#I like the idea of Alastor actually having an arc where he starts to care ok? | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

blossomthepinkbunny · 9 months ago

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Charlie as an underdeveloped character

One thing I was genuinely dissapointed by when watching Hazbin Hotel was that they never cared to dive into Charlie's Morality more.

I feel like a lot of people can agree that Charlie felt very flat/sidelined in a show she was supposed to be the main character of and I think that that's because they ran out of Character Moments for her. Her Backstory is pretty much just infodumped at the start so there's nothing you can really explore there (except for her relationship with her parents ig but they only really brought that up and resolved it in one episode). Alastor has the mystery behind him of what his goals really are, Angel Dust has his arc about standing up to his abuser, Vaggie has her dramatic backstory reveal thing and Sir pentious gets focus as the one real guest at the hotel and with his goal to be redeemed.

Charlie really has no conflict at all, which is weird since the whole plot is that her idea is relentlessly mocked and never succeeds until the end. But she doesn't have a personal conflict. All the issues she faces come from the ignorance of the people around her who don't support her, but never from who she is. She never has to change. They try to hint at this with her being possibly invasive and not respecting boundaries in the Angel Dust and Valentino episode. But the episode doesn't focus on her and Angel as they talk it out and she realizes how she might have to change as well (from how I remember it). It focuses on Husk and Angel's relationship instead.

I feel like the easiest route they could've taken for her character was that of a moral dilemma. Charlie believes in second chances and being able to change demons and her opposite is Adam, who doesn't think demons should be redeemed and should just be killed instead. But it's never specified if Charlie truly believes everyone deserves a second chance or if there are restrictions to that. Adam sings a song in the first episode and explaines his reasoning for why he believes demons shouldn't be saved, which is that they had their chance to be good and didn't choose it and now they can't expect another one (I guess the real reason is that he's just an asshole who doesn't care but that's because Vivzepop can't write Villains so I'll just pretend like that's his real reason).

The problem is that Adam is presented as fully in the wrong and I just don't agree with that. I'm not saying he's right with killing random demons of course but the show never takes the time to consider that sometimes people go to hell because they are actually terrible and have done inexcusable things. Like yeah, someone who had an addicition or a mental health problem while they were alive obviously doesn't deserve eternal suffering without any chance for redeemability, but we know that those aren't the only people that go to hell (in the pilot it's literally confirmed that real life criminals like Jeffrey Dahmer are also down there).

The show blatanly shows us characters like Valentino who are shown to do irredeemable things and be purely evil.

My question is just if Charlie would also look at someone like Valentino and say: "Yeah they deserve to be saved and get a second chance". She obviously thinks Valentino sucks, which we see in the Episode were she meets him.

So like, what would she have done if in the second episode someone like him stood at their door and wanted to be redeemed instead of Sir Pentious. Does she draw a line? Or would she have really heard him out? Her morality with this "everybody deserves a second chance" attitude is so underexplored even though it would have been the perfect place to develop her more. If they had confronted her with an actually tough situation, where she is presented with a truly terrible person, they could've had two interesting ways to take her character.

She could've accepted the person and with that she'd have taken her role a fully 'good' saviour for the demons. Someone who is truly without judgement, or atleast believes that there is good in everyone that just has to be brought out. Which would've also given room to think about if people like that are even inherently good, if they can 'excuse' the actions of terrible people and still want to help them. This would have made her a very extreme character in her believes, but something coherent and definitive is actually something Charlie desperately needs for her characterization.

The other way would've had her reject the person and with that she would have to face the idea that maybe Adam isn't fully wrong. In that situation she would have found herself in a similar position to the Angels in heaven, where she basically is the one deciding over what's acceptable and what isn't. This could lead to her having a moral dilemma. Is she even a good person if she's deciding what's moral and what isn't? Can she just be okay with making exceptions to her idea to protect her people? Does she even want to view EVERY demon as her family? Or does she think there are some demons that maybe deserve death?

I'm just really dissapointed that the show takes such an interesting idea and such a difficult topic and then just does nothing with it. What we view as bad and good and which people we judge harder than others will always depend on social norms and the situation. It's a topic with no real right and wrong answer because there are so many things to consider. But this moral grey conflict that is literally one of the MAIN CONFLICTS in Hazbin Hotel is so incredibly underwritten, that it's not even funny.

Instead of acknowledging the difficulty of the subject Hazbin does what it does best and takes the easy route with seemingly clear right and wrong sides. This is especially stupid, since morally grey characters are supposed to be the point of the show. Like there are these demons who have done bad things and who aren't perfect, but that doesn't make them bad people. Its about revealing that a person has layers (which the writing doesn't). This is also a big point in Helluva Boss, where characters like Blitzø or Stolas who mess up repeatedly, are supposed to be shown as still having interests, aspirations, and good things to them.

The easy route which is taken constantly in both shows however makes it so that Charlie is completely in the right and anyone who criticises her is one of the evil people who try to ruin her plan, just like Adam. Who's also such a straw man for anyone who even dares to bring any objection to Charlies ideas, because everyone who does is apparently a hypocrite who just doesn't understand her and would rather side with genocide (I wonder were Vivzepop takes her inspiration from).

Charlies writing was just really dissapointing with almost never any reflection being done on her part. She doesn't have really striking moments, discussions or ideas to her in a show she's supposed to lead. That's just an issue that comes with Vivzepop never really putting as much work into her female characters, even tough they would desperately need it.

I know that only the first season is out so far, but I highly doubt thay they'll bring up a discussion like this in s2. Especially since Adam is dead now and the Angels will probably try to work more with the demons, after Sir Pentious' redemtion and the reveal of the exterminations to them. Also the Vees, Lillith and Alastor will be more of focus from what we can assume by the ending scenes.

I just don’t like that Viv can take interesting conflicts and write them to be completely one-dimensional and boring.

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel charlie #hazbin hotel critical #hazbin hotel criticism #hazbin hotel critique #helluva boss #charlie morningstar #vivzepop critical #vivziepop

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sophfandoms53 · 10 months ago

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I wish Hazbin had more than 8 episodes this season bc 1) the pacing is all over the place (outside of episode 4) and 2) it would’ve been so nice to actually see when and why Alastor started to genuinely care about the hotel.

The pilot and the first episode of the show characterize him as sticking around for the entertainment because of how silly the idea of redeeming a sinner is to him but then episode 5 has him fully backing up Charlie’s wishes for the hotel and even tells Mimzy she’s welcomed to stay if she actually wants to try redemption and was upset she had put the hotel in danger with her presence.

I think that turnaround in Alastor’s perspective is so interesting but when did that happen? Why did that happen? How did that happen? What made him care?

He clearly still has ulterior motives, there’s 0 denying that given his scene with Husk in the same episode, but he does seem to actually care about Charlie and her hotel. Which can be connected to the leash Husk claimed Alastor is bound by but Alastor is also the most distant from the cast.

We never see him around everyone for more than a few minutes at a time. Everyone went out to the club in episode 6 but Alastor is nowhere to be found in the entire episode.

That bond with anyone in the hotel, even Charlie, that would explain Alastor’s sudden support in the hotel has not been shown on screen and I really wish the show had more time to do that.

That’s really what Hazbin lacks. Time. Time to slow down and just let the characters breathe. Everything is moving so fast because they probably didn’t know a second season was coming until later which I can understand but that also means the plot takes priority over the characters and a majority of the cast is suffering from it.

Angel’s the only character who’s gotten an episode solely about him and exploring, expanding, and developing his character and his bonds in the hotel are what we see the most. This makes sense given he’s the main guest in the hotel but no other character has been able to have their own character and arc be explored the way Angel has.

The show needed more episodes like Masquerade to explore the cast before diving headfirst into the Heaven vs. Hell redemption conflict. That was always going to be the direction the show went in but they needed so much more time to do it because there are so many characters to juggle and so much is happening. Big moments that are supposed to matter don’t hit as hard as they should bc the cast is overstuffed and everyone is fighting for screen time.

This isn’t the teams fault, they’re doing a decent job with the limit time they were given but 8 episodes is not enough time for a show this ambitious with everything it’s trying to do. Doubling the episode count to 16 would’ve done wonders for the pacing and the show could slow down and take its time.

A lot of what Hazbin presents are good ideas. It’s all interesting but none of it is given enough time because the big Heaven and Hell plot has to take a majority of the shows focus. I do hope season 2 fixes this but that’s also gonna depend where the show is going after season 1 is over. We’ll see next week.

My main wish for the show going forward is each character gets their chance to be explored just as Angel has.

#hazbin has the millie problem of helluva boss but like everyone is millie #you understand who they are on a basic level but that’s kinda it #there’s not enough depth beyond what little we know #the show tries especially with Vaggie and Charlie #and i think Charlie is handled better than most of the cast outside of Angel #but oof Vaggie #i see what they wanted to do with her but again the pacing of it is a mess #everyone else in the hotel has their moments for sure #i utterly love husk and i wanna see more of him #but he needs his own episode that explores him and his whole deal with alastor #which would in turn explain some of alastor’s stuff #ik he’s supposed to be a mystery and that’s fine #but we can still learn more about him as a person without knowing all of his past y’know #anyway all I thought as i wrote this post was wow i’d get jumped on twitter for saying this #just wanted to talk about thisss #i love hazbin and helluva but they are never beating the pacing issue allegations #helluva’s pacing is actually more annoying for different reasons tho #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel spoilers

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velveetacrackncheese · 5 years ago

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Hey, Rad... Alex... Alexlememe? I know that's the name you used to go by and I know you've kinda disconnected yourself from Viv's fanbase after ZP ended, and I remember your memes and such but I kinda just wanted to get your take on the Hazbin drama since you reblogged the headcanon blog's post on the subject. More or less regarding the issue of her being uncharitable to fans and non-fans alike, plus that one callout post on twitter?

So this is weird. I wasn’t expecting to get asks on the subject since like you said, I’ve generally been disconnected from the fanbase aside from the few reblogs here and there retaining to Hazbin and its more recent developments. But yeah I guess I could give my take on this since I mean.. old fans still follow me. Idk why, but they do!So, really. In regards to that callout post (which is now deleted) I really, really don’t care that much. For one thing, Initially I did because I really hated to see someone be slandered so viciously with inaccurate and uncharitable attacks, but I kinda just stopped because even when I linked the addresses from both Viv, and the Ken dude regarding all the drama mentioned, it was either ignored and resulting in me being called a “pedo sympathizer” or “It wasn’t even an apologyyyyy weh” and like, whatever. I stopped giving a shit.

Terms of the traced animation thing... Lol, ok. I mean homages do exist, and her animation thingy was based on a meme so whatevs.

Anyways,I knew from the very start that the whole “tracing” and “stealing designs” stuff was nonsense since there was an entire like, tumblr drama arc on the issue, and albeit Viv’s post is gone, there’s evidence of legal contracts regarding Jiji and that whole nonsense that was years ago. In regards to her drawing pictures of Blaire White and Shoe… Eh. I mean, yeah, fuck em, but she’s made it clear that she doesn’t support those views anymore, and she wasn’t even really aware of the other things they’d done at that point, and I see no real reason not to believe her because what does lying about that gain her? Yeah her comment on the “blackface” thing if you wanna call it that was dumb as shit, but considering 2016 was a rough year for her in terms of trying to find where she fell in the political sphere, I can relate because I was in the same boat. A lot of sjw cringe comps, shaming feminists, and purposely misgendering transpeople… Not a good time for me either! Course I’ve changed. I went from being a reactionary alt-centrist to an anarchist so. Whether that’s an improvement is up to you.

As for the whole pedo/zoo shit, I really don’t see it. I mean like, look, obviously porn art portraying people fucking feral animals is disgusting right. Not saying it isn’t problematic or anything, but to be fair, she did draw this shit like 8 years ago. I’ve seen worse from even more well-established artists and I don’t see people trying to cancel them? Also, the art was suggestive for one thing and not necessarily 100% porn. I mean it’s still creepy and gross, and I’d understand scolding them if they continued to do so but a lot worse, but I haven’t seen anything like that from Viv past those 2 drawings. As for the pedo shit… The relationship between a 17 year old and a 19 year old is… hardly creepy and reminiscent of pedo shit. So yeah no fuck that. Now with the drawing of Mirage and Kestrel and the tag that said something jokingly like “Mirage and her pedo tendencies” or whatever… Yeah idk, I can’t defend that lmfao. Again, Viv said she disapproves of those drawings and doesn’t care to think about them, but that one piece of artwork definitely had some baggage to it that made me feel uncomfortable after reading the tags.Only issue I took in terms of her addressing that, is that she was very adamant about it being an inside joke… Which if that’s true, you must’ve had some fucked up friends like damn.

I would also like to state that cub art is legitimately disgusting and I am of the belief that it can cause harm depending on the context since I assume the consumption of cub art can reinforce the urge for pedophiles to act on their desires instead of finding healthy coping mechanisms for it through therapy. There have been stories from younger users on the internet that older people have tried to groom them and have the notion of pedos preying on them be normalized by sending them art depicting kids in sexual acts with adults. Of course in isolation cub art isn’t as harmful as the actual act of raping a child, and I would argue that people have their priorities kind of messed up since the illustration being acknowledged should be part of combating pedophiles preying on children. However, people, typically twitter wokescolds tend to focus on the art solely and I don’t know why. There’s a lot of MAPS trying to find their way into LGBT spaces and it’s fucking gross.

Now with Hazbin itself… It’s meh. Initially I watched it with rose-tinted glasses and loved it. After watching it for like… the 3rd, 4th, 5th time? It’s alright. I don’t hate it, but it’s far from perfect. Now ofc I know it’s a pilot but a very lengthy pilot I’ll say. My biggest gripe with the pilot is that the editing is really fucking weird. Like the editing where Angel tells Alastor “I can suck yah dick!” and the scene that followed was really off. It seemed like too many cuts were made in that instance and seemed very cluttered. It also feels that way during Charlie singing “Inside Every Demon is a Rainbow” and how many little animated bits were like almost wiped off the screen by how fast it came by, and ntm there was just so much happening all at once on screen as well. I had to pause at points just to process everything that was happening. The palette is also very, very, verrrry red. There’s so much red going on and like… I get it, it’s in hell. But lemme rest my eyes on something else besides red, please. The palette they use needs to be better diversified, and the same goes for the characters too. Every character seems to have red on them. Whenever Baxter shows up later he’s gonna look really out of place. Some of the jokes were ok, and others seemed non-clever. I didn’t think Angel’s joke about sucking Al’s dick was funny. I did like the joke with Pentious and Angel though. “SON??” Some of it could’ve been written better too.

Regarding the drama with the show itself… Personally I don’t get it. Like, I don’t feel as if Angel is homophobic as a character since his queerness isn’t at the face of the jokes he makes? He just happens to be sex worker which… sex workers are fine? Support sex workers y’all, seriously. There’s also nothing intrinsically wrong with being sexually active either? As long as it’s within reason and you’re being trustworthy.The issue lies in the fact that people viewed the things I just mentioned as negative, and associate it with gay people as said negatively portrayed thing to push the sentiment of “Gay man do sex a lot therefore the gays bad” or that sort of thing. Also there’s a bit where it shows there’s more emotional depth to him and I’m hoping they’ll expand on that later. Honestly though, the criticisms in regards to that have been pretty uncharitable. Same with the criticisms for Vaggie. Apparently Vaggie is racist because… she’s loud and angry? Again, this is a case where people assume those traits are negative, and because it’s assumed to be negative, the negatively portrayed thing pushes the sentiment of “Being a loud fiery woman made, and latina women are that, therefore latina women bad” or some shit. There are stereotypes that are bad no matter what the context is like sambo-esque caricatures of black people. Then there are tropes that are applied to certain demographics that have the capability to be written well into characters without it being offensive or disrespectful. Vaggie is literally angry because she’s protective of her gf. Like. C’mon.

So, I think that settles what I think about that? It honestly seems like superficial shit to me tbh, and I’m saying this as an sjw-y beta cuck anarchist.

The only REAL gripe I have, is with what the mod from @zpheadcanons posted. Because I know this is probably true as much as it hurts me to say it. Faust def has a history of being pretty petty and bully-like to people she deems undesirable, and Viv harbors it by not criticizing it, and if anyone else within their friend group does it then you’re scolded vehemently and treated like garbage. Her attitude also stretches to harboring an audience full of white knights that I personally don’t approve of.

There’s also this

Faust has hurt distant people I personally know and… yeah. Maybe I’m biased but I can’t vibe with that. Sorry. If you don’t make an effort to criticize abusive behavior within your own friend circles then that makes you just as bad, because then you’re just a bystander to things you could have prevented.

This isn’t to say Viv herself hasn’t dealt with bad faith actors, or people who had the intention to hurt her, or very uncharitable criticism. Particularly from the badwebcomics forums which is honestly 4chan like in how they operate. It’s vicious as hell, and a lot of their criticisms boil down to insults and personal attacks, which serve to be nonconstructive. That’s not to say Viv has been kind to even the more charitable criticism though. I know because when I happened to send an ask to the zoophobia criticism blog (where did it go???) regarding something relatively minor and superficial, she blocked me from her blog. I’m still blocked lmfao. I’m not blocked on twitter though! (not yet anyways). Faust has me blocked there though, and I have no idea why. She’s had me blocked for years even though I haven’t spoken out against her till recently. So, there’s that.

As for her apology itself, I feel like it was fine. I think it could’ve been worded better? The take I disagree with in terms of that is like… If I made a mistake in the past, and I make it clear that I don’t care for what I did, I don’t feel as if me explaining why I felt compelled to do certain things negate me from still not caring for my past actions? That’s just me providing context. That’s a really weird take, but I guess that could be viewed as an excuse idk. Personally I think people are holding the bar super high to a state of irrationality.

*sigh* So yeah there’s that. I miss the old days where honestly I could be ignorant about this, but at the same time I look at my old obsessive posts and I kinda just… cringe. I was such an irrational stan I almost hate myself for it. Fuck XD

Edit: I’d also like to point out that I’m not saying Viv or Faust are totally awful or totally good people, and I know they’re capable of being better. It’s a matter of whether or not they wanna be better.

#vivziepop #hazbin hotel

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callumturncr · 6 years ago

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A Different Path [Sirius Black AU] - Part 5

Summary: Post-graduation AU in which the reader, Lily and The Marauders have just joined the Order of the Phoenix. As tensions are at its highest in the First Wizarding War, the reader, who likes Sirius Black more than she would like to admit, is framed for the murder of Marlene McKinnon.

Parts: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8

Author’s Note: I know I said I was going to update in the weekend but I managed to get this part done early so here it is!! Updates hereafter will be on Sundays though. Hope you enjoy and once again, please feel free to message me if you want to be added to the taglist :)

Warning: Brief mention of a torture scene, through means of the Cruciatus curse.

Gif is not mine. Words: 3k

Just as Moody had promised, Y/N’s trial took place two months later.

She stood outside Courtroom 10, accompanied by two Dementors on each side. Their festering hands were wrapped tightly around her and she felt subdued by the icy cold radiating from them.

As they lead her into the chamber, she took in her hazy surroundings. The full court was present, rows upon rows of tiered benches seating various witches and wizards. In their plum coloured robes, the Wizengamot straightened up once she entered, their mouths set in a thin line and looking as if they had tasted something sour. Barty Crouch wore the same expression. Y/N was taken aback by his appearance for it looked as if he had been the one sent to Azkaban – he was incredibly gaunt and his skin looked stretched thin over his skull. Only Moody, who was seated next to him, seemed eager to start the trial.

There was a single chair in the centre of the room which her Dementors all but shoved her into. They drifted back out and the heat slowly returned to her, but once she looked down, Y/N realized it was from the burning sensation of the chains on her seat. Like gold veins, they wound up her arms, glowing brilliantly and rooted her to the spot. She looked back up to the court expectantly.

“Y/N Y/L/N, you have been brought from Azkaban on the insistence of Albus Dumbledore and Alastor Moody, for your trial,” Crouch announced. She had the feeling that perhaps this was all for show. “Should any new evidence come to light regarding the murder of Marlene McKinnon, the council may be prepared to order your release.”

It was his turn to look at her impatiently. Moody caught her eye and gave her the subtlest of nods. For the first time, they would listen to her.

Taking a deep breath, Y/N opened her mouth to speak.

Sirius Black never thought he would find himself back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was exactly the same as he had left it three years ago; Hagrid’s cabin was nestled at the edge of the Forbidden Forest with smoke pouring out the chimney and the Black Lake stood still in the centre of the grounds, foreboding as ever. The Hogwarts castle stood tall against the bright blue sky and the chatter of the students echoed all around him.

He carried a large box in his arms; Dumbledore had asked him to bring over some documents from the Ministry, claiming it was critically important he went through them today but Sirius was pretty sure Dumbledore had asked him to bring them specifically so he wouldn’t be moping around. Lost in his thoughts, Sirius almost barreled into a tiny First Year student coming down the stairs at full speed. He flushed as a bunch of girls giggled nearby, quickening his gait.

“Sirius, come in.” He heard Dumbledore before he’d even stepped inside the office properly.

“Couldn’t this wait Professor?” he asked, exaggerating a sigh. The Headmaster however, seemed solemn. It was unnerving – Dumbledore was usually cheerful, even in times of peril.

“I take it you have figured out there must be another reason why I called you here?” he spoke, walking further into his office and gesturing Sirius to follow.

“Yes,” answered Sirius. “I thought it was just because you wanted me to do some work. I know I’ve been absent lately.”

Dumbledore smiled. “Not entirely. You see, there is actually nothing special in that box. I only charmed it to be heavy, mimicking the weight of books.”

Fighting the urge to huff, Sirius opened his mouth.

“Sir, I–”

“You’re a bright boy Sirius. Had your thoughts been less preoccupied, you might’ve picked up on my trick.” He stopped in front of a bowl-like structure that was carved from stone. Runes decorated the exterior and the inside was filled with a silvery substance that looked like neither gas nor liquid.

“Why go to that length?”

“I did not think you would come if I told you the real reason.”

Sirius glanced sidelong at Dumbledore. He wanted to believe that his previous Headmaster was only speaking in his ordinary riddles but the serious look was back on his face as he motioned Sirius to step forward.

“What is that?” he asked instead.

“A Pensieve. One uses it to review memories. I thought you might like to see something,” Dumbledore replied. He wanted to protest but the Headmaster had already leaned forward and placed his face into the shallow stone. Having no choice, Sirius mimicked the actions.

Feeling as though he’d been sucked inside the bowl and through the narrow column it was perched on, Sirius reached out to grab onto something as he fell. But what he was falling towards – he had no idea; the blinding white substance surrounded him on all sides and Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, as if he hadn’t been falling at all, he found himself standing in what looked like a bar. The floor was made of polished, dark wood and the tables were empty, though he could hear voices upstairs.

At the far end, a soft snap caught his attention. Two figures had Apparated into the lounge and one broke away to the left. Stepping closer, Sirius realized with a jolt that it was Y/N and Marlene. Dumbledore’s arm stopped him before he could move and with a burning shame, Sirius found he did not know which one of them he wanted to run to more.

“They can’t see you. We’re in a memory.”

“I don’t want to see this,” he seethed. “How could you possibly think I wanted to see this?”

“Because you need to know the truth.” Dumbledore replied firmly, blue eyes piercing over his half-moon spectacles. “It’s the least you owe them. Both of them.”

Sirius said nothing more. Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange had appeared in the time his attention had been focused on Dumbledore and were engaging Marlene in a fierce duel. The former’s wife, Bellatrix, had popped up right next to Sirius and was taunting Y/N.

He saw the fear play out across her features as she let Bellatrix talk away, eyes darting to the window every few seconds. Y/N was no doubt remembering what he had told her about his cousin. She sized up her up and Sirius could practically see the gears turning in her brain, as if her thoughts were displayed in speech bubbles. And then Bellatrix said something that caught both their attention.

“The amount of time I spent listening to my wretched cousin pine for you,” she complained in the memory.

It was barely noticeable but he saw Y/N freeze up for just a moment, staring at Bellatrix with wide eyes and Sirius wished Dumbledore wouldn’t see the flush that had crept up his neck. He didn’t know whether to feel embarrassed that she’d found out about his feelings at a time like this or angry that she’d still betrayed him knowing. He shook his head to expel the thought just as Marlene threw a spell their way, interrupting the conversation. Y/N broke into a run for the window, seemingly unaffected by the words. Sirius tried to ignore the lurch in his chest – of course she hadn’t cared.

The battle that ensued after the flares had been set off was nothing like Sirius had ever seen. Y/N and Marlene were fighting the Death Eaters with furious concentration, somehow slipping out of the way of every deadly green beam arcing across the air. They kept helping each other too, shouting for the other to watch out. This particular detail made Sirius incredibly angry – Y/N had kept up her act and fooled Marlene until the end. He wasn’t sure if he could bear to see the look on her face once she found out Y/N had deceived them all.

Dumbledore, who had remained silent throughout the battle, suddenly spoke up. “Any minute now.”

Before Sirius could question what he meant, the lights overhead died out. A shiver ran through him; he was reminded of the last time he’d seen Y/N and how the lights had faded in the kitchen once the Dementors had come. Though they were not after him, Sirius had never felt fear like that in his whole life. Not when he had run from home, not even when he remembered his mother.

That same fear clawed at his throat now as Peter stepped out from behind the shadows.

But the Death Eaters did not attack Wormtail.

No, Wormtail walked right between where Y/N and Marlene were being held, his gait confident as if nothing was amiss. Sirius had never, not once in his entire time at Hogwarts, seen Peter like this.

“Peter said he was upstairs the whole time…” he began. “He said he was upstairs fighting other Death Eaters.”

“It seems we have all been played for fools, Sirius.” Dumbledore’s voice was sombre.

“There– there must be some mistake,” Sirius whispered back because there was no way this was happening. There had to be an explanation. “Have they used Imperio on him?”

Dumbledore only looked at him. It was as if his heart had stopped beating entirely, as if the blood running in his veins had been replaced by lead. A slow sense of dread crept up inside him and Sirius found he could not breathe. If this was true… he couldn’t even begin to fathom what he’d done by calling Crouch that day Y/N had come to Godric’s Hollow.

A scream tore out of his mouth as Y/N dropped to the floor, consumed by the Cruciatus curse.

It was such a terrible sight that Sirius wanted to look away but his eyes refused. They remained rooted to her thrashing form, gathering tears. His knees buckled underneath him and he scrambled in his haste to get to her but Dumbledore had grabbed him again, his grip incredibly firm. Bellatrix and Rodolphus flourished their wands in glee but Sirius was shouting, shouting along with Marlene. He heard her beg Peter, beg to make them stop and it seemed an eternity before Y/N was finally released. She lay there gasping for breath.

The Death Eaters had started talking in the memory again but Sirius could hardly hear. His ears were still ringing with screams; Y/N’s echoing the loudest.

But apparently, Wormtail had one more blow to deal.

Sirius could do nothing but watch, helpless, as Peter’s carelessly aimed ‘Avada Kedavra’ struck Marlene. From where he was, he could see it had only just missed Y/N, who had run to push her out of the way. Y/N, who promised to bring Marlene back, had been prepared to die in her place. Y/N, who had begged him to listen. Y/N, who he had helped throw into Azkaban.

It was as if the floor had fallen away beneath him.

His expression must’ve have mirrored hers as he watched her shake Marlene by the shoulder, crestfallen. Wormtail had resumed his Animagus form and was scampering away like the rat he was, leaving only Y/N and the Minister’s son, who performed the Forgetfulness charm on Dorcas and Dedalus before disappearing too. Sirius, somehow finding the strength to crawl over to both girls, had barely even reached out to touch Marlene when he felt himself being yanked upwards, the misty white of the Pensieve surrounding him once more.

“No!” Sirius choked out, grasping at the air to get back to them. “No, take me back. I want to stay with them, take me b–”

They had returned to Dumbledore’s office. A startled Fawkes let out a screech at their arrival, eyeing both men beadily. The Headmaster let Sirius calm down, hands clasped firmly on his shoulders.

“How do you have that?” he asked, struggling to get his sentence out. “When did you see her? It’s her memory isn’t it? Y/N’s.”

“Calm down Sirius,” Dumbledore helped him off the floor and ushered him into a seat. Handing him some water, Dumbledore perched on the edge of his desk. He did not answer the question however.

“Do you see now? Do you see why I have urged you to not make Pettigrew the Secret Keeper?”

“Pettigrew,” Sirius spat, draining the goblet in one go. He remembered how Peter had left hurriedly last week, claiming he had to go see family. “Where is he? Scampered back to his vile friends?”

Just thinking of Peter made Sirius seethe with fury. Shy little Peter, always hanging in the shadow of him and James, had outmaneuvered them all. And he had won; Sirius had let him. He felt sick as he remembered the look on Y/N’s face when he’d defended him, claiming Peter would never betray a brother. How blind he had been.

Sirius felt disgusted with himself.

“I presume so. But that’s good for us; he can’t interfere in the plans regarding the Potters.”

Shifting the conversation back, Sirius enquired Dumbledore again. “How do you have her memory?”

Dumbledore was wearing the same solemn expression as before. “Alastor and I visited Azkaban two months ago.”

“Two months?!” Sirius was very nearly shouting. “It’s… it’s October now, why have you kept her in there if you knew?”

“We haven’t,” he replied calmly. “The… arrangements for her trial have not been easy to make.”

“Trial?”

“It was today. Should be finished by now actually.”

Sirius felt as though the air had left him again. If he had been at the Ministry today, he might’ve seen her. Dumbledore continued, confirming his thoughts.

“I asked you here because I didn’t know how you would react if you came face to face with Y/N,” he said softly. “And also because you needed to see tha–”

The door to Dumbledore’s office almost flew off its hinges as Alastor Moody entered.

“Albus!” he bellowed.

“Alastor, what’s happened?” Dumbledore had gone hurrying to meet him.

Moody was panting like he’d run through the castle grounds and up the stairs but a hint of a smile broke out on his face, making it look more lopsided than usual.

“Trial finished around twenty minutes ago,” he said. “I Apparated to Hogsmeade then tried to come here as quickly as I could once it was done.” He sat down next to Sirius, taking a swig from his hip-flask. “They’re going to let her go.”

“She’s free?” Moody’s fake eye circled in its socket to look at Sirius.

“You’ve shown him have you?”

Dumbledore nodded.

“Right,” Moody acknowledged. “Well, she’s not free just yet. Crouch sent her back to Azkaban while the Ministry works to find Wormtail.”

“What?” Sirius gasped before Moody had fully finished. “Was it not clear that Peter was the one who fired the curse?”

“It’s the Ministry, Black. They’ll have a hard time trying to save themselves the shame of convicting the wrong person,” Moody said. “They also want to look into the fact that the curse was fired from her wand–”

“But Peter was using it!” Sirius couldn’t help interject.

“You trying to tell me boy?” he growled back. “Crouch used both Legilimens and the most powerful Veritaserum on her today. And that still wasn’t enough for the Wizengamot.”

“When are they letting her out then?” Dumbledore questioned. Moody took another sip out of his hip-flask.

“After the threat to the Potters passes,” he answered. “Which is what we’re meant to be focusing on,” Moody added, gazing at Sirius sternly.

“Frank and Alice too,” sighed Dumbledore.

“That’s bloody messed up,” Sirius exclaimed. “We know all this because of her and she gets sent back to Azkaban for helping!”

“And who was it that got her sent there in the first place?”

Moody had evidently, had enough. His electric blue eye was trained directly at the younger boy, as if looking right through him. Sirius stopped in his tracks and stared, unable to form a response. His fists clenched, his nails digging into his palm but his anger wasn’t directed at Moody. The rage curling inside Sirius was all for himself.

“Alastor!” Dumbledore’s voice was low, but the warning echoed it in all the same. “Sirius, why don’t you go back? Tell James, Lily and Remus what you’ve seen?”

Sirius wanted to stay to argue but he knew Dumbledore and Moody had done everything in their power. It was all up to the Ministry now. He got up, thanking the former and muttering an apology to the latter. Reaching for the door handle, he hesitated.

“How did she look?”

Moody’s expression softened but only very slightly. “Like hell. But it’s a goddamn miracle she didn’t turn into how they usually do when left with the Dementors,” he answered honestly. “Surprised me as well. After all, she was only 19 when convicted.”

It was painful to hear. Sirius gave Moody a nod and turned to go but his voice filled the office again.

“Black?”

“Yes?”

“You should know… Y/N didn’t give up the memory for the trial, so it could be used as evidence,” he said in a grave voice. “She gave it once she heard the prophecy about Lily’s son, to save him and all of you. She didn’t even know about the trial until I was about to leave.”

The heavy feeling settled itself once more onto Sirius’ chest. All of a sudden, Dumbledore’s magnificent office was too small and he couldn’t breathe. Y/N, who had been ready to give her life for Marlene had saved them yet again, with absolutely no reason to. Not after they’d turned their backs and left her to rot.

Sirius wondered if he would ever stop owing her.

“Thank you Sir,” he said in a thick voice before pushing open the great oak doors and walking out.

He tore through the grounds, past the Great Hall and the Entrance Hall, past the Black Lake with the Giant Squid and past the students milling about until he had reached Hogsmeade. There, he squeezed his eyes shut and thought of Godric’s Hollow with its quaint little church and brown-roofed houses. He opened them again to find himself standing in the very place he’d imagined.

Sirius made for the Potter house, almost running now. He was out of breath by the time James opened the door. James’ smile vanished as soon as he saw the state Sirius was in. Lily stood a little further back, her expression also one of concern.

“Sirius, what–”

“James,” he barely got out. “James, we’ve made a terrible mistake.”

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