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[angabby-zzz]

Daphne is the person danny would be like “thank god i finally found a normal person in this group (or town)” about only to find out shes just as if not more into the weirdness of the place as everyone else is

[sepublic]

I find it interesting that Willow definitely understands that Amity hurt her, and doesn't struggle as much to hold her accountable to that; She's setting up her boundaries, particularly in S2B. By contrast, she's a lot more excusing to Hunter; This can be attributed to him not having hurt Willow in that same way, it was like one incident but he showed he really didn't know better, and learned from and made up for it within the same day.

So when Hunter starts going through stuff in For the Future he becomes the immediate —even if not the overall— source of Willow's feelings of inefficacy, which is why it's vital that it's Hunter who clears things out and apologizes for not being more responsive, that his behavior is not a reflection of Willow's failings as a person and it won't be.

Which of course, shows how he's better than his uncle; Hunter isn't going to turn Willow into his own Grimwalker, or Caleb, as someone trying their best but he just won't listen and in their perfect compassionate selflessness they get killed by him before they can stand up for themselves. When he tells Willow she didn’t do anything wrong nor make anything worse, it reminds me of how those in abusive relationships will blame themselves for their abuser being upset and unresponsive to attempts to make them feel better. Hunter knows he makes mistakes and isn't going to blame it on others, he's actually going to take an opportunity to be better when offered it by those same people; Those people will not blame themselves for not being ‘compassionate’ enough.

And you can also see that in the Collector and Luz, who do seem to wonder if they should've done more with that same abuser Hunter is thinking of. And Luz and Willow are both struggling in that episode with the feeling that surely they must be able to fix it; They just didn't, so it's their fault, and they CAN blame someone instead of accepting that you can do everything right and it'll still go wrong. Because it's messed up accepting the world is kinda chaotic and not based on justice, fairness, or logic, most of the time.

For Willow, it just feeds into her people-pleasing tendencies and her feelings of being inadequate, because not being good enough for Amity was what started it all! So that really stuck with her, and with the aforementioned grace towards Hunter and need to be in control, it's just setting up Willow to be sooo repressed. Just silently smiling through it all over again, figuring she just needs to put in more work like Amity insinuated in their mutual debuts.

And then it finally festers into something explosive that detonates towards the nearest acceptable target (Boscha), who is easier to be mad at because Willow doesn't want to ruin things with a new friend. And she hasn't fully mastered her boundaries yet, she can do it with obvious examples who clearly hurt her, but she still feels the need to wait for something long and agonizing before setting her foot down, instead of just doing that preemptively to prioritize her own health. And in Hunter's case he isn't consciously hurting Willow so it's easy to make excuses because Willow's still struggling with being demure, she's just repackaged and rebranded her issues as the Mom Friend.

Their dynamic in FtF is fascinating because you can see the setup of Hunter following in his uncle's footsteps, and the setup of Willow regressing into that same "Half-a-witch" persona that's trying to be as small as possible, apologizing for being in the way and not good enough, and meekly asking not to be stepped on; Before suddenly exploding in an unstable, unraveling fashion that just as quickly wraps itself back up. Just a walking mine of resentment which, given how she did hold anger towards Amity, maybe it could've eventually been directed at Hunter, leading to paradoxical feelings of shame and frustration at being made this way... Unlike the Calebs, Willow might consider actual harm to her Wittebane in this bad ending. IDK. It didn't happen, thank god. Or Gus, same difference.

Hunter’s concluding storyline was about him forgoing confronting his uncle physically by confronting his uncle spiritually because not only does he not care whether he’s Caleb, but he’s choosing not to be Belos either, even when given the self-pitying opportunity to do so. So I think it’s just fine he didn’t personally kill the man.

This and Hunter’s magic focusing on evasion, and his palismen creation? It all feels like a direct defiance to his witch hunter ‘heritage’, an ideology based in supremacy, aggression, and violence. Hunter gave up on destroying his enemy in favor of being kind to someone trying to reach out, and not remain bitter from the automatic response of stress and anger; He prioritizes peace now. Willow might resemble Belos to Hunter in some ways, but she’s also the Grimwalker to Hunter’s own Belos; And they fix that!

Likewise, Willow isn’t going to be Boscha either, who seems to be a leader but is actually clinging to someone else for validation; Be it Kikimora or Amity. And in Boscha’s case she has to be told that she can’t just depend on someone to be who they can’t/won’t be, whether that’s for good reasons or not, and just should just grow a spine. Not in the insecure Throwing your weight around sense. But just being normal about other people having other things in their life.

Honestly, given her initial attitude towards Amity, the paradoxical resentment followed by dependence anyway. It’s like what I said about a Bad Ending Huntlow. Imagine if Boscha had festered enough resentment to be truly aggressive, like a Willow whose Hunter never apologized, and who didn’t walk out ahead of time for her own health. Boscha relevant for Willow’s arc here too, and for other themes as well.

[vespertin-y]

THE ASK MEME AGAIN what about...... miu kaito and himiko?

it's been an ENTIRE YEAR since the first time we did this. h o w.

MIU

Sexuality Headcanon: not the slutty bisexual rep we wanted, but the slutty bisexual rep we needed.

Gender Headcanon: i firmly see her as a trans woman because she's going to make jokes about her genitals and i find dick jokes funnier than vagina jokes. yes, that is the entire basis of this headcanon.

A ship I have with said character: her and kiibo are bland for my taste but still sweet. her and kaito are fun also (what if we were both soo smart and also sooo stupid...and we're both trans😳!?). honestly i don't ship her with a lot of people in the cast? i should make up an oc for her to date. hm.

A BROTP I have with said character: her and kokichi are great, and not just because they're funny! it's fascinating to think of how long they were cooperating behind the scenes. sometimes i get really mad at miu because kokichi (presumably under the cover of the first electrobomb) TOLD her his plan, he tried so hard to work together, and she rejected him, tried to beat him to death, and sent everything spiraling off the rails for the rest of the game!! but then i have to reel myself back in and remember that she was just as paranoid as kokichi, that she didn't go with the plan because she was terrified "someone" (probably kokichi imo) would betray and kill her, and Not Everyone Mean To Your Blorbo Has To Explode, Mem. miu tried her best. it just wasn't enough. that can be said for 99% of the v3 kids.

A NOTP I have with said character: YOU GOT ME TO RANT ABOUT IRUMATSU LAST TIME YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT AGAIN. i will say i dislike sairuma though, but mostly because i think shuichi hating her ass is the funniest way for that relationship to go.

A random headcanon: i know it gets lost in the whole "haha funny she thinks she's a cyborg, aren't tsumugi's backstories so fucking stupid" thing, but i think she *did* get a traumatic brain injury in that car accident that eroded her impulse control and sense of boundaries and that's a large part of why she behaves the way she does. does that count as a headcanon or is that just extrapolating from canon. hm.

General Opinion over said character: every day i think about kodaka designing her to be a deliberately unlikable character who everyone would hate, and then getting super shocked and mad at the popularity polls showing she's rlly popular. GET FUCKED NERD

KAITO

Sexuality Headcanon: either aro or gay. headcanoning him as not attracted to women is the only way i can get any enjoyment out of the clusterfuck that is the harumota plotline, because at least it makes the scene where maki confesses and he says "...good for you, off to die now!" extremely funny.

Gender Headcanon: a bro. a broski. a brotato chip. a brotein shake. a brofessor. a member of the broman empire.

A ship I have with said character: i've grown fond of oumota if only bc those fics tend to have really good kokichi characterization. him n gonta are the embodiment of the "i lied, i don't actually like sex, now put your pants back on and let me infodump for three hours" meme and i love that for them. but most of all i like the idea of him and rantaro in a qpr postgame. i think those two would get a lot from just...existing quietly in each other's space, slowing becoming the center of the other's life. i should write a fic about that...

A BROTP I have with said character: him and shuichi are sooo unhealthy and that's what makes them so interesting to me. i think about them postgame a lot...about shuichi trying to support kaito the way he was supported, and about kaito fighting against it. it's hard not to slip into old patterns, but i think they could do it.

also i think about "i don't care if you're sick! i don't care if you're dying! i won't let monokuma touch you!" EVERY GODDAMN DAY

 A NOTP I have with said character: him and maki. i can’t even rant about them like i do with my other NOTPs. they just make me...tired.

A random headcanon: he never gels his hair again after the game. i’ve said it before but i really think he should’ve been more messed up when he came out of the exisal - no gel, no coat (where did he even get the second one??), covered in blood, etc. and i think after that, when he wakes up, he can’t bring himself to gel it again. he buys the supplies and goes into his bathroom and just Stares into the mirror. he can’t make himself do it. he leaves.

General Opinion over said character: ehhh...mixed. he’s a very good and complex character but he’s also a raging homophobe in the og japanese, yknow? it’s difficult for me to have super positive feelings on a character who calls people homophobic slurs and is treated as right for doing so by the narrative, no matter how deep and complex they are and how many cute gay headcanons i have. maybe that’s more of a flaw with v3 than a flaw with kaito, though.

HIMIKO

Sexuality Headcanon: she engages in lesbianics

Gender Headcanon: none beef with left girl.

A ship I have with said character: WAH i already talked a bunch about tenmiko in the tenko post,,,i think himikiyo’s surprisingly cute! it’s not a ship i considered before i found it but ao3 user platonics has gotten to me what can i say...

A BROTP I have with said character: the survivor trio makes me very soft,,,they deserve a very long nap together under the softest warmest blankets mankind can acquire. i have a pin of the scene of gonta giving her a piggy back ride because i am not immune to the ancient fandom dynamic of Tol and Smol. i enjoy thinking about the tension she’d have with angie postgame, even if that doesn’t quite count as a friendship. and platonic oumeno is always 👌, their scenes in ch3 are so good.

A NOTP I have with said character: uhh i dunno...maybe her and rantaro? he seems like he’d peg her as a little sister pretty fast.

A random headcanon: nobody ever talks about it but i feel like her master was probably?? not great??? i mean he abandons the child he’s been teaching because she gets more popular than him, what the hell.

General Opinion over said character: i love her so mucjh,,,,she was the most relatable character in v3 to me. her relating everything that happens to her through the lens of her childish interests punched me right in the gut :’). her *choosing* to combat her natural fatigue and depression in order to live a better life because she won’t get another chance was so moving. wish she had a better outfit tho.

[i-donot-forget]

Eldarya Ep 7 (opinion)

Episode 7!!!! They gave us a nice ball, a nice dress and a nice moment with our LI (Discounting some details in the illustrations that I already mentioned before) the episode was very good, it is a clear transition, that little respite before everything goes wrong again.

Eldarya has always been a different otome, because the story does not revolve around the protagonist and her love story, it is about the protagonist saving the fucking world, the moments with our route have always been scarce and interrupted, remember that in TO until episode 17 we have the first date, from then on things go too fast and finally it cannot be said that we really got to know any of our romantic interests, an exception for Valkyon but I think it's obvious why. New Era has a great advantage, we already know these guys (except Mathieu but we have that connection of "hey we are both from earth"), we already know who they are, we already know this world, now falling in love will be "faster" than in a way it's good because we already saw that when Erika realizes that she feels something for someone, she goes after him (I love her for that, I couldn't ahahaha) and so we come to this episode, after the beautiful moment on the boat where we realize that we feel something for that special boy.

But this is Eldarya so...

the damn world is going to end again and Nevra is ready for war, I know it sounds ugly but I find it absolutely correct, if the earth is going to absorb Eldarya... They are lost, I cannot imagine any scenario in which the humans of the earth welcome all of Eldarya with open arms, that is, let's face it, how many countries are there where immigrants are a plague for a certain portion of the population? I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I'm just saying it's like that and with the Eldaryans it will be worse. People like Huang Hua, Huang Chu, might go unnoticed, but Koori??? Lance???? What will humans think when Chrome is in trouble and can't control himself with Earth's Moon, how are Nevra and Karenn going to live with Earth's Sun that is lethal to them??? I can only think it's going to be a disaster, besides, how does this "absorption" work? Will the portals get bigger and bigger until eldarya disappears? Will everything fall from the sky? because clearly earth will not be the most affected... Humans are dangerous, our history of clash between cultures is always to exterminate the unknown and in this case it will be fatal for both factions but if you ask me, humans are not going to become extinct...

With all of that in mind, I'm not surprised that Lance had his head elsewhere and forgot about his clothes... but hey, it was a funny moment that made me think that we still don't know the real Lance and that attitude is just the same one that Valkyon adopted after Lance's "death"...

The moment of meditation with Leiftan was painful… now I understand many things, and I believe that all his sufferings and the loss of his powers is something mental. All the confidence that Leiftan had in himself resided in his powers, in TO he was at the top, he was the most powerful being in Eldarya and he handled everyone like simple puppets, he was confident, capable of everything, the first time we saw him desperate was after losing half his life (for us), now in NE ufff he tells us, he feels vulnerable, helpless, incomplete, without identity, If everything you were was based on your strength and power, who are you without it? Despite everything, I think it started very well, Leiftan tells us the truth, for the first time he trusts something of the utmost importance in us, the fact that he is now defenseless implies many things, Lance remains on the guard because of his power and abilities which is very useful, the same could apply to Leiftan but without his powers he could believe that the HQ would not want him (although in TO nobody knew he was a daemon). He confides in us a secret that is vital to him, reveals his vulnerability and I must say that I love him too much, when he tells us that he feels exactly the same as we do when we talk to him about our powers, he finally opens up to us and then the hug melted my heart. Now that he no longer has (and cannot) protect us, our relationship will be different.

The ball, I am not surprised that Princess Koori organized a ball, Huang Hua's speech was extremely touching, my heart clenched when she mentioned those who had left, I couldn't help but think of Valkyon... Now is the time to dance and I am fascinated by how Erika takes the reins and invites her LI, here we part.

Mathieu: adorable nothing to say, I love them, his route is pure laughter and games and fun, I really like Mathieu, I did not trust him but their moments together are sooo sweet, we see him as the center of attention, something very about him but naturally, it does not attract attention forcibly, they really are standing out for what they are, everything is very nice, a great dance, I think that at the point where they left the scene, I would believe in a kiss, not passionate or anything but a first kiss all cute, nervous and natural.

Nevra: I love that he's waiting for us, I think they already act like boyfriend and girlfriend without wanting to say it hahahaha and I love him, Nevra want us and loves us, he doesn't say it but he shows it only with his actions, I still feel like he's going to scare at the key moment, I feel that he keeps many things that explode in that uncompromising anger, I wait for a very intimate moment between them that makes me cry I want to see him cry, I know he needs it, I know he needs Erika to hug him and tell him that everything it will be fine, he needs someone to be the strong one.

Lance: the moment is very nice I cannot deny it, it is beautiful, Lance's reaction to Erika's invitation is great and again I love her determination, it struck me that Lance does know how to dance, but an old-fashioned dance, that just means that In his previous time in the guard of eel he did dance, I always imagined him as the popular cool boy that everyone follows, I'm still waiting to see that, I already want to break that shell and get the real Lance out.

Leiftan: Ahhhh my beautiful baby I leave him at the end because it is my route and I love him and I can't help but fangirl very hard for him. Erika dragging him to the dance floor imitating Karenn, I loved it, Erika helping Leiftan with his confidence and security, I super loved it, the inevitable attraction between them that is so strong that the moment screams that they will kiss, I cannot express my emotion, I love him I can't stop loving him and I just want they to be alone to see the damn connection in all its glory 7u7

So I wait for the catastrophe in the next episode, I still don't know if it will be a portal opening in the middle of the crystal room or if it will be the crystal itself that does something idk, surprise me beemoov

[jess-rewatches-prodigalson]

Episode 5: The Trip

This episode is one of my favourites simply because we get high!Malcolm.

Here are my thoughts.

SPOILERS AHEAD

1:15 - Malcolm’s hair is attractive like this. 

2:29 - Poor Malcolm is deteriorating fast. At least he knows he needs sleep? I guess that’s good?

3:00 - Malcolm’s startled self-deprecation here is upsetting. Does he really think that when it comes to relationships/non-murder related things he’s incapable of being right?

3:26 - When Malcolm isn’t doing well, but he’s actively trying to convince others that he’s fine, he ends up looking very manic.

4:20 - “Where are they going?” That look? That is desperation. The look in Gil’s eyes? That is pain. That is concern. I am living for it. 

4:45 - The look Gil give Bright here breaks my heart. You can tell that Gil wants nothing more than to wrap Bright in a blanket and haul him off to some sort of safe place until Bright feels better.

5:00 - Confirmation that even if Malcolm’s dad wasn’t a serial killer he wouldn’t be a stereotypical sports loving guy. 

5:50 - It’s upsetting that Malcolm looks happiest at crime scenes. 

6:25 - “He’s literally covered in drugs.”  hahaha JT is the best. 

7:10 - Aww Malcolm, reign it in buddy. Dani seemed annoyed before you started profiling her. 

7:34 - Gil’s face here is perfect. It’s a face that says “I work with children. I regret the life decisions that led me into this room.”

8:07 - Why doesn’t Malcolm know about this? It happened after the 90s. He met Gil in ‘98. Gil took him on stakeouts. Did Gil never tell him work stories!? Nah. I don’t buy it. This explanation was for the audience. Malcolm already knew. 

8:08 - ...So the woman in the pew that we just saw. Is she really present for the whole drug/police convo that’s about to happen? Does it get her killed? Seems like a church should be evacuated before police and drug dealers discuss dangerous information in it. Maybe that’s just me?

8:10 - Gil blesses himself. Gil is catholic? Do you think he ever took Malcolm to church? Does he regularly attend church or is this a childhood habit that Gil has? Was Gil raised catholic but moved away from the church as an adult? I’m fascinated by this. I want information.

9:10 - Is Dani ok? I mean I know why she’s acting the way she is (because rewatch) but she seems really upset this whole episode. Is there something else going on with her?

9:50 - *sigh* He’s having hallucinations now too?! This is not good. Our boy needs help. ALSO - The looks that Malcolm get from JT and Gil are everything. They look so concerned. My heart is full. 

11:09 - Last episode Malcolm had a desk. Now he’s working (with a pencil cup) in the case board room? Is this by choice? Because he wants to be able to look at the board or did he somehow lose desk privileges? Does he share the desk with someone else? I have questions. 

11:40 - There’s something really beautiful about the way Dani and Malcolm interact. It’s when we see Malcolm at his most calm and rational. It’s when we see Dani at her most vulnerable. Dani is such a badass but when she interacts with Malcolm there’s a beautiful softness about her. There’s a vulnerability to both of them that’s too precious for this world. You can see how much they care about each other (as friends or more, I’m not getting into the Brightwell debate).

12:20 - You ever wonder if Malcolm experimented with street drugs as a teenager/college student? I do. I wonder if he was so desperate to numb his pain that he tried street drugs in addition to his prescriptions. Maybe when he was at Harvard? 

12:40 - Malcolm looks to Gil for permission. Another instance where we see that Malcolm has a big heart. Yes Malcolm is manic and weird but he also cares about others. He has tact. It’s just that sometimes he chooses to be blunt, or to be insensitive when he’s desperate for information pertaining to a case/his past. 

13:03 - Holy crap. That look on Malcolm’s face. He’s scared. For Dani. Well. My heart has melted. 

13:40 - How many staff members does Jessica have? She lives alone. In a townhouse. She has no yard to maintain. So far there’s been Louisa, Aldolpho, and now Kimberly....Rich people live a weird life. 

14:10 - How did Eve find out that Jessica was looking to donate money if she wasn’t invited to this luncheon? Who told Eve about it? Or was Eve spying on the Whitly family? 

14:35 - I’ll be honest: I immediately didn’t/don’t like Eve. It seemed weird that she showed up uninvited to the Jessica’s place. Eve’s confidence is mixed with a sort of ambition that just rubs me the wrong way. Basically, she reminds me too much of someone I didn’t like in high school. 

15:30 - Malcolm really doesn’t do undercover well does he? I mean he’s sooo overdressed. Couldn’t he have at least taken off his tie before going to this club? He sticks out like a sore thumb. Did Malcolm come to the club to talk to Estime or because he profiled that Dani would come to the club and he was worried about her? 

16:18 - “That’s a bad guy window.” This line is cute. What’s cuter is how relaxed Malcolm is in this scene. It’s the most calm we’ve seen him all episode. 

17:20 - Did Dani and Estime have a romantic relationship in the past? The way they’re interacting seems to imply it. 

17:53 - And we’re right back to manic Malcolm. Look at his eyes. Yikes. This dude really obsesses over mysteries. 

18:50 - Why did the gun wielding dude suddenly go away? Did he assume he made the kill he came there for? Did he know the cops were coming? 

18:52 - Here comes angry Dad. 

19:21 - and here is Concerned Dad. 

19:32 - Ok. So Malcolm is high here (which is hilarious) but that little speech he gives to Gil is really touching and honestly completely on the mark. Do you think Gil and Malcolm ever discussed it when Malcolm was sober? Do you think Malcolm ever told that to Gil before this moment? I honestly think Gil needed to hear that. Even if it was from high!Bright. He looked really close to snapping at one (or both) of his children. He needed to remember why he loves them. Why they love him.

20:00 - Seriously. Gil is just the team Dad. I want to see a team dinner at Gil’s place. Where Gil asks everyone about their day and acts like a total Dad. 

20:36 - How did Malcolm get into his weapon collecting hobby?

21:07 - It’s heartbreaking that Malcolm is the happiest we’ve ever seen him when he’s high as a kite. 

21:38 - That’s unfiltered. That’s a man who lost all his friends when he was ten years old and was never able to make new ones. That is a man who desperately wants a friend. That is a woman who is terrified to trust. That is a woman who wants a friend. A woman who needs a friend.

22:21 - Why is it that Malcolm conveniently has food in his fridge right now? In subsequent episodes his fridge is bare. He’s admitted that most food makes him sick. Why does he have ingredients for grilled cheese tonight of all nights? I mean I know why (because the writers deemed it so) but it seems out of character?

22:40 - Dude. Malcolm has so much product in his shower. What are all of those bottles?!? And what are they for?! 

23:11 - Malcolm’s pill bottles are on the counter. Dani can see them. Does she read the labels? Does she ask him about them later? ALSO WHY ARE THERE 3 HALF FULL WATTER GLASSES ON THE COUNTER?!? He lives alone. Is one of them Dani’s? Is that a boy thing? My 20 year old brother regularly has 2-3 half full glasses of water/juice in the kitchen. It drives me crazy.

23:18 - Anyone else desperate to know what’s at the top of the stairs in Malcolm’s loft? Where do those stairs GO?

23:28 - Props to Tom Payne. This is such a believable panic attack. It’s heart breaking but honest. 

24:40 - This is it. Malcolm’s deepest fear. That he is just like his father. That he is capable of murder. That he would enjoy it. That he already has murdered someone as a child.

26:20 - Why didn’t Dani sleep on the couch? Did she leave Malcolm to sleep in the shower? Did she somehow move him to the bed? Apparently Dani did dishes though (or Malcolm when Dani was sleeping) because there is only 1 half empty glass on the counter now. 

26:21 - Anyone want to talk about how attractive Tom Payne looks in this scene? Just me? Ok. 

26:47 - I love this. The vulnerability. They trust each other enough to open up to each other. They need each other. They’re both in more pain than they pretend to be in. 

27:34 - What was Dani’s drug of choice? ALSO I want a fic of Papa!Gil taking care of a detoxing Dani. 

28:12 - Gil’s smile. His conversation with Dani. Dani’s apology. UgH. It’s perfect. He’s such a dad. He’s already forgiven her before she even tries to apologize. He’s happy to see her and he’s happy that Malcolm’s ok. 

28:23 - You know. We give Malcolm a lot of shit in this fandom for not being able to take care of himself (and rightfully so). BUT. Can we for one minute appreciate how Dani, Gil, Malcolm, and JT are all really mature, good adults? Seriously. They take responsibility for their mistakes. They apologize when necessary. They have manners. They talk to each other when something is bothering them and the time is right (well, Malcolm’s not great at this but he’s doing it better than most adults I know). 

28:48 - Ugh. Eve is back. She’s mining for information from Jessica. I can’t stand this. 

30:00 - Does this mean that Malcolm’s childhood bedroom is still intact?!? I want to see it. I want the team to see it. I want that scene and I want it now. 

30:40 - Ok. SO Eve and Malcolm have been making eyes at each other throughout this whole scene. BUT I have to wonder (April 11/2020) - was Eve ever really interested in Malcolm? I mean he just admitted to having drugs explode in his face. He walked into the room talking about barbiturates and he looks manic af right now. Even if she thought he was cute (which he is) the red flags from this conversation should have been enough for her to stay away from him.  And yet - she pursues him. Makes me question how authentically she actually cares about him. 

32:19 - Where did JT go?!? He’s been gone for the past like 20 minutes of this episode. Did he get sick? Is he on another case? I need answers.

33:19 - Ok. So JT’s pulling a warrant with Gil. 

33:25 - That right there is an authentic smile. You can see how much Malcolm loves Gil here.

35:28 - I’ll be honest the “murder of the week” in this episode is boring to me. 

40:05 - This little scene between Malcolm and Dani over tea is super sweet. 

41:54 - You’re telling me that overbearing, intense Jessica didn’t look in that box before she sent it over to Malcolm. Nah. I’m not buying it. That woman has no boundaries when it comes to her children. 

Well. Thanks for hanging out. I’ll be back soon. 

[ericahitshawaii]

Mantas and dolphins and whales, oh my!

Today I start my adventure on the big island!  The Big Island is probably most known for its active volcanoes and the recent eruption of Mount Kiluaea in 2018.  Because of the tectonic plates on earth, the Hawaiian island are actually moving Northwest over over a “hot spot” of volcanic activity.  Over 5 million years ago this hot spot formed the oldest of the Hawaiian islands, Kauai (at the north of the chain).  As the islands shift north, the volcanic activity slows and eventually stops and the surface begins to erode, which is why Kauai is smaller than the southern most island.  The Big Island, which is the most “southernly” island, is the youngest (One million years old) and the most volcanically active, due to its proximity to the hot spot.  Currently, another Hawaiian island is formed under the Pacific called Loini and if any of us live to be 10,000, we might be able to visit it.

I flew into Kona on Wednesday evening.  I am in love with the Kona airport.  If I thought the Kahului airport was “open air” then this airport is basically outside.  It is completely open air, with some roofage.  So amazing.

Kona Airport (KOA)

I very excitingly went to pick up my rental car, so no more bus adventures for me.  I forgot how luxurioius and freeing it is have a car.  I never did it in Australia because I was scared t drive on the wrong side, but not a problem here.  It’s also such a life upgrade to have a car that DOES NOT have a tape player.  Modern technology is awesome.  Thanks Kia Rio!

Ok, anyway, I checked into my hostel, aptly names “My Hawaii Hostel.”  If I thought the last one was halfway decent, then I will need to severely downgrade it compared to this one.  This hostel had furniture other than a bed, decorations on the walls, a rug and multiple pillows and blankets.  I know that sounds like a given in a hotel room, but not in a hostel.  Absolutely dreamy!  The hostel itself is absolutely charming with a little garden and an open aiir living room and lots of outdoor seating, just a few minutes walk from the beach.  I am living my best Hawaiian life, for real this time!

My Hawaii Hostel, Ali’i Road, Kona

Patio area outside my room.

My room.

Thursday morning I headed off for the next phase of the ocean part of my trip.  I signed up for a morning “Ocean encounters” tour and a Night “Manta Ray Swim” trip.  

Note: You are going to be disappointed again by the lack of photos, because I bought an underwater disposable camera for the trip, but some of you may remember, that you have to get those photos developed.  (I actually am unsure of how I’m going to do that in this modern age, but that is a future me problem.  Anyway, the tour company promises to post some photos in the next few days, so there will be another update post once I have those.  But keep reading, it still is exciting and there is a sweet video I took that you should see!)

The morning snorkeling tour started out with swimming with spinner dolphins!! So, wild dolphins are the best.  They are nocturnal, so we were visitng them during their daytime nap time.  Hilariously, while they are sleeping they still swim on the bottom in a big pack.  I have no idea how they do this.  How fascinating.  Anyway a few of them woke up and swam up ot the surface to say hi.  When we got into the water they headed down towards the bottom again.  It was amazing to snorkel right above big pods of dolphins.  There must have been at least 20 in some of the bigger pods and there were several pods around us.  Just as a few more of them were waking up and coming to the surface, our captain said we had to go.  I’ll be honest, I was pissed.  I had dreams of high-fiving a dolphin and Captain Taylor was ruining my dream.  But I’m glad he did,because what happened next was SOOO worth it!

Next we headed out to a site where whales had recently been spotted.  When we arrived, we discovered there were several large whales around and a BABY WHALE.  This whale was only about a month old and still absolutely gigantic.  The baby whale was splashing around in the water very close to us.  Just like a human toddler, it seemed to be having a blast splashing aorund, trying to breach (jump out of the water) and stick its head up.  It was still really floppy and uncoordinated in the water, which was absolutely adorable.  It was so funny to see a whale just playing around.  I don’t know how it had so much energy to do all that.

Eventually we saw the mam whale  pop up around the whale, apparently keeping her eye on it and maybe helping from below with its practice breaches.  While we were distracted by the baby whale someone yelled out that there was another whale further off that was breaching.  (Whales often will breach several time in a row, because they are communicating with other whales and trying to get their attention.)  I looked over just in time to see a huge whale breach completely out of the water.  It was one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen.  It was like it was happening in slow motion. It’s entire body was up in the air and it seemed like it just hung there until it crashed back into the ocean with a huge splash.  Just like on Animal Planet!  I thought I had really seen it all until we looked back over at the playing baby whale and realized Mama had surfaced on our side.

All of s sudden I see her huge humpback surface like it is facing us.  It is coming right for our boat.  Right in fron of us, she lifts her tail and dives right under the boat.  I was both incredible and a little scary!  Seeing her SO CLOSE to us, it is astonishing how huge they are.  Just her back was probably as tall as the deck of the boat and she was easily twice as long.  It was shocking to see her giant tail come out of the water right in front of us.  Despite my fear that she miht capsize the boat, the crew said that they are insanely spatially aware and can get within inches of a boat and not hit it.  They have sonar like bats.  When I say this was a bucket list activity, I would almost say this was better than what I imagined being on my bucket list.  Even the crew was freaking out and taking video and photos.  They said that never happens. I will remember that moment for as long as I live.  I do have a video of the encounter.  Honestly, it doesn’t do it justice, but you can kind of see what I’m talking about.  Watch here: 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QTA9JieqQdEWPfag6

Now as if that wasn’t enough, we went to a third spot to find Manta Rays.   We made a quick pit stop at an amazing place along the coast known as the Grotto.  It’s the outlet to the sea for a large series of lava tubes that run miles underneath the island.  The waters were the most incredible aqua color and crystal clear.

The Grotto

To add to the incredible day, we ran into two huge manta rays (In case you are worried they are not sting rays...who killed the crocodile hunter.  They are harmless plankton eaters.  One of our guides said we found his favorite manta named Amanda Ray.  She is the friendliest and has one bent fin.  Both mantas were about 10 feet long.  They can actually grow to have a to 15 foot wingspan.  They are beautiful to watch.  We hoppped in the water and snorkeled with them.  They looked like they were flying on the bottom of the ocean, completely gracefully.  This was preview for that evening.

After the snorkel adventure I decided to head to the beach.  I’m not really a beach person, but figured I should do it once.  I went to what they call a dark gray sand beach, which is half white sand and half black volcanic sand.  How do gray and black sand beaches form?  Well, when the hot lava hits the cool water it basically explodes and shatters like glass, spewing small particles of lava rock, which eventually breakdown into small pebbles and sand like particles.  The beach was very rough, but beautiful.  Its incredible to see the lava rock solidify in the form it was when it flowed into the ocean.  Very surreal.

Lava rocks at Kahalu’u Beach

After lunch and beach chill, I headed back to the marina for the night manta swim.  For this one, they take you out onto big boogie board looking things with lights.  Here’s a photo I did not take, that demonstrates this:

The lights on the bottom of the board attract plankton, which then attracts other fish and manta rays.  This was both an awesome and miserable experience.  The weather up to this point had been absolutely perfect.  *0m degrees and sunny everyday.  However, storms had come in that night and it was cold and raining.  The water was freezing, but the experience was still pretty great.  One of the coolest things that I didn't expect was that the lights also drew in tones of fish.  There were a bunch of fish that looked kind of like big sardines that swarmed around us in big schools, it was really interesting to be that close to so many fish.  The highlight of the trip was that a big manta swam right next to me and did a backflip to eat the plankton right under the board.  They have awesome white bellies and gills and huge gaping mouths.  Its really otherworldly.

After the manta show we headed back to the boat for the long and extremely rocky trip back to the marina.  I generally have a pretty good stomach for boat rides, but this was a rough one.  I had taken Dramamine earlier, just in case, and still feeling like I might lose my lunch.  It was close to a repeat of the Great Barrier Reef puke episode but disaster was avoided, thank goodness!

All in all, a dream of a day.  I am officially hooked on snorkeling and boating, in general.  Who knew I’d be such a water baby.  I spent most of my life avoiding getting my hair wet.  

Next stop:  Farm tour day in Southern Kona.

[kunalkarankapoor]

Review by FeatFlix 

Shweta Deshpande: Beautiful! The most heartwarming scene of the series! Loved it to the core. My heart ached so bad and went out for Kunal in this scene. Truly Kunal is back with a bang with his Midas touch. 

Vadlapudi Latha: I got tears in my eyes.😭😭😭. A round of applause 👏👏👏👏👏👏 for Kunal beta. He has done fantastic job.👌❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Jannat Khan: This is the best scene of KUNAL in TRC for me In this scene we can see his pain , his guilt , his fear ,his frustration outstanding performance By Kunal Karan Kapoor So many expressions in this scene was commendable 👏👏👏👏 

Velmurugan: Emotional scene

Surya Narayanan: I'm speechless

Anno Nbtian: Outstanding and awesome performance by Kunal Karan Kapoor 👌....one of my favourite scene ❤️

Poornima: Kunal Karan Kapoor is look apart and aced the role. Kawal: Another stunning performance of Kunal Karan Kapoor.  Ramverma: Masterpiece, masterpiece, masterpiece . Atul and Kunal both are really good. I really enjoyed watching this.  Goshvami: Kunal kapoor really nailed it. I like his acting. He looks very natural through the series. Rabiya: The Raikar Case is very interesting webseries story is really good and the cast of TRC is done their jobs brilliantly All are Superb 👏 . Kunal Karan Kapoor you rocked again with your effortless performance 👏 Waiting for season 2 of The Raikar Case 👍  AK: Kunal Karan Kapoor's role is a surprise element!Outstanding performances by the actors and breathtaking storyline and screenplay!  Kiran: Few characters and actors that really left and impact was Kunal Karan Kapoor, Atul KulKarni, Ashwini Bhave and Lalit Prabhakar.  Rabindra: You can find some of great performances by Atul Kulkarni, Kunal Kapoor and Neil Bhoopalam. They are the gems of this lovely series.  Ustaokeustaad: Ashvini Bhave, Atul Kulkarni, Neil Bhoopalam, Kunal Karan Kapoor, Parul Gulati, Reena Wadhwa each and every star of this web series is wow. They are not just playing their character look like they are living their character. 

kunlakarankapoorhugefan: He is an talented, intelligent and professional actor....I love very much him as a mohit naik raikar...Every expressions are very nice 💯% i don't know hindi but i watched only for kunalji...😍♥️ 

Madhavi Jog:

Acting skill 👍 Handsome look 👍 Excellent expressions in every scene and role👍 Perfect in every carractor as a friend as a husband as a father as a brother as a son 👍 I like you in every role NBTNMKK - ye carractor sabse pyara hai , iss carractor ko aapne jinda kiya Doli A K Album Adda Woh apna sa  

 And last In Raikar case Mohits character is also very nice , after long time aapke darshan huee 😊 Mohit aap to jyada hi young lag rahe ho short hair cut karke and shave trim karke , very nice Very cute young boy 😊😊

Jannat Khan: About Mohit's character i would say it's very different from other His layered personality make him different he has so many secrets in ownself And his issues with his father and he neglected him always his mother was with him But she is with him or she is controlling him Everything was superb and his acting and performance is commendable and Flawless hats off kunal Love you Keep Shining always 👏👌👏👌👏👌❤️❤️❤️ #Unconditionallove #Loveandrespect

Shweta Deshpande: Kunal you were fantastic as Mohit Naik Raikar. My heart ached out for Mohit as he opened up to his baba. I am very thrilled to see that expressions and emotions are your strongest suit. You are the Best! All the very best for all your endeavors, I would very gladly say Kunal you are back with a bang as Mohit with your Midas touch. Love you loads.

Ruchi Gupta: He was lucky to work with all those super actors.. I wish it should open new doors for him.. Only one thing I felt, ki is level ka star and is level ka talent hoke he still getting small role, the other actors of his time period r getting lead roles in big web series.. But still this opportunity was not at all bad and he got to work with prominent actors with strong story plot.. This is very important.. All the episodes were very interestingly and intelligently made to build up the suspense.. I thoroughly enjoyed🤗😄I m taking it as a life changing opportunity for Kunal as I didn't felt disappointed at all because he was flawless in his acting.. Wishing him lots of best wishes and good luck for his future ventures😄😄🤗

Vadlapudi Latha: What an amazing, fascinating and brilliant performance by Kunal beta as Mohit!! Kunal has come back as an explosion with a power packed performance as Mohit. He knows how to lock the audience with his expressive eyes. I loved his brilliant expression of anger and frustration when he is being neglected and looked down upon by his own family. And I loved the scene where his Dad comes to his room and confesses to him and the emotions shown by Kunal was sooo real that made me cry. Kudos for his outstanding and flawless performance 👏👏👏👏👏. The makers of the web series ‘The Raikar case’ did an excellent job by selecting a great talented actor Kunal Karan Kapoor as Mohit Naik Raikar. Hope to see more of Mohit In season 2. I am missing his Leo 🦁tattoo. Love you Kunal beta. Always stay blessed.😘😘😘😘

Saira: Kunal Karan Kapoor as Mohit Naik Raikar in "The Raikar Case " did a Marvellous job.In last episode, He is one actor who makes My Heart restless when He cried. I can't see him in Pain... even though I know it's a series and He is just acting. He makes it look So real that one Can't help but feel the Pain of His Character and Cry with Him. Kunal what a "EXCEPTIONALLY GREAT ARTIST" YOU Are ❤👏👏

Priyark31: The Raikar Case is the first web series I've watched and it is Kunal's first web series too, so I feel very happy about it. The role of Mohit was a very essential one, as, though the character wasn't focussed on much, it was central to the storyline. Kunal has brilliantly given justice to this role. I really loved the scene between father and son, when Yashwant and Mohit were shown emotionally connecting for the first time. The regret that this bonding did not take place before is clearly visible in the interaction. @kunalkarankapoor has played the part of an overwhelmed son who finally gets the attention and love of his father, that he had longed for all these years, perfectly and watching his scenes is a treat. Atul Kulkarni sir has also played the part of a guilty father to perfection.

Anvi: I will start  off by saying  that I'm overwhelmed  watching  .. kunal karan Kapoor's portrayal  .. as #mohitnaikraikar  in #Theraikarcase. The end  of season  1 was ambiguous.  Which  means  season  2 is in the  pipeline.  And we will definitely  get more to see more of kunal karan Kapoor.  Mohit is a character  who is seeking  for his parents  acceptance  n love from  his parents.  Baba-yashwanth naik Raikar.  Aai -sakshi naik  Raikar.. sadly both his parents are unaware of mohit's trauma.. and that was so beautifully  portrayed  by kunal.. specially when  his father  openly  shows his preference  for etasha (mohit's  sister)... mohit  doesn't  have much dialogues to say ....but his eyes n his body  language  said a lot . That's a plus point  for kunal.  No other actor can boast of this .. kunal's talent  is GOD'S  gift to him. And he is using  it to the optimum.. leaving  his family  craving  for more. The other  scene  which made an impact  on me.. is when mohit  tries  to jump out of the  window... fearing his dark  secret  will be out in the open.. and when  he breaks  down  in rushad's arms... there is a pause.. though the  scene  was for few seconds.. kunal  aced it... he is deprived  of his father's  love... n was looking  for a father  figure  in rushad. Their relationship  was not much defined  in season 1.. but I'm certain  it will be shown  in season 2... The twist  gave  me a shock.. I honestly  was not expecting such a 360 turn  in the story. And when  mohit  clings to rushad n cries.. made my heart ache for him.😢. Kunal  is an actor  who always  moves out from  his comfort  zone . He knows he will  be appreciated  n would  grow  as an artist.

Kunal  is an actor  who always  moves out from  his comfort  zone . He knows he will  be appreciated  n would  grow  as an artist.

When the news broke  out that our talented  kunal  is making  a comeback..everyone  was in a state of frenzy.. we just wanted  him back.  I personally  didn't  care what role he had been  locked..  the man was back.  I was floating  in air n delirious  with happiness. Kunal's  performance  reached the  crescendo  in the final  episode... you had  to sit still... so dat u could  catch his performance  n didnt  miss out on any of the minutest  detail.. We as his viewers  could  see various  shades emoted by kunal..guilt , pain ,  fear and frustration.. I could  also see relief.. dat now he had come out from the closet.  And his baba understood  him n his pain... regretted ignoring  his child . Kunal  was as a volcano  waiting   to explode. And the best part is  he was working  with a legend  in his own  right... I'm speaking  of atul sir. I was not feeling  bad that his character  was not that prominent  in session  1..  because  he got  a chance  to work  with some great  actors.. I am waiting  for  season  2... because  kunal  is going  to open  a pandora box.. all the  dark secrets  of the  Raikar  family  will be out in the open..All the best kunal...

Janat:  Welcome back our hero 😍 in The Raikar Case you are mind blowing because kunal's brilliant performance is praiseworthy no doubts he is a king of Expressions but in TRC . In His every scene's expressions and body Language is very different and superb 👏👏  and what I would say About his acting Kunal Karan Kapoor is effortless and exceptional actor I love his performance in The Raikar Case 👏👌👌

anshkunalian: The surprise package of this whodunit is Mohit Naik Raikar. The character is played by this amazingly talented actor KUNAL KARAN KAPOOR. He brings a new dimension to the story.

vml_brahmam: Kunal Karan Kapoor makes a wonderful comeback as Mohit Naik Raikar and did justice for his role with his fabulous and flawless acting. The King of expressions is back.

suchismitamishra-43022: Performance of actors as kunal karan kapoor, Atul kulkarni , ashwini bhave were absolutely remarkable.  

[kalicofox]

Harry Potter/D&D(homebrew)

Just something I’m messing with. Mostly Harry Potter, you don’t need to know D&D for this. Year 2, by the way.

--------

"Harry?" Something about Ron's voice was strange, and Harry glanced up from where he was stuffing parchment and books into his bag.

"Yeah?"

"Did you get me this?" Ron waved a small, hand sized book at him, and Harry frowned.

"No. What is it?"

"Dunno," Ron replied, and Harry circled his bed to take a closer look at it.

The cover was a rich, dark red, with a brass clasp polished to mirror brightness holding it closed, and the letters RW embossed in gold on the front.

"Huh..." Harry tilted his head. It was a nice looking book, as far as books went, but... "What's in it?"

"Dunno," Ron said again, and fiddled with the clasp.

After a moment, Harry rolled his eyes and went back around the bed to finish packing his book bag. "Are you going to open that or not?" He asked, trying to figure out where he could fit in another quill without worrying about it being crushed.

"Books are dangerous!" Ron protested, and Harry stared at him disbelievingly. "No, really! There was this one book? If you read it, you couldn't speak in anything but limericks after! And another would burn out the eyes of anyone who read it! What if this one's cursed?"

Something sharp caught on Harry's finger, and he jumped, hissing slightly at the sting as he stuck his finger into his mouth and shifted aside a couple of too-crumpled pieces of parchment to see what had grabbed him.

"Oh hey."

A small book, no larger than his hand, lay innocently on his bed. Its cover was a dark, midnight blue, with the letters HP in emerald green on the cover and some sort of dark metal clasp holding it shut.

"What?" Ron was peering over at him, and Harry picked up the book and showed him.

"Looks like I've got one too. Maybe they're from your mum and she slipped them in with our things?"

"Maybe." Ron looked doubtful. "But what if they're from the twins?"

Harry stared down at his little book warily, then shrugged. "They haven't exploded yet." he said philosophically, and flicked the catch, then the front cover open.

Inside, in plain, simple type, were the words 'The Art of Magic- a Compendium of the Magic and Spellcraft of the World Adami'

"It's just a normal book." Harry felt slightly cheated. He'd thought, after all that build up, that it might at least do something interesting. Like sing. Or light on fire. Or something. He didn't know what exactly.

Ron had flipped his open once it was obvious that Harry's eyes weren't melting from his sockets and he wasn't speaking in limericks.

"How boring." Ron flipped through a few pages. "Maybe Hermione'll want it?"

Harry shrugged, tucking his little blue book into his bag and zipping it shut. "Bring it down with us for breakfast and you can ask her."

Ron nodded, stuffed his own book into his bag, and slung it over his shoulder. "Right then, let's go, I'm starving and you're taking forever."

"I've been waiting on you!" Harry protested, and Ron grinned at him over his shoulder as he headed out the dormitory door.

Hermione was, predictably enough, already reading when they arrived at the Gryffindor table. However, instead of the usual enormous, ancient looking tome, she was absorbed in a small, hand sized volume bound in teal, with the letters HG embossed on the front in curling silver script.

"You've got one too?" Ron demanded, practically throwing himself onto the bench across from her.

"What?" Hermione asked looking up from her book with a faint frown.

"The book," Harry said, gesturing at her hand. "You've got one too?"

"Oh. Yes. Everyone has, I think." Hermione fairly glowed, "It's fascinating! An entirely different branch of magic that has almost nothing to do with wands! I've been reading the theory all morning, and it seems as though the beginning spells at least are fairly simple."

Ron paused in the middle of spooning eggs onto his plate.

"That book's about how to do wandless magic?" He looked skeptical, "That's supposed to be wicked hard. I've heard even Dumbledore can only do a bit!"

Hermione hummed thoughtfully, then flicked forward a few pages in her book, "Well, there's only one way to find out, and this spell looks simple enough."

The book went down on the table, a clean knife across the pages to hold it open as she mouthed a couple of words silently to herself and made a couple of aborted hand movements.

"Right." She said a couple of moments later, and Harry looked up from his bacon. "I think I've got it. Let's see if this works."

Ron leaned back slightly, and Harry caught a glimpse of curious faces turned their way all up and down the table before Hermione made a twisting, beckoning gesture with both hands, and said, very firmly, "Lumina Chorum!"

And four little balls of light sprang into existence above her hands, bobbing gently in midair.

Ron gaped at her as she grinned delightedly at the little balls, which bobbed harder, then started to orbit her head.

"Bloody hell, Hermione!" He practically choked, and Harry had to hide his grin behind a piece of toast.

"Sooo..." A voice from behind Hermione made her jump, and the orbs of light skipped a step in their orbit before floating down in front of her and seeming to settle on the rim of a jug of pumpkin juice.

"Looks like Ickle-Hermionekins is getting the hang of things already!" said another, nearly identical voice, and the twins sat down, one on either side of her, grinning broadly.

"We were all set to think this was just a prank!" The twin on her left said thoughtfully, flipping over the burnt orange book in his hands.

"Not a very funny prank, really," the twin on her right continued, flicking his gaze from Hermione's teal book, to the rusty red one he held. "But widespread. Everyone fifth year and down got one of these, but everyone knows that wandless magic's too hard."

"Except," said the twin on her left, pinning her with a gimlet stare, "we tried to show ours to Percy. Get him to give it a go for a laugh. And he couldn't see it."

Hermione's eyes were wide, and Ron was scowling at his brothers, but Harry was just confused.

"What do you mean, he couldn't see it?" Harry asked, and the twins shrugged in unison.

"Just that. We had the books; waved 'em in front of his face even, and he couldn't see 'em."

"Knocked mine right out of my hand," The twin on the right concurred, "And acted like we were trying to prank him!"

Ron snorted at the wounded look on his face, and that twin, Harry groaned and mentally dubbed that one George, grinned back at him.

"Which we were." The other twin, who through the process of elimination Harry decided was Fred, agreed, "but not with an invisible book. He acted like he couldn't even see it."

"So," George continued breezily, "to make sure the world wasn't ending, and Percy hadn't somehow grown a sense of humor over the summer, we checked with Oliver."

"He couldn't see them either." Fred said.

"Got right touchy with us." George added, and Fred sighed theatrically.

"It wounds me so deeply, the distrust we face on a daily basis..."

"Though he might have just been worried that we'd lost it and he'd have to find new Beaters for the team."

Harry snorted with laughter at that, and the twins turned to him and Ron.

"So now we know that the magical Miss Granger has her book." Fred said,

"And a fair talent with it, apparently," George added, making Hermione glare at him,

"Let's see yours!" Fred concluded, and Ron scowled at him.

"What makes you think we've even got books like that?" He asked, and Harry sighed internally.

"Please." Fred rolled his eyes, "Even that ponce Malfoy's got one."

"Like we said." George continued, "Everyone fifth year and down's got one, near as we can tell."

Harry craned his head to peer over at the Slytherin table, where, sure enough, Malfoy was hunched over a small, whitish book, his face twisted in concentration.

Actually, now that he thought about it, the Great Hall was a lot quieter than it normally was in the morning. And it seemed like he wasn't the only one who'd noticed. All over the hall, the older students were looking quizzically at the younger students who were flipping through small books either singly or in groups.

The teachers, except, of course, for Dumbledore, looked bewildered too, and Harry turned back towards the twins, frowning.

"I don't get it." Harry said, "What's the big deal about the books? I mean, we're already here to learn magic, and- hey! Where'd those little glowy balls go?"

Hermione blinked, then looked at the jug of pumpkin juice, then back down at her book.

"The spell only has duration of one minute." She said after a moment. "It's only a beginner spell after all. It must have worn out. And it's called Dancing Lights, not 'little glowy balls', Harry."

Harry nodded, then glanced over at Ron who was displaying his crimson book to his brothers, and bent down to retrieve his own book from his bag.

"There." Ron said shortly, "Happy?"

Harry showed them his own book, and tilted his head as Ron stuffed his back away.

"Really though," he said, "what's the big deal? Why is everyone so..."

He waved his hand around towards the rest of the hall, and Hermione sighed before Fred or George could even open their mouths.

"Honestly, Harry. Wandless magic is practically a myth! Only really, really, powerful wizards can do it, and these books look like they're full of spells that people can cast wandlessly!"

"Not just that;" Fred said lightly, "to the old pureblood families? Wandless magic is a mark of prestige. It's said that Merlin was the first wizard to be able to cast without a wand, or a staff, or whatever."

"It's absolute bollocks," George added, "but it is said, and if they can learn it? Well, it makes them and their family look better. But the really big draw, for the older muggleborns at least, will be that the ministry can't track wandless magic."

Harry and Hermione gaped at them.

"What!?"

"Why would that be a draw only for the muggleborns?" Hermione demanded, and now the twins looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Well, you know the ministry tracks magic by wands, right?" George asked, and Hermione nodded, looking disgruntled.

"But they also track it based on location," Fred told them, swiping an apple from the fruit bowl in the center of the table and taking a bite.

"In magic rich locations, it muddles the effect of the Trace on wands, so they can't tell who's casting what, which means..."

"Which means that purebloods who live with their families can cast as much as they like over the summer and not get in trouble." Hermione finished grimly, looking furious, "While muggleborns can't."

"Yup." George nodded, looking sympathetic, "It's utter shite, of course, and mum doesn't let us get away with using magic over the holidays, but for people like Malfoy?"

Harry grimaced, then glanced down at the little blue book he'd set next to his plate.

It was, according to Hermione, full of wandless magic. Wandless magic that couldn't, according to the twins, be traced by the ministry.

"Wait, you said they trace it by location, too? So what happens if wandless magic gets used in an all muggle area?" Harry asked suddenly, his visions of finally finishing turning Dudley into a pig going down in flames.

Fred shrugged, "Dunno." he said around a mouthful of apple.

"It's not like there's a lot of wizards capable of wandless magic out there," George pointed out reasonably. "But they might just think it's accidental magic or sommat and send out an obliviation squad if it's strong enough."

Hermione looked grim. "Something to test, then. I refuse to not have the same advantages as Malfoy when it comes to learning magic. That is so ridiculously unfair."

This time it was George who shrugged, swinging his leg over the bench and standing up. "Suit yourself. Just don't get arrested. Can't be having ickle-ronniekins' friends ending up criminals!"

Ron growled at the pair of them at the nickname and Hermione waved them away irritably as Harry rolled his eyes.

For a few minutes, the three of them were quiet; Hermione had gone back to her place in the book, Ron had tucked back in to his pile of scrambled eggs, and Harry was absently nibbling on a bacon sandwich he'd assembled. That quiet, however, was shattered by Hermione's shriek of outrage as a feathery bomb plowed into the jug of pumpkin juice in front of her, spraying the liquid everywhere, and was quickly made irreparable by the sheer explosion of sound that was Mrs. Weasley in full, enraged, form.

When the Howler's tirade ended, Ron practically dragged Harry and Hermione out of the Great Hall, obviously fully intent on getting away from the laughter and whispering that had spread like wildfire across the house tables.

"Here," Hermione murmured, passing the two of them slips of parchment, and Harry was only slightly surprised to find that she'd handed him his class schedule. "we can wait in the defense classroom. We'll only be a little early, anyway."

Ron nodded, his ears still violently red, and Harry shot Hermione a grateful look as he led the way up to the defense classroom.

Class was a disaster, and by the end of it Harry was convinced that Gilderoy Lockhart was the biggest fraud on the face of the planet.

Hermione, on the other hand, was convinced of nothing of the sort.

"Hermione," Ron said with exaggerated patience, "he screamed like a little girl and ran away."

"Well..." Hermione faltered, then scowled, "I'm sure he just wanted to see what we could do! Get a feel for how we respond in an emergency! It's not like Cornish Pixies are dangerous or anything!"

"Not dan- not dangerous!?" Ron spluttered incredulously, "Hermione! Did you see what they did to Neville? He was hanging off the ceiling!"

"But he wasn't hurt!" Hermione insisted, and Harry sighed as the two carried on bickering all the way down the stairs and out one of the side doors.

It was honestly a bit impressive, Harry thought idly as they dumped their book bags on the ground near the lake and sat down.  It could only have been five minutes, and Ron and Hermione had moved on from how Lockhart was (or wasn't) a fraud, past how horrifyingly stupid the two boys had been in flying the car to school (as though Harry needed reminding of what Hermione thought of that), and on to whether or not they should be studying the magic in the little books.

Rolling his eyes, Harry dug his little book out of his bag and turned it over in his hands, idly stroking the soft blue leather.

On the one hand, it was magic. Magic he could use back at the Dursleys' without getting in trouble. Maybe.

On the other hand, it would be more studying, which Ron wouldn't be too happy about.

On the other other hand... Harry's finger hovered over the clasp as he frowned down at his green initials.

When had magic started to seem so... normal? Sure, Diagon Alley still made him wish he had a couple of months and about three more eyes to be able to explore the whole place with, but the Great Hall ceiling, or the moving staircases? He hardly even noticed them anymore.

He didn't think magic would ever really feel like a chore, but if he was being completely honest with himself, he wanted it to be fun. Like he'd thought magic should be whenever he'd let himself daydream about it back at with the Dursleys. Maybe this would make it fun?

Nodding firmly to himself, Harry flipped the catch open, opened his book to the first page, and started to read.

Ron's pained noise jolted him out of his reading, and Harry glanced over at him.

"Harry, you're supposed to be on my side here!" Ron cried, and Harry glanced over at Hermione, who was looking smug.

"What?"

"We're supposed to be relaxing!" Ron said exaggeratedly, and flung an arm out. "Look! It's sunny out! It's nice! We're not in class! Why are you studying!?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably and closed his book on his finger, keeping his spot marked.

"I just... I thought it'd be nice to learn this. Fun, you know?" he said awkwardly, and Ron scoffed, glaring out across the lake.

"Besides," he said, struck by sudden inspiration, "it looked like the twins were really interested in it. D'you really want them to have that kind of an advantage?"

Ron paled slightly at that thought, and Harry pressed his advantage, ignoring the mixed look of annoyance and horror on Hermione's face.

"Just think about it. It's a whole new kind of magic, and the twins are learning it, and as soon as they start figuring out how to make pranks with it, they'll need test subjects."

"And we're Gryffindors." Ron croaked, "And in the same tower as them. Harry. Harry, we're sitting ducks!"

Harry nodded gravely, "And I don't think our dorm door locks, either."

"Oh merlin." Ron looked like he'd seen death as he turned to Hermione, pale with horror. "Hermione, help."

Hermione grinned evilly, "Boys can't get up into the girl's dorm. I'm perfectly safe."

For a moment Ron sat there, his eyes wide and horrorstruck as he thought about the potential hell the twins would rain down on their dorm, then his face hardened with grim determination and he dug his own little book out of his bag and flipped it open.

"Right. Where do we start?"