#HPHM ship week 2024 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

catohphm · 2 months

Text

HPHM Ship Week '24 Day One - Quidditch

The Day before the Match

Special thanks to @autisticarachnid and @eternalchaoschocolaterain.

This is the first of my fic for @hphm-ship-week! I have been writing a trilogy of short fics about my main MC x Canon ship over the summer for this event. It is my MC Cato paired with Penny Haywood, which I like to call Reesewood. I've been long-awaiting for it to come and now it's here. These were so fun to brainstorm and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed creating them!<3

The fic begins after clicking the "keep reading" cut below.

The next day would be the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Cato Reese, one of the Ravenclaw team’s chasers, had been trying his best to focus on transfiguration homework. He was in the courtyard studying with Rowan to complete the assignments. They had just finished for the day when Rowan saw his best friend looking concerned.

“What are you thinking about, Cato? You can say, I won’t assume anything.”

“I’m having a hard time getting my mind off the match tomorrow, Rowan.”

He leaned in closer to Cato “I get uneasy whenever something big comes up too. It’s never stopped us from passing exams or being on time with homework, even the vaults.”

“Well, I’ve been trying to figure out why it’s hard to keep those thoughts to the side. I think it's because every challenge is different, so are the steps.”

Putting up his hand up to his cheek, Rowan commented in a thoughtful tone. “Hmmm, I see where you’re coming from on that. I doubt it is necessarily a problem, though.”

Cato quickly paused and elaborated “I’ve been trying to remind myself of that. It’s hard because there are so many things going on.”

Something clicked in Rowan. “Ravenclaw honors and values big achievements in learning, being intelligent and knowledgeable.”

“Yes, Rowan. It’s the pressure to do well when you’re dealing with the cursed vaults and people who doubt, or depend on you. I’m trying to enjoy my time here, I’m only fighting them out of a sense of duty.”

Cato’s friend nodded. “I wouldn’t worry about letting anyone down. You’ve got us, your friends. I’m confident you’ll best Slytherin in the game.”

“Thank you! I best put the vaults aside for now. They’re missions that take time to complete.”

Penny was walking by. She saw her friends and approached them

“Hi Cato and Rowan! How’s it going?”

Cato spoke first. “Hi Penny. I was a bit worried how well I’d do in the upcoming Quidditch match against Slytherin.”

“He’s been stressed somewhat about everyone expecting highly of him.” added Rowan.

“Ahh, I know how hard it is being popular.” Cato and Rowan encouraged her to join them. The Hufflepuff smiled and sat down with her two Ravenclaw friends.

She then elaborated “Many of our classmates look up to me because of my beauty and my skills at potions. I really do appreciate it, but they must remember it all comes naturally.”

“That’s a great point!” Rowan exclaimed then frowned. “Sadly people these days tend to take those things for granted.”

In a somewhat exhausted tone, Cato reflected “I only wanted to build my skills in magic and make friends at Hogwarts. Never have I imagined in the first place that I’d have such obligations. Schoolwork is one thing, but all it together with quidditch and the vaults is too much.”

Penny and Rowan rested their hands on Cato's shoulders. He looked at both of them on his sides and felt brighter.

“I wouldn't dwell too much on trying to impress or prove to everybody. I try to pay attention to my own work first.” she said.

Rowan added “We can only do the best we can. All we want from you is to be happy, do well in class and stay in touch with you. We're always by your side regardless of what comes, Cato.”

“Thank you, Penny and Rowan, it does mean a lot.” their friend answered with a warm smile and nod.”

Rowan then got up from the bench. “I need to return this book real fast before the library closes. I'll be back.” Cato and Penny nodded in response as their friend went to drop off the book.

With them having a short moment to themselves, Penny then spoke.

“So, Cato, are you still feeling nervous about this at all?” she asked him.

“Still some, I guess. Worrying about getting knocked off my broom by a bludger keeps me going in the game but it's more a hard thought to shake off more than anything, Penny.”

She smiled. “You can always keep me in your thoughts.”

“Ah, Penny, how so?” he asked in a giggly voice.

“Even if you get knocked off your broom by a bludger, I'll be there with you in the hospital wing.”

She then kissed him on the cheek. It made Cato blush a bit and laugh. “How could I never count on you, Penny? You've always done your best to look out for me ever since the day I first faced Merula in a duel, got in trouble just for standing up for Ben and helped me up, get my things when I fell trying to face Rowan about to be late for Charms. That's some real above and beyond stuff.”

“I've always appreciated that about you, Cato. The prophet and those other students, they treated you harshly for what? Stuff your brother did when you were just at home? I could never see any of that being true in the first place. You've always been there to help people who need it, even when you know it goes against the rules.”

“I still did what was right?”

“Yes!” assured Penny. “It doesn't make anything you did less right, Cato. I wouldn't worry about it. Rest up when the time comes for tomorrow, I have faith you'll make an amazing effort for the team!”n

#hphmshipweek24 #hphm ship week 2024 #hphm #hogwarts mystery mc #hphm mc #cato x penny #cato reese #penny haywood #reesewood #mc x penny #harry potter hogwarts mystery #penny x mc #hphm penny #rowan khanna

21 notes · View notes

helenadurazzo · 2 months

Text

A Wonderful World of Color

Ended up being able to throw together a new story just in time for the HPHM Ship Weekend. For this, I took the prompt of the Soulmate AU. In this universe, before a person makes eye contact with their soulmate, the world is coated in shades of grey. Normally, people know who their soulmate is right away, yet not for Helena.

Helena often wondered what the world would look like if it was in color. Oftentimes the world seemed rather drab with it being drowned in shades of grey. The world was how it was though and as many people said, fate would be the determining factor in if the world would erupt in color for you or not. And sometimes Helena figured that her time would never come.

Mum never really talked about soulmates, saying that she had never met hers like father. Yet while Dad certainly never met the person he was meant for, she knew his words were genuine even though he did find happiness in what he was able to get. Yet Mum was a whole other story, sometimes Helena would hear her stumble her words and wondered if she could indeed see the world in color like those who had met their soulmate. She supposed it would be proper for a person with a passion for herbology and nature would be able to see in color, yet Helena never pushed to uncover her Mum’s past. Perhaps that day when she met Dad in that coffee shop she figured a life with someone was better if she could not be with her own soulmate. Yet in such situations, it was wise to not tread on such sensitive subjects. Helena wished she could ask Jacob for advice yet he was still missing, and Helena thought lingered on him endlessly. At least she had her peers and the joys that being a student at Hogwarts had to offer, it was the only way to keep her mind off of the cursed vaults after all.

She supposed Hogwarts was a common place for soulmates to meet, possibly one of the most common places to do so in the country. Yet between herself, Rowan, Tulip, and Badeea, only Badeea was the one who was able to see in color, when she and Talbott discovering they were soulmates not too long into the school year yet while they both did spend a lot of time together both decided to revisit that topic later. She would describe in great detail the colors of her paintings that it almost felt like Helena could indeed see their vibrancy. And Tulip had started making bets of which out of the three of them would meet their soulmate next.

But for now a quidditch game between Slytherin and Ravenclaw would do plenty to keep her and her roommates occupied without focusing on something that perhaps they could never find. Helena watched the match intently, after all, it was hard to tell the differences of who was who on the team as without seeing colors, it was a challenge, yet Badeea always provides more personal commentary and answers to questions that Murphy simply couldn’t provide from his seat in the highest place as the commentator.

“The Slytherins are on their game this year.” Tulip remarked as the players flew around on their brooms at top speeds.

“Certainly.” Rowan nodded, cheering as Skye Parkin, a Ravenclaw the year above them who hailed from the famous Parkin Family who founded the Wigtown Wanderers, successfully threw a quaffle that evaded Slytherin’s keeper. “Perhaps this will be the year for Ravenclaw.”

“I hope no one gets hurt in this match, Slytherin players can be quite aggressive, especially that Erika Rath.” Helena noted, knowing if one of the chasers was injured, she would be brought onto the pitch. Normally it would be a chance to gain great honor, yet Helena pondered how she would react when she was on the pitch playing for a crowd with people in the supposedly the colors of each house judging by the shades of grey and matching facepaint.

When she turned her head away from her friends and back to pitch her eyes widened at the sight ahead of her with surprise as a bludger rushed straight towards her face. She instinctively ducked and was lucky the bludger did not hit her in the head, since she would have likely been knocked out and would have woken up in the hospital wing. Yet when she got the courage to look back at the pitch, her eyes met one of the other players. The sudden burst of unexpected color in the world made her feel so entranced by those blue eyes, similar to her own yet with a slight more hint of green perhaps? Maybe it was teal? Before she could once more gain her senses whichever quidditch player that was had flown off to another area of the pitch and was gone. However, there was one thing Helena was sure of, that mystery quidditch player was her soulmate, they had to be.

“Helena are you ok?” Rowan panicked, adjusting her glasses as they went down her nose due to the sudden turn of her head. “That bludger nearly knocked you into next week!”

“I… I can see…” Helena stammered as she looked out to the pitch. Observing the quidditch players in dark blue and emerald green flying back and forth depending on where the quidditch balls were and carefully evading bludgers with swift movements. On the other side of the stands, everyone was dressed in similar shades of the two colors, it was bright and radiant, “Colors, its… it’s really something…”

“Congratulations!” Badeea cheered before noticing what was like an uncertain look on Helena’s own face, “Sorry, I guess it’s not the best time…”

“No you’re fine.” Helena softly smiled at her friend.

“So who’s the lucky quidditch player who you are destined to be with?” Tulip smirked, “It’s got to be a quidditch player who is your soulmate right?”

“I… I don’t know.” Helena confessed, still catching her breath. “I only saw their eyes due to that bludger. They were a bluish green.”

“I know I don’t know any of the quidditch players, much less their eye colors.” Tulip noted, “but that isn’t a lot to go off of. Yet I suppose we can take off Orion and Skye off of the possibilities, not only have you talked with both of them but the eye colors don’t match.”

“Now that you mention that.” Helena realized, “Unless they put in a rookie or a substitute I have met all of the people on the Ravenclaw team. If my soulmate was one of them I should have known that by now.”

“So your soulmate must be a Slytherin.” Badeea concluded, “Perhaps they’ll come to you, surely they are also wondering the same things you are.”

“They would probably have more trouble figuring that out than Helena does.” Rowan pointed out. “Where Helena has seven Slytherin Quidditch players it could be, this quidditch player has anyone in the general vicinity of us.”

“Let’s just enjoy the rest of the match.” Helena insisted to her friends, “It’s fine, don’t worry about me, if we are soulmates surely our paths will cross again, or the universe will give me a sign to who it is.”

•••••••••••••••••

Even being at home for the weekend could not quell Helena’s perplexing feelings. She supposed it was nice to see her mother again, she just thought she would have more than a week before she would have to deal with the possibility of telling her mother. She didn’t even know how to bring it up. And knowing her mother, it was only a matter of time before the conversation would finally come up. If only her father wasn’t on a business trip and her brother wasn’t who knows where, perhaps they could have helped easy the tension her brain insisted was there

“Helena, dear, you have hardly touched your food.” Her mother observed much sooner than Helena planned, “Is everything alright?”

“I am fine Mum.” She attempted to give her a reassuring smile. “I… I guess I have just been thinking… about someon- thing! Thinking about something” she cringed at her stumbling of words, there went her attempt at surviving this break from school without her mother finding out what happened at that fateful quidditch match. Her face likely looked even more like she was hiding something, and her mother was able to read that like a book.

“Sweetie.” Her mum softly eyed her with concern, “You know you can tell me what’s going on.”

Helena sighed, “I’m sorry… I guess I was just worried about bringing it up. It’s just… back at that quidditch game… I saw colors for the first time and-“

“You met your soulmate?” Her mother’s eyes widened and brightened with happiness that nearly startled Helena due to its suddenness, “That’s wonderful!”

“That’s the thing…” Helena awkwardly continued her previous statement, “I would not say I have ‘met’ them. What happened was I was nearly hit in the face by a bludger, don’t worry, I avoided it. But when I looked to see where it came from, I met eyes with one of the Slytherin quidditch players and the next thing I could know I could see color and that quidditch player was somewhere on the other side of the quidditch pitch.”

“I see…” Her mother breathed, looking as if she was thinking about something.

“Sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.” Helena apologized, “I wanted to tell you, I need to talk with someone other than my roommates at some point. I just… didn’t know how you would react. You were never really open about it before…”

“I suppose I haven’t.” Her mother agreed quickly rather than denying her flaws, “I apologize if I made you feel like you couldn’t talk to me about that. I guess I just let my own experience take control, but I suppose I should tell you the story. Might be a bit of a tangent but you’ll get the point I promise.” Her mother sighed, “I was one of the ones who saw colors early on, back in my first year of Hogwarts. My father, your grandfather, had sent me a howler that day, furious that I was sorted into Hufflepuff rather than Slytherin. One of my classmates, a Ravenclaw, approached me to see if I was alright and we connected the dots after the world burst into color before our eyes. He was my closest friend, yet I knew my fate. I was a pure blood where he was not, and my father already had very little patience. I was… scared of what he would say. So many pure bloods ignore the soulmates for the sake of preserving social status, and I knew my parents would be the same way. So before our graduation, I ended things with him out of fear and we never crossed paths since. A few years later I took charge in my life when I met your father and found another form of happiness.” Her mother’s bright blue eyes moved back towards looking at Helena. “All of this is to say, I don’t want you to lose your soulmate because of what others may think, including myself and your father. You know better than any one of what makes you happy. Don’t let your chance at love slip through your fingers.”

Helena gave a small smile after a few moments of silence to let her mother’s words sink in, “Thanks Mum. I just need to figure out who it is first…”

•••••••••••••••••

Another week of classes had passed and Helena found herself once again at another weekend. Yet unlike the previous one where she spent it with the comfort of her mother’s company, this one would be spent at Hogwarts. And that certainly wasn’t a bad thing but just something that left Helena once again at the mercy of her own thoughts.

It was why Helena did what she always did when she was stuck in her own thoughts and needed some time to reflect, going outside. Breathing in the fresh air always seemed to alleviate any stress she had, and even this particular flurry of thoughts of hers seemed to lessen even if only slightly. Being the daughter of a renowned herbologist, it had always been natural for Helena, who spent a large amount of her childhood in the greenhouse. Of course, even she felt some variety was necessary and found herself heading to the training grounds when the flying classes would be hosted and the quidditch pitch was in sight.

In the distance, she could even see some quidditch players participating in a friendly match. It seems to be Gryffindor and Hufflepuff judging by the ruby red and golden uniforms, so she didn’t feel pressured in walking all the way over there. If she was to figure out who her soulmate was, she would need to figure out more about the Slytherins who were a part of that match that fateful day. She didn’t even think about talking to Skye or Orion but it likely wasn’t worth it. Orion would likely give her some philosophical riddle she was not in the mood to solve while Skye would simply insult the competition rather than enlighten her on who her soulmate could have been. Perhaps her soulmate would come to her, but it seemed unlikely, it had been a couple of weeks since then after all.

As she walked along one of the dirt paths, she found herself turning her head to the right and noticing a blonde Slytherin practicing on the training grounds. She had heard from Penny enough about the Slytherin’s reputation to know it was Slytherin’s star beater, Erika Rath, who practiced non-stop whenever she wasn’t on the pitch or keeping up her marks in her classes. Perhaps she was better with Skye and other quidditch players in that regard as many neglected their studies for the sake of quidditch.

Erika looked so intensely focused on the training dummies as she swung her beater’s bat with all her might and watched with satisfaction as the bludger managed to knock each of the dummies down one by one. Helena pitied the chasers who opposed her and supposed she was thankful that she had not found herself in such a position. Skye had always talked about Erika Rath in the worst light, saying that she used her brash actions on purpose and desired to cause harm to express her own prowess. Helena pondered how much of that was true, for what she did know, Erika appeared to be a bit of a loner, simply keeping casual acquaintances with her peers and teammates.

Before Helena knew it, she watched as Erika looked over the sight with satisfaction and wrestled the bludger back into its case, latching it securely. Erika swung around rather quickly and eyed her causing Helena’s face to redden, especially as she recognized those bluish green eyes of hers from earlier. Someone must have casted Lumos to enlighten her on the soulmate topic as after looking at Erika once again, she did not even feel the need to look at the other Slytherin quidditch players as the eyes surely matched Erika’s. She probably looked like a fool in that moment, stopping in her place and simply staring, and Erika did not take long to observe her mannerisms.

“You came to watch Durazzo?” Erika commented with a peculiar smile on her face.

“I was just walking in the area…” Helena awkwardly rubbed the back of her head, pondering if Erika had connected the same dots she had. Judging by her quite uncharacteristic behavior perhaps she had. “It’s a nice day after all.” She added before instinctively walking over towards the blonde Slytherin.

“I meant to apologize for that bludger a couple of weeks ago.” Erika surprisingly apologized, so unlike how many of the rumors interpreted her.

“That was you?” Helena’s eyes widened before realizing that she did only have a fifty-fifty chance between the two beaters, and with someone as such a ruthless reputation as Erika it was always bound to be her.

“Yeah.” Erika shrugged, “Ended up hitting the bludger with my bat at an awkward angle due to a missed perception of the bludger’s location, and before I knew it, that bludger was heading towards the stands. I know we don’t know each other that well, but it’s good to see you not be locked up in the hospital wing.”

“So you…?” Helena blushed.

“Yeah…” Erika smiled in a way that was so perplexing given her tough exterior. “It took me a bit to figure it out. But your hair was what gave you away to me. And ever since I was trying to figure out how to interpret our fate and those feelings.”

“I have been too.” Helena looked off to the side. “But regardless, I think we will have a bright future ahead of us.”

#hphmshipweek24 #HPHM ship week 2024 #HPHM #Hogwarts Mysteru #Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery #HPHM mc #Helena Durazzo #Erika Rath #Helena x Erika #Erika x Helena #Erina #Erika Rath x MC #MC x Erika Rath

7 notes · View notes

justonedrawer · 2 months

Text

HPHM SHIP WEEK 2024

Day 7: Sunset

Idk it reminded me of them

#MY CUTIES #I LOVE THEM-#hphm ship week 2024 #hphm #my art #chiara lobosca #jae kim

2 notes · View notes

benscursedkid · 2 months

Text

Synopsis: Anything your soulmate loses finds its way to you. Rebekah takes an embarrassingly long amount of time to realize something she should’ve known all along.

Genre: fluff, angst

Notes: written for the hphm 2024 ship week! I know it’s day one and I’m using a day 2 prompts but they’re my favorites. unfortunately, inspiration is finicky and I just have to follow where it leads. hope nobody minds! this could technically be a two-in-one with the DANCE prompt. I completely lost track of time soon so it ends kinda abruptly so sorry about that!

**Also a quick note, I’d grown too attached to the backstory I’d come up with before mcs canon dad was introduced, so I’m ignoring that.

Rebekah’s soulmate, she determined at a young age, must be quite forgetful. Growing up, it was a remarkably common occurrence for her to wake up in the morning with some strange and foreign object sitting on her nightstand. Being a witch, she was used to all kids of magical items with powers beyond the imagination. What made these items so strange, however, was the striking mundanity of them.

She remembers vividly the morning she awoke to a small red plastic box on her nightstand. Inspecting it found a small blade nestled on the inside. With her brother at school, she had to settle for asking her parents if they had any idea what the odd thing was.

Her father laughed brightly when he saw in, small enough to fit in her palm. He walked over to his desk nestled in the living room corner and brought back one of his muggle writing utensils.

“This, my dear, is a pencil sharpener.” He chuckled and plucked it carefully from between her fingers.

Putting the pointy end in the sharpener, he turns it a few times. When he removes it, Rebekah is astonished to realize it’s sharper than it was before. How unique.

“I think those are better than quills,” Rebekah giggles and examines both the pencil and the sharpener. “This is so plain! And it’s way easier to write with.”

Her father grins happily at her apparent approval and taps the sharpener curiously. “Where did you get this if you don’t know what it is?” He asks.

“I found it in my room. I think it was—”

“Your soulmate,” her father finishes for her astutely.

Rebekah is more than pleased by this development. Her soulmate always loses the strangest things. She loves getting to see these things. Forming a picture in her mind of what they must be like. If they use lots of pencils, maybe they’re an artist! Or maybe they like writing stories.

Her father, on the other hand, turns away from her with the faintest frown. His brows are furrowed as he considers something in his head and she grabs his hand.

“Dad?”

Her voice snaps him from his thoughts and his frowns is quickly replaced with a smile. “Oh, sorry, Beks. It’s nothing. I’m glad you get to have this.”

In her youthfulness, Rebekah does not pull at this thread. She accepts this reply and focuses back on the pencil sharpener. Maybe if she would have, she could’ve saved herself and her soulmate a lot of time.

~✰~

The night that her brother disappeared, Rebekah couldn’t sleep. She’d caught him leaving in the middle of the night and Jacob managed to convince her to go back to bed and that she’d see him in the morning. Despite listening to him, Rebekah just had a sinking, dreadful feeling that he was wrong.

She tossed and turned all night. Her stomach felt like it had been twisted into several knots. When sleep finally claimed her, the sun had been just beginning to rise.

When she did eventually wake up, it was to the exact news she had feared. She wasn’t sure how she knew, but she did. Her parents could barely say the words.

Nobody really spoke that day. Everyone just cried. Even though Jacob had only been reported missing, it felt like they were mourning him already. Rebekah couldn’t get away fast enough, back to the quiet solitude of her room. At least there she couldn’t hear the despair of her mother’s cries and couldn’t see the emptiness in her father’s eyes.

She changed into her pajamas with haste, hoping that maybe if she went to sleep, she wouldn’t have to feel this way anymore. At least for a time. Though, When she returned to her bed there was something there waiting for her.

Rebekah was surprised to see it. Usually, she only received her soulmate’s things in the morning.

Yet there it was, plain as day. Her steps were hesitant as she approached it. A long day of grief had left her tired and weary. But when her fingers met the soft fur, her tears began anew.

It was a teddy bear, dressed impeccably in a little white bow tie around its neck. The soft fur was a dark, chocolatey brown and felt like what she would imagine a princess’s pillow to be like. There was a small smile stitched into its face and round black eyes watching her. As soon as she touched it, she crumbled again.

Rebekah sat on her bed, pulled it into her lap, and wrapped her arms all the way around it. Her tears got the fur wet, but having something to catch them provided an unspeakable amount of support.

She wasn’t sure if her soulmate had sensed something was wrong and lost it on purpose. Or perhaps they were just that absent-minded. Whatever the case may be, all Rebekah knows is that night, her tears weren’t entirely unhappy.

~✰~

When Rebekah was finally accepted into Hogwarts, she had some faith that she might find her soulmate there.

Throughout the years, they had all come to the conclusion that her soulmate had to be a muggle. That, or perhaps a muggle-born. It was the only explanation they had for all the lost items Rebekah had received up to that point. This might’ve bothered someone else, but Rebekah cared little of the circumstances of her soulmate’s birth. Her own father is a muggle and the best man she knows so this possibility does not perturb her.

Still, she would prefer that they were still of the wizarding world if only so she could meet them sooner.

It was, in fact, right outside of potions that Rebekah met Ben Copper for the first time. Perhaps it was Merula’s bad attitude that had soured the mood or their shy natures that threw her off. It only matters that when they met, the thought did not immediately cross her mind. Surely, soulmates should compliment each other—she thought. Whereas her and Ben could barely take turns muttering their sentences.

Even as the year went on and she discovered he was indeed a muggle-born, Rebekah had all but forgotten about the possibility of meeting her soulmate when faced with the potentiality of getting her brother back.

The task began to consume her. If she could find him, if she could save him then she could bring him back and fix their family! Their mother and father had not been the same since Jacob disappeared. The house was too empty. The old pictures in frames on the wall were too painful to look at anymore.

By the time one might start to connect the dots, Rebekah’s priorities were fully somewhere else.

The only time that this question ever returned to cross her mind, was when Hogwarts held for them a ball in her fourth year.

Of course, it was with no small amount of glee that she found herself accompanying Ben as his date. She would be lying if she said she did not feel something for him. A crush if ever she’s had one, but the distant thought of her soulmate always held her back from seeking more. She does not have time for a boyfriend anyway. Not if she hopes to find Jacob before she graduates.

But when she met Ben at the top of the ballroom stairs, the spark that ran through her felt more magical than magic. She could enjoy tonight at least. They had both certainly earned it.

While they were dancing, a confession slipped off her tongue, one so silly it made her laugh.

“Y’know,” she says. “I had planned to make you a custom tie. It’s probably a lot for a dance, I know, but I’ve been experimenting a lot with painting. I’ve been talking to Filch and he helped me with a charm that would allow me to reflect my paintings onto an object. I thought it would be a nice gift but I guess it wasn’t meant to be.”

Ben’s cheeks pinked at the admission, a small, intimate smile on his face. “How come?”

“I lost it,” Rebekah laughs at herself. How she could manage to lose one of her own projects is beyond her. She must’ve been more distracted than she thought. “It was supposed to have stars on it. The Sagittarius constellation specifically since I know that’s your sign.”

Rebekah had missed the expression on his face then, but his feet stuttered in their practiced steps. Her eyes caught his and asked him an unspoken question.

Ben merely cleared his throat and looked bashfully away. “That’s—wow. That’s a shame. I think I would’ve loved it.”

“Me too.”

~✰~

Graduation was a very bittersweet occasion. Stepping foot into Hogwarts had opened up so many doors and lit the fire of several hopes and dreams. All of which has now been effectively shattered. Aside from the fact that she did manage to save her brother, nothing has panned out the way she wanted. It would not be a stretch to say that she is leaving the school a more hardened woman than the little girl who walked in.

As is tradition, the graduating class is throwing a huge going away party in the school’s largest courtyard. Though, many of her peers can be seen slipping away here and there.

Rebekah turns and checks the time on the clocktower, sighing as she takes a sniff of the firewhiskey Andre had insisted she try a sip of.

“Waiting for someone?”

The familiar voice shocks her back to the present and she turns to find Ben grinning at her. Suddenly, the whole party sounds a little less loud and some of the voices fall away. She smiles back.

“I was worried you wouldn’t show.” She muses and he offers a playful look to the drink in her hand. A laugh rips from her and she shakes her head, turning around to pour out the contents from the goblet she’d been drinking from.

“Well, it’s our going away party. I wanted to make sure I was dressed appropriately.”

Rebekah chuckles takes a step back to examine the outfit he chose. It’s hard to tear her stare away from his eyes, soft and brown, and his hair—the blond strands now more stylishly ruffled than when they were kids. He appears to have settled on a darker outfit than she’s used to seeing on him, but it actually lends itself to a more mysterious look that she thinks he’s been aiming for recently. Admits the dark backdrop of the night, she can’t say it doesn’t feel on theme.

“Recognize anything?” He tries to tease, but the words sound a bit strangled and nervous in his throat.

She offers him a puzzled look before inspecting again. It takes far longer than she cares to admit for her eyes to widen and her mouth to drop open.

“Ben, is that—”

“It’s a tie I’ve had for a while now,” he informs her casually, even if his nervous posture betrays him. “I’ve never really had a good opportunity to wear it, though.”

Rebekah shakes her head, still completely dumbfounded. Her thoughts are raving too fast for her logic to keep up with. “Where did you get that?”

“I found it,” he murmurs then, low but gentle.

His eyes soften and Rebekah doesn’t have the words. “I lost it…”

“I know.”

She blinks and he grabs her hands to pull her closer. She allows it easily. His proximity warms her even though the night isn’t cold.

“Have you known this whole time?” Is the only question all the voices in her head can agree on.

Ben’s chuckle is a breath of fresh air that washes over her. “No. I mean, I had suspicions but they weren’t confirmed until the night we went to the ball together.”

“You’ve known since then?” He nods delicately like he’s afraid of spooking her. “Then why didn’t you say anything?”

He can only shrug. A wry smile makes a crooked show of his mouth. There’s a hint of self-deprecation there that she despises. “It was never the right time. We weren’t ready.”

That is a point she can’t argue. Even now there are things about herself she wishes she could alter, moments and experiences she wishes hadn’t changed her, but it feels like it’s taken her this long to free herself and find herself after drowning for so long in all the things she thought she had to do.

“But I’m ready now,” Ben assures her. This time, his voice is firm, optimistic even. “If you are.”

Rebekah isn’t sure what to say, so she decides to trust her actions to speak for her.

She kisses him beneath the moonlight, a clocktower, and a show of fireworks. As she does, she cannot help but laugh at herself and how crazy she’s been to have not seen him sooner.

#hphm #harry potter hogwarts mystery #hogwarts mystery #hphm mc #rebekah roberts #ben copper #ben copper x mc #jacob’s sibling #ben copper x jacob’s sibling #hphmshipweek2024 #soulmate au #soulmates #hphmshipweek24

2 notes · View notes

catohphm · 2 months

Text

HPHM Ship Week 2024 - Day 2 - Second Wizarding War

In a New Peace

Good morning everyone! The second Cato x Penny story of mine for @hphm-ship-week is a post-war story set in the aftermath of the Second Wizarding War. Again, special thanks to @autisticarachnid and @eternalchaoschocolaterain! I hope you all enjoy!

Summer 1999, the country is in the process of recovering from Voldemort’s reign of terror. Cato and Penny are staying the weekend at a seaside cottage belonging to one of their friends. The trips there help them process the aftermath of the war.

Cato was relaxing on the front porch of the house when Penny came out with two cups of coffee. “This one's for you, Cato-bear.” She laid the hot beverage on the small table next to him, pecking him on the cheek.

He smiled at her and looked at the crashing waves on the beach in front of the house. “It’s different, maybe refreshing to see the waves dance back and forth along the line in the clear sunny weather, nothing on your shoulders.”

“It almost makes me tearful knowing how many of our friends and allies gave it all so this could happen,” said Penny.

“I know. It’s very solemn but still soothing to watch the wonder of nature at play. This is what our fallen friends wanted.”

She nodded and looked around at the seagulls flying around in the sky, full of life. “All the people who didn’t make it… they’re all in a better place, and I think that all the animals around here are signs that they are happy up there.”

“What do you think they want us to do, Penny?” asked Cato.

“I know it’s hard for many of us, right now, but I think the friends we lost would want us to keep going in honor of their memory.”

Her partner paused for a second. “You’re right. They gave themselves so we would have a safer world to live life in. The hiding, looking over your shoulder, dangerous people looking to hunt you down.”

“Perhaps we should set it aside for a little while, Cato? The war’s over. We need to memorialize our friends though we need time to take care of ourselves. Want to go for a walk by the beach?”

He got up from his chair. “I’d be glad to.”

They were quietly walking along the shoreline when Penny spoke up.

“Cato, I got something I would like to tell you. We’re going to have a son.”

He was shocked, but highly joyed at the surprise of a child on the way. “A child, we’re gonna start a new family? Penny, I love you very much.”

They sat down and shared a kiss with the waters of the sea sparkling beside them.

“It’s something I wanted as well for a while, but we now can.” said Penny.

Cato’s eyes widened. He considered their conversation from an hour ago and asked “New life has a chance to flourish in this peace?”

His love gleefully answered “Absolutely, I hope that we can move somewhere quiet and settle down once this is all past. For now, we must focus on rebuilding after what Voldemort and the Death Eaters tried to do.”

“I’m still going to be a part of the Auror Office for as long as Minister Shacklebolt needs me. There’s a lot of work to do yet in reforming the Ministry to remove the bad influences and have it better protect and represent all magical people in the country.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be with you there too.” assured Penny. “This is also important to me. We lost Tonks because of Voldemort and people like his supporters played a big part in why life was so difficult for werewolves like Chiara. This is our opportunity to make sure our friends and loved ones have equal protections to live in peace no matter what.”

“Very much.” agreed Cato, “Greyback may have worked with Voldemort and had many followers, but his kind still doesn’t deserve to be shafted because of a bad few.’

They looked up at the sun in the sky dotted by little clouds above the sea. “We work together so that any person, muggle-borns, werewolves, vampires, and even squibs can have the chance to live full lives without having to be hiding in fear, Cato.” Penny said.

“That has gone on for long enough.” her partner finished.

“It takes time of course.” They nodded and looked toward the ocean before Penny spoke again. “Cato, I’ve thought of some names for the baby since I first found out. I’d never pick one without you, though.”

He grinned a bit.

“What about Brian for him?” asked Penny.

“It sounds sweet. I couldn’t think of anything with my mind so occupied with the work we have to do later.”

She nodded and got up. “C’mon Cato-bear, want to go into town and stop by one of the cafes? I could use something.” He joined her and they went together.

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #hphmshipweek24 #hphm ship week 2024 #hphm mc #harry potter hogwarts mystery #cato reese #cato x penny #penny haywood #hogwarts mystery mc #mc x penny #brian haywood-reese #hpma #hpma mc #hpma oc #magic awakened #magic awakened mc #magic awakened oc

12 notes · View notes

aleapple1216 · 1 month

Text

HPHM Summer Ship Week 2024: Confession

Hi again! Bringing you the next part in my very late participation to @hphm-ship-week . Here goes nothing.

Context: Arlene and Talbott at some point after going on a few dates wondered if their relationship was serious or just casual. Since they both have some issues with commitment and how they handle their personal relationships they couldn't think of anything better than just avoiding each other for a few weeks. It is until they accidentally meet alone in the rain that they are finally able to talk and properly define how they feel; so they confess to each other that they want to be together, that they are a little afraid of commitment, but are willing to give it a try. They kiss and decide to go to the Festival of Fun (sorry I don't remember The festival's nave) as a couple.

If you speak spanish you can read the (almost) full fic I wrote HERE

Thank you so much again for reading and I hope you like this dirty, quick sketch. ^^

#hphm #hphm mc #hphm fanart #talbott winger #hogwarts mystery #arlene pierce #hogwats mystery #jacob's sibling #talbott winger x mc #jacob's sister #hphm ship week 2024

19 notes · View notes

catohphm · 2 months

Text

HPHM Ship Weekend - Day 3 - Sunset

A Moment by the Lakeside

Morning everyone! This is my third and last addition for @hphm-ship-week featuring my MC x Canon ship Cato x Penny, or Reesewood! Here they have some time for themselves by the Black Lake at Hogwarts during their seventh year early on, reveling in their deep feelings for each other. Once again special thanks goes to @autisticarachnid and @eternalchaoschocolaterain! I hope you all enjoy, feedback is greatly appreciated!

One weekend during September 1990, the young Cato and Penny were taking some time for themselves on the grounds beside the Black Lake. The sun cast a huge rippling sheen on the water, calm as ever. They were sitting together on the grass. Penny was slowly running her hands through his hair back and forth.

“I’ve been doing the best I can looking out for everyone against R and those vaults. I get tired of talking about them though. They’ve caused too much grief for us.” he reflected in a semi-exhausted voice.

“I know. I’m just glad everyone is okay. You and Bea are among the first two people I think about. R is still out there but we still sleep better with Rakepick facing justice.”

Cato smiled at this, even if his facial expressions gave off a hint of reluctance. “I don’t feel afraid as much going after them, or even taking my NEWTs. I still told myself that I’d want to have as much of a normal seventh year as possible.”

Penny smiled and answered back with an assured voice “I think we’ll all be able to have that, thanks to your efforts.” while resting her hand on his shoulder.

He looked toward her and went for her hand resting on her shoulder. Their hands grasped each other and relaxed on the grass.

“I’d want our years at Hogwarts to never end but having you is going to make even the harder times better.”

Cato shared the sentiment. “With you I don’t have to think what if not?” he laughed.

“Not at all! We’ve already done so much. I never thought in the beginning that we’d be breaking curses at Hogwarts. I’m still glad to have done it with you, Cato-bear.”

They went into a short-lasting yet slow and passionate kiss. Cato and Penny’s romance had only grown over the years as they came of age, defying any kind of obstacle from school drama, Cursed Vaults, and the incursions of R. It would only keep going as it would help them get through the stresses of their final Hogwarts term together. They also intended to dedicate the year to enjoying their bond before their lives would inevitably change after they left school.

The young couple exited their kiss and looked at the sight of the sun over the Black Lake for a moment to relax in silence, still holding each other’s hands while resting them on the grass.

Cato and Penny broke out of their silence when he reached inside of his school robe for something. “I got something special for you.”

She gasped a little in excitement. “What could it be, Cato-bear?”

He pulled out a small tan box from the robe and gave it to her. Penny took off its cover and laid it underneath its bottom half, revealing a necklace with a yellow-orange translucent stone that had flat faces and round edges. It had a brass ring going around the circumference of the circle where the two edges met. The small chain meant to be worn around the neck was made of the same material as the ring.

“Cato, this is an amber pendant. You picked something so beautiful!” she exclaimed with glee. “I’m curious where you were able to find this great gift?”

“Just before the year started, me and my friends stopped at this bargain store in the town we were staying at while on holiday at the beach. You said you were attending a function for potioneering at the time. There was nothing much interesting in the store to me, except for the pendant that caught my eye.”

Penny blushed a bit “Go on!”

“I thought of you when I saw it. I spent some time gazing at it, and realized I had to pick it up. It didn’t cost me much, but whoever made it did a great job because of how cleanly cut the amber looked. Nobody asked as we were all way too hungry by that point to think about anything else. I’ve been looking forward to giving it to you since then. This felt like the right time to do it.”

She grinned and put on the amber pendant. “Thank you so much for the sweet surprise, Cato-bear.” Penny pecked him on the cheek.

“You’re quite welcome. It looks really nice on you! The amber matches the color of the sky.”

“And it matches the bronze on your Ravenclaw tie, Cato.” pointed out Penny, with a playful giggle. “This is perfect!”

He blushed some and was joyful with a sighful smile. “I’m so flattered you like it that much. The pendant was just something little I found while I was-”

“Don’t worry about it at all! I’ve seen you have so much heart in you.”

“I’ve seen the same in you, Penny! It's the reason why I think about you a lot and are important to me. Do you want to go back inside the castle? It’s getting a little colder out here.”

Laughing a bit, she responded “I was meaning to ask that too, good call Cato!”

They rose up and took a minute to admire the spectacle of twilight in the evening sky, Penny huddled together with him.

She then took the lead and they departed, holding hands together.

#hogwarts mystery #hphm #hphmshipweek24 #hphm ship week 2024 #hphm mc #hogwarts mystery mc #cato reese #penny haywood #cato x penny #mc x penny #reesewood

12 notes · View notes