#Harry has a more realistic curiosity about his family

[calligraphist-artemisia]

Harry Potter and the Best Summer (1 | Rescue)

Summary: AU - canon divergence. Harry had barely been back at the Dursley's for two weeks, when an unexpected visitor arrived at the door. He quickly finds himself spirited away back to the wizarding world and learns some secrets that have long been kept from him.

A sequel to Of Family and Unexpected Friendship. Also posted on AO3 under the username Kishirokitsune.

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1 | Rescue

If Harry Potter could have only one wish come true, it would be that he would never have to return to number four Privet Drive. His time at Hogwarts had only reinforced that wish and there was a certain knowledge lurking at the back of his mind that said if he really wanted to, he could leave and spend his summers lodging at the Leaky Cauldron. However, he was stopped by his promise to Headmaster Dumbledore.

Harry sighed as quietly as he could and gave a sideways glance to the cupboard under the stairs, where his relatives had immediately locked away his trunk when he arrived home.

He'd been just lucky enough to convince them to allow Hedwig to stay in his room, provided that he keep her quiet. It was working, but barely. After two weeks of being stuck in her cage, she was beginning to give him reproachful looks and quiet hoots of displeasure.

For his part, Harry kept his head down and did his chores as he was told. The less he could provoke his relatives, the better. They seemed perfectly happy to ignore him anyway, which was far better than any of the years before he learned he was a wizard, and the most interaction he got daily was from Aunt Petunia leaving a list for him on the counter.

Most days followed a routine; make breakfast, clean the kitchen, water and weed the garden, make lunch, leave the house whenever Dudley brought his friends over so he could avoid the inevitable bullying, and make dinner. Some days there was another chore added in, like vacuuming or dusting or cleaning the windows.

It wasn't bad, all things considering.

His chores kept Harry busy and in his free time he tried to review what he could remember from classes, so that once his friends did write him with days he could (hopefully) visit them, he would have a clearer idea of what to write for his summer essays. With all of his books locked away in his trunk, it would be the only chance he'd have to complete the work given to him.

Two weeks wasn't a long time. Not really. There was no reason for him to worry about not receiving a single letter, even though they'd all promised to do so.

Two weeks.

Harry quietly began preparing lunch according to Petunia's exact specifications. He knew if he did a single thing incorrectly, he would find his “privileges” more restricted than they already were.

He was partway through when something very odd happened.

The doorbell rang.

Most people would not find that odd, but most people were not the Dursley's, where an unexpected house-guest was a very odd thing indeed.

Petunia glared at him as she bustled by on her way to the door, a not-so-subtle reminder that he was to remain quiet and not draw attention to himself. She pasted on a smile for their guests and smoothed out the front of her neat blouse, and then opened the door.

Harry slowed his movements so he could listen in, thankful there was no one else around to watch him.

“Good afternoon, my name is Andromeda Tonks and this is my cousin, Leona Black.”

Harry's heart leaped in his chest.

Leona Black was a fellow Gryffindor at Hogwarts who he befriended over Christmas break. Their parents had been friends and year-mates when they attended school, and she offered him the chance to hear stories about them. On top of that, she spent the remainder of the school year tutoring him in wizarding culture and had promised to dive deeper into that over the summer, even if she had to do it through letter.

He skillfully set aside the spatula without making a sound and crept closer to the hall, hoping to get a look at what was happening.

Leona was there, looking far different than he remembered and it took Harry an embarrassingly long moment to realize why. It was more than just her light brown hair, curled more neatly than she bothered to while at school, it was also in the way she held herself, straight-backed and head lifted high. Her muggle clothing was crisp and neat in a way that way too perfect.

The woman with her was dressed in a similar manner, but carried herself with a grace and nobility that made Harry feel like a bum in comparison. Her hair was darker than Leona's and curled in a more natural manner. For a moment he thought she might be Leona's mother, before remembering that she introduced herself as Andromeda.

Or “Andy”, as Leona commonly called her.

“We are here to pick up Harry Potter.”

The next few minutes passed in a blur to Harry. Petunia denied that he was there, of course, but none of that stopped Leona or Andromeda from finding the truth, aided in part by Harry himself, who did not stay quietly hidden in the kitchen. He wasn't sure if she made a convincing argument, or merely decided Petunia wasn't someone worth arguing with, but before he knew it, Harry was being swept toward the door by Andromeda with a steady hand on his back.

“Leona, fetch Harry's things,” she instructed.

Leona nodded once and looked to Harry for guidance.

“Hedwig's in my room. Up the stairs, second door on the left. My trunk is, er...” Harry couldn't stop his glance to the cupboard under the stairs.

There was more than just his trunk in there. No one had ever bothered to fully clean it out when he was moved to the smallest bedroom. It had only been a year since then, but he couldn't remember if he left behind anything to show that he had once called the tiny space his room.

In one fluid motion, Andromeda withdrew her wand and flicked it toward the cupboard.

Petunia hissed angrily and pressed herself up against the wall, her eyes fixated on the slender piece of wood. She said nothing, but her glare promised retribution the next time Harry stepped foot into the house alone.

The cupboard door creaked open and Harry tried to move forward and get his trunk before much more of the room could be revealed, but the older witch summoned it towards them herself, bumping the door wide open in the process.

There, pinned to the wall on an old scrap of paper and written in crayon, were the words “Harry's Room”.

Andromeda narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips into a thin line. She continued to float the trunk a few inches from the ground, and in a very calm voice said: “Leona.”

“I'll get Hedwig,” she responded immediately, turning to the stairs and racing up them. She returned quickly, crooning to the snowy owl with promises of freedom. She didn't look at Petunia as she brushed past the woman.

Harry wasn't sure if he managed to say goodbye to his Aunt or not as he was hurried from the house, but he didn't glance back either. His trunk was still floating, though it was close enough that anyone not paying close attention would assume he was carrying it.

There was a shiny black car – obviously new and expensive – sitting at the end of the drive, and Harry eyed it curiously as they approached. He assumed they would keep going, but instead Andromeda led them right up to it. His trunk was soon loaded into the back and Hedwig released to stretch her wings, and then they were off, with Harry in the backseat along with Leona.

“I got worried when you didn't respond to any of my letters,” she explained. “When Fred and George said you hadn't written Ron either, I knew I had to do something, so I asked Andy for advice and she agreed to come with me.”

“You sent letters? I never got any,” Harry said.

Leona frowned. “I sent three of them, and I know Ron sent one, so that's at least four missing letters. According to him, Hermione has sent you one as well. So what happened to them? Any ideas, Andy?”

“It sounds as though someone has been tampering with Mr. Potter's mail,” Andromeda responded. She glanced at him using the rear-view mirror, her brown eyes scanning his slight form. “It will all be looked into.”

Harry got the feeling she meant more than just his mail. He looked to Leona instead, wondering which of his many questions he should ask first. (Should he ask them? Would she mind? Those musings Harry tried to brush away, though the sense of unease lingered. The Dursley's never liked questions.)

“I got a little worried when I didn't hear from you after the first one,” Leona said to one of his unasked questions. “You do have a knack for trouble, after all. Mum convinced me that you might be busy and that two days is hardly cause for alarm, but she did let me send a second letter. Once I didn't get a response to that one, I mentioned what was happening to Fred and George. Ron overheard and said you hadn't written him, but Hermione had and she was having similar trouble. I figured there must be something wrong, but it wasn't until the third one that mum and Andy were willing to believe me.”

“We always believed that you thought something was wrong, but there are better ways to handle problems than rushing headlong into a situation when you don't know all of the facts,” Andromeda said, in a tone that indicated she'd said that many times before.

Leona made a face.

“Extra lessons tomorrow morning. Early. Mr. Potter may join us.”

Leona sputtered, her expression one of distress. “But it's the start of vacation and we've only just gotten Harry away from those awful muggles!”

Andromeda's voice was firm and without amusement when she spoke again. “Then I should think that Mr. Potter would like the opportunity to immerse himself in wizarding culture and tradition. As it's clear from what little I've heard from you about the circumstances of his placement, there is a great deal he needs to learn, and very little time to teach him. There will be time for fun, but at the moment we have more pressing matters to attend to.”

Leona slumped back against her seat, which seemed to mark the end of their disagreement.

Harry soon found himself distracted with the view out the window, as the car they were in squeezed through impossibly small spaces. He thought at first that it was the other vehicles warping to let them pass through, but on closer inspection realized that they were the ones being pulled and squeezed as they moved easily through traffic.

They drove for another ten minutes before Andromeda made a turn off down a dead-end street, at the end of which was a tall brick wall – likely the back side of a shop. When they didn't slow down, Harry began to get nervous.

He closed his eyes, bracing himself for impact, but all that happened was the car bouncing slightly and then he could hear the crunch of gravel beneath the tires. Harry opened his eyes again to find that they were no longer in town.

When he twisted around to look behind him, there was only a gray brick fence and impressive iron-wrought gate barring the path to the main road.

“It's pretty cool, right?” Leona asked, noticing his look of awe. “There are specialized runes and  charms on the car that let it pass through magical space. It was only invented in the past few years as a way to travel without causing motion sickness. Of course, not everyone has embraced it, since it relies on muggle engineering and it's slower than apparating or taking a portkey, but you don't have to down an anti-nausea potion each time you use it, so that benefit outweighs the extra time. And also, disappearing in front of muggles is generally considered breaking the Statute of Secrecy, but they won't pay any attention to a car.”

“It's brilliant,” Harry said, though he had no idea what apparation was. He resolved to ask Hermione about other forms of magical transport once he had the chance. She was bound to know, but on the off-chance that she didn't, it would give her something new and interesting to research.

Of course, he could also ask Leona or Andromeda, who were both right there with him and clearly happy to explain anything he was having trouble understanding. It was only out of habit that Hermione was the first one he thought of.

His attention was drawn elsewhere as he got his first look at where they were going. It was a truly magnificent Victorian manor with a octagonal tower positioned on the front right side of the building. It looked to be around two stories tall; three, counting the tower. The outside was done in dark stone and had wooden embellishments for added interest.

The landscaping around the manor was immaculate, but not in the too-perfect way of Privet Drive. There was no symmetry, for one, and it seemed like every plant had been chosen for a specific reason that went beyond uniformity. Aside from a few groupings, none of them appeared to be the same type of tree or bush, and the colors of the flowers ranged across the rainbow from red to blue. The fact that his Aunt and Uncle would hate it made Harry love it even more.

“Welcome to Oakstone Manor,” Leona said proudly.

Andromeda pulled the car into a stone carport next to the house and once they were parked, Leona led the way up to the front door.

“Remember our plans, Leona,” Andromeda said.

“Of course,” Leona responded with a short nod. She looked down at Harry, whose confusion was clear in his expression. “Andy set up an appointment at Gringotts for the reading of your parents will. She's been looking into a few things ever since I sent that letter to mum over Yule, but it's the most important one.”

“We will explain things once you are settled in, Mr. Potter,” Andromeda said kindly.

Harry felt a little too reminded of Professor McGonagall right before she was about to give a lecture every time Andromeda referred to him as Mr. Potter and quickly asked that she just call him Harry instead.

“Then you may call me Andy,” she said. “My child prefers to go by our surname, Tonks. You will likely meet them this evening once they return from Auror training.”

Andromeda walked ahead of them to open the door, giving Leona a split second to whisper a rather unusual word to Harry. He assumed Nymphadora was Andy's child and could almost understand why they wanted to change their name. (He didn't fully understand the use of “they”. Nymphadora sounded like a girls name, so shouldn't that be “she”?)

Harry had so many questions that he didn't know where to start, so he stayed quiet as he followed them inside, his eyes wide at the sight of the grand staircase leading up to the second floor. They bustled him along to the right, past a parlor room decorated in soft blues and grays, and then through a set of doors leading to the kitchen, where a tiny creature in dark gray was busy using magic to prepare a light lunch of sandwiches and fruit.

The creature strongly reminded Harry of a hairless cat, though it was bipedal and its ears were much larger.

He looked to Leona in silent questioning.

“Harry, this is Cici, one of the manor's house-elves,” Leona introduced. “Cici, come meet Harry! He'll be staying with us for the rest of summer.”

Cici turned with a delighted squeak, her eyes large and almost bulbous in shape. She dropped into a low bow. “Cici is being pleased to meet Harry!”

Once she was facing him, Harry could see the navy blue sash attached to the front of the house-elf's uniform, stretching from one shoulder down to the opposite hip. At the very top was a crest, which he supposed belonged to House Black.

“Nice to meet you,” Harry replied.

Cici beamed. “Cici has prepared lunch for everyone to enjoy! If Harry wants anything else to eat, just ask Cici!”

“I, um, I will. Thank you,” Harry said, fighting off his confusion at her enthusiasm. He cast a wide-eyed look at Leona, who wasn't at all phased by the house-elf. But then again, why would she be?

Cici snapped her fingers and the plates of food floated to the long table in the center of the room.

“Eat, Harry,” Andromeda suggested in a tone that left little room for disagreement. She smiled as Harry obediently sat down in the nearest chair and reached for a sandwich. “Cici, would you take Harry's things to his new room? I was thinking that the blue room on the east wing would be best for him.”

“Cici will be going right away, Miss Andy!”

Harry jumped as a loud pop! snapped through the air right as Cici vanished. “How did she do that?”

“Magic, of course.” Leona grinned at him as she sat down and selected a sandwich of her own, also adding several large strawberries to her plate. “Remember earlier when I was telling you about different forms of magical transport? That was apparation.”

“And... and you said Cici is a house-elf?”

Andromeda joined them at the table, but stayed silent as Leona explained.

“They're sort of like live-in servants. They bind themselves to the magic of a family or House and it makes their own magic even stronger. Of course, some people take advantage of that and use it as an excuse to be cruel to them – to command obedience even when it means hurting them. It's...” Leona paused to get her thoughts in order. “House Black used to be that way. After the war, when Andy took over as Regent for the House, she started to make changes and reformed House Black from the ground up.”

“It has been a long process and not nearly as simple as Leona makes it sound,” Andromeda said gently. “Family magics are delicate and often tightly woven. It has taken no small amount of power and patience to get as far as I have, but it has all been worth it to lay the foundation for Leona to build upon once she comes of age.”

“Anyway, our house-elves all have the option to accept payment and can use it for any extra things they like. We provide all of the housing, food, and medicine for them, as well as access to the family magics. And their clothing, of course. While working they wear the uniform of our House, but outside of that it's up to them.”

Leona spoke with such pride of the changes that had been made, but Harry couldn't help but feel like she was leaving so much out. If House Black had only recently begun to offer payment to their house-elves, then did that mean it wasn't something other Houses did? But then that would make house-elves...

“They're slaves?” he asked in a quiet voice.

Leona flinched.

“They have been treated as such for many generations,” Andromeda said in an even tone. “For long enough that house-elves themselves see it as the only way, though that in no way makes it right. We are trying to do better, Harry. In time, we hope to see others willingly follow until the day comes we can approve legislature that will prevent the mistreatment of house-elves.”

Andromeda filled her own plate with food. “Enough of this talk for now. There is much we need to get done and the day is already halfway through. Milla!”

Harry jumped as a new house-elf appeared, similar in appearance to the first but decidedly older. Like Cici, they wore all gray except for the navy blue sash from shoulder-to-hip.

“How may Milla be helping?” they asked.

“Could you let Remy and Aquarius know that we have returned and lunch has been prepared? I'm afraid I sent Cici off with new instructions before she could do so,” Andromeda said.

Milla quietly agreed and then popped away, leaving the three of them alone in the kitchen. They ate in silence for several minutes and then footsteps on the wooden floors sounded the arrival of someone else.

Or two someones, as it were.

A tiny girl with wild dark curls was the first to enter, giving little pause when she spotted Harry sitting at the table next to Leona. She smiled sweetly as she made her way over, her pale blue skirt swishing around her ankles, and then sat down directly across from Harry.

Behind her was an older woman whose hair was similar in color to Leona's – a light brown that has slight waves – though there was a visible streak of gray in the front. Something in her expression broke when she saw Harry and before he could wonder if there was something wrong, she opened her mouth to greet him.

“I haven't seen you since you were a baby, Harry. It's good to have you here,” she said.

She could only be Leona's mother – Remy Lupin-Black – who had been best friends with his parents while they were at Hogwarts. He'd been exchanging letters with her since Christmas, though his were mostly thanking her for the stories she told him about his parents and a little bit about his life at school. He should have recognized her from the photographs Leona showed him, but she had only been a teenager in those.

“It's nice to finally meet you – er, again,” Harry said, feeling awkward.

Remy took a seat across from Leona and next to Andromeda, her movements a little stiff. Maybe she was just as nervous to meet Harry? The thought seemed silly, but after all of her well-written letters maybe he wasn't off the mark.

“Leo says she's been teaching you about culture and stuff,” Aquarius spoke up, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room. “Did you really not know about it before Hogwarts?”

“Well, no. I grew up with muggles – my mum's sister,” Harry explained.

“Petunia?” Remy sounded alarmed, her amber eyes wide. “But he said – you were meant to be someplace safe and he put you with Petunia?”

“Remus,” Andromeda said sharply. She waited for the other woman to calm down before continuing with: “That is part of the reason why we will be going to Gringotts before anything else. Harry is overdue for his inheritance test and after that we should be able to request for the unsealing of the Potters' Will. We will get to the bottom of why you were sent to live with those horrible muggles instead of being placed with the magical guardian chosen by your parents.”

Harry wondered if speaking up in defense of his aunt and uncle would be the right thing to do, but decided he didn't care. They were horrible muggles.

“Lily wanted to do a few things the muggle way, so you should have gone to your godparents, but...” Remy trailed off, her voice full of pain. “Alice Longbottom was named your godmother. She and Lily were close after Hogwarts. James picked your godfather.”

“Sirius,” Harry said, remembering what Leona told him when they first met. “Wait, Longbottom? Like Neville Longbottom?” His head reeled at the thought of growing up with Neville as a brother. It would have been far better than Dudley, that was for sure. Or he could have even grown up with Leona and Aquarius as his sisters!

He should have grown up in the magical world, knowing about his parents and the world he would come to know and love. So who had placed him with the Dusleys? And why?

Harry doubted he would be able to eat much until he learned the truth.

[demonicintegrity]

Episode 5 is where Harry and Meghan got to me. Up until this point my interest in the docuseries and in them is very much just pleasant curiosity, even with the immense sympathy for what they were going through. After this episode I am more or less flabbergasted and pissed at so much.

Starting off, up until this point I assumed the British media was doing this on their own. Their sense of entitlement and racist attitudes was just a reflection of bigoted greed. I thought the royal family was just bystanding, a false neutrality with no care for how that affects them. But the leaks.

The fucking leaks.

I don’t know how as an institute, you can be comfortable with private plans and documents getting leaked like that to the public. How are you not concerned with security? If shit like that is so easy to leak, both in terms of the people accessing it and leaking and also being okay with that, how are you not concerned that something else could leak?

Someone had gotten their hands on a letter from Meghan. She went through the trouble of trying to be sneaky about it, and yet it still somehow ended up in the Mail’s hands. Who knows if her father even got to see that actual one. And yet nothing was done about it.

And instead of being honest that they weren’t going to pursue legal action, they led Harry and Meghan on for weeks. They had to sue on their own, further adding fuel to the media campaign against them.

And then the plans to move to South America was leaked. Plans about this transition in whatever form were in development for years and it’s gone in a single leak.

Why was the palace so okay with that? Why isn’t it concerning to them that these things are leaked? Why are they so willing to be quiet? Surely, fucking surely, if this can happen to Harry and Meghan it could happen to them too.

I get my answer soon enough when Harry says the details about potentially revoking their titles is revealed only in his email to his father. An email Harry explicitly didn’t want make for this reason. I am willing to bet money it was his father, now King Charles. He leaked that one. Who else could’ve been on that email? Even if he written up a draft for something or other with it, how many people realistically should’ve saw it? What did they have to gain to leak it, so early in development? Money’s money i guess, but even then, you’d think it’d concern fellow staff and royals just how little integrity staffers would have if it’s them leaking. The emails were apparently from the 1st to 3rd and the leak was days after. They weren’t even ready to go through with it this time.

Backtracking for a second here, that letter was only sent because Meghan apparently became responsible for getting her father in line. I still find it incredulous that her father was speaking out on how terrible the family is treating her and he’s concerned and the family goes >:/ at that. So bothered. Bothered enough that when Meghan is like “hey this is happening in the news please advise I am actively trying not to cause strife with you” theyre like “write a letter” and then dont give a shit that the letter is leaked to the very news they’re having problems with! Fucking hell.

Anyways, the letter’s leaked and nothings done about it. The plans to leave are leaked. The plans to leave again are leaked, this time with a nice dose of “no you cannot see your grandma now.” Which I call bullshit on with the Late Queen btw. You’re telling me as the head monarch, you make plans with your grandson. That is the first obligation you made for the time, made entirely by yourself. Then, entirely unknown to you somehow, your week is full. And despite being the literal Queen of England, you cannot move anything around in your own schedule? Either she was being pushed around a lot in that old age or that characteristic quiet she has was just her being a doormat. In her own words (allegedly i suppose but what reason would Harry have to lie about this?) Harry was the first one she made obligations too but didn’t even bother to try and make it work at any point in that week.

Personally, if I made plans with someone, especially family who I know is struggling and want to see me, I would do those plans. It’s whoever I promised first for that time. And If i absolutely cannot, I apologize and reschedule.

I would also, in the place of any other family member or staff who decided the Queen’s schedule was full only when Harry tried to visit, not try and interfere with someone trying to have a chat with their grandmother. At best it’s rude not to give notice to those kind of things and at worse it’s a selfish piece of shit move.

AND THEN, you have this royal meeting without Meghan. Because that’s so fair. It gets heated and again, I’m calling bullshit on the Late Queen being quiet. You’re telling me as the head of the family you’re gonna watch your family turn on each other in an ugly way and saying nothing? You’re gonna watch the press lie and say you were blindsighted, painting your grandson as disrespecting you, and say nothing?

She either was pushed around by the other family and staff or a doormat. I cannot for the life of me decide which is worse. Because the former is direct disrespect for your respected and loved family member and the latter is said family member not caring enough to make a stand everyone knew would change things. Blasted woman had all this power and influence and not once tried to use a fraction of it to even encourage the press to back off of her family. What horseshit.

But of course, when William is accused of bullying, damn near instantly there’s a statement. That Harry hadn’t seen much less consented to have his name on. All this nothing for Meghan and Harry but the second the press thinks “hm, could William have a hand in this wedge? Could it be possible he’s kinda a dick about things?” suddenly they can say something.

The sympathy I had for the royal family dies here.

With this bombshell after bombshell, Meghan’s hate is a coordinated attack on twitter. I don’t know why that surprised me but it did. I think whats most surprising is how few people it took to create such a consistent storm. Once again we are seeing what unregulated harassment does. What awful seeds are planted and maintained in a echo chamber in the name of free speech without consequences. And even though Meghan is far from the first and only to be targeted, nothing will be done. She isn’t even offered support from the family she marries into once again.

The paparazzi doesn’t leave her alone. Once again no one cares about the trespassing and stalking. This is seen as acceptable for some fucking bizarre reason. I hope each and everyone of those bastards trying to peak at a family so obviously trying to be left alone gets dragged through the mud. Truly, there is no standard of morals these days.

What got me to the point of rage is when Meghan flips through her security book and a death threat tweet is an example of what needs to be reported. I think I’m jaded enough where the knowledge that she likely had death (and probably rape) threats was there, but didn’t register as much. Unfortunately I am part of the generation that grew up on this new tech. Someone getting these threats is fairly run of the mill here. To the point of what really can be done. It’s lost it’s effect, or so I thought. Until I am reminded that death threats are treated severely for a good reason. Until I am shown a person who isn’t jaded by the internet horrors reacting to this and I’m reminded that 1) this shouldn’t be just the normal internet experience and 2) seeing people echo again and again that you should be dead weighs on you. Especially combined with the stalking from the paparazzi.

I am reminded that these are real people experiencing things they shouldn’t be experiencing.

When I only knew of Harry and Meghan through skimmed headlines once in a bluemoon, I was also on team “Youre stepping back from the royal family why would you get royal protection?” I mean, it was simply just a courtesy at that point right?

Now realizing just how harassed they were, it wasn’t just pulling security. It was pulling security on a very short notice on their family with a toddler knowing damn well what harassment they were facing.

This family did not give a shit if anything happened to them. Did not give a shit for their piece of mind, for their physical safety, for anything. Even if it was a courtesy, you’re telling me a couple that has undergone so much harassment from day one, your family, didn’t deserve it? Especially when the original plan was to still do things for the Queen and commonwealth but just financially independently now?

What a load of shit. The way I would’ve cut all contact and burned bridges immediately. This isnt just a dysfunctional family, this is a truly hateful one.

[im-ovulating]

Hello! I saw that you're doing matchups for a follower event and congratulations btw 🥳 I was wondering if I could have a quirk matchup for MHA please?

- I am 19.

- My favorite character is Hitoshi Shinso.

- My zodiac sign is Virgo.

- My Myers Briggs personally is ISFP-T (the Adventurer) and the summary given is, "Flexible and charming artists, always ready to explore and experience something new."

- I find it hard to describe my personality as sometimes I can contradict myself. I like to think of myself as a kind person, but I have a short fuse sometimes or can be very irritable by little things. I tend to keep myself, but I wouldn't say I'm introverted. I can have a conversation with a stranger and can easily make friends, I just like keep my social circle small. I struggle with being spontaneous and like to have a plan for everything before leaving the house which annoys my friends slightly, but I'm always prepared with extra snacks and a map and such. I'm very much the mom in the group, but I do have my moments of hyperactivity. I'm a pretty open-minded person and I love learning. I have a bad sense of curiosity and sometimes I'll hyperfixate on a certain subject until I know all about it. I'm a huge nerd as well and I'm pretty much tired all the time.

- I live by Harry Potter house, Hufflepuff.

- I am currently studying Criminal Justice for my bachelor's and I hope to get a job in forensics one day. The dream would be to get a job as a bloodstain pattern analyst or in DNA analysis.

- During my free time I play an unhealthy amount of video games, especially Overwatch. I recently took up cosplay though and I do like sketching or coloring in one of those "adult coloring books." I use to do a lot of writing, but I haven't had much inspiration for it as of late. I like reading on an occasion and I've recently started to workout more regularly.

- And yeah! That's pretty much it about me.

- I don't really know about what specific type of power I'd want. Realistically speaking, mental or telekinetic would work better for as I'm more of a brains than a brawn type of person.

Thank you, and congratulations again on 700!

Hope you enjoy~

Navigation

700 Followers Event

Quirk Match:

True Sight: user can see things as they truly are

This power is very useful for investigating or interrogation

You can also see the cause of damage

If someone destroyed something, you can see exactly how they did it

If a person you were interrogating has been brain washed or conditioned to actually believe their lie, you won't be able to see past it

Same thing if someone was brainwashed to use their quirk on an object

.

You and Hitoshi were the top underground investigative heros. Working as a team you were able to fight, subdue, and get answers out of dangerous villains.

You guys had just finished a mission that dealt with a new group of villains who had been hitting up small family owned businesses all throughout Tokyo and were out celebrating.

"To yet another victory!" You cheer, holding you glass up for Hitoshi to tap his against.

He begrudgingly did with an amused half smirk gracing his features before downing the rest of his drink, you following his lead.

"To another victory.." he echoes.

He didn't quite match you energy, but when did he ever? You knew, either way, he was just as pumped about your successful mission as you were.

[the-girl-is-no-one]

Your favorite female fictional character?

This is a very hard and cruel question T.T

I chose my top3 female characters from my originals and fanfictions.

(from left to right)

1. Veronica Gyuradinovich from Tulips in the Cemetery {original}

Her surname is croation variation of my surname. She is a margravine in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 2370s. The story is a steampunk. She is stubborn and doesn't want to be married, but she falls in love with a grave-digger while a serial killer is killing people in Budapest. The hierarchy of rank, her injury and the killer make their lives more difficult. She inherited many traits from me: the intellectual, the emotional instability, the curiosity, the family situation, the attitude to the world. She's a rebel, but she's got morals and virtue.

2. Edahlia Sorensen from Blood of Yggdrasil {original}

She is a much-suffering character who first served the Empire, her fiancé was the Prince, then she saw the oppression and cruelty therefore committed treason. She was still needed to maintain the Empire, so she was not killed, but she was imprisoned for 10 years, where she was subjected to the most extraordinary tortures and brainwashed. As soon as she got out the King wants her to help, while the people want to see her as a rebel again, but she doesn't want to play either role. And in the meantime, his ex-fiancée shows up.

3. Natalia Szendrei from Just a drink {original}

OMG, I love her * - * She is very funny and clever and me :D She likes drinking, drawing, her job is chemist engineering which was mine too. I think she is the more open version of me.

Her story is that after a drunken night out, she suddenly starts seeing all men as women. And I love the connection between her and Robi, her staff member. (and alcohol...)

4. Scarlette Cowen from Conjuction {Twilight fanfiction}

She's been on my mind most of the time lately. I like her acceptance, her openmind, her wanting to help everyone as a doctor, she's not so naive, she's more realistic, resourceful and tenacious. She fights for herself, for her loved ones, lives in a modern world and yet she has to look back hundreds of years to become a witch. She know herself and knows what she want. I like the harmony between her and Carlisle, they complement each other.

5. Charlotte Bradwick from Legacy of the War {Peaky Blinders fanfiction}

She is a true survivor and friend, she went to the first world war after his platonic love and friend, where she lost a leg, but she was able to recover, return to home, Birmingham and enter the alcohol market in partnership with Shelby company. She lives her life and when the opportunity comes, she doesn't miss it, but she's not a pusher and manipulator however she can be cruel sometimes. She loves and wants Tommy, but knows she can't put pressure on him. She is very special.

6. Ludovica Siskovich from The devil doesn't sleep {Harry Potter fanfiction}

Ludovika was a good girl who was misunderstood, persecuted, and then captured and exploited by the Germans during the World War. Dumbledore was the only one who tried to help her, but he took her to Hogwarts but only to give her in the clutches of Tom Riddle. She was making great progress, Tom was increasingly exploiting her obscurity through his manipulations. She become a villain.

Sorry that I could't choose one :( I'd like to tell you about all my OCs in time :3

Who should I tell you about next? × Annabeth Outlaw - Marvel fanfiction × Ithya Lestrange - Harry Potter fanfiction (Golden trio era) × Vease Sargen - House of the Dragon fanfiction × Letisha Carnahan - The Mummy fanfiction × Nemezis - The Boys fanfiction × Lilith Blackburn - Wednesday × Wilma Hermann - D.Gray-man fanfiction × Ivy Lex - Now you see me fanfiction × Lysandra Harlowe - Game of Thrones fanfiction × Others in my original stories (× Sinthea Schmidt - Marvel fanfiction (I know, she is not an OC, but but I made a lot of changes to it compared to the comic) × Faith Fraser - Outlander x Poldark crossover (She is not an OC too, but she never grew up, so…)

[hp-ace-fest]

HP Ace Fest Masterlist

We’ve come to the end of this little fest! Thank you to everyone who participated - you’re free to share and promote your work all you want now!

Here is a list of all the created works and their authors, give them some love!

*

(Can I Sleep On) The Air Mattress With You? by stevie_RST

Prompt 59: Fluffy warm snuggling & cuddling moments between Ace!Sirius & Remus.

Just a soft, sweet fic (with a little anxiety) of Sirius and Remus cuddling and realizing their feelings based on the song "Air Mattress" by Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band.

Ace Of Hearts by KrysKrossZee

Pansy stumbles upon a secret organisation that just might hold the answers about herself that she didn't even know that she was looking for. 

Because Dragons by KazOfScotland

Four times that Charlie Weasley was questioned by his mum as to why he wasn't dating someone and he didn't want to answer, and the one time that Molly asked and he answered her with the truth.

Written for the HP Ace Fest and the prompt: Ace Charlie coming out to his mum who questioned why he was her only child not dating.

Cake co. by toutcequonveut

Draco is the ace of cakes! Or: the story of how Draco Malfoy goes from war criminal to baker incredible, makes some unexpected friendships, and learns more about himself along the way. A journey of growth told through cake. 

Dance With Your Fear by cdav

After the war, Harry and Draco find themselves back at Hogwarts where everyone else seems to be moving on with their lives.

They slip into old habits to cope and find themselves creating new ones, surprising each other in the process.

The Definition of Monstrosity (Or How Harry Made Dumbledore Reassess his Beliefs) by KaterineBlack

Prompt 86 - Harry calls Dumbledore out on demonizing aro/ace people. "No one owes the world love, sir. Calling Voldemort a monster because he's aromantic is rude as hell. Call him a monster because he does monstrous things!"

Everything's coming up aces by nearingexistence

After the war, Draco has a lot of time to think. He's not used to that. Thankfully, Blaise is there to help! They get to talking about identities and Blaise suggests Draco accompany him to London Pride. 

the ground begins to shake (every time she comes my way) by cjmasim

James plans to live out the rest of his life pining over Lily, and he's learned to be okay with that. They're friends now, and that's more than he could've realistically hoped for a year ago.

It's Lily who throws a wrench in the plan.

Hermione's Problem by TheWanderingAvarian

Hermione has a problem: she likes Padma Patil. But does she actually like her? Having never felt this way before, she decides to ask several people how they knew whether they were into people of the same gender. They all offer sound advice, but something's missing, and she's not quite sure why...

I'm Not Broken by vivi1138

Sirius is gone, and it's up to Regulus to carry on the family legacy. What should, at worst, be a mild annoyance for someone who understands his obligations, becomes a living nightmare. When Regulus finally snaps, what can he do but follow in his brother's footsteps? A tale of self-discovery, reconciliation and understanding.

Invisible Identity by Pegasus143

Fred and George thought they'd avoided "the talk". Luckily, they had a plan in place.

Lies by Omission by tigerlilycorinne

Blaise would like to say I love you– or at least ask Neville out– but he ends up sort of… falling into bed with him instead, and Neville, well. Neville doesn’t know how to say he’s asexual– he’s not sex repulsed, but he feels like maybe this is information he’d like to convey.

But while Blaise and Neville are best mates, there are things like holding hands and kissing and snuggling that friends with benefits do and friends don’t.

So he’ll tell Blaise… some other time.

the lovers,the dreamers, and me by Ace Fest Mod / Anonymous

School nurse Sirius helps students figure out their identities.

My Cup of Tea by FivePips

Sirius runs a queer coffee shop, Remus waits outside to meet up with a friend every week -- until they finally come in one day.

Our Different Desires by TheUltimateUndesirable

Gellert and Albus start their plotting to right the wrongs done to the wizarding world by the muggles. For Gellert there is no denying that working together as partners their mission will be quite easy, but does Albus truly hold the same desire?

Repulsed and Repulsive by MerakiForest

Sirius is uncomfortable with all the girls (and some boys) talking about him and his body, and James finally gets him to admit it.

Revelations and Awkward Situations by SensibleRen

Who knew that browsing through the library for dragon books would lead Charlie Weasley to make an interesting discovery. What happens after he goes up to Professor McGonagall for advice?

Salt and Sand by WolfyWordWeaver

James Potter and Sirius Black have dedicated their lives to exploring the oceans and discovering the secrets of the mythological. When their journey leads them to the island of Sirens will they live to tell the tale?

the sense of a full circle by porcelainsalt (bluedreaming)

Luna and Neville through the seasons of the year.

shines like gold by accioxmarauders

“I love you so much, you know that, right?” Remus whispered, closing his eyes, leaning his forehead against Sirius’ temple, his thumb caressing his cheek idly, here, here, here. Sirius felt the tightness in his throat intensify, but he still swallowed it away.

“I love you too, Re, so fucking much,” he managed, letting his eyes fall shut too, his arms coming up to hold Remus tightly against his chest. Stay, stay here, stay with me, he thought, over and over, his own personal mantra. Please stay.

A Tale of Two Hearts by Aneiria

‘So, what,’ Neville said, curiosity colouring his words. ‘You don’t like girls?’

Blaise laughed shortly and looked away from Neville’s beautiful hands, staring blindly out of the greenhouse windows.

If only Neville had any idea of the truth.

To Know What She's Seeking by PaulaMcG

In January 2002 Cho takes pleasure in flying and dancing, and becomes aware of a deep need not long before she learns to see herself more clearly.

What Is This Feeling? by onyxjay

Sirius laughed. It was a lovely sound, Remus thought idly. “As if you need to spend an hour in the shower. You're pretty enough.”

His face went a little pink, and Remus felt something stir in his stomach. This wasn't the first time this sensation had happened, but it was still rather puzzling. Why did Remus get these strange feelings? It wasn't like this was the first time he'd been complimented; James liked to joke about how quickly Remus would catch the girls' attention if he kept punching puberty in the face — as James so eloquently put it.

In which Remus realizes he may see Sirius in a different light than everyone else.

[thiscitychickk]

Heyy sis this ya fav from AO3 😂🤣! Okay, I feel like this a safe space so I don't feel bad in saying you opened up a can of worms with this latest chapter lmfao. This chapter was great, including the content all considering and the conversations/discussions that happened after the reading. That said, why did you actually include this topic in the story? Also, is there a way I can type without a limit lmfao cause I have more to say and I am not about type 3-4 asks 😂 I cannot.

**SPOILER ALERT: Ch19 Come Let Us Adore Him**

Hey sis🙂 I won’t shy away from any criticism, especially when it’s valid frustration and triggering content for people. 

Why did I include this plotline in the story? I think it goes back to what I’ve said all along. I want this story to be an accurate depiction of American politics as well as what it’s like to work in them. More than the inaccurate fanfics I’ve read, ther are also  tons of stories and books that feature star crossed Republican Democrat love stories that gloss over any bit of ideological differences and go from point A to deep in love without actually hitting on difficulties.

That said, slavery is part and parcel of our nation’s history. It’s awful. It is poorly taught in schools. Ramifications of slavery are very much being felt by our neighbors today - and also being denied by many people in power in Washington, DC and across the nation.

Republicans count on voters to not understand how it has created so many injustices, social and economic, and capitalize on it in the way they create their platforms, message, and campaign. In order for Lucius to be this right-wingy presidential candidate, that’s who he is.

Are there other avenues that I could’ve taken for their wealth? Sure, but the pervasive inequality caused by slavery, then sharecropping and convict leasing and Jim Crow, the New Deal, on and on. It all stems from slavery, and this is not the last that we will see of the fallout from the article as well as the general awfulness of some of what Lucius believes.

I also would ask that people remember that this is a Harry Potter AU - the premise of the Death Eaters, one could say, is blood supremacy. The equivalent of which is racism in the United States. I warred within myself over whether this was too tough of a topic to take on in fiction, but isn’t that the point? To grapple with the difficulty in our world and try and make sense of it? 

Unfortunately, with this fic, the sense that is made of this topic is that there is none. Especially for ‘white liberal allies.’ Hot take? Allyship is usually just performative. White people are hard-pressed to give up their stake in success, money, status, prestige without a fight, even if they say they will.

And Hermione? She’s 22. People have posted comments that are very angry with her - and some with me, saying that I write like a white liberal.

Which... I am. But I am also writing Hermione like any just out of college liberal who comes to Washington. She’s idealistic. She thinks she can change the world. She thinks she’s going to be doing good.

Nothing really happens in Washington - legislation that overhauls the systems as we know it - be it incarceration, health care, infrastructure, paid parental leave, child care, education... Those things hardly EVER get dealt with outside of a piecemeal approach.

Draco has had a lifetime to realize that, and he’s dating someone who is young enough to still be rocked by every wave in Washington. He knows that she’ll eventually find herself in the same place of subdued shoulder shrugging that he is in. 

***** This is the BIG thing that I want to get through with this story, especially with this chapter *****

Extreme partisan politics do not get legislation passed - her job is not to be an activist, her job is to support a member of congress’ legislative agenda. It took me about a year to realize that. It’s well known in Washington that almost everyone moves to the center of the political spectrum once they have worked on the Hill long enough. Liberals become more pragmatic and conservatives become more centrist. It’s just the way of the world when it comes to getting legislation passed.

I know that people are going to be mad at me for making this a central piece of the story - but I have promised to keep it realistic, and this is how it is in my experience working on the Hill.

Draco isn’t going to have a liberal revolution - Hermione isn’t going to become a Lucius fan girl and vote for him in the primary or  maybe even the general, if he becomes the GOP candidate (spoiler alert?). They’re two imperfect people who avert their eyes from shitty things because it’s easier not to fight or get upset sometimes.

But personally, should Hermione dump Draco over the fact that his father is unwilling to condemn slavery unequivocally? Maybe. She hasn’t yet, clearly.

This is a 22-year-old who has comfort and love and attention for the first time in years. She’s still figuring out what it means to care about politics and work in them and see no progressive bills make it to the president’s desk for signing. It’s rough to go through.

Could she do more? Yeah, but yelling at Draco is just going to have him say ‘this isn’t going to work.’ And that’s not what she wants at this point.

I guess the point that I come to with people’s anger over how she acts is what do you want out of this story? And I wish you could hear me ask, because it’s genuine curiosity, not annoyance or anger that people don’t like where I’ve taken things or where they believe it’ll go.

Do you want Draco to switch his party affiliation?

Do you want Hermione to dump him?

Do you want Draco to quit politics and move somewhere remote with Hermione and be miserable?

There are only a few ways this story could end up, with the two columns being ‘together’ and ‘not together.’ I totally totally get that people are annoyed, but that’s what comes from a realistic story of two very different people coming together. Everyone carries a different load in every relationship they’re in, and clearly Hermione has the heavier one in many aspects here.

Hopefully this clears a little up and can at least make you feel better about what you’re reading. Like I said, I get that this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. 

Some people are continuing to say that their relationship is predatory, and that’s the only thing I find fault with. Hermione has continually consented throughout this story. Is there a power imbalance in their jobs? Certainly, but she doesn’t work for Draco. Draco doesn’t pay her salary, they don’t have anything to worry about ethically at this point in the professional realm. Personally? There is so much consent here. So much slow-walking to start their relationship up. She can leave at any time. She’s not being gaslit, hell, it would be easier for Draco and his whole family if she left him. She’s not being forced to do anything.

If you made it this far, you’re awesome. Thank you for your honesty, my friend, and I hope you have a great day!

[mcustorm]

45 M/M Gay Movies, Ranked

The other day I bit the bullet and decided to watch Brokeback Mountain for the first time. All I knew about that movie was that it was basically the CMBYN of yesteryear and somebody got killed with a tire iron. Anyways, so I finish the movie and realize that I’ve seen a *lot* of gay movies, especially in the last couple of years. So here are my rankings according to nothing but my personal preference. I won’t write about all of them, but you can ask about something if I leave it out.

I wish I could give you a rubric for this. The reality is, there are some radically different movies on this list with different tones and intentions. There’s buddy comedies, tearjerkers, small indie features, big theater releases. So trying to rank them all is TUFF.

The Way He Looks - Such a beautiful coming-of-age movie. Maybe the 2nd one I saw on this list? Perfect length, perfect characterization, simple yet compelling, clever. And nothing feels better than reaching a happy ending (for once, because some of these movies’ endings-- SHEESH) that’s been earned. It just hasn’t been topped.

2. God’s Own Country

3. Pride

4. Kanarie - Yea, we don’t talk about this movie enough. It’s one of the most recent that I’ve seen. Beautiful. The way that it references apartheid and the war to reflect the protagonist’s feelings? Flawless.

5. Jongens - The first movie that I saw on this list, gets many a bonus point for that.

6. Moonlight - Yes, I am black. Yes, I understand this movie may be too low. Moonlight kind of scares me. In general, there’s not nearly enough discourse surrounding this one for me. But while it’s not exactly a popcorn-muncher, to me it’s the most personal movie on the list. When I look at Chiron and all that he’s been through, I can’t help but draw parallels to my own story up to this point. It holds a mirror up to me in a way that no other movie on this list does. That makes me uncomfortable.

But it is so poetic. Have you guys seen the script for this? The directing, the SOUNDTRACK, the acting. Phenomenal. 

7. Weekend

8. Call Me By Your Name - Yes, I am aware of people’s beef with this one. Yes, I understand a lot of people may feel this one is overrated. While I do think this one gets worse on rewatch, the truth is, it’s not really *that* overrated because hot take: most (meaning over half) of the movies on this list range somewhere from “just okay” to “painstakingly bad”.

It’s the score, the cinematography, the subtext in most all of the dialogue, the acting, the way that you can smell the apricots through the fucking screen. People who say this movie is a vacation ad are fucking CORRECT. One of my biggest gripes however is that it’s too fucking long. And uh, that age difference...

And Armie Hammer’s a weirdo...

9. Dating Amber* - Dating Amber has one of those “Duh” premises that sounds like it could’ve been done like 30 times before yet I can’t think of any other examples of it. So what you’d think would be a wacky premise actually turns out to be a frankly poignant movie with an emotional story arc for the main two characters.

10. Hello Stranger: The Movie* - This movie, which is the first sequel (sorta) on the list, frankly had no business being as good as it was. Even though the web series is required viewing, I felt the movie fixed like all of the series’ issues: pacing, lack of compelling drama, the awkward quarantine format. The drama and stakes are there without us having to visit Angst City. And the theme and the ending reprise is HEAT.

11. Uncle Frank* -  Uncle Frank is like The Help of gay movies. Like The Help, it’s *overall* a short, sweet and fluffy movie set decades ago. Like The Help, you’ll still come out of it feeling pretty good even though it has some dark moments. Also like The Help, you’ll wonder after the fact if the central white girl absolutely needed to be so...well, central for this story to be told. Bonus points for Paul Bettany and Character Actress Margo Martindale.

12. Brokeback Mountain - Tragic.

13. Moffie - Set during the South African border war, same as Kanarie. You even hear the word “moffie” throughout Kanarie. Anyways, this is a war movie for the gays, and a very intense watch. I liked that it was a much more realistic view of what a soldier endured during that period, and of course on the flip side I thought it was more thorough in its depiction of the rampant racism. I gotta find a good book on this era.

14. A Moment In the Reeds

15. Get Real - Maybe the most out of place movie on the list. I need to rewatch it. I do recall absolutely loving the score, however. Like, I fucks with this:

16. Freier Fall - When I finished Brokeback I was like, “Wait, wasn’t that just Free Fall with extra steps?” And yea, it kinda is. But even discount Brokeback is still pretty good.

17. Beautiful Thing - There are few things to like about this one, the relationship between the two guys, the mother’s love for her son even though it’s not all rainbows, that nice little final scene. I did not care for the dark-skinned woman being portrayed as, you know, the drug abusing, school dropout, gossipy, butt of jokes neighbor. But that guy really looks like Tom Holland tho.

18. Love, Simon - It’s at this point that I move from “Yea, that movie is good, you should watch it!” to “Look, you may like it, you may not.”

19. The 10 Year Plan - This movie is so fucking cheesy that there was cheddar coming though my speakers. But when I think of “Hallmark/Lifetime, but for the gays” this is the crown jewel. There’s some other movies on this list that could’ve taken some notes.

20. The Christmas Setup* - The trend of fluffy-white-gay-cable-network-movie continues and in good form. It’s not deep. It’s not really thought provoking. It’s cute. Fran Drescher is there. You should watch it.

21. Giant Little Ones

22. Hidden Kisses

23. Alex Strangelove - In a unique twist, the emotional core of this one is arguably between Alex and his girlfriend. All that ends up happening, however, is we the viewer keep wanting more Alex/Elliott scenes; those are the most electric in the whole movie. The end result is a hot yet endearing mess.

24. Fair Haven

25. The Thing About Harry - Freeform’s attempt at making a cheesy rom-com for the gays. It’s...okay. I personally feel like the main character’s friend is highkey trifling but it’s whatever.

26. Your Name Engraved Herein* - So I guess I’ve decided I officially hate angst. I mean, I get how it’s often necessary to tell an effective story, but I’m just not here for 2 hour indie angst fests that get passed off as “high art” anymore. I cannot do it. Somehow this is Brokeback’s fault...there just has to be a better way to tell gay stories in the 2020′s. Anyways, the last song was fuego.

27. The Perfect Wedding - Easily the most bizarre movie on this list. It’s so bad, I liked it a lot.

28. Naz and Maalik - The first half of the movie with the two leads just riffing is some pretty great stuff. The back half starts throwing plot developments that are just less than interesting.

29. My Best Friend

30. The Curiosity of Chance

31. Being 17 - Boring. Angsty.

32. And Then We Danced

33. Center of My World - Has some of the most trifling characters EVER. I was so angry. This movie for me has *0* rewatchability.

34. Just Friends

35. 4th Man Out - This movie was basically “a bro/Hangover-style movie, but for the gays.” I absolutely love the intention, but the execution was a little shoddy. One day we’re gonna get a flawless movie that nails what this movie was going for. I hope we remember this movie whenever that day comes.

36. Latter Days - So fucking preachy. 

37. GBF - Another bizarre one, but at least this movie gets how wacky it is.

38. Beach Rats

39. Shelter - I’ve noticed a lot of people like this one. To that I say...yikes. Remember that scene from Family Guy where Peter says he doesn’t care for The Godfather? I did not care for Shelter. It insists upon itself (not really, but still).

40. Handsome Devil

41. Esteros - It’s at this point of the list that we shift from “Movies that are the definition of ‘ight’ “ to “These movies are bad. Bad. BAAAAAD.”

42. Monster Pies

43. Were the World Mine - I couldn’t even finish it. Wanna watch a better musical? Go watch Kanarie. Wanna watch a better Shakespeare adaptation? The Lion King is the movie for you, or even fucking She’s the Man.

44. North Sea Texas - So boring. I actually think this one may need a rewatch, because I swear it shouldn’t have been as terrible as it was.

45. Salvation Army - I have no idea what this movie was going for. I understand that it is autobiographical, however...it simultaneously barely has any plot or character developments. This one has shades of Beach Rats, but it’s significantly worse, and I didn’t even like Beach Rats that much.

So that’s it, thanks if you made it down this far. I guess I’ll update the list as I inevitably watch more of these. I would love movie recommendations! 

[monsieur-hadrien]

Quarantine Harry Potter Fanfiction *READING LIST*

I’ve spent the past months reading copious amounts of fanfiction and now my amount of AO3 bookmarks is absurd. I really need to share these because if I don’t I think I might implode. Drarry-centric but not all!

These are in no particular order nor is there a particular time frame that these were all posted. I have a little bit of everything in here just you wait.

On Punching Gods and Absentee Dads by Enigmaris 

56 Chapters, 247k Words, Complete, no slash, T Rating

Marvel, Norse Mythology, Harry Potter Crossover

TW: Past Abandonment

Harry finds out that his dad is alive, has been the whole time. Instead of being overjoyed, Harry's disgusted. His dad left earth and abandoned his friends. Every painful thing he's ever gone through can be traced back to one man. Now Harry's got super strength he can't control and an almost unnecessary amount of magical power. His dad might be living it up with the Avengers now but not for long. With the help of his friends, Harry comes up with a plan for revenge. Get ready Avengers, Harry's out to punch a god.

We’re starting off strong with a Marvel crossover fanfic wow. Who knew that crossovers could be done tastefully as 2013 Wattpad kind of ruined it for us. However, this fic changed my mind! This fic is funny as fuck and is just a goodass time. I love a good multi-chapter fic (as you’ll soon see) and this one is a showstopper.

The Man Who Lived by sebastianL

42 Chapters, 254k Words, Complete, Draco/Harry, E Rating

TW: Major Character Death, Graphic Deptictions of Violence

Draco breaks a cup, and one thing leads to another. A story of redemption, tattoos, dreams, mistakes, green eyes, long conversations, and copious amounts of coffee.

With all of the Black Lives Matter protests happening right now, I think that this fic is super relevant. Draco has moved to New York City and is working as a receptionist at a tattoo shop and a mentor for inner city kids, but he accidentally gets forced to work out his differences with Harry, who at this point hates his guts. This fic is pretty serious, tackling themes of mental health, suicide, and police brutality. Every OC in this story is completely lovable and I cried my eyes out many times. When people ask me for a fic reccomendation this is the one I give people. Dare I say that this is my all-time favorite fic.

Warm Bodies by Betty_Hazel

Work in Progress, 37 Chapters as of 6/12/2020, 108k Words, Draco/Harry, E Rating

TW: D/s Dynamics, Graphic Porn, Dubious Relationship with Food

Draco Malfoy has spent his whole life wanting to go down on his knees for other men, and that's by far the least of the depraved things he fantasises about. He's wanted it all for so long that he's stopped believing that there might be someone out there who might be able to give it all to him; it comes as something of a surprise to find that maybe Harry Potter can, and that maybe Harry's looking for something too.

ALRIGHT MY PORN LOVERS THIS ONE IS FOR YOU! Don’t lie I know you’re horny. Somehow this fic is so fucking gorgeous and sweet yet so sinfully hot. It’s literally two boys who have never felt like their emotional needs have been satisfied learning to help and love each other like how much more wholesome does it get. I mean it’s all fine and wholesome until you get to the kinky sex which is WONDERFULLY WRITTEN MIGHT I ADD! I always say that if porn can make you feel something other than just horny, you’ve found a winner, and this story does just that.

Definitely check all the tags and I mean all the tags before you read this, but this is definitely one of my favorite porn with plot stories.

Running On Air by eleventy7

17 Chapters, 75k Words, Complete, Draco/Harry, T Rating

TW: No Archive Warnings

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. 

Might I just say that classics are considered classics for a reason. This is one of those stories that has the vibe of high school summer after senior year where all you do is try to escape reality and figure out your place in the world. While the plot is wonderful and the characters are great, I think what shines the brightest from this story is the writing style. It’s so enchanting and poetic with the best one-liners that make your heart hurt. On my AO3 bookmark i captioned it, “This just ripped my soul in half and restitched it together again,” and I still stand by that.

Lokison (Series) and How To Train Your Godling (Series) by sifsshadowheart

Main Story (Lokison): 33 Chapters, 244k Words, Completed, Harry/Various Characters, E Rating

14 Spinoffs/ Sequel Stories, Completed, Harry/Various, Various Ratings

Norse Mythology, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Various Fandoms Crossover

TW: Major Character Death, Graphic Violence, Underage Sex, Spiralling Mental Health

James and Lily Potter had a secret, one which led to Thanatos saving young Harry from a dreary life with the Dursleys and changed the face of the Second British Wizarding War before it ever began.

This story feels much more like a 12 season television show than a two hour movie if you know what I mean. The plot is pretty slow going but the character development and interation makes it worth it. The story blends the lore and events of the HP and PJO to make a completely new story without making it feel like a goddamn recap. The reader follows Harry from when he’s young all the way into adulthood and it’s a fun time to watch him grow as a character and bond with his parental figures. Also some of the spinoffs are really wild and I never would have thought of the pairings but they just work somehow?? My personal favorite spinoff is the Pirates of Caribbean/Calypso and Leo arc like HELLO?! hot pirates. The total word count of the two series is 465k so beware it takes a hot second to chug through this one.

This Worship of an Extinct Fire by Lomonaaeren

Oneshot, 30k Words, Draco/Harry, M Rating

TW: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Emotional and Physical Abuse, Deppression

Unspeakable Draco Malfoy has planned for nearly six months how to take down Thomas Linwood, a man who has discovered the secret of converting wizard bodies to pure magic. He was prepared for anything--except the discovery of the missing Harry Potter in Linwood's compound.

This one, I don’t know how it’s not considered a classic. I’ve seen it floating around on drarry tumblr and wow is it good. I especially like the detailed magic system and mechanics that Draco is investigating. How the author managed to have so much detailed and gracefully planned out backstory in 30k words is beyond me. Also gentle Dracoo Malfoy is my favorite Draco Malfoy :) absolute angel mode.

Little Compton Street (One Rainy Night in Soho) by LLAP15 and Writcraft

Oneshot, 66k Words, Draco/Harry, Past Sirius/James, E Rating

TW: Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Light D/s Dynamics, References to Cancer, References to HIV/AIDS

Draco is lonely, Harry hates the press and it won’t stop raining in London. Harry discovers a magical street that’s close to disappearing forever and Draco realises he’s one rainy night in Soho away from finding everything he’s been searching for.

This fic is, in every sense, a masterpiece. Especially for pride month, the story surrounding LGBTQIA+ activism, the AIDS Epidemic of the 80s, and the gentrification of historically queer communities is one that should be read by everyone. Every single place, OC, and historic event has real world ties and is historically accurate, making this fic even more enchanting. Everything about this fic is graceful and slow burning I can’t help but fall in love with it. I’ve only seen this fic once on HP tumblr, but I feel like it should be considered a classic as it is truly a moving piece. This fic is one of the biggest reasons why I became so enthralled with LGBT history and am writing a fic that takes place in a wizarding version of the AIDS epidemic.

Sensitive Touch by Raserwolf

45 Chapters, 194k Words, Complete, Draco/Harry, E Rating

TW: Racism and Racial Slurs, Homophobic Slurs, Ablism and Ablist Slurs, Rape and Sexual Assault, Sensory Overloads and Mental Breakdowns, Extreme Bullying and Hate Crime, Past Abuse, Anxiety Disorders, PTSD wow this is a long list

When Draco Malfoy encounters a struggling and frustrated Harry desperately trying to tie his shoes after a meltdown in the Great Hall, his curiosity regarding the incident leads him to seek the help of the two people closest to Harry: Ron and Hermione.

After even they are shocked to hear the extent of Harry's issues, though Hermione had her suspicions, he discovers more about the man than he ever thought he knew before.

As a Neurotypical, I found this fic to be absolutely wonderful. I don’t know much about the typical traits of those who are one the autism spectrum and how they affect their everyday lives, but from what I was reading in the comments from those who are on the spectrum or who have family who are, this fic was pretty accurate and realistic. Harry, who lives with aspergers, goes without a known diagnosis until 8th year and it’s just heightened by his PTSD and anxiety and ugh I just want to hug the boy. The story follows Harry and Draco and the rest of the 8th year gang through the year and has multiple arcs in which the wizarding world are just dumbass bitches who can’t fucking seem to accept people for who they are. Not only is Harry on the spectrum but he’s also Desi with a purpose and not just mentioned and forgotten which is wonderful. The boys go through a lot of trauma in the story but there’s also a lot of teeth-rotting fluff that I live for. This is one of the fics that I have read and reread because I love it so much.

This definitely is not my full list I have a ton more stories in my bookmarks if you are curious. I’ll probably post a part two to this just cause I have so much and read so often. These, however, are definitely the biggest highlights.

[bluemoon-writer]

TSI - Chapter 1 Notes

Here are my full notes and commentary for Chapter 1 of my Harry Potter fic 'The Snake Inside'.

Chapter 1 can be found here.

Throughout the chapter there are numbers in parentheses, these numbers correspond to the below notes. To best understand what I’m talking about in the notes I would recommend opening the story in a second tab and following along from there.

(notes begin under the cut)

1. This is, if you hadn’t noticed, lifted directly from the book, I do do this a couple times however, this is the only one that is italicized. I’m going to try and point out the other instances in chapter notes as well.

2. Another line lifted from the book, although here it has slightly different context

3. This was another line from the book, although again it has slightly different context (also I swear these notes aren’t just going to be me citing passages from the book)

4. I was actually really conflicted over this. Dudley is obviously incredibly spoiled so I figured it made sense that if for once Harry had something that he didn’t that he would throw a fit and demand he get the same. What I wasn’t confident about was how Petunia or Vernon would react as they really do love Dudley, shown by how much they spoil him. In this scenario, I decided that Petunia’s hatred of magic plus her fear of losing Dudley to magic (just like she lost her sister) would drive her to hit Dudley.

5. The first signs of Harry’s sneaky Slytherin side! He reads the room and chooses the best manner to approach the situation, something he would be good at considering he grew up in an abusive household. He would likely have gotten very good at reading moods and acting accordingly at a young age to avoid being hit or yelled at.

6. It might seem like Harry is a little quick to believe in Hogwarts and want to go considering he knows nothing about it. But, it’s an escape from the Dursleys and the terrible school they were going to send him to. Plus, it’s obvious that the Dursleys hate magic, so why would they lie to Harry about him being a wizard?

7. I know in canon Hogwarts is free, but that simply doesn’t make sense to me. In my world, Hogwarts is the best and most elite school in Britain, but it’s not the only one. There are also smaller ‘public’ wizarding schools that people who can’t afford Hogwarts go to. Also, if Hogwarts has a tuition then it only makes sense to me that the Potter Parents would set up an education fund for Harry, especially since their lives were at risk, they would want to make sure that Harry would be able to get the best education possible.

8. Some more Slytherin sneakiness, Harry isn’t a master manipulator by any means but he’s lived with the Dursleys for 11 years, he knows how to play them.

9. I don’t write it in bc it seemed unnecessary, but she does explain her reasoning off-screen.

10. Some foreshadowing here, I thought I was rather clever, finding a logical way for Harry and Vernon to learn how to enter the train platform.

11. This whole paragraph is my attempt at showing how Harry is still just a kid who’s curious about the new world he’s found himself in. I know I write Harry (and all the characters his age) as being a little more mature than they probably would be in reality, so here I was trying to show a pure, childlike curiosity and also some trains of thought that aren’t totally logical bc he is a kid.

12. I do think the Dursleys, or Vernon at least, is more clever than he gets credit for, he is high up in Grunnings, so he has to have some sort of head on his shoulders, and he’s certainly self-serving we saw in book 2 how he lathered up those rich people he wanted to impress. So, I think as much as Vernon might hate magic and think goblins are disgusting, that he would very much be able to put that aside if he thought it might benefit him.

13. The goblins ‘revealing the truth’ to Harry, or giving him or helping him out in some way is kinda over done and doesn’t always make sense as the goblins really have no reason so want to go out of their way to help Harry. But, I needed an unbiased 3rd party to teach Harry a little about the wizarding world and I figured a satisfactory motivation for the goblins would be making money in the form of consultation fees.

14. The first hints of Dumbledore’s manipulations. He wants a naïve Savior who will be easy for him to influence and shape into the person he thinks the world needs. Note, I’m not going for an evil Dumbledore, just a morally grey Dumbledore.

15. Paper business refers to the practice of owning a business on paper but not being involved in how it’s currently ran, I’m not trying to say that the Potters own several companies that sell paper. I don’t know if this is a common term, when I googled it nothing came up, but my dad uses it a lot when talking about businesses. Also, we know in canon that the Potters are rich but in a lot of fics it has evolved into them being extremely wealthy and influential. I’m running with this fanon idea because the Potters are a very old family, they’ve been around since the 12thcentury and married into other very influential families in canon. Also, if I ever get to the later years I do want to mess around with some politics and Harry having power from his family name will be a necessary advantage.

16. I’m not going to bore you guys with paragraphs detailing just how exceedingly rich Harry is, if he can’t even do anything with what he owns yet. He’s 11, he’s not going to be making any smart investments.

17. Like I said earlier with the tuition vault, the Potters were soldiers in a war, they knew they might die and I think it’s only logical that they would take precautions to ensure that Harry would have a comfortable life should they die.

18. This might seem like a lot, but again, the Potters are rich and they want their only child to be able to have a comfortable life even if they die, plus it is supposed to last until Harry’s an adult.

19. This is not canon, JKR said that a galleon is approx. 5 British pounds. I think that’s too low, so I changed it. I mean, it’s solid gold and the highest form of currency it’s got to be worth more than that.

20. Trying to give Dumbledore the benefit of the doubt, but of course Vernon is going to be suspicious of anyone who took money that he could have used.

21. This is just something that I thought made sense, Gringotts has been established as being in the business of making money and how can they do that if they’re cut off from part of their clientele?

22. I’m trying to go in a new direction with the Dursleys, I’m not trying to redeem them, but like Dumbledore, they’re in a grey area, especially Vernon. I think a self-serving Vernon would be interested in learning more about the magic world, or more specifically learning what it can do for him. But also because you need to know your enemy, as interested as he might be in profiting off magic, Vernon doesn’t trust wizards. As for Harry, this is a Slytherin AU, of course he’s going to play along with his uncle’s plan as long as it benefits him.

23. This is another line from the book

24. Hints that Dean is actually a halfblood and not muggleborn, this is canon too. I’m looking forward to exploring the future “tracking down who my real dad was arc”

25. Originally, I had Harry meet Hermione and her family, but I decided to change it to Dean because I wanted to go down some different avenues. A lot of Slytherin Harry stories have Harry becoming friends with Hermione early on despite their differences and I didn’t want to just do the same thing as everyone else. Also, I really like Dean Thomas’s character he’s a friendly, good natured, brave and loyal. I also think that Harry would get along better with Dean right off the bat than he would with Hermione.

26. Honestly, I think it’s ridiculous that they still use quills and I will be using the trope where Harry sneaks in ballpoint pens.

27. Harry came to Diagon a few days earlier than he did in canon, so I figure it only makes sense that he would meet someone different at Madam Malkins also this gave me a great opportunity to shoe in one of my other favorite characters, Neville.

28. I headcanon that Harry and Neville have a slight magical bond over both being possible options for the prophecy.

29. I admit this is slightly unrealistic, as I’ve dropped my glasses several times before and they’ve never broken but I wanted an excuse to get Harry some new glasses.

30. Not implausible, but also not likely either. Also, I admit I really have no clue about British healthcare, especially not what it was like in the 80s and 90s. I know it’s free, but that there’s also the option to do private or paid care. So, for this story, assume that the Dursleys use private care bc they want to seem better than everyone else.

31. Again, probably not the most realistic scenario, but it is possible. I got glasses when I was 11 and contacts when I was 15, but I definitely could have gotten the contacts when I was a little younger. Maybe not, 11-years old younger, but I don’t think it’s entirely out of the ballpark.

32. I didn’t see any point in changing Hedwig’s name, so I kept it the same.

33. Giving Harry contacts was something that I debated a lot, there’s no real reason he needs them, I just wanted him to have some because they’re convenient. I personally regret not getting contacts earlier.

34. To be honest, this is actually a bit of a cop out on my end because I haven’t figured out the entire political system yet. BUT even if I had, Harry is still 11 so he probably wouldn’t understand it that well anyways. There will be a brief explanation in chapter 2 though.

35. Dudley’s reaction is anything thing I was really torn up about. Because he’s essentially torn between his two parents, sticking with Petunia ostracizes him from Vernon and sticking with Vernon ostracizes him from Petunia. Ultimately, I decided Dudley would value his father’s attention more because while Petunia wouldn’t like him getting involved with magic, she wouldn’t cut Dudley off completely, she loves him too much. But Vernon, has been completely distracted by magic and without Dudley getting involved in it too then he won’t get any attention from his father.

36. According to the HP wiki, Dean’s family actually lives in London, but I wanted it to be more convenient for them to meet so I moved them closer to the Dursleys. Also, I actually did about an hour’s worth of research on google maps trying to find a real place Dean’s family to live.

37. A whole lot of this section with the Weasleys was lifted from the book with slightly different commentary from Harry. I originally had more, but it didn’t add anything so I cut it out.

38. I don’t know how outgoing Ron was before he met Harry, if I was him though I would be too nervous to intrude on a compartment with two other kids who looked like they were already friends.

39. This is not a Ron bashing fic, Harry has no reason to dislike him, so of course he wouldn’t be opposed to sitting with him. That said, for the premise of the story I couldn’t have them sit together because Ron is heavily biased against Slytherin.

40. Poor Draco, if he had just paid more attention to who he was passing in the hall then he would have met Harry, but again, I couldn’t let that happen because Draco’s so obnoxious that he’d turn Harry off Slytherin.

41. Honestly, I just wanted Harry to interact with more students who can be potential friends.

42. Again, and the sorting is lifted from the book. I’m not going to make note of every line.

43. I wasn’t sure if I wanted Neville to be in Hufflepuff of Gryffindor at first. A lot of people argue that Neville needed to be in Gryffindor to learn how to be brave, but I think that Hufflepuff would provide a strong support system that would help Neville gain confidence in himself. Also, I decided that Harry’s words in the robe shop would influence Neville into not thinking that he was a loser if he went to Hufflepuff. I imagine in canon, much like Harry was chanting “not slytherin” Neville was probably chanting “not Hufflepuff”. So I think it’s fitting they both don’t end up in Gryffindor in this fic. Also, Harry already has a Gryffindor friend in Dean, he can use a Hufflepuff friend.

[shaonsim]

Thoughts on the writing of itv!!! What kinda show would you writeee

My friend. My hero. Thank you for sending this in. Thank you so much!! You gave me such a wonderful opportunity to blab about stuff.

THANK YOU ❤️❤️❤️❤️

The writing of ITV, you ask? Hang on my friend, this will be a WILD ride. A wild ride. This will be loong and wordy and a little incoherent, jumping from one point to another, but this will tell you a lot about how I feel about the writing of ITV.

And yes, this will read like a letter to the CVs because I am totally incapable of abiding the rules of grammar and I don't want to edit all this.

And I apologise for the out of context references that seeped in with time. Sorry, couldn't help it. I will gladly expand upon any of the references.

The main thing with writing (according to me, but I don't like repeating this disclaimer since by asking the question you already know that this will be my personal opinion, but still, for safety purposes)...The main thing with writing is that the core concept can be summed up in one single paragraph, and then you add words for emphasis.

You write in a thousand situations, in different styles, only for the message to hit home.

Look at our Epics.

Ramayana can be summed up as the Ram-Ravan conflict in a good Vs evil way. Lakshman is the devoted brother, Hanuman (ji) is an ardent devotee of Ram-Sita.

Mahabharata is basically another story of good Vs evil, where Duryodhan is the evil guy , Shakuni is an evil mastermind, 99 Kaurav brothers (+ Karna) the sidekicks, and the rest of the Kurus (+ Drona and Kripa ) as the silent voices of reason.

And almost every event emphasises these points. Because that's the story.

Look at Harry Potter. Three kids (young blood/new generation ) fighting against the big bad and pointing out and fixing the mistakes of the past along the way.

Look at Kalpurush (I read it during the quarantine and I am in love ❤ ) , where the main theme is that a mother worries whether the circumstances will lead to history repeating itself, whether a son will follow his father's footsteps, and whether she would be happy if he did turn out to be like that.

Technically, it is the same with shows.

Sasural Simar Ka began with the concept of the deep bond between the sisters, then moved on to supernatural forces interfering with the Bhardwaj family. The theme changed, but it didn't vanish.

Swaragini began as a show revolving around the sisters, and it stayed like that for forever, even when the plot went sideways and the sisters were pitted against each other.

Kumkum bhagya is a show where the leads battle kidnapping, murder attempts, misunderstandings etc and come out longing for each other and dreaming about happier times (the same was the theme of Pavitra Rishta too, if I remember correctly. But with less kidnapping.) And now the show has taken a leap with a love triangle between the kids (look, another similarity between kkb and pr. Go Ekta)!

KZK2 *cringe cringe* is all about AnuPre who love each other but don't end up with each other because of various reasons.

ITV has this thing down pat.

But it fails to come up with proper events to highlight their core concept and of course, they fail to choose an interesting theme for the show, but heyy, human mind and relationships is a gold mine for ideas. It is fascinating, and quite enjoyable, if it is done right. Am I biased because it is my favourite genre? Yes of course.

But the point stands.

Another important part of writing is that in order to come up with plot points that will reinforce your main idea, you need to come up with a cast of interesting characters, and develop their background to give you an ample opportunity to create the above mentioned plot points. The spectators, onlookers, the influencers need motivation - reasons for their actions.

Think about Karna. Think about Drupad-Drona. Think about Bhishma-Amba. Think about Jayadrath and his boon.

Sub-plots, side-plots. Parallel storylines.

For the most part, ITV fails in this department. The characters or stories they introduce are a) boring (either because we fail to understand their motivation or because they are diluted versions of the leads) or b) annoying because of their over enthusiastic and blind favouritism for the lead character they support.

^ Casting and acting also plays a major part in this (ugh Chandni ), but most of the time, it can be solved with focusing on the actor's strengths and weaknesses and changing the dialogues based on that. A writer can change things.

That's their job.

If your side characters are not interesting enough to deserve a story of their own, you aren't trying hard enough. That said, if you can't weave in their story in your main story, do not focus on the side plots. No one is interested in seeing your hodgepodge of TWO (or more) stories. It should all come together in the end, it should become one BIG story. Bring it all together!!

But do focus on the side plots, because there is only so much you can do with your leads, especially in the romance/family (whatever you call it) genre that occupies 90% of tellywood (and for good reason too!!)

A good plan is to create events with one of your main character and a group of characters (how small or big a group is for you to decide). If you force the audience to look at two/three supporting characters, no body will be happy.

Use your leads!!!!

Also, PLEASE use the show Vs tell method.

You want us to know that the male lead is adored by his sister? Show us. And by that, I meant scenes where we can see the bond they share, NOT dull monologues where the sister sings praises of her brother (a few monologues are fine though). You are an audio-visual medium.

ACT LIKE IT.

Monologues are for written things. Where we only have the words and our own imagination. Here, you have the tools to present us with the pictures, with the words they speak to each other.

Don't waste it.

In the same vein, do not repeat dialogues. Not word to word (don't repeat the same thing with different wording multiple times in a single episode or a week of episodes). Switch it up, and if you have to, have to repeat stuff, use an actor who has decent facial expressions and voice modulation. If the actor is stiff, robotic, then don't use that actor to parrot your lines. Seriously.

<< Not to hate on anyone in particular but Prerna's 'Anurag Anurag Anurag' is very annoying, for reasons that are better left unspoken >>

Hey, hey, you know what else is an integral part of writing? Research. Making a show on doctors? Police? Engineers? Lawyers? Chefs? Do your research. And if you want to take the short cut and go with the convenient business men/women trope, by all means, go for it. GO FOR IT. But show them working, and no, not because of tracks revolving around the business, but always. Running a business is a full time responsibility. Show that. I repeat, show that. Show that the character isn't home 24x7, show late night meetings, show files neatly stacked (or strewn about, your choice). Show the products or materials involved in the business. Show your characters being exhausted with the amount of work, show their involvement in their work. Or don't, if that suits the story and your character is neglectful, or if you have a proper reason to have them take some time off. Pay attention.

Time for a checklist.

Central theme? ✅

Side plots (+ characters)? ✅

Edit things because of the actors? ✅

Show Vs Tell? ✅

Research? ✅

How much DRAMA is too much drama? ❔❔

Now, this is a product of my curiosity (+ me posting the Fic Which Must Not Be Named), but I think this fits nicely with the rest of this answer. I wouldn't explain this in detail because the original post does a much better job (and I need validation, so go read that post) but to think, that ITV tells us stories of other people, and whether it is this very question, this doubt, that leads to the numerous kidnappings and accidents/fire/misunderstandings we see in 90% of the shows.

Okay, time to return to the checklist.

Oh. Oh! I forgot my favourite part.

The influences of the audience. Every writer has a story to tell. And while it is difficult to think that the ITV creatives know what they want to do with their story, I would give them the benefit of doubt. Besides, as a writer myself, I know that 80% of writing is having no clue as to where you want to take the story. ANYWAY, back to the topic at hand. I think, if everything was written and shot before telecast, we might get cohesive writing. As it is, the creatives put out some content, look at the reaction, and try to maintain the highs or fix the blunders, by hook or crook.

And the story suffers.

Complete revamping of tracks, characters behaving worse than pendulums, repeat of romantic scenes, bringing in new characters out of the blue - I believe, most of these things occur in a rush to fetch (or maintain) ratings.

Now, let's talk about copy-pasting tracks without bothering to look at the bigger picture. What works for one show, works only because it goes with the past and future events of the show. You can't grab xyz from show1 and throw it into show2, because S2 does not have the background of S1. It wouldn't work, because the characters are different, their motivation is different, their past is different, everything is different.

Also, can we talk about how two people of opposite genders can be friendly and helpful to each other without secretly pining for the other person? It doesn't always have to be romance, although it can be perceived as that, if you want a jealousy track. Character A and B both know there is no romantic feelings, but Character C is seeing green because heyy, DRAMA!!

((This is one thing that disastrous Bajlo tomar alor benu did right, in respect to Minu and Rudra))

Another important thing - people can (and should, if you want it to be realistic) be morally grey. There is a phase between liking someone or hating them or wishing them to be dead or actually killing them. Also, not everyone has access to criminals and goons. I REPEAT, not everyone has a criminal connection, or the mental capacity to actually execute the plan to the T.

Thinking of murder, planning murder and straight up plunging a knife in someone's chest are different things. Remember the difference.

USE THE DIFFERENCE.

And while you are on it, learn the difference between attraction, appreciation and love.

We might be attracted to a particular quality - a physical attribute, a skill, a specific philosophy etc. We might appreciate that quality in a fellow human being. And we might be attracted to and appreciate the person with those qualities, but that doesn't mean that we would love them.

In the ocean of unnecessary romance angles and third wheels, this core difference is often brushed away in a bid to gain trps. Please don't do that.

Another checklist.

Ratings changing the story? ✅

Copy pasting tracks ✅

The world is grey ✅

Less criminal activity ✅

Not everything is love ✅

Would you look at that! I covered so many things. Fear not, I still have a lot to say. Mwahaha.

Not going to go into detail about my opinions on in-laws on ITV, because that is already covered here, but let's talk about the actual family.

The parents, siblings, cousins, relatives. Again, I am going to repeat myself and tell them to use the show Vs tell method. And actually focus on the dynamics because although the equations will change after marriage (for the male lead, the female lead will be cut off from her family 80% of the time), these relationships set the foundation for your character. Their personality. Motivation.

If you are going with a character who is distant, then by all means, do so, but do NOT ignore the family. Show that the character doesn't care.

Show it. Don't gloss over it.

That said, limit your exploration of characters and back stories. There is no hard or fast rule, but if it feels like too much focus, then it is too much focus. Go follow your basic INSTINCTS.

Okay, now is the time to come to the business side of writing for ITV. Bringing in popular characters, giving them smart dialogues and promoting them to the High Heavens. Wonderful trick. But do it in a subtle way. We will gladly let you play us, but only until we realise that we have been played. Subtly manipulate things. Subtly.

And, talking about that, let's also talk about how consistency is really important. Dumping black (or white) paint on characters would not wash away past grievances. It wouldn't remove the impression we already have. So if you want to portray someone in a positive light, work up to that point. Same with negative portrayals. Ease us into the change in perspective.

((Bajaj track in KZK2 is the perfect example of how the writers totally FAILED to follow this rule))

Also, if you are writing comedy, please hire good actors. Comedy is incredibly difficult, and if the performance isn't up to the mark, then it falls flat. And bad comedy is very annoying.

Another thing. If you have a social message, as in if the central theme is a social issue, do NOT forget your theme. And do not shove it down our throats. Don't make it preachy. Strive for balance.

And here, let me remind you that you do need a central theme, that's a very important part of your story. So pick a theme. And stick to it.

Think of your story like a human body.

Skeleton is the theme. The concept.

Blood is the undercurrents, the 'vibe'.

Organs are the characters.

Veins and arteries are the relationships.

Flesh is your plot.

Skin is the sub plots and side plots.

AND TOGETHER, THEY MAKE A STORY.

TOGETHER, THEY MAKE A STORY.

See how I repeated myself for emphasis? That's what you have to do, in a more subdued and complex way. I know you have it in you.

And because I wrote so much about adding sub plots and side characters, let's talk about what you shouldn't do, with me quoting myself:

Even CID, a show I loved to watch because it was a crime drama but less gruesome than what you would expect, could not escape tellywood’s clutches and turned into a chaotic mess with too many new characters and a massive shift in focus - in its last days, it was more of a romantic drama with the crime sprinkled in, and because there were so many new characters (who were boring 70% of time and annoying for the other 30%), I had ZERO interest in the series. The crimes have always been similar, what kept me hooked was the way they dealt with it and their group dynamics, which was ruined by bringing in a hoard of characters who contributed nothing to the story. And the Shreya-Daya track was a bad one from its conception, there was no need to drag it until my mild indifference turned into a major annoyance. And they could have avoided all of this. There was no need to ruin a perfectly good show with lazy, uncreative writing.

^ Bolded are the parts I consider important.

Also, let me take this opportunity to talk about shows similar to CID, in which every episode deals with a mini-plot and it is only the characters that remain the same. Crime dramas, medical dramas (although one the most popular ones on ITV - DMG was less about medicine and more about Jerk!Armaan and his jerk-ness and got rid of this problem in an innovative way that deserves an essay of its own, but I digress).

If the only thing remaining constant is your characters and their group dynamics, then do NOT throw in twenty new characters at once. Introduce them one at a time and limit the number of characters you will use. Keep the same cast for a decent chunk of time. Please. And do not add in multiple sub plots. The storyline is already a little blurry, jumping from case to case, so too much drama between the characters can be either too much to handle or just very, very boring. The focus is on the cases. Keep it there.

A show that did it quite well, was Goyenda Ginni, what with the overarching plot of a homemaker balancing housework and her passion for solving crimes. And because it was always about a family, with limited characters (bringing in spouses for the unmarried characters), it wasn't crowded.

Before I forget, here are some of my common issues with ITV and their writing department ⬇️

EK and her love for the child!track

Portrayal of marriage and relationship

^ And I must add that the Fic Which Must Not Be Named came into being because I couldn't accept the marriage trope for the two characters from the show that has become my latest obsession, even if the trope is shown in a negative light and the people in it are called out and they realise how wrong they are. #shaonHatesDealMarriages

The year 2020 and tellywood marriages

For the most part the last two links say the same things, but the wording and examples and the object of focus is different (this is how you hammer it home, CVs, write long posts on the same thing until the world learns about your hatred for said things. You're welcome 😎)

Also, something I remembered while writing the little note about forced marriages - acknowledge the wrongdoings of your characters, EVEN if they are the leads and you want people to love them. Glossing over the misdeeds wouldn't help, but accepting the truth, pointing out the flaws and then adding the reasoning behind the actions, and later on, writing in the realisation and apology for the act, is a much, much better idea. It is easier to forgive someone if their misdemeanor isn't shoved under the rug. But don't go overboard with the accusations. Repeating the truth multiple times only serves to annoy us.

Have I covered everything? I don't know. Feel free to ask me specific things in case you think I didn't comment on something. It is easy for me to forget about things while writing an answer as long as this. Not to mention, that I framed the first two-three paragraphs in my head while I stood under the shower, so in the rush to jot down everything I had thought of, I might have missed some stuff. Happens to the best of us, eh?

Coming to the second part of your question, I must admit, I am not the best at coming up with original premises. I like to dwell on the thoughts of the individual, delve deeper into their minds and do stuff - as evident in my love for the romance/drama genre, and why I love that ITV has so many shows in this genre. Why my writing (the drabbles I wrote last week), is more about the people than the plot. That's just who I am.

That said, I think I would do good with a team. Together, we can write a lot of things. ((Someone agree to do a collaborative fun writing project right now, I love those. We can make full use of all this free time and write a story of our own)).

No, seriously.

I love writing as a team.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #207

“it’s late, and you’re still staring at the light; to call it an addiction’s impolite.”

Nevermind what gender you ARE, what gender do you WANT to be? Happy being a girl. Do you ever feel ashamed revealing your age? When it's to people who are aware of how behind I am in the adult world in any context, yes. Very. If they know nothing about me, then I don't care. Are you confident enough to reveal your height and weight? Height, I don't care. Weight, fuck no. What do your parents call you? Both usually say "Britt," but Dad's more likely to use terms of endearment like "sweetie" and such. Well, Mom does use "hunny" a lot too. How old were you when you first got to go on the computer? Idr. About the "normal" age for little kids that played Neopets, probably. Would you say you’re an emotional person? Way too emotional. What’s a color that suits you the best? Black. And a color you just can’t pull off/don’t want to? Probably most... I wouldn't know, almost every single thing I wear is black. I have literally one light purple shirt, and I think that's the only non-black shirt I own. Describe yourself when you were 6 years old? Very talkative, extremely imaginative, outgoing, I was definitely weird, tomboyish, very happy... Man, I miss being that kid sometimes. A type of personality you just can't stand? The older and older I get, the more I cannot STAND a closed mind. I like people who accept they're far from always right, and sometimes, your "right" isn't such for someone else, and that is fine. You don't have to see the same way to still get along perfectly (though of course, there's no need to respect an opinion that spits upon, invalidates, or is just plain hateful towards another person/group). Like just as an example 'cuz I feel like I explained that poorly; I'm really not into the idea of polygamy at all, but I'm not against it for people it works with. You do you. Your appearance in one word would be? "Abilify." :^) City type of person or country? I like the live in a more country-ish area, but I found through Chicago I LOVE /visiting/ cities. What’s something you’re obsessed about right now? When am I not obsessed with Mark, meerkats, Silent Hill, opossums (a newer addition), WoW, etc. etc.? My whole life runs on obsessing over something, fren. Your reaction if someone told you you look 10 years older than your age? ZOINKS that would suck ass. Do you really badly want anything right now? For the past couple weeks, I've become more and more antsy to get up to Sara's again. When I land a job, fancyin' up my tattoo just because as I've said again and again it is SO important to me and must be perfect, then I'm saving up to go back up there. What’s something that makes you really stressed out? With all this job searching and such going on, it's like all I can think about, so why not mention what fucked me up at my previous ones: Putting me in a position of responsibility and expected knowledge. Ex., when I was a sales associate and was asked "Oh, do you have this?"/"Where is this?", it was CONSTANT PANIC MODE because I never knew and had to ask somebody, when I was expected to be a knowledgeable employee to the customer, and then comes the horror of feeling like I'm inconveniencing and annoying them. Have any particular standard look you look for in a significant other? I don't have a "standard look," no, but I am more likely to be drawn to a gothic appearance. But I don't actively search for someone that meets that criteria or anything. Do you listen to Wiz Khalifa? No. What are your opinions on marijuana legalization? Please legalize medicinal use already. Recreationally, idk. Do you date outside your own race? I'd have no reservations against it. I dated a Hispanic... less than a day, but still, you get the point that I don't have a problem with it. What are some of your turn-offs? SEXIST/MISOGYNISTIC, too old-fashioned, racist and/or homophobic, raunchy, arrogant/self-centered, lack of sincere interest and enthusiasm in conversation, poor hygiene, I'm gonna get SHIT ON for saying "too slutty," not taking dating seriously... that kinda stuff. I'm so picky. Are you gay, straight, bi, or trans? Bisexual. Are you vegetarian? If not, would you ever consider becoming one? I'm not now, but I hope to return to it after I get to my goal weight... In my few months of vegetarianism, it was proven that my immense pickiness with food was making the diet unhealthy for me, as I was strongly lacking in certain vitamins and such. I'm going to have to somehow overcome that if I want to return to it, which I REALLY do want to do the more and more I get into animal welfare and care. Are you in love? Yes. Are you more of a pessimist or an optimist? Pessimist, I think, out of the two. But I like to see myself as a realist. How much money is in your wallet? Literally just $11 lmao. What’s your favorite sex position? Only experienced in these with a man, so answering with that in mind. I like sitting on his lap, facing him, with my legs around his back. What do you ultimately wish for in life? Happiness and peace. Have you ever been pregnant? No. What do you think about tipping at restaurants? Tip your goddamn waiter/waitress, assholes. I do believe in tipping based on the quality of service, BUT at least give them SOMETHING for working. Do you have your driver’s license? No jkajdsklfaj;wer. I haaaave to practice more. Whenever I'm in the car, I always strongly prefer to listen to my music, controlling it from the passenger's seat, and at least right now, I can't drive with loud music, barely any at all really, so I have a hard time giving up blaring my music while Mom drives lmao. Have you ever passed out from drinking? No. What’s your favorite carnival food? Idk, I don't go nearly enough. Who did you last kiss? Romantically, Sara. Platonically, either my niece or nephew when leaving. Have you seen the final Harry Potter movie? I haven't even see one. Ever been called a slut? No. Would you ever have sex with someone not of your preferred sex? I'm bisexual so like- Would you ever get back together with any of your exes? No. Do you take any meds on a daily basis? Yep. What did you do today? Watched LPs as always; did some job searching; played WoW, way shorter than usual though; took a nap; made a new icon; took a shower; listened to music; did some social media scrolling. The usual stuff. What do you wear to bed at home? A tank top and pj pants. What do you wear to bed when you're somewhere else? The same, but with a bra. Is there a place you keep any prized/secret things whilst you’re away? No. Do you have any phobias? What? Why do you think you have this/them? I'll just talk about the unordinary ones, 'cuz I have a lot. The ones I'd consider "weird" are vomiting, whale sharks, and pregnancy. Vomiting is because it's just incredibly unpleasant, but also because I know what goes down is not supposed to come back up. Like no one likes puking, no shit, but I'm legit afraid of it and lock up on what to do when I feel it coming, like I don't know what to do. Whale sharks... ahaha. It literally came from World of Warcraft. The design of their mouths is fucking horrifying, and I hate hate hate how they sometimes phase in-and-out of the Vashj'ir map so just like pOP UP. NAH, SON. It's just their damn mouths, even though I know their esophagus is far too small to swallow a human. As for pregnancy, just... ew. I'm afraid of parasites, and it's a parasitic relationship. Something should NOT be growing inside of you. What skill do you possess that you are most proud of? I'm very compassionate, especially when it comes to others enduring emotional struggles. I really feel for hurting people. What is your greatest strength (e.g. honest, loyal, brave)? I have strong morals and stick to them. I'll always stand up for what I feel is right. What’s your greatest shortcoming or flaw (e.g. cowardly, alcoholic)? Ah jeez, there's a lot... but probably my anxiety. It's held me back and manipulated my actions since middle school. I struggle not followings its rules, but I'm sure trying. Who do you most admire? Mark, my mom, Sara, Sara's dad, Steve Irwin... man, there's too many great people. Who do you most love? Sara, my mom, and my pets, Teddy especially. What three things do you look for most in a partner? EXPRESSING OF THEIR EMOTIONS/TRULY FEELING!!!!!!!!, compassion, and a cool head. If you could ask God (to atheists - IF there was one) one question, what? Hm. Good question... There's a lot, but mostly little wonders; I feel like I have a decent understanding of the god I personally see, so don't have any magnificent questions. Perhaps regarding why they created our world. That'd be interesting. Rate yourself on these traits from 0 to 10: 0 - do not possess this trait. 10 - you have great amounts of this trait. Calm temper: 7. Charm: *big shrug* Cheerfulness: 3-4. Confidence: 0-3. Courtesy: 8-10. Curiosity: 6-10. Forgiveness: 9-10. Generosity: 8-10. Greed: 0-3. Helpfulness: Well, I like to try to help, but I don't feel I'm very successful at that, so idk. Honesty: 5-9, depending on who I'm talking to and what the subject is, I guess. Loyalty: This is very flexible, and I don't feel like I can put a number on it. It depends on how deserving you are of the trait, and yes, you can lose my loyalty in a heartbeat if you give me reason to take it away. Optimism: 0-4. Patience: This can go from a whopping 0 to a 10, lmao. Very dependent on the situation. Self-sacrifice: 8-9. Wit: -10. Briefly describe your family. Kinda broken. Tight bonds scattered between certain people, no bonds with others. What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you? The breakup. I wouldn't wish that night upon Satan himself. How did it affect you? We know. Have you ever had any recurring nightmares or themes in nightmares? Speaking of that... Jason is in most nightmares I remember. The common theme is it's either after the breakup and we have an awkward running in with each other, or it's long before when everything was "perfect." All things considered, I'd call even that a nightmare. Those fuck with me the most. Do you currently have a boyfriend/girlfriend? Yeah. Do you have any close friends? I can count those on maybe two fingers. Of what are you most proud? Letting Jason go. Of what are you most ashamed? I've talked about the Joel situation multiple times. What is your religion? Theist. Where do you stand on abortion? Mostly pro-choice. Where do you stand on the death penalty? Sometimes justifiable and one's deserving end. Felons are lucky enough it's done humanely. Where do you stand on wearing fur? If you're not surviving out in the arctic, fuck you and all you stand for. Could you kill somebody? I'm perfectly aware I could in defense situations. For what reason would you kill somebody? Defending myself or loved ones. Hell, probably even strangers. I'd kill a rapist with zero fucking hesitation, even if they were assaulting someone I'd never seen before. Would you SERIOUSLY CONSIDER killing anybody right now? No. Do you trust easily, or not? NOPE. What, if anything, would you sacrifice your life for? Defending peace, gay rights, or if it was to protect most of those I love. What are your dreams/ambitions/goals? Be a successful photographer, reach financial stability, come to a point where I'm actually proud of what I've done, play a roll in wildlife conservation, be happily married, and just overall be content and satisfied with my life. How do you plan to reach them? Working my goddamn ass off and not taking "no" for an answer (not about the marriage part tho lmao). Do you ever want to have a family someday? With children? No. Who would you want to start this family with, or do you not yet know? I just want a pet family with Sara. What do you see yourself doing next year? Man, I don't have a clue... What do you see yourself doing in twenty years? I don't want to think of that. That's too far ahead. I'll be 43... I've gotta work on too many things now. Would you ever have an affair? I'm very curious as to who would actually answer "yes" to this. Would you ever have a one night stand? No. Lmaoooo actually this is sad as fuck, but I think I've said in a previous survey just knowing myself, if we were both single and clicked, I'd be doomed if it was Markiplier. My morals would sadly go out the window. If you had a month of nothing (no work, no obligations) what would you do? That's literally been the story of my life for years now, especially the past two. And it's torture. Would you ever choose a career or job where your life was at risk? No. Well, actually, I do want to do wildlife photography, and it can be pretty dangerous. Were you present at any major historical events (e.g. 9/11)? No. Do you have any famous relatives? No. Ancestors, yeah, but not close relatives. Are you a loyal member of any organizations? No. What type of criminal would you be? With how forgetful I am, I'm certain I'd be a very clumsy one that gets caught very quickly, lol. What are you listening to right now? "Voices" by Motionless In White. If you had to choose a stripper name, what would it be? Um idk. If your phone started ringing, who would you hope is calling? Someone for a job interview. Do you drink? Rarely and/or for some special occasions. Never enough to get drunk. Do you smoke? No. What is the first thing you notice in someone? I guess posture? How they carry themselves? Do you get attached easily? BOY! DO I!!!!!!!!!!! Do you like your eye color? I wish they were more blue. Would you go bungee jumping/sky diving if given the chance? Definitely not bungee jumping, I know how I react to that kind of up/down movement, and probably not skydiving, either. Have you ever been to a psychiatrist/therapist? Both regularly since middle school. Are looks important in a relationship? Not very. What is your favorite thing to do? Binge a new song I fell in love with for like days lmao. What was the last thing you downloaded onto your computer? PhotoScape. It's easier to move watermarks for photos on there, and I was working on the ones I took a few days back. Do you like to gossip? No, I feel super guilty. What kind of computer do you have? An Acer. Do you know all the words to your national anthem? I think? Have you ever failed a grade? No. Have you ever made the opposite sex cry? Yes. Have you ever had a crush on a teacher? Nah. Have you ever slapped someone in the face? No. Do you own a designer purse? Hell no. Waste of money for a goddamn purse that's just gonna get dirty and scratched. What’s the weirdest rumor you’ve ever heard about yourself? Jason and I magically had a baby over summer vacation when I was very obviously never pregnant. Do you say the "h" in the word “herb”? No, though I did for a super long time 'cuz I had no idea it was wrong. Do you speak any languages besides English? Not fluently. Can you run in high heels? I wouldn't really know, but boy do I doubt it. Do you have to take stairs or an elevator to get to your house? No. What do you usually order at Subway? Ummm I think white bread, ham, American cheese, bacon, jalapenos, banana peppers, and Chipotle sauce. I think that's it. Did an alarm wake you up this morning? No. How long is your mother’s hair? Past her shoulderblades, near the middle of her back. Is there any particular place you’d like to vacation to next? Surprisingly, I'd love to go somewhere tropical, like Hawaii or some shit like that. Somewhere with clear water and unique, beautiful wildlife and nature. What is your beer of choice, if any? Never tried beer, never want to. The smell is bad enough. That and I associate it with when Dad was an alcoholic. Did you share a bed with anyone last night? No. Well, other than with my cat. Do you know anyone who volunteers regularly? Yes. Have you ever ruined a nice pair of shoes, and how? Maybe, playing in puddles or biking through them and mud as a kid or something. Who were the last friends you went to hang out with? Sara. How many chairs are in the room you’re currently in? None. Have you texted a relative in the past week? Not besides immediate family. Are you doing anything important today? No. If I were to bring you any type of food right now, what would you pick? If I was actually hungry, I have been craving hotdogs on the grill like CRAZY lately. No clue why. When did you move into the house you’re currently living in? April-ish 2017. Do you ever sleep with the light on? No, I can't. Do you pray to Jesus? 20+ years of that did nothing. No. What was the last thing you ordered at Starbucks? N/A Do you have a bonfire pit in your yard? No. Would you consider being homeless if it meant you could travel the world? I don't know; there's lots of factors to consider. Would I be willing to leave my pets (but Teddy, probably; I'd want him with me) with my mom? Would I have something like a camper? Where am I getting this money to travel and provide for myself? Do you know your next-door neighbor? Mom knows one, but I personally don't. What’s something you have never done? Lots of things? As an example, uhhh... I've never done a cartwheel, despite childhood efforts? Name someone you know who is a true risk-taker, adventurer, and free spirit. Do you admire that person? Idk. Do you wish you were more of a free spirit? I think I already am, but it'd be cool to be more of one. Are you allergic to any medications? No. How do you feel when someone says something you’ve experienced doesn’t exist? Tell me depression isn't real, my PTSD isn't genuine, I can "get over" my anxiety if I want to hard enough, stuff like that, and I will not fucking associate with you. These are things that have massively affected my life; I dare someone to tell me these experiences aren't real issues. What worldview do you have? A realistic one, I think. I'm positive in some areas, negative in others. Hm... I'm probably more pessimistic about the world's future, though. Do you have friends who have different religious beliefs than you? Duh? If applicable, who was the first person you “came out” to? Sara. What’s one thing you’d like to do more? Travel. What was your style in high school? Some emo/metalhead hybrid that wished with all her heart to be capable of affording a goth wardrobe and bitch I still do. What’s one thing you are jealous that other people got to do but you didn’t? Have a healthy teenage experience. Have you ever taken birth control pills continuously? I have for years for my cycle. I had just about debilitating cramps and sometimes periods that lasted over a week. Who is your personality twin? Sara is probably the closest. What’s a common name that you hate? Edward, above all. Not a big fan of William, Robert, or Allen, either. Who do you wish you were best friends with? If you don't count my girlfriend as "best friend," maybeeee... Alon still? Or Baylee. I need to talk more to her, she's awesome. Do you own a camera tripod? Yes. Did you ever believe in mermaids? I don't believe so. …in fairies? I believed in the Tooth Fairy. …in Santa? Yes. Have you ever purchased alcohol? Yes. What is your newest hobby? Hm, I don't think I've found a new one for a long while... What gives your life meaning? I don't know. What motivates you to do what you do? The pursuit of happiness. What was the weather like the last time you went out? Too fucking hot. Do you go for walks often? No, though I really want to around a lake at a local, small park. Problems consist of no way to get there myself, it's WAY too fucking hot with my sweating issue, and my knees just wouldn't have it; I know I couldn't walk the full lap around it. Also expect some art installations around the path and probably the gazebo are PokeStops for Pokemon Go and really wish I could play it, so that's bait to do it lmao. What color shirt are you wearing? Pink. What is your favorite type of YouTube video to watch? It really depends on who I'm watching. Favorite on the face of the planet are Mark's ego projects, then my second fave are probably Shane's conspiracy videos, then I love let's plays. Do you need any new clothes right now? I seriously need more pants. And new bras. Do you collect anything? If so, what? Silent Hill merch and meerkat stuff. ^and if not, what would you like to collect? When I can buy shit myself, ya girl is gonna have way too much Markiplier merch. YouTuber stuff in general, actually. Too shy to ask for that kinda stuff now lol. Have you ever experienced a miracle? I don't think so. What was the last thing you ate? A burger. Do you ever eat food that’s intended for kids? ...? Like, baby food? No. Or maybe you mean shit like Lunchables? In cases like that, sometimes? What was the last stupid thing you did? Oh boy, who knows. Do you get embarrassed easily? You. Have. No. Idea. What are your top three names you like for a daughter? Alessandra, then uhhhh... I like Chloe and Adrian. Would you ever film a vlog of yourself giving birth? Hell no. I'd never wanna see it, I'd never want my hypothetical child to have to witness that, etc. Do you like getting caught in the rain? No. Wet clothes are no. Do you think your hair looks best straight, wavy, or curly? Straight, I guess? Though my hair does swoop to the right, so it's kinda a wave? What was the last craft project you completed? Oh, yeesh. I don't do crafts. The closest thing was I guess Sara's Valentine's Day gift for last year? Name 3 YouTubers you would like to meet in person: Markiplier is literally the only one that matters lmao and it's not "would like to meet in person," he will be forced to endure meeting me ok. Meeting Shane Dawson would be amazing, he's such a relatable sweetie, aaaaand #3 would probably be Rhett and/or Link, as similar to Mark, they deserve a tear-filled thanks as well as back-breaking hugs for seriously helping in keeping me alive through my suicidal year. I mean it when I say they genuinely helped me keep going. What color are your nails painted currently? They’re never painted. Do you use a pill box? No. List 3 people you know who were loving and then turned cold: Jason, Jason, and Jason. Have you ever felt threatened for your life? No. Which did you like better: high school or college? My college experience was horrid. High school had great memories, but of course negative ones, too. Which year of your life stands out to you as the most significant so far? 2017. …and why? It was my year of recovery from the breakup. What was the last store you shopped at? I went to Wal-Mart with Mom. I think that was the most recent, anyway. Do you have a favorite pharmacist? No. Do you have a favorite cashier at the grocery store? No. What’s something you discovered recently? I'm a Billie Eilish fan. What makes you more creative? Music. What’s the last magical thing you experienced? YO okay so when my brother and nephew were here, we went to the science museum and into a 360 VR-esque show about astronauts. I got SO nauseous and dizzy, but it was nevertheless extremely cool. What is the theme of your bedroom? It doesn't have a theme. Have you ever lived in a dorm? No. When was the last time you stepped outside of your comfort zone? Just tonight! I ordered at a drive-thru myself. Would you rather ride a camel or an elephant? An elephant! Do you want to lose weight? You have no fucking idea. Which insects scare you, if any? Lmao most. Especially rhinoceros beetles, big beetles in general honestly, cockroaches, earwigs, centipedes... like a lot okay. I like observing praying mantises, but I would probably have a fucking heart attack if one was on me. Do you think it’s silly to be afraid of a tiny insect? Well, yeah, though I get the likely survival reason, that being we know many are venomous, so we're naturally averse to them, especially if we don't recognize the type. Were you raised religious? Yes. Have you ever been abused? No, thankfully. Is there a coffee shop you like better than Starbucks? N/A If you could afford to get your hair professionally done, what would you get? Man, I have SO many color combination ideas. If I could get it done in the safest manageable way by a pro, I saw this look once with totally bleached/pure white hair that fades to blood-red tips, and BOY would I get that in a heartbeat. If you had a lot of money, do you think you would use it wisely? I hope so. I think so. The only thing I imagine myself being weak with are tattoos. Do you know any rich people who are very irresponsible? I don't think so... List five careers that you’d like to have: Meerkat biologist, paleontologist, artist, poet, something in wildlife conservation/protection. List five far-out things that you’d like to do before you die: Scuba-dive, I'd LIKE to ride a rollercoaster (far-out for me, trust me), but I know I never will, and uh... idk. Riding a motorcycle would be cool, but that's another thing I hiiighly doubt I'll do. What was your first imaginary friend’s name? I never had one. What was the name of the first pet that you loved? Chance, a cat my mom rescued. She was our very first family pet. She was absolutely incredible. Do you like to go barefoot? Unless I'm in a house, no. Do you like the same colors now that you did as a kid? Yeah. Do you have a YouTube channel? Yeah. Is there someone who stopped talking to you for no reason? Oh, who to begin with? Did you ever get called horrible names like whore, skank or bitch? "Bitch" more than once. Where did you sleep last night? My bed. Have you ever slow danced with anyone? With Jason, yeah. And I don't think so, but maybe Sara briefly? Have you ever cried in public? Yeah. What would you do if you were pregnant? I don't have a fucking clue. Do you like cuddling? With someone I love. Have you ever cried in school? Yes, but I think I kept it private. Who’s the last person to send you a message on Facebook? A woman whose wedding I'm shooting this Saturday. Have you ever witnessed someone else engaging in a sexual act? Just making out. Where did you get drunk last? N/A What’s your relationship with the last person you texted? She's my girlfriend. If someone went through your pictures, would they find a dirty one? No. How did you do on the last test you took? I haven't been in school for a long time. How come you’re not going out with the person you love? I am.

[b0okish-world]

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - J.K. Rowling

Synopsis: At the end of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald was captured in New York with the help of Newt Scamander. But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escapes custody and sets about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings. In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore enlists Newt, his former Hogwarts student, who agrees to help once again, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world. This second original screenplay from J.K. Rowling, illustrated with stunning line art from MinaLima, expands on earlier events that helped shaped the wizarding world, with some surprising nods to the Harry Potter stories that will delight fans of both the books and films. 

My thoughts: 2.7 stars. Ridden with spoilers.

Ah, yes, 300 pages of Rowling abusing her own lore.

I would have given my usual five stars but Rowling tried to shove nostalgia down my throat so hard she forgot Minerva shouldn’t have been in existence in 1926. Oh yeah, I’m starting out with the factual flaw that annoyed me the most. We all love Minerva. But we didn’t need to see her. And lord, people should stop their theories about time turning and just admit their favourite author made a mistake.

The one thing complained about that I personally don’t mind an actually like is Nagini’s history. Nothing about her contradicted her state in the Harry Potter films, why complain? Blood malediction is a very interesting concept that extends another branch to this already complex wizarding system. If Rowling had made another blunder I would have been pissed, but as far as I now, Nagini only stirred my curiosity and interest. I thought the film was beautiful. The beginning was an epic display of visual effects and the evil of Grindelwald; strong and captivating.

But oh, but was hard for me to embrace the film completely when I saw that Dumbledore was teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. I didn’t remember exactly what he taught before he became headmaster during the film but I knew it surely wasn’t DADA. So after a quick type into Google, I found out it was Transfiguration! Rowling got very careless. She got carried away with “Hey look, remember Hogwarts? You all like McGonagall right? And isn’t DADA your favourite, if not only subject you can remember?” To flood the fans with nostalgia that she didn’t even do simple fact checks with two big characters. I was like, alright, I could overlook these errors…

Until Queenie’s random change of character came about. People say, “Oh, she’s devastated, she was desperate!” But to me, it’s lazy writing. Rowling obviously wanted the drama of a “good to bad” thrill and sure, it would be exciting if it was even a bit realistic. Everybody could see what a Good-hearted person she was in the first film. To be swayed so easily by Grindelwald, that’s saying she had always had evil intentions. How does her heartbreak over Jacob lead her to join the dark side? That’s some cliche stuff. It doesn’t make any sense to butcher her character like that.

There was a large, long info dump when Leta and Yusuf unfolded the history… which ultimately didn’t contribute at all to the big reveal in the end. I found myself caring less and less because Leta’s character felt so… shallow to me. I feel like her character doesn’t have weight on its own. She was dating Theseus but obviously had tension with Newt. She was an important figure in their lives. Ooh, interesting? Not really. But it had the potential to be interesting. Instead of an insightful unfolding of her character we’re hit with an info dump that doesn’t progress the plot. When she told the truth about what she did with her baby brother I was bored out of my mind. Then when she was killed, I was like what? I listened to her teary childhood, practically everything about her that came out of nowhere, and she doesn’t even last three films? Come on. Write an info dump on a character that sticks around.

Now lastly, the mind-boggling reveal. Credence is a Dumbledore? I hope not. My theory is the Grindelwald had lied to him so that the boy himself develops a hatred for Dumbledore. Grindelwald is too smart to force Credence to fight for him, so after he has coaxed him to his side and given him the wand he had always wanted, Grindelwald only needed to give him a personal reason to eliminate his enemy by making up a sad little story. The only thing I can’t explain is the phoenix. If Credence is a Dumbledore, it must certainly be connected with Albus’s little sister, Ariana the Obsurial. After some intense thinking, I suppose it is not so implausible. Unless Rowling completely forgot Ariana existed and written a whole new plot… then I’d be pretty disappointed.

Ah, so much to complain about, but I still give near 3 stars. My 3 stars differ in each genre but in this genre, especially the fantasy of Rowling, this comes close to being as bad as The Cursed Child. Which is pretty low. Yet, it still is the wizarding world that I love. Although the Hogwarts scenes were absolutely intentional to trigger our happy memories, I still felt their charm. I could embrace the film gladly as an amazing production of animation an character development between Tina and Newt but the errors and facts persist. Also, I wish there were more fantastic beasts. That is the true magic that made me fall in love with the first film.

You would think I’d be less eager to watch the third film. But no, I’m even more excited. I have noticed, with long tries, there are high points and bridges. The first instalment starts with a BANG, the second is more quiet - a dull, info-dumpy but necessary bridge to the hype that is the third film. It is exactly that way with me for many book series, like Harry Potter and The Song of Ice and Fire. So I have higher hopes for the third one. I’ll continue to be a loyal fan and buy hardcovers the moment they come out. I’m not letting go just yet.

Date finished: 22nd January, 2019 Pages: 304 Rating: ★★★

[saranel]

Hi! You are very much aware of shōnen manga plots than my Lil' head can ever think about. So just wanted to ask a question out of curiosity. In other Shōnen series, main protagonist sometimes loose/sacrifice their power ultimately for the sake of their world. Ichigo also lost his hollow and Quincy power to defeat Yhwach. It is sort of a loss, you know. So...what is the difference between ichigo's loss of power and loss of other manga series' protagonists?

I’m not really well-versed in shōnen, anon, but I thank you for the compliment.  I do, however, enjoy Coming of Age stories and serialized fiction because I enjoy witnessing a character’s growth, so shōnen by default is a genre that has the potential to hold interest for me.  If I also like the story/world/characters like I did with Bleach, then yes, it’s very likely I will become a fan, but to date, the only shōnen I’ve ever followed from beginning to completion are Bleach and FMA.  I also read/watched Naruto for many years, but only followed it sporadically after the Kage Summit arc.

The reason I mention this is because the ‘loss of power as sacrifice’ trope is not only a cornerstone of shōnen, but a cornerstone of a good Bildungsroman.  In fact, it goes far deeper, all the way back to mythology where most of these tropes originate in one form or another.  Very often, said tropes are symbolic in nature, which is part of the reason why they are so powerful and end up standing the test of time, transcending typical barriers in fiction like race, cultural background, sex etc.  Sacrifice is such a trope.  

I don’t really need to give an example here, do I?  Sacrifice as a storytelling device is so powerful that over the course of millennia, it has sat at the heart of prominent religions again and again. It resonates with people the world over, because it’s not something removed from our own life experience: every good parent sacrifices parts of themselves, both small and great, for the sake of their children, and some are even called upon to sacrifice their own lives; soldiers sacrifice their lives for what they perceive to be the good of their country and to protect their loved ones; dedicated scientists and professionals sacrifice time away from their friends and families to help build a better world.

Selflessness is a universally lauded virtue, whatever one’s background.  It’s the stuff heroes are made of.

But have you noticed the common denominator here, anon?  The element that separates other types of loss from sacrifice?  It’s will.  It’s agency.

Sacrifice isn’t really sacrifice if it’s not voluntary.

Ichigo didn’t sacrifice his powers to defeat Yhwach: they were taken from him.  Ichigo did, however, sacrifice his powers to defeat Aizen.  He could have given up, he could have run away, but instead, he entered the final battle with the knowledge that there could only be one of two outcomes: either he dies and loses, or he sacrifices everything he’s worked for to take Aizen down.  That, is an act of sacrifice and heroism.  Having his powers drained away is a plot point.

The fact that Yhwach played himself is, indeed, poetic justice, but it doesn’t make Ichigo’s loss a sacrifice.  Just to clarify, because I have a feeling this post may be misconstrued, this isn’t in any way criticism of Ichigo, it’s criticism of the way the author chose to handle the climactic battle of his story.

You want another shōnen example?  Edward from FMA.  Hell, he didn’t even have to sacrifice his power to defeat the final villain, he did it for different reasons.  But the story was never really about good vs evil, was it?  Edward willingly sacrifices all his power to save his brother.  If this had somehow occurred accidentally, it would’ve still been a happy ending, but it would’ve taken away from both Edward’s character and the overall message of the story:   

Sacrifice is a necessary part of growth.

And this, more than anything, is the common ground of all good Coming of Age stories.

Harry gives himself up to Voldemort; Buffy kills someone she loves and offers her own life to save the world; Ichigo (in the Arrancar arc) sacrifices his powers to stop Aizen; Edward sacrifices his powers for his brother; Luke Skywalker refuses to fight his father in order to save him.  Every single one of those actions were voluntary.

This goes back to my earlier point re: the symbolic nature of tropes in mythology.  Main characters in fiction are rarely the audience’s favorite, have you noticed?  Most consumers of fiction tend to identify with secondary or even tertiary characters, even if they do admire and/or like the main character.  Because this is exactly the point of the archetypal hero: to stand as an example to aspire to, even if we (the audience) cannot realistically reach that goal.  Even the most flawed and well-written main characters are usually just a step removed from us ordinary folk, but the point here is not to lament that fact. 

The point of a good hero is to inspire.  

A somewhat meta example of this can be found in Harry Potter, where Neville explicitly tells Harry that his own acts of heroism over the years inspired him to take on an active role against the many injustices happening in Hogwarts.  And in a very tongue-in-cheek twist, by following Harry’s example to whatever degree he was able, Neville becomes a great hero in his own right.

Once more: the point of a hero is to inspire.

The fate of the universe will never rest on my shoulders like it did for Ichigo, for Buffy, for Harry, but that’s not the point.  Their kindness and heroism inspires me to be bolder, to try harder, to keep on fighting even when it all seems hopeless.

And this, dear anon, is one of the many reasons why numerous Bleach fans keep going back to the end of the Arrancar arc as a better example of an ending to a once beloved manga, even though it would also have left certain plot points unresolved.  Because in storytelling terms, it felt like a proper ending.

The actual end of the series got a number of things right (like seeing the main characters happy and at peace), but the final battle was so lackluster, driven more by circumstance than agency, that it feels a lot less like an intended finale and more like the cancellation many still suspect it to be.

[meowsaidmayaanime]

What I'm Watching August 2016 as of 8/31

Natsume's Book of Friends 8/31 partial watch

This is an adorable anime, I started watching italmost right after Durarara, and if school hadnt just started this week, I would have been fully caught up. As of this post I have only watched seasons 1 and 2 fully, and a little bit of season 3. So in technicality I will write my opinion of it after I am all caught up on the September monthly watches, but because I got halfway through the series while still in August I decided to put this little note here, haha.

So yes, I have been watching this super cute, heartwarming, feel good anime. It's about a boy named Natsume who can see yokai. Often times I get very weary about plots (whether anime, tv show, movie, ect) where the main character can see something no one else can. However this anime does a good job focusing more on the stories rather than simply torturing the main character through ostracization. Well, I will pick this first impression review that I usually do in September when I finish the four season that have been released. So look forward to it!

Durarara 8/27 Addendum (see original post below Time of Eve)

I talked about this anime a little further down in this post after I finished the first season (so read that first if you haven't yet). I finished the entirety of the show last night and wow. It's an incredible story, so intricate and everything is woven together. It's one of those shows where because they switch between multiple characters and plot lines within the show, and because it is a mystery with new information and twists happening all the time, that you forget your own emotions about the characters sometimes.

Tons of things happen that make you feel for the characters and suddenly exclaim in reaction to something, but because your so constantly wrapped up in the story line, trying to figure out how this relates to that, and what this persons motives are, and whats going to happen next that you focus so much more on that than anything else. It constantly has you thinking, which I love about the show. A show that doesn't rely on pure emotion and shock to keep the audience in, but sheer curiosity. It's a good mystery, a really, really good one.

Though I can see why some people may not like it because it makes you think too much, or because there's less pure emotion, or because it's so intricate and you can't keep up, or even because the pacing is somewhat relatively slow. But I assure you, if you can get past all that, this is an amazing show. It's not one that I will gush over, and try to force you to watch, because that's not the kind of show it is. It's just well put together, as I assume the light novel is.

I've just starting reading the light novel, and there is so much more to it. I'm on chapter two and while the anime's first episode did a wonderful job capturing the events and feel of the light novel, the light novel has the intricate detail and thought of the characters that is impossible to convey through any other medium. I am really excited to be reading the source material, and I hope that it will be able to expand and close up some of the holes from the anime that the studio could not fill. When I finish, I'll definitely talk about it (when is the question since not all the novels have been translated...), so look forward to that, because I know I will.

Great show, good to watch if you like intricate, multi-character, multi-story, mystery, action, somewhat supernatural, 'semi-natural' anime. (p.s the dub is pretty dang good.)

Time of Eve 8/21

Yes, yes, I'm well aware that in this giant span of time I've only managed to watch one short 6 episode-er anime. I was on vacation and then fell down the rabbit hole which was the Lego Harry Potter years 5-7 game.

Anyway, I had seen this anime in passing a few times, but finally decided to give it a chance when one of my co-workers recommended it to me. It was definitely worth the watch. Time of Eve is a sci-fi anime taking place in the not quite as distant as you might think future, where androids are commonplace within the average family home. We follow Rikuo who, after reading the location log of his family andriod, discovers that the andriod visited a cafe of her own free will. Confused and concerned, he visits the cafe to find that its only rule is to treat humans and androids equally without discrimination. From here on he, and the audience discover that there is more to androids than just being a robot, and that they are, or have been steadily developing their own individuality.

Right off the bat I was immediately reminded of both Ghost in the Shell and Chobits. Mostly Ghost in the Shell for the political-socio topics the anime discuses. Its actually quite fascinating, not just the topics and themes, but the personalities of the characters as well whether or not they are human. Its a very realistic/natural anime, with a surprising amount of character development for being only six episodes long.

My only critiques would be about the animation itself. Its generally rather smooth, the art style included, however there are many moments where the movement of the camera and characters is very choppy and shaky. This happens mainly when there isn't much movement happening during the scene. Whereas scenes where characters are doing a large amount of movement are very smooth and well animated. I'm not sure how intentional the 'choppiness' of the animation was, but I can tell that the studio chose to focus its animation budget on certain areas more than others.

Regardless, the animation is easy to brush off considering how well the show drew me into the story, mentally and emotionally. I would recommend this to anyone interested in sci-fi, robots/androids, and those who like to question what it is to be 'human'. (It's also a good commentary on 21st century culture and what kinds of things our technology could lead to).

Durarara (season 1) 8/8

Its about a boy named Mikado who decides to go to a highschool in Ikebukuro to fulfill his longing for the excitement of city life in contrast to living in the country where nothing every happens. Here he hears about and witnesses strange rumors about the headless rider, gangs, and other odd phenomenon that are happening in the city. That's how it begins, but we learn very quickly that Mikado is not the only main character, and that there is a lot more going on in the city than just Mikado would know.

I actually decided to start watching this because of this shirt I got with my Akibento back in May featuring Celty the headless motercylcist from Durarara and Haruhi from the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. (btw not my own image)

Yes this was back in May, and yes I did start watching it a few months ago only to now finish the first season. Its a very slow paced anime, like a slow burn, which is why it took so long for me to get through. Don't get me wrong its a good anime, and I did want to watch which is why I periodically came back to it after i finished binge watching a bunch of other anime. It's just slow paced, and not one that will hook you and chain you down to your seat for the next 6+ hours. Hell, I've binge watched anime that I've liked much less than this one.

That being said, its not just slow paced but it also has numerous stories happening at once. Which makes it hard to give a good synospis on. We immediately learn about or at least meet almost all the characters, and are introduced with a number of plots, topics and questions. All which seemingly have nothing to do with each other, but end up intertwining to create a complex and fascinating story. by the time I finally managed to get halfway through, I consistently watched the remaining episodes back to back. The fact that it was available in English dub on crunchyroll also really helped, that way I could do my packing for my vacation while watching it.

Its a great low key supernatural mystery anime. I say low key, because the supernatural aspect is sort of laid back? It's not an in your face over the top kind of supernatural, and it being supernatural is not even the main point of the show. Which is very nice. It's like a semi-natural action/mystery/supernatural anime. Further the characters and story lines are well put together.

All in all, I really like it and I'm going to keep watching. I don't know if it's something that I would necessarily be able to recommend, because that relies heavily on what kind of anime you would like. If you like semi-natural, complex, slow paced, laid back action/mystery/supernatural then you'll like this. But if you cant handle the slow pacing, or prefer more out of the above genres this is not one for you.

Dance in the Vampire Bund 8/6

I actually remember watching this anime, or at least i remember watching the first episode, back in middle school? Possibly? we either way, I loved the first episode, even re watching it now I still really enjoyed it, which was disappointing when the rest of the anime turned out to be so different.

In the show, vampires have just come out of hiding and declared their presence to the world. The princess of the vampires, and current ruler Mina, pays Japans debt and intends to use her political hold over the government to purchase an Island and have it become its own separate country designated only for vampires. Meanwhile Akira a highschooler who recently lost his memory finds out he and Mina have an important past that he cannot remember.

The problem that I have with this anime is that they try to mix a very 'young' or immature story line with a significantly more mature one. They try to mix a highschool vampire warewolf memory loss, basically everything that is the epitome of a bad pre-teen romance with mature themes such as the VERY heavy political aspect that takes up a good 50% of the anime. And not just government politics, but socio-historical political relations between different species and cultures. Don't get me wrong, its still a better love story than twilight, but the fact that it is a highschool love story pretty much ruins it for me.

I wouldn't recommend this, hell i didn't even have the will to finish the last few episodes. The political parts were great and fascinating, but the immaturity of how conflicts are resolved between the main characters is very disappointing. The show either tries too hard to appeal to an older audience, or tries too hard to appeal to a younger audience. Either way I didn't really like it.

Hyouka 8/2 TOP PICK FOR THIS MONTH!!

So the first thing i need to mention is that this show is first and foremost a slcie of life that happens to include a lot of mystery. Not a mystery that happens to be a slice of life. I originally thought it was the latter which was why I was disappointed that it didn't end the series with a mystery arc, but instead the way a slice of life would.When you acknowledge the show for what it really is, a natural slice of life, it is amazing. For numerous reasons.

First the artwork is so incredibly detailed and beautiful. Second the visuals are distinctly different for each thing ti tries to convey, and completely succeeds in doing so. The audio is amazing, the music is beautiful, the animation is so smooth and they even animate things that aren't necessary to the plot but are animated anyway to make it all feel so REAL. Not to mention the episodes and mysteries are so well written!

look at the incredible amount of detail they put into EVERY SINGLE SCENE.

even when the background is blurred!

even people who we never learn about or see again have details in their clothes, faces, and expressions. I checked, we NEVER see these people below actually interact with the main OR minor cast.

I almost forgot, this show is about Houtarou a high schooler that sees the world in 'gray'and whose motto is "If I don't have to do it, I won't. If I have to do it, I'll make it quick." Convinced by his already graduated sister, he joins the classics club which was endangered to be disbanded because there were no more members. He meets a girl named Eru who also joins the club and discovers that he has a knack for solving mysteries. That is, only when Eru earnestly goes to him and yearns for him to solve the mystery because her curiosity cannot be contained. From there they quickly discover that the classics club has a past shrouded in mystery.

Its incredibly well done, I love slow the pacing myself, because it fits the flow and nature of the anime. However I do have a number of issues with it myself (some reveal content spoilers so I won't state those here).  I admit that the way they ordered large mystery arch and single episode mysteries was not handled well at the very end. Don't get me wrong the ending fit the characters incredibly well and was very good and realistic, however considering the quality of the larger mysteries that were prevalent through the rest of the anime, I feel that they should have ended the series with a multi-episode arc and then one final single episode arc, rather than many single episode arcs strung together.  The anime was an adaptation of a light novel, which covered 4 out of the 5 published novels. I've taken a look at the titles of the chapters and it seems that the 5th book is quite the elaborate story. One I would have liked to have seen in the anime, though would clearly have gone over the 22 episodes the anime ended at. Perhaps since this write up for the episode is already so long, I will create a post just about this anime. It definitely deserves more talking about!

Anyway, I do recommend it to veteran-ed anime watchers. It has a wonderful pace that does not push by quickly, great character development and insight, and fascinating mysteries and dialogue regarding such. Its perfect for anyone who loves natural slice of life. Those who enjoy mysteries would also enjoy this, as long as they understand that it is mostly a slice of life, and thus will follow the format of slice of life and not the format of a mystery anime. Its a stunning anime.

[broomstickvigilante]

As I gazed upon the open vault door a thought struck me. I’ve seen strange magic, and I've come up with a bit myself, but this wasn’t strange per se; it was fantastical. Inefficient might be a word, or accidental perhaps, but as the monstrous gateway swung wide and revealed its contents I felt a shiver. A curious sensation, the shiver, as if cold; the muggles refer to it as someone ‘walking over your grave’. I quite like that. Beyond the opening a wall of shimmering light flowed like water, set to colors as if an old oil painting, the brush strokes still wet from the brush. The painting was of an old house, crumbling in places and eaten away by an ocean breeze sweeping in from the cliffs behind it. The building loomed above us on its painted surface, at least two stories tall, the glow of candlelight in the upstairs window. Around the house sat a long stone wall, piled one on top of another as if from a nearby stream, it encircled the residence and a small garden. The front door seemed to jump out at us, the focal point, and atop its old fashioned brass knocker perched a bat, hardly visible in perpetual dusky light. “Merlin’s beard” Muttered Theo in front of me, as he unconsciously made a step forward. I reached out and grasped the back of his coat, getting a reproachful glance. “I do not believe it safe.” I told him, looking to the goblins next to us. The were all spellbound, unmoving except to whisper a few words as their quills wrote on without hands. The head goblin took a moment to look about at the small crowd, walked gingerly to the closest vault door and touched one gnarled finger to its surface. His fingertip came away with soot, and something like oil. He pinched the substance, rubbing it between his fingers as he strode back. “Peculiar, most peculiar.” Was all that was audible before he began writing notes down by hand. I took the momentary lapse to stride forward and, with a kerchief from my blazer, scraped a bit of the residue off myself. It was oily, as if some gelatin left out too long, but with a brackish leftover chalkiness. Peculiar indeed, but not unheard of, I would hazard a guess it to be ectoplasm. The implications were, lengthy. “Mr. Nott, I am loathe to tell you, but this is a safety hazard and must be removed at once. We cannot allow a risk like this on gringotts property.” The head goblin was striding forward, a newly signed legal paper in hand. He waved it back and forth like a torch in the dark, as if to comfort himself. “We both know this is not a risk, having been here for so long undetected. A seaming is no great risk either way.” I folded my arms reflexively, giving what I hoped was an unconversational look. “A Seaming of this magnitude is unheard of, it could be unstable or pull people in without warning, it must be expelled.” “What is gringotts policy on magical items kept within the bounds of a customers vault?” Theo asked, finally turning to join in the conversation. That is a very good question, very leading; he's learning. “Any item that is not actively harming a living entity and is kept within the space limits of the vault may be kept on gringotts property, as so long as it is stable as such.” Recited Rengak, as if reading from a page. The sprite lay goblin was at the waters edge, so to speak, and carefully put his hand up to the shimmering painting. “The enchantment is stable, and is within five eighths of a centimeter from the vault boundary, it is legal.” Oh the glare Ungkt gave Rengak could’ve felled a dementor, dead on the spot. “As he says, it is legal. I would appreciate no more threats to destroy my property Sir Ungkt, It is most unbecoming of a head goblin to go against gringotts policy.” His face became a faint purplish hue, his long ears tipped with red. “Very well,” He managed to murmur, “But please refrain from accessing this vault without assistance, for everyone's protection.” I nodded, accepting the request, making sure not to utter any legally binding phrases. As the goblins filed away, Rengak stayed behind and waited until all but the three of us stood there. “Are you going to access the seaming today?” He asked without looking away from the departing fellows. “I have little experience with this style of magic, I shall endeavor to return with an adequate expert, in a few days most like.” “May I accompany you when you do, off duty.” Rengak looked up, a strange sort of curiosity gleaming in his black eyes. “I believe that it would be in all our interests to have an expert in magically enchanted objects along, should we explore a seaming over two hundred years old, off duty though he will be. I appreciate your assistance.” The goblin grinned wickedly, bowing. I returned the gesture and he made off after his boss. “Okay, so what I going on?” Theo asked, looking bewildered. “It’s complicated, I'll explain on the lift.” + + + + + I bluffed most of that conversation before, but now that I had time to think with the vault closed safely and the rumble of the lift around us- “So what's a seaming.” Theo, as ever, needed to know immediately. Not that I entirely blamed him. “I know it is a strong enchantment to hold a particular illusion in place, usually for decoration or deception, it's so strong that you can physically touch it.” I answered casually, mind racing at why one would be made so large. “But why is it wavy, it's not a very convincing illusion.” “Likely the ‘wavy’ curtain as you put it is a veil between the illusion and reality.” Theo squinted a bit, not liking the sound of that I bet. “So what we saw was the entrance to an illusion, not the illusion itself. The inside will be more convincing then, like being inside the painting?” “Precisely, I surmise that if we were to step through the veil we would be inside a more realistic depiction of the painting, also likely to be almost lifelike. Whether the inside moves, or is static I haven't the faintest inclination but…” I'm concerned who in my family put the spell there and what it is for, what purpose does a full scale illusion of a house serve? “but what?” Probed Theo as we sat in silence, the only noise the rumble of the rails. “perhaps it's like a Pensive, that it is a memory we could walk through.” Theo was quiet for a long moment, and in that time the lift halted at a floor and the pair stepped out. “That could be useful if we could replicate it, let people conjure up memories.” “Or nightmares.” I said under my breath. We turned a corner and a sign above us read ‘Magical acquisitions and study – Curse breaker department’. Beyond was a desk and rows of office doors, all in the fashion of those upstairs, clean, elegant, and surrounded by paved rock walls. A man sat behind the desk, busily searching the desk drawers and file folders. At the sound of our footsteps he looked up sharply and closed the drawers. “Can I help you?” He chimed with a friendly smile. His ginger hair was dangerously close to the lantern on the desk. “Yes I am looking for someone familiar with illusions, the type generally used as traps or to guard objects.” I sat down in front of the desk casually, unbuttoning my jacket. Theo, after a moment, sat as well and gazed around. “Well, that might be me actually. What seems to be the problem?” Now that I had time to eye him, he looked familiar somehow. He gave off a cool air, casually competent and stylish. Perhaps not so familiar then. “Seamings, what do you know of them.” I cut right to the chase, no sense hiding the information the whole building would be chittering about it soon enough. “Well, I've seen quite a few in Egypt, the old pharaoh solved to use them to hide pit traps or bottles of flesh eating spiders; camel spiders, nasty things. Why? One accidentally gone off in your house?” Just then a memo in the shape of a canary swooped down and landed on the desk, popping itself into shape in front of the man. “Actually, one is in my vault. That might be about it actually.” The man read the memo for a few moments, glancing up every so often over the edge of the paper is stare becoming more unfriendly as he read. “You’re Theodore Nott.” It wasn't a question. “I am, regretfully.” I hoped that comment might ease his suspicions a bit. “He is, most definitely” Added Theo helpfully. “Do you know that the Gringotts administration has reported you for possession of an illegal magical item?” They did what? “No, because it probably happened on the ride down. I inherited the vault from my great uncle, he was excommunicated from my family. I do not believe anything he would keep in his vault would meant to do harm.” The man seemed to think for a long moment, peering at me below angry ginger eyebrows. “I think I can help, but I'm going to be blunt here. Why should I help a boy who is suspected of being a death eater. You could hear a pin drop, and before my mind jumped to an proper answer Theo had nearly gotten out of his seat. “Bill, do you remember me?” The man, probably bill, turned to him. “I think so, Theo right? Maggie’s friend.” “And Ron’s and Harry’s. I say Theodore isn't a death eater, and never will be. He's done nothing but be helpful since his family was outed, he even tutors for merlins sake.” Bill glanced at me, I gave a faint, confused nod. That seemed to be appropriate. “Good enough for me.” And the smile was back, just as a pair of people exited an office nearby and came up. “Ready to go Bill?” Asked a woman with a heavy French accent. “Just a minute, meet me by the lift?” He nodded towards us as if to say ‘private chat’. The pair walked past, and as they did I heard Theo get up and follow and conversation strike up. “So do you think you could help us?” I asked “Probably, but I'd need details, and they usually take a while to either puzzle out or dispel. Which were you looking to do?” “Well I probably should have led to this, but it is in one of the twelve. And it is as large, or larger, than a three story house.” At that I saw an pure expression of surprise cross his face, “You should have definitely led with that. We're can I reach you when I get more information?” I hand him a number for the garage, as well as tell him hogwarts to be the better option. “I appreciate your help, I will be doing my own research into why the seaming is there in the first place.” “are you always this businesslike?” He asked abruptly. I smiled awkwardly, and shook his hand without answer. + + + + + ‘It wasn’t until I stared the creature in the eye that I understood what fear truly was. The Windego Thundered from the doorway, into the gaping darkness beyond my candlelight’ “Whatcha readin?” Theo blurted in, dropping a wrench on a worktable. I looked up, he was smeared with grease on his coveralls and had goggles on his head. I couldn't tell if they were for safety, or to keep his curly hair out of his eyes. “My grand uncles journals, he was a sort of monster documenter, the dangerous kind.” “Cool, like what?” “A few things, ghosts mostly.” Theo looked sharply at me “Ghosts aren't dangerous.” “Yes, the regular kind we get from wizards are not, but apparently when muggles create them it is far less focused, or pleasant. He goes into great detail about the spirits attacking things, or causing chaos in households because it cannot communicate.” He scratched his head absently. “That makes sense, if Nick couldn't tell his stories every hour or two he'd probably go as nuts as the baron.” Quite insightful. I picked up another book from the vault I had cleared, its remaining items having been shipped here and I had loaded into my trunk. A small silver script had been partially brushed off the cover. As I opened it I smelled old flowers and a faint perfume. On the inside cover was pressed a black flower, purple with old age, fanning out in all directions. I quickly flipped through the pages, and immediately noticed that the handwriting was much different from the other journals. It flowed with simple elegance while the other had been a spidery scrawl filled with ecsintric twists. I stopped on a page and read quickly. ‘I fear the path ends at the Bauline mansion, in the morning I will return home. I cannot help the sick feeling in my guts that I've missed some clue he would've left me, or is that my mothers sickness? I hope my own worry will not upset my child unduly.’ – October 4th, 1980 I felt my chest lurch, my gut told me what my mind racing to conclude. My mother wrote this.