#see the minister departments

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Even as the minister responsible admitted there aren't enough competitive options for mobile service in Canada, another federal official said consumers can and should search for other service providers when faced with price increases. That message — from Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada — came just hours after the Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Canadians "still pay too much and see too little competition" for cellular services. "Customers could consider switching service providers," an ISED Canada representative wrote Thursday, when asked for a response to price increases at Rogers Communications and reported hikes at Bell. 

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Tagging @politicsofcanada

[opencommunion]

"The United States takes no issue with Israel’s publicly articulated plans. It has stopped advocating for a ceasefire in Lebanon, instead seeing an opportunity for Hezbollah’s power to be diminished and defeated. It has begun maneuvering to push for an election of a new Lebanese president while Hezbollah’s attention is allegedly weakened and turned elsewhere, with U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein slipping up when speaking to the Lebanese TV station LBC, saying: 'Until we select — once Lebanon selects a president.' When Lebanon’s parliamentary speaker asked a U.N. coordinator how in this scenario Hezbollah MPs would even be protected, considering Israel has launched assassination strikes against Hezbollah political officials inside Beirut, the coordinator simply replied, 'No one can guarantee that this will not happen.'

The United States is spinning up a fantasy vision of Lebanon, at once communicating with the Lebanese prime minister and other officials and engaging in diplomacy with them, while at the same time, the State Department speaks of a future Lebanon where Lebanese people 'can choose their own representatives' — mirroring George W. Bush’s language about Iraq under Saddam Hussein. Lebanese people can choose their own representatives, but there’s no evidence the kinds of representatives the majority of Lebanese want are the ones that would meet the approval of Israel and the United States.

While the U.S. concocts this fantasy, the Israeli state and its military are acting in accordance with the understanding that the Lebanese cannot be trusted with democracy, and thus must be expelled from southern Lebanon entirely. When Hagari spoke from south Lebanon, he said that every house in the village he was in was part of Hezbollah’s infrastructure. Video has already emerged of Israeli troops destroying an entire Lebanese village in one swoop with planted explosives. What the U.S. and Israel may soon come to advocate, once the reality can no longer be ignored, is the kind of Lebanese state that former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan once foresaw: one where the south is under Israeli control, and in the seat of power in Beirut, an installed leader who will want nothing more than to give Israel everything it wants."

[simply-ivanka]

Biden Gets Lost in Trump’s Shadow

The president-elect acts as if he’s already in charge. There’s never been a transition like this before.

By Peggy Noonan Wall Street Journal

Like Donald Trump or dislike him, hate him or love him, doesn’t matter: You have to see that what we are witnessing right now is truly remarkable, with no precedent.

He is essentially functioning as the sitting president. In the past, a man was elected and sat in his house, met with potential cabinet members, and courteously, carefully kept out of the news except to make a statement announcing a new nominee. The incumbent was president until Inauguration Day. That’s the way it was even in 2016; Barack Obama was still seen as president after Mr. Trump was elected. All that has changed.

Mr. Trump is the locus of all eyes. He goes to Europe for the opening of Notre-Dame. “The protocols they put in place for his arrival were those of a sitting president, not an incoming one,” a Trump loyalist and former staffer said by phone. He holds formal meetings with Volodymyr Zelensky and Emmanuel Macron. There he is chatting on a couch with Prince William. Why not the prime minister? Because the British know Mr. Trump is enchanted by royalty and doesn’t want to be with some grubby Labour pol. Mr. Trump talks of new tariffs on Canada, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rushes down to Mar-a-Lago. After their meeting, Mr. Trump refers to him, on Truth Social, as “governor” of “the Great State of Canada.” (The Babylon Bee follows up with a headline: “Trump Tells Trudeau He Won’t Annex Canada if They Admit Their Bacon Is Just Ham.”)

The government of Syria suddenly falls and the world turns to America for its stand. Naturally it comes, quickly, from Donald Trump. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. . . . DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” The next day, Joe Biden characterizes the moment as one of “risk and uncertainty” for the region. Was there ever a moment that wasn’t one of risk and uncertainty for the region?

Mr. Trump tells Vladimir Putin that now that he’s abandoned Syria, he should make a deal to end the war in Ukraine. “I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The world is waiting!”

Mr. Trump’s cabinet picks—especially the highly questionable ones!—dominate the discourse in a country that hardly ever notices a cabinet nomination below that of secretary of state. His representatives, most famously Elon Musk, are greeted on Capitol Hill with a rapture comparable to past visits by heroic leaders of allied nations.

Donald Trump hasn’t overshadowed Joe Biden; he has eclipsed him. A former senior official in Mr. Trump’s first term told NBC News a few days ago that Mr. Trump “is already basically running things, and he’s not even president yet.”

To some degree the status shift is expected. Mr. Trump is the future, Mr. Biden the past; Mr. Trump wide-awake, Mr. Biden sleepy. The 46th president is a worn tire, the tread soft and indistinct. With the pardon of his son he lost stature. Also, Mr. Trump makes other leaders nervous, as he enjoys pointing out. They can neither predict him nor imitate him, so they can’t take their eyes off him. And Mr. Biden’s been rocked by something he knew in the abstract that’s become all too particular: after 50 years at the center of public life he’s been dropped, cast aside, because it was about power all along, and not about him.

A president, however, still has the machinery—the National Security Council, the State Department, the nuclear football. I can hardly believe our biggest adversaries don’t capitalize on this split presidency, this confusion. For all our woes you sometimes forget what a lucky country we are.

Here I mention a part of the amazing interregnum that I think is important, one that his friends and staffers speak of. Mr. Trump is calmer and more confident than he has been in the past. It is a commonplace to say that his surviving a shooting—that a bullet came within an inch or so of his brain—would change anyone, even a man in his eighth decade, even a man with fairly brittle ingrained views, even Donald Trump. But all of his friends go back to this as they speak of the Trump they’re seeing now. They think it took time for it to be absorbed and settle in. They see him as at least presenting himself in an altered way.

The former staffer said by phone, “Right now he is extremely relaxed.” It isn’t only the assassination attempt. “Everyone thought he was gonna change in a way that would be normal for most people to change—an outward reflection, more humble. I laugh when people say, ‘Normally, a president would—.’ Don’t use ‘normal’ with him.”

But, he said, after the second assassination attempt was thwarted, at Mr. Trump’s golf course, it had real impact. “Trump began to recognize, not in an unappreciative way but in a reality way, that he’d been spared. It gave him a stronger sense of confidence, some extra level of relaxation and of determination. He feels the American people are in trouble and if he can be a small part of fixing that, he must.”

The former staffer said Mr. Trump feels that “this wasn’t an election, it was a vindication.” The court cases, the indictments, the impeachments—“all these things against Donald Trump, and he doesn’t just come back, he roars back in a way that defies logic, reason and history. Few can fathom this.” He meant the history, but also its effect on Mr. Trump.

Something else, he said. When Mr. Trump was elected in 2016, his policy priorities and intentions weren’t fully clear. They are now, and have been popularized. “He knows the mission he laid out to the people—sane border policy, unleash energy, monetize ‘the liquid gold,’ make the tax cuts permanent—there’s an air of confidence about his mission now, and an understanding of the systems in place.” He is living something few get to live: “If I could do it all over again.”

A different observer, who’s seen Mr. Trump up close, said this week, “This is the best version of Donald Trump we will see.”

Back to the former staffer: “The gravity of this historic moment cannot be overstated. He has a level of swagger, a new level. People say, ‘Can I get the policy without the personality?’ No, you need a certain level of ‘I don’t give a damn.’ If you think he had it the first time, Katy bar the door.”

He had a prediction: “This has the potential to be historic in a way that only a handful of administrations have been. We remember some administrations with a level of history-altering moments. This one’s gonna have a lot.”

What about the potential for wrongdoing, such as using government to suppress or abuse foes? “He’s said a million times his revenge is going to be success. When Trump wins, he lets bygones be bygones.”

He paused. “Some of the people he’s hired aren’t that way, so there’s a chance some people may take it upon themselves to do some stuff. I don’t know.”

Repost

[osmanthusoolong]

All this uproar, the court cases, the children suffering? Unsurprisingly, the result of a couple of dedicated transphobic conspiracy theorists.

“The review of Policy 713 officially began in late April 2023, according to the province but only became public knowledge on May 5.

When asked why the review started, Hogan and Higgs gave several reasons, including "misinterpretations and concerns," from the public, and "hundreds of complaints" about the issue.

At the time, child and youth advocate Kelly Lamrock asked for the complaints showing these misinterpretations and concerns. The department handed over three emails.

When challenged, Hogan said Lamrock was only given a sample, and if people wanted to see all the emails, they could file a right to information request.

Through right to information, CBC News requested all emails about 2SLGBTQ+ issues sent to Hogan between January 2020 and May 2023.

According to records, Hogan received about 40 emails about those issues in those three years. The majority, about 35 emails, came between March and May 5, 2023, stating objections to different forms of 2SLGBTQ+ education or drag storytime.”

…

“The Saint John woman on Facebook, Barb Dempsey, is one of several New Brunswickers who make posts against 2SLGBTQ-inclusive education on social media and ask people to lobby the government for change. It's not clear whether she created the petition she shared in early April.

In late April, Dempsey and another New Brunswick resident started promoting a protest against the teachers' event in Hanwell.

On that day, a small group of protesters held signs calling educators "perverts," and accusing them of harming children.

In a later interview, when asked why he started the policy review, Higgs referred to that event.”

…

“Some email authors said teaching children about the concept of gender identity would harm them because it would confuse them.

In July, in his speech to the legislature, Higgs said, "we're seeing a rapid onset of gender dysphoria. It's expanded in the last several years and it's becoming popular and trendy."

"Society can compound [children's] confusion," he said.

The New Brunswick Medical Society said that the points Higgs made are "ideologically based narratives."

The society said "rapid onset gender dysphoria," or the notion that some children are socially influenced to become trans when they're actually not, has no scientific basis.

"The notion of 'Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria' is not a recognized medical condition and should not be used in medical, social, or political narrative," the society said in a statement.

"Framing gender dysphoria as 'trendy or popular,' as opposed to an actual medical diagnosis, lead to further prejudice and misinformation."”

@allthecanadianpolitics

[sitp-recs]

do you have any recs for drarry + workplace romance?

I definitely do, one of my favourite tropes! This list is strongly focused on office romance and as you can see it got a bit out of hand so I’m gonna link two additional rec lists that might interest you: sports AU and Quidditch fics. Enjoy!!!

Measure My Lordship With Thine Vulgar Aye by @starquestingfordrarry (M, 1k)

Draco buys some Muggle magnets for the office.

Coded Office Missives by carpemermaid (E, 2.5k)

They had an arrangement. Malfoy would send a coded memo when he needed Harry. He knew to tell his secretary to hold his appointments, and lock the door after he arrived. It was a game they started when they were just starting their careers at the Ministry; it’s something they’ve kept up all this time.

The Keepers by RenVeree (T, 3.6k)

In the Rare Books Department of the Ministry of Magic, Draco tends to unique texts and, on occasion, a certain Unspeakable.

Graffiti and Insomnia by SilentAuror (M, 4k)

Harry can't seem to sleep these days. Perhaps it's the boredom of his office job, but all that changes with a bit of graffiti in the office bathroom one day.

Never Gonna Give You Up by InnerLilith (E, 5k)

Five times Harry rickrolls Draco and one time Draco gets him back.

Like This and Like This (Dreams of Lace) by @primavera-cerezos (E, 6k)

Harry gets an accidental peek. He can’t think of anything else.

Say the words / then stay around by Teatrolley (NR, 6k)

They’ve been together for a while when Harry decides that he wants to try the Auror Office again. What he doesn’t consider is the effects the work might have on the two of them. But, then again, maybe those effects don’t have to be all bad?

Interdepartmental Memos by GoldenTruth813, Henndra (E, 6k)

What do you get when GoldenTruth813 plays Harry and Henndra is Draco? An epistolary fic of course!

Contretemps by @moonflower-rose (T, 8k)

Draco Malfoy has been living like a model citizen. If only he could convince Potter.

Small Spaces series by @bixgirl1 (E, 8.5k)

Malfoy is like an itch under Harry's skin on an average day. It's even worse when they're trapped in a lift.

Love, Actually, is All Around by @punk-rock-yuppie (T, 10k)

It's Christmastime, and Harry has just started as the new Minister of Magic. It just so happens that Draco works in his office as well, a holdover from Kingsley's tenure. Naturally, love is in the air.

Settle in in my slow-burning heart, orphaned (NR, 10k)

Five years after the war Draco is working a tech developer job in the Auror Office, and it's all great except this one thing: Harry Potter works there, too. Things only become stranger when Harry starts bringing Draco ugly souvenirs back from his work travels.

Sweet Indulgence by @the-sinking-ship (E, 10k)

It doesn't matter that Marcy from Accounting is dancing on the tables, Shacklebolt is wearing antlers, and Elliot from Transportation is on his third round of Mariah Carey on karaoke because all the free champagne in the world won't salvage the Ministry Christmas party for Draco if Potter doesn't show up soon.

Little Talks by Femme and noeon (E, 11k)

Draco's been shagging the Head Auror for months now, and he's sure it's just a fling. Until Harry asks him to a Quidditch match, that is, and things go horribly wrong.

This Unexpected Windfall by mindabbles (E, 11k)

Harry doesn’t like it when Draco is called in to work one of his cases. No. He doesn’t like it at all — at least that’s what he tells himself.

Crossed Wires by @skeptiquewrites (E, 11k)

Harry James Potter, Member of the Wizengamot for Godric’s Hollow, Secretary for Transport is ill-suited for the world of wizarding politics. Enter Draco Malfoy, Director of Communications for the Minister for Magic to moonlight as his press secretary. It should solve all of Harry’s issues with the press and Draco’s issues with over-work. Theoretically.

What Real Thing? by @l0vegl0wsinthedark (E, 12k)

They don’t cuddle, they don’t talk about their relationship (or lack thereof) and they certainly never fall asleep in each other’s arms.

Title of Their Sex Tape by @cibeewastaken (T, 12k)

What are the Wizarding world's most elite law enforcers doing when they aren't catching criminals? It seems Auror Malfoy is often caught throwing food into Auror Potter's mouth when he's mid-yawn.

In Which Harry is Magnetic North and Draco Is An Idiot by bryoneybrynn (T, 13k)

For as long as he can remember, Draco’s been bringing fake dates to his family’s annual Yuletide celebration in order to evade his mother’s matchmaking. This year, Potter’s posing as his pretend boyfriend.

The World of Management (Or, Harry Potter and the Office Romance) by @moonflower-rose (E, 15k)

Draco Malfoy is the heart and soul of the Department of Magical Games and Sport. The only thing standing in the way of professional bliss is his boss. And Harry Potter.

Give Me a Quiet Mind by @wellhalesbells (T, 16k)

Draco is Weasley’s assistant. Except for the week he’s not. Whose brilliant idea was that again?

Ardour of Karma by @xx-thedarklord-xx (E, 17k)

“Malfoy knows something is going on with you and unless you both want to go back to fighting and death glares, you should fix it.” “How do I do that? Just waltz up to him and say, ‘I know I’ve been a prat but your scent makes my dick swell. How’s your day?’”

Common and Cliché by bryoneybrynn (E, 17k)

Aurors Malfoy and Potter have to work a case on Beltane. It would be simple if everything wasn't so damn distracting.... For those of you who are wondering, yes, I've tried to cram in as many h/d clichés as possible. But hopefully the story works as a story, too. It's not crack!fic by a long shot but it is a bit tongue-in-cheek.

Knot Your Average Coworkers by @thecouchsofa (E, 22k)

It takes Harry a while to work out that every month, almost like clockwork, Draco is given an assignment in the field that takes him out of their shared office for days on end. After each assignment, Draco returns looking so bloody exhausted that Harry gears up to file a complaint with their boss.

Little Red Courgette by @blamebrampton (T, 31k)

When this season's purple courgettes are woefully thin, Draco Malfoy thinks it amounts to small beans. Next thing he knows, the Department of Standards is over-run with leeks, Brussels sprouts all sorts of legislative difficulties, and somebody appears to have put a roquette under Harry Potter.

The Vanishing Department by @dictacontrion (E, 47k)

The things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, even if that involves a lot more form-filling, bickering, covert glancing, miscommunication, and flying furniture than we might expect.

The Darkness Before the Dawn by Ren (E, 55k)

A mysterious creature is loose in London, stalking and killing people. Auror Harry Potter requests the help of a liaison from the Beast Division and gets saddled with Draco Malfoy. Will they be able to stop the creature before it claims more lives?

We Are Young (I'll Carry You Home Tonight) by Femme (E, 70k)

Harry and Draco have been falling into bed on and off again since the last election five years ago, much to the amusement--and financial gain--of their circle of friends. But when Harry agrees to work with Draco to put Kingsley Shacklebolt into the Minister's office, they can't work side-by-side again every day and sleep together; that would be courting disaster. Wouldn't it?

The Liars Department by @dorthyanndrarry (T, 103k)

This is a story about Harry meeting up with Draco Malfoy four years after the war. And a story about Harry, well, not hating his job per say, but it's not like he has much to compare it to and it seemed fine. His whole life seemed fine.

Make This Leap by @oflights (M, 118k)

Harry owns a struggling restaurant which is running out of money, and his Head Chef has just handed in notice. He's at a bit of a loss as to what to do until Narcissa Malfoy presents an obvious solution: bring in Draco Malfoy as Chef and part owner.

All Our Secrets Laid Bare by firethesound (E, 149k)

Over the six years Draco Malfoy has been an Auror, four of his partners have turned up dead. Harry Potter is assigned as his newest partner to investigate just what is going on.

Tales From the Special Branch series by Femme (E, WIP)

When Gawain Robards asks him to form Special Branch seven-four-alpha, Harry Potter knows they'll have to work outside the confines of the law--even though they are the law.

[dramioneasks]

New Year’s Day Fics (2025):

one for the books by anxiousm3ss - T, one-shot - Working overtime at the Ministry of Magic on New Year's Eve ends with a proposal from Draco - and Hermione is inclined to say yes.

Granger, It's Cold Outside by DreamlikeQualities - E, 8 chapters - Draco hosts the second annual Snakes and Lions night on New Years eve, four years after the war. After last year's unfortunate end, and a year of pining, Draco is determined to set the record straight with a certain curly haired witch. What happens when he thinks he's missed his chance with Granger again on this cold winter's night?

Virtue and Righteousness by saturnovem - G, one-shot - As the countdown to midnight begins, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy share a moment that defies their past while welcoming the New Year.

The Countdown by Wheredoesshego - E, one-shot - There. Standing taller than almost everyone else in the bar, his shock of white blonde hair making him instantly recognisable, even after five long years. His back was turned so she couldn’t see his face and thankfully he couldn’t see hers either. Hermione froze, her drink clenched tightly in her hand, a cold sweat breaking out all over her body despite the heat in the bar. As though pulled by some sort of invisible string, Draco Malfoy suddenly turned and then, once again, Hermione found herself staring into the clear silver eyes of the man who had not just broken her heart, he’d smashed it into a thousand pieces. Or When Hermione makes a New Years Resolution to start afresh, her New Years party plans are derailed by the arrival of a certain blonde wizard who most certainly isn’t ready to move on. What follows is a night of miscommunication, jealousy, sexual tension and angst. But as the countdown to midnight begins, Draco and Hermione finally open up and discover just how much they really have been missing.

Through the Maze of Desire by myeuphoricmindset - G, one-shot - 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳’𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘯. He stood before her—a figure cloaked in black and silver, his mask intricate and sharp, casting shadows across his face. For a moment, Hermione could see nothing else but him. Their hands hovered just above one another, the faintest spark of magic flickering between their fingertips. “Do you really think a little mask could hide you from me?” he murmured, his tone low and knowing. “I’d recognize you blind.”

How Draco Malfoy Got Dared into Happiness by Calliope_dreaming - M, one-shot - Draco Malfoy’s New Year’s Eve was supposed to be simple: endure the party, avoid humiliation, and definitely not think about Hermione Granger. But thanks to a mischievous game of Dare or Drink, meddling friends, and one unforgettable woman, Draco finds himself in the middle of chaos he didn’t ask for and feelings he can’t ignore. Midnight promises fireworks in more ways than one.

New Year's Resolutions and Reconciliations by Rosewood_Embers - E, one-shot - When the Minister of Magic asks the youngest head of the Department of International Magical Co-operations in over a century to plan the annual New Year’s Eve party, he was unaware it was the one thing Hermione Granger wasn’t the absolute best at. However, when a certain former-Death-Eater-turned-ministry-intern offers his assistance, fireworks indeed ignite.

All Tied Up by Dizzle00 - E, one-shot - Giving him a smirk worthy of a Slytherin, Hermione leaned in, trailing her fingertips down Draco’s chest, barely grazing his skin. His nipples pebbled and his muscles tensed beneath her touch, while his eyes burned with barely restrained desire, arms tugging at his restraints. “What do you think, Malfoy?” she taunted in a breathless tone. “Do you enjoy Theo tying you up like this?” OR In which Theo has a little New Year’s surprise for his wife. Or is it a tradition? [Draco x Hermione x Theo]

Two Steps Back by Kitwrite - T, one-shot - Hermione wants to learn to dance. When Draco overhears her wish, he secretly teaches her.

Desideratum by Secretsofcirce - T, one-shot - After years of war, Hermione Granger attempts to find solitude in the New Year, but fate (and Draco Malfoy), have other plans. An angsty, heartsick addition to the holiday season. Pairs well with wine, tears, and resolutions.

Dusk Til Dawn by Bookworm1222 - M, one-shot - Draco Malfoy is the last person Hermione Granger expected to run into while visiting muggle New York but maybe Malfoy was exactly who she needed to run into...

[cherryslyce]

Holding Hands With Shadows | Tom Riddle

Synopsis: Being the Minister of Magic was not easy for Tom, but you are always there to keep chaos from erupting. OR, you are Tom's assistant and the babysitter of the group and Tom finally confesses.

Pairing: Tom Riddle x Reader

Notes: Not canon compliant (sane!Tom, no Voldemort), Abraxas keeps insulting orphans, Y/N is tired (Knights of Walpurgis? More like Kids of Walpurgis)

You could almost feel the grey hairs sprouting from your head, and not even in a fun, attractive way either. It was a wonder you hadn't even thought about drafting up your letter of resignation until right now.

"Abraxas, you may not buy out that land to raise your peacocks. The Department of Care for Magical Children plan to use it for future projects."

Tom shoots you an amused look from across the room, lips quirked up into a smirk at your exasperated tone. The infuriating man was leaning back in his armchair, far too at ease, as you tried to restrain yourself from slamming your head through the table.

"Frankly, that just seems like a waste of good resources. I mean why do they need it so bad? Could they not just simply find another plot? After all, these children grew up in austere conditions, so they won't even miss it."

"Abraxas."

"Yes?"

"Get out."

"Excuse--"

"Now. Please."

The man looks over to his best friend for help, but Tom simply shrugs as if conceding that you were the one in charge.

"Fine. However, this conversation is far from over. I will see you both tonight, yes?"

"Of course. Safe travels, and please send Lady Malfoy my regards."

The man sends you a pleased nod before twirling on his heels, his cloak billowing dramatically. The door clicks shut behind him just as you drop your face into your hands.

"Stressed, darling?"

You huff and rub your forehead before answering with more bite than intended, "Perfectly fine".

The insufferable man, as unbothered as always, lets out a noise of amusement before slowly striding towards your desk. You slowly raise your head as his shadow falls over you, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Yeah, fire off your best hex at me and put me out of my misery."

"Abraxas‘ dramatics has rubbed off on you, my love."

The pet name sends a shiver down your spine and you try your hardest to school your expression. You had grown up with Tom at the orphanage, which basically made you his closest confidant, friend, and ally. At times it felt like you were a breathing, judgmental diary to him.

You were privy to all that was bad and ugly in his life, so it was only right that you were by his side when he rose to power and suddenly had access to all the material goods in the world.

And to him--whatever he had, you had by extension.

Of course, you fought tooth and nail to get to where you were now, rebuking any effort Tom made to give you preferential treatment.

Everything would be fine if it weren't for your affections toward him. Growing up, he never expressed interest in pursuing a romantic relationship, he had only ever wanted to subvert the stereotypes and malice aimed at the both of you during your years at Hogwarts.

The closest thing to romance that you could associate Tom with was when he wooed Druella Rosier in sixth year with his signature smile and a kiss to her hand in order to siphon information about her father from her.

The poor girl was an inconsolable lump of misery after Tom got what he needed and tossed her aside like a used handkerchief.

Tom's always been romantically inept like that.

Your spiral of reminiscing didn't cease, not even when you and Tom showed up to Malfoy Manor for their annual ball later that night.

When would it be socially acceptable to turn tail and run?

"Assistant L/N! What a pleasure it is! Is the minister trekking about nearby?"

You spin from looking out the window and come face to face with an older man who you recognized from around the Department of Magical Games and Sports.

His vest hugged him tightly and only served to accentuate his red, puffy face.

Was he about to hit on you or try and kiss your ass so he could get acquainted with Tom?

Merlin. Did you have enough in your savings to retire yet?

"Good evening. I believe Tom is busy discussing foreign deals with Lord Greengrass."

"Ah yes, Cyrus Greengrass is quite ingenious. You and Minister Riddle were friends with him during school, yes?"

Your lip twitched at how casual he was addressing Cyrus. Cyrus would be disconcerted by the man's informality, but Abraxas would surely become vexed on his friend's behalf if he heard.

"Yes. We are childhood friends I suppose."

"Wonderful! Well I was coming to you because I'm sure you're aware that the rules for Quidditch are being tossed into the air. The Ministro di Magia in Italy is trying to--"

You started tuning him out and looked around the room for one of your friends, starting to sweat in the formal wear you had on.

Luckily, Tom caught your eye. Unfortunately, he had somehow rounded up all of your friends and they were all looking quite entertained at your expense.

"Sorry sir. If you'll excuse me, it seems that the Minister is in need of me."

Without waiting for a response, you chugged what was left in your champagne flute before practically stomping over to the circle of men.

As you neared, Tom stepped out to welcome you, encircling a hand around your waist like it was the most casual thing in the world.

"Good evening boys. Thank you for throwing me out to the wolves."

"Y/N! So I assume this would be a bad time to try and renegotiate the land you're throwing away to those orphans."

Bloody hell, he was forgetting that he was saying that in front of two orphans.

Without answering Abraxas, you turned to Tom and let out a sigh, "I'm handing in my letter of resignation tomorrow, I promise it".

The hand around your waist tightened ever so slightly and you ignored the amused looks your friends sent each other, having picked up on your little school girl crush on Tom eons ago.

Damn them.

"Now, now, don't make hasty decisions. I could simply smite Abraxas‘ peacocks and the problem would be solved."

Abraxas let out an undignified noise while Parkinson and Bulstrode snorted into their drinks. Cyrus patted Abraxas‘ shoulder in feign pity, but he knew that Tom would likely make good on his threat if you asked him to.

"I hate you all. How is it that even after all these years, I still feel like an underpaid, underappreciated nanny."

Abraxas looked offended at your words and quickly reassured you, "We love you though. Underpaid, yes. Underappreciated? Never."

Your banter with the group went on for a while longer and as the night started coming to a close, Tom steered you away from peering eyes and towards a vacant balcony.

"Are you alright, darling?"

You only nodded tiredly to the man, leaning your elbows on the railing. You rubbed your eyes as you could sense the man behind you shifting in uncertainty (which was so uncharacteristic of him that you had half the mind to pull out your wand and threaten him to tell you where the real Tom was).

A few beats of peaceful silence pass before you're jumping up at the feeling of hands coming to hug your waist, a hard chest pressing against your back.

"Tom--?"

His chin gently rested atop of your shoulder, loosening his grip slightly to give you the opportunity to push him away.

"Are you unusually more clueless nowadays or are you purposely torturing me?"

"You're going to have to elaborate. Did you accidentally kill someone or do something I would disapprove of? This affection is quite sudden."

"But you don't hate it. Quite the contrary."

"That confidence of yours is going to get you into trouble one day."

"If it's you, I don't mind the trouble."

You don't bother responding, but your silence was satisfactory enough for him.

Clearing your throat, you awkwardly move your hands to rest atop of his, patting them gently.

It felt like the world spun on its head and was reborn anew before Tom spoke again, "Marry me."

His words threw you for a loop and you sputtered a choked, "What?"

"Marry me. I mean we're practically married anyway. You flounder around and make sure the boys are okay, and I rein them in so they don't blow up the country and make me lose face."

"Yes. We are a true dynamic duo."

Your dry response has his chest rumbling in contained laughter, tilting his head and gently knocking it against your cheek.

"We're the parents of the group, haven't you noticed? Abraxas asked me a few days ago if we would end their suffering and ours by just wedding each other."

"I was not aware we were even dating."

"Dating--being partners-- would not even come close to what we are. Don't you feel the same? We are in sync in everything we do. Even hundreds of miles apart, I breathe as you breathe, my heart beats in rhythm with yours, my mind does not simply revolve around you--it is completely infused with your every essence. It is a wonder we aren't already married with three cats."

"Three cats," Tom despised cats, "But...yes, I feel the same. You know I do. I thought that...well, I thought you weren't interested in romance."

"I am interested in pursuing anything and everything with you. Only you. If you'll have me, of course."

Your laughter comes out wet and heavy, filled with relief and disbelief. You turn your gaze upward and watch as the stars blink down on you, permeated across the sky the same way love begins to flow through your veins.

"It was always you, Tom. Thank you for telling me."

Tom pulls back briefly before gently turning you around to face him.

He leans down and nuzzles his nose against yours, eyes conveying a tender emotion that you've never seen until now. But now you knew, every time in the past when his eyes flickered across your face and softened, it was out of love.

"Tell me you'll marry me."

You don't give him a verbal response, but as you press your lips to his, he knows that domesticity together is all the both of you have ever needed.

"Tom...does this mean we have to make Abraxas the best man now?"

"Don't be silly, he'll give us no choice in the matter."

(And give them no choice, he did)

masterlist

[hermitessun]

[trigger warning in advance]

More of a scrap post -

one thing I’ve noticed significantly with rohini placements, or should I say partly since this obviously won’t apply to everyone:

rohini natives’ proneness to get into sex scandals of some kind.

here’s examples:

the left picture depicts Karima El Mahroug, also known by the stage name Ruby Rubacuori (Italian for "Ruby the Heartstealer"). In 2011, Karima was involved in a sex scandal with Silvio Berlusconi. Silvio Berlusconi, former Prime Minister of Italy, was accused and initially convicted of paying then 17 year old Moroccan Karima El Mahroug for sexual services.

born in Morocco, her birth time unfortunately isn’t precise, however there is a very high chance Karima is a rohini moon.

on the right, we see Algerian Zahia Dehar. In 2009, Zahia, who was then 16 or 17, was allegedly paid for sex with Karim Benzema, who was a player on the France national football team. This became part of one of the biggest sex scandals to ever hit French sport. Despite her best efforts, Zahia Dehar is still best known in France as a footballer's birthday present.

Zahia’s exact birth time isn’t available either, however it is safe to say that she was most likely a rohini ascendant.

these two women really exemplify life through the lens of rohini. this post is by no means meant to glorify their scandals and struggles with the male world, far from that: It is undeniable that the rohini essence leaves its mark on the female native in one way or the other and these two women really showcase that.

both have in common, that they drew in powerful men through their uninhibited sexuality, as the sex appeal both Karima and Zahia share to this very day is simply unarguable. Berlusconi, as controversial as he may have been, was a PRIME MINISTER after all in all his glory and money. Karim Benzema is a notorious, wealthy footballer.

it is these very sensitive, explicit scandals that have opened a door for them. if we take a look at Karima (rohini moon) now, she is happily married with one daughter, looks amazing and is living an extravagant life with her Italian husband as seen in her Instagram posts, while still maintaining a low profile. Zahia (rohini ascendant) established her very own lingerie line, commanded attention in the French fashion industry and made a debut in the French acting department as well.

Rohini is multifaceted, part of rohini natives is their coquetry and their strong link/tie to the opposite sex and sensuality (think, marilyn monroe for example).

As discussed above it can be quite common for rohinis to end up in sticky situations with the public eye, if you catch my drift. while it doesn’t necessarily need to be a blatant sex scandal, it can also be in form of frequent sexualisation, a tainted reputation or defamation of some sort through kinswomen and other envious girls.

truth is wherever life takes a rohini native, she will always benefit in one way or the other and it will most likely be through her beauty and sex appeal.

Of course there is much more to rohini than this

[ausetkmt]

Three young Black girls were strangled and left in a pond last summer in east Texas, and no arrests have been made in a case that advocates and experts believe has been severely mishandled by local authorities.

Nine-year old Zi’Ariel Robinson-Oliver, 8-year-old A’Miyah Hughes, and 5-year-old Te’Mari Robinson-Oliver, known as the Oliver 3, were reported missing on July 28, 2022, in Atlanta, Texas. The girls’ cousin, Paris Propps, who was watching the three sisters and their siblings while their mother was at work, reported the girls missing around 9 p.m. Hours later, on July 29, all three bodies were found in a nearby pond.

Initially, authorities said it was a drowning. But in March, nearly eight months after the girls were last seen alive, the Cass County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement that a homicide investigation is underway.

“Autopsy reports concluded the manner of death for all three girls was homicide, indicating evidence of strangulation. The girls also suffered lacerations to their faces,” the press release obtained by Yahoo News from the Cass County District Attorney’s Office said.

Now advocates are stepping in to demand answers. On April 3, Minister Quanell X, the leader of the New Black Panther Nation, traveled four hours from Houston to hold a press conference in Cass County and demanded that the FBI and Department of Justice step in to investigate. The FBI has not responded to a request for comment from Yahoo News.

Quanell X stood beside the mother of the Oliver sisters during the press conference. “She was told that they drowned, but she always had a suspicious feeling that the girls did not drown. Well, her suspicions were confirmed by the autopsies,” Quanell told Yahoo News.

The Cass County District Attorney’s Office is currently working with the Texas Rangers and the sheriff’s office to investigate the murders. “Multiple witness statements have been obtained, DNA testing is ongoing, and the investigation will continue,” according to a statement obtained by Yahoo News from the district attorney’s office. Yahoo News contacted the office for additional information but a spokesperson declined to provide more details.

According to U.S. Census data from 2022, Cass County has a population of 28,539 people, and advocates say the town does not have enough resources to investigate three homicides.

“They were presumed drowned because of a sham investigation, a lazy investigation by investigators who obviously didn't have the resources, the training that was necessary to properly address an investigative crime scene,” Quanell said.

Investigators are still searching for suspects, but experts say the months-long time lapse could have been avoided.

“The usual time frame [for autopsies] depends, I would say within two weeks,” David Thomas, professor of forensic studies at Florida Gulf Coast University, told Yahoo News.

But for small towns, “they send those autopsies off to a whole different county, hours away from that county to do the autopsy,” Quanell said.

However, the autopsy reports are just one piece of the puzzle. Thomas says more could have been done at the time investigators found the girls in the pond.

“They sat and they made an assumption that they had drowned, which would be unusual for three people to drown at the same place, at roughly the same time — [it] doesn’t make any sense,” Thomas told Yahoo News. “If it was Gabby Petito, the world would have come to a stop.”

Revolt Black News weekly recently reported that authorities were aware that a crime had occurred soon after the incident, but just recently released the information to the public last month. “However, they didn’t say why they delayed sharing the info,” the article stated.

“At the end of the day, any seasoned investigators when they retrieved the bodies from the [pond] would have been able to see that this was more than some accidental drowning by the bruising on the faces and the necks of the girls,” Quanell said.

Quanell believes the investigation is not a priority because the young girls are all Black. “I think Cass County is doing what Cass County historically does when it comes to investigating injustice and murder involving Black people as victims. They’re not taking this case seriously in my eyes, because it’s not three young white children,” he said.

“National statistics tell us that over 60,000 Black women are missing, and Black women are twice as likely than they appear to be victims of homicide,” Brittany Lewis, co-founder of Research in Action, told Yahoo News in March.

Now experts say the investigation will be much harder because of the lengthy time lapse. “That eight month time gap is devastating,” David Carter, professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University and a former Kansas City, Mo., police officer, told Yahoo News.

“The longer time between when the bodies are found and the investigation begins, the harder it is. It’s harder to find suspects, certainly harder to find witnesses, and harder to find evidence,” Carter said.

Carter says that as a former member of the law enforcement, there’s no excuse for the delay in the investigation. “I’m really at a loss of why a criminal investigation wasn’t started immediately,” Carter said.

As authorities continue to investigate, advocates emphasize that whoever committed these crimes is still at large.

“They could be anywhere,” Thomas said. “But I would say the likelihood that they knew that pond was there would probably give you an indication that it might be somebody local or somebody that's very familiar with the area.”

“This sounds like a very, very targeted personal crime,” Carter added.

There have been no arrests in the nearly year-old case, but more people are pushing for justice. Recently, civil rights attorney Ben Crump and celebrities like Viola Davis and Niecy Nash shared a montage video on social media of the Oliver 3. The video was created by Black Girl Gone, a true crime podcast that sheds light on Black girls and women who are missing.

“A child killer. A serial killer is on the loose. One who was not afraid to murder three children. And if you kill three you will kill more. Especially when you believe you will get away with it like this perpetrator has,” Quanell said.

On April 26, Quanell and the New Black Panther Nation plan to host a town hall in Cass County, as they continue to seek justice for the Oliver sisters.

[hollowed-theory-hall]

re.: the weasleys + parenting

what's always bugged me most abt percy's fight with arthur (especially in the fandom, where everyone's like 'oh, he turned his back on harry and betrayed his family to side w the ministry) is that. that's hardly what the fight is about at all. the fight is about the fact that percy, an 18yo kid who just got promoted to his dream job instead of straight up losing any chance at ever being Minister (because they tried to scapegoat him into taking the blame for the crouch business even though he managed to keep the whole department running while his boss wasn't even there), comes home all excited to tell his parents that "Hey, he's not unemployed and bereft of any and all hope for his biggest dream", but rather that his skills and competence got recognized by The Most Important Man In The Government, and molly and arthur look him straight in the face and go—"no you didn't."

there is no mention whatsoever that they even try to be gentle about it, that they congratulate him first and then bring it up later like "just be careful around Fudge, he's always looking for people to get information from and you are the best of both worlds, close to the action and actually good at the job he hired you for", nothing of the sort. they straight up don't even consider how any of those factors might've weighed in Fudge's decision to hire him.

and, perhaps worst of all, they have no faith in Percy. he tells them "I'm working for the minister", and not only do they not spare a second to be happy for him over this frankly momentous achievement (or at the very least concern for the position it puts him in), they jump straight to conjectures and accusations. "you only got this because of Harry" has got to crush Percy, who was raised to believe that good things come to honest, hard-working people and who has been working for this since he was a small child. and it digs the knife deeper when you realize that most of his siblings have basically replaced him with Harry. Harry, who also plays Quidditch and also keeps throwing himself into death-defying dangers and overalls fits much better into the family dynamic than Percy ever has.

and there's just this. crystal clear implication that they do believe Percy would spy on them. he's so Different and Other and Un-Weasley/Gryffindor-like and they've alienated themselves from him so absolutely that they can't see any reasons he wouldn't willingly and consciously jeopardize his parents' livelihood and Harry & his siblings safety just to stay in the Minister's good graces, when if anyone's actually at risk of losing their job for siding with Dumbledore is his father, who's still working there quite merrily and continues to so for a long time afterwards.

Percy, who runs into a freezing lake mid-February while attending an international event as Crouch's replacement to make sure Ron is alright, who pesters Ginny to eat and have a pepper-up potion most of her first year bc she doesnt look well, who tails Harry and Ron a lot of their second and third years bc there's something petrifying kids and then Dementors on the grounds and a mass murderer on the loose and they all just think he's being willfully bothersome like no you idiots he's worried.

of course he left. of course he left. what did he have to gain by staying at the Burrow, beyond fresh home cooked meals harassment and disagreements? why wouldn't he leave?

sorry I have a lot of feelings about this.

No need to apologize, this is brilliantly written!

I don't even feel like I need to add anything as you summed up the Percy situation perfectly.

But I can't help myself because I love discussing the Weasley family dynamics, so it's a bit more rumbley than my usual...

Percy cares so much for his family. When Voldemort is revealed and the war actually starts, he puts all his disagreements with his parents aside to come and help and make sure they're okay, because he cares. And still, he is being shunned and treated like an outsider.

Arthur and Molly Weasley are just really good at alienating their kids because it isn't just Percy.

Somehow all of them succeded in feeling like outsiders in a family of 9. Bill shows frustration with his parents and only returns to Britain because of the war, Charlie's in Romania for most of the series. Fred and George run away the moment they can and are treated like trouble by their parents most of the time (Molly and Arthur assume they are selling stolen goods from Mundungus when they hear they have money, not that they, idk, somehow earned it), Ron has a whole complex of low self-esteem and a tendency to blame himself for everything. Ginny is isolated from her brothers as the only girl and youngest...

And Percy cares and tries to be the best and most responsible sibling and gets scorned in turn.

Harry and Ron do acknowledge Arthur's and Molly's accusation towards Percy was awful and that he was right to respond negatively in OOTP. Ron is just sensitive about their family's financial state which soured Percy to him after Percy blew up at their dad (rightfully so, honestly, I'd say way worse to Arthur if it was me).

The thing is, Percy also gets scorned by his siblings, not just his parents (like Fred and George do). He gets grief for trying to be responsible and for wanting his siblings to do well in school and not get in trouble, Fred and George lock him in a pyramid...

That being said, do I think Percy is perfect? No, he is pretentious and overbearing at times, but he is a child in a large family who tries to find a place to fit himself in. According to child psychology, usually when it comes to siblings, the eldest would usually (at least in childhood) try to be everything the parents want (Bill), and then each next sibling will carve a different niche for themselves, and we see this with the Weasleys. I think the twins being born right after Percy and demanding a lot of attention from their parents from a young age as they were little troublemakers from the start is a big reason why Percy chose the niche of being bookish, ambitious, and responsible for himself. To contrast himself with them and his older brothers and get some attention from their parents.

I'm not a fan of the epilog (like everyone), but I find it hard to imagine Percy being close to his family post-books. I think he never fully got over the sting of not being seen as skilled and competent and that his parents believed he'd turn on them all without a second thought. Nor do I think he should just get over it.

Like, I'm really salty that Percy was the only one to apologize:

“I was a fool!” Percy roared, so loudly that Lupin nearly dropped his photograph. “I was an idiot, I was a pompous prat, I was a—a—” “Ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron.” said Fred. Percy swallowed. “Yes, I was!” “Well, you can’t say fairer that that,” said Fred, holding out his hand to Percy. Mrs. Weasley burst into tears. She ran forward, pushed Fred aside, and pulled Percy into a strangling hug, while he patted her on the back, his eyes on his father. “I’m sorry, Dad.” Percy said.

(Deathly Hollows, pages 512-513)

Like, yes, it's great he was smart enough to realize the ministry is corrupt, but this demand only for him to apologize when Molly and Arthur Weasley were just as much in the wrong. Fred and George weren't beacons of sainthood here either. But none of them have apologies demanded of them. None of them are demanded to confess they are "morons". Just Percy.

Who even after his apology is still an outsider. Probably always will be one.

You said it best: "Why wouldn't he leave?"

And that's what we see him do (if temporarily).

[dailyadventureprompts]

Deity: Nerull, The One Who Sorts The Bones

It's said they found the god in the old tombs, in that forgotten quiet where long eras had worn away all the epitaphs. They drew in a breath of the still air and on their exhalation the god took flight into the world on vulture's wings. -The Silent Testimonies, book 1

A god not of death, but of the dead, Nerull presides those aspects of the mortal coil that lay beyond the Raven Queen's domain of mourning and memory. Someone must keep vigil for the departed long after their names have passed from the memories of the living, and so that duty falls to Nerull, who's chosen people are the spirits that have lingered in the world far longer than they were ever alive.

Beyond the dead, the vulture’s faithful are an eclectic lot. Itinerant gravetenders, scholars of forgotten tongues, Bonesetters who's experience with embalming helps them minister to the living.  To Serve Nerull you must first die, though this is often symbolic.

Unlike his fellow carrion-bird death god, Nerull's following does not frown on the use of necromancy, or the existance of undead. Ghost stories, whether vengeful or sorrowful are considered holy for the way their memory transcends time. The exception to this reverence of course are those trapped in suffering, and the "hungry" dead who feed on the living. Pain and want are after all the purview of life, and Nerull dispatches hunters and psychopomps to ease such spirits along their way.

Adventure Hooks:

While out on their travels the party encounters a procession of grey pilgrims, masked and shrouded, all silent save for the leader of their procession who carries a staff jingling with bells and welcomes the party to sit by his fire. He tells tale of conflicts across the realm, new and old, shared with her by her flock, and invites the party to walk along with them the next day if they wish to see something splendid. Should the party agree to such unsettling company they will walk until sunset when they come to a hillside dotted with loose stones, where one by one the pigrims will walk out and begin constructing their own cairns. The procession leader will thank them for their observance, not many are so kind to the unnamed dead, and will reward them with answers to five questions before departing on pallid wings.

After inexplicably befriending one of Nerull's agents (and possibly his daughter?) during one of their adventures, the party are liable to be put out when they don't see their favourite psychopomp for a while. Queue sightings of a foreboding spectre that's knocking one by one on the doors of the city at night, sending people into a panic. Imagine their surprise when it turns out this wraith has a message for them... their favourite omen of doom has been kidnapped by a necromancer and her boss (dad?) wants them to get her back.

The Vulture's work is never done, and this time he's decided to enlist the heroes for aid. Perhaps there's an undead spirit that needs to be quieted, perhaps there's something sinister at work in a ruin once consecrated in his name, perhaps it's just making sure they clean up after themselves after their latest stint of tombrobbing. Regardless, Nerull can offer the heroes something far beyond coin... closure with the dead, ensuring visitation with a loved one for some much needed closure.

Titles: The Vulture, The Bonesorter, Dead Ned, the weary reaper, the vagabond end.

Signs: Plants too dry to rot, the voices of the departed carried on the wind, skeletons rearranged into trees or gardens.

Symbols: A scythe or sickle entwined with flowers.

[wisteria-lodge]

hi op!! hope you're doing well. genuine question, but do you think lucius pays his taxes? he makes public donations and associates with the ministry to a rather personal extent that i imagine he at least forks over some to whatever department at the MoM handles taxes but he does strike me as the person who'd at least find ways to evade being taxed (writing off business dealings as personal purchases to avoid getting taxed for them, donating to charity to get a write-off for the money, having some under the table deals so what taxes he has to pay for wiltshire are rather minimized) but what do you think?

Now I'm thinking about how taxes work in the wizarding world.

Okay, so one of the interesting things about HP is that pure-blood wizards are sort of stuck in the 1700s. There are a few aesthetic/fashion details from the 1800s, but in terms of tech level and the way the world is set up, we're still pre-industrial revolution. Which makes sense! The wizards never had an industrial revolution, and split away from the muggle world in the late 1600s.

(Phillip Pullman was also doing a psuedo 1700s-1800s thing for his children's fantasy series at around the same time. Cannot prove that JKR has any knowledge of His Dark Materials, but another English author writing a similar kind of book? Stealth-setting a book in the 1700s isn't such an out-there choice.)

That means a lot of the issues people have with the HP world building are really just issues with... life in the 1700s. Why is there no mental health care? 1700s. Why is the Hogwarts curriculum so weird? 1700s. Why is slavery okay? 1700s. Why is there no drinking age, and you can just purchase drugs (love potion) over the counter? 1700s.

In a similarly 1700s way, the Wizarding World seems to be composed of semi-autonomous fiefdoms, which report back to the Ministry of Magic. On paper, the Ministry has has control over Hogwarts, St. Mungos, the various pure-blood estates. Whether or not that's that's totally true... I mean the Ministry tries and fails to take over Hogwarts in Book 5, and in Book 2 they clearly *try* to prosecute the Malfoys for holding dark contraband, but never get very far.

Here's what I would do, if I were writing something political based in the Harry Potter universe. The Wizengamot seems to be the oldest ruling body (its name is a pun on the Wittengamot, which is from the 7th century.) So probably those seats are inherited (House of Lords style) possibly with a magical component involved. New members can be added, but only by existing members voting them in. The Wizengamot serves as the High Court (as we see - more normal cases are processed by the Council of Magical Law, and Arthur is really wrong-footed when he hears Harry is getting a *Wizengamot* trial.)

They also probably have some sort of pass/veto power, and the power to elect/replace a Minister of Magic. (the position was "offered" to Dumbledore multiple times, but he turned it down. So he's definitely not campaigning in a general election.) I doubt they actually *write* laws - that seems to be handled by the more bureaucratic-flavored Ministry members like Arthur and Percy, who do *not* sit on the Wizengamot.

I'd also have it so that taxes were handled in a more 1700s style. There'd be a lot of sales tax, which the Ministry would be able to enforce because I'm pretty sure they they oversee food production. There would also be a fee for the various Ministry-run procedures like booking overseas portkeys (and legal-social functions? the officiant at Dumbledore's funeral and Fleur's wedding is pretty Ministry coded.) "Pay a fine" seems to be a pretty common punishment in this world - which isn't a tax, but definitely a way for the Ministry to make money. I wonder if people like Ludo Bagman *bought* his position. It would be very 1700s of him.

Then there's property tax, and this is where the the old pure-blood families on the Wizangamot come in. I think the Ministry presents a budget to the Wizangamot, and *they* make up the difference, among themselves. At which point yes of course Lucius finds ways to weasel out of paying if he doesn't like the current minister, if he doesn't like the deal he's getting, if he's just feeling pissy that day, whatever. But at the end of the day, they collect their own taxes from the various spheres they control.

Now we're getting into headcanons, but I think the Malfoy money comes from primarily being landlords. At *very least,* Malfoy Manor has a magical satellite village (a la Hogsmeade or Ottery St. Catchpole) that they just own and probably low-key police. (they probably also just own a chunk of Wiltshire.) I also highly, highly doubt that the Malfoys gave up all their ties to the muggle world post Statue of Secrecy. If every new Muggle Prime Minister has a meeting with the Minister of Magic, then... I bet every time Lloyds of London gets a new CEO, Lucius Malfoy shows up to say, "We get 1.5% off the top. My bankers will be in touch." Goblins don't care about the Ministry's laws even slightly, and there's got to be an exchange rate if Hermione's parents can show up to Diagon Alley and buy her books.

All of the old pureblood families are going to have their own *thing,* their own under-the table agreements and sweetheart deals. The Blacks strike me as being big into shipping, probably because they're so based in *London.* But yeah, at least to me, this is the sort of thing that gels with the universe that we see.

(Hogwarts and St. Mungo's would be funded the same way, on a smaller scale. A huge part of St. Mungo's budget just seems to be the Malfoys. And Hogwarts has a board of governors who under normal circumstances raise money and make decisions on how to run the school... but they don't seem especially powerful these days. I'll bet it's because whatever endowment Hogwarts has/whatever funds Dumbledore has at his disposal *are* enough to run it... which is why Dumbledore can do whatever he wants, and becomes an almost independent political entity.)

[greyeyedmonster-18]

we meet again

(so @arliedraws created a slytherin!sirius universe in which james in an auror and sirius is a death eater (or is he??) and they have unfulfilled homoerotic urges for one another and i...came up with this idea, and it's been in my brain (and @impishtubist's SMS text messages for licherally months). It seemed that arlies most recent day of birth was an appropriate time to drop this. xoxo)

--

James's cheeks hurt from smiling so widely as two first-year aurors brought out a cake, lit with an abundance of candles that shot up into the air spelling out Happy Retirement Auror Potter! To complete the package, the cake was decorated as a tropical lagoon. Crystal blue waters, and yellow sprinkles on top to mimic a sunset. Sending James a final subliminal message to cash in his 30 years of unspent vacation time, aside from a few days here and there, and disappear into the tropics. Off the grid, off radar, off the cases. Officially.

Not that James was one who ever said I cannot wait to retire in passing--because he had loved every moment of his years in the aurors department. His first year in the training program, his first big raid, his promotion to Senior Auror, to Director of the Department and finally in his last year, the ultimate promotion of having the responsibility of training new aurors. He had put in the work, and he could leave the department and rest easy knowing everyone left behind would continue to do faithful and just work for the wizarding world. Including his son, Harry who, after years of telling James no I'm not coming into the department, I don't want to, I'm not following in your footsteps, shove off, Dad and trying a host of obscure occupations just to prove a point (most recently a shop clerk at Florean Flortescue) he finally confessed to James he had applied.

James tried to pretend he wasn't elated. Harry tried to pretend he wasn't equally as excited, both of them concealing smiles on Harry's first day in the department. Keeping it cool as the Potter Men were known to do.

"I can't believe you actually did it," Harry said, as cake was passed around, the retirement party in full swing. James was halfway through his slice, blue frosting magically enchanted to pool around the rim of his plate.

"Did you doubt it?"

"Yes," Harry stressed, alongside Moody and Sturgis Podmore, both chatting within earshot. Harry gave James a pointed look, as if to say see, it's not just me. "I thought you were going to delay it again just last week when you got all weepy about writing the report details for your last training class. 12 pages--"

"It's important to be thorough--"

"And that last one was damp, swear," Harry teased, and James shook his head cutting off another bite of cake.

"Oh, just you wait. You'll be crying at your desk too when the time comes," James told him, teeth tinted blue as he spoke, "and you'll look around and wonder where the time went and wish you could--"

Harry dropped his head to the side, closing his eyes and letting out a small snore, earning a loud laugh from Moody, before pretending to wake up, "Sorry? I must've fallen asleep while you were reminiscing."

"Reflecting," James corrected.

"Much more interested in our vacation--"

"Oh no, you're much too busy," James told him, letting out a low whistle, "I've seen that training curriculum and I don't think you'll have time for much of anything for the next few...years?" James shrugged, "Looks like I'll be seeing Santorini, and Turks and Caicos all by myself. Maybe I'll finally take your advice and," James paused to think for a moment, "What is it you've been telling me? Find--"

James sentence was cut off by the department doors opening, Kingsley Shacklebolt striding in, violet robes trailing behind him, jaw clenched and eyebrows close together. James couldn't help but laugh a little as Harry seemed to straighten up, putting his hands behind his back as the Minister of Magic made his way toward Moody and the other Senior Aurors in the room. James had known Kingsley for years--and by extension, Harry had known Kingsley for years, but everything seemed to shift when Kingsley went from Your Dads Friend with the Cool Tattoos and Earrings, to Minister of Magic and Effectively Your Boss. Harry cleared his throat and gave James a nod, before following the other younger aurors in looking extremely busy around the office. Suddenly papers were all too out of place, and there was much work to be done, when only moments before, they were playing a rousing game of napkin Quidditch.

"Sorry, Potter, this celebration may have to be cut short. Auror Bones just sent a patronus, and that burglary down at Diagon Alley might not be so simple after all," Shacklebolt said, dropping his voice lower, "The owner of the shop confessed to having some...untoward artifacts in the back, and you'll never guess what was taken."

"What kind of artifacts?" James asked.

"You're retired, Potter."

James looked at his watch, "I'm not retired for another two hours, now what kind of artifacts?"

"Reliquaries is how the owner described them. Heirlooms that have been passed down in his family for centuries...which means--"

"Layers of dark magic." Moody mumbled.

"That's not the important piece, I'm afraid," Kingsley continued, "The only reason the owner knew there had been a burglary was because the backdoor was left unlocked. I remember when I was a junior auror here...there was a series of home theft...shop theft...all of them with the back entry way left open and--"

"A note," James cut him off immediately, eyes wide as his heart pounded against his rib cage. He could feel a flush fall over his body, acid rising in his throat.

"Oh no," muttered Moody.

"What did the note say?" James asked again and Kingsley hesitated, sharing a glance with Moody.

"Potter, you're retiring, enjoy your--"

"What did the note say?" James asked again, this time loud enough to catch the attention of other members of the department.

"Finders keepers."

--

James's ears were ringing as he left the auror department, not even pausing after Kingsley had spoken the words on the note. Two single words, and suddenly James couldn't see straight. Couldn't think straight.

Finders keepers, finders keepers, finders keepers.

It didn't matter that James was set to retire in an hour and a half.

It didn't matter he had left a party in his honor. It also didn't matter that his lips were stained blue from cake, or that he had dinner plans with Harry after the party to celebrate, just the two of them. He threw open the door to his office, the walls now barren and the space void of any personal touches, and quickly went toward his filing cabinet.

This case, had been the only one James had be removed from. This case, had been the only one in thirty years that had just been marked closed with no real resolution. A series of home thefts over the course of three months, all seemingly connected, but they came up empty every time, eventually abandoning it. After three months, after James was removed from the case, not a single report.

Every time a burglary had been called in since, James read the file and poured over every detail, hoping for more information. For a reason to reopen the case. But none was ever found. James had the dates memorized. Pulling each report one by one, and opening them to the notes found at each scene.

Finders keepers.

He grabbed the files, shrinking them and shoving them into the pockets of his robes, wand in hand as he left his office once more, closing the door behind him. Moody, and Kingsley were already on their way down the hall, nearly chasing after James, urgency in their footsteps to stop him from doing something stupid.

"Potter!" Moody barked

"Evening, Alastor. I believe I have a party to be getting back to," James said simply, though sweat was dripping down his back, beading on the center of his forehead. He ran a hand through his greying hair, in a way he hoped was nonchalant and not in a way that looked dangerously suspicious.

"Potter, do I need to remind you, you were removed from this case and--"

"I'm retired, w-why in Merlins name would--don't be--no, I-I'm not, and there's no, it's a party! I'm having a great time, have a good night!" James gave them both a wave before resuming his brisk walk-run down the hallway, shoes squeaking on the tile floor, eager to get out of the department

He knew where to go.

He knew he shouldn't be going there.

But.

He had to.

There was a fireplace on the first floor of the Ministry of Magic for floo access. James approached the fireplace, thinking, briefly, that perhaps it was foolish to think that after all this time he might still have access--clearance-- to this location. He grasped a handful of floo powder anyway, closing his eyes as he stepped into the fireplace.

"NUMBER TWELVE GRIMMAULD PLACE!"

--

The sitting room looked exactly as James remembered it.

Sort of.

The curtains had been changed. They were a deep yellow now instead of grey like they were the last time James was here. The carpet had been removed, and James stepped out of the fireplace onto cool hardwood floors.

The pristine black leather couch, and the gaudy chandelier were the same though. So were the end tables, and the armchair in the corner with a hand-embroidered throw pillow. James had laughed at it then, because a crook shouldn't have had something so dainty and delicate so proudly on display in their home. So distracted by the decor, the once familiar smells and sounds of Number 12, he didn't notice the man in the doorway.

"I have to admit, Potter, this is quite the surprise."

James jumped, hand immediately grasping the wand on the inside of his robes, attention turning toward the man in the doorway. Dress shirt rolled up to his elbows, not quite tucked into his trousers; dark hair cut shorter than the last time James saw him. 20 years ago. He was wearing house slippers, which shouldn't have been odd, considering they were indoors and among other names James could've called him, Sirius Black was far from a barbarian, and knew better than to wear shoes around the house. But the slippers were fur lined. And James had to stop the corners of his mouth from grinning--just as they had at the pillow.

All at once, James was in his thirties again. Not his fifties.

And he was staring at Sirius Black. Tall, dark, irritating, criminal , Sirius Black. Thoughts racing, with absolutely nothing to say. Tongue swollen in his mouth.

"I could have you arrested," Sirius remarked casually, tilting his head to the side. "I believe this is what people in your line of work call trespassing, isn't it?"

"Your floo let me in," James responded, sounding much younger, and much more petulant than he intended. It was always that way around Sirius. James had thought that years as an auror would put him in a better position to deal with Sirius Black and his quick tongue. That this time he would be ready, and James would be able to respond with ease and not stare and stammer as he did in the past.

He was wrong.

"Ah, so this is just poor manners? Or did I forget the moment I invited you to my home? Did we have dinner plans?"

"Well, no but--"

"No to poor manners? Or no I didn't forget?"

James rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, "We didn't have plans, Black. I'm not here for a chat--"

"But we have so much to catch up on. It's been ages-- how's your son?"

"Cut the shit, Black. I know you were behind the burglary down in Diagon Alley."

Sirius gasped, pressing his hand to his chest, looking surprised and affronted by James's accusation, "Me? But I've been at home all day. Baking. Would you like a slice of rhubarb, Potter?" Sirius gestured with his head, turning around to walk back through the doorway and down the hall of Grimmauld Place.

James followed.

"Well, don't stand there, you can have a seat. Make yourself at home," Sirius gestured to the kitchen table. Fresh flowers in the center. James took a seat, watching as Sirius waved his wand to begin slicing a pie on the counter, all the while smirking at James with his arms folded across his chest. "Do you still take your tea with cream?"

"No!" James objected, "I mean, I do but don't offer me tea, I'm here--"

"Yes, yes, very official auror business, I remember. Just because you have poor manners and show up unannounced to people's homes--"

"I don't!"

"--doesn't mean that I do, and you're a guest in my home, so I am going to offer you tea. Do you still take it with cream?"

"Yes...thank you," James said, watching as Sirius poured two cups of tea, sending them over to the table, along with the pie before joining James.

Black still had that same damn smile. Not a grey hair in sight, though had more creases under his eyes.

"Thank you," James repeated, looking down at the pie in front of him, something clicking in his brain. "Why...why do you have this pie?"

Sirius smiled slowly. "Why not?"

"Why do you have a rhubarb pie, Black?"

"Well, since you asked. A little birdie told me you were retiring from the auror department and...I just thought I'd...prepare for the occasion. It's your favorite, isn't it?"

[beardedmrbean]

The U.K.'s last coal-fired power plant was to close permanently on Monday — bringing an end to 140 years of reliance on the fossil fuel to generate electricity in Britain. The move will make the U.K. the first major global economy to completely phase out coal as an energy source. 

The Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, located near a small village in southern England, was to close its doors for the last time at midnight local time. The power station has been generating electricity since 1967 and "played a key role in keeping the nation's lights on," its parent company Uniper said in a statement Monday. 

"Since commissioning it has produced enough energy to make more than 21 trillion cups of tea and its 2GW capacity is enough to power two million homes," the company said. 

Peter O'Grady, the plant's manager, told CBS News it was "an emotional day."

"When I started my career 36 years ago, none of us imagined a future without coal generation in our lifetimes. I am incredibly proud of what we've achieved together over the years and to be part of this energy milestone as the country focuses on a cleaner energy future," he said.

The move sees the U.K. make good on one of the environmental pledges made by the government as part of a wider strategy to combat climate change and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Coal is considered the single most damaging fossil fuel for the environment, according to Greenpeace, as it releases more carbon dioxide than oil or gas. Coal also produces mercury and arsenic, and small particles of soot which contribute to air pollution.

Thirteen countries have already phased out coal as a source of energy, according to independent climate think tank Ember, but Britain will be the only member of the G7 group of economically advanced, democratic nations to do so thus far.

In the G7's largest economy by a significant margin, the U.S., the Department of Energy acknowledges that coal is still "used to generate a significant chunk of our nation's electricity" — about 16% of the total share in 2023, according to the Energy Information Administration.

U.K. Energy Minister Michael Shanks said in a statement sent Monday to CBS News that the closure of the Ratcliffe power station "marks the end of an era, and coal workers can be rightly proud of their work powering our country for over 140 years."

"The era of coal might be ending, but a new age of good energy jobs for our country is just beginning," Shanks said. 

The first coal plant in Britain went online in 1882, when Thomas Edison's Holborn Viaduct coal plant started generating electricity for public use. It was a first-of-its-kind station, and it burned enough coal to provide energy to light 1,000 lamps in the City of London.

Despite efforts to make the industry cleaner, the fundamentals of coal-fired electricity generation have remained largely unchanged since Edison's company fired up its boilers. The process involves burning the fossil fuel to heat water to create steam, which spins a turbine to produce electricity.

[girlactionfigure]

Now this is a victory👇

After being exposed for encouraging, facilitating, and even participating in the murderous Hamas invasion of southern Israel, UNRWA has been forced to close its headquarters in Jerusalem.

UNRWA shutters eastern Jerusalem headquarters The agency’s exit from Jerusalem is a “historic moment” and “the end of the era of disgrace,” said Knesset member Dan Illouz. By Israel Today Staff • November 27, 2024 On Tuesday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) announced the closure of its headquarters in eastern Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. The move, which marks a significant shift in its operations, comes in the wake of the Israeli government’s decision to sever ties with the agency and recent legislative action banning its activities within Israel. According to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hadath network, UNRWA is transferring key departments, including legal, communications, external relations and the commissioner-general’s office to locations outside Israel. The relocation affects Palestinian employees at the Sheikh Jarrah facility, who have been given 12 months to find alternative employment. The closure follows the Israeli Knesset’s approval in October of a law prohibiting UNRWA’s operations in Israel. Knesset member Dan Illouz, one of the law’s co-sponsors, celebrated UNRWA’s departure, stating, “The evacuation of UNRWA offices from Jerusalem is a historic moment. This is the end of the era of disgrace in which Israel allowed an anti-Israeli organization to operate in the heart of our capital.” The Israeli legislation followed revelations that a number of UNRWA personnel were deeply involved in Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. UNRWA has consistently denied accusations of ties to terrorism, asserting its neutrality and humanitarian focus. The agency was established in 1949 with the mission of providing education, healthcare and social services to Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. However, critics, including Israeli officials and watchdog groups, have long accused the agency of perpetuating the refugee issue decades after the Palestinians should have been settled, as well as of being thoroughly infiltrated by terrorist groups. David Mencer, the spokesman for the Public Diplomacy Directorate of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, told reporters, “We have provided much evidence that UNRWA works hand-in-hand with Hamas,” referring to the Hamas server farm found under UNRWA’s Gaza headquarters, the UNRWA staffers who took part in the Oct. 7 massacre and the tunnels found underneath UNRWA schools in Gaza. “UNRWA is useless at aid distribution. UNRWA is useless at education, except glorifying suicide bombers and encouraging Jew-killing, and Israel sees no role whatsoever for UNRWA in Gaza after this war en

[fieldofdaisiies]

Modern AU - Azriel worries there are too many constrasts between him and Eris, but he would never address it, not wanting to hurt his boyfriend. Obviously Eris notices and they... for @azrisweek | azrisweek masterlist | read on ao3 | no warnings

“Are you ready, my love?” Eris‘ voice is laden with impatience when it reaches Azriel through the bathroom door. 

Azriel presses his lips in a thin line.

He technically is ready. But also not. Appearance wise he has been ready for nearly an hour, mentality wise…not. This is not for him. This whole rich people get together isn’t for him, has never been and he feels nervousness bloom rapidly in his chest at the thought of it.

“Five minut—,” he calls back, but is interrupted when the door opens behind him (damn him for accepting the no-lock bathroom doors). 

The door hits the wall with a silent thump, and Eris, wearing a perfectly tailored suit, is revealed, his appearance absolutely immaculate. Azriel nearly gasps, would have done so under different circumstances. If he wasn’t so…stressed and uncomfortable at this moment.

Eris steps forward and leans against the doorframe, gives his boyfriend a once-over, then smiles. “I would say you are very ready, my love.” He wants to walk up to Azriel and softly smack his backside, but when he sees the look on his lover‘s face, he immediately stops himself.

“Tell me what’s going on.” No question, an order. He doesn’t like dancing around topics — any sort of problems or issues or discomforts should be addressed immediately.

“Nothing,” Azriel mumbles silently, not able to meet Eris‘ gaze through the mirror. His eyes are lowered to the sink he has his hands braced on. His scarred and ugly hands, marred forever from an accident in his childhood. A shudder courses down his spine.

“I won’t leave this bathroom until you tell me.”

“But the department dinner, we can’t be late,” Azriel grumbles.

Eris snorts, and shakes his head, his arms curling around Azriel’s waist, his body flush against his lovers. “Tell me.”

Azriel straightens a little when he leans into his boyfriend’s hold, his own hands sliding over Eris‘ lower arms. “Do you really want to bring me? Wouldn’t you like to be seen with someone more…someone who is better?”

“Better?” Eris repeats, tone tinged with disbelief.

“Yes.”

“Better at what?”

Azriel frowns. “Just better than me!”

“Better than my stunning and marvellous boyfriend?”

Azriel wants to hum and accept the compliment, but he can’t, not right now. Not when doubts gnaw so heavily on his heart he finds it even hard to breathe.

“Someone who fits in better than I do.”

“Why wouldn’t you fit in?” Eris rests his chin atop Azriel’s shoulder. “You are there with me. As my partner, my plus one. I won’t leave your side all evening, there is nothing to worry about.”

But there is so much to worry about, Azriel thinks and closes his eyes. 

Last time when he joined Eris for one of these fancy dinners, he felt immensely ashamed. There were at least three forks and two spoons and only God knows how many knives around his plate and he had no idea which one to use for what. Eris explained the table customs to him, not minding at all that Azriel didn’t know, but for Azriel it was still an awkward situation. One he doesn’t want to repeat. But one he has been replaying in his mind many times.

Because Azriel often finds himself wondering if he truly fits into Eris‘ world. He wasn’t born into a rich family like Eris. His mother was a single parent and while growing up they only ever had the bare minimum. 

Eris has always had a different life — he has always known what fortune meant, growing up as the prime minister’s son and now working as a renowned doctor. How and why he chose to be someone like him, still often surprises Azriel.

“Hm?” Eris asks, not yet having received an answer from his boyfriend.

“Just my usual doubts,” Azriel answers. He has to smile a little when lips brush the side of his neck, sending wrong signals to a southern part of his body. Eris just knows which levers to push inside of his boyfriend to distract him from his bad thoughts. Most of the time it truly works wonders, but other times…other times he needs more than that.

Either them talking for hours, or Eris holding Azriel throughout the whole night, kissing his hair, gently rubbing his back with his warm hand. 

But there isn’t time for any of these things now. They need to leave.

“Don‘t worry, I‘m happy to be your plus one tonight.”

The simply lie is needed because he doesn’t want Eris to be sad. He wants Eris to enjoy this dinner and he wants to be a good boyfriend. Eris’ should have the life he deserves, because Azriel knows that growing up —despite never having to worry about money— wasn’t easy for Eris either and if there is one thing Eris now truly deserves then it is happiness.

“You know I always worry, Azriel,” Eris mumbles. “Especially when it comes to you and your happiness. I want you to be—”

“I know.” Azriel forces a smile onto his lips and finally meets Eris‘ gaze through the mirror. “We‘ll talk when we get home.”

———————

His hands have turned so sweaty that the champagne glass nearly slides out of his palm, and a buzzing sound borne from nervousness starts in his ears. Carefully, Azriel places the glass on one of the cocktail tables, and glances around him, hoping to make out his boyfriend in the bustling crowd of all of Eris‘ coworkers.

Where the hell is he? Azriel asks himself. Eris had promised him to stay with him all night, but then he went to the restroom and hasn’t returned since. He is probably talking to someone… Azriel ponders and absentmindedly rubs his palm over his jaw.

While Eris is kind of a social butterfly at such gatherings, Azriel would always love to just morph into the wall or disappear completely — they contrast like night and day.

Maybe I’m really not the right one for someone like Eris? They are similar in many aspects, but also as different as cats and dogs in many other ways. In too many ways. What if they won’t work out in the end?

Azriel loves Eris more than anything, more than his own life. He  knows the sentiment is returned. But what if in the end, they find out that their differences are too big to truly lead a life together?

Azriel shakes his head, and is brought back to the moment when someone bumps into his shoulder. A short woman with black hair whom he knows as Doctor Amren. He only knows about her from stories that Eris told him — apparently she looks much younger than she actually is, and is dating one of the doctors in training, Varian.

Eris, although he always tries to deny it, loves gossip. Just like Azriel. The corners of his mouth lift the tiniest bit. He would also never admit it, so at least this is something they have in common (among other things, of course). 

Despite that small comfort, the doubts won’t leave Azriel. After checking once more to see if he can find Eris somewhere in the crowd, but still not catching sight of him, he knows he doesn’t want to stay here.

He needs a moment for himself. And since this place is filled with people, he knows he needs to get out. There are three options: restroom, balcony or the elevator. The elevator sounds like the least rational and so does the balcony where everyone can see him and maybe get the idea to walk out to him and talk to him. So restroom is his only hope to find solace there and catch a moment to calm his mind.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“Azriel?” He can hear Eris outside the door, and decides that it is quite silly to stay hidden here and let his boyfriend keep on searching. So he does the only thing he considers rational and mature. 

“I‘m here,” he says matter-of-factly, feeling stupid the moment the words leave him. Of course, he is here.

“Can I come in?”

Azriel doesn’t answer him, only turns the key and wordlessly opens the door. His shoulders are slightly drooped, the corners of his mouth downturned.

“I‘m sorry for leaving you alone.”

“I had to relieve myself.”

Eris shoots Azriel an incredulous look, not one bit buying that poor lie. “I have been looking for you for at least fifteen minutes, my love.”

Azriel shrugs a shoulder, somehow at a loss for words now that he feels an immense amount of shame creep in again.

He is an adult and not a little child, but with how he is behaving now he definitely resembles a little five year old boy more than a 35 year old man.

“Let me show you something.” Eris uncrosses his arms and reaches out his hand. 

Reluctantly, Azriel agrees, glad that Eris changed the topic. He follows after his boyfriend, his hand sliding into his Eris‘, and slowly and with a lack of motivation he is trailing after Eris until they are outside on one of the large glass balconies. The cool night air embraces him like a cloak and Azriel inhales a deep breath, letting the crisp air cool his racing mind and heavy heart.

He doesn’t really know why they are out here, but he likes it. The thick windows drown out most of the noises — the chatters and music— from the inside and there are no people here.

He glances around, trying to figure out what Eris wanted to show him or if he just wanted to bring him out here for Azriel to relax? There is nothing. Only skyscrapers surrounding them, so Azriel guesses it is the latter option.

“What did you want to show me?” he asks nevertheless.

“Nothing.” Eris shrugs a casual shoulder, then also reaches for Azriel’s other hand, taking it into his and brushing his thumb over the back of Azriel’s. “I only wanted to talk to you. And for you to tell me what is going on.”

Azriel lowers his chin to his chest and suddenly feels even more ashamed and disappointed in himself — in the end he really managed to ruin the evening for Eris. Again…

“Our earlier conversation is still on my mind.”

“Oh, Azriel,” Eris begins to chuckle. “I told you that there would not be a single person that I would rather have here with me than you. You are perfect and amazing, and I love you. And I love having you here. I love having you here with me.”

“That’s not the problem, Eris.” Azriel’s gaze drops to their intertwined hands, his large, scarred hands in Eris pale and neatly manicured ones. Eris‘ are slimmer, softer, his fingers long and boney and his caress always tender. Not like his own which is somehow…brutish, he thinks.

“I don’t fit into your world, Eris,” Azriel answers wistfully. “This,” —he removes one hand from Eris‘ hold to tug at the collar of his tux— “isn’t me. This doesn’t fit me. I look absolutely silly and—”

“Beautiful.” A sad smile appears on Eris‘ lips. “But I understand, and I am sorry.”

Azriel’s eyes open wide, and he flashes Eris an incredulous look. “Wait! Why are you sorry? I just ruined your perfect evening with dinner and—”

“I‘m sorry for forcing you to come with me when you clearly feel uncomfortable. I should have asked, should have noticed earlier that you don’t like these sorts of things. And honestly…the only perfect thing about this dinner is spending time with you.”

“That‘s not true.”

“It is.” Eris hums, and then pecks his boyfriend’s lips. “It really is. I don’t care much about this dinner either. But I care about you, and spending time with you — time you enjoy as well.” His lips coast to the corner of Azriel’s mouth. “Let’s get out of here, and get McDonald‘s?”

“My beloved doctor, you always say it is unhealthy!” Azriel laughs. “And you don’t like—”

“It is unhealthy, but if it means that we are sitting in my car together for hours, talking and eating, in an empty fast food restaurant parking lot, then I love it.”

“Talking and eating?” Azriel cocks a brow, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Rounding it off with sex on the backseat?” Eris grins. “The perfect evening.”

“What will you tell your co-workers?”

“That we are going home. I don’t need to give them a reason.” His hand cradles Azriel‘s cheek and he kisses him softly. “But I can also tell them that my boyfriend has some issues with one of his southern body parts,” —Eris pushes against Azriel to make him aware of exactly which body part he is talking about— “and he desperately wants me to take a look at it.” 

“You are impossible,” Azriel laughs, but is now the one to kiss the other. “I love you.”

——————

“You remember your birthday party?” Eris shoves two fries into his mouth and leans his head against the headrest, looking at Azriel while chewing happily.

“I was quite drunk so you might need to help me a bit,” Azriel chuckles, reaching over to Eris to wipe a droplet of ketchup from the corner of Eris‘ mouth. “What are you getting at?”

“I know exactly how you felt this evening.” Eris curls his fingers around Azriel’s hand before he can pull it back and kisses his knuckles. “I also felt out of place. You, Cass and Rhys and their wives were dancing and partying all night and I asked myself the whole time what I was actually doing there — I don’t like drinking, I don’t like that sort of music, smoking or dancing like this.”

The corners of Azriel’s mouth drop just like his shoulders.

Eris attaches his lips to the back of his boyfriend’s hand again. “But I know why I was there. Because of you. Because I love you, because you are my boyfriend and in a relationship there are always two people and you may not like everything the other likes, but that is alright. It adds variety to the relationship and teaches you that you can and should adapt from time to time.”

Their gazes meet and Eris says in a soft and affectionate tone, “I don’t want you to feel bad for what happened this evening.” 

Azriel presses his lips in a thin line, grinding his teeth hard. “I wanted you to have a good evening.”

“This evening is perfect, Azriel.” The doctor smiles. “And I know we may contrast in a few ways, but that is alright. We love each other, and you despite not wanting to go, coming with me to this dinner proved this to me once more.”

“Don’t you think we contrast too much?”

Eris vehemently shakes his head. “No,” he says. “It would be boring if we were the exact same and liked the exact same things. Relationships and love are all about complementing each other. Sometimes this means doing things for the other you may not like yourself but because you love the other it is alright and acceptable. Making small sacrifices is fine and okay. Of course we shouldn’t completely transform ourselves into a version where we are no longer true to ourselves, but small changes, adaptations…they are alright.”

He pauses for a moment and draws in a deep breath, shoulders and chest lifting, then falling with a loud sigh.

“I love you, Azriel, and nothing will ever change that just because you may not enjoy all the same things I do.”

“I love you,” Azriel whispers, his voice tinged with affection. “And I think…you are right.”

“You think?” Eris raises a brow, a playful smirk on his lips.

“I know you are right because my smart and deadly handsome boyfriend is always right!” Azriel‘s laughter fills the inside of the car and Eris joins in, chest warming and relief seeping into his heart. It is good that they talked. Talking to Eris always helps — already helped at a time where they weren’t even dating yet. 

“Everything’s alright between us?” Azriel asks a little sheepishly, nervous despite the former lightness of the conversation.

Eris smiles behind the napkin he is dabbing his face with. “It is.”

“The evening was really alright?”

“Almost perfect.” Eris grins, tossing the napkin into the bag and a crease appears on Azriel’s forehead. He raises a brow. “Almost?”

The grin turns into a smirk, and playfully flashes in Eris‘ amber eyes. “Get in the back seat.”

general Azris tag list (please let me know if you want to be added/removed): @azrielsbabyg @lady-riel @moonlightazriel @aayo-whatt @brekkershadowsinger @ladyelain @banasheefan56 @a-frog-with-a-laptop @ofduskanddreams @acourtofladydeath @secret-third-thing @born-to-riot @chunkypossum

thank you so much @chunkypossum & @queercontrarian for beta reading💛