#Oh the stories Drarry authors tell

[romaine2424]

For the Love of WIPs (Drarry style) Part 2

The following list is for those Drarry WIPs that I'm currently following. I'm sure there are more and if you have a fav I don't have listed then please share share share. The fics listed I have high confidence will be completed given the authors past performance and they are being updated regularly. It is one of my qualifications of taking on a WIP, has the author finished their previous chapter fics? I do take a chance now and then, especially for new authors. I got sent an anonymous ask this morning that I'm going to respond to later today or tomorrow about WIPs and why they are an underrated/hidden area of fic.

Okay enough of me nattering.... Drarry WIPs under the cut!

Lets start with the tease I left yesterday... the 2 A/B/Os

To Hold You in the Earth's Unholy Din (5/9, 36K so far) by @hoko-onchi-writes. Summary:

“Prince Draco.” The sound of the guard’s voice sent a shiver through him. “You may speak,” Draco said carefully. “I apologise.” Potter’s voice had an aching edge of sincerity to it, none of the snark from before. “An Alpha isn’t able to control who… responds to his scent.” Anger flared in Draco’s chest. How dare this guard make some assumption about what Draco could sense? “Apologies are for equals. You’re less than nothing to me, guard,” Draco spat. “Don’t you dare assume otherwise. You’ll speak only when spoken to, or you’ll find yourself exiled from this kingdom without a sickle to your name.” “Yes, my prince.” My prince. His voice, rich and dark. His scent, musk and spice and loamy earth. It wasn't proper for a guard to smell that way. To make Draco's spine draw taut as a bowstring, to kick up sparks in the pit of his belly. Like a promise. Like a calling. Draco wondered if the guard could smell him. If he could feel Draco's body responding to his scent, wanton and ready. Slick. He cast the guard a final glance, chest tight and cheeks hot. Draco needed to rid himself of this guard. And soon.

Comment: *anyone got a fan?* whew! Prince Omega!Drarry is so much fun in this fic. He's spoiled rotten, but, yet, has had his wings (figuratively) clipped from experiencing much of life outside of the castle since he became of age. He's a prized royal omega and Lucius is about to marry him off, but there's a problem. It's that Alpha guard Harry Potter who is so stoic in keeping watch over Prince Draco's safety. And, oh, he smells delicious. Draco is so horrible in teasing Harry and their banter is priceless when it happens. Harry having to throw Draco over his shoulder to get him to behave and to safety is the absolute best. There's so much lovely worldbuilding along with relationship entanglements with Draco's Beta friends, Blaise, Theo, and Pansy. The sexual tension of this fic is off the charts! Go read and enjoy!!!!

2. A Dark and Savage Magic (5/9, 63K so far) by tessacrowley Summary:

They say that the earliest spells were cast without wands, that they were bargains made with the earth. They say that the magic was theoretically limitless, equal only to the price the caster was willing to pay, strong enough to move mountains and reshape the sky. They say that omegas were pioneers of that magic, its scholars and its stewards. But that was many thousands of years ago. Ages have come and gone since the last of the druids drew breath. Their knowledge, and their power, has slipped from history to legend, from legend to myth. Omegas are now an underclass, and druids a relic of an idealized but unattainable past. Draco Malfoy, an omega himself, has a natural skill in the old magic that will do him no favors.

Comment: While the 1st A/B/O was fun and sexy, this one is oh so dark. The warnings are strong! The omegaverse lore has been built into potterverse. This is all from Draco's POV and we meet him when he is quite young and already frustrated by the limitations put on him for being an omega. They are not prized in this world...at all... Narcissa is one, too, and Lucius is a strong Alpha. Lucius is an arse!!!Because Omega's can't inherit, a sister is born a year later, an alpha. She is given many of the traits canon Draco has. Each chapter is a retelling of a canon book, but from Draco's perspective and experiences. Somethings change and we're given detailed storytelling in these parts, and others that don't are skimmed over. It's integrated and done beautifully. Harry comes into this story at the school robe fitting. He is oblivious not only to magic and the magical world but also everything omegaverse. And while he's an alpha, his true underpinnings of being kind and sticking up for those who can't shines through. I love this fic. I know next week's chapter is supposed to be the darkest one (plenty of dark stuff has already happened) but I still can't wait to read it. Tessa is such a master storyteller.

3. Mother (18/20, 65K so far) by @pixiedunhoff Summary: Despite some rather unconventional aspects of Draco’s newly developed style, she remained a romantic traditionalist.

Sequel to “Moonlighting. (22/22, 77.5K complete)” Both fics make up the Draco Malfoy and the GenderBend Blend Series. I'm currently reading Moonlighting but I wanted to add Pixie's works in here as Mother is doing so well by snippits I've seen from others and am so enjoying Moonlighting! I have a strong love for fem!Draco, and Pixie has her characterization nailed. Draco has hidden this other side for a very long time, but when the genderbend blend becomes available, Draco takes it out for a spin. One pub owner/bartender is very in favour. Again, I really enjoy Pixie's writing style. The characters act and talk very real, which draws you into her incredible story.

4. Follies of an Ornamental Hermit (9/15, 54K so far) by @mallstars and illustrated by @itsphantasmagoria. Summary:

Potter still wasn't looking at him. Instead he faced the windows, watching the snow and the sunless sea. Behind the welcome desk, standing tall amidst the wisdom and glistening magic, Draco controlled the spheres of restless light and the flustered books, all with gentle flicks of a wand that had once served Potter without a beat of hesitation. If Potter were to look, Draco would be ready. He had a right to be here. The library was his, if only after hours.

Comment: Okay, I have to admit, I'm only 2 chapters in but have looked at all of the illustrations! LOL Each one of Draco's outfits is so fricken' amazing! I'm savoring this one to catch up on when I know I have a day without interruptions. I'm a speed reader, which means I skim sometimes and Mallstars' writing is so beautiful, that I don't want to rush through it. But, I also know, that this one is so highly popular means you WIP lovers are already hooked on it.

I hope you find some time to enjoy these fics as much as I am!

I also have a small list of WIPs that haven't been updated for years and years, but, hey, if I can go back and finish my 2 WIPs from 15 years ago, there is always hope.

Thanks for you indulgence!

Rom

[getawayfox]

My favorite reclist of the year! It’s the best excuse to reread beloved fics and shout about them again. I couldn’t wait any longer to post it, so, without further ado: here are my personal favorites from 2023 and why I love them, along with a banner I’m really pleased with. 

Thank you, sweet writers, for giving us your wonderful stories. Wishing everyone a happy December and an amazing and soft new year!

I Fall On Grass by @tackytigerfic Drarry, T, 3.1k

I adore stories with mature characters and this one is no exception. It’s so charming: gentle pining over the years, throughout the realities of life and parenthood, written with such a light hand. And lovely worldbuilding of a slow life that they built for themselves, which left me smiling the whole day after reading it. It feels like a soft caress for my soul.

It’s Me or the Peacock by harrows Drarry, T, 4.6

Do you ever feel like reading a fun, lighthearted fic that will have you grinning all day? Look no further, this is the one. Picture this: established Drarry taking the plunge to move in together, except Draco is bringing his “avian third wheel” with him, adding a feathered twist to the mix. Harry can’t quite believe what’s happening and that’s not even the half of it. This fic is a delight!

Sun Shower by @moonmanatee Drarry, T, 6k

Meet Orkie (short for Snorkel), the delightful cat who loves his boy Harry very much. They share a special bond, silently understanding not to delve into the origins of their pasts. What matters most is their companionship and the comforting routine they’ve woven together. Now, enter Draco Malfoy, a fashion icon with phenomenal outfits, his mud-loving dog, Hubert, and a dash of mouthwatering culinary creations. Your heart will grow three sizes by the time you’re done reading; mine certainly did.

Birds Behaving Badly by @peachpety Drarry, E, 10.5k

Oh, this fic!! I swear my whole body was wiggling with delight when I read it – it’s hilarious and hot and so witty. Draco has a type, which leads to a fun case of mistaken identity, all artfully resolved with the intervention of a conniving seagull, Kevin. Brace yourself for some sassy Slytherin banter, side characters so vividly portrayed they’ll steal your heart (Goyle, I’m looking at you), and the enchanting backdrop of a magical Brighton in the summer. Cue the squeals of delight! 

A Saviour’s Guide to Manners and Decorum by @wolfpants Drarry, E, 13k

I have read every fic Wolf has written this year and, let me tell you, choosing just one feels like an impossible task – I wish I could include them all. But here is my pick, and it’s not because it happened to be my birthday gift. This fic is a gem, seamlessly blending humor with a soft, wistful touch (oh, and do I need to mention it’s also incredibly hot?). It resonates because Harry just wants to be accepted for who he is, refusing to change for anyone (as he rightly shouldn't!). Enter Draco, who is here to help, and not to “fix him”. Sprinkle that with a subtle hint of D/s dynamics, a generous serving of UST, and a sensual shaving scene, and you have got the perfect fic. LOVE!

I only want the ones I envy (I envy) by @porcelainheart3 Drarry, E, 13.5k

This fic is so stunning! A coming-out story with writing so clean and sharp it made me laugh out loud through (lots of) inevitable tears. It has a very competent magical inventor Draco, who wears sock garters(!). It has Harry on a self-discovery journey that feels so very real; with a heart-wrenching childhood flashback that will leave you shattered. It has the most supportive friends. It has banter and flirting and so many wonderful details (look closely at the newspaper in the fic for an extra dose of laughter). And let's not forget the most incredibly emotional blow job; talk about smut with feelings! It’s one of those fics that made me read the rest of the author’s catalog immediately (and trust me, you should too!).

A Time, Dark and Divine by @moonflower-rose Established Drarry, Draco/Ron/Harry, E, 17k

Oh boy oh boy oh boy, this fic is so scorching hot. And their dynamic is so complex: jealousy and possessiveness wrapped up in a delicious package of a boys' trip in Thailand. A stunning Ron POV filled to the brim with complicated history and tension, incredible characterization for all three of them, culminating, inevitably, in hot-hot-hot sex. I couldn’t get this story out of my head for days. If you, like me, like feelings with your smut, this one’s for you! 

Waking Up Slow by @sweet-s0rr0w and @ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm Drarry, E, 22k

This story is so charming and whimsical! First of all, this Draco is such an utter delight that I fell in love with him right away. He’s so entertaining! The concept of Christmas in July gives the story a wonderfully atmospheric and slightly wistful tone. Add to it a very domestic and playful dynamic between Draco and Harry, top-notch dialogue, so many creative details, and an absolutely delicious and intimate sex scene. From beginning to end, this fic is so warm and touching; a gentle romance that feels as if it was enchantingly sprinkled with a cheering charm.

the first in line by @oflights Drarry, E, 29.5k

This fic is hilarious, mischievous, and sexy all at the same time. And also a little bit unhinged in the best possible way. It had me in its grip from the very first sentence: “When the clock strikes midnight on his 25th birthday, Harry is having a threesome with a werewolf and a vampire.” (chef’s kiss!) and it didn’t let me go. We have a reluctant and grumpy Veela Harry, an over-the-top Draco, summer vacation vibes, a magical yacht, wooing with a hot air balloon (and more!), plus an absolutely delightful non-monogamous background Romione. Gah!!!

Of Magical Beings Being - Magic by @rockingrobin69 Drarry, E, 30k

What’s actually magic here is Robin’s writing. It’s… wait, I don’t think I have words for how rich and full this world is, how special! There’s pining and soft angst and an unreliable narrator and exes to lovers, but somehow all that doesn’t even begin to describe what this story is. It’s witty and fascinating and soft and playful. It’s about loving the other person so much that you do the wrong thing because you think that’s what they want, even though it hurts you. It’s about manifesting them in everything you do until they come back. It’s about Love, about Happiness. It knocked the breath out of me. It’s unbearably lovely.

Winner takes it all by @skeptiquewrites Drarry, E, 41k

This fic is absolutely devastating in a sort of gentle way. My heart broke a million times for this wonderful, hardworking, cornered Draco – who’s looking after his mum – as well as for a whole bunch of beautifully written side characters. The story starts with a bet, and from there, it unravels with Tee's razor-sharp writing, infused with nuance that makes the narrative incredibly rich and undeniably real. If you're in the mood for a cathartic cry, followed by a sweet, happy ending, don't walk – run to this fic!

[sortofshea]

On the 12th day of @hprecfest this fandom gave to me...

Day 12: a fic by your favourite author

Title: Heal Thyself by @astolat

Pairing: Draco x Harry

Teen | 46.9k words

Summary:

"Are you going for the course?" Lovegood asked. "You have the NEWTs.”

“What course?” Draco said, then, “No, don’t be ridiculous,” when he realized she meant the notice pinned up on the board he’d been staring at: Applicants To The Introductory Mediwizard Course For The Coming Term Shall Present Themselves In The Chief Mediwizard’s Office By August 24th.

"Oh, I thought you might,” she said. “Well, goodbye.” And off she wandered again in her addled way.

Why I recommend it:

Choosing a "favourite" author from this fandom is an impossible task. Astolat won this spot despite a whole host of other contenders because I cannot simply pick one, but many of my other favourite authors are featuring in other prompts and I've read just about every single scrap of HP fanfiction she's written.

This fic is an absolutely stunning exploration of Draco's journey to redemption after the war. It is very apparent that he only begins the course to become a healer out of pride and spite, but after a few years, he starts to realize that he also wants this for himself. He struggles and fights his way through a wand that is reluctant to cooperate with him and the reactions of the public and his peers to his presence in the course.

Through gritted teeth, Draco works hard to make ammends for his past. He lives, breathes and sleeps his studies and work. This guy stops going out unless his very beneficent senior tells him he must. Even after he graduates and goes on to become a special consultant for only the most difficult of cases, he has to be kicked out of the hospital by the Chief Mediwizard. Not for good, of course, just out of the permanent residences and told to get a real flat and work no more than 5 days a week.

Draco has found something that he is not only good at, but is also benefitting both his patients and himself. His patients recieve care from literally the best Magister in England, and Draco finds that he is able to heal the bits of his soul that have been eroded by dark magic and corruption.

Listen, House, MD is one of my all time facourite shows. Draco doesn't give Dr. House per-se, but he is portrayed as a grumpy, tortured prodigy who is more often than not, the only one capable of saving his patients. The story is full of such beautifully crafted magical theory and magical medical lore, its truly brilliant. I crave this. I eat that shit right up. I will never stop rereading this fic.

As for the drarry of it all, Harry comes into the story when Draco has reached the top of his game, essentially. He's rebuilt his life in as successful a fashion as he knows how, and he's found a certain fulfillment and even peace with himself. Harry is deeply mistrusting of him and holds an unfairly harsh opinion, even after Draco saves his life. Having coincidentally discovered that fragments of all 3 killing curses Voldemort hit Harry with had not exactly vacated his body, Draco begins operating at once. It is a long, exhausting and harrowing procedure, but he does it. After the fact, Harry decides he's lying about something, hiding something and reverts to his basic programming; he begins stalking investigating Draco Malfoy.

When he discovers absolutely nothing, not a single hair out of place, he is baffled. He realizes that somehow Draco has literally managed to cleanse himself of all darkness. Despite all odds, he has crawled out of the corruption that was bred into him and come out a changed man - but also very much the same Draco he has always been. Honestly, after Harry has his come to Jesus moment and realizes he has feelings for Draco, its all very quick and easy between them.

Watching Harry fall into old habits and expect absolutely nothing but the worst from Draco, it's so stunningly relieving when he finally clues into it all. After realizing that Draco is a changed man, Harry mostly just finds it incredibly amusing to hang around and annoy him. It takes some time before he realizes that he has feelings for Draco, but when he does, these two quickly fall into such an easy rhythm with each other.

I need to end this outrageously long rec, thanks for reading for this long. Just do yourself a favour and go read this phenomenal fic. Also go leave kudos and comments!

Honourable mentions also go to Erosmancy, House Proud, The Compact, Reparatio and Slithering, which are some of my other favourites by Astolat.

[rae-lune]

fanfic author interview game!

thank u for the tag, my tumblr tag game queen @pretentiouswreckingball loved reading urs, am obsessed with u <3

How many works do you have on AO3?

five! perfect time to get tagged in this lol

What's your total AO3 word count?

111,731 :-) (only since june! can u tell i was unemployed this summer lol)

Your top 5 stories by kudos/likes:

In silence, wide-eyed

the magic fabric of our dreaming

Time Was Runnin' Wild (Still Don't Know What I Was Waitin' For)

Scatter My Atoms

The Sound of the Unlocking (she's brand spankin' new!)

Do you respond to comments?

yes!! i love to get comments and always respond like, straight away lol. i have no chill

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

hmm, probably In silence, wide-eyed. that one has a hopeful ending and i wouldn't say it's particularly angsty, but the other completed fics all (to me) have definite happy endings, so!

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

magic fabric of our dreaming, 100%. that one is just wolfstar like, disgustingly in love the entire time and i love it.

Do you write crossovers?

no! don't know that i ever would either

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

no! but i am a baby author, so. maybe my day is yet to come

Do you write smut?

yes, i have! most of my fics are rated mature and i wouldn't really call that smut, but Scatter My Atoms is explicit. and i plan to write more explicit stuff in the future ;)

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i am aware of :-)

Have you ever had a fic translated?

no but that would be so cool!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

no but i am very much not opposed to the idea.......

What's your all-time favorite ship?

wolfstar!!! i love and read other ships but i am a wolfstar slut thru and thru.

What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

Scatter My Atoms. i will finish it, but that date is soooo TBD. it was the first idea i ever had for a fic and it's my baby, but i started publishing it right before i started a new job and got married and life just lifed. i also do not think i had enough experience with writing again after so many years to do the story justice when i first started posting it. i ALSO don't love that i started posting it as soon as i finished chapters instead of writing ahead-- i got heinously stuck and now it's been so long that even though i've sorted through the issue in my head, the thought of opening it back up makes me unbearably nervous lol. but i do still love the story and it will be finished, just probably after i reach a few other goals i have for myself this year!!!

What are your writing strengths?

oh man, idk. i've been told by lovely commenters that i describe emotions really well!!

What are your writing weaknesses?

definitely the planning/organization of a story. i think it's something that's becoming easier as i write more and more, but 95% of the time i think of an idea for a fic i have such a clear understanding/vision of the beginning that either the middle or the end (or both!) get lost. (see above about Scatter My Atoms, lol-- this def happened there.) (woman is faced with consequences of her own impatience! shocking!!) (i am an aries, ok??) i'm working on taking my time to think things all the way through and have already noticed a difference in ease of writing and how happy i am with the end product!

also, i ramble!!!!!!

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

huge fan, language is so sexyyyy and i love when characters are multilingual and have little words or phrases or just start goinggggg in a different language. i mostly read fics on my kindle, so it's really easy to translate as i read. i also have written and will continue to write french into mine!

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

i am currently percolating on an idea for a drarry fic that i'm very excited about! though i'm not sure when i will get around to writing it. idk if i'd ever write another fandom, but if i did it would almost certainly be arcane (jayvik, my messy divorced beloveds).

What's your favorite fic you've written?

i love all my children, but i am especially proud of The Sound of the Unlocking!

no pressure tags: @static-radio-ao3 @veganbutterchicken @itsjaywalkers @severedreamerfox @languagelessonswolfstar + open tag :-)

[cr-amber]

Author Interview

ty @twisted-tales-told for the tag!!!

How many works on ao3: 15, very soon to be 16!!

How many words on ao3: 77,163

Top 5 stories by Kudos

Perfect Little Life

the one where sirius is an accidental matchmaker

Not Exactly A Secret

Kiss Me Goodnight

Call Him Pretty

Do you respond to comments?

yeah!! as long as they're nice i try to respond to every comment

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

that would be desperate prayers of a cursed man aka the only time i've ever written something with the canon compliant deaths

Do you write crossovers?

nope! i've got one fic that's jegulus but based on a scene from rwrb, that's probably the closest

Have you ever recieved hate before on a fic?

not seriously, every so often people comment telling me i shouldn't write trans characters a certain way and i usually just delete those bc,, i'm literally trans??

Do you write smut?

yep! i didn't think i ever would and then i wrote Kiss Me Goodnight thinking it was gonna be fade to black and then it,, wasn't, and as it turns out writing smut is a lot of fun sometimes

Have you ever had your fics stolen?

not that i know of!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

not that i can recall! lots of discord chats about stories but nothing official

What's your favourite ship of all time?

oh man i think it's gotta be drarry they've just lasted through sooo much

very close seconds are jegulus and snowbaz

Have you ever had a fic translated:

not that i can recall

Whats a wip you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

ugh my marauders band au that i have so many random parts of but not all the pieces i need to string the whole thing together

What are your writing strengths?

i think i'm really good at capturing a little moment/scene/day without needing a ton of backstory/worldbuilding to get the connection between the characters across!

What are your writing weaknesses?

i can't write in order to save my life, and that unfortunately means i end up with lots of ideas that never get finished bc i can't be bothered to connect the pieces.

i also just don't love conflict and would rather my characters be happy, so sometimes that can make my stories fall flat

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages?

love!! it's such a cool way to add to a character (i live for latino james speaking spanish) and i don't mind having a fic open in one tab and google translate open in another to understand what's going on.

i haven't done it much myself, but maybe i'll get into it more!

What's a fandom/Ship you haven't written for but want to?

snowbaz from carry on by rainbow rowell

What's your favourite fic you've ever written?

i think that possibly, maybe i'm falling for you is the one i'm most proud of atm bc it's soo long for me (i know 42k isnt that long in fanfic world but for me its a lot) and i finally finished it!!

no pressure tags: @sophsicle @arakhnee and anyone else who wants to!

[seriouslysam8]

A Little Ramble - Probably a Rant

I feel the need to say something for a very small percentage of people. Because most of my readers and reviewers are wonderful and I love them so much and I want to give you big, big, big hugs. You guys are amazing and you're the reason I can update consistently.

I get there are people upset with the way I write Hermione out of stories and how I cast her into the background. If you love Hermione, then my stories are not for you. She will never be a main character or even a side character. I will never write her POV. If that upsets you, there is an x in the corner. Utilize it.

I'll only talk about Brumous. This story is really a story about Harry and Sirius. It's about them finding the family they desperately needed for the past fourteen years. It's about Sirius learning to overcome his demons and step up as the godfather he was always supposed to be. It's about Harry learning to rely and accept help from others and learn what a family truly is. The main relationship, the main characters in this story are really Harry and Sirius.

This is not a story about Hermione. This isn't really even a story about Hinny or Remadora or Ron or anybody else. Yes, Hinny and Remadora are the main pairings in this story but Ginny and Remus are really the side POVs in this story. They do not always have a POV every chapter they do not drive the main plot forward, nor are they the center of it. That belongs to Harry and Sirius.

There is really no reason Hermione needs to be in the story. She holds no value, to be quite honest, as she doesn't have a purpose in this story like she does in the books. I'm not writing a character for the sake of writing them, especially when I dislike the character. I don't bash her, I don't make her look bad, I just push her into the background because she's not important to the storyline.

There are plenty of stories where Hermione is a main character, where she gets a POV, where she saves the day with her Mary Sue intellect. That's GREAT! I'm glad there's a bunch of stories people can read about what they like. But there also needs to be stories for people who don't want to read about her. THAT'S GREAT TOO.

The beauty of fandom is that we can find stories for whatever we want. Hinny, Remadora, Jily, Drarry, Wolfstar, Dramoine, Romione, Panville, the list goes on and on and on! There's so many stories that have a wide variety of main characters too! You want to read about Harry: yep, there's that! You want to read about Remus: oh, yeah, there's a bunch of those too. You want Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Neville, James, Lily, Sirius, whoever the fuck you want, YEP THERE ARE THOSE STORIES OUT THERE. HP is a massive fandom with so many talented authors and art and just people in general. You can legit find whatever you want to read. If you don't, you write it yourself!

You want to know what I want to read but couldn't really find so I started to write myself? A story where Sirius lives and he's like a dad to Harry. A story where Hinny had more time together before shit hit the fan. A story where Harry and Ron have an amazing bromance. A story where Harry dealt with his childhood trauma and started trusting adults around him to help him. Finally, a story where Hermione wasn't the focal point and always solving all the issues.

So, please, don't call me disrespectful for pushing Hermione in the background. Don't tell me I ignore Ginny's faults while highlighting Hermione's. Don't tell me that you're disappointed in my writing because Hermione isn't a focal point. Because at the end of the day, this is my story. This is what I want to write. I'm not pandering to what you want. Just because you're disappointed in me or whatever doesn't mean I'm going to change my entire story to make you happy. Because I won't. I don't care. I especially don't care if you're some anonymous person leaving a review since I'm just going to delete your review and move on. Yes, I do delete guest reviews that annoy me. Yes, I block people on Tumblr who want to hound me on my stance with Hermione. I do it because I can and I want to and that's my choice in order to make the fandom experience I want to have.

So, while you're annoyed with my representation of Hermione in MY stories, I'm equally annoyed with you when you can't just let me write MY STORIES the way I want to. I write for free. You want me to write Hermione in some great positive light, then fucking pay me. Otherwise, just leave me alone. Nobody is forcing you to read my stories.

At the end of the day, people can read and write what they want to. If you don't like my opinions on my Tumblr, block me. I'm fine with that. If you don't like the way I portray characters, don't read my stories. I'm okay with that. I found my little niche and I'm happy. I make it very clear what I like and don't like so you know exactly what to expect in stories from me. So, find your niche and the authors who write exactly what you like and be happy.

I am tired of people constantly trying to convince me Hermione is a great character (save your breath because you won't change my mind) or people being rude and telling me my opinion about her is wrong (it's not since we're all allowed to have opinions because they're OPINIONS and not FACTS) or people calling me a Hermione basher (I'm not bashing anyone in my stories - except maybe, maybe Snape a teeny tiny bit but he's a fucking cockwombling asshole and I will not apologize for that. I cannot stop from constantly portraying him in a negative light. Okay, I'm guilty of that.) I'm really tired of answering asks about Hermione or having to explain my reasoning on why I don't like her. I just don't, okay? There's nothing wrong with that. People can like whoever they want to. I shouldn't have to constantly justify my opinion.

I dislike Wolfstar because I don't think it makes sense with canon and I hate the fandom versions of their characters. I do not read Wolfstar stories, I do not follow Wolfstar blogs, I do not bother people who love Wolfstar. They can read and love whatever they like. Good for you! That's amazing. I'll never argue with you about Wolfstar. Because that's your opinion and what you like.

So, I guess what I'm saying is, you don't need to read my stories or follow my Tumblr or bother me if my stance on Hermione bothers you that much. In words of Elsa, let it go!

I've ranted enough but it's just been something that's bothering me for awhile and I'm tired of deleting reviews, asks, or blocking tumblrs.

Anyway, thank you for coming to my TED talk.

[gillianthecat]

Books Tag Game

Thank you for the tag @littleragondin! I've actually been reading books again these past few weeks so I have answers now lol

hardcover or *paperback* (i am but a weak little woman and those hardcovers are heavy) // bookstore or *library* (probably I would usually say bookstore but I was going to many different libraries to study at towards the end of the semester) // standalone or *series* (really depends on my mood, but the most recent books were a series) // nonfiction or *fiction* (fiction is an indulgence, and while I'm interested in a lot of non-fiction, reading it usually feels more like work) // thriller or *fantasy* (I've never been into scary stuff) // under 300 pages or *over 300 pages* (otherwise it goes by too quickly!) // children's or *ya* (i have not connected with the YA I've read in recent years but at times I have devoured it) // friends to lovers or *enemies to lovers* (there are some amazing friends-to-lovers I adore, but I'm compelled by even mediocre enemies-to-lovers) // *read in bed* or read on the couch (either but recently it's been all in bed) // *read at night* or read in the morning (through the night and into the next morning) // *keep pristine* or markup (I don't try to actually keep books pristine, but I also never bother to mark up anything but textbooks) // *cracked spine* or dog ear (historically I read most books on one sitting, but if not I'd just search for the page again/use a random receipt as a bookmark)

Currently Reading:

I'm not in the middle of anything, but I've read more in recent weeks than I have in a long time. (Well, technically I'm in the middle of Solomon's Ransom by Corey Kerr, because I read the sample and now am waiting for the book to be released in a few weeks.)

Several months ago I got from the (physical!) library a (physical!) copy of She Who Became the Sun by Shelly Parker-Chan, and I finally finished after the semester ended, and then found an ebook of the sequel, He Who Drowned the World. (Compelling, though I think the ambitiousness of the project inevitably meant that parts of it didn't quite work.)

Then I read a bunch of romance ebooks, and even found a m/f one that I liked! Jodi McAlister's Not Here To Make Friends. (It was also the reality dating show romance I had been low-key hoping would exist.)

I also read RF Kuang's Babel: An Arcane History (which I appreciated and was provoked by, but didn't exactly love), and then read that she was inspired by/responding to Donna Tartt's The Secret History, so I reread that. (When I read it years ago my reaction was, I'm too old for this. It felt like a book you need to read in your teens or early twenties to get swept up into. My thoughts this go around were pretty much the same.) Then Kuang's Yellowface, which was also compelling.

Speaking of enemies to lovers, quite enjoyed The Sorcerer's Omega, also by Corey Kerr, which is why I'm awaiting her latest release. (The other two books in that world are also good, just not catnip for my tastes in the same way.)

And your post reminded me—I too read Love in the Big City, which was good and also unsettling in that way of most autobiographical novels about the authors fucked up twenties. Now I can go and unblock the tag and see all the fascinating discussions y'all had in your book club.

I have no idea how they'll manage to turn it into a BL (which is what I think I read is happening?). Although it's about relationships it's very much not a romance. Are they just pulling out some random plot points and building a whole new story around them? I hope they don't try to smush it into BL shape at all, and just tell the narrator's melancholy story as written.

(Oh, technically I'm in the middle of Mari Kondo's The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, but I'm not sure if I'll read any more. Other people's advice can be counterproductive at times.)

(Most most recently was a bunch of Untamed and Drarry fanfic, but I'm not counting that.)

I'm not sure who's done this already, but I'll tag @lelephantsnail, @petrichoraline and @tungtung-thanawat.

[sitp-recs]

Happy birthday my dear @the-starryknight! It’s been such a joy to share this space with you for the past couple years. You’re not only one of the kindest souls out there, but also an incredibly talented writer and such an important fandom supporter and enthusiast. I’m beyond grateful for everything you’ve done - from compiling great resource posts like this one with Drarry reccers and this one about fandom curation - to your uplifting Tuesday TLC Zone series and your gorgeous, heartfelt fic recs. It’s wonderful to see the quiet yet powerful impact you have beyond your written works, which are already brilliant in themselves.

The way you’re able to build delicious tension and suspense in just a few words, the way you explore aching tenderness, raw desire and desperate loneliness, the way you gently guide us from darkness to healing with every love story. Your impeccable prose, your precise use of sentences, your ability to transform nuanced characters and establish rich universes within just a few words. Everything about you and your writing moves me so much! I can only express gratitude and appreciation for everything that you’ve done and shared with us so far. Here’s a little gift to celebrate your iconic short format that reflects all of the things I mentioned above, with a few selected favorites from this microfic series that I adore so much. Happy birthday! 💙

🏮ch 5: read him in secret // dogeared pages

My lips dogear the page of his skin so I can’t forget my place, bookmarked out of sight. Unsilenced, my fingernails leave red marginalia on his spread thighs, his sweat dampening the pages: remember this. They wrote a thousand stories in his name, but I’m the author of his satisfaction.

🏮ch 9: audience of one // blush

The adrenaline bass fills Harry’s veins like a heartbeat as he watches from the wings. The stage lights blush across Draco’s burning cheeks, the final notes shiver from his fingertips. The audience shouts his name — Malfoy, Malfoy, Malfoy — but it tastes different in Harry’s mouth, Draco’s music on his tongue.

🏮ch 12: seeker on seeker // gloves

It’s the leather pressed so close to my skin I can feel the threads in the fingertip where he fucks me, glove on thigh on cock, unwilling to shuck our Quidditch kits in favour of this — oh — this, riding him with everything in between and nothing left to stop us.

🏮ch 16: desire admission // silk

He’s sunken into the silk-tied satin-slide sweetness of try-this-with-me trust, of lace on skin and knots on thighs. “Draco,” he pleads, shivering on the ever-moving edge of desperation. “Draco,” slips from his tongue as I fuck him like he wants it most, sweat-slick and uninhibited.

🏮ch 32: shelf life // bookbinder

Bind me to him, lay my gathering down against his spine so only thread lies between our inked pages. Tie me to him so I can feel the hush of our deckle edges against each other with every licked-finger page-turn press. Open me, I’ll tell him. Read me – I’m yours.

🏮ch 35: lying lupine // werewolf

I cared for him only as the Wolf, but I knew him in every sense of my self. Pine and hemlock, sandalwood and home — when the moon glared monthly fear into my bones, he smelled like safety. In daylight, though our knees remained mud-stained, I looked the other way.

🏮ch 38: alchemical formula // inch

I know his inches by touch and his skin by taste and the balance of gold to man by the way he makes my heart beat. He is eternal life when he laughs; and seductive sin when he offers himself to me — freely, as if I deserve to know.

🏮ch 42: taking back life's thread (a second chance) // thread

If Fate lives, let her watch me take this thread and tie it ‘round his wrist — bind him to me. When we weave this life’s tapestry, we’ll hold our clashing colours double, we’ll trace the same pattern; I have spent too long at odds to not press myself against him.

🏮ch 48: potions collaboration // stardust

“Let me teach you how to collect stardust,” murmured Draco, pressing Harry into the dewy grass. They were bare beneath the full moon, naked skin flushed with the summer heat and more. “Like this,” he said, drawing his thumb through sweat collected at Harry’s hip. “On skin, suspended in saltwater.”

🏮ch 50: little luminaries

Harry stands among his creations; a dozen glass lights dazzle amid the charmed ceiling. Vibrant red, silver-grey and joyful yellow by the witchlight, his craft in each soldered seam.

"You're watching me again."

How can I not? "I like the gold one, there."

"They're yours. I make them all for you."

Check the full little luminaries microfic collection here!

[phdmama]

👻💰✏️ please!

HELLO MY FRIEND!! Thank youuuuu! xox

👻 Have you written holiday-themed fics? If yes, which is your fave? If not, what’s one holiday you’d want to write for, and which character(s) would the fic be for?

Huh. I think the closest thing I've written to a holiday fic is probably Now That I Found You, (Larry, ~7800 words, Explicit) which is GOOD LORD 7 YEARS OLD WHAT THE HELL????

*ahem*

even that's not really particularly Christmassy.

I am pretty low key about holidays myself, but I do like a funny drunk party scene, could see a NYE thing with Drarry or Buddie, for sure!

💰 What’s one trope you wouldn’t write, except for money?

Okay the problem is, the things that come to mind immediately are things like MCD (wrote it for free), alpha/beta/omega (wrote it for free, and it's LONG even), mpeg (wrote a drabble for free and keep threatening to write an actual realistic mpreg haha which everyone would hate but me), infidelity (started one but I don't know if I'll finish it).

So never say never I guess?

OH I KNOW. High School AU.

✏️ What is your fave fic from another writer?

I cannot claim just one, I love so so many fics and authors, and honestly, the amount of joy people's writing has brought me is literally immeasurable. I don't even want to start listing people because I don't want to leave anyone out!!

I will say, I read really widely across fandoms and pairings, because I tend to be much more about the story and the writing than I am about the pairings (there are a few folks where I can only read on particular pairing). I mean, obviously I have to have some engagement with the pairing, but I'm actually perfectly capable of loving fic in a fandom where I've never seen the source material (I'm looking at you, Sterek). I tend to cycle through my favorites these days - I'm just sure I have the bandwidth to push myself too much for newer stuff if that makes sense? I am BIG in my Sterek feels right now, I'll tell you what.

[danpuff-ao3]

Liv...@sitp-recs...what a lovely human! QUEEN of Fic Recs. Like, holy hell. How does she do it?? This lady can make a rec list at the drop of a hat, I stg.

So many themes! So many asks answered! Lots of Drarry, but not just Drarry! Rare pairs galore, too! Not to mention all the fandom love! She is so incredibly supportive, generous, and kind. Liv is such a blessing to fandom. Not only for the incredible (and frankly insane (but like in a good way)) rec lists, but for her very precious presence. Thanks for being such a great person, Liv. And thanks for being here! (Also: thanks for letting me pester you!)

Dark!Harry/Draco

Had to include this, which I stumbled upon while looking for another rec list. One: isn't Dark!Harry such fun? Two, lots of familiar author names! And a few fics I've read, even, though I don't read much Drarry! So we're starting this one off with the list I decided to include on a whim LOL!

Dralbus

My oh my! I can never resist Albus Severus/Draco. And what a list this is! I can second like...all of these, basically. With a special OH HECK YEAH for Make Your Own Bed and The Mark of a Good Man!!!!

Dron

AHHH DRACO/RON I LOVE THEM OH GOD. I am so obsessed. It's one of my favorite Draco ships for sure. And probably my favorite ship where both parties are the same age hahaha. If anything could sway me away from my love of age gaps, it's this bratty blond and riled-up redhead! And gosh, this list has so much good stuff on it!!!!! Seriously, all of them. Also my fic Collateral Damage is on here which ???? I cry.

I swear I'm not reccing this list for selfish reasons, though. Plumage??? Excellent. A Rush of Blood to the Head?? Oh god HOT. A Fine Foray Into Fashionable Fellatio???? God, this lady has taste. TASTE, I tell you.

Oh. oh.

This one is a fun story for me. Drarry is a ship I struggle with. Much to my dismay! The Drarry fandom has such talent!! I'm in awe. Yet, I never could get my head around it. Partly due to my mostly monogamous feelings for my OTP, Snarry. Partly, it just never spoke to me. No matter how well-written a story, no matter how gorgeous an art, I never felt it.

Until Still Life. On this list! The title was familiar. Folks had mentioned the author not long ago and how they'd orphaned their works. And me being curious, I went digging, even though I didn't read any of them. Then Liv's list popped up and I suppose it felt like fate. It was the second time I'd seen that fic's title in a short period, and it was a short piece. And wow oh wow! I had to run to blather in Liv's DMs about it, but that was the first time I really felt Drarry. What a lovely piece!

Also what a fun idea for a rec list, so definitely check it out!

Scarry

So remember how I'm mostly monogamous to Snarry? I like to tell people that Snarry is my husband and Scarry is the hot poolboy. Lord, I have seen temptation, and its name is Scarry. Harry and SCORPIUS???? I need more of it in my life, for real. More to read, more to write, just MORE. The Claiming?? Oh wow. Getting Hard?? HECK. YES. A Temporary Reprieve???? ....Sorry, that was the sound of me hitting hitting the ground. Please read all of these, and then thank Liv for doing the Lord's work.

for an explanation about Mutuals March, or to figure out why i wrote you a thing, please check out this post.

[romaine2424]

Daily Blog July 2, 2023

So I'm mad at my beta! We were chatting back and forth on Discord originally about my WIP fic I'm writing. Yes, the one were I wrote the first 7 chapters back in 2007 before HPDH was released. Anyway, the fic will have 4 parts, and part 1 is the original. I asked her to beta the older chapters so they would be ready to go. Ummmm, she mentioned the whole premise of the fic, was making her anxious. So I stopped her from doing anymore and said no worries. Betaing should not cause stress. Okay we'll get back to me needing a beta at the end of the blog today.

But this is not why I'm mad at her. No.... she mentioned she's writing for @hd-fan-fair this year and did I take a look at the prompts. I said absolutely not because I always get sucked in. So we chatted some more and she said oh just take a look and tell me which one you would write for if you were participating this year.

You see where this is going don't you... Since my muse is on fire these days. I spotted a prompt and boom, full shorter story popped into my head. The final lines and everything. So, yes, I've joined the fest and I blame my beta! Actually, I love @myaulophobia dearly.

What I'm reading:

Yesterday I said I would be reading the first posted story for @hd-wireless. Um, that will be tonight. Because I was just taking a look at my Tumblr feed when @drarryspecificrecs posted the longest Drarry fics for June. Bam! So I read Tandem (92K) by fast-brother (AO3). Who is also another NEW author. OMG where are they coming from? We are so blessed in Drarry. This story, this story I read until I fell asleep last night and woke up early on this Sunday morning to finish it.

Here's the summary: Harry and Draco meet by accident six years after the war. Harry's an Auror with a drinking problem and Draco's a broke student. Things don't work out well. Six years after that, Draco joins the British Auror Office as a Potioneer.

Here's a little more from me: Draco was sentenced to 15 years probation of No Magic and all vaults and Manor confiscated. Lucius and Narcissa were sentenced to Azkaban. The Ministry was a mess during the trials and the Ministry is still in a mess. Ron is Head Auror (love this!) and Harry is also a mess. Great Auror, but drinks too much, has sex too much, and works to hard to push down those hard to deal with feelings.

The story is written from alternating POV, which is quite nice and helpful in understanding the place where both of them are coming from...not a good place originally. The story starts with the meeting after the first 6 years, which is rough. Then Draco moves on, marries, and makes something of his life as Potioneer in France. However, he has no magic so he's learned to do things for himself instead of relying on others' magic to help him. Draco is hired with insistence of one Ron Weasley to come back and work for the Aurors as their UK DMLE Potioneer. Then sparks start to fly...

This fic has one of the best relationships between Ron and Draco that I've read. Hermione too, but mainly R & D. They all love Harry, but...... And Harry, oh I love this Harry despite his being an arse in so much of it. However, he has his story and his telling of what happened in the Forest is unforgettable. And you, too, will fall back in love with our Harry.

There are so many scenes that are memorable but I'm not going to say anymore. You need to read this fic and give one of our New Drarry authors love.

Tandem on AO3

Rom needs Beta Help!

Let me state up front that I do have an Alpha, the wonderous and amazing @m0srael. What I'm looking for is a strong SPAG beta and if you can spot inconsistencies and/or canon issues, even better. I'm an engineer by trade and cannot tell you the last time I took an English/grammar class. I'm terrible with my commas! As my beta was also my Britpicker... I might need one of those later on.

Here's the link to The Azkaban Letters so you can read all of the pairings and warnings. Yes, it is a Drarry fic but.... The prologue is also available to read. The fic, I think will come in at about 200K. I have 90K written. It's broken down into 4 parts and Part 2 will be the longest.

I'd list more but no need to bore most of you. So if interested take a look at the link and prologue. If that doesn't scare you and are interested, you can DM me here on Tumblr.

Thanks for this personal indulgence!

Rom

[fictive-fodder]

|| Second Sight : V :September 25th, 1996||

Wizarding folk did not understand your work as a Specularri. Most with the gift of Sight failed to be as tenacious and diligent as the training required. But Seers who did were highly sought after by the bereaved, even the Ministry consulted you on mysterious deaths. The night of the new moon was usually ideal for your work, but when it coincided with the death of Sirius Black, nothing went as expected. Read this on A03 here!   

|| Word Count: 6.3K||

Warnings : Implied drug use

Story Chapters -

PART I - PART II- PART III - PART IV - PART V

||Author’s Note|| thank you for your patience. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I have enjoyed writing it <3 Though many people love the world of Harry Potter, J K Rowling has been making problematic statements for a long time and I am glad to see people taking her most recent ignorance seriously, as the gross, transphobic, hate speech that it is. There is so much beloved content that contains problematic, dangerous or inappropriate elements. Or, the author sucks. If we don’t learn to accept the good content while learning to acknowledge, highlight, and stand against the problematic content, we are throwing away most of the creative stories in our world. And that’s a shame, I’d rather we reclaim it and make it better. So even though this is Harry Potter fan fiction, this story centers around a non binary reader. It is my hope that anyone feels like they can slip into this story, and be apart. I want to make space for all who are willing to salvage this story. Any trans folks and gender queer folks who are here, reading, as I ramble on- Hi. You are welcome here. Thanks for giving me your time. <3

|| Tag List|| @hogwarts-1d-drarry-stan  @srhxpci  @loonyclaris

Staggering, you fell against the stack of books Byron never managed to organize by his front door. They toppled down to the ground, the slaps of them hitting the tile echoed down the corridor of his home. “Byron!” you called feebly through the cottage.

“What the-“ you could hear Byron sleepily exclaim as he lit his wand. You leaned against the nearest wall as you heard Byron stumble into the end of the corridor from you. “What on earth happened?”

“It’s Padfoot.” your voice trembled. Byron closed the distance between the two of you, his hands coming to hold your shoulders. “It’s him, it *is* Sirius Black. Then I was at Grimmauld Place and- Remus still knew him, Byron, they’re still friends.”

“Oh sugar.” Byron cursed, pulling you into a hug. Your head against his chest, Byron cradled the back of your head with one of his hands, his thumb petting your hair as you shuddered against him.

“What am I supposed to do? What does that mean about the order? What are we going to do?” you cried against him. Byron hugged you tighter to his chest, rocking you slowly.

“First thing to do is get through tonight.” he hushed, “Do you think you can do that?”

You felt a fresh wave of hot tears meet your eyes. Your mind was racing to create fearsome possibilities of what could happen, even as you became distracted every few moments with how extremely tired you were. Already, it felt like Byron was holding up most of your weight.

“Tell me you can do that, love.” Byron cooed under his breath.

“I can do that.” you answered, face feeling hot with self consciousness. You had never been so open with Byron before, but his ease with comforting you was nearly worth the embarrassment.

“Too right.” Byron affirmed, leading you over to the sofa in his sitting room. “How about you close your eyes for a few minutes and think about where we met. Tell me what you remember.” he continued, leaving you to lay down as he opened the window behind you. The cold beach air spilled in from the window like an unfurling blanket. You shivered, pulling a nearby throw woven from thick wool over your shoulders. The low rumble of the ocean waves rolling close by slowed your breathing. Suddenly, your eyes felt so heavy.

“You were lost.” you sniffed, closing your eyes to force yourself to visualize it. Apulia. The Adriatic Sea the only thing separating you from what you wanted most. The intensity of the sun in that region, the homes carved from limestone, olive trees. The sound of the ocean, just like here.

“As you would never let me forget.” Byron mumbled, sitting on the edge of his coffee table beside you. You heard him rub his hands together, covering his fingertips in a balm that smelled like chamomile, marshmallow root, burdock, mug wort, and vanilla- grounded, earthy, sweet. Then, as he waited for you to continue, he pushed his fingers gently against your temple, up and down the front and back of your ear, against the nape of your neck.

“I can still see them-“ you whispered, frowning as you felt hot tears well up in your closed eyes. “The Halls, they won’t go away.”

“Why was I lost?” Byron asked softly.

“Because-“ you wheezed, surprised by yourself having the ability to cry and laugh at the same time, “-you had successfully scryed that the college existed, but you didn’t know where to go.”

“But you did.”

“I might scry well, but I never had your talent with potions.” you said, your body had began to feel heavy as Byron began to rub his fingers through your hair.

“Didn’t you get dreams, too?”

“Once we made it to Phocis, yea.”

“What of?”

“The X in the underground stone that marked the breath of the gods at Delphi…” you answered quietly. “I dreamt of King Croesus insisting that the Pythia give him council on a war, even though it wasn’t the right time to divine. The Pythia initially refused, but once the king threatened to destroy the Oracle, she went down into the caves, the very same we ended up studying in, and inhaled the gods’ breath. But the moon wasn’t where it should have been, and the gases too strong. The king found her, crazed and frantic, seeing things that were not there, before she was overcome by insanity and died.”

“… I forgot how pleasant your subconscious is.”

“Well—“ you yawned, “pleasant or not, it got us in to the college.”

“You never did explain how.”

“The dream was about timing. We needed to be there on the right moon, or we wouldn’t be welcomed.”

There was a long pause in conversation then, the ocean waves beyond the window continuing their deep, soft roar.

“I’m glad I came here.” you mumbled, tongue heavy with sleep.

-X-

Someone was holding you by your waist. Enormous, armored hands with fingers as long as your ribs, effortlessly pulling you up into what, you did not know. You could not tell if your eyes were closed, open, or if the surrounding world was black. There was only the sensation of metal closing around your sides, darkness, and echoing breath.

“Can see your-” the breath took shape into words, distant, metallic, as if spoken through a tin. And suddenly you noticed there was a deeper darkness before you, outlining the contour of a helm, the black within it limitless and gaping.

With a jolt of panic you realized this armored creature was holding you up, as if inspecting you.

“I can see-” it breathed again. You struggled to move to no avail. You felt fear unlike any you’d ever known, as you comprehended that this nightmare, this monster, had overpowered you. You could not move, you could not speak, even your capacity to understand what was happening, where you were, felt stunted, tampered with.

“Your wounds- shining beneath your armor.” it hissed, metallic tongued, your stomach turning as it lifted you higher.

“No!” you cried, desperate to rip yourself away.

“Good Godrick-” you heard Byron gasp, as your eyes opened to the view of his sunbathed sitting room. The scent of fried potatoes filled your nose as you turned to see Byron, hand over his heart, startled. “You can’t do that to me- all content and asleep one moment, shouting the next.” he wheezed, shaking a wooden spatula in your direction. “Damn near stopped my heart!” ”Sorry-” you replied, shoulders falling as you looked around his home and relief washed over you. “Was I asleep long?” ”Not three days long.” Byron smiled, hustling to bring you a cup of coffee. “Just overnight.”

“Oh.” you frowned, accepting the mug with a nod of appreciation.

“How do you feel?”

“Not… not that bad?” you answered, sounding as surprised as Byron looked. “Had another weird dream, though.”

“About the Perceforest thing?”

“I don’t know…” your frown deepened. The heat of your cup of coffee spread through your hands, warming them. It helped you feel like you could breathe. Glancing down, you noticed your coffee was in a chipped novelty mug that said “Byron’s Bed & Breakfast ~ Grieve in Peace.” You smiled as the little ocean waves illustrated along with a rendition of Byron’s home rolled in sync with the actual tide outside. You hadn’t known that he’d wanted to start an inn, or used to have one.

“So what, if not that?” Byron asked, darting back into the kitchen.

And then with a jolt you noticed you could see the cup through your fingertips. You nearly spilled the coffee as you hastily set the mug down and stared at your hands. Your eyes widened as you moved the tips of your translucent fingertips, stomach sinking. You didn’t understand what he was asking, the confusion further upsetting you. What was wrong with your hands? This had never happened before. You could feel your mind begin to race and forced yourself to stop. It was too much to think about. And it wasn’t that noticeable anyway. You couldn’t bear worrying about it right now. Besides, they didn’t hurt and they worked just fine.

“Hey?” Byron asked, reappearing with two mismatched bowls piled high with potatoes and eggs.

“Sorry- the coffee was so good I lost track of what we were talking about.” you lied, accepting the breakfast with raised eyebrows. “Wow, thank you.”

“What was weird about the dream?” Byron pressed, sitting beside you on the couch.

“There was a creature?” you started through a bite of egg. “It felt old, powerful… as if it was surprised I was there, but also like it had been waiting?”

“For what?”

“Some… one or thing… to arrive… or happen.”

“And when you say creature?”

“Big and strong… and in armor. It was so dark it was hard to see. But around it’s helm there was a crown made from Blackthorn branches.”

“Could you draw it?” Byron asked, setting down his half eaten bowl to reach for a quill and parchment.

“The armor?” you asked, accepting it.

“Yea.”

“Why?”

“Just curious. Go on.” he encouraged. Feebly, you did your best to capture the particular shapes you remembered, surprised to see just how intrigued Byron was to take the parchment from you and tuck it into his pocket. “Was there anything else?”

“It spoke to me. It said ‘I can see your wounds shining beneath your armor.’”

“Did it sound like the same sort of voice?”

You thought about it, recalling the first dream. And for you, who would reach this boundary, set foot on my threshold, to see the sun in the middle of the night, blazing with bright light, to approach me from below, from above, and worship me from nearby. You are saved from Perceforest this night. “It wasn’t dissimilar.”

“Have you run into anything or anyone else inside the Halls?”

Your stomach dropped as the light filled your memory. The odd cry of excitement as its brightness grew. “Nothing like that dream.” you answered, and then proceeded to detail everything about last night to Byron. He listened attentively, with growing concern behind his eyes despite his best attempts to show calm. After you finished, he took a long time to respond. Then, with a hard look at you, Byron slowly set down his bowl, leaned over, and pulled you into a tight embrace.

“I know it’s a lot, but you don’t have to do this.” you mumbled against his shoulder. “I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll make sure of it.” Byron replied low, sitting back. “I think we should let Solonie know everything.”

You fought to keep your expression neutral and receptive instead of the skeptical and defensive.

“I don’t think she’ll be upset.” Byron continued, running his fingers over his beard. “But I think she might know what could help and even if she doesn’t, there isn’t anyone with better resources to figure it out.”

“Help with what, though?” you asked, throat tight. You hid your hands beneath the wool blanket still over you. “What am I doing? Helping him? The crazy wizard who was strong enough to break free of Azkaban? You know, before he even remembered who he was he remembered Harry. He remembered needing to get to Harry.”

Byron’s frown deepened as he considered your concerns. “Solonie can give guidance on that, too. I mean, she’s been a Specularri longer than you’ve been alive. This can’t be her first instance of a morally ambiguous situation.”

“It’s just…” you started, feeling an itching agitation of just wishing you could know what you needed on your own. “You never heard of anything like this in Delphi, right? And neither have I. And if it wasn’t something to be learned there, than how does it exist? How does this whole… place exist? And why?”

“It’s not unreasonable to imagine that Dorea Black may have discovered something that the Specularris of Delphi didn’t know about.” Byron replied, shrugging gently. “They are steeped in Mediterranean traditions that go back before England was united as a country. Their focus was always on ancient wisdoms. Maybe their wealth of knowledge predates the Halls and whatever Perceforest is.”

You sat back, hugging your knees up to your chest. Everything Byron was saying made sense, but telling Solonie didn’t sit right with you. Why? Why did you feel so protective?

“We always think of magic as something still. Something cemented into history and never adapts. But what if it does? What if it evolves right along with us? And just as it shapes us, we shape it?” Byron mused, shrugging. The unease you felt only bit down harder as you considered his line of thought.

“Give me a moment.” you sighed, standing up and walking to the nearest toilet. You could hear Byron casting cleaning spells in the kitchen as you forced yourself to approach the sink. Your heart raced as you looked into your own reflection, wondering if you would hear Sirius Black’s voice calling out to you again. A pang of confusing pain shot through your nerves as you remembered how desperate he had sounded, how happy he was that he could still reach you. Growling, you rubbed your eyes, which were as irritated as ever after connecting to him, and forced yourself to look into the mirror. The Halls were still there, clear dark shapes in the periphery of the reflection, but nothing else. The sight, and the lack of him caused anger to rise in you, and shame, and betrayal. You grimaced at yourself in the mirror. Why were you upset that he wasn’t there? That was what you wanted. You didn’t want to keep helping him. You wanted him gone.

-X-

At first glance, the Ministry of Magic seemed unchanged despite all of the news. Voldemort may be back, but everyone was still coming into work, dressed in their business cloaks and talking Quidditch or whining about an inhumane deadline.You made your way, as was usual, to the Licensing Department, and just as always Pharien smiled as they saw you approach.

”Good morning!” They greeted with a touch of indulgent joy. You shot them a flat smile.

“Why do you always choose the earliest option to bring me in?” you greeted, taking the seat at the head of their desk.

“Do I?”

“Don’t play coy.” you groaned, rubbing your eyes with your gloved hands before you went to reach for all of your paperwork. The translucence to your fingertips hadn’t gone away. The Halls too, were still there every time you looked into something reflective, at this point you were just getting used to your eyes being irritated, light sensitive and dry.

“No no, I had a good reason this time.” Pharien promised, with a nod of thanks as they accepted the paperwork from you.

“This time?” you repeated, tilting your head. “So you admit you do this?”

“You see,” they started, leaning over their desk in a confidential gesture. “I have a friend that works for the Department of Mysteries. She’s an Unspeakable, right?” Pharien couldn’t help but give a victorious little smile as they saw your interest peak- Unspeakables were notoriously difficult to be familiar with, at least outright.

“How are you friends with an Unspeakable?”

“Wow, rude. I do have some very redeeming qualities.”

“Color me unconvinced. How are you friends with an Unspeakable?”

“Well, I guess whatever her job is there has something to do with your line of work, because she’s always asking about how being a Specularri works.”

“What do you tell her?”

“I told her I’d bring her a Specularri, one of the best.” Pharien waggled their eyebrows at you. “But they were busy. So you’ll have to do.”

You stood up then, looking at Pharien with a flat glare.

“Right, so we’re going! Yes! Off to the department of mysteries!”

-X-

You had never been so deep in the Ministry of Magic before. It felt like being back in the caves at Delphi- something about the human body could feel when it was being led deep beneath ground, even when it was as polished as a government office. Pharien nodded to the wix standing guard outside the office door, who regarded the two of you skeptically.

Immediately you felt self conscious, but your curiosity to see the inside of the department of mysteries overpowered your anxieties.

“Fortiger asked me to bring a specialist for something she’s working on.” Pharien explained to the guard. They nodded, waving their hand before the door that they guarded. You heard several locks releasing before the guard ushered you inside.

“Well-“ you started, looking over your shoulder to Pharien. “I expect my license to be processed first thing! And you’re welcome for all this!” You called out, before the guard closed the door on Pharien’s face.

You heard a low, silky voice say your name from the heart of the room. Turning to look, your eyes fell upon a tall, willowy woman, with platinum colored hair that shaggily fell to her shoulders. She regarded you with squinting upturned eyes, so blue they nearly looked violet in this light. The wide line of her mouth curled upwards in a grin as their eyes traced your features.

“Hello,” you started, reaching out your gloved hand towards her for a shake. “It’s a pleasure. Fortiger, right?”

“Yes.” She replied, her handshake was firm, rigid, and brief. With a bow of her head, Fortiger continued introducing herself as she led you down a corridor. “Gentian Fortiger. Thank you for accommodating this request into your schedule. I am sure you’re very busy in your capacity as a Specularri.”

“Well I never thought it would lead me to an invitation here.” you answered with a chuckle. “What is it that I can do for you, Gentian?”

She smiled, continuing to lead down a set of stairs, deeper into the earth. You felt the temperature drop with each step downward. “Working as an Unspeakable has many challenges- nuances, that can make our work seem ambiguous, even superfluous. As a Specularri, I imagine that resonates with you?”

“That attitude is often extended to divination as a whole, yea.” You pushed your arms closer to your side as the staircase finally opened up into a wide corridor. As your eyes adjusted to the torches that flared to life at your presence, you had to withhold a gasp. The walls had lost their black lacquered tiles, and were instead a much older carved stone. The corridor tapered upwards to a high ceiling, with multiple columns supporting the sweeping, medieval architecture. It looked just like it. The Halls.

Gentian exchanged a glance with you, leading you down the hallway to an ancient looking wooden door.

“It’s musty down here- old.” Gentian remarked quietly, in the same way people lower their voices while looking at great art. There was a reverence in her tone, an understanding that in this deep and old place, there was the remnant of something artful, something precious. That it only still existed through generations of great care.

With a flourish of her wand, the door groaned open, revealing a large auditorium with a raised Dias in the center. You could easily sense an ancient, sacred quality to this place, but there were also signs of a more recent disturbance; chipped stones on the floor leading down towards the center, the few items in the room were haphazardly moved to one side, as if it had been cleaned recently but not reorganized.

This time, you were not able to hide your gasp as your eyes fell to the center of the room. A black veil raised on the Dias, billowing softly in a non existent wind. Your heart skipped several beats, throbbing thickly in your chest as you heard indiscernible whispers emit from it, just like the ones you heard in the Halls.

The weight of Gentian’s eyes studying you only exacerbated the Veil’s affect on you. The hair on the back of your neck and arms rose, and as you approached the itching in your eyes became profoundly worse, causing them to water.

“This is one of the two most ancient relics of our country.” Gentian gestured to the Veil. “This, and the pensive located at Hogwarts predate Hogwarts itself- the ministry, too. They are part of an ancient magic that was the foundation of what we use today.”

Slowly, as if in a dream, you reached your hand outward, but before it could even land on the lip of the Dias, Gentian’s hand caught yours in mid air, gently squeezing it as they shook their head. “I can’t allow you to get any closer than this.”

“So, the pensive and this? What does that mean this Veil is? Do you know?”

“That is why you’re here.”

You blinked, eyes shifting between the Veil and Gentian’s smiling eyes.

“There was a… disturbance, not that long ago.”

“Oh?”

She nodded, her face paling as she glanced at the Veil as if regarding a sinister entity. “The Veil has never in recent history been recorded to do anything other than what you see now. But since that disturbance, there have been periods of heightened activity.”

“Right, okay. And you wanted a Specularri because you think it has to do with the dead?”

“The dead have not changed from my understanding, they are still dead. I do not think they are the reason the Veil has been irregularly active.”

“What does active mean? And if not the dead- why would you want someone like me?”

Gentian sighed then, running their long fingers through their hair. “Occasionally, this artifact will become more active as the black cloth changes from moving gently to full on billowing as if in a non existent storm. Additionally, the whispering that you may, or may not be able to hear becomes very audible, the voices- if we should call it that- are raised, sometimes to the point of shouting, while still remaining indiscernible.”

“That sounds unpleasant.”

“Very much so.” Gentian chuckled, clearly appreciating the lightness of your response.

You waited for Gentian to answer your second question, struggling to pull your focus away from the Veil. You wanted to touch it so badly.

“I’d like, if you’re willing, for you to try your art on the Veil itself.” Gentian said, voice softer. “I don’t mean scrying necessarily, but whatever divinatory application you think might best serve me.”

You could feel your heart beating thickly in your temple, trying to seem politely curious and professional instead of the burning, crazed fascination you truly felt. You did your best attempt at a casual nod of consideration. It was like she was just giving it to you- all the access you could want with this thing.

“Do you hear the whispers?” She asked, glancing at the Veil.

“Yes.” You said, straining to sound normal.

-X-

It was never going to feel great, you had to remind yourself, telling Solonie about Sirius Black was never going to feel convenient, or easy, or calm. You were just going to have to do it stressed and anxious.

She looked at you from across her scrying table, eyes full of patient concern. The grace of this woman, while sometimes stern, was an unending source of value to you. Not many people could say they have fair and genuinely compassionate superiors, but Solonie was. You tried to remind yourself of that while you forced yourself to look into her face, wrinkles embroidering her gentle smile with calm.

“Hi.” She started playfully, and you could hear yourself gulp. You wondered with an abstract self consciousness if she heard it. If she knew how worried you were to tell her everything. How had Byron convinced you of this?

Calling you back to return to the present moment, Solonie said your name, reaching over to gently touch her hand to yours.

“Right…” you sighed, giving her a tight smile. “So, the new moon a few months ago.” You glanced up to the ceiling as chills went through your body. It was just a conversation, but somehow it felt like you wouldn’t survive it.

“Yes?” Solonie encouraged supportively.

“Well.” you breathed, and breathed again. Even if she wasn’t going to lose patience with you, you were. A flash of self annoyance lit up within you. Stop thinking. Just talk, you thought. “I encountered an anomaly. I experienced something that I never have before, and I’ve never read about, was taught about, anything.” ”Alright.” Solonie responded, head tilting. There was a trace of concern in her eyes, and even though that was embarrassing, you supposed you couldn’t be surprised. You had never been so emotional in front of her.

“Someth- someone, found me. From inside the mirror. And they were different, too. They felt alive. Reactive. Able to interact with the scrying materials… nearly able to see me, too.” Though Solonie’s face remained professional and stoic, her cheeks paled. You nodded, sighing again.

“I am guessing that means you’ve never experienced that before?” you asked.

“Nothing like that. Not ever.”

“So naturally, I was alarmed because it seemed like this person was trapped.”

“But where?”

You laughed, nodding gravely. “Where indeed.” you replied dryly. “I’ve managed to keep in contact, I’ve found ways to further explore this place, but I can’t understand how to get them… out.”

This admission cast you and Solonie in to a long moment of quiet. Her stoic expression flickered as she focused on the details you’d given. ”So tell me what you know of this place?”

“It’s a series of Halls. A light less place made up from cut stone- it looks medieval. It’s endless seeming. I found someone- not a Specularri, but someone who practices and they believe that this place is some kind of sacred space discovered by their teacher, the late Dorea Black.”

To this, one of Solonie’s eyebrows arched. Her expression sharpened wearily. “That so? Is that why you’ve been looking less and less yourself in the recent weeks?”

“What do you mean?” you asked, chest tightening with defensiveness.

“That you’ve been working away from this office more than ever. That you’ve managed to look sick every time I’ve seen you for the past nine weeks. What did this person tell you to do? Or give you?”

“Solonie-” you started, shaking your head.

“You can be offended. What did they give you?”

“They sell candles-” you started, voice hard. Why were you being so protective of Asterius? It was true, that candles were horrible. You would have reacted the same way if you’d seen Byron resorting to their use.

“Well what is in them?”

You blinked, and that reaction seemed all Solonie needed to condemn it. She groaned your name. “If you’re going to experiment with fringe practices, you need to be aware of what you’re using.”

You opened your mouth to retaliate to whatever criticism she might say, refute whatever harsh words may come, and blinked as you registered that she wasn’t severe at all. In fact, she was being very reasonable.

“So you’re not…” you started, “reporting me? Or, restricting my clients or I don’t know… punishing me?”

Solonie blinked back at you, her own flatness dwarfing your own sardonic sensibilities. “I’d sooner seek to punish whoever put that poor person wherever he is. But we do need to come up with a structure for you. It’s necessary that we help, but it is unwise to go into something so mysterious without fail safes. Now-” she turned to look at a moon calendar and ran her finger along until it rested against the next new moon. “The first thing you need to do is go back to wherever you got those candles and make sure you know whats in them. Then you can tell Byron and I, and we will look into the potion structure and see what are it’s risks, what makes it work, or fail. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is something we can alter that lowers it’s side effects. Or something we can make or use before and after hand to aid you.”

“Wait.” you started, eyes widening. “You’re not… I mean, you’re going to help? Me? You’re going to help me do this? Help him?”

“Of course.” Solonie replied, her eyes hard, as if it was insulting to assume otherwise. You felt tears rise in your eyes, a rush of pressure into your head. “What?” she exclaimed, only looking more offended.

“Sorry-” you tried to compose yourself, “I just didn’t think-”

“Yes. Not usually a problem with you. But I suppose we all have our moments.” Settling into her chair, she continued. “The next new moon is in October, will that give you enough time to source the materials of these candles?”

You started to say yes, but before you could say anything more, a soft knock sounded against her door. Aurelia apologized as she pushed in, eyes flickering nervously between the two of you.

“Yes?” Solonie asked. You were surprised when Aurelia’s focus shifted to you.

“Sorry,” she started, “There is someone in your office. Demanding to see you.”

“Oh-” you started, standing up slowly and glancing back towards Solonie for dismissal.

“I think we have a good start, go on.” she said, nodding.

As you walked down the hall towards your office, you couldn’t help but feel a mix of victory and dread. Byron had been right, Solonie was willing to help. Never would you have imagined that the conversation would have gone the way it had. Pushing into your office, you shook your head. What now? You hadn’t had the chance, or made your mind up, about telling Solonie who it was you had been trying to save. You hadn’t even made your mind up if you were going to continue to try and help Sirius. But- you thought with a grimace, how could you not?

As your office door closed behind you, you gasped sharply as your eyes landed on Remus Lupin, sitting at your table with a cadaverous pallor.

“I’ve been looking for you, everywhere. Both of us, Tonks and I.” he sighed in relief and stood up. Your eyes traced his path, breath turning shallow as you looked up into his face, your hand slowly reaching for your wand. His glance darted towards your hand and he shook his head.

“No. No, no-” he said low, holding one hand up in a gesture of surrender as the other withdrew his wand from his robes and placed it on your table. “I came here to apologize. For scaring you, for how everything happened.”

You snarled, your skin suddenly hot with a mix of embarrassment, anger, disappointment. “How what happened?” you seethed, teeth tight. “How you made a fool of Byron and I? How you tricked us into thinking that your Order was for something good? I ought to expose it all right now. I ought to march up to the Auror’s office, find whatever officer Alastor hates the most, and tell them the address of that horrible place-”

Remus’ eyes suddenly brightened, widening with vulnerability and alarm. You could see the pain in his expression deepen with your words, a frantic and desperate line to his mouth. His other hand drew upwards, until this tall, sullen soldier of a wizard was all but bowed before you, listening to you with increasing fear in his eyes. It satisfied you, it made you feel like there was still some part of your life that was not larger than yourself.

“Please.” he asked, his tone wavered. “Please allow me to show you just one, one thing- and then I will leave you alone. I just want you to understand one thing.”

The satisfaction you felt was immediately tempered by a sting of guilt as you watched how quickly this man came to begging. It scared you, the extremeness of your own emotions, of his- this entire situation. You shook your head lightly, trying to recenter yourself, trying to ground yourself.

“What is it.” you asked, voice hard and guarded.

Slowly reaching into a pocket of his robes, Remus pulled out a very wrinkled copy of The Daily Prophet. You blinked, having expected something stranger, wilder, not something as mundane as the paper. Your eyes traced the front as you recognized the issue. June 18th, 1996 HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED RETURNS.

“Everyone saw this.” Remus gestured to the headline, before his fingers slipped to the inside pages, there was a well thumbed corner you noticed, he hardly had to glance as he turned the page. “But not…” he started, his bottom lip trembling slightly.

Sirius Black: The Truth Emerges

Long regarded as a dangerous fugitive, Sirius Black lost his life last night in the Department of Mysteries. Recent revelations confirm that Black was not responsible for the deaths of James and Lily Potter and was never a dark wizard. Instead, he fought against He Who Must Not Be Named’s followers, sacrificing himself in the struggle against the Dark Lord's return. Black has been granted pardon posthumously by the Minister of Magic for all accusations made against him.

You were unable to focus on the words. Each letter a strange symbol- chaos, unreal. You had been holding your breath and shaking your head long before you realized you were. Before you realized that you were still in your office with Remus Lupin. Before you were able to finally register that he was innocent. Sirius Black was innocent.

Unable to find words, you looked back up into Remus Lupin’s face and found it wet with tears. He was trying to stop himself from crying, his shoulders jerking slightly with the effort. Whatever he saw in your face seemed to only make it harder for him.

“The last time I saw you,” he started, “And I heard you say ‘Padfoot’, I-” he made a sound between a sigh and a sob, trying to clear his throat as he wiped his hand down his face. “I didn’t, I couldn’t control my emotions. I didn’t think of what it would seem like to you, and for that I will- I’ll regret that my life over.”

Remus took a step towards you, that same pleading expression on his face. “You may never trust me again, and wish to never set foot in another Order meeting. I would understand. I would never again trouble you. I would erase any mark myself or the Order left on your life. But-” his voice wavered. Remus came closer, eyes red and bright with hot tears. “If there is anything I can do so that you will help him, even if that means accomplishing such without ever reminding you of my existence again, I would… I would move mountains. Reorder the stars. Nothing you asked of me would be too great a cost. You would never hear any form of refusal. I would offer my life.”

A shiver ran through you, and you jumped as you felt a tear drop from your lash and hit your own cheek. The air surrounding you pressed close, bent, magnifying Remus’ anguish. But before you could think of what to say, the door to your office slammed open from behind you.

With a yip of terror, you pivoted, Remus was just as shocked as Byron pushed into the room.

“YOU’VE GOT SOME NERVE, LUPIN!” Byron roared, one of his huge arms coiling around you and pulling you closer to him, as his other hand pointed his wand at Remus’ chest. “YOU DIDN’T THINK I WAS WATCHING? THAT I WOULDN’T BE HERE?” ”Byron-” you gasped, choking on your breath.

Remus looked into Byron’s yelling face with eyes as big as saucers. Hands raised into the air, he quickly resumed his gesture of compliance. “I-”

“WHAT?” Byron growled, as you tried to gently disentangle yourself from him. “YOU WHAT? YOU’RE SORRY? YOU THINK THAT’S GOOD ENOUGH? YOU THINK THAT WE-”

“BYRON!” you shouted, struggling to speak over him. You placed both of your gloved hands over his wand arm, lowering it. He jumped, looking between you and Remus with brows bent into a knot of confusion. “You’ve missed a very convincing apology and redemption.”

Leaning over, you grabbed the copy of the Prophet off of the table and showed Byron the small passage about Sirius. As he read, you watched as the furious twist of Byron’s expressions slowly undid themselves.

“Oh.” he said, cheeks reddening as he tucked his wand away.

“That’s more than I managed to say.” you shrugged, glancing at Remus. “Are you alright?”

Remus, white faced, didn’t look like he entirely knew how to respond to you and gave something between a shrug and a thumbs up.

“Right, so…” you sighed, glancing from Byron and then back to Remus. You turned towards him, face set. “You were telling me that you would do anything I needed. To get him back.”

“Anything.” Remus said.

Your mind was blaring with too many thoughts, from exhaustion. You felt Byron’s large hand move to rest on your shoulder and took a large breath. “The candles…” you thought aloud.

“Yes?” Remus said, perking up.

“I need- he works at The Coffin House. His name is Asterius. I need you to bring him-”

“Not here.” Byron interjected softly. “Being Ministry run and all.”

“Right. I need you to bring him to my flat. Yea… bring him to my flat.”

Sirius, you thought as a lash of pain tore through your chest. I’m sorry. I’m coming back.

“Asterius… Darnant?” Remus asked, frowning softly.

“You know him?” Byron asked.

“Vaguely. He was mates with Regulus Black, Sirius’ little brother… I’d see them at school.” Remus raised his eyebrows, as if appraising some passing thought. “He isn’t the most straightforward person. He might not be happy to… comply.”

“He has what I need to do this and understand it more.” you added, a new determination in your tone.

“Then he will come to your flat.” Remus answered, picking his wand back up from the table.

You felt your heart lurch. “Remus-” you started, taking a step towards him. “I’m sorry too. I’m sorry for how everything has gone. For what you’ve lost.”

“What I’ve lost?” Remus repeated, giving you a soft smile. He looked exhausted. Remus shook his head. “Not many get the privilege to say they’ve found it again.”

[hemlocksandfoxgloves]

Has anybody heard of "It Was All Just a Game" by write_me227? It's the very beautiful and talented untold story of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. Set during the years between 4th year and 8th year, it's the complete retelling of Harry Potter, the way it should've gone. Now if you don't like JK Rowling but you love Harry Potter/Drarry, this is the story for you. This is the author for you! This story is so beautifully written, down to the descriptions, every last detail, a complete character study of Draco and Harry.

During the Goblet of Fire, Draco Malfoy comes up with this miraculous plan to make a fool out of Harry Potter by making him fall in love. Draco didn't count on his plan backfiring and falling for Harry himself, and harder. They go on to have a beautiful, beautiful and loving relationship. Until of course, Voldemort finds out about their relationship. The heartbreak, the torture, the secrets! (Ohhh, I'm crying just thinking about it!!)

Now I must warn you this story deals with some heavy, heavy themes, some to note are: a severe eating disorder, body dysmorphia, emotional abuse, manipulation, physical abuse, PTSD, grief, suicidal ideation.

I will note myself she writes an excellent graphic description of a panic attack. I have panic attacks myself and it was very spot on.

Just keep in mind this isn't a story you should be reading if you're not in the right state of mind, especially 6th year.

"Safe is with me." (Totally not crying)

One of my favorite scenes:

Draco entered the Slytherin Common Room the next morning as Pansy and Blaise were getting ready for breakfast.

"Long night with Potter," they asked.

"It was nice," Draco smiled softly. "Best I've slept in a few weeks."

"Oh, we're glad you're not fighting," Pansy said.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Why would we be?"

Blaise straightened his tie. "We figured after you heard about the Chang kiss, you'd lose your head."

"What Chang kiss?" Both Pansy and Blaise closed their mouths. Draco's eyes narrowed between the guilty looks on their faces. "What Chang kiss?"

Which was how Draco found himself waiting outside the Great Hall for Harry to come down from his shower before class. He leant up against the castle wall, his arms crossed, fuming.

He watched as Harry descended from the seventh floor alone. Granger and Weasley must've been eating already. When Harry arrived at his landing, he looked up at him, and then looked around to make sure the coast was clear. "Hey you."

"Forget to mention something, Potter," he gritted.

Harry pulled a look of confusion and then, as it hit him, his eyes widened in the realization. "I'm so sorry." Draco pushed past him, charging down the stairs towards the dungeons, and Harry followed. "Wait, please let's talk about it!"

Draco ignored his plea, and continued towards the common room, but Harry grabbed hold of his wrist and pulled him back into their usual broomstick cupboard. Harry locked the door behind him and cast a silencing charm.

"You have five seconds to convince me not to commit murder. Five. Four. Three. Two—"

"If you're in Azkaban, then you'll miss our Friday dates."

Draco's eyes narrowed. "You're allowed visitors in Azkaban. I'm sure we could find a schedule."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Harry rushed.

"You didn't think to mention it while we slept next to each other, or did you just want to snog from anybody that stops by?"

"Would saying 'the kiss was so bad that I forgot about it' help?"

"No, not really," Draco sneered. "It happened. You saw me twice yesterday. You didn't care to mention that you kissed someone else. I had to hear it from Blaise and Pansy who heard it from ten other people."

Harry frowned, dejected. "I'm such an arsehole. I deserve it. Go on, yell." Draco stared at him. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Because I really don't want anything like the Quidditch incident. I don't want to do anything stupid. I want to think rationally... but it's really hard to." Draco swallowed. His chest burned. "Why aren't my kisses good enough for you?"

"They are," Harry said. "I promise they are, they're amazing."

"If they were, then you wouldn't kiss anyone else. I'm gonna go," Draco's voice cracked.

"No! Please don't," Harry stepped in front of the door.

"Harry ... I want you to have friends. I want you to have your own life, but the thought of someone else kissing you. And then you didn't bloody tell me about it. We spent the night together. We had hours to talk about it."

"You had a horrible break, and I just wanted to make you feel better. I didn't want you to be angry."

"Oh, we're well past that! Furious sounds much more accurate. You cheated on me and then didn't tell me about it? I thought we were supposed to come to each other about cover-ups. I reckon if it was a cover up you would have told me instead of hiding it."

"I'm sorry! I tried looking for you on the train, I couldn't find you. I don't want to lose you," Harry cried. "I'm so scared that the rug is going to be pulled out from under me. That someone is going to take you away. I didn't want to do that to me."

"So you lied to me and hurt me more?"

"Draco." Draco moved towards the door but Harry stepped in front of it. "Wait, no please! Hear me out. It was a mistake. We were in the Room of Requirement, she was crying, it was right before we left for holiday—"

"And you let her say Happy Christmas by shoving her mouth on to yours!?"

"No! Please, just listen to me," Harry said as Draco turned around, heading to the door. He pulled on his arm. "It meant nothing. It was just a few seconds."

Draco's eyes narrowed even worse. "A few seconds? You didn't push her away?"

"I didn't know what to do!"

"Push her away!"

"She was crying, I didn't want to hurt her."

"So you chose to hurt me instead." His jaw poked out.

"That's not how it was. She just did it. I didn't even realize she was doing it. When she was, I thought someone was watching, and it'd be a good cover up, but no one was there and—"

"So she just went up to you? I'm going to kill her for touching you."

"No no no no," Harry grasped his hand, shoving his wand back into his robe. "No, you will not! If anything, take it out of me."

"Oh yes, I will take it out on your bloody arse, Harry Potter! You prick! I can't believe you'd let this happen! And then you didn't tell me about it!"

"It was awful, if it helps at all."

"Of course it was awful! She's not me."

Harry winced. "It didn't mean anything, I promise!"

"I'm your boyfriend. I'm the only one who's allowed to kiss you. She can't kiss you. You're mine, I'm yours. We mutually agreed to be in a relationship together. That means we don't kiss other people because we want to kiss each other. If we want to kiss other people, then we break up. That's how that works."

"I didn't want to kiss her! I want to kiss you so much right now." Harry took a step forward, but Draco took a step back.

"Hell no. Who does she think she is going at you like that?" Draco grabbed his wand. "She can't just kiss you if you don't want it! Hell, she didn't work hard enough for it! I had to fake my way into your heart, then get a bloody nose before you even kissed me, and she walked right on up to you and just did it and got away with it!"

Draco turned away from him, defeated. Harry expected him to act like this, though it still hurt. "This wasn't supposed to happen to you. I'd expect it from anyone else but you. You're good. You're a good person." He bit his lip. "I would have at least thought you'd have the sense of pushing her away."

"She was crying," Harry argued.

"Yes, and you have a boyfriend," Draco turned to him. "Even in secret, you have a bloody boyfriend. You should have stood up for me, for us, Harry. You couldn't have at least lied?"

"I-I... I didn't know what to do. I was shocked—"

"That doesn't matter," Draco growled. "You didn't tell me about it!"

"I'm sorry," he cried, reaching out to touch Draco's cheek. He didn't push him away, but he glared at him, sneered at him, made the point that Harry wasn't welcome like that to him.

"Whose boyfriend are you, Harry?" Draco growled, standing closer to him.

"Yours."

"What's my name?"

"Draco."

Draco pressed him back against the wall. "Whose boyfriend are you?"

"I'm yours. I'm Draco's. I'm Draco Malfoy's boyfriend."

"And whose boyfriend aren't you?"

"I really want to kiss you right now."

"Whose boyfriend aren't you?"

"Cho Chang's," Harry swallowed, looking Draco dead in the eye, then down at his lips.

"Wrong answer," he bit, "Hey, up here."

Harry's eyes snapped up to Draco's. "I'm not Cho Chang's boyfriend, I'm Draco Malfoy's."

"Both true, but not what I'm looking for."

"I-I don't understand."

"The correct answer is 'nobody else's boyfriend.'" Harry nodded, but Draco wasn't satisfied. "Say it."

"I'm Draco Malfoy's boyfriend. I'm nobody else's boyfriend."

"Good. Now, if you want to go around letting other people kiss you, then you'd better break up with me. Cheating isn't something I accept, especially after we laid out the terms and conditions before we even started dating."

"No, I could never break up with you. I don't want anybody else. I'm your boyfriend, you're my boyfriend. I love that you're my boyfriend."

Draco turned cold. "Hm, do you now?"

"Draco, please don't be like this," Harry urged, but Draco turned cold.

"My boyfriend was kissed by someone who wasn't his boyfriend and you want me to not be angry. Here, let me congratulate you on getting some action while I couldn't provide," he snapped before turning away from him and heading for the door.

"Wait," Harry rushed in front of the handle, denying access to it. "I didn't mean it like that. I just want you to be happy."

"Then maybe the next time someone comes within an inch of your mouth, you'll push them away. Move."

"No," Harry stayed firm. "Damn it, Draco. I said I'm sorry! I knew you'd be angry, but hell. It was just a few seconds. Nothing more. What else can I do to make it up to you?"

Draco crossed his arms. He hadn't realized he was breathing heavy. He couldn't help it. It hurt. Harry hurt him. "What do you think, Harry? What do you think you should have to do to make up for you cheating on me? What would you do if the roles were switched? What would you do if spent the entire night with me and I didn't tell you about it?"

"I... I don't know," he looked at the floor. "I would think that you were scared and nervous and didn't want to lose the best thing that happened to you."

Draco frowned. "Even so, I wouldn't hide this from you."

"Draco, please! I don't want you to be angry anymore. I'll do anything."

"You didn't answer my question. What would you do if the roles were switched?"

Harry opened his mouth, then closed it. He stepped aside and gave Draco access to the door as he looked down. "I would break up with you," he swallowed. "You're right. I should have pushed her away. I should have told you."

Closing his eyes, he waited for Draco to leave, to think it over, or he could just do it now. It was up to him. Looks like we aren't going to make it a year...

After a few moments of silence, Harry waiting, Draco, rather than leaving, strode to him. Harry opened his glossy eyes and looked directly into his. "I shall expect a new pair of dragon hyde gloves from Borgan and Burkes, the ones with the purple scales that just came out designed by Bruno Murano, in my mailbox by tomorrow morning, along with a top quality back and neck massage as well as a bouquet of nice-arse roses—white, not the red ones, we have to cleanse our relationship—and you're not allowed to go near that Chang girl for a week so she gets the message. If she tries talking to you, you walk away. You can explain it to her later, and if she asks questions, tell her your boyfriend, Draco Malfoy, is ensuring nothing like that will ever happen again."

"You're not breaking up with me?"

Draco breathed before answering. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, too. You're right. It was just a few seconds. It's not worth it."

The boy nodded. "It will never happen again."

"Damn right it won't ever happen again. That being said," Draco grabbed Harry by his shirt's collar, pushed him against the wall, and advanced onto him, making sure their bodies were pressed together. "No one is allowed to be this close to you."

"Yes," Harry said.

"If they are, they're too bloody close. If you can feel their breath on your mouth, too close."

He nodded. His eyes were dilated, and he didn't really hear what he was saying because Draco just looked so...

"And," Draco continued, "If anyone so much touches you below here," he put a hand on his shoulder, "I'll find them and hex them."

"Please do."

"And if anyone so much as," Draco leaned down, gracing his lips against Harry's delicately, "I swear to Salazar himself, I will murder them." Harry laughed. "You think I'm joking?"

"Oh, I know you're not," he looked him directly in the eyes.

"And then I'll hex your arse as well. Did you hear me?"

Harry nodded.

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

Draco whispered in his ear. "I'm not sure you do."

"I do," Harry looked back at him with wide eyes. "I promise."

"Don't lie, Harry," Draco hissed. Pressing the lengths of their entire bodies together, he kissed his neck and bit it. "I'm only allowed to do this. I'm the only one allowed to kiss you." Harry moaned, suddenly feeling so hot. Fuck, it felt so good. "I'm the only one allowed to make you blush." Draco turned back and looked at him. "I'm the only one allowed to touch you like this."

"Draco," Harry moaned.

"You're mine and no one else's. I'm yours and no one else's. Have a problem with it? We break up. I'm jealous and possessive. If that's baggage you can't deal with, we can end this now."

"I want you," Harry's eyes dilated. "So much."

Draco captured Harry's lips to his own, kissing him hard. Biting his lower lip, then sucking it, passionately, lovingly. "You're mine."

As Draco's hand slid down to Harry's hips and he kissed Harry's neck, the bell rang, causing them to jump.

"Damn it. We have Potions," Draco said, noticing how red Harry's lips were, and how warm he felt. Harry was breathing heavily. "We can't both be missing from it."

"Y-Yeah... yeah potions..."

"Do you want to go first?"

"Hm?" Harry realized Draco's hand was still on his hip. He quite liked it there.

"Leave first, or do you want me to?"

"I don't want you to leave." He didn't even comprehend he said it, it was an automatic response.

Draco couldn't help but smile. "That's my boyfriend. But really. I have class."

"You go," Harry said, looking away, unable to keep from blushing, "I need to take care of something."

It took Draco half a second to realize, and he forced himself to the door. "I'll see you on Friday."

"See you Friday."

Draco didn't go to class. He instead went to the closest bathroom because he had to take care of something, too.

Also, if you didn't notice, I like making book/fanfic covers. Those are my thing. So if you like them and you'd like me to make one for you, just ask me, and I'd be happy to do it!!

[lumosatnight]

T and U?

T: Any fandom tropes you can’t stand?

Tricky question. If written well, I'll pretty much read anything. But there are a couple of things I tend to skip over more often than others.

Inheritance laws and lordships: unless the fic is set in the Middle Ages, I don't see the appeal. It gets too political for me to enjoy.

Character bashing: especially Ron bashing or Molly bashing. They can be bad characters who do bad things, but I prefer when they're more nuanced.

Pregnancy fics: I just don't have any interest in being or reading about being pregnant at the moment. I don't mind pregnancy (and Mpreg) coming up in a fic, but I usually dip out if it's the main premise of the fic.

THAT BEING SAID, I have read some absolutely FANTASTIC fics with these exact tropes. So, really, I don't know what to tell ya lol.

U: Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

Oh my goodness. Here we go. What a fun question! I feel like my answer is constantly changing, so I'll go with the authors I'm obsessed with at the moment.

Eldritcher (eldritcher-fic on DW)

I love their unique style of writing. It's like a mix of poetry and prose that always invokes such strong emotions. I've found so many new ships because of them, and they aren't afraid to dive into dark topics and unique characterizations. Some of my favorite fics by them are Exaltation (Dudley/Severus), Plenitude (Hermione/Amelia Bones), and Gyre and Gimble (Charity Burbage/Draco).

Schmem_14 (@schmem14)

I've gotten to know Em a bit recently and on top being an amazing fic writer, she's also just an overall wonderful person to interact with. She's constantly exploring, constantly trying new ships/genres/ideas. I love the creativity behind all of her stories. Some of my favorite fics are HP Kinkuary 2023 collection (seriously, it's so hotttt), How to Care for your Monster Book (Hagrid/Book of Monsters), and Lost at Sea (Harry/Ron).

Corvuscrowned (@corvuscrowned)

Gonna be honest, I read Crow's fics for the angst. They're just the right amount of tugging at your heartstrings but also being littered with sweet moments. I strive to get my angsty fics to the level that Crow has achieved. Not all of Crow's fics are angsty, but those are the ones I enjoy the most. Some of my favorite fics are An Emerald In The Sky (Drarry), Shades of Dawn (Lavender/Ginny), Loverboys (Drarry, not actually that angsty but very good nonetheless)

For the Fanfic Ask Game, send me a question!

[t4tdrarry]

hello friends, it’s been a while! i’ve been away from fandom for a bit due to health and other life reasons but i’ve slowly been inching my way back. so i thought a good place to start was sharing some of the great fics i’ve been reading recently this past month or so! + banner pic

Drarry

The Dust of Water by Lomonaaeren | M | 144k

lomonaeeren is one of those authors whose fics i can always appreciate for the plot and the world building and this one does not disappoint in that. it features a harry who has woken up with no memories beyond just after the battle of hogwarts despite it being ten years later. i won’t say more to preserve the mystery, but the direction this went was darkly gripping.

Ancient & Noble Houses by Lomoraaeren

another lomonaeeren fic that has a darker twist on a beloved trope, we have harry who inherits grimmauld place and the sinister traditions of the black family. this fic is brilliantly creepy and a fascinating take on magical houses.

Telling The Bees by @cibeewastaken | M | 31k

this fic is heartbreaking and beautiful in all the best ways. it’s a story of loss and grief but so so filled with love. scorpius is a delight in this one and we feel draco’s loss so strongly, but it certainly lives up to the angst with a happy ending tag.

Blessed Are The Lambs by @cannibalschism | M | 50k

this fic,,, oh my god this fic,,, i think being a mcr fan means vampires + priests are just a Thing for me and This Fic has it all. and the relationship between religion and the wizarding world is so interesting and explored to a depth i’d never read before. brilliant!

In The Bleak Midwinter by @the-fools-errand | E | 105k

peaky blinders drarry, need i say more?? i read this immediately after finishing the latest season and it really did feel like i hadn’t left. it captures the intrigue and magic of the show and draco as tommy is perfect. also as someone who wasn’t the biggest fan of grace and tommy’s relationship in the show, draco and harry in their place gave me a much better appreciation of the story!

Heal Thyself (podfic) by astolat read by lazulus | M

i listened to this while sewing my outfit for a wedding i went to and it was so so good. healer draco is a favourite of mine and this fic is such a good example of why! the general reading and voices is also very well done and made for great listening.

Others

Gen

Buried Memories by BellaBix | T | 207k

i love severitus fics and slytherin harry so this was kind of a no brainer for me. the paganism element and the magic was very interesting as well. it’s also tagged as eventual drarry.

Drarreo

just call this what it is by queens_crown | M | 27k

this fic was actually inspired by this piece i drew a while back and i’ve been wanting to yell about it since i found out it existed. and then i read it. and now i am going to yell about it. it perfectly captures the soft, healing vibe i love from eighth year fics and specifically from these three together. their dynamic is just what i pictured, and i loved theo! a lovely addition to my slow growing drarreo collection.

[thedrarrylibrarian]

Harry swallows hard against the lump in his throat, grasping onto the handle of his rucksack to stop the shaking of his fingers.

“I like boys,” he says, and the impact of the words, said a second time around, doesn’t feel as powerful. His shoulders slump, and he says thickly, “I said that I like boys now.” He closes his eyes for a second, and shakes his head. “Er, well, not now. I mean I always have, I reckon. Because that’s how it works. It’s not something that you—that you decide. It’s something that you… discover.” 

He holds his breath.

Oh my god. This fic! I cannot wait to share it with you. Welcome welcome my friends, and Happy Friday!

Pages of You by @wolfpants (102,665 words, rated E)

Harry stares at the scrawl of neatly slanted handwriting, imprinted on crisp white paper that hadn’t been torn from a notebook like his own. He slumps back against his pillows, reads the letter again, and his grin grows so wide that it actually hurts his cheeks.

He’s definitely royalty. Has to be.

When he sits up again, he grabs the yellow notepad from his desk, bites the lid off of his black biro pen, and he starts scribbling.

This story is a Drarry re-telling of You've Got Mail. First of all, you need to know that I absolutely LOVE You've Got Mail. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are the perfect comedy duo. The battle of the small indie bookstore vs the big box mega-corporation. It's one of my favorites, and a movie that I re-watch every time that I'm sick. If it's not clear, it would be incredibly hard to beat the original You've Got Mail for me.

Yet, this fic did it. Using the basic format of enemies being unknowning pen pals, give me a young adult Harry and Draco figuring themselves out, a cast of gay uncles and an unapologetically queer (not gay as in happy, but queer as in fuck you) bookstore and you've given me a fic that I cannot resist and have fallen absolutely in love with.

I don't want to give too much away, but let me end by saying that I read this 100k+ fic in less than 24 hours because I simply did not want to put it down. I stayed up late last night, phone light turned down to its dimmest setting, portrait orientation lock on so that I could read more of this wonderful fic.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

❤️ As always, if you find a fic you enjoy, please remember to leave the author a kudos or a comment! ❤️

Lots of Love, Happy Friday, and most of all Happy Pride 🌈