#the hunt march like the hunt dh

[franeridan]

new march is so so so sooooooooo cute I'm so glad I'm getting her for free cause she's so insanely absurdly ridiculously useless to me that I'd have been forced to skip her had they asked rolls of me but she's free and she's SOOOOOOOOO cute can't wait to have her just to never use her ever

[cirrus-sampling-sanity]

random hsr headcanons i sometimes think about

ratio and sampo are distantly related cousins that come from the same planet, which is one of the worlds where aha is worshipped. they both vaguely follow the path of elation, but sampo is a masked fool and ratio is a mourning actor. sampo "treads" the path of nihility because he has no faith in humanity, and simply treats them as an elaborate stageplay. ratio "treads" the path of the hunt because he finds the elation to be idiotic and hopes to eliminate the masked fools one by one.

seele and pela are related somehow, and when they first meet each other they get the weirdest sense of deja vu.

stelle wants to become a quantum type, caelus wants to become an ice type.

march both loves and hates being frozen in combat. she loves it because it reminds her of the six-phased ice she was trapped in, and thus, her connection with the astral express. she hates it for the same reason.

dan heng trained his usage of a spear by sitting under a maple tree in autumn and slicing them as they fell

caelus would call dan heng "dan" out of naivety and not knowing xianzhou naming customs. even after they visited the luofu it took him like a month to realize that he was calling dh by his surname and thus linking him to his past as dan feng.

welt sometimes forgets what world he's in and starts speaking languages that don't exist in the hsr universe.

one time before the crew visited the luofu, march misspelled her name as marah (somehow) and dan heng refused to speak to her for like a week

himeko knows her coffee is a bit strong for some people but offers it anyways to watch people squirm

black swan has chronic fatigue which is why most of the time she just appears ominously. she doesn't have the energy to walk.

acheron and welt are both self concious about their grey streaks

when the aetherium wars championship was taking place, bronya watched silver wolf / march / trailblazers' math and when she saw silver wolf she choked on her tea

xueyi and boothill would either be besties or hate each other's guts, no in between

hanya forgets to breathe a concerning amount every day

[takeariskao3]

Hi, I was wondering do you feel it’s fair to assume the Hogwarts students had it worse than the golden trio in DH? Or do you feel like the professors and Snape kept it from getting too dark? Canon and tpfy.

do i think the D.A. (ginny, neville, and luna) had it worse? no. i think both situations were traumatizing but in wildly different ways.

sure the camping trip from hell was a low point in the action but when you look at what harry, ron, and hermione dealt with over the course of the year.. they were much closer to life threatening situations on the regular and they were actively hunted. ginny, neville, and luna (while still in danger) were on the offensive much more than the golden trio.

in my thoughts/plan/idea of DH hogwarts... it wasn't an immediate "the carrows run the school and torture the students openly"... i imagine it to be a much more gradual descent into chaos where little things continue to chip away at the D.A. and the professors until we get to march/april and the school is massively different than it was in september.

i have ideas to showcase all of this but the process is slow going so you all will have to be patient with me 🖤

[prettyboykatsuki]

fu xuan anon again lmao! so i have: luocha, bronya, e1 clara, e1 arlan, e2 herta, asta, e2 pela, e3 sampo, e3 serval, e1 yukong, e1 dan heng (4 star), e3 natasha, e1 march 7th

idek if u need the eidolons but i gave em anyway. i am clueless about teams in this game so the only character ive been trying to build properly is luocha bcos hes a healer

okay so!! im assuming ur main dps is clara, arlan or maybe serval but based on ur account i would say pulling is a good overall choice!! but not completely necessary

so far the characters w who u have and who i assume u use as dps so clara and arlan do not have a lot of synergy with her HOWEVER. her kit is pretty future proof and will be very helpful to you once you hit late game / swarm because its what she's designed for. the f2p shielders work well but memory of chaos and swarm simulated universe esp like to oneshot you

so having her damage mitigation and her solo sustain will make the playing a lot more comfortable. i have a pretty decent account but its very easy for me to die if im not really careful even with my stacked gepard.

she's also one of the only characters who's going to provide teamwide crowd control + her banner will have lynx who is rumored to have team wide cleanse which will be huge. her banner will be very good regardless!!

i think for later content - having a stacked healer and a stacked shielder will pretty much always be necessary when u start having to form two teams. since u just have luocha for now, fu xuan will be a good addition.

for hsr in general i prefer prioritizing survival + speed > big damage as you get into late game. this is not necessary!! high risk high reward gameplay can also be very fun, but i have shit relic rolls so it is not always my favorite lol

it will really depend on what characters u have mainly built. for example for a clara team, you wouldn't want to use fu xuan since clara needs agro and the same goes for arlan who wants his damage to be low.

but for other characters like any future hunt characters / dps characters who like getting a lot of turns ( dh il and especially jing yuan) her damage mitigation will be incredible.

so tldr ; i would pull on her banner!! 5 star preservation with a unique kit and cleans ability + covering the role of healer and shield will be helpful for your account. she always be useful and if you build her with enough effect res she will basically make you unkillable.

[blackidyll]

@qserasera wahhh friend i'm always happy to ramble with you, ty for indulging meeeeee

re: memes it's mostly fanart poking fun at dan heng and how he just constantly tries to use the jade abacus, tbh if you search "jade abacus" on twitter you'll find lots of them. the meme part is probably mirroring a scene from jjk but instead of megumi summoning his shikigami (i think?) it's dan heng just going "with the power of this jade abacus, i summon--!" because i've seen a lot of fanart following this format ahaha

i am here for any and all jy cameos, dreams or art of jingheng dates give us more in-verse fanfic hyv. untouchable lovers needs a sequel

in terms of diplomacy u Kno jing yuan is no pushover at it esp with all the xianzhou politics and behind-the-scenes maneuvering.. yeah considering jy became general during such a huge crisis on the luofu and immediately had to deal with the vidyadhara preceptors and the whole fall out from dan feng and ying xing's actions.. truly a trial by fire. would like to see more of this side of jy tbh (him surprising jingliu at the end of her story quest was nice). just need to see him planning out a counter-scheme for something while moving pieces over a xiangqi board and it would be perfect yes exactly, you get meeeee

oh man..i feel like jing yuan would be very Amused by meeting boothill and dan heng would be like....why - _ - sigh dh's reactions to boothill is just so funny the double team of jing ":3" yuan and boot "fudging" hill must be so exhausting to someone as introverted as dh, but also dh lives with march, so maybe he's like the best person to wrangle the :3/fudging duo.

so it looks like we'll be heading back to the xianzhou alliance for the next next few patches so i hope!!!!! we get more jy!!!!!! his cameo in the ghost hunting event was brilliant i hope they do something similar for the wardance event/storyline thing. manifesting dh actually joining jy in the game for real this time 🤞

i kno they likely didn't mean to frame it this way, but i loveee the cdrama overtones of 'are u threatening us? my boyfriend has status and power backing him, and gave us this specific seal to use if we ever need to call on him. do Not test me.'

[vivithefolle]

Hi! I love 99% of what you have to say about HP, and thank god for people who defend Ron as passionately as you do! People like you make navigating this fandom a lot more bearable. I've seen your criticism of Harry having no clue what to do on the camping trip and I wonder if you have some ideas of what they should have done instead? (Genuine question, I'm not trying to be passive agressive) I also question why no one else could know about the Horcruxes. I'd love to know your thoughts on this.

My pleasure, hope the remaining 1% aren't too off-putting! >3<

What Harry could have done... oh boy. Well, let's not blame Harry that much because, to be honest? The whole mess in DH is all Rowling's fault. She has a huge boner for drama and just wanted the drama at all costs. So everyone got a lobotomy so she could indulge her revenge fantasies of beating up a guy that just got psychologically tortured.

So, using only the tools Rowling gave them:

THE FUCKING MOKESKIN POUCH, OH MY GOD USE IT

Hagrid gave Harry a mokeskin pouch, saying it's a magical item that won't let anyone but its wearer retrieve the items in it. PUT THE LOCKET IN THERE, BAM, 90% OF THE "but what if Death Eaters try to steal it from us" PROBLEM SOLVED

Instead Harry uses it as his "random shit" bag. Thanks Harry I'm sure Hagrid feels so valued

If the mokeskin pouch don't work, then just... I mean... your tent... is safe???

The whole thing just felt pointless

Seriously though when you read the book Rowling wants so hard to create that kind of "what's gonna happen, we don't know what else could be tomorrow morning" tension, but it. Just doesn't work. Nothing happens! Nothing ever happens! Nothing happens so much that Harry and Hermione have time to chit-chat with a portrait instead of ACTUALLY BEING PRODUCTIVE???

It's like, "oh but they're just young wizards that could so easily be overcome by stronger, adult wizards! Imagine if Voldemort's minions were to detect the magic emitted by Hermione's wards and lifted them-" LOLNOPE NEVER HAPPENS LOL Hermione's wards are perfect and totally safe and Ron was actually in more danger being outside than the Hs ever were... But of course we mustn't think about that and wholeheartedly agree with Hermione when she talks about Godric's Hollow, as if SHE AND HARRY HADN'T MADE THE DECISION TO GO THERE THEMSELVES, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN DANGER HAD THEY STAYED IN THE TENT

Rowling tries to make it feel dangerous and shit but at the same time she just casually skips over so much? Like, after Ron's return and the visit at Lovegood's, fifteen pages go, and we're told later that's it's now March. The Lovegood visit happened in January...

That means. That Ron's departure, which lasted weeks, lasted for 4 whole fucking chapters.

This is why people laser-focus on Ron's departure. Because it lasted. It went on for four fucking chapters. But nobody remembers that Harry canonically went "lol fuck the Horcruxes Imma think of Voldemort and the Elder Wand" FOR THREE WHOLE MONTHS simply because. There was. Not. Enough. Emphasis!! Put on it!

But Harry giving up on the Horcrux Hunt to fantasize about the Hallows instead, FOR THREE GODDAMN MONTHS??? That's just half a chapter.

HALF A CHAPTER FOR THREE MONTHS OF HARRY DOING NOTHING.

Ron's departure is held over his head by the entire fandom, he's raked over the coals about it, even when at the end of it all he's the one coming back with valuable intel, useful supplies AND destroys the Horcrux on top of it, like a first-grade badass.

Harry straight-up gives up on the mission he was given, yknow, the mission to SAVE THE WORLD to have power fantasies instead, HE GETS THE TRIO CAPTURED, Dobby has to give his LIFE to bail him from the mess he caused, AND NOBODY FUCKING REMEMBERS BECAUSE HEY LOOK HARRY GOT COMPLIMENTED FOR CARING ABOUT A HOUSE-ELF ISN'T HE SO BRAVE AND SPECIAL YOU GUYS??? (Oh yeah, also Hermione got tortured somewhere. I mean she's up and about two pages later so it might as well not have happened. Can't have anything distract us from how Harry's life is naught but suffering.)

ok ok so then

SAFE HOUSES. YOU HAVE THEM, ACTUALLY

Like... Shell Cottage. Aunt Muriel's house. Oh my god you have safe houses you jerks, actually use them.

Hermione... please... shut the fuck up

"Stealing is wrong, we can't go to the supermarket under the invisibility cloak because we don't have the money and we can't not pay people :("

YOU ERASED YOUR PARENTS' MEMORIES AND SENSE OF SELF AND PRETTY MUCH DID TO THEM THE PEGI+3 VERSION OF WHAT LESTRANGE DID TO THE LONGBOTTOMS, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE LATE TO WANT THE HIGH GROUND ON MORALITY

KREACHER

HE CAN TELEPORT. HE ACTUALLY CAN TELEPORT WHEREVER HE WANTS OH MY GOD

---

Honestly though the whole camping trip was utterly pointless. Save for Ron having his epic bittersweet moment it had ZERO purpose. Yeah ok it vaguely introduced the notion that Dumbledore wasn't perfect and shit but - yeah, well Harry could have just been hanging in a wizard library under the Invisibility Cloak and nicked it because he was curious and that would spare us him being a complete idiot that walks right into an obvious trap.

(I mean, yeah, ok, go see your parents' graves. SURELY Voldemort is not gonna take advantage of your puny sentimentality or anything. SURELY the guy that created an army of Inferi to protect one of his Horcruxes is NOT going to go to a cemetary he knows is important to you and make some Inferi to trap you with maybe...

Ugh. As for "nobody can know about the Horcruxes" it's, again, For The Drama.

It would be too easy to get Bill and have him tag along to Curse-break the POTENTIAL DEADLY CURSES VOLDEMORT WOULD LEAVE AROUND HIS HORCRUXES (remember the ring?). It would be too smart to use safe houses, use the Order's network to remain aware of Voldemort-related issues, and all that.

It would require strategy. It would require thinking about the plot as more than just going from A to B.

Fuck all that! All you need are Deus Ex Machina whether they're provided by Hermione or Ron or another character (or even by the goddamn Elder wand itself) and a lot of talking about how the power of love is all that matters but never showing the power of love mattering.

(Like... Harry "invoking the sacrificial magic Lily used" is... utter bullshit. Lily's sacrifice was supposed to work only on Harry because he was her flesh and blood. Why does Harry's magic love shield has extra range and shit? Don't try to tell me it's because he's pure of heart. Kid mustered the sadism required to cast Crucio: that ain't a great hallmark of a pure heart in my book.)

Bleh. Anyway, I hope this answer satisfies you, friend, and if 1% of it was unsatisfactory I'm sorry and I... uh... I, uh, I hereby declare that you are allowed to eat a cookie as a consolation prize for my failure to completely satisfy!

[anonymousmink]

Yonverinos Appreciation Week

March 5th

Today we are celebrating: @leightoningstrike

Who is LeightoningStrikes?

There is no simple way to define LeightoningStrike, Webster’s dictionary has absolutely nothing when it comes to this powerhouse creator, supporter, fantastic human being, and a woman I’m proud to call a true friend.

Leighton, AKA DenseHumboldt, AKA DH is truly our fearless leader on this ship. Somehow managing to be kind, funny, caring, and obnoxiously talented all at the same time. Whether it’s setting up the Yonvers Secret Santa, helping writers with their ideas, gifting fics, making art, or even creating this very Yonverino Appreciation Week, there is no way to over exaggerate her importance in this fandom. She is a gift we have done nothing to deserve but will never give back! We love you mama!

Works Written by LeightoningStrike

(Well some of them - she’s written a lot! There’s truly something for everyone right here 💜💜💜)

Trail Blazers

@anonymousmink says: a true tour de force of a story! Expertly mixing all the best parts of sci fi pulp, detective novels, and romance this masterful AU imagines Star Force closer to a detective organisation than a military one. Brilliant characterisation and a twisting plot, it’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat right up to the end! There’s a sequel in the works and trust me when I say it’s shaping up to be just as good!

Running Cold

@captaincinderbella says: I’ve enjoyed many fics my many authors, but Running Cold has left a lasting impression. Like, the kind of story I know has changed the way I see myself and the world. The portrayal of healthy respect and communication between romantic partners is a rare and precious thing in pop culture, and Running Cold has that in leaps and bounds. The world building is breathtaking in its depth and detail. The different story threads eventually come together in a climax that will leave no one unaffected. It’s utterly captivating until the very last paragraph.

Eve

@vociferrari says: If you're a Catholic or a catholic enthusiast just for the aesthetic, you should read this Fallen Angel au. It is poetic and deeply riveting; it actually induced a nosebleed from me during a mass in the Church.

Break

@pandora-cleo says: A darker fic in the Yonvers love department, but still a classic for DH. The passion and yearning between our lovers is woven between blood bonds and concerns of ownership and autonomy. The story sees old friends return and new ones created. New pets, new friends, madness and intrigue, this beautiful told fic has one of my favourite DH Yonvers confession of love. “You are the wife of my blood, the keeper of my glory, the carrier of my line. There is nothing for me that does not begin and end with you.” Be still my heart!!!

Every Christmas/ Every Town

@pandora-cleo says: A fun jaunt through the world of Christmas Movie spots. Two polar opposite characters forced together to make a saccharine sweet Christmas show, whilst pretending they have their lives together, but both being a hot mess. I don’t watch Xmas movies, but I watched this one! 10/10 cabbages.

The Divine Music

@anonymousmink says: the Phantom of the Opera AU we all needed, an absolutely stunning blends of worlds. This lyrical masterpiece exudes mystery and music from every word!

The Trial

Pandora says: A different spin on our Yonvers dynamics. Delving into our ships’ Martydom and stubbornness issues being faced with a death sentence, they still manage to banter and catch our hearts. This WIP has me intrigued and waiting with baited breath for new chapters.

The Dragon and the Star

Mink says: a high fantasy reimagining of Yonvers you won’t be able to put down, wizard Yon, knight Vers, a twist on the arranged marriage trope and of course a curse for good measure! It really is magical!

All Hallows’ Eve

Mink says: a tasty selection of short stories featuring Incubus’s, witches and ghosts for the spooky season. Also check out Sunlight for a delicious take on vampires.

Not The Knight Before Christmas

Mink says: an advent treat with a variety of seasonal short stories to get you firmly in the holiday spirit!

Chalice

Mink says: the fic that started it all for me! This story came to my house, kicked down my door and smacked me in the face in front of my mother and my dog. The quintessential blood bond fic we all needed, it is 900% responsible for my obsession with this ship (and also my blood kink)

Admiration

Mink says: DH’s first fic for the fandom and still one of the best Yon characterisations I have ever read. A classic!

Persuaded - gone but not forgotten

@vociferrari says: Truly an Austenian fic-adaptation masterpiece. Gracefully paced from start to end, this fic rekindled my love for Persuasion AUs. I will probably reread it for the rest of my life ❤

Works Gifted to LeightoningStrike

The Dangers of (Alien) Pet Sitting, Blood Legacy, Of Soldiers and Warriors, Planning to Fail, and Reclaiming by @elishaboltagon

The Night Before Yonversmas, and Pursued, by @pandora-cleo

House of Memories, and Paper Faces by @anonymousmink

When the Dust Settles by @taekmyheart

Bride of the Stars, High Stakes, by @fairyringsandwings

A Notch in your Footnotes by @dannibobanny

And new today especially to celebrate Leighton Day!

The Hunted by @captaincinderbella @pandora-cleo

What is Yonverinos Appreciation Week?

To celebrate our one year ship-a-versary we are taking a day to celebrate some of the amazing Yonverinos who make this ship so great. To participate just reblog this post or make your own post celebrating the Yonverino-of-the-day and use some tags below. Happy shipping! 💜

[burgundydahlia]

Trying

So, I’ve been working up the courage to post some Romione stuff for a while, and decided to use Ron’s birthday as an excuse. I know I’m a couple days late, but in my defense, my real-life Ron (a.k.a. my husband) just celebrated his birthday on March 2nd so I was a tad bit busy. 

Anyway, in honor of my sweet ginger boy’s birthday, here is a quick Romione missing moment from DH. I hope it’s not terrible and all you lovely people enjoy it. <3

And happy of happiest to Ronald Bilius Weasley!

*~*~*~*

Ron was trying - he really was. 

He tossed and turned feebly on his lumpy mattress, cycling through different tricks he had heard were supposed to help with bringing on sleep - counting sheep, attempting deep breathing patterns, picturing himself in a favorite place - but nothing seemed to be working. He pulled roughly at the quilt covering him and gave an exasperated sigh as he pressed the back of his head firmly into the thin pillow underneath him. 

In the quiet of the tent, Ron could hear low, rumbling snores coming the bunk above him where Harry was fast asleep and for a brief moment, he felt a wave of gratitude wash over him. Harry, his best friend and brother by choice, who had welcomed him back so eagerly after his shameful departure, had spent the past week after their disastrous visit to Xenophilius Lovegood obsessing over the Deathly Hallows. And the fact that he was sleeping at all tonight, rather than purposely isolating himself as he brooded over the possible existence of the Hallows was a small miracle in and of itself. 

But even with much larger questions looming large over their heads, for Ron, it wasn’t the thought of Horcruxes or Hallows that were keeping him up tonight. If he was being honest with himself, he knew that sleep would continue to elude him as long as Hermione was outside on watch.

He stared towards the flaps of the tent that lead outside and squinted as he tried to make out her outline against the canvas. Outside, the wind whistled through the bare tree branches, and Ron shivered involuntarily as he pictured Hermione huddled on the cold, hard ground, a tiny figure against the inky black night.

Unwilling to fight any longer for sleep that he knew wouldn’t come, Ron swung his long legs over the side of his bed, shoved a pilling maroon jumper over his head, and shuffled towards the small kitchen. 

Tea, Ron smiled as his mother’s voice filled his head. Tea always helps bring a bit of comfort during trying times, dear. 

Pointing his wand at the small kettle sitting on the stove, he watched as a long wisp of white steam began trailing out from the spout as he grabbed a crumpled and nearly empty box of tea bags and two chipped mugs from the small shelf overhead. Working methodically, he found himself oddly comforted by the otherwise mundane act of preparing the two drinks - his with three sugars, the other with one sugar and a splash of cream. It was almost absurd, the notion of trying to do anything normally, as if there wasn’t a war going on and people being hunted, tortured, and killed every day. But one of the things Ron had come to realize over the past seven months was that finding these moments of levity and normalcy was an integral part to their survival; otherwise, the enormity of the task ahead of them and the ever-present danger they faced would fall over them like a shroud and smother them.

With a swish and flick of his wand, the two steaming mugs of tea began floating ahead of him and with a brief stop at his bed to grab his blanket, he took a steadying breath and walked out through the flaps at the front of the tent. 

The chilly blast of air that hit him as he stepped outside was so shocking that for a moment, Ron felt paralyzed by it. However, as Hermione turned and looked up at him with a mildly distasteful expression on her face, Ron quickly recovered and gave her a small, apologetic smile.

“Hey,” he started as she continued to eye him warily. “D’you mind if I join you?”

Hermione bristled slightly as she sat up straighter, her eyebrows furrowing together.

“I am perfectly capable of handling the watch on my own,” she said testily, her eyes narrowed.

“What? Of course you are,” Ron said hastily. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He quickly weighed his options as he stood under her withering gaze and decided the truth was the best route. “I can’t sleep and Harry’s not helping matters by snoring. I was hoping maybe I could keep you company for a bit.” He nodded his head towards the floating mugs of tea and gave a small, hopeful smile. “I brought tea.”

Hermione looked towards the mugs, her face softening momentarily, and with a dismissive shrug, she turned back to the book sitting in her lap and began reading again. Realizing that the absence of an out-and-out rejection was as close as he was going to get to approval, Ron sat down, careful not to bump her accidentally, and wrapped his quilt tightly over his lap. Setting his wand next to him, he grabbed the floating mugs and offered the one with cream and sugar to Hermione who took it from him with only the briefest of glances in his direction.

Ron took a sip from his own mug, grateful for the instant heat that seemed to seep down into his chest and branch out through his body, and glanced over her shoulder at the tome perched in her lap. 

“What are you reading?” he asked.

“Nature’s Nobility: A Wizarding Geneaology,” Hermione said without looking at him. 

“Is it any good?” he pressed, hopeful she wouldn’t snap at him.

Hermione exhaled loudly through her nose. 

“It’s fine,” she said stiffly as she carefully flipped a page over and continued reading.

Ron nodded silently, knowing better than to press his luck with further questioning. It was already a tiny miracle that she had let him sit with her at all. Instead, he stared out ahead at the dark landscape of trees in front of them. The blankets of snow that had covered everything in pristine white for all of January had melted into a muddy slush in February and after weeks of nearly constant storms, tonight seemed to be offering a brief reprieve. Ron breathed in deeply, his nostrils filling with the woodsy smell of wet dirt and the slightly sweet scent of rain. Glancing over at Hermione again as she silently read, he chewed the inside of his lip as he contemplated where he stood with her. 

Even after nearly two months of being back, Hermione was still maintaining her icy and distant demeanor towards him. And although he had been mostly successful at reading her moods and gauging the best ways to interact with her, he found himself mostly functioning in a cautious manner around her as he was still secretly fearful that one false move might topple over the weeks of work he had done to try and get back in her good graces. But Ron wasn’t complaining; the truth was that while one of the happiest days he’d had was the day he finally found his way back to a safe and very much alive Harry and Hermione, he still felt he had more than earned her anger towards him. Being away from her, and from Harry, for those few weeks leading up to Christmas had been so agonizing, that he was more than willing to endure all the frosty glares and curt responses thrown his way. And as long as she was there with him, safe and alive, it was all he cared about. But in the meantime, he would just continue what he had been doing ever since returning - carefully and constantly working to chip away at her steely demeanor and prove that while he might not be worthy, he was always going to try. She meant too much to him not to.

“I, er, hope your tea is how you like it,” he said, trying to sound as casual as possible. “We were running low on cream, but I think I put in just the right amount.”

Hermione shot him a sidelong glance, before finally sighing as she closed her book and placed it back in her beaded bag.

“Don’t you get tired of this?” she asked wearily as she cradled the mug of tea close to her face.

Ron stared uncertainly at her for a moment. 

“Tired of what?” he asked cautiously.

“This,” she said, waving her hand vaguely at the space between them. “Constantly trying to make small talk in the hopes that I won’t bite your head off. Isn’t it exhausting for you? Because it certainly is for me.”

Ron swallowed loudly as he fought to ignore the sudden plummeting of his stomach at her words.

“I can stop,” he said quietly as he gently placed his tea on the ground beside him. “I… I don’t mean to bother you, Hermione. I’m just trying to -”

“To make amends, to prove yourself, to apologize,” Hermione rattled off dispassionately. “I know, Ron. You’ve been at it for weeks. Trust me, I am fully aware of it.”

She took a small sip of her tea as Ron watched her, unsure of how to proceed. Aside from the night he had returned, Hermione had been skillfully avoiding speaking with Ron about anything to do with his leaving and certainly had never acknowledged his efforts to make it up to her. Some days, he wondered if she noticed him at all as she had become so adept at tuning him out. But at her words now, he realized just how stupid that line of thinking was. Of course Hermione knew what he was doing - she knew everything. She just wasn’t willing to let him know it. 

Until now.

“I honestly thought you would have learned your lesson by now,” she said dryly. “It’s not as though I’ve been making it easy for you.”

“Well,” Ron started, “I’ve been told I’m a slow learner.”

Hermione snorted and Ron gave her a lopsided smile as butterflies sparked to life inside him. They sat quietly for a bit longer, sipping their tea and staring out into the distance. Hermione finally broke the stillness with a heavy sigh.

“I am tired, you know.”

“You can go back inside the tent,” Ron offered eagerly. “I’ll take over the watch for tonight -”

“No, no,” Hermione shook her head. “That’s not what I meant.”

Ron stared at her curiously and Hermione sighed again.

“I’m tired of being angry with you all the time.”

“Oh,” he said dumbly, and he watched as Hermione traced her finger over one of the chips on the rim of her mug. He hesitated for a moment. 

“I’m really sorry, Hermione.”

“I know.”

“For everything.”

“I know.”

“And if you want to keep being mad at me, you can, because I deserve it.”

Hermione stared thoughtfully down at her mug but said nothing as Ron pressed on.

“I just want us to be okay. And… and I really want to go back to how things were. Between us. Like at Bill and Fleur’s wedding.”

Ron could feel his ears burning, but the fact that she hadn’t told him to sod off yet felt like such a monumental shift from the last two months that he was worried if he stopped now, he might not get this opportunity again.

“I was so surprised when you asked me to dance,” Hermione said in a small voice, and Ron shrugged nonchalantly as he fought to contain the now burgeoning hope growing inside him.

“You told me once that the next time I got the chance, I should ask you before someone else did, and I definitely wasn’t going to make that mistake again.”

Hermione studied him carefully, her cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink before turning out towards the trees in front of them again.

“It was a lovely evening,” she said. “Until…”

“Until Death Eaters crashed the party?” Ron offered as he raised an eyebrow playfully at her.

“Something like that,” she answered quietly and with a small shiver, she drew her coat closer to her body.

“Here,” Ron said as he gathered the blanket up off his lap and began to drape it over hers. Hermione’s eyes widened slightly as she looked at it and for a moment, Ron thought he saw a glimmer of sadness pass over her face.

“Ron, stop -”

“Come off it, Hermione. You’ve been out here for hours.” As she gave the blanket another uncertain look, Ron suddenly teased, “You can use my blanket and still be mad at me, if that helps. I won’t mind.”

Hermione glared at him briefly before clicking her tongue and rolling her eyes. Ron grinned and coughed in an attempt to cover a laugh.

After another stretch of silence, Hermione suddenly furrowed her brows together and looked at him curiously.

“What time is it?”

“Er… 1:13 AM,” he said as he looked down at his watch. “Why?”

Hermione bit her bottom lip and Ron felt his stomach do somersaults inside him. He watched as she hesitated, clearly debating something, and then turned back towards her beaded bag. She dug around momentarily before pulling out a small package wrapped in an old copy of the Daily Prophet.

“I know it’s not much, but, well…” she stammered nervously as she handed him the parcel. Now it was Ron’s turn to look at her curiously.

“Hermione, what…?”

She gave an exasperated sigh. “For your birthday, Ron. Just…” Hermione shook her head quickly and tucked a curl behind her ear. “It’s ridiculous and embarrassing and under normal circumstances, it would be an absolutely dreadful idea for a gift, but seeing as it’s been a bit difficult to shop as of late…”

Ron stared at her dumbfounded. It was his birthday and he had completely forgotten. Truth be told, he had stopped paying attention to the date a while ago as every day seemed to bleed into one another anymore. 

But she hadn’t. She knew it was his birthday and had clearly prepared for it. She had even found a way to get him a gift.

Ron’s mouth had suddenly gone bone dry and he swallowed roughly against the tiny lump forming in his throat. He took the neatly wrapped present from her and gingerly removed the surrounding paper before staring at the items in his hands.

“A chocolate frog and socks?” he asked as he looked up at her.

“I told you it was rubbish,” Hermione said pointedly, her cheeks glowing red as she avoided his gaze. 

“No, it’s not. I think it’s brilliant,” Ron grinned.

“Oh, stop it, it is not!” Hermione clucked as she rolled her eyes again. 

“Yes, it is!” he laughed. “I honestly didn’t even realize it was my birthday and the fact that you did and you got something for me…” Ron trailed off, still grinning foolishly.

“You’re just saying that because you’re trying to win me over,” Hermione muttered as she shook her head, but Ron could see she was struggling to maintain her stony demeanor.

“That’s not true,” Ron asserted firmly as he stared at her. “You remembered my birthday and actually got me a gift - in the middle of the bloody woods and while we’re on the run. That is brilliant and thoughtful and way more than I deserve, Hermione. So, thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she said and Ron watched as the corner of her mouth twitched slightly. 

“Did you make these?” he asked as he turned over the pair of wooly, black socks in his hands before pulling them on over his hole-ridden pair.

“Yes,” she nodded, “I knitted them.”

“Amazing, you are,” Ron smiled and opened the box to the chocolate frog, grabbed it, and quickly broke it in half. “Here,” he said as he offered her a piece. Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but Ron put his hand up to stop her. “It’s my eighteenth birthday, and if I want to share my chocolate with you, I will. Now, take it.”

She narrowed her eyes briefly before taking the half from him. 

“You’re quite bossy for someone who until a moment ago, didn’t know it was his birthday.”

“What can I say?” Ron teased as he popped the chocolate in his mouth. “I learned from the best.”

“Are you referring to your mother or to me?”

“Both,” he laughed and ducked out the of the way as she attempted to swat him.

“Well, your last two birthdays really have left a lot to be desired,” Hermione mused as she took a small bite of her half of the frog.

“True,” Ron agreed. “Though they both seemed to help get you to talk to me again, so I’m not complaining.”

“You’re unbelievable,” Hermione said wearily as she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“So I’ve been told,” Ron chuckled, giving her a lopsided grin.

They sat quietly again, listening to the wind rushing through the trees and watching as the moonlight broke through the branches, landing on the ground like sparkling shards of glass. Once again, Hermione was the one to break the silence.

“You’re not going to give up, are you?”

If he had been unsure of what she was referring to, it quickly became clear as he turned to meet her gaze and his retort died in his throat. Hermione was looking at him with such earnestness that he couldn’t help but feel a strong rush of affection towards her.

“No,” he said solemnly. “I’m not.”

She stared at him for a moment and Ron held her gaze, unblinking. 

“I’m still angry with you.”

“I know.”

Hermione turned to look out into the dark forest surrounding them again and Ron took the opportunity to drink in her features. Her cheeks were still slightly pink from the cold and there were tiny flecks of moisture clinging to her bushy curls that in the moonlight, gave her an almost halo-like glow. Her brown eyes shone as she looked out into the distance and Ron felt his breath catch in his throat. Suddenly, he wanted blurt out everything he was feeling - how he would do whatever she needed to earn her trust again because she was the most important person to him; how he had spent every single night away from her desperately thinking of her, wanting to hear her voice and dreaming of her face; how he knew that nothing would ever make up for his leaving, but he would gladly spend the rest of his life trying.

“Ron?” 

Her voice seemed to travel to him from far away and Ron shook his head, his ears burning slightly.

“Yeah?”

“I’m… glad you came back.”

Ron’s heart began racing in his chest and he cleared his throat.

“Me too…” he croaked.

“And Ron?” Hermione breathed, turning to face him again, her brown eyes shimmering in the light of the moon.

“Yeah?”

She watched him carefully for a moment and then curled her lips into a shy smile.

“Happy birthday.”

And before Ron could realize what she was doing, Hermione carefully intertwined her fingers with his, locking their hands together in the same way they had the night they fell asleep together at Grimmauld Place. Her hand was small and warm inside his and at the contact, Ron felt fireworks explode inside him. He found himself fighting against the now overwhelming urge to lean over and kiss her, so instead, he tentatively rubbed his thumb back and forth over her hand. 

“Still angry…” he said with a sigh.

“Yes,” she said quietly, but she squeezed his hand gently and Ron grinned.

Once again, Ron found himself grateful for the fleeting moment of normalcy as they sat together in the dark under a canopy of trees and stars, quietly holding hands. He reveled in the moment of peaceful solitude, thankful to be close to her, and in the knowledge that she was trying, too.

And maybe, just maybe, there was still hope for them after all.

[fuckblizzardbearlover]

in case i cant load this file at the library. (trying to print a document so i can quickly show  Alleged well meaning ignorant trump voters why, he isnt just evil, he’s anti republican/christian and they shouldnt vote for him). Good god this was only the last 2 months. what an asshole

Trump is anti republican values

 Letting a private media network run the country

August 21, 2020 – Department of Homeland Security officials were told by Trump to watch Lou Dobbs “every night.” The Fox Business host and ardent supporter of the president was the department’s “shadow chief of staff,” said former DHS chief of staff Miles Taylor. “The president would call us and… he would say, ‘Why the hell didn’t you watch Lou Dobbs last night? You need to listen to Lou. What Lou says is what I want to do.’”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/miles-taylor-trump-lou-dobbs-fox-marching-orders-homeland-security_n_5f4066aec5b697824f98b023?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWNzd2VlbmV5cy5uZXQv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAGFv3J9DnCA3yhN9irljBGeIbETe34K6hRT9yzxk6fd6EH5rwaIC9XZg45NhSNMmcvi9VOlg6_bhNLjM5dJN0RyAgwY-OU7N6WLocW6uEbm0aIboW8YpMa9gJWFC2ROIFYRfX1D3NcVHgWKxWLeie8yY03vhUz2vWZR5jrJSGEy

 Every word of this is blatant government corruption. Trying to rig an election, putting someone in charge who gave you money  to make sure it happens? WHy does he hate america democracy so much?

August 17, 2020 – Postmaster General Louis DeJoy was accused of deliberately slowing mail delivery to give the president a boost in the November election. Reps. Hakeem Jeffries and Ted Lieu of the House Judiciary Committee called for the FBI to open a criminal probe into DeJoy, who was appointed by Trump in May. The businessman earned millions of dollars from a company that does business with the Postal Service. He donated $1.2 million to Trump’s election campaign.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/512284-two-democrats-call-for-criminal-inquiry-of-postmaster-general

 More corruption! Using the Presidential seat to promote a donar’s brand? Is America just a money making scheme to him and his rich elite?

August 16, 2020 – Trump said that the Food and Drug Administration “should be approving” an extract from the oleander plant as a coronavirus cure, even though there is no evidence that it is beneficial. Oleandrin had been touted by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, a major Trump donor who has invested in the company that makes the extract. Lindell is not a doctor.

https://www.axios.com/trump-covid-oleandrin-9896f570-6cd8-4919-af3a-65ebad113d41.html

 Hates america and democracy. If America is so great why cant he respect the democratic process

August 19, 2020 – Trump would “see what happens” in the November election before accepting its result, said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. “The president has always said he’ll see what happens, and make a determination in the aftermath.” Two days earlier, Trump had said, “The only way we’re going to lose this election is if the election is rigged.”

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-election-results-white-house/

 More lies

August 14, 2020 – The Senate Intelligence Committee asked federal prosecutors to investigate former Trump strategist Stephen Bannon for possibly lying during its inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Senators also said that Donald Trump Jr., Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks offered conflicting testimony.

https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-08-14/senate-committee-sought-investigation-of-bannon-raised-concerns-about-trump-family-testimony

 Stole from his own voters!

August 20, 2020 – Stephen Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, was charged with cheating hundreds of thousands of donors who were told that their money would go toward building a wall along the Mexican border. A federal indictment said that Bannon, arrested with two other men, used almost $1 million for personal expenses; in all, the men raised more than $25 million. Bannon, who portrayed himself as a man of the people, was arrested on a $35 million yacht owned by fugitive Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/20/nyregion/steve-bannon-arrested-indicted.html

 Still no tax returns? If he was successful and legal he wouldnt be hiding!

August 20, 2020 – A federal judge ruled that Trump must give his tax returns to the Manhattan district attorney, who is investigating Trump’s financial records. Judge Victor Marrero rejected the president’s most recent attempt to block the release of his returns. “This is a continuation of the witch hunt, the greatest witch hunt in history,” Trump told reporters. “There’s never been anything like it.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/20/nyregion/donald-trump-taxes-cyrus-vance.html

 More voter manipulation

August 6, 2020 – White House health officials said that the U.S. might have a coronavirus vaccine in early 2021. Trump, however, claimed that one could be available “sooner than the end of the year, could be much sooner.” Asked if a vaccine could arrive before the November 3 election, he said, “I think in some cases, yes possible before, but right around that time.” No reputable scientists, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, believe a vaccine is possible before 2021.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-trump-vaccine/trump-says-coronavirus-vaccine-possible-before-nov-3-idUSKCN25221Q

  Vote intimidation is against 1st ammendment and your right to vote

August 20, 2020 – In order to prevent voter fraud, Trump said, he will order law enforcement to the polls on November 3. “We’re going to have sheriffs, and we’re going to have law enforcement. And we’re going to have hopefully U.S. attorneys, and we’re going to have everybody and attorney generals,” he said. Law enforcement is barred at polling places in several states because of concerns over voter intimidation.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/513048-trump-says-he-will-send-law-enforcement-us-attorneys-to-polls-in

 More election tampering

August 4, 2020 – Trump’s campaign sued Nevada, arguing that a bill allowing voters to mail in election ballots would lead to fraud. In a tweet, Trump called the legislation “an illegal late-night coup,” adding, “See you in Court!”

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/trump-campaign-sues-nevada-over-bill-expanding-mail-in-voting-for-general-election

 Undermining America, insulting the American system, undermining democracy and making attacks on the American people. No one hates american democracy like Trump

August 21, 2020 – Trump said he had a “theory” that if November’s election results were not known by the end of 2020, “Crazy Nancy Pelosi would become president, you know that. No. No. I don’t know if it’s a theory or a fact, but I said, ’That’s not good. That’s not good.’” In his remarks to a conservative group in Arlington, Va., Trump also said, “The more success that we’ve achieved, the more unhinged the radical left has become. Anarchists and violent mobs have rioted in our Democrat-run cities, attacking police and tearing down statues. I’m the only thing standing between the American dream and total anarchy, madness, and chaos, and that’s what it is.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/21/us/elections/trump-says-he-is-the-only-thing-standing-between-the-american-dream-and-total-anarchy.html

 No one is above the law. Refusing to comply with investigators

August 24, 2020 – New York State’s attorney general asked a State Supreme Court judge to compel Eric Trump, the president’s son, to testify in an investigation. The inquiry was looking into whether Trump and his business overstated assets “to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.” Eric Trump canceled an interview with the attorney general in July, and the Trump Organization said it would not comply with seven subpoenas that it was sent.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/24/nyregion/letitia-james-trump-projects-investigation.html

 Big govt stealing from taxpayers

August 27, 2020 – In visiting his own properties 271 times as president, Trump and Secret Service agents netted the Trump Organization more than $900,000. According to the Washington Post, Trump’s business also brought in at least $3.8 million in fees associated with 37 political events held at Trump’s properties.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-company-secret-service-spending/2020/08/27/9331bd86-de36-11ea-8051-d5f887d73381_story.html?hpid=hp_no-name_trumpsecretservice-1150am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans

More attacks on American WOrking class. He acts like the postal service is a boogie man. Its hundreds of thousands of hard working americans trying to do a job to keep this country running

August 13, 2020 – Trump said he opposed $25 billion in emergency aid for the U.S. Postal Service. He made the unfounded claim that the coronavirus relief funding would help the service process “fraudulent” mail ballots for the November election.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/

 Praising Terrorist

August 31, 2020 – Trump suggested that a 17-year-old charged with murdering two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, acted in self-defense. “That was an interesting situation,” Trump said at a news conference. “He was trying to get away from them, I guess it looks like, and he fell and then they very violently attacked him… I guess he was in very big trouble. He probably would’ve been killed.” The shootings occurred during an anti-racist protest after Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by police. Trump planned to travel to Kenosha, but Blake’s family said they would talk to the president only if the family’s lawyers were present. Trump said he would not speak with them.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/31/trump-defends-kenosha-gunman-406377

Promoting conspiracy theorists

August 12, 2020 – Trump congratulated Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican congressional candidate from Georgia who voiced her support of the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon. “Marjorie is strong on everything and never gives up — a real WINNER!” Trump wrote on Twitter. The FBI identified QAnon as a potential domestic terror threat in 2019.

https://www.axios.com/trump-qanon-georgia-runoff-marjorie-taylor-greene-50ccdb7a-89ca-4331-9b16-77710ea27b5c.html

But his whole campaign is based on baseless conspiracies

August 11, 2020 – In a radio interview, Trump said, “China will own the United States if this election is lost by Donald Trump.” He added, “If I don’t win the election…you’re going to have to learn to speak Chinese, you want to know the truth.”

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/11/politics/trump-china-biden-learn-chinese/index.html

 Anti free speech

– August 28, 2020 – At a campaign rally in New Hampshire, Trump ridiculed social justice protesters around the country. “You know what I say?” he told a small crowd. “Protesters, your ass. I don’t talk about my ass. They’re not protesters. Those aren’t protesters. Those are anarchists, they’re agitators, they’re rioters, they’re looters.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump/trump-knocks-protesters-against-racial-injustice-during-new-hampshire-rally-idUSKBN25O1AE

  More anti free speech

– August 7, 2020 – The Trump administration issued two rarely used executive orders to ban TikTok and WeChat. The popular social media networks are owned by companies in China — a frequent target of the president’s pre-election rhetoric. “The spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China) continues to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States,” Trump wrote. He did not, however, outline any specific threat from the companies.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/06/technology/trump-wechat-tiktok-china.html

 Only cares about his brand and money

August 8, 2020 – An aide to Trump asked the South Dakota governor’s office what it took to have a president added to Mount Rushmore. In 2018, Trump had told future Governor Kristi Noem, “Do you know it’s my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore?”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/08/us/politics/kristi-noem-pence-trump.html

 What is wrong with him. A dr is just doing her job and he attacks her cus dead americans make him look bad? Suck it up!

August 3, 2020 – Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said that the pandemic was “extraordinarily widespread.” Trump replied that she was ��pathetic.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/03/trump-blasts-birx-after-coronavirus-claims-390881

 Speaking ill of the dead, Not giving a shit about Russia putting bounties on american troops heads, not caring that americans are dying

August 4, 2020 – Jonathan Swan of Axios asked Trump how the coronavirus was “under control” when 1,000 Americans were dying of it every day. “They are dying. That’s true. It is what it is,” Trump replied. In the same interview, Trump maintained that he did not know about Russia’s offer of bounties for American troops killed in Afghanistan. The bounties, though, were reportedly brought to his attention in intelligence reports. “I read a lot,” he said. “I comprehend extraordinarily well. Probably better than anybody you’ve interviewed in a long time.” When asked how history will remember the late civil rights leader John Lewis, Trump replied, “I really don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know John Lewis. He chose not to come to my inauguration.”

https://www.axios.com/trump-coronavirus-under-control-5f114a16-9952-428c-bc07-3cfa360b0977.html

    Trump is anti christian

Intentionally spreading the virus

August 27, 2020 – The Trump administration broke norms and flouted the Hatch Act by using government property — the White House — for a political convention. Trump delivered his closing-night speech from the South Portico, flanked by Jumbotrons on the South Lawn that screened campaign billboards. Roughly 1,500 people attended the speech, sitting closely together, most refusing to wear masks. A senior White House official dismissed any concerns about the coronavirus, telling CNN, “Everybody is going to catch this thing eventually.”

 Lying about dead americans to look good in the polls

August 5, 2020 – The United States recorded 1,380 COVID-19 deaths in a day, but Trump said, “This thing’s going away. It will go away like things go away.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-05/trump-says-surging-virus-will-go-away-like-things-go-away

 Do not take the lord’s name in vain. He’s trying to speak for God.

August 6, 2020 – Trump said that Biden, a Catholic who has long attended Mass, was “following the radical left agenda… no religion, no anything, hurt the Bible, hurt God. He’s against God."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/

 Thou shalt not covet . He’s so full of hate when obama comes up

August 19, 2020 – As Obama criticized Trump in a speech at the Democratic National Convention, Trump assailed his predecessor in tweets. He wrote, “HE SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN, AND GOT CAUGHT!” and “WHY DID HE REFUSE TO ENDORSE SLOW JOE UNTIL IT WAS ALL OVER, AND EVEN THEN WAS VERY LATE? WHY DID HE TRY TO GET HIM NOT TO RUN?” Earlier in the day, having heard some of Obama’s prepared remarks, Trump said, “When I listen to that and then I see the horror that he’s left us, the stupidity of the transactions that he’s made — look what we’re doing, we have our great border wall, we have security.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/trump-hammers-obama-ahead-dnc-speech-so-ineffective-so-terrible-n1237359

 Lies, coveting , and being a petty man baby

August 9, 2020 – Trump cut short a news conference when a reporter asked him why he repeatedly took credit — more than 150 times — for a veterans’ health care bill that was signed into law by President Obama. “Why do you keep saying that you passed Veterans Choice?” asked CBS correspondent Paula Reid. “It was passed in 2014… it was a false statement, sir.” Trump answered, “OK. Thank you very much, everybody.” Then he abruptly walked away.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/08/politics/trump-veterans-choice-paula-reid/index.html

 Threatening American citizens, the poor the homeless, displaced. Threaten to take away money from the state so they could help those whos homes were destroyed

August 20, 2020 – As wildfires displaced more than 100,000 Californians, Trump again blamed the state for the blazes, threatening to withhold federal emergency funds. Speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania, he said, “I said, you gotta clean your floors, you gotta clean your forests — there are many, many years of leaves and broken trees and they’re like, like, so flammable, you touch them and it goes up.” He added, “Maybe we’re just going to have to make them pay for it because they don’t listen to us.”

https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/08/20/trump-blames-california-for-wildfires-tells-state-you-gotta-clean-your-floors-1311059

 Note: We now know he knew how deadly it was when we only had 11 cases. He held this rally on govt property knowing his own voters might catch it and die

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/wh-brushes-off-covid-concerns-amid-trumps-maskless-crowd-in-game-of-make-believe

 Willfilly killing Americans by taking away their medicine if their hospitals don’t obey him. Thats fascism. Thats murder

August 25, 2020 – The Trump administration announced that if hospitals did not report coronavirus data to the Department of Health and Human Services — until now a voluntary program — they would have their Medicare and Medicaid funding revoked. The loss of the money could force hospitals to close.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/25/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-data.html

 "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour" 9th commandment

– August 23, 2020 – Without providing any proof, Trump alleged that the Food and Drug Administration was intentionally delaying coronavirus vaccine trials. “The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics,” he tweeted. “Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!”

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/22/politics/trump-fda-coronavirus-vaccine/index.html

 More easily identifiable lies. Does trump not know how to use google?

August 13, 2020 – Trump, who had spread the lie that Obama was born in Kenya, gave credence to the conspiracy theory that Kamala Harris could not be vice president because her parents were immigrants. “I heard it today that she doesn’t meet the requirements,” Trump said of Harris, who was born in California and is thus eligible for the vice presidency and presidency. “I have no idea if that’s right. I would have thought, I would have assumed, that the Democrats would have checked that out before she gets chosen to run for vice president.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/13/us/politics/trump-kamala-harris.html

  Destroying God’s land

August 17, 2020 – The Trump administration announced that it would begin selling leases for oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a vast area of undisturbed wilderness in Alaska. The Center for American Progress said that the drilling — sought by Republican lawmakers for decades — would lead to the release of more than 4.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/

 More enviroment destruction

August 13, 2020 – The Trump administration eliminated an Obama-era rule that required oil and gas companies to repair methane leaks. The EPA said the companies will no longer pay roughly $100 million a year for repairs — resulting in the release of 850,000 tons of planet-warming methane by the end of the decade.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/13/climate/trump-methane.html

  Thou shalt not commit adultery

– August 22, 2020 – Trump was ordered by a California judge to pay an adult-film actress $44,100. The money was for her legal fees related to a lawsuit that she had brought against the president. Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, had sued Trump to be released from a $130,000 nondisclosure agreement to keep her quiet about their alleged sexual relationship.

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-08-22/trump-ordered-to-pay-44-100-in-stormy-daniels-legal-fees

 Trump is an incompetent idiot

-August 31, 2020 – In defending police officers, Trump said they can make mistakes in using deadly force in the same way golfers sometimes miss putts. “They choke,” he said. “Just like in a golf tournament, they miss a three-foot—.” Fox News host Laura Ingraham interrupted the president to keep him from continuing. “You’re not comparing it to golf,” she said, suggesting that “the media” would use that against him.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/514539-trump-compares-police-who-use-force-to-golfers-who-choke-and-miss-a

  – August 22, 2020 – “You can’t trust him,” Maryanne Trump Barry said about her brother, Donald, in a conversation secretly recorded by their niece, Mary Trump. A retired federal judge, Barry said, “His goddamned tweet and lying, oh my God. I’m talking too freely, but you know. The change of stories. The lack of preparation. The lying. Holy shit.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/maryanne-trump-barry-secret-recordings/2020/08/22/30d457f4-e334-11ea-ade1-28daf1a5e919_story.html

 Blatant lies

August 10, 2020 – Trump said he would not have called for Obama’s resignation if 160,000 Americans had died on his watch. Trump, though, had said in 2014 that Obama should resign for his response to the Ebola outbreak, during which two people died in the United States. “I think it’s been amazing what we’ve been able to do,” Trump said about his administration’s response to the pandemic. “We understand the disease. Nobody understood it because nobody’s ever seen anything like this. The closest thing is in 1917, they say, right? The great pandemic. Certainly was a terrible thing where they lost anywhere from 50 to 100 million people. Probably ended the Second World War, all the soldiers were sick.” The pandemic that Trump spoke of actually began in 1918 and lasted until 1919. World War II ended 26 years later, in 1945.

https://www.axios.com/trump-obama-resign-787b042d-0361-48f1-bba5-c97b05837331.html

  https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the-complete-listing-so-far-atrocities-1-889#2020

[the-royal-courier]

Events This Week

___________________________________

Amberstaff Wizard Coven Where: Ambermill, Silverpine Forest When:  Tuesday, April 6 Time:  6 Bells (server)

Do you seek power, as well as skill? Do you wish for the knowledge to pass any puzzle and best any foe? Are you in need of guidance and know not where to start? Those with the gift of magic are cordially invited to Ambermill, Silverpine- Beneath the Arcane Dome to test their ability and will to learn. Those with the ability to learn will be taken underwing and shown the path to greatness. Contact Archwizard Moonblade for more information (Helarsar in game)

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Queen’s Garters Sale

Where: The Queen’s Garter’s ( Canal Tailor & Fit Shop) When: Wednesdaday, April 5 Time:   5 bells - 7 bells (server)

The Queen’s Garters is Stormwind’s premier lingerie boutique.  Alliance women insist on only the finest intimate apparel and The Queen’s Garters answers their call. We offer a unique buying experience for each customer. Serving women and their intimate apparel needs with beautiful lingerie, corsets, stockings and more.

And because women aren’t the only ones who buy lingerie, our experienced staff can help any man buy the perfect gift for his wife, girlfriend or lady love.

Stop by our shop on Wednesday, April 5th between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and receive 20% off your purchase.

Private fittings available by appointment.

(In-game location:  Canal Tailor & Fit Shop, To schedule a private fitting contact @queensgarters, @nariele, or in-game Nariele )

____________________________________

Club BOOM!

Where: The Purple Parlor, Dalaran (Northrend) When:  Friday, April 7, Time:    7 bells

Join your hosts for the evening,  DJs Pixy & Amy Stormpike (trading off months), the DJs you loved from the Club Trix afterparty!

(The event's music will air on Fire Mage Radio...so even after the party, the music doesn't stop as you can rock out to some great WoW music!

https://www.facebook.com/FireMageRadio/ )

___________________________________

The Den

Where:  TBA When:  Saturday, 4/ Time:    7 Bells

The Steelgrove Syndicate’s The Den opens for its monthly exclusive club. Fights, gambling, drinks and more. Contact The Steelgrove Syndicate for more information. ( @steelgrove-syndicate)

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OOC:  Blizzard Events

Darkmoon Faire: April 2 - April 8

The Darkmoon Faire is open for business! Meet Silas Darkmoon and his troupe, play games that test mind and nerve, and behold exotic sights from the four corners of Azeroth... and beyond!

March of The Tadpools : April 5

Today, the baby Winterfin murlocs of Borean Tundra complete their trip across the Westrift.

Timewalking Dungeons: April 4 - April 11

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Weekly Events

Steelgrove Syndicate Store When: Thursday @ 6 Bells (server) Where: Dwarven District (Blacksmith trainer building) Theme: Shop

A small get together for those who wish to browse our wares, and enjoy good company. Refreshments offered free of charge! Join us at 6pm (st) until 8pm (st). ( @steelgrove-syndicate)

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Silverblade Contracts

Open: Monday & Tuesday: 4-6 pm, Friday & Saturday: 4-5 pm Closed: Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday Where: Cathedral District Theme: Shop

This shop hosts an array of services such as Weapon Sales and Repairs, Protection Services, and more! To inquire more about large orders or other services, please send word to Count Adorlan Matheredor (Adorlan in-game, @adorlan) or Lady Kerydwen Matheredor (Kerydwen in-game).

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The Cask n Anvil: When - Fridays @ 6 pm server Where - Ironforge Who - Modarin Theme - Social

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The Wyrmhearth Tavern When: Saturdays @ 8 pm Server Where: Thelsamar Who: Annalura, Noelina, Leatei, or Oakenmoon

Theme: Social

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The Steel Pub

When: Sunday @ 6 pm server Where: in Anvilmar, Dun Morogh Who: Bath Ironstout Theme: Social

@bath-ironstout @ironstoutbrews

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Upcoming Events

Grace of Elune

When: April 10th, 6pm Server time Where: Temple of the Moon, Darnassus What: A brief one-hour sermon on the wonders and mysteries of Elune, with blessings offered afterward. Why: To spread the word of Elune, of course! Who: Led by Roraelis, everyone is allowed to attend, no invite needed! DKs, DHs, and warlocks allowed!

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Dwarven Moot

When: April 15

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Noblegarden Tea Party

When: April 18 5 bells Where: Elodar in Shadowmoon Valley

Tea Brews Challenge & Cookie Exchange

Contact @neytiri for more information

_____________________________________

Egg Hunt! When: April 18, 7 bells Where: Lakeshire Redridge, on the docks

Ashen Contingent is throwing a Great Egg Hunt for a treasure filled egg! The chase starts promptly at half past 7 bells!

Contact Zel Williams for more information (Anzelma in game)

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Tournament of Strength

Coming April 22th!

There will be the following events: -Jousting: Mount a steed, grab a lance, and prepare to test your mettle against other skilled riders! -Duels: (Two versions. Roll Battles and PvP!) Try to dominate the competition and win the title of Champion of Strength! -Magic Competition: Think you could be the next Khadgar? Try your hand to best the other magi and wizards in this months competition! -Archery: If you have a mark that is aimed and true, prove that you can beat the rest in a sharpshooting competition. (Both Gun and Bows welcomed!)

-More to come!

We are still seeking out vendors, judges, security, and more! If you wish to help with the Tournament of Strength, contact Moria (Moriay or @moriayamina)!

_____________________________________

Autism Awareness Ribbon Ceremony

Saturday, April 29th join Dreyfus Xano at 7 Bells (server) for the fourth annual Autism Awareness event. Each year Dreyfus gathers horde and alliance players to bring awareness to this cause.

He calls upon members of the Alliance and Horde to put down their weapons for just an evening and dress up in Red, Yellow and Blue robes, dresses, and outfits to form one giant ribbon.

A performance IC by Dreyfus will start off the event, the ribbon forming ceremony, and fireworks to wrap up the evening.

_____________________________________

(Have an event you would like advertised? Send a message to @risrielthron or contact Risri in game)

[franeridan]

Thinking about the paths in hsr and how some inform so much about the characters once you figure out the logic behind them, and specifically about ratio longing for nous's recognition but following lan's path - he's obviously a scholar, so him being an erudition character would have made a lot of sense when you don't think too deeply about it, but despite characters with less ties to knowledge walking that path ratio does not. He follows the path of the hunt. And that's a very cool fact about him imho

During his quest screwllum says that more than a scholar he feels like ratio's a doctor with the way he tries to cure people of their ignorance, which isn't strictly wrong and I love that about him (and I love about screwllum that he thinks so poetically too), but the way I see it ratio really is a hunter. He does follow lan's path, when you think about it. His travels are all about his fight against ignorance, after all. Thinking about him and his relationship to the aeons really put a lot of things about the paths into perspective for me - I thought the paths were somewhat more literal, but after all it's about the driving force behind a character's actions, is it not?

Nous is the unrelenting pursuit of the truth, of knowledge and information, and that's why someone like argenti follows that path despite being the furthest thing from a scholar you could think of - his travels are first and foremost about finding the truth about idrila, after all. On the other hand ratio isn't actively devoting his life to finding a truth or amassing more knowledge, and that's why nous won't look at him. He is extremely intelligent and competent, and he does value learning above all else, but his main pursuit is to use that knowledge to rid the universe of ignorance, and that's why he follows lan's path - the hunt is the path of those devoting their life to fighting against something, in the end, be it a literal enemy or a figurative one.

It's really really interesting to me? There's a ton of characters that are given depth by understanding their path, I love to think about it

[sunnydaleherald]

Newsletter, Sunday 12th - Monday 13th March

SPIKE: The sun sets and she appears. Come to serenade me? BUFFY: So you know what's going on. SPIKE: Well, I've seen some damn funny things in the last two days. A 600 pound Chirago demon making like Yma Sumac, *that* one will stay with you. I remain immune, happy to say. (holds up a bottle of whiskey) Drink? BUFFY: A world of no. So any idea what's causing this? SPIKE: (disappointed) Oh. So that's all. You've just come to pump me for information. BUFFY: What else would I wanna pump you for? (cringes) I really just said that, didn't I?

~~Once More With Feeling~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Showdown (Jenny and Giles, not rated) by il-mio-capitano

Sweet Silver Bells (Xander/Spike, Teen and up) by OtherCat

The Hunt (Xander/Anya/Spike, Teen and up) by OtherCat

Fire and Light (Spike, Teen and up) by GillO

End Thoughts (Spike/Buffy, Teen and up) by GillO

Intervention (Xander/Spike, Mature) by OtherCatThis writer has posted five further fics at this site.

I've Seen You Before (Yeah I Told You to Stay Out of Alleyways) (Buffy/Spike, Teen and up) by Carousel_13

Betrayed Betrays (Ensemble, Explicit) by RazialWarning - negative portrayals of characters. This writer posted two further fics to this site.

[Chaptered Fiction]

Veronica the Vampire Slayer (CHAPTER 4) (Ensemble, crossover with Veronic Mars, Teen and up) by AdorkableAuthor

All Roads Lead To Home (CHAPTER 5) (Ensemble, Teen and up) by broken_hearted_bard

Enemy Mine (CHAPTER 35) (Buffy/Spike, M) by Blade Redwind

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: Twenty Years of Buffy! (SFW) by goldengrimoire3

Artwork: Buffy in sketch by Megan Levens (2017). (SFW) shared by buffythecomicslayer

Artwork: I’m under your spell (SFW) by coldkittyboy

Artwork: “20 years of Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (SFW) by cristinabombolla

Artwork: Xander, Willow and Buffy from The Puppet Show credits (SFW) by abuffyeveryday

Artwork: Darla () by coldkittyboy

Artwork: Final Version of Commissioned Poster for “Buffy at 20″ Conference - Marquette University, April 2017 - for 20th Anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (SFW) by methelettere

Artwork: Did We Not Put the Grr in Girl? (SFW) by traitspourtraits

Video: The Sy Fy channel in the UK is currently celebrating Buffy’s 20th by showing selected episodes, and to advertise the fact they’ve and created this wonderfully stylish teaser trailer. (SFW) linked by silverspike

[Reviews & Recaps]

Angel reviewed: Season 9 (not 11 DH), Issue 01 by harsens-rob

[Recs]

Femslash recs, 8 MARCH - 13 MARCH by kidmarathon

[Fandom Discussions]

Different reasons to ship two characters? hosted by travllingbunny

My Personal Relationship with Buffy the Vampire Slayer by douxreviews

A Few Random Thoughts about Buffy, Twenty Years Later by douxreviews

Buffy Season Six: Stupendous or Stinky? by douxreviews

Fuffy (of course) for the meme! by cleavagyslutbomb

Fire bad, tree pretty. On Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s 20th anniversary. by doctacynthia

Willow and Tara Live On by douxreviews

When Xander Screws Up by luscious2

“I Am The Thing That Monsters Have Nightmares About”: Thank You Letters To The Scooby Gang by captaincaroldanvrs

[Elsewhere on the Internet]

PUBLICATION: 'Buffy' at 20: Felicia Day on Joss Whedon's creative world by Bonnie Burton

SyFiWire: Spike at 20: James Marsters on his Buffy anniversary and being the best vampire out there by Aaron Sagers

The Hollywood Reporter: 'Buffy' at 20: Joss Whedon Talks TV Today, Reboot Fatigue and the Trouble With Binging by Michael O'Connor

AV Club: Amber Benson takes the Spike vs. Angel question somewhere dirty by Alex McLevy

Dark Horse: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 11 #5 previews.

Vulture.com: Why There’s Never Been a Female Rivalry Like Faith and Buffy’sBy Angelica Jade Bastién

Wicked Horror: Comic Review: Angel Season 11 #3 by Nat Brehmer

[desmondkinross4-blog]

Ways to Maintain Your Golf Game Fit In Wintertime.

This is actually for a few of those which have given up recently - or even want to - you know who you are. The economical. Bahamas Trip deal will certainly have you to the isles thought about among the most lovely in the Bahamas along with high cliff, densely-forested foothills and deserted unique sand seashores. In short, if the snowfall cover anomaly sustains an above typical viewpoint for the month from Oct, the Arctic Oscillation ought to be actually watched for a bad condition this wintertime. The Cold Weather Lake Provincial Park possesses a multitude of web sites, and is actually extra remote in comparison to the M.D. web site (which is surrounded by development). The money to move in is actually $FIVE HUNDRED plus the initial month hannah-fit-portal.info payment, so around $800 to move in. I will certainly have $300 to CARRY our home till you possess the remainder of the move-in loan. To obtain advantages from inexpensive as well as regular calls, you should get VOIP companies instead of utilizing typical phone call procedures. This 1st day of December likewise carries the electricity from the 1st from 2 full moons this month. Some of the best visible benefits that you may get by protecting professional aid is actually that you will certainly realize just how can easily you through auto insurance for one month at economical cost and also really good protection. The Locomotive Route, an entertainment path settled on a previous railroad collection (see rail path) has its own eastern-most terminus in Cold Lake. Lessee - 0.5 month compensation for 1 year lease Proprietor - 0.5 month percentage for 1 year lease and 1 month percentage for 2 year lease. I will need to begin the method following week-They are actually 29 along with a 8 year outdated & 23 along with a 3 month outdated. Yet if you desire to start bring in manies dollars each month you will certainly have to sponsor recommendations. As a result of the evaluating for the bedspread program as well as our Charity Time activities, our experts are going to certainly not be having a Block from the Month in March.

With a lot of cellphone providers you may select a service strategy that has unlimited minutes and also some even have a small additional expense ought to you examine your program minutes that month. After cleansing your football handwear covers along with cold water, make sure to rinse them off with cool water at the same time.

This will definitely offer chicken for numerous foods this month as well as I'll have additional for the future when chicken isn't for sale. Tabletop game maker Steamforged Video game has gotten permission to borrow for a formally licensed Black Hearts board game, the firm announced..

Most of them can be cured through non-prescription migraine medicines and by resting in a quiet dark area for some time. Due to this, the cozy air coming from the land surface moves and also rises to the physical bodies from water and also the cool air off the bodies from water change the warmed air on the property area. While this's true that lots of people hunt for planes tickets by details meetings, for noticeable main reasons (they have a meeting, a wedding ceremony, an university getaway), other flyers definitely do not care when they go. A purchases representative could would like to create a new in person partnership with a client however only when the fare economicals, or a grandmother may intend to explore her grandkids whatever month this's very most affordable to fly and so on. Under the Standard Employment Agreement, along with impact coming from 1 October 2015, Hong Kong Authorities mentioned the DH Minimum required Allowable Wage is actually evaluated HK$ 4,210 (S$ 754) each month for foreign domestic helper, $100 rise off HK$ 4,110.

The various other months sharing pleasant resonance or affinity with this month are actually May, August and also November. Autos makers provided healthy rebates on automobile varying from Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 70,000 in the final month from 2011 to pull optimum shoppers.

[beatrisriemer08-blog]

Photograph Gallery Of 10 Exceptional Digital Time Entrepreneurs.

Abhishek Bachchan child from the wonderful Amitabh Bachchan is actually becoming everyday like his father. There have to consistently be a struggle in between a papa as well as kid, while one intend for energy as well as the various other at independence. The search will definitely advance Friday along with added resources featuring mounted authorities. Well, possessing really good qualities sufficients to earn your moms and dads happy with our company. This may be the greatest gift you can offer to your mother and also daddy. Yet bottom line is actually that you can easily forgive this father on father's day and only want him a pleased papa's time if you desire to do so. But nothing at all obligates you to buy a present or even card for him. At the Victoria Theater as well as Opera house, staffs needed to discover Allan Wu, multitude from The Impressive Race Asia, which would certainly provide their following clue. I personally viewed the contusions delivered on the 5 years of age female by her father yet DHS did nothing. Very lately, there are actually a ton of chances for this tremendously design and has actually reportedly authorized a movie with the Italian director gotten in touch with Carlo Vanzina. Possessed my father - a talkative and also naturally captivating male - recognized from his final condition he would certainly have preferred me to end his life several years previously, a notion he showed to me commonly. Fairweather (1997; Krampe & Fairweather, 1993) pertains to the symbolic dad as the feeling of dad; it is actually additionally named father mindset.

Super Tuesday in 2012 happened on March 6, 2012, amounting to 419 delegates (18.3% from the total) in 10 conditions in the Republican primaries 15 The Democratic primaries were easy as necessary Head of state Barack Obama was the assured http://Troskaotwarz-Blog.info nominee. As well as in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver from Life; Which proceedeth coming from the Papa; Who with the Daddy as well as the Kid with each other is venerated and proclaimed; That spake by the astrologers. It's fun enjoying their happiness as well as deep in my heart I think the ache of skipping my father. However children as well as a web content searcher are certainly not aimed for to discover that by themselves; mommy and father must execute the hunt on their own. Possessing a dad flying around in the design from a crow gives you a certain negligence for appearances. Academy-Award Starlet, avid foodie, as well as mommy from two Gwyneth Paltrow discusses a mouth watering compilation of dishes and lovely photographs commemorating cooking for loved ones in a memorial to her daddy qualified My Father's Little girl: Delicious, Easy Recipes Celebrating Household & Togetherness. Via the maternity and also my son's 1st year his dad was actually splendid, whatever a wonderful daddy should be actually. The core feature from papa existence in this style as well as in the FPQ is the youngster's partnership with the papa. To always keep Celeste secure, Jimmy and Celeste transferred with Jimmy's rich father, who work with a couple of security personnel around your home, to keep Papa Richard as well as some other dubious number out.

Economical disorders are actually wearing away as well as several migrants right now cannot function those added hours or locate that second job to keep up with their mortgage payments," mentioned Aracely Panameno at the Facility for Responsive Lending (CRL) research plan team. It could not be actually simply a coincidence that the father brown and child possessed a lot of correlations. Daddy as well as stepmother must make sure they keeping a combined face - specifically in front of their kid, refraining from doing just about anything that will threaten the other's technique.

[newsvomit-blog]

Mueller eyes charges against Russians who hacked Democrats

WASHINGTON — Special Counsel Robert Mueller is assembling a case for criminal charges against Russians who carried out the hacking and leaking of private information designed to hurt Democrats in the 2016 election, multiple current and former government officials familiar with the matter tell . Much like the indictment Mueller filed last month charging a different group of Russians in a social media trolling and illegal-ad-buying scheme, the possible new charges are expected to rely heavily on secret intelligence gathered by the CIA, the FBI, the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), several of the officials say. Mueller’s consideration of charges accusing Russians in the hacking case has not been reported previously.

Sources say he has long had sufficient evidence to make a case, but strategic issues could dictate the timing.Potential charges include violations of statutes on conspiracy, election law as well as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.One U.S.

official briefed on the matter said the charges are not imminent, but other knowledgeable sources said they are expected in the next few weeks or months.It’s also possible Mueller opts not to move forward because of concerns about exposing intelligence or other reasons — or that he files the indictment under seal, so the public doesn’t see it initially. The sources say the possible new indictment — or more than one, if that’s how Mueller’s office decides to proceed — would delve into the details of, and the people behind, the Russian intelligence operation that used hackers to penetrate computer networks and steal emails of both the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.

The release of embarrassing Democratic emails through WikiLeaks became a prominent feature in the 2016 presidential election, cited at least 145 times by Republican candidate Donald Trump in the final month of the campaign.At one point he publicly urged “Russia” to find and release emails Trump believed were missing from Democrat Hillary Clinton’s private server. DHS and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released a joint statement in the month before the 2016 election saying officials were “confident that the Russian government directed the recent compromises” that led to leaked emails being published by DCLeaks.com, WikiLeaks and an online persona known as Guccifer 2.0.

— all considered to have been acting as Russian agents. No criminal charges have been filed, however.In July 2016 the FBI began a counterintelligence investigation into how the Russians carried out the operation and whether any Americans, including members of the Trump campaign, were involved.

Mueller took over the probe in May 2017.His office has filed more than 100 criminal charges against 19 people and three companies, securing guilty pleas and cooperation agreements from three members of the Trump campaign. It is unlikely that the United States would be able to extradite alleged Russian hackers or their paymasters, but an indictment would “send a signal” both to Russia and to any Americans who may have participated, a government official said.

In 2014, the Justice Department filed charges against five Chinese military hackers, accusing them of economic espionage.In 2016, authorities indicted seven hackers associated with the government of Iran, accusing them of hacking into bank websites and a computer system that controlled a small New York state dam.None of the accused in either case are in custody.

It could not be learned to what extent, if at all, Mueller’s office would make allegations in the possible indictments about the role of Russian president Vladimir Putin in ordering and supervising the operation. has reported that U.S.intelligence agencies have evidence Putin was closely involved, but sources say the intelligence underlying that conclusion is extremely sensitive.

The CIA long ago turned over all the relevant intelligence it had on the Russian operation to FBI investigators, officials said.The NSA, DHS and the ODNI have also passed along to Mueller analysis and forensic information connected to the hacks, including telltale “signatures,” malware and methods. Another question is whether Mueller will charge Russian intelligence officers alleged to have supervised the operation.

Often, the people who do the hacking for the Russian government are private freelancers.A former FBI official briefed on the matter said it was likely Russian government officials would be charged — but that Mueller would have to consult widely in the government about that decision. “The Kremlin has used hackers to steal personal communications that Russian operatives then parceled out in targeted leaks, and created fake social media personas and news items on all sides of controversial issues in the hope of stirring discord in the West,” Admiral Mike Rogers, the director of the NSA and commander of U.S.

Cyber Command, told Congress this week. Another major unanswered question is whether Mueller’s grand jury will charge any Americans as witting participants in the hacking and leaking scheme — including anyone associated with Trump’s presidential campaign.Americans referenced in Mueller’s previous indictment of Russians were described as “unwitting.” One source suggested that a new indictment could include unnamed American co-conspirators as part of a strategy to pressure those involved to cooperate.

The previous Mueller indictment involving the Russian social media operation cited a co-conspirator that it did not name. Much like the social media activity laid out in Mueller’s recent indictment, the Russian hacking operation began long before the 2016 election. In 2015, Russian hackers stepped up a campaign to use “spear phishing” techniques to steal emails and other data from Capitol Hill staffers, political operatives and foreign policy experts, U.S.

officials and outside experts tell .Such techniques involve sending what appears to be a friendly email that is actually loaded with malware that gives the sender access to the recipient’s computer, and potentially the organization’s network. In March 2016, Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta got an email instructing him to change his password.

A staffer told him it was legitimate.The staffer was wrong.The Russians soon were inside his machine.

A few days later, a DNC employee acted on a similar email. The GRU, Russia’s military intelligence agency, began vacuuming up emails from Podesta and from DNC accounts, according to CrowdStrike, the firm hired to analyze the breach.Another Russian intelligence agency, the SVR, also at some point breached DNC networks, CrowdStrike found.

A month later, in April, a junior Trump campaign adviser named George Papadopoulos met a mysterious European professor for breakfast at a London hotel. According to court documents, the professor conveyed to Papadopoulos he had learned from Russian government officials in Moscow that the Russians had obtained “‘dirt’ on then-candidate Clinton,” including “thousands of emails.” Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents and is now cooperating with Mueller. The bulk of the stolen Democratic emails ultimately were made public through WikiLeaks, the self-described transparency organization that CIA Director Mike Pompeo has branded as a “hostile non-state intelligence service” that “collaborated” with Russia.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange disputes that his organization got the emails from the Russians.Another big question is whether Mueller will seek to charge anyone associated with WikiLeaks, who may claim in defense that they were acting as journalists. On Wednesday, reported that Mueller’s team is asking witnesses pointed questions about whether Trump was aware that Democratic emails had been stolen before that was publicly known, and whether he was involved in their strategic release, according to multiple people familiar with the probe.

President Trump has repeatedly denied collusion and has called the Mueller investigation a “witch hunt.” A spokesman for the special counsel declined to comment. Source: NBC News.

Mueller eyes charges against Russians who hacked Democrats was originally published on NewsVomit

[amberdscott2]

Former NSA Employee Pleads Guilty to Taking Classified Data

A former employee for the National Security Agency pleaded guilty on Friday to taking classified data to his home computer in Maryland. According to published reports, U.S. intelligence officials believe the data was then stolen from his computer by hackers working for the Russian government.

Nghia Hoang Pho, 67, of Ellicott City, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to “willful retention of national defense information.” The U.S. Justice Department says that beginning in April 2006 Pho was employed as a developer for the NSA’s Tailored Access Operations (TAO) unit, which develops specialized hacking tools to gather intelligence data from foreign targets and information systems.

According to Pho’s plea agreement, between 2010 and March 2015 he removed and retained highly sensitive classified “documents and writings that contained national defense information, including information classified as Top Secret.”

Pho is the third NSA worker to be charged in the past two years with mishandling classified data. His plea is the latest — and perhaps final — chapter in the NSA’s hunt for those responsible for leaking NSA hacking tools that have been published online over the past year by a shadowy group calling itself The Shadow Brokers.

Neither the government’s press release about the plea nor the complaint against Pho mention what happened to the classified documents after he took them home. But a report in The New York Times cites government officials speaking on condition of anonymity saying that Pho had installed on his home computer antivirus software made by a Russian security firm Kaspersky Lab, and that Russian hackers are believed to have exploited the software to steal the classified documents.

On October 5, 2017, The Wall Street Journal reported that Russian government hackers had lifted the hacking tools from an unnamed NSA contractor who’d taken them and examined them on his home computer, which happened to have Kaspersky Antivirus installed.

On October 10, The Times reported that Israeli intelligence officers looked on in real time as Russian government hackers used Kaspersky’s antivirus network as a kind of improvised search tool to scour computers around the world for the code names of American intelligence programs.

For its part, Kaspersky has said its software detected the NSA hacking tools on a customer’s computer and sent the files to the company’s anti-malware network for analysis. In a lengthy investigation report published last month, Kaspersky said it found no evidence that the files left its network, and that the company deleted the files from its system after learning what they were.

Kaspersky also noted that the computer from which the files were taken was most likely already compromised by “unknown threat actors.” It based that conclusion on evidence indicating the user of that system installed a backdoored Microsoft Office 2013 license activation tool, and that in order to run the tool the user must have disabled his antivirus protection.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a binding directive in September ordering all federal agencies to cease using Kaspersky software by Dec. 12.

Pho faces up to 10 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced April 6, 2018.

A note to readers: This author published a story earlier in the week that examined information in the metadata of Microsoft Office documents stolen from the NSA by The Shadow Brokers and leaked online. That story identified several individuals whose names were in the metadata from those documents. After the guilty plea entered this week and described above, KrebsOnSecurity has unpublished that earlier story.

from Amber Scott Technology News https://krebsonsecurity.com/2017/12/former-nsa-employee-pleads-guilty-to-taking-classified-data/