#see the minister departments

[hermiones-amortentia]

Does the Weasley bashing stem from their horrible portrayal in movies or there's another reason behind it aka good ol' classism?

Arthur is seen as this aloof, dumb, airhead guy who only talks about rubber ducks. When he is one of the prominent members of the order of the phoenix, exclusively fights death Eaters, is reasonably intelligent and has strong moral compass. Meanwhile Lucius is seen as this badass intelligent suave powerful guy who loses to a couple of 15 yos in the department of mysteries fight.

Molly treats harry as her own son. She risks her life and his family to keep harry safe. She actively fights against deatheaters. She literally never takes a single penny from Harry. But she is seen as this overbearing toxic boy mom who apparently steals from Harry's vault, uses love potion on Harry and Hermione and plots with dumbledore to pimp her daughter. Meanwhile Narcissa the racist, classist, bigoted woman who was gleefully watching an 18 yo girl getting crucioed in her own house by her mad sister is seen as this aristocrat, progressive muggleborn lover wholesome mom who only wants her son to be safe.

Both Narcissa and Molly are housewives. I see numerous people complaining how it's out of character for Molly to kill Bellatrix in a duel when she is an active member of the order for years. While the same people do not give a f that Narcissa lied to the most powerful occlumence in the world. No one says it's out of character.

Don't get me started on Percy and his redemption. Percy came back to his senses, apologized, fought in the battle of Hogwarts. One of the best redemptions after kreacher's. Yet I see no one's salivating over it since people claim to love redemption so much. Yet the fangirling over Regulus Black's futile attempt to get the locket after his slave was harmed by voldemort or Draco Malfoy being the bare minimum king not killing dumbledore face to face are seen as peak redemption.

Also while we are on this topic, Percy got more OWLs than Hermione. He is extremely academic and bright. Why does no one say Percy is Hermione's 'intellectual equal' when so called 'hermione fans' are all about finding her intellectual equal?

Ron. Oh dear ol Ron. Where to start? Boy gets 7 OWLs with mostly Es, is a chess prodigy, can mimic a language that is almost impossible for anyone to copy, is praised by a qualified auror for his combative skills, can conjure slugs with a nonverbal spell in second year, is witty, sarcastic yet he is 'dumb' and 'stupid'. Meanwhile the guy whose father openly says that if his marks don't improve he would have to become a thief or a plunderer and who takes an entire year to fix the vanishing cabinet is seen this smartest wizard in his year. Hermione's true intellectual equal. Ron who gloats about his wife's success and intellect and is her biggest cheerleader is seen as 'he would hold her back and would resent her success' meanwhile the guy who verbally emotionally as well as physically abused her for being a muggleborn, for being smart, is seen as this progressive feminist icon.

Also there's this notion that Ron would want a wife similar to his mother and would prefer a house wife when Ron's one of the biggest insecurities is his mom doesn't love him and he is Expendable. He would keep his wife barefeet pregnant like his mom when his wife became the minister of magic. Meanwhile the progressive feminist icon's wife is a house wife. Not that there's anything wrong in being a house wife. I am just pointing out the irony.

Ginny hate is a combination of both classism and mysogyny. She dated 2 guys before Harry so she is a wh***. Meanwhile Hermione who dated 2 guys before Ron is pure virgin mary.

Bill while not as much bashed as the others is still accused of stealing from Harry's vault, love potioning Fleur and helping dumbles to execute his plan.

Fred George and Charlie get the least amount of hate because

1. They didn't come in the way of people's non canon ships.

2. They are not as relevant as the other Weasleys. So it's easy to ignore them.

The amount of classism and aporophobia Weasleys face is insane.

[a-capricious-creative]

rip harry potter, you would’ve definitely won the hunger games. and i don’t just mean because he can go ages without food due to the dursleys’ starvation.

you’re polyjuiced as a muscular, scary wizard running through the ministry? lean into the intimidation and act like a pureblood supremacist and threaten everyone to get them to comply as you get the muggle-borns out.

you need to free a house-elf whose being poorly treated? wrap your sock over the diary knowing lucius will throw to the side towards dobby and hence free him.

you need your shitty relatives to sign the permission slip? tease them about revealing your horridly abnormal identity as a wizard to the guests coming over.

you need to get your shitty relatives to let you go to the quidditch cup? tell them your godfather is a murderer and that you write to him and intentionally leave out the part that he’s innocent.

you need to manoeuvre a literal dragon to get the egg? fly in circles to make it dizzy and back and forth so it can’t blow fire and high up so it’ll eventually move up so you can zip down and snatch the egg.

you’re trapped in the department of mysteries with your friends? get you and your friends to topple all the shelves and make a run for it.

need to eavesdrop on snape and karkaroff’s conversation? intentionally spill your potion and pretend that you’re innocently just cleaning up.

you need to get back to hogwarts after enduring the cruciatus curse and then duelling voldemort? run at full speed, while dodging spells, with an injured leg and the weight of cedric’s body to the portkey and successfully get away.

your friend needs a confidence boost? successfully gaslight him and everyone else into thinking you added a lucky potion.

the new minister of magic is insinuating that you should be more involved with the ministry and use it to become an auror? actually, no, what he’s actually doing is trying to milk my fame to control public opinion into thinking i support them so that they’ll support them.

oh dobby, you say that malfoy always goes up to the seventh floor with other students? actually what’s happening is that draco flinched in the robes shop be cause he didn’t want the person to see his dark mark, and he went behind the desk in borgin and burkes to show the mark in his left arm. oh, and the reason he’s on the seventh floor is because he’s going to the room of requirements which is also why it isn’t showing on the marauder’s map. oh and hermione, that girl who dropped the brass scales, that was crabbe or goyle polyjuiced to watch the door and alert malfoy if the coast was clear as well as the girls who were following malfoy and the one who dropped the toadspawn.

dumbledore wants me to get information out of slughorn? refill the wine bottle so he drinks more to make him susceptible, reminisce about my mother who was his favourite student and guilt trip this member of authority by mentioning his reluctance to help defeat the wizard who killed lily evans who gave her life to save me and emotionally manipulate him by saying he should be brave like my mother and tell him how noble he’d be for doing it.

a true icon.

[mochi-kisses]

Secrets (18+)

Chapter 1 of 2 - Katakuri x (Accountant) Fem! Reader

3.5k words

warnings: nsfw, size difference, oral, possessiveness, not beta read, i don't know why i made reader an accountant

You’d only moved to Totto Land within the year, but managed to land a decent job working in Komugi Island’s governing body thanks to your previous job at a sugar mill.

Working for pirates was new to you, but finances were not. Calculations of purchases and order slips covered your desk as you punched numbers into a snail calculator. Your notes were impeccably detailed and color coded, and they had to be. You had inherited a rather messy situation. You’d been taken on to balance the books—your hire a personal request from Katakuri, who had become concerned that the previous assignee had been pocketing berries and corrupting the financial balance of Komugi’s wheat production. You found that his concerns were well founded.

Katakuri clearly had the skills to be performing this work himself, but his role as minister kept him busy. It gave you some comfort that he had a level of familiarity with your work, as you were the current lone employee within Komugi’s finance department. Everyone else had been ran off by the corruption scandal, so you were alone in the office.

Moving to a new area with no friends, no family, you had no one to talk to except this large man working down the hall whose work ethic matched your own. It was nice to have someone around who understood your struggles, even if it was because you were the only two people left in the donut-shaped building after the sun set, plucking away at complicated problems that others had left behind.

Over time, you grew fond of him. Seeing the shadow of his large frame pass by the hallway near your desk and the familiar clinking of his spurred heels became reasons to stay. And you wondered if he felt the same. But you were a nobody. Just a random accountant filling in for a department shattered by corruption, up to your ears in work.

And yet, one day, the soft leather of the worn glove on his hand brushed against your body as you walked past him.

The next day, you caught the edge of his glance as he’d been looking at you. He pretended to be looking somewhere else.

A few months passed, and it continued on in this way. Coincidences. Seemingly manufactured reasons to come near you.  The subtle floury scent of mochi entering your nostrils as he checks for a document just behind your chair—was he watching you?

You thought you might be brave enough to ask why, but every time you gathered up the nerve, something happened. Sometimes, he’d interrupt you with a question. Other times, he’d simply be gone the moment your mouth began to open.    

Sitting at your desk with a pile of work unfinished after most of the work force had already clocked out, you asked questions in your mind. Why was this massive man showing up in the corner of your eye more frequently, more coincidentally…? Coincidence—could it be? The perfect Katakuri, rumored to be able to see the future, is not a man subject to mere coincidence. But to think that he’d have been near you on purpose? Something must be wrong. Was he suspicious of something you did? Could it be that he was wary of your loyalties? Despite your liking of him, you could not comprehend that your feelings could be reciprocated. Everyone liked him. And he was single. He was in his forties, and single.

“In his forties,” you pondered to yourself. Attractive, fit, employed, in his forties, and single. It echoed back and forth in your mind. There’s clearly something bad you don’t know about him, otherwise, he’d be married. That was the logical conclusion. You knew many men and women less desirable who had been hitched for years.

“Maybe he wasn’t single,” you thought to yourself, “or maybe he is now and he has a dead wife and”—, you continued internally, crafting a whole backstory for this man who you truly knew little about beyond the legendary reputation and sparkling politeness. You blinked and snapped back to reality at the sound of a creak.

Katakuri was standing in the doorway, eyebrow raised inquisitively above his fluffy scarf. To your surprise, he spoke. “Break?”

—

Despite your protests that there was still work to do, Katakuri convinced you to take a quick walk outside with him. “Sugar is strength” was one of the most curious arguments you’d heard in favor of dropping work for a meal. But it worked on you. The sugar coated lands of Totto Land were sometimes overwhelming even for someone with the biggest sweet tooth, but you could not pass down a cake. It was Friday, and this week had been especially chaotic. Katakuri’s distracting presence throwing your emotions into a girlish crush, and the sheer volume of work still ahead of you to untangle the web of financial missteps and lies—you could stand to take a little time off to clear your head. And to do it with the man putting your thoughts into a jumble was the perfect excuse.

Side by side, you had walked together to a local sweets shop in the nearby downtown area of Komugi Island. While you’d spent a good amount of time talking to him while seated, you’d not had many chances to stand next to Katakuri. How small you felt as you were at his side, clutching your bag to your chest nervously. You looked at his gloved hand and realized how small your bag would look in his palm if he were to hold it—a mere coin purse for a man his size.

You took three steps for his every one stride of his long legs, but he was not hard to keep up with. He consciously walked slowly so you could keep up, already adjusted to the gaits of smaller beings. You wondered how many people he had walked with, and why. Was this going to be some kind of interrogation? You felt his eyes on you as the hairs on your neck prickled.

—

The moon peeked out through a cloudy window in the overcast sky. You and Katakuri sat together at a table that hardly accommodated his legs on the back patio of the sweets shop, sharing a cinnamon roll donut, each sipping caffeine. You’d ordered a cappuccino, the frothed milk balancing out the bitterness of the espresso, a perfect pairing for a sweet donut, you thought. Katakuri had ordered a vanilla latte, one you noticed he’d stirred an extra packet of sugar into before heading outside to sit with you. It didn’t surprise you that the Sweet Commander had a sweet tooth, but made you smile regardless. It made such a serious man look so unserious.

You shared a rather awkward conversation about the weather, unsure of what to talk about. He didn’t maintain eye contact or seem interested, nor did he reach for his cup, or his share of the donut. Though you could swear parts of it were disappearing every time you looked away. He sat there stiff as a board, hardly looking comfortable. Your fear that you were in some sort of trouble melted away as his lack of charisma softened the waves of anxiety crashing against your mind.

You hardened your resolve, and straightened your posture. “So…was there something you wanted? I noticed you’d been around my office more lately. I combed through my notes, but I don’t think I owe you anything…or am I forgetting something?” You asked earnestly. Katakuri looked away again, off into the distant sky, a visible gulp traveling through his bare chest. “Well…” he responded.

Something in his eyes flashed and a wave of confidence was brought over him. He leaned down close to the table, close to your face, and looked into your eyes.

“I was wondering if you’d go out with me. And before you respond: no, I do not have a dead wife. I’m single, and have been most of my life. Things don’t usually turn out well for me in the romance department.” In your head, the gears turned. “But what about his dead wife. Is he talking about his dead wife?!,” you thought, until you realized he’d already addressed that. You were dumbfounded. Such is the power of Katakuri, the man who sees the future.

You didn’t respond, so he continued.

“You want to ask, “why me?” But the answer is straightforward. I like you. I apologize if I am being too forward,” he said as he sat up straight again, hiding a bit of himself in his fluffy scarf.

He continued. “It’s…it’s okay if you don’t want to.” Your silence was deafening, and with his concentration lost, he scrambled to view the future. He bit his lip underneath his scarf.

Seeing cracks in Katakuri’s armor was endearing, and just made you like him more. Maybe there really was nothing to be afraid of. Everything felt so sudden, so unexpected—how could he like you? Why? When? But you already knew your answer.

You responded simply. “I’d like to.”

—

The man who had once been a mysterious stranger slowly transformed from the other overworked person down the hallway, to a kind and thoughtful partner. As time passed, the love between you bloomed slowly and sweetly, like sweet-smelling flowers growing on the riverbank of a slow-moving stream. Katakuri stayed a reserved man, careful not to impose. He was gentlemanly with a minor sarcastic streak that you’d begun to know. With such a perfect image, you cherished the little oddities that leaked out of his stone exterior.

The way he praised you, respected you, and listened to you speak gave you confidence. While you’d initially been suspicious of his interest in you, you began to realize it was genuine, and you hoped that you could offer him the same reassurance that he offered to you.

—

When he had first revealed his face to you, you found it endearing the way he’d moved so unsurely. There was fear in his eyes, afraid of rejection, or worse, as he craned his neck down towards you in your first visit to his bedroom. You sat together on his massive bed, your feet unable to touch the floor. Attempting to initiate a kiss, you climbed up his body and touched the side of his face gently behind his scarf, planting a small kiss on his ear. He removed the scarf slowly, a bit shakily. He maintained eye contact as if you’d disappear if he looked away or blinked. But once his scarf was removed, you hardly even noticed the fangs protruding from scarred lips as you looked into his eyes and smiled at him, full of adoration, as you leaned into your first kiss together. The extra large teeth felt warm against your cheeks so you kissed them too, causing him to flush a deep red. “Handsome,” you said with a smile.

The next secret of his that he revealed was that of his merienda—the meditative break he’d been known to take once a day in the afternoon with a pile of hand delivered treats to concentrate on. One day, he invited you—come at 3:15pm sharp, and do it quietly. He didn’t want anyone to know that you’d entered. Slipping away from work early, you dressed up in your most comfortable clothes in anticipation of a strength training routine. Little did you know, the workout you’d get was not part of any training regimen…

—

As you entered the harrowed shrine of the mochi halls, you were immediately blasted with a kaleidoscope of pinks, purples, blues, and reds, covered in rainbow sprinkles. Smells assaulted your senses with an overwhelming sweetness that reminded you of your first date with Katakuri. You walked forward, stunned by what you were seeing, and stepped directly onto an oversized cream filled donut which squirted all over your clothing. You started to slip backward but were caught moments before disaster by your partner’s large arms.

His scarf was already off, you noticed, as he smiled down at you with a bit of pink frosting on his chin. “Careful there, darling.” Katakuri gave you a kiss on the lips. He tasted like a strawberry donut.

“What’s all this?” You asked with a playful tone as you gestured to the interior of his personal mochi palace. Littered with donuts and sweets, you were not entirely surprised that Katakuri had another secret hidden behind that perfect visage of his.

Still carrying you, Katakuri carefully stepped to the center of the donut pile where a stash of large pillows lay. He sat down and rested you upon his lap in a comfortable seated position with one arm on your back, beaming at you with a goofy grin that almost reminded you of a child. It was strange to see his usually serious face painted with such a genuine smile, but you felt it looked natural on him. You wished you could see it more.

“This is the true face of my merienda. The true face of me. It’s my secret,” he spoke from the heart. “I never thought I’d have wanted to share this with anyone. No one, until I met you.”

You blushed. In your time with him, he had always been a straightforward man, but romance was not his forte. He often stood there awkward, stiff, with few words or actions of comfort, no silver tongue to sweep you off your feet. But in this case, his bare-faced honesty, the grin, the little bits of food on his face and clothes added a level of trust you’d not yet breached.

“I feel honored,” you replied. “You’re really not what you seem. You still surprise me every day.”

Katakuri smiled in response. Still holding you, he used his other arm to pick up a beautifully crafted and very oversized yeast donut with frosted glaze that glittered in the sunlight dripping from the small windows in the ceiling. “I saved this for you,” he went on. “It’s my favorite.”

He fed you carefully, allowing you to take a healthy bite of the cherished donut without getting it on your hands or face. Its texture was perfectly light and fluffy, and the sweetness not too overwhelming, balanced with a vanilla flavor that rounded out the flavor.

As you happily let him continue to feed you the wonderful donut, Katakuri pondered. “As you know, this is my daily routine. It helps me keep up with the stresses of my every day life.”

Katakuri’s eyes narrowed, and you felt him inhale sharply beneath you. “…And I can’t help but notice that you need to relax, too.”

—

You don’t know how long it’d been since 3:15pm. How long it took for you and your partner, Katakuri, to finish the helping of fresh, warm donuts piled into the center of the mochi shrine, how long you laughed at how adorable he looked with his mouth full of donuts like a hamster, how embarrassingly long you stared at how large his tongue was, or how long it took for you to climb up his body to look into his eyes like this, your body pressed against his as he laid on his back. But you knew you didn’t want it to end.

Ever-so-gently, you kissed the bits of frosting and pastry off his body. “Mustn’t go to waste,” he teased. You smirked back in agreement, and you felt the tension completely leave his body as he melted into your touch. Your small figure slowly explored the bare inches of him and more, investigating the soft skin under his vest, and taste-testing the happy trail leading down between his hips to unknown pleasures.

Katakuri repositioned, bringing a gloved finger to touch your cheek. Due to his height, his hands were three times the average height of man’s, but his build was slender, and his attention was gentle. The soft lambskin brushed against your face as he looked at you intently, holding your chin up as you moved to sit on his chest.

“Your turn,” he said.

Effortlessly, he removed your dirtied clothes with a single hand, and you sat before him in your underwear. His gloved hand grasped your front, palm flat against your stomach, fingers touching your shoulders and breasts as he circled his thumb on your skin. He continued this for some time, feeling your body, rubbing against you softly. You felt heat building up between your legs, staining your underwear with excitement. You wanted to feel his skin.

You leaned down to kiss the tip of his finger, and reached for the edges of his glove. He allowed you to pull it off, revealing the soft hand of a man who took careful care of his skin. His fingers were long and spindly, hairless, with pronounced knuckles and joints. His age showed in his hands, unlike in his eternally young face. The skin was lightly translucent, showing the veins beneath. He used his teeth to pull off the other glove, and tossed both to the side.

Your eagerness was infectious. Katakuri grabbed each of your legs and spread you open as you sat upon his body, holding onto you with an iron grip. Resting his thumbs just out of reach of your underwear, he looked up at you with an inquisitive brow. You bit your lip and shivered a bit in excitement, and nodded, goading him on.

 He placed the tips of his thumbs against your slick with the lightest pressure, rubbing you up and down with a pace that made you ache for more. The slow up and down motion of his thumbs felt like rolling waves, building pleasurable pressure in your innards. As he watched you begin to lose your composure, he licked his lips thinking of what was to come.

Katakuri rubbed his large thumbs against your clit in varying motions, his skill for this undeniable. Had he been with other women before? You really had no idea, and at this point, you really didn’t care. Your underwear was soaked and you wanted more.

As you pulled at the edges of your underwear, he spurred into action. He snapped them off with a single flick of his fingers, ripping them into an unwearable sheet of cloth, and slid you up towards his face, your depths calling to him. He closed his eyes and inhaled through his nose, exhaling with a grin.

“You smell delicious,” he said with a low grumble.

A little more awkwardly, he continued, asking as his nibbled his lip: “May I taste you? I don’t bite.”

You vibrated excitingly at the thought of his almost inhuman tongue entering your body. How will it feel? It’s so big! You nodded, using your fingers to open your achingly wet folds towards him. His large tongue slipped out from between his teeth as he pulled you into him, resting your legs carefully on his fangs and cheeks as to not hurt you.

Katakuri’s tongue slowly licked and prodded at your entrance, careful to savor your juices with an audible gulp. The flat of his tongue pressing against your ass and pussy felt like nothing you’d quite experienced before. The cool saliva of his mouth and the warm heat building up within you intertwined with the slow rocking of your hips towards him.

His hands slid over your skin, keeping your legs steady and holding you firm, as he increased the pace in which he devoured you. The feeling of his tongue slipping up and down your core was intense, and your body began to shake from the pleasure against his firm grip—every inch of your most sensitive areas were being engulfed with wet warmth and you let out a muffled moan.

Barely able to open your eyes, you peered down at him. His brow was furrowed, concentrated so intently, such perfect concentration, and you watched as he enjoyed the meal he’d made of you. His large hands looked even larger against your thighs, thick fingers pressing into the fat of your leg with a satisfying squish that held you locked in position until he was done with you.

You moaned again, body recoiling, and he responded with a low growl, holding your legs more strongly, with a powerful grip that may leave marks later. If you’d been sound enough of mind, you’d have compared him to a beast who had snapped at someone trying to take its food.

His closed eyes now opened and looked straight up at you with ferocity, as he continued his rapid licking, with a distinct possessiveness you had never seen from him. “Mine,” the words shot into your head from the look in his eyes.

That pushed you over the edge.

Your body suddenly tensed itself so hard that you could barely breathe, barely think. Then a wave of pleasure crashed over you like a great tsunami. With a great release, your heart rate began to slow, your muscles relaxed, as your pleasure spurted into Katakuri’s mouth. Katakuri’s fervent licking slowed to match yours as he marinated in your scent, taking care not to let any of your juices fall to the floor.

Still, he held onto you so tight. Your body felt like it came back down from floating, and you landed firmly in his hands, his face still at your lower half.

Katakuri licked his lips. He found his boldness.

“More.”

He was still hungry.

[aethon-recs]

30 Tomarrymort Recs for 2024 — One-Shot Edition (Part 2)

2024 recs continued! Here's a round-up of some of the most compelling one-shots that I came across in 2024 that I hope showcases the diversity of talent in our ship across a broad range of tropes and themes and ratings 🤍

Criteria for this list: one-shot, complete, published in 2024. Can be read in 1 sitting. Overall for 2024, I've split up the year-end recs into 3 parts: (1) Completed Multi-Chapter Fics, (2) One-Shots, (3) WIPs. Here’s the link back to Part 1: Completed Multi-Chapter Fics. 

The 3rd and last part of this list (WIPs/Longfics updated in 2024) will be posted soon. Happy reading!

*

A Moment of Curiosity (or Weakness) by koel7 (E, 6k, complete)

“I’m having these dreams,” Harry says. “You’re in every one of them. I think you’ve been in them for a long time, I just didn’t know it was you.” Tom inclines his head, and Harry sees the red eyes. He sees deathly, pale skin, and a flash of green light. “Do you remember?”

a pale horse by @ictyn (E, 7k, complete)

Harry, a penniless orphan, struggles to survive under the superstitious judgement of his isolated puritan community. One day, a vile omen is left before the church, an omen which portends only doom. The elders choose to cast Harry out, sending him as a sacrifice to a crumbling castle. The Dark Lord waits within, ravenous for the taste of his blood and the sweetness of his soul.

A Prank Unlike Any Other by A_Single_Cactus (E, 2k, complete)

It was April Fools’ Day. Harry decides to prank Riddle by acting differently. He decides to act nice. It doesn’t go as planned.

Adhesion by @telelli-writes (T, 5k, complete)

Overachieving sixth-year prefect Tom Riddle is on the fast track to be Head Boy next year, a Department Head by thirty, and Minister for Magic by forty. Harry Potter, Quidditch star and the most popular boy in school, doesn't factor anywhere into those plans or Tom's life. Until Professor Slughorn pairs the two of them together on a Potions project.

bad guy by @circleofplanets (M, 5k, complete)

Considered the power couple of Hogwarts, Tom Marvolo Riddle and Harry James Potter have been the topic of interest ever since they got together. A series of interviews getting close and personal with their friends and their outsider perspective on the famed couple.

Blood of the Covenant by @solelyseeking (E, 10k, complete)

Perhaps more than Parseltongue ran through Tom's veins. The Gaunts carried a hunger in their blood- not just for power, as is their right- but for each other. Tom thinks of the way their legacy had dripped from Harry's tongue, later that night, as his wrist works beneath the covers. He feels no shame for his urges. Tradition is sacred, after all. And Tom had always wanted a family.

Consume by @known-concepts (E, 4k, complete)

Something goes awry during Voldemort's resurrection, the balances of life and death are upset, and there is only one way to fix it.

cult classic by @aitafrog (G, 3k, complete)

For his whole life, Harry’s been looking forward to leaving behind the Dursleys and making his own fresh start. He’d envisioned endless opportunities ahead of him, with countless ways of reinventing himself. But for all of his daydreams and plans, he never quite imagined his fresh start involving the infamous cult leader Tom Riddle.

Customer Service by lilacscented (T, 6k, complete)

Furious at Borgin & Burkes’ blatant false advertising and shoddy customer service, Harry spends his Christmas Eve on a quest for Justice. Tom, meanwhile, is just punching the clock for some holiday pay. Both of them end up getting more than they bargained for.

deadbolt by @duplicitywrites (E, 8k, complete)

Tom is stunning at sixteen. He has always been an exception in a sea of mediocrity, a chameleon of sorts, conducting himself with the arrogance of genius astride the pity of orphanhood. Each facet of Tom Riddle is a domino on the path of Voldemort; it is up to you to divert them. Or: Harry goes back in time again, and again, and again.

don't blame the stork by @theonceandfuturequeenoftarts (T, 10k, complete)

Harry feels a little adrift after the war, so Magic decides he needs a baby, Magical Britain decides he needs to be Minister, and Voldemort decides he needs some company.

Eternal Hunt by @metalomagnetic (E, 3k, complete)

Harry wants to be good. Tom wants Harry.

Fearsome Thing by @0p4l3sc3nc3 (NR, 13k, complete)

It was him. The angel. "P-pleased to meet you," Tom murmured, and then cursed his tongue for the stutter, and his throat for the raspy tone of his voice, and his heart for being a traitor. And the angel—Harry, he had to remember that name now, it was of utmost importance—smiled at him. "The pleasure is mine.”

Heartbeats by @cyandenial (T, 10k, complete)

Harry Potter, a medical student, volunteered to help in St Mungo's hospital for the summer, to gain extra credits and some practical experience. He was assigned to look over one old man, a task no one wanted, because Tom Riddle wasn’t making it easy for anyone. His horrible attitude brought about every nurse to tears, and Harry was determined not be among those who cried. To everyone's surprise, he managed somehow… Until he didn't.

his love life and death by @noctelier (T, 5k, complete)

Tom Riddle doesn’t get sick. His immune system, just like the rest of him, is extraordinary. Incomparable. No one would dare suggest otherwise. Which is why everyone goes silent when he starts to cough. Or: Tom contracts Hanahaki Disease, knows what he must do about it, and decides he’s better than all that (until he doesn’t).

Ho, Ho, Ho by @moontearpensfic (E, 3k, complete)

Tom's parents take him shopping at the mall, where he scopes out snake paraphernalia and a Santa Claus with pretty green eyes.

if the moon should ever doubt by @fericide (M, 6k, complete)

They meet in the Astronomy Tower.

Mistletoe Managed by @tommarvoloriddlesdiary (T, 3k, complete)

“What’s so bad about magical mistletoe?” Harry asks. Hermione sighs, “Well, magical mistletoe won’t let a person go until they share a heartfelt kiss... So he'll be there a while.”

O Come, All Ye Faithful by @shyinsunlight (E, 3k, complete)

The sanctity of midnight mass requires dignity, composure, and absolutely not dropping the thurible when Harry fucking Potter walks in fifteen minutes late. Harry, who hasn’t darkened the church door since last Easter, and who’s apparently decided Christmas Eve is the perfect time to make his triumphant return to worship.

paint your eyes with sunsets by @boyneptunee (T, 5k, complete)

Tom moves to a new apartment building where he more or less gets himself a boyfriend and a family. Oh, and there's also a cat.

Resonating Souls by @endlessburningdarkness (E, 4k, complete)

Minister Riddle has an unusually dream filled night.

Roughly 19 Years Later by @dividawrites (E, 2k, complete)

Platform 9¾ is a nice place for reunions.

seven by lilacscented (T, 7k, complete)

Harry meets Tom Riddle on the first day of school. He has just turned seven. “So you’re like me,” he says, a statement, not a question. “Meet me in the woods later this afternoon.”

Soil by @ratzeebatz (T, 11k, complete)

The thing about Tom, and many people were aware of this, is that he had a combination of traits that made him both dangerous and infinitely appealing to anyone that spoke to him.  Or: Tom Riddle is a murderous herbologist, and Harry smells better than anything he's smelled before.

stumbling into wonderful by @satflesk22 (E, 5k, complete)

The Ministry sees fit to meddle at Hogwarts in an attempt at curtailing rising pureblood sentiments, to try and lure prospective recruits away from the Dark Lord Nott. Unsurprisingly, the Heir of Slytherin is stuck together in a room with the Chosen One. The worst part is that it bloody works.

The Betrayal (and Boon) of One's Own Biology by @riverxsong-ao3 (E, 7k, complete)

Tom Riddle had always known he was destined for greatness. As a young wizard, he was certain he would present one day as an Alpha - strong, powerful, in charge. When he did not, he came to accept that he must, in fact, be a Beta. Then, one day, everything changed.

The Descent by @chaos-bear (E, 5k, complete)

Secrets, grief and blood magic collide in the depths of the Austrian Alps.

The Good Knight by @mosiva (E, 9k, complete)

Harry and Tom drifted apart at Hogwarts, and Harry hasn’t seen Tom in years as she’s off travelling the world. But Harry doesn’t have time to be sad about it. She’s got problems closer to home – like helping the Order of the Phoenix to combat the recent rise of one Lord Voldemort.

the thing lay dead by @duplicitywrites (E, 7k, complete)

In the end, there was one body that all refused to touch. It unnerved people to see even the corpse. Harry tended to him, this man made mortal. Smooth, alabaster skin and thin, brittle bones. Peaceful in death as he had never been in life. No longer a monster. Now a body, just like everyone else.

this is my persona, secret lover (he's my collar) by souliloquium (M, 3k, complete)

Some things are the same, some things are different. Harry is not the Boy Who Lived. He still finds the locket. And Tom finds him.

We Bow to Each Other, Harry by @liquidluckandstuff (T, 4k, complete)

Harry falls asleep with the Horcrux around his neck and has a very strange dream.

When the Weight is Gone by @marrythemonstersao3 (M, 7k, complete)

In the quiet after the war is over, Harry feels the empty space in his soul like a missing limb. Eventually, his grief and longing come to a head when Death offers him a choice: to move on for good, or go back and do it over again.

*

[u2fangirlie-blog]

Superb Owl Party 2025

Welcome to my Superb Owl party! Greetings owl!

Please enjoy these poorly made posters - with typos and all the skill of a middle school art student.

You are invited to your neighbor's annual Superb Owl party where you will meet the guests of honor who are vying for the title of Superb Owl.

Is that that a football or an owl's egg?

Remember, this is a human party and you should blend in. Do not unalive any guests.

[Yes. I know sign has typos. But it has GLITTER! A bloody stupid vampire made the posters.]

Now it is time to vote for the owl that is the greatest owl of all time!

Let me introduce the five contestants in the 2025 Superb Owl Contest. @herpsandbirds Paxon - I hope you approve!

Angelina - Stygian Owl

Angelina was a classical opera singer with a vocal range of four octaves. She became the lead singer of the metal band Talons of Death. The wildly popular band recorded two gold albums: Prey for Mercy and Night Screechers. Stygian owls have golden yellow eyes which glow red in low light, earning the nickname the devil’s owl. When not on the road with the band, she teaches music in local public schools.

Benjamin - Spot-Bellied Eagle Owl

Benjamin works for the United States Postal Service. He delivered bills and junk mail. Years of dedication, hard work, and attention to detail advanced his career. Now he works in the Dead Letter office deciphering illegible handwriting on envelopes in the Great Lakes district office. He enjoys chess and reading spy thrillers and murder mystery novels.

Bunny - Screech Owl

Bunny was a child star actor in popular nature shows, including Into the Wild with Jack Hanna. She was the runner-up for national bird of the United States, just behind the bald eagle. Today she models for Audubon and Birds and Blossoms. She creates mixed media artwork and builds avant-garde nests that are shown in art galleries around the world.

Jared - Spectacled Owl

Jared is a respected pundit and scholar of political science and philosophy. He is best known for his work on Foucault’s panopticon and state sponsored surveillance to control citizens. He’s an outspoken political activist. He enjoys world travel and eating exotic foods.  Recently, he wrote a dystopian science fiction novel and is waiting for a publisher to pick up the manuscript.

Nigel - Great Gray Owl

Nigel is in his third term as Prime Minister of the Parliament of Owls. His passion for serving owls and other species led to a life-long career in politics. He works for a better world for all animals and plants. His actions center on legislation to protect migration routes, conservation of wilderness habitats, and protection of endangered species. He enjoys touring the national parks and vacations in a cabin at Lake Tahoe.

Who is the superb owl! Please vote! Does anyone know how to create a poll? Please vote in the notes. Thanks!

Note: At the hospital were I work, the social wellbeing committee is having an office decorating contest for the Super Bowl. I work as an admin. assist. in a department currently has two people - myself and my boss. The office has space for 12 cubicles, and I'm the only one working here. The boss is only at the business offices one day a week, otherwise she's over at the main campus. To complicate matters, the office is locked on both sides and very few people ever come in. [Technically, my position is part of the administrative team, over on the main campus, but I never see anyone. Only one admin. assist. works with me remotely.] So how do I: 1) participate in social wellbeing and engage with coworkers, 2) decorate an office that is isolated from the outside world, 3) cleverly mock a sports event, and 4) be my true weird self? I choose the Superb Owl Party!

To make the decorations visible for people in the business center campus, I put the decorations in the hallway. We have a big white board that isn't attached to the wall. I put the posters on the white board and slid it out into the hallway! Then I notified a few people in other offices, "Hey, I decorated for the super bowl. Come over and see." And then I put out a little basket with a pen and sticky notes for people to cast their votes. At the end of the day on Friday, Bunny was the winner.

[blorger]

-Draco Malfoy, Sept 1, 1991-

Here's my newest hot take: it makes no sense for the Weasleys to be poor.

Like, I get why, narratively, the Weasleys are poor : poor=virtuous in jkr's mind and the Weasleys represent the perfect family so they need the be the bestest most virtuous of them all, especially since they are set up to be in direct contrast to the rich, morally bankrupt Malfoys.

That is all well and good, I understand the use of poverty as a narrative choice, but at the same time I also have a problem with how jkr chose to depict said poverty in her worldbuilding; even as a single income household with too many kids (as per D Malfoy), it makes no sense for the Weasleys to have no money.

Arthur, the sole earner in the family, is portrayed as a government insider: he heads his own department, seems essential to the working of the ministry and is overall well connected.

(from GoF, this is a bureucratic brag if i've ever seen one)

Arthur appears to be on a first name basis with a huge variety of ministry employees

Some of which are his fellow department heads

which definitely puts him on the same level as a Diggory or a Crouch, and none of these people are implied to be poor or even remotely struggling, so why is he?

Arthur is not only well connected but also far more powerful than one might expect from his job title alone:

He is somehow able to write and/or enact laws (something he shouldn't be able to do since he's neither an elected official nor part of a legislative body)

and

(from CoS)

Arthur has the power to restrict trade (again, something way above his paygrade)

(from GoF, Arthur's power is apparently equal to that of Crouch, the wizard equivalent of a foreign minister)

Arthur can easily get huge favors form fellow ministry personnel

(from Gof, those world cup seats are Malfoy and Fudge level and it doesn't seem like Arthur did anything special to get them)

We can also see how incongruously important Arthur Weasley is to the inner workings of the ministry by his responsibilities:

when things go tits up at the world cup, Arthur behaves very much like someone much higher up the chain of command.

(from GoF)

All of this is over a newspaper article that didn't even quote him by name. What can the biting teacup guy do during a pr crisis, exactly?

Arthur's (civilian) presence is for some reason necessary during night raids, even though he is not a law enforcement agent

(from CoS)

Arthur (a civilian) is somehow the only person who can calm Alastor Moody (an accomplished auror) down

(from GoF)

I find myself to be very confused by the picture painted by these excerpts. jkr clearly wanted to have it both ways: she needed Arthur to be a ministry insider so that he'd be able to funnel all sorts of information to Harry (and into the story) but she also wanted the Weasleys to be underdogs or, as Harry calls them,

but the two things just don't mix because Arthur, as described in the books, does not read like an underdog, he reads like a vital part of the system.

tl;dr: Arthur is a Big Deal and his family shouldn't be poor, even if they do have too many children

[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. 

Continue Reading

Tagging @politicsofcanada

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Is Ignatius Prewett Molly's father or uncle?

Now, this seems to have an obvious answer, since Sirius says this:

“The pure-blood families are all interrelated,” said Sirius. “If you’re only going to let your sons and daughters marry purebloods your choice is very limited, there are hardly any of us left. Molly and I are cousins by marriage and Arthur’s something like my second cousin once removed. But there’s no point looking for them on here — if ever a family was a bunch of blood traitors it’s the Weasleys.”

(OotP)

And in the family tree, we indeed see Ignatius Prewett married Lucretia Black (Sirius' aunt):

Them being "cousins by marriage" means Ignatius is Molly's uncle and the brother of Molly's father. Great, case closed.

Except "Ignatius" is Percy’s middle name:

“Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley — ”

(OotP)

(I love that the contradictory information appears in the same book... *grinding my teeth*)

If we look at naming patterns in the wizarding world, you'd first name a child after their parents, then grandparents, then aunts and uncles (the parents' siblings), and only then other relatives (such as a child's great uncle/aunt).

We know Bill is William Arthur Weasley, sharing a name with his father.

We don't know Charlie's middle name, but I always headcanoned it to be "Septimus" after Arthur’s father.

I headcanon Fred and George's middle names are Gideon and Fabian (Molly's dead brothers), as it makes sense with the naming conventions, and I think it's cute.

We know Ron is named after Arthur’s brother "Billius", which means that they didn't run out of brothers and grandparents yet by the time they reached Ron. It means Percy would more likely be named after Molly's father or brother than her uncle.

So, is Ignatius her dad or her uncle?

I kind of assume Ignatius is Molly's father and that JKR messed up with the Black family tree. Again. Or that Sirius remembers incorrectly if we're going for a Watsonian explanation.

I mean, it's very possible Sirius didn't bother to memorize his family tree and from the "something like" he uses when describing Arthur's relation to him, it seems he isn't 100% certain of all the familial connections. So he says "cousins by marriage" even though they're just cousins.

The other possibility and my new headcanon now, is that Ignatius is Molly's father. He had Molly with an unknown first wife and married Lucretia later. If Lucretia is his second wife and Molly had a different mother it would explain how Ignatius is her father but she's Sirius' cousin by marriage.

Now we don't know if Gideon and Fabian were older or younger than Molly. I always assumed they were older due to what is said about them by Moody:

Gideon Prewett, it took five Death Eaters to kill him and his brother Fabian, they fought like heroes ...

(OotP)

But it's possible they are her younger brothers born of Ignatius and Lucretia after they married. (They could still be in their mid-20s or even late-20s when they die in 1979 as Molly was born in late 1949 or in 1950)

So, this is my new headcanon for Molly's family.

Ignatius and some other witch had Molly, Molly's unknown mother died and Ignatius married Lucretia and had Fabian and Gideon with her, making them Molly's half brothers, if we're being technical. This makes everything about the family tree make sense.

(I really need to draw a full Black family tree with all my headcanons one of these days... I just feel like there's still stuff I haven't unpacked here)

[just1cefor4ll]

—Empty promises

Sirius Black x f!reader

genre. angst

warning. death, might not be accurate to the books/film, might be OOC, not proof read

You glanced over at Sirius and Harry, who were deep in conversation. The room's walls, adorned with the Black family tree, never failed to fascinate you—even after all these years.

Sirius placed a hand gently on Harry’s back, guiding him towards you. “When all of this is over,” he began, sending you a familiar, mischievous smirk, “we’ll be a proper family.” Your heart skipped a beat as he winked playfully—he still had the same effortless charm he’d had back at school.

“You’ll see,” you whispered to Harry, placing a hand on his shoulder before ruffling his hair.

Sirius pulled the two of you into an embrace, wrapping you in a rare moment of comfort—it was as if the war had paused, just for a second. Then, as the hug broke, you gently nudged Harry.

“Go on, head upstairs and have a word with Ron and Hermione—they’ve been dying to see you,” you said, patting his back as he left the room, just as he’d been told.

The fire crackled quietly as the room settled into a thoughtful stillness. Sirius had poured two glasses of something strong, and you sat beside him on the sofa, knees touching, the tapestry of his haunted past stretching across the wall behind you.

“I saw Lily once,” you said softly, eyes distant. “In a dream. Or maybe just a memory. She was laughing—throwing snowballs at James. You and Remus were trying to hex each other’s scarves off.” Sirius let out a quiet, fond breath of laughter. “That day in Hogsmeade. She had snow in her hair. James slipped and nearly broke his wand. She looked happy,” you murmured. “We all did.” He went quiet again, his hand brushing yours. “They should still be here.” You nodded, letting the silence speak for both of you. And then, after a long moment Sirius had spoke up again.

“Do you ever think about what we could’ve had, if things had gone differently?” Sirius turned toward you fully now, his eyes more serious than you’d seen in weeks. “Every day.”

You looked at him, searching, waiting.

“If I hadn’t been sent to Azkaban— if that bloody minister opened his eyes and cleared my name—” He cut himself off, jaw tight, fingers curling slightly around yours. “I should’ve married you then. We should’ve had a home. A real one. Not this place full of ghosts.”

“You still could,” you whispered. “We still could.”

He exhaled shakily, like the thought was too much to carry, and yet too precious to let go of. “I’m going to clear my name,” he said suddenly, the promise fierce in his voice. “I’m not going to spend the rest of my life hiding in shadows and letting people think I betrayed them.”

You didn’t speak, just reached out and cupped his cheek gently. He leaned into your touch.

“And when it’s done,” he went on, voice softer now, “when this war is over and Voldemort’s gone and Harry’s safe.. I’ll marry you. No more running. No more waiting.”

Tears prickled at the corners of your eyes, but you smiled. “You’re nothing if not dramatic.”

He chuckled, brushing his thumb across your hand. “You’ve always liked that about me.”

“I have,” you admitted. “Still do.”

Sirius leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead, then rested his against yours. “Then it’s settled,” he whispered. “We survive this. And then we live.”

“Promise?” He brought your knuckles to his lips a gently pressed a kiss to them, looking at you with those enchanting grey eyes. “Promise.”

You could never have imagined that such a wholesome moment would spiral into pure horror only days later.

Snape had informed you, Sirius, and the other members of the Order that Voldemort had deceived Harry and the others into believing Sirius was being tortured in the Department of Mysteries. The moment the message reached you, a chill ran down your spine. The Dark Lord’s plan was unfolding—calculated, manipulative, and merciless.

Without wasting another second, everyone sprang into action. Orders were shouted, cloaks were grabbed, and wands drawn. You, Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, Kingsley, and Moody all rushed to the Ministry of Magic, weaving through the shadows of London under the cover of the night. You apparated into the atrium, hearts racing, adrenaline flooding your veins. The usually grand and polished corridors of the Ministry felt cold and sinister now, echoing with the faint sound of distant footsteps and flickering torchlight.

Each hallway you passed felt longer than the last, the tension thickening with every step. Your thoughts were on Harry, on the others. Were they already there? Were they safe? Or were you too late?

And then, the battle began.

The instant Sirius’s fist collided with Lucius Malfoy’s face, it was like time slowed. A crack echoed—both from Lucius’s nose and the prophecy orb slipping from his grasp.

“No—!” Lucius shouted, reaching for it.

Too late.

The orb hit the ground.

It shattered with a delicate, almost beautiful sound—like glass breaking underwater. A wisp of ghostly smoke curled upward, and for a heartbeat, the entire room stood frozen, eyes wide in shock.

Then all hell broke loose.

“Get them!” shrieked Bellatrix, her voice a jagged knife, and suddenly the room was ablaze with spells—blinding light, streaks of red, blue, green.

You didn’t hesitate.

You flung yourself into the fight, placing yourself between Harry and a masked Death Eater hurling a Stunner. “Protego!” you shouted, deflecting it, before firing a hex back that sent him crashing into a shelf of prophecies. Shards rained around you like falling stars.

To your right, Sirius was laughing—not out of joy, but the wild, feral laughter of someone fighting for everything they have left. He and Harry were back to back, spinning, moving like a pair who knew each other’s rhythms.

“Nice punch,” you yelled at Sirius, ducking a flash of green light. “Thanks, love,” he called back, panting, wand up. “Been waiting years to do that.”

A Death Eater lunged toward Harry—mask cracked, robes flaring—but you stepped in fast, blasting him with a stunning spell that sent him skidding across the marble floor. You could feel the weight of it now—the prophecy was gone, Voldemort’s plan unraveling. But the danger wasn’t over.

More of them were closing in.

“They want blood now,” Sirius said, his voice tight. “And they’re not going home empty-handed.”

You met his eyes, and then Harry’s. “Then we give them nothing.”

The three of you stood together, back to back, wands raised, hearts defiant. You saw James’ strength and determination in Harry, feeling like you were experiencing fighting next to your old friend again, yet the glint in his eyes reminded you of Lily. “Nice one, James!” Sirius yelled as Harry shot yet another spell at the Death Eaters.

Then the duel between Sirius and Bellatrix began— it was almost like a twisted dance—like a memory distorted by time.

At first, it didn’t even feel real.

Bellatrix twirled, her eyes wild and gleaming, as she sent a lazy hex toward Sirius that he dodged with an exaggerated bow. “Still slow, Cissy’s favourite,” he taunted, grinning like he was ten again, not a man in the middle of a war.

“Oh, cousin,” Bellatrix purred, “you always did like playing with fire.”

Their spells clashed mid-air, crackling with energy. You held your ground beside Harry, casting protective wards and shielding the others, but your eyes kept flicking toward the duel. You knew this wasn’t just a fight—it was old blood, old hatred, old wounds reopened.

Sirius was laughing—truly laughing—as he blocked her next curse and shot one of his own that forced her to leap behind a pillar.

“You’re getting rusty, Bella,” he called. “Or did Azkaban suck the talent out of you along with the sanity?”

That did it.

Her face contorted. The game ended.

Bellatrix stepped from behind the pillar, lips curled into something far too cruel to be called a smile. “You always thought you were better than us. Thought you could run from your name.”

Sirius raised his wand—but he was half a second too late.

“Stupefy!”

The red light hit him square in the chest. You watched in horror as his body arched back—arms flailing, wand flying from his hand—before he stumbled.

Straight into the Veil.

“No!” you screamed, your voice raw and breaking.

Harry lunged forward, but you grabbed his arm, barely able to breathe yourself. The black archway pulsed gently, the fabric within it rippling, as if Sirius had passed through a curtain and simply.. vanished.

There was no scream. No flash of light. Just silence.

One second, he was there—alive, grinning, brilliant.

The next, he wasn’t.

Harry was still pulling against your grip, shouting Sirius’s name, and you couldn’t even answer. You just stared at the veil, numb, every part of you hoping—begging—for him to step back through.

But he didn’t.

And he never would.

Your ears rang, voices echoing as everything blurred. You barely noticed the world tilt until Remus caught you, holding a screaming Harry tight to his chest, his other hand on your back. His face was stricken—he’d lost another of his closest friends.

“No, no, no..” you breathed, barely audible, as Harry bolted after Bellatrix’s cruel laughter.

Time stopped.

The love of your life—gone. The man who had seen you, truly seen you, after twelve years of silence and longing. You’d only just got him back. And now he was gone again.

But this time, it was forever.

You sank to your knees, the cold of the floor seeping through your robes. None of it felt real. The screams, the spells—they were far away now.

“I just got him back..” you whispered.

Remus crouched beside you, hand still steady on your back. “I know, dove, I know.” he said softly.

But you couldn’t look at him. Only at the veil. The place where Sirius had vanished.

Your Sirius.

And all you could think was that love was never meant to be this cruel.

You fought through the remainder of the war—fought long and without rest, side by side with Harry and the remnants of Hogwarts, doing everything in your power to protect the son of your fallen friends. It was a brutal, pivotal battle, one that shaped the future of the wizarding world.

And when it was finally over—when Voldemort fell and the fighting ceased—it felt like a weight had lifted from your shoulders. But it never truly went away. Grief lingered, quiet and constant.

Sirius, Remus and Nymphadora were all laid to rest in the same graveyard as James and Lily. It felt right, somehow��reunited in the end, where the world could no longer touch them.

Every year, without fail, you visited on the anniversary of his death. All of their graves. James, Lily, Remus, and Sirius—the Marauders. You’d bring fresh flowers, sometimes letters, sometimes just your silence.

And still, all these years later, the ache in your chest remained. Quieter now, dulled by time, but always there.

They had fought for something greater. And you would carry their memory with you, always.

The sky was grey that morning, the kind of quiet overcast that suited the mood. You stood in front of the graves, hands in your coat pockets, the familiar crunch of leaves underfoot as someone approached behind you.

“I thought I might find you here,” Harry said softly. You turned, offering him a small, tired smile. “It’s the date, isn’t it? I never miss it.” He gave a slow nod, his eyes falling to the headstones. “Me neither.”

You both stood in silence for a while, letting the wind speak for you. Then, after a moment, Harry said, “Sometimes I wonder what he’d be like now. If he’d survived.”

Your throat tightened. “Stubborn. Loud. Infuriating. But.. softer, maybe. Eventually.” Harry chuckled lightly. “He’d probably hate that.” You smiled faintly. “He would. But I think part of him was always soft—he just hid it well. For good reason.” He looked at Sirius’s name carved in stone, then glanced at the others. “They all went too soon.” “They did,” you agreed, voice low. “But they didn’t go in vain.”

Harry was quiet again, then said, “You know, I always wondered how you kept going. After losing them.”

You took a breath, eyes never leaving Sirius’s name. “Some days I didn’t. But I had people to protect. You, mostly. And.. I suppose I owed it to them to live. To remember.”

Harry gave you a long look. “I’m glad you did. I don’t think I’d have made it without you.”

You finally turned to meet his gaze, your voice soft but certain. “And I don’t think I’d have made it without you either, Harry.”

© just1cefor4all— I don’t consent to my writing being reposted to other platforms or fed into AI. Translating it is also strictly prohibited. 🚫

[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 𝘠𝘦𝘢��’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...

[aethon-recs]

Tomarrymort HOLIDAY SPECIAL 🌿🍒🎄🎅❄️☃️🎁🦌🎀

Christmas in… February?? Sure, why not!? 🎄❄️🎁 See below for a selection of my favorite fics posted over the last holiday season (20 – 31 December 2024), many of them festive or holiday-themed, all either completed or one-shots 🤍 Check them out if you get nostalgic for the holidays sometime this year!

*

A Life, Stolen by @riverxsong-ao3 (T, 5k, complete)

The Battle of Hogwarts has ended. Voldemort is dead. Harry has told no one that he was a Horcrux, not even Ron or Hermione. He owes it to Ginny to tell her, especially after her own encounter with a Horcrux five years earlier. But Ginny has a secret of her own, one which Harry will regret hearing for the rest of his life.

a pale horse by @ictyn (E, 7k, complete)

Harry, a penniless orphan, struggles to survive under the superstitious judgement of his isolated puritan community. One day, a vile omen is left before the church, an omen which portends only doom. The elders choose to cast Harry out, sending him as a sacrifice to a crumbling castle where a demon is said to lurk and reap souls for the Devil. The Dark Lord waits within, ravenous for the taste of his blood and the sweetness of his soul.

Adhesion by @telelli-writes (T, 5k, complete)

Overachieving sixth-year prefect Tom Riddle is on the fast track to be Head Boy next year, a Department Head by thirty, and Minister for Magic by forty. Harry Potter, Quidditch star and the most popular boy in school, doesn't factor anywhere into those plans or Tom's life. Until Professor Slughorn pairs the two of them together on a Potions project.

AITAH For Seducing My Co-Worker To Get Cadaver Parts? by @jadedandconfusedao3 (E, 3k, complete)

A mysterious person who works for the Department of Mysteries Necromancy Department is in an unusual predicament and needs help from the internet to try and navigate the terms of his terrifying but rewarding new relationship. Chaos ensues.

anxious gods at a fey hour by @endlessburningdarkness (E, 16k, complete)

Auror Riddle has a bad day, unsurprisingly, the fault lies with Minister for Magic Potter. Potter’s ability to attract trouble should be studied by the Department of Mysteries as a heretofore undiscovered magical phenomenon. Tom isn’t about to take it lying down.

Bitter Weather by @known-concepts (T, 1k, complete)

Harry has spent a miserable life in the shadows of his parents. Voldemort's footsteps are tempting in comparison.

Blood of the Covenant by @solelyseeking (E, 10k, complete)

Perhaps more than Parseltongue ran through Tom's veins. The Gaunts carried a hunger in their blood- not just for power, as is their right- but for each other. Tom thinks of the way their legacy had dripped from Harry's tongue, later that night, as his wrist works beneath the covers. He feels no shame for his urges. Tradition is sacred, after all. And Tom had always wanted a family.

Cerulean blue by @albondiguilla007 (T, 5k, complete)

Voldemort and Harry adopt their younger versions and spend the summer in Ottery St Catchpole. They spoil them rotten and get sunburnt. That’s it. Oh, and they nap.

Change Me by @valkyrie-chemist (E, 17k, complete)

Harry Potter had grown up listening to tales of the cursed Lord Voldemort. Trapped in his mysterious manor, the man—the monster—was said to be crueler and more hungry than Death itself. So why then, Harry thought, was the groundskeeper still alive? What sway did Tom Riddle have over Lord Voldemort to stay his wicked hand when Harry had so brazenly trespassed on his lands? Whatever it was, it was not enough. For try as he might, not even Tom could persuade the monster to let Harry leave.

Cold Mornings by @valkyrie-chemist (G, 1k, complete)

“Hey, wake up.” He wants to sound annoyed but can tell he’s failing miserably. Stupid morning voice. “V.” Voldemort breathes in slow and deep before letting out a groggy and put-upon hum. The arms around him only tighten.

CONQUER by @ictyn (E, 8k, complete)

Blood dribbles from Voldemort’s ruined lips. Harry’s gaze catches on the sinkhole of his mouth, red and wet and inviting, a spring trap with ambrosia as the bait. Gravity shifts beneath his knees and Harry finds himself leaning down, forward, forward, forward, until he’s tasting that mouth, the copper and charcoal, the same thing Tom tasted like the last time they kissed, thirty years ago on the charred remains of a battlefield. A kiss to seal the dissolution of their vows, their rings, their promises to have and to hold. A kiss that started a war, a war that neither could ever win.

his love life and death by @noctelier (T, 5k, complete)

Tom Riddle doesn’t get sick. His immune system, just like the rest of him, is extraordinary. Incomparable. No one would dare suggest otherwise. Which is why everyone goes silent when he starts to cough. Or: Tom contracts Hanahaki Disease, knows what he must do about it, and decides he’s better than all that (until he doesn’t).

Ho, Ho, Ho by @moontearpensfic (E, 3k, complete)

Tom's parents take him shopping at the mall, where he scopes out snake paraphernalia and a Santa Claus with pretty green eyes.

How to Stop a Budding Dark Lord: Books. Lots of Books. by Lytri (T, 2k, complete)

Harry is certain that he can prevent Tom Riddle from becoming a Dark Lord by bombarding him with birthday presents.

inhibit by @ictyn (E, 11k, complete) 

The war is lost. The resistance has fallen to the strength of Voldemort’s dark army. Harry cuts a deal to save his loved ones by becoming the Dark Lord’s bonded spouse. In order to survive his wedding night Harry takes a potion that removes all of his inhibitions—and the Dark Lord won’t know what hit him.

it was christmas eve, babe by @ohyondermemphis (G, 3k, complete)

Maybe everyone deserves a second chance on Christmas.

Mistletoe Managed by @tommarvoloriddlesdiary (T, 3k, complete)

“What’s so bad about magical mistletoe?” Harry asks. Hermione sighs, “Well, magical mistletoe won’t let a person go until they share a heartfelt kiss... So he’ll be there a while.”

Naughty Or Nice? by @dragonaireabsolvare (E, 2k, complete)

What do you give the baddest, naughtiest boy of them all? You spank him and rail him nicely against the wall.

No Ribbons, No Tags by @chaos-bear (E, 3k, complete)

Harry finds a strange creature in the mountains of his snowflake home.

O Come, All Ye Faithful by @shyinsunlight (E, 3k, complete)

The sanctity of midnight mass requires dignity, composure, and absolutely not dropping the thurible when Harry fucking Potter walks in fifteen minutes late. Harry, who hasn’t darkened the church door since last Easter, and who’s apparently decided Christmas Eve is the perfect time to make his triumphant return to worship.

picture-perfect by @aitafrog (G, 1k, complete)

Tom loves Harry. Harry loves Christmas. And now, unfortunately, Christmas is Tom's problem, too.

seven by lilacscented (T, 7k, complete)

Harry meets Tom Riddle on the first day of school. He has just turned seven. “So you’re like me,” he says, a statement, not a question. “Meet me in the woods later this afternoon.”

Silence Before the Execution by @liquidluckandstuff (T, 3k, complete)

Instead of dying at the battle of Hogwarts, Voldemort was captured. Now, Harry is being asked to execute him. He decides to sneak down into Azkaban to talk to Voldemort one last time to hear his final words in peace. Too bad there is this hole in Harry's chest where the horcrux used to be, or it would be a lot easier.

Since We've No Place to Go by @marrythemonstersao3 (G, 2k, complete)

In Godric's Hollow on Christmas Eve, Harry accidentally wishes on a shooting star that things could be different. A few streets away in Bathilda Bagshot's house, a bright light flashes, and soon Voldemort, Nagini, and Bathilda wake up without their memories. Harry has no idea how different things are about to get.

Speak in Tongues by @moontearpensfic (E, 5k, complete)

Harry bakes a birthday cake for Tom. It has been said, after all, that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. But nothing in Harry's world ever goes quite the way he expects.

some enchanted evening by @theonceandfuturequeenoftarts (M, 2k, complete)

When the Minister's office catches word of an assassination attempt, Auror Harry Potter steps in to save Minister Tom Riddle. (Who happens to be her partner.) By Polyjuicing as her. Surely this will go well.

stumbling into wonderful by @satflesk22 (E, 5k, complete)

The Ministry sees fit to meddle at Hogwarts in an attempt at curtailing rising pureblood sentiments, to try and lure prospective recruits away from the Dark Lord Nott. Unsurprisingly, the Heir of Slytherin is stuck together in a room with the Chosen One. The worst part is probably that it bloody works.

The Betrayal (and Boon) of One's Own Biology by @riverxsong-ao3 (E, 7k, complete)

Tom Riddle had always known he was destined for greatness. As a young wizard, he was certain he would present one day as an Alpha - strong, powerful, in charge. When he did not, he came to accept that he must, in fact, be a Beta. Then, one day, everything changed.

The Descent by @chaos-bear (E, 5k, complete)

Secrets, grief and blood magic collide in the depths of the Austrian Alps.

tell me, baby by @theonceandfuturequeenoftarts (T, 1k, complete)

Last Christmas, Harry tried to give Draco his heart. It didn't go very well. This year, he's just trying to stay sober enough not to embarrass himself like he's sure he did at last year's Ministry Yule Gala. (He wouldn't know, since he doesn't remember much of it.)

To: Anonymous by @blackseatwenty (G, 2k, complete)

After a failed Transmigration Ritual, Tom Riddle is cursed by the Soul Keeper to endlessly visit alternate universes where his other selves live happy, successful lives. He cannot harm them, his cruel fate is to watch them for eternity. Harry Potter, because of the ritual and a fucked up rule with Death, is magically bonded to Tom, forced to follow him wherever he goes.  And in every new universe they land, it's always Christmas.

Unwinding the Minister (Hypothetically) by @ramabear (E, 4k, complete)

It's the end of December and Head Auror Harry Potter finds himself in the Minister's office once more and he can't help but wonder, how much the young, uptight Minister really just needs to unwind for a night. And how much he'd be happy to help.

what a Christmas to have the blues by @theonceandfuturequeenoftarts (G, 1.5k, complete)

Harry told himself he wouldn’t let Tom wreck his Christmas, and he hasn’t. He spent the day with his family in everything but blood and enjoyed himself. But that doesn’t mean he’s able to go on completely unaffected.

with elder; in yew by @virgil-anon (E, 8k, complete)

When someone breaks Tom's wand, he's furious and as broken as his trusted yew. However, Tom’s Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Evans, is mysteriously able to fix it for him.

whenever you want me (you've got me til the end of time) by @toast-ranger-to-a-stranger (T, 1k, complete) 

The first time it happens, Harry thinks it’s nothing more than a coincidence. The second time gives Harry some amount of pause. The third time, as usual, is the charm.  And, really, Harry should’ve known better.

*

[citrusses]

midstory line tag (10 lines from the middle of 10 fics tagging 10 people). thank you @wolfpants (x) @lemonlimelea (x) @garagepaperback (x) @twnkwlf-writes (x) for the tags, everyone please go read their lines which laid me flat on the ground, as always. here are mine:

Permanent

Level Nine — the Department of Mysteries. That means Unspeakables. Draco hates those spooky bastards. “We’re going to have to steal it,” Weasley says. He looks delighted, as well. None of these people are in their right minds. 

The Roommates

Harry hasn’t had a fuck in months. It’s not easy to get laid when your godfather is recently back from the dead, and you still live in his sentient graveyard of a house, and he’s nursing a grudge and heartbreak two decades in the making. 

Löyly

They walk back towards the wooden building together, Harry’s teeth chattering. When they step into the sauna, the heat of the steam is almost painful on his skin. Somehow, the warm air is making him all the more conscious of the cold that has permeated his veins, the millions of pinpricks of ice like miniscule daggers, pulsing into his nervous system.  “What the fuck,” he says again, softly.  “Brilliant, right?” Malfoy is still grinning like a madman. “The first time I did it was like taking molly.” 

Heatseeker

Above him, the Lights swirl tauntingly in the sky. They’ve been reticent to put on a show for Potter, but to Draco they’re well-known by now: pillars of green like a killing curse that could take out a city, ribbons of luminescent purple that form solar smoke rings against the stars. They’re rarely visible in a storm, but of course the universe has conspired to make this the worst possible confluence of circumstances it can possibly be for Draco.

Our Objective Remains Unchanged

When Draco smiled at him, Harry felt the whole world tip on its axis. It felt like making the Blue Boat, like crossing the finish line ahead of Cambridge. It felt, for the first time, like finally having something of his own.  

The Isle of Ogygia

Draco steels himself and turns back around. Potter is looking around the interior of the lighthouse, his eyes just coming to rest on the charred blanket. The smell hasn’t gotten better. “Er, nice place,” he chokes out.  A picture frame falls off the wall and shatters on the ground. Potter jumps. 

Flesh Memory

Harry hates prophecies and he hates being wielded by powerful men—and yet, and yet, and yet. Here he is, three decades later, wagging his tail over a resonant number and asking how high when the Minister for Magic tells him to jump.

Alpha and Omega. And Omega.

Draco smirks at Theo. “The Slytherin common room was not kind to the reputation of Harry Potter. Someone kept spreading nasty rumours about you.” “Gosh, I wonder who,” Theo says drily. Draco’s eyes flash. “I told you to shut up, Nott.” He shoots a coy look at Harry. “Omegas who misbehave get punished.” “The only misbehaving Omega in this room is you,” says Harry. “You twat.”

The Pain from an Old Wound

There is an enemy to attack. It put this horrible fucking mark on his arm, and it wants to tell Harry what to do with his life, and Harry is going to make it bleed.

Crush

“You cooked.” Malfoy’s voice is flat, and Harry can’t tell if he’s already fucked up or if Malfoy approves. “And you’ve… bathed.” Well, it’s hard not to take that one as an insult. “I take plenty of showers, Malfoy,” Harry says, affronted. “I’d go so far as to call them daily.”

tagging @smugrobotics @fluffyunderneath @yellowfork @chiquita-3 @faiell @kamaela @yiiiiiiiikes25 @greattemptation @shiftylinguini @thecouchsofa and anyone who sees this. if you've already done it do it again with new lines!

[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.)

[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

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Hi, I really like reading your takes on the Harry Potter books. I think they're fresh, logical and open-minded. So, I wanted to know your thoughts on Hermione's career.

Rowling says that she became minister for magic, while I like the idea, I find it difficult in execution. Like, it's common knowledge that politicians need to be charismatic, people smart and influential. And none of those traits apply to Hermione. I'm not saying that she isn't smart. I'm saying, her personality isn't suitable for a political career. I don't see her accomplishing anything in that field.

While recruiting for the DA, it's Harry's influence that brings people in. Sure, she did the heavy lifting with the list and coins, but she wouldn't have been able to convince anyone to join on her own. She tries and fails with SPEW.

I think she's more suited as a researcher or a journalist.

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe she changed a lot after the war but I just don't see it. I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Thank you! 💕

Kind of talked about this here.

Hermione is really good at organizing things. She really shines when she needs to get people together, prepare a plan, research information, and organize said information. She would be brilliant in managing an office or department, but I don't think she'll be great as a politician.

Because you are right, it was Harry, the D.A. joined for, not Hermione. Later in DH, Harry was the symbol everyone followed and rallied behind, not Hermione. And a politician needs to be charismatic and learn to work with the WW's crapy system. Systems don't change overnight, and you need to understand the ministry to change it. Hermione, while very patient when researching a subject, she isn't very patient when it comes to getting things done or with people she considers not as smart as her. (Ron is the only people-person in the Golden Trio)

I think Hermione would work well in various roles in the ministry, I just don't think being the minister is one of them. I think she'd cause a lot of tension, and that it's the kind of position that would make her worse rather than something she would enjoy long-term. Becouse she'd start passionate and idealistic, and the ministry is going to grind her down, and when that happens, Hermione would swing back even more aggressively and create more opposition for herself to deal with. She'd enjoy researching for the ministry, but I think she'd find the actual politics part of it, trying, frustrating and she'd feel like she's constantly scrambling.

Hermione isn't a good liar, nor is she good at thinking of things on the spot under pressure. If some other politician presses her enough to stress her, she might freeze up and forget half her planned bullet points. She can also be more hesitant than you'd want to be in some situations as a minister — she can be very cautious and self-doubting when it comes to more risky, bigger plans (as seen repeatedly in DH). She struggles to say "I planned enough, let's do this," and often needs that push.

So, yeah, I don't think Hermione is minister material, but I think she could manage certain offices and departments in the ministry (that are more research-heavy) if the right people are working around her (which she would be able to control, so, yeah).

I think Hermione would be a brilliant journalist, actually. She would do all the legwork for research, she eavesdrops on conversations and likes being in the know (she is very nosy), she's very articulate and well-spoken — yeah, I back this. I think Hermione could have a blast being a journalist. It would also allow her to shed light on injustices and systemic issues in their world. It's one of the better headcanons for a profession for Hermione I've seen.