#for him to turn around and do the same thing to albus

[lilithofpenandbook]

Okay but that scene in Snape's memories in DH?

The one where Dumbledore's telling him to go take the sword and he was like I Know and then Albus was like "what are you gonna do"

And Snape didn't explain

All he did was say "I have a plan"

That scene is so powerful to me

[hirukochan]

Ambushed

A Severus SnapexFem!Reader Oneshot

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Pairing: Severus Snape x former student reader

Summary: After your former Professor murdered Albus Dumbledore a few weeks after your one-nightstand you never expected to see him again.

Warnings: Smut, catcalling, blood, injury

Wordcount: 5000

Read on Ao3 or below the cut

Life has become significantly darker since the death of Albus Dumbledore. You hear rumours of the Ministry falling, about Death Eaters taking over and You-Know-Who rising. From the perspective of the public all that hasn’t happened. Everybody can feel the change and taste the misery hanging in the air between abandoned and destroyed shops in Diagon Alley.

The rich fuck you work for is paying you extra because you decided to stay. You aren’t going to let yourself be scared into running away! 

You started evening courses at a small university in Aberdeen a few months ago. Enchanted Art. For what? Hell if you know, but art sounded good. You however aren’t…good. Not at all, but it’s fun. You enrolled a few days after what you now call ‘the worst mistake of your life’. 

Severus Snape.

Death Eater.

Murderer.

Newly appointed headmaster of Hogwarts.

And you fucked him. Just three weeks before he killed Albus Dumbledore, a man who trusted him. 

The Daily Prophet and the Ministry are framing Harry Potter for it. There is a large manhunt going on with a bounty on Potter’s head. The boy has disappeared from the face of the earth. 

You saw him at the funeral in Hogwarts. Many former students came to say their goodbyes to Dumbledore. You went out of shame and guilt. It doesn’t make any sense for you to feel like that. Neither did you know what Snape was planning nor did you support him in any way. And yet, just knowing you had that man in your bed is eating at you.

You sway and stumble but can catch yourself on the side of an abandoned building. Death Eaters have been attacking Diagon Alley for months, even before You-Know-Who came to power, but never your shop. You guess it’s because a second-hand bookshop is absolutely useless. You don’t even have many customers! The shop is not profitable whatsoever.

You rub your eyes and push yourself off the wall to continue your less than straight way back to your flat. You’ve been drinking with the Weasley twins who run the joke shop a few streets away from yours. They are one of the few shops still open like you. They were three years under you and always good for a laugh though you were never friends with them. Now out of school and in the same boat you get along well.

And drinking alone is pathetic.

You are pathetic, but not that pathetic. 

Not yet.

You squeeze through an alley. Just another corner and you’d be there. You’re too drunk to apparate and apparition can suck it anyway.

“What’s a pretty thing like you doing out all alone?” A male voice calls out to you. You ignore it. You are really not in the mood to be accosted now and your wand might just slip.

You grip it tighter in your pocket. One could not be careful enough these days. Perhaps you should have taken Georges’ offer of walking you home.

“I’m talking to you!” He sounds angry now. Just fuck off. Just turn around and fuck off or better come here and give me something to let my aggressions out on. “Stuck up cunt!” You are whirled around by your shoulder and thrown against a wall. The air is pressed out of your lungs and your back aches. 

The blurry face of a sleazy looking man comes into view but in the next second he’s gone. You blink. Your alcohol drenched brain needs some time to catch up. Then a scream rips through the night and you recoil. Everything in you screams to run. To turn around and take off, to save yourself, but your eyes are glued to the man on the ground, writhing and screaming, his body shaken by endless, never-ending agony. 

Steps echo through the night and your head snaps up. A tall, dark figure moves towards you. Black robes, dark hair- for a second you think it’s Snape and you don’t know how to feel at that and even less how to deal with the sting of treacherous disappointment when you notice he’s too slim and too short to be Snape. 

Moonlight reflects off a silver mask. You grip your wand tighter, terrified of what’s going to happen next. 

A Death Eater.

A real fucking Death Eater right in front of you! And you’re still not running. Why the fuck are you not running?

“Tsk tsk tsk.” He clicks his tongue and shakes his hand. The man’s screams have stopped, replaced by a strangled, gurgling sound that somehow sounds so much worse. Your blood freezes in your veins and you start shivering. This is it. This is how you die. Drunk and on your way home. Just a street away! Away from safety, though you suspect that it’s a false feeling. A lie.

There is no safety left in Britain.

“Has your mummy never taught you, you mustn’t touch what isn’t yours?” He shakes his head and clicks his tongue again. A green light illuminates the alley. It paints grotesque shadows onto the silver mask and the wall behind him.

You scream. Shock and pain are ripping the sound out of the wall of your throat and haul it into the night. You cover your mouth with your hands. Tears sting in your eyes. You don’t want to die here.

Your heart pounds in your chest, strong and fast, declaring it has many good years still left, refusing to back down but also trapped by a rich net, woven from terror and dread.

“You shouldn’t be out so late.” The Death Eater says. His voice is slightly muffled by the mask, but he sounds young. So terribly young. Perhaps around the twins’ age? Did he go to school with you? You don’t recognise his voice, but you are in shock. Right? Yes, shock. He just killed someone! Like it’s nothing! To think you might have sat next to him in the Great Hall or the library…

“It’s not safe. Best run along now.”

You blink. Confused. He is letting you go? Why would he let you go? He rips his sleeve up, revealing a jet-black tattoo on his underarm, one that you’ve never seen before but recognise regardless.

“That’s a fucking order!” You flinch. And then you’re running. Running down the street and not stopping until you’ve reached the door to your flat. Your fingers tremble so much you struggle to get the key into the keyhole. You use every single protection charm you know on the door after you’ve closed behind yourself. You’ve gotten good at casting them. You had to.

“What the fuck.” You whisper to yourself, back leaned against the wall and wand clutched to your chest. “What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck!” A Death Eater just fucking let you go! He tortured someone for attempting to assault you and then killed him. 

He fucking killed him.

You watched someone die. 

What the fuck.

Oh Merlin and Grímhildr and god and Jesus fucking Christ!

‘Mustn’t touch what isn’t yours’ What does that mean? You’re not some object to be owned!

“Maybe he has a crush on me?” You think out loud. Yeah…maybe that guy really did use to go to school with you? Maybe he- you have no idea but what other reason would there be? Would a Death Eater disapprove of assaulting women? Somehow you find that hard to believe.

The incident does not leave your mind. You become paranoid. Always checking your steps and looking around for that glimmer of light catching on a silver mask. Often you’d look out of your windows, watching the empty street but you don’t see the young Death Eater again. You expect him to come back any day to finish you off

One day you arrive at the Leaky Cauldron after your evening classes tired and hungry. It’s a little after ten and you decide to eat in the pub instead of cooking. An hour later you step outside and apparate onto the steps in front of the door to your flat. You secure the door with your usual spells and kick off your shoes before hurrying up the stairs. You want nothing more than to collapse into your bed-

Something isn’t right. It’s the faintest difference. A smell that is not quite right. A whisper of magic in the air that does not belong to you. The small hairs on your nape stand and your stomach clenches. You grip your wand tighter.

There is something on your floor. A large black something.

“What the fuck?” You mutter and drop your hand to your side. “What the fuck? No no no- get the fuck up, Snape!” He doesn’t move. He is lying face down in a puddle of blood in the middle of your flat. Where did he come from? How did he get in? Why is he here?

You kick him. 

It sounds like a logical choice in your head.

He doesn’t move.

“I have a Death Eater in my flat, on my floor. I have a dying Death Eater on my floor!” You panic. You are panicking. You kick him again. Nothing changes. “Shit shit shit!” You could just…kick him down the stairs and lock the door? How did he get in here?!

“Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck-” What do you do? What can you do? Why is he here? 

For lack of a better plan, you kick him again, but despite how gratifying it feels to let your aggression out on him you have to come up with a better idea. You can’t just keep kicking him!

Wary of the Death Eater on your floor you kneel down and press two fingers to the pulse point on his neck, ready to jump backwards at any point. His skin is burning up. What happened? 

You can’t just kick him down the stairs. It’s tempting. He’d deserve it- but that isn’t you. Besides it would take the Death Eaters not even two seconds to figure out who left him there to die and they might come back to hurt you.

You heave him into your bed and peel the blood-soaked clothes from his chest. There is a deep gash across his side. Blood steadily runs down his pale skin. What happened to him?

“He’s a Death Eater that’s what fucking happened to him.” You scold yourself. “And you are fucking helping him- fuck! Why did you choose my flat to die in, Snape?!” You flick your wand at him, and his own wand comes flying through the air, landing in your hand. You shove it into your pocket.

Snape looks like shit. He’s thinner than a few months ago, his skin paler and dark, deep shadows have seemingly permanently attached themselves to the skin under his eyes.

The glorious Death Eater that defeated Albus Dumbledore. 

You scoff.

“Good- that is that…disarming the Death Eater that is twice your size and can probably do wandless magic…or simply snatch them back from you because let’s be honest here - we aren’t a fighter!” You have no idea who you are talking to, but you feel hysteric and talking to oneself is what hysteric people do. Right? Right?

“Please don’t die here and start haunting me!”

“I’m not dying.” Snape grunts and you scream. 

“Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck- you scared the living shit out of me! What the fuck are you doing here?” Without bothering to answer you, he examines the wound on his side. He grimaces. 

“I advise you against attempting that.” The deep, velvety rumble of voice makes you shudder in all the wrong ways. You keep your wand trained on him anyway.

“Get the fuck out of my flat!” You hiss, raising your wand higher, keeping it aimed at him.

“So hostile.” He tuts. “Did I leave you unsatisfied last time?” 

“You’re a murderer!” Your voice is shaking, tears pool in your eyes and you have no fucking idea why you feel betrayed. You hadn’t spoken to Snape in five years before your one-night stand. But had you known…had you known he is a Death Eater you would have never let him into your bed.

“Yes.” Snape says and he somehow sounds bitter. What right has he to be bitter? “I heard you ran into some…trouble.” You shove your wand in his face and perhaps he sees in your eyes how serious you are, a faint promise of hexing him or something else, but he raises his bloodied hands slightly as if to tell you he isn’t a danger.

“Do you have a first-aid-kit? So I can get out of your hair.” You look at him, considering. You could make him leave. “I’m not a danger to you.” To you. To others, yes, but not you. You have no idea how to feel about that thinly veiled confession. You flick your wand towards your bathroom. Snape rummages through your first-aid-kit.

“Who the fuck doesn’t stock dittany?” He asks, glaring up at you while aggressively opening the fuckton of buttons on his robes. Who needs so many buttons?

“Why would I have fucking dittany? Sorry I did not expect you would choose my home to almost fucking die in!”

“I wouldn’t have died!” He sneers.

“Tell that to the puddle of blood on my floor. Why are you here?” He hesitates. His shoulders droop and he stops messing with his clothes. Something profoundly vulnerable flashes through his eyes.

“Where else would I go?” And that is that apparently. He peels back layers of blood-soaked clothes, and you try not to ogle him. He hadn’t taken off much of his clothes when he fucked you… 

The moonlight hides the currently sickish undertones of his pale skin, making him look like one of those marble statues you’ve seen in a muggle museum once. His skin is littered with scars, a visual reminder that this man is a Death Eater - a fact your body is more than willing to ignore judging by the uncomfortable, damp spot in your knickers. 

You watch him patch himself up from a safe distance, your wand pointed at him at all times. His fingers tremble, his skin is chalky pale and beads of sweat cling to his forehead, but his movements are precise and purposeful.

And yet-

You have never seen him like this.

Small somehow.

Vulnerable.

“I was told you were assaulted.” His voice is quiet, he usually speaks soft and quiet - a man like he never has any trouble getting a classroom full of hormonal teenagers to shut it. But today it’s different. There is something…inherently broken about the way he says the words and it gives you pause.

“So what? You decided to break in? Who do you think you are that you get to check up on me?” You spit the words at him because if you don’t, you might do other things and you really can’t afford that.

“That wasn’t-” He inhales sharply and impossibly enough pales even more. You summon a glass of water. “Thank you.” He whispers and downs the whole thing in one go.

“Wouldn’t want your cult friends to show up here because I let you die.”

“You should be careful what you say.” He doesn’t say it as a threat. He says it softly, with dread mixing into his worry.

“I thought you weren't a danger to me.”

“Plenty of people are.”

“Right…then. You know where the door is.” You nod towards it. Snape rises to his feet - far more graceful and steady than he has any right to with how shit he looks. He comes closer and you bite the inside of your cheek to resist the urge of stepping back. He comes closer still, his much larger frame hovering above you and any sliver of thinking Snape is small evaporates into thin air.

His silky hair falls into his face and hides it in the shadows of your flat, with only the moon illuminating the small space.

You take a shaky breath and attempt to ignore the heat between your bodies or the way your heart beats all wrong. His eyes have an intensity to them that makes you shudder and involuntarily recall how his hands felt on you…his breath dancing across your skin…the way he tastes-

“You still have my wand.” He says, his voice impossibly deeper and smokey and his eyes- these damn stunning stupid eyes that burn into yours, whispering promises of things you can’t even begin to wrap your mind around. 

You automatically close your fingers tighter around your own wand. He is so close now the tip of it digs into his chest. He doesn’t even flinch. Like the threat of a curse does not even affect him, like he doesn’t give a shit that you could simply kill him right now or perhaps it’s arrogance. He believes you incapable of it - which is the truth but still! Is it asking too much to want him to be at least a little afraid? 

Snape reaches out and his hand brushes over your side and you inhale sharply.

There must have been a lapse in the fabric of time - in the universe itself because suddenly you are kissing. You don’t know why or how but the wands clatter to the ground and Snape’s hands are on you and your body scream fuck the universe because this feels right.

Snape’s arms wrap around your smaller form and press you to his chest and you let him, weaving your hands into his hair while he claims your mouth with a feral hunger. You moan into the kiss and lean into his touch and try to smother the whisper in your head repeating the last two words you’d want to hear right now over and over.

Death Eater

You slide your tongue over his. There is a faint taste of iron in the kiss but it doesn’t matter. Snape’s fingers dig into your flesh like he is trying to devise a way to never have to let you go again.

He clings to you like a dying man to life.

Death Eater

He stumbles backwards and takes you with him, plopping down on the bed and pulling you into his lap. It feels natural. Your bodies fit together like two puzzle pieces and something somewhere in the universe just clicks.

You run your hands down his neck and over his shoulder, noting how much thinner he feels now compared to last time. You shove his frock and dress shirt down his shoulders. The feeling of his naked skin against your hands feels electrifying. A buzzing prickle seeping into your body through the pad of your fingers and spreading throughout your very being like blazing wildfire, pooling deep in your belly.

Death Eater

You moan into the kiss and grind against Snape, feeling his hard cock against your core through your knickers.

Death Eater

Two pairs of hands drop to his fly at one, frantically fumbling with buttons and stumbling over each other. Snape retreats and returns to thoroughly groping your arse under your skirt. You manage to free his cock and Snape helps lift your hips. You push your soaked knickers away and align his cock with your entrance.

“Fuck I forgot how big you are-” You hiss at the stretch. Snape kisses your neck and nibbles on your collarbone.

“Have you been with someone since-?” He leaves the question open. Further specifications aren’t needed. You are still slowly lowering yourself on his prick, until the delicious kind of stretch turns to a stinging stretch where you pause to give yourself time to adjust.

“-no.” You pant. Snape groans against your sternum and wraps his arms around you again, pulling you close. He kisses down your chest and over your breasts. Nuzzling you through the fabric of your blouse.

“Fucking hell-” You mutter once he is finally sheathed inside you. You’re out of breath and sweaty and so so full. His cock is throbbing against your inner walls, hot and thick and you need a moment to collect yourself.

“So good.” Snape groans and continues peppering kisses over your chest. You whimper in response. “You take my cock so fucking good-” He rips your blouse open and shoves your bra up, locking his lips around your nipple instantly. You moan and cling to his shoulders. Snape licks broad strokes over your nipple, alternates between sucking and kissing and grazing you with his teeth. 

His lust-drenched sounds make you squirm in his arms and arousal leak over his cock, soiling his trousers. 

It takes a little moment for you to get a hang of how to move on top of him, but once you’ve figured it out, you earn approving groans from Snape.

“Fucking missed you.” He murmurs against your skin.

“Did you now?” You raise a brow.

“I’m talking to your tits, dear.”

“You have issues.” You moan and sink back down on his cock.

“I thought we had already established that.”

“Yeah, when you decided my floor was the proper place to die!”

“Wouldn’t have died.” He groans and locks his lips around your nipple again. You cradle his head with your arms and rest your cheek against the crow of his head while bobbing up and down his length in an unsteady, unrefined rhythm.

Snape doesn’t seem to care.

And neither do you really.

The voice in your head shut up a while ago and you bid farewell to it, telling it to never come back.

Snape inhales sharply and you stop instantly.

“Did I hurt you?” You ask, unable to keep the worry out of your voice. Snape’s face is contorted in pain. He reaches for the footboard of your bed and his knuckles turn white under the force with which he holds onto it.

“Lie down.” You murmur and push against his shoulders gently. Snape looks at you both irritated and untrusting, but he eventually (less than gracefully) lowers his back onto the mattress.

You reposition yourself above him and lean back to brace your hands against his thighs right above his knees. Slowly you begin moving again. It feels awkward for a while but then you find the right angle and Snape presses his fingers against your clit, stroking tender circles over the throbbing bundle of nerves and pleasure overshadows any feeling of awkwardness.

“You’ve always been a fast learner.” Snape groans. “Such a studious girl.”

“When the subject interests me.” You chuckle and the corner of his mouth twitches.

“Am I an interesting subject?”

“Hmm…Certainly one I can’t seem to escape.” You raise your hips and sink back down, moaning in tune with the delicious stretch of his girth.

“Do you plan on almost dying on my floor in the future?”

Snape laughs, an uneasy sound accompanied by a concerning rattling sound coming from his lungs. “Are you planning on stocking Dittany in the future?”

“Nah, but I was thinking about getting a runner and- ow!” He slaps your thigh, not hard, but a pleasant sting runs through your flesh and the sudden slapping sound startled you. “Bastard.” You hiss and push yourself up, planting your hands on either side of his head, careful to avoid the dark strands of hair spread out around his head.

“Is that the thanks I get?”

“Thanks?” He hums. An expression of raw pleasure flickers over his face and it pulls you in, captures you like a fly in a sticky trap - and like a fly in a sticky trap you realise the danger you are in just by associating with Snape, not to mention by fucking him.

You never thought yourself to be a morally depraved woman but here you are, with the enemy quite literally in your bed.

An injured, weakened enemy. 

As if you’d have a chance against Severus Snape no matter how weak he is! No, leave the heroism to other people, people that value their lives less or think the world will be grateful for their heroism. 

You close your eyes and lean down to meet Snape’s lips, to get lost in the feeling of a warm body against yours, the mechanical workings of what a romance would feel like, to draw some comfort from a man that is willingly giving it to you when all other male specimens on this earth seem to not give a shit about you.

“Started University.” You murmur against his lips. Snape has put his hands on your arse and is helping your movement, pulling you and down on his cock, guiding your cunt or using it for his own pleasure or revelling in having a former student of his so messed up she lets him fuck her. 

“I heard. I’m glad.” He mutters back and takes your bottom lip between his teeth.

“Keeping taps on me?”

“Only a little.” And it’s back to kissing. Wet, heated, burning kisses. And passion or maybe erratic obsession but if obsession feels this good what does it matter?

The heat of his tongue against yours, his hands squeezing your arse, his breath dancing over your face, his cock spearing open your cunt repeatedly, it collects inside you, runs through your limbs and veins and fills your whole body. You can feel it rushing alongside your blood, feel your body respond to it by picking up the pace of your heartbeat, sweet clinging to your skin, especially on your thighs that straddle Snape’s. It floats through your body and eventually pools in your lower belly and deep inside your cunt, welcoming Snape’s prick on each thrust by splitting into two and regenerating like cell division-

Heat grows and morphs and hardens into a brooding mass that threatens to rip free of you. It scratches against your insides, searching desperately for a way out, a way to release this pressure and then Snape presses his thumb down on your clit and it rips free of you. Snape thrust up into you in one hard stroke and he groans, his grip on your arse tightening and you collapse above him and he pulls you down by putting his arms around your torso - his wound long forgotten by both of you.

His cock throbs as he spills inside you, splatters of warm, sticky cum painting your inner walls and with a content hum you rock against his softening cock to relish the last flickers of your orgasm.

Snape grunts - a pained one this time - and you push your trembling body up and lift your hips to sit down on the bed next to him. His now limp cock slips out of you and you hate that you miss the feeling of it, hate the emptiness left behind. You pull your knees to your chest and lean against the headboard of your bed, staring at the window just to not look at Snape.

“I-” Snape begins but stops himself. With another pained grunt he sits up and does the many buttons of his clothes back up. He sighs and rubs his hands over his face, raking through his hair. “I will try to not almost die on your floor again.”

“Good.” You want to sound stern, but it comes out sounding exhausted and confused.

“Good.” He murmurs. A knock on your door rips you from your thoughts. Who would knock so late? Perhaps it’s your elderly neighbour…

You pick your wand up from the floor and fix your skirt and blouse and walk towards the door.

Still caught in a whirlwind of confusing and contradicting feelings and perhaps Snape’s presence has led you to let down your guard a little, whatever it is you forget to cast your detection charms before opening the door-

Silver glimmers in the moonlight. You recognise the mask. It’s the young Death Eater that killed the man who wanted to assault you. He is flanked by two taller Death Eaters. Whatever you had wanted to say gets stuck in your throat as it swells shut. Just out of their sight you grip your wand tighter.

“Miss.” The young one says. “Apologies for the interruption.” Why the fuck is a Death Eater addressing you so polite? Movement behind you catches your attention but you don’t dare move.

“Was I not clear enough when I said this shop is not to be disturbed.” Snape drawls and all hints of pain or injury have left his voice. He looms behind you, tall and menacing and you can actually see the taller Death Eaters shrink back.

“My mistake. Again, apologies, Miss. Your presence is requested, Sir.” The younger one says to Snape.

“Do not repeat it in the future.” Snape scoffs. He ignores them and closes the door.

You can’t seem to find your voice again.

“This all will be over soon.”

“How do you know?” You whisper, uncertain what Snape means. What will be over? The resistance? You-Know-Who? His presence in your life?

“I hope you won’t have to see me again.” His lips brush your forehead ever so slightly, his fingertips dancing over your arms.

He turns to leave.

“Snape-” You don’t know what to say. His eyes linger on you for a moment, you think to see something flash in them, a hint of some deeply buried emotion but then he turns, opens the door again and he is gone.

You lean your forehead against the smooth wood. You can still feel his touch lingering-

A sob tears through the silence and you press your hand to your mouth as you sink to the floor and you don’t even know why. You kneel on the floor in front of your door and sob and cry.

When you eventually regain your composure and return to your flat you are met with the sight of drying blood…

The next day you go to the apothecary down the street and buy a bottle of Dittany.

| Part 3 |

[imissnanami]

T.T. | Ch. 1 | Back to Hogwarts

Teacher! Teacher! | m.list

S. Snape x F!Reader x R. Lupin | past S. Black x Reader 

Reader is in the same year as them, use of Y/N, takes place during Prisoner of Azkaban. Contains swearing & angst. In which you become the new part time Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts. You’d never thought you’d be back in these halls, and with Lupin and Snape to boot. Not to mention Sirius Black is on the loose. Great. Enjoy! :)

Ch. 1 Back to Hogwarts

White knuckling the handlebar of the trolley, Y/N pushed it through the bustling Kings Cross station. Why was she, an adult witch, pushing a trolley full of her belongings like a student? Well, because apparition was kind of like driving. She could do it, well at that, but it was also kind of scary and honestly the rules around apparition and Hogwarts still kind of confused her. 

Oh, that and the fact that she’s been living as a muggle since her graduation. Between the deaths of her friends and the incompetent nuisance that the ministry of magic is, taking a step back was the only thing that kept her sane. At least, thats what she’s been telling herself. 

Forcing the wonky wheels of the trolley to roll straight, she sent a dirty look to the group of tourists that blocked the path. Continuing to march through the crowds, she bee-lines to the wall between platforms 9 and 10. Taking a quick look around, she picks up her pace and runs into the wall- or through it, to be more accurate. 

Billowing steam and the familiar crimson of the Hogwart’s Express met her as she slowed her pace and moved to the side. Platform 9 and 3/4. It wasn’t nearly as busy as she remembers, mainly because her childhood trips to Kings Cross took place exactly three minutes before the train departed. In fact, there were maybe a handful of people meandering about. Realizing there was no point in just standing there, she approached the first train car’s door. After one of the trolley men helped magic her bags into the cargo hold, she thanked him and shuffled into the Professors cart. Unsurprisingly, it was empty. 

Plopping herself down on the harder-than-she-remebered benches, Y/N drops her tote bag and pulls out her pseudo Hogwarts letter. Looking over Professor McGonagall’s neat writing, she thinks back. 

⁂

When Harry Potter, the boy who lived, first resurfaced in the wizarding world, Y/N had expected a lot of things to change. The ministry would overreact. Hogwarts would have a very special student. It would giver her a headache. The likes. What she did not expect, was a mere two years later, for a one Professor McGonagall to send her an owl in the middle of spring. 

Dear Y/N L/N 

I think you and I would both prefer if I skipped the pleasantries with what I’m about to proposition.

‘Well that sounds promising’ Y/N thought to herself, already having a sinking feeling of where this was going. Yes, she wasn’t part of the wizarding world anymore, but that didn’t mean she lived under a rock.

As you’ve been away since graduation, I’m unsure how caught up you are with the current news and events. 

Sighing Y/N closed her eyes and flipped the letter over. Of course she knew. How could she not know one of her ex-best-friends-turned-alledged-criminal was supposedly on the loose. When she had first found out Sirius escaped Azkaban, her initial thought was ‘Good job Siri,’ before going back to her writing. Glaring at the back of the paper, she crossed her arms as if that would do something. Heaving another dramatic sigh, Y/N picks up the letter and begins to read it again. 

Sirius Black has escaped Azkaban. (Duh) The Ministry has contacted us as a courtesy and informed us they will be passing the order for the detainment of Y/N L/N: for previous collusion with the dangerous criminal, Sirius Black. 

“Alleged collusion, you old fart,” Y/N mumbled sourly, the minister’s dumb face popping into her head. 

Knowing this would not go over...smoothly with you, Albus had managed to offer an alternative. With everything going on this year I’ll have my attention split between aiding Albus and teaching the students. 

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry herby offers Y/N L/N the position of Assistant Transfiguration Professor. 

That way we can guarantee your whereabouts-

Not bothering to read any more of the letter, Y/N heaved yet another sigh, much bigger than the last. She felt that she’s been sighing an abnormal amount today. Reading the last few sentences again, she rolled her eyes. Be detained in a magic cell. Or be watched 24/7 at Hogwarts? What a choice. 

“Like I have a fucking choice.” Y/N said flatly to the empty room, before getting up and grabbing a pen and paper. 

⁂

Which, after much stress and doing more magic in 4 months than she’s done in the past 10 years, it brought us to now. Zoning back in, Y/N realized the platform was much busier. Students greeted one another excitedly and parents said tearful goodbyes. If she had looked a little closer, she’d have caught a hauntingly familiar head of messy black curls.

Pressing her face into the glass, she spied the clock on the platform, 10:50. Finally. Deciding get some sleep in preparation for the inevitable stress that this year will bring, Y/N, using her bag as a pillow stretched out and closed her eyes. 

⁂

“So cold.” Y/N mumbled, cracking an eye open.

She then noticed two things. One, that the train was stopped. And two, that it was completely dark. 

Her brain having finally caught up, Y/N sat up rubbing her arms, much more alert. Grabbing a cloak from her tote bag, she stood. Something was clearly wrong. Other than there not being another professor in the cart – McGonagall has said that there would be – they were no where near Scotland. 

Clutching her cloak tighter she made her way to the door. Carefully sliding it open she peaked out, seeing that the students were doing the same, some of them even standing in the corridor. Wondering if someone was going to do something about the situation she smacked her face. 

“Me, I’m the fucking adult” She whispered to herself. Groaning Y/N stepped out before immediately doubling back. Her wand. Having not had it on her person for the past decade was really biting her in the ass right now. 

With her wand in her hand and her cloak secured, she stepped out. Making her way through the students, some of them parted while others looked at her in confusion. She stopped by a group blocking the hallway. A small crowd of students were pressed up around the windows excitedly talking. 

“What’s going on?” Y/N asked. No one answered or even looked in her direction. Gathering her courage, and her elbows, she simply pushed through the crowd. 

“What’s everyone looking at?” She asked much louder this time, her breath fogging up in the air. 

Finally getting their attention, a young boy pointed to the glass

“The windows are all frosting up Miss.” 

Sure enough frost was crawling up the glass, and even into the cabin. Feeling dread pit in her stomach Y/N bolted out of the cabin before pushing into the next one. Frost. And the cabin across from that one. Frosty too. Well shit. 

Cold temperatures, frost, and a feeling of dread. Dementors. 

“Stay in the cabin and don’t open the door for anyone” Y/N instructed, before exiting and closing the door behind her. As she made her way down the train cars, she pushed students into rooms and locked the doors. The dread and fear getting stronger as she moved further back towards the end. She curses as she walks, she could have sworn McGonagall had said they’d be at the school, not on the fucking train. 

At least the dementor was stopping her from remembering that she was approaching the cart her and the marauders shared going to Hogwarts. Well damn, I guess not. Huffing a mirthless laugh she shoved a particularly stubborn 7th year into his cabin. A sudden piercing scream cut through the air. Y/N felt as if she was gonna suffocate. As her teeth started to chatter, and she felt fear grip her ribcage, she pushed forwards. 

Y/N reached for the door, separating this cart and the next. Her hand began to freeze to the metal handle the second it made contact. Yanking it back she wrapped her cloak around her fingers before pulling hard, the screaming child kept her body moving. With a final yank, the ice that sealed the door broke. Rushing to the sound of the scream, her feet carried her to the open door. Her brain snuggled to process what she was seeing.

The dementor was sucking the soul of a screaming child. And the screaming child was, ...James? 

Before Y/N could properly react, a strong pale blue light burst froth. A silver wolf barrelled into the chest of the dementor, driving it out. Ducking out of their way, Y/N clung to the door as the wolf pushed the dementor back and out of the train. 

Sat flat on her ass, Y/N was staring at the place the wolf ran off to. That was a patronus. A corporeal wolf patronus. Y/N only knew one person who had a wolf as a patronus. But it couldn’t be. It shouldn't be.

“-ssor? Professor?” Feeling like her world had momentarily stopped Y/N looked dazedly up at the girl calling to her. Two sets of concerned eyes stared at her. A ginger boy and a girl with frizzy brown hair. Quickly remembering the screaming boy, Y/N scrambled to her knees frantically scanning the cabin, for James. 

“Ja-” his name caught in her throat the moment she actually saw the boy. Once the dementor had left, the power had flickered back on. Now illuminated by the warm cabin light, Y/N saw that it was not in fact James, but a tiny James with Lily’s eyes. Feeling her eyes well up she quickly looked away, blinking rapidly. 

“Professor? Are you alright?” The girl's calm voice called to you again. Before quieter and directed to your right;

“Do you think she needs some chocolate too, Professor Lupin?”

Professor Lupin? Professor. Lupin?

Slowly standing and keeping her head down, Y/N could feel herself shaking. This had to be a joke. 

She held her breath as she looked to the 4th person in the cabin. The one she’s conveniently ignored this entire time. The one who cast the patronous. 

Her eyes took in the man hunched in on himself. He was wearing an old, tattered suit. His knees brought up to his chest as he sat on the ground. His scuffed briefcase lay beside him along with a half eaten bar of chocolate. He wrung his hands, before stopping and fiddling with his fingers, picking at his skin – a habit he hadn't seemed to have outgrown. 

Shyly looking up at her, Remus looked almost guilty for being there. 

Y/N’s breath caught before a lump quickly replaced it. She took in his face. A large scar ran down his left cheek. That's new. Smaller ones littered his face, where the skin was previously unmarred. Barely there wrinkles on his face were deeper now, more pronounced. Though she remembers him having a few grey hairs, there were many more now. Not yet salt and pepper, but far from brown. Though he looked older, the same kind green eyes stared back at her. 

Nervously bringing his hand up in a half-wave, Remus offered a tentative;

“Hi Y/N,”

Though she’d have loved to be more eloquent, the only thing that Y/N was able to get out was a curt nod before turning tail and running back to her cabin.

⁂

next

tag list | @unconventional-lawnchair

[bibbityboppitybillyharvgrove]

The Holidays are Better With You - S.Snape

Summary - The potions master and the muggle studies professor are missing during dinner on Christmas Eve. A certain cat animagus takes it upon herself to find the pair, only to find the two of them enjoying some quality time in the Astronomy Tower.

Word Count - 617

Warnings - female reader, use of Y/N, Minerva is the last one to find out a secret

Author's Note - This is a little later than I wanted but welcome to day Twelve! All of my classwork is done so I am free from college until my winter class starts. I have 8 days of freedom to try and write as much as I can so stay tuned and enjoy!

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not my gif

Severus Snape, even just the name of the man would send a shiver down any students’ spine. However, these students never knew the man he was deep down, the man he buried because of countless trauma and heartache. The other professors knew who he actually was because most of them taught him when he was at Hogwarts himself. What they never realized was the fact that he was absolutely smitten with the muggle studies professor.

The two had grown up together, they used to do everything together, even at Hogwarts. Both of them had been sorted into Slytherin, their housemates seeing them in the same corner of the common room more often than not. The two of them still found a way to isolate themselves in a different area, spending time together in the astronomy tower. 

As most of the students had returned home, Severus and Y/N had stayed at Hogwarts with the other professors. At dinner on Christmas Eve, Minerva had noticed that the two older Slytherins were missing, so she took it upon herself to go find them. She searched everywhere, her final spot to search was the Astronomy tower. She thought that it was a good time to transform herself into a cat so that way she could be a little more stealthy. Due to her new found stealth, she could walk quieter into the tower where she heard the voices of the two missing professors.

“It’s beautiful up here, with all the snow,” Y/N had said, turning to the man beside her.

“I hate the snow,” He had said, winding his arms around her waist, pulling her body closer to his.

“I know you do.”

Minerva quietly approached the pair watching as their lips met. She almost jumped in surprise. “I love you, Severus Snape. Happy Christmas.”

“I love you, Y/N Snape. The holidays are so much better with you,” Severus responded, taking note of a certain cat lurking by their feet, “Minerva, if you wanted to join us, you could have just asked.”

The Gryffindor transformed herself back with a grin on her face. “You’re married! I thought you had a thing for Lily Potter. I would have never guessed that you were infatuated with Y/N,” Minerva exclaimed in surprise.

“It’s always been Y/N. She knows me better than myself," he admitted.

“And he knows me better than myself,” She added in a chipper tone, just happy to be in the arms of her love and chatting with a dear friend. They stood in the tower for hours just talking, more like Minerva asking them questions about their relationship and then answering.

They talked until the moon was high in the sky, the time officially reaching midnight. “I think it’s time to call it a night. Minerva, if you don’t mind, I’d like to spend the start of the holiday with my husband. Happy Christmas and goodnight,” Y/N excused herself and her husband as they went off to his quarters. Minerva left at the top of the tower with a gentle smile on her face, feeling a sense of pride for the couple. 

The sneaky professor had too decided to turn in for the night, not before mentioning the couple to Sybil and Albus.

“I had predicted and knew about this years ago. Where have you been?” Sybil asked her friend.

“I was their witness when they got married, they needed one and asked me. I’m surprised you didn’t know Minerva. You do tend to know everything and all of the gossip,” Albus chimed in. 

“Was I the last to find out? How did I not know about them?”

“You aren’t the last, the students are.”

[wingedhallows]

traitor - ch. three ; sirius black

pairing: sirius black (golden trio era) x fem! oc | 2.1k words warning: dark themes, death, torture plot: Fourteen years ago, Hecate Hunt, a valuable member of the Order and once a Death Eater gave her life for her friends and the man she loved, at least that's what was believed. Now she's done hiding, ready to fight alongside her old friends and her godson. Ready to return to the life she once had, ready to once again be a traitor. authors note: hi, hi! thank you for reading :)

navigation | chapter one ; chapter two ; chapter three ; chapter four

“Your godson.” Albus spoke but paused, his hand rummaging through his pocket. “Harry?” He nodded and held a picture for you to take.

The picture showed a young boy, not older than fifteen with a broom in his hand. His friends next to him, cheering because of what you guessed was a win in Quidditch.

“He’s in grave danger, you see.” Your eyes were still glued to the picture, the way the boy resembled his parents.

You knew the broom, it looked familiar. In a matter of seconds it came to you, Sirius had bought his godson a broom when he was hardly a few months old.

He had claimed to teach him how to fly the stick and become just as great as his father. Remus and You had laughed at him, the thought of Sirius with his infant godson on a broom amused you.

“This was taken a few months back, I thought you might want to have it.” You nodded and gave Albus a small smile.

“Ron Weasly and Hermoine Granger, the kids to his left and right, are his friends. Both of them face the same danger.” You nodded and put the picture in your pocket.

“The Order will be reinstated, now that Sirius Black is proven innocent, to us at least.” He placed a parchment in Fawkes’ peak and sent him flying.

“Fudge is still in denial but there is something coming, something worse than last time.” 

You nodded and pushed a cigarette between your lips.

“We will bring you back, strengthen the Order and resume with our activities.” “I see.” You answered, as you blew some smoke.

“Come to Grimmauld Place tomorrow afternoon, you’ll have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Hecate?” You stopped dead in your tracks, eyes staring ahead.

“I knew it was too good to be true.”

You knew that voice, how could you not. “Snape.” You turned around, hands in your pockets. His face didn’t move, the same stoic look as ever.

“You’re alive.” You didn’t move a muscle, face cold as ice.

“You were hiding.”-”I was hiding, because Albus asked me to.” You took a step towards him, eyes boring holes in his.

“I was hiding because people like you wanted me dead.” He swallowed and took a step back, nose held high. “Good to see you haven’t changed.” You nodded and took a step back as well.

“Neither have you.” He didn’t answer. “Black escaped, I heard.” You frowned at him, at his trying to talk to you like you had before.

“And?” He clasped his hand behind his back, greasy hair flying in the slight breeze.

“Thought it might interest you.” You nodded, not answering. You pulled your pack of cigarettes from your pocket and lit a stick for yourself, you wouldn’t share, not with Snivellus.

It felt almost the same, the corridors of the castle you had wandered year after year without a care in the world. The breeze, the owls, but something was off. Of course, things have changed. Fifteen years went by, you were believed dead and Sirius wasn’t by your side, nor were any of your friends. 

“Can’t believe they let you teach.” You said, his gaze now on you. “Why?” Your lips formed into a cruel grin, the smoke filling your lungs once again.

“We both know why.” You said, air growing colder by the minute. He didn’t answer and kept his eyes away from you. “I’ll see you, Hecate.” You looked at him once again, your eyes in slits.

“I hope not.” You spoke before you watched him leave you behind. His dark hair and robes flying with each step dramatically. You hadn’t missed the sight of Severus, not since he had hurt you that night.

“Let’s get inside, it’s awfully cold out here.” Albus spoke, his wand extended to tap on the door. You knew this spell, he had used it before. The building started to rumble and within a few moments Sirius’ parents house appeared in front of you two.

Your hands were sweaty, your chest tight.

“The children are here too.” He said, opening the door. He let you in first and you took your scarf off, hanging it on the coat rack like you had done years before. The house hadn’t changed. It was still dark, cold and unwelcoming. You hated it when Sirius introduced you to his parents, when you got him out of that house when things got hard and you hated it now as well.

 Albus pushed past you and was welcomed with hello’s and big smiles. You heard his voice and your feet stopped working. You hid your hands in your pockets and took another step forward, Albus was waiting for you after all. The kitchen was lifely, filled with people and warm with all the buzz.

“I got someone to introduce.” Albus spoke, his hand extended to point at you.

You took another step and your frame came into light through the doorstep. The room stilled, not a word or movement. Your eyes found Remus’ first, who stared at you in disbelief. The kids, Harry and his friends stepped away from the table, watching the adults in wonder.

“I believe some of you know each other.” Dumbledore spoke as he sat himself down, a cup in front of him.

You tried to calm your heart, the adrenaline which rushed through your veins like speed. Minerva clasped a hand in front of her mouth and Moody huffed in disbelief.

“Hecate.”

You closed your eyes, desperate to get a grip, to not lose it. 

You took a breath and looked at him. It hit you like a truck. He looked older, broken. Azkaban does that to people, losing the woman you love does that, losing your friends does that. You gripped the lighter inside of your pocket for dear life, to keep you calm.

“Sirius.”

You said, voice merely a whisper. The cool demeanor has left you, all the masking of emotion has left you. He slowly lifted himself off the chair, the wood squeaking in the process. Harry stepped out of his godfather's way and watched you with wide eyes.

His hands found your elbows, his eyes stayed glued on your face. “Thank Merlin.” He whispered before he engulfed you in a bone crushing hug. One hand stayed on your back, the other cradled your head.

Soft sobs left your mouth as you hugged him back, hand on the back of his neck. His face hid in the crook of your neck, unsteady breaths hitting your skin. Albus cleared his throat and you tried to pull away but his hold on you didn’t budge, you couldn’t blame him.

“Love.” You said, only for him to be heard.

His eyes found yours as he lifted his hands to your face, rough thumbs caressing the skin beneath.

“Hecate.” You nodded and took a hold of his hands, guiding to the chair he had sat on before. Harry moves one chair over and let you sit down with Sirius in hand.

He didn’t let go and something about the way he stared at you, held your hand in an iron grip, told you that he would never let you out of his sight ever again. You didn’t mind, you thought.

“You have got to explain this, Albus.” Minerva spoke after she had sent a small smile your way. You’ve always liked Minnie the most, no other teacher was like her. After being a great teacher she became a friend, you had cherished your relationship with Minerva a lot.

“Of course.” Your hand found the goblet, which a red haired woman had placed in front of you. Sirius eyed you every other second and the others kept their gazes on you as well, not believing their eyes.

“Hecate was in grave danger, fifteen years ago.” He paused as you lowered your head, remembering the many weeks you had fought for your life. “As some of you know, there were several attempts of murdering her, to get rid of her.” You took a sip of your drink, the memories still hurtful.

“I had offered her help to go into hiding, to get away before anything could happen but Hecate was adamant to stay, to be by her friend's side. That night, when I had sent her on a mission I had a hunch, that one of us was talking to the dark side but I wasn’t sure-”You sent her out there, knowing that Peter would rat her out?” Sirius slammed his palm on the dark table, eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the old wizard.

“Sirius.” You tried, your hand on his shoulder. He briefly looked at you before his back connected with the rest of his chair with a huff.

“That was my mistake, I admit.” He paused, looking at you. You opened your mouth, ready to continue.

“Peter had indeed given the information to his little friends and I was ambushed.” You took the pack of cigarettes from your pocket and lit yourself one, desperate for nicotine.

“They kidnapped me and held me in a place I didn’t recognize. I don’t know how long I was there, nor do I remember everything that happened to me. I was tortured for information but I held through.” You took a drag, your eyes connecting with Sirius’. His hand found yours as he gave you a sorry look. You didn’t know how to react.

“Regulus Black helped me escape.” Sirius eyes widened, his hand retreated as he stared at you.

“What?” You nodded and took another drag. “Reggie felt sorry for me, he told me that he never wanted this for me. He had contacted Albus and helped me escape. I believe he paid a hefty price for that, I’ll forever be thankful for Regulus’ braveness.” Sirius rubbed his hands over his face. You took another sip from your cup and looked at the kid next to you. It was outright terrifying how much he looked like his parents.

He looked at you, face nervous and unsure. You knew Harry, of course you did. You were by Lily’s side when she gave birth to him. You held him more times than you could ever count, changed his diapers and fed him.

You watched his first steps and heard his first words. You were his godmother for fucks sake. So why did you feel so nervous?

“After my escape Albus sent me somewhere far away, I didn’t know where this place was and I didn’t make it very easy for anybody involved. I wanted out, I needed to be by your side, by Remus’, Lily’s and James’ side. I needed to know if you guys were alright. I rebelled, even though Albus wanted me to be safe.” You put your cigarette out and leaned back.

“Though I believe that things would’ve worked out better if I would’ve been there. Lily and James would still be alive.” Every person in the room seemed to flinch at the dead wizards' names.

“You don’t know that.” Minerva tried but you shook your head. You put your hand on the table as you looked at Albus. “I know you meant well, but you had no right to make that decision. I’ll hold this grudge till the day I take my last breath.” Albus nodded but didn’t speak a word.

“So you kept her away from us? Like a joker, to be played when you see fit?” Sirius spoke again, hands crossed. You eyed Dumbledore, the cigarette in your hand burning further and further. The smoke filled your lungs, a sip of firewhiskey followed.

“Hecate is still alive, that’s what’s more important.” He tried but Sirius shook his head, a chuckle left his mouth as he narrowed his eyes at the old wizard.

“She’s still alive because you have something planned, isn’t it?” Your hand found his arm and he calmed down, chest deflating with a flex of his jaw.

“Fact is that I’m alive because Albus saved me, which I’m thankful for, of course. However, that decision, to keep me hidden from my friends and you, was unrightful and I won’t forgive him for that.” He eyed you and let his fingers slip between yours. Albus didn’t argue and started to talk about the topics at hand.

The air was cold, the dark coat kept you from freezing. The cigarette in your hand burned with an almost inaudible sound as your eyes skimmed the dark night. The backyard was still the same. Sirius’ parents had mowed it all down and plastered the lawn with tiles, claiming that upkeep was too much work.

The door closed with a click and you turned around, cigarette still clasped between your fingers. There stood Harry, his arms in the pockets of his jacket.

“So, you’re my godmother?” Your lips formed into a smirk.

“And you’re my godson.”

( taglist: @caramelandvenus )

[sophie-hatter-jenkins]

Match

Written for @hinnymicrofic November 2023 - Prompt 6

“Explain to me again why we can’t just send up sparks with our wands?” asked Harry, exasperated.

It was the 5th of November, 2011, a cold, soggy, late-autumn evening, the sort of evening where the damp saturates the air and feels like it will seep into your bones. Frankly, after a week squatting in bushes staking out a suspected illegal redcap fighting ring, the last thing he wanted to be doing was messing about in the bushes of his own back garden, setting out Muggle fireworks.

“No!” called Ginny, from the warmth of the kitchen. “This is a Muggle thing! I want the full Muggle experience!”

He twisted around to shoot her an irritated glance, but the sight of her, framed in the doorway, with James to her left, Albus to her right, and Lily balanced her hip, chased his annoyance away. 

“Will they go bang, Dad,” asked James, practically bouncing with excitement. 

“Yeah, they’ll go bang.”

Albus looked worried. “But not too loud, right?”

“You can stay behind the silencing charm with me and Lily, if you like,” offered Ginny. 

“No!” The word spilt quickly from Albus’s mouth, but not quickly enough to stop James turning to laugh at him. 

“Silencing charms are for babies!” he giggled. 

“I’m not a baby,” pouted Albus. But, Harry noticed, he hugged himself tighter into Ginny's side. 

“Don’t tease your brother!” she told James, reaching down to put her arm around her younger son.

But James wasn’t listening. “Tell us again about that guy called Fawkes, Dad,” he shouted, venturing a few paces down the garden.

Harry smiled. “Guy Fawkes, mate. It’s called Guy Fawkes night. He tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament, with his friends,” he explained, as he finished laying the last of the fireworks. “But he got caught. And now, every year on the 5th of November, Muggles in Britain set off fireworks to remember it. Sometimes they light big bonfires too.”

James’s eyes widened. “Muggles are mental.”

“What’s the Houses of Parliament?” asked Albus, from the safety of Ginny’s side.

“It’s basically the Ministry of Magic, but for Muggles.” Harry stood up, and surveyed his handiwork, hands on his hips.

“Silencing charm?” asked Ginny, drawing her wand.

“Yep!” he told her, pulling a box of matches from his pocket. “We’re ready! James, stand back please.” But when he went to strike a match against the box, nothing happened. He tried another match, and another, but the same thing happened.

Ginny frowned. “What’s going on?” 

“Erm. Slight technical hitch.” Harry looked a bit sheepish as he walked back up to the house. “The matches are damp.”

“So?” she gave him a quizzical look, lips quirking into a hint of a smile.

“So… it might not be quite the full Muggle experience,” he told her, ruefully. “That okay?”

“I reckon I’ll live.” She reached up and pressed a kiss to his lips.

James made a retching noise. “Yuck! Smooching!” 

Ignoring him, Ginny pulled back and grinned wickedly at her husband. “What?” he asked, immediately suspicious.

“You know, it occurred to me, that if Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament, and the Houses of Parliament are basically the Muggle Ministry of Magic, does that make you the Wizarding Guy Fawkes?”

“Hey!” he protested, with a laugh. “I accept that I caused quite a bit of damage, but I never tried to actually blow it up! And, y’know, I didn’t exactly get caught as such either.”

“True,” she conceded, still grinning. “So come on then, Potter - are you going to get the show on the road? Or do I have to do everything around here?”

Harry shook his head in amusement and drew his wand, while Ginny and Lily retreated behind the silencing charm, closely followed (Harry noticed) by not just Albus but James too.

“Inflamare!” 

Casting the ignition spell at the first firework with Auror-honed accuracy, Harry watched as moments later, the first rocket soared into the air and burst high above the garden in a burst of coloured sparks. Again and again, he sent the little fireballs down the garden, striking each firework in turn, but after that first explosion, Harry stopped watching them. Instead, he turned to his family, drinking in the wide-eyed wonder on the face of his children.

He was so intent on it that at first, he didn’t notice that Ginny wasn’t watching the fireworks either, but eventually, he looked up, and saw that she was focused entirely on him, watching him, watching them. Now, her smile was broad and warm, and her eyes blazed as she spoke to him. He couldn’t hear her words from behind the silencing charm, but he didn’t need to to know what she was saying.

Instead, he sent another tiny fireball down the garden, and returned her smile. 

“I love you too, Gin.”

[metalomagnetic]

What is Voldemort's favorite and least favorite thing about each of his partners?

Sirius: Voldemort would have a very hard time picking one favourite thing. He values Sirius' loyalty, his bravery, his wild nature; he is fascinated by the dual nature of Sirius, how he can be a perfect, well mannered, high society man, yet he can also be a cruel, vicious dog (and not just when he transforms into Padfoot). How Sirius can be kind and selfless one moment, and then turn around and bully someone just because he can. He likes Sirius' sense of humour, and he is blown away by how fearless he is, how reckless, even in the face of death, something Voldemort fears so much. Sirius is the type to live in the moment, make the most of it, something Voldemort never learned how to do. I think what gets to Voldemort the most is that Sirius is, at his core, a good man (at least by Voldemort's standards) but he's not 'stupidly' good or kind, he's not preachy about it, he's not self righteous. Voldemort can experience being around a good man, probably for the first time...ever, but not as 'good' as to hate Voldemort on principle alone. Voldemort is made of darkness, and he's attracted to Sirius' light, and yet he's also in understanding with Sirius' darker side, which allows them to at least have some morals, or lack of morals, in common, enough to have a foundation for a relationship.

His least favourite thing about Sirius is that he cares too much about people that aren't Voldemort, has strong, impossible to break bonds to so many other people.

Albus: Voldemort's favourite thing about Albus is his genius and nerdiness. He is not one to be easily impressed by intelligence, since Voldemort himself is a genius, but Albus is his equal in this regard. Same goes for his magical skill. They truly are equals, and no one else can match them. And they both experience a type of loneliness that only men like them would know, because they are so different from everyone around them, no one can possible relate to such---beings made of big brains and magic.

His least favourite thing about Albus is what he perceives as hypocrisy. That, and Albus' determination to do the right thing, to protect everyone he can.

Gellert: His ambition and willingness to do whatever it takes to get ahead. The 'eyes on the prize' mentality. He's also attracted by Gellert's power and understanding of dark magic.

His least favourite thing is the regret Gellert sometimes exhibits.

Abraxas: he's beautiful and rich, and a young Tom Riddle likes both those things. He's fascinated with Abraxas' inherited status, with the power and influence he carries just because he was born with the right name. Tom hates Abraxas for it, is deeply jealous, but at the same time, having Abraxas is like touching those things himself, in a way. He likes that Abraxas, who could have anyone, who could have a pureblood with a name as ancient as his own, wants no-one Tom Riddle, obsessively so.

He detests Abraxas' cowardice most of all.

Bella: While she's pretty much perfect all around, Voldemort values her unflinching loyalty, her complete devotion to him, her lack of fear and her extreme bravery.

He finds no fault in her.

[miraclewoozi]

(TEASER) HIGH FIDELITY. - c.hs

getting back on the horse is hard, and failing to hit it off with the cute gamer guy you went for a drink with last night has the potential to be your love life’s last straw. but when up and coming rockstar VERNON unexpectedly canters into your life, you find yourself asking very important question: do you have it in you to saddle up, one more time?

pair ; vernon x fem reader. ( also starring: besties!seungkwan + chan. ) content ; strangers to lovers. up-and-coming musician!vernon x record store owner!reader.  fluff, angst, smut. (MINORS DNI). slow burn.  warnings ; drinking + alcohol is a theme throughout. mentions of a past relationship breakdown. reader experiences a lot of stress, anxiety and feelings of doubt. reader is the monarch of self sabotage. wc ; teaser, 1.5k. full fic, est. 40k. note ; if you saw any of my posts about the show high fidelity… you’ll know where this came from. ( it doesn't stick to rob + liam's plot too closely with the exception of the first few encounters. )

PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE

“It’s just my opinion!” 

From your perch on top of the store’s counter, you raise both of your palms in a display of your innocence. Chan stands in the middle of the R&B aisle, looking personally offended, fingers curled around the top of one of the wooden crates holding your stock. 

“Me saying ‘I don’t think Welcome to the Black Parade is the best track on that album’ is not me saying that it’s a bad song.”

“But how can you say that?” Chan groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Who’s hearing the opening note to Famous Last Words and feeling the same way as they do with the Black Parade?”

“Most iconic doesn’t mean the best,” you counter. “Besides – I never said you weren’t allowed to have it as your favourite. It’d be a boring game if we all had the same answer.”

“I cannot cope with you anymore,” Chan whines. “You know what? No. I don’t even believe you. You’re just being a contrarian.”

“Why would I do that?” you ask. 

“Because it’s the best song on the goddamn albu–”

The bell above the door chimes loud and clear through the store and both of your squabbling voices fall silent. Your head turns in the direction of the entrance, an autopilot greeting already forming on your lips, but you feel them fall slack the moment you realise who it is that’s just walked in.

It’s been five days. Though it would be a mistruth to claim you hadn’t thought about the singer since the night of his gig, it’s not one to say you didn’t think he would ever actually come into your place of work. 

Much less at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. On a Thursday.

He pops his wrists as he walks a little further into the store, glancing around. Barring one of your regulars who walks about with his earphones in all the time, the store is completely empty; an adrenaline spike prickles the hairs on your arms, all the tiny muscles beneath your skin pulling them to stand upright. 

“Hi,” he says once he deems himself to be close enough, stopping in his tracks and bumping the toe of his shoe against the floor.

“Hey,” you greet him in return. 

“I’m-... Vernon. We met at the show, the other night?” 

“Yeah — yeah, I remember you,” you smile. “I’m-... well. I’m still y/n.”

“Still y/n,” he says on a relieved exhale, grinning and glancing away from you. “I uh… I just had some free time. Thought I’d swing by and see what you guys had going on here.” Vernon adjusts the collar of his t-shirt, the silver of his rings glinting under the flickering yellow light overhead.

(It was definitely somewhere on your list of things to get fixed. Honest.)

“Sure, yeah,” you nod, swallowing hard and trying your best not to stare at him. It’s hard, though – in broad daylight, the way the flannel tied around his waist floats down over his hips and the way his jeans hug at his thighs is… you don't even have the words. “Let me know if you need help finding anything, okay?” 

“I will.” He starts to thumb through one of the wooden boxes, offering a small smile your way. “Thank you.”

You’re holding your breath a little as he pulls a few 80’s rock albums out, his lips downturned in surprised approval at some of the records you carry. He holds onto a couple as he moves around the store and the entire time, you can feel Chan and Seungkwan staring at you. If there wasn’t a very real danger of Vernon looking your way again at a moment’s notice, you know you would be showing them your middle finger.

Really, they come away lucky.

“You don’t even know how long I’ve been trying to find some of these,” Vernon says after a few minutes, sauntering toward the desk – you’re still sitting on top of it, your legs swinging in the air beneath you. “Might have to make this my new stop.”

And displayed beside you on the counter – right by the cash register – are a few of his albums. The ones Seungkwan picked up after the show; until about two seconds ago, you had forgotten they were even there.

Vernon’s face lights up when he notices, turning to Seungkwan. “Come on, no way. Dude, I thought you were kidding.”

“We love our locals in here, man,” Chan chimes quickly, seeing you start to freeze up. You nod to agree, biting on the inside of your cheek. “It was on the speakers yesterday. Four people asked us about you.”

“For real?” Vernon asks, but when all three of you nod your heads, you see the beginnings of a blush start to creep up his neck. “Wow. Thank you – um. That’s really cool of you guys.”

“It’s good music,” Seungkwan shrugs. “You’re super talented.”

Vernon doesn’t seem to know what to do with all the compliments he’s receiving. Even so, he thanks your friends again with a stomach-twisting sincerity before he turns back to you. 

“I’ll take these,” he says a little breathlessly. You find yourself a tiny bit lost in the warmth of his eyes and it takes you a moment to remember to swivel around and slip off the other side of the countertop. You do, though. Eventually. 

“Nice,” you say softly as you shuffle through them, ringing each one through. He’s got pretty decent taste, even if less than a week ago you were actively cringing at his choice of cover song. (It’s okay. That was before you knew better.) “Do you– need sleeves, or…?”

“I’m good. Thank you, though.” Vernon rests his hands against the edge of the counter and drums a quiet rhythm out with his thumbs as you tap away at the register. “Are-... you guys busy tonight, by the way?”

You look up from placing the records into a paper bag, glancing over to your colleagues who both rush to shake their heads. Vernon looks from them, to you, and you mirror their motions. Even if I was, you start to think wistfully. I’d make time.

“I’m down at the Velvet Lounge later on. Across town? It starts at eight thirty; I could get you guys on the list, if-... um…”

“That’d be awesome,” Chan says, nodding so hard you’re surprised his head doesn’t roll off his shoulders and start bouncing across the floor. 

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Seungkwan adds. 

Vernon grins at them both, humming softly, before turning back to you and fumbling with his wallet to take out his card to pay for his purchases. You turn the machine around to face him; he hovers with his hand just above it. 

“Maybe… I’ll see you tonight, too?” He says.

You can’t help the delight that rises inside you, as if it’s been injected straight into your bloodstream. It’s everywhere, all of a sudden. In your brain and your heart and your bones and in your lungs.

Yet, you somehow manage to keep your composure when you say, “yeah. Maybe you will.”

The payment goes through and you slide the bag over towards Vernon, your eyes never leaving his and his eyes never leaving yours. His fingers brush over yours as he takes it from you, the bite of the cold ring on his index finger a shocking contrast to the warmth the rest of his hand radiates. You hope your little gasp isn’t too audible, but… the way Chan whirls around to face away from the scene in front of him (presumably to poorly conceal his laughter), you know you haven’t gotten away with it.

“Cool,” he says, hesitating another second before finally pulling himself away. He bows his head in the direction of your friends, sending another of those irresistibly sweet smiles at you, and then he starts off towards the door. “See you, then.”

You feel your pulse finally start to slow as you grip the counter for dear life, setting out a long, drawn-out breath. What just happened? Why do you feel all… fuzzy?

“Maybe… I’ll see you tonight, too?” Chan asks in the deepest voice he can muster, snapping you out of your own head none too pleasantly. You turn in their direction as your other favourite moron feigns tucking hair behind his ear and flutters his eyelashes across at Chan.

“Yeah… Maybe you will.” And Seungkwan’s imitation of you is a little too accurate. Creepily so, and you want to curse him out for it. Instead, you scrunch up a bag to throw towards the pair of them, grinning despite yourself as they both swerve to dodge it.

“Oh my God, shut up,” you chastise them. You don’t have any bite, though, your brain still tingly and positively reeling and seeing Vernon’s dazzling smile every time you so much as blink.  And when Seungkwan takes a running start and launches himself, full-force, into Chan’s unsuspecting arms? When Chan lifts him up and spins him around, and when they start making kissy-noises at each other between unearthly cackles? 

You know that the next few hours are going to be the longest of your entire life.

thank u for reading!! i hope you liked this lil snippet!! i got kind of impatient with myself and needed to post something about this, so if you're interested in the full fic please feel free to drop a like, an ask, a reblog or a comment to tell me your thoughts! this piece has become sort of my passion project the last six months or so and i'm really excited to share the whole thing with you guys when it's done.<3

[lulublack90]

Prompt 17 - Slice of Life

@wolfstarmicrofic July 17, word count 997

Not gonna lie I struggled with this one. I wasn't 100% sure what slice of life actually meant so I did my best with it. Hope you enjoy. Lulu x

Mum came and got me out of bed when all I wanted to do was sleep. She insisted that it was such a nice day outside in the early summer sun that it was a shame that I was sleeping it away in bed. Last night had been a bad one, and I don’t think she really understands how much harder it’s getting each month. She wrapped me in one of her blankets and tucked me in on her garden swing. I admit she was probably right. The warm sun is helping with my sore body. The wind rocks the swing beneath me and lulls me back to a peaceful sleep. 

“Cariad, wake up,” I’m woken by my mum’s sweet lilting voice. She’s Welsh and has such a beautiful voice. Sadly, I take after my father, and I just can’t get my voice to lilt like she can. 

“Mmmm,” I groaned as I opened my eyes to the afternoon sun. It’s right in my eyes and immediately pain shoots to the back of my head. I close my eyes again and my mum slides the shade down on the swing. I try again and I can see. 

My father walks out of the house into the garden towards us. He’s being followed closely by an old man in teal robes. I watched him, fascinated. Because of my condition, Dad tends to keep me away from other wizards. So this is a rarity. 

Mum arranges three chairs in front of me, and they all sit down. 

“Thank you, Hope,” The old wizard says. He turns to me and starts speaking. “Hello, Remus, my name is Albus Dumbledore. I am the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” He says it as if I have no idea what the only wizarding school in Britain is called. But I listen because I want to know why he’s here. “I am well aware of your… Furry little problem,” I gasped, because as far as I knew, the only people that know are myself, my mum and my dad.

“Myself and a few select professors have arranged a way for you to attend the school whilst keeping the other students safe. Is that something you would be interested in?” His periwinkle eyes twinkled at me. I was not expecting anything like this. I didn’t have a chance to reply as my dad jumped in and spoke for me. 

“Of course, he’s going,” Dad holds a lot of guilt over what happened when I was five. I want to think he’s happy for me, but at the same time, I think he just wants to not have to deal with my transformations every month and being at Hogwarts would mean he’d only have to see me on holidays. Mum doesn’t seem as pleased about it though. 

“Will he be safe?” She’s worried. I knew she would be. She's a muggle, and she had no idea how big a deal this is. Maybe it would be good for me to get out of here and meet some people my own age.

“Yeah, I think I’d like that,” I finally tell Dumbledore, cutting him off while he was explaining to Mum about a shack with a secret passageway that no one can get into. 

The next few weeks drag. I’m eager to get started with school. Not in my wildest dreams did I think I’d ever be going to Hogwarts. Dad took me to Diagon Alley for the first time. I was blown away by all the magic. Dad uses magic, but not all that often. He uses it at work, apparently, but when Mum’s around he tends to do everything the muggle way. I’ve never got this. Why would you not use magic if you could? He took me to Flourish and Blotts. That might have been a mistake. He had to lure me out with the promise of a chocolate sundae from Florean Fortescue’s. I’m obsessed with books. I can lose myself in them and forget everything for a while. 

The final thing we bought was my wand. The nutty little man in the shop darted about yanking boxes off the shelves and passing me different wands. It took a few attempts but finally, he found the right one. I held my new wand, 10 1/4 inches, made from cypress with a unicorn hair core, for all of ten seconds before it was whipped from my hand and boxed up.

Thankfully, September has arrived, and we’re on our way to Kings Cross. Dad won’t apparate us, so Mum’s driving us in her car. It’s such a long way to go. Dad’s let me have a few of my new school books out for the journey. I’ve been reading them non-stop since we bought them, and I’ve only got two left to finish. 

It takes forever to find a parking space, but once we do, Dad runs in and grabs a trolley for my trunk. He loads it up for me, and we go into the station. 

“That’s where we’re going.” He pointed at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. We walk towards it and just when I think we’re going to hit it, we pass through onto Platform 9 3/4. The Hogwarts Express is so much bigger than I thought it was going to be. We’re running late, so I don’t get to look at it for long. Dad hurries me onto the train, he helps me get my trunk into the storage rack, and we go back out to say goodbye. 

Mum won’t let me go. Dad has to pull her off me. He gives me a brief hug, and I’m off. The whistle blows and the train starts its journey north.

I’d just settled myself into my compartment, opening my book to keep reading, when the door slid open and the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen walked in.

“Hi, I'm Sirius Black. Can I sit here?” 

[shrimpalbuspotter]

Cc dark world au stuff yet again

The relationship between Delphi (whos full name will be Delphini Black) and Albus.

I said In a previous post that Delphi views Albus as a pet. This still stands.

Delphi, unlike her father, was born without any love potion to affect her. She is shown to feel genuine want for a loving father in the play

Delphi IS capable of love! But the love she has for Albus is unlike one you'd have for a child or even a sibling. She sees Albus as a cute little thing, who she can teach to perform tricks and do her bidding. But she does love him, its just more similar to how you'd love a dog you've had since you were just a little kid.

She buys him gifts, I've also mentioned this before, things like expensive jewelry and robes, so that she is seen as more wealthy when she is strutting around on meetings with him (or he is away giving someone a message for her). This is still something reserved for only the richest purebloods who can afford a mudblood (although usually an imprisoned halfblood, as a lot of blood purists hate the idea of a mudblood even being in their sacred home) to have as a servant. Its incredibly expensive and the best job a halfblood slash muggleborn can have. The only difference between them and Albus is that Albus isn't really a servant, and was free

Then, she makes sure he's well groomed. When she was still a teenager she'd sit and prune him for hours, cutting his hair, filing his nails, and making sure he looks clean. To her it was just a bit of fun, but Albus was grateful to even get bathed. From ages 7-10, Albus actually had his hair dyed a bright cyan colour at the tips, but when Delphi turned 18 and "matured" as she called it, she decided it looked stupid and turned it black again. Similarly, she taught him some basic etiquette so as to not look like her pet didn't know how to behave, so he walks and talks like a pureblood when he isn't half way to a panic attack (which is almost all the time)

And there's the fact she dotes on his every move. It had gotten better now she's 22, but when she was 15 she'd make him do all sorts of silly tricks and would instantly order all the human servants to come and look and berate them for not being as talented as her little Munin (the name Albus is given). It got to the point Voldemort had to punish her for continously disrupting them from their work and she threw such a teen Bellatrix esque tantrum Albus had to do 10 whole hours of damage control. Now that she's older she'll mostly just dote on him in private, but she feels all the same. If she's at a ball or its voldemort day, she'll have him do a few tricks on stage for the people.

She tells him everything and doesn't even stop to think "maybe this is a bad idea". Like, you know how you have a long day and you just come home and vent to your dog even though it doesn't understand you? That's what Delphi does. "You wouldn't believe it, Munin. How dare they speak to me like that? Right? It was as if they forgot who I was! I sorted their behaviour out easily, ofcourse, but it still made me angry. Stupid kids... Anywho, i need you to go to Hogwarts and hand this to my Headmaster, Umbridge. Off you go." It's so fucking stupid but Albus is bored out of his mind and just happy to get the gossip, even if Delphi is known for being slightly dramatic.

Speaking of, Delphi is prone to temper tantrums that often lead to something or someone being thrown against a wall or out of a window. Delphi usually crucios people atleast 30 times a day, yet she has only used crucio on Albus around 20 times in the 7 years she has had him. All spread out. But Albus has been physically Injured by her, accident or not. Sometimes he'll simply be standing there and she will go into a huff, throwing a vase at the wall that just so happens to smash against his face. All of his injuries are dealt with almost immediately after. But even then, she usually just resorts to yelling or shouting as a reprimand, grabbing him by the scruff of his feathery cloak and screaming in his ear.

If something were to happen to Albus, like he was greatly injured by another or was given punishment by another, she'd freak out. They'd be avada kedavrad before you knew it. Once, whilst both Albus and Delphi were at Hogwarts, Delphi told Albus he had her permission to go explore. He was caught wandering the school by Umbrdige, and was petrified. He had tried to explain that he had been allowed by Delphi but she simply said "tch tch,I always knew you were a bad sort, child" before going to reprimand him with her wand. That was, until she was spotted by Delphi with her wand to Albus' chest, and by god was she lucky she was useful to the cause or else Delphi wouldn't have let her off with a mere crucio (which she then got punished for by her father. Ugh, take a hint dad!)

On that note- Voldemort and Delphis relationship leans more into the funny haha crack universe this was supposed to be. Because yes, it was originally just Albus being a deadpan dick to everyone and Delphi experiencing lesbianidm.

Delphi acts rather spoiled as a teenager, and takes her role as The Augurey more seriously when she is in her twenties. Delphi was prone to fits of anger where she'd want her fathers attention, and would get it in ways she didn't particularly enjoy, such as crucios. But alas, she was spoiled silly. If Delphi wanted some snot faced preschooler halfblood gone, they'd be found face down in the Black Lake not a day later. If she wanted her very own dungeon to keep Mudbloods in to play with, she'd get that too. And if she wanted to take in the 7 year old son of his newly dead arch nemesis as her pet, he wouldn't be able to think of a reason to oppose. Besides, his daughter would get bored quick as, and he could reunite the boy with his family soon enough.

That day obviously never came. Not that he was upset by the outcome, Albus- or "Munin" as his daughter named him- was a very useful tool indeed. He was incredibly pliant, willing, even when it came to things morally dark. Ofcourse, Voldemort was able to see the boy was truly terrified, but he could applaud the lack of expression on his face that would only slip away when Delphini was around, were the boy would begin jittering and fidgeting much more often than usual. Nevermind that, he was glad his daughter had a confidant as compliant as Munin. They were very rather useful! (Momentarily, he wonders if he would have been able to turn Harry Potter into something similar, but knew the boy was much too stubborn and morally righteous for that. He supposes the apple toppled from the tree and rolled straight down into a well at the bottom of the hill.)

On ANOTHER note... I've been thinking of giving Albus the Augurey skull mask from another au of mine, and rather add a feathered hood to his cloak or make a feathered neck piece similar to a ruff but smaller. Just any type of ruffled collar that protrudes below the chin really. This would make me redo his design as the collar would attach together at a bolo tie then turn into his cape at the back. The skull would be black, because Delphi is extra, and she isnt a fan of the yellowish white colour.

[t1oui]

the first room draco malfoy sleeps in after inheriting malfoy manor is the one he shares with astoria.

it's further from scorpius's room than he likes, but it's the biggest and has the nicest windows, and they make do. it's the room with the big walk-in closet and the window seat where astoria spends hours reading, both to herself and out loud for her family.

it's the room where draco finds his wife and son playing board games - both magical and muggle - together at the end of the day. he doesn't know much about the muggle things, and neither does astoria, but it's always fun to figure them out.

this room is the one with the big king-sized bed that holds all three malfoys on nights when scorpius has bad dreams, or even those where he simply wanted more time with his parents.

it's the room that draco takes for granted.

the second room, the one he moves to after astoria's death, is across the hall from his son. it's small and cramped, previously more of a closet than a bedroom. it's a perfect place for a broken heart.

the bed is smaller, a queen, but it still fits scorpius on the nights when they need to have a cry together. the wardrobe in the corner is tiny, but draco's clothes never took up much space anyway. the floor doesn't have enough space for draco and scorpius to stretch out on the infrequent nights scorpius pokes his head in with a chess board, so instead of games, all the room sees is tears. that's okay, draco thinks. he deserves it.

beginning in their eighth year, blaise and pansy had some sort of friends with benefits arrangement. draco never truly understood it, nor did he try to, but the whole thing came crashing down when scorpius was ten and pansy arrived at the manor in a state after finding out she was pregnant.

leilani grows up alongside scorpius, a younger sister of sorts who adores her "older brother" more than anything. pansy and blaise are both busy with work at the ministry, but pansy - a journalist - has far less structure than office worker blaise, which leaves him as the one to bring leliani over the most often.

draco can't pinpoint the moment their friendship turns into something more. he can only remember not feeling anything other than joy the first time they kissed, underneath a mistletoe during scorpius's seventh year. he can also remember pansy storming into the room right after and yelling "i knew it" before tackling them into a hug.

the third and final bedroom draco sleeps in is the one with blaise in it. it's just next door to his first room, where his first bed is collecting dust as it has been since astoria's final night in it. this room is slightly smaller, and its closet took a bit of charming to fit all of their clothes, but it feels perfect. not better than his room with astoria, not worse, just different. draco wouldn't want it any other way.

leilani gets the room across the hall, which is huge - almost bigger than scorpius's - and very fancy and perfect for spoiling her in. scorpius is twenty by the time there's a new ring on draco's left hand, and he drags albus potter all around his childhood home by one hand while a ten-year-old leilani takes hold of the other.

"i bet she's a gryffindor," draco whisper-shouts as he stands between blaise and pansy to watch. pansy gags.

"she was raised by three slytherins," pansy says. "there's no way, right?"

"scorp was a ravenclaw," blaise points out.

a year later, two weeks after scorpius's wedding and the night of leilani's first day at hogwarts, they get their answer.

"they have always been close," pansy says with a frown.

"i told you so," blaise replies, grinning as he pulls draco in with one arm and pansy in with the other.

the bed in draco and blaise's room is still a queen, the same size as the one in draco's second bedroom, but it fits three adults just fine.

[sophsicle]

I just read what’s up of the girl who ate the gods and I need to ramble/ scream about it so I thought who better to say it to than the writer

First of OH MAY GOD I LOVE IZT SO MUCH the concept and the characters chosen for each role is *chefs kiss* and as someone who is doing a class in classics I’m absolutely feral about this

Okay, Pansy is giving me such strong Evelyn Hugo vibes that I’m dying,,, like the control she has of her entire world and of the people around her using their desire of her and the way she turns their wants into her own power is so Evelyn coded that I can’t even cope. Her saying that it wouldn’t be a chore to fuck Theo was so beautifully framed, like the fancy myth-y language being undercut by the (objectively) crude ‘fucking’ was genuine art. She literally orchestrates an entire war for motives unknown!!! And I feel pity for her even while feeling simultaneously that she could (and would) step on my face and I would thank her for it

Ariana really thinking that she was there to marry harry is actually breaking my heart :( the very first time Hermione questioned why she was there I thought ‘we’re missing an iphegeneia, aren’t we?’ But even then it still killed me that she died (AND that Albus killed her too like her own brother- which mirrors canon in such a beautiful and heartbreaking way oh my god) and she feels so young too. And also the parallels between her and pansy make me want to scream. Like pansy knows her own power/ use is a cruel one and uses it to benefit herself, but Ariana believes that her use is a soft one, then discovers that hers is a cruel one too but due to her naivety she dies and cannot use it. And the way that the only time we as readers actually hear her speak as as she unknowingly offers herself up for death is the most beautiful, saddest thing ever

Hermione!!! She already seems so clearly suited to Pansy in behaviour and attitude (girls in a mysogenistiv world who gain power despite it)(girlbosses) and yet also so different, and yet the same again. Like pansy uses other peoples physical desires to get what she wants,  but Hermione doesn’t. But then Hermione uses harry and the people she loves to keep Albus on her side and to keep her home safe and in the end she’s using what Albus wants to get what she wants, just like pansy.

And she’s so pragmatic too like she is fully embracing/coping with the brutality of her world to keep the power she needs. Also her and lily were so fascinating because they feel so similar to me even if Hermione can’t see it. Hermione, harry and Ron being friends too but with a shifted dynamic into this mythological setting where the stakes are shifted feels so perfect and I want to scream

I also love love love that this is pansmione centric bc the idea of a sapphic ship in a setting of mysogyny and warfare makes me so so happy

I have thoughts about Ron and harry too but I think I already commented them (? I have no memory of anything I say so maybe I did, maybe I didn’t)

(Also side note does the title mean we get to meet any gods bc I love the idea of gods interacting with mortals smmm)

ANYWAYS I loved this so so so much it was genuinely incredible, best thing ever, I want to eat it, etc. Thank you for writing it!!!!1 <333

eeeee!!!! yay i love this fic!

Pansy is my Helen redemption, I feel like she is always portrayed as being a pawn or being some lovesick, naive, little girl who is too beautiful for her own good, but her story is hardcore, like first of all, of all the famous warriors and heroes who go to Troy and die, she lives, and I feel like people don't give her enough credit for that, for the political maneuvering that goes into it, also the fact that she is raped by a god when she's just a kid, i think she is way more jaded than people usually write her, also if you read the iliad it is like 90% her and hector just shitting on Paris, I fully believe that she runs away with him because she thinks Troy is her best bet of defeating her piece of shit husband, so yeah, Pansy is very cut throat and very scheme-y and always has an ulterior motive, which is gonna make the relationship that will develop between her and Hermione super interesting

part of what made me want to write this au in the first place is how well i feel like Dumbledore, Aberforth, Harry and Hermione fit these roles, and all the parallels that you can make with canon and how much you can play around with the "chosen one" narrative that harry potter and the iliad are a part of.

i also love fitting female characters into this super masculine story and i also like just not explaining it, like obviously there are some gender politics going on with Pansy, but like, Hermione is a commander and a king and it's just like, yup, that is how it is.

I do want to throw some god stuff in there! (the founders will be stand ins for the gods)

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR MESSAGE IT MADE MY DAY

[emsuemsu]

So, occasionally I do adventure out of my comfort zone and read something other than Harry and Draco falling in love for the 1246th time in a row. This month I've been enjoying some magnificent entries in HP rare pair fair (@hprarepairfest) - all the love for this fest. Also I've been exploring some jegulus which I'm absolutely obsessed, at least in theory. In reality I don't think I'm honestly strong enough for the marauders era at all, that shit fucking hurts and I salute all those who go through it day to day. You're amazing.

So, without futher ado, my november non-drarry favorites:

Apple Tree and Juniper by @trueliarose 💫 Harry/Charlie, 17,732 words

Charlie Weasley: dragon tamer, single, attractive and the man Harry had had a crush on for years - what will happen when said man has to take some time off at work and decides to occupy himself by helping out with Harry's business?

Now, the thing about me is that I'm the biggest simp for Charlie Weasley. He makes me absolutely feral. The whole idea of getting it on with your best friends brother is like fucking ecstasy to me, and this might or might not stem from personal experiences. Out of all the Weasley siblings Charlie with Harry is just 🤌🤌 Now this fic had it all. A little angst, lots of fluff, Harry being all crafty crafty, TENSION and PINING, amazing magical woodworking lore (??? idk but i love it).. and the best part is that I noticed the author started a series with this fic being the opening act - I've never in my life hit that subscribe button as fast as I did with this one. God is good.

Choices by @sophsicle 💫 Regulus/James, 624,178 words

People make mistakes, but they also make choices. It’s important to James, that difference. He does his best not to confuse the two.

This is an honourable mention on this list since I read this already in October. But listen, I'm fucking traumatized by this fic. This was my first jegulus, my first marauders I've ever finished, and my 13th goddamn reason. And I can't even blame anybody other than myself, I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. I binge-read this in a day and a half and in retrospect I should've taken it a little more easy. But what can I say, I'm an all or nothing kinda girl. Chapter 53 hits different at 4am, just saying. The writing was hauntingly beautiful and I still think daily about some quotes and scenes from this fic. This fic is a journey and I'm glad I took it.

Light Bringer by meanwhiletimely 💫 Albus/Gellert, 10,678 words

Gellert doesn't simply shine—Gellert blazes, casting all around him into shadow with sheer dazzling force of being. When he turns that beatific gaze on you, your whole body comes alive for him: heat flaring up from within, blood in your veins turned to light.

This story is EVERYTHING. I was holding by breath while reading this. Beautiful. I love grindeldore (even though my resentment of Albus is as deep as the Mariana Trench), and this has to be one of the most beautiful fics I've ever read. This was written in second person POV which made the fic even more intense. Like I felt every word in my soul. Lots of love.

Mystic Lake of Memory by @sliebman10 💫 Harry/George, 5,055 words

As George's thirtieth birthday approaches, Harry convinces him to go on holiday to Loch Ness, where he and Fred had originally planned to spend their birthday in search of the sea monster.

Fred and George remain as an open wound for me still after all these years. This fic was sweet and melancholic at the same time, I absolutely loved how their relationship had grown and this fic was pretty as a picture. Absolute joy.

Sleeping With Ghosts by @ghaniblue 💫 Regulus/Harry/Draco, 27,902 words

Harry wakes in an unfamiliar bed to Regulus pointing a wand at his head, and then Draco moves into his house. Harry just wants the world to fuck off; being able to sleep through the night would be appreciated, too. This is the story of one very tired saviour of the wizarding world, a resurrected corpse and a mean little ferret living in Grimmauld Place together, drinking too much tea, talking less than is warranted, and falling in love.

I'm a slut for triads. Even more of a slut if two thirds of the triad is drarry. This fic was everything. It was so witty and funny and I was seriously laughing out loud reading this. I need this relationship tag to BLOW THE FUCK UP in 2024. I loved the build up and the ending was perfect. I really enjoyed Regulus' characterization and I think this fic really hits the spot with how I imagine him being. The interaction between the three of them was amazing.

Sweet Boy by @maraudersaffair 💫 Harry/Narcissa, 6,261 words

Harry agrees to date Narcissa to help her improve the reputation of her family. The intensity of their sexual chemistry takes them both by surprise, and it turns out there is nothing fake about their arrangement.

After reading this I decided that being a MILF is a state of mind and that being said I am one now. Do I have any kids? No. Will I have any kids? God knows. This fic was delicious in all the ways and more and I love Narcissa. So much.

Two of the Easiest Words in Gaelic by sky_watcher_rose 💫 Druella/Minerva, 27,902 words

Minerva will be the first to admit that Druella Rosier was the love of her life. But it’s been twenty years since they last saw each other, and she’s done her best to move on. When Druella unexpectedly arrives at a parents’ evening - the first she’s attended in the four years that Minerva has been teaching her children - both of them have to face up to certain feelings that never went away.

I usually shy away from muggle au's, but this was magical nevertheless. It was the first fic with this pairing I've ever read (and yes I have to admit I had to google who Druella was). The Scottish winter vibes were immaculate. I absolutely adore the "one that got away" kinda vibe in this one. There was this one quote from Minerva which was something like "I'm Scottish, nothing depresses me except bad whiskey" and I felt that in my core. Feel u sis, even though I'm not a Scot.

Unguarded-series by birdsofshore 💫 Draco/Albus Severus, 5 works, 38,834 words in total

Dilf-Draco is all I need in my life. So fucking hot.

[snapeaddict]

Snapetober Day 8 - Crepuscular

"I do not have any way of knowing where they are - but you have more expertise on those matters than I do, I trust, Severus."

The younger man nodded.

"If you mean dark spells, indeed I do", he replied, although rather bitterly.

He lowered his eyes.

"Is that all, Dumbledore?"

A strange expression crossed the portrait's painted face; perhaps one of pain, disappointment, or powerlessness; something to do with heartache. He made an imperceptible movement, to get up no doubt. But, as if struck by the crushing realisation of his own intangibility, he retracted and placed his hands flat on his knees.

"Dear boy, please look at me", he said gravely. "Severus."

The younger man raised his eyes, although barely.

"You are doing so well. So well. I know this is… the hardest thing you will ever do. And I am incredibly grateful to you, more than I can say. I owe you a debt that cannot be repaid."

Severus' eyes wandered around the office, settling on the window to his left. He did not reply, did not give even the smallest hint that he had heard the old man's words.

In front of him, the painted hands contracted painfully, trying, barely succeeding at resisting an urge, that of holding him tight…

The portrait was suffering a kind of pain that he could not possibly be feeling.

"Severus… if I could come to you… if I could touch you right now…"

The Slytherin's head jerked up, his cold black eyes narrowing as they met the pleading gaze of the former headmaster. His nostrils flared.

"But you cannot, can you, Dumbledore? That is precisely what you asked of me - to never walk amongst the living again. It was done. Do not… torment me now."

"My boy, there is no need to torment yourself", Albus replied softly. "It was my wish. You simply helped an old man leave this world with dignity."

"You have already said this."

"And I will say it again until you understand it, Severus. Do not… for a second… feel guilty."

The younger man opened his mouth, but then immediately closed it. Slowly, he made his way to the window and leaned against the wall, letting his gaze wander in the far distance.

It was dusk; the light that filtered through the office was of gorgeous purple, red and orange shades. A charming sight, made particularly stunning by the loch nearby.

It was what Severus meant to say when he muttered, "It is a beautiful evening, is it not?".

Taken aback by a comment so unlike him, Dumbledore's portrait did not offer any answer, peering at the man carefully.

"I used to like them, you know", Severus continued. "The vespertine bird songs. The shadows on school grounds which become giants in a matter of minutes. The twilight behind Aonach Eagach. It is all quite peaceful."

Slowly, he turned his gaze back to the portrait. It had a strange glimmer to it.

"Every time it gets dark I think about that night, Albus - about your face illuminated by the green light of the killing curse. Every night I must see you die."

He lowered his head and grasped his left forearm compulsively.

"They buried you at dusk. When the ceremony ended, the sun was just starting to set. I was there - I saw your body. Polyjuice potion was all I needed."

Dumbledore closed his eyes briefly.

"It was unwise, my boy."

"I saw your body. It was disarticulated. All your bones - both your arms and legs - they were broken. They had done their best, but you could still see it. And you were lying there - and I could not bear to see you any longer - I prayed for the night to come and hide that sight from me."

A pause.

"But when it came, I had to see you die again."

He looked up, and his face was the same as it had been many years ago, on top of that hill.

"When the evening comes, I see you dead, Albus; when the night comes, I see you die."

"So do not ask me… ever again… to not torment myself."

[starlitangels]

Stay With Me, Faithful

@palilious I got it done, Pali! I got stuck for a little bit but I got it done! 2.3k words

CW: violence, blood, grievous injuries, emotional

—

Thump… thump… thump…

I sat up blearily and rubbed my eyes. Heavy boots on the metal floor of the ship…

“Albus,” I hissed.

Springing from my bunk, I threw my long overcoat on over my nightdress and slid into my boots. I dodged out of my cabin and crept after him as quietly as I could. His boots were quieter than mine, but I’d learned how to creep around my temple in hard-heeled shoes. As long as I was careful he wouldn’t know I was even—

“What are you doing, faithful?” Albus asked around a sigh that seemed exasperated.

I made a face of frustration. Of course he caught me. How did he always know?

“I could ask you the same thing,” I retorted, striding forward until we were standing opposite each other.

He chuckled, setting his hands on his hips. “Could. Didn’t.”

I scowled. “What are you doing, Albus?” I asked sharply. “Why are you wandering the ship while we’re supposed to be sleeping?”

“Who says it’s any of your business?”

“Oh I’m sure it’s not. But I don’t want you exhausted and off your game tomorrow if something happens.”

“It’s after midnight. We’re already in tomorrow.”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “You know what I mean,” I shot back.

He narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. “You really wanna know?” There was an almost genuine innocence to his question and part of me couldn’t help but brace to hear the most vile, perverse thing I couldn’t even imagine until it came out of his mouth. But I nodded anyway. “I couldn’t sleep. Happens every so often. Sometimes warriors have to stay awake for days. Sleeping every night is weird anyway.”

I rubbed my eyes. “No? It’s not? Sleeping every night is normal?”

“Maybe for a sister-paladin living a cushy temple attendant’s life,” Albus retorted.

“Cushy isn’t the word I’d use but I do understand where you’re coming from with using it,” I said around a yawn. “Alright. Where are we going?”

“We? Nuh-uh. There’s no we. I’m taking a walk to wind down enough to try to sleep, and you’re taking that pretty little head of yours back to your bunk and going back to bed.”

“Nope. I’m awake now. Meaning I’m joining you until I’m exhausted enough to go back to bed.” I stretched my shoulders. “Let’s go. Where are we walking?”

Albus rolled his eyes. “You’re really stubborn, you know that?”

“Mmhmm. Proud of it, actually.”

“Of course you are,” he grumbled. “Come on, then. We’re just gonna go around the ship a few times. Like a patrol.”

I covered another yawn with my hands. “Mkay.” I fell into step beside him as he turned and moved to walk off. I blinked hard to try and clear the weight of fatigue from my eyelids as I wrapped my overcoat more securely around me. “Remind me where Devlin parked the ship for the night?”

Albus snorted hard enough that he had to have hurt his throat. “I’m sure I would if I knew,” he said.

“No you wouldn’t,” I grumbled. “You’d save it until we were outside and it was convenient or dramatic for you to tell me. Unless you were trying to warn me off.”

He shrugged. “Probably,” he agreed.

We made our way through the ship and off. The mantle seemed to change constantly and never looked even similar to where we were the last time we got off the ship.

The landscape this time looked like yellowish, sandblasted rock, but felt weirdly springy underfoot. Albus set off to march around the hull of the ship. I fell into step beside him. “Why do you think the ground feels like this?” I asked, testing the bounce slightly, applying more weight on my toes.

“Don’t know, don’t care. Ask Vinny—he’s the egghead, he probably has a guess.”

“Petrified organic?”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“Sometimes things that were once alive harden a long time after they die. Like how trees seem to turn to stone and we call them petrified trees, before you say something gross about the way my half-asleep brain worded that last sentence.”

Albus snickered. I rolled my eyes.

He didn’t seem to deign to respond to the suggestion, and I decided to drop it.

We walked along the port side of the ship. It was a lot bigger than it seemed sometimes. The springy ground made an odd hissing noise with every step we took.

Off in the distance, something whickered.

“What was that?” I asked.

“What?”

“Did you not hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“That… whickering.”

“Stop being paranoid. There’s nothing out here right now, and we should count ourselves grateful. This place has been full of things that want us dead just because we crossed their paths. Take the peace while you can get it, faithful.”

Still, Albus rested a hand on his sword and cast a glance around.

“Here,” he said. Gentler than I expected, he took my arm and drew me around his front as we walked so I was walking between him and the hull.

“What was that about?”

“Well, that way I’m between you and the most likely direction of attack,” Albus said. He scoffed and rolled his eyes as my eyebrows tilted. “Oh, don’t make a thing out of it. You just… seemed worried.” He looked away. Peeking through his messy dark hair, the tips of his ears were a little red. I pursed my lips to suppress a smile and turned to watch where I was stepping. The springiness of the ground kept making me feel like it was going to collapse from right under us.

There was that noise again. Closer? Or was I just listening for it? Or was I just being a wimp?

I tried to ignore the rising apprehension. We circled around and came up on the starboard side of the ship and continued on. Albus seemed perfectly content to walk in silence. Which was… odd, considering how much he usually seemed to at least mildly enjoy the sound of his own voice.

I decided not to say anything.

Something huffed. A grunting sort of huff.

“Did you hear that?” I asked.

Albus had gone rigid. “Yeah. That one I heard,” he agreed. He looked around wildly, drawing his sword. “Gangplank, now. Get back on the ship.” With his other hand, he pushed at my shoulder to get me moving.

I didn’t need to be told twice. I stumbled on the hem of my overcoat before we both took off running. Albus kept his head on a swivel. The ground underneath us hissed with every speedy step.

And then rumbled.

A scream tore out of my throat as it exploded directly behind me—and something grabbed my ankle.

“Albus!” I shouted. I got yanked—hard—and hit my chin on the ground. The impact made my teeth ache, but thankfully I didn’t bite off my tongue.

—

“Faithful!” Albus shouted. He watched the fear in her wide eyes as the monster that erupted from the ground dragged her backward. He turned sharply and ran after her. “Faithful!”

He got close to the monster and swung his sword. She screamed and recoiled away, as though he was aiming for her. He didn’t have time to reassure her that he wasn’t going to miss and hit her.

The monster bellowed and thrashed when Albus’ sword made contact with its wrist.

Unfortunately, it thrashed the hand that had her in its grip too.

Thankfully, it let her go.

Unfortunately, it let her go nearly ten feet off the ground.

Thankfully, she was still conscious.

Unfortunately, the monster came crashing back down and its clawed hand-like appendage—for lack of a better word—landed close enough to her that its claws gouged into her.

Thankfully, Albus’ injury seemed to scare it off. Huffing and grunting, it bounded across the squishy ground, breaking it on every stride, and disappeared around a ridge after a moment.

“Faithful!” Albus shouted, rushing over to where she’d fallen. “Faithful—oh gods. Faithful—faithful can you hear me?!” He fell to his knees beside her and started rapidly checking her over. Her eyes were still open and she was breathing, but seemed dazed. “Faithful—no don’t go into shock. Come on. Faithful!”

She made a small noise. A pained one.

“No. No. Don’t do this to me, faithful. Come on. C’mon, look at me. Stay with me, faithful. Please. Just—just stay—stay with me!” Albus begged, gently tugging the sides of the tears in her overcoat and underdress aside to examine the wounds. “Oh gods.” He swallowed. “You’re going to be fine. I promise. We’ll make sure of it. Just stay with me. You hear me? No passing out. No going into shock.”

She groaned, face screwing up.

Eyelids fluttering.

“No—don’t pass out.” He put pressure on the wounds on her side as best he could. The wounds were far bigger than his hands.

She hissed in pain, but didn’t seem to be able to speak.

“Faithful! Please—please don’t do this to me,” Albus pleaded. “Stay with me, you understand? Just stay—” He choked on a sob. “Just stay with me.”

He released the sob and let his whole body convulse from it.

“Devlin!” he shouted. His voice thick with emotion.

His faithful shuffled just a little—and grimaced at the movement. Her eyelids were half-closed.

“No. Don’t move. It’ll just make things worse. Hold still. Look at me, faithful. Look at my eyes. Please. Let me see those gorgeous eyes of yours. Come on. Even if you’re just going to roll them at me. Let me see.” He moved his hands to try and cover more of the wounds to staunch the bleeding.

“Al… bus…?” Her voice was small. Thin. Raspy.

“Yeah. Yeah, it’s me, faithful. Just stay with me, okay? You’re gonna be okay, I promise. Just stay with me. Oh gods, please stay with me. You can’t—you can’t leave me.” He swallowed around the lump forming in his throat. Tears slid out of his eyes, down his face, and into his beard. “I’m gonna—i’m gonna try to get you inside while trying to keep pressure on your wounds. But—” He cleared his throat. “But you have to stay with me.”

She moaned quietly.

Albus looked around frantically. Trying to figure out how he could pick her up and keep putting adequate pressure on the gouges in her side.

“Faithful—faithful, please. Don’t pass out on me. Oh gods, stay with me. Come on, faith—”

“What the hell is going on out—sister? Albus what did you do?!” Devlin’s voice demanded.

“Oh shut up I didn’t do anything! We got attacked by a massive monster. It grabbed her!” Albus snapped back. “Are you just going to stand there and be useless or are you going to help me?”

Devlin shook off his surprise and rushed into action. “What do you need me to do?”

“Put pressure on her wounds. I’ll pick her up and we’ll get her to the medical ward. Do you know how to cauterize something this serious?”

“My medical knowledge is limited… the sister is the one who knows the most.”

“I know—but we can’t lose her!”

“We won’t. We’ll figure it out.”

“We’d better.” Albus swallowed. “Okay. On three, you put your hands on her wounds and I’ll switch to her other side and pick her up.”

“Okay.”

“One. Two. Three.” Albus hopped over her and let go of her wounds at the same moment Devlin put his hands where Albus’ had been. Albus scooped her up by her knees and shoulders and cradled her gently against his torso. “Let’s go. Quickly. She’s losing a lot of blood. If she loses much more there will be nothing we can do.”

“Okay.”

“Come on, faithful. Stay with me. We’re gonna get you inside,” Albus said softly.

—

Consciousness slowly swam back to me. I squinted against bright lights—and winced against something tight restricting my upper body.

I peeled one eyelid open, regretting it as it stung against the light.

To see Albus asleep in an uncomfortable-looking metal chair next to the gurney I was lying on. His chin was nearly resting on his chest—

And his hands and face were covered in blood.

I tried to gasp, but whatever tight thing was wrapped around me stopped me from doing so—and when I tried everything hurt.

Albus grunted and shuffled, inhaling deeply like he was waking up too.

“You look like hell,” I remarked.

His unfathomably dark eyes snapped open. “Faithful!” His exclamation was barely more than a breathy whisper. He lurched on the chair to get closer to me, reaching out for my hand—then seeing the blood on his and withdrawing.

Weakly, I reached out for his hands. He almost smiled and let himself take my hand in both of his. “How are you feeling?”

“You’ve asked a lot of stupid questions before. That one’s the dumbest,” I groaned.

“I know it’s stupid. But Devlin and I aren’t healers. We… we did our best. You’re still under a lot of sedation and heavy painkillers but… it seemed like the… polite question to ask, I guess.”

I grunted. “I take it that’s my blood on your hands?”

He looked down. “Yes,” he said.

“Hmm,” I mumbled. I tried to take a deep breath, but what must have been bandages didn’t let me move too much.

Albus looked down at our hands.

“Hey,” I said softly.

His eyes flicked up to meet mine through his enviously thick, long, dark lashes.

I managed a weak smile. “I stayed with you.”

—

Tagging some of my GB peeps who might enjoy: @gwenifred @halscafe @zozo-01 @miloeveryday38 @dollscircus  @staplesmainbitch

[doomsdaydicecascader]

hey, could you go into more detail with what you mean with ‘being precious’ with characters. im curious and i like your writing a lot <3

i think it's difficult to express without it reading as just "mary sue" critique, you know. tvtropes bullshit. but it is kind of a thing that occupies the same space. and atop that, it's a thing that's a little bit difficult to express without context but i think there are three pretty meaningful examples of a character being made worse by the author from which you are smart enough to discern what i mean

the thing which ties them together is this: you are meant to come out of their story with an affection for the character that rivals the author's care for them - the author wants you to feel as much for this character as they do, but is afraid of portraying the character in flawed or even grounded ways, when the character's flaws or ways in which they are a grounded character tend to be what makes them relateable or worth caring about.

example number one is albus dumbledore. the end of harry potter is genuinely one of the worst things i've ever read, even before the terf shit, and this is best expressed through the way characters around him act - he is always right, except when he's wrong, but the ways in which he's wrong are okay because the character archetype that he turns out to be in the last book before he dies is "guy who makes the hard decisions because nobody else will", winston churchill guy. and naturally, jk rowling adores him so much that she made him the protagonist of her flop three-movie pentology even though there was a better protagonist right there with newt. he is a character who is thoroughly adored by the author in a way that ruins the story.

example number two is johnny, from the room. tommy wiseau is by no means a great artist, but i think a lot of people resent analyzing the room as art because it is so obviously bad and i think that takes away from its most compelling fact. johnny is characterized as too good for this world, as though the world itself was closing in on him, ready to take him out. his future wife is cheating with his best friend, lying about him being an abuser to her friends, his boss doesnt give him his promotion for no reason, his mother in law would put aside her cancer diagnosis to further tear apart her daughters marriage, and through this, johnny does nothing wrong. he was always too good for this sinful world. he is a character who is thoroughly adored by the author in a way that ruins the story.

example number three, as mentioned in that last ask, is lin manuel miranda's portrayal of alexander hamilton, which kind of combines the both of the previous examples. throughout hamilton, alexander hamilton is repeatedly portrayed as a tortured artist, a guy who writes like he's running out of time, a guy whose writing is so powerful that he could have meaningfully changed the world, if he were not also, a dipshit idiot who got shot in a duel. and hamilton is interesting, because the story itself bends over backwards to imagine new outs for him. when his wife, who is so upset by his actions that she exempts herself from being in the writings from which hamilton was based, something i am to believe is made up whole cloth for hamilton, the story itself goes out of its way to say "what if the stuff that his wife destroyed would have redeemed him" when the answer is, probably not, he was a shithead, but lin manuel miranda can't help but ask, "what if hamilton was actually just like me fr, a misunderstood dude who just wanted to make great art", he is a character who is thoroughly adored by the author in a way that ruins the story.

i dont really want to use the term "mary sue" or whatever because it is pretty loaded, and honestly, if the story you're telling justifies this feeling, i tend to really enjoy characters who really are just flawless, characters who the authors love and want you to love too. but theyre character studies - half blood prince and deathly hallows are almost entirely about dumbledore and his relationship to the cast, and it's the worst shit i've ever read. the room would be so unbelievably forgettable without johnny. and hamilton is hamilton.

and its the kind of thing i found myself prone to doing too - that kind of feverish, "he would not fucking say that" behavior about a character who would definitely, absolutely do that. i felt this way for a while about jane in post-canon, and i still kind of think post-canon jane deserved a better arc, to make a tragedy out of her existence, but that is a desire i have because i care a lot about jane crocker, you know?