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[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

Man, every time this thing opens her mouth to spew something, I am more assured that I'm on the right side of humanity.

People supporting Palestine are not "rape and murder apologists". People supporting Palestine have taken just a few minutes of their time to actually research what has been going on for the past 70+ years and realised that Palestinians have been under settler colonialism, military occupation, ethnic cleansing, and are the ones being raped and murdered.

People supporting Palestine are not justifying deaths on either sides, but are able to see the sick manipulation of media that Israel is committing in order to enforce the western narrative of how Palestinians are the terrorists here. You can literally see it in the video when the reporter responds to the number of casualties by: "That is what one of the commanders told me". Jesus. No proof whatsoever of their statements. Nothing but heresay. A sympathy play to get us to believe in the innocence of Israel when all they're showing us is upturned sidewalks and rubble. And guess what? It was indeed confirmed to be a lie.

But on the other side, is anyone showing the footage of Palestinians being massacred, of how Israel bombed Gaza with legally banned white phosphorus, of how Israel is targeting hospitals and schools and releasing statements promising the destruction of Gaza and threatening neighbouring countries from stepping in to help the injured Palestinian civilians?

Well, no one probably can, because Palestinian reporters are being killed on sight, not protected with helmets and clean air like Israeli ones.

There is no equal fight here. It is, as it always has been, occupier vs occupied. One with power vs one with nothing but a will to be free. This is literally a full scale genocide of Palestinians, and the media is manipulating us to believe that Israel is the victim here, and that we can justify Palestinians being murdered and exiled from their lands because "they started it". No. No they didn't. Research what has been going on from non-western sources, and you will know that we are being conditioned to accept the mass-killing of Palestinians, and that this might end up in the annihilation of their entire race.

And with that, I leave you with this little illustration of what is actually going on.

Sources cited: Anadolu Agency, ABC News, Palestine MFA, The New York Times, Independent UK, The New Arab.

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

Fantastic Beasts 2: Review

So, I just watched Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.  

And oh boy do I have something(S) to say…

Warning spoilers

The movie started off well: the orchestrated Grindelwald escape included the classic switcheroo vis a vis with Polyjuice, mid-air thestral-pulled-carriage fiasco and the pointless extermination of a weird lizard-like creature. (which I don’t understand why it was included at all, as its specimen wasn’t explained, and it served no purpose to the story)

And it went downhill very fast from there.  

I can’t even begin to explain the plot, as this movie had a billion subplots, unnecessary twists and too many infant murders for it to be comprehensible.  

Unlike the first installation, this movie had barely anything to do with actual beasts or the OG squad (Newt, Tina, Queenie and Jacob).  

But, it does includes Jacob under the influence of a love potion, France (need I say more), a wizard freakshow, Credence sad, human Nagini tagging along with said sad boy, Grindelwald killing French people ( babies too) and a giant Chinese lion-like creature (Zouwu: freaky eyes, quite cute, can run really fast)

I didn’t necessarily hate the movie though.

Some scenes were rather enjoyable I.e. the introduction of the aforementioned, Zouwu and a giant seaweed thing that Newt rides underwater.  

And I must admit, I did freak out in my chair when they showed FREAKING HOGWARTS with James Newton Howards’ ‘Hedwigs Theme’ playing alongside (I must admit, I did have goosebumps)

And yes, it was visually beautiful: Daniel Yates did a phenomenal job at directing it and piecing it together.

Despite all this…

the plot was lost, unstructured and confusing which probably led it to be boring.  

And these are my reasons why:

the embodiment of good, kindness and acceptance, goes haywire, barely gets any attention, becomes insecure in her relationship that is more than great and goes towards the dark side after a few minutes of talking to Grindelwald. Queenie Goldstein did not deserve that.

Dumbledore served no purpose, was barely on screen and again gave full responsibility in taking down a powerful, evil wizard, to a student. C'mon bro.

Leta Lestrange served no purpose to the story other than to reveal right at the end that she killed her half-brother baby, that her other half-brother is trying to kill, whom he thinks is Credence. (Confused? Me too)

Unnecessary baby killings.

Queerbaiting. Regarding each other as ‘more than brothers’ and then capturing Dumbledore seeing Grindelwald in the Mirror of Erised, thinking there’s more to it than that but it’s just so Rowling could mention their blood pact, nothing more.

Too many obscure side characters that served zero purposes to the story and were mentioned once and never showed up for the rest of the film. I.e the American minister of magic, every one of Grindelwald’s right- hand men and women, Newts co-worker, the entire ministry workers, the half-elf woman and red-haired woman that got avada-kedavared.

Main characters got lost as their characters weren’t well explained due to very little screen time and poor execution by writers I.e Theseus Scamander, Nagini, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Grindelwald, Leta, Yusuf (and family) etc.

Grindelwald was an ‘okay’ villain but he wasn’t really a standout villain: he kind of had no real authoritative demeanour or stature to him. He was just… meh.

The DAMN Timelines:  McGonagall was born in 1935 and the movie was set in 1927 ( unless she was a relative)

Dumbledore was a Transfiguration teacher before he was headmaster, not a DADA professor.  

Credence, again, served no purpose and was super annoying in the film, if I’m being honest.  I do feel for his character, as people are constantly manipulating him for him to side with them and are toying with his mental and physical health. All he wants is to find out who he is. I want to give him a hug, but he got boring and whiny real fast. Possibly due to bad script writing, sorry buddy.

But him being a relative if Dumbledore?!!!? Unforgivable.There were only three siblings: Aberforth, Ariana and Albus: who the fuck is Aurelius? (Which leads me to believe that Grindelwald was lying to him so he conspires against Dumbledore and gets Credence to kill him).  

I think the movies real crime was getting Rowling to write the screenplay.  Because, as much as I love her, she set it out as a novel, which is not a bad thing, but in cinematic format, it doesn’t work as well.  

The reason why the OG Potter films were such a hit was that they managed to condense it into bitesize chunks. Sure, they cut stuff out, but they made references towards it and in turn, made it well suited for cinema, which is why so many people liked them (you didn’t have to be a die-hard Potter fan to like and follow the story) They’re a pale reflection of the books, not an exact copy. (which I find best, in my opinion, as it saves that little extra magic preserved in its original source: the books)  

I feel like Rowling forgot what she originally wrote about and so tried to piece it together from scratch but it just didn’t work (as it didn’t go by unnoticed) 

She can’t pick and choose different plots without first fully explaining the original; it leads to confusion and annoyance.

I feel like she’s trying to combine two completely different stories into one, which isn’t great, for me anyway.  

I would just have enjoyed a series (or one movie) solely based on the bumbling, lovable zoologist that showcased his vibrant and brilliant view of the weird and wonderful creatures around him and join the adventures he embarks with his friends (and maybe a few small nods to the OG Harry Potter realm) but remain separate from it and stand on its own.  

Or create just a prequel to the Harry Potter series and focus only on the origin story of Dumbledore and his battle and complicated relationship with Grindelwald and family. Trying to mix both? It’s a no from me, unfortunately.  

The one thing that bugged me, was when I left the cinema…

I didn’t have that FEELING.

You know, feeling infinite, as though you can take on the world (after watching a great movie).

However, I was just left feeling disappointed and confused.

I really enjoyed the first film but this movie missed the mark for me. I hope the final instalments are better and slightly less confusing but unlike Professor Trewlawney, I do not possess the noble art of divination, so I do not know for certain.

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

Please reblog this if fanfiction has been beneficial to your mental health.

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

Hey there's 2, don't leave out Papa Swan.

yes I’m back on my thirsting after Carlisle, shipping Carlisle and Bella bullshit and it’s good to be back 🤝

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

This is so cool oh my goodness!!! I can so see Harry wanting to be kind and respectful to Parvarti by wearing either a hybrid of dressrobes/ desi clothes. My lil brown ass is crying, I love this 🤍😭

hi ! idk if you take requests, but i was wondering if you would do a redrawing of the yule ball, but harry is wearing a kurta on his date with parvati!

i live for indian potters, and i know you’ve drawn effie and monty potter in traditional indian wear, but i think harry going to the yule ball with parvati and not wearing a kurta is one of the biggest losses for us desi potterheads.

— @dykemarauders

I agree that Harry would 100% be in traditional clothing for the Yule ball, and I 100% will never pass up an opportunity to draw desi Harry

Thank you for your request and for being so patient!

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

Can someone direct me to the high society/ going to balls/enemies to lovers fanfics please. I keep searching 'ball fanfics' and I don't think it's working ladies and gents

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

Hermione Granger

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

Can we pretend that Sirius dying was never canon and he grew to be the hip, fun and occasionally reckless godfather who can charm the pants off anyone but remains single to keep an eye on Harry and makes sure he gets 25/8 love and bad dating advice ... please?

My top twenty Sirius moments

1. When he manages to seem bored in Azkaban and says he misses doing the crossword.

2. When he takes time out of his busy murder plot to buy Harry a new broom, via his finance manager/personal assistant Crookshanks.

3. His friendship with Crookshanks #squadgoals

4. When he thinks it’s a good idea to break into a dorm full of sleeping teenagers and try and stab a rat in the dark. Homeboy is verrry confident about his knife skills .

5. “There’s enough filth on my robes without you touching them Peter.” Ahh Sirius you sassy icon.

6. Also ‘If you made a better Rat then Human that’s nothing to boast about Peter.’ Le sass is strong.

7. Mr Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a Professor. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 perfection

8. When he sends post via tropical birds, for dramatic effect.

9. When he really leans into the criminal thing and breaks into someone’s house to use the fire ( I hope he stole some food).

10. When he basically figures out the entire GoF plot using scrounged newspapers. He’s an incredibly astute person and it’s tragic he never got to hunt Horcruxes (it would have taken him a few days).

11. The chapter Padfoot returns should be renamed ‘Wizarding world tea with Sirius Black.’ He legit had the receipts on everyone.

12. When he sends Harry a muddy pawprint as a good luck gift (be still my beating heart).

13. When Padfoot growls at Fudge while in the hospital wing. Despite being a wanted criminal who is front of the man that could have him arrested, no one insults Harry in front of Sirius.

14. When he gets bitten by something in Grimmauld place and spends a moment studying his hand in an interested way. Ahhhh he had such a sharp mind that clearly loved working things out.

15. Padfoot chasing pigeons on the way to King’s Cross.

16. God rest ye Merry Hippogriffs. I need a Sirius Black Christmas carol remix album in my life.

17. How he still looks hot while taking an exam. Trust me this is a special gift- I normally look like I haven’t slept in a week and have caffeine shakes.

18. ‘ Reading between the lines, I’d say she thinks you’re a bit conceited, mate.’ The books needed more sassy/sarcastic Sirius.

19. When he put santa hats on the elf heads, and singlehandly created the ultimate emo xmas decor.

20. His room being covered in motorcycle pictures. I’d like to think that muggle Sirius would definitely have a motorcycle themed tumblr.

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

Writing Tips Masterlist

Last updated April 9, 2021.

World-Building

4 Tips for Writing Magic

Creating a Culture

Totalitarian Governments

Creating a Distinct World

Creating (Fictional) Medicine

Describing New Settings

Writing a War

Writing a War with Superheroes / Magic / Fantasy

70 Questions for World-Building

Creating Superstitions

49 Questions for Creating a Religion

The Tie Between Characters and World-Building

34 Questions for Creating a Government

36 Questions for Music in World-Building

Creating a New Species

42 Questions for Creating an Education System

Characters

Developing Character Appearance

Developing Character Personality

Multilingual Characters

Creating a Wardrobe

How to Name Your Characters

Your Characters vs. Already-Established Characters

Effective Point-of-View Character

Writing an Impactful Death

Writing with Archetypes

Designing Your Characters

Mute Characters

Thinning Your Cast

Not Enough Characters?

84 Questions for Developing Plot and Character Roles

Sexuality without a Relationship

Consistent Personalities

Skills and Knowledge

Creating Conflict

Character Arcs

Sympathetic Characters

Name vs. Pronouns and When to Use Them

Creating Character Voice

Characters Who Are Learning Another Language

Character Fears

Finding Motivations

Creating Character Flaws

Emotionless Characters

Relationships

Dynamic Relationships

Sibling Relationships

Believable Romance

Characters Who Don’t Know How to Relationship

Complementary Character Traits

Writing a Slow-Burn Romance

Characters Who Fall Out of Love

Groups of Characters

Making Compatible Characters

Emotions

Frustration

Grief

Fear

Planning & Plotting

Planning a Series

Writing an Outline

Tips for Writing Subplots

Non-Point-of-View Romantic Subplots

Avoiding Generic Plots

Planning and Pace

Editing & Prose

Writing with Emotion

Controlling Pace with Detail

Steps of the Editing Phase

Descriptions in Context

Imagery

Dialogue

Showing vs. Telling

What is passive voice?

Reworking Moments of Exposition

Adverbs

When to Cut Your Content

Avoiding Cliches in Your Story

The Importance of Vocabulary

Writing Beginning Paragraphs

Motivation

How to Balance Multiple Projects

How to Fall Back in Love with Your Story

Writing Every Day?

Sticking with Your Story

Getting (Back) Into the Writing Habit

Setting Realistic Goals

Shiny New Idea Syndrome

Positive Writing Mindset

Staying Motivated on Your Projects

Getting in “The Zone”

Keeping Writing Logs

Avoiding Burnout

Breaking Out of Writer’s Block

Scenes

Quick Decisions

Travel Scenes

Breakdown in the Shower

General Writing & Miscellaneous

The Joys of the First Draft

Injuries

Creating Suspense

Writing Poison

Prophecies

A Word to Young Writers

Making a Moodboard

Consuming with the Producer Mindset

For First-Time Writers

Building Your Writing Skill

Advice for Student Writers

How to Do Research

How to Maximize Your Writing Time

How to Make Your Book Look Like a Book

On Experimenting in Writing

When to Use Multiple Points of View

Building Theme

Becoming a Beta Reader

Background Music While Writing

Why Committing to a Project Can Be Stressful

Warm-Ups for Writers

Determining Your Story’s Genre

Why do we get stressed when we don’t write?

Writing Short Stories

If my work helps you or your writing, please consider supporting me my joining my Patreon!

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

*After reading a really good fic/series by a random author on Tumblr search*

Me: I wonder if they have anything else?

*clicks on their page to discover their masterlist of endless fics of my fave fandom*

Me: *screams in spanish*

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

This is actual cinema. I love it. You're amazing @blvnk-art

James & Lily.

Song: [x]

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

PSA to non-brit writers:

Please don't add in weird slang abbreviations or accents in the speech because I'm having to spend half an hour trying to decipher what the characters are saying and instead of focusing on the story, I'm in my covers at 3 am, sounding like I'm summoning a Demon.

In the words of Bendela-creme, us Brits "originated the language'" so it maybe a good idea to, idk, use it luvs ❤

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

Hate That I Want You (Masterpost)

Sirius Black x Pure-blood!Slytherin!Reader

Summary: At first it’s hate, then it’s confusion. It grows into a healthy amount of curiosity until it turns into hate once more. But not towards each other, more towards the idea of wanting what you’ve tried to avoid all your life.

Teaser

Part 1

Your last name was like a threat to him, it didn’t promise any good and it left people terrified. Just your surname was enough of a reason for him to loathe you.

Part 2

They had been trying for so long, yet Sirius couldn’t cooperate. Not when it was all about you.

Part 3

But the more he thinks about it the more he starts to question whether his friends were right.

Part 4

This time the silence was thick, it drowned you, pressed down on you with all the stares coming from left, right and above. The most prominent one was coming from the stormy grey eyes right next to you.

Part 5

His fingers ran over the spot where your name had been a few seconds ago, now it had disappeared completely as if you had never been there in the first place.

Part 6

You couldn’t even finish that last thought before you saw two exhausted grey eyes looking back at you. Two lips parted, panting away as if the guy had run his lungs out of his chest.

Part 7 In the making

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

love triangles can’t exist without at least 1 lgbt person. cishets just don’t know how shapes work

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

Omg I've been hearing rumours for the past 3 years and I JUST NEED SOMEONE TO CONFRIM AND IF SO DO YOU KNOW IF THEY'RE HIRING BECAUSE I WORK IN THE ART DEPARTMENT AND I SHIT YOU NOT WHEN I SAY ITS BEEN A DREAM OF MINE TO WORK ON THE READPATATIONS OF THE NARNIA SERIES !! IT IS MY ENTIRE CHILDHOOD!!! PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!

All I’m saying is if in the Narnia Netflix adaptation they don’t have a scene, right after Digory Kirke discovers Lucy has found Narnia in the wardrobe, where Digory phones up Polly yelling then that is a wasted opportunity

Like can you imagine

“SHIT ME, POLLY, I JUST PLANTED THAT TREE AND MADE IT INTO A WARDROBE FOR NOSTALGIA!! WE’VE BEEN WONDERING IF WE COULD EVER GET BACK TO NARNIA AND IT’S BEEN IN MY UPSTAIRS FUCKING WARDROBE ALL THIS TIME!!!! WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT COULD BE DANGEROUS FOR THE CHILDREN YOU’RE NOT LISTENING TO ME NARNIA IS IN MY WARDROBE no you should have seen my face, they told me their little sister had found a magical land and I thought ‘Ah, I remember those days’ and then they told me ‘In the wardrobe’ and Polly I SWEAR TO GOD I HAD TO KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE, NARNIA, POLLY!!! NARNIA!! IT’S BEEN HERE!! N A R N I A - WHAT DO YOU MEAN I NEED TO CALM DOWN”

[theboyswithasparebitofparchment]

Imagine: James and Sirius breaking out in song during Transfiguration with McGonagall.

Bold: Queen song/reference.

Lily had spent the summer at James’ with the rest of the Marauders and so naturally, introduced them to muggle music. More importantly she had introduced them to the band, Queen, and it was an understatement that the boys had grown an unhealthy obsession over them; especially Sirius and James.

6th year at Hogwarts. It’s a rather murky Tuesday morning in transfiguration where McGonagall is teaching a class of disinterested Gryffindor’s (with the exception of Lily Evans and Remus Lupin) on Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration. McGonagall’s attention was distracted by James, who was currently rocking back and forth on his chair, rather annoyingly.

“Mr Potter, you’re clearly unable to keep still on your chair which leads me to think that you simply cannot wait to answer my question. So, if you would be so kind as to name me one of the five Principal Exceptions to Gamp’s Law?” McGonagall said in a stern tone. James looked around apprehensively but managed to gather an answer.

“Erm… no ….but I can recite any song sung by Queen. I’d like to see someone top that, am I right professor?” James said boldly, extending his hand out towards Professor McGonagall for a high five. The class sniggered slightly, especially Sirius whilst Remus and Lily both exchanged annoyed expressions. McGonagall didn’t respond but simply stood there, staring at the wild,black haired boy until he put his hand down awkwardly, brushing his hands into his hair.

“I’m afraid you’re wrong, Potter. And congratulations on your brilliant efforts to achieve mundane things that have no significance. Now please use the same efforts to pay attention on the things that have actual value and will be useful for real life” McGonagall retorted but soon an unnerving expression washed over her face as James stared at her with a giant smirk.

“Oh shit no” Lily whispered over to Remus as she realised McGonagall’s mistake in her phrasing. James started to rise from his slouch and straightened his posture as he began to sing-

“Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?” James sung in a high pitched voice.

“Caught in a landslide no escape from reality”

“James, please stop” Remus murmured as he kicked the back of James’ seat. However James’ eyes flickered to the pair of grey ones from across the room.

“OPEN YOUR EYES, LOOK UP TO THE SKIES AND SEEEEEEEE” Sirius bellowed from the other side of the room, in the same high pitched tone as James. They both smiled at each other and sang in unison-

“I’M JUST A POOR BOY, I NEED NO SYMPATHY, BECAUSE I’M EASY COME, EASY GO. A LITTLE HIGH, LITTLE LOW. ANYWAY THE WIND BLOWS, DOESN’T REALLY MATTER TO ME, TO ME”.

Sirius reached into his pocket and pulled out a rather chipped Walkman and magically magnified its volume so it practically filled the entire room and corridors, where other classes were taking place. Both of them carried on singing the song in full fruition and added comical actions of air guitaring, drumming and dancing. All the while the rest of the class jeered in amusement, Remus and Lily practically yelling at the pair to stop and get off the table and button up their shirts as they became too immersed in their performance. However, McGonagall did not react and stood there with the same emotionless expression she always wore.

Soon the song came to a close to which Sirius and James reacted gracefully.

“Nothing really matters anyone can see. Nothing really matters, nothing really matter… to MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE……” they slowly finished, taking in the final keys of the song. The entire class erupted in cheers as the two boys basked in the glory, much to Remus’s and Lily’s dismay, but it all quickly died down as they turned to face their emotionless professor.

James and Sirius slowly climbed off the desk to face their flinty professor, adjusting their uniform along the way. She simply stood there, stern faced, in silence. Her piercing stare was enough to tell the two boys that they were in deep shit.

“You’re taking away 50 points…..am I right professor?” James murmured cautiously, after minute of uncomfortable silence. McGonagall did not respond.

“Each?” Sirius replied to her unresponsiveness. She nodded curtly

“-and detention for a month” they both said unison. McGonagall nodded again, a smirk resting on the corner of her mouth which made the boys feel uneasy.

“Well, considering you’re having such a good time, I don’t think you should stop at all.  Maybe three months plus extra homework should give you boys plenty of time to brush up on your singing expertise. Am I right, Potter?” McGonagall snapped in a sarcastic tone and turned to resume her teaching whilst the two boys slumped into their chairs, their faces burning bright red from embarrassment and exhaustion.