#while snape was a mirror of tom and harry he was also a mirror of dumbledore

[lilithofpenandbook]

Something about Dumbledore being so hard on Snape

Dumbledore being scornful of Snape even when Snape was on his knees

Dumbledore emphasising that Snape made a mistake and must pay for it

Dumbledore who kept reminding Snape of his mistake even when he was grieving Lily

Dumbledore who didn't just let Snape change sides, he needed Snape to change his heart

Dumbledore who made the same mistakes as Snape and has been living in guilt ever since

Dumbledore who realised Snape was following in his footsteps

Dumbledore who may have started out thinking of Snape as cowardly or selfish but soon grew to trust him

Dumbledore who gave Snape half truths because if worst came to worst then Voldemort would have all the information right on his arm

Dumbledore who trusted Snape enough to not lie to him about the fact that he wasn't telling him everything even though he knew Snape resented it

Dumbledore who trusted Snape so much he knew that even if Snape resented him he would not betray him

Dumbledore who left everything he worked for in Snape's hands knowing it would be safe

Dumbledore who asked Snape to be the one to kill him, not just to save Draco's soul but for his own sake

Dumbledore who chose to die but only at the hands of someone he had grown to love

Dumbledore who once saw Snape as a desperate selfish boy that disgusted him

Dumbledore who made Snape his heir

Dumbledore who made Snape his.

[slitheringghost]

Your five worst opinions:

You think that across two aisles and up a third is the same thing as three rows to the right

You think Voldemort thought of himself as Tom (I can't find this post so maybe that was a nightmare I had)

Some of your opinions along the lines of the James/Snape relationship give James too much grace

You severely overestimate Lily's magical prowess. I respect your central thesis about Lily intentionally defeating Voldemort even though I don't agree yet, but I don't see enough evidence that she did exceptionally well in school or was a skilled duelist

The rest of your opinions are fine. If I had to pick a fifth maybe the thing about Lily helping up Flitwick when he falls over

1. I’m right 2. I’m right 3. I’m right 5. I’m right

4. THIS IS A MISOGYNISTIC ABOMINATION OF A TAKE and I shall prove you wrong. Here’s all of the evidence.

Lily as a brilliant student

- Lily was Head Girl, and all of the Heads we know - Tom Riddle, Dumbledore, Percy Weasley, Bill Weasley - are said to have gotten top grades (Percy and Bill got twelve OWLs). James as Head Boy is similarly brilliant (“exceptionally bright”, “cleverest students in the whole school”, creating the mirrors and the Map and Animagi, thinking the DADA exam was a piece of cake, etc.) I think some of those are political decisions too (maybe why James was chosen over Sirius, who based on Slughorn’s words/what we see/my biased preference lol, might’ve been a bit more brilliant than James) but top grades does still seem to be a prerequisite for the position, and they’re handpicked by Dumbledore.

(It’s more dubious how much grades count with prefects, given some of the choices: Ron, Remus who is very smart but presumably gets lower grades than James and Sirius, Lucius Malfoy who never really shows himself as exceptional at any magic).

- Slughorn calls Lily “one of the brightest he ever taught” and he taught Tom Riddle. While Slughorn has some… dubious choices and picks people based on fame/charm/connections/etc too, he clearly can also recognize talent: he praises Tom, praises Hermione’s talent in the first class, praises Snape, praises Sirius in the same scene as Lily, all of whom are canonically brilliant.

And if it was about other factors in Lily’s case rather than pure talent, it would’ve been considerably more advantageous for Slughorn to praise James as a pureblood boy, with a father with a Potions business if you accept that extracanon, rather than the Muggleborn girl.

- Lily’s wand is said to be “nice for charmwork”; in the same scene, Ollivander says James’s was good for Transfiguration, and James is clearly a Transfiguration prodigy, so it’s reasonable to extrapolate that Lily was then a Charms prodigy.

- Slughorn mistakes all of Snape’s modifications as Lily’s work, which means Lily came up with similar modifications and/or Snape and Lily came up with those together (similar to how the Marauders invented the mirrors and the Map together), and specifically praises her as being an exceptionally innovative and out of the box thinking student. Snape and Lily are implied as intellectual equals, and I think it makes a lot of sense that their abilities would match up nearly perfectly with each other’s until their friendship broke off, which I’ve elaborated on in this post (go down to the Snape and Lily section).

(Additionally though, based on Slughorn being Head of Slytherin House, his other favorites, Tom asking him for info on horcruxes, etc., he does consider talent on several scales and his statement about Lily being the brightest he ever taught goes beyond Potions and is about her as an overall student)

- There is of course the parallel of Tom Riddle and Lily both controlling wandless magic and doing unsupported flight before either of them even knew what magic was. Lily’s flight is different from that of Neville, Harry’s, etc accidental magic because Lily is in full control of it, and is indicated to have practiced it often enough for Petunia to tell her not to do it.

Since Tom calls himself “flight from death” at 15, I do assume Tom had a similar flying ability as a child and what we see in DH is the fully trained version of that. However, you could say this is more about innate magical power than intellect and skill, though it does suggest boundary pushing and a penchant for experimentation on both their parts. The rest of the parallels in their magic also indicate Lily being as brilliant as Tom.

- While explicit confirmation that Voldemort tried to recruit Lily and James is extracanon, I do think Voldemort telling Harry “Better save your life and join me or you’ll die like your parents… begging me for mercy” is evidence towards the idea that he did ask them to join (especially evidence for Lily, since Lily is the one who died begging for mercy). I could also say a lot about Voldemort evidently recognizing Lily’s magic and giving her credit for deflecting the Killing Curse, but that would be a whole other meta.

Dueling ability

- We know that James and Sirius are immediately wary of Lily’s wand in SWM. Sirius in particular is able to hold Bellatrix off for a while in the DoM battle and taunts her and they’re paralleled in combat (their laugh, etc) which implies they dueled together a lot, and Bella is Voldemort’s best duelist and parallels Voldemort in battle. So Sirius is at a similar level to Bella (though I think Bella is still better, just as Voldemort is still better than Bella). And Sirius is wary of Lily’s wand which means he sees her as a genuine challenge as an opponent, as does James. (James and Sirius also mimic each other in battle which implies James was also skilled).

- Of course, that’s their dueling ability at 16 - it’s possible they diverged later on. I see Dumbledore as playing to their strengths while training them for the Order. So Lily was assigned more the healing/cursebreaking/Dark magic expert role while James and Sirius were primarily in combat (tho Sirius also had some Dark magic expertise and I HC he was a wardcraft expert and was assigned the role of enacting protections on civilians’ homes), so by 1981 I think Sirius and James were better duelists than Lily, but Lily was still an excellent one.

- (I would add joining the Order as evidence, but, well, there seem to be a lot of Order members with mediocre talent and/or were picked for other reasons than skill, so that’s not great evidence).

There are probably more details but I’m stopping here for now.

[augustuscaesarsalad]

The Bellamort harassers are everywhere, good luck with them!

I really enjoy your insights because you seem truly impartial which believe it or not, is very rare to find in the fandom. There’s no discussion about Tom-Harry-Severus having many similarities and parallels, not only that but they’re the most important characters plot-wise but I wonder if that was a conscious choice because to me JKR’s writing is inconsistent and moody. Books 1-4 feel detached somehow from 5-7 when it comes to certain characters like Severus, the marauders, Albus and there’s also the parallels she creates between James to Draco and Dudley but was it deliberately or just happened, what do you think?

Thank you, I really appreciate that! 💚

Yeah, the Tom-Severus-Harry parallels have always been so interesting to me. There’s the line in Deathly Hallows; “Hogwarts was the first and best home he had known. He and Voldemort and Snape, the abandoned boys, had all found home here…” (chapter The Forest Again, page 697 in my version of the book).

The parallels between them are definitely intentional. How similar their backgrounds are makes the value of their choices (to do good or evil) have more impact. I also think that the tone shift difference between 1-4 and 5-7 is intentional. Cedric’s death really puts everything into focus for Harry, and Voldemort goes from being a threat who pops up out of the shadows every once in a while to say ‘boo!’ to a threat that is ever present and effecting EVERYONE. Harry is older and a little more battle worn starting in book five, and I think it makes him more perceptive to things about Snape, the Marauders, and Dumbledore that he might not have cared to think about before. Book 4 Harry is still riding the high of having reconnected with Sirius and Remus, and he still hasn’t experienced the horrors of what’s to come, whereas Book 5 Harry is angry at most of the adults in his life (rightfully so), and the reality of his life has come crashing down. There’s no rose tint to the world anymore, and Harry is in a place where he can think “maybe Snape and Dumbledore have more to them than I originally thought. Maybe my dad wasn’t some perfect saint.” He’s ready to understand that everything is complex now, and he’s also sort of ready to accept that every adult in his life is going to let him down, why would his dad and the Marauders be any different? The world isn’t so black and white to Harry anymore, all adults kind of suck, and he’s having to accept his terrible fate he’s been handed, and the narrative reflect this. Things just aren’t quite as whimsical as they used to be!

The parallels between Dudley-Draco-James are less intentional overall, but still definitely there. I mean, in the first scene where Draco is introduced, Harry compares him to Dudley. I think that it’s sort of like there’s a parallel between Dudley-Draco and Dudley-James, but not necessarily much important overlap between James-Draco.

Draco and Dudley are similar in a lot of ways, namely that they’re spoiled and they share the same love of bragging. There is definitely an intentional parallel between them. Draco and Dudley also behave the way they do because they are clearly mimicking the behavior of their fathers. Draco is mini Lucius and Dudley is mini Vernon. In both their cases, once they grow up, they realize that they were assholes, are clearly embarrassed by it, and change their ways. Dudley, of course, does this in Deathly Hallows, whereas it’s seen with Draco more in the Epilogue and in the Cursed Child.

Dudley and James are also, I believe, intentionally mirrored, due to the way they inflict humiliation on their respective victims (Harry and Snape). I don’t think it’s a coincidence that in the Occlumency lesson before Snape’s Worst Memory, it says “He had been forced, yet again, to relive a stream of very early memories he had not even realized he still had, most of them concerning humiliations Dudley and his gang had inflicted upon him in primary school.” (Chapter Seen and Unforeseen.) During the Occlumency lessons, the repeated things Harry thinks about are the dream about the Department of Mysteries, and him being humiliated by the Dursleys, namely Dudley. Like, as much as Draco tries, he isn’t capable of getting to Harry the way Dudley can. Draco doesn’t have the power over him needed to create that level of humiliation. Draco and Harry have beef with each other, but Draco is often the one actually humiliated; he’s rarely able to actually get one over Harry. The fact that Dudley having a “gang” is mentioned so frequently in Order of the Phoenix is important, and also the fact that it’s noted Dudley’s gang goes around picking on people who are less powerful people is important. (James and Dudley also have nicknames their respective groups call them. Which is a better one, Prongs or Big D lol.)

Draco and James do have some similarities, but not in a way that I think holds narrative importance. They aren’t parallels or mirrors of each other, they are just kind of similar. They’re both rich boys who like being mean and think it’s funny, but they have different motivations and executions, and the impact on their respective rivals (or victims) is different. James has the social power that Harry has at school, in the sense that they are liked by the majority of the student body, and by the teachers. Draco is obviously not the social pariah that Snape was, he and Harry are much more evenly matched in that sense, but he’s not getting any special treatment at Hogwarts compared to Harry. They aren’t narratively similar because they just don’t have the same impact. Draco WISHES he could be like James and actually win against Harry lol. I also think that it IS important, as I mentioned above, that Dudley and Draco are mimicking the behavior of their fathers. We have no reason at all to believe James was doing this, by all accounts it seems like his parents were super sweet. James and Draco are just similar in the way that all spoiled rich boys are similar, but not in any particularly important way.

So yeah, I do think there were some intention parallels between Draco-Dudley-James, but there isn’t as significant overlap between all three of them in the way that there is between Voldemort-Snape-Harry.

Dudley-James is the most importing parallel out of those three for sure. James is Snape’s Dudley, really. And their treatment of Snape and Harry only strengths the narrative connection between those two!

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Have you ever seen the SuperCarlinBrothers series on what if Harry had been in Slytherin?

Got any thoughts on if differing house would have changed anything in an interesting way?

I did listen to it a while ago (I put their videos as podcasts sometimes while I'm drawing or doing something else), and I agree with some of them and disagree with other parts.

The first year is probably the one I agree with them most on and the further in the story we go the more our visions diverge. Obviously, this is a what-if scenario and therefore almost entirely made up of speculation and headcanon, and even in my own mind I don't have a single true version of how it'll go since there are tons of potential variations and many fics about this.

If there's interest I could write, like, an outline of what if Harry got sorted into Slytherin fic I'd probably never write, but there are a lot of variations in this what-if and it's going to need to be split into multiple posts that detail what I think is likely, what could happen and what I'd like to happen if Harry was sorted into Slytherin.

Because, like, there are so many ways this could go and still be possible. Like, this what-if is essentially 30,000 different what-ifs in a trench coat. Because like, how would Snape react? It's possible he'd be nicer to a Slytherin Harry, and then that changes book 1 quite drastically. But it's equally possible the similarity to James Potter would override that. Both are equally plausible for this what-if. And what would Dumbledore do? Would he do something at all or more likely, just watch with growing concern and hope this isn't another Tom Riddle but keep the test of book 1 going, to see what kind of person Harry is (I think the second is more likely because Dumbledore tends to hope, so he'll hope Harry is a Gryffindor deep down and Harry telling him he sees his parents in the mirror of Erised would confirm it to Dumbledore). And I wonder how kind Hagrid would be to this sorting, I mean, the fandom doesn't talk about it much, but Hagrid definitely has a favorite house considering he's the one who told Harry: "There was not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin", so, I don't think Hagrid would be as friendly to Harry if Harry was in Slytherin, which means no Hagrid spilling info about Fluffy and the trials in book 1 (Harry would still learn all that information, but it'd be from a different source). But it's possible Hagrid would look past it since Harry is the son of James and Lily and he can't be bad.

And I think Harry will make friends within Slytherin, like, I disagree with SCB about that, I don't think all of them would be assholes. I also think Harry is more of a social chameleon than SCB gave him credit for. He acts the way we see him act because he mirrors Ron's behavior a lot of the time (especially in first year), in Slytherin, he'd try to mimic the Slytherin's behavior, so he wouldn't necessarily be that much of an outsider (he'd still have his sass, Harry should have his sass in every AU). I don't see him ever becoming a blood purist, but I can see a Slytherin Harry being a bit more aloof and carrying himself a little differently. I mentioned here, here, and here, how Harry can be colder and ruthless when push comes to shove, there's a reason the hat offered Slytherin. I do agree with SCB, that it's likely Harry would still be friends with Ron and possibly also Hermione, but even here there are different possibilities depending on what we change so Harry would get sorted into Slytherin in the first place. The story of the books could change a lot, but also barely change at all, depending on how you choose to interrupt certain characters and decisions.

The point is, there are a ton of moving parts and I don't really have a singular answer to how I think the books would go if Harry was in a different house. I have, like, this tree of possibilities.

[evernkillian]

HP Fanfiction Recs | One- Shot Edition; Part 1

Standard Rec Lists Disclaimers Apply: Please for the love of God read the tags and Author's Note/s, This is NOT the ultimate rec lists or whatever, the fics below are my cup of tea.

Also, I tried my best to make the Quotes I included spoiler free but if you think it is just tell me!

(also, I have more fic recs! Here)

🍄🍄🍄

1. r/AITA by Seagate

G | 2k Words | Hermione / Draco

Summary: A budding relationship seen through the eyes of Reddit posts

Hermione POV. Well, Reddit Post Style. Hermione's a good friend 🥹🥹🥹 Actually, most of her posts are about Harry, seeking advice on how could she make sure that he won't get hurt/make sure that he's in good hands. ALSO ALSO they keep interacting in the comments so READ THEIR USERNAMES IT'S FUNNIER IF U KNEW WHO IT IS. To this day whenever I remember Voldemort's comment I laugh. I love Hermione's characterization- she's loyal, and she takes no shit. I laugh a lot reading this because Hermione sounds so serious but it's funny. Also my favorite quote:

I don't buy it for a second. The kicked puppy look, the lost baby blue eyes, and pouty lips? I was there when he perfected it. When he used the fake remorse to get out of trouble with the professors. 

I slammed the door in his face. I'd rather get murdered, thanks.

2. Do Not Collect 200 Dollars by KittySmith

T | 11k Words

Summary: It isn't Voldemort who is reverted to baby form from the Final Super Spell - but why is Harry still alive?

Is Voldemort... cooing?

Crack fic. Like, really crack. I reread this fic when I need a laugh. Voldemort's mind is a beautiful place it's so funny. I love how oblivious Voldemort is with Snape's kidnapping attempts LAUGHING CRYING SOBBING the interactions of these 3 are my favorite parts because of its peak comedy. Voldemort as the most bizarre doting parent ever. Oh, yeah, it's a Voldemort Wins AU. He's just taking care of Harry and researching. What an icon. ALSO MY FAVORITE QUOTE:

He examined the banana he had left consideringly, checking its heft before he threw it directly into Severus’ terrified face with a flat, “Bitch.”

3. Heartbreaking Confession by LiquidLuckandStuff (@liquidluckandstuff )

M | 1k Words | Harry / Tom|Voldemort

Summary: After the war, Harry visits Voldemort's grave after a bad day with a Mind Healer.

He confesses something he is too scared to tell even his closest friends.

Just Harry having a bad day and talking to Voldemort's grave. About Almosts, what ifs, what could've beens. This fic shows that Voldemort and Harry understood each other very much. The ways they've shown it while they're enemies, while one of them is dead. Also my favorite quote!!! It's longer than this, 3 paragraphs but i think that would be too spoiler-y so here it is!

Quietly, Harry whispered a terrible secret. “Sometimes, I want to crawl in there with you."

4. Breaking More Taboos by Destiny_Of_A_Dragon

M | 3k Words | Harry / Voldemort

Summary: The first time Harry broke the taboo, he’d been beyond starving, with little to no choice. The second and third times were much the same.

But the fourth?

That’s when everything changed.

HOLY MOLY THIS FIC!!!! MAKES ME FERAL!!! It's so unique and I've reread it lots of times!!! Can't say more because spoilers but!!! If you've read this scream about it with me. Sadly I can't put my favorite quote here since I don't wanna ruin the surprise factor but!!! Just know I have a lot of them!!!

5. Lightning Heart by Clarisse (transnymphtaire)

G | 1k Words | Harry / Tom

Summary: The first time you touch, a matching symbol is left behind where skin met skin.

ROLE REVERSAL AU!!! DARK LORD HARRY GRRRRRRRR. ALSO GRYFFINDOR TOM. Also Luna's part is brief here but she's a badass I love her. And!!! Harry giving tom gifts for courting. And they're soulmates! Favorite quote:

"Did you know that Gryffindor was my old house?” Harry ask conversationally, as if they’re not under the school, with a mirror hiding the Philosopher’s stone.

“It’s why I chose it over Slytherin.” Tom answers.

🍄🍄🍄

[letteredlettered]

Do you have any complaints about HP canon, and if so, what are they? For example I know a lot of people really dont like that Draco didnt get a redemption arc, but your work seems to really thrive off of a close reading of canon Draco in a way I think a lot of fanfic just cant because hes like... a very bad person. Its made me wonder if you are very... canon positive? I guess? Or more positive than most, maybe.

I have too many complaints about HP canon to list in an ask, but I can try to list some of them. First I want to say that choosing to use canon to inform your fic has less to do with whether or not you like the canon and more to do with what you like or want from fanfic. If you don’t like that Draco wasn’t redeemed, you can write a fic that posits he is redeemed and so that canon doesn’t have to be dealt with. Or, you can write a fic that shows how he gets redeemed or deals with the fact of his redemption to show what canon could have been. I obviously prefer the latter style, though I respect anyone’s choice to write in the former style. I can’t say I always understand the former style, but I respect the fact that people want to do it and should if that’s what they want.

I will say that I’m not sure I’ve ever written a fic that’s fully canon compliant, and I can’t quite imagine wanting to. Most of my fics a response to canon--they’re about something that wasn’t in canon, that I wish was in canon; or they’re about something that wasn’t in canon, and I don’t want to be in canon, but I still want to be explored. I wish the MCU would actually deal with the responsibility of wielding outsized power of destruction, so I wrote MCU fics. I do not want Schitt’s Creek to deal with the darkness of David Rose’s trauma or past, but I was still interested in it, so I wrote darker SC fic. I love Star Trek TOS, but I want to see Kirk and Spock hook up, so I wrote TOS fic.

There are a few things where I like the canon just the way it is, so I don’t write fic for it. Rainbow Rowell’s Carry On series is just what I want. I don’t need to write fic.

Back to my complaints with HP canon, the major problem I had was a lot of set up without the follow-through I expected or desired. I discussed that in my tumblr posts about Ron and Ginny. The set up of the Harry Potter universe is rather black and white, which I appreciate--it’s easy to get invested; it’s easy to consume. You know who the good guys are right away, and there’s no more complication. LOTR is rather like that, and I love it. But then HP begins to deconstruct its premise--James Potter was good, but he wasn’t kind. Dumbledore was trying to stop Voldemort, but he wasn’t honest. Snape is a horrible person, but he’s trying to do the right thing. This is my favorite sort of story, the one that starts black and white--vampires are evil; the robots will kill us, and the Gems that didn’t rebel are the enemy. Then a vampire earns his soul, or you find out you’re a robot, or--well, actually I didn’t like where Stephen Universe really went with that, but you get the picture. The Harry Potter series began the process of turning its own premise inside out, but somewhere in Halfblood Prince, that got too hard, and things began to snap back to their original shape. Good is good, actually, and bad people will always be bad.

One example of this is the death of Voldemort. Harry is set up as a mirror to Voldemort. Their pasts are very similar. Harry even feels compassion for Voldemort. At several different points, Harry is faced with the fact that he has to kill Voldemort. But Harry never has to deal with killing Voldemort, or with making a decision to spare Voldemort. In the end, Voldemort causes his own end as a result of his own destructive tendencies. This makes me feel that the text is suggesting that Voldemort deserves death. The idea that anyone “deserves” death for bad things they’ve done is not something I believe in or ascribe to. But even if it is the argument the text wants to make--what was the point of showing us that Tom Riddle was lonely, hurt, feared, and probably mistreated? The point really appears to be to show that two boys can have the same background and one turns out good while the other turns out bad, because goodness is inherent to some people while evil is inherent to others. I find this conclusion abhorrent, but I feel the conclusion is ultimately borne out by plenty of other aspects of the HP books.

The other example is Draco’s lack of redemption. I do not think villains have to be redeemed. The world has proven that shitty people can remain shitty. I also appreciate stories that show us the humanity of shitty people. A story about someone who is faced with thier bad choices but continues to make bad choices because they’re too afraid to do otherwise can be a good story. But I guess with Draco, I felt like I saw enough of his inner turmoil to understand why his heart would change, but not a thorough explanation of why it wouldn’t. Combined with many other similar characterizations in HP canon, it just feels like more essentialism--bad people are bad, and that’s how it is. I don’t mean there’s no nuance--as I said, the series does begin to deconstruct its own premise; we even saw how the Trio could be shitty. But ultimately they make the right choices. The characters who make the wrong choices generally continue to make them, except for Snape and Dudley. My complaint with those two representing a change of heart is that we don’t get to see the actual painful process of what that looks like--Snape’s happens pre-canon and there is too little of Dudley to show what is going on in Dudley’s brain.

The last thing I absolutely hate about HP is a lot of the “bad” characters tend to be overweight or unappealing in appearance. It’s true that a lot of this might be Harry’s POV--maybe Snape actually is the sex god some fics make him out to be, and Harry just he’s greasy because he doesn’t like him, and maybe Harry doesn’t like a good hook nose (I do). Additionally, Lockhart is very pretty, and while I want to firmly stress that Draco is never describes as good-looking, he’s not really described as ugly, and I believe Narcissa is even described as beautiful. But the book isn’t written in close third-person Harry POV, and “pointy” isn’t very flattering. Unkind words and stereotypes are used throughout to highlight the badness or evil of almost all the characters we’re not “supposed to” like. The descriptions of the Dursleys in particular are upsetting.

In my opinion, the  above examples demonstrate a lack of compassion at the heart of the HP story. That’s what I’ve always hated about it and what always made me want to write about it. I want to write and say, “Look at this. This is fucked up. This is wrong.” Some people don’t read fic for that reason, and I think that’s fine. Plenty of those people really hate my fic, which is also fine. I know that many things in this world lack compassion, and I don’t spend years of my life writing fanfic about them. I think the reason I keep coming back is to me, the premise was unkind--which I was fine with, and then the text itself began to deconstruct itself--which I was overjoyed by. It made me fall in love with the series. But when the premise snapped back to an essentially black and white world, I felt betrayed.

In conclusion, I find HP at its very essence to be unkind. Ursula K Le Guin said it best when she said that it was “ethically rather mean-spirited.”

[thedreamermusing]

Harry identified with and reluctantly admired Snape even before ‘The Prince’s Tale’

So, 'Albus Severus' is admittedly is a controversial name in fandom due to Snape's own dubious morality. And people also think that Harry going from hatred to admiration of Snape so quickly is unrealistic. But, that's not true. There's no doubt that Harry hated Snape, but amid that hatred, there was also reluctant admiration and even identification with Snape. Let's see a few examples:

Harry did not speak; he felt that to say anything might be dangerous. He was sure he had just broken into Snape’s memories, that he had just seen scenes from Snape’s childhood, and it was unnerving to think that the crying little boy who had watched his parents shouting was actually standing in front of him with such loathing in his eyes. . . .

Probably the first time Harry is looking at Snape as anything more than his hated Potions professor. But it is still significant considering Harry's own abusive childhood.

His reaction to Snape's Worst Memory:

What was making Harry feel so horrified and unhappy was not being shouted at or having jars thrown at him — it was that he knew how it felt to be humiliated in the middle of a circle of onlookers, knew exactly how Snape had felt as his father had taunted him, and that judging from what he had just seen, his father had been every bit as arrogant as Snape had always told him.

His immediate reaction after watching Snape's memory is to empathise with Snape, because he knows what it's like to be bullied in front of a crowd.

We also get hints of how similar Snape and Harry are. Even Hermione comments on it:

Did you hear him talking about the Dark Arts? He loves them! All that unfixed, indestructible stuff —” “Well,” said Hermione, “I thought he sounded a bit like you.”

“Like me?”

“Yes, when you were telling us what it’s like to face Voldemort. You said it wasn’t just memorizing a bunch of spells, you said it was just you and your brains and your guts - well, wasn’t that what Snape was saying? That it really comes down to being brave and quick-thinking?”

Hermione comments on how they both sound similar. Snape and Harry do have a lot in common as we will find out later, but this is one of the first hints of another character noticing it.

But imo, the largest culmination of Harry's reluctant admiration is in the case Snape's old textbook, when he called himself the Half-blood Prince. This is teen Snape; Snape as Lily knew him, Snape without all the baggage that he has with Harry. And what is Harry's opinion of him?

Harry woke early on the morning of the trip, which was proving stormy, and whiled away the time until breakfast by reading his copy of Advanced Potion-Making. He did not usually lie in bed reading his textbooks; that sort of behavior, as Ron rightly said, was indecent in anybody except Hermione, who was simply weird that way. Harry felt, however, that the Half-Blood Princes copy of Advanced Potion-Making hardly qualified as a textbook. The more Harry pored over the book, the more he realized how much was in there, not only the handy hints and shortcuts on potions that was earning him such a glowing reputation with Slughorn, but also the imaginative little jinxes and hexes scribbled in the margins, which Harry was sure, judging by the crossings-out and revisions, that the Prince had invented himself.

Harry's admiration is practically dripping through the pages. He's staying up at night reading the book, admiring the boy who was so clever.

One of the most interesting lines is also this:

“My dad used this spell,” said Harry. “I — Lupin told me.” This last part was not true; in fact, Harry had seen his father use the spell on Snape, but he had never told Ron and Hermione about that particular excursion into the Pensieve. Now, however, a wonderful possibility occurred to him. Could the Half-Blood Prince possibly be —?

Harry is so attached to Snape's old textbook that he wishes it was his father. Harry is hungry for father figures and the fact that he elevates the Prince to this kind of figure from just his textbook is significant. It shows the lost potential between Harry and Snape. Who is the Prince but a younger Snape? It shows that had Snape been a little less bitter and damaged, he could have been a mentor figure for Harry.

These two have so much in common: their lives are defined by Voldemort and they're not truly free until he's dead, they're both half-bloods who grew up in the muggle world, they both suffered abusive childhoods, they were both bullied, they're both sarcastic and dry, they both can get very vicious (Snape more so obviously), they're both completely loyal to Dumbledore, they're both brave and stubborn as hell. I truly believe that had Snape not been so blind, he could have been a great father figure for Harry simply because of how similar they are and how much they could relate to each other.

He felt stunned; it was as though a beloved pet had turned suddenly savage; what had the Prince been thinking to copy such a spell into his book? And what would happen when Snape saw it? Would he tell Slughorn — Harry’s stomach churned — how Harry had been achieving such good results in Potions all year? Would he confiscate or destroy the book that had taught Harry so much…the book that had become a kind of guide and friend? Harry could not let it happen…He could not…

Harry thinks of the Prince as a friend and guide.

“Will you stop harping on about the book!” snapped Harry. “The Prince only copied it out! It’s not like he was advising anyone to use it! For all we know, he was making a note of something that had been used against him!”

“I don’t believe this,” said Hermione. “You’re actually defending —“

“I’m not defending what I did!” said Harry quickly. “I wish I hadn’t done it, and not just because I’ve got about a dozen detentions. You know I wouldn’t’ve used a spell like that, not even on Malfoy, but you can’t blame the Prince, he hadn’t written ‘try this out, it’s really good’ — he was just making notes for himself, wasn’t he, not for anyone else…”

Even after 'Sectumsempra', Harry defends the Prince like this. As a side note, I also think that Harry's relationship with the Prince somewhat mirrors Lily's relationship with Snape. They both admired and loved the boy who was so clever and imaginative and were willing to blind themselves as that boy went deeper into the dark side.

He broke off, looking out of the window. He could not stop himself dwelling upon Dumbledore’s inexcusable trust in Snape…but as Hermione had just inadvertently reminded him, he, Harry, had been taken in just the same…in spite of the increasing nastiness of those scribbled spells, he had refused to believe ill of the boy who had been so clever, who had helped him so much..

This is after Snape killed Dumbledore, and Harry's primary feeling about the Prince is one of betrayal. Ultimately, I believe Harry's relationship with the Prince is pivotal in his understanding of Snape, and I firmly believe that this also informed his decision to name his son after Snape. After watching Snape's dying memories, Harry's admiration of the Prince returned and merged with his feelings towards Snape. It is no coincidence that the chapter revealing Snape's true allegiance is called 'The Prince's Tale', telling us that Snape truly is the same Prince Harry admired and wished was his father.

Harry's feelings towards Snape after the Prince's tale is obvious. Throughout Snape's memories, he identifies with him, not James. He immediately notices that James has an air of being loved and adored while Snape conspicuously lacks it. He cannot bring himself to watch Snape's Worst Memory again. After watching the memories, he identifies with both Snape and Tom Riddle as 'the abandoned boys' who were outcasts and only found their home in Hogwarts.

In short, I believe Harry's admiration of Snape was not sudden or inexplicable but something he always reluctantly felt. He identified with Snape even when he hated him. Once he saw Snape's memories in his entirety, he understood and identified with them even more because Harry has been in Snape's shoes. He's been a dark-haired, abused, bullied, half-blood outcast. And he knows how hard it is to be brave in those circumstances. While the readers might have trouble understanding why Snape would have a child named after him, Harry doing so is not a surprise.

[unfairlawyer]

Things in Harry Potter that are Fucked Up and why you cannot separate the art from the artist.

I love harry potter. probably more than the typical harry potter fan. it's my current hyperfixation, and i know that Harry Potter is a media riddled with harmful bias and stereotypes, and i know that JKR is a terrible, bigoted human. While i still enjoy the harry potter series and it's fandom, you cannot consume it without being cognizant of these things. Separating the art from the artist, in this case, does not benefit anyone but the bigoted, piece of shit author. I like to think that i ethically consume HP (as much as you can ethically consume something so... icky), but i think a lot of people who try and hold on to the childhood nostalgia of reading HP and that wonder they felt by denying and separating the art and the artist are, quite frankly, deluding themselves. Here's an non-exhaustive list of things that i can think off the top of my head that are problematic and signal JKRs intolerance. please feel free to add if you think of one i havent.

The goblins are an antisemitic caricature. ex: the exaggerated noses and their greed when dealing with money

Rita Skeeter is a mockery of non-passing Trans-Women. ex: her 'manly' hands and her 'garish' style

Dean, one of the only black characters in the series, is described as having an absent father.

Continuing on with black characters: white characters in the series, when introduced, are not described by their skin color, but by other adjectives. All black characters we see are explicitly describes as being black, seldom with other descriptors, which centers their blackness to their character and not in a productive way.

Kingsley Shacklebolt, a black character, literally has shackle in his name??

Hermione is black-coded and a lot of fandom likes to interpret her as black, and JKR has said in interviews that it is intentional and that you can read her however. This makes it especially problematic that hermione is mocked and belittled for advocating for house elves, a literal slave race

the house elves themselves are described as liking their slavery. hello??

Werewolves are 'supposed' to be an allegory for AIDS, and by extension, homosexuality. this demonizes the gay community-- especially with Fenrir Greybacks desire to "turn" children by being predatory.

Dumbledore is a manipulator to end all manipulators and his character advocates for the continued abuse of children, even when there are better options available to the abused child. The fact that all other adults bow down to his word is concerning.

Snape...

I don't appreciate the treatment of hagrid, as a half giant, being expelled from hogwarts and stripped of his wand, and then, after being proven innocent from the allegations of opening the chamber, does not get his wand back, and he must continue to work under the supervision of dumbledore to do magic on the low-down and also not be impoverished as he would be outside of hogwarts and independent.

In the movies, Tom the Barman at the leaky is clearly intellectually disabled and this is mirrored in his physicality, and it really does not sit with me in a good way.

cho chang is the worst name ever. it is literally two surnames. JKR did not one ounce of research and selected the most ridiculous name for a chinese-coded character

[lilithofpenandbook]

There's a reason why Harry put himself, Snape, and Riddle as one group, the Abandoned Boys who found a home in Hogwarts.

Obviously, he and Riddle had friends, popularity, everything (Riddle more than Harry), but you have to wonder why he included Snape. Snape, whose worst memories are things that happened in Hogwarts. Snape, who had to work there not out of his free choice but under Dumbledore's orders. And while Harry is known for being a little clueless and tactless, he would have known that Hogwarts wasn't kind to Severus Snape. Yet he included Snape as to finding a home in Hogwarts, and not Neville who was also abandoned in a way (parents gone and raised by a harsh relative, a mirror of Harry really) and found a home there.

And I think Dumbledore is the one that unites the three more than Hogwarts.

Because Dumbledore tried to save all three boys. He tried to save Tom Riddle, even though he knew Tom was beyond saving, and he was the one Tom feared. He may have silenced Snape once, but when Snape went to him for help he took him in, took care of him. He tried to care for Harry, which was an impossible task- how do you care for a boy you love yet know must be doomed to die?

Dumbledore is the father to the three abandoned boys. Tom feared his punishment above anyone else's, and that's like how a child is more scared of their parents than any other anger. Severus ran to him for help, almost expecting to be killed but not enough to not come because he knew deep down Dumbledore wasn't gonna hurt him, like an estranged child coming home because they're in too deep to save themselves. And Harry ultimately loved and trusted Dumbledore even when angry and confused the way a child still trusts their parents even when that parent doesn't make sense. The one thing that divides Tom from the other two was the fact that he didn't love back. That's really it.

All three of them lost their father that day. One lost their only protector. One lost their only guidance.

One lost the only person who could keep them in hand.

And I know I'm rambling by now, but Snape lashing out and being so angry afterwards, being so furious when Harry thinks he's evil, a coward, it almost reads like a fight between two brothers. The eldest who knows the truth and has had to hide it. The youngest who knows nothing and only knows what he sees. I'm the eldest child in my family, and I can imagine how much anger I'd feel if my siblings began rounding on me for doing something I'm already hating myself for doing without realising that I'm human and I'm hurting too. That's how Severus felt. He had to do the worst possible thing imaginable, and on top of that Harry's attacking him and hurling insults at him, and he can't take it anymore.

Both Severus and Harry are angry, and both of them are fighting and lashing out on the other.

Both of them are angry for the exact same reason.

Their father is gone.

They're both alone in a world that wants to kill them.

And they don't even have each other anymore.

This has probably been said before, but because Dumbledore said "Severus, please", as in was clearly asking Snape to kill him (as we all know by now), I think that means Snape didn't have the heart to kill Dumbledore at all.

Obviously we know that him saying those two words didn't mean "Spare me", they meant "Kill me", but I think the reason he said it wasn't to make Snape's betrayal seems legitimate (although it helped), but because he felt that Snape was gonna back out, that Snape was hesitating.

Maybe even his way of reassuring Snape that it's okay, I want this, so that Snape doesn't hate himself afterwards for killing the only one he had left, the only person in the whole world who saw him as someone more than Snivellus, more than an ex-Death Eater, someone who trusted him when no one else in the world did. And I do firmly believe that Dumbledore and Snape did ultimately love and care about each other.

Maybe Snape went to Dumbledore for help because he knew how powerful Dumbledore was... Or maybe because he was just a scared kid who needed his father to make it okay. Because honestly, that's what that seemed to me. Snape, who was silenced by Dumbledore for the sake of Remus, who had every reason to not trust Dumbledore at that point, still went to him. I wouldn't put it past Snape to have mentally seen Dumbledore as a father, even if that was an unrequited love because when has Snape not had an unrequited love he's not the Half-Blood Prince he's the Half-Love Prince but I digress. Snape begging Dumbledore for help seems very much like an estranged son running home for help.

And then the way Snape lashes out on Dumbledore too. Accusing Dumbledore of using him. Implying that Dumbledore didn't protect Lily properly. Even though it's obviously not Dumbledore's fault. It just seems like a child blaming their parent for something because there's no one else to blame, and that parent is safe, that parent won't get angry, that parent will still protect them.

When you look at that, it's very obvious why Dumbledore had to tell Snape to kill him even then. Because he knew Snape couldn't do it, and he knew that he was asking Snape to practically kill the only safe person he had in the world. And he had to make it okay, had to remind Snape this was what he wanted. Because guilt killed Snape once and it would kill him again.

This is probably barely coherent I'm just having some thoughts because these two make me mentally unwell

[sneverussape]

snape fic recs - old magic/epic worldbuilding

related to this post. i decided to dig through my bookmarks and wrack my brain for some of the fics i remember reading that scratched this particular itch. this will have fics that had the characters practice old magic and are more focused on the adults/hogwarts staff rather than the kids, or if the kids would be mentioned they would not be the main povs. these will be multi-chaptered, often long (and obviously au), and some of them have pairings. please heed the tags and warnings that the individual authors would have left; what you consume is your own responsibility. the fics are also listed in no particular order:

In His Name by moira of the mountain -  After the Final Battle, a fallen Snape is hidden, bearing Tom Riddle's last Unforgivable. There are three Secret Keepers and a Muggle healer to protect him, but will it be love - or an obligation - which finally frees him?  - no pairings // kinda brotp between mcgonagall, snape, and hagrid // also unfinished so fair warning. the lore is so rich though, it feels like how magic in hp should have been.

Death’s Dominion by MMADfan - Severus Snape’s life was changed when he was hit by an errant spell, and he comes to a decision that defies Dumbledore’s wishes. Even the fate of the wizarding world is altered by this ill-cast curse and Snape’s subsequent resolve.Long after the spell has dissipated, its effects continue echoing in the lives of Severus, Albus, Minerva, and Hermione, and they bring with them a shadowy figure whom Snape does not trust and whose motivations and influence on Minerva are murky. Not all is as it seems, and conspiracies and schemes swirl around Severus as he continues on his path of deception to his final confrontation with the Dark Lord. A “Light” fic of love, loyalty, and redemption. - mm/ad, ss/hg // this fic. is LEGENDARY. this is one of those fics that require your full attention and will eventually suck you in and spit you back out with your whole life changed. it will take you on a whole rollercoaster of emotions. the mm/ad pairing is quite an obvious one but the ss/hg is a subtle one and it’s more friendship throughout the whole fic than an actual romantic relationship. the ocs (a lot of them minerva’s family) are also SO well-made you’ll forget they’re not canon. 

FALLING FURTHER IN by kaz2 - Hermione begins to learn something of the man behind the dark sarcasms of the classroom. - ss/hg, also features wolfstar, brotp between the faculty and severus // this was one of the fics i had in mind when i did that last post about missing old hp stories. this was started in the early 2000s and the author had free rein on a lot of the material. flitwick and sprout are married here and are the cutest things on earth. it’s also set during the summer leading into harry’s final year so all the teachers are staying at hogwarts and are all good friends with each other. hermione is there as well because her parents had been murdered by death eaters and so she’s spending it with them. the way the ww is written here is so...epic, jkr couldn’t even. snape lives in an invisible tower called serpens tower, the teachers often go to a brothel-which-isn’t-really-a-brothel in hogsmeade, the other teachers often baby severus subtly because he’s the youngest, wolfstar are tolerable and remus actually learns to brew his own damn wolfsbane, etc. the story is in story format until near the end iirc and then the author outlines what happens next rather than writing it out. i can’t blame them; it really is a massive undertaking.

The Crest by sheankalor -  Dumbledore only holds partial say in who the Head of House is. Severus Snape is nominated as the Head of Slytherin, but has to pass a final test. Can he? Does he work well with the other three Heads of House? And just what is The Crest? - no pairings // staff fic // one of the rare one-shots but it’s in an au which feeds into other stories // i loooove the lore in this. it provides an explanation as to how a house head is approved by the school and i’m a sucker for any fic that has the faculty getting along.

Balance by rabbit and -v-Jinx-v - Hogwarts is under siege, and it's going to take everyone to find a way out of danger. - no pairings // brotp minerva and severus, also harry and draco form a friendship // this is one of my personal faves. it’s not only old magics but the entirety of hogwarts come together to battle against dark forces (not even death eaters but...balrogs...and other things). there’s no build-up to it; you enter the story after the battle’s already begun and then you get taken along for the ride. also has a part where the heads of houses meet the founders and there’s this epic dance that’s reminiscent of the danse macabre in The Graveyard Book (if you’ve read that you’d know what i mean).

Another World by Aeryn Alexander - Detention with Snape turns into something of an adventure for Hermione and Ginny, not to mention Professor Lupin, as they all discover that Hogwarts holds a terrible secret that none of them want to learn. - ss/hg, rl/gw // this fic took me by surprise because i didn’t expect it to go the way it did based on the summary lmao. the 4 basically get trapped in a mirror version of hogwarts after a potions accident, and the mirror world has literal demons in it. they have to find a way to get back into the real world while not getting killed at the same time. i actually liked lupin in this one and he and severus form a tenuous friendship. 

In One Spirit by mavidian - Voldemort and Dumbledore prepare for war and survival. Plans go awry, intrigues abound and nothing is what it seems. Snape created the Dark Mark but that mistake may cost him everything. Can Hermione be his saving grace? - ss/hg but it’s such a slow build you barely notice it during even the first 20 or so chapters because he’s his usual asshole self and they’re too busy trying to protect hogwarts // the concept of this fic and the lore it built up...wow. the faculty are all friends and they’re trying very hard to protect hogwarts using their own magics and their own clever schemes (war brooms? battle wands? blessing tree? filch even gets powers!). voldemort is also equally devious here and snape has loving pureblood parents! (not that it matters, he’s still an ass, but then it’s nice to read about him having a nice family for once). neville also steps up as a member of one of the Traditional Families so he’s quite a BAMF here. 

yo pls feel free to add your own recs to this post, i’m pretty sure there are loads more out there!

[jadedxrealityw]

-”First Love?” “No My Only Love”- Draco Malfoy x Female Reader

       Kody: Got some angst for y'all because i’m a evil person, but hey it has a sweet ending so why not. Also i refuse to say that Draco looks like what he does in the 19 year timeskip. Just imagine Tom Felton please lmao.

       Summary: Draco and Y/n were lovers in school and he was forced to break up with her because his family arranged a marriage with the Greengrass family  and after the war he never saw her again until he takes a trip to Scorpius’s school.

       Warning: Will make you sniffle just saying. It’s angst as hell my guy.

        House: Slytherin, but your not in school anymore.

       ♡~🐍~♡

       “Father we are going to be late!” Yelled a very excited Scorpius. Draco laughed quietly to himself as he adjusted his tie in the mirror. He took one last look at himself before stepping out, shutting the bathroom door. 

        “Alright Scorpius the car is outside let's go” he called out and saw his son slide out of his room with a giddy expression.

        “You seem very excited” Draco looked down at the 12-year-old boy who nodded.

        “I am, I get to see Albus and Rose,” he says as both Malfoys walked out of the manor. Heading into the car, Draco opened the door for Scorpius to climb in before getting in himself. He closes the door and told the driver to head to Hogwarts.

        You might be wondering where the Malfoys are off to this evening. Well, it was professor, parent day. Where Parents can come back to their old school and meet the professors that teach their kids. It’s usually a great experience for the children. Draco was a bit nervous to go back to a school that he helped destroy in the past, not that he wanted to. Hogwarts was always his second home, but that wasn’t the only reason it would hurt to go back.

       ♡~🐍~♡ 

        As the car stopped, Scorpius flew out the car and ran towards a group of kids. He hugged both Rose and Albus who were equally excited to see him. Draco stepped out and shut the door. He saw Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron standing near the kids. He walks over to them and smiles warmly “Hello”

        “Hey Draco, surprised you came. We know how hard it is for you to be here” Hermione gives him a sympathetic smile. Everyone forgave him for his past mistakes and eventually became friends with the used to be ‘Golden Trio’

        “Scorpius really wanted to come and i couldn’t say no to him, trust me i’ve tried” Draco grins lightly, snickering at the thought.  The rest of them laughed as well before looking over at there kids. Draco gazed around until his eyes landed on a bench, his mind sending him into a memory.

        ♡~🐍~♡

        “Draco i swear to merlin, stop!” Y/n laughed as her boyfriend tickled her sides. 

        “Aw, but your laughing, love. Seems like you enjoy it!” he smirks as he continued to grab at her sides. She was able to break free from his hold and run away, but Draco was faster and scooped her up. He walked over to a bench and placed and sat down with her in his lap.

        A pout came across her face “You suck” she whined making Draco laugh at her child like behaviour. 

        “I love you too” He replied making Y/n smile before he leans into place a loving kiss to her lips.

        ♡~🐍~♡

        “Father?” Draco was brought back to reality and looked at his son who was tugging at his sleeve. He pointed towards the doors and the people walking in “We can go inside now” 

        Draco takes a second to recollect himself before smiling and heading inside with his son, he was surprised to see that everything was relatively the same. It gave him a feeling of nostalgia, but also a feeling of hurt. He’d walk these halls a million times with her. 

       ♡~🐍~♡

        Walking hand and hand Draco felt a warm feeling in his chest. Happiness. He had a stupid grin on his face, which Y/n had noticed “Why are you smiling so much?” she asked with a small laugh.

        Draco turned his head to face her “Because the most beautiful girl in the world is holding my hand of course” his reply made her smile and shake her head. 

        “Your a dork, Draco”

       ♡~🐍~♡ 

        Shaking his head Draco let out a deep sigh. This was way more difficult then he imagined. He tried his best to keep his composure for Scorpius. As they walked Scorpius turned to the trophy case “Hey father, look it’s your name!” he exclaimed.

        Draco smiles and looks over “Draco Malfoy, Seeker” he read the plaque out loud. He really did love Quidditch, flying high on a broom where no one can bother you was the best feeling ever.

        “Y/n L/n, Chaser!” Scorpius read with an excited tone. Draco felt his heart squeeze. Just hearing her name was almost to much. Scorpius turned to his father “Were you two friends?” he asked. Draco opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

        “Scorpius, how ‘bout you and Albus go see where Rose is?” HArry spoke from behind them. Scorpius nods quickly and runs off in the other direction. Draco felt his pulse die down.

        Draco turned towards Harry and nods “Thank you” he said. Harry nods and gives him a warm smile. Placing his hand on his shoulder.

         “It’s just hard to hear her name i guess” Draco chokes out before pushing past Harry to go find Scorpius.

       ♡~🐍~♡         

        The next place they visited was the portrait to the Slytherin common room, which was now snape. He smiled as he approached it “Ah Mr. Malfoy and tiny Malfoy. This is a treat indeed” he says sarcastically. Draco rolls his eyes and chuckles.

        “It’s nice to see you too Professor” Draco smiles. Snape cracked a half smile at Draco. It was weird to see him in a portrait. He looked up to snape for protecting him when he was a kid, it was hard to swallow that he was really gone. 

        “I remember you running in and out of this common room with that little girlfriend of yours, she was a lovely girl” Snape sighs. Draco felt his mind drag him into another memory, the worst one by far

       ♡~🐍~♡

        Draco was sitting on the sofa in the common room, waiting for his girlfriend to show up. Nerves nipped at his skin as he waited “Draco?” he looked up from his hands to see her standing there, she looked worried once she saw his frown “What’s wrong?”

        He gestured for her to sit down on the sofa with him and she complied. He looked at her and smiled lightly, he wanted to remember her like this for a second “My family has arranged for me to be married, to Astoria Greengrass.” he watched as Y/n’s face fell. A feeling of sadness taking over her.

        Y/n tried to hide her aching heart with a smile “We knew this would happen eventually, i just didn’t want it to be now, while this war thing is going on around us” she sighed and grabbed his hand “As much as i would like to keep you with me, i know how much your family means to you. I’d do anything for you Draco Malfoy, even if it means leaving you”

        A lump formed in Draco’s throat as tears threatened to spill from his grey eyes. “I wish it could be different my love. I really do, but at least i still get to see your face for the rest of the year” he says. Y/n’s smile faded and she looked away “Love? What’s wrong?” he asked, grabbing her chin to make her look at him.

        “My family is leaving, with the war going on they don’t think it’s safe here. I’m moving Draco. To America” A tear fell from her face as Draco let go of her. He could feel his heart tugging against his ribcage.

        “So this is goodbye then? Forever?” He choked out his words. All Y/n did was nod slowly. He broke down right then and there. All the tears he held in were coming out like a waterfall “I’m really losing you” he said in disbelief.

        “Your not losing me Draco, were just being seperated. I will always love you and cherish our time together. The cards are just stacked against us, darling” Y/n grabbed his hand and put it over her heart. He looked at her through his tears “If by some miracle we ever meet again. No matter what, i’ll come running in your arms”

         “Promise?” He asked and she nodded. He pressed a sloppy kiss on her lips as more tears ran down there faces. That was the last time he saw Y/n.

       ♡~🐍~♡

        “Wasn’t she your first love?” Snape asked. \

        Draco inhaled sharply and turns to see Scorpius walking away with Albus and Rose. He faces the portrait again and shakes his head “No, my only love” he said simply and headed down the stairs. He felt the familiar lump form in his throat just like the last night he saw her.

        “Father! I want you to meet my defense against dark arts professor, she’s amazing!” Scorpius shouts. Draco tries to choke back his sadness and smiles at him.

        “Sure let’s go”

       ♡~🐍~♡

        Scorpius led the way for his father and pointed to a door in the distance. He was about to read a name on the plaque when the door opened. He saw a shocked Hermione and Harry, they looked like they had seen a ghost “What’s wrong?” Draco asked. Hermione just looked at him and smiled before walking away.

       Draco was now even more confused and looked at Harry, who just patted his back “Good luck buddy” he says. Draco opens his mouth to speak, but was stopped by Scorpius, who was pushing him towards the door.

        “Love you father! Thank me later!” Scorpius laughs and shuts the door. Draco blinked a couple times as he looked at the now shut door.

       “Hello darling” A voice came from behind him, making his whole body lock up. No. It couldn’t be. This was another memory playing in his head right? He was too scared to turn around. He just stood there, frozen. “Draco? Can you turn around?” she laughed. 

       Draco’s body moved on it’s own and he turned around. He was faced with a sight he never thought he’d see again. Y/n. She didn’t change one bit. Still had her bright E/C eyes and H/L H/C hair. His throat felt dry and he couldn’t speak “I’m supposed to run into your arms, but i’m afraid i might tackle you to the ground.” she said nervously. He waited years for this moment and so did she.

       “Can i?” she asked, a little unsure. Draco just nodded slowly. Y/n walked from behind the desk and rushed into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck. Draco caved and hugged her tight against him, tears breaking free from his cold eyes.

       “Is it really you or a cruel nightmare?” he asked as he pulled away to look at her face, she gave him a bright smile and cupped his face. He leaned into her hands, sighing deeply.

       “Of course it’s me you dork” Y/n laughs softly and smiles at him. He leans into her, slamming his mouth onto her’s. Not caring about anything else other than the woman in his arms at the moment. She responds quickly and smiles into there passionate exchange.

        ♡~🐍~♡

         -1 year later-

         “So let me get this straight. Y/n becomes a professor and you three found out we used to date in school from snape and your first thought is to set us up again” Draco looked at Albus, Scorpius, and Rose who look at each other before nodding.

       “Yeah pretty much”

       “It was kind of easy”

       “It was super romantic!”

       Draco turns to face Y/n “And you” he started, making her laugh slightly “You went along with this, why didn’t you just come to the manor?” he asked.

       “Well what fun is that?” Y/n chuckles, making Draco roll his eyes. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and she leans into him. “aw you know you love me”

       “Yeah i do, both of you” Draco smiles as he tugs Scorpius into the hug as well. For the first time in a long time, he felt whole again.

       ♡~🐍~♡

        Kody: What in the hell did i just write exactly?

[nicnacsnonsense]

It’s interesting how JKR wrote the Harry Potter books with an explicit anti-racist message — couched in the “wizarding blood purity” language — and yet one of the Hogwarts Houses explicitly brands itself as the blood purity house and while our good guys are critical of the blood purity message, no one questions why this House is continued to be allowed to exist and brand itself as the blood purity House.

Interesting how the books have what are pretty clearly the good guy House and bad guy House and sorting into good guy vs bad guy happens almost exclusively on family lines, even in the cases of characters like Harry and Tom Riddle, where they did not know their parents so arguments about good(/bad) guy House parents creating good(/bad) guy House fostering environments cannot apply.

Interesting how loving other people — not necessarily in a general compassion sense, just in the sense of having loved ones — is set up as *the* marker of what makes someone a good guy, and then we are told the circumstances of Voldemort’s parentage make him (metaphorically) incapable of love.

Interesting how the books contain a slave race who really genuinely are happy being slaves, so the system is not the problem; the only real problems are the specific mean people racist like the Malfoys and the stupid SJWs tilting at windmills like Hermione.

Interesting how the banks are run by a race of greedy hooked-nosed misers.

Interesting how a lot of time is spent on how Voldemort and Harry are mirrors that show that our choices define us and no attention is paid to Snape also being a mirror who shows how our circumstances can also define us.

Interesting Snape was an abused and vulnerable and largely socially isolated child who was preyed upon and radicalized by a bunch of bigoted cult members, and yet no attention is paid to this either.

Interesting how the one “canon” queer character was only established as being gay after the books had all finished publishing.

Interesting how that gay character — Dumbledore — had only one canon love interest — Grindelwald. Grindelwald wanted to overthrow modern society and infected Dumbledore with his poisonous way of thinking ultimately resulting in the death of Dumbledore’s sister and the final shattering of Dumbledore’s family life. After that Dumbledore broke ties with Grindelwald and spent the rest of his life carefully monitoring his own behavior lest he be tempted down that dark path again.

Interesting how lycanthropy was explicitly said to be a metaphor for AIDS and then she created a predatory male werewolf that like to go after children.

Interesting how basically every single character of any significance that did not die during the course of the series was either shown in the epilogue or revealed other information released later to be in a heterosexual marriage with kids.

Interesting how child abuse, child neglect, and child endangerment run absolutely rampant throughout the series, and yet it is rarely ever called out and basically never addressed by anyone in a position of authority.

Interesting how the series repeatedly portrays sacrificing yourself or otherwise putting yourself in danger as being the ultimate most noble act of love, while paying little attention to acts of affection and care and growth and support and healing as acts of love.

And really, really interesting how when trying to create a “good Slytherin” JKR came up with Slughorn; a person whose ambition is still entirely self-centered and who claims himself to be free of the blood purity prejudice, and yet it is very clear to anyone paying attention that his progressive beliefs are surface level preformative at best, held only when it’s to his direct financial or other gain to do so, because every time he opens his mouth, all that implicit bigoted bias just comes pouring out.

[ashesandhackles]

Harry and Tom: Parents, Love and Death

Ever since I read re-read HBP earlier this month, I wanted to explore parental rejection/abandonment as concepts related to Voldemort and his subsequent relationship with death vs Harry's. It was also sparked off by Ralph Fiennes saying he wanted to play Voldemort as a very "human evil" with "rage against the world" as opposed to an idea of evil. Fiennes also noted that when his nephew took the role of young Voldemort, he sensed a "loneliness" about him and he wanted to be able to play that. So to tap into the humanity of Voldemort, I wanted to chart his idea of his parents vs Harry's.

Infancy

Voldemort's mother died an hour after she gave birth to him. His father obviously neither knew nor cared what happened to him. The child who is born is essentially abandoned and rejected by both his parents. In stark contrast, Harry spends a year fiercely loved not only by his parents who died for him, but their friends too. All of this affects your brain development.

At age 11

While Voldemort is conscious of his powers and has, for his age, immense control over them, Harry is usually on spot for accidental magic. Voldemort shows instincts for power, control, and uses his powers to bully and terrify other kids in orphanage. He has no trouble believing he is "special". Harry, on the other hand, is almost always using powers for self preservation and quite accidentally. Aunt Petunia gave him a bad haircut? Hair grows back. Aunt Petunia giving him a horrible jumper? It magically shrinks until it no longer fits him. Dudley chasing him? He is somehow on the school roof. Dudley elbows him aside in zoo? The glass vanishes and boa constrictor is free. In fact, I believe Harry's instinct for fighting his way out of tight corners, as Snape puts it, comes from here - a decade of escaping or hiding from his cousin, his uncle, and being quick to react to protect himself (because no one else will). Therefore, Voldemort's response to his environment is to seek wider control, while Harry's is for simple self preservation. Harry, of course, can't believe he is a wizard so quickly.

Belonging and Friends

Harry points out in DH that Voldemort would have seen having an account in Gringotts as a "symbol of belonging to wizarding world". This is something Voldemort covets.Him coveting trophies with magical histories and hiding them in places like this is a sign he understands desire. His own personal history is a vast disappointment, so he will create his own. Again, in contrast, Harry's sense of belonging is validated with the gold his parents left him. They both think of Hogwarts as home. Harry immediately makes friends, while Voldemort, a self hating bully, would attract people because of his immense power.

Fascination with parentage

Both Voldemort and Harry are fascinated with their parentage as teenagers. Harry's is, of course, fueled by the knowledge that his parents died protecting him whereas Voldemort has no idea about his father and believes his mother can't possibly be a witch because she died. Voldemort keeps his father's name, even though he dislikes it because it's too common, until he finds out that his father was a Muggle. This comes after a lot of painstaking search for his father in school records. After accepting that his father may not be the magical one, he finally looks into the ancestry of the woman he thought was weak - his mother. I think these are the beginnings of his relationship and understanding of death. As a child, I wonder if his mother's death constituted as rejection for him. I wonder if his fear of death and his painstaking steps for immortality is also a way to make himself different from his "weak" mother. Both of his parents disappointed him in different ways and Voldemort sought himself to make himself different from both : rejecting his father by shedding his name, playing up his mother's ancestry and rejecting his mother by attempting and "going further than anybody" for immortality.

This is, again, huge contrast to Harry who is repeatedly shown to have longing to meet his dead parents. Harry has the knowledge he is loved, and Voldemort doesn't and I wonder if it contributes to his inability to understand it. Harry expresses desire for Resurrection Stone and scared Hermione and Ron with his talk of living with dead people. He has a guilty desire in Book 3 to hear his parents voices and he has to really get a grip on himself to learn Patronuses. He visits Mirror of Erised until Dumbledore stops him. He and Luna were also among the few who could hear voices beyond the Veil in Book 5 - and I wonder if it means that Harry believes he will see the people he loved again, or believes in a certain kind of afterlife. It seems to be why he was comforted by Luna at end of Book 5 saying that "they were just hiding, lurking out of sight, you heard them". This is why, when Harry drops the Resurrection Stone in the forest - his biggest longing and temptation - it's a huge deal for his character who is haunted by the loss of people he loves. Harry is not only accepting his own death, but also of the people who died defending and loving him the most. Voldemort rejects and fears death. It is an unknown he cannot control.

The fathers

Both Harry and Voldemort looked to their fathers first, as young orphans looking for a masculine ideal to emulate in life. However, when Harry's ideal of his father is dashed, Harry , through his father's friends and his father's own death to protect him, is able to reconcile with the idea that his father is imperfect. Most of Harry's father and mentor figures are put off their pedestals and Harry learns to reconcile their humanity with his own projections of them. In short, he grows up.

Voldemort, on the other hand, learns more of his father from his uncle. And whatever version of the story his uncle told him, Voldemort seems to have believed. As he says to Harry in GOF - he believes his father abandoned his mother after he found out that she was a witch ("He doesn't like magic, my father"). Which, as we know, is not the true story. For Voldemort, however, coupled with his rage of being abandoned and rejected, his father essentially left him to rot in an orphanage. His Muggle ancestry is just one strike too many. He killed his father and his family, his source of rage and shame. He sheds his father's name, and becomes someone else, only known by his "special" magical lineage - cutting off that undesirable part of himself.

Harry, in contrast, finds his father "inside himself" through his Patronus. ("Prongs rode again last night" as Dumbledore eloquently put it). Tom sought inanimate objects and notorious titles in wizarding history in order to reject his "ordinary" self and magnify his self importance while Harry sought connections in friends, and created found families with his father's friends to connect with his own personal history and move forward.

There are many other subjects to explore with two of them - especially with how they deal with a sense of aloneness, trust and secrecy. But this is a big enough post for now.

[theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin]

Hi! I’m a big fan of your work!! I am looking for more but unfortunately I feel like I have read all yhe good Harry Potter docs on Ao3. Do you have any recs?

Sorry for the delay, I just know that whenever I make rec list it usually ends up taking a while.

With that, Harry Potter fics are a big genre. Just saying Harry Potter in general really isn’t that specific to me so this is across genres/character focuses/you name it.

Also, as usual, I’ve been on fanfiction longer and have amassed more favorites there. Some of these are cross posted to Ao3. Similarly, a lot are unfinished, this personally doesn’t bother me but if it bothers you take heed.

Also, you’ll see my embarrassing obsession with Tom Riddle. So, heads up for that.

Stepbrother (Tom Riddle/Hermione Granger, period piece, in which the two remind me a lot of Nabokov)

Cat Among the Pigeons (Tom Riddle/Lily Evans, Psycho-Pass Detective AU, in which I am a beta actually so my promoting this goes without saying)

Til Death Do Us Part (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, Voldemort wins AU, which for me does very well with the concept of immortality and what exactly Tom is supposed to do after he wins)

This Tangle of Thorns (Tom Riddle/Hermione Granger, modern AH AU, a full on Nabokov inspired fic which I enjoy because Lolita)

Delusional (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, sort of. Harry wins the war, goes crazy, checks into a mental hospital. Or he’s not crazy and Voldemort is as unkillable as Palpatine.)

Harry Potter and the Natural 20 (OC insert, D&D inspired, shameless crack. I mostly enjoy the beginning of this but it makes me laugh enough to recommend.)

A Hairy Business (AU, Harry is a deer, he is literally a deer, that’s it. It’s funny.)

Animus, Anima (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, Harry travels back in time, gets stuck in Tom Riddle’s brain, and it turns out Harry’s responsible for every terrible thing that ever happened. This one was squicky even for me, very well done, but strap in.)

Addendum, He is Also a Liar (Tom Riddle/Hermione Granger, Tom has an inexplicable ability to travel to the future, but only to this random little girl Hermione Granger)

Framed & Fractured (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, Harry gets stuck in an evil painting back in time. Tom is creepy as usual.)

Trying for Eden (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, Harry travels back in time to lecture Tom into morality. It doesn’t work.)

Magical Mirrors (Luna Lovegood and Severus Snape, Luna and Snape stumble on the Mirror of Erised at the same time and strike up a conversation)

Aphelion (Hermione Granger/Loki, MCU crossover, Hermione and Loki strike up the world’s weirdest toxic friendship when Hermione’s young and attending Hogwarts, this leads terrible places as Loki slides into madness and despair)

Wandering Souls (Luna Lovegood and The Undertaker, Black Butler crossover, Luna meets and strikes up a conversation with the Undertaker)

Of Lies Most Beautiful (Tom Riddle, Hunger Games crossover, Tom wins the Hunger Games becaues that’s what he does bitch)

In Wonderland (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, Harry ends up back in the past and decides to raise Tom Riddle. This goes so poorly that the pair almost get eaten by eldritch gods multiple times.)

Rumpelstiltskin, Guess My Name (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, Female Harry travels back in time and offers to save Merope’s life/get her Tom Riddle Sr. the non rapey way in return for her firstborn son. Merope thought Harry was joking. She wasn’t joking. In the sequel, also linked, Harry kills Morfin.)

The Eyes (Harry Potter, AU, turns out “the power he knows not” is the power humanity knows not, Harry’s ability to see eldritch abominations and cosmic gods and thus bring them far enough into our reality that they eat everything. And I mean everything.)

Mirror Mirror (Harry Potter, MCU crossover, Harry makes a huge mistake and stops Hulk in the middle of a rampage. This gets him abducted by octopus nazis.)

I See the Moon (Harry Potter and Bruce Banner, MCU crossover, Harry got brain damage from the war and wanders around the middle of nowhere. He runs into Bruce. He’s now Bruce’s only friend.)

You Will Be the Death of Me (Harry Potter and Tom Riddle, Despicable Me inspired, through a series of convoluted events Tom as the world’s worst father figure ends up raising Harry the sad adorable orphan.)

In Death, Standby (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter (sort of, the authro claims), Tom raises Harry, the only Tom raises Harry that I’ve seen done well because Tom is the world’s worst father. Harry thinks he’s a deformed snake until the age of three.)

Little Harry’s Mirkwood Adventure (Harry Potter and Dudley Dursley, Hobbit Crossover, one of the most Tolkien style crossovers I’ve actually seen and is very good)

A (Self-Imposed) Trap for a Fool (Ginny Weasley, turns out Harry Potter never existed, as in he’s a collective hallucination made up by the entire wizarding world)

McLaggen and From McLaggen with Love (McLaggen, a detective AU then a James Bond style adventure starring McLaggen, the greatest wizard who ever wizarded)

Tom Riddle’s Diary: on keeping devils in the summer (Tom Riddle, Tom Riddle’s antichrist orphan adventures involving exorcism and burning people alive)

and the fates sing (hold on, son) (Harry Potter, MCU crossover, Harry is the son of Loki and like all children of Loki he is a wretched and cursed thing)

A Faulty Master (Harry Potter and Itachi Uchiha, Naruto crossover, Itachi after the massacre of his family has a run in with a master of death Harry, who is a creepy creepy man)

Eye of Reason (Harry Potter/Jack Frost, Rise of the Guardians crossover, due to the mythos surrounding his life Harry ceases to be a man and becomes akin to a god)

Flowers for a Ghost (Luna Lovegood and Itachi Uchiha, Naruto Crossover, Luna befriends a blind ghost)

Third Time’s the Charm (Harry Potter, MCU crossover, Bruce Banner keeps trying to kill himself and MoD Harry is there to have himself a real good day)

Blind Faith (Bellatrix LeStrange/Tom Riddle, canon compliant, an in depth look at Bellatrix from the escape of Azkaban onward)

Cocktail Time (Rita Skeeter and Gilderoy Lockhart, Rita does an expose and autobiography detailing the descent of Gilderoy Lockhart and how he became what he became)

Fantastic Elves and Where to Find Them (Harry Potter, canon divergent AU, Harry thinks he’s an elf. That’s it.)

The Twine Bracelet (Colin Creevy, a look at Colin’s death) 

Legal Alien (Harry Potter, MCU crossover, Harry visits New York and an alien invasion breaks out. Culminates with the best, dumb, joke.)

The Root of Desire (Tom Riddle/Hermione Granger, Hermione travels back in time and tries to influence Tom. All this does is inspire his sexual awakening.)

Deadheads (Harry Potter/Godric Gryffindor, a romantic comedy of a kind, culminating in the best dumbest joke)

Give and Take (Tom Riddle/Hermione Granger, Hermione tries to outwit Tom, it ends in despair)

The Road to Somewhere (Harry Potter, Spirited Away crossover, Harry as MoD is in the realm of the spirits)

Absolute (Harry Potter, Harry picks up a death note, he kills everyone)

Fortunate Son (Dudley Dursleys, years afterwards Dudley looks back and writes a memoir and expose about the abuse inflicted on his cousin)

Elective Affinities (Severus Snape/Harry Potter, Harry travels back in time to discover his parents are assholes and things are more complicated than he imagined)

Juxtaposed (Bod, Graveyard Book crossover, Bod attends Hogwarts)

The Fire Omens (Tom Riddle and a look at WWII)

Broken Toys (Tom Riddle and his useless broken toys)

The Fine Art of Poisoning (Madame Zabini)

A Marriage of Convenience (Pansy and Theo get married)

Reparabilis (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, Tom becomes a professor, he still destroys Harry Potter)

The Unforgivable Curses (Draco Malfoy, a look at the 4th year unforgivable lecture with Moody and the Slytherins)

Ugly (Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy one sided Dudley/Harry Potter, Dudley’s fat, ugly, and creeps on his cousin)

Three Can Keep a Secret (Harry Potter, on secrets and secret keeping)

Caveat Incimici (Hermione Granger, on Hermione and her terrifying wrath)

Babylon (Harry Potter and Tom Riddle, Harry never gets rid of Tom)

Wonderful Tragic Mysterious (Luna Lovegood and Albus Dumbledore, Luna Lovegood time travels and becomes a young Albus’ neighbor)

In the Clockface, Weighted and Weary (Harry Potter/Ariana Dumbledore, Harry after DH ends up back in time in Dumbledore’s childhood and witnesses the beautiful Dumbledore family dysfunction)

Eternal Return (Harry Potter and Tom Riddle, Harry is reincarnated as Tom Riddle and as a result becomes Voldemort so that a Voldemort exists)

Like Pale Fire (Harry Potter/Godric Gryffindor, the Founders are resurrected and it turns out Harry had travelled to the past and become Salazar Slytherin, turns out the Founders were more complicated than people expected.)

12 Moves Sideways (Harry Potter and Light Yagami, Death Note crossover, Light becomes the Defense Professor, for once Harry does not figure out the mystery.)

A Very Young Girl’s Record of Her Own Impressions (Ariana Dumbledore’s diary)

Night Comes Early (Moody on war)

Little Witches (The Black family women and how it all falls apart)

Paved with Good Intentions (Petunia on finding a baby on her doorstep)

Emerald Serpent for Vanity (Draco and Nagini introspective)

Blue (Tom Riddle/Bellatrix LeStrange, Voldemort wins dystopia, Tom visits Bellatrix’s grave and is very crazy)

Eighteen (Hermione Granger, on Hermione’s betrayal of her parents)

Ouroboros (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, on what they’ve made of each other)

Not so Different (Scout, To Kill a Mockingbird Crossover, Scout reflects on the wizarding world’s raicsm)

Traitor (Hermione Granger, Hermione is captured by the Death Eaters and commits unspeakable acts to free herself)

Smashing Mirrors (Tom Riddle, introspective)

Twelve Dark Moons (Luna Lovegood/Tom Riddle, Luna becomes a captive of the dark lord)

Full Circle (Harry Potter, Harry wins and is miserable)

The Web of a Thousand Spiders (Luna Lovegood on the diary)

The Metronome (The fall of Lucius’ entire generation)

Understand (Hermione Granger and her betrayal of her parents)

Tea with the Headmaster (Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore, the pair have tea)

This Grief Feeling (Hermione Granger and Severus Snape after the end)

After Innocence (The trio after the end)

Of Great Turmoil and Excess Stupidity (Sesshomaru and Hagrid, Inuyasha crossover, Hagrid decides to capture a demon for class)

What’s Left of Hope (Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore, on preserving hope)

In His Keep (Severus Snape and Luna Lovegood, Snape informs Luna her father has died)

Wednesday (Petunia Evans, introspective)

In the Presence of Angels (Moody in WWII)

What He Grows to Be (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, Harry Potter raises Tom Riddle in the past and it goes horribly wrong)

Being Cassandra (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, Harry Potter, Tom, and their strange AU friendship)

The Girl (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, a fem Harry Potter keeps accidentally appearing in Tom’s childhood)

Corruption (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, Tom wins AU and female Harry slowly becomes corrupted)

One Night Stand (Tom Riddle/Lily Evans, a wonderful look on the first war, Tom Riddle, Lily Evans, the Order of the Phoenix, and terrorism)

The Voldemort Principle (Severus Snape, turns out Snape was Voldemort the whole time and Harry is a lying liar who lies)

Harry Potter and the mountain of pure diamond (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, Harry has become an ageless god who travels worlds and decides to raise Tom Riddle. He’s disturbed when he realizes Tom is more of a person than he is)

A Road Less Travelled By (Harry Potter/Lucius Malfoy, Harry’s a veela, just read it, it’s amazing, I know I sound crazy but it is)

Transformation (Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, Draco gets eaten by the Forbidden Forest and then Harry gets eaten too)

Rock Bottom (Tom Riddle/Harry Potter, Tom gets trapped being defense professor and has a miserable time)

[shellku]

Film Challenge

Okay guys. Finally did it. As requested.

Have you ever left a theater before the movie was over?

Yes. Only once.

If you ever left a theater what was playing: Savages

Craziest (Random) movie you’ve ever seen:

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

“And thanks for all the fish” -Dolphins

Most disturbing film you’ve ever watched:

Crimson Peak

A film you only watched because (Tom Hiddleston ) was in it: Crimson Peak

A minor role (or movie) with a major actor you greatly enjoyed: Sebastian Stan as Jefferson/The Mad Hatter in Once Upon A Time.

A minor role (or movie) with a major actress you greatly enjoyed: Emma Watson as Pauline Fossil in Ballet Shoes

A movie everyone should see at least once: The Princess Bride

A movie you thought everyone has seen but apparently not: Who framed Roger Rabbit?

A movie you’ve tried multiple times to watch but never get through it: Silence if the Lambs

A movie that legitimately surprised you:

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. While it came out in 1980 I didn’t see it until much later obviously. I wasn’t even ten when I watched it the first time, I and was genuinely shocked.

Movie that you enjoy, that surprises people you enjoy: Scream (1996)

A movie you associated with Religion and it turns out that tracks: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

A movie you watched a lot as a kid but your not sure why exactly you watched it so much:

Hook. (And) The Sandlot.

My first movie that made me question my sexualité: The Priâtes of the Caribbean.

Sections

Anime

First Anime: Fruits Basket. Vampire Knight.

Anime I watched with my (brother): Full Metal Alchemist

Anime I tried to get into and couldn’t: D Gray Man

Anime I was surprised I enjoyed: The Neverland Promise. (And) Soul Eater

Anime I always liked (even when it confused people): Black Butler

Anime that makes me cry: Your lie in April

Anime that I love but now makes me sad too: Sword Art Online

Anime I’m just not into: One Piece

One that was recommended that I enjoyed:

Blue Exorcist

One that was recommended that I was ehh on and did not finish: Attack on Titian

One I probably should watch: Pandora Hearts

One I watched Randomly : Castlevania

One that I did not watch until (college) that everyone seems to have watched: Sailor Moon

Cartoons

Cartoons Everyone should see:

- The Peanuts.

- Garfield.

- Scooby Doo.

- Tom and Jerry.

- Pink Panther.

Cartoon I never liked: Spongebob

Cartoon I hate now: Kiayu? Idk. The one with the bald kid that whines a lot. Ugh.

Cartoon I can make myself ‘watch’ with the (niece/nephews): Paw Patrol

Films you would Recommend:

80s: The Breakfast Club

Book Adaption 80s: The Outsiders

Murder Mystery:Murder on the Oriental Express

Jim Henson pick: Labyrinth

(Suicide) Satire:Heathers

Romance: Titanic

‘Horror’ Movie: The Lost boys

Horror Movie: The Nightmare on Elm Street

Spy Flick: Saint (1997)

Mind trips: The Sixth Sense.(1999) Donnie Darko.

Stephen King: The Dark Tower

Stephen King Miniseries: Rose Red

Studio Ghibli: Howls Moving Castle. Or. Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Action Comedy: Miss Congeniality

Adventure Comedy: Jumanji

‘Dark’ Comedy: The Addams Family

Romantic Comedy: Legally Blonde

Tim Burton

Tim Burton Animated: The Nightmare Before Christmas

Tim Burton Live Action: Edward Scissorhand

Tim Burton Musical: Sweeney Todd

Dreamworks

Favorite Dreamwork’s Film:

Rise of the Guardians (and) How to Train your Dragon

Disney:

Unpopular Recommendations:

The Black Cauldron (and) The Great Mouse Detective

One that is still rather disturbing: Pinocchio

Best Soundtrack (Golden Age): Fantasia

Best Soundtrack (Modern): IDk?!

Classics (Golden) everyone should see at least once: Snow White (and) Bambi.

Wartime Era Pic: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr.Toad

Silver Age or Bronze Age: Both!!!

Disney Renaissance or Post Renaissance: Both! If I absolutely had to choose though, Renaissance.

Moana or Lilo and Stitch: Lilo and Stitch

Frozen or Tangled: Both

Soul or Monsters Inc: Monsters Inc

Toy Story I and 2/ or/ 3 and 4? Toy Story I and 2.

Underrated: Candleshoe

Disney Holiday:

Live Action Halloween - Hocus Pocus

Live Action Halloween Series- Halloweentown

Animated Halloween- Frakenweenie

Live Action Christmas- Miracle on 34th Street (and) Eloise

Animated Christmas- Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas, Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas, (and) Winnie the Pooh: A very merry Pooh year.

New: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. (2018)

Disney Reimagined/Live Action:

First that made you rethink the story: Maleficent

Favorite ‘Princess’ Story: Beauty and the Beast

The Surprise: Cruella

The one you worried about but we’re happy with in the end: Lady and the Tramp

The one you worried about but ending up enjoying anyway: Aladdin

The one that was good but you could have done without: The Lion King (which really surprised me!!!I like it but I didn’t love it. Which for me was so strange since I’m a fan of the original and the play.)

The one you had high hopes for and had a mixed reaction too: Mulan. (Ended up really liking it, but I miss Mushu. )

‘Modern’ Shakespeare Adaption:

10 Thing I hate About You (The Taming of the Shrew)

Clueless (Emma)

and

The Lion King Series. (Kid appropriate)

The Lion King: Hamlet

The Lion King 1 1/2: Rosencrantz and Guildenstein

The Lion King 2: Romeo and Juliet

Vampire Pictures:

90s: Interview with a Vampire

2000+: Twilight Series

Tv Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Vampire Action Series: Underworld

Classic: Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Dracula with a Twist: Dracula Untold (2014)

Fun Supernatural Flicks :

Witches: The Craft

Male Witches: The Covenant

Fairytale: Red Riding Hood (2011)

Ghost Hunters: Ghostbusters

Multiple Supernatural: Van Helsing (2014)

Werewolf Romance: Blood and Chocolate

Kid Friendly Live Action: Casper

Kid Friendly Animated: Hotel Transylvania

Supernatural Series:

Multi: Supernatural

Animated: Sabrina The Teenage Witch. (And) Scooby Doo.

Witches: Charmed

Fairytale: Once Upon a Time

Darker Fairytale: Grimm

‘Superhero’ Movies:

90s: Batman. (And) The Crow.

Series: Marvel’s Cinematic Universe

Classic Animated: Batman the animated series

Modern Animated: Harley Quinn

Girl Power: Wonder Woman. (and) Birds of Prey.

Something Different: Deadpool

Younger Audiences/Nostalgia: Teen Titans (animated)

Harry Potter

Favorite Film: Idk. Can’t choose honestly.

Least favorite character portrayal: .. Ginny Weasley?

Someone you loved: (so many..) McGonagall

Someone you loved hating: Bellatrix LeStrange

Someone you just hate: Dolores Umbridge

First time you cried: I cried for Sirius and Remus in Prisoner of Azkaban.

First time you jumped: Snakes or Basilisk. Chamber of Secrets. (I think I was 12?)

Someone who was so spot in acting on you can’t see them as anyone else now: Luna Lovegood

Someone who was so good even if the look wasn’t perfect: Emma Granger as Hermione OR Alan Rickman as Severus Snape.

Someone who’s injury hit you harder than the books: Colin Creevy.

Someone who’s death hit you harder than in the books: None. They hit but not as much as the books.

A scene you found just breathtakingly pretty: Christmas at Hogwarts

A scene you found creepy (even when you knew it was coming): Nagini uses a corpse as a mask.

For any Potter heads. Some things that bothered you about the Harry Potter films:

- Where is Charlie Weasley?

- Where is Peeves?

- Where are Neville’s parents?

- The green/blue/brown eye thing. (This is not against Radcliffe. Some special effects could have fixed this easily)

- HarrY DiD YOu PuT YoUR NaMe IN tHe GoBlET of FIRE?! 🔥

- In Sorcerers Stone, Why did you change the snake at the zoos breed??

- “Voldemort” versus “Voldemor”. The silent t.

- Hermione’s. Yule. Ball. Dress. Color. Blue. Not pink. She specifically changed the color.

- Fluffy. Hagrid’s adorable Cerberus was originally bought from a Greek man. Why change it to Irish? I like Ireland but it was a Greek man due to where Cerberus’s initially came from right???

- Harry’s first Weasley sweater color

- Why does Harry only see his parents in the Mirror of Eirsed? Where’s the rest of the family?

- The Underage magic rules aren’t well explained in the movies making the 3rd year summons even more bonkers sounding

- The Patil Twins Yule Ball Outfits. They could have been soooo beautiful. Like this is the Yule Ball! The Twins would have (in my opinion) much more elaborate traditional Indian styled dress robes?? Idk.

- Love Movie Hermione! But some moments take away from Ron. Like when Ron defended her in the Chamber of Secrets. Hermione didn’t know what the slur “Mudblood” meant in the books. Ron had to explain it.

- Dobby needed more screen time. Some stuff Dobby did went to Neville because so many Neville scenes were cut.

- Where’s all the secrecy from the books when communicating with Sirius- “Snuffles”? Something Harry’s godfather insisted on to keep him safe.

- Snape’s title of “The half-blood Prince” is not explained. Neither is it made clear that Severus was also abused horribly at home throughout his childhood. Also that like Harry Dumbledore did nothing to help Severus when he was a student. (Or maybe Tom Riddle when he grew up in an orphanage. I’m sensing a pattern)

- Dumbledore should have still spelled Harry during Dumbledore death scene. No way would Harry just stand there if given the choice.

- Ron was not quite as ‘dumb’ in the books and a lot of his funny moments were cut from the movie. Which makes his jealousy moments all the more unbecoming. He also comes off a bit more arrogant in the movies. (This is not against R Grint. Who is awesome) The movies gave Ron the short end of the stick.

- Weasley/Malfoy Fued. Who else wanted to see Arthur and Lucius have a fist fight in a bookstore? Exactly.

- Albus Dumbledore isn’t all Sunshine and Daisys. He does some really messed up stuff yet no one ever seems to question this.

- Remus was the last Marauder. Yet his and his wife, Tonk’s, deaths are barley acknowledged.

- Also Teddy. Harry’s Godson.

- Harry’s and Ginnys relationship is not built on. It’s just there. Ugh. Heck Movie Ginny isn’t that great. You don’t know much about her except: She’s the only girl in Ron’s family. She’s the youngest Weasley. She’s obsessed with Harry. She’s a good Quidditch player. She has a temper. She was possessed by Riddle’s Dairy when she was eleven. She’s obsessed with Harry.

- Draco is essentially Harry’s antithesis. Where is he in some critical scenes in the movies?

- Where’s the Luna love???? Harry’s pretty rude to her in some scenes.

- There is no S.P.E.W. And Hermione’s more ruthless side is gone.

- The guys hair in The Goblet of Fire. Get a hair cut. Please.

- Some of Molly’s less than Stellar Moments. (Ex. When she believed rumors about Hermione and so treated he coldly. How horrible she was to Fleur. Ect)

- Fleur. Fleur and Bill still get married but the objections to the wedding aren’t as presented in the movies. Not is Molly’s and Ginny’s extreme dislike of Fleur. Or when Arthur apologizes to Fleur. Or really any of Fleurs best moments. The whole courting process is skipped.

- House Elves. The House Elves of Hogwarts.

- Percy Weasley. The ‘betrayal’. The returned Weasley sweater. Him turning to protect his family and fight for Hogwarts at the last minute. All gone. Which involves being forgiven by the Weasley Twins not an hour before Fred dies.

- The connection of the Black sisters. Specifically Adromeda - mother of Tonks. Who is Sirius cousin. Who married Remus Lupin. Tonks and Remus the parents of Teddy.

- Dean Thomas is pretty much gone.

- Rita Skeeter. Illegal Animagus. Hermione kept her in a jar.

- The movies didn’t allow Radcliffe to be sassy and sarcastic enough. Harry Potter is one of the sassiest boys to ever walk through the halls of Hogwarts!

- Harry didn’t fix his wand in the last movie.

- The history of the Marauders.

- The history explaining why Snape could never be comfortable around and trust Remus Lupin.

[gayfrenchtoast]

Despite sleep juice brain still go brr so

Harry Potter if Lily and James DIDNT DIE

A fan theory ramble

Also fuck JK Rowling

Okay so Harry Potter would be taught about the order and the dangers of the wizarding world early on due to James and Lily's positions and James probably being all hug ho about Harry not being afraid of Voldemort especially after that faithful night they almost died to him but didn't because Sirius was watching over their house that night and came to save them. They found out Wormtail was the traitor and sent him scampering and took max precautions after that.

Harry is more arrogant in this version because "my parents are great wizards and my parents and Godfather fought Voldemort and sent him packing" however big bad V did manage to land a hit on him that gave him his scar, unknown if this makes him a haucrux yet. So yeah he's arrogant and he's super confident he's gonna go to hogarth and be an awesome gryffindoor

Lily made Snape and James "make up like adults" and be civil for her and Harry's sakes. They shit talk each other behind their backs and though this in first year made Harry dislike Snape especially since James would shit talk about Snape to Harry and Harry would then overhear Snape shit talking his dad as he got older he just came to accept it and listen to it for the petty drama, ever got Snape to shit talk his dad to him and so they'd just vent at him about each other and no it isn't healthy but damn is it funny to Harry.

Harry does meet Ron and Hermione on the train for the first time, makes friends with Ron by buying some of the sweets from the trolley, with the money James slipped to him before he got on, for them to share. Kinda teases Hermione first time they meet by opening the chocolate frog to her when she asks about the toad ("are you sure it's not a frog? Cus I found THIS" he opens the box in a flash and the chocate frog makes a leap, right towards Hermione. She let's out a high help and leaps back in surprise only for Harry to catch it before it can even get that close to her. Both he and Ron laugh at her reaction as the girl flushes red with rage and embaressment, beginning to turn to presumably storm off. "Wait wait! I'm sorry, I was just joking! Here, you can have it. I only really want the card anyway." He grins as he offers the chocolate frog that was mostly reverting into mainly chocolate form. She looked hesitant but did carefully take the token of good faith, inspecting it a little just to be sure. "...fine. I accept your apology. I shall continue to look for the toad. And by the way, we'll be arriving soon. You might want to get changed into your robes." And she trots off, seemingly satisfied with whatever good job she did.)

Malfoy, who's heard about the boy who's family sent the dark Lord to the shadows, I quick to try and belittle Harry and then try and make it sound like he could "redeem his family name" by becoming friends with him. Harry basically laughs and says he knows of malphoy and his family and he's proud his family was the ones that fought Voldemort instead of the ones who bent over for him. Draco is stunned and pretty pissed.

Sorting hat Ceremony makes it real interesting. Ron gets in Gryffindoor, as expected, however Hermione is in Ravenclaw, Nevil is in Hufflepuff and Harry Potter is in Slytherin. With Draco Malfoy. Who he just insulted.

Harry is devastated to be in Slytherin. He deadass argues with the hat but is forced to concede and go sit and just accept that he's a Slytherin. Ron is conflicted that his new friend who's family fought Voldemort is in slytherin and Draco appears to have the same problem. Despite now being in the same house a rivalry forms between them which is only enhanced by them bunking in the same room.

Harry writes home about this and both James and Lily assure him it's okay he's in Slytherin, Lily tells him that Snape was a Slytherin and Snape is their friend and James reminds him that Slytherin does not mean evil and Gryffindoor does not mean good, wormtail was a Gryffindoor and he turned them over to the dark Lord. This does make him feel a bit better.

Harry manages to maintain his friendship with Ron despite their houses, it's weird at first but they quickly break down that barrier and become great friends, goofing around, becoming friends with the Groundskeeper, which helps them become friends with Hermione.

They make friends with Nevil by saving his rememberall when draco throws it. Nevil helps them with herbology homework from then on. Minera advises Snape to get Harry to be seeker for Slytherin Quiditch after she sees what he does and Harry, who still sees Slytherin as kinda the enemy despite being in it, hesitantly agrees. Slytherin Quiditch is allot less friendly that Gryffindoor, the team is allot colder to him at first, however once he proves himself he finds he loves the sport more than he cares about what team or house he's in and his team warm up to him and actually turn out to not be as scary and mean as he thought. They're still kinda arrogant assholes but Harry is too so he dosent have room to judge

Deadass I do not care about the Philosipers stone shit, people don't think Harry is some kind of chosen one, he and his family survived voldemort and are kinda celebrities for that but because there no tragedy within a year of the event there are rumours its a hoax and eventually the potters surviving the dark Lord becomes a roumour itself so people aren't trying to actively sabotage him. And since he don't think Snape is a stranger out to get him (litterally confronts him about his sus and Snape is like "nah fam I may not like hour dad but you're like my godson I'm not gonna try and kill you in the middle of a quiditch match on a broom" and Harry is like "oh...okay nvm but if you're lying I'm telling my mum" and when he dosent flinch he knows he's telling the truth) and so they quickly figure it was Quirrel. When Hermione puts sus on him Harry decides to be very Slytherin when they confront him in the bathroom and tries to wingardium leviosa him into the air, only getting his turban and showing off his voldemort face. In front of like three other teachers. Fight ensues, day saved, stone safe.

They do find the mirror while goofing off one night and Harry sees himself as a Gryffindoor with his parents proud. He dosent visit the mirror again

Harry gets the invisibility cloak from James that year for Christmas with the strict instructions that he will not tell anyone except those he trusts of its existence.

Draco, probably in second year again, ends up calling Hermione a mud blood at some point ("Potter! You're making our house look bad hanging out with that mud blood!) Harry immidately starts yelling at Draco for that and it quickly escalates to them fist fighting. Sape ends up being the one to discipline them, actually telling Draco off for using such a phrase but still punishing Harry for starting Violence. This is what ends up with them being punished by being sent into the woods with Hagrid. They somehow end up bodmung on tbsi trip, Harry asking why Draco would do that and Draco launching into a tirade about how "father says it and father is always right! He'd beat me if I was friends with a mud blood why should you get to do this and that id get punished for this and that father this father that-" you get the picture. Harry just lets him rant until he's done and then is like "wow your dad is a dick" and drack tries to.deny but Harry just goes through all the shitty stuff draco just told him his father did and draco is just like "...you won't tell my father we talked about this will you" "look mate, I dont ever wanna even meet your father and if I did meet him I would have a bunch of other shit to say to him and a few gestures." And so Harry managed to convince Draco his dad is the dick he is and begins on a mission to get him to see that and be better than him.

Harry goes home for Christmas but always sends his friends gifts. In second year before they depart on the train he gives Draco something before they part ways. He knows a gift would probably be suspicious from him arriving at Malfoy Manor so he gives to to Draco with instructions to only open it at christmas. On christmas day, when he gets some alone time, Draco opens the gift. It's a metal bangle of a Snake that when he rubs it and says a set word it becomes a warm light in the darkness. Draco only says uts acceptable when they meet in the new year bug Harry sees him wearing it and catches him using it at night.

Sometimes Harry has nightmares about the night Voldemort tried to kill his family and of the dark Lord himself. Draco has nightmares of his father and death eaters. When they wake the other up from the nightmares they sit ul and talk about them, abiut random thing or just make teasing jabs at each other until they're comfortable to sleep again

Draco gives up the information they need about the chamber when asked so no need for polyjuice, apologises to Hermione on their way out from the Slytherin dorm room, visits her and brings her and apology chocolate frog for when she is cured (the boys told him they were her favorite) and follows Ron and Harry to the chamber, demanding he be a part in the adventure. Its the Basilisk and Tom Riddle that terrify Draco and seals the deal on his conversion over to the "oppose the dark Lord" side

Draco sets Dobby free

Let's get some Potter family back in here for the hell of it. Sirius has been in love with Remus for yeaaars. Lily knows and is his emotional support. James is oblivious. Remus is with Tonks for a few years but talks to James about his doubts. James is all "naah man Tonks is great! I understand you don't think yihre worthy of a great girl but you are man! Belive in yourself!" And so Remus sticks with it. By Harry's third year there are rumours in the order of Wormtail being about, Remus becomes Hogwart's defence against the dark arts teacher and Sirius is a wreck with Harry and Remus in the frey but him stuck on the sidelines, even Tonks is confused and kinda annoyed with his fretting causing him to confess to her that he lives her boyfriend. She's surprisingly chill and is like "deadass I've been waiting for years for him to break up with me and get with you you two are so stupid" and so Sirius runs off in doggy disguise to confess to moony and arrives in time to help save the day

Draco slowly intergrates into the friend group, Ron bringing some of his friends (Dean and Sean) in a bit and Draco trying to bring some of his friends (Crab Goil and Blaze) but they're mostly hesitant (except from Blaize who wants help on his Herbology from the smart awkward Hufflepuff)

Draco pretends not to be worried about the dementors and Harry's fear of them but he always has his eye on them whenever he sees one.

The demontors were sent out to look for Peter Pettigrew.

Harry shares the maunders map with Draco when he finds it. Harry recognises whk the maunders are as soon as he sees it but doesn't tell Fred and George. However when they see Peters name they rush to Remus. Remus is in a bit of a tiz by this and tells them to follow him with the invisibility cloak as they go look for him. They never find him that night and he ends up dissapearing off the map but Remus still confiscated the map for the night and tells them to keep an eye out for anything suspicious, including rats. They're confused but promise to be careful.

Draco doesn't try and get buckbeak executed this time, he deadass is working with Harry to gain the hypogriff's trust and some slytherins that are pussdd they're being all friendly with other houses set off a loud spell that spooks buckhead and draco shoves Harry out of the way before he can get hurt and takes the brunt. None knows how word got to Lucius, it causes an argument in the group especially when Drsco is too afraid to stand up to his father but Harry stands up to him as he knows why Daco is afraid and they work out a plan to free buckbeak instead.

The plan ends up co-inciding with the day Sirius breaks into hogwarts. The dementors know there's an intruder but can't find him so are more active that usual, Sirius doesn't get tome to confess because as soon as he arrives Remus is all work mode and fills him in on the map and all and needs Sirius' nose to sniff him out. The kids plan of rescue is interupted because of this and most continues as normal with Harry furious at Peter not Sirius when he's revealed for trying to get his family killed and Draco tagging along. Snape busting in let's Peter escape unfortunately and then full moon and dementors happen. They manage to rescue buckbeak and themselves with time Turner magic and all is good.

After the full moon is done sirius sniffs out Moony and crades him in his arms until he wakes up, its there in the sunrise he tearfully tells him he loves him and with a clear mind Remus tells him he loves him too.

Draco ends up actually getting into an argument with his dad about trying to get buckbeak killed when he gets home which starts Draco's proper rebellious streak with also means an increase of strictness from Lucius. Draco and Harry send secret messages back and forth.

Thats all for now but I have ideas for the rest of the stories I will ramble about later!