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hollowed-theory-hall · 8 months ago

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Any thoughts on the mystery behind the Veil of Death and the three brothers?

ana-lyz: So... What does it mean to be the Master of Death in HP universe? And like what does being MOD mean specifically for Harry?

Okay, funny thing is I got the first of your asks like an hour after I added to my drafts a post titled "Master of Death", so I was just thinking about it. And then I started answering it and you sent the second ask, so, great minds think alike, I guess.

Long post ahead:

The Veil, Death, and its Master

I'm going to cover what we know from the books, my opinions on it, and some of my evidence-based headcanons, since there is a lot of speculation on my part.

The Afterlife and the Veil

So, I wanna talk a bit about death, as it appears in the Harry Potter books. We know an afterlife exists in the HP world both when Harry dies and when he speaks to Nearly Headless Nick after Sirius dies.

I want to start with the scene in Deathly Hallows in the King's Cross limbo. Specifically these few sections:

Barely had the wish formed in his head than robes appeared a short distance away. He took them and put them on. They were soft, clean, and warm. It was extraordinary how they had appeared just like that, the moment he had wanted them. . . . He stood up, looking around. Was he in some great Room of Requirement?

(DH, 596)

“Where are we, exactly?” “Well, I was going to ask you that,” said Dumbledore, looking around. “Where would you say that we are?” Until Dumbledore had asked, Harry had not known. Now, however, he found that he had an answer ready to give. “It looks,” he said slowly, “like King’s Cross station. Except a lot cleaner and empty, and there are no trains as far as I can see.” “King’s Cross station!” Dumbledore was chuckling immoderately. “Good gracious, really?” “Well, where do you think we are?” asked Harry, a little defensively. “My dear boy, I have no idea. This is, as they say, your party.”

(DH, 601)

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?” Dumbledore beamed at him, and his voice sounded loud and strong in Harry’s ears even though the bright white mist was descending again, obscuring his figure. “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?

(DH, 610)

I don't think this place Harry was in is the Afterlife, or even connected to the Afterlife. I think it is in Harry's head. Harry having complete control over it, actually calling it out as behaving like the Room of Requirement, Dumbledore not knowing where they are until Harry knows where they are, etc. All this doesn't fit with it being a limbo on the way to death and the figure there being the real Dumbledore. Dumbledore, throughout this scene, acts kind of strange, way more helpful and finally says all the right things Harry wants to hear.

Not-Dumbledore himself tells Harry he already knows everything he explains to him:

“Explain,” said Harry. “But you already know,” said Dumbledore. He twiddled his thumbs together

(DH, 597)

So, I truly believe it isn't really happening. That this isn't death and it isn't Dumbledore. throughout the scene, Dumbledore doesn't actually give Harry new information Harry couldn't guess on his own. He's just going over things Harry already knew and creating a nice narrative out of them. At some points, he asks Harry what he thinks, and only starts explaining once Harry knows the answer (or what he wants the answer to be). I think this is Harry's subconscious coping and not actual death.

Additionally, there's the disturbing baby Voldemort thing. Now, the real Voldemort is still alive, so contrary to what Not-Dumbledore says, it isn't actually Tom Riddle:

“Oh yes!” said Dumbledore. “Yes, he destroyed it. Your soul is whole, and completely your own, Harry.” “But then . . . ” Harry glanced over his shoulder to where the small, maimed creature trembled under the chair. “What is that, Professor?” “Something that is beyond either of our help,” said Dumbledore

(DH, 598)

What I believe it is, is the soul in the Horcrux in Harry. Separated from Harry's own soul within his mind. That's the only thing it can be, in my opinion. I don't believe the soul shards in the Horcruxes could pass into an afterlife, or even to limbo. They were created to be bound to life and passing away is against their very nature (unless, maybe, if you throw them through the veil).

Besides all these oddities in the scene, it just doesn't make sense for Dumbledore to be there. Nearly Headless Nick gives some insight about death and the Afterlife:

“He will not come back,” repeated Nick quietly. “He will have . . . gone on.” “What d’you mean, ‘gone on’?” said Harry quickly. “Gone on where? Listen — what happens when you die, anyway? Where do you go? Why doesn’t everyone come back? Why isn’t this place full of ghosts? Why — ?” “I cannot answer,” said Nick. “You’re dead, aren’t you?” said Harry exasperatedly. “Who can answer better than you?” “I was afraid of death,” said Nick. “I chose to remain behind. I sometimes wonder whether I oughtn’t to have . . . Well, that is neither here nor there. . . . In fact, I am neither here nor there. . . .” He gave a small sad chuckle. “I know nothing of the secrets of death, Harry, for I chose my feeble imitation of life instead. I believe learned wizards study the matter in the Department of Mysteries —”

(OotP, 861)

From the way Nick speaks, ghosts are caught between life and death, part of them remains among the living while the rest moves on. Ghosts live in limbo, unable to be alive or dead. From his words, it also implies the properly dead, those who chose to move on, stay dead. They stay gone.

If that's the case, how could Dumbledore come to greet Harry in limbo? He's dead, truly gone, and death has no exceptions. There is no reason Dumbledore could speak to Harry in limbo and his parents won't. Once you're dead, you reach the afterlife and there you stay.

So I don't think the white King's Cross in Harry's death vision was connected to the afterlife, nor was it the real Dumbledore there. So, what is the actual afterlife?

Well, we don't really know. But, I can cover what we do know about the nature of death in the HP universe.

From Nick's words, the afterlife is the better option, than becoming a ghost. Nick describes ghosts as imprints left behind, but imprints of what specifically?

I talked about this already when I discussed how to make Horcruxes, but in alchemy, everything is comprised of three things:

Sulfur - soul

Mercury - spirit (that binds the body and the soul)

Salt - body

A ghost doesn't have a body, and we know all that moves on to the afterlife is one's soul. Therefore, it stands to reason ghosts are an imprint of a soul, while the spirit leaves at the moment of death. That's what an Avada Kedavra does, it removes the spirit, the connection between the body and the soul. That's how it kills instantly and without a trace.

So, when someone passes into the afterlife, it's their soul that passes away.

What about the echoes of Harry's parents and Cedric in Voldemort's wand during the duel in the graveyard?

Well, they're dead, they moved on, so it can't be their soul. The figures aren't even described the same way as ghosts or diary Tom, figures we know are made of souls:

and then something much larger began to blossom from Voldemort’s wand tip, a great, grayish something, that looked as though it were made of the solidest, densest smoke. . . . It was a head . . . now a chest and arms . . . the torso of Cedric Diggory. the dense shadow of a second head, If ever Harry might have released his wand from shock, it would have been then, but instinct kept him clutching his wand tightly, so that the thread of golden light remained unbroken, even though the thick gray ghost of Cedric Diggory (was it a ghost? it looked so solid) emerged in its entirety from the end of Voldemort’s wand, as though it were squeezing itself out of a very narrow tunnel . . . and this shade of Cedric stood up, and looked up and down the golden thread of light, and spoke.

(GoF, 665-666)

Their bodies are buried, and Cedric's is just lying there, neither are they physical enough to be bodies. I believe this is their spirit. Remember what I said about the Killing Curse just now, it severs the tie, and as such, it keeps the spirit. So, Harry is speaking to his parents' spirit, the echoes of their lives, not souls.

Now, let's talk about the veil. The veil is one of the most fascinating things introduced in the books, and the way it is introduced is fascinating on its own, but that's for later. The veil is a physical archway into the world of the dead.

The concept of such an entrance exists in multiple mythologies. In Greek mythology, many heroes (Odysseus, Orpheus, Heracles, Theseus, etc.) all travel through the underworld in one way or another, this is why the hero's journey goes through the underworld, it's very common. In Mesopotamian mythology, Gilgamesh and Ishtar both travel to the underworld. The point is, a gateway into the afterlife you can travel through, is a concept humanity has been toying with for millennia.

What's interesting is that, like Thestrals, those who've seen death (Harry, Luna, and Neville) can hear whispers from it. They experience it differently from others who haven't witnessed death (Ron, Hermione, and Ginny) who feel unnerved by it (although, Neville and Luna react differently from Harry, but more on that later). Not much more can be said about it, except that unlike all these gates into the underworld from myths, the veil is meant to be a one-way ticket.

In general, the afterlife in the Wizarding World is a one-way passage. Once you're gone, you're gone. Hence the closest thing to proper necromancy they have is creating inferi, which are soulless since the soul can't be pulled back from the afterlife.

The veil was also there before the Ministry of Magic, which was built around it. My guess is that some ancient wizards made it, and how or why were forgotten over time.

As the Peverell brothers were born around the 1210s and the Ministry of Magic was founded in 1707, it's possible, that the same Peverells from the story have built the veil. I actually think it's quite likely.

Death Himself

The idea of death personified is just as old and prevalent in many myths and cultures as a gateway leading into the afterlife. Whether Death, as a being, exists in the Wizarding World, I'm uncertain, but I don't think it's likely.

God-like spirits like Death feel out of place in the world in a way. Like, having a pantheon of gods feels wrong for the world of Harry Potter. It feels out of place with the established lore and magic. We don't see any evidence of wizarding society having any kind of unique religion in which such beings exist. Death, in the tale, is also described as similar to a dementor, making the idea that the author based Death's appearance on that of a dementor plausible.

That being said, Death's similarity to dementors could be the other way around. As in, the dementors look like death because of their connection to him. And, Death from the Tale doesn't really act like a god. How he behaves and is spoken of in the Tale of the Three Brothers reminds me a lot of a fae-like creature. Like, a powerful being who's a trickster that twists your wishes into something that he can use against you.

However I look at it, I still don't feel a being like this would fit in the world of Harry Potter, it feels wrong to add gods (or fae) in there. We don't see any hint that such beings might exist, which makes me feel they don't. So, I don't really think a personification of Death as appearing in the tale actually exists, but they do have an afterlife, as established above.

The Peverells and the Hallows

So we all know the legend about the three Peverell brothers who cheated death and received his gifts. Dumbledore (the one Harry imagines in his death fever dream) is certain it went down a little differently. That the tale is to explain incredibly powerful magical artifacts made by extraordinary wizards:

“Oh yes, I think so. Whether they met Death on a lonely road . . . I think it more likely that the Peverell brothers were simply gifted, dangerous wizards who succeeded in creating those powerful objects. The story of them being Death’s own Hallows seems to me the sort of legend that might have sprung up around such creations.

(DH, 602)

While it's not really Dumbledore and more Harry's own mind, I agree with him the Peverell brothers were probably no run-of-the-mill wizards, and I agree it's unlikely they've met Death, as I don't believe he exists.

Now, all the Hallows have a sentience to them beyond just any magical artifact. Even the wand is more sentient than any other wand, which are already quite sentient ("the wand chooses the wizard").

The wand of the first brother is a Hallow I already wrote about how it chooses its master. It is a wand intrinsically connected with death, having a core of Thestral hair. (I wonder if a core from a Thestral would agree to work for a wizard who hasn't seen death, but I digress)

This wand is actually the least impressive Hallow, in my opinion. Even though it said to be unbeatable:

Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor

(DH, 352)

Its user is beaten quite often, that's how the wand changes owners, after all. This wand's tendency for even more sentience than other wands is what is particularly unique about it. How it chooses its master repeatedly, and sometimes even decides it prefers another over its current master, something unheard of for any other wand.

The Resurrection Stone has the supposed ability to pull a soul imprint from the afterlife:

“Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered.

(DH, 352)

Something that I just discussed above should be impossible. Once dead and in the afterlife, nothing comes back out. Harry uses it as well for the same purpose and describes them as being similar to Tom from the diary:

They were neither ghost nor truly flesh, he could see that. They resembled most closely the Riddle that had escaped from the diary so long ago, and he had been memory made nearly solid. less substantial than living bodies, but much more than ghosts, they moved toward him, and on each face, there was the same loving smile.

(DH, 589)

Because that's what the stone brings back, echoes of souls, but they aren't what Tom Riddle was in CoS.

“We are part of you,” said Sirius. “Invisible to anyone else.”

(DH, 590)

This line, made me believe the resurrection stone does something different than its name suggests and more similar to the lie Tom in the diary told Harry. They aren't souls, they're memories, echoes from within Harry himself. "Memory made solid"

Magic, in the world of Harry Potter, can't bring back someone who has moved on to the afterlife. It's a one-way ticket, as I've established before, once your soul moves on, that's it (if you try to resurrect someone immediately after they died and their soul hasn't yet moved on it's a different story). So I think, these shades are based on Harry's memories, and not actual souls brought back. It'll make more sense magically since his thoughts and memories are there, but the souls have gone on.

It also makes the tale of the second brother make more sense. He suffered because it wasn't really his wife that came back, but a shade based on his own memory. The tale said that she suffered, but I think it was Cadmus who suffered, not truly having her back. However, depending on how she died, her suffering might've been his memories of her that the stone resurrected, or the tale made it all up just like it made up Death.

The stone is just as picky about its master as the wand. It does not seem to have worked for anyone other than Cadmus Peverell and Harry himself. We don't hear of any Gaunts who used the stone, nor do we hear from Dumbledore he succeded in using it (I don't think it's actually Dumbledore in the conversation in King's Cross as I mentioned above). Regardless, I think the real Dumbledore probably did try to use it, and I will hazard a guess he failed. Since the stone didn't choose him.

The Cloak is unique in many ways. Lasting centuries, way longer than any invisibility cloak can, passing from parent to child for generations. It also does a better job of concealing you than another invisibility cloak, if, it still has its limits:

“...We are talking about a cloak that really and truly renders the wearer completely invisible, and endures eternally, giving constant and impenetrable concealment, no matter what spells are cast at it. How many cloaks have you ever seen like that, Miss Granger?”

(DH, 354)

The cloak is similar to the other Hallows in how picky it is regarding its master. The cloak wouldn't belong to anyone who just possesses it, it's not enough. It has to be passed willingly on the owner's deathbed, as they greet death as an old friend. It means that in the books, no one but Harry could be its owner.

All artifacts are powerful, but they aren't capable of anything that breaks the laws of nature (as the stone doesn't really resurrect), they are also sentient and picky, but it isn't something beyond the capacity of wizards. Why, we know of four wizards who made three sentient magical artifacts already — The Hogwarts founders.

The four founders enchanted the sorting hat together, but more relevant to the discussion of the Hallows are the Book of Admittance and the Quill of Acceptance.

At the precise moment that a child first exhibits signs of magic, the Quill, which is believed to have been taken from an Augurey, floats up out of its inkpot and attempts to inscribe the name of that child upon the pages of the Book (Augurey feathers are known to repel ink and the inkpot is empty; nobody has ever managed to analyse precisely what the silvery fluid flowing from the enchanted Quill is). Those few who have observed the process (several headmasters and headmistresses have enjoyed spending quiet hours in the Book and Quill’s tower, hoping to catch them in action) agree that the Quill might be judged more lenient than the Book. A mere whiff of magic suffices for the Quill. The Book, however, will often snap shut, refusing to be written upon until it receives sufficiently dramatic evidence of magical ability.

(from pottermore)

The idea of multiple sentient, powerful magical artifacts that need to agree is something wizards are capable of. And that, I think, is the secret to becoming the Master of Death — having all 3 Hallows pick you. Just like the book and quill need to agree a student should be admitted to Hogwarts.

Master of Death

Or more specifically what does that actually mean and why I think even if someone retrieved all 3 Hallows they wouldn't have become the Master of Death if their name isn't Harry James Potter.

This is definitely more in the headcanon territory, but the first scene that really made me think about it is the one in the Death Chamber in the Department of Mysteries. Because I think Harry and death always had a weird connection, it might've been around before the failed killing curse, and it was definitely around before Harry mastered all 3 Hallows.

So, why do I think Harry was always bound to be the Master of Death, and even if Dumbledore or Voldemort had all the Hallows it wouldn't have helped them?

There, are a few things that led me to this conclusion.

First, as I mentioned above, the cloak can not belong to anyone other than Harry in the books. It means that no one but Harry could master all of the Deathly Hallows, regardless of what they did.

Second, This first scene in the Death Chamber with the veil. I'll copy parts of it below and ask you to note, as you read, that Harry, Neville, and Luna are the only three who can see Thestrals and therefore should react more to the veil:

“Who’s there?” said Harry, jumping down onto the bench below. There was no answering voice, but the veil continued to flutter and sway. “Careful!” whispered Hermione. ... He had the strangest feeling that there was someone standing right behind the veil on the other side of the archway. ... “Let’s go,” called Hermione from halfway up the stone steps. “This isn’t right, Harry, come on, let’s go. . . .” She sounded scared, much more scared than she had in the room where the brains swam, yet Harry thought the archway had a kind of beauty about it, old though it was. The gently rippling veil intrigued him; he felt a very strong inclination to climb up on the dais and walk through it. “Harry, let’s go, okay?” said Hermione more forcefully. “Okay,” he said, but he did not move. He had just heard something. There were faint whispering, murmuring noises coming from the other side of the veil. “What are you saying?” he said very loudly, so that the words echoed all around the surrounding stone benches. “Nobody’s talking, Harry!” said Hermione, now moving over to him. “Someone’s whispering behind there,” he said, moving out of her reach and continuing to frown at the veil. “Is that you, Ron?” “I’m here, mate,” said Ron, appearing around the side of the archway. “Can’t anyone else hear it?” Harry demanded, for the whispering and murmuring was becoming louder; without really meaning to put it there, he found his foot was on the dais. “I can hear them too,” breathed Luna, joining them around the side of the archway and gazing at the swaying veil. “There are people in there!” .... “Sirius,” Harry repeated, still gazing, mesmerized, at the continuously swaying veil. “Yeah . . .” ... On the other side, Ginny and Neville were staring, apparently entranced, at the veil too.

(OotP, 773-775)

The interesting to note:

Luna, who can see Thestrals, also hears the whispering. I assume Neville does too.

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny are mesmerized but unnerved by the veil. Ron and Hermione seem to fight this memorization in their fear for Harry as he nears the veil.

Harry is the only one who is drawn to the veil He is the only one that moved, the only one whose feet take him against his will to the dias with the veil.

Harry thinks of it as oddly beautiful.

He has an urge to pass through that no one else does. All of them are frozen in place.

Harry is so affected he needs to be reminded twice that he's there to save Sirius before he can draw himself away from the veil.

Third, later in the book, after Sirius fell through the veil, there's this part:

He had reached the floor, his breath coming in searing gasps. Sirius must be just behind the curtain, he, Harry, would pull him back out again. . . . But as he reached the ground and sprinted toward the dais, Lupin grabbed Harry around the chest, holding him back. “There’s nothing you can do, Harry —” “Get him, save him, he’s only just gone through!” “It’s too late, Harry —” “We can still reach him —” Harry struggled hard and viciously, but Lupin would not let go. . . . “There’s nothing you can do, Harry . . . nothing. . . . He’s gone.”

(OotP, 806)

Harry's instinct to go through the veil to get Sirius out is so odd. The way he thinks that he himself can pull him out, not anyone else, but he... I don't know, but, this scene is interesting. It almost makes me feel Harry could pull Sirius back out. He defied death already once and will defy it again in the 7th book, so why not? Why wouldn't he be able to pull someone back from beyond the veil if they fell through just now (the timing is relevant, I don't think Hary could pull, say, his parents out).

My headcanon is that in that very moment if Lupin let Harry pull Sirius out, it would've worked. Caused a pandemonium about the fact Harry can apparently resurrect the dead (even if it's not really what he did), but that it would've worked. (I actually really want to write a fic like this)

Fourth, throughout the 7th book, once Harry finds out about the Hallows, he can't let the thought go. He knows his cloak is one, he is convinced the stone is in the snitch Dumbledore left him, way before he opened it. He just has a sense about it, and a fixation on it that's almost instinct:

Dumbledore had left the sign of the Hallows for Hermione to decipher, and he had also, Harry remained convinced of it, left the Resurrection Stone hidden in the golden Snitch. Neither can live while the other survives. . . master of Death. . . Why didn’t Ron and Hermione understand? “‘The last enemy shall be destroyed is death,”’ Harry quoted calmly

(DH, 374-375)

So, these are my reasons why I believe Harry is the only character in the books that could or would be the MOD. It's just that he always was, in a way. The Hallows already chose him before he ever held any of them.

But what does it mean to be the Master of Death?

“Well, of course not,” said Xenophilius, maddeningly smug. “That is a children’s tale, told to amuse rather than to instruct. Those of us who understand these matters, however, recognize that the ancient story refers to three objects, or Hallows, which, if united, will make the possessor master of Death.” ... “When you say ‘master of Death’—” said Ron. “Master,” said Xenophilius, waving an airy hand. “Conqueror. Vanquisher. Whichever term you prefer.”

(DH, 353)

We don't really get much besides this. Along with what's written on James and Lily's grave:

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

(DH, 283)

Harry believes all phrases, along with the prophecy are connected and lead him to believe he should become the Master of Death:

Three objects, or Hallows, which, if united, will make the possessor master of Death. . . Master. . . Conqueror. . . Vanquisher. . . The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. . . . And he saw himself, possessor of the Hallows, facing Voldemort, whose Horcruxes were no match. . . Neither can live while the other survives. . . Was this the answer?

(DH, 369-370)

So what can the Master of Death do? Death isn't a personified deity, what is defeating or contouring death mean? Does it mean immortality?

I don't know if I'll say full immortality, I think the Master of Death can die the same way Ignotus Peverell did. I think Ignotus Peverell was the first Master of Death, in a way, he at least represented the concept:

And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life

(DH, 352)

He was death's equal, he could escape it and live a fulfilling life, before choosing to meet Death on his own terms. I think that's what it means, that Death won't find Harry until he is ready to move on, and when he finally chooses to move on, Death would greet him with open arms.

The crux of it is the choice. That death can't touch you until you choose to allow it. And those who become Masters of Death, would always eventually choose to greet death, as these are the type of people the 3 Hallows would choose. It's all about choices.

(For the record, yes, I think there could be more than one MOD, I think Ignotus was until his death, and then in the books, Harry is)

And considering how much emphasis is put on choices and intentions in the magic of this world, it seems only right to be so relevant here too.

Like with the Mirror or Erised, which only let someone who wanted to have the Philosopher's Stone but not use it, have it; the Hallows won't choose a master who wouldn't, eventually, be willing to accept death. Because mastering death, isn't only not dying, it's understanding it, and accepting it. Both the deaths of others and eventually your own.

Also, as I mentioned above, I headcanon that Harry could pull Sirius out the moment he fell in through the veil. I don't think anyone but Harry could. I believe, as a Master of Death, Harry is the only wizard (well, being) that can go into the afterlife, walk past the veil, and come back out. A Master of Death is the only one who the afterlife isn't a one-way ticket for.

(Although, I think it's possible that if you wear the invisibility cloak you might be able to pass into the veil and come out even without being the MOD, but, I wouldn't bet on it)

Summary of my thoughts

The afterlife exists in the Wizarding World and nothing that passes beyond the veil can return. It's a one-way ticket.

The scene in Deathly Hallows with Dumbledore in King's Cross station limbo didn't actually happen.

Death, as a deity of sorts most likely doesn't exist.

The Peverell brothers were powerful wizards who made the Deathly Hallows and perhaps the veil too.

The Resurrection stone can't bring a soul back from beyond the veil so it does the next best thing — reviving an illusion of a memory.

All 3 Deathly Hallows are very sentient magical artifacts like the sorting hat. Each of them is very picky when choosing its own master.

When all 3 Hallows choose the same master, this person is the Master of Death.

Being the Master of Death means the MOD won't die until the time of their choice. But the MOD will always choose to die eventually because that's the kind of person the Hallows would pick.

There can, over time, be more than one MOD (not at the same time though). And it's possible Ignotus Peverell was one, in a way.

The MOD might be the only person who can go into the veil and come back out.

The invisibility cloak might also allow you to make a trip into the veil and then back out.

#harry potter #hp #harry potter thoughts #hp thoughts #harry potter theory #hp theory #hollowedtheory #wizarding world #asks #death harry potter #Peverell brothers #hollowedheadcanon #deathly hallows #master of death #hp magical theory

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thelonelyfairy · 2 months ago

Text

Remember Me

Chapter 3

Leon x Reader (oc)

Masterlist CH2 CH4

As expected, Lyz didn’t let it go so easily once the two of you arrived home, a bad idea on your end of holding it off till tomorrow.

"We’re gonna be exposing ourselves. We don’t need the monetary reward either, I've already saved enough from Alola," you insist. Considering how crowded the cities are, the likelihood of someone recognizing you is too high for comfort.

“We have nothing to do here! I want to travel and explore more people here outside of Alola. Don’t you?” Lyz continues before you’re given the chance to answer.

“And what if you win and become Champion? You’ll be able to stop Team Rocket!”

“That’s not going to happen, mom was stronger than me, even if I become Champion, I won’t be able to take down Team Rocket.”

“Can you just tell Leon? I don’t know why you’re even hiding yourself from him in the first place, he’s the World Champion and he’s able to stop them! He’ll do anything for you!”

“And risk his life and this region?”

Knock, knock.

You press a finger to your lips, gesturing for silence before striding towards the window, where you find Leon, unmistakable in his Champion attire, wearing his customary crown SnapBack, a jersey that outlines his muscular physique, and his signature cape adorned with sponsor logos trailing behind him.

You swing the door open, greeting Leon with a smile as he awkwardly returns it, accompanied by Hop, who pops out from behind, waving enthusiastically.

"I have some... news," Leon begins. "Mind if we come in?"

"Of course, come on in. What's wrong?" you ask, offering comfort as the brothers step into your home.

Leon removes his SnapBack, running a hand over his forehead, clearly showing signs of stress.

"Wait, Lee, what's going on?" Hop asks, his worries settling in.

"There’s something I have to show you all, mind gathering around to take a look?" Leon requests.

Your heart skips a beat. ‘Does he know?’

The three of you gather around the dining table with Leon's phone set up, displaying a video of Chairman Rose in his office, overlooking the breathtaking skyline of Wyndon through the window behind him.

"Good morning, Gym Challengers! I've gathered you here today to share some important news," the Chairman begins, his face eerily cast in shadow by the bright sky behind him as he addresses the camera.

“We apologize for the sudden notice a day before the start of the Gym Challenge, but starting from today and moving forward, we’ll be implementing a new system.”

‘That’s it? That’s what he was worried about?’

“Resources will be unavailable to Gym Challengers. Instead, you’ll have to rely on your audience, your sponsors, to assist you in your journey. You’ll be given a chance to interview us to impress them. And, you can count on our League Staff to distribute supplies throughout the Wild Area, but obtaining them won't be simple without engaging in battles.”

“We’ll also be adding a strict elimination policy, you’ll only be given one chance of defeat. After that, consider yourself eliminated and hope for the best next year,” he shrugs with a faint smile.

“Think of this as a test of trial and error for what the future holds. Your endorser will provide further information. Best of luck to this year's Gym Challengers!” The Macro Cosmo logo appears before the video ends.

"The Gym Challenge was meant to be a fun and competitive game, but now we find ourselves relying on the audience for assistance and are forced to form alliances," Leon expresses his disappointment as he takes his phone back. “It’s no longer about teamwork, now it’s like every person to themselves.”

"And let me emphasize,” he continues “That earning the audience's affection isn't so straightforward as you think you would; one thing for certain is you can't always be your authentic self."

"Speaking from personal experience?" you question.

"Yes," he responds solemnly, meeting your gaze. "Yes, I am."

He pauses, then adds, "Just avoid speaking negatively about other trainers, especially Gym Leaders. And never belittle yourself. Ever." The tone of his voice is firm, almost intimidating which is far from his usual demeanor.

“I wanted to disclose this first. Are you all still willing to participate?” He asks.

“Why do you sound so upset, Lee? I like a challenge! Don’t we all?” Hop seeks your support to which you and your sister nod in agreement.

“But I don’t want any of you to put on a façade to win, you’re being seen as a spectacle.” Leon worries, leaving your heart heavy as he fidgets with the brim of his SnapBack.

“We’ll be fine!” Lyz speaks up, leaving you puzzled. “It’s not like we’ll be on our own. Dani is here to help us if anything happens. Right?”

You narrow your eyes at her.

Leon smiles, “Well, I know Danielle here won’t have any issues.” He grins at you, and the urge to look away is strong, but you manage to nod, ignoring the warmth rising on your face.

“But you guys are just starting out,” he regards the young ones with a frown, “It’s unfair on your guys' end. You’ve seen how the Gym Challenge was before the new rules.”

“Then we’ll become even stronger than before!” Hop declares, raising his fist with Lyz agreeing, not leaving you a chance to go against them.

Perhaps considering your sister's perspective isn’t stupid after all. Maybe It's time to cast aside your fears and step into the spotlight. With Houndoom and Leon by your side, you won't face any surprises alone. It's the ultimate revenge for the sake of your parents, Alola, Johto, and other regions threatened by Team Rocket's potential takeover.

You nod confidently, determination evident on your face, earning a brief moment of admiration from Leon.

"Some things about you just…” He mutters to himself before putting his Snapback on, “Alright! Since there’s interviews, you’re gonna have to leave a lasting first impression to your folks, I’ll have to search for a stylist too to help with wardrobe choices.” He chuckles as he looks at his own Champion attire.

“Wait, what if we need help on what to say in the interview or in the Gym Challenge overall? Are we able to have a mentor too?” Lyz inquires.

Leon smiles before patting his chest, “I’m your mentor, I’ll be here with whatever you guys need, and I swear by that. I want you all to have fun at the end of the day, not fake it til you make it.”

You restrain a smile of your own. This is why you admire Leon. His leadership and concern for others give you hope that goodness exists in humanity.

Leon’s phone pings, “It’s Sonia…” he says as he looks at his screen, reading before sighing in relief. “She says to stop by Magnolia’s to pick up your Dynamax Bands. It’s a huge advantage for the Gym Challenge.”

“Alright, let’s be on our merry way then,” You announce, reaching for Houndoom’s Pokéball and Lyz reaches for hers.

“I suggest that you all should start packing before picking them up though, might as well head out all in one go. And don’t pack too much, the inn provides the essentials and your stylists will provide outfits and such, I’ll give you this while I’m here before I forget,” Leon takes out two cards, one for you and your sister.

“These are Style Cards so you can get access to better clothing in the boutiques,” Leon explains, “I would love to join you guys but I at least want to say bye to my folks before I head out. And I’ll be a nice distraction while you’ll all go to Motostoke anyways!” Leon grins.

You hope you didn’t sign yourself up to a trap.

♡ ♡

So now here you are, regrouped after you and Lyz packed some essentials, her using your Watermelon crossbody from Alola when you began your champion journey while you chose your mother’s old tote.

You glance at your room one final time before leaving.

Keys, Pepper spray, wallet… what else?

You glance at your bed, that Applin plushie Leon gifted on your birthday last year. A few months before that whole disaster.

You shove the damn plushie in the tote before heading out the door, triple checking the locks as you head toward your sister and Hop.

“Time for our adventure to truly start!” Hop announces as the three of you enter Magnolia’s home.

“Good morning, young challengers.” Magnolia says as you all greet back as Sonia waves.

”Hey Hop, Ayla, is it true you really met some Pokémon you didn’t recognize? Is there anything more you can tell me about it?” Sonia asks.

”Er, well, there was this weird heavy fog,” Hop begins, “And then this even weirder Pokémon appeared…”

Lyz adds on, “Yeah! We both tried to fight it off but the moves just went right through! But then we passed out so I don't remember much after that.”

‘Should I mention to her about that wolf I saw?’

“A right fount of information you are.” Sonia twirls her hair in thought.

"Well then, Danielle, Ayla, Hop, these are for you," Magnolia hands each of you a large band, presumably the Dynamax Bands Leon mentioned.

Your wrist immediately relaxes at the touch, reminiscent of the comfort from wearing your Z-Bracelet in Alola.

"Those are your Dynamax bands," she explains. "I made them by fitting the Wishing Stars you found last night into those bands.”

You all express gratitude to the Professor before Hop eagerly interjects, "It's just like the one Lee has with him, too! Now we can Dynamax our Pokémon like he does!" he exclaims.

Magnolia and Sonia chuckles, “My word, you don’t waste any time, do you?”

“And, don’t be afraid to go to all sorts of places to meet all sorts of Pokémon. That will help fill out your Pokédex, too.”

“The legend of my reign is finally about to begin!” Hop turns to the both of you, “Come on, guys! I’ll beat you to the station!”

You marvel at the energy of those kids, wondering how they always manage to race ahead. It's a mystery how you ever had that kind of stamina yourself, reminding back of the days in Alola when you and Hau dashed toward the Malasadas.

You spot your sister and Hop waving in the distance near the train station with a growing crowd gathering behind them, leaving you hasten to catch up.

"Hurry, Leon’s distracting them!" Hop urges as you all rush toward the station.

Before you can pass through the turnstile, a familiar voice calls out, “Not quite so fast, you three!”

Turning towards the voice, you meet Hop’s mother approaching.

“What’re you doing here, Mum?” Hop asks while you and your sister greet her.

“Leon was kind enough to tell me you were all heading out, so here—“ Hop’s mom hands each of you a small travel bag containing essential materials.

“A last little gift to see you set on your way. All the kit you’ll need for camping!”

Camping? Is the Wild Area so vast that you need to camp for a day or two to reach the next city?

“Oh wow… it’s small…” You observe.

“It’s for all of you to travel with it comfortably.” She continues. “And no matter what happens out there, if you and your partner Pokemon are together, I know you’ll be fine. Especially with Danielle here with you. I can trust her watching over you, Hop.”

You nod at her, grateful for her trust in you.

“Thanks, Mum! And just think how lucky you are— mother to the first ever pair of Champion brothers! Because I’m certain to be the Champion next. You’ll see!”

“Of course you will be, darling.” She offers an awkward smile Hop failed to catch. “Anyways, do have fun and take care of yourselves!”

“We’ll be fine.” You reassure his mother.

“Wish us luck! Not that we’ll need it.” Hop says before turning to you both, “There are loads of brilliant Trainers and all kinds of Pokémon out there waiting for us!”

“Your excitement is running ahead of you even faster than that train can go, Hop.” You comment, guiding the two to the turnstiles before the train departs, all of you thanking and waving a farewell to Hop’s mom.

As you board the train, you take a seat in a booth behind Hop and Lyz to give them some privacy. You release Rowlet and Totodile from their Pokéballs, finding comfort in Rowlet's reminder of home and Totodile's reminder of your mother. The presence of the two Pokémon helps ease your nerves as you ponder whether attending the Gym Challenge was the right choice.

Your phone vibrates, displaying an unknown number. Taking precautionary measures, you answer and wait for the caller to speak first.

“Hey, you guys made it safe? It’s Leon”

You sigh in relief, Lyz must’ve given him your number.

“Hey! We just hopped on the train, so, yes!” You reply.

“That’s good! Are you busy right now?”

You glance at Lyz and Hop, rolling your eyes as they play footsie and remain engrossed in their phones, while your Totodile and Rowlet gaze out the window, captivated by the passing scenery. “No, Ayla and Hop are doing their own thing. What’s up?”

“Well, since this is your first time leaving Wedgehurst, I’d figured you might want some info about the Wild Area and Motostoke,”

Information wouldn’t hurt. After all, this is your first time leaving outside of Wedgehurst.

“Shoot the deets.”

“So, Motostoke is where you’re headed to for the opening ceremony of the Gym Challenge, it’s surrounded by the vast Wild Area. It’s a real sight, there’s all sorts of wild Pokémon just wandering about everywhere you look. Plus, you can camp out, do a spot of fishing, make some curry… there’s a lot you’re able to do!”

“I never made curry…” You remember Leon mentioning it as his favorite dish, but your attempt to prepare it with your mother ended in disappointment. Let’s just say it was a painful experience to throw it out and stick to making Malasadas instead.

"I think I still have my cookbook that you can borrow. I also have some Alolan cookbooks that I bought when I visited there."

Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to poke a little about Alola.

“How was it there? If you don’t mind me asking, of course.” Your heart pounds heavily against your chest, and your palms begin to dampen. You grip the phone tightly to prevent it slipping from your grasp.

“Well…” Leon starts, falling silent for a few seconds before continuing. “It was unforgettable. Alola is incredible, with its food, culture, and breathtaking views. I also visited the Battle Tree frequently.” He falls quiet again. “I really miss that place and the friends I made there.”

“I’m so sorry,” the words escape your lips, feeling the sincerity in his voice tugging at your heartstrings.

“Thanks, so, uh, yeah… I've memorized the Alolan cookbook by heart now, so I don’t mind lending it to you.”

You also memorized it, you were the one that recommended it to Leon after he admitted to missing your cooking when he would go back to Galar, but you'll give that book to your sister.

“Thank you, Leon. I already know it won’t disappoint.” He chuckles softly, knowing he’s smiling on the other side.

“Attention passengers! Due to a flock of Wooloo in the tracks, we will delay the destination to Motostoke. New estimated time of arrival will be three hours. We’re sorry for the inconvenience.”

“Everything okay?” Leon asks.

“Oh sorry, we all arrived at the Wild Area Station, there are Wooloos crowding the tracks, thank you for your help though!”

“You’ll be fine, but call me if you need any help, I’ll see you guys later!”

You hang up before returning Rowlet and Totodile back into their Pokéballs as you three head out with Hop immediately running near the exit.

“This is brillant!”

“Wait what? Why?” Lyz asks.

“This part of the Wild Area is massive! There are loads of Pokémon to battle here!” Hop explains, “You get it, don’t you, Dani? This is the best possible place to put together the greatest team!”

“I just want you all to stick with me like white on rice, understood…?”

Hop dashes off, with your sister in hot pursuit.

You release a sigh before chasing after them.

You exit the station, only to widen your eyes in awe at the view before you with the cold air brushing through your hair as the sounds of Pokémon cries echo in the distance.

Before you lies the vast expanse of the Wild Area, stretching out as far as the eye can see. Towering mountains loom in the distance, their peaks shrouded in mist. Lush forests spread out beneath, blooming with life as the scent of earth fills the air, mingling with the crisp breeze that carries a hint of adventure.

As you take your first steps into this untamed wilderness, you feel a sudden surge of exhilaration coursing through your veins. You can’t help but smile, eager to explore this new and wondrous landscape before you, and to embark on the journey that lies ahead. It's a feeling you haven't experienced since your youthful days in Alola.

“Wow…” And if this is the Wild Area, you can only imagine what awaits in the other cities you’ve yet to explore. The thought of visiting the glowing forest and snowy town that Leon mentioned during his visits fills you with anticipation.

"Look!" Lyz exclaims, pointing at a building in the distance that you hadn't noticed before.

“That’s Motostoke, way off that way!” Hop says, “And between there and here are countless new Pokémon waiting to be met!”

“Hold up you three!”

You all turn to greet Sonia as she approaches, “Sonia! You’re joining us?” You say, smiling.

“Hiya loves, my gran gave me a proper earful, in her own way… ‘Those young Trainers are setting out on a journey, but what are you doing with your life?’”

You frown, “I’m sorry, she should’ve worded that more nicely,” you remark, leaving Hop and Lyz to nod in agreement.

“Ah… nothing to worry yourselves over! Besides, I’d been quite curious about that Pokémon you guys met in the forest. I’d been thinking I should look into it, so the timing works out fine! If I discover something really huge, then maybe Gran will admit I’ve got some talent!”

“Yikes…” Hop says, “Being an adult has got its own challenges, eh?”

“You have no idea…” you reply.

“I said you needn’t worry about it!” Sonia insists. “I’m glad to be on the road. Really! It’s been ages. It’ll be great fun to fish and camp and rough it outside again.”

“Well, I’m off to go stick my head in as many of those red glowing dens as I can find, come on Ayla!” Hop dashes off dragging Lyz along.

“Stay in my line of sight, please!” You shout, hoping those kiddos won’t go into any trouble.

Sonia puts her hands on her hips, “What Cheek! Dynamax Pokémon are really on another level, you know!” Sonia shouts as well. “You’d better Dynamax your partner Pokémon too, if you want to take on opponents that strong!”

“Should I be worried?” You ask, ready to chase after those two.

Sonia shakes her head, “Of course not! Every start of the Gym Challenge, the League Staff will draw in beginner friendly Pokémon and there’s always a staff nearby in case something goes wrong. It’s really an experience to try.” Sonia gushes.

“Just join me, yeah? You need a Pokémon to protect you in case something happens anyways.” You offer, leaving Sonia to happily accept.

“Oh, thanks love!”

You keep a close distance from Hop and Lyz, allowing Totodile and Rowlet to roam freely while Yamper accompanies them.

Your Totodile and Rowlet engage in battles with a few small wild Pokémon, with your guidance. It will provide a slight advantage in the Gym Challenge as they level up.

"Sonia... about earlier..." you begin, the image of that magenta wolf still lingering in your mind.

Sonia hums in response.

“You mentioned about the mysterious Pokémon Hop and Ayla came across in the Slumbering Wealds,”

Sonia perks up, attentive to your words, “While I was searching for those two, I encountered a Pokémon that resembled a wolf, with its body shaped like a shield,” you explain. Sonia’s eyes widened at the description.

“But it looked like it got some sort of fight because of how injured it looked so I chose not to engage with it, and it disappeared back into the fog.”

“Impossible, maybe the fog carried some sort of hallucinogens,” Sonia theorizes.

“Why quick to deny if I may ask?”

“The Pokémon you’re talking about, is one from a tale, a myth. It was only mentioned centuries ago and was never confirmed. Maybe the—“

A screech pierces your ears as Sonia tightly grasps your clothing, while Rowlet, Totodile, and Yamper rush in to assist.

“What’s wrong, Sonia?!” You prepare to release Houndoom, only to spot a small Dragon Pokémon with thick black fur covering its neck and most of its face, topped with a pointed horn, chasing after Sonia.

You kneel down, quickly grabbing a nearby berry to distract the Pokémon. “Hey there, little Deino,” you reassure, as Deino chomps down on the berry, biting your hand in the process as you hold back your tears, raising a hand to prevent Totodile, Rowlet or Yamper from engaging.

“My goodness, thank you! Those things are absolutely dangerous. Are you alright?” Sonia rummages through her black purse, seeming to search for first aid or bandage.

"Don't worry about me," you reassure Sonia as you search for snacks in your mother's tote, feeding the starving Deino. "I think we should take it closer to Motostoke for safety. It seems like it hasn't had a chance to properly eat in a while," you observe, allowing Rowlet and Totodile to approach Deino cautiously while Yamper rushes back to protect his trainer.

Rowlet chirps, extending an invitation to Deino, who softly chews on Rowlet's talons before moving to gently gnaw on Totodile's hand.

"Ah, right. Since Deino are blind, they use biting to examine their surroundings," Sonia explains, as your Pokémon begin to warm up to Deino.

"DANI!" You hear from a distance, spotting your little sister running toward you, clutching a strange-colored Pokémon, with Hop chasing after her.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

Lyz shoves the Pokémon in front of your face. "Hop helped me catch a shiny Trapinch! Isn't he adorable?"

"Who, dear?" Sonia asks, prompting laughter from both of you, while Lyz fights off a blush. Hop finally catches up, looking confused by all the laughter and the redness of Lyz's face.

After trudging up the dreadful steps, you finally reach Motostoke, Deino firmly nestled in your arms, refusing to leave your side. Your other Pokémon remain snug in their Pokéballs, and Sonia has also recalled Yamper to prevent exhaustion. Hop and Lyz await at the top of the steps, with her Trapinch safely contained in its Pokéball, sharing the same concerns as you but unfazed by the stairs due to their boundless energy.

"How on earth did you guys..." Your words trail off as you take in the view before you.

The bustling city of Motostoke unfurls before you in all its grandeur. Vibrant banners flutter in the breeze as the air is alive with the sounds of chatter, music, and the clatter of machinery from the industrial district.

Steam billows from the many factories and workshops, adding to the city’s energetic atmosphere. The scent of coal and metal hangs in the air, mixing with the aroma of street vendors selling their crafts.

"Welcome to Motostoke!" Sonia announces, as Deino continues to nibble on your fingers, albeit more gently this time. You make a mental note to swing by the nearby Pokémon Center to drop off Deino and grab some bandages.

"I've only seen this in the news and commercials, and now we're actually here!" Lyz exclaims, gazing in awe at the small city.

“You wanna stop by the shops or go register?” Hop asks.

“Forget the shops! I wanna start this Challenge already!” Lyz says before running off with Hop on her heels once more.

“When are those two going to get together already?” Sonia asks, leading you toward a Pokémon Center. You wouldn’t mind if Hop were to ask out your sister. You just hope Hop would know your and your sister’s true identities by then.

“Are you sure you don’t want to keep that Deino? He doesn’t seem to want to let go of you,” she remarks, observing as Deino nuzzles into your arm.

“Alright,” You give in as you search for a Pokéball in the tote with your free hand. “If he doesn’t get in though, I’m gonna have to set him back to the Wild Area,” you place the Pokéball on Deino’s head, taken aback by Sonia’s applause as the Pokéball immediately encapsulates Deino with a single shake.

“Now let's pop in the Pokémon Center to heal them up.” Sonia suggests, leading the way inside.

It was no different than the one back in Wedgehurst, with the same quaint coffee shop on the left, a small Pokémart on the right, and Nurse Joy stationed in the center.

You pass your Pokéballs over to the nurse for your team's healing, and she assures you it shouldn't take longer than 5 minutes.

“As I was saying,” Sonia continues, “There’s something here I think you might like,” She approaches a machine with a drowsy gray Rotom hovering above it.

“This is a Rotomi,” she explains, “It’s a handy machine for trainers. You can even use one to customize your league card!”

You hum softly, remembering about the League Cards that Leon would always hand to you during his visits. With the collection you've amassed, even the most hardcore fans of his would be envious.

“Why don’t you try playing around with your League Card a bit? I have a sample for you, actually.”

Sonia hands a League Card. Not just any League Card though.

“Arceus…”

The card depicts Leon in his Champion attire, seated on one of the benches in the Gym Stadium with a stern expression. It's the first time you've seen him looking so serious; in previous cards, he's always been beaming and radiant.

“I see you’re a fan of him.” Sonia smirks, leaving you blushing and scrambling for an excuse.

“Oh, it’s not like that!” you stammer.

“I’m just teasing,” Sonia chuckles, leaving you a bit embarrassed.

"But Motostoke is quite large, isn't it? Not to worry! Sonia's here to give you a little tour! I'll wait for you outside once your team is fully healed so you can explore as well!" You nod in agreement, tucking the league card safely into your tote. Since you won't be in the Gym Challenge for long, there's no point in making one of your own.

You make your way to the Pokémart, quickly grabbing supplies for Lyz and bandages for yourself before they sell out.

With your Pokéballs in hand, you’re ready to head out, until a familiar aroma catches your attention from the coffee shop next to Nurse Joy's station.

"Pardon me," you speak up, trying to blend in with the crowd and avoid standing out. The barista smiles, "How can I help you?"

"That coffee you're preparing, how much is it?"

"It's a bit pricey at the moment due to the limited availability of ingredients from Alola."

You slide over several large bills of Pokédollars.

"I'll take the entire stock."

“So, experienced trainer who’s braved the Wild Area!” Sonia says after you stuffed the Komala Coffeebeans hurriedly in your tote, “You remember what your goal in Motostoke is, right?”

“Yes, I’m here for the Gym Challenge!” you reply with determination.

“That’s right! The Gym Challenge Opening Ceremony!” She leads you to the center of the road, where you gaze up at the imposing Motostoke Stadium. You gulp.

“The ceremony tomorrow will take place at Motostoke Stadium. Just use that lift over there to get to the stadium, okay?”

“Alright,” you reply. “Well, I’m planning to stop by the shops while I’m here,” Sonia says, “but don’t forget to register at the stadium. See you!” She waves before heading off to the boutique.

As you venture deeper into the city, the streets of Motostoke remain alive with activity. You pass by the bustling markets, vibrant streets filled with trainers readying themselves for battles, and towering buildings that dominate the skyline. Right now would be perfect to drink your stress away with Komala Coffee.

‘No one knows you’re the Alolan Champion.’ You reassure to yourself before approaching the lift.

“ Graaawrrr!”

You step away as you hear Charizard roaring behind you before embracing you again.

“Charizard! Come on!” You hear Leon in the distance as you hug Charizard back.

“I miss you too,” you whisper, “But he can’t know…” you pull away from the hug.

“Hey! You’re alright?” Leon approaches with concern.

“Yeah?” you respond, more as a question. “Charizard didn’t hurt me, right?” Charizard nods frantically to his trainer.

“Your hands…” Leon gently takes your hands, rubbing the fingers gently as possible to observe until you flinch. Shoot, you forgot to put on the bandages. The scent of the Komala Coffee distracted you. “Who did this to you?” he whispers.

“No one! I promise!” You wave it off, pulling the Pokéball out of your tote and releasing Deino as he plops into your arms.

Leon smiles, his dark features disappearing. “Ah, a Deino. Are you sure about it?” He asks as Deino chews on your arm, seeming to recognize you now before adjusting comfortably.

“I don’t see why not. The poor guy didn’t want to leave my side. I didn’t have a choice. Besides, if it starts to get into one of those aggressive episodes, I have Houndoom with me,” you reassure the Champion before returning Deino to its Pokéball to properly rest up.

“Mind showing me your hands again, please?”

You quirk a brow. “Uh, okay? Oh…”

The Champion retrieves a roll of bandages he carried in his pocket before wrapping them around the fingers Deino bit into.

“Leon, you didn’t have to…”

“I don’t have to, I want to,” he says before tearing the roll to secure your fingers, “How you’re feeling now?”

You smile, he cares so much. “Much better, thank you,”

“Anything for my trainers,” he says before reaching into his pocket once more.

“I came here to give you these before you head off to register,” he hands you a bright yellow seed, a blue gem in the shape of a teardrop, and a black ore.

“Miracle Seed, Mystic Water, and Charcoal?”

“Right on!” He says, “So one of each for your Pokémon, Rowlet, Totodile, and Houndoom. I’ll see if I get something from my good friend Raihan to help out Deino.”

“I’ll be fine, thank you though, I appreciate it, especially because of that limited resources rule now.”

Leon sighs. “Yeah, I have no idea what’s gotten into Rose.”

A feminine voice calls out to him from a distance, and he glances back, lips tightening as he notices a group of girls approaching the two of you.

"I'll let you go then. I'll see you tomorrow with your stylist, okay?" he says before turning to his fans, allowing his cape to sway as he walks away. You wave goodbye to his Charizard before they head off to divert the attention of the fans.

You step onto the lift, nearly yelping from the speed and by the time you know it, the Gym, adorned with the symbols of the various Gym Leaders, stands in all its glory in front of your eyes. A few other challengers gathered around at the entrance with League staff securing the area, along with a mascot disguised in some sort of Pokéball.

Before you can approach your sister and Hop, the mascot approaches, stopping you in your tracks before offering a Pokéball.

“Ta-dah!” The voice was grave and scratchy underneath the costume.

“Thanks?” You take the Pokéball, a wave of uncomfort carry within, before hurriedly heading towards the two.

“Finally! You’ve been taking ages!” Lyz says.

“Oh shut up, you… Sonia was kind enough to show me around just like Hop did with you.” Leaving Lyz to pout and Hop to chuckle.

“Aren’t you nervous though, Dani?” Hop asks.

“Nervous?” You scoff. After nearly a decade of being the Alolan Champion. There’s no hint of nervousness in your body at the thought of battling in front of an audience.

Well a bit… you never battled in front of an enormous stadium.

“Everyone will be watching the opening ceremony for the Gym Challenge… my mum… Johto… The whole world!”

“Oh…” your nerves finally settle in. You completely forgot about their global broadcasting system.

“It’s time for the world to learn our names!” Lyz says before rushing inside with Hop, not giving you a chance to respond, leaving no choice but to follow the two.

Upon entering, a rush of cold breeze greets you, accompanied by a faint scent of smoke lingering in the air. This must be a Gym centered around Fire-Type Pokémon.

A large TV screen dominated the lobby directly across from where you stood. It displayed vibrant red and blue hues, adorned with the League emblem with the latest updates of the Gym Challenge scrolling across. Below the TV, a crowd had gathered around a desk. The remainder of the room resembled a lounge area, complete with several couches where trainers could relax with their Pokémon, noticing that every one of them wore white athletic attire.

"Would you look at this... The place is packed with Gym Challengers this year," Hop remarks, as you all survey the bustling scene filled with fellow challengers.

"Let's get signed up, then," you’re eager to tackle your nerves as you approach the counter with Hop and Lyz trailing behind you.

The boy ahead of you boasts a curly mop of platinum blond hair, wearing a long magenta and violet coat with the Macro Cosmos symbol on the back, along with a golden wristwatch.

As the boy finishes registering and turns around, running a hand through his hair, you catch a glimpse of his purple eyes meeting your green ones. He quickly averts his gaze before bumping into Hop, failing to apologize.

“What a piece of work.” Hop says while Lyz questions loudly,

“Uh, hello???” She approaches the boy until you clap a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t start a scene.” You warn, waving off the curious glances at your direction before letting her go as she gives a heavy glare to the boy.

“If you’re here to register for the Gym Challenge, I’ll need to see your endorsement, please.” The League Staff speaks up, moving your attention back where it needs to be.

The three of you hand over the Endorsement letters, awkward from how immediate the staff took your endorsement letter, deciding to brush it off as they might be in a hurry.

“Fancy that… This is the first time we’ve had a Challenger endorsed by the Champion!”

“Well, now you have three because we are as well!” Hop speaks up with Lyz next to you waving to the staff.

“Three of you at once? Huh, wonder what’s gotten into Leon this year…” The staff questions.

“What other proof you need? You want me to put him on speaker?” You take out your Rotom phone, ready to press his contact before the staff stops you.

“No no! It’s fine… just give me a moment will you?” He says before typing swiftly on the keyboard.

“You three have been successfully registered as Gym Challengers. Choose your preferred number for your uniform. It will be displayed on the back of the inform you must wear for any official match.” He informs as you all retrieve back your letters.

Three digits numbers were given as choice, you chose your lucky number, 111, Lyz chose 330 and Hop chose 189.

“Very well, please wear this Challenge Band at all times to identify yourself as a Gym Challenger.” You all slip in the band atop of the Dynamax one.

“The Opening Ceremony for the Gym Challenge is to be held here tomorrow along with your interviews to gain your sponsors. All the Trainers taking part have been booked a room at the nearby Budew Drop Inn.”

You nod in gratitude before Hop shouts.

“That’s the League Chairman for you! Even booked us all hotel rooms! Let’s head off to check out the fancy digs!” Hop says before racing out the building with Lyz catching up.

“Guys hold on…ugh.” you say but they fail to hear your words.

Hop reminds you much of your own rival back in Alola, Hau. You have to try to reach out to him whenever you can and update Nanu on this matter. And he will not be happy.

Upon heading towards the exit, you catch sight of the boy who had bumped into Hop earlier, now accompanied by a girl roughly your age with dark violet hair and purple eyes. A sudden wave of caution washes over you as your gaze briefly meets hers before you exit the building.

“You must be Challenger Danielle…” A League staff awaits by the door.

‘Where’s Lyz? They were just here.’

"The Budew Drop Inn is just down this way. If you'll follow me, please," he says, gesturing for you to follow as he leads the way. Despite expecting paparazzi or more challengers to arrive, you find the streets quieting down as the sun dips toward the horizon, prompting the townsfolk to close their markets and head indoors.

“We arrived. Try to get some rest and build your strength for what’s to come.” he advises before departing to patrol the area. You’re left pondering the purpose of the escort as you enter the Budew Inn.

Upon entering, a gentle breeze welcomes you, providing a serene escape from the bustling streets outside. The atmosphere inside is inviting, with soft lighting and cozy furnishings contributing to the overall warmth. Rustic décor accents the interior, incorporating wooden elements and floral patterns that exude charm and comfort. At the entrance, a striking golden statue catches your eye, along with—

"Sonia?" you call out, recognizing her among the familiar faces.

She turns with a smile. "Hi there! It seems like you completed your registration smoothly."

“What’re you doing at the inn? You’re joining us in the Gym Challenge?”

“Well, not exactly, I’m researching the mysterious Pokémon that are said to be in the Slumbering Weald. I reckon if I look into some of Galar’s legends, I might figure out if it's a silly tale or not. Care to join me? You’re already here anyway.” She moves aside, revealing a grand statue depicting a knight wielding a sword and holding a shield aloft.

"What's the story behind this?" you ask, intrigued by the statue.

“It’s a statue of the hero who once saved the Galar region. I could run through the legend right quick, if you fancy?”

“Give me all the details!” It’s best for you to understand the history of the region you reside in anyway.

“Long ago… a great black storm covered the Galar region. People called it, ‘The Darkest Day.’” She explains, with you listening intently.

“The land was assaulted by gigantic Pokémon… but they were defeated by a single young hero bearing a sword and shield. This statue here is meant to depict the young hero of that legend.”

“However, we still don’t know what kind of sword and shield the hero actually had. And what this ‘black storm’ is supposed to be is just another mystery… whatever it was, it was blotted out the skies all across Galar. I suppose that tracks with it being called the Darkest Day but still…”

“Seems like you have your hands full with plenty to research, but you’ll be alright, Sonia!” You encourage.

“Heh, thanks! I’ll muddle through somehow so don’t you worry!” She then twirls her hair.

“Yeah, but we’ll be looking out for you too. If I hear any information regarding your research, I’ll let you know.” You reassure.

Sonia smiles and nod, “It’s getting late, though, your sister and Hop are checking—“

“I can’t get checked in!”

“Come on! Get out of the way!”

“What’s the deal with this Team Yell?”

Rushing up the stairs, you find Hop and Lyz engaged in a heated exchange along with other Gym Challengers as a group of youngsters dressed in punk rock-style uniforms, carrying posters and wielding microphones that cluster around the receptionist desk.

“We came all the way out to this big city so that we could properly cheer on Gym Challengers! Team Yell is here to help, after all! You’re in for a battle if you wanna stop us!”

“Well then, I’m up for that!” You speak up, the lobby suddenly quiets down as all eyes lock in on you. The grunts begin to approach, frowning and furrowing their brows as a poor attempt of intimidation with that horrid stench. Despite their imposing height, perhaps enough to intimidate other kids, you remain unfazed.

“Didn’t we tell you, mate? You get in our way, and you’re in for a battle!” Their attitude reminds you of Team Skull though at least Team Skull boasts a better sense of style and maintains proper hygiene.

“Let’s get this over with, you kids don’t scare me.”

The grunt yells into their mic before sending out a black and white Zigzagoon. Galar variation maybe?

Damn. Only Totodile knows how to battle properly, best not to take out Houndoom, it’s nothing serious.

“Go on, Totodile! I know you can do it!” Totodile lets out a roar as he lands, ignoring the gasps and comments from other Challengers, most likely never seeing a Totodile before.

The Zigzagoon zigzags to the Totodile, attempting to tackle but Totodile manages to dodge just in time before landing a strong hit of Water Gun.

Zigzagoon shakes off the water before landing a tackle to which Totodile scratched when it got close enough, leaving enough damage to faint the Zigzagoon.

“Went lookin’ for a fight, and I lost… I’m so pathetic…” he mutters, slumping down and handing over a few Pokédollars.

Totodile exchanges a glance with you, indicating that even from little practice, he’s learned something new and is ready to try again.

“Oi, gimme a break here! Team Yell! Get revenge for me, wouldja?” He says before a female grunt approaches with three others.

“Course I’ve got you covered, mate! What could be better than a battle in a lovely hotel lobby?”

“A double battle, that is!” Your sister chimes in, flanked by Hop, both with their Pokéballs at the ready.

The female grunt orders the other two to battle Hop and your sister. With your mother’s Champion blood running through her veins, she’ll do just fine.

All of this mess over one Gym Challenger.

The grunt sends out Nickit while Totodile insists on staying in the fight.

With a moment so quick, Nickit hits a quick attack on Totodile before wiping off its tail.

Totodile, furious, lands a water pulse, a much more powerful move than water gun, leaving Nickit attempting to stand back up before fainting.

The grunt sighs, “I must’ve got a bit carried away, Bein’ in this swanky hotel and all. Sorry for gettin’ in yer way.” the grunt sheepishly hands you Pokédollars, along with the other two grunts that your sister and Hop defeated.

Before you can discipline the kids, a voice beats you to it.

“What are you lot doin’ here?” A girl speaks up, appearing to be the same age as Hop and Lyz with a Pokémon similar to a Pikachu by her side that your Rotom identifies as a Morpeko. Team Yell freezes on the spot.

“Marnie?!”

“N-nothin’… We was just…" Some of the grunts cover their faces with the posters to hide their embarrassment and others scramble to find the right words.

“I know you all are terribly curious ‘bout the other Gym Challengers, but you gotta show a bit of restraint.” Marnie scolds before turning to you three.

“Sorry ‘bout them! They’re just a bunch of my fans. Call themselves Team Yell and follow me around cheerin’ for me. I think they’ve let it all go to their heads a bit…” she explains before turning her attention back to Team Yell.

“Come on, you lot! Back home with you now!”

As Team Yell disperse, the Gym Challengers begin to check in, you advise Hop and Lyz to check in first before you do.

“They’re just so caught up with wantin’ to support me and all that they tend to get a bit shirty with other Gym Challengers. Sorry if they caused you any trouble.”

"No worries, Marnie, isn't it?" you reassure, and Marnie nods. "I find it quite impressive that you've already gathered a group of fans of your own. It speaks volumes about your leadership skills with the team. Just make sure you’re leading them on the right path.”

Marnie's shock turns into a smile as she nods in agreement.

As you near the reception, other Gym Challengers start making their way to the elevator or stairs, seeking rest after a tiring day. Meanwhile, Hop and Lyz wait patiently nearby, engaged in conversation.

You greet the receptionist, ready to apologize for the mess until he immediately reassures and asks for your name. “And if I might,” he adds, “Thank you for helping us out of a sticky situation with those hooligans earlier. I hope you have a pleasant stay here with us. Sleep well.”

Hope so. Tomorrow will be more of a tiring day.

#champion leon x reader #champion leon #leon x reader pokemon #pokemon swsh #pokefic #pokemon sword and shield #remember me

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jessicafurseth · 10 months ago

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Reading List, Anaemia edition.

"I am doing my best to not become a museum of myself. I am doing my best to breathe in and out." - Natalie Diazem

[Image: Washington driftlog by Phillip Lachman, via AnonymousWorksInc]

"The therapist couldn’t help me ask him to do more if I didn’t feel like I deserved it, if I couldn’t bring myself to ask him myself. I had to learn how to ask." The Lure of Divorce [Emily Gould, The Cut]

"I was afraid of rejection, and I was afraid of getting addicted to crumbs of affirmation. I was a sober alcoholic who hadn’t had a drink in a decade, but from the way I chased “likes” on a tweet, it was clear that the old self was still there, thirstier than ever. I was afraid that giving her an app would be like giving her a glass of wine: She’d just want more, and more, and more. The apps felt like an explicit confession of intentionality and desire: I want this, I’m seeking this. And that intentionality made me uncomfortable. I preferred the version of things in which the universe just ambushed me with a meet-cute in a coffee shop and I didn’t have to claim responsibility for all my wanting." On Dating — And Dating Apps — After Divorce [Leslie Jamison, The Cut]

"There’s so much quiet misery, and we’re always looking to each other to say, “When is it bad enough? When do I get to choose myself?” And I think that concept of a woman choosing herself is really destabilizing." Lyz Lenz is possibly the most happily divorced woman in America [Hillary Frey, Slate]

"There are very few stories about how romantic it can be to sink down into the muck of your real life and meet your partner there, in that compromised place where you’re both a little worse for the wear, a little disappointed, a little impatient, wondering if things will ever feel exciting again." [Ask Polly]

In praise of solo holidays for older women [Joanna Moorhead, The Guardian]

In praise of notebooks and journals and all the other blank paper books that writers keep around [Anna Codrea-Rado]

My Autism Assessment, Age 40 [Esme Wang]

His Latex Goddess [Anna Holmes, The New Yorker]

24 hours in Paris with no phone service [Glynnis MacNichol]

Losing San Francisco [Rebecca Solnit, The London Review of Books]

“Look at your country! It’s amazing.” Armistead Maupin on moving to London [David Shariatmadari, The Guardian]

"Just because I don’t care about someone else’s pain, so to speak, doesn’t mean I want to cause more of it. I enjoy living in this society. I understand that there are rules. I choose to follow those rules because I understand the benefits of this world, this house where I get to live, this relationship I get to have. That is different from people who follow the rules because they have to, they should, they want to be a good person. None of those apply to me. I want to live in a world where things function properly. If I create messes, my life will become messy." What It’s Like to Be a Sociopath [David Marchese, The New York Times - free link]

I read this twice - it's a hell of a ride: How I Fell for a Scam Call and Handed Over $50,000 [Charlotte Cowles, The Cut]

#reading list

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ambivalence-and-torpor · 2 years ago

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//PINCHES LYZ CHEEK AND PULLS LIKE MOCHI...

Kinship? Certainly you're aware that Milo doesn't 'bond' with others for being alike or in some same vein... though you've had your own struggles as Milo has had their own.. But in all honesty, maybe I don't see what's between them as some affections.. Perhaps because I might know more.. but I think that's something to inquire? or are ya scared to confirm something you don't know the true answer to it?

I think maybe you should look to the positives.. don't go trudging in the hurt.. You're gonna not enjoy yourself! But maybe having some time together can shift your opinion?

AA: ♡♡♡ O-Oooowww... please don't do that again... ♡♡♡

They gently smack away your hands.

AA: ♡♡♡ W-Well... if you know them so well, then... why are you talking to me? Why are you asking me about them? ♡♡♡ AA: ♡♡♡ I-I don't... I don't get it... ♡♡♡

AA: ♡♡♡ Are you trying to... to convince me to... do something? ♡♡♡ AA: ♡♡♡ I-I don't... I don't like this... weird... beating around the bush... ♡♡♡

AA: ♡♡♡ Speak plainly to me, please... ♡♡♡

#yaebloom #Elyzia #Fantroll #OC #ask #goldenguillotines

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goldenguillotines · 2 years ago

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Natani! I heard you're into the lil hoot hoot, Lyz? Is it true?

“Oh come now. So *I* might enjoy that prude. They’re fun to rile up and mess with. Makes *me* glad *I* showed to that little get together at the beach.”

“Why, are they speaking about *me*? Surely if they are.. they’re frustrated or getting all twisted about *me*~”

#Natani #ask #ic #Tender riposte #<3 hehe

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tiny-katara · 2 years ago

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ana u shut ur mouth rn ur so fucking smart don't make me come over there and i tried to keep my list to people ana didn't mention even tho ily all too

1. @soopersara sara i just really love your fics and how spot on the characterization is for everyone. i appreciate how level-headed and kind you are and it's just very nice to have you around 💙

2. @night-owlery64 alanna whenever you slide into the CAZ i grin it's so lovely to see you. you are so sweet and your taste in p&p and spot on and like yes pls roast the bingley proposal in the 2005 version. you are so fun to have around and ily 💙

3. @wevemadeitthisfar cassie my beloved i love seeing you in my reblogs and you are so sweet and the one fic you've written is so pretty and lovely and you're just a wonderful swiftie to have around and talk about swiftie things with and i swear i will write that speak now zk thing in your honor someday 💙

4. @susiesundrop BLAAAIIIRRRRR you are so funnnyyy and you are very smart like you just know a little bit of everything and its so fun to talk to you and this is just kinda random but your voice is very nice 10/10 voice 💙

5. @indigostars SARAAHHHH ilysm you are so fun and you have the absolute best taste you like all the good things. i hope someday we can get expensive but delicious ice cream together someday 💙

6. @azmonic ASSSHHHHH you are so talented and ilysm and you are so sweet and nice and your art is magnificent and you craft skills are astounding and i just love you idk 💙

7. @termaitz maz you are so chaotic and troublesome but in a magnificent way. you are so fun to talk to and the cursed shit you send is entertaining despite how deeply scarring it is and its kind of ironic bc your art is so beautiful and stunning but ilysm and i am glad we are besties 💙

8. @drakonic LYZ you were my very first tumblr mutual and i love you oh so dearly and you are so funny and you make me smile and you are super cool and caring and kind and deserve the world even tho you don't think you do for whatever stupid reason. you are wonderful 💙

9. @muddied-waters LAURAAA ilysm and you're so funny and i love how creative you are and it's so fun to talk to you and it's just a good time and we are besties and ilysm that's all i don't have anything productive to say i just really love you lmao and we are so iconic ilysm my crusty twin 💙

10. @burst-of-iridescent WIFEEYYYYYY ILYSM there is simply too much to say. You roast antis to a crisp and you write beautiful fic and you run around causing chaos and spreading that one image of a certain ship that shall remain nameless whenever possible. you write the best zk metas and fics and i love your blog so much and i have a screenshot on my computer of tumblr suggesting my blog is similar to yours bc that's such an honor and idk if i truly deserve it. i wish you the joy of ratatoomuch in all your days biwi 💜💙❤️

zutara christmas positivity tag

merry christmas zutara fam! to celebrate this festive period i thought it would be nice to do a positivity tag and celebrate our wonderful little community <33

rules: tag 10 zutara blogs (blogs that aren’t for zutara alone but ship zutara are fine!) and tell them something you love about them or their blog!

of course, i’ll start us off:

1. @stars-and-darkness-main ella my beloved your posts are always a slay. i love all the cool tidbits of information i get from your blog and of course, your taste in ships is *chef’s kiss*

2. @theotterpenguin bestie your metas are so well thought out and eloquent that i honestly don’t even need to read them to know they’re an instant reblog. if you’re not following el then… what are you even doing with your life?

3. @kaligraphy my sweet child i adore your lovely headcanons. you singlehandedly made me a kuzaang and rozin shipper, and we all know atla would be so much better if you were in charge of it.

4. @night-heron-writes as much as you slander me, darling lea, i love how incredibly knowledgeable you are (as your many AUs will prove) and for being the calm, level headed rock of the cillana family!

5. @ilovegirlsgeneration dear jehona, thank you for your amazingly unique blend of chaos, and your talent at memes. even when i shake my head in concern, i can’t help but laugh at your antics.

6. @thevictorianghost i love how much we share in common, and the wide array of media and topics we can chat about! i always look forward to seeing your messages in my DMs <3

7. @solborealis darling sol, where would we be without your cool headcanons and your heartwrenching angst (let alone setting up our wonderful server)? zk fandom truly has so much to thank you for.

8. @katara-stan-club air, your blog just has everything a person could need. whether it’s zutara fanart, important information, or telling terfs to fuck off, i know i’ll always love your posts!

9. @wingchunwaterbender i always look forward to your tags on my posts! the zutara content you post slaps every time, and i also love how much you discuss issues of social justice and use your platform for good.

and of course, saving the best for last:

10. @tiny-katara my beloved wife, i can’t even list just one thing i love about you and your blog because i love it all. from the way you slay anons to your wonderful taylor swift series that began our friendship to your excellent metas, your blog has everything a zutara stan could ever want. if anyone isn’t following cilla yet, do it rn because trust me, you’ll never regret it <333

#zutara #zutara fandom #zutara tag game #ilysm ana meri jaan #a late merry christmas btw #or happy holidays #you are all welcome to join

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runayachi · 2 years ago

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also its crazy to me that when kageyama (karasuno) finally beats oikawa (aoba johsai), suga is on the court. suga, who has never been someone that oikawa really considered a rival in the way he considered kageyama one. suga, who is clearly not on the level that oikawa and kageyama are. suga, who’s only the second setter.

and yet he’s on the court when oikawa loses.

suga isn’t someone that oikawa would normally pay attention to. but he steps on the court and he forces oikawa to pay attention to him anyways. “your fight is with tobio,” he says, “but i’m here too. i might not be as strong as you; or as talented, but i can fight just as hard.”

and oikawa looks. and he recognizes suga for the challenge that he is.

and so suga’s on the court when oikawa loses.

#lyz speaks #sugawara koushi #oikawa tooru #god its fucking crazyyyy like!! it was never a war between oisuga but also it was!!!#because of how they both influenced kageyama and how kageyama responded to that!!!#haikyuu meta

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snackzimmerman · 3 years ago

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- tag 9 people you'd like to know better - (thanks @conartisthaiji!)

favorite color: purple or blue or gold!

currently reading: strong female protagonist and the goldfinch (yes both are a reread)

last song: promises by ryn weaver

last movie: some netflix movie that was so terrible i didn't finish it

last series: shockingly, attack on titan - please don't expect me to talk about it, friends of mine are determined to get me through it and i miss them so i'm going along with their facetiming plots

sweet, spicy, or savory: probably sweet? i'm a wimp about spice ha

craving: i've got ice cream in the fridge i'll raid soon

coffee or tea: both!

currently working on: a jujitsu kaisen fic themed after the song home to me by the devil and the deep blue sea, which i love - likely 3k, T

i'll just tag @queen-of-broken-hearts-posts, @cricketnationrise, and anybody who wants to?

#inky speaks #me reading lyz's responses: and that's taste

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hollowed-theory-hall · 8 months ago

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How does the protection magic that Lily's sacrifice placed on Harry work? On that note- how do the blood wards placed on the Dursley household operate?

Like- does the latter act as a notice me not/ fidelius of its own? Protecting Harry's location from other magicals? (It would have been easy for another Longbottom tragedy to occur after all) from what I remember the blood wards have no affect on the protection cast by Lily's sacrifice, and instead sort of extend the effect to the household???

Also on the topic of the protection- we saw the end Quirrel met. And... I just wondered- why didn't this sort of reaction extend to all the people - the Dursleys included- who laid their hands + spells on Harry with the intent to harm? By all means the blood wards should have fallen the moment The Dursleys tried to physically harm Harry. Can't see a protection powered by Lily's intent, extending to people who mean her son harm.

Unless of course the magic and the wards are targetted at Riddle specifically. Which brings the question- why didn't it set on fire/ harm anything considering even the traces of Riddle's presence/ influence. Eg. The people with the death Eater brands, the horcruxes, the soul shard inside Harry himself??

Ugh. Just so many questions.

Ps. Could the blood wards have been transferred/ worked in a residence comprising of the people Harry considered as his family and who reciprocated this sentiment? (based on the importance of intent to keep the spell going)

Wow, @ana-lyz, just like with the veil and death asks, I just started drafting a post about Lily's blood protections and what Dumbledore says about them. So...

Lily's Love Protection and Dumbledore's Blood Wards

Alright, strap in...

Okay, so let's start by seeing what we're told about the blood protections and whether we can gather something cohesive that makes magical sense out of it.

We have Voldemort's statement on this piece of magic:

“...I wanted Harry Potter’s blood. I wanted the blood of the one who had stripped me of power thirteen years ago . . . for the lingering protection his mother once gave him would then reside in my veins too. . . . “But how to get at Harry Potter? For he has been better protected than I think even he knows, protected in ways devised by Dumbledore long ago, when it fell to him to arrange the boy’s future. Dumbledore invoked an ancient magic, to ensure the boy’s protection as long as he is in his relations’ care. Not even I can touch him there. . . .

(GoF, 657)

Notice there is the lingering protection from Lily's magic and the ancient magic Dumbledore invoked. These are, I believe separate spells.

Dumbledore's statements:

“But why couldn’t Quirrell touch me?” “Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realize that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign…to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.”

(PS, 215)

“But I knew too where Voldemort was weak. And so I made my decision. You would be protected by an ancient magic of which he knows, which he despises, and which he has always, therefore, underestimated — to his cost. I am speaking, of course, of the fact that your mother died to save you. She gave you a lingering protection he never expected, a protection that flows in your veins to this day. I put my trust, therefore, in your mother’s blood. I delivered you to her sister, her only remaining relative.” “She doesn’t love me,” said Harry at once. “She doesn’t give a damn —” “But she took you,” Dumbledore cut across him. “She may have taken you grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly, yet still she took you, and in doing so, she sealed the charm I placed upon you. Your mother’s sacrifice made the bond of blood the strongest shield I could give you.” “I still don’t —” “While you can still call home the place where your mother’s blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort. He shed her blood, but it lives on in you and her sister. Her blood became your refuge. You need return there only once a year, but as long as you can still call it home, there he cannot hurt you. Your aunt knows this. I explained what I had done in the letter I left, with you, on her doorstep. She knows that allowing you houseroom may well have kept you alive for the past fifteen years.”

(OotP, 835-836)

Here again, Dumbledore mentions the ancient magic he made the decision to protect Harry with as a separate thing from the lingering protection from Lily.

And (as per this post) the Dumbledore Harry hallucinates statement:

“He took my blood.” said Harry. “Precisely!” said Dumbledore. “He took your blood and rebuilt his living body with it! Your blood in his veins, Harry, Lily’s protection inside both of you! He tethered you to life while he lives!”

(DH, 598)

And then we have what happened to Quirrell:

Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell’s face — “AAAARGH!” Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering, too, and then Harry knew: Quirrell couldn’t touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain — his only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse. Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off — the pain in Harry’s head was building — he couldn’t see — he could only hear Quirrell’s terrible shrieks and Voldemort’s yells of, “KILL HIM! KILL HIM!”

(PS, 212)

What we know from this

Well, from the above quotes we can divide the magical protections on Harry into 2 different spells as I mentioned above:

Lily's sacrificial love protection - the intention magic Lily cast by protecting her son. This is the magic that blocked the Killing Curse and killed Quirrell.

Dumbledore's blood ward - this is the spell Dumbledore cast that (supposedly) protects Harry in his relatives' home. Voldemort says Dumbledore invoked this magic, and Dumbledore also mentions it's a ward he left that built upon Lily's protection, but it's not a spell Lily left.

So, what can Lil'y Sacrificial Love Protection do:

Makes the Killing Curse not kill Harry.

Returns the Killing Curse back to the sender.

Continues to hurt that initial "sender" whenever he tries to kill Harry.

What about Dumbledore's Blood Wards what do they do:

Nothing.

Dumbledore and Voldemort say this magic exists but it never does anything. We never see it active, it never protects Harry from anyone, neither his relatives nor Death Eaters. So, we don't know what it's supposed to be doing since it doesn't do anything in the books.

Voldemort says it won't allow him to touch Harry in his relatives' house.

How I think these spells actually work

I'll start with Dumbledore's Blood Wards:

I simply don't think this ward actually exists.

Dumbledore isn't very consistent with how this protection works. He says Harry needs to return for a bit to live with Petunia for the magic to work, but if that's all the requirement, why long weeks? Couldn't he return for a shorter time? And each year he spends a different amount of time at Private Drive? Couldn't he always be sent back just for the minimal required time? At first, the ward was about love but then it isn't, he says this: "While you can still call home the place where your mother’s blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort."

Harry didn't think of Private Drive as a home:

Harry could hardly believe it when he realized that he’d already been at Hogwarts two months. The castle felt more like home than Privet Drive ever had.

(PS, 123)

“I believe he had several reasons, though he confided none of them to Professor Dippet,” said Dumbledore. “Firstly, and very importantly, Voldemort was, I believe, more attached to this school than he has ever been to a person. Hogwarts was where he had been happiest; the first and only place he had felt at home.” Harry felt slightly uncomfortable at these words, for this was exactly how he felt about Hogwarts too.

(HBP, 431)

Harry never considered Private Drive and the Dursleys his home. Hogwarts was his first home.

If there is no love and it isn't a home, even if Dumbledore did cast a blood ward based on Petunia and Lily's sacrifice it won't actually be active. But personally, I don't think this ward actually exists.

Dumbledore needs a reason to keep Harry with his relatives.

Dumbledore needs Harry malleable, low on self-esteem, and lacking in a support network. Because he knew since October 1981 (but probably before) that he'd likely need Harry to die. He suspected Harry was a Horcrux from practically day 1:

Under a tuft of jetblack hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning. “Is that where —?” whispered Professor McGonagall. “Yes,” said Dumbledore. “He’ll have that scar forever.” “Couldn’t you do something about it, Dumbledore?” “Even if I could, I wouldn’t. Scars can come in handy...

(PS, 13-14)

And being raised by the Dursleys ensured that when the time came, when Dumbledore needed Harry to die to destroy Voldemort, Harry would be willing. Because Harry would not put much worth in his own life. Because of that, I think it's not outside the realm of possibility Dumbledore would lie about this ward to have an excuse to keep sending Harry to the Dursleys.

(Sure, Dumbledore would've preferred not to kill Harry if it could be avoided, but he had been preparing for the situation since October 1981)

It's not like he did anything to better their treatment of Harry until book 6, when he needed Harry to start trusting him more...

And like I mentioned above, even if the ward was there, it would not be active because Private Drive was never a home for Harry. And after year 4, when Voldemort took his blood, any protection from any blood-related magic would be moot. Because Voldemort would not be counted as a threat by the ward.

So Dumbledore sending Harry back to the Dursleys after he knew the wards he left (if they were there at all) were gone, proves to me Harry's placement at the Dursleys was never about the wards to begin with. Because if the blood wards are gone, literally anywhere else around wizards who could protect Harry would be safer than at the Dursleys, even when thinking of Death Eaters and Voldemort as the only threat. If they came to find Harry at Private Drive, nothing would've stopped them (except Harry himself).

I could guess wards like this, if they actually were active, would have been an extension of Lily's protection and stopped Voldemrot from being able to enter the Dursleys' residence. From what's said, it seems this ward seems to target Voldemrot specifically, and no one else. But, as I mentioned, I don't think it's really there.

Lil'y Sacrificial Love Protection:

I mentioned in the past how intention and emotion mean a lot for magic in the HP universe. Lily, a witch who we are told repeatedly was powerful, intelligent, and talented, could very well cast a powerful protection out of her love and intention to protect her son. That is 100% possible with what we see magic is capable of and how magic seems to work.

That being said, the fact this never happened before suggests to me Lily did something different than just having a very strong wish for her son to survive. Dumbledore says it's because she had a choice, and in a way it is, but not because Voldemort gave her the option not to die, but because she chose to die instead of Harry.

I'll try to explain it, bear with me.

“Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!” “Stand aside, you silly girl. . . stand aside now.” “Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead—” “This is my last warning—” “Not Harry! Please . . . have mercy. . . have mercy. . . . Not Harry! Not Harry! Please—I’ll do anything—” “Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!”

(DH, 297)

This is the "spell" Lily casts — the incantation. This is her wish moments before her death: "Not Harry, kill me instead," that's what she says, that's her promise, that's her wish, that's the magic.

Lily's protection only works on Voldemort because her spell essentially made a bargain with Voldemort (that he didn't agree to). that he'd kill her instead of Harry. Once he killed Lily, he couldn't kill Harry because that was the protection she left him, and Voldemort won't be able to kill him because she died in his stead.

That's why we don't see the same thing happen after James dies to buy Lily and Harry time, why when others die to protect someone they aren't protected from the killing curse. What Lily did is a combination of a few extraordinary circumstances coming together:

She's an incredibly powerful witch (shown by her childhood magic that was very controlled and advanced (not unlike Tom Riddle) and Slughorn's boasting)

She loved Harry dearly. Loved him enough to power an accidental spell.

Chose and intended to die instead of her son. She had intent when making her plea, intent required for any spell.

So what essentially happened is that Lily created a situation where Voldemort physically can't kill Harry because Lily died in his stead. If, for example, Quirrell touched Harry without intending to kill him (like he did when they shook hands in Diagon Alley or when he pulled Harry to stand in front of the mirror) the protection won't activate. All it does is stop Voldemort from killing Harry because he already killed Lily in Harry's stead.

So, Voldemort, as I mentioned in the past, wants to kill Harry, this is his only ambition in the 2nd war. So he takes Harry's blood into himself so the protection won't work anymore. And we see it doesn't in the woods when Voldemort casts the killing curse and it doesn't rebound back on him (which would've happened otherwise).

This love protection from Lily doesn't require anything to stay active. It was cast because Voldemort killed her and Harry doesn't need to do anything to keep it active. Staying with the Dursleys wasn't for the sake of Lily's spell but for Dumbledore's ward.

As for Lily's spell not protecting Hary from anything else, like I mentioned, the bargain was that Voldemort would kill her instead of Harry, it would only protect Harry from being killed by Voldemort. If Voldemort just asked a random Death Eater to kill Harry it still wouldn't have worked, but that won't be because of Lily's love magic, but because of Harry pretty much always being the Master of Death.

Basically, Voldemort was doomed because he had no chance of killing Harry. Ever.

But what about when Harry died in book 7 and said he cast the same sacrificial love?

Well, I don't think Harry cast the same sacrificial love. His feelings and intentions were completely different. In his case, I think he just took the mastership of the Elder Wand so it wasn't performing as well for Voldemort afterward.

Conclusions

There are actually two different and distinct spells referred to by the characters when it comes to the protections Lily left for Harry.

The first is Lily's Sacrificial Love Spell which worked like a bargain. She pleaded with Voldemort to kill her instead of Harry and after he killed her, he could no longer kill Harry because he was protected.

Voldemort taking Harry's blood does indeed circumvent this spell and allows him to kill Harry in the woods (if temporarily).

The second is the Blood Ward Dumbledore talks about that is supposedly placed on the Dursleys' home. This spell was invoked by Dumbledore and is not part of Lily's spell.

It's supposed to build on and strengthen Lily's protection from what's implied.

this second spell would've stopped its activity the moment Harry stopped considering number 4, Private Drive his home (which happened quite young, as he doesn't remember ever considering it a home)

Personally, I don't think this blood ward ever existed, but even if it did, it was moot from the get-go and never done anything.

Voldemort taking Harry's blood in year 4, circumvented this ward too.

Basically, Dumbledore kept Harry at the Durselys less because of the wards and more because it suited him to ensure Harry would become the martyr he needed him to be (something I should write a full post about eventually).

#harry potter #hp #asks #ana-lyz #harry james potter #lily potter #harry potter meta #hp meta #hollowedtheory #albus dumbledore #lily evans #hp magical theory

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