#the cauldron nyc

[the-herdier]

So I just saw a news piece about a potion-themed bar in my area and my first thought was "MIXOLOGIST SNAPE!!!"

[den-of-the-druids]

Our trip to The Cauldron (myself and @breezyspooks )

[jerzwriter]

Drag BINGO

[theadventuresofmanders]

September 2023 I ended up in Florida and NYC but didn’t do as much hiking as I wanted to. I am glad I got to travel and spend such great time with friends and family.

[germhammy]

“Christmas Aftermath”

Enid: I can’t believe the food last night. Everything was so delicious!

Wednesday: do you always require that much protein before wolfing out?

Enid: not really. But it helps. I was so touched that your mom had an entire roast prepared extra rare just for me! The medium rare roast would have been just fine. She didn’t have to go through the trouble

Wednesday: it wasn’t any trouble.

Enid: my favorite way of red meat cooking is medium rare. Except before wolfing out. Then extra rare is the best.

Wednesday: I look forward to taking you for Kobe beef on Friday. We will be taking the train into New York. We can do some shopping if you like.

Enid: my mom will be so jealous. She always complains about how expensive it is. Even Evan has asked. Just once?

Wednesday: I do not blame her actually. You have five brothers?

Enid: six actually.

Wednesday: nine people is quite a lot to dine on Kobe beef. Even we only go sparingly. It’s usually six of us.

Enid: we rarely go out to eat.

Wednesday: tonight we will go to the homeless shelter to provide help with the food service. I usually play my cello. My father fences with foam swords with the children

Enid: wow. Do you do that every year?

Wednesday: yes. My mother and Grandmama prepare a large cauldron of stew. When my Aunt Ophelia and Granny are here they help with arts and crafts

Enid: that’s really cool!

Wednesday: perhaps you could help out painting nails.

Enid: I could

Wednesday: tomorrow you are watching the Devils game with Lucas, correct?

Enid: excuse me? The Sharks game.

Wednesday: you are in New Jersey. This is New Jersey Devils territory

Enid: do you even watch hockey?

Wednesday: not as much as my brother. But we are Devils fans.

Enid: Will you be watching with me?

Wednesday: I will be leaving you with Pugsley. I will take advantage of the time to devote to my writing

Thing tapped to draw attention to Xavier’s phone

Thing: he is texting. He’s asking if you would like to join him in New York to watch the ball drop in Times Square

Wednesday signed and picked up the phone

-good morning gorgeous! Say, my dad and I will be in New York for New Years Eve! Care to join me in NYC to watch the ball drop?

-absolutely not. I do not even watch it on the television. Much less in person

-oh come on! It’s a once in a lifetime experience!

-not for me. I would much rather spend my New Year’s Eve in my backyard huddled around a fire with my family telling ghost stories and roasting things

-sounds boring

-truly you have not lived if you have not roasted food over a raging fire

-very funny. Don’t tell me. It’s like a cremation right? Or it’s just s’mores

-roasted apples with butter and cinnamon sugar, roasted vegetables, and our family favorite, elote

-still sounds boring. Come on! What’s better than partying all night I. times Square?

-literally anything? I would not be able to withstand the noise. The crowd. The lights. It is not for me. You enjoy your party. I will enjoy my quiet time with my family

Thing: how does he not understand?

Wednesday: I do not know, Thing. Oh. I did not put this out. I hid it from you and then forgot where I hid it until we were at breakfast.

Wednesday took out a neatly wrapped present and placed it on the floor in the middle of her room. She sat down in front of it placing Thing on the box

Wednesday: Enid. Come sit. Help Thing open his present since I imagine you will not only be helping him use it but he will allow you to use it as well.

When opened, Thing was happy. Enid squealed. It was a beautiful wooden bowl filled with essential oils, soft towels, and neroli bergamot hand lotion. Thing gave Wednesday a finger heart and lifted his pinky for Wednesday. She linked her pinky.

Thing: thank you very much, Wednesday

[tedwardremus]

What kind of dates do you think Harry and Ginny go on? I think they are super fun-loving thrill seekers. Harry was denied so many happy experiences when he was younger and I bet Ginny fantasized about all the things she would do when she was older and had money and finally some freedom. So, I think they are super fun and they travel a lot. Basically act like two big kids even when they are 35 or 45. They do things like order every dessert item on a restaurant's menu. They do dumb challenges like try every cereal and rank them from best to worst. Make a list of every single theme park and all the best rides and try to experience every single one (they def took Teddy to Disney World and paid for the VIP treatment so he could eat with Mickey Mouse). They do bucket list things like spend Christmas in NYC (Harry loves it because the muggles are distant and rude and that's totally his vibe) and spend New Years on Sydney Harbour watching the fireworks on the beach (one of Ginny's fave ever memories). When the kids have birthdays they are the aunt and uncle that rent the bouncy castle and water slide and rent a fckn pony for the kids to ride. They are FUN. For Christmas they do a build the nicest gingerbread house challenge with the kids and its super competitive. One time Ginny shows up at Hogwarts and says there is an emergency and the kids need to go with her and they are like wtf and then they meet Harry in Hogsmeade and take a portkey to Coney Island (Hermione is so furious and yells at H/G over this because it's SO childish and irresponsible - Ron is like please don't tell her I went with you she thought I was at work).

It was a difficult undertaking to plan a date night when your boyfriend happened to be the most famous wizard in the entire world. Everywhere they went, the press was sure to follow. And if not the press, then someone would try to tell Harry how amazing he was and ask for an autograph. Either way, if they spent too long in public, Harry would get spotted, and his mood would turn sour.

There was always the Leaky Cauldron—Hannah would ensure they had a private booth. But the Leaky was crowded and noisy and they spend so much time hanging out with friends there it didn't really feel like a date night location.

There were always weekend getaways to Romania to the Dragon Reserve to see Charlie or France with Bill and Fleur. But family trips, while fun, were not romantic.

They'd head out to Muggle London, go to the zoo, and once Harry took her to the movies. But if she was honest, Ginny didn’t understand the hype and much preferred reading her books or listening to stories on the wireless.

Or they’d go out with Hermione and Ron, but again—a date that included brothers was automatically not romantic.

Then there was coordinating their busy schedules. When Ginny didn’t have a game, she was usually training, and now that she was on the national team as well as the Harpies, her schedule was even more hectic.

Harry, of course, was busy not just with Auror training but also various committees to reform the Ministry. He always did his best to spend a day or two a week with Teddy—even if it was just a quick mealtime hello.

That’s why their best dates tended to be quiet ones at home. Just the two of them in the safe sanctuary they had built together. Away from public eyes, dark magic, and intrusive press. They’d play music records—a mix of wizard and Muggle music. Do silly dances while they cooked. Sometimes dinner turned out well, and sometimes they ended up walking to the nearby village to get takeaway when it turned into a disaster. But they had been living together for a couple of years, and Ginny was confident that their cooking was improving.

They’d share a bottle of wine and start a fire. Afterwards, Harry would look at her and ask if she wanted to fly.

She always said yes.

And in the cover of darkness, they’d fly. And they’d be free. It was wonderful—to reach out and touch the stars and have the love of your life hold your hand in return.

[yes-these-obsessions-are-healthy]

Because I can’t leave well enough alone or stop obsessing over the music scene in Zaun, I have a few headcanons as to the soundscape of the city.

1. Zaun and Piltover operate in a quasi-Steam/cyberpunk and steam “utopian” punk environments, respectively. For Zaun especially it operates like something sewn together with late 19th century industrial slums (NYC, London) mixed with Blade Runner vibes. Pop, alternative rock, industrial, hip-hop and rap, but also punk, exist.

2. Personally, personally, and with some cues from @lullabyes22-blog fic Forward, Never Forget, I imagine the musical landscape of Zaun changed dramatically within 40 years (roughly the lifetime of Vander and Silco). 200 years ago, Zaun’s primary music genres were folk, vaudeville, work songs, shanties, and novelty songs. Economic stranglehold by Piltover ensured that “high minded” and “perfected” genres we associate with the wealthy, operas, ballets, and the like were difficult or even inaccessible for Zaunites to compose for, but obviously commonplace in Piltover as representative of their cultural DNA. The influx of refugees into Zaun from the Rune Wars, the subsequent squeeze, impoverishment, and exploitation in slum city living, also coincided with the flowering of many spirited genres of music: swing, jazz, blues, and respective dances deemed far too scandalous and libertine for Piltover.

So as I said, in order for it to make sense why a city seems to be comprised of Edwardians standing next to literal punks, steam and otherwise, we need to internalize the miraculous phenomenon that within Silco and Vander’s lifetime, a century’s worth of musical development (1910s - 2020) occurred within Zaun. Somehow, some way, rock, metal, pop, hip-hop, rap, club, funk, dance, industrial, punk, etc. developed and flourished like kudzu. Essentially: If old white people in our real world were ever on record saying this-and-this music was corrupting the youth, then it was in Zaun. If it challenged authority or made you wanna shake and bop up and down or grind, it was music from Zaun.

3. So this means Silco and Vander would’ve borne witness to the music scene go from Puttin’ on the Ritz and Lindy Hop and If I Had a Hammer to You Really Got Me (The Kinks) and War Pigs (Black Sabbath) to Sex Pistols to Sylvester and Sly & the Family Stone to You Spin Me (Right Round) and Depeche Mode and The Clash and Public Enemy to Wu Tang Clan and Smells Like Teen Spirit and Rage Against the Machine and Selena and West Coast-East Coast rap divergence to RECESSION CLUB/POP, fucking IMAGINE FUCKING DRAGONS and wispy atmospheric female artist pop and DUBSTEP.

Literally this creaky-looking Peaky Blinders/Scarface sharkrat man would have to have grown up from going as a child listening to jazz to being in his early 40s and hearing Imagine fucking Dragons on the wind in the public square for some reason and Pusha T doing his thing. Do you understand what I’m saying how crazy that is.

It’s crazy to think about. Usually music genres fall to the wayside as developments are made and genres evolve out of them and into others, but Zaun exists in a world where the past is the present. Everything is alive and sustained all at once, like undying undergrowth, the coexistence of subculture. Little by little, the Old Guard may shift a bit, but the fashion and sensibilities and tastes will never completely die out, no matter how much further Zaun progresses within its bubbling urban cauldron of rust-and-reuse.

[sweet-caress-of-twilight]

Going off of one of my previous reblogs, i attempted to make a list of where in the world every Disney Animated Canon movie takes place

Antarctica:

Pablo the Cold-Blooded Penguin (The Three Caballeros) (Pablo starts out living in the South Pole and then he goes to Chile, Peru, and Ecuador)

Africa

The Lion King

Tarzan

Asia

Aladdin is set in a mishmash of Middle Eastern countries. It was supposed to be in Iraq, but because of the Persian Gulf War, Disney said no, so it takes place in the fictional country of Agrabah, which is inspired by Baghdad in Iraq.

Raya and the Last Dragon is set in a mishmash of Southeast Asian countries, but takes the most inspiration from Vietnam

China: Mulan

India: The Jungle Book

Europe

England: The Wind in the Willows (The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad), Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, Robin Hood, Winnie the Pooh, The Great Mouse Detective

France: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Aristocats, Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Germany: Snow White, Tangled

Greece: The Pastoral Symphony (Fantasia), Hercules

Italy: Pinocchio

Norway: Frozen (Arendelle is heavily inspired by Norway)

Russia: Peter and the Wolf (Make Mine Music)

Spain: Wish (Rosas is inspired by Spain and located off the Iberian Peninsula)

Turkey: Pomp and Circumstance (Fantasia 2000) is about Noah's Ark, and many people believe that the ark landed at Mount Ararat in present-day Turkey

Ukraine: Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria (Fantasia) (the real Bald Mountain is Mount Triglaf, near Kyiv in Ukraine)

Wales: The Black Cauldron

North America

Mexico:

Las Posadas

Mexico: Pátzcuaro, Veracruz and Acapulco

You Belong to My Heart/Donald's Surreal Reverie (all from The Three Caballeros)

United States:

Different towns in Massachusetts and California have claimed to be the Mudville that Casey at the Bat (Make Mine Music) takes place in, but the author of the original poem said it has no basis in fact.

The Legend of Johnny Appleseed (Melody Time) - the real Johnny Appleseed (real name John Chapman) planted apple trees in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Ontario, and West Virginia

Lady and the Tramp could take place somewhere in New England

The Fox and the Hound looks like it takes place in Appalachia, so maybe Pennsylvania or Virginia

Home on the Range is somewhere in the Old West

Bolt takes place across America: starts out in California, the title character ends up in New York, visits Ohio, and is back to California by the end

Alaska: Brother Bear

California: Wreck it Ralph (Ralph Breaks the Internet reveals that Litwak's Arcade is in California), Big Hero 6

Florida: Dumbo

Hawaii: Lilo and Stitch

Louisiana: Blue Bayou (Make Mine Music), most of The Rescuers, The Princess and the Frog

Maine: Bambi (the forest was based on Maine and the animators traveled to Maine for reference)

New York: Johnny Fedora and Alice Blue Bonnet, The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met (Make Mine Music) (the Metropolitan Opera is in NYC), Little Toot (Melody Time), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad) (the real Sleepy Hollow is in New York), The Rescuers (the Rescue Aid Society headquarters is in NYC), Oliver and Company, Rhapsody in Blue (Fantasia 2000)

Texas: Pecos Bill (Melody Time)

Virginia: Pocahontas

Washington, DC: Atlantis: The Lost Empire (Milo works at the Smithsonian

Oceania

The Rescuers Down Under: Australia

Moana: Polynesia

Pangaea

The Rite of Spring (Fantasia)

Dinosaur

South America

Argentina: Pedro, El Gaucho Goofy (Saludos Amigos)

Bolivia: Lake Titicaca (Saludos Amigos)

Brazil: Aquarela do Brasil (Saludos Amigos), Baia (The Three Caballeros), Blame It on the Samba (Melody Time),

Chile: Pedro (Saludos Amigos) (The title character delivers the mail in the Andes, between Santiago, Chile, and Mendoza, Argentina), Pablo the Cold-Blooded Penguin (The Three Caballeros)

Colombia: Encanto

Ecuador: Pablo the Cold-Blooded Penguin (The Three Caballeros) (Pablo goes to the Galapagos Islands, which is an archipelago in Ecuador)

Peru: Lake Titicaca (Saludos Amigos) (the lake is at the border between Peru and Bolivia), Pablo the Cold-Blooded Penguin (The Three Caballeros), The Emperor's New Groove

Uruguay: The Flying Gauchito (The Three Caballeros)

Unknown/does not take place in our world

Any of the package film segments not mentioned here

The Little Mermaid seems like it takes place in the Mediterranean Sea, but it could also take place in the Caribbean, which would explain Sebastian's accent

Fantasia 2000: "Pines of Rome" is set in the Arctic, so it could be anywhere from Canada to Alaska to Finland to Russia

Most of Atlantis: the Lost Empire, since the city of Atlantis is completely made up

Treasure Planet

Chicken Little

Meet the Robinsons

Zootopia

Strange World

[farm-witches-fic-recs]

It's the final Friday of our favorite month here on the farm and we could not be happier to have another round of community faves to share with you today.

As we close out on this spooky season, we hope you all have a chance to gather around the cauldron with your favorite bevvie and reading device while basking in the glow of your latest connoction.

Be sure to leave the writers some love!

==========================

at the right time, in the right surroundings (spelling__bee/ @emotional-synth-music)  “Iconic classic 5+1 about Patrick Brewer experiencing new things.”

Freedom is You (julesp87) “This is such a fun story about D&P meeting at an outdoor music festival. There is no angst, just tons of sweetness. Definitely a feel-good fic.”

How Do We Get Back (@unfolded73) “This fic! I have reread it and listened to its podfic (by Amanita_Fierce) so often, I have parts of it memorized. David has been able to hang on to his gallery despite a hit to the family finances. Patrick has married Rachel despite reservations. They cross paths in a NYC bar right before the world starts to fall apart, and it becomes clear that they are drawn to each other for a reason. There’s more than a little angst, so read the tags, but if you’re up for the adventure, this is an amazing, well-plotted, dreamy, and thoughtful alternative universe to experience.”

Library Boy (@apothecarose) “Every time I saw an update for this I was so excited! It's a great AU and I loved the way the relationship between David and Patrick built up and developed over time. It's such a wonderful romantic story, so well thought out and beautifully told.” Spill (thingswithwings)  “As the author notes in her tags -the themes of the episode taken to their logical and inevitable conclusion. This is a very hot fic, but it also explores themes of intimacy, trust and control in an achingly beautiful way that is SO David and Patrick. It also does that thing where Patrick takes a thing David is ashamed of and loves him more for it. It's so freaking good. Just give it some love!”

[dcbbw]

Sneak Peek Sunday--The A/N Edition

Happy Sunday, tumblrs and Happy Mother’s Day to those who celebrate. It’s late evening but didn’t want to let the day end without posting snippets of the two stories that have somehow taken priority in my mind and are bubbling up furiously in the Fuck Wizard’s cauldron.

There are only two tonight, and they are accompanied by the author’s notes. I implore everyone who reads this to take the time to read the A/N for Waiting Room even though it is appropriately tagged with content warnings. Also, please reach out via comments or DM if you want on or off the tag list for Waiting Room (or just in general).

Everything’s below the cut, and in a state of rough draft. Final posted versions may differ. Enjoy and see you soon!

Texting (tentative title)

This story is the result of a wild hair all up IN my buttcrack and a plethora of disjointed ideas. The inspiration for said story is ripped straight from real-world headlines and this movie trailer. I was going to keep this somewhat canon compliant, but Cordonia/transatlantic doesn’t work here, so I present to you the NYC AU.

I am excited about this, and believe it or not … I am super stoked to have Drake Walker living in NJ with his girlfriend/fiancée Anne Marie, a true Jersey girl complete with big hair, 90s era hoop earrings, and that accent.

Thanks to those who read the beginnings of this story and encouraged me to WRITE IT! WRITE IT! WRITE IT!

You guys already know who belongs to PB (but do they really?); everyone else belongs to me.

Song Inspiration: Midwife, Sickworld

Brooklyn

“I’m in love with you, you know,” the man whispered against the woman’s shoulder. His breath was harsh and hot, with the staleness that comes from awakening out of a deep slumber.

A smile curved the woman’s lips; she spoke though her eyes remained closed. “I can’t tell. I’m still a fiancée after seven years,” she teased.

He nipped her shoulder. “In less than a month, we move from promise to commitment. And we needed that time to prepare, you know that!”

She stretched languidly, twisting her body so she faced him. “Indeed, we did.”

In their time together, the couple had bought a three bedroom, two bath house with an attached one-car garage; a rarity in Cobble Hill, a neighborhood within Brooklyn, New York. The fact it cost under a half-million dollars turned the rarity into a unicorn.

They had started a business: a pub in the center of one of Brooklyn’s most bustling communities named The Bar Belle; he often said it was an ode to how they met.

He had purchased the car in their garage for her; she was the official chauffeur as he had never learned to drive. His argument was always, “For what?”

In seven years, they had built a life.

Riley Brooks sat up in the bed, waking before the alarm clock went off. A slightly sour odor wafted past her nostrils when she pulled the sheet closer to her nude body; she couldn’t recall the last time she had washed the linen.

It didn’t matter.

Her eyes traveled around the bedroom, tears pricking the corners of her eyes as she took in the pictures of her and Daniel; of his dark blue eyes, dark brown hair, and lopsided smile. She reached blindly for her phone laying atop her nightstand, and through tears, she texted a message.

New York County District Attorney’s Office, Manhattan

The man was focused on the screen in front of him, blue eyes trained on the string of 1’s and 0’s as he uploaded the latest patch update to the 752 employees of the New York County DA’s office. The buzzing of his phone caught his attention.

It was her; it had been her for the last six months.

His long fingers moved swiftly over the wireless keyboard as he typed, answering and entering prompts by rote; his mind was curiously wondering what she had to say this time. It took all of his self-control to not pick the phone up immediately. Once the update began to run, he picked up his phone, entering the world’s worst numeric passcode: 1234.

Dear God, Daniel. It’s been long enough for me to have accepted that you’re gone. But I haven’t and don’t think I ever will. I still expect to see you when I open my eyes, I still wait to hear your key in the lock, even though I have it now. I keep it in my wallet. In any case, good morning sunshine.

I miss you. So fucking much. I just want you here with me.

Still loving you,

-R

The man felt his throat constrict, but there was nothing he could do.

“Ahem.”

He lifted his eyes from the phone screen and peered over his dual monitors to meet the cool green eyes of the woman seated at the desk across from him. She broke her gaze to stare pointedly at the cellphone.

“It’s nothing,” he muttered as he guiltily placed the phone back on his desk.

“I don’t believe you, and you need to tell her,” Olivia Nevrakis snapped as her fingernails clacked against her keyboard.

The man abruptly pushed his chair back before rising from his seat. “I’m going to the bathroom,” he announced to no one.

“Need someone to hold your hand?” Rashad Domvallier asked snidely before answering a service desk call.

The man flipped Rashad the bird before exiting the office, taking care to leave his phone where it was.

 Waiting Room

Content Warning/Triggers: usage of a racial slur, graphic description

A/N: This story is a fictionalized version of historical events. It is not fanfiction, so there is no Liam here. There is no Drake, no MC, nothing Choices/PB related. I realize this a fandom, and certain content is expected, needed, wanted. Feel free to keep scrolling now.

The basis of this story has been a stain on America for 68 years and counting. No justice was ever served, no questions ever answered. The facts of the case are true, the conversations and inner thoughts are my imagination and thought processes.

On April 27, American icon Jerry Springer died; an hour later it was reported that Carolyn Bryant Donham had passed as well (official date of death for Bryant-Donham is April 25). For those who don’t know, Carolyn Bryant is the Mississippi white woman who accused Emmett Till, a 14-year-old black boy from Chicago of making lewd sexual advances towards her, resulting in the horrific torture, beating, and lynching of the teenager.

What was done to Emmett Till shocked a nation, both blacks and whites, and galvanized the Civil Rights Movement. If you wish to research Emmett Till, please do but be warned: the pictures of his face after he was fished from the Tallahatchie River (with a 75-pound cotton gin fan tied to his neck with barbed wire) are graphic and not for the faint of heart.

This story is a conversation between Carolyn Bryant and Jerry Springer as they await judgement. I think the enigma and mystery Carolyn Bryant shrouded herself in for the remainder of her life following the acquittal (by an all-white, all male jury in Sumner, Mississippi) of Till’s killers would appeal to every aspect of who Jerry Springer had been: reporter, lawyer, talk-show host.

Disclaimers/Warnings/Triggers:

·         There are racial slurs used in this story. They are not used gratuitously nor with impunity. We are hearing from a young, uneducated white woman born, bred, raised in the American south circa 1955. Jim Crow was King, segregation was the way of life, and blacks were not addressed by even their names, let alone with titles such as Mister or Miss.

·         If you don’t know, I AM a 100% black American woman who has lived over a half-century on this earth. I am neither racist nor classist, but apparently, I write one on the internet. None of these excuses the usage of slurs but may make it a little more tolerable.

·         The discussions regarding race relations, Carolyn’s accusation, and Emmett Till’s murder will be frank, raw, and to the extent I can make it, … honest.

I didn’t write this for anyone other than myself. This story will not be for everyone, and I both respect and understand the choice to pass on this.  For the few who expressed interest in reading, I appreciate you, your support, and your encouragement.

Song Inspirations:

Mississippi Goddam, Nina Simone

Daylight, David Kushner

He noticed that the air from the hallway was not fresh; it had a distinct sour stench. His nose wrinkled in response. Carolyn Bryant, who made no acknowledgement of the unwelcome odor, looked over when a voice called for her. There was no one in the doorway.

“Lyn, come on! We been waiting on you!” The voice was deep and impatient in tone.

Roy Bryant.

Carolyn rolled her eyes while exhaling a frustrated sigh. “Of course Roy would amongst the first people I see here.”

“COME ON!” Roy thundered, his voice closer. “Time to face the music, dear!” The sarcasm placed on the endearment was palatable.

Her brows furrowed in unease, the woman rose from the love seat. “I suppose this is goodbye. For now.” She extended her hand, which Jerry shook.

She turned to make her way to the door, and stumbled backwards as a strangled cry arose from her throat. A 1955-era Roy Bryant stood in the doorway, but he was different. His outfit was the same white shirt and light-colored slacks he wore during his trial, the hairs on his barreled chest and burly arms still dark and curly. But his face … held the disfigured visage of Emmett Louis Till.

Swollen. Grotesquely damaged, resembling a mutilated papier-mâché project more so than a human face.

The Emmett Till that had been pulled from the Tallahatchie River. The face that Mamie Till insisted the world see to show everyone the inhumanity that lived in the Delta of the deep south. The face that Carolyn Bryant had closed her eyes to, and her husband had proudly proclaimed to be his handiwork.

“ROY, WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED TO YOU?”

Roy raised an arm to run thick fingers through the wiry stubble that haphazardly covered patches of a now pasty gray skull; he shook his head in dejected bemusement as he did so. His “eyes” met her gaze, one socket empty; it was where he and his brother JW had gouged the eye out before putting a bullet in the boy’s head. The hole left behind from the shooting was a gaping crater in what used to be skin.

The other eye was inflated shut. Swollen, discolored lips cracked apart in what passed for a smile. The mouth held no teeth; they had been either knocked out or pulled out with pliers. The gums were swollen to where it resembled caricature and caked with dried blood.

“THIS is what YOU did to me, to ALL OF US!”

“I NEVER TOUCHED THAT NIGGER BOY!” Carolyn protested as she made her way back towards Jerry Springer; the television personality deftly stepped aside. He wanted no parts of that. He had his own husband/wife confrontation to answer for.

“You didn’t have to. You weaponized me and JW to do it for you! You orchestrated this entire fiasco, Carolyn! And the biggest joke out of all of this is that boy NEVER died! WE DID! As soon as he was discovered, WE DIED, and he was catapulted into immortality! ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!”

The heated words were accompanied by snarls and growls almost animalistic in nature.

“YOU’RE A LIAR and I’m not going ANYWHERE with YOU!” Carolyn screamed as she wrapped her arms around herself.

Roy snorted derisively. “You have no choice. Now, I can’t enter the room … but others can. Speaking from experience, it’s best you escort yourself out.”

 Tagging:  @jared2612​​ @ao719​​ @marietrinmimi​​ @queenjilian​​ @indiacater​​ @kingliam2019​​ @bebepac​​ @liamxs-world​​ @mom2000aggie​​ @liamrhysstalker2020​​ ​ @twinkleallnight​​ @umccall71​​ @superharriet​​ @busywoman​​ @gabesmommie1130​​ @tessa-liam​​ @beezm​​ @gardeningourmet​​ @lovingchoices14​​ @mainstreetreader​​ @angelasscribbles​​ @lady-calypso​​ @emkay512​​ @princessleac1​​ @charlotteg234​​ @queenrileyrose​​ @alj4890​​ @yourfavaquarius111​​ @motorcitymademadame​​​ @queenmiarys​

[ozzni]

Worm is intended to be just like the real world until 1982 when Scion shows up, but the book takes place in a completely fictional city called Brockton Bay, known to be located on the coast somewhere between Boston and New York City, and is a city big enough to be the headquarters of the New England area's PRT and Protectorate. It's named alongside NYC and Boston, so it's obviously not a new city, especially considering the size of it and the infrastructure surrounding it (big port with cargo ships, trainyards, skyscrapers [The Rig isn't included here because it was almost definitely made post-Protectorate, and therefore after the city was finished]).

Somehow, an entire giant city popped up, gained national acceptance and renown, and got a million people to move into it some time between the years 1982 and the mid 90's, when we have our chronologically first mention of the existence of Brockton Bay, during a period the "locals" call "the bad old days". The only conceivable known people who could have theoretically pulled this off, in universe, would be, in reverse order of plausibility:

The Simurgh (impossible, did not appear until 2005 [If I remembered the year wrong, sowwy])

Sleeper (I know jack shit about what he can do, other than it being a Shaker power related to rainbows, and strong enough to be an S-class threat)

Contessa (her power is to find the way to do anything that could be possible, and Cauldron declared the city a no-touchy zone, so it could be a construct for the experiment)

wild card: Stranger 9, the unknown and unknowable parahuman with perfect stealth capabilities and who can never be known of or recorded in any way shape or form. can theoretically do anything.

[polyhexian]

Trying to brainstorm ideas for my 30th birthday. I wanna do something in NYC. I like things that are themed. There's some fun ideas. I like the look of apotheke but I'm a little scared of the menu. Cauldron looks amazing but it's clearly off brand Harry Potter but HOW off brand. Is it like serial numbers filed off Harry Potter. Or like. We love the vibe but we're doing our own wacky wizard stuff. Magical creatures. Potions. They have big fake trees and that's nice

[la-kuntessa]

Hellcheer Headcannon

NYC 1994-now

Eddie...

Eddie is...

EddieisthinkingaboutwritingamusicalMUSICALSCANSHREADOK????????

He's never admitted it, but he thinks "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Tommy" and "Phantom" are fucking sweet. He likes any excuse to be Big and Theatrical. He can't pick the subject, though. It's between "The Black Cauldron", a country collab for "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" and something Neil Gaiman wrote. He'll keep you posted DON'T TELL ANYONE

PS- Chrissy loves this. It's the one thing she can needle him on- how Phantom made him cry (like, WEEP). She thinks it's the sweetest! He noodles the prologue on his guitar more often than you think.

[thegreatandpowerfulversy]

Now this is an interesting Interlude... Some unknown woman leaves NYC and heads out to a barn in the middle of nowhere, at the request of an email, and she's expecting danger and has had the training to deal with it...

...and then someone named Mother and Doctor is there, and I've heard that name talked about before. And she's got some sort of extradimensional space tacked onto that barn, with a lab or something.

Oh, these are the Cauldron people! And the lab is... not firmly attached to anywhere in particular, I guess, some member there can move it around and put entrances anywhere, and make them one way doors. Interesting...

[patheticbatman]

Anyway because I’m insane I started collecting these little princess dolls (cheap and don’t take up a lot of space) and decided that the honorary princesses needed dolls too, so… I’m painting them. I’m not a great painter but I’m enjoying myself. Here’s a current picture of all the dolls I have at college. Some of the minis I bought and found out were from slightly different lines, but oh well.

At home I have a NYC Barbie in a relationship with a Malibu Barbie (neither have hair ofc they’re old) and a Wonder Woman dating my Captain America. Malibu Barbie and CA had the Kit (mini American girl doll in the Barbie dress way in the back) but then divorced peacefully. But they don’t need painting so they stayed back there.

Kit came because she’s the princesses’ friend. I also acquired a Halle Ariel* and a Raya (Hariel needed an adult friend and Raya was on sale) while here but that’s it!!! No more. Raya is way in the back and Hariel is sitting in front of her because her legs are easier to move.

*Halle Bailey’s Ariel is Hariel, and Jodi Benson’s is Jariel

Mostly rambles and a couple more pics in greater detail under the cut. I did some work on them a while back and I feel like showing off now lol

So! Some of these are modded heavily, and a couple weren’t super visible in the picture above, and I just now decided to switch the bodies on two of them. Oh well! I just wish I still had the before pictures (phone broke and memory wasn’t saved sadly).

I tried to match up hair textures and lengths when possible (had to fudge it a bit with Mirabel, because the closest other doll that kind of matched was a Merida, and I had to order her separately, while the other dolls were quite cheap), but the bodies, I couldn’t do as much. I just tried to match the form of the dress as much as possible. Off the shoulder dresses with off the shoulder dresses, etc. Some of them, I’m just going to paint ‘empty space’ over the body do the dress to match the silhouette or features more correctly.

Now to describe the princesses!

1. First off we have Eilonwy from The Black Cauldron. She has a young Blue dress Elsa body & head (Belsa). I melted the braid and added some hot glue, and Eilonwy had a headband anyway. Her head is done, I didn’t have to do much anyway because Eilonwy is similar to Elsa in terms of eye and hair and skin shades.

2. Second we have Esmeralda from the Hunchback of Notre Dame. I tried editing her hair for a different girl but ultimately decided against it. Her head is pretty much done, just need to do body and jewelry now. She has an Ariel head and body. She’s my favorite 90s unofficial princess by far. I added her headband ‘tail’ via hot glue. I may have to paint it more.

3. Third is Isabela from Encanto. I tried giving her nose an arch with hot glue, with playing results. I might change it later, but not today! Otherwise, her head is done. She has a Rapunzel body and a loose-haired white outfit Elsa head (Welsa). Originally, that head was going to be used for Raya, and then I stumbled upon a Raya doll!

4. Fourth is Hariel from the new The Little Mermaid, whose hair I had the most fun painting. I did a bunch of layers of different reds, with a layer or two of pink and orange. I gave her a blue flower, and I think I may need to give her headband another coat, but she’s pretty much ready for body work! She’s Moana head & body.

5. Fifth is Vanellope from Wreck It Ralph. She has a Blue dress Anna head (Banna) whose braids I cut off and replaced with a ponytail created by hot glue (it’s bad but not that bad). She’s not a particular favorite, but she did meet a bunch of the princesses, which I love thinking about, and she’s a princess. So yeah. She’s one of the dolls whose bodies will be switched. Right now her head is done and she’s pictured with a Kristoff body, but I’m going to switch that with Namaari’s current body, that of Anna’s purple overcoat-dress (Panna), because I think having actual pants would be more important on the Namaari doll than the Vanellope doll. And I originally had it like that anyway. I’ll have to wash off some of the paint. I cut off the shoulder and mitten ruffles, and thankfully that’ll fit in with Namaari well.

6. I didn’t plan it this way but the sixth doll is Namaari from Raya and the Last Dragon. Her head was…. A ton of work. So because I knew she had short hair and no other princess head was going to match with that, I bought a kristoff doll for her body and head. I tried melting the hair all to one side to give her that fringe, but it didn’t super work. So I recreated it with hot glue! I shaved off some of the eye bulge - all the Kristoff head have an eye bulge that isn’t flattering. I also cut down on the cheeks a little, because Namaari doesn’t really have that face shape: she is currently pictured with a Panna body (see above) but she will have a Kristoff body (now I need to paint the skin lol.) And I need to paint her jewelry.

7. Number 7 is Dolores from Encanto. She also has an old Kristoff head, because the ears were way more pronounced, which fit with her power. I burned her head smooth and also cut down on the cheeks and eyes some. Her hair bun is stolen from the Tiana doll, because Tiana is a one bun girl but they gave her two! So I cut both off, reaffixed one to the middle of her head and gave the other to Dolores. I added her bow via hot glue bulges, and her body is Belle: I just have to paint the dress now!

8. Eighth up is Asha, from Wish! I haven’t seen ANY dolls out for her yet, only costumes, so I think in a way, I kind of have her first doll! She has a Moana head, and her freckles came out a little wonky but ultimately cute. Again, I didn’t feel like cutting off the flower that comes with the Moana head, so I painted it a different color - it’s yellow, so that I have all three primary colors for the flowers and because it should contrast nicely with her dress with I paint it. She has a Welsa body, as the silhouette isn’t too different from what’s been shown so far in trailers.

9. Ninth is Mirabel from Encanto! Considering I don’t know what I’m doing, I think her glasses came out decently! She has a Belle body and head. I’m still considering cutting off the middle of her hair and reattaching the ends close to her head, so that it’s short and more curly looking. We’ll see. After that, it would just be the dress - which has a more scooped neck thing going on, similar to her actual dress.

10. Now Tenth is Luisa from Encanto! She has a Cinderella head and body (for the ponytail and shoulder poofs, respectively) and I gave her muscles by connecting her shoulder puffs to her arms and making biceps via hot glue. She just needs her hair tie and dress done.

11. Eleventh is Sisu from Raya and the Last Dragon. Her hair took forever to turn white, despite starting out blonde, but it was fun when I added the blue and purple streaks. She has a Rapunzel head (bangs and length worked out nice) and a kristoff body - her pants are important. Thank god I’m done with her head. I cut off the mitten ruffles on the arms.

12. Twelfth is Kida from Atlantis. I’m the closest to being done with her! She has an Aurora head (basically a last head left that had the right length hair sort of thing) and a Moana body. I added her middle sash thing via hot glue, and I just have to finish adding color to that and detail to her skirt and her jewelry, and she’ll be done! I had a ton of fun with her - I even gave her a different color mascara, dark blue, because the closeups of her face in the movie have her eyelashes as dark blue. I think she’s turning out super well.

13. Thirteenth (<3) is Sofia from Sofia the First. I’m not super attached to her, but I do think she counts. I forgot her lips whoops. But after that it’s just her dress and I’m good! She has a Belle head (no hair painting thank god) and a Cinderella body (it was the last ball gown left sort of thing).

14. Fourteenth Is Gabriella, the Deaf mermaid based on a fan from the Jariel Little Mermaid series. Idk why, but when I was little, my cousins and I often watched this dvd of a select few episodes from the various 90s tv shows for the Disney princesses, and my favorite was the one with Gabriella and the wishing star. I’ve only seen a few other episodes since, but I think I can confidently say it’s still my favorite. This one I’ve been especially excited to work on. She has a Snow White* head and body (I cut off SW’s high collar) and I’m going to design her (it’s probably going to be simple but still) a dress based on her mermaid tail. I did a lot of color layering for her hair, partly because it started with a black base which is iffy to paint over, and I love it! It’s brown with a lot of crimson. Anyway, I consider her an honorary princess because she’s Ariel’s friend and I love her. And I think she’s turning out great! Head is done, just need to do body now.

*I briefly considered this head for Mirabel, but decided it fit Gabriella better, and I’m satisfied.

15. Fifteenth is Giselle. Her character was supposed to become a Disney princess, but Disney tried to stiff the actress and then backed out of that end of the branding to punish her. That plus me liking the movie means I’m including her. She has a Panna head an Aurora body (because I’m doing her initial Pink dress with the low shoulders, which I love.) I forgot she had flowers and stuff in her hair until just now, so I’ll add those and finish up there dress later.

16. Sixteenth and last of the edited princesses is Melody from the Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea. She’s Jariel’s daughter, and totally counts as a Disney Princess imho, because she’s the only canon child of an official one, she’s from one of the few good Disney sequels, and I love her. She gets a Cinderella head, because of the ponytail, and a Banna body, because I ran out of kristoff bodies and this dress is big enough I could paint her pants onto it. She should just need her body done now.

NOW! To show them off in order from the original picture. (I put oldest movie ones in the back, newest in the front. I also tried to arrange the ones I’m working on like this, so it goes from Eilonwy to Asha in terms of the dolls lying down. If there are multiple characters from the same movie, it goes in order of appearance)(the animals are scattered about and are not put in order). Now please, go left to right.

In the very very very light pink circle, we have Adult (Big) Raya, Kit, a fallen over Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Jariel, Belle.

In the orange circle: Adult (Big) Hariel, Eilonwy, Gabriella, Esmeralda, Melody, Olaf

In the yellow circle: Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel

In the green circle: Kida and Giselle

In the blue circle: Merida, Amber*, Kristoff , Elsa, Anna, Sven, Elena**, Moana***, Raya

In the purple circle: Vanellope, Sofia, Namaari, Sisu, Mirabel

In the last picture, because they didn’t all fit on that shelf: Dolores, Isabela, Luisa, Hariel (little) & Asha

*she came with a couple others dolls, she’s Sofia’s stepsister from Sofia the First. I figured I might as well keep her, and she has a wide base, which is nice for standing up.

**Elena is kind of from a spin-off of Sofia the first called Elena of Avalor, and the doll doesn’t do her very good justice, but she’s basically a princess and she at least had a doll from the same line as the others.

***I found this Moana with white paint freckles, likely as a misprint situation, at the store. And I love that she’s a rare Moana in because of her unusual appearance so I’m keeping her like that :)

[lumiereunnsoleil]

My “Almost” Magical Day at the Harry Potter Museum in NYC

I’d been looking forward to a day at the Harry Potter Museum in NYC – finally stepping into the world of Hogwarts, complete with wand displays and interactive experiences. I had it all planned out: my outfit, my camera, my excitement. But, as luck would have it, I woke up feeling under the weather, so the adventure was cut short before it began.

But here’s how I imagine it would’ve gone…

A Step Into Magic

Walking through the museum doors would feel like stepping into Diagon Alley. I’d see Ollivanders, where I’d hold a wand, wondering if magic might choose me too. Then, into the Great Hall, with floating candles and house banners, the perfect scene to imagine myself under the Sorting Hat.

Hogwarts Awaits

Exploring classrooms would be a dream – imagine holding a cauldron in Potions or trying a “Wingardium Leviosa” charm in Charms! Maybe I’d even walk through a recreated Forbidden Forest, catching glimpses of magical creatures.

Bringing Home the Magic

And no trip would be complete without a stop at the gift shop – a scarf, maybe a Marauder’s Map, or a box of Every Flavor Beans to remember the day. Though I missed the real experience, sometimes the thrill of planning and imagining is magic in itself.

Someday I’ll get there, but until then, this “almost” adventure will do.