#my main issue with my parents for awhile was that they weren't really helping me (esp compared to my siblings)

[eyepatchdate]

my parents paid off one of my loans yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[bil-daddy]

Mr. Dad, I’m about to drop out of grad school. It was my dream school, perfectly dark academia and artsy and English. I’m tremendously privileged to have even had the option to go abroad for this program, with the money my parents set aside for my studies, and I’m tremendously privileged to be able to leave this program and have the financial support to keep me going until I find a simple, entry-level job back home. A number of reasons have put me in this situation, my mental and physical health being the main contenders. I feel good about my decision, which quite a feat for someone like me, who has acquired a bad habit over the years to over-question their emotions and logic.

However my parents are taking it hard. They’ve assured me that they’ll support me whatever I decide, but the conversations we’ve been having over the last two weeks make it feel like that’s not the case. I understand their perspective (and have consequently goaded myself to doubt mine often enough). They see this as a wonderful opportunity that I’m walking away from. They feel like the funds they set aside for my education are going to waste. They’re worried I’m going to deeply regret not seeing the last nine months through (granted, it’s only a year long program).

I’m lucky that I have parents who value my education as much as they do and who have helped me so much to get to this point. But now that I’m about to turn in my final essays for the first term, now I’ve put in my first three months, I realize I can’t do this. I just can’t.

I was hoping, being such a midwife and cobbler as you are, you might have a nugget or two of insight to offer this poor, confused fool who has never been courageous enough to disappoint their parents until now, and is really wondering if it’s actually worth all the trouble.

Hey, kid (human, age neutral). Sounds like you're really going through it right now. But with everything you're going through right now, let's take guilt out of it because you have nothing to feel guilty for.

Your health--physical and mental--come first, and if your body is telling you to take a break from school, you're doing the right thing by listening. And it seems you know that, since you feel good about your decision. Hold onto that feeling. Don't let your parents or anyone else change your mind. You know what's best for yourself.

Your parents are upset because they're not experiencing the health and other issues you were going through, so they don't fully understand what led you to make the decision to drop out. And because you were abroad, they weren't even witnessing your struggles either. When you get home and live with them for awhile, they may come to realize that you were not exaggerating your issues and start to understand why you had to leave grad school.

Or they may not. Really depends on what kind of people your parents are. But if they're telling you they will support you whatever you decide, I think they're the kind that will. So take their words at face value and let them support you, while you figure out what your next step is.

Your parents think you will regret not finishing the last nine months of the program, but maybe they should think about it the other way around. It's not like you completed nine months of a twelve-month program, then dropped out three months before graduation.

You left only three months in, which is just a fourth of the program. If this were a job, that would be the probationary period. The time in which you figure out if it's truly right for you or not. And you figured out it wasn't, and got out early before any more time or money was 'wasted.' (Learning experiences are never actually wasted--you learned something from your classes and you learned that this wasn't the right program for you right now.)

Your parents probably have money left over for you to go back to grad school in the future if you feel up to it one day. And I bet you could even get at least some of the credits from your grad program to transfer to another program. The door on grad school isn't closed forever. But it's also fine if you do decide it's not for you and want to take another path.

If this is the first time you've ever had the courage to disappoint your parents, then I think you'll probably be pleasantly surprised and relieved when the result is not as bad in real life as you built it up to be in your head. That might be the most shocking part, actually. Realizing they still love you, even when you don't do everything according to their plan for your life. Realizing it isn't as big of a deal as you imagined it would be. Realizing it's going to be okay.

And it's going to be okay, kid. It really is. I know it's scary right now, but it's going to be okay.

Have an ox rib (platonic)

[bi-snape]

Wings to follow

Chapter 2

There's gonna be a time skip. Pretend they're all the same age except for Barty & Regulus who are a year younger than them all. Plus they all have happy families. Don't question me about the houses they're placed in.

Gryffindor: James, Mary, & Barty

Slytherin: Avery, Mulciber, Evan, & Sirius

Ravenclaw: Severus, Regulus, & Remus

Hufflepuff: Lucius, Lily, & Peter

🔹

~6th yr~

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"

Severus groaned and grudgingly woke up "It's Saturday, why are you waking me up?" He asked as he rubbed his eyes. Lily smiled and laid down besides him "Because today is a special day Sev! Do you know why??" She spoke with excitement. Severus couldn't help but smile at his friend "Why?"

"Because on this exact day 7 seven years ago, you and became best friends!!" She shouted out "So you and I must celebrate this joyous occasion!! So get out of bed you lazy bum that I love so much!!" She added as she stood up on the bed and began to jump "Get up! Get up! Get up!" She chanted as she jumped off the bed and jumped around the room.

"I'm up, I'm up" He said as he got out of bed "God how do you always have so much energy?" He spoke while looking through his dresser for clothes. Lily laughed "I have no idea but that doesn't matter, I'll wait for you in main room alright" She said to which Severus only responded by nodding.

He began to remove his pajamas the minute he heard the door close and began to put on the clothes he'd picked out for the day. Once dressed he grabbed a hair tie and tied up his hair. Some of it came loose but he didn't seem to mind. He then grabbed his wand and he went to grab a small box from his trunk. It was a gift for Lily something he'd obtain while out in Hogsmeade last weekend. Once he retrieved it, he made his way to the main room.

Lily leaped off the couch once she saw Severus and rushed over to him and engulfed him in a giant hug. Severus chuckled and hugged her back. "Come now, Let's go eat some breakfast" She said as she took his hand and began to lead him to the dining hall.

The pair walked hand in hand to the dining hall without a care in the world. Everyone knew they weren't together, nor were they meant to be together. Why? because Severus's mark never changed color and neither did Lily's. Severus's mark was on his hand so it was impossible to miss, Lily's mark tho was placed just above her hip. It was an owl and Lily had practically checked her mark whenever she came into contact with anyone.

She eventually went about asking anyone she met if they had a jellyfish as their soulmark. Tho sadly it seemed no one had one but that wasn't gonna stop her. Severus tried to convince her that maybe Petunia's soulmate was a muggle but for some reason Lily felt that that wasn't true. Nothing he said manage to get her to drop the issue and he too went about asking his housemates if they had a jellyfish soulmark.

To his surprise a boy, who was a year older and named Danny, had a jellyfish as his soulmark. Sadly Danny had already found his soulmate. Severus frowned at the revelation but he congratulated him none the less and left. He eventually told Lily and she too was bummed.

The pair soon reached the dining hall and stepped inside. They made their way to the Ravenclaw table but Lily stopped midway and squeezed Severus's hand tightly "Let's sit at the Hufflepuff table" She spoke nervously. Severus stared at her in confusion before he looked at the Ravenclaw table and then it hit him.

Regulus Black was there, he was talking to some friends of his while also eating breakfast. A smile appeared on Severus's face, he knew why Lily didn't want to sit there. It's because Regulus just so happened to be her soulmate. They had met during summer after their first year. Sirius had invited the two to spend the summer at his home.

Once the pair had gotten permission from their parents, they left to Black Manor. When they arrived Sirius was quickly greeted by someone who appeared to be a smaller version of him. Sirius eventually introduced the small boy as Regulus Black, his younger brother by a year. Lily was the first to shake his hand and then Severus. By the end of the day Lily had dragged Severus into the bathroom in panic.

She lifted up her shirt just a bit to show that mark had turned a greenish or teal color. Severus couldn't help but gasp. The rest of that summer was spent with Lily trying to avoid Regulus, she had always dreamt about meeting her soulmate. Tho she never expected to meet him at such a young age or that he would be younger than her.

Severus tried to muffle his laughter with his hand, this earned him a smack on the arm. He shook his head and rubbed his arm still smiling. "Seriously? Ever sense you found out Regulus was your soulmate you've done everything to avoid him" He spoke "Why don't you just go talk to him already" He added. Lily huffed and crossed her arms "I will, tho not now because today is our day" She said in a serious tone.

Severus sighed but then an idea popped into his head. He reached into his bag and pulled out the small box that held Lily's gift. "Here" he said and thrusted the box towards her. Lily looked surprised and uncrossed her arms to take the box. She stared at it for awhile before looking back at Severus with a questioning look. "It's a present, for our friendship anniversary" He stated.

Lily felt like tearing up "Oh Sev, that's so sweet. You didn't have to get me anything you know" She said softly. "Oh I know, but I felt like it. Now open it" He said happily as ever, Lily chuckled softly and quickly opened the box. She gasped softly, inside the box was a hair clip. It had a small crown made of gems attached to it and on the clip it obtained the word wonderland on it but it was hardly noticeable unless you looked really closely at it.

She looked back at Severus with tears forming in her eyes. Severus simply smiled "All hail the queen of wonderland" He said softly, Lily quickly engulfed him into the tightest hug ever. Severus couldn't help but laugh as he hugged her back.

"I take it you like the gift?" He asked

"Like it? Severus I absolutely love it!" She shouted out, Luckily only a few people took notice and none of them were Regulus. "But..." She muttered. Severus tilted his head "But what?"

"I didn't get you anything" She mumbled and Severus chuckled. He knew she didn't get him anything, they've never gotten eachother gifts before. They simply took turns paying for everything each anniversaries. So he was very lucky when he decided to buy her a gift. "Oh I know but I know how you can make it up to me" He said and Lily gave him another confused look "How? Do you want me to pay for everything today?" She asked.

He shook his head and grabbed her hand "Nope" he spoke and dragged Lily to the Ravenclaw table. It took her a few minutes before realizing what Severus wanted. She tried to remove her hand from his but was unsuccessful. There was no point in trying to escape they already arrived to the table and to the very person she was trying to avoid.

"Hey Regulus, you remember Lily right?" Severus spoke as he quickly sat down next to Regulus, luckily there was hardly anyone at the table, and pulled Lily onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist to avoid her escaping. Regulus turned to face the pair and stared at them weirdly, seeing as Lily was trying to escape. "Uh yeah, you guys are friends with my older brother Sirius. Why?" He said in a confused tone.

"Did you know her soulmark is an owl?" Severus asked and Lily wanted nothing more than to die. Regulus felt his eyes widen at that information "It is?" He asked and Severus made a humming noise in confirmation. Regulus felt stunned, he wasn't sure what exactly Severus was trying to say but it felt like he was implying that Lily was his soulmate. "What does that have to do with me?" He asked nervously.

Severus smirked "Not much, also her favorite animal is a rabbit and her favorite color is orange" He said and Lily hid her face with her hands inorder to avoid people seeing her blush especially Regulus. "Just thought you should know" He added and Regulus was stunned into silence. Why? Well cause his soulmark was a rabbit and it had turned orange a year before he was to enter Hogwarts.

Severus pushed Lily up and stood up himself. He then gently pushed Lily down to where he was sitting before. Lily was simply glaring at him the entire time her face completely red. Before Severus walked away to the slytherin table to talk to Sirius, he leaned in towards Regulus "Also her mark turned teal the day we first went to Black Manor" He whispered in his ear. He straighten up and smiled at the two "Welp I'm gonna go say hi to Siri, by you two" He said and ran off before Lily could attack him.

Severus arrived to the slytherin table and was happy to see Sirius sitting there half asleep. He quickly sat down next to him and grabbed hold of his arm which caused to jump out of his sleeping state in fear. "Sweet merlin Sev, what the hell" Sirius wheezed out, Severus merely smiled and pointed towards Lily and Regulus. Sirius turned his attention to where Severus was pointing and gasped in shock."Did she finally tell him?!" Sirius said a bit loudly as he turned to look at Severus for confirmation.

Severus nodded his head happily and Sirius cheered with glee "About fucking time!" He shouted and Severus couldn't help but laugh. Both he and Sirius talked about the new relationship forming between Lily and Regulus. Eventually they began talking about other things clearly no longer interested in their friends relationship.