#Golden Cheese is definitely the arts teacher

[darkfluffydragon]

Cookie Run AU Ideas #1 (or 2? Does the Herb Archer one count?): Crispia Academy

A school AU where all the cookies are students! The ancients are the teachers, and the students start to notice something...odd, about them. Such as the Mr Cacao's slip-ups where he starts using old slang no one recognises! Or when Ms Hollyberry started a rant about royal politics during a class when a student mentioned it, one swears that Hollyberry had a real shield. Ms Cheese's jewellery seems a bit too luxurious and Angel once mentioned that they saw Ms Cheese fly! But surely not, right? Magic doesn't exist, and people with wings can glide at most. Gardener Pure Vanilla is rumoured to actually be the principal, who has a love for tending to the plants around the school. The stories he tells are weirdly consistent and too detailed to be just stories. He often speaks of the characters while looking sad, or wistful...not to mention his odd habit of referring to people as "cookie". It hasn't happened a lot, but, weirdly, it happened more than once. And the school is apparently haunted at night, with eyes that watch from all the shadows. No one has managed to prove that yet.

The new students are strange too. After a visit from a guest no one recognised, some guy named Wind-something started to attend the school. Followed shortly by another student, who was eccentric and hot-headed.

The school's conspiracy club is never quiet.

OR

The Ancients are immortal, watching the cookies they knew succumb to time and the world change around them. Since there are few immortals around, they all end up meeting and become somewhat acquainted with each other. Cookies were no longer recognised as "Cookies", and magic was forgotten. It would never completely fade, though. Not with the elementals, who continued to watch the world. White Lily Cookie separated from them again, remaining by the Silver Tree as its new guardian. She needed to keep the remaining beasts contained, after all. They still keep in touch, whether it is through occasional tea or through the new electronics. Pure Vanilla Cookie eventually decided to open up a school, and his friends joined him as teachers. It was a surprise when centuries later, the reincarnations of the cookies they knew slowly started to attend. Millennial Tree Cookie even asked Wind Archer Cookie to disguise himself as a student! And with the wind, fire will always follow.

If there is one thing that has been created since the past that Pure Vanilla Cookie was thankful for, it is therapy. While they can't go to a therapist and just dump centuries worth of trauma onto some poor cooki- person, Pure Vanilla can most definitely take up the subject himself. He'd do anything to help his friends.

[imliterallygiornoirl]

I’m still thinking about Golden Wind eventho I should probably be doing schoolwork but whatever.. anyway today I’m writing about my favs and if they’re smart at school or not (including Giorno, Abbacchio, Bruno, Jotaro p3, and Kakyoin). There will be spoilers for pt 3, 4 and 5 in this post.

Giorno

Idk I feel like he doesnt really give a shit about school, like he goes to the lessons and stuff but he never puts his hand up and doesn’t do any extra work. Average grades I think; definitely takes biology as a subject, I also think he would take art as an elective and would be pretty good at it. Gets invited to parties but declines because he would rather stay home lmao.

Abbacchio

2 words: quiet kid. Has the most average lunch ever (ham and cheese sandwich) every day. Never gets anything from the canteen/tuckshop. I think he would be a gamer so I don’t think he would do any homework. Hes smart tho so maybe C’s and B’s for his grades. Also, no extra curricular activities for him lol.

Bruno

Definitely a popular sport kid. I think he would play soccer or maybe basketball (or netball lol). Despite being a popular kid, he’s also kinda the teachers pet. Like he puts his hand up in class and does the homework on time. B’s and A’s for him, would definitely do general maths and not specialist/methods. Maybe would do woodwork as an elective.

Jotaro

Did somebody say… skip!!! Fr only goes to school like 2 times a week, doesn’t do the homework, skips classes, smokes in the school toilets and beats ppl up at lunch because they looked at him funny. Absolute delinquent. Probably doesn’t even wear the school uniform sometimes. He’s really smart though so he would be getting A’s and B’s despite having such shit attendance. One of the days he went to school he did biology and when he listened in to the teacher he was like “damn this shit goes hard” and became a marine biologist (literally me).

Kakyoin

Straight A student u can’t tell me otherwise. He has no friends (☠️) so he studys and plays videogames in his spare time. Definitely is a nerd. Chose art and programming for his electives, does math methods and physics. I definitely see him being a game developer if he was in pt4, probably doing the art and design of games.

Thanks for reading this, btw, do y’all care if I write in correct grammar and stuff? It takes me like 10 mins just to put apostrophes and capital I’s. Pls tell me lmao

Maybe i should do some schoolwork now after writing about it…. Jk im gonna be on tiktok for the next 7 hours 🤩

[hogwartsfirebolt]

Hello there! I’m finally here with the third and last part of my favorite drarry fics I read in 2019!!! In the first part and in the second part I recommended 10 stories that made my year, and in this post I’m recommending 10 more that I absolutely adore. The banner art is by @spielzeugkaiser who was really kind and let me use this GORGEOUS piece, which you can (and totally should) reblog right here. Now, without further ado, here’s my,

FAVORITE FICS I READ IN 2019 PART THREE

1. The Company of The Rose - @lower-east-side - 31k - E - Six years after the war, Draco Malfoy has been restoring magical estates, while sidestepping his mother’s plots to marry him off and resolutely avoiding his issues. An advert in the Prophet takes him to a remote island, where a mysterious stranger has purchased an abandoned retreat. But the house has a few secrets of its own, and Draco will be forced to deal with not only his past, but the possibilities of the future.

We’re starting out this list with one of the last fics I read last year, and undoubtedly one of my absolute favorites. It’s gorgeous, sweet, breathtaking, a dozen other adjectives I can’t even think of. Stories that take place in beautiful, secluded places have a special place in my heart, and with a sure hand the author leads us through some of my favorite aspects of the trope: slow forming friendships, the feeling like they’re living in a world of their own as they get to know each other for who they really are, wonderful, delicious sexual tension keeping me breathless until the moment it snaps. The sex pollen element is also worked in a way I had never read before, with an exploration of what happens in the aftermath, addressing the issue of consent it creates. It’s just absolutely phenomenal, every single word of this. 

2. I could be wrong, I could be ready - @harryromper - 57k - M - At first Harry wonders if they’ve managed to destroy his vaults and are trying to tell him in the most oblique way possible. But when he turns the page he realises they’ve found a vault. A vault in the name of Lily and James Potter.The parchment trembles a little in Harry’s hand. He takes another gulp of wine. Harry Potter left Britain after the war and didn’t look back. Ten years later, when Gringotts discovers a vault containing his parents’ belongings—including their badly spell-damaged wedding rings—he’s forced to face up to friends and family who’ve grown in ways he could never imagine, a wizarding London rebuilt beyond his expectations, and the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s the entirely unforeseen problem of Draco Malfoy. Featuring pureblood wizarding traditions, ancestral magic, open mic nights, marriage equality, a diner in Brooklyn, and the return of Fleamont Potter.

Explorations of Harry as a character and his post-war issues never fail to hook me right in, and this beautiful fic takes us with him on a journey where he changes so, so much, and at first he does it by running away, thinking everything will remain unchanged as long as he doesn’t acknowledge it, which, of course, isn’t the case. We see him having to face his past, reconnecting with his friends, finding and coming to terms with pieces of himself that he forgot about, or never knew existed in the first place, and it’s absolutely exquisite. The tremendous amount of character development, the regaining of trust in himself and others, the way we can witness a love story blooming slow and steady, and see Harry grow into a confident, wonderful man. God, I have feels for this one, for every detail, every character and setting and emotion. It’s absolutely fantastic. 

3. What Real Thing? - @l0vegl0wsinthedark - 12k - E - They don’t cuddle, they don’t talk about their relationship (or lack thereof) and they certainly never fall asleep in each other’s arms.

This was my year of falling in love with l0ve’s fics. I had read some of her work before, but it was a few months ago that I found myself deep into her ao3 page, nearly weeping with the amount of emotion every single one of her stories stirs up within me. Picking just one was extremely difficult, but I finally chose this one, because the way she paints the relationship between Harry and Draco is masterful, their dynamic shifting and changing little by little, baby steps that become full-on sprints, single-minded and hesitant all at once, until we see them elbows deep into a feeling they don’t even know they’re experiencing, and it’s just brilliant, scorching hot, all-encompassing in a way that made me feel caught up in the whirlwind that is their relationship. If you haven’t yet read anything by l0ve, then I strongly, strongly recommend you start right about NOW. You won’t regret it. 

4. Teeth - @amelior8or - 5k - E - Potter’s been practically begging for it, for months, constantly staring until the air crackles with the intensity of it. Draco always stares back, until all it takes is a brush, a spark, before they go up like flash paper. The crash into each other is inevitable. Draco’s heart has got teeth. And there is nothing he won’t do to keep up the fight with Harry fucking Potter.

I am absolutely, 1000% weak for werewolf stories, and in just 5k words this one managed to enchant and entrance me. It’s hot and fast-paced and intense in the way I love, with their relationship charged with emotion and intensity that transform bickering into passion in the blink of an eye. The moment I reached the end, I went back to the top of the page and reread it that very second, because I had to experience it all over again. Amazing characterization, banter to die for and explosive chemistry are all present in this gem. I kid you not, I’ve read it about six times at this point and just keep going back to that moment in the showers because THAT DIALOGUE IS JUST- wow. 

5. Hush, darling - @magpiefngrl - 23k - E - Draco is in trouble. To get out of it he needs to seduce Harry Potter.

My god what a story this is. Absolutely unique, 23k words that felt like so, so much more because of everything they made me feel. There isn’t a single line of dialogue in this story that doesn’t feel purposeful, the characterizations constructed with such skill that every step the characters take rings true to their essence and gives us another clue to add to the puzzle that is Harry Potter, vulnerable man, powerful man, and Draco Malfoy, in all his darkness and his light. It also features some of the best sex scenes I have read, EVER. I could go on and on about this one, so let me just refer you to my long, individual rec for some more flailing. 

6. The Pirate and the Prince - @nerdherderette - 49k - E - Draco can't believe that fate and circumstance have made him a stowaway on the Master of Death's ship. He doesn't know what's worse: the dread pirate's legendary vendetta against the aristocracy, or the fact that his captor is the most infuriating yet irrefutably fascinating man Draco has ever met.

YES!!!!! YES!!! The moment I saw the cover art for this fic on tumblr my entire being just screamed YES, and it was everything I could’ve hoped for and more. Listen, there is nothing I love more than fics where I get to see Harry as a powerful, ruggedly handsome man who’s not afraid of getting his hands dirty, and in here there’s some of that and MORE, because he’s a freaking PIRATE. And not only did I adore that aspect of it, but the writing pulled me right in, the setting so vibrant I could feel it in my bones, and I just genuinely enjoyed every second of reading this so, so much. There’s ships and adventure and fighting for what’s right, there’s lovely kisses, heated kisses, secret identities and parrot Hedwig. Just, all in all, a great freaking time. 

7. Falling for a Golden Boy - @rockmarina - 44k - E - Merlin. Why couldn’t Draco have moved to a forgotten village in the Alps? He could have turned into a shepherd, learned to make his own damn cheese and given up his damn magic. But no, he’d had to come back to his Eighth year, hadn’t he? And this was his life now. Draping himself over Potter to hear words from him that he knew Potter wouldn’t ever mean.Great. The school year ahead of him looked simply great.“All I know is—when I’m with you, I…” Potter, the heathen, grunted when he read the rest of his line. “Do I really need to say this?”“What, scared of believing your own words, Scarhead?” Draco spat.“Boys,” O’Neill warned them.“All I—all I know is you’re the most amazing person with weak ankles that I've ever met, Meg.” Potter scowled. He was blushing again. “And when I’m with you, I feel less alone.”

My favorite eight year Drarry of all time, probably. I had never before experienced such a beautiful balance of the aftermath of the horrifying events of the war and how they impacted each character, and the light feeling of youthful fun. There are so, so many things to love in the 44k words that make up this masterpiece, so many details that warmed my heart and made me melt inside, so many moments that had me laughing or clutching my chest. In here, you’ll find quite a lot of Hercules references, wonderful teachers, drama club, healing, characters learning to trust, learning to love, learning to cope, beautiful friendships, hopeful romance. It is everything. I talked more about this fic in this individual rec, and I will absolutely talk MORE about it if given the chance. Everyone should read this. 

8. Tease Crossed, Eyes Dotted With A Little Heart - @diligent-thunder - 18k - M -  Draco's a curse-breaker, Harry's an Auror, and they're... something? Maybe? It depends. Harry definitely wants to get laid, Draco wants to follow procedure, and their work wives just want them to stop hiding from the truth. 

I hope you’re not sick of my rambling yet because oooooh boy, THIS ONE. It’s funny, in the way that makes you cover your mouth because you’re about to burst out laughing on the bus, it’s hot, in that casual way that makes you clear your throat and shift your phone just a little, just so the screen can’t be seen by the person sitting beside you because like HELL are you going to stop reading now, it’s sweet, in the way that makes you smile so hard your cheeks hurt, and it’s so detailed and all around so, so much fun to read, in the way that grips you and doesn’t let you go, only to release you when it’s over so you can go and recommend it to your friends, IT’S. SO. GOOD. Real quick: auror + cursebreaker pairing, are-they-friends-with-benefits-or-more, guess-they’d-have-to-actually-TALK-to-know-that, teasing each other in public, getting trapped together for a bit there, powerful female characters, should you guys really be flirting right now? and MORE. Listen, just go read it now and thank me later. 

9. That which hurts (and is desired) - @shealwaysreads - 19k - E - Draco was lying still, and pale, on a bed in a private room in St Mungo’s. The sheets were white, clean, enchanted against stains, vanishing the blood that kept spilling out of him. He hadn’t moved in two days. Not a twitch of his elegant fingers. Not a blink of his fierce eyes. Harry couldn’t even see the faint flutter of his pulse in his throat from where he stood at the foot of the bed, helpless, impotent, furious.

This fic is written so, so beautifully that it aches and leaves such an impression that, thinking back on it, every emotion hits me just as hard as it did when I was reading it. Everything Harry felt, I felt, every moment where he found himself just a little bit more in love with Draco, I was there, every moment of his frustration when Draco is hit with a curse nobody can decipher, I was there for it. With non-linear storytelling, it is evocative, a masterclass in narration, pacing, characterization and beautiful, lyrical writing. I nearly have no words for it. It features: auror partners that work together seamlessly, a dash of pining, a helping of very, very hot sex, and a love story that feels soft like a dream and thrilling like a race. This was the very last story I read in 2019, and I could not have ended the year on a better note. Definitely check this one out.

10. For Thine Is The Kingdom - @kedavranox - 66k - E - On a secret mission, Draco is Turned. With no memory of what happened, he learns that to save his missing Auror partner and regain what he’s lost, he must uncover the long-buried secrets of the vampire covens. To do that, Draco must open his mind and heart to what he has become, the new-found family that surrounds him, and the man who has remained steadfast at his side through it all.Harry spent five years avoiding the man he fell in love with, but when Draco needs his help, he cannot refuse. As they race against the clock to find Draco’s partner, Harry discovers that the bond they share is nothing to hide from, and that he'll never outrun the pace of his own heart.

And last but absolutely not least, there’s this freaking diamond of a story. I swear I want to squeal whenever I remember it. I’ll be brief: it is one of my absolute favorite fics of all time. In here, there’s vampires, unspeakables, a big investigation, wonderful side characters and information given in small little doses as we learn alongside the characters and piece together an entire picture. It’s dazzling, incredibly detailed in every way, with shades to each character and nuances to every interaction and bit of magic we get to see. I feel like anything I can say is not enough, I can never do this story justice. I have tried before, and written the gushiest individual fic rec of my LIFE but just- I honestly have no more words to express how much I think everyone needs to read this. Please, check that rec out, please, check this story out. There is absolutely nothing like it.

----

And that wraps it for 2019! Thank you to all who take the time to check out my lists, and THANK YOU specially if you give these incredible stories a chance, because they deserve all the love in the world. Once again: All the way from here, behind a username and a few tumblr posts, I can honestly say that these 30 stories made my year. I hope they can make yours, too ❤️ If you ever want to discuss these (for tag concerns or plain flailing) (or any story really) my DM’s are always open!!!

[rhetoricalrogue]

31 Days of Wayhaven, Day 17

Prompt: AU Rating: PG for Nicky’s language Words: 2,222 Characters: Unit Charlie, brief mention of Units Alpha and Bravo, as well as Detective Aubrey Miller. Summary: What happens when the coffee shop co-worker and the University co-worker get tired of their partners sighing over the other and decide to take matters into their own hands.  

For the @31daysofwayhaven event.

Penny rolled her eyes as she came into work, hanging her coat on the nearby staff coat rack.  Nicky had gotten there earlier than she had, which meant that he got to pick the music for the day, which also meant that she was going to be in for a day of listening to him sing along with Dean Martin.  Not that it was a bad thing, but they’d done an entire shift of the Rat Pack the other day already.

“You’re late.”

She grimaced as she pulled on a dark brown apron and quickly pulled the strings around her waist to make a tidy bow at her hip.  “Yeah, car trouble.”

Nicky shook his head.  “You really ought to sell that thing, get you a new one.”

“With what money?  No, the car trouble was because my brother decided to borrow it without asking me.  I woke up to a note and had to grab the bus.  Then the bus wasn’t on time, so I walked the rest of the way.”

He poured her a drink, a smooth hazelnut latte with a dusting of chocolate on top that he made perfectly to her tastes.  At least that was something to cheer her up on a rainy morning, especially since he was practicing his foam art and made her a graceful looking swan on top.  She caught a glimpse of herself in the stainless steel overhead countertops and winced.  The soft, drizzling rain wasn’t  enough to soak her or anything, but it had played hell with her long, silvery blonde hair.  The sleek braided bun she had put it in earlier was now a frizzed out mess and her cheeks were unnaturally red from practically running to the cafe in order to be there on time.

Penny hated being late to anything.

“You’re too soft on Lars,” Nicky told her, pushing half a toasted bagel loaded with cream cheese her way while eating the other half.  “He needs to have some responsibility, especially if he’s couch surfing at your place.”

Penny chewed on her bagel.  “You don’t understand, he’s my baby brother.  It’s my job to look out for him.  Besides,” she took a sip of her drink.  “He was going out for a job interview.  Hopefully this one takes.”  She adored her youngest brother to pieces, and she understood that he was in a rough patch, but at the same time, she was quietly frustrated that he showed up at her doorstep without calling first, ate all her food without shopping for replacements, and left his dirty laundry on the bathroom floor.  She was going to have to have a talk with him once they were home to set some boundaries down.  If not, then she would happily call their eldest brother Andreas to see if he could help out before calling the big guns in and contacting their mother.

She hated to jump around in the family pecking order, but enough was enough. 

“I can relate, seeing as I have a little sister, but I still say you’re being too soft on him.  There’s a fine line between older sibling responsibility and being a doormat.”

“I know, and you’re right.  Taking my car without my permission and making me late for work is definitely something I’m going to talk with him about.”

Nicky made a mmhm noise as if he didn’t quite believe her.  “Don’t worry, Pen.” Nicky told her, changing the subject as he made his own cortado and leaned against the counter to sip on it.  “You didn’t miss him.”

She was glad that her red cheeks could hide the sudden blush that she felt rush up from her throat to her face.  “Miss who?”

“Oh, don’t play coy with me, donna forte!”  He elbowed her in the side.  “The Tall London Fog with the soft Scottish accent.  The one who looks like a golden retriever if a golden retriever was over six feet tall and had dimples when he smiled.”

“Careful, you make me think you’re the one with the crush on him,”  Penny muttered as she sipped on her drink.

“Please, I know I’m handsome and charming, but I’m not an asshole.  I wouldn’t steal anyone from my dearest friend and co-worker.”

“You’re not stealing anyone from anybody,” she grumped.

“Maybe if you actually got off your ass and asked him out.”

“He’s a customer!” 

“Like that’s ever stopped anyone that works here!  I mean, have you seen what the Bravo shift is up to lately?  There’s good money on when Adam’ll get the courage up to ask Miss Grande Half-Caff Nonfat Latte with Caramel Drizzle out before the end of the month.”

Penny rolled her eyes.  “Adam?  Admitting he has feelings for anyone?  I give him a year, minimum.”

“Hello, Pot.  I’d like to introduce you to Kettle.”  He turned to wash out the things he’d used to make their drinks and kicked at her calf.  “Speaking of not admitting feelings, here comes London Fog and Dirty Chai.”

Penny masked the sudden lurch in her pulse by twirling around and grabbing the loose leaf tea from an overhead shelf and measured enough into a French Press, adding a spice mix and a little bit of fresh ginger before pouring in hot water to steep.  She grabbed the canister of lavender Earl Grey she knew he liked and did the same in a separate French Press while Nicky called out a greeting, confirming that they both wanted their usuals.

“Actually,” London Fog said, coming up to the counter.  “Could I add something a little more substantial?  Perhaps one of those sausage rolls and a slice of pumpkin loaf?  I fear today is going to be a long one, seeing as it’s grading season.”

“Oh?  You’re a teacher then?”

“He’s a professor,” Dirty Chai interjected, already setting up her laptop.  She’d moved from their usual two-person table to a larger four-person one so the both of them could spread out.  “Don’t let him get modest; he’s brilliant in his field.”

Penny looked over her shoulder as she brewed a double shot espresso to add to the chai.  “Where do you lecture at?”

The soft question had him looking up at her with an equally soft smile before he quickly looked down, suddenly very interested in the counter’s bakery display.  “Wayhaven University.  I’m one of the Professors in the Folklore and Ethnomusicology department.”

Nicky took over building their order when another person came in and distracted Penny.  “What a coincidence,” he all but purred.  “Our dearest Penelope is studying on that campus!”  He caught the sudden interest London Fog gave and leaned conspiratorially against the counter. “She’s going back for her master’s degree, if I remember correctly.”

“Oh?  What study?”

“You know, for the life of me, I can’t recall.  Sounds like an interesting question to ask her though, Professor…?” Nicky trailed off, realizing that neither he or Penny knew their regulars by name, only by order.

“Buchanan.  Cameron.”

“Call him Cam,” Dirty Chai said, taking her order and sipping with a happy sigh.  “I’m Winona.”

“Nice to finally meet you both.  I’ll go warm up that sausage roll for you.”  On his way to the back kitchen, Nicky nudged Penny with his shoulder, silently winking at her.  She turned her face so Cam and Winona wouldn’t be able to see her expression and narrowed her eyes at her partner before going back to helping the short line of customers that had already started to form for the morning, shaking her head as the first heartfelt strings of Come Back to Sorrento could be heard coming out of the kitchen, Nicky’s smooth baritone making one of the ladies in line sigh dreamily.

Penny transitioned from building orders to taking payment while Nicky bustled in behind her on cleanup and prep duty, the two of them working well.  Every so often, her eyes would stray to Cameron and Winona’s table, the two of them with their heads down and fingers clacking over their laptops. Two hours later, Cameron was looking at his watch and cursing under his breath while quickly packing his things away.

“Thanks for letting us stay so long,” he said, sticking money in the tip jar.

“It was nothing,” she told him, fiercely hoping he didn’t catch the way the tips of her ears were a bright pink.  “I’m glad you could stay with me - us long enough to get some grading done.”

He smiled and she couldn’t help but mirror the same smile back.  “I’d have loved to spend more time, but my office hours are going to be starting soon and I usually have a few students wanting to talk around this time of the year.”

“We’re always here in the mornings!”  Oh, smooth one, Fisher, she thought, mentally kicking herself for forgetting how to talk to people when the person in question was one she had a silly crush on.  Don’t flirt with customers, it’s just an awkward experience for everyone involved!

Cameron nodded.  “And stopping by is always a great start to my day.  Your partner mentioned you were studying at the university?”

“I am.”

Cameron shouldered his laptop bag and smiled again.  “Maybe we’ll run into the other on campus then.”

“I’d like that.”

“I would too.”  He blinked, as if he had been reluctant to break eye contact.  “Well, I’d better get going, or else I’m going to miss some student appointments.  I’ll see you tomorrow?” 

“Bright and early!”  Or so she hoped.  She really was going to have to speak with Lars about him getting his own transportation.  Penny sighed as the bell over the door chimed and tried - and failed - to not watch as Cameron walked down the street.

“He’s not that old.”  

Penny jumped at the sudden appearance of Winona at the counter.  “Pardon?”

“Cam.  He’s not that old, just in case you were worried he was some stuffy professor with a really good skin regimen.”

She let out a nervous laugh.  “I wasn’t…” Penny nervously tucked a stray bit of hair behind her ear.  “I mean, I didn’t want to presume…”

“Like I said, Cam’s brilliant in his field and made career moves way before the usual timeline.  I’m guessing he’s around your age.”  She put more money in the tip jar.  “You know, if that was a deal-breaker for you.”  Before Penny could say anything in response, Winona waved and left.

Penny ran a hand down her face before frowning.  There was something other than money in the tip jar.  Curiosity getting the best of her, she fished it out, finding it was a business card with all of Cameron’s information on it.

FYI, a woman’s loopy handwriting in bright red ink read at the bottom, your partner wrote down your phone number on a napkin when he gave Cam his order.  Thought I should even the playing field and give you his too.

Penny’s eyes widened as she flipped the card over.  And BTW, he thinks you’re cute too.

“Whatcha got?”  Penny all but jumped out of her skin at the sound of Nicky’s voice unexpectedly at her ear as he tried to look at the card in her hands.

“Nothing!” she yelped, clutching it close to her chest before sticking it into her apron’s pocket.  Turning around, she grabbed Nicky by the ear.  “And what are you doing, giving strange men my phone number!”

Nicky winced, leaning down as he tried to wiggle away from her grasp.  “He’s not strange, Pen!  He’s a regular!  Practically family!  Ow, fuck!”

She let his ear go.  “You could have asked me if it was okay first!”

Nicky rubbed at his ear and rolled his eyes.  “Yeah, and at the glacier pace that either of you were moving, you may have gone out for drinks when you were both eighty.”  

She washed her hands at the prep sink and started making sure that everything they’d used was washed and ready for a new order.  Lunchtime was a sort of quiet lull, they got a few regular orders in, but it wasn’t anywhere near the morning rush.  She checked the schedule.  The Alpha shift was coming in for the afternoon to evening times, which meant that she needed to come in a little earlier tomorrow morning to make sure that things had been properly cleaned and organized and that the morning breakfast items were fully stocked.  She loved them to pieces, but Tane and Maaka weren’t the most organized of duos.  She made a mental note to check the to-go cups as well: Tane had a habit of using a marker to black out the Warning, your contents are extremely hot and make it read Warning, you are extremely hot instead.

The good thing is that on dead nights, the brothers would come up with some interesting off the menu recipes and leave notes for her and Nicky to try in the morning.  Maaka was more organized than his brother and the notes were always fun to read, especially when he added his own commentary.

“You never know,” she told Nicky, the business card in her pocket weighing far heavier than it ought to.  “I just may surprise you.”

Cha cha cha d'amour

Take this song to my lover

Shoo shoo little bird

Go and find my love

[theimpossiblescheme]

Rules: Answer the soft Q&A’s and tag 5 of your most recent followers and 3 of your biggest fans/fave blog/users! I was tagged forever ago by the wonderful @saferincages—thank you so much, dear! ♥

what’s the smell of your shampoo?: I bounce between a lot of different shampoos to keep my hair healthy (I have really thick, curly hair that’s stupidly high-maintenance, and I don’t always have time to wash it), but right now I’m using a strawberry/blueberry blend.

what’s your aesthetic?: Appreciation of platonic love, gentleness and kindness to everyone, fairy tales and folk legends, packed theaters right before the curtain rises, flowers of every color, raspberry tea and strawberry acai, ever-falling and rising anxiety, flowing Gothic dresses and beautiful haunted castles, urban fantasy with fantastical creatures and everyday magic found everywhere, optimism about human nature and the possibility of redemption, late green and pink spring right before golden summer, warmth and comfort, stacks upon stacks of beautiful and well-loved books, somewhere between Rococo and German Expressionist art, Old Hollywood and campy old horror and science fiction, the well-behaved women who don’t make history, Silver and Bronze Age comic books, electroswing and neon-noir straight out of Bioshock, escapism into adventures and characters, gentle storms outside…

what is your favourite time of the day?: I think I like the afternoon best—there’s the most potential to make something of the day before the sun goes down.

what do you like the most about the beach?: I haven’t been to an beach in over five years (Alaska more has cliffs and rock beds than actual sandy beaches), but I remember very vividly going to visit the Santa Monica pier with my mom and sister when we were visiting California in the fall.  It was way too cold to go swimming or anything like that, but I could have sat on the pier and watched the tide come in for hours.

what do you worry about constantly?: There’s nothing I don’t worry about, honestly—anxiety is a bitch and a half. I used to worry about my grades to the point of making myself sick, but now that I’ve gotten to my final semester of college, I’m even more worried about paying for grad school and finding a job in my chosen field.  I know that acting isn’t exactly a stable workforce, but I would hate myself for the rest of my life if I didn’t spend at least part of my life doing it.

what is a song you’ve cried to before?: “Beautiful Times” by Owl City—it was recommended by @askarkham as a sort of anti-suicide/coping with depression song, and it’s such a beautiful song that can overwhelm you the first time you listen to it.

what are some relaxing tips for your followers?: I would say not to care about what anyone thinks of you, but I know that isn’t always practical.  In our personal and practical lives, there are always going to be people we want to be happy and pleased with us, whether they’re loved ones or employers.  So I would advise making a list of the people you really care about.  Maybe your parents are on there, your partners, your bosses, your siblings, your best friends, your favorite teachers and coworkers… these are the people that really matter.  Everybody else can go fly a kite.  You don’t need the weight of everyone in the world’s approval on your shoulders, so it’s best to narrow it down to the ones you really love and value and let the rest of them go.

what are some things that make you tear up?: Beautiful music, powerful and bittersweet moments in movies and books (I tear up every single damn time at “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you!” from The Return of the King), posts about recovery and coping with depression and panic, hugs from people I love, accounts of sickness and pain (I have terrible mind over matter and can feel sick very easily), unexpected stress, and feeling like I’ve let people down.

what is your favourite from each of the five senses?: sight: My family and friends coming to see me, either in real life or online| smell: Sugar, lavender, and sandalwood | touch: Dog and cat fur, the warmth of a fireplace| taste: Berries and lemonade, vanilla and cream cheese| sound: Live showtunes and orchestras tuning up

what is one alternate reality you’d want to be in?: Any reality where I’m a successful theater actress and not just a starving artist is great for me.  Although Jess’s idea of a bakery with flowers and good books and food and this beautiful aura sounds perfect as a sidegig.

what are some troubles you face on a day to day basis?: One of the reasons I was really sure I have depression as well as anxiety (I’m on an actual antidepressant now, which is awesome) is that I’m always tired.  No matter how much sleep I get the previous night, I constantly have no energy and thus very little motivation to get up and do things, even if it’s just finishing homework or eating more than one meal a day.  I try to give myself a firm kick in the ass to get things done every day and to be there for my friends here online because they deserve the best, and I need to be the closest to my best that I can be. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.

what is one scene of a book that’s made you really sad?: The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander was one of the first times I can remember a book really delivering a huge gut-punch.  Adaon’s death was definitely upsetting because it just seemed so wrong that he’d seen it coming all this time and had so long to come to terms with it, and the really dour Empire Strikes Back-style ending where the day had tentatively been won, but at a great cost.  It was the first time a book I’d read had really tackled the idea of people being both good and evil and the inherent tragedy of that idea—nine-year-old me was really taken aback.  That entire series is still one of my formative influences.

say something to all your followers: You guys are honestly too wonderful.  I know I can be inconsistent and random and engage a little too much in The Discourse than is healthy, and I can disappear for long periods of time without even meaning to.  I know I need to try harder at being more active again, and every single one of you guys have been absolutely lovely.  I can’t express how grateful I am—bless you all.

tagging: @enygmass, @hawkeyesout-punks, @cosetteskywalker, @un-fledged, @songofthesstars, @purplezprout, @katelyn-pace, and @midnightalex12—have fun, my dears!  💖✨🌼

[for-narry]

On its Way to Sunrise

Summary: Niall Horan is a single father who works at a shitty gas station and Harry’s the cute professor who comes in for coffee.

Chapter 4/?

_

By the time Niall gets home, all the energy from this morning was long gone. His head was banging from lack of sleep and his skin was prickling from the nervous feelings he got when riding on the bus. On the bus ride home, Niall was stuck between a sleepy teenager, an old woman with too much red lipstick that glared at him every time the bus came to a sudden halt, and behind him a middle aged man whose stomach grazed on Niall’s back and breath stunk even from a meter away.

To say the least, Niall felt shitty.

The walk down the corridor to his apartment door felt endless, Niall felt beat down and all he wanted to do was get inside and sleep. His pillow and sheets were calling him in a sweet symphony that resonated in echoes in his mind and the pounding headache only quickened his pace, the promise of a deep sleep was as an enticing thought that he could not resist. Niall wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he was a tiny bit glad Eoghan was in school right now, because if he hadn’t, his attention would go completely to his son and any hopes for some shut eye were gone.

Just before he could insert the keys to the slot, (the lock was fucked so it took him more than three tries just to get the key in, much to his chagrin), Niall was startled by a brazen voice calling to him.

“Oh Niall!” Mrs. Martha called to him from down the hall. She was dressed in bright clothes that hurt Niall’s eyes if he stared for too long. Her hair was in trapped under a satin cloth that matched the bright colors from her clothes.

She was barefoot, but smiling nonetheless.

Think happy thoughts Niall, he said to himself, you’ll be in bed soon enough, no need to get cross. Mentally scolding himself for his irritation, he turned to Mrs. Martha and faked a smile that he guaranteed looked more like a grimace. “Good morning,” He said, “how are you?” he asked quietly. The pounding in his head hadn’t let up for a moment, and her brazen attitude was not helping at all.

“Never mind that, I was hoping I could see you.” She said, waving her hands up in the air before continuing to say, “First I wanted to make sure that you still needed me to watch over Eoghan tonight?” and all traces of irritation left, how could Niall be annoyed at the woman who takes care of his child, even at the most oddest of times, and not once complains or asks to be paid.

Resisting the urge to thank her over and over for always watching over Eoghan when he’s away, Niall nodded his head and rushed to say, “Oh, yes, please. If you don’t have any plans or anything. I know you can be a busy woman, I wouldn’t mind if you had other plans, I could just call a babysitter and--”

Interrupting his rambling, Mrs. Martha laughed and waved away his worries (his thoughts had been running a mile a minute trying to think of anyone he could possibly call that would be willing to take care of Eoghan for the night. He’d come up empty handed) and with enthusiasm said, “Niall you and I both know that I have nothing to do at all. I don’t mind, I know you work constantly. Anyways that’s not what I came to talk to you about, you see, I am part of a book club. A few of my friends and I gather at the little venue down the street and chat about books, it’s the only old lady cliche I let myself have, but I was wondering if I could take Eoghan with me? The girls always bring their grandchildren and since Eoghan is around their age, I think it’d be a great thing for him to interact with other kids his age.”

This early in the morning, Niall’s sleep induced brain was slow to process everything. After taking a too long minute to understand what she was saying he responded, “Oh! Oh, sure, that’s--that’s great. Actually. Yeah, definitely!”

Mrs. Martha clapped once, too loud, “I’m sure he’ll love it. It’ll be good for him to be out and about instead of just watching the tele inside… You know what? The meeting starts around six, why don’t you come over with me, you’ll meet some of my friends, oh, and my grandson! I almost forgot, he comes on Mondays as well, you’ll love him. He’s a charming boy, takes after me of course!” She said boastful.

Nodding his head again (Niall was starting to feel like a bobblehead from all the nodding he’s been doing) and saying, “Yeah, I can do that. You said it’s down the street, right?”

“Yes! At the venue where the retirement homes’ host the weekly adventurous game of Bingo, we’re allowed to use it. I’ll shoot over here ten minutes before six and we’ll walk over there together, how’s that sound?” She asked.

“Perfect.”

Niall had fallen asleep the second his head had hit the pillow, with no hesitation he’d knocked out on his thin and flimsy pillow and delved into a dreamful sleep that soothed his mind. Waking up, his body was covered in sweat, his shirt sticking to his damp body and jeans pressing onto his skin uncomfortably. Nevertheless, Niall just pushed the covers from off his body and stretched around in bed, blinking awake and willing his eyes to adjust to the bright sun rays of the afternoon light; in his head, he thanked his blackout curtains, they were inexpensive and shabby yet worked wonders for days like these.

Rolling in his bed for a few minutes, allowing for his body and mind to wake up as well, Niall got up from bed and looked around the room for his phone. He remembered throwing it over his shoulder after he felt it poking at his thigh uncomfortably when he was getting to bed. After a moment of squinting at the ground he found the cracked and small phone by his shoes, the screen lighting up as he approached it.

He sighed in relief after seeing the time on the phone, he’d already been late at dropping off Eoghan in the morning, he didn’t want to be late at picking him up either. Niall knew it was more of a coincidence than anything else that Harry had been there that morning but he couldn’t help from feeling lucky because he’d avoided the common scolding that Eoghan’s teacher loved to give him, which originated from that first day which Niall and Eoghan had first been late to.

Readying himself to leave, Niall pulled off his damp shirt and replaced it with a dryer one and managed to place his shoes on all in one motion. Years of rushing to get to places on time, Niall had mastered the art of getting dressed in under a minute. Sure, it wasn’t something to be proud of, but it certainly came in handy for moments like this.

The sleep had done him well, no longer did his head throb from a headache, and his mind felt clear like the morning sky of a sunny day.

On his way out of the house, Niall grabbed a banana from the bowl and a little pack of string cheese for Eoghan knowing that the seven year old was sure to be hungry.

By the time he had arrived at the school, the teachers and students were all lined up outside of the school on the small field. He could easily spot Miss Evans, there she was standing stock straight with her greying hair pulled back into an impeccable bun. Unlike the other teachers who outwardly showed their emotions, or at least feigned seeming so happy, Miss Evans stood in front of her students with not a even a ghost of a smile. Her lips were pulled back in a straight line.

Niall really couldn’t understand how his son had been so unlucky to be placed in a classroom with this old grumpy woman (ignoring the fact that Niall had applied Eoghan into school much later than recommended and the only classroom with room to fit his son in was with the phenomenal Miss Evans). Walking towards the line, Niall grinned and waved back to his son who was standing just behind Miss Evans, he was grinning up at his Papa with enthusiasm. (Eoghan’s brown hair was in a shaggy mess on top of his head and he would push it away from his face so he could see his Papa clearly).

Warmth and an emotion akin to joyness spread around Niall’s body, seeing his son so happy to see him only reminded him that nothing would ever compare to fatherhood.

Niall approached Miss Evans, “Good afternoon, Miss Evans,” he said with a smile, he was trying to be nice and hoped that she’d forgotten their initial interaction from this morning, “was Eoghan good this day?” he asked and like expected, Miss Evans only lifted and eyebrow at him, no twitch of the face at all.

Behind her, Eoghan was picking up his book bag from off the ground whilst simultaneously trying to put on his coat, “He was all right, I do recommend you go over a few readings with him, surprisingly he’s very good at math but struggling with reading.” she said before completely turning her back on Niall and saying to Eoghan, “Don’t forget to do your homework.” Eoghan nodded his head then started walking to his Papa.

When he reached Niall, Eoghan lept at him and grabbed onto him, “Hi Papa!” he said into his Papa shirt, “I missed you!” he added.

Hugging him back Niall said, “Me too bud! Here, let me take your bag.” untangling himself from Eoghan, Niall took his book bag and watched the seven year old adjust his coat.

Walking alongside each other, Niall listened intently as Eoghan began his routinely recounting of the day's’ events. Flapping his hands around, Eoghan talked animatedly while avoiding bumping into the other kids who were running and playing around chasing each other.

“And then Miss Evans gave me a gold star! All because I did the problem correctly! Look Papa! See, I put it on my hand.” He said and thrusting his small fist up so Niall could see, and true to his word, there on his fist was a small golden star.

“Wow,” Niall crowded, “that’s great, O!”

Smiling at the ground, Eoghan revelled in his father’s praise.

By the time they had reached the bus stop, Niall had heard a detailed recounting of Eoghan’s day, starting from the morning’s reading to what he had for lunch. In a lapse moment of silence Niall looked at Eoghan and said, “Hey, O, you know I’ll be working tonight, right?”

Eoghan looked up from where he was ripping off another piece of string from the cheese Niall had brought from home, “Yeah, Papa, I know. Do you think Mrs. Martha will bring Mars again? I want to pet her again, she was so nice when I pet her yesterday.” he said and then put the cheese in his mouth.

“About that, Mrs. Marth has invited us to go with her to her book club meeting, they talk about books there, she said there will be other kids.” Niall said.

Before responding, the bus arrived and Eoghan entered with Niall trailing behind him. The seven year old quickly found a seat and sat himself there, patting the empty seat beside him for Papa to sit next to him. Looking at Eoghan expectantly, the seven year old said, “I don’t like reading Papa.”

Chuckling, Niall said, “No bud, you won’t be reading, don’t worry. You’ll be playing with the other kids there. Doesn’t that sound fun? It’ll be more fun than being at home watching TV by yourself.” he ruffled Eoghan’s hair.

Sighing to himself, Eoghan said, “Okay, I’ll go,” he contemplated for a moment before asking, “will you be there?”

Nodding his head, Niall responded with, “Yeah I’ll be there. Only for a bit though, I still have to go to work.”

“Okay, as long as you’re there for a bit.”

“‘Course bud.”

Niall spends ten minutes staring into Eoghan’s drawers and closet, wondering if a clip on tie for Eoghan would be too much for a book club meeting. The said seven year old was on his bed reading a book that Miss Evans had assigned for the week. Giving up, Niall settled on a grey shirt with minimal prints and a pair of jeans. Turning to Eoghan, Niall said, “Come on, O, time to get ready. We’ll be leaving soon.”

Happily giving up his reading, Eoghan got up from his bed and grabbed the clothes Niall had picked out for him. “Why do I have to change again Papa?” He asked as he started changing, he struggled a bit with taking off his shirt but Niall knew it would be futile to help him out (because I’m a big boy now, Papa, I don’t need your help).

Shrugging Niall picked himself up and dusted himself off, he hadn’t worn anything special, knowing that he’d be going to work straight from the book club meeting, he was dressed in his uniform black shirt (he’d bought at some clothes store because their boss didn’t care about uniformed shirts) and black jeans.

Ignoring Eoghan’s question, Niall grabbed O’s favorite pair of shoes to keep him content and from complaining once again. He helped the seven year old put on his shoes but let him tie his own shoes.

They were all dressed and ready by five thirty, much to Niall’s surprise, “Papa, I’m thirsty can I go get something to drink before we leave?” Eoghan asked his Papa as he exited his room. He kicked his football down the hall and sniggered as Niall pretended to have missed the ball when he tried kicking it.

“Yeah! Go ahead, just don’t get yourself dirty!”

It had been awhile since they both went to some place that required some sense of… Socializing. So really, Niall was a bit nervous, although, he tried to remind himself that if these people are anything like Mrs. Martha, there was no need to be nervous.

Eoghan returned to the living room where Niall was turning off the TV, with a juice box in hand. Slurping it for a good minute, the seven year old watched his Papa cleanup around the room, picking up stray clothes and toys that had made their ways out of their respective places. After a moment of Eoghan slurping and Niall mindlessly cleaning to keep his nerves at bay, the knocking sound from the front door resonated.

“Got it!” Eoghan said as he abandoned his juice box in favor of opening the door. Sighing, Niall picked up the juice box and made a mental note to remind Eoghan to pick up after himself.

Making his way to the front door, Niall grabbed both their coats and Eoghan’s bag that was full of some snacks and a book (he had to be prepared). Mrs. Martha was talking to Eoghan cheerfully, “You’ll have so much fun, while I get stuck talking about boring old books.” he laughed at Mrs. Martha expression.

Noticing Niall’s arrival, Mrs. Martha clapped her hands and said, “Alrighty, let’s get going!” and grabbed Eoghan’s hand, pulling him out of the apartment.

The trip to the building was full of Mrs. Martha and Eoghan’s loud chatter, Niall was next to them with an amused expression on his face. He kept a firm grasp on Eoghan’s hand because the seven year old could not keep still, not even when they were crossing the street.

The walk over was quick and refreshing, whilst, Mrs. Martha entertained Eoghan with mindless chatter, Niall calmed himself down from all nerves. By the time they made it to their destination, Niall was calm and mentally prepared for any interaction that could possibly occur.

Mrs. Martha leads them inside the building and down the stairs to a room full of people and chairs being occupied. The room was large enough to fit to large tables in them and still have space for a circle of chairs in the center. The kids were sitting by a table full of books and crayons, whilst the other table was full of snacks, of course, and sitting in the center were a group of women. “Come on guys, let’s introduce you to a few people,” Mrs. Martha said, before leading them over to where a group of older women were sat.

Beside him, Eoghan let go of Niall’s hand and began to remove his jacket, “It’s getting hot in here Papa.” he said. Niall took his jacket and followed the older woman who was already sat with the rest of the group, she waved them over.

“Niall, meet my friends…” Mrs. Martha motioned to each person of the group, listing off names that Niall had, unfortunately, already forgotten.

Waving back to the small group, Niall awkwardly mumbled a hello before lightly nudging Eoghan to do the same and dissimilar to his Papa, Eoghan vehemently waved and said, “Hello! My names Eoghan.” just like that, the group of women were putty in his small hands.

Cooing at Eoghan’s attitude a few mentioned just how “sweet” and “a lovely boy” he was. Niall chuckled and agreed, “Yeah. Yeah, he’s a really good kid.” he said fondly, ruffling Eoghan’s already messy hair. He made a mental note to schedule them both for a haircut, because they were in desperate need for new dos.

The group continued to flaunt over Eoghan and Mrs. Martha took measure into her own hands, pulling Niall out of his state of fondness she said, “Now I have someone special for you to meet Niall, my grandson has just arrived. Eoghan why don’t you come with, you can meet some really cool kids!” The group of women all groaned as Mrs. Martha led them both away from the group.

Still holding onto Niall’s shoulder she said quietly to him, “Eoghan’s going to be a heartbreaker, I tell ya.” chuckling at her comment, Niall pulled at Eoghan’s hand and grinned at him. He was quite proud of his son, even if he was seven years old and barely spelling words correctly.

Mrs. Martha led them to where a group of kids, all ranging from different ages, were hanging out.

“Eoghan,” Mrs. Martha pointed at the group, “why don’t you introduce yourself. I think you’ll like them a lot.” she said. Niall turned to Eoghan, who without hesitation removed his hand from his Papa’s firm grasp. Any doubts that Eoghan would have a hard time socializing were thrown out the window with the seven year olds’ actions. Eoghan walked up to the group and with a smile introduced himself.

Niall watched on for a moment as the kid’s welcomed Eoghan with open arms, a pair of twins took a particular liking to him, asking him if he wanted to paint with them.

“A natural socializer,” Mrs. Martha commented, “well now you won’t have to worry.” she added as an afterthought, smirking at Niall who only shook his head in response, he didn’t mind being wrong for once. Niall placed Eoghan’s book bag next to him before softly tapping his leg.

Mrs. Martha took him away from the kids and led him towards the table full of snacks that was on the other side of the room. “I’ll introduce you to my grandson,” She said, a grin making its way to her face, and just for a second Niall feared her intentions.

Looking at her worriedly, Niall asked, “You’re not trying to set me up or anything, right--”

Cut off, Mrs. Martha shushed him before giving him a big push towards the table. Stumbling at his feet, Niall was tripped onto the back of Mrs. Martha nameless grandson. His body collided with a solid back who in turn was shoved into the table of snacks.

Grunting, Niall stood back and began to apologize--

“Niall?”

And there in all his mysterious glory was a grinning Harry Styles.

Of course.

Of course Mrs. Martha grandson was the tall and handsome Harry Styles.

Stepping in just as Niall began to stumble over his words, his cheeks flaming red from bumping into Harry, Martha clapped her hands once and loudly said, “Well look at that! You two already know each other! No need for me to even introduce myself.” she bound over to them and looked at both of them with an evil glint in her eyes.

Chuckling at his grandmother, Harry shook his head and said, “You can say that.” never taking his eyes off of Niall, who was still recovering from the shove just moments ago.

Mrs. Martha stared at the two quietly for a second before saying, “Aha! Won’t you look at that, Julia is calling me over. Why don’t you two stay and chat for a bit, before the meeting starts of course.” she quickly turned around, clearly intending to ignore any other comments from them.

Niall cursed her for, quite literarily, shoving him into an uncomfortable situation.

“Well, hello.” Niall said, staring back at the intense green orbs that hadn’t looked anywhere else but at him.

“Hi.” He answered back with a goofy smile.

“You know,” Harry started, stepping closer to Niall, “We’ve been meeting like this quite a bit, i’m beginning to think you’re stalking me Niall.”

Scoffing in return, Niall rolled his eyes and said, “If anyone is stalking, it’s you mister. You’re the one who came to my job and somehow magically turned up at my son’s school. Not to mention you were at the market I shop at. Are you hiding something Styles? Are you stalking him?” Niall questioned him, feigning an American accent.

Throwing his head back in shock, Harry laughed out loud, causing a few heads to turn (including a, still, smirking Mrs. Martha who winked at Niall). “You caught me! I was definitely stalking you, finding out which milk type you buy was all part of my plan to get you to notice me.” He said still laughing.

“I knew it!” Niall exclaimed, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach that irrupted from hearing Harry’s loud laugh.

“Yes, I even convinced that old lady to pretend to be my old grandmother!” He played along, after a moment he added, “On a serious note, we do happen to have a lot in common.”

Biting back a smile, Niall said, “What gave that away? Was it the milk cap?”

“We drink the same milk type, we’re practically meant to be!” Harry exclaimed, pushing out his hands in front of him for added effect.

“It’s a small world.” Niall commented.

Smiling at each other, they stayed quiet until Mrs. Martha came barging in, placing her hands on either shoulders, “Well boys, seems like you’re enjoying this chit chat but I must bring it to an end. Niall we’re about to start the meeting and I think you should get going.”

Seemingly jostled out of his reverie, Niall pulled his phone from out of his pocket to check the time and just like suspected he was already running late.

“Yes, thank you for reminding me. I should go.”

About to say his farewells to the both of them, Harry stopped him and asked, “Why don’t I drop you off?” placing his hand around Niall’s arm.

Looking at him expectantly, Niall began to shake his head, “No it’s alright, it’s a ways away, wouldn’t want you driving all that way--”

Cutting him off Harry said, “It’s okay, I should get going as well. I have a night class to teach and the station is on my way anyways. It wouldn’t be a problem at all.” he reassured him.

Mrs. Martha looked at Niall and quietly encouraged him to accept, sighing, Niall nodded and agreed, “Let me just go say goodbye to Eoghan and we could get going.” he said. Harry smiled at him and slowly took his hand away.

“Alright, I’ll get my coat and meet you outside.”

Niall and Harry part ways, he begins to make his way to where Eoghan is painting with the twin. “Hey bud,” Niall says quietly, getting the attention of Eoghan, “hey, I’m leaving now, but I’ll be back to wake you up tomorrow morning, all right O?”

Nodding his head, Eoghan got up from his seat and went to hug Niall, “Goodnight Papa.”

Hugging him back, Niall softly said, “‘Night O.”

Niall leaves the room after saying his farewell to the rest of the group (Mrs. Martha had winked at him when she said her goodbyes).

Reaching the outside, Niall found Harry pacing the front of the building, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, “Sorry for making you wait.” he said, causing Harry to jump a bit.

“No need to apologize! Um, my car is parked just around the corner, we can uh… We can just walk there.” Harry said quietly. Gesturing to the corner, they began to walk towards the corner.

They stepped alongside each other in peaceful quietness, the only sounds were coming from cars driving nearby. Niall inhaled the fresh air and let himself settle down in his bones.

“Hey,” Harry said, interrupting the silence, “Your son, how old is he?” he asked, turning to look at Niall with genuine curiosity.

Surprised by the question, Niall answered quickly, “He’s seven, actually, his name is Eoghan.”

Harry nodded his head and looked down for a moment before smiling at Niall and saying, “He looks just like you.” his words were muffled by the collar of his jacket, but Niall could hear him loud and clear.

Thanking the dim and shabby lights for hiding his blush, Niall cleared his throat before saying, “Thanks…?”

“He clearly got his good looks from his father.” Harry commented before coming to a stop in front of a shiny black SUV. “Here it is,” He said, “just hop on.” he added as he unlocked the car.

Going to open the door, Harry intercepted him and opened the car door for Niall and cheekily said, “For you my dear Sir.”

Rolling his eyes Niall quietly thanked him before settling in and letting Harry close the door behind him. After a brief moment, Harry entered the car and put the keys into the ignition, “Heat?” he asked.

Shaking his head no, Niall said, “No thanks, the heat will only make me sick.” he couldn’t stand being inside a heated car, feeling the room to be too small.

“Okay.” Harry said.

They sat there in silence as Harry pulled out of the parking spot.

Following a period of silence where Niall focused his gaze towards the window, watching the buildings pass by with quickness and speed that a normal bus drive could not compare to, Harry asked, “So… How do you know my grandmother, Martha I mean?”

“We live in the same building… She also takes care of Eoghan sometimes. She’s been very good to us, from the moment we moved in.” Niall responded quietly, eyeing Harry through the corner of his eye.

Chuckling in his seat, Harry shook his head and with a tone of fake incredulity said, “‘Martha’ and ‘good’ in the same sentence?! I never thought I’d live to hear that!”

“She’s a doll, huh?”

The ride to the bus station was much quicker by car than in bus, Niall dutifully noted as he checked his phone for the time. They were about ten minutes from the station and for the first time in awhile, Niall believed he’d make it to work on time.

Suppressing a smile, Niall turned to Harry, “So, Harry… You said you had a class to teach, which one?” he asked.

Harry, with unmasked surprise, stared at Niall with wide eyes and curled the corner of his lips in a small smile, “You seem in a better mood. Anyways, truthfully, I lied. I don’t have a class right now. Okay. Don’t look at me like that! I knew you wouldn’t have agreed to me dropping you off if I didn’t have to be there… So, I lied.” he said, his smile had quickly turned to a smirk.

Glaring at Harry from his seat, Niall crossed his arms, but before he could say something Harry interrupted him, “But hey! Hey! I do have to go back to the university to pick up some work I left, so in a way you’re helping me out. If it weren’t for you I’d probably have to grade all those papers tomorrow morning…. Hmmm… You’re a lifesaver Horan. Think of all that sleep you’re saving me with this trip.” he said cheekily. Taking his eyes off the road for a moment, Harry winked at Niall before throwing his head back in laughter

All Niall could do was bite back a smile and pretend he wasn’t totally enjoying the ride.

_

wow, I'm so sorry for the late update. I rewrote this chapter quite a few times before I settled on this one. even then I'm not content. I hope you did enjoy it, and as always; feedback is very much appreciated. xx (just a reminder, this story can be viewed on ao3 as well!)

[king-drarry-perfection]

Masterpost of fics or at least a list of drarry classics? Thanks! :D

Wowwie Anon, you certainly put me to work with this! I hope this is what you were looking for?

I have updated my blog to include a masterlist of all these fics, and a place where I can much easier update and add as I go.

I have tried to section off everything as best I could. Where I didn’t have enough for a section, or didn’t really have a section (??) I added them to the bottom. If there are any other tropes, AUs, UAs or anything you would like added, let me know.

If some of the links don’t work, also please let me know (I put this all together at about 2am after too much coffee). 

I really wanted to put in all I have read… but by the time I got to page 13 of my history on A03 I knew that was just not going to happen. There are SOOOOO many great fics out there, and I want to say a big THANK YOU to every single person who takes the time to create these wonderful pieces of art.

So I have put in what I can, and will add everything else to my masterlist.

Happy reading!

Drarry+Animals

All Life is Yours to Miss by Sara’s Girl

Words: 114k. Rating: Mature

Professor Malfoy’s world is contained, controlled, and as solitary as he can make it, but when an act of petty revenge goes horribly awry, he and his trusty six-legged friend are thrown into Hogwarts life at the deep end and must learn to live, love and let go.

Turn by Sara’s Girl

Words: 306k. Rating: Explicit

One good turn always deserves another. Apparently.

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat by Khalulu

Words: 8k. Rating: Mature

Harry, Draco, an owl, a cat, green peas, moon-cheese, an elf in a toga, a few Golden Snidgets, and some messing about in boats. Takes place 11 years after the war.

Slithering by Astolat

Words: 27k. Rating: Explicit

Draco found the nest down in the Manor’s cellars, while he was clearing them out.

8th year Drarry (Hold on to your hats, this is going to be long)

Azoth by zeitgeistic (faire_weather)

Words: 88k Rating: Explicit

Now that Harry is back at Hogwarts with Hermione for eighth year, he realises that something’s missing from his life, and it either has to do with Ron, his boggart, Snape, or Malfoy. Furthermore, what, exactly, does it mean when one’s life is defined by the desire to simultaneously impress and annoy a portrait? Harry has no idea; he’s too busy trying not to be in love with Malfoy to care.

Strangeness and Charm by FeelsForBreakfast

Words: 45k Ratings: Explicit

One November night during his eighth year at Hogwarts, Draco ends up in the forbidden forest. That’s how it starts.

or: If two boys fall in love in a magical forest, does it still make a sound?

Right Hand Red by lumosed_quill

Words: 129k Rating: Explicit

Harry felt Malfoy’s breath on his lips as they came together over the bottle, hands firmly planted on the floor as though they each needed their familiar soil, refusing to cross into enemy territory.

Except that Malfoy no longer felt like his enemy.

Malfoy felt inevitable.

Prompt:Insomina by bahnhofsblumen

Words: 1k. Rating: Not rated

Based on a tumblr prompt/post where Harry and Draco both have trouble sleeping and they walk around the school at night and slowly become friends…or more?

The Morning After The Night Before by Oakstone730

Words: 3k. Rating: Explicit

Waking up after the Hufflepuff New Year’s Eve Party is an eye-opening experience for Draco. Prompt: Walk of Shame. Eighth Year. Warnings: Slash, Explicit, Language.

In Evidence of Magical Theory by bixgirl1

Words: 43K. Rating: Explicit

In which Harry and Draco can’t fight, and so they fall in love instead.

When a hex meant for Draco accidentally catches Harry as well, the pair are forced to learn to understand each other in ways they previously might have thought impossible.

The Art of Cooking the Muggle Way by Sophie_French

Words: 24k. Rating: Explicit

Cooking. The Muggle Way. Without any Magic. Definitely Draco’s idea of hell. Unless, of course, it leads to much more interesting activities with one Harry Potter. But wait. Draco’s into girls, right?

Tug-O-Want by dysonrules

Words: 16k. Rating: Mature

Harry is back at Hogwarts minding his own business when he finds himself magically drawn to Draco Malfoy. Over and over again.

Starts With a Spin by Maxine

Words: 119K Ratings: Mature

It started with the spin of a bottle, and now Harry and Draco have gotten themselves so far into their own game there’s almost no way out again. Except to keep playing.

Light Up the Sky by FleetofShippyShips

Words: 4k Rating: Teen and up

As a house unity event, Hogwarts celebrates Guy Fawkes. Harry finds Draco while the fireworks go off over the lake.

Alive by FleetofShippyShips

Words: 3k Rating: Mature

After the war, Harry is just angry, until finally, he’s not.

He Had Time by jeni_andtheafterthought

Words: 689 Rating: General

Harry stays up late alone in the eighth year common room until one night, Malfoy joins him.

Everybody Wants Some by bottomdraco_mod, PollyWeasley

Words: 6k Rating: Explicit

Harry comes back to finish his Eighth year at Hogwarts and it seems like the summer after the war has worked miracles on him. He’s totally hot, muscular, and sexy - basically every gay boy’s (and girl’s) dream. Apparently Draco’s body agrees, and all he can think every time he sees Potter is how badly he wants some of him.

Making Malfoy Blush by FleetofShippyShips

Words: 18k Rating: Mature

Malfoy walks in on Harry in the showers after Quidditch and is surprisingly flustered. Spying the chance to embarrass him, Harry teases him at every opportunity to bring that blush back.

It’s all harmless winks and lip biting, and maybe a few heated looks; until it’s a kiss, and then another, and then Harry realises he never wants to stop.

If only Malfoy was as clear about what he wants.

9 times Harry kissed Draco and the 1 time Draco kissed Harry by LockWhoSuper

Words: 4k Rating: Teen and up

‘Harry grinned, Draco fell into his trap perfectly. Surging forwards, Harry wrapped his fingers around Draco’s tie and pulled him forwards until their lips met over their cauldron. The pressure lasted for three seconds, Harry’s eyes shut and Draco’s wide in surprise. When Harry let Draco go, he slid back into his seat slowly, eyes still wide, tie crooked and a blush painting his cheeks.’

Good to Me (And I’d Be So Good to You) by AWickedMemory (ReadyPlayerZero)

Words: 8k Rating: General

Everyone returns to Hogwarts after the war, but nothing is quite the same. Harry’s groupies are creepier than ever, Ron and Hermione are snogging all over the place, and the once-proud Draco is shuffling around like a kicked puppy. But that’s okay: Harry’s got a plan.

The Standard You Walk Past by bafflinghaze

Words: 46k Rating: Mature

On returning to Hogwarts for their Eighth Year, Headmistress McGonagall decided to room Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter together. She may have hoped for a leading example of house unity; the other students fully expected insults and fights. But nothing happened.

Then Comes a Mist and a Weeping Rain by Faith Wood (faithwood)

Words: 21k Rating: Explicit

It always rains for Draco Malfoy. Metaphorically. And literally. Ever since he had accidentally Conjured a cloud. A cloud that’s ever so cross.

Good company by Greenflares

Words: 8k Rating: Teen and up

With Hermione and Ron always together, Harry’s return to Hogwarts to complete his education isn’t exactly fun. Somehow, it’s his unlikely friendship with Malfoy that keeps him sane.

Hey, Potter by SunseticMonster

Words: 5k Rating: Mature

Harry returns to Hogwarts for his 8th year, determined not to let Malfoy get to him. But when the snarky teasing starts up again, Harry finds that returning the jibes with compliments has a far more interesting outcome.

The Lip-Lock Jinx by Cassis Luna

Words: 21k Rating: PG-13

The Lip-Lock Jinx, a jinx that renders the victim mute that can only be undone in two ways: if the caster reverses the spell on the victim, or if the victim serves the purpose of the jinx and kisses the person that they desire. It’s just Harry’s luck that he gets jinxed by Ginny Weasley and that he’s in love with Draco Malfoy.

Vanilla and Sweet Spices by FleetofShippyShips

Words: 19k Rating: Explicit

After the others leave an eighth year party, Harry still has the rum he snagged off Dean. But the only person left to drink it with is Draco Malfoy.

in between the silences by orphan_account

Words: 13k Rating: Teen and up

Harry and Draco are sent to a safe house immediately after the battle of Hogwarts, where they’re supposed to be spend three weeks together, much to their anger. Television serves as both therapy and a bonding opportunity, coffee and tea get drunk in large quantities, and they try to reconcile themselves with life after the war.

1,000 Points From Gryffindor by blithelybonny

Words: 25k Rating: Mature

The story of how Harry Potter single-handedly lost Gryffindor the House Cup while attempting to have a “normal” year at Hogwarts. Featuring Harry’s suspicious nature turned up to eleven again, a new DADA teacher who is so not here for Harry’s fame, multiple detentions, Slytherins being sneaky, Hufflepuffs being sneakier, and the mystery of Draco Malfoy’s hoodie because seriously Hermione who gave that to him and is he wearing it just to torment me? This is ridiculous!

Veritaserum by pottersslytherin

Words: 1k Rating: Not rated

Someone slips Draco Veritaserum. That wouldn’t be all too bad - if only he didn’t have Potions with Potter that day.

Temptation on the Warfront by alizarincrims0n

Words: 180k Rating: Explicit

Draco Malfoy is forced into hiding with the Golden Trio and dragged into their search for horcruxes. What ensues is a journey of redemption, unexpected friendships and an unwanted, turbulent romance with Harry Potter. Warnings for swearing, sexual content, and dark themes.

Lumos by birdsofshore

Words: 41k Rating: Explicit

Harry never expected to spend eighth year listening to Draco Malfoy wanking.

Salt on the Western Wind by Saras_Girl

Words: 60k Rating: Mature

When the war isn’t quite as over as it first appears, a guilt-ridden Harry is sent to a mysterious safe-house. Among sandwiches, insomnia, and Mills & Boon, he discovers something quite unexpected.

In the Interest of Interhouse Cooperation by firethesound

Words: 11k Rating: Explicit

Organizing a Duelling Club was supposed to be a fun extracurricular activity for Harry’s 8th year. But add in Draco Malfoy and a malfunctioning Room of Requirement, and things can’t help but get complicated.

Professor!Drarry (In where either one, or both of them are Professors at Hogwarts)

Professor Potter and his Magical Menagerie by dracogotgame

Words: 7k. Rating: Teen and up

Harry Potter descends on Hogwarts with a horde of magical beasts. Professor Malfoy is not amused.

Only For The Lucky by SunseticMonster

Words: 19k Rating: Mature

Things seem to be going well for Draco Malfoy after the war. He’s working as a professor at Hogwarts and makes the papers all the time for his charitable contribution to Muggle causes.

But when Malfoy is rushed into St Mungos hospital for a psychotic break, Healer Harry Potter realizes that Malfoy’s success is not all what it seems and sometimes luck can have more than one meaning.

More Than That by joosetta

Words: 2k Rating: Explicit

This is a story about two 52 year old men who refuse to age gracefully.

Lessons in Humility by playout

Words: 37k Rating: Explicit

After the dissolution of his marriage and a good bit of soul-searching, Harry returns to Hogwarts as the new Defense teacher. Go figure, it happens to be the same year Draco takes over the role of Potions Master. Neither man is happy about this turn of events. Will they be able to set aside their differences and learn a thing or two about trust and humility on the way? (Spoiler Alert: Yes. Very much so.)

Newts by astolat

Words: 3k Rating: Explicit

“I’m twenty-eight!” Harry said. “I’ve been an Auror for ten years! You want me to go back to Hogwarts now?”

Boom Clap (The Sound of My Heart) by femmequixotic, noeon (noe)

Words: 39k Rating: Explicit

Post-war Hogwarts has been energized by its new teaching fellows program. Where once bitter enmity divided the wizarding community, Malfoy and Potter chummily patrol hallways together whilst Granger and Zabini seek lost parts of the castle at McGonagall’s behest and Chang supervises Quidditch when not lecturing in Charms. It’s a veritable wizarding utopia and life is predictable for the first time in years. Which is, of course, when everything blows apart as the result of a drunken dare and Malfoy’s life is ruined beyond his capacity to repair it. Ever. In a million years.

Love Actually by DracoWillHearAboutThis

Words: 17k Rating: Explicit

“Harry,” she said quietly. “How long have you been teaching at Hogwarts now?”

Harry frowned, caught off-guard by the question.

“Six years, three months, and I guess about two weeks?,” he answered hesitantly.

“And how much of this time have you spent pining over our Charms professor?,” she continued, eyes flashing dangerously.

When even Minerva McGonagall wants to have a conversation about Harry’s love life, Harry realizes that it might be time to actually do something about this little crush of his. Since apparently, everyone knows, anyways.

“Everyone?!,” Harry repeated, his voice uncomfortably high-pitched in his panic.

“Everyone!”

Post Hogwarts

Silky Smooth by FleetofShippyShips

Words: 2k Rating: Teen and up

Some accidental magic has amusing and enjoyable consequences for Draco and Harry.

Another Mask Behind You by lettered

Words: 57k Rating: Explicit

Draco is a high-end prostitute who hides his identity. Harry unknowingly hires him. And then there is porn, questions about identity, domestic bliss, more porn, and truth as seen through a web of lies. (And then more porn. Seriously, if you don’t want sex scene after sex scene you probably shouldn’t read this. And please read the warnings.)

your heart’ll race, hard to sleep by watsoff

Words: 3k Rating: Explicit

Draco’s bed is cursed. Don’t ask him about it.

Draco Sodding Malfoy by Shewhxmustnxtbenamed

Words: 250k Rating: Mature

Harry finds Draco outside a pub and takes him back to his place, only to find out that Draco is in an abusive relationship. Harry invites Draco to stay until he can get back on his feet. They go to

Draco’s ex-boyfriends house, and come back with more than they bargained for.

Bound To You by agentmoppet

Words: 28k Rating: Explicit

Hag magic is capricious and unruly, and Harry and Draco are bound to stay by each other’s side until they can solve the riddle. In between long car trips, misty rain, and midnight star charts, they begin to understand each other.

Drarry Drabbles and Ficlets by FleetofShippyShips

Just all my drabbles and ficlets all in one place. Most of them were originally posted on my tumblr. Connected drabbles are also in their own series.

The ficlets belonging to the Making Malfoy Blush Series can be read independently of the Making Malfoy Blush story. Just treat as Established Relationship.

Charmed Confections by Alisanne

Words: 35k Rating: Explicit

There’s a new bakery in town, and Harry is obsessed with the luscious lemon fairy cakes. And with discovering the identity of the mystery chef.

Life Is The Flower (For Which Love Is the Honey) by bafflinghaze

Words: 15k Rating: Teen and up

The Malfoy Manor lands are lush and verdant. Bees hover over carpets of flowers, and ducks paddle in the pond. It is a place far removed from bustling London and pesky reporters; it is a place where Harry finds what—and who—he didn’t know he was missing.

Under Pressure by VivacissimoVoce

Words: 21k Rating: Mature

Harry Potter has quit magic and left the wizarding world. Draco, a top-notch Tracker, has been hired to find him and save his life.

The Way Down by lettered

Words: 65k Rating: Teen and up

Harry is overwhelmed by his own power and fame and angst, so he’s become a hermit. Draco Malfoy is tired of the melodrama.

Insane Ideas Make The Finest Aphrodisiacs by JBankai89

Words: 4k Rating: Explicit

Harry has a hard enough time getting a date on his own, and his adoptive parents’ methods for ‘helping’ him are little more than a thinly veiled excuse to embarrass him to no end.

However, one fateful night out as Harry tries to escape Sirius and Remus’s ridiculous attempts to get him laid, he runs into an old schoolmate in the lavatory…

The Park Bench by plumeria47

Words: 2k Rating: General

Over the years, the gardener has seen a lot - but when two particular men catch his eye, he can’t help but find himself intrigued.

A Cock In Hand (Is Worth Two In The Bush) by decanthrope

Words: 4k Rating: Teen and up

Draco is in his mid twenties when the stress gets to him and he goes down faster than a sinking ship. It’s completely unexpected, but then again, midlife crises do have the tendency to be unpredictable. For the Malfoys, Potter always has been an ultimate cock.

Auror!Drarry (In which one, or both are Aurors/ works or MLE)

Running on Air by eleventy7

Words: 74k Rating: Teen and up

Draco Malfoy has been missing for three years. Harry is assigned the cold case and finds himself slowly falling in love with the memories he collects.

Stop All the Clocks (This Is the Last Time I’m Leaving Without You) by firethesound

Words: 44k Rating: Explicit

Living with Draco was difficult; living without him is unbearable. But if there’s one thing Harry learned from the war, it’s that even when one life ends, the rest of the world goes right on living.

Magic Man by dracogotgame

Words: 8k Rating: Mature

Draco has been exiled to live in the Muggle World, where he’s actually doing alright as an amateur stage magician. Harry has been tasked to determine if he’s using real magic to enhance his performances.

The Boy Who Only Lived Twice by lettered

Words: 54k Rating: Explicit

Harry Potter is an Unspeakable. Draco Malfoy is the wizard who shagged him. Adventure! Intrigue! Secret identities, celebrities, spies! It’s all right here, folks.

check this hand 'cause I’m marvelous by lumosed_quill

Words: 7k Rating: Explicit

Harry’s had a crush on Malfoy for months now. But it will take a bar full of his friends, some Firewhisky, wagers made on his behalf, and Malfoy himself to get him to act on it.

Peeking behind the Curtain by calrissian18

Words: 23k Rating: Mature

Draco sees things he really, really wishes he didn’t. If only to get out of all the homework that comes with it.

Stately Homes of Wiltshire by waspabi

Words: 57k Rating: Explicit

Malfoy Manor has mould, dry rot and an infestation of unusually historical poltergeists. Harry Potter is on the case.

Lift Your Open Hand by firethesound

Words: 18k Rating: Mature

With Draco Malfoy as his assigned partner for the next six weeks of Auror training, Harry had been prepared for things to go poorly. But getting themselves accidentally bonded to each other in the first twenty minutes of their very first assignment seemed going above and beyond, even for them.

Bitter Honey, Green Night by Faith Wood (faithwood)

Words: 14k Rating: Explicit

An inn, an Auror, a criminal, a mystery.

Seeing Draco Malfoy by Khalulu

Words: 12k Rating: Explicit

It’s a few years after the war, Harry is an Auror, Ginny’s broken up with him, and Draco runs a “Magical Repairs and Reparations” service. And then there’s Ignatius – devastatingly good-looking, temperamental, and addicted to gingernut biscuits. When Harry loses his glasses in a fight and learns that they’ve landed in Draco’s hands, he’s suspicious. But soon after that, life starts looking up.

Bad Faith in Name, But Gracious in Nature by megyal

Words: 13k Rating: Mature

Wizarding children have developed a life-threatening condition caused by an old curse. The cure is to be found in the Malfoy Library; surprisingly, Malfoy is willing to help, but only if Harry helps improve his standing in the Wizarding community. (Contains a fair amount of Ted 'Teddy’ Lupin.)

All Our Secrets Laid Bare by firethesound

Words: 149k Rating: Explicit

Over the six years Draco Malfoy has been an Auror, four of his partners have turned up dead. Harry Potter is assigned as his newest partner to investigate just what is going on.

[dictacontrion]

H/D Erised Quote Reveals

@hd-erised reveals are up!! So much amazing writing and art. As always, I’m blown away by this fest!! I was reccing all the way through with daily drarry quotes. (all the erised ones are here!) I’ve updated author info on those, and here they are, below!! They’re all wonderful stories; absolutely recommend checking them out!! And pretty much everything else that posted...so much brilliance. And the art!!! Oh my goodness, the art. Check that out too, you’ll be glad you did! And as always, please remember to leave love for these insanely talented creators!!

1,000 Points From Gryffindor by @blithelybonny - R, 25k - The story of how Harry Potter single-handedly lost Gryffindor the House Cup while attempting to have a “normal” year at Hogwarts. Featuring Harry's suspicious nature turned up to eleven again, a new DADA teacher who is so not here for Harry’s fame, multiple detentions, Slytherins being sneaky, Hufflepuffs being sneakier, and the mystery of Draco Malfoy's hoodie because seriously Hermione who gave that to him and is he wearing it just to torment me? This is ridiculous!

And, On the Other Side, A Welcoming Voice by blamebrampton - PG, 39k - For twenty years, the official history has told readers that Harry Potter died at the Battle of Hogwarts. The next edition is going to require some significant revisions.

Antediluvia by @lol-zeitgeistic - NC-17, 57k - Everyone always forgets about the Merpeople. So did Harry until the day his, Lee’s, and Hermione’s Portkeys land at Reagan National Airport’s Arrivals dais. He’s just had to leave a job he loves and pack his entire life—literally—into his luggage. Then Malfoy and his subplots arrive, and suddenly, saving the world again, one Mermaid at a time, sounds like the perfect excuse to do something he’s always wanted.

Boom Clap (The Sound of My Heart) by @femmequixotic and @noeeon - NC-17, 39.5k - Post-war Hogwarts has been energized by its new teaching fellows program. Where once bitter enmity divided the wizarding community, Malfoy and Potter chummily patrol hallways together whilst Granger and Zabini seek lost parts of the castle at McGonagall’s behest and Chang supervises Quidditch when not lecturing in Charms. It’s a veritable wizarding utopia and life is predictable for the first time in years. Which is, of course, when everything blows apart as the result of a drunken dare and Malfoy’s life is ruined beyond his capacity to repair it. Ever. In a million years.

Bound To You by @agentmoppet - NC-17, 28k - Hag magic is capricious and unruly, and Harry and Draco are bound to stay by each other’s side until they can solve the riddle. In between long car trips, misty rain, and midnight star charts, they begin to understand each other.

Candyman by xerised - NC-17, 26k - Harry can't believe it when Malfoy sets up his chocolate shop right across the street from his own bakery. He's got to win this competition, but for some bizarre reason, his friends have become rather... chatty with the Slytherins lately. Post-Hogwarts.

Charmed Confections by alisanne - NC-17, 36k - There’s a new bakery in town, and Harry is obsessed with the luscious lemon fairy cakes. And with discovering the identity of the mystery chef.

Christmas at the Dog and Duck by @writcraft - NC-17, 9k - Because life has a habit of conspiring against him, Harry finds himself on a weekend away with Malfoy. The fact he can’t forget that one, searing kiss is definitely going to be a problem

Five Weddings and a Potions Accident by lauren3210/@heaven-is-my-hell - NC-17, 19.5k - In which Harry thinks he’s a playboy, everyone else knows better, and Hermione will kill Seamus if Ron tries to collect on that bet.

The Full Four Seasons by @ravenclawsquill - NC-17, 49k - Draco Malfoy just wants a quiet life. He has a successful business, a lovely wife, and a delightfully horrible circle of friends. He’s fine. Or, he was fine until Harry Potter thundered into his life with all the subtlety of a blast-ended skrewt and turned everything on its head. Now he’s beginning to wonder if ‘fine’ is enough, after all.

A Ghost in the Garden by @thistle-verse - NC-17, 27k - That night Draco dreams, and he is the ghost in his garden. He is both silvered figment and his own solid and flesh face pressing against the window, watching. Spinning and spun, haunting and haunted. Turned and turning, an open mouth with no sound.

Lift Your Open Hand by @firethesound - R, 19k - With Draco Malfoy as his assigned partner for the next six weeks of Auror training, Harry had been prepared for things to go poorly. But getting themselves accidentally bonded to each other in the first twenty minutes of their very first assignment seemed going above and beyond, even for them.

The Loathly Worm by fulselden - NC-17, 12k - When Draco Malfoy is forced to go undercover among the remaining Death Eaters in the aftermath of the war, the last person he expects to find there is Harry Potter.

Lumos by birdsofshore - NC-17, 42k - Harry never expected to spend eighth year listening to Draco Malfoy wanking.

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat by khalulu - R, 8k - Harry, Draco, an owl, a cat, green peas, moon-cheese, an elf in a toga, a few Golden Snidgets, and some messing about in boats.

Weeds or Wildflowers by lq_traintracks and sdkshelly - NC-17, 17.5k - A perfect match, a romance for the ages, with a one hundred percent success rate! Magic Match claims they can give Draco all of this. So why do they keep sending him on dates with Harry Potter?

[zappingclaudia-blog]

Brava! Interview with an Opera Singer: Luisa Fernanda Munster

Colombian Soprano Luisa Fernanda Munster is well known for her beautiful lyric voice and exquisite musicality. A cantor for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark and the Diocese of Paterson, she has been heard as a soloist with the choirs of the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart and with the New Apostolic Church. After her early training as a violinist, Ms. Munster continued her studies at Rutgers University, the Universitat Mozarteum — Salzburg, Austria (under Gudrun Volkurt & Norman Shetler), the Conservatorio di musica "A. Pedrollo" — Vicenza, Italy and most recently with tenor Marcello Nardis in Rome. She has been seen in recital throughout the NJ/NY area as well as in Tallahassee, FL, and as part of the InFondi Musica Festival in Fondi, Italy. Most recently, Ms. Munster placed as a national semi-finalist in New York Lyric Opera's annual vocal competition. 

I'll start simple though when did you first start playing the violin?

I first started playing violin in the 4th grade through my school's music program. I started learning the viola in 7th grade and in 8th grade I sang for my first audition for a spot in the NJ All State Chorus as a singer (I got in btw)

My focus now is much more in vocal than instrumental, though I do still play the violin. As a matter of fact I have a performance this weekend with a local orchestra, The Bloomfield Symphony, where the players are both amateur and professional.

I did see you have a performance coming up, that's exciting! I have this very faint memory of going to see you play way way back in Clifton High School! Is there any reason you're focusing more in vocal? And for your singing is there any special training you did/do?

The reason is actually quite simple - I'm much better at singing than playing! heeheehee

I played violin and such all through high school, but never really took private lessons that would be key in advancing my skills with such a technically complex instrument like the violin.

Not that there isn't a ton of training involved in signing, particularly in classical singing (which is un-amplified), but for me, it came must more naturally. In the case of singing, we are our instrument.

As far as my training, though I always sang in some capacity through high school and college choirs or the school musical, I didn't really start as a soloist until much later . I started through a series of summer intensive sessions in Salzburg and then started with private teachers. I have a voice teacher/mentor who is in Rome and I work locally with my voice teacher here in NJ and a coach in NY. I've also had the fortune of going back to Italy a couple of times to attend master classes, as well.

That's amazing that it came naturally to you though. I take after my mom who says “canto bien pero se me oye mal” (Roughly translated:I sing well but it sounds bad) Was your masters musically related?

More of a "car and shower" diva, huh? lol

My sister and I have some pretty epic duets

Funnily enough, I didn't study music in college. I studied Criminal Justice (I was on a pre-law track). But performing and music turned out to be my path. So I'm a bit of an alternate track kinda gal.

Wow! So do you think if you hadn't chosen music you would have been a lawyer?

As a kid I always thought my ideal "when I grow up" job would be to be a judge.

Go figure

Like I said, though, there is lots that goes into this profession, only one element is the actually singing. There is working with various languages, stage movement, knowledge of musical styles and historical performance practices, the business of music (i.e knowing how to organize a concert and pimp yourself out).

You're right, my professor talks a lot about what goes into music and it amazes me because there's so much to learn in the arts. So what did you do to study it all and become more familiar with how to organize a concert and “pimp yourself out”?

You know, in addition to taking workshops and things, a lot of it is practical experience. The pimping is absolutely related to networking. As you get hired for gigs, you learn what different directors are looking for. You learn the value of good camaraderie in these musical projects (particularly since they are usually short-term)  and also the value of being prepared and professional. Directors remember , even more than someone who has a golden voice, someone who is easy to work with.

Much of what I do currently is actually liturgical work. I sing in various churches throughout the area and am currently director of my own small spanish choir at a church in the city. The training for that is similar - I took workshops to learn about liturgy (the order of mass, the role of a church music ministry) and added that to what I know musically

That's a situation where I, as a soloist, work entirely through networking. Touching base with people, sharing work with colleagues too is a big help. This is very small musical world so word gets around - the good and the bad alike-

That sounds like a good takeaway for everyone and definitely like good advice for those pursuing the same path

What advice do you think you would've given your younger self?

That's a great question. I'd say absorb as much as you possibly can. Every performance , either as a performer or a spectator, is an opportunity to grow as an artist. Take in not only the things you enjoyed about a show/experience, but also what you didn't enjoy - the "What not to do"

Great! Just one last question and we can wrap this up. What are some of your favorite pieces to sing?

Another great question! Well I'm a Mozart gal - 100% - so anything I can get the opportunity to sing by him I do. As a matter of fact, this past summer I made my Italian debut at an opera festival singing one of his more challenging arias "Martern aller Arten" from the opera "Abduction from the Seraglio". It's also known popularly (from the movie Amadeus) as the song with "too many notes".

I'm also enjoying singing Puccini and enjoy  cheesing it up with a show tune or two in my recitals

(I sing "Granada" playing castanets...delightfully corny but a crowd pleaser - lol)

This is perfect thanks so so much again! This was really fun.

-- 

For anyone who wants to watch and listen to Luisa singing “Martern aller Arten,” or the song with “too many notes,” I highly recommend you click this link:

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8EPCbbYe9QxbEdncEFvTVotVmc/view

“O Holy Night (A. Adam)” Performance

Like what you hear? Follow her on these! 

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[rusticrevivals]

As promised, the plethora of guests, the hard haul of harvest, and the commitments of concerts and other carry-ons have all just been completed in this past week, and thus I feel I am perhaps able to begin writing regularly again.  What a year! What a season of busy-ness!  Never in my life do I remember having so many jottings on my calendar for such a long stretch of time – May through mid-October! Because of extra-special circumstances this year of 2017, many events were once-in-a-lifetime/not-to-be-missed, and thus we felt we HAD to participate or we’d always regret it. (ie: 150th CANADA concerts in which to perform, 145th New Denmark celebrations in which to take part,- as these only happen every 5 years to this extent, -100th year of our St. Peter’s church, plus the CBC’s Still Standing cast and crew spending a week in our little community as well.) Because we’ve just moved to such a beautiful farm with lots of room for guests, visitors have also abounded.  Our final one just flew back to England last week after a 3-week stay, and between Richard, Mom/Joy and myself we’ve counted that there were 19 STAYING guests since the end of May!   And all of those events or guests have occurred in the busiest of farming life — whilst trying to  begin living off the land in earnest, including work with the new animals, planting through spring and early summer, and of course all the work involved with harvest – the picking, peeling, plucking, pouring,  ‘putting up’ and preserving.

One of the most challenging, and thus, for me – most entertaining of all the writing exercises I’ve done in decades of writing courses has been to connect seemingly unrelated story-lines or facts into one cohesive work.  That is the challenge I have now given myself over the coming weeks of blog-writing.  Because there has been so much to cover over recent months in the way of recipes and techniques I’ve come up with in the kitchen, humourous tales of the variety of peoples and daily life here in the Appalachians, eco-friendly suggestions or ‘urgent urgings’ as I call my environmental lectures/postings on Facebook, my word-play category “Phonetics Phun and the Pharm”, and just our “Regular Rural Updates”, I have had to find a way to make the connections and still keep each blog with “a bit of everything’ so that readers won’t get bored! (ie: don’t want to inundate with boring tips for freezing corn, if most readers are looking to find out about Richard’s latest bruising episode, etc!)

Lorne Greene went to my alma mater, Queen’s.  He switched his major to Drama and Languages, much the same as I did, and, also as I did – went on to work for and live around the National Parks, first, as a drama teacher at a camp in Algonquin  (like my dramas performed for the benefit of Murphy’s Point and Bon Echo Provincial Parks), doing radio voice-overs to help protect wildlife and the conservation areas, and even acting in a short film for the National Parks System.  Then, of course, his own multi-award-winning Canadian production of New Wilderness brought the plight of nature and our environment very much to the forefront, as it was number ONE in its time-slot for all 5 years that it aired. Thus, Mr. Greene was very much a man after my own heart in the ways of both the Performing Arts, and his work for the Environment. But what’s the first reason I felt a connection to him?  Because he rode “Buck” the Buckskin, on Bonanza of course, and everyone knows I always have loved my ‘golden animals’ – palominos and duns/buckskins especially.  Lorne even bought ‘Buck’ after the series ended and donated him to a therapeutic riding school, just as I have devoted time, training and yes, even golden horses  to the same.  (Buck is SAID to have lived to an unbelievable age of 45 with the disabled children… usually only ponies live to ever be this old, but we’ll go along with this bit of urban legend because it’s nice to believe it…)

(above,    Lorne and Me –  “We  Dun Good” ! )

One of the deep-voiced Greene’s only on-air bloopers was to once say on CBC radio news broadcast   “farmers are expecting their biggest craps in years”.

In a neat segue, we too have little distinction between this years ‘crops’ and well – ‘crap’.  Due to the 5 weeks of solid rain early on, then 4 weeks of drought , many of our crops did not do well this year (more on this, and how we’re working to prevent this happening again in future blogs over the coming weeks…)  But one thing you can ALWAYS count on to grow, no matter the weather conditions or the soil:  BEANS AND PEAS.  The “Long Greens”.  (trivia: did you know ‘long green’ is actually a colloquial term for ‘money’, first used in the late 1880s?  Well, in a way, our beans and peas are ‘money’ – because they are the one thing we can ‘bank’ on to grow enough of to put in our fridge and freezer! )

So, while the other crops were somewhat ‘crap’, our peas, green beans and edamame (a type of soy bean that’s delicious!) bloomed in copious numbers.   Following are some of my favourite things to do with each:

GREEN BEANS – to eat fresh  (click on each photo for caption, explaining what I’ve come up with…. I know some of you have told me this doesn’t work on your computers, and for this I apologise. I think you are probably lacking a viewing program such as Adobe or Acrobat or some such… If you can’t view my concoctions, leave me a message and I’ll tell you all !)

I put a few handfuls into a cup

after snipping off either end

and let them soak in oil

balsamic vinegar

a smattering of peanuts and parmesan

and, if you like it, some Dijon Mustard.

After these have soaked for a few hours (or overnight if you like), I put butter in a frying pan

and making sure I have added most of the ‘sauce’ and all of the peanuts and parmesan

I fry for a very few minutes, then serve hot or cold. Delish!

How I’ve decided to ‘preserve’ green beans:

Last year I fussed with both ‘pickling’ the beans with carrots, and also blanching the beans first, before freezing.  After my aching back and knees were already becoming too much this August/Sept., I read up on some ‘lazier’ ways… here’s what I’ve found:

You don’t HAVE to ‘blanche’ first!  Just wash, snip off the ends and ‘flash freeze’ (like many of you might do with berries!) Make sure they are dry, first, from your washing of them. As we are organic, I often just gave them a wipe off with a dish towel, as having them at all wet will make freezer burn. Once dry,  separate them on trays as much as possible so they don’t end up sticking together, and pop them in your freezer (I did a few in the top of my fridge freezer, then started ‘going BIG’ and doing about 6 trays at a a time out in the chest freezer.  Freeze for about an hour – you don’t want to do too much longer, or freezer ‘burn’ will begin.  They should be hard, and snap in half easily with a crack!  When you bring them back to the counter to bag  (we use strong recycled bags from other things like oatmeal, or zip-lock bags from other veg. or fruit we were forced to buy mid-winter) DON’T WAIT !  Get right on this, or if they are open to room temp. for even a few minutes they will start to thaw, and that will cause them to stick together in the bag, OR to be subject to burn… I think we have close to 30 meal-sized packages of green beans in the freezer for the winter, now, and that’s more than I really want to eat in a winter, even just in soups.  Sooooo…�� I decided to get inventive again with the remaining beans that were coming in late:

I steamed a bunch of beans at a time,

then put them in the blender/food processor

I had to add a bit of water to make the machine really mash them up… like baby food!

I sprinkled my own dried parsley on top. Then I froze the mash in a lot of plastic containers (recycled from other things, of course!)

This green bean mash will be used in such things as meatloaf or chili, where it will add extra protein and ‘bulk’ without ever really being seen or tasted. I’ve tried it once in a meatloaf already, and it was excellent, and really spreads our meat out to help save on that end of things!

PEAS:  We LOVE our peas! Richard was most happy with the perfect way some of our peas looked this year. One day when we were shelling them together, he found this one in his batch, and insisted I take a photo for our readers, so here it is:

What I frequently do with our fresh peas for a lovely lunch:

Add the freshly-picked peas to a bowl

Add in your favourite nuts (we like walnuts)

Crumble in some hard boiled eggs with some mayo.

You could even add some of your lightly-steamed green beans if you wanted!

Pepper and paprika to taste

I then add feta cheese (and next year hope for it to be Cammie-cheese!)

Sprinkle a little parmesan on and serve. Voila!

Of course, we also shelled copious amounts of peas and put them in containers like small Truvia canisters to freeze.  We always seem to over-do the bean-planting, though, and never have quite as many peas as I’d like, so next year I DEFINITELY must rectify this!

Lastly, edamame:  (pron.  ED – A – MAW -MAY ) This was introduced to us by my sister, who always seems to be the one of us in our family who is ‘up’ on the ‘trendy’ or exotic foods – it was she who first showed me an avocado, decades ago, and they are one of my favourite foods – wish I could grow THEM here!  Anyway, my little nephew enjoyed this special soy bean, shelled, and roasted lightly with oil and salt (like you might do pumpkin seeds), so we have prepared many of them like this.  However, the way they are prepared in Japanese restaurants is as follows:

Simply steam the edamame IN THEIR PODS for a few minutes. Don’t overdo!

They can then be served with the pods SALTED, right in their pods, and will split open with ease at your mouth as you squeeze the pods and slide the delicious beans right on to your tongue!

There are a few other “Long Greens” I’d like to ponder here.  Leanne, my friend from Scotland, stayed with us for 10 days mid-harvest and helped greatly with the animals and some of the picking and peeling processes.  There was no time to take her sight-seeing, but for one of Richard’s doctors’ appointments he DID take her to Plaster Rock to see some of the chain-saw sculptures commemorating activities of the area:

The above photo then reminded us that we STILL, after a year and a half, hadn’t purchased a canoe, (we want one for calm paddling, and for Richard to fish from) and that our friend from England, Remy,  (another Richard, actually) was coming just 10 days after Leanne, and wanted to immerse himself in the Ways of the Wilderness (he and his son, Joe are certified ‘Bushcraft’ instructors in the remote moorlands of Yorkshire —in fact they live so close to Haworth they often hear Heathcliff calling for Kathy across their Wuthering Heights —–   and they are always trying to hone their survival skills.  More on his activities here on the farm later, but if you’re interested in their website and perhaps taking a course from them if you’re travelling over there, see:  http://www.brigantiabushcraft.com/home  ).

As soon as Remy came he motivated us to find and purchase a wonderful old green canoe from a neighbour:

Then he and Richard immediately wanted to test the Saint John River, at its very lowest for decades, I was told by an old-timer as I waited on Brook’s Bridge downriver, in order to take photos.

  OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

And today, whilst trying to arrange connections and segues in my head preparatory to writing this blog post, I looked down at my cozy self, wrapped in Leanne’s generous gift to us: A McKenzie tartan wool blanket (because Mom was a McKenzie and that’s why I went to live in the Scottish Highlands in the first place!)  And it made me think  “Long and Green – and so SERENE”, now that all our heavy work is over, our commitments are over and our last overnight visitor gone…

Remember how Lorne Greene went to Queens and studied Theatre Arts and Language as I did? Well, there’s another connection – a group of us ‘artsies’ who wanted to become teachers were chosen from across Canada to take part in Queen’s ACE program – only 20, in fact are chosen each year!  ACE stands for Artist in Community Education and we auditioned for not just Fine Arts and Writing, but the Performing Arts – Drama and Music.  One of this group, Jodi Essery, won the Lorne Green Award that year, and they said it was one of the more difficult choices they’d yet experienced due to the high level of talent among the ACE crowd.  And I guess everyone from my little group had some lofty ambitions!  One, James Libbey, is now the conductor and composer of the International Schools’ Music Program in Luxembourg (James visited me when I lived in my wee cottage in Yorkshire, and I still remember him taking his bagpipes with us when we went for a walk in the near-by beech woods and playing them standing on a stone hog’s back bridge over a trickling brook. Magical! )

His best friend, Evan Smith – another good Queen’s chum of ours who used to sit on the floor of my dorm room and read aloud to the rest of us,  has won accolades and awards – in fact has won the YMCA PEACE AWARD, for his work with teaching children in Venezuala, then taking Ontario students to Peru and Costa Rica to interest them further in global social justice issues.  He has started two programs throughout Ontario: Connexions, which is a 3 credit Grade 12 course for students who go to these countries and help, then come back and report, and SOLID (Student Organization for Learning about International Differences)

http://www.flamboroughreview.com/news-story/5401006-teacher-earns-peace-medal/ My friend Tab DeBruyn has just had her first book published, is a life coach, and the Executive Vice-President of Arbonne of Canada.  She once did a silhouette dance to one of my poetry readings as part of our graduation ceremonies at Queen’s:

And many of you may have seen my old Drama class partner, Liz McEachern, either on stage in her one-woman shows at various Fringe Festivals throughout the GTA, OR in her humourous role on CBC’s Schitt’s Creek (her episodes now are apparently playing on Air Canada flights as well, so you may have ‘caught her’ there). Here she is with Dan Levy, Eugene Levy’s son, who will also be hosting The Great Canadian Baking Show starting Nov. 1st.

Liz is starting to get recognized on the street now, so I’m very excited for her and for the accomplishments and visions of all my amazing class-mates from Queen’s.

And yet, here I sit – telling you how to mix parmesan in your fresh green beans and taking photos of canoeists instead of actually being IN the canoe as I once would have been…. Talk about MISSING THE BOAT!

However, none of the above has THIS view from their front porch, now do they?

(The red maple to right is part of our birch grove.  I’ve introduced Tiffany to you a few times before re: the pageant photos, etc.  Watch for her interviews and photographer’s input with Jonny Harris on CBC’s Still Standing: New Denmark, in the spring of 2018).

    Lorne Greene’s, Long Greens, and the U. of Queens As promised, the plethora of guests, the hard haul of harvest, and the commitments of concerts and other carry-ons have all just been completed in this past week, and thus I feel I am perhaps able to begin writing regularly again. 

[thegrassisaalwaysgreener]

EuroTrip 2016

Friday March 11, 2016:

         Yay for trips! I was pretty pumped about this trip as I had only been to Europe once and that was over ten years ago. For this trip, I was teaming up with my aunt who is a retired teacher and had been  going on trips with EF Tours for years. Accompanying us was one of her ex students’ siblings who was excited to head to Europe with us. I decided that it was much easier to just park and fly my car (which is magical). I flew and met them in Montreal before boarding the longer flight to Frankfurt. I am all about sleeping on planes normally, however this plane ride was not the best as I was sitting beside someone who thought that sharing my seat was ok. Even with the squish-y ness and turbulence, it was a decent flight and we arrived first things on Saturday Morning.

Saturday March 12, 2016            It took us a while to find our lovely guide Nik. He was to be our guide for the whole trip however, he had to wait around the airport for the group joining us from Vancouver. We hopped in a bus and got on with the 2 ish hour drive to Rothenberg. Of course we got to drive a bit on the Autobahn (which in a van wasn’t nearly as cool as I had thought) and through lights that went from red to yellow and then green which I found so strange. We arrive in the quant town of Gattsattal where we were staying for the night. We unpacked our bags and headed into town to see the historical, medieval town. Rothenberg is known as Germany’s Fairy Tale Dream town and is located on a plateau just over the Tauber river. We checked out many of the picturesque sites including the Gallos Gate, Town Wall (which is elevated around the city and has a walkway almost the whole way around the town), St. James Church, The Christmas Museum (which was magical), Historical Vaults of the 30 years war and of course Plonlein. Plonlein is the classic photo of Rotherberg and is seen in many books and post cards. We really enjoyed wandering around the small, adorable town. We enjoyed greek food (random) at the Taverna Marathon and Schnaeballen- which is a delicious dessert along with coffee before making our way back to our hotel. We met up with the group from Vancouver and had an amazing traditional German dinner of Spätzle and beef. We were all super tired and jet lagged so we went to bed early to get ready for Munich!

Sunday March 13th, 2016             Rise and shine was early this am! We grabbed a very European breakfast of buns, meat and cheese before hoping on the bus for the 2ish hour drive , south to Dachau. Dachau was the first Nazi concentration camp in Germany. It was said to be a “work camp” originally where political prisoners were to be housed as early as 1933. It is believed that over 25,000 prisoners died from illness or suicide and over 32,000 were killed. The camp saw as many as 200,000 prisoners. We did a walking tour of the property which was very challenging to see. There was also a 20 minute video in the museum that was very graphic. The museum houses memorials, barracks as well as the old gas chamber and crematorium. The various religious memorials are visited by thousands of people each year as well.            After the enlightening visit to Dachau, we made our way to Munich.  Munich is the third most populous city in Germany (behind Berlin and Hamburg of course) and is know for its beautiful, century old buildings and of course Octoberfest. We started our day in Munich by wandering around the stunning English Gardens. The first thing we saw were people surfing on an arm of the Isar River at one of the entrances of the Gardens. It was magical! It was so cold but they have one area where the river makes a 1 metre wave that many locals come and surf  on. I was freezing just watching them! As we wandered around the English Garden, we learned more about it’s history (how it used to be hunting ground for the royal family until the late 18th century when it was opened to the public).  We visited the Theatiner Church where there was a large pre St. Patrick’s day Festival going on. We caught a glimps of City Hall as well as the Cathedral Church of our Lady (Frauenkirche). This Cathedral is a landmark in the city and is known as the symbol of the Bavarian Capitol. It stands at 99m tall which makes it the tallest building in the city centre and has the infamous “Devil’s Footstep”. We wandered around the city square (Middlespaz) and had a small lunch as we wandered. Unfortunately, much of the shops and more touristy things were closed as it was Sunday.  One super cool thing that we did see in the Marienplatz was the Glockenspiel (google it, it’s cool). We did manage to check out the three known “Tours” as well as the magical Hopfbrauhaus. While we didn’t stop in for a beer, we did enjoy all of the excitement and festivities inside.  We had a lovely dinner at franziskaner in der au, just outside the city centre of sauerkraut type salad, pork and pasta before heading back to the econtel for the night.

Monday March 14th, 2016              I was super excited about the plan for today! We were driving to Neuschwanstein Castle! Neuschwanstein is a nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival palace approx. 1.6 km walk uphill in the village of Hohenschwangau. The castle was designed by King ludwig the second. He had designed it and lived in another castle (Holschwangow) on the property while it was being built (for almost 13 years). King Ludwig was a complex man who enjoyed Wagner (which was listened to Valkyrie on the way to the castle), literature and fine woodwork. There are various stories of his bizarre behaviour, “different” interests (homosexual tendencies which were not accepted at that time) among other things. He was declared insane and admitted to a hospital where he was found dead in the river only 2 days after admission. He had gone for a walk with his doctor and was found in knee deep water, with no water in his lungs. His death was rather mysterious and unfortunate, as he never go to see his masterpiece of a castle fully built. The castle itself sees 1.5 million visitors a day. It is massive and magical- especially the Throne room with its 2000 lb chandelier made out of fake gem stones and 1.5 million stone floor that illustrates plant and animal life. The walls and ceilings are also very interesting with paintings of Jesus and 6 canonized kings. The tour itself wasn’t anything to write home about and was not overly informative. It was definitely a magical place to visit and the views in and around the castle were worth the steep hike.

             After the castle, we watched Sophie School (great movie) as we headed back into Munich for a guided bus tour of the city by our guide Barbara. She gave us the background of the city (which I won’t bore you with but is quite interesting as Munich is considered a “young” city for Europe and much of it was destroyed in WW2 and rebuilt). We drove past many important/interesting landmarks including the House of Kunz Art (german art that Hilter built), many universities (which are free in Germany) including the one that Sophie School went to, the Olympic Park (of the 1972 Olympics) and many other iconic streets/parks. Munich is a very fast growing city becauose of its high quality of living. There are many parks, lakes and mountains in the area along with lots of jobs which means the cost of living is increasing by approx. 5-10% each year. It is much cheaper to rent than to buy in the city and there are many young families living in 900 sq. feet and paying approx. 1500-2000 euro a month (crazy!). We stopped at one of my favourite places of the trip and that was the Nyphenburg Palace. Again, I won’t bore you with the details but it was the summer residence of the former rulers of Bavaria of the House of Wittelsbach. It is now a series of museums and has beautiful grounds to wander and explore. We had dinner at a former monastery turned Brewery called the Augustine. We had a very traditional dinner of beet, bratwurst and potato salad with their home made apple fritter for dessert. We continued the tour of Munich after dinner by seeing the Hofbrauhaus at night along with the Opera House that was one of the first in the 17th Century. The Opera House has been rebuilt multiple times after varies fires/wars and features approximately 300 shows per year.   We headed back to the hotel for a good nights sleep before another exciting day!

Tuesday March 15th, 2016            Today we would be driving through 3 different countries! We left Germany and passed through the Town of Garmish. Garmish is small town, much older than Munich on the trade route known for its ski hills and Winter Games. We headed through Germany and made our way into Austria. We learned that there are not borders in Europe which is pretty neat. Everyone in the EU may come and go as they please and may live/work whenever they would like.  We were heading into Innsbruck for the afternoon. Austria itself, is known for its delicious meat. Austria is home to approximately 8.4 million people and its main industry is tourism (24 million a year approximately) but its scenery is like none other. 60% of the country is covered in mountains who’s peaks are almost 4000m high. The biggest palace in Europe can also be found in Austria- in Innsbruck and was home to the Royal Family (who’s monarchy ended in 1918). We spent a few hours exploring Innsbruck. We visited much of the old town (which is quite small) and saw some tourist landmarks such as the Golden Roof House built by Maximilian, The Innsbruck city tower, and of course, the Swarovski Flag Ship Store. We saw many old, medieval type buildings along with some beautiful churches. Other than the beautiful mountains, St. Jacob’s church was my favourite building- it had a beautiful marble alter with large lit up cross and massive black organ. We hopped back in the bus and took the Brenner Pass through the amazing alps. The Brenner pas was originally used by the tribes men many years ago and is still known as an important trade route between Austria and Italy. It was a magical drive through the mountains with many old castles and places to stay. We made our way south to our hotel which was just outside of Venice near Treviso. The hotel (Park hotel villa fiorita) was so tacky and Italian- I just loved it!! We got settled into our rooms (where we would be staying for two nights) and then made our way down to the dining room for a traditional dinner. The dining room was very Roman inspired with beautiful (but strange) paintings all over the walls. Our dinner of pasta, turkey, veggies and apple crumble was delicious! I was super excited to hit the hay this night as Venice was one of the cities I was most excited to visit.

Wednesday March 16th, 2016            As always, breakfast was early (but delicious with the classic euro spread along with pancakes and croissants for the carbs lovers out there) but worth it to hop on the bus to head down to Venice. Nik gave us a brief history lesson on the country (including The Kingdom of Italy being found in 1861, the end of the Monarchy in 1919 along with the Black Chapter that was Moussilini’s take over in the 1922). I really do enjoy learning about all of the history- I make all of these half ass attempts at typing it all out as he is talking and then make short forms that a year later, I don’t understand. Ah well! That is what google is for isn’t it? ANYWAYS. Venice! So exciting. Venice is a unesco World Heritage site but has seen its fair share of destruction and sadness, including floods and plagues (also the starting point of mask where and carnival somehow). Venice is actually made up of 117 small islands  that are separated by many canals and linked by bridges. They are located in the Venetian lagoon which is an enclosed bay that is found between the Po and Piave Rivers. There are approximately 265,000 people that live in Venice, 55,000 who live in the historical city part.  Once we arrived at the port, we took a 20 min boat ride over where we watched a glass blowing demonstration- which is super Venetian. There are about 35 companies in Venice that make glass but only a handful that do it by hand. The glass (Moreno) is beautiful, made out of sand, salt and colours that are created by other minerals.             After the glass blowing demonstration and some shopping (of course), we had a walking tour with our guide Alysio. He explained much more of the cities history and pointed out a few beautiful landmarks. He also took us on a tour of the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) which was very beautiful. It was originally build in the 1300s and then rebuilt in the 1500s. There is a massive, golden staircase because, more was always better in the Venetian world. Each wall had something on it- gold, paint, murals, mosaics etc- no wall caould be empty.  We came out of the Palace in St. Marc’s Square (Piazza San Marco) which is a landmark in the city. It has many restaurants, shops and famous places within the square. We visited St. Marc’s Basilica which is said to actually house the remains of St Marc below the alter. The  Basilica is quite dark but still very beautiful with many old features. We wandered around the city of Venice- getting lost in all the small walkways, canals and bridges. It was magical! We hopped on a gondola as well and took a beautiful ride in and around the city through the canals. We checked out many of the high end shops (all of the designers were found in Piazza San Marco) and also did some bartering for souvenirs and such. The Rialto bridge was sadly under construction, but we still managed to get a few great photos and see some of the stores that can be found on and around the bridge. We stopped for some traditional food (the most amazing pizza, cannoli AND gelati) before grabbing some vino on route to the boat back to the bus.  Dinner was back at the hotel – pasta of course with some veggies, beef and of course rum cake for dessert. My aunt and I wandered around the hotel- they had an interesting Hemingway exhibition and bar in the basemen which was rather odd in my opinion.  The mix of the music/bar seen with the hemingway info lead to some pretty bizarre dreams that night that’s for sure!

Thursday, March 17th, 2017            This morning we headed on the Brenner Pass to Verona- which funny enough cost about $35 since all of the highways in Italy are toll routes. The highways are privately, not state owned so the rate per highway can change which is neat. In Germany, the highways are free, in Switzerland, you pay for a pass each year and in Austria, you can pay for a week, month or year (similar to the 407). I was very excited today because it was 15 degrees and sunny!! We were headed 2 hours from Treviso to Verona which is a very old city, approx. 100 years BC. Verona is heavily fortified, especially around the river and is also a Heritage UNESCO site due to its Roman Empire/Medieval/Renaissance architecture and preserved monuments and squares. One of our first stops was the Arena of Verona (their version of the Coliseum) which is about 80 years older than the Coliseum. (making it almost 1186 years old!!!) At this time, there is only one wing left of it as an earthquake ruined ¾ of it in 1117. We stopped to visit Romeo and Juliet’s house (sadly not the real one) as well as Juliet’s Balcony (which is very popular place to visit). I was very impressed with Verona- it has beautiful landscapes of not only greenery and a beautiful river, but amazing mountains and old, maintained architecture.  We stopped by the market which had amazing fresh fruit, vegetables and sandwiches near the Ponte Pietra. We checked out the Cathedral Di Verona before hopping on the bus to drive from Verona to Switzerland.

        Our drive through the alps was magical! We drove through  Como which is an amazing area (George Clooney has a house there which we saw!) along with Lugano which is very Swiss meets Mediterrean. Of course, Nik gave us our daily history lesson on Switzerland and including some interesting facts. Switzerland, is one of the safest places in the world. All of the entrances can be closed (literally with a bomb to close it physically) if there was any concern for the Swiss’ safety. Since Switzerland is a very “neutral” place, politically, I don’t think they would have many issues.  We heard many interesting folklores and fables about the country during our drive (which I won’t bore you with). We made it to the town of Giswil(population 300) which is just outside of Lucerne. Dinner was soup, salad and a meatloaf-esque burger with traditional fries and gravy (haha) It was an early to bed tonight – other than my early morning wake up call to facetime with the lovely Jess so I wouldn’t miss the Open announcement!

Friday March 18, 2016:          My aunt and I decided to get up a bit early to wander around the quaint town. It was a bit chilly but we enjoyed the rolling hills of the area and the beautiful fresh air. After showers and a basic European breakfast (meat, cheese and bread of course), we hopped on the bus for Lucerne. The first stop with the famous Lion Monument which was created for the Swiss guard who died in 1792 in defence of King Louis XVI, his fine Marie Antoinette and their kids. The Swiss guard is known for their loyalty and this monument is a sign of strength, power and loyalty. The monument is actually much cooler than I had anticipated as it is carved into a larger rock/mountain side. We had plenty of time to wander around the magical mountain city and check out Lake Lucerne which can be seen from almost everywhere in the city. We saw the glacier gardens, Friti Fountain, Chapel Bridge, Water tower and did some hiking on the fortification wall to check out the view from a higher vantage point.  We enjoyed some delicious (and expensive!) Swiss Chocolate and learned about the various historical events that had taken place in the city. We met up with the grup at the Schwanplatz (city centre) and headed back to the hotel for dinner (salad with random curry chicken and ice cream) before settling in for our last day of the tour.

Saturday March 19, 2016:            Today we were going to visit the largest waterfalls in Europe!! I was pretty stoked about this since I expected them to be similar to Niagara Falls. While the Rhine Falls are beautiful (they truly are) they are nothing in Comparison to Niagara Falls. The Rhine Falls go back to the last ice age about 2000 years ago and are 23 meters tall and 150 meters wide and found in the town of Schwafassen. We got some great photos before heading back on the bus to take the drive through the Black Forest. The Black forest got its name from the narrow trees that make is very very dark and brings out lots of legends and myths. The Grimm brothers wrote all of their stories based on the Black Forest and there are many stories about trolls, dwarfs and other mythical creatures. We made our way to the Hofgut Sternen – a family run shop where they make cuckoo-clocks which was actually a lot more interesting than I had thought. We saw one of (if not the) largest cuckoo clocks and then saw an informative demonstration about how the clocks worked. The cuckoo is made out of wood and cotton and is basically the music box, mechanism (from Switzerland) and the cuckoo. They are all the same here in Black Forest except for the design in which there are 120 different types of clocks that all tell a story. I didn’t realize how intricate and different they could all be! We enjoyed some delicious Black Forest Cake before jumping back on the bus to head north to Heidelberg.             Heidelberg is the oldest university town in Germany and the second oldest in all of Europe. It is known for its literature and philosophy along with its castle- Schloss Heidelberg. We went and saw the castle ruins (and saw a random fox on a leash..) while enjoying some pretzels and checking out the worlds largest wine barrel (heaven!). The town was super cute and was filled with old buildings, small streets and even the longest pedestrian walkway in Germany.  Nik told us a lot about the extensive history of the city (the good and the bad) and we stopped into a few other small museums and stores. The one thing I didn’t get to do that I would’ve loved to have tried in the city was the Furnicular (basically a gondola) but the line was super long and we wanted to explore more- ah well! There is always next time!             We made it to the hotel Exelsior around 7 and wandered around it for while. It was very modern from the outside but had many touches of its old charm. The lobby was super cute and inviting. The bathrooms were super retro but really big and fitting for the hotel. We had an amazing buffet dinner of zucchini boats, rice. wedges and schnitzel which was all delicious along with fruit and pudding for dessert. We ended the evening as a big group talking about our favourite part of the trip and then singing Oh Canada which was pretty special. Everyone hugged good bye (and exchanged social media accounts of course) before heading to bed for the flights home.

Sunday March 20th, 2016           Sadly, I was the first one to leave in the am as my flight was the earliest. Originally the company wanted all of us (meaning the three of us) going to Ontario to go to the airport at the same time but that sounded just silly! Nik called me a cab at 0600 and had a great spread for breakfast to go ready for me. The drive to the Frankfurt airport was about 45 with little traffic and I managed to learn a bit more about the area from the cab driver. My flight home was just under 8 hours and was average with plenty of movie options and snacks. All in all, this was a great mini EuroTrip. While I have many other places I would like to visit (and maybe even return to) it gave me a taste of the continent and made me eager to see more! Until next time!