#being out there on his own with only Nott as a back-up is terrifying

[prythiansprincess]

— sugar, i've got a taste for you.

NAVIGATION // inbox. tags. writing. library. moodboard.

pairing: theodore nott x reader x mattheo riddle.

song inspiration: sugar by sleep token.

author's note: happy halloween ya'll! this isn't a trick, @writingsbychlo and I are once again back with a treat. enjoy my spookie pookies.

���What’s your favorite scary movie?” 

You settled in between Theo and Mattheo, handing each boy their own respective popcorn bowls. Mattheo’s was simple — homestyle with enough butter to send a healthy grown adult into cardiac arrest, while Theo’s was sprinkled with candy and chocolate to satisfy his sweet tooth. You alternated grabbing handfuls from each of their bowls, hence your strategic position of being sandwiched between your best friends. 

“I don’t have one,” you responded after popping a sour gummy worm into your mouth. 

Mattheo looked incredulous. “That’s impossible. Everyone has a favorite.” 

“Mattheo is right,” Theo added in agreement. “There’s the cult classics: Halloween, Friday the 13th, Child’s Play, A Nightmare on Elm Street…” 

“I’ll even allow the newer additions, which aren’t as good as the originals.” Mattheo grinned sheepishly at your pointed look. Between the three of you, he was by far the biggest movie snob. “Hereditary? Pearl? The Strangers?” He pretended to shudder in disgust. “Even…the Purge?”

You shrugged. “I’m more of a romcom type of girl.” 

Theo sighed. “Horror is wasted on you, bella.” 

“It’s not my fault you two always outvote me,” you responded with an eye roll. “Speaking of which, what are we watching tonight?” 

Mattheo and Theo wore matching grins as they answered in unison. “Scream.” 

When the movie started playing on the projector in the living room, you snuggled up under the blanket and prepared yourself for another terrifying movie night. You honestly had no idea why you put yourself through this every week. Scary movies terrified you, but the boys always managed to sweet talk you into watching them. 

Usually, Theo distracted you by reciting horror trivia facts. Your best friend did so now, informing you that the movie’s title was inspired by a Michael Jackson song, but the fun little tidbit barely registered. As it turns out, you had no need for distractions tonight. For once, you didn’t flinch or hide or tuck your head into Mattheo or Theo’s neck. Instead, your eyes were glued to the screen. Every time Ghostface appeared, you bit your lip and clenched your thighs. 

You blamed your latest smutty read and your overactive imagination for the reaction. The last novel you devoured featured erotic scenes enacted by not one, but two masked men. The sheer filth of it left you flushed and flustered, a fact that piqued Theo’s curiosity earlier this week. 

Perhaps you should’ve focused on your studies rather than uncovering your newfound mask kink, but you couldn’t help it. The book captured your attention in a way that your Potions homework could only dream of. Nosy little git that he was, Theo attempted to peek at the page over your shoulder. Luckily, you escaped what would’ve been a rather embarrassing conversation by smacking him upside the head and walking away in a huff. 

You managed to evade the situation with your dignity still intact. 

Or so you thought. 

Unbeknownst to you, Theo had snuck into your dorm later that day and borrowed — okay, so maybe stole was more accurate —  your book to see what had his best friend all hot and bothered. He couldn’t believe the absolute filth you were casually reading in his presence. Naturally, Theo shared this interesting little discovery with Mattheo. From there, a plan was formed. 

The first thing that should’ve tipped you off was Mattheo excusing himself for a cigarette. Matty never took a smoke break during movie night. He said it ruined the cinematic experience. Unfortunately, you were too engrossed in the movie to notice him slip away. 

“I’m gonna get a refill,” Theo announced. “You want anything from the kitchen, bella?” 

You shook your head absentmindedly. Theo smirked to himself as he watched you in the doorway. Any other time, you would’ve insisted on coming with Theo, anxiously fisting the edge of his cardigan and clinging on like a koala as you hugged him from behind. 

Theo could’ve watched you all day, but the way you gaped when Billy Loomis licked red dye off of his fingers reminded him to stay focused. There were other things at play tonight. 

Unaware of Theo’s nefarious plans, you continued to shovel popcorn into your mouth while watching the big reveal at the edge of your seat. You were in your own little world. It wasn’t until the credits started rolling when you finally realized you were alone. As the movie faded to black, you startled when the sound of your ringtone sliced through the silence. 

You blinked at your phone, thumb hovering over the Unknown Number flashing across the bright screen. That was odd. Everyone knew you weren’t big on talking on the phone. Besides, who even called nowadays? That’s what texting was for.

Part of you wanted to let it ring and run its course, but a bigger part of you — the morbidly curious part of you — won in the end. 

“Hello?” 

The voice on the other end was distorted and difficult to identify. You had no idea who was on the other end, but they knew you. “Hello, Y/N.” 

“Who is this?” 

“I’ll give you one guess.” 

Your fingers shook as you glanced at the phone in confusion. “Who are you?” 

“That’s not the way the game works, little mouse.” 

“I don’t play games.” 

“What if your life depended on it?” 

Anger boiled to the surface in response to the stranger’s threat. “What the fuck do you want?” 

“You’re pretty when you’re angry, little mouse.” 

His words stopped you cold. A shiver went down your spine as you gravitated towards the window, glancing at the street below. At this hour, people milled about the main square in flocks. Any of them could be the person on the other line. 

You started to panic, but remembered you weren’t alone in the house. Theo was in the kitchen supposedly refilling on snacks. It was the perfect cover to play one of his little practical jokes on you. 

“That’s not funny, Teddy.” You huffed in annoyance. “You scared the shit out of me.” 

The other line was silent as you made your way towards the kitchen. 

“Seriously, you’re freaking me out. Can you please just come back and cuddle?” 

From the hallway, you heard the sounds of shuffling. “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming, bella. Teddy’s here to save you from the big bad wolf—”

Color drained from your face as you rounded the corner. Theo was coming towards you with a fresh bowl of popcorn, but he wasn’t alone. Lurking in the shadows, Ghostface pressed the phone against his ear and waved.  

“Boo.” 

You screamed, scrambling towards Theo as you nearly dropped your phone on the floor.  

“What’s wrong, bella?” 

You responded by tugging your best friend by the wrist, the bowl of popcorn tumbling out of his hands and scattering all over the wooden floorboards. “Run, Teddy, run!” 

The two of you sprinted up the stairs hand in hand. The house was dark, slivers of moonlight creeping through the windows while you and Theo ran blindly. Thinking quickly, you tugged him into the nearest closet. Theo’s hand shook as he pressed a finger up to your lips. 

With a nod, you held your breath as Ghostface stomped up the stairs. Fear surged through your veins, small whimpers escaping your lips involuntarily. The floorboards creaked as he crept his way through the second floor. When the masked man’s shadow drew closer, Theo pulled you into his chest and pressed his hand against your mouth. 

“Come out, come out, wherever you are…” Ghostface sang in a mocking tone. His voice echoed through the walls, giving an even eerier feel to an already fucked up night. “I’m waiting for you, little mouse.” 

Your ragged breaths were silenced as you squeezed your eyes shut, forcing yourself to focus on the steady beating of Theo’s heart. Your best friend gripped your hips in place, his silver rings cold against your bare skin. You wondered how they would feel pressed against other parts of your body. You bit your lip at the sensation, mentally scolding yourself for all the inappropriate thoughts running wild in your lust addled brain. 

Luckily, Theo was none the wiser. Seconds felt like hours as Ghostface lurked around the corner, trashing rooms in his wake. The sound of furniture crashing and glass breaking filled the otherwise silent house as you struggled to hold it together. 

When the squeak of boots stopped right outside the door, you pressed into Theo for comfort, praying to whatever deity that the two of you could remain hidden. You clutched the end of your best friend’s cardigan as Ghostface stopped right outside the door. 

Whatever hope you might’ve had of hiding was ripped to shreds when Ghostface yanked the door open. It was terrifying enough to see his cloaked figure boxing you in, but the knife in his gloved hand caused your fear to skyrocket. Theo threw himself between you and the masked man, urging you to run. 

“Go, Y/N!” Your best friend commanded. “Don’t let the bastard catch you.” 

“No, I’m not leaving you!” 

“I’ll be fine,” Theo said unconvincingly as he dodged Ghostface’s blade. “Hide and I’ll find you, okay?” 

“But, Theo —“ 

“Please, bella.” 

The argument died in your throat as Ghostface lunged towards you. He grabbed you by the hair, yanking you towards him. As you fought back, the masked man pinned you against the wall. 

“Where do you think you’re going, sweetheart?” 

Your breath hitched as he ran his blade over your cheek. “Such a pretty face,” he murmured. “Are you going to be a good girl for me, little mouse?” 

“Fuck you,” you spat vehemently. 

Ghostface chuckled darkly as he lowered his face to yours. He teased his knife along your thighs, the steel climbing higher and higher until it rested against your clothed core. You keened at the cold sensation against your clit. It was so wrong, but it felt so fucking right. 

“I will if you beg me nicely,” Ghostface drawled. “Maybe if you got on your knees and sucked my cock, I’ll give you what you really want. I’m dying to split you apart, little mouse.” 

“Go to hell!” 

You drove your knee into Ghostface’s crotch and made a run for it just as Theo tackled him into the other room. Your best friend frantically instructed you to escape once again. As much as you didn’t want to leave him, you knew you had to escape and get help. 

Stumbling down the stairs, you fumbled for your phone. With shaky hands, you dialed emergency services. The dial tone flatlined in your ears, indicating that the lines were down. Likely thanks to Ghostface. 

You screamed in frustration, tears blurring your vision as you tried and failed to concoct a back up plan. Running past the bathroom, you jerked when a hand shot out in the dark to grab your wrist. You started to fight back, hitting and kicking at whatever you could. 

“It’s me, princess,” Mattheo said. 

“Matty?” 

Mattheo nodded as he dragged you into the bathroom. “What happened?” 

“There’s— there’s a psycho in the house. It’s Ghostface. He has a knife. He’s— Theo— oh god, I left Theo alone with him. I didn’t want to, but he told me to go.” 

You were hyperventilating, your chest tightening to the point of pain. “Shh, it’s okay,” Mattheo cooed. “It’s going to be fine. We’ll get Theo back, but first we have to hide, okay? Can you do that for me?” 

At your nod, Mattheo directed you towards the bathtub. He instructed you to lay on your back as he drew the curtains. You held your breath as Mattheo lowered himself, his body hovering over yours while the two of you came face to face. 

“We have to be quiet,” Mattheo whispered. The low, smoky tone of his voice sent shivers down your spine. 

Though a psychotic masked man prowled the house, you couldn’t control your body’s reaction. The delicious heat radiating off of Mattheo was impossible to ignore. Especially since he was so close your lips were nearly touching. 

“You’re doing great, Y/N,” he praised. 

You should’ve been scared. You were both in danger, but there was something about being in close proximity that awakened arousal within you. First Theo, now Mattheo. It wasn’t surprising. You’ve never been able to choose between your two favorite boys. 

Just as Mattheo’s eyes dipped down to your lips, Theo’s scream pierced through the tension. Guilt washed over you instantly. Theo was out there fighting for his life while you were thinking sinful thoughts about his best mate. 

“Stay right here, princess,” Mattheo commanded. 

“No, no, please Matty, don’t leave—”

“I have to help Theo,” he explained. “But we’ll come back for you. Just stay put, okay?” 

Unshed tears rimmed your eyes as you nodded. Mattheo squeezed your hip before stepping out of the tub. He looked back when you caught his wrist.

“Be careful, Matty,” you whispered. “And please, get Teddy back. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to either one of you.” 

Mattheo kissed your forehead in agreement. As he slipped out of the bathroom, your anxiety spiked once more. For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence. Then the sound of raised voices drew your attention. It sounded like an argument of some sort before you heard a sickening crunch, like a body crashing against the wall. 

You heard Mattheo screaming out Theo’s name, launching you into action. Fuck staying in the sidelines. Your boys needed your help. 

The scene in the living room was chaotic. Mattheo was nowhere to be found. Theo was on the floor, surrounded by broken glass. Something flashed in the corner of your vision, a hint of silver that caught your attention. It distracted you momentarily, allowing Ghostface the opportunity to shove you aside. 

The moment of realization hit you too late. Ghostface was already charging towards Theo while brandishing his signature knife. Time slowed as you screamed, crawling towards your best friend while glass crunched underneath you. 

You watched in horror as Ghostface stabbed your best friend in the stomach, blood gushing down the front of Theo’s shirt while you screamed. With shaking hands, you tried to stanch the bleeding by putting pressure on the wound. Tears spilled onto your cheeks as his cardigan turned crimson. 

Brushing his hair off his forehead, you leaned down and cupped his cheek. “Teddy? Stay with me, please.” 

His skin felt cold and clammy under your fingertips. You looked around frantically, trying to track the psychotic killer that just stabbed your best friend. A scream tore through your throat when a hand gripped your wrist. 

Underneath you, Theo’s eyes fluttered open. “Surprise, bella.” 

You drew back in surprise, scooting right into the masked man behind you. “What’s the matter, princess?” A familiar voice whispered as he discarded his disguise. Mattheo flashed you a sinister smirk. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

Mattheo pulled Theo up off the floor, the two of them laughing while you stared in disbelief at the shocking reveal. When it clicked that Theo was perfectly fine, your concern morphed into rage. 

“What the fuck?” You put a palm over your heart, trying to slow down its erratic beating. “You guys are assholes!” 

“Aw, don’t be mad, Y/N. It’s just a harmless prank.” 

“Prank?” You screeched. “I thought you were hurt, you fucking prick. I thought you were gone—”

Theo’s expression softened when he saw your teary eyed gaze. “I’m not, cara mia. I’m not hurt. It’s fake, I promise.” 

Mattheo kneeled beside you, licking the edge of the fake blade. “S’just corn syrup, sugar.” 

Theo nodded in agreement, bringing his fingers up to his lips. He sucked his middle and pointer finger clean, his gaze never leaving yours. 

“It’s sweet,” Theo murmured, brushing his thumb over your lips. “Do you want a taste, bella?” 

You shook your head vehemently. “No, I’m mad at you,” you replied with a huff. Looking up at Mattheo, you crossed your arms and frowned. “You too, Mattheo.” 

“Come on, sweetheart,” Mattheo drawled, laying on the sweet talk. “Don’t be like that. You know you love us, even if we’re a pain in your ass sometimes.” 

“99% of the time,” you corrected with an eye roll. 

“You cracked a smile,” Mattheo teased. “We’ll take it.” 

“I’m still really fucking upset at the both of you.” 

Theo hummed, slipping on the twin to Mattheo’s mask. You held your breath as Ghostface took his place. 

“Oh, but I don’t think you’re that upset, bella.” The mask distorted his voice, but you could still tell it was him. “I think you enjoyed yourself.” 

“Admit it, princess,” Mattheo purred into your ear, his mask firmly back on. “This turns you on, doesn’t it?” 

You flushed, crimson flooding your cheeks. Theo trapped you against Mattheo, his hands settling on your hips as you gasped. 

“Don’t try to deny it,” Theo whispered. “I read your book, dolcezza. The filth and smut in there… well, let’s just say it made us both blush. Who would’ve known that a sweet little thing like you would have a mask kink?”

“You stole my book!”

“So what if we did?” Mattheo said with a lazy shrug. “What if we memorized all the depraved things that you love reading about just so we could turn your fantasy into a reality?” 

“What are you saying?” 

“The more we read, the more we realized it was pretty similar to Scream. Anonymous phone calls? Check. Masked men? Check.” Theo hummed as he brushed his thumb over your bottom lip. “Pretty helpless victim? Check.” 

“We wanted to act out your book,” he continued with a smirk. “With one exception.” He held up a video camera and focused it on your face. “Mattheo and I thought that since you don’t have a favorite scary movie, maybe we could help you make one.” 

“I think we’ve just about reached the climax,” Mattheo whispered in your ear, his curls tickling the side of your neck. “What happens next is up to you. What do you say, little mouse? Do you wanna play?” 

“Yes,” you breathed. 

You didn’t even need time to think about it. You trusted Theo and Mattheo with your life. Putting yourself at their mercy was something you shamelessly fantasized about countless times.  

“We hoped you’d say that,” Theo said with a smirk as he looked at you through the lens.

Without warning, Mattheo gripped your chin roughly and lifted his mask up just enough to crush your lips together. He tasted like cinnamon and cigarettes and the smoky taste left you dizzy. You wondered if it was the nicotine that had you buzzing, but you were pretty sure you were just high on Mattheo. His kisses were deep and sensual, exploring every inch of you with a level of hunger that couldn’t be satiated. The low groan that rumbled through his chest made your core throb. 

Mattheo dragged your hand down his chest, smiling into the kiss as your nails raked over his abs. The hard muscles flexed underneath your fingertips, distracting you momentarily and allowing him the opportunity to slip his tongue deeper into your mouth. You gasped as he guided your hand to his hard length. 

“You feel that, princess?” Mattheo grunted. “That’s what you do to me. I’m so fucking hard it hurts.” 

You batted your eyelashes up at him. “What can I do to help, Matty?” 

“On your knees,” he commanded. “Let’s give Theo a show.” 

Theo positioned himself in front of you as you sank down to your knees. The camera whirred while he zoomed in on your face. 

“How do I look, Teddy?” 

“You look perfect, bella. You were made for the camera,” Theo praised. “Our little superstar.” 

Mattheo hummed as you unbuckled his belt. His warm brown eyes were nearly black with lust through the mask when you pulled his pants and boxers down, revealing his hard length. You massaged him in your hand, your mouth watering at how thick and long his cock was. Mattheo released a shaky breath when you licked the precum off of his tip, looking up at him with big doe eyes before you licked the underside of his shaft. 

You watched as his head lolled in the mask, satisfaction coursing through your veins at the sight of him grappling with his self-control. Mattheo moaned when you took him all the way back, his cock stuffing your throat deliciously. You bobbed your head up and down at a steady rhythm, holding your breath while you continued pumping him in your hand. 

“Fuck, just like that,” Mattheo groaned as he thrusted into your mouth. He fisted your hair in his hand and drove in deeper, causing you to gag. “You look so pretty gagging on my cock, little mouse.” 

Drool dribbled down your chin and tears filled your eyes while Mattheo continued fucking your throat. Theo hummed in appreciation, making sure to capture all of your best angles. You made sure to show off for the camera and licked and sucked until Mattheo’s breathing grew short and ragged. You could tell by the way his abs clenched that he was close. 

Mattheo yanked your hair back, his thrusts growing sloppy and rushed. “Fuck, I’m gonna cum. Swallow it all, sugar,” he purred as hot spurts of his cum shot down your throat. You did as you were told and slurped up every drop. You were sure that you looked like a hot mess; your hair disheveled, your eyes smeared with mascara, your lips dripping with cum, but Mattheo had never looked prouder. “That’s a good girl.” 

“My turn,” Theo said as he handed the camera off to Mattheo.  

You crawled towards him and tugged on his belt, but Theo shook his head. “There’s plenty of time for that later, cara mia. Right now, I want to eat your pussy until you cry.” 

You couldn’t help but flush at the vulgar words, which made Mattheo chuckle. “I think our little mouse likes the sound of that.” 

You didn’t have time to respond before Theo hauled you over his shoulder and placed you on the sofa. You bounced against the cushions, watching curiously as he spread your legs wide open. Theo raised the mask slightly and rested it over his brown waves before kissing you slowly.

“You taste so sweet,” he purred. “I bet your pussy is sweet like sugar too.”

From this vantage point, all you could see was the Ghostface mask. Theo tugged your panties off and discarded it over his shoulder. His cool breath fanned over your thighs as he trailed kisses between your legs. Theo took his time while he sucked and kissed and marked you up. You could feel his smirk against your skin when he finally reached your dripping core, his mouth hot and eager as he licked a stripe along your slit. You arched against his mouth, bucking your hips upwards shamelessly. 

Mattheo filmed you at your most vulnerable state — eyes heavy-lidded, lips parted in a silent moan, and fingers threaded through Theo’s hair. Your moans encouraged Theo to drive his tongue deeper past your folds, licking and sucking and devouring you in a way that almost seemed reverent. When Theo added his fingers into the mix, you were out of your mind with pleasure. 

Your pussy clenched as Theo curled his middle and pointer finger inside your walls. The soft pants and squelching sounds that filled the room was erotic, even more so as Mattheo filmed a close up of Theo feasting on your cunt. Your arousal dripped off his chin, but it didn’t deter him from driving you to the brink, his thumb firmly circling your clit to coax you towards release. 

“Are you gonna cum for me, pretty girl?” Theo murmured. You gasped for air as he filled you with his fingers, pumping and scissoring until a familiar sensation began to build in your core. “You’re so fucking wet, bella. I can’t wait for you to cream my cock.” 

The obscene declaration pushed you over the edge. The climax swelled within you until you were awash with blinding heat. Your surroundings turned fuzzy as your senses were overloaded with pleasure. Despite the intensity of your orgasm, Theo showed no signs of slowing down. He kept circling your sensitive nub and licking your cunt in slow, purposeful strokes through your peak. 

You squirmed away, but Theo only held your hips down. “I’m not finished, little mouse.” He lifted his head, those clear blue eyes blown out and dilated. “Tell me, have you ever squirted before?” 

“No,” you admitted truthfully. 

Theo smirked. “We’ll have to change that.” 

With that, he pried your legs apart and dove back in. Theo was relentless in his pursuit. He ate pussy like he had something to prove. You felt overstimulated with all the new sensations and reactions he was bringing out of you, but you didn’t dare tell him to stop. Every time you tried to crawl away, Theo yanked you by the ankles and spanked your pussy for misbehaving. 

You were on your third orgasm when a pressure in your lower abdomen made you keen. “Theo, I can’t— I feel like I have to pee—”

“You won’t,” Theo reassured you. “Just let go, cara mia. I want you to squirt on my face.” 

“Fuck,” Mattheo cursed behind the camera. “I want that too.” 

Theo chuckled before speeding up his movements, fingering you rapidly until you were at the height of your peak once again. When he matched the rhythm with his tongue, you came with a cry. With tears streaming down your face, you stopped holding back the strange sensation and let go. You squirted all over Theo’s face, soaking him in your juices as he ate you through it. 

“So good,” Theo growled as he kissed you, the taste of your arousal lingering on his tongue. “You’re so fucking good.” 

You felt limp and boneless as he lifted you up and placed you in Mattheo’s arms. He cradled you against his chest and placed kisses all over your face, praising you for doing so well. You had no idea how much time had passed when Theo finally returned with a warm towel. He kneeled before you and brushed a strand of hair behind your ear. 

“How are you doing, superstar?” 

“Good,” you murmured as he cleaned you up. “Really good.” 

“I think you wore her out, Theo.” 

You shook your head. “I’m fine, I promise. I don’t mind. I can— I can go again.” 

Theo chuckled, tilting your chin towards him. “Can’t get enough, can you?” 

Mattheo hugged you from behind and kissed your shoulder. “She can take it,” he said proudly. “The only question is, which one of us do you want first?” 

You glanced between Mattheo and Theo, biting your lip. A deep flush tinted your cheeks as they looked at you expectantly. 

“You never could choose between us,” Theo teased. “Let’s make a game out of it then. You have thirty seconds to find a hiding place. Whoever finds you first, gets to fuck you first.” 

Mattheo’s smirk was downright wicked. “Masks on.” 

Theo nodded in agreement before they both slipped on the Ghostface masks. You swallowed thickly, utterly turned on by their twisted little game. 

“How will I know which is which?” 

“That’s the beauty of it,” Theo said. “You won’t.” 

Mattheo leaned down, brushing his thumb over your bottom lip. “I’d start running if I were you, little mouse.” 

“Run, bella, run.”

You didn’t need to be told twice. As the countdown started, you sprinted through the house and tried to find a place to hide. The living room was out of the question since the boys were currently occupying it. The kitchen was too exposed. The bedrooms too obvious. There was only one place in the house that they would never suspect. 

As you crept down the basement, you held your breath. It was dark and damp down here, the rows of wine racks crowding you in as you ventured further into the labyrinth. You hated coming down here. It always gave you the creeps, which is what made it the perfect hiding place. As you slotted yourself between vintages, you hunkered down and prepared to wait it out. 

When five minutes passed, you started to grow a little too confident in your choice. It would likely be the last place they checked. 

How wrong you were. 

As you peered through the racks, you heard the sound of metal clinking against the wine bottles. Two rows ahead, you saw Ghostface tapping his blade against the bottles as he searched for you in the dark.  

You backed up as Ghostface prowled closer, hoping to lose him as you weaved through the rows. One second you were watching the dark figure check your previous hiding place and the next second he was gone. You swiveled around in confusion and tried to track his last whereabouts. You didn’t have to look very far. 

“I guess I win,” said one of the boys. The voice changer was on again, so you couldn’t be sure who was underneath the mask, but that was part of the thrill. Ghostface backed you into the wall and cornered you until you had nowhere else to go. “I’ll take my prize now, little mouse.” 

You gasped as Ghostface picked you up and wrapped your legs around his midsection. He unzipped his pants in a haste before lifting up your skirt. His cock teased your entrance and he murmured profanities under his breath as you watched him slowly push in. It was a stretch to even get the tip in and you took gasping breaths as his thick, long cock breached your walls. 

“Oh fuck, s’too big,” you keened. Despite the lubrication charm he cast, it was still a struggle as he thrust in. “I don’t think it’s gonna fit.” 

“We’ll make it fit,” Ghostface grunted. “You’re gonna take every inch of me like the good little slut that you are. Do you understand?” 

Tears welled in your eyes, but you nodded in agreement. You were too cockdrunk to argue. Ghostface eased the last few inches in, causing your eyes to roll to the back of your head. You’ve never felt so full, so stuffed to the brim. 

“That’s fucking right,” chuckled Ghostface. “Take it, little mouse. Take this fucking cock.” 

You were nearly out of your mind when he pulled out and slammed back in. A choked sob escaped your throat. You weren’t used to being stretched so wide and deep. It felt so fucking good. 

“Yeah, you like that?” mocked Ghostface. “Such an innocent face, but you love getting fucked like a whore, don’t you?” 

“Yes,” you breathed. “Yes, yes, yes…”

A hand wrapped around your throat, cutting off your oxygen. You grasped Ghostface’s wrist and smiled as you did so. He might’ve taken off his rings, but you knew it was Theo. 

“You’re so big, Teddy,” you groaned. “I knew it. I knew you’d feel this good. I knew you’d split me apart just like this.” 

“Che cazzo,” Theo moaned as your pussy clenched around his cock. “How’d you know, bella?” 

“You always burn your fingers when you get too high,” you explained. Theo watched as you kissed his fingertips and held his gaze as you sucked on his thumb. “I know you, Teddy. I know both my boys.” 

At that, Theo fucked you even harder. His balls slapped against your ass with every thrust. There was something animalistic about the way he moved. It was like seeing a whole new side of him. You decided that you liked this version of Theo. The version that took what he wanted, when he wanted, and made no apologies for it. 

“That’s sweet,” drawled Mattheo. You looked up to find him filming the whole thing. You had no idea how long he’d been there, but you were glad that he’d finally joined. 

Theo smirked, his thrusts turning shallow. “You should let Matty have a turn,” he murmured. “He’s been waiting so patiently after all.” 

Mattheo set the camera by the windowsill and prowled towards you. “That doesn’t mean I should get all the fun.” Theo set you down on shaky legs as you looked between your boys. “Who says you have to choose? You can have the best of both worlds, princess.” 

Mattheo directed you to bend over one of the stools by the window while Theo positioned himself in front of you. “Be a good girl and suck Theo off while I fuck you.” 

“Oh,” you murmured, your pussy wet and your head fuzzy at the idea of taking them both at the same time. “O-okay.” 

“You’re our superstar, remember?” Mattheo teased as he smacked your ass. “So show the camera what you can do.” 

The encouragement urged you on as you pumped Theo’s cock. He cursed in Italian when your wet mouth wrapped around him, your juices still covering his hard length. You began working him with your mouth as Mattheo mounted you from behind. The stretch made you moan. Theo gripped your hair in response and bucked into your mouth. 

You couldn’t keep track of the pain and pleasure as Mattheo fucked you from behind and Theo abused your throat. All that mattered was that you felt full on both ends, floating on cloud nine while you were stuffed to the brim. Both boys worshiped your body. Mattheo trailed kisses down your spine while Theo massaged your tits. 

Every now and then, Mattheo smacked your ass to demand your attention. He even bit down on your ass cheek when you got impatient and tried to grind down on him. Mattheo set a punishing pace as his fingers dug into your hips, marking your skin for days to come. You’d wear the bruises like a trophy. 

“Wait.” Mattheo slowed his movements and Theo cocked his head as you looked up at him. “I want— I want to try something—”

”What is it, princess?” asked Mattheo. 

“I want you both,” you whispered shyly. 

Theo tilted your chin up. “Don’t get all shy on us now, bella,” he drawled with a smirk. “You can’t say you want to take us both and then get all embarrassed about it.” 

Mattheo chuckled and patted your ass. “Theo’s right, baby. You need to own it.” 

You cleared your throat, shaking off the nerves. “I want you both inside me,” you said confidently. “At the same time.” 

The boys smiled as they slipped their masks back on. “Your wish is our command, little mouse.” 

With a flash, the three of you apparated to the bedroom. Mattheo pulled you into his lap, stroking your back as he slithered in. Theo filmed you with the camera. 

“Deep breaths, sweetheart,” Mattheo murmured. He sounded dazed and distant, barely hanging on to reality. You controlled your breathing and relaxed your walls, which allowed him to slip in easier. “Oh fuck, yeah, just like that…” 

Behind you, Theo cast another lubrication charm and warmed your puckering hole up with his fingers. He took his time to make sure you were nice and pliant, soft moans muffled as Mattheo lifted up his mask and tongue kissed you. His curls felt like silk between your fingers as you continued to make out sloppily. 

Not one to be left out, Theo turned your chin for a kiss that left you lightheaded before leaning over and sharing a dirty, filthy kiss with Mattheo. You watched as they made out, heat spreading through your veins at the sight. Just when you thought you couldn’t possibly get wetter. 

Mattheo squeezed your hip. “I can feel your pussy clenching around me,” he said with an amused smirk. “You’re fucking filthy, baby. I think you’re ready for Theo, aren’t you?” 

You nodded excitedly, flashing your doe eyed stare at Theo. “Please, Teddy.” 

Theo smiled. “How could I say no to that?” 

It was a tight fit. Tighter than you’ve ever taken before. You felt like you were being stretched to your limit as Theo eased his way in to join Mattheo. It was hard to get air in as you buried your face in Mattheo’s neck, gripping the sheets for dear life. 

Theo pumped slowly, letting you get used to the sensation. Mattheo trailed kisses down your neck and shoulder, his tongue swirling against your nipple before he took it into his mouth. He massaged and licked and sucked while Theo picked up the pace. 

“How does that feel, bella?” Theo asked. 

“Really fucking good,” you hummed, your whole body vibrating with pleasure. “Don’t stop, Teddy.”

”Wouldn’t dream of it.” 

When Mattheo began to thrust upwards, you started to feel lightheaded. Your head was in the clouds while your body experienced euphoria. “Fuck, fuck, oh my god…” you moaned. “So good.” 

“Yeah?” Mattheo growled against your ear as he thrust in sharply. “You like being full of us, huh? You like letting your best friends split you apart like this, baby?” 

“Yes, god…” you blubbered, tears streaming down your cheeks. “I fucking love when you’re both inside me.” 

Theo groaned. “Merda, you’re going to make me cum.” 

“Do it,” you breathed. “Please, please, I want you both to fill me up.” 

“Merlin, you’re a fucking dream,” murmured Mattheo as he circled your clit. 

Theo and Mattheo synced up their rhythm, filling you up simultaneously. There wasn’t a single thought in your mind besides chasing after your release. When you felt yourself getting close, Theo yanked you by the hair and turned the camera on all three of you. 

“Give us the money shot,” Theo said through his mask. “Cum for us, little mouse.” 

As Mattheo stimulated your already sensitive nub, you lost yourself to the climax. It hit you all at once. Your vision went fuzzy as you came with a cry. Mattheo cursed when you creamed him, triggering his own orgasm. You could feel him filling you to the brim. The only tether to reality you had left was Theo’s hands gripping your hips as the camera tumbled on the mattress. 

Mattheo picked it up and filmed you getting railed by Theo, your eyes rolling to the back of your head as his thrusts grew rushed and sloppy. The camera captured Ghostface cumming inside of you before Mattheo panned down to where the two of them dripped down your thighs. 

“Look at her,” Mattheo murmured in awe. “She’s our perfect little superstar.” 

Your legs wobbled beneath you as Theo pulled off his mask. As gentle as possible, he scooped you up and cradled you into his chest. Theo kissed you softly, a smile tugging at his lips. 

“Yes she is,” he declared proudly. “You did so well, bella. Let your boys take care of you now, okay?” 

You nodded, dazed as Mattheo set the camera down and brushed your hair back. “Okay.” 

As Mattheo got the bath started and Theo carried you over to the tub, you sighed in satisfaction. “Teddy? Matty?” 

Both boys turned towards you, concern written all over their faces. It was sweet how much they cared, how they took it upon themselves to look after you. Even before tonight, the two of them had always been attuned to your needs. Just like now.

“I think I have a favorite movie now.” 

The two of them broke out into matching grins. Theo carefully lowered you into the warm water before climbing in. Mattheo eagerly joined, sandwiching you between your two favorite boys and ending that night the same way it started. As Theo shampooed your hair, Mattheo wrapped an arm around your shoulder and kissed your cheek. 

“If you’re good,” he drawled, a mischievous twinkle glittering in those big, brown eyes. “Maybe we’ll make a sequel.” 

[anxiousnerdwritings]

if obscurial!aunt!reader ended up teaching at Hogwarts for like muggle studies or something you know all the Slytherin kids with parental issues end up subconsciously calling her “mother” at least twice by the end of the year.

Theodore Nott is the only one who knows who owns it and call her “moms” regularly which infuriates Harry but eventually there’s a whole Euphemia/Sirius dynamic going on cause Theo lost his mom when he was super young and his dad is a pureblood twat so she begins to mother him pretty much and the day he turns sixteen he shows up at Spinner’s End with a suitcase

I fucking adore this ask so much, anon! You have no idea. 🥰🥰🥰🥰

I could wholeheartedly see most of the school viewing Obscurial!Muggle!Aunt!Reader as a mother figure, but especially the Slytherins. At first, it’s completely unconsciously and a slip of the tongue, but eventually it grows into something deeper for a majority of the snakes. The Reader ends up becoming their solace away from home, not that any of them want to or would ever admit it (at least not right away). And they take full advantage of it, not that any of them do it in front of others but in the moments when they have the Reader’s sole attention they bask in their warm and comforting presence.

If Yan!Bellatrix is at the school too working as a professor I could see her nudging the Slytherin kiddos towards the Reader, knowing how naturally nurturing and attentive the Reader is to anyone in general but especially with how good she is with the students. Just Bellatrix subtly encouraging them to seek out and open up to the Reader when they’re in need of comfort and someone to listen to them.

I especially love the idea of Reader’s family home on Spinner’s End becoming a safe haven for whoever needs it. It was for Harry, whether he was there as a baby or when he ran away in his third year. It then became a place for the Weasley’s and Hermione when they came into the Reader’s life. And one by one the people from the Marauders Era found their way there too.

I imagine Theo being the first one out of the Slytherins to show up at the Reader’s door, even being the one to stay there the longest, but eventually a number of others pop up too. Especially with the war nearing closer and closer. Hell, I could even see some selective parents showing up with their child to seek sanctuary at the Reader’s house too. You can bet Narcissa is pulling up with Draco, before and or after the war. Without Lucius. Mrs, Zabini and Blaise are rolling up too.

I just can’t help but imagine all these terrified Slytherins when the war starts rearing its ugly head and them not knowing what to do, only for Bellatrix to put the idea in their head to run away to the Reader. (I love the idea of her being a spy for the Order due to her obsession for the Reader, similar to how Snape was, and in the process helping some of the kids get out of becoming Death Eaters.)

Even after the war is over and things are semi back to normal, the kids (and some adults) who came to the Reader end up sticking around, basically being adopted by the Reader and becoming this big ass happy family.

[dracomalfoy7]

Her.

Draco Malfoy x Slytherin!Reader 

Summary: One shot inspired by the Percy Jackson scene where Percy sees Annabeth for the first time.

Word Count: 1.2k+

Warnings: None

A/N: I saw a TikTok of this scene and really wanted to write about it!! Lowkey though about turning this into a series?

Draco’s third year at Hogwarts, he was almost sure that he’d either end up marrying Pansy Parkinson or, worst-case scenario, the god-awful Astoria Greengrass. It was as if his life had been plotted out like some cursed prophecy, but that all changed during the second week of school.

Draco and Theodore Nott sat in Potions, their heads resting heavily in their hands as Professor Snape droned on about the intricacies of the Draught of Living Death. Another day, another boring lecture—Potions had lost its luster after two years of Snape's monotone voice.

That was until the classroom door creaked open.

At first, Draco didn’t bother turning his head, thinking it was just another late student. Snape had a way of terrifying most people into punctuality, but even he couldn't prevent the occasional tardy Slytherin or Gryffindor from sneaking in.

But then, an arm invaded Draco’s field of view, jabbing lightly at his shoulder.

“Draco. Dracooo. Hellooo, Earth to Dracoo,” Theo muttered beside him, his voice laced with curiosity.

Draco groaned. “What. do. you. want,” he responded irritably.

“Look at that girl,” Theo urged, his eyes gleaming with something Draco hadn't seen in him before—genuine fascination.

Rolling his eyes, Draco lifted his gaze from the pages of his Potions textbook, following Theo’s line of sight.

“Hello, Professor... Snape, is it?” The girl's voice was soft yet assertive, a sharp contrast to the silken drawl of Pansy or the shrillness of Daphne Greengrass.

Snape turned around slowly, his dark eyes narrowing, clearly not accustomed to being questioned.

“Yes?” he responded, a hint of annoyance evident.

“I believe this is my class,” the girl said, unbothered by Snape’s intimidating stare.

“Yes?” Snape responded again, clearly uncertain where this was going.

“Well, where do I sit then?”

There was a brief pause, and then Snape, with a flick of his wrist, gestured towards the only available seat near Pansy.

“How about next to Miss Parkinson?”

“Thank you, Professor.”

It wasn’t until the girl turned to walk toward her seat that Draco truly noticed her. She wore the standard Slytherin robes, the green and silver crest shimmering slightly in the dim light of the dungeon, but there was something about the way she carried herself that made her stand out from every other student. Her dark hair flowed down her back, and her eyes—Merlin, her eyes—seemed to pierce through the dimness of the room as if they could see right through you.

Draco felt his heart skip, and beside him, he could sense Theo had gone equally quiet, entranced by the same sight. His gaze followed her as she walked toward the empty seat near Pansy, each step deliberate, almost regal.

Blaise Zabini, sitting next to them, noticed the sudden change in both of their expressions and snickered. He snapped his fingers in front of their faces, breaking the trance.

“What are you two looking at?” Blaise asked with a knowing smirk.

Draco blinked, shaking himself out of his daze. “What’s her name?” he asked, his voice unusually eager, the words spilling out before he could stop them.

Blaise laughed, leaning back in his seat. “Ha! She’ll squash you like a bug, Malfoy. Don’t even think about it.”

“Her name,” Draco demanded, his impatience growing. He didn’t like not knowing, especially when it came to someone who had captured his attention so completely.

Blaise rolled his eyes. “Y/N Gaunt. Heir of the great Salazar Slytherin himself.”

Draco and Theo exchanged wide-eyed looks, both equally startled and intrigued. The Gaunt family had long been considered Slytherin royalty—practically legends in their own right. To have an heir of Salazar Slytherin himself sitting in Potions with them?

Draco couldn't help but stare, his eyes still following Y/N as she slid gracefully into the chair next to Pansy. Pansy, who was often insufferably possessive of Draco’s attention, seemed unusually quiet, clearly feeling the weight of Y/N’s presence as much as he did.

The moment Y/N settled in her seat, as if sensing the heavy gaze on her, she turned her head ever so slightly, meeting Draco’s stare head-on.

For a moment, the world outside that dungeon classroom seemed to disappear. There was no Professor Snape, no chatter of students, no bubbling cauldrons—just those piercing eyes staring straight into Draco’s own dark grey ones.

He quickly realized he had no idea what to do. Draco Malfoy, heir to one of the most powerful wizarding families, had never been at a loss for words when it came to anyone—yet here he was, speechless under the gaze of Y/N Gaunt.

Her lips quirked into the faintest hint of a smile—amused, perhaps, by his blatant staring—and then she turned back to face the front of the class, leaving Draco in a strange, fluttering mix of awe and frustration.

Theo leaned over, whispering excitedly. “Mate, did you see that? She's—she's unreal. I mean, Salazar Slytherin’s heir? What does that even mean for someone like her?”

Draco didn’t respond immediately. His mind was still spinning, trying to process how he had gone from nearly falling asleep in Potions to being completely captivated by a single person.

“Come on, Malfoy, stop staring. You’re gonna look like an idiot,” Blaise muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

But Draco couldn’t help it. There was something about her—something that made him feel like his entire world had shifted in that brief moment.

Class went on, but Draco barely registered a word Snape said. His attention drifted back to Y/N again and again, watching the way she flicked her wand with effortless precision during the practical portion of the lesson, the way her lips moved as she quietly muttered incantations under her breath, the way her fingers delicately handled the ingredients, almost as if she were weaving a spell with her hands alone.

He had never seen anyone like her before, and it unnerved him. He was Draco Malfoy. He was supposed to be the one people stared at, the one people were intrigued by, the one who commanded the room. But now... he felt like he had been thrown off-balance, no longer in control.

As the class came to an end and students began packing up their bags, Draco stood slowly, his gaze still fixed on Y/N. He was vaguely aware of Theo and Blaise talking beside him, but their words were drowned out by the rush of thoughts running through his head.

Y/N stood, too, gathering her things with the same quiet confidence that had enraptured him. She glanced in his direction one last time before sweeping out of the room, her robes billowing slightly behind her as she disappeared into the corridor.

Draco stared after her, the same thought echoing in his mind.

He needed to know more about Y/N Gaunt.

“Draco,” Theo nudged him, breaking him out of his reverie. “You alright, mate?”

“Yeah,” Draco muttered, though he knew full well he wasn’t. Something had changed—he didn’t know what exactly, but he knew that Y/N Gaunt was at the center of it.

As they walked out of the classroom together, Draco found himself glancing down the hallway where Y/N had disappeared. He didn’t know how, but he was determined to find out more about her. There was something about her—something that tugged at his very core—and he couldn’t shake the feeling that his life had just taken a turn he hadn’t anticipated.

For the first time in a long time, Draco Malfoy didn’t feel certain about his future.

And that both terrified and thrilled him.

Request are open!

[rosesareredrosa]

theo nott x harrys twin based off of scared of my guitar by olivia rodrigo where like since shes a slytherin people dont rly like her and are rude and she and harry dont talk at all and she lies to theo saying shes ok but he finds her diary and finds out everything and he comforts her

You are NOTT Nothing

Theo Nott x fem reader

w/c: 1371

Being Harry Potter's twin sister meant living in his shadow, but being sorted into Slytherin meant living in isolation. I’d spent years pretending the whispers and the cold shoulders didn’t bother me, but the truth was, it hurt more than I could ever admit. I was the black sheep, the one who didn’t fit in Gryffindor like everyone thought I should. And worse, I wasn’t even accepted by my own housemates.

I could feel the stares on my back as I walked through the common room. The Slytherins watched me with narrowed eyes, some with curiosity, others with disdain. I wasn’t one of them, not really. I wasn’t the sharp-tongued, cunning Slytherin they expected. I was just Y/N Potter, the oddity.

But the worst part was that Theo was part of their group—the popular ones, the ones who ruled Slytherin with confidence and charisma. Theodore Nott, with his quiet intensity, was different from the others, but he was still one of them. He spent his time with Draco, Pansy, Blaise, Mattheo, and Lorenzo, the group that everyone either feared or admired.

I always felt out of place around them. Draco’s sharp wit, Pansy’s biting remarks, Blaise’s aloofness, Mattheo’s mischievous grin, and Lorenzo’s easy charm—they all made me feel like I didn’t belong. And Theo? Theo was the only one who ever seemed to notice me, the only one who looked at me without judgment. But even then, he was distant, part of a world I could never touch.

I’d gotten good at pretending it didn’t bother me. I’d perfected the art of smiling and nodding, of pretending everything was fine when inside, I was crumbling. I didn’t let anyone see the real me—not even Theo.

I’m scared of my own guitar, of all the things it says I am, I scribbled in my diary one night, reflecting on the lyrics that had been running through my mind. The song reminded me of how terrified I was of the expectations placed on me, how scared I was of not living up to them, of not being enough. Of all the things I know I’m not, I added, my heart aching with the weight of the words.

It’s like the strings know the truth, even when I lie to myself, I wrote, feeling the familiar lump in my throat. I hated how vulnerable I felt, how every time I tried to express myself, it felt like I was revealing too much. I’m scared that if I play, everyone will hear what I’m trying so hard to hide.

One day, I was sitting in the library, tucked away in a corner where no one could see me. I was supposed to be studying, but my mind was elsewhere. My diary lay open in front of me, the pages filled with my fears and frustrations, the things I could never say out loud.

Just as I was about to write something, I heard footsteps approaching. I quickly closed the diary, my heart racing as Theo rounded the corner, his expression unreadable.

“Y/N,” he said quietly, his eyes searching mine.

I tried to smile, but it felt forced. “Theo. What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been looking for you,” he replied, his gaze flickering to the closed diary on the table. “I... I found your diary in the common room the other day.”

My heart dropped. “You read it?”

He nodded, his expression pained. “I didn’t mean to invade your privacy, but... I couldn’t just ignore it. Y/N, why didn’t you tell me how you were feeling?”

I looked away, shame flooding through me. “Because you’re part of their world, Theo. You’re with Draco, Pansy, Blaise, and the others. You wouldn’t understand.”

He stepped closer, his voice soft but firm. “I’m with them, yes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. I’ve seen how they treat you, how everyone treats you. And it’s wrong. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

I shook my head, tears welling up in my eyes. “You don’t get it, Theo. I’m not like them. I don’t belong here, not in Slytherin, not anywhere. I’m just... nothing.”

Theo’s expression hardened, and before I could react, he reached out and took my hand in his. His touch was gentle, but there was a strength in it that made my heart skip a beat.

“You are not nothing,” he said fiercely. “You’re Y/N Potter, and you’re more than just Harry’s twin. You’re brave, and strong, and you’ve been dealing with more than anyone should have to. I hate seeing you like this, and I hate that you feel like you have to hide it from me.”

The tears I had been holding back finally spilled over, and I looked down, unable to meet his eyes. “I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You’re not a burden,” Theo insisted. “You never were. You mean something to me, Y/N. I know I’m part of that group, but I’m not like them. I care about you, and I want to help you.”

I took a deep breath, the words bubbling up in my chest, words I’d been too scared to say out loud. But looking into Theo’s eyes, I knew I could trust him. I had to let him in.

“I’m scared, Theo,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “I’m scared of everything. I’m scared of my own thoughts, of what they say about me when I’m alone. I’m scared that I’ll never be good enough for anyone, not for Slytherin, not for Harry, not even for myself.”

I could feel his grip on my hand tighten, his eyes softening as I continued.

“I’m scared that if I open up, if I let anyone see who I really am, they’ll hate me. I’m scared that I’m not strong enough to be who everyone thinks I should be. I’m scared that I’m nothing, Theo, that I’ll never be more than just the shadow of someone else.”

Theo stepped closer, his other hand gently cupping my cheek, forcing me to look at him. “Y/N, listen to me. You are not nothing. You’re not a shadow, and you’re not alone in this. You’re everything that matters to me. I know it’s hard to believe, but you’re worth so much more than you think. And you don’t have to pretend with me. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

I stared at him, my vision blurred by tears. “But what if you see all the things I’m scared of? What if you see me for what I really am, and you realize I’m not worth it?”

Theo’s thumb brushed away a tear that had escaped down my cheek. “I already see you, Y/N. And I promise you, you are worth it. Every fear, every doubt, every single thing you’re scared to show, I’m here for all of it. You don’t have to hide from me. I’m not scared of who you are. I’m not going to run.”

Something inside me broke, the walls I had built up around myself crumbling as I let out a sob, stepping forward into his arms. He held me tightly, his embrace warm and secure, and I let myself fall into it, let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t alone after all.

“It’s okay,” Theo murmured, his voice soothing as he stroked my hair. “I’m here, Y/N. You’re not alone anymore. You don’t have to be scared. I’ve got you.”

I clung to him, my tears soaking into his robes as I let out everything I had been holding back. Theo held me through it all, never letting go, never pulling away. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I wasn’t alone, like I wasn’t just the shadow of someone else.

I had Theo, and in that moment, that was enough.

[sereinegemini]

Two Dark Princes ₊⋆ ☾

— Chapter X

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x Fem!Reader x Theodore Nott

Word Count: 2k

Summary: Two years after Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord during the Triwizard Tournament, Hogwarts and most of the Wizarding World has returned to normal. But, F/n’s mundane life is flipped upside down after she learns that two of her best friends, Draco and Theo, are secretly in love with her. When this knowledge begins to affect her relationships, she is faced with difficult decisions, each one laced with promised heartache and the potential to awaken an unexpected darkness.

Warnings: cursing, some lines directly from the movie, hostility, a wee bit spooky

Hogwarts

Monday, May 5, 1997

“Who’s there?” Slughorn’s voice boomed as soon as you all piled into the empty classroom. Knowing it would be suspicious to close the door now, Hermione motioned for everyone to stand against the wall adjacent to the door. It was notched to accommodate built-in bookshelves, and one would have to enter the room to see six students standing there. 

“Are there others, Harry?” His voice strained with his temper. You could understand his hurt; his most valued student was pointing fingers and throwing around the Dark Lord’s name. 

Slughorn stood in the doorway for a moment, his shadow casting long across the floor. You half wanted to hold your breath. Draco wrapped his pinky with yours. Your heart skipped at the touch, but you swallowed the sensation. “Hm, suppose you’re being paranoid Horace,” Slughorn mumbled, finally slipping away and down the hall.

Several of your friends released breaths. “I’ve never seen Slughorn mad before. That was bloody terrifying,” Ron squeaked.

“Come on, let’s catch up with Harry. That was worth a try, but we have to think of a whole new plan now,” Hermione complained, and you all moved to follow her from the room.

Draco grabbed your wrist, and you watched everyone leave before turning to face him. You looked at him expectedly, not saying a word. His eyes were wide, like he’d surprised himself and now wasn’t sure what to say. “F/n..”

“Draco,” you replied softly, a gentle smile on your lips. Things might be awkward between you now, but he was still one of your best friends and you wanted him to know he could speak his mind.

“I– I’m glad to see you doing better. I missed you.” His words were rigid, like he was actively picking and choosing his words. But he didn’t need to spell it out for you, his unspoken sentiments were clear in his eyes. He’d been worried you were gone from him forever. That he’d never see you smile at him or feel your skin against his again.

His thumb trailed across the inside of your wrist, his mouth parting slightly as he watched his own hand like a spectator. Heat rushed to your cheeks at his lowered eyes and you found yourself swallowing hard. This moment was so intimate you almost felt like you were intruding. “Draco,” you whispered again, your head swimming with desire. For the first time in the two weeks since you and Cedric broke up you were craving his lips on yours—craving the passion and heat of his hands on your body. It felt so wrong, but that made you want it all the more.

“Fuck, F/n..” Draco growled, catching the desire in your eyes. Grabbing your waist, he pushed you up against the bookshelves. Your stomach fluttered with the show of dominance, turning to putty in his arms. This isn’t right, a nagging in the back of your mind told you, something’s wrong. But you didn’t want to listen, you only wanted Draco.

A pleading whine escaped your lips when he cupped the back of your neck with a hand, tilting your mouth up to his. He’d just slipped your bottom lip between his teeth when someone cleared their throat in the doorway. You gasped, jerking away from Draco to look at Theo. Only it wasn’t Theo. It was…Draco? How on Earth- You jerked your head back to the Draco holding you. What in Merlin’s beard was going on?

“F/n?” the Draco in front of you asked worriedly.

“Is something the matter? You look as if-” started a new Draco leaned against the desk on the opposite wall.

“-you’ve seen a ghost,” finished the first Draco in a hiss, gripping your chin. The boy in front of you was still your blonde friend, but his eyes had turned an emotionless shade of red.

You gasped and tried to yank your chin away, but he only dug his nails deeper into your skin. Crying out from the sting of your wounds, you stilled as Voldemort’s voice hissed from Draco’s mouth: “Try as you might, you’ll never hide from me, girl.”

“F/n? F/n, what’s wrong? Please, answer me..” Draco begged, tugging at your wrists.

You lowered your hands from your face, blinking as if you’d only just woken up. Book spines dug into you back from where you were sat against the shelves and you groaned achingly when he helped you to your feet. “Draco, what..”

“I was touching your wrist and you whispered my name and then you just…slumped to the floor. At first I thought you’d fainted or something but you had your hands over your face and you kept whimpering. Like something was hurting you. And-” He lifted a thumb to your chin, making you flinch. “You have little cuts on your face now. They’re crescent shaped, like-”

“Finger nails,” you croaked.

“Yeah.” He let his arm fall. You stared at each other for a second, dumbfounded.

“I didn’t faint. Draco, I- It felt like I was still here, but then things weren’t right. There were three of you and your eyes were the same as Voldemort’s. I think it was like my dream. He was in my head again. Only this time I was awake.”

Draco’s wide eyes searched your face as if he was looking for any lingering sign of the Dark Lord. “Did he say anything?”

You supposed telling him about your phantom make-out session was pointless and would only bring up emotions that you didn’t want to address right now, so you only said: “He delivered a message. That no matter what I did or how hard I tried to hide, he would always find me.”

· · ─────── · ✧ · ─────── · ·

Harry leaned his forearms on his knees. “I just don’t understand. Why is Voldemort targeting F/n?”

“Question of the century, Potter,” Theo deadpanned. He was lounging on a worn brown-leather sofa, his arms and legs draped over the side and back. The epitome of relaxation, though worry swam in his eyes.

Harry shot him a glare. “I only mean she’s never been around Voldemort. There’s no reason he should even know who she is. When he was targeting me it was because he believed I would be his downfall and he’d already failed to kill me once before. F/n has no ties to him, no prophecies; nothing to offer him.”

Draco shook his head. He was propped up on the arm of your chair, his arms crossed in a disgruntled fashion. Voldemort’s attack on your mind and ability to harm you physically appeared to be his last straw. “We might never know why or how he’s getting into her head. What I do know is that I’m going to do everything I can to keep him away.” He looked down at you and grabbed your hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. “You’re going to ask Dumbledore about those Occlumency lessons. And when you’re not in class or eating, you and I are going to continue our own training. Voldemort isn’t going to hurt you again. Not if I can help it.”

Theo rolled his eyes. “Alright, Prince Charming. What should the rest of us do?”

“We should definitely start by getting that memory from Slughorn. It seems like a decent start and if I’m being honest I think it’s our only choice,” Hermione answered.

You tuned out their voices while they discussed ways to possibly get the Professor to cooperate. How had you gotten into this mess? Voldemort was supposed to be gone and you had nothing to link you, as Harry had said. Perhaps this was all simply your punishment for being selfish. Whatever God or Goddess was in charge of karma was delivering your due.

Sulking into your chair, you simmered in your self pity and surveyed the room. The Room of Requirements had taken up the form of a moody sitting room. Two identical leather sofas sat across from one another in the middle of the space, separated by a dark, rectangular coffee table with curved legs. Your own chair had a twin—one on either side of the flickering fire. The spot above the mantel caught your attention—the dark paint was slightly lighter there, as if a picture had once been hung and was now missing. It was odd. Wasn’t the Room designed to its pursuer’s needs? Why would there be indication of something missing if the space hadn’t previously existed?

“Dray-” you began, but paused when you caught Theo staring at you. He lowered his lashes, then returned his attention to the discussion. Your face warmed with a blush. How long had he watched you for?

“Everything okay, L/n?” Draco asked, leaning closer.

When you turned towards him you discovered his face a breath away from yours. You swallowed hard and tried your best not to shy away from his presence. “Y- Yeah I’m fine. I just thought it looked as if a painting was missing from the mantel.”

He scrunched his brows at the mentioned wall, then gave you a sly smile. “It seems that way, doesn’t it? Think the Room was having a bit of fun? To see if any of us noticed?”

You snorted quietly. “The Room isn’t alive. It’s just animated with magic, right?”

Draco grinned, his eyes dropping to your lips briefly before jumping back up. “Well, maybe someone’s used this room before and took the picture, or they were hiding it here.”

Your heart fluttered. He could look at you like that a million times—like he was under the influence of a love potion and could think of nothing but you—and your heart would flutter from the intensity of it every time.

“Maybe,” you said breathlessly.

“Alright, it’s decided, then,” Harry announced, standing and retrieving a vial from his robes. “I need to have another talk with Professor Slughorn.”

“What’s that?” you asked as he uncorked the potion. A molten gold droplet leapt from the opening before falling perfectly back down with a tiny plonk.

“Felix Felicis. A good fortune potion Harry won for brewing a perfect Draught of Living Death. Even though he cheated.” Hermione explained, rolling her eyes at Harry’s rule-breaking.

“For the last time ‘Mione, it’s not my fault my textbook has notes in it.”

“It’s your fault for not turning the book in, Harry!” Hermione countered, exasperated.

He waved her off, and you shared an amused smile with Blaise. Your friend groups were a lot more alike than you’d thought. Even the Golden Trio bickered with one another, but their love stayed clear to anyone watching. “I was lucky to have help winning it, and I’m lucky to have it now. A bit of luck might be the only way Slughorn will hand over that memory.”

“Go on then, mate,” Ron said.

Harry tipped his head back and drained the entire bottle. 

“Well, how do you feel?” Hermione asked, almost inching off her seat.

He stared off momentarily, a dumb smile dancing on his lips. “Excellent. Really Excellent!” You and Draco quirked a brow at each other. The Liquid Luck seemed to have made Harry even goofier than normal.

Hermione jumped to her feet and blocked Harry from leaving. “Remember, Slughorn usually eats early, takes a walk, and then returns to his office.”

“Right.” He took a deep breath. “I’m going down to Hagrid’s.”

“What-” Hermione asked as Harry brushed past her to the door. “No! Harry, you’ve got to go speak to Slughorn! We have a plan.”

Harry stopped with his hand on the doorknob. “I know, but I’ve got a really good feeling about Hargid’s. I feel it- it’s the place to be tonight. Do you know what I mean?”

“No..” Hermione and Ron—who had come up beside her—said in unison.

“Trust me, I know what I’m doing. Or, Felix does!” And with that he left, the door clicking shut softly behind him.

“That was…interesting,” Theo stated.

“What do we do now?” you asked, darting your gaze between everyone.

Hermione sighed and gathered up her bag. “All we can do is wait. I’m going to the library to get some work done. It could take Harry the rest of the day to obtain that memory.”

Draco nudged you with his arm. “How ‘bout you and I have a little lesson, then?”

« Chapter Nine || Masterlist || Chapter Eleven »

Author’s Note: This chapter is like a year late but we’re going to ignore that okay 😃

Be notified of future chapters!

[sheeple]

Miracles don't exist | 11: Home not so sweet home

Genre(s): Riddle!reader / Slytherin!reader / kinda slowburn / little happy moments Fandom(s): Harry Potter Pairing(s): Theodore Nott x Reader / Harry Potter x Riddle!reader Summary: Being the Dark Lord's daughter and raised under the strict supervision of the Malfoy's is no easy life. Especially if you start crushing on your father's arch-nemesis, Harry Potter. And that while being engaged to one of his follower’s sons. Warning(s): Moldy Voldy [Masterlist] [Mini masterlist] [Playlist]

The sun is shining brightly with not a cloud in the sky. A soft breeze sways the leaves on the trees which tower over the manor. And despite that sunny and happy weather outside, you feel dreaded entering the house.

The pointed roofs and gothic architecture never looked so menacing as now. The perfectly manicured lawn looks like it has thorns and skulls as flowers while the white peacock in the distance looks like an omen of death.

Both you and your cousin stand at the end of the long driveway, your luggage floating towards the front door. Aunt Cissy motions for the two of you to hurry up. 

Glancing at each other, Draco gives your wrist a reassuring squeeze before marching up the gravel path. You linger for a while longer until you can't.

It's quiet when you enter the manor. More than usual. All sounds, even those from outside, seem to have disappeared. No creaking of the house, ticking of clocks, nothing.

Your aunt turns to you, a sorrowful look on her face. "The Dark Lord is expecting you in the library."

You want to shake your head. Scream, cry, yell that you don't want to see him. You're scared. So fucking scared to meet him. But, you don't have a choice.

With a meek nod, you turn on your heels and make your way towards the library. You ignore Draco's shaken look as his mother hugs him and leads him to the other side of the house.

The floorboards under your feet creak as you stand in front of the double doors of the library. You raise your fist but before your knuckles make contact with the wood, the doors swing open.

He stands in front of the large windows that oversee a part of the gardens, his back turned to the door and his hands are clasped behind his back. He is almost as pale as a sheet, blue veins running over his bald head.

When he turns around, you have to bite back the gasp of horror you want to let out. His face can only be described as snake-like. Two slits are where a nose should be and icy blue eyes set in a too-pale face. 

He is nothing as you imagined. You once or twice have searched up the name Riddle in the school records to look at the picture of all the prefects. At that time, Tom Marvolo Riddle was a handsome seventh-year boy. Dark hair, high cheekbones, and a proud look on his face.

Tom Marvolo Riddle is obviously gone and in his place is Lord Voldemort.

You don't know whether to bow or nod, so you look at the ground once he catches you study him.

"My Heir." His voice is breathy, almost whisper-like. He opens his arms, "come here."

Your feet move with a mind of their own. You scale the size of the room and stop in front of the imposing figure. He wraps his arms lofty around you. A chill spreads through your body as a cold hand presses against your back.

Taking a step back, you try to even your breathing. "My Lord." The title comes out in a whisper. You're utterly terrified of what this man will do, will say.

He tsks disapprovingly. "When we are in company of each other, you may call me Father, my Heir."

"Yes... Father."

Voldemort nods approvingly. He studies you once again, his icy eyes trailing every inch of your face and hair. "I've been told you are sorted into Slytherin. Naturally."

You nod. "Yes, Father." You don't know what else to say. But it seems like he is expecting more. "My studies are going well. I am staying out of trouble and keep with our own kind."

It's the safe answer, one you know satisfies him. And it does. He dismisses you with a wave of his hand and you don't know how quickly you have to get out of the library. 

When you enter your bedroom, Draco is already sitting on your bed, an anxious look on his face. "Is it really him?", he asks in a whisper and you nod.

You go sit down next to your cousin. The two of you sit in silence for a while, until Draco opens his mouth. "How is he?"

"Terrifying", you admit. "You feel his power when you are in the room with him."

"Mother says he can read minds."

You look at him with wide eyes. That can't be true... right? It means that even our thoughts aren't safe.

"Well... Then we have to watch out for what we think."

Draco nods and you sit in silence once again. You lean over and lay your head on his shoulder. Draco has never been a big fan of being touched — it may come from being barely touched as a child by his parents — but for you, he makes an exception. 

"Everything is going to change from now on, isn't it?"

He hums sadly. "I'm afraid so."

You spend the rest of the day cooped up in your room, unpacking your school trunk and dusting your room. Even though Aunt Cissy makes the house elves clean your room regularly, it's always nice to do a once-over.

Around dinner time is a knock on your door and you're being called to dinner. Nervously, you make your way towards the formal dining room. It's tradition to eat there when you and Draco have returned from your year at Hogwarts.

Entering the room, you see your aunt and uncle — both looking rather unwell — and your cousin sitting at one end of the table and Voldemort sitting at the head on the other side. 

"My Lord", you greet your father with a polite nod. Unsure of where to sit, you move to sit next to Draco. But the chair next to Voldemort gets pushed back by magic and you get the hint.

With uncertain steps, you go and sit to him. Draco and you make eye contact but remain silent. 

The majority of dinner is spent in silence. You do not dare to speak out loud and it seems like the Dark Lord likes the tense silence his presence brings. It's only when the desert is brought that he speaks.

"It seems you are very popular at school, my Heir. Not a full day at home and you already received a letter." Voldemort holds up a wax-sealed envelope.

He watches how you take it and break the seal. Unfolding the envelope, you start to read. It's a rather short letter really.

Do you want to hang out sometime? It's what friends do, you know. We could meet up in two weeks. That's just enough time to miss me.

— Theo

You close your eyes. Stupid stupid boy Theodore Nott. You've hoped to keep him safe from your father a while longer, at least until the end of the summer break or Christmas or whatever. But as Voldemort snatches the letter out of your hands and reads it over, one of his non-existent eyebrows arches up.

"Theo? Who is this Theo?"

You look down at the pie in front of you. "Theodore Nott, my Lord. We've ehrm... We've-" You look for help from your aunt, but her gaze is trained on the table. "We've been introduced last summer and started hanging out this year."

Voldemort looks over at your uncle. "Is this true, Lucius?" The name of your uncle is almost a hiss.

Uncle Lucius gulps before shakily raising his gaze. "Ye-yes, my Lord. We thought the you-young Nott boy would be an excellent match... f-for your daughter... my Lord."

Voldemort hums, dropping the letter next to your plate. "Very well." And nothing more is said about Theodore or the rest of the dinner.

Once you are excused, you rush towards your bedroom to write Theo back. But when you swing open your door, you almost shriek.

A three-metre snake lays on your bed, eyes trained on you. You've heard whisper all day long, but you just chalked it up to Voldemort residing in the manor.

Carefully stepping into the room, you know exactly who this is. Clearing your throat, you open your mouth. "Hello, Nagini", you say in the strange whispers and hisses of Parsletongue.

"Hello, my Heir", the snake hisses softly, sliding off your bed. She slithers out of your room. A shiver runs down your spine at the feeling of her smooth scales gliding against your ankle.

Sitting down at your desk, you pull out a piece of paper and start to write to Theo.

Sure, we can do that. Do you have something in mind or do you just want to walk around and see what happens? I'm down for whatever.

I suggest we meet up on Tuesday in two weeks. If that's alright with you.

— (Y/n)

Taglist (bold means I couldn’t tag you): @the0doreslover @lqndkxlmqma @st4rrry @choppedpartymuffinwinner @ledtassoo @literallyobsessed @lestat-whore​ @vanishingcherry @harrysnovia @pietrobae @ireallywannasleep127 @yeolsbubbles

[satansapostle6]

Lovers and Liars | Draco Malfoy

Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott, both determined and resourceful from reputable houses, find themselves at odds in the name of love.

Warning: Mature themes/language. Violence. Sexual content.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four: Love and Evil

The entire Malfoy family was humiliated after the events at the Ministry of Magic at the start of the summer. Lorelei Morrigan had been publicly shamed as well, after living with the Malfoys after her parents had escaped Lucius Malfoy’s fate without a word. The entire family, including Lorelei, had become a spectacle at the imprisonment of Lucius Malfoy. Lorelei had experienced it all alongside Draco, forced to pose with them in sad, cold photos used for the cover of the Daily Prophet.

Lorelei’s heart broke for Draco the day Lucius was sent away to Azkaban, and ever since, she had become bonded to the Malfoys, and the Lestranges, and Wormtail, in their suffering, even if she hadn’t agreed to marry Draco that day. Everything was different now.

Draco would become a Death Eater before going back to Hogwarts, just as his father had years before he was born. And so, Lorelei had gathered with Narcissa Malfoy and the other Death Eaters for a private ceremony held in Borgin & Burke’s. Lorelei stood by Narcissa and Bellatrix as the cauldron was prepared for Draco to be branded with the Dark Mark, just as Lorelei had been little over a year before.

Lorelei was surprised to feel Narcissa squeeze her arm as Draco stepped toward the cauldron, being coached by Fenrir Greyback, the loathsome werewolf. Draco was told how to dip his arm into the glowing cauldron, and Narcissa’s eyes filled with both pride and fear as she watched her son take on her husband’s mantle, the very same path that had landed him in Azkaban.

“Look at him,” Narcissa said softly, standing alongside her sister, “Ever the spitting image of his father.”

Lorelei nodded sadly, as Bellatrix just rolled her eyes at her youngest sister, refusing to entertain her emotions.

“Don’t be so sappy, Cissa,” Bellatrix drawled, “Draco will do well among our ranks. You should be proud of him.”

“I am proud of him,” Narcissa promised.

She watched as Draco’s eyes filled fear. He looked back at his mother, and at Lorelei, terrified as he knew he was about to plunge his left arm into the cauldron.

“I’m proud of him… For doing what his father would have wanted. For wanting to save his father. For wanting to protect me…” Narcissa shook her head as she watched Draco raise his arm over the hot, bubbling liquid.

She shut her eyes for a split second, nails digging into Lorelei’s flesh as Draco let out a strained yelp before quickly shutting his mouth out of embarrassment. Lorelei saw the pain in his eyes as he held it all in, feeling what he knew his father felt years before. Only Draco knew that he was even younger than his father had been.

*****

After Draco had come home from Borgin & Burke’s the night of his initiation into the Death Eaters’ ranks, every day had been pure agony for him. The days were painful, but the nights were always the worst. Draco hardly slept through the nights anymore, always waking up crying fearfully as the various nightmares haunted him. Lorelei tried her best to hold him every night, whispering sweet things in his ear so that he didn’t go crazy.

But still, every night, Draco would yelp and sob until he was drowning in his own tears. Lorelei did what she could, but even she could hardly ease his suffering. It took days for Draco to even find the strength to leave his bed. For days, Narcissa had been dropping off whatever food Wormtail had prepared that day, just for it to be returned to the hallway untouched.

The pain was so unbearable that Draco couldn’t even eat. He hardly even drank water as the Mark on his arm healed. It took a considerable concoction of different potions and salves to even make his days livable. Narcissa was beside herself trying to comfort her son. She was even unsure if the celebration she’d planned on behalf of Draco’s initiation should continue.

Lorelei knew that the last thing Draco wanted to deal with was a party, but she also knew that Draco cared more about keeping Narcissa happy than anything. It was strange, but Narcissa Malfoy was convinced that if she could convince the world that her family was happy, then maybe she could convince herself. But the truth was, Narcissa didn’t know how she was going to convince Draco.

All she could really do was give him the world. But at the very least, it seemed Lorelei was equally determined to make Draco happy, something Narcissa had grown to cherish in her son’s girlfriend. The night of Draco’s party before going back to Hogwarts for his sixth year, Narcissa relied heavily on Lorelei, who may as well have been her daughter-in-law, to make sure everything was perfect.

Naturally, this involved treating Lorelei to another five hundred Galleon dress, hoping it would put a smile on both her face, and Draco’s.

“Oh, Lorelei,” Narcissa gushed dreamily, “You look perfect.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy,” Lorelei said kindly, as she rose from her vanity.

Everything about her was perfect, from her long black dress, to the pearls dangling in the back, to her graceful updo. Lorelei looked just like her mother as she moved slowly and effortlessly.

“I think it’s a bit silly you still call me that,” Narcissa said humorously. “I think it’s high time call me ‘Narcissa’,” she invited her softly.

“Of course, Narcissa,” Lorelei said quickly.

Narcissa smiled, carefully opening the velvety dust bag in her hands, pulling out a stack of three pearl bracelets held together by a diamond clasp.

“I think these will complete your ensemble. Don’t you?” she continued.

Lorelei smiled as she accepted the bracelets, adorning her right wrist with them.

“You can keep those, if you’d like,” Narcissa added.

“You’re sure?” Lorelei asked her.

The woman nodded. “Of course. Besides, I really don’t wear them much anymore.”

“Thank you,” Lorelei said sweetly.

“Anything,” Narcissa said inconsequentially. “Now. Go make my son happy.”

Lorelei Morrigan smiled before leaving the room. She walked carefully down the stairs of the Manor in her perfect heels, seeing Draco downstairs with Rodolphus as Bellatrix ordered around the caterers. Draco turned slowly to see his girlfriend, eyes wide as he watched her descend down stairs. Despite having dated her for over a year, he seemed just as amazed as he’d been seeing her for the first time at eleven years old.

Draco was in awe as Lorelei came toward him with a smile on her face, her arm intertwined with his as they watched the hired staff preparing Malfoy Manor for Draco’s Head Boy party.

“I hope I didn’t take too long,” Lorelei said as they stood with Rodolphus, watching Bellatrix scream at one of the caterers.

“It’s worth the wait,” Draco promised her, instantly in a better mood as Narcissa joined them.

Narcissa nodded to Lorelei, looking rather pleased with herself as Draco began to carry himself with a semblance of the same confidence he used to. It wasn’t long before all of the guests arrived. The party seemed to Draco like a combination of everyone who held a place in Sacred Twenty-Eight, as well as the higher level Ministry jobs. Of course, the party was crawling with Death Eaters.

There were plenty of important people around, and Draco was beginning to feel self conscious about his own Dark Mark, despite the countless other Death Eaters, and his long black sleeves. Lorelei also wore a sleeveless gown without covering her own tattoo, but still, Draco felt just as paranoid.

“How’s your arm?” Lorelei asked under her breath.

“Fine, for now… Are you sure we should be flaunting our Marks like this?” Draco Malfoy whispered as he and Lorelei walked about the party, waving and saying their hello’s.

“Trust me, darling, everyone here is, at the very least, a sympathizer,” she assured him. “Hello, Mr. Dudley,” she waved to a passerby.

“If you say so,” Draco mumbled skeptically, grabbing two flutes of champagne off a passing waiter. “Care to take the edge off?” he offered the second glass to Lorelei.

“Thank you, my prince,” Lorelei sighed as she accepted.

She watched as Draco downed his in one large gulp, setting an empty glass on another passing tray as they made their way through the soirée.

“Ugh. Just as I was about to enjoy myself,” Draco sighed.

Lorelei was automatically off-put by his dissatisfaction, tracing his eye line to see what had set him off. She would have done anything to ensure that their night went perfectly. But surely enough, the biggest problem of the night walked into the room.

“Theo,” Lorelei breathed.

“And Pansy,” Draco added.

“Together,” Lorelei realized, beginning to feel an ulcer developing.

“And I thought I hated them before,” Draco muttered under his breath.

“Hey, hey,” Lorelei stopped him, turning so that she was facing him, “Don’t let them get into your head. That’s probably the only reason they showed up together. Because they hate us both.”

She tried her best to console him as quickly as possible.

“You think?” Draco asked her.

She nodded. “Unless Theodore Nott likes to discuss which boys have been drinking Skele-Grow over the summer, yes, I’d say that’s the only thing they have in common.”

The two of them watched as Theodore eventually spotted them from in the crowd, a smile slowly creeping over his face as he raised his glass of champagne. Lorelei clenched her jaw as she felt for her wand tucked into her garter.

“Well. I don’t like it. I don’t trust it one bit,” Draco told her as he anxiously snapped his fingers for another glass of champagne.

Lorelei just sighed, looking around the party for reinforcement. She eventually locked eyes with Narcissa, who seemed to catch on with her concern. Eventually, as Lorelei and Draco politely made their way around the room, they found Blaise, who seemed glad to have lost his mother in the crowd. Draco and Blaise shared a relatively pleasant conversation, as Lorelei was stolen for a moment by Bellatrix and Narcissa, who spoke with her in the kitchen.

“Is Draco alright?” Narcissa asked worriedly.

“It’s hard to say… I think he’s doing better, though,” Lorelei said exhaustedly. “But what are Theodore and Pansy doing here? I don’t remember seeing them on the guest list.”

“They weren’t,” Narcissa insisted, “Neither of their parents sent an owl.”

“You invited them, Cissy?!” Bellatrix whispered harshly. “What the bloody hell is wrong with you?!”

“Shhhhh!” Narcissa hissed at her:

“Look what you did, Cissy! You invited both their exes, and now they’re showing up together, like the conniving little brats they are!” Bellatrix snapped. “No wonder the boy’s in a mood!”

“He is not in a mood!” Narcissa exclaimed, before regulating her tone. “Draco is having a nice time. He’ll be perfectly fine,” she insisted.

“Well for that to happen, the situation needs to be dealt with!” Bella argued, “And soon! Before they get the chance to ruin our party!”

“Well, what do you suggest, then?!” Narcissa demanded crossly.

Lorelei thought for a moment as the two sisters bickered, considering all the possibilities.

“We can’t do anything,” Lorelei realized, as they turned to look at her. “If we act, we look weak. We have to just… handle things with grace,” she reminded them.

Bellatrix seemed frustrated by this suggestion as her younger sister thought for a moment.

“Lorelei is right,” Narcissa determined, “We can’t behave immaturely. We need to appear stronger and smarter than ever now that Lucius is gone. Keep the two of them as far away from Draco as possible. Please,” she told the other two.

Lorelei agreed as Bellatrix just accepted the instruction.

“Fine, but if that Parkinson brat tries anything with my nephew, I’ll burn this place to the ground,” Bellatrix pointed a finger at her before disappearing back into the party.

“Lorelei. Please, make sure everything is perfect before you announce my speech,” Narcissa said.

“Of course,” she nodded dutifully.

Narcissa Malfoy sighed exhaustedly, watching as Lorelei returned to the celebration as if nothing had happened. As if lording over everyone, Lorelei and Draco stood atop the stairs, watching as all of the guests ate, drank, and laughed, and talked. Crabbe and Goyle were currently slamming glasses of champagne on Draco’s behalf, not even notice that he was nowhere to be found.

“Sonorus.”

Lorelei’s smooth voice rang throughout the Manor like a bell. She smiled as she stood alongside Draco and Narcissa, as well as the Lestranged, gently tapping her glass with a spoon, calling the attention of her guests. Everyone’s heads slowly turned as the sound rang through the air. All of the guests, from the Parkinsons, to the Notts, to the Selwyns, to the Yaxleys turned to pay attention as Lorelei stepped down toward them.

“Good evening, all, and welcome, to our lovely home. We are all honored to host you all here, at Malfoy Manor,” Lorelei announced. “Please. Take the time to applaud yourselves.”

The entire room engaged in sophisticatedly polite applause as Lorelei turned to offer the room a graceful smile.

“My name is Lorelei Ackerley Morrigan. I come from the House of Morrigan, and I am here tonight just as you all are to celebrate my beloved Draco, on his achievement of Head Boy and Slytherin Prefect at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”

The room broke out in applause, as a few scattered cheers from Crabbe, Goyle, and other Slytherin boys could be heard throughout.

“We all here at Malfoy Manor thank you for your support, your respect for our families,” Lorelei said. “Without further ado. The woman who has been a mother not only to Draco, but to myself as well: Narcissa Malfoy.”

Everyone applauded promptly as Narcissa came forward, glowing with pride as Lorelei took her place beside Draco. He smiled upon receiving her, pressing a kiss to her cheek as everyone, including Pansy and Theo, was forced to watch from the audience.

“Thank you, Lorelei. Hello, everyone,” she projected. “Thank you all for coming here tonight, to congratulate my son on all of his wonderful achievements at Hogwarts. We are all eternally grateful for your continued support of our family, and we thank you with this night, of food, and drink, and camaraderie.”

This, naturally, garnered applause.

“Before we all return to the refreshments and amenities, a few words,” Narcissa stated, glass of wine in hand. “About family… Success… Glory.”

Lorelei clutched Draco’s arm as they listened.

“The Malfoy family motto has always been… ‘Sanctimonia Vincet Semper’. Purity will always conquer,” she said informatively. “But purity is about more than just blood.”

There were various nods and murmurs of agreement throughout the room.

“Purity is about integrity, and truth, and power. Purity is the standard by which our family has always measured itself… It is the supporting pillar without which greatness does not last,” Narcissa glanced at her son, beaming proudly. “I just as any mother would be, I am endlessly proud of our son and heir, Draco, for the purity of his character, and his power, as the strong, confident, and brilliant young man he is today. Sixteen years old, and already making your mother and father proud.”

Draco nodded solemnly to his mother as he politely raised his glass.

“Draco, I have come to love you, and respect you, more than anyone else I have ever known. And I know that the same can be said for our entire family,” Narcissa spoke confidently, “Which I would be proud to see our young Lorelei truly become a part of someday… as the esteemed Malfoy and Morrigan families come together. On behalf of Lucius and I… toast, Draco and Lorelei. To your future,” she said finally, holding her glass high.

Lorelei followed, along with all the others, as everyone drank to Narcissa’s toast, honoring not only Draco, but their relationship as well. Lorelei sipped her champagne eagerly, savoring the taste as she saw glimmer of hatred in both Theodore Nott and Pansy Parkinson’s eyes. Lorelei fought the urge to laugh, adorned in her diamonds and pearls, knowing for sure now that she had finally won.

With the support of not only Draco, but the Malfoy and Lestrange families as well, Lorelei knew that she would truly become the queen bee of their respective social circle. Her laughter that night was hearty and genuine as everyone congratulated both Draco and herself. Another hour or so into the night, Lorelei couldn’t even find Pansy, who had been so keen on everyone noticing her embarrassingly eye-catching silver dress when she and Theo had first arrived.

But the best part was, that Lorelei didn’t even need to know. Theo and Pansy no longer posed any real threat to either of them. The world was theirs. It hardly mattered to her that Pansy had run out of the room, sick to her stomach the moment Narcissa had announced that Draco and Lorelei would someday be married. And Lorelei didn’t see Theo for the rest of the night, until she looked up and saw him standing above everyone else, eyes narrowed like a hawk as he coveted Draco’s success.

Lorelei stifled a laugh as she politely left the party for a brief moment, heading out to one of the balconies in search of Pansy. Eventually, she had walked out alone, lightly closing the door behind her as she watched the girl with her face in her hands over the railing, sobbing uncontrollably.

“I brought you wine,” Lorelei said softly, as Pansy whipped around. “I thought you might need it. Tonight, in the years to come…”

Pansy Parkinson said nothing at first, taking the glass from her as she wiped away her mess of tears. Eventually, she looked up at Lorelei, with her perfect hair and perfect makeup, and stunning dress.

“You’re evil,” Pansy said, as Lorelei nearly blushed.

“I don’t believe in evil,” Lorelei said finally, sipping on golden champagne.

“Says the wicked bitch,” Pansy stared through her black tear-stained eyes.

“Evil is a lie we tell children to explain death, and sickness,” she sighed with boredom. “In real life, there is only power, and weakness.”

“Is that why you stole Draco from me?” Pansy asked.

Lorelei smiled, gesturing with her glass.

“Don’t you get it, you stupid girl? He was never yours.”

She had nothing else to say before she found her way back to Draco, who seemed to be doing fine considering the circumstances. Draco clung to her as they continued to make their rounds, establishing a presence. His fingernails dug roughly into her arm as they stood together, watching with widened eyes as Narcissa introduced the surprise guest of the night.

“Everyone,” Narcissa said proudly, with the room practically on its knees. “The Dark Lord.”

Draco and Lorelei both forced pleasant smiles as the mood shifted completely. In a strange way, it was an eerie sort of demonstration of power on Narcissa’s part, introducing the most feared wizard in history as her guest of honor.

-

Chapter Twenty-Five

[utilitycaster]

Why do you think Imogen/Laudna is not comparable to Caleb/Veth? At the start of C3, I thought they were similar and thought it was a strange how much Imogen/Laudna was being held up as the pinnacle of relationships in comparison to the hate/minimization that Caleb/Veth got. But I rewatched C2E27 and remembered how honestly they talked through their disagreement, which was way different from Imogen/Laudna's C3E27 reconciliation after the gnarlrock drama. What are your thoughts about it?

(got another anon on this as well as I was writing this up, so other anon, this is also for you!)

That's exactly the same moment I was thinking of! Veth and Caleb are able to disagree with each other in a way Imogen and Laudna aren't. Honestly, even from earlier, they're able to ask things of each other - Caleb outright asks Nott if she'll run away with him, alone, away from the group, if his reveal to Beau goes badly. Nott, even when half the party is missing, in the wake of Molly's death, when all she has is Beau (who she's known for a month and a half) and two allies she's known for a couple of days at most, is able to say "Wrong." to Caleb about something as important, but also as unnecessary as admitting that he cares about the other party members as friends, not just useful alliances. And that's the other thing - Nott is actively encouraging Caleb to make other connections and embracing her own new friendships, and she's willing to risk Caleb being mad with her - which for her, means risking her chance to get back her own body and life - to do it. And this is after less than a year of knowing him.

Laudna can't even say "will you promise not to side with the person who murdered me," let alone point out that Otohan also murdered Fearne, Orym, Eshteross, and Orym's husband and father-in law or that Ludinus casually destroyed Kadija's mind. She can't say this to someone she's lived and traveled with for two years, when the other five party members would all agree with her and stand by her. There's no trust. You know the phrase "if you love someone, let them go?" Laudna's too terrified to let go, and Veth isn't.

(I should note - I like Caleb and Veth's dynamic a lot but I never shipped them; but I also will defend them against anyone who denies that there were feelings, or who tries to pretend that Veth's statement that Caleb was like a son to her overrides her later statements about having a crush, or, you know, the fact that they aren't actually related so who the fuck cares. I mean, Vex and Keyleth canonically tell each other they consider each other sisters and that never stopped anyone. So this does come from a place of not shipping either of these pairs.)

So this is why "Imogen and Laudna were never given choices" statement is so hollow and meaningless. Because they're rendering themselves powerless and stripping themselves of all choices. They can't draw boundaries. (For what it's worth, Campaign 1's codependent pair, the twins, are able to draw boundaries without issue; Vax tells Vex to lay off Keyleth quite explicitly despite having only recently agonized over being separated from her for a few days). They can't choose themselves. They can't challenge each other or encourage each other's growth or ask something so important and yet so small as being honest with one's self. They're just so stuck in this holding pattern, even after they've grown in power and seen the possibility of losing each other, whereas Caleb and Veth's relationship constantly changes as they support and challenge each other and ask things of each other. You know what Veth does in episode 48 of that campaign? She screams at Caleb in anger because people connected to him hurt her family, even though Caleb has long since left those people and was a victim himself. Laudna can't even stand up for herself to Imogen (and we know Laudna can stand up for herself; that's what she's doing in the scene with Ashton) against her own murderer, even as Imogen outright entertains the possibility of allying with the Vanguard.

Caleb and Veth trust each other and themselves to still love and care for each other if they disagree. Laudna and Imogen do not.

[360iris]

do you have any wips? sorry i’m just curious, i’m in love with your writing

Luv, Hold Me Down (Sirius Black x Reader, WIP)

Warning: Mature themes? I don’t know with this one.

Word count: 2,209

A/N: You’re gonna hate my ass because I have zero intention to finish the smut on this one shdhd. Maybe when I’m less busy I’ll come back and update it (although not atm). There are typos galore too so I’m sorry in advance!

—————————————-

The infamous Bubblegum Bomb Incident of 1972. Casualties: one.

During Year Two, Sirius had resolved to get revenge on Cissy’s insufferable boyfriend ever since he tripped him in the halls to get a laugh out of his Slytherin lackeys; and what better way to do that than ruining his precious platinum locks.

It was suppose to be a quick and untraceable procedure. He’d get to personally serve Lucius his own brand of justice and the job would be completed without having to suffer detention.

If only you hadn’t been rushing through the halls that day.

Lunch had just ended, and you were haphazardly ducking and dodging through the wave of students, on your way to visit Remus. He’d been sentenced to a strict, three day period of consistent bed-rest in the infirmary after a particularly bad transformation.

You’d just wanted to bring him a slice of his favorite Hogwarts style coconut cream pie, but one wrong turn and you were suddenly bombarded with three quick pelts of homemade exploding bubblegum bullets.

Sirius had designed them to be quick and lethal with their distribution of rubbery goo so that the target's hair was sure to be ruined.

The first shot sent the small plate in your hands completely airborne. The next two hit you square in the chest, knocking you fully onto your back.

The aftermath was so extreme that it took the combined effort of Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and eventually, the guiding hand of Madam Pomfrey to free you from the sticky sludge and off of the stone pavement.

By the time they’d got to the infirmary, your entire head of hair had been deemed unsalvageable by sweet Poppy, and the only thing she could figure to do was shave it clean off by hand.

You’d spent the next two days unexpectedly alongside a tired Remus, confined in the sick bay, crying your eyes out hysterically. You’d had no idea who had done this to you or why.

That was until the third day, when Poppy finally allowed visitors in, in hopes of lifting your spirits.

Your guests included:

An empathetic Lily and Mary, both girls bringing you and Remus an abundance of flowers from the greenhouses, with explicit approval from Professor Sprout; alongside the homework you’d missed and plenty of junk foods.

An overzealous Marlene who’d spent the entirety of the three days drafting up and collecting signatures for a petition to permanently ban disruptive joke shop type inventions.

And lastly, an uncharacteristically stonefaced James and solemn Sirius who both quietly observed the crucially placed scarf on your head meant to distract from your current state of baldness.

“Go on then. Tell her, man. It’s only proper.” James said abruptly with folded arms, for the first time ever foregoing his usual impeccable home-taught manners and any form of courteous greetings altogether.

You watched confused as Sirius stood some several feet away, staring directly down at his shoes. After another coarse verbal prod from James, he stepped forward, eyes wide and brows furrowed.

“I- You have to understand, I couldn’t have known, Y/N! It happened so suddenly and before I knew it, it was too late!” He pleaded desperately and you weren’t quite understanding what he meant.

“I don’t follow, Sirius. What are you on about?” You asked, watching as he began wringing his hands.

He looked over to James again, seemingly pleading for aid that wouldn’t come. James looked positively severe, intent on standing by his decision to have the boy do this by himself.

“I- I was the one who blew the gum bullets.” Sirius finally whispered, looking positively terrified of your reaction. “But I didn’t intend on hitting you, I promise! It was for that git Malfoy! Remember when he tripped me in front of all of those sixth years last month? I’d been working on a way to get him back ever since! You’ve got to believe me, Y/N!”

But you’d stopped listening after the initial reveal. Your blood ran cold and it was hard to focus on anything in particular before suddenly all of your senses came rushing back in, and you were furious.

And even though James and Remus had been gauging your response, neither could have been quick enough to match the speed at which you pulled off both of your slippers and hurled them at the older boy’s face.

Successfully managing to clock him so hard, he reflexively reached up to clutch his sore, but still intact nose.

After that day, you had deemed Sirius public enemy number one, he managed to outrank even the silver-spoon fed Slytherins and that antagonizing blight, Peeves.

While there were tonics for quickening hair growth, you cursed Sirius Orion Black, every time you had to awkwardly apply a plethora of random oils to your scalp and walk around campus bald for an entire semester.

When he looked your way, you glared back mercilessly. If he dared to even address you, your responses were far from being deemed PG-13.

He’d spent the first six months wearily but consistently trying to apologize, however the damage had already been done, and it’d destroyed any semblance of friendship he’d crafted with you beforehand.

So after a while, he gave up. If you were going to hate him regardless of his actions, he figured he might as well stand up for himself during the bickering matches that transpired whenever the two of you were less than six feet apart.

Over the years, you’d remained bestfriends with Remus and James, though they could never hang out with the both of you at the same time.

For example, if you were eating breakfast with the two boys in The Great Hall and Sirius arrived late after sleeping in, you’d promptly roll your eyes and slide away to talk with Lily.

——

“That most definitely is not healthy, James.” You grimaced, tilting your head back laughing. The book in your lap, long since abandoned from the moment your bestfriends entered the common room.

“Muggle five second rule, Y/N! You were the one who told me about it to begin with!” He grinned from his spot sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of you.

You couldn’t help bursting into a fit of giggles, desperately trying to respond. “Rem- Remus! Please! Inform him that it doesn't apply to dropping a sandwich down an entire flight of stairs!”

“Believe me I tried, but he seemed pretty determined to eat it, hair and all after catching up to it.” Remus replied softly, a fond smile playing on his lips as you began making gagging noises of disgust.

“No! James Fleamont Potter, tell me you didn’t actually eat hair!” You laughed, extending your socked foot to shove him.

“I will suffice by just saying that, there may or may not have been a stray hair or two on it when I picked it up- Oh! Sirius, how was detention?” James trailed off to greet a certain boy and your demeanor immediately soured.

Your textbook on alchemical runes suddenly seemed like the most interesting thing in the world.

“It was worth it. Mcgonagall must be getting tired of me because she had me choose a book and read for three hours. Don’t let me interrupt the fun though. Looks like you’ve finally coaxed the Ice Queen to defrost for a bit. Shame I wasn’t here to see it.” He remarks, and you didn’t need to be looking at him to know he was wearing that infuriating smirk.

“Don’t worry, Black. I’ll never be able to truly relax knowing you’re still out running amuck. Next time you get written up, I’ll be sure to beg Mcgonagall to keep you chained outside with the rest of the wild animals.” An acute look of disgust etches across your face as you close your book, promptly shoving it into your bag.

“If you’re so desperate to see me in a collar, the person you need to be begging is right in front of you, doll.”

You could not have rolled your eyes harder at his remark. In a huff, you tug the strap of your bag around your frame and stand indignantly.

“You’re actually right for once. James? Keep your mutt on a tighter leash, before I’m forced to be the one that puts him down.” You sneer, flipping your hair over one shoulder and striding up to the girls dormitory before he can get in another word.

Remus sighed, unhappily leaning back against the couch he was currently sprawled across. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”

Sirius watched as your figure disappeared up the stairs before turning to the boy, a dumb smile playing on his lips.

“She doesn’t hate me nearly as much as she tries to make you believe.” Was all he offered giddily before skillfully changing the subject.

———

Much like the infamous playboy Sirius Black, you were known for how frequently you broke the hearts of anyone you hooked up with. They found that sex with you was a spiritual experience, but were usually crushed when you made it clear you weren’t interested in recurring partners.

When Gryffindor’s Quidditch team won a mid-season match against Ravenclaw, James was relentless in persuading you to come to the after party. And though you weren’t originally keen on the idea, you figured it’d be an ample opportunity to relieve some stress.

The night had gone well. You’d garnered a nice buzz from the punch James made in his dorm and had your eyes fixed on Theodore Nott who’d been snuck in by Marlene.

Sirius, who was working his way onto his third cup of punch, watched you make eyes with the Slytherin boy from across the room.

He sat silently seething as you adjusted in your spot on the couch, crossing your legs while holding that snake’s gaze. In the end, all it took was the simple curl of your index finger for Theodore to hand his drink to an unimpressed Marlene and approach you.

Sirius watched as the two of you exchanged a handful of words before you sultrily dragged the boy away by his collar.

It took a minute for him to register that the styrofoam cup in his grasp was crushed.

After grabbing a napkin, he irritatedly ran a hand through his hair and his breath was ragged.

Why did he care that you were probably seconds from fucking a random guy? He definitely wasn’t one to judge, he’d been with plenty of people over the years.

However, no matter how many times he rolled the idea around in his head, he was getting angrier by the minute.

Remus approached him to spark up a conversation, but he was already slipping past him, towards the direction he watched you disappear to earlier.

He found you in the hallway, lip-locked with Theodore who had a grip on one of your exposed thighs. Meanwhile your hands were tangled in his hair.

Sirius’ body switched into autopilot, moving at such a speed that his brain couldn’t even keep pace.

He had harshly pulled the boy off of you, slung you onto his shoulder and made his way to his dorm. Partygoers standing confused as you beat his back, yelling at him to let you go. Once he’s on the stairs away from prying eyes, he delivers a sharp slap to the exposed skin on your thigh.

“Stop screaming bloody murder, Y/L/N.” is all he says and you bite your lip at the sting.

By the time he locked his door and tossed you onto his bed you’re looking at him like he’s insane. Scurrying to get off the mattress but he quickly grabs you ankle, pulling you back to where he dropped you.

“What the fuck has gotten into you!?” You hiss, watching him run a hand through his locks.

“I’m tired of waiting for you to stop being a brat and realize you like me. Tired of watching you hop on random dicks that aren’t mine. You want to get laid tonight? Fine, fuck me then.” He growls and you’re instantly overwhelmed.

“Did a screw come loose in your head? I don’t know what the hell you’re on but I’m not fucking you all people!” You respond by grasping a pillow from his bed and chucking it at his head. He easily catches it with a roll of his eyes.

“I’ve loved you since our first year, Y/N. And I’ve observed you long enough to know if you genuinely hated me or not.” He confesses and you freeze. His eyes were crystal clear and you’re at a loss of words so he continues.

He gently grasps one of your hands, bringing it up over his heart. You can very faintly feel his heart racing and your brows furrow. He was actually being genuine.

“You want fuck me so bad you’ve officially gone stupid?” You ask but he sees the tiniest smirk on your lips. And for whatever reason, you actually let him move in to kiss you.

He jumps a bit when you bite his bottom lip and you giggle before he’s pressing you back onto the bed.

It’s a fight for dominance, neither of you wanting to be the one that relents.

[littlemissnoname13]

Deafening Silence (Draco x Slytherin!reader) 

Summary: Draco leaves the reader to go to the room of requirement during the battle of Hogwarts.

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x Reader ft. Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson

Warnings: this is my first post ever, Death, Angst, cliches, mature language, mcd, multiple POVs

~~~~~

Y/n’s POV

Anxious whispers, fearful whimpers, and footsteps pacing back and forth was all that could be heard coming from the dungeons. Some seventh years were comforting sniffling second years. A group of fifth years were sitting on the floor with solemn expressions on their faces.

You weren’t sure what to feel anymore. It was like you had a heavy heart.

“Do you think they are going to be back anytime soon?” You asked your friends Pansy and Theo while you kept pacing back and forth. It felt like the only thing you could do.

“I-I don't know.” Pansy said staring out the window at the lake.

“Well It’s been more than an hour Pansy! Draco said he’d be back here in an hour.”

“I know.I know.” Pansy sighed in defeat.

You let out your own anxious sigh and rested your palms against the glass window. “This is stupid. Why aren’t we out there fighting?”

“It is stupid isn’t it?” Theodore finally spoke after being quiet for almost an eternity. “But look at all the panic stricken and terrified first years in here. Call it self preservation, call it selfishness. But someone needs to stay here and look out for them.They are our people.”

You couldn’t do anything else but nod at him before pulling your wand out of your pocket.

“What are you doing?” Pansy asked, looking at you with her tired eyes.

“I refuse to stay in here and watch them destroy everything that we’ve ever cared about!—I am not going to sit around and wait for the war to be over.” You said firmly as you walked away from your friends. “I am going to fight. I am going to look for him.”

“But he said he is coming back. Wait a little longer y/n.” Theo pointed out.

“I have!” You cried out. “Don't you see? I have waited long enough. I-I cannot do this anymore.”

Before your friends could even manage to reply, you ran frantically away from the Slytherins and across the hallway keeping your eyes open for a wavy mop of blonde hair.

Thoughts about every worst case scenario that could have possibly taken place washed all over your mind when you saw no sign of him anywhere.

It was difficult to keep your spirits and your hopes up when the school that you had grown up in looked nothing like the way It always did. There was dust, smoke and rubble everywhere along with the bodies of the fallen.

It was difficult to tell which side those people were fighting for. Because in the end, everyone was merely flesh and bones after all.

Everyone bled the same color. Pure blood, Half blood, muggle born. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff.

You ran with your hand clasped tightly onto your wand. Ready to dodge hexes and disarm.

But to your surprise, the hallway was dead silent.

You tried to stay as focused and alert as possible as you navigated your way towards the seventh floor.

You had to find Draco.

You let out a breath you weren’t even aware you were holding when the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy came into view and an uncontrollable smile formed on your quivering lip when you saw Draco standing outside the Room of requirement.

He was alive.

Adrenaline rushed through your veins as you got ready to run to him. The separation had driven you mad.

He was alive. Everything was going to be okay.

But your relief was short lived.

The tiny flicker of hope in your heart quickly morphed into horror when your eyes fell on an injured and disarmed Ravenclaw and a death eater with his wand pointed directly at him opposite to the direction you were headed.

“Explelliarmus!” You yelled as you successfully disarmed the death eater.

“Watch out y/n. He’s right behind you!” The ravenclaw cried out but before you could turn even around there was a spark of blinding green light.

“Avada Kedavra.”

~~~

Draco’s POV

Draco had narrowly escaped death from the fiend fire that had been set ablaze in the room of requirement. His clothes were covered in dust and smoke but he did not care one bit.

He promised you he’d come back for you and he’d intended on keeping that promise.

Draco ran.

He ran like his entire life depended on it.

He paused when his eyes fell on a Ravenclaw boy slumped lifelessly on the floor. He then caught a glimpse of an eerily familiar Slytherin girl that lay a little further from him.

It couldn’t be. Could it?

The same shiny y/h/c hair, the same wand.

But this wasn’t y/n. Y/n can’t die just like that.

Whoever this girl was, her skin had no color. Her soulless eyes stared into the abyss.

~~~~~

Theodore’s POV

Theodore Nott found Draco Malfoy near the room of requirement with a blank expression on his face.

And the sight made him feel as if someone had reached inside of his rib cage and yanked his beating heart out.

The lifeless body of one of his closest friends lay limp on the floor.

“D-Draco. I’m so sorry.” Theo stammered trying to make sense of the scene unfolding in front of him.

“Why are you sorry? That’s not y/n!” Draco screamed in denial, turning to face him. “Y/n can’t die just like that!”

Theo watched Draco fall to his knees next to his girl who was clad in dusty green robes.

“Y/n?” Malfoy whispered, pulling her into his arms.

“Y/n. Wake up.” He said slightly louder as he shook her unresponsive body.

“I’m here now.”

Silence.

He shook her slightly more this time. “Don’t leave me. Please darling just wake up.”

Silence.

And then, the entire hallway was then filled with nothing but sobs and agonising screams.

“WAKE UP! Y/N PLEASE!”

~~~

Draco’s POV

The sun was hidden between thick, and angry clouds waiting to explode into infinite rain drops at any given second and it felt as if the universe was silently grieving too.

The memorial was just the way memorials usually were.

A mass of people dressed in black, flowers and Y/n’s photographs displayed.

Draco slowly ran his fingers along your photograph. You wore a smile that stretched from ear to ear and a soft looking cashmere sweater. Your hair swayed wildly in all directions and he wondered if he could just take the photograph with him and run off.

Disappear.

People raised their wands in your memory and gave long and wordy eulogies. For Draco though, nothing anyone said seemed to be enough to describe you.

Everything people said felt like a bunch of empty words.

Draco must have been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice that people had slowly started to leave.

He let out a startled gasp as he felt Pansy’s hand on his left arm and Theo’s hand on his right.

“Let’s go Draco.”

“You guys go on ahead.” He mumbled. “I want to stay a little longer.”

Pansy and Theo hugged Draco once more and walked away. He had never before seen Pansy so meek. He could tell that she wasn’t taking the loss of her dearest friend very well either.

In the grand scheme of things, no one had really imagined losing y/n so early.

Draco felt a cold drop of rain fall on his cheek as he kneeled down and placed a single daisy he’d brought with him on the casket.

Raindrops soon multiplied as Draco slowly looked up into the sky.

It was like the universe couldn’t hold the pain in any longer.

And neither could he.

[jadedxrealityw]

-Chapstick- Pansy Parkinson x Female Reader

    ☼-☪-☼

   Kody: the lesbians have risen

  Request: pansy x reader where they are friends & reader loves chapsticks very much because chapped lips also the taste and the smell are cute ?? and then she has different variants of it. Pans could smell it sometimes when she purposely gets closer, got curious one time and asked for it and she casually gave it. One time Pans asked what flavour was the one on her lips right now because it's different from the usual??? and reader was like see for yourself and then they ki- IM SO GAY FOR PANSY PARKINSON - 💐

  House: Slytherin

  Possible Triggers / Warnings: lesbian power couple baby, cursing, y/n being a bottom, making out. 

    ☼-☪-☼

   since day one you had been best friends with Pansy Parkinson. Even in your small little friend group that consisted of Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, and Theodore Nott, you just gravitated towards Pansy more. Maybe it was because you were both girls or the fact that you had met her first.

   throughout your school years you and Pansy were like a power duo. Some were scared, some wanted your title, and the rest despised you both. Even with all the popularity you weren’t mean or cude to people who didn’t deserve it. Kill them with kindness is what you’d always say.

   around your 6th year is when you enveloped your slight chapstick addiction. You had noticed your lips become more flaking and chapped as you grew up so over the summer when you visited america you bought a pack with a variety of different flavors. 

   Pansy made fun of you at first because of how quickly you had started to buy more and more until you had a collection. After all the teasing you two developed a sort of game you could say. Anytime Pansy could smell the chapstick on you she would try and guess what scent it was.

   at first it was cute and friendly, but out of nowhere she would grab your face and bring it close to hers so she could smell the chapstick. It would be so sudden and make your stomach twist in a way you had never felt before, especially when she would send you a wink after she backed away. 

   after a lot of thinking and ‘therapy’ sessions with Theo you had come to the conclusion that you had fell for your best friend. It was very cheesy, but it was true. Pansy Parkinson had stolen your heart and you terrified at the power she held over you.

    ☼-☪-☼

   7th year

   you were practically running towards the field, hoping the outfit you chose would keep you warm enough in the nippy weather. You did not want to be late to Draco and Blaises quidditch match against Gryffindor. Of course you cheered on your friends, who wouldn’t?

   you began to climb up the stairs to make your way into the stands. Once you make it to the top you gaze through the crowd and spot the familiar black haired female leaning back to look up at the sky. She looked very focused on something in the sky.

   Pansy was wearing a large black sweater with some kind of white t-shirt sticking out from the bottom with matching black pants and shoes. She looked in casual clothes- in anything really. You make your way through the crowd, pushing past a couple people while mumbling ‘excuse me’ and such.

   you take a seat next to Pansy who looks back down to face you “Thought you weren’t gonna show. You look nice by the way” she comments and you shake your head. You were wearing a black crop with matching pants and a oversized navy blue hoodie. 

   your stomach twist like many times before. “Thanks” you reply before suddenly realizing you were missing a friend “Where’s Theo?” you ask. Pansy lifts up her hand to point in front of her. You follow her finger until you spot the back of Theos head “He wanted to be closer to watch Blaise”

   you nod once before you heard Lee Jordan begin the announcements.

    ☼-☪-☼

   while watching a breeze blew past you and towards Pansy. The Slytherin girls nose scrunched up as she smelled something, something fruity? (because your gay duh) She turns to look at you, brown eyes narrowed. You felt her eyes on you and face her “What?-” 

   Pansy grabs your face with both of her hands. You could feel the cold metal of the rings she wore against your cheek. Pansy leans in close, her nose centimeters from your mouth. You could hear her sniff as your face began to feel hot. 

   she was so close. The smell of hrt minty breath from her gum she had been chewing made everything in your body flare up. It was only a second, but felt like hours before she pulled away “Your wearing strawberry” Pansy had a cocky smirk on her face as she spoke, her hands slowly falling from your face

   you blink mindlessly as you reach into the packet of your jacket. You pull out the tube of strawberry chapstick. Pansy’s smirk only grows wider “Knew it, what's my prize?” she asked. Your face twist a bit. A prize? She had never asked for one before.

   “What do you want?”

   “A Kiss”

   your mouth opens a bit to speak, but you choke on your words instead. Pansy lets out a chuckle and turns to face forward again “I’m only kidding”

    ☼-☪-☼

   you were walking alongside Pansy, Theo, Draco and Blaise. You were all leaving the quidditch field and head back to the common room. Slytherin had won and the team was going out for butterbeer at the three broomsticks. Draco and Blaise had opted out saying they wanted to celebrate with close friends.

   just you guys, how sweet.

   “So- did Y/n and Pans. I flew past you guys and for a brief second and i swore i saw you guys making out” Draco spoke making Blaise and Theo laugh. “You guys were what now? I knew you were close, but no that close damn” Draco adds were made the boys laugh even harder.

   you roll your eyes playfully and walk behind behind Draco. He doesn’t see you as you wack the back of his head “Ow!” he exclaimed. Pansy chuckles “We were not making out by the way. I was smelling her chapstick” she explains. The boys nod and silence consumes you all after that.

   that is until Theo speaks up “That’s still gay”

    ☼-☪-☼

   you all spent the night together, talking, goofing around, and drinking firewhiskey. It was a fun idea at the time, but you all got wasted more than you’d like to admit. Your E/c eyes open slowly and your met with skin? You lift your head up, you were laying on top of Pansy.

   Y/n.exe has stopped working

   she was wearing her black flannel pants as well as her matching sports bra. Your heart might have stopped right then and there. You look down at what you were wearing and noticed you only had your undergarments and Pansy’s sweater that she had worn at the game. 

   before having time to freak the hell out you heard the black haired girl mumble under you “morning” she mumbles, her eyes opening slowly. You give her a half smile before sitting up “Um- how did- how did i end up here?” you ask. Pansy uses her elbows to prop herself up.

   she pushes her bangs from her face. They had began to grow over her eyes, but refused to cut them after you said you liked them longer. “You got a bit tipsy so i brought you here to rest. As well as those three” she says and points to the floor. You raise a brow and crawl to the edge of the bed.

   on the floor was Blaise and Theo cuddling on the ground. Cute. Draco was laying next to Blaise curled up in a ball with a blanket over him. Also cute. “Damn, i guess you played mom for a bit huh?” you joke, sitting back down on the bed. 

   Pansy shrugs her shoulders “You could say that. Your hug things in your sleep, did you know that?”

   “I’m sorry what?”

    ☼-☪-☼

   later in the day you were in your own dorm room studying for an exam in charms you had the next day. While writing down a few notes you heard your door open. You place the quill down and turn in your chair to see Pansy at the door. 

   she had on a black t-shirt with a sheer long sleeve one underneath, black pants with a white dragon that stopped above her ankles and black socks with checkered vans. Pansy had a plate of food in each hand “Theo told me you hadn’t eaten lunch yet so i brought you some.”

   “You look cute by the way” she adds with a wink

   you smile lightly and pat the chair next to yours “I’m guessing you came to eat with me as well?” you ask and she nods, taking a seat. She places the plate of food in front of you and places her down as well. Pansy began to move your textbooks around as you reached into the pocket off your black jeans.

   you pulled out your new chapstick ‘fruit punch’ and took off the cap. You smear it on your bottom lip before popping the cap back on and into your pocket while rubbing both your lips together to apply it evenly. Pansy smells something fruity again and smiles lightly.

   except for this smelt different. Way different. Nothing you had worn before.

   Pansy looks at you as you grab a fork with a amused smirk “New chapstick?” she asked. You noticed her playful tone. Turning in your sea you face Pansy “Maybe, maybe not” you say vaguely, shrugging your shoulders. Pansy rolls her eyes and faces you too.

   like last time she reaches up and grabs your face, pulling it close to hers. You hear her sniff just like before, but this time her eyebrows furrow “What the fuck is that?” she asks, making you laugh quietly “Can’t figure it out?” you tease. Her brown eyes narrow into a glare “Shut up” she hisses.

   what a baby

   Pansy stays like that for a couple seconds before exhaling loudly “What the hell is it” she grumbles. A risky idea popped into your mind in an instant. It was dumb, but you were so tired of just being friends with her. You were willing to risk it all in one question.

   “See for yourself then”

   you couldn’t really remember much between the the couple seconds of silence. All you remember is Pansy’s lips on your feverishly. She leaned into kiss you deeper, making you almost fall out the chair. She was not taking it slow in the slightest.

   As Pansy’s mouth moves against yours she leans down and uses her hands to scoop up your thighs. She lifts you up and you wrap your arms around her waist tightly, making Pansy let out a muffled noise. You felt a hard surface hit your back and assumed Pansy had leant you against the wall.

   Pansy ran her tongue against your bottom lip. You open your mouth slightly for her and Pansy’s tongue slipped into your mouth instantly. You felt a cold piece of metal on your tongue that connected to hers. It took you a second to process what it was.

   she had a tongue piercing

   “You have a tongue piercing?” you ask between hot kisses. You feel her smirk against your lips as one hand traces circles on your exposed stomach. She pulls away for a moment “Yeah. Problem?” she questions, panting slightly. You shake your head quickly “Nope- it’s just really hot”

    ☼-☪-☼

   an hour later

   “You owe me ten galleons” Draco spoke.

   Blaise groans and reaches into his pocket to dig out the money and place it in his hands “Yeah, yeah whatever” he grumbles.

   Theo smiles happily “I’m so happy for them!”

   Draco nods slowly “I’m pretty sure the whole house heard them though”

    ☼-☪-☼

   Taglist: @the--queen-of-hell @sonbelleame @dracosathenaeum @pxroxide-prinxcesss 

    ☼-☪-☼

   Kody- lesbian things lesbian things. Anyways request are open, peace.

[comehomeducklings]

Present [Part 4] (Obsession)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

Tom Riddle's Moodboard

Main Character's Moodboard

~////////////////𓆙////////////////~

1943 ~ 6th year

“What would be the purpose of a wizard or witch to prepare a Polyjuice potion?” Slughorn asks. “Yes, Mr. Riddle?”

Tom drops his hand from the air, “The potion grants the drinker to take the form of another.”

“Yes! And what would happen if said drinker tried to transform into an animal?”

I know this one so I lift my hand.

“Go ahead.”

I clear my throat, “When the human drinker tries to transform into an animal they would not take its complete form. Only sections of said animal.”

Slughorn nods his head, “Can they reverse after a bit of time like normally?”

“No,” I answered. “It takes an extremely long time to wear off, and you might even have to go to the hospital wing.”

He grins and continues to write on the chalkboard. Even though he can enchant the writer's tool to note down itself, I’m guessing he prefers the old-fashioned way.

Tom and I are even on points. When he answers correctly, I also do right after him. I can see him noting down both our points on the corner of his parchment. The black tally marks standing out. Our points are on my paper as well, just in case he decides to cheat. No chances are being taken today, or tomorrow.

“How long does the potion wear off if made correctly?”

Riddle and I both shoot our hands up. His demeanor is calm and collected while I'm sitting on my feet to have my arm raised higher than his. It’s not very fair that his arms are the length of mine to the third power.

“Mr. Nott, what do you know?”

“A single dose could last from 10 minutes to 12 hours.”

Another question wasted by not getting called on. I don’t mind that much since it doesn't keep me behind. Riddle seems to care a little bit too much. His competitive side is showing and I guess his pal is ruining the race.

Professor stole our textbooks for this pop quiz. The rapid-fire questions should “already be memorized and known,” down to the molecular detail. My knowledge only goes so far.

I trust myself, to a point. There’s definitely going to be a question I get wrong and I’m already dreading it. Every answer that falls out of my mouth is examined and thought over ten times before the action of answering arises.

“For something a little different, Mr. Riddle come to the front of the classroom and write four ingredients that are needed for the potion.”

He stands up and pushes his chair in. His eyes as cold as The Black Lake. While he makes his way toward the board I cross my fingers, hoping he forgets one. I know that’s not the kindest, but nothing with him is necessarily “kind.”

There he goes, writing all four ingredients with ease. His handwriting is beautiful. How does he honestly do that? Does he practice every single day to get it that precise?

Maybe I should practice to improve as well. Honestly embarrassing how bad my handwriting seems next to his. We compared essays once, never again. That was the most embarrassing moment of my life. He just laughed at me and kept pointing out how weird my f’s looked.

I swear my letters weren’t that bad. It’s just that he overachieves everything. Now I rewrite every “f” letter that appears on my homework. Thank you for the new insecurity, Riddle.

“Very good! Very good, your turn,” he points towards me. “Three more ingredients this time.”

While I stand in front of the board, I check out what he has already put down. Lacewig flies, leeches, okay not bad. Knotgrass and the hair of the person the drinker will transform into.

He numbered them so I continued on from that.

5) Boomslang skin

6) Fluxweed

Last one, let's see. We already put Lacewig flies, Knotgrass, hair, the skin, and Fluxweed. I hesitate for a little bit, my brain working at high speed. Anxiety levels are higher than Mount Everest.

7) Powdered Bicorn Horn

There we go, I smile to myself proudly. When I turn back around my eyes meet his. He smirks and nods while he writes down a point for both of us. I’m not sure that it counts for four points, just one.

The questions go on for quite a bit. Our tally marks are piling higher and higher. Each of our count's neck and neck for the top spot.

“What is the brewing time?”

“About a month.”

“How does the potion look before the addition of the final ingredient?”

“Thick like the mud after it pours.”

“It also is bubbling.”

“How does it look after adding the final ingredient?”

“Depends on who the witch or wizard made the potion to look like.”

“Varies in taste and color.”

He seems to be done with questions so Tom and I start counting the marks. On my paper, I seem to be .5 points ahead of him. I quickly look his way to see him come to the same conclusion. He takes a deep breath and casts his eyes to the side. Tom then tilts his quill my way signaling that I did indeed win.

I’m about to squeal quite highly but then I recollect I’m in a classroom. Full of people who are terrified to be anywhere in this castle. That would be quite inappropriate of me so I keep my excitement to myself.

Professor Slughorn wipes the whole board away. Clearing all the information we were learning and reviewing about.

“When I pair you up, each of you will grab the right ingredients for this potion and lay it near the front of your desk,” he says. “It should be laid in the order you would normally use when making the concoction.”

“First up, Miss Horn and Miss Yellowbo.”

The classroom starts to move with life as students pair with one another. Some cheerful noises and annoyed ones from who they ended up with. Most of us here know each other. I don’t think I would mind having anyone in this room as my partner.

“Mr. Riddle and-”

Of course, it’s me. Starting to think the pairings’ on purpose. His face shines too brightly for it not to be well planned out. I make my way to the shelves to start out picking the ingredients.

There’s always a moment where my mind decides to give up on me. Most of the elements are obtained. A few are missing.

I’m going over the variety of bottles containing different substances when I feel a looming pressure on my back. An arm slightly grazes past my ear and picks up Fluxweed.

“How do you manage to forget the very ingredient you wrote down on the board?” Toms whispers right by my ear.

I shift my eyesight to the side to see him already looking at me, “Sorry, I blanked out a little.”

He starts seizing half of the ingredients into his hold. I don’t really mind carrying a couple, but I’m just left with one bottle after he takes most of my possessions.

“Taking all the credit now I see,” I tilt my head as I raise my chin to meet his tall build.

“You were about to spill everything. I’m saving you from embarrassment,” he responds cockily.

I started to argue but he already made his way back to the desk, “Everything was perfectly stable in my arms.”

He continues to ignore me and sets down everything. Including the one bottled ingredient in my hand that he snatched just a few moments ago.

“Nothing is ever perfectly stable with you.”

I’m about to whisper a word no children should hear before Slughorn makes his way to our table. Saving Riddle from my rising annoyance.

“Wonderful! You too got all of them perfectly,” he starts. “I would expect no less from my star students.”

All I do is smile brightly in respect. Trying not to drive any more attention to the outburst of pride he has for us.

“Thank you, professor,” Tom says. He starts picking the ingredients off of the table, still barely letting me take any.

Riddle just walks off while our proffesor continues around the room. When he comes back I just about finish wiping the desk of any accidental spills.

“I won our little game this time,” I nudged his shoulder with my own.

Tom slightly rolls his eyes with a small smile, “I see that you have. Just this one though.”

“And many more to come,” I exclaim.

Our attention seeks back to our teacher, “You’ll all be writing an essay about an imaginary way this potion could go wrong. I expect it to be turned in before class tomorrow.”

I hurry to get my textbook off of my area and head towards the back of the classroom near the doorway.

“Everyone split into two groups. This half will go with Riddle while the other is with me.”

I turn my head once more to look at Tom, he’s reassuring one of the students that they are going to be okay.

I only look for a couple of seconds before leading my half of the group out first. A few stops along the way to make sure perfects are keeping order. Most of my group of students have been dropped off. A couple still lures behind me, I picked them up as I worked my way through the castle halls.

They were also dropped off and now I scatter along the hallway to make sure everyone is where they are supposed to be. Like every other period, the routine stays the same mostly.

My robes have a few wet spots on them still from the tears of younger students attending this school. I fully believe it won’t be too long until the headmaster and the ministry deal with whoever is making our lives miserable here. The murders will surely not go unjustly.

As I am turning a new hallway I happen to meet up with Riddle.

“All good?”

“Of course,” he responds. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

He seems to look around quite a bit. Like he’s searching for something.

“Head back to your class, I will look around once more.”

That’s the last thing he says before moving around me with his hand on my shoulder. Quickly slipping past me.

~////////////////𓆙////////////////~

“No, no no,” I whisper to myself as I crumple yet another paper in my hand. I throw it on the ground next to me and huff out a breath.

Writing this bloody essay is taking more time than I predicted. It usually comes naturally to me but I can’t seem to write correctly. Every time I make a mistake I have to start over again. My handwriting failing to write neatly for once.

My whole structure and information is already figured out. Writing is what’s taking me the longest. No matter how hard I try, the letters never seem to come out correctly from my quill.

Especially the f’s.

F

f

Infuriating really. I only have an hour left until the library closes. It already technically shut down but the librarian gave me an extra three hours as long as I lock up.

Perks of being Head Girl I suppose.

My head is in my hands as I compose myself. It’s late and I’m tired, it’s not even safe to be out at this time. At least if I happen to die I wouldn’t have to write this essay.

“How long have you been trying at this-” a low voice asks behind me.

I jump in my seat, “Oh it’s just you. Well, it’s been-”

“And failing?” Tom finishes as he takes the seat next to me. The chair turned slightly to me.

I roll my eyes and fall further back into my seat. My head turned upwards, admiring the flying books in the ceiling. Finding their place, their way home.

“Probably an hour and a half,” I sigh. “You’re completely right about how bad my calligraphy is.”

He just nods his head and takes a fresh new sheet from the middle of the table. His quill magically appears from inside his robe. All the papers that have the plans for my essay start to float around his head and workspace. Occasionally glancing up at them from time to time and then going back to writing.

His lips are pursed in concentration, “I write my F’s like this. It’s easier that way and extremely easy to practice and write quickly.”

My head peers over his shoulder as I watch him effortlessly indite.

“You try,” he opens up my fingers that were closing my hand and places a quill in them.

I furrow my eyebrows and start to practice my letters on a separate piece of paper that I originally scrapped. I don’t want to waste paper and there’s no reason to get a fresh new one.

We both work quietly in the night until the last few minutes of opening time. Before I left the room I saw him quickly go far back into the library. I never got to ask him why he arrived here so late.

Never saw the need to.

~////////////////𓆙////////////////~ Taglist:

@empath-bunny

@jinxqsu

[violet-knox]

Hi 🤗

Can I ask for young!Severus when he has a crush on a reader, but he's to shy to admit it and she's so nice to him and they're starting to talk and spend more time together and become friends (maybe finally even more than just friends)?😊

A New World With You

Pairing: Young!Severus x Slytherin!Pureblood!Reader

Summary: Tension between Muggles and Wizards grow worse during your final year at Hogwarts, and in an attempt to help educate the students, you’re taken on a class trip where you end up exploring London with Severus. 

Word Count: 8777

A/N: This was inspired by Midnight Stars Tree by @bush-viper-cutie. I’ve been thinking about this story a lot lately because I loved it so much. It’s so creative and so well written, I definitely recommend giving it a read. I think I veered from the original ask a bit, but I think I hit all the major points. Either way, I hope you enjoy. This one was a lot of fun to write and I love how it turned out.

It was supposed to be a fun get-a-way, a break from schoolwork and all the stress that came with it. But now, not only did you have to give up your weekend to complete a school assignment, you were randomly being paired with someone in your class. It wasn’t fair. Professor Polliwog could have at least let you pick your own partner, you didn’t need to be paired with someone who’d lived in the Muggle world to explore it. All you needed was a sense of adventure and some good company, which you thought you had this morning when you and your best friends got up early to prepare for the trip, excited to explore the city you’d always passed through on your way to the Hogwarts express, never giving it a second glance. 

You couldn’t help the fact your parents had introduced you to most of your Hogwarts friends before you’d even gotten your letter, or that none of you had thought to visit the Muggle world before now. Why would you when everything you could possibly need was right there in the Wizarding world? But now that you were being given the chance to explore the unknown, to get to know how Muggles lived, you wanted to do it on your own terms without a Muggleborn tour guide. 

“Gather around everyone, gather around,” Professor Polliwog ushered everyone around her on the platform as the last of the students jumped off the Hogwarts Express. You and your friends stuck together, frowning with anticipation of who you’d be paired with. You barely knew anyone who wasn’t raised in the Wizarding world, especially since your house was filled with so many Pureblood and Halfbloods, you didn’t have the slightest clue who you’d be paired with. You wondered if there were even enough Muggleborns to pair with the rest of the school. “I will read out your names in pairs and you will have eight hours to explore the town and return with enough information to write your papers. We will meet back here at 9:20 and make our way to the hotel for the night so don’t lose your tickets!”

“Why do we have to stay in a Muggle hotel? Can’t we at the very least have the night to recover from our visit to the zoo?” One of the students on the other end of the crowd spoke, his friends chuckling at his humourless joke. You shrugged at the attitude many of your Slytherin peers shared with one another, feeling like you were the only one excited to spend a night in a Muggle town. Even your friends weren’t as enthusiastic as you about the idea of sleeping at a Muggle hotel, acting like they were being forced to sleep in an uncivilized reservation with no running water or heating. 

“You know very well Mr. Nott that returning to the Wizarding world would defeat the purpose of this trip. Tensions between Muggles and Wizards have risen quite a bit in the last few years, and this trip is meant to teach you Muggles aren’t so different from us. We must learn how they live so that we may learn to live in peace amongst them.”

Severus rolled his eyes, the irony of Polliwog’s words lost on him when it was clear she barely knew anything about the Muggle world herself, her outfit making her look more like a clown than a Muggle civilian. He felt a nudge against his side, looking over to see Avery smirking at him as Polliwog spoke, knowing exactly what was on his mind. He nervously smirked back, growing concerned he would end up paired with one of his own friends and they would find out where he really grew up. For so long he’d wanted to escape the judgment that came with living on Spinner’s End, from the Muggle’s living in Cokeworth and then to all the friends who’d accepted him into their circle at Hogwarts. 

The day Lucius had introduced him to Avery, he’d decided he wouldn’t let Spinner’s End define him anymore, that he would forge his own identity and let the others make the assumption he’d grown up in the Wizarding world. He’d finally felt like he belonged when none of them questioned his origins, accepting him and everything he knew about the Wizarding world. When he heard about this trip, he tried to get out of it, begging Slughorn to excuse him, trying to give Dumbledore any excuse he could come up with, but when that failed, and Polliwog decided it was a fantastic idea to figure out who already had experience in the Muggle world, all he could do was hope Merlin would have pity on him and help him keep his secret. 

“Now, once I call your name, you may find your partner and start exploring.” One by one your friends were paired up and ran off to explore the wonders of the Muggle world, and one by one the students drizzled down, leaving you concerned you’d end up stuck with Polliwog in the end, told there was no one to pair you with. The only thing that could possibly make this worse was spending the day with your professor and the more names spoken, the more Severus realized the second worst thing that could happen is if he got paired with the one person he’d been trying to talk to for the longest time.

“Severus and (Y/N).” Severus froze, his ears ringing as his heart raced, trying to run away from this horrible day. He’d been so busy worrying over what his friends might think of him, he hadn’t even considered the possibility of being paired with you. He couldn’t bring himself to look for you, feeling rather silly just standing there alone, thoughts of all the times he’d tried to talk to you rushing back to him. So many times he’d tried to plan out what he could say to you, how he could start a conversation, but he could never find the nerve to do it, scared he’d ruin his chance with you like he had with Lily. 

“Severus?” You spoke his name, standing behind him and as he slowly turned around, trying to face you. His eyes were wide, blank and unblinking. He looked as though he’d just been struck by the most terrifying news and you felt all hope for a nice day in London slither away. He was clearly unhappy about being paired with you, his frown giving away the feelings he was trying to suppress, but it wasn’t like you’d chosen him. This wasn’t exactly the ideal weekend for you either, but you both had to try and make do with what you were given. “Shall we make our way?”

Severus blinked and found himself back in his body again, swallowing hard as he nodded. He walked after you as you jogged towards the wall separating platforms 9 and 10. Running after you, he found you on the other side, waiting for him and a small part of him began to panic as he realized how real this all was. He tried to think through his vocabulary, trying to find at least one single word to speak to you that wouldn’t sound absolutely pathetic. But he searched with no avail, thickening the awkward silence between you instead.

You walked out of the station unsure of what to say or how to proceed. It was bad enough you got stuck with someone who didn’t want to spend the day with you, but you were stranded in an unknown city with nothing but a tourist map Polliwog had passed out on the train. You had so many questions, yet you felt like you couldn’t ask any of them, Severus looking as though he would rather fall 100 feet than speak with you. You’d known Severus quite a while, at least from a far, so to say you were surprised that you’d been paired with him was an understatement. It had never crossed your mind that a Halfblood would have grown up in the Muggle world. You knew there had to be a story for him to share, you just weren’t sure he’d want to share it with you. 

“H-have you explored London before?” you asked cautiously as you stood outside the train station, away from the crowd. Your eyes went straight to his frown, thinking back to the little interactions you’d had with him over the last seven years and you realized you’d only ever once seen him so unhappy. It was after rumours about James Potter saving Severus from the Whomping Willow had spread, chatter amongst the Gryffindors splattered across the halls about how Severus was crying outside their common room. He looked so defeated that morning when you saw him again, huddled into a ball by the fireplace. You watched him from the stairs and tried to will yourself to walk over to him, but you knew nothing you could say would sound right, especially since you were sure he had no clue who you were. 

“No.”

“Then where in the Muggle world do you live?” You tried again, hoping to relax the tension between you and get to know him a little bit, but the annoyed expression on his face made it clear he didn’t want to talk.

“Lived,” he lied, his tone giving you the impression your correct assumption had offended him. Crossing his arms, Severus mumbled a truthful answer, hoping you wouldn’t press further. “Nowhere you’d know.”

A frown of your own appeared on your lips, fed up with his tone and attitude. You’d never thought Severus would be this rude, always seeing how kind he was to his friends. But it was clear that kindness was reserved for people he actually liked, and you weren’t one of them. Still, you had to try and get on his good side, otherwise the day would be completely lost and you’d never get to see the Muggle world.

“Alright. Well, any idea where we should start?” You opened up the map in your hand and looked over the odd looking shapes and words scribbled all over, finding it a bit difficult to read. Turning it upside down, you wondered if Muggles had their own secret way of reading maps, but clearly, you just hadn’t paid enough attention in your Muggle studies course, that or Polliwog had no idea what she was talking about all these years. 

Looking back over to Severus, you watched him roll his eyes, pouting as he shook his head in disapproval. You couldn’t take it anymore. Even when he wasn’t talking, he still brought down your mood, making you wish you’d never gone on this trip, embarrassed that you were actually excited for it last night. 

“Look Severus, I understand that you didn’t want to be paired with me, but there’s nothing we can do to change that. So why not try to make the most of it and have a bit of fun?” You did what you could to lighten the mood, hoping he’d agree and make both your lives just a little bit more bearable, but clearly your hopes were completely misplaced and you hadn’t caught on to the fact nothing would change his mind about you. 

“Fun? What could you possibly hope to find fun in a Muggle city?” he said in disgust, looking down at the Muggles breezing past them on the street. He would never use the word ‘fun’ to describe the Muggle world, not the one he’d been born into. He couldn’t believe he was being forced to spend a day here when he’d spent every summer counting the days to escape Cokeworth. He especially couldn’t believe the fact that this would be your first impression of him, that of all the horrific scenarios he dreamt up, Merlin managed to come up with something worse.

He wanted so badly to start off your interaction with him in a positive light, to do with you what he couldn’t with Lily. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He’d waited so long to come up with the best introduction, to have his first words spoken to you be those you’d hang onto for the rest of your life. But the irony in your words told him he was far from such a position, your view of him now tainted by the idea that he didn’t like you.

“I-I don’t know I just thought-” You tried to oppose his views, knowing you had no ground to stand on when the only interaction with the Muggle world you’d had was passing it by on your way to the Hogwarts Express. You just could never imagine it being as horrible as everyone said, not willing to accept the tone Severus took when speaking of London.

“Muggles don’t live like us and even if they had our… skillset, they couldn’t possibly dream of creating a world like ours.” Severus rambled on without considering how you felt about his words or his attitude. Instead, he let his defensive tone once again ruin the chance of any sort of relationship with someone he admired. Looking over to you, he watched your frown match his own, your arms crossed and brows furrowed with anger. You’d had enough of his attitude, no matter how he felt about the Muggle world, he had no right to talk this way when this trip was supposed to let you form your own opinion about Muggles.

“Are you going to be this sour the entire day?” you snapped at him, ready to walk away and never turn back.

“I’m not sour! I’m telling the truth.” The words flew out of his mouth before he could even think, the need to hide himself from everyone around him ingrained too deep in his chest to let it go, even for you. He’d spent the better part of last semester trying to approach you, admiring your passion during class, your beauty during lunch, your kindness in the halls, and now he was throwing away any chance he had to befriend you with a sour attitude and bleak words.

You huffed in frustration, storming away without regarding Severus in the slightest. You couldn’t take being around him anymore, your weekend completely ruined after the discussion you’d just had with him. You’d rather aimlessly walk around in this unknown city, having no clue where to go or where you were than listen to another word from him. You were so disappointed in this trip, in Severus and his attitude. You’d always wondered how a conversation with him would go, how nice it would be to talk to someone about the subjects you learned in class. Severus always seemed to be the only one passionate about them, but clearly his passion extended further than his school subjects, a pleasant conversation with him now a thing of dreams.  

“W-where are you going?” Severus’ voice followed you, leaving behind his awful tone. You were surprised he continued to walk behind you, despite your furious pace to get away from him and a part of you was glad for it, still hopeful this weekend would turn around. 

“I don’t know, but I’m not going to stand there and listen to your rambles. The point of this trip is to explore the unknown and you're just spewing on like Muggles still live in the dark ages!” you said as he caught up with you. Severus wasn’t sure what to say, feeling horrible knowing he was the reason you were so upset.

“But here, look.” You stopped in your tracks, picking up an odd looking stick, intrigued by its bright red colour. “If Muggles are so unimaginative as you say, how can they come up with this? … Whatever it is.”

You examined the object, spotting a small dab of dried ink on the end and wondered if this was some sort of writing utensil. You couldn’t imagine how Muggles would use it, the dab of ink too small to write a single letter, let alone entire essays.

“It’s a pen.” Severus frowned, crossing his arms, unimpressed with Polliwog’s failure of illustrating something as simple as a pen. It wasn’t like the bloody things were expensive or rare, she could have easily bought a couple to show the class, but no, it was all about the textbooks and whatever words they possessed. Theory was all that mattered, Merlin forbit a professor at Hogwarts actually teach the students to apply their knowledge. At least McGonagall and Flitwick had the sense to demonstrate the spells they were teaching.

“Right, a pen,” you said, rather pleased your guess was right. Pressing the pen to his chest, you let it go and turned back to walk away, feeling like your mini triumph was ruined by his hatred towards Muggles. Severus caught the pen before it fell, looking at it in his hand and immediately tossing it to the ground, disregarding it without a second thought. He could never learn to appreciate Muggles or their trinkets like you did. He knew they were bright, that they had progressed in some ways further than the Wizarding world, but he just couldn’t get past the awful parts of their realm. He admired your open mind, he truly did, but you hadn’t lived like him, you hadn’t experienced the worst of what Muggles can do. 

“Leave me alone, Severus, I’ll roam the city on my own,” you said when you realized he’d continued to follow behind. Severus felt his heart sliced up into pieces by your harsh words. But he knew he deserved it, that he’d caused your mood to shift to such an angry tone. He slowed his speed and watched you walk away as he stood there on the sidewalk like the fool he was. He’d completely ruined any chance of a friendship with you like he had with Lily and it was clear to him now that it was him who’d pushed others away all his life. When Lily stopped talking to him, he’d blamed Potter like he blamed his father when his mother left them last year. But it was him all along. He was the only common denominator between you, Lily and his mother, so it only made sense that he was the problem. 

He’d lost sight of you, your figure disappeared into the crowd of Muggles passing him by, and he wasn’t sure what to do with himself. He didn’t want to explore London like everyone else, he wanted to go home. Stuffing his hands in his pocket, he began making his way back to the train station, clutching his ticket in his hand. Perhaps the train was still there and he’d be allowed to pass the time in one of the compartments. At least in the train, he’d be as close to Hogwarts as he could, and he wouldn’t have to suffer through another day amongst people who could care less about him. 

He walked as fast as he could, running through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, finally finding himself relax when he found the Hogwarts Express still sitting there, waiting for him to return. Without thinking, he ran to the door and tugged on the handle, finding it locked. Pulling out his wand, he cast a silent alohomora unsurprised to find the door still locked. He tried a few more charms, unhopeful they would work until he gave up and walked back to one of the pillars in the middle of the platform, sinking down to the ground, facing his only ride back home.

He hugged his knees and thought back to the horrendous day he’d had, starting it off horrified his friends would find out the truth about him, afraid he’d be paired with you, then finding himself living in a complete nightmare as he watched you storm off from his less than delightful attitude. He’d spent the better half of the day building up his defenses, too scared to let the world see him and who he was that he’d pushed yet another person away. A year he’d spent pining for you, trying to build up the courage to at least say hello, but his fear of repeating history had him putting it off until the universe decided enough was enough. He wasn’t ready. If only he had some time to prepare, if he’d spoken to you at Hogwarts with the conversation planned out… it would have still ended in a disaster because he was destined to live in agony and resentment. 

He groaned in frustration, tears prickling his eyes as his mind dreamt up scenarios where he’d made a good impression on you, the friendship he could have built, the fun you could have had together. He could have finally talked to someone who appreciated Potions, Herbology, Defense, Charms and every other subject in school. You could have studied together, excelled together and helped each other build such promising careers. But of course, none of that would come to pass after what he’d just done. Hope told him to grab hold of the possibility you’d forgive him, that if he just found the right words, the right thing to say, you’d give him a second chance, but he knew fate would never allow for such a thing. He couldn’t break the cycle no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he wanted it, he felt completely helpless. 

He tried to clear his mind, quickly wiping away his tears to hide his disappointment, but he couldn’t help but think of you and how you were wandering around London on your own while the rest of the class all had company. He thought of you trying to ask Muggles for help, completely lost in this giant city. He thought about how you’d struggle to make your way back here, missing the deadline Polliwog set and forced to spend the night in some unknown Muggle street. It tore at him thinking of some Muggle finding you alone, taking advantage of your helplessness like he knew they would back in Cokeworth. 

Jumping to his feet, he found himself running back out the train station and leaving behind the only sliver of his home he’d get until the trip ended. He needed to find you, to try and make it up to you or to at least make sure you were alright. He couldn’t let the Muggle world tarnish you like it had him and perhaps, by Merlin’s grace, you’d find it in your heart to forgive him for such a horrible first impression.

He looked down the steps outside the train station and began to retrace your movements, stopping when he spotted the pen he’d so carelessly brushed off after you’d admired it. Picking it up, he noticed how damaged it was, how beat up the casing had become after being tossed aside like trash. Pressing the tip to his finger, he dragged the pen across his skin and watched as it left behind a strong trail of red ink. It still worked after everything it had been through. Stuffing the pen in his pocket, he made his way down the street, looking everywhere for a sign, anything at all that could tell him where you were. It felt like a helpless case trying to find you in this city, but he had to try, he couldn’t give up now. 

You’d really tried to brush off Severus’ words, but they stuck with you as you walked onwards, ringing in your ear with every step you took. You entered shops, hoping to find something that could help keep your mind off of him and your disappointment in this weekend, but nothing could lift your spirits after what he’d done. He’d hurt you more than you’d cared to admit, not just because of the way he spoke about the Muggle world, but his hateful tone shunned you away from any relationship you’d previously hoped to have with him. He wasn’t the boy you imagined, and it crushed you to know that. 

Still, you marched forward and tried your best to do what you’d set out to do and make the most of this opportunity. You entered clothing shops and wondered how Muggles could possibly find some of these items comfortable or appealing to the eye. You passed by a toy store and was rather unimpressed at their odd boring selection. You rifled through a bookstore and bought a few items to give Muggle authors a try, starting to feel better about what had happened today. You walked the streets until you finally found a diner where you felt normal. Glaring at the menu, you smiled as you finally found something in common with the Muggles. You took your time, decided you’d spend the day here, eating and reading one of your new books and that would have to be enough for you to salvage the day. 

The waitress brought you your food and you took a moment to admire the delicacy of the presentation. It looked very well made, like they were prepared by a dozen house elves. The burger wasn’t as large as those you’d seen at Hogwarts, but the fries were definitely much more crispy and the milkshake was absolutely astounding. You happily drank, wondering what Muggles would think of Butterbeer if they ever got the chance to taste it as you pulled out one of your books, flipping it over to read about the author. The picture was still, and for a moment you thought perhaps you’d seen her blink, but it was clear Muggles were unable to capture moving pictures like Wizards could. It was an interesting sight, but you weren’t sure you liked it. The constant stare of the woman creeped you out. Shaking your head, you turned the book back around and flipped it open, reading the first few words of the first Muggle book you would ever enjoy. 

Severus felt hopeless walking down the streets of London, beginning to get lost himself as he tried every street, every store he passed by until his feet ached with pain. He’d lost track of time, but it had felt like he’d been walking for days, his heart slowing as he tried to catch his breath. He’d been in such a panic for so long, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to stay standing for very much longer if he didn’t rest. But he couldn’t bring himself to stop, his guilt growing the more time ticked away. He’d wanted to try and make it up to you, but the more time he wasted looking for you, the less time he’d have to try and salvage your happiness. 

He was almost about to give up, when he saw a waitress in the diner across the street setting down a plate of fries on a table where someone very familiar sat, reading a book. He stopped in his tracks, looking through the window, wondering if he was hallucinating, if his mind was playing tricks on him just to get him to stop looking for you. He crossed the street and the closer he got, the more he wondered if fate was trying to make things up to him after putting him between a rock and a hard place these last few days. 

He walked into the diner and looked over to the side, admiring you as you read. You looked like you’d made up for his outburst all on your own. His shoulders dropped as he realized all he would do now if he walked up to you was remind you of how he’d ruined your day. He sighed and turned back to look at the door, knowing he should leave, but the need for repentance kept him from stepping out that door. He wanted a second chance, another go at a first impression with you. He wanted to have a real conversation with you, to make you smile and enjoy his time like you were doing right now. 

“Severus?” He stopped his motions when he heard his name, turning his head back to you as he let the door swing shut. You’d seen him and if he ran out now, he’d have no chance of redeeming himself in the future. Walking over to you, he stood beside your table, unsure of what to say. “What are you doing here?”

He stood there hoping Merlin would help him find the right thing to say to you so what happened this morning wouldn’t happen again. Stuffing his hands in his pocket, he froze and suddenly found himself feeling calm, his mind clear. Slowly, he pulled out his right hand and gently placed on the table before you the red pen you’d picked up off the street. 

“I-I’m sorry.” The words left his lips without a thought, knowing it’s what you needed to hear. “I shouldn’t have said those things, acted like that and I’m really sorry.”

You looked at him in astonishment, your eyes unable to leave the beat-up pen on the table. You were completely floored at the idea he’d found you just to apologize, that he’d kept the pen you were so infatuated with and you were touched. You smiled at his gesture, feeling your faith in him restore as he stood there in desperation, his eyes begging for your forgiveness. Picking up the pen, you held it between your fingertips for a moment, examining it like it was the most fascinating thing you’d seen all day.

“Do you want to sit?” you offered. Severus couldn’t believe your willingness to hear him out, but he didn’t hesitate to take the second chance you gave him, learning from Lily to never again take forgiveness for granted. He sat across from you and watched your every movement, worried that if he took his eyes off you now, he’d realize it wasn’t real.

“Do you want some fries?” You pushed the plate to him, noticing how shriveled he looked and realized he probably hadn’t eaten all day if he’d spent it looking for you. Severus peered down at the fries, trying to resist, feeling like he hadn’t earned the right to eat the food you’d paid for, but your smile was so inviting, and he’d used up his energy trying to find you. Picking out a fry, he slowly chewed on it and watched as you slid over your half-drunk milkshake with a smile. You were so kind, so generous; a Slytherin with a heart as many would joke at Hogwarts.

“Why do you hate the Muggle world so much?” you asked softly, hoping this discussion wouldn’t lead to another explosion of hatred, but you just couldn’t let it go and if there was any hope for you to build any sort of friendship with him, you had to get to know him more. You needed an explanation for what he’d done before you could move past it. 

Severus shrugged in response, his wall building itself back up again as he tried to fight the urge to hide himself again. After he’d opened up to Lily about his life on Spinner’s End, he promised himself he would never do it again, not after she picked Potter’s side over his. He didn’t want to talk about the past, he just wanted to move forward and build himself a new future, one that wasn’t controlled by his parents or Potter or anyone else. “I suppose that I was quick to judge.”

“Well, they don’t seem so bad to me,” you retorted, finding yourself having enjoyed the day despite everything that had happened, though you were sure the mends Severus was making now was the only reason you felt as happy as you did. You were moved by his sentiment, never once feeling as special as he made you feel before today. “Have-have you been searching for me all day?”

Severus leaned back in his seat, cherishing the smile on your face, your curiosity and worry over him. He felt the heat rise to his face as he realized how embarrassing what he’d done was. It was bad enough he’d admired you from afar this past year, but to admit he’d ran down the streets of London searching for you was something he could never live down. 

“No,” he shook his head and stared down at the nearly empty plate of fries, surprised he’d eaten so much when he’d given you his full attention. Your smile grew wider as you kept your eyes on him, knowing he was lying through his teeth. “I just-I didn’t want to leave you roaming around London alone.”

Your smile grew wider and he couldn’t help but return it. You leaned forward, setting your arms on the table as you narrowed your eyes. You wanted so badly to trust him, to have with him what you thought you’d never find with anyone else, but you were scared. You didn’t know him, not really. You’d seen him in class, seen his achievements, watched him pick his friends and fight with the Gryffindors, but you didn’t know the real him. The only thing you’d learned from today was his resentment towards Muggles and that wasn’t exactly something that gave you confidence in him.

“Well, we have a few more hours before we have to go back. Got anywhere in mind?” you asked, wanting to give this friendship a chance, wanting so badly to see him for who he truly was. You’d felt like you’d seen so many versions of him, you weren’t sure which one was real anymore.

“Have you seen the cinema yet?” He leaned in, eager for how well things were turning out, how forgiving you seemed to be. 

“What’s a cinema?”

Severus chuckled, almost forgetting your lack of knowledge on the Muggle world. More than ever, he wanted to build at least a friendship with you, to be around you more and see through your eyes. Perhaps if he was given that chance, his outlook on the Muggle world wouldn’t cause him to explode like he did this morning. “They play movies there, like moving pictures that tell a story.”

Your eyes lit up, your back straightened as you smiled with fascination. You felt all your anger towards him completely melt away as you took him up on his offer to at least end the day on a happy note. “That sounds amazing! But I thought Muggles weren’t allowed to handle magical objects.”

“It’s not magic. It’s technology.” He grinned at your obliviousness of the Muggle world, looking forward to seeing it in a new light through your eyes. Finishing off the fries, you put away your book and red pen, then grabbed your milkshake to follow Severus down the street. The sun was already setting and for a moment, you felt a bit resentful towards him, realizing how lovely of an evening you could have had with him if he’d only acted proper this morning. But as much as you wished you could rewrite time, as much as you wanted to redo the day, you couldn’t and that was okay. He’d come back for you, he’d wanted to try again and perhaps it was because he felt guilty, but oh how you hoped it was because he saw the potential for such a strong relationship between you both. 

There was so much you wanted to explore with him, but you knew nothing would come of this small spark of a friendship if Severus didn’t want it, if he didn’t tear down those walls. He’d always been such a mystery to you, but you realized now just how complex he was, how he was more than that lanky boy at the end of the library, studying until the lights went out. He was more than the Slytherin that had fought with Gryffindor’s Quidditch star, more than what everyone made him out to be and you could only hope he’d open himself up enough to let you see him for who he truly was. 

The more you walked alongside him, talking to him about the Muggle world, already learning so much from him, the more you felt like you were getting to see a side of him he rarely showed anyone. You wondered if he was comfortable around you, if he was open to building at least a friendship with you, but you were too afraid to read into it or ask him how he felt. You’d started off the day so rocky, you didn’t want to risk ruining what you had now. You wanted to enjoy the moment and at least you would have this evening to look back on when you went back to Hogwarts.

The cinema wasn’t far from where you were, and you almost wished it was, enjoying the walk there with him more than the idea of seeing this ‘movie’ Severus spoke of. But, as you approached the doors, your curiosity for the Muggle world overtook you, your eyes trying to take in as much of the humongous building as they could. After your walk today, you’d assumed all Muggle buildings were small, nothing even coming close to the size of some of the shops you’ve been to in the Wizarding world, let alone Hogwarts. But this building looked endless, Severus claiming every room was twice as large as a classroom.

“What do you want to watch?” he asked as you both looked up at the billboard displaying the movies and their showtimes. You shrugged at his question, completely lost as to what you were looking at. You weren’t sure it would even matter what you ended up watching, just the experience alone was enough to keep you satisfied and the fact that it was Severus who was introducing you to this new world made it all the more special.

“Well, what was that book you were reading about?” he asked instead, hoping to pick a movie to your liking and get to know you a bit better. He wanted so badly to progress whatever it was between you both, to fast forward to the part where he knew everything about you and he’d trusted you to know everything about him. But he knew great relationships weren’t created with one measly conversation and trust had to be earned, so he settled for the opportunity to get to know you one bit at a time instead. 

“It’s about this girl and her friends who plan on exploring rumours about buried treasure. It’s called ‘The Secret of the Forgotten City’’,” you said, unsure on how you felt about the book just yet since you’d only read a couple of chapters. But the bookshop owner had said it was a popular story amongst the Muggles, and it had yet to disappoint you so far.

“A mystery. Then perhaps we can watch that one?” Severus points at the title ‘Return from Witch Mountain’ with a smirk and you couldn’t help but burst into laughter, finding the name ironic considering your destination to Hogwarts tomorrow. Nodding, you agreed to watch whatever these moving pictures entailed.

Severus walked up to a booth where a man sat entrapped in some glass, which you thought was rather odd. But when Severus asked the man for two tickets to see the next showing of ‘Return from Witch Mountain’, you realized he was no prisoner, but a worker who’d chosen to remain incased, selling people tickets to see the moving pictures. The man gave you the price to be paid for the tickets and you both began to rummage through your pockets, Severus picking out as many coins as he could before he realized he was short. He patted himself down in a panic, feeling completely saddened at the fact that money had once again become a barrier between him and the thing he wanted most; a friendship with you. He could hardly believe his luck, utterly crushed at the thought of disappointing you a second time. He couldn’t face the idea of ruining your plans again, a look of anger on his face as he triple checked every pocket. He’d ruined his second chance, knowing there was no chance for a third. 

Setting your money on the counter, you looked over to Severus, watching him struggle to come up with the full amount and immediately grabbed a few more coins of your own to make up the difference. Severus looked up when he heard your coins hit the countertop and watched as they were exchanged for two tickets. He was in shock at what you’d done. The tickets weren’t exactly cheap and it was him who’d suggested watching a movie in the first place. You had no idea what you’d paid for, yet you were happy to fork over your coins to have him by your side while you watched the movie.

“W-why did you do that?” he asked as you made your way inside the theater to find your seats. He wanted to be mad, his own ego objecting to the humiliation of a stranger paying for what he couldn’t. But he felt grateful, not for the money, but for your kindness and willingness to give up something so valuable just for a few hours of fun with him.

“Because I want to watch the movie with you Severus.” He smiled, feeling overjoyed at your words, your confirmation of interest in him, but how could you not after you’d admired him for so long? You’d wanted nothing more than to spend time with him and money wasn’t going to stand in the way of that.

“I’ll pay you back,” he promised, not wanting any reason for resentment between either of you, especially now during such a fragile state in your relationship.

“You don’t have to. Consider it a thank you for bringing me here.” You playfully nudged his arm with a smile. Severus felt the heat rise to his cheeks as he tried to suppress his ever-growing smirk. He was beyond relieved that he’d managed to redeem himself, that you’d accepted his apology and attempted to make things up to you after this morning.

You saw all the Muggles heading into the theater carrying snacks and noticed the absurd prices at the counter where they were selling popcorn, drinks and candy. You didn’t think twice about passing up on those knowing full well Severus would only feel worse if you spent more money on him and besides, you’d had quite the meal not thirty minutes ago, your stomach full and your heart happy with the company you kept. Severus led the way to the middle of the second to back row claiming they were always the best seats and you didn’t argue. You had no idea what to expect, but you were excited nonetheless. 

“So, what now?” you asked eagerly as you sat in the dark room waiting for something to happen.

“Now we wait,” Severus told you, leaning on the arm rest between you. “The movie is set to start in fifteen minutes so they should start playing commercials soon.”

“Not even Muggles can escape the power of advertisement,” you chuckled knowing everyone around you would likely be completely bored by them, but you were looking forward to it. You wanted to know as much of the Muggle world as possible and what better way to do that then sit through some advertisements about Muggle objects or odd looking inventions. 

As Severus had promised, a flash of light appeared before your eyes, colours spilling all over the screen as the first commercial began to play. Sound filled the theater and you could barely hear yourself think, wondering how anyone was able to speak over all this noise. The pictures moved before you, an image of a bed displayed with a woman slipping under it’s covers, some unknown voice speaking of the amazing mattress she was sleeping on. The commercial was dull and uninspired, but you loved every moment of it. The next commercial began playing and you found yourself completely lost at the object being sold. 

“WHAT’S A TV?” You turned to Severus and asked him. Immediately everyone in front of you turned and looked at you funny, some shushing you, others looking like you’d gone mad. You looked back at them wide eyed, unsure of what you did wrong. You turned to Severus to see him trying to suppress a smile, chuckling under his breath as he looked at you. 

“You aren’t supposed to speak in the theaters,” he whispered in your ear. He leaned back in his chair and saw a look of disappointment and embarrassment wash over your face. He suddenly felt very guilty for not informing you sooner of the general rules of the theater and leaned back to whisper the answer to your question, hoping if he tried to have a light conversation, you would cheer up. “A TV is like a portable theater. You can use it to watch movies at home.”

You smiled when Severus answered your question, feeling better about shouting in a place where talking was forbidden. But for the second time today, Severus was there to make it up to you, to make you smile when you felt so down. Placing your hand on his, you silently thanked him, not daring to try and whisper your gratitude to him. Severus felt his heart skip a beat when he felt the gentle graze of your fingers slipping over his hand. He looked down at the armrest between you and saw your hand over his and slowly, he turned his over to hold yours, returning your smile as the commercials continued to blaze the room. 

Neither of you wanted to move away when the movie finally started, half your focus on his thumb mindlessly caressing your knuckles, stopping when you squeezed his hand in approval. Severus wasn’t sure what to make of your small gesture having convinced himself you’d hate him after what happened this morning, that you’d never want to speak with him again after tonight. Your hand in his kept him hopeful that you’d want to explore whatever it was between you, that you’d at least be willing to keep him as a friend during your last year at Hogwarts. 

He cautiously turned his head towards you, trying to catch a glance of your face as you watched the movie. Your eyes were so full of wonder and he could only imagine how happy you both could have been if you’d spent the entire day exploring the city like you were meant to do. He would never forgive himself for passing up such an opportunity, promising himself he’d spend as long as he could trying to make up for that time you lost. But for now, he was happy to watch your eyes sparkle and your soft smile. 

You easily lost track of time, your thoughts wandering from the movie to the boy sitting next to you. Any other day you would be infatuated with questions about how Muggles had managed to make moving pictures, how they could capture and tell a story in such an amazing way. But all you could think about was Severus and everything he’d done to mend your first impression of him, of how hard he tried to lift your mood and how amazing it would be to have such a person by your side during your last year at Hogwarts. You fantasized study sessions with him late in the Slytherin common room, cuddling up to him as you both crammed for your N.E.W.T exams. You dreamt of a future where you kept in touch with Severus after graduation and saw all the mesmerizing achievements you knew he would accomplish.  

Peeling your eyes away from the screen, you glanced over at Severus to catch a glimpse of his eyes before he quickly turned away from you, his hair falling before his face and his hand retreating to his lap. He looked like you’d just caught him stealing from the Potion’s cupboard, ashamed of what he’d done and you felt your heart sink at the empty feeling in your hand. Abandoning all care for the movie, you kept your eyes on Severus, your hand slowly moving to find his again. You gently placed your hand in his, hoping he wouldn’t pull away, hoping if you tried to be forward with your emotions, he might return them. 

Severus held your hand and looked up to find you looking so softly at him, a gentle smile tugging at the corner of your parted lips. He locked his eyes with yours and lost himself in your admiration for him. You opened your mouth like you had something important to tell him until you remembered what happened the last time you spoke in this theater. Your eyes fell from his a moment as you rethought your approach, needing to tell him how you felt. Severus tried to read your expression, wanting to know what was going through your mind. He hoped you weren’t having second thoughts, that you didn’t regret taking him up on his offer.

He waited anxiously to see you pull back and walk away from him. But instead, you slowly leaned forward, your eyes flickering between his eyes and his lips. His heart raced at the idea of a kiss from you, his body leaping at the chance as he leaned forward. You smiled when he mirrored your movements, giving you enough courage to close the distance between you and press your lips against his. Severus eagerly kissed you back, bewildered by the emotions you conveyed. You were pouring out your heart to him, showing him how you felt, how infatuated you were with him, how much you admired him, needing him in your life. You wanted to be close with him, to earn his trust and him yours. It felt so right, and you were overjoyed to see Severus return your feelings. 

You finally parted and suddenly became very thankful Severus had picked the second last row with no one sitting behind you. If you were judged for speaking in the theater, you could only imagine how people would react if they caught you both so passionately declaring your love for each other through that kiss. Your grin stretched from one ear to the other as you opened your eyes, never wanting to lean too far back from him. You looked at him with such glee, his own smile growing larger than you’d ever seen. His happiness seemed so pure, so real, and you felt your heart flutter at the thought that one kiss from you had him floating on clouds. You watched his eyes flicker down to your lips again and you could hardly contain your giggle as his free hand reached to cup your jaw, his thumb caressing your cheek as he leaned in for a few more soft playful kisses. 

His lips were thin, but his adoration for you was ever present as they met yours over and over again. He lightly tugged on your bottom lip with his teeth and just when you thought you’d find yourself kicked out of the theater for all the affection flowing between you, Severus stopped and leaned back, admiring your eyes as his hand slipped down from your face to his lap. You happily interlocked your fingers with his and looked back to the movie, leaning as far towards Severus as the seat would allow. You felt his arm press against yours as he mimicked your movements, hardly able to take his eyes off you. 

He did his best to pay attention, or at least to appear as though he was watching the film, but his thoughts were all fixed on you. He wanted so badly to hear you explain what had just happened, to ask why you’d done such a thing when you barely knew him, when you knew he wasn’t perfect. But that was the precise reason why you admired him so much. His imperfections had never been something he’d tried to hide, whether it be his large hooked nose, his greasy hair, his lanky body, his need to lean on others or gullibility. He never tried to keep the world from seeing his flaws like many others would. He instead displayed strength trying to improve himself, showing you the same ambition he carried during class when he came to find you at that diner tonight. He was perfectly imperfect and you couldn’t wait to get to know him better. You couldn’t wait to build a relationship in this new world you’d created with him.

 ~

@dracos-mudblood @darkthought15 @severuslovebot @mitchiesdungeon @bush-viper-cutie @wanderingtrails @sleepysnapesnake @fluffymadamina

[exmortia]

Shadowgast soulmate ficlet: Found Familiars

Essek/Caleb soulmate AU where a wizard’s familiar manifests from a fragment of their soul, but if they have a soulmate, the familiar comes from their soulmate’s soul instead. Regular D&D familiar mechanics don’t apply here except for pocket dimension poofing and un-poofing. Rated T for someone almost dying.

Like every student at the Soltryce Academy, the time finally comes when Bren learns how to summon a familiar.

It’s a week-long elective course he wasn’t planning on taking yet, preferring to focus his current semester on the fundamentals of magic, but Eadwulf is the first of their friend group to enroll, and he walks into the dorms next week with a raven perched on his shoulder. It becomes a nearly permanent addition to his friend, large and jet-black, with a deceptively strong beak and eyes filled with confidence and intelligence. Eadwulf spends the next few days answering the same standard question from their peers and teachers - “no, it’s mine.”

Astrid borrows Eadwulf’s notes on the spell and summons her own familiar not long after, a razor-eyed falcon that never stops scanning their surroundings and quietly observing anyone within range. Bren is only a little disappointed when she says “it’s mine, I can tell.” He knows, like everyone else, that soulmates are rare.

Soon it’s his turn, and his friends are making good-natured jokes about what form his familiar will take. They’re hoping for another bird just for the irony of it. “Maybe an owl,” Astrid says with a smile. They make bets. Eadwulf puts ten silver on a songbird, and Astrid puts twenty on a bird of prey.

Bren performs the ritual that night in the privacy of his room. As the incense drifts into the air, he secretly hopes for a feline companion, like the one he knew in childhood. Something soft and warm, curled up in his lap and welcoming him back to his room after a long day of classes. He keeps his eyes closed until the spell completes. 

When he looks down, there’s an unexpected shape on his desk, like a scarf dropped lengthwise into a pile. Then it begins to move, glinting with iridescent color in the candlelight as its body slides and shifts on itself, and then he recognizes the creature when a rounded head emerges, tongue flicking out to taste the air in his direction. 

“A snake?” he whispers to himself, confused and disappointed. Where he’d hoped for fur (or even feathers in retrospect), he sees shiny black scales like an inkspill across his desk where the light doesn’t hit. There are no emotions in its tapered face and round, lidless eyes. When the initial shock wears off, he takes a moment to focus and reach for his connection with it, hoping that what he finds is a reflection of himself, just like what his friends have, but what greets him is a feeling so new and foreign that he can’t lie to himself anymore.

Bren dismisses the familiar in a moment of panicked shame. He spends the night agonizing over what he’ll say to his friends and what their reactions will be. “It’s not mine,” he whispers to himself, dreading the moment when he’ll say it to them in person tomorrow. “I don’t know whose it is, but it isn’t mine.”

“You have a soulmate,” Astrid will say with a small, tight smile, the words neutral on the surface, but there’s a guarded expression in her eyes. Bren can only nod in reply, feeling like he’s wronged her somehow, as Eadwulf inspects the coiled snake presented to them in Bren’s outstretched hands.

“I’m sure it will come in handy,” he declares, trying to soothe Bren’s worries the only way he knows how. Astrid agrees, and the tension passes as they walk to their first class of the day. Bren considers dismissing his familiar again, but then he looks longingly at the companions perched on his friends and carefully tucks the serpent into the neck of his shirt beneath his robe. Its cool weight settles across his shoulders, the movement a slow, shifting pressure that feels good in the summer heat and even better when he’s working through a difficult assignment later.

Bren doesn’t find out until a few weeks later that his familiar is dangerous. An altercation with another classmate leads to him being shoved against a wall, the other boy’s grip twisted into the front of his robe with one hand while the other pulls back for a swing at Bren’s face, and suddenly there’s a blur of motion and the boy is stumbling back with a pair of tiny red dots on his chin. He almost dies right there on the floor, lips blue and foaming at the mouth, before one of the professors is drawn to the shouting of gathered students. Bren is instructed, under threat of expulsion, to keep his familiar dismissed while in the presence of others.

Ten years ago and hundreds of miles away, Essek Thelyss stands in his laboratory, blinking incredulously at the small, furry creature that has manifested in front of him. The trouble with being a wizard of a long-lived race who can’t summon a familiar is that you don’t know whether your soulmate has already died or just hasn’t been born yet. Essek didn’t think he needed a familiar, particularly, but he’d gotten into the habit of trying the spell once every few years when he remembered, partly because it stung to be an accomplished wizard who couldn’t summon one, and also because he secretly hoped that his soulmate, the one chosen for him by The Weave itself, had not already departed this world.

He’d lost count of the attempts, but it was somewhere between twenty and twenty-three when the spell finally worked, much to his surprise. His new familiar, with its striped orange fur and long tail curled neatly around its legs, sat on his ritual table and looked back at him with eyes that glinted in the low, ambient light. ‘My soulmate is alive out there,’ Essek thought with a relief he would never admit to, reaching out to stroke the cat’s soft fur as it stretched and began exploring the table, then his workbench, and then anywhere it could possibly get into.

In his youth, Essek had hoped for a more suitable familiar - something that could blend in, yet contribute to his image as a formidable spellcaster, like a snake or a spider, but he’d grown accustomed to not having one. His new feline companion becomes a sort of household pet. It’s not physically affectionate beyond the occasional rub against his legs. Mostly, it prefers to sit elsewhere in the room and watch him work from a distance. When he trances, it patrolls the halls and kills any small, unfortunate animal that dares enter his home. He wonders about the sort of person his soulmate might be, to have their soul reflected in this mindful, intelligent, and often ruthless creature.

One night, a little over ten years after he first summoned his familiar, Essek returns from his work at the Lucid Bastion and begins going about his routine, only to find that his familiar is nowhere to be found. He wonders if something has happened to make it decorporealize, like accidentally toppling a heavy object onto itself (unlikely), or maybe it had gotten outside somehow and didn’t care to return yet (a common recurring event). His familiar had changed over the past few months, becoming even more standoffish and less receptive to physical touch than before, so Essek doesn’t worry about its absence until the following day, when his familiar is still nowhere to be found. Before using his components to repeat the summoning ritual, he decides to make a quick search of his tower, and there, crouched in the furthest corner beneath a display cabinet in an unused room, his familiar stares back at him with wide, unblinking eyes. 

When Essek reaches for his companion, its sudden, piercing, feline scream sends him pitching backwards in shock, until he’s on the floor and his familiar has left behind a series of long scratch marks where it fled. Essek is shaken for the few moments he sits there, confused, and then later, deeply concerned for someone he’s never met before. 

This state of mind becomes normal for Essek over the next eleven years. His familiar is a ghost, hiding and wedging itself under furniture and bursting from its hiding spot in a terrified, screaming bolt of fur and claws when Essek unknowingly gets too close. Sometimes he goes weeks without catching sight of it, but Essek finds himself too sentimental to dismiss his former companion. He fears for the source of his familiar’s soul fragment, whoever this person is, and whatever it was that must have happened to them to cause this.

Hundreds of miles away and a few months later, Bren, now Caleb, accepts a torn-off piece of stolen bread from his new goblin companion, and hundreds of miles away, Essek’s familiar creeps out from beneath the workbench in his lab and slinks out of the room, but not before making brief eye contact with Essek, who stares back in disbelief with a set of alchemical reagents forgotten in his hands. 

A few weeks later, after being roughed up and chased out of town again, Caleb remembers his silent protector from his school days, and Nott watches with fascination as a black snake appears in Caleb’s hands with a snap of his fingers. Nott’s fascination turns to concern as he spends a long moment staring at it, drowning in the memory of those days at the academy before he and his friends caught Trent Ikithon’s eye. Later that evening, Nott asks to hold his familiar, and Caleb worries for a moment, but it allows itself to be handed over, and Nott must constantly adjust her grip as its body moves and slips between her fingers. 

“I think he prefers his master,” she says kindly, and although Caleb hadn’t cared to gender his familiar, the pronoun rings true somehow. Caleb accepts the snake from her and tucks it back into the neck of his coat where its cool, comforting weight helps quiet his intrusive thoughts.

It takes a few more months before Essek can run his fingers through his familiar’s striped fur again. Progress has been slow, but steady, and Essek is relieved not just for his familiar, but for the unnamed soul attached to it. 

Things eventually return to the way they were before, and then continue to change. His familiar becomes his shadow, dutifully following him into every room of his tower. Where before it would perch out of arm’s reach to watch him work, now it walks across the paperwork on his desk and jumps into his lap and demands attention, before it’ll curl up and allow him to keep working. It’s an adjustment compared to what he’s used to, but there’s a weight lifted from his shoulders when he thinks about his soulmate now. At least, most of the time. His familiar refuses to leave his home and still vanishes for hours when he gets visitors, even when they remain on his doorstep and converse with him briefly through the open door.

The day comes when a group of strangers walk into the Lucid Bastion. Even among the chaos that follows, Essek’s attention is drawn, inexplicably, to one of their group - a surprisingly well-spoken human with copper-colored hair and pink, freckled skin, covered in mud and Luxon knows what else. 

Caleb, dressed in nothing but leather straps, had dismissed his snake familiar out of necessity back in Asarius. When the situation in the Bright Queen’s throne room eventually dies down, his attention is drawn to a figure sitting near the dias, imposing in equal measure to the other high-ranking drow around them, but something about this individual catches his attention and keeps it indefinitely. 

Later, when he and the Nein are free to wander Rosohna, Caleb decides not to risk going about with his venomous, spring-coiled companion for now, just in case there’s a misunderstanding with the locals or the guards. 

Essek has his work cut out for him, and these new people don’t stay strangers for long. Despite his frustration at their behavior (often disrespectful and almost always culturally inappropriate), he finds himself responding eagerly to their requests for help when needed. When he sees them, his attention is always drawn first to their wizard, Caleb Widogast, and when he teaches Caleb that first dunamantic spell, it’s a challenge to monitor Caleb’s attention to the correct page of Essek’s spellbook, rather than Caleb himself. Everything about this human man, from the way he murmurs to himself while he works, to how he wrings his hands together during tense conversations, to the purely unexpected talent and raw power in the spells he demonstrates, has captivated Essek over the time he’s spent with these newcomers.

Caleb quietly scolds himself whenever the Shadowhand catches him staring. He’s not accustomed to being around dark elves, and even after the novelty wears off, something about their assigned handler, his new and unexpectedly generous teacher in the dunamantic arts, is drawing his attention and thoughts like an arcane compulsion. Caleb carefully keeps this to himself, not wanting to jeopardize their tenuous position in Roshona or the Shadowhand’s willingness to share his knowledge.

Eventually, as the weeks pass and their relationship with Essek grows out of familiarity and Jester’s brute force method of making friends, the Nein are invited to the Shadowhand’s tower for breakfast and the promise of some collaborative spellwork.

Caleb is regrettably late to the event as he makes a detour to find spell supplies, not wanting to impose on their host any more than necessary. When he arrives, there’s an awkward, semi-private moment where Essek answers the door and greets him. Then he’s led further inside where the others are gathered around a large table, and there’s a weird sort of prickling in the back of his mind as he enters the room. Fjord and Beau are talking and leaning against the table while the others are seated in a small group on the opposite side, except for Jester who is kneeling on the floor and talking to someone or something in a high-pitched voice.

A moment later, Jester makes a sad sound and watches Essek’s familiar slip out from under her hands to go trotting across the floor towards its master, or so she thinks. The cat’s gait breaks into a run, and she gasps as Caleb suddenly falls to his knees, his expression that of a mother who’s been searching all day for their missing child as the cat jumps into his arms. Essek’s familiar must be super friendly with other wizards, she thinks, until she sees the startled look on their host’s face. ‘This is the first time in many years that my familiar has not hidden itself from visitors,’ she remembers him saying as they arrived at the tower, and then he coaxed the cat towards them after she asked if she could pet it, which it accepted with mild, friendly interest. Now Caleb is clutching at its orange striped fur as it rubs against his face over and over again, purring loud enough for everyone to hear, and she’s not sure, but it looks like he might be crying a little.

Caleb carefully stands with the cat cradled in one arm, its outstretched paws making biscuits in the air. He reaches out towards Essek, and there’s a small flash of arcane magic before Caleb’s serpentine familiar appears there, balanced in a tight knot of coils in his upturned hand. Essek stares at it, motionless, until the snake begins to move, its body quickly sliding away from its master and into the space between Essek and Caleb, apparently not caring if it falls before it’s caught. 

Essek reaches out with both hands to meet the snake’s trajectory, and soon the familiar is wrapped around Essek’s forearm, coiled tightly in place like a permanent fixture. Essek lifts his arm and stares into its eyes, carefully running his fingers across the black, iridescent scales with a gentle reverence.

“He’s yours,” Caleb chokes out in joyful tears, knowing but not caring that his friends are watching with a combination of amusement and concerned looks. “I always wondered, but I never dared hope . . .” Caleb clears his throat as Essek stares at him, the drow’s expression hard to read. “He, uh, likes to be up high, around your neck, where he can, um . . . he’s v-venomous by the way. I had to learn that. From experience. But he is a good snake, a very good snake,” Caleb insists as more tears threaten to wet his face. In Caleb’s arms, his new familiar trills and then purrs louder, satisfied, when he bends down to nuzzle his face into its wonderful, beautiful orange fur.

Essek makes a quick decision not to ask about what happened to his feline familiar over that eleven-year period. Maybe later when they’re comfortable and alone. For now, he admires his snake companion, the subtle magical thread of connection between master and familiar already transitioned, painlessly, from old to new. He feels whole and complete, and not just from finding his true familiar. Essek’s affection is quiet and immeasurable as he meets Caleb’s overjoyed grin with his own soft smile.

“Thank you for this,” is all Essek can say without his voice breaking. Later, after Caleb’s friends have staged a friendly interrogation about what happened and what it means for two wizards to exchange familiars (and after he’s taken Caleb’s advice and tucked his new companion into the neck of his robe where it fits perfectly), he’ll take Caleb upstairs, his former familiar dutifully following its new master, and spend a few hours alone with his soulmate. At the end of trading stories about their lives and hardships and hopes for the future, he’ll hold the human’s face in his hands and take the first step towards sealing their bond with a kiss.

[songofwizardry]

In honour of this week’s Critical Role episode, here are some Beau Moments, mostly about Thoreau and institutions and abuse of power, that have stuck with me really hard. Mostly because I wanted to go back through and compile these moments, because I just really fucking love Beau. 

C2E004 2:15:39

Dairon: “Your dislike for authority is not a bad thing. It can keep you alive. Authority should always be questioned. Those with more power than you should be held to a higher standard.”

[Training montage]

Beau: “Why are you doing this? Why me?”

Dairon: “Because a long time ago, I was a wayward girl with no direction, was angry, and fighting at the world. And someone did this for me.”

Beau: “I don't really believe in systems or being a part of them, let alone a system that takes down other systems. Seems almost hypocritical.”

Dairon: “Perhaps. Who knows. Maybe one day you'll find the corruption inside our own.”

C2E024 1:14:31

Beau: “I don't know, I just grew to hate the town that I was in and the system that my father was a part of and so everything--”

Nott: “Is he a bad person?”

Beau: “He wasn't a bad person. I think he just had bad direction. I don't know, he could've been a good dad. He was a shitty dad and a good businessman.”

[...]

Nott: “Wait, this was not by choice? You were abducted by monks?! ... Are you okay?”

Beau: “Sure. Great.”

Nott: “Was it hard?”

Beau: “Yeah. I mean, there were elements that were hard, but everyone has had hardships, right? What's it matter? Besides, he sent me off to the monks. I think he was hoping that they were going to beat my indiscretions out of me. Instead, I think all of the things that my father saw in me that he hated, the monks saw as a potential advantage. So, in a weird way, I think it might've been the nicest thing he ever did for me. ... I mean, I still never really want to see him again, and I don't think he wants to see me again, either. In fact, he told that he didn't want to see me again. So it's good. Yeah.”

C2E092 1:35:50

Beau: “I feel like I've found my family with The Mighty Nein. I don't like looking at my past, because it doesn't have The Mighty Nein in it, and I think I put off the inevitable, because I'm going to-- I'm afraid it's going to be like my past.”

Fjord: “I don't think one contaminates the other. You've got good, solid footing here. I mean, shit, if we want to run, we run. If we want to kick his ass, we'll kick his ass.”

Beau: “Yeah... I kind of want to kick his ass, and I don't want to run.”

Fjord: “Could I ask you, in your wildest dreams, and feel free to say you don't want to tell me, what would you have happen when we go there?”

Beau: “I think I've worked so hard because I scripted this day, in my inevitable future that I would go back to him, successful woman, respectable member of society, Cobalt Soul, an Expositor, the thing he threw me away to, and I embraced. And then, I would get mad at myself, because I felt like I was doing exactly what he was doing to me my entire life, scripting me to be something else. And I'm still doing it. I haven't seen him in three years, and I'm still trying to be... something. And I think what's scary is that I like this, and what I've found, and I don't think it was until Nott started talking about having to go home and go away that it truly started terrifying me. Because for the first time, I'm happy. And what if that goes away?”

C2E092 3:41:30

Thoreau: “Look, I know you-- I know we've had our  differences. And I've not-- I've not been the pinnacle of a father, in the same way that you've not been a pinnacle of a daughter. I accept my responsibilities in the things that I've, maybe been a bit harsh on. But look what you've become.”

Beau: “It feels like a weird justification of your behaviours, but I'd like to hope that what I became had nothing to fucking do with you, but maybe I'd be lying to myself.”

Beau: “Yeah, I was difficult... but I thought a Dad was supposed to stay by their kid when they're having a fucking hard time.”

C2E125 02:54:15

Yudala Fon: “First, let me say, thank you for being honest about your experience with the Expositor, and aiding us in finding this link and exposing a very serious seed of corruption within our very... sorry... group. Let me please extend my sincerest apologies.”

Beau: “Um... thank you. Sorry, I’m really taken aback by all of this. ... It’s odd, looking at one of the most traumatic moments of my life and on another side, feeling a sense of thanks and gratitude that it happened. Because it did set me on this path.”

...

Yudala: “We would like to think that you would have found your way here regardless. And it should always have been your choice. And I know we cannot make that up to you, but I want to extend my – our – deepest apologies. 

Beau: “Um. Thank you. Thank you for taking these matters so seriously. Didn’t expect it. I guess you get... used to cruelty being handed down as the norm.”

...

Yudala: “We are not a body of government, we are not a religious group, we are a people who want to protect people who cannot protect themselves from abuses of power. And you’ve been abused by someone in power. We will see that they are properly punished.”

[A little later]

Caleb: “Are you... all right?”

Beau: “Do you know that feeling where... you didn’t realise something was wrong until someone told you, and you just lived with it this whole time, and... I’m relieved, but I’m also, kind of reckoning with it at the same time? I don’t know. Yeah, I’m good. I’m okay.”

Bonus: C2E110 03:35:31

Beau: “I... am so fucking tired of manipulative assholes... I don't know why so many people have gone through such great lengths to try and convince us all that they're responsible for our success. ... If I hear one more person try and claim that pain is the only way to make a resilient person—what a shitty excuse.”

[thelastlynx]

It's Hemione, Thanks by TheLastLynx

Chapter 2: Golden Girl

Hermione spent breakfast mulling over her approach. She still deemed getting it over and done with to be the optimal path.

Rip the plaster off and so on.

Hectic fluttering and screeching interrupted her musings. With a thump, the day’s issue of the Daily Prophet landed in her porridge bowl.

Hermione scowled, pushing away the dish (she wasn’t that hungry anyway), and skimmed the front page. Recently, Rita Skeeter had taken to brown-nosing, which translated into at least one flattering mention of her and Harry a day.

Just as suspected, the headline read:

Golden Girl Heading (Back to) Hogwarts — Harry Potter’s Brilliant Best Friend Made Head Girl

The entirety of the article was obsessed with her being the pinnacle of competence amongst centuries of head students, enumerating her many virtues (the best relating to her wifely qualities, like dependability, solicitousness, helpfulness, and — most importantly — her beauty). There was just a single mention of Justin, and even that was only to note that she and he were the first Muggle-born head pair since 1453.

Hermione snorted derisively.

‘Skeeter being a complete twat again?’ Ginny said through a mouthful of toast. She leaned over to take a peek.

Hermione nodded. Her eyes flitted over to the Slytherin table where Pansy Parkinson wore an expression as though someone had forced Bubotuber pus down her throat.

“That stint in Azkaban did Skeeter a world of good, it seems.”

Ginny laughed. “That, or the fact that she’s terrified to— what did you tell her? ‘Put one more step out of line and…’”

Hermione hid her grin behind her orange juice. “She deserved it. After what she did to poor Bathilda Bagshot…”

“So when are you moving on to your pet project?”

“Hm?”

“Malfoy.”

“He’s neither my pet, nor my project.”

“Doesn’t seem too happy to be here, does he?”

Hermione chanced another glance across the Great Hall. Two seats over from Pansy, he was frowning into his teacup. He didn’t seem much altered. He was older of course, and maybe a bit on the thinner side, which, considering his own brief stint in Azkaban, was no surprise. He wore his hair slicked back as usual, and his robes were as pressed as they ever were. And still, something about him seemed profoundly different. But maybe she was just imagining things.

Hermione turned the page of the Prophet.

“Can you blame him?”

Ginny raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t start, Ginevra.”

“You asked—”

“—all right, all right.” Hermione stood up. “I’ll get it over with then.”

As Hermione strode across the Great Hall she pretended not to notice the stares and whispers. Having experienced how deeply uncomfortable Harry had always been about his fame, she felt the attention more acutely. Before, she’d only been ‘Harry Potter’s best friend’; now she was her own celebrity. The concept still felt alien to her. On the other hand, after fourth-year (courtesy of Rita Skeeter) had taught her what bad attention was like, Hermione surmised that people staring at her in awe instead of spite was moderately less frustrating.

“Look who’s gracing us with her presence.” Theo Nott announced in a silky tone as she approached the Slytherin table. He put down his own Prophet. “The Golden Girl herself.”

Pansy snorted loudly and derisively. “Since when’s mud golden?”

Hermione didn’t deign to respond to either of them and instead addressed Malfoy, “May I?” She gestured to the place next to him, which was empty. “About our tutoring sessions.”

Before Malfoy could answer, Pansy piped up, “Ugh! What’s that smell? Have the house-elves served bad kippers again?” She grinned viciously at Hermione, who merely raised an eyebrow. Theo glared at Pansy but didn’t say anything to contradict her.

A chair scraped loudly over the stone floor; Malfoy had abruptly stood. “Let’s talk in the library, Granger.” He gathered his bag, muttered his goodbyes to his house-mates, and strode out of the Great Hall, not paying any mind to the half a dozen glares from almost all house tables boring into his back.

Hermione frowned at the barely touched bowl of fruit he was leaving behind before she hurried to catch up with him.

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