#It would also take me all year considering all the ingredients it requires

[fairyoctopus]

If I take all of the treasure I have saved up in my vault and brew bogsneak eggs with it, then I could have enough gems to get a light sprite

[grandeoatmilklatte]

Kinktober #1 🎃 - Garreth x Somno

I wasn't originally going to do any Kinktober posts, mainly because the thought of posting so much in such a short period of time seemed like such a daunting task (kuddos to those of you who are doing it daily/every other day!) But, after seeing some really amazing posts so far, I decided to try my hand at it.

I won't be doing daily, but I'm shooting for a weekly schedule, maybe doing two a week if I have time. I also made my own list of kinks, and I'll be assigning each kink to one of the boys and then writing a short drabble for it.

For my first Kinktober post, I decided to start with Garreth, and a somnophilia kink! Enjoy!

Warnings: NSFW/18+ | consensual somno | oral | fing3r!ng | characters are aged up, 18+, and in 7th year.

Garreth Weasley x Somnophilia (F!MC) (974 words)

-------------------------------------------------------------

Garreth’s eyes fluttered open as light poured in through the bed’s canopy curtains. It took him a second to remember where he was, but when he did, a smile graced his face. He was in her bed, in her little bedroom inside the Room of Requirement that she had for the past two years. He didn’t sleep next to her every night, not wanting any students or professors to notice that they weren’t sleeping in their dorms. But last night they had been out late, foraging for ingredients in the Forbidden Forest, and they decided they’d rather run the risk of drawing suspicions rather than deal with The Fat Lady’s line of questioning. 

Garreth turned over, noticing that she was still fast asleep, her breath soft and slow. She was so beautiful, and she was all his. She was a dream come true for him. He considered gently waking her by rubbing a hand down her arm and kissing her face. She enjoyed being up early, and likely would have wanted to be woken up by now. But as Garreth looked her over, sleeping so peacefully, he remembered a particularly naughty way she desired to be woken up. She had expressed an interest in this before, and Garreth thought now would be the perfect opportunity to give her what she wanted.

Garreth sat up and brought his hand up towards the top of her blanket, pulling it down her body, slowly, in order to not wake her. Once again, he took a moment to admire her. She wore a small, thin, satin night slip, and her hair was tied back in a low ponytail. He carefully adjusted himself so that he was straddling her as his hands came up to the tiny spaghetti straps of her slip, sliding them gently down her arms. He continued sliding the garment down her body, down to her ankles, and then off, tossing it haphazardly over his shoulder. 

He let out a soft gasp when he found her completely bare under the slip. “No panties. You naughty girl, you were just waiting for me.” Garreth whispered to her sleeping form. He brought his head down, planting soft kisses on her breasts, alternating between each one, his tongue poking out slightly to lick each nipple. She stirred ever so slightly, but Garreth didn’t stop, moving his head down to trail more soft kisses down her stomach. Once he reached his final destination, he spread her legs wide, kissing and lightly nipping the skin of her thighs. This earned him a soft sigh from her, which made him look up. He shot her a smile, even though she couldn’t see it, before resuming. 

He stared at her one more time before he brought his head forward, giving her clit a soft, experimental kiss. The sigh from her was louder this time, but she was still asleep. Garreth brought his head forward once again, taking her clit between his lips and sucking, fully aware that she would likely wake up any minute now.

His tongue swirled around her clit as he sucked, softly moaning against her. She tasted like heaven, and it was hard to keep himself quiet as the taste of her filled his mouth. She gave a small buck of her hips, but still appeared to be in some stage of sleep, her eyes still closed, but lips slightly parted. He continued devouring her, picking up his pace as more soft sighs and moans fell from her lips. Feeling a little bold, and still surprised she hadn’t woken up yet, Garreth slowly pushed two fingers into her, an easy feat, as she was wet from a combination of her own pleasure, and his saliva. 

Soft whimpers of his name left her as he gently pumped his fingers in and out of her, all the while still sucking and licking at her. She was certainly awake now, her hands coming down to tangle in his hair. She gave his red locks a gentle tug, much softer than he would have liked, but he figured she likely didn’t have much strength to pull harder given that she had just woken up, and the method in which she had been awoken. Her sighs and whimpers transitioned to moans as she grew closer to release, the tightening of her walls around his fingers being the tell-tale sign. 

“That’s it, baby. You’re so close.” Garreth whispered, his eyes meeting her now open ones. The look on her face was pure bliss, and everytime she looked at him like that, it made Garreth fall deeper and deeper in love with her. She orgasmed with a whimper a few moments later, Garreth desperately licking to make sure he got every drop of her. Once he had, he pulled his fingers out of her, sucking them clean before he brought himself up, coming face to face with her, her eyes glassy and her lips parted as she worked to catch her breath. 

“Good morning baby!” Garreth said cheerfully. “How’d you sleep?”

“I had the craziest dream. The prettiest red-haired boy I’ve ever seen had his head between my legs!” She said with a giggle. “It felt so real. I think I may have even orgasmed in my sleep from it!”

Garreth gave her a giggle of his own before leaning down, placing a soft chaste kiss to her lips. “You know, I did also dream that after he finished with me I…returned the favor.” She continued.

“Oh.” Garreth shot her a knowing look. “Did you now?”

“Mhmm. Now if it’s alright with you, I’d like to make that dream come true!”

As she straddled Garreth and undressed him as he had done to her not so long ago, Garreth thought about how he wouldn’t mind fulfilling this kink for her again in the hopefully very near future.

[saint-ambrosef]

PSA: the vast majority of commercial dog food is terrible for your dog, and you cannot feed a dog a "vegan" (or vegetarian) diet.

Dogs are what is called facultative carnivores, meaning they can and will eat food that is not part of their typical, ideal diet if circumstances call for it. This is why they are often called omnivores (the line between facultative carnivores and omnivores is debated). Comparatively, obligate carnivores, like cats, cannot process non-carnivorous food at all.

This means that although the primary and default diet of domesticated dogs is other animals, dogs' digestive systems are capable of digesting other food sources like plants if a carnivorous option is not available: in other words, if they're hungry enough, they can "get by" on less ideal food sources.

Although dogs' systems can tolerate some plant material in their diet, they will not thrive on a long-term diet high in carbohydrates. This is because while dogs' pancreases do produce amylase (the enzyme that breaks down carbs), it's not nearly as much as true omnivores like humans, and can even vary quite a bit from dog-to-dog. They also don't produce cellulase at all. So a diet high in plant material for too long can be hard on their systems and lead to long-term serious health affects that will shorten their lifespan, such as early organ failure and heart disease - yes, even if they "seem great" on the day-to-day.

Ideally, a dog's diet should not be more than 15% plant material. However, the vast majority of commercial dog food is only 30% animal-derived ingredients, because 30% is the industry required minimum in order to be commercially sold. Even a lot of brands that boast about having "high animal protein" are often only hitting the 60% benchmark. Why? Because plant foods like legumes, sweet potatoes, and grains are a much, much cheaper way to "bulk up" the dog food than using 85-95% animal products. And then they artificially add in a ton of vitamins and nutrients to make them "nutritionally complete" (because plant nutrients are less bioavailable to carnivores), whereas a dog would easily get them from a diet with correctly proportioned inclusions of organs and bones.

Don't even get me started on ""vegan"" dog foods. A diet that is 100% plant based is straight up animal cruelty for a facultative carnivore like dogs and you cannot change my mind. You're literally taking years off your pet's lifespan in the name of your ideology. If you want a pet you can feed a completely plant-based diet without consequence, get a rabbit.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as an easy or cheap pet, and dogs aren't an exception. I understand that feeding a dog a proper diet is an expensive venture. The best dog food you can buy at the pet store will still be below the ideal, and it will cost $$$. Just do the best you can for your circumstances. Even occasionally swapping commercial food for a little raw animal supplementation can help. Avoid kibble with legumes or potatoes.

And if you're thinking of getting a dog... I mean this gently, but you need to seriously consider whether you can actually afford to feed them. Don't get pets unless you can afford all the care they require.

[snapeaddict]

A parent-teacher conference

"Now, Mrs Smithton, I do believe there is room for improvement, but only if your daughter understands that sleeping is best done at night, not during my classes."

"Have you considered she might not sleep well at night? There can be lots of noise in the dormitories, as I'm sure you're aware."

Severus raised an eyebrow. He blinked twice.

"Ah, I see. She, too, comes up with many excu-" but he paused unexpectedly, glancing to his right. His nostrils quivered slightly.

"I can certainly tell her Head of House to look into it", he corrected, tight-lipped. "That is a valid concern."

The lady before him nodded, looking very much satisfied.

-

"In conclusion, I advise that your son drop my classes as soon as possible, Mr Foy. I see no other -"

The man in front of Severus raised his hand, silencing him arrogantly. There was a big silvery ring on his middle finger.

"He needs to take Potions, you know that. As his Head of House, I'm sure you can do something about it - I would compensate you, of course."

Severus smirked slightly, but it was almost inconspicuous, merely a tiny movement of his jaw muscles.

"One would have to be a billionaire to make up for the number of ingredients that have been lo-" he frowned, straightening up in his seat uncomfortably. "I meant to say that the number of hours wasted-" but he fell silent again, clenching his teeth. "I am afraid there is nothing I can do" he resumed after a short pause, handing the man back his son's grade report. "We have very strict requirements for our N.E.W.T.S students. I am sure you understand, Mr Foy… The headmaster has high standards."

That was not true. He had high standards.

-

"She is perfectly able to follow instructions. Have you considered you might be the issue? A teacher so young, what were they thinking -"

The Potions Master folded his arms, smiling sarcastically. The man in front of him had an insufferable high-pitched voice.

"Oh, I could not agree with you m-" But again, he bluntly interrupted himself, blowing annoyingly through his nose. The man did not seem to notice.

"And Elie tells me you favour Slytherins. Then she has been out of favour from the start! Do you think I'm an imbecile?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I suppose-" This time, Severus winced.

He paused. Then spoke again.

"I assure you, sir…"

-

"Did you really have to do that? Two hours! Two hours without you letting me be! "

Minerva closed the door behind her and came back to their desk, gathering her notes. She looked pleased with herself.

"It's the first time in two years you've not almost ended up throwing hands with several parents simultaneously, Severus. You should thank me", she said matter-of-factly.

"Surely you could have just spoken to me when -"

"You said you didn't want those parents to think I babysat you."

"And kicking me repeatedly below the desk sounded like a better alternative to you?"

Minerva smirked, yet again.

"It's not my fault if you're behaving like a 15-year-old at a parent-teacher conference. One sore leg is entirely worth the safeguarding of the school's reputation, if that is what you're asking."

"All the bruises -"

"You're swallowing your own experimental potions for fun every other Saturday, Severus. Don't start complaining to me about bruises."

Severus crossed his arms, looking suspiciously sulky. Minerva glanced at him ironically: the shadow of a smile flickered over her lips. A skilled observer might have guessed that she was trying hard not to laugh.

She lowered her voice.

"And next time someone offers you money for a service, Severus, you might want to consider it. All those budget cuts... Also, you wouldn't believe how costly my ongoing bets with Pomona have become."

It was Severus' turn to smirk. He stood up gracefully, putting his chair back below the desk with a lazy flicker of his wand.

"Oh, I know. I'll get 35% if you get past a certain threshold: that is why I refused Mr. Foy's money. I am not that greedy, you see."

One all, it seemed.

[inposterumcumgaudio]

And I realize this is hinted at in the first act where Arthur goes to the Labs for Cod Liver Oil, there's a couple notes before the fight with the Bobby that states Sally created Strawberry. In the game, Sally is the better Chemist, compared to Verloc who is hyperfocused on a Permanent Solution. In the 'We All Fall Down' DLC, the workers at the Labs start a riot over wanting Sally back, which implies she was a better boss and more efficient. Anyways, I'm like 98% sure this is Canon, but I am curious to read your take on it if you have one, I know it's just a small thing but the grip We Happy Few on me is iron strong.

So Sally was never in a managerial position at Haworth Labs. She was Verloc's research assistant and so her job was to work closely with him on formulation, not to oversee any part of production. Sally claims to have been correcting his calculations in one of her journals and there's dialogue from the more elaborate cut version of the Haworth Labs quest implying this was known or at least assumed throughout the organization.

But before we start fawning over how much more brilliant and clever Sally is compared to Verloc, let us consider:

Despite Sally's view that the Permanent Solution was always a joint endeavor on their part, Verloc is the one who is ultimately responsible for delivering on it. That it's solely his responsibility is why she can leave the labs and abandon him to it at all.

As such, Verloc's under a lot more stress to produce than Sally was then and he continues to be now. On top of the Byngs breathing down his neck and possibly other extenuating stressors makin' his life hard, he's dealing with the emotional upheaval of his girlfriend of three years ghosting him and setting herself up as competition to his business. As a result, he's fucking up his math and - without Sally to proofread them - shit's exploding and his labs are in disarray.

But... are not Sally's labs also exploding and in disarray now that she too is solely responsible for producing a product critical to the city's governance while under extreme external stresses?

When the factory workers in We All Fall Down demand Sally's return, maybe they think she'd be a better boss. But they really have nothing to base that on, aside from that her presence was facilitating Verloc's better work. I suspect she'd not actually be any better at managing than Verloc is.

'Cause it is two separate jobs, you know. Verloc and Sally both are chemists; they are not managers. And frankly, neither of them are as good at dealing with people as they think they are.

Verloc lacks empathy with his staff and so his demanding managerial approach does not endear him to them. They do not feel supported by his leadership and, in view of his flagging practical ability too, they revolt.

Sally, I think, would have the opposite problem. She's not a strong leader either. She thinks of herself as a master man handler, but what does she actually do? She simpers, she cajoles, she wheedles. It's all meek little coquette bullshit and you cannot run a factory that way. These workers would walk all over her.

And that's just with the men. Aside from Dr. Faraday (who is hilariously similar to Dr. Verloc in temperament), Sally is notoriously unable to get along with women either.

Well, with one other notable exception...

So while I don't have a problem with giving Sally the credit for Strawberry Joy, I do think it bears remembering that she didn't come up with it on her own. I'll certainly not disparage the initiative that looking outside of one's own discipline takes, especially in view that Verloc was particularly dismissive of the idea until it worked. It does seem though that Sally's greatest achievements require some consultation with the Witches first. A large part of her act is asking them to teach her how to reformulate her own Blackberry formula to use alternative ingredients.

So to the question of who is the better chemist?

Hard to say. I think they have both have severe detriments to their approaches. Verloc can't do the math correctly under pressure and he's even fucking up Strawberry, a known and finalized formula, because it relies on herbalism and he has no knowledge of it. Sally, aside from party drugs and Blackberry, seems to need the Witches' help with her inventions. Without their advice, her concoctions sometimes have noticeably bad side effects.

Like pregnancy, for instance.

[lauvra]

My mind is pretty loud today, I should head this "I used white onion, now I'm spiraling about my entire life", because that's essentially what's going on. I'm in therapy, next app tomorrow, waiting for my psychiatrist appointment to hopefully understand my brain and manage it better medically and I'm in a recovery program and committed. Today I picked up a package for my housemate and made a phone call I've been avoiding for weeks and the government rep helped me significantly more than I believe she was required so I'm incredibly grateful for her. Then I spent a long time this afternoon mindfully preparing a meal, but used white onion in place of red and now I'm like: Why are you thirty years old and can't even cook? Oh, you couldn't afford all the ingredients? Why have you been so careless with your finances for so long that you can't buy an onion or answer the phone unless it's one of five people or an expected call? Why did you start smoking at the age of 26, you fucking idiot. Why did you sell your car for $200 on facebook marketplace in 2022 as if covid was forever and you'd never need one again? Oh, it was falling apart? Why didn't you maintain it, instead of solving a coolant leak by storing 2 litre bottles of water in the car at all times, you poor excuse for a human? I would literally refill the 'coolant', drive to work, finish my shift and see the puddle beneath my car, refill it then drive home. Girlboss. At that time, I couldn't give a shit about anything. I'd get stranded in strange suburbs at the middle of busy intersections and consider abandoning it. If I couldn't find it in a carpark, I'd momentarily feel relieved like maybe it wouldn't be my problem anymore. I remind myself the meal is fine, I can take the L and start learning more about flavour profiles - my housemate even ordered a book about that which was delivered today. I understand the value of taking care of things especially maintaining a vehicle, having gone without one for two years and HATING ITTTTTTTT SORRRYYYYY I LITERALLLY HAAATE IT, I DON'T WANT TO RIDE A BICYCLE, I DON'T WANT TO RIDE A BIKE, I want to drive FAST with my angsty music BLARING. THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER, I AM GETTING BETTER, I HAVE ZERO PEOPLE IN MY LIFE THAT DETRACT FROM MY LIFE, I TRUST MYSELF, I AM SAFE INSIDE MY BRAIN. So anyway, red onion in curries, okay? I also left laundry in the machine overnight but I digress I'M SAFE INSIDE MY BRAIN

[princesssarisa]

7 question ask: Belle

Three facts about them from my personal headcanons.

She inherited her love for stories of magic, adventure and romance from her mother, as well as her ladylike bearing and manners. I imagine that the 1991 Belle's mother died when she was between seven and ten years old. If she had never known her and Maurice had raised her alone, as in the 2017 remake, I think she would be more of a tomboy, as the 2017 Belle duly is.

Her curiosity and impulsiveness got her into all kinds of trouble when she was a little girl – since they still sometimes get her into trouble in her adulthood – which only reinforced the villagers' idea of her "oddness."

She can't cook. Maurice did all the cooking when she was growing up – he approached it as a science, just like inventing, and even though he favored eccentric ingredients, he did well. As a result, Belle would be comically hopeless in the kitchen.

A reason they suck:

She makes the mistake of revealing the Beast's existence to Gaston and the other villagers.

A reason they are great:

Her personality is such a wonderful blend of sweetness, strong will, emotion, intellect, dignity, and warmth.

A reason I relate to them:

I also spend more time reading than I do socializing.

(what I consider to be) the top tier otp/ot3 for that character:

She belongs with the Beast/Prince Adam, no question.

Five things that never happened to the character that I believe should have happened:

I don't necessarily think these things should have happened, because they might have needlessly complicated the movie. But on a purely emotional level, they appeal to me.

She should have conversed with another villager besides the bookseller near the beginning of the movie – preferably with a woman for enhanced Bechdel Test-passing. She could have seen that villager doing some heavy work and helped her (showing that she isn't a lazy snob who shuns her hardworking neighbors), and then they could have talked about Belle's dreams of adventure, with her neighbor sympathizing but reminding her "We're poor people, we can't afford to dream." Belle would agree, saying that between laundry, errands, gardening, tending the animals, and taking the chickens' eggs to market, she only has an hour or two each day to read. (Again, this would make it clear that she doesn't just read all day while her neighbors work.) Then she could say something like "But maybe if we hope and wish hard enough for a better, then maybe someday..." And her resigned, practical neighbor would shut her down with some remark like "You're a kind girl, but you are odd" and walk away.

She should have conversed further with the Beast about his temper, and offered him a kind suggestion for how to control it by describing what she does to calm herself down. Visualizing something pretty and peaceful, for example, or privately venting to an imaginary friend, or going for a walk outdoors (much like she talks to the chickens and goats and then runs out onto the hill when she's angry about Gaston's proposal). I would have liked to see that, because real-world anger management requires more than being shamed.

She should have had a chance to talk about her mother. Not in the way of the 2017 remake, per se, but in some way. Maybe in the above conversation with the Beast, when she tells him her method of calming herself, she could explain that her mother taught it to her when she was a little girl.

She should have had a conversation with Mrs. Potts in her dressing room before the dance scene, paralleling the Beast's with Lumiere. Or better still, a conversation with Mrs. Potts and Fifi/Babette, giving the latter more characterization than just "flirty French maid." More female/female interaction, please!

In the final scene, she and the Prince should have been shown taking a break from ballroom dancing, and stopping to look at a mural on a wall that depicts a map of the world. (Similar to Linda Woolverton's original idea of showing her sticking pins into a map near the beginning.) The Prince could ask her where she wants to travel to now that they can leave the castle, and she would exuberantly point to all the places from her favorite books (Verona for Romeo and Juliet, England for King Arthur, etc.) while the Prince laughs at the sheer number. Then one of the servants would point out that the music is starting again and they would go back to the dance. This would let the audience know that Belle hasn't given up her dreams of adventure.

Five people that character never fell in love with and why.

Gaston. No explanation needed.

Lefou. Ditto.

Lumiere. He's a good friend, but he's slightly too old for her and a little too flamboyant and vain.

Cogsworth. He's also a good friend, but a little too old for her, and too stuffy.

Chip. He's nowhere near old enough.

[danukim]

CTS B | Compulstory Question 2

My ultimate artistic vision is to open up a studio for story book making workshops for children. This is based on my previous experiences of conducting story book making classes, where I used to help young kids to brianstorm the storyboard, come up with a final story and draw illustrations accordingly to bind every work into a book. 

I guess my students’ works would be the design work that really resonates with me and connects with my artistic vision. They are meaningful publications that not only contain the works of a student but capture memories and moments of their specific age as a permanent item. As a person who has contributed helping them to record snippets of their childhood, it is worth holding onto. 

Another work of design I could talk about would be one of my favourite toys as a kid, which is Popin’ Cookin’. It is a DIY candy kit that contains edible ingredients that look and work like play dough. It is fun and colourful, very interactive for kids to excite their curiosity and creativity. On top of that, it also provides a sense of achievement once they complete making a candy / dish out of it. 

Furthermore, ever since we had Craft (or Materiality and Techniques at the moment) classes, I have noticed my passion towards textures and patterns. I love paying attention to details, and colour combinations, just every element of visual art. And these are my interests that back up my talent and enjoyment in craftings or hands-on projects. 

In the meantime, recently I also came across this thought that I would love to spread kindness and love through the talents that were given to me as my ultimate goal of my personal life. As an intersection of my practices meeting the society, I considered taking a gap year from school and to volunteer in a refugee school as an art teacher. 

I would say my artistic vision and personal life goal both fall into week 3’s topic - Connecting Practice with Society. Making connections with the society is all about understanding history and culture, having emotional association and bringing the bonding in between people. Sharing thoughts and feelings. And all these can be done in the form of design, like making story books, or actions, like volunteering which requires strength and empathy to take care of people. 

As a result of constantly thinking about how I could connect my artistic vision and practices to the society, and how I can give back what I have to the community -  I would say my recent huge decision on taking a gap year would be an experience to build uniqueness to my artistic journey. 

445 words

Ha, Jae Yi. JAE YI'S LITTLE PICTURE DICTIONARY. With Danu Kim, 2023. p. 60.

Park, Julia. KINDNESS BRINGS FRIENDSHIP. With Danu Kim, 2023. p. 45.

Kong, Sunny. Sunny's Trip. With Danu Kim, 2023. p. 45.

"Popin' Cookin'." Popin'Cookin' Tanoshii Cakes, 2005, www.popincookin.us/index.html. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

Kim, Danu, et al. "LASALLE | UAS Notepad." 18 Mar. 2024. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

Kim, Danu. "Washi Tape Designs." 28 Mar. 2024. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

Kim, Danu. "Shadows of Exhibited Work from the Gallery." Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

Kim, Danu. "Home Interior Decoration." 3 Nov. 2024. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

Kim, Danu. "HIS Open Day Children's Booth." 4 Mar. 2023. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

"Giving Back to the Society!" uploaded by Siddahmed, 31 Aug. 2024, youtube.com/shorts/ulyFUGrYsOs?si=O3wxQG7NSR3JGXNp.

"How to Design Your Life (My Process For Achieving Goals)." uploaded by ModernHealthMonk, 24 Feb. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czru2CuWyxQ.

Meier, JD . "The Sweet Spot Venn." Getting Results, gettingresults.com/sweet-spot/#:~:text=Identifying%20the%20Sweet%20Spot%20for,potential%20for%20success%20and%20satisfaction. Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

[bloodsugar11]

Title: An Excellent Supplement for Balanced Blood Sugar Levels

I recently had the opportunity to use the Sugar Defender Supplements, and I must say, this product has exceeded my expectations in every possible way. As someone who has been conscious about maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, I have tried numerous products over the years. However, none have proven as effective or reliable as Sugar Defender. Here’s why this supplement has earned a permanent place in my daily routine.

Impressive Ingredient List

One of the first things that caught my attention when I used the Sugar Defender product was its impressive ingredient list. The supplement is packed with natural ingredients known for their ability to support healthy blood sugar levels. Ingredients like Berberine, Cinnamon, and Alpha Lipoic Acid are all included, each bringing its unique benefits to the table. What I appreciated most is that Sugar Defender doesn’t rely on artificial additives or fillers. The product is pure, and you can tell that it is made with quality in mind.

Noticeable Health Benefits

Within just a few weeks of using Sugar Defender, I began to notice significant changes in my overall health. My energy levels improved, and I felt less fatigued throughout the day. More importantly, my blood sugar levels stabilised, which was evident from my regular glucose monitoring. I also noticed that my cravings for sugary snacks decreased, which helped me maintain a healthier diet. These benefits made it clear that Sugar Defender was working effectively and that it was positively impacting my health.

Easy to Integrate into Daily Routine

Another aspect of Sugar Defender that I found particularly appealing is how easy it is to incorporate into a daily routine. The supplement comes in easy-to-swallow capsules, and the recommended dosage is straightforward. I simply take it with my meals, and I don’t have to worry about any complicated schedules or dietary restrictions. This simplicity makes it convenient for anyone, regardless of how busy their lifestyle might be. It’s a product that seamlessly fits into your life without requiring any drastic changes.

Reliable and Trustworthy Brand

When it comes to supplements, trust is a crucial factor. I’ve come across many brands that make bold claims but fail to deliver. However, Sugar Defender is backed by a brand that prioritises transparency and quality. The company provides detailed information about the supplement's formulation, including the sources of their ingredients. Moreover, I was impressed by their customer service, which was responsive and helpful when I had questions. This level of transparency and customer care gave me confidence in the product and the brand.

Excellent Value for Money

Finally, I must mention the value for money that Sugar Defender offers. The supplement is reasonably priced, especially considering the high-quality ingredients and the positive health benefits it provides. In the long run, investing in Sugar Defender feels like a smart decision because it helps support your health in a natural and effective way. The fact that you’re getting such a potent supplement at an affordable price is truly commendable.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I am thoroughly impressed with Sugar Defender Supplements. It has provided me with noticeable health benefits, stabilised my blood sugar levels, and has become an easy and valuable part of my daily routine. For anyone looking for a reliable, natural way to manage their blood sugar levels, I would highly recommend giving Sugar Defender a try. This product has truly made a positive difference in my life, and I believe it can do the same for many others.

[thebusinessmagnate]

Aylon and Thomas: Chef-Crafted Extra-Creamy Plant-Based Dairy-Free Ice Creams at Eclipse Foods

Do you like eating Ice Cream? That creamy, cold, velvety, sweet, deliciousness? Yes, count me in, please! I am a huge sucker for Ice Creams. Be it tubs, pints, single serves, scoops, cones, bars, bonbons, cakes, chocolates. The different flavors and ingredients in Ice Creams are an added tasty indulgence, taking this cold dessert to another level. 

Don’t come at me but, I would love an Ice Cream scoop, maybe two or three more scoops, any day and at any time! 

I recall how I spent my childhood summers licking off the melting Choco-Bar on my hands after a long day at the park, it’s both a fond memory, and the taste of this delicious cold dessert will always be a cherished feeling and moment. 

In this era, there are many people, mostly in the newer generation (Gen Alpha), who seem to have an increased case of being lactose-intolerant. The condition ‘lactose intolerance’ occurs due to the digestive system losing its capability to produce enough lactase enzyme, to break down and digest lactose – a sugar that is found widely in milk and dairy products. Abdominal pains, diarrhea, nausea, and bloating are some of the main side effects of being lactose intolerant, and unfortunately also losing the ability to consume dairy products.  

Additionally, with growing global environmental concerns requiring people to be more sustainable and eco-friendly, the market trends and consumer preferences drive the food and beverage manufacturing industry to shift toward being more inclusive of ‘veganism’ and plant-based food products in their meals, while also considering how the generation is becoming more lactose intolerant as well. 

To also save our dairy-producing animals like cows, buffalos, sheep, and goats, the inclusive idea of manufacturing and producing plant-based food and beverage products sustainably is the new strategy adopted for clean, green, free, safe, and healthy consumption. This way our planet and its inhabitants can be protected, preserved, and conserved. 

Therefore in this article, we will be sharing deep insights into an American company – Eclipse Foods, co-founded by Aylon Steinhart and Thomas Bowman in 2019, in California, USA. This company specializes in Ice Cream that is manufactured and produced by using Corn, Cassava, Rapeseed, and Potato – for a chef-crafted, extra-creamy, plant-based, and dairy-free that is a delicious, safe, vegan, and healthy indulgence for all. 

The Two Taste Buds Behind Eclipse Foods’ Ice Creams – Aylon and Thomas:

The two co-founders who together started and established Eclipse Foods are – Aylon Steinhart and Thomas Bowman. 

Aylon Steinhart is the Chief Executive Officer at the company and is also a vegan entrepreneur from Berkeley. Aylon has put in a lot of effort in consulting, encouraging, advising, and convincing companies and start-up businesses in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) sector like Kellogg’s and Heinz, to be more inclusive of alternative protein solutions. Aylon holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from the University of California – Haas School of Business. The co-founder started his career as a Startup Analyst/Writer at Vator, a Software Analyst at Digilabs Pro, a Corporate Account Manager at AT&T, a Founder and CEO at Photopaz, Co-founded and became Marketing Director at BrideBox, a Senior Advisor at The Good Food Institute, a Y-Combinator, and lastly in the year 2019 co-founded and established Eclipse Foods with Thomas Bowman. 

Thomas Bowman is the Chief Technology Officer at the company and is an award-winning chef from Chicago, totaling 16 Michelin Stars and twice nominated for a James Beard Award. Thereafter Thomas started to focus on product development and food science. Here, he created some of the best-selling plant-based food products at JUST. 

Sharing a passion for food, Aylon and Thomas set out together to integrate culinary strategies with food technology. Making food and beverage products that are safe and healthy, while also making impactful choices in protecting the planet we all call home, the co-founders succeeded in manufacturing and producing a protein alternative solution that is vegan and consumable by all, and delivered Ice Creams that are extra-creamy, dairy-free, plant-based, and GMO-free. 

About Eclipse Foods:

Eclipse Foods Ice Creams is “not another pint of frozen plant milk. We dug in and mimicked milk’s creamy molecular structure and functionality using plants like corn, cassava, rapeseed, and potato”. 

To put an end to industrial animal agriculture, Eclipse Foods has successfully manufactured and produced animal-free products as your favorite dairy treat. 

On a mission “to create a more sustainable, healthy, and humane food system with plant-based products that taste better and do better for people, animals, and the planet”, the company acts as the change we have all been craving. 

Co-founded by Aylon and Thomas in the year 2019, in Alameda, California, USA – Eclipse Foods “tastes great, does good” through Ice Creams that are chef-crafted, dairy’s lick-a-like, and an appetite for the better. 

The company retails its Ice Cream delicacy in 4 convenient formats. Bonbons. Pints of different dairy-free flavors, 3-Gallon Tubs,  Soft Serves, and Single Serve Cups. “Doing our part, one pint at a time”, Eclipse Foods drives toward a sustainable future with eco-friendly practices and initiatives. Reduced consumption of water, reduced land space, and decreased production of greenhouse gases have helped the company hugely in overcoming the detrimental strategy of using conventional dairy-produced methods and products. As a result, Eclipse Foods’ Ice Creams sees 65% fewer emissions than dairy, which means that over 190,509 metric tons of CO2 is reduced and over 15 million gallons of water is saved. 

Acknowledging as the “next massive plant-based food company revolutionizing the 500 billion dollar dairy sector”, Eclipse Foods has raised 60 million+ from investors like Y-Combinator, Forerunner Ventures, Chairman of Beyond Meat, and more. The company promises that “Anything dairy can do, Eclipse can do better”.

Visit More : https://thebusinessmagnate.com/aylon-and-thomas-chef-crafted-extra-creamy-plant-based-dairy-free-ice-creams-at-eclipse-foods/

[cadmiumfree]

Every since I met my girlfriend my already fancy food tastes have gotten fancier, but in a way that my cooking knowledge has gotten better but also tasks aren't harder to do?

Like pickling veggies for sandwhiches/rice bowls, making flavored simple syrups, making hot chocolate* (NOT hot cocoa) from scratch, using French press coffee, making lox! are all nice ways to spice up a meal without adding a bunch of extra labor. And all of these really only require access to like Mason jars and minimal ingredients, most of them you just sit and wait!

These are things that would probably take me years to consider to do but I've learned in less than 2 and make food and life so much more enjoyable

(I also didn't realize microwaving was damaging my mugs so having an electric kettle for tea every morning is amazing)

Anyways PSA have fun with food, learn cooking skills, and I love my girlfriend (:

[kyliafanfiction]

To say 'Cauldron's Plan Worked' is to give them credit and to say that Cauldron's approach to solving the problem posed by Scion was a good approach to take.

Cauldron is also the group that somehow decided the Terminus Project was a good idea, and that doesn't really speak to their intelligence that they were somehow pinning any hopes to that at all given what they should have been focusing on.

It's obviously coming down to different ways of approaching it, but I guess let me put it like this: If I put a million monkeys in a room with a million typewriters and thirty years later they produce Hamlet, I don't think it would be meaningfully or usefully accurate to say that my 'plan to produce the script of Hamlet' was a success.

If someone who wants to bake a cake blindly stomps around and manages to somehow, by sheer accident, leave all the ingredients for a cake out on the counter, and then somehow else comes along and makes the cake, I wouldn't think it really accurate in any meaningful sense to say 'their (the first person) plan to bake a cake was successful'.

I do take your point that the argument that "Cauldron is evil and did bad things and shouldn't have done what they did" as a takeway from Worm (which I think is the intended takeway) is somewhat weakened by the fact that they did create a lot of the essential ingredients for victory. (just as the takeway that Taylor was in the wrong at various points is weakened somewhat when her strategies were wildly successful and the narrative broadly refuses to actually show her as being wrong in the moment) On the other hand, I don't think they give partial credit for human rights abuses that save the world. It's kind of all or nothing.

And since it is canon for Worm that better outcomes with less deaths were possible, outcomes that didn't require Taylor to have to go full Khepri, it means that Cauldron's plan (such as it was) was not necessary, at least not in terms of the full depths of atrocity and cruelty and vileness they stooped (not to mention all the "stupid evil" levels of evil).

Well-intentioned extremist who does bad things to save the world is a great fictional device. But they actually have to save the world to get credit for it, and Cauldron faceplanted at the finish line. Do they deserve some credit for the good outcomes of what they did? Maybe? Saying they succeeded, on the other hand, is deceptive, because it misrepresents the failures.

It's also worth noting that Taylor won by exploiting the human aspects of Scion, which Cauldron had never even considered and was probably never going to consider.

You don't have to agree with me on the way I'm splitting word hairs here, but there are implications carried by saying 'Cauldron's plan was a success' or 'Cauldron's plan was successful' that are wildly inaccurate and misrepresentative of what happened and clash significantly with the tone, themes and narrative, unless you immediately apply about a hundred caveats to your statement.

If you endeavor to do a thing, and waste a lot of resources and lives and time along the way on absolutely unnecessary cruel nonsense, even if you do do the thing (which Cauldron still technically didn't really do), I just wouldn't call that 'a success'.

i think important thing to note in worm is that Cauldrons plan fully succeeded. It wasn’t a very defined plan, but i think it’s worth mentioning that Scion was eventually stopped by Taylor (1) , who lived in the USA on earth Bet (2), who was a supervillain (3) for the first few months of her career, joined the Protectorate(4), was modified by Panacea (5) and managed to become incredibly powerful through her synergy with Clairvoyant and Doormaker (6), and defeated Scion using an army of every cape in existence (7).

(1) A character who was raised in a society indoctrinated with heroic values by cauldron)

(2) A society that only exists because of constant active intervention by cauldron

(3) A stable position in society that only exists because it was artificially created by cauldron for non conforming capes

(4) An organisation founded and maintained by cauldron

(5) An inhabitant of the birdcage, which was created by cauldron to store powerful parahumans in case their abilities could be used for situations like this

(6) Two very powerful capes specifically created by cauldrons human experimentation

(7) Several thousand of which only exist because of Cauldron directly

Like, there’s often a perception especially with new readers that Cauldron were incompetent and committed a bunch of human rights violations for no reason, until Taylor had to step in and use her mega cool powers to show them how it’s really done. But that’s just not accurate, because it’s not accounting for how much of the setting is directly tied to Cauldron. Without Cauldron, Taylor grows up in a post apocalyptic world, where capes have no expectations of using their powers to help others, and live even shorter and more brutal lives than in canon. Cauldrons plan was to maximise their odds of a bullshit power interaction being able to defeat Scion, and it worked! Everyone say thank you doctor mother right now

[volkswagonblues]

a lil guide to the Fire Nation for the ATLA fic writers out there

(aka. a no means exhaustive primer on east asia by an asian person)

This is a guide for fic writers want to write a canon-era story set in the Fire Nation, or featuring Fire Nation characters. A quick little primer on the tiny details of everyday life that you might not think about, but certainly stuff that would make me, an asian person, wince if I were to encounter it. BRUSHES, not quills. CHOPSTICKS, not forks. 

(note #1: this was partly inspired by a chat with @elilim​) 

(note: #2:  I originally intended it for zukka fic writers before realizing that other writers might find it useful. so apologies for a slight Zuko-bias for that reason)

(note #3: this is all stuff i was thinking about when writing firebender’s guide, in case anyone was wondering)

1. CLOTHING

Okay, I think the most straightforward way to describe what everyone’s wearing most of the time is “tunic”. They’re all just...tunics of different colours and varieties. Later when Zuko’s the Fire Lord he wears robes. The show provides a better visual guide than I could, here are a few notes to keep in mind:

a) Japanese people wear their collars LEFT crossed over RIGHT

I don’t think this would come up in writing as much as it would in art, but it’s considered bad luck to do it the wrong way because that’s only for dead people. Let my boy Zuko demonstrate:

b) There are no buttons

This is picky, but Wikipedia says “Functional buttons with buttonholes for fastening or closing clothes appeared first in Germany in the 13th century.[6] They soon became widespread with the rise of snug-fitting garments in 13th- and 14th-century Europe.” I kinda believe it. If you look closely, characters’ clothes are always tied together or wrapped in some way with a belt. If there are fasteners, they’re braided frog closures that go into a little loop, like the qipao-style dresses women wear in Ba Sing Se, or Zuko’s casual prince’s clothes in the topmost image. Anyways, I don’t think Zuko or Azula or the Gaang would technically button or unbutton anything when they’re changing clothes. Clothing is designed to be tied, not buttoned.

[so much more under cut]

c) This isn’t a real rule, but there’s something called koromogae, or the seasonal changing of clothing in Japan.

This is something I learned when I was writing firebender’s guide, and I just liked the fun detail about there being a strict calendar for when to wear something. I liked the idea of someone like Zuko, who actually spent most of his formative years outside of the Fire Nation, coming home and just suffering mutely through the summer heat because upper class etiquette says no changing into cooler clothes until August 15. 

From My Asakusa: 

And this website:

Generally, people change from thick, heavy, dark-coloured clothes for winter to thin, lighter, bright-coloured clothes for spring and summer. In traditional Japanese culture, particularly in formal settings such as tea ceremony, it is important to acknowledge the changes of seasons—in such circumstances, not only the patterns and colours of the kimono that are worn but also the utensils and furniture that are used are required to change. By changing their clothing, people notice and appreciate the change of seasons. [Japan Foundation]

Here are some visual guides from the official creators for clothes: (notice how it’s pretty much always left over right)

2.FOOD AND EATING

a) Traditional cuisine

It seems like the most common foods in canon are Fire Flakes and meat, to the point where poor Aang had to eat lettuce out of the garbage at some point.

HOWEVER, the Fire Nation seems to basically a big subtropical archipelago, so I would guess that seafood and rice are common. If you want to write about characters eating, a. quick google for “traditional japanese cuisine” would help you come up with a menu really quickly.

Wikipedia says:

The traditional cuisine of Japan, washoku (和食), lit. "Japanese eating" (or kappō (ja:割烹)), is based on rice with miso soup and other dishes; there is an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. Side dishes often consist of fish, pickled vegetables, and vegetables cooked in broth. Seafood is common, often grilled, but also served raw as sashimi or in sushi.

But before we get too serious, at one point the Gaang eats a “smoked sea slug” (Sokka’s Master) 

Oh ATLA, never stop being you.

b) Utensils

One thing to keep in mind is chopstick etiquette. Someone like Zuko or Toph, for instance, would have completely internalized all of these.

Another thing is that there are no glasses. Cups and bowls are made of ceramic or clay. Let the Gaang show you:

And another note: characters won’t eat “bread” in the European sense, ie. a baked lump of dough. Steamed buns, yes. Fried pancakes made from batter, yes. Flatbreads, okay I’ll give it a pass. Rice or noodles should be the most common carbs of choice.

3.ETIQUETTE

“In the homeland, we bow to our elders” - angry schoolmistress in The Headband.

Japan Guide has a list of etiquette rules for visiting Japan, which is interesting but not too necessary to read. In general, based on what The Headband tells us, Fire Nation characters would have been raised with a strong nationalist curriculum that values communal contribution over individualist expression. Even someone like Zuko, who openly rebels against that, probably couldn’t help but be affected by it. In general the Fire Nation seems to have an East Asian-ish set of values. It’s patriarchal, all the positions of authority are filled by men; there seems to be a strong emphasis on patriotism; there’s a sense of diffidence and respect towards one’s elders; and finally, there’s an emphasis on “knowing” one’s place in society and fitting into what’s expected of oneself.

I don’t really know how to describe it, but in China and Japan I sometimes feel like there’s rules for everything, and even people born and raised there acknowledge it could be stifling at times. You could go down a rabbit hole researching points of etiquette (for instance, rules on who has to sit where in group dinners...), but to me the most important thing is acknowledging that Fire Nation has a rigid system of etiquette, and also, they’re an imperialist power who’s pretty prejudiced against foreigners. Poor Aang/Kuzon gets called “mannerless colony slob” just for being slow on the bowing action (!!!)

(in firebender’s guide I had a lot of fun imagining the stupid microaggressions Ambassador Sokka has to face in the Fire Nation, so obviously I’m just biased)

4.WRITING AND DESKS

Characters would probably write on paper, with a calligraphy brush. Not quills or pens -- a brush. Technically, old Japanese and Chinese texts should be written top to bottom, right to left, but the show itself doesn’t do this, so I think you’re fine. 

One fun thing about traditional calligraphy is that you don’t use bottled ink. You have something called an ink stone, and then you grind your ink yourself by rubbing the ink stone in a special little dish with a bit of water. In my (very few) encounters with this stuff in the calligraphy lessons of my youth, the ink stones can be plain or have beautiful designs on the side. It looks something like this: 

ATLA is an East Asian-ish universe, so characters are likely to be kneeling at a table, not sitting. To demonstrate, here’s my boy Sokka doing his famous rainbow at Piandao’s:

and here’s the war chamber meeting when Zuko speaks out against a general’s plans to sacrifice some soldiers:

THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS: This is Zuko’s cute little setup when he’s writing his goodbye letter to Mai. In this case he’s writing in a chair and table. It’s possible that some furniture items, like a sitting desk and a bed in a bedframe (not a bedroll or futon) are special royal palace features. Normally in a private setting we see characters sitting on the ground or on a slightly elevated platform with a low table. Maybe Caldera is just different? Or rich people are just different: the Bei Fongs also have a sit-down dining table + chair setup.

(That little rectangular box is his ink dish!!)

5.A NOTE ON GENERAL CULTURE

It’s worth talking about a few general points of East Asian culture. I can’t claim to speak for ALL of Asia, and I don’t think I should. But I do think ATLA fic writers who want to set something in the Fire Nation should take a few moments to at least skim the wiki pages for filial piety and Nihonjinron (literally, "theories/discussions about the Japanese"). There’s a certain...vibe to...asianness... that I’m not sure I can explain without like, a doctorate degree in sociology. 

It’s a bit like gender, I guess. There’s no definitive checklist to what is a woman and what is a man, and we can argue that gender is performative, that it’s a construct, but at the end of the day gender is still (tragically) real in the sense that it still shapes people and affects how we walk and talk and dress and think. Nationality is the same. Obviously, the Fire Nation is a made up place in a made up show, but out of respect to the cultures that inspired it, I do think it’s worth familiarizing yourself with some of these cultures’ codes and values.

Also, ahem, if I can direct you to war crimes in the Japan’s colonial empire. Again, worth remembering that the Fire Nation was an imperalist colonizer too.

I might do a continuation of this post and talk through my more abstract takes about Fire Nation culture - Is Zuko an example of filial piety gone right or filial piety gone wrong? Why I think Zuko’s flashbacks are like, at least part teenage melodrama bullshit (the reason is son preference), how someone like Sokka might be treated once he’s openly Water Tribe in the Fire Nation (probably with racism...), specific aspects of asian homophobia and racism, etc. We’ll see.

This is not a definitive guide. Comments and critique welcome.

If you think there’s a factual mistake, PLEASE hop in my asks and let me know. I also think there’s a huge blind spot in ATLA for South and Southeast Asian representation, so I acknowledge that I can’t speak for all Asians, and there is no such thing as a “pan-asian” identity.

If there’s something else you’re curious about, I’m not a historian or anything, but I like research. Ask me and I’ll try to answer the best I can.

And oh, one last thing, this is how I do research when I wrote firebender’s guide, in case anyone’s interested in learning more (LINK)

[floral-poisons]

How you meet for crewel and Crowley plz

Fluff

happy to provide!! considering we don't know much about crowley so far, i'm making the meet-cute more recent (in terms of like the current story i guess? idk i started writing this at 3 am). i went with like an abbott elementary type of thing with crowley.

also the image is wanderer above the sea of fog (1818) created by casper david friedrich.

DIRE CROWLEY

you decided a vacation was necessary for you. working at the royal sword academy was super stressful. it looked all pristine on the outside but you’d argue that the school had just as many problems, if not more, than the rival school nrc.

they were just better at hiding it especially since the school had their fair share of celebrities.

also when were you going to get promoted? it was kind of ridiculous how rsa was ran by another ambrose and the school just kept going with this tradition—

“thinking terrible thoughts, are we?”

“gah!” you almost spat out your drink, shivers running up your body. a man in a bird mask was sitting next to you.

“oh my bad. my students have a habit of telling me that i pop out if nowhere.” he chuckles.

“my students tell me something similar actually.” you sigh. “i’m not thinking terrible thoughts. i’m just thinking when i will get a promotion at my job. it’s ridiculous how a line of nepo babies basically means i will never be promoted to headmage!!”

“oh. you’re going for a headmage position? where exactly do you work at?”

“royal sword academy. run by the great ambrose the 63rd.” there was sarcasm dripping in your voice. “i’ve been at this position for over 10 years now!”

“what exactly if your position?”

“alchemy professor. and sometimes pr management.” you take a sip of your drink. “i specifically got my degree in education to be a headmage and here i am, a professor of alchemy.”

“i don’t think it’s all bad. besides, being a headmage is stressful. it requires a lot of generosity.” he leans back in his seat before putting a hand out. “dire crowley.”

you shake it. “(y/n) (l/n).”

“i’m the headmage of night raven college.”

DIVUS CREWEL

potionology was not your strong suit. it was always your weakest subject and you consistently did poorly in the class. well, not this year!! your second year at nrc would be different!

except the change you wanted didn’t happen overnight. instead, you seemed to get worse as each day in the semester went on.

usually you kept to yourself and you didn’t exactly talk to your lab partner. you also never asked for help because you were taught asking for help was a sign of weakness.

“hey!! hey are you listening!!!”

you look up and it just registers that there’s a boy your age snapping his fingers at you. he had quite the unique appearance with his split hair. your eyes glanced at the logo on his coat. pomefiore.

pomefiore students expected to be the center of attention 24/7 huh?

“i am not. i can do this myself.” you scoff.

“then you’re being ridiculous because you used the ingredients in the wrong order and considering your reputation last semester, i don’t think you’d want to make it worse.”

your face immediately grew hot. “excuse me!!”

“you’re terrible at potionology, even more so terrible at working alone, and your lack of precision and grace in this subject sickens me.” he crosses his arms. “i’m supposed to be your lab partner but i guess you don’t care enough about my own grade since we’re being graded as a pair. this is what i get for being partnered with you.”

“what is that supposed to mean!” you were angry, angry enough to throw the cauldron at him. how snobby!

“you literally have a reputation for causing people’s grades to fall in potionology because you refuse to communicate and you’re horrible at it and whatever you’re doing to study clearly isn’t working.”

your mouth was left gaping open at the fact that he had the audacity to talk to you like that. but more so that he was right. “i…”

“so are you going to listen to me and let me help you? i’m literally the top student in potionology.” he scoffs.

“i…sure.” you scoot aside to let him into the space and immediately he dumps the whole potion.

“we’re going to have to start over and if you wanna pass, listen to what i have to say and follow my instructions. got it?”

“yeah…”

“the name’s divus, by the way. divus crewel.”

[zorya-wellness]

Lammas/Lughnasadh Pagan Holiday

Lammas or Lughnasadh is a Pagan holiday celebrated on August 1st. It symbolizes the end of the summer period (yes, even though you may not want to hear that we are on our way to the end) and the beginning of magical fall.

The Lammas holiday is also closely connected to the harvest season.

It is traditionally believed that the period of Lammas celebration was very important in the religious communities, not only from the perspective of Pagan or Christian traditions  but also due to its agricultural significance.

Lammas versus Lughnasadh. What Is The Difference?

First of all, let’s talk about terminology a bit.

Lammas comes from Anglo-Saxon hlaf-mas, "loaf-mass", therefore also known as Loaf Mass Day and it is a Christian holiday.

The celebration of this holiday by the Christian community is in part similar to what we will be discussing later. The holiday signifies a period of being blessed by the first gifts of the harvest season. The wheat collected is often used to make the Lammas bread that would later be brought to church for a blessing.

Lughnasadh or Lughnasa is the name used by the “Neopagan” community and just as Lammas, marks the beginning of the harvest period. It is the time when we are grateful for the abundance of the Mother Earth.

How to pronounce Lughnasadh?

The term Lughnasadh comes from the Irish spelling of the word. The Modern way of Irish  pronunciation is Lúnasa and pronounced Loo-nuh-suh. The Classical pronunciation is /’luɣ.nə.səð/ like LUGH-nuh-sudh (where “gh” is pronounced as i a word "give" and the “dh” is like the “th” in “that”.) It is probably the most correct pronunciation of Lughnasadh, as Lugh or Lug is the God from Irish mythology and the one this holiday is dedicated to at the first place.

How Lammas Originated?

Lammas came from a desire of people to thank and celebrate the “father” Sun and the Mother Earth for the fruits of their “love” - the harvest.

To bless the marriage of God and Goddess and ask for a buy dance and prosperity in the upcoming months.

It was considered that August 1st marks the first day of fall. And on August 2nd it was already the time to pick up the harvest and so the days of hunger and need would we over.

The holiday was widely celebrated in:

Ireland: the name Lughnasadh comes from the Irish God Lugh and is translated at “the marriage of Lugh.

Scotland

Isle of Man

In Slavic countries (called “medovyi spas”)

Let’s Talk More About The Harvest.

When we hear “Lammas”, we often think about the period of harvest right away. It is the most talked about moment of Lammas or Lughnasadh but we need to truly understand what stands behind the concept of harvest.

If you are a careful reader, you have noticed I specifically say the beginning of harvest. I also want to explain more what I mean by the time of being grateful.

You see, Lammas is the day of the beginning of the harvest period and NOT the time when we are assessing the outcome and are drawing conclusions of how successful we’ve been (there will be another holiday dedicated to this, called Mabon).

But the first day of harvest is the time when the quality of life changes. It is the time when it becomes predictable what expectations we can have and taste the first ripe fruits.

Simply put, it is the moment when something you worked so hard on, finally becomes tangible and it also becomes YOURS.

A skill you were developing is almost acquired but not to the point when it becomes a reflex. The investments you’ve made are starting to produce some cash flow but still need your attention.

You also need to understand that it is not possible to continuously perfect something or wait for an opportune moment.  At some point, you need to release into the world what you have the way it is and improve things on the go.

Where am I going with this philosophical deviation, you probably are wondering…

This is what Lammas period really is about. It is the time when we transition from preparation to action.

What does it mean for you in real life situation?

Lammas gives you are opportunity of the perfect time to do something you were afraid of doing.

It may be that you were working on a website for your very own blog but we’re too afraid to press that “publish” button, thinking it is not perfect yet.

Or you may have been writing a book but haven’t started to search for a publisher, changing and tweaking things in an attempt for it to be perfect.

You may have been doing research for a new job you always wanted or university program you wanted to apply for but haven’t felt ready to finally made the move and submit an application.

Do you see the pattern?

Lammas is the time when you were ALREADY in the process of doing something but haven’t had the energy for the final step. And this period of the first week of August is for you to pull yourself together and make the move.

And when Mabon comes, we will be assessing the results of our actions.

"Can I celebrate Lughnasadh if I’m not pagan?"

First of all, like I mentioned in my other Blog posts related to the Wheel of the Year, you don’t need to be Pagan to celebrate or acknowledge Wheel of the Year holidays.

RELATED: What Is Pagan Wheel of the Year and How to Celebrate It? Beginner Pagan's Guide

You need to be aware of the existence of the energy of the Mother Earth, it’s changes and shifts and how this affects our lives.

So, What Can You Do To Celebrate Lughnasadh/Lammas?

Lammas/Lughnasadh Traditions and Rituals

Do Some Lammas Divination Work

The period from July 31st to August 6th is the perfect time for divination work. Tarot, Runes and oracles will provide with great messages, especially in career/money (material) and love questions (especially compatibility related).

Don’t forget to show gratitude to the Universe and Mother Earth. It is important to maintain the energy exchange, at the very least with the well known gratitude and love practices.

Show gratitude towards others too, don’t forget to show acknowledgment and say “thank you”.

Make Lammas Bread

During this period, it is the great time to infuse your food and drinks with the energy of love and gratitude, as well as thank the Source and the Planet for its generosity. Of course, the best way to celebrate this holidays is to make Lammas bread. I am giving you this quick bread recipe that does not require a lot of products or special skills

Lammas Abundance Bread Recipe

For this little Ritual you will need to make (not buy!) corn bread.

Lammas Bread Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup of corn flour

1 1/2 cup wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup of sugar 2 tbs of cooled down melted butter

4 cups of milk

2 tsp of baking powder

Instructions:

Mix flour and salt together in a deep bowl.In a separate bowl with milk add baking powder;  then add sugar and butter.Mix all the ingredients together in one bowl until the consistency is that of a sour cream. It will not be similar to regular bread dough you may be making at home.

*While you are mixing, talk into the bowl anything you want to accomplish that is related to the abundance. Whatever the abundance means to YOU. It does not have to be financial. Maybe you will feel abundant and complete when you have a large family. Then go for it.

Pour the Lammas bread dough into a baking dish (don't forget to butter the dish). Bake for about 40-50 minutes at 360 degrees F.When the colour is nice and golden, take the bread out and let it cool.

When you sit down for a meal, break off (not cut) a large piece of Lammas bread and say: "Large piece of bread in my hand will bring me abundance and plenty." Don’t forget to share your food with the Gods (leave some bread in nature, the way you see fit and depending on the type of deity you are working with.)

Lughnasadh Home Blessing and Abundance Ritual

This ritual can be done during the same time as you are making your Lammas bread.

It is done to invite luck and abundance into your home. BUT. You can change your intent to protection, if you’d like.

All you need to do is to set aside some dough when you are making it for your break and create a figure of an animal. My personal suggestion is to select a farm animal due to the nature of the energy of this holiday.

When you are done, you will need to follow basic figure talisman activation steps. I have adapted the suggestions of Vadim Zeland for this.

*If you are interested in who Vadim Zeland is, click here to read more about him. His book Reality Transurfing has changed my life forever.

Animal activation steps:

Come up with a name for your animal

Take a deep breath. Now breathe into the animal, imagining giving it energy and life.

Tell the animal its name. Tell it that you love and care for it and, in exchange, it's helping you with (whatever you want to ask for).

Place the animal anywhere in the house, depending on the task you give it.

Don't forget to revisit daily and remind the animal of your love and the important task it is doing for you.

Don’t forget to check out complete Blog Post on my website for more information on Lammas traditions, as well as my other Blog posts on Pagan holidays, Rune Meanings and more.

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Ohh, the idea that it wasn't a full moon is interesting. I haven't really considered it.

It makes me wonder how the transformation actually works, like, magic-wise. Like, why the full moon? What actually causes the transformation? Because there are nights that can get pretty bright when the moon isn't full. And would that mean that during, say, a lunar eclipse werewolves wouldn't turn?

So, there were a few possible ancient theories I found that could work with werewolves being influenced by the waxing and waning of the moon. The idea that the moon affects one's self-control and sanity isn't a new one, with the word "lunatic" literally coming from the Latin word for the moon: "luna". The belief the full moon makes people go insane is interesting in this context, but I wanted to figure out the magical theory behind it, why the moon, and why werewolves?

So, let's start with the moon. The moon is generally associated with:

Silver

Metamorphosis

Illusions

Dreams

Hidden things/secrets

Mental Illness

So, this all in all does seem fitting for a transformation into a werewolf (especially considering some old werewolf lore describes the transformation being a dream or hallucination because the church said werewolves don't exist).

So I went and looked up what other ingredients/magic in HP that is practiced on the full moon, and lo and behold, it's all about transformation:

Fluxweed for Polyjuice potion needs to be picked on the full moon.

The ritual to become an Animgagus includes many steps on the full moon.

Apparently, the night in 1st year Harry saw Quirrelmort drink unicorn blood was a full moon (I wonder if he only drank the blood on a full moon for the metamorphosis qualities?)

If I had to bet, I'd say Voldy's resurrection was also on a full moon.

So, for wizards, in their magic, the true full moon is a symbol and cause of metamorphosis for everything, not just werewolves. The Animagus potion requires the mandrake leaf that was kept in a wizard's mouth for an entire moon cycle to be spit out into a phial specifically in the light of the full moon. Not just on the day, the light of the full moon, in itself is part of the process of becoming an Animagus, so it isn't far-fetched that werewolves are affected similarly. Where the moonlight actively affects their transformation.

So, which phases of the moon are dangerous to werewolves? Can they even be outside in the light of the moon at all?

The waxing moon is associated with growth, development, and change — all things, that again build up to a transformation which is at its peak in the full moon. Then the waning moon is all about release, relaxation, reflection, rest and letting go — it's the opposite of the waning moon, releasing all the earlier buildup.

With this in mind, how does being a werewolf work?

We see with how Fenrir is described, that even in human form, the wolf is very much present — preference for raw meat, grey whiskers on his face, sharp teeth and nails (that don't easily break, like, humans can grow nails, but they break under pressure if you don't take care of them, which I doubt Greyback is doing...). Remus also shows this with his hair greying way earlier than it should. Bill, who isn't even a proper werewolf was affected enough to have a preference for raw meat. So, the wolf is always present in those who have Lycanthropy (or something like it) even without the full moon.

What I'm thinking is that the moon and its power over transformation just force out the wolf that's always there. Direct moonlight is more effective for the transformation than just the full moon, and as you mentioned, there are a few days that could be considered "full moonlight" so it's possible they could transform in other of them.

If I had to guess, I'd say the urge to transform under direct moonlight exists any day in the waxing moon phases, just the transformation becomes less and less controlled the closer to the full moon. Like, in a quarter-waxing moon, a werewolf out and about might feel the urge to transform, but the moon's pull wouldn't be enough to actually do it, so they might run on all fours or get a craving for raw meat. But the closer to the full moon, the stronger the transformation urge/call/pull is, so, it's possible, as you mentioned, that the day before the full moon, the moon and its light would be enough to transform an emotionally unstable and distracted werewolf.

This idea that the wolf is always there and the moon just pushes it out makes a lot of sense with Fenrir, who probably chose to allow the wolf out more than Remus and it started spilling into his human form. It could also just be him being older, and this slow transformation that happens to all werewolves over time (the grey whiskers, sharp teeth, sharp nails, etc.)

As a note regarding my questions from earlier, I definitely think that even on a full moon, werewolves would get weird with an eclipse, and return to human form/senses momentarily while the moon is truly out of sight.

~~ Looking at Lycanthropy ~~

Part 3: Regarding the 'Full Moon'...

There is something fucky with the transformation night in POA. I'm going to fine-toothed comb it, collect the extra information we get about Lycanthropy from it – and try to make sense of it all.

Words: Approx. 4000

Physical Symptoms (What he feels; what he does; what happens - factual.) Perceived Symptoms (How he seems to others, health focused) Social Perception (What people think of him; His social situation) Self Perception (What he thinks about himself) Timing Information Potion information

NIGHT OF THE TRANSFORMATION – Chapters 17 - 21 Note that there is adrenaline, stress, secrets, emotions whipping back and forth – dialogue is split between seven characters. Describing Lupin's symptoms takes a back-seat to exposition. For example: Lupin looking 'pale' in a quiet moment on the train is one thing... but in a high tension situation? It's more likely to be the mood of the setting rather than describing his illness. But I am listing his more erratic behaviour anyway. B^)

Chapter 17

Pg 244 + 245 The very last rays of the sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. … … Light was fading fast now by the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them. … … But harry had just seen - slinking towards them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness - Crookshanks. … … Something was bounding towards them out of the dark - an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.

The sun is setting – and has set – long before Remus arrives. Interesting. More on this later.

pg 252 The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Harry wheeled around as Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering near to the door, to Harry, standing there with his wand covering Black, and then to Black himself, crumpled and bleeding at Harry's feet. 'Expelliarmus!' Lupin shouted. Harry's wand flew once more out of his hand; so did the two Hermione was holding. … … Then Lupin spoke, in an odd voice, a voice that shook with some suppressed emotion. 'Where is he, Sirius?'

Remus barges into a room with Sirius, three children and supposedly Peter. He doesn't know whether Sirius or Peter are guilty – but he puts the safety of the children last by taking their wands and speaking to Sirius when there is at least one murderer in the room.

pg 253 'Hermione, listen to me, please!' Lupin shouted. 'I can explain-' … … There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale. … … Ron made a valiant effort to get up again, but fell back with a whimper of pain. Lupin made towards him, looking concerned, but Ron gasped, 'Get away from me, werewolf!' Lupin stopped dead. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, 'How long have you known?' 'Ages,' Hermione whispered. 'Since I did Professor Snape's essay...' 'He'll be delighted.' said Lupin cooly. 'He set that essay hoping someone would realise what my symptoms meant. Did you check the lunar chart and realise I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realise the Boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?' 'Both,' Hermione said quietly. Lupin forced a laugh.

Remus is about to have his secret revealed – and for the first time shouts at the children. He is understandably terrified of them knowing, but as soon as its out returns right back to a forced, controlled calm... but the mask has slipped, and we can see underneath at his true feelings. Note that Ron's initial reaction is prejudice, like his mother.

pg 254 'You know how to work it?' Harry asked suspiciously. 'Of course I know how to work it,' said Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. 'I helped write it. I'm Moony - that was my friends' nickname for me at school.' … … 'How d'you know about the Cloak?' 'The number of times I saw James disappearing under it ...' said Lupin, waving an impatient hand again.

Harry is giving him a moment to explain himself, but he acts like THIS whenever asked a reasonable question...? Remus is waffling on about himself instead of Sirius, Peter – or making the kids safe. He is explaining what he feels is most important first: himself. Clawing back the trust and control he just lost instead of prioritizing the kids, or Sirius, or Peter.

Chapter 18

pg 256 'Sirius, NO!' Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Black away from Ron again, 'WAIT! You can't do it just like that - they need to understand - we've got to explain -'

Lupin intends to commit kill on the rat – even though doing so would probably sentence him to Azkaban, or straight to a Kiss. He is ready to throw his life away but not before he makes sure the kids 'understand' him. There is a murderer in the room, one Lupin intends to kill – and yet he is prioritizing his image...? Also he is strong enough to hold a skinny, thin Sirius back. Not too surprising – so was a cat.

pg 257 Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly. 'But Professor Lupin ... Scabbers can't be Pettigrew ... it just can't be true, you know it can't...' 'Why can't it be true?' Lupin said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with Grindylows.

Hermione I am sorry he is too far gone right now. Unreasonable.

pg 258 'The Shrieking Shack was never haunted... the screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me.' He pushed his greying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment, then said, 'That's where all of this starts - with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten... and if I hadn't been so foolhardy...' He looked sober and tired.

The noises a werewolf makes are more similar to ghosts than wolves. He blames himself for... everything. Peter being a rat and a nasty git. Life would be good if he wasn't a werewolf? Ok, bro. Nice self loathing you've got there.

'I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The Potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform... I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.' 'Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me.'

- He was a very young boy when bitten – and survived. We know that being bitten is no small matter, that another small boy has died from it. He is lucky, too, that his parents kept/stood by him. - Wolfsbane is not a cure – but it is a cure to the lack of control from it. (More on that in part 5). By calling it a cure, it is like he values the control it gives him most of all and wants the children to think of him as cured, at least cured from being dangerous... ...despite missing his dose today. - Wolfsbane 'makes him safe'; 'keeps his mind'; 'curls up in his office' a 'harmless waiting wolf'. How safe is a 'harmless wolf'...? How much of his mind does he keep...? Something more than a 'fully fledged monster', I suppose... - He couldn't expect to come to Hogwarts because other people would not accept him. While that is true – we know there are laws. We know he is the ONLY werewolf to have attended Hogwarts despite Fenrir making a point to bite children. There is a little more going on than just 'parent mad'. I think it is safe to say he is being hyperbolic. That he is a 'monster' normally, that he is 'a harmless wolf' on the potion, he couldn't go to school for a silly little reason like 'grown-ups hate him'... it's him pleading with the kids. He isn't lying but he is playing it up/down.

One piece of information I want to point out here: he 'curls up in his office, a harmless wolf, to wait for the moon to wane again'. Whether he wants to or not, whether he closes all the curtains and hides under the desk: He WILL transform.

pg 259 'My transformations in those days were - were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits.' … … 'And they didn't desert me at all. Instead they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi.'

First of all: jesus christ... werewolves scream like ghosts, like people. Second: Best times of his life. I wanna bring this up in a post about Patronus', why his is a wolf: Being a werewolf itself, when free to wander, seems to be a positive experience.

pg 260 'They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals,' said Lupin. 'A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. ... Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them.'

He is lying here – or oversimplifying – because he told Hagrid he didn't 'eat anything last night', as in didn't eat Buckbeak. There is something more going on that made being an Animagi safe. Something that, when running around with other 'human intelligent' animals, increased his capacity for control and intelligent thought. He no longer self-harmed when he had a 'pack'.

'Soon we were roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check.' … … 'That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?' 'A thought that still haunts me,' said Lupin heavily. 'And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless - carried away with our own cleverness.'

A stag and/or a large dog is similar in strength to a well-fed teenage werewolf... but not enough to ensure safety. The thought of losing control, of those near misses, haunts him... though he is about to have some near misses damn soon. He is being reckless again right now.

pg 261 'He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job, when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am.'

Thankful to have a job – it's unheard of to knowingly hire a werewolf.

Chapter 19

pg 263 'I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow,' said Snape, throwing the Cloak aside, careful to keep his wand pointing at directly at Lupin's chest. 'Very useful, Potter, I thank you...' 'I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your Potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along.'

Severus has just been to Remus' office. Remus didn't enter the Willow until it was already dark - and has spent a chapter and a half yapping. Severus felt confident entering Remus' office when the sun had set. Maybe he was just that desperate to reach him in the nick of time...? But Severus didn't bring the goblet with him to the Willow, even knowing the children were there. He has been antsy about Remus' Lycanthropy all year – but isn't forcing it down his throat...? He is far more concerned with Remus' actions as a human traitor then the potential of him being a wolf tonight. The invisibility cloak likely wouldn't work against a werewolf – but even if it did, sneaking around listening to Remus blabber on for minutes on end is hardly the actions of someone who thinks a transformation is potentially imminent.

'Two more for Azkaban tonight,' said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically. 'I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this... he was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin... a tame werewolf...' pg 264/265 'Come on, all of you,' he said. He clicked his fingers, and the ends of the cords that bound Lupin flew into his hands. 'I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the Dementors will have a kiss for him, too –' … … 'Dont ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works,' hissed Snape.

A tame werewolf sounds like a joke to 'regular' people. They are considered, in some way, mentally unwell. Severus has bound Remus in magical cords – but I doubt that would be effective if he transformed. If they were then dealing with werewolves would be as simple as binding them. He is emotionally unstable, but being reasonable: immobilizing the threats and shepherding the children to safety. I doubt he, of anyone, would slip up so badly as to allow Remus to transform... which means he doesn't expect him to transform on the way to the castle.

pg 273 'Shall we kill him together?' 'Yes, I think so,' said Lupin grimly.

Lupin is so calm about killing Peter for revenge, even though it'll almost certainly get both him and Sirius put in Azkaban – if not Kissed, like Severus suggested. This is essentially a suicidal move. His last wish is for the children to understand him, and his motives, are more than monstrous.

pg 275 'You should have realised,' said Lupin quietly. 'If Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Goodbye, Peter.' … … 'Very well,' said Lupin. 'Stand aside, Harry.' Harry hesitated. 'I'm going to tie him up,' said Lupin. 'That's all, I swear.'

He changed his mind fast. Harry's opinion is more important to him. Honestly it's not too surprising, he is following other people... but it makes his readiness to have his life ended for revenge seem... passive. Casual. Dying for a 'good' reason? Cool. Sirius being hot-and-cold is fair, he's a prison escapee with no future, following his loyalty to James and now to Harry... Remus? Remus just had one of the best years of his life. But he never expects good times to last long, anyway. Harry and his friends know his secret now...

Chapter 20

pg 278 'A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight. ... Harry could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

...So it is bonkers that his transformation is working like this, considering everything we know. Full Moonlight is triggering it and was blocked by... a cloud. Walls. Severus, Remus and Hermione all would have known it was a Full Moon - and that he forgot his potion. I can understand Remus and Hermione momentarily forgetting in all the hubbub the fact he was walking out into bare night... apart from the fact that transforming isn't an option for werewolves, nor will simply hiding indoors save them. We know that they will transform no matter what.

It doesn't make much sense – but I will go through it a little later. For now: Moonlight triggers it.

pg 279 There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks's fur was on end again, he was backing away - As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harry's side. He had transformed. The enormous, bear-like dog bounded forwards. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backwards, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at eachother - … … Too late. Pettigrew had transformed. Harry saw his bald tail whip through the manacle on Ron's outstretched arm, and heard a scurrying through the grass. There was a howl and a rumbling growl; Harry turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the Forest - 'Sirius, hes gone, Pettigrew transformed!' Harry yelled.

Werewolf Transformation: Go rigid; Limbs shake; Snarl (sharp intake/exhale of air from pain?); Head lengthens into long jaws; Body lengthens (this means werewolves are larger than humans rather wolf-sized); Shoulders hunch over; Hair (fur?) sprouts on face and hands (perhaps everywhere but his clothes are still covering him); Hands curl into paws. The transformation is working body and head first – then out to the extremities. One skinny man, turned into a large dog, is enough to battle a thin werewolf man – though the reason Remus runs isn't clear. Is it to get away from Sirius, because Sirius is hurting him? It seems a little unlikely he would be so distracted from all the humans he could bite... unless the amount of potion he has had helps keep his mind clear. Clear enough to chase after Peter, perhaps...? In any case, he didn't remain injured in the morning. - Werewolves, along with human-like screams, howl, snarl and growl.

Chapter 21

pg 295 She looked nervously over her shoulder into the depths of the Forest. The sun was setting now. … … They moved around the edge of the Forest, darkness falling thickly around them, until they were hidden behind a clump of trees through which they could make out the Willow. 'There's Ron!' said Harry suddenly.

More proof of timing – it was nighttime before Remus showed up.

pg 296 'Here comes Lupin!' said Harry, as they saw another figure sprinting down the stone steps and haring towards the Willow. Harry looked up at the sky. Clouds were obscuring the moon completely.

I wonder if he was running partially because he saw the clouds were covering the moon – and he knew as long as he got to the shack in time he would be safe while inside...?

pg 298 And then, at last, after over an hour... 'Here we come!' Hermione whispered.

They were in the long tunnel from the Willow to the Shack for a long time. It was night before they even went in, and nobody felt at all concerned while they were coming out how much time had passed.

~~~ MY THOUGHTS:

So... after the sun had already gone down, but the moon was covered by clouds, Remus ran outside and to the Willow/Shack – in order to confront a murderer hiding there with the kids. He was understandably emotional, but selfishly put himself first: over the kids, Sirius and Peter, wasting time trying to regain trust and respect... despite knowing he had missed his potion. He showed no real concern of the upcoming/current Full Moon – and neither did Hermione.

Severus only thought to bring Remus his potion after sunset and didn't think to bring it to the shack in any sort of emergency situation. He treated Remus as a traitor, not as a wolf – and was willing to drag him back to the castle, through the night. Even he didn't show much concern for the upcoming/current Full Moon, despite through the year being meticulous in his care and glancing anxiously at him when the Full Moon approaches.

However, as soon as Remus walked outside – bound to Peter and an injured child – he transformed the moment a cloud moved and moonlight hit him directly.

Maybe it is understandable to have momentarily forgotten about the danger... but then again, he didn't feel it coming at all...? They are floating Severus behind them who JUST reminded him he didn't have his potion. He has been talking about his Lycanthropy for an hour.

How could he forget? How could they all forget? How could they be so calm on the Full Moon...?

My theory: It wasn't the Full Moon.

We know being a werewolf isn't quite a binary: - You can be 'contaminated' – only showing some symptoms. - Something anyone can tell about Fenrir Greyback it's that he is a bit more 'Wolf' than 'Were' - However, nobody could tell Remus was anything but chronically ill. Most importantly: - You get sicker the closer it is to the Full Moon, even during the day.

It's like the magic from the reflected light of the moon gets more saturated in the atmosphere as the moon waxes... until your body reaches a breaking point and, no matter where you are (like in your office) you transform. But perhaps that process can be sped up – by saturating yourself in direct near-full moonlight?

A premature transformation. It is the night before the Full Moon.

'Premature transformations under direct late waxing gibbous moonlight' Theory:

As it's not the forced transformation at the peak of the Full Moon it's not talked about as often. It's rare to encounter – but not unheard of or surprising. It is still a 'Full Moon' in a way, after all: The moon looks 'Full' for three or so days and is only truly 'full' for a moment.

If werewolves transformed the MOMENT it was truly Full, then there would be months where they transformed during the day. But if they DID transform during the day, then it still doesn't make sense that nobody is worrying about the Full Moon tonight: They would know when the true Full Moon is. They're Wizards.

This can ONLY mean that werewolves don't transform at the true Full Moon, probably only transform at night (when Direct sunlight doesn't drown out reflected Moonlight) and there is a little more going on than just "Full Moon touched me :^( ick". - Most werewolves hide away, already feeling unwell. They aren't going outside pre-Full Moon... so they don't transform. - Perhaps even those eager to transform would rather save their strength for the true Full Moon...? Perhaps it is a weaker transformation (couldn't even beat up a skinny ass dog) so even violent werewolves avoid it? - Maybe they still have a second transformation – Remus did want to leave the school terribly quickly the next day... so he didn't transform there a second night? It's said multiple times they transform ONCE a month... but maybe that's just because most avoid prematurely transforming? - People misunderstand key things about werewolves anyway, like the fact they are humans and not half-breeds. Remembering only the basics, 'Full Moon forced transformation', feels accurate. - Since Wizards are so Astronomy focused, things like the 'true Full Moon' vs 'nights where it's almost full' is already on their minds. The difference between “Late Waxing Gibbous” and “Full Moon” could be the difference between a potent potion or a watery failure. There is no way they're mistaking what moon cycle it is unless drunk. - Remus' Boggart is the Full Moon – because the Boggart thinks he will be scared of transforming – but there is more merit to that if Remus could turn prematurely under strong moonlight.

If the next night was the true Full Moon – then it makes sense that: - Severus was calm about it, not even thinking to bring the potion as an emergency. If Remus was a traitor he was going to Azkaban tonight anyway – who cares about his penultimate goblet...? - Remus wasn't too worried about transforming. He was safe while in the shack, ran while there was cloud cover... he was just distracted when leaving, head full of Peter, Sirius, guilt and worry. - Hermione didn't mention it. She knows when the Full Moon is – it's not tonight. - The night be cloudy. Some planning, maybe even something as simple as covering Remus' skin with a thick cloak, could be enough to prevent his transformation. Tie him up, throw a cloak on him, make sure the moon is covered and drag him to the castle... fair plan.

Nobody was surprised that it happened, and yet nobody thought about it beforehand.

Big moon dangerous – werewolf go brr.