#people are just casually bullying snape

[lilithofpenandbook]

Playing Hogwarts Mystery and Peeves goes and hits me with "Snivellus Snape"

CAN THIS MAN JUST GET A BREAK FOR ONCE-

[elikajinnie]

You Are My Sunshine - K.S

P: Hufflepuff!Sunoo X Fem!Reader

Warnings: Minor Bullying? Fluff, Confessions, Minor Angst.

Synopsis: You were known as the grumpy, closed-off student at Hogwarts, keeping your emotions tightly guarded. That is, until Kim Sunoo, the ever-cheerful Hufflepuff, took it upon himself to brighten your days. With his infectious laughter and unwavering optimism seep into your life, you slowly realize that the warmth of his sunshine is quickly melting away your defenses.

a/n: sorry babes and pooks, this one is kinda short? exams are coming up and i only have a sliver of moment in the commute to and from school to write :) but hope everyone had a nice halloween! (anyone got an idea for Heeseungs slytherin fic?? Im brainstorming over here >:(

masterlist

☀︎⋆｡°·☁︎

You swore you were a nice person. It might not look like it, though—your face and demeanor often gave the opposite impression. You weren’t cold, but you had always been reserved, choosing to keep to yourself more often than not. Because of that, when you first arrived at Hogwarts, you didn’t exactly collect friends the way others seemed to. Only a select few ever got to see how friendly you actually were, but that was only after you decided you could trust them.

So, it came as a surprise—a big surprise—when one afternoon, while you were tucked away in a quiet corner of the library, deeply immersed in your studies, someone pulled out a chair and sat down right beside you.

Glancing up, you immediately recognized him. Kim Sunoo, the ever-smiling, ever-popular Hufflepuff. His presence was unmistakable, bright as day. His grin was practically beaming, and it momentarily threw you off balance. You blinked, wondering if he had the wrong table.

"Hey!" he greeted, voice light and full of energy. "Mind if I sit here?"

You stared at him blankly, unsure if he was serious or just passing by. He had already sat down, so you didn’t see much point in objecting. After a beat of silence, you returned your attention to the parchment in front of you, figuring the conversation might end there.

It didn’t.

"I’ve seen you around," he continued, undeterred by your lack of response. "You’re really focused when you’re working, huh? Must be nice to be that dedicated. I always get distracted in the library."

Your eyes flicked over to him, giving a small nod but saying nothing. You weren’t used to this—the friendliness so freely given, the casual conversation with someone you barely knew. Your face remained impassive, though inwardly, you were trying to piece together why he of all people was sitting with you. Surely, he had plenty of other, more sociable people to talk to.

Sunoo, however, didn’t seem to mind your quietness. In fact, he just kept going. "I’m terrible at Potions," he admitted with a sheepish laugh. "Professor Snape probably thinks I’m hopeless. I bet you’re good at it, though. You’ve got that… I dunno, that calm, focused vibe."

You couldn’t help but frown a little at that. "Calm, focused vibe?" you echoed, your tone flat.

He grinned even wider, his eyes almost disappearing into crescent moons. "Yeah! You just seem really composed all the time. It’s cool. I get stressed and panicky over every little thing."

"I wouldn’t say I’m always calm," you replied, voice as even as your expression.

Sunoo’s smile didn’t waver. If anything, he looked more pleased that you were finally talking. "See? Even when you’re denying it, you’re calm," he teased, clearly enjoying himself. "You’re like the opposite of me."

You stared at him for a moment, wondering how anyone could be so upbeat all the time. Sunoo’s energy was infectious, even if your face didn’t show it. Still, your brows furrowed slightly as you watched him speak, trying to make sense of why this popular Hufflepuff was suddenly so interested in chatting with you.

"I don’t usually talk much," you pointed out, your tone neutral.

"I noticed," Sunoo replied without missing a beat, completely unfazed. "But I think that’s fine. You don’t need to say a lot to be interesting."

You blinked again, your expression still not giving away the faint surprise you felt at his words. You had expected him to lose interest by now, to move on to someone who would match his energy and conversation style, but he stayed right where he was, grinning like he had just made the best discovery of the day.

For a long moment, the two of you sat there, him smiling, you with your usual stoic expression, and yet, for some reason, it didn’t feel awkward. It was as if Sunoo’s bright presence was enough to fill any potential silence.

You tilted your head slightly, studying him. "Why are you talking to me?"

His laughter was soft, but genuine. "Why not? You seem interesting."

"I don’t really come across that way," you said, voice deadpan.

Sunoo shrugged, still smiling. "You do to me."

And with that, he leaned back in his chair, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to sit there, in complete contrast to your serious demeanor, radiating warmth and light like a small sun.

☀︎⋆｡°·☁︎

During your next Potions class, you settled into your usual spot toward the back, where the dim light made it easier to focus without distractions. You liked this spot. It was quiet, and you could concentrate without anyone poking their nose into your work. But just as you began setting up your ingredients, you heard a familiar, cheerful voice.

"Mind if I join you?"

You glanced up, almost certain you had imagined it, only to find Kim Sunoo grinning down at you. His presence was the last thing you expected in this class. He was known for sitting up front, surrounded by his usual group, always cracking jokes and flashing that bright smile.

Sunoo slid into the seat beside you before you could respond, giving you an easy, friendly smile as he began organizing his ingredients. "I thought maybe if I sat by you, Professor Snape might be a little more… forgiving?" he whispered, his tone hopeful.

You raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Why would he be?"

"Well," he said, leaning in slightly as if sharing a great secret, "he likes you. Haven't you noticed? He doesn’t scowl as much when you’re around. I figured maybe I could absorb some of your calm, composed energy," he added, making an exaggerated face of concentration as if he were already channeling your stoic look.

You couldn’t help but let a small, amused huff escape. “If that’s your plan, I wouldn’t count on it working.”

Sunoo smiled wider, undeterred. "Worth a shot, right?"

As if on cue, Snape swept into the classroom, his dark robes billowing behind him. His eyes scanned the room with that usual, critical glint before landing on you and Sunoo. He paused, visibly surprised to see the two of you sitting together, but instead of saying anything, he gave a curt nod and moved on, barking instructions for today’s lesson.

You gave Sunoo a sidelong glance as he visibly relaxed. “See? I think it’s working already,” he whispered, giving you a thumbs-up under the table. “He didn’t even glare!”

You rolled your eyes. "He didn't glare because he’s focused on starting class. Don't think you're off the hook."

Sunoo just shrugged, a bit of humor still glinting in his eyes. “I don’t mind. Besides, you’re probably good at Potions, right? You could even help me. Professor Snape can’t get mad if you’re the one teaching me, right?”

“I don’t think that’s how it works. But sure… as long as you don’t blow anything up.”

Sunoo grinned again, nudging you playfully with his elbow. "Deal."

As the lesson began, you quickly noticed that Sunoo seemed determined to keep up, his usual playful energy tempered as he looked over his cauldron with an unexpected intensity. It was strange to see him so focused, but oddly gratifying, knowing he was genuinely trying.

"Okay," you whispered, leaning over to show him your carefully arranged ingredients. "For this Draught of Peace, every step has to be precise. Start by adding the powdered moonstone, but remember to stir counterclockwise three times after each pinch."

Sunoo glanced at you, his face serious as he nodded. "Three times, counterclockwise. Got it." He leaned forward, following your lead and adding the powder in controlled amounts. His usual talkative nature was nowhere to be seen, replaced by an almost endearing determination to get it right.

When he looked back at you for the next step, you raised an eyebrow, testing him. "What’s next, then?”

He bit his lip, thinking hard. "Uh, lacewing flies… right? Only one… no, two wings, torn lengthwise?"

"Not bad," you said, impressed. “See? You’re actually getting it."

He smiled sheepishly, keeping his eyes on his work as he carefully placed the ingredients in the cauldron. "Only because you’re explaining it in a way that makes sense," he admitted, glancing at you. "Potions books make it sound way too complicated."

You had to admit, seeing him genuinely engaged in learning something he found difficult felt surprisingly rewarding. “It’s only complicated if you rush,” you explained, “so take your time with this part. And make sure to add a clockwise stir after each wing.”

He mirrored your movements, handling each step as carefully as he could manage, clearly hanging onto each of your instructions. When he managed to mix everything without a hitch, he turned to you, his face beaming. “Look, it’s actually working. It’s not grey!”

You gave him an approving nod. “See? As long as you follow the instructions and stay focused, you’re fine.”

"Well, when you put it like that, it’s not so scary," he murmured, watching as the liquid turned a gentle blue.

"Now, simmer it for ten minutes," you said, leaning back in your chair. "And keep an eye on the bubbles—they should stay small and steady."

He sighed in relief, clearly grateful for the help. "You have no idea how much easier that makes things."

When you caught his eye, he grinned. "If I sit next to you every Potions class, you won’t mind, right?"

You paused at his question, thrown off by how quickly he’d asked it. Sunoo had a way of being open and friendly with everyone, but this… well, this felt different. You weren’t sure what he was really after, and his sudden interest in sitting with you felt almost too friendly.

So, you just shrugged, keeping your face neutral. “If you want to,” you replied, glancing back at your own cauldron.

Sunoo watched you for a moment, seeming to notice your hesitation. But instead of getting discouraged, he just gave a small laugh, scratching the back of his head. “You don’t mind, right? I mean… you’re not gonna hex me or anything?”

You blinked, caught off guard, but his teasing smirk showed he was only joking. “No,” you said, “Not unless you mess up the potion.”

He chuckled, apparently finding your reaction funny. "Alright, noted," he replied, nudging his cauldron carefully as he checked the simmering liquid. “Guess I’ll have to be on my best behavior then.”

For the rest of class, he kept close by your side, following each instruction you gave him with an unusual attentiveness. He even managed to complete the potion almost perfectly. When Snape passed by, he raised an eyebrow at Sunoo’s work but said nothing, which was the highest praise he could give.

As you cleaned up at the end of class, Sunoo packed his things slowly, glancing over at you. “Thanks for the help,” he said, smiling warmly. “Not sure I could’ve done that without you.”

You simply nodded, unsure of what to say, but he seemed content with the small gesture. As he turned to leave, he glanced back one more time. “See you next class?”

“Yeah… sure,” you replied, giving a half-shrug.

As he left, you couldn’t help but feel a little curious. Sunoo’s interest in sitting with you still felt unexpected.

☀︎⋆｡°·☁︎

Days turned into weeks, and Sunoo became a near-constant presence by your side. Whether it was Potions, lunch in the Great Hall, or even the occasional study session in the library, he always seemed to find his way over to you, plopping down with that familiar grin and easy energy that contrasted so starkly with your laid-back demeanor.

At first, you thought maybe he’d get bored, or that your lack of enthusiasm might wear him down. But Sunoo was nothing if not persistent. No matter how often you shrugged at his questions or gave him short, deadpan responses, he just laughed it off, acting as though he’d known you forever. And even though you never rejected his company outright, you never really encouraged it either. Not that Sunoo seemed to care.

One afternoon, you found yourself in the library, a familiar routine now: books spread out, your head bent over an assignment you were half-heartedly working on. The sound of footsteps made you glance up, and sure enough, there he was—Sunoo, grinning, holding two mugs of butterbeer from the kitchens.

“Thought you could use one,” he said, sliding it across the table to you.

You gave a halfhearted sigh, accepting it anyway. “You know, you don’t have to keep showing up like this. Don’t you have other friends?”

He shrugged, unfazed. “Sure, but I like hanging out with you. Plus, you’re surprisingly easy to talk to, you know?”

“Is that right,” you said, taking a sip of the butterbeer, trying to keep your face neutral. “And here I thought I was terrible company.”

“Hardly,” he replied with a grin, leaning in like he was letting you in on a secret. “I think you’re interesting, even if you act like you don’t care. And… I think you like my company, too.”

You huffed, looking away. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

He laughed, “Alright, alright. I’ll leave it at that. But you’re not getting rid of me anytime soon.”

You hid a smile behind your hand, feeling an unexpected warmth from his words.

As days passed, Sunoo continued to be your constant shadow, sticking to you like he belonged there. Whenever he leaned in close to explain something exciting or nudged your shoulder to get your attention, you didn’t push him away. Not even a grumble. And soon enough, people began to notice—whispers trailing behind the two of you whenever you entered a room together.

"Are they really that close now?" someone muttered one afternoon in the library, eyeing the way Sunoo leaned over to show you a funny illustration in his book.

"They’re, like… polar opposites," another whispered, watching you with open curiosity, clearly baffled at how you, the reserved one with a permanent poker face, had Sunoo—the endlessly friendly, sunny Hufflepuff—so close.

The attention might have bothered you once, but Sunoo’s influence seemed to have rubbed off on you. You were a little more relaxed, even when people stared or asked questions. Sunoo’s laughter or his quick jokes were enough to break the awkwardness you might’ve once felt, and strangely enough, you’d even found yourself talking to more people—not necessarily by choice, but because he kept introducing you to others.

One evening, you were sitting in the library with one of your closer friends. They’d known you for years and were one of the few who really understood you. As Sunoo wandered over to grab a book from the shelves nearby, your friend leaned in with a small smile.

“You know, it’s funny,” they said quietly, eyeing you with amusement. “You and Sunoo… you balance each other out. Like, he brings you out of your comfort zone with all these people and conversations, and you, well… you help him calm down and focus more.”

You raised an eyebrow, a bit skeptical. “Sunoo? Focused?”

Your friend chuckled. “More than you’d think. Have you noticed how much more serious he’s been in Potions lately? And he actually sits through an entire library study session without talking your ear off.”

You shrugged, not wanting to admit just how true it was. “Maybe he’s just getting better at Potions.”

“Sure,” they replied, giving you a knowing look. “And maybe you’re just getting more social.”

You huffed, looking away to hide a small, reluctant smile. It was true that Sunoo had brought a new energy to your life, and whether you liked it or not, you’d changed a little since he’d attached himself to you. You actually found yourself looking forward to his presence. He made things… lighter.

Just then, Sunoo bounded over, oblivious to the conversation you’d been having. He plopped down beside you, smiling as usual. “Hey! Did you know they added a new dessert in the kitchens? We have to go try it later!”

Your friend shot you a look, clearly delighted by the way you barely rolled your eyes before nodding. “Fine,” you replied. “But you’re bringing it back here. I’m not going all the way to the kitchens.”

Sunoo’s smile only grew. “Deal. You’re finally starting to admit you like spending time with me, huh?”

You scoffed, looking away to hide the faint warmth creeping into your cheeks. “Don’t push it.”

But the truth was undeniable, and both your friend and Sunoo could see it: somehow, the two of you had found a balance.

It didn’t take long for you to realize just how well Sunoo had come to understand you. He could somehow sense when your patience was wearing thin, when you’d been around people for too long and needed to be left alone. Whenever he picked up on your waning energy, he would offer you a small, knowing smile, give you a light squeeze on the shoulder, and let you be. No questions asked, no lingering around to wait you out—he just knew.

And maybe, in some way, you’d learned to pick up on his cues, too. Sunoo, who was normally all bright smiles and endless chatter, had quiet days—moments when his laughter would be softer, his eyes a little distant, his usual warmth feeling dimmed. At first, you didn’t know what to make of it, but eventually, you realized what he needed. So, whenever he’d get that faraway look, you’d make an extra effort to bring a bit of lightness back into his world.

Like the time you found him sitting by the lake, lost in thought as he absently trailed his fingers through the water. Without a word, you’d sat beside him and started retelling one of Snape’s more ridiculous lectures with a deadpan voice, mimicking Snape’s mannerisms in a way that finally drew a soft, genuine laugh from Sunoo.

“You’re pretty funny when you want to be,” he had said, nudging your shoulder as his smile returned.

“Just don’t get used to it,” you replied, but you couldn’t stop the small smile from creeping onto your face.

And it did go both ways. Sometimes you’d notice his plate looking a little too empty at dinner, and without a word, you’d sneak extra food onto it, nudging it his way until he ate. On the mornings he’d wander into class looking groggy and starving from skipping breakfast, you’d casually slide a piece of toast or a muffin over to him without drawing any attention, not even acknowledging it as he glanced at you in surprise, a grateful look in his eyes.

Once, he’d shown up in the library just before lunch, clearly worn down from a long morning of classes. His face lit up as he saw you, but before he could say anything, you pulled a sandwich from your bag and held it out to him, rolling your eyes as he grinned.

“Eat,” you ordered, trying not to smile at the way he accepted it.

“You’re seriously the best,” he said between bites, eyes shining with gratitude.

You shrugged, not making a big deal of it. “Just don’t skip meals.”

As much as Sunoo’s constant presence had once felt overwhelming, you couldn’t deny how natural it had become. He was someone you didn’t mind looking after, just as he looked after you in his own way. And even though you still hadn’t outright admitted how much he’d come to mean to you, you knew he could feel it.

After all, Sunoo seemed to understand you better than you’d ever expected.

☀︎⋆｡°·☁︎

On a Thursday, right as you and Sunoo were walking down the hall from Potions, laughing quietly about some ridiculous mistake he’d made when a group of students passed by, whispering just loud enough for you to hear.

“Can’t believe those two are always together,” one of them sneered, glancing your way. “I don’t get what Sunoo sees in someone so… cold.”

“Yeah, must be a pity friendship,” another scoffed. “Who’d actually choose to hang around someone like that?”

The words hit you harder than you’d like to admit. You clenched your fists, feeling your cheeks grow hot with anger. Before you knew it, you were turning toward them, words already forming on your tongue.

But then, you felt a soft tug on your arm—Sunoo, pulling you back. His expression was a mix of concern and pleading, his hand gripping yours tightly.

“Don’t,” he whispered urgently, shaking his head. “They’re not worth it. Just… let it go, okay?”

But their words kept echoing in your mind, growing louder, and something about the way they’d insulted not only you but Sunoo too, made your blood boil. You could see how Sunoo was trying to brush it off, but the hurt flashed briefly in his eyes, even if he was trying to hide it.

“No,” you said firmly, ignoring his hold as you spun back around, voice sharp as you yelled after them. “Got something to say? How about you say it to our faces instead of acting like cowards?”

The group turned, surprised by your outburst, and you could see them tense, unprepared for confrontation. They exchanged uneasy looks before one of them, bolder than the others, sneered. “We’re just saying what everyone else is thinking.”

“Then let me make one thing clear,” you shot back, holding their gaze with an intensity that made them falter. “Sunoo is a hundred times the person any of you will ever be. So maybe you’re the ones who should keep quiet.”

They shifted, looking caught off guard. When they finally muttered a weak insult under their breath and walked off, you turned back to Sunoo, your anger still simmering.

Sunoo was watching you, eyes wide, a mixture of shock and something else—something soft and grateful—shining in his expression. He let out a breath, chuckling as he shook his head. “You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

You shrugged, still fuming, but now a little embarrassed at how strongly you’d reacted. “They don’t get to talk about us like that.”

Sunoo’s smile widened, and he squeezed your hand, which you’d forgotten he was still holding, looking at you with a warmth that seemed to melt away the remnants of your anger.

The hallway felt strangely empty around you, and though you didn’t say anything, the look you gave him said everything you couldn’t put into words.

☀︎⋆｡°·☁︎

You and Sunoo became a regular sight around Hogwarts: you, with your usual deadpan expression and arms crossed, and Sunoo practically glowing with happiness beside you. Wherever he went, you seemed to follow, trailing a few paces behind with that ever-present poker face, while he chatted, laughed, and animatedly waved to anyone who passed.

There were days when Sunoo would drag you into random "adventures" across the castle, whether it was sneaking into the kitchens to grab snacks or daring you to climb one of the tall staircases to see if you could spot your common room window.

Like that time he convinced you to join him on an impromptu “mission” to see if the Fat Friar really could pass through walls from the sixth-floor corridor to the third-floor hallway. Somehow, he managed to get you to run after the ghost with him, dodging curious glances from students and teachers alike. Sunoo had laughed himself silly when you reached the third floor out of breath, pointing out the tiny, genuine grin that slipped onto your face as he panted beside you.

"Look, they’re smiling!" someone had gasped, and Sunoo turned with a proud grin, throwing an arm around your shoulder. “See? You just needed a little fun.”

You promptly rolled your eyes, but you didn't shrug him off. “I don’t know if chasing ghosts counts as fun,” you muttered, though the corner of your mouth betrayed you with the smallest smirk.

Then, there was the time Sunoo found out you’d never tried a Sugar Quill and insisted on “fixing this tragedy.” He dragged you down to Hogsmeade, where he bought you not one but two Sugar Quills, then made a show of pulling a face as he pretended to judge your expression with every lick. Even though you mostly kept your deadpan look, he saw right through you, laughing as you admitted they were “better than expected.”

“Wait, was that a compliment?” he teased, eyes wide in mock surprise.

You rolled your eyes, biting the end of the quill. “Don’t get used to it.”

But the most notable reactions always came during the quieter moments—the times Sunoo would ramble on about something, and you’d listen quietly, only to get caught off-guard by his laugh or one of his jokes, and let a smile slip. Whenever someone noticed, they’d gape in shock, like they’d just seen something truly unbelievable.

Like when you two were sitting by the Black Lake, and Sunoo was telling some ridiculous story about how he once tried to turn the Great Hall’s chandelier into a disco ball for a party idea (though, predictably, he’d been caught). You tried to hold it in, but a soft chuckle slipped out anyway. One nearby student stared so openly that Sunoo caught it too, and immediately grinned, elbowing you.

“See? People can’t believe their eyes. They probably think you’re a statue brought to life,” he teased, his eyes crinkling in amusement.

You gave him a flat look, but the tiny smile wouldn’t leave your face. “Maybe it’s you who’s bringing me to life,” you replied dryly, just to see him blush.

The two of you were a study in contrasts—your stoic, steady presence beside Sunoo’s unstoppable, bubbly energy. But somehow, people started catching those small, fleeting moments when you softened around him, when he made you smile in spite of yourself. And as much as you didn’t want to admit it, you liked that he was the one who could bring that out in you.

Life with Sunoo by your side continued to be an endless series of unexpected twists, each one gradually chipping away at your grumpy exterior. He had this strange ability to draw out parts of you that you’d long kept hidden, surprising even yourself in the process. And, somehow, you didn’t mind it as much as you thought you would.

One afternoon, Sunoo decided it was "absolutely necessary" to take you to the Owlery to see a particular baby owl he’d become fond of. “You’ll love it, I swear,” he insisted, dragging you up the steps. And despite your half-hearted grumbles about climbing “unnecessary stairs,” you found yourself actually smiling when the little owl pecked his hand affectionately. When Sunoo turned and caught the tiny smile on your face, he gasped dramatically.

“Stop the press!” he said loudly enough to echo through the Owlery. “They do have a heart!”

“Careful, or I’ll stop coming along to your ridiculous little outings,” you muttered, though the hint of amusement in your voice was hard to ignore.

“Oh, please,” Sunoo scoffed, looping an arm through yours as you both made your way back down. “You love every second of my company.”

You didn’t answer, but your silence was all the confirmation he needed.

Another time, during a Transfiguration lesson, you found yourself paired with Sunoo for a particularly tricky assignment. Sunoo, naturally, was struggling to concentrate, his wand movements lazy and absent-minded as he kept nudging you with random observations. “Did you know Professor McGonagall has a favorite cat?” he whispered, eyes wide.

“Focus,” you deadpanned, though the corners of your mouth twitched as you tried to stifle a smile.

Seeing your reaction, he grinned, adjusting his stance and mirroring your serious expression in an exaggerated way. “Like this?” he asked, mimicking your look perfectly.

You couldn’t hold it in this time—a small, genuine laugh escaped you, shocking the students around you. Even McGonagall raised an eyebrow, glancing over her spectacles. “Good to see you finding joy in Transfiguration, for once,” she said with a rare smile.

When class ended, Sunoo was practically beaming. “See? I’m finally getting you to open up,” he said, walking beside you with that familiar, almost blinding smile.

“Don’t push your luck,” you warned, but he only laughed, knowing you didn’t really mean it.

And every now and then, you’d catch students around the castle gawking when Sunoo would lean in close, pointing out something funny on a page or whispering a joke that would make your stone-cold demeanor soften for just a second. They couldn’t believe it, seeing you actually smiling or laughing in response to his antics.

One evening in the library, you were finishing up some homework while Sunoo sat beside you, absently doodling on parchment. He glanced over at you, tapping his quill on the desk.

“So,” he started, a little softer this time, “when did I officially become your friend?”

You didn’t look up, but your lips tugged upward slightly. “Guess it was the day you decided not to leave me alone,” you replied.

Sunoo grinned, leaning his head against your shoulder with a sigh. “Good thing I’m stubborn.”

You didn’t answer, but you didn’t move away, either. In fact, the small smile you wore spoke more than words ever could.

☀︎⋆｡°·☁︎

One quiet afternoon, you and Sunoo found yourselves sitting by the Black Lake. The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden glow over the water, and for once, there were no interruptions, no curious glances from other students. It was just the two of you, enjoying the peace and each other's company.

Sunoo had been unusually silent for a while, lost in thought as he skipped stones across the lake. Finally, he turned to you, his expression more serious than usual. “Hey,” he began softly, “can I ask you something?”

You glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. “Sure, what’s up?”

He hesitated, biting his lip before speaking again. “Why don’t you smile much around people? I mean, you smile a lot when it’s just us, but with others… it’s like you shut down.”

The question hung in the air, and for a moment, you weren’t sure how to respond. You stared out at the water, watching the ripples dance across the surface as you gathered your thoughts. Finally, you sighed, deciding to share a piece of your past that you rarely talked about.

“It’s not that I don’t want to smile,” you began slowly, choosing your words carefully. “I thought I had people I could rely on,” you continued, still keeping your gaze down, staring at the grass as though it held all the answers. “But things changed. They either weren’t there when I needed them most, or…” You trailed off, not quite able to voice the ways people had let you down. “It’s like they didn’t care as much as I thought they did. I felt stupid for ever trusting them.”

Your voice was barely a whisper by the end, but you forced yourself to keep going, feeling the weight of your words start to lighten as you let them out. “After that, I just… learned to be careful. I figured if I didn’t let people in, they couldn’t hurt me. So I stopped smiling so much. I thought maybe if I looked… unapproachable, people would keep their distance. And for the most part, they did.”

Sunoo gave your hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry you had to go through that,” he said quietly, his voice laced with genuine empathy. “People can be selfish, and sometimes they don’t realize how their actions affect others. But I hope you know not everyone is like that.”

A lump formed in your throat at his words, the sincerity in his tone catching you off guard. “I know,” you replied, though your voice shook slightly. “It’s just hard to remember that sometimes. I didn’t want to risk getting hurt again, so… shutting people out seemed like the safest option.”

Sunoo shifted a little closer, his warmth a quiet reminder that you weren’t alone. “You know,” he began, voice gentle, “I had my own fair share of people who weren’t exactly the best, too. It hurt, and yeah, I thought about closing myself off sometimes. But then I thought, what if I missed out on someone who really could be a good friend?”

You looked over at him, catching the soft vulnerability in his eyes. “I guess that’s why you’re so… friendly,” you said, almost teasing but more thoughtful than anything. “You don’t want to miss out on the good people out there.”

He smiled, nodding. “Exactly. And… I knew you were different, you know. Even if you didn’t smile much, even if you looked like you’d rather be anywhere else than around people, I could just tell. That there was more to you. And look,” he added with a grin, “I was right.”

A laugh slipped out before you could stop it, a genuine one, and you shook your head at his optimism. “Guess you were,” you admitted, a little sheepishly. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you putting up with me, though.”

“Oh, please,” he scoffed, playfully bumping his shoulder against yours. “I knew there was something worth sticking around for. Even if you tried to hide it.”

The weight of his words settled over you, and you couldn’t help but feel a small surge of warmth. Sunoo hadn’t just pushed past your walls; he’d done it so gently, with such patience, that you hardly realized when you’d stopped trying to keep him out.

“Thanks for… sticking around,” you said, voice quiet, the sincerity in your words a stark contrast to your usual deadpan tone.

“Anytime,” he replied, a soft smile playing at his lips as he looked out at the lake. Then, after a beat, he added, “Besides, I like having someone around who gets me. You know how I can get lost in my own thoughts sometimes. You’re always there to pull me back.”

You both shared a comfortable silence, the kind you could only have with someone who truly understood you. After a while, you finally spoke again. “I guess I kind of forgot how nice it feels to let someone in.”

Sunoo nodded, a content smile on his face. “I’m glad you trusted me with that,” he said softly. “And… I hope you know I’ll never do anything to hurt you. Promise.”

You turned to him, meeting his gaze, and for once, you let down every wall and allowed yourself to believe him. “I believe you.”

He grinned, looking both relieved and happy. “Good. Because I plan on being around for a long time, whether you like it or not.”

Rolling your eyes, you felt the small, reluctant smile tugging at your lips once again. But this time, you didn’t fight it. “Guess I don’t really have a choice, huh?”

“Nope,” he replied cheerfully, leaning his head against your shoulder with a sigh. “I’m a very stubborn person, you know.”

Sunoo’s smile was soft and reassuring, his eyes shining.“I promise, I’ll never do anything to hurt you. You’re stuck with me now, whether you like it or not.”

You couldn’t help but chuckle at that, a genuine smile breaking through your usual guarded expression. “I guess I can live with that.”

Sunoo grinned, leaning in a bit closer. “Good. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

☀︎⋆｡°·☁︎

You couldn’t quite pinpoint the moment it happened, the gradual shift from seeing Sunoo as just that kind, bubbly Hufflepuff who wouldn’t leave you alone, to… this. Somewhere in the days spent with him at your side, with his laugh brightening even your most tired moments, Sunoo had become more than just a friend.

It hit you unexpectedly one day, as you leaned against a stone wall in the courtyard, watching from afar while he chatted with a group of other students. He was laughing, the sound rich and clear as he threw his head back, eyes crinkling in a way that made him look almost ethereal. His presence lit up the entire courtyard, as if he were some rare creature, something precious that didn’t quite belong to the harshness of the real world.

For a second, you wondered how someone like him—so pure, so effortlessly kind and happy—had come to talk to you, much less stick around. And as the thought lingered, you felt an ache in your chest you hadn’t expected. Because no matter how close you’d gotten, you couldn’t shake the feeling that Sunoo was somehow beyond your reach.

He caught sight of you then, his gaze shifting from the others to land directly on you, and his face lit up even more, a broad grin spreading across his features. You blinked, feeling warmth bloom inside you as he broke away from the group, jogging over to where you stood.

“You just standing there, brooding?” he teased, his eyes glinting with playful mischief as he nudged your shoulder.

You huffed, trying to shake off the thought that had just been consuming you. “Maybe. Someone’s gotta keep the aesthetic,” you muttered, lips curling in a faint smirk.

But as he laughed, the sound tugging at something deep inside you, you couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever see you the way you were beginning to see him. If he’d ever feel that same tug of warmth and longing when he looked at you.

“What?” Sunoo asked, tilting his head when he noticed you staring.

“Nothing,” you replied quickly, looking away to hide the hint of pink creeping up your cheeks.

The days turned into weeks, and while Sunoo’s cheerful presence continued to brighten your life, you found yourself slipping back into familiar habits. Each time you spotted him surrounded by large groups of people, laughing and joking with ease, an unsettling fear began to take root in your chest. You pulled away, convinced that you would inevitably reveal too much—your feelings for him slipping through the cracks, leaving you vulnerable in front of everyone.

It wasn’t that you wanted to distance yourself from Sunoo; rather, it was the overwhelming dread of accidentally exposing your heart that made you withdraw. You’d sit on the sidelines, pretending to be absorbed in your own conversations or buried in a book, watching him from afar with a mix of longing and anxiety. Each time he glanced your way, a bolt of panic shot through you, and you’d quickly look away, heart racing at the thought of what he might see in your eyes.

You told yourself it was fine, that you needed space—that it was safer to watch him from afar, to keep things simple and keep your feelings hidden.

But that was easier said than done. Every time he’d glance over with that bright, hopeful smile, a pang of guilt and longing would settle in your chest. You’d nod in acknowledgment, force a small wave, and then slip away, heart hammering as you went.

And of course, Sunoo noticed.

One evening, when you were tucked away in a quiet corner of the library, a familiar figure appeared beside you. Sunoo slid into the seat, watching you with a curious, slightly hurt expression. "You’re avoiding me," he said softly, cutting right to the point.

You didn’t look up, keeping your focus on the parchment in front of you, hoping he wouldn’t press. “No, I’m just… busy. Lots of work,” you mumbled, hoping that would satisfy him.

“Really?” he asked, his voice edged with disbelief. “Because you used to tell me when things were bothering you. Now, it’s like… like I don’t even know what’s going on with you.” His tone was tinged with hurt, and you felt it like a weight in your chest.

“I’m fine, Sunoo. Really,” you replied with a weak shrug, not daring to meet his eyes. You knew if you did, he’d see right through you.

He let out a frustrated sigh. “Don’t do that,” he pleaded, his voice wavering. “Don’t push me away. I thought… I thought we’d built something together, you know? Something real. I want to be there for you, but you have to let me in.”

You swallowed hard, feeling your heart pound painfully. “It’s just… it’s complicated.”

He leaned closer, his voice filled with an unfamiliar urgency. “Then let me in on the ‘complicated.’ I don’t want you to hide from me. Please, talk to me.”

You clenched your jaw, still not meeting his gaze. You could feel his intensity, his genuine care, and it tore you up inside. “Sunoo, just… drop it,” you said, voice quieter than you intended.

But he didn’t drop it. “Why won’t you just be real with me?” he nearly begged, his tone raw and vulnerable. “I hate seeing you shut yourself off like this. I hate that you’re just… disappearing. It’s like I’m losing you, and I don’t understand why. I thought we were closer than this.”

A pang of frustration bubbled up. He didn’t understand because you’d kept him in the dark, because you were afraid he’d never feel the same way. You had no right to be upset, but it hurt too much to bear alone any longer.

“Because, Sunoo!” you said, your voice rising. “Because I… I have feelings for you, alright?”

As soon as the words were out, your hand flew to your mouth in shock, eyes widening at what you’d just revealed. You stared at him, feeling a mixture of panic and regret swell up as the weight of what you’d just said settled between you.

You half-expected to see shock or pity on his face, but instead, Sunoo’s expression softened. Slowly, a smile spread across his lips, one of genuine happiness and warmth, lighting up his entire face.

“Do you… do you really feel that way?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper as if he didn’t quite believe his own ears.

Face burning, you nodded, too afraid to meet his eyes but not wanting to take the words back. “Yeah. I do,” you replied, voice quiet, feeling both relieved and terrified.

Without another word, Sunoo’s hands reached for yours, pulling you close. He looked at you with a joy that you hadn’t seen in him before, his eyes practically glowing. “I’ve liked you for so long,” he admitted softly, almost shyly. “You’re everything I wanted but thought I’d never have.”

You blinked, your breath catching as his words sank in. “Really?”

He nodded, grinning even wider as he held your gaze. “Yes. So… don’t pull away from me, okay? I want to be there with you, through everything.”

Still in shock, you finally let yourself breathe. Then, with a shaky smile, you whispered, “Okay.”

Sunoo’s face lit up, and he pulled you into a warm embrace, holding you close as if he’d never let go. And for the first time in a long time, you let yourself relax, feeling the weight of your guarded heart ease as you leaned into him.

Sunoo’s eyes searched yours, his expression a mix of excitement and hesitation. “Can I… kiss you?” he asked softly.

You didn’t need to think twice. Instead of answering verbally, you leaned in closer, closing the distance between you until your lips met his. The kiss was tentative at first, a gentle brush of warmth and sweetness, but it quickly deepened as Sunoo responded, his hand finding its way to the back of your neck, cradling you closer.

Every nerve in your body tingled as you kissed him back, the sensation blooming inside you like fireworks. It felt right, like a missing piece finally falling into place. Sunoo’s lips were soft against yours, and the world melted away—there was no noise, no crowd, just the two of you.

As he deepened the kiss, you felt yourself melt against him, your worries and fears dissipating like morning mist in the sunlight. Sunoo pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against yours, both of you breathless and a little stunned.

“Wow,” he breathed, his eyes sparkling with delight. “That was… amazing.”

You chuckled softly, still feeling a rush of warmth and happiness coursing through you. “Yeah, it really was.”

“Can we do that again?” he asked, a playful glint in his eye, and you couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm.

“Definitely,” you replied, heart racing with a mix of excitement and newfound affection.

With a grin, he leaned in again, capturing your lips with his, and you both fell into the rhythm of each other’s movements, the kiss growing more confident this time. It was a sweet, tender connection that spoke of the trust and understanding you’d built, a promise of what was to come.

As you pulled away again, your cheeks flushed, you couldn’t help but laugh at how easy it felt, how natural. “I can’t believe we waited this long,” you said, shaking your head in disbelief.

“I know, right?” Sunoo replied, still beaming. “But I’m glad we finally did.” He paused, a seriousness creeping into his expression. “I really like you, you know. I’ve wanted to say it for a while, but I didn’t want to scare you off.”

You felt your heart swell at his words, and you smiled softly. “You didn’t scare me off, Sunoo. If anything, you made me realize how much I needed you in my life.”

He grinned, his eyes sparkling with joy. “Then let’s keep making these memories, yeah? I want to know everything about you. All the good stuff and the not-so-good stuff. I want to be the one you trust.”

“Deal,” you replied, feeling a wave of warmth wash over you. “And I’ll try to be more open, I promise.”

“Good,” he said, and with a playful nudge, he added, “And maybe I’ll even get you to smile more often.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the smile that broke through. “Maybe. But only if you keep being so ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous is my specialty,” he laughed, and as the two of you settled into a comfortable silence, you couldn’t help but feel grateful for this new chapter in your life—a chapter filled with laughter, trust, and the thrill of discovering each other.

[wee-chlo]

I'm rereading Harry Potter and it's baffling how people just... pretend Snape was a completely different person than who he actually was?

Granted, Alan Rickman's Snape and Book Snape are two genuinely different people, to the point that I think Movie Snape would be mildly disgusted by Book Snape. Movie Snape came off more as someone who was angry and spiteful to a select few for reasons that ranged from Understandable to Irrationally Petty, but generally very grim and stern, with a good heart beneath it all. Book Snape is a piece of shit.

Movie Snape doesn't have the same cruelty as Book Snape: his targeting of anyone other than Harry is framed in a more slapstick way and his teaching isn't neary as abusive. Neville being terrified of him doesn't have the same implicit showcasing of Snape being abusive but rather Snape being stern and unforgiving while Neville is meek and needs positive reinforcement to flourish.

Movie Snape is stoic, deadpan. I saw a clip of Rickman on YouTube and either he, a commenter, or both noted that a touchstone of Rickman's performance for Snape was that he didn't raise his voice. Not so in the books, where Snape's described several times loosing his temper and screaming, even shrieking. Snape is terrifyingly volatile in the books, in contrast to the movies where even at his most furious, most emotional, he remains in control of himself.

Book Snape is, unambiguously, just a bad person. Not just a bad teacher, a bad PERSON. He is a small, bitter, petty bully who shouldn't be anywhere near children, and honestly Dumbledore letting him near children is probably more of an indictment of Dumbledore's character than the fact that he used to be a wizard supremacist.

And to be clear, while teenage Snape isn't AS bad as adult Snape by virtue of being a teenager... he was also just Not Good. He ran around with Wizard Nazis. Lily called him out on that, on the fact that he was clearly ready and rearing to join Voldemort, that he used Dark Magic on other students alongside his death eater buddies, etc.

James and Co were little shits who teased and picked on students. But Remus and Sirius made a point that Snape and James had a uniquely, mutually hostile relationship. Remus and Sirius state directly that ultimately, one of the primary reasons James targeted Snape was because Snape was "up to his eyeballs in the Dark Arts and James hated the Dark Arts".

I've seen people use the fact that James never apologized to Snape as an indictment of James' character but like... when and why would he have apologized?

Genuinely, I think if Snape had made a good faith effort to be a better person BEFORE the death of the Potters, James may have apologized. But Snape at the time of James' death was a literal wizard nazi and honestly? I can't see him feeling terribly bad about bullying him, or at least not feeling obliged to apologize. And even if he had, how would he have done so? Send an owl to wizard nazi HQ?

But I think the thing that made me bristle the most about the books was the gaslighting that happened in book 6.

Remus is... going through it in that book, fair enough, but when Harry is talking to him about his suspicious, he gently accuses Harry of "inheriting James' and Sirius' prejudice" and being "determined to hate [Snape]". Like.... I'm sorry, but did Remus get hit in the head? Are we supposed to just casually forget EVERYTHING SNAPE HAS SAID AND DONE TO HARRY IN THE LAST FIVE BOOKS?!

If anyone came into it with an inherited prejudice and a determination to hate, it was Snape.

Justice for Book 6 Harry, everyone's treating him like he's bonkers but he's right.

[maxdibert]

more kid/school years hcs ? 🥺 happy, angsty, idc

At the start of his first year at Hogwarts, he struggled quite a bit to make friends because 1) he always hung out with Lily, who was a Gryffindor and a "mudblood," and 2) he himself was a half-blood and clearly poor, and in his house, he was surrounded by people who were not only purists but also classists.

Generally, he didn’t care much about this because it wasn’t like anyone in his house bullied him. The posh pureblood kids just kept to themselves. The problem arose when James Potter and Sirius Black started to mess with him more and more. At first, it began with insults, comments, and nicknames, but then the level of violence escalated to “childish” pranks until they eventually crossed the line.

They gave him the nickname "Snivellus" because, during a Potions class, they tampered with one of his cauldrons, causing it to explode in his face. The pain was severe, and he had to go to the infirmary to have his eyes treated. In the middle of all that, the boy obviously ended up crying. His bullies had the tact to coin the nickname based on that incident.

At first, Lucius didn’t pay much attention to him, but at the time, Lucius was already involved in extremist and blood-purist circles and aspired to follow Voldemort. He had been tasked with scouting potential recruits for the cause. When he casually heard that Snape not only excelled in Potions but also seemed to have an exceptional aptitude for the Dark Arts at his age, he started to take an interest in him.

Who knows? Maybe if he mentored him properly, guided him the right way, and helped him shed that appearance of a scrawny, marginal kid, he could harness his potential and turn him into a useful member.

Lucius’s support was crucial for Severus because he went from being someone everyone ignored to being accepted in certain Slytherin circles, making him feel like he finally belonged. Although James and Sirius made his life miserable outside, he could feel at peace within his house.

During his first and second years, he relied heavily on Lucius to protect himself from bullying. He knew that if Lucius was nearby, the Gryffindors wouldn’t dare come near him, so he was often seen trailing behind him. That’s why Sirius, many years later, referred to him as “Lucius Malfoy’s lapdog.”

Lucius treated him as his "little social project" because, ultimately, he was an arrogant and self-assured teenager with a Cher Horowitz vibe from Clueless and thought he could turn a social outcast into a full-fledged member of “polite society.” So he took it as a personal mission. Over time, he grew fond of him, especially as the years passed and he stopped seeing him as just a kid.

One of the things Lucius once told him was that he should stop hanging out with that “mudblood” Evans, but Severus reacted so violently that he never mentioned it again.

Narcissa once commented that she thought Severus was in love with the girl, but Lucius never took it seriously. He said it was probably just a “silly crush” that would pass. Narcissa never saw it as so silly because she was more perceptive, but it wasn’t a topic she cared much about, so she let it go.

In his third year, he was placed in the same dormitory as Avery, Mulciber, and Rosier, which led to him spending more time with them. They took him in, so to speak, allowing him to hang out with them. They were much more outgoing than he was and liked to stir up trouble, which wasn’t really his thing, but at least now he had a group of friends to be with, which meant he could better protect himself from Potter and Black.

It was around this time that his relationship with Lily started to crumble. She already didn’t like that Severus spent so much time with Lucius Malfoy and criticized him for it, but when he began hanging out with the group of Slytherins, she viewed it even more negatively.

When Lily transitioned from a child to a teenager, she became one of the most popular girls in her year. Besides being outgoing and well-liked from the beginning, she was also very pretty, which made her stand out even more. This also caused her to gradually drift away from him because Severus was incredibly introverted, and the people Lily spent time with didn’t see him in a favorable light.

It’s not like he cared much for those people anyway, as he considered most of them a bunch of brainless idiots.

When Lucius graduated, the bullying from the Marauders became much more severe. Up until then, they would simply mock him, play pranks, or try to humiliate him, but as soon as he lost the protection of an older and stronger ally, the aggressions became more intense.

This coincided with the time when James Potter began openly flirting with Lily, and she rejected him. It wasn’t a coincidence, of course.

It was then that Severus began developing his own defensive spells in case he was caught off guard. After all, he had grown up in a rough neighborhood where you could be attacked around any corner. His father had taught him that the best way to defend himself was to strike first, and that’s what he did.

His problems with Potter and Black escalated to the point where the entire school knew what was going on, but no one did anything. From this moment on, he and Lily began to drift further apart. She accused him of using the same sinister methods as Mulciber and company, and he resented her because, in one way or another, she always seemed to find a way to excuse the boys from her house. In the end, it was always him who had to apologize because the thought of losing her friendship caused him immense anxiety, and she accepted.

His way of defending himself was to try to get them expelled. He suspected Lupin and thought the quickest way to get them all kicked out of school was to gather evidence to incriminate them. After "The Prank," he was so traumatized that he dropped this habit, but it only made James and Sirius seek him out more actively and attack him with greater violence.

More than once, he saw some of Lily’s friends laughing at him when Potter and Black played a trick on him, so he couldn’t care less if Mulciber pulled one on them later.

Lucius would often finance some of his school supplies and other necessities because Severus didn’t have any money. In fact, Lucius was the only one who truly understood how broke his family was.

After the SMW, he began experiencing severe anxiety attacks, which led him to take an interest in Occlumency. Through it, he could suppress his emotions. This was when he started developing an avoidant personality regarding emotional management and confronting his internal problems.

This was also when he started smoking. His father had given him cigarettes the previous summer in an attempt to “toughen him up,” but he hadn’t paid much attention to it until he discovered that chain-smoking also helped calm his nerves.

Another way of not thinking about his issues was by studying. He studied constantly because staying busy helped him avoid revisiting images he didn’t want to relive.

His fallout with Lily deeply affected him, especially when he saw that she didn’t seem to care and was growing closer to the group of jerks who had been tormenting him for years. But he never let it show or allowed anyone to know how much it hurt him.

He increasingly isolated himself within his house and socialized less outside of it because he felt he had absolutely nothing outside of Slytherin. It was then that people started talking to him about the DE and how joining them could be beneficial for him.

Lucius assured him that the DE were a good way not only to gain power but also to network with the right people who could be useful to him in the future. It was a way for him to carve out a path. Moreover, from what Severus understood, they were against everything his father, his horrible neighborhood, the people in it, and the Gryffindors who had made his life hell represented, so it seemed perfect to him.

Lucius was the one who officially brought him into the fold because he was already a member of the group.

The reason many of the spells he invented became well-known at Hogwarts was that he sold them to make money. Showing his housemates that he was capable of creating such things also gave him cachet, helped him gain acceptance, and brought in some extra cash.

He wasn’t close friends with Regulus Black, but he publicly showed himself to be quite sociable with him. They had an unspoken agreement because they both knew that seeing them having a civil or even friendly conversation drove Sirius Black absolutely insane, and it was a practice both of them enjoyed for their own reasons.

When he found out Lily and Potter were together in seventh year, he wasn’t exactly surprised, as if, deep down, he had always known. But that didn’t make him feel any less indignation or rage. At first, he thought it was jealousy, but then he realized he was terribly resentful. Although, in some way, he always unconsciously excused Lily. It was something he had always done, even when her actions were inexcusable. He just couldn’t help it.

He never let anyone know how much it enraged him and decided to bury and repress that feeling like he did with everything else.

The best thing that happened to him at Hogwarts was graduating.

[hewinked]

im not that big on harry potter anymore but I could go on for hours about snape and how much he is not redeemable

like fr people want to milk some nuance out of harry potter so badly they refused to see how NOT misunderstood snape was

bro was petty as hell for living the rest of his life after that rejection as a big dramatic cunt

like sure man, I too if I had the chance might occasionally bully a child, in good fun, as a teacher

and sure, being dramatic? god given right to be dramatic when the time calls for it honestly

but man's lived every second of every day that way, being as heinous as he could be to literally everyone

man's was a horrible teacher too, you could argue he was a great potion maker or something because of the book he wrote as a teenager, but he didnt teach any of the stuff he wrote in that book, he taught from other peoples books, plus this man spent so much time insulting those kids abilities i think he forgot to actually do more then read out whatever book he picked

like the only kids who succeed in his class are people who do way too much extra work (hermoine) and the few Slytherin kids that he legitimately private tutors

also neville having snape as his worst fear before all the war stuff is crazy because genuinely how much did you harrass this kid

also id like to say that fact that he was bullied by the marauder's is iirrelevant, I too would bully a fellow student if they went around hate speeching half-blood kids when they themselves are a half-blood

and ik he did because not only is it implied by remus and sirius in prisonor of azkaban, but he calls lily a mudblood so casually and then only apologizes bcs he has a crush on her

also he had originally genuinely joined up with the death eaters without the intention to spy so i dont wanna hear that he isnt a wizard racist bcs he so was

even though there is that thing where jk rowling said he only joined bcs he thought it would impress lily, but genuinely i think she was just trying to feed the sympathizers to back up her own half assed redemption attempt because yeah, i dont like snape's personallity but he couldnt have been a complete idiot,

who is stupid enough they join a group known for, and based on the belief that muggles and mudbloods should all be killed off, because they want to impress a half-blood girl?

imagine joining the kkk and becoming like a high ranking member of it bcs you want to impress a black girl so she'll date you💀💀💀

anyways i realize i said i wasnt that into harry potter in the begginning of this and then wrote all this but genuinely people who sympathize with snape are dumb

also last bit

cunty snape edits as a joke > cunty snape edits bcs you simpathize

sad snape edits of him burned > sad snape edits bcs you simpathize

simping over Alan Rickman > simping over snape

[severus-snaps]

a ramble and some open questions for fandom elders (and others) about whether Snape was only made more sympathetic on account of Alan Rickman's popularity/casting, and similar things

so I stopped engaging with a tiktok creator for a while who I'd previously found very interesting because nearly every time they brought up Snape, they'd throw in some casual "if Harry was a girl, Snape would be really creepy/predatory about it" or some other weird Snape take not rooted in anything (to my mind). Like, it was weird to me because they bring in book quotes or pottermore/interview snippets to other analyses of other characters and ideas, but never Snape - for Snape, it was always just about vibes and feelings. For Snape, the fact we never hear that he killed someone or the fact we never heard that he stalked Lily is, in fact, strong evidence that he did do those things - or certainly thought about it - and certainly enough to be considered predatory and likely to dose Lily (and later a hypothetical Harriet) with a love potion or keep them in his basement, or something.

I disputed that idea in the comments one time, and some Snape supporting comments outside of mine got removed and users blocked, meanwhile my comments were (I think deliberately) misinterpreted. I stopped using tiktok entirely for a while, and never went back to see if the comments got deleted or whatever. Tiktok never gave me any further notifications about it upon re-downloading, so I guess they were removed? Idk. I have no desire to check.

but all of that is background really; she's lately posted some videos (I still find the rest of her content interesting, but apparently snape content is a no-go lool) saying that Snape's whole characterisation is different after the 'three year summer' - that is, that JKR saw how popular Snape was in the films, that she had to find a way to keep Alan Rickman on board when he wanted to leave, and that when she took her break between writing GoF and OotP I think, Snape sort of morphed into a new character and she had to attempt to redeem him (which, in her eyes, he's not redeemed even at the end which is like. ok). She implied that there's no evidence of James' bullying prior to OotP, no evidence of Snape ever having had a relationship (much less a friendship) with Lily, and that all of that was tossed into the later books retroactively to 'redeem' his character. (Obviously, I have Thoughts on that, which I'll come back to).

Of course, with the sort of... bad vibes she's built up around pro-Snape comments on her videos, all of the comments were in agreement with her. I'm also new to HP/Snape in terms of actively engaging with the fandom online, as it somehow passed me by at the time. But now I have Thoughts

So with all of that in mind, and just because I want to hear other people's thoughts but TikTok comments are a nightmare on their own with the character limit, inability to read them properly/in order, and general vibe of TikTok comments (even without the creator deleting/getting antsy about pro-Snape ideas), if anyone wants to discuss this lot, I am keen to hear people's thoughts:

Was Snape always a popular book character, or did that change/skyrocket with Alan Rickman? (For my part, I don't remember hating Snape when I read the books the first time around - in fact, I hardly remember registering him at all - but I do remember hating Umbridge).

How true is it that Snape was made 'more sympathetic' following the films? To me, it doesn't make sense; the first big, weighty suggestion of the marauders bullying Snape was in PoA, which was released mid-1999; the first evidence that Snape was spying was in GoF, in mid-2000. The first film didn't even come out (Alan Rickman's charisma included) until 2001. Weirdly, the PoA stuff the user is convinced just says that Snape was jealous of James (probably true, not denying it) but in the exact same book Remus/Sirius all but admitted to Sirius trying to kill Snape, which seems like a massive overreaction to Snape being an annoying little hater of a teen that she never comments on because, I guess, Snape deserved it?

Also, does it matter if he was made 'more sympathetic'? ootp was published in 2003, and in early 2002 Alan considered leaving. sure, JK might have added/exaggerated SWM to make him more sympathetic, but the reasons for adding in scenes don't change the fact that that's now part of the fabric of the character - a character who, by this point, had already been revealed in PoA to be the subject of a near-murder plot at the hands of the Marauders and was Very Not Okay about it; the marauders had already been described as troublemakers; Snape was already shown to be wary of Lupin for reasons that weren't solely about him being a werewolf, but about the Prank/Trick/Willow incident. An incident, much like SWM, that occurred because Sirius thought it would be "amusing" to put Snape in a horrible position. if JKR wanted to, she could've made Sirius the ringleader in SWM - but for Snape, I think she just wanted to solidify why a grown man hates a child who looks exactly like his father, which was also referenced in the early books and strongly prefaced by the events of PoA in the Shack (I don't think she had it 'all planned out' from day dot, however, but went with the vibes and fleshed out the details later). Obviously, to this creator, Lupin's idea that Snape was solely a little bitch because he hated that James was better at Quidditch is to be taken at face value, despite the fact the conversation then moves on to Snape's near-death following Sirius 'trick'ing Snape into the willow

Same as above but with his characterisation; she acknowledges that the later books are darker and have a more adult tone, but somehow it's still suspicious that Snape's sympathetic backstory was never once alluded to in earlier books (which, again, I think it's fair to say it was alluded to, but in sufficiently lacking detail so that JK could deal with it when she got there). Also with PoA and GoF especially, there are hints of Snape going from his more 'silly evil teacher' which he kind of was in books 1 and 2, heading towards the more realistic, but still delightfully bitter and flawed, adult character as the books aged up. I haven't read the books in a while I'll admit, but from the Snape passages I have read, I never noticed a sufficient difference pre or post three-year-summer that didn't match the wider tone of the books changing also.

Unlike the tiktok creator, I also think that Snape's reaction to Harry in general is almost entirely to do with James, rather than Lily's so-called rejection, and so there's no evidence that Snape would be weird to a 'Harriet' that resembled his mother, or weird to Lily if he saw her again; I think with his characterisation it's more likely that Harriet would've been treated like Hermione, Ron, or Tonks - being largely ignored with the occasional insult and told off for causing trouble - aka, how Snape would treat most people. Outside of the one isolated 'mudblood' incident, Snape was a bit of a doormat when it came to Lily (bless his heart). He followed her from the train carriage without comment, backtracked when she appeared angry in the post-prank conversation, even the "I won't let you" seemed more "I won't let you turn him into some kind of hero" or even, at a stretch, an "I won't let you be with him" out of Lily's own safety or something than "I won't let you leave me", to me - because he did just let her leave him in school? James and Snape continued hexing one another in 7th year, but there's no suggestion that Snape ever tried to be weird to Lily.

To my mind, there's no suggestion that Snape stalked Lily, no suggestion that he asked Voldemort to capture her - just to spare her. And then Snape went to Dumbledore anyway, probably immediately based on how harried he is on the windy hilltop scene, because he knew Voldemort wouldn't spare her, and even if he did, Snape would probably have to keep up the ruse of 'desiring' Lily, and do the sorts of thing Snaters suggest he wanted to do, just to keep her alive. But with Dumbledore involved, Snape wouldn't ever have the chance to imprison/love potion her - and that wasn't what he wanted. He just wanted her alive so he wouldn't have played a part in her death. I also doubt that Snape had much time to think when Voldemort revealed who he was choosing to kill; it's not as though Voldemort makes decisions by committee. He'd have revealed his plans and Snape would make a quick, panic-stricken decision to tell Voldemort that he desired Lily (which he may have done, to an extent; he'd need to draw on something to back up his request when Voldemort undoubtedly looked into his mind to see why Snape wanted to spare his Priority #1 victim). And like I say, he then set up a meeting with Dumbledore, probably immediately/as soon as he could, sensing that that wouldn't work (was he not convincing enough? Did he just know Voldemort too well? I have so many questions about how that conversation went down, and subsequent conversations about Lily which presumably occurred after V's resurrection).

anyway, no conclusion, only thoughts too rambly for tiktok comments

[nightingale2004]

Platonic! Sevity friendship hcs

Charity had no filter as a kid. She would always say whatever popped inside her head, but as she grew up, she would start thinking it and sometimes actually say it

When she and Severus first met, she immediately introduced herself with intense confidence while Severus was very awkward and confused but introduced himself nonetheless

When she and Severus got to know each other, severus was more awkward with her while Charity saw him as strange but liked him anyway

Sev and Charity do spa days together (Charity forces him to come along, and Severus pretends to hate it)

If she and Severus ever went to a party together, Charity will drag Severus to the dance floor

Both Charity and Severus people judge and even make up stories about most of the students of Hogwarts (the rest of the Snape gang like to join in)

Charity often rants about anything and is the talker in the relationship, but whenever Severus starts talking (which is a rarity), she listens and gives her full attention, not saying a single word until he's finished

Charity compliments him a lot and always loves making him blush and bashful.

Charity and Severus paint each other's nails, do each other's hair, and gossip 24/7 (the snape gang is included sometimes, but it's mostly just charity and sev)

Charity loves messing with Severus's hair and styling it in different ways. Severus has tried to get her to stop, but she would always keep braiding it despite his protests

Every time Severus was bullied by the marauders, she would either challenge them out in the open or brainstorm ideas to cause some nonfatal humiliating "accidents"

After Lily chose James over Severus, she confronted Lily the day after and had an argument with her that quickly turned into an old muggle fashioned brawl (hair was pulled, punches were thrown, words were said and blood was spilled. Not a lot tho)

It took Severus and Aurora to pull Charity off of Lily, and the marauders were surrounding Lily (mostly James) after the fight was over

After Charity confessed to Severus on why she did what she did and beat the daylights out of Lily and tore some of her red hair out of head, severus felt oddly flattered, shocked and a little scared (he made a mental not never to cross Charity)

Charity doesn't like the Malfoys but tolerates them for Severus's sake

Charity found out about Severus's homelife due to the bruises and the look he would have before they left for Hogwarts for the new school year

Charity made a comment on how Severus would be welcomed at her home if he wanted to come over during break or if things get too tense at home

Severus knew immediately after that comment that she figured it out. He denied her request, but Charity insisted that he would keep her offer standing (he took on her offer during some breaks here and there)

When Severus told Charity of his interests and curiosities, she reacted surprisingly undisturbed to it. Which surprised Severus immensely, not just because of her casual reaction but also because she supports his curiosities and even accepts him for it and doesn't see it as evil even if he is a Slytherin.

Charity's parents were weary of Severus at first until they saw how they treated each other, which was more of a brother and sister type, and they grew to love having Severus around

Charity and Severus are gardening buddies. They both have a great green thumb

She and Sev both have their mad scientist moments when they talk theories with spells and potions and how they can create new ones or improve the old ones

Charity is one of the few people who know of Severus's personal home life but has never told another soul because sev swore her to secrecy

Charity teaches Sev how to dance. Before that, Severus had two left feet (believe it or not)

Charity always watches for Severus's health and makes sure he's eating and sleeping properly. If she finds out he doesn't, she goes completely in mother bear mode.

Charity always tries to make Severus smile or laugh. She loves his smile

Whenever she and Severus are out in diagon Alley or just shopping in general, Charity always buys something for Severus or forces him to buy something despite his protests (he loves it but never admits it)

Whenever the marauders are around, she gives them a death glare or secretly plots their murder with the Snape gang

She and Sev are also cooking/baking buddies

Sev teased Charity about her crush on Aurora before Charity and Aurora became a couple.

Sev is Charity's wingman, and Charity is Severus's wing woman

They both have a secret place where they talk about anything, do assignments, or even brainstorm new ideas

Charity secretly keeps the strand of Lily's hair as a reminder of her victory in defending Sev's honor

Charity's style aesthetic is more hippie, cottagecore, and fairycore. While Severus is goblincore, emo and academia core

[72crowe89]

Reactions to Reactions to Snape's possible casting

The Hollywood Reporter has reported that Ghanaian-British Actor Paapa Essiedu is being looked at to play the role of Severus Snape for the upcoming Harry Potter show. Here are some of the reactions I've seen of the news from, imho, worst to best, and my reactions to them.

Now, because it needs to be said, every opinion is valid. Even if I respect many opinions and roll my eyes at others, I 100% believe that everyone has the right to feel about this news anyway they want and to express that publicly, as long as they are not harassing either anyone with different opinions or, especially, anyone connected to the production of the TV show because of it.

And now to my reactions:

I don't want a Black Snape because Snape shouldn't be Black: Thank you, next

I don't want a Black Snape because Snape has a specific description in the book that doesn't work with a Black actor: Fair, but Neville was blond in the book, but no one cared that Matthew Lewis wasn't. Daniel Radcliffe famously did not have Harry's iconic black hair and green eyes, but after some grumbling people overall accepted it because Radcliffe embodied Harry's character. Umbridge looked like a frog in the book, but Imelda Staunton's grandmotherly appearance, imho, made Umbridge's actions even more horrific than an actress with a book-accurate appearance. For me, I don't care about changes to a character's appearance as long as they embody that character's personality.

I don't want a Black Snape because a book-accurate Black Snape would be a Black man bullying a White child (because Harry not being White will open up a bigger can of worms) due to lusting after his White mother: Yes. One of the downsides of race lifting characters is that many productions don't consider the nuances in putting a racial minority in a certain role, especially one originally held by a White person, has on the story. This production is going to have to balance book accuracy with the image of a Black man who's main motivation is a White woman who ultimately chose his rich White bully, all the while bullying a White child. Same story, but there are racial politics that weren't there before.

I don't want a Black Snape because any Black actor playing Snape will be harassed to hell and back: I definitely agree with this. I haven't seen Paapa Essiedu in anything else, but I've heard that he's a good actor. It won't matter, however, how talented either he or any other POC actor they consider for Snape is. At best, people just won't get attached to their portrayal because it's too different from the Snape they know. At worst, it will leave them prey to all of the virulent racists who need a new target.

There is no Snape but Alan Rickman: 1000%, which is the real crutch of the matter. The Harry Potter movies are just as iconic as the books, so much so that people sometimes mistake things that were movie exclusive as things that were also true about the book (e.g. Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were both coed in the books rather than one-gendered schools as they are in the movie). Similarly, the cast of those movies were just as iconic. Daniel Radcliffe will always be Harry Potter, Maggie Smith will always be Minerva McGonagall, and Alan Rickman will always be Severus Snape. Rickman's tour-de-force as Snape is so entrenched in the minds of many fans that his portrayal of Snape as a stern but completely over it teacher overshadows the petty and casually cruel Snape from the books. To ask any actor to fill Rickman's shoes in this role is a tall order, taller still for any actor of color, even taller still if the meaner book version of Snape is the one they're aiming for.

[blorger]

The Great Longbottom Bully Chronicles: Gran Edition

After examining Neville's relationship with Draco (or, more accurately, the lack thereof) here, I found myself thinking about the actual bullies he's shown to have in canon, one of which is undoubtedly his grandma.

Mrs. Longbottom is shown to have a continued negative impact on her grandson but are we meant to see her behaviour as abusive? I'm going to go out on a limb and say no, JKR did not intend for the character to be read as abusive, even though what we see when she is mentioned in the books is nothing but a military parade of red flags.

The descriptor JKR uses most often when talking about Augusta is "formidable" so I'm assuming she meant for her to come off as strict but ultimately well-meaning. After all, she is one of the Good Guys and we are always meant to excuse a Good Guy's actions, no matter how mean spirited or violent (see: Harry crucio-ing that one dude).

JKR has the unsettling habit of framing abusive parenting as excusable when the person doing said parenting is coming at it with good intentions or from a place of love (see: 70% of Molly Weasley's actions towards her children). I understand she started writing the books in the early nineties when there wasn't much of an open discussion on this topic but some of the behaviours she has her mom characters do feel like abuse evergreens. Take for example the howlers:

A howler's intended use IS public humiliation, there's no two ways about it. If the intent was merely to scold the recipient one could decide when to open them but howlers are designed to open as soon as they've been received. And when are Howlers received, especially when you send them to your school-aged children? In the great hall, a room full of you child's peers and teachers. Both Augusta and Molly know all this and still make the decision to send Howlers. This, in the books, is treated as embarrassing for the receiver but is not ultimately portrayed in a negative light (that is to say, as a malicious act).

So, JKR has a skewed perspective on what constitutes good parenting but what do we, as a modern, presumably non abusive audience, actually see when we look at Augusta Longbottom's actions as a guardian? Let's take a look:

(PS, Neville on how his family discovered he was a wizard)

Neville here is describing his family's terrible attitude towards him and Augusta is not only shown to not have a problem with any of the horrible things being done to her nephew but she is also implied to have shared her relatives' concerns. Would her treatment of Neville have been even worse than what is shown in the books if he was a squib (something which, by the way, he'd have no control over)? Most definitely.

Also, I hate how Augusta's love is portrayed as conditional; don't worry, we'll see more of that in a while (lest you think this was a one-time instance).

(PoA, while preparing to defeat a boggart, Neville describes his greatest fear - Snape - and also casually mentions how he fears his own grandmother)

I'm sorry, did Neville just put Augusta on the same level as Snape, his most fervent bully? This says so much about their relationship (and Augusta's approach to parenting).

(GoF, Neville knows his gran would love for him to enter a potentially deadly competition just to show the world how Brave he is)

Why is it up to a 14 y.o. boy who has so far shown very little aptitude for magic to uphold the family honor? Neville is literally still a child but he's already being measured against his war hero parents, not only that, he's being told regularly through this comparison that he's lacking, and that cannot possibly be good for a child's development.

(OotP, straight from the horse's mouth)

What a perfectly horrible thing to say. Not only is Augusta saying this to Neville's face but she is also telling this to Neville's schoolmates (Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny). Why does she feel the need to dress him down in front of people whose opinion he cares about?

(OotP, Neville casually reveals he is constantly made to feel inadequate, even in front of others)

Once again we are being told that mrs Longbottom is endlessly reminding Neville of all the ways in which he fails to be like his father.

(OotP, Neville is injured and in danger in the Department of Mysteries but he knows his gran's priority is first and foremost his father's wand)

I would like to take this moment to address just how fucked up it is that not only Neville is being constantly compared to his father but that he's also being forced to imitate him via the use of his wand. We know from observing both Ron and future Neville that a wrong wand can seriously hinder one's magic output; this cannot be news to someone of Augusta's age yet it's more important to her that Neville try to live up to his father's image than he be his own person.

and

(HBP, Augusta is finally proud of Neville)

Here we see an aspect of Augusta's behaviour towards Neville that is particularly gross: Neville finally has his grandma's approval (because he's behaving like his father) but it's not his heroics by themselves that she appreciates, it's their public nature. Mrs. Longbottom, who has not talked to the press before (nor will she in the future), is happy to do so because she has an excuse to brag, as if her grandson's achievements are also hers by association.

(HBP, sure Neville is a hero but he's a not Harry Potter-level hero...)

And here we come to yet another evergreen in the abusive parent handbook: the shifting of goalposts. Augusta has been wanting for Neville to behave more like his father (i.e. heroically) all this time but once he starts doing that suddenly it's not enough anymore. Whereas before Neville was lacking because he wasn't behaving bravely, now he's lacking because he's not behaving saviour of the wizarding world-level bravely (an impossible goal to reach).

(HBP, McGonagall says what we're all thinking)

I find this passage interesting because jkr finally has a character acknowledge that mrs. Longbottom is not behaving like a good parent and yet nothing comes from it. In an ideal world, McGonagall would follow this with a letter to Augusta where she talks about the effect her expectations are having on Neville but she doesn't do that. This is especially galling since McGonagall is shown to not have a problem with writing to Augusta if she sees she's acting against her grandson's best interests, after all she does write mrs. Longbottom a letter to help Neville enroll in 6th year Charms (the study of which Augusta discourages because it's a subject SHE had difficulty in).

and also

(DH, Augusta is finally proud of Neville but only because he's behaving like she wants him to)

I can't help but feel like there's better ways to show Neville's growth as a character (and the improvement of his relationship with Augusta) than what we are shown in the books. In the end, mrs. Longbottom is rewarded for her awful parenting by getting exactly the grandson she's wanted all along; it's not her who's adjusted her expectations and seen them as unreasonable, it's Neville who's had to change - and even then it's not because he wanted to but because of external reasons (he's in the middle of a war). Neville rose to her impossible expectation by pure happenstance and I don't say that to discount his resilience and general goodness, only to note that the circumstances were beyond his control.

In conclusion, Augusta Longbottom is a terrible guardian and her actions fucked up Neville's development just as much as Snape's bullying did and yet in the books only one of them is unequivocally shown to be in the wrong for it.

[petals2fish]

My Marauders

Read on A03

Notes: You all are seriously my favorite people to be with and your birthday notes and messages are seriously giving me misty eyes because I don’t know HOW that I got to be this lucky. I grew up a pretty lonely kid...and now...I am never alone because I've got you in my phone in my pocket ❤️❤️❤️

Lily stood at the edge of the room, the soft hum of conversation filling the air, punctuated by bursts of laughter from the center where the professional Quidditch players held court with the Hogwarts students. She swirled the champagne in her glass, watching the bubbles rise, trying to muster some excitement for the night, but the reality was sinking in hard.

Her 17th birthday would be nothing special.

The blue dress robes, which had seemed so perfect when she’d first tried them on, now felt like an ill-fitting costume, something she was pretending to be rather than truly was. They’d been a gift from her mother, who had sent them along with a note filled with warm wishes that Lily had read with a hopeful smile. She’d imagined wearing them for a secret date to Hogsmeade with her boyfriend, James—not for a dull Slug Club party she’d only attended because Slughorn had practically begged her to come.

Across the room, Slughorn’s voice boomed, a jovial exclamation about some Quidditch match she couldn’t care less about. The Slug Club, usually a place where she felt like she belonged to something special, had felt more and more isolating since the war outside of Hogwarts had started creeping in. She wasn’t part of the crowd around the pro players—most of them were Slytherins, and not just any Slytherins, but the ones who were notorious for their bullying.

James wasn’t here because of those assholes. Instead, he was in the hospital wing with poor Remus, who had taken a curse to the chest that morning in the courtyard. The thought of James and Remus made her heart ache. She would have much rather been with them, offering comfort and company, than standing here in a room full of people who barely noticed her.

The only person who kept glancing her way was Severus Snape, but that just made Lily’s skin crawl. She made a point of avoiding his gaze, and any time he tried to approach, she would turn her shoulder sharply, making it clear she wanted nothing to do with him.

She wished James were there.

With a deep breath, Lily set down her glass, the soft clink of crystal barely audible over the hum of the party. She smoothed out the creases in her robes, casting one last look at the room full of people who didn’t even notice her leaving. The warmth and laughter of the Slug Club faded behind her as she stepped into the cool hallway, where the torchlight flickered against the stone walls, casting long, dancing shadows.

Seventeen would come and go, slipping past like a whisper in the night. Tonight was just another stretch of time, another lonely walk through the dark corridors of a castle that no longer felt like the safe haven it once had been.

Lily paused, her hand brushing against the cold stone wall as the weight of it all settled on her shoulders. She should have just stayed with the rest of her house in the common room or gone with James to keep Remus company. She was silly to have thought Slughorn would remember her birthday, let alone surprise her with anything. 

The silence of the corridor was broken by a familiar voice. “There you are, I’ve been looking for you.”

Lily lifted her gaze from her black sequined shoes, surprised to see James Potter standing halfway down the hallway. He was leaning casually against the wall, as if he’d been waiting there for some time. His freshly pressed dress robes caught the flickering torchlight, the deep midnight blue standing out against the dark stone walls. But it was the bright smile on his face that truly captured her attention. It was the kind of smile that seemed to warm the cold corridor, or maybe she just warmed up everytime she was bathed in it. 

“James?” she said, her voice soft. “What are you doing here?”

“I was going to this party, obviously,” James replied, his tone light, but the sincerity in his eyes made Lily feel like crying of happiness. He took a few steps closer, narrowing the space between them. “I know you asked me to stay with Remus, but he had some choice words for me. Said I wasn’t much of a boyfriend if I let you suffer through that Slug Club mess with the Slytherins on your own.”

Lily stared at the gift, a lump forming in her throat. She hadn’t expected James to leave Remus, especially after what those Slytherins had done to him—the very ones she’d just walked away from in the other room.

“You didn’t have to…” she began, but James shook his head, cutting her off gently.

“I wanted to,” he said, his voice steady. “Remus is fine, really. He’s just in the hospital wing for observation, and Madame Kingston’s practically spoiling him. He insisted I come find you.”

The thoughtfulness of it all—the fact that James had left Remus to be with her—made her chest tighten with unexpected emotion. Her shoulders relaxed as James leaned in and placed a firm kiss on her forehead, grounding her in the moment.

“Let’s just go back to the common room,” Lily urged, feeling a surge of relief at the idea. “That party is stupid anyway.”

James scoffed playfully, taking her free hand and twirling her so that her skirts flared around her ankles. “If you think I’m letting you waste these deliciously gorgeous dress robes on a common room birthday party, you’re mad,” he teased, his grin widening. “No, we’re going back in there, and I’m dancing with you until you can’t see straight.”

Lily couldn’t help but smile, the weight of the night lifting as James’s infectious energy pulled her along. The party that had felt so dismal just moments ago now seemed to hold a spark of promise. Anytime James Potter was a part of something, it was never dull. 

James led Lily back down the corridor, his hand warm and reassuring in hers. The closer they got to the party, the more she could hear the muffled sounds of laughter and conversation. Her free hand dug into her skirts, her nerves taking over again. 

James paused for a moment, offering her a reassuring smile. “Ready?”

Lily took a deep breath and nodded. “Ready.”

With that, he pushed the door open, and they stepped back into the brightly lit room. The atmosphere was just as it had been before—people still clustered around the Quidditch players, and a few couples kissed lazily on the outskirts of the dance floor—but with James by her side, everything felt different.

Their presence together was a statement, a defiant declaration: a pureblood and a Muggle-born, hand in hand. Lily knew that every time James stepped out with her, he was taking a risk. People were being tortured for less these days outside the safe confines of Hogwarts. But neither of them cared; all they wanted was to be together, no matter what the rest of society thought.

As they walked further into the room, Lily could feel the sharp, hostile stares of the Slytherins. The tension in the air was almost tangible, and she could sense the silent fury radiating from the group that had tormented Remus earlier. Their eyes tracked every step Lily and James took, but James remained completely unbothered, his focus entirely on her.

"Don’t mind them,” James whispered, leaning in close so that only she could hear. “They’re just jealous.”

Lily couldn’t help but smirk. “Well, I do have the hottest Quidditch player in the room on my arm.”

“That’s my girl,” he replied with a grin.

Without missing a beat, James guided her toward the center of the dance floor, completely ignoring the whispered comments and glares from the purebloods. As they reached the middle, he spun her around, the motion catching the attention of a few of the professional Quidditch players nearby, who watched with curious smiles. James caught her mouth for a tempting kiss, letting his tongue taste her upper lip without a second thought. 

“James,” Lily murmured, her voice betraying a hint of embarrassment.

“Merlin, sorry, I just love when your cheeks turn red,” he replied with a mischievous grin. 

He pulled her close, wrapping an arm around her waist as the music shifted to a slower, more melodic tune. Lily could feel the weight of the room’s attention on them, but with James’s steady presence, it felt more like a spotlight than a burden. The purebloods might have been glaring daggers at them, but they were nothing more than background noise now—unimportant and easily ignored.

As they began to dance, James moved with effortless grace, his confidence infectious. Lily found herself relaxing into the rhythm, letting the moment carry her away. The world around them seemed to fade into a blur, leaving only the two of them, moving together in perfect harmony with the music. The weight that had been pressing on Lily’s chest earlier had long since lifted.

James spun Lily around once more, her skirts flaring out in a graceful arc. She couldn’t help but laugh, the sound light and genuine, a reflection of the joy bubbling up inside her. James laughed too, his eyes crinkling at the edges as he pulled her back into his arms. The warmth of his embrace, the easy rhythm of their movements, made everything else fade away. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against his neck—a quiet, tender gesture of thanks, a moment just for him.

“See?” James murmured, his voice filled with affection as he spoke softly in her ear. “This is how your birthday should be.”

Lily looked up at him, her heart swelling with gratitude. Without thinking, the words slipped out, barely a whisper over the music. “I love you, James.”

The moment the words left her lips, she felt a jolt of panic. She winced internally, realizing too late what she’d said. It was too soon for that—for those three words that carried so much weight. They had only been officially seeing each other for a couple of months, and she hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that. She braced herself, waiting for his reaction, her heart pounding in her chest.

But instead of pulling away or looking surprised, James grinned, his eyes shining with that familiar, playful glint. He didn’t miss a beat, slowing their spinning to a gentle stop as he held her close. “Now that’s not fair,” he teased, his voice low and warm.

“What’s not?” she asked, her voice barely steady.

“I was supposed to say ‘I love you’ first,” he replied, nuzzling his nose against hers, the closeness making her heart flutter all over again

And with that, James dipped Lily low, causing a ripple of gasps and murmurs to spread through the crowd. But all Lily could do was laugh, the sound ringing out clear and bright. James pulled her back up and spun her around, and that’s when she noticed the scene unfolding at the door. 

To her surprise, what seemed to be the entirety of Gryffindor house was now pouring into the room. Peter and Sirius were leading the charge, grinning widely as they carried banners that read “Happy Birthday,” while Hannah Killarny struggled to balance a cake that looked like it had been decorated by a child.

Before Lily could fully process what was happening, she was swallowed by the crowd, pulled from James’s arms into a flurry of hugs and cheek kisses. The energy in the room shifted from tense to jubilant in an instant, and Lily found herself smiling so widely that her cheeks hurt.

Amid the whirlwind of well-wishers, Lily spun around, searching for James. She finally spotted him standing nearby, watching her with proud, affectionate eyes. “Did you do this?” she demanded, raising her voice over the cheerful chaos.

James shrugged, a playful smirk on his lips as he slipped his hands into his pockets. “This part was actually Sirius’s idea,” he called back.

As if on cue, Sirius appeared beside her, wrapping his arms around her neck and squeezing her tightly. “Happy birthday, Lily!” he exclaimed, his gray eyes twinkling with mischief.

“Thank you,” she replied, laughing as she took in the wild scene around her. “This is crazy! Slughorn is going to kill you for wrecking his party.”

Sirius ruffled her curls, completely unfazed. “Please, old Sluggy adores me.”

“Black!” Slughorn’s voice boomed through the crowd, cutting through the noise like a knife. “This is a private Slug Club party!”

“Ah, shit,” Sirius muttered with a wink at Lily. “You didn’t see me.”

With a playful kiss to her cheek, Sirius ducked out of sight, leaving Lily laughing as James slipped back to her side. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close for another kiss just as the Gryffindors began to sing “Happy Birthday” at the top of their lungs. Overhead, magical fireworks burst into vibrant colors, filling the room with light and casting dancing shadows on the walls.

The joyful chaos around them was intoxicating, and Lily felt her heart swell with happiness. Even as Slughorn tried to regain control, bustling through the crowd and threatening detentions in a vain attempt to restore order, Lily couldn’t stop smiling. His stern words were lost in the whirlwind of joy as everyone continued to celebrate, ignoring his protests.

As the party spilled out into the corridors, Sirius, James, Peter, and a few others led the charge, marching down the halls and waking up every portrait they passed, singing “Happy Birthday” to Lily at the top of their voices. Their exuberance was infectious, and Lily found herself swept along, laughing as she tried to keep up with their antics.

Someone passed Lily the plate of cake, hastily cut and without a fork. The frosting stuck to her fingers as she took a bit for a bite, the sweetness mingling with the laughter bubbling up inside her. She looked around at the other Gryffindors, their faces lit with delight, and felt a deep sense of belonging. Home wasn’t a place, it was the people in it. 

But there was just one person missing.

As the group made their way back through the common room, Lily caught James’s hand, pulling him aside as the others continued their raucous celebration. “Come on,” she whispered, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Let’s bring some cake to Remus.”

James’s grin widened, and he nodded eagerly. “Absolutely. He deserves to be part of this too.”

James called out to Sirius and Peter, who immediately caught on to the plan. Together, they all slipped away from the group, sneaking through the quieter corridors of the castle with the smuggled cake. The castle was eerily silent compared to the noise of the party, the only sound the soft echo of their footsteps on the stone floors. They moved quickly, careful not to attract the attention of any patrolling professors or prefects.

When they reached the hospital wing, the door creaked softly as they pushed it open. The room was dimly lit, and Remus was lying in one of the beds, looking surprised but pleased to see them. His face lit up even more when he saw the cake in Lily’s hand.

“Please tell me that’s for me,” Remus said, grinning as Sirius jumped onto the bed beside him.

Peter followed suit, crawling onto the bed with Remus. “Just a warning—it was James who baked it, so it might be hazardous to your health.”

“Hey!” James cried in mock defense, hands on his hips. “I’ll have you know, my cake baking skills are top-notch!”

Lily laughed as she held out the cake to Remus. “Don’t listen to them. It’s perfectly good—I already tried some. Besides, you deserve something sweet.”

Remus accepted the cake with a warm smile, his eyes full of gratitude. “Thanks, Lil. And happy birthday.”

Sirius slung an arm around Remus’s shoulders, ruffling his hair affectionately. “We couldn’t let you miss out on all the fun, mate.”

Lily looked around at her friends, her heart swelling with warmth. “Thank you, all of you,” she said softly. “You’re always the first to look out for me, to make sure I’m okay. No one’s ever done anything like this for me before, ever. You’re truly my best friends in the whole world.”

Sirius grinned and nudged her knee with his foot. “You’re our best friend too, Lily. We’ve already decided that if you and James ever break up, we’re keeping you in the divorce.”

“I’ve already told you,” James exclaimed, pulling Lily closer until she was nearly sitting on his lap, “if she even thinks about breaking up with me, you guys have to slip her that love potion we talked about.”

Lily playfully smacked him in the chest. “Are you seriously encouraging them to commit a felony if I break up with you?”

“They commit a felony every full moon, Lily,” Remus pointed out with a grin. “Brewing a love potion is nothing compared to the whole illegal Animagus business they’ve got going on with a certain werewolf.”

“The werewolf is infinitely more fun,” Sirius chimed in, casually licking frosting off his fingers.

“Maybe for you,” Remus retorted, giving Sirius a light shove.

“Love potions aren’t exactly a felony,” James reasoned, “they’re just… strongly discouraged. Besides, I love you so much, I’d break at least a hundred laws for you.”

“Hold onto that thought, babe,” Lily snorted, crossing her legs as she reached for another piece of cake. “Because if you ever dare to break up with me, who knows—I might slip you a little love potion myself.”

“And land yourself in Azkaban?” James quipped, raising an eyebrow. “That seems a bit beneath you, don’t you think?”

“Even if it’s handcuffed, I’m not leaving Hogwarts without you,” Lily shot back with a smirk.

James purred, his eyes gleaming with mischief, “I just have a question about the placement of those handcuffs.” 

“Get a room,” Peter groaned.

Lily turned to the blond Marauder and flashed him a playful grin. “Yours?”

Peter's face twisted in exaggerated horror. “Ugh, gross, never mind!” he exclaimed, recoiling as if the very idea had physically repulsed him.

Lily laughed, leaning into James. “You really walked right into that one, Wormtail.”

James rocked her in his arms suddenly, “I love when you use our nicknames.” 

“Speaking of nicknames,” Sirius chimed in, his eyes glinting with mischief, “we don’t have a nickname for you, Evans.”

Lily arched a brow at him, her lips curling into a half-smile. “Who said I wanted one of your ridiculous nicknames, Sirius?”

Sirius feigned a look of deep offense, placing a hand over his heart. “Ridiculous? These are badges of honor, Evans. Every Marauder’s got one.”

Lily rolled her eyes playfully. “Well, I’m perfectly happy with just being Lily, thanks.”

“Come on,” Sirius pressed, undeterred. “You’ve been hanging out with us long enough. You’re practically one of us now. You deserve a proper nickname.”

James grinned, his arm tightening around Lily’s waist. “Don’t worry, Lily. If Sirius gives you a nickname, I’ll make sure it’s one you can actually live with.”

Lily shot him a teasing glance. “Oh, I’m sure you will. But if it’s something ridiculous, like Snuffles, I’m holding you responsible.”

"No, not Snuffles." Sirius leaned in, eyes narrowing as if deep in thought. “We’ll have to come up with something fitting... something that captures your essence.”

“Or you could just call me ‘Lily,’” she suggested, deadpan.

Peter, having recovered from his earlier disgust, quickly chimed in, “I think ‘Lily’ works just fine.”

Lily tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and added, “I don’t even shapeshift like the rest of you. I don’t need a nickname—I’m just... Lily.”

“You’re more than just Lily,” James murmured, kissing her just behind her ear as he pressed his chest to her back. “You’re an amazing friend, the best dueler in this school, the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen, a terrible Quidditch player, and quite possibly the only person who can beat Sirius in chess.”

“Now that’s a true badge of honor,” Remus said with a smirk, and the group dissolved into laughter, the lighthearted banter easing the mood even further.

Sirius let out an exaggerated sigh. “Fine, fine. But mark my words, Evans—you’ll get a nickname someday. And it’ll be brilliant.”

“Can’t wait,” Lily replied with a smirk. “But future nickname or not, you’re my Marauders, my constants, my best mates. That’s what really matters.”

The five of them stayed huddled on the bed until two in the morning, sharing the cake and swapping stories, their laughter echoing softly through the dimly lit room. It was a small, intimate gathering—a world apart from the wild party in the common room or the underwhelming Slug Club event. But for Lily, it was exactly what she needed.

As she sat there, surrounded by the people who mattered most, Lily realized that this was what truly counted—not the big parties or the flashy celebrations, but the quiet, meaningful moments spent with those she loved. This was the best kind of birthday—one filled with love, laughter, and the comforting presence of true friends.

[hbpseverus]

What the internet did to James Potters character is actually so incredibly fascinating... in canon, this man was a background character who served not much of a purpose other than being used as a tool to develop other characters. We see him in like two scenes in the entire franchise: a throwback to Hogwarts where he acts so horribly that his own son, who previously *admired* him more than anything, is in total shock and disgust when he sees it. Not only does James commit an act of SA out of literal boredom, he is also seen treating his own 'friends' - Remus, Peter and Lily - as if they are worthless or beneath him, all within a few pages. I could probably write a whole essay about the dynamics between all of the characters present in Snape's worst memory, they way this supposed friend group was already falling apart, the way James and Sirius treated Remus and Peter with utter disrespect. Anyway, the other scene he appears in is when he dies. And that's it. That's all we have. On top of that he was, in canon, pictured to be average looking at most, a pasty kid with nerdy glasses and an even more nerdy hairdo that would most likely make him the victim of bullying, rather than the bully, at a real school. And the only people who talk of any sort of character development are his old friends and teachers, the same ones who either stood by or actively participated while he harrassed *several* other students for fun and casually commited acts that could probably land an adult man in prison for a few years. Plus they were trying to restore some of the glorious image of his father that Harry had in mind. So, not the most reliable source.

The fascinating part is how a corner of the internet managed to hyperfixate on this background character who was pictured as nothing but an awful person in the books, erased *all* of his canon character and turned him into the exact opposite. Suddenly he looks about ×1000 times more attractive in fanart, and all bad things he did are conveniently forgotten. Same goes for Sirius, especially in relation to the Wolfstar ship. James and Sirius were clearly close friends, but Remus? He was just strung along, not given the same respect. Sirius carelessly yaps about his being a werewolf in the middle of the schoolyard where anyone could hear and talks about how he wishes it was a full moon so they could have 'fun' - a sentiment I'm not so sure Remus shared. It's a very unhealthy and dysfunctional friendship that would be even worse if it was a romantic relationship. That being said, they are all very complex, very flawed characters who are extremely interesting to analyse. Fanon often strips away any complexity that these characters had in canon in order to make them more appealing. It's just... a shame almost, at least in my opinion. These fanon characters are entirely unappealing to me. I respect them as a sort of seperate fandom with their own original characters, but it's gotten so mixed up with canon that people no longer remember who these characters truly are, and if you bring up and dare to criticize their ugly sides in any way, then good luck soldier.

[mrstellmeafuckingsecret]

can you give me like. all the fundamental marauders information. like who are the marauders? What are the main ships? Most important lore?

OO okay yes ofc ml <333

so. the marauders were james, sirius, peter and remus, and from their era the most important canon characters are lily and snape. then there's mary, marlene, dorcas, pandora, barty, evan, and regulus - these characters (excluding barty) have little to no canon info and their entire personalities are made of headcanons. barty has a lot of canon info because end of the end goblet of fire and what a few chars (eg sirius) said about him.

the marauders were basically a popular friend group of bright kids, they're interpreted/hced as pranksters though i can't recall if that's canon - their 'jokes' were usually cruel or illegal (swm (<- that's occasionally debatable but i still think it's cruel idc), detention records) (the 'illegal' not as in something horrific i assume just something minor i assume) and their major creation - the marauder's map - was way too advanced for them to be dumbed down as frat boys. there was that post that said closest thing was tom riddle's diary and it lives in my mind rent free these geniuses. also there was that they were casually animagus at age fifteen. litr would've taken voldemort down in 2-4 business days i think but whatevr

there fanon selves are quite a bit different but we dont. we dont talk about that.

the popular ships !! this fandom is very very ship oriented, everyone is shipped with someone - it's how they're "relevant". if you see an aroace character just know they're never talked about. there's the main three: wolfstar (sirius and remus), jegulus (james and regulus) and rosekiller (evan and barty). there's of course jily <333, the most important ship in the entirety of harry potter. it's basically like.

jily: the blueprint, the classic. hating on this will make your friends turn their backs on you jily shippers r scary (i am a jily shipper)

wolfstar: what the fandom focus is, the most mainstream ship, hating on this publicly WILL get you death threats

jegulus: growing in popularity, purely fanon, hating on this will get you death threats !!!

rosekiller: crazy x crazy, "dark romance", very purely fanon

bartylus: cute !! slightly less popular but usually accepted

dorlene: most popular wlw ship, pure fanon, usually the only wlw ship you can find a semi-popular fic on

marylene/marylily: popular but only ever talked about as a second ship/pre-endgame ship, pure fanon

pandalily: "rare pair", usually shipped as a third ship to jegulus and rosekiller, very fanon

moonwater: pure fanon, "rare pair"

quilkiller/nobleflower: you'll hear of them a lot but i have yet to find someone who regularly posts their content

snily: VERY talked about. only to hate it though :(

then there's prongsfoot, moonbucks, padtail, prongstail, any snape ship, pandorcas, saintstar, lilylene, rosewater, jarty, snirius, snames etc etc that are actually rare pairs but shipping remus and sirius with anyone other than each other will get you SO many questions and idk people are weirdly non tolerant. it varies from platform to platform, it's the worst on tiktok. idk if it's actually better on tumblr or if it's by 70+ blocked users that make it better

canon lore !!! yes my beloved. there's "the prank" which is when sirius told snape how to get through the shrieking shack to see remus being transformed, i love asking ppl abt this bc people usually never ever have the same answers ignoring marauderstok. there's halloween 1981 (when james and lily died), there's snape's worst memory (james and sirius bullying snape, snily breaking up), the marauders map, the letter (lily's letter to sirius).

there's the fanon stuff, too. mr tell me a fucking secret (atyd, remus bringing up sirius' trauma because he was annoyed), grant chapman (my man, remus' victim atyd), tomny and tonya (tcotp), the sixth year kiss (atyd, wolfstar first kiss), "no one ever thinks to look up" (crimson rivers (?), evan's death i think (??)), "why'd you burn the letter, it wasn't from mum it was from me" (regulus to sirius on sirius' birthday, atyd), and um. others i havent read any of the big fics :((. if you wanna be part of the fanon marauders fandom you can read all the young dudes, the cadence of part time poets, art heist baby, crimson rivers, what happened to the young young lovers, just lovers etc etc, BUT if you wanna be part of the canon marauders fandom <333 um idk i dont have any long ship recs :( but tumblr's your best bet i think !

then there's imp celebs, taylor swift (mskingbean89), david bowie (rjl), ben barnes, aaron taylor johnson, ben barnes, annalise basso, andrew garfield, timothee chalamet, (<- fancasts) mskingbean89, bizarrestars, (<- fic writers) and probably a handful of tiktokers/editors but ive. blocked 60 people on tt so idk :(((.

this isn't super informative and it's really all basic info im bad at this oka😞😞

[seriousbrat]

Hi! I'm interested in your thoughts about Sirius from the tags of your Lily post... What makes you think he didn't understand the consequences of the prank?

ty for asking! I mean mostly the fact that he never shows any real remorse for it. I'm not saying that he didn't feel guilty for hurting Remus, I think he did-- and I also think that academically, intellectually, he understood it was wrong. But in SWM we see it doesn't really change anything about his behaviour. And why would it? There weren't any real consequences for what amounts to attempted murder. He still makes a flip comment about being bored and wishing it were full moon, he's still pretty disdainful towards Remus. Even as an adult, in the confrontation between Snape and Sirius in grimmauld place he behaves extremely threateningly towards Snape, and speaks pretty negatively/unremorsefully about him unlike Remus who tries (likely out of guilt) to maintain civility.

also:

James doesn't really display any remorse in SWM either, but well first of all it wasn't his fault and he actually did the right thing in his situation, and second-- both James and Sirius are a product of their circumstances. James grew up in a loving household with at least a father who had very Gryffindor-ish ideals. That's why I think James saving Snape wasn't just about protecting Remus like many people do, I think it was simply that the moral code instilled in him from childhood wouldn't have allowed him to let Snape die even if Remus hadn't been involved. Yeah this is an inherent contradiction considering James is also willing to torment and bully Snape, but those sorts of contradictions exist in people. Furthermore, I also think in a twisted way it was his "moral code" that justified his bullying in his mind. Snape=Slytherin=Dark Arts=Bad, therefore attacking him=good. This is a very black and white form of thinking common in teenagers.

On the other hand, Sirius grew up in a house where dead house-elves were mounted and stuffed on the walls. There are several murderers in his family tree, and his parents are proud when Regulus becomes a Death Eater. I think his ideas of right and wrong are much more confused. Cruelty is what he's grown up with. I'm not saying Sirius is an inherently cruel person either, just that it's been much more normalised in his life than it has for James. We see him being pretty casually cruel to his friends in SWM, and you'd think that if he felt guilt for what he did to Snape he'd be at least a bit nicer to/about him as an adult. 'we were idiots' is kind of an understatement given Sirius nearly killed him. Unlike James, Sirius (and Remus interestingly enough) isn't above cold-blooded murder if there's motive enough, as evidenced by his attempted murder of Peter. Which is very arguably justified, but Harry's right imo that James wouldn't do it.

See also: this post about Sirius being mean, and this one on why I think SWM coming after the prank makes sense

[marleneismydopamine]

Pandalily Headcanons

- straight A prefect x doesn’t give a fuck about rules fairy

- They are both cat people and would 100% adopt a kitten together

- they both have autism. pandora also has adhd

- every time someone mentions pandora lily gets so flustered. she goes red and stutters on every word and she still has the audacity to say they’re “just friends”

- lily is always cold and constantly needs a heat source and pandora is always too hot and likes to cuddle lily to warm her up

- if either of them cry it will trigger the other one to start crying

- pandora accidentally gets herself into dangerous situations, like when she experiments with potions or goes searching for a mythical creature she thinks is cool. she has no self preservation skills so lily always has to be behind her gf going “please be careful bbg. you might not be scared of hurting yourself but i’m so stressed rn because i don’t want anything bad to happen to you”

- they are an incredibly physically affectionate couple. they lean against each other whenever they can, they hug to greet each other and it always lasts a little longer than necessary, they casually play with each others fingers and hair, lily likes to kiss pandoras forehead and hands and pandora likes to kiss lily’s inner wrists and the top of her head etc.

- pandora gets bullied a lot but it has gone on for so long that shes used to it, but lily finds it appalling how others treat pandora and will fight ANYONE whose mean to her gf

- they both will rant about their hyperfixations for hours and the other will listen even if they don’t find the subject interesting (they like how the other lights up when they talk about their obsessions so it’s totally worth it)

- pandora fell first, lily fell harder

- pandora sometimes struggles with doing daily tasks, like cleaning her room and brushing her teeth, but lily never judges her for it and always tries to help

- pandora really tried not to flirt with lily at first because she assumed lily wouldn’t be interested. but pandora is naturally very flirty so she unintentionally hits on lily and it always leaves lily a blushing gay mess

- lily *overthinks everything* evans and pandora *doesn’t think at all* rosier

- pandora “i don’t matter” rosier and lily “you matter to me” evans

- lily was too scared to dance in front of other people until pandora dragged her onto the dance floor and then she started dancing weirdly which gave lily the confidence to make a fool of herself

- after years of petunias verbal abuse about lily being a freak, pandora lets lily feel like she can truly be herself. pandora shows her to love every part of herself, even the parts of herself that have been criticised by her peers, sister, and snape

[maxdibert]

I've been watching from the shadows of my sewer about this Severus s/a thing. It feels like this is being taken WAY too seriously, but then again, fiction mirrors the real world, so it is important to be careful of what we say and how we view things.

I am extremely neutral when it comes to any character in Harry Potter. I do not favor one over the other because I don't care about them for anything else other than their lore. I do, however, find Severus's lore very interesting, and I tend to pay attention to him more than other characters in this series.

No back to what I was originally going to say: Pantsing is a weird thing to do, and it's even weirder to excuse it as something casually done between prepubescent, stinky, boisterous boys. I grew up in the States, and unfortunately for me, I still live there. I can't explain how many times I've seen pantsing be done on teenage TV shows as comedy relief, or as a way to make the bully really seem like a bully.

But here's the thing, though. It's always seen as bad, even though it's comedic relief. The person who has been pantsed ends up feeling horrible, embarrassed, or humiliated, and the crowd would feel for that person because they understand how it feels to be in that position. It's assault - sexual? Perhaps. It's still assault, nothing changes that.

And the other thing is, these people aren't saying that James or Sirius aren't bad people - they are well aware that they are, but what they're worried about is how some others with similar experiences label what happened to Snape. My question is: why do they care? Why are they so bothered? Even if either of them went through s/a, which, unfortunately, is a common thing to happen to people these days, of course, they'll have different views on the matter. But to start arguing with people, calling them rude things because of something they don't agree with...it's just tasteless and classless. That's all from me.

- An0n. ps, pantsing is a cowardly trick. One only idiots practice to feel less inferior.

My issue with these people is that they don’t understand that their point of view is irrelevant when it comes to categorizing an offense or a crime. This isn’t about perceptions or morality—it’s about facts.

When I talk about violence or the bullying Severus suffered, especially the pantsing scene, I’m not speaking from the projection of my own traumas (I never experienced bullying, either in school or university) or from things I’ve witnessed in my life (I’m from Spain, and doing something like that is in no way normal here). I’m speaking from my perspective as someone who works in the field of criminal law.

These people have the audacity to claim it wasn’t sexual assault because there wasn’t sexual intent, and that strikes me as extremely dangerous because crimes of a sexual nature are not based on the intent of the aggressor but on the perception of the victim. If the victim feels their privacy has been violated, then it can be reported as a sexual offense. There’s a lot of legislation about this, and a sexual offense doesn’t always have to be rape or an attempted rape. There’s an enormous spectrum of sexual crimes, ranging from being a creep to, yes, forcibly stripping someone in public.

So I don’t care what these people say because facts are facts. If someone grabs my breast, for instance, maybe they didn’t mean to harm me, but I consider it an assault. We don’t care about the aggressor’s intent. Intent and premeditation are factors taken into account to add or reduce weight to a verdict, nothing more. It’s incredibly dangerous to claim something isn’t abuse if the abuser “didn’t mean to,” because how many women report assaults, and no one listens to them because the aggressor is their partner and they were supposedly having an intimate moment? How many abusers or rapists claim they genuinely thought the victim wanted it? Before talking about such serious topics, these people really need to educate themselves, because every time they open their mouths, it’s just absurd.

Then there’s the argument that justifies the act by saying Severus invented the spell. So what? That’s irrelevant. That’s like saying if I get assaulted at night and someone kills me with a knife I was carrying, it’s my fault for carrying the knife. Do these people even hear themselves?

I think their reactions are rooted in the fact that, in their minds, they can justify bullying. They can say, “It’s no big deal; lots of people bully others and then change.” But it’s much harder to confront being a fan of a character who has committed sexual assault, because that’s a very serious and deeply immoral concept. They feel triggered and personally attacked by this. But they’ll have to live with it because it’s a fact. And no matter how many times you repeat a lie, it doesn’t become the truth.

[houseofsnarry]

💚 HoS Members’ Recs: Professor Harry Potter ❤️

How about some recs in which Harry Potter becomes a professor? Will he find love in between grading homework and giving lessons?

A Different Love Language - silver_drip / @silverdrip Rated T, Word Count 4.1k

Ron and Hermione are convinced Snape is bullying the new DADA professor, Harry Potter.

Hogwarts Knows Best - cruisedirector, Dementordelta Rated E, Word Count 22.1k

Guess who's the new Potions professor at Hogwarts? And guess where he goes seeking advice?

Movie Magic - Likelightinglass / @likelightinglass Rated G, Word Count 9.3k

Harry Potter, new Muggle Studies Professor, wants to start a Muggle Movie Night for the students. Headmaster Snape insists on previewing each film beforehand. Movie night becomes movie date night.

On the Deficiencies of Translation Spells - LilaDiurne / @liladiurne Rated E, Word Count 41.1k

Divorced, single, and free, Harry lives a completely unapologetic life in Paris. Between casual hook-ups and an easy, comfortable job, he likes to think he is as close to happiness as he'll ever be. And when he gets offered a teaching job at the prestigious Académie Beauxbâtons, he thinks he may have found exactly what was missing. But Harry is thoroughly unprepared for what he finds there - a familiar face that's been haunting his dreams for six years.

a scratch for every itch - bleedcolor / @bleedcolor Rated T, Word Count 11.4k

Severus Snape is an itch that Harry just can't scratch.

you like making me work for it - bottlefamebrewglory / @snapedefender Rated T, Word Count 47.5k

“Before what, Mr. Potter?” Before Snape had looked at him, drunk and miserable without knowing why, and told him that he could change his future if he wanted. Before he had pulled Snape out of the darkness he’d been determined to drown in. Before the memories. Before he’d looked into Snape’s eyes and watched him die. Harry didn’t often change his mind, not about people. He’d been accused by Hermione more than once of being stubborn, even prejudiced. And, once upon a time, he’d thought he’d known exactly who Severus Snape was. But that had changed and Harry was no longer that boy anymore, just as Snape could no longer ever be just his hated professor. “Before,” Harry said again, more finally. Harry was pretty sure the fact that everyone never thought he’d live past seventeen was at least half the reason becoming an actual adult was so goddamn strange. Severus just wanted to get on with his life now that it was free of controlling old men. Or, five times Harry flirted with Snape and one time Snape flirted with Harry.

Discord || Recs Lists