#i am just putting off the fact that i need to add lucius into the mix for the next pics

[ofmdee]

got like, 3 fic pics taken, time to celebrate 😂

uncensored on twitter

🧜‍♂️

[ghostdrew22]

Shut Up || Draco Malfoy

Requested: No Pairing: Draco Malfoy x gryffindor!fem!reader Warnings: implications of sex, alcohol and drugs, asshole!hermione and swearing

Summary: Not a lot of Y/N’s fellow Gryffindor’s approve of her relationship with the Slytherin Prince, despite the fact that he makes you immeasurably happy and his own friends accept you.

WORDS : 1788

Lyric snippets I used are from “shut up” by Ariana Grande and they’re not in chronological order.

<~>

“My presence sweet and my aura bright,”

“Y/N, you’re so lovable and that begs the question; what are you doing with this insufferable git?” Blaise perks up with a smirk as he sits across from Draco and Y/N in the Great Hall for breakfast.

Beside him Pansy Parkinson nudges his ribs softly and gives you a bright smile, “Don’t listen to him. Draco’s okay once you get to know him.”
 “Okay?” Draco scoffs out as he chokes on a bite of his apple- making you and Pansy erupt in a fit of giggles. “8 years of friendship and that’s all I get?”

“Be grateful, I wanted to say less intolerable.”

“You love me and you know it.” He grumbles as he moves back to eating his apple- his hand resting faintly on the small of your back as you turn to look up at him.

“It’s very hard not to.” You say with a smile as you drop a kiss on his cheek- making him grin widely and turn rapidly to catch your lips against his own. Your kiss earns a grin from Blaise and a groan from Pansy- even though they’re both very happy that their friend is in love.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve the sun herself.” He whispers once your lips finally part and you smile goofily at his words.

“Stop.” You giggle out and he shakes his head before whispering that he never will, and allowing you to go back to eating.

You don’t miss the awkward stares being thrown toward you from the Gryffindor table but you ignore them- choosing instead to focus on the butterflies erupting in your stomach and the smiles of glee that your new beau’s friends are blinding you with from across the Slytherin table.

~~~

“diamonds good for my appetite.”

You and Draco are spending the Summer together at the Malfoy Manor since your parents are hardly ever around with work anyway and Narcissa practically begged you to come.

“Happy birthday Y/N!” Mrs Malfoy exclaims as she hands you a small box, the size of a journal, with black wrapping and a green ribbon. You and Draco are sitting on a couch that’s on side of the Malfoy’s living room, and his parents are sat on another couch on the opposite side of the room. Narcissa and Draco are beaming and Lucius is looking rather indifferent from his spot beside his wife.

“Thank you so much…” You respond with a faltering smile as you turn beside you to catch your boyfriend’s eyes in confusion, “But my birthday was months ago.”

“We know darling but we couldn’t owl the gift to you because it’s quite valuable, and we wanted to see your face when you opened it.”

“You really didn’t have to get me anyt-“

“Nonsense Y/N, we wanted to.”

“That’s really kind, thank you so much.” You smile shyly up at them and Narcissa laughs lightly.

“Now open it! We’re itching to see your reaction.”

You do as the Malfoy matriarch says and unwrap the gift, finding a black, velvet jewellery case beneath the wrapping. A gasp escapes your lips when you open the case and find a diamond necklace encased inside.

“This is too mu-“ You start but Narcissa is already laughing and shaking her head.

“Don’t even try to talk us out of giving it to you.”

“Are you sure?” You ask as your eyes scan over the glistening jewels that surround the silver chain.

“Draco, put it on her.”  Lucius suddenly interjects- shocking you all.

Draco does as his father tells him to and hooks the necklace around your neck before softly dropping the diamonds just below your collarbone. Lucius gets up from the couch, grabs a nearby small mirror, and walks toward you and Draco.

“Aren’t you sure?” He asks as he puts the mirror in front of you and allows you to see it on yourself.

Another gasp escapes your lips as you trail your fingers around the shining material, the light from one of the windows hitting it just right. “I am.” You finally breathe out with a smile, “Thank you so much, it’s exquisite.”

“Oh darling it was no trouble, I wasn’t going to wear it.” Narcissa says as she also stands up and comes to meet her husband in front of you- intertwining their fingers together- “Besides, it’s only right you start dressing like a Malfoy now.” She winks at you before pulling her husband out of the room and leaving you to be with Draco alone.

You try to resist the urge to smile like an idiot at her comment about you becoming a Malfoy.

“That’s coming out of my inheritance so I hope you like it.” Draco says with a smirk as he eyes you.

“Dra-“

“But it’s okay if you don’t, we can pick something else out if you like.” He smiles softly at you and you feel your entire insides melt at his words- the diamonds are exquisite, you can’t lie, but they mean way less than Draco’s determination to satisfy you to your heart’s content.

You smile back at him in awe, “I love it, it’s perfect.”

“Are you sure?” He raises his eyebrows.

You bring your lips up to his and cup his cheek softly before parting away from him with a smile, “Does that answer your question?”

~~~

“I vibrate high and my circle lit.”

Slytherins are nothing like Gryffindors when it comes to partying, they’re a completely different league. Draco was initially scared to bring you along to one of his house exclusive parties because he was worried that you wouldn’t enjoy them, or you wouldn’t like him afterwards, but Pansy was having none of it and insisted that you come along with the three of them and get, as she worded it, absolutely wrecked.

And absolutely wrecked do you get.

At first you’re a bit hesitant- still processing the shock of finding 7th years snorting white lines off Salazar’s ancient desk- but Draco eases you into it and ensures you that you don’t need to try anything that  you don’t want to. So you start slow, taking your time with a glass of firewhiskey while the boy beside you tries his best to outdrink Blaise and keep his attention on you- he’s definitely not beating Blaise though, not when all he can think about is dragging you off into a corner and-

“Hey Y/N, have you ever gotten high?” Pansy interrupts his train of thought and you nod your head at her question.

Usually you just get drunk at parties but if Neville’s around he usually doesn’t mind sharing a joint with you. “Yes, a few times.”

“Want to smoke now?” She raises her eyebrows at you.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to love- don’t feel pressured.” Draco says in your ear and you smile, turning your face to give him a quick kiss.

“I’m not drunk anyway so let’s do it.”

Soon enough you are as high as a bloody kite, hopping up and down to some muggle song they’re blasting on the speakers, one hand in the air and another tightly gripping the arm that Draco has wrapped around your waist from behind, trying to sing along with Pansy. The vibes in the Slytherin common room are nothing like you’d expected them to be. You’d anticipated unnecessarily expensive alcohol, boring music, snooty glances being thrown your way and absolutely no dancing but it’s nothing like that, instead there’s people bouncing off the walls, cheap alcohol everywhere, incredible muggle music surrounding you and everyone has been immensely inviting toward you the whole night- to the point where they’ve invited you to come back.

The Slytherins are nothing like Gryffindors when it comes to partying, and although a few of them are a bit too hardcore for you to keep up with, Draco and his friends are the perfect people to party with. When they all let their guards down, have a few drinks and hear the right song playing they have the most excitement you’d ever seen in your life. Partying with them is an incredible sensation- they’re exciting and fun and friendly, and they honestly make you feel breathless.

Draco in particular is letting loose a side of him that you’ve never seen before- laughing it up with everyone that approaches you, excitedly dragging you around the room to see all the different aspects of a Slytherin party and dancing, he hasn’t stopped dancing with you all night.

“You give off good vibrations!” Pansy yells over the music and Blaise nods in agreement.

“I didn’t think anyone would ever be able to keep up with the three of us but Draco picked you well.” Blaise adds and you playfully scoff.

“If anything, I picked him.”

“And how lucky was I at that?” He laughs and looks down at you to kiss you.

“Very lucky.” You mumble with a goofy smile once he pulls away and as soon as your eyes lock you both know- it’s time to go. You barely have time to say goodbye to Blaise and Pansy before he’s dragging you up to his prefect dorm and slamming the door shut behind you both.

~~~

“How you been spending your time? How you be using your tongue? You be so worried ‘bout mine, can’t even get yourself none.”

“So maybe you should shut up.”

“Y/N, I’ll never understand why you’re going out with this foul, loathsome gi-“

“Hermione, when was the last time you had a good shag?” You interrupt the Gryffindor- having had enough of her rude insults barricading your boyfriend. Beside you Draco chokes on the bottle of water he was drinking and widens his eyes at you.

“What?” Hermione asks, clearly flustered, as her cheeks turn a bright shade of pink.

“A good shag. When was the last time you were fucked senseless?” You ask again and inch close enough for your lips to be right by her ear, “Because I can tell you when last I was… Last night, prefect dorm, two hours of heavenly bliss.”

“Y/N!” She exclaims as she pulls away from you in shock and embarrassment, “That’s wildly inappropriate.”

“Indeed, it is.” You offer a smile, “So I suggest you stop talking so much shit with that tongue of yours before I tell you what Draco likes to do to me with his.”

Hermione nods- still in shock- and quickly turns to leave. You turn to face your boyfriend- who has the biggest smile of admiration on his face- with a smirk and he chuckles once Hermione is out of earshot. “Bloody hell, I don’t deserve you.”

“Not at all.” You smirk and pull a few feet away from him so that you can slowly open the first two buttons of your blouse in the empty hallway, “But maybe you can try to.”


“My room, now.”

<~>

i hate that little scene with lucius but i literally can’t write it out because i can’t unthink the idea- that probably sounds ridiculous.

Anyway, this is just a small, cute, IMPULSIVE idea I got one day after listening to ‘shut up’ by Ariana Grande. Some soft fluff for the Gryffindors.

anyway, love you all

jean <3

[liquid-luck-00]

When Two Coffee Addicts Unite 2

Part 2

@maribatmarch-2k21 Day 29: Wait!

Ao3 *** Part 1

~~~~~~~~~~

Marinette has been in Gotham for almost two months doing her class work online while working with Lucious Fox on the fabrics and the best way to show case them. If the prototypes happened to need testing and kept her warm no one mentioned anything. Luckily, Adrien, Kagami, and Chloe told her when the class would be arriving. Her luck also held seeing as she had and apartment in Gotham, thanks to her uncle Jagged, she wouldn’t be in the hotel. Because of this she and her friends were allowed to stay at the apartment so long as there was a responsible adult with them. Jagged would say it was him, but the group of five were allowed to stay in the apartment, so long as they made it to school, W.E., and any mandatory events unless given permission to skip.

The first day of classes wasn’t too bad, thanks to being ahead and he placements, meaning that very few people from her class were with her. Thank kwamii Felix was such a book worm that she had at least one familiar face.

Arriving at Wayne Enterprises was another story. The two busses and the car that held Mari and her friends arrived. Marinette was going to just walk in when she was pulled back by miss Bustier.

“You must wait Marinette.” She smiled at her condescendingly.

“Hello I am Bruce Wayne. I only have a moment.” He scanned the crowd when his sights fell on her. “Miss Marinette what are you still doing out her.” He seemed to speak only to her.

“Just held up for a moment.” She replied to the billionaire, who may or may not be the same person she demolished at UMS III yesterday, when she was hanging out with Tim, the rest were sleeping off jet lag.

“Head on up would you, Lucious is waiting.”

“Of course,” a blindingly charming smile on her face. “you wouldn’t mind if I took up the interns for my team, now would you?

She could see that he could tell what she was planning. “I don’t see a problem with that. Seeing as they will be aiding the upcoming show after all.” He motioned for the receptionist to proceed.

“Oh! Um, of course.” The woman flipped through a few pages. “Mr. Adrien Agreste, Mr. Felix Graham de Vanily, and Miss Chloe Bourgeois. Please come forward and collect your badges.”

With that the four of them would have walked in had Lila mot started making a commotion. “Wait! Why are you letting them in without explanation?!”

“If you wouldn’t mind Bruce?” he only nodded to give her permission. “You see the reason I haven’t been in France is because I have been working on a partnership project with Wayne enterprises. I, for the duration of this project am considered a department head. Right now, I need to go up and continue my work.”

“But why are you taking them with you?”

“The three of them have been assigned to be interns and a part of this project. Is that a problem Miss Rossi?” She quirked her head and brow. When she didn’t get an answer, she headed in with Adrien, Chloe, and Felix in tow.

“Nettie! Thank god, okay so you better at this than me seeing as I need to figure out a way to be cordial with Luthor.” Tim ran into the elevator before it closed.

“Voice call, video call, meeting, or email?”

“Voice call.”

“Deep breaths keep to the points you need and stick to them. If he grates on you can always sick him on me.” The two of them laughed. “Oh, that’s right, this is Adrien, Felix, and Chloe.” The five were walking down the hall to the room she and Lucious were working in. “Guys this is Tim Drake.”

“Nettie’s told me a lot about you guys.”

“And we’ve heard quite a bit about you.” Chloe bumped into Mari and if she blushed no one was any wiser, hopefully.

They got to work and an hour in did the question come up.

“So, who is this Luthor, Tim did not want to Talk to?” Chloe asked.

“That would Be Lex Luthor of Lex Corp.” Lucius answered.

“Okay so why offer for him to turn him to you?” Adrien brought up.

“Okay remember last month, when whenever you guys called, I was irritable?”

“What of it?”

“At that point I hadn’t slept in almost a week, and well one thing lead to another.”

- - -

Marinette had stalked into the building a huge cup of coffee in one hand, a tablet in the other going over designs and fabric functions.

She was already in a mood seeing as there were four separate akumas from midnight to noon in Paris, meaning it was six pm to six amin Gotham. She didn’t even have a chance to sleep.

The week before were random attacks from both akumas and amoks. Add to the fact she still had class work and this show to put on she was seriously lacking sleep.

She stopped by her temporary office space dropped off her coffee, bag, and coat. Checked the time, 8:15 am, grabbed a stack of designs and the function reports from the fabrics and the tech that will accompany them. With that she made it up to Tim’s office and walked in.

Immediately she noticed that he was close to screaming, but to anyone else it would seem like he was mildly frustrated. “Monsieurs Wayne. There are a few things that need your…”

“Who do you think you are to interrupt this meeting. Or are you blind as well as stupid.”

“Excuse me?” She didn’t raise her voice, but her posture shifted, but most importantly her aura changed. You see most people think ladybugs are harmless, but most forget Ladybugs are carnivorous and are known to cannibalize other ladybugs. She quickly flicked her wrist and noted the time, 8:18 am. “You see if I am not mistaken, I was scheduled to meet with Monsieur Wayne at 8:20 to go over a secret project between Wayne Enterprises and the designer MDC. Seeing as it my scheduled time you are intruding upon Monsieur…”

“Luthor. Lex Luthor of…”

“Lex Corp. I am aware of your position, but seeing as this is neither your office, your building, nor your company. Added to the fact that this is not currently your scheduled meeting time slot. I believe it best for you to wait outside until we are finished. Or are you honestly that belligerent and stupid that you cannot read a clock, Monsieur Luthor.” For a moment he simply sat there his moth pressed in a line, before silently standing and sulking out of the room.

- - -

“Wait you sent Lex Luthor, one of the most powerful men in the world, sulking out of a room without lifting a finger?” Adrien announced shocked.

“Well I was seriously sleep deprived and did not have a single care left to give, besides, I have good teachers.” She shot Chloe and Felix a smile, and a thought to Kagami, stationed in Security, she may specialize in swords but knowing how to use a gun and taser isn’t bad to have.

“what did he say when he finally saw you again?” Chloe was now fully invested in the gossip.

“He apparently did a quick search on me and found out I am MDC. The most connected and influential female under the age of twenty. The muttered a small apology but wouldn’t look me in the eye.”

“According to Bruce Wayne Luthor apparently, muttered something of how with your influence you may damage lex corps reputation.” Lucious added a hit of a smile.

“Well he’s not wrong.” She shrugged and the room laughed as they continued to work.

~~~~~~~~~~

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[startanewdream]

Hey, I just wanted to say that I love your Jily Live AU. I hope you can write more of them. Have you written anything about James and Lily finding out about Snape being Harry’s teacher and his shenanigans? Or about them talking to Harry about Peter? Or even Harry asking his mom what it was like to be a muggleborn? I think those could be good.

Hi! I'm so glad you are enjoying it, it's such a nice world to think of!

I think Snape's relationship with James and Lily is difficult in any universe, and it hurts me to think how a living James would deal with Peter's betrayal (though this is a story I hope to write sometime). So here is a short drabble of Harry and Lily discussing her being a Muggleborn. Hope you enjoy it :)

Warning for mildly swearing, I think.

_________________________

Her hand is writing nonstop, registering her latest discovery, and Lily is so immersed in that feeling of uncovering secrets of potions - new combinations for old ingredients, the closest to science she can find in magic - that she doesn’t immediately register Harry calling her.

‘Mum? Mum!’

‘No chocolate before dinner, Harry, you know the rules’. she says vaguely, still concentrating on writing down the effects of mixing moonstone and wolfsbane.

‘No, I don’t…. there is chocolate?’

‘What?’

‘I want to talk to you’.

‘I’m working now, Harry, you know when mum is busy you have to -’

‘What is a mudblood?’

That makes her lose control of her hand, making a line with the quill across the parchment. Her hand trembles as she carefully rests the quill, raising her eyes to find a pair of green eyes that are the exact tone of hers.

Harry’s voice is nothing like Snape’s, but she can somehow hear the echo of her former best friend calling her mudblood a lifetime ago.

‘Where did you hear that word, Harry?’, she asks quietly, but Harry seems to know something is wrong because he recoils, unsure.

‘Is that an adult word? I am sorry, I didn’t know -’

‘That’s okay, Harry, I am not mad at you’, Lily assures, forcing herself to smile at her son. She offers her arms. ‘Come here’.

Harry doesn’t hesitate before rounding her desk and approaching her. Lily puts him on her lap, caressing softly his hair, making it messy in the way Harry likes, to copy his father’s style.

He is looking at her curiously, and Lily wishes she didn’t have to explain the hard reality of the world - of her world - to her six-years-old son.

‘Who said that word, Harry?’, Lily asks again, softly.

‘I heard today when dad and me -’

‘“Dad and I”, Harry’, she corrects him with a gentle smile. Harry blushes.

‘Yes, when we were at Diagon Alley today. Someone told Dad was a disgrace for marrying a mud… that word’.

Lily bits her lips. James hadn’t said anything to her, even though he had returned home from their trip with a closed face. She should have known something had happened -

‘Dad was going to fight the man’, Harry whispers, looking as if he is sharing a secret. ‘But Uncle Moony didn’t let him. He said - he said Dad was just going to get in trouble’.

‘Remus is always the most reasonable’.

‘I don’t want Dad to be in trouble!’

‘He is not, Harry, it’s fine’, Lily says reassuringly. ‘Your father was just upset. That man said a very bad word’.

‘But you are not a disgrace… you are mum. Dad is happy marrying you!’

‘Of course he is. It’s just… Some people don’t think he should have married me’. When Harry looks mutinous, she touches the point of his nose, making him blink. ‘Let me explain to you, ok?’

She waits until Harry nods silently, his eyes big and confused and so pure that Lily hates more than ever all the prejudice there is in the wizarding world.

‘Do you know how I told you about my parents? Your grandparents?’. He nods once more. ‘They were Muggles’.

Harry furrows his brows, concentrating.

‘They always took you and Aunt Petunia to the zoo’, he says slowly, remembering one of her stories. Lily smiles softly. ‘And they bought you ice cream at the exit’.

‘I always chose chocolate ice cream’.

‘Like me! It’s my favourite’.

‘Yes’, she agrees, tickling him, making Harry giggle. She waits until he stops laughing, then she sighs. ‘Well, because they were Muggles, I’m what wizards called muggleborn. That just means my parents weren’t magical folks’.

‘Does it make a difference, being a muggleborn?’

She can hear the echo of herself making that same question years ago. Severus had told her it didn’t. He had lied.

It wouldn’t be his last lie.

‘It shouldn’t make a difference, Harry’, she says slowly. ‘Every witch and wizard is capable of doing magic, and magic doesn’t care about your surname or your blood or who your parents are. But…’

‘But?’

‘But some people don’t see it like that. Some people think they are better than others because all their past relatives were magic too’. Lily swallows hard and looks at Harry deeply in his eyes. ‘They are wrong, Harry. No one is better than anyone. Every witch and wizard should be equal’.

‘There are people that don’t like you?’, Harry asks in a whisper.

Lily closes her eyes briefly and she can remember the first time she understood the snickers, the contempt in other people’s eyes when they looked at her.

‘Yes’, she admits. ‘Do you remember when we told you about the war? About the man that gave you that scar?’

Harry acquiesces quietly, trembling slightly. Lily and James had told him only the basics of Voldemort, the bare minimum he needed to understand where his scar came from.

‘Well, one of the things he defended was that wizarding blood was different, that muggles were lesser than wizards. And that anyone who had muggle relatives, especially muggleborns like me, were worthless because of their relation with muggles'.

‘But you are a great witch!’, Harry cries indignantly. ‘You make all these spells and potions and -’

‘That’s the point, Harry’, she cuts him off gently. ‘I am as magical as your dad, as much as anyone. It doesn’t matter who my parents were, but that doesn’t mean I’m ashamed of them. I loved them very much and I’m glad to be muggleborn. It means I belong in both worlds. Like you’.

‘I am in two worlds too?’

‘Of course you are’, she assures him, smiling at her son. ‘And everyone is worth the same, magical or not, witch and wizard or any other creature. No one is better than anyone’.

Harry agrees with his head, looking as thoughtful as a six-years-old can be.

‘But those who are prejudiced use Mudblood as a slur for muggleborns like me’.

‘It’s a bad word’, says Harry solemnly.

‘Yes, it is’.

‘I won’t let anyone call you that’, Harry promises. ‘You or anyone else’.

Lily hugs him.

‘Just don’t get into trouble for it’, she asks. ‘Those people - those prejudiced people - are not worth it’.

‘The secret, Harry’, she hears someone saying from the door, and she turns to see James smirking there, ‘is that if no one knows it was you, you won't ever be in trouble’.

Lily raises her eyebrows, but doesn’t say anything.

‘Sirius just arrived. He is asking for his favourite godson’, James adds, and Harry lets out a happy cry.

‘Can I go, Mum?’, he says. She nods, and he kisses her on the cheek before jumping, running towards the door.

James just messes with his son’s hair as Harry passes through him, and he closes the door of her office.

'Did you just tell our son that he shouldn't get caught?', Lily asks, the corners of her mouth almost lifting up in a smile.

'Well, I wasn't going to say he shouldn't defend his mum', James ponders, sitting on her desk. There is a smile on his face that Lily can only describe as marauder.

'Why do I think you took your own advice?'

'Oh, Lily, you hurt me', he says playfully, tucking her hair behind her ear. 'What would you think I have anything to do with Travers' office being inundated for a week?'

'Who said anything about Travers?'

'Not me. In fact, the less I think about that wanker, the better'.

'Language, James', she teases, smiling despite herself. 'That's an adult word. What if Harry hears it?'

'Harry is pretty busy right now, since Sirius owned me a favour or two', he whispers, bending down to press his lips softly against her neck. 'How about we do some adult things?'

The door of her office stays closed for a very long time.

------------------------------------------

There is an expression on James' face when he returns home that Lily has long ago learnt to associate with a prank.

'What?', she asks, raising her eyebrows.

James grins.

'I had the most fascinating chat with Minerva today, when I dropped by to deliver her my recent articles'.

'Yeah?'

'She told me a curious tale. Apparently Lucius Malfoy's son's new broomstick had to be sent to repair because someone managed to dispel the cushioning charm'.

'How come?'

'No one knows… just as it happens, by pure coincidence, Harry asked me a week ago about the theory of dispelling charms'.

'What?!', Lily cries, just as James' smirk increases. 'Harry is supposed to behave, James, especially after that story with the flying car -'

'Apparently, the Malfoy boy called Hermione Granger a "Mudblood" one week ago', James adds, in a nonchalant voice.

Lily blinks.

'I see. I suppose no one discovered who tampered with the broomstick?', she asks, her voice as calm as his now.

James denies with his head.

'Too bad then', she replies, returning to her book with a smirk that she knows it’s just like the one on James’ face. 'I guess we will always wonder who did it'.

[fanficflaneuse]

Life in Black - The Pilot

Index 

Episode 1: The Pilot 

A/N: GIF is not mine, I found it on Giphy. I hope you like this experiment. It is a mixture of narration and scriptwriting. 

Words: 2341 

Summary: Bellatrix decides she wants to live with her younger sister and her brother-in-law. 

Opening Sequence 

Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy sat in front of each other. Just like every morning, they took breakfast in the porch, overlooking the gardens. Narcissa insisted it reminded her of her homeland and Lucius knew better than to challenge her. He indulged her instead. He read The Daily Prophet as she drank her tea.

Narcissa was in the middle of a story about the preparations for the Paris Wizarding Fashion Week, when they were shaken by a loud bang from the house. The couple ran inside, wands out and faces full of concern. The elves ran frantically to the living room. As they approached, Narcissa relaxed and Lucius tensed even more.

“Bella!” said Narcissa, approaching her eldest sister and giving her a hug. Lucius took a deep breath, bracing himself up for whatever was coming; Bellatrix and him were barely on speaking terms.

“About time you came to greet me, sister” she answered.

“We weren’t expecting you,” mentioned Lucius.

“Do you hear something, Cissy?” said Bellatrix, pretending her brother-in-law wasn’t in the room.

Narcissa rolled her eyes. “What are you doing here, Bella? I thought you and Rodolphus had moved back to Paris?”

“Don’t even mention him to me. We’re getting a divorce,” she said casually, not a hint of sorrow or melancholy in her voice.

Both Lucius and Narcissa eyed her warily. “I am so sorry, sister,” said Narcissa after a moment of awkward silence.

“Oh, don’t be. It was doomed from the beginning.”

“That’s what happens when you marry for convenience,” Narcissa said, shaking her head at the memory of Bellatrix’s rushed, loveless marriage.

“If the other option was to end with a slob like your husband, then no thank you.”

“Excuse you?” he said, outraged.

(NARCISSA MALFOY) TALKING HEAD.

(Narcissa sits on a very elegant armchair. The room is full of paintings and photographs staring at her. In the back of the room, above a marble chimney, there’s a very big portrait in which Lucius and Narcissa stand on either side of a teenager. He resembles Lucius and smiles awkwardly.)

“My sister...she’s truly something. I can’t really put it into words,” she says, politely smiling at the camera.  

(Lucius comes into focus. He’s sitting on another armchair).

“She’s crazy,” he adds, deadly serious. Narcissa frowned at him.

(Bellatrix comes into focus, half sitting on Narcissa’s chair arm).

“Excuse you?” she exclaims, mimicking his previous outburst.

[Back to scene]

Lucius and Bella bickered for a while. Even the elves stuffed their ears with cotton balls so they didn’t have to hear them. Narcissa grew bored a few minutes into their petty drama; it was always the same with them. This time, though, the fact that Bellatrix had decided to move in with them without even asking made their usual passive aggressiveness less passive and more aggressive.

After Lucius stormed off and Bellatrix chose to establish herself in the closest room to theirs, Narcissa decided to call the big guns (also known as her sister Andromeda). She knew her sisters didn’t have a good relationship, but she was also sure she couldn’t deal Bella full time on her own.

(BELLATRIX LESTRANGE) TALKING HEAD.

(Bellatrix sits cross-legged on a champagne coloured divan. It’s placed in front of a big window that oversees the Malfoy gardens. As she talks, a flock of albino peacocks runs in the background).

“My relationship with Andromeda? Oh, it’s nonexistence. Since she married that mudbl- oh right, everyone’s offended by everything nowadays. So, the pc term is muggleborn, right? Well, ever since she married that muggleborn and had a half blood spawn of the devil I decided I just have one sister. She also married an absolute tosser, but at least he brought a pure last name to the table.”

[Back to scene]

Andromeda appeared a few hours later, ready to see her sister for the first time since she got engaged. The two estranged sisters bared a very close resemblance. They were both tall women with curly hair, big, blue eyes, long eyelashes, thin lips and sharp jaw. Anyhow, as they sat by either side of Narcissa, she thought there couldn’t be in the world two more different people. Andromeda’s soft, brown curls in a fancy updo complemented her face and made her look younger. Her eyes were full of kindness and patience. Their older sister, on the other hand, had a thick, raven hair, which looked as though she had hardly combed it. It made her come across as a patient of St. Mungo’s fourth floor.

The sisters sipped tea stiffly and avoided eye contact. Narcissa decided that the feud needed to end, for her own mental wellbeing.

“Andy, Bella is now living with us here,” she said.

“What?” Andromeda now looked at her older sister, trying to the decipher the mask of indifference Bellatrix had always worn.

“Go ahead, laugh all you want,” said Bellatrix, a sardonic smile on her face.

Andromeda was left speechless for a few seconds. Narcissa could see her sister’s mind working and tried to amend Bella’s words.

“She meant -”

“Do you really think I’m so heartless, Bellatrix?”

“Well, you did change your beloved family for a dick,” she shot.

(NARCISSA MALFOY) TALKING HEAD

“I really can’t blame Andy.”

She has a knowing smile as she says this.

(Lucius comes into focus).

He smirks and nods.

[Back to scene]

“Well, Bella, at least I was transparent with my intentions. What were yours exactly? Have a pure and most noble last name and a bit on the side? We’ve all heard about that one, even Cissy, even if she pretends not to.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Andromeda.”

“Tom Riddle. Does it ring a bell? Toujours pur and all that crap only to end your marriage for a fling with none other than an ex - convict,” she spat.

“You’ll drown in your self righteousness, dear. How bored you must be with that husband of yours and all our stupid social norms.”

“You’re talking to me about social norms? You burned my face out of the family’s tapestry when I got engaged to Ted.”

“It was just a game and Cissy fixed it.”

“Just a game? For whom? An arsonist?”

“Your insufferable! Always thinking you’re the better sister, the prettier sister, the perfect sister.”

“I am the prettier sister,” said Narcissa flatly; she had already grown bored of Bella bickering with everyone.

“I never said that!”

“You thought about it! I know you did. You think I’m unbalanced. You think I should be in an insane asylum or something, but I’ll tell you what, I’m smarter than you are. Wait till I fix my hair and climb out of the pit of desperation I’m in and I’ll even be prettier than you are.”

“It’s not a competition, Bella,” reminded Narcissa, “although if it was none of you would stand a chance against me.”

As always, the older sisters ignored the youngest one and concentrated on outsmarting one another. A loud bang came from the other end of the room. Narcissa, cigarette in one hand and lighter in the other, turned her head to see her cousin, Sirius and his husband, Remus. She shot them an almost pleading look as they took seats by her side as Andy and Bella had long since discarded their place.

“Cissa, toss me the light,” he said, lying back on the couch.

“No, no, darling. This is bad for your health,” she answered as she put the cigarette between her lips.  

Sirius raised a brow. “You taught me how to smoke,” he remarked.

As she refused again and he was about to give her some new argument, Remus put his hand on his spouse’s thigh. “Remember your new year’s resolutions,” he said in a sing-song voice.

Sirius groaned.

“What brings you two here. It’s been a while,” said Narcissa.

“Andy told us you invited her and we wanted to make sure Bellatrix didn’t rip her head off,” shrugged Remus.

(ANDROMEDA TONKS) TALKING HEAD

(Andromeda sits on a grey, L shaped couch. Her living room is small and cozy. It looks exceptionally clean. She’s surrounded by plants. Behind her, there’s a big shelf full of frayed books).

“Rip my head off? What, because I’m the only one of the Blacks who wouldn’t be diagnosed as a loony then I’d let Bella walk all over me? No, sir. I showed them right then and there I could also roast someone.”

She looks pleased with herself, but her smile falters a few seconds later.

“Is roast a real term? Did I used it correctly?”

[Back to scene]

Lucius had also joined the others in the drawing room. He cheered on Andromeda every time she said something particularly witty to Bellatrix.

“You go, ‘Meda!” he said after she remarked how everyone breathed a little more peacefully after she moved out.

Andromeda looked at him straight in the eye. “I know you’re my brother in law, but we’re not there yet, honey.”

“I hate her,” he said pointing at Bellatrix, “isn’t that enough?”

The three sisters looked at him, eyebrows elegantly raised.

“Whatever you say now will determine your faith, Lucius,” taunted Sirius.

“I’m also married to her,” Lucius continued, this time pointing at Narcissa, “so you should consider yourself lucky she didn’t run off and have a baby with a convicted felon.”

Remus snorted obnoxiously.

(NARCISSA MALFOY) TALKING HEAD

“I couldn’t smoke while I was pregnant with Draco. Hardest nine months of my life,” she says with a grimace, “it was all worth it, though. I’m living the dream. I mean, who doesn’t want to be in charge of a fifteen years old boy who only babbles about one of his classmates?”

She doesn’t look very convinced.

[Back to scene]

Sirius had joined in the roasting now. Bellatrix had mentioned something about her not being invited to his wedding with Remus. He, in turn, spilling the family tea all over the living room’s floor.

“I never really cared that you were a twi-”

“Tais toi!” screeched Narcissa, not wanting her sister to literally taunt their cousin once again for his sexual orientation. Bella knew exactly who else in the family she was mocking and Narcissa was having absolutely none of that.

DISSOLVE TO: the whole family sitting like scolded kids. Narcissa furiously pacing in front of them.

“This ends here!” she announced, “I’m tired of the Blacks being the absolute worst family in the history of families.”

“What is she saying?” Remus whispered to Sirius while Narcissa kept rambling.

“Shhh,” Sirius mumbled back, “I can barely understand. Somehow her accent keeps getting thicker and thicker.”

“Sirius,” she said. Her cousin perked up at the mention of his name. “When was the last time you saw Nymphadora?”

“Uhh, yesterday?”

“What?!” she exclaimed, “so you see each other regularly?”

“We go to work together.”

“You work?” she asked, even more surprised than before.

“I own a bar,” he shrugged, not surprised that his cousin didn’t know of his whereabouts.

“Of course you do,” interjected Bellatrix, “and what does dearest Nymphadora do?”

“She’s an auror,” Andromeda answered, not allowing any biting remark to come from her sister’s malicious lips.

Narcissa looked at Andromeda curiously. She tried her best to be close with both her sisters and yet somehow she didn’t know know Nymphadora was an auror. In her mind, for some reason, her metamorphmagus niece was still in Hogwarts.  

“She sees Lucius at the Ministry all the time. Just last week she told me they chatted on the elevator,” said Sirius.  

Narcissa shot his husband an accusing look.

“I’ve seen her a couple of times, but I never thought she worked there. I just assumed she roamed the building for...reasons.”

Andy facepalmed as Bella cackled.

“Alright, well those days are over.”

“What days?” asked Remus, afraid to know the answer.

“The days of us not knowing what each other are up to. Auntie Walburga died three years ago,” she said. Andromeda patted Sirius’ back when he frowned at the mention of his satirical mother. “She was the last one of our parents’ generation. It is our chance to start anew, to accept each other. So, it’s decided. We’re having dinner tonight.”

The rest of the family joined in a collective whine, but accepted. Everyone knew better than to mess with Narcissa once she was set on something.

A few hours later, the elves placed all sorts of delicacies at the table. Draco was granted permission to apparate from the school back home, arriving as the rest of the family took their sits. He frowned as he sat by his aunt Bella’s side, who only talked about how he looked like his good for nothing father. He sent a pitiful look at his cousin Nymphadora, who smiled amusedly at him as she tried to start a conversation with Regulus. Sirius and Ted were already talking like old friends and Remus and Lucius shared a laugh at Professor Snape’s expense. Andromeda looked satisfied. Narcissa, at the head of the table, eyed her family proudly.

“Levitate the potatoes my way, please Nymphadora?” said Draco. He wasn’t particularly close with his cousin, but he knew she hated the name.

“Don’t. Call. Me. Nymphadora!” she said as she pushed the potatoes a bit too harshly towards him. Her changed from purple to a shade of red.

“I like you already,” said Bella.

“That’s a very bad sign,” muttered Remus.

(LUCIUS MALFOY) TALKING HEAD.

(Lucius sits on the same elegant armchair as before. He has his legs crossed and the attitude of a dandy).

“Life is full of changes. Some big, some small. I learned a long time ago you can fight it or try to make the best of it. And that's all a lot easier if you've got people who love you to help you face whatever life throws at you,” he says, an affectionate smile on his face.

He then frowns worriedly. “I just hope my house doesn’t become the designated place of gathering. My peacocks couldn’t take it.”

Roll Credits 

[olicitybishop-clairmont]

BATWOMAN 1x06

Just when I think there won’t be any Vesper voiceover this episode, they slip her in in the middle.

So a lot of names dropped in this episode. I’m wondering if they are comic callbacks or were they created for the show?

The name of the man who kidnapped Beth was August Cartwright.

Apparently on this show the Joker’s name was Jack Napier?

Now I know that “Mayor Cobblepot” is a nod to Oswald Cobblepot, aka the Penguin, though I wonder how in the hell he became the mayor of Gotham...

But who is Commisioner Forbes? Where might Jim Gordon be?

Luke Fox. I like that we’re hearing a more of his backstory. I’m sure that he’ll be spending time in late episodes looking into his dad’s murderer and whether or not they got the right guy. Considering the lawyer who put him away was completely corrupt, I’d guess the guy in prison for Lucius Fox’s murder might be innocent. Also, hasn’t Luke ever heard of code names? If anyone ever hacked into their comms, game over.

So I take it Catherine is just going to ignore the fact that she completely betrayed her husband and stepdaughter and then lost the trust of her daughter and go back to work like nothing is wrong? And why would she be creating a weapon that can pierce through the bat suit anyway?

And score 1 for Kate that the GCPD called Batwoman instead of the Crows!

Mary Hamilton is officially one of the best sisters ever to defend Batwoman to Sophie. She was again defending her sister without even knowing it! And that line, “Maybe think about whether or not you want to add Batwoman to the list of people you hurt.” ZING! You tell her, Mary!

Hmmm. Sophie. I still don’t know what he writers are trying to do with her as a character, but whatever they’re doing it’s not succeeding. Sophie can claim that she’s trying to protect Kate but I am not seeing much evidence of that. There was such an opportunity in this episode for Sophie to gain a little bit of trust by keeping Kate’s secret, but the first thing she does is nearly tell Mary who Batwoman is. And the only reason why Sophie didn’t tell Jacob at the end of the episode was because Kate was there in the room. Sophie is using her knowledge like a sword hanging over Kate’s head, and she can’t be trusted not to keep her mouth shut out of some misguided “for your own good” crap. And that’s not even mentioning that Kate’s secret IS NOT SOPHIE’S TO TELL. I have a bad feeling that Sophie would use her knowledge about both Kate and Mary against them.

It was nice to see some progress made between Kate and Jacob. And that line he said? Jeez. “I have to blame that symbol. If I don’t, I have to blame myself.” They we’re both acknowledging that they failed Beth when she needed them most, and they’ll fight even harder for her now that they know she’s alive. And they finally hugged!!!! Progress!

Alice and Mouse. That whole thing is so friggin warped. Mouse does not know what love actually is. He did not love Beth. He is part of the reason that Beth got kidnapped in the first place! He helped his father keep her locked in that basement for years at least and literally drove her insane and he thinks that’s love? Nuh-uh. No way. I really hope there is a scene down the line where Alice and Mouse face off against each other and she just yells that at him. That Beth is gone and Alice is here because of him. That she lost her family because of him. I have a feeling that Beth is beginning to show a little bit more. And that phone call? That was not cool.

Side note, does it seem like that mask and wig and even the voice modulator is not doing much to hide Kate’s identity? Because we are only 6 episodes in, and a bunch of people already know. Two of those people want her dead.

[inkdrinkershadowsinger]

Thoughts/ Background Half Blood Prince

A smash and grab for Ollivander. Not one person in this stunned group tries to shoot a stunner at these people or stop them in any way.

I am taking this way too seriously, but…. Muggleborns are the bridge between the Muggle and magical world, and the death eaters are attacking a bridge. Voldemort seems to want total separation between Muggles and Wizards, but he also wants to subjugate Muggles. Having these peaks of the Muggle world, and the destruction that wizards can cause is a great way to emphasize the delicate balance between the two worlds.

This obviously also takes place after 9/11. It would make sense that these people were more thinking towards terroism than anything supernatural. Anything could easily be blamed on that. Or faulty construction.

Hottie waitress is trying to get it from “Go”, and I don’t blame her. But, she is way too cute for his ass.

You would think that Harry would be more cautious, but then again, what easier way to fool a group of death eaters then to ride the London Underground for hours at a time.

Why would Slughorn make it look as if this house had been attacked? Why not just make it look like it had been burglared? It specifically looks as if it had been attacked. There are scratches and holes on the walls, everything is askew like hexes had been flying.

When I first saw this movie, I thought that it was a huge waste of time to see all of this magic, but now, I look at these big displays of magic and am just in awe. I love when we really get to see what magic is capable of that is more than just cursing someone else. The scene in Crimes of Grindlewald while he escapes at the beginning is one example of a huge display of magic that is both interesting and epic.

Voldemort knows what Slughorn has in his mind. They weren’t trying to recruit him, but to kill him.

Even in this picture of Lily, she looks way older than what she should be.

Dumbledore is a master manipulator. Throughout most of the series, Dumbledore refers to Harry as “Harry”, but in Slughorn’s presence he constantly refers to him as Mr. Potter to emphasize to Slughorn the prize that is before him.

Yes, Harry, you will not be messing up the fan’s OTPs today.

The Weasleys must have felt very comfortable with all of the moving staircases in Hogwarts based off of the look of the Burrow.

This is one movie where Harry and Ginny exhibit some chemistry toward one another.

Ron just casually going to touch Hermione’s face. They say that people will only let others who they are truly comfortable around to touch their face. The same goes for the attempters…. Lol

I love that Harry is barefoot in this scene. It shows that he is comfortable, and that he feels at home.

There is an old fashioned lamp on the desk which is lovely.

Mrs. Weasley was around for the first war. She didn’t participate in the Order the last time, but now, she knows, she has inside knowledge, that things are moving in the darkness. And she is rightfully terrified.

Snape’s village here is cookie cutter in the same way that Pivet Drive is. Though, Pivet Drive is clean and bright while Snape’s town is dingy and smoke ridden like there are factories or something similar nearby that is polluting the air.

Snape’s house would look like this. Floor to ceiling books. No personal photos. Dark. Two candlesticks that don’t count as bobbles because they are functional.

At this stage, Snape has fully returned to Voldemort. He also knows that Sirius isn’t the one who betrayed Lily, but that it was Wormtail. But, he can’t outright kill Wormtail because Wormtail went and performed a valuable service to the Dark Lord. So, Snape does the next best Slytherin thing and decides to torture Wormtail by making him serve him. Now, Snape has Wormtail as his personal servant and play thing until things finally break. It is no more than Peter deserves tbh.

Narcissa is the epitome of pureblood etiquette and style. She is politely making small talk with her host while Bellatrix is in the background snooping in Snape’s stuff.

Bellatrix was one of those rich girls who stole petty little objects whenever they can get their hands on something. Voldemort and her must have bonded over this.

Bellatrix lets out a snore when Snape talks about Dumbledore. She must have heard this reasoning for Snape’s supposed loyalty one too many times. She suspects heavily that Snape isn’t quite what he seems. She also resents him most likely for the closeness that he has with her master.

Snape allowed himself to be goaded into this. He invited it when he mentioned that he could help them in the first place.

The statue outside of the shop in Diagon Alley. So clever.

The twins are top level business men here. No more orange bell bottoms for these two.

Every thing is just orange and yellow and bright.

They already have on assistant. Good on you, boys.

“I will have order.” Someone really should make sure that Umbridge was sent one of these before her arse was packed off to Azkaban.

The twins are litearlly living their best lives here. Business is booming. Surrounded by people. Spreading mischief even after their school days are over.

Harry gets things for free because he financed this shop.

Harry is like, “Wait, what about DEaN??” Where was all this great acting and connection when it came time to film Seven and Eight?

Cormac ain’t a bad catch. He is very traditionally handsome.

Brown, I see your arse. You best sit down. This is not going to end well for you.

Fred and George’s shop probably has been warded to the nines from their good and yet to be introduced brother Bill.

You see one Fenrir Greyback poster in a dark alley. One: So, the film makers are sure that we know who he is. Two: This is the level with which the ministry has hunted for criminals compared to the nearly every square surface and newspaper add ins that Harry’s face get plastered on in Deathly Hallows.

Draco, even here seems to exhibit a lot of reluctance.

Draco is a smart guy. Like, I don’t think that can be denied. He wouldn’t have been able to do what he does in this movie if it wasn’t for some modicum of intelligence.

I like that movie Harry is really supportive of his friends.

Ginny and Luna BFF’s in the making.

Dean, I see your arse.

The one time ever that Harry James Potter was right about something.

Ron and Hermione should have known that Harry was up to something.

I have a feeling that more fuss from the others wasn’t made about the darkness powder probably because since they boarded the train that was about the fifth time they had seen some sort of Weasley product go off. And though, this is a compartment full of Slytherins, the odds are that at least some of them have their products in their bags as well.

Draco, however, is finally aware that stuff is really kicking off, and he is rightfully suspicious.

I don’t know if this was an intentional choice, but Draco’s appearance in this movie speaks volumes about his mental state. He looks thinner than he has in the other films, and then also, the lightness of his hair adds to the gauntness of his face.

He is sitting in chair 14.

Harry just had to get comfortable up there. Draco knows now that he can’t trust anyone at Hogwarts. He knows that he can’t trust Snape like he thought he could. He knows that Snape is really working for Voldemort, and he now knows for a fact that nearly everyone around them aren’t as they have pretended to be for so long. Draco is in a highly paranoid state because he truly feels like he has no one that he can turn to or trust.

You can see Hagrid and Fang waiting to take the first years up to the castle.

Draco looks very satisfied with himself after finally getting Harry.

I mean, that is a viscous thing to say to anyone, but Draco is now immersed in this wizard AK wizard world. It’s a wonder that he didn’t turn Harry over right then. Why not just grab Harry, apparate, and take him immediately to Voldemort? Draco had a golden opportunity here, but wasted it because in some part of his brain he still sees this as a school boy rivalry. Or would Voldemort really put killing Dumbledore over killing Harry at this point? Was he that scared of the man?

Luna is the real hero in this scene.

Movie!Harry makes me feel way happier than book!Harry sometimes. Merely because of the way that movie!Harry treats Luna and Neville. Yes, book Harry evolves in that way, but movie Harry seems to really value these friends the way that I think he should.

The way that Draco looks at the walking stick makes me sad. You know it was Lucius’, and though Lucius is a horrible prick, he is still Draco’s father, and he needs this object to feel some sort of connection to his father.

Neville is watching Hermione beat Ron, not even blinking an eye.

You do see here, and from the first that Dumbledore has aurors now watching the school. We don’t get any interaction with them, but they are a visual reminder about what’s going on security wise.

I can only hope to crush student’s dreams like McGonagall crushes Ron’s.

This movie has so many like unexpected funny moments that make it stand apart from the book in a way that the other films don’t.

So, we are saying in this film that Katie Bell is in the same year as Harry, Ron, and Hermione? I don’t know why the filmmakers settled on this. This is a Padma in Gryffindor situation again.

You really only noticed Hermoine’s bedraggled appearance here, but several of them are looking worse for wear.

I always got the feeling that Dumbledore was trying to make up for some lost time here. He largely ignored Harry in the last movie. And Harry has lost those people in his life who would event think to question him about his love life. Dumbledore is trying to make some connection with here. He misses the mark trying to connection with him in this manner especially about Hermione, but it is still very interesting.

Harry is just like, “Um, no.”

I think this interaction makes Harry feel better though. It makes him feel like he isn’t just being trained as a weapon, but that Dumbledore is actually interested in all aspects of his life. I can’t decide if this is underhanded of Dumbledore or not.

Okay, Wool’s Orphanage in the forties looks to be one of those horrible places. It looks like it is in the city, and away from anything green. The walls look like they are made of ceramic tile. Voldemort’s room literally looks out onto a brick wall. It rains all of the time in England. I mean, come on, this was the environment to raise a serial killer in. The room is bleak, only a bed, chair, and desk. Hardly any personal belongings.

I like Dumbledore’s look here. He is in the Muggle world, but that doesn’t mean that he needs to give up any flair.

Dumbledore read Tom Riddle’s mind. Is it legal to read the minds of young children because that’s what Dumbledore did here. How else would he have known that Riddle had those things in his wardrobe?

I don’t think Dumbledore would have done anything about it.

I don’t think that even if Dumbledore would have known what Voldemort would become I don’t think Dumbledore would have been capable of killing a child. I just don’t.

This sounds like Harry is about to be pimped out, which in a manner of speaking he is.

Most Quidditch scenes I could go without, but Ginny and Harry tag teaming tryouts. Ginny speaking up for slightly quieter Harry. Hermione in the stands. The people behind Ron fighting over the best brooms. It is just amazing.

You literally live in the same dorm as Hermione, Cormac, I mean, dang, and you have lived with her for years and years. Why couldn’t you have talked to her yourself?

Just like, what a situation to get yourself in. Hanging from the end of your broom.

Lavender is all fake concern and joy, over exerting her dang self, but Hermione is actually doing something to make sure that her man gets this position.

That couple behind the trios head are having an intense study-flirt session, and I approve.

Neville is dosing in that chair while he sits next to a dosy.

I always thought that the Gryffindor common room looked a lot like a fairytale. The walls are covered in tapestries, everything looks warm and inviting.

Ginny was raised with many, many older brothers. She knows how to get toys out of reluctant hands.

That’s Neville and Seamus going off to Hogsmeade in front of the trio?

Dean is laying it on thick!!! He is a slick git.

Ron is like, “That thought never crossed my…..oh… wait, yes, it has.”

Wallenbee…..

Poor Hermione, her feelings are about to pop out all over the place.

I always thought this scene was super cool, no offense to Katie. This just shows what kind of dark arts are currently being practiced in the Malfoy household

It looks to be a distinctive sort of necklace. If wizards thought for one second like Muggles they would have had people tracing the origins of that necklace. Straight up, old fashioned detective or journalistic work would have solved that question.

I love that Snape’s wand is black and sort of ordinary looking. It looks harsh almost in its plainness, almost like the man himself.

Harry is right.

“She’s got nice skin.”

I would want professor Merrythought’s office too. It looks amazing.

Blaise is silently judging everyone this whole time, and I am living for it.

Ginny has shown up really late for this shindig. She only shows up in time for dessert. Most people would just be like, “Okay, I think I’ll pass.”

Harry, your heart eyes are showing.

Slughorn really wants to justify himself, and I don’t blame him. It’s hard to admit your mistakes. It’s even harder to admit your mistakes when said mistake produced a mass murderer.

Ron, please get your head out of your ass. I feel bad. Hermione, like most women, build up romantic encounters in our head long before they even come due. She has done the same thing here, thinking that Slughorn’s party will be the place that she and Ron grow closer together, maybe even kiss under some mistletoe. She thinks that it will be the perfect place to launch a new beginning. That’s why what happens right after this scene with Lavender makes her so sad, because she then has to say goodbye to all of those dreams and fantasies.

It looks like a lot of the Quidditch team are sitting together in a show of house solidarity.

Ron’s like, “Thanks, Luna.”

Ginny normally sits next to Hermione in these scenes, but being with Dean, enables her to share the seat next to Harry. It probably is good for strategy talks as well. That Ginny Weasley knows whats up.

Neville is astonished at this turn of events during the match. Pleased, but astonished.

Luna is right by them in the stands. Cheering on her friends.

Weasley is our king. Weasley is our king… right until he kisses Lavender Brown, and makes Hermione cry because Hermione is our QUEEN!

Hermione refuses to chant her own future last name.

I mean, Lavender did shoot her shot. But you can see the just devastated look on Hermione’s face and even the “oh shit” one on Ginny’s.

Hermione found comfort here in something that she can do well. Magic. She’s reminding herself what she is the most thankful for here as well.

Hermione knows everything.

Hermione who knows everything just can’t believe that Ron is this dense. She thinks, at least subconsciously, that Ron is doing some of this on purpose.

Are we thinking that Lavender is Ron’s first kiss? I mean, first kisses are heady things, and he wouldn’t want to give it up no matter what until those endorphins start to fade, and then he quickly gets over it.

This is a great filing system in the library. And another subtle but amazing display of magic.

Hermione, girl, its hard when you get our feelings involved. Boys make us all do stupid things.

Romilda Vane is beautiful. She doesn’t need a love potion.

We all love Luna’s dress.

Draco, lounging in the corner.

Drapple pt. 2

If I didn’t get into a teacher’s club then I for sure would not be catering their event.

“Slippery little minx. “

This is more of that unexpected humor.

Cormac is like, “Please God, help me.”

Ginny looking fine in this outfit.

Draco, again, has lost all faith in those around him. And where good old uncle Sev might have seemed like another softer alternative to his father, now, he is no better than the rest of them. I have a post about this on my blog, if you want to read more of my thoughts on their change of dynamic.

This is the most awkward thing I have ever witnessed.

Ron looks constipated. He is just like, “Please, let this be over. Please.” He looks pained.

Harry is so uncomfortable he can barely stand himself.

Hermione doesn’t even have the perspective at this point to know that Ron is now suffering under Lavender’s attentions. She is just so pissed she can’t see straight.

A penguin dancing on a cake!

The twins have been pulling those for a while, look at all the old ones on the table.

Is that Hedwig sitting on the edge of the couch?

Remus feels so guilty over everything that he and the others put Snape through in school that he feels less inclined than anyone to believe that Snape is up to something nefarious.

Mr. Weasley knows when he is not welcome. Ron does not.

Tonk’s hair here upsets me to the extreme. Why did they intend to make this badass look like a soccer mom?

Some people are really irritated by this scene where Ginny ties Harry’s shoe, but I don’t mind it. I thought that it was very intimate. Harry, more than anything craves someone who is going to take care of him. Harry is someone who feels as if the whole world is looking to me. He also feels like he has no one that he can really lean on for support. He feels that support in any way makes him weak. Ginny doing these little things for him is something that he can accept. It makes them closer. She understands what he needs, and gives it to him. Plain and simple.

You can actually see rage here in Remus’ face. Don’t y’all tell me Wolfstar ain’t a thing.

Ginny doesn’t even think before jumping into the flames. Harry and Ginny at this point are battle tested veterans, and they have each others backs no matter what.

Greyback thinks that he is going to get an easy meal with Ginny, but Ginny isn’t a light snack hun.

Harry holding Ginny’s hand and pulling her close.

This was perfectly done by the death eaters. Draw the people outside, and then strike to destroy one of the only strongholds that the Order has.

Yes, I think Draco looks different.

Pineapple, nod to the books.

Harry unknowingly echoed Voldemort when he stayed behind after the first party.

This seems to be a very weird way to go about getting Slughorn to talk. Throughout this film, Harry tries to mimic Voldemort in the things that he said and the things that he did, but the way to get Slughorn to talk, I think, wouldn’t be to remind Slughorn about his failings through Tom, but to be the opposite of Tom Riddle, which eventually he ends up doing.

“The map is never wrong.” Like Godfather like godson.

Harry really is the dim one. He figures out Ron’s little dilemma way too slowly.

Love makes Ron cuddly. I like it.

Slughorn is a quick liar. No wonder he was in Slytherin.

Why is Slughorn just standing there? Why isn’t he reacting? Why isn’t he calling for help? I never understood his reluctance here. It makes me think that something like this must have happened in the past, and he was having some major flashbacks.

Hermione is about to throw bones in front of all these teachers.

“You daft dimbo.” Classic.

All of the teachers are listening just as intently as anyone else in the room. They love gossip too.

Harry just casually stalking Draco.

Draco feels so along during this whole experience, and I hate it for him. He’s just a kid.

“He was quickly becoming obsessed with Draco Malfoy.”

Why on Earth is Lavender, a Gyrffindor, sitting at a different table? And Dean? Free sitting on the weekends?

The look on Draco’s face when he sees Katie. He is glad sure that she is still alive, but he feels scared. He knows that Harry must have some suspicions, and he is terrified of getting found out. He knows that Voldemort will not be kind.

Draco goes from crying to defensive. Emotions are running high for him, and he just can’t handle them all. He is not thinking rationally.

The book here, almost seems to act like more of a horcrux, nefarious source then actual horcruxes do. It turns Harry into someone that he isn’t.

Ginny you coy bitch. Love it.

I just imagine that the way Harry acts in this scene is Daniel Radcliffe’s personality at all times.

Hermione should one day write a paper about the effects of Liquid Luck on people.

The story about the flower and the fish that Slughorn tells about Lily is one of the best add ons that the movie included that wasn’t present in the books.

Using that chosen one status right.

Lily was one of Slughorn’s favorites. She was in that middle picture on the shelf. She was front and center beside him in the photo.

Dumbledore is like, “Not now, I need to think.”

Dumbledore says that the objects to make a horcrux can be anything, but I disagree. I think that the objects have to be somehow linked to the wizard, some personal connection.

“I’ll be okay, I’ll be with Dumbledore.”

This is a startaling setting. One of the best ones in the films. We don’t go far from Hogwarts generally, but when we do it’s hardly to wild, nature ruled places like this.

I wish that we would have seen that memory from the Gaunt house. It would have been interesting to see Tom’s grandparent and uncle, his dad. It would have seemed essential to me to show Merope in this film. To see where Voldemort came from. I wish we would have gotten that.

And while we are listing some things I wanted from this movie, but never got: A classroom scene with Snape finally teaching DADA. We never even saw a hint of this or an illusion of this after the initial telling.

Dumbledore is hugging his knees, he is bunched up, and vulnerable.

This is the only time that inferi are seen throughout the series. You would have thought that Voldemort would have had more use for them in the final battle.

The choir scene here is particularly interesting. We have in our consciousness scenes from the previous two films using lighthearted music etc., and now they are singing this ominous song.

Snape is standing, looking out over Hogwarts like he does in seven pt. 2. This place is Snape’s home, and has been for years, and now, he unwillingly has to say goodbye to it.

It says something that Bellatrix doesn’t wear a mask while the rest of them do. It makes sense that Greyback wouldn’t wear a mask because he is recognizable as a werewolf, and he likes the fear that it inspires, but Bellatrix refuses to wear a mask because she is proud of her status as a death eater. She is unashamed of her place in the world.

If Dumbledore knows everything, why does he never act?

That boy that Dumbledore is talking about isn’t Voldemort, but Snape.

Harry has been hearing this whole movie that he is wrong about Draco and wrong about Snape, and then comes time for him to trust or turn against Snape, and he trusts him.

The look on Snape’s face after he kills Dumbledore is so haunting.

Bellatrix just loves causing chaos and mayhem. There is a certain kind of sick satisfaction that some people have when they destroy things that they used to be associated with. Her destroying Hogwarts is one of those things. For Draco, it Is just adding to that sick feeling in his gut.

All the lights from the wands of all of these people lifting into the sky and eating away the dark mark is one of the best moments of this entire series.

When I read that the locket was fake I was infuriated. I don’t think I’m alone.

Harry and his hero complex. He thinks he has to do everything on his own, but this proves that he doesn’t have to. He goes off together, with his friends, and even the friends that he leaves behind helps to keep everything going while the world waits on Harry Potter to save them all.

[sunlitroom]

Gotham – s5e05 – Pena Dura

 As I watched it, and some random observations here and there.

Previously on Gotham:

Selina went stab stabbity stab. Alfred told Bruce he can’t save Selina from herself.  Ed woke up on a rooftop.  Jim gave speech #357 on the value of hope. Then Haven exploded, proving that hope can only do so much against an RPG. Jim’s been promised help for weeks!  He also won’t stop until he finds who’s responsible for Haven.  Ed was responsible for Haven, albeit in a weird trance-like state.  Jim stared at the charred remains of Haven.

As always, long post will be long.  There are likely to be rambling digressions. Gobblepot might appear (although I welcome all shippers and non-shippers alike :)).  There will be naked favouritism and naked not-favouritism.  Broader comments at the end on plotlines and parallels and general direction.

In a church, a man is watching an old black and white film.  From what I can figure out from the actors involved and the character names, it’s a George Brent film called Tangier Incident.  It’s not a particularly interesting film.  He is, however, in a good creepy film called The Spiral Staircase, which I recommend.

Anyway

Jim and Harvey approach him, guns drawn, and ask him turn around.  Apparently, he’s the one who sold the RPGs.  He seems pretty unimpressed by them, and rather insolently asks if they’re going to arrest him.

Jim says he wants a name. Old film guy addresses some unseen minions

What do you say boys?  You wanna show the lawman how we feel about uninvited guests?

No-one is backing down. The stand-off is broken up by the arrival of lots of large people dropping through the stained-glass ceiling, who promptly take the thugs out.

While this is happening, Jim wrestles the weapons dealer/film enthusiast.  He still wants a name.  The fight is pretty even until the old guy is shot in the head.

We now get a slow-motion shot of shiny army boots approaching to some foreboding music.  Jim rises, frowning in confusion as shiny boots man removes the mask covering his face.

Eduardo?

Nice shot right?

We get the military music we last had with Barnes to let us know that Jim likely met this man in the army. His men are still pointing guns, one at Harvey, so he tells them stand down.

Jim asks Eduardo what he’s doing here.  He tells Jim he last saw him running through sniper fire to save him from a burning truck.

Jim claims he had the old guy where he wanted him – but he’s glad he’s here. Eduardo says he is too

 They wander through the church chatting. Jim tells Harvey they hated each other in boot camp. Jim thought Eduardo did things too fast, while Eduardo thought Jim was too careful.

A sarcastic Harvey says that Jim’s taught him a thing or two about being careful.  

Jim and Eduardo lapse into military jargon – talking about the mission plan. Eduardo says that they’re helping Walker (the woman Jim’s been talking to on the radio). They’ve to make this hellhole safe.

Jim, disgruntled, comments that all it apparently took for them to be sent help was the murder of hundreds.  Eduardo says they’ve to remove all criminal elements and make the city safe.  He introduces his second in command, who hands Jim a ledger they’ve found.  On it – we see Ed’s name against two RPGs.

Jim turns to Harvey. He and Eduardo will go after Ed. Harvey is to set up a command centre at GCPD.  Harvey protests.

I’m not as fast as I used to be, but I still got some fight in me. I’m not some desk jockey – I’m a street guy

Jim says Harvey’s the best cop he knows.  Ed tends to think ahead.  If this goes sideways, Harvey will need to take over.

I need your help buddy

Harvey nods.

GCPD where Bruce runs into Alfred.  Alfred tells him Jim isn’t there – they’ve got a strong lead in the Haven bombing. He asks Bruce what’s wrong.

Bruce tells him worriedly that he can’t find Selina anywhere. Alfred replies that Selina is capable of looking after herself.  Bruce says that she’s not herself, though.   Alfred pulls a face and tells him that Jeremiah deserved to die.  A resentful and upset Bruce says that Jeremiah made Selina a murderer – just like Ra’s did him.

(An aside.  Much like Alfred, I don’t really have a problem with Selina stabbing Jeremiah.  But this is only one of many times this episode will get a bit forgetful.  Selina was a murderer before she killed Jeremiah, Bruce.   You were there when she shoved that guy out the window.  Not that I really have any time for Alfred’s ex-army friend who stabbed him and robbed you – but Jeremiah wasn’t the first time she’s killed)

Alfred quibbles this, claiming that Ra’s goaded Bruce into murder, but Selina did what she did with open eyes

And you’ve got to learn to respect that son

Bruce wants to find her, though, and leaves – as Alfred watches.

(An aside - Eh.  On one hand, yes – Selina can make her own decisions.  She has autonomy.  On the other hand – Selina did what she did while still struggling to cope with the trauma of Jeremiah shooting her.   Alfred excusing Bruce but condemning Selina – even though he agrees Jeremiah needed to be removed – doesn’t really sit well with me.  On top of all that – Selina’s endangered herself for Bruce on a number of occasions, gone out of her way to help him, in fact.  She’s clearly not coping now – and leaving her to her own devices seems off to me.)

In the library, we see Ed listening to his blackout recordings.  He howls with frustration, unable to establish a pattern.

It makes no sense!

He catches sight of himself in a nearby mirror

You're not a murderer, Ed.  Except Kristin Kringle, and Officer Doherty.

He goes on

But all those people.  And children. How could you do it?  Why?

He roars

It doesn't matter – it’s you - not me

(An aside.  This is really a bit of a mess.  So.  Am I to assume that Ed is being a massive hypocrite, and selectively editing his criminal record?  Or am I to assume that Ed differentiates between murders committed by Ed and those committed by The Riddler?  Maybe, that doesn’t really work here – since some of these were committed before he discovered that persona.  Besides – wasn’t one of the features of his ‘becoming’ his personalities becoming fused?  Or are the writers choosing to forget some of Ed’s other murders?  Who knows.)

Hearing a sound, he turns. It’s Jim and Eduardo – who have arrived to arrest him.  He holds his hands up defensively.

No - Jim - I can explain

Jim is taken aback.

Explain?  You son of a bitch - you actually did it?

(Interesting. Although Ed’s name was in the ledger, Jim doesn’t seem to have thought that Ed was truly responsible – or didn’t want to believe it might be true.)

Eduardo tells Ed to get on his knees.  That’s three Eds in this show now – not counting Ed’s many personalities.  For reference, if they’re all ever in the same scene, the dog is Ed1, the lanky green one is Ed2, and beardy army guy is Ed3.

Ed protests, and says he didn't – but he needs a little bit of time

Eduardo is still pointing his gun – and tells Jim to just say the word.

Ed pleads.  You know me, Jim.  People that I have...hurt - they hurt me first

(Eh? There are multiple gif sets going around which show how ridiculous this remark is.  Ed’s hurt plenty of people just because he wanted to.)

I didn't know a single person in Haven

Eduardo glances at Jim

Your call, buddy – he basically confessed

Ed watches carefully as Jim thinks and then decides,

Bring him in – he stands trial

We’re saying this again? What kind of court will this be? Who is the judge?  Lawyers?  Jury?

Ed isn’t enthused by this. He touches a book from the bookcase. Eduardo is apparently standing on pressure-plated ied.  One twitch, and he’ll repaint the room with his organs.  He smiles.  

Jim points his gun. But apparently Ed has also devised some sort of watch that monitors changes in Ed’s heart rate if it deviates by more than 10 bpm up or down, and can cause an explosion - if necessary - from as far as a mile away. Whatever. Apparently, in a fit of sexual frustration after his recent contact with Lucius, Ed sublimated his lustful stirrings into an inventing binge.

Ed and Jim try and stare each other out a bit.  Jim says Ed will be a target once news of his guilt gets out.  Eduardo says he thinks Ed’s threats are bluffs.  Jim says Ed doesn’t bluff.  Well – there was the time with all the cops and the poison gas that turned out just to be sleeping gas, but - hey.  This episode is having severe difficulties remembering details, storyline, characterisation….take your pick.

Jim lets Ed leave. Summarising because this recap is lengthy – Jim uses his cat-like reflexes to leap across the room and finds the right book to free Eduardo – whose whole take on the puzzle is that he’d like

to wring this nerd’s neck

Jim gives him a welcome to Gotham.  Wanting to wring Ed’s neck is just part and parcel of visiting. He adds that the city grows on you, before contacting Harvey and telling him to put the word out: Ed is wanted for the attack on Haven

Bruce strides into Sirens, looking for Selina.  A fairly happy-looking Barbara leads him towards a booth.   With a flourish, she tells the crowd to raise their glasses for the killer of Jeremiah Valeska.  The crowd parts, and we see Selina sitting in a booth with a group of girls.  Is this the booth of Bruce’s downward spiral?  Is this the ‘I am having a long dark night of the soul’ booth?  Do you have to book ahead?  

Selina raises her glass, but her smile is more ironic than anything else.

(An aside. Barbara seemed happy.  It's hard to say whether having the killer of Jeremiah Valeska at her club is bring extra cachet, whether her one-night stand with Jim brought her some closure and happiness, or whether she and Jim are still having sex and she’s pleased about this.)

In some abandoned building, we hear a radio send out the message about Ed being wanted by the police.

A tall skinny man wearing a green suit and eyeglasses

They left out his BritPop hair.

Outside an angry mob gathers and chants.  We see Ed hiding from them, before slipping off.

 At City Hall, Oswald stands, flanked by his henchmen, as a visitor opens a box for him.  Whatever it is seems to make him happy – and he pays the man 200 bullets in return – telling him to go have fun and keep up the good work.  

As the man leaves – Oswald is brought a message

He reads aloud

Edward Nygma is the monster responsible for killing the innocents of Haven

Oswald looks incredulous for a moment, and then worried – wondering aloud,

Ed…what have you done?

The mob from earlier runs past.  Ed hides – but is walloped on the side of the head.

GCPD.  Eduardo tells Jim they’re pushing uptown – but there’s still no Nygma. He’s confident they’ll get him though.  He then asks Jim to tell him about Scarecrow.  Jim says his guys would need gasmasks – but taking him down would be a big one.

We’re on a sort of rural street.  We pan up Ed’s body.  I own those boots.  He’s unconscious and tied to some kind of deck chair.

An older blonde woman leans in towards his face.

Time to wake up!

Forgive me – American readers.  I can only tell that she sounds Southern, which I know isn’t very specific.

She tells Ed she’s the woman who will carry out his execution, along with her two boys – two men, who are sitting in a truck parked facing Ed.

They’ve basically created a makeshift electric chair.  There’s a lot of whooping and laughing as they give Ed a tester jolt.  He yells in pain, gasping when they stop.

The woman tells him that was only a taste.  It’s fair that Ed should die to pay for JoJo, who was in Haven when Ed blew it up.

She holds up a photograph. Ed seems afraid to look at it – then bursts into laughter when he sees it’s a dog.  For good measure – he calls the woman an anthropomorphizing nincompoop when she claimed that JoJo was happy and smiled often.

They give him another burst of electricity.  Ed hallucinates – seeing a spiteful Oswald telling him

I'm going to fix you, Ed

Ed blinks – confused. They jolt him again.  This time he sees a sincere Oswald, repeating the same phrase.

Everything stops when there’s some kind of fault with the electricity.  Ed quickly spots a way to trick them and escape.  In doing so – one of the men’s legs catch fire. As Ed runs off, he declares that he’ll fix Oswald.

 At City Hall, we hear distant explosions.  One of Oswald’s henchmen tells him that the army has invaded and men are heading this way. Oswald asks him if Nygma has been located – to which the man replies he has feelers out.  Oswald tells him the first man to find him gets to live.

Turning, he tells his dog he is surrounded by morons.  If he didn’t have his empire – he’d go get Nygma himself

(An aside – it’s actually something that has been frustrating about Oswald in later seasons. Season One Oswald was very mobile. He moved around a lot: think of all the places we see him.  Fish’s club, Gertrud’s apartment, GCPD, Jim and Barbara’s place, Maroni’s weird lodge, Falcone’s mansion, Loeb’s house…. It helped give a sense of how he had a finger in every pie, but also how much he truly inhabited the city.  He was everywhere.   But after they have him empire building – he becomes much more static.  He’s usually stuck in a grand house or hall, and has to send other people out to do his bidding.)

He spots that the gun on his desk has gone. He turns – and now it’s pointing at his head

It’s Ed2

(Ed gets demoted if the dog is in the same scene)

Hello Oswald.  We have a great deal to talk about.  But first - did you name your dog after me?

(An aside.  You know – that dog is sweet, but the naming decision feels like self-indulgent fic territory.  Unpopular opinion, I know – but there it is.)

 At GCPD, Harvey says Nygma’s been seen at City Hall – he’s going after Oswald.  Eduardo says Oswald is at the top of their list – so this sounds like a twofer

Jim says Oswald has all the ammo in town – so they need shock and awe

Eduardo says that’s his default, and asks Jim if he’s ready to go.

Jim looks a little dubious, and tells him to take Harvey.  He’ll keep things locked down here

(An aside – it’s possible that Jim does this because he wants to salve Harvey’s bruised ego from earlier, although sending him to City Hall with Eduardo to face a heavily-armoured and very irritated Oswald would seem to be a bit of an over-correction of that earlier moment.  It is amusing to consider, though, that Jim did not want Eduardo to witness what would likely have happened at City Hall if Jim had gone instead – i.e. Oswald wheedling his way out of a visit to the precinct, Jim telling Oswald to please be good this time, and then some emotionally vulnerable and sexually charged staring.)

At Sirens, a flippant Selina tells a serious-faced Bruce he’s killing the buzz. Bruce tells her this isn’t her.  Selina smiles, and asks Bruce if he really thinks he knows her. He solemnly tells her better than she knows herself.

Selina smiles.  She tells Bruce that the night his parents were murdered she watched it all and did nothing.

Her eyes fill

She says she watched

That guy shoot your father and shoot your mother and through it all - I did nothing

She lets out a laugh that turns into a sob

I didn't call for help. I didn’t scream at him to stop

Bruce tells her it wasn’t her fault – she was a scared kid.  Selina tells Bruce he was the scared kid.

Bruce has teared up now too. She continues

We are not the same.  I didn't do anything because I was not willing to risk my neck - because I didn’t care.  That's who I was and that's who I am

A different song starts playing.  Selina puts on a faux-smile and says she loves this song.  A tearful Bruce watches her walk away.

 Back at City Hall, an irate Ed is questioning a confused Oswald.

What did you do?

What are you talking about?

Ed is insistent

You!  You are the reason I killed those people!  How could you?  You have made me some murderous puppet!

(Just a reminder here that when Ed found a seriously injured and traumatised Oswald in the woods, he took him home, injected him with God knows what, told him he had no option but to stay there, and rubbed his hands with glee when he figured out the best way to manipulate him to his own ends – which was through his grief for his murdered mother.  You know, just while the story is touching on stuff like taking away someone’s agency, and using them for your own selfish ends.)

Ed rants that he’s spent weeks waking up strange places - driving himself mad, thinking he’d gone mad - now he knows that it’s all been Oswald’s doing

Of everything that you have put me through - this is the most cruel

(Just another reminder that - you know, while we’re discussing cruelty – Ed tried to drive Oswald insane, dug up his father’s remains, humiliated him, attempted to demonstrate that he wasn’t capable of love (so – you know – tried to completely dehumanise him), and then shot him in the gut and pushed him off the end of the pier. Just, you know, in case we’re looking for some kind of gold standard for cruelty).

Oswald blinks in confusion, and tells Ed that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.  Ed quotes the ‘I’ll fix you’ from his hallucination.  He goes on – telling Oswald he didn’t fix him: he broke him

Realisation dawns on Oswald’s face.

Wait - I said that to you on the night the bridges blew!

He tells Ed that he saved his life.  He found him and paid Hugo Strange to save him – but Hugo must have done something when he was patching him up.

Ed is incredulous. Oswald is indignant – asking him what he was supposed to do?  After Butch, Ed was his only friend.  Ed exclaims that he shot Butch, to which Oswald retorts that’s why he needed Ed alive.

Oswald is frustrated. He sighs and turns to him

Edward Nygma - if I wanted you to suffer, I would never do it in some backhanded way.  If we are ever at odds again, you will know without a doubt that I am your enemy.  I promise you that, as a friend.

(An aside.  I have made no bones about the fact I’ve found just about everything they’ve done with this relationship over the seasons to be utterly forced - clunky and leaden.  If anything ever exemplifies a lot of what I don’t like about it, it’s that moment just there.  Compare how natural and nuanced almost any other interaction in this episode was in comparison with this moment.  It’s self-indulgent and melodramatic in a manner usually reserved for bad fanfiction. Bear it in mind particularly when we get that lovely scene later with Bruce and Harvey, and compare the two.)

Ed considers him for a moment, then yells

What a mess!  I might have killed you, Oswald.  And if that day comes, I swear to you that I will stare you in the eye as I stab you in the heart.

We already saw that, Ed. Back when you shot him in the gut

Oswald nods tearfully

(An aside, something else I hate about what they’ve done with this – insta-woobie ooc Oswald)

Oswald tells him to look on the bright side.  If Strange messed with his head, then Ed’s not responsible for what happened.  Ed asks where to find Hugo – but the conversation is interrupted by an explosion.

One of Oswald’s men tells him that GCPD and the army have blown the gates

Oswald whispers to him

Grab Nygma - they want him, not me

(An aside – the speed with which Oswald is willing to sell Ed out is honestly hilarious)

Ed – however – has legged it, leaving a fulminating Oswald behind.

The doors to the main hall are blown open, and a smoke bomb is rolled on. Harvey and Eduardo enter.  Oswald waits amidst all the smoke – probably for the drama more than anything

Why hello Harvey!

He teases him about the ammo situation last time.  Harvey tells him they don’t want his territory. They want him to put down his weapons and hand over Ed Nygma.

The situation, I think, is now more about Oswald being pissed that his turf has been invaded than anything else. He tells them to leave by the time he counts to three, or he’ll shoot everyone.

Harvey stands his ground.

Oswald smiles

You’re not thinking clearly, Harvey.  Maybe call your boss - see what he thinks

(An aside – Oswald is so offended that he’s even having to look at someone from GCPD who isn’t Jim.  Ugh. This day just gets worse.  Funnier yet is his conviction that Jim will tell Harvey to come back to GCPD and stop bothering him)

There’s a staring match. Oswald’s men all wind up shot, and Oswald is taken in to GCPD. 

Ed is in Sirens - on his knees in front of Barbara.  She tells him all Gotham is looking for him

He replies that he needs information – your speciality

(An aside.  What?  Since, like - when?  When did information become Barbara’s speciality?  I know she likes power and money.  She’s also fond of violence and casual cruelty.  But information?  When was that supposed to have happened?)

Barbara says she’s going to cut his face into a jigsaw puzzle.  Ed urgently asks her if he’s dumb.  If – in all the years she’s known him – he’d ever done anything as brutally idiotic as this.  He didn’t kill those people.

Well…. not exactly.

Barbara dismisses her guards.  Ed tells her about Hugo Strange’s involvement, and how he suspects mind control. Whoever is responsible for the mind control killed those people, not him

Barbara says if by some miracle she believes him – why would she help?

Ed piques her curiosity by wondering what kind of powerful person would hire Strange and have Ed adapted in this way.  He says that Barbara must know where Hugo is, and when he finds out who was responsible for the chip – he’ll share the intel.  She’ll want to know, because, after all

Information is your lifeblood

Sure, whatever. 

Barbara doesn’t know precisely where Hugo is, but can direct him to his Igors.

 An interrogation room in GCPD.  Oswald lies on his front on the floor, his lip bleeding.  He looks up at Jim, who is apparently watching, and his face twists for a moment into a combination of pain and an appeal for help

For his part, Jim looks troubled.  He’s not enjoying this – in fact, I would go so far as to say it looks like he can’t stomach it – but he’s tolerating it.

Jim replies to his pained look

You’re protecting a mass murderer - don't look to me for sympathy

(An aside. Yes – I ship this, but even with shipper glasses off – it’s pretty much there in the text. Oswald knows that he can appeal to Jim for sympathy.  In responding to his look as he does, Jim is openly acknowledging that he would usually be a source of sympathy for Oswald.  It’s an admission from them both that there are dimensions to their relationship that go well beyond cop/gangster and – more than that – an admission that they’re both aware of that)

Oswald spits blood

Fine.  But not with that meat head around

Jim nods, and Eduardo leaves

Oswald laughs and rises from the floor

You know – they say you can judge man by the company he keeps

Jim retorts

This from a man who has no friends

(An aside – that sounds meaner than it actually played.  It’s delivered in that slightly schoolyard  tone Jim reserves for teasing Oswald – it’s not earnest or cruel.  Also – as we’ve seen this season, just saw in this scene, and will see again in a moment – it’s just not true.  Jim and Oswald have a relationship beyond work.

On top of that, you know – Jim – if not for the fact that Harvey is an extraordinarily forgiving man, your own friend list would have tumbleweeds blowing through it.)

Jim and Oswald take a moment to give each other a long, complicated look.  This scene is full of long complicated looks.  Neither of them particularly want to be in this situation, but their hands have been forced.

Oswald tells Jim that Nygma is a patsy, not a mass murderer.  He likes puzzles, games, killing – but killing hundreds of people – that’s not him, Jim knows this.

Jim asks who set him up

Oswald laughs, and leans back in his chair.

Jim - you want info, I want to go home

Jim grimaces.  

Eduardo’s not going to go for that.

Oswald smiles before pressing Jim’s button

I'm sorry – I thought you were in charge

Jim grimaces angrily and leans on the table

Even if I were to let you go – the army is going to come after you: things are changing in Gotham

I'll take my chances

Jim blinks.  He seems, to be honest, tired and uncertain.

Do you want Nygma or not?

Jim looks at him, and then glances sidelong at where Eduardo waits outside.

Jim leaves the interrogation room and talks to Eduardo

I know where Nygma’s going

Eduardo looks at him, then past him, nudging the door to let it swing open – revealing an empty room. He looks back at Jim

I trust you know what you’re doing?

They leave to go find Ed

(An aside. Quite a complicated little scene.  Neither Jim nor Oswald want to be in that room – but external forces have shoved them in there anyway.  

There’s a lot of history in the looks that are going back and forth.  Like I said, we have the explicit acknowledgment that Jim is likely to offer Oswald sympathy when others won’t.  We also have the open admittance that Jim knows Oswald sees him as a soft touch, and that he will likely give in anyway – just not in this particular circumstance, because the destruction of Haven was such a big deal.

Oswald also knows that pressing Jim’s buttons over control and power is likely to be effective.

Last up – we have Jim obliquely warning Oswald of the danger the army poses to him.  He’s not threatening him here, or trying to intimidate him.  If anything, his tone is almost pleading.  He doesn’t know how handle this situation.  He’s asked for help – and help has finally arrived – but Jim’s not actually sure what to do with it now it’s here.  Eduardo plainly told Jim that Oswald was at the top of their hit list.  Jim’s response?  Let him go, warn him that danger is coming.)

 In some lab facility somewhere, a body slides down a hatch.

It’s Hugo!

He’s complaining that the last body he was brought was gangrenous and completely unsuitable. When he turns, though, he sees Ed pointing a gun at him

Mr Nygma

Ed want to know how he control of his alter ego.  He’s rambling a little, talking about his Ed side.

A curious Hugo remarks that he is Ed Nygma.

Ed says he’s also the Riddler.

Hugo’s professional side makes a rare appearance

How interesting

He adds, though, that he knows nothing about all that.  He just tinkered and inserted a chip in his brain.  

Ed wants to know who requested this.  Hugo says he’ll write it down, so he can truthfully say that he didn’t tell Ed who was responsible.  His pen, though, contains knock-out gas – which he sprays at Ed.

Hugo says that he’s mystified as to how Ed regained any awareness – and that he’ll just have to open him up and take a look under the roof.  

 Bruce is at GCPD looking for Jim.  Instead, he finds Harvey, working at his desk

Sorry kid – it’s just me

He quickly takes in Bruce’s obvious distress, and takes his glasses off to regard him more carefully.

You all right?

Bruce says he’s fine – just looking for Jim. He remarks that he saw soldiers downstairs, trying to make some conversation – but still seeming distracted.  Harvey watches him, concerned.

Yeah, the Army's finally gotten off their asses and decided to help.  Jim's out with them now.  Are you sure you're all right?

A tearful Bruce says that he doesn’t know.  His usual careful defences crumble.

I see people losing their will to do good.  People I love.  What if we don't make it out of this?

Harvey looks at him. His face is sombre.

I'm not gonna lie, kid.  These past few months, I've wondered the same thing.  And when I don't know what to do, I come up here and I dig into these case files. I sit my ass down and I get to work.  I used to hate this kind of paperwork; now it's the only thing that keeps me going.  Why? Because the little things matter.  Act by act, deed by deed, it means something.  Even if no one notices or cares.

Bruce listens – taking in what he says

Thanks, Harvey.

He then does the classic Batman quick exit – leaving a slightly befuddled Harvey

(An aside - This scene between Bruce and Harvey was really lovely.  Bruce is tired, upset, and worried about Selina.  He's lost his conviction that things will work out, and everything looks hopeless to him right now.  Harvey doesn't have the answer to any of that - but he does have an honest way to go on with things: do the work.  It doesn't have to be showy and praised by all and sundry.  Do something useful - and know that the deed itself and the results are both worthwhile.

It was an understated scene that still got across some very big issues.

There’s the flagging of some key differences between Jim and Harvey – Jim’s need to be seen as a hero, and Harvey not sharing that same concern.  There’s also insight into how someone who is as fundamentally unhappy and alone as Harvey finds a meaningful way of living.  There’s also how much Harvey has changed since we first met him.

It's sweet, too, that Bruce confides in him.  They don't know each other well - but he's still been a constant.  Equally sweet is how Harvey talks to him.  He doesn’t coddle him, or just try to cheer him up in the way that Alfred or Jim might.  He’s simply honest.  No platitudes, and no inspirational speech.  He tells Bruce he’s just as scared as he is, and then offers him a way to deal with his fear.  

Now - compare that simple moment of compassion, all the subtleties and pathos, and all the meaning it holds with the yelling and stilted dialogue at City Hall with Ed and Oswald.  The difference is glaring.)

Hugo has top of Ed's skull off – pretty much like Hannibal tried to do to Will. According to Hugo, the gas he used on Ed immobilised him – but he can still feel pain.  A simple reboot will fix the problem, though.

 A City Hall, Oswald carries his dog along to a hatch in the floor.  He carefully descends a ladder, still carrying him, and turns on a light. It’s a massive vault – full of gold and money and shiny things.  

He smiles and tells the dog that the time has come for a change of scenery

I’ve said this for ages, sweetie.  You’ve got all that crime money.  Buy yourself a flat in Paris, another in Berlin.   Florence, Athens, Barcelona…. go for it.

 Back in the lab.  Hugo says the electric charge must have overloaded the chip – but he’d fixed it.  He will pass the good news to his handler.  His smiles disappears when he realises that a gun is being held to his head.

He protests.  He’s just helping a man who needs medical attention! Hugo is vile – but BD Wong is fantastic.

Jim walks round Hugo to look at Ed, whose eyes are open.  Hugo petulantly says he gave him biomedical anaesthesia – and brings him round.

Ed screams in pain and then immediately protests his innocence

I told you wasn't me!

Jim tells Hugo to talk. He says a contract came along, and developed a tool – gesturing to Ed, who is indignant.

How dare you

Eduardo contacts one of his men and tells him to escort Hugo out.  He leaves with a ta ta

He smirks at an incredulous Jim

Sorry pal - this part of the op is need to know

Apparently Walker – the woman Jim has been talking to one the radio – wants Ed taken out now.  

Jim is puzzled – asking if Walker is behind this - controlling Nygma

Eduardo shrugs that he hates the spooks crap.  He just follows orders

Jim mentions Haven – reeling from the idea that Walker might have been behind it.

Eduardo says Jim is to put a bullet in Ed's brain

Jim replies with a flat no

Eduardo tells him to call it proof of loyalty - what Walker needs to see from him before she implements the relief plan.  He tries to persuade him

Look at him.  He's a loon. A cop-killer.

(An aside – the strong feeling we’re getting from Jim at this point is ‘yeah – but he’s my loon’ – in the same way that this is his screwed-up home, and his tyrannical gangster.  I suspect this storyline might have lasted longer had the season not been truncated – and we’d have seen Jim gradually pull away from Eduardo, the man he thought was his friend, to acknowledge that he belongs to Gotham, and has emotional ties there that he’s not willing to break.)

Jim just wants the truth: did Walker destroy Haven?

Eduardo tells him ours is not to reason why – and says this is his chance to be part of the plan.

He adds that if Jim can’t pull the trigger on Ed – I’ll pull it on you

Jim stares

You’d kill me for some bureaucrat?

Eduardo is unperturbed. There’s really not one thought rattling around in that big beardy head of his

Mission comes first - you taught me that.  What's your answer?

Jim says he saved his life one too many times.  He feints putting his gun down, and then runs and escapes down the hatch in the wall we saw earlier.  Wheeee!

Eduardo presses a button, and orders EdBot to find Jim and kill him

EdBot immediately complies, and also goes wheeeeee down the chute.

Eduardo watches him go – secretly envious that his orders apparently don’t allow him to go wheeee too.

Aha – so this is where that absurdly beautiful image of Jeremiah came from. He’s lying down, eyes shut, in some kind of cave.  We see a rock pulled aside by Ecco

Boss - wake up

Jeremiah winces as he sits up.  Ecco asks sympathetically if the stitches are still sore, and tells him he should have worn the armour she made.

Jeremiah curls his lip contemptuously, and tells her the bullet is making her sentimental – she should gave it a shake.  Ecco obligingly does so – and nods excitedly when he asks her if that’s better.

He tells her he had to let Selina stab him once - verisimilitude trumps precautions.  Ecco nods – and says Bruce and Selina had to think he was dead.  Jeremiah rolls his eyes at her summary, and comments impatiently that he takes it she has news.  She replies that it’s all systems go, and they head out.

(I suppose this is essentially canon, but – wow, does Jeremiah treat his ‘girlfriend’ with contempt).

Is Jeremiah in Wayne Manor? He addresses a man in a white coat, telling the dr he’s hearing good things.  The doctor tells him his assistant thought he’d like to see the results.

Jeremiah is wide-eyed as he approaches two people we can only see from behind – who look, as best as memory serves, to be Bruce's parents.

Jeremiah laughs for a second, then opens his eyes wide – and tells them they look beautiful

I just love family reunions - don't you?

Jeremiah, confronted with the problem of what gift you can buy for your billionaire crush who likely has everything, has seemingly got very creative and cloned his dead parents.

General Observations

Jim is doing a classic Jim. He's been unhappy about the situation in the city for weeks – pleading for help.  But now that official help of a sort has shown up - the kind Jim should want, and should back, and should identify with - he's wobbling. He balks at the idea of shooting Ed.  He had no interest in arresting Oswald, let alone any qualms about letting him go, and looked downright unhappy in the interrogation room.  When push comes to shove, Jim has relationships with these people - whether he’ll acknowledge it or not

To analyse it more closely in terms of Jim's psychology - the army element plays a role too.  He might talk about his time there fondly - but, ultimately, he chose to leave. When Barnes - who was father figure and army past combined - showed up, Jim barely waited until the end of his first episode before disobeying him to going off to see Oswald – leaning on their special relationship and warning him about the new regime.

He repeats that pattern again here.  Jim might want to represent that kind of authority - but a part of him is always looking to buck it, too.  It's part of the reason, I think, that he and Oswald are more likely to squabble during Oswald's particularly tyrannical phases.

And all of that disquiet is even before we find out that Walker is likely corrupt and dreadful.

 The whole thing with Ed. Eh.  I know what they’re trying to do here. The problem, for me, is that it’s not really outside the bounds of possibility that Ed could knowingly have destroyed Haven.  Sure – the whole affair would have been showier, and Ed would have made some kind of speech beforehand – but still.  Ed - and Barbara – actually, both watched from a high window while Gotham tore itself apart under the Tetch virus.  Neither of them flinched at what they saw.

It’s weird – because you don’t need to downplay Ed’s capacity for sadistic violence in order to also entertain the notion that part of him might be horrified by it.  That, after all, is a crucial part of his characterisation: that he is frequently fractured, with various facets of his personality more or less dominant.  In season one, we saw that certain aspects of his personality were almost completely suppressed.  Later, we saw the season one version of him humiliated and berated by darker aspects of his personality, as well as horrified by what it had him do when it ‘took over’.  

So – you can have your cake and eat it really – you can have a character who is capable of dreadful things, as well as the tragedy that some drowned part of him is horrified and disgusted by what he has done, and simply endures it with no ability to speak up. That would work with Ed’s extreme rage and fear at the loss of control he’s been enduring.

What doesn’t work, though, is retconning him to be a better person than he is. I’ve watched Ed torture because he enjoyed it.  Kill because he felt like it.  I’m not entirely sure I buy that he’d be horrified by what happened to Haven.

Miscellaneous

I have no idea whether Selina knows about Tabitha yet.  She must – it makes no sense that she wouldn’t – but there was no indication of her reaction to that.

Similarly – I don’t really understand why no-one has said a word about Lee yet.  I’m guessing it’s because we’re simply not ‘there’ yet in the story – but it makes no logical sense.

Alfred said a lot that was true about respecting Selina’s decision, but – ultimately- his advice to leave Selina alone simply comes off as callous.

Lucius must have had a day off today.

[douxreviews]

Star Trek: Discovery - ‘Context is for Kings’ Review

By Mark Greig 

"We are creating a new way to fly."

After last week's extended prologue, this was our first glimpse of what an actual episode of Star Trek: Discovery will look like.

Welcome aboard the USS Discovery, a mysterious ship full of mysterious people doing mysterious things mysteriously. Thrown into this, under suitably mysterious circumstances, is Michael Burnham, six months into her life sentence for mutiny and sporting a new curly prison hairdo. Now something of a Ro Laren/Tom Paris-ish figure, Michael's not interested in getting involved in whatever mysterious shit the crew of Discovery are up to. She just wants to keep her head down, go back to prison and serve her time. That's what she says, but that isn't what she does. She wasn't even on Discovery a day before she decided to break into the secret labs and have a nose around, which was exactly what Captain Lucius Malfoy expected her to do.

It is clear from these first three episodes that Discovery is not going to strictly adhere to the pure Utopian view of the future that Gene Roddenberry envisioned and nothing seems to encapsulate that more than the character of Captain Gabriel Lorca (played by the always wonderful Jason Isaacs). In previous Star Trek shows the captain was always a reassuring presence, the emotional and moral centre of the show, and the one person we could always rely on to do the right thing (or in Sisko's case the wrong thing for the right reason). But in Lorca we have a captain who is untrustworthy, manipulative, militaristic, probably a dark wizard, maybe has his own personal torture chamber, and could potentially end up being the real villain of this entire series. In short, he is everything that Roddenberry would not want a Starfleet captain to be. And that is by no means a bad thing. 

One of the many reasons Star Trek shriveled and died as a television franchise more than a decade ago is because the people making it became unwilling to embrace change or innovation, allowing the franchise to slip into stagnation. To add insult to injury, much of the former talent went away and made the rebooted Battlestar Galactica, which made Star Trek: Enterprise look practically archaic. It also didn't help that the idiots in charge (Rick Berman and Brannon Braga) thought the only way to keep people interested was to treat their female characters as nothing more than scantily clad figures of lust for horny fanboys. Under Berman and Braga's odious leadership, Star Trek went from being groundbreaking and thought provoking to lazy and embarrassing. It is fair to say that no one misses them. 

Which brings us to Discovery, our latest hope for the second coming of Star Trek. We thought it would be the new movies but they really do not stand up well to repeated viewing and after the muted critical and box office reaction to Beyond I doubt we'll be seeing another Star Trek movie anytime soon. Which I really think is for the best because, for me at least, Star Trek has already worked better on the small screen. Television allows for more scope, more variety, and more chances for the secondary characters to shine. Can anyone think of anything memorable Geordi or Crusher did in any of the Next Gen movies? 

When Discovery was first announced I hoped that it would be a show that combined the character drama and strong storytelling of DS9 with the clever sci-fi ideas of TOS and TNG. I wanted a show that would be faithful to Roddenberry's vision in spirit, but at the same time unafraid to question or even outright challenge it. I wanted a show that understood that Star Trek needs to change and evolve if it is to survive and thrive in the current TV landscape. 'Context is for Kings' is an episode that does exactly that. I'm not saying it is up there with the very best of those shows, but this is exactly what I was looking for from a modern Star Trek series.

One thing I really liked about this episode is how it explored the inherent contradiction of Starfleet itself. This is a military organisation with a military hierarchy that's stated mission is one of peace and exploration. Starfleet officers are meant to be explorers first and soldiers only when necessary, but we see how quickly that gets switched around when the existence of the Federation is threatened. In peace time the Discovery (and its late sister ship) would've been a ship of pure research, but in war time it becomes a mobile Manhattan Project, pushing scientific boundaries to give the Federation the edge in the war with the Klingons.

One thing I didn't like was how quickly they rushed through the mission on the Glenn. They could've done a whole episode about Michael, Stamets, Tilly, Commander Cylon and the red shirt Mulder and Scullying their way around the dark, blood splattered corridors of Discovery's sister ship. Instead, the whole thing was over and done with in barely 10 minutes. Because of this, the entire mission felt shoehorned in just so Michael could have a selfless hero moment and slip in some Fringe style body horror. Mind you, I did find that shushing Klingon a lot funnier than I should've. 

Where Were They Then

Seeing as Discovery is set ten years before 'Where No Man has Gone Before' I decided to skim through Memory Alpha and put together this handy little guide of what all the major Star Trek characters alive at the time were up to.

— James T. Kirk was 23 and an ensign in his last year of a five-year officer training program at Starfleet Academy. After graduating Lt. Kirk would be assigned to the phaser station aboard the USS Farragut.

— Spock was 26 and serving as science officer aboard the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike.

— Dr. Leonard McCoy was 29 and had recently ended his relationship with Nancy Carter ('The Man Trap').

— Montgomery Scott was 34 and serving as an engineer in Starfleet.

— Pavel Chekov was 11 and no doubt learning about how everything ever made was Russian.

— It is unknown how old Hikaru Sulu and Nyota Uhura are during this period or what they were doing, but it is likely they were both in high school.

— The Dax symbiont's current host was either Emony or Audrid.

— I haven't got the foggiest idea how old Guinan was or what she was doing, but I imagine it involved the buying of lots and lots of really big hats.

— And Q was no doubt off annoying some species somewhere.

Notes and Quotes

— The design of the Discovery has been tweaked since the first teaser trailer was released. The ship's look was based on Ralph McQuarrie's redesign for the Enterprise for the unmade Star Trek: Planet of the Titans.

— For those of you interested, the Discovery is a Crossfield class ship. — Amanda's fondness for Lewis Carroll comes from the animated series episode 'Once Upon a Planet.' — As well as Captain Lorca, this episode introduced us to two other members of the main cast: Paul Stamets, an astromycologist and your typical asshole genius who is not at all happy about being press ganged into the Federation's war effort, and cadet Sylvia Tilly, the offspring of a rainbow and sunshine. Because she's so adorable, and her friendship with Michael shows a lot of promise, I'm willing to overlook the fact she is a walking collection of nerd cliches. — Loved Saru showing Michael around while munching blueberries. — One of the things that has always bugged me about every Star Trekseries is how the crew always beamed into hazardous situations in their regular uniforms. I am happy to see that this show is dispensing with that. — Tilly with her hair down made me think of T'Pau and I don't mean the Vulcan. — I'm assuming the reason the ship isn't swarming with them is because Lorca had his Tribble neutered. — The uniforms have pockets. Pockets!!! Now that truly is revolutionary. — I don't trust Commander Cylon. — Anyone else think the black badge dudes are connected to the ones from Wynonna Earp? I know they are probably Section 31, but what if black badge and Section 31 are one and the same? Then when can we have a crossover and see if even the universal translator can make sense of what Doc Holliday is saying. Lorca: "No matter how deep in space you are, always feels like you can see home. Don't you think? Maybe it's just me. Forgive the lighting. The lack thereof. A recent battle injury. There's nothing they can do if I want to keep my own eyes, and I do. I have to suffer light change slowly. I like to think it makes me mysterious. No?" Tilly: "Wow, is that a book?" — Somewhere the ghost of Rupert Giles is weeping. Three out of four Beatles' cover bands.

[laughingpinecone]

Chocobox 2021 letter

I am laughingpineapple on AO3  

Hello dear author! I hope you’ll have fun with our match. Feel free to draw from general or fandom-specific likes, past letters, and/or follow your heart.

All requests are art or fic - for art, the stuff I like is the kind that depicts the characters doing something. I’ll always be happier with a very simple drawing of two characters walking together or sharing a cup of coffee than with an ambitious composition that looks like an Avengers poster. I also enjoy seeing them wear different clothes, getting a feel of what their fashion sense is like beyond their canon outfit(s). Or dressing them up for some outlandish AU!

Likes: worldbuilding, slice of life (especially if the event the fic focuses on is made up but canon-specific), missing moments, 5+1 and similar formats, bonding and emotional support/intimacy, physical intimacy, lingering touches, loyalty, casefic, surrealism, magical realism, established relationships, future fic, hurt/comfort or just comfort from the ample canon hurt, throwing characters into non-canon environments, banter, functional relationships between dysfunctional individuals, unexplained mysteries, bittersweet moods, journal/epistolary fic, dreams and memories and identities, canon-adjacent tropey plots, outsider POV, UST, resolved UST, exploration of secondary bits of canon, leaning on the uniqueness of the canon setting/mood, found families, characters reuniting after a long and/or harrowing time, friends-to-lovers, road trips, maps, mutual pining, cuddling, wintry moods, the feeling of flannel and other fabrics, ridiculous concepts played straight, sensory details, sickfic, places being haunted, people being haunted, the mystery of the woods, small hopes in bleak worlds, electricity, places that don’t quite add up, mismatched memories, caves and deep places, distant city lights at night, emphasis on non-human traits of non-human characters (gen-wise, but also a hearty yes xeno for applicable ships), emphasis on inhuman traits of characters who were human once and have sort of shed it all behind

Cool with: any tense, any pov, any rating, plotty, not plotty, IF, nerdy canon references, unrequested characters popping up.

DNW: non-canonical rape, non-canonical children, focus on children, unrequested ships (background established canon couples are okay, mentions of parents are okay!), canon retellings

Bone

Every once in a while I’m filled with love for this comic and its cast. I’m a sucker for all the dream stuff, dragon stuff, looking at early chapters knowing about latter developments... and cows. I’m good with all readings of the Rose/Lucius situation (who’s still carrying a torch for whom, lowkey couple or still pining, etc).

Cows & Grandma Ben & Lucius: Lucius weighing in on a past Great Cow Race? Something happens to a cow? Cows and messengers between them?

Cows & Thorn: Thorn please make your grandma proud, wrt racing or otherwise. Dreams of cows...

Grandma Ben & Thorn: future fic or any missing moment after the royal reveal?

Lucius & Thorn: I wish we got more about them! Pre-canon moment in Barrelhaven? Any sort of weird thing can happen in the Valley after all, maybe foreshadowing her latter abilities?

Grandma Ben & Great Red Dragon: any other encounter along the lines of what we saw? I love them both but I also understand why they are like that...

Crossovers

What it says on the tin, basically. Peaks and KRZ can so easily blend into each other, Peaks and Piranesi much less so but a friend once said that Piranesi is very much a Coop and when someone’s right they’re right.

Albert Rosenfield & Joseph Wheattree: either during some Blue Rose trip or if Albert ends up stranded after the hot mess that is s3. Being the reasonable one, the one who chooses to remain on the surface while others disappear in the depths...

Carrie Page & Dale Cooper & Joseph Wheattree: I am very fond of |Laura| and |Coop| traveling forever on dark highways after the end and they’re gonna need a gas station at some point!

Donald & Gordon Cole: something something burning hopeless dreams, but also federal interest in Xanadu, and how would that go?

Dale Cooper & Piranesi: oh you know, split selves and the reconciling thereof. Successfully, in Matthew’s case... ...less so in Coop’s, at least last we saw him. I’m interested in seeing them meet at any point in their timelines (and as any part or rejoined part of their selves, Dougie&Piranesi as much as Richard&Matthew or any mix thereof) under either canon’s metaphysical rules! (DNW: Richard being “the real Cooper” - I think he’s the part of Coop who is not quite Mr C but still sent all his warmth and empathy away)

Final Fantasy VI

What I love in this fandom is intra-party interaction. They’re all wonderful and don’t get to speak to each other that much, if at all. I’d love to see scenes and/or little adventures during or after the game! I don’t really have ships here so any unrequested character is welcome to feature too but I would prefer gen.

Celes & chocobo, Sabin & chocobo, Celes & Sabin & chocobo: you get the idea. It’s CHOCOBOx ffs, I’ve been meaning to request chocobos for years and then I always forgot! Full kweh ahead! Hit me with all the chocobo feels, what it’s like to travel with these big fluffy birds for better and for worse, what it’s like for Celes, what it’s like for Sabin (I just picked two faves who also traveled together), all your chocobo headcanons, during the WoR serpent trench leg of the journey or anywhere else!

Edgar & Gogo: in my ongoing quest to throw Gogo at the rest of the cast and see what happens, I thought it’d be neat to have them hang around Edgar since one’s an accomplished mime and the other is perhaps not so accomplished as he’d like to be in putting up a persona. Canon-typical Edgar flirting is a-ok unless it hinges on Gogo being a woman. I use they pronouns for Gogo but I’m good with all options. I’d like for them to continue presenting as inscrutably gendered, however.

Ghost Trick

I am very interested in various characters finding about  the erased timeline, but not getting their memories back, and having to  live with being told about what they did but never remembering it. Exploring the ghost lore is great. All  what-ifs welcome (what if they managed an acceptable happy ending but  didn’t reset the timeline, what if a different party went back to the  past and kept their memories, what if Alma’s ghost stuck around…) Also  open to AUs here, especially for generic fantasy or sci-fi settings or  the Final Fantasy ones I prompted last Yuletide.

For the non-canon sides of Jowd/Alma/Cabanela, please no  infidelity? I’d be good with either setting the fic during the game  timeline or some what-if thereof when the other spouse is dead or  unavailable, or simply keeping them offscreen and not mentioning them  (eg Alma/Cabanela beach day, Jowd/Cabanela precinct shenanigans)

For  Jowd in general, I do love my big boy and enjoy milking that size  difference for all it’s worth. In gen contexts too, it’s neat. him big.

For Cabanela in general, I am prompting scarf shenanigans, gen or shippy! It’s almost 4m of fabric... scarf used in clever ways, scarf getting in the way, scarf wrapped around one’s throat, scarf sticking out on a stakeout...

Alma/Cabanela/Jowd: maybe once Alma and Jowd have figured out he’s smitten and that they do in fact reciprocate... they tease him to death, slowly and deliberately? Is it even a Jowd romance if there’s not an exhausting amount of teasing involved, I ask? (sorry for repeating a prompt I got the perfect fill for last time - ...more teasing but this time with scarf, if that helps? Something with clothes? Clothes swap?)

Alma/Jowd & Cabanela: Cabs’ life is wild; his best friends’ home is a safe haven...

Bailey & Cabanela: Dance dance dance! Cabanela is not much one for _panic_ dances, but maybe other dances passed on in Bailey’s family could interest him?

Cabanela & Jowd & Pigeon Man: either as colleagues or Jowd trying to bring together these two weirdos who ended up meaning a lot to each other in the other timeline and thankfully didn’t get the same reason to bond now

Cabanela & Missile: off they go with their determination. And, critically, dog hair. The cat doesn’t shed for whatever reason but the dog sure does and that may just be the one tragic obstacle preventing an unstoppable partnership

Emma & Memry: oh so you know who ELSE has a penchant for romance cliches?

Jowd & Justice Minister: Did the Justice Minister ever go visit Jowd in the game timeline? How did he come to appreciate him as “the nation’s best detective”? Or in the new timeline, could Jowd’s insight help somewhat?

Jowd & Sissel & Yomiel: Sissel has two dads and they both love that cat very much. I’m all for the usual new timeline Jowd&Yomiel bonding tropes... with cat!

Kentucky Route Zero

I love the ending and I’d love to see its themes and setting explored. I’m all for exploration of any of  the game’s themes and for including any staples from adjacent genres -  wanna go full-on American Gothic? Dip into surrealism? Take a leaf from  Twin Peaks with tulpa / split narratives to explore the characters’  issues? I love AUs so that’s an option too.  Or of course there’s Xanadu at the height of its glory, an infinite  what-ifs generator. Were the requested characters part of it, what were  their digital counterparts up to? A Xanadu narrative would be great! I’d  also love to hear about any new spot along the Zero or the Echo river,  or an expansion of some place that’s only mentioned by Will in HATATE or  only gets a few paragraphs of text. Mostly, I just love all these characters so much and I’m going through the tagset’s options like a hyperactive cat. Any fragment of their lives will make me happy.

For Lula and all the artists in particular (and Cate, depending on your stance on mushroom hunting, I suppose): please do lean into their art if it’s something you enjoy! Exhibitions, concerts, reviews... accidental reenactments of Robert Frost poems... all the discourse on the arts is my jam, if that’s your thing.

Carrington & Clara: will Clara manage to get in one (1) word in between Carrington’s merry infodumping?

Cate & Shannon Márquez & Will: Anything about these three, but I was thinking, postgame Shannon getting somewhere on the Mammoth and reconnecting with Cate and Will...

Cate & Val & Will: Mammoth slice of life pretty please?

Donald/Joseph Wheattree/Lula Chamberlain: so Lula went back to Mexico. Joseph is pensive. Did the events of the night shake up Donald, or what will it take?

Lula Chamberlain & Maya: I Just Think They’re Neat, no real prompts I’d just like to see them interact. Where do their interests intersect? Land art...?

Shannon Márquez & Weaver Márquez: Reunited cousins please. No hard stance on Weaver’s ghostliness from me (what even IS a ghost, feels like we spent half canon debating that), again I Just Think It’s Neat that she’s there sitting on the steps...

Pyre

I feel deeply for all of Pyre’s main themes - literacy, degrees of freedom, the fragile time that is the end of a historical cycle, nobodies rising up to the occasion, the revolutionary spirit that goes toward building a better society, and of course found family, “distance cannot separate our spirits” and all that jazz. Thoughts about finding oneself at  the end of an age, as everything crumbles down to form something new. I love all the themes, the solemnity, the heart  of this game. I adore everyone in that Blackwagon+Dalbert+Celeste, so  if  you want to add a Nightwing or two to any prompt, please do! I also love  all the Scribes and find Erisa a compelling tragic figure. Out of  the other triumvirates, I’m “love to hate them” for Manley, Brighton,  Udmildhe and Deluge and would not like to see them featured in  sympathetic roles. My main interest usually lies in post-canon  exploration when applicable, but I’m also into various adventures during  canon. Pick a location or a place outside the map and see what happens?  As for the ending variables, I’d ask for a peaceful revolution and  Oralech alive, but no preferences for who’s up and who’s down, pick whatever  works best for any given plot bunny.

For any non-humans, if you like, do lean into their non-human traits! Curs gonna cur, saps gonna sap etc, different biology, different cultures...

Conversely, I regrettably do not enjoy an overwhelming majority of canon pairings so for Pyre, DNW unrequested ships period. The only exceptions are Soliam/Gol and Hedwyn/Fikani which I’d be happy to see featured wherever.

Barker & Brighton: it’s the sportsball bromance, you understand. I want to see these wildly incompatible individuals (Archjustice & Literally Exiled Due To Pissing On An Archjustice’s Statue) bond and maybe travel together due to their shared passion for the Rites and for Barker’s eventual invention of straight-up basketball

Big Bertrude & Celeste: who blinks first. They are... certainly two personalities, with primadonna tendencies perhaps (confirmed for Bertrude, but if I try to picture Celeste away from her job...). What if they clashed, is what I’m saying.

Big Bertrude/Pamitha Theyn: Pam returning from her travels, again and again, and finding a home in Bertrude’s lab, finding an understanding there...  Bertrude’s attitude being thorny in a way that’s just what Pam needs to allow herself to open up... also: snake kisses.  

Celeste/Jodariel: if the Heralds make it to the Union to get a shot at living a life of their own, and Tariq already has his friends and his interests in the material world, what’s left for Celeste? Maybe she could find herself unexpectedly close to Jodi, who’s good with distance and silence and also feels like the world doesn’t need her anymore...

Dalbert & Tariq: Any excuse for Tariq to hang out with the Fates for a little while, and treasure and be treasured by dear Dalbert...

Erisa & Volfred: what were they like!! What did Erisa think of this Reader and his Plan with Oralech, how did he approach her... how did they spent their time together...

Ignarius & Oralech: no no no listen, here’s the thing. If Iggy’s clearly got a thing for impressive horns and in general is quite stunned by other demons... ...I need him to see Oralech. Take this as seriously or as crack-treated-seriously as you wish.

Oralech/Tariq: I think there may be something about two individuals who got ultimately screwed by the final steps of the Scribes’ design (Oralech self-evidently; Tariq decides to rebel (!) to the planned end of his and Celeste’s mortal existences and stick around for a while). Learning to carve a niche for themselves...

Oralech/Volfred: waking up and remembering that the mourning that’s set deep in your roots is for someone who never died, waking up and remembering that the bitterness that consumed you had made up a betrayal that never was, finding each other through these crumbling walls... ...and/or Oralech being the government’s checks and balances aka the guy who knows Volfred and knows when to say Volfred _no_

Tariq/Volfred: Volfred’s zodiac sign is Cancer and Cancer is ruled by the Moon, so   there’s that.    I love how they both hold the other in the highest   esteem, especially on Tariq’s part since he’s the immortal Herald of   the Scribes and Volfred is, all in all, a history teacher, but listen to  him and you’d think the roles were inverted. I love my nonviolent canon  but could anything happen to either of them that may require a rescue,  and/or some good old-fashioned h/c? What’s something that could make  Tariq of all people lose it? How’s life 100 years on?  

Oralech/Tariq/Volfred: Volfred has two hands, and sometimes miracles happen twice? How do they balance each other, what’s the Oralech/Tariq side like and what’s Volfred’s perspective on it? Is Tariq a constant part of their lives or does he fade in and out? 

The Silver Case

I‘m all for the surrealism, big things being introduced and never picked up again, Rashomon’ing it up with six explanations for the same thing where no single one can be true, people dying and then popping up again like nbd...  maybe the thing I like the most is characters transcending their humanity and looming over the dystopian world like ominous avatars. Correctness’ first ending had me swooning, that kind of mood is unparalleled. I have played TSC, FSR and 25W so far and have vague memories of K7. I’m aware of the “everything’s connected” readings and they sure seem to check out but that’s not my main interest in these games. For FSR-focused requests, I see Lospass as a real island but also a metaphysical  place of transformation first and foremost, where strange things happen that don’t make sense elsewhere.

Toriko Kusabi & Remy Fawzil: What’s Toriko up to when she’s not chasing Chris? I think it could be fun to throw her at Remy and see the island from their point of view!

Tetsugorou Kusabi/Sumio Kodai: Tetsu picked one hell of a crush, huh! What’s it like in the aftermath of the games, when Sumio is Like That? How does Tetsu grapple with Parade? Is Tetsu an anchor of sorts for Correctness Sumio, who seems (at best) to be existing on a slightly different plane of existence at any given time and could disappear if you blink too hard?

Tetsugorou Kusabi & Shinko Kuroyanagi: I’m joining the “let these two be foulmouthed friends” masses - who’d be more fed up with the other’s nonsense, and in which ways would they be an unstoppable team?

Shinkai Tsuki & Tetsugorou Kusabi: Both of them end their stories in the shadows one way or another, and defending their protégé may have had a hand in their misfortune one way or another. What kind of understanding could they reach? What IS Tsuki up to anyway?

Christina & Catherine: anthro Catherine, as per the Placebo bonus chapter Yami, was unexpectedly charming. What was Chris before reaching Lospass, and did he also have a chat with her on the plane or on the island?

Shinkai Tsuki & Tokio Morishima: not unlike Tsuki&Tetsu, I’m intrigued by their 25W endings and I wonder if they could have a little lowkey, off-the-grid teamup maybe?

Tetsugorou Kusabi & Toriko Kusabi: a sweet father-daughter bonding moment on Lospass perhaps, both orbiting around Sumio’s nonsense in increasingly bizarre ways? What’s their take on the island?

Twin Peaks

Case fic but they  don’t find out jack shit, someone disappears, David Bowie was there,  it’s complicated. Fragmented, shifted, mirrored identities. New Lodge  spaces. The risks of staring into the void for too long. Gentle illusions. Transcendence. The moon. Static buzzing. Any title from the s3 ethereal whooshing compilation used as a prompt, actually. Twin  Peaks is all about the mystery to me, the awe of mystery and  unknowability and the human drive to look beyond and the risks of  getting a peek, and about shared consciousness and trauma taking  physical form in an uncaring  world. Go wild with the ethereal whooshing!  But I also love the human warmth at the heart of it all, and sometimes it’s enough to anchor these characters and let them have a nice day. A fic entirely focused on some instance of coziness against the cold chaotic background of canon would be great too.

Canon-specific DNWs:  any singular Dreamer being the ‘source’ of canon, BOB (let alone Judy)  being forever defeated in the finale, Judy being an active malevolent  presence in the characters’ lives, clear explanations for canonical ambiguities, ‘Odessaverse’ being the reality layer, the Fireman’s house by the sea being the White Lodge, anything that 4 hours Twin Perfect video says is the explanation of Twin Peaks 

Albert & Hawk: I love Hawk’s constant snarkiness in TSHOTP and I think it would work very well with Albert’s, so I’d love to see them either snipe at each other or work together to demolish... idk, Ben or whomever. They also share the peculiar brand of skepticism of someone who has been stewing in supernatural nonsense half their lives and that’s cool too I think

Albert & Windom: speaking of people who should snipe at each other...! Were they forced to work together at some point or did they bark at each other during an office party or? (and when did Gordon start pretending that Windom never even existed, incidentally?)

Albert/Coop: fiery early days? Dream meetings that Albert will inevitably write off as a product of his aching subconscious? Post-finale where Albert has made his peace with Coop not being part of this world and not even deigning to greet him, except one day Coop is back - with apologies? Post-post-finale where they’re peacefully living out their days as best as they can?    

Albert/Harry: did they tragically fall into each other’s arms in the wake of Coop’s disappearance? Did they realize they’re so good for each other, but neither of them was willing to give up their life? And/or was the wound of Coop’s disappearance too fresh for them to try to heal? Do they keep in touch throughout the years? Does Albert resign on the spot with a resounding fuck it after the s3 finale and rush to see Harry? Does he stay this time?    

Coop/Harry: Harry seeing his Coop again… somewhere, somehow. Maybe he perceives him in the woods, maybe Coop isn’t all human now. Monster cuddles very welcome. Could be canon divergence but could very well be post-s3. Harry getting closure for waiting all that time in front of Glastonbury and never giving up on Coop… they can live in the woods together…  

Albert/Coop/Harry: basically the sum of the three sides of this triad… give them peace, given them nice things, give them so much love… Coop finding his place in the world and making up for lost time… give time to these old wounds…    

Bobby/Shelly & James: I am very fond of all three of them and I’d like for James to have friends maybe? Shelly thinks he’s cool! If he and Bobby can get over the decades-old rift due to Laura’s affections...

Cynthia/Tammy: the FBI and USAF supernatural branches meet again after Douglas Milford’s times... what’s their attitude toward it (who’s the Mulder and who’s the Scully......), in what ways does their respective task force’s past inform their views, is there more hope for a new generation who saw the trauma of the past without living it firsthand? LET TAMMY KISS ALL THE GIRLS BUT THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR

Frank & Margaret: extremely bold of Frank to pretend nothing weird whatsoever has ever gone down in his life when he grew up in town and presumably was still around when Margaret became the Log Lady. I’m interested in this clash between his “not my division” attitude and an actual oracle. On the other hand, they may have things in common...

Laura & Monica Bellucci: go wild. I’m good with the wildest theories on what Monica Bellucci actually is/represents. Out of all the people she could interact with, I’m glad Laura was nominated. Lodgey nonsense ahoy!

Margaret’s log & Hawk: reportedly, the log stayed with Hawk and hasn’t said a thing YET. That’s what fanfic’s for, right?

[harrypottersmut]

Midnight Memories

Pairing: Harry/Draco. Some mentions of Sirius/Remus, Ron/Hermione, Pansy/Blaise, Lucius/Narcissa Rating: NC-17 Warnings: Graphic sex, strong language, dirty talk, male x male, parselmouth sex, smut, AU Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to JK Rowling. _______________________________________________________________________ Summary: It’s their 6th year at Hogwarts, and Harry had came out as gay at the end of their 5th year. Draco is gay as well but he is not ready to tell anyone. Harry and Draco have been enemies since they started at Hogwarts but after a while they started falling for the other. But neither of them know that the other like them. Draco has had enough of longing for Harry and decides to write Harry little letters every night and send them to him at the same time every night by a different owl. Harry replies back, and after a while it all starts to escalate. Will Harry and Draco end up together or will everything push them further apart? _______________________________________________________________________
Chapter 1 can be found here: https://harrypottersmut.tumblr.com/post/162005363462/midnightmemories1

Chapter 2 can be found here: https://harrypottersmut.tumblr.com/post/162354311427/midnightmemories2

Chapter 3 can be found here: https://harrypottersmut.tumblr.com/post/163446724112/midnight-memories
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Chapter 4: And the mother always knows Draco Malfoy the master in potions, was on the train with his nose in yet another potions book, getting ready for another year at Hogwarts. Draco was happy to finally get out of Malfoy Manor, it had been a tense and long holiday. Draco just wanted to get back to Hogwarts so he could see the one person that he has wanted in his life for such a long time. Draco's holiday wasn't a fun as it usually was, Draco's father Lucius was much harder on Draco this time compared to last year. Lucius wanted Draco to step up and start thinking about his future, about getting a job in the wizarding world and thinking about getting married and continuing on the Malfoy name. But that part of the holidays were okay, it was until just before the holidays were over when again his father was on another rant about how to shape Draco's life. After the conversation about Draco's life again Lucius got called back into work. Leaving Draco alone with his mother, Draco was again upset about how much his father wanted to run his life, his mother, Narcissa noticed his change in emotion and decided to say something. "Draco darling, you know he means well, he just wants you to be happy." Narcissa said kindly "I know mother, but does he have to be saying every minute of every day." Draco replied "Draco, you know he loves you, I can try talking to him and see if he can back of a little bit, I can just tell him you just need to study for school and I will see if he holds off from talking about it all the time." Narcissa said "That would be great mother, um mother... there's something I need to tell you." Draco said "Sure Draco, you can tell me anything." Narcissa said "I don't know how to say it mother, I... um guess I should just come out and say it." Draco started, Narcissa nodded. "Mother, I... am... gay, I don't want to marry fathers friends daughter. I like men mother, I want to pick the person to fall in love with and to marry. I don't want to get married to someone I don't love. I just want to be happy mother." Draco completed pleadingly while looking down at his hand. His mother was silent for a while, Draco looked up at her as she said his name. When he looked up he found her sitting there with her arms wide open waiting for him to come over and give her a hug. Draco got up and walked over to where his mother was sitting and sat down next to her wrapping his arms around her as she did the same to him. "Darling, I already knew that, I think I know you better than you know yourself. I'm proud of you for finally being about to tell me, I am supportive of your decision but I'm unsure on what your fathers reaction will be. But you will need to tell him Draco, I know it will be hard, but just know that I will be by your side no matter what." Narcissa said sweetly while looking at Draco with a look of love. "But mother how did you know?" Draco asked utterly confused "Draco a mother notices these thing and you really aren't good at hiding it." She replied. "Mother, there is someone I like but I doubt he would ever have feelings for me, he hates me mother. I'm glad I can talk to you about this." Draco said sadly. "Who is it, Draco? Do I know who it is?" She asked, "It's... uh... Harry." Draco replied quietly "Harry Potter?" Narcissa started, Draco nodded "Are you sure he hates you?" She finished "Yeah, I know he does all we do is argue whenever we see each other in the halls. Mother do you think there is something I could do when we are back in school to see if he likes me back or at least to make him feel special for a little bit before he notices that it's me who likes him?" He asked "When you get back to Hogwarts you could try sending some little letters to him, just commenting on how he looks and what you see in him. Just give him so complements and some sweet nothing or love quotes. Just something that will get his attention, you could send it as a secret admirer. Draco do you know if Harry is gay?" Narcissa said while cuddling next to Draco sipping her tea.

"Yes, he is gay he came out to the school at the end of last year. I suppose something like that might work, I think I might try that when I get back to Hogwarts." He replied "Hey Draco, I will be write back, I just want to go grab something if that's okay, I think it will be something nice to give you if Harry does decide to reply to find out who is sending him these letters." She said. She got up out of her chair as Draco nodded, Narcissa walked up stairs to go find what she needed and left Draco with his thoughts. He couldn't believe that his mother had known and that she was happy with the fact that her only son was gay. But also had a crush on Harry Potter, the guy that he never thought he would like. She was so accepting and all she wanted was for her son to be happy, the hardest part would be to get his father to agree with his choices but that can wait for a couple more days. Draco was snapped out of his thoughts as he heard his mother come back down the stairs, holding something in her hands. She sat down at the table and put a beautiful looking chest with a lock on the table between herself and Draco. He couldn't believe how beautiful this chest was made of mahogany wood, it looked so beautiful but so expensive. He just couldn't believe his eyes as he reached out and opened it up and inside he saw that it was lined with black velvet. He looked at his mother and she just smiled in return. "Draco I want you to have this it would be perfect to keep all your letters that Harry has wrote in replies to you letters. You can keep them safe in here, and I know that you love this box just by the look on your face, I'm so glad you like it." She replied "But mother, its gorgeous, thank you so much and that sounds like a good idea." Draco replied as he lent over and gave his mother a bit hug and a kiss on her cheek. She just smiled and nodded to him as a reply. A couple days later it was a week before Hogwarts started again, and they were all sitting around the table eating their dinner. Narcissa had talked to Lucius the day before about the fact that Draco is trying to study for the new year at school and that he didn't need the extra weight of the plans of his life at the moment. And she asked if he could hold back on talking about it so much. But unfortunately for Draco the silence of his fathers hopes for Draco's future ended, very quickly. Lucius was again mention about how he should run his life. Draco just couldn't take it anymore, he slammed both hands down on the table. The sudden noise and the shake of the table and the cutlery and crockery, cause his father to stop and look at Draco with a confused look on his face. Narcissa, Draco's mother gave a deep sigh, knowing exactly why her son had done that. She too was getting sick of the ramblings about how Draco should marry this pure blood girl that was the daughter of one of Lucius' friends.

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Hey my lovely readers I would love to hear what you you think of this new chapter. I am sorry for making you wait so long for and update I have truthfully been lazy. As an apology the next chapter is very smutty. Can't wait to hear your comments. And please message me if you would like me to add anything into my stories.

Again I love all my readers hope you enjoy ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[lets-imagine-fanfics]

Prankster (Marauders x [Gender Neutral] Reader)

Pairing: Marauders x [gender neutral] Reader Words: 1.9K Warning: knowing me possible swearing A/N: bit crap but oh well. Also I got the idea from someone else's story about how the Weasley twins came across the Marauders Map. I have had this saved since and found it on my old hard-drive so I edited slightly and here you go...hope you like.  

My day started off pretty normal when I walked down to the Great Hall in order to get my breakfast before my day of classes began. As I reached the entrance to great hall I heard someone call me “a filthy mudblood”. Since being at Hogwarts I have grown a second skin, words like this don’t offend me anymore since I have had five years of it, it's just mildly irritating. I turn around and spot Lucius Malfoy staring with his followers stood around him sneering at me in response I roll my eyes and turn back around to head to my table.

As I walk past a group of boys in Gryffindor I can feel them watching me. I look up at them, instantly recognising that they are the pranksters of the school who call themselves ‘the Marauders’. As I am going past I wink at them, I can only smirk at their reactions as they all blush at the fact they were caught staring.   Once breakfast was over with it was potions for my first class, although most people groan at potions I quite enjoy it, I find it to be an interesting subject and one that I excel at that’s for sure.  

When I finally arrive in the dimly lit dungeon we are all asked to stand around the centre. Slughorn told us that we are going to be learning to make a cure for uncommon poisons which is moderately hard to make. He then puts us in pairs, pairing me up with Sirius Black of all people, it’s not that I had an actual problem with Sirius he just puts his attention into hooking up with girls than the actual school work.

As I look round the misty classroom I spot the person I'm looking for - Sirius, who had already bagged a table close to Remus and the others, his eyes never left me as I made my way over to his table. As I reached the table I take my things out of my bag and dump the bag on the floor as I sit down on the barstool.   I open my book up to the right page when I start to hear whispers, which I realise are coming from Sirius and his friends, the whispering didn't bother me until it became a constant noise in the background that was interrupting my thoughts. As I look over to them about to tell them to 'shut up' I spot Lucius Malfoy stood at his cauldron looking confused at the instructions. I watch as Malfoy keeps glancing around the room. Probably not wanting people to see him struggling so much.  

Since I have already studied up on this potion, as extra credit last year, I use my time watching Malfoy, keeping notes on what he is putting in his cauldron. “Hi” a voice breaks me out of my thoughts slightly, I look over to who is talking to me to find Sirius looking between myself and my notes.  

“Oh, hi” I reply with a small smile, looking back at my new project. I write down the ingredients that Malfoy is starting to put into his potion. Sirius notices what I am writing, “you do know what you just put in the cauldron wasn’t fire seeds right?” I sigh looking back over quickly.

“Yeah I know.” Looking back at Lucius I see him put in the Billywig stings “all that’s left is powdered graphorn horn” I whisper to myself.  

“Err no, we need to put in the Chizpurfle Carapaces first” Sirius corrects me.   “Yeah, ah uh, sure” I start to walk away from our table as Malfoy walks over to the shelving area “excuse me a second”. I sneak over to Malfoy's table whilst Malfoy talks to another Slytherin with their backs turned to the cauldron as they search the shelves for another ingredient.  I add in the ten extra fire seeds I brought with me into Malfoy’s cauldron and stirring quickly. Just as Malfoy was turning around I managed to reach my seat, I could hear the bubbling of the cauldron before I even reached my table. I don’t notice but all the marauders have been watching what I had just done.  

“So now we put in the Chizpurfle Carapaces, Sirius” I say in whispered tone, a smirk trying to sneak onto my lips. I keep watch of Malfoy causing the others to watch in curiosity.  

I don’t realise but I am sitting at the edge of my seat, in anticipation, watching as Lucius Malfoy adds the final ingredient, powdered graphorn horn. As soon as the final ingredient hits the bubbling water, boom. The concoction explodes releasing a big black cloud of smoke which devours Lucius, leaving a dusty mess in its wake.  

I giggle before turning completely to Sirius who, with all the other Marauders at the other tables, are watching me with shocked and amused faces. “Then we crush the Billyweed stings”.

Of course Malfoy kicked up a fuss saying that someone had tampered with his cauldron and he pointed his finger at me, the slimy git, since I had giggled. I pulled my most innocent act at Slughorn who believed me instantly but Malfoy was having none of it. He sat there grumbling in his mess whilst the class went on.  

As the class ended I was one of the last to leave with the marauders, as I was about to leave Lucius shoved me into a few shelves. “I know it was you that messed with my cauldron you filthy mudblood” he whispered in my ear.   “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Malfoy” I spat back “but if you don’t back off I will hex you into next week” I glare at him and don’t even tear my eyes away when a new presence breaks us up. James and Remus grab Lucius, pulling him away from me as just before he was about to hit me.  

“I would listen to ‘em if I was you, Malfoy” James hissed.

“Besides Y/N was with me the whole time” Sirius jumps in who is now standing next to me.  

“of course you would all stick up for the mudblood, you blood traitors.” Malfoy spat, struggling with James and Remus to release him. They let him go and we all watch as he storms out of the room. All eyes are on me as soon as Lucius is out of sight. I look at the remaining guys and give a little smile.  

“Are you okay?” Sirius asks me.

“…yes, I’m fine” I say slightly annoyed “thanks”

“No problem” They all say at the same time, which was an awkward moment for all of us.

“Right well, I have class. So I will see you guys around”

Sirius’ POV It is later at night now. All the classes have finished and curfew is going to kick-in in an hour.  

The guys and I have decided to pull a prank on a full corridor. We have hexed the statues to jump out at people and when someone gets to close, they will explode causing paint to go everywhere. When Filch showed up we made a run for it but we ended up slipping on the paint and getting caught.

When we got to his office so he could give us detention slips we all James and I sat in the chairs whilst Remus and Peter stood leaning against the walls. Filch was so pissed, that man has no sense of humour.   Just before he writes down our names for the detention list an almighty scream is heard from a floor above us. Filch grumbles before telling us to stay here whilst he investigates, he shuts the door behind him and with that we are on our own.

We sit around in silence for a few minutes before the door busts open, it’s safe to say we all jump up and look to the culprit who is now barging into the room heading straight for a cabinet named banned items with their school books in hand. They dump the school books down on the desk and open the cabinet.   “Oh I could use that” you said “oooh and that” you picked up items that seemed to be useful to any mischief-maker, as you walked back to the desk closing the cabinet with your foot as you did so you lifted the cover of your book showing that it was a hollowed out book. As you stuff all the things you have just taken from the cabinet, into your book box I realise me and my friends are all still staring at you.  

Your POV Once I have the pellets I was looking for in Filch’s cabinet I realised I was not alone in the office. “y/n?” Remus asks, wondering what I was doing.  

“Hi” you say with a smile.

“what are you doing here?” James asks.

“I could ask you the same thing” you can’t help but smirk which soon falls when you look at your watch “but I won’t, so excuse me” you add as you run to the door but hear someone wistling. “shit” you whisper to yourself. You look at the door to the office which is open still. ‘what have I got to loose?’ you say to yourself as you climb behind the door.  

You can feel all the boys watching you as you step behind the door to the office but they quickly realise when Filch comes through the door way, stopping when he sees the Marauders.

“What do you want?” He says gruffly, to which all the boys look confused.   You roll your eyes as you step out from behind the door and walk to the doorway, luckily Filch still had his back to you.  

“Boys, it’s okay we don’t…” you stopped as you reached the doorway and turn around to look into the room “oh hi Mr. Filch” Filch turns around to face you with his usual grim look, as he does so the boys look at you with utter confusion plastered on their faces. “We needed a mop and the boys here were kind enough to get one. But we don’t need one anymore. Sooo” you trail off with an innocent smile plastered on your face. You roll your eyes when the Marauders don’t move “come on now, we don’t want to waste anymore of Mr. Filch’s time” you say sweetly and walk away.

When you hear the door close to Filch’s office you turn around seeing four guys huddled close together looking at you confused. You walk closer to them. “Forget-me-not clouds, and screamers” you say to them as if that clears everything up. “now I’m off to throw stink pellets at Lucius Malfoy who is…” you look at your watch again, knowing what time Lucius does what since you have been scoping out his routine for a prank “in the library still”, as you walk off you can’t hear footsteps behind you so you turn around one final time.  

“Are you coming or not?”

The Marauders all look at each other for half a second before catching up with you.

[kindabraveandlittlestupid]

Everyone needs a good cry. I am not saying I cry often but when I do it’s something worth crying over. I suppose I went through that same masculine numbness that men feel they should put on in their youth. As I got older and realized I could care less what other men think about me I tapped into that emotional depth more willingly exploring sadness and joy, compassion and love with more fervor. Of the things, I do cry about, one is my romantic entanglements (usually at an unwanted end to a relationship) and the second, is a good scene on the silver screen. Today I explore the latter of the two and share some things I cried about in the past because why the fuck not.

**Spoilers Below**

Rome - Titus Pollo Arena Scene

Possibly one of the greatest bromances on screen was that of Titus Pollo and Lucius Vorenus in the show Rome. Legionnaires of Ceasars Army they basically venture through the show as two men who start off as hating each other and slowly become brothers over the seasons. If you haven’t watched this show, I can't recommend this series enough.

The scene that pulled on my emotions comes after Titus had worked as a hired thug/debt collector and killed another man in cold blood for coin. He was eventually sentenced to death by arena combat and stood alone fighting a group of gladiators for his life. Being a veteran soldier and unique luck at avoiding death (which is a theme for Lucius and Titus for the series) he manages to dispatch various gladiators in the arena, all the while crying out “13″ for the Legion he was once apart of.

Meanwhile among the people watching is Lucius Vorenus who was raised up in political status and could not act to help his friend. His eyes burning with tears as he watched on watching the slow death of his friend. By the end of the scene a large gladiator steps out to kill Titus but Lucius is unable to watch any longer and joins his former brother in arms yelling out “13″ to kill the last Gladiator while breaking the law and his status as a newly anointed Senator.

If you do tackle this scene (which is linked above) I suggest watching the show first and develop a depth/understanding for these men relationships to one another. I perhaps blame the music for moving me to tears but its well-executed TV and remains unforgettable in my mind.

Farscape - The Death of Aeryn Sun

Perhaps my favorite scifi show of all time, Farscape. This show was pretty formulaic in regards to late 90′s to early 2000′s television but where this show did well was flexing its creative muscle by building an original universe and investing heavily into puppets instead of CG. Believe me, the work done here is the highest quality and does a better job making those alien puppets feel real then CG can presently muster.

If you watch this show you will find one of the best romantic arcs between two TV characters ever on TV. That is the relationship between the Earth Astronaut John Crichton and Peacekeeper Sebacean Aeryn Sun which was (in my opinion) a best-written love affair in TV history between a badass alien woman with superior genetics/combat training and an earth scientist/pilot who proves himself to be more clever and useful then his alien companions care to admit.

The scene that left my eyes wet was the Season 2 finale where John has a neural prob placed in his head that has both probing/collecting his memories but also introducing a second personality of his enemy that is slowly taking over his mind (this is a scifi show remember). As the second personality emerges it becomes more dominant and takes control of him for periods of time. Crichton losing control too this alien personality betrays his friends and tries to escape. Aeryn refusing to let John escape while possessed by this alien tech chases Crichton over an icy world only to be ambushed by him and driving his landing gear into her cockpit and forcing her to eject from her ship.

While it seems like she might land safely on the ground below she is actually over a lake of ice and Crichton assumes control of his mind again only to watch the woman he loves crash through the ice to submerge into a freezing lake. Crichton eventually lands and surrenders himself to the care of his friends before he hurt someone else and they all say their goodbyes to their dead friend while she lays in a cryogenic coffin to preserve her body.

I won't tell you what happens later as I don't want to spoil the show. It’s great TV that deserves to be watched from beginning to end. Like Rome its worth your time and I promise you its a fandom that is worth having in your wheelhouse of notable science fiction. 

Seven Years In Tibet - Returning the Watch

This was supposed to be a cinema post but here I am talking about TV shows and no movies yet! If you know movies (or more importantly books) you would have heard the title Seven Years In Tibet which is a true story about  Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer who traveled across the globe to climb  Himalayan peak only to have World War 2 start and force him into a prison camp.

In the story, Heinrich escapes is prison and travels across Tibet with his ‘friend’  Peter Aufschnaiter trying not to be captured again and if at all possible work out a way to get back home. It’s a pretty amazing and moving tale in which a man who seeks renown and prestige for himself finds humility and maturity while taking residence in a Holy City next to a young Dalia Lama no less.

The particular scenes that made me emotional in this movie come in a set of two, one establishing the emotional payoff of the other. In the early part of the movie after Heinrich and Peter escaped their POW camp, they use watches to trade for goods and services to help them survive with the native people. Heinrich, still being a selfish individual, convinces Peter to sell a sentimental for some provisions they needed. Only after the trade takes place Peter discovers Heinrich had a dozen stolen watches stashed away which could have also been traded.

After a fair amount of time in the Holy City/Capital of Tibet, Lhasa. The two men grow as Peter falls in love with Tibetan woman and becomes more integrated into the Tibetan society and Heinrich serves as a sort of Western influence for the Dalai Lama sharing with the young spiritual leader his culture. Towards the end of the film, Heinrich and Peter celebrate Christmas (I believe) and Heinrich delivers the watch which he convinced Peter to barter away years before. It’s touching in the sense that while Heinrich was responsible for making Peter trade the watch away, he silently amended his wrongdoing by taking on a great effort to have the watch found in a country with thousands of people. This scene alone isn't so much about the relationship developed between the two men but rather forgiveness, personal growth and sentimental gestures with deep meaning.

Wall-E - Memory Erased

Wouldnt be a proper list without a Pixar movie making the cut somewhere on here. I know some people cried in the movie UP and I admit Inside Out had me at some moments itself but above all else, the movie Wall-E hit me right in the ticker when I watched it. If you don’t know what this movie is, then you should probably get out more because when it came out (like all Pixar movies) it was a big deal.

What makes this particular movie stand out in my mind isn't just the sad moment that pulls on your heart strings (which I will talk about) but also the fact the movie basically gets you to care about a character who has a limited set of words and portrays his emotions through tone and physical movements. Allowing a very physical interpretation of his personality. You have to admit that is a pretty clever animation to make the audience get so invested in a sentient machine.

The scene that really got to me was just at the end of the movie. As I stated above spoilers galore down here but this one sits at the end of the film so if you havent seen Wall-E I suggest stopping now... are you gone? Good only us movie watchers left. The scene, of course, is Wall-E having his memory reset. If you weren't ready for this scene it could fuck you up as I remember watching this in my room and having a few stray tears roll down my cheeks when EVA realized how much affection the little trash bot had for her only to find that he was reset back to factory settings.

Of course, Disney doesn't like movies with bad ends and let a small smark sharked between the two machines be the magical touch that perhaps allowed Wall-E to tap into his long-developed personality and allowed him to remember how into her he actually was. It's a cute movie and deserves its spot on this list along the rest.

The Wrap Up

That's all I care to write for now on this topic. It's basically the 4 biggest tearful moments I can think of. The Red Wedding would have made the list but honestly that filled me with Depression and Anxiety more then it did bring tears to my eyes. I may add more movies to this post later OR I might just make a part 2 post if more movies come to mind that pulled an emotional reaction from me. Thanks for reading. Thanks for letting me share. Now go watch some of these scenes.

Regards, Michael California