#he’s literally carrying the ministry on his back

[winn-wynn]

Percy casually has a water bottle full of vodka under his desk to get through the days when he was in the ministry

[madamestephanie]

If Snape was using Occlumency to shield his mind from Voldemort, why didn’t Voldemort become suspicious that Snape was hiding something since he couldn’t penetrate his mind with Legilimency?

It’s because Snape did something far cleverer than merely “shielding his mind” from Lord Voldemort.

As one can make out from their interactions, Snape seemed to be the only Death Eater whom Voldemort ever had any modicum of respect for. You don’t merit Lord Voldemort’s esteem by being incompetent or stupid. Snape clearly earned his spot as Voldemort’s most revered servant by proving himself and being the asset that he was.

See, Snape never lied to Voldemort. Snape knew that Voldemort’s skill in Legillemency would immediately alert him to duplicity, so instead, Snape only told Voldemort the truth.

When Voldemort first returned, Snape justified his initial absconding from the Death Eaters by saying that he thought Voldemort had been vanquished in Godric’s Hollow. In The Prince’s Tale, we learn that this is actually true. Snape thought Voldemort had gone, and it was only Dumbledore who insisted that he would one day return. Later, he told Bellatrix that Voldemort forgave him for impeding him in his plot to purloin the Philosopher’s Stone because he did not know Voldemort was the mastermind behind the enterprise, and only thought that “unworthy” Professor Quirrell (whom Snape hated for getting the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher position) was trying to take the Stone for himself. Again, this turns out to be completely true.

Snape then spent 2 years “spying” on Dumbledore, and relayed what little he knew of the Headmaster’s activities to Voldemort. Dumbledore chose to keep Snape in the dark on most of his plots, which was actually (justifiably I might add) a source of great frustration for Snape. Then he killed Dumbledore just as Voldemort wanted.

Before the Battle of the Seven Potters, Snape gave Voldemort the correct date of Harry’s departure from Little Whinging. He correctly pointed out that Yaxley had been given a false trail, and truthfully divulged that the Order of the Phoenix distrusted the Ministry and the Auror office and wanted nothing to do with the institution. Re-read the scene from The Dark Lord Ascending in the books and pay close attention to the description of Voldemort’s body language. He hangs on to every word Snape says with great interest, and invites Snape to sit by his side. Meanwhile he ignores and then silences Yaxley (whom he shunts beside Dolohov), and expresses contempt for the Malfoys and Bellatrix by humiliating them. But Snape he holds in far higher regard, arguably valuing him more than anyone save for his beloved Nagini.

Voldemort was quite correct in recognizing Snape as an impressively talented and exceptionally intelligent wizard. He just never calculated that Snape’s cunning could be used against him. Even if Voldemort had decided to raid Snape’s mind, he would’ve found little of interest. Snape’s love for Lily Potter was already known to Voldemort (and he foolishly underestimated it, just as he did with Lily’s love for Harry), and the fact that he spent a great deal of time scheming with Dumbledore would not have perturbed Voldemort, but would’ve pleased him. That was literally the job that Snape was given; to earn Dumbledore’s trust and spy on him, and then relay his plans to Voldemort.

Snape’s deception of Voldemort is honestly one of the most underrated feats in the entire series, not necessarily because it was magically impressive (although it was), but because it was carried out so cleverly. As was made clear by his potion riddle all the way back in Philosopher’s Stone, Snape’s greatest talent was his cleverness, which so many wizards seem to lack. Hermione was quite right in recognizing Snape’s genius.

Snape fooled Voldemort with the truth, not with lies. That’s how he got away with it for so long.

Our Snapey has the brightest mind in the entire series, period. 🖤

[leezlelatch]

Trying to get back into writing, and I'm starting with a sort of continuing series of untitled snippets set in the same world with all the Papas. Stay tuned for more and I hope you enjoy. <3 Cardinal Copia x f!reader - intrigue, mystery, flirtation, talk of death, implied dark!copia.

You glance up from your place in the corner of the library, classical music playing through your headphones. You don’t know the piece, or who composed it, but the haunting melody that falls from the pianist’s fingers turns you introspective. If you’re being honest with yourself, you’re introspective often these days. The flicker of a form just out of the corner of your eye makes you smile, but when you turn to look, there’s no one there. If there’s one thing you’ve learned since joining the Ministry, it’s that ghosts are real. And you’re never truly alone.

A few Siblings of Sin pass your table, and your eyes follow them to a few of the worn chairs that litter the library. They were red, a small golden pattern woven into the fabric, but you doubt there ever really was a prime for these pieces of furniture. To you, they’ve always been like that. Eaten away by some mite, stuffing sticking out of cushions that were either the best thing you’ve ever sat on, or a literal pain in the rear. There were many things like that in this abbey. Things, and even people, so old that you’re sure they’ve always existed just as they are, and no one was around to remember them before. 

The Siblings are staring at you, and you look away with an apologetic smile, having zoned out so hard, you didn’t realize you were practically gaping at them. Having an overactive imagination can put you in all kinds of embarrassing situations, or maybe it’s ADHD. Whatever is wrong with you, you’re sure there’s some acronym that explains it. Or maybe you’re something new altogether. A silly girl with a silly mind. Not exactly a rarity.

A muffled curse interrupts your thoughts and you turn your head to look into the stacks, right into the black biretta of the Cardinal Copia. He’s bent over, picking up a book, one gloved hand holding his biretta steady. You’ve never interacted with him outside of communion, but he was kind where it mattered, but something altogether sinister when he was angry. Or so you’ve heard. Every member of the Emeritus line had a story. Some were fanatical, some downright perverted, but the sentiment was always the same. The men that ruled your lives carried something dark within them. 

“How do you think they gained power?” A friend said to you one evening over dinner, the mood light. 

“Because it’s patrilineal?” You responded. “His father and his father and his father, you know how it goes.”

“Do you really believe that?” They asked, suddenly serious. Serious in a way that had sent a chill up your spine.

Whether you believed any of the stories is another thing entirely, but you aren’t so naive to think that behind a pretty accent and a perfectly placed, “cara mia,” there isn’t something lurking behind their white eye. And you were staring again. And the Cardinal notices, looking back at you with an eyebrow raised, his upper lip twitching as he regards you with a sudden defensiveness. 

“Eh…, may I help you, Sister?” He asks, his voice going up and slightly cracking around the question. You blink rapidly, a sort of startled noise of apology leaving you, internally berating yourself for staring at a member of the upper clergy like he’s a museum piece. 

“No! Oh, Go-, Satan, no. I’m so sorry, your Eminence,” you manage, standing up from your chair as if he is a drill instructor and you need to stand to attention. The Cardinal’s expression rapidly clears, and he dips his head a little, watching you with, you believe, amusement. 

“Still having trouble switching between G-O-D and Satan, hmm?” He muses, his head tilting a little to the side as he speaks. His right eye is soft, warm, and his left eye cuts like a knife. You aren’t sure which one you should be looking into.

“Did you just spell out…you know,” you say, waving your hand up, suddenly wondering if you weren’t actually allowed to say the word beyond just learning how to curse in Satan’s name instead of God’s. 

“Sì, sì,” he says slowly, leaning toward you just a little bit, the grucifix at his chest catching the light from the window as it dangles. “We don’t want that son of a bitch hearing, yeah? Oh wait, that’s Jesus.”

You burst into startled laughter, and the Cardinal smiles. His teeth are crooked, and it’s one of the most charming things you’ve ever seen. He’s trying to make you comfortable, you realize, a warmth filling you as all your anxiety falls away from one bad joke. “I’m sorry for gawking,” you clarify, safe now in the Cardinal’s gaze. “I was daydreaming, and I wasn’t staring at you, but through you, so…” You trail off. 

“No, no, I understand, heh,” he says, his shoulders rising at the same time he nods his head. “I, eh, I am familiar with the daydreaming, too. Also. Yeah.” His hand punctuates every word, rising and falling with the cadence of his speech, and then dropping to his side, his fingers scratching rapidly at his leg. He’s nervous. Something so sweetly human, you smile. 

You offer your name, and the Cardinal glances away, his brow pinching for just a moment. It’s there and gone, an expression you can’t read, and then he glances at you, catching you in his white gaze, the pupil a pinpoint. “I know,” he says easily.

“How do you -,” you begin to ask how he knows your name, but the Cardinal interrupts you, sweeping from the shadows of the stacks. He’s suddenly quite close, leaning over to peer at your book sitting closed on the table. 

“Ough,” he makes a noise, something between a hum and a word. “The Great Mortality.” He reads the title, tilting his head to pin you with a look. It’s far more knowing than you anticipate, like he’s reading you as easily as the pages of your book. He straightens. “You are interested in the plague, eh?”

“I am. The Black Death. Although it wasn’t called the Black Death, it was called the Great Mortality, see that’s a misconception,” you say, the information spilling from your lips. You shut your mouth and look at him, but he merely smiles, nodding his head for you to continue. “The plague wasn’t called that until sometime in the 17th century, from a Danish translation, I believe,” you finish.

“That is very good,” he says, tapping his fingers on the cover, his attention entirely fixed on you. “Very good. But a very morbid subject.” His eyes trace your features. “You will let your Cardinal read this when you are done.”

It doesn’t occur to you that he doesn’t pose it as a question, and you nod eagerly. “Are you interested in the subject, Cardinal?” 

“It seems I am becoming more and more,” he says, his eyes never wavering from your own. “We will discuss after? A little, uh, book club. We will see what we make of the pale rider.” 

You tilt your head a little in curiosity, and he follows the movement, his lips curling into another smile. “The pale rider?” You ask.

“Sì, tesoro. Death.” His smile grows, and you suddenly register the quiet. You look over your shoulder. The other Siblings are gone. It’s just the two of you, here in this corner of the library. When you turn back, you make a small noise of surprise, the Cardinal slipping past you, the very edge of his shoulder brushing against yours. “Until then,” he says, not looking back as he leaves. “Happy reading.”

[imthesilentwriter]

The Conversation

Harry Potter x Wolfstar!Daughter!Reader

Summary: It’s been two weeks since you and Harry shared your first kiss. To say things are awkward is an understatement; however, everything comes to a head, at your traditional Christmas Eve dinner with the Potters.

Warnings: some awkward tension, kissing

Authors Note: Another fic! Only 4 days after the other one? Crazy!! I hope you're enjoying my oneshots so far - I have SO MANY MORE PLANNED, I'M SO EXCITED!!! If you wanted some context to this oneshot, then reader this one The Stars, first; however, it's not really necessary. I hope you enjoy!!

Word Count: 2545

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It’s been two weeks.

Two weeks since you and Harry had kissed under the mistletoe up on the Astronomy Tower. To say things were slightly awkward was an understatement.

You two have barely had time to talk to each other about this whole… situation. The second you think about bringing it up, something always seems to get in the way.

Maybe it’s a good thing that you get interrupted every time you try to bring it up; after all, facing the truth of your feelings feels daunting, and the distractions give you a chance to gather your thoughts, even if it’s just for a moment longer.

Oh, who are you kidding? You’ve been a bundle of nerves, your heart racing at the thought of what might happen if you laid your feelings bare.

Yet, the fact remains is that the kiss changed everything, and neither of you can pretend it didn’t happen.

The warmth of the freshly baked apple pie seeps through your gloves as you stand outside in the cold December air, snowflakes gently falling around you. The twinkling lights of the Potter’s home glow softly against the snow-covered ground, casting a warm, welcoming hue over the dark winter evening. Your breath forms small clouds in the crisp air, and you shift on your feet to keep warm, the excitement of Christmas Eve buzzing in your chest.

Sirius, however, is far less patient. He bangs on the front door again, a loud, persistent knock echoing through the quiet night. “James! Lily! Open up, it's freezing out here!” he shouts, his voice carrying an exaggerated urgency that makes you smile.

“Dad, they’re probably getting ready for dinner,” you say, shaking your head. “You don’t need to knock like you’re the Ministry.”

“Don’t encourage him,” Remus mutters beside you, pulling his coat tighter around him. “He’s just looking for an excuse to make an entrance.”

“I’ll make an entrance, alright,” Sirius grumbles, knocking even harder. “I’m not about to freeze to death on Christmas Eve when there’s food and warmth inside.”

“They know we're coming, Sirius,” Remus says calmly, though there’s a smirk tugging at his lips. “Chill out. They’ll let us in.”

“Chill out? I’m already chilled out! Literally!" Sirius huffs, his breath fogging in the cold. "Besides, how long does it take to answer the door when your best friends are standing outside freezing?”

You laugh softly, exchanging an amused look with Remus. “Maybe they’re hiding from you, Dad. Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Sirius raises an eyebrow at you, a mock-offended look on his face. “Me? Hiding from me? I'm the life of the party!”

Just as he’s about to pound on the door again, it swings open, and James Potter grins at the sight of you. “Alright, alright, no need to break the door down, Padfoot. You lot coming in, or are you planning to camp out there all night?”

Sirius straightens up, his dramatic flair back in full force. “Well, we would have been inside already if you hadn’t left us out here to freeze like a pack of stray dogs.”

James rolls his eyes. “You’re as dramatic as ever. Get in here before Lily hears you and thinks you’ve lost your mind.”

Stepping inside, the warmth of the house wrapping around you like a blanket, the smell of pine and cinnamon welcoming you home for the holiday.

Your eyes glance around, taking in the decorations – a string of enchanted lights twinkling along the mantel, stocking hung neatly, and a fire crackling softly in the hearth.

Lily steps into the hallway, wiping her hands on a dish towel and smiling brightly. “There you are! I thought I heard Sirius yelling out there.”

“I wasn’t yelling,” Sirius says with a smirk, pulling off his coat. “I was announcing our arrival – dramatically, as always.”

Remus snorts, shaking his head as he follows you both in. “More like demanding entry.”

Lily laughs, walking over to give each of you a warm hug. “It’s good to see you. And what’s this?” she asks, eyeing the apple pie you’re holding.

You smile, handing it over. “Homemade apple pie. Well, sort of homemade. Dad supervised, but I did most of the work.”

“Hey!” Sirius exclaims, raising his hands. “I supervised because I’m a terrible baker. And for the record, I’m great at taste-testing.”

Lily grins. “I’m sure you are. Come on in, everything’s almost ready. We’ve just set the table.”

You follow Lily into the kitchen; you can hear James and Sirius chatting loudly from the other room, their laughter echoing down the hall. As you step inside, you spot Harry standing near the counter, his back turned as he helps set out glasses. Your heart skips a beat, that awkward tension instantly tightening around your chest.

You haven’t talked about the kiss. Not really. And every time you see him, it’s like that moment keeps hovering between you, unsaid and unfinished.

Lily pulls you from your thoughts, smiling as she hands you a dish of roasted vegetables. “Could you help me bring these to the table, love?”

You nod quickly, grateful for the distraction. “Of course.”

Balancing the dish, you move toward the dining room, brushing past Harry. For a second, your arm lightly touches his, and it feels like the smallest spark between you. You catch his eye for just a moment, but he looks away just as quickly, as though neither of you quite knows how to navigate this strange, new territory between you. There’s that same softness in his expression – the one that’s been there since the kiss. But there’s also hesitation, the weight of words unspoken, hanging in the air.

You take the vegetables to the table, setting them down beside the plates Lily’s already arranged. She bustles in behind you, carrying more food, and soon enough, the room is filled with the smell of roasted meats, potatoes, and fresh bread. It’s warm, comforting, but the tension with Harry still lingers just beneath the surface, gnawing at you.

As everyone starts to gather around the table, you find yourself slipping into your usual seat, the one across from Harry. It’s always been that way – his eyes meeting yours across the table, a friendly exchange, a joke, a smile. But now? Now everything feels different. He sits down, his movements a little slower, more careful, like he’s trying not to draw attention to the fact that everything’s changed between you.

Dinner begins, with the usual clatter of silverware and the hum of conversation filling the room. Sirius and James are already deep into a playful argument about Quidditch, and Remus is chuckling along, trying to keep the peace. But you’re hardly paying attention. Your focus keeps drifting back to Harry.

He’s quiet tonight, quieter than usual, occasionally glancing your way but not saying much. Every time your eyes meet, there’s this… thing between you, a kind of nervous energy that wasn’t there before. And every bite of food feels like it’s sitting heavy in your stomach because, no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to relax.

Lily leans over at one point, offering you another helping of potatoes, her soft voice pulling you out of your thoughts. “You alright, dear? You seem a little distracted.”

“I’m fine,” you reply quickly, offering her a smile. “Just thinking.”

She gives you a knowing look, but thankfully doesn’t press further. You can feel Harry’s eyes on you again from across the table, and you risk another glance in his direction. His fork is hovering over his plate, but his gaze is fixed on you, intense, like he’s waiting for something – an opening, a chance to talk.

But the words just won’t come.

The familiar sounds of laughter and holiday cheer continue around you, but it feels like you and Harry are in your own bubble, isolated from the rest. Every clink of a glass or scrape of a chair feels like it’s just prolonging the inevitable conversation you both know is coming.

After dinner, the house hums with the warmth of family conversation, but you can barely focus. Plates clatter as you and Harry gather the dishes, the room filled with laughter from the others.

You follow him into the kitchen, the tension between you as thick as it was during dinner. Harry’s hands move with practiced ease as he starts packing the dishwasher, and you find yourself mirroring his actions, the two of you working in silence.

It’s only when the last dish is tucked away, and Harry closes the dishwasher door, that he speaks. “We need to talk,” he says, his voice low, eyes darting toward you.

You freeze, a lump forming in your throat. “I know,” you whisper back, already feeling the weight of the conversation you’ve, both been avoiding.

He takes a deep breath, glancing toward the dining room where your parents are still chatting. “Let’s take a walk,” he suggests. You nod, grateful for the chance to step outside, to breathe away from the tension hanging over the evening.

As you move toward the hallway, Sirius looks up. “Where are you two sneaking off to?” he asks, raising a brow. Remus glances over, curious as well.

Harry shrugs casually, but there’s a tightness in his voice. “Just going for a walk. We’ll be back soon.”

Sirius shoots you both a teasing grin. “No funny business, you hear me?”

You roll your eyes, muttering, “Dad.”

Remus, however, just waves you off with a smile. “Go on, you two. Get some fresh air.”

Stepping outside, the cold air hits you immediately, refreshing but also sharp. You walk in silence, your breath visible in the chill, the crunch of snow beneath your boots the only sound for a while. You feel Harry’s presence beside you, close but careful, like neither of you knows exactly what to say yet.

After a few minutes, you arrive at the treehouse, the one you’ve both spent countless summers and holidays in, hiding away from the world. It’s where you’ve shared secrets, jokes, and dreams. But tonight, the treehouse feels different – like it’s holding its breath, waiting for the words to finally spill out between you.

You climb up first, settling into the familiar space. Harry follows, and for a moment, neither of you speaks. The silence stretches out, both comforting and suffocating at the same time.

Finally, you break the quiet, your voice soft. “Our friendship… it’s changed, hasn’t it?”

Harry leans back, his eyes on the floorboards. “Yeah, it has.” His tone is measured, but there’s something raw underneath, something unsaid.

You bite your lip, unsure of how to go on. “I mean… we don’t have to let it. We could just… forget it happened. The kiss, I mean. We can just stay friends.”

The words feel heavy, almost painful, as they leave your mouth. You’re not even sure if you believe them. But it’s easier than facing the possibility of things falling apart between you.

Harry’s head snaps up, his expression one of pure shock. “Forget it?” he echoes, disbelief colouring his voice. “You really think we can just pretend that didn’t happen?”

You shift uncomfortably, shrugging. “I don’t know, I just… I don’t want to ruin everything.”

He’s quiet for a moment, his gaze piercing into yours. “But I don’t want to forget it. I don’t want to pretend like nothing’s changed. Because…” He hesitates, and you can see the conflict in his eyes, the way he’s choosing his words carefully. “Because I like you. A lot more than just… as a friend.”

Your heart skips a beat, your breath catching. “Really?” It comes out softer than you intended, the word barely more than a whisper.

Harry looks at you earnestly, his eyes soft but steady. “Yeah, really. I’ve been trying to figure it out for a while now, but that kiss… it just made everything clearer.”

You stare at him, stunned. His confession sends a rush of warmth through you, but you’re still trying to wrap your mind around the fact that he feels the same way. “I… I feel the same,” you admit, your voice shaky, but there’s no denying the truth behind your words.

His eyes soften at your confession, and for a moment, neither of you speaks. Then he gently lifts your joined hands, his fingers still intertwined with yours, and holds them between you, as if solidifying the connection.

You notice the mistletoe again, still hanging above your heads. You can’t help but let out a small, nervous laugh. “There’s that mistletoe again.”

Harry follows your gaze, then looks back at you with a soft smile. “Yeah… funny how it keeps showing up, isn’t it?”

He doesn’t hesitate this time. Slowly, deliberately, Harry leans in, and your breath catches in your throat. You can feel the warmth of his breath as he inches closer, your heart pounding in your chest.

When his lips finally meet yours, the kiss is soft, almost hesitant at first. But then you both relax into it, the tension melting away as his hand gently cups the side of your face, his thumb brushing your cheek. You kiss him back, your free hand finding its way to his chest, your fingers gripping the fabric of his sweater as you lose yourself in the moment.

The kiss feels different from the one on the Astronomy Tower. This time, there’s no hesitation, no second guessing – just the two of you, wrapped up in each other and the quiet certainty of how you feel.

When you finally pull back, you’re both a little breathless, your foreheads resting together as you sit there in the stillness. But then a thought crosses your mind, and you pull back slightly, just enough to look at him.

“I just-” You hesitate, biting your lip. “I don’t want to ruin our friendship, you know? I mean, I like you. I really like you, but… jumping straight into a relationship? It feels like a lot. And I don’t want to mess things up.”

Harry’s brows furrow slightly, his gaze soft as he watches you. “So… take it slow?”

You nod, your heart pounding as you wait for his response. “Yeah. If that’s okay with you. I just don’t want to rush into something and then lose what we have.”

A smile tugs at the corners of his lips, and he squeezes your hand gently. “Of course that’s okay. We don’t have to rush anything. We’ll figure it out together.”

Relief floods through you, and you let out a small breath you hadn’t realized you were holding. “Really? You’re okay with that?”

Harry grins, his thumb brushing over your knuckles. “Yeah. That’s fine. We don’t have to label anything or figure it all out right now. I’m just… I’m glad we talked about it.”

“Me too,” you murmur, the tension between you easing into something more comfortable, more familiar. “So… we’ll take it slow.”

Harry nods, and then, without hesitation, he leans in again, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. “Whatever pace you want.”

Your heart swells, and for the first time in weeks, everything feels less complicated. You don’t know exactly where this will go, but for now, your content with this – taking things one step at a time, hand in hand.

[hollowed-theory-hall]

The Ministry of Magic: Part 1/?

(Part 2, Part 3)

Legislative Processes

I don't know if I was the only one who was paying too close attention any time Arthur or Percy Weasley mentioned anything to do with their ministry jobs to try and understand how the magical government works... but I made some notes based on random one-off lines that have some implications.

So, I'll start with a short one about one of the ways laws come into existence in the UK Ministry of Magic.

“C-cars, Molly, dear?” “Yes, Arthur, cars,” said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes flashing. “Imagine a wizard buying a rusty old car and telling his wife all he wanted to do with it was take it apart to see how it worked, while really he was enchanting it to make it fly.” Mr. Weasley blinked. “Well, dear, I think you’ll find that he would be quite within the law to do that, even if — er — he maybe would have done better to, um, tell his wife the truth. . . . There’s a loophole in the law, you’ll find. . . . As long as he wasn’t intending to fly the car, the fact that the car could fly wouldn’t—” “Arthur Weasley, you made sure there was a loophole when you wrote that law!” shouted Mrs. Weasley. “Just so you could carry on tinkering with all that Muggle rubbish in your shed! And for your information, Harry arrived this morning in the car you weren’t intending to fly!”

(CoS, 43)

Like, this is bizarre. Let's recap, Arthur Weasley is the head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, described as:

“What does your dad do at the Ministry of Magic, anyway?” “He works in the most boring department,” said Ron. “The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office.” “The what?” “It’s all to do with bewitching things that are Muggle-made, you know, in case they end up back in a Muggle shop or house. Like, last year, some old witch died and her tea set was sold to an antiques shop. This Muggle woman bought it, took it home, and tried to serve her friends tea in it. It was a nightmare — Dad was working overtime for weeks.” “What happened?” “The teapot went berserk and squirted boiling tea all over the place and one man ended up in the hospital with the sugar tongs clamped to his nose. Dad was going frantic — it’s only him and an old warlock called Perkins in the office — and they had to do Memory Charms and all sorts of stuff to cover it up —”

(CoS, 36)

It's a small office, only Arthur, the office's head, and one employee, Perkins. Even though it's such a small office, that is held in low regard, Arthur still has the legal authority to bill laws relevant to his office. Molly and he literally say he wrote a loophole into the law on purpose!

This means any department or office head in the ministry, regardless of how small or inconsequential they are, has the legal authority to draft a law and offer it to vote in the Wizengamot. We know the law bills get voted on, so at least random ministry personnel can't just make laws for whatever they want.

We don't really know what Araminta Meliflua Black did for a living, but she was clearly legally allowed to draft laws too:

and Araminta Meliflua . . . cousin of my mother’s . . . tried to force through a Ministry Bill to make Muggle-hunting legal

(OotP, 113)

And we know her law didn't pass, so I assume it was dropped during a Wizengamot vote.

But this process shows how much the Ministry of Magic doesn't function like a democracy.

I'll write about what exactly the Wizengamot is, how I believe it functions, and who the members are (I'm pretty sure they aren't elected democratically though. Edit: I wrote it). Still, for now, the legislative process in the ministry is that every office head writes laws in their area of expertise (or anything else they're passionate about, apparently). Then the law gets voted on by the Wizengamot which is both the Parliament (the legislature) and the supreme court of justice in the ministry (somewhat like the House of Lords in the UK used to function in the past).

In democracies, the legislature is usually elected by popular vote or indirectly elected, this group of elected legislators would be the only ones who could legally write laws. As every office head in the ministry has the authority to act as a legislator, I assume no such election methods are in place for every single office in the ministry. For the larger department heads, perhaps, but not every minor office.

If we take the muggle UK as our legislature template, laws can be billed by any member of the parliament (be it the House of Lords or the House of Commons). Then these bills are voted on multiple times by the parliament. It's more complex than that, but my main point is that in every sensible democratic country, the members of the parliament are the ones drafting laws and voting on them. In the Ministry of Magic, it seems like basically everyone in the Ministry can draft a law, not just Wizengamot members (who vote on them).

In the US there are ways for citizens to recommend laws to the member of Congress that represents them, but that's completely different to Arthur just straight up writing a loophole into the law intentionally! There isn't even anyone who oversees the phrasing of the bill, or reads through it to make sure it makes sense or, idk, legal if Arthur could just write what he wished! Or that Araminta could write a bill for muggle-hunting and offer it up to a vote, like... there doesn't seem to be any screening for the laws that go into a vote. Not even for their phrasing.

This is just a messed up little fact about the legislative processes within the Ministry of Magic I didn't see anyone mention that I think is interesting.

[skellyflowers]

Heartbeat

I didn’t even see Phantom coming. One moment I was talking with my friend, the next my world was literally turned upside-down. Phantom is pretty sneaking but normally he will announce himself. So when I found myself thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, I was really caught off guard.

“PHANTOM!” I finally said when I recovered.

“Hi Angel.” He answers, wagging his tail.

“I was talking to my friend.”

“And now you're not.”

I wanted to stay mad at him, but I really missed him. Phantom had been busy for the last 2 weeks with things for Ghost. I know how important touring is to him so I tried not to complain. But I would be lying if I said I hadn't missed him.

In no time at all we end up in the ghoul den. Some of the ghouls watching as I am carried to Phantom's room. He kicked in the door and tossed me on his bed. He closed the door and then started to rummage through his drawers. He eventually pulled out an old Ghost t-shirt and threw it on the bed.

He then walked to stand in front of me and held out his hand. When I grab it he gently pulls to him. He puts our foreheads together and I hear his purring rattle around in my head. His hands cup my face as his thumbs rub my cheeks. He then slides his hands down and starts to unbutton my uniform.

After undressing me he puts the band shirt on me and pushes me back on the bed. Phantom then undressed himself until he was in his boxers. He then pushed my legs open and laid down on my chest. Cuddling is not where I thought this night would go, not that I’m complaining. I put my hands in his hair and was immediately met with more purring.

After a few minutes Phantom lifted his head to rest his chin on my chest. Between his horns I could see his tail wagging back and forth. I could see quintessence swirling in his eyes. It was hypnotizing. 

“I missed you Angel.” He said, breaking the silence.

“I missed you too, Bug.” I responded. Somehow his purring got even louder.

“Sorry that I have been so busy. Papa really wants the performance for the Ministry anniversary to be perfect.”

“It’s ok. Pretty much everyone is working on the anniversary preparations.”

“I know but, I don’t like that practice runs so late.” He complains. “You are usually asleep when we get done and I don’t want to wake you up.”

“We can make up for lost time after.” Phantom’s tail is now loudly thumping against the mattress. Clearly he already has ideas.

“I love you Angel.” He says, laying his head back down on my chest.

“I love you too, Bug.”

Just before I fall asleep Phantom picks his head up once more.

“Do you think Papa will let me bring you on tour with us?”

[cumulo-ghoulll]

Beach Day HC 🏖️

Copia likes to treat his ghouls and ghoulettes to a little vacation every now and again. During the summer, the pack always begs for a beach day.

Dew spends as little time as physically possible in the sun as he complains that he needs to keep his skin as pale as possible. Once he's been chased down by Aether and soaked in suncream, he usually caves and spends the rest of the day sunning on the warmest rock he can find. By the end of the day, he's usually taken off his swim shorts and, once again, has to be chased down by Aether and wrapped in a towel.

Rain spends almost the whole day in the sea. He is a freshwater ghoul so he can't breathe under the sea as long as he usually can in the lake at the ministry. If the beach is empty he'll partially unglamour and swim quite far out. He loves hunting big fish in the deeper parts of the sea and bringing back his catches for Copia. The fish he brings back is normally cooked by Swiss for everyone to eat but Rain prefers to eat his raw.

Mountain likes to collect shells and seaweed and decorate his antlers with his finds. Copia brings a bag for Mount to put his pebbles and shells in. The best thing he ever got from the beach was a pearl Rain had brought back from the seabed. He does go for a little paddle in the sea for a few minutes but only of Rain is there too as Mountain is actually quite scared of the sea and drowning in particular.

Swiss is in charge of the barbeque and he loves it. He brings a ridiculous amount of hotdogs and burgers and ends up cooking Rain's fish too. When he's not cooking, he likes to soak up the sun, not as much as Dew but he likes it none the less. If Copia brings any floats, he gets Rain to drag him around on it as Rain is ridiculously fast in the water. Swiss usually ends up flying off whatever float he's being dragged around on. He also loves recreating "I've lost my diamond earring!!" with Phantom.

Aether is like the dad of the group and that definitely doesn't change at the beach. When he's not being buried by the ghoulettes or sleeping under an umbrella, he helps Phantom learn to swim. Aether's a great swimmer so he doesn't mind teaching Phantom. He does spend a ridiculous amount of time reinflating Phantom's armbands as the bug loves to deflate them. Aether takes the orders for ice cream as well and makes sure everyone gets the ice cream they want.

Phantom prefers to spend most of his time at the beach with the ghoulettes. He absolutely loves making massive and extravagant sand palaces and then jumping into them after. If he's not swimming with Aether, he likes to run around on the shore and more shallow areas of the sea. Phantom prefers to run on all fours still as he's still not completely used to walking upright because of how short of a time he's been Topside compared to everyone else. If Swiss and Copia are in the sea, he loves getting thrown between them (with Aether there to grab him if he doesn't make it all the way)

Cirrus and Cumulus are attached at the hip anyway and that doesn't change at the beach. Cirrus is almost constantly rubbing more sun lotion on Cumulus as she burns incredibly easily. They love playing with the bat and ball Copia brings but have to shout for Rain when the ball goes too far out. Cirrus loves tanning and literally times how long she's on one side for. Meanwhile, Cumulus sits at the edge of the shade with a parasol next to her. Cumulus is usually chugging a coke as well as she gets super dehydrated out in the sun and she has to force Cirrus to drink anything at all.

Aurora and Sunnie tend to hang around with Phantom. Sunnie helps him build his sand palace and Aurora is chief decorator (she has to collect shells to stick on the sides). All three of them usually sneak up to the freezer box while Aether is sleeping and take as many ice creams they can carry. Aurora likes to look around the rock pools and get Sunnie to tell her what the different creatures are.

Copia is usually asleep on his deckchair with his hat covering his face. Occasionally, he can be convinced to be buried in the sand by the ghouls but only if Aether is on standby to dig him out. As much as he loves taking his pack out to the beach, he gets a constant barrage of, "Papa, look!" "Copia! Look what I've got!" "Papa! Tell him to give me that back!" "Papa! You're not watching!!" "PAPA THERE'S SEA WATER IN MY EYES!!" "Copia? Have you seen my sunglasses?" "PAPA THAT CRAB JUST PINCHED MY BUTT!!" "PAPA I JUST GOT STUNG BY A JELLYFISH!! IM GOING TO DIE!!" "C? What's this?" "Copia there's sand in my mouth..." "Papa I just stepped on something sharp." "Papa I left my hat in the car!" "PAPA!! LOOK AT THIS FISH AHAHAHA I CAUGHT IT ALL BY MYSELF!!" "PAPA TAKE A PICTURE OF ME!!" "Copia? I've lost my goggles in the sea." "PAPA I JUST DROPPED MY ICE CREAM!! CAN I HAVE ANOTHER? WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S NONE LEFT??" "PAPA!! DEW JUST SAID HE HOPES I GET EATEN BY A SHARK." "papa. jaws isn't real, right?" Copia usually leaves with a headache, a sunburn, and a bag of rocks and shells.

[toctua]

In the 6th year, Noctua became an animagus, and registered with the Ministry (because her father would not tolerate a cheater at home).

I can literally imagine how she decided to brag about this to Tom, and he did not miss the opportunity to tease her 💚

Tom didn’t really understand why Noctua needed this, but it seemed she herself barely understood why she needed the animagus form. After a quarrel with her father because he did not allow her to go to London to meet Tom, she announced a month of silence. During this time, for the sake of experiment, she decided to try carrying a mandrake leaf in her mouth. Well, the experiment was clearly a success, although Eleazar was furious.

His gaze examined with interest the pale scales on the cobra's body, Tom was tempted to touch Noctua's snake form. However, wanted to tease her even more. “I’ll tell your father that you use animagus form at school,” Riddle muttered under his breath in Porseltongue, hiding his hands in his pockets.

"I'll bite you!!!" she hissed back, curling into a ball under his feet, "Isn't that cool?"

He clenched his teeth so as not to laugh at this moment. Yes, it was really cool.

[ask-the-clergy-bc]

I was reading some of the older hcs, in one of them you said that kits can be summoned by inexperienced summonner. What if someone decided they are above the rules and tried to summon a ghoul only to fuck up and snatched a small kit, and while the clergy deals with the person the kit was passed to one of the ghouls mates and they get attracted really fast. How would they react when their mate just shows up with a child? Like 'Oh yeah, this is mine now'.

This is so cute, I hope you don’t mind ghoul reader! :)

Ghoul Mate Reader

GN Reader

Era V Ghouls

The Ghouls Mate Adopts a Displaced Kit

For a quick recap, ghoul summoning HAS to be done by an experienced and supervised sibling of sin. Many botched summoning are done by new siblings who have no clearance to carry one out. Botched summonings can result in injured ghouls, stolen kits, or even pulling beings that are not ghouls into the clergy…

Aether: The guitarist ghoul was ready to keep the kit immediately when you told him what happened. His only hesitation is that you both could be in big trouble if you didn’t report it. The ministry is very strict on tracking these types of summons. But you were happy to know that Aether was already attached and wanted to keep the little one sooooo badly. Aether just wants to do it the RIGHT way. It’s how you ended up in Papa’s office, with your mate kindly explaining why you had to keep the kit. You and the kit were already attached at the hip, and so was he! Papa was VERY happy for you both and for the baby. “Well, uh, it solves where we must place the little one, yes? Uh… congratulations?”

Phantom: It takes an hour of convincing Phantom that you are completely serious about adopting this random kit. When you first got him and told your mate you wanted to keep the little ghoul he thought you were trying to prank him. Phantom literally thought you had borrowed a kit to try to get one over on him! But when he realizes this ISN’T relation for the prank he pulled on you last week, he’s very quiet. He stays quiet for a very long time and you get nervous this might be the end of your relationship… but he surprises you. “So, what do we name him?” He’s completely unsure of what to do, but he wants to make this work! Phantom insists this is awesome, because he can raise your kit to be a guitarist like him!

Cirrus: You were very nervous about bringing home your new kit. Cirrus hates when you both make big decisions without consulting the other. She was very curious when you brought home a tiny kit, asking why you were baby sitting. You carefully started to explain that the little ghoul was accidentally summoned. But before you could finish it Cirrus came over to take the baby. She immediately clutched the kit protectively, and you remembered the same had happened to her when Air adopted her… “We will protect her with our lives.” She declares before nuzzling into the little ghoul.

Cumulus: Your mate was so supportive when you brought home the kit. She was very confused at first, mind you, until you explained what happened. Cumulus quietly listened as she held the baby ghoul and eventually started rocking the kit to sleep. “Well… he already likes us. We can’t just give him back!” Cumulus’ main concern is that eventually she does have to work and tour. So you both have a big discussion of how your home situation will be when you are left with your kit by yourself. But if you are happy with the arrangement, so is she!

Mountain: To your surprise, Monty barely asked any questions. He just readily accepted that you made the executive decision to adopt. You personally know it’s from his home tribe, where spur of the moment adoptions happened. The drummer is more interested in picking out a name, figuring out the kit’s element, and getting the nest ready for the baby. Mountain already starts gathering spare curtains to make a kit sling for you both to carry her around. You barely have time to blink before your kit is slung against his chest comfortably and he’s out the door to go get supplies!

Swiss: Your kit? You mean OUR KIT!! Swiss loves kits so much, so when you brought one home randomly he had assumed you were baby sitting. The guitarist had the baby in his arms so fast to play and the small ghoul clung to him immediately. He was so wrapped up in playing he nearly didn’t hear that no, you weren’t babysitting! It took you a moment to get his attention and explain… you sorta… kinda just took this one after a botched summoning? Swiss stared at you for a long time before becoming emotional. “You mean… you adopted a family for us?” He’s SO excited and hugs you both. You know he wanted a family after the band but are just excited he’s excited for one a little early!

Rain: At first you thought you had made a mistake when Rain seemed a little sour at first. He had made a face when you told him what happened . But you quickly came to find that he just hates when humans do these vile things. Rain scooped the kit up with your permission and looked at you. “Do you really want to do this? I need to know we are both committed before I get too attached.” Neither of you had discussed starting a family before this. It was time for you two to talk about it and be 100% sure you both were ready for the responsibility. But when you saw the kit fall asleep on Rain, you knew it was meant to be.

Sunshine: They didn’t really know you could just… do that? I mean sure, in Hell you can adopt any kit you find abandoned. But wouldn’t the humans get suspicious if they saw you both with a baby out of no where? Sunshine doesn’t think about it too hard once the baby is in their arms. they’ll explain to Papa and Sister eventually! Sunshine is admittedly a little scared to raise the kit in the human realm. They are still super new to human culture and is scared of raising a kit outside of Hell. But they trust you since you were summoned for way longer! Sunshine wants to introduce the kit to the band as soon as possible!

Aurora: She takes to the kit almost as fast as you did! You both realize later that your kit has quintessence as their element. No wonder! You three bonded so strongly it would be impossible to separate your new family. Aurora is not shy to immediately go to Papa and have a long list of supplies and accommodations you will all need. Papa is bewildered but can’t find it in him to say no to the confident ghoulette and her demands. All you originally wanted was just for your mate to be ok with adopting. But you won’t say no to all of the perks! It’s how she got you both a bigger living quarters, kit supplies, and even new furniture! The only thing you two end up bickering about is names. So far you might compromise on an Opera inspired name.

Sodo/Ember: He’s mad at first. No. NO NO NO NO NO! You can’t just come home with a FAILED SUMMON KIT! You both can get in serious trouble and- one angry look from you kept your fire ghoul from arguing more. But he INSISTS this is YOUR issue, not his! …. Until he realizes the baby is a fire kit… and also really cute… and awww, look at how the kit likes you already. Fine. Sodo eventually relents when it’s his turn to hold the kit and the small ghoul falls asleep in his arms. When you try to take the kit back he pulls away protectively. Eventually you hear a “Fuck you, babe, if you think I’m changing diapers!!”

[opuswrites]

IDK IF ANYONE HAS DONE THIS BEFORE BUT HEAR ME OUT.

bath day in the ministry.

whenever Copia shows up in the common room with Rain by his side who's tail is wagging like CRAZY everyone knows whats about to happen.

Dew&Sunshine who don't like water and Mountain who finds comfort in being covered in dirt immediately make a run for it only to be caught by the back of their neck by the ghoulettes and a very scary looking Rain. hes NOT about to let them ruin this because this is his favourite time of the week. or a couple of weeks.

They're doing the washing in Rain's room, who has the biggest tub of them all. While Copia sets up his little folding chair next to the tub Rain is already in, letting out happy trills as he allows himself to relax until their papa gets ready. (phantom sometimes joins him next to the tub to help out until its his turn.)

When he is, the first ones to get in next to rain are Cumulus, Cirrus and Aurora after eachother. They have no problem with getting in, and enjoy the little bonding time they can spend with Rain and Papa just one on one. Sometimes Sunny gets in with Cirrus (she REALLY didn't want that bath so Cir just grabbed her and plopped her next to Rain and got in herself to lock Sunny in.

While Sunny is in she makes sure to use whatever fire ghoul powers she has in her to warm the water up again, which always manages to get out an uncomfortable huff out of Rain who doesnt enjoy the sudden temperature change.

Then, comes Aether who's natural about the whole thing. he lays back and lets Rain cuddle up to his side while Copia washes his hair. They often talk about stuff that goes around the ministry, taxes and adult shit. its TERRIBLE. rain is always half asleep during this dragged out wash. but it is very clear that Aether is Copia's favourite to bathe.

Then, when the big warm body next to Rain gets out comes Swiss. with that cocky smirk. he teases rain through the WHOLE TIME, starts to start something but after his probably 3rd rejection and a knowing pat on the shoulder by papa gets him to shut up and just enjoy the time spent together.

He's also sure to warm the water up, his powers being a little stronger than sunny's, he makes sure the water is nice and warm for Phantom. Who's not very talkative, but isnt against the activity either. Rain can relax around him, splash away in one end of the tub while papa is taking care of Phantom in the other.

And then Dew. Fucking Dew. Aether and Swiss have to grab him by his upper arms and lift him from the GROUNDand carry him over. he HATES baths. hes hissing and groaning the whole time, trying to get out of their hold. but the second his butt hits the bottom of the tub, hes shut up immediately. his pupils dialate and whatever water ghoul is left in him takes over. he lets out a defeated huff and leans back, letting Papa wash him, warming up the water for the last ghoul.

But Mountain. Sweet, gentle giant Mountain.

If you thought it was hard to get Dew in, lets NOT talk about the earth ghoul.

He slips away at first, not even being around while the others wait for their turn. When Cirrus is finished though, she immediately knows he dipped and drags lulu along with her to whoop his ass.

They found him all over the ministry before, and it took so much puppy eyes and begs and pep talks to get him to even stand up.

But once he's stood he is not sitting back down. they make sure of that.

Cirrus's wind keeps him moving, the breeze pushing him further into the room while Cumulus is all over him, praising him and literally begging him to just get in for 5 minutes

By the time they can get him into the washroom hes frowning and pouting and trying to step back but their wind doesnt let him. Papa stands up with a big grin and wide arms, grabbing his upper arm gently but firmly and guiding him into the tub.

Rain gets out IMMEDIATELY. the second mountain sets a foot into the fucking thing its already starting to loose its clear color. LMAOO

hes a dirty dirty boy.

He also takes the longest to wash, Aether usually joins Copia and helps with the whole thing while Cirrus and Cumulus are over Mountain, mumbling things into his ears that get him to stay seated.

When he's done, the water is completely dark brown, and cold. he doesnt mind it like this but papa ushers him out and tells him that he looks so clean and handsome, grabbing a towel and drying him off.

Mountain is pouty for the rest of the day because hes not allowed outside because everyone knows if he were to go to the greenhouse right now, hed literally lay in the dirt until he was just as dirty as before.

:3

[skele-bunny]

ngl I could've sworn ud mentioned phantom having kits at some point(idk WHEN or WHERE but I could've sworn there was SOMETHING) so I was. Looking to ask for more and found the phantom/aether instead and Had To Know :3

now im just thinking of what adjustments would be made for phantom,,,, sure tour wouldn't last the whole pregnancy but he's little, they'd have to tailor stuff probably. and then DEW??? I'm assuming ?? In the fics where dew had calida, bc zephyr was present, it was during popestar tour, so there was NOTHIN to hide that baby, unless she was just rlly far back and close to the spine for him.

Ooo you might be thinking of Phantom/Dew/Swiss' baby Starlight!! (Also, note, not the same timeline for Calida and Comet! Two whole seperate timelines /info)

Ohh yeah it'd be much different then Dew's whole thing 😭 guy had NO way of hiding, tight ass uniform until he got upgraded to one of Zeph's uniforms, his bass was his only thing but even that didn't help all the time LMAO. Terzo tried his best okay 🫡 give my man his props wjekdk /silly Dewdrop was a runt, so while she was pretty far back and hidden and he didn't have much of a bump, it was still obvious the further he got until 8 months

Dew essentially took the entire back of the bus, even after Calida was born. They still had a tour to do. And there was orders that they couldn't just cancel, so now they're in a panic of what exactly to do. Dew doesn't feel safe at ALL leaving Calida with someone. So, a quick call, and Special is there. For "interviews", of course. He's hanging out in the green room the entire time, and during intermission Dew is right there. It's only a week like that before he's able to just curl in the nest with her and finally, FINALLY heal up. He's been bleeding nonstop from the constant strain, and finally started letting the others help him out.

Dew had a pretty rough and traumatic pregnancy & birth, but he doesn't regret how anything went one bit. His little sunshine is worth every single second of it.

Now, Phantom would've been taken care of more properly. They know more, there's more studies being carried out, more accessibility services for the ministry. It's a different era! Plus, he has a bigger pack with more diversity and similar instincts. Rain, Aurora, and Cumulus would be their biggest comforts. When they needs a good cry? Those 3. When he needs reassurance he'll be a good parent? Those 3. Just wants to be dotted and loved on? Those 3.

Mountain and Dew are his safe guards and their voice when he can't find it. One of the stagehands got irritated at Phantom bc he "wasn't doing anything and just standing around holding cords", and Mountain just glared so hard and quite literally told them to shut the fuck up. Picked Phantom up, sat him on his drum throne, and kept working.

Just like Dew would've been, he's not allowed to carry heavy items any more so they're stuck on cord duty, stick bag, and the softer percussion items. Not allowed to be alone, either. Slipped one time and that was already too many. Usually has someone accompany him to the bathroom, out and about in town, he just... Can't be alone. Honestly? It helps Phantom, too. Not only for safety but they feel better that someone is always there.

He's given permission for naps during set up once he's finished, and a lot of sitting breaks! Also like Dew, Phantom's anatomy is tiny. Aether wants them on bed rest as much as possible as he's a high risk essentially. So during shows you'll see him sitting on the steps or on Swiss' platform! He totally keeps up their silly antics the best he can that doesn't pose a risk!

Definitely tailoring, and has to have cooling pads placed in his uniform before performances as he gets super sick from the heat.

Silly thought I had midway writing this: Magick surges are still there and progressively gets worse the more he's along.

Phantom sneezes, and his guitar strings just break instantly.

Maybe they're crying really hard and sets off more light flickering before just shutting off their equipment completely.

Maybe a little rage fit because he's mad at themself, or just something that set them off, and Cirrus' phone short circuits and the screen cracks.

Pray for Aether. /Silly /aff

[miss-multi45]

ghouls with a reader where reader is absolutely terrified of carnival/amusement park attractions but finally decided to go on the scariest one without knowing and just passing out?

(I DONT KNOW WHERE I GOT THIS BUT SHOUT OUT TO SIX FLAGS AND THE GUY BEHIND ME‼️)

shout out to six flags and the guy behind this lovely little swan!!

swiss

screaming with excitement, until he sees you

"THIS IS AMAZ - AAAOOGH MY SATANN!!?!?"

almost broke his neck turning to look at you.

carried you off the ride

sodo

stares at your limp body and hisses at anyone that tries to take you off that isn't one of the ghouls or ghoulettes.

stays with you until you feel absolutely healthy.

rain

"NOOO-!"

latches onto you and waits for you to wake up.

recalls everything that happened on the ride before and after you passed out in scarily accurate detail.

phantom

scared as well.

when he saw you pass out, he clung onto you and the handlebars of the ride for dear life.

never went on a ride ever again without one of the older/bigger ghouls.

mountain

calm as hell.

he holds you when you pass out all the way until the end of the ride.

makes an herbal remedy for your headache and purrs while you drink it.

aether

"oh balls."

sits you on his lap and gets mountain to help with your headache when you get back to the ministry

omega

same as aether but he coddles you for a week.

keeps an eye on you whenever you look or feel faint.

alpha

literally has a death grip on you and growls at anyone who tries to take you from him.

asks mountain what to do.

ifrit

"BABAAYYY!!"

cried because he thought you were dead.

refuses to part from you for a week.

[tomriddleslove]

You had me going crazy with pick up the phone, specifically with the “mine, all mine” line. I was hoping to request how it would be with Tom, and having to deal with all his followers. Surely he expects them to treat you with the utmost reverence. Just wanna know your thoughts~

UGH OH MY GOD WHERE DO I EVEN START WITH TOM ☹️☝️

First of all I wholeheartedly believe he would not want to introduce you into that lifestyle. His followers do not know about you, and you do not know about his plans.

I am a firm and strong believer that Tom does not love, he only obsesses. You are an obsession to him, and as such he would not want to do something that could risk losing you. So if you really want to believe so, you could say it comes from a place of care. Mainly however it’s because if he loses you he risks having a weakness - someone who’s seen a (barely) softer side of him.

I think one of the things Tom would fall for is intelligence. Before we get into the whole debate of “what is knowledge” (my love for philosophy is coming through) , it’s not literally academic capability. Moreso, someone who is socially observant . They may not need to act on it but that have an uncanny knack for getting people to do what you want/getting on with people. That’s a huge asset to him and would most likely be the very first thing that drives him to getting close to you.

Love can manifest in many different ways, and obsession can too. I think there are many cases where they manifest in the same form, and that’s what Tom has for you.

As much as it pains me to say this there is probably only a very very specific type of person who can get Tom to as close as one can get to “loving you”. And at that point, it’s a whole new story.

Tom would resent you for it. He’d be so disgustingly angry at the idea of you making him love (or at least close to it) , making him be weak (because to love is to be weak, undoubtedly) that he would avoid you. He wouldn’t talk to you, he’d lash out, he’d lose his composure . That would make him all the more desperate for you, and so he’d end up coming back. Sort of like a “I hate loving you” type situation.

It’s essentially my fics “ Foolish, foolish thing” and “forgotten once again”

Ok now if we ignore my rambling, how would it be dealing with his followers?

I wholeheartedly believe it’s a “they don’t speak unless you command it” type thing. On the very rare and seldom occasion that you make an appearance, everyone is expected to keep their heads down. They cannot, and do not deserve, to look at you. If you are to speak, they dare not interrupt. They do not speak a word against you.

I see one sort of thing that kind of shocked everyone into not uttering a word of disrespect going like so:

Telmont frowns as he sits at the table, moving to interject. Carrow places a hand on his forearm, a warning to not interrupt Riddle in his already agitated state.

But, he chose not to heed the warning, and was doomed to pay the price.

“My lord, surely you cannot be suggesting we postpone the raid? Macnair confirmed that the only day the ministry would remove some of the heavy restrictions on the department of confiscated artefacts would be the day the French minister of magic was to visit! Otherwise it would be near impossible to enter without detection.” Telmont objects, and an almost deafening silence falls over the room.

It all of a sudden feels far too suffocating, and Carrow can only pray Telmont has enough sense not to probe further.

“Are you suggesting we do not possess the capabilities to carry out such an operation?” Tom says, turning to Telmont with an eerily calm voice.

“No my Lord, you are but the most brilliant mind we should ever have! I am merely suggesting that it is best we don’t risk unnecessary casualties for…. well, her.” Telmont stammers, and it is only as he utters those last words that he realises the grave mistake he had made.

It happens far too quickly for anyone to even realise what has happened. Telmont is yanked upwards into the air by some sort of invisible force, body convulsing unnaturally in a way that isn’t human as his face contorts into a look of agony.

“You dare speak of her? You dare disrespect her? I will slaughter every single one of you without second thought if she so asked. Each and every one of you are completely disposable. You dare utter a word about her and I will see to it personally that I strip every nerve from your body till death becomes mercy.” Tom snarls through gritted teeth, whilst everyone watches on in stunned silence.

He flicks his wand to the side harshly, spinning on his heel as he walks off.

“Get out.” He snaps.

Telmont collapses onto the ground in a heap as Tom walks away, and no one dares to move till he has left.

So yes, utter reverence and nothing more. Dare I say he expects them to treat you with more respect than they do with him, which is saying a lot.

I could genuinely write pages on what a relationship with Tom would be like, but for now i’ll just quote some things from the stuff i’ve written that I feel summarise him best:

He feels the rhythmic beating of your heart, and is once again reminded of how easy it would be. To just pierce the damned thing, and not feel this way anymore. To not feel like you were drowning him , yet he also needed you to breathe.

What began as a detached fascination transformed into a possessive need. Tom, driven by an insatiable hunger for control, found satisfaction in manipulating the threads of your existence. Obsession seeped into every crevice of his thoughts. Your every action became a challenge to him, something for him to understand, something he wanted to have control over. His infatuation stemmed from a desire to have control, to claim your very being, to possess you like some sort of artefact in his prized possessions.

In his distorted reality, your existence became an extension of his own, a possession he couldn't bear to lose.

Tom's presence was poison, yet it was also the air you breathed.

It wasn't love as the poets wrote or the philosophers pondered. Yet, in its ugliness, it was the only reality you knew.

Like a serpent, his embrace constricts around you, possessive and suffocating. You lean into him, feeling the coldness of his touch seep into your skin. It's oddly warming though, as paradoxical as it seemed.

His love for you (if you could class it as that) lingered in the spaces between your heartbeat, intertwining so seamlessly with your essence that to let go of him would be to unravel the very fabric of who you've become.

I hope you enjoyed this unsolicited tangent that came from a single question 💀💀

[littlehypnone]

Hi hypnooo! I've had a tough week and I'm craving some phantom fluff with perhaps cg Swiss? Or if you're up to it a cg copia! Maybe something about phantom waking up small, being left unattended, literally no one knowing he was little, walking around the ministry aimlessly, half asleep trying to look for someone, just carrying around his stuffed animal with a blanket draped around himself, paci in his mouth. little bat gets sad and whiny cus he doesn't know where everyone is, breaks down all of a sudden. Cg finds him, and they get all cuddly and stuff! But of course, take your time, only do this request of you want to! ❤️ Also i hope you're doing alright!!

im sorry you had a tough week, i hope its gets better soon. I scribbled this as soon as i could :)

950 words, little phantom (they/them), cg swiss, cg rain, some bad thoughts and fear of being left alone, but then cuddles!!!

Phantom woke up fuzzy. Nothing bad had happened, no bad dreams, they slept really well. So well that their mind slipped a bit, actually. It was alright, they’d find a big ghoul and get some cuddles. And breakfast, they thought as their belly rumbled.

The little ghoul tumbled out of bed, grabbing their plushie and their blanket with a yawn. They haven't really woken up yet. Phantom padded to the door but hesitated, looking at their bedside table, knowing there’s a soother in there. Finally, they decided it wouldn’t hurt, grabbed it and slipped it into their mouth before leaving the room.

With a few more yawns, they shuffled down the corridor of the den, looking around for any open doors. None were open, so Phantom opted for coming down to the common room. Someone must have been there, it was rarely empty.

Except it was.

Phantom walked in and they neither heard nor seen anyone. It was weird, all quiet and half-dark. It didn’t feel good.

They clumsily wrapped their blanket tighter around their shoulders and went to the kitchen. Maybe they would be able to get some snack themself and wait for a big ghoul for a proper breakfast. They weren’t allowed to try to cook when small and rightfully so.

Nothing was in a hands reach, though, so Phantom pouted and turned away, clinging to their bat. They got back to the common room and hopped up onto the couch, curling up under their blanket. They wanted to watch something, they’d get bored, but they couldn’t see the TV remote anywhere. Still, what if they turned it on and something bad would come up before they could find their favorite channel? No, it was better to wait for a big ghoul. Someone had to be about to come down, Phantom was sure.

But no one did. Not for another fifteen minutes at least and the little ghoul started to have doubts. Did they go somewhere? Did they leave them? Did Phantom forget about something? Something must’ve been wrong.

They decided to go walk through the corridor once again. Maybe this time they’d come across someone. They hoped they would.

Phantom went from door to door, not really eavesdropping, but listening in, looking for the sounds of… anything, really. If the pack was in there there should be sounds, right? But it was mostly quiet and minute after minute Phantom’s eyes were wetter and his bottom lip was wobblier. 

They were about to give up, feeling abandoned, and the tears were about to fall as they sat on the floor by one of the doors. They didn’t even know whose room it was, but they didn’t have anywhere else to go if nobody was in the den at all. They’d wait and maybe someone would come back.

Phantom curled up under the blanket, their bat pressed tightly to their chest as they rested their head on their bent knees. Their tummy felt weird and their head was getting even more fuzzier. They tried to keep from crying, they were a brave ghoul, but it was too much. They didn’t understand where everyone was.

Phantom cried silently into their blanket, slouching on the floor. They didn’t notice the door cracking open and Swiss stumbling out of the room.

“Bug?” he mumbled, obviously sleepy, as he knelt down in front of the quintessence ghoul. They lifted their head, just an inch, and Swiss’ chest squeezed at the big, teary eyes. “Oh, baby… What happened?”

The multi ghoul wrapped an arm around them and pulled them into his lap, cradling them against his chest.

“W– woke up and– and nobody was h– here,” Phantom hiccupped, clinging to Swiss tightly.

“Antsy, baby, we haven’t gone anywhere,” he whispered into their ear as he swayed them gently side to side. “It’s just early, nobody left the rooms yet. You know we would never leave you. Anyone would take you in if you only knocked.”

“I– I’m s– sorry.”

“No, you didn’t do anything wrong, buggy,” Swiss assured, before going to pick them up. “It’s alright. Nobody has gone anywhere.”

“Mhm,” the little ghoul hummed and nuzzled under the other’s chin, sniffling. Swiss was so warm and soft and he smelled so nicely Phantom couldn’t help but purr.

“There we go.” The multi ghoul smiled and closed the door to his room behind them. Phantom smelled something familiar, but not Swiss-like, and they wondered for a second what it was, but–

“Hi, baby bat,” they heard and perked up, looking over Swiss’ shoulder. They saw Rain snuggled up in the nest on the multi ghoul’s bed.

“Rainy!” they cheered and Swiss chuckled as he put Phantom down on the bed. They crawled over to Rain and threw their arms around him. “Thought you were all gone…”

“We would never, Tommy,” the water ghoul assured, holding them close. Swiss threw a comforter over Phantom and tucked them in, cuddled safely against Rain’s chest. Their purr kicked up again and the multi ghoul smiled.

“I’ll go get you a snack, buggy,” he said and turned to go, but a loud whine coming from the little ghoul stopped him.

“‘s not…” they mumbled. “Later? P– please, cuddles?”

How could Swiss say no to that sweet little creature?

He turned and crawled into the nest, too, gluing himself to Phantom’s back and cuddling them from behind. The little ghoul’s body rattled with their content purr, unbelievably loud for such a small thing. It could very well challenge Omega’s own, loud, rattly purr.

But it didn’t matter. What mattered was that Phantom was now happy, snuggled in between two ghouls who loved them, who’d always keep them safe and who’d never, ever, leave them.

[vivihar]

i have so much to say about tomerus so it’s going here

so first they’re the divorced couple who hate eachother and are mildly successful and have lives for themselves and mansions and cars and severus is eyeing young boys across the room at posh parties and tom is glaring at the back of his head daring him to even try and get anyone that is him and they’re dancing with two different people, kissing them, letting their hands trail while keeping full eye contact and smiling at each other JUST TO RUB IT IN

and they probably try and kill eachother and talk shit about each other to other party goers who are just wanting to chat abt like…rich people shit idk. and then they accidentally find each other in the bathroom and they’re like wild animals clawing and gripping and biting at each other and then walking out like it’s nothing just to go back to shit talking each other until tom gets a message that says ‘i’ll pay for your cab’ so yes he IS going to see his annoying but sexy ex husband

————

and they’re DEFINITELY the ‘you’re going to kill me?’ ‘i’ll do just that.’ ‘well, go ahead.’ ‘i’ll do this my own way.’ ‘you won’t do it. you can’t pull the trigger. you can’t do it because you love me. it takes a very brave and cold man to do that, sev. i don’t think you can. isn’t that true? isn’t that why you’re waiting?’ ‘that’s not true-’ ‘or is it because you want to watch your victim? you want my heart to constrict with agony, my hands to shake. you want me to plead for my life so you can make a generous gesture and spare me.’ while dressed like this

————

i love a good jennifer’s body reference and especially loser sev, jennifer tom js bc of the whole plot of the film and the homoerotic friendship with a hint of ‘you’re killing people!!’ ‘no, i’m killing boys.’

————

tbh i LIKE tom being in charge but severus having a man that stays at home and does whatever he asks is also a very big thing for me with them…like severus makes him wear a cute dressing gown (i put below) and stay at home just being pretty and he just wants someone to bring along to his expensive parties to piss off his old ex husbands with his smile saying ‘look how cute my husband is’ with tom just nodding along to whatever he says.

————

i think they definitely have each others names/initials carved into them somewhere and their bite marks tattooed (at most scarred) into their skin…btw…

OKAY IM DONE !! LOVE YOU VIVI !!

(these are the fits for the first paragraph but i found of them too late)

I was thinking about Fem Tomerus these few days and this kinda made me think about them more thanky.

Also I agree, they would be so petty and have bickerings a lot and other people just be tired of their shit😭 'go marry again leave us alone'

And I know Tom only divorced because he was like "I don't even care about you" lying to himself and now he's all pissed his ex husband is single and others could lay hand on him which comes the bathroom scene lol he would try leave marks as much as he can so other people wouldn't want to be together with Sev.

The dress are in point 😭they would wear all classy and act like toddlers fight always and do their whole dramatic talkings. They're so pathetic it's funny, I think I'm going to make few divorced Tomerus posts after this because it's so funny 😭😭.

I don't remember anything from Jen's body so I probably will rewatch it for only this,,

Btw that's literally canon. Voldemort was making plans and other things but like Lucius was the one in ministry, he makes his followers do the things while he spend time at home lol I like him being rich lover for Severus (because Sev is my fav and I need him get spoiled by someone) but this is canonish so I understand where you come from.

Ooh you're soooo right, Tom would 100% make Severus carry his initials and after being married Tom for a long time Severus would be more confident with what he wants and start to have same interests as Tom's (being obsessively and freaky). I think Tom has initials on Sev and Severus has his bite mark scared on Tom.

I love you too darling 🧡

[revelisms]

Some (mostly angsty, somewhat wholesome?) Ghost headcanons that have been sitting on the back-burner of my writing recently.

AKA—I'm thinking about these four too much. Please send aid.

CWs: Dysfunctional family dynamics/power imbalance, sibling rivalry, weed, anger issues, parentification, smoking, self-worth issues, implied self-destructive behavior, light NSFW/sexual themes, misuse of magic(?), emotional manipulation(?), withheld birth information(??). Also silliness!

(...They're complicated, okay?)

Primo

Nihil's first child, born from a mother he never met. Sister entered the picture soon after, but was largely standoffish to him at first.

His early years were spent in the back of touring vans or nosing through books on horticulture and spells. He's the most magically-adept of the brothers, having a natural inclination for the craft, which has earned him (somewhat fittingly) a wizard-ish reputation. Since his retirement, he is quite literally the Ministry's ornamental hermit, in more ways than one; if he's not tending to the grounds, he's mulling away on herbal concoctions.

He's a kind man, but can be unsettlingly intimidating. There's an edge to his character that makes one question if a joke about bloodying a rival isn't much of a joke, at all. (The Ministry staff have gossip galore, which most take with a grain of salt...but, like. He definitely killed someone at some point. Maybe.)

As he grew up in the church, he gradually appealed to Sister's favor, becoming the "star child" of the family and leading by example: not only for getting the so-called "Unholy Cause" on its feet, but earning the initial stamp of approval for Nihil's Ghost project.

Secondo and Terzo have grown up in the shadow of this success, frequently being compared to him, and both have varying levels of resentment for it. Primo has always been aware of this; despite playing along with the demands placed on him, he has frequently tried to be more of a source of reassurance for the other brothers, and at times takes on an almost maternal role with them.

Dubbed "the mountain goat" by Secondo, and "the bat-eared one" by one of Terzo's many nicknames. Copia is somewhat skittish around him; from his side, it's strictly "brother" or bust.

He likes cats, springtime, and a nice joint now and then (the touring days left a definite mark). He also grows his own weed that an exclusive few are given access too—absolutely least of all, Terzo, due to an unnamed Incident in the past.

(The fool locked him into the greenhouse for hours once, as a prank. Primo had to occupy himself, somehow...needless to say, it led to the worst crossfade of his life.)

Secondo

Nihil and Sister's first child together, and Nihil's second son. He's the tallest of the brothers, and built like a deadweight champion, which leaves him (often humorously) looming over any eyes in sight.

Major middle child syndrome, and notorious anger management issues. He grew up dead-center in Nihil and Sister's rocky-at-best relationship days, often taking the brunt of their arguing when Primo was out for shows and Terzo was still young. He and Sister can't keep the peace to save their lives, and him and Nihil aren't much better off—but he did his best with the hand he was dealt, and largely won over Nihil's respect by carrying on the prestige of the Cause and generating wider global support for the tours.

This upbringing gave him a fairly wide threshold of annoyances he'll endure, particularly due to the insufferable antics he put up with from a wildly rebellious teenage Terzo (which has, to his utter chagrin, never changed; he can't stand the imbecile). But like anything, he has his limits. Eventually, his frustrations will hit a volcanic peak—once he's turned that corner, run.

Very close to Primo, often almost acting twin-like with him. They both dealt with a similar level of expectation, and both succeeded well in their roles. There's a bit of an older brothers vs. younger brothers separation they've fostered, by nature of this, and the two have found a mutual understanding that the others are more-or-less (and often begrudgingly) their responsibility. The self-appointed "Father" to Primo's "Mother."

Despite his bullish exterior, he's actually the most traditionally romantic of the brothers—sunset drives, candles, flowers, old cinematic jazz, the whole shebang. This tends to get overlooked for Terzo's Casanovian reputation, but there's a handful of those in the church who've had the privilege to see his softer side.

Was a fairly poor student; he dicked around his classes even more-so than Terzo, which is saying something. As a jab to get back at him for this, Nihil frequently assigned him lecture duty for the new siblings—something he unexpectedly found himself enjoying. He's since become a headmaster of sorts in the realm of the Ministry's academics, particularly around the history of the faith and, as a bit of an odd niche, the importance and use of magic objects across various practices in the church.

Despite being a strong performer, he's a brick wall during mass, which all the brothers hold over him like a plague. (He detests the church pulpit, and tends to deliver his sermons like the drier of his lectures; true "preaching" was never his strong suit). During his papal reign, he collected his bounty of masstime regulars, nonetheless, who seemed intent on showing up just to make him blush.

He's actually a very sheepish fellow, and it doesn't take much to have him in a panic (which many find adorable...but wouldn't dare say to his face). Absolutely the most easily flustered of the brothers, and will let you know it, loudly.

Is very particular about his silk ties: he has them all shipped in from one designer on the coast who specializes in the patterns he favors. Also has a collection of worry stones from all the beaches they've visited on tour, and smokes, to some detriment, like a chimney.

He's always been a lover of the sea: some future years in retirement could easily find him putting away as a charter captain for those who want to tour the chapels on the outer islands.

Terzo

Nihil and Sister's second child together, and Nihil's third son. Largely seen as the baby of the family, despite Copia being the youngest, and the shortest of the litter. As one would expect, also tends to claim the loudest personality; it's nigh-impossible to ignore him in a room.

Has a strained relationship with both Nihil and Sister, to a similar but different degree from Secondo. Nihil views him as his last "true" son and final heir to the Bloodline, which has put significant pressure on him to prove himself worthy of the mantle Primo and Secondo have left behind. He's also the most similar to Nihil out of the brothers, particularly in the traits their All-Father detests about himself (aka: KTGG-era recklessness, vanity, etc.), which has earned him some nasty moments on the back-end of Nihil's own narcissism and self-loathing.

Sister is fairly critical and unaffectionate towards him, as she feels he's squandered away much of his potential, and views him as largely uncommitted to the traditions of the church (which, fairly, he is—he's always been vocal on his call for modernization/reform) and his role (which he despises on a bureaucratic level, but genuinely enjoys as an opportunity to mentor the flock—i.e., get praise/attention). He's toed the line of her approval, for years: denying it as much as he craves it. A lot of his (egregious) issues with communication and vulnerability are, to no surprise, rooted from that.

Has been infamously, thanks to Nihil's vocal intervention, involved with ghouls—Omega, in particular—which is a big no-no for a host of legitimate magic-related concerns (and some wholly unwarranted superstitions from the church). Omega was perhaps his first "real" connection, so this is a deeply bitter wound for him. In general, any attempts at long-terms relationships have fallen through (out of his own self-sabotage, or disapproval from the family), so he has largely given up on them, even though he aches for that stability and companionship.

For that reason, despite being the most (in every sense) "open" of the brothers, he is, somewhat paradoxically, also the most guarded. Within the family, his emotions are known to be highly erratic, with a quick-draw inclination for angry meltdowns that rival Secondo's own. He's fairly quiet and anxious underneath the suave exterior.

Has tastes in music, film and literature most would find perplexing at face value (i.e., girlypop meets philosophy-of-death dronings meets eroticism even his idols would blush at). While he's not the sharpest tool in the box, get a few drinks in him and he'll give you a flawless dissertation on the history of European kink and fetish culture. (He's 100% the kinkiest of the group, and the most overtly experimental—both with his own identity and sexual partners.)

Hates winter. Absolutely hates it with his guts. (He slips too much.) Also occasionally smokes; he picked up a liking for the cigarettes Sister would import when he was younger.

The most musically-inclined of the brothers, and a natural charmer at the piano, though he plays it less often now than he did in his earlier/pre-Cardinal days.

Copia

Sister's son, more than likely born from a different father—though, for reasons none of the brothers have been made aware of, he's never been told of either, and any attempts to dig further into that has been dissuaded.

(The abridged version: he's a product of some deeply archaic ritual magic that Sister engaged in, without Nihil's awareness or permission, to extend the Bloodline to its "true" end. He is, by design, meant to be the Antichrist-incarnate, and any accidental explorations he's taken into spellcasting has only kept this hidden by a thread; his magic is extremely powerful—and deadly. He has a bone-deep suspicion that he is part of some predestined Thing, in that vein, and is very disturbed by it; it's information he doesn't feel like he can share with anyone.)

He was adopted into the family from a young age, and faced quite a bit of difficulty transitioning in. Although he immediately created a spike of jealousy in Terzo, it was actually him who took Copia under his wing the most, and the two remain relatively close, despite ongoing tensions between them (particularly due to Sister, who is openly and frequently affectionate towards Copia, and behaves the most "motherly" with him).

Has a lot of bottled frustrations with not understanding who or what he is, or the purpose he feels he is meant to deliver on—both from Sister's vagueness around his origins and Nihil's complete dismissal of him being part of the Bloodline. He's spent much of his adult life working to prove that he is good enough to belong to both: hence, his frequently high performance reviews in the church.

Has a very wry sense of humor once one cracks through his awkwardness, and a giant heart. He does, however, have the capacity to let an ugly streak sail out now and then (and has)—particularly when he feels he is being lied to, or having his agency pulled away from him.

The most cinematically-engaged of the brothers, particularly for classic films. One of his prime night routines is holing up with a plate of comfort food and throwing on a dismal black-and-white romantic drama that'll make him cry. (He's incredibly lonely. Terzo gets that, more than he realizes.)

Surprisingly, has a innate fashionability, but often doesn't have the chance to really flaunt this (until his papal ascension, at least). He loves vintage suits and blazers, and has a collection of antique cufflinks.

Has named every single rat and mouse in the Ministry, and explicitly banned pest control. Also drinks the most grotesquely sweet cocktail-adjacent mixtures one can make; Secondo calls his version of tinto de verano "bird nectar."