#The Toad The Witch And The Wardrobe

[x-mensirens]

"Yes.... He was delivering a little message. From my father."

[dead-dove-orchid]

Touches ground. Something happened here. Or was unfictional.

[adarkrainbow]

Long ask. Bear with me, please.

I'm still thinking about what counts or not as a fairy tale.

To be honest, I think the only pre-requisites for something to become a fairy tale in pop culture is for it to be a popular fantasy children's story in public domain. And kinda look like a fairy tale, too.

In your opinion, which work would be considered a fairy tale if it weren't for copyright?

Let me give, my examples

C.S. Lewis' Narnia books, especially the first one, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. If Alice in Wonderland and Wizard of Oz are considered fairy tales, especially in crossovers, Narnia should be too as it shares many themes, plot points, and character archetypes.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It literally uses all fairy tale archetypes and cliches under the sun, even if it ditches magic for extremely soft sci-fi. Willy Wonka is like Frau Holle or that fairy godmother from Toads and Diamonds, the four brat children are like those siblings and step-siblings who are always magically punished, and even as a child I knew Charlie Bucket was Cinderella but with no focus on romance. He's the youngest sibling that always is magically rewarded.

It is quite funny because I had the idea to make a post about this subject specifically! But since you asked I'll drop some elements of my planned posts here - it can be a good introduction!

Now if you ask me, "fairytale" can't be everything and anything, but that's probably because I come from France where "fairytales" are literaly a literary genre first, and then a category of folktales and legend, and we have specific categorizations different from other countries (again, the merveilleux/fantastique divide for example which determines the French approach to supernatural and fantasy, but is absent from English literature if I am not mistaken).

I... personally do not believe any "popular children story" would be a fairytale. Else that would make the first Harry Potter books a fairytale, or the Winnie the Pooh stories a fairytale or Despicable Me or the recent musical Troll movies fairytales. I think the inherent decision to make something "for children" fairytale like is bad because, again, fairytales were not originally meant for children and thus should not be limited to a child audience.

From my point of view, a fairytale needs to be either a folktale that hold itself in a specific format that makes it separate from legends and myths (the type of local folkloric stories told by old storytellers to children in the countryside for example - but with a clear plot, clear characters, and beginning and ends, separating it from vague legends ; and with a minimum religious element, to separate it from myths for example). I do not like to think of Greek myths as "Greek fairytales". For example, to take an example of the folkloric fairytales of France vs the legends: we have in Bretagne the belief in "les lavandières de nuit", "the night washer-women", ghostly, otherwordly apparitions of women washing clothes at night, and you should never help them else you'll end up dead or with your arms broken. If someone simply tells you what I told you above "It is said there are ghostly women who wash linen at night...", this is more of a "legend", like ghost stories, or "Oh, this is a fairy mound haunted by fairies!" or "It is said a monster lives in this cave". But if you actually tell the story of a specific peasant boy with a specific name, who due to specific reasons ends up meeting these women, and either escapes or falls to their fate, we already are closer to the folktale and thus the "fairytale of Bretagne". But this is all obvious, as these kind of fairytale-folktales were those collected by Grimm and Jacobs and Moe and others...

And then you have literary fairytales, which are stories meant to evoke or imitate the folktales described above, and can derive in many ways (be more "literary") but still identify or present themselves or link themselves to these folktales. These are the Perrault and d'Aulnoy and Andersen fairytales for example. This category can be pushed further with what we call in French "contes détournés" - you could call them "fractured fairytales" to take back a common English term, that is to say all the parodies and rewrites and deformations of fairytales, sometimes for humoristic effects, other times not. Modernization and expansion of fairytales are part of that, so to speak. But we stay in a domain where the story is presented or follows the code and format of fairytales, while also explicitely avoiding, pointing out or reversing the common tropes and rules.

But where the Narnia books and the Dahl books enter, we reach a domain that is not fully fairytale but rather a crossroad between three genres deeply intertwined. "Fairy tales" (or rather "modern fairytales") ; "Fairytale-Fantasy" and "Children fantasy".

Children fantasy is basically any modern children story (by modern I mean deliberately fictional and written as fiction) that involves magic and the supernatural. And these stories can be influenced by fairytales, since it is something children are very aware about, but not always. Peter Pan, just like the Oz books, are "children fantasy" - a form of fantasy for children primarily, or rather a form of children stories that step into the fantasy realm. Pinocchio is one of the oldest "children fantasy", as in a work primarily aimed at children, but with magical and fantastical elements in it.

"Fairytale-fantasy" however is a term usually given to a subgenre of fantasy works that, instead of taking inspiration from epic sagas (epic fantasy) or horror works (dark fantasy) or other things ; takes inspiration from fairytales and folktales. The same way Tolkien was the father of "epic fantasy" he was also the father of "fairytale fantasy" through his Hobbit novel, and also other works (his Tom Bombadil poems, his Farmer Gilles of Ham novel).

The thing is that "children fantasy" and "fairytale fantasy" are deeply interconnected since both can draw source from fairytales and folktales to build entirely new stories. As a result there is a frequent overlap. The Oz books belong as much to "children fantasy" (one of the biggest success in terms of magical series of children-book) as "fairytale fantasy" (they were a pure deconstruction of typical fairytales, explicitely playing with fairytale codes, and later becoming an "American fairytale" classic). The Narnia books are also part of this crossroad, as they are "children fantasy" (they are a traditional fantasy story with epic tones, but for children and teenagers), while also being "fairytale fantasy" (taking inspiration and paying homage to several fairytales and folktales). They all belong to this category of works which are not fairytales per se (since they are not of folkloric origins, nor were they meant to be faithful rewrites or perfect pastiches of traditional folkloric fairytales), but definitively works of fiction based upon fairytales, inspired by fairytales, and mant to take fairytales into the "next step" of the world of fiction.

The main difference between "children fantasy" and "fairytale fantasy" would be as such. Children fantasy, while sometimes inspired by fairytales, is not always tied to fairytales and can be completely fairytale free. For example many of Roald Dahl stories do pay homage to fairytales and are inspired by his fairytales (his witches in The Witches, his giants in THE BFG, Wonka and his factory, the Giant Peach, etc...), he is part of the "writers of modern fairytales". But you have also lot of children stories with magic that do not involve any fairytale reference. Children fantasy can be inspired and allied by fairytales, but is not defined by them.

On the opposite side, "fairytale fantasy" is defined by fairytales - but not by age. Yes some of the most famous "fairytale fantasy" works are for children: the Oz books or the Narnia books. But just as many are for adults and definitively not for children. Neil Gaiman wrote a Coraline for children, but his Stardust is definitively for adults. The movie "Legend", while one of the most iconic fairytale-fantasies, is for adults.

So, I think the real way to point out what a fairytale is, is to look at the format and intentions of the author and of the work, to see if it fits the literary fairytales of old. There needs to be a conscious emulation, pastiche or imitation of traditional fairytales, there needs to be something that make it feel like a fairytale, and not like a story inspired by fairytales. But honestly... this is deep down really, really hard to draw a line as it mostly comes to personal definitions and appreciations. The genre of fairytales is vast and blurry, as it covers traditional European folktales and a specific short literary genre first, but was then expanded to cover other literary works and non-European folktales - and so the lines are... muddled.

I do not hesitate to say that "Over the Garden Wall" is actually a modern fairytale, as seeing the show made me literaly feel again the same kind of feeling I had when I first discovered fairytales. But I can understand why people would consider it "fairytale fantasy" rather than a "modern fairytale" because it was made with the intent of it being a children show and fantasy show first and foremost. Dahl stories are definitively "modern fairytales" - but the fact they are set in "modern day" and a grounded reality where the supernatural is not supposed to exist can disqualify them from being traditional fairytales ; or the humor and parody and play with the fairytale codes can also create a distanciating humor that make them fairytale subversions or pastiches or parodies rather than fairytales. Pinocchio has everything that fits a literary fairytale - but its format also evokes old "story-cycles" like the Reynard adventures or Gargantua ones, and its lack of simplicity and uniformity, or rather its long, flowing nature can also disqualify it from being a fairytale and rather make it a fairytale-inspired fantasy....

Honestly the narrowest definition you can have of "fairytale" is: printed works that explicitely designate themselves as such, from collected folktales (Grimm) to literary fiction written to emulate and imitate them (Andersen). This is the most narrow definition you can have. But then, one can expand to include all folktales that inspired fairytales ; or on the other side, one can push into the literary direction, to include stories that do not have the fairytale format, but that were so heavily inspired and shaped after fairytales, and gained such a popular influence and widespread presence, that they became "modern fairytales". But then this also opens the door to questions such as "What is a myth?" or "What about literary myths?" (like Faust or Don Juan or Frankenstein, all those famous "literary myths" as we call them in French).

As you can see by this convoluted answer, it is not a clear-cut question and nobody can truly answer it. Everybody will have a different opinion, and there is no real limit. The question mostly defines in how the work label itself. Perrault and Grimm and Andersen works called themselves fairytales, so there is no doubt about it. But take Neil Gaiman's Stardust - an iconic of fairytale fantasy, and yet Gaiman refers to it as a "romance in Faerie", evoking more the genre of fantastical and supernatural romances (medieval-meaning of the sense) like "The Well at World's End" and others - and the work is also very inspired by fantasy fae stories with a vague proto-urban fantasy feel to it, like "Lug-in-Mist". Same thing with the movie "Legend" which is definitively inspired by fairytales and a fairytale-fantasy, but was sold as a "fantasy movie" or even "heroic fantasy" movie first and foremost. Meanwhile the Oz books were intended by Baum to be a "modern, American fairytale" - even though their novel format and their franchise nature removes the idea they can become as "traditional" as the folktales he meant to imitate...

I'll stop there for now, but long story short: It's complicated, and when in doubt, don't hesitate to refer to intermediary terms like "children fantasy" or "fairytale fantasy", which clearly evoke modern fictional works and can highlight a difference with classic literary fairytales or folkloric fairytales, without rejecting the idea these "modern fairytales" aren't fairytales in their own right.

[thoughtfulfangirling]

Screenshots X-Men Evolution

I'm making some more index pages so don't mind me or this post.

Season 1 Strategy X The X-Impulse (missed) Rogue Recruit Mutant Crush Speed and Spyke Middleverse Turn of the Rogue SpykeCam Survival of the Fittest Shadowed Past Grim Reminder The Cauldron Part 1 The Cauldron Part 2

Season 2 Growing Pains Power Surge Bada-Bing Bada-Boom Fun and Games The Beast of Bayville Adrift Joyride African Storm On Angel's Wings Mindbender Shadow Dance Retreat Walk on the Wild Side Operation: Rebirth The Hex Factor Day of Reckoning - Part One Day of Reckoning - Part Two Season 3 Day of Recovery The Stuff of Heroes Mainstream The Stuff of Villains Blind Alley X-Treme Measures The Toad, The Witch, and the Wardrobe Self Possessed Under Lock and Key Cruise Control X23 Dark Horizon - Part 1 Dark Horizon - Part 2 Season 4 Impact No Good Deed Target X Sins of the Son Uprising Cajun Spice Ghost of a Chance Ascension Part 1 Ascension Part 2 ~~Miscellaneous Stuff~~

[levinea-yuuki]

I want a Tall Pointy Tower because I also want the vantage point to be able to see when people are going to arrive at my place of business / home. Got to have time to put on my outfit for wizard work instead of my stars and moon pajamas!

A cabin in the woods would also allow bad people to hide behind trees and then shoot you with a crossbow. Sure it might be a little bit easier to hide but if somebody wants to run a business you would rather be easier to spot in my opinion. I also think I would want to protect the wildlife if something goes astray by having it up above the tree line or on a cliff in case something explodes, catches fire, or leaks. I've got to do my part to prevent catastrophic disaster!

It would be like a live-in store: the downstairs would have all of the for-sale potions and alchemist's armour, ingredients, spells, scrolls... stuff like that. I could even have a section for kids to learn how to craft basic salves that can turn their skin green and purple, or a flying rug ride for the little ones to be entertained while mum spends way too long looking around in the poisonous plants section in a personal debate over whether to buy them because 'damn they're very pretty but they could also kill me'. There could be a section for enchanted swords and you would see a lot of men boasting about how they can wield the weapons but a lot more women would be actually buying them.

Then there's the upstairs section of my beautiful tower where I would have my downey bed and fireplace, my plush blanket, my herbal teas, a meat pie baking in the oven, and a ton of hanging vine plants just starting to flower in little pink and yellow blossoms, adding a touch of color to the grey and mossy green stone walls where the tapestries and shelves filled with projects and books don't quite cover.

I would have a soak in my claw footed bathtub, deep enough to submerge two people at the same time, after a hard day of hunching over in the garden out back digging up roots to make a new herb bed, and then afterwards I would dig around in my wardrobe full of robes and sweats alike for something cozy. My hat hooks for the various wizard and witch hats to match my outfits would be just next to the spiral stairwell, and on the opposite side of the fireplace to prevent it from over boiling would be a section for a brewing stand so that I can make my concoctions in peace instead of in public view where somebody could be a little bit too mischievous and end up tossing a toad in my caldron thinking it would be funny, either making a massive toad monster or just fucking up somebody's healing spell and that would be very good for future business, now would it?

Oh yeah and the broomstick organizers for guests, like a bicycle parking spot. I could have a little gargoyle guarding it so that nobody would grab the wrong broom.

I could also have a barrier on my upper canopy so that only me and any specific guests that I allow to do so could land on it and enter my personal room.

And of course my cat, but it's not like I could stop her anyways. She does what she wants.

pick your wizard home

[allmyfriendsareheathens]

Books I remember reading in my childhood(in no specific order)

The Rainbow Magic series

The Junie B. Jones series

The Homework Machine(the first one only)

Arthur

The Berenstain Bears

The Giver

In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories(I vividly remember The Green Ribbon, more specifically the ending)

Frog and Toad(I even watched the series, not as good as the books but still good)

Clifford the Big Red Dog

Pretty much all of Mo Willems' books(he was my favorite author in 1st grade)

Dr. Suess

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Magic Treehouse series

The I Survived series

Maniac Magee

Stargirl(I really need to see the Disney movie)

Amelia Bedelia

Fly Guy

The Pinkalicious series

Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy(I was today years old when I found out that wasn't the only book)

Geronimo Stilton

Kevin Henkes's books

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe(I have yet to read the rest of The Chronicals of Narnia)

The Little Critter series

Charlotte's Web

If You Gave a Mouse a Cookie(and all the other books from that series)

Pete the Cat

Morris has a Cold(I don't remember reading the other Morris the Moose books)

There Was And Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly(I remember those stories creeping me out back in Preschool/Kindergarten)

Wonder(I've actually seen the movie, and also read Auggie and Me, in fact I'm actually rereading it right now)

Ugly(It's actually similar to Wonder)

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

Little Critter

Franklin

[takenbypeter]

One Chance

X-Men Evolution Toad x mutant!reader

Word Count: 1,249

Summary: Toad always hears the same answer from you every single time, “no.” What happens when you finally agree to a date.

~~~~~

Don’t judge me, I wrote this after watching X-Men Evolution S3E7: The Toad, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. My man’s deserves love on that show.

~~~~~

“Don’t look now, but here comes your not so secret admirer,” said your best friend Kitty. You let out a little sigh already knowing exactly who she was talking about.

When you had moved to the institute you had expected difficulties. New town, new neighbors, new people who think you’re a freak. But what you didn’t expect was an admirer.

Toad.

Toad, although still a part of the brotherhood, showed no hesitation in declaring his feelings for you. “Good afternoon sugar plum. I hope you’ve had a beautiful day,” you rolled your eyes at his words. You knew Toad. It was no secret that everyday, he would hit on the same three people, (including yourself). For the first half of the day he’d hit on Rogue, then the second half you, and from your multiple run-ins with Wanda Maximoff you knew he’d turn to her after school.

“Hello Toad,” you said with a friendly smile, “my day was fine, thank you.” Unlike Rogue and Wanda though, you’ve always decided against being rude to the boy. Although he constantly asked you out, not once has he ever pushed it to the point where you were uncomfortable. “How was your day?” You asked.

“Better now that I got to see you,” he reaches out to lean against a locker before failing epically. You laughed at his little stumble before composing yourself. Noticing the little exchange Kitty began tugging on your arm.  “Okay well, Kitty and I were just about to head home, so see you tomorrow,” you said, allowing yourself to be pulled away. “Wait,” Toad jumped in front of you, “I didn’t get to ask you,” here it comes. He points a finger at you then at himself, “you…me…date tonight.”

You open your mouth about to let the word no come out naturally, just like it has every other day. But then you close it. Toad wasn’t that bad. The guy’s never gotten a yes before and you were starting to feel…honestly a little bad. Your eyes landed on Kitty’s which were wide as she frantically waved her hands from behind him. One date couldn’t hurt, right?

“Okay, sure.”

Kitty froze mid wave, shocked by your answer. “Okay, I understand,” Toad mumbled dejectedly as he began to walk off with his shoulders slumped.

“I said yes,” you reiterate and he turns around visually growing ecstatic, “wait you said yes!”

You nod in response and he jumps back over, “oh you are not going to regret it. I’ll come by the mansion at seven. This is going to be the best date ever!” He shouts jumping all the way out the door.

You turn back to Kitty who’s giving you a crazy-eyed look, “do you just know what you just did?”

You nod and begin to walk off as Rogue joins you two. “Toad…that was Toad.”

Rogue looks at Kitty questioningly before turning to you, “what is she going on about?”

Kitty answers for you, practically screaming, “Y/n just agreed to go on a date…with Toad!” Rogue looks back at you, surprise written on her face. You shrug in response, “I felt bad, plus it’s just one date.” You walked off, as they continued to stare at you baffled by your decision.

You weren’t nervous about the date. But as it did get closer to seven you started to feel some jitters. At seven you stood outside the mansion, waiting for him to show up. “Sorry I’m late,” Toad says walking up to you. You check your phone screen seeing that it was exactly seven. “Toad, you’re right on time?”

“Yeah well I planned on getting here earlier but then my ride bailed on me,” he mumbles cursing at Lance before turning back to you. “Now,” he holds out a hand in your direction, “let’s go my love bug,” he says. You shoot him a warning look while he shows a sheepish smile, “I mean Y/n.” You grin, taking his hand in yours. “Let’s go!” He shouts again before heading off to who knows where.

It isn’t until you’re standing on a boardwalk looking up at the tall rides that you realize where you are. “Toad?” You ask, staring up at one of the biggest rollercoasters you’ve ever seen. “Yeah?” He asks.

“You do know my mutation includes sonic scream. Right?” You turn to see him with eyes wide before he quickly recollects himself, “of course my sweet siren, which is why we’re here for this,” he hastily spins you around towards the game section of the boardwalk.

You both end up playing a couple of arcade games first. It turns out he’s quite good at arcade games. But actual booth games…not so much.

You had been standing at the same booth for over twenty minutes, all because you had mentioned that the stuffed bear was cute. After failing for about the tenth time you noticed Toad getting frustrated and you could already tell he was about to use his powers. But before he could, you intervened, “Toad, come on let’s not waste all our time on this one thing.”

Successfully pulling him away from the booth, his shoulders droop. “Aww man I’m such a loser.”

“Don’t be hard on yourself, these games are rigged most of the time.” He shook his head at your words, “not just that. I mean look at me,” he motions his hand in the air, up and down. “I’m practically a freak. I don’t even understand why you agreed to go out with me.”

“Hey!” You yell turning to him with a stomp of your foot. He jumps back at your sudden shout, “don’t talk about yourself like that. This date has been perfect. You’ve been super sweet and funny.” It’s true. Although there’s been some slip ups, he’s managed to turn them all into something positive.

“You don’t need to go out to try to impress me.” His eyes look up and meet yours for a moment before you avert your own gaze. “You’ve already impressed me.”

Toad suddenly grabs your hand, gaining your attention and with a smile on his face he begins tugging you back towards the booth. “Where are we going?” You ask.

“To get you that bear!”

Eventually the date comes to an end and you two arrive back at the institute empty handed. “Sorry I couldn’t win you anything,” he apologizes and you shake your head. “It’s okay. I just can’t believe you offered to pay forty bucks for it.”

“I can’t believe the guy didn’t take my offer,” he  added and you let out a laugh before you stopped at the front door.

“I don’t want this to end,” he says. “Well me neither but we have school tomorrow and then I have training,” you reason.

“I know. But I feel like when I wake up tomorrow, this will all be a dream.”

You tilt your head thinking about what to do before you get an idea. Leaning forward you press your lips against his cheek for a second. Tilting back you catch him staring at you with a blank expression and no words for the first time that whole night.

You clear your throat before saying, “there. That’s how you know it wasn’t a dream.” He remains silent and you reach for the door handle, “goodnight Toad.” You shut the door behind you and it isn’t until you’re out of his sight that his face erupts into a huge grin while he fist-pumps the air.

~~~~~

Okayyyyyy…so I may have written him a little sweeter than he is in the show, but I feel like if he actually got with someone he would 1,000% do whatever they say

[themutantages]

X-Men: Evolution's characters need to get out of the closet -- or the wardrobe, as this title suggests.

"The Toad, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" is all about Kurt and Toad, two self-conscious characters who want to look different. In Kurt's case, it's because he wants to impress Amanda's parents, even though she doesn't care he's blue and doesn't think they would either. In Toad's case, he's trying to impress Wanda (#ScarletWitch), who doesn't like him no matter what he looks like (because she is gay).

Meanwhile, Magneto teams up with Mastermind to kidnap Wanda and erase all of her trauma in a scene that serves as a more dramatic counterpart to the light-hearted slapstick scenes in the rest of this episode.

X-Men Spotlight: Margali, Amanda Sefton's mother

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[scarletwitchpanels]

as a child me and my sister had taped a couple episodes of xmen: evolution on vhs bc it was our all time favorite show and I specifically remember watching the hex factor and the toad, the witch, & the wardrobe over and over again… the Wanda obsession began early

[x-mensirens]

"You know, he's a slimy worm. But, he did put his life on the line for you."

[third-generation-female-warrior]

Ordinary Date

Ahaha! So I did write something for Valentine’s Day, now that it’s basically over, but it’s still 9:40pm my time, so it counts! So, sequel-ish to The Path we Walk and prequel-ish to Goodbye Winter, with Talbott and Ravenclaw!Alexus, my favorite pairing to write about, it seems. It’s not a fic of the Valentine’s Day Ball sidequest, this is kinda AU-ish on what I think their first date would really be like. First date hymns, poetry, angsty stuff, the world’s smallest canon complaint, preppy-nerds-who-pine, banter, little proof-reading, this did not go remotely the direction I thought it was gonna. Things started out so nice for them. He made her feel like an ordinary girl, if only for a few hours. But she was not meant to last a whole night, it seems. Rated T, 6,000+ words.

-

The soft glow of the street lanterns casted an orange glow onto the otherwise pearly white snow that rested to the sides on the main street of Hogsmeade, dulled grey by the night’s gentle darkness. It wasn’t snowing, but the clouds looming in the sky suggested that fact would change. There was a gentle coldness in the air, not a biting freeze, but it still made the breaths of the passersby illuminate a smoky puff as they walked along the wet cobblestone path. Their breathes would turn orange or yellow as the air would catch the soft light glow of the window shops. The people walking in front of the warm interiors would only have half their face casted in light, the other halves of their bodies turning to near translucent shadows.

Talbott Winger watched people turn into silhouettes, only seeing shadows as they walked from shop to shop.

He stood on the opposite side of the street of the Three Broomsticks entrance, the adults and the students pouring in and out of the establishment, walking hand in hand, or storming out furiously, one girl running out, crying. It must have been a date gone wrong. It was Valentine’s Day, after all.

Talbott’s first Valentine’s day with Alexus Johnson, the girl from his year he gave his heart to on accident and against his better judgement. It was not a deathbed confession, but she was recovering after being tortured by a dark witch when he confessed his mutual attraction.

A lot of their relationship milestones seemed to be an accident. He accidentally let his guard down enough for her to become his friend. She accidentally confessed her feelings first. He accidentally got feelings for her, more than he knew what to do with.

He just didn’t want to accidentally ruin tonight.

He was waiting outside the Three Broomsticks because that’s where they agreed to meet. She was discharged from the Hospital Wing earlier today, and he left while her friends dragged her to the dorm room to “get her ready” even though Alexus herself was wildly protesting.

Talbott was anxious, even if he would never admit it. He would never admit he was anxious or that he consulted his dormate, Andre Egwu to help him pick out an outfit.

Andre was ecstatic, almost insultingly so, to help Talbott dress for such an occasion as a date, and while throwing different clothes from Andre’s own wardrobe onto Talbott’s bed, he admitted to giving the girls tips about what should be Alexus’s outfit for the date.

So, that was how Talbott ended up standing in the cold while wearing some dull tan overcoat over a light grey pullover sweater and that was over a white button-up shirt. Not to mention, blue jeans. Overall, he was kept warm, which Andre must have accounted for. Maybe a little too warm, as the back of his neck was burning. Maybe that had nothing to do with the heat of his clothing layers. He let out a breath, that smoky breath that visibly danced in front of his face before disappearing the next second. He gently placed a hand over his chest, over the feather charm on his necklace. He pressed down, feeling it against his palm, against his skin. He was nervous.

God, who would have known he would be nervous taking out the girl he really liked?

They both agreed to no grandiose plans, as Alexus was still technically in recovery and they both hated grandiose plans. Talbott knew what his ideal date entailed, and he had a decent idea of what Alexus would enjoy for a date.

So why was he so nervous?

“Talbott!” he looked up and his heart stopped.

There she was.

“Alexus,” he said as she walked up, not quite smiling, but he stared at her with something soft in his eyes.

She wasn’t alone, but he saw only her, his vision tunneling as her appearance was stunning. She wore a neck dress that was a deep, royal shade of blue that cinched at the waist and swayed around down her legs with each step, ending just above her knees, the rest of her legs covered by black, opaque tights. White lapels peaked over the collar, and a fitted dark grey cardigan hugged her torso.

Alexus walked in the middle of a trio which consisted of her, Badeea Ali, and Penny Haywood, the three girls linking arms, walking to Talbott like they were moving down the aisle, giving their daughter away for a wedding. Maybe that was a semblance of their motivations, but in reality, he knew they were just making sure she made the walk to him, as they were rather unsure of all the spells that dark witch had used on Alexus just recently, unsure if there would be any lingering effects.

As they reached him, Alexus broke from the girls and slid her hand into Talbott’s waiting one.

“Thank you,” she said to them.

“Have fun!” Penny waved off cheerily.

Talbott nodded his head to them respectfully before they disappeared into the Three Broomsticks. He watched them leave before looking down at Alexus. He brought her hand to his lips for a second. “Are you ready to go?”

“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t,” she replied, smiling at him.

He returned her smile before leading her away, down the street of Hogsmeade.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I feel you’d prefer to avoid crowded places today,” he started as they walked.

“I’d prefer to avoid crowded places any day, but since the rumors of my dating habits have been picking up, I would prefer to be away from as many other students as possible.”

“As you wish,” Talbott said, winking at her.

Alexus rolled her eyes, still smiling. “Since when do you watch The Princess Bride?” she asked.

“Since you mentioned how good it was in five letters after fourth year,” he chided.

“It was good!” Alexus said defensively.

“Well, you always were a sucker for romance. Who would have known?”

She poked his side. “You have no room to talk, Mr. Read-Poetry-to-the-Girl-in-the-Hospital.”

He stopped walking and looked down at her. “As I recall, you enjoyed being read to.”

She stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. “I never said I didn’t.” She walked further along, dragging him with her a few steps until he started walking on his own, again, taking the lead.

“You’re… impossible,” he said with admiration and burning cheeks.

“You’re paradoxical,” she retaliated as she fell into step with him. Before he could question her adjective, she continued. “Where are we going, anyways?”

He frowned, but let it roll off his shoulders. “You can fly, yes?”

“As gracefully as the day I first transformed.”

“Oh dear, we might be in trouble then.”

He laughed as she nudged his side with her shoulder.

“The Courtyard, Alexus. The Clocktower Courtyard.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You have me escorted all the way to Hogsmeade just to fly back to Hogwarts?”

“Well, eventually. I thought you’d enjoy Honeydukes first. You can tell a lot about a person by the sweets they enjoy.”

He stopped as they reached the front of the shop in question. She didn’t even realize that’s where he had taken her.

She opened her mouth, probably to say something smart back to him, but he was already opening the door for her like a proper gentleman and ushering her inside from the cold.

She gave him a look that was half a smirk and half a challenge and half a battle of wits when they left.

He just winked back and grabbed her hand, walking with her through the shop. There were other students, more crowded than they both would have liked, but also not as busy as a place such as the Three Broomsticks. There were other couples, walking and poking around the shelves.

“So, what is your favorite sweet?” Talbott asked as they made their way through a natural path of the store. He inspected a box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavored Beans.

“Not that. Too much risk,” Alexus replied, scrunching her nose at his selection.

“You break curses in your spare time,” he pointed out, almost laughing.

“Ever since Jacob gave me a wasabi flavored bean when I was four, I’ve been rather weary of them.”

He laughed and kept the package. “Then I’m definitely getting this. I’ll give you the good ones.”

“Oh, you’re such a gentleman,” she said, sarcastically before reaching up. He found it incredibly endearing that her fingers barely brushed the bag of liquorice wands, straining to grasp them before she caught the plastic with her fingers, pulling it forward just a centimeter before pulling it closer until she could slide it off the edge slowly and into her palm.

“You could have asked for assistance or a step ladder you know,” he said, trying not to burst out laughing, but there were tears in his eyes from the strain of holding himself back.

“Sod off, Talbott,” she muttered before looking at her parcel. “These are my favorite.” “Liquorice wands?” he asked, glancing at her hands.

“Ever since I was little. My mum…” she stopped and looked at him cautiously.

He caught her look before turning away, trying to make his demeanor as eased and nonchalant as possible. “Continue,” he assured her.

“My mum always bought these when she went to a wizard market. Jacob and I would pretend to duel.”

Talbott laughed lightly. “See? I told you, you can tell a lot about a person based on the sweets they enjoy.”

She rolled her eyes. “What about you? What’s your favorite?”

Talbott hummed and put the peppermint toads he was holding back onto the shelf. He grabbed her empty hand with his own before leading the way to another aisle. He picked up a displayed cardboard box with a saran wrap window, showing off the gelatinous sweets inside.

“Jelly slugs?” Alexus asked incredulously while Talbott beamed, like he was the creator of the confections.

“They’re right and proper when you have a craving for sweets, Alexus,” Talbott said seriously.

“They’re good, but I didn’t think they’d be your favorite sweet,” she shrugged.

“Oh? What did you think would be my favorite?” he asked, added the box to his collection.

She hummed, thinking before letting go of his hand, disappearing behind a shelf before reimaging, walking up to him and shoving a box of ice mice into his hand.

He stared as she pressed her lips together, eyes lit up with something wicked.

“You know,” she said, voice shaking with restrained giggles. “Because… well, birds of prey tend to enjoy mice.” She laughed as he gave her a pained expression.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her with him as he put the box back. They looked at other sweets when they were approached by a wiry and young employee with a tray in his hands.

“Chocolate raspberry fudge?” he asked. “Free samples for Valentine’s couples.”

Talbott looked at Alexus before taking two off the tray, thanking the employee.

“Are you fond of raspberry?” she asked.

“Very, when it’s paired with chocolate,” he replied, handing her a small square of the pink and brown treat.

They ate them together as they finished their shopping and walked to the register, Talbott grabbing two bottles of butterbeer on their way. They paid before they left the shop, still talking about the sort of treats they would enjoy in their childhood.

“Muggle candies, have you ever had those?” Alexus asked.

“I can’t say that I have.”

“You’d love them. If I make it to summer, I’ll be sure to buy a bunch to share with you.”

He looked at her. “If?”

She blinked. “Uh, when,” she corrected herself, “I mean, when I come back from the summer.”

He stopped, his grip in her hand making her stop as well. She turned to him, reluctantly meeting his piercing red eyes.

“Do you not think you’re going to make it past the Final Vault?”

“It’s- it’s not that, Talbott. I just… can’t guarantee it,” she looked down and held his hand tighter. “I have to be realistic.”

He sighed and kissed her head. “That is the path you walk?” he asked.

She nodded and pressed her head against his chest.

He wrapped an arm around her. “Then I’ll walk it with you. I promised you that much, Alexus.”

“You’re… paradoxical,” she muttered before pulling away.

“What do you mean by that?” he asked.

She looked up at him and sighed before pressing a kiss to his cheek.

He admired her, that orange glow illuminating half her face, her emerald eyes shining even brighter as the moonlight casted it’s soft mercury glow onto the other half.

He felt a compelling force that almost pushed him down, if only to… well, he wasn’t sure. He felt some great pull towards her, a desire for something but he didn’t know what. He saw that in her eyes, he saw so much in them. That mysterious and compelling force.

She leaned back, taking her hand into his. “Let’s go back. The long way, yeah?”

He nodded and walked with her back down the street of Hogsmeade.

They didn’t talk. They didn’t need to talk, which was not an infrequent occurrence with them. Sometimes, the only thing they needed to say could be expressed with the silence, the energy that they could feel passing between them.

As they got to Hogwarts, it was around dinner time, so not too close to the curfew, but it was close, so Talbott and Alexus knew they had to be careful about avoiding any teachers or other staff members as they walked past the Great Hall.

Eventually, they walked outside and into the Courtyard. They held hands still as they sat at the base of the fountain.

Alexus took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

He smiled before opening the two bottles of butterbeer, setting one down next to her before he took a swig from his own.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

“Nothing, actually,” she replied, opening her eyes and grabbing her bottle. “Just… the sound of the fountain, and the silence of the night, it’s always relaxing, to me. I missed it, while I was in the Hospital Wing.”

“Yeah? You sneak out here often?” he asked, reaching through his bag, pulling out his box of jelly slugs.

“Not as often as you go to the Owlery for the same reasons,” she replied before taking a long drink from her bottle.

He gave a small chuckle and opened the box. He selected a strawberry and lime flavored slug and bit into it, leaning back before looking at Alexus.

He was startled to see her looking at him, that intense look, where the expression holds the million thoughts running through her head faster than light, every single one causing the most minute shift on her face, but at the same time, all those million thoughts were about one subject. Him.

Her eyes, catching the moonlight again fixated on him, one eyebrow raised, the other pressed down in the lightest furrow, a crease in her forehead because of it. Her lips, pursed together, mostly hidden under the hand that she pressed to her mouth, one corner of her lips only just lifted and visible next to her thumb. Anyone else might have seen a soft neutrality, a few thoughts, a contemplating look. He saw that and so much more.

The way something lit up in her eyes when he looked at her, the flush in her cheeks, a centimeter rise in that one corner of her lips. He did that, by looking at her.

He felt that great pull on him again, like there was something inside his chest, in his instincts that was gripping him, trying to move him forward. He wondered if this was what being under the Imperius Curse was like. Something was trying to control him? No. He’d read personal recounts from survivors, about the effects, and this was not that.

But what was this pull?

Alexus slid her hand over his and reached over him, grabbing one of his jelly slugs for herself. She bit the head off and chewed before laying her head on his shoulder.

He moved his arm to wrap it around her lower back and pulled her closer.

“I hope the lack of eventfulness was okay for our first date,” he murmured, pressing his lips to her crown softly for a second.

“With my daily routine? Lack of eventfulness was the best thing you could have planned. Thank you for making me feel ordinary for the night.”

He chuckled. “Somehow, I don’t think you can be ordinary, Alexus. You are… fantastically remarkable.”

“And you are fantastically corny.”

He laughed, turning away from her to hide his little outburst, which made her laugh.

“Corny, but appreciated,” she assured him, gently putting a hand on his chest reassuringly.

He looked down at her, at the laughing grin on her face, and as she was wiping away a tear from her eye, he leaned down, tilting his head.

He kissed her.

So suddenly, he kissed her, soft lips meeting softer lips, eyes closed, her hands sliding across his arms to wrap around his shoulders, his hands moving to cup her face.

As suddenly as he kissed her, he pulled away, taking a couple deep breathes, watching her, eyes wide, mouth agape with a breathless panting. Her cheeks grew warm rapidly under his hands.

“I-I’m sorry… I don’t… uh… I don’t know what came o-”

She cut him off by leaning up and kissing him this time.

It was hard for him to say how long passed before one of them pulled away again.

When they kissed, he discovered in about five seconds that time became lost. The world was lost. Stars twinkled around in the sky above them, water trickled into the pool behind them. Talbott could swear he felt the ground move beneath them. Until it was all lost. There was nothing around them, there was no world, no stars, no water, no ground.

Just her.

Just him.

Just them together, connected in the purest form of a kiss.

When it was over, when they were pulling away from each other, the noise of the world slowly came back. There was that water trickling, soft insects calling in the night. An owl hooted somewhere far away, a wolf howled in the distant forest. Heavy footsteps clacked on the stone floor nearby, and it was coming closer.

Talbott and Alexus looked at each other before at their supplies from Honeydukes.

“Conceal it!” she whispered quickly, whipping out her wand, Talbott following suit. They quickly casted the disillusionment charm over their bags and bottles before pocketing their wands. They nodded to each other before assuming their animagus forms, Talbott as a brown eagle, Alexus was a chihuahuan raven. They flew up, right to the end of the courtyard as some… unknown person walked into the courtyard.

Alexus watched, ready to fly away at the first sign of trouble. Whenever dark-hooded figures with most of their faces obscured walked in her general area, it was never good, and they always seemed to be for her.

Talbott let out of call, a warning one.

Alexus looked at him, where he was perched on a ledge that overlooked the courtyard.

Alexus got ready to fly away, waiting for when the stranger would least likely be bothered by two non-nocturnal birds. She watched as the wizard stalked around the courtyard, poking stone with his wand.

As his back was turned, Alexus called out to Talbott, and they both spread their wings to take off. This was something they had to report, and fast.

They flew up, Alexus aiming for the sky to disappear into when there was a terrible, fiery pain in her right wing. She cried out, the vocalization coming out as a pained caw.

The wind was rushing through her feathers from her rapid descent.

She landed on her side, curling her arm into herself, black feathers swaying onto the ground around her.

“Alexus Johnson, small raven. Right there in the registry where any one can read it,” the wizard said, making his way over to her.

Alexus groaned, slowly sitting up, her wand in her grip, but she couldn’t lift her arm, it hurt too much to bend it. Her cardigan and shirt sleeves had already been burned or blasted off.

“It’s a chihuahuan raven, actually,” she corrected the wizard as he pointed it wand at her. “The base of the neck has a white coloration, native more to the Mexico and western United States area.”

The wizard didn’t say anything as he stood over Alexus.

Alexus smiled and set her wand down. “I’m not coming quietly. In fact, I’m not coming with you at all,” she assured him as she slowly rose to her feet, eyes trained on his wand.

“You know what ‘R’ wants, so you might as well make it easy now. Before we make you abide by our ideals.”

Alexus laughed lightly. “No.”

There was a screech and Talbott descended, talons extended, right towards the dark wizard’s face.

While he was distracted, Alexus stooped down to grab her wand with her left arm.

“Get away!” she shouted to Talbott.

He flew off, and Alexus sent a powerful blasting spell at the dark wizard, sending him flying back across the courtyard, landing in the fountain.

Talbott landed next to Alexus, turning back into human as he did. He pulled out his wand and kept it trained on the wizard.

“Do we run?” he asked.

“No, he’ll slip away.” Alexus walked to the wizard, ready to attack if he moved. “You go get a teacher, Dumbledore, Filch, anyone. We can’t let him get back to ‘R’ when he knows.”

Talbott didn’t want to leave Alexus alone, but he knew she could handle the wizard better than he could. But he still hesitated, looking at her.

“Talbott, go!” she insisted as the dark wizard started to stir.

She wanted to watch him leave as he ran into the castle, but she was too terrified to take her eyes off of the dark wizard.

“So… ‘R’ must be getting more desperate, if they’re just sending any idiot to try and retrieve me,” she commented as the wizard slowly sat up from the water.

“What can we say? Your work with the Vaults continues to be impressive.”

“I believe I have given you my answer already. Incarcerous!” Ropes sprang from the tip of her wand and coiled tightly around the torso of the dark wizard, binding his arms to his sides.

She walked over and grabbed his discarded wand, kicking it further across the courtyard.

“You gave us the wrong answer,” the wizard said, nonchalantly.

“Ferula,” Alexus muttered, pointing her wand at her burn. Bandages delicately wrapped around the injury. She’d find Chiara for a more permanent solution.

“It is cute that you think ‘R’ is giving you a choice.”

“Stupif-!”

“PROTEGO!” Alexus shouted, twirling on her heel, slashing her wand up, throwing up a quick shield to counter the second assailant’s attempt to stun her as they came up from behind. The force of her opponent’s spell on her shield made her slide back a few inches.

“You didn’t think I’d come alone to collect such a… volatile target?” the man asked, inching his way out of the fountain as Alexus faced the new dark wizard.

“I was certainly hoping, but I guess no one wants to be alone today,” she muttered, planting her foot behind her. “Expelliarmus!”

The wizard dodged and sent his own spell back to her, causing her to jump to the side.

“Locomotor Mortis!”

Alexus tripped as her legs were bound together. She swore under her breath and gripped her wand as the wizard advanced upon her.

“Flipendo Maxima!” she shouted, trying to buy herself more time, but he blocked that too.

“Stupify!”

All Alexus saw was red sparks and then stars. Lights and shadows swimming in the darkness of her vision. She groaned and turned on her side, towards the fountain. Vision was slowly coming back to her, her surroundings blurred.

Semi-conscious…. Semi-conscious was better than unconscious, which could have been the outcome with the stunning spell.

She saw the two dark wizards at the fountain as blurred figures, coming in and out of focus. “She really got you, didn’t she?” the second assailant asked as he undid the ropes on his companion.

“She had a bird friend, another animagus. Little bastard got my face, went to get help.”

She looked at her hand, extended, laying on the ground.

Her wand…

She had a wand.

“We better get out of here quickly.”

She moved her fingers, brushing along the stone. It must have been knocked out of her grip. Then, she felt it. That familiar wood, the warmth in her fingertips as she found her wand. She gripped it firmly and looked back at the two. The second one was helping the first wizard up out of the fountain. She pointed her wand at the ground by them. “Bombarda!”

The second wizard jumped back as there was a small explosion at his feet, the first wizard falling back into the fountain.

She sat up as the second dark wizard whirled around to face her.

“Everte Statum!”

“Lacarnum Inflamari!”

His robes caught on fire as she was sent rolling back across the courtyard, stopping when her body collided with the far wall, a sharp pain in her torso where the spell hit her.

“PUT IT OUT!” the wizard shouted, stomping on his dark cloak rapidly.

“My wand!” the other one shouted, jumping out of the fountain and looking at the dark ground.

If Alexus wasn’t reeling, she’d be laughing, but as the pain was subsiding, she slowly climbed to her feet as the wizard just shrugged off his robe, revealing his face.

He was a gruff-looking figure, with patchy black and white facial hair on his jaw, his head shaved, a massive scar on his scalp. His dark eyes pierced Alexus as he raised his wand.

Where was Talbott? Should it have taken him this long to get help? Was he on his way with Dumbledore and all she had to do was stall?

“I told your friend, I wasn’t going to come quietly,” she said, raising her wand as well

“And I told your friend, I’m willing to take you in bloody if that’s what it takes.” He shot a spell at her, and she jumped to the side before firing her own at him.

“What did you do to him?” she asked, trying to keep her voice bold and even.

“Just gave him a full-body bind so he wouldn’t have to get any pesky teachers involved. Someone will find him, but you’ll be gone by then.”

Alexus set her jaw. Talbott would be terrified. She couldn’t let him be any more scared than he already was with her in her danger. But more importantly, they got to Talbott. They hurt him. She couldn’t let that slide either.

If Talbott was in that courtyard in that second, only he would have seen the darkness in her eyes, like a thunderstorm overtaking clear, green, rolling fields. A brewing and dangerous storm that made it seem like the sky was about to explode, Heaven’s fury being unleashed like Hell’s wrath.

Alexus focused her wand on the men in front of her as the wizard finally found his wand and joined his partner.

The air became still for a second as the intensity of the silent rage culminated in her chest.

“Incendio!” she shouted, waving her wand in arch before herself, sending a wall of flames to the men in front of her.

They only had time to wave the flames away in one swoop before she thrusted her wand forward, at their feet.

“Confringo!”

The bald wizard threw his arms in front of his face while his friend jumped back as shards of stone flew up in all directions from their feet.

She sent furious spell after furious spell, making them dodge and jump out of the way to avoid serious injury. Now that there was no backup, she had to win.

“Expelliarmus!” she disarmed the bald wizard, his wand flying behind him.

He looked at the discarded wand behind him before back at her. “Who knew you had such a weakness, Miss Johnson? Don’t worry, weaknesses aren’t allowed in ‘R’ so that will be fixed soon enough.”

She froze, only for a second, but that was enough for the other wizard.

“Diffindo!”

The air stilled again.

Alexus pressed her hand against her stomach, shuddering as she felt something arm and stick saturating her clothes and hand. Gulping, she pulled it away and held it up in front of her face, even if she already knew. In the moonlight, she saw the dark stain on her hands.

Before she could do another thing, before she could even think about healing herself, the first wizard snapped his wand at her.

“Petrificus Totalus!”

Eyes widened, mouth slightly agape, wand outstretched, bloody hand near her chest, she became frozen.

The first wizard rushed forward as the second one went to retrieve his wand.

“There we go,” the first one muttered as he moved his wand over her injuries, healing her slowly.

“Don’t need to kill ya, just needed you stunned enough.”

Alexus moved her eyes, watching him as the wound disappeared, like it was never there. He patted her head when he finished. She would have broken his hand if he could move.

“Ready to go?” he called back to the bald wizard as he picked up his wand.

“Take her wand from her first. I’ll bind her, you unfreeze her.”

The first wizard snatched her wand from her hands and took a few steps back.

Alexus watched the bald wizard and he raised his wand at her. “On three.”

“One… Two…”

“THREE!” Alexus looked past them just in time to see the red sparks before the first wizard was sent flying forward, skidding at her feet.

The bald wizard turned around only to be knocked back the same distance, his back colliding onto the wall behind her.

“Excellent knockback, Mr. Winger!” Professor Flitwick complimented, pocketing his wand after knocking the second assailant.

Alexus had never been more relieved to see her head of house and the Headmaster before, but it was Talbott’s presence who reassured her the most. He was okay.

He gave no acknowledgement, instead, running over to Alexus.

He cupped her face lightly and looked down at her. “Are you hurt? Are you okay?” he asked.

She wanted desperately to collapse into his arms. For him to hold her as she felt her legs could no longer support her. But she couldn’t. She could just control her eyes and even then, she couldn’t stop the heavy streams of tears that spilled, cascading down her cheeks, catching on his hands.

“Mr. Winger, I believe she is petrified at the moment,” Professor Dumbledore stepped forward. “Allow me.”

With a wave of his wand, Alexus stumbled forward, right into Talbott’s waiting arms.

She closed her eyes and stifled a sob in his chest, wrapping her arms around his torso and hiding her face into his chest.

“Are you okay?” he asked again, softly, cupping the back of her head with his hand, holding her close to him.

“Miss Johnson, are you hurt?” Professor Dumbledore asked.

Alexus pulled away and took a breath, quickly collecting herself. “My arm, it got burned.” She extended it to show the bandages she had placed on her arm.

“I see. Mr. Winger, will you please escort Miss Johnson to the Hospital Wing to be treated while we take care of the mess here?” Dumbledore requested.

“Yes, Professor. We’ll go straight away.”

Talbott gently placed his hand on her back and they began walking, but hadn’t taken more than two steps when Professor Flitwick cleared his throat.

“Miss Johnson?” he called, prompting them to look back.

“Yes, Professor?” she asked hesitantly.

“Your wand, don’t forget it please!” he held up her wand, which he retrieved from the first wizard.

“Oh! Right, thank you, professor,” she said while walking over. She took it and nodded in thanks before walking back to Talbott. They finally left the courtyard, silently.

He kept his hand on her back, reluctant to not feel her with him, but she didn’t mind. She stayed close to him as they walked.

When they went into the Hospital Wing, it was filled with mostly petrified students. But there was also Chiara Lobosca, attending to a girl who looked sickly with a very runny nose.

“Just take this potion before bed and your cold will go away by the end of the night. Be mindful of smoke in the ears,” the Hufflepuff was advising the girl as they approached.

“Chiara,” Alexus said, softly.

She turned around, a pleasant expression on her face, but when she saw Alexus, the bandages, the blood, her eyes turned as big as the moon.

“Alexus!” she almost cried, quickly walking in front of her.

“The slice was healed, I’m not bleeding anymore, but I am faint from the loss of blood I did experience, but the most severe injury is my arm, it’s burnt under the bandages I applied. I was in a duel. Don’t tell the Circle yet.”

Chiara blinked, processing, before nodding and she quickly guided Alexus to an empty bed.

“Are you okay?” she asked, gently extending Alexus’s arm out and unwrapping the bandages.

“Barely. Talbott got Dumbledore and Flitwick just in time,” Alexus winced at the movement.

“Thank you, Talbott,” Chiara said, looking at him before back at Alexus.

She looked at the burn before back at Talbott. “There are bandages in that cabinet. Can you please get them for me?”

He nodded and walked over to the cabinet while Chiara gently traced her wand on Alexus’s wound.

Alexus flinched and wanted to yank her arm away, but the skin slowly started to mend.

She bit her lip and turned her head away from the healer and tried to suppress any cry or outburst.

“There we go, you did good,” Chiara assured her before pocketing her wand again.

Talbott came back with the bandages.

Chiara took them and began dressing the wound, slowly wrapping the bandages loosely over the area.

“It will take a few days to heal fully, but there shouldn’t be any scarring as long as you leave it alone.”

“Thank you, Chiara,” Alexus said. She gently moved her arm back and looked at the bandages.

“Remember, if you want to talk about it, I’ll always listen,” she reminded.

Alexus looked at Chiara, incredibly touched. “You’re too kind,” she said, smiling softly. “I’m good for now. I think now is a good time to call in the night.”

“Goodnight, then, you two. Hope your next date is safer!”

Talbott walked into a hospital bed and slammed his leg into the railing while Alexus nearly fell off her bed.

“Who told you?” they both asked, almost shouting, making the healer jump back.

“Penny! Penny told me before she went to help you get ready!” she quickly said.

Alexus groaned and buried her face into her hands. “Hasn’t she ever heard of stylist-client confidentiality?” she cried.

“Oh no,” Talbott muttered under his breath, remembering Andre.

“Well, you two better get going! Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help!” Chiara quickly and pleasantly excused herself before walking to another student across the Wing from them.

Talbott looked at Alexus, resigned.

Without a word between them, they both walked out of the Hospital Wing.

The second they closed the doors behind them, they looked at each other.

Alexus gave him a weak smile. “Thank you. You… definitely saved my life.”

“I’m sorry that your cardigan got ruined.”

Alexus snorted and looked at the burnt off sleeve that now ended at her bicep. “I can remedy it… I think.”

Now he snorted. He looked down the hall and sighed. “Let’s head to the Common Room, before Snape or someone deducts house points for being attacked after hours.”

She laughed and grabbed his arm gently before leading the way.

“Hopefully, our sweets are still there by the morning, we can get them then,” Talbott said.

“They were still invisible by the time we left, so they might be,” Alexus agreed hopefully.

“I’m sorry this… didn’t end up how I wanted it to,” he looked down at her.

“You don’t have to apologize, Talbott,” she assured him. “It was magical. I had a really great time.”

“I’m glad.” He glanced at her and took a breath. “The… kissing… was that okay? I should have asked, and-”

“I wouldn’t have kissed you back if it wasn’t,” she assured him. “You don’t have to worry, you gave me an amazing night. I was ordinary for a couple hours. That’s the best thing you could give me.”

He gently nudged her side with his arm. “I told you before, you’re incapable of being ordinary. You’re… the most… remarkable girl I’ve met.”

She smiled. “You make me feel remarkable, Talbott. I’m really just doing things that need to be done. And sometimes, doing those things…”

“Lead you down a hard path?” Talbott completed for her.

“Yes. You’re the one I want to walk with me. I know that now. I realized that when I was dueling, oddly enough.” She looked forward.

“Oh?” he said, not pressing her to continue, but he still wanted her to say more.

“It’s… that dark wizard, he told me he petrified you. I… lost it. I was scared. You could have been hurt, I couldn’t just… let them get away with that.”

He looked at her, not sure of what to say. He was stunned, but unharmed. Dumbledore and Flitwick had stumbled upon him in the hall. All he could say was that Alexus was in danger before running off. He was terrified for her. He thought she was going to die and it would have been his fault for not being better. That he could have done more. Just like with his parents.

He just brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently before they continued walking.

The common room was almost empty, students tired from a night of festivities, winding down, talking to one another about their dates and otherwise.

“Hey,” he tugged on her hand before pulling her to a nearby bench, gesturing to sit down. “Before you go up to your dorm, I had… one more thing planned.”

She tilted her head, looking at him quizzically.

He gave a small smile before pulling a small box out of his pocket. He held it out to her.

She took it and gave him a small smile before opening it. Her eyes widened when she saw the contents.

“Talbott,” she said softly before grabbing the silver braided chain and pulling the necklace out.

There was a single charm, a brown eagle feather.

“From my own wing,” he muttered.

She looked at him before kissing his cheek. “I love it,” she whispered before quickly fastening it around her own neck.

“I’m glad,” he said, relieved.

She admired the feather before looking at him apologetically. “I didn’t… get you anything, but… I was thinking… I could maybe… read a poem to you?”

He pulled out a small booklet from his other jacket pocket. “I’ve been waiting all night to open this.”

She snatched it from him. “Reyes’s Handpicked Poems!” she exclaimed.

“I may have already marked a couple,” he said, a little slyly, a self-satisfied smile crossing his face as she eagerly thumbed through the collection. “It’s not as hefty as The Romantic Collection we fight over, but there’s something charming about knowing these are the author’s favorites.”

She stopped on a page and quickly skimmed it. “Found one,” she muttered before leaning against him. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head, closing his eyes

Come see me, Eros Where the woodland sings of their secret songs of the evergreen

Come see me, Eros In the break of the trees Where Apollo touches the land where lovers meet

Come see me, Eros In this forestry dream Surrounded by nymphs and Demeter’s love

Come save me, Eros Follow me down Where Hades’ lips kiss away the light

Come save me, Eros From Thanatos’ grip that’s keeping me away from you

Talbott sighed. “That’s a sad one,” he muttered.

“It’s heavily symbolic, which just adds weight,” she agreed.

“Death of the Lover… what a perfect poem to end Valentine’s Day on,” he muttered sarcastically.

She closed the book and looked at him. He waited for her sarcastic rebuttal, but instead, she kissed him.

He was shocked, but he wasn’t going to complain, and instead, placed his hand on her cheek, closing his eyes.

“Oh dammit all to Hell, they’re kissing!”

They pulled away quickly and turned to see Tulip Karasu fuming. Alexus didn’t like the look in her eyes before the mischievous Ravenclaw ran to their dorm room. “BADEEA! TELL TONKS PENNY WON! I’M OUT FIVE SICKLES!”

“Oh… Merlin’s saggy left…” Alexus grumbled before burying her face into her hands while Talbott sighed.

There were better, more romantic notes to end their first Valentine’s date on, but this was not one of them, it seems.

[aslanscompass]

messy thoughts on Harry Potter and logistics

I read somewhere once that stories are built on three components:

1. Characters

2. Worldbuilding

3. Plot

I mean, there’s a lot of three-part recipes they could use, but hey. let’s go with this one. 

And when people think of Harry Potter, what do they think of?

SCENES

Harry riding a broom for the first time

Running through the wall at Platform 9 3/4

Hagrid towering over the first years.

Rowling wrote outstanding characters who became larger than life while still remaining recognizable. Sure, Hermoine is the smartest witch of her generation, but she can still be a bossy know-it-all. Sure, Umbridge is an evil toad, but she’s also the worst teacher anyone ever had. 

Worldbuilding and plot?

Eeh, not so much.  What jobs do people have after graduation? Where do the amazing meals at Hogwarts come from? Why did the Dark Lord become so powerful in the first place? How does a community with a class average of 40 or 50 support multiple professional sports teams?

Eh, magic! It’s all showy set pieces and amazing cardboard backdrops. 

Now, one can say that it’s all /children’s/ stories, that it isn’t meant to be epic fantasy. And true, it started as a children’s story.

But it didn’t stay that way. The story is committed to being the story of the Boy Who Lived, not  the Magic School or the Wonderful Adventureland. And as the story grew, the worldbuilding didn’t keep pace.

---

Before Harry Potter (and still now to an extent) the big names in fantasy were Lewis and Tolkien. Tolkien was clearly and exhaustively committed to a full secondary world, with echoes but no clear ties to our own world, except in the deepest prehistory. Lewis, on the other hand, made a world that was openly and clearly drawn from our own, down to the physical lamppost and a simple wardrobe. Narnia was a world distinct from our own, with only a few incidents that could have impacted our history.

Harry Potter, on the other hand, is a world set openly in our own universe, if hidden from most people. A parallel world with at least a thousand years of events and history. And yet we are supposed to believe that NONE of the magical world’s events impacted our lives. This is plausible in the first few books, but becomes less and less likely as the story goes on, and becomes frankly ridiculous with the Fantastic Beasts stories.

The other big speculative franchises in the modern world are Star Trek, Star Wars, and Doctor Who.

Star Wars occurs in  ‘a galaxy far, far away,’ and thus has elements of human nature without direct historical impact.

Star Trek is set in an increasingly divergent future (ie Eugenics Wars of the 1990s). 

Doctor Who is the closest of the three to Harry Potter, with an additional, mostly unknown element of history and present events, but even the Doctor attempts to keep history on the right track and downplay his involvement.  And despite the variety of creators and writers, DW does allow events to affect both sides of the world. 

Just saying ‘it’s magic’ doesn’t absolve creators from putting thought and effort worldbuilding. And that’s where HP falls short for me. 

[grifalinas]

The Toad The Witch and the Wardrobe, aka the episode I’m REALLY going to take a bat to Magneto’s kneecaps over

[everydisneymovie]

THE LIST

Post #2

3/1/2020

Let’s get this out of the way: Every theatrically released Disney movie. A [X] near a movie means I have already seen it, but I will still be re-watching it for this project.

A [(number)] near a movie means it has been watched and reviewed so far.

Some movies were added to fit the rules, such as the High school musical movies and the March of the Penguins Movie.

Let’s do this:

1930’s

Academy Award Review of Walt Disney Cartoons [11] Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs [30]

1940’s

Pinocchio [21] Fantasia [25] The Reluctant Dragon [16] Dumbo [27] Bambi [32] Saludos Amigos [19] Victory Through Air Power [20] The Three Caballeros [17] Make Mine Music [17] Song of the South [12] Fun and Fancy Free [14] Melody Time [14] So Dear to My Heart [21] The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad [22]

1950’s

Cinderella [16] Treasure Island Alice in Wonderland [X] The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men Peter Pan [X] The Sword and the Rose The Living Desert Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue The Vanishing Prairie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier Lady and the Tramp [X] The African Lion The Littlest Outlaw The Great Locomotive Chase Davy Crockett and the River Pirates Secrets of Life Westward Ho the Wagons! Johnny Tremain Perri Old Yeller [X] The Light in the Forest White Wilderness Tonka Sleeping Beauty [X] The Shaggy Dog  Darby O'Gill and the Little People Zorro the Avenger Third Man on the Mountain

1960’s

Toby Tyler [X] Kidnapped Pollyanna [X] The Sign of Zorro Jungle Cat Ten Who Dared Swiss Family Robinson [X] One Hundred and One Dalmatians [X] The Absent-Minded Professor The Parent Trap [X] Nikki, Wild Dog of the North Greyfriars Bobby Babes in Toyland Moon Pilot Bon Voyage! Big Red [X] Almost Angels The Legend of Lobo In Search of the Castaways Son of Flubber Miracle of the White Stallions Savage Sam Summer Magic The Incredible Journey The Sword in the Stone [X] A Tiger Walks The Misadventures of Merlin Jones The Three Lives of Thomasina The Moon-Spinners Mary Poppins Emil and the Detectives Those Calloways The Monkey's Uncle That Darn Cat! The Ugly Dachshund Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. The Fighting Prince of Donegal Follow Me, Boys! Monkeys, Go Home! The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin The Gnome-Mobile The Jungle Book [X] Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar The Happiest Millionaire Blackbeard's Ghost The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band Never a Dull Moment The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit The Love Bug Smith! Rascal The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes

1970’s

King of the Grizzlies The Boatniks The Wild Country The Aristocats [X] The Barefoot Executive Scandalous John The Million Dollar Duck Bedknobs and Broomsticks The Biscuit Eater Now You See Him, Now You Don't Napoleon and Samantha Run, Cougar, Run Snowball Express The World's Greatest Athlete Charley and the Angel One Little Indian Robin Hood [X] Superdad Herbie Rides Again The Bears and I The Castaway Cowboy The Island at the Top of the World The Strongest Man in the World Escape to Witch Mountain The Apple Dumpling Gang One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing The Best of Walt Disney's True-Life Adventures Ride a Wild Pony No Deposit, No Return Treasure of Matecumbe Gus The Shaggy D.A. Freaky Friday The Littlest Horse Thieves The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh A Tale of Two Critters The Rescuers [X] Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo Pete's Dragon Candleshoe Return from Witch Mountain The Cat from Outer Space Hot Lead and Cold Feet The North Avenue Irregulars The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again Unidentified Flying Oddball The Black Hole The London Connection

1980’s

Midnight Madness The Watcher in the Woods Herbie Goes Bananas The Last Flight of Noah's Ark Popeye The Devil and Max Devlin Amy Dragonslayer The Fox and the Hound Condorman Night Crossing Tron Tex Trenchcoat Something Wicked This Way Comes Never Cry Wolf Return to Oz The Black Cauldron [X] The Journey of Natty Gann One Magic Christmas The Great Mouse Detective [X] Flight of the Navigator Benji the Hunted Return to Snowy River Oliver & Company [X] Honey, I Shrunk the Kids [X] Cheetah The Little Mermaid [X]

1990’s

DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp The Rescuers Down Under White Fang Shipwrecked Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken The Rocketeer [X] Beauty and the Beast [X] Newsies [X] Honey, I Blew Up the Kid The Mighty Ducks Aladdin [X] The Muppet Christmas Carol [X] Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey A Far Off Place The Adventures of Huck Finn Hocus Pocus Cool Runnings [X] The Three Musketeers Iron Will Blank Check [X] D2: The Mighty Ducks White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf The Lion King [X] Angels in the Outfield Squanto: A Warrior's Tale The Santa Clause [X] The Jungle Book Heavyweights [X] Man of the House Tall Tale A Goofy Movie Pocahontas Operation Dumbo Drop A Kid in King Arthur's Court The Big Green Frank and Ollie Toy Story [X] Tom and Huck Muppet Treasure Island [X] Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco James and the Giant Peach [X] The Hunchback of Notre Dame [X] First Kid D3: The Mighty Ducks 101 Dalmatians [X] That Darn Cat Jungle 2 Jungle Hercules [X] George of the Jungle [X] Air Bud [X] RocketMan Flubber [X] Mr. Magoo Meet the Deedles Mulan [X] The Parent Trap [X] Air Bud: Golden Receiver I'll Be Home for Christmas A Bug's Life [X] Mighty Joe Young My Favorite Martian Doug's 1st Movie [X] Endurance  Tarzan [X] Inspector Gadget [X] The Straight Story Toy Story 2 [X]

2000’s

Fantasia 2000 The Tigger Movie [X] Dinosaur [X] Disney's The Kid Remember the Titans 102 Dalmatians The Emperor's New Groove [X] Recess: School's Out [X] Atlantis: The Lost Empire [X] The Princess Diaries Max Keeble's Big Move Monsters, Inc. [X] Snow Dogs Return to Never Land The Rookie Lilo & Stitch [X] The Country Bears Tuck Everlasting The Santa Clause 2 [X] Treasure Planet [X] The Jungle Book 2  Piglet's Big Movie [X] Ghosts of the Abyss Holes [X] The Lizzie McGuire Movie Finding Nemo [X] Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl [X] Freaky Friday [X] Brother Bear The Haunted Mansion [X] The Young Black Stallion Teacher's Pet [X] Miracle Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence Home on the Range [X] Sacred Planet Around the World in 80 Days America's Heart and Soul The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement The Incredibles [X] National Treasure [X] Aliens of the Deep Pooh's Heffalump Movie [X] The Pacifier [X] Ice Princess Herbie: Fully Loaded [X] Sky High [X] Valiant [X] The Greatest Game Ever Played Chicken Little The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe [X] Glory Road Roving Mars Eight Below [X] The Shaggy Dog The Wild [X] Cars [X] Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest [X] Invincible The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D [X] The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause [X] Bridge to Terabithia Meet the Robinsons  [X] Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End [X] Ratatouille [X] Underdog [X] The Pixar Story The Game Plan Le Premier Cri Enchanted [X] National Treasure: Book of Secrets [X] Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert College Road Trip The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Dasavathaaram WALL-E [X] Beverly Hills Chihuahua Morning Light (High School Musical) [X] (High School Musical 2) [X] High School Musical 3: Senior Year Bolt [X] Bedtime Stories [X] Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience Race to Witch Mountain Hannah Montana: The Movie Earth Trail of the Panda Up [X] Lilly the Witch: The Dragon and the Magic Book G-Force [X] Walt & El Grupo The Book of Masters Disney's A Christmas Carol Old Dogs The Princess and the Frog [X]

2010’s

Alice in Wonderland [X] Waking Sleeping Beauty Oceans Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Toy Story 3 [X] The Sorcerer's Apprentice The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos Secretariat Do Dooni Chaar Tangled [X] The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story Tron: Legacy Anaganaga O Dheerudu Lilly the Witch: The Journey to Mandolan Mars Needs Moms Zokkomon African Cats Prom Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides [X] Cars 2 Winnie the Pooh The Muppets [X] John Carter Chimpanzee Arjun: The Warrior Prince Brave [X] The Odd Life of Timothy Green Frankenweenie Wreck-It Ralph [X] Oz the Great and Powerful Wings of Life Monsters University [X] The Lone Ranger [X] Planes Frozen [X] Saving Mr. Banks [X] Muppets Most Wanted [X] Bears Million Dollar Arm Maleficent Planes: Fire & Rescue Khoobsurat Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Big Hero 6 [X] Into the Woods [X] McFarland, USA Cinderella Monkey Kingdom Tomorrowland Inside Out [X] (ABCD) ABCD 2 The Good Dinosaur The Finest Hours Zootopia [X] The Jungle Book Tini: The Movie Alice Through the Looking Glass Finding Dory The BFG Pete's Dragon Queen of Katwe Moana [X] Growing Up Wild Dangal (March of the Penguins?) [X] L'Empereur - March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step Beauty and the Beast [X] Born in China Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Cars 3 Ghost of the Mountains Jagga Jasoos Coco [X] Expedition China A Wrinkle in Time Incredibles 2 [X] Christopher Robin The Nutcracker and the Four Realms Ralph Breaks the Internet Mary Poppins Returns Dumbo Penguins Aladdin Toy Story 4 [X] The Lion King Maleficent: Mistress of Evil Lady and the Tramp Noelle Frozen II One Day at Disney Togo

2020’s

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

There are about 431 movies on this list and I have seen about 124 of them, for a total of 28.7% of all Disney movies.

This should be a nightmare.

[ofcloudsandstars]

✨Witch edition✨: 99 this or that

1. Tarot cards or Oracle decks?

2. Cats or Owls?

3. Crystals or candles?

4. Winter or Summer?

5. Sea or lake?

6. Fairy lights or tea lights?

7. Coffee or tea?

8. Hexing or Banishing?

9. Mountains or fields?

10. Full moons or new moons?

11. Incense sticks or smoke bundles?

12. Mori or goth?

13. Bats or mice?

14. Mermaids or Dryads?

15. Samhain or Beltane?

16. Leafy Herbs or flowers?

17. Pumpkins or Toadstools?

18. Rural or urban?

19. Scented candles or fragrance oils?

20. Jupiter or Saturn?

21. Blizzards or thunderstorms?

22. Candy apples or candy corn?

23. Spring or Autumn?

24. Rabbits or Toads?

25. Mabon or Ostara?

26. Swamp or Woods?

27. Tinctures or Salves?

28. Going swimming or going camping?

29. Susperia or The Love Witch?

30. Secular or devotional?

31. All black or colorful wardrobe?

32. Rain or fog?

33. Books or tarot decks?

34. Lunar or Solar?

35. Sage or Mugwort?

36. Yule or Litha?

37. Skulls or eyes?

38. Rings or necklaces?

39. Ouija boards or crop circles?

40. Fire or Water?

41. Finding your soul mate or finding your higher calling?

42. Handmade charms or glamours?

43. Ghosts or Fae?

44. Cauldrons or Mortars?

45. Venusian energy or Martian energy?

46. Cursing foes or blessing everyone around them?

47. The Craft or AHS: coven?

48. Kitchen or garden magic?

49. Lughnasadth or Imbolc?

50. Wands or Athames?

51. Incantations or silent visualization?

52. Air or Earth?

53. Horoscopes or palm readings?

54. Piercings or tattoos?

55. Book of Shadows or computer files?

56. Amphibians or reptiles?

57. Music or white noise?

58. Candied flowers or dehydrated fruits?

59. Crows or Magpies?

60. Shufflemancy or bibliomancy?

61. Folk magic or ceremonial magic?

62. Glitter or highlighter?

63. Bones or blood?

64. Silver or Gold?

65. Elaborate or minimalist altar?

66. Sea salt or egg shell powder?

67. Dusk or Dawn?

68. Finding feathers or finding shells?

69. Grunge or Boho?

70. Desert or Tropics?

71. Bells or singing bowls?

72. Finger nails or iron nails?

73. At the stroke of midnight or at 11:11?

74. Smoke cleansing or Florida water?

75. Essential Oils or Flower Essences?

76. Sigils or Runes?

77. Traditional or Eclectic?

78. Sunny days or cloudy days?

79. Cartomancy or Lenormand?

80. Lucid dreaming or trance state?

81. Ethereal or tactile?

82. Riddles or poems?

83. Solitary or magic gatherings?

84. Love or money attraction spells?

85. Reiki or sound baths?

86. Burning spells or burying them?

87. Symbolic dreams or spotting omens?

88. Cemeteries or abandoned buildings?

89. Apple Cider Vinegar or Coconut Oil?

90. Empath or energy vampire?

91. Earthly or Cosmic?

92. Befriending animals or befriending spirits?

93. Empty Jars or wooden boxes?

94. Pendulums or scrying?

95. Plant collection or crystal collection?

96. Sweets or fresh fruit?

97. All the teas or all the incense?

98. Shawls or cloaks?

99. Staring at the sea or staring at the stars?

[donnies-pop-tart]

Okay so the toad the witch and the wardrobe is arguably my favorite episode and honestly when Kurt shows up to Amanda’s house and she says he’s early and his immediate response is “okay I’ll leave” like if that ain’t a goddamn mood