#leftsidedown

[billsfangearring]

Honestly we (@billsfangearring @mblematic and @tahtahfornow) don't even know where to begin introducing @broomsticks right now. Jackie, you are the most AMAZING gift to this whole freaking fandom, like <3<3<3

First of all, you are a super talented writer with SUCH a gift for setting moods and choosing the PERFECT words and publishing so many beautiful, deeply compelling femslash and rarepair and dark fics! There wouldn’t even BE certain tags (Petunia/Angelina??) without you and your gorgeous vivid imagination. You are out here doing the lord’s work and nourishing some seriously underfed circles of hp fandom <3 and all we can say is THANK YOU, thank you, thaaaank you!!!!

Also you put out some amazing content for the tamer/more basic fans among us lol... your wolfstar?? your remadora?? absolute perfection with a side of magical trademark Jackie uniqueness... e.g. wolfstar from Peter’s pov, e.g. “awoo without plot,” e.g. Luna/Ginny in the garden... etc. etc. we could go on for hours. 

And not ONLY are you an amazing fic writer (!!), but you are, we think, THE kindest, most encouraging, most empathetic, most welcoming and genuinely inclusive/inclusivity-committed person we have had the fortune of encountering in this fandom! Ever! And maybe outside of the fandom too lolol.

You put so much effort and so many spoons (YOUR SILVERWARE DRAWER MUST BE SO FULL) into crafting beautiful, meaningful comments on fics that make all the work of writing SO WORTH IT for your lucky recipients, and also into reccing and boosting your fellow fic writers’ work and making us all feel so seen & appreciated & loved. (Umm Mutuals March?? You have been so kind, so generous with your time and energy, really, ohmygosh)! On top of that, you're a brilliant beta and cheerleader during the writing and editing process! You have so much insight and kindness, which combine into something extraordinary. You make us better people just by being your lovely self and sharing that with us – you truly are a rare and beautiful spirit who lights up this entire corner of the internet like a shining sun. 

And. AND. Your love for fandom itself is an inspiration. On top of all of the above, you’ve dedicated so much time since joining us jaded veterans to understanding the fandom community and its history and envisioning how to improve its culture that we all forget you haven’t been here for years! Your passion and curiosity are unmatched, and it's such a privilege to learn from you in Discord discussions, your tumblr posts, and your excellently curated and tagged reblogs on this hellsite. Thank you for your service ;)

[personally i wouldn’t even be here now if not for you so you have my eternal thanks for dragging me into the hellsite <3<3 and also for being your wonderful, wonderful self. – June]  

[I would probably be here but I’d definitely be sadder!! My eternal thanks for making both tumblr & discord a happier zone that I will never ever ever ever be able to leave. I will continue to come to you for advice p much for the rest of my life probs?? Hope you’re ready for THAT moohaha – Molly]

[I would probably still be here too but wouldn’t have written any of my own fics or nerded out quite so hard on all things fandom, so thank you for saving me from that comparatively lame existence. <3 How is it that you’re younger than me but also who I want to be when I grow up? (Don’t answer that.) – Billie]

Thank you for everything you write and everything you do, we love you so much!!!! <3

Fic recs and more below the cut!

FICS

Please check the tags for any content warnings for these fics! Take care of yourselves!

but tonight your hand is steady (James/Lily, T, 2k) – a genius character study of my (Billie's) girl Lily that showcases Jackie’s incredible economy of language without sacrificing its beauty.

the grace unasked for (Remus/Tonks, T, 17.5k) – the oh-so-lovely remadora chaptered fic! Exquisite!

how i met your mother (Fleur/Gilderoy, E, 300) – this is the Lockhart fic we all needed. Why is this canon now? Somebody get JKR on the phone (jk keep JKR away from the good stuff) 

More Than This (Remus/Sirius, T, 3k) – my (June's) fave peter POV wolfstar! Such a well done ace Peter and the clever outsider pov wolfstar makes me insane!

pleasing her (Cho/Parvati, T, 200) – DARK!FIC CHO/PAVARTI incredible. DARK. I sincerely yelled at my computer about this one, it’s incredibly effective. 

Poster of a Girl (Sirius/Bellatrix, M, 2k) – weirdly lovely mind-bendy (for me, Molly) fic with Blackcest (Sirius/Bellatrix) and Sirius experiencing gender dysphoria. 

sooner or later (it's over) (Peter/Regulus, T, 1k) – a reverse-chronological Peter character study with some brutal turns of phrase and an utterly underappreciated ship!

sssister (Astoria/Daphne, M, 300) – “Molly don’t rec snake sex fic AGAIN” I DO WHAT I WANT

incandescence (i see me in you) (Daemon Targaryen/Rhaenyra Targaryen, E, 2.5k) – non-HP but hottttttt HOTD fic!!!

REC LISTS

Please check the tags of the recced fics for content warnings too!

leftsidedown's Collections – we would like to point you to the collections Jackie has been very quietly maintaining on AO3 with themed fic recs on top of all the rec lists she posts on tumblr! 

we love butch lesbians in this house – speaking of tumblr rec lists, Jackie always has the most interesting themes, such as multifandom butch rep…

femslash fic recs: ginny + infidelity – …this incredibly specific topic with multiple fics per pairing…

15 het Remus rare ships – …and further showing off her multishipper chops with these het (gasp!) Remus rare pairs.

halloween-themed wolfstar rec bingo – Jackie also does really fun themed bingo card rec lists, like this Halloween Wolfstar one…

dark fiction halloween rec bingo – …these darker and creepier spooky season recs…

wolfstar autumn rec bingo – …and these recs containing all the fall vibes you could ever wish for!

FANDOM ANALYSIS

What was the HP fandom on AO3 writing in 2022?

more miscellaneous stats for HP fics updated in 2022

wolfstar fandom survey results

atyd fic popularity stats

no. of kudos and age of fic: some very confused stats? – more “popularity” over time stats for fics featuring the biggest hp ships

The Fanfic Maverick: Fanfiction History with Talkin' Fanfic PART TWO – liveblogging a fandom history podcast episode with added links!

Fansplaining: Fan Labor, Fan Consumption – liveblogging a fandom meta podcast episode on fan labor!

--

Whew! We could go on but this post is already very long (thank you for appreciating broomsticks enough to read to the end!) so we'll leave things here. We adore you, Jackie!

Love,

Billie, June, and Molly <3

[sleepstxtic]

I am SCREAMING and CRYING. This was the most incredible, lovely, wonderful, heartwarming thing to wake up to and I feel so emotional. Thank you, thank you so much @broomsticks​ for making this rec list and also just for being such a great friend. I learn from you everyday and I feel so privileged that you like my writing. (Also that I got you to read Drarry, ha!) I adore you so much. Lots of love to you right back <3

@sleepstxtic you lovely beautiful gorgeous amazing human being <3 <3 and the person who got me to read drarry! almost ashamed to confess i’d been in the fandom for aaages and never quite saw the appeal of drarry or muggle au until your writing. it’s soft and tender and lyrical and exciting — all the best of rivals-to-lovers — and each of their backstories and characteristics are perfectly adapted to the AU. each and every one of them is a delight to read, you’re a genius, i adore <3

chess au! The Pirc Defence • drarry • 10k, E -- omg the morning-after softness!!

tennis! The Greatest Game • drarry • 45k, E, holy shittttt that final match!

F1 au! Rush (For A Gap That Exists) • drarry • 42k, M. love the ensemble cast -- cedric! susan! penelope! and that ending, what a nailbiter!

the hurt, the feels: Blame Is Shaped Like A Circle • drarry • 7k, T. i love the POV choice in this.

*so* warm and cozy and lovely: Parvati • 600, G. hindu myths and family feels!

THE HISTORICAL WORLDBUILDING! so impressive. founders gen is truly so undercelebrated and i love the characterization takes in this fic. Strangers In A Strange Land • helga/rowena • 8k, T.

the smut! the humor! the idiots! deLIGHTFUL: Quidditch Stars Oliver Wood and Marcus Flint on Coming Out Together: Exclusive Tell-All (Daily Prophet, August 3rd, 2001) • flintwood • 11k, E.

---

for an explanation of why i just wrote you a whole ~thing~, check out this post & the ‘mutuals march’ tag below!

[sleepstxtic]

🌈🎀🧿 for the really cool writer ask game please! p.s. SO EXCITED for that women of house black fic, that snippet! that premise! narcissa and drarry!!!

Thank you so much!! I am so excited too! There is so much I want to say but I will save it for the fic itself. But in the meantime, thank you so much for the questions!! ❤️❤️

🌈 is there a fic that you worked *really fucking hard on* that no one would ever know? maybe a scene/theme you struggled with?

I'm so glad you asked this because yes, there is! And in fact, I am finally getting done with it in time for @harrypocter's festival of colours fest! So I can't reveal too much about what it is, BUT, the thing I struggled with the most is getting the representation right.

I started this fic sometime last year as one of the first ever things I wrote, but discontinued it because it was getting too big of a project. Not length-wise, I just felt out of my depth. It's a story set in India, and the thing about this country is that it isn't homogenous. It's diverse, and everyone belongs to different communities/castes. And some communities have, historically, oppressed other communities, the socio-economic effects of which are still extremely prevalent today. So when you're attempting to tell stories that come from outside your community, there is an obligation to get it right - especially when the power dynamics of caste come into play.

The story isn't my story, it's an adaptation and I will be crediting the original one, but I've been taking a lot of pains to ensure that I get it right. I may make mistakes (although I sincerely hope I have not) and I'd also like to disclaimer this by saying the research that has to be put in when taking from stories outside one's community, and crediting the community for it, is the bare minimum that everyone should do. (Along with, of course, not profiting off of it - hello elephant whisperers). So yes!! That is something that I'd been struggling with, and I thought no one would get to see it, but now they are, and I'm really excited about it <3

🎀give yourself a compliment about your own writing

This is so sweet gahhh thank you!! One thing I really enjoy about writing is the ideation that comes before it. I've found that I'm very quick to identify stories. I feel like the world is full of stories - in academia, in sports, in activism, in law etc etc etc. I have the "oh this would make a great story" thought so many times a day (hence my ever-growing pile of plunnies) and I love that that is something I can do!

🧿what steps do you take to not take things personally if a fic doesn't do well, or if your writing/posting/sharing experience isn't going how you'd like it to?

This is a really interesting question! I used to write with the objective of reaching as many people and getting as much feedback as possible. That has faded over time, which is why I'm branching out more into gen fic and rarepairs and things like that. But also! I cannot deny that I enjoy engagement and all the wonderfully kind comments people leave me. They make my day! And I'm privileged enough that almost all my fics have done reasonably well in terms of the sharing experience.

But even if a fic doesn't do well, it's balanced out by the feedback I get from all my wonderful betas. Particularly you and @nanneramma!! And your feedback is especially special to me because of how much I respect and admire and love both you and your writing! That kind of gives me the satisfaction of having written something good, even if it doesn't do "well" as such. I also reread my work a lot, and if I come across a particular line or phrase that I really like, that definitely boosts my confidence.

I don't really have a set of rules or habits that I fall back on when a fic doesn't do well. I kind of just take it in stride and focus on the next one? The best part of writing is writing, and soon, I'm so immersed in writing the next fic and enjoying the process that I forget to feel bad about the previous one not doing too well.

This is a wonderful community and people are always cheering on other people and I always feel like there's so much love to go around! So that's mostly how I deal with it all.

Thank you so much for the asks!! <3

[remus-poopin]

do you happen to have any fic recommendations that are well-characterized? (i.e. follow their canon personalities quite faithfully?) :)

Ok I don’t read as much fics as I would like to so I fear that the ones I’m about to recommend are ones I already have before haha.

I have to recommend literally anything by @evesaintyves ! I love the way she writes Lupin so much! He feels so real and gritty while still keeping true to his character. She also writes my favorite version of Tonks!

Couple of my favorites are

“The Rougarou” (Remus/Sirius) Such a good exploration of Remus and his sexuality omg.

And

“It’s just what you do to get by” (Remus/Tonks) Genuinely the best fic I’ve ever read. I love this so so much AHH

Some other Lupin fics I’d recommend:

“Introspective to say the least” and “home for Christmas” by Thecat_iswritting. I feel like @thecat-isblogging-blog gets Lupin’s voice so right it’s crazy

“Toys in the attic” by @ashesandhackles and @thecat-isblogging-blog I feel like I’ve talked about this a thousand times now so I’ll just say if you’re a Sirius and Lupin fan read this

“The grace unasked for” by Leftsidedown. Feels like it could have been in the book because it feels so true to Tonks and Lupin’s characters and voices.

“Of the fallen” by DopeyTheDwarf has a great Hermione and Lupin, and it’s also super sweet!

I’m mostly a Remus fic reader because that’s my girl but I’ll occasionally dabble elsewhere:

I’ve really been enjoying @whinlatter’s Ginny in “beasts”! though this is another one I haven’t finished yet because I’m taking a very long time to read cause I’m enjoying it so much lol

“I hope this comes back to haunt you” by humanveil is a really good Snape fic that @seriousbrat recently recommended!

I talked about this recently but “the last enemy” by CH_Darling and “The darkest days” by betweenfactandbreakfast are two really good marauder era fics that again I’m taking my sweet time to read.

That’s all I have right now, if anyone has any other recommendations pls share!!

[broomsticks]

​hahahaha thank youuuu

for tarot fest, for the following card prompts. one canon wedding, and one technically not non-canon poly femslash ship.

*officiating a wedding* I now pronounce you doomed by the narrative

[hpsaffics]

smut writing guides and resources: an AO3 collection

Collected a bunch of excellent resources -- tumblr and livejournal posts, mostly -- for a Femslash February smut writing workshop on the @hpsaffics discord server, and finally got around to putting it all in an AO3 collection!

Feel free to join the discord (18+) for more discussion and for a multishipping/SALS, sex-positive and supportive community!

A selection of some of them:

day 1: why write smut?

The first rule of writing smut is don’t write smut. by @/letteredlettered

i don’t know why you wouldn’t want to write bad fanfic. that’s the point of it – it’s allowed to be bad. by @/bettsfic

Smut 101: A Tutorial For Beginners by @/pikapeppa

day 2: easing into it

Writing Smut 101: Overcoming Smut Shame by @/slightlyrebelliouswriter23

Mature is ‘and then they made love.’ Explicit is 'and here’s how they did it *exactly*.’ aka the envelope post by @/tinsnip

any tips for writing smut? by @/ao3commentoftheday and others

day 3: characterization & relationship dynamics

Smut 101: Part 2 by d-dangerlove

Smut 102: A tutorial on writing dialogue during sex by @/pikapeppa

Any tips on how to write smut that actually moves the story? by @/ao3commentoftheday and others

day 4: plotting out a scene

Smut 101: Part 3 by d-dangerlove

Essay: The Formula for Writing Sex Scenes by cupidsbow

Sex Writing 101 by @/pasiphile

day 5: getting down to details

The Ultimate Guide to Writing Smut Fic by QuinnAnderson

Smut-Writing for the unSmutty by Vukovich

The Big Book of Writing Sex; A Tactless Resource! by @/RPedia

lesbian smut guide by @/springofviolets

day 6: genderbending & transfic (and omegaverse fic)

day 7: darkfic and kink fic

[collected by @leftsidedown / @broomsticks]

[thistlecatfics]

the grace unasked for by @leftsidedown (17k, T, Remadora)

What if… instead of going to Bill's after the Malfoy Manor, Harry and co. flee to Tonks' parents' house, where Remus and Tonks are hiding with Andromeda? How would Remus and the others react and handle this? Remember, Tonks is in her last trimester, her dad just died, she's still being hunted down by Bellatrix and everyone is in hiding, and suddenly Undesirable No 1 shows up with a tortured Hermione, former hostages and a dead house elf and his presence is now potentially threatening everyone's safety...

I LOVE a "what if this one small thing changed" concept which has both big ripples and also keeps the fundamentals the same - this fic is so deeply rooted in canon and canon characterizations which I just love. Each character (Andromeda, Remus, Tonks especially but also Harry, Ron, and Hermione) is portrayed with such deep flaws and strengths in a way that really honors their humanity.

This has one of my favorite Andromeda portrayals and includes one of my favorite headcanons -

"A memory came flooding back. The letter she'd desperately mailed off: your little boy, your Draco, he must be one now? You must understand, then, dearest sister, I am begging not for myself, only for my daughter. Everything I know, anything I can do—She let herself fall back against the cool wall, and cast her eyes blankly upwards. Ted. I promise, I will protect the only piece of you left to me."

The fic left me with no coherent thoughts but just this deep and echoing respect for grief and purpose and devotion and connection.

For @hprecfest <3

[cailynwrites]

A Very Pairy Christmas Masterlist - 31+ podfics for December

Week 1: ❄️ Snow ❄️

Warmth by @givereadersahug (James x Lily x Severus)

Knitting Hats for Puppies by @arielsakura (Harry x Bill)

Convergence on a Winter's Night by @inmyownlittlecorner5 (Ted Tonks x Severus Snape)

Snowdrifts by @indreamsink (Draco x Hermione)

Sock Snowmen by @givereadersahug (Harry x Severus)

The Great Biscuit Calamity of 1978, And Other Such Disasters by @lunapwrites (Sirius x Remus)

Snowdeer Charms and Concussions by @arielsakura (Tom x Harry)

Week 2: 🎵 Caroling 🎵

Sorry It Took Me So Long by @arielsakura (Luna x Harry)

With Love by @smallsherbert (Pansy x Hermione)

Fast the Night Is Fading by @snapesnailtape (Severus x Lily)

Sing My Song (For You) by @theselittleponders (Rose x Scorpius)

Draco, Merrily on High by @blythe-ly (Draco x Harry)

Remus Lupin and the Christmas Snail by @innermostplanet (Remus Tonks)

Beautiful the rose that in your garden is by porcelainsalt (Luna x Astoria)

Week 3: 🎄 Mistletoe 🎄

'tis the damn season (Pansy's version) by @the-francakes (Ron x Pansy)

Escaping Fred Weasley's Magical Mistletoe by @ptwritesmore (Fred x Hermione)

Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by @siriusly-sapphic (Narcissa x Dorcas)

Mistletoe Rescue by @indreamsink (Draco x Hermione x Theo)

Rocking Around the Christmas Tree by @ptwritesmore (Ron x Daphne)

Festive Mood by @paulamcg (Molly x Amelia)

House Unity by @tryslora (Draco x Neville)

Week 4: 🎁 Gifts 🎁

The Pink Prank/Prankmas Eve by @danpuff-ao3 (Draco x Ron and other pairings)

Fulfilling of the Secret Wish by smirkingcat (Draco x Remus)

Unlocking Christmas Joy by @ptwritesmore (Harry x Hermione)

The Seventh Annual Weasley White Erumpent Exchange by @constitutionalweasleymonarchy (many pairings!)

A Non-Christmas Non-Romance by kelly_chambliss (Snape x McGonagall)

Adeste Fideles by @madmaudlingoes (Draco x Ron)

you make me feel good by @facingthenorthwind (Albus x Scorpius)

Week 5: 🥂 New Year's Eve 🥂

snapshots by kitsunerei88 (Percy x Oliver)

The Enchanted Forest by @xslytherclawx-writes (Neville x Regulus)

A Magical New Year's Masquerade by @ptwritesmore (Draco x Hermione)

This Time Next Year by @janieohio (Draco x Harry)

Bonus: 🕎 Hanukkah 🕎

kindling and memory by @leftsidedown (Fleur x Tonks)

[billsfangearring]

Monthly Fandom Faves: April 2023 (Ten Minute Version) (HP Edition)

Hi everyone,

Sadly I didn't have time to read much this month or properly review (or even comment on) the two Wolfstar fics I did read. However, they're both wonderful so I'm going to list them here for now and link to our beloved @broomsticks's recs instead. I hope to write up my own in May!

Much love,

Billie

To Build a Home by mblematic (@mblematic)

(Remus/Sirius, M, 28k)

1978-1981: Sirius stumbles on something in the woods, Sirius and Remus stumble into each other, everyone stumbles into the war.

Jackie's rec here :)

poppies in october by tahtahfornow (@tahtahfornow)

(Remus/Sirius with secondary Remus/Lily, James/Lily, and Remus/Tonks; M; 19k)

A little half-moon indentation on a patch of green south of Llandeilo, another amongst the densely marked webs of North London. Remus Lupin, Sirius Black. He wouldn’t need magic to follow their footsteps: back and forth, circling, circling around each other. Opposite points of a gravitational orbit. And now here he is again, pulled in like the tide, back to where he started, back to where he left.

Jackie's rec here!

[remuslupinfest]

Author Reveals!

We’re happy to announce it’s finally time for author reveals! Authors: you’re now free to adjust the dates on your works, as well as repost them to other sites. The mod account will be removed as a co-author from AO3 shortly.

A great big thank you to everyone who participated in the fest as an author, commenter, or just a reader.

We’re already excited to do it all over again next year  ♡

REMUS/SIRIUS

Don't Need Another Metaphor (It's Simple Enough) - by magickedpiracy Gnossienne - by jennandblitz Heaven’s Just One Sin Away - by DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes Hidden Desire - by TheHufflebean Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations - by TheQueerTailor my jokes are my armour, my kindness is my sword - by littleoldrachel Pomegranate - by OrangeFlamingo Romance and Adventure - by LuminousGloom Sweet Nothing - by phasesofremoony time will crawl (till our tails fall off) - by stardiver two imperfect souls might touch perfection - by soloorganaas Wanderer’s Soul - by annanotherthing

REMUS/TONKS

Empty Chairs at Empty Tables - by ala_baguette it’s just what you do to get by - by EveSaintYves Our Surprise Metamorphmagus - by Howellatme Sounding Off - by CelesteMagnolia A Third Roommate - by CelesteMagnolia

REMUS/SEVERUS

As You Hit the Wall - by miffmiff Budding Affection - by SafePlaceSnupin Bumps & Bruises> - by multilingualism Dark as the New Moon - by nocturn to witness the beauty of your repair - by leftsidedown

RARE PAIRS

Compliments - by SiriuslySapphic Every Rose Grows Bonny in Time - by stonecoldhedwig From Blossoms - by MeliMess The Gardener's Arms Make Him Feel Alive - by DontStopHerNow The Limits of Patience - by puuvillaa Marked me like a bloodstain - by Patriceavril night of red - by ayebydan Our Ogygia - by zeddmarker pour some sugar on me - by succulent_nurturer Scent of summer snow - by TracingPatterns The Sounds of Us - by Sniper_Jade tie the anchor to our feet and say goodbye - by MKAugust the wolf in the woods - by secondsister You and Me, Moony - by AmethystHeart2421

GEN

Animals - by turanga4 Leave Replacement - by sliebman10 A Long Read - by Tpants A Professor through the eyes of a Werewolf - by Tardis_Magic93 Slay the Beast - by zeddmarker Tangible Hope - by SiriuslySapphic There's No Place Like Home - by EchoOfaWind Things We Do - by Wanderingdonut Tired of Being Alone - by cheyla

[fiendishfyre]

~Fic Feature Friday~

Original concept link Thanks for the reminder @strugglequill (a true fandom hero) ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.

Title: Poster of a Girl (link) Author: LeftSideDown (@broomsticks here!) Fandom: Harry potter Ship(s): Sirius Black/Bellatrix Black Lestrange Rating: Mature CW for Noncon/Underage Summary: It’s not a tragedy that she’s born a boy. Sirius loves all her older sisters, and they accept her too.

I do enjoy me some Black family fics and this one features a trans girl Sirius! ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚. Open fandom tag! @stopme @jmagnabo92 @thistlecatfics @artemisia-black @annabtg @jamesunderwater @everyone else who wants to do this, consider yourself tagged, can even @ me on post you make!

[thistlecatfics]

Jackie!!!!!!

I am verklempt! That banner!!!

Thank you, thank you. My fandom goal is to be known for being very kind to real life people and very cruel to my beloved characters <3 

You are such a gift, such a joy, and I need to get working on that ALOTO fic today <3 <3 <3

And thank you especially for always reccing Icarus -- it’s my favorite ulta-niche fic, and I especially love when it gets attention. 

This is so fucking motivating and makes me want to ignore my actual job this afternoon and just write fic which I think you will like. 

@thistlecatfics absolute queen of there is nothing wrong with you and you are okay i swear i promise and just unconditional love and acceptance.

and also darkfic 🥰

no but seriously. thank you for all the thoughtful comment love, for braving the tiktok waters to bring us such insightful metas, and hoollyyyy shit your fics. i drop everything and run when any of your fics hits my inbox and all! of! you! should! too!!

plotty casefic packed with backstory and societal commentary and lesbians: you will burn right now but then you won't regret it • flonks • 31k, M. so many female characters and they’re ALL given such rich storylines. the black family dynamics would be absolutely show-stealing in any other fic but fleur manages to be just as if not more fascinating in this fic. also, does this fail the reverse bechdel test?? #goals

finding truth and resolution and that one way out of complicated impossible inescapable situations (tbh this is every thistlecat fic): Icarus • pansy/millicent/parvati • 20k, M. the representation in this fic is also IN-FUCKING-CREDIBLE.

marvellous juggling act of a fic: Two Quaffles Pub • cho/ginny • 9k, M. it’s snappy and smart and avoidant and honest and real and so lovely and i legitimately don’t know how you do it. also, this might be one of my favorite snippets i’ve read EVER:

A woman dating another woman? That’s like playing Quidditch with two Quaffles and no Snitch.

QUEEN of the M rating, of writing sex and kink as such fascinating explorations of power dynamics and power exchange! AND such delightfully defiant takes on canon -- and fanon!

Alphard's Favourite • sirius/peter • 5k, M A Rat in the Drawing Room • regulus/peter • 2k, M Acting Out • narcissa/molly • 2k, M Breathless • dorlene • 400, M

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sometimes thistlecat manages something approximating wholesomeness and it is just as good and somehow just as utterly bring-a-tissue:

Silent Garden • daphne/theo • 1k, T. postwar selective mutism daphne. Family Legacy • tedromeda, remadora, tedoire • 2k, T. Three generations of trans/nonbinary/gender questioning Tonks-Lupins.

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thistlecat’s humor, too, so underrated:

A Farewell Letter • wolfstar • 500, M, Sirius uses a Quick Quotes Quill to let his parents know he's, er, leaving! Height Difference • wolfstar • 500, G SETTLING this age-old fandom debate once and for all! Good Chat • wolfstar/jily/dorlene • 200, E. every! single! word!!

It was a planned action against heteronormativity and a complex statement about the exploitation of reality tv. Alternatively, the islanders were horny and bored.

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literally wrote the goddamn meta on it: Fanfiction as an Arts-Based Trauma Therapy Modality. mandatory reading for anyone who uses fic as personal trauma processing!

speaking of which, i’m gonna necro your uquiz 😂 what ~problematique~ trope are you?

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for an explanation of why i just wrote you a whole ~thing~, check out this post & the ‘mutuals march’ tag below!

[sleepstxtic]

rules: google “[your favorite season] + [your favorite color] + aesthetic", select four (or more) pictures and create a personalized moodboard. (Pinterest works even better)

thank you so much for the tag! @yoellglia i had so much fun with this <3

we only have two seasons in india: summer and the monsoon, so i kind of cheated and made a mood board for both. (sorry! i couldn’t resist)

Orange Indian Summer

Green-Grey Indian Monsoon

Tagging (no pressure!) @crazybutgood @curlyy-hair-dont-care @leftsidedown @ashesandhackles @turanga4 @abihastastybeans and anyone else who would like to do this! Seriously, I’d love to see what everyone comes up with <3

[lumosatnight]

5 Underrated Ships (+ recs)

All of these ship asks have been making me scroll through my fics list, and I've realized there are some ships that I just really vibe with but probably no one will ever ask me about. So, I'm forcing them on you instead! Mwuahaha. Here are 5 underrated ships with fics recs!!

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1. Bellatrix/Molly (Mollytrix)

Canonically speaking, Molly and Bellatrix attended Hogwarts at the same time, most likely even in the same year. Just imagine Gryffindor!Molly striking up a friendship with Slytherin!Bellatrix. Now imagine that spanning years and years. Imagine Molly being devastated when she has to break things off because "Bella's been spending just a little too much time talking about joining a cult." Imagine years and years pass and Bellatrix sees Ginny on the battlefield. "She looks just like her, the one who left her, the one who abandoned her." Molly personally killing Bellatrix in the BOH seemed awfully personal, I'm just saying.

My ship rating: Mollywobbles Bellabobbles

My fic rec: The Melted Water Can Harden Again by ReasonPapers [M, 4.3k]

Bellatrix Black is distracted from her infatuation with her sister when her advanced studies couple her with a witch her equal-- Molly Prewett.

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2. Tom/Myrtle (Tyrtle)

This was brought up the other day in the HPFC server, and I was reminded how much I absolutely adore this pairing. Why did Myrtle have to die? Tom, especially at the age of 16, seemed particularly selective with his kills. I do not believe for a single second that Myrtle just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I think they had history. Probably one-sided, probably very unhealthy, but I believe she was more than just a passing annoyance to Tom.

My ship rating: slow and steady wins the race

My fic rec: Snake Eyes by @diana-skye [M, 1.4k]

There’s a single moment, between yellow eyes and nothingness, where she remembers. [Or - What if Myrtle wasn't a random victim of Tom Riddle? What if he was someone she knew, even someone she loved?]

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3. Lucius/Arthur (Luthur)

The bookshop scene in CoS has too much tension for Lucius and Arthur not to have a complicated past. They got in a full-on brawl in the middle of the bookstore with both their families present. Look me in the face and tell me there isn't something else going on there. An unrequited love? A past hook-up? Lingering feelings? Something. Anything.

My ship rating: "Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.

My fic rec: The Seduction of Arthur Weasley by Farbautidottir [M, 15.8]

After Lucius Malfoy goads Arthur Weasley into a brawl at Flourish and Blotts, both men find themselves stuck on their mutual memory of the night they spent together in 1967, before the Wizarding War began. But Lucius wants more than just a memory.

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4. Narcissa/Charity (Charcissa)

I'm actually a huge fan of Charity and a lot of characters (Charity/Severus, Charity/Draco, Charity/Hogwarts professor), but something about being trapped in the Malfoy's manor and strung up above the Malfoy's table makes Charity/Narcissa extra special. Narcissa being in her own home and having absolutely no power to stop Voldemort from staining her dining room table. Delicious angst.

My ship rating: let me in!!!!

My fic rec: charity begins at home by @leftsidedown [M, 200]

It ends there, at any rate. or: Narcissa has always been greedy.

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5. Luna/Theo (LoveNott)

I personally headcannon Luna and Theo as kind of the oddballs in their houses. Luna is a Ravenclaw, sure. She's witty and clever and smart (albeit not in the usual test-taking way), but she's also flighty and prone to delusion and weird (yes, she's super weird and we love her for that). We don't know much about Theo, but I picture him as quiet and nerdy and a little bit of a pushover. With such strong personalities, such as Draco and Pansy in your house, someone's gotta be the meek one. But he's also reluctant to follow someone blindly. He's reluctant to dedicate himself to a cause that he really doesn't know that much about. I love the idea of Luna and Theo getting into ethical debates. Luna shows more care to magical creatures than Theo has seen Death Eaters show to fellow wizards. Luna is weird and wild and unpredictable, which is the complete opposite of what Theo has always known, and he likes it.

My ship rating: I'm not Nott in love

My fic rec: littler dazzler, little song by @vesperics [T, 3.6k]

His mouth tastes like vinegar and his skull is nearly vibrating with pain and Luna Lovegood is sitting beside him like some sort of strange guardian, flower-bound headband and bare feet and all.

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Tagging cuz I'm interested but also you definitely don't need to provide recs: @bleepbloopbotz, @schmem14, @indigo-scarf, @naurcissamilfoy, @siriusly-sapphic, @peachpety

[saintsenara]

If your still taking emoji game asks, I’ll go for 👍 💌 👽 You recs are always divine!

thank you so much for the ask, anon - i am definitely still taking asks for this game :)

👍🏽 a fic you bookmarked recently

beasts by @whinlatter 

harry potter/ginny weasley teen | 80k words

why i recommend it:

i am - obviously - on the record as not a hinny girly, but whinlatter is one of the few people able to convince me of the pairing. this is because she’s a beautiful writer, but it’s mainly - and i think this is incredibly important - because she writes the stars of the show as actually funny. there seems to be a real tendency in "how is the world rebuilt after the war?" fics to make everything unstoppably angsty, with lots of therapy-speak processing of trauma. and that never hits for me, largely because it’s not something i can picture harry "what’s a coping mechanism?" potter and friends being willing to do.

beasts instead gets the vibe completely right - teenagers without all the answers muddling through as best as they can, which always seems to result in them choosing the stupidest [and funniest] option. harry is both self-isolating and self-righteous, hermione is brittle and very loyal, ron is the only one with any emotional stability, mcgonagall has had enough, and ginny is - to quote the author herself - written like scrappy do.

which isn’t to say that this fic isn’t angsty - it is, at heart, an exploration both of how ginny deals with being back at hogwarts in 1998-99 when the castle is filled with memories she’d rather not have to think about every day, and of how the end of voldemort doesn’t magically mean an end to the astonishing corruption in wizarding society. 

it also has an acceptable amount of hits if you control + f "riddle". so there’s that.

👽 a fic that isn’t prose (poetry, text fic, etc.)

no amount of therapy can help by @the-wig-is-a-metaphor

harry potter/tom riddle | voldemort general 

why i recommend it:

because it makes me shriek.

harrymort youtuber au? it's likelier than you think.

💌 a fic that inspired you to create something for it

this is cheating, because it’s not a specific fic, but @broomsticks [who you will know as leftsidedown on ao3] inspires me a great deal. she is absolutely committed to multi-shipping [and especially to femslash multishipping] in a way which is really quite rare now, as well as to exploring the full spectrum - from fluff to filth to filthy fluff - we can write our characters into. plus, she’s a fandom history encyclopedia, and one of the few people on earth apparently willing to do statistical analysis of harry potter fanfiction for fun. she also gives great prompts, which have led to two of my favourite pieces of my own work: enchanter’s nightshade and the three sisters.

and three pieces of hers you should try: the best of us | in another life | for everything a season