#Harry Potter commentary

[coffeefrenchandhistory]

I’ve always hated Muggle-wank stories, or stories which portray Magical Britain as some backwards hickland which needs to be pulled into [current year]. They use different technology, it’s not backwardness. 

Why use a pen when you have a self-inking quill (which also comes with built-in dictation and spellchecking)? Oooh, you’ve got a car? Hang on, let me just Apparate/Floo down to the pub — or maybe I’ll just take the ol’ broomstick (personal levitation). Or maybe a Portkey (teleportation). Need to have a chat with someone? Sure, throw some Floo powder into the fireplace and you can chat right there instead of pulling out a phone — or use the magic mirrors where all you do is say someone's name — and you aren't limited by cellphone coverage. Hermione created a pager network in her spare time in magic high school so if Magical Britain wanted to make a phone system, they would. Muggles went to the moon, that’s very nice, anyways here’s a perfect moving model of the galaxy. It's different technology, not backwardness. 

And besides, Magical Britain has (roughly) the same flaws as Muggle Britain: racism and xenophobia, wrongful incarceration, yellow journalism/sensationalist press, partisan interference in education, corruption and bribery, abuse of power (Harry's kangaroo court in OoTP, which was supposed to be a three-person hearing rather than a full Wizengamot trial). 

It’s different technology, not backwardness. 

[dude-itz-fiction]

🐍Severus Snape🐍

"Not I bullying a child, the son of my late bully, and my late unrequited crush."

[ecstarry]

that one clip from a philomena cunk but its james and sirius messing with remus

james: king arthur came a lot, didn’t he?

remus: i think you mean that he’s associated with the court of Camelot

sirius: no it definitely says ‘king arthur came a lot’

remus: camelot

james: camelot?

remus: it’s his court… where he held court, it’s a place

sirius: but do we know if he came a lot or just the same as an average man?

[apoetsworld]

Minutes. Seconds. After watching the Barbie Movie.

Sirius: IM A BARBIE GIRL, IN A BARBIE WORRRLDD

James: LIFE IN PLASTIC, ITS FANTASTIC

Pete: YOU CAN BRUSH MY HAIR

Remus: UNDRESS ME EVERYWHEREE

Sirius, James, Peter and Remus: IMAGINATION, LIFE IS YOUR CREATION

[tozettastone]

I think there comes a point at which a fandom is large enough that you get fans in it who aren't actually even slightly interested in the canon, let alone fans of it. And one of the bizarre symptoms of this size of fandom is that they become loyal fans of characters who aren't really characters in canon.

For example, there are so many characters in Naruto who have almost no page time, very little evident personality, and weirdly intense fans. Usually, in fandoms of all sizes, fans love characters and ships that feature relatively defined characteristics. We've all met the But Sasuke Did Nothing Wrong people, listened to the the Kisame girls, or nodded along to that one friend who has fallen down a Minato/Kushina rabbit hole and can't get up. These are all characters with characteristics (although we could argue for days about their quality—that's a post for another time). You would get that kind of fan activity anywhere there was fandom.

But then, when the fandom is big enough that there's a mass of content that actually concerns extremely minor characters with few characteristics, you get something else. In Naruto fandom... you get the person who is dedicated to any given Izuna ship. You know, Madara's brother who looks like Sasuke and whose primary role in the manga is being dead? You get the person who insists Shisui is "a joyful flirt." There's more than one person who appears out of nowhere to ask: I am sick with my longing for romance fics about Rasa, can you write more about Rasa?

Ra... Who? Gaara's dad? Yes, Gaara's dad!

We have all encountered these people. And I say "people," because I've encountered more than one of each of the above examples.

I think this is the same phenomenon as people who get really into, like, Regulus Black. You have to like, wrap your head around the idea that they're not actually fans of the canon material. They're fans of the fandom.

The fandom is so large, and so many layers deep, that it gives characters who are really just answering a little question in the canon storyline ("Where did Gaara get that demon?" "Who put the locket in the Black townhouse?" "Why is Madara like this?") much more significance and, well, character. So now ...they get fans too!

[ineffabledesiretobeasleep]

The entire group trying to talk Kelmp into staying with them is always going to tug at my heart strings 😭

They are one of my favorite found family trope groups and you can rip them from my cold, dead hands.

[obvslybatgrl]

"oh but death of the author" I'm sorry I didn't realize Joanne was dead and not actively putting time, energy and money into anti trans legislation. I didn't realize she was dead and not still writing racist and antisemitic plots for millions of people to internalize.

Like y'all are so fucking stupid and the game looks ass too.

[noys-boise]

this feels like a parody there's no way these two tags are trending next to each other

[harleycao]

You know, while it obviously sucks to find out a celebrity you liked isn't who you thought they were, there's still a silver lining I've noticed, as well.

Because, see, every time we learn that one celebrity we thought was great is actually pretty garbage, we also learn that there's at least one another who is at least just as great as we thought if not even better.

When it was more widely revealed/realized that R*wling was a pos, we also noticed how Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe (i can't remember who else, if anyone) were at least as amazing as we'd thought.

And when all that horrible stuff was revealed a few weeks back when Quiet on Set came out, we also saw Jerry Trainor and Cooper Barns being the heroes we knew them to be.

And while those are the only examples I can think of rn, there are plenty of other ones.

Because at least most of the time, when a horrible person's true colors are revealed, the person who was always being a hero but never needed any recognition for it is finally noticed.

[whinlatter]

They're fast becoming the only good parts of her days, his letters, though she’d deny it to anyone who asked. As the weather gets wetter, and life in the castle gets ever more damp and cold and shit, they’re something to cling to: little words of warmth, swapped solidarities, fantasies of escape.

🪶 read the author’s note for this chapter (coming soon)

🐾 listen to the playlist

🪺 watch the trailer 

🦉 thoughts & questions? ask me anything!

[joncronshawauthor]

The Genius of Pratchett: A Deep Dive into Discworld's Lasting Impact

If you’ve ever found yourself chuckling at a grumpy, anthropomorphic Death or a suitcase on hundreds of little legs, then you have fallen under the spell of the late, great Terry Pratchett. His legendary Discworld series, a mirthful, satirical romp through an absurd universe teetering on the back of four elephants (all of whom are perched on a giant turtle, naturally), has left a lasting imprint…

[coffeefrenchandhistory]

The Little King Dreams

Regulus Arcturus Black. Younger brother of Sirius, Slytherin, Death Eater, and the man who stole the Locket of Salazar Slytherin from Lord Voldemort himself. We all know his story. He died stealing the locket, saving Kreacher’s life, and his brother never knew that Regulus died fighting the Dark Lord. 

But is Regulus really dead? 

In the cave, where Voldemort hid the locket, we know there are protections. In additions to Inferi (corpses reanimated through Dark magic), the fountain in which the locket is stored is filled with water cursed to cause excruciating pain. But it’s curious. The water doesn’t kill. 

The water causes unbearable thirst. It causes excruciating pain. But it doesn’t kill. Why on earth would Voldemort have a protection that does not kill, when he’s trying to protect something like a fragment of his soul? 

"Lord Voldemort would not want to kill the person who reached this island."​

​Harry couldn't believe it. Was this more of Dumbledore's insane determination to see good in everyone?​

​"Sir," said Harry, trying to keep his voice reasonable, "sir, this is Voldemort we're —"​

​"I'm sorry, Harry; I should have said, he would not want to immediately kill the person who reached this island," Dumbledore corrected himself. "He would want to keep them alive long enough to find out how they managed to penetrate so far through his defenses and, most importantly of all, why they were so intent upon emptying the basin. Do not forget that Lord Voldemort believes that he alone knows about his Horcruxes."​

​Harry made to speak again, but this time Dumbledore raised his hand for silence, frowning slightly at the emerald liquid, evidently thinking hard.​

​"Undoubtedly," he said, finally, "this potion must act in a way that will prevent me taking the Horcrux. It might paralyze me, cause me to forget what I am here for, create so much pain I am distracted, or render me incapable in some other way."​ --- (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 26 "The Cave", pg. 569; US edition)​

So why does Voldemort have water, a potion, that does not kill? And if, like what Dumbledore suggest, he would want to keep the person alive long enough to find out why they were trying to steal his Horcrux... how would he do it? Why would he make a potion which causes unbearable thirst — when the only source of water is Inferi-infested waters? 

Simple. It was mentioned in Philosopher’s Stone. 

The Draught of Living Death. A potion that causes very powerful sleep which, according to the Advanced Potion-Making textbook in HBP, “can last forever”. 

“But Josh!” you might be saying, “What about the Inferi!” 

Yes. There are Inferi. But they are not there to kill the person. No. They are there to drag the person underwater. The person who drank a variant of the Draught of Living Death, and pull them into enchanted waters to bring about a state of suspended animation. At least, of course, until Lord Voldemort can interrogate the person. To find out how they penetrated so far past his defenses. Why they were so intent on draining the fountain. The Inferi aren’t there to kill the intruder. 

The Inferi are there to hold the intruder until Lord Voldemort arrives. And since Voldemort did not realize that his Horcrux had been stolen — since the fake locket was still there in the fountain nearly 20 years after, the Inferi are still holding the intruder. 

And they are still holding him... 

But Harry had his answer before Dumbledore could reply; the wandlight had slid over a fresh patch of water and showed him, this time, a dead man lying faceup inches beneath the surface, his open eyes misted as though with cobwebs, his hair and his robes swirling around him like smoke. 

“There are bodies in here!” said Harry, and his voice sounded much higher than usual and most unlike his own. --- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 26 “The Cave”, pg 565-566; US edition

And meanwhile... Regulus Arcturus Black floats in the water, dreaming... 

[dude-itz-fiction]

Harry Potter Missed Opportunities |

Movie: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Take 1

Why didn't the faculty and students just use the liquid death potion that Professor Slugglehorn was teaching the students to make in order to defend themselves against their enemies? Dumbledore was just talking to the students about dark forces trying to penetrate the castle. Why not use what you know and prepare as many batches of the potion that you may need ahead of time? Especially if you already have the ingredients. . .

[octoir]

does....does anyone else struggle to write in British English? I know, objectively, that there is no "correct" style of English and that that belief is what starts wars...but also I just had to write out the word "paralysed" and something inside of me just died

[eccentricphilosoph]

Harry Potter was the first commercially popular fantasy series written by a white English author, at the time, to have wider diversity.

People do realize Rowling can’t retcon Harry Potter to be even more inclusive than she already made it in the 90s/2000s right? Also, the UK hasn’t been as occupied with race as the US historically and even outlawed slavery before the US.

The context of the history and society of England is important to understand why Rowling made the decisions she made at the time. Being unaware of DEI doesn’t make someone automatically racist, especially in a time where DEI in the UK was likely not a priority, let alone in the US.

She tried and wasn’t really up to date on the ideas of diversity of race that we have today and we don’t stop to think maybe she’s part of what influenced these ideals we have of DEI today. The same sentiments of diversity were there in her writing about purebloods and muggles. Also, in England, classes create a larger divide than races and she made a point to make one of the main characters not only a red head (which somehow get a lot of flak in the UK), but from a poorer class and Harry is shown to act as a benefactor to the twins in their endeavors since he has an inheritance.

[ineffabledesiretobeasleep]

Philtrum Boudicca I’m so fucking on to you. I’m calling it rn she a major villain in s2. She’s too damned perky trying to goad my boi Kelmp.

Leave him alone you geriatric, two faced, Dumble-bitch >:(

Also love that the major part of her villainy really just exemplifies all my issues with Dumbledore as a headmaster. Not communicating honesty, has their OWN POLITICAL AGENDA, slyly playing favorites with houses and students, etc etc