#-Is also interested if Sunny’s a wizard or a witch

[littlestar-center]

Wasn't the anon who asked that ask but....

IM JOT THE ONLY ONE WHO THOUGHT IT WAS A TRAFFIC CONE YA-

It’s a hat!

(What kind of hat?)

A pointy one!

(Like a witch hat?)

Kinda, kinda no-

(So you’re a wizard?)

No- stop asking!

[roncheg]

there were some reblogs recently of my spontaneously occurred OC from ~2015 - this one, and I've realized that I don't remember a thing abt him)))) he was a sick person and his love interest was a jerk, that's all I remember.

So, i thought up a new premise for him\(*..*)/

Disclaimer! as you know, I am really bad at creating OCs -

cannot draw the same face twice (or rather I draw the same face with variations and it's never the same variations for one character^^');

am bad at creating original narratives - my brain is just a soup of all the stories I've ever read;

am bad with words even in my native language let alone English))))

with that in mind!

Once upon a time (it's a BL fairy tale, 'cause I like BL and fairy tales)) there was a king who was a tolerable ruler but not a good person. He had a young, spirited and beautiful wife, who he suffocated with jealousy; she was practically a prisoner in a palace and her only light was her walks in the palace gardens.

One evening she met an extremely handsome stranger in the gardens, one can say he looked almost... otherwordlyXD (that's because he was a faerie!) they've talked a little bit, they've met several more times, she was bored and pretty, he was bored and pretty, they've become lovers and the faerie was dumb enough to tell her his secret name (we all know of how significant true names are to fair folk, perhaps he was a very powerful magical being but not the smartest). Sometimes later the queen discovered that she was pregnant and the faerie lover promptly disappeared.

The king suspected nothing and rejoiced at the thought of a heir right till the day the queen went into labor.

First of all, there was some strange weather occurrences, a hale on a sunny day, ball lightenings everywhere etc. The king's chief wizard ('cause every king has a court wizard obviously) was very concerned.

The labor was long and excruciating for the queen. When a baby prince was finally born, it was immediately obvious that he is not a king's son – he didn't have a tail or horns, but he had a full head of pale blond hair and pink eyes without pupils (he was not actually blind just something something magic).

The king was furious he wanted to kill the baby to hide his shame, but in her dying breath the queen called the secret name of her lover and summoned him! With the power of a secret name she made him swear that he will protect their child. The faerie lover reluctantly obeyed. He put a spell/curse on the baby prince and the king one-sidedly tying their lives and well-beings together – if the child was hurt, the king would be hurt in equal measure.

So, the queen sadly died from blood loss, the faerie lover fucked off to a faerie land forever, and the king was left with the hated hybrid infant.

Of course, there was no way the king would let the story of his unfaithful wife to leak outside the room or to let the queen's bastard to inherit his throne.

The official public version of those events was classical fairy tale-like – everyone was so happy when a little prince was born but then a bad witch with a grudge appeared out of nowhere, killed the queen, her servants and midwives and cursed the prince with some scary and unmentionable curse. So little one sadly would live the rest of his long long life in royal comfort, exiled to a tower on an island in the middle of the river.

Only the court wizard knew the truth, he also suggested to put a pair of heavy magic suppressing earrings on the baby (it was men's fashion in this kingdom anyway because i really like to draw men with earrings and long hair).

To be the cursed prince's servant was a life sentence, so the little one grew up almost without human company, among resentful and unhappy people whose families the king was holding hostage and who was definitely scared of him.

The prince was a half-magical hybrid after all, he started to talk and walk too early, was eerie looking and something was a little bit off around him – lights flickered, too much static electricity near the boy, and sometimes the time around him as if slowed.

He was taught to read and write, and was provided with books so he won't go mad (the court wizard suggestion again – who by this point was afraid that the king would go mad too in this case due to the curse).

There was that one maid who took pity in a young orphan's situation and was nice to him, teaching him to cook and bake. One day in the tower's kitchen he burned his finger a little while helping her – the king's finger immediately got a blister too and the maid was dragged outside the tower and executed before the young prince's eyes (emotions were not transferable via the faerie's curse, only physical effects).

After that the boy distanced himself from people for good.

20 years passed, and we are meeting the prince's future love interest (let’s call him LI, I don’t want to name them I’d forget abt them in a couple of weeks)) for the first time:

He is a sole offspring of a prominent, but declining noble family – old money aristocracy, kingmakers and all that; enough to evoke some kind of distrust from the aging paranoid king (who has no official heir still – have had several wives since the first one, but no children happened).

The LI had too many expectations foisted on him and too little emotional support growing up, so he is cold-hearted, calculating (I don’t think he is as smart as he thinks he is though), career oriented young man and his sole weakness is his horse (I was thinking – what kind of weaknesses those type of heroes could have? It’s either a frail aging mother, a frail little sister or a precious pet. I really don’t want to involve more poor women as plot devices for this story, so the precious horse it is. It’s a beautiful horse. Golden mane, dark coat, fiery eyes. Not talking, not magic, just a horse))).

The LI makes some kind of transgression while scheming at court and the king was waiting for this opening to topple the LI’s family (for whatever reason the king cannot just kill them all – maybe they still have enough sway over other nobles? Who cares)))

So the king sends the LI to the prince’s tower as a “guard”/”personal servant” – an honour post officially, an exile in reality. If the LI behaves – his family and possessions (and the horse!) will be alright, if the family behaves – their only heir stays alive. Not a hair should be touched on the prince’s head - threatens the king.

The LI would gladly fuck off and leave his family to rot, but The Horse is held as a hostage in king’s stables too. So he behaves.

He has no intentions to befriend the prince, he is just too insignificant in his eyes, but shortly after the LI came to the tower, the prince falls ill (just a cold, and there is a clever explanation for it! My biologist brain relishes in it – the prince grew up in almost isolation, right? He is half-magical, but it is suppressed by anti-magic earrings, so he is mostly human. His immune system is severely undertrained to meet outside world’s germs! The FLI brought with him all sorts of microorganisms – therefore, an appropriate incubation period later – voila! the cold\(*_*)/

So the prince is sick and the LI reluctantly cares for him, too afraid that something would happen to his horse if the king finds out (the king of course is sick too, but he doesn’t link it with the prince – it’s just a cold anyway).

The prince who is starved for a human connection takes any form of care for affection, and falls in love! The LI is more interested in his own problems and doesn’t notice, doesn’t care.

But they do spend more time with each other (the prince is well-read and curious of the outside, the LI is bored out of his mind and there is no one else to talk to, is he supposed to talk to the servants (sic!)?! (he is an asshole; I don’t like him).

But the LI notices those small instances of magic around the prince, which happen more and more with passing of time, especially when the prince is distracted or emotionally charged in any way (the prince is often emotionally charged around the FLI;). Can the LI use the prince to his advantage after all? - he decides to get closer to the prince. He even tells the prince about The Horse.

The evidence of the prince’s magical nature grows - he starts to have visions (of the past, and present, not the future) while touching things – small stuffs at first then more and more vivid. It’s not under his control at all. He tells his trusted LI everything by this point. He’s even told him the biggest secret – that his health and life is linked to the king’s. The LI is ecstatic with this knowledge – he has huge leverage on the king in his hands!! He does nothing for a moment, bidding his time.

One day a big thunderstorm comes. Startled (idk for real or for coy reasons) prince grabs at the LI’s hand – and sees an extremely detailed vision of the LI’s horse dying horribly. (It’s the kings fault in some way – maybe there was a dangerous hunt? Was it neglect? Something happened)

Sobbing, he tells the LI. The LI grieving and furious wants to hurt the king in any way he can – and the person who’s linked to his enemy is right there.

He rips off those long heavy earrings, tearing the prince’s ears, the prince cries in agony, thunder crashes outside, lightning flashing and all of the prince’s magic suppressed for years rushes through him like a flood.

After that there are several possible endings:

the prince is omniscient now – he understands that the LI was planning on using him to get to the king – betrayed and resentful, he kills the LI, kills the king, tears through the kingdom in a mad fury and goes somewhere to lick his wounds. Maybe he becomes the monster in some faraway forest, maybe he becomes a humble if magical fisherman, his carrier possibilities are endless;

the prince goes mad from all of this sudden magic he self-combusts, taking all of the tower and surrounding lands with him, this place becomes a huge cursed lake, eventually a very cursed bog;

the prince goes mad from all of this sudden magic, the LI kills him in self-defense, which in turn kills the king, the LI becomes the next one and lives long and unhappy life;

if the LI had just a little bit of genuine affection for the prince – he helps the prince to overcome this magical catharsis, they take revenge on the king with those newfound powers and fuck off into the sunset to work through their differencies as a couple – but this ending is too fairy-tale-y even for me, who loves happy endings in books more than anything.

[camillejeaneshphm]

Philip Yaxley’s profile:

BASIC INFO

Quote by Character: “To change the future, we’ve gotta know the past.”

Full Name: Philip Charles Yaxley

Nicknames: Phil

Gender: Cis man (he/him)

Sexuality: Homosexual

Alignment: Lawful Good

Species: Wizard

Blood Status: Pureblood

Date of Birth: 6 July 1933

Race/Ethnicity: White British

Nationality: British

Short Bio: The second-eldest of the five Yaxley children, Philip is also the second son. He’s content to live in his brother Lawrence’s shadow, and finds his calling in anthropology. 

Personality: Intelligent and soft-spoken, easily spooked 

Languages: English, French, Latin

Likes: Books, parchment, the heat

Dislikes: Oatmeal, loud noises

Greatest Flaw: Shyness

Greatest Strength: Intellect

Place of Residency: 

birth-11: Winbourne

11-17: Alternates between Winbourne and Hogwarts Castle

18-22: London, attending University College

24-retirement: London

Retirement: London

Future Career: Magical Anthropologist 

APPEARANCE

Hair Color: Brown

Eye Color: Hazel

Skin Tone: Slightly tan

Height: 6’0

Weight: 70 kg

Physique: Slightly chubby

Style Choice (what they like to wear): His aesthetic can best be described as dark academia. 

Accessories: An heirloom watch that once belonged to his great-uncle Noah. 

Inventory: His wand, tie pins, a book

Scars: Several old shaving nicks, some acne scars

Face Claim: Ben Rosenfield

Voice Claim/description of what they sound like: Ben Rosenfield

MAGIC

Wand Description/Picture: Maple, Unicorn hair, 11 ¾ inches

[I have often found that those chosen by maple wands are by nature travellers and explorers; they are not stay-at-home wands, and prefer ambition in their witch or wizard, otherwise their magic grows heavy and lacklustre. Fresh challenges and regular changes of scene cause this wand to literally shine, burnishing itself as it grows, with its partner, in ability and status. This is a beautiful and desirable wood, and wand quality maple has been among the most costly for centuries. Possession of a maple wand has long been a mark of status, because of its reputation as the wand of high achievers.]

Wand reaction when chosen: A sunny light

Boggart: Everything he loves gone up in smoke

Riddikulus Form: The fire turns out to be a pranks

Patronus: Owl

Patronus Memory: The love he feels for his family

Animagus: none

Amortentia (what they smell like): Old books, parchment, ink

Amortentia (What they smell): Unknown (she is open to this interaction!)

Mirror of Erised: Himself finally being seen for his achievements 

Misc. Magical Abilities: Wandless magic

Favorite/Created Spells: A memory spell 

SCHOOL LIFE

Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw

Ilvermorny House: n/a

Organizations Joined: Ministry for Magic

Apprenticeships: Intern Anthropologist

Professions: Anthropologist

Best Subjects: History of Magic, DADA, Mugglr Studies

Worst Subjects: Potions

Favorite Teachers: n/a

Least Favorite Teachers: n/a

Class Proficiencies (OWL grade, n /10 or ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆):

Astronomy: A

Charms: EE

DADA: O

Flying: A

Herbology: A

History of Magic: O

Potions: P

Transfiguration: EE

Ancient Runes: EE

Muggle Studies: O

STATS

Power (magic): 6/10

Power (physical strength): 4/10

Intelligence: 10/10

Skill: 8/10

Teamwork: 6/10

Speed: 9/10

Defense: 6/10

RELATIONSHIPS

FAMILY:

Father: Vincent Yaxley (@endlessly-cursed)

Mother: Margaret Yaxley (neè Taylor)

Siblings:

Lawrence Yaxley

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Yaxley

Gia Yaxley

Ruby Yaxley

Friends:

Closest In-Game Friends:

n/a

Closest MC friends:

None yet (open to interaction)

Love interest:

None yet (open to interaction)

Dorm mates:

None yet (four open spots)

Rivals:

None yet (open to interaction)

Enemies:

n/a

Pets: None

[volturiwolf]

The Volturi Princess - A Felix Volturi x fem!Reader Story (part 1)

A/N: This is the first Volturi- and Twilight-related story I ever started writing and it is quite long and elaborated/complex, as I tend to overanalyze in many parts. I have wrote a few parts until now and I'll be uploading them in the future. I have been quite emotional throughout writing it, trying to understand the reader's point of view.

A/N 2: I'm sorry if something doesn't make sense. English is not my first language. I also include Italian through the story, with translation, but I'm not a native or a speaker, so I'd like to apologize in advance to those who speak Italian. Enjoy :)

A/N 3: According to "The Amagi" on Youtube, Felix was born in 250 BC (their thumbnail), so I used that in my story.

No of Words: about 5347

Mentions of: Abandonment, Abortion, Anxiety, Blood, Bruises, Coma/Comatosed State, Death Emotional Abuse, Emotional and Physical Pain, Gaslighting, Greece/Greek Language - with translation, Heartbreak, Italian Language - with translation, Manipulation, Murder, Pain, Panic Attacks, Pregnancy, Suffering, Suicide/Suicidal Thoughts, Swear Language, Throwing Up/Puking, Witches/Wizards/Witchcraft

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My heart felt heavy. I may have just escaped the cruelest vampire of all, but I also ran away from the love of my life, my mate, the only person who could fully understand me in this world. I asked him to run away with me, but, although our bond was strong, he felt obliged to stay loyal to his master, his creator. I drove as fast as I could, away from the sunny Volterra, and away from him.

-------------------------------------------------------

(Y/N) grew up quite privileged, in Vampire terms. Being born into the Volturi coven was something many vampires could only dream about. (Y/N) was abandoned by her parents when she was a baby, but Aro, one of the three Volturi leaders, took her under his protection, and offered her more things than she could ever have imagined. After all, she was his only biological granddaughter, the “Volturi princess”, an heiress to the throne; her mother lost that “privilege” when she met and fell in love with a wizard.

(Y/N)’s mother soon got pregnant with her, and then later turned her husband into a vampire to help her with her pregnancy, and stay together forever. However, (Y/N)’s parents couldn’t raise her because they wanted to run free and careless, not commit to anything permanent, so Aro took over and raised his granddaughter with the highest honors and privileges, “as a princess should be raised”.

(Y/N) was a mix of Vampire, Witch and Human, due to the grandmother, Sulpicia, being human when Aro found her; Sulpicia later fell pregnant with (Y/N)’s mother, and Aro transformed her to vampire, as he had planned all along. Aro raised (Y/N) according to his own rules and morals, teaching her how to kill humans to feed from, how to attack and slip away from her opponents, how to lead other vampires, and most importantly, how to keep her identity and existence a secret, not only to humans, but other non-Volturi vampires as well. No one could know that there was a possibility of a vampire having a child with a human, and that the child could be effectively controlled and raised as a regular vampire.

As (Y/N) grew older and older, reaching the human age of 25 within 7 years of her birth, Aro would spend more and more time with her, examining and studying her possibilities and her potential powers’ development. (Y/N) grew up to be extremely strong and fast, an excellent tracker with great intelligence and understanding of the world around her. However, Aro could not risk sending her to “Volturi duties”. She was his hope for a stronger coven; with (Y/N) in the throne, Aro felt like he could conquer the vampire world with ease.

That’s why he was always searching for the best guards he could find, to protect the coven and do his work instead of himself, Caius, or (Y/N). He couldn’t rely on Marcus, as he proved to be too emotional since Didyme died, but was still valuable for his plan. Caius, on the other hand, although powerless, was far more sadistic and “diligent” in following vampire rules, and (Y/N)... (Y/N) was just too obedient, following every order Aro gave her - a strong asset for the Volturi.

Aro was changing guards and trackers quite easily, disposing them when they were no longer needed or when he found better ones. He needed talented and strong vampires to serve the coven and do their work.

Chelsea was the very first vampire Aro created solely to serve the Volturi, after recognizing her potential when she was human. Chelsea’s gift of relationship manipulation was truly useful in bringing new vampires into the coven and was used thousands of times during Volturi's reign. It could also easily dispose of them, making their bonds with other vampires break at will; those vampires were isolated by the other vampires and then killed - Aro couldn’t risk letting them get away knowing the Volturi’s secrets and life.

About 100 years later, Corin joined the Volturi, just a couple decades after (Y/N)’s birth. Corin’s gift of addictive contentment was the one which kept Marcus in the Volturi after Didyme’s death - along with Chelsea’s to make him committed to Aro’s greater plans, and was also used on Sulpicia, Athenadora and any other vampire in the Volturi guard to keep them satisfied being in the Volturi. Under Aro’s instructions, Corin was keeping Chelsea content with being in the Volturi, and Chelsea was keeping Corin loyal to them, each of them using their gifts against each other, without their knowledge.

Sometime between 230 and 220 BC, while travelling in Rome, searching for additional vampires to add to the coven, Aro supposedly met a young, strong and ambitious fighter, who wished to become a gladiator one day, named Felix. Felix did not only look, but also was physically capable of fighting even with beasts, during his short time as a fighter, way before the Colosseum was built. Born into a poor family, his strength was his only way of making money, and becoming a gladiator was his only way out of poverty, a way to provide for both his family and himself.

When his family was almost imprisoned by Roman army officers for outstanding debts, Felix was forced to make a deal with them to fight, in whatever they ordered him to. Fighting turned out to be the only way for Felix to deal with his emotions and rage towards people in power. When Aro approached Felix, he was promised a good life, where he wouldn’t have to worry about surviving another day. Felix did not seem willing enough, not being fond of the idea of serving people in power, who he so despised.

Luckily for Aro, Chelsea was the one who “convinced” Felix to join the Volturi guard, with Aro changing him afterwards. Unlike previous guards, Felix showed impeccable strength, speed and talent towards both dodging and initiating attacks, eventually making him a permanent member in the Volturi Guard, along with Chelsea and Corin.

Felix was assigned as the leading guard for the three kings’ protection, this role extending to the protection of their two wives and (Y/N); though Aro knew that, if it came to anyone attacking his granddaughter, she would be able to handle it by herself. However, he still wanted to make sure that she was safe and that Aro would do anything to protect her.

For about a couple millennias, (Y/N) was content with her situation, being the “Volturi princess” and all that. Besides, having Felix in the Volturi was another reason to stay in the coven, apart from staying loyal and true to Aro for taking her in, when she was abandoned.

Every time Felix looked into her eyes, she felt her whole body burn - though, it wasn’t a feeling of suffering, rather a feeling of longing, waiting for something to happen so badly that her body couldn’t control itself. Although she was partially a vampire, (Y/N) would feel like she couldn’t breathe, like her legs were ready to give up on her, like she wanted to grab Felix and never let go.

Felix, although not admitting it even to himself, would feel the same way, but he knew that his position would not allow him to approach (Y/N) in such a way. He was just a guard - although he was the strongest of them all, and she was the Volturi princess, one of his masters, whom he was only allowed to approach in order to protect. He didn’t want Aro to know he saw his granddaughter like that; it could cost him his position in the guard, or even his life. So, he kept these feelings deep within him, not allowing them to resurface, or act upon them.

However, every time these two existed at the same place, the invisible sparks between them would fly left and right. And only one vampire was able to see them. One who hadn’t felt these sparks in centuries.

--------------------------------------------------------

(Y/N)’s POV:

I yawned loudly as I woke from a long, much needed sleep. I was the only vampire around who was able to sleep, mostly due to my non-vampire natures. I didn't really need to sleep on a regular basis, but when I did, I could literally sleep 3 days straight and nobody would be able to wake me up. “For my own protection”, as Aro said, I would always have at least two guards outside of my room’s door, in case anything happened while I was sleeping. Like what could even happen? My room was at the furthest side of this huge castle. I’m pretty sure that if there ever was an attack against the Volturi, it would most probably have been dealt with immediately, and the attacker wouldn’t make it anywhere near my room.

I felt the warm sun on my skin, slightly glowing and sparkling beautifully. My eyes, mostly (Y/E/C) with a golden ring around the pupil, could easily adjust to the light. Unlike the other vampires, I could easily live among humans; I could sleep, eat human food, my skin not being as sparkly as others, and I could control my thirst far better than others.

Since Jane and Alec joined the coven, Aro would show an immense interest in them and their skills, helping them train daily and develop their powers further, eventually forgetting about me. I would spend more and more days away from the castle, “protected” by my anonymity, getting to know humans more and more. The longer I was observing them, the more they would trigger my interest in them. They could feel true emotions, real pain, real hurt, real love. They had their families, they received an unconditional love that I could never have.

Unbeknownst to Aro or anyone else for that matter, I have started developing new powers, similar to the other vampires in the Volturi coven or anyone else outside of it. I have also started noticing that I may have an immunity towards others’ talents, feeling that neither Corin’s addictive contentment made me satisfied with being in the Volturi, nor Chelsea’s relationship manipulation could keep me loyal to Aro anymore. If it weren’t for Felix, or Demetri and the Twins, who have all become my best friends by now, I would have probably left.

A vampire named Carlisle Cullen had visited the Volturi and stayed with us for a while, about 100 years ago. He saw the way the Volturi treated humans like they were nothing, and how they were as cruel as to kill other vampires, with the excuse that they were exposing our kind with the way they lived. Entire covens had been wiped out due to such excuses, a way to eliminate potential enemies from becoming too powerful and find as many talented vampires as possible and force them to join the Volturi.

Carlisle was talking about a new way of life, where vampires wouldn’t have to kill humans to survive, a life where vampires and humans could live in peace, without harming each other. He was insisting that vampires could survive on animal blood just as efficiently as with human blood; that animal blood would not make them weaker, and that it would be a much more ethical and sustainable way to feed.

Of course, Aro and Caius were the first ones to mock his proposition, clearly not caring about humans’ feelings and pain. Marcus did not budge at all, his heartache making him indifferent to anything around him. But I was growing more and more interested in this alternative way of life; I was, after all, feeding on human food already, so that I was feeding on human blood as little as I could.

It was a few years after Carlisle left Volterra that Eleazar joined the Volturi. Aro forced him to join after finding out he could detect if someone had any special ability. Aro considered his gift useful in identifying if any of his enemies had any special power when in battles, or when he sent Eleazar around the world to recruit talented vampires.

Eleazar was clearly not liking the way the Volturi forced their ways and wants on others, and how they could take advantage of others for their own benefit. I could just sense that he was displeased and was forcing himself to stay in the coven, one, due to Corin’s and Chelsea’s gifts, and two, out of fear of what could happen to him and his mate, Carmen.

Carmen, a vampire from Spain, like Eleazar, met with Eleazar while he was a guard here, they fell in love, and eventually, Eleazar decided to leave the Volturi and run away with Carmen. Aro decided that he did not care about him and his gift as much as others’, so he let him go unharmed, “blessing” them for safe travels.

Just a few days before he left, I consulted him on my own powers. Though a lower member of the guard, Eleazar had his own room, a decent place to stay, and spend his endless hours in. I knocked slightly on the door.

“Come in”, a calm voice was heard. I opened the door and came into his room. Carmen was sitting on the edge of their bed and Eleazar was reading a book on his desk. They both smiled sweetly. I just felt and knew they were too nice to fit anywhere in here, among the cruel and strict Volturi.

“(Y/N)! So nice to see you!”Carmen exclaimed and stood to hug me. The second we hugged I started seeing parts of her life in Spain, the calm waters of Catalunya, the vast vineyards where she would spend the early years of her life… I quickly detached myself from her embrace. I just couldn’t invade her privacy like that. She and Eleazar both looked at me worried, as if I had offended them.

“I’m sorry. I just can’t let you “show” me your whole life like that!” I looked at Carmen apologetically.

“(Y/N), you saw Carmen’s life?” Eleazar continued, intrigued by my words.

“That’s why I came to talk to you. I..I feel like I’ve been developing a gift, or a few gifts, to be completely honest. And I feel like.. like I have a specific power one day, and another power the next!” I stated frantically.

It was the first time I have openly talked about my powers to anyone, and I was shaking just by the words that came out of my mouth. Eleazar did not say anything, he just stood there for a few minutes, I supposed “examining” me, as if a doctor checking on a patient.

“Remarkable.” He said calmly. He looked at his mate with excitement, as if he just discovered a lost treasure. “(Y/N) has one of the most remarkable gifts I have ever seen.” He then turned to me. “You, (Y/N), are able to copy anyone else’s gifts and keep them as your own. You don’t even have to be in contact with them. Just by meeting someone, you can obtain their powers. I have never met anyone like that. You also seem to have obtained immunity to others’ powers, kind of like a shield. I have met such vampires before. From the stories Aro has been telling, your mother was like that. It is likely that you copied that gift for her. Such vampires are extremely useful to themselves or even others, in battles. Like themselves, you can use your gift to protect others from others’ powers, beside yourself.”

That came too sudden to my ears. I have assumed that I may have at least one power, but I didn’t realise I could copy others’ powers. That is why I was showing signs of Aro’s power!

“How can I train my powers? Eleazar! Carmen! You have to help me!”

“As you know, we will be leaving soon. I don’t know if there will be enough time to train you.”

“It’s okay. We will train as much as you want. Please, Eleazar! Please, Carmen!” I started begging them. As if they were hypnotized, they quickly looked at each other and agreed to help me.

The next few days, before Eleazar and Carmen’s departure, included intense training, far away from Volterra, deep in the woods, where no human could interrupt us. I couldn’t say the same for vampires, but I hoped nobody would cross paths with us. Eleazar and Carmen helped me develop my self-control and self-awareness, concentrating through the deepest parts of my mind, resurfacing my shield and expanding it beyond my existence. I started to have control over it, as if it was an actual solid substance, a veil floating around me towards any direction I ordered it to go.

After Eleazar and Carmen left, I started travelling the world more, trying to copy as many powers as I could come across with, while also training my shield. My excitement for the endless possibilities was what kept me going - kind of when Aro would add another talented vampire to his Guard. His Guard. Felix. I wonder how he was. I hadn’t seen him in a while. I wondered if he thought of me like I thought of him.

After travelling pretty much anywhere I could reach, I eventually went back to where it all started: I went to Greece. Aro met Sulpicia here, apparently my mom met my dad here. Maybe I could find out, understand why they left me. I have never met them, but I felt as if my tracking skills could detect them through my own existence.

I started travelling through the country, hoping that they stayed here or, at least, that they’re alive. I spent about 2 or 3 years in Greece, trying to take in every different place, while also avoiding the battles that seemed to take place in every other corner. I was feeding off animals mainly, mostly when I couldn’t find any other human food. I was washing myself in rivers, streams, whatever I could find.

I was stopping by any village that seemed to be still standing, asking about the current situation. The Greek Revolution, which started a few years ago, seemed to still be going on. The Ottomans, who had been occupying Greece for almost 400 years, could not allow Greeks to turn against them and start claiming their rights within the Ottoman Empire.

Many Greeks I met and talked to, admitted that some of the Ottomans were actually being nice to them; it was only the Ottoman government ordering their armies to execute massive massacres against Greeks, and after all this time, a few Greeks started gathering up and planning a revolution, away from Greece, in fear of being caught. They started getting organized and finding possible allies to help them with the Revolution; they just couldn’t risk getting caught within the country that they were hoping the independent Greece could become. The battles were becoming more and more intense, both on the mainland, as well as on the islands.

I started looking for answers, anything that could suggest that my parents were still alive and somewhere in Greece. To my surprise, I crossed paths with many Greek nomad vampires all over the country. They were also fighting against either Ottoman vampires or each other for territorial claims; however, they all talked me out of travelling north, towards Macedonia. The region had started being reclaimed back by Greek humans, but vampires were also seeing the potential for the area and they fought against each other for the land.

All of the nomads I encountered were talking about some of the most vicious vampires claiming the land, their enemies being literally slaughtered and burned to set an example for other vampires to back off their territory. I was intrigued, and I knew that, most probably, I would be able to deal with them or flee before they got to me.

So, I started travelling north, through the woods and mountains, in order to avoid any possible battle between humans, though many of them seemed to hide in the mountains, preparing for their battles. Macedonia was a quite big and vast region, so I had to travel quite a few days and search every possible corner.

I know I shouldn’t have done this, but I was feeling exhausted from all the searching. I haven’t fed in quite some time, and my throat was burning by the familiar need for blood. I haven’t seen any animals all these days, and I was wondering if they were gone or hiding.

Sadly, I came across a human. He seemed to be wounded, probably during a battle, his blood gushing out of his body. I couldn’t help myself, when I breathed in the smell, the burning sensation becoming unbearable. I thought of approaching him slowly, so as not to scare him, offering to help him, but deep down I just wanted to feed off of him.

“Γειά! Συγνώμη αν σε τρόμαξα. Σε είδα από μακριά. Μπορώ να σε βοηθήσω με κάποιο τρόπο; (Hey! Sorry if I scared you. I saw you from afar. Can I help you in any way?)” I offered calmly.

The man was trying to suppress his growls. I could sense his pain. I tried to help him stand on his feet, and then I saw all of his memories. He was in the army, fighting alongside Greeks against the Ottomans, in Macedonia, just outside of Thessaloniki. I didn’t even know I was so close to a city, let alone Thessaloniki.

He was trying to pass through the woods, when he came across what seemed to be two red-eyed vampires, one male and one female. They tried to attack him, but someone else managed to shoot him first, forcing the two vampires to run away. I don’t know how or why, these two felt familiar to me, I could feel that through his memories.

“Γειά! Μπορείς.. Μπορείς να πας στο κοντινότερο χωριό; Νομίζω.. Νομίζω ότι είδα κάτι στο δάσος, δε νομίζω ότι ήταν κάτι φυσιολογικό! Πρέπει.. Πρέπει να προειδοποιήσω τους άλλους! (Hey! Can.. Can you get me to the nearest village? I think.. I think I saw something in the woods, I don’t think it was something normal! I have.. I have to warn the others!)” He mumbled in between sharp shoots of pain.

“Με συγχωρείς πολύ! (I’m really sorry!)” I plead with guilty eyes. I put my hand in his wound, searching for the bullet, while he was consumed by pain. I took the bullet out of the wound, and quickly attached my lips on his skin, sucking the blood as fast as I could, biting deeply unintentionally. His screams were becoming louder and louder, so I covered his mouth with my hand, while trying to shut him up or break his jaw. A few seconds later, he stopped screaming, and I let his lifeless body fall, completely numb and drained out of blood.

I felt renewed, his blood travelling to every part of my body and giving me a new kind of strength that I haven’t felt in a while. I still felt guilty for killing him, but he was already wounded and I couldn’t risk him exposing our kind to others. I assumed that whoever found him - if anyone found him - would also assume that he died of blood loss, so I tried to position him in a realistic pose for that purpose, as best as I could. I left him there, and continued the search for my parents.

--------------------------------------------------------

I was running through the woods, trying to locate the two vampires from the guy’s memories. My mind was chaotic, I wasn’t thinking about something specific. I stopped in my tracks. What Aro taught me, and what I understood from Demetri’s tracking skills, is that you have to stop, take a breath and realize your position in the world. Then, you would be able to realize everything around you and find your targets. I have successfully found other vampires like that before, vampires who I have either met in person or smelled their scent, but I didn’t know if I could find someone through someone else’s memories of them.

I took a deep breath and tried to concentrate as best as I could, focusing on the smaller details of the guy’s memories of these vampires. I felt two vampires running on my west, about 10 kilometers away, and I ran after them. They were running fast, but I was way faster. Within a minute or two, I was running right behind their tracks. They must have realized that a stranger was following them, but, instead of running, they suddenly stopped. I stopped as well, and we were now facing each other.

The female had long, brunette, curly hair, and the male short, dark brown, straight hair; both of their hair looked shiny, healthy, and rich. They were of average height and their eyes were piercing red, as if they also fed quite recently. The female was exceptionally beautiful and enchanting; I could only compare her to Heidi’s exceptional beauty. The male looked quite stoic and austere, though still beautiful.

Both of them on defensive positions, waiting for me to attack. I wasn’t planning to move any further from my position; I was only waiting for their own reactions. I felt that kind of a burning sensation within me again, like a feeling buried deep inside me, trying to find an escape.

Suddenly, the male growled at me, flames springing out of his hands, and being thrown at me. I felt my heart fall out of my chest, fearing that this would be my end. As if my body reacted on its own, I felt my own shield extending out of my body, building a wall around me and protecting me from the male’s attack. My hands started burning and flames came out, ready to counterattack the male. The male looked at the female, dumbfounded by what he witnessed, still in a defensive position, but ready to attack again.

“I’M NOT HERE TO FIGHT YOU!” I shouted at both of them. “I’M JUST SEARCHING FOR SOMEONE!”

The male shrinked back, the female following close by. “Who are you looking for? We haven’t seen you around. Who are you? Why are you here?” The male requested. His voice serious, but smooth at the same time; a voice I could only describe as the warm earth below their bare feet.

“No, I’m not. I come from Italy, though I think I was born around here. My name is (Y/N), I’m looking for my parents. I don’t quite remember what they look like, but I’m pretty sure that they lived around here. They abandoned me when I was a baby.”

“This has been our territory for almost 3 millennials! We would have known if any humans abandoned their offspring around here!” The female exclaimed, as if she didn’t believe a word I said. I didn’t want to tell them the whole story, but I had to show them that I didn’t mean to fight in any way.

“I never said they were humans. My mother was actually sort of a vampire, like you.”

The female started letting her guards down. “What do you mean sort of? I’ve never heard of a “sort of vampire” before!” She continued doubtfully.

“Believe me or don’t, my mother was born half vampire, half human. My dad wasn’t even a vampire before she met him. He wasn’t even human to be honest.” My eyes started stinging slightly. I could have had a good, happy life if they didn’t abandon me. I wouldn’t have to grow up with Aro.

“You said you were from Italy.” I nodded at the male, as he continued. “You never said where exactly.”

I wasn’t sure if I should tell them my real origin; I wouldn’t like them to know I was a Volturi, but I knew I needed help to find my parents. If they were actually here as long as they say, they might have known or met my parents at some point.

“Volterra. I was born here, in Greece, like my mother, but grew up in Volterra with my grandparents.” I looked down, kind of scared, kind of anxious, waiting for their next move.

The female gasped. “Are you a Volturi?!” I looked at her, straight in the eyes, swallowed, and nodded. “I know the Volturi. Who are your grandparents?”

“Aro and Sulpicia.” I answered so quietly that, if they weren’t vampires, they wouldn’t have heard me, my voice trembling slightly.

The female suddenly fell on her knees, the male wrapping his arms around her, comforting her. I didn’t know what was going on. Did I say something wrong? Were they scared? The sheer mention of the Volturi would scare a lot of vampires, but I thought that maybe these two seemed strong enough to deal with them.

The female started sobbing, no tears coming out of her red eyes, her body shaking. I felt something within me break. I felt that I didn’t want to upset them, that’s why I was hesitant in telling them who I really was. The male looked at me, pain in his eyes. I saw a familiar look. I saw me in his eyes, what I looked at in my mirror anytime I was thinking about my parents, or, sometimes, when I thought of Felix.

“Are you a half witch?” The male asked quietly. Something snapped in me. How would he know that?

“I swear, I didn’t do anything to your mate! I DIDN’T!” I shouted at the male. I didn’t want him to think that I would hurt his mate, or himself.

“I know you wouldn’t. It’s just..” He looked at his mate who had stopped sobbing, but was still down on her knees, unable to stand up. “..my mate is Aro and Sulpicia Volturi’s only daughter.”

My body tensed and shivered. If that woman is the only daughter Aro and Sulpicia ever had...could that mean..?

I took a few steps back. “AM I YOUR DAUGHTER? ARE YOU MY PARENTS?” I looked at them in disbelief.

Those were the people who abandoned me! That let me grow parentless, under Aro’s rules and directions! I was breathing heavily, in between sobs. I didn’t even realize that I set my whole body ablaze, until both vampires looked at me shocked. I didn’t feel any pain, but I couldn’t stop the flames licking my body, and in my frantic state, I started panicking even more.

The male started approaching me slowly, trying to not scare me away. “Shush, shush. You’re okay. You’re doing okay. I know how it feels at first. You’re experiencing some aspects of the life as a witch. It’s okay. Close your eyes and picture the flames in your head.” I closed my eyes and tried concentrating on the flames. “Now, imagine them burning out, becoming smaller and weaker.” I focused on the flames, imagining them weakening. After a few minutes, I felt them getting smaller and smaller, and finally disappearing. I opened my eyes slowly.

The female was standing next to the male, watching me carefully. In a quick motion, she pulled me and embraced me, stroking my hair lightly. I breathed in her scent, a mix of mountain flowers and the saltiness of the sea. Her touch was soft, and filled me up with what felt like a thousand different emotions.

But, I mostly felt safe. It was the first time in my life that I actually felt this safe. And whole. I felt like I actually belonged somewhere. I hugged her back. Tears started spilling from my eyes. That was my mom! That was actually my mom! After all this time, we were finally together. I felt the male, my dad, hugging both of us, and in that moment, I felt my legs giving up on me, and I finally fell into a long sleep.

[thatlavenderblue]

! I'M MOVING MY FURBY CONTENT TO ANOTHER ACCOUNT @thattangerineorange IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF MY FURBIES GO THERE! (I also reblog other people's blog about furbies :D)

It's time to do a furby wishlist!

If you have any of the furbies listed here (that I don't already have) and you're selling it, please message me or comment!

They are not ranked in order of preference in the different categories! I didn't write the ones I'm not interested in.

Color chart:

💖: dream furby | ❤️: top priority | 🧡: priority | 💛: looking for one | 💚: I really like them | 💙: they're cute | 💜: OK if it is affordable | ✅: already have one

Furby boom crystal series rainbow: ✅ Jay-Loh

Pink flamingo: ✅ Lulubel

Sunny yellow: ✅ Kumquat

Baby blue baby furby: ✅ Herbert

Tye dye:✅ Iridium

Blue change baby furby:💖

Jester:💖

Wavy stripes baby furby:❤️

Tart tangerine:❤️

Color change: 🧡

Juicy grape:🧡

Gorilla:💛

Series 3 leopard:💛

Frog:💛

Blue blueberry:💛

Purple tip baby furby:💛

Confetti baby furby:💛

Clown baby furby:💛

Champagne baby furby:💚

Ladybug:💚

Dragon:💚

Coffee:💚

Aligator:💚

Blue turtle:💚

Coral baby furby:💚

Crystal baby furby: 💚

Lamb: 💚

Little baby blue baby furby:💚

Husky:💙

Mink:💙

Purple stripes baby furby:💙

Lime baby furby:💙

Wizard:💙

Snowball: 💙

Dalmatian: 💙

Witches cat: 💙

Raccoon: 💙

Rusty dots: 💙

Green bean: 💙

Autumn:💜

Race:💜

Valentine:💜

Roaster: 💜

[aros001]

First time reading through the light novels. Vol. 1 random thoughts.

A while back I'd seen the first episode of the anime and...didn't take it well because of that one specific scene. I was interested in where Goblin Slayer and Priestess would go from there but I was worried about my ability to handle the rest of the series. So months later I asked this Reddit if you guys would recommend I continue and you were very supportive and encouraging. I watched the rest and really enjoyed it. I just recently wrapped up another light novel series (at least the books that were available in english) and figured why not give Goblin Slayer's LNs a try?

These are just some random thoughts I had while reading the first volume. I did the same with Rising of the Shield Hero and it was fun to do, with other fans pointing out things I might have missed and starting discussions about what happened each book.

Right off the bat, I think Goblin Slayer is one of the few series I've ever read that brings up weapons getting dulled and damaged by blood and fat (or even bringing up fat from a slain foe at all). Shield Hero had a little bit that early on but most stories just have weapons that are so high quality that the quality never dips.

Also, back in the anime I'd found it interesting that goblins could make poison when everything else about them seemed so crude. But in a general view "poison" is basically a harmful substance that you don't want in your body. That the goblins can make poison out of their own shit and some herbs actually makes sense and works with the idea that they have the mental capacity of cruel children.

The first kill we see Goblin Slayer make seems to say a lot about him. Pinning a goblin to the wall with his shield before stabbing a burning torch into its face. Efficient yet feeling almost vindictive.He kills it in the most painful way he possibly can at that moment.

The Priestess blocked the one goblin with her staff on instinct and kept it from getting away long enough for Goblin Slayer to throw his sword into the back of its head. I'm curious if that's why he let her accompany him through the rest of the cave or if he would have done the same regardless? If he didn't see her potential would he have ordered her to leave instead of asking what she was going to do?

Are the gods of Truth and Illusion meant to be literal gods or just figurative? Either way, I'm looking forward to hearing more about them and the Earth Mother, Dark Gods, and Supreme God. I like mythology and that includes the party's talk about where goblins come from. I like that they, and we the audience, don't yet have a for-fact answer. All the possible origins they share are from legends, folktales, and stories you tell children (with some racial bias thrown in between the elves and dwarves). It really helps the world feel more real and lived in.

Out of curiosity, do Slimes exist in the GS universe? They mention giant rats and goblins as the monsters a lot of beginners take on and slimes are a famous kind of newbie monster in other fantasy stories, so I'm curious if they have those as well (or if it's a Konosuba kind of case where slimes are NOT a monster beginners should be fighting).

Oh jeez, the anime really wasn't exaggerating with Cow Girl flopping over the windowsill. Why is that so funny to me?

“Yes. A group of rookies are in the southern woods. That one is a request from a village near the forest.”

“Beginners,” he murmured. “Who was in their party?”

“Let’s see...,” Guild Girl said. She licked her thumb and began paging through a sheaf of papers. “One warrior, one wizard, and one paladin. All Porcelain rank.”

...

The day after that, showing no hint of fatigue, he joined Priestess in venturing to the southern woods. Cow Girl heard later that the rookies never returned from the forest.

I might be misremembering or thinking of a different group but the rookies came back alive in the anime, didn't they?

A big thing that helped me get through the anime was the introduction of High Elf Archer, Dwarf Shaman, and Lizard Priest. They brought a lot of life both to the series and to Goblin Slayer himself. He's a man who really needs friends and something other than goblins in his life. What he does is important but spending too long in nothing but that darkness would eventually break anyone. In fact, nearly all the characters help bring some enjoyment to the story. I was afraid Spearman was just going to be another Motoyasu but he quickly proved himself to be, overall, a pretty good guy.

I also like that this novel gives more insight into the extra characters. Not just the humans like Guild Girl, Heavy Warrior, and the Hero (which was a very welcome surprise. I want to know more about her), but also some of the goblins as well, like that one guard of the old elf ruins. Even if they can't talk in a way humans can typically understand, it's cool (and a bit uncomfortable) having a direct show of how an individual goblin thinks.

While it's not as much as Priestess, I do really seem to have a soft spot for Guild Girl. Why she seems to like goblin Slayer is just really appealing for me. She likes him because he's different but not in the traditionally tropey way of "Oh, he's so different from the other guys". He takes the jobs that no one else wants to do, not to brag about it or hit on her, but simply because they need to be done, which means a lot less newbie adventurers have died or worse at the hands of goblins, something she's indirectly seen happen way too many times, even if it's a reality she has to live with. Completely unintentionally, he takes a lot of burden off her heart and mind. I can easily see how her respect and appreciation for him would eventually lead into feelings of affection.

Goblin Slayer = Beard-Cutter? I can understand to an extent Orcbolg and that both names come from a goblin killing sword, but do Dwarves refer to goblins as Beards? And if so, why? Or am I missing something here? This confused me in the anime too.

“I owe it all to you, sir!” Her gaze, her beautiful eyes, bored into him. He caught his breath. What should he say? There was a long pause.

“Not at all,” he finally squeaked out. “I didn’t do anything.”

“You did so much!” she responded with a grin. “You saved me when we first met.”

“But I couldn’t save your companions.”

“True, but...” Her face stiffened for a moment. She couldn’t quite finish her sentence—understandably.

Even he still remembered the awful scene all too clearly. Warrior, Wizard, Fighter, who had all lost everything. Her party had been trodden into the dust.

I really like this. It's be really easy to just make Goblin Slayer a complete hardass who's oblivious to everything and cold to the world (and to an extent he is). But he does still have emotions other than anger. He's at a loss by Priestess' gratitude and doesn't know what to say. He has regret that he couldn't save her old party. He's used to the sight of what happened but still finds it awful. He appreciates the elf, dwarf, and lizardman's help and isn't against partying with them again, even if he won't go out of his way to join them again. He feels truly helpless when he tells Cow Girl he can't defeat the Goblin Lord's army. As the story goes on I imagine it'll be explored how much he's doing what he does to keep the past from happening again vs. him just wanting revenge on all goblins. Which side rules him more?

But all things must end—often too soon.

The end to his idyll appeared in the form of repulsive black blotches on the dew-drenched morning pastures. Trailing mud and excrement across the fields, they were unmistakable: small footprints.

This is the one part I think the anime did a little better, if for no other reason than that we had a lot more times of Goblin Slayer checking for signs of goblins every morning. It was a great Chekhov's gun. It was something the audience knew had to come back into play later...but that you really, really did not want to because you knew what it'd mean. Every time he checked and didn't find anything was a relief but it left worry about the next time, building up that dread and anticipation, until finally we get that morning where he sees all the tracks.

At a table deep in the room, High Elf Archer made to stand, her face a furious red, but Dwarf Shaman and Lizard Priest stopped her. Witch sat on a bench, a slippery smile floating on her face. He glanced at the front desk to see Guild Girl vanishing into a back room in a panic. It occurred to him that he was looking for Priestess.

Awwwwwwwwwww! He does like having her around!

I think the main reason the story works, at least for me, is because it isn't just one of those "Life sucks. The world is dark. F**k you." types of "adult" literature. Yes, the world of GS does get very dark and messed up, but what gets you through it are these very likable and sunny characters who do care a lot about each other. At least with the content of this volume and what was covered by the anime, the draw isn't supposed to be how "edgy" the story can get but rather these characters trying to fight back against the darkness that exists in their world.

Original Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/GoblinSlayer/comments/fq3z9a/first_time_reading_through_the_light_novels_vol_1/

[third-generation-female-warrior]

Hidden

So, I decided to maybe do a multi-chapter fic of what Talbott and Alexus were up to during the Second Wizarding War (but it could end up being a one-shot). I don't have too many plans, so I'm hoping I can keep it up. It may get a little more mature than what I've written before, never anything explicit, so far it's a T rating. Lots of romantical language, some dueling, writing the first bit felt a lot like writing quarantine, so take with that what you will.

Chapter 1

Sometimes, on quiet rainy nights, while laying in bed, Talbott Winger would reflect fondly upon the last few years of his life. He was still a young man, only twenty-four-years-old. Some would say the prime of life. He looked down at the woman laying down with him, and kissed her forehead, remembering the last few years, remembering how he was lucky enough to be living with her.

He had graduated from Hogwarts with her in 1991, and he wasted no time moving into a flat in London with his girlfriend of three years: Alexus Johnson. He continued his auror career while she had set up a private investigative office, occasionally working as a hit-witch for his department.

Working young kids, that’s what they were, tripping over themselves in the bliss of freedom, no teachers or dark cabals constantly looming over their heads. Just them, in their space, with their combined book collection.

They continued dating for another couple years until 1995, a year that Talbott reflected upon fondly as he noticed her eyes fluttering from a dream.

That was the year he had proposed to her. In a wheat field, under a large shady tree, when they were on a picnic together, he pulled her favorite book out of the basket and told her to find a story for him to read.

She turned to a marked page, a custom bookmark pressed between the pages of her favorite romantic poem. Embossed in blue lettering was the question he wanted to ask her.

“Will you marry me?”

By the time she processed the bookmark and looked at him for answers, he was already on one knee, an open box with his ring in his hands, held up to her.

They had a small ceremony, a few months later, only their closest friends and her mother and brother were in attendance. They didn’t need or want a big spectacle. All he wanted was to dance with his wife, and he did, for the whole night.

It was 1997 now, and he considered himself the luckiest wizard in the world. He loved her, he didn’t want to lose her.

He loved her, and there was a war right outside their door.

Instead of being stable and safe at their London flat, they were in a safe house.

He loved his wife, but she was rather prone to being targeted by large groups of dark wizards.

Granted, this time, as with his work serving under Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody in the auror department, Talbott himself had been targeted as the Death Eaters took over the Ministry.

Mad-Eye had been killed just over two months ago, during a big confrontation involving Harry Potter and a bunch of Death Eaters, and a few weeks after, there was a wedding for Bill Weasley.

Alexus, still being a good friend with her the eldest Weasley, had attended with Talbott.

They were attacked while there, and that was when they went into hiding, apparating to their flat to grab the bags they had packed in advance before leaving, on a muggle bus, to a train station.

From that station, they made their way to some distant station before apparating again.

Somewhere in Ireland, Talbott didn’t know the exact location. An old villa in the countryside with rolling hills to the right, as far as they could see, and a thick forest to the left of the home, her father’s childhood home, apparently. She and Jacob inherited it when he died.

It was modest, with a lush flower garden in the front, and a greenhouse in the back, a small village within a bike ride’s distance for when they needed groceries.

Most importantly, it had a library, a record player, and a radio.

The days passed slowly, the sun rose over the hills and set behind the trees.

To pass the time, they read, they danced, they cooked, they tended to the garden and greenhouse. Only sparingly did they venture to the village together, for being in sight of other people increased their risk of being sighted.

Today had included a trip to the village. It started off a sunny day, brilliant blue skies as they walked the markets in the center of the place. By the time they were leaving, fresh groceries in their arms, the dark clouds were rolling through the skys.

They had rushed home, just barely avoiding getting caught in the downpour. Alexus found the whole scenario hilarious. Rainy weather always made her feel better, and after dinner, she played music on the muggle device that she called a record player, some relic that belonged to her grandparents.

Talbott hadn’t really heard music like this before, but it was fascinating nonetheless. So, they danced that night, for a long time.

It was enough to leave Alexus properly tired by the time they were heading to bed, so she had fallen asleep in minutes, laying her head on his chest instead of the pillows.

He read his book with one hand, keeping his other arm around her. It was an old one, a collection of an author’s favorites that Alexus had gotten him for his 16th birthday.

The pages were well preserved, some passages underlined, the ink from their own pens fading.

He traced his thumb over a neat line, knowing it was Alexus who had marked it. He sighed and marked his spot before setting the book on his nightstand.

He turned off his light and gently moved, just slow enough so that he didn’t disturb his wife. He laid down and closed his eyes, letting the lullaby of the raindrops tapping on the window sooth him to sleep.

When the sun filtered in from the bedroom window, Talbott threw the blankets over his head.

“You have to get up eventually,” his wife’s chiding voice came from outside the covers.

“No I don’t,” he called back, a smile creeping onto his lips.

“We’re going to the forest, remember? To explore beyond the yard?”

He felt the weight of the bed shift, the springs in the mattress squeaking as she sat down at the foot.

He relented and sat up, pulling the covers off of his face.

She looked at him, with her big round eyes, misleadingly innocent, a soft smile on her lips. She was already dressed, wearing simple blue jeans and a long-sleeved blue shirt, her hair tied back into a bun, two strands of hair framing either side of her face.

“There you are,” she said, a glint of mischief taking its place in her eyes.

“Here I am,” he repeated before lifting his arms into a powerful stretch, extending his entire upper torso, a yawn accenting his movements.

“Get ready, I’ll be downstairs,” she said, leaning over the bed to peck his cheek before sliding off the bed and walking out.

Now, he really had no choice. He couldn’t keep his wife waiting.

He reflected on their predicament as he got ready for the day. They were treating it like a second honeymoon. If any bystander that they met asked, they were on vacation from two demanding jobs.

Vacation, he mentally repeated as he examined his face in the mirror. A small beard was developing, he hadn’t shaved in a few weeks. Everyone I know could be killed by now, and I’m on vacation. He shook his head to rapidly clear those thoughts. He couldn’t let his mind go down that direction. They were just as safe as he and Alexus.

He ran his hands through his hair, letting it fall where it may before he exited the bathroom, fully dressed. He wore khakis and a grey t-shirt, simple enough, but durable for a walk in the woods. Lastly, from his closet, he grabbed a dark jacket and threw it over his shoulder before making his way downstairs.

Alexus was in the kitchen, reaching through one of the cupboards to grab plates.

Talbott took the opportunity to look over what she was preparing. Bacon on one burner, scrambled eggs on another. He looked at the counter, to see bread in the toaster.

He turned the eggs before kissing the back of her head, reaching above her to grab the plates that were just at the brush of her fingertips.

“What would you do without me?” he said, almost teasingly.

“Get a step-ladder.”

He laughed as two pieces of toast popped up. She quickly took them out and added another slice. He started to prep their coffee.

It wasn’t too long before they sat down at the little table in a dining nook.

While they ate, Alexus was looking through a book of botany, one hand balancing the spine on the table and flicking through the pages, the other holding her fork and messing with eggs that she kept forgetting to actually eat.

He watched her read, her brow furrowing in concentration, her emerald eyes blocked only slightly by her reading glasses, lips slightly parted and occasionally mouthing words, eggs hovering an inch off her plate, occasionally dropping off the fork balanced between her two fingers.

“I thought we banned reading at the breakfast table for this reason,” Talbott remarked casually, snapping her out of her trance.

“Sorry,” she muttered, quickly marking her spot and setting it to the side before she started eating.

“Find anything interesting in the book?” he asked, trying to keep a conversation.

“Well, nothing in particular,” she started, stirring her coffee slightly. Talbott waited for her to finish drinking, knowing that she was about to dump a niche patch of information on him.

“But I just think,” she continued, setting her mug down, “It’s interesting, there’s botany, the study of non-magical plants, but there’s also herbology, which is for magical plants, but there’s also a certain overlap in their medicinal and magical uses.”

He nodded slightly, watching her ramble. The topic she was discussing was rather interesting, but he always found her info-dumping made it more compelling.

“Like, dittany,” she said after a breath. “In herbology and potion making, it’s very powerful for healing purposes, but muggles know about dittany, it’s not just a magical plant. For them, it’s medicinal, ornamental, symbolic of love, used for culinary and perfumery purposes.”

“And?” he asked, encouraging her to state her real point, knowing that her tangent was merely a method of building context to set up her point.

“Why doesn’t someone publish a book containing both muggle and magical herbs?” she asked.

He frowned, biting the inside of his cheek as he thought. “That’s an excellent proposal,” he said, “I suppose we could.”

She tilted her head. “We?” she repeated.

“Well, yes. We’re both talented at Herbology, plus with all the books we read on gardening and other botanical research, we’d both be qualified enough.” He shrugged before taking the last bite of his toast.

She nodded before she continued eating. He could see the gears turning in her head.

She remained deep in thought even when they both finished breakfast and were walking out the door, heading left to enter the forest. There was a fog rolling over the hills and the forest floor, Talbott knew, was caused by the hot October sun evaporating the cold, wet air leftover from last night’s rain. It created a certain ambience as they walked along the natural pathway, the light of the sun breaking through the red and orange canopy and catching on the omnipresent mist.

The forest was cold, almost a biting chill, the shade of the trees only adding to that cold.

Talbott reached for her hand, and they walked together, keeping close for warmth.

There was a natural pathway to the forest, nothing paved, no stepping stones. Just a clearing of trees.

“What do you think we’ll find out here?” Talbott asked after a second of walking, the villa no longer visible behind them.

“Other than memories?” Alexus contemplated his answer, “My father, he wrote some poetry about this place. He called it Sunset Forest. I remember he described finding groves of berry bushes, small streams flowing into ponds, rabbits.”

“I didn’t know he was a poet,” Talbott said.

“Only in his spare time. That’s what my mum would tell me. He kept journals and filled them with poetry, ever since he was young. She gave me a box full of them for my 13th birthday.”

She let go of his hand to jump over a large branch that had fallen in the path. Talbott stepped over it and looked up, hearing a persistent little hammering on a tree trunk, knowing it was a woodpecker.

“Do you still have his journals?” he asked, looking back at her.

“Most of them,” she replied, reaching for his hand. “Jacob took some of his more… contemporary and political stuff. Apparently, he went through a phase, from what I could tell.”

Talbott laughed. “How so?”

“Well, in the journals from his early adult years, they were mostly about society and war.”

“Ah,” he nodded in understanding. He knew Alexus had a small dislike for contemporary poetry, especially when they were about war.

She believed that every good story deserved a love, whether it be a tragedy or a happy ending.

“I also brought a few journals with me, to the villa,” she muttered. “I know we were only supposed to pack essential things, but I just wanted-”

“You don’t have to make excuses to please me,” he quickly assured her. “I understand, it’s important to you.”

She stopped in her path, making him stop with her. “Would you like to hear some? I memorized a couple about this forest.”

“I would love to,” he assured her.

She hummed a bit, leaning against his arm as she thought, mentally searching her internal catalog of poetry. For a second, it was quiet, with just her humming and the sound of yellow leaves and twigs being crushed under foot.

“Okay,” she said finally, “This one is called La Bruja de Rosa. He wrote it after my mum told him she was a witch. His response was to propose to her.”

Talbott laughed again as she cleared her throat.

“Smoothed down by the steps Of the many men that have taken this road Before my first breath This forestry path with the stories untold

My story is mine My head is mine My heart is yours La bruja de rosa

Mi bruja de rosa, I walk this path Guided by your spell From my childhood villa To a love meant to last Oh, the story this ground could tell

Magical in the way you take my breath Oh, enchantress of my soul! Meet me at Gaia’s archway, for apart for me, is living death but together, I am whole

You are my other half On the Sunset Forest path, A compliment to me my flying rose, I offer you my prose and the villa To build our own castillo To last for years But only if You’ll say “yes” My dear”

Talbott let out a breath as she finished. “That was nice,” he muttered.

“My mother’s maiden name was Espartero-Rosales. Espartero was her mother’s last name, the one tied with my magical side of the family. But Rosales, it means “rose bush,” so there was a lot of rose symbolism in his poetry after he met her,” she explained.

“Espartero,” he repeated, humming a bit before a thought struck him. This time, he froze in his path, causing her to look back at him.

“Wait,” he looked at her, “Like, the Espartero family in Mexico?”

“Did I not mention that before? I mean, you know my mom was in both the European and Mexican Quidditch Hall of Fa-”

“You told me she played for Spain!”

“Yeah, she played for the Leona Madrid team after playing for the Mexican World Cup team!”

“You never told me you came from the most influential family in developing Herbology research!”

She started laughing as she turned to him. He wasn’t angry, it was more than likely shock manifesting in him.

She placed her hands on his chest and smoothed out his jacket. “Yes, that is my close family, yes, I keep in touch with them, and yes, we can visit them.”

She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Satisfied?”

He gently wrapped his arms around her waist. “Very.”

She cupped his face into her hands and brushed his cheek with her right thumb before standing on her toes to kiss him on the lips, just for a second.

He moved one hand, placing it over hers to hold it in place as he turned his head to kiss her palm.

She smiled, staring up at him. “I love you, and we will get through this. Both of us. I promise,” she assured him.

“I will never let anything happen to us,” he murmured.

She looked into his eyes, that brilliant crimson, the sharpness of his intellect just as alluring as the day she met him, even now, after everything.

They had been married for a good two years, and it all passed like a dream for her. From the moment he got down on one knee, to when they were running home to grab their pre-packed luggage to escape Death Eaters.

He made life a dream for her, still, even in hiding, where they were the only two people in the world. He gave poems and stories she had memorized for years a new life. He gave her motivation when she had none. Hope when she was hopeless. Love when she needed it.

He was a dream for her, still, even after knowing each other for ten years. She loved him as easily as she did when they were younger, it was breathing to her.

But she was being greedy and she knew it. Neither two years nor ten was not enough for her.

She wanted so much more, she wanted what she vowed to: life. After all the danger she ran into headfirst as a youth, she knew life was not promised to her. Not when there was danger still chasing her, when she was awake, and in the dark nights where her dreams left her gasping in a cold sweat, reaching for him, depending on him to be the rock to anchor her back to reality.

Those were terrible nights, when she would sit up, in tears, trying to understand, trying to make sense of why everything she held dear was so fragile. Everyone she loved, they could be gone in a flash, and she didn’t understand it, she couldn’t understand why.

Why did so many things threaten to rip her friends and family from her hands? Why could she never escape the mysteries, the curses? She never wanted any of it, never wanted a reputation for breaking curses, defeating evil. She never wanted the things that threatened to rip Talbott from her hands. She just wanted him. She wanted to be there for him so much, it physically hurt. It was an ache in her chest, a lack of breath in her lungs.

She loved him too much, and she was being greedy because of it.

She loved him and just wanted a life with him. But the war outside the villa was just another thing that threatened to steal him from her.

She was going to spend her whole life with him; she was certain of that fact. What terrified her was how little time that could be. Three minutes, three days, three months. None of it was certain.

Nothing was promised to Alexus, except Talbott.

She stood back up on her toes and kissed him again, he leaned down so she didn’t have to strain so much.

She was so warmed by him, by his hands exploring her, by his lips moving against her own, until a bitter chill swept through a forest, a rustling wind shaking the trees.

Alexus pulled away, shivering, pulling her jean jacket closer around her.

She would have passed it off as a simple October breeze, until everything quieted, the sounds of the forest, the rustling of the leaves, the sounds of animals in the distance, it all went mute. The shadows of the trees grew longer, the sunlight disappearing, the fog taking a much more sinister presence now, heralding a threat, just lurking outside their field of vision. The only thing she heard was Talbott’s own shuddering breath, which puffed out like white smoke from his mouth.

In her stomach, a pit of dread was lodged, making her unsettled.

“T-Talbott,” she whispered through chattering teeth.

He pulled out his wand, she followed suit, and they moved to stand back-to-back.

She watched the fog, until she saw what she was looking for. A hooded figure, looming in the banks, gliding across the forest floor.

“Dementor!” she called before waving her wand, remembering her wedding night, the happiness she felt when Talbott slid the ring on her finger. A patronus of a coyote bounded from the tip and sprang in front of her, rushing at the dementor, sending it away before it could get closer.

“This way too!” Talbott called, another dementor appearing.

She turned on her heel, her and Talbott switching spots as the coyote ran, chasing away the second one.

Immediately, the air cleared, the soft October breeze rustled the canopy, the morning sun returned, even the fog seemed to fade now.

She expelled the patronus and looked at Talbott. “We have to leave, that wasn’t a coincidence,” she whispered, grabbing his hand and pulling him back down the forest path.

They ran to the villa, stumbling over tree trunks and branches, sliding on the golden leaves still wet with morning dew.

Alexus ran into the villa first, but the second she was through the door, a powerful blast sent her flying back, colliding into Talbott, sending him back as well, both of them rolling across the grassy lawn.

“Damn,” Alexus groaned, moving to stand up, clutching her stomach.

“Are you alright?” Talbott asked, sitting up,

“Fine,” she assured him, sliding her wand back into her hand. “But whoever just hit me with a jinx is going to be sorry.”

He pulled out his wand as well and stood up as a wizard, a snatcher, by the looks of his ratty robes, strolled out of the home.

“I wouldn’t try it, Johnson, we’ve got you surrounded,” he drawled casually.

There was a series of snaps as several other snatchers apparated in a circle around Talbott and Alexus.

“Johnson-Winger, I’m a married woman,” Alexus corrected, standing up. “And, I like my odds.”

She did a once-over, glancing over her shoulders, that was all she needed to do, Talbott was aware of that fact. All she needed was one look to gain an accurate account of where everyone was in relation to her own position.

Talbott dove for the ground as she waved her wand in a circle around her head, fire billowing out in a ring around them, pushing the Snatchers away from them.

Standing up, turning on his heel, Talbott fired hex after hex around him, nailing four of the seven snatchers in the chest, sending them down.

“Go inside, I got them!” Alexus called as she sent a particularly nasty hex at the most physically imposing thug.

Talbott ran inside, Alexus standing against two snatchers, both of them holding up their wands.

“Neat trick, Johnson,” the leader said, still standing.

“I’ve had a good amount of practice, didn’t they tell you my background?”

“Why do you think we brought so many?”

With that, they both snapped their wands forward, Alexus stepping to the side, dodging a glaring red jinx, but the second spell had her wand flying out of her hand, landing in the thick grass somewhere behind her.

“Damn,” she whispered before looking back at them.

“No wand, no magic,” the second one said.

Alexus planted one foot behind herself and aimed her hand forward.

She jerked her hand, red sparks shooting from her palm, colliding with the second-in-command, sending him flying back, unconscious.

“Ever heard of wandless magic?” Alexus asked as she turned to the last wizard. “Got any more tricks up your sleeve?”

He lowered his wand.

There was a shift behind Alexus, but before she could react, a pair of thick arms wrapped around her and lifted her up, pinning her arms to her sides.

She responded by slamming her head back as hard as she could into the person’s nose, prompting them to drop her. While they were occupied, she grabbed their wrist and arm, pulling it over her shoulder while hooking her foot behind his ankle, lifting him up enough to flip him over his shoulder.

She kept his arm in her hands, twisting it when he landed on his back, while placing her foot on his chest, keeping him pinned. There was a snapping noise, which was probably his shoulder, and he was yelling.

Alexus, satisfied, jumped back as the initial snatcher tried to hex her.

She quickly retreated, moving behind a snatcher who was slowly climbing to his feet. She grabbed this one by the front of his shirt and hoisted him up to his feet before turning around, using him as a shield, the lead snatcher’s hex hitting his back instead of her, forcing her to drop him as he went dead limp.

She grabbed his wand and ignored its hostile energy as she pointed it forward, right as the lead snatcher was about to hex her. They were at a draw, both ready to take each other out, but the question was, who would go first?

Alexus didn’t find out.

Before she could try, there was a small explosion at the wizard’s feet, sending him jumping back before Talbott sent another hex at him, pushing him back again.

Alexus, satisfied as her husband handled the last one, looked around the grass, running her hands through it before she found her hand.

She went around the other six snatchers and confounded them, casting obliviate on the conscious ones before taking all their wands and throwing them around the yard, some of them ending up in a pond. This would make it harder for them to find Talbott and Alexus again.

“Ready to go?” Talbott asked, holding their bags as she walked back to the house, the tent bundled at his feet.

She grabbed the tent and held it under one arm, placing her hand on his shoulder. “Ready,” she said before kissing his cheek.

With that, they disapparated away from the villa.

[sweeethinny]

Reputation - So It Goes... (Chapter 6)

sorry for the delay, it is always complicated to write these chapters

for this chapter, a special thanks to @theroomofreq who helped me and didn’t let me give up and delete everything, thank you honey <3

AO3

TW: for depressive feelings and suicidal thoughts

See you in the dark All eyes on you, my magician

GINNY WEASLEY

It had been almost two months since the battle was over, since Voldemort was destroyed, and all those people died. It had been almost two months since Ginny and Harry had returned.

It had all been so fast that she didn't even remember it; 

Two nights after that May day the Burrow felt like the worst place to stay, Ginny was so suffocated that even though she breathed normally, it felt like her lungs were getting dry at all. It was so difficult to accept, so complicated to deal with all that ... but she was not alone.

Harry looked the same, even if in different ways. He dodged conversations, disappeared for hours, and always seemed to be prepared to wake up and fight again.

They were both so destroyed, it didn't even seem to be real.

Then, on the third day, when Ginny jumped into the lake in the middle of the night even though it was light rain and cold wind just to feel something, being submerged by who knows how long, Harry was there, jumping together and going after her with a wit that for a moment Ginny thought she had jumped into the ocean.

''Oh, Merlin!'' He grabbed her shoulders, lifting her with all his strength, looking scared to hell. ''Ginny, fuck!'' Harry hugged her, cold and trembling, crushing her against him, his heart pounding as fast as a parade of 100 hippogriffs. ''I thought… heavens, I thought you were drowned'' She felt so fragile it felt like sugar in his arms

''I'm fine'' She whispered, like a secret in his ear ''I'm here'' Her nails dug into his cold skin, her breath coming out in sobs

She didn't remember how long the two of them stayed there, or when they started kissing, or even how they ended up together in the living room, hugging each other in front of the fireplace, in silence. And for the first time in those three days, or in the whole year, she wasn't sure, Ginny breathed easily, feeling safe. Feeling something.

After this episode, the two returned in secret, thinking that it was not necessary to communicate to anyone at the beginning, and that they deserved to have something just for themselves. It was a relieving peace when there was no need to explain every detail to anyone.

But it was pretty tricky when the fucking Wizarding World Savior was secretly dating, because Harry captured all eyes on himself, even though he tried to camouflage himself anyway

All eyes on us You make everyone disappear, and

''I wanted to be alone with you'' he whispered in the midst of all the confusion in that Hall, pretending to fix his tie.

It was another tiring Ministry event where everyone would be assessing Harry's every move, commenting on his clothes and the way he had cut his hair, or the scars that appeared on his arms, and Ginny was even happy with the burns that still persisted in the his skin, because she had marked him on the neck last night and was still barely visible.

"That witch keeps looking at us," Ginny whispered too. She smiled at the woman who seemed a little curious about Ginny's proximity to him. "Maybe she wants an autograph from me."

Harry laughed, disguising himself with a cough before turning to talk to whoever wanted his attention, leaving her alone in the middle of everyone.

He looked very handsome, with the elegant black suit and the cut hair - but still messy - his weight was starting to come back now that he ate nutritious and healthy food, and, Ginny thought, he looked more and more like that boy she dated in her fifth year. Even though many things had changed, many things, that burning in her chest and the tightness in stomach every time he approached and whispered in her ear, or blinked boldly when no one was looking, were still present.

And as much as they were in a room with 500 other wizards, and her entire family was nearby, it was as if when the two stood side by side, only they existed.

Cut me into pieces Gold cage, hostage to my feelings

''Harry looks very happy'' Hermione approached, speaking as if it were a secret that no one but them was allowed to know ''I wonder what has changed''

''What?'' Ginny replied, not wanting to report that she was following him with her eyes, looking for the best way to escape to a bathroom or some dark, empty room.

''I said that Harry looks very happy. Reminds me of sixth year...'' Hermione said, looking at Ginny with all that knowingness that only Hermione had, smiling restrained while raising a brown eyebrow.

''I don't know, maybe it's because there is no more war, and his name is no longer marked to die'' The redhead shrugged, while speaking very naturally ''Teddy has done a good job of leaving him good mood too''

"I don't think it's just him," Hermione insisted, before leaving and walking towards Ron.

Ginny looked for her boyfriend, his head protruding from some around him, not looking so excited to talk to anyone around him, nodding as usual and barely opening his mouth, scratching the back of his neck and ruffling his hair as usual . When the green eyes went up and looked for her too, she thought his visions sparkled, a light pink color rising on his cheeks as he secretly winked at her, before turning his full attention back to the man in front of him.

She can barely contain the feelings that ripped through her chest, her lungs filling with air and relieving all the tension that it was to be in those events, where everyone always insisted on remembering Fred's death.

Ginny knew she was hooked up to the neck by that noble idiot.

Since that kiss after the game against Ravenclaw, the sunny days clinging to the gardens and any dark alley that existed, Bill and Fleur's wedding day when he left, leaving her with no promise of return, alone in that absolute terror it was Hogwarts, even today, when they sneak into the lake, or into each other's room - Harry was in Percy's old room...

And she couldn't see a future where Harry wasn't there.

 Back against the wall Trippin', trip-trippin' when you're gone

''They're going to drive you crazy'' Ginny said as soon as she managed to approach him without generating suspicion, grabbing a glass of wine and wetting her lips - she would be 17 in a few weeks, but who really cared? She had lost a brother, had the right to drink a glass or two.

''They always leave me'' Harry replied. Ron and Bill approached, including them in a banal conversation clearly in order to free him from all that tension, which did not make sense, because many people also wanted to talk to Ron, who was sometimes more tense and nervous than Harry.

''Gin, are you following our wizard everywhere?'' Ron commented, looking slightly loud, Bill laughed, but looked closely at the two, who were keeping a safe distance.

''No, we just crashed around here. I came to get wine'' she said, raising her glass ''I was talking to Hermione, and then to another witch too old to wear a dress as colorful as that'' She lied, just because she knew that no one would confront her about the truth. Hermione had spoken to her, and there were many witches in very colorful dresses for an event like that.

The conversation continued, without many interesting things and complex subjects, just a chat that you would easily hear in a banal meeting of friends. Her brothers eventually pulled away, and as much as everyone still looked at the remaining Weasley next to Potter, Ginny continued with her performance, tasting the wine and biting her cheek to keep from smiling when she saw Harry's eyes on her lips.

''If you keep looking at me like that, everyone will know'' And this time, after saying that, she left, leaving him alone for anyone who wanted to disturb his peace.

Nothing was still so easy, in fact, just those moments where the two teased each other and hid giggles were so simple, the rest of the hours, it was still tense and difficult to endure, and eventually, Ginny broke down completely with the reality that hit .

There were nightmares too, that chased her almost every night, just as they chased Harry, which had made them start sleeping  together, hugging each other whenever one woke up flushed, sweaty and trembling with fear, ensuring they could find that spot of balance that only seemed right when they were side by side.

And these events were definitely the worst, not just by all eyes on them, but the feeling that nobody could talk about anything other than the War, the deaths, the losses ... Everyone knew that Fred was incredible and everyone those attributes that they make a point of talking about after the person dies (even if they used to speak ill of him before), Ginny didn't need to be remembered every two minutes.

''Corridor to the right, fourth room'' Harry whispered as he passed, the voices around him muffling slightly, but nothing that Ginny couldn't hear. Their ears were trained to recognize his noises from impressive distances.

Ginny smiled, feeling the excitement burn her body, happy that almost everyone around her was paying attention to the story that Shacklebolt was telling, to the point that they didn't notice when the Savior of the Wizarding World disappeared with the youngest of the Weasleys.

'Cause we breakdown a little But when you get me alone, it's so simple

Nor was there time between her entering the room and being able to look around before she was grabbed and her lips were attacked, crushed against Harry's, which, like her own, tasted like wine. She could easily get drunk, and she wouldn't be complaining.

''I hate to like being so provoked with every move you make'' Harry spoke against her mouth, pushing her further against the protected door of everyone outside.

''But I wasn't even teasing you'' Ginny said.

Not in the last few minutes at least, she thought, laughing.

"And licking your lips and drinking the wine very slowly, is it natural now?" Harry snapped, looking quite affected, attacking her neck skin with delicious hunger.

''It's hard to take without smudging my lipstick'' She said while throwing her head back, giving him more space for his endless fun ''They'll notice our absence''

"No, I acted like a poor sad boy just now, and they'll think I just ran away somewhere in search of peace," he said. The two met again, nose touching, Ginny's feet floating as Harry held her in the air so that they were at the same height, increasing the pressure and pressing her against the door even more. For a second, she thought they would end up breaking the wood and falling on the other side, like two stooges. ''Well, I technically ran away in search of peace ... ''

"Don't say those romantic things" she said, blushing like a tomato, even though it was idiot. Harry always said these stupidly cute things at random times, which made her feel embarrassed like a little girl. "And what is the excuse for me to be gone?"

''I don't know ... colic? Menstruation? Do any of those things women have to use to escape from places?'' Harry commented laughing, winking at her before kissing again, with all that ferocity from before ''I just need time with you '' Ginny  melted, sighing with the kisses and letting go of all that sentimentality that burned in her chest.

She knew what Harry meant, she also needed a time away from everything, a time where nothing else mattered but him, where they didn't need to wear masks or armor to deal with situations. That moment when the two understood each other perfectly, getting naked even if they were dressed, without shame in exposing their minds to each other. That moment that was theirs and no one could steal.

'Cause baby, I know what you know We can feel it

Then no other words were heard in there, at some point Harry laid them on a couch in the room and stood over Ginny, kissing any part he could reach without having to move much.

She took off his suit, leaving only the white shirt, playing with the buttons while sighing with the kisses he gave in her skin. It was all so needy, that the two looked like hungry animals, marking each other as if to claim them for themselves.

Ginny thanked her for listening to Fleur and putting on a skirt, as her boyfriend's hand reached her panties much more easily than it would have if she had put on her jeans. ''Shit'' She moaned, biting her cheek and losing consciousness.

Harry lifted his head from the curvature of her breasts, smiling all proudly, his lips and cheeks all smeared with red lipstick, which made her wonder, how was she at that moment.

But it didn't matter, nothing mattered in there, not when Harry was making her lose her head like that, and when he sighed and moaned in her ear saying nice words, that if it was another time she would make some joke that he was so romantic when was excited. There was nothing but them, raw and open to each other.

And all our pieces fall Right into place Getting caught up in a moment Lipstick on your face So it goes

"Presentable to go back there?" Harry said, turning to her and adjusting his tie, before running his hand through his hair in an attempt to lessen the mess.

''Yes'' She replied, barely looking at him through the mirror she carried in her bag, going over her lipstick and wiping off any smudges that still lingered on her face ''You go first, I'll stay awhile and I can use the excuse of being just breathing'' He nodded, kissing her cheek before leaving the room.

After a few minutes, a check again on her look, and more makeup to cover the marks on the skin of her neck, Ginny came out, looking as good as she could get, walking among people and following where her mother was, getting relieved that no one cared much about knowing where she was.

Harry, who was a few steps away, was red as a tomato, wiping his face awkwardly, seeming to control himself not to look at Ginny, who wanted to laugh the moment she saw the blood red spot on his lips and cheek.

"Harry, what the fuck?" George, who hadn't laughed in a while, said, holding up a laugh

''I didn't know you liked makeup, Harry'' Ginny commented, approaching her with brown eyes shining with amusement ''The color looks pretty on you'' The lipstick wasn't coming off completely, just smudging with every hand he took gave, which made it even more comical

''Dude, if you wanted to have some time for touch-ups, it was just talking, we wouldn't judge you'' Lee said ''But I think you'd look better with a darker color'' Everyone around him laughed, even Harry who managed to clean his face

"Ginny, maybe you can lend me your kit next time" Harry said

''Of course, a bright shadow and a good illuminator would make you look better in the pictures'' She blinked, all playful and provocative, biting her own blood-red lip slightly, and happy to have slightly ignorant siblings for not noticing these small details.

When George and everyone else started talking about any trivial matter, Ginny got close enough to Harry to reach his suit pocket, sliding the fabric from her hands to the other location, then removing her hand and smiling at her boyfriend, who frowned and looked curiously at his pocket, now slightly heavier.

The redhead withdrew, walking slowly away from them and barely managing to smile when she heard Harry's exasperated sigh, not restraining herself and looking over her shoulder, only to see him with his eyes closed and his cheeks turning red, but this time, it didn't look ashamed. As if he knew he was being stared at, he opened his green eyes, much darker and brighter than usual, which made Ginny smile victoriously, continuing her parade through the hall - this time, without panties.

I'm yours to keep And I'm yours to lose You know I'm not a bad girl, but I Do bad things with you So it goes

HARRY POTTER

Still - very much - affected by the black lace in his pocket, Harry sat in the bar table, happily already out of the Ministry event, feeling much freer from all the looks in him and all those questions that never seemed to end or a good answer.

It was a muggle bar, where the only people who recognized him were those who were accompanying him, and the bartender, who was an abortion, but who didn't seem to care much about Harry being there.

''Everyone is looking at you'' He whispered to Ginny beside him, filling her glass with the water she had asked for, and then, doing the same with his own glass, buying time so they could have those close moments without anyone suspecting it.

"It's not true," she replied.

But Harry could point out at least five guys who couldn't take their eyes off her, looking almost like clouds with Gin's every move. And he didn't blame them, it was really hard to take his eyes off her that night - like all the others, that he needed to force himself not to be staring at every part of it.

Met you in a bar All eyes on me, your illusionist

Harry was happy, for the first time in almost a year, he had managed to spend more than a month happy, as when he was in the sixth year and lived those sunny weeks with Ginny by his side. But this time, it was weeks turning into months.

She had scared him to hell by jumping into that lake, and as much as he thought she should have a little rest, it was terrifying just to imagine that Ginny could be trying to take her life or anything. Those few seconds - which seemed like hours - that her body did not appear in the middle of the dark water that shone at night, Harry almost went crazy, barely able to reason properly. He would hardly be able to survive if she died.

There were already so many deaths to endure, that if Ginny was gone too ... no, Harry thought, he probably would have died together.

''I think they might be looking at you too'' She replied, in that cheeky tone that only Ginny could do ''The guy on the left, looks really impressed with you'' Harry laughed, amused by the man a few years older, winking at him

''I'm interested in making only one person look at me'' He spoke softly, enjoying the mess on the table while Ron, Lee, George and Percy discussed their orders

Ginny did not answer, Hermione - who was looking at them suspiciously - started a banal conversation, leaving Harry to rest his head on the cushioned wall of the booth, looking at everyone at the table.

It was good that George had made a joke or two again, and that Ron managed to drag Lee with them again, even Percy, seemed convinced to make everyone feel ... more relieved.

Everyone was doing a good job, however, none of them managed to do one percent of what Ginny did, even if they didn't even realize it. And Harry might sound like a corny romantic she always said he was when he was aroused, but there was no doubt that she was the main cause of him being able to breathe again - and he was not aroused now.

All eyes on us I make all your gray days clear, and

"So, Harry, whose lipstick was it?" George asked, looking a lot less tense than hours ago

''Was it that blonde who was talking to you? Because if it is, bud, you were lucky man'' Lee teased, raising his eyebrows and winking maliciously, making Harry laugh.

Ginny's nails hit the table at a calm and controlled pace, but Harry would bet his fortune that she was giving everything she could to be as serious as possible, even though her brown eyes were burning like embers.

"It wasn't hers" he said. They had dealt with keeping it a secret, and apart from the part he couldn't grab her at any time, it wasn't too bad. Doing things without having to explain and having to deal with millions of questions and opinions was a relief, but Harry hardly ever knew what to do when someone talked to him about another woman.

''So, who? Or did you really start wearing makeup now?'' Ron said, smiling at the waiter who placed the orders in front of each other, taking a little longer when he placed the chicken salad for Ginny. Harry had to wrinkle his napkin to keep from rolling his eyes and laughing.

He didn't blame them for thinking she was beautiful, but it was quite intrusive how they looked at her breasts or how they made her look like a piece of meat and nothing else.

''Yeah Harry, who?'' Ginny said, filling her mouth with her colorful salad and pieces of chicken, looking at him curiously, proving to him that her eyes were burning like embers. And he knew it was not excitement, because he had seen another moment like that when they were in the Leaky Cauldron and a witch flirted with him. Ginny looked like an angry cat at his side.

But it also had that spark of amusement, because unlike the Leaky Cauldron day, now he would have to explain himself.

''Just ... '' He started, trying to think of something correct to say, biting his cheeks to keep from laughing ''I was just trying on lipsticks ... what can I say? These events make me do things to stay away for a while'' He shrugged

''Mate, as much as I understand you, I'm crazy there too, but you could have told us'' Ron said.

''Yes, that blonde was really hot, and I think she was quite willing to make you have an empty mind'' And this time, after Lee's comment, Ginny's nails sank into Harry's thigh, which he swallowed fright and tried his best not to express any reaction or to laugh.

I wear you like a necklace I'm so chill but you make me jealous

The conversation continued between everyone, Ginny's nails eased but her hand remained there, a little territorial, but nothing that Harry would ever complain about. Everyone was entertained with mundane things and maybe it was the least stressful time they had in the whole day, which was great and soothing.

Hermione would occasionally look at Ginny's interactions with him, but the two were great actors and made things seem just friendly, and simple, even though her panties were still in his pocket - now that he had dropped his suit , it was in his pants pocket - and the redhead's bold hand occasionally fell on his thigh and went up far more than the respectable among friends. Ginny also made her charm, throwing her hair over her shoulder and laughing out loud, lifting her chin and showing her creamy neck. It seemed normal and natural to anyone, but Harry always had to look away when that little show started, not wanting any part of his body to wake up.

''What are you going to do now?'' George asked, drinking what should be, his fourth muggle beer, looking at the younger ones

''Harry and I are going to do auror training'' Ron said, and Harry nodded ''Shacklebolt offered and ... I don't know, we just accepted ''

''But you didn't do the NIEM'' Hermione replied

'' I think saving the Wizarding world is proof enough, Mione, but thanks for your concern'' Harry said, laughing weakly and taking a sip of Gin's soda, which was clearly a mistake, as everyone looked at the scene

"Do you share drinks now?" George said, faster than Hermione who narrowed her eyes

''Er .. I ... '' Harry was barely able to formulate the rest of the sentence, blaming the beers for that for that.

"Potter, if you wanted a soda, just tell me and I would ask you. I know the waiter was beautiful and all that, but you don't have to be ashamed'' Ginny joked, smiling all mischievously ''Stay for you, I'll get another one'' And then she got up, as normal as possible

''Harry, are you surprising us today, one hour putting on lipstick, the next time embarrassed by the waiter? Mate, I don't recognize you anymore'' Ron said, seeming to have even more fun ''And look, we spent almost a year living together in a small space''

''Does anyone else want anything?'' Ginny said, her smile never leaving her blood red lips ''If you want, I can try to make him say the name to you'' She looked at Harry, looking as amused as ever

"Thank you, but I'll let this one go" Harry replied, winking and lifting her can of soda.

After Ginny left, wiggling and fussing with her hair with a widespread knowledge that it was making him have to clench his teeth and close his eyes, Harry sighed, barely paying attention to the stupid jokes the boys were making, or that even Hermione was laughing and playing with his face too.

"But now tell the truth, is there no one who is the Chosen One?" Lee said, eating George's fries

Putting his hand in his pants pocket just to feel the fabric against his fingers, Harry felt his heart racing, remembering each day of those past months that he had been with Ginny, each secret he shared with her, and each banal moment they had together. Like when she was embarrassed that he saw her wake up, or when they talked about the Dursleys and she was - without him noticing - terrified by the news that they wouldn't let him eat and that Harry slept under the cupboard.

"I don't know," Harry said, shrugging. "Who knows?"

But I got your heart Skippin', skip-skippin' when I'm gone

[...]

"So, did anyone suspect?" Ginny asked, wrapping her arms around Harry's neck and standing on tiptoe to kiss him, pushing him to find her bed so the two of them would fall right there

''No, I think everyone bought the idea that I was just a little crazy today'' Harry replied, squeezing her waist so he could lift her on his lap, sitting on his girlfriend's childhood bed and kissing her back

''You look good in black'' she whispered in the middle of the kiss, running her hands all over his suit before starting her quest to get him out of the way.

Soon Harry's shirt fell to the floor, as did Ginny's, the lacy bra was clearly premeditated by her, but he didn't care, he loved to think she wanted him as much as he did her, planning the attack. He turned them over, laying her in the middle of the pillows and kissing her ankles, calves, knees, thighs, until he reached the middle, still hidden by the black fabric of the skirt, but naked underneath, shiny as a silver piece. Harry salivated.

"You look perfect in black too," he said.

Come here, dressed in black now So, so, so it goes

It was not long before Gin's loud moans tested the silencing spell that Harry cast, his shoulders burned with her nails against his skin, and every time she pulled his hair, it was as if Harry might have his head split in half if he dared to walk away.

Those moments were always intoxicating, with her being overwhelming and loud, moaning his name as if it were the only prayer that could save her, squeezing him between her thighs and arching almost to heaven. Harry could stay there for hours, days, centuries, just tasting and smelling, and listening to the noises that echoed in his mind whenever they were unable to spend time together.

In those moments, when he couldn't just grab her hand and get it out of everyone's eyes, Harry regretted being secretly dating, but then Ginny would tease him and play with his mind until Harry could barely formulate a complete sentence. - without even touching him - and he was enjoying all that secret again, having fun with his goddess who would clearly lead him to his death.

''Up'' Ginny groaned, clenching her nails even further and pulling him by the shoulders ''I need you here'' And with that, Harry almost came in his pants.

They had already done this, a few weeks ago when Ginny came into his room saying that she had had a nightmare and just wanted to sleep with him. Harry knew it hadn't been premeditated, but it had been so good, so perfect, that even though it had been a few days, it still seemed unreal.

The rest of the clothes disappeared in the next instant, and a tangle of mouth, hand and sighs made them fall back on the bed, Ginny hugging him with her legs around his waist, while he disappeared inside her, in the same movement that took him from paradise to hell in milliseconds, feeling her nails dig into his back again and watching her arch with much more intensity.

Scratches down your back now So, so, so it goes

The pace was not as frantic as two nights ago that the two were angry and close to exploding with lust, but it was also not calm and peaceful as the first time, it was just right and perfect, making them touch in the right places that caused louder moans, as Harry's mouth wandered wherever he reached, while he felt her hands mapping him with the usual curiosity.

He didn't even care about the scars or any other marks because it was so ... natural, to be naked in front of her, in every way. It was as if all barriers fell and there was only the two of them again, as if no one could interrupt them in that paradise they had created for themselves.

Ginny managed to heal him far more than any healing potion or spell.

You did a number on me But, honestly, baby, who's counting? I did a number on you But, honestly, baby, who's counting?

''Fuck'' Harry moaned as she pressed herself against him, her thighs encircling him even more as she turned them over, standing on top like an incredible goddess she was, precariously tying her hair and biting her red-stained lip

''I've been thinking about it a lot of the time'' she said, adjusting herself on top of him and resting her hands on his chest, before starting to ride him as if she were after the biggest reward somebody could offer to her. Harry was barely able to contain his own moans every time she touched him again, feeling the pressure build more and more at the base of spine, his vision starting to blur, getting lost in the sea of ​​freckles that ran from her lap to breasts for Ginny's belly.

He felt bewitched.

His hands tightened on her hips, increasing the pressure and speed, aware that he would possibly mark her, but so lost in the sensations that perhaps if he loosened his grip, he would pass out. His toes curled, holding on as tightly as possible, even though he felt her getting hotter and tighter around him.

''Harry'' Ginny moaned, throwing her head back.

He just needed to wait a little longer. Once again she fell again, putting him fully inside.

Twice, and Harry thought he was capable of dying.

Three, he found himself in paradise.

There was no fourth time.

You did a number on me But, honestly, baby, who's counting? Who's counting? One, two, three

Ginny screamed, falling flat on his sweaty chest, looking as soft as gelatin, not that Harry was far from it, feeling like he was floating as his balls softened, just like Ginny around him.

The feeling of peace that hit him was so great that Harry could barely contain the tremors in his thighs, hugging his girlfriend's small body to steady himself on the ground, breathing in the floral scent mixed with sweat and seeing stars behind his eyes.

''I love you'' He was the one who spoke first, after his soft cock slid out of her, causing him to shiver.

''I love you too'' Ginny replied, hugging him too and resting her head on top of his heart, listening to the beat at the same pace as her, fast and almost breaking his chest. Harry was alive, as alive as she was, and he was there, with her. She was his.

The man squeezed her even more, returning to the earth and feeling all that explosion of feelings that always happened when he was beside her, above, or below her. Happy to hell to be there.

Ginny was alive, curled up in him like a tame cat, with him. He was, fucking until the last seconds of his life, hers.

So it goes..

[mayraki]

⋆⁑lost in HALLOWEEN TOWN ⁑⋆

jj maybank x witch!au

~chapter three~

final

masterlist // chapter two

“Use It Wisely”

“You weren’t lying when you said there was going to be a lot of people.” JJ said once he and Lia walked into the park that JJ recognised for the big pumpkin.

“Yeah.” Lia nodded. “I lot of witches and wizards take the opportunity to visit their families in the mortal world.”

“There’s people like you back there?!” JJ asked surprised.

“Yeah.” She let out a tiny laugh. “There’s people like me everywhere, and also, people not like me.” Lia said with a smile and because of that, JJ understand exactly what she meant. He felt his stomach turn at the thought of maybe walking pass someone of her world and not knowing about it.

“Good to know.” JJ said and Lia let out a funny smile because of JJ’s concerned look. “I thought this was a festival.” He said looking around expecting to see things that belonged to festival, but all he was seeing was just a normal park with the giant pumpkin on the middle.

“It is.” Lia said facing the people around her.

“Then where’s the games, the food, the rides?” JJ asked and a little mysterious smile escaped her lips.

“Just wait.” She said softly turning her head to three witches that were standing next to each other, with their dark clothes and long hats, JJ noticed their white long hair and those dark lips, they looked like the perfect witches from books and movies JJ was used to seeing. When they lifted their hands into the air, the people around them went silent while they all faced them with excited smiles on their faces.

“What are they doing?” JJ asked in a whisper in Lia’s ear. But she didn’t answer, she just kept looking at the witches with a smile on her face. For some reason, JJ didn’t turned to the witches, he just stared at Lia. If he though the year that he tried to be close to her that he would found more about her in less than a day, he wouldn’t believe it and just let out the biggest laugh ever. He still didn’t understand why he tried so hard to talk to her, or even just be close to her, but he knew that he definitely liked to be around her. Even if all of these happened because of an accident, stupid stupid accident, deep down he was thankful that he made that decision of following her to Halloween Town. Not a lot of interesting things happened in his hometown, and his life was definitely not the perfect one. Yes, he had his friends that made his life better. But that was just it. Nothing else that made him get out of bed to enjoy a sunny day. He was getting tired of his life in Outer Banks. He wanted to know more of her and her world, even if he was just going to forget it after going back, but he wanted to enjoy those hours he had left, enjoy the best thing that has ever happened to him on that year. Or even more, in his life.

JJ was so into staring at Lia that he didn’t realize the witches stared to whisper, but then whey said out loud: “LET THE FESTIVAL BEGIN!” at the same time, he quickly turned to the witches but soon his eyes were moved to the park, since it wasn’t a park anymore, it didn’t have benches, it all became just a big carnaval with music and lights hanging all around. He looked up surprised and then closed and opened his eyes trying to understand how did it all appeared out of nowhere, but it was time for him to learn to not question how thing happened in Halloween Town.

“Surprised?” Lia asked with a smile once she turned to face him. He slowly nodded still looking around. “C’mon, let’s have some fun.” She wrapped her arm around his to start walking more into the festival. “And erase that look in your face, the point of all of this is for people to not think you’re not the mortal.” Lia said and JJ immediately looked down trying to relax. “Relax, it’s Halloween! I know what’s going to make you feel better and not freaked out.” She caressed his arm with her other hand and that made JJ look at it and then clear his throat looking away, because, he liked it.

After taking a couple of steps while JJ was looking around with Lia taking him somewhere, she stopped and that made JJ look to what he had in front of him. An old man with a long white beard was standing behind a big and illuminated brown box. He let out a big smile once he locked eyes with Lia.

“Lia! So good to see you!” The old man said excited and then turned to JJ. “And who is the handsome young man?”

JJ felt his nerves go up but luckily, Lia answered for him. “A friend. Just visiting!” After that, Lia took something out of her pocket and gave it to the old man, which he took gratefully and quicker than the wind two light brown sticks appeared on his hand, before handing them to Lia. “Thank you!”

“Have a good festival! And say hi to your grandma for me!” He waved once Lia and JJ walked away.

“Old Mr. Porkis. He likes my grandma.” Lia said shaking her head. “Poor innocent soul.”

“What’s that?” JJ asked looking at the sticks Lia was now holding.

“Ice cream.” Lia said with a smile holding the sticks in front of their faces.

“That’s... ice cream?” JJ asked confused.

Lia nodded and then said with a smile: “Tell me a flavour that you would like to try as an ice cream.”

“What?” He asked confused and Lia rolled her eyes.

“C’mon, anything.”

“Anything?” Lia nodded. “Alright, beer.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, beer.”

Lia shook her head biting her lip, but then looked at one of the sticks and said softly: “Glacies Crepito Cervisia.”

At JJ’s surprise, on the regular stick a palet of ice cream was appearing when little sparks were leaving Lia’s hands after saying those words. He slightly opened his mouth seeing how the palet was slowly growing, he couldn’t believe his eyes, he even thought of pinching himself to remind himself he was not in a dream, even if it felt like it.

“I will never get tired of saying this, but that was cool.” He said excited. “I love this world.” He grabbed the stick once Lia handed it to him, to then look at it confused and surprised.

“Oh, JJ, you’ve seen nothing yet.”

⋆ ⋆

“Never in my life I would’ve thought I was going to see people with pumpkin heads.” JJ said once him and Lia sat down in a far part of the park where the people were after walking around the festival. “I mean, honestly! How can someone not like this world! A part of me still believes this is a long dream.” Lia let out a smile before pinching JJ’s arm. “Hey!” JJ immediately complained but Lia just shrugged her shoulders with an innocent smile.

“What? I just helped you realize this is not a dream.” JJ let out a tiny laugh and then shook his head with smile before turning his eyes back to the people playing around.

“I can’t believe I’m going to forget all of this. If I knew the day that I saw you talking to someone on that classroom, that I was going to end up in a place like this running for my life.. I really don’t know what I would’ve done.”

“Wait, you really saw me?” Lia asked confused.

“Yeah.”

“I thought you only just heard me.”

JJ shook his head. “No, by the way, what was that bright light?”

“My phone.”

“Wait, what? Aren’t you going to go blind if you keep the brightness that high?” JJ asked surprised but Lia let out a loud laugh.

“We don’t have the phone that you have.” Lia reached to grab something from the pocket of her jacket. “We have this.” Lia lifted her hand towards JJ and that’s when JJ noticed a little orange skull on her hand.

“Please tell that’s not someone’s remains.” JJ pointed at it with a disgust expression.

“Maybe.” Lia shrugged her shoulders innocently but when she saw that JJ was about to freak out on her she just let out a loud laugh. “No! We’re not monsters! I was just kidding!” JJ let out a relief breath. “It’s fake, and it has a spell that allows us to talk to other people.”

“That’s cool, dude.” JJ nodded getting closer to the skull to have a better look a it.

“You seriously need to find another word. I’m pretty sure Jervis has a book of mortal sayings.” Lia let out a tiny laugh before putting the skull back on her pocket.

JJ just stared at her questioning in his mind is he should ask whatever was going on his mind, the million questions he had. After a couple of seconds, he decided that he needed to know, otherwise his mind was going to explode after overthinking too much. But how to ask her without sounding so intruding? “Talking about Jervis,” nice one JJ. “why does he can’t do magic?

Lia let out a tiny breath before answering. “He got... into trouble a couple of months ago. He was caught doing dark magic, and you can’t do that type of magic until you’re 25.”

“Wow.” JJ said softly.

Lia nodded. “Yeah, it’s very dangerous. And if you do something wrong it could lead to the end of the world.” JJ noticed that innocent smile that appeared on Lia’s face.

“Doesn’t that freak you out?”

Lia turned to face JJ and got closer to him letting her hand touch his knee. JJ looked down at it and tried to not show any signs of how much he wanted to freak out because she was touching him. “Just know this, almost every catastrophic event you know, were caused by angry witches or wizards. We’re more powerful than you think.”

“I’m definitely seeing that.” JJ swallowed once Lia let out a laugh and took off her hand out of JJ’s knee. He took a deep breath before looking around since the way Lia was looking at him made him uncomfortable, but the good kind, he felt like if he looked back it was game over for him. “Man! Fuck erasing my memory.” He said trying to change his train of thought. “I don’t want to forget you.” He said more quickly than he intended and once he realized what he just said, he added even more quicker than before. “I mean, your world.”

Lia let out a tiny laugh. “It’s a special thing, but if you’re not careful chaos can appear any second.” She said softly looking at the people having fun in the festival. She was trying to get her focus on what she was seeing, but JJ’s words were eating her brain without giving her the opportunity to think of something else. Did he really didn’t want to forget her?

“Lia, can I ask you something?” JJ asked softly.

“Sure.”

“Why are you living with your cousin and grandma?” JJ asked and waited to see Lia’s reaction. She didn’t expect for him to ask her that question, but she wasn’t mad. She was proud of her family, but at the same time it was hard for her to talk about it, and JJ noticed that. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but, I’m going to forget about it anyway.”

Lia let out a tiny laugh and then nodded. “True.” She took a deep breath before locking eyes with JJ. “We went through a period of dark times, JJ. All of these people like you’re seeing it right now, it wasn’t like this. My parents along with Jervis’ belonged to an organisation that was created to protect us, to protect Halloween Town. When I was 8, and Jervis was 10, they were called out of nowhere. A mission was assigned to them. They didn’t told me or Jervis what it was because we were too young, my grandma wasn’t in Halloween Town on that moment, so they just told us they had to go far far away and we needed to protect each other.” Lia looked down and then said softly: “That was the last time I saw them. Next thing I know, my grandma came in and moved to the house with us.” She looked up to lock eyes with JJ.

“I’m sorry.” He said and Lia nodded with a little smile. “Do you know what happened?”

Lia slowly shook her head. “The whole organisation just... vanished. Nobody knows. That’s why I decided that I wanted to take assignments in the mortal world, maybe the ‘far’ that they meant was there.”

“And did you find something?” JJ hoped for the answer to be yes, but Lia shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok. I guess I have to let it go someday. That’s why the name Cromwell is so big. Everyone expects a lot from me, because for them, my parents saved the world. But I can’t even make a simple task right.” Lia let her knees touch her chest while she wrapped her arms around them.

“This is all my fault.” JJ said once he looked down.

“Stupid things happen all the time.” Lia shrugged her shoulder with a little smile.

“Yeah, but stupid things have great outcomes all the time.” Both of them locked eyes with each other.

“You think?”

“I live by that phrase, to be honest.” JJ’s hand went behind his back to support the weight of his back by letting them rest on the floor.

“And what great outcome came out of this?”

“A great friendship.” JJ said with a smile.

“Who said we’re friends?” Lia asked jokingly.

“What? You’re hurting me.” JJ pretended to be offended by touching his chest but Lia just let out a tiny laugh while shaking her head. “Hey, I wanted to say thank you for saving me back there in the library.”

“Well, I didn’t want to have a soul in my hands, so...”

“Thank you, anyway.” Lia nodded.

“I have to be honest, even is this is all chaotic and dangerous, I still had fun. I’m always up for an adventure.”

“You are?” JJ asked with a smirk.

“Yeah. That is my phrase.” Lia said proudly and JJ let out a tiny laugh before staring at her and letting the silence surround them. They both stayed in silence while staring at each other, JJ let out a tiny smile once his eyes unintentionally looked down to her lips.

“You are something different, Lia.” He said softly and then questioned on his head where he got the courage to say that.

“Well, I am the first witch you’ve ever met so I’m not surprised you think that.”

“I’ve never met someone like you, even if I ignore the fact that you can make people go to sleep or make a ladder appear out of nowhere. You’re different with magic or not.” JJ kept wondering why he was saying all of those things, and then freaked out expecting to see Lia roll her eyes or just push his words away, but once he saw she let out a tiny smile all of that went away.

“Different good?” She asked softly.

It took him a couple of seconds to respond, since he got lost in her lips. But soon, after going back to her eyes, he just said confidently, almost in a whisper: “Yeah.” Lia let out a smile and JJ did the same. For some reason, they didn’t pull away from each other, they enjoyed the closeness they were both feeling and they didn’t want it to go away. JJ looked down to her lips once again while his mind was screaming at him to get closer and kiss her right on the moment, but he didn’t. Lia noticed how JJ didn’t stop staring at her and her heart started to beat faster. What is this? She thought. That weird feeling she had on her stomach, she never experienced that before. But she liked it, and deep down, she wanted JJ to get closer to kiss her. But he didn’t. Suddenly, the sky went completely black and the wind started to blow stronger around them.

Lia understood immediately what that was andgot up, JJ did the same and looked to the sky expecting to see the big black Tenebris going his way. A loud scream hit their ears and that’s when Lia saw the big creature flying fast, she lifted her hands into the air waiting to defend her and JJ, but for her surprise, the creature didn’t went towards neither of them. It just went right pass them, leaving the park behind. Lia followed it with her eyes and her heart dropped to her stomach once she realized where it was going.

“Oh no.” She said almost in a whisper before quickly running towards her house, followed by JJ.

⋆ ⋆

“What the hell happened?” JJ asked while looking around. The bushes around the house looked burnt and the big black door was open, letting it see from the outside the chaos that was the inside of the house.

“The Tenebris!” Lia yelled quickly running the stairs. “That’s what happened!” Once Lia was inside, seconds later JJ was there behind her. They both looked around at the things in the floor and the now black walls. “Jervis!” Lia yelled once her cousin appeared on the living room. “Are you ok?”

Jervis nodded trying to take his breathing back to normal. “Yeah. Luckily, I followed what you told me and I had a potion ready.”

“Why did it came here?” JJ asked looking around.

“I’m guessing the moment I fixed the stone, it regained your smell because you touched it the second Lia was transporting here.”

“We’re running out of time.” Lia said worried. “And it’s dark, the Tenebris is already more powerful now.”

“Yeah, the stone’s ready. We better start this.” Lia nodded while looking at Jervis but the moment she was about to go the door, a loud voice came from upstairs.

“What was all that noise?!” Lia’s and Jervis’ grandmother, Evanora, yelled with a raspy tone while going down loudly from the stairs to the living room.

“Grandma!” Lia yelled concerned and then quickly turned to JJ, pushing him to hide behind the dark red couch on the living room. JJ kneeled down getting nervous, because all he heard about her grandmother wasn’t the best.

“Grandma! Did you just woke up?” Jervis asked once Evanora was on their sight. JJ, very carefully and being sure he was not seen, popped his head out from behind the couch to give the old lady a quick look. He widen his eyes once his eyes saw what was in front of Lia and Jervis.

An old short lady, with his baggy eyes and dark black hair that ended up on her waist, her long dark nails and big nose, was standing there looking around. Her back was slightly curved and that made her even more shorter, she had a long black dress that covered her entire body, with long sleeves that ended up on her fingers. She did really looked like a crazy lady, and what frightened JJ the most, is what Lia said “She’s not just called like the wicked witch of the east for nothing.”

“Yes!” She quickly nodded while pointed at Jervis and then at Lia. “You two always wake me up with your crazy things!” She then did a full circle looking around. “What on earth happened here?!”

“A... potion went wrong.” Lia said innocently.

“Wait, did you slept through all that mess?” Jervis asked her confused.

“Yes, with my age I can sleep through a tornado going next to me. Believe me, been there done that.”

“Right!” Jervis nodded and then looked at Lia while trying to figure out how to get rid of her.

“What’s that smell?” Evanora asked while making noises with her nose.

“What?” Lia asked concerned before doing a quick look to where JJ was hiding.

“That! It smells weird.” Evanora started walking around trying to find the source of the weird smell.

“Probably the potion.” Jervis said quickly worried that she would end up where JJ was.

“No... this is different.” Evanora looked like a crazy lady going around and smelling things. She grabbed a book that was on the couch and started to open it to smell every page. But then quickly dropped it to the floor once she didn’t find the smell she was looking for. Lia and Jervis looked at each other worried, but lucky for them, Evanora stopped and looked down while her fingers were slowly moving. “It’s gone.” She said softly. She closed her eyes and that made Lia wonder what she was doing, but Evanora opened them again looking directly to Lia. “Have you two heard about the Tenebris going around?”

“Yeah! It’s crazy.” Jervis said nodding.

“I wonder where that mortal is right now.” Evanora slowly walked towards Lia while holding her long black pijamas to walk more easily.

“I don’t know.” Lia said shrugging her shoulders with a tiny smile.

“You don’t?” Evanora lifted her left eyebrow.

“No! Why would I hang out with a mortal grandma?” Lia was starting to her worried, because even if her grandmother looked like she was out of her cables, she was one of the brightest witches she ever met. She easily caught things, even if they weren’t clear.

“You like to... do new things all the time. Just like me and your mom. I wouldn’t be surprised.” Evanora played with her fingers.

“Well, I’ve been doing normal things all day.”

“And what if I don’t believe you? You have a little crazy in there too.” She pointed at Lia’s head.

“Well! I don’t know! Why don’t you question Jervis too?”

“What?! Don’t bring me into this!” Jervis lifted his hands into the air.

“Because Jervis is almost a prisoner right now.” Evanora answered quickly without taking her eyes away from Lia. “You, on the other hand,” she gently touched Lia’s cheek with her nails. “like to be wicked. In a good way, of course.” She said with a smile, but then added more quietly to herself. “Unfortunately.” The smile went back to her face. “You’re more powerful than you think, Lia.”

“Ok...” Lia said confused once Evanora let go of her cheek. Lia turned to Jervis who looked as confused as her, but then once the bells of the festival hit their eyes once again, Evanora let out a loud annoyed yell.

“Ugh! Is the festival still going?!”

Lia saw the opportunity and quickly grabbed it, since her grandmother hated the festival. “Yes! We were about to go.”

“Alright, let me know when it’s over. My back can’t handle another one of those. Even if I do enjoy scaring little children.” She let out a loud laugh before going back upstairs and closing the door of her bedroom.

“She’s... something.” JJ said once he walked to stand next to Lia.

“Yeah, she looks crazy but she has a good heart.” Lia nodded and that’s when Jervis left the room to get ready to leave.

Once they were alone, Lia looked at the stone Jervis left two second ago on the table. She grabbed it to make sure it was perfect. JJ stared Lia and felt how his nerves were appearing, he just realized that he was going to be back in Outer Banks, back to his normal and boring life. And worst, he was going to forget about all of this. Halloween Town, the magic, the people, Lia... He obviously didn’t want to. His chest was a mixed of feelings, disappointed because he didn’t want to forget, nerves because he was about to go through that horrible sensation again, and sad, because he was never going to have that weird feeling in his stomach that Lia gave him never again.

“Aren’t you scared a little bit?” JJ asked after a couple of seconds in silence.

Lia turned to him and a little smile appeared on her face. “This is not the first time I fight a creature, not as powerful as the Tenebris, but it’s something.” JJ nodded looking down and that made Lia realize his nerves. “Don’t worry. We got this.” She said softly touching his shoulder to comfort him.

“Yeah, I trust you.” JJ nodded and because of those words, Lia let out a big smile.

“Always trust the witch.”

“Are we ready?” Jervis asked once he walked into the living room.

Lia nodded letting out a big breath. “A powerful creature is chasing us; a witch who doesn’t know what makes her powerful, a wizard who can’t do magic and a mortal.” She nodded not so convinced. “What could go wrong?”

⋆ ⋆

“This is a good place.” Jervis said leaving his backpack on the floor to start looking for what he needed.

“Yeah, we’re far enough.” Lia nodded looking around. JJ noticed that where they were on that moment looked like the forest he stepped on to get away from his principal a couple of hours ago. It was darker, since it was nighttime, but he recognised the dark trees and the orange and green leaves.

“I’ll get everything ready.” Jervis said and that’s when Lia turned to JJ with a smile on her face.

“I guess this is it.” JJ said and Lia nodded.

“I guess. I told you before, even is this brought chaos and only chaos, I had fun.”

“Me too. Even if I don’t remember you, I think I will have the feeling of something else going on in the world. And maybe I will go further and investigate, and someday, hopefully, we will reunite.” JJ didn’t want to think about the fact that he was going to forget everything, he just wanted to enjoy every little second he had left. And trying to, somehow, remember Lia, the moments before the Tenebris went to her house and his need to kiss her right there.

“Don’t become a witch hunter, please.” Lia said jokingly.

JJ let out a tiny laugh and then shook his head. “I won’t, I promise.”

Lia had to be honest with herself, she didn’t understand what went through her mind the last time they talked. All she knew is that, for some reason, she wanted to kiss him. That was not typical Lia, she wasn’t the type to fall for someone so easily. And the fact that she wasn’t going to know anything else about it because she had to erase his memory... Maybe I can do something about that. “Don’t get into much trouble back in Outer Banks.”

“That I can’t promise.”

Lia let out a tiny laugh while shaking her head. “I won’t be there to save you.”

“I think I won’t have a giant black creature after me back in Outer Banks.”

Lia shrugged her shoulders. “Well, you never know.”

As soon as she said those words, JJ’s eyes went wide open surprised and worried. “What?”

Lia tried to keep her joke but she couldn’t hold the laugh that wanted to come out, so she just bursted out in laughter. “Nothing! I’m just joking!”

JJ let out a relief sigh trying to calm his heart beating faster. “After this I’m going to be extra paranoid.” JJ let out a smile while looking at Lia who couldn’t stop laughing. He was really trying, really trying to not think about the fact that he was going to forget, forget her laugh and smile, all this magic and magical world. Once Lia stopped laughing they both stared at each other for a couple to seconds, before JJ asked softly: “Will I ever see you again? Even if I won’t know who you are.”

Lia slowly shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe next October.”

“That sounds like a loooong time.”

Lia let out a tiny laugh. “It’s a year, JJ.”

“Can you do a magic trick” JJ waved dramatically his hands in front of his face “and make time go faster or something?”

“I can. But that could lead to the end of the world if I’m not careful.” Lia said with that innocent smile she would always have while talking about something really bad or dangerous.

“Leave it be, then.” JJ nodded after giving her a worried and cornered look.

“That’s what I thought.”

“But also, what’s life without a little bit of a risk?” JJ asked and Lia nodded. “I was thinking, that if I had the chance to change the moment that I followed you here, I wouldn’t.”

“Why?”

“Because I got to meet you, the real you. And you’re very interesting.”

Lia let out a tiny smile and after a couple of seconds thinking, she said: “Now that I think about it, you know a lot about me and I don’t know anything about you.”

“Then I’m not going to say anything, because that leaves you a reason to see me again.” JJ said with a smirk and that made Lia’s heart skipped a beat.

“Maybe.” Without hesitating, Lia walked closer to JJ to give him a tight hug. He got a little bit surprised at her sudden action, but quickly hugged her back. Since she was shorter than him, she wrapped her arms around his waist while he wrapped his around her shoulders. JJ felt her perfume go inside his nose and closed his eyes trying to keep it for as long as he could. Then, he felt something in his pocket, something that was pinching him, but since one second later he didn’t felt it anymore, he just ignored it once Lia broke the hug and looked at him with a smile on her face.

“Are you guys ready?” Jervis asked and that made Lia and JJ to separate from one another.

“Yeah.” Lia said softly.

“It’s getting late, super late.” Jervis said while looking at his watch. “The potion is fading away. We have fifteen minutes.” Lia nodded with the intention to grab the stone from her pocket, but in that moment, the sky went darker in a heart beat.

“Oh no.” The three of them looked up. “It’s here.”

“You guys go.” Jervis said firmly and Lia quickly looked at him.

“No! I’m not going to leave you alone.”

“Lia, you can only activate the stone, I will be fine.” Lia was about to say something but Jervis cut her off. “I defeated once, I can do it again.” A loud noise came from a far, JJ recognised the noise from where they were at the library and Lia attacked the creature. They all looked to where the noise came from to see a dark smoke getting bigger and bigger by quickly flying towards them. “Go.” Jervis said almost a whisper but because Lia wasn’t moving, he turned to her and yelled: “Go!”

Without hesitating, JJ grabbed Lia’s hand to quickly run away. He didn’t know where was going, he just kept running forward to keep losing the noise of the creature and leave it behind. It was all dark so it was very difficult to see more than three feet away, but he didn’t care, he kept running and running while holding hands with Lia. But, suddenly, Lia stopped making JJ turn around to face her.

“Here’s fine.” Lia said while looking at the floor. JJ quickly nodded once Lia took out the stone from her pocket to grabbed it between her two hands. She closed her eyes trying to concentrate, but a loud noise coming from where they were behind them, made her open them again.

“Lia, it’s getting darker.” JJ said softly next to her while looking around.

“I know. Just, let me concentrate.” Lia felt his heart beating faster once she closed her eyes once again. She started to feel her hands slightly burn once the magic words were coming out of her mouth. But then, she felt JJ touching her arm.

“Lia?” Lia quickly opened her eyes and turned to where JJ was staring. The Tenebris was right there in front of them, a couple of steps away staring at them like fresh meal.

“JJ, step back.” Lia grabbed JJ’s arm to gently pull him behind her.

“Where’s Jervis?” He asked softly against her ear, but Lia didn’t want to think about that in that moment, all she had to be worried about what the big black creature flying quickly towards her and JJ.

Lia lifted her hands into the air facing the Tenebris to tell: “Ignis!” She quickly closed her hands into fists and that’s when JJ noticed a bing circle of fire surrounding the creature. It made pain noises but after turning around in circles faster than the wind, the creature was able to turn off the fire like candles in a cake.

“Lux!” Lia yelled and immediately, a big chunk of light left the palm of her hand, like a big lantern. The Tenebris tried to avoid it, but the light Lia was making seemed to be more powerful. “JJ, I won’t be able to hold it longer.” She said once she started to feel a burning sensation in her hand. “I need you to run.”

“No! I’m not leaving you!”

“JJ! I’m serious! If you run, it will run after you and that’s when I can regain my power again. I’m getting weaker and weaker.” Lia closed her eyes once the pain on her hand was getting unbearable. JJ looked at the creature trying to get closer to both of them, and then back at Lia, he had to run otherwise it was going to get worst for her, and the last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt because of him.

He was about to run away, but when Lia yelled in pain JJ turned quickly around. He was ready to see Lia on the floor and the black Tenebris going after him, but instead, Lia’s grandmother was standing there next to Lia with her hand facing the creature, doing the same thing as her.

“Not with my granddaughter, you little bitch!” Evanora yelled once Lia turned her head to face her confused.

“Grandma?!”

“C’mon! We’re Cromwell! Not a single creature can defeat us.” Evanora yelled. “Mortal! Stand between us! Now!” JJ quickly walked between the two Cromwell women. “Lia, grabbed my hand.” Lia without hesitating, grabbed her Evanora’s right hand with her left one. “One, two..” they started to say together and that’s when JJ noticed that something big was going to happen so he closed his eyes the moment the two witches yelled: “Three. Lux!” Wanting to see what was happening since he heard the Tenebris screaming even more strongly, he opened his eyes and saw that the light coming from Lia’s and Evanora’s hand was way more stronger than before. “You two have to leave, now! I can handle it, you open the portal.”

Lia quickly turned to Evanora worried. “Grandma-!”

But Evanora let out a big laugh and then yelled: “I still got it, baby, go!”

After a couple of seconds questioning if she should or not, Lia dropped her hand to the side of her body to leave her grandmother against the Tenebris. But it seemed like the old lady was having fun, since she couldn’t stop laughing while it was clear that the creature couldn’t defeat her spell.

JJ turned to Lia who now had the stone against her two hands. “C’mon, c’mon.” She said before whispering a lot of words that JJ didn’t understand. After a couple of seconds, the big gold circle that JJ saw before appeared in front of Lia. “Yes!” Lia turned to JJ. “You have to g-” Lia was saying but was cut off by her grandmother letting out a pain scream. They both turned around too see Evanora laying in the floor and the creature trying to regain its power. “Grandma! You son of a bitch!” Lia yelled before lifting her hand into the air and letting the light came out of it once again. But this time, with her other hand, she was throwing balls of fire at it. JJ noticed the anger on her face and her heavy breathing. She didn’t look like the innocent little girl she appeared to be, she was mad, and it looked like it. The Tenebris was easily avoiding the balls of fire and in the process, getting closer to Lia and JJ.

Without thinking about it, JJ got closer to Lia to stand next to her. The creature let out a loud scream getting quickly closer to them, but it seemed that it was destined to go after Lia first, get rid of the thing that was stopping it from getting to JJ. Lia was getting weaker since she was trying to keep the Tenebris away, the spell started to burn her hand making the light slowly turn off.

“No!” JJ yelled and without hesitating, quickly run towards the Tenebris, he didn’t even know why he was going to, he just did.

“JJ!” Lia yelled and on that moment, she felt her heart drop to her stomach. Her eyes were getting watery while looking at JJ getting closer to the Tenebris, but then with more anger inside of her, she turned her head to the creature. Her stomach was burning and her chest was filling with warmth, it was something that she didn’t feel before. She felt the power she had getting stronger and stronger, her hand started to shake but not the light that was coming out of it, and just like that, she let out everything she had inside. “Aaaaaaaaah!” She yelled, and before she knew it, her body went flying backwards and dropping steps away from everything else.

Immediately, a little headache took over on her head once she slowly opened her eyes. Her mind was looking for answers of what just had happened and why did she end up flying backwards. Her blurry eyes were trying to focus and look for the people that were next to her a couple of seconds ago.

“Lia!” She heard her cousin yell and then how a pair of hands were helping her get up from the floor.

“What the hell happened?” She asked softly once her eyes recovered their full sight.

“Lia?” Lia turned quickly once she heard JJ call her name. She saw him on the floor grabbing his head in pain, he had dirt all over his clothes and was far away from where she and Jervis where.

“Are you ok?” Lia asked helping him to get on his feet.

“Yeah, I think so.” He shook his hair and clothes to get rid of the dirt and when he was done, Lia slapped his arm. “Ouch! What was that for?”

“JJ! Are you stupid?!” Lia asked frustrated and the two boys looked at her confused.

“What?” JJ asked.

“Why would you ran towards the Tenebris?!” JJ stared at her confused but then the memory came back to him.

“You did what?!” Jervis asked turning his head to JJ.

“I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t think about it!”

“Did you forget that the Tenebris can’t hurt me?!”

JJ slightly opened his mouth and then slowly nodded. “Yeah, kinda.”

“JJ!”

“Talking about the said creature.” Jervis said looking around. “Where is it?” The three of them looked at the sky and all they could see was the starts shining.

“I don’t know.” Lia said softly. “The last thing I remember was like an explosion.” JJ nodded.

“Yeah, we kinda went... flying after that.”

Jervis quickly looked at Lia surprised. “Wait, an explosion?” JJ and Lia nodded. Immediately, a big smile appeared on Jervis’ face before grabbing Lia’s shoulders. “Lia! You destroyed the Tenebris!”

Lia’s eyes went wide open and then she turned her head to where the creature was before. “I- I don’t know what happened.”

“I thought it was really hard to destroy.” JJ said.

“It is.” Lia said confused.

“You found it.” Suddenly, a voice spoke behind them. Evanora was sitting down a couple of steps away from them. Like JJ, she had dirty all over her black clothes.

“Grandma!” They all turned to where Evanora was and quickly ran towards her. “You’re ok?” Lia asked kneeling down.

“Yes, dear.” Evanora quickly nodded while getting up with Lia holding her elbow. “I’ve been worst. Believe me.”

“How did you know we were here?” Jervis asked.

“Baby, I knew the mortal was in my house the moment I walked in through those doors.”

“How?”

“For some people, when they get older their senses become weaker, but I, become stronger.” With a smile on her face she winked at her grandchildren and then turned to JJ, who was staring at her with a scary look on his face, trying so hard to hide it, but for Evanora is was easy to see what was really going on. “Mortal, what’s your name?”

“JJ.”

“JJ?” He quickly nodded. “What a weird name, boy. Anyway-”

“Grandma.” Lia cut her off. “You said that I found something. Found what?”

Evanora let out a tiny smile and walked close to Lia, to give her a little tap on the shoulder. “What makes you powerful.”

“What?” Lia said trying to understand.

“When you saw me laying on the floor, a wave of anger and a weird warm feeling came over you, isn’t that right?” Lia nodded. “When the mortal was about to give his life to save you, you felt the need to protect him, am I right?” Lia slowly nodded again. A smile appeared on Evanora’s face. “Then that is what makes you powerful. Your need to protect the ones that you care about and that need you the most.” Lia felt her heart beating faster but it wasn’t because of nerves, it was because the thing that she wanted the most finally came, she felt like she finally understood everything she didn’t understand about her powers. “You must really care about this mortal to be the thing that made you discover it.” As soon as Evanora said those words, Lia’s heart skipped a beat once she looked down. JJ stayed put not knowing what to say, he still didn’t fully understand what was the big deal about the whole “What makes you powerful” thing, but the way Lia let out a tiny smile and looked down, he knew that it was not a small thing.

He got closer to her with the intention to talk to her, but Jervis stopped him. “JJ, it’s 11:59.”

Lia quickly looked up worried. “You need to go!”

“But-!” JJ said but was cut off by Lia once she took off the stone from her pocket.

“Now, JJ.” Once again, JJ saw how Lia wrapped the stone against her two hands and then closed her eyes when she started to whisper words JJ didn’t understand. This was it. He was never going to see her again. He was not going to remember anything about this world, about the people and the things he saw. But, how? How was his life going to be after this? Normal? He didn’t want that. The JJ of that moment couldn’t imagine anything better than this, the thought of him going back to his normal life made his stomach turn. But there was nothing he could do about it.

The gold circle JJ saw before appeared in front of Lia once she turned to him with a little smile on her face.

“His memory, Lia.” Jervis said and Lia nodded.

Without hesitating, Lia took her hands to put them on in each one of JJ’s cheek. He felt her warmth but also the cold of her rings touch his skin. She closed her eyes but he didn’t, he wanted to enjoy every little detail of her face. Her hair, her lips, her eyelashes, her nose, her world, he was trying so hard to keep everything in. Like somehow, avoiding the spell Lia was putting on him. He felt a slight pain in his head and then his heart started to beat faster. He realized nothing could be made, he was going to forget, but then, when he felt he was ready to leave everything behind, a voice spoke in his mind. But not a regular voice, it was Lia’s. She was inside his head.

“JJ, I want you to listen to me carefully. Don’t make a move, because for my cousin I’m erasing your memory. My grandma probably already knows this, however she does it. When I let go of you, I’m going to push you into the portal. I want you to make no noise, and then when you arrive in Outer Banks: check your pocket, please. I am going to miss you, JJ. I had fun. And I hope you had too, even if you almost died multiple times. The time is coming, I have to let go...”

Like Lia said, he didn’t move once he felt Lia leaving his cheeks. He didn’t have time to process those words, since the second she let go, he was already crossing the portal.

Once that horrible feeling was over and his feet touched ground, he opened his eyes. He couldn’t believe he was back, his eyes saw those trees and that forest he was a couple of hours ago. He turned around to see the portal, but nothing was there. Not sparkles left, no people with pumpkin heads, no Lia, nothing. Just trees and leaves flying around.

He still remembered everything. He did. There was no moment forgotten, not how he got there, Lia’s house and family, every conversation. Everything was there. He let out a smile but still furrowed his eyebrows confused. Why did she do that?

Check your pockets. He thought in Lia’s voice. Quicker than the wind, he took his hand to his pocket and once he felt something inside he grabbed it and took it out.

He recognised what he had in his hand the moment he put it in front of his eyes. The orange skull Lia showed him before. Their phone? Why would Lia leave him her phone? What?

But that wasn’t all, on it’s mouth there was a piece of paper. Carefully, he took it off to open it and noticed some words were written on it.

“JJ:

Maybe I am stupid for not erasing your memory, maybe I am not. Who knows?

But I trust you, don’t ask me why. Because I don’t know. You told me, what’s life without a little bit of risk? And I agree. This October was not my last one in the mortal world, I’m sure of it. Next October is a long way. But, in the mid time, here’s this. I want to know more about you. I need to, you’re not the only one who gets curious about other people’s lives, you know? You’re also very interesting, JJ Maybank. And know this, I will know if you talk about me. So be careful, witches are everywhere.

You’re maybe wondering when did I wrote all of this... you know that hug I gave you? Yeah, I wrote this with my mind. Surprised, Maybank? I know you are. And you have a smile on your face. Witches know everything. If you want to talk with me, I’ll know it. So, use it wisely, Maybank. Maybe we’ll see each other sooner than expected.”

~the end~

SEQUEL: lost in the mortal world.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆taglist ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

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[fific7]

Something Blue

Sirius Black x Reader

@omgrachwrites 500 Follower Celebration

AU prompt: Arranged Marriage

Summary: Sirius is not going to agree to this. At all.

Warnings: Swearing, brief mention of parental child abuse, Smut Lite but maybe 18+ just in case. The age of consent is 16 in the UK, sorry if that’s not in line with your own country’s/state’s laws.

A/N: Sorry for the child abuse but we all know what darling Walburga’s parenting goals were. This is mainly non-canon, my imaginary HP AU.

(my GIF)

Sirius Black leapt up out of his chair, knocking over his ornate crystal glass as he did so.

“NO! NO, NO, NOOOOO!!! I will not agree, I will never agree!! I’m not a piece of meat to be auctioned off to the highest bidder!”

His younger brother looked as if he was trying to disappear beneath the fancy lace-edged tablecloth. But it wouldn’t budge to the side enough for Regulus to slip under it.

His father leant back in his seat, sipping from his wineglass, all the while contemplating his eldest son, an ambiguous expression on his aristocratic face. Sirius looked like a mini-me of Orion, except without the silver-grey hair at his temples.

His mother. Well.... his mother. Her face looked like a dragon’s might as it built up to unleashing a huge tongue of flame onto an unwary passerby. Only scarier. Much, much scarier.

Sirius didn’t want to hear what she had to say - or rather scream. He turned on his heel and started barging clumsily out of the huge dining room. Before he could reach the door however, her shrill voice rang out, bringing him to a halt involuntarily.

“SIRIUS ORION BLACK! Return to this table NOW! Who gave you permission to leave the room??!! We haven’t finished discussing your marriage!”

He hesitated for a moment, but then resolutely continued walking to the door. But yet again he didn’t reach it. A long string of stinging spells hit him, making him cry out and drop to the floor.

His mother glided across the room, and stood over him. “Get up, you weasel! Miserable little whelp!” He couldn’t move. Another round of the same spells hit him. He twisted in pain, curling up into a foetal position to try and protect himself.

“Walburga!” his father’s deep voice rang out. “That’s enough. Sirius - get to your room! I’ll speak to you later, boy!”

Sirius hid under his quilt, still in pain from the quantity and strength of the stinging spells inflicted on him. He only had a month of the summer holidays left before he returned to Hogwarts for his 6th year. He sobbed quietly. 30 days of torture to endure. How was he to survive it?

******************************************

Sitting on the Gryffindor common room sofas with her friends & dorm-mates Lily & Mary, Y/N Y/L/N eagerly caught up with all their gossip from the summer holidays. That’s what first day back at school was meant for, after all.

They were even more eager to hear all about her holidays. She came from one of the old pureblood wizarding families, and they’d taken her and her younger brother to the South of France for a month.

They ooh’d and ahh’d at her descriptions of the palm trees, the beaches, the sunny weather, the French couture, the tedious formal balls she’d had to attend. She’d rolled her eyes as she described all the handsome but crushingly boring French wizards she’d had to make small talk with. And then there was the matter of....

Their chat was rudely interrupted by 4 teenage boys hustling into the common room, noisily and boisterously talking to each other. They were collectively known as The Marauders.

James Potter made a beeline for Lily, leaping athletically over the back of the couch she was sitting on and landing right next to her. “My Lilyflower!” he yelled, flinging an arm over her shoulders.

Like clockwork, she threw off his arm, scowling at him & snarling, “Get lost, Potter!”

Y/N and Mary grinned at each other, caught by Lily and also getting a glare from her.

The other boys also squeezed onto the couches, Sirius Black next to Y/N, Remus and Peter on either side of Mary.

“Hi, guys,” said Y/N, “how were your holidays?”

And so their summer stories were quickly added to the gossip pot, except that Sirius just mumbled, “Was okay,” and nothing else.

Y/N watched him, worried. She knew only too well what his parents were like. She guessed he probably didn’t have the best of summers. She’d speak to him later on.

*******************************************

She lay in her bed that night, thinking about Sirius. They’d always been good friends, ever since kindergarten, as their families moved in the same social circles. But they genuinely liked each other, it wasn’t just the family/same circle thing. Amongst other things, they shared the same view about the whole pureblood scenario and loved the same kind of music.

He’d admitted to her that this summer had been the worst yet. She’d hugged him to her, giving him all the silent support and comfort she could. They had sat there by the fire in the common room for hours, both shedding a few tears.

But they’d discovered one surprising thing in common; both sets of parents had announced that they were currently arranging marriages for their eldest children.

The next evening, Y/N and Sirius had a very satisfying venting session about the (in their eyes) antiquated tradition. But their parents were determined to continue with it. And that meant they had no choice but to follow their parents’ wishes.

Neither of them knew who their “intendeds” were to be yet, as negotiations between all the interested parties were still ongoing.

Y/N had been pondering on that, quite a lot in fact - throwing out every unattached pureblood name she could think of. Sirius had eventually snorted and declared that he didn’t give a damn, as he wouldn’t be consummating his marriage.

“Sirius!” squealed Y/N, “that’s the whole idea of getting married!”

He shrugged, “Don’t care. I’m not doing it and fuck the lot of them!”

“Apart from your wife!” sniggered Y/N, and Sirius joined in her laughter.

One evening in the common room, while cuddling each other on the couch, Y/N laughingly said to Sirius, “Wouldn’t it be a riot if they matched us two?” and both had then descended into fits of giggles.

“Bloody cattle market,” grumbled Sirius, “it’s ridiculous. We’re still almost children ourselves.”

Because what they did know, was that they’d be married off shortly after their 16th birthdays.

The pureblood wizarding world wanted a lot more little wizards & witches running around as soon as possible, so the more usual matrimonial ages of 17 or 18 had been pulled back to facilitate this.

Sirius’ birthday was in early November, while Y/N’s was in early December. It was still September, so they still had a couple of months of freedom left.

********************************************

Their friends were totally shocked when told about the arranged marriages, not understanding the tradition and culture behind it. But they tried to be as supportive as possible.

Lily and Mary went on several wedding dress shopping trips with Y/N, as her parents had agreed that she could choose her own outfit. Finally she found a figure-hugging ivory column dress with a long train, and a simple veil attached to a tiny tiara. The dress was tastefully cut, with a low - but not too low - sweetheart neckline.

With a matching pair of high-heeled satin court shoes, Y/N looked elegant and beautiful. She was really pleased with her choice, and didn’t give one thought to what her husband-to-be would think. How could she, when he was a faceless unknown entity? She put the outfit in its garment bag and stowed it safely away at the back of her wardrobe.

Sirius and Y/N bonded even more over the predicament they found themselves in, whispering and gossiping in corners about it.

“Well, I’m just going to act like the royalty I am, and have lots of side girls,” declared Sirius.

Y/N burst out laughing, “Sirius! You’re such a colossal drama queen!”

“Huh!” he huffed, “and what if I am? The whole thing’s a complete farce!!!”

*********************************************

Nothing was heard from either set of parents by mid-October, and Y/N & Sirius were hoping that they’d been unsuccessful in arranging any matches yet. After all, the formal engagement shenanigans still had to take place before the actual weddings.

However, neither of them had been able to resist whining to their families at every possible opportunity about the whole idea. It was only too apparent to everyone that it was still a very unwelcome plan to both teenagers.

Not that it bothered the families in the slightest. Each complaint washed over them, ignored, like waves running over the sand with each turning of the tide.

Sirius’ birthday came and went. Nothing. Nada. Radio silence. Y/N looked gleefully at Sirius, “You might’ve escaped it, you lucky devil!”

He grinned back, “Hey, don’t jinx it, Y/N!”

*********************************************

But it seemed she had jinxed it.

Two days before Y/N’s birthday in early December, Sirius vanished from Hogwarts. No-one seemed to know where he’d gone, but Y/N had a sinking feeling in her stomach.

She was certain that her lifelong friend was going to be an engaged man when he returned. And very shortly thereafter, a married man.

How would she deal with that? It was such an alien concept.

Would his wife have to come and live with him at Hogwarts? What if she was horrible and didn’t fit in with their friendship group? She sincerely hoped she wasn’t an awful person, but some of those pureblood girls...!! Hellish!!!

But what if she monopolised his time & didn’t even want him to hang out with his friends at all?

She was very worried that her friendship with Sirius would never be the same.

Oh well, probably not all that long to go until she found out the answers - good or bad.

She didn’t really think about how Sirius would react once she was married, too.

********************************************

The day after her birthday, Y/N was summoned to Dumbledore’s office.

Her stomach knotted and her hungover (birthday party) head throbbed even more. What could she possibly be in trouble for? It must be something big, otherwise surely a telling-off from McGonagall would have sufficed?

It turned out that her parents had sent for her, and they were in Paris! Her heart sank. Damn! They’d found a fiancé for her, and she was obviously expected to go and meet him, possibly even become engaged to him as soon as they met.

She wondered if it would be one of those boring boys she’d met over the summer. Her family hadn’t holidayed in France for a while prior to that, and now she wondered if the real reason had been for her parents to check out some potential fiancés for her.

She groaned.

Dumbledore gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’m guessing from that groan that you’ve got an idea what this is about? I’m not going to comment at length on pureblood traditions, but I will say this - it seems to be happening very quickly, and you are still so young....” He sighed.

He reached out and handed her a small metal trinket box, which had been sitting on the corner of his desk. “Two minutes,” he warned, and once the time had passed, Y/N disappeared with a swirl, landing in a very elegant hotel room in Paris, on the Champs Elysee.

********************************************

“WHAT??!!! she screeched at her mother. “No! I will not!!!”

“Y/N, you will. We decided that an engagement was not required, as they are a useless waste of time & money. This way, you will begin your married life immediately.”

Y/N stomped over to her bed and threw herself onto it. “Just so I can get pregnant sooner, huh?! Well, no..... I won’t do it!”

Her father came into the room, frowning deeply at her temper tantrum. He spoke to her sternly.

“Your wedding dress will be delivered to the room in 15 minutes, young lady. It’s being steamed at the moment. As soon as it gets here, you will put it on and I’ll take you down immediately to the ballroom for the ceremony.”

Y/N burst into tears. “Father, I haven’t even seen or met him!! How can you expect me to marry him today?!”

“That’s exactly it, Y/N. It is what’s expected of you, to carry on the pureblood line. They are a noble family and it’s a very advantageous match. I am sure you will like him.”

*********************************************

Her father had more or less dragged her into the ballroom.

There were a few rows of chairs, covered in ivory silk and set in a crescent shape round a flower-covered altar. Some French purebloods were already seated on them, along with family members.

The celebrant watched Y/N being coaxed and prodded up the aisle by her father. Merlin, what a couple these two were going to make, he thought, frowning slightly as he looked down at the sulky male face and crossed arms in front of him.

Y/N was shoved next to her bridegroom eventually, and she cast a sideways glance at him. He picked the same moment to scowl over at her.

Everyones’ heads in the room snapped up as both Y/N and the groom cracked up in hysterical laughter.

Given the relatively small pool of suitable matches, some would say it was quite predictable that Y/N and Sirius would end up standing beside each other at the altar.

**********************************************

Much later that evening, Sirius & Y/N locked the door to their honeymoon suite.

They’d changed into more relaxed clothes before the reception, and Y/N began to pack away her wedding dress and accessories, which she’d left on the bed earlier.

Sirius was hovering. It was the only way Y/N could describe it. He paced from the french windows which led out to onto a large balcony, to the small lounge area, to the en-suite. And back. And again, his long legs carrying him there and back in a few moments, over & over.

“Sirius.... you’re going to wear a path in that carpet with all your pacing back and forward.”

She heard him clear his throat, gulping a bit, so she turned to him.

“Please... just sit down for a minute.”

He sighed, then plopped down onto a chaise longue. He put his head in his hands.

“Y/N.... I’m so nervous.”

She sat next to him. “Why?”

“We’ve been like brother and sister all the time we’ve known each other! And now... well, you know....” he looked up at her, looking so worried that she immediately hugged him. He tensed up as she put her arms round him, so she stroked his cheek gently.

“Sirius, it’ll be fine. Just fucking relax, please, will you!”

He leapt up. “Why are you so CALM!!” he yelled.

He marched over to the en-suite, going in and slamming the door.

Y/N sighed and rolled her eyes. She was well aware that she was now hitched to a king-size drama queen, but Sirius was handling this a lot worse than she’d expected.

She went back to packing her wedding clothes away. She was beginning to get a bit annoyed with him, because after all - she was in exactly the same position. But he seemed to have lost sight of that, steeped in his own insecurities. Didn’t he wonder how she might feel, having to sleep with her “brother”?

She wasn’t blind - she’d always found Sirius very attractive, he was a very handsome, sexy boy. But she had violently pushed away any erotic thoughts of him, precisely because of their sibling-like day to day relationship. And she was sure he didn’t think of her in any other way, judging by the number of girls he’d flirted with and snogged (and more?) during his 4th & 5th years at Hogwarts.

An hour later, Sirius was still locked in the bathroom. Y/N left him to stew.

She finished packing up all her things, then changed into the ridiculous nightgown her mother had insisted she wear on her wedding night.

She thought that her mother must be stuck back in the Victorian era, as she regarded the floor-length, white, floaty piece of nonsense she was wearing. Wasn’t this what they called a passion-killer in Muggle novels? Although it was quite see-through, now that she looked closer.

She lay down on the massively deep and comfortable quilt, picking up her book and beginning to read. Not what she’d envisaged doing on her wedding night. She huffed to herself; it looked like Sirius was following through on his threat not to consummate the marriage.

After another hour or so, her eyes started fluttering closed as she began dozing off. She jumped a little as she heard the bathroom door open. She leant up, on her elbows.

Sirius edged slowly into the main room. He was naked as the day he was born, but shyly covering himself with both hands. He stared at her at she lay on the bed.

“I...” he gulped, “I’ve... never slept with anyone before,” mumbling down into his chest, not looking at her. That took her by surprise. Judging by the standard hallway gossip, Sirius had slept with half the school. “Oh.” She didn’t know what else to say. Then she spoke up again, “Well, neither have I.”

He suddenly met her eyes. “Thought you might like to get a look at the goods before we have sex.”

“So we’re having sex, then?” she questioned him.

“We have to, don’t we?” he replied, “We’ve got to make babies, and soon, or else we’ll never hear the end of it.”

“How romantic, Sirius.”

“Just being realistic. You were the one who told me I had to consummate my marriage, who said that was the whole point of getting married.”

He dropped his hands down to his sides.

Her eyes raked over his tall, slim, athletic body, lingering on what was between his legs. It was - a lot bigger - than she’d been expecting, and he didn’t even have a hard-on yet. He had more body hair than she’d guessed too, studying the smattering of hair on his chest, and the line of dark hair leading downwards from his navel. Her eyes roamed back up to meet his.

“Why, Sirius, I’m impressed. Who knew what was lurking under those worn-out jeans of yours?”

He gave her an uncomfortable smile, but walked to the bed, clambering onto it one knee at a time and lying down next to her. He moved his body half over the top of hers, and looked down at her, lying underneath him. He reached right down to the hem of her nightgown and pulled it up slowly, watching, fascinated, as her body was fully revealed to him. He gently tugged the gown over her head, dropping it to the floor.

His breath caught in his throat, and she could hear him beginning to breathe more quickly, more deeply. He reached out a tentative hand and ran it over her stomach and onto her breasts, palming her nipples and making her breath catch too.

Suddenly his mouth was on hers, kissing her hungrily until she pushed him away to gasp some air into her lungs. He lay fully on top of her, running his hands desperately over every inch of her body, starting to pant as he did so. She was returning the favour, beginning to learn the contours of his lightly muscled torso.

She felt his lips next to her ear. “You’re beautiful. Perfect. Gorgeous.” He smiled down at her. “I never let myself think of you and me being together like this, Y/N, cos I never thought it’d happen.”

He kissed her again, trailing his lips down her neck and onto her collarbone, placing small kisses all along it. She could now feel how aroused he was, his erection pressing insistently against her thigh.

“And now we’re married, that is how it’s gonna be. I can have you in my bed every night, love you where and whenever I want. I can’t believe my luck.” He laughed, a low, self-deprecating sound. “I might’ve told myself that I loved you in a brotherly way, but clearly.... you now know that’s not the case.”

“Hmmm,” Y/N pondered, “I think you may have a point. I think I might’ve been mirroring your thoughts, Sirius.”

“So.... does this mean we’re now saying we’re dedicated fans of arranged marriages?”

They both laughed.

He kissed her deeply, sensually sliding his tongue into her mouth. She kissed him back, the kisses growing gradually more and more passionate.

Eventually Sirius stuttered, “Y/N! I... I think... I’m gonna...”

Y/N looked up at her handsome husband and pulled his head down to hers for a kiss. She took him into her arms and pulled his hips against hers.

“C’mon, Sirius, let’s explore these pastures new together,” she whispered to him.

He nodded, “Yes... let’s, love,” thumb brushing over her bottom lip, up and onto her cheekbone.

*********************************************

Sunlight streaming through the french windows woke them the next morning.

They were still tangled up together, and it felt good, felt so right.

The two of them gazed into each other’s eyes in the golden early morning light. The smiles on both of their faces were as bright as that sun.

He stroked a strand of hair off her cheek, she ran her fingers over his strong jawline.

The first of many, many such mornings.

*********************************************

[sarcasticfina]

The Girl WHo?

a time-traveling/de-aged Hermione travels to 1970, where, with the help of Dumbledore, and at the age of 12, she defeats Voldemort before he can gain much of a foothold. she quickly fades into obscurity until 1977, when Dumbledore tries to convince her she should rejoin the world, starting with completing her 7th year at Hogwarts and hopefully, making friends.

“I don’t see why I can’t finish my schooling as I have in years past. I’m perfectly happy with home schooling myself.” Hermione topped her tea off from the kettle Dobby had placed on the small table she shared with her mentor, seated in front of a large window that filled her library with a warm, sunny glow.

“If memory serves, Miss Granger,” Albus Dumbledore drawled, “you completed six years of education with Hogwarts your first time around, but said education was derailed quite suddenly before you could complete your 7th.”

“Yes, but in repeating those six years, I believe I’ve learned enough to comfortably pass my NEWTs. I’m not sure what I would gain from returning to Hogwarts other than the exposure I’ve been avoiding. For good reason.”  

“Indeed. You will face quite a number of questions and no small amount of fawning. An earned response, I believe, for all that you have done and sacrificed for the Wizarding world—”

Hermione muffled a scoff. “And in repayment I gain a loss of anonymity. No wonder Harry hated the spotlight. He was never left alone.” She waved a hand toward her bookshelves, filled to bursting, as always. “Do you have any idea how many books have, incorrectly, been written about what happened?”  

“You always have the choice to set the record straight.”  

“I would never let horcruxes become such a known thing that others might choose to use them as well. At least this way, he dies as a failed dictator to a barely magicked girl.”

“My concern has less to do with your infamy, which I’m sure will pass in time, and more to do with you. Not as a hero or a witch, but as a person.” Dumbledore sat forward, placing his teacup gently on its saucer. “You gave up a great deal to right the wrongs of our past and future. Your friends, your family, your entire world as it once was, for better or worse. You have lived in this cottage, away from society, from companionship, for six long years. Don’t you owe it to yourself to find happiness? Don’t you deserve to make friends, celebrate your graduation, have a job you enjoy, and live a long, plentiful life?”  

Hermione grimaced. “As far as the world is concerned, I’m some overpowered saviour. I’ve read enough biographies suggesting I can’t be Muggleborn and must be descended from Rowena Ravenclaw or Godric Gryffindor, that I’m the hidden heir to some Pureblood family like the Malfoys. I know that as much as they might treat me with reverence at first, that can quickly turn to fear. I might have won against Voldemort, but I also killed him when I was just a girl. I’ll be treated just as much with suspicion if I return.”  

“Suspicion is common when we are faced with what we do not understand. In order to fight it, there must also be a sliver of transparency. They must see you as a person, Hermione. As a young girl ready to make her way out into the world. As flawed and scared and just as unsure about life as everyone else.”  

Hermione chewed her lip. “And if I agree to this experiment... If, after a time, I feel that I was better off in obscurity, may I return?”  

“I will never force you to leave this cottage and re-enter the Wizarding world. I only suggest it because I believe it to be in the best interests of your well-being. You are young, Hermione. Bright and talented beyond your years. You have so much to give the world beyond what you already have. You owe it to yourself to see what that could be.” He paused. “However, if it will bring you comfort, then I make you this offer… You spend the year at Hogwarts, complete your NEWTs, and make a sincere effort to befriend at least one person. And when the year is done, if you feel the pressure is too much and would prefer to return to your cottage, I will support you in doing so. No one will ever know where you have gone, and I will continue to never speak a word on how you arrived here or what you have done. I will uphold my original promise to you and, should you ask it of me, even forget your location myself so that you can live in peace that nobody will ever bother you again.” 

if you’d like to read a snippet from my many WIPs, go here for more info.

[ponett]

As I said in my thoughts on The Color of Magic, I’d been told many times that the Discworld series started out rough as Pratchett found his voice over the course of the first few books. Going into the second book, which is a direct continuation of the first, I was braced for more of the same: an enjoyable but very uneven genre parody starring Rincewind the funny wizard and Twoflower the fantasy tourist. An amusing but unambitious bit of pulp fantasy writing, with lots of fun moments that don’t quite come together to form a cohesive whole

So I was very surprised to find that, while we still haven’t quite reached the proper Discworld style I’ve heard so much about, The Light Fantastic was a huge improvement over its predecessor, and a book I had a great time reading

The Light Fantastic is essentially The Color of Magic: Part Two, picking up exactly where the first book left off. Rincewind and Twoflower had fallen off the edge of the world, their fates uncertain. This book begins with reality itself literally being rewritten to place our heroes back on the disc, safe and sound

There’s a reason for this: as established in the first book, Rincewind's head contains the eighth and final spell from a legendary tome known as the Octavo, which is said to have existed since the dawn of the universe. The Octavo had been kept in the wizarding university Rincewind previously attended, you see, and he once read it on a dare, at which point the eighth spell decided to quite literally live in his head rent free

Spells in the Discworld universe are sort of alive and have their own free will, and this one has been both a blessing and a curse for Rincewind. On the one hand, the Spell has been secretly manipulating reality to keep him alive all this time, giving an in-universe explanation for how the shittiest wizard ever has managed to get out of so many near death experiences. On the other hand, this one huge spell has left no room in his brain for any others. He’s tried for years to memorize other, more useful spells, but these lesser spells are “too scared” to stay in the same mind as one from the Octavo. While a little of this was established in the first book, it didn’t really go anywhere, so it’s nice to see it expanded upon here (and to learn what the Spell actually does in the thrilling climax)

The Spell is at the center of something The Light Fantastic has over its predecessor: a plot! Whereas The Color of Magic felt like four short stories stapled together and called a novel, book two has an honest to goodness narrative. The world turtle that carries the Discworld is headed towards an ominous red star, and the wizarding community believes that reading all eight of the Octavo’s spells is the key to their salvation. The fact that one of the spells has lodged itself in Rincewind’s brain is the central source of conflict that ties the events of the book together into a cohesive package

As part of this newfound main plot, book two also features a central antagonist in the form of a rival wizard named Trymon (played by Tim Curry in the TV adaptation). Trymon is a cold, calculating wizard who values organization over the chaos of traditional magic, and who wants to use any means necessary to put himself in a position of power in the wizard community. The book regularly checks in on him and the other wizards back in Ankh-Morpork as Rincewind is off having more misadventures with Twoflower, and he also sends multiple groups of mercenaries out to retrieve Rincewind. While book two still features a lot of standalone setpiece moments along the way, having this threat looming in the background from page one gives everything a sense of urgency and importance that was sorely lacking the first time around

The biggest and most consistent change, however, is the prose. I don’t know what happened in the three years between the first two books, but Pratchett’s writing has gotten so much snappier and funnier. While I almost dozed off a few times reading The Color of Magic in spite of its fun ideas, it feels like nearly every paragraph of the second book has at least one fantastic line, and the dialogue is a treat

Perhaps the best example of this newfound creative confidence is a new main character introduced partway through the book. The Color of Magic featured Hrun, a buff and not extremely bright hero who was quite blatantly modeled after Conan the Barbarian. He was present for about half the story, existed to poke a bit of fun at the archetype, and then got unceremoniously dropped from the story before its final act. This time around, he’s been replaced by a character named Cohen the Barbarian. The name’s a dead giveaway, but yes, this guy’s still a Conan parody. However, instead of just being a straight expy of Conan to poke fun at, Cohen is something more interesting: he’s a version of that archetype who never stopped adventuring, even past his prime, and is now still fighting evil at the ripe old age of 87

Cohen is a lot of fun to read and a much more well-rounded character than Hrun ever was, and it’s not surprising for me to learn that he kept popping up in future books. Of course, for as much as I liked reading about him, Cohen also comes with some baggage that proves I’m still not quite out of the weeds. While Pratchett was definitely starting to move towards more empathetic writing, the Discworld universe is still a pretty cynical place in many respects, and the characters often exist more to be the subjects of mockery

Cohen caught me off guard when he suddenly announced to Rincewind that he had plans to marry Bethan, the fourth member of this makeshift adventuring party, who’s introduced as a sacrificial maiden who the protagonists rescue against her will. (She briefly complains about how a life spent among druids has now been flushed down the drain if they aren’t going to sacrifice her after all, and how she could’ve spent all those years doing anything else.) The problem here is that Cohen is 87, and Bethan is 17

Rincewind does immediately point out that this is extremely weird, of course, and the wiki tells me that the two apparently got divorced off-screen shortly after the events of this book. I know it’s not Pratchett advocating for 70-year age gaps or anything. It’s supposed to be absurd. It’s poking fun at how this Conan-style hero is still only interested in young maidens even in his 80s. And Pratchett thankfully steered clear of the Master Roshi style “pervy old man” trope, instead focusing on how Cohen likes that Bethan knows how to straighten his aging spine and things like that. But still. Before this, a heartwarming little moment where Cohen realized that Twoflower still saw him as this awesome, legendary hero had me thinking that the tone of the series was shifting more rapidly than I expected. But I guess we’re not there yet

Similarly, a bit about how Rincewind and most other wizards had a misogynistic bias against the types of magic women tended to perform and didn’t allow them to study as wizards made me think a little less of him. Again, while the characters are growing, there are still more instances where we’re supposed to laugh at the characters instead of with them. In many respects, they kind of intentionally suck as people

To put it in terms of modern sitcoms: tonally, we’re not at something like The Good Place yet. It’s closer to Always Sunny with wizards. But for now, that’s not such a bad thing for it to be

Some stumbling blocks aside, I found The Light Fantastic to be an extremely enjoyable read, and a clear improvement over its predecessor. While first book was a series of random events that just sort of stopped at an arbitrary point, this one offered a complete adventure that allowed the characters to grow a bit and left me satisfied. I’d list more funny moments that gave me a chuckle, but there are too many to list and this post is already long enough

I was also very intrigued to see Pratchett lay the groundwork for the next two books. As mentioned, the gender divide between witches and wizards was briefly established, and will be explored more in the next book, Equal Rites. (We also met a male relative of Granny Weatherwax at Unseen University, although poor Galder is quickly killed by the Luggage.) And Death has already moved past his shtick of trying to take Rincewind’s life. In a scene at his home, we got a tease of his personal life, and the fact that he has an adopted human daughter was revealed. Big things are on the horizon in this series, and after how good this second book was, I’m now even more pumped to get to these new stories

[camillejeaneshphm]

Profile: Lady Viola Ellis

BASIC INFO

Quote by Character: “All these stuck-up purebloods won’t see me coming.”

Full Name: Viola Pearl Coventry Ellis

Nicknames: Vi

Gender: Female (she/her)

Sexuality: Lesbian

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Species: Witch

Blood Status: Pureblood (technically)

Date of Birth: 27 July 1904

Race/Ethnicity: White

Nationality: British

Short Bio: The elder daughter of Duchess Georgia and Duke Adam Ellis, Viola is headstrong and brave. Later made the next Duchess of Coventry, she inherited most of her looks from her father. 

Personality: Brave and headstrong, though lacking in common sense sometimes. 

Languages: English, French, Italian

Likes: Learning language, swimming, Quidditch. 

Dislikes: Bigots, large cities

Greatest Flaw: Hubris

Greatest Strength: Courage

Place of Residency: 

birth-17: Alternates between the Duchy of Coventry and Hogwarts Castle

17-retirement: Duchy of Coventry 

Future Career: Duchess of Coventry, Linguist, Historian

APPEARANCE

Hair Color: Blonde

Eye Color: Brown

Skin Tone: Pale

Height: 5’6

Weight: 65 kg

Physique: Though she looks a bit soft, Viola is actually quite muscular

Style Choice (what they like to wear): 1920s fashion (though never flapper styles)

Accessories: Usually whatever jewelry she feels like wearing that day

Inventory: Books on linguistics and history, a camera 

Scars: A scarred scratch on her thigh from falling into a thornbush

Face Claim: Alicia Vikander

Voice Claim/description of what they sound like: Alicia Vikander

MAGIC

Wand Description/Picture: Redwood, Phoenix Feather, 16 inches

[Wand-quality redwood is in short supply, yet constant demand, due to its reputation for bringing good fortune to its owner. As is usually the case with wandlore, the general populace have the truth back to front: redwood wands are not themselves lucky, but are strongly attracted to witches and wizards who already possess the admirable ability to fall on their feet, to make the right choice, to snatch advantage from catastrophe. The combination of such a witch or wizard with a redwood wand is always intriguing, and I generally expect to hear of exciting exploits when I send this special pairing out from my workshop]

Wand reaction when chosen: A chair began to float 

Boggart: A smoky cabinet with shadowy figures inside

Riddikulus Form: It is revealed to be a circus 

Patronus: Phoenix

Patronus Memory: Decorating the Christmas tree with her sister Julia

Animagus: None

Amortentia (what they smell like): Sunny fields and baking bread

Amortentia (What they smell): unknown (open to interaction)

Mirror of Erised: Herself, finally able to prove herself to everyone who’s doubted her

Misc. Magical Abilities: None

Favorite/Created Spells: none

SCHOOL LIFE

Hogwarts House: Gryffindor

Ilvermorny House: n/a

Organizations Joined: None

Apprenticeships: None

Professions: Linguist, Historian

Best Subjects: Flying, Divination, DADA

Worst Subjects: Transfiguration 

Favorite Teachers: N/A

Least Favorite Teachers: N/A

Class Proficiencies (OWL grade, n /10 or ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆):

Astronomy: A

Charms: A

DADA: O

Flying: O

Herbology: EE

History of Magic: P

Potions: A

Transfiguration: D

Divination: EE

STATS

Power (magic): 7/10

Power (physical strength): 6/10

Intelligence: 5/10

Skill: 6/10

Teamwork: 10/10

Speed: 8/10

Defense: 8/10

RELATIONSHIPS

FAMILY:

Father: Duke Adam Ellis, Duke of Coventry. Though not born into nobility, he adjusted well and is happily married to his wife, Georgia. (@beloved-bucky)

Mother: Duchess Georgia Ellis, Duchess of Coventry. From a long line of nobles, Georgia tends to be a bit proud, though her husband can always bring her down to Earth. 

Siblings: 

Julia Ellis. Around two years younger than Viola, the sisters are also best friends. Julia later becomes a dragonoligist. 

Friends:

Closest In-Game Friends:

n/a

Closest MC friends:

alix somerset (@endlessly-cursed)

Love interest:

None yet

Dorm mates:

Margaret Taylor

Rivals:

None yet (open to interaction)

Enemies:

n/a

Pets: A white cat named Cashmere. 

[clstldrmr83]

Babble Bubbles

I am surprised at the recent influx of followers and realize I need to cross post some of my older creations that have been exclusively hosted at The Plumb Bob Keep. I only have a few large mods, but I am particularly proud of them even if it took forever and a day to finish and share them.

I’ll start with my Default Replacement Speech Icons... I play a Historical Fantasy styled game, so hopefully some of you will find these to your taste.

Many moons ago, I stumbled onto the Icons page of the UESP- Elder Scrolls Online, and I knew our Sims were longing for new topics of interest and conversation. I give you... Babble Bubbles - These are a mix of mostly ESO and other Elder Scrolls Game Icons, with some Sims Medieval, Sims 3, & a Handful of Random Clip Art thrown in to complete the topic chains.

Base Game Interests:

Animals - Horse, Bird, Fish, Rat, Bug

Crime - Stocks, Shackled Wrist, Lockpicks, Lock, Red Hand. Thieves may be "Caught Red Handed" or perhaps it's Blood.

Culture - These are straight out of TES and might not jive with everyone, but we have: Falkreath, Bruma, Morthal, Stormcloaks, Riften [edited]. But they could be: Pagans, Romans, Celts, Vikings, Britons.

Entertainment - Masquerade Mask, Maypole, Lute, Fanfare Trumpet, Stein. 

Environment - Firefly/Lightning Bug, Leaf, Log, Pig, Flower. 

Fashion - Cloak, Vest, Sash, Parasol, Fashion Comb.

Food - Wine, Cabbage/Lettuce, Pot Pie, Fish, Bread. Because there are so many different food related topics (FT & AL), I wanted this topic to reflect everyday/common foods. 

Health - Tooth, Toe/Thumb, Herbs, Guts, Skull.

Money - Jewel, Coins, Hands Giving/Receiving Coin, Coin Sack, Gold Bars.

Politics - The Royal Scepter, Silver Crown, Chalice/Grail, Broken Crown, Golden Crown. My idea behind the Broken Crown was to signify a Corrupt or Dead Monarch, great for Stories, yes? 

Paranormal -  Crystal Ball, Ghostly Face, Mystical Star, Magic Stone, Lighting Orb.

School - This topic comes in two flavors: Education or Religion, files are labeled for easy deletion of one or the other.

Scroll, Paper, Brain Silhouette, Abacus, Open Book. 

Incense Scensor, Mausoleum, Shaman's Tool, Sacred Tablet, Praying Statue.

Sci-Fi - Werewolf, Fae Woman, Elf Woman, Banshee, Orc/Ogre.

Sports - Blue Flag, Gold Star, Broken Shield, Winner's Tokens, Green Flag. Because there are so many different sports related topics (FT & AL), I wanted this topic to reflect tournaments or competitions. The 2 flags, one for either "team", the Gold Star signifying a winner, the Broken Shield depicting the looser, and the Tokens representing bets placed.

Toys - Noisemaker Drum, Wooden Horse, Blocks, Teddy Bear, Doll.

Travel - Sextant, Compass, Map, Spyglass, Lantern.

Weather - Sunny, Partly Cloudy, Wind, Rain, Snow.

Work - Inn/Tavern Keeper, Fisherman, Craftsman, Hunter/Skinner/Tanner, Farmer.

Misc. -

Pet Interests:

Basic - Leaf, Dog, Cat, Pig, Collar.

Food - Raw Meat, Cooked Fish, Sausages, Cooked Rabbit Leg, Raw Fish.

Hunger - Fish Tail [Cat], Bones [Dog].

Outside - Flower, Partly Cloudy, Tree, Log, Rock.

Playtime - Feather, Lizard, Rat, Balls, Stick.

Scary Things - Claw, Cage, Thunder, Fire, Parasite.

Sleep - Blanket, Rug, Bed, Bed 2, Pillow.

Free Time Interests:

Arts & Crafts - Paint Palate, Woven Fabric, Clay Vase, Thread Spool, Embroidery Thread & Needle.

Cuisine - Empty Pot, Soup Bowl, Spoon Of Spice, Crock, Pan For the second food related topic, I used icons leaning more toward the cooking aspect.

Film & Literature - Wax Seal, Envelope, Letter, Inkwell, Book. Since my game is pre-electricity aspects of film haven’t been included.

Fitness - Fresh Air, Citrus [Vitamin C], Soap, Radish [Veggies], Moon & Star Icon [Spirituality] I went with the idea of Health and Well Being for this topic.

Games - Fox & Geese, Dice, Chess, Horseshoe, Tafl.

Music & Dance - Lute, Dancing Lady, Instruments, Dancing Lady 2, Skyrim Lute. I’ve never been completely satisfied with this one, I might revisit in the near future.

Nature - Beat, Carrot, Grapes, Leak, Berries. This Hobby led me to think more in the direction of Farming or Gathering.

Science - Jar Of Powder, Alchemist's Stone, Potion, Ambelic, Vial.

Sports - Sword & Shield, Mace, Yellow Flag, Bow, Dagger. This is the second Sports Topic for our Sims; I went with a combat training idea here.

Tinkering - Blacksmith Tools, Carpentry Tools, Architect Tools, Farming Tools, Sculpting Tools. I went with a combo of different craft skills with this hobby.

Apartment Life Stories:

Art Story - Bohemians; Black Salt, Vine, Rune Stone, Teeth Talisman, Magic Potion

Computer Story - Techie/Wizards/Witches; Varla Stone, Golden Magic Rune, Mystical Spell Paper, Dwemer Puzzle Piece, Storm Stone. 

Fame Story - Socialites/Nobles; Fine Furnishing, Luxury Items, Medal Of Honor, Rise In Status, Money Chest.

Mechanic Story - Gearheads/Smithys. I couldn’t get away from Dwemer tech on this on; Dwemer Gears.

Sports Story - Jock/Knights. What else is Sporting in Ye Olde Times and likely to spark a story? Hunting! Tack, Bow & Quiver, Mounted Deer Head, Horse, Hunting Horn.

Freetime Book Plots:

Children’s Book: Fae Ear, Magic Lamp, Knight Statue, Bantam Guar [Dragon-ish Creature - ESO].

Cook Book: Pan, Chopped Meat, Salt Bowl, Cut Onion.

Drama Book: Pretty Mask, Hero's Helm, Bloody Dagger, Scary Mask.

Mystery Book: Candlestick, Dagger, Bloody Hand, Potion Bottle.

Romance Book: Fancy Mask, Lock Of Hair, Hourglass, Wedding Rings.

Sci-Fi Book: Magic Orb, Monster Hand, Wizard, Storm Atronach [Rock Golem].

Custom Novel Icons:

AND NOW, the moment you've all been waiting for!! As with ALL Default Replacements, there can ONLY BE ONE; if you have Rugz' Gift of Gab, please remove it before installing my Babble Bubbles Inside the Folder you will find Sub-Folders for SCHOOL & RELIGION, choose ONE, delete the other. You will also find Sub-Folders for FT BOOKS & FT BOOKS/NOVELS, choose ONE, delete the other; Drop Final Choice into your DL's Folder.

DOWNLOAD

[chaoswillfallrpg]

SEBASTIEN FONTAINE is TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS OLD and an ESCORT at FAIR FARIBAULT’S in KNOCKTURN ALLEY. He looks remarkably like CHARLES MELTON and considers himself  NEUTRAL. He is currently TAKEN. 

→ OVERVIEW:

tw: death

True love can be shown in many different ways, through lavish gifts or quietly whispered words of affection, but to HUGO and ANTOINETTE FONTAINE their love was shown through the small looks they gave one another across the rooms at high-class parties and functions. A single look between the pair could convey a thousand feelings of love, comfort and need for the other and all of their friends could see it, those that were unmatched themselves would prey upon Merlin himself to have a love that shined even as half as brightly as that of the Fontaines. Blessed with a silver spoon since birth, Hugo created a potions empire for the couple to never want for anything financially. However, all the silver spoons in the world could not offer them their deepest desire. A child. Years of trying and failing, even with the beautiful looks and grace her veela blood offered her, the one thing she truly desired was still out of reach. Finally pregnant Antoinette was well into her third trimester when she wanted to ease her fears for the child so she took it upon herself to get some reassurance about the birth. Waiting for Hugo to leave for work she went to visit a well-known seer in the area VANA RAYNE to see if the woman could see her child’s future. The seer spoke of a fork in the road, there was a choice to be made in regards to the life within Antionette, only one would survive the day of his birth and Antoinette was adamant it would be the child, happy to give her life so that Hugo could raise their child with the love of both parents. 

The day her waters broke Antoinette was rushed to the nearest wizarding hospital and slyly passed a note to the head midwife there, requesting that if it came to a choice between her and her son, they would choose to save his life, knowing that Hugo may not be in the right state of mind to make that decision himself. Complications came and Hugo showed his true colours, he loved Antoinette with all his heart and demanded she be saved, not caring for the babe within her. Keeping to her wishes the midwife saved the baby and his mother died with him in her arms, Hugo, distraught, pushed the baby away when the midwife tried to hand him over and that day set the tone for the rest of Sebastiens upbringing. Raised by the house elves and his tutors Sebastien saw little of his father, and what he did see he wished he hadn’t. The only interaction between father and son was cold looks and harsh words for Hugo didn’t see the light of Antoinette that shined within the boy, he only saw her cold unmoving body whenever his eyes were set upon his son. His childhood was a lonely one, after his wife’s death Hugo closed himself off from all of their friends thus closing Sebastien off too, all the other children would play together at parties and Sebastiens only friends were his house elves and the characters in the story books his tutors read to him on an evening. Alone and unhappy Sebastien longed for the day that this nightmare would end. That day came in the form of a sunny Tuesday in May when he received his letter to study at Beauxbatons allowing him the opportunity to be far away from his fathers indifference and cultivate a life for himself outside of the Fontaine family walls. 

Leaving for Beauxbatons his father gave him little in the way of comfort nor did he offer the boy a single hug or pat on the back, the only words of wisdom he offered before apparating on the spot was this; ‘make good connections amongst the Pure-Blood elite, you’re going to need them later in life.’ Stepping in that carriage and setting off was like stepping into a new life, a new opportunity to prove his worth to his father and also make some friends that weren’t small with big ears and there to serve him. Becoming close with a boy in his house Sebastien made his very first friend in ALEXANDER TREMBLAY, a Pure-Blood boy with an appetite for the finer things in life he brought Sebastien out of his shell. Finding his personality with this boy, Sebastien went from a scared little boy to embracing his new life and although he would always be quiet and reserved it was no longer out of fear of rejection, it was instead to revel in his new reality. Through Alexander Sebastien was introduced to other rich socialites MIRA IYER and ALEXANDRA ROSIER creating an exclusive group of students that ruled the school. Alexandra was the queen of the group and Sebastien was happy to follow, pleased that he had both fulfilled his fathers wish and also made a group of friends he loved and adored. Coming out of his shell at Beauxbatons had also led him to notice the looks he would receive on a daily basis, many looked at him with lust-filled eyes that he had to put down to the veela blood running through his veins. Although Sebastien clearly had many admirers there was only one girl for him as Alexandra made it clear to all the others that he was hers.

Happy in his relationship and his group of friends Sebastien thrived in school, he became known for his strong and silent nature but those close to him knew him to be soft and kind when needed. The person who knew that most was Mira, Alexandra’s right hand woman and the girl she usually took the brunt of her annoyance out on Mira was someone Sebastien related to well. Wanting the approval of Alexandra the same way he needed the approval of his father led to the pair creating a bond, whenever Alexandra was too harsh or cutting towards Mira he would always be there to squeeze her hand in comfort of whisper reassuring words her way. It was well-known around school that Andra was a piece of work, and although her inner circle often saw a different side to her it was the face she showed to the rest of the school that lead to Sebastien and his other friends having to follow her lead and be cruel towards her biggest rival CLAUDETTE DELACOUR. A pretty girl that Sebastien didn’t know well enough to discuss; he acted cold towards her to comfort Andra’s insecurities. Her coldness only became much more apparent when tragedy hit the Rosier family and her father died, Andra came back to school after the death even more cruel and cutting than before, and although Sebastien could see through her coldness to the kind, witty and insecure girl beneath her sharp words and her savage demeanor began to take its toll on their relationship. Evident that Andra had the weight of her family’s name pressing down on her shoulders she began to close Sebastien out, her aspirations of furthering her families name in Pure-Blood society held no space for a Half-Veela boyfriend and so she cast him aside. 

Desperate to get out of France and away from his heartache and the pressures surrounding the Fontaine name Sebastien moved to London and started working at Fair Faribaults, an escort agency who dealt with rich Pure-Blood clientele. Having a business venture in need of financial backing Sebastiens plan was to use his veela allure to lure in rich backers since his father wouldn’t give him the funds he needed. Working at the agency he became friends with the owner GEORGINE FARIBAULT and renowned vampire DAHLIA BLACKWOOD who was beautiful and rich but whose story scared Sebastien too much for him to ask for backing from her. He also met fellow escort CONSTANCE SONG, a veela like himself the girl had many of his own qualities, quiet and reserved he saw a lot of himself in her, yet when she spoke her words were cutting and cruel. The pair became obsessed with beating one another at their own game, both using their good-looks and strong silent personalities to lure in customers they began to compete for the title of top-dog, constantly trying to one up the other for who brought in the most money and who caught the richer clients. Amongst this competitiveness the pair have begun to find the other attractive, although they haven’t quite admitted it to themselves and even if they had, they wouldn’t dare admit it to each other. 

Now established in London Sebastien was happy to find that Mira and Alexander had also made the trip over the sea to begin their lives in London, meeting up regularly with them and new found friend STAR DAVENPORT the group was once again as close as they were in school, minus Alexandra of course.To his surprise his school friend Alexander had not come to London on his own but in fact had brought his fiance, Claudette, the beautiful blonde that Andra had so despised at school. Hoping to start over Sebastien was now trying to get close to Claudette and apologise for his past behaviour. Once again close to Mira Sebastien moved in with her and was proud of the girl’s accomplishments once she had escaped the grasps of his ex-girlfriend. However, finding out that Alexandra was in fact in town made Mira question whether to allow the girl back into her life. Despite Sebastiens advice she did and now Sebastien is waiting for the day he has to be in Alexandra’s company once again, hoping upon hope that old feelings won’t surface and he is once again under her charismatic trance. Awaiting the day he sees Alexandra again Sebastien is trying to focus on other things, such as potential backers for his business venture, his new found school friends and the irritating yet kind of attractive Constance who takes up his every waking moment with ways to beat the know-it-all witch. 

→ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Blood Status → Half-Blood (½ Veela)

Sexuality  → Up to Roleplayer

Relationship Status → Single

Previous Education → Beauxbatons Academy of Magic

Family → Antoinette Fontaine (deceased mother), Hugo Fontaine (father)

Connections  → Mira Iyer (best friend/roommate), Alexander Tremblay (best friend), Alexandra Rosier (ex-girlfriend/potential love interest), Claudette Delacour (former adversary/friend), Georgine Faribault (boss/friend), Dahlia Blackwood (colleague/friend), Constance Song (colleague/potential love interest), Star Davenport (friend)

Future Information → N/A

SEBASTIEN FONTAINE IS A LEVEL 5 WIZARD/VEELA.

[magicalforcesau]

Dancing with Ghosts in Your Garden ~ Chapter 1: Year 1- Summer

Ao3 link:

Summer came and went with the fleeting heat of a fever dream for young Anakin Skywalker. Aside from his general distaste for summer as a season with its blazing sun and sandy beaches, the overall course of the months seemed to elongate simply because for the first time in his entire life, he was excited to go to school.

He’d never belonged at school with the muggles. Not only did he constantly have to stress over hiding who he was, which frustrated him to no end, but he was somehow still painted as a freak. This would lead to Anakin getting into some form of a scuffle, which would result in accidental use of magic.

His repertoire of indiscretions included, but was not limited to:

Sending a student into a never-ending hole in the ground 

Floating up and away 

Causing a bully to only be able to breathe underwater 

Pantsing another bully in front of a pretty girl (okay, he didn’t use magic for that one)

Making a parent on the PTA turn mute

Transforming his entire class’s musical instruments into live snakes

Burping the alphabet, but with explosive fire (this was more of a result of spicy foods than confrontation)

Turning a teacher into a fat purple penguin 

And this meant he often hopped around schools like it was a playground game. He’d never had that many friends, and when he did, he understood that it was never meant to last. Honestly, none of the magical situations he got himself into were on purpose. They simply transpired from a raw energy within him, or so his mother always defended when the Ministry of Magic came calling.

This didn’t make the face she made every time he returned with an expulsion notice any easier. She insisted that she wasn’t mad and that she loved him regardless, but he knew that somewhere deep down she wished she had a child that didn’t force her to uproot her life so often.

It helped that she was also a wizard, but she’d given up that life in favor of the muggle world and sought to raise Anakin in it as well. She never used magic, save for the rare moments where she had to hastily put out a fire or turn a person back into their rightful form; always on the account of one of his accidental outbursts. It wasn’t that she detested it, but that Shmi Skywalker had an appreciation for those who did things with their own hands. She was hardworking that way and while Anakin saw her employment as a waitress to the pub below their apartment as borderline slavery, she seemed at peace with it.

He’d never even heard of Hogwarts until a man named Qui-Gon Jinn appeared on their humble doorstep with a huge stack of envelopes. He carried the airs of humility, wearing robes that looked much older than Anakin. His hair draped down his shoulders in a thick curtain that was fashioned half-up and half-down.

Anakin had to crane his head back to look him in the eyes, but he had a kind face that seemed easy to trust. Qui-Gon, he quickly discovered, was a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and came to deliver Anakin’s invitation in person.

“That’s a bit peculiar, isn’t it?” Shmi said warily. “Professors don’t normally make house calls.”

Qui-Gon had a twinkle in his eye as he nodded to her respectively. “Not typically, but we have attempted to send out Anakin’s letter all summer, but to no response.”

“We moved.” Anakin said and gave his mum a curious look. “There’s school for people like us?”

Shmi never took her eyes away from Qui-Gon and the two seemed to be speaking in a silent language that Anakin could not understand. He didn’t try to, because he immediately started buzzing around the room as rapidly as possible. This wasn’t just good news. It was marvelous news. This meant he wouldn’t have to go to that awful boy’s preparatory school in the fall. He could be amongst other wizards and learn how to harness the power within him.

In the midst of his scurrying around the room, he’d gotten so excited that he started to levitate off the ground. Neither adult noticed, even when Anakin drifted well above the impressive height that was Qui-Gon Jinn.

He overheard his mother softly ask, “Will he be safer there?”

“The safest thing we can do for him is to train him.” Qui-Gon said. “I know how much he means to you, Shmi.”

“Uh, a little help here?” Anakin interrupted.

Qui-Gon looked up and smiled at him, “How’s the weather up there?”

“Unsteady, sir. I don’t know how you manage it.” Anakin said.

A deep and hearty laugh broke across the room as he whipped a wand from the pocket of his robe. With the flick of the wrist and an utterance of “Descendo”, Anakin was placed back on his two feet once again. A part of him always liked when he floated off. He enjoyed being in the air.

Qui-Gon ruffled a hand through Anakin’s hair and looked to Shmi. There was more of that secret and silent adult-speak happening, but when Shmi looked to Anakin, he tried his best to convey that he wanted nothing more than to be amongst his own kind for a change. His little outbursts have been occurring more frequently and he was not sure how much more disappointment he could take.

To his surprise, she relented. 

And so it was settled. Anakin was to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the fall- which was shockingly his mother’s alma mater. In his 11 years of living, she’d never mentioned it, just that she’d gone to school with other witches and wizards growing up and how she felt it was too isolated from the real world.

***

“Do I get a wand?”

“Yes, Ani.” She smiled lightly as they walked down the cobblestone streets of London. Cars and people buzzed throughout the town, each taking a slice of the rare sunny day. Normally, Anakin had zero interest in back to school shopping as it usually just included hand-me-downs from used outlets and the cheapest notebooks and pencils. Specifically, the kinds of pencils with erasers that didn’t function properly.

“Do you think I could have one like Qui-Gon’s?”

“The wand chooses the wizard.” She said, “Wands are unique. Just like people.”

He’d spent enough time in London to know for certain that there was not a wizard store at the market- not one that wasn’t mocking their culture with top hats and white rabbits. They passed familiar shops and boutiques until they made a turn onto Charing Cross Road and stopped in front of a charcoal pub with a faded sign hanging to the side. Anakin moved to continue walking as well, but Shmi was cemented to her position.

“Mum?”

She didn’t answer, only kept her eyes trained forward with a combination of knowing fear and unmovable determination. She took in a deep breath and reached for Anakin’s hand before leading him up to the large black door and pushing their way in.

It was equally unimpressive on the inside, resembling every other dive in England. Men and women huddled around their dimly lit booths and tables, trading barbs and sharing grub. He swore as they walked by a few, he heard his mother’s name leave their lips. Normally, a protective instinct would kick in, but his own beguilement was placed on halt. He was unsure what grabbing a beer was going to do for them, but then again, that was before the fabrics of reality opened before him.

His jaw dropped when a crummy hole-in-the-wall developed an actual hole in the wall and he suddenly stood on the bridge between parallel realities. There was the one at which he came from with its conformities, drab colors, and mundane days. What lay before him was anything but drab or mundane. While he’d never been here before, he automatically felt a singing rightness to it and found he could not bring himself to turn back- not even to express his sense of awe to his mother.

As if on a gravitational pull, he moved forward, his mother’s hand squeezing his own without a second thought. They drifted down the winding cobblestone street. It resembled the older paths in England with tight streets and turns as well as crowded rows of buildings. These, however, did not consist of standard row homes or shops, but an array of bright-roofed places of commerce. 

His eyes were pulled everywhere, unsure whether to fixate on the joke shop or the menagerie, which had its windows lined with an assortment of obscure pets ranging from rats to little colorful wisps of fluff that he could not name.

There was a shop explicitly for selling cauldrons as well as robes, which were written on the list Professor Qui-Gon Jinn had given them before taking leave. Anakin had memorized it backwards and forwards and still hadn’t fully grasped the act of actually buying this kind of stuff.

Adults and their children appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the road and nobody blinked a second thought. Afterwards, they tucked their wands into their boot or pocket and went about their business with a casual air that only came with experience. They were all dressed very different from him- wearing long and vibrant robes as well as mismatched hats. No two were the same and while some of the younger crowd was more modernly dressed, most appeared to be in costume for a stage play. Anakin tried his best not to gawk at the strangers, who paid his shock no mind. He was supposed to be one of them, but while the rational part of him was trying to stop staring at wizards openly performing magic in public, the bigger part of him could only revel in the joy that came with not being the odd man in the room. 

Various pleasant smells filled the open sky, which increased his sense of wonder. The street was lined with many different cafes and restaurants. The one that piqued his interest had a large light-up ice cream cone pinned on the roof. Just as his mouth began to water at the possibilities of how advanced magical ice cream could be, he was briefly tugged from his reverie by his mother, who took them aside and near the window of a different shop.

She knelt before him, a small and knowing smile playing at her lips, but also a bit of sadness that he could not understand. How could she ever want to leave this world? There was so much to explore and behold. What did their grubby flat above the old pub have that this place didn’t?

“Welcome to Diagon Alley. I know it’s a lot to take in.” She said and gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze. “And there will be time for that later.”

“And magical ice cream?” He tried. Though he wasn’t sure what was going to be so different about it. 

She chuckled. “One rite of passage at a time.”

And with that, she stood up and nodded towards the shop behind him. “In there, I think you’ll find what you’ve been anticipating most. I’ll meet you back here with your textbooks. Do not wander, Ani.”

He heeded her advice and swung the wooden door open to reveal a dimly lit storage room that was stacked from floor to ceiling with shelves of long, thin boxes. Singular orbs of fading light dangled from the high ceiling and cast a yellow glow onto each shelf, though nothing worth noting leapt out at Anakin. Juxtaposed to the rest of the marketplace, it resembled a cluttered library rather than anything enticing. He couldn’t see how this would be what his mother believed was the most exciting place.   

Well, aside from the gentleman positioned behind the desk, which sat next to a winding staircase leading to a closed door. At least, Anakin believed they were a gentleman, but it felt wrong to assume given they were clearly not human with a long snout, gray skin, and a very dinosaur-like shape. They wrote with a long feather in hand, clearly transfixed with whatever was being transcribed, and paid Anakin no mind. 

“Um, excuse me?” Anakin spoke after the silence felt like it might overwhelm him.

Golden eyes lifted from the parchment to study him and Anakin swore he saw a thousand lifetimes in the span of seconds, but was also fairly certain he wasn’t under a spell. He couldn’t decide if they were kind or not- just all knowing yet totally unassuming.

“Yes, young man?” Their voice kept things ambiguous with a slight waver that gave away their age and a tone that was coated in gravel when they spoke. 

“Um,” Anakin desperately wished his mother came in with him now, because he wasn’t even sure what he was supposed to be asking for from this creature. Said creature looked at him with expectant and timeless eyes, which eventually narrowed after considering Anakin.

“You’re new.” They said and got up from behind the desk, but not without the help of a cane and patience.

“Yes, sir.” He internally cursed for slipping, because really, he did not need to offend anyone on his first day in the wizarding world. While Anakin didn’t normally mince words, he hadn’t yet learned how to truly defend himself from this ancient wizard if that was required. 

But, no rebuttal or offense came. Instead, this old man smiled and nodded before gesturing for Anakin to come closer. Despite previous anxieties, Anakin did as he was instructed.

“What a pleasure it is to share this moment with you.” He said and upon closer inspection, had many smile lines crinkled around the corners of his eyes. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Anakin Skywalker.”

“And what are you?”

“Uh, a person. What are you?”

This was hilarious to Tera Sinube, who laughed so hard that Anakin feared he was going to knock himself off balance somehow. He did not appear very physically stable as it was. 

“Well, I’m a Cosian, but I’m also a person.” He said. “I was referring to your blood lineage. This can help when trying to pair wands to wizards.”

Anakin’s eyes felt like they were going to bulge out of his head, which provided more comedic content for the older wizard, who quite literally slapped his own knee at the confusion on Anakin’s face.

“You’re a wandmaker?” Anakin gaped, not caring about sounding foolish.

“Must be muggle-born.” Sinube smiled knowingly.

“Muggle?”

“Human.” He corrected, “My apologies. It’s what non-magical humans are referred to by wizards.”

While the statement held no edge beyond what naturally came with the tones of his voice, Anakin could not help feeling slightly bristled by the confusion. 

“My mum’s a wizard, actually.” He said pointedly, “My father was a hum-muggle, though.”

He might as well get used to the verbiage.

Tera Sinube stared at him more carefully over his long snout and bit his lip in what appeared to be concentration. 

“Skywalker.” He rolled the name around in his mouth and then his eyes widened a little before settling back to normal. “11 inches, Pear, with unicorn hair.”

“Huh?” 

Sinube smiled and drifted to the back to pick up various packages from shelves. “That was your mother’s wand type. Your mother is Shmi Skywalker, right?”

“You know my mum?” Anakin asked.

“I’ve never forgotten a wand nor the wizard it chose.” He said with a firm nod.

“Wait, I don’t get to pick the one I want? Because I know this guy and his wand is super-”

“-The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Skywalker.” Sinube said firmly. “If it were backwards, I’d be terrified of the outcome. People have a tendency of prioritizing what they want rather than accepting what they need. And from that, we devolve into chaos.”

He wanted to push the point, because while arguing with a seasoned wandmaker about wands seemed foolish, Anakin really did enjoy the sleek fashion of Qui-Gon’s burgundy wand and believed that would most suit him too. However, Sinube did not give him much room to talk and instead laid out an array of thin boxes on the desk.

“I’ve been doing this for a very long time. Longer than I’d care to admit, actually, and I swear to you I’ve never come up with inconclusive results.”

Even as he said it, it felt like condemnation.

Because after a series of almost-disasters including, but not limited to: setting the entire wooden office on fire, turning Sinube into a Cosian Kebab, dissolving the floor into a gaping black hole beneath them, and literally turning the wooden wand into an angry python- it was easy to feel discouraged. 

There were also wands that simply didn’t react to Anakin at all, which was even more disappointing. He had managed to let Sinube give him the opportunity to try Qui-Gon’s wand type on the off chance that his interests and needs coincided. 

However, the 13” larch with dragon heartstrings acted as little more than a fancy stick in Anakin’s hand, much to his dismay and attempt at making it work.

“Ah, larch is a much sought-after wood.” Sinube said. “However, it is amongst the hardest to appease in terms of partnership. Its matches are typically hidden artifacts, so to speak, with untapped and unnoticed potential until the pair meets. Qui-Gon Jinn certainly matched that description as a young boy.”

Anakin wanted to further protest, but chose against it in favor of sulking. At this point, he cared a great deal less about matching Qui-Gon as he did finding a wand that would actually work with him at all.

“Now, now. One must not give up so easily.” Sinube placed a large hand on his shoulder. “I will have you know that some of the greatest wizards that ever lived were difficult to match. I was not alive in Headmaster Yoda’s time as a young wizard, but it evidently took days to find his wand.”

Anakin sighed, “I’m just so new to all of this, but I’ve always dreamed of it, if that makes sense.”

“It does and this moment will be a fond one if you let it happen.”

He tried to do just that and humored Sinube’s every whim of attempts and even climbed the ladder along the bookcase to grab more wands for him. It wasn’t until knocking a loose box from its hold on top of the bookcase and onto the floor- successfully rolling the wand across the room- that Anakin felt the room change.

Upon picking it up, the atmosphere transformed into one bathed in angelic light with a potent wind that swept all around them and took loose strands of parchment into the air. Anakin’s hand that gripped the wand grew impossibly warm, but never hot, and a strength seemed to manifest deep in the core of his being. Anakin’s soul felt complete where he never knew it was missing a piece. 

Eventually, the lights dimmed and the heavens ceased singing and while he believed he’d been the only one doused in glory, it was clear from Sinube’s face that he’d bore witness to the whole spectacle. Perhaps, this was why he did what he did for so long.

“And there you have it.” The older wizard grinned. “An 11 ½” holly with dragon heartstrings. Known for handling well with the impetuous and the quick to anger as well as accompanying one with a large spiritual journey ahead of them.”

Anakin reverently ran his thumb across the surface of the hilt. How he could ever want anything else seemed ridiculous now. He finally tore his eyes away from his wand to acknowledge Sinube.

“Thank you, Mr. Sinube.” He said as he handed him the money his mother gave him- apparently it was the exact amount, “For being patient.”

“It was my pleasure, Mr. Skywalker. I just ask that you always extend yourself and others the same courtesy.”

“I will!” Though his rush to race out the door did not support the statement. 

After Anakin left, Sinube’s eyes drifted to the wand that had been previously turned into a snake.

“Curious…” He said as he picked it up. Just as suspected, it was an elm wand, which was heavily believed to only react to wizards of pure-blood. Sinube, who was not human in any sense beyond spirit, hardly listened in on the political rubbish surrounding blood lineage. Still, it was odd that the elm wand reacted so.

***

Anakin dashed out of Sinube’s in such excited haste that he ran square into a family of wizards which knocked his wand from his hand and had it rolling onto the street. An array of passing feet accidentally kicked it along in transit and Anakin found himself scrambling on the ground in an ill-willed attempt to recover the wand he’d just struggled to meet.

“Excuse me! Sorry! Coming through!” He pushed his way through the crowd, never once taking his eyes off the ground and failing to really keep track where he was going. 

Finally, his wand was spared from the stampede as it was all but launched into a darker passageway and down a series of steps. Anakin breathed out a sigh of relief and frustration as he descended to retrieve his wand. It wasn’t until he picked it up and determined that it was still usable did he realize he had absolutely no idea where he’d drifted.

Behind him, there was the pocket of light he’d come from while ahead only lay an oblique of shadows that extended deeper and deeper into a silent unknown. He could still feel the sunlight that shined bright on Diagon Alley at his back. However, he was inexplicably drawn forward as though he were being called. In fact, his feet seemed to move at their own accord, because despite his mind telling him otherwise, he followed the path of noir and gray stone until reaching a crossing.

Strange and unhappy creatures seemed to shuffle around one another without exchanging pleasantries or even acknowledging one another. Somehow, this part of town seemed even tighter than the rest of Diagon Alley. The shop owners were grim and threatened their patrons, though the patrons did not seem kind either. A few cast curious stares at Anakin as he walked by, but he did not want to be caught idle for too long and went the opposite direction, away from the quiet community of threatening onlookers. 

As he drifted further along a narrow opening and towards a glowing green light, he felt a resounding cold settle in his bones without warning. His thoughts were screaming in meaningless questions as to why he was even here, but he resisted the urge to turn away. If he did, sleeping that night would be more impossible than enduring the chill that traveled up his spine at every distant echo.

He found himself clutching his wand instinctually, though he had no indication on how to use it. He slowly treaded closer to the ambient green hue that reflected off the stone wall. The anxiety that coiled in the pit of his stomach resembled that of being the follower and the followed. He was not sure which he was more fearful of in the present. When he rounded the corner, he realized it appeared to be from a wizarding shop, no less. While this should have caused relief, Anakin remained on high alert, noting that this shop did not resemble the others.

It was well-buried in the shadows, for one thing, and did not seem to be sought after despite its claim to sell antiquities. There were three front windows with a green light emanating off of them and highlighting the clear prevalence of skeletons throughout the store. He tried not to think too hard about their origin.     

He squinted his eyes as he made out the sign on the front. 

“Borgin and Burkes.” He murmured to himself.

He kept his steps silent and his breaths minimal, particularly when he realized he was not alone. Quickly, he rushed into the store in an attempt to avoid being seen by a large figure all dressed in black. The storeowner was clearly gone for lunch or other dealings, because he was not questioned when he slipped behind the counter after realizing the large presence was (hopefully unknowingly) following him inside. 

There was a moment of silence beyond what Anakin could barely make out as the ignition of a flame. 

He closed his eyes and wondered what his mother thought of his absence for the first time. What if she didn’t let him go to Hogwarts for wandering off? Surely, the rule of avoiding dark alleys applied to the wizarding world just as much as it did the real world. He felt remorse and regret, but didn’t even know where to begin on how to leave.

“Are you sure, Master?” A deep, but hushed voice asked.

“Yes. It is time to act. He arrives at Hogwarts this year.” The second voice sounded like more of a hiss than actual speech and crackled alongside the fire.

“There is much to prepare, then.”

Anakin peered his head from around the desk in a feeble attempt to catch a glimpse. Anyone that entered an empty shop to have a secretive conversation could not have been up to any good. What he was supposed to do about it, he was unsure.

The figure that had followed him into the shop was huge in stature- even larger and more dominant in appearance than Qui-Gon. He was dressed from head-to-toe all in black robes that were pulled over his head and shrouded him like a phantom. 

The other man was not present in the physical sense, but judging from what Anakin could tell, was either in the fireplace or he was the fireplace. Green embers flicked in every direction, wild in abandon and enchantment as the phantom spoke down. Anakin wished he could get a better look, but thought better of it lest he reveal his presence.

“Just see to it that you are ready, Lord Tyranus. The Sith will rise once again if all goes according to plan.” 

The phantom man knelt before the fireplace, as if to swear an oath. “I will not fail you, my Master.”

There was a long enough pause where Anakin briefly thought the conversation had ended, but a maniacal laugh rippled through the shop and he had to suppress the urge to whimper. 

“Good.” He enunciated. “Until the darkest day at the darkest point.”

“Until then.” 

“And by the way, my apprentice. You are not alone.”

Anakin’s eyes shot open and he burst into a blind sprint towards and through the door, narrowly avoiding a green shock of lightning that ricocheted where he’d previously been sat. Flames blew up behind him, lighting the dark path before him. He mindlessly chose his fate and sprinted down the cobblestone path to where he’d originally entered through. Well, it was where he believed he’d entered, at least.

His knees were almost hitting his chest. He was running so hard and determined to carry his strides as far as his little legs could take him. It finally felt as though his mind had lined up with his body and that every sense in him was on fire because of it. He could still smell the singed wood from the desk and hear the hushed tones of that dark voice.

There was so much he hadn’t gotten to do. He hadn’t seen Hogwarts or used his wand or made new friends. And for what? What did he have to say for drifting down strange roads that he had no place seeing? 

He didn’t dare look behind him at risk of seeing what was approaching him, ready to swallow him up whole and never allow him to see or feel light ever again.

His mother would never get to see him graduate, which he knew was something she’d always hoped for him. She likely hoped it would be at a regular school, but would grow to be proud of him anyways. At the very least, he had intended on proving himself worthy of her devotion, even if she claimed he did not need to do such things. He would start by avoiding the dark side of Diagon Alley.

If he could only make it out alive. 

He ran into a few angry and disgruntled characters, but none had the wits about them to stop him beyond shouting vulgar and threatening chants at him. He was numb to their words. He tried to listen for another presence running through them as well, but could only hear the steady pounding of his own heart and blood in his ears as well as the sound of his feet hitting the pavement. 

A kaleidoscope of white light exploded before him as he’d finally wandered his way back to the open world. In a bout of momentary blindness he continued to plow straight ahead, colliding nearly instantly into an unyielding force. He found himself sprawled on his back staring at the very blue sky before he had a moment to catch himself.

Surely, he was caught and about to die in broad daylight. His wand fell from his hand and tears streaked his face. He didn’t even know where to begin in begging for his life. He wasn’t sure why he even went down that stupid pathway- just that it had called him. He felt he knew more now, though,and that it scared him.

His breathing grew heavy and frantic, but two firm hands settled on his shoulders- not his neck. He mustered up the courage to look up at his probable attacker and make peace with the fact that he’d lived an okay life thus far.

“Are you alright?” A voice- very different from the one before- asked him and the face matched the voice in its concern. 

Instead of a hulking figure cloaked in black, there was a teenager- lean, medium-height, and light-skinned. Anakin would have thought he was an adult wizard by how he was dressed like a professor, in a pressed sweater-vest with a white button-up beneath, as well as ironed trousers and neatly combed auburn hair. However, his face was young and soft with caring blue-gray eyes. He held a certain air of authority and responsibility on him as though he’d been born shouldering the weight of the world.

Anakin sniffled and tried to come to terms with the fact that he was not about to die today and shrugged his shoulders in response. 

The older boy’s eyes looked from where Anakin had come from in horror. “Why in the blazes were you coming from Knockturn Alley?”

He ran an arm along his face to get rid of any tears or snot that might have gone rogue in his hysteria. 

“I-I got lost from my mum.” He said and hated how small he sounded, but he truly did not feel like explaining to a stranger why he’d decided to take a stroll into the ugly side of town. 

“In Knockturn Alley?” He furrowed his brow, unwilling to be shaken. Clearly, this place had a bad reputation and Anakin could understand why.

“Why is that place even there at all?” Anakin complained. “I… I thought it might be a shortcut and… it wasn’t.”

The older boy’s conflicted expression was traded for one of sympathy and he simply gathered Anakin’s wand for him as well as his own dropped belongings before helping Anakin to his feet.

“Well, no harm done, right?”

He wasn’t so sure, but he nodded all the same.

“Let’s get you back to your mum, okay? It can be dangerous around here for a first-timer and I’m sure she’s worried sick.”

He appreciated not being confused for a muggle this time, though this kid struck him as a seasoned member of the wizarding community. Even still, after what he’d just seen, he was happy to have the company. He didn’t miss the disgusted look he shot back to Knockturn Alley over Anakin’s shoulder.

“Do you go to Hogwarts?” Anakin asked.

“Why, most of everyone here either has been, will be, or is a student at Hogwarts.” He said and scanned the crowd. “I’m entering my fifth year.”

Anakin sighed, “It’ll be my first.” 

“I would have never guessed.” Though there was an obvious edge of sarcasm to his tone, which was a welcome surprise as he seemed regularly quite stiff. “I see you got your wand already.”

“From Tera Sinube’s. Just like everyone else, I’m guessing.” Anakin said, but did not miss the way his new companion flinched ever so slightly when he’d said that. There was a wand peeking out of his pocket, so it wasn’t that he simply didn’t possess one. He tried to think nothing of it and move on, taking notice instead of the button that sat atop the books that the older boy carried.

“Do all fifth years get badges that say they’re ‘perfect’ on them?” 

He chuckled. “It says ‘prefect’, actually. It’s a big honor at Hogwarts. I essentially was elected by the Headmaster and Head of House to uphold the code of ethics at the school.”

“So…” Anakin paused. “You’re a hall monitor.”

He thought about that for a moment. “Is that what muggles call it?”

“Yeah, mate. It’s a pretty geeky position actually. The hall monitor at my school got so many wedgies that they had to get his briefs surgically removed.”

He grimaced. “Yes, well, bullies are no strangers to Hogwarts either, but I’d like to think at least some of them heed to our words and authority. So, if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

Anakin smiled. “Thanks. Trouble usually finds me pretty quick so I’ll need the connections.”

The Prefect smiled. “I can see that.”

***

By the time the Prefect had finally reunited Anakin with his mother, the sky above them began collecting orange and pink hues to resemble a mosaic painting. Anakin’s mood had brightened substantially since exiting the horrid Knockturn Alley and was all the more relieved to see that his mother didn’t appear too angry with him for disappearing.

Because he was still the kind of guy that liked hugging his mum, he ran to her all the same and enveloped her in a tight hug that she knelt to meet him for.

“I got lost.” He said, voice muffled by her shoulder.

“I know it’s all bright and new to you, but this place isn’t all rainbows and sunshine, Ani.” She sighed and stroked his hair. “You have to be mindful of your surroundings.”

Anakin understood what she meant more than he could say right now. For some reason, he felt he shouldn’t relay what had happened to his mother. Not only because it would upset her, but because thinking back on it sent a cold chill down his spine. He simply nodded in agreement and his mother finally acknowledged the young chaperone, who awkwardly stood off to the side.

“Thank you very much for seeing my son safely back to me. I hope he didn’t cause you any trouble.” She smiled warmly.

The older boy waved a hand of nonchalance, though his stiff posture didn’t quite sell the casual vibe he was going for. “Oh, no trouble at all. I was glad to be able to see Diagon Alley through the eyes of a newcomer.”

Anakin beamed. “He showed me all around! Mum, can I get an owl?”

Shmi chuckled. “Later. We must be getting home before it grows dark. I’ve got a late shift tonight at the pub.”

He slumped his shoulders a little bit. “You always have work.”

She sighed and gently pushed some hair out of his face. “I do what I must so we can have a nice life.”

Anakin wanted to say something along the lines of their lives not being so nice thus far, but he knew it would hurt his mother’s feelings and despite his disappointment, did not want to do that.

The Prefect smiled. “I better be off, myself. I’ll see you at school!”

He waved. “Yeah! I’ll see you then! Thank you!”

Shmi smiled down at him. “At least you’re already making friends. What was his name?”

Anakin blanked. “Oh… I don’t know! He’s a prefect though.”

“He saved you and you didn’t get his name?” She asked.

“He didn’t save me. I had it under control.” He puffed out his chest, even if deep inside he knew that was not correct. “But I was distracted. Hey, look at my wand!”