#he moved in with Lucius and coped but I sure didn't

[naranjapetrificada]

So my literal first post on here was prompted by how emotionally overwhelmed I got after reading a couple of fics with the "Growing Old Together" tag. I regret to inform you that I now also have to avoid the "Domestic Fluff" tag for the most part because anything that implies Ed and Stede settling down outside of the time-space bubble that surrounds the Revenge is also too goddamn poignant for me.

I'm so normal about this show.

[iamnmbr3]

I LOVE your meta! <3 can you tell me your opinion about the development of draco's and harry's feelings for each other as it was accidentally written into the story (even tho JKR clearly didn't intend for a romance)? when did you think it started for both boys? i'd be very interested to know what you think. :)

Thank you!!!! <3 What a great question. I've gotten so many good asks lately.

I don't think there was one definable moment. I think it grew between them. They were both drawn to each other in some ways right from day 1 and spent seven years paralleling and orbiting each other.

Draco tries to befriend Harry before he even knows who he is (even though Harry looks rather scruffy and surely Draco must already know the children of all the "important" Pureblood families). And then he tries again once he knows who Harry is and spends years smarting at Harry's rejection, seemingly unable to move on from it or from Harry.

He's determined to be a part of Harry's life, if not as a friend then as a rival. He can't cope with Harry's disregard and constantly seeks attention from him. Even Lucius can't stop him from openly antagonizing Harry despite cautioning Draco in book 2 that it's unwise to be so openly hostile to Harry at this point.

Meanwhile Harry constantly watches what Draco does and even dreams about him his very first night at Hogwarts. After being nearly murdered by Voldemort at the end of book 1, during the summer before his second year Harry thinks of Draco as his arch nemesis and also thinks about how he kinda misses him.

For the first 5 years they know each other, Draco's entire life revolves around Harry whereas Harry has other things that he's dealing with though he's always extremely aware of and attuned to Draco. In some ways this might lead one to think that Draco is aware of his feelings a lot earlier. But honestly I think they're both in deep denial, though I do think perhaps Draco has more of an inkling since he is the one seeking Harry out.

Still, given the sharpening lines of the war, especially from book 4 on, I think Draco knows this is something that he should not and cannot feel or pursue and he tries to tell himself it's just dislike. Especially since mortifyingly Harry despises everything he thinks he believes in.

I think Draco would be the first to admit it to himself though. Probably during 7th year, once he's started to realize how wrong he's been about so many things and once he's been forced to confront the fact that he is not and will never be the person he's supposed to be, that he hates and fears Voldemort and the Death Eater cause, and that he hopes somehow, somewhere Harry is alive and that all the whispers about him being the Chosen One are true and that he really can end this.

And maybe in that context he also starts to admit to himself that maybe he never really hated Harry after all, that maybe the whispered remarks his friends made when they were younger were true and maybe he does feel something for Harry other than disdain. And that maybe it's not just that he finds Harry's stupid messy hair and green eyes aesthetically pleasing. Maybe he actually likes him. As a person. Maybe he loves him.

By the time the war is over I think he's come come to terms with it. Harry is just another thing he's lost, his feelings for him another thing he realized far too late.

Meanwhile we know that from the end of book 6 on Harry stops thinking about Draco with rancor and instead pities and worries about him, doesn't blame him for anything, and tries to save him at every opportunity. However, Harry also has a job to do and he and Draco are on the opposite sides of a war. The reality is that nothing can come of any feelings Harry might have and 1 or both of them may very well not survive the war.

Harry compartmentalizes and shuts down all feelings he might have and all thoughts of what might have been. Especially after the Manor, when he realizes that Draco may well be tortured to death because of him, he blocks him from his mind. He can't afford to examine his feelings or he won't be able to go on. Plus, if Voldemort reads his mind it will put Draco in even more danger.

Besides, he has Ginny. Someone who is so much more acceptable to care about. Someone who symbolizes all the intangible things Harry imagines he will want after the war. I think post Manor is the closest Harry comes to really acknowledging and verbalizing to himself what he feels, but he doesn't quite get there. (Though you could also read it as Harry realizing his feelings after the Manor scene and then realizing how impossible it all is and shutting Draco out of his mind completely).

But then the war's over. Harry gets to have his relationship with Ginny. He gets to realize that somehow in the peace they don't quite click anymore. Maybe they drifted apart. Or maybe what they had wasn't that strong to begin with. He's not sure, though sometimes he remembers the way at the end of sixth year she thought he was going off to fight Voldemort because it was what would make him "happy" rather than because he felt he had to, and wonders if maybe they were never going to work out, no matter what.

And meanwhile Draco's cleaning up his life. Harry speaks for him at his trial. And somehow they find each other again in the postwar world. Because they always do. Because they haven't been able to do anything but orbit each other since they were 11. And when Harry looks at Draco he feels something. And maybe he's never really put it into words before, even to himself, but somehow it doesn't feel new at all. It feels inevitable.

[little-fandom-dump]

going to try so hard to cohesively express all of my feelings about Thee israel basilica hands, so bear with me as i write a fuckin novella about this wet cat lad

(obvi spoilers for s2, e 1-7)

i am first and foremost. just incredibly impressed with his growth this season. last year, we had "he's done something to my boss's brain" and "this, whatever you've become...is a fate worse than death". last season, he had nothing but malice and spite for stede (for helping ed discover he can be soft and gentle) and ed (for letting himself change around stede) both. we know canonically now that it was all fueled by love- albeit a possessive and jealous love that hinged on his ideal perception of who ed was as blackbeard.

for years, he subjected himself to a cruel and unfulfilling affection. he allowed himself to be abused just to feel needed, to receive table scraps of attention and praise.

by all rights, he should fucking hate stede this season. after all, didn't he ruin blackbeard's pirating prowess, tarnish the version of the man he has fallen in love with? the crying in a soft velvet robe, the blanket fort and amateur poetry- these are coping mechanisms ed would never have indulged in before meeting stede.

but izzy doesn't hate stede, not really. like he says in episode 7, he understands that stede makes ed a better person- someone more loving to himself and those around him. how could he truly hate someone who does what he could not, who helps the man he loves grow into the best version of himself?

no, who izzy really hates is himself. in izzy's eyes, he's the one who pushed ed into becoming the kraken again after the breakup- he thinks he's responsible for all of the abuse and torture ed puts the crew through in the resulting weeks. the gun to jim's head, the apathy at ivan's death, the extreme psychological and physical abuse that ed inflicts onto the crew- izzy puts a lot of that blame on himself. we see this in his interaction with lucius about moving on- he dangled his leg above the shark, wasn't it really his fault when his leg was bitten off? he drinks himself half to death, begs for the crew to just kill him already, drives all of his pain inwards and inwards and inwards.

the thing about that, though? when a person engages in such self-destruction, they're bound to hurt those closest to them (ask me how i know). and he does. izzy's pain and guilt and self-hatred bleed into the lives of the crew, and it's only after he puts ed's gun to his temple and misses that he realizes it. so, what does he do? ever the unkillable bastard, izzy climbs his ragged way out onto the deck and turns the same gun back on ed. he may be a fucked-up self-loathing twat, but he can't allow (what he views as) his mistakes to hurt the crew-- or ed--anymore.

it is a testament to both the brilliant writing (and con's acting), however, that he doesn't suddenly heal after that. it wouldn't be a realistic expectation to have of him- after all, he's gone through incredible physical, emotional, and mental trauma for years now. izzy, he's not a functioning or emotionally healthy person. instead of suddenly being better and well-adjusted, he's angry and bitter and still so self-destructive. but he still tries to thank stede for the rescue. still tries to convince stede that ed didn't hate their breakup and do horrendous things to the crew and himself, still tries to keep him from knowing they (seemingly) killed him.

and when ed wakes up and stede finds himself the captain of their motley crew again, izzy is still hurting but izzy still tries. among so much hurt and devastation, he tries! and then the crew makes him a new leg, a literal embodiment of the trust and love they have for him- and he realizes that he deserves better! he deserves better for himself than to drink alone and spit venomous insults at his reflection. sure, he still drinks before noon and insults the crew-- but he also teaches stede new pirating skills, helps lucius out of his own traumatic funk, navigates the new ship dynamic as best he can. the insults are still there but there's no longer poisonous intent behind them. (the poison replaced with positivity)

the amount of grace and emotional maturity izzy is displaying in later episodes is incredible, considering what storms he's just weathered. his effort is admirable, especially towards ed and stede. he has every right to hate the two of them, to disavow them and leave the Revenge, but he doesn't. Instead, he takes time to reclaim parts of himself that were long hidden or never developed at all. chrissake, he lets himself be tender! he lets wee john help him with his makeup, sings a lilting love song to the crew, openly admits to stede that he loves ed, supports stede on the republic of pirates, allows himself to be more vulnerable than he's ever been before.

izzy sees now how good ed and stede are for each other, and he congratulates them on their, *ahem*, docking even while harboring his own jealousy and hurt. even if it's a bit of a joke, the sincerity is still there- he's willing to grin and tell stede he balances ed out, the two of them are good for each other. it's not even remotely hinted at, but i'm willing to bet izzy knew what the two of them were doing in the cabin while he was singing his soft and sweet requiem for the love he harbors for ed. and yet he still chooses to be kind and supportive to them both. to himself.

i know this post was a million paces long, but i'm just having so many feelings about izzy hands. and i'm so, so proud of him for admitting to himself that he deserves better, he deserves vulnerability, comfort, support, and the fullness of his identity as a queer person. it's a major change this season (one i honestly did not expect!), but one i love love love. great storytelling and great acting. i'm so looking forward to the future of izzy's character development.

TLDR: izzy's commitment to doing better for himself and others makes me emotional. i'm incredibly proud of him for trying to do/be better each passing moment.

[preciouspiastri]

IM STARING SOOOO INTENTLY AT canon(ish?), logan loves benny and later sarah but feels like a homewrecker

ok this one i can already tell is going to be my legit baby so here's a few pieces of it so far <33 i'll probably decide later on down the road if benny comes back after he leaves or not but idk yet! i might make him and sarah logan's wags and let elias keep his job lol

“But this is our dream?” (Logan) “No, Logan, this is your dream. I want to be a father. I want to be a family with Sarah.” (Benny) Logan reels back like he's been smacked. “Oh. I get it. I'm not a part of this like I thought I was then.” (Logan) “Logan, I didn't mean it like that. You have to know I didn't mean it like that!” (Benny) “I thought this would be better, but it’s not.” (Benny) “We tried, right?” Logan curls in on himself, feels impossibly small. Just wants Benny to say this ever meant something, anything to him like it did Logan. “We did try.” (Benny) “I know we were waiting to see if it would get better once we made it to F1, but it’s just not getting better. I think we both have to admit that.” (Benny)

“This is hard, but I think you were right. You should go be a dad to Kobe and Nala, spend time with Sarah.” “I won’t stop you, but are you sure Logan?” Logan nods. “Yeah, I can’t keep taking you away from your family. It’s not fair.” “You’re my family too, Logan. Whatever happens, I need you to remember that, yeah?” Logan nods to appease Benny, but he knows that Benny’s just saying that to make this easier, to make Logan feel better about essentially firing his trainer. Knows that eventually communication will peter out to obligatory texts and that Logan has to find a way to cope with that and move on. He can’t keep doing this to Benny or Sarah. He can’t destroy their actual family.

Logan’s phone lights up with the name ‘Sarah ❤️’ and the picture that the three of them took on the beach in Miami in 2023. Logan has a feeling as to why she’s calling, but can’t let it go unanswered. He couldn’t do that to Sarah, so he takes a deep breath and unlocks his phone. “Hello?” “Hi, love.” “Hi, Sarah,” Logan says. “You want to tell me what’s going on?” She asks gently. And something inside Logan breaks. Suddenly he’s sobbing down the phone with shuddering gasps racking his body, unable to catch his breath. “Hey, hey. You’re fine, babes. I need you to breathe for me.” He’s fucking trying, but his body just won’t cooperate. Sarah can hear him struggling, and it breaks her heart. “Do you need me to do anything?” Sarah asks. “No,” Logan chokes out. “Will you just talk? About anything, I don’t care.”

fuck it i'll include the playlist for this one too, it's more infidelity/guilt vibes but there are a few repeats

you signed up for this (maisie peters)

the blue (gracie abrams)

is there something in the movies (samia)

i know it won’t work (gracie abrams)

aeroplane (greer)

the other woman (lana del rey)

triptych (samia)

picture you (chappell roan)

coffee (chappell roan)

why did you marry (nataly dawn)

i don’t sleep well (hello saferide)

i do (reneé rapp)

high infidelity (taylor swift)

right where you left me (taylor swift)

go home (lucius)

don’t tell my mom (reneé rapp)

the kids don’t wanna come home (declan mckenna)

the one that got away (katy perry)

as long as we’re together (the lemon twigs)

why didn’t you say that? (the lemon twigs)

pool (samia)

to me it was (samia)

orange show speedway (lizzy mcalpine)

reckless driving (lizzy mcalpine)

called you again (lizzy mcalpine)

just dumb enough to try (father john misty)

nobody sees me like you do (japanese breakfast's version)

everybody does (julien baker)

your father (the front bottoms)

when u love somebody (fruit bats)

tornado warnings (sabrina carpenter)

things i wish you said (sabrina carpenter)

talking to strangers (maisie peters)

tough act (maisie peters)

bad decisions (bastille)

good lesson (bastille)

make me cry (noah cyrus)

fell in love without you (motion city soundtrack)

rewind (goldspot)

where’s my love (SYML)

meant to stay hid (SYML)

bottom of the ocean (miley cyrus)

not like the movies (katy perry)

grow as we go (ben platt)

same boat (lizzy mcalpine)

illicit affairs (taylor swift)

if you leave (orchestral manoeuvres in the dark)

also probably half of lizzy mcalpine's new album will end up on this list as well because that entire album is about logan and benny

[braveclementine]

Chapter 7

Warnings: None. However, future chapters will contain sexual content so readers that are under the age of 18 may have to skip those chapters (Please keep note of the warnings).

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

The house in question was a small one, that was still abandoned with a FOR SALE sign in the front yard. I slipped into the house using Alohomora, and then headed upstairs to the bedroom. The furniture had all been moved out, so I simply used the few blankets I had to make a small bed for Remus. He looked adorable, all trundled up in the blankets. 

I sat on the floor and cried. The stress of everything that I had gone through caught up to me. I couldn't sleep, consistently having nightmares about the dungeons. I worried about Severus and I also worried about Lucius. 

I hoped that Severus  made him the potion quickly and I hoped that Lucius was able to recover in time. I knew from the little research that I had done, that the potion usually took effect in less than forty-eight hours. That was promising. It just depended on how fast Severus could get the ingredients. 

I tried not to focus to much on the rapes. I wasn't sure if the ability to focus on other things like taking care of Remus or planning out the future was a good thing or a bad thing. Did it mean I wasn't coping with it and pushing it away until it became detrimental? Or did it just mean I was strong enough to move past it? 

Somehow, I felt I was moving past it, too easily. Which probably meant that I was dealing with it the wrong way. 

It took Trang three days to show up on my doorstep. When she slipped into the house, she gave me a heart attack as she called out my name. I pointed my wand in her face unapologetically. "When did you find out I was a witch?" 

"Technically, I didn't know you were a witch until we were in the summer of our fourteenth birthdays." Trang rattled off quickly. "However, I knew something was fantasy like in your family when I was on a camping trip with my family and I watched your father turn into a werewolf." 

I sighed in relief, pulling her into a hug. She hugged me back tightly and we went back upstairs. 

She had packed everything I'd left behind at the Burrow, which also contained books and journals. I had notes on the upcoming year. Dates and timelines so I knew when I needed to start brewing the Felix Felicis potion for Dad, Tonks, and several of the others. 

We moved house after that, leaving the small one behind. We found a house that was for rent near Kings Cross. We paid for only a month since that was how long we were going to be there. Since it was already complete with furniture and the likes, we didn't need to worry about that. 

I was the one who paid for the house while Trang and Remus waited around the corner. It was only after the real estate agent had left, did Trang come around the corner with Remus in her arms. 

We had already agreed that I needed to be the one to do things, but not have Remus with me. Me, a natural Brit was perfectly fine. Especially since I looked and acted older than my real age. But if I had Remus with me, there would be questions and curiosity around me. A single teenage girl with a baby? 

And Trang was out of the question since she was definitely looked like a foreigner. Vietnamese, living in Britain, with a mix of Vietnamese- British- American accent combined. She would stand out too. 

We settled into the new house in comfort. We kept the doors and windows locked with alarms on every single ones. They were special wizarding alarms that would sound only inside the house, not outside so the Muggles weren't alerted. The only people that needed to be warned of intruders were us. 

It was actually a nice month. I would go out and get the groceries- once again by myself- and then we would cook and eat in the kitchen. We could watch movies on the telly. Read books upstairs in the bed. There was a crib so Remus had a comfortable place to sleep. 

There was also a park nearby and every few days we would walk down there together with Remus and we'd take turns pushing him in the baby swings. If anybody ever inquired about us, I would say that he was my baby brother and that me and my friend were taking him out. 

There was never anyone suspicious around the park. It was always families with children. And unless the Death Eaters were taking Polyjuice Potion to be a child too (which I couldn't see), we were perfectly safe here. 

It wasn't until about three days before we were going to leave for Hogwarts did Trang and I finally discuss the plan. 

"I was thinking," Trang said as we sat on the bed. I had been reading a Stephen King book while eating Salt and Vinegar crisps with tea. She had been sketching a little in a notepad, but was taking a break. Remus was already fast asleep in the room, so the lights were dim and the curtains were pulled. "We could make our way to Vietnam. I have family there. I haven't met them, but we've contacted through letters over the years. We could stay there until the war is over." 

"If that's what you would like to do, I won't stop you." I said softly, closing the book over my finger, holding my spot. "But I have to go to Hogwarts Trang." 

I hesitated and she waited. "I. . . There are things there that I need. Potion ingredients and, well, most importantly. . . Severus. I need to make more Felix Felicis." 

"For the war?" Trang questioned carefully. 

"For people I love who die in the war." I whispered softly. "It's. . . Trang this battle. This war if that's what we want to call it. . . I am going to lose everyone if I don't do something about it. Dad, Tonks, Fred, friends, and especially Severus. And his life will be the hardest to save." 

"Elizabeth. . . why didn't you tell me?" Trang asked softly. 

"Because I didn't want to ruin your summer, ruin the wedding." I sighed. "Because even Dad and Tonks and Severus don't know. I could never tell them. I have plans. Dad, Tonks, and Fred are the easiest to save. Give them some Felix Felicis and they should be fine. Maybe stun them and throw them in some broom closest just for safe measure. But Severus. . ." 

I trailed off, thinking over Severus' death. The window period between Nagini biting him and me being able to save him was small. I knew it was pertinent to the future that Voldemort had to believe Severus was dead. 

So I had Felix Felicis, which I could shove down his throat and hope that luck would be enough to save him. I had Fawkes, which meant that while Severus was swallowing the luck potion, his tears would be healing him. And I had a special rune knife that I was going to use to carve runes into his neck and heart. 

I shook my head, "Anyways, I have to go to Hogwarts. But I understand if you want to part ways from here." 

"Lizzy." Trang sighed, taking my hand into hers. "I'm with you till the end of the line." 

And that was the end of that. 

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

"Okay, you ready?" Trang asked, looking at the packed trunks along with the basket. 

"No, but we need to go." I sighed, cuddling Remus close. "Come on. Before it gets to crowded." 

We made sure we had packed up everything that we had brought with us, and then exited the house for the last time. 

It was a dreary day out, so no one was going to look twice at us with our hoods pulled up over our heads. 

The plan was clear and simple: Trang would get on the train, accompanied by a cat. She would keep her luggage with her, which would contain a wicker basket that had been poked with three hundred and fourteen holes so that Remus could breathe safely. 

She would find an empty compartment- easy since we would be there earlier than most other people- and pull the shade down. I would transform back and hold Remus in my arms. The door would be stuck for three seconds, giving me enough time to put Remus back in the basket and curl up on top of the lid as a cat before anyone came in. 

I kept Remus in my arms until the last second, before Trang looked around discreetly. I kissed Remus' forehead, placing him gently into the basket. 

"Let's make this quick." I warned Trang, before putting the lid down, turning into a cat, and jumped on top of it. 

Trang walked briskly through the station, looking like a woman on a mission. She got half a dozen side-eye glances. Perhaps partly from her having a cat as part of her luggage, or perhaps because she wasn't native British- in their minds- like the others around them. But no one paid close enough attention to her to make me nervous. 

She paused near the platform, going and leaning on the wall, falling backwards through platform 9 3/4, before pulling the rest of the trolley through. 

The platform was nearly empty, devoid of most anyone except for a couple of extremely nervous, early bird first years and a few older students who had badges on their chests. So prefects and Head boys and girls. 

Trang was quick in leaving the trolley out there, picking up the basket, which I leapt off of. I padded after her as she found a compartment near one of the many exit doors of the train. Once inside, I immediately became human again, scooping Remus up out of the basket. I checked him over, fawning and fretting, but he was perfectly fine, having a little tired smile for me. 

"It's okay sweetheart." I murmured, holding him close to me. "We're going to be okay. You're going to get to see daddy soon." 

Trang tapped a code on the door quickly, before slipping back in, this time with her luggage. Then she tapped the compartment door with her wand so that we could see out of it, but no one could see in- like a two way mirror. 

Trang slumped in her seat, exhausted. Neither of us had gotten much sleep over the worry of the planning. 

I hid in the beginning once again as the Trolley witch came around. Trang bought lots of milk chocolate frogs, licorice, and Sour Crawley animals (sour sugared coloured animals that moved!) along with four flasks of pumpkin juice. 

When the witch had gone, I dug into the Crawley animals, unceremoniously decapitating an elephant as I bit the gummy in half. Trang meanwhile, snapped a chocolate frog in half and stuck a piece of it in her mouth to suck on it. 

Halfway through the ride, Ginny came into the compartment. She was relieved to see us and we all hugged. I shared parts of the story of me being in the Death Eaters mansion, but I couldn't bring myself to tell them about the rapes, not even when I'd promised Lucius I would spread the story about him. I just couldn't.

Susan Bones and Ernie Macmillan found us soon too, though more near the end of the train ride. 

"Look." I said as the train started to slow down and the others were starting to gather our luggage. "I'm not. . . here to attend school. I have some things I need to get and then I'm gone. I just need some help getting into the castle. And, well it would obviously be great if no one but the four of you know that I was ever here." 

"Of course. Just tell us what we need to do." Ernie said seriously. 

"Well, the first step is getting to the castle." I said. "I have a way of doing that. But we'll need the carriage to ourselves." 

"Done." Ernie said, puffing his chest out with the Headboy badge on it. I bit my bottom lip so I didn't giggle. 

"Let me carry Remus." Ginny offered, holding her arms out. She didn't have much luggage and since I would be an animal, she was the best person to do it. I carefully handed the basket over to her. She propped the lid up an inch, her fingers pressed against the back so it wouldn't slide off. 

"Great." I murmured. "Ernie, you lead the way." 

I shrunk down into a cat and allowed Trang to carry me. 

Once we were safely in the carriage, I turned back to being human. Susan and Ernie both gave verbal exclamations at me being an Animagus. 

All to soon, we were nearing the castle. My heart started to pound in my chest and I was shaking with nerves. This was ridiculously dangerous. But it was also the only way. 

"Okay." Trang said, her voice shaking as the carriage rolled to a stop. "Let's go." 

I slipped Remus into the basket once more and turned into a cat. They walked briskly up the steps and then stepped into the hallway. It was more crowded in here as the students walked in streams up towards the Great Hall to eat. 

Trang put her luggage to the side with everyone else and then took the basket that contained Remus from Ginny's hands. 

"Good luck." Susan whispered before the three of them hurried off to the Great Hall with the others. 

It took Trang a good five minutes of rushing to the seventh floor, leaving the basket and me outside the door, and then rushed off again without a single word. I hoped that she made it to Great Hall without the Carrow siblings noticing that she was a little late getting in. 

I paced back and forth three times, before the Room of Requirement became the art studio that I had asked for. Stepping into the room, I paused, taking in the new additions. 

The art room had always been large and spacious. There were several desks and tables that were large enough for several students to occupy, four chairs around each table, regardless of the size. 

Along one wall were metal carts that held tubs of art supplies, all of them neatly named. There was every colour of every art supplies imaginable as well. Art easels were propped up against the wall under the large windows that were filled with smooth glass stained art prints. 

There was a ladder that led up to the second floor balcony, which held books about art and just books that I generally enjoyed. There were also famous art pieces up here, though I wasn't sure to much if they were just copies or the real deal. 

Now, the room had extended even further back and along the bare wall, there was a new line of bookcases. They were filled with books that I had only seen in passing but had never touched: Dumbledore's private library. 

I breathed in shakily, walking over to the bookcase, observing the books. Some of the texts were obviously very old, and probably rare. Perhaps even collectors' items. And he'd left them for me. 

I smiled a little. 

I went ahead, settling up in the loft, waiting. I knew that it would be nearly two hours if Trang could get Severus to talk to her without raising suspicions. And if she couldn't, then it would be some time before Severus even knew that I was here. 

I was trembling in anticipation, my body seemed very cold all of a sudden, shivering in the air. I clenched my jaw as my teeth started to chatter, the sound grating on my already thin nerves. 

Finally, the door to the art studio opened. Trang opened the door and Severus darted through. I quickly sprung to my feet, carefully climbing down the ladder. But the time my foot had hit the floor and I was turning around, Severus was there, wrapping his arms around me. My back pressed against the ladder and I received his kiss eagerly. 

Remus let out a stifled cry, as he was being smushed between the two of us and Severus quickly pulled away, light filling his eyes. "He's gotten so big!" 

I quickly handed Remus over to his father and Severus held our little boy close. "Hello buddy." He murmured softly against Remus' hair. Remus was already fast asleep and Trang was nowhere to be seen. 

"Are you staying here?" Severus asked, motioning around the art studio. 

I shook my head, "No. I came to stay with you." 

Severus hesitated. "That's risky Elizabeth. And I'm not sure if I can risk it with you. . . especially with Remus here." 

"Severus, I wouldn't have come here if I had any other choice." I murmured. "I have. . . plans I need to do. Like starting up the Felix Felicis potion. I'm here to save lives and I need your potions expertise. Believe me, Severus, if I didn't have to risk Remus, I wouldn't have." 

Severus nodded, cupping my face and kissing the corner of my lip. "I know. I know. I missed you. I love you." 

I smiled, taking his hand. "I love you too." 

I turned into a cat and then Severus put Remus back into the basket. The two of us walked briskly back to the Headmasters headquarters, where he said the password, 'Dark Lord' and the Eagle sprung aside. If I had been human, I would have rolled my eyes. 

The Headmasters office hadn't changed much, besides the private library being moved. Severus had put in his own library, which I'm sure contained hundreds of Dark Arts books. The portraits were mostly sleeping, though I'm sure one or two were awake. And as such, I waited until Severus headed past the desk and down the hall that I became human. 

Severus opened the door to another room and I stepped inside, pausing to take a look at the room. 

The floor was carpeted with a red and gold threaded carpet. It had been grand once, but had faded from the sun that clearly came in through the two large windows on either side of the bed. At the moment, the windows were covered with matching red drapes. 

The bed was a king sized bed made of African Blackwood. The sheets were neatly white and made of cotton. The drapes that hung around were gold and black, along with the matching comforter. The rest of the furniture in the room from the dressers and wardrobe to the chairs were also made of African Blackwood. 

"Not what you were expecting?" Severus asked, locking the door behind the two of us. He walked over, grabbing one of the chairs and tapped it, creating a crib out of it. He conjured blue blankets and a pillow for Remus. 

"Here." I murmured, kneeling and rooting through the basket, taking out the Panda stuffed animal. "He can't sleep without it." 

Severus tucked the Panda stuffy in with Remus, and then watched his son sleep, the small fingers curling around the body of the animal. He eventually pulled away, coming to sit down next to me. 

"We're going to have to establish some rules." Severus murmured. "You cannot leave this room, Elizabeth. It's to dangerous for you to wander the castle, even as an animal. Please?" 

I hesitated. I had plans that tomorrow I would show up in the forest by the Quidditch cup so that I could give Harry, Hermione, and Ron a parcel of food. 

Severus read the hesitancy in my face and his eyes grew desperate. 

"It's just. . . I can still see the future Severus." I murmured. "And I was going to leave tomorrow for a few hours to help out Harry and the others. Trang is going to help me. I'll be okay." 

"Only been together for less than an hour and you're already pushing my rules." Severus sighed, tucking a curl of brown hair behind my ear. "I ought to punish you." 

I blushed red and he sighed, shaking his head. But he had the smallest smile on his face. "You'll be safe?" 

"Of course." 

"Fine." Severus muttered. 

I smiled, relaxing in his arms. "Hey Sev? How's Lucius? Is he alright? V- The Dark Lord didn't. . ." 

"Lucius is perfectly fine." Severus assured me. "He's been taking his potion and he's completely cured. I've set up a timeline and a schedule along with several bottles for him to continue taking. I'll make more here and when I visit, I will bring them with me." 

"Good. I feel absolutely terrible for him." I murmured. "To wake up and find that you've done a terrible thing that you didn't want to do. . . I can't even imagine." 

Severus' arms tightened around me and I knew that it was a sign that I needed to change the subject. 

"I love you." I murmured. 

Severus relaxed against me, pulling me up more in his arms. He kissed the side of my temple. "I love you too." 

⬅️➡️

[distant-velleity]

24, 28 and 30 for Chrysos and Santiago! Hehehe

24. how does your OC handle death of someone they know?

chrysos bottles it up for sure. he tries to brush it off as we weren’t that close anyway, even if they were close and he is affected. it’s how he coped with never knowing his parents, anyway, so it has to work. right? but it only comes off as callous and disrespectful in the eyes of others, which probably doesn’t help his emotional turmoil

santiago is also the type to be dismissive of his own feelings, never talking about it, just trying to move on and keep going with his life so he doesn’t have to think about it. smiling and refusing to cry in front of others is the way to go, apparently

28. is your OC a dog or cat person?

i would say both of them are neither because--think about it. chrysos is a fish (eaten by cats) but is also unfamiliar with land animals and santiago is probably intimidated by cats and dogs alike... just a little... but. santiago can at least willingly interact with lucius so there's that

30. does your OC wish to be married someday?

...chrysos has never thought about it, in all honesty. he never believed it'd be possible for him so, he's never thought about whether he'd want it or not. but the idea of being bound to someone by choice doesn't sound that bad, actually...

meanwhile, santiago has sort of daydreamed about it before, of course he wants to, he's just. for the longest time he was in a similar position where he didn't believe the kind of person who he liked existed somewhere out there

and then they met each other