swallow-the-bird

[swallow-the-bird]

“We held hands, one hundred years ago, and one hundred years later.”

This is another part of the comic that remains unfinished.

In my mind, when Gellert laughed at Voldemort, shouting “I welcome death!”, it was as if he was back in that summer, a hundred years ago, when he held Albus’s hand and made the blood pact.

A hundred years later, those hands are still intertwined—in the moment green light flashes on the tower, and at the same instant, tears fall from a pair of blue eyes, sliding down the tip of a nose.

For the Greater Good.

[swallow-the-bird]

“Ah, the golden bird perched on the summer branch.”

A part of a previously paused comic—Inspired by the poem “As a Sparrow” by Charles Bukowski , a friend suggested turning it into a comic.

This drawing serves as the introduction, but I’m not sure if I’ll finish the whole thing (the poem is quite long and abstract), so it’s been on hold for a while!

Wish me luck in completing it later to capture the full poem 🥹

[swallow-the-bird]

Quartet: Death, Love, Magic, and Fairy Tale

Love is the greatest magic.

Death is the last fairy tale.

This is my promotional artwork for the Grindeldore event, Quartet, which explores the themes of death, love, magic, and fairy tales.

May their story be told this way, even if history never remembers their love.

[swallow-the-bird]

Snape & The Little Mermaid 🧜‍♂️

Finally, I can unveil my commissioned Snarry artwork, which was actually completed earlier this year!

This piece is an illustration for a delightful fairy tale “COEUR ECLATANT” written by my client, who requested a stained glass window style with an artistic touch of Art Nouveau, specifically inspired by Mucha’s style.

The experience has been truly enjoyable, as Mucha has always been one of my favorite artists, and Art Nouveau is one of my most beloved art periods. Not to mention, I’ve been a Snarry fan for a long time.

In this enchanting little story, Snarry the Hunter is a seemingly pragmatic character who struggles to acknowledge his deep affection for the little mermaid, Harry. In contrast, Harry is a frank and sincere mermaid, full of curiosity about life on land and completely unreserved in his unconditional love for the first—and only—human he has ever saved (although Snape cruelly denies ever needing help at the time! 🤣).

This is a tale of love between two characters who know so little yet so much about love. I’m still eagerly waiting for my client to reveal the ending!

My client has also created several related products based on this piece, which I’m excited to share with you all:

🔹An Acrylic Stand resembling a stained glass window (currently in its semi-final form)

🔹 An Acrylic Card (Also in its semi-final form)

I hope you all enjoy this piece as much as I do!

[swallow-the-bird]

“Ah, those golden days that fell like summer leaves.”

A discarded draft, but following the principle of not wasting what I’ve drawn 🥹

Besides, I quite like this color scheme—who hasn’t been a dashing youth at some point?

[swallow-the-bird]

“You look ahead, while I gaze upon you.”

Here’s a part of a Grindeldore comic I’ve been commissioned to work on.

Also, proof that I’m still alive after disappearing from online for a long time! 🤣

PS

Speaking of which, why emphasize that Dumbledore is looking forword?

It actually comes from his final words to Harry at King's Cross Station—one of the most touching dialogues in Harry Potter for me:

"Where would it take me?"

"On."

[swallow-the-bird]

Hey!!! I know life is busy but i hope you are alright ❤️❤️ lots of love, friend

Hello friend! Thank you so much for asking❤️❤️ Don't worry, I'm fine so far! Just super busy with moving. Will post again when some of my work can be publicly shared 🥰

Hope all is well with you too! Enjoy the spring time! XXX

[swallow-the-bird]

Complementing the concept behind this drawing:

I believe that the doe, Lily, and the young Severus symbolize Snape’s once hazy yet pure hope for the world, an innocent fervor.

They perhaps also represent those things in life that hold value, such as conscience, conviction, and a stubbornness that veers close to justice and yearns for the light—even if the conventional notions of justice don’t align with Snape, who is certainly not a man of black and white.

What I aimed to convey is this concept: the kind of realization that finally allows him to face himself squarely, to find peace with his guilt, and to achieve reconciliation.

I also think his fixation, his longing and endless reminiscence of Lily, largely stems from her also being a symbol of sorts, representing the beautiful times of childhood and youth, unmarred and unbroken by the harsh realities of life.

Now I can look at you.

In his final moment, he saw not only those emerald eyes but also the young Severus from years past: at eleven, he held his first true friend, brimmed with fantasies and hopes for the future, and still believed in the magic of miracles—that they would embark on their journey to Hogwarts together.

Twenty-seven years later, at thirty-eight, he shed his last tear at Hogwarts. At long last, he could gaze back at the boy of yesteryear with peace.

“Now I can look at you.”

PS This is a drawing for a Snapecentric activity to celebrate Snape's birthday.

Regarding the sacrifices and final choices Snape made, I’ve always believed that they cannot be fully encompassed by mere love for Lily. Rather, they represent the ultimate answer drawn from a lifetime of experiences.

What is termed as repentance is a conviction, unshakable and uncompromising, refined from past mistakes—a faint echo of the vague hopes for this world that once rooted quietly in a young boy’s heart, strong enough to lead him to a martyr’s fate.

I would also like to think that Professor Snape has finally found freedom and peace. He will always remain one of my favourite characters in Harry Potter!

[swallow-the-bird]

Now I can look at you.

In his final moment, he saw not only those emerald eyes but also the young Severus from years past: at eleven, he held his first true friend, brimmed with fantasies and hopes for the future, and still believed in the magic of miracles—that they would embark on their journey to Hogwarts together.

Twenty-seven years later, at thirty-eight, he shed his last tear at Hogwarts. At long last, he could gaze back at the boy of yesteryear with peace.

“Now I can look at you.”

PS This is a drawing for a Snapecentric activity to celebrate Snape's birthday.

Regarding the sacrifices and final choices Snape made, I’ve always believed that they cannot be fully encompassed by mere love for Lily. Rather, they represent the ultimate answer drawn from a lifetime of experiences.

What is termed as repentance is a conviction, unshakable and uncompromising, refined from past mistakes—a faint echo of the vague hopes for this world that once rooted quietly in a young boy’s heart, strong enough to lead him to a martyr’s fate.

I would also like to think that Professor Snape has finally found freedom and peace. He will always remain one of my favourite characters in Harry Potter!

[swallow-the-bird]

“What have you seen in death?”

May death reveal not your end but your heart’s desire; may we converge at a time when the leaves were green and dreams were young.

For the Greater Good.

PS Long time no see! A late happy new year to you all!😘

[swallow-the-bird]

Working on a Snarry commission again.

Client request: Could you create a Snape in the style of Mucha, with a touch of the original’s realistic essence?

My response: Oh! Absolutely, I’ll give it a try! (Big fan of Mucha ❤️)

I’m quite pleased with how the work is progressing so far. Fingers crossed that the final piece unfolds as smoothly as planned.

More Snarry art is on the way! I’ll share it as soon as I’m permitted.

Update:

I can finally unveil the finished version🤩👇🏻

[swallow-the-bird]

Just a quick note:

I’ve received some very interesting questions about Grindeldore and Riddle, but I’m too busy these days to think over them and organize my thoughts to answer. (I guess it’s also expected to receive a loooong answer from a chatterbox like me, XD)

I’m leaving this note here just to say I’m not ignoring those questions. Thank you to whoever asked them. :)

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May i ask where you're from? If you don't mind sharing of course ❤️❤️

Oh I don’t mind at all! I’m from Hong Kong. Actually I've also shared this before, but it was a long time ago.

I'm just curious why you wanted to know XD

[swallow-the-bird]

“Goodnight, Gellert.”

May the twinkling shade of summer once again flow on.

May every death be as a reunion.

May we always know each other in this life, for the greater good.

Goodnight, Gellert.

“Goodnight, Albus.”

May those at rest find peace.

May every death be as a reunion.

May love ultimately return to its most sincere form.

Goodnight, Albus.

— Halloween, originating from the ancient Celtic ‘Samhain,’ marks the end of summer and the beginning of winter. The ancient Celts believed that on this day, the souls of the departed would return to the mortal realm, meeting the living on the blurred line between life and death.

P.S.

Happy🎃Halloween👻

This is part of a Grindelwald-themed Halloween event I’m participating in!

Actually, “ Goodnight, Albus” was released earlier this year：

But since it pairs with the new image, I thought I’d repost it. They are a pair, after all, and should be presented together, right? XD

I’ve had the idea for this set for quite a while. This time, I finally overcame my laziness and made it happen. I even paid homage to La Pietà in the design. Though, I wonder if anyone would actually notice it. Haha! 🤣🤣

[swallow-the-bird]

Absolutely, you hit the nail on the head😭😭😭

This is indeed an utter tragedy, and the crux of it lies in Gellert's undeniable love for Albus.

To me, Gellert's love for him is so fervent and genuine, yet cruel and wild. It's as if he loves him in the same intensity with which he hatred for him.

In many ways, Gellert remains that 16-year-old boy from the summer of 1899, the ruthless child who seemed to value nothing else but Albus Dumbledore. While it was his choice to turn his back and flee, he behaves as if he was the one abandoned. He couldn't bear that he was no longer Albus's top priority and that Albus chose to stand against him.

His anger is directed at Newt and anyone who seems to come between him and Albus, but ultimately, his deepest resentment is reserved for Albus himself. This is because the cruel and selfish boy loved Albus with the same intensity as his hatred for him. He still stuck in the summer of 1899, lamenting with betrayal and rage, and that each provocation, every envious word, every murderous intent, all seem to silently scream:

Albus, how could you not stand by me?

HOW COULD YOU NOT CHOOSE ME?

Perhaps in the boy's heart, he and Albus were meant to be one. Even if the whole world stood against them, even if they stood on opposing sides of Ariana's corpse, he never imagined that Albus would genuinely abandon him. It was supposed to be just a temporary separation, but never a final goodbye.

He should be the most important thing in Albus's world, above all else, like air, like water, like a wand to a wizard, like the greater good to them. Albus shouldn’t even have to think about it: Gellert shouldn't be a choice, but the only one. Isn't that right?

But in the end, Albus stood against him.

Such a supremely egocentric yet inherently assumed conviction of being the ultimate priority ... I wonder if the word 'love' is even sufficient to encapsulate such a fiercely intense emotion. This feeling is so terrifying and brutal that, after that summer, it revealed a winter-like cruelty and a storm's intensity. But the passion that runs through it—the heat hotter than summer and the cold that burns like ice—is undeniably compelling and moving.

Indeed, the true tragedy is that Gellert did love Albus. He loved Albus with his entire being, pouring into it all the love a sociopath could muster, and it took him a lifetime to truly understand how to love.

In 1997, did Gellert know of Albus's death? It's something I've always pondered. And I believe he did.

Perhaps due to his Seer's foresight? Or maybe he received a copy of the Prophet in Nurmengard (even if it was outdated)? Could it have been a jailer? Or possibly someone deliberately informed him during a prison visit? (Who?)

Regardless, I believe that when Gellert received the dreadful news, beyond the heartbreak born out of love, he felt a whirlwind of emotions. To him, Albus meant much more than just a lover; losing him was like losing half of himself, a life once vibrant and a purpose once pursued. There, at his fateful end, after languishing for 50 years in prison, a mere shadow of his former self, Gellert was dealt the final blow—Albus’s death.

I’d like to believe that Gellert’s final act of protecting Albus’s grave was born out of genuine remorse, rooted in the summer of 1899 when they were but boys. Now, those boys are relived once more, with all feelings cleansed of their initial calculations and ambitions. What remains is love in its purest form.

Oh yes, Merlin, Gellert did love him.

Know what always bothers me in crimes of Grindelwald? That in every scene where Albus sees him he's not smiling. The memory of making the bloodpact? He looks evillll like he's manipulated an idiot into doing what he wanted- and in the mirror of erised he again is so serious it's like he's judging him-

They should've made him smile in those scenes- it's painfully obvious that's what he was meant to do. The memory is from when they loved each other; the mirror shows your biggest desire trying to trap you.

He 👏 should 👏 have 👏 smiled 👏

If you ever get out of ideas for what to draw i think it'd be a cute idea to have those redrawn-

Thanks for your brilliant idea❤️I agree with you—Or, to put it another way, how could they possibly not be in love? And when someone in love gazes at their beloved, how could they not be moved?

I’ve never believed that Gellert’s feelings for Albus were purely manipulative or exploitative. Albus, as blinded by love as he might be, wouldn’t be deceived by insincerity. It’s precisely because Gellert’s love was genuine—though tainted by ambition and a desire for control—that they resonated and melded at the soul level, allowing Albus to open up to him and give his all.

This is also why the tragic events of the summer of 1899 have such a devastating effect on Albus. Besides the remorse and guilt he felt for Ariana, it also stemmed from the genuine love he shared with Gellert. The blade of love is sharp and particularly lethal because of this genuine affection.

Love is real, manipulation is real, and hurt is real. Love has its tender and sincere side, but it also has a harsh and cruel aspect.

“Oh, to be young and to feel love’s keen sting,” Albus remarked many years later. The blade of love is indeed forged by love itself.

So yes, the movie’s portrayal of Gellert’s expression in the Mirror of Erised might not convey this depth of emotion, which I personally find regrettable.

But looking at it from another perspective, doesn’t the Mirror of Erised reflect Albus’s deepest desires?

His longing for Gellert never ceases, nor can he truly let go of everything Gellert once represented—dreams, ambition, and lost youth. But has he ever secretly hoped that Gellert never truly loved him? Like he’s desperately convincing himself that Gellert only ever used and manipulated him, and that he’s an extremely cold person incapable of love. This way, Albus can hate him unreservedly, without the torment of being torn between love, regret, and conscience.

Hating a despicable enemy is always easier than confronting a lover and confidant.

“There are all kinds of courage," as Albus said it many years later, "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

Perhaps this desperate wish is why a version of Gellert, different from reality and memories, appears in the mirror.

But I believe, throughout his long life and even after death, Albus ultimately chooses not to deny this love. It manifests as the tear that drops onto the tip of his nose at King’s Cross station—a tear shed for the man who defended his grave with his life.

Of course, this is all my subjective interpretation. Oh, so many conflicting thoughts and feelings aroused by this ship—!😭

[swallow-the-bird]

Do you have any favorite Harry Potter ships?

Well, besides my all-time favorite Grindeldore, I’m actually quite eclectic in my tastes! 🤣

Snarry, Snamione, Snily, Jily, Hedric, Dnarry, Sirry… I’ve read fanfictions about all of them, and I’ve enjoyed them. Perhaps it’s because the Harry Potter fandom has so many talented writers. As long as the story is captivating, I’m thrilled to read it!

There’s another pairing that I initially thought was improbable, but later became infatuated with—

Harrymort/Tomarry!!

***** ‼️ LONG post alert ‼️ Oh, whenever I get to a topic that excites me, I always end up being such a chatterbox🤣Please also be aware of what I say below is only my VERY SUBJECTIVE opinions ‼️ *****

While Harrymort/Tomarry seem to have a lover-enemy dynamic similar to Grindeldore, the premise for each is vastly different. Gellert and Albus once passionately loved each other in their youth, while Tom/Voldemort and Harry share deep animosity and are destined adversaries. How could they possibly be together? Moreover, I once believed that Tom Riddle was an emotionless monster. (But I don’t mean that in a derogatory sense!)

While Gellert might be categorized as a sociopath, capable of true loyalty and emotions towards a select few - Albus Dumbledore- and taking a lifetime to learn how to love, he at least has the capacity to love. This is evident when he ultimately understands the true meaning of remorse and willingly sacrifices his life to protect another’s grave.

But what about Tom?

In my eyes, Tom is a complete psychopath. Perhaps his traumatic childhood twisted his moral compass, but some characteristics seem innate and psychological. Tom’s emotional blunting seems more pronounced. He inherently lacks empathy and remorse. Even if he can comprehend others’ emotions and manipulate them, he doesn’t genuinely understand or empathize with them, which is why he can’t grasp the concept of remorse. Hence, he chose to become Voldemort. This made me question:

How can such a person love? He doesn’t even understand what love is.

This mirrors Gellert’s scathing taunt to Voldemort, “…there is so much you do not understand—!”

Yes, Tom Riddle—Voldemort— does not, and cannot understand love. But can he?

Some of my favorite authors have remarked:

“Yes, Tom Riddle—Voldemort— does not understand love, and he may never be able to. But just because you don’t understand something, does that mean you can’t have it?”

Harry is like a reflection of Tom Riddle. While Tom Riddle, in his hatred and fear, denied love and chose to become Voldemort, Harry, despite facing the same hatred and fear, came to understand what courage meant and chose love.

“Just by letting Harry see even the tiniest hint of Voldemort’s humanity, he will bravely embrace that one-in-a-million hope.”— Oh yes, hope. This is how many Tomarry/Harrmort fictions begin their stories.

Harry might harbor hatred for Voldemort for a lifetime, but the essence of forgiveness isn’t the absence of hate; it’s about learning to move on. If there’s anyone willing to embrace a shattered soul with such heinous crimes, it would be Harry Potter. Just as he has embraced death with the same courage, it’s this Harry who, when confronting his lifelong nemesis, still chooses “Expelliarmus”.

This love-hate story is inevitably not just about the hopes and courage of love, but also about its pain and despair. It makes us question the nature of love, hate, life, death, and humanity.

Harry understands love, so he believes in humanity, which gives him hope and courage, especially when mired in human flaws and tragedies.

“You see the world in such a unique way; I believe even despair seems colorful to someone like you.”—this is a line from one of my favorite Harrmort stories, “One thing he will never know”. In it, Harry chooses to cling to that sliver of hope in Voldemort and falls hopelessly in love with him. When Harry grapples with guilt, Dumbledore leaves him with this wisdom.

"It may seem terribly wrong, but if I may venture a guess, it must also feel so right," were Dumbledore's last words to the boy, "Harry, I don't think there is any shame in love. You must never doubt that when someone has been loved like this, it always leaves a mark, and that it will eventually change everything. You are much braver than I ever was.”

Thanks to these brilliant fanfictions, I’ve come to believe in the heart Voldemort thought he never had. Even if it’s fractured, it still exists, and a sliver of humanity remains. Perhaps we all need a broad perspective to see the world:

Not understanding love doesn’t mean you can’t have it.

I just realized I wrote so much! Maybe it’s because I’ve never shared my love for Tomarry/Harrmort with anyone after Grindeldore. Here’s my chance!

PS One of my favorite fanfictions, “One thing he will never know,” is written by a talented Taiwanese author in Chinese.If you’re interested, you can check it out here:

(* I've taken the liberty of translating some of the lines that impressed me most into English, as I wrote above.)

I also have read many excellent Tomarry/Harrmort stories from the English fandom. If you have any recommendations, please share them with me!

[swallow-the-bird]

Your grindledore art is beautiful 💖. I feel like it's one of best ships in Harry Potter even though it's doomed and tragic.

Thank you so much❤️

And yes, there are a lot of great ships in the Harry Potter fandom, and Grindeldore is the apple of my eye when it comes to the dynamics of their relationship!