#and a cowardly library board

[magpie-to-the-morning]

If you’re looking for a quick, simple way to get politically active on a local level, this is HUGE! Support your public libraries - especially if you live in an area where your right to read is under attack.

[quixotical-lymbo]

Warnings/Tags: Pre-S2E7, implied/referenced child neglect, cussing, implications of sewer slide, starvation, angst, hurt/comfort.  Word Count: 2400+ words

It was raining. Thick, heavy droplets of condensed water from the sky wept upon the earth as the darkening clouds above kept the sun from witnessing the scene. Amidst the bleak atmosphere of Megapolis, a hooded figure rushed through the opaque curtain of rain as steam rose from the gutters. 

That hooded figure didn't stop as they maneuvered through the alleyways and rooftops, scaling the buildings and traveling the road less taken.

The streets of the coastal city changed from the shining lights of the city to the gloom-ridden slums. Approaching a building, the mysterious person squeezed into a crack in the boarded window.

The crack itself, small and jagged with sharp splits in the wood, wouldn't have fit an adult. It suited someone of a smaller stature—someone like a young adolescent or toddler. Or perhaps, a malnourished teen. 

Once in the safety of the building's looming shadows, then, and only then, did the hood-donning person stop and pull back their soaked hood to reveal your face.

There was a lack of light that once burned with a hearty warmth in your eyes. The chilliness of the approaching night nipping at your dried lips and sunken cheeks reminded you of your drenched hoodie clinging to your sweat coated skin. 

You peeled the hoodie from your body and chucked it carelessly in the corner. You shuffled over to the little makeshift bed you crafted and fell face first into it. A grumbling noise roared from your stomach and pressing your hand to settle the beast called hunger did nothing to ease its cries.

Was it Wednesday? Sunday? Or perhaps it was three days ago since you've eaten? It was hard to keep track of such things when you were too busy focusing on retrieving the last of your items from your home-...your previous home. 

Your eyes stung with the familiar lump forming in your throat as you recalled the reason you were in this abandoned building in the first place. 

You couldn't recall what the argument was about, but all you could remember was the overwhelming sensations of rage that boiled beneath your skin, eating away at your heart and gnawing on your veins. 

Unfair, unfair, not true, that wasn't fair-

The whispers egged you on, vindicating the very thoughts that swarmed in your mind. 

Then the next thing you knew, your guardians were staring at you in horror from across the crater with what was the living room's couch split in two.  

After that incident, more things started to happen that drove the wedge deeper between your guardians and yourself. These weird…abilities of yours only showed up when you wished them away the most, yet without fail they appeared every time you were under distress and that was practically all the time. 

These damned emotions of yours were hard to control, especially when you needed help the most during this time but ended up driving everyone away. 

Your grades start slipping, your friends begin distancing themselves from you, rumors begin, your guardians couldn't even look you in the eye—and worst of all you can't blame them. You were a danger to everything and everyone around you.

Nobody wanted to deal with your mess and you deserved it. 

Burden. Annoying. Waste of space. Monster. 

You exhaled softly, your bottom lip quivering as a tear slipped from the corner of your eye. Curling into yourself more as you buried your face in your knees, trying to keep your emotions at bay as the wisps of shadows flickered around your body—twisting and curling around you like a protective blanket. 

You couldn't make sense of why these powers of yours showed up. Neither the research you did, trips to the library, or your guardians (not like they were of any help anymore) provided any answers. 

It was obvious that the only solution to keep everyone safe was to put an end to all of this. 

…

..

.

You were too cowardly to go through with it, despite everything that has happened. 

So, you decided to run away. 

No one could get hurt if you kept to yourself. So far, this plan has worked.

CRASH-!

You jumped from your bed as the wisps of shadows swish wildly. They grew faster than wild grass to attack whatever had crashed through the window. You couldn't see if your tendrils landed on their target, but after a few seconds they were smacked away as something large flew out of the darkness and was heading toward you. 

Your reflexes and tendrils were too slow to the shadowy figure that slammed into you. Something warm and fuzzy wrapped around your throat, squeezing your windpipe and their pointed nails dug into your skin enough to draw blood. 

You gasped and clawed at the hand keeping you pinned. Your eyes began to water faster as your vision blurred, the lack of oxygen added onto the fact you hadn't had any food in the last few days made you weak. 

Perhaps this was your punishment, your guardians may have hired someone to take you out once and for all. 

With this in mind, your attempts at getting free slowed as you stared into your captors glow-y purple eyes, then closing them as you fell limp to accept your destiny. 

"...wait…you're a kid?" 

The next thing you knew, you were tossed out of your bed and onto the floor. The remaining amount of air within you was knocked out the moment you landed on the ground. Coughing and wheezing, you gently held a hand to your bruising throat, wincing at the dull ache beginning to form. 

"...tsk, and here I thought some lowlife demon decided to squat in my place," The voice continued. 

You glanced up from the ground and tilted your head at the figure.

"Wh..who are…?" 

The figure seemed to have glanced in your direction, given by the way you saw the outline of their head turn to you. 

"Oh, right." The figure snapped their fingers and soon the room was bathed in dark purple light provided by the burning, purple flames lit up from the chandelier above. 

"Better?" The figure–monkey, grinned at you. 

You squinted at the stranger who stood before you, questions rushing through your mind at the display of power he had demonstrated. Why did it seem so familiar? 

Whatever it was, you couldn't exactly pinpoint why you felt that way since your brain slowly processed why/how there was a monkey communicating with you. Then it hit you all at once. 

"Monkey King-?" 

"No, no, but I get it…we look the same and all–ahem!" The monkey coughed into his fist. "Anyway, the names Macaque, the Six Eared Macaque is my full name." 

"Nice to meet you," You rasped, your eyes downcast as you moved to sit up. "Sorry for intruding… but I need to stay until the rain passes and then I'll leave for good. I promise." 

Macaque raised a brow before squatting in front of the pitiful teen. His eyes quickly took in the appearance of the boy who looked worse for wear. 

The teen looked like he had seen better days and that was coming from someone who came back to life a few weeks ago. 

The kid seemed harmless enough, the monkey had thought. However…

"Sure, sure, now are you gonna tell me about that cool party trick of yours or…?" 

"Oh!" You remembered how your powers had attempted to harm Macaque. You jumped back and scooted away from the monkey. "I-I for-for…forgot! You need to stay away from me! I might..I could..I don't wanna hurt you…" 

"Heh! Hurt me?" Macaque halfheartedly chuckled. "You can't hurt me." 

"No, you…you don't understand, I-'' Your stomach decided it was time to make its presence known as it growled. 

"-You're hungry? Hm, well, you are technically a guest," Macaque cut in as he grinned at your feeble attempts to hide the noise coming from your belly. "Wait here, kiddo, I'll be back." 

It didn't take long for Macaque to return with two plastic bags of takeout. 

The savory aroma of steam wafting from the bag that was handed to you made your hands tremble as you began digging into the meal. Macaque plopped down next to you as he opened his own bag as his brow rose in mild concern and amusement as you tore into the noodles. 

"Slow down or you'll-" 

Your cheeks bulged as you leaned forward to cough out a piece of noodle that fell down the wrong pipe. 

"-choke." Macaque sighed. 

"Sorry." 

"No worries, but…you haven't eaten in a while, have you?" Macaque twiddled with the chopsticks, his eyes straying from his bowl to look at your side profile. "Why is that?" 

"I…um, ran away,"  You admitted. This guy was nice enough to buy you food and provide shelter. Why shouldn't you trust him a little? 

Macaque hummed, urging you to continue. 

"It's a long story, but I ran away because of…um, well, I'm-" You found it harder to articulate everything you've experienced so far—but you somehow managed to spill everything. Something about the tragedy of it all made you realize that this was now your reality.

The tears that welled up from earlier began to fall down your face before you could stop them. Your breath hitched as something heavy landed on your shoulder, you flinched and looked at the hand before looking at Macaque. 

 "Your power…is that right?" Macaque guessed, his eyes shifted from your face to something below. That's when you noticed the small tendrils of shadows curling between the two of you, one of them even began poking  against Macaque's thigh.  "Those things that attacked me from before…hm, looks like me and you have a lot more in common than I thought." 

"Huh?" You hiccuped as you brushed your arm across your damp face. 

Macaque simply grinned before moving the cape of his scarf away to reveal a strange looking object. Before you could ask what it was, Macaque raised his hand in the air and the shadows created by the chandelier began to move in unnatural ways. 

You watched in awe as Macaque manipulated the shadows into different shapes; a horse, a pig, and a dragon. You felt a smile creep up your face at the less-than-flattering shadow imitation of you running around the room.

"See?" Macaque lowered his hand and made the shadow puppets disappear as well as the glow from the lantern. "We're alike, you and I." 

Your smile falters as the horrified expressions of your guardians appear. "No…we're not, you bring joy while I bring nothing but pain." 

Macaque resisted the urge to scoff at the irony, but he figured he could at least entertain whatever else you had to say. 

You wrapped your arms around your knees and pressed your face into them. "Your powers are cool and mine? Uncontrollable and dangerous…that's why I ran away." 

"Well-...I could do a lot more than that, but I thought showing you something like this would be better than messing up my home even more," Macaque stood up and offered his hand to you. Your gaze flickered between his hand and face before reaching out to take it. The moment your fingers touched, a burst of energy knocked you back before you could even see what it was. 

Your gasp was caught in your throat as what held you against the wall was none other than your tendril…but it wasn't? You followed where the ribbon-like tendril led to and found Macaque staring at you with a shit-eating smirk. 

"See? What did I tell ya?" Macaque stalked over to your pinned form step by step. His hands stuffed in his pockets as he leaned down to your level. "You aren't the only one who can be capable of mass destruction, kid…but at least I have the sense to not trust the first guy who gives me a free meal." 

You became aware of how tight the tendril around your throat was, yet it was either the adrenaline, lack of oxygen, or the deficiency of common sense that made you blurt out-

"Could you train me?" 

Macaque blinked a few times before throwing himself back to rest on his tail as he laughed. The tendril loosening around your neck, causing you to fall on your ass. 

"Train you? Tra-..pfft hahaha!" 

"Can you stop?! Fine, I get it, you don't want to," You spat with crossed arms. Your cheeks felt scorching hot as his laughter began to intensify, the least that jerk could've said was no. 

"Haha! Ha, heh…ha…okay, okay! I'm done," Macaque rubbed his chin as he gave your form a once over. "You sure are one of a kind, kid…asking the person who was about to kill you to train you is…heh–sorry, hilarious." 

"You were gonna kill m-?" 

"Anyway, I need to ask a few questions before I decide, think of this as an…" Macaque glanced around for a moment. "…interview! Wouldn't want to waste my time if it turns out you're not worth it, amirite?" 

You nodded your head before the monkey began shooting question after question at you. Some of them were weird, like how many friends you had (none), do your parents know where you are (no), and stuff like that. 

Macaque moved to sit on the ground after the 'interview' was done. There was nothing that he could lose if he did decide to take you in. You were ripe for the taking as you had no one else to rely on or any pesky friends to get in the way of him shaping you into the perfect little sidekick for his schemes. 

There was always the possibility of you betraying him, but that would most likely be years down the line…yet Macaque noticed a growing darkness within you–and he wasn't referring to your powers. If you were already abandoned by the world just as he was, then who was he to turn a fellow lost cause away? 

"Alright, here are the ground rules," Macaque shifted onto his feet and knocked his finger into your forehead a few times. You, in turn, swatted the offending hand away but the smile couldn't be wiped from your face even if you tried to make it go away. 

"First rule, you will listen to everything I tell you to do."

"Ok!" 

"Second, make sure to clean up after yourself, I'm not your dad and I am not anyone's babysitter." 

"Of course!" 

"Third, you gotta understand that I'm not your friend…if you truly want to learn how to control your powers and learn from me, you will undergo a lot of harsh, mind breaking and vigorous training…got that?" 

"Mmhm!" You nodded. 

"Finally…tell me your name," Macaque grinned. 

You told him your name with gusto. 

"Nice name, now, let's get some shut eye, yeah?" Macaque stretched his arms above his head before yawning. He waved a hand over his shoulder as he turned around to make his exit. 

"O-oh, okay! See you in the morning!" You answered back before bouncing over to your bed and hurrying to get a head start on sleeping.

Seems like your days will get better from here on out. Hopefully. 

🍜 - I do not give permission for anyone to translate, copy, republish, or plagiarize any of my written works. I provide no permission for any of my literary works to be used in artificial intelligence. sparkle banner(s) by @adornedwithlight !!

[open-hearth-rpg]

Open Hearth Video Roundup - March 15, 2024

Welcome to the weekly Open Hearth Gaming video roundup!

These recorded sessions represent only a portion of the games we play every week, and anyone is welcome to join the fun! If you'd like to play in games like these, join our Playabl community and click on the "Calendar" tab to sign up for upcoming games. To browse our entire library of session videos, please visit our YouTube Playlists page.

Discussions, Panels, and Seminars

Talking Hard Moves, Costs & Consequences Lowell Francis A community event talking about GMing and playing hard moves, managing costs, and balancing consequences for PbtA, Forged in the Dark, and other storygames.

Open Hearth Gaming Calendar

#Rich Kid Problem$ (Session 1 of 2) Donogh runs for Madelancholy, Sabine V., and Thomas Manuel Our kids show that they have 'more money than sense' by throwing around their influence, time and money like there’s no tomorrow. Alen, the offspring of powerful black marketeers works with Delilah, the scion of old money to float a new must-experience party boat. Leo, the mid-child of a Novae Rich family does his best to help them out while Zara, the fledgling of a military dynasty aims to sabotage!

#Rich Kid Problem$ (Session 2 of 2) Donogh runs for Madelancholy, Sabine V., and Thomas Manuel Our kids know that, when you hit rock bottom the best thing to do is get out the kanji-hammers and keep digging! Alen attempts to prise away their cousin Vladimir from Zara’s embrace, but this doesn't quite go to plan and there is serious blowback on the way! Leo and Delilah continue to grow closer but there’s a surprising fly in the ointment...

AKA: The Transponder (Session 2 of 2) Donogh runs for Anders and Jonathan With our agent Carter off the grid in Baikonur it falls upon the conspirator JC to push through the deal. But handler James finds him an altogether different prospect. Meanwhile the boss Robert wonders who he can trust (if anyone)...

Pulp Cthulhu: Dark Passage (Session 1) Lowell Francis runs for Horst Wurst, Paul Rivers, Puckett, and Will H We meet our heroes coming off of a job is Los Angeles which cost them dearly. They're called to San Francisco where they must board a cruise liner headed for Shanghai. Their task: locate the person who has taken possession of some stolen occult relics. But things turn nasty quickly with one person murdered and another vanished.

Pulp Cthulhu: Dark Passage (Session 2) Lowell Francis runs for Horst Wurst, Paul Rivers, Puckett, and Will H Further investigations aboard the Coolidge point to an occult murder-- but the truth may be more complicated than they first thought. What's the connection behind the artifact smuggling person they seek and the shape-changing sorcerous killer. And what is this music?

Monster of the Week: The Rockies (Session 7) Blake Ryan runs for Brandon Ungar, David Montgomery, Dom, and Grey Dodgy Deals Delivery

Monster of the Week: The Rockies (Session 8) Blake Ryan runs for Brandon Ungar, David Montgomery, Dom, and Grey Fickle Fey Fortune

Eotenweard: Tarham (Session 1) Alun R. runs for Dom, Dominik, and Pawel S. Cola the Hunter, Izold the Storyteller & Gwylog the Revenant arrive at the village of Tarham to find a settlement recovering from a recent attack. There's a disloyal warrior, a cowardly herder, a loyal outcast and an aging Lord. Then...carrion crows return along with the stench of death, shadows take on a life of their own, and there's 'something' out there in the dark...and bagpipes...

Godbound: Sundered Cycles (Session 30) Lowell Francis runs for Dan Brown, Ethan Harvey, Patrick Knowles, Sherri, and Tyler Lominack The first half of a journey into the mythic plane-- the crossing of the threshold, a journey across the ocean of souls, and a challenge atop a mammoth lotus flower.

Trail of Cthulhu: Fearful Symmetries: Arc Two (Session 4) Lowell Francis runs for Alun R., Paul Rivers, Sherri, and Will H Having made their made into the Bradbury estate-- the circle realizes the threat is both more dire and more immediate than they thought. After wrestling with various plans and consciences, they split up-- with Isabel and Richard trying to find Flora and the grove while Wilford and the Doctor try to see what they can do with Mrs. Bradbury and her impending delivery. Things do not go well. They go messily. Very messily.

Orbital (Session 1 of 3) Donogh runs for Mark and Puckett Discover our orbital, a strange place of crystals, fractal architecture & psychic warnings - the perils it faces: hunted star-crossed lovers from the War, a damaged warship seeking assistance, and something ancient stirring in the depths... Meet the orbital's residents: Cash Only - the Source of exactly what you're looking for, Rye - the Heart of a bar that epitomises the genuine warmth of the station, & Hemlock Pangolin - a Shadow on a secret mission to ensure the Orbital remains neutral ground a stoic hydroponics engineer who minds their own business.

Star Wars Saturday

Fellowship (Session 4) Rich Rogers runs for Greg G., Kae, Steven Watkins, and Tyler Lominack The fellowship dances and fights until they uncover an ancient artifact that will rock an entire world.

Fellowship (Session 5) Rich Rogers runs for Cody Eastlick, Greg G., Kae, and Steven Watkins The fellowship makes a difficult choice about the holocron of stillness and escapes Vuarlock for Dathomir.

Stars in the Dark: Stars in the Dark II (Session 2) Anders runs for Marc Majcher, Mark (they/them), Rich Rogers, and Steven Watkins Strange Smugglers and Gamorrean Grapplers - Our stalwart spies follow their target(s?) and discover that not everything is as it seems. Also: Gamorrean wrestling! Hotwired speeder bikes! A traffic stop!

Stars in the Dark: Stars in the Dark II (Session 3) Anders runs for Marc Majcher, Mark (they/them), Rich Rogers, and Steven Watkins Industrial Automaton Entanglements

Off-Calendar Highlights

The Between: Stars and Suns, Season Two (Session 5) Madelancholy runs for Jack, Sarah W., and Steph "A Tale of Two Parties" - New opening credits! 🎉 A little bit of chaos ensues when the Explorer and the Undeniable throw separate parties at Hargrave House. A sinister royal personage drops by. Come day, a demonic presence is reported at Kilborn Abbey, Ernest experiences time distortion, Dame Georgie talks to Mr. Figg, and Liat pressures the abbot for some answers.

The Between: Stars and Suns, Season Two (Session 6) Madelancholy runs for Jack, Mike, and Steph "For All Good Intent" - Sir Atticus returns from the Void with the help of a familiar friend, and returns to Hargrave House with Ragg in tow. Dame Georgie comes to an uneasy truce because of his new state, and Liat invites her fellow hunters to tea and oh-so-innocuous conversation.

[catherinnn]

Ten seconds.

Sirius Black x reader.

Reader and Sirius manage to have a picture of the first time they finally kissed.

warnings: my English, like one swear word and kissing, very fluffy.

a/n: this is first Sirius x reader fic I wrote, I had this idea from a tiktok and just thought of Sirius bc he's the only thing I think about lately, I hope you like like it <33

Y/n was spending her Christmas break with all of the marauders in James' house. She firstly become friends with Remus in second year and eventually started hanging out with all of the group. She was in Revenclaw but never actually got along with anyone at her house, just her dormates, and when she started studying with Remus Lupin and Lily Evans in the library, she found out that she actually got along better with griffyndors.

Now they're in their sixth year.

James and Sirius were discussing about going to muggle London, they were already tired of being inside all the time and convinced James' father of letting them go there alone. That pair could be very persuasive sometimes.

Her relationship with Sirius has always been weird, if anything. Becouse when she first started hanging out with the marauders, James and Remus accepted her with open arms, Peter was rather quiet and nervous around her at first, but over time he started to trust and like her more, but Sirius was completely negated on this whole new marauder girl situation, she wasn't even in griffyndor, she was just a nerdy, cowardly revenclaw girl to him at first, how would she ever say yes to one of their pranks ideas?

But over time he realised that she was always on board with them, especially when they wanted to prank the slytherins, and even better if it was on Snivellus. She had some pretty good ideas and she was even better to escape from detention threats from professors or prefects. She could be really persuasive sometimes.

Eventually he accepted her as a marauder and as a friend to him, a really good friend. She always understood his problems with his family becouse she never got along with her mother either, she had a very toxic relationship with her since she was a kid. So every time he had a new letter from home, he would open it with her. Or when he had had a fight with Regulus in the halls, he would go to her firts.

On the start of their fifth year, Sirius-- well not just Sirius and rather all the boys in their year, had a surprise when y/n showed up more... developed, along with most fifth year girls.

He started throwing a flirty comment here and there to her every time they were hanging out, even if the marauders--or anyone-- were there with them, even one time he said something about her eyes in front of McGonagall, that was very embarrassing for y/n, but Sirius was still with a grin on his face when McGonagall throwed a funny look to them.

Now in their sixth year y/n had become more confident of herself, and started to respond to his flirty comments, in a more flirty way of course, becouse she enjoyed the smug on his face or his blushed cheeks sometimes--yes, she had made Sirius Black blush. But even with their flirty relationship, they were still just friends, they had both been in relationships in previous years with other people, but never made a move on each other, not even a drunk kiss at a party.

But anyways, here they were, all five of them, in muggle London just walking around, buying muggle books and vinyl records of their favourite muggle singers, when they found a photo booth cabin.

"Merlin, we have to get some pictures of us in it" y/n said.

"What even is this thing" James asked.

"You get in the box and it takes like four pictures of us, it's really fun" she responded.

"But they don't move like magic pictures do, they just stay still and they're in black and white" Remus added.

"That sound kinda boring-"

"We'll do it!" Sirius interrupted Peter, they all squeezed in the cabin how they could and took a lot of funny and cute pictures of the group.

They ended up having like nine stipes of pictures, but y/n wanted to take more.

"Alright, that's enough for me" said Remus getting out of the booth.

"Yeah, we already have plenty of pictures of us" James agreed following him with Peter

"No, c'mon let's take a few more" y/n whined, the other boys said no to this but not Sirius.

"Alright, we'll take some more pictures of us then, we're the best marauders anyways" Sirius comforted her, staying inside the cabin with her.

"I heard that" James yelled while he was already walking away with Peter and Remus.

So they payed for another stripe of pictures with the few muggle coints they had left.

For the first picture Sirius stick his tongue out looking at the little camera and y/n smiled showing her teeth, they waited ten seconds and for the click sound and changed their positions, they were now putting their middle fingers out to the camera, waited for the box to take the picture and then Sirius changed to look at her instead, he grabbed her neck and kissed her cheek, he stayed like that and y/n-- trying to not smile at his action-- throw a kiss to the camera, they waited ten second like that and before Sirius could turn his eyes at the camera again y/n turned her head to look at him now.

He stayed still looking at her.

Ten seconds.

She had ten seconds to decide whether she should do what she had on mind or not. Ten seconds to decide whether to kiss him or not.

They looked at each other and y/n slowly grabbed his cheek.

Eight seconds.

He had plenty of time to look away, but he didn't.

Five seconds.

He stayed watching y/n, waiting for what he hoped her next action to be.

Two seconds.

She leaned closer and kissed him.

One second, the camera took the picture.

They kept kissing, their four pictures already taken and the booth was printing them out.

The picture string was waiting for them to grab it, but they didn't, they kept kissing each other.

Sirius had grabbed her head to kiss her passionately, he had waited so much for this to happen.

She put her hands to his hair and played with it while their tongues fought. She had waited so much for this to happen.

Eventually they pulled away from the kiss.

"Wow" he exhaled, y/n looked at him fighting a smile and losing.

"Felt like the right time to do it" she said.

"Totally" he agreed and gave her a peck on the lips, smiling.

They took the stripe from the booth and they had a perfect picture of their first kiss. The first of many.

After all of that, they got out of the cabin, he held her hand, and went to find their friends.

It hadn't passed much time for the rest, but for them it felt like it had passed a long time.

"Oh, there you are" Remus noticed them, not really minding their hands holding, it was normal for the pair to show a little affection, it happened almost every day, but this time it was way different for them both.

"Well, don't just stay there, show us the pictures" James asked, they looked at each other.

"I think this one is going to stay just for us" Sirius said, but this only made James more curious, he went to grab the stripe of pictures in his hand, Sirius pulled back and pushed him with the hand that was holding y/n's. Then both boys started fighting for the pictures.

Y/n just laughed while Remus and Peter rolled their eyes, this kind of fights happened all the time in the dorm.

"Get off of me you idiot, you're going to brake it" Sirius yelled, James ended up grabbing the stripe and when he looked at it, he almost choked.

"NO WAY!!" the other two boys went next to James to look at it also, and they both screamed too.

"Fucking finally!" Remus said "I was getting tired of the tension between you two."

The boys keps teasing the couple and they just smiled rolling their eyes but silently agreeing with Remus, fucking finally.

[twistyprefect]

A Second Melody

original

{adding on to/expanding this cause it was really fun! once again my playlist is gonna supply me with inspiration woo}

Deuce Spade: Stay

[aint no way that i can leave you stranded,

cause you aint ever left me empty handed]

Deuce groaned as he rested his head on the table of the library, Ace laughed as the first years huddled together. They had all agreed to try and study for their exams together; so far, Jack and Sebek were doing the best followed closely by their resident prefect. Said prefect giggled softly at Deuce's peril, patting his head. He flushed and refused to look at them, trying to read his notes again. They chuckled and slid their notebook down to him, offering it up for him to study. He nodded to them, thanking them quietly. He tried to ignore Ace's obvious smirking, since the other Heartslabyul student was painfully aware of Deuce's crush on the prefect. He glanced to the side, watching them try and explain another alchemy concept to Epel. He felt his heart clench a bit as the prefect pat Epel's head, the other freshman squeaking in surprise. He wanted more of their attention, but he knew he had to focus on becoming the honors student his mother deserved. Then maybe he could properly support and provide for them.

He resigned himself to studying their notes as opposed to the, eyes scanning over their writing as he tried to memorize the shape of every letter.

Jack Howl: Solution for Jealousy

[i can't cheer for you,

i hope it all goes wrong]

Jack sighed in annoyance as he watched the prefect skitter around Leona. They had been nervously approaching him to try and talk to him for about a week now. He didn't really know why, but he had the sinking feeling they wanted to ask the lion on a date. Jack sighed again at the thought, his nails digging into his palm as he clenched his fist. He didn't have any right to be upset. They were his friend and they didn't owe him anything. And yet here he was, cowardly cheering on their misfortune from the sidelines. He hoped with all his heart that Leona rejected them, that they came running to him for support. That they might see that he could be everything and anything they needed. He couldn't bring himself to act on his feelings, burring them deep under a layer of platonic concerns and snide remakes about Leona. The prefect always laughed along and agreed; Jack couldn't understand if they really liked the lion man or not. It didn't matter, really.

Regardless of what happened, he found himself wishing and hoping for a change of heart, for them to fall over themself exclaiming that their true affections lay with im.

Jade Leech: Curses

[every word i say is kindling,

but the smoke clears when you're out]

Jade's sharp eyes flickered from one student to the next, looking for the familiar figure of his favorite prefect. They grinned as they made their way to him, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him along to the board. They grinned and pointed to their name, high on the list of exam scores. He couldn't focus on their words as they exclaimed their excitement, instead staring into their sparkling eyes. He found himself unable to focus on anything but them when they were around, their very presence a distraction. He had fumbled many a drink when working in the lounge because they'd said something to him. He didn't understand why he was so enamored with them, but he decided to try and go along with the ride for now. Their eyes canned over his face as they awaited his response. He chuckled and congratulated them, watching them flush and preen over the soft praise. Jade took their hand and offered them a drink the next time they visited him at work. They laughed and followed him down the hall towards their next class, agreeing to meet him after classes were over. He waved to them and continued on his way, his thoughts clouded and swirling.

It was only once he was in his classroom, sitting alone near the back of the room so he could focus, when he fully grasped that he was completely and utterly in love with them.

Jamil Viper: Unworthy of Your Love

[i am, nothing

you are wind and water and sky]

Jamil had never considered himself particularly occupied with the opinions of others. He knew he was a servant, someone considered lowly compared to Kalim and others at NRC. He couldn't afford to let it bother him, not when he constantly had to babysit Kalim. He found his eyes lingering on the prefect of Ramshackle Dorm every time he did, though. He wanted them to see him, to see how reliable he was and how much he could provide for them. He may be a servant, but he was capable and determined. He knew that often others thought he was unworthy of attending the academy, or that he only got in because of Kalim. He hated it, resented it when others questioned his abilities. He hadn't felt such anger at it until recently, when a Scarabia student had questioned him in front of the prefect. White-hot fury flowed through his veins as he reminded the student of his place as vide dorm leader. After the student scurried off, he saw the prefect giving him a shy wave and a thumbs up. He inhaled sharply and smiled back as softly as he could. He wanted them to see his softer side, not his anger or his resentment towards his treatment.

They were the only judgement that mattered, the only one who could tell him his worth and have him believe it.

Epel Felmier: Friday Night

[could you ever fall for me,

the way i fell for you?]

Epel didn't really know when he first fell in love with them, but he knew when he realized it. He'd been writing a letter to his grandmother and realized that more than half the letter was dedicated to the prefect, his new and closest friend. He sent the letter anyway, receiving a teasing response from his grandmother about meeting her future grandchild-in-law as soon as possible. Epel's entire face had burned every time he saw the prefect after that. The letter's implications had been burned into his brain, forever circling ever time he saw them. The prefect wad kind and smart and had-working; why not love them, he thought. He slowly tried to start showing off to them. Whenever he got a good score on an exam, he showed them. Whenever he made a particularly lovely apple carving, he gave it to them. He loved the attention they'd lavish onto him, his face stained red as his smile widened. Eventually he realized that he may have played into the roll of 'little brother' and sought to correct that behavior. Instead he tried to come off as cooler and more mature that he did before. the prefect laughed and praised him all the same.

He'd often go to bed frowning to himself over it, wondering if maybe they'd ever see him the way he wanted them to; not as a cute little brother, but as a capable man and partner for them.

Malleus Draconia: A Thousand and One Nights

[for when it comes to stories, i thought i knew them all

but now i'm face-to-face with one i can't seem to recall]

Malleus had always loved reading, the stories and novels that surrounded him taking him away from the real world off to imaginary lands. Places he could fit in or be someone without people fearing him based on their preconceived notions of him. He yearned to turn those stories into a reality, to find people who saw him as himself and nothing more or less. He wanted to find someone special, to take their hand in his and see them smiling up at him lovingly. He thought maybe the prefect of the run-down dorm would be the one; he wasn't entirely wrong. They didn't run from him or seem scared at all. In fact, they had no clue who he was and he relished in it. However, they also hadn't fallen in love with him yet as far as he could tell. They were very strange and unreadable, and he felt himself being more and more drawn to them. He could feel his heart swell every time they grinned at him or showed him a test they did well on. Malleus oftentimes found himself wondering if there was more he could do to keep them at his side; perhaps if they knew who he was they'd run. He hoped not, already knowing his heart might not survive their betrayal.

He wanted to write the rest of his story with them at his side, creating the plotlines and threading their books together.

[toorumochi]

꒰🖇꒱ 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐒𝐡𝐮𝐮 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐚 ♡꙼̈ ࿐ ࿔

I wanted to create an analysis on how Gakushuu would fit the Dark/Light Academia aesthetic and Karma the Chaotic Academia aesthetic as well as add headcanons, some mood boards and much more to this post! I hope you will enjoy! 🕯

At the beginning I was planning to put their mood-boards and explain them, but I found that I would have spoiled it and you guys probably wouldn't have any idea about the context of this whole post, so maybe I'll make a very short (hopefully understandable) introduction:

KaruShuu - College - Couple

bam.

Okay but for real now, the whole context of this is that Karma and Gakushuu go to the same college where they share a dorm room and are also dating which is so much more exciting for the upcoming headcanons I've prepared, wohoo! 🤎

So now you've received the explanation to this entire chaos, now it's time for the introduction to these two and why that specific Academia! Enjoy! <3

First, let's go with Gakushuu 🧡

I've been thinking about this for a long time now, and I ended up with this: That the Dark Academia Aesthetic would fit Gakushuu magnificently so here we are.

Some dark academia key values that I think would fit Gakushuu: caffeine bursts; working for victory (screams Gakushuu); neat handwriting; stacks of old books; oversized but stylish sweaters; scented candles; so much poetry; only black ink pens; chess; visiting museums every weekend; vintage watches (he would steal them from Gakuho lol); existentialism, coffee. a lot of it; handwritten letters to we know who <3

I made a mood-board for him!! :D

I'm not sure if I should add an explanation to every thing on this picture but let's just go with it (I wanted to add so much more things to this but it would overflow and look messy :(()

⁽ᵗʰⁱⁿᵏⁱⁿᵍ ᵃᵇᵒᵘᵗ ⁱᶠ ᴵ ˢʰᵒᵘˡᵈ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵃᵈᵈ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ᵐᵒʳᵉ ᵗʰⁱⁿᵍˢ ᵇᵘᵗ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ᵈᵉˢᶜʳⁱᵖᵗⁱᵒⁿˢ ᵒᶠ ⁱᵗ⁾

•┈┈┈••✦ 🕯 ✦••┈┈┈•

Dried fruit - I feel like he and Karma would have dried up fruits all around their dorm room, and it would smell amazing.

Coffee mugs with fluffy cream on top - He refuses to leave the dorm without a cup of his coffee. He is addicted to it and Karma is concerned.

A net bag - listen. I saw oranges and had to add it. No explanation needed he would just have one and be fancy with it

Candles - he would have so. many. of. them. And each of them would have a different smell, through his favourite is the sandalwood one

Figs - I have literally an essay on "Why I think Figs would be Gakushuu Asanos favorite fruit" written. But to cut it short I think he would be the type to like sweet fruits a lot, and since figs when ripe kind of taste like honey - he also loves to eat them with anything, whether in the form of jam, or with cheese and nuts, or as a snack during lectures when the lecturer is not looking; The figs are just perfect and he could eat them all day long.

That one specific notebook he takes everywhere - he takes it with himself everywhere and anywhere; it's also forbidden to look inside. Even Karma himself is too cowardly to peek inside. However, he once said that although the cover looks like it has gone through two wars, Gakushuu's notes inside are very neat.

Chess pieces - Gakushuu is a god when it comes to chess, he can and will challenge anyone when it comes to chess. He carries some random chess pieces around in his coats or backpacks.

Pen - Gakushuu owns only one pen, reason: Karma loses all his own pens, so when he asks Gakushuu to borrow him one, he would just reply "I only have one" and with that no-one bothers him when it comes to borrowing pens.

Turtlenecks - turtlenecks, always. He wears them with anything and he is still the most stylish mf in the entire campus

Typewriter - he would own a typewriter in their room. Shhh he writes poetry for Karma that he gives to him in the library on their study dates.

•·················•·················•

Karma time!

The academia aesthetic I choose for him is... Chaotic Academia!

I think our boy wouldn't fit the dark nor light academia, so I went with the chaotic academia ;))

Some chaotic academia key values that I think would fit Karma:

top buttons undone; losing so many pens, way too many (I wrote a headcanon about this); notes, books and paper sprawled messily over his desk AND floor; hand written letters, but on the same paper as his class notes; curse words in latin; random things in his coat; socks never matching. ever; messy but good-looking hair; ridiculous Shakespeare pick up lines he tried on Gakushuu; coffee in shot glasses;

Here a moodboard for him! ❤️

(Karmas mood-board is more full thank Gakushuus- I'm so embarrassed.)

•┈┈┈••✦ 🎫 ✦••┈┈┈•

Math notes in literature class - Is there more to add? He would solve equations in his literature class, but right next to the math question would be a latin curse word or a short, very, very chaotic poem

Heavy, black boots - no matter what occasion, he will dress the way he wants; an assembly where they have to dress very formal: Heavy boots, looking like he rode here on a motorcycle with a black jacket. Beneath the jacket? The sweater with the cat on the mood-board.

Outfits - anything BUT the uniform or formal wear

cookies - yes, he might be chaotic but he makes the best, and when I say the best, I mean the B.E.S.T cookies out there. Gakushuu is a big fan but won't admit it to Karma. Karma makes them with fig jam just for Gakushuu, God he loves them.

Stack of thrifted books - he doesn't have the time to buy expensive and new books when there is a book thrift store right around the corner with any book he likes; he has at least 5 stacks in the dorm stacked under their small table they eat/study at. The times they were kicked over on accident is uncountable

lighter - he doesn't smoke, but he likes to light some corners of his notes or letter on fire for a second to make them look 'vintage' or 'cool'.

A tiny bottle of blood - he keeps it in his jacket pocket; no-one knows who's blood it is and it's leaving people in fear

A small bag with all sorts of things - animal teeth he found in the woods, wasabi (a classic), mouse trap, gum, emergency pen (update: he lost it), some random receipts; crushed flower petals ??? and much more.......

Dried flowers - he puts them into his heavy books to dry, and when they are finally all dried up and pretty, he gives them to Gakushuu (Gakushuu then frames them because he thinks they are pretty and he appreciates his bfs' small gestures)

A skateboard used as a desk - Gakushuu does not remember the last time Karma normally sat at the table in their dorm while studying or eating; he is either standing or lying on the floor or sitting on the floor with a hump over the laptop on the skateboard OR he is sitting on the skateboard and the laptop is also on the skateboard and that's the way he works. Oh also sometimes when he is actually sitting on the skateboard while working on his laptop, to annoy him, Gakushuu pushes him a bit so the skateboard is moving straight ahead and Karma goes a few centimetres forward. (Once Gakushuu pushed him a little bit too hard, making Karma lose balance and fall off, it was hilarious)

Skulls - skulls, skulls, skulls. Skulls everywhere! He would wake up in the middle of the night, grab one skull of a shelf, strike a pose (Gakushuu is already half awake and knows what's coming) and quotes the famous "To be, or not to be, that is the question" spoken by Hamlet. After he quotes, he receives a pillow in his face thrown by his lovely boyfriend.

•·················•·················•

Now for some headcanons!

Them skipping classes to sit in the old library between the book shelves to read poems to each other they wrote last night

When they have classes together, they write definitions of words on each other's wrists and arms during lectures

Random mythology facts during lunch leaving the other speechless

Karma being extra dramatic and walking into the lecture room with a loud bang of the door, while Gakushuu just simply gave up on being on time and just kinda trudges behind Karma while holding their two takeaway coffees from the small café by their dorm

There is a deadline on the assignment, but there is also a very comforting soft wind blowing outside in the middle of November and the leaves are falling down and who if not them would go out in long black coats and just take a walk together. It's a MUST (It's also like a reward for their hard work and also just to enjoy themselves <3 )

Writing each other letters in their target language or latin that they pass to each other in class (they sit next to each other, but hey, it's fun ;) ), while their friends watch while sitting behind them in amusement

Analysing poetry for fun

Going on walks and getting excited about old building and castles

Karma making paper planes out of discarded vintage bound books and he is having a throwing battle with Gakushuu who throws them back but there are insults written inside when Karma opens them (Bonus: Insults, but with love)

Going to art galleries together to take pictures by the classical statues with on of them posing next to the statues, trying to recreate the pose of it (Bonus: if it's a two-person statue, they will ask a stranger to take a picture of them posing)

They tend to jump on random trains on the weekend to study

Some Karma Chaotic Academia headcanons:

Calling the big five and Shuu nerds and then studies for 12h straight

Him getting kicked out of the group chat where Gakushuu and some other students are in at least 15 times a week

Doesn't sleep. ever.

Writing absolutely fantastic poetry while being sleep deprived but Gakushuu is still fascinated by it every time

Adds an unhealthy amount of sugar to his drinks - even water the other day, but Gakushuu managed to stop him before he could put the sugar in it; once again, Karma was sleep deprived

Karma constantly arguing with the teachers because disagreeing can be fun and thrilling sometimes

Karma has ink all over his palms of his fingers and if he isn't careful enough, he gets it on his face (also on Gakushuus' when he grabs his cheeks to kiss him, muah 💋)

Baking fresh honeybuns for his boyfriend at 2am because yes

Learning a new curse word in latin everyday because it's funny

He had lost enough pens that could easily be distributed to each and every person in their Uni; that's how many there were

He presses down flowers in his heavy books that he later on gives to Gakushuu on random occasions that either he or Shuu frames

Horrible Shakespeare quotes that make terrible pickup lines is something Karma says on a daily basis to 'flirt' with Gakushuu:

🕯Karma: Love looks not with the eyes but with them mind. And therefore is winged cupid painted blind.

Gakushuu: My eyes are up here, Karma. And you're standing on my foot.

🕯Karma: Do me, or not do me. THAT is the question. (while dramatically standing up while they're having breakfast in their room)

Gakushuu: ...

🕯Karma: Hey, Baby, can Ophelia up?

Gakushuu: I cant do this anymore-

🕯(This one is actually so sweet-)

[Them on a late picnic when the stars are up]

Karma: Midnight would blush at this

He uses literally anything as a bookmark, whether it's a receipt, toilet paper, a ripped out piece of paper (from the same book he is trying to use the bookmark for), literally whatever gets into his hands at that moment

Raising his hand just to correct the teacher when they mess up in their lecture

He performs rituals in class with books and other things he owns, leaving people once again in fear

He leaves annotations in the margins of library books (usually memes)

He aggressively mouths lyrics to blaring music while studying

Fidgeting around with supplies (once he hit the lecturer with a ruler)

Never matching socks, ever

✼ •• ┈┈┈┈๑⋅⋯ ୨˚୧ ⋯⋅๑┈┈┈┈ •• ✼

God was that the longest post I've ever made? Most likely

Am I tried? Yes

Were the past few hours worth working on this? Absolutely

Do I regret anything? Yes and that is that I didn't add enough stuff to the Gakushuus mood-board 😭😔

If I'll come up with more headcanons for these two, I won't hesitate writing them down and posting them!

If someone has some more ideas for their academia headcanons please comment they would make me so happy 😭🧡❤️

[benscursedkid]

*title from the song of the same name by mansionair and a continuation of this post* 

synopsis: rebekah and ben’s relationship progression throughout their second year at hogwarts. (plus some bonus of other characters too.)

pairing: ben copper x mc; ben copper x rebekah roberts

genre: angst, fluff, etc. 

words: 5.160

a/n: is it 5am rn for me? yes it is. did i skip the ice vault scene because i’m tired and lazy? you bet. also, i know they’re in second year and thus supposed to be around twelve years old but i’m pretty sure i forgot what being twleve felt like (must be all the repressed embarrassment yikes) so i apologize if this seems slightly too heavy or at times mature for that. but then again, this is hphm so y’know... trauma <3 also be warned, i’m tired so this is unedited as of rn. i’ll come back and edit it maybe tomorrow or the next day but if you’re reading this then i have not done so yet. pls, enjoy anyway!

She woke up that morning with a spring in her step. Her bags had been packed for weeks, her robes already ironed and an outfit laid out for the morning. She discarded it, choosing instead to pull another one out of her trunk and switching their spots. The young girl ran all over the house, picking up anything that had been thoughtlessly left out and almost forgot to take time to sit and eat breakfast. 

It was a thing her parents still tried to insist on. Eating meals as a family despite the fact that they are indefinitely one member short. Their motivation usually wore off by lunch only to be half-heartedly reignited by dinner. 

The effort is just what she’d wanted except…Rebekah hates it, truth be told. They do nothing more than inquire about Rowan and Ben, occasionally touching on the weather before falling silent again. And that’s how they remain for the rest of the night. Disappearing into their room seems to be more habit than pastime for them now and Rebekah is left to her own devices. They don’t watch her father’s favorite movies, they don’t make any plans for the next day, they don’t laugh over old jokes. Sometimes, when the moon is high and her spirits are low, she wonders why they can’t try like she does. To fix their family. Her brother may no longer be around, but surely she is enough to keep them going, right? Surely, knowing that they still have their daughter left is enough...isn’t it? 

Her thoughts often took those turns at home, but today she hadn’t let them get to her. Her parents could be heard getting ready for the day in the solace of their quiet room while Rebekah finished brushing her teeth and gathering some last minute research she had done the night before. Mysteries might be fun, but it’s about time this one got solved. 

They were even quieter on the way to King’s Cross than usual—even by their new standards—but Rebekah didn’t care this time. Her mind was too busy running in different directions to spare a moment to anything else. 

“You be careful, ‘Bek,” Her mother whispers presently into her hair, her thin arms wrapped around her small body in the tightest hug she’s received since she came home two months ago. Her voice is uneven and Rebekah can feel the quivering of her lips against her dark hair. “Stay in one piece, alright?”

“I will.” She promises swiftly, the words leaving her mouth without much thought. 

Her father tries for a smile that even he has to know doesn’t land. “Say hi to your friends for us, yeah? Let them take care of you.”

His voice was gentle, his tone and intentions soft and well-meaning, but Rebekah can’t help but bite her lips to keep back a frown. It is glaringly something he would never have said before and for whatever reason, she doesn’t like the fact that he says it now. 

Her father’s hand reaches the back of her head, his palm cradling her cheek affectionately as she pulls away from her mother. He seems about to hug her himself, but in a move strangely unlike him, he doesn’t. Somehow she knew it wouldn’t come. Somehow her heart breaks just a little more anyway. 

The train whistles and she notices that her trolley has already been taken to the luggage compartments. Sound and perception come back to her all at once as the atmosphere seems to crack. Students mill about them in tandem and the heavy scent of the train’s engine prickles at her delicate nose. Her mother and father find their place again, stuck together like glue, and take a small step back. When they look at her their eyes are tired. 

“Have fun, Rebekah.” Her father offers as her mother struggles to keep up her already thin façade of a collected person. 

She nods at them in farewell, her body already turning towards the train. “I will.” She says again. 

She hated the summer holidays this year, yet turning her back on her parents is still a stinging betrayal that quells the breath in her throat. She makes a point to not look behind her lest she fall apart all together. 

Fortunately, there are still some reunions to be had today, the first of which she walks into before even stepping onto the Hogwarts Express. With her arms held tightly around herself and her eyes cast downward, Rebekah doesn’t notice it when a familiar head of blonde hair sticks itself out the window as she approaches the steps. 

“Rebekah!” Cheers a soft voice, one that is usually not heard over the ring of the crowd. 

On instinct, her eyes follow the sound, landing on the sight of Ben Copper with his neck stuck all the way out a compartment window. Unwittingly, all her claustrophobia melts off of her and a giggle even falls like a trickle from her lips. Her hand comes up to cover it but she doesn’t miss the way Ben’s cheeks flush deep with pink. 

The sight only strengthens her smile. 

“Ben,” Rebekah greets with a grin, moving out the way of the steps to instead walk over to stand directly in front of his window. Her hand still hesitates between covering her mouth and balling into a fist at her side. She swallows the uncertainty down. “What in Merlin’s name are you doing? Doesn’t your neck hurt?”

He blushes again and Rebekah gets the overwhelming urge to ruffle his already messy hair which clearly still shines with product. “No! Well, not before you mentioned it…” 

She chuckles. “Looking for the best view?”

“Not anymore.”

Emotions grips her throat and her smile hesitates between freezing and growing even larger. For his part, Ben simply rubs at the back of his neck shyly, unable to meet her eye now. 

His mouth opens to respond when she doesn’t immediately say anything back, only to be interrupted before he starts by a much higher, much more enthusiastic voice. 

“Rebekah? Is that you?” Rowan gasps, pushing Ben slightly to now fit her head through the window. The blonde grimaces next to her, his nose scrunching up in discomfort and the scene is so comical Rebekah has to laugh. It comes off her chest like a heavy secret she hadn’t known she’d been carrying. 

“You’re here!” Her friend gushes, her lips splitting with a grin so wide Rebekah fears it may cut her face in half. ‘What are you doing standing out there? Come in, the train will depart soon!”

Rebekah doesn’t mention how absurd she looks with her head popping out of a window like a cartoon character. She merely shakes her head and does as she’s instructed. 

It doesn’t take long to find her way to the compartment, even with the onslaught of students now hurrying to board the train. The whistle sounds off again somewhere, but the happy chatter of children and teens mute the sound of it. She’s barely taken a single step into the compartment when Rowan launches herself at her for a hug. Rebekah returns it gently, ignoring the way the rim of the other girl’s glasses press intently into the skin by her ear. 

Rowan releases her quickly, her arm looping through hers and already beginning to speak a mile a minute about something or other Rebekah doesn’t quite manage to catch yet. Perhaps she would, if her eyes hadn’t caught on Ben’s. His own are a warm and welcoming gold with the rays of fading summer sunshine catching on them through the window screen. They cast little squares across his face that Rebekah finds difficult not to count before—

Welcome back, he mouths to her silently, not daring to interrupt Rowan now that she’s started on another one of her tangents. 

Rebekah grins, a slight blush of her own rising to her cheeks. She nods to signal her acknowledgement before turning back to Rowan, barely catching the end of her complaint about the library near her house. 

It’s good to be back. 

~✾~

I haven’t seen him since we stepped off the Hogwarts Express, Penny will tell her later but only after Ben has already been gone. Why hadn’t she noticed his absence sooner? I’m a little worried, Rebekah. Especially after what happened last year with the cursed ice. 

She tried to bring it to McGonagall’s or Angelica’s attention earlier, but Dumbledore called for everyone to go immediately to their dorms after dinner. No exceptions. 

They were ushered to their rooms like cattle, their prefects doing their best to calmly give them orders. Chester, for his part, seemed to pay her some extra attention. In hindsight, Rebekah knows that he has good reason to be suspicious, but at the time his scrutiny only served to further agitate her. 

How could he have disappeared already? Why did no one see him leave? 

Why didn’t she? 

And why is it always those closest to her? 

~✾~

Her sleep that night was fitful and her appearance the next morning was even worse. And just her luck, her least favorite person caught her at the door to Transfiguration the next time she tried to see McGonagall. 

“You look worried, Roberts.” 

Rebekah sighs, her usually level temper flaring at the mere sight of her troublesome classmate. “What do you want, Merula?”

The Slytherin smirks, looking nonchalantly at the black polish chipping from her fingernails. “I was just wondering if you’d had any luck finding that cowardly mudblood friend of yours.”

Her eyes snap sharply over to Merula’s. Green meets magenta in a swirl of anger and pride, each of them holding onto both. When Rebekah speaks, her voice is low and measured. “Do you know what happened to Ben?”

“I know more than you,” The other girl mocks but suddenly she doesn’t seem so teasing anymore. She takes a taunting step closer and despite the daylight peeking through the windows, her eyes darken with mirth. “I know that sometimes even when people are missing, they’re exactly where they’re supposed to be.” 

The words are more than just a punch to the gut. It’s bad enough to be reminded of Jacob’s absence, but implying that the world is better for it is…

Merula takes this moment of hesitation to drive her point home. “There are things happening at this school you could never begin to understand, Roberts,” Jacob did. “Trying to uncover those things is going to get you killed.” Like Jacob?

“No,” Rebekah shakes her head, her hands balling into fists she just barely manages to keep at her sides. “Trying to get in my way is only going to end up hurting you, Merula.”

Merula glowers at her, her lips twisting up into a snarl. “You’ll learn everything soon enough.”

“If you’re not going to help me find Ben,” Rebekah snaps, her glare sharper than she thinks it's ever been before. “Then just stay away from me, Merula.”

“As you wish, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Rebekah finally pushes past her, but her words linger in her head far into the rest of the day. 

~✾~

“Please, Madam Pomfrey,” Rebekah pleads, pouring all of her worry and concern into the five syllables. “Someone should be with him!”

But the healer just arches an unconvinced eyebrow, refusing to move from her place blocking her entrance into the hospital wing. She crosses her arms at Rebekah’s comment. “And you’ve come to the conclusion that a skilled healer is not enough company, Miss Roberts?”

Rebekah makes a noise of frustration that sounds strangled in her throat. “He needs a friend, Madam!” The woman does not budge and Rebekah runs a fraught hand through her short black hair. She’d wrestled her Ravenclaw tie loose earlier and discarded her robes at her dorm the second she’d gotten back from the fifth corridor, figuring that it was only a matter of time until Ben got seen here. 

“I won’t bother him. I won’t bother you. I won’t bother anyone, I promise.” It’s been days since she’s heard from him, she was starting to worry... “Please,” She says eventually, the weight of all her troubles finally managing to drag her down. “I just want to see him.” 

Pomfrey studies her closely for a long time before something close to recognition flashes across her face. 

She steps aside. 

~✾~

He doesn’t wake up for another four days. By then the weekend has come along and not so easily, might she add. She’d spent much of her time after and between classes sitting in the hospital by Ben’s bedside. In the back of her mind, she knew that she should have been more worried about the notes and the quills and the clues, but every time she thought about that doubt crept into her mind. 

Surely, her luck couldn’t be that bad? How likely was it really that one of her very few friends was conspiring against her? And that it could be Ben? Of all people? 

It wasn’t just unlikely as far as Rebekah was concerned. It was impossible. 

Ben would never do that to her. 

Rowan and Penny had been worried about how thin she was stretching herself. Between classes and clues and uncomfortable hospital wing chairs. After her honesty in his class, Flitwick had given her a small extension on the last homework assignment, given how often—and how commonly known—she visits Ben when she can. Even Chester had taken to checking in on her, not that she was the one who needed it. 

And yet in spite of all this, she was not with him when he woke up. 

She’d been resting in her dorm with Rowan after being kicked out by Pomfrey the day before. The matron claimed her worried frowns and her frequency in the wing were beginning to scare some of the other students and instructed her to take the weekend away from the smell of pumpkin juice and disinfectant. She hadn’t wanted to leave, but she had been able to get Pomfrey to promise to alert her if anything changed. 

The rest of her and Rowan’s roommates had quickly vacated the premises when it became clear that Rebekah was not going to leave. She thinks they’re afraid of her, like many other people she’s noticed. Thinks that she’s mad. Like your brother, some of them say. You’re cursed. 

But Rowan stayed. For a while she tried to distract her with art or wizard’s chess, but eventually they settled on a book. Rowan sat on her bed, the book spread out on her lap as she read it to Rebekah out loud while she sat on her own bed upside down in boredom. Rowan had the better voice for it, they decided, and a longer attention span. 

It was like this that they found her. The poor frazzled student Pomfrey had apparently sent to fetch her. It’s Ben, they exclaimed and she swears the whole common room fell quiet behind the half-opened door. He’s awake. And he’s asking for you. 

Before she knew it, her legs were moving. She wasn’t really thinking—they knew where to go—as they ran her down the corridors. The pale morning sun blinked at her as she passed each window. Until the door came into view and she only just had enough wits about her to slow down, steady her now labored breaths before entering the wing.  

She pushed the door open and Madam Pomfrey was on her immediately. “That was quick.” She says matter-of-factly, her hands folding in front of her the way they commonly do, her shoulders straight and expression relaxed. 

Rebekah ignores her. “Is he alright?”

“I believe so,” She answers quickly without preamble and she heaves a sigh of relief. “His memory is erratic, but I have seen patients in far worse condition in my time as Matron of Hogwarts.”

“You said he asked to see me?”

“Many times, along with other strange requests and proclamations. I believe he’s experiencing some state of delirium.” 

“Can I talk to him?” She asks, ignoring the way her heart flips painfully in her chest at her previous words. She doesn’t want to think about how disoriented he must have been. She should have been there.

“Mister Copper has been through quite an ordeal and still remains in a very delicate state—” She begins but one look at Rebekah’s face tells her that little she can say will matter. She sighs in something that sounds like sympathy before gesturing over to his bed. “Make it fast.”

She smiles briefly in lieu of thanks before she’s moving again towards the familiar spot by his bedside. Pomfrey hadn’t even moved her chair. 

Despite his clearly groggy state, Ben smiles weakly as she approaches, recognizing her immediately. His voice is meek and scratchy when he says, “Hi, ‘Bekah…” 

Her lips pull up slightly at the unfamiliar nickname and she allows herself to fall habitually into the chair beside him. She reaches out to take his hand, but thinks better of it and wrings them together nervously underneath his bed instead. “How are you feeling?”

As she says this, Ben frowns, his whole body slumping further into his bed at the reminder of his condition. Dark spots can be seen beneath his eyes despite being unconscious for the past four days and his skin is still pasty and almost as pale as hers. Not for the first time, Rebekah wonders just what happened in the near week and a half it took to find him in the corridor. 

“Cold. Tired. Sore,” He laments, but his mouth manages to pick up just slightly anyway. “Not that different from usual to be honest.” 

Rebekah wants to laugh at his attempt at a joke—no matter how self-deprecating, acknowledging the effort it must have taken, but she doesn’t quite manage it. Instead, her brows knit together even more in worry for his health and well-being. 

“Are you comfortable?” She finds herself saying, her eyes flicking to his rather flat looking pillow and the cold bars of his bed. “Is there anything I can do?”

Ben smiles and this time it takes. He still looks tired and he still looks ragged, but not so lonely anymore. The sight reminds her of what a twelve year-old boy should look like as his round cheeks wrinkle with the change of expression. 

“Seeing your face is enough,” He admits a bit sheepishly, fiddling with his fingers purposefully, ducking his head down to look at them. “Madam Pomfrey is very helpful, but she doesn’t have the most comforting bedside manner.” 

This gets a chuckle out of her at the truth of it and Ben’s smile returns victoriously. 

Now it is Rebekah’s turn to look away and she nervously crosses her ankles before uncrossing them again. She shifts only subtly in her seat. “She said you asked to see me?”

His face twists in confusion. His head tilts in tired frustration. “Did I? I feel like I’m losing it…” 

A small part of her is left disappointed with his lack of remembrance, but it is far overshadowed by the full force of her concern coming back at his clearly patchy memory. Just what did that cursed ice do? 

Her hand twitches again to reach out to him but this time she listens to it. Her hand wraps cautiously around his wrist in what she hopes is a consoling manner. “What were you doing in that corridor, Ben? How did you get trapped in the ice?”

The Gryffindor shakes his head in anguish. “I don’t remember. I can hardly remember anything at all. Madam Pomfrey thinks it has something to do with the ice.” 

Emotion lodges itself in her throat and for a moment she can’t speak. Ben looks away from her, seemingly in shame, but shame for what she isn’t sure. And she hates that she questions it. This isn’t fair! Why must these things always happen to her? 

Paranoia pricks at her conscience and climbs up her spine. She has no choice but to press further. “I found a letter to you in the artefact room,” She explains and Ben still refuses to look at her directly. She isn’t sure whether to take that as a bad sign. “It led me to another one that told you to go to that corridor…” 

“I’m sorry, Rebekah,” Ben whispers as though he doesn’t have the strength for anything else. “I just don’t remember…” 

Something pulls at her chest. “Ben—”

“That’s enough for today, Miss Roberts,” Pomfrey announces, having snuck up behind Rebekah while she’d been distracted. “Mister Copper needs his rest.” 

“But—”

“It’s okay,” Ben grabs her hand, his own not much bigger but it still offers her the reassurement that is intended. “I’m kind of tired, anyway.” 

Rebekah frowns half in suspicion and half in confusion. “You just woke up.” 

“I’ll be fine.” 

Pomfrey clears her throat and Rebekah sighs, reluctantly releasing her hold on Ben’s hand and offering her friend in question a wave as she disappears back behind the privacy curtain. 

She doesn’t see him for the rest of the day, but her mind stays stuck on the hospital wing and the missing week and a half of Ben’s memory of how he got there. 

~✾~

In hindsight, meeting Bill had been, thankfully, one of the only good things to come out of that term. At the time, she couldn’t have ever guessed the way that things would soon be playing out, but one thing that was a constant in her life when nothing else was is Bill Weasley. 

Her surrogate big brother—and arguably the best one she ever had—went on to get her through the worst of times. Even when he couldn’t be there, he always lent her his support. Rebekah doesn’t know where she’d be without him. 

And to think she almost met him for the first time with a book about Patricia Rakepick. She knows now that hindsight isn’t always funny. 

~✾~

Speaking of older brothers, she never quite expected to find comfort in dry as wood Chester Davies of all people but—What are prefects for?

Rebekah’s grin comes surprisingly easy, all traces of her nightmare forgotten. “Badgering everyone about house points?”

“Hey!”

~✾~

Rebekah groans as her face plants into her textbook, her head feeling like it holds nothing but bricks. Certainly no useful curse-breaking information. 

A light, breathy chuckle is heard from beside her and if she weren’t stressed out of her mind, it might have brought a smile to her face. Her shoulder is cautiously poked as her study companion regards her fondly. 

“You’re not tapping out already, are you?”

She lifts her head just high enough off the potions book to glare at him through the dark strands of her hair now stuck to her face. “Remind me again why we didn’t invite Penny to teach us this instead?”

He hums as though in contemplation, but the smile threatening to lift his lips tells a different story. “Because I need the extra study time and you were just bored enough to join me?”

It’s mostly a lie. She knows that she needed to study some possible potions her and Bill could bring into the vaults and ever since he got out of the hospital wing, she hasn’t been able to see Ben too often lately...but yes, he also did really need the study time. Unfortunately, the hospital wing isn’t the most convenient place to do homework and even though he did every assignment his roommates brought back to him, Ben had fallen a bit behind in Snape’s class. 

Though, really, she doesn’t think anyone but Penny is exactly ahead. 

Still, she frowns as Ben reaches to brush some of the hair out of her face. The tips of his fingers graze over her skin and he clears his throat before looking away. 

Rebekah does the same, casting her eyes around the room. Truthfully, there’s not much to look at. It’s the same potions classroom it's always been: dark, dreary, and slightly dingy. Though, she must admit that the faint green light coming from the dungeon corridor does cast a rather lovely reflection across his face. 

“Well now I’m even more bored.” 

“I’m sorry.”

Instantly, her brows draw together in slight disappointment and surprise at the sudden sad apology. When she looks back over at him he’s already turned subtly away from her, but his eyes are somewhere else. Somewhere distant and far away. 

“Ben, are you sure you want to deal with the cursed ice again?” 

He actually barks out a laugh, but’s hollow and strained. “No, I am absolutely unsure,” He huffs, chewing anxiously at his lower lip. “This potion makes me feel better about my likely injuries, but I’ll learn a new charm to try and avoid injuries and trouble altogether—” 

Without thinking, Rebekah allows her hand to fold over top of his and Ben stares at it for a second, his cheeks going a little pink again before continuing. 

“—s-sorry, Rebekah,” He stutters out for a moment and she finds it more endearing than she thinks it really is. “I didn’t mean to worry you.” 

“Somehow, I find that strangely hard to believe.” 

They laugh together effortlessly, most of the weight from before gone. As always, the expression transforms his face into something more youthful and unburdened—the way she thinks it was supposed to be. The sound of their laughter mixing together like paint sounds like music to her tired ears. 

“But seriously though,” Ben adds as it winds down, all thoughts of potions and textbooks forgotten. “I’m still going to do it.”

She can’t help but ask. “Why?”

And when he answers her, he says it simply. As simply as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. 

“Because you need me to.” 

~✾~

She fell asleep on the train. 

Ravenclaw had a huge celebration the night before for winning the house cup. Rebekah hadn’t the energy to join in on the festivities—the cursed ice had really done a number on her, not to mention that bloody knight—but it was rather amusing to watch Chester run around trying to put out the fires of adrenaline. With all of that joy and creativity in one room, she’s sure he was up all night. 

Her and Rowan had their own secret celebration too. They congratulated themselves—and Bill, Penny, and Ben internally—for making it past the ice vault… and then spent the rest of the night theorizing on what the next one could possibly be. They certainly weren’t left empty-handed after all. 

But her brother’s voice haunted her well into dawn. She saw his face every time she closed her eyes. And she missed him. 

She missed him so much it hurt. 

“Rebekah,” A whisper. A tap to her shoulder. When did she fall asleep? “Rebek—”

“Don’t just poke her like that!” Mocks another voice, one equally as familiar yet in her groggy state she is unable to place it. 

“Well, the train has stopped, Rowan—”

“But you’re not gonna wake anyone up poking them like porcelain china, Ben—”

“Please tell me the two of you didn’t argue the whole time I was out?” Rebekah croaks out, her throat tight from recent disuse, attempting to blink herself fully awake. 

Rowan huffs slightly but doesn’t disagree while Ben remains still and silent and Rebekah suddenly realizes she’d fallen asleep on his shoulder. She sits up to give him his shoulder back and he offers her an understanding smile. 

“I’ll have you know I was perfectly civil—”

“—You threw your muggle studies book at me—”

“—well it’s the one I like the least, so—” 

Rebekah whines petulantly and throws them both a pleading look, her lower lip pulled over her other one in a pout. “C’mon, guys, summer holiday just started. Can’t this wait?”

Their frowns remain on their faces but they don’t object and Rebekah supposes she’ll have to start taking that as a win. 

“Thank you.” 

It doesn’t take long to gather their things and leave the train. Given that it has been stopped for the past few minutes, most students have already left. Only the slow stragglers remain. Ben and Rowan take up a spot on either side of her as they exit their compartment and descend the few short stairs to the King’s Cross platform. 

Immediately, the warm rush of summer air hits Rebekah as her foot touches the ground. With most of the families gone or leaving, it’s not as noisy as it was the last time she was here, but her ears do manage to catch on a voice calling out to them from her left. 

Rowan laughs from beside her and waves at her parents and cousins, her grip on her trunk nearly going white with how hard she squeezes it in excitement. She turns to give the shorter girl a quick hug and promises to write to her frequently, stopping only to throw Ben a hesitant nod of farewell before she’s skipping off to join her family. 

Rebekah takes a look around but does not immediately spot her parents. Or Ben’s. 

His throat clears and she turns back to him. His blue t-shirt ripples a little in the soft breeze, his hair waving with it, and his eyes bore into hers with intent. His brown eyes shine with something that feels like a goodbye and a hello all in one. 

She smiles. 

He opens his mouth but his attention catches on something behind her and she knows what he sees as an expression of fondness and recognition crosses over his features. His hand comes up into a small wave before looking back to her and sending the universal wait gesture. 

“Thank you,” Rebekah speaks before he can and catches him off-guard. “For all your help this year. I...I’m sorry about your memory. I’m sorry you couldn’t get it back.” 

Ben seems to shiver at the reminder before collecting himself. He shrugs in a more nonchalant way than she’s almost ever seen him. “Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault. Besides, considering where I ended up...I’m not sure I’d want to remember it anyway.”

She tries for a smile at the silver lining, no matter how bleak it is, but it feels cheap so she bites it back instead. 

“I’ll write you everyday,” Ben promises quickly, nodding almost confidently. “That way I wo—”

“Don’t do that,” She shakes her head, her smile half of a tease. “You won’t have too much to talk about if you write to me every day. Your letters will get short. Every weekend should suffice.” 

Ben nods at the idea. “Okay. Every weekend.” 

A beat passes between them. Neither of them speak. 

“I’ll see you later, Ben?” She asks somewhat hopefully and strangely somewhat unsure. Where did her uncertainty come from? 

But he only nods, a smile finally breaking through. 

“See you later, Rebekah.” 

[minteaventi]

Mondstadt girls & their zodiacs

Diona | January 18th | Capricorn ♑

People born on January 18th benefit from being driven and disciplined; such as Diona being driven by her disdain of alcohol, thus making the worst drinks in Mondstadt and turning everyone against alcohol is a goal she doesn’t give up on, even if her drinks always turn out perfect. They can be quite dictatorial and defiant when they feel that those close to them are drifting apart from their ideals, as such when she saw her father in a drunk stupor; however, not being able to blame her father, she blamed the wine, thus creating the drive in her to maintain a bar and ruin the wine industry. These Capricorns are driven by ambitions they have had since they were little, much to the dismay of Diona as her young self never gave up on the story of the spring fairy and was blessed with a power to always mix good drinks.

Jean | March 14th | Pisces ♓

Just like a true Pisces they are conscious and devoted to their cause, once they find one, and this is quite easy for the charitable Pisces who's always ready to give the world a helping hand - a trait we clearly see in Jean who is entirely devoted to maintaining peace in Mondstadt, the city and its people becoming her cause. While self-sacrifice, a lot of talent, and openness are apparently very different characteristics, in these people this is a successful combination that will bring many benefits to the communities where these idealists live, as Jean is always accepting requests from the people of Mondstadt on top of her duties as the Dandelion Knight, even if it means overworking herself to the point of passing out.

Noelle | March 21st | Aries ♈

Bold and fearless but also emotional and caring, these are the traits that make up an Aries born on this day. They are known to fight for what they want but know when to back up, especially if someone close asks them to, a strong attribute for a maid that is a definite contribution to Noelle being considered the “maid of all maids”. Those born on this day are also imaginative in the way they tackle every day activities in their lives, seen from how she can solve near-impossible problems for those who ask for her aid. They are ambitious and can only be content when they achieve their goals such as when she planned a trip to Dragonspine by her lonesome to save someone - something she achieved - but when she returned she was bedridden for three days; however, she was content with herself for achieving the goal she set had in mind.

Fischl | May 27th | Gemini ♊

These Gemini have a practical but graceful personality. Deep inside, they are a generous person and would share more than they do but are afraid to show their true selves, instead keeping people at an arm’s length. They can be defined as dependable, inquisitive, and adventurous. The best environment for those born under this sign relates to all situations where they can state their opinions, and they do have opinions about everything. They are also in a permanent search for new experience as their restless imagination never wants to take a break as Fischl’s imagination and love for fantasy helped her meet Oz and get her Vision.

Lisa | June 9th | Gemini ♊

Gemini born on this day are surprising, unpredictable, and quite eccentric; however, they still keep their feet on the ground when it comes to important life matters, such as how Lisa does her librarian work for the Knights to perfection, even under the scrutiny of others. They are known to have a lot of unseen abilities that they are not necessarily ardent on revealing, as Lisa knows everything from forbidden knowledge to distilling wine. Resourceful, articulate, and lenient, they seem to know instinctively how to tackle any problem, and even though Lisa states she could handle any issue she chooses to stay as the librarian for the Knights so she doesn’t have to add on to her workload. These natives are likely to lose their temper when things are further from where they would want them to be - library books, for example.

Barbara | July 5th | Cancer ♋

On one hand, they are very understanding with those around them while on the other they seem to invest a lot of time in making people keep their promises. Barbara shows her sign’s traits by being ambitious and graceful and not lacking enthusiasm either. These moonchildren possess many abilities and have a perceptive path to life, although this can cause them to become doubtful of their own abilities. Just like a true Cancer, they are attentive, conscientious, and aspiring, seen how Barbara is quite popular in Mondstadt and inspires all with her healing prowess and songs.

Klee | July 27th | Leo ♌

One of the options for the strongest knight of the Knights of Favonius would be a Leo! They are adaptable, direct, and these Leos don’t ever miss an occasion to try something new, even if it gets them sent to solitary confinement... They are quick to get on board with all kinds of plans, sometimes without thinking about the consequences. Those born on this day are always sincere and so actively engaged in so many enterprises at all times that is almost impossible to keep up with them.

Amber | August 10th | Leo ♌

Amber’s personality is more like a picture-perfect Leo with boundless energy and having a convivial spirit that seems to reach a lot of people. They are sincere with others and do not hesitate to tell them what they really think. These Leos hate nothing more than people who act in a cowardly manner and appreciate when others prove they have fair play because they are usually the ones to win competitions or similar activities. These natives are domineering and bossy and would never take someone else's decision as correct, unless they are forced to, like when she wouldn’t accept anyone thinking of her as a child and instead worked hard to prove to everyone that she was mature enough to care for herself.

Mona | August 31st | Virgo ♍

These Virgos are respectful, analytical, and have a great sense of duty, thus Mona speaks only the truth when giving her readings - even if the truth hurts. They enjoy art, witty people and to be supported in their various endeavors such as when she meets with Albedo, their conversations showing her new possibilities and causing her to think further in her own studies. Those born under this sign like to spend time engaging in a time and mind challenging task, such as astrology as it is a study that Mona finds out is never as clear-cut as it was originally thought to be, instead she realized she might have to study it for the rest of her life and even then she would only know a small amount about it.

Sucrose | November 26th | Sagittarius ♐

Sucrose being a Sagittarius means that she is friendly, albeit quiet, and very hardworking. While she is often times persistent in her work, she tends to keep a lot of what she’s working on to herself. Sometimes overly direct, people may be afraid to come to discuss with them the challenges they have; however, people under this sign usually enjoy offering advice to others and they enjoy journeying abroad. Just like a true Sagittarius, they have a great sense of self control and are often calm and conscious of their actions. One of the things Sagittarius needs to learn is that not everybody can be saved, and they cannot focus on supporting and helping those that they can’t help and instead should let them go.

[x] Mondstadt boys here / [x] reference here 

[youralternantpersonality]

Anniversary

Embry x Reader: Anniversary

Y/n: your name

Y/L/N: your last name

Y/g: your gender

Y/e/c: your eye color

Y/h/c(t): your hair color or type

***

Our first anniversary was coming up and I was nervous. I didn’t know what to give this man. He had done so much for me and he had been through so much before we met. He stayed strong throughout the vampire army bullshit and much more. He dealt with my feelings through that time while he was battling his own. I could be nothing but grateful to have him in my life. Which lead me up to this moment. What thy fuck do I give this man. I had already given myself, so I couldn’t necessarily do that. I would say we could try some freaky shit, but I already have that in mind for later that night.

“Fuck!” I say out loud, slamming my head on the dinner table.

“You okay their boo?” Clair asked, changing baby Sam’s diaper.

“No. I can’t figure out what to give Embry for our anniversary. He’s done so much and been through so much, I want to give him something special.”

“Why not go to the toy store and get something?” Great minds think alike.

“No, I planned that for later. I need something else.” Baby Sam cooed and laugh as Clair picked him up to give to me. I bounced him on my leg.

“What do you think little man? You got any ideas?” I ask little Sam, hoping that he’d give me some idea. He just smiled and grabbed my nose then laughed when I nibbled on his wrist.

“Oh! I know! A baby!” Clair laughs. I look at her with a blank face.

“I’ll do that later.”

“What about one of your artworks? He loves them and you can make one for him.” I shake my head,

“He has a billion of them at his place. His mom even took some to work with her to give to some coworkers who came over. I need something. Anything.”

“I’m sure, whatever it may be, he’ll love it, Hun. Don’t stress too much over it.” I nod my head and hug little man as he plays with my fingers.

“I have too. Sam has them working triple shifts lately, so I want to do something relaxing and special. I just don’t know what…”

Embry’s POV

Fuck Sam and his triple shift bitch. Sam and Jake have us running more drills and twice as much of doing patrol. There hasn’t been a vampire insight in 5 months. I get it, after the last one, the last thing we need is more kids popping up, finding out that they’re shapeshifters. Hell, it was awkward enough finding out I was one. Not wanting to know who my dad is, but having a feeling that Sam is my half-brother isn’t something I was planning on. But God damn, the most sleep we’ve gotten is maybe 2 hours, on a 24-hour schedule. And damn, I feel bad for how I’ve neglected Y/n/n. Y/g has stuck by me when we were dealing with the damn Vampire Mafia that came for the hybrid-child. No offense to Ren, but damn.

Our anniversary is coming up and I want to do something special for y/g. I asked Jake for a day off next Saturday to celebrate, thankfully he gave me it off, but in return, I have to almost run a 24-hour shift so my replacement can breathe. Honestly, it’s worth it, but I hope that I am awake to thoroughly celebrate it.

“Guys, I need your help,” I said to the pack at Emily’s house. Y/n had just left with Clair and Kim to the store.

“Uh oh, what happened? What did you fuck up this time?” Paul said laughing. I roll my eyes and brush the comment off.

“I need help with deciding on what to give Y/n/n,” I said, deep in thought looking into space.

“Just give her the d-”

“Don’t even finish that sentence, Jared Cameron,” Emily says, her back turned towards us as she finishes up making whatever it is she was making. Chicken? Smells like chicken…

“How about just make her something. She decorated all of our houses with her artwork, why don’t you just do the favor?” Brady said. It wasn’t a bad idea honestly.

“Yeah, just do nontoxic body paint. Create your artwork in bed…OUCH! Emily?” Emily slapped Jared upside the head.

“One more time and no dessert. I expected this from Paul. Good job Paul.”

“Thank you? I guess?” He said, looking both offended and appreciated for the backhanded compliment. In a distance, you can here Sam Jr laughing with Collin and Quil.

“Ouch! Damn son!”

“LANGUAGE!”

“SORRY EMILY!” they said in unison. Collin walking in with little Sam in, who has a hard grip on Quil’s hair.

“He won’t let go!” Sam laughs and reaches for his son.

“I got him,” Sam says walking away to change his diaper.

“Okay, can we get back to my situation?” I asked as patiently as possible.

“Em, just have a romantic night with her. Make her dinner, put in a movie, and relax. Or take her to the movies. Y/n isn’t for extravagance.”

“I know Emily, but that’s why I want to do something big.” I lean against the wall frustrated. She shakes her head and smiles.

“If you want to give her something, give her what you know she loves the most. Something that she can look at always and would just have her smiling effortlessly.”

“This doesn’t help me, but okay.” She laughs,

“You’ll think of something, I’m sure of it.” she winks and starts setting out the silverware.

“I still say you should do body art,” Jared said, below the normal hearing level. But ever since Emily gave birth to Sam Jr, her hearing has been on point.

“Jared…” his eyes go wide. “I heard that.” She says in a singing voice. Sam comes back with little man, who reaches for his mom. She smiles and reaches for him and kisses his head softly.

“And just or that comment, no dessert. Dinner’s ready boys. Jared, you go last.” Emily says focusing on the little man while walking out of the room.  

“Damnit!”

“LANGUAGE!” Sam Jr starts laughing in the background.

Saturday Night—Anniversary

I figured out what I was going to give Y/n. I was going to do a picture board or message board or whatever it’s called. I went to the school library and printed out a shit ton of pictures we’ve taken together and decided to write little messages underneath the pictures. What we were doing that day and when it was. Thank-fucking-God we have perfect memory. I also had my mom bake her favorite cookies—snickerdoodle and peanut butter. She will sit somewhere and eat a pack of 12 (homemade) of them and not even have a second thought. I’ve also seen her grab a spoonful and just eat peanut butter like it was nothing.

“Babe, you’re going to get sick. Aren’t you tired of peanut butter?” with a blank look on her face, no hesitation, she says,

“I don’t need this negativity in my life.” Then gets up, goes to my room, and closes the door as if she lives here.

As Courage the cowardly dog would say, “The things I do for love.”

Y/n POV

I figured out on what to give Embry, it took a minute to review all our conversations, but I finally figured out what I wanted to give him.

A camera.

Em has always loved taking pictures of scenery and things of nature. He’s always loved taking pictures of everyone caught off guard. Hell, he loved taking pictures of our memorable moments. I even remember the first one he took on our first date.

We were on the beach, just about to start eating when he forgot something in his truck. I didn’t know this at the time, but he snapped a photo of me and the candles surrounding me with the waves in perfect motion in the background. He never showed it to me, instead, he had it as a screensaver and when I saw it, he outed that he has a passion for photography. Thus, giving him, this would make him happy. He may not have time now, but I know that at any given chance, he’ll take this camera everywhere he goes.

“Y/n! Embry’s here!” My foster mom said. I tell her I’ll be down and finish wrapping his present. As I finish, I hear the front door slam. I look outside and see my parents head off somewhere in town I assume. I run downstairs to meet my lover and kiss him instantly. Although I saw him a few nights ago at Emily’s, I haven’t heard from him much.

“Hello to you too my love.” He says smiling down at me. I can’t help but smile brightly and feel my face heat up.

“I miss you. Happy anniversary babe!” I said with excitement. Hugging him, forgetting his present is in my hands. He laughs and leads me to the living room.

“I hope you like what I got you, I know it may not be much, but, I figured it would be something that you could look back on and smile when I’m not able to. I mean, it’s always my goal to make you smile, but like, just when I’m not around to do so. Which I always will be, unless they need me to patrol and stu-” I kiss him.

“I love you too babe. And I promise, I already know that I will love it.” I smile at him. He pulls out his gift for me and I’m in awe.

“I saw this idea on google. I figured; we could make a memory board every year to look back on. I also put the dates and events that made me take them. Most of them I took for no reason, but, some of them I figured we can look back on it and laugh. Oh! I also made you these!” Embry hands me a tuple ware of cookies. I take one bite and realize I will eat all these tonight. Not even going to complain about it.

“Babe! This is so…. oh my gosh, Embry!” I go up to hug him and kiss him. He used one of those science fair boards to create a collage of the pictures. Damn, I love this man.

“I love you Em, so fucking much. Now, it’s my turn. I hope you like it…” I have a feeling he will, but…

“No way...” I smile slightly and look at him. “You got me… Y/n, baby…” Before I could react, he pulled me into a hug and kissed my forehead. I smiled and laughed.

“I take it that you like it?”

“I fucking love it! Y/n, you didn’t have to go all out like this! Shit, now I feel bad for giving you just that…”

“Nope! Embry Call don’t start. I love what you gave me, and I’m especially happy that you remember those little moments we had in those pictures. So, don’t try this bull shit love. Okay?” I said looking at him.

“Yes [ma’am/sir] …Does it have any film?”

“Yes, already inside.” He smiles at me brightly, turns it on, and starts playing with it until it's at his satisfaction.

“Come here.” He pulls me in for a kiss and suddenly, a flash goes off.

“Picture number one.” He smiles down at me and kisses me again.

“Happy anniversary babe.”

“Happy anniversary Y/n.”

Masterlist

[randomikemendegen]

"I-I'm going to be late....! If I'm going to be late, t-then... i-it's off with m-my head....! Awawaa~!!"

Name:

Quintin Blanpine

Dorm:

Heartslabyul

Year:

1st Year

Likes:

Rabbits

Magical beasts/monsters

Books, libraries

Cards and board games

Dislikes:

Confrontations— fights, arguments, (petty) squabbles, etc.

Bullies

Dogs, cats, lightning

Twisted from:

The White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland

Short Description:

A fellow first-year student to the main character and from the Heartslabyul dormitory, and Seisear's younger cousin. Very timid and nonconfrontational, it is mainly because of this that he ended up being Riddle's favorite person to boss around. He's always dashing around here and there, almost always appearing pressed for time. However it seems like, despite his quivering self, he's hiding some sort of secret...?

Personality:

Quintin is a mousy, soft-spoken, and timid person who doesn't like getting into any confrontations or fights of any kind. He's kind of a huge coward and a doormat so to speak, which lead to him being bullied and pushed around by others from when he was young and always needed to be rescued by his older cousin Seisear. As much as he wants to be more confident and outspoken, he finds himself quickly withdrawing back into his shell the moment someone even remotely raises their voice. He's also pretty shy to the point that he wears glasses to at least cover a part of his face. Quintin is not too good at interacting with others but he finds it much easier to talk to magical beasts and is the reason why he feels somewhat comfortable with Grim. 

He's also a really really kindhearted and caring person despite his shyness, to the point that if someone whom he considers his friend or someone close to him is being harrassed then Quintin will forgo the fear he feels and stand up for them even if he ends up hurt. He's also a pretty understanding and patient person whom one can easily talk to, just give him a few minutes to compose himself and kick away his nervousness for even five seconds. He would do absolutely almost anything to make anyone happy, it's dialed up to eleven for someone he cares about so much so that even if the task seems impossible he'll find a way to make it happen. Quintin is quite cute when he becomes wholeheartedly and passionately into something, most of the time it's because of books or interacting with a magical beast although it does cause him to zone in on that one thing and seemingly disregard all others but he doesn't mean to do it. 

.... Despite his normally demure but kindhearted personality, Quintin actually holds a sharp coldness and bitterness in his heart. He's also actually got quite the sharp tongue but he just does such a magnificent job of hiding and burying it so that he avoids arguments; he also hates a lot of people but the person he hates the most is himself-- his oh so cowardly, weak, and pathetic hypocritical self. This tired and apathetic side of him rarely makes an appearance, if only in very small and very short bursts, and only around people whom he's known for a very long time or whom he knows who won't be bothered being bombarded with angry and dark rants.

RELATIONSHIPS:

(Will be edited in the future)

TRIVIA:

His name, Quintin, is Latin for “fifth”. His last name, Blanpine, on the other hand, is a mishmash of two words— “Blanc”, meaning “White” in French, and “Lapine”, meaning [Rabbit] also in French, although the correct term for it would be “Lapin” but the former IS the masculine term in French while the latter is feminine.

[sadmmann]

Victims of shooting at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Those people listed below deserve love and that they should be talked about. They are worthy of memory, respect and honor, and not the one who cowardly came to a sacred place and killed defenseless people. Remember their remember their stories.

Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, age 46

Mother of three, reverend, and high school track coach. Coleman-Singleton coached the girls track team at Goose Creek High School.

Sharonda was pretty on the outside and just as beautiful on the inside — the one thing I know for sure she loved the Lord so she was where she enjoyed being. She was only 45 years old, she still has three kids to raise.

Clementa Pinckney, 41

Pinckney was the church’s pastor and a state senator representing the 45th District. A married father of two, Pinckney was elected to the state House at age 23, making him the youngest House member at the time.

Tywanza Sanders, 26

Sanders graduated from the university's Division of Business Administration in 2014 and had most recently been working at a barber shop. Friends described Sanders as being very outgoing but quiet at the same time, and said that he had an interest in broadcasting. Tywanza put himself in the line of fire and told shooter ‘You don’t have to do this’ after attacker said was going to kill everybody in church basement

Cynthia Hurd, 54

Cynthia was born in Charleston and never really left the neighborhood. Hurd was a branch manager at the Charleston County Public Library. Cynthia and her siblings were raised in Emmanuel AME church, where their mother sang in the choir.

Myra Thompson, 59

A devout woman with a clear sense of purpose, Thompson had been the perfect choice to lead the church’s property committee. She and her pastor, Clementa Pinckney, shared a passion for restoring and preserving Emanuel’s historic buildings, helping a church that had survived fire, an earthquake and racial strife prosper into the future.  Thompson spent long hours on the projects, often chatting into the night about the work with her friend Gregorie, a fellow trustee on the committee. They didn’t always agree, but he never doubted her devotion.

Ethel Lee Lance, 70

She grew up in Charleston and raised five children in West Ashley. She was a strong woman who just tried to keep her family together. She was always happy and full of joy. She worked at the historical Mother Emanuel AME Church of Charleston, SC for more than three decades. As its custodian, she took pride in looking after the historic church. She was a faithful member of the congregation as well.

Daniel Simmons, 74

Rev. Simmons was the former pastor of several AME churches in the 7th Episcopal District, a war veteran, a member of Phi Beta Sigma, Fraternity, Inc, and a loving father and grandfather. He was very proud of his family including the mother of his children, Annie Simmons, his two children Daniel Jr. and Rose Simmons, and his four grandchildren Alana, Daniel III, Ava, and Anya Simmons.

DePayne Middleton-Doctor, 49  

Depayne  was a mother of four daughters. She sang in the church's choir and spoke at the pulpit with Rev. Pinckney. Middleton-Doctor was an enrollment counselor at the Charleston campus of Southern Wesleyan University.

Susie Jackson, 87

Susie  was a longtime Mother Emanuel AME Church member in Charleston, SC. She was also a member of the church choir and a member of the church's usher board. She lived in an old single house within walking distance of her church. She attended Buist Elementary School and Burke High School and worked as a beautician and home health care provider. She was always thinking of others. She was a Burke High School graduate.She was fond of playing slot machines, was scheduled to go on a church-sponsored bus trip to Chicago on Sunday and was looking forward to going to the top of the Willis Tower. She and Ethel Lance were cousins. She had recently visited her son and grandchildren in Cleveland, Ohio. Tim Jackson remembered his grandmother as a loving, giving woman with a great smile.

Remember.

[zorarpg]

“Some people think that life is about lying all the time, and some think it’s about being truthful all the time, but really it’s a very mundane matter of knowing when to do which.”

- Ned Vizzini

NAME: Benjamin Stacy BIRTHDAY: March 14, 1871 GENDER: Cisgender Male SPECIES: Witch OCCUPATION: Bootlegger YEAR THEY JOINED ZORA: 1918 FACECLAIM: Timothy Olyphant

HISTORY

TW: Mention of homophobia

There’s power in names. Especially when it comes to magic. Benjamin, Benny to his friends; of which they numbered in few, was born the second child–only son–to a powerful magic family; rich in wealth and rich in power. Their name meant much, it was draped in gold and silk. It afforded him a great many luxuries, luxuries that came with strings. While their family, kept mum, was matriarchal and before his third birthday, dear Benjamin already had an arranged marriage in mind. In the works. They met, in passing, sweet girl. That’s what he was told to say. She was powerful, she was perfect–another branch to add to the family tree with oomph.

What a shame he felt nothing. He could blame it on her wits, on her sharp tongue; on any number of things–even if the girl had earned every right. Her ego was not overblown, it was matter of fact. Then again, it wasn’t meant to be a marriage of love such things were not done. “You’ll come to love each other, and if not–what does it matter? The heirs you produce will be fantastical. Powerful. And in the end, power is all that matters.”

Did he want to find someone to love? Even if a red string tied them so close together? It was more a noose around his neck. Not even ten and he couldn’t breath. Boarding school was a paradise, the private lessons to supplement the ordinary. After all, magic was far greater a secret than any other to be had. Even if he had one he held closer to his breast.

His first kiss was at fourteen. Stolen in the vast campus library between rows upon rows of books; with another boy. Another secret kept, further avenues explored. His family’s coin may have bought him every luxury here but this was something that could not be bought. This was a secret greater than his gift of magic, the illusions and wonders he could spin. The way fire could dance at his fingertips. Men fancying men was an illness, and while the odd casual touch–a kiss, a brush of hands; nothing more, the terribly, terribly human boy who was his world yearned to be ‘normal’ to be rid of his sickness but outside of their whispered romance, kept a friendship; just as dear. It was almost as sweet to have a friendship with someone so separate from his own world. So sad it could not last.

Graduation came and went, wedding bells lingered on the horizon and he hightailed it as far as far could be. Cowardly? Maybe. But he was tired of playing pretend. He took odd jobs, drifting from place to place; ‘call me Benny’ said with a crooked grin and a shake of the hand. At first, he sticks out like a sore thumb; it’s obvious in a way that he’s not like the rest. Educated. An accent of wealth, of status. Too clean, not enough sharp edges despite the bite of his too-perfect teeth. They wonder if he bleeds blue. But, he’s a fast learner. He adapts. Evolves. A proper scoundrel. ‘I prefer puckish rogue’ he drifts right and proper. A few close calls with family sniffing round. Locator spells. Tracking. Hunters. The good and the bad, sometimes he slips up with his magic; can’t let it bottle up too long and turn potent. Rotten. He puts on odd shows, a proper criminal; all flash and awe. There’s regular human magic men, pulling rabbits out of hats but he goes the extra mile. The only extra mile a witch can.

It earns him attention, both good and bad. Continuing to swallow back his other wants in favour of this; filling the hole with grandeur. Doesn’t stop him from wanting. Another charade, another boy–this time a man, he’s sweet and kind and terribly human. In awe of the small tricks and sleight of hand, at first he thought he’d struck gold (as what runs in his veins) no strings attached. No judgement. What once was physical became softer still. And more. The distances he traveled became smaller, shorter stints away from what he found himself calling home. The man, sweet Samuel opened his door and arms every time with a sweet kiss to his lips and a smile as he said ‘Welcome home.’. His fear is rank, ice cold in his vein. There’s no point in love his parent’s voice says to him, but the way Samuel looks at him, touches him…sure as hell feels like love. And Samuel tells him such one morning over breakfast, his cup of coffee halfway to his lips. And he freezes.

He runs the numbers, the details between their worlds; the thin line he’d been toeing. Was this just another illusion he’d been spinning subconsciously? A reality he desired so much he’d played the ultimate trick with himself as the sole audience member? He’s gone the next morning. Drifting–no, running. But, his pride won’t let him call it that. How arrogant of him to still cling to such. He’s between one scam and the next, though he’d not call it that–funny how he dances around the truth (and what a smooth dancer he is), when he cons the wrong mark. Picks the wrong pocket with a quick magical touch. The man catches him two blocks over, somewhere between annoyed and impressed. Snatches his wallet back, triple checks the contents and though doubt must arrest his tongue he asks outright “Are you a witch?”

He’s been called worse. No manner of bullshit keeps the hound off his tail and soon, in one gentlemen’s club while other men talk of war he stews on the possibility of…more. What was he running from? How long could he keep up the charade? Cigar between his teeth as he chews on the end, the other asks him his thoughts, wondering if it would come to America’s shores. And Benjamin considers letting his accent slip, letting the blue slip free. The crisp cut. Wouldn’t that be funny, the ultimate little jest. He laughs to himself and helps himself to a glass of something impossibly aged. War plagues his homeland. He wonders if his family has suffered any losses.

Or perhaps they bought their golden ticket towards paradise. A safe haven away from the violence. Of war. Soon, America joins the fight–to show them how to do it right, some claim with arrogance form their plush chairs and clean hands–while men below them, any man but they; are sent to the trenches. Benjamin is the same, he keeps clean; polished loafers kept shiny and new. Belly full and every inch of him kept sated, less so horizontal and carnal–that’s a deed, almost a sin kept close to heart (Samuel’s warm smile) and he becomes a regular at that club. Beating the wealthy at their own game, what do you hope to gain? How much gold will it take to satisfy you? When will the void be full?

He doesn’t know. He doesn’t know. But, the emptiness is less noticeable when he’s winning. When he’s another dollar richer. It’s been years, nearly a decade really since he’s last seen Samuel–funny that, he’s not the last man he’s kissed. Nor laid with, but it’s been hollow. And chases every lick of self-hatred with a stiff drink. It’s just an itch to scratch. Better than being his family’s bitch back home. If he even had a family left to call his own. Then again, they never were bonded in more than blood and even that he’d diluted with a poison of his own making. It’s been fun. The war ends. The people celebrate in the streets and he lets himself celebrate with them, in his expensive suit and polished loafers. He dances with a beautiful woman whose name he does not know, he doesn’t stop to taste–indulges in revelry almost as sweet as memories past. And then a man finds him again months later, kindred spirit; almost. Magic at his fingertips, a wry smile–all knowing. “Aren’t you tired of running?”

He’s been doing alright, he almost says. But the man speaks of sanctuary of a town filled with people like him. He grew up around witches, can’t say he’s a fan. What of the others? And whose to say it had to be a forever thing? Zora he says. Needs new blood, needs smart men who know their way around the world. He knows a great many things, a great many people. More connections than he knows what to do with. Nets himself a tidy profit day in and day out; wouldn’t it be nice to have a safe place he could lay his head with not a single question asked? No more pretend? Benjamin couldn’t fathom such a thing.

But the idea was a novel one, and he pondered it some time further. Like a new puzzle. He gets an interview, not unlike the sorts he’s exchanged prior. Benjamin Stacy, Call me Benny. He’s provided money, he’s supplies-where needed. Spends his time while in Zora as a general layabout. Why bother? He’s got the wealth to avoid such thing, he dabbles when needed but when 1920 rolls around brings a new avenue of wonder. Bootlegging. It scratches the itch and serves a purpose. Sometimes he can be found around The Royal Flush when it’s in full swing. Dressed to the nines perched on a stool drinking scotch from the stash kept private purchased separately and shared with a special few. The people are kinder here, women lay with women and men with men; they do not judge. Why stoop to human levels when you’re anything but? It leaves a sour note that no top shelf hooch will chase away.

For the most part, he’s an odd staple around town. Drifting with the wind, rolling in with one shipment or another–expertly hidden with layers weaved of illusion and a little human ingenuity. Best of both worlds. He can get you what you need, what you want, whatever it may be–for a price. Like a human tumbleweed, he hardly remains stationary but…he has something akin to a home. A charming brownstone in which he lives alone. It’s a far cry from the grand manors he grew up in, or the smattering of cramped quarters in between, from Samuel’s cozy loft, or the penthouses of the rich and powerful. But, it’s something. Something almost nice. If he doesn’t think about it too much. He’s almost happy to call himself a citizen of Zora, separate from it’s complicated history as he’s woefully fresh meat. But that’s okay, when the going gets tough; the tough get going. He has sworn no fealty to them, and he certainly won’t die for them. Let alone bleed for them. He’s good at keeping secrets and he doesn’t intend to spill but…as the clock ticks forward he finds himself fond, housing less of a desire to run. And that scares the daylights out of him.

CONNECTIONS

N/A

STATUS

Benjamin Stacy is taken.

[cursed-ice-spirits]

A Slip-Up

One night of no sleep leads to Rebecca Lord and Ethren Whitecross ( @hogwartsmysterystory ) meeting together and deciding to look more into the Vault together in hopes of finding out more. But when a slip-up from Rebecca leads to revelations and discoveries triggers an argument and cracked trust, there’s something more than what meets the eye.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. 

The two third-year students stared at each other warily, wands halfway into their palms, the sound of their heavy breathing the only noise between them. Finally, the hazel-eyed girl sighed and relaxed. 

“I thought you were a boggart,” Rebecca Lord said, her arm hanging by her side. Still dressed in her pajamas, she folded her arms. “What are you doing up, Whitecross?”

Ethren Whitecross scoffed and relaxed next. “I should be asking the same thing, Lord.” He paused. “I couldn’t sleep and stayed up to study if you’re so curious.”

Rebecca raised an eyebrow and he knew she wasn’t fooled. “I don’t know if studying blood curses are called regular studying but I’m not the one to judge,” she said, tapping her finger on the spine of her books. “As for me, I was woken up rudely by a boggart so I decided to look more into what we know about the Vault out of spite. Figured I might found out more. Wanna come?” She offered, tilting her head curiously. “Two pairs of eyes are better than one.”

Ethren stared at her for a few minutes, then sighed. “Sure, it wouldn’t hurt to go over what we already know.” Checking the time, however, a deep frown etched over his face. “But it’s 3AM right now, I don’t think the library is even open and the boggart in our brothers’ room is still there AND we have yet to master the charm.”

A sly grin stretching over her lips, she reached out and touched the wall beside them. “Who said we’re going to the library?”

“What do you mean-?”

His questions were quickly answered when the sound of stone brushing against stone echoed, and Ethren glanced over just in time to see stone bricks sliding aside like a curtain, unveiling a passageway, the darkness disappearing by the torches that slowly lit up as it opened, leading to a willow door that certainly wasn’t there before.

Rebecca cackled at his agape mouth, taking delight in his surprise. “What?” She grinned. “Even the Headmaster doesn’t know all of the castle’s secrets. You’ll be surprised to see what you can find if you look in the right places.” She started heading in. “Hurry up, slow-poke, before flies get in.”

Ethren quickly closed his mouth, scowling, and quickly followed after her, looking at the flames glowing in the darkness. “How long have you’ve known about this place now?”

Humming, she looked up thoughtfully. “Two years? Yeah, two years. I’ve kinda found this place by accident but this has been my sort of little hideaway ever since. It also turned into somewhere where I can keep my research so,” she shrugged,” but I’ve never been particularly close to anyone at Hogwarts so you’re the first person I’ve shown this to.”

“I feel so honored.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes and ignored the clear sarcasm (or, what she thinks is clear sarcasm, she can’t be sure with Ethren. That and she doesn’t really know him) and went to push the door open. 

“Go ahead and take a look around,” she told him, heading inside. “I don’t have anything to hide. The information here is what everyone in our group knows already.” 

Ethren stepped inside and whistled, looking at the organized mess. Large as the Common Room, a living room turned headquarters stood before him, soft couches and armchairs set off to the side, green blankets draped over the back, right near what looked like a fake fireplace in the far back of the room. A large table was planted right in the center, a drawn map of Hogwarts, certain areas and spots circled or crossed out, laid neatly across the entire surface, old tomes stacked messily on top of each other over the corners. A few boards hung on the walls, one of them clearly dedicated to the Ice Vault although she marked it as completed with a sticky note, decorated with red string, drawings, notes, and pins. Empty ones were in the far corner, waiting to be used. The shattered sword that Rebecca had stolen from one of the Ice Knights and broke it by driving it into its whole body and through an ice beam was hanging above the fireplace. 

Ethren raised his eyebrows after taking a closer look at the Ice Vault board. “Somebody has neater handwriting and a better drawer than their own brother.” He said, observing the detailed drawing of the Ice Knight and her notes on its powers. “Good to know it isn’t genetic.”

Rebecca tossed a cushion in his direction as she strolled over to the table. “I’ve seen your drawings, Whitecross, you shouldn’t be saying shit.”

“I— you know what, shut up,” he huffed, feeling his cheeks growing warm. 

Rebecca smirked, setting her books down. “I will. For now.” She turned away and pinned something on one of the boards. A closer look showed a series of names written messily, and Ethren frowned when he saw Ben along those names. Scanning over the board, however, answered the questions formed in his head. 

“‘R Investigation?’” He read out loud, a jolt of fear rushing through him suddenly as he remembered the letters from them.

The girl let out a small sigh and nodded. “Yup. It won’t hurt to investigate someone who’s sending threats, especially when we don’t even know who they are.”

“And you think Ben of all people is R?” 

He knew he sounded incredulous, but can you blame him? Cowardy, needy, Ben who’s afraid of his own shadow is R? The person that threatened them?

“No, but Rowan has a point,” Rebecca explained, tugging him to the R board. “He’s the only one with fragmented memories and although I don’t believe it myself, it never hurts to be cautious.”

“Still, Ben is afraid of his shadow, what makes you think he can do all the stuff R did?” Ethren pointed out, folding his arms. “Maybe unwillingly, I can believe, but I know he’s not brave enough to be R. He’s just isn’t like that.”

Rebecca stared at her notes thoughtfully, at Ben’s name specifically, remembering all the times she had crossed out Ben’s name and then putting him back as a suspect. “I know too but Rowan says nobody can be that cowardly. Although I doubt it’s an act.” She ran her fingers over the board. “Unwillingly is something I’ve considered but if he really is at my level of Charms, he’ll be able to learn and perform the memory charm on himself easily to redirect suspicion from himself.”

Ethren opened his mouth to retort but… something about her last words just felt… 

Off.

He turned a frown to her direction. “What do you mean by your level of Charms?”

Rebecca’s hand went still. Running over her previous words, she immediately understood they meant she can and do the memory charm herself and cursed at herself for slipping up like that. “I-”

Ethren narrowed his eyes. The moment of hesitation was all he needed to know. “Lord,” he said slowly, trying to stomp down his anger the best he can. Best not to jump into conclusions. “Did you… Did you learn the spell?”

“...yes,” Rebecca said eventually, averting her eyes. She found no reason to lie, especially since Ethren is catching on her lies faster and faster as time passed. 

“What the hell?!” Ethren bit out, feeling free to feel as angry as he wished now that he knew his assumptions were true. “Why would you learn it? What reason would you even have to learn that?!”

“Just in case-” Rebecca began, but was swiftly cut off. 

“Just in case? Just in case?!” Ethren roared, walking steadily to her. “There shouldn’t even be a just in case! Learning the charm is the worst thing you can do if you’re planning on using it!”

He raised a hand to point an accusing finger at her and he barely saw the spark of fear that came to life in her eyes before she immediately recoiled violently away, raising her arms halfway to her face, squeezing her eyes shut. Almost as if… she’s preparing for and expecting a blow. 

Ethren froze, staring at his hand, which he had barely even raised, then to Rebecca. Slowly, he lowered his hand, keeping silent. A raised hand during an argument and her first reaction is to flinch and shield herself? It’s definitely something to keep in mind. 

“Why just in case? Why did you need to learn the charm?” He asked calmly, watching her open her eyes, face reddening with shame, but she didn’t relax. Didn’t lower her arms. “Is it your curse? To keep it a secret?” No answer and he grew frustrated. “It’s not like you to just… learn the spell like that. Tampering with memories is one of the worst violations you can commit. Unless you had a reason, you wouldn’t even think of learning it.”

The silence stretched out, then Rebecca sighed and lowered her arms, knowing now that Ethren won’t slap her. Dammit, Lord, he isn’t your uncle, she chided herself. Stop being weak, he can’t hurt you here. Now Whitecross knows about this ugh. “I learned it to keep my curse a secret,” she murmured, “I used it on everyone who went after the Ice Vault.”

“Why?!” Ethren roared, stepping forward, stopping when she flinched again. “Why would you do that?! What gave you the right to do that!?! Keeping your curse is not an excuse, because at least I have the decency to come clean and not obliviate them! Do you understand what you did?! You took away something precious from every single one of us and now we can’t remember what exactly happened because you decided-”

‘“YOU DON’T GET TO TALK SHIT!!” Rebecca snarled, cold air bursting from her fingertips and spreading all over the room. She balled her hands into fists, too lost in her rage, her shame, she didn’t know notice how Ethren shivered violently, wrapping his arms around himself to try to warm up, but it just got colder. “UNLIKE YOU, MY CURSE HAS CAUSED PEOPLE TO FREEZE TO DEATH AND GET HYPOTHERMIA!! ONE OF MY ANCESTOR FROZE AN ENTIRE VILLAGE AND PEOPLE DIED. I HAD TO OBLIVIATE EVERYONE. I HAD TO DO IT. I DIDN’T WANT TO BUT I HAD TO-”

Then she sees the way his lips are turning blue, the way his fingers tremble against his arms, and her mouth goes dry, her rage vanishing as quickly as it came. Oh god, oh fuck, not… not again…. And just like that, the cold swept away, warmth quickly replacing it.

Ethren slowly lifted his head just in time to see Rebecca unfurling cold fingers and lifting them to her face, staring at her hands and looking horrified at herself, 

“Oh my god,” she said, shaking. “Oh my god I - Ethren I’m - I’m so sorry…”

It’s really telling how ashamed she is when she uses his name instead of his surname. Shaking his head, Ethren rubbed his arms, making sure the cold is completely gone, grunting out, “No biggie,” because although he hated the cold, it wasn’t Rebecca’s fault her curse got out of control. He heaved a sigh and leveled his gaze to her. “Why did you do it?” he asked eventually. “Lord, what the hell happened in the Vault?”

Rebecca scoffed and averted her eyes. “When we were getting overwhelmed, I had to use my curse to try to fight back against the Vault. It might not seem like such a bad idea, but controlling the ice is never something the cursed should never try. Ever. The last time one of my ancestors did that, his corpse was left completely unrecognizable if it wasn’t for the ice. When I fought back…” she shook her head. “The backlash was really strong, and it almost killed me. Would have if it wasn’t for outside factors.” Closing her eyes, she sighed and fidgeted with her sleeve. “You guys had to watch it.”

Ethren’s shoulders went slack. Of all things, he never expected that. She nearly died fighting for her life in there that’s - that’s why. “Oh,” he murmured, because what can he say? Reaching out, he touched her shoulders gently, carefully watching her reactions before slowly enveloping her into his arms. She went stiff, rigid, and didn’t reciprocate, but she didn’t pull away either. 

Finally, she sighs and relaxes against him. “For me, it’s something to take to the grave. Some things are best kept silent and… I honestly thought I was dying back there. So I did it. Made sure none of you remember it. The Vaults were enough as it is. Imagine my surprise when I lived.”

“Am I really the first person you told then?” Ethren sighed, still holding her.

A pause, then Rebecca nodded. “Yeah, by accident too.”

Frowning, Ethren gripped her shoulders gently and pulled away to look at her in the eye. “Then you should,” he said sternly. “You took something from them without their permission. They deserve to know what happened. All of them. If your curse is really as dangerous as you say, then it might be better for you to tell them so they can help you. Help both of us.”

Rebecca snorted. “I don’t know if I can trust them. Any of them. You’re fine because you know what it’s like to die early but I don’t know about the rest of them. I’m not going to tell them so they can feel free to torment me to force me to react and get some sort of feedback.”

Ethren’s jaw dropped from shock. “You’re kidding me, right? They will never do that - none of them will. Bill cares, Penny cares, all of them care. They will never just… do that.”

“Well, that’s what I thought when it comes to family and look what happened to me,” Rebecca hissed as she removed herself from his grip. Ethren reeled back from shock. 

The silence stretched on and he watched her face slowly drained of color, her eyes flickering away and refusing to look at him, hair brushing briefly aside to uncover an old scar stretching across her collarbone, one that looked too old to be from the Vaults, before she quickly adjusted her shirt to cover it up again. His eyes flickered to the scar etched on her face, stretching from the corner of her eye, to her jaw, that she had said before it came from an accident during the summer and had been using a charm to hide it (and had probably forgotten to cast it again), and slowly pieced it together. There it is again. What is going on? “Rebecca-” He took a deep breath, “Rebecca what is going at home?”

Rebecca clenched her jaw. Don’t let him know. He already knows about your curse, what would happen if he knew what’s going on? She folded her arms and turned away, walking over to the Boggart Vault board, which was noticeably more emptier than the rest of the boards. “Look, I-I’ll tell them. Maybe one day but not right now. Once I know I can trust them, maybe, but not right now.” She turned pleading eyes to Ethren, begging him to not push, she doesn’t want to spill. Not now, not ever. “Can we just get to work already? We already lost enough time as it is, I don’t want to lose more.”

Ethren stared at her, taking one long look at her eyes and knew she wouldn’t say more after this point. That’s fine. She said it herself she’ll tell the rest of them one day and there’s still time for bonds to form and trust to build even after tonight. With any luck, she’ll tell him what’s going on overtime. He nodded and he can practically feel her shoulders slumping from relief. “Alright.”

“And,” she murmured, glancing at him, “if it makes you feel better, I can show you what happened at the Vault if… we can get a Pensieve.”

He reached over and squeezed her shoulder. “That’ll be appreciated.” Because it really was after erasing his memories of what happened, something he can’t ever get back. Even if it isn’t his memories, it’s still the full story. 

None of them had to say anything to know about the violation of trust between them, and if any of their friends noticed the slight distance between them in the morning, they didn’t say anything. 

Both of them do have their own secrets. Trust is a fickle thing after all, and it can be earned and gained through time. 

They have plenty of it.

[wot-tidbits]

Swearing and Insults in the Wheel of Time

Most Commonly Used Simple Curses/Expressions

- Bloody: A swear word on its own, "bloody" is also commonly used as an enhancer to make an expression more vehement or potent (see "blood and bloody ashes") or as a precursor to another word to illustrate anger, annoyance, etc. (e.g. "Bloody women!" or "Bloody fools!")

- Flaming: A swear word on its own, "flaming" is also commonly used in preface to another word to make a potent expression of anger/annoyance/etc. (e.g. "Flaming Aes Sedai!)

- Blasted: A curse used in conjunction with another word(s); meaning similar to "damned" (e.g. "Blasted Seanchan!")

- Light: Called upon in times of need or astonishment ("Light help us...") or used as a mild oath/exclamation.

Other Curses and Insults

- Addle-brained lummox: One of many ways to call someone an idiot

- Be bloodied: a different way to use "bloody", e.g. "(insert noun) be bloodied!" or "That fool man be bloodied!"

- Blood and ashes: Common swear expression, often intensified to "blood and bloody ashes"; used to express disgust, anger, other negative emotions.

- Bloody buttered onions: Often used in conjunction with "sheep swallop" ("Sheep swallop and bloody buttered onions!")

- Bloody ox of a thimble-brained man: Combination of lots of insults (essentially, a big man with a small brain); one of many ways to call someone an idiot.

- Bilge stone: Seafolk insult, referring to the waste on board a ship.

- Boneheaded: Idiotic (adjective).

- Bull-goose fool: One of many terms used to call someone an idiot.

- Burn (me, you, other person/group/object): Epithet similar to "Damn you!"; sometimes said in response to bad news (examples also include: "Burn my bones!" and "Burn your soul for a craven heart!" (-Mat)).

- Crackbrain: One of many ways to call someone an idiot; also crazy.

- Daughter/Son of the sands: A dire insult among the Seafolk (Atha'an Miere). Practically guaranteed to instigate violence.

- Farmboy: When used as an insult, it is to show the supposed simplicity or ignorance of the person who comes from this background (so is usually said by someone of noble blood); variants include sheepherder, goatherder, blacksmith (simple professions).

- Goose-brain: One of many ways to call someone an idiot; also flighty, silly.

- Goat-fathered: Calls paternity into question (insults both the father and the target person); suggests unsavory, inhuman qualities (goats are supposed to be dumb, stubborn, mean, etc.)

- Hairy lummox: One of many insults Faile uses on Perrin; a big, hairy lump of a man, in other words.

- Jackdaw: Refers to cronies/accomplices or loud, untrustworthy rabble; literally a loud, raucous bird with a propensity for stealing small shiny objects (related to crows and magpies).

- Kiss a goat: Usually said to someone who has suggested something insulting or ridiculous; also "goat-kissing fool" and "pig-kissing fool", indicating one who commits ridiculous acts

- Light-blinded fool: A righteous, ignorant/misguided/stupid person; a term usually used by Darkfriends/Forsaken in reference to those not sworn to the Shadow.

- Light-forsaken: One who is hopelessly evil, wrong, unfortunate.

- Lightskirt: An "easy" woman; one who possesses little virtue; a slut.

- Milk-faced vixen: Insult directed at a female; one who uses her beauty to tempt men; variants include "milk-faced chit" where "chit" is a derogatory term for "girl".

- Milk-hearted: One who is too soft or cowardly.

- Mule: One who is stubborn (usually used in conjunction with wool-headed, bloody, or other epithets).

- Mother's milk in a cup: Expression of disgust, anger.

- Muscle-brained cretin: Big, stupid man (one who thinks with his muscles).

- Peace: Shienaran exclamation of surprise (or other emotion).

- Prancing she-goat: An insult directed at a woman who is mean, stubborn, and yet shows herself off (Faile calls Berelain this, for example).

- Sheep swallop: A nasty phrase, often used in conjunction with "bloody buttered onions".

- Silverpike: Tairen/fisherman's expression, in reference to a piranha-like fish; can mean persistent, immediate trouble; a swarm of small troubles that together create one big one; and various other negative meanings.

- Sneaking sow: A maliciously sneaky woman (Faile in reference to Berelain, for example).

- Sniffer: One with an ability to track enemies by the "scent" of their violence.

- Spit in your mother’s milk: One of various terms referring to the insulting act of spitting, and also incorporating the "mother's milk" epithet (see "Mother's milk in a cup").

- Spit/spit at feet: Physical act of derision/insult toward someone.

- Summer ham: Coarse insult (Elayne uses it once and shocks Lan).

- Thieving fisher-bird: Tairen fisherman's expression for a sneaky thief.

- Thumb an ear: Physical act of derision/insult toward someone.

- Tinkers: Common, slightly derogatory term for the Tuatha'an; used in conversation to indicate that someone is flamboyantly dressed or untrustworthy.

- Treekillers: Aiel epithet for Cairhienin.

- White-livered sons of goats: Cowardly men; not even fit to be called men (suggested animal parentage).

- Witches/Tar Valon witches: Epithet used to refer to Aes Sedai (usually used by Whitecloaks).

- Wooden-headed buffoon: One of many ways to call someone an idiot.

- Wool-brained idiot: One of many ways to call someone an idiot, referencing one whose brains are slow and "woolen" (esp. relevant to Rand, a former shepherd).

- Woolen-headed buffoon: One of many ways to call someone an idiot (see above).

- Woolhead: Stupid or dense person; can be used as adjective (e.g. "Are you completely woolheaded?").

by Tar Valon.net library

[dcrrows-blog]

teehee it is i,, cee, with another new gal hazel !! as always, everythin to know about her is under the cut x

CIS FEMALE — ever hear people say HAZEL DARROW looks a lot like FREYA MAVOR? I think SHE is about 23, so it doesn’t really work. The LITERATURE major is a SENIOR that is from ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND. They can be SHREWD, but they can also be COWARDLY. I think HAZEL might be a TIER 2 SHEPHERD. They are living in KIERAN. 

AESTHETICS

billowy white linen shirt sleeves, flowers pressed between the pages of antique books, heat rings from a mug on an old oak desk, crumpled up sheets of paper thrown down at the feet, magnolia perfume, novelty candles lined across a mantle, the grimace of a subject in a renaissance painting, lips bitten rosy pink.

+ here is hazel’s pinterest board

BACKGROUND

the second-youngest child out of four, hazel was home-schooled for the first half of her life. with two working parents in agriculture, it became harder and harder to make the time for schooling, especially as it got more obvious she was gifted.

her siblings were content with settling into inheritance of the farm. hazel had never warmed to the idea and instead asked questions about the many books she’d pick up on a weekly trip to a local library, about why stars blinked - things her parents just weren’t equipped to do. 

in her first year of secondary school she attended a public school, with long commutes and seemingly little difference made. it was by luck she received a scholarship for a private girls school, but it meant she had to move away. hazel nearly gave up from homesickness several times, only finding it easier towards the end of her schooling.

while her parents wanted hazel to go into science, her imagination ran far too much to be contained to a clinical space and equations. she had the aptitude for almost everything, but a hankering desire to simply write had never left her all through childhood. she chose to go into literature instead

the only reason she wound up in livingstone, rather than a prestigious university at home, was she spun a globe and wherever her finger landed, she went ( cliche i know ). she’s on a partial scholarship here.

hazel wasn’t particularly close to either kieran or michael, having floated between social groups every now and then when she wasn’t holed up in her dorm writing. she’s always kept a close eye on things, preferring to be a quiet bystander that listens in.

the only reason she got involved with the watershed app was for writing inspiration. having been mostly detached from the people affected, hazel has used the app for bits and pieces she can weave into her pieces.

PERSONALITY

manipulative pisces bitch

comes off as cowardly and tearful to try and get people to do things for her, is an experienced performer of crocodile tears. loves to pull strings

acutely aware of what she’s getting up to with the watershed app is wrong but keeps an eye on it anyway, almost to the point that it’s become obsessive

probably wears an aluminium foil hat in the privacy of her own dorm. biggest conspiracy theorist

LOVES aliens and genuinely thinks she’s had an experience as an abductee in the summer after her freshman year of university. will tell you about it if she’s feeling particularly brave

raised in a working class family, hates gentrificiation. can and will stick it to The Man

literature major because she’s got a ridiculous imagination and is currently writing a few short pieces, dabbles in visual art in her spare time

the way she dresses is far more collected than hazel herself is. very dreamlike, wears lots of flowy linen, slip dresses and vintage wool coats ( thinks she’s a real life camilla macaulay, honestly )

very sly and is good at keeping secrets, telling white lies and not letting people catch on to what she’s doing

in terms of the watershed, she’s usually surfing the omegle-type chat to talk ideas and planning. on the app, she always wears a cheap halloween mask, warps her voice and makes her dorm impossibly dark to see in. wants to remain as anonymous as she can. her user icon is also an anime girl :-)

scholarship student, but still does odd jobs when she isn’t studying to make up for watershed membership subscriptions

never sleeps. ever

a real slut for talking heads

is always reading, and adores trashy $2 romance novels 

WANTED CONNECTIONS

a ufo hunting pal

more generally, a few people she’ll share all her conspiracy theories with ( whether they want her to or not )

current/former crushes cos she’s a hopeless romantic

a muse !! for her sketching hobby

[wonderwomanfantasy]

Libraries and Love potions  Part two

Remus x reader (eventually)  Reader x OC (kinda) 

warnings: nothing, the Angst doesn't start until the next chapter 

word count: 1539

Summary: the Triwizard Tournament has come to Hogwarts and it seems like you are the only girl in Gryffindor who isn’t totally pumped about the Yule ball maybe it’s because you know Remus won’t ask you and you know Nick will. 

Part one

you had expected Nick to gloat and boast about being the Hogwarts champion but instead, he was silent it seemed like he was working double time to prepare for the first task even though no one knew what it would be. There where whispers of all sorts of things like fighting off hoards of slugs that shot boiling water out of their mouths, or they would have to solve puzzles on a time limit, you had even heard one Hufflepuff say that in Divination he had seen the first trial unfold and that they would be fighting Dragons. But no one knew for sure. You were walking to potions with Lilly by your side. Evans was your best friend other than Remus it really threw a wrench into your whole dynamic when James got a crush on her.

Lilly was really excited to see the first task she compared it to the world cup that muggles had. She was talking about how you two should go together she'll get butterbeer and Peanuts so you can cheer on Hogwarts together. All conversation stopped as you entered the Potions room it smelled good for once and not at all like the normal dank stink that hung in the Dungeons.

It felt like you where being pulled toward Slughorn's desk the potion had pink steam rising from it. You pushed closer to the Cauldron and inhaled the sent. You could smell old books, Rain, and... something else you could quite say what. Slug horn appeared behind the desk and smiled at the small group that had crowded around the desk.

“today we will make Amortrntia...the world's strongest love potion,” the whole class murmured with excitement, not because this was a fun potion to make or anything if anything it was almost impossible to get right, but you were all looking forward to the prize one person get. A little vile of Liquid Luck the gold potion stood on his desk. You were completing the last few stirs and the lovely sent returned and this time you knew what that last sent was it was Remus. You sighed and rested your chin in the palm of your hand.

You should have known Remus was what that last smell was. You blinked and snapped out of it there was no way your potions wasn't the best. Sure Lilly and Severus were naturally gifted at potions but you had finally outdone them all, probably, well maybe, we would have to see.  Professor Slughorn patrolled around the room and looked down at the potions brewing at some he nodded and others he quickly walked away from.

It was the end of the class and  Slughorn flipped the tiny bottle in his hands and said, “Now there are many of you who are defiantly deserving of the prize but there is one true winner... but first is anyone willing to share what they smell?” his right eyebrow went up no one spoke up “How about you miss. Evans?” Lilly's face turned as red as her hair.

“well um- I smell Cinnamon and uh Roses and The Quidditch pitch,”  she managed to stutter out. You grinned at her, As far as you knew James Potter was the only person who smelled like the Quidditch pitch constantly and it just so happened that James wore Cinnamon scented cologne. you turned to face her and blew her a kiss,  She glared back

“Very good anyone else want to share?” Slughorn asked. No one did “Alright then now for the moment you've all been waiting for,” he tossed the Vile into the air and the room collectively caught it's breath. He caught the bottle and smiled  “very well done Mr. Lupin,” Remus slunk to the Professors desk while the other Griffyndors cheered for him.

While you were bummed that you didn't have the best potion, you weren't all that surprised you were really much better at charms then you where at potions.  James flung himself at Lilly and told her that she smelled just as good now as she did in his potion Lilly pointed out that James hadn't even finished the potion. You rolled your eyes and turned away from them and to Remus.

“what did you smell Remus?” you asked, Instantly Remus blushed. you internally smacked yourself for asking such a personal question.

“well...well there was Old books and Chocolate, and something else couldn't quite put my finger on it.”    Sirius fell back and started to walk alongside you.

“we need to get those to together,” he announced, you agreed with him.

“they are so in love we just need Lilly to see that,” Remus said rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

“why don't you join us to watch the first Task?” you asked pulling on Sirius's arm.

“Yeah that sounds fun,”  Sirius said “right Remus?” he added

“Shut up Sirius,” he blushed and so did you.

The first task turned out to be...Chess. Well kind of each of the three Champions where set up on three massive chess boards but only instead of chess pieces there where hoards of monsters a different one for each piece, the pawns where pixies and with the rank of the piece they where playing each player was given their wand and had to kill the king monster while they had no pieces and had to win all on their own.

It wasn't what you had expected but it was entertaining, but it seemed to you that the person most interested in the game was McGonagall she was practically foaming at the mouth she was so excited, who knew anyone could be that into chess. It was hard to focus on all of the matches at once there was so much happening.

Samelia used her massive size to crash through the obstacles.  Henri was too small for that so he hid behind his wand casting spells and nick seemed to be doing alright with a mix of the two. The monsters must have been hexed or extremely well trained because they only moved in the way that they were supposed to. But it wasn't the match you were paying close attention to.

James and Lilly had been strategically squished together and you couldn't help but notice that they seemed to be having a good time Lilly laughed at his jokes and leaned into him a little more than she had to. She loved him and she knew it but her damn pride kept her from being in a happy relationship with Potter.

Although you weren't much better, you knew that you loved Remus and there had been countless times for you to ask him out but you never had and why? Because you where the most cowardly person to be put into Gryffindor. You glanced over at Remus. He was intently watching the game and this gave you time to look over at him.  You could see the faint lines of a scar on his jaw.  

Something ineradicable must have happened because the stadium exploded Sirius Jumped up knocking Remus over into your lap. Sirius also spilled his drink on you but you were more concentrated on Remus. He couldn't seem to get up but you weren't sure that you wanted to. You both where bright red and stuttering out apologies. Finally, he was able to sit up. The crowds were moving out of the stands only then did you see that the first task was over.

“what happened?” you asked Remus as you both stood up to leave

“didn't you see? Nick killed the king he won,” he explained then he noticed the wet spot on your shirt he pulled out a Handkerchief and handed it to you. It was a sweet gesture but it was useless, the tiny square wasn't enough to mop up the Butter Beer stain. Lilly agreed to go back up to your dorm with you for a new shirt. The only problem with that plan was the Massive crowd blocking the hallway. A few of Nick's friends had lifted him up onto there shoulders the people around him were so loud you couldn't hear yourself think.

you tried to push through towards the tower but before you could get even slightly through Nick turned his head and saw you. His lips moved but you couldn't hear whatever he was trying to say. He hopped down to the floor. The crowd parted for him. He walked towards you flashing his white teeth.  He cupped your face with one hand and looked down at you. The Roar of the hall faded quickly until it was as silent as a stone.

“(Y/n) (L/n) Will you do me the honor of being my date to the yule ball?”  a few girls let out squeals, you could only imagine how much they would pay to be in your shoes right now.  You knew you couldn't reject him, not now.

“I'm sorry I can't,” his face fell and he let go of your face.

“Why? Do you already have a date?” Merlin bless Nick for giving you such an easy out. You glanced at the wadded up Handkerchief still in your hand.

“Yeah, sorry I'm already going with Remus Lupin,”

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