#squib discrimination

[yallthemwitches]

Some James (and Potter family) Headcanon

Because I always seem to fixate on Lily hc and he needs some love:

---James didn't really chase after Lily because she was pretty, intelligent, and cheeky (though those helped) but rather because she was a challenge for him. Not in the sense that she said no for years and he loved the chase, but because Lily as a person really expanded his worldview. Due to his extremely coddled upbringing and lush life due to his blood status/ quidditch ability, James always gravitated to people that made his life more difficult in an enriching way: Sirius was the first person to ever "hit back" with his own antics and not shy away from taking the piss out of him, Remus had a troubled life completely foreign to James that provided lots of apparent troubles but also made James see bravery in a new light, and Peter made him a mentor figure who saw merit even in meekness. Lily came from a different background from him and despite having a temper was highly rational and never reactionary even when faced with discrimination. Despite growing up in one of the hardest times to be a muggleborn, she overcame it. She found meaning and joy in even the darkest places ( her friendship with Snape being the most difficult of examples to understand.) and made James better because she didn't resign to looking at the world like he did, but rather sharpened his vision of it.

--Of all the many muggle movies Lily showed James, his absolute favorite was Harold and Maude ( Hal Ashby 1971). It was the first time he had ever seen a depiction of mortality really laid out in front of him and it was the first time Lily ever saw him cry.

--Nothing made James more angry than when Lily would be harassed for her blood status and the fact that she was dating him. This feeling was often left unresolved as Lily refused to let him retaliate, saying it was stooping to their level to fight back.

---While also having just natural unruly hair, James like keeping his hair unkept because it was an act of rebellion from his parents who acquired the family fortune on hair taming products. He felt like it brought a sense of irony to the household.

---I feel like this one MUST be canon: James hated Snape for a lot of reasons but I think the biggest was that he was so close to Lily for so long and James was never so lucky. Then, once Snape started to be into dark magic it was all the more reason to detest him.

--I know everyone loves Fleamont, but I am always partial to thinking about Euphemia Potter because there is so little known about her. I like to think she was a very eccentric and worldly person who gave her interest in muggle things to her son. I have this image of her listening to 1960s muggle zamrock around the house ( artists like WITCH and Amanaz---60s trippiness meets African traditional music). For a while I had this headcanon that she worked directly with the Statue of Secrecy Department ( hence why she met the Potters' in the first place due to Henry Potter's influence) so she was very up to date on the very thin line squibs and muggles would walk into either finding or revealing the wizarding world (like how hilarious would it be if someone like Alejandro Jodowosky or David Lynch was a squib and Euphemia was their case worker and had to call them up and be like "Cutie, you are giving away too much, take it down a notch" so they don't accidentally reveal wizard secrets.) For this reason her and Lily got along really well.

--James really loved to read! Everyone always makes James this jock, prankster bad boy but the kid was super smart ( I mean he became an animangus and made the marauders map--its literally canon). He had loads of books on Transfiguration and mostly read nonfiction, but Lily got him to read more fiction and muggle works once they got together. He was more practical about his reading though and was not very interested in the more existential topics that Sirius would often carry around.

--When he found out Lily was pregnant he quit the order on the spot. No questions asked. Lily was annoyed by this for a while. He pulled them out of missions before she had even finished her first trimester and even so she felt like he would have been much more helpful out on the field then playing house with her at home (especially when she wasn't even showing yet). Lily even wanted to keep doing missions until she was farther in her pregnancy, but James was beside himself about the idea of her continuing to be in danger while pregnant. It was one of the biggest fights they ever had and ended with James crying, which immediately broke Lily down.

(Art source @blvnk-art )

[yukiwhitetm]

Just seen Wicked on the big screen (Amazing! Loved that I could see their facial expressions, which I couldn't in the West End) and it inspired a little Tim Drake prompt in me. Sorry if this isn't super coherent, as I'm disabled so now I'm v. tired.

OK, so this is also inspired a little by that one story where Tim was a street kid who snuck into the Drakes' mansion and squatted there, then pretended to be the Drake's bio kid Jackson Drake when he became Robin (somewhere in my AO3 bookmarks). And by this one White Collar (I've never watched the TV series but still enjoy the crossover fics) crossover I have open in a tab but not yet read where Tim has a twin Tom who becomes Neal while Tim is Red Robin, according to the blurb.

Tim Drake Prompt:

To the outside world, Timothy Drake is the perfect son and heir, a boy born with a silver spoon in his mouth and waited on hand and foot by his staff and family. However, the outside world only sees what it was meant to see.

To Tim Drake of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Drake, he was born a squib in a long line of witches and wizards. He was born lesser than his parents Jack and Janet Drake, his younger sister Athena "Tina" Drake and the whole wizarding world. (We don't discriminate, his parents say, gesturing at his sister's wheelchair.) He was born lesser than their ancestors' wands and the magical artefacts slotted into every corner and crevice of their mansion. While his parents go swanning off all over the world with Tina in tow to discover long lost secrets of their magical past, Tim is left knocking about the large empty mansion alone, not even a house elf in sight (they travelled with the family, obviously).

Tim was born into a world that didn't accommodate him, in fact outright excluded and hated him. Born into a magical world that no majs can never know of but made for a no maj world, Tim doesn't fit in anywhere. He can't live in the magical world... but he can't ignore it either.

Until he becomes Robin III. Sort of. Maybe? He hopes so, one day...

Jason (and then later Damian) would like to disagree.

I struggle so much with chronic fatigue that I don't think I could ever write this prompt into a full story. Sorry it's a bit of a long prompt! I'm a lengthy writer. Feel free to write this, just credit me!

[sitp-recs]

oh my gosh i read “the most he’s ever said” from wireless last night and holyyyy fuck! i’m wondering if you or your followers have any other “situationship” type recs? thanks so much!!!!

Ahh I’m so happy you enjoyed that banger, it’s a brilliant read! Definitely one of my Wireless faves. I haven’t read much lately but here are some fics that might interest you:

Still Life, orphaned (M, 3k)

the keys to your kingdom by thistle_verse (E, 7.5k)

It was nothing so elegant as fucking, the first time they came together.

Service Bell by @shiftylinguini (E, 8k)

Draco is: a werewolf, living in a cabin in the woods, minding his own business, and never going to buy plaid because he's not that much of a fucking cliche (yet). He's also counting down the days until he sees Harry again.

Life goes not backward by @shealwaysreads (T, 9k)

Harry still isn’t used to gifts, but this one is different. A story of coming home, finding safe ground, and the wild courage of putting down roots. Leaving one life behind isn’t always a sacrifice, and sometimes the greatest good comes from embracing the people you love.

fine i'll hold my breath / til i forget it's complicated by teatrolley (NR, 11k)

Harry and Draco become friends with benefits, and Harry thinks it's more complicated than it actually is

I only want the ones I envy (I envy) by porcelainheart3 (E, 13k)

Despite this arrangement he has with Draco, conducted entirely in the privacy of a dusty stationery cabinet, Harry is definitely not gay. But to appease his friends, he agrees to go on one (1) date with a man. Just to be sure.

Vanishing Cabinets by @romaine2424 (E, 18k)

Take one Wizarding Family Values politician who has a secret life, and add one Auror who detests discrimination of any type, but becomes a bit obsessed with said politician, and you have enough sparks to ignite a Beltane fire.

Sun Thief by BlackRose532, floydig (E, 28k)

It’s 2005, and Draco Malfoy says, “Fuck the Ministry,” Harry works as a handyman in muggle London, and Draco should really stop pissing off the Squib gangs.

What Dreams May Come by firethesound (E, 36k)

If Harry had to get called into work on his day off, at least he was able to get Malfoy called in too.

The Arrangement series by RurouniHime (E, 72k)

It's worked for years. Why change it now?

[atlasthegreatest]

Beneath the Starlit Tower / Cassandra Vole x Male Reader

In a world where magic defines worth, Y/n Lancaster—a Squib—has carved out a life of quiet resilience at Hogwarts, working in the shadows while students and staff wield the power he can never possess. When Y/n crosses paths with Cassandra Vole, a sharp-tongued Slytherin known for her icy demeanor, an unexpected bond begins to form. Beneath her guarded exterior lies a complexity he can’t ignore, and to her surprise, his unwavering optimism starts to chip away at the walls she’s carefully built.

Word count: 3817

Warnings: Angst (if you squint). Discrimination.

A/n: This was requested by an anon. Enjoy it!

The clinking of a dozen potion vials filled the air as Y/n carefully arranged them on the shelf. Professor Phineas’s office had always been dark and foreboding, but Y/n had come to find its shadows comforting in their peculiar way. Working as an assistant to the caretakers of Hogwarts wasn’t the most glamorous job, but it suited him just fine.

Unlike Argus Filch, who shuffled through the halls with a permanent scowl, Y/n approached his work with enthusiasm. The corridors of Hogwarts were alive with history and mischief, and he loved being part of it, even if his lack of magic made him stand out.

Today had been a good day so far—a crisp morning, polite students, and even a warm compliment from Professor Sprout about the herbology tools he’d repaired. But, of course, trouble was never far at Hogwarts.

Y/n heard them before he saw them: a gaggle of third-year Ravenclaws whispering and laughing behind their hands.

“Honestly, what’s the point of having a Squib work here?” a boy sneered as Y/n turned the corner, arms loaded with parchment for Headmistress McGonagall.

“Right?” his friend chimed in. “He can’t even use a levitation charm to save time. Must take him hours to do the simplest things.”

The comments stung, but Y/n forced a smile, determined not to let their words ruin his day. It wasn’t the first time students mocked his lack of magic, and it likely wouldn’t be the last. Still, as Y/n kept walking, the laughter behind him grew louder.

Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through the hallway like a whip.

“How dare you?”

The students froze, their faces paling as Cassandra Vole stepped into view. Dressed in her Slytherin robes, with dark eyes that seemed to pierce right through them, she was an intimidating sight.

“Is this what passes for intelligence in Ravenclaw these days? Laughing at someone for something they can’t control?” Her tone was icy, her words deliberate.

“We—uh, we didn’t mean anything by it,” one of the boys stammered, clearly regretting his earlier remarks.

Cassandra stepped closer, her voice lowering but no less dangerous. “You know what I think? I think you lot should be grateful he’s here at all. Merlin knows Hogwarts needs more decent people around. Now, get out of my sight before I dock points.”

Without another word, the group scattered, their robes fluttering as they hurried down the corridor.

Cassandra turned to Y/n, her expression softening slightly. “You alright?”

Y/n blinked, surprised by her sudden kindness. Cassandra Vole wasn’t exactly known for warm gestures. As one of Slytherin’s most formidable students, she had a reputation for being sharp-tongued and fiercely independent.

“Yeah,” Y/n said, clearing his throat. “Thanks for stepping in, though you didn’t have to. I’m used to it.”

“That’s not the point.” She crossed her arms, leaning casually against the wall. “People like that need to be put in their place. Besides…” She hesitated, her sharp demeanor faltering for just a moment. “You’re… different. You’re not bitter like Filch. You’re…”

“Charming? Irresistible?” He teased, flashing her a grin.

To Y/n’s surprise, her lips twitched, almost forming a smile. “Insufferable, more like,” she shot back, but there was no malice in her voice.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Y/n said, shifting the stack of parchment in his arms. “Seriously, though. Thanks, Cassandra. It means a lot.”

She tilted her head, studying Y/n with an intensity that made his cheeks heat up. “Don’t mention it. And… if they bother you again, let me know. I’ll handle it.”

With that, Cassandra turned on her heel and strode away, leaving Y/n standing there, heart pounding.

———————-

Y/n always thought of Cassandra as unapproachable, someone who existed in a world far removed from his. But in that brief moment, she’d shown him a side of herself that was entirely unexpected—and maybe even a little bit vulnerable.

As the weeks passed, Y/n found himself crossing paths with her more often. Sometimes she’d stop to talk, her sarcasm softening as the two of them shared stories about their day. Other times, she’d simply sit nearby, quietly observing as Y/n worked on small repairs around the castle.

Their conversations grew longer, their banter sharper, and somewhere along the way, Y/n realized he was looking forward to seeing her.

For Cassandra, it was the same. She’d always prided herself on her independence, but something about Y/n’s warmth and optimism drew her in. He was a puzzle—someone who had every reason to be bitter about his circumstances but chose not to be.

One evening, as they sat together in the empty library, she finally said it.

“You know, you’re not what I expected.”

“Neither are you,” Y/n replied, meeting her gaze.

She smirked, leaning closer. “Then maybe we’re both full of surprises.”

And in that quiet moment, surrounded by the scent of old books and the faint glow of candlelight, the connection between them deepened, unspoken but undeniable.

————————-

Hogwarts had its way of keeping everyone busy. The teachers with their lectures, the students with their mischief, and Y/n with his endless to-do list. But even amid the chaos of magical life, Cassandra had become a surprising constant in his days.

It was subtle at first. A passing glance in the hall, a smirk when she caught him grinning at some forgotten joke. But soon, the moments added up. Y/n found himself looking forward to her sharp wit and unexpected kindness, and it seemed she had a knack for finding him whenever he was alone.

Like tonight.

The sun had dipped behind the horizon hours ago, leaving the castle bathed in the flickering light of torches and the soft glow of enchanted lanterns. Y/n was in the Great Hall, stacking chairs after a late dinner. It was routine work, the kind that didn’t require much thought, but it gave him time to think.

“Do they pay you for this?”

The boy turned, startled, to see Cassandra leaning against the doorway. Her arms were crossed, but there was a playful glint in her green eyes.

“Don’t tell me you’re here to mock my lack of wand work,” Y/n said, setting down the last chair with an exaggerated flourish. “I thought we were past that.”

She smirked, pushing off the wall and walking toward him. “I wouldn’t waste my time mocking you. Plenty of people do that already.”

“Wow, that’s comforting,” Y/n replied dryly, but the girl’s tone had been lighter than usual.

Cassandra glanced at the neat rows of chairs. “Honestly, though. You do all this without magic. How do you not go mad?”

The boy shrugged, wiping his hands on his trousers. “Magic’s not everything, you know. Sure, it’d be easier if I could just wave a wand, but there’s something satisfying about doing things my way. Gives me time to think.”

“About what?”

Y/n hesitated, caught off guard by the question. Her gaze was steady, curious. Cassandra wasn’t one to ask idle questions, and for a moment, he wondered if she genuinely wanted to know—or if she was testing him.

“About the students,” Y/n admitted. “How they’re growing up surrounded by all this wonder, but some of them don’t even appreciate it. About how Filch keeps the castle running when most people barely notice he’s there. And sometimes…” he paused, his voice growing quieter. “About what it would’ve been like to be a wizard.”

Cassandra’s expression shifted, the sharp edges softening into something almost… sympathetic.

“Being a wizard isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” she said after a moment. “Trust me.”

Y/n tilted his head, intrigued. “That so?”

She looked away, her fingers brushing over the edge of a nearby table. “People expect too much. They think because you have magic, you should be able to do everything. Be everything. And if you can’t…” She trailed off, her voice laced with bitterness.

Y/n watched her for a moment, piecing together the unspoken words. Cassandra Vole, the Slytherin star, always seemed so confident, so sure of herself. But there was a weight behind her words that hinted at something deeper.

“I think you’re wrong,” he said gently.

Cassandra’s head snapped up, her eyes narrowing. “Excuse me?”

Y/n chuckled, holding up his hands. “Not about the pressure. I’m sure that’s real. But about magic. It’s not what makes someone worth anything. It’s who they are—what they do. Like you.”

Cassandra blinked, clearly caught off guard. “What about me?”

“You’re brilliant,” he said simply. “You could’ve walked past those Ravenclaws without a second thought, but you didn’t. You stood up for someone who couldn’t stand up for themselves. That’s not magic. That’s you.”

For a moment, Cassandra just stared at the boy, her expression unreadable. Then, to Y/n’s surprise, she let out a soft laugh—light and genuine, a sound he’d never heard from her before.

“You’re ridiculous,” she said, shaking her head.

“Ridiculously charming,” Y/n corrected, grinning.

“Ridiculously full of yourself,” Cassandra shot back, but there was no venom in her tone.

The two of them stood there for a while, the quiet of the Great Hall wrapping around them like a cocoon. It felt different, this time—less like an encounter and more like a moment.

“So,” Y/n said eventually, breaking the silence. “What brings you here, anyway? I didn’t peg you as the ‘chat with the Squib’ type.”

Cassandra smirked, but there was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. “Maybe I just wanted some peace.”

Y/n raised an eyebrow. “In the Great Hall? At night?”

“Maybe I wanted to see if you’d still be here,” the blond girl admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

That stopped Y/n cold. For all her sharp remarks and teasing, Cassandra had never been this direct.

“Well,” the boy said softly, stepping closer, “you found me.”

Cassandra met Y/n’s gaze, her usual walls nowhere to be found. At that moment, the Great Hall felt impossibly vast and yet startlingly intimate, as if the rest of the world had fallen away.

“You’re not like anyone else here,” she said finally, her voice steady but her eyes betraying a hint of vulnerability. “And… I think I like that.”

Y/n’s breath caught, her words sinking in like a spell he’d never need a wand to cast.

“Good,” he said, his voice tinged with both humor and sincerity. “Because I think I like you, too.”

Cassandra’s smirk returned, softer this time. “Careful, Squib. You’re playing a dangerous game.”

“Worth the risk,” Y/n replied, and for the first time in years, he felt like maybe, just maybe, magic wasn’t the only kind of power worth chasing.

————————

The days following that quiet confession in the Great Hall were, to Y/n’s surprise, not awkward. If anything, the bond between him and Cassandra grew stronger, though in subtle, unspoken ways. She didn’t need to say much—she never did—but there was something in the way she’d linger when she saw him in the halls, or the small, knowing smirk she’d flash whenever their paths crossed.

Cassandra Vole wasn’t the type to wear her heart on her sleeve, but Y/n was learning to read her tells.

Tonight, the castle was unusually quiet, even for a Saturday evening. The students had congregated in their common rooms or snuck off to Hogsmeade for the last of the winter festivities. Y/n spent most of his day in the library, repairing a cracked bookshelf while Madam Pince muttered about careless students under her breath.

As he stepped into the Astronomy Tower for some air, he found her there, gazing out at the snow-covered grounds.

“Bit cold for stargazing, isn’t it?” Y/n said, announcing his presence with an easy smile.

Cassandra didn’t flinch. She turned her head slightly, acknowledging him with a glance before returning her attention to the horizon.

“Some things are worth braving the cold for,” she replied, her voice softer than usual.

Y/n stepped closer, the crunch of snow underfoot muffled by the biting wind. She was wrapped in her Slytherin scarf, her hands tucked into her cloak. The stars above were brilliant tonight, scattered across the sky like shards of glass, but his focus was entirely on her.

“Something on your mind?” He asked gently.

Cassandra hesitated, her shoulders stiffening. “You ask too many questions.”

“Maybe,” Y/n said, leaning against the parapet beside her, “but you wouldn’t keep answering them if you didn’t want to talk.”

Cassandra glanced at him, her expression unreadable, before letting out a quiet sigh. “Sometimes I come up here to think. It’s the only place where it feels like the rest of the world is far enough away.”

The boy nodded, understanding all too well. “Big castle, but it can feel pretty small sometimes.”

“Exactly.”

Silence settled between them, not uncomfortable but heavy with unspoken thoughts. Y/n watched her from the corner of his eye, the way the moonlight highlighted the sharp angles of her face, her hair catching the breeze like a ribbon of shadow.

“You don’t have to carry it all alone, you know,” he said after a while.

Cassandra stiffened again, her walls slamming up so fast that Y/n could almost hear them. “What are you talking about?”

“Whatever it is that’s weighing on you,” Y/n replied, keeping his voice calm. “I can see it, Cassandra. You might act like nothing gets to you, but I know better.”

Her jaw tightened, and for a moment, Y/n thought she’d shut him out completely. But then Cassandra surprised him—again.

“It’s not that simple,” she said, her voice barely audible over the wind.

“Doesn’t mean you have to do it alone,” Y/n countered.

Cassandra turned to face the boy fully now, her eyes narrowing. “And what do you think you can do about it, huh? You, the Squib who has to lug chairs around because he can’t even levitate them?”

The words stung, sharper than any spell, but Y/n didn’t flinch. He’d come to expect Cassandra’s barbs, especially when she felt cornered.

“Maybe nothing,” he admitted, meeting her glare with steady resolve. “But I can listen. And I can remind you that you don’t have to be the person everyone expects you to be all the time.”

Cassandra’s anger faltered, replaced by something closer to frustration—or maybe fear. She looked away, her hands gripping the edge of the stone parapet.

“You don’t understand,” she said bitterly. “I have to be that person. If I’m not, then what am I? Just another name in a long line of forgettable witches.”

“You’re not forgettable,” Y/n said softly. “Not to me.”

The words hung in the air between them, fragile yet unyielding. Cassandra stared at Y/n, her expression cracking just enough for Y/n to see the vulnerability underneath.

“I don’t get you,” she said finally, shaking her head. “You’ve got every reason to be bitter. To hate this place, to hate people like me. But you don’t.”

“I guess I’ve learned that hating people for things they can’t control doesn’t make life any easier,” the boy said with a shrug. “And for what it’s worth, I don’t hate you, Cassandra. Far from it.”

Cassandra let out a humorless laugh, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “You’re either incredibly naive or incredibly stupid.”

“Maybe both,” Y/n said with a grin, and for once, the blond girl didn’t argue.

Instead, she stepped closer, her expression softening into something that made Y/n’s heart race. “You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met,” she murmured, her voice low and steady. “And that terrifies me.”

“Why?” Y/n asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Because you make me want things I don’t think I deserve,” Cassandra admitted, her eyes searching Y/n’s.

Y/n reached out, hesitant at first, until his hand brushed hers. She didn’t pull away.

“Maybe you deserve more than you think,” Y/n said. “And maybe I do, too.”

Cassandra’s gaze flickered to his hand, then back to Y/n’a face. For the first time since he’d met her, she looked uncertain—but also hopeful.

“I hate how much sense you make sometimes,” she said, her lips twitching into a faint smile.

“Just one of my many talents,” Y/n replied, his smile widening.

Cassandra laughed quietly, the sound warming the cold night air. At that moment, with the stars above and the world far below, Cassandra Vole let down her walls just enough for Y/n to see the person she’d been hiding all along.

And Y/n, the Squib who was supposed to be invisible in a magical world, felt like he’d finally found someone who saw him for who he was.

Bonus Chapter:

Hogwarts was always quieter after curfew, but tonight, the silence seemed alive. The distant hum of magic in the castle walls pulsed faintly as if the ancient stones themselves were keeping watch. Y/n wasn’t sure what had led him to the Astronomy Tower again tonight—maybe the fresh air, or maybe just a nagging feeling that something was unfinished.

The climb was as familiar as the back of his hand by now. Y/n’s steps were soft against the worn stone stairs, and when he reached the top, he wasn’t surprised to see her. Cassandra stood near the edge, her silhouette framed by the moonlight as if the stars themselves had bent low to crown her.

“Do you ever sleep?” Y/n teased, leaning against the doorframe.

Cassandra didn’t turn, but he could see the faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “Do you?”

“Touché,” Y/n admitted, stepping closer. The night air was sharp, but the chill didn’t bother him. “Let me guess. Needed to clear your head again?”

“Something like that,” she said, her voice quieter than usual.

Y/n stopped a few feet away, sensing her mood was different tonight. Normally, Cassandra had a sharp edge to her—armor she wore against the world. But now, she seemed… softer, as if the wind had stripped away her defenses.

“Do you ever think about leaving this place?” Cassandra asked suddenly, her gaze fixed on the horizon.

Her question caught Y/n off guard. “Hogwarts?”

She nodded. “All of it. The magic. The expectations. Everything.”

Y/n thought about it for a moment. “Sometimes. I mean, it’s not like I’d lose much. I don’t have magic, so it’s not exactly my world to leave.”

Cassandra’s head turned sharply toward him, her green eyes narrowing. “Don’t say that.”

Y/n blinked, surprised by the intensity in her voice. “It’s true, though. I’ve always been on the outside looking in. That’s just how it is.”

“No, it’s not,” the blonde snapped, her tone laced with frustration. “You might not have magic, but you see this place more clearly than most of us do. You’re more a part of it than half the idiots wandering around waving wands.”

Her words stunned Y/n into silence. Cassandra had defended him before, but this felt different—more personal.

“Cassandra…” the boy began, unsure of what to say.

The girl shook her head as if brushing away her anger. “Forget it. I just hate when you talk about yourself like you don’t matter.”

Y/n stepped closer, his heart pounding. “I didn’t realize you cared so much.”

Cassandra rolled her eyes, but the blush creeping up her neck betrayed her. “Don’t get cocky, Squib.”

“Too late,” Y/n said with a grin, hoping to lighten the mood. “I’m basking in your admiration right now.”

“Insufferable,” she muttered, but her lips twitched in amusement.

For a moment, the two of them stood in silence, the tension easing. Y/n leaned against the parapet, stealing a glance at her. Cassandra Vole, sharp-tongued and guarded, had let him see parts of her no one else had. And with every glimpse, he found himself falling harder.

“Why do you stay?” Cassandra asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.

The question hung in the air, raw and vulnerable.

“Here?” Y/n asked, gesturing around him.

She nodded, not meeting the boy’s gaze. “In a place that reminds you of what you don’t have. Of what you can’t do.”

Y/n thought about it—thought about it. “Because it’s not just about what I don’t have. It’s about what I do. I get to see magic every day. I get to help people, even if it’s just in small ways. And… well, recently, I’ve had another reason to stay.”

Cassandra’s head snapped toward him, her eyes searching his. “What’s that?”

Y/n took a deep breath, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. “You.”

Cassandra’s eyes widened, her usual composure slipping. For a second, Y/n worried he’d gone too far, that he’d pushed her when she wasn’t ready.

But then, Cassandra did something he hadn’t expected.

She laughed—a quiet, breathless sound that carried no sarcasm or malice. “You’re unbelievable,” she said, shaking her head.

“Is that a good thing?” Y/n asked cautiously.

Cassandra stepped closer, her voice dropping to a near whisper. “For once, yeah. It is.”

The space between them seemed to disappear, the chill of the night forgotten. Cassandra reached out hesitantly, her hand brushing against his. Y/n froze, his breath hitching, but he didn’t pull away.

“I don’t know how you do it,” she murmured. “How you make everything feel… easier.”

“It’s just my charm,” Y/n said lightly, though his voice was unsteady.

Cassandra’s lips quirked into a faint smile, but her eyes remained serious. “Don’t ruin the moment.”

“Right. Sorry.”

For a long moment, neither of them moved. The air was thick with something unspoken, something fragile yet unbreakable.

Then, slowly, Cassandra leaned in, her forehead resting against Y/n’s. Her touch was tentative as if she wasn’t entirely sure she was allowed to be this close.

“You scare me,” she admitted, her voice so soft the boy almost missed it.

“Why?” Y/n asked, his voice barely audible.

“Because you make me want things I’ve never let myself want,” Cassandra said. “And I don’t know what to do with that.”

Y/n reached down, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “You don’t have to do anything, Cassandra. Just… let it be what it is.”

The girl closed her eyes, exhaling slowly. For once, the ever-confident Cassandra Vole didn’t have a sharp reply or a clever retort. She was just herself, vulnerable and unguarded in a way that made Y/n’s chest ache.

And in that quiet moment, with the stars above and the moonlight washing over them both, she pressed her lips against his.

The kiss was soft, tentative—like a question waiting to be answered. And when Y/n kissed her back, his heart hammering in his chest, he knew the answer was yes.

When Cassandra pulled away, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes searching Y/n’s. “You’re not going to make this easy, are you?”

“Not a chance,” the boy said with a grin.

She laughed again, shaking her head. “Good.”

The two of them stayed there for a while longer, the world falling away until it was just them together under the endless expanse of stars.

[blue-asher]

Percy Weasley X Squib!Reader

Summary: when you try to buy a book by a Squib author Percy shields you from the discrimination of the bookshop owner.

Let's say that the Weasley family and the Golden Trio decided to go to Diagon Alley to buy supplies for the new school year and they invite you and your siblings (who attend Hogwarts; that's how you met them) to come along.

Their first stop was a library where they got the essentials like paper and quills. There you decided to treat the trio and bought some matching pens that had witches' hats on them. Ron was the most intrigued out of the three.

Then you go to a bookshop with the list of required books in hand. It was then that problems arrised.

Once you enter the bookshop you all part different ways to find your things: Hermione goes straight to grab the school books so as to check out the novels later, Ron and Harry go the adventure books first so as to go for the school ones later, Ginny and her mother look into the new Lockheart's novel and Mr. Weasley went to look after the twins (as instructed by his wife) but soon lost track of them.

And, although you didn't notice at first, Percy decides to look out for you (his words, what if you got lost in all the sections and ended up in a shopping spree) and see if you actually had good taste in books at all—not because he was taking notes for next birthday presents, of course. He also didn't want to leave you alone. The rest of the lot had actual things to do in there and went straight to crossing names from their lists. All of them walked in different directions with confidence, like men on a mission. So he was fairly surprised when you did as well. He wanted to know what you were up to.

He considered going up to you and ask you what you thought about the bookshop after 15 minutes of just watching how you read the tilted of a couple books in sale. Until he saw you grab, rather excited, a particular book. Then the bookseller appeared.

"Good evening, young lady! I'm sorry to bother you but I couldn't help but notice that you picked up a particular book" the bookseller said anxiously "Memories of a forgotten kind. I hope it struck your interest, of course! but I must insist you buy it nonetheless" Y/N was quite shocked at the sudden approach and rambling of the man but she was just about to ask for more information about the magnificent book so she was glad the man came just in time.

The book in question is an elegant hard cover edition with beautiful art work in the front about philosophy. It was from a squib author that discussed the problems with Squib identity and how they perceived themselves in a world that seemed to want to label them one way or the other, essencially robbing them of the core of their existance: the middle. The author also included some biographical aspects in it to help make a point of his stand. You, being the same as him, were very excited to have found it as not only it spoke about an issue that had revolved around your self-confidence all your life (you had to admit you were just a tiny bit jealous of your siblings' magic) but because it was also a rare occurrence to find a squib author in general. Sadly, they rarely got published.

"You see, I've been having a real hard time to sell them. No one wants them—nobody could ever want them, really." His sudden statement quickly pulled you out of your thoughts as you were thinking about what to ask him first. You had just decided to ask whether the guy had written other books when he screamed that first statement.

"I shouldn't have made a deal with the man. I tried to diversify my collection, you know, my partner told me to. But I told him it was a bad idea, he just wouldn't listen" he continued rapidly ". I know everyone wants to say we are in modern times but business are business. You get me"

It was as if he was trying to excuse himself for even having the books in the shop; he didn't even stop to breath. You got concerned. Why was it difficult to sell? Had the writer been in some sort of scandal? Was the information in the book no longer valid? You didn't remember if you looked at the year of publishing but the book seemed brand new. Why was it in sale? It seemed like half the price a book so pretty.

"You don't seem too convinced. That's all right, I understand" you tried to pich in and tell him that he didn't understand at all because not even you understood what he was talking about. But he kept going "I'll make you a deal, just for you. You seemed like a lady of culture. How much is it? 400 sickles? I'll leave it to 300, what do you say?"

'I'll be damned' you thought. Shouldn't it be the other way around? What would he even gain from that amount? You finally got a moment to ask:

"I'm confused, It's such a beautiful edition with great quality, why is it so cheap? Did the author do something?"

You waited for his answer.

The bookseller looked at you like you just grew an extra head but quickly changed his expression to one of realisation "My apologies, ma'am. You mustn't have notice, how silly of me!" He spoke as if the fact was obvious but you still didn't understand. He composed himself and in a more calmer manner said "The author's a squib"

That's all he said.

And Percy thought he had already said enough.

You were stil expecting to hear something more, an aclaration, because clearly it didn't seem like a logical reason. What does that have to do with anything? You didn't have time to say anything else as Percy suddenly appeared beside you and put his hand on your shoulder. You looked at him but his gazed was fixed from above into the bookseller's eyes.

"I think we have heard enough desperate rambling from you. No wonder you can't sell a book for the life of it." His tone was cold and it shocked you greatly. You hadn't seen Percy this angry before, you hadn't ever heard him insult another adult like that.

The bookseller went off pretty angry and told the both of you to not bother coming back if you weren't going to buy a proper book. You were pretty sure you heard him say something about you only looking into the Sale section, most likely an insult.

However, you thought it had all went down hill unnecessarily and were about to question Percy's sudden change of attitude but when you turned you noticed that he was already looking at you. With a sad warmness in his gaze.

"He meant the writer, Y/N"

You stared at him for a few seconds and blinked "What?"

"He meant that the books didn't sell because the writer's a squib"

You felt embarrassed because of how long it took you to pick up on the que. Angry embarrassed. You had just made a fool of yourself, in front of Percy! Just when you thought you had dominated that kind of anti-squib talking.

In the end everyone left without buying a single textbook from the place, not wanting to support such a prick. But not before your siblings gave the bookseller a piece of their mind and spoke every insult the could come up with.

You insisted to the Weasleys that they didn't have to leave: they needed the books and the other bookshop was a good 20 minutes away. Hermione gave a nasty look to anyone who seemed tempted on the idea of buying the books and get the shopping over with. 'Anyone' being Ron -but just for a quick second.

Quickly you started making jokes about how you should have bought it either way because "Where else will I find a book so amazingly cheap? No, Y/N! You mustn't succumb to capitalism!! You have to support the writers" Your antics successfully made the trio and twins laugh and it was only then, when you wanted to raise your fist at the sky in a dramatic way, that you noticed that Percy had been holding your hand. Probably had since you left the bookshop. When you looked at him he sheepishly let go while giving you a shy smile.

You wished he hadn't.

A couple of days later you family had the Weasleys over for a farewell dinner since everyone left the following day for Hogwarts.

Just when everyone had left and you were making yourself comfortable in your room, you noticed a wrapped package in your bed. A gift that was not there before. It was very clearly a book but it didn't have any note as to who might have left it. Did the Weasleys leave a gift for you? You didn't see anyone entering your room.

Dying with curiosity, you opened to see what it was and find a clue of who your mystery friend might be.

It was the philosophy book you had tried to buy a few days ago! You were admiring it with delight when you noticed something falling from the inside of it.

A piece of paper had fallen, it was receipt! From a library you didn't know and where it stated that the book had been purchased at a price much suitable for its quality; probably the original price that the bookseller had tried reducing to nothingness the other day.

But there was something else written at the back of the receipt, something in handwriting.

"Proof that I've bought it at full price.

Found a new bookshop with a section dedicated to squib writers, mind if we explore it together some time?"

You would recognize that handwriting anywhere, and would make sure to send Percy a package of his favourite chocolates with your next letter.

[dreamcubed]

i did something bad | tom riddle x reader

song; i did something bad [taylor swift] pairing; tom riddle x fem!slytherin!half-blood!eastern european!reader genre; s2l, angst, hurt comfort(ish) word count; 6,5k timeline; tom riddle's last year at hogwarts warnings; referenced child abuse (physical/psychological/verbal), discrimination (muggle-borns), minor character deaths, minor character murders, swearing, extreme manipulation, toxic/unhealthy relationship, srsly tom is so manipulative to y/n, blackmail summary; an orphaned boy with sinister plans for the future, and a new girl who is about to discover she may be just as bad as her parents. what happens when they meet?

fyi i do mix up the order that tom makes the horcruxes a bit :)

PSA | Please Read | y/n is EXTREMELY morally unethical by the end of this. i do not condone such a moral compass, this is a work of fiction and should be treated as such.

masterlist

"you say i did something bad, then why's it feel so good?"

———————————

Hogwarts had a friendlier presence than Durmstrang - but maybe you just had bad memories associated with the latter.

The flashbacks of backstabbing friends and relentless bullying, with you not even getting a break from physical and mental torture during the holidays.

Why?

Well, that was a story.

As like many magic families from the Durmstrang catchment zone, pure-blood supremacist idealism was strong, coupled with the muggle-born hatred that came as a result. Your father's family was no exception: the purest of the pure when it came to blood, or so they claimed.

A stark difference from your mother: a muggle-born.

Only, she didn't tell him that, she lied and told your father (and everyone else for that matter) that she was a pure-blood witch, and the reason they didn't know of her family is because she was from Western Europe (which she was) and fed into Beauxbatons instead. After all, she didn't meet your father until post-education at a European wizarding event.

It wasn't until after marrying and falling pregnant with your father's child did she reveal the truth, burning your father's reputation on the spot. Evidently, your mother had thought that locking down a pregnancy with your father would prevent him from divorcing her - she was dead wrong. Literally, dead wrong.

You would never be sure, but you suspected that your father's family had something to do with your mother dying during childbirth. After all, magic medicine meant there were rarely fatalities around labour.

After you were born and your mother was dead, you were kept as hushed child, hidden away in the corners as your father remarried a woman of a well-known Swedish pure-blood family and continued on to have pure-blood heirs to your family's estate. In all fairness, your stepmother wasn't horrible to you.

But your father was.

The physical and mental abuse you endured for years chipped away at your sanity, and your siblings grew to mirror your father's behaviour. They were younger than you, but there were more of them, and your friendships fell apart at Durmstrang after they enrolled and told everyone of the circumstances of your conception.

Your stepmother never particularly abused you, but she didn't do anything to stop the abuse either. She simply acted indifferent towards you, which given how everyone else was, made her your favourite person by default.

You hated your father and everything he had done to you.

You resented your mother and the situation she had put you in.

When your stepmother fell terribly sick, your father decided to send you away. Which, honestly, was the nicest thing he had ever done for you.

He sent you to live with another hushed secret of his family - even more hushed than you - his squib sister. After she was discovered to be magicless, she had been essentially banished to England where she then was put through all-year muggle boarding schools until she aged out of the system. You had never even heard her mentioned before, yet she welcomed you more warmly than anyone had before, and under your father's orders, you transferred to Hogwarts - the magic school closest to your aunt's residence.

So, there you were, at the beginning of seventh year in an entirely new school. The certified new girl.

Hogwarts was more welcoming, sure, but you didn't think the idea of friends appealed to you anymore. You had been a lone wolf for so long that being anything but seemed unnatural, you were just looking forward to not being bullied like you used to be.

You were sorted into Slytherin: the green house. Unfortunately, it seemed to be the one house that had a similar vibe to Durmstrang. Well, beggars can't be choosers, you thought.

The people in Slytherin gave you curious looks as you sat down, making you scowl.

"What?" you snapped.

They all mumbled, "Nothing," and looked back down at their plates, all apart from one.

The one boy that remained gazing at you curiously had a piercing stare, accompanied by his strong jaw and perfectly gelled hair.

You raised an eyebrow at him, "Can I help you?"

He cleared his throat, "Tom, Tom Riddle. As head boy, I am more than capable of answering any questions you have." His words came across as kind, but the sinister glint in his eye told you every sentence he spoke was just for show.

So, you rolled your eyes, and began eating your food.

***

Your very presence pissed Tom Riddle off.

Everything from the way your lips moved when you spoke to the colour of your eyes irritated him.

The way you answered shortly and curtly towards him, the way you didn't give him the time of day, the way you didn't hang off his every word.

The way you saw through his façade.

Tom Riddle hated it when things didn't go his way, despised it, even. He had learned to perfectly craft his words in such a silky smooth manner that both men and women fell at his feet. He could talk anyone around, fall into anyone's good graces.

But you didn't even give him a chance to build a positive rapport. It was like you smelled his true intentions on him the very second his cologne entered your nostrils. Which was an exaggeration: you were naturally mistrusting of people given your childhood, so you clung to any reason to dislike someone in order to give yourself a reason to avoid them and not risk exposing yourself to another betrayal.

Tom Riddle was too arrogant to realise you treated everybody the exact same way as you did him. He was but another face that could potentially harm you, like every other person in Hogwarts.

Your dorm mates had given up on trying to bond with you, so why wouldn't he?

"Miss L/N," Tom Riddle called to you after a potions lesson. Glances from other students came and went - Tom Riddle was not known for speaking to girls alone all that much.

You exhaled slowly through your nose, turning towards the head boy to raise your eyebrow at him.

"I feel as though we may have gotten off on the wrong foot," his words were calculated, "Perhaps I can amend that?"

His question - if it could be even called a question - was left open ended, leaving the ball in your court. You narrowed your eyes at him. "Amend what exactly?"

"The impression I have made upon you."

"Tom Riddle, I do not think about you outside of whenever you speak to me. There was nothing between us to be broken, and thus nothing to amend."

You picked up your bag and began leaving the classroom, only for the boy to quickly catch up to you. "But your responses have been so curt and... rude."

"Have you ever considered that maybe it's not personal? Maybe my attitude isn't a vendetta against you specifically?" you countered, refusing to even look in his direction.

"Yes, but-"

You stopped in your tracks and turned to him, "The world doesn't revolve around you, Tom Riddle. I treat everyone like this and I have no interest in a positive relationship with anybody here. Please leave me be like everyone else is doing."

And then you departed, only this time, Tom Riddle didn't follow you. He stood, stunned at your words.

Unfortunately, as big of an impact as your words had on him, they had the opposite effect of what you wanted.

Instead of him abandoning all thoughts of you and ignoring your existence, you became a person of incredible interest to the orphaned boy.

***

Tom Riddle moved to sit next to you in every single lesson you shared.

Tom Riddle would always sit next to you during meals.

And Tom Riddle would follow you around a significant amount of the time, always trying to make conversation with you. The conversations were very one-sided, and he didn't lose the arrogant aspect to his personality, nor ever show that he actually cared about you. He would just talk. Talk and talk.

Apart from during lessons when a teacher was talking: he was a studious boy and aimed to master every subject. You cherished those moments of silence.

"Great question, Mr Parkinson," your history of magic professor spoke as you came back to reality from your thoughts, "How does a man as evil as Grindelwald come to be?"

You glanced at Riddle's notebook which was full of notes.

"Bad people come from bad people," your professor stated, making your grip around your quill tighten to the point you snapped it.

Riddle observed your reaction curiously.

"Grindelwald was likely abused as a child, giving him an intense desire for power to make up for the lack of power he had while receiving the abuse."

Your English may not have been perfect, but you understood what the professor was saying all too well.

You couldn't be your father, you simply couldn't.

"We all have skeletons, L/N," arrived a whisper from Riddle in your ear. You turned to him in mild horror, feeling as if he could read you to your core as he gazed into your eyes.

That was when you felt him in your mind. You weren't all that familiar with legilimency, but you were almost entirely sure that Tom Riddle was using it on you.

You broke eye contact with him, but it was too late. He knew.

"Fascinating," he muttered, "Absolutely fascinating."

It felt like you couldn't keep up the cold exterior around Riddle anymore as you shrank in your seat, wishing the ground would swallow you whole.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," he said simply, "As long as you do a few things for me."

Fuck, blackmail.

***

Now you were the one who followed Tom Riddle around instead of him you. Despite maintaining a cold nature towards everyone else, you trailed behind the head boy like a scared little lamb - because you were. You didn't want people to know of your past in fear of being bullied again. You could no longer speak to him brashly, your voice would crack and quiver as you avoided eye contact with him, not wanting to feel so vulnerable with his presence in your mind again.

He hadn't even given you anything to do yet like he said he would, and it had been a week. Was it an empty threat?

No, that wasn't it. It fuelled his ego to have you following him around and maybe that was enough for him to keep your secret - for now.

***

"How do you feel about mudbloods?" he asked you one time, sat in the library together as you worked on your respective homework assignments.

You looked up at him and frowned. You had come to understand that 'mudblood' was an English insult for muggle-borns. "My mother was muggle-born."

"I am aware." Right, he had been in your mind. "But you're upset with her, yes? Her faking her blood status to your father ultimately led to your life being the way it is."

"What are you suggesting?"

"That she is an example of why mudbloods should not be allowed in this world. Her greed and selfishness is what killed her in the end."

"What caused you to be so hateful?" you asked - a bold question on your part. Your voice was timid as you spoke.

"Well, growing up in an orphanage doesn't help," he said, sitting back in his seat, "My mother was a pure-blood and my father was a muggle, and look what happened. Muggle culture should stay separate from the wizarding world. But that's only possible if mudbloods are eradicated."

You cast your eyes down to your work laid before you. Tom Riddle scared you. He scared you because he had the eyes of a cold-hearted man, and you knew what came from people with those kinds of eyes.

Riddle observed you as you zoned out, attempting to piece together your thoughts, which was difficult as your eyes weren't locked with his.

"You and I are not so different, Miss L/N," he spoke, "Relations between someone from muggle society and a pure-blood is what caused our childhoods to be so unfair. We have the right to retaliate."

"How do we know it wasn't the pure-blood's fault?"

"It doesn't matter whose fault it is, it simply proves that the two societies should not mix. Mudbloods are the bridge between them, and so we must break that bridge."

You exhaled slowly, daring to look up at Riddle but without looking in his eyes.

"Are you not angry? Angry for what has happened to you?"

"Of course I am, I-"

"Whose fault is it you ended up in an abusive situation?"

"Technically my mother's, but-"

"No, no buts. There's your answer, L/N."

You finally locked your eyes with his, but he didn't push into your mind like he did before.

"You think I'm going to abuse you like your father did, don't you?" he had drawn that conclusion without even using legilimency - was it that obvious?

At your lack of response, he hummed.

"I understand you are distrusting, but I do not wish to hurt you, Miss L/N. I am here to help you."

You stared at him blankly.

"Look, everyone else avoids you, thinks you are strange. But not me, I understand you. I'm the only person who understands you."

Considering his childhood, that was a fair observation, you thought.

"You need to learn to trust me," he said simply, "Because I am all you have."

"But, Riddle, I-"

"Tom," he corrected, "Call me Tom. You will never trust me if we continue to be so formal. May I call you by Y/N?"

You feebly nodded, unsure of what was happening to you in that moment.

"Perfect," he smiled a gorgeous yet uncanny smile that made you feel queasy, "If you are ever in dilemma, don't hesitate to come to me. I'm your only option, after all, but I'm a good option. I'm here for you."

You again nodded.

"I'm going to need you to verbally agree, Y/N."

"Y- yes, Tom," you words almost caught in your throat.

He smiled the eery smile again, "Glad to hear you're willing to build trust with me."

***

When he said to do some things for him you had thought he meant do his homework for him or something along those lines - apparently he meant join his muggle-born hate group. You didn't know where your life was heading, but you did know that you were becoming increasingly trapped.

With the amount of time you spent with Tom Riddle, rumours were beginning to flood around the castle that the head boy and the new girl were dating. He never corrected the rumours, not even once.

In fact, you were pretty sure it made him feel as if he had even more ownership of you.

"Students, it is with great sadness that I inform you today that a student by the name of Myrtle Warren has passed," the headmaster said during dinner, "Due to the circumstances of her death, the girls' toilets on the second floor will be shut until further notice, and an investigation into the cause of her death will be opened."

Although he didn't say the word 'murder', everybody knew, but they didn't know who. You, however, had a sneaking suspicion that was confirmed when your eyes met Tom's and he smirked at you.

Myrtle had been a muggle-born.

With an increased amount of fear you followed Tom as he departed from the table, as you usually did on your way back to the dungeons. He hardly acknowledged your presence, but you still heard mutters of how cute it was that you were always together as you passed the tables. Well, at least you weren't being bullied, you supposed.

And it wasn't like Tom ever harmed you - he was true to his word in that sense. So, maybe your fear was unwarranted.

In fact, this was the safest you had ever felt.

Was it Tom that made you feel this way? You glanced up at his stern expression as he walked, feeling your stomach twist when you heard someone in the corridor say, "Look, it's Riddle and his girlfriend." Girlfriend?

You continued to look at Tom, trying to fit the word boyfriend to him: he was handsome, that was for sure. And he cared about you, in a strange way, but cared nonetheless.

He was truthful about wanting to eradicate muggle-borns, as proven through Myrtle, so he must be truthful about not wanting to harm you as well. After all, if he had proved such an extreme thing about himself, a much milder thing such as caring for someone else's wellbeing was basically a given.

"Are you alright, Y/N?" his voice brought you out your thoughts, "You are staring off into space."

"Sorry," you mumbled, taking a deep breath before asking, "Are you my boyfriend?"

Tom stilled in his movements, turning to properly look at you, "What makes you ask?"

"Well, everyone says because we spend so much time together we must be dating," you said nervously, "And you don't correct them."

"If that's how you would like to describe our agreement, then so be it."

Agreement was a strong word.

"I don't correct rumours because I don't care for them," he added, "But if me being your boyfriend makes you more inclined to trust me, then I suppose I should thank the rumours."

"I don't... not trust you," you found yourself saying, which made Tom smile.

"Then all that's left is trust," he held out his hand to you, and you stared at it pensively for a few moments before taking it.

***

"Salazar, I sound just like my mother," a girl sat nearby you at dinner laughed in reference to her previous statement, her surrounding friends joining in with the giggling.

"Well, that's what they say. We become our parents," one of the friends added, which was a passing remark - but one that stuck with you.

You couldn't be like your father... you simply couldn't.

"Tom," you asked quietly after you were tucked away in the corner of the Slytherin common room together, "Do you think I am like my father?"

The boy looked up from his essay, "In terms of what? Appearance?"

You shook your head, "Personality."

He paused, "You are not entirely different."

That struck a chord in you, "But- but I'm not abusing anyone!"

"You are not pleasant to anyone who speaks with you," he said, "I assume the manner in which you talk is learnt from your father."

"No, I- I'm like that because I don't trust people!" your voice was exasperated, but not loud.

"Did your father trust you?"

At your lack of response, he continued talking.

"Darling-" that was new, "-when you are raised by bad people, you know more of how to be a bad person than somebody raised by good people. In fact, you know more of how to be a bad person than a good person in general. It can't be helped."

"Why not?" all the insecurities and self-doubt you had built over the years were now amplifying.

"Because it's your default learned behaviour."

"I- I..." honestly you felt like crying, "No, I can't be..."

Tom shushed you softly, "Don't fret. I understand you, remember? The others don't accept your flaws, but I do, because I have the same flaws."

"You just called me a bad person," you mumbled.

"Bad was perhaps the wrong word to use. Misunderstood or socialised differently are perhaps more fitting terms."

"We really can't change ourselves?"

"No, but we can find like-minded people and grow in numbers in order to change the structure of society. Make it a place for us and not them."

"That just seems so extreme."

Tom traced his fingers along your exposed arm, sending shivers up your spine, "Don't you think it's our time? The so-called good people have had their way for so long. We didn't choose to be 'bad', we were unlucky with who we were born to - we deserve compensation not societal neglect."

"I mean, I- I guess."

The head boy smiled at you: that uncanny yet charming smile he had equipped in his inventory for moments like these. Still, you hadn't been smiled at in such a way ever before, and couldn't help the fact it gave you butterflies.

You let the silence sit for a few moments, noticing how the common room was now practically empty because of how late it was. It hadn't been Tom's turn to do the prefect rounds that night.

With the absence of people, you felt safe enough to state, "It was you."

"It was me what?"

You let your eyes meet his for a brief few seconds, but he didn't attempt to enter your mind. "You know what. Who else would it have been?"

He hummed softly, "She would have just gone on to traumatise her future children with her muggle ways in some way or other."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. I was raised in a muggle orphanage. Muggles are cruel and horrible, and they cannot plague wizarding society."

You stared at him, no words coming to mind.

"Besides, her death was not without cause. I needed someone to die in order to ensure my immortality."

"What?"

Tom gave that smile again, before explaining something that only made you further aware of how twisted his mind was.

***

That night you lay awake in bed, thinking over everything Tom had told you about horcruxes and the basilisk that lived in a chamber beneath the school. You knew you weren't the only one that knew, as you weren't the only one who hung around him. Avery, Lestrange and Malfoy were also a part of Tom's 'movement', as he called it.

You didn't know what to do. You felt trapped within a relationship with Tom, since you now knew he was fully capable of murder and you knew too much about him to be able to distance yourself safely.

At the same time, a lot of what he said made sense, and maybe you were just harbouring more and more resentment for your mother, but you found yourself beginning to agree with him. I mean, you were sorted into a house that didn't allow muggle-borns into it, just like Durmstrang didn't allow muggle-borns at all. At this point, it was written in the stars that you weren't supposed to be fond of 'mudbloods', since you always wound up in spaces that despised them: your family, Durmstrang, Slytherin... and Tom Riddle.

It's not that you even had a choice anymore.

***

The Christmas holidays arrived, and you didn't think twice about signing yourself up to stay at Hogwarts for the two week period - Tom was obviously staying as well. It was weird, as you weren't sure if you should be getting him a gift for the day.

Despite the fact you had never kissed or even hugged, he was technically your boyfriend, so you reasoned that you should be getting him something. But what do you buy for a man whose only interests are world domination? On top of that, you had no money.

You could make him something.

And that was how you found yourself sat at your desk in your dormitory (which you had all to yourself until the next term), carving a snake out of a bit of wood you had (magically) cut from a part of your bed. It wasn't a large amount, just enough to make a small figurine, but you intended to charm it to create some sort of snake hologram that would erupt out of the wooden snake's mouth. Wood carving had been a common activity in your family growing up, although you always had to use the scraps of wood and blunt knives while your siblings got the good quality stuff.

Once you had completed the final step of perfecting the charm, you smiled proudly to yourself at your work and wrapped it up carefully.

***

Your routine since the Christmas holidays began was pretty simple: you, Tom and a second year were the only Slytherins staying, and there was only a handful from the other houses too. Every morning you would meet Tom in the common room at 8am and head to breakfast together, where you would eat plenty before heading to the library to study. Tom's studies were almost exclusively directed towards dark magic, meanwhile you worked to improve in your subjects, which you struggled more with due to English not being your first language.

Being head boy, Tom had basically permanent access to the restricted section, especially because he could get Professor Slughorn to sign off on anything. Everyday he learned darker and darker wizarding secrets, which scared you more than you would ever admit.

After morning studies, you would return to the Great Hall for lunch, and then Tom would insist on a walk around the castle grounds after a morning of mostly sitting down. Afternoon would be when he would have his meetings with Slughorn, whatever they were about, whilst you took the time to relax and decompress in the Slytherin common room with a good book.

Then it would be back again to the Great Hall for dinner, and then, since Tom didn't have prefect rounds to worry about, he would sit with you in the common room for a couple hours. Sometimes you chatted, sometimes you didn't.

"Y/N, darling," he spoke as he sat down next to you, the two of you having just returned from dinner. The second year was nowhere in sight.

You hummed, turning to look at him.

"Slughorn is starting to suspect my interest in dark magic is more than just curiosity."

"It is, isn't it?" you replied nonchalantly.

"Yes, but it is making him stop answering the questions I ask so easily. It is most frustrating."

"Maybe you should back off for a while then, build up trust again."

That was when Tom surprised you by dropping his head on to your shoulder, exhaling as he felt your warmth touch his cheek. "I'll have to. I just hate that it will cause a delay in my learning."

You nervously let your head rest against his as you pushed back the butterflies swarming in your stomach, wondering desperately how a man with such violent thoughts had only ever been so kind to you. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't so bad being trapped with him.

Tom's eyes fluttered shut as his body began relaxing, and you took the moment to work up the courage to initiate more affection. You reached out and took his thumb into your hand, since the rest of it was balled up and not easy to hold. He acknowledged the gesture by rubbing the back of your hand with his forefinger, without opening his eyes.

You were probably the first to see this soft side of Tom.

***

Christmas Day quickly rolled around, not that the day had ever particularly meant much to you. So many years had been spent with you watching your half-siblings open their luxurious gifts, meanwhile you got a new pair of socks if you were lucky. That was until you were at Durmstrang, where you always stayed behind for the holidays while your half-siblings went home to loving parents that you never got.

Tom's Christmases had probably been even worse when they were spent at an orphanage. At least you were allowed a small portion of the grand Christmas meal at your childhood home. Orphans likely got the usual everyday food.

Regardless, you weren't expecting anything when you left your dormitory and entered the Slytherin common room. The Durmstrang Christmas feasts had made the traditional food your favourite part of the day, and you were simply hoping Hogwarts could top the delicacies. You were pleasantly surprised to see Tom already in the common room on the sofa by the tree, holding a neatly wrapped gift.

You couldn't help but smile at him as he noticed your presence, and clutched your gift for him behind your back as you approached his location.

"Merry Christmas, darling," he said to you, rising in order to greet you properly.

"Merry Christmas, Tom," you replied, standing still in front of him.

"I got you something," he said, holding out the box.

You accepted it and presented your gift to him, "And I got you something."

He smiled a small smile and accepted your present, moving in sync with you as you sat down to eagerly open the parcels.

You were absolutely shocked to uncover an absolutely gorgeous white gold ring with a snake design wrapping around, and two large emeralds in place of the snake's eyes. You had seen many expensive things in your life, but you had never had the privilege of touching one - let alone owning one. Looking over at Tom to search for some sort of answer, you received none as he was too busy gazing at the illusion you had spent ages charming.

"It's beautiful, darling."

"Thank you," you couldn't help but be shy, "I don't have any money so I could only make you something."

He smiled, "What do you think of my gift?"

"Oh, Tom, it's- it's gorgeous," you were speechless, "I- I don't know what to say. Thank you. Thank you so much."

"It's to your taste, then?"

You didn't hesitate to nod.

"Lovely, I was hoping it would be. I had to resist using legilimency to confirm."

"Why didn't you?"

"I want you to trust me, doll, and invading your mind won't get you there, will it?"

You softly shook your head, shifting closer to him so you could embrace him in a side hug. He turned his body to hold you properly, and as you buried your face in his chest, you smelled a scent that you had never had the privilege of smelling before: the scent of home.

Tom was your home - he had to be. He was the safest place for you to be in all regards, and that was what a home was, right?

"But what's the ring for?" you asked as you pulled away from the embrace.

"It's for my darling," he said simply, and he didn't elaborate.

But as you tried it on all your fingers, you found that the only one it fit perfectly snug on was your ring finger.

Perhaps that was a coincidence.

***

You had taken to wearing the ring at all times, and you could tell Tom liked it that way, having that mark of ownership on you. Due to the finger on which you wore the piece of jewellery, you received many comments from students and teachers when they returned after New Year's.

"Is congratulations due?" Professor Slughorn had asked during the first potions class of the new year, to which you had merely smiled as you didn't know what to say.

It didn't matter, though, because the rumour spread through the castle quick enough to be considered a well-known fact. Tom Riddle and Y/N L/N being engaged was simply a fact at Hogwarts, and no one had ever debated it.

It wasn't unusual for seventh year couples to get engaged: in fact, it seemed that your 'engagement' had triggered a domino effect of more proposals.

You supposed this probably happened every year after there was a first couple to announce their engagement. Girls pushing more hints towards their boyfriends to get them to ask to tie the knot, probably somewhat out of jealousy and not wanting to be left behind.

"How many kids are you going to have?" one of your dorm mates asked at lunch - the first time she had bothered speaking to you in a while.

"I- I don't know," you had never felt safe enough to even consider if you wanted kids. It's not like you even had a good role model to base your parenting off of. Her question had caught you so off guard you failed to even put up the cold exterior you held for everyone except Tom.

"I think I want four," the girl continued, "I want a kinda big family but not overwhelmingly big, you know?"

You nodded absently.

"But if my husband wants more then I guess I would consider it," she said pensively, "How many does Riddle want?"

"I haven't asked Tom," your cold tone finally caught up to you.

"Asked me what?" your 'fiancé' arrived at the table and sat next to you, greeting you with a kiss on the cheek - which he had never done before. The girls opposite you awed at his behaviour.

"How many kids you want," the same girl reiterated.

You watched as Tom chewed on his cheek a bit before saying, "As many as my wife wants, it's her body that has to go through the turmoil after all."

Your dorm mates began murmuring about how considerate that was of Tom, and how one of the girl's boyfriends was insistent on at least three kids with no room for negotiation.

"Salazar, L/N, now we all want your man," one of the girls joked.

You turned to look at Tom to see that he wasn't even looking in their direction, and instead looking at you.

***

"This diary is my first horcrux," Tom explained to you, handing the book over. He had surprised you by showing you the Chamber of Salazar Slytherin, where the basilisk who killed Myrtle under Tom's orders (as you learned) resided. Despite the fact you hadn't seen the giant snake, you were nervous. "This is what Warren died for."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" you asked, flicking through the pages of the diary.

"You weren't ready to think too much about my plans, as you were still processing the motive," he said, handing you a quill and ink pot, "Write in the diary."

You frowned, but took the quill and dipped it in ink, before writing a simple message of 'hello'.

You nearly jumped out your skin when the diary replied to you.

"What is this?"

"I've charmed the part of my soul in the diary to be able to interact with whoever's writing in it, and in the case I lose the body I currently have, drain the life force of this hypothetical person to create a new body for me."

Regardless of your feelings about the matter, you had to give it to Tom that he was incredibly intelligent.

"So, I suggest you don't write anymore in it," he said, taking the diary back, "I quite like you alive."

"You're immortal now."

He hummed, "After we leave Hogwarts, I would like to continue making more. I want them to be grand, meaningful items, like the valuable objects of each house here."

"Like the sword of Gryffindor?"

"Yes, but that one wouldn't be very wise to pick. It's kept in the headmaster's office."

You nodded, "What are the others?"

"Ravenclaw's diadem, Slytherin's locket and Hufflepuff's cup."

"And which one do you want to use?"

He sighed, looking around the gloomy chamber, "Ideally, all three of them."

***

APPROX. SIX YEARS LATER.

***

You returned home with bags of food weighing your hands down, a playful song replaying in your mind in a loop. This was a normal day for you, thus far, as you entered the household that you shared with your husband, Tom Riddle. It was a house in the middle of nowhere, as he preferred it.

As you walked into the kitchen, you couldn't help but notice that it seemed way too quiet - normally you could feel Tom's presence from his work study, but today you couldn't. After checking the office to confirm he wasn't there, you turned back towards the kitchen to unpack the shopping (presuming he was simply out somewhere and forgot to mention) when you noticed that the door to the cellar was slightly open.

Ensuring your wand was definitely on your person, you entered through the door of rotting wood and slowly made your way down the stone slab stairs. You peered around the corner to see Tom stood across from a slumped figure in the corner, and between them stood a small table with Slytherin's locket set on it. Next to the locket was a wand, but it wasn't Tom's since he was holding his.

You had never witnessed Tom during his... dark magic... before.

You observed as Tom slightly turned his back to the captive person, reading carefully a page of the dusty book he was holding. It was then, to your horror, that the person got up and rushed to grab their wand from the table, beginning to say the fatal killing curse, "Avada kedav-"

"Avada kedavra!"

Tom turned around in shock, looking between you with your wand extended, and the now-corpse on the cold stone floor. All you could do was stare in horror at what you had done.

Only, the horror didn't come from the fact you had just killed someone for the first time - no, the horror came from the fire pumping in your veins and making you feel alive. Why did something so bad make you feel so good? It was like a drug - unholy but godly all the same.

"Darling?" Tom snapped you out of your thoughts, and you finally lowered your wand, "Darling, are you okay?"

You nodded, finding yourself breathless as your husband embraced you.

"You saved my life."

"You're immortal, my love."

"You saved me the hassle of creating a new body," he corrected, parting from you to look down at your face, "How do you feel?"

You exhaled slowly, "Exhilarated."

He raised an eyebrow at you.

"Were they a mudblood?"

Tom's face displayed even more surprise: you had never referred to muggle-borns in such a way before. "Yes, doll, but I'll need a new one now to finish this horcrux."

"Sorry."

"Don't be," he chuckled, pecking your lips, "Never apologise for the death of mudbloods."

You gave him a small smile, "I'm apologising for the kidnapping hassle you now have to go through again, not the death."

"I'm in love with you," he said quickly, staring at you with his piercing eyes.

You beamed up at Tom: your lover, your devil, your rock.

"I'm in love with you too."

———————————————

masterlist

written; 08/03/2023 —> 19/03/2023 published; 20/03/2023 edited; —/—/——

taglist ; @workinatdapyramid

[l-egionaire]

Since I've already given headcanons on the sport and school of the magical USA, I figured I'd give some personal headcanons I have on American Wizards I've been coming up with.

After the great Sasquatch Rebellion, the American Wizarding community recognized that they needed to have better relationships with other magical creatures to prevent being discovered by the No-Majs. So, they drafted The Bill of Magical Freedoms, enshrining into law numerous rights and protections for multiple sentient magical races in the US. Thus, creatures like Goblins and House-Elves have more rights in the US than they do in places like Britain. It's not perfect, for instance, they still aren't allowed the use of wands, but they have multiple freedoms and protections against abuse that they don't have in places like Britain.

That being said, discrimination against those of none-magical blood, or No-Maj borns, as they're called, is still an issue, even after the repeal of Rapports Law. Many No-Maj borns or even Half-Maj's (Half-bloods) are looked at with suspicion or seen as untrustworthy as other wizards fear they might betray them, some even accusing them of being the descendants of Scourers.

Squibs are used a lot by the MACUSA. Since they're knowledgeable in the non-magical world and can more easily blend in than even the best undercover wizards, they're often placed in locations to monitor No-Maj activity or assist in magical coverups, including government buildings, news organizations, and police stations. They're also often sent to No-Maj schools in order to locate any potential No-Maj born children for the government.

The MACUSA isn't the only governing body in the US. There's also The Magical Confederacy of Native Wizards, a group made up of the magical remnants of numerous native American tribes that live in hidden areas that were once their ancestral lands throughout the US, them having split off from their non-magical counterparts years ago like most governments. Anything involving these tribes or their laws is usually handled by the Magical Confederacy. Anything else is MACUSA territory, though the two groups do try and work together when they can.

Because American wizards fear being discovered more, they try to be more knowledgeable about the culture and activities of No-Majs. As such, they have a slightly better understanding of No-Maj culture and technology than British Witches and Wizards.

There's a famous potion shop in New York run by the descendants of Abraham Potter called Potter's Potions. They're well known through the US as the best potion makers around and often rake in money, providing concoctions and ingredients to other wizards.

[chdarling]

how did Bel and Dorcas have a relationship during the 1960s if homosexuality in England was decriminalised in 1967? I suppose they have always lived in the wizarding world, but even so, was discrimination still present or not?

I guarantee you queer folks have been building beautiful relationships far longer than said relationships have been considered legal ❤️

I think there was discrimination in the wizarding world (these fucks loooove discriminating against literally everyone and everything lol), but I think being a squib was more of a challenge for Bel than her sexuality.

[savetheundoneyears]

HP WORLD WAR I VERSE CHARACTERS - A MASTERPOST

Save the Undone Years Main Characters:

Christopher "Kit" Enfield @potionboy3

Kit is a squib who ran away from home at 17, joining the army. His rank is lieutenant (later promoted to a captain). Kit is part of the "A company" and he gets along well with his men. His company respects him a lot and he's very liked in the army. He gets embroiled in the wizarding plot to overthrow the British Ministry of Magic when he sees Ares Gaunt using magic and foils a plot by the anti-muggle organization TOWER.

profile | tag

Ares Gaunt @gaygryffindorgal

The second son of Marvolo Gaunt's elder brother Argus. Ares's family is known for its blood-supremacist views but Ares has attempted to cut all ties with them. At Hogwarts he was sorted into Slytherin. He's an auror and works as an undercover operative in the muggle army, posing as a captain for the "A company". Later he's promoted to the rank of major. His objective is incapacitating members of the terrorist organization TOWER. Ares is distantly related to Elian and Theo Goldcrest through their mother Kerina.

profile | tag

Lunas Avery @cursed-herbalist

First-born son of the pure-blood Avery family, Lunas is an auror who works undercover within TOWER and infiltrates the German Ministry of Magic and Muggle army. He's a trained soldier and Royal Flying Corps pilot. He later joins the "A Company" along with Alexej Kavinsky. He wants to take down TOWER. Lunas was a Gryffindor at Hogwarts.

profile | tag

Alexej Kavinsky @potionboy3

Alexej is the son of Anton Vogel, the head of the German auror office (later Minister for Magic and Supreme Mugwump). He goes by his mother's last name to avoid association with his father. He attended Durmstrang and joined the AM (Anti-Muggle) movement associated with Grindelwald. While being undecover in the German army, Lunas Avery discovered his identity, causing Alexej to flee the country and join TOWER for a while. He later becomes part of the "A company" along with Lunas Avery.

profile | tag

Odessa Avery @cursed-herbalist

Odessa is the younger sister of Lunas and childhood friend of Kit Enfield. At Hogwarts she was a Gryffindor. She is a journalist, uncovering injustice and reporting on the events of the war. She later marries Kit.

profile | tag

Leda Gaunt @gaygryffindorgal

Younger sister of Ares Gaunt. While at Hogwarts, Leda was in Slytherin. Near the end of the war, Leda finds out about Ares's involvement with TOWER and goes looking for her brother at the Front, disguisng herself as a muggle soldier.

profile | tag

Other characters:

Sydney Barlow @gaygryffindorgal

A muggle-born wizard who spent years lying about his blood-status to avoid discrimination. He was sorted into Slytherin and once it was discovered he was actually muggle-born, joined the army along with his muggle half-brother Aiden.

profile | tag

Melvyn "Melv" Enfield @potionboy3

Older brother of Kit, Melv works for the British Ministry as an Obliviator. Kit and Melv have a troubled relationship, not helped by the fact that Melv has feelings for Odessa. Crosses paths with Kit and Ares during their time in the frontlines multiple times.

profile | tag

Joel Mayfair @magicallymalted

Joel is the medic of the "A company" that Kit and Ares are part of. He volunteered for the war not approving British Ministry's strict rules concerning wizard involvement. He's a a good friend of Kit's as the two are similar in many ways. He was sorted into Gryffindor.

profile | tag

Ione Avery @cursed-herbalist

Younger sister of Lunas and Odessa, attended Hogwarts as a Gryffindor as well. Ione is creative and sensitive. Not willing to openly rebel against her parents she accepts an engagement to the son of a friend of her family, Zedric Faust. During Hogwarts she was involved with Colm O'Shea.

profile | tag

Colm O'Shea @unfortunate-arrow

Presumably muggle-born Gryffindor who joined the British muggle army after his and Ione's break-up. He's a proud Irish and supports the Irish independence movement (getting him in trouble from time to time). He's part of the "A company" and gets badly wounded at the end of the war.

profile | tag

Linus Sullivan @unfortunate-arrow

American young man who takes part in the war under the Canadian army. He got in trouble with the law after violating Rappaport's law. He later joined the "A company". In Ilvermorny he was sorted into Wampus.

profile | tag

Maritza Krum @potionboy3

French ministry intelligence operative who has a famous family history. Maritza attended Durmstrang. During the war she helped Ares on several ministry related issues. She also met Linus Sullivan and the two fell in love.

profile | tag

Anthony "Andy" Vallen @kathrynalicemc

A Ravenclaw and a brilliant scientist, experimenting with and disarming magical weapons of war. He crosses paths with Kit, Ares, Lunas, and Alexej during their search of said weapons. He later becomes a teacher for a muggle school.

profile | tag

Joanna Vallen @kathrynalicemc

Joanna is the sister of Andy. She is an undercover intelligence operative and a Slytherin alumnus. She has a fake identity and she poses as a singer during the war to get knowledge from the troops.

profile | tag

Klara Belikova @gaygryffindorgal

A childhood friend of Alexej Kavinsky, Klara attended Durmstrang with him. She left her immensely wealthy family behind because she didn't want to marry a man of her parents' choosing. Klara moved to France and reunites with Alexej there during the war.

profile | tag

Ophelia Lovell @unfortunate-arrow

Ophelia follows her brother Eugene to war and becomes a nurse. Later she joins the owl air-force. She's also marries Eugene's childhood friend and Kit's good friend Patrick Simmons. Linus is her other half-brother. During her Hogwarts years she was sorted into Hufflepuff.

profile | tag

Zedric Faust @potionboy3

Zedric was engaged to Ione Avery but she broke the engagement after learning that Zedric was part of the German Anti Muggle movement AM. He and Alexej were part of the movement together and Zedric tended to take a lot of credit from Alexej's actions rather than having the courage to act himself.

profile| tag

Cayetana Narváez @endlessly-cursed

Caye is a Spanish spy. She picks up on rumours about the Dark wizard organisation TOWER and gathers intel about the war parties. It is her goal to collect as much information as possible and she isn't afraid of putting herself in danger to do so.

profile | tag

Mysterie Charmsworth @potionboy3

Mystie is Odessa's childhood friend and like her, also a reporter. Unlike Ode, though, she would do anything for a good story. She was a Gryffindor at Hogwarts.

profile | tag

Aiden Barlow @gaygryffindorgal

A muggle and the older half-brother of Sydney Barlow. Aiden is a decorated war hero, being a captain at the start of the story and advancing through the ranks as the war goes on.

profile | tag

Adeline Blackburn @cursebreakerfarrier

Adeline is the youngest of three sisters born to half-blood parents and they all live in the rural north. After Hogwarts she becomes an auror and works as an investigative assistant during the war.

profile | tag

Kateryna von Engelhardt @cursebreakerfarrier

Kateryna, Klara and Alexej were all friends during their Durmstrang years but grew distant after the death of their shared friend Fiete Tegeler. She is later involved with Zedric Faust.

profile | tag

Conrad St. James @endlessly-cursed

Conrad is a French-Canadian journalist and photographer who works together with Mystie Charmworth. He attended Ilvermony and was sorted into Thunderbird.

profile | tag

Irene Griffiths @camillejeaneshphm

Irene is a young nurse who tends to Kit's wounds when he is shot during a battle. At Hogwarts she was sorted into Gryffindor.

profile | tag

Patrick Simmons @potionboy3

Simmons joined the army around the same time as Kit. The two are good friends. He's also childhood friends with Eugene Lovell and later marries his sister Ophelia. Simmons has no knowledge of magic.

profile | tag

Andrey Belikov @gaygryffindorgal

Younger brother of Klara, Andrey lives with her in Paris after his parents disown him. He has a keen interest in fashion. He gets involved with Andy Vallen.

profile | tag

[honeybadgerdontcare394]

More About Gilbert

Favorite Classes:

Charms - He's got a real knack for practical spells and charms. And he adores Professor Ronen. Making learning something fun/into a game? Sign him up! He also eventually becomes the Charms professor at Hogwarts in later years and follows much the same philosophy as Ronen.

Potions - He enjoys cooking, so the idea of following a recipe comes quite naturally to him. Professor Sharp is not easy to impress but Gilbert likes him a lot and does his best to make him proud.

Beasts - Of course he enjoys learning about the many different kinds of beasts and ways to care for them, but the class is also where he first meets Poppy, who is one of his closest friends, and Highwing, so it has a special place in his heart.

Least favorite Classes:

Herbology - Whatever the opposite of a green thumb is, Gilbert has it. He means well but for some reason any plant entrusted to his care just never seems to make it.

Astronomy - It's cold up there on the astronomy tower, and he'd much rather be curled up on the couch in the common room with a cup of tea reading than have a class at night.

History of Magic - Pretty sure no one likes this class. It is a great place to catch up on sleep, though. He's also had quite enough of Goblin rebellions for a lifetime.

Extra Curriculars:

Hogwarts Choir - Joins with Ominis in sixth year, now that he actually has free time in between classes that isn't spent dealing with dark wizards or goblins. Enjoys music and is a passable singer, so it's an enjoyable hobby and a chance to bond with Ominis more.

Hufflepuff Quidditch Team - When Quidditch is reinstated in his 6th year, he joins the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team as a Seeker.

Favorite Spell:

Confringo - completely and utterly unrelated to how he came to learn the spell (of course), fire spells are cool and all, but a long range fire spell? Count him in.

Least Favorite Spell (not an Unforgivable):

Flipendo - finds the spell a bit silly and it also makes him nauseous to watch people spinning about in the air.

Hogwarts Enemy/Rival:

Imelda - Though they grow to be best frenemies by the end of their fifth year, she made a comment about squibs when they first met that he still hasn't forgiven her for, because his father is a squib. He knows the sort of discrimination his father faced, and doesn't like to hear such prejudice.

[nobodyssoldier]

In the doc you mention Kingsley making pretty significant changes as minister. What are the most notable laws that he passed / struck down that changed wizarding society? I just want to get a clear idea of how different the future is to trio era & marauders era.

hi,  anon  !  good  question  !  so  sorry  this  took  a  bit  of  time  to  answer,  but  here  are  my  main  thoughts:

under  ministers  kingsley  shacklebolt  and  hermione  granger,  a  strong  effort  was  made  to  expand  on  magical  education  in  order  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  another  war.  there  are  now  magical  primary  schools  to  help  integrate  muggleborn  and  magical  children  together  at  an  early  age,  so  muggleborns  will  not  feel  quite  as  otherized  by  the  time  that  they  enter  hogwarts.  additionally,  when  hogwarts  was  rebuilt,  it  was  expanded  to  include  a  post  secondary  education,  allowing  young  adults  to  pursue  undergraduate  and  graduate  degrees.  before  this  change,  further  education  was  mainly  limited  to  apprenticeships  and  specialized  programs  such  as  the  auror  program.  other  significant  changes  include:  muggle  studies  now  being  mandatory  for  all  students  as  a  way  to  promote  tolerance  and  understanding;  a  more  rigorous  hiring  system  for  all  hogwarts  professors  &  staff  that  includes  an education degree, a  thorough  background  check,  references,  multiple  rounds  of  interviews,  and  a  preliminary  t.a.  trial system;  a  wider  variety  of  studies  in  general,  including  important  muggle  subjects  in  order  to  give  students  a  more  well-rounded  education;  and  squibs  are  now  able  to  attend  hogwarts  on  a  specialized  track.

technology  has  been  integrated  into  the  wizarding  world.  television,  phones,  computers  &  the  like  are  now  common  place  in  the  wizarding  world.  owls  are  still  used  for  communication  (  especially  official  correspondence  )  but  to  a  lesser  extent  than  they  were  in  the  past.

several  laws  have  been  passed  to  improve  the  rights  of  the  disenfranchised,  such  as  magical  creatures,  squibs  &  muggleborns.  discrimination  of  any  form  is  by  all  counts  highly illegal.  for  example,  the  werewolf  registry  no  longer  exists,  and  wolfsbane  potion  is  freely  accessible  through  the  ministry.

there  has  been  a  massive  overhaul  of  the  legal  system.  a  person  is  considered  innocent  until  proven  guilty,  and  everyone  has  the  right  to  a  fair  &  speedy  trial,  with  legal  counsel  and  a  jury  of  their  peers.  the  wizengamot  now  exists  mainly  as  a  parliament  and  a  legislature.  occasionally,  however,  they  may  see  cases  as  the  final  court  of  appeal.  additionally,  the  conditions  of  azkaban  are  far  more  humane  than  they  were  in  the  past.  dementors  are  no  longer  used  as  prison  guards,  and  consequently,  the  dementor's  kiss  is  now  banned  as  a  cruel  &  unusual  punishment. 

i  might  add  to  this  in  the  future,  but  that's  the  gist  ! just keep in mind that most of this will change under voldemort's reign.

[ladyelizabethraven]

Hogwarts Legacy Ideas posted on Reddit & my shower thoughts that can be used as interesting writing prompts:

Ominis' blindness was not seen as an imperfection by his family. Rather, for them, it was seen as a sign that Ominis was the perfect heir of Slytherin to open the Chamber of Secrets and purge the school of mudbloods. His blindness meant that he would be immune to the Basilisk's petrification gaze. And they spend the rest of Ominis' school years pressuring him to do it.

Sebastian would fit well in Gryffindor. And to see a Gryffindor be allured to the promises of the Dark Arts to cure his sister is peak drama.

Ominis, despite accepting his fate that he would be sorted into Slytherin, has no love for the house and chosen to mingle with the other houses instead. That is why he became best friends with Sebastian and Anne.

Sebastian's parents were actually Squibs but were still active in the wizarding world as magical researchers thanks to Solomon.

Speaking of Solomon, he would not actively try to kill the MC immediately. Rather, his behaviour would depend on the past decisions MC had made regarding the Dark Arts, whether MC had encouraged Sebastian to pursue the Dark Side, or if MC had sided with Ominis during the arguments. (IDK, I just wanted him to become more morally complex so people would at least hesitate at that final scene of the quest)

There is a connection between Solomon getting fired from being an Auror and Aesop Sharp's accident that's got his partner killed. (?)

Sebastian and Anne were considered to be muggle born since they came from non magical parents (IIRC Squibs were not actually registered and often ostracised in the magical community).

Seb and Anne were often discriminated against by the pure blood supremacists (Including the headmaster) in the school behind Ominis' back. That is why Seb, who was naturally adventurous, was considered as a delinquent trouble maker.

Anne, before she was cursed, has set up a support group for muggle born students and was actively fighting against the subtle bullying and discrimination happening in Hogwarts.

Anne's curse came from Marvolo Gaunt (who was threatening Ominis into opening the Chamber of Secrets). It was secretly approved by Headmaster Black since he hated the formation of the support group.

Amit may have the most stable in the group of main cast, but his conflict comes from measuring up to his family (who had done great feats in their school years).

His conflict would also be in the form of not wanting to fight vs consider fighting to preserve the knowledge and wisdom of the past from those who try to Bury it.

Professor Fig would be the if the MC's primary antagonist. But he would not be the "mwahahaha" villain but rather the "man who flew too close to the sun and got his wings burned off" kind of a tragic hero.

Blinded by grief and guilt over his wife's death, Fig decided to seek the powers of the Ancient Magic to bring his wife back to life. But he also wanted to use the MC to take revenge on Ranrok and the goblins for killing his wife.

The Keepers were the BBEG of the story because they want to monopolise the use of the Ancient Magic through Isidora. It's because they think that the Ancient Magic was too powerful to be used by the younger generation. They don't want her to act on her own accord and use the magic as they see fit. When Isidora rebelled, they killed her and tarnished her name as the most evil witch ever lived and basically launched a smear campaign on her. But when they found out that they could not use the Ancient Magic on their own, the Keepers decided to seal it away, preparing it for the next person who would be able to use and sense the Ancient Magic, and probably possess that person.

While Isidora's motives are still the same, it would be like the old argument in the HP fandom on "Whether Hermionie was right in meddling her parents' mind without their knowledge or consent even though it was said to be for their own safety". (CAN also be an alternate BBEG).

MC's quest now involves learning the truth and deciding on how to use the Ancient Magic.

Hogwarts legacy story will be more about the students (MC, Sebastian, Ominis, Natsai, Poppy, Amit) choosing what "destiny" has laid out for them vs forging their own path and make their own story

The friends MC has made along the way appears in the final repository run to support the MC. I know the professors appearing there was epic, but it's just to show the strength of the bonds you've made in this journey.

[mrsfrecklesmarauders]

Hellooo , so i saw ur post on what the marauders would do if voldemort didn't exist and i was just wondering, what about Barty, Evan, Pandora, Mary, Dorcas, and the rest of them?

Hello Anon!

I don't remember well my post, it was a long time ago, but I will try:

Barty: I see him being into the supernatural (even for wizards). Meaning he would do researchs about ghosts. How they come to be? Why some people stay as ghosts and others don't? How can they go to the afterlife. He would have entire books written about ghosts and death. He would be an expert in the subject.

Evan: For me this character is a stranger because I haven't read any fics with him in them. So I feel like I don't know him at all. But for the little I've seen about him in the Fandom, I think maybe a wizard stylist? A tattoo artist? I don't know.

Pandora: I think she would create her own brand of potions and beverages that she invented in her life. (something like Snape creating his own mean spells). And she would have her own brand called Pandora's box. Many people would be exceptical to try her things because for wizards it would be what we know as alternative medicine in this case alternative magic. But she has clients. And she would be very popular amongst them.

Mary: I see her as a stylist. She would have her own brand of clothes famous and known for mixing wizard robes and Muggle clothes, creating a unique style. She would have a shop in each wizard town.

Dorcas: I see her fighting for magical creatures' rights. She would defend anyone who is a minority. She has an establishment. She would give shelter to those squibs who are tossed to the street. Or those muggleborns who are discriminated. Or those creatures who have nowhere else to go. That includes werewolves. And all sorts of LGBTQ+ magical folks. In every riot or protest, she would be.

And I am sorry, but I don't remember who I have written about and who I am missing but I hope this works for you :)

[katepotter]

New Short!  

Based on a prompt from @harmonyandco 

When Hector Dagworth-Granger's son turns out to be a squib, he turns to a fellow member of the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers for help. Knowing it might take generations for magic to return to his line, he worries that his descendent might face discriminations as a muggleborn. Thus, he and Fleamont Potter sign a betrothal contract for the next magical Dagworth-Granger and a Potter Heir. Surprisingly, it doesn’t take many generations for Hermione to be born. And fortunately, just under a year later, Fleamont’s grandson is born.

-anonymous

https://archiveofourown.org/works/45013006

[ilovewritingfics]

Shoutout for @moongurl95 for sharing the wonderful HL October list for me to enjoy. :)

In honor of Hogwarts Legacy October month!

(In-game look and artwork version drawn by me!)

DAY 1: INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR MC

But first, get to know her creator:

I first started playing HL since May. I was a 2nd year college student when me and my older sister decided to buy the game on Steam. I'm a girl who loves Harry Potter world for its unique fantasy with a mix of real-life. So buying the game is a dream come true to achieve all my wishes to explore Hogwarts and be the witch of my dreams!

And that's all for facts about me, its time to introduced to you my HL MC: Anais Ainsley!

Story:

Born on Scotland, Anais is a half-blood daughter of two farmers, her mom is Carmila Ainsley, the half-blood while her father is Harold Ainsley, the pure-blood of the family. She is a neighborly child who gracefully respects her adults and polite to her peers. She loves books and her countryside life. She found out that she's a squib much to her dismay of unable to experience magic like her parents and her childhood friend, Owen, but they didn't love her any less. From their unconditional love and support, Anais decided to have a future as a farmer like them.

Unfortunately her life, since her birthday, turn into a series of multiple tragedies when she lost her father to a drunk pure-blood supremacist, Owen to the Unforgivable curses and left her in pain, and her mom becoming the shell of her former self. Home is never the same until she receives hope in a letter on her 15th birthday.

And how could Anais say no to her second chance to start a new life?

About her:

Her boggart is Failing her duties and everyone suffering as a result

Finding out her magic in 5th year, she now dreams to be a Healer.

She is the most beautiful student of Hogwarts due to her natural Victorian standards, much to the jealousy of her rich and pure-blood schoolmates

She has one mole under each eye.

Anais has a classic length hair

Sorted to Hufflepuff and roommates with Poppy and Adelaide

Best friends with Natty and Poppy

Her wand is Spiral, Willow wood, Phoenix feather, 12 inch, Unyielding and uses the brown and gold botanical wand handle

Her Amortentia is warm meadow, floral perfume, and afternoon tea

She is a sweet tooth and flexitarian (although the term is not coined till 1992), due to her parents being farmers and meat is expensive for their budget.

The only candy she eats is Elephant on the bicycle

Her favorite subjects are Potions Class, Care of Magical Creatures class, Herbology Class, DATDA, Flying Class

Her least favorite subject is Divination

She hates the Unforgivable curses due to what happened with Owen

Her hobbies are playing her lyre, singing, embroidering, cooking, baking, Summoner’s Court, sketching, reading books, pressing wildflowers, foraging, swimming, flying, kite flying, riding her beast companions

A literal badger: kind and innocent at first until her love ones are threatened

She is an ambidextrous

Learns Braille for Ominis

Loves to watch Quidditch thanks to Sebastian

Anais is easy to give gifts to as long as its pretty and thoughtful like beautiful rocks or homemade sweets.

She abhors being called stupid, and gets angry to cover her fear of being incapable 

Anais never discriminated against all magical beings

Anais loves to sneak into the kitchen and steal some sweets and bread, much to the house-elves’ amusement

Anais works part-time in the Three Broomsticks to help her mother

Anais has a soothing and soft voice

Her barn owl is named Soren

Her favorite Hogsmeade shops are Steeply and Sons, Honeydukes, and Zonkos

Hogwarts Castle is alive and loyal to Anais

Always seen carrying a different book

She loves long warm baths and braided hairstyles

Professor Fig teaches Anais how to apparate and bits of magical theory in their free time.

So that's all I could share about my MC, the rest I just have to expand in my story which I still debate if I should share it to everyone.

[immxrtalbi]

The Life We Dreamed Of

Summary: Nothing is ever easy for Harry, not even for dating. Now he needs to work with Tom in trying to figure out how to change the law in order to help squibs have a better life. Harry forgot how much he hated politics, though.

Rated: M

Tags: Alternate Universe, Squib Harry Potter, Minister for Magic Tom Riddle, Dating, Family Fluff, Politics, Discrimination, Bigotry & Prejudice, Angst and Feels, Misunderstandings, Implied/Referenced Abuse, etc. (please read all tags in site!)

Chapter 1