#hopefully they will be charmed by nodding gandalf

[ontologic-catgirl]

Against all odds my resume being a still frame of gandalf eurobeat did not preclude me from getting the head lifeguard job.

[potter-fan-fics]

The Celebratory Gathering

Severus – The celebration for your achievement is scheduled for Saturday, 17 October.

O.W.L. Recipients

Boot, Terry Corner, Michael Granger, Hermione Malfoy, Draco Nott, Theodore Zabini, Blaise

Invitations to the preceding students will be delivered.  As you requested a larger number of attendees, each student is encouraged to bring a guest.

– Albus

Snape's eyes scanned the scroll, which had been waiting for him on his mantle in his living quarters.  He tried not to think about how it had gotten into his private lodgings – the thought of someone in his rooms was unsettling to say the least.  The new invitees would add twelve people, assuming they each came and brought someone; Snape was glad that this would make more potential conversation participants than himself, which would possibly – hopefully – draw some of the attention away from himself.  Attempting to gain a bit of foresight as to what would come, Snape idly wondered who would accompany each of the invited students. 'Boot,' he thought, 'Isn't he in Ravenclaw?  Hell if I know what he'll show up with. I suppose Malfoy will bring that spoiled Parkinson girl.'  He was glad to see that Potter wasn't on the list, but that relief was fleeting, for he suddenly realized Hermione Granger might invite him.  Damn it.

                                  _________________________

"Git," Harry said as he, Ron, and Hermione left Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Ron made a face, "I still can't believe he's teaching us Defense Against the Dark Arts!  I mean, I think Dumbledore's lost it, putting him in that position. Seriously, the man's off the deep end."

"Stop it, the both of you," Hermione scolded, "We all know he's the most qualified teacher we've had!  None of us learned anything from any of the other Defense teachers, save Lupin."

"Hermione," Harry retorted, "the only reason he's so qualified is because he practices the Dark Arts."  He spoke in a slightly hushed tone, "He is a Death Eater, after all."

The girl frowned at her friend, "was."

Ron shook his head in a demeaning way, "He still is. He's still got the Dark Mark, hannit he?"

Not expecting that comment, Hermione fumbled for words for a moment before shrugging, "I wouldn't know.  I haven't seen it. And neither have either of you."

Frowning, Harry sighed, "Come on, Hermione; you're smarter than that."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," she said with finality as they entered the Great Hall for supper.  They had only just sat and begun to eat when six owls flew in through the windows, circled dreamily a few times, then dropped down to deliver small scrolls. An owl from the school fluttered gracefully to land on the small space of table between Hermione and Harry, and blinked at the girl.  Hermione slowly took the letter that was attached to the bird's leg, curious as to what it could be.

"Mail? At dinner?" Harry asked, "That's not normal, is it?"

Ron shook his head and they both watched as Hermione read the correspondence.

After having read it three times, Hermione opened her mouth in disbelief.

"Well, go on, then," Ron said, "Tell us what it is.  Or are you planning to keep it a secret?"

Giving her red-haired friend a swift glare, Hermione sighed, "It's – it's...an invitation."

"To what?" the boys asked simultaneously.

"A party."

Harry stared at his friend, a dramatic look of boredom on his face, "Thanks; that clears it up."

Ron sniggered.

"It's a party to...celebrate, ah – Profsnapesnewteachnjob," Hermione muttered the last bit, knowing what their reactions would be.

Too quickly for her to deflect him, Harry snatched the letter out of Hermione's hand with a victorious, "Ha!"

His triumphant expression faded quickly as he read the scroll; he looked at Hermione, "I don't understand..."

"What?" Ron said demandingly.

Harry cleared his throat dramatically and read the parchment,

'Miss Hermione Granger – You are formally invited to a celebration in recognition of Professor Severus Snape's appointment to Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor. Your attendance will be appreciated.

The celebration will take place at 7 pm on 17 October in The Room of Requirement.

Feel free to bring a guest.'

Ron gaped at Hermione as Harry asked, "You're not gonna go, are you?"

"It'd be quite rude not to," she shrugged, "Would either of you like to come with me?"

Harry and Ron each gave a derisive sigh; Ron shook his head, "Not bloody likely."

                                _________________________

"Gandalf's grey beard, Albus!" Snape said to the headmaster as he was dragged begrudgingly into the Room of Requirement fifteen minutes before the dreaded celebration, "As though the idea of this gathering wasn't ridiculous enough, you had to do this?"

Dumbledore frowned at Snape, "No brooding during this, if you recall."

Removing himself from the headmaster's grasp, Snape grumbled, "I still have thirteen minutes, then."

McGonagall chuckled quietly from beside a table.  Narrowing his eyes, Snape approached her and stood at the witch's side, idly wondering why she was wearing dress robes and no hat, "You couldn't have put a stop to this?"  He gestured unenthusiastically at the decorations surrounding them.

"I couldn't prevent Albus from doing something if I wanted to, Severus," McGonagall nearly giggled, "Besides, who said it wasn't me? I am, after all, very fond of streamers." the woman smiled mischievously.

"And the glitter? That was your brilliant idea, as well?"

"Oh, no," she shook her head, "The glitter is Dumbledore's doing," McGonagall nudged him with her shoulder, "Now, cheer up."

Snape cast an unhappy glance at the headmaster, and noticed for the first time that he, too, was wearing dress robes.  Damn. A casual gathering was bad enough.  A formal party is a thing of nightmares.

Deciding that it would make the celebration at least minutely tolerable, Snape poured himself a glass of firewhiskey and sat on the small couch in a corner to nurse his drink, considering the consequences of hexing Dumbledore and fleeing from the room.

"Ah, Pomona!" Snape heard Dumbledore greet the Herbology teacher, "Come in."

Really? I doubt she expected to be left outside.

Professor Sprout approached Snape, who stood reluctantly.

"Congratulations, Severus!" the plump woman beamed at him; Snape nodded, but remained silent.

After Professor Sprout's arrival, the various staff members joined, in pairs that were clearly more than workplace-related – Snape sighed with irritation. They came in rather quickly, each giving a barely believable word of praise to their colleague. Snape remained near the couch, wanting to be no more involved than necessary.   He frequently refilled his glass with conjured firewhiskey, determined to remain on the sofa.

"Hello, Mister Malfoy, Miss Parkinson," Snape heard McGonagall say from somewhere in the room.  Neither student came to say anything to their dark-haired teacher.

Over the next ten minutes, Snape heard Dumbledore and McGonagall greet various students who had accepted the invitation to the party.

Dumbledore clapped his hands once, "Music!"  Snape groaned as an upbeat tune began to play from an unknown source.

"You don't like music?" Hermione asked; Snape hadn't even realized she was standing near the couch he was occupying, "Everyone likes music."

Glowering up at her, Snape just tightened his mouth in response.

Frowning slightly, Hermione asked, "Can I sit, sir?"

Starting to refuse, Snape opened his mouth to give a biting retort, but noticed that Dumbledore was watching and listening; Snape refrained from saying anything and shifted slightly, gesturing to the space beside him.

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Or did you mean that I get up and relinquish my spot?"

Flushing, Hermione stammered, "N – No...I just, well, I didn't expect you to let me."

The professor spoke in a bored tone, "I imagine your feet need a rest, being in those heels."

Hermione was shocked that he had noticed her footwear, but she sighed and fell onto the sofa next to him.

Snape looked sideways at her as she settled into the cushion; he was very uncomfortable with the closeness of her body to his.

She took off one of her high heels and rubbed the bottom of her foot. After setting the silver shoe against the front of the couch, Hermione sighed, stretching her ankle as she commented, "You don't seem to be enjoying this party."

"Damn," Snape replied in mock disappointment, "I thought I was more skilled in deception."

Hermione chuckled, shaking her head, "I can't see you as a man that enjoys parties."

Snape's mind faltered at the realization that she saw him as any kind of man, not just a genderless professor.  He recovered quickly and smirked, "I'm not a man that enjoys parties, much less ones that I was unaware were formal."

He scanned the girl with his eyes; she wore a soft blue dress that fell just above her knees, silver earrings and a simple matching necklace, the charm dangling just below her collarbone.  Snape internally admonished himself for thinking she looked quite nice.

Although he had thought his quick survey had been unperceivable, Hermione gave him an odd sort of look; Snape cleared his throat.

"Hagrid, I think you've had quite enough!" Olympe Maxime said, scolding the half-giant, who was clearly unsteady and tipsy as he stumbled around near the sofa, pulling her with him.

"I jus' want ta dance, Olly," Hagrid argued.

Hermione giggled at the exchange, commenting to the professor next to her quietly, "I think someone will need your Pepper Up Potion tomorrow."

Snape smirked, nodding in agreement, "So it seems."  He glanced down at her foot, which she had not taken the shoe off, "Are you intending to wear only one shoe for the remainder of the evening?"

"What? Oh!"

"I want ta dance, Olympe," Hagrid had begun to beg.

Dumbledore clapped his hands loudly, "Dance we shall, Hagrid. Let us all participate!"

Hermione leaned slightly over to unbuckle her shoe just as Hagrid stumbled backward into her, pushing her over so that she was pressed against her professor's side and had to sturdy herself by placing her hand on the small bit of cushion between Snape and the arm of the sofa; Hermione glanced sheepishly up at him, frozen in embarrassment at the particular situation, "Sorry..."

She then frowned at the huge, oblivious man, who was now tugging Madame Maxime toward the center of the room as she straightened, leaving Snape staring at her, dazed.

Hermione sighed, "So sorry."

His face remaining void of emotion, Snape questioned, "For what, exactly? Wanting to remove your ridiculous footwear or for climbing into my lap?"

Hermione blushed furiously, "I – I wasn't in your lap..."

"You're still wearing your shoe," Snape glanced down at her foot, "Do you want to make another attempt, or should I, so that you don't end up on top of me again?"

Hermione frowned, "I was not on top of you!"  She sighed when she saw Snape giving her an expression that clearly said 'close enough' and nodded.

"Let us dance!" Dumbledore was flicking his wand repeatedly, the beginning seconds of songs playing as he apparently attempted to find a song Hagrid had insisted be played, "Severus!  Up! This celebration is for you; dance!"

"But Severus didn't come with anyone," McGonagall said quietly to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore's eyes flicked from Snape's face, to Hermione's, then to Snape's hand, which was placed on the girl's ankle, in the process of unbuckling the strap of her shoe; the old wizard smiled, turning Minerva away from the sight, knowing she would strongly disapprove, "I think he can find someone to accompany him."

The headmaster called, "Severus!  It's been decided that the honored guest will be the first to dance!"

Snape just stared at the man and shook his head an infinitesimal amount.

"Severus...do you recall our agreement?"

Snape stood and strode to stand before the headmaster, "I agreed to not brood," he hissed through clenched teeth, "Not to dance. I wasn't informed we needed to bring a partner; none would have accompanied me, regardless."

His blue eyes twinkling, Dumbledore said dismissively, "So find someone who came alone."

Snape narrowed his black eyes.

"I believe," Dumbledore continued, "that Miss Granger did not come with anyone."

"Are you out of your mind?  She is a student."

Dumbledore laughed quietly, "My dear Severus, I'm not saying you should take her to bed."  Did he really just say that? "I'm simply suggesting you dance together.  You can't deny she looks rather lovely."

Snape growled and stormed away; Dumbledore added, "And be a gentleman, Severus."

Snape came up to Hermione; he stood uncomfortably in front of her for a few moments before speaking, "We're supposed to dance."

Hermione lifted her eyes to him, "What?"

"We're supposed to dance; We. You and I.  We're supposed to dance."

Dumbledore cleared his throat in a way that sounded very much like 'gentleman'.

Glancing toward the headmaster, Snape sighed before looking back at his student, "It seems people are going to be dancing...in couples. Would you care to join me?"

Snape saw out of the corner of his eye that Dumbledore was nodding in approval of his gentlemanliness.  Hermione, however, was not smiling; instead, she was very nearly glaring at him.

"Why?" she asked.

Almost being able to feel Dumbledore's eyes on him, Snape sighed and offered Hermione his hand, "Come."

The girl gave him another scrutinizing look, then put her hand in his and followed him into the center of the room, a faint smile on her face.

The first bits of a drippy song started; Olympe squealed in excitement; Snape groaned. Christ. Celestina Warbeck. Of course.

"She's excited," Hermione commented, then looked at Snape, "You're not."

Gritting his teeth, Snape internally cursed Albus Dumbledore. 

That man is intentionally doing this to me.  Do not let the old codger win, Severus.

Snape looked down at Hermione, "I doubt this qualifies as dancing."

Hermione shook her head in silence.

"We should fix that," Snape said, "I suppose?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

Shrugging and half-nodding, Hermione looked awkwardly around the room.

Snape swallowed thickly and placed his hand on the girl's waist; her gaze snapped to him, startled.

"You do know how to dance, don't you?" Snape asked slightly teasingly.

She nodded, resting one hand on his shoulder, and looked at him expectantly.

Trying not to chuckle, Snape asked, "Are your lips working?"

Hermione's brown eyes widened; Snape realized how she had taken his question and could no longer withhold a chortle, "Don't worry, Miss Granger; that's not what I meant; I merely meant you're not speaking, which is a rare thing from you." They had unknowingly begun to sway slightly to the music.

Snape sighed, "Perhaps I should enjoy the silence while I can; I doubt it will last long."

Hermione pulled her hand out of his and put it on her hip, "That's rude."

Smirking, Snape responded, "I was right that it wouldn't last long." They looked at each other in a friendly sort of challenge for a few moments before Snape took her hand, "You lied to me; you don't know how to dance."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but Snape rested the hand he was clutching on his shoulder and brought his to her waist, pulling her slightly closer to himself, "This is a waltz, Miss Granger."

Staring at him, dumbfounded, Hermione narrowed her eyes, "I'm shocked, Professor, that you know how to dance."

Rolling his eyes subtly, the professor commented, "I do hope the fact will not be spread around the school."

"Of course not," the girl confirmed.

A smirk played at Snape's mouth, "I would hate for anything to contradict the students' opinion that I'm a cold gargoyle."

Laughing heartily as she threw her head back, Hermione became still, halting their dance briefly before she shook her head once, "We can't have that! The horror!"

"That opinion," Snape continued as Hermione began to contain her giggling, "I'm afraid, is not one only held by the students."

He glanced meaningfully around at the people in the room, nearly all of whom had stopped dancing and were now looking at the student-teacher pair in disbelief.

Hermione quickly looked about to and see that her laughter had gained them quite a lot of spectators.  She frowned and resumed their dance.  She made a point to gradually lessen the gap between herself and Snape, almost defiantly.

Speaking in a quiet tone so as not to be overheard, Hermione looked at her teacher, "Let them stare.  That opinion of you is not shared by everyone, and certainly not by me."

A few seconds after she had said this, before half of the guests had had the decency to stop gaping, the song ended and was replaced by a leisurely tune. Hermione slowly took her hand off Snape's shoulder and looked at him. He released her waist and turned silently; Hermione grabbed his hand.  Snape looked at her in an almost offended, very baffled way.

She smiled, "Professor, I think I'd like to keep dancing..." The air, empty of most conversation, became immediately void of any sound other than the music. "with you,"  Hermione knew there was a very good chance that she would be refused and have to return to all of her classes in the awkward shame not only of having her request denied, but of even desiring to dance with Snape in the beginning.  She thought, however, that, even if he did brush her off, at least perhaps the staff would begin to see that not everyone hated the man.

She swallowed almost audibly, waiting for his biting reply.

The corner of Snape's mouth turned slightly up; he returned to face his student, taking her waist in both of his hands this time, "If you like."

Sighing in relief, Hermione smiled, nodding as she placed her wrists on his shoulders, "Thank you."

She thought it a very odd thing that she was currently dancing with 'the dreaded Potions Master', that her hands were on his shoulders, not to mention that his hands were on her waist.  Hermione pondered over the fact that she didn't find his hands entirely objectionable. 

Snape quietly emitted a chuckle.

"What?" Hermione asked curiously.

Snape subtly laughed, "I'm glad you don't think me wholly repulsive," he smirked.

"Damn you," Hermione scolded, "Get out of my head."

"What was it?" Snape chided, "My hands aren't entirely objectionable?"

Glaring softly at her professor, she said, "That's not fair, sir. If you're going to invade the privacy of my thoughts, you should have to give up yours."

"I'm afraid that's not quite how it works, Miss Granger."

She stomped her foot, "It is with me."

Tightening his mouth briefly, Snape said, "If you're going to throw a fit, please feel free."

"Professor! I didn't dance with you so you could read my mind!"

Squaring his jaw, the professor sighed, "Would an apology even the score?"

Hermione shook her head then said, "You can't see what I think unless I get to know your thoughts."

Snape sighed, "You really are an infuriating witch."

Grinning proudly, Hermione said, "I know.  Now tell me."

Growling briefly, the professor spoke, "Fine.  I greatly appreciate your endeavor to change their opinion of me."

"Was that so hard?"

Snape glowered at her.

"Now, what else have you stolen from my brain?"

Clearing his throat, he replied, "I determined you weren't lying when you congratulated me the first evening here."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully, "Alright.  A thought for a thought, Professor."

"I can't stand this wretched music; I despise Celestina Warbeck."

Making a face of disappointment, Hermione said, "Everyone does; that's not an original thought.  Try again."

Snape cleared his throat and tugged her closer as he lowered his voice, "How about you look very lovely this evening?  But, I'm certain that's not an original thought, either."

Blushing, Hermione didn't know whether she was more surprised that Snape had thought this or that he had spoken it.  Her face flooded with red, she quietly muttered, "Th – thank you...thank you, sir."

They were silent for a minute before Hermione asked, "Did you enjoy your summer?"

She and the professor chatted as they swayed to the music, talking of their preferred books, favorite authors, places they'd each travelled, and where they still wanted to see.

The song ended; Dumbledore announced, "I daresay it's time to end the festivities.  Thank you all for coming."

Sliding her hands from Snape's shoulders, Hermione blinked as though coming out of a daze, "Thank you for the dance, sir."  She stood slightly on her toes and lightly pecked his cheek.

Snape looked at her, stunned for a moment by the fact that she had just pressed her lips to his face, "It was my pleasure, Miss Granger. Good evening."

[mirajaneswritingshenanigans]

Enchanted Mirror Part Seven: Gandalf’s Magic

Fandom(s): The Hobbit Trilogy

Pairing(s): Bofur x FemaleModernHuman!Reader (Just about there)

Warning(s): None that I can think of.

Disclaimer:  I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this Fanfic. They are owned by J.R.R. Tolkien, the writers, producers, and directors of The Hobbit films. I am simply borrowing them for this fanfic I am writing.

A/N: Y/N-Your Name.

Warning(s): None that I can think of.

Word Count: 1,298

Tagging: @shelby160297

A week had passed since your arrival. Within that week Bofur had shown you all of Erebor and got you more clothes. Though you had to admit your favorite place was the toy shop. You had been helping Bifur and Bofur run it during your stay. In the time the three of you had off you would spend it with the company. Including Thorin, as long as he wasn't too busy with royal duties. Gandalf had been searching for a way to get you home, in his free time. Though he always came across a dead end. He did find a different tactic.

You were currently sitting on the couch when Gandalf rolled a mirror into the room from his room. "I found a summoning charm that I would like to attempt." Gandalf announced. "How does it work?" You said. Before Gandalf could answer your question there was a knock at the door. "Come in." He called. "Afternoon." Bofur said with a wide grin.

He was holding a plate of desserts that Bombur had cooked. You smiled brightly at him and gestured for him to sit next to you. You'd be lying if you said you didn't have feelings for him. Though you were unaware that he also had feelings for you. Neither of you had admitted to these feelings. You both enjoyed each other's company nonetheless. "I need you to rest your palm on the glass and think of the mirror you touched." Gandalf told you. You gave a nervous look to Bofur before getting up to touch the glass.

You thought hard about the mirror in Abigail's room. Gandalf nodded and touched his staff to the mirror. You felt the magic and watched your reflection disappear and turn into Sara. As luck would have it Sara was inspecting the mirror. "Sara?" You asked aloud. She jumped before looking at you in the mirror. "Y/N, how are you doing this?" Sara asked curiously. "Gandalf's magic. He found a way to allow me to communicate with you." You told her.

"Where are you and are you okay?" She asked nervously. "Middle Earth and yes I am fine." You replied. Bofur sat on the couch quietly as Gandalf stood beside you leaning against his staff. "We found a way to get you home. We just need a little more time to make sure we read this spell correctly." Sara told you. Bofur's heart sank to the pit of his stomach. You glanced to Gandalf. "How much more time?" You turned your attention back to Sara. "May I speak with Gandalf. I will hopefully speak with you later." Sara told you.

You nodded as Gandalf placed his palm on the glass. As long as he focused on Sara, communication wouldn't get cut off. You slowly walked to sit next to Bofur. "You get to go home." Bofur stated sadly. "Sounds like it." You said absentmindedly. Bofur noticed your mood change. "Want to head to the shop?" Bofur asked. You nodded and lead the way out. Leaving Gandalf to chat with Sara. The desserts completely forgotten at this point. You felt conflicted. One part of you wants to go home and the other wants to stay.

You walked silently beside Bofur. He would look at you every few minutes. The moment you made it into the shop your mood seemed to improve. You greeted Bifur happily when you walked inside. He smiled and went back to work on his project. "What are you working on?" You asked him curiously. He showed you two little bunnies before holding up the chunk of wood he was currently working on. "This is one of the parents." Bifur admitted. "A family of bunnies. That's adorable. Has it been busy?" You asked as you took a seat next to Bifur behind the counter. "Not for an hour." Bifur told you.

Bofur walked off to grab his project. He decided to sit next to you while he worked. For awhile you talked with them while they worked. Then customers started to pour in. As usual you helped out as Bifur worked behind the counter with Bofur. The three of you had ended up staying later than usual. Dinner had been served to you in the shop.

You were cleaning up the place where the three of you ate while Bifur restocked shelves and Bofur swept up the shop. "I will see you at home." Bifur said tiredly when he finished. "Good night, Y/N." He said as he headed towards the door. "Good night, Bifur." You yelled before he left. Bofur had just finished cleaning when you walked over to him. "Walk me home?" You asked him kindly. "Sure lass." Bofur replied.

He put away the broom and his tools as you silently waited by the door. He smiled as he walked over to where you stood. "Shall we." He opened the door for you. "We shall." You smiled as you walked out. The two of you had walked in silence. Until Bofur spoke up. "Y/N, I need to tell ya something." Bofur said nervously. You turned your attention to him. "You're my One. I feel it in my heart. I love you and I wanted to tell ya before you left." Bofur stood in front of you as he spoke. Stopping you in your tracks.

“Is a One equivalent to THE One?” You asked him softly. “I don’t follow.” He looked at you curiously. “The one, where I come from it means it’s our soulmate. As in it’s our other half. A person who completes us. Because we are just one half of a whole, waiting for our other half.” You replied. You looked at him, heart pounding. "That seems to sum it up perfectly." Bofur blushed. His heart began to beat faster. “Do ya feel the same about me?” He asked nervously.

You unwrapped your arms from him and took his hand. The two of you began to walk towards the chambers you had been sharing with Gandalf. On the way you both had talked about the shop. He told you about his new projects. "We have a way for you to get home." Gandalf said as he opened the door when he heard your voices. Bofur walked inside and noticed Thorin, Dwalin, and Balin were already present. "It is late but Gandalf called for us anyhow." Thorin said tiredly. You nodded before looking to Bofur.

After a few moments his features became sad. “I need ya to say something lass.” Bofur said in a defeated tone. Not ready to hear your reply.

You hadn't realized you stood there speechless. It had made Bofur’s mind fill with doubt and sadness. "Oh Bofur, of course I feel the same." You threw your arms around his neck as you pulled him in for a kiss. At first your stunt had shocked him until he relaxed and began to kiss back. After several breathless minutes you pulled away and smiled. "I love you too." You whispered to him.

“He wanted to inform us that he may have found a solution.” Balin told you. Thorin nodded in agreement. “It is like the summoning charm. Only this time you must imagine the mirror and the way it reacted to your touch the first time. As in you have to remember it’s magic.” Gandalf announced. “We will try this out tomorrow. Tonight we shall rest. Be ready around noon. We shall meet in the council chambers.” Thorin ordered before he walked out of Gandalf’s without another word. Dwalin nodded before he stepped out. Balin looked at you sadly as he walked out. Bofur had given you a broken look before walking out without a word. Gandalf walked off to his room for the night. Leaving you alone. You plopped down onto the couch.

Previous Part ~ Next Part

[carishio-blog]

Favorite Overall Character

So yesterday, I reblogged a post by @vexpercy​ that included an entire list of favorite things about RWBY. I said I wanted to do it as a chance to talk about one of my favorite pieces of animation and to let my followers (current and new ones to come!) get to know me a little better about the show. So, the first thing on the list was “Favorite Character Overall”, and this was a tough one to limit it down to. There are so many characters that I absolutely love when it comes to RWBY, and picking one was a difficult task. However, when I looked at every option and factor, there was really only one character that came to mind:

Qrow Branwen!

To make things fair, I thought it would be fair to look into the entire process of figuring out my favorite, making a small little list that would help people see why I love him so much. So, with that being said here is the list:

-Voice Acting

-Writing

-Design

-Interaction with other characters

-Importance to the Story

-Personal Beliefs (Head canons, art, fan fics etc.)

1. Voice Acting

Now for those that know RWBY, Qrow’s voice actor is Vic Mignogna. His most notable role was voicing the Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric in both the 2003 adaptation and the 2009 version, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Vic already came into the show with a very impressive resume, so throwing in him playing Qrow is nothing small. According to RWBY Wiki, Rooster Teeth approached him at an Australia convention where they showed him the overall style of the show, which he was really impressed with! He received a follow up email a few weeks later and BAM! You’ve got yourself the VA for Qrow.

As opposed to the adorable, squeaky voiced Ruby or the more professional, whimsical voice of Professor Ozpin, Qrow adds a certain flare in his speech with his deep, drunken drawl (think most voices for any Wolverine i.e. Hugh Jackman or Cal Dodd in the 1992 animated incarnation of the X-Men.)

While it is debatable about how good the impression is, I personally love it. The tone Qrow speaks with is one filled with a level of confidence and cockiness. He carries himself in a way where he knows that he’s better than you and is not afraid to show it. I would delve further into this, but that shall wait until we get to Interactions with Other Characters. But all in all Vic delivers another amazing performance in my book that leaves me wanting more every time I see him on screen.

2. Writing

Writing for characters in RWBY is always a touchy subject. Most of them are very well written, while others sometimes leave a bit to be desired.That being said, I still 100% appreciate the work Miles and Kerry put into the scripts and have not been disappointed in them at any point really. So with that, how do they handle writing Qrow? Referring once again to the RWBY Wiki, both of them have been on record as saying that he is their favorite character to write.

And boy does it show.

A lot of the interactions we get with him are either hilarious or draw you into the story and lore even more. Along with the great voice acting to go along with it, we really get an interesting character to discuss and listen to.

From the first four volumes, we’ve learned very little about his backstory or even relationship with people from his former team. All we get are little bits of dialogue telling us that him and his sister Raven are part of a very deadly clan, little bits of silent interaction and development with Ruby and Yang’s father Tai in the Volume 3 finale and an image of a photo of his old team that can really be depressing to look at once you look closer at it.

It’s very easy for a character to show all of their cards when they’re first introduced, however the CRWBY have done an excellent job at giving us bits and pieces at not only his backstory, but Team STRQ as a whole. They’ve definitely caught my interest and will be keeping me hooked for however long the show runs (which is hopefully a long time <3)

3. Design

RWBY has always been a show about colors. Colors are everywhere you look in the show, from names of character to the names of teams. Each outfit someone wears along with their aura and name basically suit the overall personality of the character. So what do we get from Qrow?

If it wasn’t obvious enough, Qrow is based of a crow, most notably one of Odin’s birds from Norse mythology, Huginn (I’m not 100% sure about this one. If anyone does know, feel free to let me now!). The colors of his outfit and hair show give us that feel of a relation to the bird he’s named after. Along with that,  the messiness of his clothes and how tattered his cape is give us the vibe that this is man who has seen his fair share of skirmishes and most likely a few bar fights along the way. The crooked cross around his neck also gives us some great symbolism that help show Qrow is not exactly the greatest of people either. However it could be a clever nod toward Norse culture once more, as that usually shows that someone is currently in mourning of someone they lost who was close to them (maybe Summer???).

To top it off, Qrow brings one of the coolest weapons to the table in my opinion. His weapon is a combination of a scythe, a sword and a shotgun. While everyone else has two weapons in one, he’s so cool his mom lets him have THREE! Each one is a joy to see in battle, and the idea of him being the master scythe wielder in Remnant was a statement passed around by Ozpin and Ruby. While we haven’t seen him use it a lot, when he has it has produced devastating results to his opponents. The sword was awesome to see him use in his fight vs Tyrian and Winter, and the shotgun is a nifty little weapon for him to use up close against opponents to chip away at their aura. All in all, his weapon is a great part of his design and just adds to one of my favorite character designs in general. Hopefully we’ll see him use that scythe more in the upcoming future.

Finally, he also gets my favorite semblance in the entire show: misfortune. It’s a semblance that cannot be turned on and off, and it affects those around him. Highlighted in the fight with Tyrian and the song “Bad Luck Charm” that gives me feels every time I listen to it, you get the perfect semblance for the perfect guy (even if it does make me wanna hug him and tell him everything will be alright).

4. Interactions with Other Characters

For someone who carries themselves around the way Qrow does, you’re expecting to get some really entertaining moments with other characters. But before we get to that, I want to establish one of my favorite partnerships and duos in the entire show: him and his niece Ruby

While the bond between him and Yang is very strong (as shown when he offers to help her find her mother and his sister Raven), the bond between him and Ruby is where things really shine. It has been mentioned and implied that Qrow is Ruby’s mentor, the Obi Wan to her Luke Skywalker if you will. He was the one that taught her how to use Crescent Rose and helped her design it, and the bond between the two is heart warming. In all of Volume 4 when she is out with RNJR trying to get to Mistral, he is the one watching over her and making sure she’s safe. Ruby jumps in to help him fight Tyrian (even tough she should’ve stayed back), and watching her try her best to get him medical help after he gets poisoned is something heart wrenching to see. The care for each other is amazing, as he truly does represent the cool uncle trope perfectly.

Besides Ruby, we get some amazing interactions with Winter, Glynda, Ironwood, Oz, Tyrian and even Jaune! From those, we get some really great fight scenes that let him show off his best skills and assets, funny moments and lines such as “He’s always drunk”, and some much needed release of anger that ends up getting directed at him. All in all, the entertainment we get from him interacting with others along with some of the more serious ones with Ozpin, Raven and RNJR keep me personally locked in and focused on what he has to say.

5. Importance to the Story

Qrow is by no means a main character in RWBY, however it is fair to say that he is an important side one. He was the one responsible for training Ruby and helping her become the young woman she is growing up to be, someone in Ozpin’s inner circle that has a great understanding of the world around him and the person that will most likely be helping Oscar become the next “Ozpin” (I don’t even know what to call that. Grand Wizard? The next Wiz? Gandalf the Great?). He gives us a lot of world building in the form of his story about the two gods and the fan favorite World of Remnant shorts. Qrow will be around for quite some time in my opinion, so maybe his role will grow even further as the plot progresses. But for now, he is a pretty important character that has brought some great dynamics and information to viewers and fans of RWBY.

6. Personal Beliefs

Last but not least, we have the section where we talk about fan stuff! Qrow was probably the first character that I really started developing head canons for, and along with RPing it became very easy to find me looking for all sorts of art, fan fictions and more pertaining to him. Along with that, we also have everyone’s favorite topic: ships! I found myself having to really think about who would work well with him in a romantic setting, and only two people really keep in mind (DISCLAIMER: This is my opinion. You can have a different one than me without attacking me about mine. I would actually love to hear your’s, but please remember to be respectful)

(Art by @ellelehman​)

(Art by @reikiwie-art​)

My two favorite Qrow ships are Flown North/Hummingbird (Qrow X Summer) and Snowbird/Qrowin (Qrow X Winter). While I much prefer Snowbird, I really love Hummingbird as well, as not only has @ellelehman​ basically given me a small addiction to it (that she feeds by making more awesome art!), the relationship that I can imagine with them is also just oh so adorable. While Qrow has basically made it clear that he is not a family man, I would love to see a relationship involving him in the show at some point. Ships aside, some of my favorite Team STRQ head canons revolve around him as well. The best example I can give you is the picture that I mentioned earlier. 

(For some reason I cannot post the picture without it not letting me post the entire post, so here’s a link to Google images to show you exactly what I’m talking about.)

If ypu look at it very closely, you will notice a coffee mug stain around summer and tear drops near Tai and Raven. Seeing that really breaks my heart, as I cannot even imagine the pain and guilt he must feel, especially when it comes to his semblance. I get really emotional when thinking about it in general and imaging certain scenarios happening in my head, like if Ruby got seriously hurt and he wasn’t there to help, or if he was saving Winter’s life mid fight and getting flashbacks of Summer, pushing himself to his absolute limit to save her so history does not repeat itself. It’s just a blast for me to think of and drabble these ideas down, as it really connects me more to the character and make me enjoy watching him even more.

Anyways, that’s all for today! I hope you all learned a bit more about me and Qrow as a whole, as it was fun to really talk about my favorite character from one of my favorite pieces of animation. I know it was long, so hopefully I can try and shorten it for tomorrow (no promises though ;3). Anyways, tomorrow I’ll be going over my favorite female Beacon student, which most of you might already know. But with that, I thank you all for reading and I hope you all have a great day! (Thanks to @vexpercy​ once more for the awesome list again!)