#science wizard from harry potter

[physalian]

What No One Tells You About Writing Fantasy

Every author has their preferred genres. I love fantasy and sci-fi, but began with historical fiction. I hated all the research that historical fiction demands and thought, if I build my own world, no research required.

Boy, was I wrong.

So to anyone dipping their toe into fantasy/sci-fi, here’s seven things I wish I knew about the genres before I committed to writing for them.

1. You still have to research. Everything.

If you want any of your fantasy battle sequences, or your space ships, or your droids and robots, or your fictional government and fictional politics to read at all believable.

In sci-fi, you research astronomy, robotics, politics, political science, history, engineering, anthropology. In fantasy, you have to research historical battle tactics, geography, real-world mythology, folklore, and fairytales, and much of it overlaps with science fiction.

I say you *have to* assuming you want your work to be original and unique and stand out from the crowd. Fanfic writers put in the research for a 30k word smut fic, you can and will have to research for your original work.

2. Naming everything gets exhausting

I hate coming up with new names, especially when I write worlds and places divorced from Earthly customs and can’t rely on Earthly naming conventions. You have to name all your characters, all your towns, villages, cities, realms, kingdoms, planets, galaxies, star systems.

You have to name your rebel faction, your imperial government, significant battles. Your spaceships, your fantasy companies and organizations, your magic system, made-up MacGuffins, androids, computer programs. The list goes on and on and on.

And you have to do it all without it sounding and reading ridiculous and unpronounceable, or racist. Your fantasy realms have to have believable naming patterns. It. Gets. Exhausting.

3. It will never read like you’re watching a movie

Do you know how fast movies can cut between scenes? Movies can balance five plotlines at once all converging with rapid edits, without losing their audience. Sometimes single lines of dialogue, or single wordless shots are all a scene gets before it cuts. If you try to replicate that by head-hopping around, you will make a mess.

It’s perfectly fine to write like you’re watching a movie, but you can’t rely on visual tricks to get your point across when all you have is text on a page – like slow mo, lens flares, epically lit cinematic shots, or the aforementioned rapid edits.

It doesn’t have to, nor should it, look like a movie. Books existed long before film, so don’t let yourself get caught up in how ~cinematic~ it may or may not look.

4. Your space opera will be compared to Star Wars and Star Trek

And your fairy epic will be compared to Tinkerbell, your vampires to Twilight, your zombies to The Walking Dead, Shaun of the Dead, World War Z. Your wizards and witches and any whisper of a fantasy school for fantasy children will be compared to Harry Potter. Your high fantasy adventure will be compared to Lord of the Rings.

You can’t avoid it, but you can avoid doing it to yourself. When people ask about your book, let them say “oh, you mean like Star Wars” to which you then can say, kind of, except XYZ happens in my book. These IPs will never fade from the public consciousness, not while you exist to read this post, at least, but Harry Potter isn’t the only urban fantasy out there. Lord of the Rings isn’t the only high fantasy. Star Wars isn’t the only space opera.

Yours will be on the shelves right next to them, soon enough, and who knows? You might dethrone them.

5. Your world-building is an iceberg, and your book is the tip

I don’t pay for any of those programs that help you organize your book and mythos. I write exclusively on Apple Notes, MS Word, and Google Suite (and all are free to me). I have folders on Apple Notes with more words inside them than the books they’re written for.

If you try to cram an entire college textbook’s worth of content into your novel, you will have left zero room for actual story. The same goes for all the research you did, all the hours slaving away for just a few details and strings of dialogue.

There’s a balance, no matter how dense your story is. If you really want to include all those extra details, slap some appendices at the end. Commission some maps.

6. The gatekeeping for fantasy and sci-fi is still very real

Pen names and pseudonyms exist for a reason. A female author writing fantasy that isn’t just a backdrop for romance? You have a harder battle ahead of you than your male counterparts, at least in the US. And even then, your female protagonist will be scrutinized and torn apart.

She’ll either be too girly or not girly enough, too sexy, or not sexy enough. She’ll be called a Mary Sue, a radical feminist mouthpiece, some woke propaganda. Every action she takes will be criticized as unrealistic and if she has fans who are girls, they will be mocked, too.

If you have queer characters, characters of color, they won’t be good enough, they won’t please everyone, and someone will still call you a bigot. A lot of someones will still call you a bigot.

Do your due diligence and hire your army of sensitivity readers and listen to them, but you cannot please everyone, so might as well write to please yourself. You’re the one who will have to read it a thousand times until it’s published.

7. Your “original” idea has been done before, and that’s okay

Stories have been told since before language evolved. The sum of the parts of your novel may be original, but even then, it’s colored by the media you’ve consumed. And that’s okay!

How many Cinderella stories are there? How many high fantasies? How many books about werewolves and witches and vampires? Gods and goddesses and celestial beings? Fairies and dragons and trolls? Aliens, robots, alien robots? Romeo and Juliette? Superheroes and mutants?

Zombies may be the avenue through which you tell your story, but it’s not *just* about zombies, is it? It’s about the characters who battle them, the endurance of the human spirit, or the end of an era, the death of a nation. So don’t get discouraged, everyone before you and everyone after will have written someone on the backs of what came before and it still feels new.

[thusspoketrish]

Hiya, I'm Trish! Below you'll find a list of my completed Drarry fics + a gist of the story + a handful of tags. All of my stories are postwar, EWE, and rated E or M. I will update this list as I complete more stories! Wooo!!!

MOST RECENT FIC:

Netflix and Chills | E | 20K Halloween might be over, but the tricks, treats, and heat between the sheets are just beginning for our favorite dynamic duo! Humor. Post-Second Wizarding War. EWE. Drarry in the Muggle World. Established Relationship. Snarky Draco Malfoy. Muggle Technology. Slice of Life. Humor. Romance. Domestic Fluff. Pop Culture References. Shenanigans. Halloween Night. Netflix and Chill. Banter. Mystery. Idiots in Love. Light Dom/Sub Elements. Dirty Talk. Blue Ball Hell.

Summary: When Draco innocently asks what "Netflix and Chill" means, Harry simply can't pass up the opportunity to impart some knowledge while demonstrating a masterclass in the art of seduction. Now, if only those plans weren't constantly interrupted by trick-or-treaters—some of them far more trick than treat.

The Art of Getting By | E | 149K Recovery fic set in a psychiatric hospital. Mental health Issues. Trauma/Traumatic Experiences. Heavy Angst. Harry and Draco admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Therapy. Fastburn. Co-dependency. Falling in love. Draco's + Harry's POV. Please read warnings. Dead Dove.

This Year's Love| E | 84K. A Drarry slowburn inspired by When Harry Met Sally! Humor. Light Angst. Draco in the Muggle world. Lovable Disaster!Harry. Enemies to Best Friends. Modern Dating. Layabout!Harry. Medical Student!Draco. Draco Dates Zaddies. Harry Is Living His Best Heaux Life. Sex (or no sex!) Positivity. Idiots In Love. So Much Pining. Harry's POV.

Everything That Happens Is From Now On | E | 42K. A sensitive story that explores the aftermath and recovery from a stranger SA. Established relationship. Secrets. Supportive/Loving Partner. RTS. Living Together. Body Positivity. Enthusiastic Consent. Hope. Draco's POV. Please read warnings.

Lemon Colour, Honey Glow | E | 67K. A love story that takes place over a series of unfortunate nights at the Leaky Cauldron. Enemies to Lovers. Falling in Love. Auror!Harry. Potion Master!Draco. Secret Relationship. Emotional Hurt/Comfort. Possessive Harry. Flangst. Beer Gardens. The Leaky Cauldron. The Slytherin Trio. Bullying/Violence. Spoilers Left Untagged.

Super Rich Kids | E | 81K. True crime meets wild government conspiracies when Draco becomes a twisted sort-of Robin Hood, robbing the badly behaving rich to give to...well...you'll have to read the story to find out! Angst. Murders. Coverups. Enemies to Friends to Lovers. Bisexual Draco. Lush descriptions of glamour. Humor. The ULTIMATE Slytherin ensemble. Mental Health Issues. Drug Usage/Addiction. Pureblood Elitism. Social Season. Angst with a Happy Ending. Draco's POV.

On The Last Day | E | 53K. Draco's role as an Unspeakable, Harry's untimely death and ghostly return, and conspiracies bind them in a quest for truth and redemption. Mystery. Angst. Hurt/Comfort. Grief/Mourning. Horror Elements. Science. Neurology/Neuroscience. Slowburn. Memory Loss. Draco's POV.

My Best Friend, the Serial Killer | E | 37K. Ride or Die BFFL Draco finds he's tired of moonlighting as a serial killer's accomplice. No matter how much he loves Pansy, he draws the line at helping her dispose of a sexy, flirty Harry Potter. Dark Humor. Campy/Kitsch Elements. Serial Killer!Pansy. Healer!Draco. Femme Fatale Trope. Falling in Love. Self-Love. Jealousy. Everyone is seriously morally grey. Draco's POV.

A Ferret, a ScarHead, a Weasel, & a Baby | E | 91K. The ultimate bromance takes centre stage (alongside a sweet and tender Drarry romance) in this Three Men & a Baby inspired story! BAMF Auror Draco. Protective Draco. Healer Harry. Capable and Emotionally Intelligent Ron. Illegal Potions Ring. Orphaned Baby. Roommates. Nothing to Something to Everything. Draco's POV.

Seven Days | E | 8K. It takes seven days for the Malfoy-Potter family to unravel. Grief/Mourning. Child Abduction. Death of a Child. Implied Mpreg. Alcohol Relapse. Coming to Terms. Harry's POV. Please Read the Warnings.

Portrait of a Young Girl | M | 8K. Navigating the complexities of love, marriage, and child-rearing, Harry and Draco face a new challenge when they suspect that four-year-old Teddy might be transgender. Married Drarry. Young Couple. Inexperienced Parents. Marital Problems/Disagreements. Stay-at-Home Dad Draco. Fluff. Acceptance. Love. Family. Happy Ending. Harry's POV.

A Day at the Park | M | 6K. Draco discovers that love has its own timing, and sometimes, that means returning to the place where he once lost it all. Estranged couple. Flashbacks. Pining. Postman's Park. Exiled Draco. Draco's POV.

Long for Bliss! | E | 9K. A random night out takes a dark and thrilling turn when Harry, after taking MDMA, encounters Draco Malfoy, looking like something straight out of his wildest dreams – or nightmares. First Time Drug Use. Nightclubs. The Perils of Ennui. Mildly Dubious Consent. Rooftop Sex. Light Dom/Sub Elements. Harry's POV.

Idiot Boys In Love & More | Various Ratings | 18K. Here you'll find a collection of one-shots, drabbles, and poems about Harry and Draco that are all standalone pieces! Each story is centered on a prompt provided by @drarrymicrofic and said prompt will be listed in the summary of each story (Series I completed). Harry + Draco's POV.

[moistvonlipwig]

🔥

kara danvers :)

ok well you and i have discussed this at length so this will not be new to you but imco (in my correct opinion) kara danvers [as portrayed by the cw's supergirl, not necessarily in other versions] is actually pretty lazy, and i would argue this is one of her most central and consistent character traits. and i don't just mean physically lazy, although i should note that per 3.17 "trinity" she canonically Hates Walking and doesn't understand why humans exercise. i mostly mean on an intellectual & moral level.

kara wants to be a reporter, but when she figures this out (because......a pretty lady told her she should do it? ig?), she does not apply to journalism school, or take online classes. instead she is handed a reporter job by her boss (who scrawled 'reporter' on her hilariously terrible resume when they met for reasons known only to her) and from then on proceeds to basically just do whatever she wants and get offended when more seasoned reporters who have gone to journalism school ask her to do basic functions of the job like Acquire Sources and Report On The Facts And Not Just Your Personal Opinions. at no point do we really see her ask her colleagues, even friendly ones like james, for advice or help; instead, advice is something that's imposed upon her by the wicked snapper, who dares to be unimpressed by her uneducated slay. throughout the show, on multiple occasions, the idea of actually Doing Her Job seems to offend her -- lena even calls her out for this explicitly in 3.02 "triggers," but she continues to display this behavior with andrea in s5 & s6. in the finale, when she is promoted to editor-in-chief in an act of blatant cronyism that truthfully should prompt the entire catco staff to quit in protest, it is not on her initiative, nor due to her efforts, nor is it because anything about the position has piqued her interest; it is, again, simply handed to her, and she just accepts.

additionally, we rarely see her express meaningful curiosity about, well, any subject, really -- we know she learned calculus young, but her interest in math and science seems nil; she is deeply naive about the u.s. justice system in s6 in a way that suggests she has never looked into it, though her own mother was a judge on krypton; and a lot of her interests seem very Basic (pizza, potstickers [? why girl.], nsync, the wizard of oz, harry potter), which to be clear is not inherently a sign of intellectual laziness or incuriosity, but it also does nothing to suggest that she is someone with a wide knowledge of food, literature, music, or film.

she also demonstrates what i would argue is a kind of moral laziness, though you could call it an offshoot of her intellectual laziness, in her general lack of real self-reflection about, like, any of her actions. although some of the other characters sometimes bring up how messed-up the DEO is (e.g. james in s1 with the gitmo comparison -- which, CRAZY line to put in your show and then never address, btw), kara herself does not question it (until the Wrong People take over, of course). her rhetoric in early s2 about daxamites suggests that she is quite comfortable believing sweeping generalizations she was taught as a child and has never really sat down to interrogate them, but while mon-el being.....pretty bad but i guess not as bad as his mom? yay? inspires her to stop being bigoted against daxamites specifically, we will later still hear her say that certain species tend to be peaceful or aggressive, etc., with no self-reflection. in 3.05 "damage," when morgan edge tries to make it seem like lena's lead dispersal device that kara activated poisoned children, kara does not take the opportunity to self-reflect on the choice she made and whether it was worth it; instead, her arc for the episode is reacting emotionally to her best buddy feeling guilty (about the thing kara also did. i cannot emphasize that part enough).

i would argue the conclusion she draws in 5.13, too, smacks of this moral laziness; she spends the episode looking for a magic shortcut to not having to feel bad anymore, and when she can't find one, she decides that actually, meh, there was never a perfect way for things to go down, so all that lying wasn't such a big deal and lena should just get over it. kara is dripping with a lot of guilt in 5A, but throughout both 5A and 5B there's very little actual, thoughtful self-reflection on what she did wrong and why, and that carries over into S6 when, after like ten episodes of lena (and also william ig) repeatedly trying to tell her not to play god, she decides in the very penultimate episode to solve her problems by eating the sun, and then when she decides against it partway through doing it, there's again very little self-reflection on her part of why the hell she thought that was a good thing to do. kara's morality, on the whole, seems largely based on (a) alex and (b) vibes, and not so much on any actual thought she's dedicated to the moral questions at hand.

and similarly to when kara is asked to Do Her Damn Job at her place of work -- when kara is challenged on her morality (like when lena challenges her on the kryptonite in s3, or on myriad in 5.17), she acts annoyed at the very idea of having to do the hard work of thinking about the morals she espouses as a superhero. and it doesn't read as someone who has thought very hard about her moral choices and is offended because she believes so strongly that she's right, because we never actually see her thinking hard about these moral choices she makes at all. it reads as someone who hasn't thought about it beyond a very cursory level and is frustrated that she's being asked to. because, again, she's just fundamentally kind of lazy.

and the thing is this might sound like i am dunking on her but actually i think this is a trait that is incredibly funny. my favorite portrayal of supergirl/kara danvers is the one from the children's cartoon dc super hero girls 2019, whose version of kara is ALSO lazy, on top of being an aggressive, quick-to-anger, rude, irresponsible, selfish brat. and she's hilarious in that show, she's one of my favorite characters. another favorite character of mine, also a children's cartoon character, is anne boonchuy from amphibia, whose entire character journey is about learning not to be physically, intellectually, or morally lazy and learning to [school principal voice] Apply Herself instead. it can be incredibly fun to watch characters be lazy and incurious and self-centered, whether they change for the better or not. but it is a bit strange that some people act like kara is this super disciplined person who loves working out and loves learning and reads widely and is curious about everything and self-reflects on her own decisions and how she affects others to the point of obsession. i wonder if part of it is 'femslash same-character syndrome,' where people slap other characters' traits from other popular femslash ships onto each other. because the character i just described is adora from she-ra. who a lot of people think is similar to kara. except no. she's not at all. as evidenced by this whole write-up ☝️ lol. they're just both blonde and for some reason (#blondephobia?) femslash fandoms wanna act like all blonde girlies are the same. but they are not. #wakeupamerica.....

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Do you think Harry will able to defeat veritaserum?

I mean, It's Harry, so yeah, probably.

I couldn't track down anything about it in the books, but in a JKR F&Q she said this:

4. Why isn’t Veritaserum used in interrogations? It is, but skilled wizards can avoid its effects by using antidotes and charms. A gifted Occlumens could also resist Veritaserum.

(Source)

And as it's said:

“I am about to attempt to break into your mind,” said Snape softly. “We are going to see how well you resist. I have been told that you have already shown aptitude at resisting the Imperius Curse. . . . You will find that similar powers are needed for this. . . . Brace yourself, now. . . . Legilimens!”

(OotP, Ch24)

And we know Harry can resist the Imperius Curse almost easily, but it's different with Occlumency when we see him attempt it in book 5... So, what I want to talk about is how what Harry does (both when he finally blocks his mind in book 7 and how he resists the Imperius) isn't actually Occlumancy at all. But it doesn't matter because the results are the same and it should allow him to resist Veritaserum too!

This is Harry resisting the Imperius curse:

Ah, it was bliss, not to think, it was as though he were floating, dreaming . . . just answer no . . . say no . . . just answer no. . . . I will not, said a stronger voice, in the back of his head, I won’t answer. . . . Just answer no. . . . I won’t do it, I won’t say it. . . . Just answer no. . . . “I WON’T!” And these words burst from Harry’s mouth; they echoed through the graveyard, and the dream state was lifted as suddenly as though cold water had been thrown over him

(GoF, Ch34)

This is Harry practicing "Occlumency" in book 7:

His scar burned, but he was master of the pain, he felt it, yet was apart from it. He had learned control at last, learned to shut his mind to Voldemort, the very thing Dumbledore had wanted him to learn from Snape. Just as Voldemort had not been able to possess Harry while Harry was consumed with grief for Sirius, so his thoughts could not penetrate Harry now while he mourned Dobby. Grief, it seemed, drove Voldemort out. . . though Dumbledore, of course, would have said that it was love

(DH, Ch24)

There are common denominators here. What Harry is doing in both cases isn't anything controlled or well thought out or focused. He and his magic are going on instinct. It's all emotion and resistance. He outright notices his secret to Occlumancy is grief — emotion.

Harry's magic is always very instinctual. He treats magic as a feeling rather than a hard science (the way Dumbledore did most of his life and like Hermione does) and in his case, he is right to do so. Harry's magic reacts to him instinctively and is very intuned with his emotions. Harry's magic is much more influenced by Harry's force of will, rather than if he's actually doing the wand movement right. (More on Harry's magic with evidence: here, here & here).

Now, this actually makes sense with how magic works, but I'll go more into it later.

Now, the reason I'm bringing up these aspects of how Harry practices "Occlumency" is because they outright contradict how Snape explains Occlumency works. Let's recall how Occlumency is described:

“Now, Occlumency. As I told you back in your dear godfather’s kitchen, this branch of magic seals the mind against magical intrusion and influence.” [...] “Clear your mind, Potter,” said Snape’s cold voice. “Let go of all emotion. . . .” But Harry’s anger at Snape continued to pound through his veins like venom. Let go of his anger? He could as easily detach his legs. . . . “You’re not doing it, Potter. . . . You will need more discipline than this. . . . Focus, now. . . .”

(OotP, Ch24)

It's against any influences on the mind. Be it the Imperius, Legilemancy, or Veritaserum. Hell, it would probably help against the mental effects of a dementor. But Snape clearly states it's about focus. For real Occlumency you need a clear mind. You need to let go of all emotion. Something Harry is incapable of doing.

And even when we look at Harry's most successful attempt to defend himself from Snape's Legilemancy in book 5, it's very similar to his reaction to the Imperius, filled with emotion:

No, said a voice in Harry’s head, as the memory of Cho drew nearer, you’re not watching that, you’re not watching it, it’s private — He felt a sharp pain in his knee. Snape’s office had come back into view and he realized that he had fallen to the floor; one of his knees had collided painfully with the leg of Snape’s desk. He looked up at Snape, who had lowered his wand and was rubbing his wrist. There was an angry weal there, like a scorch mark. “Did you mean to produce a Stinging Hex?” asked Snape coolly. “No,” said Harry bitterly, getting up from the floor.

(OotP, Ch24)

His magic casts Snape out with a stinging hex, this isn't Occlumancy, Harry had no idea he was doing it because that's how Harry's magic is. Harry wanted Snape out of his mind and his magic complied, there was no focus, no clear mind — it was all instinct and emotion.

When he throws Voldemort out of his mind in the ministry, it's the same — all emotion and instinct:

“If death is nothing, Dumbledore, kill the boy. . . .” Let the pain stop, thought Harry. Let him kill us. . . . End it, Dumbledore. . . . Death is nothing compared to this. . . . And I’ll see Sirius again. . . . And as Harry’s heart filled with emotion, the creature’s coils loosened, the pain was gone, Harry was lying facedown on the floor, his glasses gone, shivering as though he lay upon ice, not wood. . . .

(OotP, Ch36)

His emotions cast Voldemort out, not his mind. This isn't Occlumency.

I have spoken in the past about how magic in HP seems to work (based on my understanding of alchemical concepts). A spell/potion/any other piece of magic requires 3 things:

Intent - What - The intention and will of the caster to disarm their opponent.

Form - How - The way the spell should do it, make the wand fly from the openent's hand.

Energy - Magic - the power to fuel the spell.

Intent and energy must exist. Accidental magic is basically just intent and energy without the form, hence why it's usually so unpredictable and so few wizards can control it. The form is the part that changes the most between magical disciplines. It's what gives focus to that intention and makes the spell controlled. This is waving your wand while saying an incantation. This is mixing a potion counterclockwise.

The thing is, as I said, the form isn't necessary. Not only is it not necessary, it places a limit on what your magic can do and how spells can be used. We see Harry apparating as a child before he knows he's a wizard. Young Tom can control animals (not just snakes) without a spell, just his intent and magic. Lily, similarly floats unaided as a child, something we're told is considered impossible until Voldemort (and later Snape) does it in the books.

And that's why I'm saying Harry's magic makes sense. If your will is strong enough, and you have enough magic to pull it off, the form aspect doesn't really matter. Your magic can do a lot spells just aren't capable of doing (as Harry repeatedly does as I mentioned in the posts I linked above) if you have the will and magic for it. Like, Voldemort, Harry, and Lily you don't need incantations and wand movements.

(Dumbledore probably could too, he has the magic for it, but I think he's too controlled for that. I think after Grindelwald and his sister he's so terrified of losing control of his magic that he doesn't really see it as an option. I think the concept scared him until Lily's sacrificial magic (which is this instinctual magic that isn't really a spell) when he saw it can do good, but I digress.)

Now, there are two other factors that are occasionally required for magic as I mentioned in the post I linked. These are:

4. Emotion

That's what the Patronus Charm requires — happiness. But it's also what the Unforgivable Curses require, after all:

“You need to mean them, Potter! You need to really want to cause pain — to enjoy it — righteous anger won’t hurt me for long...

(OotP, Ch36)

And we see repeatedly that emotion can change how spells behave. Spells cast with emotion don't act like spells cast with just the 3 base components.

The alternative to emotion as the fourth component is:

4. Focus/clear mind

This is what Snape is talking about for Occlumency. Like the Unforgivable, it requires a particular mindset, but it's the opposite mindset. Instead of emotion, you need none. You need a clear mind.

So what Harry is doing when practicing his "Occlumency" isn't Occlumency at all, but a new piece of magic Harry invented and has no idea he invented. He invented an emotion-based magical defence to your mind and he has no idea. Becouse Occlumency, by definition, requires the absence of emotion — that same emotion Harry actively uses to protect his mind.

So, yes, I think Harry could resist the effects of Veritaserum, but it's not going to be thanks to Occlumency, but thanks to the emotion-based mind protection Harry does that has nothing to do with Occlumency. I mean, Dumbledore doesn't ever call it Occlumency:

“There is a room in the Department of Mysteries,” interrupted Dumbledore, “that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all. That power took you to save Sirius tonight. That power also saved you from possession by Voldemort, because he could not bear to reside in a body so full of the force he detests. In the end, it mattered not that you could not close your mind. It was your heart that saved you.”

(OotP, Ch37)

He considers it a sign of Harry's specialness (which it is). Dumbledore is aware what Harry did is not Occlumency. Harry just misunderstood Dumbledore and now he thinks Occlumency works with emotion.

(That being said, what Harry did is a bit more complicated than how Dumbledore phrases it here, and really an emotion like anger or spite would work just as well as grief or love, and it was mostly because Harry kicked Voldemort out subconsciously and not that Voldemort is allergic to love. But, the point is, no one but Harry thinks it's Occlumency)

I think it could be really funny if post-books someone asks Harry how he learned Occlumency since he's such a good Occlumence and he reveals it's all about emotion, and everyone blinks at him, like: "Mr. Potter, that's not how this works..."

Harry: "What do you mean? It clearly works,"

Them: "Eh..."

And that's how Harry invents a new piece of magic that's an alternative to Occlumency by accident.

[iamthesilentwriter]

Detectives for a Day

Harry Potter x Wolfstar!Daughter!Reader

Summary: It’s Career’s Day at school, and you and Harry are tasked with interviewing James and Sirius about their work as Aurors.

Warnings: fluff, slight angst, (please let me know if I have missed any)

Authors Note: Hey guys! How have you all been? Sorry, I haven't posted in a while; and most likely, won't post again for another couple of weeks. I hope you all enjoy this oneshot; sorry it's a bit long - honestly, I think my oneshots keep getting longer and longer... oh well. Thanks for reading!!

Word Count: 9,562

Navigation | Masterlist

The classroom hums with the faint rustling of paper and low whispers. Sunlight streams through the windows, painting streaks of gold on the tiled floor as the final lesson of the day nears its end. You’re seated beside Harry, your desk cluttered with doodled-on scraps of paper and a pencil teetering on the edge. Outside, the sun hangs low, casting a warm afternoon glow.

At the front of the room, Ms. Carter claps her hands to gather everyone’s attention. “All right, class, settle down! I’ve got something exciting to announce,” she says, her bright smile matching the colorful floral dress she wears. She picks up a piece of chalk and writes Career Day on the board in bold, swooping letters.

Harry leans toward you, muttering, “Bet it’s another boring writing assignment.”

You elbow him playfully. “What if it’s not? What if it’s actually fun?”

Ms. Carter’s voice lifts above the quiet murmurs. “Your next assignment will be a little different. Next week, you’ll visit one of your parents at their workplace to see what they do. Then, you’ll write a presentation about it to share with the class!”

The room buzzes with excitement as kids chatter among themselves.

“Does it have to be both parents?” someone asks.

“What if my dad works far away?” another chimes in.

Ms. Carter raises her hands for silence. “It can be one parent or guardian. I’ll send home letters with all the details today. Be sure to give them to your parents!”

You glance at Harry, who’s practically vibrating with excitement. “We have to go to our dads’ work,” he whispers, his green eyes wide.

“Obviously,” you whisper back. Images of bustling hallways filled with wizards, magical gadgets, and secret missions flash in your mind.

“I bet they’ll show us all the cool Auror stuff,” Harry says, his grin widening. “Maybe they’ll even let us help!”

You giggle at the thought of solving cases like detectives in a storybook. “We’d be the best Aurors ever,” you say, eyes sparkling.

When the bell finally rings, the classroom erupts into motion. You and Harry grab your bags, clutching your Career Day forms, and dart out of the classroom, weaving through the crowded hallways.

The crisp afternoon air greets you as you step outside. The schoolyard is alive with laughter and chatter, the sun casting long shadows across the pavement. Just ahead, you spot Lily and Remus waiting near the gate, Lily’s red hair glowing in the sunlight.

“There they are!” Harry exclaims, tugging you along.

You both dash over, skidding to a stop in front of them.

“There’s my boy,” Lily says warmly, wrapping Harry in a hug. She turns to you with a smile. “And our star student. How was school, you two?”

“Good!” You and Harry say in unison as the four of you begin walking home.

“So, what did you get up to today?” Lily asks, her tone light.

Harry eagerly recounts how Ms. Carter read a funny story during morning lessons, and you chime in about the science experiment after lunch. Both adults listen with amused expressions as you and Harry try to outdo each other with details.

“And then Ms. Carter told us about our new assignment!” you add, your excitement spilling over.

“Oh?” Remus asks, his brow lifting. “What’s the assignment?”

“It’s Career Day!” Harry says with a wide grin. “We get to go to one of our parents’ jobs and write about it. Then we’ll present it to the class!”

You pull the crumpled form from your pocket and hand it to Remus. “Here, Dad. Ms. Carter said you have to sign it.”

Remus scans the paper, his expression growing thoughtful. You’re too busy talking to notice.

“It’s such a cool idea! I can’t wait to go to Daddy’s work! I bet it’s full of Auror gadgets and secret cases!”

“Detective gadgets,” Lily echoes with a wink, keeping the moment light.

“Right, detective gadgets!” you say, grinning.

“It’ll be awesome,” Harry adds. “I’ll get to see how my dad solves mysteries!”

Lily laughs. “I’m glad you’re both excited. And I think it’ll be great for you to go with your dad, Harry.”

Remus’s voice is quieter, more measured. “I’m… not so sure about this.”

You slow your steps, frowning. “Why not? If Harry gets to go, then I should too!”

“It’s not that simple,” Remus says, his tone cautious. “Your daddy’s job can be… complicated. I’m not sure it’s the best place for you to visit.”

“That’s not fair!” you protest, your voice rising. “I want to see what he does! I promise I’ll be careful!”

Remus’s hesitation lingers, but Lily steps in, her tone soothing. “You’ll both have to be careful about what you say during your presentations. We can’t exactly tell your classmates what your dads really do.”

“What do you mean?” Harry asks, his brow furrowing.

“Well,” Lily explains, “we’ll need to come up with something muggle-friendly to say. Something simpler.” She smiles at you both. “Remus and I will help you write it so it’s just right.”

Harry shrugs. “That’s fine. We’ll just call them detectives. That’s basically what they are, right?”

“Exactly,” Lily says, laughing softly.

You glance at Remus, still uneasy but keeping quiet. Harry nudges you with a grin. “Don’t worry,” he whispers. “It’s going to be amazing. You’ll see.”

Despite your dad’s reluctance, you let yourself imagine the thrill of visiting the Auror Office, your excitement bubbling back up as you envision the adventure ahead.

The evening sun dips below the horizon, casting a soft golden glow across the kitchen. Shadows stretch lazily along the walls, softened by the warmth of the overhead light. You sit at the kitchen table, pencil tapping against your notebook as you work on your assignment. The smell of herbs and spices drifts through the room, and your stomach growls, urging you to ask if dinner is almost ready.

Instead, you swing your legs under the chair, barely able to sit still. Your attention wavers between the words scrawled across the page and the front door, your eyes darting to it every few minutes.

At the stove, Remus is a picture of calm. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, revealing faint scars on his forearms as he stirs a pot with practiced ease. A wooden spoon clinks softly against the side of the pot, and steam curls into the air. He hums quietly, a tune you’ve heard a dozen times but can’t quite name. The sound wraps around you like a cozy blanket, soothing in its familiarity.

"When’s daddy getting home?" you ask suddenly, your voice cutting through the quiet.

Remus glances at you out of the corner of his eye, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Soon. You’ll know the second he walks through the door because you always tackle him before he even has a chance to say hello."

You grin, not denying it. "I just miss him when he’s gone."

"Mm-hmm," Remus hums, his tone laced with amusement. "Now focus on your assignment before dinner gets cold."

You groan dramatically, slumping over your notebook. "This assignment is boring."

"What’s it about again?" Remus asks, even though you know he already remembers.

"Career Day," you reply with a sigh, twirling your pencil between your fingers. "I get to write about what I want to do when I grow up, and I get to go to Papa’s work and see what it’s like."

Remus pauses for the briefest of moments, the wooden spoon hovering over the pot. "That’s quite the assignment," he says carefully, resuming his stirring.

"Yeah! I’m going to write all about how daddy is the coolest," you declare proudly, your eyes lighting up at the thought.

Remus chuckles softly, shaking his head. "I’m sure your teacher will be impressed."

The faint creak of the front door interrupts the moment, and before Remus can even turn, you’re out of your chair. Your notebook lies forgotten on the table as your chair scrapes loudly against the floor.

"Daddy!" you shout, your voice echoing through the house.

Sirius barely manages to push the door closed before you throw yourself at him, wrapping your arms around his waist and holding on tightly. He stumbles slightly, caught off guard, but quickly recovers with a laugh.

"Missed me, did you?" he teases, ruffling your hair with one hand while his other sets his bag down by the door.

"So much!" you exclaim, tilting your head back to look up at him. "You got home safe!"

"I always do, love," he says warmly, crouching down so he’s eye-level with you. "Did you behave for your dad while I was gone?"

"Mostly," you answer with a cheeky grin, making Sirius laugh.

"All right, all right," Remus’s voice calls from the kitchen, cutting through the moment. "Let your daddy breathe. Go wash your hands—dinner’s ready."

You pout but do as you’re told, darting down the hallway toward the bathroom. Sirius watches you go, shaking his head fondly before heading into the kitchen.

"Smells amazing in here," he says, stepping behind Remus and slipping his arms around his waist.

"Don’t distract me," Remus says lightly, though the corners of his mouth twitch upward as he leans into the embrace for a moment.

"How was your day?" Sirius asks, pressing a kiss to Remus’s cheek before letting him go.

"Quiet," Remus replies, plating up the food. "She’s been excited about this Career Day assignment all afternoon."

"Ah," Sirius says knowingly. "She’s been asking about coming to work with me for weeks now."

Remus stiffens slightly, but before he can respond, you bound back into the room, your hands still damp from washing.

"I’m ready!" you announce, practically bouncing on the balls of your feet.

"Then sit down," Remus says, gesturing to the table. "Dinner’s served."

You slide into your chair, Sirius taking the seat beside you as Remus sets the plates down. The clinking of silverware and the murmur of conversation soon fills the room.

"So, how was school today?" Sirius asks, glancing at you as he spears a bite of food.

"It was good!" you say around a mouthful of mashed potatoes, earning a raised eyebrow from Remus, who gestures for you to swallow first. "Guess what, daddy? For Career Day, I get to come to your work with you! Isn’t that the coolest?"

Sirius’s face lights up, his grin matching your excitement. "That sounds awesome, kiddo! You’re going to love it."

"I know! I want to see all the gadgets and the cool cases you solve—"

"Hold on," Remus interrupts gently, setting his fork down. His expression is calm, but there’s a slight edge to his voice. "Let’s not get ahead of ourselves."

You frown, your excitement faltering. "What do you mean? Daddy said it’s cool."

"It’s not that simple," Remus explains, his tone measured. "Your daddy’s job isn’t always… safe. I’m not sure it’s the best idea for you to go."

"But I’ll be with him the whole time!" you argue, your voice rising slightly as you turn to Sirius for support.

"We’ll talk about it later," Sirius says firmly, though his tone remains calm. He meets Remus’s gaze, something unspoken passing between them.

"After dinner," Remus agrees, though his voice is tight.

You slump back in your chair, your appetite dampened by the nervous flutter in your chest. The conversation shifts to lighter topics, but the tension lingers, a quiet undercurrent beneath the surface.

Later that night, you lie in bed staring at the ceiling, your thoughts racing. The house is still, but the faint sound of voices from down the hall draws your attention. They’re not loud, but there’s a sharpness in their tone that cuts through the quiet.

Curiosity and unease gnaw at you. Pushing the covers aside, you slip out of bed, your feet making barely a sound on the floor as you pad toward your parents’ room. The door is mostly shut, but the murmur of voices leaks through the crack, too muffled to catch every word but clear enough to feel the tension.

"You can’t just promise her things like that," Remus’s voice rises slightly, sharper than you’re used to hearing from him.

"She’s my daughter too," Sirius shoots back, his tone defensive. "And she’s excited about this. I don’t see the harm in letting her see what I do."

"The harm," Remus bites out, "is that your job is dangerous, Sirius. You know that better than anyone. How many times have you come home bruised or worse?"

"It’s not like I’m taking her on a mission," Sirius argues, frustration thick in his voice. "She’d be in the office. Just the office. She’d be safe—there’d be dozens of people around to make sure of that!"

"Safe?" Remus repeats, incredulous. "You think that’s the only concern? It’s not just about safety—it’s about what this teaches her. She already worships the ground you walk on, Sirius. What happens when she sees all the flashy parts of your job and none of the cost? What if she thinks this is what she wants to do one day?"

There’s a heavy pause, and you lean closer, your heart hammering in your chest.

"And what’s wrong with that?" Sirius’s voice drops, quieter now, but there’s a hard edge to it. "You don’t want her to see my work because you’re afraid she might admire it? Admire me?"

"Don’t twist my words," Remus snaps, his own voice losing some of its usual calm. "Of course she admires you. I just don’t want her idolizing a version of you that isn’t real. Your work isn’t just gadgets and clever plans, Sirius. It’s late nights, danger, and—you know it—it’s loss. I don’t want her thinking it’s all some kind of… adventure."

"She’s not a baby, Remus," Sirius counters. "She’s curious. She’s smart. If we explain things to her—really explain them—she’ll understand. She’ll see the whole picture."

"You think she’s ready for that picture?" Remus asks, his voice dropping again but no less intense. "She’s a child, Sirius. A child. Do you really think she can grasp what it is you do?"

"Maybe she can’t," Sirius admits, his tone softening. "But maybe it’s better she hears it from us than makes up her own version in her head. She’ll see the truth eventually, one way or another."

"Not if I can help it," Remus says, and there’s something steely in his voice now.

The room falls silent for a moment, the kind of silence that feels heavy, crackling with unspoken words.

"You always make everything so black and white," Sirius finally says, his voice quieter but tinged with frustration. "It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. We can let her in a little, on our terms, without putting her in harm’s way."

"And what happens if she wants more?" Remus counters. "What happens when a ‘little’ isn’t enough?"

"Then we handle it," Sirius says simply. "Together. Like we always do."

The silence returns, but this time it’s different. Not heavy, exactly, but not settled either.

You step back from the door, your chest tight. Their words swirl in your head as you retreat to your room, slipping under the covers as quietly as you left them. The voices fade as you burrow into your pillow, but the weight of their argument stays with you.

You’d wanted to see daddy’s work so badly, but now… you’re not sure what to think. The excitement that had filled you earlier feels tangled now, knotted up with confusion and guilt. You want to be proud of him, to see the world he steps into every day. But if it causes this much tension, is it really worth it?

Sleep doesn’t come easily that night, the echoes of your parents’ voices lingering in the back of your mind.

The sound of laughter fills the Potter’s living room as you and Harry construct your fort. It’s a chaotic mess of cushions, blankets, and chairs teetering dangerously, but to you and Harry, it’s nothing short of a masterpiece.

"We need one more chair for this side," Harry says, pointing to a sagging corner of the fort.

"I’ll grab it!" you say, scurrying off to find another chair.

When you return and the fort finally stays upright, you and Harry cheer loudly, your voices echoing through the house. You both duck inside, settling into the small space with triumphant grins.

As you sit cross-legged, Harry glances at you. "So, did your dad ever say if you can go to Career Day with your daddy?"

You frown, picking at a loose thread on one of the blankets. "Not yet. He’s… he’s worried about it."

Harry tilts his head, his green eyes curious. "Why’s he worried?"

You sigh, leaning back against the makeshift wall of the fort. "He says Daddy’s work is dangerous, and he doesn’t want me to think it’s all fun and exciting. He thinks I might get the wrong idea or something."

Harry nods slowly, considering this. "I mean, your dad’s kind of got a point. What your daddy does… it can be dangerous, right? He deals with bad people and stuff."

"Yeah, but I wouldn’t be doing any of that," you protest. "I’d just be in his office, meeting the people he works with. I wouldn’t be in danger."

"I get that," Harry says, his voice calm and thoughtful. "But I also get why your dad’s worried. He just doesn’t want anything bad to happen to you. Being scared for you—it’s kind of normal, isn’t it?"

You look at him, your brow furrowed. "You think so?"

"Yeah," Harry says with a shrug. "I mean, if my mum or dad thought something might hurt me, they’d be worried too. It doesn’t mean they don’t trust me or think I can handle it—they just care about me."

You’re quiet for a moment, his words sinking in. "I guess I hadn’t thought about it like that."

Harry grins. "Your dad’s just trying to keep you safe. It doesn’t mean he won’t change his mind if he sees how much this means to you."

"Maybe," you murmur, a small smile tugging at your lips. "Thanks, Harry."

"Anytime," he says, nudging your shoulder. "Now, are we making a second floor for this fort or what?"

You laugh, diving back into your plans, but his words stick with you, making you feel a little better.

From the kitchen, the hum of voices drifts through the house. Lily and your dad sit at the table, mugs of tea in hand.

"I just… I don’t know, Lily," Remus says, his fingers tracing the rim of his mug. "She’s so young. I don’t want her to think Sirius’s work is all fun and excitement. It’s not like that, and it’s not what I want for her."

Lily leans forward, her voice gentle but firm. "I understand where you’re coming from, Remus. You want to protect her. That’s what parents do. But you can’t shield her from everything forever. She’s curious—about Sirius, about his work—and that’s not a bad thing."

Remus sighs, his shoulders slumping. "I just… I’m worried about the example it sets. She already sees him as larger than life. What if this just adds to that? What if it gives her ideas—dangerous ones?"

Lily reaches across the table, placing a hand over his. "That’s where you come in. You and Sirius both. She doesn’t just look up to him, Remus—she looks up to you, too. You’re her balance. You can help her see the whole picture, the reality of it. It’s not about hiding it from her; it’s about helping her understand."

Remus is quiet for a moment, his fingers drumming softly against the table. "And what if I say yes, and she doesn’t understand? What if it’s too much?"

"Then you’ll talk to her," Lily says simply. "Like you always do. She’s smart, Remus, and she trusts you. You’ll know how to handle it. You always do."

A loud crash from the living room pulls their attention, and Lily stands to peek around the corner. "You two all right in there?"

"Everything’s fine!" Harry shouts, his voice muffled.

"We meant to do that!" you add, giggling.

Lily shakes her head, amused, and returns to her seat. Remus exhales a quiet laugh, some of the tension in his posture easing.

When it’s time to head home, you and your dad linger at the Potter’s kitchen table for a moment. He clears his throat, looking a little unsure. "Hey, kiddo. Sit down for a second. Let’s talk."

You slide into a chair, glancing at him curiously.

"I’ve been thinking," he starts, folding his hands on the table. "About Career Day. And I’ve decided you can go with your daddy to his work."

Your eyes widen, excitement bubbling to the surface. "Really?!"

"Really," he says with a small smile. "But there are going to be some ground rules."

"Okay," you say eagerly, sitting up straighter.

"First," he says, holding up a finger, "you stay with your daddy at all times. No wandering off, no matter how curious you get."

"Got it," you say, nodding earnestly.

"Second," he continues, "you listen to what he and his coworkers tell you. If they say something’s off-limits, you respect that."

"Of course!"

"And third," he says, his voice softening, "we’ll talk about what you see afterward. I want to make sure you understand everything, okay?"

You nod quickly, a grin spreading across your face. "Okay, Dad. I promise."

Before he can say anything else, you throw your arms around him in an impromptu hug. "You’re awesome! You’re the best dad ever!"

"Hold on—"

"Nope," you cut him off, squeezing him tighter. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you so much, Dad."

He chuckles softly, wrapping his arms around you. "I love you too, kiddo. Just remember, this is a big responsibility, okay?"

"I will!" you say brightly, pulling back just enough to beam up at him.

For a moment, the worry in his eyes softens, replaced by something warm and fond. He ruffles your hair gently before letting you climb into the car, a small smile tugging at his lips.

As the car pulls out of the driveway, you lean back in your seat, already imagining all the cool things you’re going to see at your daddy’s work. Remus glances at you in the rearview mirror, shaking his head with a small, affectionate smile.

He still has his concerns, but for now, he’s content just seeing you happy.

You pull your coat on, excitement bubbling under your skin as you hop around the living room, searching for your shoes. Sirius is already waiting by the door, arms crossed and a smirk on his face as he watches you dart from place to place.

“Shoes, Darling,” he reminds, tapping his foot.

“I know!” you call, your voice muffled as you check under the couch cushions.

Remus steps into the room, holding the shoes you’d abandoned by the kitchen door. “Looking for these?”

You beam up at him, sliding them on as fast as possible. “Thanks, Dad!”

Remus folds his arms and gives you a look—a mix of fondness and the usual sternness that comes when he’s trying to make a point. “Before you leave, young lady, a few things.”

You groan theatrically. “Dad…”

“I’m serious,” he says, though the corner of his mouth twitches like he’s holding back a smile. “I want you to behave yourself. No wandering off, no pushing your daddy to do anything reckless, and you listen to him. Understood?”

“Yes, Dad,” you promise, though the sparkle in your eyes suggests you’re already scheming.

Remus crouches down to your height, his hands resting on your shoulders. “I mean it. Daddy might make it look like fun and games, but what you’re seeing is serious work. Stay close and pay attention.”

You nod, seeing the worry etched in his eyes. “I’ll be good. Promise.”

He presses a kiss to your forehead before standing. “I’ll hold you to that. Sirius—”

Sirius raises a hand in mock solemnity. “Scout’s honor, Moony. I’ll keep her safe and out of trouble.”

“Hmm,” Remus says, clearly unconvinced. “She’s a lot like you, so good luck with that.”

With a grin and a wave, you head out the door with Sirius, who claps a hand on your shoulder as you walk down the path.

“Alright, sweetheart,” Sirius begins, picking up where Remus left off. “Your dad’s right, you know. Listening to me isn’t just for show—it’s about staying safe. The Ministry’s no joke, especially for people like us.”

“People like us?” you ask, glancing up at him curiously.

Sirius nods, his usual mischievous air dimming slightly. “Yeah. People who don’t quite fit their mold. Things can get dicey if we’re not careful. That’s why you stick with me and don’t go wandering off. Got it?”

“Got it,” you say, your voice quieter as you take his words to heart.

Before long, the two of you arrive at the prearranged meeting spot, where James and Harry are already waiting. James grins as he sees you approach, his glasses glinting in the morning light.

“Look who finally decided to show up,” James teases, ruffling Harry’s hair. “Alright, you two—got all your questions ready? This is your chance to grill us about the glamorous world of the Ministry.”

Harry glances at you, his expression a mix of excitement and nerves. “I think so…”

“Good,” Sirius says, pulling something from his pocket with a flourish. “Because if you forget any, I’ve got this.”

You blink at the tape recorder in his hand. “What’s that?”

“State-of-the-art Muggle technology,” Sirius replies proudly. “It’ll record every word for you. So no excuses if you miss something!”

James laughs, shaking his head. “Of course, you’d have a tape recorder, Pads.”

“Preparedness, Prongs,” Sirius says, winking at you.

The four of you set off toward the Ministry’s visitor entrance, the air buzzing with anticipation.

When you reach the unassuming red telephone box nestled in a quiet corner, Harry frowns, tilting his head. “Why are we taking the visitor entrance?”

James exchanges a look with Sirius, who grins. “Because, kiddo, you’re not employees. And last I checked, you’re not adults yet, either.”

James nods. “Visitor entrance is standard for anyone not on the payroll. Don’t worry—it’s all part of the experience.”

“Experience,” Sirius repeats, gesturing grandly at the phone box. “Now, step inside, and let the magic begin!”

Harry shoots you a look, part confusion and part amusement, as you both step into the cramped space. The adventure is officially underway.

The telephone box hums to life as James picks up the receiver, dialing an odd sequence of numbers. A calm, professional voice fills the cramped space.

“Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business.”

“James Potter, Auror,” James replies. “Accompanied by Sirius Black, also an Auror, and two visitors for educational purposes.”

The floor beneath your feet lurches, and the telephone box begins to descend. Harry grips the side, his eyes widening as you flash him a reassuring grin.

The lift comes to a halt, and the doors swing open to reveal the vast, bustling atrium of the Ministry of Magic. The ceiling is enchanted to shimmer like a twilight sky, its deep navy hues flecked with golden constellations. Ornate fireplaces line the walls, wizards and witches stepping in and out of them in bursts of green flames. In the center of the atrium, a golden fountain stands proudly, its statues of magical beings sparkling as water cascades around them.

“Wow,” Harry breathes, craning his neck to take it all in.

You nod in agreement, your awe mirrored on his face. The space hums with energy—heels clicking against polished floors, the soft buzz of magical correspondence zipping overhead, and the murmur of voices as Ministry workers dart to and fro.

Sirius places a hand on your shoulder to guide you forward. “Keep up, darling. Plenty more to see.”

James leads the way to a smaller set of lifts, pressing the button for Level Two. “Department of Magical Law Enforcement,” he announces as the doors close. “Home sweet home.”

The lift halts with a ding, and you step into a hallway lined with doors, bustling with witches and wizards in deep blue robes. The Auror Office is just ahead, its glass doors etched with the department's crest.

Inside, the office is lively but chaotic—desks crammed with parchment, enchanted maps hovering mid-air, and memos zooming past like tiny paper birds. Wizards and witches are deep in conversation or examining strange artifacts under magnifying glasses.

Sirius waves his wand at a cluttered desk in the corner, clearing off a stack of case files. “Welcome to the Auror Office. That one’s mine.”

James points to the desk beside it, which is equally disheveled. “And that disaster zone is mine.”

“Your desks look... busy,” Harry says diplomatically, earning a bark of laughter from Sirius.

“Busy is an understatement,” Sirius replies, plopping into his chair. “Organized chaos, I call it.”

Before you can comment, James gestures to a large enchanted map pinned on one wall, glowing with various colored dots. "This," he explains, "is our main tracking map. Those dots represent different magical signatures—dark wizards, strange magical surges, and even certain enchanted objects. It helps us keep an eye on trouble spots."

“Does it show everything happening in the wizarding world?” Harry asks, leaning closer to inspect it.

James shakes his head. “Not everything. It’s enchanted to highlight only specific threats we’re monitoring. Each color represents something different. For example—” He points to a red dot hovering over a city. “This one marks a dark object in transit. The system flagged it because it hasn’t been cleared by the Department of Magical Artifacts.”

“Cool,” Harry murmurs, scribbling notes in his notebook.

Sirius nudges you gently. “See, sweetie? I told you we do more than just chase bad guys.”

Frank Longbottom appears at his desk nearby, his friendly demeanour catching your eye as he waves. “Speaking of bad guys, don’t forget about the paperwork. Dark wizards don’t file their own incident reports.”

You giggle softly, earning a smile from Frank before he gestures to a stack of parchment on his desk. “That right there is my ongoing case log. It’s a mix of surveillance notes, suspect interviews, and evidence cataloging.” He grins. “Not as glamorous as it sounds, but it’s part of the job.”

“What’s the hardest part of being an Auror?” you ask softly, feeling brave enough to interject.

Sirius leans back in his chair, his expression softening. “Sometimes it’s seeing the aftermath of what dark wizards do. It’s not always easy to walk away from a case unscathed.”

James nods solemnly. “And balancing it with family. It’s not the kind of job where you can just clock out at the end of the day.”

Frank raises his hand dramatically. “For me, it’s the paperwork. Merlin, I didn’t sign up to be a scribe.”

Moody, who has been silently observing from a nearby desk, snorts. “Paperwork’s the least of your problems. The hardest part is staying alive long enough to retire. Constant vigilance—that’s the name of the game.”

Harry looks at you, raising his eyebrows at the stark difference in answers.

James quickly changes the tone, gesturing toward a set of magical artifacts on another table. “These are confiscated items,” he says. “Mostly dark objects or cursed items that were used in illegal activity. Each one has to be cataloged and analyzed before we can decide what to do with it.”

Sirius points to a sinister-looking locket encased in a glass box. “That one’s got a nasty curse on it. Took us weeks to figure out how to contain it without setting it off.”

Harry leans closer to inspect it, his curiosity shining through. “What kind of curse?”

“Blood magic,” Sirius replies, his tone serious. “Very old, very dark. It’s dormant now, but you don’t want to be anywhere near it if it wakes up.”

You shudder at the thought, clutching your notebook tighter.

The group moves on to another section of the office, where a wall of moving photographs catches your attention. James stops to point them out. “These are some of the most wanted wizards we’ve ever dealt with. Each one of these cases took months—sometimes years—to resolve.”

“Not all of them are resolved,” Moody growls, his magical eye flicking to a blank space on the wall. “Some are still out there.”

Sirius pats you on the shoulder, sensing your unease. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. They’d have to get through us first.”

Your dad’s words soothe you, but only a little. Your eyes drift back to the board, taking in the grim collection of faces. Each one seems to have its own haunting presence, staring back at you with sneers, cold eyes, or twisted smiles. You shiver, huddling closer to Sirius, but something catches your attention.

A name, scrawled in dark ink beneath the image of a woman with wild, dark hair and a cruel smirk: Bellatrix Lestrange.

“Bellatrix?” you murmur aloud, furrowing your brow. “That’s… a star, isn’t it?”

Sirius glances at the board and stiffens. His usual carefree demeanor falters for a moment, and he looks at you carefully. “Yeah, it is. In the constellation Orion,” he says slowly, his tone almost cautious.

Your curiosity sparks further. “Like your name. Sirius is the brightest star in the sky, right? And Bellatrix is a star, too.” You glance up at him, a question already forming in your mind. “Do you know her?”

For a moment, Sirius doesn’t answer. His hand falls from your shoulder, and his jaw tightens. When he finally speaks, his voice is low and measured. “I do,” he admits. “She’s my cousin.”

Your eyes widen, and you take a small step back, staring between him and the board. “Your cousin?” The idea feels impossible. The woman’s smirk is malicious, her presence on the board threatening. She doesn’t look anything like Sirius—nothing like the kind, brave man who always makes you feel safe. “But… how? She’s…” You struggle to find the words, your voice dropping to a whisper. “She’s up there with them.”

Sirius exhales, running a hand through his hair. “She’s up there because that’s exactly where she belongs,” he says darkly. His tone carries a bitterness you rarely hear. “Bellatrix isn’t just some distant relation, Starlight. She’s… well, she was the worst of us. A fanatic who believed in everything the Black family stood for—pure-blood supremacy, power, cruelty. She’s hurt a lot of people. Done terrible things.”

You can’t quite reconcile the venom in his voice with the fact that they’re family. “But you’re not like that,” you say, your voice firmer now. “You’re not like her.”

Sirius looks at you, his expression softening. “No, I’m not. I never have been. But I can’t change where I come from, and neither could she. The difference is, I chose to walk away. Bellatrix… embraced it.”

You glance back at the photograph. Bellatrix’s face is striking, sharp features framed by wild curls, her expression unhinged even in a still image. It’s hard to believe she and your dad share the same bloodline. “She doesn’t seem anything like you,” you mutter.

“She’s not,” Sirius assures you, but there’s a flicker of something else in his eyes—sadness, maybe, or regret. “We grew up in the same house, under the same rules, the same… expectations. But she made her choices, and I made mine.”

You look at him, questions swirling in your mind, but another face on the board catches your eye—another name. “And… what about him?” you ask, pointing to a photograph of a young man with dark hair and a quiet, somber expression. His name is listed as Regulus Arcturus Black.

Sirius’s jaw tightens again, and his hand rests on the back of his neck. “Regulus,” he says quietly. “That’s my brother.”

Your stomach twists. “Your brother?”

He nods slowly. “Yeah. My little brother. He… well, he followed a different path than I did.” His voice softens, carrying a weight that makes your chest ache. “He believed in the family’s ideals for a long time—pure-bloods, power, all that rubbish. But in the end…” He trails off, his gaze distant. “In the end, he realized it wasn’t worth it. Not the way they wanted him to live.”

You blink up at him, confused. “What do you mean?”

Sirius sighs, crouching down so you’re face to face. “Regulus tried to break away from the family, just like I did,” he says, his voice steady but pained. “But it’s not as easy as it sounds. He didn’t want to be like them anymore, but he couldn’t outrun the expectations. And… he didn’t make it out.”

Your chest tightens at the thought of someone your dad cared about being caught up in something so dark. “He… he died?” you whisper.

Sirius nods, his hand resting on your shoulder. “Yeah. He did. But he realized the truth before the end, darling. That matters. It doesn’t make it right, but it matters.”

You glance back at the board, at the moving photographs of Bellatrix and Regulus, their faces so different yet tied to your dad in ways you never imagined. The weight of it all presses down on you. “That must’ve been hard,” you say softly.

“It was,” Sirius admits, his voice low. “But it’s ancient history now. What matters is the choices we make, not the ones others made before us.”

You look up at him, feeling a surge of pride. “You made the right choice, Daddy.”

He smiles at that, though there’s a hint of sadness in his eyes. “Yeah, I did. And I’d make it again a thousand times over. But it’s not something I ever wanted to pass on to you.”

You nod, still trying to process everything. The board looms behind you, its dark faces and names a stark reminder of the weight your dad carries. But as he ruffles your hair and guides you away, you feel a little lighter knowing that no matter where he came from, he’s chosen to stand on the right side.

“Come on,” Sirius says, his usual grin creeping back onto his face. “Enough of this gloomy stuff. Let’s go find the Quidditch department. Maybe we can sneak you a team badge while we’re there.”

And just like that, the shadows of the past fade a little, replaced by the comfort of your dad’s hand on your shoulder and the warmth of his voice.

The Auror Office is buzzing with its usual energy—quills scratching, enchanted memos zooming through the air, and the occasional magical artifact emitting an ominous hum from a nearby desk. You’re perched on the edge of James’s desk with Harry, swinging your legs while Sirius leans casually against a filing cabinet, tossing a small rubber ball into the air and catching it repeatedly.

“Potter. Black.”

The gruff voice of Alastor Moody cuts through the noise like a thunderclap. You turn to see him striding toward you, his magical eye whirling wildly in its socket. He stops in front of James and Sirius, his gnarled hand clutching a rolled-up parchment.

“We’ve got reports of a cursed item causing a stir at a Muggle children’s park,” he says, his voice low and gravelly. “Nothing too dangerous, by the looks of it, but it’s spooking the locals. Do you mind checking it out?”

James grins, standing up and clapping his hands together. “On it, boss.” He’s already grabbing his wand from the desk, looking more excited than he probably should be for what sounds like a simple mission.

Sirius raises an eyebrow, a mischievous smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “A cursed item in a park? Sounds like our kind of job.” Then he turns to you and Harry, his grin widening. “What do you two think? Fancy seeing your dads in action?”

Harry’s eyes light up immediately. “Really? We can come?”

“Of course!” Sirius says, ruffling his godson’s hair before glancing at you. “What about you, sweetheart? Up for a little adventure?”

You nod enthusiastically, your heart already racing with excitement. “Yes!”

Moody lets out a grumble, his magical eye swiveling to focus on Sirius. “Just don’t let them wander off, Black. This is a retrieval mission, not a field trip.”

“Relax, Moody,” Sirius says with a wink. “They’ll stay close. Right, detectives?”

“Right!” you and Harry say in unison, grinning at each other.

James chuckles, motioning for you all to follow. “Alright, let’s go save the day.”

Sirius throws an arm around your shoulder as the four of you head toward the Apparition point. “Stick close, kids. You’re about to see how it’s done.”

The sun is high, casting long shadows across the colorful play structures of the park. The air smells faintly of freshly cut grass and sunscreen, blending with the happy shouts of children playing. James and Sirius survey the park with practiced ease, their wands tucked discreetly in their sleeves.

“Alright, detectives,” James announces, turning to you and Harry with a smile. “We’ve got a job to do. Sirius and I will handle the tricky bits, but we need your sharp eyes. Keep a lookout for anything unusual—something that doesn’t belong in a park, or feels… off.”

You raise your hand like you’re in class. “What kind of cursed item are we looking for? Is it dangerous?”

James crouches down to your eye level, his expression patient. “Good question. It could be anything—jewelry, a toy, even something like a piece of trash. The important thing is how it feels. If it gives you a weird sensation, like tingling or heaviness, don’t touch it. Let us know straight away.”

Harry tilts his head. “Why would someone leave a cursed object in a park?”

Sirius smirks, clearly enjoying the moment. “Sometimes it’s deliberate—someone causing trouble. Other times, it’s accidental. Cursed objects have a way of moving around on their own. Like a stray dog.”

“Or a stray Black,” James quips.

Sirius rolls his eyes. “Funny. But seriously, don’t underestimate it. Even small curses can cause big problems in the wrong place.”

Harry nods, his brow furrowed in concentration. “So, if we see anything weird, we tell you. Got it.”

“Exactly.” James claps him on the shoulder before straightening up. “Let’s split up, but stay close. Harry, you check near the swings. Y/N, you take the sandpit. Sirius and I will cover the rest.”

You and Harry exchange a quick nod before heading off.

You crouch by the sandpit, scanning the soft grains for anything unusual. Harry joins you, pretending to adjust a stray plastic bucket. “Do you think it’s actually here?” he whispers.

“Probably,” you reply, brushing some sand aside with your shoe. “They wouldn’t bring us along if it wasn’t.”

“What happens if someone touches it?” Harry asks, his voice low. “Would it hurt them?”

“Depends on the curse,” you say, glancing at him. “Dad said some are just annoying, but others… they can be dangerous.”

Harry nods, his gaze flicking toward James and Sirius, who are inspecting the area around the merry-go-round. “They look so... professional. It’s weird seeing them like this. They’re always joking around at home.”

“Except Sirius,” you say with a grin. “He’s always Sirius.”

Harry groans, shaking his head. “That was awful.”

You’re about to retort when something shiny catches your eye near the fence. “Harry,” you whisper, nudging him. “Look. Over there.”

Harry follows your gaze, his eyes widening. “Is that it?”

“Maybe,” you say, your pulse quickening. “Let’s call them over.”

Before you can, a woman with a stroller pauses nearby, eyeing you curiously. “Lose something?”

“Oh, just an old coin,” you say quickly, thinking on your feet. “Family heirloom. We’re trying to find it.”

Harry nods, adding, “It’s supposed to be lucky. We think it’s buried here somewhere.”

The woman smiles, adjusting her grip on the stroller. “Good luck, then.”

As soon as she moves on, you wave to Sirius and James.

“What’ve you got, darling?” Sirius calls, already making his way over.

James crouches beside you, examining the shiny object. “Good spotting. This looks like the one.”

“What is it?” Harry asks, leaning closer.

“Cursed locket,” James says, carefully extracting it with his wand. “Nothing too dangerous now, but it’s better off in our hands than left here.”

Sirius slips the locket into a protective pouch, giving you and Harry a proud smile. “You two did great. Perfect teamwork.”

As you head back to the car, you feel a swell of pride. Watching James and Sirius handle the mission so confidently makes you realize just how skilled—and how cool—your dads really are.

The moment you step back into the office, Sirius strides toward the storage cabinet tucked into the corner, the cursed item wrapped securely in protective layers. You trail behind him, glancing around the space that feels both familiar and vast. Once the item is locked away, Frank Longbottom appears in the doorway, his expression serious but calm.

“Sirius,” Frank calls, his voice low. “Meeting’s starting.”

Sirius exchanges a glance with James, who nods and turns to you and Harry. “Alright, you two,” James says, gesturing toward your desks near the window. “Sit down and get started on that speech. We’ll be back soon. Stay at your desks, no wandering off. Understood?”

You and Harry both nod in unison. “Got it, Dad,” Harry replies, already pulling out the rough draft of the written speech from his bag. You follow his lead, settling in at your desk and reaching for your quill.

“Good,” James says, clapping Harry lightly on the shoulder before heading out with Sirius. As the door closes behind them, the room feels quieter, but the faint hum of activity in the building carries on.

The two of you begin working, the soft scratch of quills on parchment filling the air. Harry leans over slightly to whisper, “Do you think we’re supposed to include the part about the timeline here, or save it for later?”

“Save it,” you whisper back, “it’ll make more sense after we explain the context.” You chew on the end of your quill, thinking about how to phrase the next sentence.

That’s when you hear it—muffled voices rising from somewhere down the hall. At first, it’s easy to ignore, but then the volume increases, and the tone sharpens. You glance at Harry, who’s also stopped writing, his eyes flicking toward the door.

The older man’s voice booms through the hallway, even though the words are somewhat muffled. “You could’ve gotten us both killed!” he yells, the anger in his tone unmistakable. “Do you even realize how close it was? You weren’t paying attention!”

The younger man responds, but his voice is quieter, harder to make out. You catch fragments of an apology, something about being distracted, but the older man cuts him off.

“Distracted? That’s not an excuse! We’re lucky to even be standing here right now. If you can’t keep your head in the game, you’re going to get yourself—and everyone around you—killed.”

You and Harry exchange a look, wide-eyed but silent. The argument continues in the background as you both turn back to your work, though it’s harder to focus now. You keep sneaking glances at the door, the words from the argument replaying in your mind.

Is this what it’s always like for your dad? For Harry’s dad? You knew their jobs were important, but you’re beginning to wonder just how dangerous it really is. The thought sits heavily in your chest as you try to concentrate on finishing your sentence.

The sound of footsteps signals the end of the meeting, and moments later, Sirius and James re-enter the room. James walks over to Harry’s desk, his usual easy grin back in place. “Harry, want to come take a look at that new prototype before we head home?”

Harry brightens immediately, nodding. “Yeah, definitely!”

“Great.” James ruffles your hair lightly on his way out. “Hope to see you, your dad, and Remus at ours for dinner tonight.”

“We’ll be there,” Sirius replies, watching them leave. The door closes behind them, and the room quiets again. Sirius settles at his desk, pulling out a stack of paperwork. His quill scratches against the parchment, but he pauses when he notices you’ve gone unusually quiet.

“What’s on your mind, kiddo?” he asks, leaning back in his chair and giving you his full attention.

You hesitate, fiddling with the corner of your parchment. Finally, you look up at him. “I heard someone yelling in the hall,” you admit softly. “An older man was yelling at a younger man about almost getting them both killed because he wasn’t paying attention.”

Sirius’s expression softens, though there’s a flicker of concern in his eyes. “You overheard that, huh?”

You nod. “Is that... is that what your job is like? Is it really that dangerous?”

He sighs, running a hand through his hair before coming over to sit on the edge of your desk. “Listen,” he says gently, “there are parts of my job that can be dangerous, yeah. But we’re trained for it, and we’re always careful. The man you heard—well, sometimes mistakes happen, and they can be scary. But we do everything we can to keep each other safe.”

You chew on your lip, still unsure. “But what if something goes wrong?”

Sirius leans forward, resting a hand on your shoulder. “That’s why we work together, why we have teams. And that’s why I come home every day—to you and Remus. I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. Okay?”

You nod slowly, his words easing some of the tension in your chest. “Okay.”

“Good.” He grins, squeezing your shoulder before heading back to his desk. “Now, finish up that speech. We’ve got a dinner to get to.”

“Alright, who’s next?” Ms Carter asks, the classroom buzzes with quiet chatter as you and Harry step up to the front,  your project materials in hand. The whiteboard behind you is blank except for the title of your presentation, written in Harry’s neat handwriting: A Day in the Life of a Detective.

Harry sets down the props—a small wooden box filled with papers, a few pens, and a notebook—while you adjust the easel holding up your poster board. It’s covered in diagrams, timelines, and sketches, all carefully crafted to sell your story.

“Alright,” you begin, looking out at the room, “thanks for being patient, everyone. Harry and I are here to talk about what it’s like to grow up with parents who work as detectives.”

A few murmurs ripple through the class, some students leaning forward with interest. You glance at Harry, who gives you an encouraging nod before stepping in.

“Our dads have been partners for years,” Harry says, his voice steady and confident. “They work on really complex cases—missing people, stolen items, that sort of thing.”

“They’re really good at it, too,” you add, a touch of pride slipping into your tone. “They’ve solved some cases that seemed impossible.”

“Like what?” a voice pipes up from the back of the room. It’s Daniel, always the first to challenge anyone. “What kind of impossible cases?”

Harry grins, clearly ready for this. “Well,” he starts, “there was this one case about a guy who disappeared from a locked room. No windows, no secret passages, nothing. It was like he vanished into thin air.”

You pick up where Harry leaves off. “Our dads figured out that the guy used a trapdoor hidden under the carpet. It led to a tunnel that came out a block away. Everyone else missed it because the trapdoor was enchanted to—” You catch yourself, flushing slightly. “Uh, I mean, it was really well-hidden.”

“How did they figure it out?” asks Emily from the front row, her brow furrowed in curiosity.

Harry leans on the desk behind him, arms crossed casually. “They worked out that the floorboards in that corner of the room sounded different. They were hollow. And there was a tiny scrap of dirt on the carpet that didn’t match the rest of the room.”

You nod. “They’re really good at noticing little details like that. Stuff most people would overlook.”

Another hand shoots up. “What’s the most dangerous thing they’ve had to do?” Sam asks, his eyes wide.

You exchange a quick glance with Harry. You’ve talked about this, rehearsed the details so it sounds thrilling but believable. “There was a case where they had to track down a group of thieves,” you say. “These people were stealing priceless artifacts and hiding out in abandoned buildings.”

Harry jumps in. “Our dads had to stake out one of their hideouts for hours, waiting for the right moment. When they finally went in, the thieves tried to make a run for it.”

“They cornered them in this narrow alley,” you add, your voice dropping for dramatic effect. “It was tense, but they managed to arrest all of them without anyone getting hurt.”

“That’s so cool!” says Ava, practically bouncing in her seat. “Did they get scared?”

You hesitate, but Harry answers smoothly. “Sometimes, yeah. They always say it’s normal to feel scared—it keeps you sharp. But they’re trained to handle those situations.”

“Do they ever talk about their cases at home?” another classmate asks.

“Not really,” you reply. “They keep most of the details private. But sometimes they’ll tell us little bits, like how they solved a puzzle or tracked someone down.”

Harry nods. “They’re careful not to bring their work home too much. They say it’s important to have a balance.”

The questions keep coming, and you and Harry take turns answering, weaving a web of stories that blend just enough truth with fiction to keep everyone captivated. By the time you wrap up, the class is buzzing with admiration for your “detective dads” and their incredible cases.

As you return to your seats, Harry leans over and whispers, “Think they bought it?”

You grin, keeping your voice low. “Completely. We should be detectives ourselves at this rate.”

The evening sun casts a warm golden hue over the Potter household as you and Harry burst into the living room, laughter spilling out as you hold up your project board for all to see. The presentation had been a resounding success, and the excitement buzzes in the air like static.

“Mum! Dad!” Harry calls, his voice carrying through the house. “We nailed it!”

Lily steps into the living room, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel, her hair tied back in a loose ponytail. Remus follows shortly after, holding a steaming mug of tea, a soft smile on his face as he takes in the sight of you both glowing with pride.

"Let me see, let me see!" Lily says, crouching slightly as Harry angles the board toward her. Her eyes scan over the carefully placed pictures, diagrams, and handwritten notes. "This is incredible, you two. Look at the detail!"

“We worked really hard,” you chime in, beaming. “And everyone loved our mystery theme!”

Remus nods, his amber eyes sparkling with pride. “I knew you two would do great. You’ve both been talking about this project for weeks. It’s clear how much effort you put into it.”

Sirius emerges from the hallway, his hands in his pockets and a smug grin plastered across his face. "Did someone mention mystery? Clearly, the two best sleuths had some inspiration from yours truly."

You giggle, stepping forward and wrapping your arms around him in a tight hug. He chuckles softly, ruffling your hair in response. “I’m glad you’re my detective,” you say, your voice muffled slightly against his chest.

He freezes for a moment, clearly caught off guard by the sentiment, before his arms wrap around you. “And I’m glad you’re my partner in crime,” he murmurs, his voice warm with affection.

“Oi, what about me?” Harry protests, mock offense lighting up his face. “I helped too!”

“Don’t worry, Prongslet,” Sirius says, releasing you and reaching over to pull Harry into a one-armed hug. “You’re my deputy detective.”

Remus shakes his head, hiding a small smile behind his mug. “I think Lily and I deserve some credit too. Someone had to teach you two where to look for clues.”

Harry grins and leans back. “Maybe you guys can help with our next mission.”

“Next mission?” Lily raises an eyebrow, amusement clear on her face.

“Oh, yeah,” you say with a conspiratorial nod, moving to stand beside Harry. “We already have ideas. It’s going to be even bigger than this one.”

“And, of course,” Harry adds, glancing at you with a playful grin, “we’ll need our dads to help us solve it.”

Sirius smirks. “Well, I am the best detective around.”

Remus snorts. “Debatable.”

The adults exchange amused looks before nodding in unison. “We’re in,” Sirius says dramatically, crouching slightly and holding out his hand like a pact.

You and Harry place your hands on top of his, and then Remus reluctantly adds his own. “This is going to end in chaos,” he mutters, but the soft laugh that follows betrays his excitement.

Lily watches the scene with a fond smile, her arms crossed as she leans against the doorframe. “Just don’t burn the house down,” she says, shaking her head.

“No promises!” Sirius and Harry say in unison, and the room erupts in laughter, the sound carrying into the cozy evening.

[hd-erised]

We are over halfway through @hd-erised—isn't that exciting? It's been another fantastic week filled with art and fic and, as always, we hope you've been enjoying the fabulous submissions!

We hope you'll  take a moment to check out anything you might have missed this week, and don't forget to check our Week 1 and Week 2 round-ups for even more goodies. And, of course, please don't forget to leave a comment for our lovely artists and writers who make this fest the incredible experience that it is!! <3

Art:

Unemployed and On Guard for @makeitp1nk [T]

No One but Me for justlikewriting [M]

Fic:

Second Chance Resort for @elizah321[E, ~42,800]

A holiday forced on him by his friends after the latest in a long string of failed relationships might be a chance for Harry to relax, but all that is thrown up in the air by the appearance of one newly divorced Draco Malfoy. Mainly because they had been together almost fifteen years ago before Draco broke it off to marry the woman his mother chose for him… Feat. a matchmaking hotel, a spa day, an all-knowing Weasley, and friends who do try their best, but can get a little distracted.

Seven-and-sixpence for @oknowkiss [E, ~35,700]

The entire plan of Harry’s life had been defeat evil, become an Auror, marry Ginny. Not necessarily in that order, but it seemed to be going that way, the first two managed and the third in easy limbo. He can be better, though. He can be more. Draco will see to it.

Slip Slidin’ Your Way (In a Land of Fire and Ice) for @frm9pm [T, ~9,800]

How does a war-scarred young wizard recuperate and create a new identity? Harry opens himself to the magic of the land. Draco learns to wonder at the humblest of creatures. Years later, Magigeologist Evan Jameson and Malacologist Derek Black begin an enthusiastic correspondence. They’re in for a shock when they finally meet. Or: Science nerds go to Iceland and fall in love. Or: Why should kelp have all the fun?

Pillar of Salt for @agentmoppet [E, ~62,200]

From the lake in the Room of Hidden Things, Draco knows three things: 1. Mirror universes exist, and he’s going to find the best one—the one where he did the right thing. 2. Harry Potter and him are awfully cosy in some of these other universes, whereas Potter in real life is starting to act very odd around him indeed. 3. Draco’s reflection—the mirror version of him, the worst version of him—seems to be growing crueler. And stronger.

Prescription for @fantalfart [G, ~2,600]

Draco couldn't say he hated his job, not really. In fact, he loved it⁠—and wasn't that something surprising, a Malfoy being a Healer, when most of them hadn't worked a day in their lives?—and most of all, he loved knowing that he was helping people heal, above anything else. (And if there was a part of him that craved the normalcy of something that helped instead of what he had been taught to do his entire life? Well. That was between himself and his journal when he remembered to write in it.) (And maybe there was another reason too.)

Old love don't rust for @drarrydoodles [E, ~20,600]

“Why do you keep coming?” Malfoy asked at last. Harry mulled over the question. For a moment he debated trying to turn the tables and asking Malfoy the very same thing. But this time he didn’t want to hold back. “Because I can’t stop,” Harry said.

Equipoise for khalulu [T, ~88,200]

Ten years of peace have settled over the wizarding world, leaving Harry Potter feeling strangely adrift. Teaching Defense at Hogwarts is fine and all, but when mysterious magical blackouts start sweeping across the country, he can't help but jump at the chance to investigate. It would be the perfect outlet for his restless energy - if he didn't suddenly find himself tangled up in an elaborate charade, pretending to date the Prophet's most illustrious journalist, Draco Malfoy. Between hunting down the cause of the blackouts and maintaining their ruse, Harry's beginning to think that peacetime might actually be trickier - and far more surprising - than he'd bargained for.

Victory Lap for @traylalascrisis [E, ~4,700]

“I wasn’t sure if you’d want to eat first.” For emphasis, he pinches the skin at my waist. I want to cover myself in him. I want to roll in him like a dog. I want to devolve on top of him. And he wants me to sit nicely and use a knife and fork first?

[fandomnerd9602]

Comfort Food

Avengers High series (High School AU)

Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Before you ever started dating the most popular and beautiful girl at Avengers High, your heart was chasing a girl in your science class: Shuri.

Wanda Maximoff was the most popular girl at Avengers High and she saw you as her closest and best friend. You enjoyed her company and watching Harry Potter movies with her. You did love her and wished that there could be something more there but she was popular and you were a STEM nerd.

So you redirected your focus to a fellow STEM student and good friend Shuri. She was funny and sweet. You could see going on a date or two with her. Her laugh and smile always brightened your day, not as much as Wanda.

It all came to a head one day when you approached Shuri with a little metal sculpture of a Wakandan herb flower. You knew Shuri loved them and worked all night to make it for her.

Any way you approached Shuri and she was absolutely floored by your little sculpture.

“It’s looks so spot on!” She giggled.

“I-I made it for you” you managed to say thru your blushing. “Shuri, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to- to go out with me sometime.”

Instantly her smile dropped. Not exactly the reaction you were hoping for. Her eyes filled with…pity.

“I-I’m sorry (Y/N)” Shuri tried to apologize, “you’re a good friend and all but…I-I do not view you in such a way. I’m sorry”

Your heart shattered. You manages to maintain your composure but inside your heart was breaking in ways you never thought possible.

“That’s fine,” you manage to say, “it’s good. I’m sorry.”

You managed to make it to the door and bolted out. You were lucky the school bell ring, signaling the end of another day but also a salvation of an excuse to leave.

You ran all the way across campus and nearly ran into Wanda and her clique of friends.

“Why the rush, Hufflepuff?” She manage to ask with a giggle. You didn’t answer, tears were already streaming down your face.

“(Y/N)?!” Wanda looked at you concerned. “What’s wrong? Who hurt you?!”

You ran all the way home and collapsed into your bed. You laid there in your bed for the next few hours. But time just felt irrelevant.

A few tears streamed but mostly your felt like you could only kick yourself. How much of a fool you felt. Of course she couldn’t like you in such a way. Your inner monologue filled your head with words of doubt and hurt, feelings of never being able to be loved. Who could ever love you?

And then came a knock. It wasn’t at your door. You tried to ignore it. Then came another. You turned to see Wanda at your window, a small pizza box in her arms.

“Hey Hufflepuff” she smiles, “want some pizza? I mugged a fellow Slytherin for it but-“

You rolled your eyes at her terrible joke. For being such a popular girl, Wanda still had the worst jokes you could imagine.

You opened your window and your best friend slipped right in, comfort food in hand. Wanda flipped on one of the Harry Potter movies and handed you a slice of pizza. Didn’t take long for you and her to scarf down that delicious meal fit for witches and wizards in no time.

“So…are you ready to talk?” Wanda asked you, a little concerned.

“I tried to ask out Shuri-“ you began to say.

“Ooh look at you” Wanda shocked you playfully.

“She turned me down.” You whispered. “Only saw me as a friend”

“Oh…” Wanda’s thumb moved gently across your knuckles. “Her loss”

“Her loss?” You asked.

“Yeah. You’re amazing. And sweet. And kind. Any girl would be lucky to have you in her life.” Your best friend tried to make you feel better. “I’m lucky to have you in my life”

“I’m lucky to have you too, Slytherin” you gave her a side hug.

“Cmon,” she settled onto your bed, “Quidditch is starting and I don’t want to miss it!”

You settled in, next to her. Over the hours, Wanda’s position shifted. From next to you to in your arms. Not that you or her noticed. You both had dozed off after movie three.

Pietro tried to come by to pick his sister up but he only smiled and left you be. He reassured your parents and his own that there was no funny business there. Just two Potterheads who fell asleep.

You and Wanda look back on that night in the coming years. Didn’t take long really for you and her to become a couple. By the time you and Wanda got to college, you completely forgot about Shuri. Your heart had already found its place: with the young witch named Wanda Maximoff, your best friend. And it all it took was a broken heart and a little bit of comfort food.

Tags: @natashaswife4125 @jacelion @lifespectator @aloneodi @supercorpdanbeau @scarletquake-n7 @family-house-of-m @holiday-house-of-m @xxxtwilightaxelxxx @russianredassassin @mostlymarvelsstuff @ma1egamer

[dramioneasks]

Christmas Fics (2024) (Part 5):

Keep Calm and Merry On by Melliehart - not rated, WIP - A short flash fiction. It's time for Harry Potter's annual Christmas party, and Hermione arrives with an unexpected guest.

The Science of Choosing a Christmas Tree by aether_dreams - T, one-shot - Draco and Hermione go the the Christmas tree farm to pick out their first Christmas tree together. Draco is very cold and not being brave about it.

Christmas (Cracker) Chemistry by ambpersand - E, one-shot - “Christmas Crackers?” Malfoy asks, holding one up, then looks at her with a surprisingly warm expression. “Cute.” Hermione fights a blush. They’re no ordinary Christmas Crackers. She had George and the staff at Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes whip up a special surprise for the Ministry—except she explicitly requested they be red and green, not gold and silver. It’s not that big of a deal. She’ll get over it. Tomorrow. Malfoy busies himself by helping to distribute several tubes on each table without request. It’s easy, working with him in a silent tandem. They’ve done it a few times on shared projects, holing up in her office or his, and quickly fall into an easy rhythm. Every time she sneaks a glance, he’s conveniently looking elsewhere. At the final table, he shakes one close to his ear. “So what’s inside? They’re light.” She hurries over to him. There’s few enough people around that the surprise won't be ruined if she gives him a peek, and the prototypes were perfect. “We’ll have to be quick.” A sly smile pulls at his lips, and he holds one end towards her. “On three?”

A Muggle Christmas Custom by 1sailorjupiter - M, one-shot - Hermione grasped his dress robes, rose up onto her tiptoes, and pressed her lips against his.  It was only a brief peck to his lips, but she had never done anything like it before, and his thoughts were suddenly reeling. When she pulled away and released him, there was no hiding the shock he felt.  He dropped the books in his arm—the noise making Crookshanks jump up from his spot on the couch—and Draco stared at her with his wide, unblinking gray eyes. “W-w-what was that?” Draco stammered. Hermione pointed up at the mistletoe.  “That’s what muggles do when two of them are under the mistletoe at the same time.” “They kiss?” he questioned, glancing back up at the plant. When Hermione Granger decorates their shared Head Boy/Head Girl dorm for Christmas, she decides to demonstrate to Draco Malfoy what mistletoe is when he admits that he doesn't know what the muggle custom involves. Since they are navigating an obvious new change in their relationship, they begin to kiss every time they end up under it together--something that the portraits hanging in the dorm find very entertaining--but will Professors Snape and Dumbledore be more of a help or a hinderance?

Hermione's Crabby Christmas by EllieByrrdWrites (CSKasem) - M, one-shot - Hermione spends every winter observing the peculiar mating habits of a rare, magical species of crab somewhere in Mexico.

Draco Malfoy is not in love by TheStarCounter - E, WIP - Draco Malfoy has a perfectly organized life—sharp, composed, and absolutely free of distractions. Especially the bushy-haired, know-it-all kind. But when Hermione Granger starts showing up in his life more than he’d like—and occupying his thoughts even more—he begins to notice things he absolutely shouldn’t. He’s not in love. Obviously. That would be absurd. But if he were (which he isn’t), it would most definitely be her fault.

May I Interest You by Morethanhistory - T, one-shot - Hermione Granger is a shop girl at Scrivenshaft’s. Year after year, Draco Malfoy visits on Christmas Eve in search of a gift.

12 Days of Kinkmas by Ada_P_Rix, allofthelights11 - E - 12 chapters of smutty one-shots gift-wrapped and delivered right to your inbox.

A Gingerbread House, Crookshanks & Other Challenges by Franzi945 - T, one-shot - Draco wants to surprise Hermione by baking a gingerbread house, a tradition she lost after her parents were obliviated. Draco is sure, "This can't be that hard." But he doesn't count on Crookshanks, who is doing his best to disrupt him...

Almost, Always, and at Christmastime by Molivier - M, one-shot - It’s Christmastime, and everyone just wants Draco Malfoy to tell the truth.

Santa, baby. by emotionalsupporthufflepuff - E, WIP - Draco and Hermione find themselves pushed together on Christmas eve, through a combination of drama with their exes and their scheming pre-teens. What could possibly go wrong?

Scarves, Scars and Second Chances by Elinie - G, 10 chapters - When Hermione Granger receives an unexpected invitation to Malfoy Manor for Christmas, she’s hesitant but curious. As Head of the Auror Department, she’s used to handling crises, but spending the holiday with her enigmatic partner Draco Malfoy feels like an entirely different challenge. With snow softly falling and the warmth of Christmas magic in the air, both begin to confront their shared scars from the war, their newfound roles in rebuilding the wizarding world, and the fragile hope of forgiveness. Through enchanted ornaments, mischievous banter, and a few too many knitted scarves, they discover that healing sometimes comes in the most unexpected ways.

[holy-obsession-batman]

DC x MHA lore

I'll be using the very convenient fact that we know absolutely nothing about any country other than Japan in MHA, beside it be vaguely implied that there's also an hero system. All we know about America is that 1) the crime rate is super high, 2) Star and Stripe is supposedly the n°1 hero, and 3) All Might was there as an hero for some time.

So I raise you this: mha is the same earth as DC, but 150~200 years later, in the 23th century.

The MHA worldview is actually as partial and potentially biased as the Harry Potter canon what with it using at 95% the point of view of teenagers in a school eagerly teaching pro-system propaganda, in a country that is KNOWN for its, huh, racism nationalist enthusiasm. (We see like three foreign characters, whose characterization are like 1) connexion to Japanese character (All Might), 2) foreigner.) MHA!Japan could be actually a closed-border country, with heavy social media control, what do you really know!

So we can make use of the HP fandom big specialty: twisting the world building to show the canon viewpoint is actually super warped.

hero ranking

Star and Stripe is allegedly the US "n°1" hero: that would be only among the heroes part of the official, government-sanctioned hero system, which the JL isn't a part of, because independent and international.

Plus (a bit like the gun policy) there are still a ton of vigilantes in America, cuz people like Batman refuse absolutely to surrender their independence (with valid reasons, when people like Waller are part of said government). Especially since the 'official' heroes don't have a secret identity--at least, not to the government.

So the "heroes" in the popularity board are, yeah, just a tiny, non-representative group.

(I'm partaged whether Luthor is one or not. On one hand, he dreams himself a hero, and preach about democratic control yada yada. On the other, I don't think he would like the control.

US quirk population

If I remember correctly, mha's big statistic makes 20% of the population quirkless, so one out of five people. Which is... definitely not the balance you find among the characters. There is a grand total of four named quirkless characters, and one isn't even Japanese. (I know that the show is about the hero industry and that whole thing is that there are no quirkless in the hero industry. But even then.

=> If 80/20% is worldwide stat number, some countries, like Japan, having a higher quirked concentration, means that other have a bigger quirkless percentage. even more so the case if the world stat of 80/20 isn't calculated directly from the world's quirked/quirkless total population, but as an average from countries' percentage... You can make statistics say anything.

All that to say, there's a bit more quirkless people in the States. But at the same time, there are also other types of meta people, like aliens, wizards, robot and shit.

Either Quirk factor equals metagene (=linguistic difference) or the metagene is an ancestor of the Quirk factor. In any case the term 'metahuman' is broader than just quirked, it also means all people who got power through science or magic, and aliens.

As for the quirk regulations, I think they would be much looser than in Japan (again, like the US gun policy). In Japan, using a quirk in public is forbidden if you don't have a permit. I think there would be more of a FREEDOM *eagle cries* mentality in the States, with the use of a quirk only being penalized if used to do a crime or sth.

American hero landscape

the government sanctioned heroes, on the official popularity board (with Star and Stripes as a number one): a somewhat little number.

vigilantes protecting each their city, like Batman Gotham, Flash Central City, Superman Metropolis, Green Arrow Star City, Nightwing Blüdhaven...

Justice League business: the JL is independent and international (or more accurately: planetary), but has several bases and institutions in the States, like the Hall of Justice (tho the Watchtower is in space).

Also for some reason most of the extra-planetary JL & Green Lantern Corps business also happens to take place in America, be it the space refugees, the planetary diplomacy or the monthly alien invasion.

the Titans are also an independent international organization, with more than ten Towers across the world, but the first Tower was founded in New York, and the main hq is San Francisco's TT.

What parts of DC survive two hundred years in the future:

All the practical immortals, like the Amazons, demigods, mercenary with a healing factor, aliens with elongated lifespan and super-villains bathing in green spa are still running around doing same old same old

Lex Luthor is super decrepit but held alive by money, preservatives and spite. Supers are at various states of aging: Clark is grey, Jon is a youthful adult, and Kon is eternally bound to teen age. (YES, I'm using Young Justice Comics Kon). Lois, tho ;-;

Is there a Flash? Trick question. There is, well, one Flash born in this era, but also Flashes from various timelines casually come and go, as Flashes do.

the Batfam is still around, for the same reason Dick hasn't hit 30 anymore than Bruce has hit 50 in 70 years : their ages keep getting post-dated ten years at a time Crisis after Crisis without anybody (the Bats themselves or the cape community) even realizing, nor questioning that yes, this is the same Batman who co-founded the Justice League, yes, Bats is older than Supes, yes, Bats is 100% human and probably around 50, and yes, Supes is 200-something, what's the connexion between all those questions?

Civilians (read: Gothamites) are in fact aware that Batman have been around for more than two centuries. Theories are 50/50 between immortal cryptid and mantle passed down. On the other hand, they aren't aware of the recurring editing of local billionaire Bruce Wayne and his whole family (and friends)'s ages, and don't make any connexion between the two. (same with the fact that Dick Grayson and friends founded the Titans...)

I haven't read much (or anything, really) about the Arrowfam, so either they are dead or they got the same treatment as the Bats, along with some other key characters like Waller, the Gotham Rogues and any of your fav, really.

Okay so this was a bit of world building, I got half a scenario for the Titans meeting class A that I will add later

(Masterpost)

[harrypottermovieproblems]

On Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape (HBO Harry Potter)

As HBO's Harry Potter series rolls into pre-production - a sentence that, ten years ago, would have undoubtedly brought me extreme joy but in 2024 simply makes me regret the money that will be flowing into anti-trans politicians' bank accounts because of it - casting rumors have started to leak out.

The first of these is that I May Destroy You's Paapa Essiedu is being courted for a role as Severus Snape. As a former ardent Harry Potter enjoyer, I have several things I would like to say about this, and will do so in the form of a likely incohesive yet numbered list.

I've never personally seen Essiedu's work, but I hear that he is an exceptionally talented and charismatic actor, and I wish him well.

Unfortunately, I will likely be judgmental of any actor who decides to condone JKR's bigotry and ongoing wealth by signing on to this project.

I'm enthusiastic (or would be, if I could be enthusiastic about HBO HP to begin with) about the idea of introducing more actors of color to play Harry Potter characters. I was a long-standing proponent of a WoC Hermione, including the casting of Noma Dumezweni in the unfortunately atrocious Cursed Child, and also of a mixed-race Harry.

I find it interesting that production thinks it is a good idea to cast a handsome Man of Color as a canonically unattractive, prejudiced, perpetually antagonistic, former hate group member who essentially joined the Wizarding version of the KKK and who is mainly remembered as an incel who regularly bullied children, including the child of the (presumably white, though this casting is yet to be seen) woman who was the object of his unwanted affections and for whose murder he was partially responsible.

Severus Snape, of course, is a complex character who deserves (if any of these characters 'deserve' anything when HBO HP will, again, be funneling money into the pockets of the anti-trans movement in the UK) to have his story told in a nuanced way.

He is still a character who signed up to be a Death Eater, which has always been Harry Potter's allegory for a violent white supremacist hate group.

Time will tell whether this casting will be representative of the series as a whole; that is to say, whether there will be enough actors of color within the show in general so as to make casting a Black actor in this specific role no longer problematic.

Time will also tell whether James Potter and company will be cast as actors of color, or whether the bullying flashback in OotP is about to take on a wholly new implication despite, and I cannot reiterate this enough, Severus Snape being the one who eventually joined the genocidal hate group.

We have yet to see whether the remaining Harry Potter fandom at large reacts to this casting decision with any more grace than racist Lord of the Rings fans did on release of the Rings of Power TV series or Star Wars fans did at any point within the last decade. I hope for Essiedu's sake that the mistakes of the past are not repeated, and wish him peace and protection in the face of the potential onslaught to come.

With the creation of this show obviously already stirring controversy from LGBT advocates, I can't help but wonder if this news has been dropped as a distraction, or even a sacrificial tidbit, so that the ensuing backlash from awful fucking people will allow production to decry any criticism of the new show without having to re-address JKR's ongoing opposition to both science and basic human rights.

Once again, I hope that this is not the case, because Essiedu specifically and indeed all actors from marginalized groups generally deserve much, much better.

xoxo

[saintsenara]

okay, I'm super curious about your thoughts on when and how snape becomes a potions master. some people say he was still working on his mastery when he became a professor but i like to think he got it in early 1980 and he apprenticed with a potions master he was recommended to through his ~connections~ (cough malfoy cough).

although the idea of him teaching and grieving and also attempting to not fail at the one thing he knows he's good at does have its own angsty appeal

thank you very much for the ask, anon!

although i regret to say that i'm going to start the answer to it by being very pedantic...

the idea that masteries are something which exist in the wizarding world is complete fanon.

they have emerged as a trope due to a reading of the phrase "potions master" which does make perfect sense outside of the cultural context in which the books were written - by which i mean that it makes readers unfamiliar with the culturally-specific meaning of this bit of language think of masters degrees or other high-level qualifications - but which is nonetheless incorrect within context.

"master" [and the feminine equivalent, "mistress"] is just an alternative term in british english for "teacher". it doesn't imply anything about a level of qualification. "potions master" and "potions teacher" are synonyms.

the term is archaic - british people nowadays would exclusively say "teacher" - and it's very class-specific, in that it would have particularly been used to describe teachers in elite schools, whether fee-paying private schools or grammar schools [state schools which are academically selective].

as a result, it turns up in lots of the children's literature written before c.1980 - especially in boarding-school stories like malory towers and the worst witch which are explicit influences on the harry potter series. it's used in the text - especially in the earlier books - as part of worldbuilding which generally seeks to make the wizarding world feel whimsical by virtue of being very old-fashioned, which things like the fact that the most advanced technology wizards use is the radio and the steam train also hammer home.

that snape is the only teacher referred to as a master is connected to these genre conventions. because snape is so important to the full arc of the story, he's the teacher we spend the most time in the classroom with throughout the six books in which harry's at school. and he's therefore the teacher who - in the first few books - best fits a children's literature archetype which we would expect to find in any twentieth-century school story [with a magical setting or not] - the hated schoolmaster who is horrible to the child-protagonist and who every child reading can't wait to see get their comeuppance.

so snape is a potions master because he teaches potions. nothing more than that.

but that doesn't mean that it's not worth thinking about his training...

clearly, higher education of the type most of us are familiar with doesn't exist in wizarding britain - nor, i suspect, in wizarding europe more broadly.

and this makes perfect sense - not only because the magical population is so small but because the divergence of the magical and muggle worlds in 1689 takes place well before universities and university-level education look like anything a modern student might recognise. a seventeenth-century university education was still broadly generalist and aimed at trainee clergy, and careers which we would nowadays expect to require a degree - such as law, finance, medicine, science, and engineering - were generally taught by apprenticeship.

this is clearly how things continue to function in the wizarding world of the 1990s, since we know from order of the phoenix that healers are taught by apprenticeship [and, indeed, that hogwarts graduates all go straight into the workforce after they leave school].

potions - since it's analogous to chemistry - is nonetheless understood in-world as an academic discipline. but this doesn't mean - within the post-school educational structures we can suppose the wizarding world has - that it's a discipline in which one needs specific formal training in order to acquire a right to teach or publish about it.

the seventeenth century was a period - especially in britain - marked by a great expansion of scientific inquiry. this was - by our contemporary understanding of academic science - amateur. scientists wouldn't have been expected to have doctorates, to work at universities, or even to have attended them, and their experiments were often self-funded by personal wealth or dependent on a patron. the circles [often international] in which they debated, demonstrated, and reviewed theories and inventions were social ones - the gatekeeping line was class [with the level of education - and, primarily, of literacy - that this implied], rather than level of education itself.

these social circles often had a certain level of official standing - by which i mean they became, during the period, the learned societies, the most famous of which is probably the royal society. membership [or fellowship] of the learned societies requires a demonstration of some sort of contribution to the discipline they relate to - which means that the vast majority of contemporary fellows of such societies are university-based academics. but this wouldn't have been the case in 1689.

and we know that the wizarding world has its own equivalent of learned societies, because slughorn mentions one in half-blood prince - the most extraordinary society of potioneers.

which is to say, snape is probably a member of this society. he may very well publish papers in academic journals connected to the subject [as dumbledore does in transfiguration today], and he undoubtedly has a reputation among the wizarding world's men- and women-of-letters. but he doesn't need to have any formal post-hogwarts qualification in order for him to have acquired this reputation.

so what do i think he's doing between 1978 and 1981?

well... he's a death eater.

my theory has always been that snape comes to voldemort's attention - via lucius malfoy - because of his potions skills. the dark lord's operation would have needed potions - poisons to bump off enemies, healing potions because wanted criminals can't just turn up at st mungo's, potions to trade on the black market [as aberforth dumbledore tells us the death eaters do during deathly hallows], and so on - and voldemort would want to keep the production of these potions in-house, rather than risk hiring a private brewer [even a shady one] who might change their mind and go to the aurors.

[this is also presumably what voldemort - undoubtedly at snape's request - tries to recruit lily to do.]

i have never believed that snape was taken on as a death eater in the expectation that he'd perform a combat role - there is a clear implication throughout the series that the only person he ever directly kills is dumbledore, and that he gets along badly with death eaters [such as bellatrix] who did take more violent roles in voldemort's terrorism.

so i presume that, when he leaves school, he ends up working as a personal brewer for voldemort - on a stipend presumably paid, at the dark lord's request, by either lucius or abraxas malfoy. i also presume that, outside of work voldemort specifically requests, he's given free rein to brew for other clients, study, experiment, and publish as he wishes.

and i further presume that if he trains with anyone, then that person is voldemort himself.

voldemort claims, in goblet of fire, to be interested in experimenting with potions. he appears to invent the potion made from nagini's venom which sustains his half-body prior to his resurrection - and i think the implication of the text is that he also invents the potion guarding the locket-horcrux. voldemort also evidently encourages snape's interest in the dark arts, and he also appears to have some influence over snape's comportment - the teen snape we see in order of the phoenix is extremely rough around the edges, in a way the adult snape, who both speaks and moves in canon very similarly to the adult voldemort, isn't.

voldemort taking such an interest in snape would - obviously - largely be a grooming tactic. snape clearly becomes a death eater because the organisation offers him a chance to belong and succeed which his class-background would ordinarily make impossible for him within wizarding society, and voldemort must therefore massively indulge his belief that he's never given the respect he deserves for his intellect. voldemort's obvious contempt for slughorn - who matters so little to him that he doesn't even bother to kill him - would, i imagine, also win snape round.

and by training snape in an academic rather than a combat sense, voldemort gains a valuable tool - someone he can place at hogwarts as a teacher to spy on dumbledore.

we can assume that voldemort was having dumbledore tailed throughout the first war - and, indeed, that this is what snape is doing when he overhears the prophecy - but that he couldn't watch him at all times because he didn't have a spy among the hogwarts faculty.

it is clearly voldemort who tells snape to apply for a teaching job in early 1980. he must also tell him to apply for the defence against the dark arts post [which we know snape canonically applied for first] - which means he must expect to be imminently victorious in the first war, since snape would only be able to stay in the position for a year...

the prophecy, which snape hears c. january 1980, obviously derails this belief slightly... and snape famously does not get the defence against the dark arts job for the 1980-1981 academic year.

how do we know this? because he tells us in order of the phoenix that he's been teaching at hogwarts for fourteen years. he says this right at the beginning of the autumn term in 1995 - so he clearly means that he's been teaching for fourteen previous academic years and the 1995-1996 year is his fifteenth. so... he started teaching at hogwarts in the 1981-1982 academic year.

voldemort settles on harry as the child the prophecy refers to after harry is born [so, after 31st july 1980]. we don't know how quickly he does this and we don't know exactly when snape defects to the order.

but, clearly, at some point during the 1980-1981 academic year, dumbledore hires snape to begin teaching from september 1981 onwards. he presumably tells snape to tell voldemort that his change of heart was because he didn't think snape was qualified to teach defence against the dark arts but that he does think he's qualified to teach potions [pointing, perhaps, to publications snape got out under voldemort's tutelage], and that slughorn's announcement that he intends to retire means that there's a position available. he then undoubtedly also tells snape to convince voldemort of the same pretence they'll use throughout the second war - that he's a loyal death eater passing information on dumbledore's movements to his master.

which is to say... when lily dies, snape has been in his job for at most nine weeks.

just imagine how miserable that must have been!

[rt-nique]

SLYTHERIN TIM DRAKE‼️

⚠️ spoilers for fic Scientific Method by vogon_poet

binged Scientific Method by vogon_poet about 2 months ago and this fic single handedly dragged my ass into Harry Potter 😭

ALSO I AM A SLYTHERIN!TIM TRUTHER!!!! MY BOY IS SO BADASS I LOVE HIM!!! He’s so smart and science-ing the fuck out of magic, I loved it when transfiguration finally clicked. Amazing writing from the author!!

AND I LOVE HOW THE AUTHOR MERGES TIM AS A WIZARD AND TIM AS ROBIN!!!!! It’s such a great balance between keeping Batman canon and letting Tim explore being a wizard and how he impacts the wizarding world, and the mix of magic martial arts is so cool.

I want to draw Tim and Blaise next, I adore their friendship!!

ps Tim is actually good at potions (the facial expression is just funny)

[griseldagimpel]

Media Recommendations for Harry Potter Fans

Alright. So you’re a Harry Potter fan. You’re a Harry Potter fan because you love Harry Potter and you love the community you’ve built with your fellow fans, but J. K. Rowling is using her vast fortune to harm people and she says asinine shit about how anyone who likes Harry Potter agrees with her transphobia, and you know that’s not true, but maybe you’re wondering if there’s a different fandom you and your friends could go to, where if nothing else the creator isn’t using a massive platform and massive amounts of money to harm transgender people. This is a guide for you.

You really wish you could have a Harry Potter that’s just not Harry Potter. You want a magical school and aerial sports games and fighting a tyrant and the equivalent of Hogwarts Houses.

Check out The Owl House. It’s about a girl named Luz who wanders into another world and attends a magic school.

You can watch it on YouTube: Link.

You like the idea of a modern-ish fantasy book series (British, pre-Smart Phone technology age) with a big, rambling world to play around in.

Check out The Chronicles of Chestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones. It’s set across a multiverse and follows the lives and trials of young magicians.

Start with Charmed Life, which can be purchased on Amazon: Link.

You want a fantasy series with chosen ones, suffering, and sacrifice where anyone can die. Also, you like magical animal companions.

Check out The Last Herald Mage Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey, which is part of the broader Valdemar series. It’s about the life of Valdemar’s greatest – and last – Herald-mage.

You can find it on Amazon: Link.

You love Harry Potter for the mysteries. You’d be fine with something for a bit of an older demographic, and you love supernatural horror and angst. You want to see the protagonist go through it. But you’d also love it if there was something akin to the Hogwarts Houses that you could define yourself by.

Check out The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir or The Magnus Archives. The Locked Tomb series is science-fantasy set in the far-flung future and has necromancy. The Magnus Archives is a podcast about an institute in London that takes down statements from people who have had encounters with the paranormal.

The Locked Tomb series begins with Gideon the Ninth: Link.

The Magnus Archives can be listened to on YouTube: Link.

Your favorite part of the Harry Potter series is the wizarding war, and your favorite house is Slytherin.

Check out The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. It’s about a necromancer who’s been resurrected. The necromancer in question is like 95% brat-turned-cool-uncle and 5% evil-necromancer.

The volumes are numbered and can be found on Amazon: Link.

There is also an adaptation entitled The Untamed that I have not watched yet, but it can be found on Netflix.

You really enjoy the social satire aspect of Harry Potter and think Hermione was right about House Elf liberation. Also, you’re okay with science fiction instead of fantasy.

Check out The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. It’s about an enslaved cyborg finding freedom, making friends, and healing from trauma.

The first book is All Systems Red: Link.

You like Harry Potter because it’s comfort media. Life is rough, and you want a piece of media that’s engaging but gentle.

Check out the podcast Welcome to Night Vale. It’s presented as the community radio broadcast out of a small, deeply weird town in the American southwest.

You can listen to it on YouTube: Link.

If you want something in print form, there’s The Lord of the Rings: Link.

If you like movies, there’s Jupiter Ascending: Link.

Don’t hesitate to ask if you want more information (such as content warnings) for any of the above.

[iamnmbr3]

I talked about Harry Potter with my partner the other day and we realized something:

Tom was on his dark magic searching world tour while WW2 ended. What if he was in Japan? What if he saw one of the atomic bombs (from a distance)?

What if that's the reason Voldemort never actually attacks the muggle world, even after he controls magical Britain in book 7?

He is scared.

A nuke could destroy a Horcrux for sure.

Oooh! This is an interesting idea! I think even if he never saw it firsthand he certainly would've been aware of what happened and probably kept up with the Muggle press and Muggle scientific developments way more than most wizards (though he'd never let on). I think Tom graduated around 1943 so personally I believe he probably was still at Borgin & Burkes when WWII ended (but it depends on how long you think he was there before he ditched). I certainly think the war and the bomb and aftereffects would be something he knew about and was affected by.

I think there's probably magical ways he could neutralize Muggle opposition but I think he definitely respects the power of Muggle science and understands it would have to be done carefully. I mean a wizard could probably just apparate through security and kill muggle world leaders or put them under the imperius curse or something. But yeah, a war with muggles wold probably not be as easy as wizards imagine. And I think Tom knows that.

But also, I think he just doesn't care about Muggles that much. Yes, I think he dislikes them due to the discrimination he was subjected to due to his powers, and probably feels that wizards should rule over Muggles. But I don't think he hates them that much. We never see him go out of his way to kill or hurt them. He doesn't get his kicks dangling Muggles upside down or torturing them the way some of his Death Eaters seem to. The people he actually seems to enjoy terrorizing and degrading and humiliating and hurting are the powerful Pureblood elites. Those are the people he probably really came to resent and the people he enjoys controlling and enslaving.

Given that he has no problem elevating Snape and that he recruits all kinds of creatures to his cause and that he probably doesn't believe that he is inferior to Lucius Malfoy due to their respective blood statuses I think some of the blood purest views he espouses are just what's convenient for him to say to gain influence with the moneyed pureblood elite (and perhaps to ultimately enact revenge on them).

[a-halo-for-you]

Hard Magic Systems - A Chaotic Understanding

(DISCLAIMER: I do not intend to come across like I know anything but there are some things I’ve learnt and tried to make sense of so here you go… Also, I have read books that helped this abstract understanding of this thing, not sure if I should write them here but if you’re interested feel free to message me, I should reply within 1-3 business days.)

A Hard magic system is a system that follows rules. It has clearer definitions of what is and isn’t allowed and what is or isn’t possible and the consequences when something goes wrong. 

An example I have come up with is from Leigh Bardugo’s ‘Shadow and Bone’ series. In her stories, Grisha are capable of ‘Small Science’ and fear the act of ‘Merzost’ which in Ravkan means magic. For her magic system, their abilities rely on drawing upon the components of an element in order to wield it, abiding by the laws of physics. Any that use Merzost are often villainised for it - it is very very bad and not allowed hence most villains use it. 

Having these rules in place can aid a reader in understanding how the system works, it adds stakes to characters and narratives and can be a creative tool in problem solving without audiences or readers feeling cheated by a cop out display of magic. For example if someone just wishes all their problems away and suddenly the world wasn’t ending - the only time this could be effective would be if the journey the characters went on was crucial enough to feel like it's an accomplishment to get that far. Like in Percy Jackson and The Sea of Monsters, we’re not miffed that Annabeth is rescued by the Golden Fleece because 1# We know her enough to love her and 2# They worked so hard to get to it in the first place. 

When something is resolved without any stakes, rules, limits, journey and growth it feels like a cop out, the way we watch when some writers accidentally put themselves in a corner they can’t get out of so they make the entire journey a dream by the end? Or hey, let’s just fix it with time travel! It feels kinda pointless because there are no stakes and even a soft magic system will have stakes but I’ll get to that in another post. 

When magic is used as a tool it becomes a part of the characters journey from Luffy and the GumGum Fruit to Harry Potter and being a Wizard. It becomes a part of and aids their problem solving like any other skill. 

If we look at Avatar: The Last Airbender, it takes place in a world where the audience understands people can manipulate the elements, it makes sense when Katara has her bloodbending experience because early on in the show it is established that waterbenders can draw from not just oceans and rivers but trees, plants and human sweat. Their abilities are practised, trained and developed on through the show, I mean, even Aang has to progress in order to become the Avatar and when we see him master the elements we feel kinda proud to see him kick ass and when Toph progresses to bending Metal or Zuko with his lightning- I mean excuse me?!! 

We love the magic because it's a part of their journey but it doesn’t just fix things or make them worse - it’s how they use it that matters. 

Predictability is an important part of a Magic System because if you want to keep things in order you’ll want to make sure that your Hard Magic always has a consistency to it that follows the world and story narrative. Like in My Hero Academia, the predictability would be that each character has a quirk that they are learning to control and train in order to become heroes, however they each have limitations from their personalities, physiques, mentalities, ages etc that hinder them along the way. 

��Limitations are more important than powers’ Brandon Sanderson. 

Babe. This is for real though. I don’t care how powerful a character is, it’s not interesting if they don’t have a weakness, the more powerful they are? The more painful the weakness. You want them to lose that power or feel the consequences of their power, hurt their weakness. For fun. Anyway- 

-Once you’ve sorted the rules of your system you can look at the particular limitations, weaknesses and costs. Oftentimes I’d say strength is different from power cause someone's power could be fire but their strength could be their friends and as we know, their strength can also reflect their weakness. 

You could have a shape-shifting character but the longer they stay in their animal form the more animalistic they become creating disastrous long term effects on the group or like Nico from the Percy Jackson series, he uses shadows to travel so much that it quite literally becomes a danger to him, ‘as the more you do it, the more you lose contact with the physical world’.

Anywho, this is the end of my Hard Magic System rant - I don’t actually know if this is helpful but it helps me so maybe it will help some stranger on the internet idk. 

Don't blame me coffee made me crazy~

Next time I’ll post about the Soft Magic System and it will likely be as messy and chaotic as this one but hey-ho, 50% knowing what I’m talking about to 50% aimless passion seems acceptable.