#even richer harry potter

[p1nkva1entina]

I love the idea of Harry being spoiled by draco. Draco, who treats him like the most valuable treasure in the world and indulges him with luxuries Harry never got to experience.

Draco is fully aware that Harry can provide for himself but imagine drarry in a muggle jewelry shop, dracos hand on the small of Harry's back and telling him to pick whatever he wants. Harry immediately goes looking at one glass case to the other and picking out whatever catches his eye

the jeweler is just wide eyed and shocked at the PILE of rings, necklaces and anything sparkly dumped onto the tray

They shed a small internal tear as he watches Harry look up at draco with big doe eyes, kissing him innocently on the cheek. as if he knew that draco didn't have the ability to ever be mad at his precious angel.

The jeweler has never been more envious of anybody in their entire life.

[imastoryteller]

Understanding Morally Gray Characters in Storytelling

Definition and Core Characteristics:

Complex and Ambiguous Morality: Morally gray characters exhibit traits and make decisions that do not fit neatly into the categories of 'good' or 'evil'. Their actions and motivations often blend aspects of both.

Humanized Flaws: They possess human flaws, which make their actions and decisions relatable and believable. These flaws often drive their complex behavior.

Realistic Motivations: Their motivations are multifaceted and realistic, often stemming from personal experiences, traumas, or societal pressures.

Importance in Storytelling:

Adds Depth: These characters add depth and richness to the narrative, providing a more nuanced and realistic portrayal of human nature.

Creates Tension and Conflict: Their unpredictability and complex morality create tension and conflict, driving the plot and engaging the audience.

Reflects Real Life: By portraying characters with both good and bad qualities, stories can reflect the complexity of real-life moral decisions.

Examples and Their Impact:

Walter White from Breaking Bad: Initially a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with cancer, Walter turns to manufacturing methamphetamine to secure his family’s future. His descent into criminality and moral compromise makes him a quintessential morally gray character.

Severus Snape from Harry Potter: Snape’s actions and allegiances are ambiguous throughout much of the series. His ultimate loyalty and sacrifices reveal a deeply complex character motivated by love and regret.

Creating a Morally Gray Character:

Blend Virtues and Vices: Give your character a mix of admirable qualities and significant flaws. This balance helps create a sense of realism.

Motivations Over Actions: Focus on the character’s motivations rather than just their actions. Understand why they make certain decisions, even if those decisions are morally questionable.

Consequences and Growth: Show the consequences of their actions and allow for character growth or regression. This evolution keeps the character dynamic and engaging.

Impact on the Audience:

Empathy and Engagement: Morally gray characters can evoke empathy from the audience, as they see parts of themselves in the character’s struggles and decisions.

Moral Reflection: These characters prompt audiences to reflect on their own moral beliefs and the complexities of right and wrong.

Discussion and Debate: The ambiguous nature of morally gray characters often sparks discussion and debate, making stories more engaging and thought-provoking.

By understanding and effectively using morally gray characters, storytellers can craft richer, more engaging narratives that resonate deeply with their audience.

[wafflinglumos]

Sirius and James were not the same type of rich, I see this a lot, and a lot of people think that it’s canon, which is just, incorrect. James came from new money, Sirius came from old money.

Fleamont Potter’s business heavily, HEAVILY contributed to James’ wealth, sure Harry by our terms and by wizard terms inherited a LOT, absolutely, but from what we know from canon it’s incomparable to the Blacks fortune, it’s like comparing Draco’s and Harry’s wealth at the start of the series, you can’t.

Another thing to add is that the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black has that name for a reason, now sure, just because they’re known doesn’t mean they’re rich but we can quite confidently say they were, if you wanted to argue for the Potters’ being wealthier, you could I guess say that at the time the Blacks were a declining old money family, but they were still incredibly, INCREDIBLY wealthy.

We don’t know for certain how rich they were, or if they were richer than the Malfoys but because of how money works, old money specifically, we can say that at some point in the last few centuries(pre 1980) that they were as rich, or even richer than the Malfoys, however they weren’t as rich as them when it reached the 80’s. We can also guess they had the same amount of money or one of them had more, because Narcissa married Lucius so theoretically, Narcissa would have to be on the same level as Lucius in terms of wealth and vice versa.

Another thing we can use to calculate their wealth is their past history with house elves, from what we know from Ronald Weasley in Chamber of Secrets, a wizard/witch has to be “rolling in dough” to have a house elf, we can then look at the wall of dead house elves heads that the family had, and can make assumptions from there.

So, with all this information, we don’t have an exact amount, but, we know that even if they weren’t as wealthy as we paint them they were still known, and their opinions were highly regarded by an astounding amount, but then again, they were still insanely rich, and in terms of wealth and fame, leagues above the Potters.

The Potters were extremely wealthy, but the Blacks were loaded.

Anyways that’s the end of my Ted talk.

[aqueerpolysocialist]

Just a minute... just a minute. Now, hold on, Mr. Potter. You're right when you say my father was no businessman. I know that. Why he ever started this cheap, penny-ante Building and Loan, I'll never know. But neither you nor anyone else can say anything against his character, because his whole life was... why, in the 25 years since he and his brother, Uncle Billy, started this thing, he never once thought of himself. Isn't that right, Uncle Billy? He didn't save enough money to send Harry away to college, let alone me. But he did help a few people get out of your slums, Mr. Potter, and what's wrong with that? Why... here, you're all businessmen here. Doesn't it make them better citizens? Doesn't it make them better customers? You... you said... what'd you say a minute ago? They had to wait and save their money before they even ought to think of a decent home. Wait? Wait for what? Until their children grow up and leave them? Until they're so old and broken down that they... Do you know how long it takes a working man to save $5,000? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about... they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn't think so. People were human beings to him. But to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they're cattle. Well in my book, my father died a much richer man than you'll ever be!

George Bailey, as played by Jimmy Stewart in It's A Wonderful Life

[crow-in-gotham]

BLOG POST NO. 4 - ALL ABOUT THE WAYNES

Remember that off-handed comment I made about moving into Gotham without proper research? Well, it’s more like no research at all because I just found out who the Waynes actually are.

For you see, I am what my friends lovingly (read: derogatorily) refer to as an internet hermit. Basically, what I’m trying to say is that I have lived under a rock for basically my entire life. Well, at least when it comes to anything celebrity related. Hell, I don’t know much about Filipino celebrities, much less foreign ones. The only Filipino celebrities I bothered knowing the bare minimum about is BINI, and the only foreign actors I know are the ones who played in the Harry Potter series.

But back to my main point— yes, I only just now found out about who the Waynes are.

Why? Because I literally share a class with one of them. Actually, scratch that, I’m pretty sure I share a class with two of them—

So I did a little digging (read: my friends were appalled by how “uncultured” I am, and forced me to sit through a 3 hour long lecture about Wayne Lore) and here’s my thoughts.

First of all, Bruce Wayne, or “Brucie” as the media likes to call him, is the biggest fucking teddy bear I have ever seen. Like seriously, if “head empty, no thoughts” was a person, it would be him. Kinda sus (look Ray, internet slang!) to think he’s completely empty up there considering the fact that he, you know, runs one of the biggest enterprises in the entire world? The man is richer than Lex Luthor himself (yes, I know who he is— thank you Lan) and just keeps getting richer even with the amount of money he just seems to throw out everyday.

Honestly I’d be inclined to believe he’s actually some sort of secret super genius who’s just hiding behind a facade of stupidity just to lower everyone’s guard, but at the same time, I, quite frankly, could not give a fuck. The man pays my scholarship, I don’t really care if he’s the human version of a koala or the second coming of Isaac Newton. As long as he keeps doing all the good that he’s doing, I’m good. Overall, seems like a good guy and a nice hugger.

Next up is Richard Grayson-Wayne. Or, as literally everyone apparently calls him, “Dick”. Like, seriously? I know this has probably been said so many times— to the point where if you took all those times it was said by someone and turned it into an audio file, it would probably outlive the universe— but still. Really? Out of all the nicknames, you chose that?

And okay, maybe times were just different back then (shoutout to you old people out there), but was this guy so attached to the name that he just couldn’t be bothered to change it even when the modern day meaning for it was popularized? I mean, seriously, how many spittakes am I gonna have to go through every time my friend (hi Lan) says something along the lines of “I have a thing for Dick”. My friend knows exactly what the fuck he’s doing every time he says this sentence, because he never bothered to add the last name “Grayson” to it. Like, I know you’re gay Lan, but come on. The closet is already made of fucking glass.

Other comments to make? That ass. Like seriously, he tries to hide it by wearing slacks but sir, we are not blind. Those seams are fighting for their lives every time you take a step.

Next one on the list is Cassandra Cain-Wayne. There’s honestly not much else I can say about her other than the fact that I think she’s an absolute angel, and that I’ve replayed videos of her ballet performances for maybe an hour? There’s just something about the way that she dances that just looks so mesmerizing. It reminds me of a swan— beautiful, graceful, and equally as deadly. No, seriously, have you seen angry swans attacking people? Those birds can be fucking terrifying. I don’t know what about her looks so dangerous, but she just does? To me? It’s weird.

I’m not saying she’s a bad person or anything, I’m just saying that in a scenario where someone tries to mug her, I don’t think it would be her who’d end up with stitches. Which, honestly, I respect.

Next is Jason Todd-Wayne. The fucking brick house himself. I mean, come on, just look at one picture taken of him recently and tell me you did not stare for more than 10 seconds. This man is the definition of “If he’s a tree then I’m a squirrel”. Am I completely biased in this case? Maybe. Will I plead guilty? Over my dead fucking body.

The whole “disappeared for a weird amount of time, was assumed dead by the public for a while, then suddenly came back one day out of nowhere” situation aside, this guy is like the prime example of a glow-up. I don’t know what happened during those years he went missing, but he came back looking like a beefed up Princess Anna.

Chunk of muscle aside, there are also a few pictures of him hanging out with the kids that come by Martha’s House (local homeless shelter— thanks WE), and rescuing kittens from trees, and honestly I think it’s so sweet. It’s giving “gap moe” and I’m very much here for it.

Up next is Timothy Drake-Wayne, otherwise known as Tim (because who the fuck says Timothy nowadays—). Now this guy is the reason why this entire post exists in the first place. Why? Because I literally saw him walk right into class and sit literally right next to me (which, now that I think about it, is kinda weird because we were in a lecture hall and— hello, there’s literally 10 other seats in the same line as us?). Now, at first I didn’t really think anything of it— because duh, I lived under a rock remember? I had no idea who he was when he walked in, nor why everyone else in the room was staring at us like our heads were on fire (I checked— they were not), but I was running on 2 hours of sleep and barely any caffeine so I couldn’t give two fucks.

Then this mf (look Ray, abbreviations!) turned to me and just— hands me a bottle of 5 hour energy? That he just took out of his bag?? Now don’t get me wrong, I was thankful and all that, because there was no way in hell I would’ve survived that class without more caffeine making my heart almost palpitate, but also— kinda weird? Didn’t think much of it anyway and just thanked him. We did introduce ourselves to each other, but only with our first names because, you know, who the fuck introduces themselves with their full names unless it’s the first day of class and your professor decided it would be great to “get to know everyone” by doing self-introductions.

It wasn’t until 3 hours later at lunch when I discovered that I had, in fact, talked to Tim Drake-Wayne himself, courtesy of one of my friends (I’m looking at you Rayne) screaming at me.

That was also what led to the whole “sit down and let’s talk about Wayne Lore” that lasted 3 hours.

Duke Thomas-Wayne is the next one. This guy is an absolute fucking sunshine. He’s the other guy that’s in one of my other classes— actually, now that I think about it, we’re in a group together for that class’ semester-long project.

Wtf.

The literal personification of a ray of light is groupmates with me holy shit. “Become group mates with a Wayne” was definitely not on my bucket list for this year but you know what I’m not complaining about it.

Oh god I just remembered the fact that I ended up rambling about seashells for an embarrassingly long amount of time to him because the group wasn’t talking about anything so I ended up making small talk with the person next to me, which ended up being him.

I hope he liked my ramblings about the different kinds of seashells I have??

Last but definitely not the least (I feel legally obligated to say that) is Damian Wayne himself. He’s famous for being the only Wayne child to actually be blood-related to Bruce Wayne (not that that makes the others any less his kids—), and also well-known for the fact that he threatened to shove a cane up someone’s ass during one of the many Wayne Galas. Honestly, I respect it. The threatened person was being an asshole to some other guests and apparently Damian Wayne had enough of his bullshit. It made rounds on social media for an entire year apparently (not that I’d know— I was dead to the internet beyond my little circle of hyperfixations).

Other than that there’s not really much else to say about this guy? Other than the fact that I think he’s kinda cute in the little brother way. There’s a clip online of Tim Drake-Wayne calling him a demon spawn though, which I think is funny as fuck. It’s giving sibling energy to the max. I’m sure there's a good reason why this Damian Wayne has been dubbed the demon spawn.

There’s some honorable mentions for the Wayne Family (you know who I’m talking about) but honestly this has gone on for so fucking long. Maybe I’ll make a separate post about it at some point.

… How the fuck does Bruce Wayne deal with all these fucking kids—

[nightingale2004]

My headcanons for the Prince family of Harry Potter

They originated from either Russia, Romania, or Germany.

Their house crest is a bat or a raven, and their family motto is "The journey through darkness is where we find our strength." But it's normally said in their native language

They were known as a strange family, like addams family strange, and they were ahead of their time in their homeland due to them creating private spells, potions, and magical objects that normal wizards haven't even thought of yet.

They are rich beyond belief, like filthy old money rich, even richer than the Black family.

They were also travelers who would gather knowledge from other magical cultures and even collected magical objects for research and experiments, so they never stayed in one place until they reached London.

The famous prince dominant traits in the family are pitch black hair (straight, curly, or wavy), white pale skin with sharp facial features including the nose, and black eyes.

The home aesthetic is Victorian Renaissance goth, and their clothing is nothing but black or other dark colors that always look like their attending a funeral or they came from dark poetry or a gothic Renaissance or Victorian painting.

Most people make up rumors that they are descended from Dracula himself due to both the family's appearance and their clothes, plus the crest, but they have neither confirmed nor denied that they are vampires.

They are really good potions, better than most, and have even made their own spells and spell books along with their own magical objects.

They are also masters of legilimency and occlumency, which make them hard to read both inside and outside their own family.

They are actually respectful and polite to their house elves, and if you were to ask any of them, they would say, "It is truly a great honor serving the prince family."

Both the men and the women in the family treat each other as equals and how partners should be treated. The men are seen as the head of the house, but the Prince family put both the man and the woman in charge, and they work together to keep things in order. They also don't care about their family members dating the same sex, as long as they are happy.

For a long time, the Prince's never cared about their image to the other pureblood families. That was until they went to London sometime, maybe before, during, or after Grindlewald did they change completely from how they used to be.

They went from not caring about their image to actually caring and following the traditions that every family was following and completely lost their way, and it cost them their family and their legacy.

They have a rivalry with the Black house, which is ongoing. So there's bad blood there.

They are also a house full of Ravenclaws and Slytherins.

They also have an old mansion on the outskirts of London among many other homes across the world, just in case.

[poppletonink]

The Marauders Fandom and How It Has Changed The State of Fandom Culture

The Marauders Fandom defies the natural state of fandom culture. Within the realm of the spiderweb of links, clicks and likes, fandoms have been born, have been nurtured and have been destroyed. Typically these fandoms follow a particular mould: by focusing on canon events, characters, and relationships between said characters, more art, writing and wonder is born. However, the Marauders fandom is unlike any of its predecessors or any fandoms being born today. Though its characters were once residents of the world of Harry Potter, in the eyes of the fans they are no longer bound to the confines of their original character archetypes (and their minimal development) as provided by writer J.K. Rowling. The internet has created a fandom renaissance - a rebirth of the characters who were originally solely there as ancestors and side characters to the so-called Golden Trio.

With this rebirth comes a subversion of what people think they know. James Potter (the father of Harry Potter) and his friends are no longer the distant memories of a forlorn, mistreated young boy. Through headcanons, fanfiction, edits, and fanart, and the "fanon" versions of these characters, they are given substance, personalities and backstories much richer than those that were scrawled into the pages of the Harry Potter series. From All The Young Dudes by MsKingBean89 (the most-read fanfiction on Archive Of Our Own) to Crimson Rivers by bizarrestars, formerly known as zeppazariel, these characters are given new life.

A queer utopia - perhaps that is the best way to describe and define this fandom. As it has settled into its cozy corner of the web, the fandom has become more bold and outlandish in their ideas. Debates have run riot over romantic pairings and sexual orientations projected onto any and all characters clawed into the cast that is beloved by this ever-growing group of people. Is Remus Lupin "as gay as the day is long" (as he was described in the original print of Casey McQuiston's Red White and Royal Blue) or is he a bisexual man (as unfortunately rare as they are in the literary world)? That is just one of the many questions thrown around from tongue to tongue, from text to text, in this fandom. The importance of queer representation has been established again and again in our modern world, but it has existed and prevailed within the world of the Marauders Fandom.

The pairings in this fandom range from canon, sensible and strongly backed up with evidence from the original books (like James Potter and Lily Evans), to wild, wacky and completely obscure (like James Potter and Regulus Black). However, the fandom has decided to take their own route, no longer caring what words the creator Rowling has to say about her characters. On numerous occasions, J.K. Rowling has stated that Sirius Black and Remus Lupin do not have romantic feelings for each other, and yet 'Wolfstar', as they are so-lovingly nicknamed, is one of the biggest ships in fandom history. Alongside this, after the proclamations of Rowling's transphobic views mid-2020, the fandom took a stand declaring many of the characters (especially Regulus Black) to be transgender in their eyes. Through this, the Marauders Fandom has made these characters even more relatable for those who read about them. Even more notably, they have used these characters to take a political stand - to make it clear that we must stand up for those in our society who are shoved aside and discriminated against.

Fandom culture is taking art and making it into something even more beautiful, making it something that people relate to and adore even more than they did before. While the art originally belongs to the person who creates it, once it is put out into the world it becomes open to interpretation. People project onto songs, onto books, onto art and it helps them to escape the trials and tribulations they face within their realities. After all, isn't that what entertainment is truly made as - an escape? As a result of the Marauders Fandom, we can look towards a future where fandom is no longer defined by its canon, where it becomes a group of people who love something and share creative ideas together. As a result of the Marauders Fandom, fans have the ability and the opportunity to have a sense of more artistic expression, which ultimately leads to more media and literature for us to enjoy. The Marauders Fandom is a fundamental and quintessential part of fandom history - it is a story of its own, born and bred of minuscule threads and mere sentences about interweaving characters. It shows just how we as people are powerhouses of creativity and that, as is said in Dead Poet's Society (1989): "poetry, beauty, romance, love - these are what we stay alive for".

[beirarowling]

JK Rowling is a rich woman – but if she had a penny for every cancellation attempt levelled at her, she’d be an even richer one. A Comic Con in Newham had planned to host a panel from the West End play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, but cancelled the event after complaints from LGBT+ organisation Switchboard.

For some trans activists, Rowling doesn’t even have to be in the vicinity to cause emotional distress. In fact, it seems the very presence of she-who-must-not-be-named’s “intellectual property” was enough to make Switchboard concerned about “the potential impact on our community, particularly trans individuals”. MCM Comic Con announced that it had cancelled the panel, despite describing the event as an opportunity “to hear from the production team working behind the scenes”. So potent is Rowling’s power to offend, that even stage managers working on adaptations of her work are too tainted for trans activists.

But what MCM Comic Con and other similarly spineless organisations fail to recognise, is that public support is firmly behind the Potter creator. A recent poll of readers conducted by Amazon found that Rowling’s first novel – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – had one of the top five greatest opening lines of all time. It’s no secret that the Potter books are the best-selling fantasy series, having sold over 500 million worldwide and published in over 85 languages. Harry Potter is the The Little Prince of my generation – Rowling’s imagination continues to be an entry point for many young book lovers.

In fact, it’s worth asking whether Switchboard and others are genuine when they claim that simply being near anything related to Rowling might be harmful to their “community”. What happens when a co-worker turns up with a Hogwarts mug? Should copies of The Goblet of Fire be banned from the tube, lest “trans individuals” feel unsafe? Halloween is round the corner – how will these individuals fare on streets filled with wands, wizard hats and toddlers with fake scars on their foreheads?

Most of us know the truth – that there are very few trans individuals who feel threatened by Rowling or her work, or indeed agree with the characterisation of Rowling as a transphobic bigot. The author has responded to this emotive, heated debate with respect and calmness. It is wholly unfair for Potter brats like Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, or organisations like Switchboard, to seek to condemn Rowling in the name of the trans community.

JK Rowling is the woman who can't be cancelled

[amadholes-lostre]

Another Wednesday/Wenclair idea because I hate myself- The 5th Ostrace

My brain keeps spewing ideas but refuses to let me write a story lol. The idea is that there is a new Ostrace (using my BNHA au term) category to be generalized.

And that being aliens.

It kinda make sense: nonhumans that can't exactly accustom to norm society, so they will fit into Ostrace society (there're many reason why, especially one big reason).

The idea that multiple alien states contacted humanity before the main series so that the characters could be used to them. The alien states, other than what our countries do for diplomacy like cultural centers and participating in local events, also do student exchange program, including sending some to Nevermore.

(I already have this idea other with other franchises, using my original alien races in doing so, like Harry Potter (got this fic idea since 2013) and The Prom.)

Being nonhumans (some don't even look remotely as one), it will be difficult for the exchange students to fit in. However, another reason why they will be categorized as the 5th Ostrace- well, other than some being vastly different in appearance (one of the race, Rín [not actually the race name] is just a rubber forehead human with only pointy ears) is due them being considered mono-sex races (a homosexual species if you will).

Unlike humans and vast majority of animals being gonochorism, the alien races are mono-sex (think Asari from Mass Effect, which what inspired me [either positive or negative]), though ironically the majority will be classified as semi-monosex. Because of that, depending on the species and culture, gender is not as rigid compared to humans, especially Western cultures.

I don't really know else to write ther next one (I feel like I need to finish what my last paragraph left out lol) but I want to talk about the three alien races, or more like the three countries. There're three alien countries (two states having multiple different races) that come in contact. I don't actually have proper names for them (except the United Planetary Democracy, but that because they never bother with a singular name like the UAE), I do have their type of governmen. The three are: the United Kingdom (not actually accurate since kingdom is gender-neutral in the language, also ghere is a good reasonwhy it's called that), the UPD, and the Empire (in their defense, it's not the proper terminology [think Japan, though that isn't good either], so they wasn't as prepared for the backlash lol).

Okay, enough of that, time to talk about three alien races/countries:

So, first up is the Rín (singular is Rin), who makes up the UK. The UK is one of the states that made up of multiple races, and that because they all originated from the same planet. Rín isn't even a proper race but actually a genus (think Homo like humans). There's some races that aren't even in the same taxonomic family or class, and you piss off a lot of other people off for it. One of the races who made up like 70-80% are - I calling them Idorín for now (I never properly name almost any this, but I did categorize this mentally). Idorín are the most human-like with only superficial details being pointy ears, more colorful anime-like hairs, and having light-blue blood. Internally, their anatomy is a bit more avian (they're still viviparity). This is due to having airsac along lungs, a bit more lighter bones (through more richer with carbon). The average height is 6'3.5, though this depends on the... subsex(lol)? They're also semi-monosex, one being Ovumsere (they give birth; make up 60%), and Polisere (they... provide gametes?; make up 35%)(there are true mono-sex, though very rare; 5%). Anatomically, they're not very different other than heights (only three inches: Ovumsere av. 6'3 and Polisere av. 6'6), voice (only a bit), and genitals (lol). They're very culture diverse, average lifespan of 160 years (now 350 thanks to gene therapy). Also, there're humans in the UK before even contacting Earth (though their population doesn't even make a percentage).

The second race are So'lenas (ironically the name only name I actually come up a decade before), and another ironic twist runs the UPD. The country that has a very vague name is actually the only one that has one species (lol, lmao even). They're human-like, though not like Idorín. They kind of filled up the Blue-Skinned Soace Babe tropes, though not that much (their nose is actually sensory organ like a whale melon, they actually breathe either through their mouth or a blowhole atop their back). Their skin range either teal, light to dark blue, and purple. Their skin is a bit reptilian, though softer, and resemble more like that over your knuckles. They have freckle-like bioluminescence called 'his'kiri (meaning "star-kiss", another named for So'lena is His'lena, "Star-Person"), crest and tendril-like atop their head, semi-aquatic being (though depends on their culture of how they utilize it) which allows them to hold their breath 10-45 minutes (they look very voluptuous because of this), and give live birth (they do have breasts). They have a paddle-line tail that them swim more effectively and digitigrade legs. They're true mono-sex beings, with an average height of 6'4 and a lifespan of 300 years. Because of this, they have very loose gender roles, viewing it more like how queer women view butch and femme identity. Do of the planet (actually a satellite) they hail from (being very hot and humid), many of their culture clothing have lose clothes and transparent garments; it will be common to see their breasts (some fashion are even similar to ancient Minoan)(it also helps they've petite breasts and is not as sexualized compared to many human cultures).

The third race are Rahros ('hr' pronounce like Spanish J but with more vibration, also the full name is Ahnta'Sarnu'Rahros), and they're the majority of the Empire. Their government is a semi-constitution theocratic monarchy. The Empire and UK have a huge rivalry, almost Cold War political environment (think England-France rivalry). The race is the least human (being bipedal with a slight hunchback and 4 limbs their only resemblance), being archosauroform, though resembling more to crocodilians than to avians Most of their body are either in scute or soft scales. Though they have an upper and lower mouth, they have a pair of mandible that helps them push large food down their mouth. Their tongue is more like butterflys' (proboscis), and they can't move their mouth sideways (many of their cuisine are bite sides). They have tendrils- sometimes referred as dread or braid- growing from their head that resemble hair, shaping either smooth circle or overlapping scale oval, ranging half-an-inch to 1½ inches in thickness, and being made of keratin- it can be trimmed without hurting them (think like horse hoof trimming). They have three digit fingers and two opposing thumb in each hand. Their legs are digitigrade so they prefer to wear sandals and a small, vestigal tail. Their body shape is athletic and lean. The average height is 6'7.5, with ovumsere 6'6, while polisere are 6'9. (I have an idea Rahros character who's 8'4, 500 pound beef cake. Their dorm is in the 1st because they accidentally collapsed through the second floor. Somehow, they got their ass kick by Wednesday, fought and lost to the Hyde, and enjoys fighting Enid werewolf form). Their ovumsere/polisere ratio is similar to Idorín, though they give birth through oviparity: 45 days for the embryonic development and 8 months for incubation. Their scute colors range from light (similar to blond) to dark brown, bluish black (similar to alligators), and light sky blue. Their average lifespan is 146 years, though to 320 after gene therapy.

(Congratulations to the local lesbian, especially to Yoko and Divina.)

(Rín mocked polisere Rahros for having similar genitals to males, and Rahros fucking hate it.)

(One thing I trying to do is make their culture [each species has hundreds of different cultures and ethnicity] seem as different than our own, especially due to their sex and gender. One thing is that they having communal bathing and multiple relative family units living in the same housing [some Idorín/Rín culture/planet/satellite has segregated sex but this is due of excluding males from public space]).

I don't really have a plot, not compare to the Harry Potter one, however I do have some ideas.

My idea is the two children of my two OC have (ironicall, i based them on Wednesdayand Enid) are a couple, one being an Idorin (ovumsere) and anorher a So'lena. Even though both characters can't get either the other one pregnant (this isn't star trek/star wars), they use genetic engineering, so each child will have one percent of the other parent's genes. The two children are some of the main protagonists in the fic- the other are Wednesday and Enid - following their staying at Nevermore. Some conflict I think of is the Idorin OC having an identity crisis- she basically a clone of their mother and trying to explore who they are (and being short, only 5'8). The So'lena child doesn't have this problem since an average So'lena gain 95% from their mother. However, the So'lena OC too has one, of be it having an ethnic/species identity crisis- they rarely interacted with their own species that wasn't their own So'lena mother (they both lived their Idorin mother maternal family, the housing having around 100 people in it [it helps the family are a noble dynasty]).

Another idea is about how all three (or multiple) species are, either though physically and biologically different from one another and to humans, still share some common traits. One is how all 4 love to gossip and talk shit behind their back. I want Wednesday, who was excited about meeting them, disappointed how asinine, unambitious, and unimaginable they're, being so similar to humans. The Idorin OC will point out how idiotic and problematic she sounded, especially if she had said that to another Idorin.

Probably another idea is Nevermore nonalien characters exploring the aliens culture. One idea is Yoko trying to learn So'lena lingua franca, helps that I based the language on Japanese and Hawaiian (syllabary characters, no third person pronouns, a mixed of particle and grammatical case, subject-object-verb sentence, etc). Divina enjoying swimming with So'lena due of having aquatic body-type, though they will complain about the cold (their thermoregulation is meant to dissipate heat as quickly as possible). Enid will enjoy listening to one of the Rin races (having a more feline appearance) song genre, sounding similar to K-pop and J-pop (genre name in English will be Songstress Motet), though she will be shock just how dark and gruesome some of the lyrics are (think Yoru ni Kakeru).

I don't have much else to add, but this is a good amount, I think.

[investmentassistant]

Why rewatching movies and rereading books you know by heart matters

Revisiting stories, whether through films or books, often sparks a debate: why invest time in something you already know by heart? At first glance, it might seem redundant, but beneath the surface lies a treasure trove of benefits that enhance our emotional, intellectual, and even social lives. Let’s explore why rewatching and rereading isn’t just comforting, but also enriching.

Rediscovering layers of meaning

The first time you watch a film or read a book, your attention is primarily focused on the plot and characters. However, upon revisiting it, you start to notice the subtleties—the nuanced dialogues, the hidden symbolism, and the intricate themes that may have gone unnoticed. For example, when rereading To Kill a Mockingbird, one might first see it as a story about childhood innocence. Upon revisiting it, however, the deeper themes of justice, morality, and racial inequality become more pronounced.

Similarly, films like Inception or The Matrix often reveal more layers with each viewing. The complexities of the storyline, the visual metaphors, and the philosophical questions embedded within become clearer and richer, offering an entirely new perspective. Revisiting such works often feels like piecing together a puzzle, where each new viewing or reading adds depth to your understanding.

Comfort in familiarity

Rewatching or rereading provides a sense of comfort and stability, especially during challenging times. Familiar stories act as an anchor, grounding us when life feels unpredictable. Think of how Harry Potter fans often revisit the series for its warmth and nostalgia, reconnecting with beloved characters and a magical world.

This is not just emotional indulgence; it’s therapeutic. Studies suggest that engaging with familiar narratives can reduce stress and anxiety, offering a sense of control in an otherwise chaotic environment. When you already know the ending, the journey becomes less about suspense and more about savoring the journey itself.

A fresh perspective with new experiences

Our personal growth and life experiences profoundly impact how we perceive stories. A film or book that resonated in one way years ago may evoke entirely different emotions today. A teenager reading The Great Gatsby might focus on the romance and glamour, while an adult might be struck by the emptiness of materialism and the tragedy of Gatsby's dreams.

Similarly, rewatching a childhood favorite like The Lion King as an adult might bring new understanding of themes like loss, responsibility, and personal growth. Life’s changes often mirror the stories we revisit, offering fresh insights and a deeper emotional connection.

Strengthening emotional bonds

Sharing a well-loved movie or book with someone else is a powerful way to strengthen relationships. When you introduce a favorite story to a friend, partner, or family member, it creates an opportunity for connection and meaningful conversations. Discussing why a particular scene moved you or how a character’s journey inspired you can deepen mutual understanding and empathy.

Moreover, revisiting shared favorites with loved ones often becomes a bonding ritual. Watching It’s a Wonderful Life every holiday season or rereading Pride and Prejudice with a book club creates shared memories and traditions, strengthening your emotional ties to both the story and the people around you.

Reinforcing knowledge and reflection

Every rereading or rewatching session reinforces what you’ve already learned and helps you reflect on the story’s relevance to your current life. For example, revisiting self-help books like Atomic Habits can help reinforce habits and strategies you might have forgotten. Similarly, rewatching documentaries like Planet Earth can reignite your sense of wonder about the natural world and remind you of your role in preserving it.

In some cases, repetition also aids memory retention and understanding. Complex narratives, like those in Game of Thrones or The Lord of the Rings, often require multiple viewings to fully grasp all the plotlines, character arcs, and intricacies.

[ceasarslegion]

Im gonna say something that a lot of online "activists" arent gonna wanna hear or face the reality of, but your little twitblr calls for "boycotts" from top shelf popularity products and media arent doing shit about anything, and in many cases are harming the movement youre claiming to care about.

I put "boycott" in quotes because it's never really a boycott, it's just a plead. Real, actual boycotts imply some level of mass organization, campaigning, advertising, and for the everyday person to be aware of and to want to follow through on. Screaming at random tumblr users for still having netflix accounts is not a fucking boycott. Screaming at the internet void that theyre pieces of shit for pre-ordering pokemon games because of how the devs are treated is not a fucking boycott.

And here's the other part youre not gonna wanna hear but you need to: boycotts, more often than not, don't work even when you can orchestrate an actual boycott. Theyre highly dependent on the context of your fight and that's why you need to LISTEN to the people who are in the real front lines of a demonstration before you just decide for them what they need from their supporters. That's why the WGA didnt tell you to cancel your streaming services or stop going to the movies: boycotting all hollywood work would have HARMED them because they needed tangible proof that the studios need them, which they couldn't do if you suddenly cut off the demand.

And you have to acknowledge that there is a point of wealth and popularity where boycotting does absolutely fuckall in any possible scenario. I'm gonna be honest here and say that I don't think JKR, someone who's BEEN richer than god and wrote the most popular childrens books of the 21st century (which is a FACT that you HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE if you want to do anything effective against her. Sorry!) is feeling any loss to her coffers from any sized group of peoples decision to buy or not buy harry potter merch. I know she makes snippy comments on twitter about it, but you guys have got to learn to recognize a troll when you see one and stop fucking feeding it and taking her at her own word.

Just... you GOTTA stop focusing on the symptoms and start acknowledging that the disease exists at all even when it's hard and you don't want to and the things that work are not as much of a glamorous spectacle as it is to just scream at people for the unforgivable crime of purchasing one of the most popular games ever published. Wow im sure that one copy was really felt by the pokemon company and not immediately picked up by the next person who walked into gamestop on release day. Be realistic here.

[everythingendsbutcomicsr4ever]

((This originally comes as my response to someone saying that ppl don’t like The Sun and The Star because it’s a middle school book and we were expecting the series to grow along with us.))

Valid point I keep finding BUT I recently read the PJO series again in preparation for TSATS and those books still slap!! They’re so good even tho I’m reading them as an adult even though they're meant for kids. (Also I recently read ToA because of course I’m gonna keep reading Rick’s middle school books until the day I die or they stop coming out lol. And that series while more goofy at points I still really liked) I also read one of Mark Oshiro's other books in prep for this book because I was excited for The Sun and Star to be released and I just COULD NOT get through it 😭 the writing was just giving me the ick and the characters where all kind of samie like that sassy talking wit. Which was a bummer because I liked the premise of the book “Anger is a Gift”, which was about underfunded schools mainly facing ppl of color and immigrants which leads to the school-to-prison pipeline because of the defunct way America funds public schools that keeps the poor poor and the rich getting richer & it was ACAB & had a lot of queer representation & etc. So I thought I’d really like it but I just couldn’t get through it because of the writing and I noticed this same writing style showing up in TSATS. Just because it’s for kids doesn’t excuse it from being bad. Like early Pixar and Studio Ghibli is still so good to watch back again and my 50+ yrs old parents like it. Book examples would be Harry Potter (screw JK Rowling tho fr) & the The Little Prince

Not to bash on ppl who say this is the main reason ppl don’t like the book but it feels like a straw man argument to say that the books not growing with us is the main reason ppl didnt like it. All tho I’m sure ppl have argued this but that is definitely their fault because Rick is staying in middle-grade fiction forever like that’s his thing! Why would ppl expect different 🤣 You think he wants to write a sex scene?! LMAO

(Here’s my review, it’s unhinged and not great because I should be doing productive stuff but am distracted until I can at least write down some of my thoughts on my disappointing experience)

Here are some things I didn’t like about it from a piece of art standpoint:

The pacing was bad

This book was filled with the first thing they teach you about writing which is: SHOW don’t TELL

It made me not ship Solangelo surprisingly like how??! I used to love Solangelo but I think this mainly is because of the collective consciousness of the fandom and because we wanted Nico to find happiness with someone. But if you really look back on their moments canonically from the books Will is a background character (who honestly kind of gaslights Nico by invalidating that ppl treated him differently as a son of Hades and that he didn't feel welcome at camp) and they kind of have a quick meet cute in the last book of The Last Olympian. They get together without us seeing their developing relationship and we now know they’re dating in The Trials of Apollo where we see them briefly in the first book and then more so in the last book. Honestly, this canonically alone doesn’t give me enough information or examples to really know or care about their relationship in comparison to Percy and Annabeth who we get to see develop. So TSATS just kind of felt hollow to me because I’m supposed to believe they’d die for each other but I DONT KNOW THE POWER OF THEIR LOVE?? This could just be a first love fling type thing like I was never shown the depth of their romance just told constantly in the book how much they love each other so it just felt kind of empty and emotionally unsatisfying to me.

Solangelo's relationship has always been in the background and the fans are what really made it cause we love Nico and want him to be happy. So when Will and Nico are fighting in this book all I can think is that this is just their relationship period.

So the reason it made me not like Solangelo was because Tarturus was supposed to bring out the worst in them and strain their relationship but, like, I haven’t really seen much of their relationship so I don’t have a “control group” to base this off of. So Will just seemed rude when he was so mean about Nico’s underworld home and about Nico's darkness which I also didn’t understand wtf he was talking about because Nico has killed just as many monsters as other campers and what else was his darknes based off of. cause he’s emo/goth?? Cause he can raise the dead?? Like guys we’ve discussed this just because a character wears black doesn't automatically make them the bad guy. I honestly thought Will just thought that was hot and they’d have that normie x alt relationship dynamic (that meme of: My hot witch wife. Me doing whatever she wants) I thought THAT was Solangelo not Will constantly trying to bring this light side to him and trying to change him. I agree that Nico needs help w his trauma and PTSD and things like that but this felt like if someone tried to “cure” a goth person, like actually screw you

I thought Will was supposed to look like a normie but be secretly a freak (in a good way lol) / goth interest. Cause this is meee I thought I was like Will as someone who looks like a normie and has a sunny disposition but I have a lot of alt/goth interests and I would let an alt girlie step all over me tbh lol. So does he like Nico for who he is or not?!

This is more in line w what I thought their relationship was like lol:

The flashbacks and forwards I thought were ok even if they took you out of the story a bit but this device is supposed to be used for an IMPORTANT event not just as a way to quickly give context to their relationship and when we got to the scene this was taking place in I was like that’s it?? He what? fell down and is suffering from sun withdrawals and this is the book's big moment to justify jarring flashback scenes?

Mark Oshiro is not a fantasy adventure or horror writer and it shows. Maybe it’s just me but their depiction of Tarturus and the nightmare and the journey were just not up to snuff with good horror and fantasy books I’ve read. (And if your gonna say something about how it’s for kids then I raise you the book series “Goosbumps”) So as a genre in itself, it was just disappointing. It was mainly a relationship guidebook book but I didn’t really like that or feel like it was done well, It felt lectury and also idk if that's the genre middle schoolers really like?? 😅

It had too many references which really dates a book, A lot of professional writers say not to use too much slang or modernreferences (unless you’re trying to make a book expressly about a time period) because it really dates a book and doesn’t make a story feel timeless for future generations if you use too many references (this doesn’t include political novels tho which are very much based in that time when the events happening) Anyways for future writers keep this in mind, you don't need to keep in touch with the youth through urban dictionary you can just write about the emotions of being young or whatever. If you’ve tried to read a comic book aimed at teens from the 50s like I have you’ll realise how funny that is.

(Also the carebear reference that I didn’t even understand and I watched carebear as a kid & Lil Nas video which if this was written for kids that music video feels a bit inappropriate for them 😂 it had a reference both too old and too young for middle schoolers AND how in the world would 1930s born, dropped out of elementary school, can’t use the internet or phones half blood, NICO DI ANGELO know these references???)

The writings giving:

Bad alt representation. (This is my most out-of-pocket opinionated bullet point rant so if you don't agree that’s a-okay :D ) This could be a whole post in itself but although I know ppl joke about Nico as the Emo kid I would really like to get into how Nico is actually, or it would be cool, as having some goth subculture inclinations. And ppl probably think of Trad Goths with the whole makeup and teased hair look but it’s mainly a music-based subculture and/or it just has a different idealogy around the ideas of death and what is deemed beautiful while most ppl see it as ugly. (Like listen to “Gallows Dance” or the Bauhaus's “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” & “The Passion of Lovers”, to name songs off the top of my head) This bullet point is definitely MY OPINION and doesn’t contribute exactly to the book being bad but aren’t those songs the vibe of an underworld kid like Nico?? Embracing the darkness and dancing in graveyard vibes fr!! Anyways most alt subcultures and especially emo are seen as a phase in life that you grow out of and then become normal. This book just really gives the energy of being written by a normie who would be confused by the choices of alt ppl and just doesn’t get it because it’s not their personal interest, which isn’t exactly bad even tho I want more philosophy from Nico on the chillness and acceptance of death (all tho greek mythologies view on the afterlife sucks fr and THAT is a whole other post haha) So this isn’t exactly a problem BUT what gives me the ick is WILL NOT ACCEPTING THESE THINGS LIKE SIR STOP BASHING YOUR BOYFRIENDS LIFE!! Will asking Persephonee, “How do you love someone from the underworld” SHUT UP!! 😤

Will was useless and I know what they were trying to go for but if I had a girlfriend (oh I’m a lesbian btw just in case ppl think I’m going harder on this book more than the other books because I’m homophobic bruh I swear I’m not I’m only disappointed in the art itself, NOT the representation which I actually liked) and if I was super good at fighting and they weren’t, I’m sorry but I wouldn’t take them BECAUSE of my love for them. If they were going to be useless on a mission of such life-threatening danger and importance I WOULD NOT TAKE THEM OUT OF KINDNESS. Like skills in medicine and art and music are great and there’s of course nothing wrong w not being a badass fighter (lmao this is me and most readers) but then DONT GO TO SUPER HELL!!! Especially if you have something that makes you more pathetic than being a normal human in Tarturus, his suffering from no sunlight is out of pocket and just makes the story draggg and makes him seem boring and the story more boring. I know they were trying to go for a fish out of water storyline and roll reversal but I think it wasn’t done well enough and overall hurt the story

Also, I’ve heard ppl talk about how it would have been nice to have a book focus on their relationship while at Camp Half-Blood. Like maybe it takes place pre Jason's death and we can just see them living at camp. It’d be chill and we can actually see them as a couple & It would give the energy of readers wanting to go to camp half-blood again like how everyone wanted to go to Hogwarts. Cause we haven’t seen the camp as a fun home since the very early PJO books ;-; (this is just a fun idea I like and I think would have been more manageable for an author but this is FR my opinion on a fun book idea i’d like to read) ALSO this would have been so nostalgic for the older readers who have been here since middle school gobbling up this universe 😌

I know ppl get mad at ppl making fun of Will for being pathetic in tarturous. As saying he’s a child and no one can be happy and sunny and doing well 24/7 which is valid but that’s not really my argument. I like watching characters put in situations where we watch them bend against what we thought they were when put in a hard situation (the masochist in me lol jkjjk). But this I think didn’t work for me because as I’ve said before he’s mainly a background character at the end of one book thrown together with Nico and we as a fandom have mainly made him up. Also, Tarturus was just not as scary or adventure-filled as like any of the other missions from previous PJO books, It didn’t feel as trauma-inducing as everyone in the series tried to explain it as. (again show not tell from the book) Also, I would have liked to have seen Will cool at least once or one reason for me to like him with Nico but I saw him as pretty bland as a character

The writing style felt bad to me because of the show don’t tell part for example telling as “it made him sad and traumatized” when showing would be, you know, actually showing the scenes and this book just felt like 80% telling what they were feeling instead of letting the reader feel the emotions of the scene for themselves

I think that’s another thing I really didn’t like related to the Show Don't Tell. And another hallmark of bad writing was this book was really telling the audience how to feel instead of allowing the story to be powerful enough to do that for itself. This book follows a trend I’ve seen a lot in TV shows where everything kind of feels like detached irony from being on Twitter where you hear everyone’s opinions so the story is written as a wink and a nod like we know what we’re doing and we know what your thinking and how twitter will react to it. Like it’s hard to describe this trend I’ve mainly seen in TV shows and movies recently which always gives me the ick cause it doesn’t feel funny it feels like I’m in a response piece that is breaking the fourth wall and reminds me that I’m in reality watching or reading something instead of actually feeling like I’m in the story. It’s like pseudo-wittiness or something. Tell me if you guys feel this way about some modern tv shows or books, I can't be alone please 😭!!

The stupid toast scene at the end lol The book is like: Do you get it? Did you get it?? They’re opposites! And they attract!! We did the trope you guys!! Also, the stupid Darth Vader scene to start off the book 💀

This whole book made me cringe where I had to constantly get up walk around and lie on the floor before I could continue, only to constantly repeat the cycle 😅

Anyway, idk how to end this review/rant I just had such strong emotions I had to get out probably because I was so excited for this book to come out for like over a year and got back into PJO for a bit and read some of Mark Oshiro’s books and greek mythology and stuff, so I think it wasn’t just me reading any random bad book it disappointed me more that it was poor quality because I wanted to love it so much.

It did have some actually good parts, the troglodytes were cute … I can’t remember the other stuff but it was there I swear lol! If you enjoyed it I’m happy for you! Don’t let me ruin a book you like, you deserve to feel joy 😘💐

[stardust-swan]

Coquette Christmas

🎀 to wear: pale pinks, baby blue, icy white, leg warmers, uggs with bows, sweaters with skirts, cable knit cardigans, cashmere scarves, earmuffs, mittens, pearl bobby pins, velvet scrunchies and bows, berets with pearls, sparkly earrings, pretty brooches on your winter coat, glossier birthday balm, becca pearl highlighter

🎀 bake heart shaped stained glass sugar cookies or gingerbread people with bows piped on <3

🎀 enjoy peppermint white hot chocolate with mini marshmallows while cuddled up under a blanket

🎀 read hans christian andersen fairytales

🎀 see a ballet like swan lake, the nutcracker, or gisele

🎀 visit the swans! in the northern hemisphere swans migraine during christmas so go to a canal or lake to watch then glide by

🎀 make your skincare routine different! skin tends to get drier in winter so use a richer moisturiser, do sheet masks (love lapcos sheet masks), use vaseline or a lip mask overnight (klavuu does a great one), put some glycerin or lotion on your feet and hands before putting on your socks and gloves, and remember to still wear spf! carry a good handcream and lip balm (fresh rose lip treatment is soo good) in case you feel dry while out. and obviously drink lots of water

🎀 ice-skate holding hands with someone special <3

🎀 light lots of candles! there are some great wintery scented one like gingerbread, frankincense, winter berry and mulled wine. I also like yankee's rainbow cookie in winter even though it's not strictly a winter scent. vanilla is always a good idea too

🎀 eat lots of marzipan, sugared rose petals, crystallised fruit, nougat, turkish delight, and caramelised nuts

🎀 practice self care with a warm bubble bath, a face mask, and a rich body lotion afterwards. put on silk pyjamas and fluffy socks that have been wrapped around a hot water bottle so they're already warm and cozy afterwards

🎀 to smell christmassy: layer scent by using a peppermint shower gel followed by a vanilla body lotion

🎀 decorate your space with figurines of swans, shepherdesses, angels, nutcrackers, and holiday barbies. and put bows on your xmas tree

🎀 watch: love actually, anastasia, little women, classic disney movies, white christmas, ice princess, harry potter and the sorcerer's stone, bridget jone's diary, barbie in the nutcracker, the chronicles of narnia, dead poets society, and any hallmark movie

🎀 write christmas cards in glitter pen and decorate with angel stickers and a spritz of vanilla perfume

🎀 to feel luxurious at night, spritz on some body spray, wear a flowing nightgown and do yourself in a clara style (half up with satin ribbon)

🎀 make snow angels!

🎀 make an emergency kit for those days when you come home miserable because of the cold and dark and have no energy, plans, and need some alone time. include things like a candle, a small box of good chocolates, some sheet masks, a perfume, your favourite tea, a book that comforts you, fluffy socks, a cozy blanket, paper and a pen to journal your thoughts, a photo album of your favourite people, old love letters, or anything else that you can easily keep at hand that will comfort you

🎀 listen to a pretty wintery playlist with genres like classical, jazz, and celtic/nordic traditional (mine is below <3)

[pink-caffeine]

Tomarry prompt — ar/tt

Basically, a Rule 63 HJP.

Tom Marvolo Riddle x fem!Harry,

Who is named as "Iolanthe Dorothea Potter".

"Iolanthe" means 'violet' (a name that would fit her in a more 'modern' time) flower, a name which neatly ties with Iolanthe Peverell as an ancestor.

"Dorothea" is after Dorea Black who will be James Potter's mother in this reality. This would also help in explaining why she looks like a Black despite her last name being Potter, which would be one of the conflicts of the story: a child arrives at Hogwarts with a Potter surname, it could just be one from the American branch although they usually prefer Ilvermorny, or maybe even from one of Henry Potter's rumored liaisons, she should be; but she looks like the Head Girl's clone, quite shorter than she was at 11 but the very same face, only without the elegance.

The Premise

Usually time travel stories related to Harry have him regressing age-wise if they do not keep him as an adult, but this idea instead has an 11-year-old female Harry who is still the dreamer she was when the story started, still 11, still hopeful, and in need of a confidante but also guarded especially with adults, maybe even more so now that she's a girl, a kid just trying to fit in the new world she was recently told she was a part of by a large friendly but rather odd man.

It's essentially just two muggle-raised orphans in their secondhand clothes meeting each other on the train to what they could call "home" finally.

The boy thinks the girl is weird, she talks like those that he sees when he wanders through the richer side of London when he can, Received Pronunciation they call it, but she wears a t-shirt too large for her size with shoes that look worn. Yet her trunk looked like one of those expensive ones he saw when he was buying his list, and while the tee was large on her body, the material didn't look cheap.

Iolanthe meanwhile meets a very handsome boy, a complete stranger who is also very new to this magic thing and also muggle-raised like her, maybe a muggle-born. She did think that his manners were rather crass, and no, it wasn't the cockney accent or his choice of words, he was rather polite with them, she thinks, much better than her cousin or his friends, but there was something with the way he looked guarded when he sat but open with his words when he spoke, quite blunt and unsubtle, almost unhinged. He seemed like he loved the sound of his voice, and she should have been annoyed but he was too entertaining without meaning to be.

The story delves through the experiences of being a presumed muggle-born, and a controversial "love child" in which is arguably the most traditional house in Hogwarts, Slytherin, where either one would have had them be ostracized inside but still allowed them a measure of privacy if they stayed alone, yet the two stuck with each other making them more visible not only to those within their House but to the whole school as well.

They are two muggle-raised children facing a rising anti-muggle sentiment across the whole school due to the effect of the two wars, muggle and magical, occurring during the period, and then, that's where they discover the power of names even more, a difference they would never be able to change. No matter the whispers that surround her, Iolanthe carries a known pureblood family name even if they weren't included in the Sacred 28 list, therefore, she would always be confused for one. They would expect her to know certain things and sometimes forget that she grew up differently. While try as he may to learn much of the wizarding world, Tom would always be reminded of his muggle ancestry and strangers were more prone to assuming he was a muggle-born, and undermining him for that simple fact.

Set in the 1930s, there is less enmity towards Slytherin House from the rest of the school, though Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry would always be explosive but that was just the order of things; and because the horrors of the 1st Wizarding War in Britain hasn't been experienced yet, there is even less consideration towards Muggle-borns and their plights. Even the most open-handed one among their professors, Albus Dumbledore had his own brand of prejudice when it came to their other world.

It features the unraveling and reconstruction of a young Tom Riddle, his effort to remove the traces of his upbringing, his try at mirroring the personas of who he deemed as the summit of pureblood refinement among his housemates, chiefly Romulus Lestrange, Walburga Black, and Abraxas Malfoy, his struggle to rise in the rigid Slytherin hierarchy, from an outcast to someone who had charmed everyone, weaponizing his perfectionism and excellence in academics to carve his own niche, and aided by the halo effect, though it is something he will not openly express as a strength of his. He may have arrived to Hogwarts skinny and malnourished but it didn't deter his face from taking center stage among his peers and the human tendency to gravitate towards beauty.

It also introduces the creation of the Knights of Walpurgis, which was pretty much an inofficial boys' club by their generation of Slytherin boys, the respective members of their motley crew, and a glimpse through their family histories, their illustrious images, the pretences they hold up, and the guises they blanket themselves under.

But the families that will have the spotlight will be the Potters, who are reaching new heights with Fleamont at its helm, and the Blacks with their manifold members who are all well-placed in society,

[n4tural1]

AI: my thoughts

Imagine a world where your dream job is certain to be rendered obsolete by a machine, now open your eyes and see the same image. I am an artist in our current age. My line of work is likely to be replaced by two quick lines of writing into an AI. Will I have to pursue a line of work I harbour no passion for due to the certainty of my likeness being stolen? An unfortunate amount of people hear anyone talking about these issues and disregard them, thinking “Oh no! Another nihilistic luddite screaming about the end of the world”, but I’m here to show you why these seemingly nihilistic claims have actual basis. AI, while promising, poses a threat to all who desire to join the workforce. Whether it’s the plagiarism that takes place in training an AI, the doors it opens for tech giants and other multimillion dollar companies to replace all workers with machines or even the fact that it steals from artists just to replace them, AI is a bigger issue than anyone could’ve ever imagined.

The main ethical quandary with generative AI is the fashion in how it learns. Machine learning, for the uneducated, works by archiving provided media into its vast data banks, in which it then uses to generate a “new” piece of media by stitching together anything similar. This, in a vacuum, isn’t inherently bad, however, its possibilities are. Closed source AI’s currently on the market have been fed copious amounts of media from copyrighted and privately owned sources with neither permission nor financial compensation. I would bet that at least half of you in this room are thinking “oh that’s not good! These AI’s should be sued!”, but that’s the thing, they can’t be. It is currently impossible to prove any specific piece of work has been used to train a generative AI, and it is too impossible to state any piece of work produced by one is copyrighted, as it steals from so many different sources, the origins obscure each other. This isn’t just image generating AI’s either, chatGPT and Gemini are text based generative AI that have both been proven to not only regurgitate copyrighted work; such as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, but completely make up fake historical events due to such! Most terrifyingly, voice replicating AIs such as Voice.AI and elevenlabs and deepfake AIs such Synthesia and TopApps not only pose a threat to the entire entertainment industry, but to the reliability and reputation of all digital footage. This potential replacement of all white collar work with no chance of enacting any legal repercussions leaves AI manufacturers and consumers to perpetrate this plagiarism and leaves little room for human-made work that genuinely contains soul.

“The rich get richer”. It’s a saying parodying the quote “You need money to make money”, which is quite relevant when talking about the ethical concerns behind AI. The media giants and other mega-corporations everyone gets mad at are only going to be fueled by the introduction of AI, the only reason they haven’t taken the leap is because of the public perception of AI and the writer’s strike that happened in protest of it! Casual use of AI, for personal use or purely for a joke between friends is an endorsement of AI use in general, and therefore the use of copyrighted imagery and replacement of workers by these corporations. Until some actual policies regarding the use of artificial intelligence in corporate context come into play, any use of AI, wholesome or not, endorses the self-destructive abstraction of one’s own job. I had a similar conversation with a previous friend, and here is an argument they had to say: “all productivity improvements take some jobs but if there were no productivity improvements ever there would be the same amount of jobs but everyone would be poor”. This is a poor argument due to the fact that every time a new innovation such as this has threatened jobs, there have always been union labour laws put in place to prevent such issues. However, with the speed at which AI is being developed, legislation has been struggling to keep up with the necessary interventions due to its lack of priority in all political contexts.

As previously stated, I am an artist, a voice actor specifically. My job is being actively replaced by AI, by ripping the voices out of people's throats. Disregarding the security issues especially in politics for now, any person with enough footage of someone and a powerful enough AI model can steal someone’s voice just to use it for free. It is evident that this poses a COLOSSAL threat to the entertainment industry. And not just voices! Any artist can be completely replaced by their own artwork! This is disgusting. Semi-personal anecdote here, but I heard a story, from a fellow voice actor, where they did an over-the-phone audition. I heard a story where this “over-the-phone audition” was an elaborate scam used to train an AI off of their voice, rendering them completely obsolete because they were betrayed by their own voice. This isn’t just an exaggerated story thought up for some irrelevant emphasis, this is a genuine threat that exists right now. Artists might have to stop sharing their passions in fear that by sharing them, the AI conglomerates will devour their work and spit it back out, soulless and deformed, but cheap and fast. What makes art compelling? What is art if not created by an artist? If art reflects a person's life and experience, what is “art” created by a machine? It’s nothing, it’s absolutely nothing.

So what is there to do about it? I’ll tell you, protest! Go on strike! That’s right! How else are we going to grab our government's attention? The most famous protest in history was the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and guess what, it was famous not only because it was successful, but because this was when Martin Luther King Jr. made his famous speech. Quoted directly from an article from resilience.org published in 2024 “Suppose a movement to ban AI were to succeed. In that case, it might break our collective fever dream of neoliberal capitalism so that people and their governments finally recognize the need to set limits.” Make some noise! Get mad! Are you really going to let these machines steal your job? Your voice? What makes you human? No. We, the people, will overcome this threat, and we will take down this mechanical menace. So go out there, express your opinions, use your voice, use the rights you are entitled to as a human being to speak out against the use of AI. And remember, “silence in the face of injustice is equal to complicity”.

[quill2parchment]

Hello everyone! I hope you’re all doing well as we wrap up the year. ve started transferring In This Darkness over to AO3, and as I do so, I’m documenting some of the more significant changes being made to the story. Keeping a record of these updates not only helps me stay focused but also provides a reference as I continue to refine the narrative.

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This post contains details about updates and changes to In This Darkness. If you haven’t read the story yet and want to avoid spoilers, proceed with caution!

One major change was trimming the background information on Mason Chapman in the first chapter. While I love crafting detailed histories for my characters, I realized that his past doesn’t directly impact the story.

Another update involves Xander’s age when Harry found him—he’s now nearly eleven. As you probably know, I love playing with parallels, and this change brings Xander’s story closer to Harry Potter’s and Tom Riddle’s. It also strengthens Xander’s bond with Lily; it felt more natural for him to connect with her while the other boys were away at Hogwarts. Additionally, giving Xander a richer past that he can’t remember adds emotional depth, making his memory loss even more impactful.

I’ve also clarified that Mason Chapman had already been affected by a memory-erasing charm when Harry arrived. In the first draft, this detail was subtly referenced, but I found it hard to integrate later. 

Documenting these updates has been incredibly helpful, and I’m excited to see how these changes enhance the story as it evolves. Thank you all for your support—I am very excited to share this version with everyone.