#who would have thought that in only 4 short years harry would be winning a grammy

[literary-illuminati]

Book Review 57 – Pale by Wildbow

I have been reading Pale as it released from the very beginning in 2020 until the end. As such I am clearly suffering from a severe and acute case of Stockholm Syndrome, and you shouldn’t trust a single thing I say. But to try and step back a bit – Pale is the best 4 million word serial I have ever read, and very nearly even good.

The story follows Avery, Lucy and Verona, precocious and for various reasons marginalized teenagers in a decaying Canadian ski town. They are recruited by a council of the various ghouls, ghosts and goblins who live in the shadows of the town to be its Official Witches and investigate the mysterious death of the Carmine Beast, the greater spirit who stood as judge over all contests of struggle and violence in the region (less in the hopes that find anything and more so that any nosy outsiders can be truthfully told it has already been handled). Being of a protagonist-ey bent, they rapidly exceed their new patrons’ expectations, especially the ones among them who had a hand in the murder. After that it’s basically just literally several million words of things escalating further and further out of anyone’s control.

Or, I kid, but it really is impossible to talk about Pale without forgrounding its length and medium, I think. This is a serial which ran continuously with at least one update a week for more than three years, and (to grab another story about child wizards to compare) is roughly four complete Harry Potter series’ in length. Beyond being an entirely superhuman accomplishment as far as writing productivity goes, this had unavoidable effects on the story as it was being told. It also makes it literally impossible to provide anything like a complete plot summary in a review short enough that anyone will read it. So just take my word that there’s a lot of it, and we’ll come back to the others length-related issues.

This is an urban fantasy book, and a kitchen sink one at that – it’s clearly one of the underlying principles of the setting that it should, insofar as possible, be able to fit every type of storybook monster and horror movie plot and twilight zone episode within it somewhere. Underlying and ordering it all is the axiom that (almost) nothing magical can lie. The world will only respond to your word if its actually worth something – contradicting or gainsaying yourself harms your karma and sets the universe against you, breaking a sworn oath is an open invitation to fates worse than death. The natural consequence of this is that every practitioner (wizard, basically) worth shit has been trained from birth to be an asshole genie and most of the really powerful Others (catch-all term for supernatural creatures) come by it naturally.

None of which is new – this is the second serial Wildbow has written in the setting – but they do combine to make a bunch of amateur detectives investigating a murder really, really fun. The heroines POVs also offers a great way to introduce the setting to the reader, or, at least, provides an excellent justification for in character exposition dumps – and to be clear, this is a series with lore. I consider this an absolute win, but if you don’t like elaborate asides about random monsters or marginal otherworlds that clearly exist only because the author thought they were cool, then this is not the series for you. (On the other hand, most of them are absolutely cool). The world is vast, and the story is full of asides and tangents about things that could easily sustain a novel in their own right.

The other way the exposition is provided is through occasional Extra Materials mini-chapters (quite regular during the beginning of the story, less so as it goes on), which are just excerpts of in-universe documentation – specifically things that the protagonists or occasionally another major character would have been reading. Everything from class notes to chatlogs to investigation summaries as written by one of the girls to local social media posts to a dozen other things. Surprisingly good graphic design on most of them too, which really helps sell them as in-universe artifacts and as ways to characterize the implied authors/readers. It’s very much to the serial’s detriment that these fade away as it goes on.

The series has three protagonists, and chapters alternate between each of their POVs and internal narration. It actually does an excellent job differentiating between Lucy, Avery and Verona and giving them their own distinct voices and making each compelling in their own right (not that I don’t have my favourite, but). While the book’s not perfect about it, on the whole they mostly feel like unusually bright and dedicated teenagers (and increasingly incredibly traumatized child soldiers with variably healthy coping mechanisms), rather than short and legally disabled adults.

As is fairly common with web serials, the normal chapters are intercut with interludes from the perspective of some more minor character. Across all Wildbow’s works, these are honestly where he really shines most, I think. They’re each essentially short stories introducing and providing the history and characterization of someone from their own point of view, in the process more often than not totally recontextualizing their role in the story so far, with how they advance the actual plot almost incidental half the time. If I wanted to sell someone on the setting with as little investment as possible, I would probably just link them the first interlude – the first 90% of the chapter is a really quite good standalone horror story about a totally normal kinda shitty kid getting drawn into and being consumed by an occult living ritual (with its own creepy song! And cannibalism!)

Wildbow is actually an incredibly gifted character writer - both as a web serial author (but on the whole that’s not really any great accomplishment) and just, generally. Despite having an absolutely comically sprawling cast (like, dozens, minimum. If you told me hundreds I’d believe you), he manages to give the vast, vast majority of ones that matter their own distinct aesthetics, voices, and even their own little character arcs and plotlines. Even as much as I complain about bloat and pacing, it never stops being a joy to just spend time in any of the three protagonists’ heads, and I was deeply invested in them achieving their dreams in a way I rarely if ever am for fictional characters.

Now, the complaining. Wildbow is, as I said, one of the best character writers I know working today. The same cannot be said for his skill writing action scenes – which is incredibly unfortunate, because there are so, so fucking many of them. Some serve a real narrative purpose or showcase some bit of characterization, but most could honestly be cut by 90% and you wouldn’t lose anything except wordcount – even the ones which should be there tend to drag on past their natural end because of the book’s love of making things as desperate and hardwon as possible. Which I wouldn’t necessarily mind but like, there are individual action set-pieces that are longer than some published novels. At a certain point exhaustion sets in. If I had to guess, I’d put this down to the fact that when you’re writing 10k words a week and don’t have any concrete ideas of where to go next with the plot worked out, just extending the action scene and throwing some new monsters or puzzles or reversals of fortune at the heroes can eat up a chapter and buy you some time – but just because it’s an understandable consequence of the serial format doesn’t mean I need to like it.

Perhaps reading far too much into it, but if I had to guess, I would say the story’s more structural issues stem from the same thing. Pale was originally planned as a (relatively) short and (relatively) light serial, but in the process of writing rapidly ballooned past all planning and expectation. Which like, as I said, I just enjoyed spending time in the various protagonists’ heads and seeing them develop, but at a certain point you can absolutely start to see the plot starting to outpace all planning and spinning off in multiple entirely new directions that were pretty clearly informed by whatever idea Wildbow was turning over in his head at the time. Sometimes this worked out very nicely – I still love Avery’s whole Thunder Bay/accidental love triangle arc. Sometimes it’s a bit mixed – Wonderkand is a very fun idea, but tonally and aesthetically is kind of a mismatch with 90% of the rest of the setting. Sometimes, well – did anyone like the extended Aurum/Dark Fall trial sequence? But even aside from individual arc quality, if you are someone who cares even slightly about things like ‘pacing’, ‘narrative discipline’, or ‘plot points/foreshadowing not going in weird directions or fading in the background because the author just forgot/kind of lost interest in them in the course or writing a novella weekly for three years’ then oh boy is this not the story for you.

A similar sort of thing happens, I think, with the story’s themes. Pale is from the beginning very explicitly concerned with ideas of punitive versus rehabilitative justice, an already slightly fraught use of the subjugation/binding of magical creatures as a metaphor for oppression and colonization, and just generally with the idea of building a better world in the hidden corners of the current one. The story, well, remains very interested with those subjects, but having any coherent viewpoint on them falls to the wayside compared to coming up with ways to advance the plot or dilemmas to throw at the protagonists or just vivid bits of imagery in the moment. This more or less generalizes – I kind of get the sense that Wildbow set out wanting to write something that goes against his narrative reflexes/habits, but as the story went on and the writing piled up they just kind of crept back in. Certainly for a story that take pains at first to emphasize how hellish and cruel long term binding and confinement are, the happy ending involves a lot of various cruel and torturous prisons that are portrayed as somewhere between necessary and just. The big final villain also more or less works on a character level, but thematically is basically the single worst choice of anyone the protagonists faced down across the entire story.

I’m accentuating the negative here, and part of that is just because I’m a miserable husk of a human, but it’s also just that Pale’s real problems tend to be structural, while its high points are much more particular and specific, and hard to sell without immense amounts of context – there are so many random side characters who get more compelling stories than the actual protagonists of some books I’ve read this year, and a half dozen scenes that are pretty permanently burned into my memory. My favourite dynamic involves a character whose only present for, like, 3% of the story max.

At one point the story was intended to end with Arc 13, followed by a hiatus and then a sequel. I still think this would have been the correct choice, even that ending would rip my fucking heart out and also possibly get Wildbow literal bombs mailed to his house. Still – if you can stand that sort of ending and also are the sort of person to read million-word web serials to begin with, that would be my recommendation. Get to that point, and then decide for yourself how invested you are in spending time in the heads of the protagonists and in the world. Or read Pact, which is like a fifth of the size and ostensibly set in the same setting – though leans so much further into horror than urban fantasy for tone that functionally there’s a lot of discrepancies.

All of which said, Verona Lucy and Avery are going to live in my head for the rest of my life and I make no apologies about this.

#book review #web serial #pale #parahumans #wildbow #sff #urban fantasy

[trademarkblue]

20 Questions For Fic Writers

Thank you @be11atrixthestrange for the tag! ♥️

How many works do you have on AO3?

19 so far

What’s your total AO3 word count?

About 236,000 currently, but a lot of my HP fic was never transferred over from Fanfiction.net. I’ve definitely posted over a million words.

How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Technically 3 because I wrote 1 Syd/David fic for Legion (FX).

My other 2 are my main obsessions - Harry Potter (Ron/Hermione) and The Handmaid’s Tale (June/Nick).

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

DRIVE, Mysterious Bruises, HOME, HAUNTED, Sixteen

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

Yes, I try to reply to every one. I sometimes miss things for months (or years, yikes) at a time, but I’ll try to circle back eventually because I’m a little neurotic about it tbh.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

The Last Thing - this was my first June/Nick fic, and it is very short but ends bleak.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Pretty much every fic I write ends happy (The Last Thing is an exception).

Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the craziest one you’ve written?

I started a Harry Potter / X-Files crossover where Mulder and Scully end up stranded in Scotland and stumble upon Hogwarts. They then enlist Harry, Ron and Hermione to help with an impending alien invasion, of course… but it quickly became way too complicated (obviously), and I never posted anything from it.

I also would maybe kinda count doing major references to other fandoms or fics as secret crossovers?

I’m working on one for Osblaine that’s a direct reference to my favorite fic of all time, The Furious Winter by CazQ, which is an X-Files fic originally.

And I have another in (very slow) progress for Osblaine called STAY that’s a big ol’ (smuttier) reference to Not As a Last Resort by Arabella, which is an incredible bed sharing fic for Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter... And I’ve just now discovered the fic is not on the original site because the whole site is no longer there. Just go ahead and kill me now...

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Oh yes indeed - some pretty nasty comments in Harry Potter fandom.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Certainly. Pick a flavor, and I’ll probably try it with Nick and June. 😂

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, so cool! A couple Potter fics of mine were translated on FF.net.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope.

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Fuck. I’m sorry for what I’m about to do, but it has officially happened, and they win. The rest was a runway to this…

Nick Blaine and June Osborne from The Handmaid’s Tale.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

Anything from Harry Potter tbh. I hate the wasteland I left, but I had to let it go. Still trying to get over that guilt.

What are your writing strengths?

Speed, but only when I’m on a high about an idea.

What are your writing weaknesses?

ADHD…

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

Intrigued but have never done it. I would consult a friend who spoke the language rather than using a translator because, especially for dialogue, I feel you need to be pretty intimately familiar with casual speech patterns that would be very hard to nail without immersing in the culture.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

The X-Files but under a different pen name that I shall never speak of again 🤗

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

7 Years, 6 Months, 4 Days in HP fandom and probably DRIVE in The Handmaid’s Tale fandom.

Tagging:

Anyone who wants to play!!

#fanfiction #tag game #tmblue

[racfoam]

Thank you @louveclaviere for the tag! Let’s get going!

Rules:

post the top 5 works you're most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular)

your top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release in the new year

your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year

your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year,

and your number 1 favorite line you've written this year!

Tagging: @inkwardspots , @toast-ranger-to-a-stranger @skaelds @mayfriend @isalisewrites @limonium-anemos @bluelightandlofi and anyone who wants to join in.

FIVE WORKS

Well, funnily enough, I only published overall five works, haha, mostly because nynn is taking up a lot of my focus.

not you, not now

This was my first fic that started as a one-shot and I had more chapters written for it and people were interested and now it has become a 300k beast, but I am so incredibly proud of it. Chapter 1 remains my favourite, 18k words of just the graveyard is exactly what the doctor ordered. 

flying free

A missing scene based on shade the more, ray the less, Harry flying on Buckbeak and grasping freedom. It's short but I loved writing it since Buckbeak’s Flight is my favourite scene in the movies. 

through thorns to you

A prequel to not you, not now, covering 4th Year. The fic itself is titled as this and covers the dream in Little Hangleton, but from Harry’s perspective. I liked writing the descriptions of the Riddle House and some plant symbolism, as Harry literally walks through thorns in the garden to the house and to Voldemort, therefore the title. I liked the thriller/suspense/horror vibes of it and writing just how scared Harry gets and her thought process during the conversation. It was a joy.

the burning wound

A part of the through thorns to you one-shot collection. Harry waking up from the Little Hangleton dream and Aunt Petunia ready to swing a curling iron at the Dark Lord who unfortunately is not there. I would pay money to see that happen.

nothing to worry about

A part of the through thorns to you, it covers canon events leading to the Weasleys coming to pick Harry up at the Burrow for Quidditch Cup and diverges from canon a bit.

FOUR WIPS

Oh boy, get ready, because I am full of WIPs. None of them will most likely be published this upcoming year because I really want to finish nynn completely before starting anything but the ones I definitely want to do but I just have no actual plot.

last thought, last breath (Voldemort Wins AU, Dark Fic, Dubious Consent, Female Harry)

Harry goes to die in the Forbidden Forest, but Voldemort uses Legilimency and finds out Harry's his Horcrux. Voldemort wants to be the last thing Harry thinks about, and his be the last name Harry says. There is torture, possessiveness, obsession (and Voldemort stays snake-faced because there aren't enough fics with Snake-Faced Voldemort with Fem Harry) Mostly it’s focused on their interactions, how volatile Voldemort is with Harry. Only warning would be Major Character Deaths that happen off-screen, and not of the main characters — Harry and Voldemort. 

killed you first (Time-Travel AU?, Fem Harry)

An AU based on a story by @inkwardspots , where Harry and Delphi go to an alternate universe where Voldemort won after killing Harry.

Soulmate AU, Growing Up Together, Childhood Friends, Master of Death Harry, First Wizarding War, Fem Harry

It actually kicks off when Voldemort goes to get the professor position, but it’s already taken by Harry, his soulmate. They grew up together in Wool’s and were in Slytherin. They were The Couple. There is no time-travel from any of them. It covers the 1968-1981 Era, and the ups and downs of their relationship after Voldemort returns from his travels. Starring Deteriorated Voldemort, with his handsome features already taken by dark magic and DADA Professor Harry. Voldemort still has hair, though! Though it’s receding. Somebody give him some shampoo against hair loss. Poor guy.

nynn AU, James Survives, Voldemort checks Harry’s wrist

Pretty self-explanatory. Narrated from James’ POV.

nynn AU, Voldemort checks Harry's wrist and raises Harry

This one is interesting to write. Also, imagine little four-year-old Harry hiding in the swathes of Voldemort's cloak and using it as a blanket. Voldemort takes Harry everywhere with him (except the battlefield) and Harry gets very traumatized. Now imagine Harry trailing after Voldemort like a little duckling. You get the picture. Add Death Eaters as babysitters and Regulus is alive because I said so.

THREE IMPROVEMENTS

1. I am getting more comfortable with writing dialogue.

2. Learning to cut scenes

3. I don't need 10k words on each chapter

TWO RESOLUTIONS

Stop overthinking.

Don’t look at any numbers.

ONE LINE

Voldemort’s thumb brushed over her chin and Harry choked.

“Voldemort,” Harry whispered panically. Saying his name felt like kissing snow, taking a large gulp of icy winter water. The sound of it is a piece of ice on her tongue.

from not you, not now

#meet the author #my writing #tag game

[huccimermaidshirts]

First Ever Solo Award: Aria for Best International Artist (2017)

//

Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance (2021)

#harry styles #grammys #arias #my post #my gifs #grammys21 #arias17 #tommy bruce #jeff azoff #king jeffrey #the dream team #i've remade the top right gif 3 times goddamn #jefe i'm so sorry for ugly cropping you #this hurts me but also look how FAR we've come #who would have thought that in only 4 short years harry would be winning a grammy #look at him being happy and hugging his managers #love

[writingsfromhome]

Bad Timing I

A/N: This is you and your ex, (Detective) Harry, winding up in each other’s lives again after a traumatic event in your life. I’ve had this idea in my notes app for like a year, and I just decided to go for it this week! It’s a little all over the place as I set it up but I think the next part will go a lot better if you can stick with it (and I appreciate you if you can <3).

Warnings: Violence (guns), PTSD?

Part 1 / (.5) / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4

------------------------------------------

I had booked Thursday and Friday off in advance. I made sure my e-mails were forwarded, my clients were told I wouldn't be in, and any internal matters were allocated to my assistant. It was going to be a relaxing long weekend where I could have a homemade meal for once and watch Netflix all day. I was my branch’s youngest director and even though it was a fulfilling job, I hadn't had a day off since I got the position four months ago.

This was probably why, at 9am, I get a call from my assistant. One of our bigger clients was refusing to discuss his loan terms with anyone and wanted to speak to me directly.

"Tell him I'm not in Adam, you shouldn't even be calling me-I have the bloody day off."

"Yess but he said he's coming in at 10 and if you're not here he's switching banks for his personal and business accounts." Adam stuttered. “If you lose this client H-”

"Jesus," I look at my outfit and the time-I barely had any time to make it to the bank; it took me 40 minutes just to get to work. "I'll be there-distract him if I'm late. Oh! Ask about his daughter's new private school!"

I rush to my room and apply minimal makeup, pull back my y/h/c hair and throw on my black cigarette pants and a blazer. I'm halfway down the lift when I realise I was still in my t-shirt. "Shite," I mutter. I button the blazer and put my scarf around my neck so it's covered. That was decent enough for my day off.

I arrive breathless and sweaty 5 minutes early to the bank despite the cool weather. Might have seemed like a win if that wasn’t when everything went downhill. Just as I walk up to the side door, waving at Adam who was walking out to greet me, a crash from the entrance startles me.

"Hands up!” A loud voice booms from behind me. “Don't touch a fucking thing!" I turn, seeing Adam’s shocked expression, just in time to be shoved to the floor by four people dressed all in black, and wearing celebrity masks. In all my time working here, I’d never been part of a bank heist and some part of me is frozen, mind blank. I wasn’t even supposed to be here!

"I said to put your hands up!" The one with a Brad Pitt face points the gun around the room as people scramble for cover. I inch backwards to the counter as I watch them manhandle the customers and pull our bankers to the floor. I release a breath, trying to snap out of the shock I seemed to be in. The base of a column digs into my back and I focus on that to ground myself, scanning each robber, and where my employees were. Adam has his hands on his head, the closest one to me. I try to catch his eye to reassure him but he’s squeezing them tight. I didn’t blame him, Brad Pitt stands over him menacingly. I look to the customers, they weren’t trying to be smart--that was good. I’d watched enough TV to know that was never a smart move.

Just as I think that, from the corner of my eye, I catch Cole, one of our guards reach for his gun. A loud shot echoes through the small space and I swivel my head trying to see what's happened while making sure everyone was okay. The thief wearing a Kanye West mask, manning the front entrance of the bank, had shot Cole in the arm and he was bleeding all over the floor. My first instinct is to help him but I'm yanked back down before I make it a step.

"We’re not missing the next person who moves a muscle. I want you all to drop your phones in the middle! No. Fucking. Funny business." The thief who shot Cole points his gun to all of us and it takes all of me to not hyperventilate. I hear a few people crying but I don't dare look. Instead, I watch on as David Beckham drags Cole to the side and ties his hands behind him. I can see by the wincing that they didn’t care whether they twisted his arms too hard. This wasn’t a petty robbery, they were hardcore.

"Who has the passcode to the vault?" Brad Pitt asks as one of his friends goes around zip tying everybody's hands behind them. When nobody answers he shoves the gun in Adam’s face and I let out a sob. What did we do to deserve this?

"Me," I choke out. “Don’t hurt him, I have the passcode. I know it.”

"You?" The man asks. "You better not be lying bitch or you'll be joining your friend there."

I nod as he pulls me up by the arm and uses my scarf to tie my hands. I try to stay calm, the only way I could get through this before the police arrived was to keep my calm. Everything in me is screaming to do something--fight, scream, swear, cry, but I keep my mouth shut and follow Brad Pitt and the joker to the back. I'm led at gunpoint to the vault and they untie me so I can put in the code and my thumbprint. The one in a Joker mask presses her gun into my back and I know the least of my worries was a bruise but that was the only thing I could focus on.

She shoves me forward when I pause, hovering my finger over the finger pad, in the distance I hear sirens. Please let us all be okay, I pray.

"Don’t be a fucking hero, let’s go!" The female behind me yells in my ear and I rush to press my thumb.

As soon as I finish the procedure, I feel an explosion like fireworks against the side of my head and everything goes dark.

H POV:

I walked into the station around 10, just having come back from a nearby escalated domestic call. It wasn’t the craziest thing I’ve ever been involved in at 10am on a Thursday morning.

"Harry, there seems to be some sort of commotion near Holborn, the director wants you in his office." Serena, the receptionist tells me gravely. I don’t even consider the street, assuming it would be another criminal to go after. But when I go into the office, we get the rundown: there was a robbery happening at the HSBC. That’s when I understand the gravity of the situation.

"We’ve sent a few men right now, they seemed to be armed so proceed with caution." He warns. I had been on the force for over four years; I moved rank fast and knew how to handle myself so the warning was mostly for the junior constables. But my heart thuds violently in my chest when I think about the possibility...no. I had to focus. But I can’t help but try her cell on our way to the scene. When it continues to ring, my thoughts go to the worse place possible. I know I hadn’t spoken to her in nearly a year, like she wanted, but if anything happened to her, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.

When we arrive at the scene, the thieves are still inside. I make sure nobody makes any moves, following protocol, and trying to gauge the exact situation inside. But before I could give orders, a man holding up his zip-tied hands shuffles out of the building. I notice the terror on his face and the fact that he's not armed.

"Down!" I say. The restless energy building up inside of me makes every move feel frantic.

"They left out the back! They left!" The man's shaky voice reaches our ears. I gesture a few of the officers to head around back and radio in the update.

"Get his statement, be sensitive,” I snap at the closest officer before I take a few of my officers indoors. The scene inside only reminds me why I do what I do, there's glass on the floor, phones in a pile and bullets littering the floor. Everyone looks shocked, people are crying, and a man in the corner is bleeding profusely.I scan all their faces but I don’t see her. I pray that she might have taken the day off today or something, even though I knew she rarely every did. Where was she?

"Medical," I order. I face the crowd, "You're all alright, If everyone can slowly get up and follow Officer McGregor out, we'll see that your belongings are returned to you and collect statements later. You’re all alright now."

"Sir," a bloke off to the side steps forward from the group getting up. "Our manager was taken to the back...we're not sure how she is, she hasn't come out...”

I reassure the crowd she should be fine. I didn't want them to see me panic, not to mention if we had any casualty the press outside were going to bombard this crowd with insensitive questions and I really wanted to keep this on the low. I was considered young for a DCI and any screw up meant I took it twice as hard. And I didn’t know if I could behave normally if I didn’t find her in any way except breathing. I put on my brave face.

I get an officer to stand by and venture cautiously into the back, spotting an open vault. I hurry into the area when I spot her, laying motionless on the floor.

“Y/N,” I rush forward, skidding on my knees to check on her. “Pleasepleaseplease.” I put my fingers to her pulse and nearly shout in relief. She was alive! I send a thanks out into the universe, to whoever was watching over her. “Y/N! Y/N, can you hear me?”

Her eyes flutter under her lids. I turn her gently onto her back, she was wearing a Green Day t-shirt under a smart jacket and trousers--that was unlike her. She always dressed very smart. I gently remove her short strands off her face to reveal a nasty bruise on the side of her head. I try to stifle my heartbeat; it scared me seeing her like this. I’m about to call my officer but her long lashes flutter and suddenly she's looking at me, dazed.

"Y/N! Are you alright?" I inquire. She blinks, and then again, her eyebrows drawn together as she stares at me. I try again, “Y/N, answer me please! Are you alright?”

"I...do I...bloody look alright? Where did they go?" She snaps out of her daze and tries to sit up but her hand goes to her head which must be throbbing. I place a hand on her back so she doesn't fall back down.

"Oh thank god,” I sigh in relief, she could talk. She was alright. “Th-they’'ve managed to escape. We'll deal with that. You were knocked unconscious so we should get you checked-”

"Those bastards," she snarls. I bite back a chuckle as I help her up. She pushes me away as soon as she's on her feet. "I wasn't even supposed to bloody be here today you know that? It was my day off and....Jesus.” She clutches her forehead. “How's everyone else? Chris? Adam?"

"Everyone is fine, your guard’s being taken to hospital. Everyone else is untouched, we need to have you checked out though." I am mesmerized, as always, by her ability to talk about ten things at once.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“It’s my case, I guess,” I tell her, expecting the question. She scowls. “I’ll have to ask you some questions later, but Y/N we need to have your head checked.”

“I’m sure you’d like that,” she mumbles.

“You’re proving by the second that you’re quite alright but we’ve got to get you to a medic anyway,” I gesture forward so she can walk ahead of me. I didn’t want her falling or anything. The constable at the door watches her walk out and eyes me warily.

"She need her statement taken chief?"

"I'll take her down to the station myself--she's hurt." I dismiss the officer and follow Y/N out. I wanted to keep an eye on her right now. “Can I help you walk?”

“My legs are working fine,” she snarls whilst clutching her forehead.

Your POV:

I could not believe today's turn of events. I was supposed to have a relaxing day off but instead, I’m rushed to work so I could be held up by thieves, forced to help them rob my branch, only to be mildly concussed. And the person on the case is none other than my ex-husband Harry Styles.

The only thing going for me is that I don't cry easily (or i would be a sniffling mess right now). And Harry was the last person I wanted to cry in front of although he’s seen me at much worse. I push aside those memories, ignoring his lingering eyes and try to walk ahead of him.

I cover up my shaking hands by stuffing them under the blanket I'm wrapped in when Harry leads me to the ambulance. He stays to the side while the medic goes through a questionnaire and informs me on what I need to know about being mildly concussed. All I could think about is the feeling of a gun pressed to the small of back, the chill of it through fabric. 

"Miss?" The medic asks.

"Sorry, I got it. Yes. Thank you."

"I asked how you got here?" The medic begins to look concerned. Shit. I did not want more attention.

"I...meant I got what you were saying. Sorry, I rode the tube in."

"Great. You can ride with me to the station," Harry says from the side. I avoid his gaze but I have to agree. There was no way I was taking the tube during a time like this. I had a concussion.

So I'm sat in the back whilst Harry drives with his partner. I catch Harry glancing in the rear-view more often than he should and when we make eye contact, he gives me a reassuring smile. But sitting in the back of the car, I feel like the metal tip of a gun still keeps my spine straight. My lungs feel like they're not expanding large enough for air and I clutch the seatbelt strapping me in. I try to name all the countries I could remember--a coping technique I’d used since I was a kid to try and distract myself.

"You alright miss?" The other officer sounds concerned.

"Yeah," I choke out. "Just a little stuffy back here."

"Oh ‘m sorry," Harry opens the back window and I greedily gulp the fresh air coming in. My panic subsides and I settle back into the seat.

*

"And that's all you remember?" Harry sits on the desk chair next to me even though his own seat remains empty behind the desk.

"Exactly as I've told you, like, 20 times Harry."

It was now two hours later; I'd sat waiting for an hour before receiving my phone only to find multiple calls from the bank’s higher-ups. After dealing with them, I had to wait another half hour before finally being interviewed. I proceeded to drink two cups of bad coffee while giving every detail of what I remember, their masks, and so on. Every time I said something that could help, Harry would backtrack and I would explain it three different ways. It was frustrating and the repetition kicked my anxiety up so that I was on the edge of a breakdown. I grip the arms of the chair and respond to Harry. "Listen, alright, why would I not be telling you the full story? Of course that's all I bloody remember! It's not like I had an out-of-body experience and I saw them leave through the back door.”

"I'm sorry Y/N, it's just routine." Harry keeps a straight face on.  "We have a few suspicions we're trying to corroborate by interviewing everyone involved. I promise I’m just being thorough-"

"Yeah yeah alright, you sound like you're reading from a bloody manual," I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh into the silence. When Harry doesn't say anything, I look up to see him watching me with an amused expression.

"What?" I ask, annoyed.

"It’s been a while...I forgot how charming you can be.”

“What can I say, you bring it out in me.”

"Very interesting outfit by the way," he takes my snark in stride, gesturing to my outfit with his pen instead. I cross my arms in front of me. He's still got the stupid expression on his face, it looks unchanged from the one he used to give me once upon a time. When he found something I did funny but in a loveable way; the feelings that surface are almost unbearable.

"Don’t judge my outfit, I had to rush to work for our client meet-oh shit." I pull out my phone and check my email but there's nothing from the client. Probably avoiding the shit show. I notice the time, with all the time I’d wasted today I may as well not have taken the day off at all.

"So you weren't meant to be at work today except for this client? Bad timing isn’t it." Harry reads to himself from his notes. I stare at him, wishing I could burn a hole into his skull to see if he really had a brain in there.

"I've told you this five times before, Harry. You're literally reading from your notes. If you're just going to ask the same questions over and over I’m sure you can find the answers in there and I can go home."

"Right but something doesn't add up, I just want to make sure I have all the details."

"Do I have to be here to watch you do your mental maths?" I wasn't very nice when anxiety and frustration became my base emotions. But Harry knew that.

He looks at me, eyebrows raised at my snark. "I'm sure that you want to get to the bottom of this just as much as I do-"

"But that's not my job," I remind him. "That's yours. I've done mine, and I'd really just like to go home." My voice cracks, and I feel a rush of embarrassment.

"How about I drop you off home? I can walk through the day with you once more during the drive?”

He looks at me expectantly, “I’d rather stab myself in the eye.”

"Best not to with the concussion,” Harry pushes my buttons, and I’m kind of surprised. The last time we saw each other he’d been accommodating to my anger but he was pushing back today. Like he used to when we were together when he riled me up simply because he found it amusing.

When I scowl though, he gets serious. “Y/N, just let me give you a ride home and we can talk more.”

I didn’t want to stand around arguing, I was tired, so I just agree. He smiles, his dimples making a pretty appearance. Damn him.

H POV:

I’m surprised she agrees to ride home with me. I knew Y/N had a stubborn streak and giving in to my offer was new. She’d made it clear last time we saw each other that she wanted nothing to do with me. I was also curious to know where she lived, I’d only been to her office once since we’d split. And that was usually to drop off papers.

She actually answers my questions on the drive, albeit they’re one word answers, but she gives me space to talk out some theories I had. But she also disagrees with most of them, pointing out their flaws. The comfortable back-and-forth between us is bittersweet. This was why we were married once upon a time. We worked well together; after all, we’d been friends for years before dating the other. It was the friendship I missed the most when I thought about us.

When we drive up to her address, it’s a townhome in a decent part of the city. Her promotion clearly had its perks.

I leap out of the car to open her door before she could but she beats me to it, scowling at me as she realises what I was trying to do.

“So you live here?” I try to ease into a conversation, get her to open up, ask her how she was doing. But she looks at me like I’d asked a stupid question, waving her keys.

“You’re kind of dense for a detective,” she says when I raise an eyebrow. “Don’t look so shocked.”

“Forget I asked,” getting personal was useless.

“Done.” She always manages to get the last word. She climbs her steps but I follow her up. She eyes me as she finds the correct one on her key ring. “What?”

“I just-have you got anyone living with you?”

“What’s that got to do with the case?” She asks, her defenses going up.

“You’re concussed, it’s best you have someone with you for the next 24 hours like the med-”

“I’ll be fine Harry,” her sharp edges soften but still, she only opens her door wide enough to step through. I can barely see anything behind her except for a hall.

“You shouldn’t be alone,” I try again.

“Nice of you to care,” the way she says it implies a deeper meaning, one that borders on a dangerous topic.

“I’m serious Y/N, this--a concussion’s no joke. And it was traumatic what you went through you really shouldn’t-”

“I’ve been on my own for a while now, I’ll be okay.” There she goes having the last word again. I raise my hands and back off.

“If you say so. I’ll...head back to the station but if you need anything, well, you know how to reach me.”

She nods, closing the door softly behind her. I sigh, it was a whirlwind last few hours but I was just grateful Y/N was going to be okay. I know she hated me, but I still cared about her. It was hard not to. We’d known each other for over a decade, and even though I hurt her in our past, and she might not agree with me, I cared. Caring about her didn’t have an on/off switch. I only wanted her to be okay. Maybe even happy.

Y POV:

I go through the motions for the rest of the afternoon, mostly I sit zoned out in front of the window while the morning plays like a loop in my head. Something about having your life hang in the balance of a stranger’s pointer finger made it feel so fragile. It unraveled me, and I can’t focus on anything. I just keep feeling the gun on my back, and smashing against the side of my head.

I keep my head iced, and avoid screens except to send out a couple emails and to call my sister after 8 voice messages that progresses from panic after hearing the news to annoyance as I don’t respond. When she finds out Harry’s on the case she swears.

“That bastard,” I can see her face in my mind, the one where she pursues her lips like mum used to. “You should report him, conflict of interest right? It’s traumatic enough what you’ve been through, you poor thing. I was just talking to Lewis and he said I should come down to stay with you this weekend-”

“That’s really alright,” I nip the idea in the bud. I loved my sister dearly but she was an overly anxious person and I don’t think that would be helpful for me right now. “It’s just a mild concussion, the medic said I should be cleared after 24 hours so it would only be a hassle for you to come down here.”

“Alright,” she says grudgingly. “But you say the word and I’m on the first train out. And I’ll give that ex of yours an earful if he’s anywhere near you again.”

I smile at my sister’s overprotective nature, “I appreciate the offer, but I think I can manage that fine on my own.”

“That you can,” she laughs.

But when I put down the phone, the silence creeps in again. And normally I loved the quiet but like a broken record player, the voices and sounds from this morning continue to play in a loop in the silence.

I give up after 7 and start preparing for bed. But a call interrupts my nightly routine.

“Y/N,” it’s Harry. “It’s me, Harry.”

“I do have call display,” I say dryly.

“Right, I...wasn’t expecting you to pick up.”

“Is this about the case?” I was hoping he was calling to say the bastards were caught.

“Oh...not exactly. I was wondering if you’ve fed yourself. I’m in your area for work, it’s my last call. I thought I could bring you some takeout or...?”

“I was about to get ready for bed.” I reply.

“Oh. That’s early? Have you had dinner?”

I think about the pathetic cheese toast I’d managed to make. My stomach growls thinking about food, I didn’t seem to have an appetite until he’s said something. “Fine, only if you’re in my area.”

Surely, not even 10 minutes go by and by doorbell rings. Harry stands outside with a takeout bag, his pressed shirt from this morning is more rumpled with a few buttons undone.

“I parked on the street--is that alright?”

“I guess? You’re just here to drop this off.” I shrug.

“Actually I uh, I thought I’d keep you some company.”

“I...” I don’t know if I should be offended. “I don’t need company. I only agreed to the takeout.”

“I’m part of the package,” he hides the bag behind him, a smug smile on his face. I roll my eyes, it was too late to do this with him.

So I leave the door open and head inside, tightening my robe around me. Harry was part of my past and having him here, in the place I’d built myself back again, feels wrong. This was where I’d shed the identity of being a divorcee before 30, and here he was. When I turn to see why he was so quiet, I find him scanning my gallery wall and smiling at the pictures.

“Hey, I’m on here,” he points to a small group picture.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” I walk back to him to get the food. “I just looked good there.”

It was a shot from my sister’s wedding, Harry and I with the newlyweds. It was taken a few weeks before we’d made us official actually--moving from friends to lovers was maybe one of the bigger mistake I’d made in life. Another was agreeing to marry him.

“I look pretty good too,” he leans in closer. I ignore him and take the cartons of Chinese out and grab cutlery. He joins me, I hand him a beer and take a sparkling water for myself. “How’ve you been feeling?”

“Okay,” I shrug. “Just sorting through it all. Trying to avoid screens, all that.”

“That’s good,” he steals a chicken from the container I’m dumping into my plate. I eye him but he just grins, chewed food between his cheeks. I let it slide. “So you’re not supposed to sleep with a concussion or something?”

I sigh, “That’s not true, I only have a mild concussion!”

“Well I’m not a bloody doctor!”

“Thank god for that.”

“You’ll never stop doing that will you?” He rubs his chopsticks together and attempts to eat with him. “Always so snarky.”

“I can’t help it,” I continue to watch him fail with his chopsticks and pick up a fork. “It sustains me.”

“You should try being nice for once.”

“Tried it once, didn’t work out well for me. So...here I am.”

I was being passive, I knew that. He knew that with the way he eyes me over his food. He keeps quiet though, knowing there was nothing he could say in this moment to make a difference. We eat in silence until he receives a call and he leaves to take it. I clean up so by the time he gets back I’ve just loaded the dishwasher.

“I know the sleep thing’s not true for you,” Harry says as he approaches. “But I think I should stay here overnight. Just to make sure you’re-”

“No,” I cross my arms. “There’s no reason for you to stay the night Harry. I don’t need you here.”

“It’s for your peace of mind-”

“It’s for your peace of mind Harry. And frankly, I don’t care about your peace of mind. I don’t want you sleeping over, I’m not comfortable with that.”

“Y/N, c’mon! It’s not a big deal. It’s not like we didn’t sleep in the same bed for years--I’ll be sleeping on the couch! You’re not in your best shape and it’s just for a night, it’ll be like I’m not even here.”

“Don’t you have a girlfriend or something to go home to?” I ask. He shifts his gaze and shakes his head.

“Nope, my bachelor pad just me. I’ll be out of your hair in the morning.”

I dry my hands and watch him, he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. I knew him well enough to recognise the wide stance, shoulders back, and jut of his chin. He wasn’t backing down.

“I don’t want to hear you, Not even a peep. I’ll make up the couch but this is the one and only time you’re wearing me down, you’re lucky I’m not in the mood to argue-”

“Promise,” he holds his hand up to his chest, a grin on his face knowing he won.

I leave him with a comfortable setup and head up to my own room. There was a spare upstairs but I don’t think I could handle him sleeping next door to me. It was weird how in just one day I’d seen more of him than I had in the last couple years and now he was sleeping in my living room like we were okay. Not like he wasn’t the man who’d broken my trust, and my heart.

As I lay awake in bed, unable to sleep as the day replays in my head, another set of memories infiltrates my mind and keeps me from sleeping. The story of Harry and I, the naive beginning, eventful middle, and heartbreaking end. My mind repeats its history and I don’t fall asleep for hours. When sleep finally comes, my dreams are haunted by the same memories.

#harry styles #harry styles x reader #harry styles fluff #harry styles angst #harry styles fic #harry styles fanfic #harry styles imagine #fic #writingsfromhome #au #detective!harry #dci!harry #harry styles series #this is quite diff from what I usually write #hence leaving it for months #but we just started a stricter lockdown #so why the heck not #amirite #😔 #tw: ptsd #also don't forget acab but also #enjoy detective H #🤪

[weasvlys]

Jealous

Fred Weasley x Y/N (FEMALE! READER)

Warnings: Smut, rough sex (choking, spanking and hair pulling), unprotect sex, sexual grafic contenten, curses, explicit language.

Word count: 2131.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Harry! Are you kidding? You haven't prepared anything for the second task?!" By the look on Harry's face you already knew he didn't even know what was about "Oh Harry! At least do you know what it is about?" You ask again, desperate for an answer. Since that your father, Sirius Black, knew that Harry had entered in the triwizard tournament he had desperately asked you to watch for him and help him in all the tests to ensure, if not win, survive, and, of course, being the youngest of the 4 champions, he was the most inexperienced and in the same way the least likely to survive any of the tests and since the previous one, being dragons, nothing less was expected from this, it was rumored that it could be hunting some magical beast, but there were all just rumors.

"Uhm... Well, kind of... When I put it under water I heard a song, and sounds like they gave a message- a hint about what the test was going to be. " Harry said discouraged.

"Brilliant! But... Why do you look kinda sad about it?"

"Well, It's... Just that the song is kind of complicated to decipher, i already know that I have to look for something under water, but I'm not sure what, and i have no idea of how I'm going to breath under water for one hole our, Hermione, Ron and I already look in the hole library, but there's nothing, and it's in just one week..." He said hurriedly and worried, so much so that it was quite difficult to understand what he wanted to say, but you did understand. "Have you ask my dad? He might have an idea..." You said, tried to comfort him, but it didn't work, Harry quickly shook his head in desperation to dispel your idea, he said "I don't want to worry him much less encourage him to come, you know he is in great danger near the school grounds, more so now that Mr. Crouch seems to be so interested in the tournament"

"Right... Well, let's go to the library, something useful must be there, something that might be you and your friends didn't see last time" you said a little discouraged, it seemed that not even being days years older than Harry and the same age as Cedric gave you a bit of experience in these topics, you should have paid attention in class the last 5 years, but you were too busy coming up with new ways to tease Filch with the twins.

They had been there for about 2 hours and still found nothing useful, not a spell, not a potion, not even a curse. Samples you read the fifth dome of "Modern spells for modern magicians" you began to hear someone doing "psssstt" behind you, at first you thought they might be talking to someone else, but then you remembered that only you and Harry were there, and it was definitely not Harry, since he was totally and hopelessly asleep on the first dome of the same book, you turned around just to find a Fred Weasley.

"Yes?..." You said waiting for a short answer since at least that night you still had to find that it was a clue of how Harry could survive. "Can we have a word?" He said, it seems like he was angry but you didn't you paid so much attention to it. "Well... Yes, do you wanna sit here?" You respond pointing to the seat next to you, "I mean, just you and me, something more personal" he said obvious, you stand up and went outside the library while he follow you behind.

"What is it?" You said a little fed up, ready to go to sleep "Well... I-I..." He replied stammering "Fred, is it something that can't wait? You see, I'm helping Harry, and we could use a hand" You replied, now desperate for an answer "No. It can't, look, I don't like you spending so much time with Harry." At first you thought it was a joke, but when you see his expression, you knew it wasn't "What?" You said kind of angry, there was no reason for you to not help Harry, he needed you "I just don't like you to be always around him, walking in the castle, you look like you are dating, Are you? Because I don't think you could make a good couple, you are just waisting your time and i don't think he's not good for you and i just think if you gonna date some one that person should be more than enough and-" Fred kept saying angry in a very particular way, you've never seen him like this "Fred ... Fred!" Fred kept saying angry in a very particular way, you've never seen him like that "Fred!! What the hell are you talking about? Harry and I were not dating and if it were like that, it wouldn't- ohhh... Ohhhhh! Merlin! I know what happens here... " You said realizing what was happening, Fred Weasley was jealous of Harry, you started laughing, it was unimaginable, Fred jealous? "No. No. No. It's not what you think Y/N, it's just that's-" He hastened to answer now quite nervous "Yes it is!! You are jealous!" You started to say laughing, and from one moment to another and without notice, you felt Fred's lips on yours, they were soft and sweet, you felt butterflies inside you from the sensation of his hands taking your waist, after a while it detached itself from you, you were overwhelmed and surprised, there was a nervous silence for a couple of seconds, but soon and without wasting time you quickly took Fred by the face and directed him to your lips again to now give him a more passionate kiss, to which he corresponded, it was time he pulled more of your hips, it seemed that he was hungry, he began to lower his hands to your thighs, and there he began to walk his hand under your skirt gently but quickly you lowered his hands, he obeyed when they finally detached from the kiss your lips said in a whisper together "you don't know how long I had wanted to kiss you ..." You just smile and then take him by the hand and guide him to the library, you looked everywhere and it seemed that there was no one, not even Harry, who had been sitting there minutes ago, surely left after seeing you exchanging saliva with Fred "Would you help me?..." you said holding a book and putting it away, he took another book and did the same, you continued doing it, when without prior notice he began to caress your thigh that was discovered when you reached up to raise the book that was on top.

When you felt his touch you quickly turned around surprised and he just smiled flirtatious, you turned around again, ignoring it, worse again it did, and this time climbing even more to your butt, when you got up he got dangerously close to you heard "Kissing you is not the only thing I've wanted to do for a long time" he said with a smirk "oh yeah?... What else have you wanted to do to me? " You answered in the same way while I looked at you again in that way so lustful and hungry, a look that weakened your knees and gave a particular sensation of pleasure to your center, you turned around sitting on the table, he was right in front of you, he smiled and directed his right hand to your thigh caressing it while staring at you, he raised his other hand and with his finger he brought you to his face by the chin and began to kiss you gently and temptingly, leaving soft bites on your lower lip, you you took off from the kiss and, apparently angry, he press your thigh harder making you moan sileviosam and quickly, and with the same hand that was on your chin, he aggressively grabbed your neck and pulled you towards him to kiss you again, now in a more aggressive way.

He raised your face and began to kiss your clavicle, leaving marks there, began to unbutton your shirt and remove your tie, what made you moan, tried to do it as quietly as possible, lowered his hand to your chest and squeezed one of your breasts over the bra, making you moan, he looked up and smiled triumphs, and with both hands he took off your shirt, breaking some buttons that are not unbuttoned, you raised your hands to remove the tie but Fred took your wrists and said "Leave it... The skirt too" He said in a whisper as he directed his hands to your back and unbuttoned your bra, he raised his hands to the straps to remove it, without first giving you a look seeking approval, you nodded approving, he smiled at you and when he took it off he stared at them, you could almost see how he was drooling "You're beautiful Y/N" He said, and then he took one of them and quickly directed them to your mouth, where he began to suck, which made you moan with pleasure while you must have gotten more and more wet.

You lowered your hands to the edge of his sweater and and you took it off, he detached himself from your chest and lifted his face and hands, you pulled his tie and again they began to kiss while you took off his shirt and tie quickly, again Fred placed his hand on the inside of your thigh and quickly brought it to your core, where he began to caress the circles with his thumb, when you felt his touch you moaned on his lips "I can feel how wet you are through your panties love ..." He said in such a sexy way you felt that pleasure again in your center, he put his hands on your hips and quickly turned you around, leaving your entire ass in his sight, I lift your skirt leaving your ass almost bare, you moaned at his action and with his hands he squeezed the area, making you moan loud.

Fred put his left hand on your left hip, put his right hand on your butt and gave a strong spanking that made you moan loudly "I hope this shows you how you can only be around with me" and gave another even harder spanking, which made your clit throb and moan even louder, and gave another, and another noticing how you moaned louder each time, he separated his hand from your hip and under his face and left a soft kiss on one of your buttocks and when he was there he could appreciate how wet you were and how it looked through your panties "You are so fucking wet Y/N" He take the springs of the panties and slowly lower them, watching the flow form webs as it detaches from your pussy "Fuck..." He whisper surprised.

He pull his pants followed by his boxers, as soon as he lowered them, his hard and sore erection bounced, with one of his hands he took his cock and with the other he took your hip, placed the tip on your entrance, playing "Please Fred..." You said eager to be penetrated, "What do you say little girl?..." Playfully replied "Please... Fuck me, Freddy..." You responded by pushing your hips to his cock, You felt like he put his penis inside you slowly, damn it! It was so big... He started to go out and into you softly, waiting for you to get used to it, but not hard because he quickly put both hands on your head and picked up speed, penetrating you so fast and hard that make you go crazy and scream with pleasure.

With his right hand he grabbed your hair and pulled it, which made you moan even louder, the faster you could feel it touching your g-spot, You could feel how little by little you were tightening more and more, the heat was concentrated, you moaned in an almost pornographic way, you felt how you came on his cock as well as him inside of you, he came out slowly as he watched that white viscous liquid drip from your entrance, and with tired breathing he sat in a chair behind him while he tried to regulate his breathing, you rotate and you did the same, staying next to him.

"Do you want to go to the honey dukes on Saturday with me? "He said a little nervous "Sure" you smiled, you could never get tired of this.

#fred weasley x reader #fred Weasley #fred weasley smut #fred weasley blurb #smut #hp #harry potter #harry potter smut #weasley twins x reader #weasley twins supremacy #weasley twins smut #blurb

[blouisparadise]

Here is a list of amazing bottom Louis fics that were posted or completed during the month of January. Between the third month of the Bottom Louis Fic Fest and all the other fics that authors posted throughout the month, it’s clear that this was a great way to start off the year of bottom Louis fics!  Happy reading!

1) Leave It All Here In This Bed | Explicit | 1071 words

One of Louis’s many sleepless nights.

2) Games Are Only Fun If You Win | Explicit | 1554 words

Louis and Harry have a bet. If Louis wins that means he's off laundry duty. If he loses well.

Let's just say Harry won't be complaining.

3) If It Makes You Feel Alive | Explicit | 1691 words

Louis is horny one night on the tour bus so he and Harry fuck while trying not to get caught by the others.

4) Beg Me Silently | Explicit | 2140 words

“So, your boyfriend…is he planning a magic night for you at home?”

Louis snorts. “He’s not, actually. He’s pretty hardworking, you see, so he comes home late.”

“Such a shame.” Harry walks towards Louis, so close that they’re sharing the same space. “You’re so beautiful, Louis. If you were mine, I wouldn’t make you wait for me.”

5) Birthday Wishes | Explicit | 2895 words

Note: This is part 3 of this series.

The one where Harry takes Louis to dinner for his birthday, and gifts him with a vibrating butt plug he wears to the restaurant. Fluffy birthday sex follows.

6) New Year, New Beginnings | Explicit | 3577 words

Note: This is part 4 of this series.

The one where Louis and Harry unexpectedly end up at the same New Year's party. Louis makes Harry jealous, and Harry shows him just how bad of an idea that is.

7) Heaven In These Sheets | Explicit | 3557 words

Bunny Hybrid Louis has it out for his boyfriend’s phone.

8) Pits Of Love | Explicit | 3934 words

Harry smells Louis' sweat for the first time after they've moved in together. His alpha goes a bit wild.

9) First Blow Hits You Cold | Explicit | 3986 words

Louis wears a shirt with a big ass H on it for his livestream, and Harry really, really likes it.

10) Close Your Eyes And Surrender To Me | Explicit | 4209 words

Note: This is the sequel to this fic.

Harry hummed and pressed his lips to Louis’ forehead. “I am very stressed, but I also know you’re stressed and tired too.” He glanced to Louis’ face seeing the confirming nod. “But, if you’re sure you’re up for it.” Harry smirked, waiting for Louis to say it was okay before he laid the boy down on the bed and hovered over him. “I really love this color on you. You look so pretty. Always do.” He spoke quietly, rubbing his hands over Louis’ soft thighs and moving them to his tummy. He then moved his hands up to Louis’ hair. It had been a while since Louis’ last haircut and it was now long enough that he could tie it up in little ponytails and even little braids. Louis currently had two hair clips in his hair. One was gold with little stars on it and the other gold with a moon. “I love your hair princess. Do you feel pretty?” He asked.

11) P Is For | Explicit | 4349 words

Note: The pairing for this fic is Louis/Pedro Pascal.

Louis and Pedro, winter in New York, a coffee machine, and bilingualism.

12) Pull Out Your Heart | Explicit | 5028 words

He wants to apologise, the five letters sit on the tip of his tongue but he does not. It means nothing to either of them.

13) Loving You's the Antidote | Explicit | 5070 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Prompt 302: Alpha Harry & Omega Louis are divorced but still spend each other’s heat/rut together because they only really trust each other but things get complicated when Louis (or Harry, author’s choice) spend it with someone else. Cue angst with a happy ending.

14) Sweet Talk With A Hint Of Sin | Explicit | 5095 words

“What the hell are you wearing?” Harry had the nerve to ask, and Louis bristled slightly.

“Well, what the bloody fuck does it look like?” Louis snapped, breaking his seductive demeanor momentarily because he was wearing this ridiculous get-up for Harry. He had thought that this would go over well.

And now that the moment was here, it was going anything but.

Harry’s brain seemingly malfunctioned, completely unbothered by the fact that he was now standing in an actual pool of red wine, or that there might even be broken glass directly next to his feet. He was focused solely on his boy splayed out on their bed. “Are those ears?”

“Yes,” Louis mumbled, reaching up to finger the burnt orange fur of the fox ears. “And a tail,” he said, shifting to lay on his stomach so that his perky ass was on display, showing the way his lube slicked hole had been prepped and was now hugging the impressively sized plug attached to the fox tail.

15) New York's Beauty | Mature | 5274 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Prompt 104: AU where Harry is an alpha wolf and Louis is a hybrid kitten. They were roommates. While they were arguing about something stupid, Harry wanted to bend Louis over the kitchen table and knot him right there. He slowly accepted his feelings and extreme desire for Louis, so he started to tease the hybrid until he would beg Harry to fuck him. They fall in love.

Louis needs to feel comfortable with the camera so harry fucks him until he is blushing and calm and gentle.

16) I Went Astray To Make It Okay And He Made It Easy | Not Rated | 5537 words

Note: This is a sequel to #17 on this list.

Harry makes sure to put on his blue truckers hat that has 'if you ain't a fisherman, you ain't shit' printed on it to hold back his hair out of his eyes. He remembers when he came home after buying it and Louis went on for days about much he looked like such a Dad. He made sure to fuck him hard that night and show him that he's a fucking DILF not just a Dad. 

17) You Make My Heart Beat Like The Rain | Explicit | 6611 words

Note: This is the prequel to #16 on this list.

"You're stunning, eh?" Harry whispers, his Canadian accent thick with lust. It usually slips out when he gets horny because he knows it turns Louis on. Harry presses his lips into the curve of his neck. His hot breath makes Louis shiver. He opens his eyes and sees Harry's bigger, tattooed arms wrapped around him, completely engulfing his smaller frame—and, fuck, maybe he is up for it.

Why does his boyfriend have to be such a fucking DILF? He blames it on a twitter thread he read a few weeks ago.

18) Baby, Let Me Love You Goodbye | Explicit | 6837 words

Harry and Louis are going through a divorce after being together for 10 years, so Louis comes over to collect his things, and, well…what’s a little goodbye sex, just one last time?

19) A Place To Call Home | Mature | 8113 words

The thing is, he’s pretty sure he’s found home in a person in his life, someone who’s been essential in everything he’s done since he was seven years old. Through every broken bone, through every breakup, through every failure; through every triumph, personal and professional, and every goal he has scored in his time in Man U, there’s been someone there for it all.

That’s his best mate. Harry. A twenty-two year old with the kindest heart known to man, a slow drawl that is entirely too endearing, with the dreams to open up his own flower shop. A quiet and earnest boy with those he doesn’t know, and open and honest and absolutely lovely with those he loves.

It all hits him, really, the night of their final game of the Premier League. Again, timing is not his forté. They’re gearing up, ready to hit the field for the second half against Liverpool that determines their ranking in the League, when his brain decides to come online (after seventeen years, apparently), and conveniently supply him with the revelation that oh yeah, you’re kind of in love with your best friend.

20) To Love Without Reason | Explicit | 8854 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

“Come on in, soldier,” Louis pats Harry’s chest and walks away, leaving Harry to follow behind.

Harry stands in the living room, looking around at Louis’ dwelling. Family pictures placed high on a shelf, certificates of Louis’ practice, and other trinkets that make Harry entirely too nostalgic.

“I have to warn you,” Louis says as he puts the kettle on, the water droplets from his hair trickling down the golden skin of his back. “The door jams if you lock it so you'll have to leave it ajar.”

Harry acknowledges with a soft hum, too entranced by Louis’ glistening skin to form a coherent reply.

21) It's A Game We Play In The Sheets | Explicit | 9426 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

“Louis is… He’s a boy I’ve been talking to.” He bit his lip, grin evident. “After I watched one of his videos during a Harry Reacts a few weeks ago I messaged him and…”

His sentence was cut short by the sound of a timid little “Hi” being whispered into his ears.

Harry closed his eyes for a second, pausing to take in the online presence of the real-life fairy, before he opened them and smiled. “Hey Lou. Ready to play with me?”

22) One Track Mind | Explicit | 9911 words

“You have a lot of friends, huh?”

Harry nods again. “A few.” The muscles of his bicep flex under Louis’ touch, and the alpha looks a bit drunk from the feeling, his eyes blinking slower and lips quirking at the corners. He’s leaning in, his alpha scent surrounding Louis from all sides.

“Mm,” Louis hums, squeezing his fingers tight, just to hear the sharp way Harry inhales. Then, when Harry is least expecting it, Louis returns the earlier sentiment—leaning up on his tiptoes and pressing his weight into Harry for balance, drawing his lips up close to Harry’s ear, and whispering, “Why don’t you go tell them goodnight.”

23) See You When I Get Home | Explicit | 10308 words

"What are you thinking about?" He repeats Louis' question from earlier.

"You." Louis' reply comes out in a moan. It shocks Harry, and his brain scrambles for the right thing to do, the right thing to say. He doesn't even know how to feel, or if he even heard Louis correctly.

"Me?"

24) Floating | Explicit | 10435 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

The one where Louis has control over water in every form but he doesn't know what to do with it. Harry is here to guide him.

25) I'm At Your Mercy Now (And I'm Ready To Begin) | Teen & Up | 10552 words

Where Louis' soulmark was leaked, Harry keeps his private. They're both famous popstars. Louis is waiting for his soulmate, Harry has a feeling it's him but Louis is completely oblivious.

26) You And I 'Till The Day We Die | Explicit | 10807 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Prompt 124: A fic inspired by Groupie Love by Lana Del Rey, where Harry is a Rockstar and Louis is his cute little boyfriend who tries to hide himself in the middle of the crowd. (Preferably set in the 80s)

27) Moonlit Sky Over Gentle Waters | Explicit | 11377 words

Harry left his hometown to sail the seven seas and returns seven years later, yearning for something — or rather, someone — that he isn't sure he can have.

28) Late Night Devil Put Your Hands On Me (And Never, Never, Ever Let Go) | Explicit | 11524 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Harry is a demon that feeds off of people’s nightmares. He finds his next meal in Louis’ dreams where he changes and molds them to become scary nightmares. Soon harry learns Louis is a lucid dreamer- he can act on his own in his dreams. They interact in the real world and have sex in the dream world. when the demon catches feelings for louis, he wants to live.

29) If You're Feeling Lonely | Explicit | 12807 words

The guest list is on the desk. Louis runs through it and stops a third of the way down, a familiar name catching his attention.

Harry Styles.

All he needs to do is confirm whether Harry Styles is the same Alpha whose scent left such a memorable impression on his body.

30) Want You To Play With Me | Explicit | 14335 words

"I'm quite not finished with you yet." Harry whispered right on the shell of his ears and squeezed the girth of his cock, making Louis shudder a sloppy puff of air as the tickling sensation ran through his spine, Harry was intoxicating. "Let me play with you a little more, Lou. I promise I'll give you what you want. Be my good boy, hm?" He slowly annunciated every word and licked a warm line on the nape of Louis' neck — Louis curled in his arms at that. Submitting himself a little bit more.

"Always wanna be your good boy." Louis whispered back and enveloped Harry's hand in his.

31) No Good Unless It's Real | Explicit | 17021 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Louis is a very busy farmer who’s just trying to make it to his next nap and Harry’s the new hot vet that’s determined to infiltrate every area of his life.

32) Tennis Court | Explicit | 18285 words

Louis and Harry are co-workers and Louis is sure Harry hates him because he always refuses to help him with his heats.

33) Joker Is Wild | Explicit | 18444 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Prompt 390: A reality show AU where Louis, Harry, Liam, Zayn and Niall are selected to stay at confined in a luxury mansion for 1 month, where they are required to have explicit, graphic sex at all times, like a porn Big Brother kind of show. Every week there are several different sexual tasks and trials that they must overcome together, which all ends in orgasms for all of them. When the boys all discover Louis is strictly a bottom, and a slutty one at that, they all can’t wait to get their hands on him. Bonus if other hot celebs are there too, like Shawn Mendes, for example. Includes lots of hard gay sex, rimming, blowjobs, gang bangs, ass worshipping (Louis ass, of course) and double penetration.

34) Baby, Let Me Love You Goodbye | Not Rated | 20249 words

Louis almost calls Harry daddy. Cue denial, feelings, and way too much dirty talk.

35) Give So Much (Not Enough) | Mature | 24610 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

“For my little lion,” Louis slid the smoothie bowl in front of Oscar, letting him dig in with his little hands. “And for daddy.”

He didn’t process the bowl in front of him, the push across the table causing a raspberry to roll off and fall on his lap, because Louis calling himself mummy may make him feel all sorts of mushy emotions, but Louis addressing Harry as daddy was suddenly having a very different effect on him. Since when did Louis saying daddy out loud render him speechless?

“Daddy’s still sleepy, but we’re up bright and early right Ossie?” Louis’ cooing shook him out of his daze. The man coughed, picking the raspberry off his lap and swallowing it with unintentional, and very unnecessary, eye contact with Louis. “Well, is it better than your protein smoothies and why?”

Harry chuckled, spooning another heap of the strawberry banana goodness into his mouth, “Way better sweetheart.”

A friends to lovers au with tons of mama Louis and domesticity.

36) Short And Sweet | Explicit | 29658 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Louis is a shy university student in a world scarce of male omegas. He's always dreamt of having an alpha despite his sheltered upbringing, fantasizing about being loved and cared for. He's immediately smitten by the mysterious alpha with curly hair, broad shoulders, and the addictive coffee scent.

37) Under Thorn And Bramble | Explicit | 31931 words

Note: The pairing of this fic is Louis/OMC. This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Prompt 445: A historical AU where Louis is working as a servant on a farm. The family that owns the farm is exceedingly cruel to him and he is often exhausted and in pain from his work. A mysterious stranger boards at the farm and is very intrigued by Louis, but Louis doubts his interest in genuine. Any pairing fine.

38) Pink In The Night | Explicit | 32324 words

His finger was tapping on Louis’ chat before Harry could even think about it, eyes reading over the last text he’d sent Louis. I miss you. Do you miss me?

Harry had felt so pathetic that December night, alone in the dark room of the Japanese apartment he’d been staying at, the strong smell of alcohol clinging to his clothes.

Louis hadn’t replied, but Harry wasn’t surprised; he had texted Louis a few times before while he’d been away, but there had never been a response.

It pained him to admit that this was their new normal.

39) Coeur De Pirate | Explicit | 34207 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

He tilts his chin up as the Captain strides across the deck, his footfalls falling loudly against the planks. The crew watches them from afar.

Stepping into his space, the Captain wraps an arm around Louis’ waist and pulls him in. He lowers his head to breathe his words against Louis’ cheeks. “I won,” he whispers, “I’ve come to claim my prize.”

40) If The Sun Don't Shine | Explicit | 36330 words

In a world where you meet your soulmates in dreams, Louis has spent the last three years going to bed hoping to finally meet his, only to end up disappointed time and time again. It all changes with a violin.

41) The Pirate And The Piper | Explicit | 38396 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

The one where Harry is Hook, Louis is Pan, and nothing is what it seems.

42) Begged And Borrowed Time | Mature | 40198 words

Prompt 60: Time travel AU where Louis somehow gets thrown back in time and ends up in the dark ages, during the reign of the Styles family.

43) I Ain’t Gonna Fence You In | Mature | 40645 words

Louis Tomlinson is a 18 year old city boy who is forced to spend his summer before his senior year at his aunts farm. There, he meets Harry, a 19 year old country boy his aunt hired to help around the farm.

Maybe the farm isn't the worst place to fall in love?

44) Don't Want No Other Shade Of Blue | Explicit | 43285 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Prompt 339: it was foretold that Alpha Prince Harry would be mated to a beautiful male omega with eyes that could rival the stone amethyst, but Omega Prince Louis refuses to believe it.

45) No Easy Choice, But You’re Mine | Explicit | 44963 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Louis is an omega hitman with one last job that goes a little sideways. Harry is the alpha bartender that looks a little too closely and cares a little too much.

46) Sedative Duty | Explicit | 46588 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Pop-star of the moment Louis Tomlinson is on his third-world tour. He decides to hire renowned professional dominant Harry Styles to unwind while on the road. In an effort not to raise suspicion by the crew, fans, and press, Harry pretends to be his bodyguard. He ends up being far more than that.

47) Just Always Be Waiting for Me | Explicit | 46837words

Note: Please be sure to check tags for any trigger warnings.

Harry Styles is a librarian at a private school who is not very devoted to his job but is very devoted to Louis Tomlinson, the resident English teacher, and has been ever since they met six years ago beneath a lonely streetlight.

Louis Tomlinson is a self confessed bookworm whose passion for Peter Pan, the literary classics and Harry Styles' happiness knows no bounds. He's self sacrificing, somewhat self loathing and haunted by a trauma he can't talk about.

Mutual pining abounds in this fic where a Peter Pan quote is never just a Peter Pan quote, caretaking is a love language and a platonic nude is never actually platonic. Louis has a kiss that belongs to Harry but he also has a painful past that might end up hurting them both.

48) Since The Future | Explicit | 48947 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

"It's done."

The words were barely above a whisper when they left Harry's mouth, but they hit Louis with the force of a freight train. It was done. Holy fuck. They had created a time machine. And tomorrow, they were travelling to the future.

49) Dirty Laundry Looks Good On You | Explicit | 50581 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

When Louis Tomlinson finds his clothes lying in a sad soapy mess on top of the washing machine in which they are supposed to be, he acts upon his anger and retaliates. What he doesn’t expect is having to deal with a six-feet tall, curly-haired and dimpled man in return, who seems to arouse confusing feelings within him and to make his life take an unexpected turn for the better (or worse?).

50) Hamartia | Explicit | 66970 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Six years is a long time for Louis to mend his heart back and erase every lingering, stubborn memory of his ex-lover, Harry Styles. But when news of the war being over spreads across the world like wildfire, and he stumbles upon the alpha he vowed himself to never see ever again, he realises that not even a lifetime will be enough for him to pick up the scattered, broken parts of his soul. He's far from expecting the alpha he loved to be struggling in the same way.

All the ointments in the world might never soothe the pain out, but it doesn't take long for them both to come to the conclusion that, maybe, the only medicine to their heartbreaks are what caused them in the first place.

51) Feeling Borrowed, Always Blue | Explicit | 68214 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

Louis has been dreaming of his wedding since he was young - he just never expected it to happen like this. words

52) Mind Over Matter (You Under Me) | Explicit | 73825 words

Note: This fic was written for the Bottom Louis Fic Fest! Check out the full collection here.

It’s dark outside when Harry finishes practice for the day.

53) Rogue | Not Rated | 94992 words

Louis is a rogue Omega who's suffered through rejection and abuse for the biggest part of his life. He stumbles onto the Styles pack, quite possibly the kindness one he's ever met.

54) Chandeliers And Fake Smiles | Mature | 145010 words

On the brink of winning their first Grammy; up-and-coming rock band One Direction find themselves in the midst of the biggest scandal of their career - right before tickets for their world tour go on sale. in order to save their reputation, Louis Tomlinson must find it in his heart to forgive pop singer and heartthrob Harry Styles after his first impression rubbed him entirely the wrong way. after all, they cannot sell a relationship if it looks like they hate each other.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

You can find other monthly roundup fic rec lists here.

#bottom louis #top harry #blp fic recs #monthly fic recs #fic recs #larry

[bamfdaddio]

X-Men Abridged: 1980 - The Dark Phoenix Saga

The X-Men, those enduring mutants that have sworn to protect a world that hates and fears them, are a cultural juggernaut with a long, tangled history. Want to unravel this tapestry? Then read the Abridged X-Men!

(X-Men 132 - 140, X-Men Annual 4) - by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, John Romita Jr. and Bob McLeod

Go on. Name a more iconic X-Men panel. I’ll wait. (X-Men 134)

If you were born in 1980, you were born under the sign of the Phoenix. This means you will have great hair, but you’ll also be absolutely corrupted by power. Don’t worry, as long as you don’t consume any stars and/or galaxies, you should be fine.

This year hits the ground running, introducing Emma Frost, Kitty Pryde and Dazzler in one fell swoop. The White Queen is the first of the Hellfire Club to make her move, but Phoenix is quickly able to dispatch of her, as you can read here.

Cyclops, worried that the rest of the Inner Circle will soon come in for the kill, decides to abscond to Angel’s Aerie in New Mexico to throw their pursuers off their scent. Jean decides to make the most of it and has sex with Scott on top of mesa. (Kinky!) She also shuts off his uncontrollable destructo-beams, nbd. This somehow inspires Scott to go from reactive to proactive and lead an ill-advised charge straight into the Hellfire Club on the night of their big ball… soirée... thing. Call it a Hellfire Gala-avant-la-lettre.

Fine, he might have been inspired by the raw power of the Phoenix. She’s the biggest gun on their side and, if there's one thing you can be sure of, it´s that reliable powerhouse Jean won´t switch sides in the middle of battle.

Oh wait, that's exactly what she does.

As soon as they enter the Hellfire Club, Jason Wyngarde, who reveals he’s actually Mastermind, takes control of Jean, finally turning her into the Black Queen. With the power of the Phoenix and the patriarchy on their side, the Inner Circle makes short work of the X-Men. They consists of:

Jason Wyngarde, aka Mastermind.

Sebastian Shaw. Often shirtless. The Jeff Bezos of mutantkind. Has the ability to absorb kinetic energy, which means punching him only makes him stronger. (Colossus and Storm figure this out the hard way.)

Harry Leland. Ability of mass manipulation, which has got to be one of the dopest powers ever. Uses it to dunk Wolverine three floors down into the sewer.

Donald Pierce. 25% robot, 100% asshole, 100% useless in taking out X-Men, 225% the worst.

Wolverine is the only one who escapes, resulting in another iconic image:

Apparently, this picture is solely responsible for the fact that Wolverine became the face of the X-Men in the zeroes. It also lit my cigar from the other side of the room. (X-Men 132)

Needless to say, stabbing ensues.

Meanwhile, Shaw pontificates what he wants with the X-Men. He means to use them as guinea pigs to isolate the X-Gene, which he’ll then reverse engineer to give everyone (with money) super powers and all of a sudden, I want Shaw to do a team-up with John Sublime. Jean is not all there, however: she’s trapped in the astral plane, cultivating a cruel streak a mile high.

And suddenly, Jean-turning-evil is not all that funny anymore. (X-Men 133)

Cyclops traverses the mental link he shares with Jean to confront ‘Sir Jason’ and challenge him to a duel. Guy can’t catch a break: in Jean’s mindscape, he is stabbed and he promptly collapses in the real world. Ruh-roh!

Wolverine, meanwhile, has done a passable impression of the Bride against the Crazy 88 in Kill Bill, and he interrupts the Hellfire Club and their gloating. That’s when Jean resurfaces as well, snapping out of her voluptuous Victorian fantasy and, playing a dubious tango with everyone’s trust issues, switching sides once again. The Phoenix is like the golden snitch: as long as your team holds it, it’s enough to win.

Colossus snaps Pierce’s robo-arm, Shaw gets punted through a floor and Leland uses his powers to increase Wolverine’s mass - just when Logan is jumping on top of him. Oops! Should have made him lighter than a feather, Leland.

Jean, meanwhile, is doing her own passable impression of the Bride and goes on what the advertisements would refer to as a ‘Roaring Rampage of Revenge’. (Oh, she roars, and she rampages, and she gets bloody satisfaction.)

This is what happens when you fuck around and find out, Jason. (X-Men 134)

Phoenix makes Mastermind’s mind touch the infinite. His tiny human mind can’t cope. And, just like me when I’m at Pride and surrounded by a bevvy of shirtless gym bunnies, he becomes a dribbling mess. A shell with nothing inside. For those of you paying attention: this is where your Lit teacher would shout “dramatic irony” and underscore Emma Frost vs. Storm on the chalkboard.

This is also the moment where she officially Breaks Bad.

We see powerless people become heroes all the time. The reverse, where the angel falls? That happens far more rarely. I think that is the reason this story was so shockingly effective in the eighties. The reason why it’s still so effective? I think because, like the One Ring, you can read the rise and fall of the Phoenix in a myriad of ways. Is this a victim, reclaiming power? Is this a woman, trying to rise in a man’s world? Is this someone who was always buttoned up, daring to embrace her own power, her sexuality, her dangerous side -- only to get promptly beat down? The ambiguity of the narrative gives it strength, which is why I think it keeps resonating even now. This counts especially in the X-Universe, inherently designed to appeal to the underdog.

Anyway, the X-Men try to flee, but it’s too late. Jean can’t hold it in any more. She explodes in Phoenixesness and vaporizes the X-Men’s aircraft over Central Park. Relishing in her power, Jean easily defeats her friends, before flying off into the galaxy.

In the Avengers mansion, Beast gets the report that the X-Men are trashing the Hellfire Club. Ignoring his duties as an Avenger, Beast chooses his old family and hops off to investigate on his own.

The report, by the way, comes from Shaw, who knows when to turn tail and cut his losses. Among the confused, scared refugees of their party, he begins working a politician on the importance of a Sentinel program. That politician? Senator Kelly. Remember that name.

Jean can’t talk, she’s doing hot girl things. Nomnomnom that star system, sis. (X-Men 135)

Originally, Jean wasn’t meant to die. This one panel, the one showing the inhabited planet, is the reason why she eventually does: Jim Shooter, editor-in-chief, felt Jean shouldn’t be able to get away with a literal genocide. Claremont and Byrne, who had planned to strip Jean of her powers at the end of this, had to change the end of their story within days before it went to print. Additionally, this stoked the adversarial fire between the two: Claremont claims that he hadn’t originally intended there to be an inhabited planet, but felt his hands were tied when Byrne drew one. I wonder how true this is, considering how embedded it is in the narrative, but that’s neither here nor there.

The Phoenix’s genocide alerts the Shi’Ar - and therefore Lilandra - to her presence. Lily says that Galactus is nothing compared to the Phoenix: he merely eats planets, she will consume all that exists.

A hungry Jean, meanwhile returns to Earth, not sure what she’s looking for. She pays a visit to the home of her parents, but when they warily come to greet her, she can’t help but read all the innermost thoughts of her family. Nothing is secret, nothing is sacred. (Imagine knowing all those little thoughts your parents had about you, all those little terrible human things they did in their life. Imagine knowing all their sexual fantasies. Brrr.) It sours the Phoenix against them and she is about to start familicide to her list of sins, when the X-Men attack!

Nightcrawler slaps a psionic scrambler designed by Beast on her, but she’s still too strong. Wolverine tries to end her, but he isn’t ruthless enough to do the deed. When the scrambler overloads, Scott tries reasoning with her, appealing to her love. This causes the Phoenix to waver and Charles Xavier (airdropped in by Warren), bolts Jean telepathically.

Drinking game rule for the Phoenix saga no 6: shout “ca-caw” and take a sip every time the raptor appears. (X-Men 136)

Xavier feels Jean helping him out from within the Phoenix and together, they slowly trap Phoenix in the same sort of energy-matrix as Jean did with the M’Kraan-crystal. The Phoenix finally lays dormant, the X-Men have Jean back and Scott, overwhelmed by emotion, sort of awkwardly proposes to her. Happy Ending! And then, pulling the rug out from under our feet, the X-Men (including Beast and Angel) are whisked away.

They appear in front of Lilandra. The Shi’Ar hold Jean accountable for her planet-killing ways and Lilandra orders her Imperial Guard to take her away! But Charles invokes an ancient law with the same relish of someone who invokes an obscure board game rule against the person who is about to win: he demands a trial by combat.

The rules are easy:

X-Men win: Jean lives

Shi’Ar win: Jean dies.

The trial will be on the dark side of the moon. The Shi’ar are way too strong and, one by one, the X-Men fall, until only Jean and Scott are left. In their last stand, Jean loses control and becomes the Phoenix again, wiping the floor with the Imperial Guard. Technically, they win, but she knows now.

Suicide by abandoned-machine-of-a-long-forgotten-civilization-on-the-dark-side-of-the-moon. (X-Men 137)

She dies. Phoenix dies. The X-Men lose. Scott, bereft, leaves the X-Men.

One detail I love is the holempathic crystal that Lilandra bestows on Jean’s parents.

Without becoming too maudlin, the idea of this is beautiful. A condensed image of a person you love, one you can touch when you feel memories slipping away so you can remember who they were. (X-Men 138)

And with that, season 2 of the X-Men ends. Without Cyclops and Phoenix, the X-Men have to readjust. While Beast returns to the Avengers, Angel takes up residence in the mansion again. He confesses to liking most of the new X-Men, except Wolverine. (To be fair, Wolverine is an acquired taste.) Kitty Pryde also formally starts attending the school and slowly, the Jean-and-Scott-shaped void is filled.

Patriarchal Charles is thrilled to finally have a new teenager in the house who will hang on to his every word. It’ll be like the sixties all over again! (X-Men 139)

There are so many beautiful touches in the few panels:

Wolverine calling Charles ‘Chuck’

Nightcrawler getting drinks (and a beer)

Most amazingly of all, Storm becoming the leader. (I give Chuck a lot of flak, but this decision is Right.) Not just because Storm is the best X-Man for the job, but also because she was a black woman leading one of premier Marvel superhero teams for, what? The better half of a decade? The eighties had barely started, so this was a big fucking deal.

Storm also takes up a motherly role for Kitty, who takes up her suggestion for a codename: Sprite. (This after Kitty rejects Charles’ suggestion of Ariel, which is only fortunate, considering that name would soon be associated with redhaired mermaids.)

The rest of the year is dedicated to two adventures, both of them starring Kurt. The first is depicted in the annual: on Kurt’s birthday, he receives a mysterious package with a mysterious figurine that mysteriously explodes in his face. Professor X calls guest star Dr. Strange for aid, who deduces that his soul has been stolen. What follows is a quest to regain Kurt’s soul in an adventure that feels a little too I just read Dante’s Inferno, check how smart I am.

Hell is a little too pedestrian and boring, though we do get a King Minos hitting on Kurt and Ororo. A man of wealth and taste indeed. Anyway, at the end of this side quest, it turns out all of this was a convoluted revenge scheme concocted by one Margali of the Winding Road. She turns out to be Kurt’s (adoptive) mother, who’s getting revenge for Kurt killing her son.

Kurt, racked with guilt, reveals he had no choice. Stefan had always feared the darkness in his soul and he’d made Kurt pledge to stop him if he should ever succumb to it. After Stefan killed a child or two, Kurt had no choice but to end him. Stefan perished and Kurt was blamed for all of the murders, having to flee an angry mob.

Margali forgives him, with some help from Jimaine, Kurt’s foster sister. In a twist that is a little too soap opera for my tastes (and I watch Riverdale), Jimaine turns out to be Kurt’s squeeze, Amanda Sefton. I’ve always disliked this twist, and not just because of the incesteous vibes: I like the idea of Kurt dating a regular lady who is into him despite his appearance and his being a mutant. Making Amanda Sefton his sorcerous half-sister dilutes that message a lot.

The tail end of 1980 involves Wolverine going to Canada so Wolverine can make amends with Alpha Flight. Kurt joins him, ostensibly to flirt with Aurora, but in fact this shows that Kurt and Wolverine are establishing a rapport. A deeper friendship.

In a pretty paint-by-numbers adventure, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and the worse half of Alpha Flight take down a Wendigo. We don’t get Northstar or Aurora, but we do get more Snowbird, who can change herself into Canadian animals, with the danger of being consumed by her animal side.

We get this delightful panel out of it:

Scared Nightcrawler almost makes me forget how full of shit Jimmy MacDonald is, considering last time Kurt saw them, they tried to kidnap the fuzzy elf. (X-Men 139)

This whole arc is meant to show the softening of Wolverine. Not only does he share his name with Kurt (well, sort of: “Logan, is that your name?” “Yup.” “You never told us.” “You never asked.”), but when they fight the Wendigo and Snowbird turns into a white wolverine to deal the final blow, he talks her out of being consumed by her vicious animal nature.

The year ends with two details worth mentioning:

The Canadian government dissolves Alpha Flight, which I can only find a prescient move that highlights their good taste. A realistic note I like is the minister referring to the mutant problem as ‘an American problem’ even though they employ the Beaubier twins. Wankers.

Fred Dukes escapes prison to join the New Brotherhood of Mutants!

We’re now entering a run of the X-Men which I haven’t read much of yet, but Freddy mentions he was helped by some lady lawyer. That’s gotta be Mystique, right?

I can barely contain my glee.

Ugliest Costume: Despite that godawful hooded thing Kitty wears, I have to give this to Dazzler. There’s no salvaging that costume: I’m sorry, but she’s wearing a disco ball around her neck. It's a boot from me.

Best new character: Emma Frost. Fight me by the bike rack near the parking lot if you disagree.

Turns evil: Jean Grey, famously so.

What to read: X-Men 129 to 137, the Dark Phoenix run.

#x-men #abridged x-men #x-men abridged #cyclops #phoenix #professor x #storm #nightcrawler #wolverine #colossus #beast #angel #dazzler #kitty pryde #emma frost #hellfire club #dark phoenix saga #chris claremont #john byrne #john romita jr. #bob mcleod #sebastian shaw #jason wyngarde #harry leland #donald pierce #lilandra neramani #shi'ar #alpha flight #snowbird

[aspoonofsugar]

The Maidens: The Cycle of Life and Death

This post is inspired by @hamliet’s alchemy metas... I know nothing about alchemy, but after discussing it with her, this idea came up and I am sharing it on her behalf too.

In short, in alchemical stories (which RWBY apparently is) there are 3/4 phases. Each phase is linked to a specific color:

1) Nigredo (black)

2) Albedo (white)

3) Citrinitas (yellow)

4) Rubedo (red)

That said, often the yellow phase ends up being fused with the red one, so in most alchemical stories there are only three phases. Now, for each phase there is a major death, so there are usually 3/4 key deaths, each one linked to a specific phase.

For example, in Harry Potter there is

a) Sirius BLACK dying

b) ALBUS Dumbledore dying

c) Harry dying and being carried by RUBEUS Hagrid

Let’s highlight that each one of these deaths is especially resonant and important for the story. Sirius dies when Harry discovers about the prophecy. Dumbledore’s death leads to Harry leaving Hogwarts to look for the Horcruxes and finally Harry’s own death leads to Voldemort’s defeat.

What I mean is that the deaths linked to each phase must be resonant and meaningful either in terms of plot or in terms of themes. They must have weight and be felt both by the audience and by the characters.

So far, in RWBY we have had two such deaths:

Pyrrha’s death is linked to Nigredo, while Penny’s to Albedo. Interestingly, both deaths happened to two (supposed to be) Maidens.

This is interesting on multiple levels.

First of all, I have been asked about the Maidens in RWBY here and here. However, Penny’s death helped me gain a new perspective of their overall meaning.

In the first meta I have written this:

In a sense, the story keeps repeating. Salem kills Ozpin, he is reborn and his daughters are victims of the conflict between them.

Because of this, the four Maidens have become one of the many symbols of this endless cycle, which is clealry breaking its protagonists more and more.

This is well conveyed by the Maidens having a season theme. Seasons are in fact linked to the repetition of time aka one of Ozpin’s motifs.

I still think it is a part of the truth, but as for now I think the framing of the series over the cycle is more nuanced. It is a cycle of death and rebirth:

Goodwitch: The Maidens have existed for thousands of years. But much like in nature, the seasons change. No two summers are alike. When a Maiden dies, her power leaves her body and seeks out a new host, ensuring that the seasons are never lost, and that no individual can hold on to that power forever.

Seasons live and die, but new ones are born. It is a death that leads to a new life and that protects life itself since the Seasons are supposed to be Guardians.

This fits with the actual cycle of seasons where “no two summers are alike”, but that also accompanies humans’ lives and makes many human activities possible.

Secondly, both Pyrrha and Penny’s deaths have to do with the theme of choice, which is central to the series:

Ozpin: Maidens choose themselves.

In particular, Pyrrha and Penny’s final choices are two different declination of this idea. At the same time, they are linked to the theme explored by their respective relic as well (in Pyrrha’s case it means that her link to choice is twofold).

1) As the (supposed to be) Maiden of Choice, Pyrrha is given a choice in the Vault of Choice:

Ozpin: You, Miss Nikos... have a choice to make.

(...)

Ozpin: Are you ready? I... I need to hear you say it.

Pyrrha: Yes.

Ozpin: Thank you, Miss Nikos.

She is given some time to think about it and in the end she chooses to accept her new duty. Still, the power is stolen from her and the choice she was given is negated to her:

Pyrrha: But I can help.

Ozpin: You'll only get in the way.

However, this does not stop her:

Red-Haired Woman: She understood that she had a responsibility... to try. I don't think she would regret her choice, because a Huntress would understand that there really wasn't a choice to make. And a Huntress is what she always wanted to be.

Pyrrha’s death is about doing the right thing even if it comes with a high personal cost. She is able to make the choice to keep fighting against an enemy impossible to defeat an arc before our protagonists are strong enough to make it.

This is why... even if she never receives the powers.. Pyrrha is the true Maiden of Choice of the Vale arc. She does not need the powers because deep down being a Maiden is something deeper than that.

Pyrrha embodies the idea that Maidens choose themselves because she chooses to be a Maiden at Heart and dies true to her choice:

Pyrrha: Do you believe in destiny?

2) As the Maiden of Creation, Penny is created anew in the Vault of Creation:

As I have stated in previous metas Creation as a concept is linked to free will. Creations are free to develop and to change independently from their “creators”. This fits Penny’s transformation, who ultimately gives her back the free will that the virus had stolen:

Penny: I...I must...open the Vault. I, I do not want...Ah!

And in the end she uses her free will to make a specific choice:

Penny: Let me choose this one thing.

I have actually a lot more to say about Penny’s death and final choice, but I will write a longer meta about it, so for now let’s just say it has to do with self-actualization.

Penny embodies the idea that Maidens choose themselves because she chooses who she wants to be and how she wants to live.

What is more, her choice has to do with Creation because she saves Winter’s life and also (symbolically) makes her a whole person as well:

Winter: No, Penny, you were always the real Maiden at heart. I was just a machine. Just... following orders.

Penny: You’re my friend.

Winter: Perhaps, but I’m choosing it now. I’ve made it my own. And I take great pride in it.

Winter: You chose nothing. This was a gift.

At the same time, Penny’s sacrifice also saves the people of Atlas and Mantle who are stranded in Vacuo. If Cinder had stolen the power, they would have all died.

As a final note, we are directly told the themes linked to both Pyrrha and Penny’s death back in volume 5:

Ruby: When Beacon fell, I lost two of my friends: Penny Polendina and Pyrrha Nikos. I didn't know them for very long, but that doesn't change the fact that they were two of the most kind-hearted people I have ever met. But that didn't save them. Pyrrha thought that if there was even the smallest chance of helping someone, then it was a chance worth taking. And because of that, she died fighting a battle she knew she couldn't win. And Penny... was killed... just to make a statement.

Pyrrha died to make the right thing.

Penny died the first time as a result of her being objectified, so the second time she herself chose how to end her life in a way she found meaningful.

In short, Pyrrha and Penny’s deaths can be read as the two deaths linked respectively to Nigredo and Albedo. What is sure is that they are meant to be compared and foiled.

All this leads to a question... will we have other two (or one) major death(s) that will be linked to (the yellow and) red phase(s)? Will they be other Maidens?

As for now, I think it is possible, even if not sure obviously.

First of all, I do not know if we are gonna have a death for Citrinitas since from what I understood usually the yellow phase gets conveyed as a part of the Rubedo one. Moreover, if we have it, it might not be linked to a Maiden. After all, another pattern one could find is that both Pyrrha and Penny died at Beacon and so did Ozpin, so maybe he will be the one to die (once and for all?) in the yellow/red phase. However, as for now, I don’t think so and I am gonna theorize that the yellow and red deaths, if they happen, will have to do with the Maidens and will be other declinations of the themes explored above.

As for now, we know nothing of the Maiden of Destruction, so I am not considering her.

Still, there is another Maiden whose arc was left unsolved and who needs to come back in the story:

3) As the Maiden of Knowledge, Raven is told the truth about herself in the Vault of Knowledge:

Yang: Oh, shut up!! You don't know the first thing about strength! You turn your back on people, you run away when things get too hard, you put others in harm's way instead of yourself!! You might be powerful, but that doesn't make you strong.

And it is possible that this self-knowledge will eventually lead her to make a choice, which is what she has failed to do up until now.

If she chooses to sacrifice herself, her death will be a redemptive one and it might come to embody that Maidens choose themselves because they can always change and become true Maidens.

Finally, there is the Rubedo phase, which is the last phase. If we are gonna have a red death, it should be a key one for the whole series and one which leads to its resolution. As for now, I think there is only one character who can pull it off:

4) Cinder is a key character for the whole story. Personally, I think this volume was a turning point for her, but she failed to learn the lessons she needed to learn. What she did was to take these lessons and to twist them in a hypocritical way:

Cinder: I suppose I have only you to thank for one last lesson… Sometimes, if you want to win…you simply can’t do it alone.

And this has made her even more similar to Salem:

Salem: Why....do...you...keep...coming...back?!

Yang: Why do you?!

Penny: Why did you come back?! Why couldn’t you just learn your lesson?!

I would also like to highlight that so far Cinder has failed to learn the lesson of each relic.

In the Vale Arc, it is implied her concept of Destiny and Choice is different from Pyrrha’s. She wants to be “worthy” and to be chosen. Moreover, her idea of agency is linked to stealing others’, just like she stole the Maiden’s power and Pyrrha’s destiny.

In the Mistral Arc, she receives a warning about her Shadow Hand:

Raven: Aura can't protect your arm, it's Grimm. You turned yourself into a monster just for power.

But she chooses to ignore it.

Finally, in the Atlas Arc she manages to make herself anew. She recreates herself, but fails to truly change.

I am expecting all these failures to come back at her with the Vacuo Arc, which is about Destruction and will probably lead to everything coming together to crush Cinder (the people she used, the Shadow Hand, Salem’s true plan).

Once this happens, I think Ruby will save her with her eyes and will offer her that pity she was never shown as a child. This will lead to Cinder’s final choice which might be a synthesis of all the choices made by the Maidens she killed.

It will be a selfless choice, like Pyrrha’s, in contrast to the selfishness she displayed throughout the series.

It will be a self-actualizing choice, like Penny’s, which will free her from Salem’s shadow and influence

It will also be a redemptive choice, where Cinder finally lives up to her name and becomes the true Fall Maiden.

I am also expecting this choice to somehow solve the conflict or to be a part of the reason why the conflict is solved.

It would also be interesting if the Maidens’ sacrifices become progressively more effective in solving the conflict.

Pyrrha’s death is the most pyrric (obviously). She did not manage to stop Cinder, but barely gained enough time for Ruby to arrive and wound the villain. Still, it is a choice who clearly inspired her friends and I think that in the end it will inspire Cinder as well:

Cinder: You know, Neo, someone once asked me if I believed in destiny. And I'm happy to say I still do.

Penny’s death is framed as a sad, but powerful conclusion to her arc and saved both Winter and the people of Atlas and Mantel. It still did not prevent Salem from taking the relics and did not save the Kingdom.

So, maybe Cinder’s death, if it happens, will be key in saving the world.

This would also fit with the idea that we are going through a journey where we are getting to know the four gifts the Gods gave humanity.

Pyrrha sacrificed herself even before our protagonists received Knowledge, Penny did so after both Knowledge and Creation, while Cinder perhaps will do so after the characters have aquired all the four gifts.

#rwby #rwby spoilers #rwby vol8 #rwby meta #rwby theory #pyrrha nikos #penny polendina #raven branwen #cinder fall #my meta

[the-second-tonks]

Hi Tani, my friend! I'm hoping to join your Narnia game! It's such an amazing idea!

I don't have a gender preference. I'm very cautious before approaching someone, but open up quickly. I care a lot about others and I'm protective and loyal to my friends, but I also love being taken care of too! I like joking with friends, but I'm not a trouble maker and I'd say I'm rather calm and mature. Physically I'm not very strong, but I'm witty, eccentric and creative. I'm ambitious and stronger than I actually look/act, especially mentally. No matter how hard people try to bring me down, I always get back up.

I'm highly interested in mythology, astrology, spirituality, magic, mysteries, horror, science-fiction, fantasy. I enjoy swimming, roller/ice skating, having picnics and video games. My terrible cooking skills are infamous, but I'm good at baking tho.

I dislike spiders, entitled people and I'm scared of thunder. I enjoy cuddling, I'm lowkey touch starved and I love animals. I'm a parrot mom myself.

Hii Friend !!! I'm so happy you're joining this game , I was thinking to make a game for LOTR too , but after I do HP , because Marvel and Harry Potter are still in like , a lot demand lol and it's big to write too .

How you entered the magical world of Narnia

You were out for roller skating. A bright day and your smiling face . Wearing your skates , you set out in a park . Skating and skating, suddenly you entered an area which was empty and despite the bright day , it was cloudy and airy . You looked around while slowly down , only fall into a bunch of bushes . Trying to get out of the bunch , you found yourself in Narnia . Yes , you met the same lamp that Lucy did and then , your adventure began !

The weapon you yielded

Daggers !

Just like you , everyone thinks they can't do much damage , but beware , they are one of those weapons which cover both , short and long range ! You'd train with Lucy and other Narnians , but you'll also learn the sword (beginners level) . You would master the daggers very soon .

Your husband / wife

I definitely ship you with Caspian ! If I've shipped you with someone else from this fandom ,i know you better than that time for sure !

He's your husband !!

The Era/Movie you enter Narnia

The Chronicles Of Narnia : The Lion , The Witch and The Wardrobe .

What the Narnians think about you

They really like you . You're one of their favorites actually . They like how even after something bad happens , you're resilient . They take it as an inspiration from you . Since you began using daggers , almost all of the army learnt it because they were fascinated by how you used it !

What the Pevensie siblings think about you

Peter Pevensie : He thinks you're mentally very strong and would surpass any horrors if you ever faced them in life . He really respects you and appreciates you because you're one of those girls who are badass ! He has a mild crush on you in the younger ages , but he matured and now , he protects and supports you with his life (even though he thinks you don't need his protection ) .

Susan Pevensie : She really likes your witty and creative side . She is one of those who's highly logical and smart . She'll appreciate when your wit joins in . She would also like your cautious nature but I feel she wouldn't appreciate how quickly you open up because she's kinda reserved herself .

Edmund Pevensie : He loves you as a brother. He thinks you're really fun to be with and would love your wit . He needs someone who opens up first , so that he can be comfortable . Just like you are ! He's really gonna make your fun while you cook but otherwise , he is really very supportive of you . And when I say very supportive , he'll always stand by your side.

Lucy Pevensie : She loves how you're stronger than you seem , just like her . You both would spend time together , practicing daggers . She'll adore you very much and often ship you and Caspian . She's usually very nice to even those who sometimes don't deserve it , so you'd be there to handle that person for sure . I feel , just like lucy , the siblings would feel a need to protect you and support you .

What Caspian thinks about you

He had already started to develop a crush on you when he saw your feisty side . Firstly , he thought you were like lucy , a small girl who won't be included in the war , but when he saw you using the dagger with such skills , he kept staring . He couldn't take his eyes of you . For him , you were an element of surprise . You joined them for the war and he constantly kept checking if you were alright . When they lost the first war , he was disappointed but to his luck , you and his Professor were there for him . He really fell for you at that time . His feelings kept growing all the time and he did leave some hints and glances that he likes you until he realised it was love.

What Aslan thinks about you

Okay , I can't read that clever lion's mind , but I'm sure he's really proud of you . He really loves you and just wants you to remember that you're amazing ! You'll always have his blessings with you and he'll always be by your side, even when there's no one .

A short blurb on your life in Narnia

You entered Narnia before the Pevensie siblings . But , luckily , you were found by Aslan first . He trained you under his eyes and treated you as his own daughter . You were the closest to Aslan and stayed in the camp itself . All the Narnians were your family friends and you were happy then ever . Until the Pevensie siblings came and told Aslan about Edmund . Now, the prophecy was about 4 siblings and you , who would be the only one who'd stay back in Narnia . You stayed with the siblings after the war (you did miss Aslan a lot) , but you kept going. As the Golden age continued , suddenly the Pevensie siblings disappeared , but you still kept going , waiting for them. Your aging stopped as soon as they went . You were already aging slower and now , you were just 15 yrs old . Handling Narnia alone was tough , but thanks to the cooperative Narnians . The attack by telmarines was the end . You knew it , but still you led the battle bravely , fought until you felt you'd die . The telmarines threw you somewhere near the Dark forest , and that's where you began to stay with the left Narnians . Until one day , a Prince stumbled down in front of your hiding spot . You sided by him as soon as you saw Susan's horn in his hand . You began aging too . You still believed in Aslan and so , you asked all the Narnians to support you . They respected you and started to support the Prince. From reuniting with the siblings and fighting the first war to winning the next , you were now standing beside aslan and bidding bye to the Pevensie siblings. Staying with Caspian wasn't bad at all . In those three years , you dated each other and now, you were married to him . The voyage of the dawn treader actually made you realise what love was . You had a few fights with Caspian , but at the end , the thing you feared the most was his death . He saw this too , and that's when , you realised what love actually was. Loving him to the death , you lived happily , ever after ..

Your post

The Lion , the Witch and The Wardrobe - Princess

Prince Caspian - Princess of the old , the forgotten Princess

Dawn treader - Queen of Narnia

Your Narnian Race

Faun , definitely . They are sweet creatures who love to have fun but will not shy away from fights or standing their ground

I hope you like it !

Thank you for participating!

[dumblydork]

Wasn't expecting to be back as a writer so soon but I just absolutely CANNOT get enough of writing headcanons and AUs and JUST BEAR WITH ME OKAY

Also I feel like this is super long but it might not be idk

Some more Hinny, with a bit of Romione! So this one is set in the modern magical world. Hope you enjoy! And don't forget, if you have absolutely ANY Hinny headcanons you'd want to see written, please drop me a message or an ask anytime and I'll do my best to write one 3>

~~

"This class just CANNOT get any worse." Ron muttered, drawing lazy lines with his pen on the History of Magic textbook they were reading.

"We literally live in 2020, do we really HAVE to study all this old age crap?" He continued, now shifting to drawing circles as the teacher droned on.

Harry for one, wasn't listening to the professor (though he did vaguely hear him mention 'Goblin War' but that was about it) and neither to Ron. Harry was busy staring out of the window onto the busy streets of London below their high classroom, thinking about a certain redhead.

A certain redhead who also happened his best friend's sister.

"Hi!" Hermione's voice came in an excited whisper as she started taking out her textbook, the dull grey of it made slightly happy with all the colourful muggle stickers (once affronted, she had told Harry that they were called 'Post Its' but Harry just could never bother with the name), full of notes and extra bits. Hermione was careful not to let the professor know that she was suddenly here, a thought which hit Harry when Ron exclaimed almost loudly before Hermione kicked his foot under the table to shut him up.

"I swear to Godric you weren't here literally a minute ago how- Harry?" Ron wondered, calling his best friend.

"Yes it's very odd Ron." Harry almost sighed, back to his brooding. Hermione was doing weird things always- it was nothing new.

"Please be like Harry and stop looking so surprised. Let me focus." Hermione sneered at Ron and whipped out her pencil, furiously noting down from the board whatever the professor had been droning on about for the past 45 minutes.

"And that, is all on the Goblin War of 1785 today. Make sure you finish your homework- remember, 4 pages on the magical strategies used by the two goblin sides to win the war. I need it handed in on Monday. Class dismissed." The professor walked out with his nose in the air, as if he had imparted the knowledge of a lifetime in one single lesson. He waved a lazy hand at the board which wiped off all the notes, releasing a few cries from the back where some kids were still making notes.

"Thank Godric that's over!" Ron could almost cry. Harry was back to paying attention, especially after Hermione slapped his hand. "Earth calling whatever planet Harry Potter is on!" She laughed. The three of them got up and walked out into the corridor.

"What lesson do we have next?" Harry asked absentmindedly.

"What's up with you today? You've been like this since we returned from the Burrow well over a week ago." Ron said thoughtfully, an arm slung carelessly around Hermione's shoulder, who was surprisingly okay with it.

Harry snapped back to reality. If Ron found out, it would be Harry's head and nothing else.

"And what about the two of you? Care to explain," Harry looked at the Ron's arm, "whatever this is? You two have been just finding ways for touching each other, don't think I haven't noticed." Harry finished with a whistle, knowing this was the nerve he had hit. He almost grinned to himself.

"That," Hermione shrug off the arm around her, blushing furiously, "is just two friends being friendly." She finished, but there was a considerable change in the pitch of her voice.

"Yes yes whatever." Harry flicked a lazy hand at the two, knowing fully well they had gotten up to something in the Burrow which was only between the two of them.

The trio had reached the cafeteria where they sat down on one of the empty benches, having half hour free before moving on to Harry's most despised class- Chemistry, or Potions as it was called in the older ages.

Harry let his thoughts move back to the Burrow (courtesy this couple who were now sitting with their sides practically touching). The Burrow was Ron's house, and the trio's favourite hangout. They were there for the summer break, which had ended a week ago, but the memories were still as old as yesterday.

"Oh please, I will kick your ass at Quidditch." Ginny, Ron's younger sister and the youngest Weasley piped, her fiery red hair pulled back into a ponytail.

Quidditch was the one thing Harry really enjoyed- it was rare to have Quidditch matches in school now with so much course load, so these summers were what he lived for.

Particularly this one summer where Ginny had turned up looking just gorgeous, something Harry had failed to notice in the 6 years he had known her. It wasn't as if she wasn't gorgeous before- it just struck him differently this time. Maybe it was the heat. Maybe it was the fact that she could make Harry laugh almost always. She was not only gorgeous- Ginny had developed a sense of humour and sarcasm quite unlike her brothers- they were fond of practical jokes, whereas Ginny was more of the sharp tongued type who could make an entire room laugh without as much as waving a hand. And it was absolutely fabulous. Harry had found himself staring at her practically everyday of summer since he came to the Burrow three months ago.

The way she tied her hair up, or how she bit her lip when exasperated with her Math homework and the way her lips opened slowly first when she laughed. The slight, barely perceptible crook in her teeth and the generous sprinkling of freckles all across her face. It was all suddenly very endearing to Harry.

And hence, midway through his last week at the Burrow, Harry had come to the conclusion that he had started fancying Ginevra Weasley, his best friend Ronald Weasley's younger sister. Not to mention practically Hermione's best friend, despite being an year younger.

So that was why Harry was barely able to keep his impulses in check when he saw Ginny in her Quidditch outfit, wearing a red and gold jersey with cream coloured bottoms. But when he thought of how he could have his ears boxed in by Ron, he could very much focus back on the match and not on a heart-achingly stunning redhead.

"Language, Ginny. This girl," Ron's mom, Molly, muttered under her breath, currently putting up laundry by swishing her wand back and forth. All of the Weasley siblings were back home at the Burrow, except for Percy and Bill, who were both busy working.

"Sorry mom! As I was saying Harry, I will definitely kick your bottom in this match." Ginny corrected herself.

"Please, we shall see." Lately it was getting increasingly difficult for him to produce coherent responses in front of the woman he had come to consider as practically a sarcastic goddess. But he was proud of this response- he should continue thinking about Ron's punches.

"Okay, positions, and go!" Harry heard Arthur, Ron's father say and the match began in earnest. Hermione was sitting this one down with a novel, but at the moment was preparing a jug of lemonade the Muggle way.

Ron and Harry were one team, whereas Ginny, George and Fred were another. The game lasted for a good 40 minutes before Harry and Ron won the game by obtaining the 'snitch' (which was actually just an enchanted flying ball, kindly given to them by Arthur who had an obsession for all things Muggle).

"What happened to all that talk of kicking ass, huh?" Harry laughed, almost falling into one of the reclining chairs. Molly was handing out cool glasses of lemonade. "I think mine needs more ice." Harry said, sipping from his glass.

"Oh I totally forgot the ice! My wand is in the kitchen though." She said sheepishly, not wanting to give up her spot on the recliner. Or rather not wanting to get up from her spot next to Ron, who had decided to perch himself on Hermione's recliner despite there being an extra empty one.

"That's okay, I'll get some myself." He grinned. "I'll come too- I need to change out of this." Ginny added. They walked back inside the Burrow which was empty, with the entire family outside in the garden.

Harry waved his wand which was lying on the kitchen counter into a bowl and ice appeared, shining in the sunlight but not melting. Magic.

He added a few to his glass and leaned on the counter, sipping lazily on the drink. It was good to be away from the noise for a minute. Ginny reappeared downstairs, having changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and unholy thoughts came rushing back into Harry's brain.

"I'll get some ice too, now that I'm here." Ginny took out an empty glass and filled it with ice, presumably wanting to fill it with lemonade later. But the way she took the ice gave Harry goosebumps- she leant across him instead of asking him to move and picked a few pieces of ice from behind him. Harry was frozen in his place- Ginny made no move whatsoever to stand behind. She stood inches away from Harry, just a few centimetres shorter than him.

"Oh for goodness sakes Harry, kiss me already." She rolled her eyes but the tip of her ears went red.

"What?" Harry spluttered- it was something he had been wanting to do since the start of summer but putting it into words stunned him of sorts. Was he THAT readable?

"Don't think I haven't seen the way you've looked at me all summer, Harry. It's not that difficult to know that you fancy me. A lot. And just so you know, I do too. A lot. Have done so since Ron introduced us.* She whispered, but stepped back after her confession.

Harry was still stunned, but could anyway notice the distance she had put, now slightly unsure after her brazenness. She still stared at him, her lips shaped into an imperceptible 'O', begging to be kissed. So that's what Harry did- he pulled Ginny back towards him by her waist and placed his lips on hers, almost tasting sunlight but with cherry swirled in it. His hands remained at her waist but Ginny moved hers to lock around Harry's neck, slowly playing with the curls at his nape. She smiled into the kiss, parting her lips were slightly, just so Harry could taste her; it was sinful but decadent. Very much like a good bar of chocolate. More than good. An absolutely unbelievable bar of chocolate.

When they finally pulled back after what could have been a lifetime, or an eternity, or a few seconds, Ginny grinned at Harry. "Do you not have anything to say?" She stood there's suddenly a bit shy, with her arms still around Harry's neck.

"You said all of it for me. I do fancy you- maybe way too much." He said, feeling as if Ginny's brazen confidence was transferred into his veins.

"That's a relief, because I might or might not have been looking to get you to kiss me." She said, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"You what?" Harry stared at her incredulously, before breaking out into a wide smile.

"Don't worry, the bit about me fancying you is real. Have done so since I was 10." She added seriously.

"So are we a thing now?" Harry raised an eyebrow, quite enjoying the small circles he was making on Ginny's side.

"Keep dreaming on, Potter." She removed her hands from around his neck and disappeared like she had reappeared after changing, what felt like ages ago. Harry smiled to himself before walking outside again, his lemonade glass forgotten.

---

"Really Harry, one would think you're in love the way you're zoned out." Ron stared at him, as Harry snapped back into the real world.

"Huh? Oh yeah." He agreed absent mindedly, still reeling a bit from that summer afternoon.

"You're in love?" Hermione asked, an eyebrow raised as she looked up from what looked like homework.

"Forget me, but you do seem to be." Harry glanced at her notebook, which had R+H scribbled messily on the margins. He grinned as Hermione and Ron blushed furiously.

"Okay fine, me and Ron might have kissed at the Burrow." Hermione said, snapping her book shut as Ron stared at her longingly.

"How interesting, because me and Harry did something similar." Ginny suddenly appeared from behind and sat beside Harry, pressing her lips to his cheek.

The two boys stared back and forth. Ron's eyes widened but returned to their normal size, as Ron slung an arm around Hermione again, except this time she actually leaned into him.

"What? Is happening?" Harry looked around, first at the couple in front of him and then at Ginny. This was all extremely confusing.

"Did you think you were the only observant human to ever exist? Hermione Granger is my girlfriend, Harry. Nothing escapes her. Not when one of her best friends kisses another one of her best friends." Ron laughed.

"Wait so you're not mad?" Harry was still shaken. Was his worrying all a waste? If he'd known, he could have spent more time with Ginny, locked behind doors, his lips on hers-

"Why would I be? I'd rather Ginny end up with you rather than some other git from school." Ron's voice cut into his thoughts breezily.

"Oh. Okay." Harry settled before smiling at Ginny and weaving his hand through hers.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Harry's eyes widened.

"Wait. Hermione Granger is your girlfriend?!" The typical Potter late realisation. The three people around him laughed heartily before Harry joined in, shooting Ginny an endearing look, making the tips of her ears turn red.

#hinny au #harry potter #ginny weasley #harry potter headcanon #harry x ginny #hinny headcanon #hinny #headcanon #school #romione #ron x hermione

[callingitaday]

Sweetness

Pairing : Fred Weasley x reader (fem)

wc: 2K+ Warnings : none.. I think

Gif owner: fgweasley

6 months. 6 months since the battle. 6 months since Lord Voldemort killed your family. 6 months of nightmares and sleepless nights. 6 months of wanting it all to end. 

*flashback *

“No! No! What  are you doing here? I told you to stay away” you yelled as your parents stepped onto the battlefield. 

“ We’re here to help honey” your mom spoke

“We need everyone to fight. He can’t win. Everything will be alright, we love you” your dad finished.

“Y/N help!” Neville yelled. Running over to help fight off a death eater when you hear your mom's screams echoing through the chaos causing you to turn around and let out a blood curdling scream. You see Voldemort killing your parents, making you drop to your knees.

“MOM” you cried out

Voldemort turns his attention to you. Immediately you stand to fight, tears clouding your sight before arms are wrapped around your waist lifting you off the ground. 

“We need to go”   Fred yelled as you fought against him.

*end of flash back*

Since your family was now gone, the Weasley's have taken you in as their own. Miss Weasley or Molly as she keeps reminding you ensures that everything will be okay and you always have and forever will be a part of this family. You appreciate hearing this as it helps you while transitioning into this new beginning. 

Fred checks on you multiple times throughout the day, which gets annoying sometimes but you love him so it’s okay. You know he knows something is wrong but didn’t know what or why I wouldn’t tell him why. Fred was your best friend, he was a year older but I didn’t really seem to matter. You told each other everything but you couldn’t seem to tell him about the nightmares or the fact that you were completely and utterly in love with him. Which is the way you’d like to keep it.

As another nightmare penetrated your mind, you were awoken in a cold sweat and tears daring to fall. 3 AM you sigh, quietly making your way downstairs to make some tea. Leaving a smell light on as you made your way to the front porch the cool air felt very welcoming against your burning skin. As you said that you let your mind wander free. Thinking about simple things like how summer days were hot and the evenings were cool, how lively the house always was, how the house always smells like a bakery because Mrs. Weasley makes something new to try every day. But also thinking about the battle of Hogwarts. To your parents, to everyone and everything you lost.

Due to being zoned out you weren’t exactly aware of the things around you. The stairs begin to squeak under the weight of someone making their way down.

“Y/N? What are you doing? It's almost 4 in the morning” Fred's sleepy voice came from behind you. 

“Couldn’t sleep” Fred came up next to you before sitting down. 

“ is everything okay?” 

You sat there in silence as you thought how to answer, you didn’t really know and didn’t really wanna cry anymore. 

“Y/N?” Fred spoke quietly

“sorry,  I’m fine”  now resting your head on his shoulder

“ you’re lying come on tell me what’s going on”

“Fred…’ A silent tear falling ‘I’m sorry I can’t do that right now. Just sit with me” 

“Okay but when you’re ready I’m ready” Fred pulls you into a hug kissing your forehead. He held you for a while and once he was satisfied that you would be heading back to bed too he himself headed upstairs. Soon enough you too made your way up to bed. Letting your head hit the pillow, your eyes close. As you let the tiredness take over, hoping tomorrow will be better.

It was still early when you woke back up. The girls were still sleeping and you could hear the quick chirping of the birds outside. Quietly changing into some shorts and a t-shirt before making your way downstairs. Peeking into Ron's room as you passed, both Ron and Harry were still dead asleep and Ron was snoring quite loudly causing you to giggle a bit.

Molly was starting to make breakfast “Oh! Good morning dear” 

“Good morning” you spoke gently as you entered the kitchen. “Fresh tea is on the table” Molly added, you responded with a smile before taking a seat at the table. 

“Morning boys”

“Morning” they said in unison. George never took his eyes off the paper they were working on but Fred looked up. He tilted his head a little, giving you a smile. You look down at your cup, taking in a deep unsteady breath before looking back up at him. Forcing a small smile while taking a sip of your tea. Molly slowly started putting breakfast on the table and yelled up the stairs that breakfast was ready. You weren't that hungry but still grabbed a biscuit.

Fred kept looking at you, a sweet but concerned look covered his features as he observed you picking at your food and tinkering with the cup of tea. Wanting to be out from under Fred's gaze you got up and dumped out the old tea to make a new cup. “Not hungry dear? Is everything okay?” Molly asked. “ eh, not really but I'm okay. Just a bit tired” you gave a reassuring smile.

“Alright, im here is you need anything” 

Heading out to the front porch for some fresh air, taking a seat in one of the old rocking chairs. Not long after the screen door snapped shut and the porch squeaked just a little under the wait of  the person approaching. You stayed in your own little world, never looking up from your cup. In all honestly you didn't have too, you knew who it was the second he walked through the doorway. You could smell him, he always smelt like fire embers and sweets, and to be frank it was a bit intoxicating for you. He didn’t say anything as he sat next to you. You knew what he wanted, what he was thinking. You knew he wanted to know about the nightmares but at the same time he didn't want to pry.

“ i’m sorry. I know that if I asked you, you would have listened and tried to help. I didn't want to bother anyone with my problems. Everyone that day lost someone they cared about, I'm not special because I lost my parents. This is my burden and my burden alone. But these nightmares that invade my head are slowly killing me” you paused, finally looking over at Fred. He sat with tears in his eyes, a few of your own fell down your cheek at the sight. 

“Every night I watch him kill them. I watch as the light dies in their eyes. Every night I'm back at the battle. Every Night i hear the deafening screams of everyone there”  shaking your head as you quickly wiped your face, taking a deep breath.

Fred grabbed your hands in his own “I’m sorry you felt like you had to go through this alone but you're being too hard on yourself. It is okay to grieve your parents and our friends. It's okay to be sad. It's all okay but what's not okay is letting these feelings destroy you. I'm here for you, everyone in this house is here for you, but I'm here whether it be at 2 in the afternoon or 2 in the morning.” 

You pulled Fred into a hug and whispered a thank you as he gripped you tighter. 

The summer day continued as normal. The boys decided to play little mini quidditch games while you, Ginny, Hermione and George’s (she is not my girlfriend!) girlfriend Angelina sat out sunbathing watching them play. A letter from Charlie had arrived in the afternoon insisting that he needed Molly and Aurther to come out for something very important though he didn't say what it was. This led to Molly giving us all a very stern talking about how we needed to be on our best behavior, absolutely no funny business, to not burn down the house and they would be back in a day or two. 

As the evening approached Ron helped Harry set up something called a projector so that we could watch some movies outside around a fire. George had brought out some whiskey to sip on and this is where things started to get a little awkward for you. Only 4 blankets were set up. One for each couple and apparently one for you and Fred to share. 

After this morning, Fred was keeping an even closer eye on you than before. Being around him on a day to day basis was hard enough but now you're just in a constant state of butterflies and embarrassment. He's caught you staring like a dozen times today and now you had to sit next to him and act like everything was fine while the couples paid more attention to each other than the movie. 

You tried to make yourself comfortable but nothing was working. Even tried to lay down but your arm kept falling asleep. Eventually you gave up and just pulled your knees up to wrap your arms around them and lay your head on your knees.

“You can lay your head on me….. If- if you want too” Fred whispered, close enough that you could smell the whiskey on his breath. Hesitant at first but giving in and not moments after you laid your head in his lap that you fell asleep. 

“y/n… y/n'' you jolted awake as Fred said your name. “ Hey you're okay, yeah” He talked low and slow as he tucked some hair behind your ear. Finally sitting up and looking around, the movie was still playing and only George and Angelina were gone. 

“What happened?” 

“You were starting to whimper and saying no over and over again and you had a pretty good grip on my - umm- my thigh” 

“Oh.. Im sorry” that was all you could say, you knew it was because of the nightmare. “Its okay”

“I think I should go to bed” you blurted out

“Yeah, yeah sure I'll walk you up” Fred said as he stood and reached his hands out to help you up.

You just stood there for a moment while you stared down at your now intertwined hand before looking up at him. His lips were already formed in an admiring smile which you copied before setting your other hand just above his wrist and setting your head on his upper arm. Fred leaned down and kissed the top of your head “come on”

Fred only let go of your hand when you got to the stairs to allow you to go up first. Your courage began to build with each step up you took, finally at the top you stopped and turned on your heel to face Fred. Almost face to face with him but even with you on higher ground he was still taller. Your eyes flickering between his and his lips. Steadily bringing your hands up to his face before planting your lips on his. He was definitely taking back but quickly recovered and his hands gripped your hips and pulled you closer to him.

Both only stopping because oxygen was much needed. Slowly you open your eyes only to see Fred's got this shit eating grin plastered across his face. You laughed “what?”

“Oh nothing, you know you should just feel so lucky to have been able to kiss me”

“FRED!” you smacked his chest as he erupted in laughter before putting his hands in the arm in defense  “Im kidding! Only kidding”

“Can I stay with you tonight?” you say in a hushed tone

“Of course you can sweets”

“Mhm sweets? I kinda like it” 

“ oh yeah? Well I would call you that all the time if you were mine” Fred stated matter-of-factly. You set your hands on each side of his neck “Promise?” 

“Promise” he repeated back to you as he lifted you up causing you to let out a yelp and wrap your legs around him. He slowly made his way to his door before opening it and stepping inside. Shutting and locking it before leaning over the bed, laying you on your back. 

He gave you a few more small kisses before taking off his shirt and laying next to you and pulling you close to him. 

 You couldn’t believe this was happening but you were more than ecstatic. Maybe now those nightmares would stop, maybe now you wouldn't dread going to bed. Maybe now everything would be okay. Still with your head on his exposed chest you thanked him for everything and that if this was actually happening that he would always be enough for you just the way he was because he was now your sweet boy. 

“Always my sweets” was the last thing spoken before sleep took both of you.

#fred weasley #fred weasly x reader #fred weasley imagine #fred weasley fic #Harry Potter #harry potter imagine #fred weasley drabble #hp imagine #hp fanfic

[adenei]

Day 19: January Word Challenge

a/n: there’s more under the cut, so don’t be fooled into thinking this is a short one!

New

Year 1:

Hermione walked through the maze of corridors of her new school. She was a witch, and she was learning magic! It was a fresh start for her, and one she hoped would have a better outcome than her experiences in primary school. Sure, she missed the subjects she studied at her old school, and her eleven year old aspirations of becoming a lawyer were probably all for naught now, but she wouldn’t trade any of that for this amazing new world.

She understood why she was different now, and why odd things tended to happen when she grew up. Hogwarts was meant to teach her how to control and refine her magic, and she’d read all of the textbooks twice in preparation of fitting in. Hermione was worried she was already behind because she didn’t come from a magical family, so she focused on the one thing she was good at to help her get ahead. 

Thankfully, her teachers were already impressed with her work ethic, and she was proving that she did actually belong here. Sure, she missed her parents and wrote them several times a week, and she reminded herself that it would have been like this if she’d been sent off to boarding school, too. She held up the newest letter that had been delivered at breakfast. Her mum had asked if she’d made any friends yet. Hermione’s face fell as she reread her mother’s words. Not yet, she thought, but she was still hopeful. New beginnings meant a fresh start, and that went for her attempts at making friends as well.

Year 2

It wasn’t a fluke. She really did make new friends last year, and they still wanted her in their lives upon returning to Hogwarts in the fall! Sure, it was probably a little out of the ordinary for her two friends to be boys, but she wasn’t complaining. Originally she thought that being friends with Harry Potter would help her befriend the others in her year, or at least her fellow Gryffindors, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

Their recognition and brief popularity for winning the House Cup last year was soon forgotten once the Chamber of Secrets had been opened. Honestly, she’d been holding her breath, thinking that Harry and Ron would drop her because the monster was targeting muggleborns. She was quite relieved when they turned out to do the exact opposite. 

Ron had come to her defense and had thrown up slugs because of it. It was the nicest, and most disgusting thing anyone had ever done for her, and she wasn’t sure how to repay him. The word really didn’t mean much to her, but Ron’s reaction was notable. 

She wasn’t sure why her heart felt funny when he stood up to Malfoy for her. Maybe that’s just what true friendship felt like. Yes, surely that was it. She would have felt the same if Harry had been the one to defend her, right? 

Year 3

Hermione couldn’t believe it! A pet of her very own! He may not be a kitten, but he was new to her, and she was certain he would be the best cat! She was sold on Crookshanks the moment she laid eyes on him when they’d entered the Menagerie, and much to Ron’s discontent, she’d chosen the ginger animal.

The store owner seemed both relieved and excited at the prospect of Crookshanks finding a new home, having been looked over for years now. Hermione snuggled him closer as they sat in their compartment on the Hogwarts Express at the recollection. She felt a connection with Crookshanks, knowing what it felt like to be looked over and dismissed for friendship and camaraderie. 

Hermione smiled, knowing that her new pet would keep her company at night when Lavender and Parvati excluded her in their whispered secrets. Now, she’d have someone to whisper her own secrets to; ones she couldn’t tell the boys. Like how she still didn’t understand the way her heart thumped faster when Ron would smile at her, and she felt nothing when Harry did the same. Of course, Crookshanks couldn’t speak, but it still comforted her to know she’d have someone to talk to who she could trust with her innermost thoughts.

Year 4

Hermione couldn’t believe she actually had a date to the Yule Ball. Sure, it wasn’t her first choice, but it beat going alone. Maybe it’d even make a certain someone wake up and notice her.

It was a strange new feeling, being wanted and desired. She’d spent the majority of her fifteen years being looked over and not given a second thought when it came to personal relationships and friendships. Now, an international quidditch player had shown interest in her, of all people! 

Shouldn’t she be feeling more excited at this prospect? Wasn’t this what she’d always wanted? Not only was she being included, but desired. Someone wanted her on their arm, for the whole of Hogwarts and the visitors from the other two schools to see! And yet, she wasn’t satisfied. 

If anything, her heart hurt more because she still wasn’t noticed by the one person that mattered the most. She glanced up from across the Gryffindor table and watched a certain redhead working on some assignment. Maybe she should forget about the stupid crush she could no longer deny. Yes, that was it. 

Hermione resolved to put her feelings for him aside, and embrace the new companionship, or maybe more, that Viktor was offering. It was the perfect plan to get over her childhood crush. 

Year 5

Well, this is new, Hermione thought to herself. Since when did Ron give her meaningful gifts? She was staring at the bottle of perfume Ron gifted her Christmas. On the inside, she was absolutely giddy, but the outside didn’t match those feelings. Ron couldn’t know her secret, so Hermione vowed to hide it at all costs.

She’d done a poor job of trying to hide her excitement. Well, no, she actually did too well of a job. Her reaction was less than stellar, and not what she’d intended. She told him it was interesting. How barmy could you be! Interesting? Why couldn’t you have said, ‘it’s lovely, Ron, thank you!’ No, you had to go and say it’s ‘interesting,’ Hermione berated herself in her own thoughts.

This very well could have been the moment she’d been waiting for, and she’d gone and buggered it up. Yet instead of trying to fix it, she let it go. She figured that if she wore the perfume on a regular basis, then he’d know she liked it. 

Year 6

Hermione felt like her insides had been gutted and her heart ripped out of her chest. She’d give anything to go back to the dull ache and pining over Ron as she wished that they could be something more. Maybe she’d wake up and realize it was just a nightmare, that this new heartache wasn’t warranted after all. Yet the days continued to pass, and that stab of pain remained fresh every time she witnessed the boy she fancied attached by the face to her dorm mate.

Slow and steady wins the race. That’s what the fable always taught her. But it wasn’t true; at least not this time. There was no way she could ever compare to the likes of Lavender, who possessed such a natural beauty that she could have any bloke she desired. 

There was no way Ron would ever look twice at her, especially not now. His new relationship only exacerbated the estrangement she now faced with him. The loneliness was almost too much to bear since he wasn’t speaking to her. 

It was typical Ron and Hermione. He was mad at her for some unknown reason, and now she couldn’t allow herself to forgive him for his betrayal. Their friendship now obliterated in its wake. She was stupid to think she’d even had a chance. Her offer to attend Slughorn’s party was tossed aside far too quickly when a better offer arose. 

A new wave of tears flooded her eyes. When it was all said and done, she couldn’t blame him. Who in their right mind would pick plain Hermione Granger over the illustrious Lavender Brown? Book smarts didn’t matter when it came to fancying someone. Now that Ron had Lavender, she wasn’t needed anymore.

Year 7

Hermione felt Ron’s lips kiss her gently as he leaned down. Hermione hoped she’d never get used to this feeling. They were finally together now. Somehow, they’d survived more near death situations than she could count. The war was over, and they could finally be honest with each other. It felt like a weight was lifted off of her shoulders. She no longer had to hide how she felt. Her hand found his, and for the first time in years, she felt peace. 

There was no doubt they’d stumble along the way as they transitioned from friends to something more, but they were willing to do whatever it took to make this work. Every kiss between them felt like a promise, and for the first time she no longer questioned where she stood with her best friend. Hermione smiled as she finally allowed herself to fully embrace their new relationship.

#romione #ron x hermione #Hermione Granger #31 days of January Word Challenge

[sweeethinny]

The First Time of Three

I know I have a one shot of Ginny saying she’s pregnant for the first time, but I think this one is much better and I don’t know why I didn’t put it here

maybe I'll do two more chapters, where they find out about Albus and Lily, if you like it and want :) but if you don’t want to, maybe I’ll do it anyway :))))

part 2 | part 3 | ao3

Harry and Ginny had been married for three years - they lived together for five - so he knew very well when something was wrong. And at that moment, something was off the rails at the Potter house. It was a typical Friday, their apartment was the same way he turned when he left for work around five in the morning, and as a reward for going to train idiotic Aurors so early, Harry won the weekend off, as well as leaving long before nine. Ginny wasn't there yet, her training was over at seven, and the clock announced that had barely reached 6PM,  which gave him an hour to get the house in order and prepare a special dinner. The apartment wasn't too big, they had trouble finding one that could put a fireplace and chimney without looking crazy - the neighbors used the electric ones, but the Flu still needed the fire - and there, away from the Muggle center, near an old library and a Dutch bakery, they succeeded. They lived on the top floor, didn't worry about breaking the Secrecy Act (it was an almost empty neighborhood) and the neighbors were lovely. The lady in front thought Teddy was simply one of the most behaved and kind boys she'll ever meet in her 70s, and she always tried to give him cookies and other when Harry's godson went to the godfather's house. And the downstairs neighbor, a man not much older than him, clearly had a thing for Ginny, but Harry didn't blame him, who wouldn't? Moreover, he had never done anything but seem shy as she passed, or gave them good morning and good night politely - when only Harry passed by, Edmund made a point of also saying hello to him, sometimes bringing up subject matter about Muggle football, and the man thought it was a way to hide his platonic love. The décor of the house was also not bad, had a bit of both in each room, and Ginny even found beautiful cutlery that he had bought to display on one of the kitchen shelves - he didn't even use all the knives, however. There was a picture of the two in some picture frames, memories of their travels together, gifts that ended up winning at the wedding.. Harry considered it a beautiful and cozy house. Obviously, when they were going to have a child, there might not be the safest place, Ginny always reminded him; It was very tall, and the windows were absurdly large, there were many corners, the stairs were slippery and short, and a child, even more witch, needed considerable space to live, mainly not to explode in magic in front of muggles. That's why they programmed to try to get pregnant in two years. And Harry was happy about it. After finally putting the house in order - with the help of magic - and putting dinner on fire, Harry noticed what was wrong in that whole situation. Living with Ginny for four years made him know her in ways he wouldn't, unless he saw her on a day-to-day life. The way she tends to tidy things up too much when she's sad, or how she makes everything messy when she's nervous and angry. Not silly things like the sofa blanket or the shoes on the door, but personal objects that are usually organized so that they are easily accessible. And it's when he finds her quidditch kit all messed up, that he knows something's wrong. Harry doesn't remember doing anything to cause anger, it wasn't the last week of the month, when everything got a little rough and she tended to get tearful and implying, and there wasn't a big game for the next two months. His brothers-in-law haven't been breaking scary news or anything, he'd spent the last few hours with Ron, knew if it was something like that, and Hermione didn't seem to be in trouble either, and that had left him on alert. He didn't know what to expect. There was a noise in their living room, feet stumbling against the carpet and a bunch of 'forbidden' words being exalted by his beloved wife, that way that would make a sailor ashamed. ‘’God, Merlim, Harry!. You're here --’’ It was the first thing she said as soon as she saw him, her brown eyes tinned and looking a little pale, still half-soiled from flu dust ‘’Robards..He let me go earlier, maybe he had a little pity in his heart. If he has one’’ Harry came up and kissed her on the lips, still a little tense ‘’Alright?’’ He stroked her freckled cheek, trying to find out where the problem was ‘’Yeah, I was just surprised’‘ Looking over her husband's shoulder, toward the kitchen that was separated by a workbench in the living room '’Making dinner, Mr. Potter? Uh, what did your wife do to deserve this?’’ He went back to the other environment, taking another look at the chicken ‘’She kissed me this morning, when I accidentally woke her up at 4:30, instead of simply kicking my balls’’ The redhead laughed behind him, still looking a little pale and too dodging, sitting at the table and dropping her suitcase anyway (Which was another sign of trouble) ‘’She's really adorable’’ Harry nodded, picking up the wine and the glasses ‘’Ah... I.. erm, I don't want’‘ ‘’It's Friday. Do you want a beer?’’ Ginny denied it again ‘‘I don't think I'm going to take anything like that’‘ She made a grimace ‘’Stomach upset?’’ She complained about some heartburn last week, maybe that's it, wasn't it? ‘’Something like.. Well, actually’’ Ginny didn't look at him at first, analyzed her nails and sanded their wedding ring on her finger, seeming to think. For a moment, Harry thought she'd leave him ‘’I'm pregnant’‘ Harry sat down, taking time to put the glasses and wine on the table rather than simply drop them on the floor ‘’Oh, no wine for you then’’ It was the dumbest thing, but he could only say that. He'd be... Father? And as if it finally came into his mind, he embraced her. Harry had a few moments of epiphany where he understood that it was all over and he could move on with his life normally; when he asked Ginny to marry him, and consequently when they married. And now this. Talking about the desire to be a father was like when he wanted to kiss her as a teenager, a distant dream with stones on the way; his work, that of Ginny.. ‘’And your games?’’ They parted, she seemed a little less frightened ‘’I've been estranged, it's dangerous and it goes against the rules. I didn't even train today, I just signed the papers’’ Her glowing brown eyes made him fall to his knees in front of her, intertwining her fingers in his ‘’It's not fair. I'll ask to be away too’’ Ginny laughed, kissing the knots from her husband's hand ‘’Don't do that, Harry. It's your career’‘ ‘’It's yours too!’’ Argh, he wanted to do something about it, she'd be carrying his offspring for nine months... ‘‘I'd take my chances too... the baby can't live without a father’’ Harry didn't notice the gravity of what he had spoken, until Ginny fixed the look above his head, the tears pinioning there ‘’Sorry, I didn't want to...’‘ ‘’.. I can barely find out That I'm pregnant, and I'm already a weeping woman’’ And as only your wife would, Ginny complained, turning her eyes and looking angry ‘’I don't want you to walk away, really, it won't make me happy to see you stay at home. I forbid you..Besides, it's only nine months, and I ... Gwenog said I can always come back after the baby is born. She said that I will not lose my place.’’ Harry swallowed the laugh, his heart beating furious in his chest ‘’We scheduled for two years from now, Harry...’‘ ‘’I know, but. we're still going to love him, and figure it out in organizing everything’‘ ‘’The windows.. heavens, they are so big and do not have the sinst protection. And the stairs!’’ The two remained silent, swallowing dry ‘’We're going to figure it out, Gin.. Are you happy?’‘ ‘’For Merlim's sake, Harry! Of course I'm.. When I saw the result... We were such irresponsible teenagers’’ So they laughed, because for some reason, it was funny to think that they would have to face the problems Molly went through ‘’Ron and I drove a car to Hogwarts! Twelve years old!’’ Ginny nodded, messing with her love's hair, wondering if the baby would come the same. ‘’You're going to be daddy’’ And without much control of his emotions, Harry felt his eyes pinioning in tears too. Father. He had survived to that point where he would become someone's father. If for Teddy he was already an irresponsible godfather most of the time, being a father... ‘’Since when do you know?’‘ ‘’This morning. After you left I felt that heartburn again and when I complained to Mrs. MacLean, she told me it could be pregnancy, so I looked for a healer who wasn't going to spread the seven winds, and.. I was pregnant. A month and a half. On your vacation’’ Of course, after spending time away from home, that week they spent at home, enjoying every room in the house, they would have to result in something. ‘’I love you’’ Harry kissed her again, this time with all his being ‘’I love you too. Promise me you'll continue to love me, even if I get tearful and ugly’’ The man laughed, trying to imagine a world where he didn't love her ‘’I promise’’ But instead of a kiss, he got a slap on the shoulder ‘’Can you imagine me getting ugly?!’’ The two laughed, again, while she passed her hand on her belly still straight ‘’We will be parents’’. ‘’Yes, Mom’’ Harry smiled, happier than ever, feeling almost his skin tear.

When that he would imagine feeling.. This? ‘’The stairs and the windows...’‘ ‘’.. We'll figure it out, Gin’’ Guaranteed, the heart galloping in the chest ‘’I promise’’ And then, as if to do it millions of times, kissed her belly. Once again, he would appreciate it to be alive

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