#fred is one of the few exceptions because the whole weasley family died together :<

[carewyncromwell]

“He turned his face unto the wall, He turned his back upon her. ‘Adieu, adieu, to all my friends, And be kind, be kind to Barbara Allen.’ As she was wandering on the fields,  She heard the death bell knellin', And every note, it seemed to say, ‘Hard-hearted Barbara Allen!’”

~“Barbara Allen” (traditional folk song), covered by Art Garfunkel

x~x~x~x

The mystery of the Headless Man was slowly coming together. Duncan Ashe now had a name for him -- Jacob Cromwell -- and now all that seemed left to do was get the terrifying ghost his head, so that he might pass on to the next life. 

To do that, though, he’d have to locate his skull and then return it to the rest of his body, wherever it was buried...and considering that many ghosts tend to haunt the area where they died or where their body laid, Duncan thought the graveyard the ghost haunted would be the best place to look for the second. The skull, however, required a bit more investigation...for the tale he’d learned about the Cromwell family at the Manor suggested his head was not buried anywhere on that property. Its last known whereabouts instead pointed to being in Bill Weasley’s possession -- someone who, like the remainder of his family, also ended up dead by decapitation. So with some help from Liberty Square’s resident historian Rowan Khanna (and no help from the so-called “Wanderer” Orion, who’d very conveniently disappeared once daytime grew near), Duncan tracked down about ten square yards of woods that could’ve once held the Weasley house, and that evening, Duncan located a shovel and went to investigate. 

The moon was not yet full that evening, but it let off a ghostly pallor through the darkening clouds. Perhaps this was why the air was so still and ethereal that -- once again, like when Duncan first arrived in town -- he could hear an eerie, melancholy Tenor voice on the wind...a voice Duncan felt certain no one else could hear but him. It wouldn’t have been the first time Duncan had heard disembodied cries and sobs that no one else could -- he was actually tormented quite a bit for it when he was younger, before he was able to capitalize on it financially and use it to make a name for himself. But never before had he heard quite so handsome a voice, not even in choir. It was so earnest, so sincere, and yet so expertly and beautifully trained. And the depths of emotion expressed, it was unfathomable -- like a bottomless well of longing and despair, hungry for something that he was left a husk of himself without. 

Despite all logic, it brought a tear to Duncan’s eye, just hearing it. How could any one voice hold so much grief, and not be choked or strained? 

And perhaps because of how much the voice called him, Duncan got to thinking -- could that voice belong to a ghost who could give him some guidance to where the skull was? If it was the voice of Bill Weasley, or one of his brothers, perhaps he could tell Duncan where the skull was buried. Or if the voice belonged to the skull itself...to Jacob Cromwell himself...

Could a man with no head truly have such a big heart, that he could feel so deeply even in death? 

And so Duncan brought a hand up to his mouth and began to sing himself. The song he chose was one Rowan Khanna had listed in passing, when they’d been going off on a tangent about folk songs of the 18th century -- or at least, Duncan thought what he was singing was that song: it had the same title. He’d first heard “Barbara Allen” on one of his mother’s old records: he’d known it was a cover of a much older song, though he hadn’t known quite how old, and he hoped beyond reason that the song he remembered was anything like the song that was sung back in the 18th century. 

Duncan’s gamble paid off, for about two and a half stanzas in, his Bass voice was joined by an ethereal Tenor harmony, which settled down on top of his lower notes like a gauzy, veil-like shroud. 

The sound made Duncan’s heart skip a beat -- this singer was definitely well-trained, if his voice could meld so easily with his without any rehearsal. As much as he could’ve just closed his eyes and enjoyed the sound of their harmonies, he was laser-focused on his goal...and so as he sang, repeating the song twice over so as to make the voice echo him again, Duncan strode through the woods, trying to follow the voice he heard singing alongside him to its origin. At last, as the song came to an end for the third time, the paranormal investigator traced the voice to just under a leafless tree -- and on one branch of the tree, he found what looked like a very old and worn red ribbon tied around it. It was under this branch that Duncan began to dig -- and after about a half hour, he did indeed find a skull. It was a perfectly normal-looking skull -- dead as a doornail and silent -- but Duncan honestly hadn’t expected it to start singing in his hand like a novelty prop. The singing had done what it was meant to do -- it helped Duncan find the skull, so now all that was left to do was bury it with the rest of Jacob’s body. 

So Duncan returned to the graveyard forthwith. He wasn’t entirely sure how he was going to find the Headless Man and -- in doing so -- locate his grave, but he figured since Rowan Khanna had no information on where Jacob Cromwell had been buried, if his body was in this graveyard, it had to be in an unmarked grave, so it was the unmarked graves that Duncan looked for first. 

It was near the thirteenth of these he found that the air became deathly still, and Duncan sensed a foreboding presence. Good thing too, because less than ten seconds later, he just barely avoided a sword’s blade swiping past his shoulder. 

It was the Headless Man, and he had his sword aloft, pointing it right at Duncan.

Once Duncan had recovered from the abrupt assault, his voice hardened, becoming more business-like as he shifted the skull in his hands to show it to the ghost. “Easy -- I’m a friend. The name’s Duncan Ashe. And you’d be Jacob Cromwell, right? I think I have something of yours -- ”

“‘Ashe,’ you said?”

Duncan looked down at the skull in his hands. In an instant, it had become a smirking head with a mane of black-brown curls and brightly glinting almond-shaped blue eyes. 

Duncan was more than used to the supernatural and wasn’t prone to getting spooked -- but I think just about anyone in his position would’ve had a minor heart attack, suddenly holding a guy’s severed head in their hands. Duncan nearly dropped Jacob’s head, but just managed to hold onto it long enough that the Headless Man was able to snatch the absently mumbling head up by the hair. 

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust...in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life...” 

Shaking the skull down onto the unmarked grave, he then affixed the head onto his shoulders, adjusting his collar so that it fit snugly. 

Now Duncan had thought now that the Headless Man had his head again, he now would be able to pass on. He had what he’d undoubtedly been searching for...so now he could rest in peace, right? But no -- no, in fact, his head was not what Jacob had been searching for. 

“Look, I appreciate the effort you went through -- it’s been a long while since I’ve sung with anyone quite as talented, and it’ll be a lot easier to look around with actual eyes,” said Jacob lightly. “But I’m not going anywhere until I find my Wyn.”

“Your...Wyn?” said Duncan with a frown. 

“Yes -- my Wyn,” Jacob recurred matter-of-factly. 

He seemed disinterested in explaining further, as he’d already gotten distracted striding across the cemetery, reading the gravestones. Feeling frustration settling in, Duncan pursued him, trying to argue the point that he couldn’t just stay wandering around in the land of the living when he was scaring the townspeople half to death, but Jacob seemed perfectly unmoved by this. 

“Them being scared is their problem, not mine,” he said rather fiercely. “I’m not going anywhere without my Wyn.”

It was only as Duncan thought it over that he realized what Jacob was talking about. 

Wyn. Carewyn. Wasn’t that the name of Jacob Cromwell’s little sister -- the one who’d nearly been married against her will?

Not long after putting that together, Orion had popped up again, seemingly out of nowhere. 

“If your sister is dead, which she is likely to be,” said Orion softly, “how do you know that she has not already passed on, as most of the dead do?”

Despite saying this, though, there was something strange in Orion’s eyes -- something that almost seemed to not believe those words himself. And Duncan frankly didn’t blame him -- with how tragic of a death Carewyn Cromwell had, the likelihood of her spirit lingering was high. Jacob, for his part, seemed to hate Orion on sight just for suggesting such a thing and refused to believe it. Duncan himself thought it was likely that if she were still in the land of the living, then she’d probably be at the Cromwell Manor -- but this time, Orion seemed oddly cagey about Duncan returning to the Manor. 

“The owner of the Manor has stated that you’re not to enter the house again,” he said softly. “It’s no longer safe for you.”

“What?” said Duncan, taken aback. “You mean that ‘Ghost Host?’ He seemed pleased about me coming in, before -- almost creepily so,” he added dully. 

“The Ghost Host has never owned the Manor,” Orion said cryptically. 

He made as if to leave, but when Duncan tried to grab him, his hand went right through his shoulder. 

Duncan gave a start. Orion turned around with a wry smile. 

“Madame Olivia has never stopped materializing the dead, Mr. Ashe, not since she first died...and so many of us look...far more physically there than your average spirit.”

Jacob’s eyes narrowed upon Orion with fiery mistrust as he grabbed Orion by the front of his shirt. Being a ghost himself, he could hold onto him. 

“Who the Hell are you?” he demanded. 

But Orion disappeared right out of his grip with no explanation. 

[wickedw3asleys]

MINEFIELDS - Pt.1

George Weasley x Reader

WARNINGS: mentions of death, trauma, mental instability, depression, ptsd... emotional scenes, basically almost angst but not too much...

AN: hello everyone! so i finally got the time to finish writing the first part of my second serie! (i know i haven't finished my Just Like Heaven one but i have adhd bare with me) and i'm pretty excited about this one since it's not going to be a specific genre like fluff or smut, it'll just be a mini fic, so i hope you'll like it!!🥰

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The Battle of Hogwarts and Fred's premature death was a huge heartbreak for everybody. The ones you once were close to in school were now almost strangers to you. It was sad, pretty sad actually, but none of you got out the same from Hogwarts, and for you, you were still living the trauma and pain of fighting for your life and seeing your friends die, even 4 years later; never being able to fully heal.

You thought that forcing yourself to move on the second you got out of Scotland would help you, but in vain. It was hard for you to completely move on, and the only one that kept you company was Dean, your old Gryffindor friend, who happen to be now your long term boyfriend. He was the only one that was still there after all; not even Harry, Ron, Ginny or Neville bothered in keeping in touch... The only one that sent you a letter from time to time was Hermione. You found yourself writing to her as a sort of therapy, even though you did it once every three or four months. But she was there, somehow...

You learned from her the first year that her and Ron got in a relationship, finally after all these years of being chasing each other; Harry and Ginny were still together; even Luna was now in a happy and healthy relationship, but she couldn't keep you updated about the others.

The part that broke your heart the most was when she first mentioned Molly and Arthur in her letters; after the loss of their son they weren't the same, of course they were still the Weasleys you all once knew, but they were "empty", as Hermione described. Molly, still to this day, would put an extra plate at the family table, expecting to see Fred join them for dinner; and Arthur would spend more and more time in his office, trying to get his mind distracted.

And then George... For the first year he refused to look at himself in the mirror. He wouldn't sleep or eat properly. The day Fred died, a part of him died too, not as twins, but as individual too, and everybody saw it.

When Hermione told you about the hell George had had to go through during these 4 years, you couldn't help but hate yourself deeply for not being next to him and helping him going through that.

"Sometimes I find myself talking to Ronald and Ginny about him, we are all very concerned about him and his health, still to this day... After all, he did not only lost his twin that day... He also lost you..."

Fred, George and you were always together in your school days, since your first day at Hogwarts, even though they were a year older than you. You were always there for them and they were always there for you, always you three, through heaven and hell. You couldn't agree more with Hermione's words, and you hated yourself for that. You had been selfish, not being able to stand by George's side and not giving him any sign of life. At the time, you thought that it would be better for both of you to just disappear, but after all these years, you were completely regretting that decision.

"Sweetheart... Hermione wrote...", Dean says, entering your bedroom, handing you a folder piece of paper, "Are you okay?"

You were once again lost in your thoughts, always the same ones, but Dean always knew how to help you come back to reality. You appreciated that of him, never showing and ounce of pressure or frustration towards you, and you loved him. But you weren't sure if that was truly love or if you were just thankful for him being there... And it was a thought that was slowly killing you inside.

"Huh?", you shook your head, chasing all these intrusive thoughts from it, "Yeah, I'm okay... Let's see what she has to tell me today..."

Dean warmly smiled at you and placed a soft kiss on your forehead, "Okay, tell me if you need anything, alright?"

You nodded and opened the paper the moment he left the room.

"My dearest Y/N,

I hope you are doing well. Everything is great here, we are all doing good. Nothing much has changed, except for Harry and Ginny speaking of engagement... I was supposed to keep it secret because it is not entirely confirmed yet but I couldn't help myself from getting excited over it! A good new like this one is what we all need right now...

That is why I am writing to you, I was thinking about making a reunion... A family reunion... After all these years I think it is finally time to get together and talk around a good dinner... As we used to do... I think it would be great for everyone and Molly is already so excited to have you back home, she misses you so much, Y/N... We all mis you...

I hope I get your response soon...

Your dear friend,

Hermione."

You put the letter on your desk and sighed deeply. You knew one day you would have to go back to the Burrow and see everybody again, and you wanted too. You wanted to feel like home again, feel everybody's love and affection again. You truly had missed all that, but after second thoughts, you weren't sure it was a good idea...

Hermione said everybody was missing you, but was that true? Did they all want to see you? Or do they actually still hate you for leaving? You didn't want to face Ginny's, Harry's or Molly's gaze when you get there, you would be too ashamed of it...

"I think you should go...", Dean says after you explained the letter to him, "It's been 4 years, Y/N... You need to see them as much as they need to see you..."

"I know... But what if they hate me...", you say with a small voice.

"They don't hate you", your boyfriends take your hands in his, "I'm sure they've missed you. You practically lived there when we were in school... And you were always with Fred and George..."

The mention of Fred's name made your whole body shiver. It has been a long time since you've heard his name falling out of someone's mouth, and you could feel your heart drop at the sound of it.

"I miss them... So much...", you start tearing.

"I know, sweetheart, I know...", Dean pulls you in a tight hug, never letting you down and holding onto you for dear life.

"You really think I should go?", you ask a few minutes later.

"I do... I don't like the idea of leaving you alone but I think it would be better if you went by yourself... Next time I'll go with you"

"Are you sure?"

"Completely...", he smiled.

The days that followed Hermione's letter, you had sent your positive response to her and started packing your things for the few days you were going to spend at the Burrow. Hermione had told you that the only one aware of your visit was Molly of course, but it would be a total surprise for the rest, that information only making you more nervous.

The D-day came up more quick than you've had thought, but there you were, now standing in the middle of your living room, saying your goodbyes to Dean, surrounded by your bags.

"Good luck... Everything is going to be okay...", he says, leaving the last small peck on your lips.

You warmly smiled to him and in a second, you apparated on the field in front of the Burrow.

You could feel your eyes already water at the sight of it. It was like nothing had changed, and even after all the thing that house had been through, it looked the same as it did the first time you stayed there.

The smell of rain and wet grass filling your nostrils and the sound of the wind and early birds only made you more nostalgic. Damn you had missed this place. It was home, you were home.

After a moment trying to compose yourself, you took your bags and went straight to the building.

When you got to the front door, you realized that you didn't know what to do; should you knock? Should you just enter the house? Thinking that the second option would be the less appropriate, you decided to just knock, already nervous about who you'd get opening the door.

You waited a few seconds before hearing an echo of someone running though the house, followed by voices and sounds of plates.

"Harry, dear, can you please-

"Hello, Molly...", you smiled to the woman in front of you, "it's been a while..."

She was in complete shock. Her mouth completely open and strangely looking like she was about to pass out.

"Oh Merlin...", she breathes out, "Y/N... It's really you..."

You could see tears starting to form in her eyes, and you felt too weak to stop yours from falling. She opened her arms to you and you didn't hesitate to hug her, instantly starting to sob.

"Let me look at you... Oh my Lord...", she took your face in her hands, rubbing her thumbs on your cheeks, collecting your tears, "You're a grown woman now... I can't believe it... Arthur! Arthur, come here!"

She embraced you again in the warmest motherly hug you've ever received, which only made you sob more.

"What's wrong, mom?", Ron arrived at the door, followed by his sister, Hermione and Arthur, "Who's-

You slowly lift up you head from Molly's shoulder and faced everyone.

"Y/N... You came...", Hermione says, shocked.

"Of course I came..."

Everybody was speechless, not knowing if you were actually real or just a pure product of their imagination. Ginny instantly got towards you, embracing you as warmly as her mother.

"Merlin... How are you?", she asks.

"I'm fine... I'm sorry... I-

"You have nothing to be sorry for, darling...", Mr. Weasley was now the one to hug you.

When he let you go, you looked at the other three people; you couldn't really describe the looks on Harry and Ron's faces, they were visibly shocked, but you couldn't see if they were happy or mad to see you...

"Ronald...", you started to make your way towards him, but quickly, he took a few steps back, "I need to go...", he says, before leaving the room.

You knew it was a fair reaction, he had all the rights to hate you and be upset.

"I'm so sorry...", you sob, "I'm so so sorry..."

Harry put his hand on your shoulder and also embraced you in a warm hug.

You didn't expect the reunion to be this full of emotions, and it wasn't even breakfast's time yet...

Hermione and Ginny helped you with your bags, leading you to Charlie's empty room, the one you always used to stay in whenever you stayed with the Weasleys.

"It hasn't changed a bit...", you say, admiring the house as it was the first time you saw it.

The two girls entered the room and sat on the bed with you, only to stay there in silence hugging you for a moment. As you couldn't believe to actually be there, they couldn't believe it either.

You made a brief resume of what had happened in your life during these 4 years; why you had left, where you were living now, your life with Dean...

"Dean?", Ginny smiled, "Wow... I wasn't expecting that one..."

"Yeah... I hope it's okay though...", you say, embarrassed.

"Don't worry, it's completely fine... Besides...", she stops to lift her hand and wiggle her ring finger, now occupied with a big gemstone.

"Godric! You're joking!", you take her hand, "I mean... Hermione told me about something like this in the letter, but I didn't know it was confirmed!"

"Hermione!", Ginny scolds her.

"Sorry! You know I'm very bad at keeping secrets! I was so excited for you!"

The three of you kept laughing and talking about everything, making you forget about the moment you had been apprehending for the past few days: your first meeting with George.

"Breakfast's ready!", you hear Molly's voice echo through the house, making memories come back to you.

You slowly made your way down the stairs with the girls and when you got to the kitchen, you felt you whole body freeze.

You were feeling like you were about to pass out, but at the same time, you couldn't find yourself making any type of move, you weren't sure if you were still breathing. You felt the weight of the world on your shoulder when you saw the man you had shared so many moments with, and when he turned to face you, you saw his brother.

His body immediately copied yours, not being able to move or say anything, and for a good minute, George and you stood still, staring at each other; and as if you had read each other's mind at the same time, you ran towards each other and crashed in your arms, sobbing like babies. You felt his legs start to lose strength, and you not being able to help him stand, you both let your bodies fall to the ground, still hugging and holding on each other for dear life.

Neither of you had said anything yet, you were both too busy shaking and sobbing to say anything anyways.

The other people in the kitchen didn't say anything either, they just stood there, looking at George and you, knowing that it would be better to not interrupt you and just leave you let your emotions out.

George was obviously was more affected than you were, and you could feel his body tremble with every breath he tried to take.

"I m-missed you... so much...", he managed to say between sobs.

"I missed you too, Georgie...", you keep crying with him.

"W-why... did you... left me..."

"I know... I know... I shouldn't have... I'm so sorry...", you sobbed harder. How could you have done that to him? How could you have left him alone? After everything...

"I'm so sorry, Georgie... So sorry... I missed you so much..."

"Please, tell me you're staying...", he looked at you in the eyes. You could feel his sincerity emane from his body, and you knew he needed you. He needed you as much as you needed him.

"I am staying...", you managed to smile between your tears. George hugged you even tighter than before, crushing your body with his but you didn't care. You'd let him break your whole body if he needed to.

"Georgie... Honey...", you felt Molly's soft presence helping you get up and guiding the both of you to the table. When you sat down, you see that everybody was deeply affected by the scene that just happened; Molly still having tears running down her cheeks and Hermione and Ginny holding onto each other. Even Harry and Ron were on the verge of crying.

You sat down on your chair, George's eyes still on you and your hand in his.

"George, darling..."

You quickly turned your head to the voice behind you.

"Angie...", George got up, almost stumbling on his own feet.

"What is she doing here?", she asks, earning confused looks from everybody.

By the look she had on her face, you knew she wasn't happy to see you. She looked at you with disgust and anger, which was completely fair...

"How dare you?! You filthy little-

"Angie, it's okay... Please, calm down..."

"Calm down?! Look at you! Only her can make you feel that way again!"

"Angelina... I promise I came here to start things over... And do things correctly this time...", you say, tears forming again in your eyes.

"You have NO RIGHTS to be here! After all the damage you caused this family! NO RIGHTS!", she yelled, her eyes almost popping out of her head.

You looked at the people around the table, no one saying anything. Not even Molly was able to form coherent words, she was just there, heavily breathing.

"I'm going to go...", you slowly stand up from your seat, not wanting to make everyone more upset than they already were, "Angelina, I'm sorry..."

She glanced at you in anger, "you shouldn't be here", she spat.

"Y/N, don't leave, please...", George pleaded, eyes red and swollen.

"I'm just going out, I'll be okay, don't worry...", you caressed his arm trying to comfort him, and you could feel Angelina tensing her body at that action, eyes full of fire.

"I'm sorry...", you say before closing the door behind you.

[rose-vanderan]

You’ll Be Safe

Pairing: Remus/Tonks (Mentioned)

Rating: G (General)

Word Count: 3,048

Notes: What happens to 12 Grimmauld Place following the end of the Second Wizarding War? Also known as me exploring a few personal headcanons in a Post War canon divergence setting.

Also posted under AO3 under the same name (”You’ll Be Safe” by Curious_Feline)

The years following the Battle of Hogwarts were tough for everyone it affected. Harry went off with Ron and Neville to join up with Aurors to clean up the wreckage following the War. Harry was told by multiple people that he didn’t need to continue, none of the children that were involved needed to risk themselves anymore, trying to catch any of the dark wizards that managed to flee. They were determined to try and keep fighting, afraid of what would happen if they stopped. The threat from the Second Wizarding War kept looming over their heads during their school years, it was hard to be a child.

Ron Weasley was the first to drop out of the career, he reached his limit feeling himself reaching a breaking point. Hermione pointed it out to all three of the boys, concerned that they were stretching themselves too thin. What helped Ron realize he needed a break was George. Following the loss of his twin, it took George a while before he was able to get up and move himself back to the shop. Ron offered to help him shortly after George brought up trying to reopen. He didn’t want Fred’s dream to die with him. It was Fred’s dream for the joke shop just as much as George’s. Together they both were able to bring life back to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, bringing it back to it's glory days watching proudly as it filled to the brim with excited customers. Ron even dawned the tacky two piece suit, proudly displacing the bright orange and purple displaying around the shop.

Neville Longbottom took a little while to reach a tipping point. He wanted to join the Aurors to help Harry and Ron, feeling like he wanted to make his parents proud to try and follow in their footsteps. He didn’t hate being an auror, but he realized he wouldn’t be able to do it as a career because he couldn’t put his heart into it. He knew he needed a break because he felt like he wasn’t making himself proud simply by doing it because he felt like he had too. He knew his parents would want him to do whatever he loved, and knew that this wasn’t what he wanted. He started looking into alternatives before he was presented the opportunity to further his education to get trained under Professor Sprout to be the next Herbology Teacher. It felt the first time he smiled genuinely since the War ended.

Harry Potter took the longest to leave the Aurors. He kept pushing himself, afraid to stop. He felt like it was simply because he didn’t know what would happen if he did. People kept telling him he has done enough, that he doesn’t need to keep going, or that he should just rest. Harry wasn’t sure he knew how to do that anymore. He’s lost so many people in his young life, that he feels like he has to keep going or else he has failed everyone that has died. There was always that voice that he heard in the back of his head that told him that they wouldn’t want him running himself ragged or constantly pushing himself to a breaking point; that he’s done enough. It took Harry the longest until close friends and people he considered family told him it was okay. They told him that he needed a break, he needed to rest, because the boy has done enough that he doesn’t have to do anything for the rest of his life. Harry finally quit the Aurors after he realized, finally, that he didn’t have to keep fighting.

------

It was by the third year following the Battle of Hogwarts that Harry had created something he was proud of. He might not have kept fighting with the aurors but he kept fighting in other ways, and this was a way that made him insanely proud. By the third year following the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry had turned 12 Grimmauld Place into a safe haven. Here wizarding children that needed a place where they could feel safe and loved was waiting with open arms. They had children that needed a safe place to stay over holidays from Hogwarts, as well as muggleborn orphans or any children whose family didn’t appreciate their child’s newfound gifts. The most controversial thing about his new sanctuary was that Harry made it point to also take in werewolves.

-----

Nymphadora Tonks stayed as an Auror following the Battle of Hogwarts, although far more carefully now that she had her son, Teddy. She stayed under Mad Moody, who to the shock of everyone in the Order managed to make it through the whole ordeal with only a few more scars to show for it. Tonks alongside her partner, Jamie, were tasked with training the three newest up and coming Auror recruits: Ron, Neville, and Harry. They both guided them, showing them the ropes, being excited to finally get to be in a mentor's footsteps. Tonks was one of the few people who got it into Harry's head that it was okay for him to quit being an Auror, that he's done enough for this world. She gave him the biggest hug, sweeping him off his feet and twirling him around when he thanked her on the day he resigned. The display actually got the boy to laugh by the time she put him down, and she ruffled his unruly hair before taking him by the shoulders to say how proud she was of him and how she'd definitely miss him as a protégée. She waved him off but not before shouting at him that he wasn't getting rid of his "Cool" Aunt Tonks that easily, reminding him of dinner that Friday.

Remus Lupin had survived the Second Wizarding War just as he had survived the First. He stayed behind with his wife and child when the Battle of Hogwarts raised hell over the school grounds. He felts his heart sink heavy with guilt after he heard what happened but didn't stop the selfish part of him that at least the people most important to him that he had made it through the Battle. He spent countless moments constantly telling Harry how proud he was of him, terrified to have almost lost him too and Harry cried so much that day, his eyes burned but felt the stinging all the same as he stayed holding onto him. Remus cried that day and he cried again and held Harry for what felt like hours after he was told about Grimmauld Place. Harry explained that it was to be made into a sanctuary for not only children who needed a home but a place for werewolves to go to get help. They would be given access to wolfsbane potion every month as well as directed towards a safe location for transformations. Harry may never know the pain the Remus had felt all the years living in isolation, being shunned from society but he wants to do everything in his power to ensure that no other werewolf is put through what his Uncle was.

“Harry….” Remus choked out, still holding Harry in a crushing hug, “I...I’m so proud of you. You’ve given so much for this world, and you continue to give. Your parents would be so proud of you, you know that?”

Remus pulled back from the hug to look at Harry, tears staining his face. Harry took one sleeve up to his own eyes and rubbed it lazily to rid it of the tears he didn’t even know were starting to fall. He gave a sheepish smile and hugged Remus quickly.

“I don’t want anyone to go through anything like we did.” Harry said, knowing the pain close to heart, knowing he can still brighten this world. “I know Hermione is trying all she can with her equality acts she keeps taking to the Ministry. Now that Shacklebolt is there we should be able to do loads better.”

Remus let out a soft chuckle, “I’m sure Sirius would be happy to hear that his childhood home is being used for something so important. Probably only because it would drive his Mother mad. The articles they would write....”

“It’s going to be fun trying to read through all the articles that will be written, I’m sure.” Harry grinned at the thought.

------

As the months passed, he spent countless hours renovating and altering Grimmauld Place. Even with Shacklebolt as Minister of Magic, Harry still had to deal with countless inspections. He knew there was only this type of restriction because he vocally mentioned his plans to be offering help to werewolves. He knew that even though Remus Lupin was a hero following the Second War, most people only saw him as an exception. He also knew how much work the team, led by Hermione Granger, was working trying to get more recognition and change for equality. What came as a shock to some was a certain person that took to helping Harry out with Grimmauld Place. Most of the Weasleys came by to visit and help where they could, Remus & Tonks with his godson Teddy dropped by when he couldn’t visit, and his friends even dropped in for assistance. The person that few expected was Percy.

Percy Weasley had spent most of his time following the Battle of Hogwarts with his family. George had rarely let him be alone the first few months. The night following the Battle, George had snuck into Percy’s room and slept with him. George then took to shadowing his older brother for those painful few first months. Percy never complained but felt stings of guilt because he felt like he didn’t deserve it. George was actually the one that had pushed Percy to take the job offer that Shaklebolt had offered him. When the Ministry was trying to rebuild itself, all the departments had a lot to go through to try and repair the mess that was left behind. Shaklebolt had brought Percy back in to try and offer him a job back working in the Ministry. Shacklebolt had mentioned that Percy was damn good at his job. He always was. Even through all the stress the Death Eaters put the entire Ministry through, Percy always did his job damn near perfectly. There was a reason the Death Eaters never got rid of him or tried to replace him. So after reviewing the clustered mess that was the Floo Network, Percy took the job. He may have only taken this particular job because he had thought of a few solutions, but he knew he needed to do something soon before he lost his mind, and with how chaotic this was he knew he would be distracted. Percy made a vow with himself though, he never missed a family dinner, work be damned.

Percy started showing up at Grimmauld Place a lot a few months after it was officially established. Harry was surprised that he seemed to enjoy spending time around all the kids and about how easily he handled them and even started to teach them. Then again, Harry was learning, especially after the Battle of Hogwarts, there was a lot he didn’t know about Percy. Percy had a given knack for children, it’s what made it easier to wrangle all of his younger siblings when Bill or Charlie were occupied or gone. It got harder and harder to do as the years went on but he prided himself on how he was able to do it before the youngest four got to school. Before everything got worse. Percy did find it amusing that both Harry and Ron found it shocking that he was able to handle the current 5 children in Grimmauld Place with ease.

“Keep your face like that, it might get stuck.” Tonks grinned, sticking her head into the doorway, glancing over at them. The boys were standing in the sitting room that was adjacent to a playroom where Percy was. Ron had his eyebrow raised in confusion watching as Percy held up his arm, watching a toddler dangle from it like a handbag, the child giggling like mad. Harry had his arms crossed, a puzzled look painted his face as he was honestly fascinated by how easy Percy was making it look.

“I’m just wondering where all…” Ron gestured with his hands towards Percy and the small hoard of children. “This came from.”

“Well,” Tonks began, coming into the room standing next to Ron, “You have a lot of siblings. Plus I heard the stories of how he was a mother hen to the students when he was in school.”

Ron pondered the thought, recalling back to all the times Percy had dragged been overprotective (overbearing he more than often thought) during those first three years in school. He conceded and nodded, Harry giving a chuckle watching Percy starting to look a little helpless in the other room.  Tonks let out barking laughter as one of the children started climbing onto Percy’s back while another tried dragging him in another direction, causing Percy to collapse on the ground resulting in a dogpile of giggling children.

------

When Harry started taking in children that were younger than schooling age, he knew he’d need to start tutoring them so they’d have some basic education before they were sent off to Hogwarts. It was safer to home school them here at Grimmauld then it would’ve been to send them off to public school. Part of Harry didn’t hate the idea of being one of the rotating teachers for the children either. It was after watching how Percy interacted with the children that he approached him. He offered him the idea of coming over to help tutor the younger children to help prepare them for school. Percy was terribly confused as to why he would’ve been propositioned such a thing.

“I mean you had top marks in school, didn’t you?” Harry asked completely casually.

“Well, yes I mean…” Percy said, taken aback. “I just don’t see why you’d be asking me?” Percy was raising his left eyebrow in confusion. This was one of the times Percy just came over, he claimed it was because he had some free time but what he didn’t say was that he had promised a few of the children that he would come back and read them a story he had told them about.

“I mean I know you’re busy with work, Shacklebolt was telling about all the good you’ve been doing in the Department of Magical Transportation. I’ve just seen how good you’ve been handling the kids. I just figured you could try being one of the rotating tutors we’re going to have for the younger ones.” Harry explained.

Percy gave it some thought. He knew he didn’t have to worry as much about his job as he used to, having been made the Head of the Department. He had made tremendous work on the chaos that got left behind after the war. He enjoyed spending time with the children, something he personally never thought he would enjoy as much as he did. He knew he didn’t hate children, it wasn’t something on the table when you had as many siblings as he did. He was close with his mother and did tend to pick up her behavior, especially for wrangling his siblings. Percy also knew all the jokes that people made about him being a Prefect in school, always fussing over the younger students and “taking his job too seriously” as certain students would claim. Percy considered the offer for only a few moments but his brain whipping through the thoughts felt like minutes ticking by. He accepted it, holding out a formal hand for Harry to take as a sign of agreement. Harry grinned and shook his hand, happy that he was on board.

------

This set both boys up on a path for future careers that they may have considered but never knew they would have. Some short years following the establishment of 12 Grimmauld Place as a sanctuary, Harry was approached by now Headmistress McGonagall for the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. She had mentioned how he always had a knack for the subject when he was a student, and Harry remembered how much he enjoyed teaching Dumbledore’s Army all those years ago. He briefly thought about the career as an option back in his Fifth Year when Ron had brought it up as an option but it quickly got drowned out by the War.

Percy took years after Harry became a Professor before he looked at that option. His children were a few years old before he announced one night at dinner. The words “I think I’d like to look into being Professor at Hogwarts” came out easier than he had expected. His spouse was fully supportive and encouraging even. No matter how long they’ve been together it still surprised him. Percy had given it careful consideration before he had landed on being the Potions Professor. It helped solidify his decision when Neville and Harry had mentioned that Slughorn was looking for an intern to mentor to replace him. Percy had recalled back to his youth in that he actually quite enjoyed Potions and counted it among on his favorite subjects. He also remembers that when he was younger he counted it as a personal victory that Severus Snape had begrudging respect for the boy, as he had managed near perfect marks in his class. Percy throughout the years was keen on making his own potions too, even offering to help where he could with the supply of Wolfsbane Potions for Harry’s sanctuary to be distributed out to safehouses. It seemed almost scarily natural once he started being mentored by Professor Slughorn and quickly picked up a rhythm that worked easily for him that flowed through the classroom.

  In the years that followed as the next generation filtered into Hogwarts, they had a few new teachers than the previous generation. They got to watch as the houses united, prejudices being abandoned, and Hogwarts and the Wizarding World continued on the path of greatness and strove to always get better year after year.

[turning-dreams-into-chaos]

Closure

*Not my Gif*

Post Date: 9-30-19

Paring: Fred Weasley x Reader

Word Count: 1.9K

A/N: I have no heart anymore 😂

~Master Lists~

~Harry Potter Master List~

“You ever been in love?” Fred asks as his head hung upside down off the couch, looking at you in the same position. You scrunched up your nose, turning to meet the boy eyes.

“Why would you ask me that? You know I haven’t.” You said with a chuckle as Fred joined in, making the small living room echo with your sounds. “Seriously though, why would you ask such a thing?”

“Just wondering. I was curious as to why you never got a boyfriend. You know you could get one.” He nudged your shoulder and you brought your hand to your face, hiding the slight blush coming in at this topic. “Lee was asking about you a lot last year.”

You couldn’t believe what you were hearing, Fred was really trying to set you up right now? Sure you could go out with Lee, chances were you could get almost any guy in the school but you just graduated, and now the chances of you seeing any of the kids at hogwarts we’re pretty low if they didn’t show up at the twins and your joke shop.

“Who needs a boyfriend when I have a best friend like you?” Fred gave you a small smile and grabbed your hand, giving it a squeeze before standing up.

“Come on Love, store opens soon and I promised George I’d get you there on time at least once this week.” He pulled you off the couch, bringing you next to him before you both apparated to your shop.

The store sprung to life around you but you couldn’t bring yourself to smile right, never quite reaching your eyes. It was hard to remain cheery and happy while your dreams were coming true if the person you’d dreamt them with wasn’t there. It had been nearly 6 months since Fred died, your best friend leaving the store to you and George to take care of alone. George was a mess. He hardly ever showed up anymore and you couldn’t blame him, everything in here reminded you of Fred, hell seeing his twin caused your entire brain to shut down. You felt guilty, your time with the Weasley family was cut down tremendously because you were too afraid. You were too afraid to face them and not break down because you might’ve lost the best person and friend you could’ve asked for but they lost a brother, a son, family, and you couldn’t help but feel bad for thinking only about yourself. Today was supposed to be a shorter day for you, George was supposed to come in a few minutes and relive you of your duties but time seemed to stand still as a little boy approached the counter you sat behind. It wouldn’t have been completely dreadful if he hadn’t turned around to his brother, wearing the same face as him and you found yourself staring a little long.

The moment they were gone and leaving you alone, you ducked under the counter, trying to calm your now rapid breaths. It was like that every time a twin came in, which turned out to be more frequent than not. You would clam up and suddenly the entire world around you yet none of it registered in your head until ginger hair entered your view and grabbed your shoulders, shaking you gently before pulling you into their arms. For a second you thought the world was right again and you were in Fred’s arms, but soon enough you realized that wasn’t him.

“Let me go!” You cried quietly into the once younger twins arms as he held you tighter, running a hand over your hair which only made things worse.

George knew exactly what to do from watching Fred over the years. He was like a guidebook that he could never open again.

The moment your cries turned to gentle sniffles George let you go, watching you press your back into the shelf behind you and wipe your nose onto your sweater. “Thank you.” You mumbled as George nodded, copying your pose across from you. Neither of you said anything, just staying in the comfort of each other as kids laughed around you.

“You can’t keep doing this to yourself Y/N.” George finally spoke as you looked up at him, seeing him play with his fingers instead of looking at you. You were about to ask him what he was talking about before he kept going. “You need closure.”

Your mood instantly got worse as you realized what he meant. In the 6 months since you lost Fred, you never once visited his grave. It was just too hard. “What about you huh? Don’t you need closure as well? I don’t see you making any move to visit him.” You knew you would soon regret the words but George didn’t say anything, just leaning forward to wipe the tears streaming down your face.

“It’s different for you.” He whispered, letting his fingers stop to cup your cheek. “He’s always going to be different for you.”

The first time you realized life wasn’t going to just wait for you to get your shit together, you were eleven. Hogwarts has always seemed like a dream to you growing up but now that you were here it didn’t really seem all that special. You were failing half your classes, Snape scared the living daylights out of you, you had yet to find the people you would fit in with, and Gryffindor truly didn’t seem like the house you fit into. You were always more of a shy girl, everyone called you a mouse since you could talk because you never really did, brave and daring were just two words you’d never use to describe yourself. So far the only thing you managed to do was get detention for staying up too late in the library studying and getting caught by Snape on your way back. You tried to convince him to just let you go but instead he took 50 points from Gryffindor which had increased due to your persistence further damning you to solitude in your house. No one really liked the out of place first year losing 50 points in one night.

You sat alone for what seemed like the millionth time that month in the Great Hall before the spot across from you became occupied by a ginger haired first year you’d seen quite a bit through out hogwarts. “Umm... hi?” You said, hoping that this awkwardness would be put to rest soon. The boy just gave you a cheeky smile and stuck his hand out.

“I’m Fred. I’ve seen you around, you don’t talk much.” He seemed so cheery that you couldn’t help but smile a little, letting your hair fall into your face but Fred wasn’t having it. He pushed the hair behind your ear, revealing your Y/E/C orbs he just stared into. It didn’t last long before another boy came up behind him, making you do a double take at the fact they were twins. That’s why you saw them so much.

Fred introduced his brother to you and from that day forward he made it his mission to crack your shell, bringing out the girl he grew fond of over the years. It only took him 5 years to get you to show your true self to everyone else at hogwarts instead of keeping it inside you for only Fred and sometimes George to get glimpses of. Fred wanted the whole world to see what made you special, but the moment he did he hated it. Boys suddenly started finding you more and more interesting and Fred got worried, yet you never made any move to get with them. You never had any interest in people who only found you worth it when you changed what you showed them, you preferred people who put in the work and who would love you regardless.

The air was a lot thicker than you thought it would be as you stood right in front of the grave you had been avoiding for the better half of a year. A bag of dung bombs was in your hands, they seemed to better fit Fred more than flowers but now you couldn’t help but feel stupid as you held them because how was he supposed to know you brought him this instead of flowers.

“Hi Freddie.” You whispered as you fell to your knees, tears slowly making their way into your vision but you held strong. “I’m lost without you.” You said, jumping right into the hard stuff. You fought the battle with your tears as they plummeted to the ground, wetting your cheeks along the way. “Do you remember that day you asked me...” you swallowed and took a big breath, trying to keep your words from coming out cracking. “Do you remember that day you asked me if I had ever been in love?” You asked even though you knew he couldn’t answer. Your hand found the ground, the only way you could feel like you were holding his before you continued.

“Merlin, I mean what do I say?” You let your eyes close and laid the dung bombs by the top of the grave, sighing as read his name over and over again. “What do you say to the man you love? The man you’ll never be able to see again? What do you say except goodbye?”

You could of sworn your heart broke a little more at your words, finally feeling the full affect the boy had on you. “I love you Fred Weasley.”

It was like the sky could sense your emotions because the moment you got the words out, rain started to fall and yet you made no motion to move, letting the cold water cover your skin because maybe you’d finally feel something.

Maybe you’d finally feel something besides the heartbreak. “I love you Freddie. I love you and I never even found the courage to tell you before I lost you. I-I Lost you.” You couldn’t tell the tears from rain at this point but you didn’t care. All you wanted to do was just curl up in a ball and sleep away the pain, sleep away the memories and hope that you would wake up and Fred would be there sleeping next to you after you showed up to his house unexpectedly and Molly would give you a big hug and tell you that you were always welcomed here and Fred would agree, wrapping his arms around your waist and putting his chin onto your head. You wished you could go back to when Fred asked you to the Yule ball and he spent the entire night making you blush and laugh. You wished you wouldn’t have wasted your time and just kissed him then and there. You wished more than anything that Fred was back in your arms, whispering a stupid joke just to see your smile once again before lifting you onto his back and jumping around the burrow. You wished you had been there to get him out of the way of the building falling on him because living without the one you love was worse than death. But George was right. Closure did make it a little better. At least now you told Fred the truth, even if he wasn’t alive to hear it.

Thoughts?

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[the-glitter-acetylcholine]

Harry Potter characters that were criminally underused (in no particular order)

(MAJOR SPOILERS)

Luna Lovegood - literally only introduced like halfway through the fifth book, yet probably the most influential ravenclaw character. Her odd mannerisms and odder outlook would have made her a fabulous addition to the golden trio’s shenanigans, yet she only serves this purpose in one case

Mad-eye Moody - he’s “well-developed” in the fourth book, and we get a lot of content of him... only to discover it wasn’t him at all. Then, he briefly appears with the order and then dies. Great. What a wonderful use of a skilled fighter and mentor.

Remus Lupin - okay, so he does get the whole third book but then... he just fucks off? Ofc then he, too, returns to fight with the order, fall in love with a woman half his age, have a baby with her, and then die immediately thereafter. He’s just such a cool guy with so much to offer to Harry and to readers (when it comes to insight on discrimination in the wizarding community) and he just doesn’t get a chance to do nearly enough. What a wasted opportunity.

Pravati and Padma Patil - yeah, these are two different characters, but we know so little about them that I can’t even discuss them individually. They’re twins in different houses! How cool! There’s so much to be explored there, especially considering the competitive atmosphere among houses that Harry perceives. Not to mention the fact that they inexplicably agreed to go to the Yule Ball with Harry and Ron respectively despite a) apparently not knowing them very well and b) not even being all that desperate to hang out with them at the ball (I think Padma asks Ron to dance a few times and then gives up) (side note: this made me extremely mad when I was little, because I had I major crush on Padma). What compelled them to do that? What are they like? What are the differences between them that caused them to be sorted into different houses? Gah, they could have been so interesting!

Cho Chang - this is one that makes me genuinely a little mad (same goes for #6). She’s just so two dimensional, and that’s really not fair. She’s a decoration on Harry’s arm for what? A year or two? And she then cries, dates Diggory, and then she cries again (I think she dates Diggory first but you get the point). HER PURPOSE IS NOT JUST TO CRY OVER GUYS. She’s a ravenclaw. Let’s hear about that. Where do her interests lie? Is she an academic? Is she an artist? What kind of intelligence does she have, what kind of knowledge does she seek? What made her like Harry to begin with? Did Harry ever like her for more than her “sleek black hair” (not a direct quote, but I’m sure it’s described as something to that effect)? I want to knowwwww

Lavender Brown - aka... Ron’s brief, annoying girlfriend? The precursor to Romione? I mean, was this girl even in the D.A.? Maybe she was, but I don’t remember, and that’s the problem. She’s a Gryffindor. She’s brave, she’s headstrong, she’s proud! But she’s only ever portrayed as overbearing and clingy which SURE, may be some of her traits, because she’s allowed to have flaws, but that’s not all she is. I want to see her relationship with Pravati and Hermione, who she roomed with for six years (beyond her annoying Hermione when she dated Ron). But nope! I guess she’s just another accessory!

Nymphadora Tonks - i.e. Tonks. She’s funny and brave and powerful, but we barely get to see her in action (yes, before you ask, i had a crush on her, too). She’s interesting, so interesting, because her emotions are often expressed through her appearance, and she undergoes like two full personality shifts throughout the books (it’s worth noting that she’s also introduced pretty late in the series, book five, i think). She’s depressed for a while, then she falls in love, gets married, and has a son (and then dies), and, while it seems like this is a lot of usage (which it is), I can’t help but wish we had seen a little more of it all, specifically of her falling in love and of her married life, of her motherhood, before she died.

Xenophilius Lovegood - literallly (i would argue) one of the most interesting characters in the series, despite the fact that (I think) he is only featured heavily in one scene. I would definitely call him a more complex character than Snape. In his one scene, Xenophilius offers the golden trio one of their most important lessons through the Tale of the Three Brothers, the story which ultimately wins them the war against Voldemort. And yet, it’s a trap. He’s stalling, keeping them around so that Voldy’s goons can come pick them up and presumably kill them, or at least imprison them until Voldy comes ‘round again. But, and here’s the important part, he does it to save his beloved daughter. His daughter, who is the only family he has left, after his incredible scientist-witch of a wife died doing what she loved. The Lovegood’s are a family of inherently good people, yet Xenophilius sides with the very people who took his daughter in a weak effort to get her safely back. His plan won’t work, they won’t return Luna. They DON’T return her, but Xenophilius is fundamentally weak, made weak out of his love, and his fear of losing the last person in the world he has to care about, to protect, to love. He’s just SO DAMN INTERESTING ughhhhh give me more Xenophilius pleaseeeee

Kingsley Shacklebolt - he’s??? so cool??? Literally he’s just awesome, but we barely see him. He acts as a spy, essentially, when the ministry gets taken over by the death eaters, and helps the order actually get shit done, but he’s just so underused. Idk, I don’t have much to say except that he’s awesome and I want more Shacklebolt content

Cedric Diggory - he’s actually talked about a fair amount, so I don’t think I need to say much, except that he is literally the nicest guy ever, and, despite Harry actively hating him for like a whole year, he helps him in the Triwizard Tournament and represents Hufflepuff beautifully as being more than just the “miscellaneous house”. But then of course he’s killed before he and Harry can become friends, and before readers get a chance to understand anything about his social status (is he the asshole popular guy or sweet quite guy???) or motivations. Of course.

Percy Weasley - aka MY FAVORITE WEASLEY KID. R*wling did my boy so dirty. He’s cool because he’s kind of a stuck up academic asshole stereotype, or at least Harry perceives him as such, and then he changes slightly over the years as he and Harry both grow and mature and then it all culminates in his great moment of emotion and humanity! Fred’s death is, without much contest I think, the most devastating death in the whole series (Dobby could admittedly give him a run for his money, though), in part because he’s just so damn sweet and funny and innocent, and in part because right before it we FINALLY get to see Percy smile. He smiles at a dumb joke Fred makes, and then Fred DIES (a well placed death, I’ll admit begrudgingly), and just the juxtaposition of the moment... *chef’s kiss*. And then we never really check back in on Percy, and we don’t really get enough closure on that moment. :/

Colin and Dennis Creevy - again, two characters stuffed together, this time because we actually know a fair amount about them and... they’re kind of the same character. Colin is obsessed with Harry, and so is Dennis. That’s about it. I just WISH we got a little more on these kids, on why they felt so drawn to him as this apparently untouchable hero among them. Were they abused? Orphaned? Abandoned? Did they have some sort of trauma in their lives that made them so attached to the idea of a savoir? Or did they simply regard Harry as most little boys might, as a cool sort of action figure character? The world may never know :(((

Susan Bones - God, I wish I had more to say about her. She’s sweet, she a hufflepuff, I think she helps Ron at one point in Herbology. Her aunt dies I think. Is she the one who had the rabbit at one point? Idk, she’s just one of those characters who’s so far in the background that she almost stands out, and I kinda just wanna know more.

Fawkes - yeah, I know he’s a bird or whatever, but he’s fucking cool, and we get a Fawkes-ex-machina in the second book and then he’s essentially inconsequential for like... forever. I want to know how he and dumbledore bonded, why his feathers in those two specific wands were so attracted to Harry and Tommy boi specifically, other than symbolism uwu. Does Fawkes have a moral compass, or does he simply follow Dumbledore’s orders? Could his loyalty potentially be changed?

Narcissa Malfoy - please, for the love of god, give the Malfoy’s a chance. At least Draco and Narcissa. Narcissa is essentially the flip side of Xenophilius’s coin. Her side of the family is shrouded in dark magic, but her priority is keeping her dear son safe. I just want to know her and her inner struggle more intimately, because she’s such a contradiction, she’s a death eater who loves and protects, a dark magic user who wants to create something warm and beautiful for her family. She’s scared for a husband, a top death eater, one of Voldemort’s personal faves, and scared for her son, who she knows is good at heart but who struggles through the first steps of death eater initiation out of a sense of duty, a duty to her and his father. She’s the intimate mother figure, yet she’s an antagonist, fundamentally speaking. Fascinating.

These are just some I thought of off the top of my head, I’m sure there are literally hundreds more, from the two guys from the Knightbus to Bathilda Bagshot to Nagini the legend (also wtf happened to her in the Cursed Child?? Nvm, I can’t even get into that shithole right now), and I have to admit that I still love Harry Potter, for its characters and it’s incredible world building, though R*wling is a massive piece of terf-y shit.

It’s important to note that I understand the purpose of flat characters, I understand the purpose of background characters, of undeveloped characters. What I’m pointing out here is that there was a lot of potential in these characters that was largely squandered because R*wling focused her energy on attempting to redeem Snape without a redemption arch, attempting to redeem Dumbledore with an inadequate one, and refusing to properly redeem Draco despite his well-developed arch, for some fucking reason. If you can’t tell, I’m salty, but I’m only salty because I care. Ily, have a good day!!

[0poole]

Harry Potter!

Finished rewatching all of the movies. I must confess, I am a movie plebian. I haven’t read any of the books yet. Call me when the solar flare that destroys and erases all electronics and data finally comes. I’ll probably be reading it then. Probably.

Anyways, I love what I’ve experienced of the franchise so far regardless. The whole story is so fantastical and fun, interspersed with pretty real dangers that come about through magic. That, I think, is the one thing all kinds of fiction should adhere to: If your world has weird logic, the conflict should be somehow based in that weird logic, instead of being somehow parallel to something more normal/real. That’s probably why people hate the Star Wars prequels; too much politics, not enough lightsabers. 

Seriously, though. Practically all things derived from Harry Potter are great. The movies, the music, ESPECIALLY the video games (or the first three, to be exact.) Also, the one perk of living in Florida is being able to go to the theme park. It’s nice and all seeing a made up setting presented to you on a screen, but to actually be there, walking around the world? It’s nuts. Even the Fantastic Beast series isn’t perfect, but still very alright at worst. I’m really just going to have to piece together my thoughts to organize them all.

The Movies:

They say dumbing down an experience and presenting it to an audience in a neat little package is a bad thing, but really... The movies are extremely good. I do prefer the style of the first two, where everything seemed more light and charming. Of course, it was about the third movie when Harry realized that the world wasn’t as bright and shiny as the first two years led him to believe, so it’s fair his take on things would be altered. I just wish it wasn’t so consistently, you know... dark blue and cloudy. I mean, I get that it’s England and all, but it’s fantasy.

Either way, I guess I’ll have to put all of the emotions that I probably would’ve experienced anyway if I read the books first here. The absolute best part about the series is the characters. I’ve already gushed about how Hagrid is the absolute most wholesome character in all of fiction. Another seriously good one is Mrs. McGonagall, who comes off as the serious, “do your homework!” type at the beginning, but by the end becomes a super charming and genuine person. In the last movie, her line “I’ve always wanted to use that spell!” Is so cute. I mean, you really can’t name a non-charming character in the whole series. The entire Wealsey family is insanely lovable. The Malfoys are supreme assholes at the beginning, but seem to slowly turn for the better as things get super dark. 

Obviously the major deaths are so major because of how much you loved the characters. Dumbledore was definitely the type to realize when he must die, but seeing the serious amount of respect people had for him it just makes you choke up. Dobby’s death destroys anyone with a heart, because he died swinging. Snape as a whole is such an amazing and fun character to just watch exist, despite being so dark and brooding all the time. I’m sure his death the first time around was sort of confusing, until we got to see his memories, at whichpoint you’d be dried up in your seat due to dehydration. I wasn’t exactly emotionally mature when I first saw it so I have no major memory of how I felt, although I definitely feel it now. Considering how pure the Weasley family was, Fred’s death was also super heartbreaking, mainly because the twins were nothing but joy even in the worst of times. Even the brief cut-away to Lupin’s body got you. And, that’s only in the Deathly Hallows movies... What about Sirius? Hell, even seeing Hagrid caring so much for Aragog makes you feel bad. It’s a serious testament to how good these characters are. 

The music has become so impossibly iconic too. That’s what you get when you get John Williams. I’ll tell ya, I couldn’t sing you any non-soundtrack song from the past few years of movies I watched. Sure, the music did them good I guess, but they never felt like actual songs you wanted to listen to. If you played anyone the soundtracks to the first two movies, they could identify what they’re from in the first two notes minimum. It’s so great. I’d kill to have movies do this again. I mean, you can always go for more good music. 

The Games:

The year is, I dunno... any year before like 2010. A kid’s movie comes out, and BANG there’s a game for it. “Oh, I like the movie. Maybe I’ll like the game?” No. No you won’t. That’s not how it works. If you’re lucky you’ll have some nostalgic memories from it, and hell maybe that’s the reason why I think the Harry Potter games are so damn GOOD. 

Seriously, how did this happen? The games (or, as I said, mainly the first three and that Quidditch one) are so fun on their own, regardless of the movies. I have fond memories of the first, but the Chamber of Secrets on PC is where most of my love lies. God, I’ve been listening to the music the whole time while writing this and it’s so perfectly ingrained into my mind. Like the movie, the themes are so wild and singable. Even the fucking GBA game planted its seed into my memory, despite me only getting like 10% of the way through it. It had its own soundtrack apart from the PC games too, and didn’t even try to recreate the music from them. They literally wrote new music for their shitty cashgrab game. It’s so good.

Plus, the games seem to include stuff that wasn’t even hinted at in the movies. Remember when Harry used Spongify to bounce up to different parts of the castle in the movies? Or used Skurge to remove some stray ghostly ectoplasm? No. That’s only in the games. More importantly, can we talk about Quidditch? The game, but also as a whole?

Harry Potter really made me realize that I LOVE fictional sports. Like what I said with the conflict of a fictional story, having a sport built upon the weird logic of a world is just as, if not more, interesting. Even though the rules of Quidditch are absolute BS (seems like nothing but the Snitch matters) just watching it is so fun and interesting. You’d think that brooms would exclusively be transport, but OF COURSE they’d use them for sport at some point. Toss in a few magical balls, and boom--- you’ve got something some wizards would love to watch. The verticality of the field is easily what makes it so much cooler, since it would obviously require so much more space, and to any unaware observer, just seeing the field would show that nothing normal is played there. If they ever release a movie that’s just another generic sports movie with all the expected twists and turns, except the sport in question is Quidditch, I’d watch the shit out of that.

In the meantime, we have a Qudditch video game. Again, another original soundtrack, and apparently an anthem for each world team? God, really? You did all that? Anyway, from what I remember, the game isn’t too hard, but I’ll have to find it again and try to shoot for the big leagues to see if they step it up. About the world teams, though: they’re the absolute best part. You play basically college-level Qudditch against the houses for a while, but then you see how big the game actually is around the world, not only being able to play as a worldly team, but in a worldly stadium as well. Someone had to design a stadium, style, animations... for each team. That’s nuts. 

So much effort was put into the first few Harry Potter games, it’s shocking. Sucks that, as far as I remember, they basically slowly turned into wizard FPSs after that. I kind of remember liking the fourth one a bit, but I’ll need to find it again. I lost that stupid little disc holder thing with all the nostalgia-filled games I loved on it. The day I find it is going to be one hell of a day.

The Wizarding World:

The curse of being so damn amazing is people swarming to it and ruining the experience just by overcrowding. Either way, the place was actually amazing. I’m a sucker for any real-life place that tries to mimic a very fantastical setting. That’s really the reason why I prefer Universal as a whole to Disney, since it feels much more like you’re stepping into a different world. Kind of helps to distract you from the BS prices and tourist pandering. 

I mean, There’s not much to say apart from it looking cool. The rides are good, I guess. It’s weird, when we got there my mom was like “We HAVE to try Butterbeer” and, to be honest, I’m struggling to think of an actual drink more disgusting sounding than “Butterbeer” that isn’t just insect guts or something. I’ve never had the slightest inclination to try normal beer at any point, and I can sure as hell say that suggesting that someone putting butter in it makes it so much worse. I don’t know why, butter and beer just feel like they shouldn’t go together. Hell, maybe they don’t even use butter. I know at Universal, at least, it’s not actual beer, since kids would surely want to try it, but the concept just feels really disgusting.

That rant aside, here’s the valuable knowledge: I’d have to say that I’d be a Hufflepuff. In my more Incel-ular days I thought I’d be a Ravenclaw, since they smart and all, but really I feel more of a Hufflepuff. That’s not even decided by a web quiz. I just think that I’d chose to be a background character above all else. I pretty much am, anyway. Not that that’s bad, I’m just, you know... in the background. Plus, I’m assuming they’re the more artsy of the four houses. Really, I don’t know exactly what it stands for. “Talent?” What the hell is that supposed to mean? 

[wildflowerwattpad0217]

Tortured Soul: A Harry Potter Fanfiction. My Reaction After 2 Years.

This post will be full of spoilers for my fanfiction. So here’s a link if you want to read it.

Tortured Soul

Masterlist

Each Paragraph is a about a single chapter.

I couldn't spell Lucius for the life of me. Rip into him Athens. This was probably one of the first Fanfic I was truly proud of. The twins are quite protective of her. I started it out in the second year because I felt like starting out in the first year is kind of pointless to her story.

At least they took it super well. Yes, call Lockhart out on lies. Don't you dare memory charm her.

When the Gryffindors have an attack Slytherin. Draco has been punched by his cousin. Athens is in shock over the Chamber of Secrets. The Golden Trio just found out who her father is. She just told them what was in the Chamber. She just figured out she's a parseltounge.

Hogwarts knows she's a parseltounge now. People are saying she's Voldy Moldy's daughter. And I made an oops. I had him say his name not "he-who-must-not-be-named". Ope she used Draco's full name. He's the one who told the school, that little shit. Fred just got called out for having a crush on Athens.

Athens is big depresso because since secret got out everyone has been treating her like shit, except Fred and George. Athens has been petrified. The spelling mistakes tho.

The Balisk is dead is the cure has been brewed. Okay, Dumbledore, straight to the point then. She's got scars tho and Dumbledore's worried? Why did I write that? He put Harry in abusive home and didn't even try to get him out. Her mother wants to see her.

She is officially in our third year. If I was rewriting it I probably would have separated each year by acts just to make it more organized. When Dumbledore trust Athens. Yeah that is funny a little more daughter getting along with the son of the people he killed. The twins just found out about the cruciatus curse and they're pissed. So in this chapter Fred finally asked Athens out on a date and she accepts but fun fact, this story was supposed to actually have the love interest speed Draco but then I realized that was incest and I was like oh it'll just be one of the Weasley twins, it'll be fine. Because I was more worried about the storyline and then I was the love interest.

Did I give Athens an evil twin sister? yes I did. It's spices things up. I forgot I made her have a death wish. Athens calling her cousin out on his bullshit.

Lucius lying out his ass. Her twin is alive. Samara really is an evil twin. She has the makings of a serial killer. I still hate Snape. Especially when it comes to Neville. He parents were tourtured by Bellatrix Lestrange, Athens' mother, and his boggart is his potions teacher. Athens boggart is her sister. Remus is worried af. She has proof  of Sirius's innocence. Draco is so protective of her. She had a nightmare amd woke up bloody.

How would it have even had been possible for Samara to cast to killing curse on her when she was nine? Samara got in jer head and attacked her. Like Dumbledore would actually care lmao. Bellatrix still wants to see her daughter. She's going to do it. First date with Fred.

Lucius's supervising the conversation. It's one of those join or I kill everyone you love situations. Dumbledore wants to her to become a double agent. The twins don't like the idea of it at all. Fred and Athens are dating now. Horcruxes.

She got rid of the diadem, with quite a bit of ease, surprisingly. She has a 10/10 relationship with the twins.  She knows Remus is a werewolf.

She just met Sirius and he asked her to tell the truth about him to Harry. Harry can be an idiot sometimes. Athens received a summons by the ministry.

We are starting out with emotion warning. Ron just found out Scabbers is Pettigrew. I feel bad for the boy. Snape said something he probably shouldn't have... Fred took her wand. I love Athens' respond to, "You are a disappointment to your father." "Good, I love to disappoint him." I love that. Samara just killed her sister, through her mind. Dumbledore's speech about her death though. Not Draco rallying everyone against Voldemort because Athens is dead.

So, Death in this story is kinda an OC that is also in another one of my stories, Avenging Riverdale, I had an odd idea to try and connect my stories through this singular entity. Lucius Malfoy didn't even show up to the funeral. She's a tiger. That didn't age well in the Carol Baskin era. Everyone is shook. She had a nightmare about what fully happened when she died.

Her secret is out. Sirius you did know. That I'm not Sirius I'm Athens lmao.

That nightmare, damn. And another one. Fred ad George are there after Sirius contacted them. She had another nightmare.

Why did I put so much on Athens's plate? Another nightmare. She had a meeting with her mother.

Quidditch World Cup. The first have is basically fluff. Until she gets kidnapped. Molly is turning against her.

Hi Samara. Athens has been gone a week. She escaped. There are a few things jn this chapter if I were to rewrite it.

The two other schools show up. Mad eye (Barty Crouch Jr) is about to get an ass whooping by Athens. Tbh I would pay for that.

Dobby has a glock. Dobby is Thugg. (I'm sorry. I had to Dobby appeared.) She told them because she had to. I forgot I made Samara the Champion for Beauxbatons amd for Hogwarts best make it 3 with Cedric, Harry and Athens. Athens is seeing red, thank Merlin for Harry tho. I italicize and bolded calmly. Another nightmare. I hate Rita Skeeter with a burning passion. She walked out of the interview because all she wanted to talk about was her family.

Samara admitted Athens is more powerful and Voldy Moldy wants Athens by his side more then Samara because she happens to be more powerful than him too. Samara just said that she's not going to make it out of school year alive. Draco made badges. She just found out dragons was the first task. why is she just so chill about the fact that a teacher just turned her cousin into the ferret. When Dumbledore uses you as a confidential informant. He wants her graduate early because he wants her to take the lead finding the horcruxes.

CHARLIE. Athens questioning if this is torture and the dragons. Athens turned the dragon to a bird. She partied all night with the Slytherins. Now she's hungover. Pansy making fun of Athens for being a lightweight.

Athens asking Harry not to tell Sirius about her getting drunk. Fred and Athens going to the Yule Ball together. Another nightmare. Athens giving Draco a task.

We love a prank. Wait, I don't remember who asked Samara to the Yule Ball. Athens Bertha Riddle. Samara Dean Riddle. They had an argument in front of everyone. The whole great Hall. Crabbe was the one to ask Samara to the dance. Fred is missing. Champions meeting without Samara.

She told Cedric about the nightmare. He didn't believe her and now he's dead. Voldemort is back. Letters from Athens.

Samara is dead. Dobby to the rescue. Everyone is asking about the letters.

The proper good-bye. She went to the Dumbledore's Army meeting. Yes, verbally kill Umbitch.

Christmas. Warning Sirius about his death. Bellatrix called Samara's death collateral damage. Athens is so salty. She died again, saving Sirius. Bellatrix is laughing.

Athens really just came back from the dead and was like I got to get out of here. Damn right your loyalties lie with your friends. Dumbledore deciding to bring Harry on the hunt for horcruxes. Dumbledore has accepted his death. I made an oops. So one of the Athens nightmares was Dumbledore's death and it included her sister so I kind of copied and pasted the scene for getting that her sister was in there so you have a little Cameo from her sister in there.

They are looking for the locket. It's her birthday. She received a warning from Draco.

So Samara's there? That does get annoying. Something bad happens and people immediately look at you, getting ready to point the finger. Ah yes the tiny scar. The Ministry has fallen.

Harry and Ron really under estimate Athens and Hermione sometimes. The fight at the Café. They ended up at the house where the ring was destroyed.

Athens is getting pissed at Ron. Athens just punched him in the nose. Now she plans to drink 100 year old Fire Whiskey. Another nightmare. Athens is having enough of their petty bullshit. Fred was going to propose at the wedding.

Ron is leaving. Godric's Hollow. Creepy old lady Ms. Bagshot.

Her biggest fear is her father killing Fred. Ron's back and has the sword of Godric Gryffindor. To the Lovegood house. Athens defending Luna. The Tale of The Three Brothers. Athens proving Hermione wrong and that the Deathly Hallows exist.

Murderous Athens though. Samara isn't alive. They had someone drink a polyjuice potion to freak Athens out. Athens insulting the snatchers is hilarious. Malfoy Manor. Athens being kind of worried about Draco. Athens lying about finding the sword just so Hermione doesn't get tortured. She just died from being tortured by her mother. Death is a sassy bitch. Only death she didn't see coming, Dobby's.

Fred and George are at the beach house. Athens is grieving. Athens is now Fred's fiance. Athens is right you never make a deal with the goblin. She is dreading dressing like her mother so much. When Athens inherited her mother's hair. She's scaring Ron with how good she is acting like her mother.

The thief's downfall, luckily Athens looks so much like her mother. She just scared herself. Sometimes I forget she can technically talk to dragons like she did for her first task. That Doctor who reference though. They got out safely but Voldemort knows that they broke into the bank. They are going to finish this tonight. Dumbledore's brother, Abuerfourth. Athens and Hermione are going to kill the Carrows.

Draco has been helpful. Snape knows that they're there Athens and Harry were spotted in hogsmeade. "Am I late?" I love Athens. Draco standing up for his cousin. It's time to go fight the last battle in the second wizard war.

"Fred said be careful. This is not being careful" she just killed herself to talk to death. Fred just died. She really just called her father the biggest idiot she ever met. When death raises Fred from the dead. "That is fiance thank you very much." Voldemort is dead. Athens won the duel.

When Fred, George and Draco become close because of you. The wedding. I love them so much. Athens is pregnant? Athens is pregnant. It was female twins.

Overall, it was good. One of my better books. But I should've put a trigger warning. So 7/10.

[longestnight64448]

SongFic. Alice *George Weasley X Reader*

Tripping out

Spinning around

I'm underground, I fell down

I fell down

I couldn't believe that he was gone. My heart broke into lots of tiny little pieces the minute I saw no life in his eyes. I tripped over my own feet trying to get to him; I felt like my world was spinning, I collapsed next to him. I couldn't believe it. Not Fred, please not Fred. He had so much to live for. He was so fun loving and care free that he just couldn't die. Why would he be cruelly taken away from us? From George? From me? Tears were silently falling from my eyes. I saw George clutching on to Fred and I started to sob louder. I scooted next to George and he latched on to me, burying his head into my chest. We both wept until our eyes were blood shot and sore and then we kept crying. We just clung on to each other; never letting go. George and I knew what each other was going through. We only had each other now. George was his twin, his other half, and I was his best friend and his girlfriend of two years and five months. We both loved him dearly. He was the most important thing to both of us. No one could understand our heartache. I could hear the sobs of all the other Weasleys and I felt horrible for all of them, and I felt even worse for Molly and Arthur. But I needed to be selfish for once and focus on my pain and George's pain at this moment in time. When we fought the death eaters we were numb and pissed, to us every single one of them was the one who killed our Fred. Finally, Harry killed Lord Voldemort and I felt a small amount of relief wash over me; but other than that, all I felt was pain for the huge loss me and the Weasley family had. Why did he have to die? He didn't deserve to. I soon found George and we went to see Fred again. We clutched onto each other as we fell next to him, we were both exhausted but we still mourned our loss. Soon sleep caught up with me and George and we fell asleep wrapped up in each other's arms next to Fred.

I'm freaking out

So where am I now?

Upside down

And I can't stop it now

It can't stop me now

We were at the funeral. I was sitting next to George, clutching his hand. I didn't really listen to anything that was said. I was too caught up in my memories of me and Fred. The one when we pulled a prank on Snape and got a months' worth of detention, the one when we made a fool of Malfoy in the Great Hall, when we would sneak out of school to go to Hogsmeade for secret dates, when he first kissed me, when he first told me he loved me and when he would joke about us having an army of ginger babies. George nudged me, I looked at him through cloudy eyes, and he motioned to the podium. I shakily got up and made my way to it. I slowly turned around and faced everyone. I almost broke down. I was beginning to freak out. It's just hit me that this finalises that he's gone. I slowly opened my mouth and let my soft, broken voice be carried around the room.

"Fred Weasley is my best friend. We'd been best friends ever since he put mud in my hair so I locked him in the chicken coop, when we were four. Fred is by far one of the most amazing people I've ever met. He was fun loving, care free, caring, mischievous and completely mental." I choked back a sob. "Fred Weasley was the best friend anybody could ever have. He knew what to do to make you happy, to make you laugh and to make sure that you were never alone. In our final year of Hogwarts we soon realised that we cared about each other as more than friends." My voice broke a little. "It took a lot of wooing on his part to make me surrender our friendship for our beautiful relationship. He never gave up on me; he refused to think it was a crush. He believed we were soul mates; quickly enough he managed to prove that to me." Tears started to fall down my face. "He was an amazing boyfriend. He looked after me, he protected me and he loved me; as he never failed to remind me." I choked back a sob. I needed to end this quick before I broke down. I decided to say a phrase I always told him. "Fred Weasley, you utter crazy prankster, I love you, you bloody ginger fool."

My life seemed to turn upside down once Fred died. Nothing seemed the same anymore. I couldn't do the things I use to do because they would remind me of him; but weirdly enough I could look at and be around his twin fine. I had moved in with George after Fred died. I didn't want him to be alone and we're both going through a great loss so we could help support each other. We've been living together for about three months now. Everything's going fine with us. We're like we always were; except we're missing a piece of our three way puzzle. We joke around, create new products for the shop, talk about everything and nothing, work in the shop and bicker. Except we're missing our third element. Ever since we were four it's always been Fred, George and me. Well now it's just George and me. We're missing something vital, like we're missing a major organ or body part. And when that vital part was removed it took pieces of our hearts with it. We're dysfunctional without our third trouble maker. The thing is we're both fine with each other until we go to bed. We always seem to have an awkward silence when we're about to part. It's almost like we're scared that were gonna loose the other vital piece of us; and if we lost it we might just never survive.

I, I'll get by

I, I'll survive

When the world's crashing down

When I fall and hit the ground

I will turn myself around

Don't you try to stop it?

I, I won't cry

It's been nearly a year since Fred's death. Everything's going as close to normal as it's ever going to get. Christmas was horrible though. We went to the Burrow and it was terrible. I felt really bad for George because his mum could hardly look at him, but I comforted him and managed to make sure that Christmas was a reasonably okay affair. New Year was a little bad as well. We celebrated at the Burrow and George spent most the night avoiding his mum, so I spent the bells with him outside in the snow watching the fireworks. I'm surviving the ache in my heart now, it isn't as bad. I think being with George has helped me slowly recover from my world crashing down. I'd like to think that I've helped him too. I've looked after him, made sure he has someone to talk to and I've even protected him from himself. I don't think we could have survived this on our own, that's why I'm glad we have each other. I don't know what I'd do without George.

We had just been to the Burrow for Sunday dinner when we came home early. George had abruptly got up from the table and stormed out of the room. I heard him apparete so I apologised, excused us both and came back to the apartment. I heard him in his room so I went to talk to him. Once he saw me he blew up.

"I should have died that night, Alice! Not him! It should have been me! Then everybody would be happy! Mum wouldn't have to look at me and see Fred! You would be happy to have him back! My family wouldn't tip-toe around me! My dad wouldn't stare past me, acting as if I'm not there!"

Once those words left his mouth my eyes widened in shock and they grew angry. I started shouting at him.

"George Weasley! How dare you say those things! Don't you ever wish that it was you instead of Fred! Your family and I would still be the same if it had been you that died! Don't ever think like that! We all love you, just like we love Fred!"

"At least you would have Fred, Alice! Don't you want Fred?!"

"Yes I love Fred and I miss him! But George I'm glad I have you! You're my best friend! I love you! I would behave exactly the same if Fred was alive and you were died!" By this point we were face to face yelling at each other.

"You would be happier if I was Fred! Loving Fred is different from loving me!"

"I love you both! I'll always love Fred because he took a piece of my heart when he left us but you have the rest of it!"

"As a bloody friend, Alice. What's gonna happen when you meet a nice guy and I'm left all alone?" He said softly looking into my eyes.

"But I don't want to meet someone else. I'm happy here with you." I whispered.

We stared at each other for a few minutes. George seemed to be debating with himself and I'm sure my eyes showed hurt and determination. Suddenly George leaned down and captured my lips. He kissed me slowly and carefully, I slowly kissed him back. Kissing him was so much different that kissing Fred. With Fred I felt butterflies in my stomach and my body heat up, but with George it was like electricity was running throughout my whole body and all me senses just heightened; making everything seem new and exciting. Soon we were kissing roughly and passionately. We began to tear at each other's clothes and fell down on to his bed. We never stopped. We both knew that we shouldn't really be doing this; but it just felt so right, like it was okay for us to do this.

I found myself in Wonderland

Get back on my feet again

Is this real?

Is this pretended?

I'll take a stand until the end

George and I had been dating for about six months now and our relationship was helping to heal some of the remaining wounds of loosing Fred. We were starting to laugh and smile like we did when Fred was with us. We were happy for the first time in a long time. Everyone seemed to notice that we were healing; although when we first told everyone about our relationship some of them thought that it wasn't a good idea because we might just be doing it because we wanted each other to help numb the pain, not beat it. It took time but we managed to prove to them that our relationship was real and that we did have strong feelings for each other. We still both missed Fred but it got easier to talk about him without feeling lost and hollow. We would often talk about him laughing and smiling while we gazed into each other's eyes. Soon I started to feel love for George; not the love of a brother like when we were growing up, but the love of a lover. I noticed all the little things about him; and each time I noticed them they seemed to make the difference between him and Fred bigger. I didn't look at him and see George-who-looked-like-Fred, I saw George-who-looked-like-George. I was blissfully falling head over heels for George, and I think he was falling for me too. We couldn't go a day without each other. Both our worlds had turned the right way up. We did lots of things together and I felt almost whole again. I started to look better as well. My skin had gotten colour back into it, my short, straight blonde hair had its shine back and my caramel eyes had their glitter back. I had gained my curves back after hardly eating when Fred died. I didn't wear baggy, unflattering clothes anymore; I had gone back to wearing nice, unique summer dresses, jeans and bright coloured t-shirts again. I couldn't stop smiling, just like I used to. Everything was good again. I still wore the star bracelet Fred had given me for our second year anniversary; it was a reminder of him for me to look at every day. George even smiled when he looked down at the bracelet; knowing that I still loved his brother and missed him, but I was still going to live my life like Fred would have wanted me to. Sometimes at night, when I'm wrapped up in George's arms, when I'm just on the verge of sleep I can hear Fred telling me that it's okay, that he loves me and that he's glad that me and his twin are together. This clears my mind of any worry or guilt and I sleep peacefully cuddling into the man I love. Sometimes when we randomly kiss in the hallway and break apart we look to the side and see a picture of Fred watching us; smiling and winking. It always makes us smile. Tonight was one of the nights that I was wrapped up in George's arms and we were whispering sweet nothings to each other. In the back of my mind I could hear Fred telling me that he's glad I loved again.

"George." I whispered.

"Yeah." He stared into my eyes with love and adoration,

"I love you." I searched his eyes, hoping that he felt the same. He grinned down at me and I saw his eyes light up.

"I love you too." I smiled and cuddled into his chest and listened to his heartbeat; slowly drifting to sleep.

I, I'll get by

I, I'll survive

When the world's crashing down

When I'm falling hit the ground

I'll just turn myself around

Don't you try to stop me

I won't cry

It's been just over a year since me and George started dating. Just over two years since Fred died. We're both doing fine and we're happy. We're both madly in love with each other; and apparently it's really easy to notice. I'm up in the apartment while George is down tidying up the shop so that he doesn't have to do it in the morning. I suddenly didn't feel well. I haven't been feeling well for a while now. It's always at night and sometimes I'm sick but once I'm sick I'm fine. George just thinks that I'm eating weirdly or that I'm a bad cook but I'm quick to point out that he's okay when I make him something. Also I've noticed that my stomachs become a little bigger and firmer. I'm starting to think that I'm pregnant. I haven't voiced my suspicions to anybody yet but when I saw Molly and Ginny the other day they said I looked radiant. Molly even cornered me and asked if I was pregnant, so I have an appointment at St. Mungos' tomorrow morning when George is working; he thinks I'm going out for lunch with my mum. I was just about to take out the lasagne we were having for dinner when I ran to the toilet. It was horrible; the contents of my stomach rose up into my throat and soon sloshed its way down the toilet. I quickly flushed the toilet and wiped my mouth. I glanced at myself in the mirror, if I looked so radiant why did I feel like crap? I slowly made my way to down the hallway. I glanced at a picture of Fred and George when they were toddlers; they were chasing each other around a tree in the orchard. I smiled. If I was pregnant was I ready to deal with a mini-George? I think so. I grinned and then went into the kitchen to set up our dinner. George just entered the kitchen as I plated the dinner.

"Hey, love." He kissed my cheek and sat down. I smiled at him. "Have you been sick tonight?"

"Nope. Let's hope this lasagne is cooked right!" I lied; I didn't want him to worry or get suspicious.

I, I'll get by

I, I'll survive

When the world's crashing down

When I fall and hit the ground

I will turn myself around

Don't you try to stop me

I, I won't cry

I was currently in a hospital bed in a cosy room in St. Mungos'. The room smelt like George; like cinnamon and nutmeg, it reminded me of Christmas. I was breathing deeply and heavily. My mum, Molly and George were in the room. The rest of our families and friends were outside awaiting the news of the new baby Weasley. My mum and Molly were helping me with my breathing and trying to keep me calm. George was holding my hand; which I was crushing because of the pain of the contractions. The baby was almost ready to come out. The healers were on their way. Once they got me ready to giving birth my mum and Molly kept persuading me to push. I was exhausted from the twenty hours of being in the hospital with the damn contractions. Some of my hair was sticking to my head because of my sweating. I started to push and focus on my breathing. I was gripping on to George's hand; it could see his hand going white from lack of blood and his face screw up in pain but his eyes held nothing but fear, worry and excitement. He was on cloud nine ever since the minute he found out he was going to be a dad, needless to say so was I, except I was scared about having to push a little person out of my womb. I was grunting and cursing under my breath; this baby must have a massive head! The healers told me that it was nearly there; just a few more pushes. I looked at George and saw his eyes light up. I glared at him. "George Weasley, this is your entire fault! You just had to get me pregnant didn't you?!" I started panting and pushing. He laughed and kissed my forehead. Suddenly the voices of everyone in the room went silent and all I could hear were the screeching and crying coming from a newly born baby. I looked at George in wonder and he smiled at me and looked at the baby the healers were cleaning up. They put the baby on my chest as I gazed at it. "Congratulations! It's a healthy baby boy!"

I could feel tears fall down my face. I smiled and gazed at the beautiful baby boy that was on my chest. He had my button nose and eyes, George's lips and chin, and his head was cropped with a matt of bright ginger hair. I cradled the baby in my arms and looked at George. He had tears in his eyes; he looked so happy. I handed him our son. He gently took him in his hands and gazed lovingly at him. He looked up at me and grinned.

"I love you, Alice." He sat down on the side of my bed so that we could both gaze at our beautiful son.

"I love you too."

One of the healers came over with board in her hands. She smiled at us. "What will you are naming the baby?"

I smiled George as he smiled at me.

"Fred-" I said lovingly gazing at the blue bundle in George's arms.

"Arthur-" George said with pride. I could see Molly silently crying at my bed side.

"Weasley." We said at the same time. Both of us grinning like fools and kissing our little Fred on the forehead and then sharing a loving kiss. I don't think I've ever been so happy in my whole life. George and I had our Fred; we were whole again.

[littlerose13writes]

The Bench by LittleRose13

(really very late tbh) 100 Follower celebration fic!

Every summer, the Weasley/Potter family get together to see the kids off to Hogwarts. Every summer, Molly insists on taking a photograph of all the children. Seventeen years pass and she is still taking the photo.

Words: 1,666 Characters: literally ALL the kids (I wish I could draw fan art for this story but I can’t draw at all) Read it on AO3 

It all started the summer before Teddy set off for his first year at Hogwarts. The family had decided to have a big get together to see him off and it just sort of became an annual event. No one had ever said it was; everyone just knew that on the last weekend of the summer holidays, the whole Weasley/Potter family (plus Teddy) would descend on The Burrow.

Molly of course, loved it. Having her now slightly empty house bustling with so many children at once made her swell with pride at the grandchildren her children had given her. It was her who had first whipped out a camera and insisted on an entire group shot. In the end, she’d been backed all the way down the garden trying to fit everyone in so it was decided that just the children should gather for a photograph first.

James, who was only just five, sat proudly next to his favourite cousin Freddy, aged almost six. Three-year-old Albus sat next to his brother at the end of the bench, gazing at baby Lily who rested in James’ arms. James looked delighted at being allowed to hold his baby sister.

“Look, Fwed. Dis is my baby sister,” Albus explained proudly.

“Fwed knows that Al,” James said exasperatedly, patting Lily’s hair in what he obviously thought was a cute, older-brotherly way. “Fwed’s got a baby sister too.”

“My baby sister’s more bigger than a baby though,” Fred explained to the younger boys as Dominique (aged seven) sat on his other side. Four-year-old Roxanne was placed across both of their laps.

“I’m not a baby! I’m not am I Domi?” she whined.

“Not a baby,” said Dominique pointedly to Fred.

Rose sat down next, with her legs dangling from the bench, her one year old brother Hugo perched on her knee as Lily was perched on James. Victoire, who was nine, leant against the bench on Albus’ other side, struggling to hold her toddler brother Louis and grinning at eleven year old Teddy.

“Want me to hold Louis?” Teddy offered in his ‘mature’ voice, holding his arms out to take the squirming two-year-old.

“No Teddy, he’s my brother, I can do it.” Victoire retorted and Teddy smirked but stood a bit closer to her.

“Everybody say kneazles!” Grandma Molly ordered and there was an adorable chorus from most of the children, in which the adults watching could faintly hear a confused James shout ‘knees up!’.

From then on, it became a tradition that the picture be taken with near enough the same line up (with Percy’s two girls joining the group when they came along) and Grandma Molly had every single one arranged along her mantelpiece. It was amusing to look through them and see how much the kids had changed.

For example, in the photo taken in 2013, five-year-old Lily had refused to sit on James’ lap and insisted on sitting with Teddy instead. This wouldn’t have been a problem if she hadn’t decided this as the photo was being taken. Therefore that year’s picture shows Lily falling off James in her attempt to dive for Teddy while all the other kids smile, oblivious and Albus attempts to catch her.

Then the following year, Albus and James had had a falling out over whose turn it had been on their shared toy broomstick (Harry now wishes they had thought to bring both of their brooms to The Burrow). They are both glaring fiercely at each other in the photo, and Albus gives James a frustrated shove, slightly spoiling the serene smiles of their cousins.

Another year, Hugo had decided to display his first signs of magic by managing to turn his own hair blue. He wouldn’t allow his mother to fix it, insisting he was like Teddy and loved it. It eventually wore off but not before the annual photo had been taken depicting eight-year-old Hugo with bright blue hair; which slightly stole the focus from the rest of the picture. Harry and Ginny took some comfort from this as, for once, it hadn’t been one of their children.

But every single member of the family says their favourite is the one which was taken just before Lily and Hugo were about to go into their seventh year at Hogwarts. The kids had decided it would be fun to try and recreate exactly the original photo.

Al, James and Freddy squeezed onto the end of the bench they always took the photo on while Lily, laughing hysterically, balanced herself onto James’ lap.

“Oof, bloody hell Lily!” he complained, nursing his most recent Quidditch injury.

“Now you have to do the faces,” she insisted, still laughing. “James, you have to look really pleased to be holding me and Al, you have to look like you’ve never seen me before now.” There was no doubt that Lily had inherited her mother’s sass and she naturally took charge of the others. Her twenty-one-year-old brother looked bemused as he watched his little sister ordering everyone around from his lap.

“I always read my expression in that photo as more of a has my big brother James always had such scrawny arms?,” Albus replied with a smirk.

“Shut it, you,” James responded with a grin. “League-winning scrawny arms.”

“Still saved your goal in the final your seventh year,” Albus muttered, earning himself a kick from his older brother.

“Still didn’t put me on the team that year, captain,” Freddy added, with a playful expression.

“You were injured.” James was struggling to get his point across with Lily on top of him. “Are we still on this four years on?”

Dominique followed Lily’s order and took the remaining space on the bench with Roxanne on top of her, Dominique and Freddy deliberately making it clear that they had to peer round Roxanne’s head to be seen by the camera. Thirteen-year-old Molly, who hadn’t been there for the original photo, perched beside her.

“Technically, Molly shouldn’t be in the photo,” Lily began and Molly scowled. “But I like her, so we’ll make an exception. And I suppose, as she’s about to leave for Hogwarts, Lucy can too.” Realising there was no room left on the bench, Rose, joined by Lucy, sat gently on the arm of the bench.

Victoire followed their lead and sat on the opposite arm of the bench, beside Albus; Teddy was beaming on her other side with his arm round his wife. Until Lily told him off for not being authentic to the original picture and he reluctantly removed it, settling for standing beside her with a dopey expression the original eleven-year-old Teddy definitely hadn’t been showing Victoire. Albus shared a look with James and they both shook their heads at their surrogate brother’s soppiness.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to hold Louis in this one.” Victoire said, looking doubtfully at her eighteen-year-old brother. He and Hugo caught each others’ eyes and grinned, settling for standing next to their sisters rather than on top of them.

“Everyone say ‘Knees Up!” Lily commanded, laughing loudly as her grandmother took several pictures, tears of laughter running down her face. The adults all looked on fondly at their children, smiling proudly around at each other.

Then, before anyone knew what was happening, the bench leg closest to Rose and Hugo collapsed just as Grandma Molly clicked the shutter. After dusting themselves off and a lot of laughing, Molly presented them with the last photo she had taken, smiling broadly.

The family crowded round to see it and there were shouts of laughter as it was passed round.

In it, Rose was on the floor laughing where Hugo had managed to catch her. Lucy and Roxanne had simply stood up when the bench broke, leaving poor Dominique to slide down the now-diagonal bench to the grass below, Freddy right behind her. He had thrown an arm out to prevent himself crushing his cousin, who was in fits of laughter beneath him.

Albus had grabbed Victoire’s arm (the nearest thing presumably) and gripped it tightly, a shocked look on his face. Louis, unaffected because of his location, looked on at the scene laughing while Teddy instinctively pulled Victoire away.

But James and Lily were the funniest sight. Lily had sat bolt upright on top of James and grabbed her older brother round his neck, looking absolutely terrified and staring straight at the camera. James was also clinging to Lily, obviously unaware of his expression, which was a mixture of shock and fear. Compared to everyone else, who had managed to remain relatively calm, they looked as if they were deliberately being dramatic which James tried to insist for a bit before giving in.

The picture had been seen by everyone and Mrs Weasley had taken it back to show to the other adults. She glanced at it again fondly, noting as she did the giveaway behaviour of her eldest granddaughter and her husband. When the photo had been passed on, she sought them out and placed an arm around Victoire’s shoulders.

“How long have you known?” she said quietly into her ear, loud enough so the only person who could hear was Teddy, who gave her an incredulous look.

“How did you know?” he spluttered, placing a hand on the small of Victoire’s back.

“The photograph. You both went straight here.” She placed a hand gently over Victoire’s stomach. “I know that look.”

Her granddaughter smiled warmly and accepted the pair of arms her husband wrapped around her from behind. She held onto them while she spoke. “We only found out a few days ago, we want to wait before we tell everyone.” Teddy nodded behind her.

“I won’t tell,” Molly smiled kindly. “When?”

“March,” Teddy told her proudly. “The seventeenth if we’re being precise.”

Later on, when Molly placed the photo onto the mantelpiece and compared it to the first ever picture of her grandchildren, she smiled sadly at how quickly the years had gone.

[illuminating-dragons]

Lay Here In My Arms (4/14): History Lessons

Summary:  Roxanne has a habit of putting her foot in her mouth. Luckily, she's met someone who has the right words. For @harryjamesheadcanons​

Pairing: Roxanne Weasley/ Nat Blythe (Fading Scars) 

Read it on AO3

Roxanne spent much of her time in the library, so she got to know the other regulars. Not by talking; all of them were quiet. But she recognized the blond Slytherin who was always reading about Transfiguration, the Hufflepuff with hair as dark as his skin and bright blue eyes that never seemed to finish a book, and the Gryffindor who murmured in frustrated Vietnamese under their breath.

And she noticed Nat Blythe.

Nat was a year behind her, but Ravenclaws were a close bunch. Roxanne knew the favourite colours, work habits and family history about almost member of her House. Except Nat.Oh, if you asked Nat about herself, she would answer you truthfully. And she wasn’t alone that often; indeed, she had many friends. But when people really tried to pin her down, it was the work she did that people remembered.

The Ravenclaw common room had its own little library of commonplace books, which were free to use by anybody. It was a longstanding tradition that the first-years would take one and keep it with them, writing whatever they liked in them. When they were full, they would put them in the library for the others to read (categorized by subject, of course). There was no rule about only having one, but very few people had more than two kinds of thoughts that they would share with the others.

Nat Blythe took three.

One of her books found a home on the poetry shelf, and it was read a lot. Roxanne was one of the first, ready with her blue ink to offer constructive criticism (that had been drummed into their heads quickly, you don’t tear down other people’s work). Instead, she found herself underlining passages, and cooing out loud at the phrasing. She wasn’t the only one. Nat’s book was one of the most frequent read-alouds in the common room, and Nat would always just smile and say she was happy people got so much good from her writing, but had they read this other notebook, because there was so much cleverness there she could burst.

The second book was a collection of stories. They were charming, short and poignant. There were a few pages at the back of that one left blank, with a note from Nat saying that if anyone wanted to continue the stories, they were welcome to do so.

The third hadn’t been returned yet. Whenever Roxanne saw Nat, she had it tucked in her bag, just peeking out, like it was demanding new words. When Roxanne sat to do her homework in the library (which wasn’t often—the shelves themselves were too distracting, and she’d gotten more than one poor mark because she’d read something fascinating instead of the assignment), she would see Nat with a stack of books, reading carefully, and adding just one or two notations to the book. Once or twice Roxanne caught a glimpse of tiny handwriting, but she didn’t pry. Until it was on the shelf, it was private work.

When Roxanne was relaxing after her OWLs (done at last, no more nonsense, she was free from Potions forever!), she realized that she and Nat were the only two in this section of the library. Nat was deep in her research, and maybe because she was tired, maybe because she was happy, Roxanne spoke up at last.

“Your hair keeps falling in your face.”

Merlin, what had she just said?

Nat looked up. “I know. No matter what my stupid hair won’t stay.”

“I could help you,” Roxanne offered, trying to offer a reason for her ridiculous observation. She’d inherited her mother’s hair (in her father’s shade) but not her patience for braiding, and her curls would fall every which way if not for charmed ponytail holders and quite a bit of experimentation.

“Um…sure.”

Roxanne got up and stood behind Nat. She took soft brown hair in her hands, making sure to gather the long front hair, and twisted it carefully into a knot. Retrieving one of her ponytail holders from around her wrists, she wound it around the knot twice. Satisfied, she stepped away. “How’s that?”

Nat felt the knot. “It’s not coming out! It always does.”

“I have a gift. And a couple of Charms mixed together that my Uncle Lee taught me.”

“Can I borrow your Uncle Lee?”

“I can just make you some ponytail holders. They’re dead easy, and I have loads already.”

“Thanks. You’re Roxanne, right?”

“Yes. Nat?” It was odd, really odd to do introductions after sharing a common room, sharing words with someone for four years.

Nat grinned. “That’s me.”

“What are you working on?”

Roxanne, shut up! You’re not supposed to ask.

“I’m working on profiles.”

“Profiles? What do you mean?”

Nat showed her the book. There were short notes, about someone named Imogene Price.

“Who is she?”

“She was Voldemort’s maternal grandmother.”

Roxanne looked up. “Why?”

“I’m trying to…” Nat blushed. “I’m working on a big project, about the last two Wizarding Wars. Only I want to get the whole picture, tell everyone’s story. The dead, the living…it takes a long time, I’ve been working on it as long as I’ve been here.”

The notebook was only half-full.

“I was born after the war,” Nat said. “Of course I was. But my mother…she lost her cousins and her aunt and uncle. And there are so many questions, and I wanted to try and remember everyone, everyone that died and lived…all those stories. I don’t want them to get lost.”

Roxanne studied her for a minute. “How have you been doing this?”

“I look through history books for names, and then I start combing through records. There’s all sorts of stuff in here—old letters, even some diaries people donated. I’ve gotten all sorts of information.”

“You’ve never asked me,” Roxanne pointed out. “Or my cousins. Our family went through both Wars.”

Nat looked horrified. “Of course not! I would never ask that.”

“Why not? They do talk about the wars sometimes.”

“Yes, but…this is me trying to do a project. I would feel terrible asking a person to relive that.”

“How are you ever going to get the full story?”

“I don’t want to make anyone relive their losses,” Nat said stubbornly. “Not for curiosity.”

“You just said you wanted to make sure the stories don’t get lost,” Roxanne replied. “I’m sure they don’t want to either. They might ask you if you could wait to publish or something, but I think most of them would want you to tell the story as well as possible. And Nat, you can. You have beautiful writing.” She thought for a minute. “Could you write a profile of my Uncle Fred? I know my Dad would love it.”

Nat looked scared, but she swallowed hard. “Do you really think I’m good enough to do this?”

Roxanne thought of Nat’s poetry, the gentle way she treated heartbreak, and thought of her father’s grieving face each April 1st. “I think you just might be perfect.”

They met a few more times in the library before the end of term. Roxanne relayed every story she could remember about her uncle, and the last time they met invited Nat to her house. “Come and meet my family,” she urged her. “Dad knew him best.”

Nat was a little overawed by their house and the large assortment of family who traipsed through, but Roxanne’s Mum and Dad did their best to put her at ease.

When Nat brought up the profile Dad thought about it for a long moment. “I don’t want anyone to forget Fred,” he said at last. “And if Roxy says you’re the best one to do it, I believe her.”

They talked for three hours. Roxanne’s Mum went in at one point, and Roxanne heard the Floo crackling a couple of times, but she didn’t see who came. Nat stumbled out at the end, eyes swollen, and fell into Roxanne’s arms. Roxanne hugged her tight, hands going automatically to put Nat’s hair up in a bun.

When she pulled away, Nat’s eyes were feverish. “I need to write,” was all she said.

Roxanne went to get her tea (an advantage of not working in the library), and she kept Nat company while she wrote. Nat didn’t speak, and she crossed a lot of things out and muttered to herself, but she laid her free hand in Roxanne’s, tracing her knuckles with her thumb when she stopped to think.

When Nat presented Roxanne’s parents with her profile of Fred Weasley the first, they both cried. “You captured him,” George whispered. “Thank you, thank you so much…”

Angelina hugged Nat. “Your girlfriend is brilliant, Roxy,” she whispered, eyes overbright.

“Girlfriend?” Roxanne asked, stunned. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

This time she was quicker to understand, and before Nat’s face became too heartbroken, she continued quickly, “would you like to be?”

Nat ended up spending half the summer at Roxanne’s. Dad started talking to the rest of the family about Nat’s writing, and slowly people started coming over. At first they would talk about the dead—family, friends, classmates, neighbours. Nat’s commonplace book was nearly full when they started at last to speak about themselves.

When they went back to school, Roxanne was proud to hold Nat’s hand (her left one, always her left one), and they did spend some time together outside. They picnicked by the lake, traipsed through Hogsmeade together, and even explored the Forbidden Forest on a wintry night and saw three unicorns with a baby.

Most of their time together, though, was at the library. Roxanne would help Nat find the books she needed and organize the sources people owled her. Uncle Harry and Aunt Luna came one night and, very seriously, gave them several vials of crystal liquid, and pulled out the Pensieve from Professor McGonagall’s closet.

“We couldn’t find the proper words for these memories,” Uncle Harry said. “But they’re part of the story too. Watch them if you like.”

Roxanne cried during the memory of the celebration of Uncle Harry finishing the first Triwizard Task. “I’ve never seen Uncle Fred like this,” she sobbed. “Oh God, they were so young! Damn it, damn it…”

One commonplace notebook quickly became three, and then four, and then five. The school years flew by, as if they both couldn’t wait to be finished. In some ways, they couldn’t. Madam Pince had already informed Roxanne that she would be taking over the Hogwarts librarian position when she was finished, and she was planning how to change some parts of the library, to incorporate some new ways to find material (they needed an upgrade, and if they couldn’t have Google they would have the next best thing). Nat was ready, at last, to turn all of her profiles into a book, and try and publish it.

“And I’ll have a very good looking librarian to help me finish my research,” Nat added.

As busy as they were, Nat made sure that Roxanne took time to finish her own commonplace book. Roxanne hadn’t shared it with anyone until Nat, always making up stories about what was inside it (“murder plots”, “dragon patterns”, and “Nunya” were the top answers).

When Roxanne opened it, most of the pages were filled. “It’s code,” she blushed. “I like playing with letters and numbers, and I’m trying to develop one that’s easy to remember, quick, and difficult to crack.”

“Not impossible?”

“Nothing’s impossible. My Uncle Ron hasn’t been jinxed to death by Aunt Ginny yet.”

Nat laughed.

Roxanne never did find a perfect code, but the one she developed that Nat couldn’t crack (“c’mon, Roxy, I know you better than anyone!”) she wrote outside of the notebook. She gave it to her cousin Teddy, who was starting at the Aurors.

When Nat graduated, she still spent most of her time at the Hogwarts library. She and Roxanne lived together in the little librarian’s room, which turned out to be right off the Restricted Section. Uncle Harry was indignant when he found out.

“Nobody’s ever mapped this place!”

“Uncle Harry, do you really think the Marauders would have been in Madam Pince’s bedroom?” Roxanne asked.

She’d never seen her uncle go quite that shade of red.

Nat’s book was published two years later. It was called Lives in War, stretched to two volumes, and kept selling out so fast bookstores couldn’t keep it in stock.

Everyone loved it, which didn’t surprise Roxanne at all. Nat got several owls from people who hadn’t come forward during the writing, asking if she wouldn’t mind writing something about a family member, about a story they knew, a friend they had lost. Nat said yes to all of them, but she was about to have two new demands on her time (she still managed to write a sequel a few years later, which technically took less time than the first).

The first was a teaching appointment. Professor Binns wanted to retire at last, and Nat and Roxanne moved to the History of Magic quarters (better windows, and less mumbling books).

The second was their wedding, the first since Teddy and Victoire, and the whole family got in on it. They had to hold their wedding at Hogwarts getting married (where else?) in the library, before going outside for a picnic lunch with all the guests. It was the only place where there was room for everyone who wanted to come.

A year later, they took their third time demand on by themselves. A little girl, three years old, whose mother had died before she could get to Dean and Parvati’s shelter. She was darker than Roxanne and bubblier than Nat, once she got used to her new mummies.

They raised Kitty at Hogwarts, and she spent most of the time Nat was teaching in the library with Roxanne, looking at history books.

After all, what else?