#everyone’s fighting over if they should be ‘allowed’ to get it because they like Harry Potter

[l-sincline]

Don’t mind me ranting in the tags just don’t have anyone to complain about this to feel free to be on your merry way

[shanastoryteller]

Happy pride!! ATLA or Harry Potter? 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Zuko knows he's supposed to be surly and bitter about changing schools halfway through high school, but mostly he's so relieved to be on the opposite side of the country as his father that there's no room for any other emotion.

Besides, Azula is surly enough for the both of them.

"You're just starting, lots of people are coming from different places, so they won't all know each other either," he says.

Uncle had started getting that twitch in his eye that bode poorly for their tea pot. Zuko didn't get it, personally. Uncle has always dealt with Zuko's moods with nothing but cheerfulness, but Azula's always put him on edge.

"I don't know why we had to move," she says, laying on her bed and refusing to look at him. "You've already been living with Uncle for years. I shouldn't be here. Father doesn't hate me like he hates you. You should be here alone."

On second thought, it's probably because Azula takes after their father more than either he or Uncle would like, and he's never had much patience for Ozai.

He ignores it, just like he's been ignoring her jibes for years. She thinks she understands the depths of their father's cruelty.

She doesn't know the half of it and he's not going to be the one tell her. She's still his little sister. Protecting her is his responsibility.

"Ty Lee and Mai can visit over the holiday break," he continues. "That's only a couple months away. I'll bet you'll have a ton of new friends by then. You can introduce them."

She curls up on herself and he resists the urge to reach for her, knowing she'll just shrug him off. Azula is charming in the short term and intimidating in the long term and neither of those things lend themselves to making friends worth keeping. Mai and Ty Lee were the only real friends she had, everyone else just being tolerable to amusing. "Whatever. What do you know anyway? You already have a friend at this school."

"I don't know if I'd describe him as a friend," he says, somewhat dreading tomorrow if only because he'd let himself get roped into meeting him at some diner. There are still a couple weeks left of summer and apparently he's not allowed to spend it on his own.

Azula scoffs. "How else would you describe someone after getting lost in the wilderness for two weeks with them, fighting a bear, and rescuing an entire missing hiking group together?"

He'd told Uncle that camping was a bad idea.

"I do my best not to describe him at all," he says honestly.

He's the weirdest person Zuko's ever met, but he supposes being raised by a monk will do that to a kid.

Zuko is really hoping Aang has mellowed out over the past year, but the number of exclamation points he includes in his text messages bodes very poorly on that front.

[scorpiusmalfoylovesoscarwilde]

I've said it before, I'll say it again, and I'm sure it won't be the last time. I AM SICK AND BLOODY TIRED OF THESE MFS, HALF OF WHO DONT EVEN CARE ABOUT CURSED CHILD, BITCHING AND MOANING ABOUT AN ANGSTY TEEN DARING TO BE AN ANGSTY TEEN, I WILL FIGHT THE LOT OF YOU

(this is gonna be a bit long and probably incoherent so sit down and fucking listen to me 🔫 stick with me because I'm not just complaining about albus haters)

eVERYBODY wants cOoMmpllEeXx relatable HUMAN characters - and then SHIT themselves when the flaws a CHILD has isn't just 🥺 uwu im socially awkward and traumatised 🥺. that's why scorpius doesn't get this fuckass treatment, because his terrible human flaw is that he's a bit shit at conversation and gets sad about his dead mum (generalised understatement, but this post isnt about him. dont come for me i love him 🫶🏻)

god forbid albus, who feels unloved and unwanted (with valid evidence for a teenager), albus who feels completely out of place and outcast from his entire famously-close-knit family, ablus who is well known by the world by default via Harry and hates the attention and high expectations, albus who then gets targeted and bullied by his peers because he's not as perfect and brilliant as his father, albus who is then isolated from his one friend because Harry is making irrational ptsd fueled decisions, albus who tells Harry completely sincerely that he knows he's unlikeable but he'll try and change himself and be more like his siblings because he genuinely believes that's what Harry and everyone else whos had the misfortune of meeting him wants, albus who spends the entire play trying to prove himself and fix things via idiotic childish decisions BECAUSE HES A WHOLE UNSTABLE CHILD

god forbid that CHILD doesn't react like a patient, supported, well adjusted, level headed adult. god forbid he reacts outwardly. god forbid he reacts at all, my bad. clearly he should just sniffle a bit as if he doesn't feel suffocated and helpless by everything in his life, because obviously hes just a spoiled brat who doesn't know what real suffering is. god forbid he complains or feels anything negatively, or doesn't quite grasp that other people are struggling too because he is too busy trying so hard to deal with himself and his declining mental health the best he can with basically no support or understanding. god forbid he isn't completely perfect.

you all sound like some fucking boomer telling teenagers they don't know what real struggling is, they aren't mentally ill, they dont have any problems because they have a roof over their head, they should all go to war kids are too soft these days 😫😖😱 fUCKING‼️SHUT UP‼️

he does things wrong but he knows he does and he does everything he can to fix it! and he is fourteen!!! do none of you remember what being fourteen is like 😭😭 I swear half of you have got to be basically fourteen yourselves cmon man

cause I'm seeing this fucking pattern a lot recently. not just for albus, not just in this fandom, everywhere. ‼️ no one can fucking handle flawed characters anymore ‼️ the only thing any character is allowed to have wrong with them is trauma apparently, otherwise they have to be perfect, and I'm getting sick of it. characters and stories are meant to reflect real life, they're meant to help shape our world view, why are you expecting everyone to be fucking perfect??? what happened to nuance? what happened to understanding character development? you are all acting like characters and people are so black and white. either they're perfect or they're insufferable and evil. I won't lie, the most common victims i've noticed of this are women. but the flawed women are typically demonised, whereas the men are typically turned into uwu baby boys who actually aren't capable of doing anything wrong and then fanon goes nuts making them into ittle wittle victims. and I'm so fucking sick of all of it, I hate this. (obviously this is not a strict rule. Albus Potter, and also Albus Dumbledore now I mention it, are demonised beyond belief)

BRING BACK FLAWS AND BRING BACK NOT COMPLETELY WRITING OFF A CHARACTER BECAUSE THEY DARE TO BE HUMAN

I AM FED UP, ALBUS POTTER GET BEHIND ME

[lovebeatriceplz]

Stay Alive 🐍 (pt. 1??)

Severus Snape x (death eater) Student! Reader (platonic)

Js a little Drabble

“ I think Malfoy may be working for the dark lord”. Harry allows his words to sink in, gauging your reaction closely, for a second he thinks you’re about to shut the idea down like everyone else. Your face betrays no emotion, but inside you were panicking. “How did you come to that conclusion Harry? Surely you couldn’t accuse him of such a thing because of his father-”. “No- no that’s not-” He removes his glasses, rubbing his hands over his face in frustration. Suddenly the space feels too small. Oh how you wish you could just tell him, tell him that he was correct, tell that you were deatheater too. But how would he react? Would he turn you in? Push you away? Would he understand?. It was too risky, Harry, your dear friend, it pains you everyday to know that you indirectly contribute to his suffering. “Harry I have something to tell you” you blurt out.

He slowly looks up, you have his undivided attention. “I- i think you might…you might”. Someone clears their throat, the sound startling both of you, you whip your head around to lock eyes with the one and only Professor Snape. He saunters over with quick, deliberate strides. “Students should not be loitering in the halls” his eyes Harry up and down “Unless you desire Gryffindor to lose ten more points, Potter” he speaks his name as if it was poison.

“We were just leaving” Harry murmurs, taking your arm as he starts to walk off. Snape catches you by the collar of your robe “Not. you.”. Harry reluctantly let’s go. You turn around to face Snape fully. “Care to share what you and Potter were discussing?” He asks, brow quirking. A scoff escapes you “That was a private conversation-” He cuts you off abruptly, pinning you against the wall. “What. were you about to tell him?” His tone is harsher than before, sending a course of fear through you. You swallow loudly. “My secret.” you say quietly. His eyes narrow, as if you were only confirming his suspicions and this was not news to him. “Why on earth would you do that? Are you trying to sabotage this entire mission” He mutters through gritted teeth, his grip becoming tighter.

“He’d understand!” you shout - whisper. “He’d understand that it isn’t by choice!”. He rolls his eyes, pursing his lips. He’d rather do anything else than babysit another student, but he can’t. “Do you really have that much faith in that boy..” he mutters, sounding absolutely done with you. “Why can’t we just tell him? Everything I mean” you just start to speak without thinking, the weight of carrying around this burden finally causing you to falter. “They’ll figure it out, it’s inevitable, if everyone- just stopped lying to him-”. An exasperated sigh interrupts you “Oh for the love of Merlin” he pinches the bridge of his nose. “It’d be simpler, all, all of…this! I should just tell them-”. He pushes you against the wall with more force. “If you care about your companions you keep your mouth shut or they’re all good as dead!” he doesn’t expound, leaving it at that, letting you go. “Stupid child” he barks, smoothing out the crumpled fabric of your sleeve.

“Get out of my sight”. You’ve just pushed yourself off the wall when his voice stops you once more. “Time is drawing nearer, the dark lord’s return is dawning upon us all, and my objective will be carried out…soon”. You look around to make sure the very open hallway is empty, but if he’s speaking so freely he must deem it safe. He continues. “When that time comes, you will lay low until the horror show has passed”. The initial confusion in your expression, contorts into anger and betrayal.

“No I have to fight…i…no, no I need to fight I need to do something” you protest. “Good. day.” You watch your whole world spin as he starts to depart. Quickly, you grab his hand to stop him and he physically tenses up. “I cannot just watch from the sidelines,not after everything that git has put me through, not after what he did to my brother.”. He scoffs once more, but there’s hardly any bite behind it. He jerks his hand free from your hold. “And what do you propose I do?” he’s not even looking at you, it made you feel small. “Send me, send me with Draco when he..” you find yourself not being able to finish that sentence.

His previous petulance returns, and he approaches aggressively, you almost think he’s about to pounce on you. “No such thing will take place, do you comprehend?” It’s obvious that it takes all his willpower to not grab you by the shoulders and shake some sense into you. “Listen to me and listen closely, you are not Draco, you don’t have anyone, no one to look out for you. He has his parents, you only have me!” He speaks swiftly and sharply. You have nothing to say, but it doesn’t matter because he wasn’t finished. “So much work, i’ve done, to make sure that no one suspects a thing, you are practically invisible to the dark lord and that’s the best you could hope for, stay. Alive.”

“Professor Snape, I cannot, have an opportunity to avenge my brother and not cease it, he would have never let that happen if I was the one to die that night” you confess quietly, hoping that your words had some effect on him. His expression remains annoyed and cold, as always. He sighs, placing his hands on his hips. “So this is for your brother?” He asks, you nod. He massages his temples, eyes scrunching as if he were in pain “I might vomit”. He paces for a few seconds, you wonder if he remembers you’re there. Large hands tightly, almost painfully grip your shoulders. “Listen, you insufferable dingbat, your mother can’t take another heartbreak, losing two children? In such a timely manner?”. You couldn’t tell if he was sincerely concerned or trying to talk you out of your ideas.

You stand your ground. “I’ve made up my mind, I’m not asking you to throw me into a boxing ring, but I must help in any way I can”. He nods, letting go of you, he slams his palm into the wall, the sound echoing. It’s almost comedic how quickly he goes back to his indifferent demeanor. “You aren’t. Ready” he says bluntly. “Meet me in the dungeons, I’ll have a few things to teach you, do not come before midnight” He turns to walk off, for the last time he hopes. You nod slowly, pausing as a thought occurs to you. “Wait- what about my prefects-”. He doesn’t turn around “figure it out” now he’s gone, leaving in the same abrupt manner he arrived. Such an odd man, you think. An odd man, that might determine if you make it out of Voldermort’s hold alive or not. Leave overthinking for another time, you have an escape route to figure out.

[greeen-bean]

Trans!Nick Nelson headcanons

He came out/started transitioning quite young, like 7/8 (like jimmy)

His mum was always really supportive and would help him and fight for him

David not so much :/ he would tease him and make "jokes" about it like he does with the bisexuality

and his dad doesn't get it either but sort of goes along with it because he's never there anyway

Both of them definitely give him some toxic masculinity mind set

He has to be big and strong and not emotional etc etc etc

His mum fought for him to get into the boys school

I could imagine him spending a year or so at Higgs maybe before transferring but it doesn't work with my other thoughts on this so let's put a pin in that

He would love playing rugby and as he got older would work more on bulking himself up and getting more muscular to try and hide his more feminine features

At school nobody knows he's trans (other than the teachers and stuff), he looks masculine enough and had been socially living as a boy for so long nobody really notices

(Also are age 11 everyone kinda looks the same and after that kids just go with things)

He's on the rugby team but because of stupid rules of boys and girls playing against each other he isn't actually allowed to play any matches

ACTUALLY I've just looked it up and apparently "In exceptional circumstances, a player over 12 years of age may play on a mixed gender team where no other option in continuing to play Rugby exists." (<- from the World Rugby website, there's more info about it there)

More on that, from what I'm gathering, that is allowed up until age 15, so not really applicable to heartstopper era nick but my point stands

He's on the team, probably still captain/on his way to being captain, but doesn't play matches

Back to regularly scheduled programing

He also gets changed ina separate room

He brushes all of this off with a vague "medical reasons" explanations

Coach Singh is him BIGGEST supporter

She is ride or die for him

If ever anyone makes a comment about anything regarding Nick Nelson she is ON THEM

2 laps round the pitch

3 laps

Anything to get people to stfu because she gets him

He's kinda paranoid about people finding out he's trans and of being thought of as a girl (definitely David's fault)

I can imagine him getting really stressed when he hears about this gay kid being bullied aswell in a like "what would they do to/think of me if they all knew the truth" so he keeps his head down

Same when Elle comes out, he doesn't know her that well and knows he should say something to Harry and everyone but he can't get himself to (more on Elle later)

When he starts hanging round Charlie it's kinda the first time he's being confronted with queerness that isn't his own

He is stuck in this constant loop of "I can't like him because I'm straight and that means I like girls and not boys" and "if I like him does that mean I'm gay? And arnt gay boys usually more feminine? I can't be feminine" and "if I like a boy that's just the same as me being a girl" and "even if I did like him which i definitely do not if Charlie knew the truth he wouldn't like me back because he is gay and likes men and I wouldn't be that"

They do get together tho like they do in the comics and it's fine except Nick hasn't told Charlie that he's trans and can't get himself to, and he feels crazy guilty about it

When Charlie introduces Nick to Elle he is kinda scared of her

In the sense that, he felt so guilty about what happened to her and how he did nothing

But also he's scared she'll figure him out

When Charlie starts talking about Tao and Elle liking each other nick gets confused

Tao is straight and knows Elle is trans so... how is he okay with that?????

Nick starts asking Charlie all these questions about Elle and her transition and her relationship woth Tao

And its not a fight but they have a small disagreement about it

"I get that you're interested but these things you're asking are not your business and they are different not mine to share with you. If you want to know something about Elle then you need to ask her yourself, if she doesn't wanna tell you then drop it"

So nick goes to Elle himself... after building up the courage to do so

He's perfectly respectful and all but Elle understandably gets cagey to begin with

Last thing she needs rn is some rugby lad sticking his nose in somewhere

But she soon catches on that there is something else going, she just doesn't know what

Whist Nick is going through the stages of for the first time ever having someone understand how he feels

He comes out to her

"I'm... I was... um... I'm also... trangender 😶"

And at first Elle thinks he means mtf, and trys to be supportive of that

"No no no... like... I was born um a girl... so the other way"

"Oh. Oh!"

"You're actually the first person I've told about that haha"

And they talk about it, talk about nicks experience and how it's different to Elle and how its the same as elles and how shitty people can be and how wonderful people can be and about how

Also he apologies to her for not saying anything back when she was at truham

She doesn't think it's needed but appreciates it nonetheless

She asks about him not telling anyone else and specifically about Charlie not know

He tells her what he's so scared off and insecure about

"This isn't about Charlie, nick, he doesn't need to know until you're ready to talk about it. Or ever, maybe, if that's how you want you relationship to go."

"Yeah :/"

"And take it from someone who knows Charlie and has known Charlie, he'll be okay with it"

"Yeah :) anyway what about Tao?????c

"Stfu"

And Nick does tell Charlie. But I couldn't tell you how cuz after the conversation with Elle my mind stops thinking so :) i guess we (and Charlie) will never know

[dark-elf-writes]

Tenya watches as his parents discuss assets and boons. Tenya who sees them looking at Harry and Teddy (who are his and whom he loves so much) and knows that the people who should love him yet left him behind don’t see two amazing people. Tenya who stands up and seriously tells them that no, Harry and Teddy won’t be paraded about by the media. No he won’t request they ‘show off’ Teddy’s ‘early Quirk’.

Harry fighting for his soulmate and his friends, fierce and deadly because he can’t lose anyone else. Who screams at Stain that he’s ’nothing more than another villain with empty promises who wants pain’. Their first kiss (Tenya and Harry) being in a hospital as baby Teddy cries because ‘Pap’ is hurt. (His first word was dada and it was Harry. Pap, papa, his second, is for Tenya and oh lord does it make them sob).

Izuku and Ginny trading letters and stories. Ginny coming to UA to finish her schooling because her mark is black and everyone knows. Luna following, Hermione and Ron a step behind. Luna who smiles at the dual haired teen whose mark shines like hers. George coming to, tired, tired, tired. But he slowly smiles again. Molly and Arthur, Percy, Bill, Charlie (all tired and seeing that little is changing. That no one wants to do more then get rid of the laws Voldemort put up. Who see Kingsley frown in anger and can’t do anything) all packing up to move.

They burned and got nothing. Screw England.

(Percy’s mark shines around a man with scars who glares and sneers but who also left his family behind once. Percy isn’t the same as him but he understands feeling as if his family has let him down over and over again.

It’s funny in a way how many marks shine in Japan. As if Fate knew.)

Screaming sobbing barking howling

Tenya who has always allowed himself to be treated like a tool, like a commodity by his parents knowing that was the best he would ever get from them, but refusing to let them do the same to Harry and Teddy. Harry who would have let them use him at least (not Teddy never Teddy) because every moment from the one he received his letter has been honing him I to a tool to be wielded. Harry looking at Tenya with wide, confused eyes when he snaps at his parents and pulls Harry and Teddy from the house because he doesn’t understand. (No one ever stood up for him like that. Not when he was The Chosen One. It takes him far longer than he would care to admit to wrap his mind around it.)

Harry who bares his teeth and fights dirty. Fights like only one person will walk away from the fight and he is fully planning on being the one to do so. Fights like the weapon he was raised to be rather than the heroes those closest to him are. Harry who refuses to lose anyone else so he meets the villains on their level and comes out with more faces and names to haunt his nightmares but alive. With his family alive. He will bear the burden. He has always done so. Ever since his first kill at eleven.

And he comes back to Tenya and Teddy who ground him. Who remind him that he so still human. That he has people to live for and not four ghosts leading him to his death. (He cries after Tenya and Teddy fall asleep in the hospital. Cries so hard he forgets how to breathe. Cries for how close he got to losing this and the man he will have to become to make sure that doesn’t happen. One more fight. One more war. And then he can truly retire. He promises himself. Promises the two sleeping figures in the bed.)

Ginny and Izuku becoming fast friends and even faster allies. Swearing to each other (and eventually to Ochako who joins their little group after Training Camp when her mark only started to shine after a girl with a cruel knife and crueler smile had her pinned to the ground promising to make her red red red) that they would not bow to fates design for them. That they would choose what made them happy rather than the agony they had been saddled with. And of course, comforting each other when the grief of what ifs and shattered bonds become too much to bear on their own.

Luna and Shoto trading theories and conspiracies in a language that almost seems to be entirely their own. Shoto who sees the scars left over from the months Luna spent as a captive in the Malfoy estate and decides he needs both halves of his power to make sure it never happens again. Luna whose eyes go startlingly sharp the first time she sees Endeavor and refuses to let him anywhere near Shoto no matter how much he roars and rages. She puts out his fire with a wave of her hand when he tries to move her and sends him flying into the far wall with barely a thought when he tries to lift a hand to her. Shoto has never been more in love.

Percy who comes early enough to lure Touya away from a path that would only lead to the ruin of both him and his family. Who offers a better way to get his revenge. One that would disgrace his father instead of turning him into a martyr. One that would spare the innocents caught in the middle. And if all else fails he promises to make it look like an accident then leak the damning evidence anyway because really how many fire quirks does Touya really think exist in Japan magic is so much cleaner. Touya who sees that darkness and anger in Percy that he kept hidden even from his own family until it grew fangs and lashed out at them rather than the ones that truly deserved it and understands why this man is his.

George who stopped looking at the name on his arm after Fred died. He has already lost half of his soul he doesn’t need a mark to tell him that there is someone better than his brother. What other relationship could compare? What fate decided romance could possibly make up for the loss of his heart? The loss of Fred is like the loss of a limb and who could possibly replace that? And then he meets Tensei who has a brother he loves just as much as George loves his who doesn’t want to replace Fred but wants to make a life with George anyway if he would allow it. Who honors George’s brothers, dead and alive, just as much as he honors Tenya. And it doesn’t fix it. Doesn’t magically make Fred’s loss okay, but slowly it starts to hurt less to smile, to laugh. He can’t look in a mirror most days, but Tensei doesn’t seem to mind tugging him down to fix his hair or straighten his tie.

Everyone coming in twos and threes until they are all out from under the Ministry’s grasp and finally able to live rather than just survive. To thrive.

[stellarboystyles]

Eclipse

actress!oc and actor!harry blurb

"Babe, car's here!" Harry shouts, slowly jogging up the stairs to check on "Almost done?"

"Almost." she utters quietly, trying to focus on the task at hand.

"No rush, love." he reassures, adjusting his watch. "We're early this year."

"For once." she mumbles, putting in her last earring. "I'm just glad we don't have a team here this time."

"Me too." he agrees. "M'sick of people in our damn house."

She laughs at his lighthearted remark. Usually when getting ready for award shows, especially ones like this, most people will gather a whole team; assistants, manager, stylists, and sometimes designers to make sure everything is how it should be and everyone's on schedule.

Basically, every event is treated like a fucking wedding and Paxton is sick of it.

Despite the nature of her job, she's is an introvert. Plain and simple. She needs alone time to recharge and just be. And when you're a critically acclaimed actress who never takes a break (even when she's supposed to), you don't get recharge time. You don't get to just be a human on her couch. It's always her own doing, of course. But don't worry, Harry forces her to relax every once in awhile.

"I'm honestly over all that right now."

"Think we just need some alone time." he tries, raising an eyebrow at her through the wall. Even though he hasn't seen her yet there's already a little thrill inside him.

She takes one more look after smoothing her dress down. "I'm ready now."

"Oka-woah."

Harry never fails to bask in how attractive she is, and Paxton never fails to feign annoyance from it. She rolls her eyes and he's already objecting.

"Don't roll your eyes at me." he bites, hands in his pockets as he strolls over to her. "I'm allowed to look."

"I didn't say anything."

"But you wanted to."

"And how would you know?"

"Love, no offense but I know you well enough to know what you're thinking most of the time."

"Yeah, I know." she grumbles.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means it annoys me."

"I know it does." he stands behind her in front of the mirror she's using and throws her a wink. "Why do you think I do it so much."

"You are so-"

"I'm what?" he pushes, faces inches away from each other. "Sexy? Smart? Charming? Funny? Attractive?"

"All of the above."

They're both smiling as she pulls him into a kiss in front of the mirror. It started out innocent.

For her.

He quickly tries to deepen the kiss, finding her hips. His palms try to snake down but her rationality steps in before his in the form of a giggle and a push on his chest.

'C'mon." he whines.

She can't deny him for very long. Never was able to. He radiates this essence of sex sometimes that she can't explain. It's almost addictive, like she has to have it if the mood is right.

The mood is always right with him.

"We have to go."

He picked up on Paxton's thinning resolve rather quickly, and decided to use it to his advantage.

"My love." he's speaking into her ear, the sultry voice filling her head. "Am I really gonna be crucified for fantasizing about kissing..."

He kisses her ear. She has to fight her eyes from closing in pleasure. His eyes lock on hers for a moment through the mirror and she has to hold her pride.

And holding,"

He squeezes her hips.

It takes everything in her not to exhale too loudly.

"And touching,"

One of his hands moves to smooth down from her ribcage, stopping just below her belly button.

"And fucking," he growls into her ear this time. "My gorgeous fiancée?"

"Later."

He glares at her in the mirror, because he knows she's right.

"You win this round." he kisses her head one more time before taking her hand.

She won the next round, too. Nine VMA's! Harry was so incredibly proud of her. Being her plus one is his favorite thing to do these days.

"Are we getting takeaway?"

"No." Harry laughs, shaking his head sliding his hand around her waist as they walk out of the venue and into the car. "You think I'm not taking you out when you look this good? Hell no. We're goin' out."

Paxton had a love hate relationship with the level of charm Harry had. It was so high at times she wasn't sure why he still tried so hard to impress her after two years of being together.

"Where are we going?"

"Wherever you want." he kisses the top of her head before opening the door of the car that was waiting for them.

"I want sushi."

"Nobu it is."

He can sense her hesitance of going to somewhere so public. He knows she'd rather go to some hole in the wall in...different outfits, obviously. So he changes the subject.

"So," he holds up one of her moonmans. "Are we going to have to dedicate a whole room for these things, or..."

"Stop." she gushes, as if to say, that's ridiculous. "We're not those people."

"What's that mean?"

"No." she giggles. "We do not need a room for Oscar's."

"Oscar's, Grammy's, Golden Globes, Brits-"

"Can't we just put them in the studio?"

They shared the same look and laughed.

"Maybe we do need a room for these things."

She scrunches her nose in response. It was a weird feeling, coming to terms with little things like that. But he was looking at her in the most adoring way.

"Don't look at me like that."

"What?" "Am I not allowed to look at my gorgeous fiancée-"

"Are you crazy?" she gasps, gingerly hitting him on the shoulder, gesturing toward the driver.

"He's inner circle, relax." he mumbles.

"Inner circle is exactly how things get out."

"Am I that much of a dick that you don't want people to know you're marrying me?"

"That's not true and you know it."

"All these people that we know, our friends." "They're so happy, then they go public and it's too much."

"Everyone already knows." he argues. "Since when have you ever cared about what people think?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"Exactly."

"I don't. I mean, I try not to. But when they're in your face screaming that you're-"

"Don't." he interjects, shaking his head with a wince. "I don't care. They're jealous."

"I know. I'm just scared."

"You don't need to be."

"Your heart 's too good." he lays his head on her shoulder. "That's your problem."

He was right, and she knew that deep down. Was life really worth living if it was only behind closed doors? Staying in hiding simply because she didn't want people to gossip seems pretty coward like at the end of the day.

They knew the strength level of their relationship. It could never be torn down by some petty comments on the internet.

"I don't want to pretend anymore."

[thecouchsofa]

2023 ao3 wrapped / fic review / whatever else I'm putting here

@oflights, the human, the myth, the legend, has made me go look at my stats and now you have to look at them too. Tagging @jtimu @elskanellis @sillywives @sleepstxtic @maesterchill @peachydreamxx @hoko-onchi-writes @starquestingfordrarry @rainstormradish @apricitydays-lazynights @annanother-thing @uncannycerulean @drarrymyheart @mallstars so they can also feel this sweet, sweet pain (if they want).

First up, some stats!

Fics posted: 7 public, 1 currently hidden, 1 awaiting submission date + 3 tumblr microfics

Fics started (and maybe finished): 18 + 3 tumblr microfics

Word count of fics posted: 414,013

Total word count written: 513,953

Sorry, but what the actual fuck do you mean I've written over 500k words since April? Put me in restraints, truly.

My favourite fic I wrote this year: The Brightest Constellations of Our Souls

My most kudos'd fic of this year: Driving me crazy (but I'm into it)

I've also read, like, a fucking horrendous amount of fics this year. More than I think I read back when I was deep in the One Direction trenches as a teen. Getting back into writing has given me a fresh appreciation for everyone's work; it's so fucking hard to write well and everyone who puts themselves out there and does that gets an online hug from me.

After Erised reveals I'll be posting a ridiculously long list of my favourite fics that were posted in 2023. It is ... exhaustive. I should probably be embarrassed by how long it is.

But without further ado, a recap of my fics from this year.

May

Driving me crazy (but I'm into it) (8k, E) (Draco/Harry)

Draco’s fucked a lot of people. He’s fucked models, Quidditch players, members of the Wizengamot, even a Muggle actor, but none of them come quite as prettily as Harry Potter.

September

A Walk in the Woods (48k, E) (Draco/Harry)

After ending up in the Spell Damage Ward at St Mungo’s, Harry is put on mandatory holiday leave.

The catch: he has to spend it with Malfoy at his cottage deep in the woods. Harry has no idea why Malfoy agreed to host him, considering he avoided ever being alone in a room with Harry before he left for his sabbatical a year ago.

To complicate things, Harry’s enormous longstanding crush hasn’t waned at all in Malfoy’s absence.

For: HP Cottagecore Fest

The Brightest Constellations of Our Souls (256k, E) (Draco/Harry)

Harry doesn’t know how to cope after the War. The only things that make him feel even remotely normal again are taking risks while flying and fighting with Malfoy. It’s not likely to end well.

Or,

Draco becomes obsessed with ‘Wonderwall’, reads Muggle books, and drives a campervan, while Harry slowly falls in love with Draco. A story about travelling around the British Isles in the late 90s while healing deep scars.

October

Capillaries (3.6k, M) (Draco/Harry)

Draco’s Sectumsempra scars have never fully healed. He says that it’s not Harry’s fault, that he doesn’t blame him for it. Harry hears him, but he’s not sure that he believes it.

Evergreen (23k, T) (Harry/George)

“You’d better hurry up, mate, or all the good ones will have gone.” Fred leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest, clearly thinking that he’d now exceeded his allowance of brotherly wisdom for the day.

“Who are you going with then?” Harry asked suddenly. He looked between Fred and George, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Harry asks George to the Yule Ball because it’ll be a laugh and he’s in dire need of one of those. If George can continue to keep his crush under wraps it should all go swimmingly.

For: HP Rarepair Fest IV

Celestial (paint me like one of your starscapes) (30k, E) (Draco/Harry)

Draco needs a partner for an art project. The only catch is, they have to be magically compatible with him for the paints to work properly. He’s fairly certain that he knows who his partner will need to be, he’s just not sure that he wants to admit it.

For: H/D Sudsfest Lite 2023

November

November Flush (5k, E) (Draco/Harry)

Draco Malfoy might be an absolute raging arsehole, but he gives Harry exactly what he needs.

Microfics (all Draco/Harry)

From one to another, for the prompt 'follow': tumblr link

Til resentment do us part, for the prompt 'keep': tumblr link

Satiate, for the prompt 'indulge': tumblr link

Thoughts / feeling / goals for next year

Pride, slight embarrassment, love, appreciation.

For the coming year I'm excited to get stuck into writing even more. I've got so many ideas that I'm excited to work through and a fantastic community to do that with. I will need to be bullied into not signing up for more fests in the new year, so please give me a nudge if my blogging starts to look stressed. Also never be nervous to send me a message about random shit if you're on the fence!

If you have read this far, have read even a single sentence I've written this year, or have thought my Squirtle pic looks cool, I love you, I appreciate you, and I support you.

The motto for 2024? Bedcurtains. One word, not two.

Thanks for being here! ❤️

[saintsenara]

ship ask game, Boring Edition, because I truly don't think you could be boring if you tried.

Hinny?

having rashly promised you i was going to answer this weeks ago, here is now is...

i have now found myself friends, entirely by accident, with lots of hinny girlies [shout out to @whinlatter, who's in the trenches]. you are all trying your best to win me over, but i will not be moved.

so let's do this.

why don't i enjoy hinny?

let's get some common objections to the pairing out of the way, because i think a lot of them are quite unfair and i can see why they bother hinny fans:

i don't think there's anything inherently less interesting about liking canon ships. the fact that hinny are endgame in the books doesn't make their fandom less imaginative or talented, and i think those of us who prefer non-canon pairings need to get over the superiority complex about our creative genius which i have seen a lot of. i like many of the other canon couples a great deal - romione, remadora [which, in an unpopular move, i actively prefer to wolfstar], bellamort [if ya nasty] etc.

similarly, i have no objection to het ships [see above], and i do think those of us who largely read and write slash need to be very careful to avoid a tendency to portray queer pairings either in a tokenising way or a heteronormative one, particularly if we want to say queer ships are just as plausible or supported by canon as the books' het pairings. that said, i do definitely prefer stories in which harry identifies as queer - the fact that he's bi/pan is canon, fight me - and, while that could [and should!] feature in het pairing stories, it almost never does. hinny authors are not the only - or the worst - offenders on this point [i've had some really illuminating conversations with remadora enjoying friends about the way that anti-wolfstar feeling has erased both lupin and tonks' queer-coding in their fandom], but i think hinny is the main victim on this point of my active refusal to engage with harmony.

come on lads, harry doesn't have an oedipus complex. red hair comes in more than one shade, and since lily doesn't have a personality in canon it's impossible to say whether she and ginny are alike. harry does have daddy issues though, which might lead him into the path of men who are also tall, thin, and dark-haired...

ginny is not a deranged fan who stalked harry. she was eleven with a crush and she acted embarrassingly, exactly as - i'm willing to bet - the vast majority of us did at that age. by the time she was fifteen she was out of her blushing era, and good for her. i loathe the way she gets slut-shamed, both in the text and the fandom, and i hope when her relationship with harry ends she fucks literally everyone in sight.

now, the big one: their relationship doesn't come out of nowhere. there are signs even in order of the phoenix that harry has started to notice ginny, and ron has been shipping it for years before they get together - but, also, even if it does start very intensely, that is the case for lots of teenage flings.

so, why don't i back hinny?

well, a lot of the reasons are to do with harry. none are canon, but i do think they can be justified by the text in a way that allows the crashing-and-burning of harry's canonical great love to feel logical, even in otherwise canon-divergent fics:

harry spends the books never seeming to see ginny as a real person. and sure, teenage boys are self-centred, and he may very well have matured as an adult, but it's incredibly easy to write a hinny break-up where she points out that he's only ever seen her as "harry potter's wife"; that he's paternalistic [i'm thinking here of a great conversation with @ashesandhackles about how harry never seems to acknowledge that ginny spends deathly hallows as a resistance leader in her own right - and if i were her i would never forgive him for not including me in plans for the horcrux hunt]; and that his saviour complex canonically drives him to reject other people's input and feelings [even as he matures across the series].

the trio are intensely codependent, and while i think it's plausible that they expand to a quartet/ginny becomes harry's priority once they're together, it's also entirely - and i would even say much more - plausible that they don't.

in canon, ginny is the person who generally initiates their romantic encounters. sorry, babe, he's just not that into you.

harry's all-or-nothing approach to life means that he could very easily become suffocating or neglectful, depending on how you want to write him. the idea of auror potter spending the majority of his time at work, because he won't let evil roam free, leaving ginny at home, makes sense, i'm afraid to say.

and a tomarry-specific reason, because why not: harry literally doesn't give a shit about ginny's experience with tom riddle. i know, i know, he remembers it in half-blood prince, and that's progress from order of the phoenix, but he still sees ginny worrying about the prince's book and totally ignores her concerns. if you're the sort of person [gestures at self with thumbs] who wants to take harry's canonical interest in the mystery of voldemort, canonical belief that he understands voldemort, and canonical belief that his connection to voldemort is a good thing [snape’s right - harry does think it makes him special!] and run with it, ginny is going to be pretty rightfully pissed, and, even if you're not, harry's lack of interest in ginny's own trauma isn't a great foundation on which to build a relationship.

ginny deserves a hot quidditch star partner with precisely one braincell, and i will always make sure she gets them.

they're just never harry.

[jacensolodjo]

I forgot to talk about it last time when i was reading Firewall but. It's been stuck in my head

"Seven entered an override code she had learned from B’Elanna Torres on Voyager. She had no idea if the code would work on a different, more advanced ship, several years after—"

What's the override for, you ask? In this case it is so Seven can pump explosive as fuck hydrogen into the shuttlebay of the ship she is on.

You're telling me that at some point in ~4 years, B'Elanna trusted Seven of Nine enough to teach her an override that could be used to kill everyone on Voyager? Purposely teach her, not something Seven just observed?

Even without the B7 goggles that is huge. B'Elanna Torres, Chief Engineer of USS Voyager, trusted Seven of Nine who she has been fighting with for ~4 years.

Add to that the fact that when B'Elanna has gone somewhere or is incapacitated, she gets Seven of Nine to take her place in Engineering. Not Vorik. Not Carey. Seven of Nine. A woman who isn't even in the engineering department. All because B'Elanna trusts Seven. The script even notes that Seven has been made temp Chief Engineer back during Nothing Human (S5), despite the fact we still have Carey, Tabor, Vorik, etc., and the only likely reason Harry doesn't become Chief Engineer is he is required on the bridge, not a lack of trust. And yet, every other engineer is passed over to give the job to Seven of fucking Nine. The one B'Elanna would call not just petaQ but toDsaH.

It isn't in the words they speak to each other it is in the action. (Like that time B'Elanna allowed Seven to 'hide' in engineering from the Doctor. Even though for years she has hated Seven being in there.)

I'd even go so far to say B'Elanna might trust Seven more than she trusts Tom or Harry by the end of the voyage. That she stopped trusting Tom with her health after Nothing Human and decided she needed someone else to have her power of attorney, as it were. And that person would be Seven of Nine. (When even Harry knows B'Elanna would be pissed about Moset? but tom doesn't?? should we really be trusting that man to make medical decisions for B'Elanna? ) I bet if Seven had been in Barge of the Dead more than just in B'Elanna's hallucination, she would be the one deciding to help B'Elanna with her spiritual reawakening that also happens to be something that takes a toll on her physical health. Whereas Tom is against it.

But difficult patients have to stick together, as B'Elanna quips when she helps Seven hide in Engineering. They will be outcasts together, B'Elanna vows.

[gayhoediaz]

my atlantis, we fall

G | 1.2k | 6.10 coda/6.11 spec | ao3

We were supposed to have more time.

The words echo through his brain, sharp with sadness. With loss. With grief.

But the words don’t echo in his head as he’s climbing up the ladder.

The words don’t echo as he lowers Buck down, nor as he - somehow - manages to bring his own feet back onto the ground.

The words don’t echo as he elbows his way to the gurney, or as Bobby grabs him and tells him with a sharp tone that he’s driving.

A tone that says; you can’t be in there with him. A tone that says; we all love him. Everyone is fighting for him.

A tone that says; It's different for you, though.

A tone that says; I see you.

A tone that says; I know.

The words don’t echo as the rain pours onto the windshield, and they don’t echo as he brings the engine to a stop in front of the hospital.

The words don’t echo in his head as he throws himself out and gets to Buck - they don’t echo in his head as they get his shirt open, and they don’t echo as he runs alongside the gurney, Buck’s ribs cracking and breaking beneath his hands as he fights heaven and earth, as he prays to someone beyond them both; prays - begs - for Buck to come back to him.

No. That’s all chaos.

Eddie is terrified, and frantic - but he’s not sad. There’s no time.

Even as he busts through the glass doors, and as he feels two different hands on him, one on either shoulder, keeping him back - keeping him steady - as Buck’s gurney disappears into the distance - he’s not sad.

Scared. Helpless.

Torn apart - yes.

Not sad.

Sad doesn’t even come hours later as he’s sinking down into the uncomfortable chair next to Buck’s hospital bed, nor as he allows his eyes to wander over his face.

So pale. So expressionless.

So dead.

He’s not.

He was, though. He was dead.

But he’s not.

Those are the words that do echo through Eddie’s head.

He’s not dead.

So Eddie is not sad because sad means grief and grieving means you lost something and Eddie hasn’t lost Buck.

Buck is not gone.

Buck is not dead.

Eddie is not sad.

Sad doesn’t come until about forty eight hours later.

Sad doesn’t come until Eddie is standing four and a half feet behind Christopher, his arms crossed over his chest to keep from reaching out for his son.

Not because he doesn’t want to - but because Christopher needs this. Needs to do this alone - even if Eddie is in the room.

Sad doesn’t come until he hears his son’s soft voice, his words far more mature and brave than any twelve year-old should ever be capable of.

‘You promised me, Buck. Remember? You promised me you’re not going anywhere. So you can’t. Because you’re not a liar. You have never lied to me, and I know you wouldn’t break a promise like that. So you’re coming back to us, I know you are.’

Chris has spent many of the past forty eight hours crying. Eddie has too. They have spent many hours crying. Together.

Chris is not crying now, though. At least not a lot.

And Eddie’s heart breaks over it. He wishes so badly that his son would scream and cry and thrash - that he wasn’t a veteran when it comes to losing people. No twelve year-old should know how to handle the pain of facing the possibility of having people torn away from them.

So sad finally arrives.

Eddie feels sad as he watches Chris’ small hand cup Buck’s, the contrast of the large, still fingers so incredibly kafkaesque in the cold, harsh light of the hospital room.

Eddie feels sad as he allows Chris’ voice to fade into a faint whisper, and Eddie feels sad as he watches the way in which Buck’s eyes move beneath his eyelids.

He’s trying. Fighting.

Eddie knows he is. Buck is fighting to come back to them. To Christopher. To Maddie. To Jee. To Chim, to Hen, to Bobby, to Athena, to Karen - probably even to Denny, and May, and Harry, and the unnamed fetus with his borrowed genetic material. To said fetus' biological grandparents who never deserved a fraction of Buck's beautiful heart (and never will - not that Eddie would ever necessarily steal himself the right to voice that thought out loud).

To people he hasn’t even met yet.

Buck is fighting to come home.

To all of them.

To him.

That's who he is.

Buck is never not going to fight.

Buck is not dead, and yet Eddie mourns.

Eddie mourns as he watches Buck’s chest move up and down, knowing full well that he’s not doing it on his own.

Eddie mourns as he watches Christopher squeeze Buck’s giant hand in his own.

Eddie mourns when Christopher turns to him, blonde hair covering half of his red-rimmed eyes as he looks up at him.

‘Dad, do you have your medal? My medal?’

Eddie does have it.

It’s been in his pocket for the past twenty four hours - since Bobby made him go home for a nap and a shower that never came to fruition.

He took it out of his nightstand, and he’s kept it in his fist.

He’s been clutching it with enough force that he thinks he can feel a permanent outline begin to form in the grasp of his palm.

He’s been clutching.

Praying.

Begging.

Pleading.

Eddie mourns as he takes it out, and pours the chain into Christopher’s open palm.

Eddie mourns as he watches his small, brave son take a step closer to the bed.

Eddie mourns as he watches Christopher fiddle with the clasp until he gets it open - as he watches him place it around Buck’s neck - close it, and adjust it slightly until the small charm rests in the hollow of his throat, the gold somehow stark against his pale skin.

So pale.

Dead.

No.

Not dead.

Not dead.

Buck is not dead, and Christopher is not seven anymore.

Christopher is not seven.

Eddie knows that his son does not believe in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny.

Eddie knows that his son doesn’t believe in ghosts, or psychics.

And as far as the one illusion that every child should be entitled to?

The illusion of immortality?

That was wiped away a long time ago.

The illusion of his own immortality.

The illusion of the immortality of the people who love him the most, the immortality of the people who make him feel safe.

The immortality of his heroes.

Gone.

Gone before Eddie thinks he ever even really got to have it.

Yet -

‘Dad says this kept him safe so that he could come home. You need it now. So that you can come home to us.’

And Eddie mourns.

Eddie mourns, and mourns, and mourns.

We were supposed to have more time.

All of us.

We're supposed to have more time.

[non-cannon]

Years ago, after seeing the screenshot of the tumblr post about what if Harry Potter was adopted by the Addams Family for the umpteenth time, I decided to read basically every crossover I could find that used that plot. The entire time I was thinking, what if this but House of Anubis instead of Harry Potter and Nina instead of Harry.

So for the last few years this idea has been intermittently kicking around in my brain and evolving and changing. The roughly current version is as follows:

*For the Addams Family, they are a mix of the 60s show, the 90s movies, and a little bit from Netfix's Wednesday.

Young Nina is in the car when her parents die. She goes to live with her Gran. She starts a new school. This is the same school that Wednesday and Pugsly Addams are attending. Wednesday and Nina are the same age/in the same grade. As the new kid, Nina ends up being assigned to do a group project when no one else will/when their parents won't allow it.

Nina, between being the new kid and having such tragic backstory, also becomes a bit of an outcast like Wednesday already is. Wednesday finds Nina's backstory fascinating, and is the only kid to give her the empathy she needs. And Nina quickly realizes despite appearances Wednesday is amazing actually, and they become good friends.

It's not long before Wednesday brings Nina over for a play date, or homework, or both. Gomez and Morticia are absolutely thrilled that Wednesday has made a friend. And all of the Addams take a shine to Nina pretty quickly.

Morticia also notices that Nina is a bit thinner than she should be, and her clothes look a bit ratty. Obviously not everyone has Addams' level of wealth, but she's still worried. After a few months of Nina coming over, and family growing increasingly fond of her, Morticia convinces Gomez to go with her to investigate why, Nina doesn't seem as well cared for as she should be.

When they do talk to Nina's gran, Evelyn admits that she's trying her best to take care of Nina, but having to unexpectedly take care of a young child when you're on a fixed income isn't easy. They offer to help Evelyn pay for Nina's well being but Evelyn is worried about getting too reliant on the money, especially if something happens, like Nina and Wednesday stop being friends, and the Addams stop offering the money, and she doesn't accept the offer.

At some point, the Morticia and Gomez offer to adopt Nina, and they work out a custody arraignment. Nina stays with the Addams during the week, and her gran on weekends. Nina also adopts the last name Martin-Addams.

As Nina goes back and forth between the two homes, she also finds her wardrobe, and to an extent her personality, going back and forth between being more Addams like and more Martin like. By the time of the show, Nina is wearing a full black and white five piece suit around the Addams, and clothing similar to what she wears in canon when she's around her gran.

One of the reasons she wants to go the Amun Boarding School is because she wants to be away from all of her family(ies) and try to figure out who Nina Martin-Addams is, instead of constantly feeling like she's swinging between Nina Martin and Nina Addams.

Wednesday and Pugsly don't want her to go, and try increasingly elaborate ways to stop her, but they ultimately fail. And it's their fault that she ends up arriving at Anubis two weeks late. Wednesday is jealous when Nina instantly finds an enemy and a mystery (but then she ends up going to Nevermore so it's fine).

Nina has learned how to fence from Gomez, and before she goes away he gives her a fancy sword cane that can be sneaked past the TSA and customs.

At Anubis Nina gives Patricia as good as she gets. She still becomes friends with Fabian and Amber. With Fabian she is impressed with how fiercely he will fight for her, someone who is practically a stranger, but disappointed with his inability to defend himself, and she vows to fix this. With Amber, Nina is impressed with Amber's willingness to blackmail her way into the mystery (she is less impressed with the threat, but it's the principle of the thing). Nina accepts Patricia's apology when she joins Sibuna, but is a bit disappointed that it spells the end of their fighting.

At first Nina swings wildly between the Martin and Addams extremes, but does manage, just with time to find a medium of sorts. Though she is helped by Amber taking her shopping and finding lots of clothing that creates a gradient in her closet instead of it's original clear divide.

At some point Nina gets the chance to beat Rufus up. Nina also traumatizes Joy during season two. Nina gets grandmama's grimoire and uses it to get rid of Senkhara. I don't know if Eddie being the Osirian, or the Osirian at all, ever comes up.

While discussing fears for the fear task, instead of skulls, Nina says "I hope that tunnel can't create the corpses of my loved ones." And the others are like "I thought as and Addams you were into stuff like that." And Nina replies with "I wasn't always and Addams. Before I was an Addams, I was a little kid, in a car, with my parents. And I never want to see anything like that again."

During season three Nina gets angry at Evil Robert for taking the souls of her friends, and while taking the grimoire to the tank room to try and fix it, ends up in a duel with him. (This is where the cane sword finally comes into play). While he wins first blood, and scores a handful of other injuries on her, he said the duel would be to the death, and Nina wins it in the end. KT gets mad at Nina for killing her grandfather, despite the fact that he started it, and Nina has to deal with the fact that she took life for the first time, and also her injuries.

I also can't decide if I want to do enemies to lovers, Nina x Patricia, or if I want to do Nina teaching Fabian to stand up for himself/canon Fabina, or if I want to do polycule with all of them (also Amber dating Nina because why not), and Patricia still also dating Eddie, and Amber still also dating Alfie.

And I know I said this was the current version of events, but my most recent addition (from a couple of months ago), came from me thinking about, if Nina was in the car accident, that was bad enough to kill both adults, she should have been injured. What if the injury left her with a chronic leg issue, and that's why she has the cane (sword)!?

I also kind of want to do a fanfic where the only canon divergence is Nina was left with a chronic injury/pain from the car crash. I don't know, could be fun. However, as someone who doesn't have such a problem. I don't know if I know enough about living like that to do it properly/respectfully...

[shanastoryteller]

Happy holidays. Please continue gryfindor draco please

a continuation of 1 2

The dueling clubs seems extremely fun and like it's entire purpose is to distract the school populace from the fact that their fellow students are being petrified.

"Does that mean we're not joining?" Neville asks hopefully.

"Oh, we're definitely joining," Draco says. Neville's shoulders slump. "Don't be so glum. You've killed a troll! Whoever is doing this is probably way less scary than a troll."

Hermione is frowning as she looks over the announcement. "Why isn't Flitwick on here? He's a Dueling Champion."

"Probably so we don't need to find a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor in the middle of the year," Draco answers. "Haven't you noticed? Flitwick hates Lockhart. Can't stand him. If he had to run a club with him, then he'd end up hexing him in front of all of us. Which I would enjoy, personally, but might make filling the position a little harder."

Hermione sighs dreamily. He and Neville make a face.

Neville asks, "Doesn't Snape hate him too? Why would he agree to this?"

Because the heads of house are convinced that if Lockhart is allowed to do it on his own, then he'll end up hurting someone. Severus drew the short straw. Flitwick wasn't in the running for obvious reasons.

Draco's a little sorry that it's not Sprout. Now that would be an interesting duel.

"You guys signing up?" The turn to see Ron and Harry walking over. He doesn't know if Ron had the same conversation with Harry that he has with Hermione, but he'd been sticking especially close lately. Harry's blood is pure enough, being a Potter, even if his mother was a muggleborn, but he's also Harry Potter. If anyone's a target for a Voldemort supporter with a chip on their shoulder, it's him. "It should be fun, yeah? Everyone likes a good fight. It's good for morale."

"Yes," Neville says hurriedly when Hermione's eyes narrow, doing his best to cut off an argument before it can happen. "It'll be fun, right? A nice bonding activity."

Draco hopes he gets paired with Ron so he can kick his ass, but he knows that's unlikely. They'll probably pair people from different houses together.

He really hopes he doesn't get paired with Theo.

[thevindicativevordan]

Comics this week ?

Action Comics #1069 - Enjoyable enough finale. Dug this arc, besides the Ali homages mentioned already, I saw a lot of similarities to the boxing issue from Up in the Sky! Superman up against a foe who seemingly can't be beat, that he defeats by being able to endure everything the other guy throws at him. Simone has a good handle on who Superman is. When his opponent Hux trash talks him, he immediately tells the guy to bring it. Simone even is willing to say that a part of Superman enjoys fighting which most writers wouldn't be comfortable admitting. He’s not Goku such that he loves fighting, but I don’t connect with takes where he’s a pacifist who can’t stand any kind of violence. Superman enjoying a scrap but never to the point he’d prioritize a fight over saving lives is the perfect medium. Rowell’s backup ended underwhelmingly though. She has a good handle on the characterization of the two, but while Clark and Lois talking their problems out is the natural thing to do, it’s not exciting or engaging. Maybe it was just USM doing something similar that made this come across as underwhelming for me. Also I’m left wondering if that Atomic Skull plot thread is setting up something for Williamson or Waid to deal with. We get no answers as to why he's a villain again despite Rowell explicitly portraying it as out of character.

Zatanna: BDTH #4 - I love the Zatanna/Constantine romance. Yes he's a complete toxic bastard who is terrible for her, and that's what makes it so much fun to read. Everyone else at DC has a positive LI, even Batman and Catwoman who are flawed as hell bring out the best in each other. But these two are so messed up and that makes reading them fun!

Ultimate Spider-Man #9 - Great issue. Favorite part was Peter and Harry arguing over whether lethal force should be something they use. While Peter was unhappy about Harry resorting to what could’ve been a lethal blow, he also didn’t blow up their partnership for it. Peter stood his ground, and Harry stood his in response, but Peter allowed that maybe Harry had a point without backing down. Amazing how you can resolve arguments and maintain tension without writing everyone like they’re high schoolers. MJ gets a moment with Ben and Jonah to show off how she's contributing as the marketer, Otto debuts the Iron Spider which feels like the first step on the road to Otto becoming Doc Ock, and I think I know what the purpose of AI Peter is. Obviously it is the Ultimate version of Venom, but I think what's going to happen is one of the Six will target Peter's family and AI Peter is going to kill to defend the Parkers. That will upset Peter because he doesn't want to think he's capable of doing that, especially after lecturing Harry, and it will alienate him from the AI leading to Venom being born. Venom will thus act as a dark mirror to Peter, showing how Peter could go down the same road Harry seems to be walking, which will let Harry stay sympathetic for us the readers and maybe even Peter. He wouldn't be able to feel morally superior to Harry because he'll have a foe who forces him to acknowledge his own capacity for violence.

[professionalfanatic]

Harry stiffled a curse, heading back to the Tower after yet another detention with Umbridge. He cast a Tempus, and groaned, seeing that it was a little past midnight. Now he would have to copy off Hermione's Transfiguration homework again, seeing he was just too exhausted to pick a quill, forget writing down the Laws of Goodness knows what.

He hoped Hermione was  asleep. His hand seemed to be bleeding even more than usual, and even though he would have loved to soak his hand in her special dittany , he didn’t want to deal with her rebukes again. He knew that she disapproved of him keeping the true nature of Umbridge’s detentions quiet. She'd been urging him the whole of the past weekend to go to Madam Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore, anyone really, but Harry had refused soundly. He didn't want to see the satisfaction on Umbridge’s face that she was getting under his skin. That she was hurting him. He'd be damned before he allowed that to happen.

Besides, what use was it, going to Dumbledore? The man seemed to be pretty determined to ignore him for the entirety of the school year, starting from his Trial back at the Ministry for Magic. Harry didn’t want to bother him either. He must be busy, what with the whole business of Voldemort, and the Ministry being a bunch of idiots.

So Harry would just have to deal with it. It wasn’t anything huge, he had lived with the Dursleys for the past 15 years of his life.

He yawned, rubbing his tired eyes. Honestly, this year was turning out to be the worst ones ever. He was so exhausted and disgruntled with everything that he was even looking forward for the holidays, and that's to say something, because Harry usually preferred his school terms better than the vacation.

But who could blame him? What with the whole business with Voldemort coming back to torment him, the dementor at Privet Drive, Dumbledore ignoring him, the horrible nightmares, Umbridge with her stupid DADA lessons, the damn detentions, his OWLS and that blonde prat -

"Oof! " Harry huffed as he collided with someone, and made a head dive to the floor. "Watch where your going! "

It was unfair, he knew, as he had been the one engrossed in his thoughts to have not seen the dark clad figure, who was also now sprawled on the floor in a very undignified manner.

"I think you should do that. "

Harry froze in the act of standing up. He could identify that snooty, lordly sneer anywhere.

"Malfoy. "

Of everyone he could have bump into after detention, it just had to be Malfoy.

The said boy was now dusting himself off the floor, scowling as he did so. His blond hair was all over the place, and he looked a bit more dishevelled for his impeccable Malfoy appearance. Not to mention, he was also sprawled on the floor, in a very undignified manner.

Malfoy looked up, and seeing Harry’s glaring face, his own scowl deepened.

"Potter. " He sneered at him. "What are you doing here at this time of the night? Not sneaking around, I hope? "

"Malfoy. " Harry bit back with equal venom. "It's none of your business. "

His scowl was replaced by a little smirk. "Language, Potter. I'd like to remind you that I am a prefect. Which means that I, unlike you, can take away some points for your unseemly behaviour. "

Harry glared at him.

His smirk grew. "So tell me, Oh great boy who lived. What are you doing at this ungodly hour? "

"Detention. " Harry said through gritted teeth. "I had detention with Umbridge. "

Harry hadn't thought that his smirk could become any wider. But apparently, it could, and Malfoy actually had the nerve to let out a gloating laugh.

"Ah, yes. Detentions for all the lies you've been spouting this year, am I correct? "

"You know very well if they are lies or not, Malfoy. " Harry grinned, seeing the smirk on Malfoy's face fade.

"Do I, then? " He hissed, a glare adorning his features.

"At least your scumbag of a Death Eater father would. " Harry shot at him. He shouldn't be here, fighting with Malfoy, a distant voice in his head which resembled Hermione was warning at him to shut his big mouth and stop enraging the blond menace, but Harry never did have much self control around Malfoy.

Malfoy's lip was curling in a cruel sneer.

"At least I have parents, Potter. Yours are six feet under. "

Harry saw red.

He growled at the disgusting slimy Slytherin and leapt forward, pulling his wand out of his pocket, not giving a least care that this would very well mean another set of ghastly detentions with the toad like woman. Malfoy had pushed him to the limit today, and insulting his dead parents, he could not tolerate. He wanted to murder the stupid bastard.

Ginny's Bat Bogey Hex seemed a good idea at the moment-

"Potter! What's wrong with your hand?! "

Harry stopped in his tracks, startled, all thoughts of hexes and curses forgotten. He had not expected Malfoy to ask about his hand, much less notice his hand was bleeding.

He spared a glance at his blood dripping hand and winced. Okay, maybe he would've noticed, but Harry never expected him to look so... different. He wasn’t sneering at him, or giving out snide comments at how pathetic he was to injure his hand, on the contrary, Malfoy was staring at him with something akin to..... concern.

"What? " Harry said stupidly.

"Your hand, Potter. " Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Why is it bleeding all over the place? "

"That's - " Harry began to say, before stopping abruptly. "Wait, what? "

"Potter, much as I knew your brain to be nonexistent, this is ridiculous, if you don't have the ability to understand simple sentences. " Malfoy rolled his eyes expressively.

"No! Just... why are you asking about my hand? " Harry garbled.

Malfoy heaved a sigh and lurched forward, and grabbed his hand, making Harry yelp.

He watched as a series of emotions flick in Malfoy's grey eyes, moving from concern, to surprise and anger after discerning the words carved into his skin.

Harry had never seen Malfoy's eyes look so intense. All for an injury that had happened to Harry. Harry bloody Potter, who was Malfoy's worst enemy. Why even was he angry for this? Harry had never been this stupefied in his life.

Then again, nothing about Malfoy ever made much sense, right?

"Bitch. " Malfoy muttered under his breathe and demanded sharply, startling Harry out of his bewilderment. "How long has she been making you do this? "

"Huh? " Harry mumbled, his brain yet to process Malfoy's question.

He rolled his eyes, and muttered, "Probably from the start of this term... no wonder its deep. "

Harry’s jaw dropped at Malfoy's unnatural concern.

"Woah, woah.. " He stuttered. "Malfoy? Are you alright? "

"What? " The said boy snapped, still staring at his hand with a frankly alarming expression.

"..... why.... are you holding my hand...? "

Harry winced when that was the first question that slipped him. That was not a good thing to ask right now. Or any time. He shouldn't be wondering why Draco Malfoy of all people was holding his hand and worrying about him. What next, Voldemort inviting him for a nice chat over a cup of coffee?

So in Harry’s defense, his concern was perfectly acceptable.

Malfoy was worried for Harry.

Malfoy, with his blond hair, not slicked back with gel for a change, and his grey eyes that looked almost silver in this light, was actually cradling Harry’s hand. Tenderly.

Harry shook his head frantically. That made no sense. He must be hallucinating. Did Fred and George give him  some weird thing that was making him see weird stuff like this? Were everyone in the common room laughing at how dumb his hallucination was?

Or dreaming. He must have returned to the common room, and he must have fallen asleep while writing Snape's stupid essay about the restorative properties of Merlin knows what. Any moment now he'll wake up, and laugh at himself for seeing such bizarre and stupid dream.

Literally anything made sense in the face of Draco bloody Malfoy expressing an emotion other than anger, and hatred to him.

He glanced at Malfoy's worried (worried! ) face and asked him slowly, in a delibrate voice,

"Malfoy, are you sure if you are all right? "

He yelped when said blonde prat tightened his grip on Harry’s hand. "Ow! What was that for?! "

Malfoy actually had the nerve to smile at him, though the look of worry didn't completely fade from his grey eyes. Which was still baffling Harry. He still couldn't think of any remotely logical reason as to why Draco Malfoy of all people was being worried about the state of his hand.

This didn't seem much like a hallucination, Harry thought, much to his discomfort. And he probably would have woken up by now, had it been a dream.

Perhaps... something had happened to Malfoy? Was he cursed or something? That made even more sense, seeing that Malfoy was the one who was actually acting in a very strange manner. Completely different. Was this someone polyjuiced as Malfoy? Even that made more sense.... whatever this nonsense happening right now did.

Harry pulled himself out of this slump he was falling into when he heard Malfoy sneer at him, and put his hand inside his pocket, pulling out his wand.

"What are you - "

"Relax, Potter, " Malfoy sneered, pointing his wand at Harry's hand.

Harry let out an incredulous laugh. This was getting way more insane by the second.

"You are pointing a wand at my hand, Malfoy, " Harry reasoned with perfect logic. "We've hated each other's guts for the past years, so yeah, sorry if I can't relax, when you point your fucking wand at me. "

Malfoy just rolled his eyes and muttered something, and Harry felt an immense sense of relief wash over his hand. Glancing down, he watched in astonishment as the blood dripping down his arm disappeared. The words carved into his hand were still visible, red and stark, but the painful sting had quite subsided.

Harry studied his now healed hand carefully, and glanced at Malfoy, who looked extremely smug.

Did Malfoy just heal his hand? No, that's not possible. What goddamn reason would Malfoy have to cure his hand? Did he curse his hand with some elaborate Pureblood spell?

But his hand seemed fine. In fact, it felt perfectly okay, now that the pain had been subdued by a great degree. He clenched his hand, smiling in relief as the sharp stab of pain had subsided.

"Wow, that feels great, " Harry exclaimed. He glanced at Malfoy who was still wearing his smug smirk, and gave a small wry nod. "Thanks, Malfoy, "

The blonde boy's smirked deepened. "I couldn't have the Oh great boy who lived bleeding all over the castle. Imagine the stress it would cause poor old Filch, " He gloated.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, like I have to believe you did this for the sake of Filch's sanity. No, I think you care about me, " That sounded entirely too bizarre and wrong, but Harry thought he wasn't too faraway from the mark when Malfoy's pale cheeks flushed, and he looked away.

"Don't be ridiculous. Why in the name of Merlin would I care about you? " He snapped, stuffing his wand into his robes.

"Oh, I don't know- why else would you go out of your way to help me?" Harry grinned. It was totally fun, teasing the other boy and making him blush.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Potter. Just don't make it a habit to wander around the halls at midnight, knocking people down. I could have gotten seriously injured, "

Harry snorted. "Forgive me, your Royal Highness. It's okay to get acquainted with the floor once in a while, considering you walk three feet above it, "

"Acquainted? My Potter. That's a big word. Sure you didn't hurt your head, thinking that? " Malfoy smirked.

It was bizarre, them, Malfoy and Harry, actually having a civil conversation that didn't involve them flinging hexes and curses at each other. Ron wouldn't even believe him. He'd accuse Harry of lying. Hermione would believe him, but would seriously send him off for a check up with Pomfrey.

Harry stiffled a yawn, wondering just how late it was. Malfoy noted his yawn and rolled his eyes again.

"Goodness, Potter, cart yourself upto bed, please. Its terribly unattractive to see you yawn like that, " He sneered, but Harry, to his surprise didn't feel annoyed by it. Alright, just a little, but not enough to throw hexes at him.

"Shut up, " He murmured back, but with a lot less heat than earlier.

"Well, you will see the value of my words when you are inevitably even more inattentive at Snape's class tomorrow. " Malfoy smirked. "Maybe you'll land yourself another detention, "

Harry rolled his eyes, and turned to leave, silently acknowledging that Malfoy may have a point. He already had to finish Snape's stupid essay. If he was inattentive at class, and turn in a subpar essay as well, he might be in a lot of hot water. He was leaving when Malfoy called out to him, his voice more uncertain this time.

"You told Dumbledore about Umbridge’s punishment, didn't you? "

Harry whirled around, angered by the mention. It wasn't enough that Hermione was bothering him, now Malfoy as well? He could take care of himself, why did no one get that? Dumbledore had enough on his plate without Harry adding to it.

"There's no need for him to know. I can deal with it, " He snapped at Malfoy who looked taken aback.

"Merlin's beard, Potter! Stop getting so worked up over nothing. I just asked because Blood Quills are forbidden, you know? It's not a simple matter to use it on children. The School Board takes stuff like that seriously, "

Harry frowned at those words. "And you know this because... "

"My Father is a Governor, of course. " Malfoy rolled his eyes. "This school is unsafe anyway, remember that oaf Hagrid's ridiculous bird? "

"I remember you crying like a little baby, all because you couldn't follow simple instructions. " Harry taunted. "Buckbeak was a good Hippogriff, I rode him, remember? "

"Yeah, yeah, Saint Potter, capable of every miraculous feat possible, " Malfoy sneered. "But this place is a deathtrap, don't even refuse, "

Harry would have liked to refuse, but remembering Aragog, Hagrid's monstrous spider, and even the Basilisk, he just scowled. Malfoy did have a point. He turned around to leave when Malfoy called out again.

"Potter, do consider telling at least McGonagall. She's always on your stupid side, so she'll listen. And like I said, Blood Quills are forbidden. "

Harry looked at him shrewdly. Was this Malfoy's way of looking out for him? Something in Harry told him that Malfoy was genuinely trying to help him, like how he had healed Harry’s hand. Was he even telling Hadey a way to get Umbridge out of Hogwarts? Perhaps it wasn't such a terrible idea to go to McGonagall.

He just smiled at the blonde prat, liking how his cheeks flushed again.

"Good night, Malfoy, " Harry said instead of an answer.

Malfoy smiled at him. He actually smiled, instead of that stupid smirk. Harry found out that it was unexpectedly nice to see his pointy features soften by a mundane smile.

"Good night, Potter, "

                                                -----------------

Wrote this on ao3, but posted here too :)) Forgot how much I love Drarry to be honest :)

[ddejavvu]

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm snape anti???? Plleeeeeease I beg of you to explain as I cannot fathom how why what when or where ???

gladly!!

this post contains some pretty intense opinions on snape. i'm not posting this to get into a fight with anyone, i'm posting this to tell you my opinion. if you don't share it, that's okay, you don't have to. i know people like him, and i'm not telling you you can't, i'm telling you why i don't. i don't like snape, and here are the reasons why:

snape was a bully. and before you say james was too, james bullied snape because snape bullied lily. and i would too.

snape sought out lily as a friend because she was a loner when she was little, just like him. not by choice, lily didn't get along with her sister so of course she hung out in the garden or by the lake by herself. she wouldn't have taken petunia with her. but when she got to hogwarts and started flourishing (and severus didn't, distancing them), he got jealous. he let his slytherin friends (all future death eaters) suck him further into his muggle-hating misery, and he called lily a mudblood (which i'll remind you is like a wizard slur. hermione cried the first time she was called it, and hagrid gasped like she'd just insulted his mother when she told him what she'd been called. it's gross. not okay to say to someone in that universe.) which then made her upset (rightfully so), and she stopped hanging out with him. he did that. he chose to call her that, he chose to drive her away. his fault.

so then, when she fell for james instead (who, yes, tormented severus. if someone called the girl i was interested in a slur, i'd fuck with them too. you're allowed to bully people who are terrible with no remorse or hesitation or redemption.) severus saw this and got angry, hateful, and miserable. he spent the rest of his life wallowing in self-pity because lily didn't like him (which, as stated before, was his own damn fault and choice), and when the potters went into hiding, snape was already a double agent for the death eaters/the order. he knew that peter was also a double agent, and he should have warned them all. he didn't.

when she died he ran to the scene of the crime, ignored her sobbing, traumatized infant because he himself wasn't the father, and scooped her dead body off of the ground to cry all over it. he was never in it to protect harry, he was never trying to sympathize with him from afar, he didn't care about harry.

when harry starts his years at hogwarts, everyone knows snape as the mean teacher. he mocks his students, insults them, ridicules them, and makes them feel like shit about themselves. i'm not saying that every single teacher has to be sunshine and rainbows and butterflies, but if you're going to be in a position to teach children and help their minds develop, don't be a children-hating monster asshole. neville, who's anxious about everything, says that his biggest fear is professor snape, and the boggart confirms it. that is not normal. i am typically just about as anxious as neville is, and let me tell you, if i ever felt unsafe enough around my teacher that they were my biggest fear, i would have switched schools. (obviously he couldn't because of the system of schooling in that universe, i'm not saying he should have. what i'm saying is, he had a crippling fear of his professor and that shouldn't be allowed to happen). children should not live in constant, overwhelming fear of their professors. that is not normal, that is not okay, that is disgusting. that is child abuse.

then, we are supposed to believe that just because severus says he loved lily, that from the start, he did everything for her, that he was always a good person? fuck no. fuck no, he was a terrible person, and love is not an excuse for any of that. if i loved someone who died and spent the next 20 years of my life making your life and thousands of childrens' lives a living hell 'out of love', would you forgive me?? the monstrosities that he committed throughout his entire life cannot be redeemed by the last thing he says before he dies. fuck snape, he was a child abuser, he was a bully, he was a blood supremacist, and sick, twisted love for a dead woman who was never his does not excuse that.