#I think Harry likes it way more than Peter but

[tuttle-did-it]

If you see the tags, I've seen Father Brown and it's... fine. It's fine. I don't think it's a very good show. And whilst I have nothing against Mark Williams or anyone else in the rest of the cast, no one on that show makes me want to watch any more. I don't care about any of the characters or the world they live in. Father Dowling was a more entertaining show in comparison for me. And generally speaking, cosy mystery shows are not the best tv in the world. It's an engaging lead that you need to pull it off. The rest is window-dressing. If the lead is delightful to watch, and the show even half-way written and directed, you'll have a fun murder mystery show. I have yet to find that here in UK. And forgive me, I just don't think Mark Williams is engaging and fun to watch. So it makes the whole show not enjoyable for me.

I don' felt the same way about Sister Boniface. It's fine. I just done care of I ever e another episode. I stopped enjoying Death In Paradise when Ben Miller left, honestly. I have seen eps every time they do a cast change to see if i enjoy it again. I do not. And the cast is far too young on DiP for what I'm looking for. I want an older detective who potters around the way Fletcher, older Perry or Ben Matlock did. With older guest stars. DiP had a few great older guest stars-- Peter Davison comes to mind as one. But I don't enjoy DiP as a show because I don't enjoy the main characters. I did when Ben was there. He it's not there, now. I try every time they soft-boot with new characters. I haven't found any others I like.

Harry Wild is probably the closest show in UK/IRE that I've seen that fits the bill. Jane Seymour is older, she is engaging, she is fun to watch. I wish her surrounding cast were a bit older as well, but she's fine. It's the closest I've found, here.

Also, as much as I love a lot of UK/IRE tv, my favourite character actors have, by and large, been American. Maybe it's because I primarily watched movies from 20s-50s-- especially in my formative years-- and US-based tv from 1950-1980. So the majority of my favourite character actors were getting older and appearing in these 80s/90s US cosy mystery movies/shows because they had worked with the main lead of the cosy mystery show (who was older).

Hell-- Dame Diana Rigg had her own cosy mystery show for a couple of years. It was fun. It was UK-based. So it can happen. I just haven't seen it happen in many years.

Also, I know ACD and Agatha Christie established the cosy mystery style, but the cast majority of tv shows I have enjoyed of this genre are American. Although I have a LOT to criticise America for (trust me, neither of is have the time or energy for how much I can criticise America for) they took the cosy mystery genre and perfected it-- those of the 80s/90s in particular were a lot of fun. There are a lot majority of UK-based things I prefer far more over US imports. But I have yet to see a UK-based murder mystery show that is as fun to watch as Murder, She Wrote, Matlock, Perry Mason and Columbo. All of our (UK/IRE) best actors had moved to the US in the 70s/ish, anyway. So I still got to see Patty McGoohan on cosy mysteries-- but it was Columbo. Patty Macnee was guest starring on Murder she Wrote several times. He wasn't working here in the UK. By and large, I think the US has done better with this genre -- especially when it comes to dotty older people-- than Britain. Which is hilarious to me on many levels.

(No, I am not talking about all the dozens of MSW/Columbo rip offs such as the Hallmark murder mysteries like Murder, She Baked. Are they cosy murder mysteries with aging guest stars? Sure. Are they remotely watchable? No. Not At all. Unless you are very drunk and making fun of the show instead of watching it to enjoy it.)

I have seen Father Brown. It's not enjoyable to me compared to Father Dowling-- and certainly not in comparison to the giant shoes left by Columbo, Ben Matlock and Jessica Fletcher to fill.

I know Matlock is being rebooted with Kathy Bates. I love Bates. She is delightful. But I'm tired of reboots. Give her any other fucking name. Kathy Bates deserves her own show without being forced to compete with Andy Griffith's shadow.

Same goes for Jamie Lee Curtis. She is rumoured to be doing a reboot if MSW. JLC deserves her own cosy murder show. Forcing her to compete with one of the biggest legends of all time in cosy mystery genre is entirely unfair to JLC and to Angela Lansbury.

Anyway. What I'm asking for is a cosy mystery with an engaging older lead that I want to watch every week. More Cannes Anne wheelchair's and false teeth. Ideally, with a decent writing team. DiP is no longer that for me. Father Brown has never been that for me. Am I glad it fits the bill for other people? Sure. Does it fit what I need? No. Harry Wild is the closest and even that has not entirely satisfied my itch.

You know, it's genuinely sad to me that aging favourite character actors no longer have any fun murder-mystery tv shows to guest-star as murders on.

[osbornenthusiast]

not sure if football and raimiverse fans cross paths specifically On tumblr very much. Or ever. But I think I’m funny so

[the-acid-pear]

Y'know I really feel like Harry and Dave's relationship goes highly unexplored which is a shame because there IS quite a bit to explore, ESPECIALLY if you care about shipping. But as the game stands I mean, they must be aware of each other. Harry in fact definitely knows about Dave. I don't think he'd tell the fucking weird rotten bunny his terrible boss brought in IS the number one threat against Freddy's since day 1 but even so. Dave I don't think would see Harry as much more than A Phoney™ though, which is always more of an obstacle and way less of a person. Which is usually opposite of how Jack sees his often sole employee. Like, you get what I mean? It's almost similar to 2 with the main opposing routes being Peter and Dave except the stakes are arguably way lower now.

[instinctsxbad]

*scratching at the walls thinking about how no one has adapted Peter’s college arcs in a consistent and satisfying way.*

[kkdoesstuff]

okay i'm done!!!! contrary to what it might seem from all of my comments, i really loved this fic LMFAO i just hates james and by extension i hate james and lily together. not my ship, not my problem and i knew what i was getting into before i even started reading this so in the end........ i did it to meself me to me:

but it was really good, very well written! i especially enjoyed the gayness (obviously), i enjoyed sirius (obviously!) and remus, i enjoyed seeing peter being a little rat ass manipulative ass bitch, i loved severus (OBVIOUSLY), so yes to the characterization!

i didn't enjoy lily and james but again! i played meself on that because i hate them together LMFAO and i didn't like lily's characterization but again, that's a me problem. olivieblake is perfect, it's ME who is flawed LMFAOOO 😭 i didn't like how their romance started, how the lucky potion brought them together. so it's... luck that is responsible for them dying together and having their son be a tool to be used by dumbledore?

and i didn't like how there was no showing of james' growth as a person REALLY, he just fucked her until she fell in love with him and that made her see him in a different light. was the change in the room with us or was it just his big seeker dick and muscley back? fine. but anyway again, these are ME problems 😭😂

i loved the gay forbidden relationship between the two slytherin lads and how it was juxtaposed against both remus x sirius and also lily x james x severus. very fine touch, that. i love that they loved each other and they always had rough hate love fuck sex lmfao it was very well done!

anything else......... oh! i love severus. i love him, ur honor!!! i'll never stop loving him idc idc idc. kiss my ass. :) tysm!

i love watching how james lost thee marauders map, i'm sure he would have loved to pass it on to harry, but harry got it eventually from the twins anyway. i am loathe to give any kind of nicety to james x lily, HOWEVER i did enjoy him showing her around hogwarts under the invisibility cloak and showing her the stretch of wall that turns into thee room of requirement. i enjoyed her seeing him transform into his animagus self for the first time. that was nice. fine. it was nice

so anyways i started out thinking that this fic was gonna hurt me and break my heart and it did in ways that i wasn't expecting but it also enraged me and made me love severus more than i already do so... bravo bitch, u got me!!!!

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

alright alright alright, i'm about to get into youth by @olivieblake!!! it's a prequel to clean/marked, 23 chapters, rated M, and just over 100K words! i am just absolutely positively in love with olivieblake's writing and clean/marked, so naturally i had to spin the block and come back for this story 😭😂

no let me tell u, this was me, yelling on the phone with my friends last night about clean/marked:

very unhinged. very "THEY FELL IN LOVE BECAUSE THEY HAD ALWAYS BEEN IN LOVE." very sleep deprived dramione addict LMFAO 😭

in any case, i'm excited as hale for this fic! it's a marauder's era fic (so not dramione... so while excited i am uncomfortable but i trust the author with mine eyes) and i have only read one other marauder's era fic EVER and i loved it. this fic is sure to be heartbreaking in all the right ways. there are multiple POV's so i can't wait to get into the characterization of each person. *rubs hands together vigorously*

here's thee summary:

“Whatever this life brings us, my youth will have always been yours.” Amidst the rise of an imminent threat, some people fall together as others fall apart. Love, power, Marauders, and everything in between. Year 7 with opening Snily and eventual Jily. Prequel to “Clean” and “Marked,” book III in “This World or Any Other” series.

tags: marauder's era, hogwarts 7th year, hogwarts head boy/head girl

so really....... this truly is giving it's gonna break my heart into a million little pieces but FUCK IT WE BALL! 😭

my thoughts on clean: here

my thoughts on marked: here

(i do not know if i am linking these correctly, so if a whole thread doesn't come up just look at the reblogs and u should find the whole things tysm)

[ayyponine]

not to be a milennial but harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban really is that bitch....

[milimeters-morales]

okay finished that part with Kraven and the church, LOVED the screams of agony!!!! they sounded so good!!! that’s exactly what i wanted!!! again, this part (getting into the party, finding dima, fighting, then going to church) wasn’t entirely too interesting to me besides the whole tracker on the serum thing, but i’m really excited for Peter to start being more mean to people outside of being rough when he fights. wait speaking of that, the way he just brushed off the “huh that wasn’t me” when the symbiote threw the guy that shot at him but was giving up through the window seemed very weird? guess it’s just the adrenaline and urgency of the connor’s situation, but i think Peter by himself would still just web him to the spot, not chuck him through glass, so i liked that part showing how it’s quickly taking over.

but if i was playing this game i wouldn’t even have the symbiote suit yet lol i’d still be doing side missions 😭😭

[ginevrapng]

I saw that you were accepting requests and I was wondering if you could write something about best friends’ dads!marauders x reader or something like that?

If not, I completely understand! <3

i've never written bestfriends!dads before so i hope you enjoy it! i didn't know if you wanted me to include peter but the majority of marauders fics leave out peter and i think this concept works better without him. <3

there was a lot of great things about being harry potter's best friend, one of those things happens to be getting to spend time with his hot dad james, completely off limits dad. that doesn't stop you from thinking about how charming he is though.

you've seen photos of james when he were younger and harry is a spitting image of him. now with age he's changed in all the best ways, his hair less messy, neater with slightly having the appearance of being slicked back and with thicker frame glasses. a distinction between him and harry, both younger and older is his build, james being more built with broader shoulders and more muscular.

he's kind and considerate and always calls you 'sweetheart' making you flush and every time leaves you wide eyed. you've never heard him call anyone else sweetheart so it's always leaving you feeling bashful.

james tells you that you can come and visit and stay whenever you want and you're always welcome so whenever you spend time at harry's you also end up seeing his two godfathers who also spend a lot of time there. whenever that happens you are rather reluctant to leave the house, not just enjoying all the company that they deliver but also how attractive they are, just like james.

remus somehow always memorising you. like when he rolls his sleeves up so you can see his arms or how you swear you sometimes see in the corner of your eye glimpses of him looking at your lips while you're talking. his jumpers and cardigans always looking so comfortable and soft, you wonder what they'd look like on you. you think about his sandy hair that covers his eyes and his beautiful hazel eyes that crinkle when he smiles and how he always looks tired and how you'd happily let him rest and sleep on you. he never talks about his work but it must be pretty rough for him to constantly look so tired.

sirius is ruggedly handsome always leaning against walls instead of sitting down, even when a seat is available. leaving you watching longer than you should as you watch his pose and see him stretching causing his tshirt to rise, exposing a bit of his torso. he has his long jet black hair which now has streaks of grey that he constantly runs his hands through.

you're going back into the living room, where everyone is, after you went to the kitchen to get a glass of cold water due to the heat and see sirius moving in a way that momentarily makes you freeze.

"you alright doll?" sirius smirks at you after spotting you. you nod but are unable to stop shifting side to side nervously after being caught, causing him to raise his eyebrow, looking amused as he chuckles at you.

this is the first time any of them has addressed your behaviour towards them but they have all noticed your longing looks and shy glances.

they've all been waiting for the moment to make a move and they're starting to lose their patience. you were none the wiser with their intentions, trying to get you alone, away from your friends and away from harry, asking you personal questions and give you special attention.

"you got a boyfriend or girlfriend doll? sirius asked you out of the blue one day, catching you completely off guard.

you splutter and try to answer while james starts speaking. "you're not dating my harry are you sweetheart?"

"what! of course i'm not! we're just friends." you say probably louder than you should, wanting to defend yourself.

you hear someone coming up behind you, "good." remus clasps your shoulders with his hands, slowly rubbing them and making patterns with his thumbs before he moves away and goes to help sirius with the washing up.

fiddling with your fingers you watch them all clear the table and sort out things that needed to be doing in the house with a small dreamy smile on your face.

[gwensy]

ok this is bad and a mess because i dont have cohesive thoughts on All Of That so im not making it A Post im just putting all my images together

ok time to make an e65 gwenharry collage im gonna throw up

[maxdibert]

hi! i saw in one of your posts you wrote about how Sirius Black had no reason to bully Snape and i thought about it…..i mean doesn't his hatred seem too personal? we have Lupin who has no contact with Snape after book 3 but Sirius goes crazy when Snape is around and they are alone so he can attack him (kitchen scene in book 5). and he knows so much about him: who he hung out with at school, his relationship with Lucius; at the same time he doesn't know about the mark, about how Severus was the one who brought the prophecy to voldemort that led to Lily and James death. and yes he is stuck at age 21 but even then they graduated school and as he says they never heard of Snape in those years. It seems a bit odd: don't bullies usually try to downplay their role in what they did to the victim, or even try to make it look like nothing happened? And he and Remus try to do that with Harry, but at the same time he seems incredibly proud and pleased with himself when he talks about the prank. One moment confused me when I was reading book 3: when Sirius has Peter at gunpoint with his wand, he is extremely focused on him. He doesn't take his eyes off him, because it was for this moment, the act of revenge, that he escaped from prison. As far as I remember, Harry describes it as "nothing could distract him at that moment" or something like that. But as soon as Remus even mentions Snape, Sirius' attention suddenly switches: he turns away from Peter and asks about him again. Or when he watches Snape during the OWL exams??? Especially when Rowling describes his reaction after the exam, when he sees him under the tree, as the reaction of a dog to a rabbit. He seems so obsessed and like something happened between them that really got to him. Or he's just as intolerant of half-bloods as his family. I completely agree with you that Sirius bullied Snape simply because James did it and he found it funny. But his hatred seems excessive, he has no reason to hate Snape so much. James has his excuse about Lily, but Sirius has none of that. But he still tries to kill him and it doesn't really matter hides, lol. I've read an opinion that he hates him because of his unrequited feelings for James, where Severus is the reason James even noticed Lily, which I don't really agree with, to be honest. Sorry, it got too long, ahaha. What I want to ask is: do you have any thoughts on this?

Well, the explanation for his relationships at school is quite simple because Sirius doesn’t leave home until he’s 16. Considering that his brother goes to Slytherin and that Narcissa is his cousin, it’s not strange to deduce that Snape’s name, along with other Slytherin students, probably came up at some family dinner/lunch/meeting. Like, talking about who in Regulus and Sirius’ year might have ‘potential,’ for example. It seems coherent to me that, considering Sirius’ environment until he leaves to live with the Potters, he’d be aware of certain things.

Leaving that aside, let’s talk about Sirius Black, because I think in recent years the Marauders fandom has ruined this character, and he’s actually a character with a lot of depth. Or at least more than many others in the saga.

(This is gonna ne so fucking long lol)

Sirius is a posh kid. He’s a posh kid who is embarrassed about being posh and feels guilty about it. He’s the typical rich kid from a conservative family who’s had issues with his mom (in this case) and his way of getting back at everything he felt was missing from his childhood is to vehemently oppose everything he thinks she represents. And the funniest part is that (as is often the case) his problem with his mom is that they both have a terrible character, which is why they clash. Because Sirius has the kind of terrible character that is incompatible with anyone else who has the same terrible character. But despite everything, he’s still a posh kid. Because he comes from an aristocratic family and was raised with those values of superiority. Because he’s never had to fend for himself (he leaves home but goes to another rich family, the Potters, and on top of that, his uncle Alphard leaves him his entire inheritance, so he has plenty of money) and he has always enjoyed the privilege of his surname, his blood status, and the fact that he’s (according to Rowling) super handsome. In other words, Sirius belongs to the ruling class and behaves with the same arrogance, entitlement, and lack of empathy that is typical of that class. No matter how much he tries to deny it and distance himself from it, he can only do so on a superficial level (Muggle posters, being a Gryffindor, enchanting a Muggle motorcycle) because when it comes down to it, he has no idea how to deconstruct himself, nor is he interested in giving up or losing his privileges, because he’s quite comfortable with them. He’s like the typical aristocratic kid from an Opus Dei family who thinks he’s better than everyone around him because he votes for the left and has been to four protests, but at the end of the day, he still lives a bourgeois life and doesn’t understand the root of social problems.

That said, let’s move on to James.

I think James was everything Sirius wanted to be. No, not be, I think James had everything Sirius wanted to have: loving parents, a family that wasn’t involved in a cult, a pleasant environment that allowed him to do whatever he wanted instead of being constrained by traditions and social norms, liberal and progressive ideals… James had the life Sirius had always wanted, but with one key detail: he was also rich and from an old, prestigious family. This is super important because when Sirius chooses his rebellion partner, he doesn’t pick some random Muggle-born, or a half-blood, or someone from the middle or lower class. Sirius chooses as his best friend someone who embodies everything he wants to be/have, but who at the same time belongs to his same social stratum, both economically and in blood status. Sirius chooses a future Gryffindor rebel with very different ideas from his family, but ironically he chooses like anyone from his family would: someone with money, status, and power. And I find this super amusing because it’s so coherent with his character. I mean, if Sirius were a real person, he would’ve done the same thing because guys like him are like that: the kings of cognitive dissonance and double standards.

Sirius always wanted James’ validation, or at least that’s how I see it. I think for him, feeling that James approved of what he did was a way to legitimize himself as someone different from his family. James represented the “progressive” social elite that Sirius aspired to by rejecting the traditional values imposed on him. So, unconsciously, he understood that if he did everything James wanted, and I’ll go further, everything he thought James would like, then he would distance himself from that Black image and gain validation as something entirely opposite. The problem is that Sirius, unlike James, was raised in an environment where ethical and moral values were very different, and where it was clearly established that certain people were “the other,” an “other” sociologically understood as the idea that some humans are inherently less than others. And although Sirius consciously rejected this idea, unconsciously he had been raised with it. Therefore, consciously, he didn’t reject people based on their blood status because he could identify that as something his family would do, and family = bad. But unconsciously, he was conditioned to see other people as non-people, and this is where Severus comes into play.

James dislikes Severus because he sees him as an obstacle/threat/nuisance in his crush on Lily. By default, and because of that constant need for validation from James, Sirius also focuses on him as a hostile element. And if he’s hostile to James, who in a way is his moral compass, then that guy must be trash because, of course, it’s obvious. But not only that, this guy is also a half-blood and poor, so poor he wears old clothes. And on top of that, he’s ugly. And not very masculine. So he has all the elements for Sirius, the aristocrat raised in luxury under the premise that he’s better than others because of his origins, to see him as “the other” and exercise all his power and privilege to oppress him without remorse, because for him, it’s justified. Justified unconsciously by the education he received, and consciously because if James hates him, there must be a good reason to hate him, so everything is justified. If we add to that the fact that Severus desires everything Sirius has always tried to reject: more social status, more recognition, power, belonging to Slytherin, rubbing shoulders with important wizards, forgetting the Muggle world he grew up in… well, we have a molotov cocktail for him to make Severus’ life unbearable. And Severus is an easy target for someone like school-age Sirius Black: he has no friends, no surname, no parents to protect him, and no stable socio-economic situation. Sirius can project all his frustrations onto him without any consequences. He can completely dehumanize him and stop seeing him as a person. He can behave like a Black.

I think the Prank is a good example to see the difference in upbringing between Sirius and James. Both are bullies, both are abusers, both have zero remorse when it comes to using their status and power to make life impossible for those they believe deserve it. But James was raised in an environment where he knows that actions have consequences, that you can’t cross “certain lines,” such as murder, for example. Sirius was taught the opposite—he was raised to think that the life of “the other” holds no value, and that is something that in his story with Severus goes too far. James understands that death is something serious and can bring terrible consequences, while Sirius does not. For the Black family, death is nothing if there is a reason for the person to die, and Sirius has his own reasons for playing with Severus’ life the way Bellatrix would play with the life of any Muggle-born.

(This is something I really like as well—the way Sirius and Bellatrix are fundamentally alike, and how little that’s discussed. But I’ll leave that for another time, otherwise I won’t finish.)

I don’t think it’s a matter of Sirius being obsessed with Snape, but rather that, for all the reasons I’ve explained, he uses Severus as a catalyst for his repressed anger and that sadism he inherited from his family. He can’t channel it toward anyone else because that would lead to absolute rejection from James. Since James hates and despises Severus, he’s never going to question Sirius for channeling all his pent-up rage on him, so it’s a free pass. If he had reached that level of sadism with someone who didn’t provoke the same level of animosity in James as Severus did, he would have risked confronting his biggest fear: that James would see him as a Black, not as Sirius. Losing his validation as the black sheep to become just another one of them. So he focuses on Severus because it’s a safe bet.

Moving on to their relationship during the book canon…

We don’t really see a proper confrontation until the fifth book. I mean, in the third, it shows that Sirius still sees Severus as “other” by dragging him along while unconsciously banging his head. In the fourth, there’s that scene where Dumbledore forces them to shake hands, and it’s clear they still hate each other. But it’s not until the fifth book that we get a real confrontation, where Sirius loses his temper. I think this has a lot to do with (drumroll) once again that cognitive dissonance between what Sirius always wanted to be and what he actually is, especially given the role he plays on the chessboard at that point in the story.

Sirius did everything he could to distance himself from his family, and the climax of that was joining the Order of the Phoenix and actively fighting against that same family, several members of whom were “soldiers” for the opposite side. Sirius is finally achieving what he wants—to be a hero. To stop being part of the elite dark villains and instead be part of the heroic elite. The noble of high birth who fights valiantly for the good of the realm, just as James was destined to be. It’s the climax, the absolute fulfillment of his adolescent desire. But then he’s thrown into Azkaban, and when he gets out, he finds that the poor, weird kid addicted to dark arts, who sucked up to future dark wizards, who hung out with purists and even joined the “bad side”—the side of Sirius’ family, the villains—is now the most important member of the Order. He’s none other than Dumbledore’s right hand. He’s a double agent risking his neck every day and has more responsibility than anyone else. That kid Sirius called Snivellus for being a crybaby has more guts and more endurance than most people. The one who always wanted to be part of the elite Sirius hated is now the one playing them all, making them look like idiots. The one who looked frail and effeminate turns out to be more “manly.” And that hurts. That hurts a lot. You go to prison, and when you get out, the person you didn’t even consider a person not only ranks above you, but is playing in a league you can’t aspire to. And the best part is, Sirius can’t fully accept it because he’s still Sirius—a classist, privileged aristocrat incapable of accepting that (as is only logical) the poor working-class kid turned out to be far more useful than him in both politics and war.

To me, it’s poetic justice.

[mariacallous]

This is a gift article

“In normal times, Americans don’t think much about democracy. Our Constitution, with its guarantees of free press, speech, and assembly, was written more than two centuries ago. Our electoral system has never failed, not during two world wars, not even during the Civil War. Citizenship requires very little of us, only that we show up to vote occasionally. Many of us are so complacent that we don’t bother. We treat democracy like clean water, something that just comes out of the tap, something we exert no effort to procure.

“But these are not normal times.”

I wrote those words in October 2020, at a time when some people feared voting, because they feared contagion. The feeling that “these are not normal times” also came from rumors about what Donald Trump’s campaign might do if he lost that year’s presidential election. Already, stories that Trump would challenge the validity of the results were in circulation. And so it came to pass.

This time, we are living in a much different world. The predictions of what might happen on November 5 and in the days that follow are not based on rumors. On the contrary, we can be absolutely certain that an attempt will be made to steal the 2024 election if Kamala Harris wins. Trump himself has repeatedly refused to acknowledge the results of the 2020 election. He has waffled on and evaded questions about whether he will accept the outcome in 2024. He has hired lawyers to prepare to challenge the results.

Trump also has a lot more help this time around from his own party. Strange things are happening in state legislatures: a West Virginia proposal to “not recognize an illegitimate presidential election” (which could be read as meaning not recognize the results if a Democrat wins); a last-minute push, ultimately unsuccessful, to change the way Nebraska allocates its electoral votes. Equally weird things are happening in state election boards. Georgia’s has passed a rule requiring that all ballots be hand-counted, as well as machine-counted, which, if not overturned, will introduce errors—machines are more accurate—and make the process take much longer. A number of county election boards have in recent elections tried refusing to certify votes, not least because many are now populated with actual election deniers, who believe that frustrating the will of the people is their proper role. Multiple people and groups are also seeking mass purges of the electoral rolls.

Anyone who is closely following these shenanigans—or the proliferation of MAGA lawsuits deliberately designed to make people question the legitimacy of the vote even before it is held—already knows that the challenges will multiply if the presidential vote is as close as polls suggest it could be. The counting process will be drawn out, and we may not know the winner for many days. If the results come down to one or two states, they could experience protests or even riots, threats to election officials, and other attempts to change the results.

This prospect can feel overwhelming: Many people are not just upset about the possibility of a lost or stolen election, but oppressed by a sensation of helplessness. This feeling—I can’t do anything; my actions don’t matter—is precisely the feeling that autocratic movements seek to instill in citizens, as Peter Pomerantsev and I explain in our recent podcast, Autocracy in America. But you can always do something. If you need advice about what that might be, here is an updated citizen’s guide to defending democracy.

Help Out on Voting Day—In Person

First and foremost: Register to vote, and make sure everyone you know has done so too, especially students who have recently changed residence. The website Vote.gov has a list of the rules in all 50 states, in multiple languages, if you or anyone you know has doubts. Deadlines have passed in some states, but not all of them.

After that, vote—in person if you can. Because the MAGA lawyers are preparing to question mail-in and absentee ballots in particular, go to a polling station if at all possible. Vote early if you can, too: Here is a list of early-voting rules for each state.

Secondly, be prepared for intimidation or complications. As my colleague Stephanie McCrummen has written, radicalized evangelical groups are organizing around the election. One group is planning a series of “Kingdom to the Capitol” rallies in swing-state capitals, as well as in Washington, D.C.; participants may well show up near voting booths on Election Day. If you or anyone you know has trouble voting, for any reason, call 866-OUR-VOTE, a hotline set up by Election Protection, a nonpartisan national coalition led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

If you have time to do more, then join the effort. The coalition is looking for lawyers, law students, and paralegals to help out if multiple, simultaneous challenges to the election occur at the county level. Even people without legal training are needed to serve as poll monitors, and of course to staff the hotline. In the group’s words, it needs people to help voters with “confusing voting rules, outdated infrastructure, rampant misinformation, and needless obstacles to the ballot box.”

If you live in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin, you can also volunteer to help All Voting Is Local, an organization that has been on the ground in those states since before 2020 and knows the rules, the officials, the potential threats. It, too, is recruiting legal professionals, as well as poll monitors. If you don’t live in one of those states, you can still make a financial contribution.

Wherever you live, consider working at a polling station. All Voting Is Local can advise you if you live in one of its eight states, but you can also call your local board of elections. More information is available at PowerThePolls.org, which will send you to the right place. The site explains that “our democracy depends on ordinary people who make sure every election runs smoothly and everyone's vote is counted—people like you.”

Wherever you live, it’s also possible to work for one of the many get-out-the-vote campaigns. Consider driving people to the voting booth. Find your local group by calling the offices of local politicians, members of Congress, state legislators, and city councillors. The League of Women Voters and the NAACP are just two of many organizations that will be active in the days before the election, and on the day itself. Call them to ask which local groups they recommend. Or, if you are specifically interested in transporting Democrats, you can volunteer for Rideshare2Vote.

If you know someone who needs a ride, then let them know that the ride-hailing company Lyft is once again working with a number of organizations, including the NAACP, the National Council of Negro Women, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the National Council on Aging, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, and the Hispanic Federation. Contact any of them for advice about your location. Also try local religious congregations, many of whom organize rides to the polls.

Smaller gestures are needed too. If you see a long voting line, or if you find yourself standing in one, report it to Pizza to the Polls and the group will send over some free pizza to cheer everyone up.

Join Something Now

Many people have long been preparing for a challenge to the election and a battle in both the courts and the media. You can help them by subscribing to the newsletters of some of the organizations sponsoring this work, donating money, and sharing their information with others. Don’t wait until the day after the vote to find groups you trust: If a crisis happens, you will not want to be scouring the internet for information.

Among the organizations to watch is the nonpartisan Protect Democracy, which has already launched successful lawsuits to secure voting rights in several states. Another is the States United Democracy Center, which collaborates with police as well as election workers to make sure that elections are safe. Three out of four election officials say that threats to them have increased; in some states, the danger will be just as bad the day after the election as it was the day before, or maybe even worse.

The Brennan Center for Justice, based at NYU, researches and promotes concrete policy proposals to improve democracy, and puts on public events to discuss them. Its lawyers and experts are preparing not only for attempts to steal the election, but also, in the case of a Trump victory, for subsequent assaults on the Constitution or the rule of law.

For voters who lean Democratic, Democracy Docket also offers a wealth of advice, suggestions, and information. The group’s lawyers have been defending elections for many years. For Republicans, Republicans for the Rule of Law is a much smaller group, but one that can help keep people informed.

Talk With People

In case of a real disaster—an inconclusive election or an outbreak of violence—you will need to find a way to talk about it, including a way to speak with friends or relatives who are angry and have different views. In 2020, I published some suggestions from More in Common, a research group that specializes in the analysis of political polarization, for how to talk with people who disagree with you about politics, as well as those who are cynical and apathetic. I am repeating here the group’s three dos and three don’ts:

•Do talk about local issues: Americans are bitterly polarized over national issues, but have much higher levels of trust in their state and local officials. •Do talk about what your state and local leaders are doing to ensure a safe election. •Do emphasize our shared values—the large majority of Americans still feel that democracy is preferable to all other forms of government—and our historical ability to deliver safe and fair elections, even in times of warfare and social strife. •Don’t, by contrast, dismiss people’s concerns about election irregularities out of hand. Trump and his allies have repeatedly raised the specter of widespread voter fraud in favor of Democrats. Despite a lack of evidence for this notion, many people may sincerely believe that this kind of electoral cheating is real. •Don’t rely on statistics to make your case, because people aren’t convinced by them; talk, instead, about what actions are being taken to protect the integrity of the vote. •Finally, don’t inadvertently undermine democracy further: Emphasize the strength of the American people, our ability to stand up to those who assault democracy. Offer people a course of action, not despair.

As a Last Resort, Protest

As in 2020, protest remains a final option. A lot of institutions, including some of those listed above, are preparing to step in if the political system fails. But if they all fail as well, remember that it’s better to protest in a group, and in a coordinated, nonviolent manner. Many of the organizations I have listed will be issuing regular statements right after the election; follow their advice to find out what they are doing. Remember that the point of a protest is to gain supporters—to win others over to your cause—and not to make a bad situation worse. Large, peaceful gatherings will move and convince people more than small, angry ones. Violence makes you enemies, not friends.

Finally, don’t give up: There is always another day. Many of your fellow citizens also want to protect not just the electoral system but the Constitution itself. Start looking for them now, volunteer to help them, and make sure that they, and we, remain a democracy where power changes hands peacefully.

[iamnmbr3]

I was thinking about how fun it would be to do an It's A Wonderful Life type AU where postwar Draco, consumed by guilt, wishes he had never been born and thus realizes that actually his life mattered more than he thought. And as I was thinking about how a fic like that might play out I realized just how much might change and just how central to Harry's narrative Draco really is.

Draco is so intimately connected to so many things that happen in the story. If suddenly Draco doesn't exist, potentially Harry doesn't join the Quidditch team in book 1 and doesn't catch the snitch with his mouth or almost die from Voldemort cursing his broom. He still likes flying and might join the team later though, but he's no longer the youngest Seeker in a century.

Or in book 2 without Draco Harry doesn't speak Parseltongue in front of everyone because Draco isn't there to conjure a snake and consequently the whole school doesn't conclude that Harry is the heir of Slytherin. This also means that Ginny doesn't mention Harry's ability to diary!Tom and so Tom doesn't try to use her to lure Harry into the Chamber since he has no reason to think Harry would be able to open it. Hermione possibly also doesn't figure out how the voice that Harry's been hearing connects to everything and thus the golden trio may not ever realize that a basilisk is on the loose. Tom might end up deciding that the best way to learn about Harry is to fully possess Ginny or to drain her life force and permanently come out of the diary. Potentially she ends up dying and no one ever knows. Harry doesn't get the diary and thus isn't able to surprise Lucius enough that he unthinkingly tosses a sock in Dobby's direction, meaning Dobby is never freed. Dumbledore may not ever return to the school though probably he does and probably Lucius's threats to other school governors still get exposed.

In book 3 depending on whether Harry ever ends up joining the Quidditch team, the whole plot with the Firebolt in book 3 might never happen. Harry's head also doesn't get seen in Hogsmeade which means Snape doesn't drag him into his office and force him to turn out his pockets which means Lupin doesn't find out about the map and take it from Harry. Lupin consequently doesn't follow the Golden Trio into the shrieking shack in the end of the story. Ron and Harry might also notice Pettigrew on the map but they might not. Depending on how things go down in the shack Sirius might not get a chance to tell his story and prove his innocence. Snape might even attack him and hand him over to the Dementors. Potentially Peter doesn't set out to bring Voldemort back. Lupin still probably loses his job because of the curse, but he might not end up outed as a werewolf. Peter might also have been brought back to the castle and Sirius's name might have been cleared.

In book 4 without Draco, Rita doesn't have a secret source about Harry that lays the groundwork for attacks on his character in book 5.

Assuming Voldemort eventually comes back he no longer punishes Lucius through Draco. Instead he likely directly orders Snape to kill Dumbledore. Because Dumbledore is still dying Snape probably does. Harry has no path to getting mastery of the Elder Wand (assuming we go by the canon version of wandlore and we don't believe the wand actually chose Harry). If Harry makes it to the end of book 7 he dies in the forest. Narcissa probably sees no reason not to say he's still alive. Voldemort kills him for a second time and he stays dead. Though quite possibly Harry is immediately identified and killed at the Manor since Draco is not there to lie for him. Also, Dobby may never have been freed and might not be there to help save him.

Of course, lots of the canon events could still happen and things could just play out a bit differently. But this really highlights how critical a part of Harry's narrative Draco is. From a fic POV I think the most fun would come from exploring how much worse book 7 would have played out without Draco there.

[herstoryheaven]

Descendants Harry Hook x Reader: Hooked On Pan

Request: Hear me out... Harry Hook with the daughter of Peter Pan and Wendy Darling? Maybe she's helping out with everything in the third movie and they meet there. He finds out who her parents are and enemies to lovers shenanigans ensue. Also reader is an absolute menace to society because there's no way she got raised by Peter Pan and isn't.

Reader: Female

Word count: 3349

Average reading time: 12 min 10 sec

Category: Hurt/Comfort

Warnings: None

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Disclaimer: All events portrayed in my stories are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events is purely coincidental. Any actions or behaviours portrayed by the characters may differ from reality and cannot be connected to any actual person. This work is purely fictional and intended for entertainment purposes only.

Ben and Mal had both agreed to bring more kids from the Isle of the Lost to Auradon, hoping to bridge the gap between the two worlds. They believed that by giving more kids from the Isle a chance to experience the opportunities in Auradon, they could create understanding and unity. Y/n Pan, always up for an adventure, was right in the middle of it. Her role was simple, distracting Uma’s crew or more specifically Harry Hook.

Y/n found Harry by the docks, where the salty sea breeze rustled through the sails of Uma’s ship. Harry was leaning against a post, his hook glinting in the light as he lazily flipped it between his fingers. His ocean blue eyes were distant, lost in thoughts that were quickly interrupted by Y/n's arrival.

"Hey there, Hook." she called out, her voice laced with playful mischief. She sauntered towards him, each step measured, as if she were a cat stalking its prey.

Harry's eyes narrowed as she approached, his guard instantly up. "What do ye want, lass?" he asked, his tone playful but laced with suspicion.

Y/n grinned, her eyes sparkling with a mix of challenge and amusement. "Just thought I'd see what the infamous Harry Hook was up to. You know, keep you company," she said, her voice dripping with flirtation.

Harry's suspicion deepened, his grip tightening around the handle of his hook. "Company, huh? More like a distraction," he shot back, leaning closer, his voice dropping to a low, seductive whisper, Holding his hook to her chin. "What is Mal up to now?"

Y/n shrugged nonchalantly, her posture relaxed despite the tension radiating from Harry. She tilted her head, her expression one of feigned innocence. "Wouldn't you like to know?" she teased, a sly smile playing on her lips.

Harry's jaw clenched, and he took a step closer to her, his eyes boring into hers. "Aye, I would," he said, his voice a dangerous growl. "And ye'd best start talking, or else—"

"Or else what?" Y/n interrupted, her tone light and mocking. "You'll wave that hook of yours around? Come on, Harry, you're not scaring anyone."

Harry's eyes flashed with anger, but he took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. He knew better than to let someone provoke him. "You think you're clever, don't you?" he muttered.

Y/n laughed, a musical sound that seemed to echo around the docks. "I know I am." she replied confidently, her eyes locking onto his. "But seriously, Harry, why the hostility? Can't a girl just want to chat without underlying motives?"

"Not when that girl is from Auradon and her friends are here too." Harry retorted, his curiosity piqued despite himself.

Y/n sighed, rolling her eyes dramatically. "You really are paranoid, aren't you? Maybe I just wanted to see if the stories about you were true."

Harry raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. "And what stories might those be?" he asked, leaning in closer, his eyes never leaving hers.

Y/n leaned in closer, her lips almost brushing his ear as she whispered, "That you're the most dangerous pirate on the Isle." her eyes danced with mischief. She pulled back slightly, letting her gaze travel slowly over him before meeting his eyes again. "But all I see is a boy who's all bark and no bite."

Harry's eyes flared with anger, but before he could respond, a commotion from further up the Isle caught his attention. He glanced over Y/n's shoulder, his expression darkening. Y/n took the opportunity to slip out of his grasp and follow his gaze, seeing Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos helping four new Isle kids into the limousine.

"Looks like your distraction worked," Harry muttered, his voice laced with frustration.

Y/n turned back to him, her smile playful and triumphant. "Looks like it did," she grinned, her eyes sparkling with teasing challenge. "Better luck next time, Hook." She threw him a wink before sauntering away, leaving him staring after her. As she rejoined the others, she couldn't help but feel a thrill of victory. The mission was a success, and they had managed to bring more kids from the Isle to Auradon.

-----

Over the next few days as Y/n sneaked often on the Isle, their encounters became more frequent. It seemed like every time Harry turned around, Y/n was there, always with a witty remark ready and a mischievous glint in her eyes. Harry found himself increasingly intrigued by Y/n. She was different from anyone he had ever met, fearless, spirited, and maddeningly hard to pin down. He would catch glimpses of her around the Isle, always just out of reach, slipping away before he could get too close.

One afternoon, Harry was on the docks again, lost in thought, when he heard the now familiar sound of Y/n’s laughter. He turned to see her balancing on the edge of a barrel, arms outstretched, grinning as if she didn’t have a care in the world. He couldn’t help but be drawn to her carelessness and the effortless way she seemed to navigate the chaotic world of the Isle.

Their eyes met, and she hopped down, walking over with that same teasing smile. "Missed me, Hook?" she asked, her tone light and flirtatious.

"Not in the slightest," he retorted, though the smirk on his face betrayed his words.

"Sure," she said with a wink, then jumped away before he could reply.

Each encounter left Harry more captivated, his curiosity about her growing. She was a mystery he wanted to solve, a challenge he was determined to meet. But everything changed when he discovered her true identity.

It happened one evening when he overheard a conversation between Y/n and a few little kids from the Isle. Harry was lurking in the shadows, trying to get a sense of what Mal and her friends might be planning next. He froze when he heard Y/n mention her father.

"My father always told me—"

"Wait," one of the kids interrupted. "Your father is Peter Pan?"

Harry's blood ran cold. Peter Pan. The name that haunted his nightmares, the source of his family's suffering. He stepped out of the shadows, his face contorted with rage. "You!" he spat, eyes blazing with anger. "You're Pan's brat!"

Y/n turned to face him, crossing her arms, unfazed by his outburst. "That's right, Hook. Got a problem with that?"

He sneered, the name 'Pan' dripping with venom. "Of course I do. Your father is the reason my family suffered."

Y/n's playful demeanor faltered for a moment, her eyes softening. "I'm not my father, Harry." she said quietly, a hint of vulnerability in her voice.

Harry took a step closer, his anger warring with the confusing feelings he had developed over the past few days. "Doesn't matter." he growled. "You're still a Pan."

Y/n held his gaze, her expression resolute. "And you're still a Hook. But that doesn’t mean we have to be enemies."

Harry's sneer faded slightly as he considered her words. There was something about the way she looked at him, something that made him want to believe her. But the wounds of the past were deep, and the name 'Pan' was a constant reminder of everything he had lost.

"Why should I trust you?" he asked, his voice a mix of anger and uncertainty.

"Because I'm not here to hurt you, Harry. I'm here to make things better." Y/n said, stepping closer, her eyes searching his. "I want to help bridge the gap between our worlds. But I can't do it alone."

Harry hesitated, his heart and mind at war. He had spent so long hating everything connected to Peter Pan, but Y/n was different. She was offering him a chance to move past the hatred, to find a new path.

"Maybe," he said finally, his voice softer, almost hesitant. "Maybe we can try."

Y/n smiled, a genuine, warm smile that made Harry's heart skip a beat. "That's all I'm asking for, Harry. A chance."

But as she walked away, the words "Peter Pan" echoed in Harry's mind, reigniting the anger and bitterness he had held onto for so long. He watched her go, the conflict within him far from over. Trusting a Pan, even one as intriguing as Y/n, was no small feat for Harry Hook.

Harry clenched his fist around his hook, his eyes narrowing. "All Pans are the same." he muttered under his breath. No matter how charming or different Y/n seemed, she was still a Pan, and Harry knew better than to trust anyone with that name. His mind was made up, he would never let go of his hatred, and he would never trust Y/n Pan.

-----

Despite their initial dislike, Y/n and Harry were forced to work together when Audrey took Maleficent's wand, and chaos threatened to engulf Auradon. Mal had been spelled by Audrey, and they needed all hands on deck to help her and get Hades ember back on the isle.

The air was thick with tension as Y/n and Harry found themselves side by side in the bridge of the Isle to Auradon, their previous friction simmering just beneath the surface. Uma stood confidently, her gaze flickering between the two unlikely allies and Mal, who was pleading for the ember that could save Auradon.

"Well, and who is this?" Uma said with a mocking smile, her gaze landing on Harry and Y/n. "Seems like you’re in quite a tight spot."

"Cut the games, Uma," Mal snapped. "We need that ember to break a spell Audrey cast. People’s lives are at stake."

Uma’s eyes gleamed with mischief as she held up the ember, her grip protective. "And why should I just hand it over? What’s in it for me?"

Mal’s frustration was palpable. "We can negotiate, but not right now. The urgency of the situation—"

Uma interrupted with a smirk. "Oh, I’m sure it’s very urgent. But I need a guarantee. Every single villain kid who wants out gets a chance to leave the Isle."

"I can’t promise that," Mal said, shaking her head.

Uma’s face hardened, her eyes narrowing. "Then we’ve got a problem. How about a deal? If you can assure me of that, I’ll consider returning the ember."

Mal’s shoulders sagged in resignation. "Deal," she agreed through gritted teeth.

Uma’s grin widened. "Good but don’t think I’m going to just hand this over easily. If you think I’m going to trust you to fix everything on your own, think again. This is a job for pirates!"

Harry’s eyes were fixed on Uma with immense respect. He glanced at Y/n, a scowl still present on his face. "Looks like we’re working together." he muttered, his tone heavy with irritation.

Y/n shot him a sharp look, her patience wearing thin. "Let’s just get this done. We don’t have time for your grudges."

Harry snorted, not bothering to mask his contempt. "Yeah, sure. Just remember, this doesn’t mean I’m suddenly going to like you. I’m only here to follow my captain."

"Fine by me," Y/n retorted, her voice cold. "Just stay out of my way."

-----

As they arrived at the castle and night deepened, the castle’s hallways seemed to press in on them, their shadows flickering like restless spirits. Harry and Y/n, though still struggling with their complex feelings, moved together with a newfound sense of cooperation. Their earlier tension had softened, if only slightly, as they navigated the castle hallways in search of Ben.

The silence between them was accentuated by the occasional murmur from Uma and Mal, who were engaged in their own banter. Uma’s taunt broke the quiet. “I bet you lost some sleep thinking about me on the loose, huh?”

Mal raised an eyebrow, her response dripping with disinterest. “No. Dragons don’t really lose sleep. I was more curious about what fried octopus tastes like.”

Evie, ever the mediator, interjected with a hopeful tone. “Okay, why do we always have to focus on the negatives? Why not appreciate the adventure we’re on?”

Mal and Uma shared a look that seemed to say they’d heard this speech before. “We’re celebrating our differences,” Uma quipped, her smirk widening.

Harry, who had been lost in thought, suddenly became more alert as the doors closed behind them. “I believe we’re being challenged.”

Before anyone could question him, the echo of clanking metal interrupted their conversation. The sound grew louder, more insistent, until enchanted armor guards emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing with dark magic. The armor moved with a jerky, unnatural precision, and the creak of metal against metal filled the air.

“Girls! We have a situation here!” Harry’s voice cut through the chaos.

Without hesitation, the group sprang into action. Y/n, ever light footed, darted towards one of the armored guards, her sword clashing against the enchanted steel. Harry, though visibly annoyed, couldn’t help but notice Y/n’s grace and determination. He found himself instinctively moving to her side, fending off a guard that had swung its sword towards her.

“Watch your back!” Harry shouted, his voice tinged with frustration, though beneath the irritation, there was an unmistakable edge of concern. “Do you ever stop getting into trouble?”

Y/n shot him a quick, appreciative glance, her movements fluid as she took down another guard. “Got it, Harry. I’ll try not to make you worry too much,” she said with a playful smirk, the gratitude in her eyes softening the edges of her teasing tone.

Despite his best efforts to remain distant, Harry’s protective instincts were clear. He parried blows with precision, making sure Y/n had a clear path to strike. The two fought side by side, their coordination improving with each passing second. Harry’s earlier reluctance was replaced with a focused intensity, his actions betraying his true feelings.

In the midst of the battle, Y/n turned to Harry with a teasing grin. “So, Harry, I’ve been meaning to ask, do you always scowl like that, or is it just when you’re around me?”

Harry’s stern demeanor faltered momentarily as he deflected a guard’s attack. A rare, genuine chuckle escaped him. “I suppose you bring out the best in me.”

Y/n’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Well, I wouldn’t want you to be anything less than your charming self.”

Harry’s smirk was short lived, quickly replaced by his familiar scowl. “Don’t get used to it. I’m still not going to be nice to you.”

Y/n’s grin widened as she ducked under a swinging sword, her playful energy undiminished. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

With the enchanted guards finally defeated, the room fell into a brief, uneasy silence. The group came together, catching their breath and assessing the situation.

“Let’s move,” Mal said, her voice firm and urgent. “We still have to find Audrey and end this.”

-----

As the final battle raged outside Auradon prep, the chaos intensified with every passing moment. Mal and Audrey's confrontation crackled with magic, while Uma helped to turn the tide in their favor. Amidst the commotion, Harry and Y/n found themselves close together, their earlier hostility replaced with an unexpected closeness.

During the battle, an explosive burst of energy from Audrey’s attack sent shockwaves through the ground. Harry’s protective instincts kicked in, and he abruptly pulled Y/n behind him, shielding her from any possible danger.

“Stay behind me!” Harry said, his voice filled with authority and urgency as he faced where Mal and Audrey were still in a heated battle. His usual scowl was replaced with a fierce determination to keep Y/n safe.

Y/n, caught off guard, blinked up at him in surprise. “Harry, what—”

Before she could finish her question, Harry's hand tightened around hers, his grip firm and reassuring. “Just stay close, alright?” His tone was less harsh and more protective, revealing an underlying care he hadn’t shown before.

Y/n’s confusion turned into a playful smirk as she tilted her head. “You know, I thought you hated me. Now you’re acting like my personal bodyguard?”

Harry’s eyes met hers, and for a moment, the intensity of the battle seemed to fade. “I might have had my issues with you,” he admitted, his voice softer, “but I’ve got to admit, I’m not letting you get hurt.”

Y/n’s playful expression softened into one of genuine warmth. “I never knew you cared, Hook,” she teased lightly, her heart fluttering at his unexpected protectiveness.

Harry’s face twitched with a hesitant smile. “Don’t get used to it,” he said, though his eyes betrayed his true feelings. “But for now, just stay behind me.”

As the last echoes of battle faded and the castle grounds began to calm, Harry and Y/n stood close, their earlier friction now replaced with an undeniable connection. The night sky above them sparkled with stars, casting a calming glow over the school grounds.

Harry, with his usual confidence restored, looked at Y/n with a playful yet intense gaze. “You know, Pan, I’ve had quite a few realizations tonight,” he said, his voice smooth and flirtatious.

Y/n, her heart fluttering at his tone, tilted her head with a teasing smile. “Oh really? And what exactly did you realize?”

Harry stepped closer, his gaze locked on hers. “I realized that despite your troublemaker ways and that pesky Pan name, there’s something about you that’s irresistible. And I’m not one to back down from what I want.”

Y/n’s smile widened, her eyes twinkling with both affection and challenge. “Is that so?”

Harry’s smirk grew. “Absolutely. Though, if it really bothers me, I could always change that name of yours to Hook instead of Pan. Seems fitting, don’t you think?”

Without missing a beat, Harry closed the distance between them, his confidence radiating. He cupped her face gently with one hand, his thumb brushing her cheek. “But for now, let’s focus on what really matters.”

Before Y/n could respond, Harry pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss. The world around them seemed to blur as his lips moved against hers with a fervor that spoke of all the feelings he’d kept hidden. The kiss was filled with intensity and emotion, leaving no room for doubt about his feelings.

When they finally pulled apart, their breaths mingling in the cool night air, Harry’s eyes were filled with a mix of satisfaction and tenderness. Y/n’s cheeks were flushed, and her smile was both shy and radiant.

As Y/n whispered, “I promise I’ll try to be less of a troublemaker.” Harry leaned in, his lips brushing her ear as he spoke in a low, teasing whisper.

“I don’t think so, darling. That’s exactly what I like about you.” he murmured, his breath warm against her skin. “You’re never boring, and that makes you even more irresistible.”

Y/n’s laughter was soft and delighted, her hand still clasped in his. “I guess I’ll have to keep you on your toes then.”

Harry’s grin widened, his eyes dancing with mischief and affection. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Just as they were lost in their moment, Uma’s voice cut through the night air, filled with annoyance. “Seriously, you two? Major battle just finished and you’re over here making out? Can we have one minute without you two being all lovey-dovey?”

Harry and Y/n broke apart, their faces flushed with a mix of embarrassment and amusement. Harry chuckled, giving Y/n a playful wink before turning to Uma. “Well, Uma, can’t blame us for wanting to celebrate, can you?”

Uma rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide a small, amused smile. “Whatever. It’s great that you two don’t hate each other anymore, but we’ve got a lot to sort out. So let’s keep the PDA to a minimum, okay?”

Y/n laughed, her hand still in Harry’s as they joined the others. “Don’t worry, Uma. We’ll keep our celebration within reason.”

As they rejoined their friends, the air around them was filled with a sense of newfound joy and promise. The battles of the day were behind them, and the future ahead seemed full of potential, excitement, and undeniable chemistry. Harry and Y/n, now more connected than ever, faced the world with a renewed sense of purpose and affection.

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Copyright: All stories contained herein are the intellectual property of the author. Unauthorized copying, reproduction, or distribution of these stories, in whole or in part, without explicit written permission from the author, is strictly prohibited and may result in legal action. Respect the creator's rights and creativity. For permissions or inquiries, please contact: herstoryheaven@gmail.com.

Request Guidelines: When submitting a request, please ensure that your request does not contain any explicit sexual content or graphic depictions, and avoid any form of extreme violence or graphic descriptions of violent acts. I appreciate your understanding and cooperation in maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment for all readers. If you're unsure about your request or want to request about someone I haven't written about yet, feel free to ask me anytime.

Requested by: Anonymous

[innerempire]

{Starkercest}

“Baby, any reason why you’re here looking more in love with the hors d’eavours than your boyfriend who has been standing there in the corner looking like he’d rather be anywhere but here?”

Peter flinches, nearly dropping the champagne flute in his left hand, the other stealing another onion jam and cheese rugelach. He pops it into his mouth, sighing happily when he chews into it.

“Because these are fantastic. They’re my favorite.”

Tony plucks the empty flute from Peter’s hand and passes it to a service staff walking past. “I know, that’s why I specifically requested for the catering staff to prepare more of it. So-“ Tony flicks his gaze across the room. “Why are you breaking up with Briar?”

“I- how did you-“ Peter snags a napkin to wipe his fingers with. “It’s Brian, by the way.”

“I don’t really give a fuck, you know that.”

“Well, you should be concerned that your 21 year old son can’t seem to date anyone for more than 6 months.” Peter grumbles under his breath before he follows it up with a sigh. “I don’t know, dad. He’s so…” He gestures uselessly with his hands.

“Dull? Plebian? A tool?”

“Dad!” Peter feels horrible for even trying to suppress his laugh.

“Baby, I keep saying this and you keep ignoring me, but you’ve got to start dating someone of your calibre.” Tony reaches out and tucks an errant curl behind Peter’s ear, the affectionate gesture making the younger male smile.

“I dated Harry Osborne last year, and you still didn’t approve. He’s smart, rich and-“

“Uh, uh.” Tony warns, raising a finger to effectively stop Peter. “I don’t need you praising another man when I’m right here in front of you.”

“I was going to say that he’s smart, rich and as great as he is, he’s still not you.”

“Atta boy. No one can be me, because that’d be a problem.”

“Brian thinks it’s weird how close we are with each other. And he said some things about you which I obviously didn’t agree with.”

Peter really won’t stand for anyone talking shit about his dad.

“So you did bring him here so that he’d make up his mind to break up with you.”

“…yes?”

“Great. Saves me the trouble of giving him the shovel talk.” Tony looks all too pleased by the idea of his son’s breakup, just as he always had been with Peter’s past ex-boyfriends.

“There’s also another reason why I’m breaking up with him. You see, someone I’m really, truly in love with…” Peter reaches a hand out, delicately adjusting Tony’s bowtie. “…he’s turning 50 today. I’m also so tired of him pretending that he doesn’t want me, when it’s so obvious he does.”

“Huh.” Tony stills, and something in the air shifts. “Sounds like an idiot.”

“I wouldn’t say that. Sometimes, it’s more of him….biding his time. But I’ve been waiting for two yea and frankly, it’s not fun anymore. Hence, this conversation.”

Even at 50, Tony was so fucking ridiculously handsome. The whole bearded look was really going to be the death of Peter, and he figures that once Tony starts going for that whole silver-fox grey look, Peter is absolutely doomed for.

“So…I’m making myself available so that I can gift myself to him, because I know he’s a possessive man and sharing is…well, it’s not in his dictionary.”

“Peter.”

“Dad.” Peter fiddles with the lapels of Tony’s suit jacket. “I thought me going to college and creating some “distance” between us was going to spur you into action. Stop making me wait.”

Tony smiles. It’s fond. Indulgent.

“I was going to wait until graduation.”

Peter scoffs, “Waiting’s not exactly your strongest strength, dad. This is the last time I’m offering, so you’d better take it. Or else next semester, I’m going to bring home my really hot, older professor that’s been eyeing me since last year and-“

“Peter. Are you threatening me?”

“You know I don’t make empty threats, daddy, so-“ Peter pats Tony lightly on the chest, his smile entirely playful. “-you’d better buck up and do something.”

-/-

Half an hour later, Peter doesn’t even have it in him to feel remotely guilty when Brian accidentally wanders into one of the guest bedrooms. He really should have locked the doorF but maybe a part of him actually wanted this to happen.

The room is dark, blinds drawn and in their haste to undress and fuck, neither Peter and Tony had bothered with the lights.

The light from the hallway spills into the room, illuminating Peter’s blissed-out expression as Tony fucks him from behind. Their eyes meet; Peter’s gaze misty and half-lidded and Brian’s wide with the disbelief and betrayal.

Tony’s too far gone in his pleasure, eyes clenched and his forehead pressed against Peter’s shoulder blades to even register that they’ve just been walked on.

“Oh fuck-“ Peter doesn’t shift his gaze away, nor is there any semblance of regret as his (ex) boyfriend watches him pushing back against his dad’s cock. “Dad, fuck me, please. Want you to come in me-“ He lets out a high keening sound when Tony tugs at his hair, a muffled “christ, baby, you’re gonna fucking kill me” whispered against his shoulder.

[izzythehutt]

The Sirius being in love with James if he was into dudes is so real - how did Jegulus and Wolfstar become so popular when Prongsfoot was right there?!

The real reason is that shipping is more often a product of what fan culture wants than what the story itself shows (which is fine!) When Wolfstar became a thing, Jily was still the most popular ship for the MWPP era, and so you basically could have everyone's favorite characters double-dating (perfect excuse to cut unpopular Peter out of the dynamic altogether.) It was insanely popular for years and dominated all fanart and fanfic for those two characters—people when the books came out really thought it was canon and there was a lot of drama when Remadora sailed. The dynamic with Sirius and Remus in those fics played with a lot of typical/popular slash tropes (cool guy and bookish hot nerd) of the early 2000s.

Now, people ship what they ship, that's fine. My biggest issue with Wolfstar is that I feel like it led to people in the fandom fundamentally misinterpreting the dynamic of the Marauders as a group. James is clearly the person both of them like and trust the best of their friends, and it's canon that they both distrusted each other enough to each think the other was a spy. There is nothing in the books that would indicate there is anything particular in Lupin and Sirius's relationship (they might have actually been the least close of the four, given what happened.) In the Willow scene there is a classic adolescent boy group pecking order and Lupin is very obviously below James in Sirius's esteem. It's not a friendship of equals and is never portrayed as such. Lupin's inability to check Sirius and James's less savory behavior is a major character defining trait—he and Peter are both the followers in the group.

For the record, I think you could write Sirius/Remus in a romantic dynamic that would be consistent with their characters in the books, it would just be a hell of a lot more dysfunctional than fandom usually portrays them. Sirius would probably be using Lupin because he can't get James and Lupin would understand that's what's happening but put up with it because he has low self-esteem. He would still be passive-aggressive as hell, though.

Of course, Sirius and James having a romantic relationship gets in the way of the most important canon relationship, that of Harry's parents, which is why I suspect it never got a lot of traction in the fandom.

Jegulus seems to be a product of just moving away from the books/straight ships tbh. Back in my day Jily was a totally sacrosanct ship, nobody shipped either of them with anyone (except Snape with Lily, which actually had a canon basis! I guess Snape/James sort of existed too, but that was pretty fringe.)

Bonus: I even find Sirius and Snape being shipped together more plausible/interesting than Sirius and Lupin, lol. Shout out to the Snack people.

[ghostflowerhotpotch]

Spider-Woman, NOT Ghost-Spider

This is a tip for people who want to go as canon as possible WITH THE MOVIES, since I feel a lot of people do this mistake because they look into the comics and mix things up.

If you want to call Gwen, Ghost-Spider in your fanfic/fanart/etc because you think is cool, go ahead! Go nuts! I'm not the canon police.

BUT-

In the movies, Gwen still calls herself Spider-Woman.

An explanation as to why this is important in the read more.

(Spoilers about the Spider-Gwen comics, I guess because I am not spoiling anything that came after 2019.)

When I say "important," I mean it in the stick-it-to-the-details type of deal; if you care about technicalities you care about this, but I know that's not the majority.

However, I do want to bring it up because the reason why Gwen switched in the comics, or rather, why chose Ghost-Spider of all things- is really neat and interesting story line that I feel a lot of people skip over when they 'chose' to call her that without knowing why she chose that name.

If you think Gwen has it rough in the movies, don't read the comics because they put this girl through the wringer.

Let's go a little bit before she chose that name.

As you can see, Gwen feels that she has always been marked by death, some way or another.

First her mother, then Peter, and is now hitting pretty hard after losing Spider-UK (is not Hobie, or Malala, I don't think he has appeared in the movies,) Noir and Karn, though arguably Billy was the one who hit her the hardest.

She went to other dimensions to tell their love ones that Billy and Noir passed away; it is implied how this is her way to try to make amends to what happened, make peace with herself.

But is not really enough, the topic doesn't leave her mind,

Death and pain certainly follow her often; she almost lost her dad for good, and she was definitely shaken after Harry got gravely injured precisely because he was always there for her.

That last panel never stops hitting hard for me.

There is just some quietness to it, about how no matter what she does, how hard she tried, Death continues to follow, one way or another. Even when she tries to be a hero, to do the right thing, death follows her.

In the comics, Gwen switches her name because she is studying in Earth-616 rather than her own dimension, so she switches names in order to avoid stepping in any toes.

So, in the movies, is kind of hard to think the switch would happen. Sure, Gwen is interacting with Jessica and other spiders, but believe me, the multiple spider-man haven't changed their names, so having Jessica in the spider society doesn't change much.

However, I do bring all of this because I think implementing this story line in the movies not only is feasible, it would be *amazing.*

The phrase "Death loves Gwen Stacy," not only hits hard for the Spider-Gwen in the comics, but for the movie counterpart too.

Think about it for a second; in the movies, Gwen feels she can't have friends because otherwise, they may lose them like Peter, she has convinced herself it can't work. And then. she goes to the Spider-Society.

And now she feels Gwen Stacy and Death always go hand in hand.

She learns how in so many universes, Peter is the one bitten, he is the one who lives, while Gwen Stacy dies, over, and over again. It almost seems like she is the outlier out of spite, how because she gets to live, everyone else pays the price.

Because Death loves Gwen Stacy, powers or not, that's not changing.

But at the end of the day-

And that's why, no matter what, she will continue fighting to protect her people.