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in-my-feels-probably · 2 years ago

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Untitled Dramione Fic

A/N - Hi! So, this is an untitled Dramione fic that I very roughly planned out and wrote the first chapter to a few months ago. Basically I was wondering, is anyone interested in reading it?

This chapter is unedited, and if people want me to continue with it, it will definitely be edited and potentially altered to fit whatever plot I plan for the fic. But I figured I would post it as is just to see if anyone was at all interested in reading more. I roughly planned out a few ideas for the fic, but I’m open to any questions, suggestions, criticism, comments, and feedback you may have! I am currently in the middle of writing two other fics, one for Aemond Targaryen, and one for Kaz Brekker, as well as taking requests. I was hesitant to even post this because I know I’ve got a lot of other writing to be doing, so this would probably be a slow moving fic. But I figured I may as well post it just so people can see it and leave any comments.

So, yeah! Please let me know! I’ll definitely get back to planning and writing this fic if people seem interested. It’ll be posted on Wattpad, Tumblr, and Ao3! I hope you enjoy it :)

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Chapter 1

Hermione had long since scourgified the blood away from her hands, but she still stared blankly at the tile floor as she held shaking hands in the scalding water under the tap. This pain, she could bear. She had become used to the physical anguish of war, with a few years to grow accustomed to it. This part was easy for her.

The pain of losing someone, however, was as fresh as the day Dumbledore had died. And although she had grown to loathe the man after, she still felt a little prick in her heart at the mention of his name. She had seen countless deaths since then, and has even been responsible for a few herself. She tried to let the faces blend together, tried to detach herself from who they were, how she knew them, what they were fighting for.

She let the water run over her hands a few moments longer, the skin so red it looked like it was beginning to blister. She faintly recognized the pain, but she kept her eyes to the floor, zoning in on the tile pattern. A lion, stood tall and powerful on its hind legs, a symbol of courage, and bravery. Ironic, considering how fast the courage drained in the room when the shadow of death was looming. Still, she stared at the mosaic on the tiles, watching how the light gleamed across the floor. She would’ve stared at the floor all day if it meant not having to face it.

Anything to prolong the imminent pain of turning around and seeing Neville Longbottom’s cold dead body, lying there on the table.

She sucked in a breath, willing the tears not to fall.

She turned to face Neville, feeling her stomach turn at the sight of him. Having spent the better part of the war learning spells and countercurses that would be useful in the war effort, she had done what she could to help Neville. He had been hit with a Furnunculus curse, which covers the target in boils.

Normally, a charm or hex like this one could be easily countered and remedied. However, as the playing field between sides began narrowing, Voldemort ordered his brightest witches and wizards to begin studying curses and spells. His efforts were successful, as simple spells normally used for pranks were altered into life threatening curses, if not countered quickly.

Hermione hadn’t seen anything like this curse. The boils were filled with poison, slowly seeping into the bloodstream of the victim. Once enough was in their system, there was nothing that could be done.

When Neville was rushed in, screaming, and being practically carried by Dean Thomas, Hermione was called in from Snape’s laboratory where she was studying, and she had apparated to St. Mungo’s, where she and the hospital ward healers rushed to help. Normally, she worked clinically and efficiently with victims, skilled at her craft.

But this was Neville.

The boy who lost his toad on the first day of class, who took Ginny to the Yule Ball. One of the first to volunteer for field missions, despite the blatant horror on his face. His stubborn Gryffindor bravery had shined through.

She saw no bravery on his face as he looked to her with pleading eyes, begging for help, no actual words coming out from the gargling in his throat. At the end, he managed to screech out, “kill me!” before spitting up blood onto the lion mosaic on the floor..

Sometimes, Hermione wished her friends would have adopted the Slytherin trait of self preservation.

Hermione’s mind began racing with what if’s, berating herself for not studying hard enough, for not paying attention enough when–before he was killed a month later–Kingsley Shacklebolt ordered the entire Order learn basic healing spells. Not that it mattered much, she was probably one of the only students to take it seriously. Most of them thought the war would be a quick feat, and the extra schooling was deemed unnecessary.

The blind optimism died after the first field mission, when countless students came back cursed into oblivion. What Hermione would have given to have Madam Pomfrey alongside her, reminding her of the basics.

Voldemort was quick to rip away that advantage, too. He had sent Fenrir Greyback after particularly useful members of the Resistance. Greyback made it through half the hospital ward, including Pomfrey, before McGonagall took him out.

Hermione was forced to pull herself together, trying to remember every shred of knowledge she had learned about healing and countering curses. She wasn’t a great healer, by any means. She could hold her own, but her real talent was in her work with curses.

But Neville had gotten there too late.

Hermione had no choice but to watch as the boils leaking into his skin sputtered blood and poison, Neville laying on the table, screaming and writhing.

He was the most recent of the mercy kills on her list.

After he was gone, and everyone had filed out of the room, their eyes glossed over, staring blankly, Hermione was forced to analyze the body, to try and figure out what the curse was made up of.

Because the Order hardly let her out in the field, her value with her mind was too great to lose. She was quite knowledgeable in the new curses emerging from the field everyday, and she was able to figure out the curse easily enough. All she could do now is send her findings to Bill Weasley in whatever safe house or country he was in. He hadn’t been studying Cursebreaking for long before the war made it too difficult to continue running Hogwarts or the Ministry, and Voldemort had certainly corrupted what was left. However, Hermione and some of the professors thought Bill had a knack for it, and continued his training.

For the past two years, all curses identified through her were sent to Bill to reimplement into the field training.

Still, she thought she would double check with Snape when he got back from the mission Voldemort called him back for.

Hermione was one of the few to know that Snape was a spy for the Order. She found out soon after Dumbledore died, when the war started picking up. She was wary at first, but she had to admit, his knowledge of spells, potions, and charms were fascinating–and incredibly valuable. It was enough to trump her own disdain for the man, seeing as that it was for the greater good.

Now, she only wished to herself that things were normal, and that she could go back to Hogwarts and sit in another one of Snape’s classes. The opportunity seemed a lifetime away.

She shook her head, clearing her throat. Now wasn’t the time for dreams. She turned back to Neville, pulling the sheet up and over his body. She stood still next to him, before she registered Harry walking in.

He walked up to the table, lifting the sheet to see Neville’s face. Hermione watched the lines set on his face into a grimace. He dropped the sheet, his fists balled at his sides until the knuckles turned white.

“So it’s true, then?”

Hermione said nothing, fiddling with a string coming out of the hem of her apron. Harry mumbled swears under his breath, slamming a fist on the table. Hermione fought the urge to flinch back.

“Fuck!”

“Harry, you shouldn’t be here, it's not safe.” Hermione slowly raised a hand and placed it on his shoulder.

It was torture, watching Harry’s spirit crumble. The only time she ever saw him anymore with a genuine smile on his face was when he was around Ginny. Hermione didn’t know how much more of this he could take.

Still, it wasn’t safe for Harry to be out in a place so public, not on a mission. She wished Dean had brought Neville to one of their warded and armed hospitals, but St. Mungo’s was the closest. And it would have been pretty empty, with people too scared of attacks to attempt a visit.

Harry sighed, gripping her hand in his.

“You shouldn’t be here either, ‘Mione. We need to go,” he mumbled.

Hermione nodded, calling in a healer to take care of Neville. She felt the sting behind her eyes, and just before apparating, she called out, her voice masking a sob.

“Please be careful with him.”

–

They landed in front of Grimmauld Place, which had been abandoned towards the beginning of the war. After Sirius died, it stopped being used for meetings. Kreacher died soon after, and although he was very old, Hermione thought it was more probable that his heart couldn’t handle losing another Black heir. Grimmauld Place stood vacant, minus the vandalization the Death Eaters must have been responsible for, or others who resented the Order for not fighting back hard enough.

Hermione let her eyes close for a moment, feeling the wind blow through her hair. “Harry, we shouldn’t be out here, either. If Lupin knew–”

“I know, Hermione! I know!” Harry threw his hands up in the air as he spoke, and the wind brushed the hair back from his forehead. His hair had grown in length, wisping in tufts, framing his face. When it was pushed back like this, Hermione glanced at him and realized just how young he looked. How young he was. With everything he had been through, he carried himself a lot older. A long scar, more realistically resembling a lightning bolt, ran down the length of his face from his temple to his jaw. He had gotten it on one of the first missions out, around the same time he realized he was going to have to learn nastier spells. It was visible now.

Harry sighed, running a hand down his face. “I’m sorry. Just give me a minute, yeah?”

Hermione nodded, quickly scanning the area, before taking a seat on the step. She watched Harry’s mouth open and close, like he was fighting himself to speak, and she noticed the bob in his throat. It was silent a moment longer, and he finally spoke.

“Seeing Neville like that…it reminded me of him. I just miss him. I really fucking miss him.”

Hermione felt her heart ache at the mention, balling her fists until she was sure her nails had drawn blood on her palms.

Ron.

Ron had died a little over a year ago. The three were out hunting for Horcruxes, when Ron got mad about something, something so little that Hermione couldn’t even recall exactly what it was anymore, and he stormed out of the tent. Hermione had tried to go after him, calling out to him, but he apparated, and was gone.

His body was found at the Burrow three days later.

Nobody was staying there, but Lupin went to check on it often. It was used as an emergency hideout or post delivery point. Nobody knew this but a few members of the Order. Hermione supposed the use of the Burrow was just a sick message. Ron’s family home, an homage to his death.

Ron was found strung up from the second story window, with a sign around his neck.

It read,

“Found the moronic blood traitor on his own. Trouble in paradise? The Mudblood is next, then the Order, and then, Potter. You have my word. The Dark Lord sends his regards. - L.M.”

Lucius Malfoy had found him wandering alone, trying to send a letter with an update on the Horcrux hunt. Snape determined that Ron had been victim to the Imperious curse, forced to wrap the rope around his own neck and jump off the ledge himself. His chest was puffed out, meaning Lucius had used a spell to keep putting air in his lungs, just enough to keep him alive, while he was strangled to death. From the lacerations on his neck, it was clear he had hung for a while, struggling, before he finally died.

Hermione coped by throwing herself into her work. Becoming Snape’s apprentice, learning healing, spells, charms, hexes, and counterhexes. She was easily one of the most skilled and valued witches of her time. She tried her best to see Harry as often as she could, but the pair would never be the same as the trio.

Harry never got over it.

He blamed himself, and spent most of his time out on missions. He never used an Unforgivable Curse, but he had killed many Death Eaters before he finally mustered up the courage to go to Ginny. As far as Hermione was concerned, Ginny was the bravest person she had ever met. Ginny had already lost Percy and Charlie, so she knew how to cope with Ron’s death. She carried her family, she carried Harry, and they all made it through as best they could. One of Hermione’s favorite things was seeing how soft Harry would go around her. He was always angry, but never with her.

Hermione tried not to think about Ron, and if she did, it was only the good things. She couldn’t bear thinking about the night he left, she already blamed herself enough already. But Harry had now reminded her of him, and reopened that wound. But now, it wasn’t just him. It was Neville too.

“Hermione, we have to do something, we need an advantage. I can’t lose more people to them, not like this. They’re suffering for nothing. We’re sending them out there defenseless against the magic Voldemort has them creating daily now.”

Hermione narrowed her eyes. “What are you asking me, Harry? I’m doing my best.”

“It’s not enough!”

Hermione felt a pang in her chest, and she let out the smallest gasp. She saw the regret on his face, and she knew he was sorry. He wished he hadn’t said it, but he meant every word, that was clear.

Hermione cleared her throat. “I know you’re hurting, Harry. And I’m sorry. But I am trying my best. I’m sorry that’s not enough for you.”

Harry’s face fell, regret clear on his face. “Hermione, I’m sorry, really. I’m just frustrated, I didn’t mean that.”

She smiled sadly at him. “You meant it. Just ask whatever it is you’re thinking about so I can get back where I’m needed.”

Harry’s lips pressed into a thin line, now unsure if he should ask what has been bothering him for days now. With a raise of Hermione’s brow, signaling him to continue, he spoke. “We’re getting demolished on the field. Voldemort has new curses created everyday, and we’re sending out our own to take the brunt of it. I’m fucking tired, Hermione. It’s not fair. You’re working till your fingers bleed, and it doesn’t make a fucking difference! We’re drowning—”

“What are you asking, Harry?” Hermione cut him off, getting overwhelmed..

He took a deep breath. “Can you…can you create curses? You spend all day breaking them down, surely you can put one back together.”

Hermione furrowed her brows in confusion. “Create a curse? A curse that does what, exactly?”

Harry shook his head. “I don’t know, ‘Mione, but I’m sure you can come up with something. I don’t care what it does, but we need something to even the playing field, we need something that really does some damage. I’m not asking you to kill anyone yourself, or help the Order do it, but…we’re a few good fighters away from having to use Unforgivables, and I don’t want to be the one to suggest it.”

Hermione shuddered at the idea of the Chosen One, with a flash of green emerging from the tip of his wand.

She couldn’t believe her best friend, the one she had fixed his glasses for in First year, was reduced to another soldier in the ranks, broken and battered by war. Then again, she couldn’t believe the depths she had gone to herself. Maybe things would have gone over smoother if Dumbledore hadn’t gotten himself killed, and all his secrets with him.

“Some of the others, they’re not willing to use them, not just yet. But eventually, the majority will be in favor, even Lupin. We need to offer them something else, something effective. Lethal, even. We need a fair fight,” Harry finished, taking a breath.

Hermione sighed exasperatedly, bringing fingers up to pinch the bridge of her nose. “Harry, are you sure? Some of these curses are really dark, they take a toll on you. You know Lupin will be furious if he finds out what we’re doing. Do you want to be responsible for its effects?”

“That depends on what ideas you have,” Harry halfheartedly jokes.

She nodded, running a hand through wild hair. She racked her brain for every possibility, any part of her knowledge that would be useful. She pondered over ideas for a moment, calculating in her head. Suddenly, she looked up at Harry, eyes wide.

“What is it?” Harry cautiously questioned.

“Harry, where are you keeping the Marvolo ring?” She quietly asked.

Harry appeared confused, but he reached out to her anyway. “Come on, I’ll take you.”

She grabbed his hand in hers, and they apparated away from Grimmauld Place.

–

A/N - Hi! Like I said earlier, please leave any comments you have, let me know what you think! If people are interested, I’ll definitely get back to this. Honestly, this fic could change a lot if I do actually get back to it, we’ll see. I’ve always wanted to write Dramione though, so I’m definitely interested in getting back to this! Hope you enjoyed it :)

#in my feels probably #dramione #draco malfoy #hermione granger x reader #hermione granger #draco x hermione #draco malfoy x hermione granger

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cosmic-ships · 12 days ago

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Stranger at the Dust bowl - Chapter one.

Notes: Remember that Au I had a long time ago? Yeah we're bringing it back but having Kylo in it this time! The characters that appear will be as follows: Kaden Reese, Mikal Reese, Kylo, Nocturne Grayfire, Colby Walker, Clara Echo, Azie Echo, and Vesper! This is a fun little chaptered series I will be making using my f/o and if people like it I may have my moots do cameos :D

The desert heat shimmered off the horizon, waves of distortion rising off the cracked asphalt. The Dust Bowl, or what was left of it, stood stubbornly against the desolate backdrop. Its once-proud neon sign had seen better days, with only a few letters still functioning, now spelling out 'D st Owl.' The faded red building was a monument to neglect, its windows grimy and its gas pumps clinging to life out of sheer spite.

Inside, Kaden lounged behind the counter, flicking through an old magazine. Outside, Mikal leaned against a broom, pretending to sweep the dirt around the front steps.

“Think anyone’s gonna show up today?” Mikal called through the open door.

“Not unless tumbleweeds count as customers..." Kaden replied without looking up.

Mikal was about to retort when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. A figure was emerging from the horizon, dark and imposing, trudging up the road like a ghost.

“Uh… Kaden?” Mikal called, his voice uneasy.

“What now?”

“You see that?”

Kaden frowned, setting the magazine down. They squinted toward the road, where a man dressed head to toe in black was approaching. His long cape billowed slightly with every step, and his helmet glinted ominously in the sunlight.

“What in the actual hell…” Kaden muttered, stepping outside to stand next to Mikal.

The man stopped a few feet from them, his posture stiff and commanding. His voice, deep and distorted, broke the tense silence. “I require assistance.”

Mikal’s eyebrows shot up. “Assistance? You look like you belong to some secret agency or… I don’t even know. What’re you doing out here dressed like that?”

The man didn’t flinch. “My ship has been damaged. I need parts to repair it.”

Kaden let out snort, crossing their arms. “Your ship? What, like a plane or something?”

“No,” the man said flatly. “A starship.”

Mikal laughed, leaning the broom against the wall. “Oh, sure. A "starship". You, uh… you come all the way from neptune, buddy?”

The man’s helmet tilted slightly. “I do not know this Neptune you speak of... My ship crashed ten kilometers from here. This was the closest settlement.”

Kaden raised an eyebrow, exchanging a skeptical glance with Mikal. “Ten kilometers? You walked all the way through the desert… dressed like that?”

“Yes.”

Kaden let out a low whistle. “Man, you’ve got some dedication. Listen, we’re just a run-down gas station. We don’t have spaceship parts. Hell, we barely have gas half the time.”

The man reached into his cloak and retrieved a pouch, pouring its contents onto the counter. A pile of gleaming metallic things clattered onto the weathered surface.

“These are credits,” he said. “They will suffice as payment.”

Mikal leaned closer, picking up one of the coins and inspecting it. “What is this, D&D space edition money? Dude, this isn’t legal tender.”

“They are accepted throughout the galaxy.” the man said firmly.

Kaden smirked, leaning on the counter. “Oh, the galaxy, huh? You’re really going all-in on this bit, aren’t you? You're coming from comic-con?”

“Bit?” The man’s helmet tilted again. “I do not understand.”

“You know,” Kaden said, gesturing vaguely at his outfit. “The whole getup, the story about a spaceship, the fake money. You’re really committed to the act. So just spill it, you're from one of those cosplay conventions right?”

“Cosplay...convention?” the man replied, his tone sharp. "This is no act."

“Uh-huh...” Mikal said, folding his arms. “Look, mystery man, even if we bought this whole ‘galaxy traveler’ shtick, which we don’t, we still couldn’t help you. Like Kaden said, we don’t have parts for… whatever it is you’re talking about.”

The man tensed, his voice growing colder. “Then direct me to someone who can.”

Kaden sighed, shaking their head. “There isn’t anyone, not around here. Closest thing to a mechanic is the guy down the road, and he barely knows how to fix cars, let alone spaceships. You'd have to get in touch with who? NASA? And pfft with that get up good luck!”

For a moment, the man said nothing, his shoulders stiff. Then he exhaled, the sound mechanical and heavy through his helmet.

“Well...” Kaden said with a shrug, “guess you’re stuck with us for now, stranger. Maybe I'll take ya to the scrap yard out back. Maybe there's something there won't be no fancy space parts but there has to be something.”

The man didn’t respond. His helmet tilted toward the broken neon sign, the flickering letters casting a faint glow in the evening light.

Mikal grinned. “Welcome to the D st Owl, I guess. Hope you like dirt and disappointment....”

The man said nothing, but Kaden could almost feel his glare through the helmet.

[To be continued]

(Please let me know if you want to be tagged in this series!)

#Fun little series (yes with some Kyden content sprinkled in here and there hehehe)#Gas Station AU - Welcome to the Dust Bowl.#<- tag for it! ♡

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amewinterswriting · 1 year ago

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Happy STS!

Looking back, what's your writing-related highlight of this year?

So, I've been thinking about this for a while, and I've been in the middle of a writing/redrafting dry spell while real life has tried to pummel me into submission. (Not to make excuses but just for my own reference: in the last three months there's been my mother's wedding, my aunt has had a serious illness diagnosed, we're currently under a lot of stress over my wife's visa renewal and just the general stress of working in a toy shop at Christmas.) So my initial thoughts were a bit pessimistic, and I don't really want to bring that kind of energy to my writing blog. So I thought about it a bit harder.

I (overly optimistically) wanted to finish the rewrite of Magic's Servant this year; I obviously haven't managed that. But I have achieved about 40% of the rewrite this year alone, and that's honestly good going considering that the 'original' draft is a mess (half script, half prose, some of the prose was in first person, some in third, there's some weird tense shenanigans in places, half of my core characters didn't really have a personality, there are at least three different drafts of some scenes that each convey completely contrasting information...). This has been a top to bottom, utter overhaul of everything, from the very name of the project to the shape of the plot and how everything becomes resolved. It's also likely to be the only project I work on that will need these kinds of big overhauls - my first drafts are now much more consistent and only need minor tweaks due to the years of writing practice I've had since. (The very first draft of anything to do with Magic's Servant was written in 2010 if I remember correctly. At the time, I was pantsing a whole movie script based on vibes and very little else. This story has been written and rewritten piecemeal since then and it's only recently that I feel like my writing skills and life experience are ready to actually tell the whole story in a way that does it any kind of justice. Unfortunately, when your co-writer is yourself from 13 years ago, you have to do a lot of work to get it up to your current writing standards!)

I've also written a lot more non-fiction this year - blog posts, writing advice, Ko-fi updates and a few essays, some of which I haven't shared anywhere yet.

In fandom, I have just finished posting a long-form fanfic (which, admittedly, I've been sitting on for a couple of years in the hopes that I would finish the whole series before posting. Then I realised I keep adding more WIPs to the series and it might never actually be 'done') - it's not fresh writing but it is a great way for me to practice my editing skills and also weed out my worst habits ("really" for emphasis outside of dialogue is now in my sin bin...and now I realise I've used it in this very post already. I am nothing if not consistent!)

And of course, I've managed to keep this blog active and managed to stay at least vaguely connected to this little corner of the Writblr community. Seeing everyone's WIPs develop over time and getting involved in tag and ask games has definitely been a writing highlight of my year, and so very helpful in keeping me motivated.

So while the year might not have been ideal in terms of getting everything I wanted to achieve entirely done, I feel like I've done what I can with the tools and time I've had, and it's a very solid foundation to launch myself into 2024 with.

#ame talks #writblr #magic's servant #ask games #storyteller saturday #but never actually on a saturday

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mrbexwrites · 1 year ago

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Happy STS!

At what point do you consider your first draft finished? Do you ever leave comments in square brackets or other gaps for the second-draft you? And do you ever show the first draft to people?

Hi Sam! Happy STS! :D

I consider my first draft as finished when I've written the last line of the story.

I write my first draft as one big story- I don't break it up into chapters, only paragraphs and scene breaks. I'll then go through for a quick read through, breaking up the WIP into chapters, and fixing what spelling mistakes, continuity errors etc that I catch on my first read through.

I'll then take a break for a couple of weeks, and then have another read through (always finding more errors/mistakes that need fixed!), then just rinse and repeat. I still consider this my 'first draft' even though I've been meddling with it, as I don't tend to make considerable changes.

Normally, I'd just continue this cycle for years on end, gradually changing scenes, as I'd not really considered sharing my WIPs, or doing anything with them, other than just letting the characters run around in my head from time to time.

It was only during lock-down that I serious considered actually doing something with my works. I mean...I still don't know what my long-term plan is with any of my WIPS, but you and a few other very kind people have read a first draft of one of them!

And I've already gushed about how awesome and helpful it was to have beta reader input in another post, somewhere further back in the dusty corners of my blog !

(Although, Confession Time: you guys were actually alpha readers, and I tricked you into reading my deranged draft. Muahahaha)

In fact, I only really consider something a 'second' draft until I make rewrites; I'll open a whole new blank document, and start again, referring back to the original for structure, and to copy/pasta over sections that I was happy/proud/really liked.

I think, mainly because, I have had no plans for my WIPS over the years, I've not really built up a 'process' for editing, like other, better writblrs have (although, I'm forever grateful for you guys sharing your knowledge and experience, which I will happily steal and use to my own benefit!)

Until I know my ultimate goal for my WIPS, I'll probably just keep picking away at my first drafts forever, although a few have made it to second draft stage, but never really beyond that.

tl;dr- I consider a first draft finished when I've completed the writing part, but will keep editing away, like Sisyphus, so the first draft is never *really* complete, and lives in purgatory forever.

#STS #You know how I feel about editing #it's the worst #and I have no idea what to do with WIPs #other than hoard them on my google drive #answered asks

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mermaidsirennikita · 2 years ago

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Alright I’ve been hearing about Lisa Keyplas I think I spelled it wrong everywhere:

What order should I read her books or where do you think I should begin.

I’m a sucker for a good forced proximity enemies to lovers trope or miscommunication so if you have any other books with that I would love to hear

I’m the Polin anon from a few days ago

Oh cool! You’ll have a lot of fun with it. She has a big backlist and has been writing for a long time, so there’s definitely a way to approach her books, for sure.

Generally speaking, I’d recommend starting with her Wallflowers series (I did not, lol). It’s her most popular series and while it’s not her oldest, it does link with her subsequent historical series in a way that the earlier books don’t quite as much.

I highly recommend reading The Wallflowers in order, though I will say that there is a prequel called Again The Magic that basically stands alone, which I haven’t read because I’m saving it for when I Need It. I’ve heard it’s actually a good prequel to read after the series because it centers on the sisters of one of the Wallflower heroes, and you see him in his younger days.

Anyway.

1. Secrets of a Summer Night—Very classic, the hero in this is suuuuuper Kleypas (alpha, self made, daddy daddy daddy). The heroine is a beautiful aristocratic snob whose family has fallen on hard times. She refuses to be his mistress, because she wants to marry a man of her own class. This is also the book when the wallflowers meet each other and become friends and vow to help each other marry well.

2. It Happened One Autumn—This one bleeds directly from the first. Everyone is at the country estate of Marcus Marsden, Earl of Westcliff, who is the friend of book 1’s hero and made a big impression because he’s a snobby snob uptight asshole who haaaaates Lillian, an American heiress who likes to play rounders in her underwear and then he finds her and gets hard about it. It’s very classic enemies to lovers, they’re very snappy to each other, and you meet the hero of the next book, Westcliff’s friend, the sluttiest man in the land, Sebastian St. Vincent. This book famously features a scene that is definitely dubcon in which Lillian has sex with Westcliff while she is most certainly too drunk to consent. From her perspective it’s a totally enjoyable encounter but. Heads up. Later versions of this book have this scene edited out, but if you read an older paperback it will be there.

3. Devil in Winter—A genre classic, maybe the current definitive wallflower/rake romance. Sebastian St. Vincent did a bad bad thing and he is also broke because his dad spent all the family money. Luckily, Evie, the shyest wallflower, has a huge inheritance. Evie has been abused by her mother’s family for years and just wants an out, so she offers to marry Sebastian; he gets cash and she gets freedom. So they run off to Scotland, get married, fuck, and then she’s like and that’s the only time because you’re a horrible slutty person. He gets sad! Thus a sex bargain is made. So so good, one of her hotter books, and very much a challenge to what we let heroes do.

4. Scandal in Spring—Daisy is Lillian’s dreamy little sister, and the last wallflower to be unwed. She’s annoyed when her father’s protégée, Matthew Swift, comes to England. But Matthew is hot now, and he’s pined for Daisy for years. However, he has a Big Secret. A good conclusion, brings everything full circle, the rare English historical with two American leads.

Then you would read The Hathaways as your next series. That series is focused on a family of siblings that basically gets suddenly elevated by the brother unexpectedly becoming a viscount.

1. Mine Till Midnight—Hero was introduced in Devil in Winter. He’s Romani, and I will say that the depiction of Romani people in these books is dated; positive, but dated and as such it can feel fetishy. He’s a rogue, she’s the uptight oldest sister, it’s good.

2. Seduce Me at Sunrise—One of my favorites in the series, the formerly invalid sister and her childhood friend angst angst angst over his refusal to act on his feelings and FUCK HER (he’s afraid she’ll die lmao). Another Romani hero.

3. Tempt Me at Twilight—Forcedish marriage between the quirky sister and the sinister hotel owner man. He’s very alpha, very self made.

4. Married by Morning—ENEMIES TO LOVERS between the formerly SUPER MESSY viscount Hathaway brother and his sister’s governess. He’s a flirtatious rake with a tragic past, she’s a bossy independent type who’s also got a tragic past. They actually kiss for the first time in the previous book, which leads into this one.

5. Love in the Afternoon—The shy sister begins writing to a soldier when her friend stops writing to him and they fall in love through letters. But then he comes back, whoops!

After The Hathaways, you'd read The Ravenels, her most recent series (which I think....? Is done? But I'm not sure--Lisa doesn't have a release out in 2022 as far as I know). It kicks off with Devon becoming a lord and going to the family property and meeting his female cousins and the widow of the man he inherited from, who've been cut off from the world.

Cold-Hearted Rake--A virgin widow/rake romance. This one is kinda controversial amongst Kleypas fans and I actually don't know why...? It's fun and enjoyable. It also is very much linked to the next book, which is probably her most popular "recent" release.

Marrying Winterborne. Self-made DAAAADDY hero and the soft girl he's fallen for. It's straightforward but also DEEEEEEPLY hot.

Devil in Spring--Should only be read after Devil in Winter, as it's about Sebastian and Evie's oldest son. Falls for a Ravenel who he accidentally compromised. She's a BOARD GAME MAVEN.

Hello Stranger--Would not generally recommend? There was originally a passage in this that has since been edited out that did some "I SLEPT WITH A WOMAN WHO LEARNED FROM THE KAMA SUTRA" bullshit, which I hate. It's just kinda boring besides though, and only tangentially connected to the Ravenel family.

Devil's Daughter--Another Devil in Winter spinoff, about the eldest daughter of Evie and Sebastian. She's a single mother widow, and Devon Ravenel's younger brother West romances her. It's not my favorite, but it's fine.

Chasing Cassandra--Not my favorite. Ver much a standard "sweet virgin/bad man" book. But a lot of people enjoy it!

Devil in Disguise--ANOTHER DEVIL IN WINTER SPINOFF LOL I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH HOW BIG THAT BOOK IS. The heroine is the daughter of Westcliff and Lillian. She's a widow, and falls for a Scottish whiskey distiller guy--they have one hot night, and then he gETS AMNESIA AND SHE HAS TO PRETEND TO BE ENGAGED TO HIM. LIT.

Of course, there are other offshoot books, some of which I haven't read. Outside of these series, I would recommend reading:

The Bow Street Runners. A trilogy that predates the Wallflowers, I've read them in general, especially Lady Sophia's Lover (age gap romance, he's a widower, she's become his serving girl in order to seek revenge on him). This series focuses on Bow Street runners, so it's a bit less about the adventures of the upper classes.

Suddenly You--one of her few true standalones, about an author who begins an affair with a publisher after she assumes he's the sex worker she ordered to divest her of her virginity.

Dreaming of You--technically the second in a duology, though I haven't read the first and I'm okay thus far. Kleypas's other SUPER classic book, very much the dueling banjo to Devil in Winter. It's my favorite of hers. The heroine is a sheltered writer who basically asks to shadow Derek Craven, this super alpha gambling hell owner, for her next project. Derek.... immediately is obsessed with her, and feels unworthy of her and pushes her away and it's GREEEEAT. Just dramatic and angsty and intense and super passionate. Amazing heroine too.

So yeah--generally, I think Dreaming of You is her best book and you could definitely start there because it was published prior to the Wallflowers and is very, very vaguely linked to Devil in Winter... But if you want to get into a SERIES by her, I'd go Wallflowers, then Hathaways, then Ravenels.

Her biggest enemies to lovers books would be It Happened One Autumn (which is kinda close proximity, as they're all trapped on Marcus's country estate lmao) and Married By Morning. I wouldn't say Kleypas writes a ton of true ETL, but she does write a ton of alpha heroes, which leads to heroines being all *UNHAND ME SIR* frequently.

#romance novel blogging #book recs

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fandom-imagines-stories · 4 years ago

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Part of the Family

Enzo St. John x Mikaelson! Reader

Part 1 of 4

Words: 2621

Summary: After leaving the Armory, Enzo is devastated to find that his family was a group of thieves and liars. Determined to help your boyfriend through this, you come up with a wildly romantic solution.

Note: Besides being in season seven of Vampire Diaries, there isn’t much else of either show’s plot. I just wanted to write a little series that I thought would be both Enzo’s romantic side and the Mikaelson’s flare for the dramatic. So no deadly threats besides family drama. Let me know if you guys like it! (Note: I’m reposting these because I really wanted to just make some minor edits before I finally finish out this series)

Warnings: Lots of Fluff (and some mild language)

The quiet was both peaceful and maddening. You were used to the sound of jazz music in the morning and the strong smell of coffee, but this morning there was nothing. Just silence. You slowly rose from the bed and grabbed the nearest pieces of decent clothing you could find- which just happened to be your boyfriend’s favorite shirt, a pair of jeans and sandals. Your feet made almost no sound on the hardwood floor, but it was enough for Enzo to hear you coming.

“I didn’t mean to wake you, love.” He said, looking out the window of your apartment.

“How could you have? You haven’t made a sound at all.” You scoffed.

“Are you asking me to be louder at seven in the morning?” He turned towards you and you could see the raw emotion in his eyes. He saw you looking and quickly moved his gaze to the kitchen. “Ah, I’ve forgotten the coffee. No wonder you’re in a foul mood.” He had been acting this way ever since he had gotten back from the Armory. Something was wrong, you just couldn’t figure out what. You followed him into the kitchen and wrapped your arms around his waist, placing a light kiss on his shoulder before resting your head there.

“Enzo…” You started, kissing the crook of his neck. “What’s going on? You’ve been acting strange lately.”

“Don’t know what you mean, darling.” He poured coffee into your mug and handed it back to you. You pulled yourself up onto the counter and sipped the delicious warm liquid.

“You haven't played your guitar in days, you won't go out of the apartment, and every time I try to talk to you you seem completely distant.” Even now, he was looking off, not really hearing you. “Enzo!” His gaze snapped to you.

“I’m fine love. Really.” He kissed your cheek as he walked past. Still not convinced, you followed him to the living room where the two of you sat in silence. You took a deep breath, wincing at your own words.

“It’s the Armory, isn’t it? Your family.”

“I said that I’m fine!” He snapped. “Maybe I’m just sick of all your bloody questions.” You scoffed, narrowing your eyes at him and setting the mug on the table.

“You’re so afraid of being alone, Enzo.” You stood and grabbed your car keys. “Maybe you should stop pushing away the people who care about you.” He didn’t even move his gaze from the floor as you slammed the door of the apartment behind you.

Enzo rubbed his eyes. He knew that he shouldn’t have snapped at you. He was tired and hurt over the fact that his family wasn’t at all what he dreamed they would be. They were quite the opposite, actually. He feared that he was exactly like them; a lying, heartless beast who only cared about the ends instead of the means. Looking back at his life only made him see how similar he was to them. And it scared him more than he wished it would.

Bonnie gave you the ‘I told you so’ look from across the cafe table. You rolled your eyes. Although your family and the remaining Bennett witch had never gotten along, you had become best friends with both her, Caroline, and Elena. It still hurt to think that you would never see two of your closest friends together again all because of Kai’s stupid curse.

“Don’t say it.” You begged taking a long sip of the new coffee you ordered. She held up her hands and smiled innocently.

“I have no idea what you mean.” She too drank from the cup in front of her. “It’s not like I’ve been telling you for the past year that Enzo is a total dick who is so undeserving of you.”

“We had an argument, Bonnie.” You sighed. “We didn’t break up so stop talking about him like we did.”

“I always talk about him like this.” You pegged your bunched up napkin at her and fell back in your seat. “Look, Y/N, I know you care about him, but I saw what he was like in the Armory. He was so determined to figure out who his family was, I think when he found out who they really were… he broke.”

“I know and I want to help him. I just don’t know how.” You thought of what your life was like compared to his. “I don’t exactly know what it’s like to not have a family.” Every moment of your life was surrounded with memories of your twin brother Kol, or your younger sister Rebekah, or of course your two loving- but insanely protective- older brothers; Elijah and Niklaus. Your siblings meant everything to you, and it was hard to imagine what your thousand years would have been like without them.

“Try to make him feel like he’s a part of something.” Bonnie suggested. Despite her dislike of Enzo, a part of her did like to think of him as a somewhat ally. She also cared deeply about you and she wanted you to be happy, even if it was with Enzo. “Make him see that he isn’t alone.”

“What the hell do you want?” Damon snapped, narrowing his eyes at his old friend standing before him. Enzo pushed passed him into the house. “Come on in.” Damon slammed the door and followed Enzo into his living room.

“I need a drink.” He muttered, finding Damon’s favorite bourbon and poured himself a glass. He drank it quickly and poured another. Damon snatched the bottle away from him.

“Sorry buddy, but I am not your personal liquor store.” He poured a glass for himself and placed the bottle away from Enzo. “What’s wrong with you anyway? Where’s your obnoxious British swagger?”

“Let’s just say I’ve had a rough week.”

“Ah yes, the rest of the St. John psycho clan…” Damon started. Enzo shot him a look. “So your family sucks. Join the club.”

“It’s not just that…” Enzo sighed heavily. “It’s Y/N.”

“So this is a lover’s spat? My favorite.” He leaned against the table with a smirk. “What did the female half of the Devil Twins do now?”

“Y/N didn’t do anything. I snapped at her this morning after she asked about… them.”

“Let me guess, she wants to meet the parents?” Damon said sarcastically.

“Can you take anything seriously?” Enzo growled. Damon wiggled his eyebrows mischievously.

“Nope.” He ushered Enzo onto the couch who laid down, arm slung over his face. “Maybe this is just your turning point. I mean, we all kind of knew that the two of you wouldn’t work.” He moved his arm so he could look at Damon.

“What?”

“Yeah, I mean, sure it was ‘cute’ at first. The two sociopaths of Mystic Falls united by their undying need for mayhem and death.” He gagged. “But we knew it wasn’t going to last. Her family puts each other in coffins, you’re claustrophobic, she has daddy issues, you had a thing for my mom- the list goes on.” Enzo propped himself up on his elbows.

“You think we should split up?”

“Of course not.” Damon took a long drink of bourbon. “Have you not been listening to a word I just said?” Enzo’s brows furrowed in confusion.

“Did I miss something?” He wondered, fully sitting up on the couch. Damon rolled his eyes and moved behind the sofa to get more bourbon.

“I’m Damon freaking Salvatore! Am I really going to tell you to go with what everyone else thinks?” He put his hand on his chest in mock offense. “It’s like you don’t know me at all.”

“So you’re saying not to split up?” Damon smacked the back of his head and Enzo growled.

“Do I need to spell it out for you? Think about it. Everyone thought that Elena was making a horrible decision when she chose me. Despite the fact that she is in a witchy coma for the next sixty years, we still held onto the idea of spending our lives together. Exhibit B; everyone said that Stefan and Caroline were the perfect couple and they were going to live happily ever after- until he made the dick move to run off with Valerie even after we killed Rayna.” Instead of pouring a glass, he just took a swig from the bottle. “The point is: the world is full of assholes who are often wrong. So don’t listen to them.” Enzo blew out a long breath and fell back onto the couch.

“I suppose you’re right.” He chuckled.

“Of course I’m right.” Damon lifted him up from his seat and started pushing him towards the door. “So go find your hot psycho original vampire and make sweet love to her for all I care. Whatever gets you out of my house.”

“Why did we stop being mates again?” Enzo asked sarcastically when he was shoved outside.

“You tried to kill my girlfriend, remember?” Damon thought for a moment. “Then again, I did try to kill yours on multiple occasions so I guess we’re even.” He laughed to himself. “There was this one time, after we-” He stopped the sentence abruptly, remembering that he was standing in front of Y/N’s current boyfriend, so revealing their dirty past relationship was probably a bad idea. “Nevermind. Now go.” He finished and slammed the door. Enzo thought about everything he had said and knew what he needed to do.

He found you sitting back in the apartment, with an extremely determined look on your face. When you saw him come in, you stood. You opened your mouth to speak, but he stopped you.

“I’m sorry.” He blurted. You cocked your head to the side.

“For what?”

“Shouting at you this morning. I’ve been thinking ever since I got back from the Armory, panicking really.” He explained. “What if I’m just like them? I’ve lied and cheated and killed to get what I want, much like they have to add to their supernatural collection. I was angry at myself and I took it out on you. I’m sorry.” To his surprise, you laughed.

“You don’t need to apologize, Enzo.” You stepped towards him, placing a hand on his cheek. “God knows I’ve started my fair share of brawls between us.” He leaned into your hand, the tips of your fingers tangling in his hair. It took all of his strength to pull away and continue.

“I haven’t finished.” He paced across the room and your hand fell to your side. “I’m not going to be able to just move past this. I need time. I need to try and figure out what I’m supposed to do now.”

“I know.” You interjected. “I want to help you, Enzo. I want to help you get through all of this.”

“No.” He said bluntly. “I need to do this on my own.” You thought that you could let it go. That you could let him go off on his own to figure things out by himself. But you couldn’t.

“No you don’t.” You snapped. “Enzo, you don’t have to do this alone.”

“It is my family. I need to do this.”

“They may be your blood, but they are not your family.” You put your hands on either side of his face. His eyes were glistening.

“Then I shall never have one?” His expression was so sad, it crushed you. One solution came to mind and it made your body shiver with nerves.

“If you want a family…” You paused and studied him. You knew that you wanted this, but would he? “Become part of mine.” His puzzled expression pushed you further. “Your whole life, you’ve been wanting to be a part of something. You’ve wanted a place to belong. I can give that to you.”

“Y/N, what are you saying.”

“I’m saying,” you took a deep breath. “Lorenzo St. John�� Will you marry me?” His eyes went wide and for a moment your heart sank. But then he smiled, sending a bright feeling through you, like a ball of light traveling through your veins.

“Are you serious?” He asked and you nodded. He lifted you off the ground, spinning around and laughing. “Yes. Of course yes!” Your lips collided as you continued to spin. He set you down on your feet, your arms still draped around his neck. “Though you have robbed me of making the large romantic gesture of proposing.”

“Well,” you grinned, taking his hand. “Let me make it up to you.”

You curled your toes around the bedsheets and released them, feeling the breeze come in from the open window. You felt a hand playing with your hair and you turned to face Enzo. He twisted a strand around his finger then pushed it away from your face.

“Hello love.” He purred, placing a soft kiss on your forehead. You sighed with content. He wrapped his arms around you and you laid your head on his chest. The moment couldn’t be more perfect. Until you realized…

“You’re going to have to meet them.” You blurted suddenly. He pulled away so he could look at you.

“What?”

“My siblings. You’re going to have to meet them.” He chuckled.

“You’re worried about that?”

“Yes!” You exclaimed. “I would like to be married in New Orleans, since it is the closest thing I’ve had to having a real home.”

“That’s perfectly fine with me.” He said, pulling you into his arms again. You pushed away and sat up.

“I don’t think you understand. We’re not...” You paused to search for the right word. “Normal. Nor are they very hospitable when it comes to strangers.” He sat up next to you, his fingers drawing circles on your back. “We need a plan.”

“I highly doubt-” He started but you cut him off.

“Freya will probably be defensive at first, but if you do nothing to threaten us, she’ll warm up to you. Rebekah will try and get you to give her a reason to hate you, so you’ll have to make sure to be careful. Eventually she’ll accept us since she’s always been a sucker for a good romance. Kol will be fine with anything that brings a party.” You turned to face him, a very serious look on your face. “Elijah is the one you want to impress. He’s the only one who can stop Klaus from killing you.”

“Stop Klaus from doing what?” Enzo exclaimed.

“Niklaus is very temperamental when it comes to his sibling’s relationships with other people. He always fears that we will abandon him for somebody else. So when he discovers a romance, it is rare that our significant others survive the encounter.”

“And you want me to meet him?” He scoffed. “And then tell him we’re getting married.” You snatched up Enzo’s shirt that you had worn earlier from the bedpost.

“My siblings being a part of our wedding is really important to me Enzo. Even the ones with murderous tendencies.” You left out the fact that all of you tended to go on killing sprees from time to time- yourself included. He sighed and pulled you in for a long, passionate kiss.

“Well if I am killed because I love you it will have been worth it.” You pouted your lips sarcastically.

“You’re so sweet.” You said, pressing your lips to his again, but pushing away quickly. “We’re still going.” He groaned and fell back on the bed. You rolled your eyes and located the rest of your clothes, barely able to contain the turning bundle of excitement and nerves rolling around your stomach. It was time to go home.

Keeping Reading to: Meet the Mikaelsons

General Tag: @rae-gar-targaryen; @takemepedropascal; @childhood-imagination; @mylovegoesto; @yellowbadgergirl; @itmejado; @suckmyapplejacks

#lorenzo st john #repost #enzo and the originals #klaus mikaelson #elijah mikaelson #damon salvatore #enzo st. john x reader #michael malarkey #vampire diaries #the originals

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dailycharacteroption · 3 years ago

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Class Feature Friday: Conjuration School (PF2 Wizard School)

We return to the Second edition wizard with the conjuration school!

Conjurers, as we’ve detailed in the previous edition, are masters of creating things from nothing, summoning and calling creatures to serve and aid them, teleporting across vast distances, and creating extradimensional spaces.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about how the conjuration school has changed between editions. For example, most damaging spells that were considered conjuration due to actually calling forth the materials used have been reassigned to evocation, such as acid arrow, though spells like cloudkill and impaling spike (the 2E version of iron spike) remain, leaving the offensive options of the school mostly limited to those that hamper foes, such as trapping a foe against the ceiling with pillars of sand, or trapping them in a maze spell.

Of course, the biggest change to combat-related conjuration is how summoning and calling are done. Calling spells are now rituals, which makes sense, but while summoning originally drew from mostly outsiders from a limited list so as to prevent characters from literally using a single spell to have pretty much every notable trick in the game… now summoning spells are divided up by creature type, and the only hard limit on them in terms of what you can conjure is based on CR and the spell level you are using, meaning a high-level conjurer could literally call forth ANY creature of a specific type. (This is the exact opposite of what happened to polymorph transmutation spells, which have been made exceedingly less versatile). Of course, since all summoning and summoning-like spells (such as the 2E version of animate dead) require you to sustain the spell in order to control the creature, I guess this remains balanced?

Also Shadow Walk is a conjuration spell in this edition because apparently they thought it was too much of a stretch to have a long-distance transportation spell be illusion in a system that dropped the wizard opposition school thing.

Anyway, enough about the differing internal logic between two edition. Conjurers in 2E, much like their 1E counterparts, remain powerful mages who can call upon all manner of allies and create any tool or mundane object temporarily to get the job done, as well as do a lot to support others in combat, and travel far in mere moments, making them potentially some of the worldliest and multiversally-aware spellcasters out there.

Like all wizard schools, the mage in question gains extra spell slots for conjuration spells and an extra first level conjuration spell.

In a rare instance of not quite matching up with the 1st edition version, the conjurer does not increase the duration of summons, but rather gains access to this edition’s version of augment summoning, which is a temporary buff that can be laid on one of their conjured creatures, which is useful if your current summon is being particularly effective against foes.

Those that take the Advanced School Spell gain access to a short-range teleport as well, though it cannot be divided up like it could in the previous edition.

Additionally, the following wizard feats work well for the conjurer: Counterspell, Widen Spell, Steady Spellcasting, Quickened Casting, Reflect Spell, Shift Spell, Spell Combination, and others.

In terms of combat, the conjurer ends up being very much about battlefield control and summoning support, though naturally you’ll want to round out your spells accordingly. Keep in mind that their focus on summoning spells does mean that a lot of the time you’ll be down an action in combat, so perhaps spells that last a long time are most valuable, rather than having to choose between either casting most spells and moving or attacking while keeping a summon maintained.

While conjuration may be associated with sloth in Thassalonian Sin Magic, it is only through diligence that conjurers research the dangers of the beings they call upon and the risks of teleportation. A good conjurer is hardly lazy, doing their research and putting in the work, even if they also rely upon support from their spells at times.

Upon hearing that a gnoll conjurer has moved nearby, many of the locals assume that she is in truck with fiends, and this isn’t helped by the fact that people have begun disappearing. However, in truth, Niika is not the culprit, and in fact prefers to summon forth elementals. Her insight into the true culprit, however, could be handy.

Following a trail in the underground has led the expedition to a hidden temple once dedicated to serpentfolk gods, and in the depths of which an immortal lich of their people resides, calling upon conjured snakes and serpentine fiends to protect their sleeping brethren below.

A maidservant has been accused of stealing the master of the house’s jewels, but though she had access, she does not have them, nor the means to secret them away. It will take someone well-versed in the nature of magic to recognize the scent of conjuration at the scene of the crime.

#pathfinder 2nd edition #wizard #school #conjuration #conjurer #gnoll #elemental #serpentfolk #lich #Core Rule Book

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demi-shoggoth · 3 years ago

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2022 Reading Log, pt 5

21. How to Slay a Dragon: A Fantasy Hero’s Guide to the Real Middle Ages by Cait Stevenson. This is a fun one. Stevenson lays out the basics of the hero’s journey, from choosing the right mentor to the feast to celebrate your accomplishments, through the eyes of actual people living in the medieval period. There’s a good mix of legendry appropriate to the era along with real facts. For example, when talking about dragons, the book discusses Saints George and Margaret, along with St. Margaret’s role as protector of women in childbirth and the real threat of air pollution in London. I also like her definition of what “counts” as the Middle Ages. Her Middle Ages starts with the origin of Islam and ends with the Protestant Reformation, which makes sense to me as what would have affected the most people throughout Europe and the Mediterranean world.

22. Apples of North America by Tom Burford. Burford was one of the leading lights in the revival of heritage apples in the US in the 1980s and 90s, and this book is partially a reflection on a long career and partially a guide to some varieties of note. “Some” is the operative word here: living in Virginia, Burford focuses on East Coast varieties, and the apples covered are those that he could get his hands on to photograph and eat during the writing process. I would have liked a glossary; words like “lenticels”, “russetting” and “scarfskin” are used casually, when for someone who is not immersed in apple culture (like myself) they are somewhat baffling.

23. Monsters of Porphyra 2 by Perry Fehr and Mark Gedak. I don’t think I’ve read Monsters of Porphyra 1. This is a bestiary for Pathfinder 1st edition, put out by a 3rd party company, Purple Duck Games. For the size of the company, the production values are very high—full color, all original art for 150+ monsters. The monsters themselves are a mix of original creatures and conversions of 3.x monsters that are OGL compatible. I recognize some creatures from the Creature Collection series by White Wolf, and Green Ronin’s Book of Fiends. The mechanics are a mixed bag; the monsters follow the rules and are decently well built for the most part, but use a lot of spells and feats from 3rd party sources, and don’t say what those sources are. There’s a reference to the Purple Duck Wiki collecting these for reference, but I can see this book being somewhat frustrating to use at the table.

24. Underground by Will Hunt. This is a book about human relationships with caves, tunnels and other underground spaces. It is a mix of anthropology, history and memoir, and leans heavily into memoir. It helps that Hunt has had a lot of interesting experiences, such as getting lost in the catacombs of Paris with two clowns, being invited into a sacred ochre mine by a Wajarri family in western Australia, and meeting REVS, one of the most prominent graffiti artists of the New York subway system. The book has a decidedly mystical bent. Hunt’s thesis is that the original religion of humanity involved the underground as an otherworld, and that traces of this veneration and mystery percolate into even the modern secular consciousness. He also suggests that this has evolutionary roots in the burrowing animals of the Ediacaran or the microbes living in the Earth’s crust during the Archaean eon. It’s very Jungian, so if you’re annoyed by philosophizing, this might be a book to skip.

25. Eloquence of the Sardine by Bill François, translated by Antony Shugarr. This book also blends philosophizing with science, in this case marine biology. The chapters mix dreamy reminiscing about childhood with information on fish, crustaceans, mollusks and marine mammals; the author is both a scientist and a poet, and you can tell from the prose style. Attention is given to less charismatic species than usual for books about marine biology for general audiences—lots of talk about baitfish, like anchovy and sardines, and freshwater fish, which also tend to be neglected. I feel like this is more successful than Underground, above, at saying something about human connections to nature. It’s also shorter.

#books #reading log #monster book #pathfinder 1e #fish #marine biology #caves #apples #agriculture #medieval europe

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klarolinelibrary · 4 years ago

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Hi KC Readers,

After a long break, we are back with our weekly releases! We apologize for the delay but we have reached the end of the week which means we have new weekly releases for you! The stories below were updated during the week of May 22nd - May 28th.

Happy Reading!

FanFiction.Net

Something Like Love (Chapter 8)

Author: Recklessnesspersonified

Rating: M

Length: 20,346

Summary: Klaus Mikaelson was a bad boy, the quintessential jock or so Caroline Forbes had thought until one night their paths cross in the school hallways. He was different, intense and she was falling for him, but soon she finds out it was all a sham. Will she forgive him or would they break up before they confess their true love? AU/AH

Date of update: May 23 2021

Klaus POV - The Trouble with Spells (Chapter 26)

Author: ilovetf

Rating: M

Length: 105,863

Summary: I think the title is self explanatory. The Trouble with Spells as seen through Klaus's eyes and his POV. Over the years, people kept liking this story and some even asked for Klaus POV, so I decided to give it a try. Hope you enjoy it. All feedback is more than welcome. Good or bad.

Date of update: May 23 2021

High Stakes

Author: stardancer10

Rating: M

Length: 4,105

Summary: When Klaus died something in Caroline broke. She could not take anymore of Mystic Falls and she left. In her travels she finds herself doing things that she knew others wouldn't agree with, but she did what she felt was right. It was a gamble she was willing to take, something she felt that she owed him.

Date of update: May 23 2021

Purgatory (Chapter 22)

Author: Scarletborn

Rating: M

Length: 333,312

Summary: Caroline Forbes always thought that evil creatures and demons belonged to Hell. What she did not know was that vampires belonged to Purgatory. A place worse than hell where the only thing that mattered was survival. A place where enemies turned into allies and foes into friends. [Klaus/Caroline AU story set mostly in New Orleans]

Date of update: May 24 2021

The Wolf II (Chapter 11)

Author: yokan87

Rating: T

Length: 4,718

Summary: The Guerreras' threat still looms over the Mikaelson house as Caroline tries to adapt to life as a vampire, away from her daughter. But an unexpected family reunion makes everything worse, taking away the little peace Klaus, Caroline and Elijah managed to find after the war that nearly broke them. [It's TO S2, but Caroline was a witch, had Klaus' baby and now she's a vampire]

Date of update: May 26 2021

Vampires suck (Chapter 4)

Author: Miss.Mystic.Falls

Rating: T

Length: 5,583

Summary: What would happen if Caroline knew about vampires way before the Salvatore brothers come to Mystic Falls.

Date of update: May 28 2021

Archive of Our Own

No Reservations (Chapter 3)

Author: PumpkinDoodles

Rating: M

Length: 6,890

Summary: Caroline Forbes is having a tiny crisis: her restaurant partner and co-chef has disappeared again and isn't returning her calls. Caroline cannot function without Stefan. Her kitchen staff starts making jokes about getting her meds for irritability and she takes out her issues on helpless chicken breasts. It's not fun on a good day. But when tragedy strikes, Caroline's forced to work with a new chef. She doesn't remember meeting him in New Orleans--but Klaus Mikaelson remembers her.

Date of update: May 22 2021

Sibling Rivalry Redux - Adventures in Polyamory (Chapter 3)

Author: kcatdino

Rating: M

Length: 4,105

Summary: In which Klaus and Rebekah are both bi, their taste in men and women overlaps infuriatingly often, and they argue over their newest shared interest. In which Caroline feels like she might be a sugar baby, but no one’s dating her and she hasn’t gotten any in so long. Like, basically since meeting her new best friends, Klaus and Rebekah. Weird, right?

Date of update: May 22 2021

Darkness Becomes Thee (Chapter 6)

Author: BelleMorte180

Rating: E

Length: 32,424

Summary: Austria 1300s When Klaus met a young girl on a riverbank, he knew that he would one day come back for her. When he looked into her bright blue eyes, he could see a reflection of his own soul, a darkness that lingered inside both of them. When the young girl turned into a beautiful woman with a thirst for blood, his fascination with her turns into obsession. He wants not only her loyalty but her eternity, a possessiveness that is equally returned. or my "Caroline is the serial killer Elizabeth Bathory" au.

Date of update: May 23 2021

The Big Bad Wolf (Chapter 9)

Author: MorningStarGirl666

Rating: M

Length: 66,087

Summary: He was the Big, Bad Wolf of this story, there was no doubt about that. But Caroline? She was the light to his darkness, the moon that shone brighter than even the stars in a sky of endless void. Like every wolf, he fell in love with the moon, and every month, he was destined to cry for a love he would never touch.

Date of update: May 23 2021

Klaus vs the Soulmate Goose

Author: kcatdino

Rating: T

Length: 2,129

Summary: Klaus has met his match in the form of a goose as immortal and obstinate as he is: The Soulmate Goose of Enforcement. Will he succeed in killing the magical creature or will it force him to accept what’s in his heart?

Date of update: May 23 2021

Louder Than Thunder (Chapter 28)

Author: khaleesiofthewolves

Rating: M

Length: 179,641

Summary: All Hell was about to break loose. After dying while protecting a grieving Klaus, Caroline finds herself sent back in time, and she's not who she once was. She's more. Back in Mystic Falls, something else is stirring. After the arrival of a mysterious figure from Klaus' past, it all comes to a head. It really is louder than thunder.

Date of update: May 24 2021

We are young (Chapter 17)

Author: kcatdino

Rating: T

Length: 20,572

Summary: Basically, Klaroline flirt in front of their kids who they are barely older than, and Landon is appropriately confused. Edit: Now a series of one-shots! Edit 2: Oh my god, this has plot now!

Date of update: May 24 2021

Our Time Now (Chapter 4)

Author: perfectpro

Rating: M

Length: 52,838

Summary: Caroline is going to spend her senior year getting into the law school of her choice, leading the cheerleading squad to a nationals title, and passing her sorority presidency to someone who will continue a legacy of excellence. She doesn't have time to figure out what's happening with her relationship with Klaus - not that it's much of a relationship to begin with.

Date of update: May 24 2021

I See Dead Cheerleaders (Chapter 4)

Author: PumpkinDoodles

Rating: M

Length: 7,865

Summary: When Caroline saves Jenna from Klaus's sacrifice ritual and is killed instead, she vows to haunt Klaus Mikaelson forever. Never underestimate the determination of Miss Mystic Falls.

Date of update: May 25 2021

Finding Out the Truth in a Year or Even in a Century

Author: klarolineshipperxoxo

Rating: G

Length: 1,348

Summary: Caroline goes with Stefan to New Orleans in search of Klaus 18 years after the events of TVD 5x22 and TO 1x22 but things don't go as planned and buried feelings are unearthed.

Date of update: May 25 2021

Klaroline Returns (Chapter 2)

Author: kcatdino

Rating: T

Length: 8,010

Summary: The savior of Gotham, Catwoman, is Caroline Forbes, flighty heiress by day. But what happens when her worlds collide in the form of reporter Klaus Mikaelson and her worst supervillain, The Hybrid?

Date of update: May 25 2021

witchy business (Chapter 4)

Author: MaddestMaid3n

Rating: M

Length: 13,783

Summary: "A little birdie told me you might have a book or two that might pique my interest,” “Well, that depends on your interests," Caroline's just trying to survive Marcel's New Orleans. Colluding with an Original was so not on her to-do list.

Date of update: May 25 2021

Klaus’ Thousand Year Plan to be Her Last (Chapter 3)

Author: anncatherine

Rating: T

Length: 4,022

Summary: So these are some missing Klaroline scenes from my Elena/Elijah soulmate fic that I couldn’t include because they either didn’t fit or needed to be form Klaus or Caroline’s pov. I think it would be helpful to read at least the first couple chapters of that for background, but basically at twelve people’s soulmate’s birthday shows up on their wrist.

Date of update: May 26 2021

what a wave you have made

Author: sekretny

Rating: T

Length: 3,413

Summary: “Do you really hate me this much?” She shouts in frustration. Klaus looks her in the eye, their gazes locked in a battle of fiery tempers. “Hate you…” He repeats with every ounce of venom he can muster. After ransacking the contents of his backpack, he removes a sketchbook Caroline has never seen before. He starts to flip furiously through the pages, “You have given me more than enough reasons to hate you, sweetheart,” he spits while he looks for a specific page. He finds it and turns the sketchbook around to show her. Klaus makes his feelings for Caroline visibly clear.

Date of update: May 26 2021

The Concept of Time (Chapter 3)

Author: BelleMorte180

Rating: E

Length: 19,640

Summary: Pairs, France 1864 After learning some distressing news, Klaus seeks out the advice of a friend in the middle of the night and meets a mysterious woman who leaves him with more questions than answers. She hands him a journal filled with the mad ramblings about time by a man named Lorenzo St. John and sees a curious date tattooed on her shoulder. Klaus can think of little else after their first meeting and tracks her down at a burlesque club in the wrong part of the city. Klaus begins to wonder if he can solve the mystery of Caroline Forbes or simply be lost in what has deemed to be impossible.

Date of update: May 26 2021

Revenge of the Fifth - TVD Edition (Chapter 3)

Author: kcatdino

Rating: M

Length: 6,168

Summary: A star wars AU for vampire dairies for May the Fourth Be with You! Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena are padawan learners at Luke Skywalker’s new Jedi training academy, desperate to prove themselves by taking down some of the new Sith Lords that have popped up. The problem is, those Sith Lords are the Mikaelsons, and each girl has a Mikaelson brother obsessed with them, unwilling to let them come to harm. Will that make it harder or easier for them to triumph over the Dark Side?

Date of update: May 26 2021

Smoke Signals

Author: misssophiachase

Rating: T

Length: 3,017

Summary: "You, you must have been looking for me...sending smoke signals" Professional photographer Caroline Forbes and firefighter Klaus Mikaelson keep running into each other. It’s either the universe playing a joke on them or Katherine’s ‘accidental’ matchmaking. Or maybe it's a bit of both?

Date of update: May 27 2021

Reasons Not to Date a Mikaelson (Chapter 8)

Author: kcatdino

Rating: T

Length: 15,851

Summary: Bonnie and Caroline gain a new roommate for their freshman dorm when a vision leads them to tracking down a pregnant Hayley in the Rockies. Also, Bonnie may or may not have raised a certain dead Original instead of Jeremy and Klaus takes a job at Whitmore teaching, to be annoying. He’s very good at it. This is a season 5 rewrite where the Originals never leave for New Orleans. But you know, with comedy. And increasing angst with every chapter.

Date of update: May 27 2021

if you want me to fall (Chapter 2)

Author: FeyresUnbecoming

Rating: T

Length: 1,807

Summary: Caroline and Klaus scramble out of bed before Rebekah can find the two of them, lest she find out they've been sleeping together.

Date of update: May 27 2021

Good to you - Side Stories and Prompts

Author: originalhybridlover

Rating: T

Length: 801

Summary: So this is going to be a set a side stories or prompts related to my Klaroline story, Good to You

Date of update: May 28 2021

Genuine Beauty: Klaroline Canon-ish Drabble Collection

Author: Klauscarolove

Rating: M

Length: 30,884

Summary: Klaroline Drabble Collection: Close Canon, Canon Compliant, Canon-ish, Canon Universe....... basically if they are vampires in the drabble, it will go here.

Date of update: May 27 2021

Klaroline Storybook (Chapter 44)

Author: misssophiachase

Rating: T

Length: 63,904

Summary: A new selection of Klaroline drabbles

Date of update: May 28 2021

Lost Through Time (Chapter 7)

Author: Life_is_a_fantasy

Rating: Unavailable

Length: 4,173

Summary: What will happen when Hope, Landon, Lizzie and Josie fall through a time portal? Will they change things, even if they don't mean to? How will Klaus react to knowing his daughter has a boyfriend?

Date of update: May 28 2021

When your family is too nosy.... (Chapter 3)

Author: kcatdino

Rating: Unavailable

Length: 4,349

Summary: Klaus’s plan to get back at Rebekah by staying friends with Stefan backfires spectacularly when Stefan and Stefan’s ex-girlfriend Caroline convince him to fake a relationship at his family’s get-together at the beach. Sure, Rebekah will probably assume Caroline’s a prostitute and the rest of his family are too nosy for his own good, but what could go wrong? (I will add a rating later when I decide how explicit the smut will be)

Date of update: May 28 2021

LITTLE TENSE (Chapter 4)

Author: wincefish16

Rating: T

Length: 4,462

Summary: Klaroline's life together as they work in Mikaelson and co. Different snippets of their life. HUMAN, FULL OF FLUFF AND LITTLE BIT OF ANGST.

Date of update: May 28 2021

Like snow we melt, like rain we fall, like the sun we burn, in love. (Chapter 3)

Author: BlackRaven475932

Rating: M

Length: 4,088

Summary: after episode 5x11, Klaroline sex scene. Klaus and Caroline have a secret relationship. Teasing in public, a lot of smut, no one knows. WARNING, this story contains a blood kink in later chapters. If you don't like this then I advise you not to read it. It will occur in later chapters and I will give a warning before the chapter.

Date of update: May 28 2021

The Allure of Darkness (Chapter 2)

Author: Loveyou3000Klaroline

Rating: M

Length: 5,127

Summary: “Anything that’s worth anything is dangerous.” Or... Klaus Mikaelson is the big bad hybrid, but he is the only one who can make Caroline’s world stable. Especially after the lie of her life gets unraveled.

Date of update: May 28 2021

That Pesky Phone

Author: timetravelercat

Rating: T

Length: 1,029

Summary: "What was that?" he asked her curiously. She looked at him, embarrassed— —Wait, Caroline Forbes? Embarrassed?" Just Klaus," she answered simply, not giving him anymore details and averting her eyes. Huh, suspicious.

Date of update: May 28 2021

Ok, Cupids

Author: timetravelercat

Rating: T

Length: 795

Summary: Klaus and Caroline sign Stefan into an online dating site.

Date of update: May 28 2021

Available On Both Websites

FFN: The Traitor and the Coward (Chapter 6)

AO3: The Traitor and the Coward (Chapter 6)

Author: Uppity Bitch

Rating: M

Length: 10,677

Summary: Klaroline AU supernatural multi-chap - Original!Caroline has spent lifetimes running from her lover and his family. Despite the centuries of loneliness, she regrets nothing. Soon, she'll bring an end to this madness. Or bring the madness full circle.

Date of update: May 23 2021

FFN: What You Always Wanted

AO3: What You Always Wanted

Author: Eliliyah

Rating: M

Length: 2,646

Summary: After waiting a thousand years for her husband to break his hybrid curse, Caroline realizes Klaus neglected to mention that his next step was to build an army. Furious, she leaves him alone in Mystic Falls. Knowing there's only one way to make it up to her, Klaus shows up on her doorstep with the one person who can get him back in her good graces: their old friend, Stefan.

Date of update: May 26 2021

#klaroline library #KCL weekly releases #klaroline fanfiction #klaroline

40 notes · View notes

softlyjins · 4 years ago

Text

play in your deep

jin x fem!reader, established relationship

word count: 2.9k+

summary: you and jin have been together for a little bit, so you feel that it’s time to reveal something that had been on your mind.

warnings: reader being embarrassed, penetrative sex, unprotected sex (be safe kids), creampie, daddy kink (i’m like barely sorry), multiple orgasms, oral sex (f receiving), rough sex (kinda? idk), aftercare (it’s important), jin making a terrible joke

an: uhh i edited about half of this and this is the first fic i’ve written in a while so if it’s bad pls don’t come for me. also i’m dyslexic so if there are any spelling errors, please tell me, i’m weirdly picky about spelling and grammar for someone who often reads things wrong. let me know if you like it ☺️ enjoy?

You and Jin were in a comfortable spot in your relationship. You had known each other for a while but only started dating about three months ago. It had genuinely been the most fun three months of your life. In past relationships you always felt like you needed to make yourself perfect for them, but with Jin it was obvious that he liked you and your imperfections, even if you yourself were still in the process of accepting them. He made you laugh very easily, and he was usually laughing at his own jokes whenever he told them. You found everything about him endearing.

Discovering new kinks was always fun. Opening up to a (relatively) new partner about them, isn’t as awesome when you’ve just barely discovered said kink.

On a very relaxed day, when you and Jin were just hanging around your apartment in your sweats (his sweatshirt, you were already beginning to take his clothes), you decided then was the best time to tell Jin how you were feeling. “I think I have something to tell you,” you said, turning to Jin and biting your lower lip.

“You think you have something to tell me?” Jin queried, tilting his head at you.

You took a deep breath, you already decided that this was the day that you were finally going to tell Jin what you wanted, but you weren’t sure how to phrase it.

“I mean yeah, it just- Ugh! It’s just so hard to put into words.” You picked at one of your nails, looking down at your hands as they weren’t the person you were trying to reveal something very personal to.

“Is everything okay? Are you like on the run from the mafia or something?” Jin sat up straighter, seeming to think that you being on the run from the mob was something that he should be legitimately worried about.

“Oh my god no,” you groaned, throwing your head back and letting out a deep sigh. “It’s just... I don’t know, I’m nervous?” You went back to staring at your hand.

“Come on,” Jin rolled his eyes. “We’ve been dating for four months, what could I possibly not know about you that makes you this nervous?” He cocked his head and put his hand on your arm in an almost teasing way.

You looked at his hand on your arm before looking up at him and raising a brow. “We’ve been dating for three months, what are you talking about?”

“I take that first month we knew each other as when we started dating because we were obviously into each other even from the beginning,” Jin gave you a small smirk, the same one that made you weak all those months ago.

“Oh my god, we st- Wait that isn’t even what we’re talking about!” You groaned and smacked his hand away from your arm.

“Come on,” Jin put his hand on your knee, deciding there was a smaller chance of you moving his hand away from this position. “I’ll give you a kiss if you tell me what it is!” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

You groaned and put your hands in front of your face. “It’s just embarrassing!” You muffled through your palms.

Jin reached up to pull your hands down, giving you a genuine smile. “Come on _____,” he pleaded. “If it makes you feel any better, I peed my pants when I was younger.”

You threw your hands down on your lap. “That doesn’t even count! Everyone peed their pants in when they were young!” You gaped at him, somewhat affronted that he would consider that to be embarrassing, when he hadn’t even heard what you were so close to revealing to him. Being embarrassed and mildly turned on was a very strange combination that you weren’t becoming a fan of. Jin in sweatpants was your weakness.

Your boyfriend sighed and took one of your hands, noticing how conflicted you were on the matter. “If you don’t feel comfortable telling me, then that’s fine. I don’t want to pressure you—“

“I’m want you to cum inside me!” You blurted out, squeezing your eyes shut as tightly as possible.

There was a beat of silence. You peeked one of your eyes open to try and gauge Jin’s reaction.

“Shit, fuck— I’m sorry.” You stood up off of the sofa to try and went to walk towards the door, completely forgetting that you were at your apartment, but before you could even leave the room, Jin was grabbing hold of your wrist.

“Is that it?” he asked in a slightly playful tone. You couldn’t help but stare down at your feet, feeling entirely too vulnerable for your liking. “Tell me what you want,” he said in a soft but stern tone, lifting up your chin with the hand that had been grasping your wrist.

You swallowed and took a deep breath, trying to muster up enough courage to actually say it. You felt yourself trembling at his words. It’s all you’ve wanted ever since you figured out you were into it. You put your hands into fists, trying to catch your breath. “I want you to come inside me. I hate condoms and I’m on the pill and like we’re exclusive so, like, we don’t have diseases or whatever to worry about and-” you stopped for a moment to shut your eyes and take another breath. “I want to know what it feels like to have you dripping out of me,” you whisper, opening your eyes only to stare at his shoulder.

Before you could say anything else or give him the option to just walk out, Jin’s lips were on yours and he was leading you towards your bedroom. It took you a moment to register that he definitely seemed to be okay with your proposal. “Have I ever told you that you’re perfect?” He asked as the backs of your legs touched the mattress, cocking a brow and smirking at you.

“Probably,” you shrug, wrapping your arms around his neck, leaning back onto the bed and taking him down with you. You wasted no time taking off your clothes. You had never been more grateful for sweatpants. Once your shirt was off, Jin quickly took one of your nipples into his mouth and sighed onto it.

Jin moved his head back up to your lips to leave you a soft kiss before whispering into your ear, “Jesus Christ, I wish you would have told me sooner because I don’t think I’ve ever been this hard before in my life.” He quickly moved back towards your mouth and began kissing you passionately, grabbing your ass and grinding his hard, boxer-brief covered length into your already wet panties. “Fuck, you’re so wet already,” he said quietly, moving his hand down to tease you over your panties. “Are you sure you need me to fill you up? You seem to be doing just fine by yourself,” he teased, smirking at your flushed expression.

“No, please,” you begged, grabbing onto his broad shoulders. “Please, I need your cum inside me so bad I think I might explode, shit-“ He moved his hands to remove your underwear quickly and moved down to begin lightly licking on your clit.

“Damn, I can’t wait to see how you taste with both of our cum mixed together,” he said, leaving a soft kiss to your clit before moving himself back up to kiss your mouth. You loved how Jin’s kisses tasted with even a small amount of your wetness on them. “I feel like it would make you taste even better, but I don’t know how that’s even possible.”

You whimpered and bucked your hips up towards him. “Please, please, please, oh my god, I need you inside me right now.” Feeling a little bold and extremely needy, you reached a hand down and began palming him through his boxer briefs that were still on for some reason.

“Well aren’t you desperate for my cock?” Jin smirked at you before biting his lip, trying to hide the fact that he was just as needy for you. “Are you sure you’re ready for me? I haven’t even warmed you up yet.” He tried keeping his composure, but as your hand kept moving up and down his shaft, his facade was breaking easily.

“Oh my god, please, I swear I’m ready for you.” You rubbed your thighs together to get some sort of friction to your aching pussy, but you were so wet that they just slipped right past each other. “I’m so fucking wet, please just fuck me, daddy.” You had never referred to Jin as “daddy” before that moment. You’d definitely thought it before, but always felt too nervous to bring it up. You hated having an extremely cliche kink.

Jin, however, was pretty sure he would lose his goddamn mind if you called him that again. Jin immediately moved his underwear down enough for his cock to spring out and slammed himself into you. It was a little much at first, but he stayed still long enough for the both of you to get used to the feeling of just how tight you were at that moment. “You good, baby?” he asked you, moving a piece of hair that had fallen in front of your face so he could memorize your expression in that exact moment. Eyes tightly closed, lips swollen and slightly open, cheeks extremely flushed, and a small bit of sweat, just enough to make you glow.

You pursed your lips together before taking a deep breath. “Yeah, just give me a second.” After taking another deep breath, you opened your eyes to see Jin looking at you with endearment and a smidge of concern. You used one hand to gently move his lips down to meet yours, while keeping your other hand on his ribcage. “Thank you,” you whispered, taking a moment to look into his eyes. “Since I wasn’t prepped for you, you feel even bigger than usual.”

Jin groaned and squeezed his eyes shut. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, please. Can I move? Are you ready?” His eyes were so eager and you were about to burst as well.

“Yes, daddy.” You smirked at him for a half of a second before he began slamming into you. The mix of the sound of his groans, his skin slapping against yours, and the squelching of your pussy around his dick was making your head spin. You moved to wrap your arms around his shoulders and your legs around his waist, trying to keep yourself as close to him as possible. He lowered to his forearms as to begin suckling on your neck. “Oh god, don’t stop, please don’t stop,” you whined into his ear.

You felt the twinge of a smirk on your neck. “Don’t stop, who?” he teased.

It took you a moment to figure out what he was asking. “Please, daddy, don’t stop, your cock feels so good.” You moved your arms again, digging your nails into his shoulders, feeling like you were only hanging on by a string. With every stroke of his length against your walls, you were losing more and more control. “Oh my god, I think I’m gonna cum. I don’t think I’ve ever cum this fast,” you said quietly but loud enough for Jin to hear and grow his ego about six times the size it already was.

Jin moved one hand down to lazily circle your clit. “Yeah? You gonna cum for me, baby? So soon?” Even through your eyes were shut, you could hear the smirk in his voice but couldn’t bring yourself to care that he was teasing you.

“Yes, fuck- yes I’m gonna cum, please, please, touch my clit. I can’t take it, fuck-“ you gasped when he moved his thumb so he was directly on top of your needy clit. “Fuck, oh my god, please, daddy,” you groaned, tangling your fingers into his hair, not knowing what else to grab onto.

Jin leaned down to messily kiss you. “Please what?”

This was the hottest and most frustrating thing you had ever experienced. “Please, I wanna cum, oh my god I’m so close, please,” you whined, feeling the prickling of tears at your eyes.

“Call me ‘daddy’ one more time and I’ll let you cum, princess,” Jin muttered lowly into your mouth before covering his mouth on top of it, slowing his ministrations on your sensitive bud.

Your pussy clenched at his request and the pet name that he had never used with you before. You could feel Jin’s motions stutter a bit at your clench. “Please let me come, daddy,” you breathed out.

Jin started pounding harder into you and moved his thumb faster across your clit. Soon after, you felt the overwhelming feeling of pleasure rip through you. Everything was heightened with you clenching around Jin’s cock as he kept working on your clit. Jin slowed his thrusts for a moment, realizing you needed a moment to come down. “You good, baby?” He put one hand to your cheek, your hand automatically meeting his as you tried to catch your breath.

“Are you kidding? That was amazing, I don’t think I’ve ever cum that hard in my life,” you said through your pants, opening your eyes to see Jin looking down at you.

“Well, we aren’t done yet, princess,” Jin pecked your lips quickly. “Get on all fours, I wanna see my cum dripping out of you when I fill you up.”

You immediately followed his orders, feeling a bit of your own cum dripping out of you while trying to hold back a whimper. The second you got on your hands and knees, you felt Jin move down to lap up your juices. You were still so sensitive that his tongue made your arms give out, your chest falling to the bed. Jin kept devouring your pussy, occasionally lightening his touch, only to get his tongue even deeper right after. He moved one hand up to lightly touch your clit, causing your legs to spread even wider. You were practically sitting on his face at this point. “Baby, I’m gonna cum again, fuck,” you squealed, hands bunching up the bedsheets.

Suddenly, all of Jin’s movements stopped and he moved out from underneath you, bringing his mouth to your ear, leaving a quick bite before saying “I’m gonna make you cum again, but it’s gonna be around my cock as I fill you up with my cum.” You couldn’t help but whimper at that, all of your noises growing louder as you felt Jin move to line his cock up with your wetness.

His movements started off slow and gradually got faster. He was able to get much deeper into you in this position and it was weakening the both of you. His grip around your hips tightened as he began moving faster and faster inside of you. You felt your resolve disintegrating quickly. The thought of even the possibility of Jin’s cum inside of you brought you closer to the edge. “Daddy, I’m close, fuck-“ you gasped when he brought a hand down to pinch one of your nipples.

“Me too, princess,” he said lowly, his thrusts becoming quicker and deeper. “Come all over me so I can fill you up.”

His words mixed with his motions and his fingers’ vice grip on your nipple sent you catapulting over the edge. You think you might have screamed, but you couldn’t be sure. It wasn’t until you felt Jin’s cum fill you up that your second wave hit you. Your hands grabbed at the sheets, trying to find any kind of purchase to keep you steady. Jin kept thrusting into you slowly, working the both of you through your respective orgasms.

Before you could drop to the bed, Jin pulled out of you and began to taste how your juices mixed together inside of you. It felt better than you had dreamed, the feeling of him dripping out of you. The oversensitivity made you buck your hips and whimper. “Daddy, please, it’s too much.”

Jin gently flipped you onto your back and took one last moment to use two fingers to catch as much of your cum as he could. “Open,” he looked directly into your eyes as he brought his fingers towards your mouth. You quickly opened your lips for him as he dragged them across your tongue. You closed your lips around his digits, wanting to savor every drop. “Jesus Christ, you’re amazing,” he kissed you slowly, mingling his tongue with yours to taste your juices again.

He suddenly broke the kiss and got up from the bed. He smiled at your frown and hand grabbing his shoulder to keep him next to you. “Baby, give me just a second, I’m just gonna grab a towel,” he laughed softly, placing a quick peck to your lips before getting off of the bed. He quickly came back with a slightly damp towel, making sure to not use too much pressure when cleaning you up. After cleaning himself off, he threw the towel into the hamper and got into bed with you, wrapping his arms around you and placing a soft kiss to the top of your head. “That was-“

“Yeah,” you interrupted him, not knowing of any words that could accurately describe what had just occurred. You used all of your strength to roll over so you could rest your head on his chest, wrapping an arm around his torso.

“I only have one thing to say,” Jin said, looking down at you. He sighed, “That’s a wet ass pussy.”

You pursed your lips together, not giving him the satisfaction of your laughter, figuring his own was plenty. “I’m gonna fucking kill you.”

#jinrock #jin smut #seokjin smut #yes i made the header myself it’s mediocre #kim seokjin #jin #seokjin fic #jin fic #jin fanfic #seokjin fanfic #jin fluff #seokjin fluff

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twoidiotwriters1 · 4 years ago

Text

Written In The Stars CXXVIII (Harry Potter xF!Oc)

A/N: From chapter 25 to 36 I just love everything -Danny

Words: 5,260

Series’ Masterlist

Previous Chapter // Next Chapter

Listen to: ‘Payphone’ -by Maroon 5

Chapter Twenty-Six: Delusions of Power.

Mel spent the next days in constant anxiety.

She even stopped her mischief out of fear of how the interview could backfire, it was keeping her awake at night.

At the end of a particularly rough quidditch practice Ron, Ginny and her were walking back to the castle in a very grim mood, but they still were curious about what exactly had Mel added to Harry's story.

"Well, you know," Their friend replied as she undid her braid. "Talked about Barty Jr. and how his father brought him from Azkaban — and that he fired Winky, which was a complete lack of respect for the honourable work of House-elves (Hermione was very pleased with that part), I talked about the corruption in the Ministry, that Fudge made it very clear that the main reason why he didn't want to act was because of the money he was getting from pureblood families involved... I reckon I'll never get a job in the Ministry after this."

"I hope this works out," Ginny said. "Maybe the Order we'll get more help once people read the article, your version makes much more sense than whatever Fudge wants to sell to the public."

They walked into the Great Hall leaving mud stains on their path, Hermione and Harry were having dinner already, and they seemed to be arguing.

"Is that what she was doing?" Harry was asking. "Well, wouldn't it have been easier if she'd just asked me whether I liked her better than you?"

"Girls don't often ask questions like that," Hermione responded.

"Well, they should! Then I could've just told her I fancy her, and she wouldn't have had to get herself all worked up again about Cedric dying!"

"You're still talking about that?" Mel frowned. "Listen, I agree with you about Cho exaggerating a bit, but to be fair you're slow at picking up hints."

"You're one to talk," Harry retorted.

"I'm not saying what she did was sensible," said Hermione, throwing a nervous glance at them and interrupting before things got awkward. "I'm just trying to make you see how she was feeling at the time."

"You should write a book," Ron said, "translating mad things girls do so boys can understand them."

"Yeah!" said Harry.

"Girls are humans just like you," Mel scowled. "There are no 'rules' — Just try to get to know the girl for a change instead of just looking for a quick snog."

Harry looked back at the Ravenclaw table wistfully, Cho was leaving it with her friend Marietta, and she didn't glance his way before walking out.

"So, how was Quidditch practice?" He sighed, turning his attention back to his friends.

"It was a nightmare," said Ron.

"Oh come on," Hermione tried, "I'm sure it wasn't that —"

"Yes, it was," Ginny pouted. "It was appalling. Angelina was nearly in tears by the end of it."

Mel let out a long sigh and pushed her hair out of the way, it was starting to get a bit impossible to handle at this point and it was always messy, she really needed to get rid of half of it.

"Can't say I'm doing marvellous work as a beater if I'm honest. I'm not as strong as Angelina would like..."

By the time Mel was going to play her first game ever the atmosphere was extremely dense. Her Hufflepuff friends wished her luck in a way that let her know they already felt like the winners. She couldn't blame them, Ron was looking greener and greener with every step he took towards the dressing room.

Mel was about to enter when Fred caught up and kissed her. She couldn't even react properly.

"For good luck!" He smirked. "Isn't that the tradition?"

Mel was flustered, she ushered him away and stood there in shock, hearing as he laughed about her reaction with George. Someone cleared his throat behind her, it was Harry.

"When did you get here?" She asked in dread.

"Just a moment," Harry said, a faint blush on his cheeks. "But I saw you were... er... having a moment. I figured it was better if I just waited until Fred was gone."

"Okay," Mel said clumsily, pushing her hair back.

"I wanted to wish you good luck," He said. "It's your first game... when it was my game you were there so... it's my turn, isn't it?"

"You don't have to," Mel said, panicking about Harry kissing her cheek after such a long time without physical contact. She no longer knew what boundaries existed between them.

"It's the least I can do," Harry hesitated before awkwardly stepping forward, holding out his hand so she could shake it.

Mel grabbed it and shook it firmly.

"Good luck."

"Thanks," She smiled.

Once inside and dressed in the uniform, Mel stared at her reflection in awe.

"I'm wearing a Quidditch uniform," She told Ginny. "And I look so good..."

"Yeah, yeah, you're pretty," Ginny rolled her eyes grinning. "Let's go, before your big-head stops you from looking away..."

The good part? Ginny caught the snitch.

They still lost.

She'd threw a bludger directly to a chaser and caused him to drop the quaffle, but Slope was dreadful, he kept missing every time. Ron was beyond miserable when the game was over, now not only the Slytherins were singing, but also the Hufflepuffs.

Back in the common room, once she had taken a bath, she walked in and listened to Harry and Ginny's conversation as she sat down tiredly next to them, hanging her legs over the armrest and leaning on Ginny's shoulder.

"I was lucky," The girl was saying. "It wasn't a very fast snitch and Summerby's got a cold, he sneezed and closed his eyes at exactly the wrong moment. Anyway, once you're back on the team —"

"Ginny, I've got a lifelong ban."

"You're banned as long as Umbridge is in the school. There's a difference. Anyway, once you're back, I think I'll try out for Chaser. Angelina and Alicia are both leaving next year and I prefer goal-scoring to seeking anyway."

Mel sighed, rubbing her temples.

"You were right about how cathartic it is to be a Beater, but I think I'm not good enough for the position. Maybe chaser— or even seeker, if Harry insists on staying on the bench —"

"It's not like I want to stay there, you know?"

"If you say so," The girl yawned.

"Angelina still won't let him resign," Ginny added, making a vague head movement towards her brother. "She says she knows he's got it in him."

"Because he does," Mel rolled her eyes. "That idiot... if I could take away his insecurities by knocking his lights out with a bludger, I'd do it."

The next morning during breakfast was the moment when the bomb dropped. Two editions of the Quibbler arrived –one for Mel and one for Harry– inside they had their interviews. Not only that, but at least ten owls landed around the table, all with letters directed to them.

"It's good, isn't it?" Luna sat down between Fred and Ron. "It came out yesterday, I asked Dad to send you a free copy. I expect all these are letters from readers."

"That's what I thought," said Hermione. "Guys, d'you mind if we — ?"

"Help yourself," said Harry.

"I'm too scared to touch any of those," Mel said hesitantly. "Don't want anything on my face..."

"This one's from a bloke who thinks you're off your rocker, Harry," said Ron. "Says Mel is probably hormonal — gross lad, honestly. Ah well..."

"This woman recommends you try a good course of Shock Spells at St. Mungo's," said Hermione.

"This one looks okay, though," said Harry, he was reading through the mail now as well. "Hey, she says she believes us!"

"This one's in two minds," said Fred who had taken the liberty to open the one's directed at Mel. "Says you don't come across as mad people, but he really doesn't want to believe You-Know-Who's back so he doesn't know what to think now... Blimey, what a waste of parchment. I would believe you in a second, Lady."

"Thank you Fred, but I'm afraid you're biased," Mel grinned, deciding to start opening letters too.

"Here's another one you've convinced!" said Hermione happily. "'Having read your side of the story I am forced to the conclusion that the Daily Prophet has treated you very unfairly... Little though I want to think that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned, I am forced to accept that you are telling the truth... and Miss Dumbledore's claims seemed to be legitimate, I had a friend who got in trouble with the Ministry and they forgave him in no time after he let go of a few galleons...' Oh, this is wonderful!"

"Another one who thinks you're barking," said Ron, throwing the letter without paying attention, "but this one says you've got her converted, and she now thinks you're a real hero — she's put in a photograph too — wow —"

"At this rate, you won't have to worry about any future dates with Cho," Mel teased.

"What is going on here?" Umbridge asked over their heads. "Why have you got all these letters, Mr Potter, Miss Dumbledore?"

"Is that a crime now? Getting mail?" Fred frowned.

"Be careful, Mr Weasley, or I shall have to put you in detention. Well, Mr Potter?"

Harry pondered his options quietly but shared one resolute look with Mel and knew there was no point. She would find out eventually.

"People have written to us because we gave an interview," said Harry. "About what happened to me last June."

"And about how much of a fraud Fudge is," Mel concluded.

"An interview? What do you mean?" Umbridge asked.

"I mean a reporter asked us questions and we answered them," said Harry. "Here —"

He threw his copy at Umbridge and Mel got a pleasant tug at the base of her stomach at the sight. It quickly faded as she watched the woman read carefully all they'd said.

"When did you do this?" She breathed.

"Last Hogsmeade weekend," said Harry.

"There will be no more Hogsmeade trips for you two."

"How would've guessed?" Mel replied carelessly.

"How you dare... how you could... I have tried again and again to teach you not to tell lies. The message, apparently, has still not sunk in. Miss Dumbledore, hadn't I told you to learn where your place is? You have no right to speak like that about your Minister!"

Mel thought that if she was already in trouble, she was going to earn it fully.

"I thought you'd understand, isn't blood status your biggest priority? That's why you're giving Hagrid such a hard time, right? I'm just following your lead," She glanced at the teachers' table, where Dumbledore was talking to Flitwick without paying attention to them, although she had the feeling he was just pretending. "I'll always be loyal to my people."

"Fifty points from Gryffindor and another week's worth of detentions!" Umbridge spat, barely able to control her anger.

"It'll be my pleasure!" Mel shouted, watching the woman stomp away from the Great Hall.

Hermione and Mel smiled at each other at the sight of the decree.

— by order of —

The High Inquisitor of Hogwarts

Any student found in possession of the magazine The Quibbler will be expelled.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-seven.

Signed:

High inquisitor.

"What exactly are you so happy about?" Harry asked them.

"Oh Harry, don't you remember what Mel said? If she could have done one thing to make absolutely sure that every single person in this school will read your interview, it was banning it!"

If Mel was popular before, now she was almost idolized. The only student at school that had stood up against Umbridge apart from Harry. Of course, there were people like Malfoy, and kids that were related to the death eaters that were definitely not happy about it, but little did they know that Daphne and Erick had her back. Not only that, but several Slytherins were starting to realize some things, as Mel would find out in her next D.A. meeting.

The students weren't the only ones making quiet declarations, Professor Sprout rewarded Harry with twenty points when he'd done nothing but to pass her an empty watering can. Flitwick discretely gave them two boxes of squeaking sugar mice during his class and ran away almost as fast as he'd approached.

Trelawney openly wept and claimed that Harry was not going to suffer an early death after all, but he and Mel would live to a ripe old age, become Minister of Magic and have twelve children. Since she didn't specify which part was for each, Mel blushed deeply at the mention of babies.

Even Cho forgave Harry for his silly mistake on Valentine's day, and she was telling to anyone who was interested that they had shared a lovely date the day he'd done the interview, and that she was very proud of him.

Fred was another person who was taking great pleasure in strutting around the castle with Mel by his side. Students would look at him with sneers and faces of contempt, and although Mel didn't appreciate being treated like a prize, she was definitely enjoying the way Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott would glare at her from across the hall without being able to touch her.

Seamus approached her and Harry before their Transfiguration class.

"I just wanted to say," He said, avoiding their eyes, "I believe you. And I've sent a copy of that magazine to me mam."

Mel was so pleased that she hugged him, Seamus didn't know how to respond. That night a party took place in the common room, she hadn't seen her friends this happy for a very long time, and she was proud to be part of it.

"What you did was foolish and impulsive”

"I'm aware."

"I thought we'd agreed on keeping a low profile this year," Dumbledore stared down at her over his glasses.

"We agreed on keeping my lessons a secret. There's nothing in that interview about my lessons with you, Professor. However, we never said I couldn't talk about Fudge."

They were outside the main entrance of the castle, Dumbledore had asked her for a private word as she walked past the entrance after finishing diner. Neither Harry nor Umbridge were near, which could be part of the reason why Dumbledore had asked her now. She didn't know what he'd been doing outside at this hour, but she was more worried about the lecture she was about to get.

"This is not the time to take things lightly," Dumbledore said gravely. "You know you're one of Voldemort's targets, he wants to use you to his advantage and now you've turned into a person of interest for the Ministry as well."

"I already was," Mel replied. "I merely talked about Fudge, I kept you out of the conversation! They might accuse me of slander, but then again they're probably too afraid of you to try it."

"And you're planning to live under my shadow?" Dumbledore asked.

Mel's annoyance increased.

"Of course not! I've improved lots this year, I daresay I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself —"

"You have to grow up first before making such decisions," Dumbledore replied in a hard tone that took her off guard. "That kind of behaviour is what kept Aberforth from turning into his best self. You mustn't follow his lead. Matthew would've wanted you to be better."

"Give me a break, won't you? I'm fifteen — I want to have fun, I hate that I have to act like an adult when all my friends are allowed to fool around and —"

"You've been given enough freedom," The man replied. "Haven't I turned a blind eye to your acts of so-called justice? It wasn't wise of me, but I allowed it. Why?"

"Because you hate Umbridge as much as everyone else?"

"Because you wish to be something else than just a Lastname. What you haven't realized is that you already are Mel, but what you're representing right now is no better than what you used to be. You're repeating history and that won't help you."

Mel was about to reply when a woman's scream reached them. They both turned to the oak doors, hearing attentively. Two trunks came down flying and landed roughly at the foot of the marble staircase, Umbridge walked down in tiny cheerful steps, Trelawney stumbled down holding a bottle of sherry. She was looking around frantically.

"NO!" She yelled, and the students inside the Great Hall walked out to see the scene. "NO! NO! This cannot be happening... It cannot... I refuse to accept it!"

"You didn't realize this was coming? Incapable though you are of predicting even tomorrow's weather, you must surely have realized that your pitiful performance during my inspections, and lack of any improvement, would make it inevitable you would be sacked?" Umbridge asked cruelly.

"You c-can't! You c-can't sack me! I've b-been here sixteen years! H-Hogwarts is m-my h-home!"

"It was your home, until an hour ago, when the Minister of Magic countersigned the order for your dismissal. Now kindly remove yourself from this hall. You are embarrassing us."

Surprisingly, McGonagall stepped forward and hugged the woman protectively.

"There, there, Sibyll... Calm down... Blow your nose on this... It's not as bad as you think, now... You are not going to have to leave Hogwarts..."

"Oh really, Professor McGonagall?" Umbridge sneered. "And your authority for that statement is..?"

Dumbledore opened the door completely, his figure stepping into the scene.

"That would be mine," He said.

Mel followed him, but she stayed behind as he reached the place where Trelawney was.

"Yours, Professor Dumbledore? I'm afraid you do not understand the position. I have here an Order of Dismissal signed by myself and the Minister of Magic. Under the terms of Educational Decree Number Twenty-three, the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts has the power to inspect, place upon probation, and sack any teacher she — that is to say, I — feel is not performing up to the standard required by the Ministry of Magic. I have decided that Professor Trelawney is not up to scratch. I have dismissed her."

"You are quite right, of course, Professor Umbridge. As High Inquisitor you have every right to dismiss my teachers," He smiled the same way she would do whenever she could get away with something. Her father's smile. "You do not, however, have the authority to send them away from the castle. I am afraid that the power to do that still resides with the headmaster, and it is my wish that Professor Trelawney continues to live at Hogwarts."

"No — no, I'll g-go, Dumbledore! I sh-shall l-leave Hogwarts and s-seek my fortune elsewhere —"

"No. It is my wish that you remain, Sibyll," He turned to McGonagall. "Might I ask you to escort Sibyll back upstairs, Professor McGonagall?"

"Of course. Up you get, Sibyll..."

Professor Sprout hurried to help Trelawney by holding her other arm and Professor Flitwick held out his wand and exclaimed "Locomotor trunks!" the objects floated in the air and followed the group of teachers.

"And what," Umbridge continued, so angry she could barely speak, "are you going to do with her once I appoint a new Divination teacher who needs her lodgings?"

"Oh, that won't be a problem," said Dumbledore. "You see, I have already found us a new Divination teacher, and he will prefer lodgings on the ground floor."

"You've found — ? You've found? Might I remind you, Dumbledore, that under Educational Decree Twenty-two —"

"— the Ministry has the right to appoint a suitable candidate if — and only if — the headmaster is unable to find one. And I am happy to say that on this occasion I have succeeded. May I introduce you?"

On queue, there was a sound like hooves behind her and she turned at the same time that the rest. The sight almost made her doubt her sanity, but it wasn't an illusion. There, standing in the entrance was a centaur.

"This is Firenze— I think you'll find him suitable." Dumbledore beamed.

When the crowd erupted into loud exclamations of shock, the old man spoke in a lower voice.

"It's not about breaking the rules for the sake of provoking," He told her. "Is memorizing your way around them, so you can use them in your favour."

The sentence 'I must not tell lies' was throbbing on the back of her hand. Hermione was already waiting for her with a jar of murtlap which she and Harry took turns to use. She knew Harry had felt the first day of her detention because he quickly approached to examine her injuries, although she rejected his help.

"Now you know how it feels," She said calmly. "Now you understand why I couldn't just ignore you, right?"

Harry looked uncomfortable, yet he had no choice but to admit she was right.

Daphne Greengrass was one of the first students to arrive on the day of the D.A. meeting, but she wasn't alone. A total of eight Slytherins had accompanied her and though they looked tense, they wanted to know what Umbridge was hiding, they wanted to learn. Once again, the group welcomed them with open arms.

"You know," Ron told her while he took a break from being Hermione's partner. "I reckon you may be right, maybe not all Slytherins are evil."

"Took you long enough," Mel patted his back lovingly. "Now be a good boy and practice with one of them."

"What?!"

"Are you afraid of snakes, Ronnie?" She raised a brow.

"Of course not!" He said, his ears gaining a reddish colour. "Hey — Hey, you! What's your name?"

He walked up to a fourth-year Slytherin so they could practice together, Mel's chest swelled with pride. It was Harry's turn to walk up to her.

"Okay, you win," He sighed, looking rather impressed. "We haven't got any fights — I guess we can all be friends."

"Can you write that down and sign it?" Mel smirked.

"Nah," He walked away with a smile.

Their first divination class with Firenze proved to be highly interesting. When Mel walked in she felt slightly disoriented, like she had walked out of the castle without really wanting to.

The classroom floor had become springily mossy and trees were growing out of it; their leafy branches fanned across the ceiling and windows, so that the room was full of slanting shafts of soft, dappled, green light.

The students who had already arrived were sitting on the earthy floor with their backs resting against tree trunks or boulders, arms wrapped around their knees or folded tightly across their chests, looking rather nervous. In the middle of the room, where there were no trees, stood Firenze.

"Harry Potter," Firenze walked up to them and shook hands with Harry.

"Er — hi– Er — good to see you..." The boy replied awkwardly.

"And you," said the centaur, inclining his white-blond head. "It was foretold that we would meet again. Miss Dumbledore, you continue to grow into your power, I see."

"Er..." Mel accepted Firenze's hand and shook it, trying not to stare at the bruise on the centaur's chest. "I... I suppose?"

She remembered the night Firenze had saved them from Quirrel, he'd said something about her 'vibrating', she knew enough about herself now to guess he meant her magical skills were quite good.

"Professor Dumbledore has kindly arranged this classroom for us," Firenze said once the students had taken a place on the ground, "in imitation of my natural habitat. I would have preferred to teach you in the Forbidden Forest, which was — until Monday — my home... but this is not possible."

"Please — er — sir —" Parvati had raised her hand, "why not? We've been in there with Hagrid, we're not frightened!"

"It is not a question of your bravery but of my position. I can no longer return to the forest. My herd has banished me."

"Herd?" asked Lavender. "What — oh! There are more of you?"

"Did Hagrid breed you, like the thestrals?" asked Dean.

Mel cringed at the question, Dean immediately realized his mistake, but it was too late.

"I didn't — I meant — sorry..."

"Centaurs are not the servants or playthings of humans," said Firenze calmly.

"Please, sir... why have the other centaurs banished you?" Parvati insisted.

"Because I have agreed to work for Professor Dumbledore. They see this as a betrayal of our kind."

Harry and Mel shifted awkwardly in their places, they could still remember the way the other centaurs had treated Firenze after helping Harry and her to leave the forest.

"Let us begin..."

[Firenze] swished his long palomino tail, raised his hand toward the leafy canopy overhead then lowered it slowly, and as he did so, the light in the room dimmed, so that they now seemed to be sitting in a forest clearing by twilight, and stars emerged upon the ceiling. There were oohs and gasps, and Ron said audibly, "Blimey!"

"Lie back upon the floor," said Firenze in his calm voice, "and observe the heavens. Here is written, for those who can see, the fortune of our races."

Mel laid down between Ron and Harry, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. The centaur's words resonated on her mind. 'Here is written, for those who can see...'

Erick's words also came to her mind.

'Knowing what's written in the stars won't help you.'

Maybe it would have. Maybe she could've skipped her whole thing with Harry and she'd be dating someone else for real, happy to have everything she wanted in life, including her best friend.

A thought crept inside her. If she would've known everything, more importantly, if she knew what's waiting for her in the future, if she still had a chance with Harry... No, she needed to get rid of those thoughts as soon as possible, they weren't even that close. Worse yet, he was dating Cho!

All those novels she'd read for years had messed up her mind, she needed to get a grip on reality. They were over for good, she was sure someone out there was her second chance, and she just had to look around.

"I know that you have learned the names of the planets and their moons in Astronomy," Firenze's voice brought her back abruptly, "and that you have mapped the stars' progress through the heavens. Centaurs have unravelled the mysteries of these movements over centuries. Our findings teach us that the future may be glimpsed in the sky above us..."

"Professor Trelawney did Astrology with us!" said Parvati excitedly. "Mars causes accidents and burns and things like that, and when it makes an angle to Saturn, like now, that means that people need to be extra careful when handling hot things —"

"That is human nonsense."

Ron snorted beside her, Mel had to kick his foot to shut him up.

"Trivial hurts, tiny human accidents... These are of no more significance than the scurryings of ants to the wide universe, and are unaffected by planetary movements."

"Professor Trelawney —"

"— is a human," Firenze replied without getting upset. "And is therefore blinkered and fettered by the limitations of your kind."

If Mel was honest, knowing there were things that humans simply couldn't comprehend was comforting. She could be smart, but at the end of the day, she was still human and had her limits. After a whole year of feeling out of control, the idea was a glorious revelation.

"Sibyll Trelawney may have Seen, I do not know... but she wastes her time, in the main, on the self-flattering nonsense humans call fortune-telling. I, however, am here to explain the wisdom of centaurs, which is impersonal and impartial. We watch the skies for the great tides of evil or change that are sometimes marked there. It may take ten years to be sure of what we are seeing."

Their Professor pointed to a little red dot that was right above them.

"In the past decade, the indications have been that Wizard-kind is living through nothing more than a brief calm between two wars. Mars, bringer of battle, shines brightly above us, suggesting that the fight must break out again soon. How soon, centaurs may attempt to divine by the burning of certain herbs and leaves, by the observation of fume and flame..."

If that was really true –and she figured centaurs could be trusted to an extent– then she would live long enough to see the next war. Her hands closed in tight fists, trying to control the way they were starting to fidget.

Firenze asked them to look for shapes in the smoke of a fire, but it didn't feel like he was actually expecting them to see things. On the contrary, it was more like he was just babysitting a bunch of children he didn't find particularly clever.

Either way, he also mentioned how this technique was sometimes useless for centaurs since they could interpret the signals wrong, so in conclusion, no one should ever fully trust their own minds. Mel got the feeling that he wasn't trying to teach divination, more like rational and individual thinking. Which, in Mel's opinion, was more valuable than any kind of fortune-telling.

"He's not very definite on anything, is he? I mean, I could do with a few more details about this war we're about to have, couldn't you?" Ron whispered.

Mel didn't want to know more. Actually, she'd been comfortable in her ignorance, and she was happy being the popular, nice girl from school. Still, she knew she had responsibilities to attend. Responsibilities that she would have to pay attention to eventually, even if she didn't feel like it. A war she had to fight.

It wasn't just her and her mother now, it was the baby, Sirius and her uncle Lupin. It was the Weasleys, the Dumbledores, the Longbottoms, Hermione, Erick, Daphne, their classmates, and of course, Harry.

The bell rang and Mel gave a start. Her breathing was erratic, her hands were sweating. She got up hastily and picked up her things in a hurry, but before she could leave, Firenze called her and Harry to stay for a second longer. Ron stood there, unsure of whether he should leave. Firenze noticed this and allowed him to stay, only asking him to close the door.

"You are friends of Hagrid's, are you not?" Their Professor asked them.

"Yes," said Harry.

"Then give him a warning from me. His attempt is not working. He would do better to abandon it."

"His attempt is not working?" Harry frowned.

"And he would do better to abandon it," Firenze nodded. "I would warn Hagrid myself, but I am banished — it would be unwise for me to go too near the forest now — Hagrid has troubles enough, without a centaurs' battle."

"But — what's Hagrid attempting to do?"

"Hagrid has recently rendered me a great service," said Firenze after a moment of contemplative silence. "And he has long since earned my respect for the care he shows all living creatures. I shall not betray his secret. But he must be brought to his senses. The attempt is not working. Tell him. Good day to you."

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#twoidiots writing #hp fanfic #Harry Potter #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter xoc #WITT fic

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kibastray · 5 years ago

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Can Thieves Fix a Broken Heart?

Mlb x P5

The Phantom Thieves of Hearts go to Paris.

This could be as a vacation or them setting up shop in a new location. (IDK yet)

The PToH do their thing. Going into the Metaverse and exploring both the Mementos and any Palaces they come across

It all goes well for the PToH team.

The Akumas are weird. but it seems that Ladybug & Chat Noir can deal with them.

It helps the team find their next mark

Needless to say the Palaces the team come across in Paris are all unique compared to what they were in Japan.

(while Japan were based off of the Seven Deadly Sins. It seems that Paris’ Palaces are based off Saints and Virtues... maybe could be fun)

One Palace they haven’t yet to find the treasure of belongs to one Lila Rossi. From what they have come to understand is that she has already been akumatized several times

Her Palace is what the team expects in all honesty

Ornate and shiny, full of fake gold and other such things

They have seen this type of person before back in Japan

To the team she is self-centered and views herself as a queen of her own little world

It will only be a matter of time before they find the treasure and can steal her treasure, changing her heart for the better hopefully

For the most part the team adjust to Paris fairly quickly

That is until one day the get a notice from the Metaverse Navigator about a Palace that is near by.

It is unprompted and has all three keywords needed to enter.

Name: Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Location: Boulangerire Patisserie

Distortion: St.(saint) Seraphim of Sarov Correctional

(personal note: idk any of the saints so please forgive me if this ins’t right. Reason why I chose this)

1: it is the saint of self-control

2: after google searching “saint of self-control” I found it and it spells S.o.S... which is perfect for this story

They all agree that having a Palace pop up unprompted AND already having all three keywords to enter is a bit odd, but they wave it off.

because there is a lot in Paris that hasn’t made a lot of sense, so they don’t question it.

The thing about this Palace, it is MASSIVE.

Biggest Palace in all of Paris. easily. Ranks up there pretty high when they compare it to all Palaces even including the ones from Japan.

It is themed like a Prison/insane asylum.

This Palace is different from all others they have come across in Paris.

Unlike others that show off its opulence in some way, this one doesn’t and even seems a bit bland with its brick and mortar.

The team get the feeling that this Palace is a subconsciously constructed one. Just like Futaba’s was

When they make it in the Palace their hearts sink into their stomachs

Every minor shadow of the Palace, more like Prison, is of the same girl.

And each and every one of them are held up in a room/jail cell. Each of the countless doors they have come across have a window looking in.

Some of the ones that stick out to the team are:

One is mad and hateful, bound in chains

She lashes out out anything she thinks could be dishonest

On the door is a phrase “Take the High Road.”

Another is scared and clearly trying to stop herself from crying at the jeers and insults blaring at her from the in-room speakers

the door says “Set a good example”

Another still is making all sorts of heart shaped things, obviously love struck for someone.

but instead of giving them away she stacks them to the side with a sad expression

On the door “don’t be jealous.”

Others range from a mad-hatter-esk girl worrying about maintaining schedules and deadlines, to a sleuth trying to find out ‘Who is he’

The last door they come across is the only double door so far

on one is the girl’s name “Marinette” on the other is the name of a local hero “Ladybug”

On Marinette’s door it says “Our everyday Ladybug” and on Ladybug’s it says “Must never faultier”

When the team go in they see a stage with two of girl on it.

Marinette is keeping up a smile and using niceties while a ball and chain is on both ankles

Ladybug is capturing an akuma, purifying it, then releasing it.

With everything they have seen and with what is in front of them, the Team’s heart break a little

Every Palace before this one was of someone lording their position of power, or hiding a secret.

this girl’s Palace doesn't show any desire at all. It looks to be actively policing any desire the girl may have.

This isn’t a Palace at all. this is a Prison locking and sealing away the very heart that created it.

The Thieves don’t get long to dwell on that revelation as a third version of the girl passes by them with a quick “Pardon monsieurs, mademoisells.”

Other than that she doesn’t pay them any attention

This version of the girl is obviously the true shadow self of the poor girl

She looks well dressed and business like.

Similar to Caroline and Justine’s outfits if not a rank up from that though

No hat, but her hair is done up in a bun

A plain porcelain mask with a kind smile hides everything but her eyes

draped over her shoulders is a, shoulder length, cape that has the world’s continents stitched into it.

She is the de facto warden of this Palace turned Prison

She addresses the two on stage with a cool and calm demeanor

She tells them how to correct what they are doing and how to do it right

The pair on stage repeat their actions they did before as the warden has them do it again until it is perfect

The team can’t help but think that it is like a pair of puppets being placed and posed to be set in the perfect position

Seeing enough the Phantom Thieves try and deal with the warden

it could be through combat like the game, or just talking to her (either way it ends the same)

The mask falls off the warden and reveals the same girl they have seen this entire infiltration.

When the mask hits the floor it flies straight to the Marinette on stage.

When it does the two girls outfits change instantly.

The new warden walks off the stage and chastises the new Marinette for loosing focus.

“if Ladybug can handle a jab like that, then so can you.”

It is a sickly calm to her voice when she speaks. (and it sounds wrong to the team)

The new Marinette gives a shaky “R-right” before she gets on stage and takes the old marinette’s place, practicing the same scene as before.

The Warden looks at the band of thieves “How may I help you?”

with her yellow/golden glowing with intensity and the calm way she says it sends a chill up their spines.

“There must be some way I can help you correct those errant behaviors of yours.”

As she says that, and with her eyes on them, do the Phantom Thieves understand that this will be their toughest fight/heist yet.

And they are right, because when they try and reengage the Warden they lose ground quickly and have to retreat.

Each time they defeat a warden the mask flies to another Marinette and the fight starts anew with a refreshed Warden.

While running to safety a little red mote light leads them to a safe room.

the red light is formless (it’s Tikki, but they don’t know that)

She tells them that; she had been trying to help Marinette but there is only so much they can do to off set all the negativity/chaos in Marinette’s life.

The team thank the little light and head out to find the treasure of this Prison

Sneaking around they meet other motes of light, all willing to help the team out (guardian Mari gets all the Kwami)

Even with the help of the little lights the team still have to retreat and regroup from the Prison. Because the Warden is too strong any time they come across her

Once in the real world the team agree to learn more about this girl and how to help her.

To do that they need to get to know Marinette.

Skull and Panther meet her at the bakery.

( Ryuji and Ann). as both can play off the tourist looking for good food and light conversation

They find her to be very nice and well meaning. even going as far as to offer places to visit in Paris

Fox and Queen meet her at school as teacher’s aids

(Yusuke and Makoto) they are the most likely to be able to actually be of help to the teachers and students

They find her to be the class-president that rivals Queen’s own work ethic back when they were all still in school.

Noir and Crow meet her when she is touring the city.

(Haru and Goro) are the best at one on ones in their own right.

Find out about her passion of being a fashion designer (maybe add in her sketches of the Phantom Thieves’ outfits with little changes here and there)

Oracle (Futaba) looks up her online presence

She finds out that Marinette is connected to every major personality that has roots in Paris some way or another. and that the girl’s fashion website is top tier.

Joker & Morgana (Protagonist and mascot) meet her during her nightly patrols as a hero.

Ladybug was suspicious of them at first but when they calmed her down and reassuring her that they aren’t akuma they find out exactly what is going on in Paris and find out who the main villain is.

They all see the same thing however.

A young girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Worse part is that she hides it so well behind that mask of hers.

The one with a kind smile and friendly tone.

(side note just because I couldn’t figure out a way to put this in: the Phantom Thieves are immune to Hawkmoth. I am gonna say that their Personas keep them safe by destroying/purifying the akuma right away or hiding them from Hawkmoths perception)

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

I would like to thank @miraculous786 for letting me bounce another idea off of them.

1) I don’t know to much about Persona 5, just the basics. 2) When I came up with this it turned into a POV from the Phantom Thieves 3) It is more geared to be a sad/angst fic, au, prompt. 4) anything that doesn’t make sense as far as references go (realworld or otherwise) is because it was the end result of a quick google search. Please forgive me if I don’t have it right.

Edit: reorganized things a bit.

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