christophius

[christophius]

James fans need to realize that a person can sacrifice themselves for a loved one and still be a world-class asshat to people they hate. James’ sacrifice for his wife and child does not automatically mean he stopped bullying Severus, or felt guilty for it. All it means is that he valued his family over his own life. Severus wasn’t family. James easily could have been kind to his family and cruel to Severus at the same time.

[christophius]

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[christophius]

Always iconic.

The official Obama portaits unveiled today. President Obama’s portrait was done by Kehinde Wiley, and Michelle Obama’s portrait was done by Amy Sherald, making the two artists the first African-American artists to be commissioned for portraits at the National Portrait Gallery. 

“What I was always struck by when I saw his portraits was the degree to which they challenged our ideas of power and privilege,” Obama said.

The juxtaposition of contemporary urban culture with centuries-old postures and wallpaper-like backgrounds make for bold paintings, of which Obama’s is Wiley’s most famous to date. 

For her portrait, Michelle Obama chose Baltimore-based artist Amy Sherald. Sherald is another African-American artist known for her unique style, and her portraits also tend to underscore themes of social justice. She often paints black skin tones in gray as a way to take away the assigned “color” of her subjects. Sherald’s work is less about realism in composition and more about shape and color; like Wiley, the choice of Sherald ushers in a new era of presidential portrait … The former first lady said she was thinking about the impact Sherald’s work will have on “girls and girls of color.”

“They will see an image of someone who looks like them hanging on the walls of this great American institution … And I know the kind of impact that will have on their lives because I was one of those girls,” she said.

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[christophius]

Potter, the powerful.

SPOILER ALERT for those who haven’t read the series yet, if there’s anyone left.

Since I first read about James and Lilly and their many talents and skills I always wondered about Harry. How could someone with such rediculously Powerful parents inherit so little, naturally? I mean I know genetics aren’t so cut and dry but it never made sense to me. Aside from his skill in Quidditch, his curiosity and his IDGAF attitude about rule breaking it seemed like Harry was fairly average (prophecy aside).

Now of course, you could argue that his parents skills were all taught to them and weren’t natural gifts. But Slughorn does mention Lilly’s mad skills in potions, so there’s at least that. Plus Voldy wanted the potters to join the death eaters, now say what you like about old Moldy Voldy, but his death eaters were all magically powerful. And James, well James doesn’t seem like he was big on studying. Always mentioned to be “incredibly talented” and a trouble maker, with his equally gifted Marauder Sirius. “One of the cleverest students at Hogwarts” according to Lupin. So again I ask, what about Harry?

So let’s start by listing out Harry’s best moments:

Single-handedly fought off Quirrell/Voldy for the Stone, fought and killed a basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor, mastered A corporeal patronus at age 13 (a feat not many full grown wizards can achieve), used aforementioned Patronus to fight off over a hundred dementors at once (patronus’ get more difficult to make the more dementors there are), successfully prevented one of Voldy’s best death eaters from being able to put the Imperius curse on him in his first lesson, fought off and out smarted a dragon whilst on a broom, was first to get to the centre of the black lake, fought off voldy AGAIN, mastered use of the room of requirement, saw into voldys mind (intentionally) with ease, destroyed horcruxes, successfully used the Cruciatus curse, came back from the dead, in OWL year passed all the classes he cared about, aced potions when he was left alone to it and always aced DADA, mastered Occlumency and the only person who ever mastered all of the Deathly Hallows (there’s probs more but you get the point).

Now some of this may seem fairly ordinary (passing his classes for example) but now consider this. He did all this (as well as innumerable times he sacrificed himself/saved others or otherwise did stupid and brave shit) WHILST BEING A FRIGGIN HORCRUX.

Remember when simply wearing the locket horcrux made the trio feel weak and paranoid and prevented them from being able to do certain spells? Remember just how short their tempers were? How irritable and grouchy they were ? Remember that there was a palpable feeling from wearing it to taking it off ? All of that he dealt with, all of that for his entire life he dealt with. From bullies to an abusive household. From being terrorised by everyone who was close to him from the time he was 1 until he turned 11. 10 years. 10 YEARS he fought it off without ever having received words of kindness, comfort or praise. Then he discovers he has Magic. And aside from the occasional petty revenge he only ever uses his magic for the betterment of those around him. To protect himself and others. HE WAS SO GOOD AT FENDING OFF THE HORCRUX NO ONE EVEN KNEW HE WAS ONE. He was never once mentioned to be a particularly weak wizard, even though by all rights he should’ve been.

Now imagine with me for a moment here. Imagine the power boost Harry would’ve felt once the HORCRUX in him was destroyed. Imagine the first spell he cast with his newly elder-wand-repaired wand. He would’ve just attributed his new power to it being Newly repaired by the most powerful wand in existence. Or maybe he would’ve thought that it was simply because it was HIS original wand and that’s why. But eventually, our ever curiously minded saviour would seek answers. Eventually he would realise that this is his true power. The power that he now had full control over.

Eventually he would be known not only as the boy who lived. He will be:

The boy who lived, Dementor’s bane, The resurrected, the unkillable, Serpent-tongue, the Master of Death, Potter the Powerful.

[christophius]

[christophius]

Reminds me of Prongs

Harnessing the Ancients by Glenn Porter

[christophius]

That time we went to Iceland was pretty rad.