#[embodiment of hope: lucius]

[frznkingdom]

Realm of Elpis: Laurel (Part 3/4)

(Part 2)

"THAT'S ENOUGH ERENDIS!"

The male voice seemed to echo around Laurel, sounding commanding, yet also desperate and frail. In the blink of an eye, a wave of blue light emanated around her, and it seemed to drive the shadows away.

Immediately, Laurel felt the searing pain in her arm vanish. She gasped for air, bolting up into a sitting position, her eyes darting about to try and understand what had just happened.

"W-... what...?"

That mysterious woman from earlier was now gone. Instead, there was...

"H-hey... are... are you alright?"

The male stumbled slightly towards her, leaning on his staff, seemingly out of breath. Laurel couldn't help but briefly notice the lantern that was attached at the top, the soft glow of a tiny blue flame flickering within it.

"W-what just- Who are you?"

"I'm Lucius. It's okay, you're safe now."

"Th-that woman-! M-my arm-!"

"She can't hurt you. Not for a while at least. I banished her shadows for the time. She was making you see things that weren't real."

At that revelation, Laurel immediately glanced down. Her arm now looked completely normal, not a single resemblance to a grimm appendage.

"I-I don't-" She started to talk, still overwhelmed with questions, before she realized their surroundings had changed. They were no longer in a Mantle alleyway. Instead, it was a dark forest.

"I know you're scared. I'll explain everything in a bit. We just... need to get to safety, before she returns. I have a sanctuary not too far from here."

In a matter of seconds, he appeared to transform into a silvery blue deer.

"Hop on. I know my way around these woods. She won't find us where we're going."

[chuplayswithfire]

The general concept that OFMD s2 has less queer joy is to me such an interesting perspective, because the first season really did end in a much more tragic and less joyous place, between Lucius's murder (unsuccessful, though we didn't know at the time), Izzy's homophobia winning out, Ed kidnapping Frenchie and Jim, Ed sobbing in the bed nook, and all of us wondering how Stede was going to rescue everyone with a single dinghy and no money.

This season's end, everyone we feared for last season is accounted for and well, Ed and Stede are reunited and building a loveshack, and Izzy finally accepted community before getting to die doing what he loved: spiting some rich bastard.

Season 2 sees the start of new relationships between Jim and Archie and Olu and Zheng - possibly as a future messy polycule, introduces us to the struggling but ultimately loving relationship between Anne Bonny and Mary Read, shows us Ed and Stede in love and navigating the start of openly admitting you have feelings for someone and giving it a go, gives us three characters exploring themselves through drag, gives us Lucius and Pete's engagement and wedding -

But because we also have a death, somehow the queer joy is gone from the show.

The queer joy wasn't gone when Izzy stomped on Ed's hopes and Ed subsequently decided to embody his worst self. It wasn't gone when we had to wonder if we were lying to ourselves about Lucius dying.

But Izzy dies, living the life of a pirate and surrounded by people who care, finally able to be vulnerable in the sense of admitting wrong and fault, and give closure and that's what kills joy?

Maybe I've just lived a life with too much death to understand why a good death would kill joy, but in my book season 2 had so much more joy than season 1, because it came through grief and back into hope and was all the stronger for it.

[remembrancer-of-heresy]

Courtly Love

[Part 1], [Part 2], [Part 3]

Summary: Lucius becomes captain and you suggest playing a game.

Lucius The Eternal/fem!Reader(Camellia)

Warnings: no for this part

Word count: 2235

Author's note: So, it begins. Btw, starting from the next part, Lucius will have a POV.

Song: Depeche Mode - World in my Eyes

Tags: @passionofthesith

According to the remembrancers who attended the war councils, Fulgrim promised a quick victory. Many Space Marines, when communicating with mortals, spoke briefly about what happened on Laeran. But not Lucius. You had to take with you not only paper, but also pict-devices, in the hope of recording all the details.

And there were a lot of them. And despite Lucius' boasting and his complete confidence in the actions of the primarch, one could draw a simple conclusion. The cleansing of Laer was not as easy as many mortals thought and as Fulgrim claimed.

The Third Legion suffered significant losses and many Space Marines were exhausted by the grueling war with the xenos, capturing each new territory. Every free minute brought warriors truly wonderful happiness.

And you could not help but be filled with gratitude to Lucius, who spent all his free time talking to you. You even tried to dissuade the warrior from constant meetings, insisting on his rest. Besides, you would always have the opportunity to talk after the campaign. But he stubbornly refused.

“There is nothing better than telling of your triumph when the enemy’s blood is still fresh on the sword.”

That’s what he told you. And remembering your grandfather, who rarely told his stories from the front (your father was silent at all), you admired the space marine even more. Lucius was the embodiment of skill and military honor. He was perfect. And the fact that he was a simple soldier was depressing. He was worthy of all the laurels.

However, soon the man got his chance.

Cletus Nero, captain of the 13th company, died in one of the skirmishes with the Laerans. Of course, you knew about the great losses in the Third Legion. And yet it was surprising that in addition to the soldiers, those of higher rank also died. But the main thing in this whole story was something else.

“Of course, they had no choice but to appoint me as the new captain.” - covered in someone else’s blood and dirt, sweaty and out of breath, Lucius did not express any grief over the death of his comrade. Only pride and delight in his rank.

“I am the best swordsman and have distinguished myself on the battlefield more than once. Besides, after Nero’s death, I immediately got my bearings and took command of the company upon myself.”

As the new captain of the 13th company, Lucius did not consider it important to name the full title of the fallen space marine. Now Lucius bears this title, and the name of Cletus Nero will be inscribed on the wall. So that his memory will not be forgotten.

Even though you had not been able to visit the place that Lucius spoke about with rapture, you would hardly remember all the names. And you would hardly have read them all, quickly getting bored. Such thoughts were wrong, but still you did not say them out loud.

Besides, you had your own work. To extol Lucius, not the rest of the Third Legion warriors.

“You’re right, they had no choice. You were the best candidate for captain. Wait, does that mean you’ll be attending war councils?”

“Even more.” - the young man rubbed his nose with his finger, poorly hiding a triumphant smile. - “I’ll be attending, em, special meetings. The closest to Fulgrim. All company captains. And not a single mortal.”

“And is it alright that I now know about such… meetings?”

“But you’re not going to talk about them, are you?” - satisfied with your negative nod, the man grinned. - “Besides, even though I mentioned the lodge, you won’t know the details. And if you ask, my answer will be the same.”

“And what is it?” - succumbing to the game, you ask with a smile. A happy smile paints Lucius’s face from the opportunity to say the long-awaited answer.

“I can’t say.”

***

Having taken up his new position, Lucius was forced to immediately begin his duties. To go to important meetings, to give orders. The other Space Marines were not just brothers now. They were his subordinates.

Although not all of them, of course. There were people who still had a higher rank than the swordsman. And right now, Lucius had to try even harder to win their attention. He did not intend to remain as captain for too long, even though he had only recently assumed this rank.

Because of this, you slowly began to accept that your meetings with Lucius would be much less frequent. However, you were quite surprised (and heartened) when the Space Marine called you, promising to show you a surprise. And it must be said, the surprise was as good as it could have been.

“Now you have more opportunities with my new position.” - Lucius smirked, enjoying your reaction. - “Isn’t that wonderful?”

Wonderful. It was simply magical. The newly minted captain of the 13th Company immediately ordered that you be given access to the airstrip. Now you had the opportunity to see the Third Legion leave the Pride of the Emperor and head for the Laer.

Of course, some of the warriors were not thrilled to see you. But you were quiet and out of the way, so they quickly lost interest in you. You really didn’t want to distract the legionaries from their work. And it was a bit scary to be in such a place. But Lucius’ joy was quickly transmitted to you.

“This is simply magnificent!” - you enthusiastically took pics of the event, hoping to put them in your book. - “To see all this, and in action. Right before the next landing on the Laer.”

“Not just a new one, but the last one. Fulgrim will personally lead all the companies to conquer the last atoll.” - Lucius noted weightily. - “That’s why it is very important that you see everything before we leave the Laer. After all, this is my first battle as a captain.”

You nodded solemnly, raising the pictograph to the man. As expected, Lucius immediately took a pose. Sometimes you wanted to catch his image when he didn’t expect it. But the Space Marine always managed to create an aura of a confident warrior around himself, like from the illustrations in books. He had a real talent for it.

“And then what?” - you fixed your gaze on the marching legionaries, ignoring Lucius’s childish, offended face. - “You can attend war councils now, right? Have you planned a new campaign yet?”

“That’s about it.” - the man sighed and you stared at him in confusion. - “Fulgrim was going to go to help the Iron Hands against the xenos lovers. But I will not take part in this battle.”

“No?” - you looked worriedly at the saddened youth with confusion. - “Why? Did something happen?”

“If only. Saul Tarvitz and I, under the command of Lord Commander Eidolon, will travel to the Satyr Lanxus Belt. We will ensure that the local governors follow the laws of the Imperium.”

Despite his obvious displeasure, Lucius smiled again. Sometimes you were amazed at how quickly his mood could change. But you even liked it. In fact, if you studied the Space Marine a little, you could figure out how to cheer him up. Honestly, he was as simple as a boy sometimes.

“But Fulgrim himself gave the order. So this task, this test, will be carried out by me with perfect precision. The Primarch will be proud of us. Our landing on Laer is nothing more than an auxiliary force. All the laurels will go to the first companies. But at Satyr's Belt, I will already be a true captain.”

You were happy for Lucius. Happy as never before. His victories were your victories. His happiness was your happiness. He had finally received a new rank and would soon show the Legion that he had earned it. And yet, you could not resist the bitter disappointment that gripped your heart.

“Why are you sad? Are you not happy for me?”

“I’m glad, I’m so glad. But I’ll miss you.” You purse your lips, gently shrugging your shoulders. “I really don’t want to be anyone’s chronicler except you. I’ll have to count the days until you return. Just like the lady in the stories about courtly love.”

“What kind of courtly love?” Lucius stared at you in confusion, tasting the unfamiliar word. His eyes sparkled with anticipation and you felt your cheeks warm up.

It’s a shame he won’t be able to fully appreciate such a relationship.

But telling you about them won’t hurt, right?

“Oh, I loved stories about courtly love as a child. In Ancient Terra, the noblest and best knights performed feats. But not only in the name of their king or country, but also in honor of a noble lady. A lady could give a knight a handkerchief or a ribbon for good luck, and wait impatiently for his return. And he performed feats, keeping her gift close to his heart. This... this is not a traditional marriage. Such a relationship is more elevated. More-"

"Perfect?" - the man continued softly, considering your words.

"Yes, that's right. A lady can only have one knight. Just as a knight has one lady. As a child, I wanted to participate in courtly love, but over time I realized that many men are not interested in this. Even if this is just a game."

You did not dare tell Lucius that young men were not ready for relationships without intimacy or marriage. Besides, some residents of the Imperium did not simply honor the Emperor's Truths and considered superstitions stupid. Sometimes you came across men who were sure that any remnants of the past should remain in the past.

Too bad. You really liked the idea of ​​courtly love. It even sounded beautiful.

"If it’s so then let's play." - you stared at the swordsman with distrust, but he spoke with absolute seriousness. - “I am the best swordsman in the entire Legion. I fight for the Primarch. For the Imperium. Just like those ancient knights. All I need is a lady.”

What you didn’t expect was such an offer. It’s unlikely that Lucius would laugh at you or say that courtly love is for fools. But his desire to take part in this was striking. And attractive.

Involuntarily rummaging through your pockets, you gratefully remembered the seamstress from whom you ordered your dress. It was not only comfortable, but also beautiful. One pulled out ribbon will not spoil your image at all. And most importantly, it will not leave you naked.

Pulling the ribbon out of your sleeve, you tried to make yourself look as noble and refined as possible, like a lady from the illustrations to novels. Surely the aristocrats would laugh at your awkward pose. But the sight of Lucius admiring your actions gave you strength.

You remembered the hapless remembrancer from the library and his words. Yes, the flagship was full of beautiful roses. But only the camellia had its own space marine knight. A feeling of pride washed over you from head to toe. You felt special.

Clutching the cloth, you briefly wondered if you were doing the right thing. You were mortal, after all, and Lucius was an Astartes. Perhaps this would distract him? After all, the Space Marines were far from being civilians.

Still, why not let Lucius see the world a little through your eyes? You had become close enough over the years. He trusted you, told you stories. He even told you that he was a member of a mysterious lodge, hoping for your silence.

So why not play at courtly love? It was just a game, after all.

“Well then, I’m lady Camellia, give you, Lucius, an honor to be my protector and warrior."

Your "noble" nickname sat pleasantly on the tongue.you tried to make your voice more elegant and noble. - "Please take this ribbon with you into battle. For good luck. And I… I will await your return.”

Lucius carefully took the ribbon from you, his mouth slightly open, as if waiting for the piece of fabric to speak to him. It was a funny sight. And in some ways, surprisingly beautiful. Watching a space marine comprehend something new, inaccessible to him, unlike mortals.

Lucius with incredible speed gracefully tied the ribbon to the hilt of his sword. You looked reverently at the proudly smiling swordsman. He only enjoyed your reaction to such a gesture even more.

“I will flood the entire Laer with xenos blood in your honor,” the man said proudly. After a moment of thought, he quickly grabbed your hand and quickly touched it with his lips, awkwardly imitating the gesture he had once seen. - “My lady.”

“My knight.” - You giggled happily like a little girl, embarrassed by the behavior of a space marine.

Lucius didn’t even realize that he was supposed to kiss the knuckles, paying attention to the palm. But such a gesture from a space marine was already unusual. Not to mention what an honor it was.

“And don’t worry. I will do everything so that you get to the Proudheart as my chronicler.”

Lucius managed to wink at you before putting the helmet on his head. The gentle male voice was replaced by the roar of a vox-helmet. You involuntarily shuddered. Whatever words the man said from under the helmet, they almost sounded like a sentence.

“How can I do without my lady?”

[xoxoemynn]

Fan Fic Friday!

I'm finally getting in the headspace to be able to read and enjoy fic and oh boy have I been enjoying it! Sharing a few that I've enjoyed reading this past week. For simplicity's sake I'm focusing just on completed works.

People Are Just People (Like You) by @trans-top-stede and @nonplayer-character (plus art!!) Holy shit. Holy shit. This story is stunning. This 24K fic (that also includes some wonderful art) shows Ed struggling to re-enter the world after the COVID lockdowns, all while drawing solace listening to a radio show for aliens. (Hmmm, wonder who could be hosting that?) There is pure, raw emotion baked into each and every word. The loneliness, the feeling of knowing it SHOULD be so easy to just do what you once did so easily but now it's HARD, the desperation, the hope, all while Ed just keeps trying. By the end I was weeping and just feeling in awe of all the little ways humans are simply there for each other, time and time again. I found this work deeply relatable, and I'm sure many others on here will as well. It's an absolute masterpiece and I can't stop thinking about it.

Red Skies at Night by @soupbtch Oh, this is a FUN one, even if I was literally screaming at my laptop for chapter upon chapter because OH MY GOD I KNOW I SAID I LOVE A SLOW BURN BUT WHY MUST THEY BURN SO SLOWLY WHY CAN'T THEY JUST KISS?!?!?! Anyway. Stede's a perfectly bitchy cruise critic, Ed's performing on said cruise ship, sparks fly. This 64K fic is the perfect blend of humor and tension and heartache and of course, a lot of romance. And some great sex. Danny did such a great job using beats from both S1 and S2 to tell a really beautiful story that had me grinning ear to ear nearly the entire time. (Again, nearly, because I also did a lot of screaming.) Absolutely fantastic.

True to Life by @ipomoea-batatas This summary ("Ed and Stede accidentally open an inn for ghosts") had me sold immediately. It's fluffy domestic fic. And a ghost. But not like a ghost that's going to be terrifying and murder you in your sleep, so don't worry if that's not your jam. Just a ghost with a backstory. This fic 28K is SO much fun, filled with impeccable banter that feels like Taika and Rhys just got set loose and were allowed to do whatever they wanted. A bit of a mystery, a bit of cozy domesticity, a lot of fun. Highly recommend.

Flotsam and Jetsam by @/anathxmadevice Looking for a quick read? This one's a little over 5K and is so absurdly lovely. Don't be fooled by the short word count; there are some Big Feels in this fic. Stede's a beachcomber, and Ed runs a pub, and naturally Ed is immediately charmed by Stede's excitement at finding some funky shells. I don't want to give away the ending, but suffice to say it basically left me the human embodiment of this emoji: 🥹. Just a beautiful little bite-sized fic. And there's also a podfic!

Pete & Prejudice by @shieldmaidenofmithrilhall Okay, here's something a little different! All of the above are Ed x Stede, but here's an absolutely charming 14K story about Lucius and Pete! (Although there are some truly adorable Ed x Stede moments in it as well.) Pete and Lucius are dating and everything is amazing, except once a year Pete disappears for "a thing," and now Lucius is determined to find out what it is. I can't say much more without spoiling it, but I will say I started smiling in the very first paragraph and by the time I was done my grin had basically reached my eyebrows. Absolutely perfect characterization, so sweet, so romantic, and some moments that literally made me laugh out loud. Be prepared to fall even more deeply in love with Pete.

[amelikos]

Initial thoughts on the title for HZ074.

Link here. I need to write my thoughts as usual. No summary or staff list for the episode, those will probably be released in the Animage magazine at the end of this week.

Given that this is the title for the episode just after the Basagiri episode, that means Basagiri will join the group as planned and that HZ074 probably has the mysterious woman at the Crystal Pool.

So, the three Explorers are probably referring to Lucius, Gibeon and the mystery woman. Which means Gibeon taking on the Explorers name may be an homage to his friends (something I wrote about before, I think) and that he is keeping the name out of nostalgia/sentimality and to keep their name going on.. which is endearing (to me), and also cute..

Anyway, I hope that this is a proper flashback episode and that we'll get a lot of information. I also remember seeing merch for shiny Zygarde being released in December and while merch lines don't necessarily have something to do with the anime, shiny Zygarde feels too specific to me to be about anyone else other than Gibeon, so maybe we'll see Gibeon in action around the end of the year or early January.. Which reminds me that the last episode that aired in 2023 was HZ034 (which also had Gibeon, Amethio, etc).

Either way. Explorers lore coming soon. I will keep going on and on about Gibeon keeping the Explorers name in present day, because that feels like such a loving gesture. I can't wait to learn about his real motives (which I hope are nuanced and human, and not boring like certain antagonistic teams).

I will also keep going on about Lucius and Gibeon going through a divorce.. I don't think any pair of characters embody "divorced characters" as much as them tbh. Are they divorced if it doesn't involve a long custody battle lasting decades over a magical turtle—

I feel like Gibeon really loved Lucius, and Lucius broke his heart somehow and he is still chasing Lucius to this day. Love in the wider sense of the word. It really feels like Gibeon still wishes he were still traveling with his friends, especially Lucius.. He really feels focused on the past, too much, even. To the point he can't properly see his family in present day. I hope all parties involved get proper closure eventually.

Maybe my current thoughts about the past Explorers are off the mark, but I like the kind of thoughts and theories one can only have while a show is still airing.. it's part of the ongoing mystery and the process which makes us feel fully invested in the narrative instead of being passive watchers. I'm looking forward to this episode!

[deberiaestarescribiendo]

I have a theory for Gladiator 2. I’ve watched the trailer a few times now and thinking about Paul’s character, Lucius, saying “this is how Rome treats its heroes”

I think Lucius hates anything that represents Rome and the general is the embodiment of it and maybe he has also a person vendetta against him (from the trailer it looks he has a love interest that dies, maybe the general kills her) and although we see some signs of regret and shame on Marcus, Lucius is full of anger and that’s why he asks for him as the representation of everything he hates to fight in the colosseum . I think they’re forced to fight each other’s and then Paul’s character somehow realizes that Marcus was not guilty of all that but rather another victim of this power system, but I think it’s too late and he has killed him or will be forced to kill him and that’s when he says that line on the trailer.

I really don’t think Pedro is making it out alive on this, guys. But I really hope that he does have a “light “ death scene I can’t take gruesome ones any more.

And another thing I don’t get why he says he doesn’t have a mother of doesn’t know where he was born, because Lucius was a kid, yes, but old enough to remember and even he says that he remembers what Maximus did 🤔

[daffodlis]

      she looked a fright, as if some dread embodied banshee pacing the halls of st. mungo's in wait of word of val's wellbeing. previously pristine white chiffon is now stained a deep, vivid crimson but narcissa can't bear to think of it as being valeria's blood for fear of breaking down entirely. this simply didn't happen to people like them... it shouldn't have happened to them and yet, here they all somberly stood. the night had gone terribly wrong and cissa can't help but wonder if it had begun the very moment she interrupted valeria's conversation with lucius. had she not been so damn prideful as to assume her friend was making a fool of her in front of the man her heart was set on, would the events that followed have unfolded any differently? if that were the case, the blonde highly doubts they would have had to suffer through his cousin's great tirade. one may have hoped naively that as their close friend lay dying in the streets that they might be spared such a flagrant embarrassment. she cringes at the thought, he had to know now. to hell with subtlety, for there was no conceivable way that he could remain oblivious to her advances after outbursts from the both in such swift succession. beginning to curse the stars above for the damning situation that awaited her, narcissa pushes through the hospital's doors in search of fresh air and a moment's respite to think things over in but finds something, or rather, someone standing in its place. lucius has his back to the wall, a cigarette between his teeth, looking just as troubled as she did — likely the result of andressa's own injuries. her breath immediately hitches in her throat, quite unsure if she's as prepared for the interaction laid out before her as she wishes she were but as any daughter of noble and most ancient house black might, cissa flashes a brave face, wandering over to him with wavering confidence and a coy smile. ❛   could you spare one of those for a dear friend? ❜ she asks ingenuously.

      closed starter for lucius malfoy / @thepeacock-prince

[adickaboutspoons]

With respect, I disagree that the answer to proposition 2 is unambiguously yes. What's missing from your analysis is that our co-tagonists & deuteroagonist are ALL narrative parallels for one another, & all on v. similar arcs in S1. Ed, Stede, & Jim are all trying to escape from a past they no longer want to be part of & unbearable expectations toward a life where they can be accepted & loved as their authentic selves. Each has a source of friction from their old lives that embodies the restrictive values they're trying to distance themselves from, & which ultimately shames them into returning to their old lives. For Ed, this is Izzy; for Jim, this is Nana; for Stede, the Badmintons. Jim & Stede, after being drawn back into their old lives, receive council from a feminine figure with more emotional maturity than they (Jackie & Mary, respectively), & in so doing come to the conclusion the old life doesn't want them any more than they want it, make peace with laying the old life to rest, & joyously return to their authentic lives. Ed doesn't have that - or, rather, he's got Lucius, but the order of operations is wrong - Lucius gave Ed council BEFORE Izzy comes in with the steel chair to shame & threaten him back into his old life, & in this narrative, it's the last influence that bears the most weight. So before Lucius has a chance to give him additional council, Ed banishes the Voice of Reason from his life when he pushes Lucius overboard, & he is therefore stuck in the Old Life that he reviles. I hope that we can all agree that the Badmintons, while they embody the same colonialist & repressive, upper-class expectations for the correct performance of masculinity as Stede's father are NOT meant to be seen as a father-figure for Stede? And, that, when you add this into the whole tangle of influences/motivators being enacted on our heroes, that just because SOME of those influences are parental figures does not mean that parental status can therefore be conferred on ALL? With regard to the intentionality of the writers including signifiers that were meant to clue us in to Izzy position as a narrative parallel for Ed's father, I again have to disagree. DJenks said in multiple interviews that Izzy being a father-figure to Ed is not only something that didn't occur to them until they were breaking the last episode of the S2, but that the father-figure relationship is something that exists only AFTER Ed shoots Izzy. "He went from a troubled & downtrodden employee to a jilted lover to a discarded employee, to someone that is just trying to find his footing again—no pun intended—to actually becoming this guy’s parental figure on some level." "on the other side of the ego deaths, weirdly, Izzy is a father figure to Ed... The character is kind of a jilted lover who then becomes a maimed & discarded employee & emerges from that into being a father figure" "There is a nice parallel to have Ed treat him so badly at the beginning of the season & then come all the way around to where Izzy is this sort of father figure" Which is not to say this isn't something the writers weren't SUBCONSCIOUSLY including, the same way they didn't PURPOSEFULLY write Izzy to be a racist, but there are so many repeated instances of him displaying racist behavior, I wouldn't be surprised if "is racist" is one of those qualities that the writers subconsciously ascribes to the prototypical "bad boss" archetype. Ultimately, I'm not trying to talk anyone out of embracing Father Figure Izzy if they see evidence for it & found it meaningful. I'm just trying to explain why people like me do NOT accept it as a given, & why it has been alienating to be lumped in with blackhands shippers & izzy apologists, or told we are reading against the text, don't understand how narratives work, or are too dense to see the subtle hints that were clearly there all along.

i guess this is just another way of saying something i've tried to get at before, but when people say they don't think the father figure angle on izzy was set up in s1, i think they are actually conflating two different questions:

did s1 of ofmd portray ed as viewing or treating izzy as a father figure, even subconsciously?

did s1 of ofmd portray izzy's role in ed's life as a narrative parallel for ed's father?

i do think the answer to #1 is quite likely no, at least in terms of authorial intent. you CAN make a case for yes, but at best it would be extremely speculative. honestly the writing in s1 mostly strikes me as just not really very concerned about the question of how exactly ed sees izzy or why ed puts up with izzy's behavior. ed lets izzy get away with all that shit in s1 mostly for the same reason jim's able to teleport back onto the revenge in 1x10: because if he didn't the plot couldn't happen. his motivations for it i'm sure were discussed at some point in the writers' room but at the end of the day they don't really matter to the story s1 was trying to tell so they're left kind of handwavey. watching the ed-izzy scenes in s1 through the lens of izzy reminding ed of his father doesn't feel like actively reading against the text, but it does feel like you're just kind of making up a plausible answer to a question that doesn't actually have a canonical answer.

(david jenkins has said a lot of izzy's arc in s2 is about answering the question "who is he to blackbeard" and i think it's not just izzy himself figuring that out, it's the audience finding out for the first time over the course of the season as well, because s1 didn't tell us.)

the answer to #2 however is absolutely unambiguously yes. multiple people called this long before s2 dropped. i can think of at least six different specific people right here on tumblr who called out parallels between izzy and ed's dad explicitly during the hiatus after s1. a whole bunch more called out that the jim-nana relationship was very clearly paralleling ed-izzy, and obviously nana is not jim's literal parent but is nonetheless a parental figure in their life. these parallels are all very obviously intentional; jim's storyline, for instance, clearly had to be deliberately conceived from the ground up to parallel ed's (as well as stede's). the intentionality is especially clear when you look at the visuals - there are a bunch of visual callbacks to the flashbacks to ed's childhood in both the namby-pamby scene and izzy's duel against stede, and those callbacks are much too specific to be accidental, and they all very consistently place izzy in the role of ed's dad. there's a reason the line "i'm the kraken" appears exactly twice, once right after we see ed strangle his dad in front of a lighthouse and once right after we see ed choke izzy in front of a lighthouse. we also know ed's dad had a cut line "you're making my son soft," which, i don't know how you'd deny it if that was left in there. and yeah the line was cut (albeit based on what we know probably just for pacing) but somebody had to write it in the first place! they obviously knew what they were doing there.

djenks had this interview after s2 where he said something that surprised him as they storybroke the season was the idea of izzy as a father figure to blackbeard, and i believe him about that being a surprise, but i think fandom is doing something fans do a lot with creator interviews and interpreting that statement in a much more rigidly absolute and literal way than he seemed to mean it. i think what he's talking about there is question #1 - the idea of ed being aware on any level at all (even if only a subconscious one!) of izzy acting like his dad, of that being the motivation for ed relating to izzy the way he does, of izzy being one of a long line of angry white men ed has spent his adult life seeking out because of his daddy issues - that was a new idea that wasn't present in s1, that was probably a surprise. but that doesn't mean question #2 - the idea of izzy being positioned in the narrative as a parallel for ed's dad - was a new idea, it obviously wasn't. and in fact that already having been present in s1 is what led to the new idea of ed seeing izzy that way in s2. you're breaking the season trying to figure out what are the most important things to focus on for izzy's redemption and the role he plays in ed's arc, you realize izzy's role as a narrative echo of ed's dad is going to have to become much more centrally important than it was in s1, so you have to find ways to bring out that theme and emphasize it. and one of the ways to do that is to introduce this running motif throughout the season of ed seeking out angry white patriarchs who treat him a lot like izzy does and make it clearly an expression of his daddy issues. because that way when ed breaks down at izzy's apology and death it's a lot more clear to the viewer not just how he feels about izzy but exactly what deeper issue is being resolved for him in that moment.

[infoglitch]

Nexus: ogre slayer [1/3]

(are you getting sick of me yet cuz I hope. otherwise I will continue to gas light you all into hating me. Because it is disappointing that I already have eight followers when I probably should have none.

I'm not pushing this am I? If I i am one of you just say so anyway enjoy the rest of this crap fest)

[Season 1] "abyssal"

Long, Long ago before I was even born. My father, Lucifer battled against his very creator, and lost.

He and my mother Lilith were sent into the abyss known as hell, along with every other entity that followed behind my father's vision of freedom through uncontrolled chaos.

After all of them fell each of them became one of the seven deadly sins which would be passed down to their children.

Asmodeus empress of lust.

Leviathan, cruel temptress of envy.

My uncle Mammon overlord of greed and avarice.

Helios, the hateful sun, the embodiment of wrath itself.

Beelzebub, the soul consumed by gluttony.

My mother became the embodiment of sloth.

And finally me and my father the embodiments of pride.

A title I despised.

I am lucius Blackwell, Prince of hell. heir to a throne my father so arrogantly keeps. Now I await my father's death so I may undo his wrongs and not only get rid of hell but restore humanity to the blessed form they had long ago.

The time of Eden.

I seek that.

We see Lucius standing in a hallway with his mother. As the new sin of pride he must come to these councils every new moon.

"Are you certain about this mother I mean what will the council think" lucius asked as his mother fixed his crown and cloak.

"It doesn't matter what the council thinks what matters is that there is a new pride someone who can make a difference." Lilith said.

"I know but with blossoms coronation coming up maybe the others will grow suspicious of our plan even father might-" lucius spoke before Lilith hushed him.

"Once your sister takes my place then there will be the greatest of changes." Lilith said.

The two entered the council room and saw the other sins waiting Mammon seem like he's about to blow his top.

"Oh hello lucius!" Beelzebub said smiling happy to see someone different. Then mammon gib slapped him "hush beezle." Mammon spoke.

"Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Levi, Helios, and Mammon, lucius coronation has been completed and now he has joined the sins as pride" Lilith spoke. "Lilith, shut the fuck up." Mammon said.

Mammon, my uncle wore a suit with golden cuffs as his dyed white hair was combed back. He seemed frustrated about... Something.

Lilith sighed "regardless there is still an issue, judgement day is getting close, to close." She continued.

"This is why we should have already began the horsemen, while those ogre beast didn't exist" Mammon spoke with annoyance.

"SoOOooo what? It's not like they can with stand a demon!" Asmodeus said taking her cigarette out her mouth as she put her.... assets on the table.

Asmodeus could best be described having the appearance of a whore, her assets out in the open with her bra showing under her loose pink clothing.

"We all know you just want to have everyone indulge themselves with drugs and fuck Asmodeus." Levi said as she couldn't resist staring at Asmodeus massive, Melons.

Leviathan or just Levi was petite, she was one of the taller sins but she lacked the "traits" Asmodeus had.

"So? What's wrong with that? Life is a gift! Let's enjoy it~" Asmodeus flirted with her fellow sin.

Lucius just sat in his chair and listened. "Sister calm yourself" Beelzebub said puting a hand on Levi's shoulder.

Levi just scoffed at Asmodeus as she slumped into her own chair.

Asmodeus then turned to Beelzebub, "hey hot stuff wanna ditch and get some good stuff?~" she spoke, "weren't you the one who implanted your own childs soul into a humans body?" Beelzebub retorted.

"Ah she's just fine in fact she moved to that big fancy city with her cousin" she said. "What does that have anything to do with this situation?!" Helios shouted as flames erupted from his eyes.

After the meeting Lucius was in his family's library. "Where is it, where is it, where is it?!" Lucius said in annoyance as he scavenged through books. "Where is what?" The voice of his sister rang out, he turned to see his younger sister blossom smiling up at him.

"Oh nothing just looking for a book." Lucius said clearly lying. "Your wanting to leave hell aren't you" blossom said. Lucius just stood there. "Yeah....." He admitted.

"Why tho?" Blossom asked, "think about it if I'm able to go up to the human world then I can make a bigger difference than when I'm in here." Lucius answered.

"Dads gonna be mad" blossom retorted. "Dads to busy when it comes to moms neediness." Lucius responded.

"Well what about your 'plan'?" blossom said

Lucius face palmed remembering that he has to be here. Otherwise this whole thing will be for nothing.

Lucius sat down contemplating what to do. "Couldn't I just go out through the gate and come back?" Lucius asked.

"The gate is guarded by hades. Moron" Blossom answered. Lucius sighed. "I take it there's no books that can open a portal" Lucius said blossom noded as lucius groaned.

"Well.... Beelzebub does have something like that in his library." Blossom answered

Lucius looked at his sister confused. "What do you mean?" Lucius asked his sister.

"Beelzebub and Levi have their own library full of knowledge of transportation and portal's" blossom answered.

Lucius just stared. Then stood up. "Where is it" he asked, his sister got up and stretched out her hand.

"I'll only take you there if you take me with you and we come back" blossom said. Lucius sighed and noded.

Then blossom grabbed his hand and started to run, lucius obviously right behind her. They headed to the front of the house before seeing their two headed giant hell cat.

"Hey mittens!" Lucius said smiling. The cats heads looked at him before leaning down and brush its head up against him and blossom while purring.

"We love you too mittens but we gotta go see Beelzebub." Blossom said while scratching the top of one of its heads while Lucius scratched the others chin.

The cat meowed as it kept nuzzling against them. Blossom groan and decided to keep petting the hell cat.

"We'll find another way." Lucius said as he scratching the cat's chin. Blossom noded.

6:68 H.m (hell morning) beezlebubs library.

We see Beelzebub reading a book as he heard his younger sister sighing. He looked up to see her floating while looking at a picture of Helios.

"Sister why are you still swooning over that brute?" Beelzebub asked as Levi looked at her brother. "But Beelzebub have you seen him shirtless he's SoOOooo hot!" Levi spoke as she shook vigorously.

"If I didn't know any better I would have thought you were lust instead of envy considering how perverted you get when you think of him" Beelzebub retorted. Levi floated over to her brother and booped him on his nose. "So I figure you're still searching for eight" Levi asked looking at the book her brother was reading.

"He's one of us Levi" Beelzebub said as he flipped to the next page. "he left us for leading a bizarre carnival" Levi said as she crossed her arms.

Then the Grand door of the building opened and we see Lucius and blossom standing in the open door frame.

"Oh hello lucius and blossom!" Beelzebub said with a smile. Lucius waved as blossom walked up to Beelzebub.

"Hey Beelzebub do you know any books that allow us to go to the human world and back?" Blossom asked. Beelzebub just stared dumbfounded.

"Well yes but why would you need it?" Beelzebub ask still dumbfounded. "Well lulu over here wants to go to the human world" blossom said bluntly.

Beelzebub and Levi looked at lucius both equally surprised. "But why? Your father would kill you!" Beelzebub said.

"That doesn't matter I just need the spell" lucius said as Beelzebub just looked at him then nodded.

"Levi head to my segment of the library and find a book with no title and with a black cover" Beelzebub said as Levi nodded and transformed into a winged grey snake.

After Abit Levi came back with a book matching Beelzebub description and Levi handed it to Lucius aswell as handing a knife.

"Your going to have to do something not so fun" Levi said as lucius nodded

"Now get going please. And Lucius. God speed" Beelzebub said

Lucius and blossom rushed out of the library and headed. They wouldn't have long but they needed to do the spell soon.

They arrived at the gates of their fathers castle lucius groaned and kicked it open and ran in to the castle. They headed to their family library after passing by their parents room. Their father wasn't there which meant their time to go is shrinking rapidly.

20

They set the book down and Lucius started to quickly read. "to begin this spell take the sacrificial knife and make a circle and a cross in the selected persons back" lucius read aloud as he then looked at his sister who looked back at him and grabbed the knife and got behind lucius and lifted his shirt up

17

Blossom blunged the knife into her brothers back as he grunted and groaned in pain. Blossom started carving the image.

14

"Alright....is it carved?" Lucius asked in pain, blossom noded and Lucius started to read. "Next cover the wound in salt and chant this next phrase. Spirit un devil, devil blood cursed, begin god speed. 3 times" lucius read as blossom searched for salt.

"There's some salt in the kitchen I'll go get it" blossom said as lucius nodded and blossom bolted to the kitchen

11

Blossom arrived in the kitchen but saw her father. His face seemed more angered than usual. Whatever happened he was not happy. Oh shit hes coming her way. Blossom hid behind the bathroom wall and heard his foot step storm pass. She exited the bathroom and grabbed the salt and ran to the library making sure to remain undetected.

8

She arrived in library and saw lucius bent over groaning in pain she went behind him and placed salt over the carving and begin the chant.

6

They could hear foot steps storming their way blossom looked up to see their father and he looked double pissed.

4

After chanting the phrase the wound started rapidly healing and glowed a bright purple.

2

"Guards arrest these traitors for attempting a ritual!" They heard their father as guards started to storm the place.

1

Then a pair of arms grabbed blossom and lifted her up. They had failed. The guards had caught.

Another guard grabbed lucius. "DONT YOU DARE TOUCH MY BIG BRO YOU DUMB OAF!" Blossom shouted while struggling to get out of her guards grasp.

The other guard lifted lucius up and their father stride over grabbed lucius chin and forced lucius to look at him.

"I knew you were a no good brat" their father said in stern voice. He then looked at blossom and the guard. "Send her to her room, I'm executing this ungrateful child" he continued saying. The guard nodded and started to drag a pale face blossom to her room.

Then there was a purple spark.

ZERO.

Lucius was enveloped in a bright purple lighting. "Keep your hands OFF MY SISTER!" lucius shouted as he turned into a purple bolt of lightning and shot from the other guards hands with a giant gaping hole in the guards torso. The bolt shot towards blossom guard and Lucius then appeared his skin no longer a stone grey but instead resembled a humans skin. His blue eyes turned to black and his once black horns turned white. The electricity formed in his fist and he slugged the guard. Freeing blossom and killing the guard. Lucius picked up his sister bridal style and looked at his father, his hair flowing with electricity.

"I'll return father, and when I do. Your a dead man." Lucius said before he and blossom turned into purple and orange electricity and bolted upwards as a rift opened above them.

"God speed"

[frznkingdom]

[I gotta stop procrastinating and continue those little Volume 9 drabbles in that other realm, but I got Lucius on the brain so-]

Lucius does wish to go to Remnant to see it for himself, and try to use his powers to help the people there. Unfortunately, he's confined to the realm he calls home.

[lord-of-the-ducks]

I wanna make a post talking about Jim because oh my fucking god I would actually die for them.

I’m gonna be honest, I was actually skeptical about OFMD at first because I assumed that Jim was just the stereotypical “woman crossdressing as a man” stereotype that seems to appear in every piece of pirate-related media I watch. Like “ah yes, this is a 100% cis woman disguised as a man purely for practical purposes, this says absolutely nothing about her gender identity” and that isn’t bad or anything, I’m not saying that anyone who cross dresses is automatically trans, just that I’ve seen this trope only through the most cis/heteronormative lens possible and it’s really exhausting after the hundredth time you’ve seen it, especially when there’s the weird “I’m a girlboss who’s just as good as the men” kind of messaging.

Seriously, I was so put off by the idea that I actually had to turn off my television when I saw Lucius see Jim swimming because I was ready for him to say things that were just going to upset me. I eventually did continue watching, but I really had to convince myself to give the show a chance. Lucius immediately being on board with keeping their secret and making the “not all beards are actual beards” comment gave me a bit of hope that I was going to be watching a show that had at least SOME canonically queer characters, but then the show implied that Oluwande was attracted to Jim and my immediate assumption was that once again, I was going to be dealing with some sort of weird Shakespearean “she’s disguised as a man but he’s attracted to her because she’s still female” thing. But thank fuck I kept watching.

The first indication that maybe I was watching a show that was going to actually address how this is an inherently queer trope was after Jim kissed Lucius and Lucius expressed attraction towards them. Because it’s already been established that Lucius doesn’t like women, since he said something about his mom thinking that he likes girls in episode 2, but he’s attracted to Jim, meaning that Jim isn’t necessarily a girl, or at least that Lucius doesn’t see them as one. And then I got to episode 4 and OH MY GOD THEY WENT ALL IN.

It’s a shame that Jim had to be outed, but I’m so happy with how the crew’s questions were written because it truly embodied the classic things that cis people ask any person they find out is trans. They aren’t word for word, but it’s the general attitude of “well meaning but incredibly strange/invasive/outright wrong” questions and comments that made me laugh so hard I had to gasp for air. They even had the “well, it’s basic science/biology that women have crystals in their bodies that attract demons”. Then Jim finally gets fed up and just tells them to continue calling them Jim and that they’re still the same person. Definitely not written with the trans experience in mind, nope.

Anyway, this is just so refreshing to me because not only is Jim actually played by a nonbinary actor (which I immediately looked up after episode 4) but they also aren’t exclusively defined by their gender identity or the suffering it’s caused. Like, they have a whole arc about killing one of Jackie’s husbands who killed their family and being wanted for that murder. They also might have a romantic plot with Oluwande, and both Jackie and Lucius expressed attraction towards them, showing that they can be someone desirable (granted, Jackie was probably just doing it to mess with them, but still). And when they do address the ramifications of being nonbinary in a time period where that isn’t understood, it isn’t in a way that makes me, a nonbinary person living in an unsafe situation, feel miserable and upset about how people like me are treated, I just get a chance to laugh at it. I’ll probably never have people asking if I’m a mermaid, but I do recognize the ignorance that those sort of questions come from, and the show makes fun of that ignorance, not Jim (Edit: I forgot to mention that Jim is actually allowed to get angry about the repetitive, ridiculous questions instead of just grinning and bearing it, and they aren’t framed as in the wrong for doing so) And then once all of that is out of the way, Jim just gets to… exist. As their authentic self. Talking about cutting people up for their fuckery. It’s lovely, I love them.

Anyway, sorry about the long post, I’m just so glad that a character that I previously assumed was going to be a looming reminder of how trans people are erased from a lot of narratives, including ones that can show a lot of diversity, ended up being some of the best representation I’ve ever seen. I pretty much immediately started following Vico Ortiz on social media and they’re also a delight, so check them out if you have the chance.

[notebooks-and-laptops]

Hello! I want to talk about Izzy Hands for a moment and how he deconstructs the modern media ploy of 'morally-dubious-queer-man-in-love-with-the-bad-guy' by embodying that trope to its logical conclusions so it no longer becomes 'oh isnt it SO CUTE that Disney made La Fou gay for Gaston haha so great such good wholesome rep' and instead becomes 'this-kind-of-love-could-easily-become-toxic-and-having-the-antogonist-be-queer-isnt-the-'great'-rep-we-pretend-it-is-when-theyre-the-only-queer-in-the-universe'.

(side note: this is not me shitting on them queer coding Izzy this is me saying how GREAT it is that he got that treatment and linking it to wider media movements in places like Harry Potter (yuck), Disney etc. where 'queer rep' is tokenised to the point of it often having undercurrents of homophobia. This is also not me saying bad guys can't be queer because they are sexy when they are but it's me saying that often media made by cishets with biases will push the concept of queers being 'bad' by casting them in these roles without nuance or tact and expect actual queer people to applaud them for it).

Because Izzy...is in love with Blackbeard in his own way. And he DOES fit the role exactly of right-hand-man-in-love-with-evil-man. But Izzy is also a chatacter who is only allowed to be queer coded when all the other chatacters can be vocal about their queerness. Izzy is often put at odds with the stories of those characters too. In a show where the message largely seems to be about self actualisation via meaningful bonds Izzy just...cannot fit in with that. He is the antagonist to the self actualisation of multiple sets of characters (Lucius, Ed, Stede) and the reason things start going wrong for Stede and Ed. And so we have Izzy the queer coded right hand man who is put at odds with these actual queer people and cannot narratively traverse these waters without coming at odds with them. His character becomes not a beacon for queer joy but a stiffling of that joy aboard the ship. Unlike when Disney wanted us to fawn over La Fou, or when JKR wanted us to he happy with double and Grindlewald...it shows that this kind of queer rep can actually be harmful to other queer people.

And THEN we have his relationship with Ed and how he cannot let go of 'Blackbeard' - but also how Ed treats Izzy as sort of a 'hey sort this for me' and just sort of...takes him for granted in his own way? And how rather than that being played off as a 'great unspoken love' it is rightly shown to be a very toxic relationship compared to Eds relationship with Stede. Or how the way Izzy is possessive of Ed is contrasted against 'we don't own each other' Lucius and Pete who have the most stable and openly loving relationship on the whole show. Like ahdkdkd I'm probably not explaining this correctly but what I mean is that the box Izzy is forced into where he cannot properly express his queerness and his love for Ed isn't glorified but treated with nuance and like...more like how it would play out realistically?

And I just think it's so interesting when contrasted with these other shows that have supposedly had 'great rep' by modern standards. And sort of exploring through Izzy how those characters would actually be deeply troubled and complex and self-destructive rather than them being tokenised into something 'good' and 'progressive'. I hope I'm making sense.

Anyway, i love this show and I love how it treats queerness and how we get 3 canon queer couples who all have on screen kisses and how it puts the finger up at what we've been told to expect on screen in terms of queerness and instead is just loudly and proudly queer.

[gotta-get-back-to-hatchetfield]

Senior Year things to appreciate apart from Gilderoy (who I think we've been doing plenty of well deserved appreciating this week):

Brian Holden as Hagrid - so fucking funny, I remember squealing my absolute head off the first time I saw this bit. I completely understand why Darren is just creasing throughout the whole scene.

The way that learning about Voldemorts backstory isn't necessary to appreciate his plot in AVPM but when you know it it adds so many more layers. Starkid literally said Voldemort is like that because of homophobic parents and we were like fuck me up fam.

This has already been discussed at length but obviously the last scene. "I hope you find that swimming pool". Albus Scarfy Potter. Quirrelmort. Wang Mu. Okay is wonderful. All of it.

Tyler as McGonnagall - seriously what can't that man play?? He embodies her.

YOU GOTTA GO HOME, YOU GOTTA GO HOME - you know what I'm on about

Jeff Blim's vocals in Get in My Mouth. Also would recommend looking up Nick Strauss' cover from a Leaky Con in I think 2013. It's on YouTube and it's fucking incredible.

I Was and Tonight This School is Mine are both complete bangers and the fact that they're still audiably bangers even with the microphone issues says a lot. The fucking poetry in I was, and the fucking sass in ttsim

The many layers of Always Dance. The beautiful bit at the start with Dylan, then the fucking dance off between Voldemort and Lucius which is everything and finally the evil last verse when he's waltzing with Ginny

Sidekick.

Joey Richter's actual real ass human tears that he manages to squeeze out

Everything Ends continual ability to make me bawl like a baby. Goddam you Brosenthal why is your voice so good.

"I think we FOUND each other". It should be illegal for a line so funny to come in the middle of a scene so emotional. I distinctly remember when I watched it as a teenager having to pause to howl with laughter (tigerfucker and Santa Claus is going to high school are the only other scenes I remember having to do that for on first watch). Lilly divorcng James in heaven and remarrying Cedric is just an inspired concept

Evana Lynch smoking a fag - it was really cool that they became big enough to get an actual Harry potter actor in the show but just watching her smoking while washing blood off her hands made it so worth

The fact that AJs commitment to being in both the band and the cast means there are so many moments where the camera pans across and it's just oh look there's Gilderoy Lockhart just casually playing keyboard with Clark

The death day party scene - Ron and Lavenders date, Harry and Cho's date and then Seamus and Dean's double date with Ginny all 3 of them fucking hysterical. Also the bit with the ice sculpture and the roller skates

Brant Cox - he has like 5 lines in this play but they're the funniest 5 lines

All of the boo boos - most specifically 'fuck the tie' and 'a floating diary? Ah shit'

"sssssnake ssssnake I'm a snake where are my arms gone, only kidding I'm a ssssnake"

"sparkles, sparkles, I'm gay!" ~ Lord Voldemort

"I drew a majestic owl" - watching the SK10 livestreams and apparantly this comes from when they were doing a 24 hour story writing thing (a Hackathon for humanities students??) and Jim got bored really early on so spent most of the time drawing a realistic owl

And finally that it actually happened in the first place because I remember how initially it was going to be right after the sequel but then everything got thrown into disarray, and it kept getting pushed back. But thanks to us being absolute impatient assholes who commented 'give us threequel' every time they so much as breathed on social media we got it and it was wonderful!

[amaryllis45]

| A Piece Of Pandora |

Word Count - 1356

Summary - Lucius is haunted by the memory of his sister…

————————————————————————————

Lucius Malfoy sat in the great hall alone tuning out the noise. The low hum of chatter and the movement of those around him became a blur as his thoughts consumed him. He clutched the handle of his cane so tightly his knuckles began to turn an even paler shade of white. This was a habit of his whenever he was angry or stressed, slightly anxious although these foreign feelings had been a regular occurrence for him recently.

Never in his life had he had to feel this way but finding someone to blame for his discomfort was an easy task. He often found himself thinking back and wondering how he had landed himself in this mess. It was stubbornness, plain arrogance, traits he had once prided himself for having, traits his own father told him all strong men should have. He exhaled a heavy, uneven sigh as he realised how he had imparted this message onto Draco also.

How disappointed his poor mother would have been, to think her son turned out the way he had. Grief overtook him whenever someone mentioned his mother, she had passed when he was young, he barley remembered her but he could still picture her smiling face and her bright blue eyes. A thought that plagued him often as a child was wondering how someone as kind and loving as his mother could ever end up with his father.

Nevertheless the same could be said for himself, how Narcissa found the strength to stay by his side he would never know. He had turned out exactly like his father and his mother's legacy carried on through his sister...

Pandora resembled her perfectly, she embodied their mother in every way which made Lucius all the more ashamed. It made him shiver with guilt that he had ever once blamed her for tearing their family apart. But that was his problem, he always had to find someone to blame.

He lifted his head slightly and saw his wife engaged in an awkward conversation with her estranged sister. He had never liked Andromeda or the hold she seemed have over Narcissa.

In their youth, Narcissa had idolised her and would consequently do anything for her. Lucius was forever thankful that the relationship hadn't damaged Narcissa's beliefs or made her want to run away with her. He knew that living as a Black was a curse and that his wife's childhood home was a prison she could never hope to escape. Because of this he strived to make her eternally happy in Malfoy Manor.

Narcissa's political views had never wavered, she firmly believed that pure bloods were superior. However she didn't agree with death eater's methods or the fact that muggle borns had to removed from their world. She was content knowing that non or tainted magical blood would be below her.

Upon her seeing his dark mark he knew he had disappointed her. That was something he never wanted to do and he wanted to spend every day of their married life making it up to her. He vividly remembered seeing her eyes glaze over with fear, her smile falter and her breath quicken in a panic. She confided in him that night, about how she noticed changes in Bellatrix since she joined him. Lucius was immediately relived that her fears were not of him, but of what she was afraid he might become.

Her horrified expression lived in his mind constantly any time she was upset with him about even the smallest things. It was safe to say that Narcissa was the only person he ever would beg forgiveness from.

Lucius couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Andromeda reaching for Narcissa's embrace and he was even more shocked when she returned it. He wasn't a fool, he saw the longing she still held for Andromeda whenever they were to lock eyes in Diagon Alley or any other place. The feelings however were skillfully masked by a face of indifference she wore every day and he knew it tired her. He watched closely for a few moments before his grey orbs traveled further around the hall.

Hogwarts. How he loathed the place, he never wanted Draco to attend because of the fact he didn't want any reason to return. Pandora loved the school that he always hated, they were polar opposites growing up but he truly loved her even if he didn't show it as well as he should have. Everywhere he looked she was there staring at him with her forgiving smile, he knew that he would be forgiven if she was still breathing that was her beauty, her kindness. She never had a chance as a Malfoy and he was glad she found her happiness but he was furious it hadn't lasted as along as it should have.

Her disownment was one of the lowest points of his life, he could never have contact with her again and if he did he would never be able to marry Narcissa. Thus making one of the hardest decisions of his life, his past and childhood or his love and future.

He only had pictures of Pandora left, his father had destroyed her old room, her possessions and any paintings of her as he tried to live as if she never existed. This was exactly what he did when his mother died and it was how Abraxas Malfoy dealt with grief. He never wanted to abandon his daughter but the pillars of society were crushing him and it was his only option, he could no longer conveniently ignore her not so secret love affair.

Xenophillius Lovegood was the man his sister had chosen and he tensed up in disgust whenever he thought of that hippie but there must of been something about him if Pandora had loved him.

Lucius watched Draco talking with Andromeda and he rolled his eyes as he saw his wife motioning for him to approach. He knew if was only a matter of time before he had to talk to the woman who he shamelessly picked on during third year but a distraction came at the perfect time.

''Mr Malfoy?'' He heard making him turn his head to see a young woman with a wistful, dreamy expression.

''May I help you?'' He asked dryly, his first reaction was to be aggressive and impatient but he didn't have the energy.

''My names Luna and I was looking around my home when I found pictures of my mother...'' She trailed of as she dug around in her bag.

''How does any of this concern me Miss…?”

''Lovegood'' She answered with a forgiving smile he hadn’t witnessed in years. Her soft features focused on his state and he knew before the photographic proof had been placed in front him.

''How did you know my mother?'' She asked delicately as he analyzed the photos with tears threatening to fall.

''She... Pandora… My.. she was my little sister'' He murmured but Luna heard and her smile only grew wider.

''So your the brother she always told me about'' She breathed with excitement radiating from her.

''She talked about me?'' He asked, uncertainty present in his tone.

''Yes, she said she admired you and that deep down you were a good person, that you just had to realise it yourself'' Luna whispered as she had a feeling Lucius Malfoy still had an image to keep up and her words didn't help it in any way.

''But I should be going anyway'' Luna said as Lucius lacked response.

''No, don't go, I'm sorry I don't know much about being an uncle'' He said and she took her seat once again.

“I won't go your the only family I have now anyway'' She admitted and he stared at her in confusion.

''Your father?'' He asked.

''He's gone'' She said quietly tears brimming in her eyes. He let his cane fall to the floor as he pulled the young girl into his arms covering his face as he stroked her hair.

Lucius felt that the only thing he could do now to hide his own tears was to comfort the girl. Luna could never assuage his guilt but she could be the piece of Pandora that made him feel slightly better. Most of all he owed it to Pandora to care of her daughter.

[intristitia]

     ‘   I did, ‘ He states rather bluntly, in response to being called a liar. ‘ and I would do so again. ’ 

    He finds it tedious, reliving this conversation again and again. He’s certain that at this point, they’d never come to an agreement or any sort of acknowledgement and understanding of that particular set of events. Not that he’d expect him to. Lucius is many things; smart, cunning, just as, if not more deceitful than he claims Severus to be; but the most unfortunate thing that his friend embodies is prejudice. He’s unwilling to see through the eyes of others, even when the path he’s chosen has failed him time and time again.    

     He wonders privately to himself why he’d come to aid such a man to begin with, when it became all too clear many years ago that they no longer share the same ideals. ( Nostalgia, perhaps, and a childish notion of hope. )

     After a brief moment of silence, he finally looks him in the eyes. ‘ I would have done whatever it took, as I’m sure you would have as well. ’ His voice is strangely quiet, as if the information he’d revealed was private and not to be overheard. It was just the two of them here — alone — in this room. There’s no longer any sort of need for secrecy. 

     ‘ You are welcome to hold a grudge — if that’s what you wish. If it makes you feel better to do so, then by all means. I came here to lend my condolences to a friend. If you wish for me to leave as an acquaintance instead, ’ his hand slips somewhat — as if attempting to remove itself. ‘ that can be arranged. ‘

Lucius considers. Severus did save Draco's life, and for that Lucius owes him a debt that cannot be repaid. Yet the years of rooting out traitors, knowing that a single word could bring them all down still sits in the back of his mind. It is a lifesaving instinct he cannot entirely let go of. "Obviously, people change. But you lied. For years. That's not . . ." In some ways, Lucius is a bit of a hypocrite, as he sold out all his comrades after the war. "You were a spy." There's a difference between that and the opportunistic turncoat. "And you're trying to deflect."

Yet he stares at their fingers. He doesn't want to let go. He doesn't want to stop. To be alone is to burn alive. Even mild verbal sparring with Severus is a distraction. "I was not against you. Yet had I found out your true loyalties, I would have turned you in to the Dark Lord." Or perhaps... done it himself, before that. For old time's sake, to spare him the pain. Who would he be now, had he found the spy and deposed the Dark Lord's right hand? Powerful, perhaps. Influential. "Or you would have killed me."

[myreallymachine]

Slave of the Moon: Drarry Fanfic.

While the night sky lit up with an intense green flash, the last bit of Draco's humanity got lost.

Stepped back two steps until feel the wet crust from some old tree of the forbidden forest. He fell backwards with the heavy breathing and the horror embodied in the face.

That herd of bloodshot eyes approached him with slow but rough steps, while growling showing their sharp teeth.

The biggest of the group, took a step forward and a little moonlight trail lit him husky body covered with a dark layer of body hair.

“You smell like a Malfoy” Talk the man, with a deep voice what did react Draco, who start to search for his wand inside his tunic “Oh… naive wizard, are you looking for your wand?”

Hoarse laughter heard on his back as he realized that the herd was playing with his wand like a toy. He wanted to summon an Accio, but his speech was paralyzed by fear.

“You are the Lucius naughty son, aren’t you?”

Draco crawled on the ground covered with dead leaves and starting to run the most fast which his legs allowed, until he was trapped against a tree with an animal brutality, which caused his side start to bleeding.

“Although you look more like his wife’s slut” Growled grabbing him of the shirt collar, raising Draco to the light “Don’t look at me like that. I have nothing against your father, little boy”.

The man, smiled crookedly, Draco look how the face of the werewolf, start to transform in something less and less human

“In fact, I want to give him a present in gratitude for all the efforts that Lucius has made for the Dark Lord.”

Listening to that reference, Draco began to twist. That did nothing but drive the man crazy, who grab him by the neck and smash him to the floor, remaining on top of Draco thin body.

“You are not more than a skittish calf; you will see how grateful you will be after this little gift.”

He detached the top of his uniform with a slap, scratching by accident a part of Draco skin. He screamed in pain, just wanted it all to end all at once, but that red-hot injures keep him awake and conscious.

That beast cover with his hand the Draco mouth to silence his beg. He was so strong that no matter how much he writhed, he didn’t flinch one bit. Draco felt the beast claws ran through his ribs, having a disturbing fun.

Laughter and laughter. The world was turning around.

“Good night, Draco Malfoy”

The fangs stuck to his right side, the sky lit up with an intense green, and Draco felt all his adrenaline went to his head. Before fainted to the ground, Draco mind marked the picture of the smile of the werewolf who had just taken his life.

• ── ◦☪◦ ── •

A little fragment of my drarry fanfic prologue. I'm a Spanish native speaker, but I decided to make this exercise to get better at the English.

I have noticed several differences in translating this small fragment — in dialogues, especially — from Spanish to English, I hope your comments will improve in the language. Thks