#i needed that minerva POV

[sevilynne]

"B—but... Snivellus is a death eater..."

Listen here, you little shit. For Severus, he got neglected by BOTH parents (and it was implied that he was abused both physically and mentally as well.), gets bullied by two boys because he wanted to go to Slytherin (who sneers back and ends up getting bullied), almost gets killed and Sirius nor Remus gets any consequences other than detention (Really? Is his life worth detention and not Azkaban?), James flexes it to Lily and Lily starts believing James over the victim, Severus accidentally calls his bestfriend a mudblood over the heat of the situation (Lily was about to smile, when James literally used scorgify in his mouth), loses the person thay cared for him the most compared to others (Which Lily isn't even a good friend, so his life is messed up), with Remus and Sirius not maturing (Sirius still calls Severus "Snivellus", and Remus and Sirius spreading lies like "Severus was jealous of James" or "Lily never hated James," when it's the other way around!!! James was jealous of Severus because he existed and Lily was his best friend!

Now his blood supremacist friends are basically recruiting him, and helping him on the way! Basically, the "bad side" is his good side! They are the only ones who "cared" for him when he needed help! He was a death eater for a reason, and people manipulating him because he was vulnerable is a reason.

The audacity of stans trying to make a hotter version of Severus—Regulus? Regulus is basically a walmart Severus but Timothée Chalamet dressed up in wizard robes! If Regulus was told as ugly, nobody would boohoo care about him.

Y'all only hate Severus and love Regulus because J.K. Rowling never made a Marauders era movie! Regulus is basically a blood supremacist with Voldemort shrines and posters who'd call Lily a mudblood! While Severus is basically bullied on a daily basis.

You guys got to see Severus's good and bad things! Like him "bullying" children, but saved the wizarding world. Literally, maybe he targeted children, but so did Minerva! Minerva literally targeted Neville and locked him outside of the Gryffindor common room when there's an apparent psycho killer, and humiliated him infront of everyone! But we all never see that because we are in Harry's POV, she favours him—she only took points and she was apparently fair because Harry's BIASED!!! Just like how all Slytherins are portrayed because of Hagrid and Ron!!! She favours Gryffindor just like how Severus favours Slytherin, except she takes big points away (which is from Gryffindors she doesn't like) and when she's infront of the professors!

Severus is a morally grey character, and Regulus? We basically time skipped him, we skipped all of the bad things he has done while we never skipped Severus's, that's why you don't have a bad opinion about him, but really! In the Marauders timeline, Regulus was a Voldemort fanboy while Severus literally had stuff happening.

This is why you don't hate James Potter, you guys basically skipped HIS timeline and moved to Harry's, which Severus is portrayed to be this big bad bully until DH! And that's why Harry "Snape's #1 Biggest Hater" Potter's vision changed to "Snape's #1 Biggest Defender", just like how his vision changed from "My father is a great man" to "I fucking hate my own father".

But you guys are so deep into these fanfics like CR (Crimson Rivers) or ATYD (All the Young Dudes) that you all forget about canon lore! He physically assaulted, sexually assaulted, and mentally exhausted Severus! We're not throwing the SA word around, because lets think of this:

———

Lily let out a stream of mixed swearwords and hexes, but her wand being ten feet away, nothing happened.

“Wash out your mouth,” said James coldly. “Scourgify!”

Pink soap bubbles streamed from Lily’s mouth at once; the froth was covering her lips, making her gag, choking her —

“Leave her ALONE!”

James and Sirius looked around. James’s free hand jumped to his hair again.

It was one of the boys from the lake edge. He had black hair that fell to his shoulders and startlingly onyx eyes.

“All right, Snape?” said James, and the tone of his voice was suddenly pleasant, deeper, more mature.

“Leave her alone,” Severus repeated. He was looking at James with every sign of great dislike. “What’s she done to you?”

“Well,” said James, appearing to deliberate the point, “it’s more the fact that she exists, if you know what I mean...”

Many of the surrounding watchers laughed, Sirius and Wormtail included, but Lupin, still apparently intent on his book, didn’t, and neither did Severus.

“You think you’re funny,” he said coldly. “But you’re just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave her alone."

Behind her, the Impediment Jinx was wearing off. Lily was beginning to inch toward her fallen wand, spitting out soapsuds as he crawled.

“Bad luck, Prongs,” said Sirius briskly, turning back to Evans. “OY!”

But too late; Lily had directed her wand straight at James; there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of James’s face, spattering his robes with blood.

James whirled about; a second flash of light later, Lily was hanging upside down in the air, her robes falling over her head to reveal skinny legs and a skirt.

Many people in the small crowd watching cheered. Sirius, James, and Wormtail roared with laughter. Severus, whose furious expression had twitched for an instant as though he was going to smile, said, “Let her down!”

“Certainly,” said James and he jerked his wand upward. Evans fell into a crumpled heap on the ground.

Disentangling herself from her robes, she got quickly to her feet, wand up, but Sirius said, “Petrificus Totalus!” and Lily keeled over again at once, rigid as a board.

“LEAVE HER ALONE!” Severus shouted. He had his own wand out now. James and Sirius eyed it warily.

“Ah, Snape, don’t make me hex you,” said James earnestly.

“Take the curse off her, then!”

James sighed deeply, then turned to Lily and muttered the countercurse.

“There you go,” he said, as Lily struggled to her feet again, “you’re lucky Snape was here, Evans —”

“I don’t need help from filthy little Mudbloods like him!" (Severus is canonically a Mudblood because he has dirty blood—Muggle blood)

Severus blinked.

“Fine,” he said coolly. “I won’t bother in future. And I’d wash your skirt if I were you, Evans.”

“Apologize to Snape!” James roared at Evans, his wand pointed threateningly at her.

“I don’t want you to make her apologize,” Severus shouted, rounding on James. “You’re as bad as she is.”

“What?” yelped James. “I’d NEVER call you a — you-know-what!”

“[...], walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can — I’m surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK.”

He turned on his heel and hurried away.

“Snape!” James shouted after him, “Hey, SNAPE!” But he didn’t look back.

“What is it with him?” said James, trying and failing to look as though this was a throwaway question of no real importance to him.

“Reading between the lines, I’d say he thinks you’re a bit conceited, mate,” said Sirius.

“Right,” said James, who looked furious now, “right —”

There was another flash of light, and Evans was once again hanging upside down in the air.

“Who wants to see me take off Evans’s skirt?”

———

Now, let's see if this isn't messed up. This is humiliating! Why did Severus leave his female best friend when she was being PA'd and SA'd by a male! Why did he take out his wand too late? Why is he such a coward?

Gender roles do matter in this context, no matter if Severus considers this as SA or not, it's SA and he got his pants stripped down, but it doesn't matter, he's a boy isn't he?

If this was Lily, everyone would care, but no! It's greasy, slimy, old Snape, and he's a boy.

Sirius nor James used dark spells, but they were pretty much using hexes so it doesn't matter—they are basically baby DE bullies but Gryffindors.

Stop attacking Severus and start thinking about this, because he was just a boy.

A lot of people (Not all) cared for Harry when Myrtle basically tried to SA him, why not Severus? He was stripped infront of the whole school! (Not invalidating Harry's trauma), this is just so messed up.

[yallthemwitches]

The Sound of Silence

Minerva always had a soft spot for Potter. Maybe that's why when it was time to choose a Head Boy alongside Lily Evans, he was was clearly the only option--- A series of vignettes of James and Lily's seventh year through McGonagall's POV.

AN: Posting this one a day early because I won't have time tomorrow (sorry) Written for Jily Week 2024, Day 5: Matchmaker (hosted by @kay-elle-cee and @sunshinemarauder)...Fully dedicate this one to the many teacher meetings I've sat through where we all devolve into gossiping about students. AO3 Link Here

I.

They sat around a circular table which always reminded Minerva of a story she heard as a child. Her colleagues had shuffled in slowly, still rosy with summer and the ever rejuvenating feeling of silence after a school years worth of endless noise. 

Filius sat next to her, pulling out a pipe and stoking it with a flame emitted from his short stubby finger. He sighed and a puff of smoke wafted into the middle of the table. 

“Here we are again—” he said to no one in particular. Minerva just clasped her hands on the table and waited for the final stragglers to trickle in.

Albus sat on the other side of the sphere and regarded his staff with half-amusement. Many of them had been long friends—giving centuries of their lives to the school. How many powerful witches and wizards had they watched slip out of these doors with their collective spirit within them? If the thought wasn’t so saccharine, Minerva would have perhaps felt a little proud. 

Albus cleared his throat and the staff settled. At this point they needed no commencement speech on why they all were called from their little parts of the castle to assemble, nor did they want one. The golden rule was short meetings were the best ones.

Horace spoke first. He always did. 

“Obviously I think there’s no arguing that Lily Evans should be the first pick.”

There was a rumble of agreement. Even Filius made a reluctant nod. He never willingly wanted to agree with Horace on much of anything.

“That’s a fine choice Horace, but are you not worried about the matter of her blood status? I’m sure you are not ignorant of the current news and I can imagine your house is quite…vocal about these happenings.”

McGonagall heard a snort from Filius which was hard to miss seeing as it bounced his whole body slightly off his chair. 

“Oh, Albus, must we always make these things so political,” Horace whined, “Evans is a brilliant witch…the best of her year—I’m sure we can—we can—” He teetered off, not knowing how to finish. It wasn’t a secret that despite his affinity for the muggleborn, his house was not so keen to accept her. They all would be idiots to disregard the dangers of putting someone of her status in charge in the current climate. 

But Albus didn’t press further. It was never his nature. “Then it’s settled. Lily Evans is Head Girl.” There was another mumbled agreement. Horace’s face was pink and slightly sweaty, but he nodded all the same.

“So onwards to—” 

There was a shuffle of teachers. Sybill spoke first:

“Oh, Oh! I choose the Delile boy. His tea leaves have always shown potential.” A couple seats down, Pomona snorted. 

“Colin Delile? That boy tried to eat a handful of nightshade thinking it was mint last year—”

“Well, I vote for Ambroise Cunningham: smart, good quidditch player (“mediocre quidditch player,” Minerva thought) and has a good head on his shoulders!” Interjected Rolanda.

There were some nods in agreement but Filius started to tut. 

“Are you all forgetting that Cunningham and Evans dated two years ago? They’ll kill each other!”

“Oh, I would hardly call that dating,” Horace scoffed.

“They certainly looked like they were dating when I found them in the charms broom closet that October!” Filius shot back. 

He had a point. She wouldn’t call Filius her friend per se but she had a fond appreciation for him being insightful when it came to the students’ lives. He was very discreet, perhaps with the help of his size, but he always was up to date on each of their lives. 

Minerva mulled a thought around for a minute while drowning out the verbal quidditch that was occurring for the rest of the staff. It was a gamble, certainly. But she had never been the one to shy away from a challenge. 

Raising her voice above the riffraff she called out, “I say James Potter should be Head Boy.”

The room went silent. Around the table, every set of eyes peered at her with mixtures of shock.

Chaos erupted. 

“Potter can’t keep himself out of detention to save his life,” screamed Aurora.

“That and his little group were growing muggle drugs in the west greenhouses!” Pomona chimed in. 

Albus didn’t even try to get order. He just continued to stare at her with an expression that twinkled beyond the room.

Minerva huffed. “Well, can any of you deny that he is brilliant?” Everyone paused. A wave of indecision rushed through the group. 

“And we know he’s a good leader. The Gryffindor team has won every year since he became captain.” Horace grumbled something under his breath but she ignored it. 

“---And, we are going to need someone who is willing to help, Hecate forbid, if there is an attack of some sort due to all this Dark Lord bunk. He might be scrappy and a fool sometimes, but he’d be able to hold his ground for the others.”

There was a hesitant noise of agreement around the table. People shifted in their seats, not able to find fault in her logic but also not enjoying its outcome. 

“And what about Evans then?” Horace had his arms crossed against his chest. “Potter has been tormenting the poor girl for years. They would be rubbish, absolute rubbish—”

“Ah, shut it Horace,” Filius scoffed, “We all know those two have been clouding up this school with sexual tension for a better half of a year now.” More nods all around. 

Minerva had hoped that no one would make the romance argument, but it couldn’t be helped. Potter and Evans had been making all of their lives unbearable, with their oblivious pining and rowing. It was like watching an ouroboros eat itself the way the two provoked each other. There was a small part of her that even hoped that matching the two together would end their purgatory. 

“Ah, the ancient magic of young love,” Albus mused to himself, stroking his beard. “I won’t deny that I like the idea. Are there…any others who seriously denounce the decision to make Potter Head Boy?”

Horace made a few grumbles, but ultimately kept quiet. He knew once Albus made a decision, he wasn’t easy to sway. 

“Then it’s settled, Lily Evans and James Potter.”

“Hecate help us,” Pomona mumbled under her breath. 

II. 

She watched as they shifted next to each other uncomfortably. Both of them dawned golden badges with encrusted initials on them that looked too heavy to be pinned to their robes. She had honestly expected more hiccups on the first day back, but something had already seemed to have shifted between them. Evans actually smiled when Potter offered her some dessert, took it from him and blushed when their hands grazed. She said something and James let out a laugh that made her smile as well. 

“Now, that’s interesting.” Filius whistled, sitting next to her at the great banquet. “Maybe your little matchmaking stunt was unneeded.” He side-eyed her and she didn’t entertain his amusement.

She looked back at the young couple. Potter had begun to explain something with extreme animation. He waved his hands around and Lily actually laughed at his antics. When he finally finished whatever he was saying, his hand rested on the bench between them and Minerva swore she saw Evans place hers on top of his.

“Oh Merlin, what have I done.”

III. 

“I think we have Miss Evans to thank for his rehabilitation. That girl can do anything,” Horace chortled at lunch a week later. 

“What are you talking about? He blew up the Slytherin bathroom just yesterday.”

“Well—he would have done it six more times already if it wasn’t for her influence!”

No one could argue that there was a great change between the two Heads. Horace wasn’t wrong, Potter was being better behaved this year and in turn Evans had started to cozy up to him more and more. Even at that moment, they entered the great hall together. Potter had both of their bags slung over his shoulder and his eyes were glued to her. As they sat, Evans pulled his glasses off in a fuss, cast a cleaning charm on them, then put them back on his face. Her hand lingered to push some of his unruly hair away and he made a dopey swooning smile. 

“It's like watching a dead body be reanimated,” Filius nodded towards the two. 

“You’re being dramatic.” 

“Don’t act like you aren’t seeing this. At this rate they’ll be married by graduation.”

She looked over again. They were sitting so close that their shoulders were touching. Black was engaging them in conversation with a lively reenactment of some muggle movie they had watched, but the couple seemed to be hardly listening. Slowly, like attempting to touch fire, Evans leaned her head onto James shoulder—slightly hovering it in indecision for a moment before putting her weight fully on his. Potter perked up, then dared to place an arm around her waist.

Filius let out a low whistle. Horace moaned.

“I was really hoping she would get with one of the Black boys..” Horace mumbled, “ blood purity aside, I do think they would be better suited…”

But he got cut off by Pomona who came half sprinting down the table. 

“Are you seeing this?? Potter! Evans!” 

VI. 

Christmas break was already upon them, which meant all of the professors were stretched too thin to think. Heads of house always had the worst of it. On one hand that meant she didn’t have to see Horace chortling around the castle half as much, but on the other she now had the Gryffindor house and the two Head students to preside over. As she walked, she mumbled to herself about how she would never offer up a Gryffindor into the Head position again. 

She mounted the stone steps towards the Heads’ office, trying to balance all the rolled parchments in her arms. Entering the small elaborate passage, she could see the light of the office was on. 

As she approached the image of them became more clear. Potter was elongated over the couch with his feet dangling lazily over the edge of the armrest. Evans laid between his splayed legs and over his torso. Using her forearms, she propped up on his chest and seemed to be drawing small circles into his shirt. Potter fiddled with her hair, twisting it through his fingers as though it was a snitch evading being caught. 

They spoke in low tones so she could hardly make out what they were saying. Potter said something to make her laugh tinkle into the cavernous room before tugging lightly on her to become eye level. Minerva watched with a sinking feeling as her two Head students locked lips, and proceeded to not break away from each other for a long time. 

She stood there in the passage, feeling a bit sorry for herself for being in this position: busy, overworked, trying to teach a class while helping Albus get a counterforce together...and now apparently being too sheepish to tell her Head Students to stop snogging long enough to take some of the work off her hands. 

With a little shriek from Evans, Potter flipped them over so he was now hovering over her while a hand disappeared somewhere Minerva did not want to guess. Admitting a sort of defeat, she spun on her heel and left the way she came. 

V.

The morning of the last day of school started like all of the other 200 times she’d done it. She woke up, made herself some tea, shifted into her cat form and curled around her bedroom window. 

A knock rattled the door. She lifted her head and hoped that whoever was bothering her would take the hint. Another set of knocks, and distinctly not Albus’ typical rap. She did a cat’s equivalent of a sigh and changed herself human again. 

She opened the door to find Potter looking out of breath and somewhat sheepish. Not a good start. 

“Good morning Minnie,” he beamed at her. 

“Mr. Potter, can I help you? It’s 6am…”

Potter ran a hand through his hair. On a glance over he looked suspiciously put together for the time of day. 

“Er, yes actually. I’m hoping I banked enough goodwill with you to ask for a favor?” Even he sounded unsure of himself. She didn’t know what it was about him, but he always knew how to hit her soft spot. 

“I don’t know about this goodwill, but I’m listening.”

He let out a relieved huff then suddenly became very animated. “Brilliant—ok. I can’t really tell you right now, because it's kind of a secret, but I would really really love it— and be forever grateful to you— if you kept students away from the lake this afternoon.”

Minerva blinked at him. There was no bone in his body that was not being sincere, she could see that, but how often had he looked the same when he wanted to do one of his little stunts. 

Seeing her pursed lips, he continued. “I swear. I solemnly swear it's not a prank. Just please.”

“Ok.” 

“Wait, what?” he blinked at her like she had grown two heads.

“Don't make me regret this decision Potter.”

“I won’t— would never. Ah, Thank you Minnie! You’re a doll!” He turned and bounded down the stairs.

XXX

It turned out to be quite difficult to keep students away from the lake, but she managed. The clock was ringing 3pm and she was starting to wonder how long she was supposed to keep things up when she spotted them. Potter and Evans were walking hand in hand. They both hadn’t changed into their regular clothes yet and Evans was talking softly. Potter looked like he wasn’t hearing a word of it. Honestly, he looked wrecked. Whatever was on his mind was clearly eating him alive—not at all the same collected boy that had knocked on her door that morning. 

The lakeside was cleared as promised and they walked beside it before stopping and looking out at the mountains far away. It struck Minerva this would be the last time she would see these two in this setting. The next time they would meet they would be equals, fighting what now felt like an impossible war. She savored the moment of seeing two people in love, unaffected for perhaps the final time by death and sadness. 

Potter turned to Evans looking like he was about to combust. Evans must have noticed because her brow furrowed and she placed a hand on his chest, which he immediately grabbed and held in both hands. Very shaky, he lowered himself onto one knee. 

She waited for noise. For some sort of big show that Potter and his mates set up for the occasion, for students to come bursting at the seams of the castle to ruin the moment, for even just the sound of a yes.

Instead, there was silence. A blissful, pure silence. She must have blinked and missed it because Potter’s arms were wrapped around her now, lifting her off the ground. Tears poured from both of their eyes as they in turn tried to wipe the other's face—opting finally for kissing each tear off each other’s cheeks. There was no noise—just sweet relief. 

For a split second, the two reverted back into their eleventh year selves. Small, unsure, and holding onto each other tightly against the weight of a world still unknown to them. It was the first time in a long time she wanted to cradle something in her arms. To tell them it was going to be alright; to keep them whole.

[teecupangel]

From @thedragonqueen1998

Oh poor Desmond. When Desmond bleeds his younger self he becomes young too, so his ancestors just stumble across this child crying in the corner and when they try to get close, he shies away from them. Huh, it could be quite similar to that ask where Desmond Bleeds his younger self, with not knowing who his ancestors are and them having to earn his trust every time it happens.

SCP-17000 was a strange man.

He believed he came from another world and honestly?

The Foundation was unsure and Easley could see why.

If he did come from another world, it was frankly too similar to theirs that the discrepancies could be attributed to him not knowing or having false memories.

They had assumed that he could just… teleport.

That had been the reason why the Foundation found him after all. He had created a space anomaly that seemed to be similar to that of teleportation.

So they placed him in a room that would neutralize teleportation capabilities and tested him for any markers that would confirm their suspicion.

Easley had been one of the doctors who was in charge of testing him and they… She wouldn’t say they got close.

She honestly believe he didn’t trust anyone.

But he was more amicable to her and liked to ask her questions.

At first she thought he might have… well… been hitting on her.

There was an intensity in his eyes that made her feel like a spotlight had been shined on her.

Or… a bird of prey was circling above her.

She wasn’t sure how to approach him about that since she didn’t feel the same thing.

He was handsome, sure, with an easy bright smile that made her lips curve just a bit automatically.

But he was also an ‘item’ and she was a professional.

Then he called 'Minerva' once and she realized that he might be seeing someone he knew in her…

And she felt…

A bit hurt, perhaps?

But, at the same time, relief.

She didn’t have to think how to turn him down. She was bad at that.

And so… their relationship remained in that precarious balance of professional and friendly.

Then they realized that he could bend reality and he had no real control over it.

The Foundation deemed him dangerous but not hostile. As such, they transferred him into one of the large areas the Foundation owned in Black Hills, South Dakota. Easley and two other members of the Foundation were transferred to Rapid City, the nearest populated area to the site where SCP-17000 now lived.

They visited him daily for the next three months, just to be sure that he was doing alright and to check if the devices installed in his small cottage was working properly.

The inside of the cottage had changed during that time.

Three months later, they started visiting him once a week, checking the devices daily instead if anything was changing in his surroundings.

The devices always say that he was changing reality.

He called it the Bleeding Effect and Easley could understand why.

The changes were slow, like SCP-17000 was slowly bleeding his version of ‘reality’ into their reality.

The cottage had transformed into some strange building that defied physics. The inside was not any better, appearing both logical in terms of which rooms was supposed to be there yet defied it by having different architecture, height and size.

SCP-17000 always seemed to know where every room is which meant that he was lucid.

Then…

They appeared.

The men brought to reality by SCP-17000.

Three men who could only stay without the bounds of SCP-17000’s reality.

Easley did not like them all that much.

They were quite hostile and the Foundation’s main theory is that they are meant to represent SCP-17000’s wariness and self-preservation.

Still…

Easley tried her best to be polite.

Even went as far as to practice how to correctly say their names.

And now…

It was time for the weekly checkup once more and Easley entered the ‘house’ with the members of her team.

As usual, they were transported to an open garden of some sort that seemed to be on the third floor of SCP-17000’s dwelling. They made sure not to step at the flowing water as they made their way towards the grand doors that would lead them to a huge library where SCP-17000 would always meet with them.

“Wait.”

Easley stopped immediately and stayed near her team as they all placed a hand on their taser gun. They didn’t unholstered it but it was better safe than sorry when dealing with SCP-17000’s reality. They had not yet encountered any hostile ‘creatures’ but SCP-17000 has no control of what will appear so they will never be completely sure that this place would remain safe.

That had been one of the reasons why they always come together and visited regularly after all.

There was an electric fence at the edge of the property to stop any creatures from escaping but if they were as intelligent as the three men that SCP-17000 had summoned into his reality then they couldn’t take the risk.

Rustling came from the bushes to their left and one of them shouted, “Identity yourself!”

The rustling stopped before they saw something quickly leave. Before anyone could take out their taser gun, one of them shouted, “Wait!”

“It’s a kid!”

They stopped and Easley’s eyes widened when she saw the small child peeking from behind the pillar.

She watched as one of them crouched but did not approach the kid, showing both of his hands as he said, “Hey, kid. We’re not gonna hurt you. You just surprised us, that’s all.”

The child remained quiet, staring at them.

“Where you from, kid? Where’s your parents?”

At that question, the child’s eyes widened and he hid behind the pillar completely.

They all looked at one another silently before Easley nodded.

They walked towards the pillar when…

“Desmond.”

The child ran towards the main doors and hide behind the leg of one of SCP-17000’s apparitions. The man that calls himself Ezio.

Did…

Did he just call that child Desmond?

The name that SCP-17000 used?

Oh.

Oh no.

Easley’s eyes widened as Ezio gently took the boy into his arms, letting the boy hug his neck as he hid his face on the man’s shoulder.

“It’s alright, Desmond. We’re here.” Ezio patted his back, “Take all the time you need to come back, alright?”

Ezio turned to them and nodded, “Altaïr will talk to you. I’m afraid… Desmond will not be able to answer your usual questions this week.”

Oh, that was quite alright.

Easley was sure she wouldn’t be able to ask SCP-17000 anything after all.

Not when…

They just learned that his reality bending capabilities…

… can affect him as well.

Because Desmond has awful luck, he gets sent into the SCP universe after dying and they capture him and do experiment and stuffs. Since the experiments aren't too bad and they give free food and a roof over his head he doesn't complain much, especially when he meets 999 because that boi is too cute! And wouldn't it be kinda hilarious if his ancestors sometimes manifest into the real world instead of Desmond being the only one to see/hear them?

I like this idea because this gives us an excuse for Desmond to interact with more SCP ‘items’ and Desmond would be just “Yeah, okay. Fine.” no matter how weird or how dangerous the items he sees are because, at that point, Desmond has reached complete zen. He was supposed to be dead and he’s not so he’s going to make the best out of it.

AND it’s because he’s not originally from the SCP universe that he becomes an SCP ‘item’ himself.

I feel like Desmond would be noted as a ‘Safe’ containment class first because he’s cooperating, seems to understand what’s happening and why they’re doing experiments on him, and generally acting like a normal human being.

Those in charge of him would note that he’s friendly to all, both staff members and other items he interacts with, but he also talks about his past vaguely.

Desmond, on the other hand, is a bit cagey because he’s still not sure if there are any Assassins or Templars in this universe.

Then the Bleeding Effect starts once more.

Desmond thought that it was gone. After months of nothing, he honestly thought the Bleeding Effect was gone.

He felt… free.

He would no longer have to worry if what he was seeing or hearing or feeling or smelling had been real. He no longer had to worry that he was losing his mind.

But, at the same time…

He grieved over their disappearance because it felt like his only connection to his ancestors were gone.

He felt… alone.

So when the Bleeding Effect happened once more…

He welcomed it.

And that was the day Desmond’s SCP class changed into…

Keter.

And they finally had an idea of what Desmond is…

He was a reality-bender.

Because Desmond’s Bleeding Effect?

… is Bleeding into reality.

[patentedsun]

Ifl we don't talk enough about how well Natsu actually dealt with the whole frosch rogue gray convolution. Like I was impressed... his decisions were so sound and logical I was like wtfff is this even natsu— no I'm jokin but it's been a little while since my rewatch so my memory may not be perfect, but let me try break it down.

tldr we love emotionally mature natsu, he did his best as gray's temporary PR manager slash image protector, and he prevented a rogue gray civil war from happening.

Firstly, he didn't mention it to ANYONE in that one year period. You can maybe debate about the importance of confiding in someone here but ifl this was the right choice.

He still kept it in mind tho, and he was smart enough to use the info to track down Gray's whereabouts when even Juvia had no leads. Obviously for gray to kill frosch, they would have to meet, so using Frosch's would be location to narrow down Gray was a genius move on his part.

And then his little speech to Lucy before going to sabertooth. it was essentially like: I know it may seem like I'm not trusting gray, but don't worry. I do trust him, but for this to work out, I need to be someone who doesn't trust him.

Like yk maybe he could've worded it better since Lucy was confused as hell. But he was still smart enough to at least try and intercept any possible suspicions from Lucy early on 😭

And then he tells rogue to stay put no matter what, and even puts his trust in Minerva to ensure this. Like yeah giving no context would make them curious, but the alternative is being like HEY GRAY WILL KILL YOUR CAT which... would not have gone well... I guess natsu could've tried to be vague about what causes frosch's death? but ifl bringing up rogues potential villain arc to the present good guy rogue wouldn't have been a good choice either.

Lucy and Happy are confused as hell because from their POV natsu rlly is just going 🐸 + 👥 = ❄️ ?? so after a bit of thinking, Natsu finally explains his thought process. But even THEN, he just mentions that future rogue met gray as an enemy. He doesn't bring up anything about gray killing frosch, and iirc he keeps that bit to himself through the entire show. I'm sure he trusted Lucy and Happy, but I think he tried his best to avoid painting gray as an irredeemable villain at any cost (see: his speech to Lucy early on too). Like meeting as an enemy is vague and could just be forgivable beef but letting people know that gray has the potential to kill someone everyone knows and loves would have been... so messy... and imagine the mess if it somehow circulated back to gray we would've had a 5 episode subplot about gray battling his capacity to be evil based on an event that never even happens.

Like idk it feels like he managed to dodge so many potential conflicts there. Anyways it's not me if I don't take a piss at 100yq but I was joking ab how the current natsu would've just told rogue to STAY PUT GRAY KILLS FROSCH OTHERWISE. And. Yeah.

[greenerteacups]

Can I just say I absolutely adore your Hermione. I always found it weird that so few people give her credit for being the smartest one in the group who routinely comes up with the ideas, and it's a pleasure to have Draco's POV that just absolutely salivates over it. He's not just giving her credit, he really basks in it, it's such a joy to read. I think fics usually go with "Hermione is a perfect genius angel" or "Hermione is a nervous naive wreck" and you avoided both options by acknowledging that she's brilliant and also a flawed teenager and they love her for it. Chef's kiss

Thank you so much! This is a really moving compliment because Hermione is so dear to me as a character, and dear to me for just those reasons — I love her flawed and brilliant and a terrible mess. She's not naïve, but she's also a teenager, and there are some things she just can't understand until she experiences them. It's always an indulgence to get to write about Hermione being brilliant, because I felt like Harry gets that Hermione is clever, but doesn't get why; he chalks it up to her reading a lot, but there's a huge bank of adaptive wit and intelligence that goes into Hermione's success. She's navigating a world that's completely alien to her, beating people who've been learning about magic for almost a decade before she even found out what it was, and doing it all while averaging 3-4 illegal extracurricular plots per school year. If Harry hadn't found her, she'd probably have turned into some fearsome hybrid of Minerva McGonagall and Percy Weasley, graduated early, and tore off to have a catastrophic burnout at twenty. She needs her troublemakers, does Hermione — but it's no shame for her to have someone who appreciates her around, either.

[cressthebest]

Crimson Rivers thoughts pt. 34

chapter 53:

1. there’s far too many family members and lovers in this maze. like, two sets of siblings, a set of lovers, alice and augusta which both have connections to frank, and i’m sure there’s more. it just reminds me how cruel this is

2. if marlene doesn’t make it out, imma lose my shit

3. wait i’m starting to peice together that it was probably like lily in the maze inside the hedges that saved sirius 😭😭 i’m putting my guess in now

4. “”Honestly, what difference can one night make?"” 👀 pandora is getting scary close to a realization

5. shit. shit no. james just found out his entire home was destroyed. like, all he’s ever known. destroyed. i can’t imagine

6. dorcas 🥰🥰

7. SHIT NO!! remus went back to his cell for th night early. NO!! he needs to be there to run away

8. EUPHEMIA HAS A POV!!!!

9. marylily vibes here!!! lily’s describing her pretty curls 🥰🥰

10. sybil my beloved. she’s so silly 😭😭

11. ““I don't even like men!"

"You do now, darling," Barty informs him, grinning.”

CACKLING i love barty

12. awwww they’re the thunderbird thieves

13. pandora is such a loving soul and i wish so badly that she didn’t have to leave her dad

14. 😭😭😭 sybil is so bad at flying and it’s so funny to hear bits and pieces from the phone call

15. james being excited that barty’s alive >>>>

16. “"You're crazy," Rodolphus states. "I like crazy."

"I like women," Dorcas replies. "Only."”

rudolphus is such a mood. he’s so funny 😭😭 and he’s so respectful when turned down! the bare minimum!!

17. 😧 james knocked an auror out with one hit of his cane. i keep forgetting that he’s capable of violence in the universe

18. “"I'm the exception," Dorcas says, "not the rule."” queen behavior

19. lily my love 🥰🥰 also i’m such high anxiety rn from this maze

20. the fact that only sirius and regulus are left is stressing me tf out. get my babies OUT

21. deep breaths. deep breaths. deep breaths.

AHHHHHHHHHHH THEY HAVE SIRIUS!?????? NOOO!!! NOOOO! SCREAMING SO MUCH RN

22. also, give it up for minerva this chapter. we gotta love her <3

23. in the authors notes, zar called james a “mad lad” and that deserves honorable mention

[kquil]

HELP?

i have a series that i've been planning on and off for the past year or so and i've finally got the first chapter written. being my perfectionist self, i feel as though i need to keep planning some more things but there's a part of me that really wants to just get started and, sort of, force myself to begin or else i'll never get the series written since there isn't that sense of urgency or encouragement to keep going when i have other things to do

the series is called: Divorcing Orion Black

it'll be my take on a Harry Potter fix-it-fic set in the marauder's era where reader is transferred into the Harry Potter universe and forced to replace Walburga Black, her main aim is to give sirius and regulus a better life by being a better mother than Walburga ever was. But, it's never easy considering the limited knowledge people have on the marauders era and because... the true Walburga never really...left?

the focus will be on platonic relationships as well as all the comfort and fluff in the world considering how dark and sad and angsty the marauders era characters' destiny ended up being

potential series summary : You just got transferred into the world of Harry Potter and you've been put into the shoes of Walburga Black. Splendid… You need to escape this toxic family so your first order of business is divorce AND YOU'RE DEFINITELY TAKING THE KIDS!

tags : son sirius black/mother reader ; son regulus black/mother reader ; isekai au/transfering worlds au ; walburga black is evil ; not reader though hehe~ ; hurt/comfort ; fluff ; platonic fluff ; second chances ; reader basically adopts remus, barty crouch jr and peter pettigrew ; peter pettigrew redemption arc? ; but he never betrays the marauders in the first place so... ; remus gets a better life ; reader becomes a semi-political figure to help werewolves + house elves ; reader assumes a male alias ; alternating chapters from different povs directly effected by reader's actions ; reader is a powerful independent business woman and single mother ; reader is a milf ; reader secretly hates dumbledore ; reader hates orion black ; reader hates JKR (we all do) ; divorce ; mentions of child abuse (physical and mental and emotional) ; mentions of neglect ; angry reader ; canon jily ; mentions of wolfstar ; regulus being a precious baby ; sirius has his moments too ; reader being a powerful trio with minerva and pomfrey ; reader potentially adopting the black sisters (bellatrix, andromeda and narcissa) ; reader adopts everyone! ; there'll be ocs ; reader leaves to live her dream cottagecore life ; happy ending! ; i'll add more tags in the future

fair warning ; this series is not gonna be canon compliant, naturally, reader will make sure of that haha!

i predict that the series will be around 25 to 30 chapters long? maybe more?

if i post the series now, i'll aim to post a new chapter per month, on the first day of every month

if i post the series next year/2026, i'll try to make sure i'm able to post twice per month (one chapter per two weeks)

taglist : @melinajenkins @aastonishment @until-i-found-you @corp0real @celestcies @lovelydoveval @inlovewithremusjohnlupin @calums-betch @futurecorps3 @hihihi1112 @simpingforthe80s @yrluvjane @chaosofmanyfandoms @storyofaromance @loving-and-dreaming @somewereinthegalaxi @ashreblogsficshere @cassandra-nerezza-black @stray-bi-kids @ttkttt @notasadgirlipromise @desikudisworld @volturissideslut @arilxup88 @ghostgardn @rosalyn-s @seungtelevision @raevyng @rosaleenablack @samanddeansannoyingsis @marina468 @mess-is-my-aesthetic @zesnuts

[deepperplexity]

Prompt 3. Snowballing [B2]

Pairing: Snape x Fem!OC

POV: First, OC

Setting: Hogwarts, Snape’s Office

Continuation of: Prompt 2. Restless Waiting

A/N: Well, let's continue the story we started yesterday, shall we? 🤭 Gosh, the prompts just matched up so figured I'd go for it 😂👏 On another note, I really want to thank you all for being here, it means a lot and I hope you'll stay all through this journey 🥰❤

Tags/TW’s: Half A Love Confession, Hugging, Fear Of Loss/Hurting, Implied Past Torture, Mentions Future Torture, Selfberating, Worry For Loved One, Holding Hands, Jealousy, Confessions In Thoughts

Word Count: 1.5k+

LINKTREE // AO3 // MASTERLIST

“Severus, Severus?” I crawled forward while still holding his head up. He was unmoving, his breathing uneven and far too shallow. I cradled his head in my lap, stroking away the black tendrils of damp hair from his pale face with trembling fingers. He nearly wheezed out his breaths; I undid the top buttons of his coat and shirt before tugging loose the tightly wrapped cravat to free up space around his throat. My fingers trembled but I had no time to think about what I was doing.

“Severus,” I exhaled, trying to find some semblance of a coherent thought or figure out what to do, what was wrong, what in the cauldron had happened to the man in my lap. It didn’t help that my heart ran rampant, and my mind turned into a fumbling nonsensical muscle of not a single reasonable thought when the man I loved was near — more so apparently when the situation turned dire.

I looked him over, trying to see any sign of damage, physical hurt, or any wounds but I couldn’t see anything wrong. I couldn’t heal what I didn’t know of, I wasn’t a skilled healer or even slightly good at it. What do I do? What do I do? What the bloody hell do I do?! “Severus, please, what happened?” I asked even if he couldn’t reply and adjusted his head, making sure his airways were clear while he lay atop my folded legs. I thank my chosen mother for teaching me the muggle ways of doing things, her being in the medical field and her constant need to teach seemed a great gift in the moment. His hand slid from his stomach to the floor, an ominous thud in the gloomy dark while his breathing evened out, drawing a sigh of relief from me.

I held his head steady and tried to make my head function to figure out what to do while my heart seemed to pound in my chest. I’d never been so close to him, he was so beautiful and powerful yet there he lay, knocked out and atop my lap in a cold dungeon. Cold! I reached for my wand, only to look back to see it on the sofa. Bloody hell!

As gently as I could, I placed his head on the floor and turned to reach for it. I flicked it, setting a roaring fire ablaze in the hearth, before casting the levitation spell to move Severus to the sofa where I gently sat him down. Slipping my wand into my cloak's inner pocket, I grabbed a pillow and propped it gently under his head. His neck was sticky with cold sweat and his breathing turned harsher yet deeper.

I sat down on my knees beside him, watching the profile of his face, the hooked nose, the tucked chin, the only barely raised outline of his thin lips. He was such a beautiful vision, despite his ashen skin. Belinna! Get your head straight! The man is obviously bloody hurt and you’re-, what? Daydreaming about his profile?! Get it together you schoolgirl-hearted idiot!

“I should get Minerva, she’ll know what to do.” Yet, I didn’t want to leave him there. Alone, unwatched. “This is snowballing out of control… I’m snowballing… Just like father said I always would.” The memory came unwelcome, my father by birth yelling at me to keep my emotions in check, that I would ruin my magic with all my feelings and snowball out of control. I’d tried my hardest to lock away my emotions after that, I had only been eight years old but the wound was too deep to ever fully heal. I never dared reach out or explore my inner thoughts or feelings after that.

It wasn’t until seeing Severus, during the Valentia Ball in my seventh year, that I had another uncontrollable emotion. It hadn’t been proper, I hadn’t acted on it or spoken a word of it. He had never noticed me anyway, me being right there in the middle as usual — except, of course, at the ball, I’d been on the outskirts without a partner. There, yet not part of it fully, only dancing one dance with Daniel Wallasin halfway through the night. Unnoticed.

But I watched him, every second I got that night, I watched him with a trembling sensation through my entire body. I couldn’t do anything about it, still couldn’t. So I sat there, not knowing what to do, not wanting to leave him despite some far-off thoughts about fetching someone to help. I grasped his chilly hand, gently tucking my fingers between his and squeezing a bit, while I remained on my knees by the sofa — just watching him breathe for long moments while feeling utterly stupified.

His eyebrows twitched, the cold fingers between my own tensing for a second before hardening around me. His chest rose and sank quicker, as if he were coming out of the unconscious state. “Severus?” I whispered, leaning in closer while rising from sitting on my haunches to kneeling. “You’re safe,” I continued and squeezed his hand tighter. “Save…her…” he murmured, his voice barely audible yet the pain within was palpable. It cut through me, hearing him speak of saving another woman, it shouldn't have mattered as I had no right to feel jealous yet it sliced right through me. “Save who?” I asked quietly, leaning in closer to hear but his hand softened and his breathing turned even once more before I even had a chance to help him. I knew I would, even if it felt like a centaur had kicked me in the chest, I would do anything for him despite receiving nothing in return. If he asked me to use my body as a shield against dragon fire for someone he loved, curse me, I would...

At some point I must have dosed off, the next thing I knew my head was slung off his soft chest and I toppled backwards with a shriek at the sudden motion — sending me flying into the coffee table behind me with a thud and leaving an instant pounding in the back of my head. By Merlin , I swore while trying to untangle my limbs from the half-curled-up state and getting my bearings again, not sure where I was for a moment.

I looked up, eyes clouded by tears from the sudden hurt while the holly I’d attached to each corner of the coffee table tugged at my hair — the little leaves and twigs it was made of snagging the strands. “Belinna?” His voice was gruff — rough and shallow. “You’re safe,” he exhaled a second later as I got myself up into a seated position on the cold floor only slightly softened by a rug beneath me.

I had no time to look up before I was crushed against him, his arms wrapped me up in the softest of strong embraces and my heart must have given out for a second. I couldn’t even hear the roaring of my pulse, everything just turned absolutely quiet at that moment when I, for the first time, felt his warmth. It was exquisite, beyond compare, far more wonderful than any of my imagines or dreams. He was just everything, perfection. I sighed deeply involuntarily as my heart warmed as if a flood wave had drowned it in him.

“I thought you to be dead,” he whispered by my ear and the world came crashing in at full speed and volume. “Dead? Why would I be dead?” I asked, my trembling fingers grasping at the cloak over his back while his fingers pressed into me harder. “He saw,” Severus whispered in a heart-wrenching tone. “He saw you in my mind.” “Who? What are you talking about?” “I have cursed you.” The words were darker, grimmer, than any I had ever heard. “Severus, what are you talking about?” “You must hide, leave, hide,” he said in a near rush of words so unlike his usual way of speaking. “Hide?” “The Dark Lord, he will stop at nothing to reach you now.” The urgency of his voice, the depth of something spine-stiffening dark, it clawed at my ears but confusion took the reins.

The Dark Lord? What does he want with me? And what’s this nonsense about seeing me in his mind? I don’t understand. But I couldn’t ask the questions when Severus held me so tight, seated atop the sofa with me between his legs while he nearly held me up off the floor, my knees just barely making contact with the rug's fibres. “Love, I have cursed you with torture,” he murmured in a broken voice while his entire body began to shake around me. "All this time, I failed..." “L-Love?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper as I couldn't comprehend the term coming from him. “I did all I could to keep you out, keep you away, but you never left… Why didn’t you just leave? ” he nearly snarled toward the end when I felt his nose bury itself in the crook of my neck. “I did all things possible to keep you away.” To keep me away? But, you haven't done anything to me? It’s like I don’t exist sometimes and it hurt— Oh…

...To Be Continued...

LINKTREE // AO3 // MASTERLIST

A/N: It's getting a bit exciting, huh? 👀 Also, I can feel the Christmas stress now 😂 December is always a mess of too many things to do, yet I willingly and happily host a giant event that requires a minimum of 4 hours a day on average from me, let's hope this year has NO SURPRISES *knock on wood* I don't have the time or energy for any surprises of the negative or time-consuming kind this year. Last year was its own sort of personal hell toward the end - I want none of that this year (you hear me universe? I'll whoop your galaxy tush if you spring something on me this year too!) and I hope you'll all have a super nice, warm, calm and happy December too! ❤❤❤

Q: What Alan Rickman movie do you watch each Christmas? A: I always watch Die Hard around Christmas (IT'S A CHRISTMAS MOVIE, KAY?) and absolutely love it - the last few years I've also watched Sense & Sensibility (and Pride & Prejudice but that's not an Alan movie but it is my all-time fav movie even if it's lacking in the Alan department - same for The Holiday, Also a tradition for Christmas) and I've previously always watched Robin Hood too - I mean he's such an awesome sheriff and he plays that part perfectly 😂👏

TAGLIST: @lizlil @snapefiction @darkthought15 @monstreviolet@flowerdementia @marvelschriss @once-upon-an-imagine @ravennight14 @caseydoodles98 @slytherinprincess03 @theconsultingdetectiveswife @grimmyhild @monster-energies @myobscureimaginarium @snowblossomreads @eternal-silvertongued-prince @cherryglossie @setsuna-meiou31 @helena211 @a-queen-and-her-throne @justsaturn0 @turvi @imwithyoutiltheendofthelinebucky @sunnylikesfrogs @mamawolfsmith16 @dianilaws @sassanoe @snapesrn @bernadette-peters12 @sammy-13 @smartowl999 @castleofthorns

@serenanight87 @morphineisouthoney @meteoritewolf69 @bionic-otp @elizabeth-baelish @romanceandsarcasm @severuslovebot @leah1243 @glowstar826 @rickmandowneyjr @yellowbadgermole @snapesangel @a-queen-and-her-throne @impulse-anchor @commodoreseverus @writewithmarites @alisongurl13 @yan-senna @writewithmarites @reinekefoxart @nixislight @lokisbjchnl @lght-n-drk @ladykardasi @lyrixsnape @sunset90 @mamawolfsmith87 @snowblossomreads @ladykardasi @a-queen-and-her-throne @eternal-silvertongued-prince @lyrixsnape @daddythanatos

Want to be tagged? 💚 You can tag yourself HERE! Or tell me and I’ll gladly tag you! 😍

[Dec:2023]

[katyawriteswhump]

the power of love, part 12 (steddie, steve whump, stobin fic)

Alternate ending S4: Steve has a habit of surviving near death experiences then getting sick for no reason. And Eddie and those fatal bat bites? After an impossible feat of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from Steve, he’s mysteriously fixed. So, Eddie’s back to being banished, this time with Steve and Robin in tow. Eddie’s healing, but Steve isn’t… and life gets even more confusing, when Eddie develops feelings for Steve, which aren’t entirely unrequited.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 13

(also on AO3 here and as part of my steve whump fic series)

Eddie POV

To Eddie, there’s something way too police-like about the way Hopper escorts Steve to the Humvee. He even raises a hand to check Steve doesn’t knock his head, while climbing in the rear seat. Eleven gets in the far side of Steve, and Robin piles in on the near side. 

Robin shoots Eddie such a mean look and slams the armoured door. Left standing in the mud, Eddie gets it—subtle as a monster punch in his gut. Stay away from Steve.

“Let’s move.” Hopper motions urgently, and Eddie trudges over and gets in.

“You sure you want me riding shotgun? What with me being… Oh, I dunno, verified spawn of Satan?” 

Hopper drops his voice to a barely audible rumble: “Whatever game you two were playing last night, I don’t wanna know.” He doesn’t sound chummy. Not actively hostile either. “I promised your uncle I’d look out for you, if I could.”

Eddie inhales sharply: “You’ve seen him? He’s okay?”

“He salvaged your six-string after the quake. He wanted me to tell you.”

Eddie snorted; cannot deny it’d played on his mind. God, Wayne knows him too damn well.

Hopper fiddles with the switches on the spartan dashboard. “Not gonna say he’s okay, because nobody in Hawkins is. Our best hope is that the military pull out when they can’t find Eleven. We still have allies, acquaintances of Owens, though their numbers are thinning fast.”

“That who we’re running to?”

Hopper has some kind of plan, which he explains as he grinds into gear. They’re heading for a remote road, where these remaining ‘allies’ have arranged further transport. “Luckily,” says Hopper, “you guys were pretty much on route.”

“We can’t stay away long,” says Eleven. “I have to go back. I can beat One, with help from friends, and…”

Eddie peeps over his shoulder, sees her staring hopefully at Steve. Who is staring glassily ahead.

“Steve?” prompts Robin. “Anything you feel like sharing.”

“Will you gimme a break? Look, I got an idea about what’s behind all this. I don’t know how much sense it’s gonna make, so…”

Nothing could’ve prepared Eddie for what Steve discloses next. “I know how nuts this must sound,” Steve says. Eddie, like the others, is temporarily stunned speechless. “That I should be… That I should’ve drowned in that lake, when I was a kid.”

“The only thing nuts,” says Robin, who’s literally cuddling him from the side, “is that you didn’t tell us this sooner.”

Steve squirms. “Honestly? It only came together in my head in the past day or so. It was like a really annoying jigsaw puzzle, and jigsaws are basically my least favorite thing ever.”

“We need to figure this out,” says Hopper. “There was no gate open to the Upside Down in 1978. Doesn’t mean Steve’s powers, if that’s what you got, aren’t linked to the Upside Down, or the experiments at Hawkins Lab. If they are, doesn’t mean they’re all bad news. Look at El.”

“I guess.” The Humvee rocks and rolls over a particularly cavernous pothole, and Steve flinches hard. “In my dreams and shit, I see this trippy… I don’t know how to describe them. They’re like a ghost or something; also, not quite a ghost. Whatever, I got this hunch they’re behind it.”

“Could be some kind of water spirit,” says Robin. “Or even a goddess. Oooh, so the Romans worshipped this water goddess, Minerva, and the ancient Celts had Sulis—"

“Be serious,” says Steve.

“I am serious. In Native American religions, water can represent a link between life and death. I wish I knew more.”

“Not sure I wanna know any of this.” Steve peeps down at El, who’s not quit staring at him. “If this is your crazy-pants frenemy after all, now would be a really good time to tell me.”

She shakes her head. “No. If I sense anything, it’s good… soft… like Mama should’ve been.”

“Oh,” says Steve. “Can you, like, see them too?”

“No.”

“Son-of-a-bitch!” bellows Hopper. The Humvee’s wheels churn uselessly in the sludgy ground. “Everyone out, apart from you.” He points at Steve. “You okay to take the wheel?”

Steve revs for about ten seconds. Eleven uses her powers to unstick the armoured vehicle, and nobody needs to shove. Trouble is, they get stuck again about ten minutes later. And again, five minutes after that. Soon after they next get going, there’s a loud metallic clunk. The Humvee chokes, splutters, and dies completely.

They all tumble out yet again, apart from Steve, who stays put, and nobody argues. Hopper props up the hood. “Munson, you any good with cars?” 

“Uh, hello?” says Robin. “My moms jumpstarts her Chevette every single day.”

That distracts Steve’s guard-dog. Eddie suffers a moment of agonising indecision then pops his head in the rear seat.

“How you doing?” Eddie knows it’s a stupid question. 

Steve shoots him a withering look, fluffs his messy hair. Eddie slides in beside then totally freezes up. He feels horrible about Steve’s arm in the sling, and as for the rest of it… 

HE DIED! On the other hand, I died too.

Yeah, how exactly does Eddie Munson fit into this beyond-freaky legend? He hardly gives a shit— he’s not the one seeing ‘ghosts’ and, worse, starting to resemble a ghost.

“Eddie,” whispers Steve. “I might need to get away.”

“Get away?” mouths Eddie. “What do you mean? From Hopper?”

Steve’s silence is answer enough.

“Granted, the dude’s packing heat,” says Eddie. And driving a freakin’ tank. "He’s not holding you hostage.”

“I know that. God, I’m so confused.” Steve’s stopped being grouchy or fighty. Which is pretty un-Steve, and scary in itself. He curls a hand over his eyes. “I feel like I’m being… I dunno, pulled in the wrong direction.”

A power chord of fear twangs across Eddie’s every fibre. “You want us to go back to Hawkins?” 

“Us?” Steve emerges from behind his fingers. “No. Hop’s right. You’d be arrested and I’d be… Ugh, I’m so goddamn sick of this. I want this all to be over, so we can… you know, fool around together.”

He reaches out, hooks a strand of Eddie’s now-totally-mad hair behind his ear, and sorta smiles. For a single damn fine moment, that smile sparks in his eyes; Eddie loses himself there, and their world is perfect.

Then Steve’s fingers drift away. Eddie wants to catch them, kiss them, promise he’ll do anything Steve needs. He’ll take down the whole damn US army, slay Vecna in a blaze of glory, even if he dies AGAIN trying, and yet… 

… Holy shit, he’s terrified of Steve! Scared that, if he touches him, he’s gonna crumble into dust, or…

“Earth to Eddie?” Steve waves in front of Eddie’s nose. “Have I added invisibility to my list of useless powers?”

“No. It’s just… I want this over too, so we can do, uh, yeeeaah, stuff.” Wow. Call yourself a lyricist, Munson? He’s rescued by a roar from the Hummer’s engine. That sleepwalker’s glaze returns to Steve’s eyes, and it feels way too much like another door swinging closed in Eddie’s face.

Although the dinged motor is fixed, the mud continues to be literally a pain in the butt. Nobody enjoys the bruisingly rough ride on the rock-hard, upholstery-free seats. 

“At this rate, we’re gonna have to ditch this piece of garbage and walk,” says Hopper.

“Jesus Christ, just ditch me already,” mutters Steve, who’s turned a disturbing shade of gray-green. Hopper doesn’t argue, which makes Eddie think he isn’t taking all that Steve says seriously. Which makes Eddie feel kinda sick, too.

What should they do? He wishes he could talk to Steve alone again, this time be less of a tongue-tied dipshit. That said, how can Steve go back to Hawkins? Right now, he can’t hardly walk.

They’re halfway across a patch of open land when they get stuck yet again. Eleven’s nearly as washed out as Steve, her nose bleeding. Hopper suggests they get the Humvee moving the traditional way.

“Shame about all that rain,” says Robin, as she, Hopper and Eddie pile out to push.

“Is that a dig?” snaps Steve, from the driver’s seat.

“Wasn’t supposed to be. Sorry. Sorry.”

They’ve barely put their backs into it, when Hopper squints into the air and curses louder than ever. A distant juddering noise reaches Eddie’s hearing.

“Oh my God,” cries Robin. “Is that—”

“Sikorsky search-and-rescue Hawks,” shouts Hopper. Yup, Eddie counts a battle-wave of ten or more. “Into the trees. Go, go, go!”

“What about our tank?” Eddie jumps on instinct to help Steve, who’s clambering out, seeming kinda dazed. Robin blocks Eddie’s path. It’s all a moot point, because Hopper’s already got to Steve.

“If they see it,” says Hopper, hustling Steve ahead of him, “chances are they’ll take a potshot.”

“I can crash them,” gasps Eleven. “Done it before.”

“Not a great idea, kiddo,” says Hopper. “They’ll know for sure it’s us, and throw everything they got into this part of the country. We’ll never make our meet.”

Eddie is scratched from head to foot by outdoor crap, before Hopper says, wheezing hard, “This’ll do.” They all get down in a bunker-like dip. Steve kneels beside Eddie, Hopper behind them. Robin shuffles around to crouch beside Steve.

“Do you hear that?” murmurs Steve to Eddie.

“Uh, yeah,” replies Eddie. “Evil empire TIE fighters, straight outta the Death Star.”

“Not them. A river or something. Loud. Like a waterfall.”

“Could be a giant bear taking a slash?” says Eddie, because life is currently so unfunny, he really might as well. And no, he can’t hear any water. Only the crescendoing approach of that airborne death squad.

“Bears have gotten so far down my ‘worry about’ list,” says Robin, “that that’s scary itself.” She picks a cobweb out of Steve’s hair. Steve, meanwhile, closes his eyes. He starts to tremble. “Uh, Steve,” says Robin, “what are you—”

“What d’you think I’m doing?” Bitchy Steve has returned, which Eddie chooses to find reassuring. “They’ll see the Hummer for sure. If I can actually do what you say I did—”

“It makes you sick,” hisses Eddie.

Robin bristles. “Since when did you care?”

“Will you both zip it?” says Steve.

Robin rubs his back. Eddie considers squeezing his knee, then decides against it. Hopper stops scrutinising the skies, brow furrowing: “What’s he doing?”

“Nothing!” Robin’s overwrought smile is stupidly guilty.

“Stevie?” prompts Eddie. “Is there anything we—”

“No, no. I remember this insane crackling. If I can get that going… Gnnng!”

“Anger helps,” whispers Eleven, from the far side of Robin. “What makes you angry?”

“A ton of shit! I can’t… Jesus, it feels like my head’s gonna explode.”

There’s a blinding flash, and a deafening thunderclap. Steve crumples forward, and Hopper grabs him by the scruff of his sweater before he hits the dirt. Eddie shrinks back, his own heart beating like it’s gonna bust outta his chest.

Steve’s now basically hyperventilating. “Ssssh, you did great.” Hopper gently braces an arm around him. “You gotta calm down. Breathe slower, nice and steady, huh?”

Eddie glances up at a bank of wispy grey clouds that hadn’t been there before. A few tense moments pass, the air palpably crackling with an electric tension. Then the noise from the choppers begins to fade.

“They’re turning around,” says Hopper. “Hawks can’t fly with lightning around.”

Robin’s shoulders sink with a relief Eddie shares. Steve, however, groans miserably. Hopper is still keeping Steve upright and asks, “You gonna puke?”

Steve scrunches his face and nods. 

“Stop goggling and get lost,” says Hopper to the others. Nobody disobeys. They’ve not gone a dozen yards, before Robin trips and falls on her face. As Eddie stoops to help her, she springs back up without aid. Far more shockingly, she throws her arms around Eddie’s neck:

“Oh my God, oh my God, I know the powers are awesome but he’s sick and I’m so scared he’s dying. What do we do? How can we help him? WHAT DO WE DO?”

All Eddie can do is press his cheek to her hair, and answer with an honesty that jack-knifes through his guts. “I don’t know, Robin. I haven’t a goddamn clue.”

Part 13

...

PS--In case anybody's worried... while there is plenty of trauma ahead, I only do happy endings ;)

tags: @estrellami-1 @kal-ology @finntheehumaneater (thank you, thank you, thank you!) If anybody else would like to be tagged on this fic or any of my writing, please let me know :) Reblogs, comments and likes also very much appreciated :) Thank you for reading so far :)

(also part of my steve whump fic series on AO3)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 13

[hexisssssssss]

What’s a twdg fanfic(s) that you really want to exist but don’t particularly want to write?

At the moment i have a few specific ideas. With two of them of course being Lilly centric (i heart my smoking hot wife 🫶). Also bare with me if theres like horrible grammar or anything is confusing, i got like 3 hours of sleep lol.

Starting with the Lilly ones, I really want to see a fic about what happened to her after she took the RV that lead her to the delta. Which im sure has been done before, but there was a few specific ideas i’d love to see. Starting at a pov of her alone in the RV while the others deal with the train, just to show the thought process that led to her stealing the RV. And i feel that she would end up tangled with a group or community a lot like Carver’s, or the 400 days group that Becca and Shel are in. And at some point that group has a confrontation with the Delta, maybe similar to Ericsons where they are looking for people to take as soldiers. And Lilly see’s some opportunity for some level of greater purpose or control/command and betrays her new found group to join the Delta. Some smaller details i’d also like to see is a moment where she makes some sort of small memorial or grave for Larry. And when she is alone in the RV just driving i like the idea of her reflecting on the spiral she had after Larry died and the action she ended up taking and feeling some guilt, but in the end doubling down. And moments like that to see where her head was at to lead to her personality change in s4.

The idea has been floating in my head for a while but at the moment i just don’t feel like starting it.

The other Lilly idea is basically a s4 rewrite but from her POV. I am not sure if this exists because i have not gone looking specifically. Starting probably a bit before s4 just to give some insight to what the delta may look like (which is the part i would find most interesting to see but also what makes me not really want to write it at the moment because it seems a bit of a daunting task to execute well.). Then having her and her group set off on the boat for Ericsons. For a specific cannon timeline i think it would work best if Lilly gets away alive in the end. I see it working as a better emotionally satisfying ending than if it just ended abruptly cause she gets shot like 50 times by a toddler lol.

I also think it would be neat to see an AU where Minerva actually ends up helping the Ericsons kids. And later ends up back at the school with them. With Louis being the one captured, because i have this idea in my mind of his “talking too much” maybe being him urging Minnie to help them and reminding her of Tenn. And when she shows a bit of a reaction/seems to falter and consider helping them, whoever is with her (probably Lilly) decides he needs to be punished/stopped and also in turn try and “scare Minnie straight”. But what Louis has said mixed with seeing Violet again, will still lead her to aid them. So the whole bridge scene will be avoided and both Vi and Tenn will be alive. AJ and Clem still get separated from everyone else and she still ends up without a chunk of her leg later. The bulk of the fic would be her adjusting to being back at Ericsons again. I have some ideas for plot lines/events:

- Trying to rebuild a friendship with Vi

- A longer Tenn reunion arc and her trying to be a sister to him again, with difficulty due to her literally fucking killing their sister before

- Feeling guilt over Louis’s injury and trying to make it up to him, leading to a friendship there

- Generally having to unpack/confront all that happened to her and that she did and get over the brainwashing

- Recovering from an injury she sustained while helping Vi with the bomb

- And these are just small things i feel would be interesting: a few interactions with a “overprotective/not jealous but angry at what she did to vi” clem and this fic would follow the violentine cannon. And AJ interactions because i feel like theres an interesting opportunity for a dynamic there or lesson for aj??? Idk lol

Would absolutely love to write that but i just think the idea is too all over the place atm and not fleshed out enough that i could really do much with it lol

And this last one is incredibly vauge lol. But i’ve seen a couple fics for mostly stuff other than twdg where it’s like based off/taking inspo from a song. And i think it would be cool asf to see that with Violentine/Clouis with like an Adrianne Lenker or Big Theif song.

[oneluckygoose]

House of the Rising Suns

Info post about my Marauders era fanfic! It will be edited and added to as things about it change, so if you plan to regularly read, I suggest checking in every once in a while to see if something's changed.

It will be posted on Ao3 exclusively, so if you see it anywhere else it means someone has stolen my work. Don't be afraid to report it.

Here's a link to the first chapter: Dear Minerva

It is a fic starting in 1971 and ending 1981 following the Marauders, the Slytherin Skittles, and the Valkyries through their journey through Hogwarts and the First Wizarding War. I don't yet know if it is cannon compliment or not, but I will figure it out with time. All posts I make about it will be tagged with "#house of the rising suns" and "#house of the rising suns oneluckygoose"

Here are the characters that will have POVs: Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Lily Evans, Marlene McKinnon, Dorcas Meadowes, Mary MacDonald, Regulus Black, Barty Crouch Jr., Evan Rosier, Pandora Lovegood (Rosier), Frank Longbottom, Alice Longbottom, and (ew) Severus Snape.

For the shippers out there --- Endgame ships: Wolfstar (Remus and Sirius), Jily (James and Lily), Dorlene (Dorcas and Marlene), Rosekiller (Evan and Barty), Fralice (Frank and Alice), the Lovegoods (I don't actually know their ship name, but it's Pandora and Xenophillious). --- Ships in the story: Jegulus (James and Regulus), Marylily (Mary and Lily), Pandalily (Pandora and Lily), Remus and Marlene, Sirius and Mary, and characters with OCs that I've added (none of them will be endgame or treated like well known and endgame ships, they're all destined to end eventually).

NO SMUT AT ALL! I'm asexual, I do not feel comfortable writing it. It'll happen eventually, but it won't be explicit. When it does, though, it will be fade to black or very very vague descriptions. They're teenagers, I get that, but I refuse to write it in detail. Sorry, but no.

There is a greater description of it all under the cut! (and in the reblogs, this got really long)

!!!!Disclaimer: The last one is extremely important, so if you don't want to read all of these, at least scroll down and read the last bullet point (which will be in the reblog)!!!!!

Scottish and Desi James; Welsh/Jewish Lily; Welsh Remus, and Severus; French/English Blacks; IRISH Peter; SCOTTISH Marlene; Dutch Dorcas; French Mary; British Rosiers; and British Barty, Italian/British Frank, Taiwanese/British Alice.

Jegulus, personally I think Jegulus is a very important thing for James’ growth and for Regulus to distance himself from his family’s ideals, but I also don’t think it could ever last. It will probably be a 5th-6th year arc and they break up after Regulus gets the Mark beginning of James' 7th.

Endgame Jily because their story is one of my favorites, and if I do make it a canon compliment ,then I would need to write it with natural progression. Also I just love Jily.

Get ready for a lot of 70's music. It becomes a big deal when Lily brings her record player in second year and then when Queen debuts in 1973 and Sirius falls in love.

I’m on the fence about making it a canon compliment because I choose to be HAPPY, but I don’t need to make that decision now and so I won’t (also I like the idea that Peter is good, screw me)

Aroace Peter, my little boy loves his friends and doesn’t understand why he doesn’t love like they do. A dating spree probably in 5th year but he just cannot figure out how to do the romance thing.

No sex, sorry guys we’re keeping this M rated. I’m asexual and do not feel comfortable writing that in the slightest, it would all be fade to black

Asexual Lily, to whoever HCed that, can I marry you? I love ace Lily and I think it just adds an arc to her story that is normally extremely sexualized. My girl will punch you in the face if you look even a tiny bit lower than her eyes.

*Side note* Lily's taste is also so funny. Like it goes: badass, rolemodel, stunning woman to badass, loving, protective, also stunning woman to badass, ethereal, insane, overwhelmingly beautiful woman to that one guy over there making love eyes and doing finger guns. God I love Jily so much. *End of side note*

Asexual Regulus. I am sick and tired of seeing Jegulus being completely sexualized in every single piece of content I encounter. I firmly believe their story can be extremely compelling and beautiful without falling into sexual stereotypes and just literally making everything about them sexual. All that aside, being asexual makes a lot of sense for Regulus' character, in my opinion. I want to make it clear I'm not doing this just to change Jegulus, I genuinely believe that Regulus' character is compelling with him being asexual, and I don't see a lot of asexual representation in the marauders fandom, so why not add in something good? (There'll be a lot more to Regulus' character though, trust me.)

More in reblogs

[dhr-ao3]

Polyjuice and Prophecy: A Tale of Dark Deception

Polyjuice and Prophecy: A Tale of Dark Deception https://ift.tt/vRnwFdk by Astrangefan It all starts with a prophecy. Lord Voldemort has been given a new prophecy, one that will guarantee him untold magical powers. Unfortunately his success depends on the fulfillment of the prophecy by none other than Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy's 16th summer was not like other boys' 16th summers. Lucius goes to prison, the Dark Lord takes up residence in Malfoy Manor, his mother, on the verge of collapsing from the trauma of it all, has other responsibilities that don't include mothering a 16-year-old boy. Draco must weather what is to come on his own. Draco receives the Dark Mark and is given two missions: Kill Albus Dumbledore and fix the Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Hidden Things. Piece of cake, right? But, before he can go back to Hogwarts, he is sent to train with his aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange at Lestrange Manor, an insane woman who considers torture an art and training a happy benefit of that. For Draco to even make it to Hogwarts he must endure what is done to him and above all survive. Words: 5668, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Characters: Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Bellatrix Black Lestrange, Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Rodolphus Lestrange, Theodore Nott, Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Cormac McLaggen, Horace Slughorn, Filius Flitwick, Poppy Pomfrey, Dobby (Harry Potter) Relationships: Bellatrix Black Lestrange & Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger & Harry Potter & Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger & Cormac McLaggen, Bellatrix Black Lestrange/Rodolphus Lestrange, Bellatrix Black Lestrange/Voldemort, Death Eaters - Relationship, Original House Elf characters - Relationship, Original Characters - Relationship, Minor Character death - Relationship Additional Tags: Hogwarts Sixth Year, 6th year rewrite, Prophecy, Polyjuice Potion (Harry Potter), Torture, Torture as Training, Aftermath of Torture, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Rituals, Breaking Draco, Draco Malfoy Needs a Hug, Draco wonders when his fairy tale life went to shit, POV Draco Malfoy, POV Hermione Granger, Voldemort things he has it all figured out, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Bellatrix is certifiable, Rodolphus will surprise you, Narcissa Malfoy is a wreck, Occlumency Lessons (Harry Potter), Occlumency as a Coping Mechanism (Harry Potter), Legilimency (Harry Potter), Inappropriate Use of Legilimency (Harry Potter), horcurxes, Elder Wand (Harry Potter), Flogging, Execution, killing of animals, Sexual play as humiliation, Implied Sexual Content, Verbal Humiliation, Restraints, drugs and potions, Hallucinations, Nightmares, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Cormac McLaggen Being an Asshole, House elves and portraits are real heroes, Minor Character Death, Dark Mark (Harry Potter), HEA - I promise, you're going to suffer but you're going to be happy about it, use of unforgivables via AO3 works tagged 'Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy' https://ift.tt/LrjsyVa November 19, 2024 at 10:32PM

[perverse-idyll]

Writing patterns

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern! Tagged by @yletylyf - thank you! Most of these are itty bitty fics and out-takes, but here we go.

1. The headmaster of Hogwarts, as yet unaware he had entered upon his last day on earth, raised his thin hand to stroke the unsmiling face of the woman who had afforded him so much unlooked-for happiness. [Year of the Thestral, HP, Minerva McGonagall/Severus Snape. An excerpt from a quasi-romance novel written about them after their deaths, a fact the reader won't understand until the end of the fic.]

2. Sometimes all Severus had to do was turn thirty-plus years of repressed hunger upon him, and Harry would start shaking. [Snake Charmer, HP, Snape/Harry. Out-take. A line signaling the co-dependent and sexual nature of the relationship.]

3. When Harry made his way out to the reception desk, there was barely a trace of almond left on his skin. [Coda to "Soft Touch," HP, Snape/Harry. Afterthought to a pre-existing fic. If I'd thought about it, I might have punched up the opening line by combining it with the last sentence in the paragraph, making it both clearer and funnier to readers who hadn't read the main fic: "When Harry made his way out to the reception desk, he didn't look like a man who'd just let Severus Snape bite his arse." Oh well. Missed opportunity!]

4. At around four in the afternoon, with three chapters to go in the espionage novel she was reading – since popular thrillers provided not only diversion but an eye-opening refresher course on Muggle slang and cultural attitudes – Minerva glanced up from the page to find Wil leaning in the doorway, watching her. [Candles Lit Against the Dark, HP, Minerva McGonagall/Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank but heavily featuring Snape. Scene- and relationship-setting, basically.]

5. It was possible none of this would have happened if not for Hermione. [The Afterlight, HP, Snape/Harry. A simple declarative sentence appears! Mildly mysterious, but since we as fans know this is a ship fic, the mostly likely suspect for the category of "this" is a relationship Harry's friends consider a mistake.]

6. Severus persisted in accompanying Harry to public events, in part because the wizarding world still needed it shoved down their throats that he and Harry were a couple. [Social Lubricant, HP, Snape/Harry. The premise in a nutshell. The rest of the ficlet just embellishes it.]

7. "You need to choose wisely when to be a dick, Potter." [Bad Manners, HP, Snape/Harry. Teensy fic. Sets the mood. Makes it clear who's speaking.]

8. Into the lives of all upstanding citizens, an occasion must fall where we fumble the biscuit and end up owing an undeniable debt to mankind. [Jeeves and the Secret Society, crossover between HP and Jeeves & Wooster, Jeeves/Wooster, Snape/Dumbledore. Establishes a different narrative voice from my usual, hints but doesn't confirm a first-person POV - although fans of Bertie Wooster will probably guess.]

9. Radiant in the wasteland of a European battlefield, the vessel of Clara's memory shrugs. [Truce, Doctor Who, Clara/Twelve-ish. Drabble. Scene-setting, suggests this isn't literally Clara but a (precious) memory.]

10. For one of her first acts as headmistress, Minerva shatters the Mirror of Erised. [Spirituous, HP, Minerva, Albus, Severus. Drabble. Establishes a postwar timeline and implies Minerva's state of mind.]

Patterns? Hm. Well, anyone who's read anything of mine, even the drabbles, can already guess I'm fiercely wedded to compound sentences and fond of opening with dependent clauses. I also default to narrative prose over dialogue. And most of these first lines have some degree of hook to them, whether I planned it or not. Otherwise, um ... I think you need more to go on if you want to analyze the more interesting kinds of authorial habits and themes.

Does anyone else want to play? Tagging @danpuff-ao3, @ripeteeth, @saintsenara, @squibstress - and anyone else, because I have to be good now and go back to work!

[iwriteasfotini]

In Honor of Dame Maggie Smith...

In honor of Dame Maggie Smith's passing, here is a short excerpt (Albus POV) from a strategy meeting held by Dumbledore before the Order is officially formed.

How do you think Minerva would react to Dumbledore recruiting for the Order from the student body? Here's what I think...

...

“As for myself, I will be recruiting both soldiers and mentors to help train those willing to fight," [said Albus.]

Minerva narrowed her eyes at him. “Training, this makes it sound like you are recruiting novices.”

Albus stared back at his Deputy Headmistress. “Everyone will be of age.”

Minerva threw her head back and her hands flew into the air. “Children, you are proposing recruiting children Albus. How can you even consider, how dare you?”

She actually stood up, her chair scraping loudly. Eyes flashing she cried, “Albus Dumbledore, I refuse to let you use Hogwarts as a recruiting ground for this war. It is not right.”

“Minerva,” Poppy said gently, putting her hand on Minerva’s back. “Sit down.”

Albus stayed quiet until Minerva had returned to her seat. 

“Do you think Lord Voldemort will overlook the opportunity Hogwarts presents for followers? I am doing nothing less than the adversary Minerva. He’s already sending people to Hogsmeade, they are planting the seeds so by the time the children graduate they will be fully entrenched, primed for service. At least I will swear to limiting my outreach to those who are seventeen. They are adults Minerva, they have the right to make these choices for themselves.”

“You say that like they are going to be given a choice.”

“Of course they will be given a choice!” Albus actually raised his voice. “Merlin Minerva, do you think so little of me?”

“It is not a matter of what I think of your morality Albus, it comes down to my charges. I am Head of Gryffindor House. Do you really think a single Gryffindor will turn down the opportunity to join a resistance?” Euphemia gave a little start at the far end of the table and placed her hand over her mouth. Fleamont grabbed her free hand. 

“You were a Gryffindor yourself Albus. I say you are taking advantage of the traits of my charges.”

“I will be considering students from all the houses equally, though approaching them with different tactics, as I am sure you can respect.”

Minerva’s nostrils flared. 

“Minerva, you’ve just said it. The likelihood of Gryffindors seeking out the resistance on their own is high. I want to offer them real preparation, and a purpose they will not find in smaller pockets of the community. We can make a difference. I believe we stand a chance to win. But we need talent, we need wands. They will be part of something historic.”

“I still say it is immoral, to prey on the righteousness of young people to do your dirty work.” 

Albus slammed his hand down on the table and everyone jumped. “It is not dirty work! It is the work. The work of this generation. Someone has to do it Minerva. For -”

“For the greater good,” Nick finished for him. The two men stared at each other with narrowed eyes. “This isn’t about undoing old wrongs Albus?”

“Nicolas, it is about doing what is right. This is not about the greater good, it is the common good. Nothing more. Do you want Tom Riddle running amuck? Can you, in your right consciousness, sit back and let that man reign terror down on our small piece of the world? We owe the future generations better. You want to talk of children Minerva?” He looked back to her, “think of all the children who have not yet received their Hogwarts letter, the children who are yet to be born. What kind of world do we want those children coming into? A world of nightmares? Because that is what awaits them if Tom is victorious. He cares for no child, whether it is the child of his follower or his enemy, he holds them in equally low regard. The only person Tom cares about is himself.”

“There are plenty of adults who will join a resistance Albus,” Poppy said quietly. 

Albus nodded, “and I have already been making contacts in this regard. But it is not enough.”

“If you are waiting for my blessing Albus, you will not get it,” said Minerva, crossing her arms over her chest. 

“Pamona, Filius, what do you say of recruiting students who are of age?”

His two Heads of House exchanged a quick glance. 

“I trust my student’s to make their own informed choices,” said Pamona. “You are free to ask, but you must accept their answers.”

“Of course,” Albus inclined his head at her. 

“I agree with Pamona.” Then Filius looked at Minerva. “Minerva, I understand your hesitation, but you are a Gryffindor yourself. Will you not join the fight? Would you take that opportunity away from your charges?”

“Children do not belong on the battlefield.”

“At what age is a witch or wizard no longer a child Minerva?” asked Albus. “In our society they come of age at seventeen, usually in their sixth year of school. We grant them new freedoms in those years, in accordance with the fact they are legally adults.”

“I cannot watch my children die Albus. Do not ask me to do it,” said Minerva. Poppy reached for her hand and tugged it under the table once again. 

“People die in war, it is the way of the world.”

Minerva shook her head, tears leaking out of her eyes and running under her glasses. 

“Albus, please…”

Then Euphemia spoke up. “James would want the opportunity to join. Like Albus said, he will seek it out, whether or not he is given extra preparation.” Euphemia cleared her throat quietly. “Minerva, I am a mother, I understand what you are saying. And I agree with you. But this is their world too. They deserve to fight for it.”

Minerva fell onto Poppy’s shoulder sobbing loudly. Poppy stroked her hair, face stoic.

[Cut to a different scene for brevity]

There was a sharp tap on his door which made Albus jump slightly. 

“Enter.”

The door opened and Minerva stepped into his office, closing the door with a click behind her. 

“Good evening Minerva, I take it my silent treatment is about to end.”

“Poppy and I are going to Egypt for two weeks.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

His Deputy Headmistress walked across his office to stand near him, fixing him with her stern gaze. 

“I will help you in your recruiting efforts. I will do everything in my power to instill useful knowledge onto those who choose to join. I will hold you personally responsible for every single death this war bestows on past and present students I have taught. And Poppy will stay in her role as Hogwarts healer. She will not engage in this war in any way, shape, or form.”

Albus stared into Minverva’s dark eyes. “And what does Poppy say of these terms?”

“She has agreed to mentor only. Ask her yourself.”

“Minerva, I believe you,” said Albus, softening his stance and tone. “And I accept your terms. For I will bear the burden of every death no matter how the rest of the world sees me.”

Minerva’s face was still set in a terse frown. “We leave tomorrow. Don’t contact us while we are away.”

“Understood.”

She turned, heels clicking as she marched to the door. 

“Minerva.”

She stopped, but didn’t turn. 

“We can win. It will be worth it.”

Minerva McGonagall didn’t give any sign she had heard him, she opened the door and exited without a backward glance. 

...

This excerpt was taken from the Our Love is Written in the Stars series, from the Epilogue of installment four, The Heart of the Lion, which will begin daily posting on April 13, 2025.

Find out more about the series in my pinned post.

[consistentsquash]

HP Rec Fest - Day 15

Fest - @hprecfest Theme - The fic most recently bookmarked.

De Aegypto by Squibstress

Minerva McGonagall/Rolanda Hooch! 1300 words. Rated T.

This ship is one of my favs and I am also subscribed to the author so I was double hyped when I saw the notification. This fic was written for Ladies of HP fest . Minerva McGonagall POV.

The fic is about flying together. But under the surface it's also about flying.

The crucible in which Minerva has guarded her most essential self melts as they take to the sky. She knows it can be remade, that the power of her mind and magic can create anything she needs to stay safe, but what she needs is not to be safe. She needs the wind in her face and Rolanda’s breath hot against her neck and strong hands searing the flesh underneath the silk of Minerva’s bodice. Whatever else she needs, she needs this trembling moment of possibility.

I really love the present tense in this fic. It adds this extra layer of surprise/things happening and we are right there with her.

It has been an age since she’s felt this, or else it’s been an instant. It doesn’t matter, either way.

Also the imagery is 100% perfectly matching the vibe of the fic. Gosh a lot of characterization and atmosphere in just 1200 words.

She points the broom towards the stars, and her thoughts fall away with the earth. There is only this, her body cutting through time and space, slashing it, rending it, until it too disappears, leaving only Minerva, naked and helpless as a bairn left on a moor.

Love love love! Also Banter! I love the banter.

“Had enough?” Rolanda asks. “No,” Minerva says. “Not by half.”

My other recs for this fest

[itscometothis]

Opening Lines

Tagged by @pia-bartolini! thanks babe :)

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (or however many you have) posted fics and see if there’s a pattern!

erm, one has a prologue so i'm including both because technically, the prologue is first but it feels like its own entity?

OLD AS YOUR OMENS: His throat burned, his shallow breaths causing sharp pains to rack his body as he flinched away from his mother and the poison she poured down his throat. (le prologue).

Regulus was positive he had ceased to exist. (le chapter one)

2. DRUMBEAT OF THE DAMNED: It didn’t happen all at once.

3. ALL THE STOPS: Harry wearily sank onto one of the barstools at the Leaky, joining the stragglers mostly known as the Pathetic Sods Who Have No Where To Go For Christmas.

4.. THE MAGIC OF MACARONS: Draco Malfoy eyed the cookie in front of him with narrowed, skeptical eyes.

5. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: “I’ll need you to repeat that.”

6. WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS: Hermione Granger, in order to avoid Azkaban, stalked her way down the streets of muggle London so she would not murder Rita Skeeter. 

7. A DIFFERENT SORT OF DREAD: Minerva McGonagall would never admit to having a favorite student. 

8. THE PLAN: Hermione Granger had had enough.

9. THE KNIFE: Merlin, this was awkward.

10. DARLING!: Kingsley Shacklebolt was a friend, Hermione reminded herself. She had to keep repeating this to herself as for some reason, Draco Malfoy was seated in the armchair across from her in the lounge next to the Minister’s office. 

So I left a couple things out: drabbles from LDWS, because they feel qualitiatively different as a style, and one of my fave fics of mine, Crime & Punishment, solely because the opening is a recitation of Draco's crimes in transcript form and it's a lot and played with medium. Innocent Monsters was, by that counting, number 11! That's wild, it doesn't feel like I post that much, but it's been 2.5 years since I posted that lil guy.

They're a bit all over the place, but I think the unifying theme here is I usually am trying to establish character/relatability pretty quickly. Relatability and character aren't precisely separate: Hermione is trying not to commit murder, I mean, who hasn't, right? Hermione's at her wit's end. Dying of awkwardness. It strikes the tone and the character's mood while revealing a bit about them.

But, as you move up the list to my two most recent - these are a bit different. I know, as a writer, that I was trying to evoke something of Peter and his betrayal with, 'it didn't happen all at once.' In that sense, it's on brand. This is the tricky thing about fanfic - if itw as OF and we didnt' know anything, it's just a reaction of 'what didn't?' and maybe 'and why do i care that it didn't?" but in fanfic - WHY did this SOB turn from Marauder to Death Eater? And it's Peter's conversational tone I keep throughout.

OaYO reflects its genre - action! - in the prologue. In the opener of Chapter One - a bit of an insistence that, at least from Reg's POV, he really thought he died. (and he did, not a spoiler, it's on the tin of the fic), but it confirms that Regulus thinks so too. It also, I hope, hints at the confusion/disorientation of his return.

Tagging @orangecoluredsky @acanadianmuggle @thebemoon @alptraumdaydream and anyone else who wants to play and hasn’t, already :)