#receding glaciers

[undefeatednils]

A small positive sign about my state of being:

Yesterday, I contemplated how cool it'd be if in the summer (when my room is restored), I could invite friends to visit me who could just sleep in my room (big bed & sleeping couch). One day, we could take a field trip, buy provisions at the nearby grocery store and "hike" to the local blockfield.

[theonion]

Noting that the steady rise in global temperatures was beginning to have a significant impact on their work, anthropologists at Oxford University told reporters Tuesday that they were struggling to keep up with the abundance of early human remains being thawed out due to climate change. “It seems like every other day a hunter in North Canada or some unsuspecting hikers in Siberia are stumbling across the perfectly preserved remains of a 2,000-year-old human ancestor emerging from melting glaciers or receding permafrost; we can barely keep up,” said lead researcher Adam Daly, adding that as climate change has become more severe, his team has had to take drastic measures to fast-track some of their processes, such as performing CT scans on more than one mummified carcass at once and skipping hair analysis altogether.

Full Story

[breelandwalker]

Worm Moon - March 13-14 2025

The world is thawing and spring will soon be sprung. Dust off your garden tools and get ready for the Worm Moon!

Worm Moon

The Worm Moon is the name given to the full moon which occurs in the month of March in the Northern Hemisphere. Most sources claim this name is taken from the renewed visible presence of vermicast (worm droppings) and earthworms themselves, as the spring thaw allows them to emerge from the soil.

There is a possible alternative explanation, involving a colonial explorer's notes about the Naudowessie (Dakota) observation of emerging worm-like beetle larvae from the bark of trees. "Every month has with them a name expressive of its season; for instance, they call the month of March (in which their year generally begins at the first New Moon after the vernal Equinox) the Worm Month or Moon; because at this time the worms quit their retreats in the bark of the trees, wood, &c. where they have sheltered themselves during the winter." (It's entirely possible that this "worm" in this instance is a mistranslation of an indigenous word for "larva," since it refers to the larval state of certain beetles. Without knowing whether the language in question makes a distinction between larval worms and earthworms, it's impossible to tell, and I was unable to find further sources.)

Other North American Indigenous names for this moon include Goose Moon (Algonquin and Cree) and Crow Comes Back Moon (Northern Ojibwe), in reference to the reappearance of migratory birds, and Sugar Moon (Ojibwe) and Sap Moon (Shawnee), in reference to the season in which the maple sap begins to run and can be tapped for the production of maple syrup.

Fun Fact: The term "Worm Moon" only occurs in southerly indigenous nations. The March moon is commonly named for trees or birds in more northerly areas of North America because in those places, the native species of earthworms went extinct during the period when glaciers covered that portion of the continent. About 12,000 years ago when the glaciers receded, the forest grew back without earthworms. The species which now inhabit those areas are invasive or introduced specimens originating from Europe and Asia.

The March moon, if it occurs prior to the spring equinox, is also the Lenten Moon, named for the Christian holiday of Lent. If it occurs after the equinox, it is called the Paschal Full Moon, corresponding with the Christian holiday of Easter, or Paschal Sunday (This year's Worm Moon will occur the week before the equinox and Easter Sunday will be in April.)

This year's Worm Moon will also feature a lunar eclipse, the only one we'll see this year. The peak of the full moon will occur at 2:55am EST on March 14th, but the moon will appear to be full and the eclipse should be visible on the night of the 13th. Check the Dark Sky Place Finder for visibility conditions in your area and livestreams of the event.

What Does It Mean For Witches?

Full moons are both the beginning and end of the lunar cycle. With the Worm Moon, we can look forward to the beginning of spring and the yearly harvest cycle. So now is the perfect time for seasonal divination, plans for the coming months, and the setting of goals for the future, both short-term and long-term. You can also check in with goals you may have set back in January and record your progress. (Remember - even a little progress is still progress!)

Consider also how you can change or begin new routines and habits to improve your life, make better choices, streamline your schedule, or just give yourself a much-needed break. If there’s something hanging around that no longer serves you, now is the time to consider bidding it adieu and moving forward to a new path.

What Witchy Things Can We Do?

The Worm Moon heralds the imminent start of the planting season. If you’ve got green fingers, now is the time to begin planning your garden for the season. Prepare your sprouting trays and browse your favorite seed catalog for inspiration.

It’s also time for that all-important spring cleaning, so open up those windows on a warm day and air out all the staleness from winter. As you scrub and dust and declutter, you can also magically cleanse your space of stagnant, disruptive, or unwanted things, replacing them with your own energy and your good wishes and goals for the upcoming season.

This is also an excellent time for spells focused on fertility, optimism, and new growth. It’s important to remember that fertility spells don’t just have to focus on procreation. They can also be geared toward planting, creating, opportunity, inspiration, motivation, prosperity, abundance, and anything that requires nurturing and productivity.

As the land begins to turn toward springtime, even if the weather is still cold, take note of the changes in the flora and fauna in your area. What species can you identify? How are the animals acting? Is there anything new that you notice since last year? Tracking these changes can help you connect with your local biome and identify patterns that can help you draw forecasts for the weather, the coming crop cycle, and any personal omens you have which are connected to nature. Try this knowledge-building exercise as part of your study - Dig Through The Ditches.

Since there is a lunar eclipse set to occur, this is also an optimal time for not only the usual fulfillment and abundance magic associated with the full moon, but for any magic meant to yeet something into the all-devouring void with all your might. Contrary to certain schools of belief, eclipses do not automatically negate magical workings done on the date they occur and there are ways of employing that energy to useful purpose. Picture the earth's shadow moving over the moon like a giant cosmic disposal bin which carries away anything thrown into it to be released into the void of space.

As always, for best results, make sure you are focused and specific with your intentions and close loopholes in your wording. Remember that YOU are the most important component in your spell, since you're the one providing the impetus and the energy and telling the magic what to do. Don't be afraid to clear and emphatic!

Recall also that in any environment, there comes a time when progress cannot occur until harmful elements are removed, stagnation is released, and detritus is returned to a state where it can decay and benefit new growth. Do with this what you will.

The season of greening and renewal is upon us, so it’s time to Ready, Set, GROW!

Happy Worm Moon, witches! 🌕🌱

Further Reading:

Worm Moon: Full Moon for March 2025, The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Worm Moon: The Stunning Full Moon of March 2025, The Peculiar Brunette.

Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches, Bree NicGarran.

Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America, in the Years 1766, 1767 and 1768, Capt. Jonathan Carver, London, 1781. (Text available on Project Gutenberg)

Total Lunar Eclipse March 2025, Space.com.

Easter and the Paschal Full Moon: Determining the Date of Easter, The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison, Llewellyn Publications, 2004.

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[thebayclans]

A drawing of exit glacier that I was going to use in the stonestar story but decided not to finish it, this is an interpretation of how it may have looked a few hundred years ago when the glacier was less receded

[thesolemnhour]

When the huge glaciers of the last ice age receded, birch trees would have been one of the first to re-colonise the rocky, ice-scoured landscape.

A hardy staff for a hardy girl.

(OUTSTANDING artwork by @lyannatropes)

[echoghost1]

Phic Phight Phic #3!!!!

Title: I’ll Eat You Up I Love You So

Prompt: Danny is consumed by a much more powerful ghost.

Prompter: @astatia-ghast

Word Count: 770

You can read it on AO3 or down below the cut!

Frostbite was walking the outer fields when a small ghost crashed down in a streak of green not too far from where he was.

He picked up his pace to see if the ghost was injured in the fall and to see how lost they were.

Not many travel this far, to a place this harsh, on purpose. 

He peered over the edge of the crater and was thankful he had a strong stomach. 

The snow was splattered in a thick layer of green with a quivering crumbled ghost in the center.

It took a moment for Frostbite to recognize the poor ghost through all the mess of ectoplasm. 

“Great One!”

He looked up as best he could with the huge gash above his left eye bleeding down his face.

“Frostbite?”

“Yes Great One, I'm here.”

“I flew as fast as I could.” He looked around slowly, “maybe too fast.”

The slowness of his movements made Frostbite wonder if he possibly had a concussion along with his other injuries.

“It’s alright. Just be still and let me get a good look, okay?” Frostbite said as he gather a small amount of clean powdered snow.

The Great One relaxed and Frostbite carefully used the soft snow to wipe away as much ectoplasm as he could.

He hoped it looked worse than it was. Sometimes wounds bleed more than they needed too. 

Maybe a few stitches and the Great One would be as good as new.

The more he saw the worse it got.

There were so many deep cuts, the bleeding wasn't slowing fast enough, and if the concussion wasn't bad enough, he was pretty sure the Great One had several broken bones.

It was bad.

So bad he knew it wasn’t safe to move him alone.

Bad enough that there wasn't time to get help.

Frostbite never thought he’d ever see the Great One look so weak.

“Great One?” Frostbite conjured a small patch of ice to cover the wound on his forehead, “You trust me don't you?”

“Yeah, course.” He slightly slurred, “it's why I'm here.”

“Good, good. Close your eyes and I'll take you somewhere safe.”

He relaxed into the snow as if it was his own bed. 

If Frostbite ignored all the injuries and mess, his hero looked more like a child than ever before.

There was no way he could let him stay injured like this any longer.

Frostbite looked around just to make sure he was truly alone.

There was only one way Frostbite could save him now, but he hadn’t done this in a very long time or in such dire conditions. 

Normally there was a long process of checks and information sharing so that everyone involved knew what was going to happen.

He didn't have that luxury now.

He needed to act quickly if this was going to work.

He just has to hope that the Great One would understand. 

That his companions would too.

Frostbite lowered himself so his chest was nearly resting in the snow. He carefully slid his ice arm under the Great One's body and just barely lifted him off the ground as evenly as possible so as to not injure him further. 

He brought the Great One closer and then opened his mouth as wide as it could go. His jaw creaked like glaciers as he opened to its absolute limit.

Then he simply slid the Great One in whole.

Frostbite snapped his jaws shut and sat back on his haunches as he waited for the Great One to compress and settle inside.

While the Great One was rather small for his greatness, he was gangly and a bit too large for the space he was currently residing.

While Frostbite wouldn't call this a pleasant experience, it wasn’t painful either.

He was hyper aware of his chest and his internal passenger. 

He could feel as the Great One's limbs curled inward and receded into nothingness. 

The rest of the Great One's body followed suit until all that was left was his tiny little core.

Once everything had settled, it was replaced with a pleasant chill next to his own core.

Frostbite sighed in relief and placed a hand on his chest, right over where the Great One currently rested.

“Take as much time as you need, Great One. I'll keep you safe.”

Now that he was confident that the Great One was no longer in danger, Frostbite started his trek back home. 

Despite the circumstances, he had a feeling his people would be thrilled by the news.

It wasn't often they got a new member of their clan.

[poorrichardjr]

I Grieve

I grieve for all the good and the bad that those younger than me may soon never get to see or experience. Swarms of mayflies and lovebugs or the massive clouds of mosquitos that would follow you like the stench lines of cartoons. Large flocks of sparrows and bats, or ravens that would gather at the garbage dumps in the coldest parts of winter. Will you get to see the rivers so full of salmon that you could literally walk across on their backs and almost never get your feet wet?

There is so much here today or was in the recent past, that is quickly disappearing. Whether you believe the climate is changing because of human activity or not, you have to acknowledge that much of what was, isn't now. Glaciers have receded not feet or inches, but miles away from the shorelines, but they are just one of many obvious signs.

We are smart enough to save ourselves. Most of us even know we have to do so. However, we are ruled by people so worried about the money they will lose, that we as a species may be too stupid to survive the coming storm.

So, I grieve. However, as we continue down this road, I suppose there won't be that many generations I will have to know suffer.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Uplift Underway in Finland’s Kvarken Archipelago

Some 20,000 years ago, during the Last Glacial Maximum, the Baltic Sea sat under a sheet of ice as thick as 3,000 meters (10,000 feet). Scientists estimate that the weight of that ice pressed the land down more than 500 meters (1,600 feet).

Since the glaciers receded and the weight was lifted, the land has been bouncing back. The rates of uplift, known as glacial isostatic adjustment or isostatic rebound, in this region are among the highest on Earth. By one estimate, 700 hectares of new land—about twice the size of Central Park in New York City—rise from the sea each year along the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia, the Baltic Sea’s northern arm.

This uplift is especially apparent in the Kvarken Archipelago of Finland. The area, seen in this image acquired by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8, is an agglomeration of islands that is constantly changing as the land rises. Its approximately 5,600 islands and 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) of shoreline form labyrinthine waterways that present hazards to ships but exploration opportunities for canoers and kayakers. The Kvarken Archipelago, along with the High Coast region across the gulf in Sweden, is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The terrain emerging from the sea has revealed remarkable glacial formations. On and around the island of Björkö, shown in this detailed view, unique features known as De Geer moraines have surfaced thanks to isostatic rebound. These washboard-like ridges form when water running beneath the ice deposits boulders, stones, and finer material at the ice edge. When the ice retreats or a large block breaks away, another moraine begins to form at the new edge.

De Geer moraines typically measure 1 to 2 kilometers long and 2 to 5 meters high, spaced 50 to 200 meters apart. Scientists think their presence and spacing are related to the speed of ice-margin retreat, the water depth in which they were formed, and the terrain beneath the ice. LiDAR-based digital elevation models have recently revealed the existence of more De Geer moraines in southern and western Finland than previously realized.

The constant emergence of new land after the ice’s disappearance affected how people ultimately developed the area. For example, the land on which the town of Vaasa was founded was a forested island in the early 14th century. The island later merged with the mainland, and Vaasa grew throughout the 17th and 18th centuries as a thriving harbor and trading point. Still, the land continued to rise, causing the coastline to migrate farther and farther from the town. In August 1852, a napping peddler’s pipe ignited a fire that destroyed much of the settlement. Officials took the opportunity to reestablish Vaasa about 6 kilometers (4 miles) to the west to make it a coastal city once again. Remnants of the original town are preserved in “Old Vaasa” (or Vanha-Vaasa).

The islands, peninsulas, and coastlines around the Kvarken Archipelago and the Gulf of Bothnia will continue to morph and evolve. Since the ice retreated, the land has risen at least 286 meters (938 feet); this figure corresponds to the elevation of the ancient shore and so-called “world’s highest coastline,” located across the gulf at Skuleberget in Sweden’s High Coast. The remaining 100 meters or so of depression should equilibrate over the next several thousand years, scientists say.

In that time, the sea level will continue to drop relative to the land, and the Gulf of Bothnia will continue to narrow. Millennia from now, the shores of Finland and Sweden may even connect at the narrowest point, rendering the northern Gulf of Bothnia an inland lake. However, the exact nature of these changes will depend on how much global sea level rise—driven by ice melt and thermal expansion of ocean water—offsets the regional land uplift. Currently, the rate of regional uplift, at about 9 millimeters (0.4 inches) per year, outpaces the 3.4 millimeters (0.13 inches) of global sea level rise per year.

NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Photo by Hendrik Morkel, Unsplash. Story by Lindsey Doermann.

[kagrenacs]

To give you a sneak peak of my skyrim soil classification: I think Whiterun Hold is either a till plain or an outwash plain, created by receding glaciers.

[prabodhjamwal]

In Defence Of Ladakh’s Movement For Constitutional Safeguards: A Balance Sheet Of Apprehensions And The Logic Of Demand

“Extinction of cultural identities through different means like displacement, and no safeguards in their preservation, particularly language, are not merely distant future realities. Such unfortunate realities have always found their place in the history of India. According to Ganesh Narayan Devy, a literary critic, India may have lost 220 languages since 1961 – a staggering and unfortunate state…

[kneelingshadowsalome]

You König work is amazing! Idk why but with that “y/n cant watch something with sweaty shirtless men!” It made me think what would König do if Engel was a gamer and had a guy that liked to game with her

Lol this turned out long and superduper self-indulgent for no good reason

CW: Jealousy, possessive behavior, mild smut

This guy friend of yours has the best equipment and has the best games, so you usually go to his place to play and have a few laughs. You somehow thought things would remain pretty much the same after you met König (silly you) because you've told him about this friend and how much fun you've had over the years. He's just a friend, there's nothing suspicious going on, so why couldn't you continue seeing him?

Interestingly enough, the words we're just friends are the exact wrong ones. "Friend" or no, you're not going to some other man's gaming lair alone.

He tags along next time you see this guy, and it's a bit awkward, because you know König doesn't play. He greets your friend coldly, then goes to "relax" on the sofa with a stiff upper back and pure ice in his stare. You shrug and start playing with your friend, and soon enough the feeling that there is a whole glacier behind your back recedes. You've missed playing with your friend so much!

Meanwhile on glacier König, things are only getting icier. If looks could kill, this other man would be dead already. König won't play, not even when your friend offers him the controller and you try to invite him to at least try. He says he likes to watch.

And boy, does he watch.

He watches you like a hawk, the way you immerse yourself in the game, the way you come so, so alive. The way your cheeks glow and your eyes sparkle, the way you laugh or frown or bite your lip with excitement.

The silence extends all the way back home, and then out of nowhere König starts to complain that the war game you played was poorly made.

"That game was highly inaccurate. The guns for example. M16 wasn't introduced to the field until–"

"König," you set a hand on his chest, "calm down. It's just a game."

He lifts his chin and looks at you, down, down, down, like he always does when he thinks he knows better – and he always knows better. But when you go to bed, he gets unusually touchy and cuddly. You're not getting any sleep before he has given you a hot, sweaty fingering session followed by an exceptionally needy cuddlefuck. You can't help but think whether the shameless display of fingering skills was to show off how good he is with his hands... And how he doesn't need a PS controller to prove it.

He suggests, uneasily, that he could buy you a big tv and five different consoles and all the games you want. You have to explain to him that it's not about the games per se, it's about the company. If you had a gift that allowed you to see under that mask, you would see how his nostrils flare at your innocent declaration.

Next time at your friend's house, you play Mario Kart. It's just what the doctor ordered because everytime you play that game you go into a giggle high. It's just so fun and harmless and silly... Actually, it's the perfect antithesis of König. Even your friend starts to laugh because joy is contagious. The only one who’s not laughing is König, who sits behind you like a monolith or a supervising adult, his stare flashing between you two. (When have you ever giggled like that with him...? When have you ever laughed like you can't even stop?)

The truth is that König is going nuts. First you played a lousy war game (riddled with mistakes), as if the fact that you have a super soldier like König wasn't enough for you. You even sighed 'wow 'when there was an intro scene with lots of explosions and an adrenaline-filled jump from a crashing plane. As if he didn't do stuff like that every day... As if he didn't shoot a real gun and kill real people every day. You would say 'wow' a thousand times more enthusiastically if you saw him doing all that shit for real.

And then? You play what looks like a colorful, nonsensical child's game and laugh your heart out with tears in your eyes. You're cute when you're in your gaming mode, and he just wants to squish you, get rid of that dude, then come squish you again.

And you sort of know that something is wrong and perhaps you shouldn't be seeing this friend so often...

It's not just the fact that you and your friend both try your best to ignore the hound dog who insists on coming along every single time even though he never plays.

It's not the fact that your soldier boyfriend has a special talent of making everyone uncomfortable.

It's the fact that everytime you come home, König is all over you and nearly smothers you with kisses and his tall, demanding frame. You barely get out of your shoes before he gets all touchy, almost gropey.

Next thing you know, you're being put to bed, literally, as he grinds you into the mattress in a desperate fashion. Grunting and groaning high above you, the poorly disguised fury seems to seep from his skin as he gets all sweaty and needy with you. Your adoring doe-eyes, your thrilled gasps and dazzled silence only spur him on.

Usually, he's mouthy in bed, but the need to possess you has reached such heights that he can't even speak. He just towers over you like a furious god, arms caging you in while he makes love to you with pitched grunts. When you ask him if he's angry (in a slightly peepy voice, because the man is actually freaking you out a bit), he grunts a quick "Nein" through gritted teeth. That's how you know he's definitely, thoroughly pissed.

Deprived moans send him over the edge right after you, and you can barely catch your breath before he collapses on top of you, cock still pulsing inside you as he seeks out the sacred little place between your ear and neck, lips burning your skin as he snarls:

"I know you are teasing me, little one... And I'm warning you that it's not a good idea."

[clovisstudies]

The findings match oral histories that elders in the area told researchers, said University of Saskatchewan professor Glenn Stuart, one of the researchers invited to work at the site last summer. Researchers believe people started living at the site shortly after glaciers receded about 10,000 years ago. "When you hear somebody talking about these huge floods that happened many, many years ago, then that makes us think that, OK, well, maybe there is a connection here because we could see from looking at this hearth that as soon as there was a stable landscape here, people were living there," Stuart said.

[mreinberg]

Slims River mud flats, Yukon.

In a startling case of climate change, over 4 days in May 2016, the Slims River suddenly disappeared, leaving windswept mud flats. Voluminous glacial meltwaters from Kaskawulsh Glacier were suddenly diverted from Slim River to Kaskawulsh River, and further on into the Gulf of Alaska. In 2016, as the glacier receded, the meltwater flooding carved a new channel through a large ice field, diverting most flow into the Kaskawulsh River. Between 1956 and 2007, the Kaskawulsh Glacier retreated by 655 meeters. Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV.

[shostakobitchh]

Chapter 60: into the woods

“Legilimens.” 

Severus heard Miss Evans' sharp inhale. 

Her Shields were awaiting him as he drilled. Severus plunged into the depths, like a stone cast into a rippling lake. The mental barricades loomed, immense as glaciers and equally icy. 

He felt something akin to a twinge of satisfaction tug at him. He’d known she’d been practicing and working diligently, but he would never let her know it. All that spurred her was his constant disapproval, his incessant critique. The second Severus gave her any leeway, she would become lazy. 

Severus pushed, awaiting the shatter. 

The wall did not bend. 

He could feel the brat grinning. 

He bit back a snarl, launching another ruthless assault on her frigid barrier. The ice did not yield.

"Getting tired?" she taunted, an impish smile on her face. He could have sworn he saw a spark of his own defiance in her eyes.

For a moment, Severus felt an unrecognizable pang. Was it pride? Surely not. The girl was nothing more than an obstacle in his path. She didn’t know what he could truly do, should he wish it. 

“What was it you said?” the girl teased. “Water wouldn’t work?” 

"Impertinent brat," Severus bit out before hurling himself with the brutal ferocity of a storm at her defenses. 

She was steadfast. His assaults crashed against her Shields, wave after relentless wave, only to ebb and recede, leaving her mental bulwark unscathed. Through the flurry of his attack, there was an undercurrent of awe. She would be — quite formidable, if she kept this up. Her Shields quivered but held steady, shimmering like a mirage, beautiful and deceptive. Yet the fluidity of water was her strength. It yielded but never shattered. It absorbed the shock. 

As the onslaught continued, he felt the cold walls ripple with his repeated assaults, but no cracks appeared. His blows only echoed back to him, ricocheting off her Shields like an echo in a cavern. 

"Relinquish," he commanded, pulling himself back with a brutal wrench that left him feeling drained. "You have made your point."

The triumph that flashed across her eyes was unmistakable. It was a sight that would have enraged him further if it weren’t for the odd sense of satisfaction that lingered within him. 

“Make me,” she challenged, that Gryffindor brawn he loathed more than anything flashing its teeth. 

Normally, Severus would have withdrawn to let her have it, but her response gave him a renewed sense of purpose. He met her gaze squarely, noting the flicker of apprehension that momentarily clouded her triumph. "As you wish."

He launched himself into her mind again. The shockwave rippled through her Shields, causing them to shudder violently under the impact. 

Yet still — they did not collapse.

Severus shifted tactics. Instead of battering her defenses, he began to probe for weaknesses, prying at the corners and edges of her ice-wrought barriers. Each mental touch was a needle, seeking a way to thread through the gaps in her armor. 

Suddenly, he felt it  — a weak seam, a tiny fissure. The ice was thinner there, having not hardened fully. His mental probe slipped through the crack like a viper in the grass, sliding deeper into her consciousness.

The girl’s body jerked, as if physically struck, her eyes flaring wide with shock. Her Shields wavered, threatening to crumble under the sudden assault. 

That was all it would take. She knew not what she was dealing in 

But she did not yield.

“No —” she gasped. “Wait —” 

She clung to her defenses with a desperation that was both admirable and foolish. Her body convulsed as Severus dug deep into the fracture. Her mind danced with the specters of memories and thoughts as he delved deeper, each a flicker in his peripheral vision. Severus was relentless, focusing on the crack, widening it, splintering the once seamless wall. 

He reached through, plunging into her consciousness.

And then the girl screamed. 

Severus immediately withdrew. Her eyes were wild — pained — and he could feel her pain — though he could not distinguish it from his own at the sound she’d made — 

Her Shields collapsed with a gasp. She stumbled forward, nearly smashing her face into the floor, but Severus caught her, hauling her up in his arms. Miss Evans made a broken sort of noise that was part moan, part sob. 

"Hush," Severus murmured into her hair, his own heart pounding with a cruel sense of victory. "You did well." 

She sagged against him, her breathing ragged and uneven. He let his hand cup the back of her head as she kneaded her forehead, undoubtedly still uncomfortable. After a moment, he felt her press against his shoulder, something in his chest tightening at her touch. Her hands fisted in his robes. 

And then Miss Evans tore herself from his grip and stumbled back, face flushed and eyes ablaze with a mixture of anger and resolve. “That was —”

“Necessary,” Severus interjected coldly. 

Miss Evans glared at him before sliding down to the floor in a heap of defeat. “That bloody hurt.” 

“Yes.” 

She gave him a look, like he was being difficult instead of agreeing with her. “That’s not what you said it would be like.” 

“I have never attempted to penetrate your Shields with that much force. Your resistance creates a counterforce. Pain is the inevitable aftermath.” 

“Yeah, but Jesus. You could have warned me," she muttered darkly, her chest heaving with exertion. She was trying so hard to maintain her composure that it made her anger all the more palpable.

"The Dark Lord isn’t going to. I offered you the chance to yield," Severus said flatly, his dark eyes boring into hers. "But you were too stubborn."

She glowered at him, her eyes burning with indignation — but there were other things dancing in their depths — a hint of trepidation, a dash of bewilderment — but above all else, it was the flicker of determination that held his gaze. 

He lifted her chin, staring down his nose at her. “You are — however — improving. I am quite impressed.” 

Her eyes widened in shock, a flicker of something akin to gratitude flashing within the depths of her dark eyes before being hastily squashed. “I — thank you.”

Severus merely inclined his head in response, before releasing her chin and standing, straightening his robes with a flick of his wrist. "I suggest we end the session today. You've been through enough."

Miss Evans looked up at him, surprised, but she didn’t protest. Her expression was quite pensive as she nodded, pushing herself to her feet with a wince. "Alright," she conceded, pressing her hand to her forehead. Another shudder ran through her slender frame. “I think my head might explode, if we do anymore.” 

He observed her quietly, studying the subtle changes in her behavior. He had anticipated fight, anticipated anger — what he hadn't expected was the hint of steel that had formed in her gaze. She seemed to want to pick a fight with the floorboards as she took a moment to collect herself. 

Miss Evans noticed him watching her, her cheeks flaming as dark as her hair. She let herself settle against the side of the sofa, crossing her arms tightly in front of her as the silence stretched between them — not uncomfortable — but contemplative. 

She rubbed at her temple with her palms, wincing slightly. “I don’t feel like I’m getting any better.” 

“Patience. The mind is not a tool to be honed overnight.” Severus met her gaze with an impassive expression. “You are improving more than you realize. It’s hardest to see progress when you’re the one making it.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” she said under her breath. 

His eyes narrowed. “Are you calling me a liar, girl?” 

“Of course not. I’m just saying that it would be nice to feel like I’ve won a round.” 

Severus raised an eyebrow at her, allowing a brief stretch of silence to underscore his disappointment. "This is not a game , Miss Evans.”

She picked herself up off the ground with as much dignity as one could. For a moment, she seemed rather lost, staring around the room as though she were unsure of her surroundings. Severus was about to ask her if she felt alright, feeling something vibrating in his fingertips as she slowly put some distance between them. 

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” The look she gave him was empty of all the animosity, both for him and for herself. “It’s just — I couldn’t make the Patronus, and now this —” 

“I am nearly twenty years your senior, and you’ve had three years of magical education.” Severus rolled his eyes. “It would be both absurd and concerning if you were able to match me step for step. You're not expected to perform miracles."

She cracked a small smile at him, shaking her head. “You’re silly.” 

He tried not to look too offended by that particular adjective, so he merely grunted in response, brushing an imaginary speck of dust from his robes.

“I did nearly have you, though.” Miss Evans threw her rucksack across her chest as she began gathering her things, poking his elbow as she passed him. 

“Did you?” Severus countered dryly. “Or did you let your ego inflate your perception of reality?”

Her eyes sparkled like a summer lake in the noonday sun. "Maybe both?"

"I shudder to think of what you'll become with a little more success under your belt."

She flashed him a grin, the first full one he'd seen all evening. It lit up her face, erasing the trace of fatigue from her features. "Maybe I’ll let you live long enough to find out."

Severus was about to retort when something pulled at him. A dream — a reverie he’d done well to bury — 

Did you know? 

It wouldn’t have mattered — 

All he could see were the rusted eyes and hair as she stared at him with nothing — nothing behind her face and cruel smile — the cruelty had curdled into something else — 

The girl took a step towards him, her smile fading like a sunset. “Snape, I was kidding —” 

“I’m aware,” he replied stiffly, folding his arms over his chest in an attempt to regain the control that had momentarily slipped out of his hands. He sighed, looking away from her. “Go on, you’ve done enough for the day. I will see you again tomorrow.”

Miss Evans nodded hesitantly, her expression now a mixture of concern and confusion. She made her way towards the door, casting one last look over her shoulder. 

Severus’ eyes went to the picture on the desk, hoping to find some sort of comfort in Lily’s face, but her eyes were only for the girl. They only ever were, when she was here. 

“Are you going to the game Saturday?” she asked softly, lingering in the doorway. 

His lip curled. “Unfortunately. Heads of House are required to attend the first match of the year.” 

“You could try and enjoy yourself, you know.” 

“And be subjected to the barbaric screams of school children as they attempt to catch a shiny ball? I’d rather face the Dementors.”

“Fine,” he could have sworn he heard her muttering you grumpy git under her breath as she turned, but her eyes were laughing at him once more. “Night.” 

The door closed with a soft click. Severus found himself staring after it, before glancing down at the picture on his desk. 

Stay, Lily was mouthing at the door. Stay. 

His fingers lingered over the baby’s face. She was asleep, as she usually was this time of night. Lily usually watched their lessons with a tightness in her face that didn’t really dissipate until morning. Sometimes, Severus found himself wondering if she would have approved of him doing this — teaching their daughter Occlumency. He imagined he would have insisted, but she wouldn’t have been so keen on the idea. 

“One day,” Severus murmured to her. “Soon.” 

[inspofromancientworld]

Humans on the Isle of Skye

Source: Google Maps

During the Late Upper Paleolithic (LUP), humans reached the Isle of Skye, an island off the northwestern part of Scotland, according to new research. It is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides.

Source: https://www.antarcticglaciers.org/glacial-geology/british-irish-ice-sheet/younger-dryas-loch-lomond-stadial/the-loch-lomond-stadial/

At the end of the Younger Dryas, about 11,700 years ago, glaciers began to rapidly recede from where they'd formed on the western side of Scotland during the last stadial, or period when glaciers advanced during the last ice age, which is known locally as the Loch Lomond Stadial, known as such because of large moraine, or glacially moved remains such as rock and soil, near the shores of Loch Lomond from this time. The major mass of glaciers from this time were on the western edge of Scotland and were caused by a period of rapid cooling then melted by a period of rapid warming. The rapid glaciation would have lowered the sea levels, making crossing the waterways between Scotland and the Isle of Skye.

Source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jqs.3718

Remains of human habitation were found on the northern coast, about 25km northwest of the local maximum extent of the ice mass. The team of researchers studied areas that would have been on the coast at the time, a location that had good access to the ocean and rivers for both food and water. The area also had access to mudstone, a fine grained rock that had been clay before it became rock, and ocher, suggesting that it was chosen for its access to resources. This region holds more LUP evidence of humans than any other site in Scotland, pushing the dates of humans reaching the area from 8,000 years ago to 11,500 years ago. The direct evidence for this dating is sparse, but the researchers point out that there is a pattern to this and other sites that have been found largely by chance due to the lower sea levels of the time.

Source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jqs.3718

The group that moved to this area were likely the European group known as the Ahrensburgian culture who traveled norther Europe and crossed Doggerland into England. They likely followed herds of animals up into Scotland, farther than previously thought, toward the end of the Younger Dryas as glaciers were beginning to retreat and the land also began rebounding from having the weight of ice on it. This hypothesis is based on the similarity of their tools to those of the Ahrensburgian culture. While they didn't leave remains that could be radiocarbon dated, dating was based on sediment layers around the remaining lithic tools.

[prydainroyals]

Dear Alice: Part 1 of (?)

---

"Alice, I'm sorry for not contacting you sooner. I know it's been ages. You really don't need to worry about me though, I promise. There are certain things I just can't talk about, this being a military base, I'm sure you know what I mean. But I'll try to tell you what I can, OK?

It's beautiful here. Beyond the treeline and past most of the tundra, it's absolutely desolate, but breathtaking. I don't know how else to describe the magic of a white, sparkling void. It all feels so alien and yet, so familiar, especially knowing that this our planet!! Like, we're not in some sci-fi drama, this is home.

And what a home it is! Cabot Sound's little "slice of paradise" as the Captain calls it, is here explicitly for research, obviously. We're at the edge of a glacier that's been receding considerably over the last five decades.

Research has been going as well as anyone could hope. The water, soil, mineral and ice core samples have already told us so much and we've barely scratched the surface.

It isn't all poetic imagery and frolicking. Work can be extremely dangerous, and it's always demanding. There's nothing like trekking through a popup blizzard in -40 at the glacier foothills to make you feel wholly insignificant. I'd still rather do that again than imagine what Dad's going to be like when I come home.

But speaking of people I hate: Let's talk about a special group of people I actually don't.

—

An interlude of sorts, ripped from inspired by one of my favorite shows growing up, M*A*S*H. I think it's a fun framing device that can give insight into both the narrator (in this case, Arthur) but also into the other characters, even in cases where Arthur isn't present.

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