#twas i think seven years ago or something

[okaystoptellingmetomakeanaccount]

Here the rambles i typed in my notes while i didnt have access to tumblr

On the plane:

I 49 percented this game that was on the screen thing. I originally wantedto 100% it because funny and also it was quite a surprisingly clever and fun puzzle platformer but there was too much bullshit at the end and im pretty sure level 24 was impossible so yeah excuses i ended it at 69 stars

(Game was called rotating castle i think but i cant find it anywhere on the web)

Then i watched a my little pony movie wonka and little woman (greta gerwig edition) in that order and my ranking would be 1 3 2 if the numbers were the order in which i watched them wow im so clear

After another flight we arrive in the city where my mother was born and where her mother still lives and so we arrive there do arrival things we arrive at my grandmothers home and i find out pretty much all social media is blocked so im currently writing all this in my notes app so i can copy paste it into tumblr later or reuse it whatever.

Then the next day i was the first to wake up and even while im writing this everyone else is still asleep. So my grandmother goes to me and she has made breakfast and its this sweet soup of which 2/3 of the stuff in it i have no clue to what it is. (future me extra notes: one of those things turned out to be sea cucumber. So i can say i ate that now. Which i say because i guess i find that weird? Gosh im realizing how white i actually am from inside) And the entire time we just point at things because i don’t speak any chinese dialect so at some point i try and wake up my mother so she can translate, so i go hey mom your mom is super sweet and she has made all these delicious things but i feel like the entire situation is very awkward because we dont understand each other so can you come, but then instead my father wakes up and starts complaining about being tired and to leave them alone so i go back to pointing at things. Then she has made some rice porridge and comes with a bag of peanuts and im struggling to open it so shes like let me do it but im like no i can do it dont worry and i thought i couldnt be more embarrassed with the current situation already but because im an idiot i rip open the bag too much and a quarter of the peanuts spill onto the floor and i can only say sorry which i dont even think she understands and clean the floor and then later she comes with a broom thing idk the english word and im like ill do it but then she points like no you eat and im eating rice porridge with peanuts while shes cleaning the mess i made and i felt so bad.

Shes so sweet to me and im only being stupid and i dont even know where im going with this this is just what happened anyways wenzhou is great i think.

(Its not really the walkability of this part of the city where i am is horrid)

Oh and then halfway through writing this she comes into the room again and starts putting some kind of creme on my face probably because my skin looks very dry and i dont know what to say so i just stare at my phone a bunch and completely butcher how you would say thank you in mandarin. I so wish i was less awkward.

Waking people up took so long that i fell asleep myself

Anyways things happened next morning apparently its workers day or something so thats cool. Grandmother gave me food while i was still asleep in bed a few times. Mother is currently getting her hair cut/washed at the neighbors home, but thats also their like where they have their kapperszaak idk the english word and google translate is blocked here and the other translators i cant get to work but they professionally cut hairs there but thats also just their home and im sitting in their living room rn while my mother her hair is getting cut in the room next to me.

And now guess what then my mom is like now its your turn, like my hair isnt short enough already. I dont need to be bald. And then i just sit there and have my hair cut as well while i hear the rest of the people in the house yell and like idk play a board game or something. But it wasnt a lot of hair that got cut so it was fine okay i guess.

After that i fell asleep again well

Anyways

LOOK AT THESE LOOK AT THESE CHINESE DUCK COMICS I MEAN LIKE THE COMICS ARENT CHINESE THEY ARE STILL DANISH AND ITALIAN BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN

The pocket is weirdly heavy. Some crazy paper quality compared to the usual ltb. Idk if theyre all like this or if they did that because this is a special edition. But like its heavy paper.

also got this

Ohohoh life and times and they included other secret???? Letter from home is in here!! I’m SO happy with that. I will force my mom to read all of life and times AND letter from home and its all in the same book. Honestly almost better than the Dutch edition for including letter from home.

And this poster.

And these behind the scenes notes book thing

And for it all being a single book

But like the dutch version is multiple books and thats fancy and we have funny articles written in and all the dutch and italian covers plus slipcase so yeah the dutch version is better objectively i win

A few years ago i was in germany and they had this very fancy life and times book but it was thicker than this chinese one but it was also smaller in like size im thinking about that now. That was also a cool book.

It was also expensive as heck and this one was not so then chinese version wins.

Im not making sense am i? No im not. Anyways cool look at this this is cool such cool guys. I will also force my mom to read dolly paprika ive wanted her to read that story so bad. I need people in my life to talk about dolly paprika the comic story.

Oh yeah funny thing about the pocket when i was in germany i saw the german version too. But it was in a different place. The eh life and times book was on a train station and this pocket was just somewhere between other magazines in some kind of stall thing before a bridge. Wait no i didnt find the pocket in germany it was in switzerland. And it was more expensive because of that. And i didnt know how to properly inducks yet so i didnt know it had a comic i wanted to read. Anyways i got the dutch translation a few months later anyways. Sorry tumblrderders i just need these rambles in my notes im sorry for copy pasting these completely in the post.

Anyways more tales from me the embarrassing stuff gets worse. Somehow i clogged the only toilet in the house and i tried for like half an hour googling stuff and trying to solve it myself but im an idiot (whats new) and just cant get it done. So while im trying my best to let no one know i messed up i message my mom because of course this happens when she has gone to eat with an old classmate and then she messages me back that she has told the rest of the family in the house and theyre gonna solve it. I swear i was going to cry oml. Anyways my uncle came and solved it in ten seconds by grabbing the plunger that i missed because it was blue for some reason and i thought that it was something else. So that happened.

Just thought,

There are so many Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse comics that could be made into live-action movies or tv series with very few changes and they would just… work.

Life and times just needs all the duck references gone, maybe add a bit more edginess and you have an award winning r-rated miniseries.

Take PKNA, replace Duck Avenger with some superhero called the Phantom Knight, then just adapt the comics. (Let his uncle from the life and times miniseries cameo of course) You will have a more successful superhero series than the entire CW Arrowverse.

Do you want money or not disney?

Okay im in hotel rn lotsa stuff happened but i have kinda lost my social media addiction and didnt feel the need to write about this stuff so it was chill and i did not need the writing outlet but this what just happened. I just saw a robot wait for an elevator. It was just standing there. On its little wheels. Waiting for the elevator. Then the elevator doors open. And it goes in. Deadass. The robot waited for the elevator. I dont even know why thats so funny to me and maybe im still living in the past but i had to double check there was no one else accompanying this thing. But it just waited and used the elevator on its own. Was nuts. I laughed for way too long about that. Also because my mother just missed it and i dont know if she believes what i saw. At least my brother saw it too.

Day later and it happened again and this time i recorded it. Still nuts.

(idk how to attach videos this is the best i could do)

No way on the airport back to home (actually the one to beijing but details) i see someone with a donald duck traveling case hes leaving rn so sadly no photo. But its the really dutch one. Pretty sure Nadorp drew the image on it. Ill attach a photo to this from the web when i post it. Just texts in the notes as of rn.

It was this

Luckily i lost my tumblr blog addiction in a few days already so most of what i did i didnt write down so thats thats a thing idk if thats good or bad i think its good.

Its definitely good we dont need to share everything with everyone how tempting it might be.

So that was that plus those duck disney comics here have a few pictures from what is it called? Nature or something idk i took. Youll get as many as tumblr allows because stupid mobile image limit

If ducks were meant to fly, then god would have given us wings

-Donald Duck in that one story i think it was drawn by vicar or something

[peppermint-whiskers]

Fic Writer 20 Questions

Thanks for the tag @blirzy! :D

1) How many works do you have on ao3?

Uhhhhhhhh 35

Most of them are one shots I think

HOWEVER I used to have a Wattpad and that shit had like 30 chaptered stories so,,,, I used to be hella prolific lmaooo

2) What's your ao3 word count?

257,731 words

Gawdam

3) What fandoms do you write for?

Used to write for Zexal, now write for Hazbin Hotel, Star Wars, and my Seven Rings of Vices original series (that I'm still developing because yes)

4) What are your top 4 fics by kudos?

Mind Wipe AU's Act 1: Reconnection (🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭)

Heavenly Serpent's Heaven and Hell's Reunion

Heavenly Serpent's God's Dreams

Heavenly Serpent's Hell's Hotel

Heavenly Serpent's God's Home

5) Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! I love dropping hints and maybes 🤭🤭

6) What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

This third story to a Zexal series called "Forgiving Light" that I wrote like 11-12 years ago?? I mean everybody fuckin died so,,,,

I think Mind Wipe act 1 ending might be a strong contender for angsty ending tho uwu

7) What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

*nervously checks ao3 and wips folder*

Probably Some Chill (written for the rat pack channel in the clone appreciation server uwu). Shrew deserves some chill ngl

8) Do you get hate on fics?

I mean when you're writing about a series based on bible lore people are gonna split some hairs-

It's fine tho uwu

9) Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I wrote smut a few times but only privately and with/for close friends. Twas star wars smut. Cloneshipping because y e s

10) Do you write cross overs? What's the craziest one you've written?

Like 11-12 years ago. I had this one really self indulgent fic with pokemon, DBZ, zexal, and other shit crossed over in it. I even had a lil self insert too uwu

11) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of

👀👀

12) Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not to my knowledge!

13) Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Yes, in private and mostly for fun! They stay in our docs uwu

14) What's your all time favorite ship?

Depends on fandom

Zexal: Keyshipping and Mutinyshipping fuck ye

Star Wars: Literally any clone ship. Give me a clone ship and I'm like "fuck yeah, clone shipping"

Hazbin Hotel: The most ambivalent shipping feels ever. I'm okay with almost any ship but I don't feel strongly for many of them god x pentious my beloved

I mean what?

15) What's a wip you'd like to finish but doubt you ever will?

It's not that I doubt I'll ever finish em, but rat pack has been getting dusty in my folder. They've been disturbingly quiet,,,,

They're plotting something I know it-

16) What are your writing strengths?

Fluff! Angst! Hell yeah!!

17) What are your writing weaknesses?

Smut 👀 I don't think I write it,,, b a d?? It's just uncomfortable writing it for/with people I don't know that well

18) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for fics?

Must have a purpose, and you gotta know what you're saying!

That being said I love shoving mando'a any time I can in star wars fics uwu

19) First fandom you wrote for?

Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal. And it was angsty

20) Favorite fic you've ever written?

That's a hard one ngl,,,,,

Act 1: Reconnection and God's Dreams have been a delight to write ^^ Literally anything Rat Pack has been fun as fuck ngl (even the disturbing shit I wrote privately)

vergo fuck off-

OH SHIT TAGS: literally anyone who sees this, I dunno who writes uwu COUNT ME AS YOUR TAG-

[honourablejester]

I had an idea for an elven wizard who’d been trapped in a demiplane for a thousand years. Time did pass in the demiplane, just at a fifth normal speed, so she’d aged two hundred years in a thousand, well within the lifespan of an elf. It just means that she’s extremely lost and out of date when she finally escapes, and also that she’s spent two thirds of her life so far imprisoned in a relatively tiny house with no one but books and a familiar for company. She speaks perfectly fine Elvish, but very archaic Common as a result, and is more than a little weird.

And it’s slowly revealed over time that she didn’t get stuck in that demiplane by herself. She was tricked, betrayed and locked there by someone she had trusted. Someone she had loved. Though she curiously doesn’t hold it much against them …

“Art villain, then?”

“What do you think, lady?”

“I was ever fond of villains. ‘Course, twas that fondness that left me imprisoned. Not a wise appreciation, perhaps. But … deeply enjoyable. No?”

“Er …”

She had loved a fellow apprentice when they were studying together. She had found him roguish and intriguing and ambitious. And certainly he seemed to find her equally entrancing. They had enjoyed each other deeply. But he had plans, and dreams, and ideas that seemingly never included her. The first she knew of them was when the portal of their shared demiplane rippled and sealed shut behind her. Imprisoning her for two hundred years. At least from her own viewpoint.

From his, it has been a thousand. And he has changed quite a bit in the meantime. Lichdom, undeath, has been somewhat less kind than time dilation.

I find I’m just quite enchanted with the idea of this strange, golden scholar, confused and a thousand years out of time, finally encountering the grand evil she has semi-accidentally been drafted to fight, this great lich that threatens all the world, and … recognising him. Something of him. A familiar spark of roguish villainy and ambition, hardened into monstrous evil.

“Evil hath not been kind to thy features, beloved. Thou wast much kinder to mine.”

And that was the goal. They had been students of a great diviner, once upon a time, students of prophecy and divination. He had seen something, something terrible in the centuries and millennia to come that he desperately needed her to avoid, that he needed not to touch her. So he had sealed her away. Out of love. Seven hundred years, elves can live. With time slowed to a fifth inside the demiplane, he would have had nearly three thousand years to solve whatever problem he had foreseen.

Well. As long as he could find a way for him to survive as well. Survive and act, without the safety of sealing himself away. And therein lay the problem.

Power corrupts, and so does undeath. He has become a lich. He has become truly evil, devouring souls to preserve himself. And he hasn’t solved the problem yet. Destruction, the horror he had foreseen all those centuries ago, yet beckons. And she managed to get out early. She managed to escape back out into a world where that horror can touch her. Destroy her. And he has had a thousand years of corruption and solutions powered by stolen souls to all his problems.

What is a lich to do, when the one creature he yet loves defies him and stands in the face of prophesied destruction despite his best efforts? What is he to do, when the remnants of his shattered soul only partly remember how to love?

What is a lich to do? And how much does a wizard, and a prophetess in her own right, allow him?

 I don’t know, I just feel like liches should have more tragic loves knocking around. Undeath grants such gulfs of time. Have some surviving, long-lost fragments of humanity cross it. Have them survive, improbably, and call to question everything the lich has come to know over centuries of evil.

[myidlehand]

Hi!! congratulations for your milestone!! I have a prompt, if you like: Geralt and Jaskier finde themselves somehow under some mistletoe :)

Hello! You get away with the only Chistmassy prompt I’m ever gonna write ^^. This is a little stupid and fluffy but I hope you will enjoy it.

This is prompt 2/7 of the 1000 follower celebration.

Basically, it’s Geralt being a bit cheeky and Jaskier doesn’t mind it too much in the end.

thanks @planetesastraea for the title!

Twas the Ignight before Chrismas

“I can’t believe I’ve let you dragged me into one of those fucking balls again Jaskier!” Geralt says, tugging at his doublet when it rides up. Where did Jaskier find it, it’s way too tight?

“Oh, shush, you owe me.”

“I really don’t.”

“You do! I saved you from these grumpy townfolks three days ago!”

“I saved YOU from an angry mob when YOU started a bar fight when the innkeeper wouldn’t let me in!”

“Oh pish posh, don’t be so literal Geralt!” Jaskier answers, dismissively, not even paying attention to the Witcher but rather the lovely young lady currently engaged with an equally attractive young lad. Geralt just rolls his eyes and tugs at his doublet again.

“I’m going to smother you in your sleep, and I promise you it will be literal.”

“Sure, sounds lovely,” Jaskier answers, now looking at an opulent brown haired lady who winks at him. “Oi! What the hell Geralt!” he yelps when Geralt punches him in the arm.

“Stop making faces at married women and go play something so we can leave soon.”

“I can’t just start singing. I need an entrance! You have no sense of showmanship Geralt”, Jaskier says, walking backwards into the crowd, “you’re so simple, but that’s what I like about you!” he continues, a little louder, before turning around. “Ladies and gentle folks gather around! Gather around! My name is Jaskier, and I have a tale or two to sing to you for these fine Yuletide celebrations!”

Geralt watches Jaskier disappear into the crowd and decides to look for some food, hopefully far enough from people so he can enjoy the music but doesn’t have to talk to anybody. He settles in a corner out of the way and waits for the evening to pass.

An hour in, he’s popping some grapes into his mouth when he notices it. Jaskier has found some company to feed him some fruits and ale while he takes his first break to rest his voice a little before he continues what promises to be a very long night of singing and celebrating. It’s subtle, but if you watch closely enough, Jaskier is slowly but surely pushing the young man he’s with under a mistletoe branch. There’s several hanging low from the rafters all around the great hall where the party is held. It’s tradition to kiss under the mistletoe in Skellige during Yuletide. The collar of the doublet Jaskier forced him into scratches at his throat, reminding Geralt how much he would prefer to be in a comfortable bed or even an uncomfortable one than be here when an idea pops into his mind.

Jaskier nearly gets what he wants, but right before he manages to manoeuvre the lad under the mistletoe, the branch combusts with no warning.

Servants are immediately on them, making sure neither of them is injured. The Lady of the house profusely apologises, especially to Jaskier, he’s quite well-known by now and chastises the servants for putting mistletoe so close to the candles. The young man is clearly not in the mood for kissing anymore. So Jaskier tells the Lady to not worry for the mishap and pushes the incident from everybody’s mind by getting back into his songs.

During his second break, Geralt spots Jaskier again, happily chatting with two beautiful ladies this time. He nearly gets both of them under the mistletoe; he’s so close. Sadly, the branch catches on fire out of nowhere again. A servant catches the branch and stomps on it before anybody has time to see it, fortunately. The ladies are a little startled by the servant's sudden outburst, and Jaskier leads them away with a flirty remark and a bright smile. While the ladies are distracted, he turns around, finds Geralt and gives him a suspicious look. The Witcher only answers with a one-sided grin and takes a sip of ale. Geralt can’t hear, but he sees the huff of frustration coming from Jaskier. Again the bard is forced to abandon his conquests to sing for a final hour that night.

Well into the night, once Jaskier’s set is finally over, Geralt spots Jaskier with the lovely voluptuous woman who kept making eyes at him all night. There are also two very jumpy servants walking close by the bard but not directly in his way with, what Geralt thinks, might be a glass of water each, which makes him chuckle a little.

Jaskier manoeuvres the lady under the mistletoe again, the servants come closer. And before making a move to kiss her, Jaskier’s eyes fall on Geralt across the room, clearly saying “I dare you”. Geralt replies with a shit-eating grin and a flick of his fingers. He has to admit, those servants are very quick and discreet with the water!

“Lady Mathilde, my deepest apologies but I seem to have forgotten that I had an affair to resolve rather urgently. I’m so sorry to leave you, my dear, but the matter cannot wait.”

“Well that’s too bad, but I’m here until the morning if you need some company later,” she answers, eyes dark and appreciative of the bard in front of her. 

Jaskier assures her he won’t forget and leaves her company, stomping towards Geralt, who turns around towards an open window to a balcony above the gardens. He doesn’t step out of the room. Instead, he just stays in the doorway.

“What the hell is your problem!” Jaskier hisses at him.

“Hum… no having a good night are we?” Geralt turns his head to the side a little.

“You know damn well how my night has been going!” Jaskier comes close, too close, right in his personal space like he always does when he’s angry. “Are you going to burn that branch too?” He says, pointing at the branch of mistletoe hanging by the door, right above them.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about”, Geralt answers calmly.

“You know they say it’s bad luck to not receive a kiss on Yule night and that’s at least three you took from me! Seven years of bad luck, in fact! And if you think I’m going to suffer those seven years alone, you’re dead mistaken you stubborn pr…”

Geralt puts his hand on Jaskier’s cheek, the other around his waist and kisses Jaskier with no warning, and any thought Jaskier has ever had in his entire life suddenly leaves his body. 

After a second, when he realises what’s happening, he closes his eyes, both hands coming to rest on Geralt’s waist too. His fingers dig into his sides a little too hard but Geralt doesn’t mind Jaskier being a little possessive. Jaskier always thought Geralt would be forceful and dominant, but the kiss is sweet and soft, almost shy. Geralt clearly knows very well what he’s doing, and Jaskier is left floating in the air for a second.

When Geralt breaks away, he still gives a second, very small and swift peck on his lip and Jaskier opens his eyes slowly, breathless. Geralt doesn’t push away too far, they are almost the same height, but the difference in their position is enough for Jaskier to be looking up at him just a little. 

“Seven years of bad luck, can’t have that,” Geralt whispers, his eyes closing again, the tip of his nose slowly caressing Jaskier’s cheek, being allowed for the first time to truly enjoy Jaskier’s scent.

“Right can’t…” Their bodies are flushed together and Jaskier shivers a little and closes his eyes to try to get himself under control. He swallows hard and when he opens his eyes again, Geralt still hasn’t let go of him, a thumb gently stroking his cheek while his nose is still exploring his other side “... can’t have that, no.” He shivers again. “Maybe we could…. Gods'' he interrupts himself when Geralt kisses the corner of his lips. “Maybe… maybe we could do that again. Just… just to make sure. Seven years is quite a… quite a long time.” Jaskier whispers breathlessly. Geralt pushes his face away just a little, his lips barely above Jaskier’s, enough for them to share a breath, eyes locked together.

“Sure” he answers, with amusement in his voice, “just to make sure” and kisses Jaskier again.

[thenexusofsouls]

"Tha's alright, love. I'd wait forever fer you ta come 'round ta anything," Eric said, smiling like the truly smitten man that he was for her. As long as it happened eventually, as long as Sara eventually believed him that they were deceived and that he'd never leave her, he could wait forever for her to work through the details.

He nodded, because she wasn't wrong. It did help him to take care of Snow White. Eric hadn't had the desire to take care of himself anymore, and he'd let himself fall very far into poor health and depression. Having to care for someone else and protect them, however, and being responsible for their life forced him to set aside the bottle more often than not for the first time in seven years. He'd had a need to be alert and at his best, and that had definitely helped him take better care of himself in turn. Maybe Sara was right and he was someone who liked to help people, Eric wasn't sure. His own identity had been altered and overshadowed by the conqueror and killer Freya had trained him to be.

"Aye, tha's all that matters t'me too... yer safety. Now that I've got you back, I'm never gonna let anythin' 'appen t'you again. I promise you... nothin' an' no one's ever gonna hurt you ever again." It was a real promise, but it was also a desperate wish, because losing her the first time had all but broken him. Sara deserved to live and be happy, and thinking that she'd died because he wasn't there had been something that had haunted him terribly.

As the conversation settled on them disagreeing, Eric couldn't help but smile. How often had they argued years ago? How many times had they disagreed in the past? But always they came back to each other. Always... there was still that love there. He happily accepted another kiss from her, and the playful slap as well, grinning at her question. "Aye, I would. 'Twas very nice as I recall, an' I'd def'nitely want t'do that again sometime," he said playfully, grinning like a total idiot. It usually made her smile.

[thenexusofsouls] (from Eric)(for Sara) 💋

@thenexusofsouls

Their first kiss had been somewhat magical. The second the same. But the one that seemed to make Sara feel like she was walking on air was the one that came after years of believing he was gone. Yes, they had had their arguments over the past few days, yes there was still a piece of her that wanted to hate him. But the moment that their lips met, when they were pressed against each other again, that was like Heaven. She kissed him slowly to begin with, testing the waters before letting it all go. Oh how she had missed him and the way he made her feel seen, feel loved.

[spotofmummery]

Layers: Amon

LAYER ONE: THE OUTSIDE

NAME. Amon D’Syrcus (of Allag)

EYE COLOUR. Gold.

HAIR STYLE/COLOUR.  Long, often wild and messy, silver/white.

HEIGHT. 6 fulms, 10 ilms.

CLOTHING STYLE. Being a bard, this varies from anything bright and flamboyant to something colorfully elegant. Rarely, field gear for battle situations.

BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE. My smile. :D 

LAYER TWO: THE INSIDE

YOUR FEARS. Being forgotten, my life’s work having been in vain, seeing my homelands and people demonized due to mistakes I’ve made in the past.

YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE. Allagan snails. Really, just try them!

YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVE. Would it be ironic to say arrogant people? Yes? Well, I’ll say it anyhow. 

YOUR AMBITION FOR THE FUTURE. That... is a good question. Much and more has changed for me lately, and I honestly don’t know where my future is taking me. I used to believe ‘twas the Tower. But now, I’m uncertain.

LAYER THREE: THOUGHTS

FIRST THOUGHTS WAKING UP. Usually something along the lines of “Where am I and how did I get here?” I fall asleep in very odd and random locations.

THINK ABOUT MOST. Believe it or not, the state of the world and how I can improve things for others. It used to revolve around reviving Allag but... well... yeah.

THINK ABOUT BEFORE BED. I fall asleep pretty randomly, usually in the middle of reading something or researching, so I don’t tend have a given period of “thoughts before bed.”

WHAT THE BEST QUALITY IS. My best quality? I’d say: my sense of humor.

LAYER FOUR: WHAT’S BETTER?

SINGLE OR GROUP DATES.  Single.

TO BE LOVED OR RESPECTED. Why not both? Though, it really depends on who you’re targeting. For some people, it’s more important to earn “love” and others to earn “respect.”

BEAUTY OR BRAINS. Brains.

DOGS OR CATS. I like most animals, but given a choice between the two, dogs.

LAYER FIVE: DO YOU...

LIE. When a situation arises in which fibbery is required, aye.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. Outwardly, aye. Inwardly, not so much.

BELIEVE IN LOVE.  Aye, I do.

WANT SOMEONE. 'Tis a rather private question to ask, my friend! ...And what if I say aye?

LAYER SIX: EVER?

BEEN ON STAGE.  Often!

DONE DRUGS. Aye, if you include self-augmentation.

CHANGED WHO YOU WERE TO FIT IN. Constantly, my friend!

LAYER SEVEN: FAVORITES

FAVORITE COLOR. Wine red.

FAVORITE FOOD. I’ll try just about anything, but the a fore mentioned Allagan snail is fine dining to me! 

FAVORITE GAME.  One of those silly tome games designed to suck up all your time. You know the one I’m talking about. Yeah, I fall for it.

LAYER EIGHT: AGE

DAY YOUR NEXT BIRTHDAY WILL BE. 32nd Sun of the 6th Umbral Moon - which equates to the last day of the Eorzean calendar. ‘Tis coming up soon! (December 31st!)

HOW OLD WILL YOU BE. Old enough to know better, too old to care.

AGE YOU LOST YOUR VIRGINITY.  A little personal to ask, don’t you think?

DOES AGE MATTER. For what? Most folks claim that I never grew up.

LAYER NINE: IN A BOY OR GIRL

BEST PERSONALITY. Hm… someone who’s clever, always open to learning, not afraid to challenge the status-quo, and willing to speak their mind. Fun loving is a huge bonus, too. 

BEST EYE COLOR. Matters not.

BEST HAIR COLOR. Matters not.

BEST THING TO DO WITH A PARTNER. Intelligent bantering, be it over a topic of discussion or just for the fun of it. I enjoy the mental challenge.

LAYER TEN: FINISH THE SENTENCE

I LOVE. …to perform on stage - be it music or drama. Bringing people pleasure with my performance is one of the most rewarding feelings.

---

I actually completed this meme TWO years ago (some questions were slightly different) so I did it again just to see what answers changed. Many were the same but some did change.

Tagged by: @roguestly​ (Sorry it took so long!)

Tagging: @lumei-xiv​ @candideangel​ @windup-dragoon​ @tigjax​ @kepesktribe​  And anyone who wants to do it - feel free to ignore if you’ve already done it in the past.

[chrysalispen]

Prompt #15 - Ache

nothing dazzling, just some fluff and backstory

======

"How fares the matter we discussed in missives previous?"

Gaius van Baelsar paused, cleared his throat, and scanned the itinerary tablet a subordinate had passed to him. Solus zos Galvus was known to make unannounced visits to all the provinces when it suited him, but this was the first such visit the Emperor had made to Ala Mhigo since its surrender to imperial forces. Were the full truth of the matter to be known, it appeared he was finally starting to feel the weight of his advanced years. A lung ague had confined him to the palace early in the year, preventing him from attending the Magitek Academy's annual spring gala (wherein it was his tradition to personally address the crop of each year's graduating students) for the first time in over two decades.

'Twas to be expected---although, Gaius suspected, that frailty was mostly physical. The keen focus of those sharp gold-hazel eyes had not dulled. Whatever else he might be, the old goat still had all of his wits about him. Thus, the legatus did not dally.

"All is proceeding apace, Your Radiance. Reports from our forward scouts lead my tribunes to believe we can muster all forces necessary to spearhead the campaign within the next nine months. Much of Mor Dhona is either uninhabited or ruled by beast tribes." Gaius offered a laconic shrug. "They are not like to create any particular impediment."

"I imagine their eikons might provide some small hindrance," Solus said wryly.

"As you say, Your Radiance. However, lacking any forewarning, they would not have time to see to their defenses before we take the region around Silvertear Lake. We can establish a staging ground in Mor Dhona and sweep south. Frumentarium reports show the Eorzeans lack a unified large-scale force with which to resist the full might of an imperial legion. Ala Mhigo was the source of much of their military might, and with it now annexed as a province, the other city-states should fall quickly. Provided all goes according to plan, most if not all Eorzea should be under imperial control by this time next year."

"One can hope. Now, for the schedule."

"Yes, Your Radiance. There's an inspection of the Velodyna installation by transport scheduled for half noon tomorrow. After our return to the city, dining with the Thavnairian trade minister and several local merchants and assorted nobles."

"Ah, yes. Helpful turncoats, all," Solus zos Galvus harrumphed, shifting in his seat. "I suppose putting in an appearance and speaking a few pleasantries will keep them content enough. Shall there be any of our own in attendance other than yourself and your officers?"

"Unlikely."

"Very good. I should like to speak with them each in their turn if possible."

An order, not a request. "Of course, Your Radiance."

==

"My lord, you are still indisposed-"

Julian rem Laskaris shoved L'haiya's hands away with an annoyed grunt. "Enough, Elle. I don't need your mothering," he said. "And it hardly matters. An invitation to dine with the Emperor at the viceroy's request means my presence is required, not requested."

Aurelia worried at her lower lip, watching the pain twist her father's face as he braced himself upon the crutches and tried to shift his weight a third time. He'd broken his leg last month when a bit of scaffolding at the new military installation along the river had collapsed during a routine inspection. Although he had been bedridden less than a sennight, he was not yet authorized to return to the full scope of his duties and she knew it rankled him.

His temper was such that he was not like to see her interference kindly either, but she'd rather he yell at her than L'haiya. At least in her case, she could yell back.

"Aurelia," L'haiya began sharply when she stepped forward, but she went ignored. Aurelia's arm slipped under her father's to wrap about his shoulders and beneath her touch, she felt him stiffen in surprise.

"Off with you, girl. What I said for your governess goes for you also. Leave me be."

"Father, the cushions are too deep for you to stand without help. You won't get enough leverage to keep your balance-"

"I know what I said!" he barked, but other than a surprised flinch, Aurelia didn't budge. "Young lady, do not ignore me."

"If you don't accept my help, father, then you'll never leave the sofa. You'll be stuck here all night and I cannot imagine his lordship the viceroy will find that an acceptable excuse for failing to appear at the palace. His Radiance certainly will not." As usual, he couldn't look her in the eyes- although her blunt assessment seemed to have taken the wind out of his sails. The tips of his ears were pink but otherwise, he made no response. "Elle, can we have a bath drawn for Father? In the downstairs room so he'll not have to navigate the stairs. It will be more quickly done."

Mirth twinkled in the governess' eyes but she managed to keep a straight face.

"Of course, young mistress," she drawled. "Will that be all?"

"Mayhap we might have Sazha fetch his dress uniform downstairs. I think Clopas can help him dress once he's out of the bath."

"I shall see to it."

"Elle," Julian protested, "she does not give the orders around here. I do."

That assertion went unheeded as the woman immediately crossed the hall and vanished from sight. In a moment there was the loud and rushing sound of running water rattled through the wall pipes.

"Elle, I was talking to you!"

After a moment, L'haiya poked her head back through the open door. "Apologies, my lord," she called, "but it's quite difficult to hear over the bath. If you've another request I'm afraid you'll need to speak up."

Julian scowled but said nothing, and after a brief pause, they both heard the door snick shut. This time when his daughter hoisted, he went with her until he stood - somewhat shakily - on his good leg and drew the crutches in, checking their counterbalance.

"Well, father, and now you shall be prepared on time."

"I would have been prepared in any case," he said gruffly. "I said I was fine, and so I am. You should not have attempted to gainsay your-"

"Should I have sent your regrets to Lord van Baelsar after all, father? If you are too indisposed to wash properly let alone attend a dinner with the Emperor, I am quite certain he will accept it- or mayhap His Radiance might deign to call upon us while you lie in your sickbed."

This was a trick she had learned from L'haiya - needling him while remaining outwardly respectful - and it still surprised her every time it worked. Your lord father is easier to manage than you think, she had said. Like a fly. Honey, child, not vinegar.

Not that Father needed to know about that conversation.

He squinted at her and with some difficulty, she bit back a snicker.

"If you weren't thirteen summers yet, you stubborn little chit," was Julian rem Laskaris' answering growl before he turned his back on the girl and began to limp, with a pathetic sort of dignity, towards the downstairs washroom. Just as Aurelia had bid. "Next time I'll thank you not to countermand me in front of the help. You're not too old to be switched for your cheek, girl."

There was no heat in that threat whatsoever. "Of course not, father."

He knew by her tone she was humoring him. Her even tone was met with a glower that reminded her remarkably of Sazha, when he'd sulk over losing one of their games.

"I don't need your help or anyone else's to bathe myself."

"In that case, father, please let us know when you're done. One of us can call upon Clopas to see to the shaving while you dress," she said placidly. "I'll prepare some tea while you bathe. Is there aught else I might have missed?"

Her father only made a low-pitched grunt before the door slammed shut behind him. ~*~

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not." Her hands were on his upper back, probing gently, smooth and slightly cool. "I rather doubt you've done yourself any permanent harm, but you should consider avoiding strenuous work. No more work on the new project or the Red Baron until you've fully recovered this time."

"It's a pulled muscle, eikon-slayer. I've had plenty worse. Five years ago I would have slept this off and-" Nero grunted in discomfort as her knuckles rolled over a tender spot near his spine. She didn't even flinch. "...Perhaps it's lingered a day or two past what I expected initially but I told you I am fine."

"Of course you are," the Warrior of Light said, a little too agreeably. Something about that mild, placid tone set his teeth on edge.

"You are not my mother. Stop humoring me."

"I'll stop humoring you when you stop sulking like an overgrown child."

"I don't have to suffer this indignity," the engineer growled. "Let me up. I have work to do."

"And let you injure yourself all over again? Out of the question."

"Seven hells, woman-"

"No," Aurelia said firmly. "That's final. Complain all you like, but you're not getting anywhere near the G-Warrior until your back is improved. Not even for maintenance."

He made a loud and angry harrumph into his pillows.

"Who let Garlond name it, anyroad," Nero groused. "What a bloody ridiculous title. I'd have given it a proper name. Something that would have really left an impression."

"Oh?" He flinched sharply when she found a tender spot, his curse bitten out behind a loud hiss of pain. She paused and gently rubbed his shoulder in apology. "Like what? Dazzle me with your first impression, Scaeva."

"Obviously I'm not going to be able to think of anything while you're cracking every bone in my spinal column," he grumbled. "But it would've been something a damned sight more imaginative than G-Warrior."

"Really? My goodness. You may safely color me hypothetically impressed."

Those sharp blue eyes narrowed until he was squinting at her- or making a valiant attempt at it.

"...Are you trying to be funny?"

"I wouldn't dream of it." A beat of silence followed by a huffy sigh, and Aurelia laughed. She'd switched her attention to the juncture of his shoulders and neck, pressing with her fingertips in small and careful circular motions. "Far be it from me to lecture, but I am fair certain the reason you could shake this off with minimal attention five years past is because you were younger and in peak physical shape."

"I am still in peak physical shape," Nero retorted, no small measure of offense implicit in the words.

"That is very much up for debate, but regardless, maybe don't go clambering up three-thousand-year-old Allagan broadcasting antennae by yourself in future? Just for a sennight or so? You're not as young as you used to be."

Nero sighed, this time with rather more regret.

"Don't bloody remind me."

[zwiezraczek]

Hey love!:) are you still taking requests? if so, can you do 8 &10 she/her with four?:D

Out The Window [Blurb]

8. “Why are you doing this to me?” 10. “I'd like to kiss you... Joking... Unless?”

~~~

You blew the strand of hair from before your eyes, after hiding the unconscious guy in the closet. Another day in your beautiful hitman life. Nobody saw you getting in, nobody would see you getting out. And as you entered the elevator, your phone rang. You took it from your purse, looking at the screen to know who dared interrupt your flow at the end of a mission. One, of course One.

First of all, what a stupid idea to go by code names; you knew him in the orphanage, you were way younger than him, but you became friends pretty quickly. You still looked, impressed, at his magnetic inventions, and followed the grand finale a year ago on the boat where they stopped Murat. A great masterpiece, and you were pretty angry at him for not inviting you, as he promised to. But you couldn't blame him: you refused to be Two. When he explained his fucked up story, telling you that he was dead and that you should die too to be able to work with him, you didn't hesitate for a second: it was a solid no, for obvious reasons. Dying, faking its own death wasn't fun to you, it was mire troublesome than anything else. You had to hide in the desert, with him, and his little team. It was a big no to you. But you helped him recruit Three. Because you heard about Javier many times, you even spoke with him when he was a hitman, but that was all before he killed that father almost in front of his daughter and began to withdraw from the job. So you gave One Javier's number and current location. The rest, is history.

“What do you want,” you asked after answering the phone.

“I need help Extra,” he whispered.

“What is wrong with you with these code names,” you said, after the doors of the elevator closed and you clicked on the first floor.

“No time for talking about that, I'll need you for a mission, you in?”

“Oh, now when you're a famous savior you call your old friend Extra,” you teased him, the elevator stopped, two men stepped in, looking suspiciously at you. You had to lie low. “So, what's the problem darling,” you cooed, your hand on your hip, playing it seductive.

“You're in trouble,” he asked.

“Maybe yes, maybe no, depending of what you think,” you whispered into the device, sensually as the men in front of you turned bright red. Bingo.

“Calling you later Extra, I already have two fucking in who-knows-where and I don't want to do that,” he replied, a bit disgusted.

“Love you too,” you whispered before turning off the phone. “'Twas my baby,” you said to the men in front of you, a big smile on your face, “can't wait to see him again!”

They went silent, still bright red. You had your small revenge on One, and now you needed to know what he needed you for so badly.

~~~

Great you thought, as you had to find a way out of there, running on these heels. Fuck, you continued bare foot. You had no way to communicate with One's crew, who apparently knew who you were. More or less. And the only thing you knew that there was Seven, the sniper who eliminated half the guys who were trying to kill you on your way up there, and Four, the parkour expert. You still were pretty curious to know why One decided to put this guy right here, and not Javier or Two, people who would help you inside. A mystery.

You stopped by the corner, hiding behind a curtain, sitting on the edge of the window, as you heard men running to find you. You held your breath, closing your eyes and hoping the wouldn't notice you. You could hear them talk about you, about not knowing where you were, in these dark hallways. You heard footsteps, running away. Great. You sighed, relieved and stood on the ground, opened the curtains. Shattering of glass behind you, somebodywas getting inside, almost falling on you. The dark figure stood in front of you, you began to push him towards the window, holding him by his collar, not far from letting him fall down.

“Why are you doing this to me,” the guy almost yelled looking you right in the eye, eyes glowing in the pale moonlight, “I'm Four! Don't you fucking try to kill me, Extra!”

“Next time don't scare the shit out of me,” you told him, pulling him inside, as he looked at you dusting his hoodie. “So this is your escape plan, you asked, arching an eyebrow, “not subtle.”

“Not my idea,” he defended himself.

“She's funny,” Seven said into Four's ear, chuckling a bit after this exchange. He still looked at them, the path was still clear, nobody seemed to hear the breaking glass.

“She almost killed me, mate,” he retorted, you looking at him.

“Oh, it's Seven? Tell him that he does a neat sniping job.”

“Yeah, compliment one of the guys who comes to save your ass, Extra,” Four complained, rolling his eyes. “This way,” he headed going through the window as you followed.

“I'll thank you when I'll come out alive from this fucking mess One put me in.”

~~~

You heard your heart beat to the beat of the drums. From all the things you could have imagined, a party that One agreed to go to with his whole crew and you, this would never came to your mind. You put on your little black dress, dancing with a glass of champagne in your hand, right next to Two who brought you the glass you held. The crew was pretty nice, and you asked yourself if being with them wouldn't be a better life choice than living your hitman life – especially after the small conversation you had with Javier, who was absolutely glad that he stopped all of this, not being longer held by the missions and the contracts, but you loved this adrenaline, even if it meant working for the bad guys the most of the time.

The party you went to wasn't held by One, it would be a miracle, you just managed to go through the security together, with confident smiles on your faces and the looks needed to enter the place. The music blasted into your ears, and heart. And dancing with Two was a true pleasure, and even more than that. She seemed so cold but in fact she was the one to know how to have some fun with all these things around, with people, and taking advantage of who to get what she wanted. A true hitman indeed.

As you were dancing with Two and a flute of champagne, Four looked at you from afar, drinking another flute of champagne next to Seven. Probably too much flutes, because he stopped counting them. Mostly because you were the one intriguing him, on his mind since you almost threw him out this window when you first met. An instant crush. Four had something for dangerous women, he knew it – this was why his girlfriend dumped him from this building when he was in Ukraine stealing the necklace, too dangerous woman.

Seeing you climbing behind him, in that dress and bare foot, this was a new kind of experience he never knew he needed in his life. Your hairdo becoming messy as you jumped on the zipline he prepared, without any fear and he looked as your bun undid itself as you flew above the buildings. A truly magnificent view.

“Stop devouring her with your eyes and go to talk with her,” Seven said, elbowing him, “or otherwise you'll be wallowing for the next few years.”

“Wanker,” Four replied, putting the flute on one's server tray. “She's dancing with Two, she has fun with Two, and she likes Three. What the fuck am I to her? A youngster, One would say.”

“She's younger than One,” Seven remarked.

“Everybody is younger than One.”

“Don't be so over dramatic.”

“She tried to kill me.”

“That almost turned you on,” Seven remarked as Four made big eyes, “you said so, I noticed? Stays between us.” Four mouthed a thank you, before disappearing in the crowd to go and see her.

He had to breathe in, and breathe out. He was a total mess, a stupid mess. You were older than him – not much but still, it impressed him a lot, okay? – and he looked at you, having fun with Two before saying “fuck it” and going up to you.

Kesha. Great. “Oh what a shame that you came in with someone.” “We're gonna die young.” He was about to. He could feel butterflies in his stomach, his dizzy head as he approached you, sheepish and timid. You turned back, and saw him in his white collar shirt, standing in front of you. You tilted your head, curious to know what he wanted, Two having her full attention on Javier now.

“I'd like to kiss you”, he whispered, and he caught you off guard. He stood there, like a child, harmless.

“What,” was the only reply you could give him at that precise moment.

“Joking,” he pursued, playing with his fingers as you leaned closer to look at him. He looked so cute.

“Four, what do you want,” you asked him, maybe a bit impatiently. You too maybe wanted to kiss him. Maybe just a bit. Or maybe even more.

“Unless,” he continued, plunging his beautiful crystal eyes into yours.

“Fuck it,” you said, as you took him by his waist to kiss him.

Your lips against his, alcohol scented, as much as yours. He ran his fingers through your hair, delicately biting your lip as you parted to catch your breaths. He smiled against your lips, satisfied that you didn't throw him out that window, but almost.

[three-drink-amy]

Sweet Creature

I have been so touched by the support for this fic! Thank you! 

chapter one - chapter two - chapter three 

chapter four - chapter five - chapter six

Chapter Seven

Weeks passed and Claire still refused to yield. Her feelings were still too raw to deal with Jamie. Joe would occasionally try to tell her that she should reach out, but she wouldn’t. She couldn’t. Giving the check back to Jamie was supposed to serve as a cutting of their ties. And it had worked. After Joe had given it back to him, Jamie had stopped trying to talk to her. There were no more texts or calls that she had to ignore. He’d finally taken the hint. Most of her was relieved, though there was a tiny part of her that was disappointed. 

Ten years was a long time to be friends before letting someone go. But if the action was bad enough, it became easier. She found herself replaying their fight each time she wondered if she should reach out to Jamie. It had been important to Claire to have succeeded mostly on her own. The people that had tried to jump on after she was already starting to be successful pissed her off. But there was always one person who was capable of reminding her that she hadn’t done it all on her own. And until five weeks before, he’d never done so. Even if it seemed silly, even if it was irrational, Claire just couldn’t move past the feeling of betrayal that had been rooted in her since that night. 

So instead of thinking about Jamie, Claire threw all her energy into work. She took on more roles as head baker while also trying to take care of everything she could for both stores. Bouncing back and forth between shops could be draining, but she was determined to do it all. Joe and Mary would often urge her to take a break, but she wouldn’t listen. 

She was sitting in a meeting with the managers of the second store, trying to get a rundown on how things were going. “So things are running smoothly?” 

Both women nodded emphatically. “Och, yes, ma’am they are,” Anna insisted. “We’ve been doing quite well. Even wi’ the influx of orders.” 

Claire quirked a brow, looking at her employee. “There’s been an influx of orders? How many?” 

The two women looked between each other before looking back at Claire. Margaret pulled out a file and looked for the exact number. “They started coming in a few weeks ago. They’re usually quite large. Here it is,” she said, pointing to a specific number. “We’ve had orders three days a week for three weeks.” 

“And actually, I think the second week, there was a fourth order. I believe there have been ten so far. All under the same name, too,” Anna expanded. 

Suddenly, Claire was suspicious. “Wait, it’s all been the same person? Ten orders in three weeks and it’s been the same person?” Both women nodded. “How much has been spent?” 

Margaret went down the page til she found the number. “It’s been 10,000 pounds.” 

Claire’s jaw dropped momentarily. She shook her head as she looked at the two women across from her. “What’s the name for these orders? Is it Jamie Fraser by chance?” 

“No, actually it’s not,” Margaret said, double checking her information. “The name is Malcolm Mackenzie.”  

Claire burst out laughing before quickly stilling herself. “Sorry about that,” she said with a wave of apology. “Let me know if these orders become too much to handle. Or if they continue.” She sighed. “I believe I know who is behind them.” 

“Why do you say “behind them” like it’s a bad thing?” Anna asked. 

Claire realized she must sound ungrateful. Someone had poured 10,000 pounds into her business and she was acting like she wanted them found and beaten. She figured out an explanation to the women before excusing herself from the meeting all together. As she drove back to the other shop, she wasn’t sure if she should be grateful or irritated that Jamie had taken her money and started shoving it right back at her. After her initial shock, she realized it shouldn’t have been a surprise that he was doing so. The man was nothing if not stubborn. 

* * *

Jamie arrived at Lallybroch, a large box of baked goods under his arm. Jenny looked positively shocked at the sight of him at the front door. His hands had been too full to just let himself in. He dropped his bag at the door and placed the box on the dining room table before turning to greet his sister. 

“What are ye doing here?” she asked, staring at him. “Tis been a while since I’ve heard from ye.” 

“Sorry about that,” he said with a shrug. “Been a bit busy.” 

Jenny stepped back, looking at him critically. “Are ye sure? Ye dinna look like yerself, brother.” 

Jamie waved her off. “I’m fine,” he insisted, grabbing his bag and heading for his old room. Jenny followed him up the stairs. Ian walked out in the hallway, stunned at the sight of his brother-in-law. 

“Jamie! I didna realize ye would be here,” Ian exclaimed with a large smile on his face. 

“That’s because he didna bother telling any of us that he was coming,” Jenny replied for him as she still followed Jamie down the hall. “Ye certainly came wi’ a big box of snacks. Tell me, did Claire send any of those for us too?” 

That was the first time Jamie paused since walking in the door. “She didna send them.” He stole a quick glance over his shoulder to see Jenny and Ian exchanging a confused glance. 

“The last time I talked to her, she said she was going to make you bring her here,” Jenny continued to push. “But it’s been months. I’m surprised ye didna bring her this time.” 

Jamie stopped at the doorway for his room, turning to look at the couple trailing him. “That would be because she hasna spoken to me in a month and a half.” He didn’t wait for their response, walking instead to throw his bag down on his old bed. 

“Wait, what?” Ian asked, looking at Jenny to confirm what he’d heard. 

“When was the last time ye talked to her?” Jenny asked. “And why have ye no’ spoken?” 

Jamie threw himself down onto his bed with a large sigh. He sat up to see Jenny standing in front of the bed, Ian lingering near the doorway. “She’s mad at me.” He shook his head. “No, that makes it sound like she’ll get over it in a few days and we’ll be fine. We were arguing and I said the wrong thing. Something stupid. Something that, Christ, I didna even mean, especially no’ the way she thought I meant it. But she hasna spoken to me since.” He looked to Jenny. “I believe it was the last day ye saw her as well.” 

Jenny’s brows shot up as she stared at Jamie. “Are ye kidding me?” He shook her head. “That was so long ago. Twas what, six weeks?” 

Jamie hung his head, nodding to the floor. “Aye, six weeks.” 

“What, uh, what did ye say?” Ian asked, stepping slowly closer. 

Jamie glared at him. “Why does that matter?” 

Ian shrugged. “Curiosity?”

“We might also be able to give ye proper advice if we really knew what happened,” Jenny suggested. “And sometimes talking it out helps.” 

“I dinna want to talk about it,” Jamie grumbled. 

“Well then why even come here?” Jenny asked, throwing her hands up. “Ye ken that we’d be able to see that ye’re miserable. And ye ken that we’d want to do something to make ye feel better. Why even come?” 

Jamie ran a hand down his face. “Because I canna take it anymore. We live in the same bloody building and I still havena seen her in six weeks. She’s gotten quite good at pretending I was never a part of her life. That’s a talent I havena been able to manage. I feel as though I’m losing my mind. Each time I reach the second floor I have to make myself keep going rather than running to her door and begging her to see me.” 

“Well, maybe that’s what ye should do,” Jenny offered. “Maybe ye should try and talk to her.” 

Jamie glared at her, a slight shake to his head. “Ye dinna think I tried that? What, ye think she kicked me out and I just accepted it?” Jenny opened her mouth to reply but Jamie continued. “No, I texted her and called her. I went by her home and she wouldna answer the door. I went by the bakery and they lied and said she wasna there. I tried everything I bloody could, Jenny. Claire doesna want to see me. She doesna want to talk to me. And I’m losing my mind.” He laid his face in his hands. “I want nothing more than to make it up to her. Than to tell her I was wrong and just apologize. Even if she still thinks it’s unforgivable, I at least want her to know that I know I fucked up.” 

Jenny walked over and sat down on the bed next to Jamie. She wrapped an arm around his shoulder, trying to comfort him. “I’m sorry, Jamie. That sounds verra hard.” She was silent for a moment. “Though, I must admit, I’m glad it didna have something to do wi’ what I said to her that day.” 

Jamie’s head snapped over in her direction. “What did ye say to her?” 

Jenny waved her hand, dismissing his question. “Tis no’ important.” 

“Janet, what did ye say to her?” Jamie all but demanded. 

Jenny held a hand up in surrender. “Fine, I said something stupid about how I was always wondering when the two of ye would get together.” 

Jamie stared at her. “Why would ye say that?” 

“Because I did always wonder. There was always only one constant woman in yer life and it was Claire. I always thought something would happen there eventually,” Jenny reasoned. 

“We both did, actually,” Ian admitted. “We’ve talked about it numerous times.”

Jamie gaped back and forth at them. “What, just behind my back?” 

“Well what was the alternative?” Jenny asked. “We ask ye to yer face when ye’re ever going to realize that Claire is a wonderful woman who ye could easily be with?” She shook her head. “We obviously couldna do that.” 

“Seems pointless to mention it now,” Jamie said with a sigh. “It’s been this long, she probably willna speak to me again.” 

Jenny sighed, looking over at Jamie. “And ye’ve tried everything ye can think of?” 

Jamie was silent for a long time, hesitant to reveal the most damning evidence. “She gave me back the money.” 

Jenny’s hand froze where it had been rubbing on his back. Ian’s jaw dropped. “The money? As in the money?” Ian asked. “The money that ye gave her to start her bakery?” Jamie nodded, his eyes closing in his misery. “Shit,” Ian whispered. 

“So I think it’s safe to say that Claire doesna plan on having me be a part of her life any longer. The biggest stake I had in her life, she forcibly gave back to me,” he said, looking down at his feet.

“Well then you saw her?” Jenny asked. “Why not try and explain yourself then?” 

Jamie shook his head. “I didna. She sent Joe.” 

“Joe! What a great lad! How is Joe?” Ian asked. Jenny and Jamie both stared at him, waiting for him to read the mood again. “Sorry, I was just curious. Thought a change in conversation might be nice,” he defended with a shrug. 

“Okay, how about this? What can ye try to take yer mind off of it?” Jenny asked helpfully. 

“Nothing,” Jamie replied. “Believe me, I’ve tried plenty of things and nothing takes my mind off of it. I’m just…” 

“Depressed?” Ian offered. 

Jamie nodded. “Aye, a bit. Nothing really brings me joy anymore if I canna share in it wi’ her.” 

Jenny flashed Ian a look and he shook his head at her, telling her not to say anything. Jamie ignored them. “Wait, so if she willna speak to ye, how do ye have a giant box of her baked goods ye brought wi’ ye?” 

That was the first time Jamie had grinned. “Well, she gave me back the money, but I didna think it was mine to have. I gave it to her for her business and I intended to keep it that way.” Jenny narrowed her eyes at him. “I’ve been doing orders at her second shop under another name. I’ve been putting the money back in the bakery.” 

Ian laughed, nodding approvingly at Jamie. Jenny shook her head, the beginnings of a smile on her face. “Wait, so how much have ye spent?” 

Jamie grimaced. “We dinna need to talk numbers.” 

Jenny rolled her eyes at her brother. “Jamie, I ken yer net worth. Just tell me. How much have ye been spending on baked goods?” 

Jamie looked down at the ground, not wanting to meet her eyes. “Ten thousand pounds.” 

Jenny screeched, standing up from the bed. “Ye’ve spent that much money on pastries? Christ, Jamie!” 

Jamie looked up at her. “It wasna really on pastries. Twas on Claire!” 

“I never wanted to tell ye what ye should do wi’ yer money when ye won, especially when ye decided to do mostly wise things wi’ it. But this is too much, Jamie. Ye need to be more responsible wi’ yer money,” Jenny insisted. 

Jamie rolled his eyes. “I havena had this specific amount of money in five years. I was doing just fine wi’out it. I’m trying to give it back to her wi’out her noticing.” 

Jenny sighed, looking down at Jamie. “So why are ye here?” 

“Because I needed a break from it,” Jamie answered. “Everything in Glasgow reminds me of Claire. The only reason I live there is because she moved there after uni when Geillis blew her acceptance in London. I went there because she was in a bad place and I didna think she should be alone. I’m here because I needed to get away from the building we both live in.” He laid back on the bed. “I’m going to move soon. I canna keep living there.” 

“Where would ye go?” Ian asked. “Here?” 

Jamie sat up and looked at him. “No, I’m no’ about to move home. I dinna ken. Maybe somewhere out here. Somewhere far enough away from all the memories there. I could commute from here. It wouldna be that bad,” he thought out loud. 

“Look, here’s my advice, though I ken ye willna take it,” Jenny started, sitting back down on the bed. “Try to reach out one more time before ye start making all these life changes. A lot of time has passed, even since the last time ye reached out. Try to talk to her again.” 

Jamie looked at Jenny and considered her advice. It made sense, he just didn’t think it would make a difference. Nothing in six weeks had weakened the wall Claire had built between them. He was fairly certain that she’d consider it a breath of fresh air if he left. He nodded to appease his sister, though his mind was still negating her advice. 

His family tried their hardest to take his mind off his misery, but nothing quite did the trick. Just as always. Jamie was sitting in bed that night, when his phone rang. “Joe?” Jamie answered, genuinely surprised by the man’s call. 

“Hey, Jamie! How’s it going?” 

Jamie was silent for a moment. “About as ye’d expect,” he said, trying not to totally weigh down the conversation already. “What’s up?” 

“Well I wanted to call and let you know that I proposed to Gayle! And she said yes!” Joe told him, pure excitement resonating through the call. 

Jamie felt a genuine smile on his face for the first time in six weeks. “Joe, that’s wonderful! Congratulations! I’m so happy for the both of ye.” 

“Thanks, Jamie, I appreciate that. I wanted to call and tell you myself.” 

“Well why worry about calling others now? Ye should be celebrating,” Jamie insisted. 

Joe laughed. “Gayle’s calling some friends so I took a moment to do the same thing.” 

“Ah.” 

“Look, sooner rather than later, I think there’s going to be an engagement party,” Joe said, hesitancy filling his voice. “Gayle was already talking about it before she even called her friends.” 

“Joe, I can tell where ye’re going wi’ this. Dinna worry about me. I appreciate the thought, but Claire was yer friend before I was. She should be there. No’ me,” Jamie replied, though it killed him. 

Joe scoffed. “No, you should both be there. And I want you to be there. You’ve been a good friend to me and Gayle and you have just as much right to be there. I’ll keep you posted on the details, okay?” 

Jamie sighed. “Well, yer call. But that sounds good.” He paused for just a moment. “I’m happy for ye, Joe. Truly.” 

“Thanks, man. And you know, this whole thing -”

Jamie cut him off. “That’s alright, Joe. I dinna need to hear it.” 

Joe sighed. “Alright. Well it was good to talk to you. I’ll see you soon.”

“Likewise,” Jamie responded. “Congratulations again, and give Gayle a big hug for me.” 

“Will do. Bye, Jamie.” 

“Bye.” 

They hung up and Jamie’s mind began to race. There was a strong chance he’d get to see Claire again soon. He hated the fact that he didn’t know if that would end up being a good thing or not. He suddenly had hope in him again, though doubt was right there too. 

* * *

Claire picked up her pace as she spotted Joe and Gayle standing toward the back of the room. She was so excited to celebrate her friends’ engagement. A happy occasion was a good distraction from her own emotional turmoil. She threw out her arms as Joe caught sight of her, wrapping him in a hug. 

“You’re getting married!” she exclaimed. “You really did it!” 

Joe laughed. “Damn right I did. I locked down the best woman in the world,” he said, wrapping an arm around Gayle’s waist. She laughed, rolling her eyes at her fiance. 

Claire looked at both of them, a smile on her face. “I’m so happy for the both of you.” 

Gayle and Joe thanked her before they shared a significant look. Claire wondered what that exchange could mean. A few people had gathered behind her, wanting to talk with the couple of the evening. Joe nodded to Gayle before he pulled Claire aside. 

“Look, Lady Jane, there’s something I didn’t tell you.” 

“Is Gayle dying? Is this a Walk to Remember situation?” Claire asked as a joke. Joe looked at her with a disapproving expression. “Nevermind, you say your thing.” 

He stepped closer to Claire, his voice dropping. “I didn’t want to tell you before you got here because I wanted you to come.” She frowned at him in her confusion. “I invited Jamie. And he said he’s going to stop by.” 

“You what?” Claire asked, her voice shrill. “Why?” 

“Because he’s our friend and we wanted to celebrate with all our friends. I know that the two of you have been...not speaking, but I thought you could put that aside for one night,” Joe suggested. “Or just ignore him and pretend he’s not here. He probably won’t even be here for long anyway. He said he had something else going on but that he’d drop by.” 

Claire scoffed. “Yeah, he probably has some woman to seduce.” 

Joe rolled his eyes. “Can you promise me you’ll be civil? Please. I don’t mean to make it all about me, but tonight is to celebrate my engagement. Gayle has a ton of friends and I only have a handful of good friends and it sucks that two of them aren’t talking right now.” 

Claire sighed, looking up at her friend. “Fine. I’ll be civil. Though I can’t promise I’ll actually talk to him.” 

Joe held his hands up in concession. “I never said you had to. Just so long as you guys don’t argue and start a fight at the party.” He looked back at Gayle before turning back to Claire. “And for what it’s worth, I don’t think he actually has plans after this.” 

Claire’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?” 

“I mean, I think out of respect to you, he didn’t want to stay for a long time,” Joe admitted, giving her a pointed look.

She shook her head. “You can’t know that,” she denied, carefully scanning the room to see if he’d arrived already. 

“Well that’s just one man’s opinion then,” Joe said with a sigh. “I gotta get back to Gayle. I’ll catch you later.” Claire nodded, unable to respond. 

She got herself a drink and wandered around to find someone she knew. Someone that wasn’t Jamie. She constantly looked around to see if he was there yet. So far, she hadn’t spotted him. Approaching a group of Joe’s doctor friends that she knew from her brief stint in medical school, she distracted herself with aimless talk. Aside from the obvious reasons to be thankful, she was incredibly thankful her bakery had been a success when she had to talk to former classmates. At least her crazy endeavor had paid off. They couldn’t look down on her as much this way. 

Claire was listening to a crazy surgery story when she heard a loud laugh, one that was painfully familiar. She turned toward the sound and saw Jamie talking with Joe and Gayle. Her heart immediately clenched. Her first instinct was to run to him, but she ignored it. She couldn’t do that. The wall had been put up for a reason. But still, she couldn’t help but stare. It had been so long since she’d even seen him. He looked good. Different in a way, but good. She was now completely ignoring the conversation she had been desperate to be a part of, just minutes ago. Before Jamie could look her way, she excused herself to the bathroom. It was the only place she could find some peace from the raging thoughts and feelings within her. 

After spending a few minutes by herself, taking some deep breaths, she finally reemerged to the party. Claire looked to Joe and Gayle, but they were standing alone, talking sweetly to each other. Scanning the room, she looked around desperately for where Jamie was. She didn’t feel ready to talk to him, but she wouldn’t let herself be caught off guard. A waiter came around with a glass of champagne. It was almost time to toast to the happy couple. Claire stood off toward the side, watching as Gayle’s best friend called the room to attention. 

She could barely listen to the toast. It was kind, to be sure. But Claire was not in the right headspace for it. She finally spotted Jamie over by the bar. He was also holding a glass of champagne, a look of melancholy about him. For the first time since she’d stopped speaking to him, she truly was concerned by how he was doing. There had been many times she’d wondered briefly if he was as miserable as she was. But each time she’d dismissed the thoughts as her anger was renewed. 

Everyone lifted their glasses in toast to Joe and Gayle. The couple clinked their glasses against the others, sharing a meaningful look and a kiss. Claire felt tears burn in her eyes. Happiness was so contrasted with her current emotions. Betraying herself, she glanced over at Jamie again. This time he was staring right at her. They locked eyes for the first time in nearly two months and she felt it. She could do nothing but take a deep breath and stare at him. 

Jamie’s mouth quirked up in a sad smile as he nodded to her, his glass raised. Claire said nothing in reply. All she could do was stare. Her heart and her body were both telling her to go to him. But her mind was the one keeping her in place. What if he just hurts you again? She swallowed harshly, their gazes still locked on the other. Her foot was moving forward when a woman approached Jamie, grabbing his attention. He smiled at her as she talked to him. She stiffened, feeling that familiar jealousy brewing within her. There was no way she could do it all again. Without sparing a look for Joe and Gayle, she left the party, desperate to get away from the pain of it all. 

* * *

Jamie had been hesitant to go to the party, but Joe had been insistent. He’d agreed, saying he probably wouldn’t be there for long. It had been so long since he’d seen Claire. He had no idea what would happen when they were finally in the same room. There was no way he was going to use Joe’s engagement party as his way of apologizing to Claire. That wouldn’t be fair to Joe. So he agreed, though he wasn’t sure what he was in for. 

Just before Jamie walked into the private room, he straightened his tie. Looking down at it, he regretfully realized it was one Claire had given him. She was everywhere in his life. Memories of her in his home and his work even. But she wasn’t really in his life. He knew the moment he saw her, all he would want to do was run to her and beg her to forgive him. It would take all the strength he had to respect her wishes for them. 

Claire was the first person he saw as he walked in. He was frozen in place at the sight of her. She looked gorgeous. Her green dress showed off her body, albeit demurely, while her curls hung around her face. His hands itched to tuck them behind her ears so he could see her face better. A tug of longing struck him from the moment he saw her, but he could do nothing about it. She was caught up in conversation with some people he vaguely recognized. Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he proceeded away from her to find Joe and Gayle. They were the reason he was there. 

They were caught in conversation, laughing over one of Gayle’s stories. When talking with them, it was easy to pretend that everything was normal. Their happiness was enough to distract him for a moment. But when others were clamoring for the chance to congratulate the couple, Jamie’s misery had no distraction anymore. He turned to look at Claire again, but she was no longer with the group of people from before. Looking around the room, he didn’t spot her anywhere. He sighed disappointedly, walking off toward the bar. 

Soon, they were calling for toasts and Jamie was handed a glass of champagne. He listened to the toast talking about Joe and Gayle’s love for each other. It was a nice toast, but still made him sad. His eyes inevitably started looking for Claire again. He spotted her this time, standing just inside the door to the private room. There was no way he could take his eyes off her. Her glass face showed so much inner conflict. The voice inside his head reminded him that it was all his fault. If he’d not been a fool two months ago, they could have spent that evening together. 

As he was staring at her, she turned and looked at him. Neither of them looked away. There was no way he could have. For the first time in months, she was looking at him, allowing him to gaze back. A sad smile crossed his face as he stared back at her, with a nod and a raise of his glass to her. He wanted to cross the room and talk to her. Even if it was just painful small talk, it would be better than being this far away from each other, unable to bridge the gap. He was about to move when someone tapped on his arm. Looking over, he saw a woman smiling up at him. 

“Sorry, I wanted to ask you how you knew Gayle,” she asked, looking at him curiously. “Are you Max?” 

Jamie frowned. “No, my name is Jamie. I’m a friend of Joe’s.” 

The woman shook her head. “Och, I mistook you for someone else. Sorry to bother you.” 

“Not a problem,” Jamie replied. 

He turned back to look at Claire and she was gone. Looking around the room like crazy, he realized she had left. He tore out of the room, running toward the sidewalk. Her car was pulling away just as his feet hit the ground. He closed his eyes, breathing out a groan. His best chance had been blown. 

* * *

Claire sat in her office, unable to focus on anything but the night before. It had been a good reminder of what being in Jamie’s life was really like. You could only keep his attention for so long before some woman swooped in and he was focused on her. Even though she hadn’t really wanted to talk to him, she was mad that she didn’t get the chance. Her ringing phone brought her mind back to the present. 

“Hi, Joe.” 

“Hey, Lady Jane. So, how was last night? I couldn’t help but notice you and Jamie both left pretty early,” Joe said, a question in his tone. 

“We didn’t leave together,” Claire quickly clarified. 

“I figured you might have said something if you had,” Joe admitted. “But did anything happen?” 

“No, of course not. The bloody man didn’t even talk to me. The biggest thing that happened was that we looked at each other.” 

“Well isn’t that what you wanted to happen?” Joe asked. “You didn’t seem to want to talk to him.” 

“He just stared at me. The man didn’t even approach me! Who does that?” Claire cried. 

Joe took a deep breath on the other end. “Claire, did you approach him?” 

“No.” 

“Look, I know a lot has gone down between you two, but I think you’re being a bit hypocritical here,” Joe said cautiously. “I love you, Claire, but I really think Jamie was just respecting your wishes. You were the one who made it clear you didn’t want him in your life. So he tried to honor that.” 

Claire sighed. Could Joe be right? Was she blowing things out of proportion? Probably. 

“Look, Claire, maybe it’s time to talk to him again. You clearly miss him. Just take the leap and send him a text or something. You’ll probably feel better once you do,” Joe advised. 

“You think he’ll even want to talk to me?” Claire asked, voicing her secret fears. 

Joe laughed. “Of course he will.” He paused. “But you won’t know until you try.” 

Claire shakily agreed, already wondering what she’d even say. The noises coming from outside her office made it seem like the bakery was pretty busy on that Saturday. She stood up and shut the door. The outside world needed to take a backseat for a minute. 

Pulling out her phone, Claire scrolled way down to Jamie’s name. It had been a month and a half since she’d last gotten a text from him. A full two months had passed since she’d sent him one back. She took a deep breath, trying to think of what to say. “Hey” seemed like far too little. “Can we talk?” somehow seemed to heavy. “I miss you” was all she really wanted to say. But was it enough? 

She typed out a short message, her finger hovering over the arrow to send it. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she tried to make herself push send. 

The door to her office burst open with Mary calling for her help. Claire closed out of the message and set her phone on her desk. Sadly, the outside world couldn’t wait anymore. 

As the bakery grew busier, the tentative message laid unsent. By the time Claire went home, she’d completely forgotten about her efforts from earlier. 

Claire was curled up in her pajamas watching a movie on her couch. The simple pleasure of doing so made her happy. She was hugging a pillow to her chest and nursing a glass of wine when a knock at her door jarred her from her peacefulness. 

He was the last person she expected to see on the other side of the door. “Ian?” Claire asked, staring at him. He smiled tightly in reply. “What are you doing here?” 

“Can I come in?” 

Claire nodded, stepping aside to let him in. “Ian, I feel like I know why you’re here. And before you say anything -”

Ian turned and looked at her. “Ye don’t know why I’m here.” 

She recoiled a bit. “Okay. So Jamie didn’t send you? Or Jenny perhaps?” 

He shook his head. “It wasna Jamie. And Jenny doesna want me to be here. But I thought ye should know.” 

“Know what?” 

“Look, I ken ye and Jamie havena been speaking for some time now, but I wanted ye to know. And I thought he would probably want ye to know. Even if -” 

“Ian, out with it!” Claire urged. 

Ian’s face fell and he looked at Claire with a desolate expression. “Jamie was in an accident.”

Next chapter

[marunalu]

Disney Movies List

Ok first of all I want to make clear that english is not my first language. I therefore apologize in advance for any grammar or spelling mistakes. Please don't be too strict with me =D

I recently bought Disney+ and I plan now to watch and review every movie, Disney has ever produced or participated in it. And I tell you, this will be a hell of a trip, because my list now contains no fewer than 701 movies. That means if I watch at least one movie every day, it will take me about 2 years to see all of them. And since I will most likely not watch a movie every day, I will definitely need at least twice as long....

For the films on my list, which I marked with a cross at the end, it means that I have seen them already. However, since I last saw most of these movies in my childhood or teenage years (so at least 15 years ago), it will be interesting for me to rewatch them after such a long time. I have probably already forgotten most of the plots.

I also plan to watch them in chronological order and rank them. The movies that I don't find on Disney+ I will watch somewhere else.

Here is the list: (The films follow the chronological order in which they were published. However, it is quite possible that I accidentally swapped a few. But I think most of it is accurate).

1930:

Academy Award Review of Walt Disney Cartoons (X)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (X)

1940:

Pinocchio (X)

Fantasia (X)

The Reluctant Dragon ( )

Dumbo (X)

Bambi (X)

Saludos Amigos ( )

Victory Through Air Power ( )

The Three Caballores ( )

Make Mine Music ( )

Song of the South ( )

Fun and Fancy Free (X)

Melody Time ( )

Seal Island ( )

So Dear to my Heart ( )

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (X)

1950:

Cinderella (X)

Treasure Island ( )

In Beaver Valley ( )

Alice in Wonderland (X)

Nature's Half Acre ( )

The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men ( )

The Olympic Elk ( )

Water Birds ( )

Peter Pan (X)

The Sword and the Rose ( )

The Living Desert (X)

Bear Country ( )

The Alaskan Eskimo ( )

Prowlers of the Everglades ( )

Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue ( )

The Vanishing Prairie ( )

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ( )

Siam ( )

Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier ( )

Lady and the Tramp (X)

The African Lion ( )

The Littlest Outlaw ( )

Men Against The Arctic ( )

The Great Locomotive Chase ( )

Davy Crockett and the River Pirates ( )

Secrets of Life ( )

Westward Ho the Wagons! ( )

Johnny Tremain ( )

Perri ( )

Old Yeller ( )

Navajo Adventure ( )

The Light in the Forest ( )

Tonka ( )

Grand Canyon ( )

Sleeping Beauty (X)

The Shaggy Dog ( )

Darby O'Gill and the Little People ( )

Zorro the Avenger ( )

Third Man on the Mountain ( )

Mysteries of the Deep ( )

1960:

Toby Tyler: Or, ten Weeks with a Circus ( )

Kidnapped ( )

Pollyanna ( )

The Sign of Zorro ( )

Jungle Cat ( )

Ten Who Dared ( )

Swiss Family Robinson ( )

Island of the Sea ( )

One Hundred and One Dalmatians (X)

The Absent-Minded Professsor ( )

Parent Trap ( )

Nikki, Wild Dog of the North ( )

Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog ( )

Babes in Toyland ( )

Wonders of the Water Worlds ( )

Moon Pilot ( )

Bon Voyage! ( )

Big Red ( )

Almost Angels ( )

The Legend of Lobo ( )

In Search of the Castaways ( )

The Prince and the Pauper ( )

Son of Flubber ( )

Miracle of the White Stallions ( )

Savage Sam ( )

Summer Magic ( )

The Incredible Journey ( )

The Sword in the Stone (X)

A Tiger Walks ( )

The Misadventures of Merlin Jones ( )

The Three Lives of Thomasina ( )

The Moon-Spinners ( )

Mary Poppins ( )

Emil and the Detectives ( )

Those Calloways ( )

The Monkey's Uncle ( )

That Darn Cat! ( )

The Ugly Dachshund ( )

Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. ( )

The Fighting Prince of Donegal ( )

Follow Me, Boys! ( )

Monkeys, Go Home! ( )

The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin ( )

The Gnome-Mobile ( )

The Jungle Book (X)

Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar ( )

The Happiest Millionaire ( )

Blackbeard's Ghost ( )

The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band ( )

Never a Dull Moment ( )

The Horse in the Grey Flannel Suit ( )

Guns in the Heather ( )

The Love Bug ( )

Smith! ( )

Rascal ( )

The Computer Whore Tennis Shoes ( )

My Dog, the Thief ( )

Ride a Northbound Horse ( )

1970:

King of the Grizzlies ( )

The Boatniks ( )

The Wild Country ( )

Smoke ( )

The Aristocats (X)

The Barefoot Executive ( )

Scandalous John ( )

The Million-Dollar-Duck ( )

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (X)

The Biscuit Eater ( )

Now You See Him, Now You Don't ( )

Napoleon and Samantha ( )

Run, Cougar, run ( )

Snowball Express ( )

Chandar, the Black Leopard of Ceylon ( )

The World's Greatest Athlete ( )

Charley and the Angel ( )

One Little Indian ( )

Robin Hood (X)

Mustang! ( )

Superdad ( )

Herbie Rides Again ( )

The Bears and I ( )

The Castaway Cowboy ( )

The Island at the Top of the World ( )

The Strongest Man in the World ( )

Escape to Witch Mountain ( )

The Apple Dumpling Gang ( )

One Of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing ( )

The Best of Walt Disney's True-Life Adventures ( )

Ride a Wild Pony ( )

The Boy Who Talked to Badgers ( )

No Deposit, No Return ( )

Treasure of Matecumbe ( )

Gus ( )

The Shaggy D.A. ( )

Freaky Friyday ( )

The Littlest Horse Thieves ( )

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (X)

A Tale of Two Critters ( )

The Rescuers (X)

Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo ( )

Pete's Dragon ( )

Candleshoe ( )

Return form Witch Mountain ( )

The Cat from Outer Space ( )

Hot Lead and Cold Feet ( )

Child of Glass ( )

The North Avenue Irregulars ( )

The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again ( )

Unidentified Flying Oddball ( )

The Black Hole ( )

The Muppet Movie ( )

The London Connection ( )

1980:

Midnight Madness ( )

The Watcher in the Woods ( )

Herbie Goes Bananas ( )

The Last Flight of Noah's Ark ( )

Popeye ( )

The Devil and Max Devlin ( )

Amy ( )

Dragonslayer ( )

The Fox and the Hound (X)

Condorman ( )

The Great Muppet Caper ( )

Night Crossing ( )

Tron ( )

Tex ( )

Trenchcoat ( )

Something Wicked This Way Comes ( )

Tiger Town ( )

Never Cry Wolf ( )

Love Leads the Way (X)

Where the Toys Come From ( )

Return to Oz ( )

The Black Cauldron (X)

The Journey of Natty Gann ( )

One Magic Christmas ( )

Teen Academy ( )

The Great Mouse Detective (X)

Flight of the Navigator ( )

Disneys Fluppy Dogs ( )

The Parent Trap ( )

The Christmas Star ( )

Benji the Hunted ( )

Return of the Shaggy Dog ( )

Mr. Boogedy ( )

Return to Snowy River ( )

Oliver & Company (X)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit ( )

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (X)

Cheetah ( )

The Little Mermaid (X)

Bride of Boogedy ( )

1990:

DuckTales: The Movie – Treasure of the Lost Lamp ( )

The Rescuers Down Under (X)

White Fang (X)

Shipwrecked ( )

Wild Hearts Can't be Broken ( )

The Rocketeer ( )

Beauty and the Beast (X)

Newsies ( )

Honey, I Blew Up the Kid ( )

The Mighty Ducks ( )

Aladdin (X)

The Muppet Christmas Carol ( )

Day-O ( )

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (X)

A Far Off Place ( )

The Adventures of Huck Finn ( )

Hocus Pocus ( )

Cool Runnings ( )

The Nightmare Before Christmas ( )

The Three Musketeers ( )

Iron Will ( )

Blank Check ( )

D2: The Mighty Ducks ( )

White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf ( )

The Lion King (X)

Angels in the Outfield ( )

Squanto: A Warrior's Tale ( )

The Santa Clause (X)

The Jungle Book (X)

The Return of Jafar (X)

Heavyweights ( )

Man of the House ( )

Tall Tale ( )

A Goofy Movie ( )

Pocahontas (X)

Operation Dumbo Drop ( )

A Kid in King Arthur's Court ( )

The Big Green ( )

Frank and Ollie ( )

Toy Story (X)

Tom and Huck ( )

Gargoyles – The Movie ( )

Muppet Treasure Island ( )

Homeward Bound: Lost in San Francisco (X)

James and the Giant Peach ( )

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (X)

First Kid ( )

D3 The Mighty Ducks ( )

101 Dalmatians (X)

Aladdin and the King of Thieves (X)

Wish Upon a Star ( )

Susie Q ( )

The Darn Cat ( )

Jungle 2 Jungle (X)

George of the Jungle (X)

Air Bud (X)

RocketMan ( )

Flubber (X)

Mr. Magoo ( )

Tower of Terror ( )

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas ( )

Under Wraps ( )

Northern Lights ( )

Angels in the Endzone ( )

Mighty Ducks the Movie: The First Faceoff ( )

Pooh's Great Adventure: The Search for Christoper Robin ( )

Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves ( )

The Love Bug ( )

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella ( )

Oliver Twist ( )

Meet the Deedles ( )

Mulan (X)

The Parent Trap (X)

Air Bud: Golden Receiver ( )

I'll Be Home for Christmas ( )

A Bug's Life (X)

Mighty Joe Young ( )

You Lucky Dog ( )

Halloweentown ( )

Brink! ( )

Whoopi – A Knight in Camelot (X)

The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit ( )

Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World ( )

The Lion King 2: Simbas Pride (X)

Belle's Magical World ( )

Armageddon ( )

Don't Look Under the Bed (X)

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2020:

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made ( )

Onward ( )

Stargirl ( )

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Elephant ( )

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Hamilton ( )

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The One and Only Ivan ( )

The Beatles: Get Back ( )

Soul ( )

Secret Society of Second-Born Royals ( )

Magic Camp ( )

Howard ( )

Urgh! Wish me luck, that I survive this....

[how-to-survive-a-factory-tour]

How To Survive a Factory Tour - Chapter 19

A Sanders Sides / Charlie and the Chocolate Factory FanFiction

PREVIOUS

Trigger Warnings: This chapter contains mentions of eating disorders, as well as mentions of deaths

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I can hear Wonka and Ethan’s voices around the corner in the next corridor. From what I hear, they’re discussing new candy ideas Wonka has. Too bad their conversation’s about to be cut short. I round the corner, and there they’re stood. My footsteps gain the attention of Wonka. “Ah, Mr Sanders! Great, now we may continue with… the…”

He trails off when Patton, Logan and Roman round the corner as well, just behind me.

Ethan looks like he’s just been slapped in the face.

“What are you three doing here? You should be recovering in the hospital wing!” Wonka says, before pausing. “Mr Berry, why haven’t you been fully juiced?”

“I couldn’t be. Due to an incident, the juicer kept breaking, and I began to ripen.”

I step forward, glaring at Ethan. “An incident caused by him.”

“When we were supposed to be saved, we found snakes ruining it and trying to kill us. Whether it be by drowning, repeatedly breaking the juicer, or killing literally all the Oompa Loompas in the room!” Roman explains.

“Snakes that we saw Ethan talking to in the Chocolate Room.”

“Ethan attempted three murders today, Mr Wonka,” Logan says. “Maybe four, if Virgil had not strayed from the tour. We don’t know why, but when we’re almost killed by snakes, and one of the tour members has a snake face, it is hard to ignore the correlation.”

“Everything that happened to them,” I glare at Ethan. “It was all because of him.”

Wonka is pale, looking like he has no idea what to say. He turns to Ethan.

Ethan’s head is tilted down, the rim of his bowler hat hiding his face. His fists are clenched, his hands trembling. There’s a moment of silence.

Before he lets out a sob.

He just breaks down crying. In between some of the sobs, I can hear him muttering “I’m sorry” over and over.

The rest of us share glances. None of us expected this. I expected a wicked, evil grin, and him to proclaim “Yes, ‘twas I who sent you to die! And I sure won’t let you to escape now!” or something like that. Or maybe I’ve just been hanging around Roman too long.

Finally, he calms himself, sniffling and wiping his eyes. He looks up at us. “Okay. I admit it. I did try to… t-to kill you… But I never wanted to in the first place! I… Let me just explain. Not an excuse, just talk you through my reasoning and where I was coming from when I made this… stupid decision…

“Seven years ago, Wonka hosted his first tour. After, a book detailing what happened was released based on the story of the factory the winners told. However, the book wasn’t completely factual. In fact, it left out a very significant detail: there were six tickets, not five. The sixth winner just completely hid themselves from the media and the public eye, so they were forgotten about. That child was me.

“Six children won the chance of the most wonderful, marvelous experience of their lives. But that’s not what we got. Things very quickly went from a fantasy to a nightmare. Wonka, for some reason, saw it as morally okay to punish young children, who did not yet have a fully developed sense of morality and right and wrong, for habits that either weren’t their fault or weren’t even big deals.”

He turns to Wonka. “And don’t tell me it wasn’t planned. Every room we went to had something tailored to each child. You had your mind made up about who would win from the beginning, and had to get the rest of us out of commission.”

He turns back to us. “Augustus fell in the chocolate river, got sucked up the pipe. Just because he was chubby and liked food. Violet had the gum and turned into a blueberry. Just because she liked to chew gum a lot. Veruca got attacked by squirrels and shoved down the garbage chute. Punished for what was her dad’s fault, since he was the one who threw gifts at her all the time. Mike went through Wonkavision and got shrunk. Punished for what was his parents fault, as they were the ones who shoved him in front of the TV instead of actually spending time with their son.

“And then there was me. A few things you need to know before I continue. First, I didn’t always look like this. I was completely ordinary looking as a child. I was also a compulsive liar. I had no control over it. It was so bad, there were even times I didn’t know whether what I was saying was true or false. What I needed was professional help to deal with my problem, but instead my parents always used to just scold me and tell me off for lying. So, it just got worse as the years went by, and by the time of the tour, it was at its worst. And despite it being a disorder out of my control, I got punished for it.

“We went to a room called the Rainforest Room. It was like the Chocolate Room and Dessert Island, with everything being made of candy and sweets, but there were more candy animals. Mr Wonka told us not to approach the animals, but I ended up finding a living gummy snake. Snakes are my favourite animal, so I was really excited to see it. I got close, and it was fine. I pet the snake, and it was perfectly content.

“Then Mr Wonka saw me and called my name. It startled the snake, and the snake bit me. Mr Wonka asked me if it bit me, and because I couldn’t control myself, I said no. And that’s when I got my first scale.”

He turns to Wonka again. “How coincidental! I, a compulsive liar, got bitten by a snake that causes you to slowly turn more snake like with every lie! Almost like it was planned.

“You. You ruined my life! Every time I lied, I got another scale, or my eye turned yellow, and I became more snake-like. I became a freak! Sure, you eventually sent me a ‘cure’ that would stop my from transforming with every lie, but by then the damage had already been done, as you all can plainly see. I was abandoned by my friends at school. I was ostracised by everyone I knew, judged wherever I went.

“I wanted justice. I wanted my parents to sue for the damages done to me in this factory. However, they never did. They were happy this happened. I ended up overcoming my compulsive lying not long after the factory tour, so my parents just assumed it was all thanks to Wonka. When it wasn’t. It was my own work and self-help.

“And that was the end of it for a while. However, a few years later, I got curious. What happened to the other children from that tour? So I looked into it.

“Violet went off the grid. She got disowned by her parents, and ended up running away from home. There were occasional sightings of her; I mean, she’s blue, easy to notice. Veruca’s dad’s business went bust. The family ended up going from rich to flat broke because the state they left the factory in left them laughing stocks. Mike, like me, was seen as a freak of nature. Though I think he eventually shrunk back down to normal height, so he was the only one who got an actually nice and normal life in the end. And Augustus…”

Ethan’s tearing up again. He wipes away the tears, taking a deep breath. “After the tour, he developed an eating disorder. And it killed him. Thanks to Wonka, a perfectly innocent child died.

“But he wasn’t the only one, was he, Wonka? Remember, Virgil, earlier today when you asked about Charlie? How he should be here since became the heir to the factory at the end of the last tour? Well, Wonka has something to tell us about that.”

We all turn to Wonka expectantly. The chocolatier has gone pale white at Ethan’s story so far. He gulps. “I… Th-there was an incident… An explosion in the Inventing Room. Charlie… he was killed.”

Ethan lets out a laugh, though it’s dry and sad. “Two children, dead by your hands…

“No longer was my anger at Wonka solely due to what he did to me. It was about all of us. He ruined the lives of four children, and killed two. So, when Wonka announced his second tour, a tour to replace Charlie - this time with someone older who would be more careful, I assume, I saw my chance. I did the same research you did, Logan, and found a ticket. I actually found mine before any of you four did. I then took notes on you all in your interviews.

“One bonus becoming part snake means I can talk with them and ask them to do my bidding. So, I used them to assist putting my plan into action. The idea I had was, if I got you all into incidents, at least one of you would do what I had wanted my parents to do and sue. Then finally Wonka would have to pay for his actions. So, once I had a good idea about all of you, your likes and dislikes, I… broke into the factory and set up everything for your incidents. I switched Wonka’s tour plan to go to the rooms tailored for each of you, and then got to work. I and my snakes weakened the cliff in Dessert Island so it would break when Patton stepped on it, placed hid a jar of Crofters and a snake in the Inventing Room and asked said snake it roll it in and activate the teleporter when Logan entered, and placed a sword in the dragon’s lair that I knew Roman would take and use to fight, and asked a snake to stay there and trip Roman up mid-battle.

“But I want to emphasise, I never intended for any of you to be killed! I just wanted to cause small inconveniences and accidents that would lead to you suing.

“However, my plan went wrong the second we stepped into the factory to start the tour. Because this time Wonka was smart. He had us sign that waiver, meaning he couldn’t be sued. I was fuming. My plan for revenge, my plan to avenge the fallen, was foiled! In a fit of rage, I made a stupid decision, a horrible mistake…

“In the Chocolate Room, I called for a few of my snakes, and told them to make sure at least one of you four died. The way I saw it, if at least one of us didn’t leave the factory alive, the rest of us could spread the word of the incident in the factory that killed them, causing enough public outrage to lower Wonka’s business and hopefully get him closed down.

“The gravity of what I’d done hit me too late. By trying to get you killed, I was just as bad as Wonka… maybe worse… And now you’re here. Alive. Knowing what I’ve done. Instead of avenging the others who were hurt, I just hurt more people… i was so stupid…”

Hiss…

Patton backs away a little as a snake slithers into the corridor. It has two heads and is yellow with black stripes, and is carrying Ethan’s suit jacket in its mouths. Ethan gives it a small sad smile, before bending down, picking up the jacket, and slipping it on. He then picks up the snake. “Thank you, Crowley, Nagini,” he says to each of its heads, before sitting the snake on his shoulders. He sighs, looking back at us. “I’m so sorry. All of you. I don’t expect you to forgive me… but I hope now you understand my thought process that led me to this point. Don’t worry. I’ll stay out of your lives now…” He turns and begins to walk from the corridor, turning the corner.

“... Wait, Ethan!” Patton runs after him. “Stop! Can’t we talk about-” He pauses as he looks around the corner. “He’s gone…”

The rest of us come over and join him. As he said, the next corridor is empty. Ethan has disappeared.

We step back and turn back to Wonka, confused as to what to do now. This wasn’t what I expected. Not what any of us expected. Not at all.

Wonka sighs. “He’s right. I did rig the last tour… I didn’t mean for such things to happen to the children after the tour was over, I just… wanted to teach them some manners. I didn’t think of the consequences. And as for Charlie, I was stupid for thinking a child could run this place. That’s why I hosted this tour. I need someone more responsible, wise, careful. Just, someone older.  But, um, I doubt any of you would want to work here after all this… The elevator’s down the hall, you can take it to the front door. I’m so sorry this whole tour fell apart.”

I share glances with the others. Then Roman speaks up. “I wouldn’t say it fell apart. I mean, the Chocolate Room was a lot of fun!”

Patton nods. “Yeah, and so was Dessert Island! It was really cool before I fell in the ocean!”

“And the Inventing Room was extremely interesting and intriguing.” Logan pauses. “Hold on, I just remembered, Patton, I have something for you.” He reaches into his pocket. “Sorry, it might be a little crushed because it was in my pocket when I swelled up, but…” He pulls out one of the gobstopper from the Inventing Room, and hands it to Patton. As he said, it looks a little squished. “It’s an Everlasting Gobstopper. It, well, lasts forever. We were all given them, so I figured I’d get one for you too since you missed out.”

“Whoa, that’s so cool!” Patton smiles. “They’re safe to have, right?” Wonka nods, and Patton happily puts the gobstopper in his mouth.

I turn back to Wonka. “They’re right, though. Apart from the incidents, today was pretty cool… Seeing a real dragon, though terrifying, was awesome.”

Wonka looks between us all. “Really?”

We all nod, Roman saying, “Yeah. I think any of us would love to be the heir to this place! I’d happily put myself forward for it!” He pauses. “Except I probably wouldn’t be the best fit. I mean, you said earlier you needed someone responsible, wise and careful. And… well, I tried to fight a dragon earlier. Which, while very dashing,” he shoots a grin at me, “was also rather irresponsible. I wouldn’t last a day owning this place.”

“What about Lo?”

Logan turns to Patton, eyebrow raised. “What? Me?”

“Yeah!” Patton smiles. “Wonka’s looking for someone wise, and you're the smartest person I’ve ever met! And you’re really responsible! You’d be great at running a business.”

Logan shakes his head. “No, I could never be the heir of this factory. I mean, sure I’d have the business side down, but I don’t have the creativity to create things like Wonka does. Not to mention that, while I have a sweet tooth, I just don’t have a passion for creating candies. Which is why you’ve got to be the one, Pat. I mean, you work at a bakery. You know all about food and flavours and things. You’d be a perfect chocolatier.”

“Aw, Lo, it’s so sweet you think that! But I wouldn’t be able to run this place. I wouldn’t be able to handle the business part. In fact, there’s a lot of stuff I wouldn’t be able to handle with a factory of this size. Think I’ll just stick with my dream of opening my own bakery.”

“I guess that leaves one last candidate,” Roman says. “And it just so happens to be the person I think is perfect for the job.”

It takes me a moment to realise it’s me he’s talking about. “Wait, what?”

“Think about it! You’re responsible and careful. And you’re smart - you were the one who managed to figure out it was Ethan behind everything. And you’re brave and quick thinking. It was incredible how you saved us all. And you’re creative! You’re an artist!”

I raise an eyebrow. “What do you mean, I’m an artist?”

“This slipped out your pocket when we were in the boat heading to Dessert Island.” Roman reaches in his pocket and pulls out a scrap of paper. On it is a multiple drawings. God, I forgot about that… I was bored one day at work and nicked a blank strip of receipt paper, and just started drawing with my pen. “I was amazed when I saw them, they’re actually really good.” Roman pockets the paper again before turning back to Wonka. “So, you should make Virgil your heir. And, to be fair, I think he needs it the most out of all of us, given his current living conditions.”

Wonka looks to me. “Would you like to be my heir, Virgil?”

“I… Would my family be able to live here too? My brother and mom?”

“Of course! The more the merrier!”

I bite my lip. “Would I be able to go back to high school?”

“Education is very important, so yes.”

“Could you pay for my brother to go to college?”

“It would be no skin off my back. I’d be fine with it.”

Holy shit, this is perfect. I’d have job security. Thomas could go onto study whatever he wants. My family would never be in poverty again. “Yes. Yes, I’d love to take over the factory! Thank you so much!”

“There’s no need to thank me. Now, we’ll all take the elevator to the main entrance so that you three can return home, and then, Virgil, we’ll head off to pick up you family. Come on!” Wonka skips off, and we all follow behind. I still can hardly believe it. I’m the heir of Willy Wonka’s factory.

“Um, Mr Wonka?” Logan asks as we step into the elevator. “Um, it’s very likely that, when we leave, there will be a lot of media outside. And, I don’t know about Patton and Roman, but I don’t really want to be caught on camera like this. Is there any way we can leave through a back entrance or something?”

“Hm... There’s a chance there may be reporters at those entrances too. But I think I know just the thing for you!” He presses a button - the one for the Inventing Room - and we zoom off.

As we travel through the factory, a hand suddenly slips into mine. I turn to see Roman, trying his best to look casual, but his face is slightly red.

He’s really serious about this? About liking me? I mean… I just assumed he was making jokes earlier. Yeah, I know he literally said it wasn’t a joke, but… I assumed that was a joke too. Just… look at him! He’s the handsomest guy I’ve ever met; what would he want with someone like me?

Should I say something? Or have I left it too long now? Is the fact that I haven’t pulled my hand away enough of a sign? No, of course it’s not… Come on, Virgil, do something!

I squeeze his hand. That’s all. God, I’m fucking useless.

Ding!

“Come on, you four!” Wonka runs from the lift, the rest of us following. My and Roman’s hands slip apart.

As we walk through the Inventing Room, Patton looks around, eyes wide with curiosity, given as he hasn’t been in this room yet. Logan, on the other hand, looks rather uncomfortable. As we pass the teleporter and where we were when he swelled up, he hugs Patton’s arm and looks down at his stomach, as if scared it could start swelling again any second.

We continue through the room, until Wonka comes to a stop at a locked box. He inputs the code into the lock and pulls it off. He opens the box and pulls something cloak-like out. He passes it to Logan. “I think this is the largest size. Try it on.”

Logan flushes a little at being told he now needs much larger sizes, but slips the cloak on. As he does so, his body suddenly disappears from view.

“Oh. My. God,” Roman gasps. “Is that an invisibility cloak? Like in Harry Potter?!”

Wonka nods, pulling out two more and handing them to Roman and Patton. “Right you are! And these ones are edible, so when you have no more need for them, you can eat them up! They should allow you to get out of the factory without anyone batting an eye. Come on, let's head to the entrance hall.”

We head back to the elevator, and Wonka presses the button for the entrance hall. We zoom off, and it doesn’t take us long to arrive. Logan and Patton step out, wrapping their cloaks around themselves. However, Patton hesitates before coming back. He pulls an arm from one of his crutches and pulls me close into a hug. “I’m gonna miss you, Virge! You’re going to be the best chocolatier ever, I just know it!”

I smile, hugging him back. “I’ll miss you too, Pat. But, hey, I’m probably going to get a phone sometime soon now, so I’ll be able to talk to you anytime.”

Patton steps back. “I guess that’s true… I’ll still miss you though.” He steps from the elevator.

Logan offers me his hand. “I wish you the best for the future, Virgil. And thank you for saving my life. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

I surprise Logan by taking his hand and, instead of shaking it, pulling him into a hug. “You don’t need to, Logan. Just like you won’t need to repay any of us for getting you a new binder.”

“I thought you weren’t going to…”

“Well, I was broke then. I’m not now.”

Logan chuckles. “True… Again, thank you. I… I’ll miss you too.” He pulls from the hug, giving me a small wave, before stepping from the elevator as well.

Roman slips a piece of paper into my hand. It’s the paper with my doodles on, only he’s added three numbers on the back. “Mine, Patton and Logan’s numbers. Figured you’d need them to actually contact us.” He pauses. “You know… I really underestimated you when I first saw your interview. You’re incredible. You really are the perfect choice for Wonka’s heir.”

He pecks a kiss to my cheek.

Holy shit.

“Bye, Virge. Call me.”

And with that he turns and steps out of the elevator. He and the other two head to the doors, calling their final goodbyes. As they reach the doors, they pull up the hoods of their cloaks, disappearing from view completely. The doors seemingly open on their own.

“Bye,” I say.

The doors close. And now I’m the only tour winner left in the factory.

“Come on!” Wonka smiles. “Lets go get the rest of your family!”

----------

NEXT

Taglist: @clone-number-1, @pumpkinminette, @i-have-n0-idea-what-im-d0ing, @jessicakennedy957, @why-should-i-tell-youu2, @dont-lose-urhead

[popunktomlinson]

this is just the mess of all the fics that i read between december ‘19 and may ‘20 for my own reference but if you want to check any out there are stars next to my favorites! this is mostly drarry with some larry, scorbus, and one (1) wolfstar pairing.

Larry:

Missed Connection - kingsofeverything (3k)

Harry is absolutely clueless when it comes to figuring out if other guys are into him, so he enlists his friend Niall to assist. That may or may not be a mistake.

Like Candy In My Veins - littlelouishiccups (85k)

“Um…” Harry said slowly after a moment. “Okay. That’s… this is… Let me get this straight.” He lifted up a hand and swallowed. “You told your family that you have a boyfriend… and my name was the first one you thought of?”

(Basically the A/B/O, enemies to lovers, fake relationship, Christmas AU that nobody asked for.)

Forget the Silent Nights - LadyLondonderry (45k)

The last Christmas with the seven of them in that broken old house on Redwood all together was probably one of the most memorable holidays each of them had, what with the wedding and the the snowstorm and the raccoons in their attic…

And the baby they stole, of course.

Point. Drop. Call. - 4ureyesonly28 (2k)

Teenagers get bored on a hot summer day and decide to play a little game…Whoever loses has to call their crush, no matter who or where they are.

Drarry:

Written on the Heart - who_la_hoop (114k)

When he’s hit by an illegal love-spell though, Harry finds he has more to worry about than whether or not Blaise Zabini actually wants to be his friend. For if everyone affected has been blessed – or cursed, by the look on Malfoy’s face – with a magical tattoo revealing the name of their soulmate, what does it mean that Harry’s skin remains completely bare?

hello goodbye (’twas nice to know you) - tamerofdarkstars (5k)

Draco Malfoy thinks he might know whose thoughts are scrawling themselves on his skin, but that's crazy. Impossible, even. It has to be a mistake.

Self-indulgent soulmate AU where the thoughts of your soulmate inscribe themselves on your skin in a shifting magic tattoo

Hope Springs Eternal (But Love Springs in the Forrest, Unannounced) - lettered (12k)

Draco falls into a love spring. Harry saves him! And now they’re bonded for life. Draco is horrified. Harry thinks it’s kind of neat.

The Lesbian Muffin Debacle - abusing_sarcasm (7k)

Pansy and Ginny have a muffin-induced potions accident and Draco and Harry are stuck watching their love life from the sidelines - quite literally. Fortunately, they're able to give each other a hand.

✨The Owl Who Came for Christmas - dracogotgame (18k)

Draco has a debt to pay off, no matter what Potter thinks. And he has a Very Good Idea to go along with it. Things don't go as planned.

Strange Bathfellows - bixgirl1 (28k)

It started with a bath. Or a potions accident. Or maybe it started before that, but who can tell anymore.

Featuring: Uncomfortable wanking, more comfortable wanking, mutual wanking, bath sharing, inappropriate betting, secret shagging, those secrets at Hogwarts that everyone knows, and oblivious Harry who knows one thing: he's falling in love.

Something I Don’t Want to Stop - lq_traintracks (16k)

It's Harry and Draco's eighth year, the Houses have been all but demolished in favor of unity, and they're being forced to room together. How ever will they cope?

Psuedo - dysonrules (24k)

Draco runs into an interesting man during a drunken night out. Pansy slips the man Draco's address, not realising that he is actually Harry Potter in disguise.

Things get a bit out of hand after that.

Two Truths and all those Hidden Lies - keyflight790 (8k)

It didn’t matter whether Draco knew about the Polyjuice or not; nor did it matter what face Harry deigned to hide behind in the club. Draco could spot Potter a mile away.

The Other Side to Draco Malfoy - makingitwork (20k)

Draco Malfoy's best friend is Theodore Nott, the only person he trusts. So The Golden Trio decide to make Harry use Polyjuice Potion to see what Draco knows about the war.

The only problem is, while pretending to be Theodore Nott, Harry discovers another side to Draco. A better, lonelier side.

Right Hand Red - lq_traintracks (73k)

Harry felt Malfoy's breath on his lips as they came together over the bottle, hands firmly planted on the floor as though they each needed their familiar soil, refusing to cross into enemy territory.

Except that Malfoy no longer felt like his enemy.

Malfoy felt inevitable.

Good to Me (And I’d Be So Good to You) - AWickedMemory (9k)

Everyone returns to Hogwarts after the war, but nothing is quite the same. Harry's groupies are creepier than ever, Ron and Hermione are snogging all over the place, and the once-proud Draco is shuffling around like a kicked puppy. But that's okay: Harry's got a plan.

Good Company - Greenflares (8k)

With Hermione and Ron always together, Harry's return to Hogwarts to complete his education isn't exactly fun. Somehow, it's his unlikely friendship with Malfoy that keeps him sane.

The Lip-Lock Jinx - Casis Luna (20k)

The Lip-Lock Jinx, a jinx that renders the victim mute that can only be undone in two ways: if the caster reverses the spell on the victim, or if the victim serves the purpose of the jinx and kisses the person that they desire. It’s just Harry’s luck that he gets jinxed by Ginny Weasley and he’s in love with Draco Malfoy.

Like Diamonds We Are Cut With Our Own Dust - raitala (11k)

Draco has borne the mark of the Dark Lord for over ten years. It is familiar to him, but he pays the price for it every day, and Harry has noticed.

Burning the Ground - lq_traintracks (10k)

"Strap him down," someone said, and Harry felt the rage thicken inside him -- the viscous fear.

Magical bindings pulled taut around his wrists . . . He felt a wand touch his arm and then a sharp bite as something punctured the skin, and a sweet, cool tonic rushed his veins.

His breathing slowed. His eyelids drooped. The ceiling went grey and dark. And then he heard a woman's voice sigh, "Someone, get Healer Malfoy."

✨Turn - Saras_Girl (307k)

One good turn always deserves another. Apparently.

Around You Moves -ignatiustrout (30k)

Harry knew Draco was gay when he invited him to move in. He’s never had a problem with this. So why does he feel so weird about Draco bringing men home all of a sudden?

Who Else But You - jeni_andtheafterthought (6k)

Draco loses his soulmate before he understands what that means. Then, it happens again. Quite the anomaly, Draco is encouraged to keep a journal following the experience. Finding his soulmate, solving the mystery surrounding his soulmate bond may be more than he bargained for.

you’ve got the antidote for me - Kanadakicksass (21k)

When Harry Potter unintentionally severs their soulbond before it can fully form, Draco Malfoy resigns himself to a slow death and decides not to burden Harry with a soulmate he's made it very clear he doesn't want.

✨Grounds For Divorce - Tepre (122k)

Malfoy finds a coin. Harry finds a letter.

A story about histories, a story about families. A story about a lemon tree somewhere in Upper Egypt.

Symbiosis - fireflavored (20k)

sym·bi·o·sis (sĩm'bē-ō'sĩs) n. Biology A close, prolonged association between two or more different organisms of different species that may, but does not necessarily, benefit each member.

Through The Looking Glass and What Draco Found There - magpie_fngrl (17k)

Draco discovers the Mirror of Erised is a portal and he enters an alternate reality where your deepest desires come true. Or how Draco found himself in the world of his dreams and Potter had to come and ruin it.

Bond - AnnaFugazzi (173k)

I started to write this before HBP came out, and crossed my fingers that HBP wouldn't make it totally non-canon. No such luck, I'm afraid. This, therefore, is an AU story, where (SPOILER) still teaches (SPOILER), (SPOILER) didn't try to (SPOILER), (SPOILER) didn't succeed in (SPOILER), (SPOILER) never dated (SPOILER), and most importantly, (MAJOR ENDING SPOILERS) never happened.

Two Wands Make a Right - dannyfranx (21k)

Harry's wand is playing up and Hermione thinks she knows the answer, but why does she have to be right all the time, why does Draco Malfoy have to be so god damn difficult and why is he wearing his tie backwards?

Running on Air - eleventy7 (75k)

Draco Malfoy has been missing for three years. Harry is assigned the cold case and finds himself slowly falling in love with the memories he collects.

You Send Me (Honest You Do) - firethesound (37k)

As far as potion accidents go in general, and deaging incidents go in particular, Draco knew this could have been so much worse. Harry only lost about ten years, and all his memories are still intact. But the sight of him looking as if he’s stepped straight out of Draco’s Hogwarts memories has dredged up a whole mess of complicated feelings Draco thought he’d buried years ago, and Draco really doesn’t know what to do with any of it.

✨What We Pretend We Can’t See - gyzym (131k) ✨

Seven years out from the war, Harry learns the hard truth of old history: it’s never quite as far behind you as you thought.

Eternity - TheFiestyRogue (1k)

On one's 21st birthday, one's soul mark is burnt into one's skin. It could be anything; a name, a number, a symbol.

Technicolor Beat - fortunate_cookie (5k)

"H-Harry, you..I don’t-understand...", the blonde said breathlessly looking to the equally as breathless Gryffindor.

"Yeah. I...yeah...", Harry replied intelligently.

or the one where harry and draco are soulmates and there's a chase involved.

such a softer sin - therewascourfeyrac (16k)

After Draco meets Harry Potter, he's left with two tattoos, one on each wrist. One for a soul mate, one for his enemy. He's never known any one else who has the same name on both wrists.

Just The Two Of Us - Hekatee, Pierian (3k)

Harry finally meets his soulmate. Except his soulmate has been given a heavy dose of morphine and has no idea that his drugged-up rambling includes the words that change Harry's life forever.

Timer - JulietsEmoPhase (2k)

“If a clock could count down to the moment you meet your soul mate, would you want to know?” Of course, Harry had to miss the moment his clock ran out.

Two Weeks - shiftylinguini (22k)

If Harry had to guess which out of he or his Auror Partner, and tentative new friend, Draco Malfoy, would turn out to have Veela ancestry, his answer would be: neither, because that is ridiculous. Finding out the answer is actually him, and that his Veela heritage is wreaking havoc on his ability to work, sleep, and above all be in the same room as Malfoy, is a surprise to say the least. But this is fine. Harry’s been through worse, and he can just sit this one out, regardless of how much his body is screaming for the one person he doesn’t want to ask for help. Can’t he?

A Convenient Impracticality - firethesound (39k)

Somehow Harry ends up agreeing to a fake relationship with his ex-nemesis-turned-friendly-acquaintance-with-benefits, except for some reason it involves an awful lot of actual dating and, sadly, not much sex. Confused? Harry is too, but when has anything with Draco Malfoy ever been as straightforward as it seems?

Precious Memories - ravenclawsquill (18k)

When Harry’s Pensieve breaks with a very important memory trapped inside, he has no choice but to hire an expert to repair it. Then Draco Malfoy steps out of his Floo, and Harry isn’t sure what to expect. He certainly isn’t anticipating tea, biscuits and gold-rimmed glasses.

Helix - Saras_Girl (93k)

Seven months after the end of the war, Harry is feeling lost. Fortunately, he is about to be offered an unexpected and sparkling chance to find himself again.

Temptation on the Warfront - alizarincrimson (180k)

Draco Malfoy is forced into hiding with the Golden Trio and dragged into their search for horcruxes. What ensues is a journey of redemption, unexpected friendships and an unwanted, turbulent romance with Harry Potter. Warnings for swearing, sexual content, and dark themes.

Scorbus:

re-read:

The Unicorn Incident - who_la_hoop (18k)

Growing up is hard to do, especially in the shadow of your father's reputation. Scorpius Malfoy has a tough time keeping his resolution to be the best Slytherin he can be when schoolboy games, unicorns, incompetent friends and a beloved enemy all conspire to teach him something different – and rather wonderful – about himself.

Scorpius Malfoy’s Future Wife - josephinestone (2k)

Albus Potter and Rose Weasley's parents have a bet on who Scorpius Malfoy is going to marry. If it's Lily, they will be just like Ginny and Harry; If it is Rose, they'll be just like Ron and Hermione. Harry witnesses the answer.

Never Trust A Slytherin - who_la_hoop (12k)

Al grinned. It would be the crowning glory of his final year – the one thing that would prove, once and for all, that he was not his dad in any way, shape or form. He would seduce a Slytherin – the son of his father's great enemy – and prove to Scorpius Malfoy his perfect trust in him. How hard could it be?

Wolfstar:

The Electric Fizzing Prick Pistols, or Whatever - whitmans_kiss (4k)

Everyone is born with Words on their arm that connect them to their Soulmate. James finds his, Sirius had everything figured out back in First Year, Peter doesn’t talk to girls anyway, and Remus thinks he’d very much just like to put his earmuffs back on and disappear.

[misslisterkeepsajournal]

1822 Friday 26 July

8 20/60

12 3/4

Slept very well last night for the bed and room were comfortable and I had taken seven glasses of wine which helped me to sleep in spite of the thought of Pi [Mariana] I mused but for a short while I was unhappy said I the last time I was here I cannot be worse now this delicacy of Pi’s about delta [Charles] I cannot forget perhaps I think more of it than it deserves perhaps I am too fond of her - I did not lie long awake this morning -

My aunt’s bowels unwell in the night - breakfast at 10 - ‘twas after 11 before we got out - then went to the cathedral - saw it thoroughly - went up the stairs (from the cloisters) to where the sleeping apartments used to be - now a leaded roof - the superincumbent remains removed a few years ago - the cathedral has undergone considerable external repairs lately, and is very neatly kept within - warmed by steam - copper piping - and, as usual, difficult to keep air-tight - the dean chapter poor - the see only with about £2000 a year - vrey handsome chapter-room - it would be an excellent model for a gothic hall - in it a small fragment of the tomb of Hugh Lupus, and a stone with an old Roman inscription about the XXth legion - From the cathedral walked straight up the street observed the town-hall - turned into abbey square went into the deanery, or (I think) it was the palace garden - mounted the walls at the North gate, and walked along them past the race-course to the farther extremity of the castle - then turned back, went into the castle yard examined the beautiful Doric propyleum, if one may so call it, which forms the grand entrance - It is beautiful and does great credit to the architect Mr Harrison of Chester - erected a few years ago, perhaps 10 - Double colonnade of 4 fluted Doric columns - plain architrave - 3 triglyphs in a group with 6 guttae underneath -

Did not get off from Chester till 1 35/60, ad then by mistake went 3/4 mile on the Northwich road - and we were 1/4 hour before we got right, and set off out of Frodsham street M- said much of the beauty of the drive to Frodsham - we wondered what she meant till after the first 3 or 4 miles (10 miles from Chester to Frodsham) but the last 6 miles where the water (the Mersey) strewed with shipping came in view were certainly picutresque, as my aunt observed, very beautiful for England the break-off too of the Cheshire mountains has very good effect - several villages before Frodsham - Frodsham a long steep street - wide and pretty good - may be called a good country town - did not see the church -

The country rich and beautiful enough from Frodsham here, Warrington, where we arrived at 5 1/4 having been just 3 40/60 hours from leaving Chester - Boulder stone pave all the way with the exception of perhaps a few hundreds of yards at intervals during the 19 1/2 miles - most ratling disagreeable road to travel upon - good of its kind, and as even as such pavement can be; but the din of wheels upon it is very tiresome - Stopt here at the Nag’s head Inn evidently the best in the town, but very busy and bustling - ‘tis now 6 10/60, not an hour since we arrive, and 8 coaches have changed horses or stopt at the door during this time - surely 5 or 6 of them have changed horses -

Manchester 12 p.m. - I had scarcely written the above at Warrington when it struck me we ought to have something to eat - I had utterly forgot it before - Ordered coffee, and my aunt and I strolled down the street to make out the road to Manchester returned in 20 minutes hurried over our coffee and off from Warrington at 5 - the street all about the Nag’s head was and had been since our arrival full of people - apparently to watch the coaches - 1 or 2 new ones within the last few days or weeks - on inquiry found 14 coaches were daily horsed at this Inn - I think in the space of the first 2 miles from Warrington we passed more than a hundred carts coming towards Manchester - It did not seem that we could have had at any rate much prospect from the road - the country flat, and hedges rather high - yet what we did see, looked rich, and well - Very handsome approach to Manchester as far as the light permitted us to judge - at least half the 18 miles from Warrington her Bowlderstone pavement -

Out of the gig in our sitting room here in 2 40/60 hour - that is arrived at 9 40/60 - the house full - obliged to be in the bar-parlour and I to sleep aloft, a mile from my aunt - Observed them cutting oats between Chester and Frodsham we saw shocks of corn at Llangollen - a great deal of hay to get, and much by the way-side smelt of being spoilt - Came upstairs at 10 25/60 - Dawdling over my accounts etc - Very fine Day - but not much sun, and coolish and pleasant travelling -

Reference: SH:7/ML/E/6/0033

[zmediaoutlet]

kinktober day six

Prompt: Flogging (x)

‘Twas quite a sweet wee spell, if Rowena did say so herself. Most who might have had a valid opinion about the arcane work involved had been long-ago murdered, so there were few enough left who could say it--someone ought to, she thought. She examined her nails, done this week in a purple deep as galaxies. “Again,” she said, and the whipcrack was just delightful, coming out of nothing, straight from her will with no arm needed to wield it.

A groan, but not nearly pained enough. “Was that really necessary?”

Rowena raised her eyebrows. “Well, of course it was, my dear. The magic tells us so. And how do we know?”

A sigh. “Every time you think of something I’ve done to vex you, I earn a lash.” It’s said in a rote, schoolboy way. A bored child, not a supplicant begging for mercy. She purses her lips. A whipcrack, and a grunt. That’s better.

She shifts in her chair, her thighs pressing together. Mm. Successful spellcraft always does turn her blood to honey. “Mother,” he says, “really,” and she taps the rim of her teacup, and there’s two lashes in quick succession, for the condescension and the daring. Wee Fergus is the one strapped naked on his knees in this ridiculous dungeon he calls a throne room, and he isn’t the one on the throne. He could show a tad more respect.

“Not to mention,” she says, while he lifts his chin. Half-human, he’s sweating, but he’s got enough of the demon left in him that the pain’s something else. She pauses, and smiles at his also-ridiculous cock, lifting into the punishment. “Aw, Fergus. Wee boy. Feeling some affection for Mummy after all?”

He scoffs, but his eyes are nearly black, and not from the smoke inside him. She smiles, and goes back to what she was saying: “Not to mention, the time you forgot to pay the butcher and we didn’t have meat for two weeks.”

Fergus makes a face at her. “Mother, that was four hundred years ago. Have some perspective.”

“I had perspective on my griping belly!” she says, leaning forward. “What did you even do with the money?”

“I was seven! I was probably mugged by a random sailor! Why were you sending me to pay your bills in the first place?”

“Well,” she says, with a sniff. “You should have been more responsible. It’s a son’s duty to help his mother.” Another whipcrack, and Fergus lurches forward right in the middle of rolling his eyes. Rowena has a long, long list of transgressions to get through, and Fergus has quite a lot of borrowed skin that’s not yet bleeding, and neither of them can die. They’ve got plenty of time.

“Now,” she says, while he groans his way back upright. “Let’s talk about 1668, and who exactly was meant to be watching the back door while Mother dealt with Mr. MacDonald and his lack of appreciation for the working woman.”

“A working woman is generally a laundress, not a spellworking whore,” Fergus says, and the next lash comes without Rowena even needing to think about it. She adds another cube of sugar to her tea, smiling. Oh, yes. ‘Tis a very, very sweet spell.

fin.

[stereksecretsanta]

Merry Christmas, @mute90!

I hope this is to your liking!

Read on AO3

******

'Twas the Full Moon Before Finals

Nick always thought Stiles was weird, but, like, lowkey weird. An acceptable level of weird where Stiles stays up until ungodly hours of the night, but also lets Nick borrow his ecology notes. It all evens out.

After Thanksgiving, though, Stiles started getting so much weirder. And this creepy older guy started hanging out a lot instead of just climbing through the window every once in a while. (See? Creepy.)

Stiles isn’t totally un-creepy, but he’s nice enough. This guy, when he’s not crawling in through the window, sniffs things. Particularly Stiles. Which is…

Where does Stiles find these people? Because all his other friends are like that, too. Just not as bad as the guy whose leather jacket Stiles is currently wearing.

Stiles keeps sniffing the guy’s jacket.

In fact, Nick and Stiles had been in the middle of an argument two nights ago about Batman of all things and Stiles had suddenly stopped, grabbed the jacket off the back of his desk chair, and shoved his face into it.

This intense weirdness is post-Thanksgiving weirdness. Post-Stiles going home for the long weekend weirdness.

Maybe back home, Stiles had finally been sucked into this guy’s evil cult or something.

This morning, Stiles is extra twitchy. They’re just a day from the end of fall semester with winter break coming on so maybe Stiles has been drinking too much coffee but when Nick went to move the stack of papers on the floor, Stiles had growled at him.

And has been on his phone since.

It’s a couple hours after the growling incident that there’s a knock on their door and, lo and behold, who should it be?

The creep.

Nick glances out the window. It’s still daylight, so apparently the guy only likes to climb through the window when he can most easily get away with it—and, likely, get away with Nick’s murder.

Stiles rushes over to the guy and wraps his arms around him. “Oh, thank god, Derek.”

Derek. Huh. Nick had always kind of avoided knowing anything about him.

“It’s going to be hard for you,” Derek is saying, and Nick frowns. “The first time—” Derek stops and looks over at Nick, glaring him down, before he and Stiles have some sort of silent conversation that Nick only really sees through Stiles’s hands and the guy’s eyebrows.

Derek stands, hands in his pockets yet still somehow intimidating, while Stiles starts grabbing his things.

“I gotta go. Derek and I, uh. We need to talk about Beacon Hills things. You know, what’s up with the pa-ah— people. At home. Scott. My dad. Just normal people who do normal things.”

“Stiles,” Derek warns, and he’s got some sort of low, commanding rumble in his voice that Nick swears Stiles responds to with a whine.

“Going,” he tells Derek, then tosses a wave at Nick.

Nick walks over to lock the door and swears he can hear Stiles out in the hallway saying, “O alpha, my alpha,” like some sort of Dead Poets Societyhomage.

Weirder.

~

Nick is slumped over his history textbook when Stiles bursts back into their room a few hours later. He keeps glancing outside significantly. Night has fallen, but the light of the full moon is still bright as it filters through their window.

“Hey,” Stiles greets. “Can’t talk. Meeting Derek. Just gotta—” He shakes his head, freezes for a moment and breathes out in harsh puffs of air, his hand coming up to shield his face from Nick’s view.

Nick has had it. Enough is enough and obviously this Derek guy, besides being creepy, is causing Stiles to make even worse decisions than he already does. He pushes away his textbook and sits up, waiting until Stiles makes eye contact with him. Stiles’s eyes look wild and glassy and, for just a second, Nick thinks they looks golden, but that’s probably just because he’s sleep-deprived. He steadies his gaze on Stiles and Stiles makes an attempt to straighten up attentively.

“Are you on drugs, Stiles?” Stiles’s eyes widen and his jaw drops, starts opening and closing. “Because you can tell me. I can help you. If Derek is forcing you into anything you don’t want—”

Stiles lets out a laugh. “What?! No, no. It’s not like.” His whole body shakes and his hands clench and unclench. “Look, we’ll talk. Soon.” He gestures as he speaks, vibrating with energy. Yeah, totally normal, Nick thinks.

“I’m worried,” Nick says. “Ever since you got back from Thanksgiving break, you’ve been different.”

Silently, lips pursed as he apparently keeps in whatever thoughts he has about that, Stiles nods. Then, he flips around to start searching through his bedside drawer and proceeds to brandish his lube victoriously. No condom, Nick notes.

When he turns back around and sees the way Nick is looking between his face and the lube, Stiles has the rationale to at least look sheepish. “Okay,” Stiles says earnestly. “You’re right. I’m different. I’ve…” He rolls his hands over each other, searching for the right word. “Changed.”

“Is he bribing you?” Nick asks. “With sex?” Nick hates even considering it, but all signs point to yes.

There’s a howl and Stiles whips around three hundred and sixty degrees. He closes his eyes. “Hold on, Der.”

“Seriously?”

Stiles keeps his eyes closed, feeling around as he sidesteps to the door until Nick can’t see his face. “Yeah. I’ll explain later.”

Stiles runs out without another word and Nick sends a series of question marks via text message when an hour passes and no Stiles.

~

Two and a half hours after Stiles’s apparent booty call departure, Nick ventures out for some late night Taco Bell. His brain is fried and Stiles has been pushed to the back of his mind.

The overexhausted part of his mind tells him that if Stiles has been murdered, Nick can probably get an extension on his finals. Or even an automatic A, if the professor is feeling generous. So, really, it’s fine. Nick can identify Stiles’s murderer and live the rest of the year without a roommate.

Most of his brain is currently occupied by how many burritos he can order with the cash he has in his pocket and whether or not he still has a twenty or if he spent it on Red Bulls.

These thoughts, however, are interrupted by the distinctive sound of grunting, of skin slapping against skin, and Nick stops in his tracks about ten feet from his car as curiosity gets to him.

Idly, he remembers that Stiles had gone out to see (read: bang) Derek and that could be happening in the parking lot, but that was a while ago.

He walks toward the sound and has to maneuver toward the back of the lot before he sees moonlight illuminating pale skin through the passenger window of a Camaro.

Pale, mole-dotted skin. Damn it.

And, yep, the other guy has to be Derek, dark beard pressed to Stiles’s throat.

Nick is annoyed enough that he taps the window. “You have a psych final at seven-thirty tomorrow morning!”

The growl he receives in response sends a shiver down his spine, but he’s not going to be intimidated by some—

Something is wrong with Stiles’s face. His eyes are golden. And glowing. His teeth are too big and too sharp. He’s looking at Nick like Nick could be dinner and Nick wishes he had already gone to Taco Bell, could toss Stiles a burrito and run.

“Control,” Derek says. “Look at me, Stiles. Look at me. There. Better, right? Feel me.”

Stiles is obviously focused on Derek, eyes slipping closed.

The window rolls down a couple of inches and Derek’s eyes flash red before going back to whatever normal is for him. Nick’s never paid attention before.

“Don’t run.” Derek grunts as Stiles shifts, bites his lip, and Nick has no idea why he’s still here. “If you act like prey, he’ll see prey.”

“‘Prey’?” Nick repeats. “What? Does that make you two predators?”

The red is back and Derek snaps his teeth. “Yes.”

Nick can’t respond to that. Numbly, he walks to his car and gets in, sitting there for ten minutes with just the sound of his heartbeat in his ears. Then, he peels out of the school parking lot.

~

Nick’s first final is at noon, so he’s still cramming for it as the door creaks open and Stiles walks in.

He hadn’t returned at all during the night and Nick wonders if he and Derek were fucking the whole time or if they just slept in the car.

He’s been questioning what he saw, trying to reason it away, and Stiles seems so nonthreatening now that maybe it was all some crazy caffeine-fueled, stress-driven fever dream.

Stiles takes a seat on his bed and picks at the comforter for a minute before sighing, looking to Nick. “So I said I’d explain.”

The bottom drops out of Nick’s stomach, but he sits up, alert. His heart starts to hammer and he swallows.

Stiles winces and covers his ears, like he’s hungover, but there are no loud noises in the room so it really doesn’t make sense. Stiles doesn’t make sense.

“Explain,” Nick says anyway.

“The day after Thanksgiving, I almost died.”

This is not how Nick expected this conversation to go. “What? Are you okay—”

Stiles holds up a hand. “There wasn’t enough time to get me to the hospital and Derek wasn’t going to let me just die, so...he did what he had to do.”

“That creep saved your life?”

Stiles laughs. “I don’t know why you think he’s so creepy. I mean, I do, but Derek is so soft, he’s not even a marshmallow. Whipped cream, maybe.” Stiles considers it for a moment, then shrugs at Nick. “And yeah. He saved me.” He scratches his neck, some phantom itch that he traces with his fingertips after. “He bit me.”

Dumbfounded, Nick stares at Stiles. Maybe it’s a cult, maybe it’s just drugs, maybe Stiles needs to see a counselor… “Bit you?” he asks instead, for clarification’s sake.

“Yeah,” Stiles adds quickly, “but I totally consented so it’s all good.”

“Stiles, what—”

Stiles dips his head, and when he looks back up, his eyes are glowing again. “I’m a werewolf.”

“Uh-huh.” Nick blinks, but the glow is still there.

“And so is Derek.”

“Okay.” Nick’s head hurts. He should lie down.

“And last night was my first full moon.”

Nick nods until his head feels like it’s no longer connected to his neck.

“Nick?” Stiles’s voice sounds worried, comes the distant thought.

“Werewolves,” Nick says, and promptly passes out.

Definitely weirder.

[cienie-isengardu]

Salazar Slytherin and pure-blood ideology? [part 1]

(OR: A Long Rant about Slytherin, Chamber of Secrets, beginning of Hogwarts, purebred wizards and witches, the situation of Middle-Age magic society, Merlin and his Order and in general everything that makes me think too much about Harry Potter lore)

The Harry Potter book series (from the Chamber of Secrets beyond) made it pretty clear pure-blood ideology is unmistakable linked to Slytherin - one of four Houses of Hogwarts. Salazar himself didn’t want to teach muggle-born wizards and witches, what was a source of conflict between him and Gryffindor - to the point Salazar left the school for good. Later, one of his descendants, Tom Riddle a.k.a. Voldemort, for years terrorized magical Great Britain and spread the hate for Muggle-born people. Like him, many, if not most Death Eaters who believed in pureblood superiority over Muggles and Muggle-born wizards grew up in Slytherin House.

By his choice and the effects it has on the Harry Potter story, Salazar seems to be the black sheep between all founders of Hogwarts, right?

But frankly, I think the reasons why he was so against teaching muggle-born wizards and witches aren’t exactly the same reasons for the hate that happened later on, from International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy (1692) to modern times. After all, many things change over the centuries, some turn into legends, others are forgotten. And so could happen with Salazar’s reasons too.

So, let see what we know about beginnings of the Hogwarts and about the Salazar Slytherin.

The main source of knowledge is The Sorting Hat, who sang few times about the Four Founders. In 1991 [Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone] the song told us that:

[...]

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folks use any means

To achieve their ends.

[...]

The first time Sorting Hat described Slytherin House as a place in which You'll make your real friends, and that those cunning folks use any means to achieve their ends. So, loyalty, cunning & ruthlessness are the traits related to Slytherin House (thus favored/possessing by Salazar himself).

Nothing much about blood purity but since it was the first book from seven, it is understable such detail was omitted.

The second song happened in 1994 [Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire] and told more about schism between founders:

A thousand years or more ago

When I was newly sewn,

There lived four wizards of renown,

Whose names are still well known:

Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,

Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,

Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,

Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.

They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,

They hatched a daring plan

To educate young sorcerers

Thus Hogwarts School began.

Now each of these four founders

Formed their own house, for each

Did value different virtues

In the ones they had to teach.

By Gryffindor, the bravest were

Prized far beyond the rest;

For Ravenclaw, the cleverest

Would always be the best;

For Hufflepuff, hard workers were

Most worthy of admission;

And power-hungry Slytherin

Loved those of great ambition.

While still alive they did divide

Their favourites from the throng,

Yet how to pick the worthy ones

When they were dead and gone?

Twas Gryffindor who found the way,

He whipped me off his head

The founders put some brains in me

So I could choose instead!

Now slip me snug about your ears,

I've never yet been wrong,

I'll have a look inside your mind

And tell where you belong!

This time we learn more about both the founders and the sorting system itself.

The Four Founders were born (and represent) different part of Great Britain: Godric - England, Helga - Welsh, Rowena - Scotland and Slytherin most likely Ireland.

There is not many information about how wizards and witches educated themselves prior to Hogwarts. From Chocolate Frog Cards we know about Queen Maeve (whose title of Queen suggest connection to Muggleborn royalty, since Lupin assured Harry in HBP that “There are no Wizarding princes”) who was involved in the training of young wizards and witches in her native Ireland.  There is no certain date when, but we know the Queen Maeve’s magical education happened for sure before Hogwarts was built and since Slytherin most likely came from Ireland, he could be aware of such events. Of course, one may wonder if the idea of Hogwarts wasn’t partially related to the Maeve’s practice of passing down her magical knowledge - and more important, did he agree with such practice at court of Muggle-born king/husband of the great witch?

The song keeps mention Founders in the same order: Gryffindor - Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff - Slytherin. If that was intentional, then Hogwarts was shared a wish [Godric], a hope [Rowena], a dream [Helga] and daring plan [Salazar], which I guess suits ambitious nature of Slytherin just fine.

And who knows, maybe Slytherin was inspired by Queen Maeve after all, while being ambitious to make the school available to every young wizard and witches in whole Great Britain?

Here is one thing more to think about - building Hogwarts (the castle) wasn’t the most difficult problem the founders faced. Children (students) must be found and brought safely to school and after finishing the education, taken home. They must be feed, provided with necessary accessories (ingredients for potions, a sheet of paper, ink, and so on) and of course some children are gonna be from poor families, thus required additional material help. There is so many logistic problems the school needed to face to function properly that I can’t imagine the four great sorcerers of their time never talked about the issue who should be taken into their care before education started. Fine, Godric may not think too much about that since he seems like the type of doing first, thinking later but Rowena and most likely Salazar did pay attention to such detail, since both character emphasize intelligence / thinking ahead. The fact that all agree to form their own Houses (that represents different values) seems to me they came to some decisions about how the teachings is gonna happen once Hogwarts will be open for good.

At first the four great sorcerers chose by themselves their future students. We don’t know how that happened, if those young wizards and witches were put on some trials or if there were sort of interview with them? Because somehow the Founders have to see if those young and untested/unknown people have in them something “worth” their time and effort, right? While still alive they did divide their favourites from the throng kind of make it quite clear all founders selected students, so their judgment must have been based on something, right?

And frankly, I think in the first years of Hogwarts, students didn’t start at the same age. It seems to be quite weird to take only those children at the age of 11. If the school was something new in Great Britain, then some older wizards & witches could came there too, couldn’t they? I mean, who wouldn’t want to be educated by one of the greatest sorcerers, especially if there is limited way to gain knowledge and skills under competent teachers?

Sorting Hat became a way to decide to which House students should go after death of Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. The Four Founders put “some brains” in it, which means the thing carry inside the combined magic (and thoughts and values?) of all of them. It makes me wonder then if Salazar was the “black sheep” of their little group, does the “power hungry” description is objective or more subjective (as in: colored by Godric, Rowena or Helga’s feelings toward Salazar?)

According to Rowling’s: Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide / Pottermore (x) the “The Sorting Hat is one of the cleverest enchanted objects most witches and wizards will ever meet. It literally contains the intelligence of the four founders, can speak (through a rip near its brim) and is skilled at Legilimency, which enables it to look into the wearer’s head and divine his or her capabilities or mood. It can even respond to the thoughts of the wearer.” According to informations from Pottermore, Legilimency was Salazar’s area of expertise (x). So he definitely put some of his own magic in the Sorting Hat - and mind you, Slytherin’s magic is pretty important part, since Legilimency is what allows the Hat to look inside students’ heads!

So, we heard that Salazar was “power hungry” wizard who loved those of great ambition. He was also described as shrewd (“having or based on a clear understanding and good judgment of a situation, resulting in an advantage. Synonyms: astute, calculating, clever [Cambridge Dictionary]). Which is gonna be important soon.

What is important for now to remember, all four Founders valued different traits, thus I guess, have different way to perceiving magic (and humanity?).They also made some plans (like sorting students) for future, when they are dead and gone, so the school could still work and function properly under someone’s else guide.

The next (and last) song - that I’m gonna split in smaller parts -  happened in 1995 [Harry Potter and the Phoenix Order] and gave us another informations worth to examine:

In times of old, when I was new,

And Hogwarts barely started,

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted.

United by a common goal,

They had the selfsame yearning

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

"Together we will build and teach"

The four good friends decided.

And never did they dream that they

Might some day be divided.

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Unless it was the second pair

Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such friendships fail?

Why, I was there, so I can tell

The whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those

Whose ancestry's purest."

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose

Intelligence is surest."

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those

With brave deeds to their name."

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot

And treat them just the same."

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to light.

For each of the four founders had

A house in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards

Of great cunning just like him.

And only those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor.

Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest

and taught them all she knew,

Thus, the houses and their founders

Maintained friendships firm and true.

Once again we are told that Helga, Salazar, Rowena and Godric were A) good friends who shared the same ambitious dream - to build the best magic school, a place to teach young wizards and witches and to pass their own knowledge B) never thought they are gonna be divided by anything.

The fall of their friendship is mainly related to Salazar’s lack of will to teach Muggle-born wizards and witches but the song make it clear that all Founders had their own idea of what kind of students should be taught:

Slytherin, "We'll teach just those Whose ancestry's purest."

Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose Intelligence is surest."

Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those With brave deeds to their name."

Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot And treat them just the same."

and ALL of those differences caused little strife.

Hufflepuff was the only one willing to teach ALL students, while others looked in children for special traits (either social/blood status and/or abilities they had/respected themselves). The previous song though make it clear that Helga once too favored certain kind of people: hard workers were most worthy of admission. The same as Hufflepuff changed mind to teach ALL, the description of Salazar switched from “power-hungry Slytherin loved those of great ambition” to caring mainly for blood status. A blood status that did not mean that much in Middle Age:

Slytherin’s discrimination on the basis of parentage was considered an unusual and misguided view by the majority of wizards at the time. Contemporary literature suggests that Muggle-borns were not only accepted, but often considered to be particularly gifted. They went by the affectionate name of ‘Magbobs’ (there has been much debate about the origin of the term, but it seems most likely to be that in such a case, magic ‘bobbed up’ out of nowhere).

Magical opinion underwent something of a shift after the International Statute of Secrecy became effective in 1692, when the magical community went into voluntary hiding following persecution by Muggles. This was a traumatic time for witches and wizards, and marriages with Muggles dropped to their lowest level ever known, mainly because of fears that intermarriage would lead inevitably to discovery, and, consequently, to a serious infraction of wizarding law. (x)

Not to mention an example of so called pure blood families, like Malfoys, who might always look down on Muggles but did not mind hang out with their nobility and have been on speaking (or marrying) terms with Muggles (x) prior to International Statute of Secrecy (1692)

To be fair, it may be just author’s inaccuracy due to progress of the story. Salazar Slytherin was already connected to pure blood ideology since Chamber of Secrets, so of course he must be the source of problem that give a ground for the conflict happening in times of Harry Potter.

But at the same time, the song states clearly that even though Salazar wanted to teach only those whose ancestry’s purest* he still took only pure-blood wizards of great cunning just like him. So, even between those of “proper social/blood status”, Slytherin still looked for the smartest kids to deal with. With raises question - did Salazar care more for pure-blood of students or the skills/smartness? As someone described as “power hungry”, I tend to think the lack of proper blood could be omitted by Salazar if he met a truly ambitions & cunning child. Did Salazar truly took only pure-blood students into his House? Blood Baron** may suggest otherwise, but for now let’s finish all the info from the song.

*what kind of doesn’t make much sense in light of newest Rowling’s writing for Pottermore since Muggle and wizarding worlds were intertwined for ages so how Salazar could check family line of all children in Great Britain? How he understood purest ancestry anyway? Did family with three magic generation counts as such? Four? More? Or maybe the children of parents that both are sorcerers were okay, regardless if one of parents was half-blood or Muggle-born themselves? I’m gonna come back to this soon.

**Took only pure-blood wizards… but Bloody Baron, one of the first Salazar’s students may not be pure-blood himself, if once again Lupin’s words may be recalled into discussion. Baron was born into nobility, but aristocrats are Muggle thing. Sooo, either this is simply error on Rowling’s part or in Salazar’s time, pure-blood status could be seen in different way. Not as status / blood connection to certain families, but the magic in someone’s blood? Living close and/or in magic world? Anything else?

The “little strife” between Founders seems to prove that they indeed talked about what kind of students they are gonna teach. Frankly, if they were great friends (Godric & Salazar were close to each other), I have hard time to imagine that issue of Muggle-born sorcerers was never bring into discussion before. Especially since back in Middle-Age - and in general, in past - sorcerers and no-magic people live along each other and there were plenty half-blood witches and wizards. The mixed marriages were much more common than they are in modern times, so there is a big chance that all of Founders could be half-blood or Muggle born themselves or have blood relatives between no-magic people; this is not topic that was hushed down back in their times, so I don’t think there would be reason for such great friends to not talk about Muggle-born & half-blood wizards and witches and what is their view of them, the situation of magical world and about potential future students. The songs seems to agree with me, because despite all their differences, the “houses and their foundersmaintained friendships firm and true.”

(Also, please note, this is third time when Sorting Hat connects Slytherin to true friendship which means despite power-hungry, ruthless and ambitious nature he wasn’t the back-stabbing type of person and was capable of loyalty / connecting to other people).

Now, time for the part focused at the schism:

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears.

Sorting Hat once again provides important facts, like

A) Despite different values on which all Houses were built, Founders worked in harmony for many years.

B) Salazar did not resign just after school opened and pick up his students and taught them for more than at least two years

C) most likely something must happened to bring back the discord between them (maybe the tragedy of Helena Ravenclaw and Bloody Baron? I think it would fit timeline-wise)

D) Slytherin wasn’t solely responsible for the end of their friendship, since Hat says it cleary our faults and fears. This is pretty interesting that along faults (stubbornness? harmful ideology?), the fears played main role in their downfall. The Hat did not mention that Hogwarts was built in difficult times when magic people were persecuted by Muggle-born ones. Whatever happened to rise the conflict may be related to this persecution.

The Houses that, like pillars four

Had once held up our school

Now turned upon each other and

Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end.

What with duelling and with fighting

And the clash of friend on friend.

E) The conflict turned Founders against each other and there was fight how to rule the school; we aren’t told if Slytherin was the only one trying to impose his will/ideology on others making him vs three Houses, or if the conflict was much more complex. We don’t know how those fights affected students albeit song says it clearly that the schism put school in danger of being closed for good.

F) The fight between friends weren’t just verbal arguments; they dueled with each other, so it was pretty bad.

And at last there came a morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted.

The way song described Slytherin as old may suggest he was much older than rest Founders. Pictures of the Founders on Pottermore (x)() suggest that too, since Salazar is presented there with white/grey hair. This of course may give him different life experiences when it comes to Muggle-born/no-magic people; the repetitive persecution of mages could influence Salazar’s perception of reality. Mind you, as someone specialized in Legilimency (what allows to enter another person’s mind), Salazar was most likely called shrewd for a good reason. Fear of no-magic community wasn’t totally unfounded and we may only wonder what kind of relationship (life experiences) with Muggles Slytherin could have to form such negative idea out of the standard acceptance.

So, Slytherin departed albeit the song does not say if that was his own idea or if he was given to understand he is no longer welcome there. I tend to think it was solely his decision, not to spite the others nor to make the ostentatious show. The school, the ambitious plan & dream, was in danger of closing for good. Maybe the departure was Slytherin’s hope to save something great he and his friends worked hard to make true? In a way, his decision saved Hogwarts but his departure wasn’t welcomed with relief. It stopped the fight, but seems like no one was truly happy when Salazar left the school.

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the Houses been united

As they once were meant to be.

The departure of Slytherin was a blow to other Founders. Interesting thing is that, the lack of unity isn’t specified for Slytherin & Gryffindor “rivalry” alone. So maybe the fight between Founders wasn’t that one-sided as it’s usually painted. In the end, they all never recovered from that fight & lost of friend and Hogwarts never again have been united as it meant to be.

The rest song is Sorting Hat’s warning that Hogwarts Houses must unite against upcoming dark times. Songs alone gave as a lot things to think about. Of course, Sorting Hat has limited time for its stories and rhymes,that is why I wish to bring one more (in universe) source, namely the history lesson with professor Binns:

‘You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago – the precise date is uncertain – by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution.’

Thanks to professor Binns, we have another important pieces about situation of magic people in Middle Ages, omitted by the Sorting Hat. Namely:

Hogwarts was built in secret in times when magic was feared by common (Muggle) people. The ”far from prying Muggle eyes“ may even suggest that Muggles were suspicious about anyone and anything that may be related to magic and hunted down the witches and wizards on their own. Not only evil ones, but anyone who was “weird” (different) and did not fit their idea of society. We know that hunt for witches wasn’t one-time event and happened through the ages; the panic and mass hysteria spread easily and many innocent people were killed in brutal way. The darkest times, the inquisition, happened few centuries after Hogwarts was opened, but we must remember that when Christianity became dominated religion, a lot pagan tribes were forced to accept (and submit to) a new religion. According to wikipedia, in England The laws of King Athelstan (924-40), corresponsive with the early French laws, punished any person casting a spell which resulted in death by extracting the extreme penalty (x). The law was passed some decades prior to beginning of Hogwarts, so Founders may not be witnesses of what happened to all witches and wizards in result (were they even born yet?), but then again, Sorting Hat called “old” only Salazar, so who knows how much older*** he was than rest ? Even if he was born and raised in Ireland, the stories of purge may reach him pretty fast, considering magic means of fast travel & communication via animals.

*** and hey, Dumbledore was 100+ years old and still kicking ass, Professor Bathilda Bagshot died at 124, Newt  at 119 and others are good examples that old age is not so big deal between magic people

And not forget that in Ireland, druid (magic) tradition already collapsed due to spreading & dominating Christianity. Did Salazar despite how new, so anti-magic religion was destroying the older, pagan faith that keep magic and no-magic people in somehow symbiosis relationship? Magic always was feared to some degree, but in pagan tribes no less respected, seek more in need than greed, while the sorcerers themselves were respected and had high(er) social status between Muggles. The symbiosis may never be truly perfect, sure, but definitely better than Christian law killing any person casting spell, even the good (healing) ones. Frankly, I wonder if Salazar himself wasn’t somehow connected to old (magic) tradition/faith and how this could add to his refusal of teaching Muggle-born (Christian) children?

Another thing to take into account is the way Hogwarts was built. How many castles with solid walls are really changed into schools for children? Did Founders from the start felt they must fortify their school? Did they build the castle themselves or did they get the building somehow? Did all those charms to protect school (and its students) were put there by them from the start or was it later addition? Because there is so many security stuff, to the point that Hogwarts is now considered the safest place in modern Great Britain.

Did Founders worried that putting all magical children in one place may provoke Muggles to do something nasty? Were they afraid of no-magic people?

Another part of the lesson:

He paused, gazed blearily around the room, and continued, ‘For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school.’

Once again we learn that Founders worked in harmony for a few years, which most likely means Slytherin objection to teaching Muggle-born wasn’t anything strong or even not born yet.

Here is very useful and important part: Founders personally seek out youngsters who showed signs of magic and took them to the castle to be educated. Which means that Salazar and his friends did have contact with Muggles****, seeking between them young (untrained) wizards and witches. Since the law against witchcraft in England (and maybe in other parts of Great Britain too) has been working for years we may only imagine how the meeting with Muggle-born parents went. Did they reacted with fear? Hate? Keep thinking how their children’s magic may be useful for them? That those children are little devils that should be killed? Even in modern times, some families aren’t accepting magic but back in the Middle Ages? When magic was satan’s thing? How many people enjoyed such news or just accepted it without fuss? And hey, even seeking the half-blood children could be dangerous to their magic parents, if out of nowhere their identity of witch/wizard has come to light. Unless their Muggle partner knew about it, the surprise could bring tragedy to family. There are histories about, for example, man killing his wife cause he thought she was witch.

****Since many witches & wizards were living between no-magic people, Salazar and his friends most likely met a lot Muggles, even when they seek children of sorcerers. Professor Binns said, they seek out their students, so I’m guessing they weren’t rely on “searching/tracking spells” alone, if it existed yet at all. Maybe while travelling from one human settlement to another, they heard stories that sounded as someone’s using magic thus finding Muggleborn wizards & witches along the way?

Frankly, I’m surprised that Founders didn’t think / argue to take away those children for good, Jedi-like style. That way school could gain a talented students, while children would be far away from potential abuse. Then again, this is of course only my assumption that Hogwarts worked then in similar fashion to modern times, with the vacations between teaching when childs are sent back to their families for summer & winter (christmas*****) breaks. And even so many years later, the problem of putting back students into abusive families / unpleasant environments was never truly solved. Harry Potter may be seen as a special case, but Severus & Tom (half-bloods) were forced to come back to unhappy family / orphanage that cut them away from magic world. Okay, Severus had witch for a mother, and by some time magical friend (Lily), but being sorcerer between Muggles is pretty hard thing. Especially if Muggles hate the magic (Harry with Dursley, Lily with her own sister hating her).

***** Okay, I’m still not sure why the wizarding world even celebrate Christmas if no one seems to be Christian themselves, nor the religion plays any role or appear in the background at all.

Of course, if the no-magic parents were the trouble, why refuse children an access to education that will keep them safe and between their own folks? Why Salazar wanted cut them off, be more selective? A good question with not clear answer. On one hand, we should ask how many Muggle-born wizards and witches were back in Salazar’s days? In Harry Potter’s times, there weren’t that much Muggle-born sorcerers in his and younger class we are aware of, right? What if in Salazar’s time Muggle-born wizards and witches were even less happening, mainly due to fact

there wasn’t any law forbidding marrying no-magic people, thus

the amount of half- and quarter-blood (from half-blood & Muggle-born no-magic parents) was much bigger than later so

even if magic genes skipped a generation or two, some children still had magic blood in them due to having magic ancestor(s)

and let’s not forget the Squibs (children of wizards who do not have magic), who chose (or were shunned) to live between Muggles  could pass the magic gene to next generations******

There is also question how people gained magic in the first place. I mean, magic has been with mankind since the dawn of time. The wizards and witches aren’t different from no-magical people (except for magic, of course), so wouldn’t it make sense if even the purest magical families come from Muggle-born wizards and witches that passed down the magic gene? I wish to see some in-universe research about that.

******Frankly, I wonder if wizards are capable of checking if supposed Muggle-born student was truly a rarity or simply had distant magic ancestor? Especially since Squibs were living between Muggles for a long time and had their own childrens, then shouldn’t magic appear in some at some point? How Hermione (or rather magic teachers / officials) can be so sure she is Muggle-born witch and not some very distant descendant of Squib or wizard/witch? Does magic allow to check someone’s family tree that far in the past to be so sure about it?

On three song, none stated Salazar’s reasoning. We know whom he wanted to teach (Whose ancestry is purest; Took only pure-blood wizards Of great cunning, just like him) and what he seek in his students (Loved those of great ambition; of great cunning) but we’re not told why. Professor Binns, as the only one source, gave short passage: He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy.

At first, the all-magic families sounds as pure-blood ideology, right? But once again, what counts as all-magic family? What pure-blood meant in Middle-Ages and in time prior to Statute of Secrecy became effective (1692)? How many magic generation after generation family should have to to satisfy Slytherin? And if, let’s say, a Muggle-born wizard/witch married another magical person and they have magic offspring would the child(s) meet Salazar’s requirement? Both parents are wizards thus kid is raised in all-magic family, both understand to some degree magic and how it works, both need to watch out for Muggle prying eyes and keep hidden identity safe due spreading Christianity & anti-magic laws.

And what about children of Muggle-born person married into “pure-blood” family with magic generation after generation? What about half-bloods who are still born and raised in families in 99% full of wizards and witches? Would they count or not?

Would Slytherin refused such childrens, if they showed ambition and cunning nature he so much loved?

Also, the single argument given us by professor Binns is very important. Because Salazar’s choice of students didn’t come from sense of superiority (that I don’t see it in songs & history lesson provided by series) but from the feeling that students of Muggle parentage were untrustworthy.

Not worse than pure-blood students. Not unworthy of magic and learning under the greatest wizards and witches of their time. Not lesser.

Salazar believed he can’t trust them (and rest of Founders shouldn’t either). But trust with what?

The use of magic? Yeah, I can see how children who were picked up for years for being different, if not straight out abused as “spawn of devil” would rely on magic for their own protection or maybe even revenge of some sort. Which is rather connected to the (still unsolved) problem of sending back children to Muggle families / environment that aren’t always the safest or happiest places and well, some people love to have power and control that magic gives. Muggle- and magic-born alike.

The safety of Hogwarts and other wizards? Did the school was already Unplottability from the start? Did Salazar worried that Muggle-born students, willingly or accidently or under pressure(torture?), will betray the location of the magic school putting everyone in danger? Or spread the information that there is place full of still not fully trained wizards and witches, an easy prey to destroy due to their young age and limited knowledge?

Or, if Bloody Baron was Muggle-born (or at least half-blood born into Muggle nobility), would his action changed Salazar’s mind? Lack of control that resulted in death of Baron (Salazar’s own student) and pure-blood/half-blood Helena Ravenclaw (daughter of Salazar’s close friend) and may speed up death of Rowena (Salazar’s close friend)? Since Baron was one of Slytherin’s first student, that for sure could be a real blow to Salazar’s sense of trust (pride).

Salazar did not trust students of Muggle parentage, but in contrast to later pure-blood supremacist, there is not sources in which he would dehumanized those students or Muggles in general. Chamber of Secret is, mind you, covered up with so many myths and legends, so it’s hard to tell what was true and what was added later to the story. I’m gonna cover up this issue next time. For now let me bring passage:

Several works of dubious scholarship, published around the early eighteenth century and drawing partly on the writings of Salazar Slytherin himself, make reference to supposed indicators of pure-blood status, aside from the family tree. The most commonly cited signs were: onset of magical ability before the age of three, early (before aged seven) prowess on a broomstick, dislike or fear of pigs and those who tend them (the pig is often considered a particularly non-magical animal and is notoriously difficult to charm), resistance to common childhood illnesses, outstanding physical attractiveness and an aversion to Muggles observable even in the pure-blood baby, which supposedly shows signs of fear and disgust in their presence.

Successive studies produced by the Department of Mysteries have proven that these supposed hallmarks of pure-blood status have no basis in fact. Nevertheless, many pure-bloods continue to cite them as evidence of their own higher status within the wizarding community. (x)

After International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy (1692) the pure-blood was more political statement than true biological facts, supported by many of wizards and witches who were against voluntary hiding of wizarding community, so stuff published around the early eighteenth century are already connected to political ideology of supremacist and not always were stricte scientific research. Thus Several works of dubious scholarship is already a clear warning that reader should critically evaluate them

So, those dubious “historians” connected their pure-blood ideological theories to Slytherin by drawing partly on the writings of Salazar Slytherin himself. Mind you, they did not quoted directly his work, but only used those partly, which most likely means they took what fitted their theories, quite possible out of original context. What unfortunately happened through the ages in our world too; Nietzsche's philosophy & Nazi’s racism comes to mind.

We don’t have an idea what Salazar wrote nor in what form. Was that his personal journals? His magical research/studies? Did those writings even survive to modern times and are - in universe - available to historians or do we  - and wizarding world - know about them only due to dubious, biased reference? Slytherin for sure must be controversial historical figure, but how much of his dark reputation comes from his own doing and how much from over-interpretation, manipulation or straight propagating racist ideas by using his person?

Also, He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage… that kinda sounds that despite his personal disliking, he still took (and taught?) some. So, did Sorting Hat lied with the Took only pure-blood wizards Of great cunning, just like him line? Or was that more about general finding and bringing Muggle-born students to school?

I think my biggest problem with perception of Salazar Slytherin through the story is that he lived around 1000 years before the big conflict of main story happened. People, and thus society, change really fast, ideologies comes and goes, so are wars, political clashes, idea of comfort and inappropriate behavior. Generation after generation the changes happen so it is really hard to me to imagine that what Salazar thought and did and what motivated him 1000 years ago will be the literally the same thing for pure-blood supramcist now. When even the context of dislike for Muggle-born wizards and witches switched from general terror against magic to a sense of superiority or even a desire to enslave or exterminate no-magical people.

What is pretty big switch of reasoning, don’t you think?

I’m not gonna say Salazar did nothing wrong, but I think calling him pure-blood supremacist in the modern (in universe) sense may be quite far from the truth.

I imagine most likely everyone brave enough to read my meta to the end at least few times hissed but the Chamber of Secrets! I did not forget nor omitted it. This and Salazar’s students & family is gonna be topic of the next part, I promise.