#sketchyblondes

[yours-drarry]

Could I send some appreciation to thistlecat/sketchyblondes? They're such a generous commenter and a brilliant writer too!

You sure can anon! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate generous commenters, they’re a blessing in any fandom 🙌 come collect some love @sketchyblondes, and thank you for being part of the Drarry fam! You guys can check her fic masterlist here :)

[saricess]

For fanfic writer's ask meme: L U C K? :) (pick your fave for C - I just wanted to spell something haha)

L:  Which of your fanfics was the most emotionally challenging to write?

Spinning away from the Star Wars fandom here, “why her and not me?” was kinda challenging for me to write because I was writing it from Erina’s POV, a character I don’t like very much and write her having her heart broken. Normally I would be mean and like “In your face bitch!” but I didn’t really wanrt to do that with this fanfic and try to make it like I had no biased.

(The fanfic is in the Shokugeki no Souma fandom and is Souma x Megumi ;) )

U: Is there a pairing you would like to write, but haven’t tried yet.

I LOVE Kanej but with how they’re relationship is and how their characters are, I find it difficult to write them. 

C:  How did you come up with the title to [insert fic]?

LOL ;)  Actually, one of my fav’s it “a misgiving” which I REALLY need to update and write more. I had seen someone do a fanfic where Ahsoka mysteriously gets pregnant and wanted to do write one as well, the title was fairly easy for me as I just look up some synonym’s to a word I can’t remember XD.

K:  Do you have a guilty pleasures in fic (reading or writing)?

It’s no secret that I’m a lover for smut, dirty talks and kinks - BUT a ship has become a guilty pleasure of mine, which is Obi-Wan x Maul x Ahsoka. (I will now go and hide from more anti’s and haters.)

[skeptiquewrites]

ooh tell us about the Holly and the Ivy?

Hello friend! Thank you for asking.

I had vague ideas about writing a 2020 Christmas fic and never got around to it. Now it’s a bit more angsty.  cw: minor character death Premise: Harry really struggles with Christmas. He doesn’t know how to give gifts and seems to have a knack for picking something too cheap or expensive. He doesn’t enjoy feeling like he’s intruding on someone else’s family. He really hates the stress of holiday parties and impressive cooking. Draco wants to go big with Christmas because it was his mum’s favourite holiday. He is also struggling. Excerpt: Harry had a mind to speak to whoever had given him a Muggle driving license first, and the person who had rented him this monster of a Jeep secondly. Draco had done something Harry suspected wasn’t legal because the car seemed to avoid the other cars in a way his steering did not.

“This is the first day the Norway spruces are available,” Draco said.

“Mmmm,” Harry said noncommittally. He took his wand out of his shoulder holster, pointed it at the radio and began tapping. Harry loved Draco dearly, but if he was expected to listen to Christmas tree facts for two hours, he was going to hurl something out the window onto the M4. The Wireless kicked in.

[teacup-tai]

42 and 44? :) :)

hello, @sketchyblondes, thanks so much for the questions. I answered 44 here.

42. How do you figure out your characters looks, personality, etc.

This is a tricky question, because I DON'T KNOW. lol

I'ts not a very rational choice on my part. I think I go along with the vibe of the fic and plot and what I need from the characters, but it's also informed by the original characters in the books and how I feel them, what are my headcanons for them etc.

writers asks

[youngbloodbuzz]

1, 6, 10? :)

oh thanks for playing!

1. How long ago did you start reading fanfiction? Writing fanfiction?

i started out by accidentally stumbling upon fic while perusing mugglenet as though it were my morning newspaper when i was about 11 years old lol 

read so many bad hp fic back in those days, and made an attempt or two myself around that age that just...god i’d like to delete from memory and from existence but alas i do not remember my username/password anymore lool 

6. How do you find new fic to read? Where do you primarily read fanfiction?

either through refreshing ao3 repeatedly or through tumblr if someone posts/reblogs something that catches my eye. or if someone actually starts yelling at me about this one particular fic they’ve read or they’re writing

10. What’s your favorite fandom, pairing, or character to read fic for?

at the moment? it is obsessively damie from bly manor, like obsessively, and when i’m feeling like it, i jump right back into supercorp which is always on the backburner of my heart

but i also tend to casually jump around other fandoms while in in the middle of hyperfixations to keep my brain fresh. like atla, critrole, d20, mcu

[iamdeltas]

6 - Zuko, Sokka, Yasha & 2 - Caleb, Chidi, Aang :)

6. go clothes shopping with, go to ikea with, go grocery shopping with I was gonna say I’d go to IKEA with Yasha, since she’d be able to carry everything (she is really fucking strong) but perhaps Sokka would be the better choice since he’s good and inventing/engineering sorts of things and could even help me put the furniture together. The next two are pretty much process-of-elimination. I love Yasha but I am not going grocery shopping with her! She’d probably mistake the bugs on the sidewalk in front of the store for groceries! Her Extreme Omnivore tendencies would make grocery shopping with her difficult. So Zuko would be a better choice. Which leaves Yasha for clothes shopping. Which is perfect because neither of us even likes shopping so we’ll be done quickly! 2.  fist fight, get drunk with, share a flat with I would love to share an apartment with Chidi. I think he’d make a great roommate. I’d even be okay with him rambling about philosophy. Plus, we’re both introverts so I feel like that would make us a good fit. I think the only real issue is that I’m messy as hell, but hey! Maybe he’ll get me to clean the apartment every once in a while. I would feel awful fist fighting Aang, especially since he’s a freaking 12 year old and also he absolutely wouldn’t participate anyway. So I pick Caleb for this. He wouldn’t have as many compunctions about this, he’s older than me so I don’t have to feel bad about it, and also he’s a scrawny wizard who can’t rely on his magic for this, so I’ll probably win. Maybe. I am also incredibly weak. So this leaves getting drunk with Aang. I guess in this hypothetical scenario he’s have to be an adult. And I guess in this hypothetical scenario I’m actually allowed to drink alcohol.  This was fun! I’d totally love to answer more questions from this ask game, so feel free to ask away!

[the-starryknight]

Thank you so much for the rec @sketchyblondes !! And I wholeheartedly second these recs -- really wonderful fics. Thank you 💛💛

Quidditch Fest Rec List

There were SO MANY delightful fics for @quidditchfest and I read them all and these are four of my favorites:

Split Figs in Summer by @the-starryknight (Drarry, E, 8k)

Have you too never fully escaped your classics phase? Do you love lush descriptions and innovative, brief world building? Then this fic may be for you!

Once a Flier by Albuss (Flintwood, E, 4k)

Do you also have sports-related trauma? As a former competitive runner, this fic *hurt* in just the best way. This is the type of fic that makes me so happy fanfiction and fandom exists as we heal and create together. 

Something Good to Always Keep by @seekercass (Cedric/Harry/Draco, E, 17k)

Harry deserves a nice throuple. End of story.

They Bought a Sports Bar by @fw00shy (Cho/Ginny, T, 2.3k)

I’m not just recc’ing this because it was gifted to me, but I’m highlighting this fic because it’s a brilliant and perfect addition to the steady growing good ship of Cho/Ginny. The structure is so perfect - so harmoniously formed. Read it!

[thebooktopus]

🖤 mind tags 💞 so sweet 🔥 sex is on fire 😆 banter, hilarity

Week 3 - Kinkuary / Shipuary

Little late today (life is hard, ugh) but holy cow, friends. SO MANY amazing rare pairs, creative uses of the prompts, steamy artwork... we are lucky!!

Completely Unconventional by @sugareey-makes-stuff E // art + drabble // Flintwood // lingerie 🔥🔥🔥

“Wait, are you actually swimming in that?” Oliver asked in disbelief.

enough to hold your love by @agendertonks E // 675 // Millicent Bulstrode/Blaise Zabini // sex toys 🔥💞

“What do you want, baby?” Milli’s voice is rough, a counterpoint to how gentle they are, spreading him wide with their thumbs and dropping a gentle kiss to the cheek they’d just slapped.

Giving in, without a hand by @tsundanire E // 871 // Sirius/Charlie // sensory deprivation 🔥

Rope wrapped in intricate and beautifully woven patterns across Charlie’s chest, travelling over his broad shoulders and under well-defined arms, binding them together at the wrists and forearms behind his back.

Imagine by @lumosatnight E // 324 // Wolfstar // bareback/creampie 🔥

Moony really did have such a sinful tongue. It was such a shame he didn’t use it more often, like licking into Sirius’s hole, preparing him for something bigger.

Kinkuary 2022 by @cannibalschism M // 2K // Drarry // sex toys 😆

“Now you got it,” George said, clapping him on the back again. “There are two things in this world that you can never truly get enough of, mate: laughter and sex.”

Kinkuary 2022 by @kryptidfox E // art // Drarry // voyeurism/masturbation 🔥🔥🔥

ft. one harry watching another version of himself with dearly despised malfoy, he can’t believe it but he’s also kinda into it

Kinkuary 2022, ch3 by @makeitp1nk E // 4K // Drarry // sex toys 🔥💞

“Show me, love. Show me how you get off,” Harry encourages.

One in the Hand by @p1013 E // 2K // Drarry // masturbation 🔥

Potter's eyes are bright with anger when he turns them to Draco. "I was a bit busy not being killed by a megalomaniacal, soulless arsehole, so no, I didn't need to"--he holds his hands up, his first two fingers curling and extending as he speaks—"deal with it."

One Step Closer to the Edge by @postjentacular E // 733 // Jeddy // edging 💞😆

"And you were a rotten bastard," James said. "Can we do it again next week?"

Pet by @sketchyblondes E // 500 // Flonks // sex toys 🔥💞

From this angle Mistress looked like a goddess, golden hair catching the sunlight from the window. From every angle Mistress looked like a goddess.

Space Girl by @thebooktopus M // 350 // Linny // face-sitting 💞

When you settle over me, the crescent of your thighs pressed against my ears, you tilt your head. Where do you go in those moments? I urge you down to settle your lips over mine.

What Are Friends For? by @vdoshu E // 3K // Jeddy // Tentacles 🔥

But he’s a Gryffindor, and he’s very much his parents’ son. So James is absolutely the one who says, his voice slightly hoarse and his skin hot and his breath coming short, “Want to test those out?”

you make it so hard to be good by @fw00shy E // 385 // Drarry // barebacking 🔥😆

Even a secret bar had a dirty toilet.

you're making a slut out of me by @zigster-ao3 E // 3K // Charlie/mystery // filming/edging/orgasm delay/sex toys 🔥🔥🔥

“You did so well,” came a familiar voice and Charlie nodded against the strong chest that now supported him, agreeing. He did. He really fucking did. He’d ask for a medal if he could speak just then.

[oh-anthonio]

It’s a boat damn time! 🚤 @sketchyblonde is gettin hitched y’all! 🤠 #laketravis #laketravistx #boatparty #bachelorette (at Lake Travis) https://www.instagram.com/p/Chzr6JtOrkT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[skeptiquewrites]

1, 2, 3 for writer ask game? <3

Hello! Thank you so much for the ask. 💛 1. Favorite place to write.

I love to write outside on a day with some sun and breeze on my balcony. 2. Favorite part of writing.

In general, that first sprint about 20% in where there are a lot of ideas coalescing. Other than that, any time where I surprise myself with what I can really do. 3. Least favorite part of writing.

Hmmm. This might be influenced by what I'm up to right now but I don't like revising! The in-between stage makes it feels like I'm not making progress. I think it too easily puts me in a place where I am being Too Critical or fiddling with one or two words.

Ask Game for Writers

[teacup-tai]

Summer Fics by Tai

I just wanted to rant a bit and reflect on the last 2 months. Well, this summer came with sadness. My 14 years long relationship came to an end, or maybe a semi-colon (I hope so). I had SO MANY emotions going on! So I stress read as always and wrote SEVEN FICS(!!!) only six posted, after months of writer's block.

I'm writing this post because I want to appreciate myself and creativity and resilience and all these nice stories that I managed to write in a very short amount of time. I'm proud of all them, they are *so diverse* and *so special* in their own ways:

Breaking wild roses (stings like love's pain) - 1.4k, E, Pansmione

I feel like a scream is stuck inside my chest, creeping up in the deep dark hollow of my throat. It’s a mix of pain and agony. So to keep it down, I open my mouth and fill it with your soft, tender flesh. The bronze skin of your shoulder right against my tongue.

I'm honestly proud of this smut with feels and I need to thank special people who helped, be prompting or betaing this story; thank you @the-starryknight, @sketchyblondes @phenomenalasterisk

The Truth Runs Wild - 3k, E, Blairon

It’s Harry’s fault and his whole ‘gay awakening’ and all the shit he had to hear Harry talk him through, in the name of friendship and supportive brotherhood. But honestly, if Zabini licking his lips can be this sensual, what could he do with a dick in his mouth? Ron flushes, because he cannot be honestly thinking about Blaise Zabini and blowjobs. Like, he’s straight, right. Right?

and it's sequel: Only Fools Fall - 5.3k, E, Blairon

Blaise planted a kiss against Ron’s temple and moved away to watch him with big black attentive eyes. “I only wanna make you feel good,” he assured him. And Ron felt himself blush, because Zabini was looking soft and warm and it was making things inside Ron’s chest turn and pull. This was getting way too real. Or: Ron wants more, then he gets pretty confused. So Tai decided to write a Blaise/Ron love story out of it.

This wouldn't have happened without the nonnie who boldly asked my opinion on Blairon, lol. And without the amazing help of this lovely alpha-beta crew: @erajakira , @olliemaye, @crazybutgood . I had such great fun writing these fics, I'm in love with this universe for real! Blairon for the win! this wouldn't be the same without the mutual hype of @thusspoketrish and @anaxandria-writes for our lovely August with Gusto: Blasie Zabini Appreciation Month!

For God is Love - 3k, M, Drarry

1 John 4:8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. Or: Tai decided to write a religious AU fic, in which draco and harry are catholic priests, bc I wanted to read it :)

Got the amazing help of @corvuscrowned and Jay, and honestly if it weren't for @tackytigerfic also enjoying this trope it wouldn't have happened. I LOVED writing such a different trope and mood than I normally write. So thank you y'all!

Space Bodies - 1.5k, M, Drarry

She tastes like a love story. Or: my dream came true and I wrote a drarry fic with trans!draco being this gorgeous woman and I can die happy now.

It made my day to write this fic for the @drarrymicrofic with the amazing help of @softlystarstruck, @atgranger and Logan.

Claraboia - microfic, Drarry

"Look what I've found," Draco says in a surprised and tender voice. Harry is still learning all the nuances of his voice and this one is new.

BIG thank you to @onbeinganangel and @the-starryknight for making me dive into the microfic realm.

I also want to thank InnerLilith for betaing a gen fic about Pansy that is not pubished yet. And all the amazing friends from the drarry squad that keep me going when life is shit, specially @sitp-recs who holds my hand when time zone allows and hypes me up.

THANK YOU TO ALL MY READERS! YOU MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN MY SUMMER SADNESS, YOU HAVE NO IDEA!

I got a new job in a new city and I'm moving out tomorrow. I dunno when I will be able to write in the forseeable future. BUT THANK YOU. This last year has been filled with up and downs. And me being back to the drarry fandom is @quicksilvermaid fault, bc of the @hd-hurtfest from last year. Without your prompt I wouldn't have written my sadass drarry fic, and stayed for the long run, and so many things in my life changed bc of that fic. I'm emotionally healthier now and I'm moving forwards, thanks Q!

Cheers folks! Sending love, tai.

[siriusblackfest]

2021 SIRIUS BLACK FEST - Week 1 Round Up.

Hi friends, we hope you are enjoying the @siriusblackfest this year. Thank you for keeping the posts engaged. Here’s a quick recap of Week One - we have more fic next week! Enjoy! 

Week 1 Round Up

Title: Harmonicas, Hinky-punks, and Heather Author: @squidgilator Pairing: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin Rating: M Word Count: 22k Summary:  Sirius and Remus get stranded in Scotland on Order business, and decide  to walk to Hogwarts. Featuring the Brontës, a harmonica, a Red Cap  attack, and some self-discovery. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34531759 

**

Title: This Mind Now, This Far Author/Artist: @paulamcg Pairing(s): Sirius/Remus (past), Sirius/OMC Rating: G Word Count: 1400 Summary: Why a couple of brightly-coloured birds brought cheerful letters from Harry's godfather in summer 1994. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34720765

**

Title: Cygnus’s Failure Author/Artist: thistlecat ( @sketchyblondes ) Pairing(s)/Character(s): Gen (Cygnus Black & Sirius Black) Rating: T Word Count: 3k Summary: In December 1981, Cygnus tries, and fails, to get his nephew out of Azkaban. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34564342

**

Title: Inflations, Invitations, and Flirtations Author/Artist: @squidgilator Pairing: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin Rating: G Word Count: 9400 Summary: Plenty of people take advantage of Remus' air mattress after Hogwarts. Sirius isn't jealous at all. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34532437

**

Title: Love, Contractually Author/Artist: @evandarandahalf Pairing: Rodolphus Lestrange/Sirius Black Rating: PG Word Count: 600 Summary: Rodolphus and Sirius are ready to be together openly, and they have a plan to make their families accept it. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34857688

**

Title: Some Still Melody Author/Artist: FivePips | ( @marlenemckinn ) Pairing(s)/Character(s): Sirius Black/Remus Lupin Rating: T Word Count or Art Medium: 16k Summary: Sirius is no longer the man he once knew. Alone, and becoming the village eccentric, Sirius spends most days fighting his own demons. When James asks for a favor, Remus Lupin arrives and changes everything. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Sirius_Black_Fest_2021/works/34806523

**

Title: Hiding Author/Artist: @mean-whale-writes Pairing(s)/Character(s): Sirius/Remus Rating: Mature Word Count: 4600 Summary: Sirius and Remus are in hiding together when Sirius’s crush on Remus comes to light. How will Remus react to it? Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34844932

**

Title: Missing You Author: @samunderthelights Pairing(s)/Character(s): Sirius Black/Harry Potter + Sirius Black & Remus Lupin Rating: T Word Count: 3700 Summary: So far, Sirius has been able to laugh off Harry’s crush on him. After all, he doesn’t feel the same way about the young man, and he’s convinced he will get over his crush eventually. But after a night of heavy drinking, he ends up making a mistake that could ruin everything. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34842808

**

Title: Mine Author/Artist: @articcat621 Pairing(s)/Character(s): Remus Lupin/Sirius Black Rating: NC-17 Word Count or Art Medium: 560 Prompt #: 72: Remus bites Sirius Summary: Sirius asks Remus to make it official. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34859593

**

Title: Breakthru These Barriers of Pain Author/Artist: @meandminniemcg Pairing(s)/Character(s):Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Sirius Black & James Potter; Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Minerva McGonagall Rating: PG-13 Word Count or Art Medium: 4000 Prompt #:Self-prompt Summary:When Sirius transforms before James and Pete have their Animagus potion ready, he can’t wait. He will be there for Remus this full moon. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34849705/chapters/86777008

**

[thistlecatfics]

question from the ever curious and thoughtful @slashmarks​ : “how did slughorn edit his?”

which I think is also “how did slughorn edit his so poorly?” 

(sorry I’ve had, er, most of a bottle rosé tonight and so my answers may be both unnecessarily forceful and incoherent) 

I think that part’s so not so hard to understand? slughorn is like a “I’m going to shut that chapter away!! it happened this way!! the end!!” and that’s why his falsified memory is so clumsy. versus snape, in this possibility, who is an expert occlumens and really stews in his memories over and over for a decade and slowly and precisely makes them what he wants to remember? (but I know this is all a stretch) 

ok it’s so hard to do deep dives of a text in which 50% of the time the answer is just “it’s magic!!” like... how do pensieves take in all this information that an individual could not have possibly perceived? I don’t like the answer “it’s special magic!” but that feels like a likely explanation given how much Dumbledore based his war strategy on these memories? 

I think this is an area where I go more into my social work/therapy background and less on my critical-reading-of-canon horse (which is @slashmarks​ ‘s blindingly brilliant expertise!) I tend to go less to magic as an explanation and more to human behavior and trauma and memory, which is all so faulty and so internally motivated and so easy to manipulate. and so utterly fascinating and is the kind of stuff I want to explore in fic. 

I see the logic of: pensieve memories show us things the individual could not have possibly remembered in detail because we see that happen in canon and dumbledore uses those moments as key in building his war strategy 

BUT we also have Dumbledore saying explicitly that Harry should note how wonderfully detailed his own memory is? implying that there is something about how the individual perceives their environment that impacts what is in the pensieve? 

I’ve reread books 1-4 and 7 during quarantine and I think this has finally pushed me that I need to reread 5 and 6 and offer you a more cogent theory. (am I a coward who doesn’t want to read Sirius and Dumbledore dying? perhaps.) 

How do you feel about James threatening to take off Snape's underwear in front of a group of fellow students? And using that to try and coerce Lily into a date with him? I've seen different takes which included sexual assault (which isn't wrong by our standards, per se, including showing underwear in the first place) to teenage antics. Basically, how do you feel this action reflects on who James is as a person - ignoring the arguments of Marauders vs Snape being "justified" or not. 1/2

2. An aside, where does it say in book text that Mulciber used Levicorpus against Mary Macdonald? (I think I saw that in a discussion on meta here.) I can't find any part of the book that confirms what was actually done to her. For what it's worth, I tend to think of the characters all fighting a small war during the marauder era, and find "who bullied who" discussions pointless, especially in the later years.

First off - I cannot be entirely sure I did not send this ask to myself in a fevered state because this is exactly what has been bubbling around in my head for the past week. (so, uh, that is to say, thank you for the ask, anon.)

Second - everything we get about the marauder’s era is through 2+ unreliable narrators which is why it’s so fun! I just reread SWM and am going to offer a few potential interpretations. I’m very much open to more.

Rereading “Snape’s Worst Memory” right now, the first thing that stands out to me is that it is Snape’s memory but the details around James Potter and co are almost absurdly clear given that Snape is “as deeply immersed in the OWL paper as ever, which left Harry free to sit down on the grass between the beech and the bushes and watch the foursome under the tree.” It’s a little difficult for me to understand how everyone is situated but why are the details of MWPP’s conversation intelligible to him?

A few questions right from the start:

To what degree is Snape’s pensieve memory reliable?

To what degree should we see this as a school-based proxy war vs bullying?

To what degree is this moment an aberration vs typical?

“Snape reacted so fast it was as though he had been expecting an attack.” (hyper-vigilance, trauma-response, training, situational awareness, been listening in - lots of ways to read this)

“Students all around had turned to watch… some looked apprehensive, other entertained.” (everyone assumes something is about to happen)

The initial dialogue (grease marks on the parchment) feels super schoolyard bullying.

Scourgify - choking him, seen described as “waterboarding” very cogently though I’m still iffy on that, but we do know it’s very much the lizard brain not the thinking brain that reacts to that - you’re terrified of drowning like that, wizarding or not. It's quite a cruel thing to do.

“Leave him alone.”

“I will if you go out with me, Evans,” said James quickly. “Go on… go out with me and I’ll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again.”

“Quickly!” is such a useless adverb! There are still so many ways of interpreting that! Quickly as in - he’s said this so many times he doesn’t have to think about it? Quickly as in - he’s not thinking and he says a stupid 16 year old thing which he regrets soon after? Quickly as in - this is fun, almost mutual banter? (doubtful as her earlier statement was said “coldly.”) But also like... what the fuck, James? What the actual fuck?

Ok then Sirius says “bad luck, Prongs” briskly, and Snape reaches his wand. Snape curses James with a spell that leaves a gash across his face “spattering his robes with blood.”

(to be fair to Snape, faces bleed super easily, and a shallow cut on the face will bleed just horribly as any rugby player will tell you.)

Then James sends him upside down. Everyone laughs, and even Lily’s “furious expression” “twitches.”

Then we get the Lily/Snape/James interaction bits - they’re fighting, James undoes the Levicorpus and then the Patrificus Totalus at Lily’s insistence, and then, famously, Snape says, “I don’t need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!”

Sirius gently mocks James “who looked furious now.”

And the scene concludes with:

“There was another flash of light, and Snape was one again hanging upside-down in the air.

‘Who wants to see me take off Snivelly’s pants?’”

Honestly rereading the chapter I was hoping for some clear insight, and my main reaction is that I have a renewed understanding for why there’s so much debate about this memory!

Without any context, the concluding moment, that James feels humiliated over a rejection by a girl, and he then physically restrains another man, shows off his underwear and threatens to take them off in front of a crowd, feels like standard issue sexual violence (in the sort of hazing/bullying type.)

In context, given that we know Snape and his friends are about to be (or already have been) inducted as Death Eaters, a process that involves murder, this feels like a school-based proxy war in a larger fight and while it might be sexualized violence, it’s not so outside the pale as it would be in our own high school context.

Alright now that I have thoroughly confused myself and gotten nowhere, let me focus on the actual questions given.

"Basically, how do you feel this action reflects on who James is as a person"

Badly! It reflects badly!

To me, I see him as your typical Social Justice Bro - he’ll say the right words, fight against the Baddies with genuine fervor, but he still very much sees women as prizes to be won in exchange for his good behavior.

This is SUCH a common type of person and the idea that Quidditch star, wealthy only child, brilliant Jame Potter falls into that trap is not surprising.

I see there being three options fans can take here:

This memory is accurate and representative: James Potter, like many men, fights on the good side but harbors misogynistic views and treats the women in his life like objects and is willing to use sexualized violence against others as a means of asserting his own masculinity.

This memory is accurate but not representative: This is the worst James Potter ever acted. He never behaved this way again. He apologized to Lily. He did his feminist reading. He worked on his own shit. (I think this is the one JKR wants us to take? But who knows and who cares with her.)

This memory is not accurate: Snape, being very smart and very highly motivated, like many people like him, has slowly and steadily edited his own memories to better fit into a narrative he feels comfortable with. (This explains why his recollections of the MWPP conversations are so accurate and unflattering and also why he seems to have done zero healing or maturing in the past 10 years and bullies children. He has been stewing in his own edited memories rather than healing and moving on.)

I can vibe with all of them, depending on what kind of story I want to write/read/imagine.

where does it say in book text that Mulciber used Levicorpus against Mary Macdonald?

It doesn’t. I think I remember the meta you’re referencing (I remember it being very good and interesting!)

“Mulciber! What do you see in him, Sev, he’s creepy! D’you know what he tried to do to Mary Macdonald the other day?”

…

“It was Dark Magic, and if you think that’s funny-”

It’s super vague in canon. I interpret it as an act of sexual violence, because that’s where my brain always goes, but it’s incredibly vague!

Anon, I hope you don’t think the fact I managed to write 1,000 words and weasel my way out of answering your questions means I don’t deeply appreciate them! I hope you have a stupendous evening <3 <3

[fantismal]

Several Sentence Sunday

I see how it is, @krethes, pull me out of my tumblr hibernation by saying you want me to share some stuff... Here's an excerpt from a McGonagall POV chapter from a time travel Marauder fic I'm working on...

In the halls on her way to the headmaster's office, Minerva encountered Severus. The sallow man looked more upset than he usually did, his hands folded together in his sleeves as he stalked silently toward the gargoyle. "Problem in Slytherin?" Minerva asked as they walked together. "Not exactly," Severus answered. "Did Black attempt to break into Gryffindor Tower again?" "...not exactly." Minerva frowned slightly at Severus. He and Black had never gotten along as children. She somehow doubted he would appreciate knowing that his literal childhood bully was back in these halls. "I'm afraid I need to speak with Albus urgently. Would you like me to take him a message for you?" "I also need to speak with the headmaster. In person." Minerva's frown deepened. "Severus, the laws of time and space have been bent. Whatever has happened in Slytherin house tonight-" "Time?" Severus interrupted, looking at her. "Have you... found someone out of time too?" "Too?" Minerva stopped walking to meet Severus' eyes. "Yes, as a matter of fact." But of course. "Regulus," she realized. "Regulus Black came to you?" "Regulus Black?" Severus' brow furrowed. "Regulus died years... no. Not Regulus. Did Regulus come to you?" "...Sirius did," Minerva admitted. "Sirius Black, age sixteen. He mentioned Regulus. If you haven't encountered Regulus... is there a third student?" Severus' eyes narrowed. "Sirius Black?" he repeated. "You are aware-" "Yes, Severus. We are all very aware of what Black has become. We are taking precautions to keep him away from Harry and away from the students." Minerva adjusted her sleeves. "Who have you found?" Severus looked away for a moment, then back at Minerva. "...Lily Evans," he said, his voice soft. "Age fifteen."

And then, because she asked for it: @sketchyblondes, you're up!

[femmefest]

FEMMEFEST 2021 REVEALS!!

banner and art: kiertorata

Dear writers, artists, commenters and other femslash enthusiasts! We are excited to finally reveal the authors and artists of this year’s fest. ♥

All gifts have been de-anon’d on AO3 so feel free to respond to any comments you may have received! We will be adding creator names to the LJ/DW posts over the next few days.

We want to give an extra special thanks to digthewriter, PaulaMcG, WhyTFNot, and SailorSlash for pinch hits and community gifts!

Thank you so much for participating, and we hope to see you all back here again next year!

FIC

A Little Treat — A gift for xslytherclawx by bluemermaid | ao3 | Padma/Hannah A Swaying Route — A gift for bluemermaid by PaulaMcG | ao3 | Luna/Cho Afternoon delight — A gift for maraudersaffair by hippocrates460 | ao3 | Hermione Granger/Pansy Parkinson An Open Letter to My Beloved — A gift for Albuss by emilattes | ao3 | Pansy Parkinson/Ginny Weasley Back in My Body — A Gift for flipflop_diva by Albuss | ao3 | Pansy/Ginny Blood is Rare and Sweet — A Gift for flyingharmony by thistlecat | ao3 | Andromeda/Bellatrix Dancing On Air — A gift for yrfrndfrnkly by eatsdeath | ao3 | Angelina Johnson/Alicia Spinnet Falling into Place — A gift for vendettadays by webofdreams89 | ao3 | Lavender Brown/Padma Patil Hua (Flower) — A gift for tonftyhw by ufohnoparty (why_didnt_i_get_any_soup) | ao3 | Cho Chang/Luna Lovegood i probably should know your name — A gift for ufohnoparty by xslytherclawx | ao3 | Ginny/Luna (plus background slash) (I wish I was a thought) I'd run all through your mind — A gift for evening12 by Melacka | ao3 | Ginny Weasley/Pansy Parkinson Memories, Curses and Histories — A gift for bluemermaid by vendettadays | ao3 | Hermione Granger/Pansy Parkinson My heart beats slow — A gift for luminousgloom by icarusinflight | ao3 | Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley New Beginnings — A gift for Melacka by PaulaMcG | ao3 | Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Cho Chang/Gabrielle Delacour should my suffering double, may i never love you less — A gift for icarusinflight by theskyisgay | ao3 | Pansy Parkinson/Ginny Weasley Solid Ground — A gift for the_kellephant by NachoDiablo | ao3 | Lily Evans/Marlene McKinnon Some Sort of Punishment — A gift for SailorSlash by flipflop_diva | ao3 | Hermione/Pansy Spoiled — A gift for agendertonks by maraudersaffair | ao3 | Millicent/Pansy Tenebrae Vincunt (In Absentia Lucis) — A gift for sketchyblondes by FairyQueen (etoilecourageuse) | ao3 | Bellatrix/Narcissa the girl and the boot-shaped home — A gift for Tpants by Evening12 | ao3 | Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley The Hot Mess Express — A gift for hippocrates460 by yrfrndfrnkly | ao3 | Minerva McGonagall/Rolanda Hooch

ART

A Day in the Life of — A gift for josephinestone by Tpants | ao3 | Hermione/Luna A Moment is Forever — A gift for digthewriter by SailorSlash | ao3 | Luna/Ginny Hearts On A String — A gift for xslytherclawx by WhyTFNot | ao3 | Hannah Abbott/Padma Patil Oasis — A gift for theskyisgay021 by SailorSlash | ao3 | Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley Starstruck/Moonlight — A Gift for NachoDiablo by WhyTFNot | ao3 | Cho Chang/Fleur Delacour, Lily Evans/Narcissa Black The Flower Girl — A gift for emilattes by digthewriter | ao3 | Luna/Ginny The Professor, The Quidditch Star, The Werewolf (& the women they love) — A Gift for the-scarfofsexualpreference by digthewriter | ao3 | Hermione/Pansy. Ginny/Luna. Lavender/Parvati

[thebooktopus]

🖤 mind tags 💞 so sweet 🔥 sex is on fire 😆 banter, hilarity

Week 4 - Kinkuary / Shipuary

rounded up some of my favs from the last week of these super fun February fests - lots of great rare pairs, SO many good reads! hope you enjoy!

A Different Dynamic by @sugareey-makes-stuff E // 200+art // Perciver // sex work & sensory deprivation // 🔥

"So lean and fit,” Oliver continued, who had to be standing close by now. “And you’re wearing a jock strap."

are you up? ;) by @softlystarstruck & @secretartlair E // 315+art // Drarry // sex toys // 🔥😆💞

im always bent babyyy

Boys Under the Lights by @samunderthelights E // 2677 // James Sirius/Albus Severus // sex work & filming 🔥🖤

“Sorry I interrupted,” James says, feeling his cheeks grow warm again when Albus touches the pearls that are still hanging on his neck.

Catch and Release by @vdoshu M // 1906 // Tomarry // tattoos // 🔥🖤

Lesson No. 1: There are monsters everywhere.

Coming Home by @postjentacular E // 992 // Wolfstar // tattoos // 💞🔥

"Next time," Remus promised, "we've plenty of next times."

Drops of Water by @lumosatnight T // 612 // James Sirius & Albus Severus // 💞

“Need you.” So soft, so small, like a confession ripped open.

I Like Tattoos by @zigster-ao3 E // 2K // Teddy/OMC // tattoos 💞🔥🔥🔥

He’d found a rune he recognised. It was the closest thing he’d seen to the one above Sirius’ heart. He scribbled a copy onto a spare bit of parchment as he read the meaning: safety, security, protecting loved ones.

Kinkuary 2022, pt 22 by @cannibalschism // M // 4K // Drarry // tattoos // 🔥💞

Harry tastes the cloves just as he used to when they were younger and thought there was more to the world than each other.

Light My Fire by @makeitp1nk E // 3K // Drarry // wax 🔥💞

Born of that fated flight above flames in the Room of Requirement, Draco had grown to associate the heat, the danger of fire with mind-altering desire. Harry felt flattered and a bit alarmed, but Draco was so happy with the searing sex, and he begged so sweetly.

nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands by @vocative M // 2K // Angelina Johnson/Katie Bell // hands // 💕

Katie doesn’t respond. It’s costing her everything she has not to lean back into Angelina’s touch. She wants to get closer, wants to let her eyes fall shut at the pleasurable feeling of Angelina’s hands in her hair. But she doesn’t want to scare Angelina away. Their friendship feels so delicate these days.

Obscene by @danni-the-puff E // 1864 // Snarry // a/b/o // 🖤🔥

Alpha. The word sings in the depths of his soul. Alpha, alpha — Severus wants to claw it out.

promise & proclaim by @glittering-git E // 260 // Draco/Harry/Teddy // bareback/creampie // 💞🔥

You think you’ve been ready for ages. Yes, please.

Serving Detention by @thebooktopus E // 1752 // Drarry // wildcard // 🖤🔥

Draco unfisted the hair and leaned back in his chair. "Well, go on then, put your mouth to use. Merlin knows you had no problem running it during class this afternoon.”

There's No You Without Him by @xxynnoxx E // 267 // Jeddy // 🖤🔥

Though, Teddy didn’t mind as much—it was the only time he could be genuine when they did this as he whispered back, “I love you, too, Jamie. So much.”

Vulnerability by @sketchyblondes M // 200 // Cho/Ginny // explicit sexual consent // 🔥💞

Listening to Cho with her raven-black hair and pink flushed cheeks say yes was better than any shot of firewhiskey, any championship trophy.

What are brothers for? by @greenmegsnoham E // James Sirius/Albus Severus/Scorpius Malfoy // 2K // double penetration // 🖤🔥🖤🔥

"I'm not usually one to share, but we are family now. And he seems more than willing."

For more info on my Kinky Shipuary posts, check out this post. I'm doing something completely different for March, more info here!