Bing [ Jenna Ortega ] – daughter of Herman Bing / The Ringmaster, crew manager

Savina Stromboli [ Diana Silvers ] – daughter of Stromboli, collector

Winona Sykes [ Milly Alcock ] – daughter of Bill Sykes, head of inventory

( now need to decide if the existing ocs added to Time For Tea should keep their current titles or become part of Long Live The Queen )

[unofficialdigby]

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

Note: Fireworks every Saturday Evening

August 1: Kid Cat the Jock Cat

August 2: Vladimir the Cranky Cub and Harvey the Island Owner and Campsite Manager (and stoner)

August 3: Benjamin the Lazy Dog and Tad the Jock Frog

August 4: Bones the Lazy Dog

August 5: Poppy the Normal Squirrel

August 6: Chester the Lazy Cub

August 7: Rory the Jock Lion and Boots the Jock Alligator

August 8: Bud the Jock Lion and Leif the wonderous plant-selling sloth

August 9: Soleil the Snooty Hamster

August 10: Cole the lazy rabbit

August 11: Gigi the Snooty Frog and Ace the jock bird

August 12: Gloria the snooty duck

August 13: Tabby the Peppy Cat

August 14: Rod the Jock Mouse and Leopold the Smug Lion

August 15: Wendy the Peppy Sheep

August 16: Nate the Lazy Bear and Leila the baby Kappa (Kapp'n's daughter!)

August 17: Stinky the Jock Cat

August 18: Rocco the Cranky Hippo and Tiansheng the Jock Monkey

August 19: Alice the Normal Koala and Tybalt the Jock Tiger

August 20: Lopez the Smug Deer

August 21: Wart Jr. the Cranky Frog

August 22: Rolf the Cranky Tiger

August 23: Nana the Normal Monkey and K.K. Slider the love of my life, my boyfriend, and famous musician.

August 24: Nan the Normal Goat (not at all confusing to have her birthday so close to Nana) and Jacob the Lazy Bird

August 25: Tipper the Snooty Cow

August 26: Rowan the Jock Tiger (who notably has a different pose to show he is 💅)

FISHING TOURNEY NORTH HEMISPHERE (Forgot to specify which hemisphere last month, sorry!)

August 27: Bangle the Peppy Tiger

August 28: Chrissy the Peppy Rabbit and Lloid the donation Gyroid!

August 29: Gruff the Cranky Goat

August 30: Hazel the Sisterly Squirrel (the only sisterly of August)

August 31: Audie the Peppy Wolf