forestdeath1

[forestdeath1]

Sirius being locked up at Grimmauld Place is both tragic and poetic — a cyclical tale, a serpent biting its own tail. The last Black, confined in a house that serves as a living reminder that no one else is left alive. The one who was the family’s greatest hope became the seal on their ultimate demise.

He hates Grimmauld Place not just because it was a terrible place for him. He hates it because it is a living reminder of everything lost — his childhood, his brother, his father, his mother, the Blacks. His family. To clean the house is not solely because he despises it. But to clean it because every part of it is woven with a tangle of memories.

Cleansing the house is the farewell he never had. Sitting in his mother's room is living through the grief he never fully embraced.

A man without a shore to anchor to. Once, James might have been that shore, but never completely; James was never fully there for him. No one can ever replace the family he once had. A family that loved him in their twisted way — terrible people, fanatics, but still his family, and they loved him. You hate them and feel ready to tear them down with your own hands, yet deep down, you are still that little boy whose mother sang him lullabies, and whose father showed him his first wand movements.

Sirius is a prisoner not just of walls, but of the lingering past, forever shackled to the Blacks.

#sirius black #the noble and most ancient house of black

[forestdeath1]

“We don’t care about the dumb Order!” shouted Fred.

“It’s our dad dying we’re talking about!” yelled George.

“Your father knew what he was getting into, and he won’t thank you for messing things up for the Order!” said Sirius angrily in his turn. “This is how it is — this is why you’re not in the Order — you don’t understand — there are things worth dying for!”

Sirius embodies a strong knightly archetype, the warrior archetype. Additionally, his understanding of freedom of choice is very pronounced — Arthur also chose the path of a warrior, and we should respect that, even if it leads to losses. Death is not the worst thing. There are things worth dying for. And there are things worse than death.

#sirius black

[forestdeath1]

im asking this because you made a james one but can you make a jily meta if you have time🙈🙈

Anon I'm sorry for the delay in replying, I was thinking it through!! But it's nice to have something positive to talk about haha.

The loves of my life tbh. I really really like jily even though I think my snapeishness means I'm not as involved in mainstream jily fandom. I mean enemies to lovers always has its appeal and to me james and lily are a realistic, imperfect- but all the more compelling for it- appealing dynamic.

Obviously we don't get to see a lot of their actual relationship in canon, but I think that's why it's so fun to fill in the blanks. Personally I think it's pretty normal that they were drawn to each other and ended up in a relationship from what we know- they're both pretty big personalities, intelligent and charming and brave, they have similar goals and beliefs about the world, there was attraction early on (obviously in james's case, more or less confirmed by jkr in lily's- and b4 anyone starts in on lily for being attracted to him that's not something one can control, and she probs wasn't aware anyway).

Lily basically hated his guts, with good reason, so to go from that to dating there had to be a pretty big shift in both james and in their relationship (and likely lily too, or that's my belief). Honestly what I think is that in their final years at Hogwarts, the encroaching war brought on this new seriousness, and as lines were more clearly drawn in the sand it became obvious that lily and the marauders were on the same side of it. Things like sports, popularity, rivalries cease to matter in the face of a life-or-death conflict, you're forced to grow up and deal with it, and while for Severus this brought out the worst in him, for James it brought out the best.

People talk about James changing but I think a post SWM-lily was also changing. She set a very clear boundary with Sev and I think that was an important character development moment for her. Again, the war was on the horizon, their priorities were becoming clear, and I see Lily as becoming more sure of herself and her beliefs, less tolerant of bullshit from those around her. James was becoming more circumspect, more open-minded, more responsible, so when lily and the marauders were thrown together in natural alliance the two of them were just at a point where they were compatible.

I don't think their relationship was perfect and idyllic and all that, that would be less interesting anyway. It was probably hard sometimes. One thing I love when fics explore is the class differences between James and Lily; not only is he pureblood while she's muggleborn, but he comes from wealth where she comes from a humble little working-class family in the mids. There was probably a lot of stuff James didn't understand about her life; I feel like he probably tried his best anyway. Lily probably felt intimidated or defensive about her own background at times.

I don't doubt that they argued; in fact they got off on it probably enjoyed arguing with each other, given their personalities. Both of them were intelligent, opinionated, had an arguing kink, fiery people. Like I don't think it was this exaggerated screaming match sort of thing but I'm sure they loved a healthy spirited debate which maybe got a little out of hand sometimes.

I have touched on this previously but I see James as deep down pretty insecure (who isnt in this world apart from sirius black) and I think initially he was probably pretty insecure about Lily too. I do see him regretting his previous behaviour and thinking he isn't good enough for her and that he's incredibly lucky to be with her. which is true and he should suffer. but I have an upcoming scene (lily's first time at the potters') where james is like "i feel like i'm not good enough for you" and lily's like "shut up i'm the one who's not good enough for you" and they're like "great. i guess we're not good enough for each other. sorted i guess." My point being James actively tried to be a better man, Lily saw that and admired it. because she's good and wonderful like that.

Idk I guess I see it kind of as a realistic, flawed, but ultimately loving relationship. I'm sure there was a lot of stuff they had to work on over the few years they got :( but I'm also sure they had a lot of fun together because to me they just seem really compatible in so many ways as humans.

My belief is that they got married quickly because of the war (I also believe this about frank and alice, even though i see them as older) but it's likely they would have ended up married anyway, or at least in a long term, healthy, happy relationship.

Also the pottermore entry about Vernon and Petunia is my absolute fave for many reasons (love the vertunia of it all ofc) but also the little snippet about jily is golden. The double date between vertunia and jily is perhaps one of my favourite scenes I've ever written haha it's just such a good moment, basically the only canon info we do get about while they were dating.

#jily #it’s interesting! #I have a slightly different take on Jily but this meta adds new dimensions

[forestdeath1]

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

Evelyn Beatrice Hall, The Friends of Voltaire

[forestdeath1]

It’s really important!

The deeper a person falls by their own choice, the more interesting their story becomes. This is what makes Regulus interesting.

The same thing happens in this fandom with Snape — he didn't want to become a Death Eater, but circumstances forced him. It's claimed Snape is just a victim of circumstances, a being without will. This completely destroys Snape's redemption arc. He becomes a flat, uninteresting character.

Not everyone is forced. Many people make their own choices. They make mistakes. Then they make other choices. A person is not a will-less creature, forever a victim of circumstances, without agency and free will.

Repeat after me: Sirius’s and Regulus's parents were not death eaters. They were on board with pureblood ideology and probably were happy about Regulus joining, but they are not fucking forcing any of their children to take the dark mark and join a cult be so fucking serious your darling little Reggie was happy to join the wizard facists and I bet it was not for some double agent destroying Voldemort from the inside reasons either

#regulus black

[forestdeath1]

Berlin’s Berghain needs no introduction. With its weekend-long parties and a reputation for being the city’s ultimate pleasure palace, the old power plant turned techno mecca has a reputation for turning away hundreds of punters week in, week out, who are eager to see for themselves what truly goes on inside the hedonistic, anything goes nightclub. With a strict ban on photography throughout the club, queer artist Daniel Marin Medina invites you inside Berghain’s hallowed halls through a collection of intimate sketches he began creating in 2019.

#rip berghain

[forestdeath1]

Movie Sirius was too zen…give me embittered book Sirius for the rest of my days. Based on this post.

#lol

[forestdeath1]

"Quitting smoking is easy: I've done it thousands of times" 😬🥲

[forestdeath1]

As a bisexual person I'm keenly aware of how such stereotypes are inevitably harmful to us, but unfortunately when I see bisexuals in fiction who are Evil and stylish and fuck like champions I can't help but go "oh work" for a sec. It's a difficult conundrum

[forestdeath1]

Snippet Canis Major

Voldemort remembers the other Sirius. Also, a little glimpse at Orion/Walburga, because I never tire of this toxic couple.

(-)

Usually, it was Arcturus or Pollux that showed up when their children got in trouble. Cygnus, especially, was often in trouble, so Pollux’ face was the most familiar to the students.

In Voldemort’s sixth year at Hogwarts, Atticus Bulstrode, the Head Boy, invited Walburga to Hogsmeade, the last in a lengthy string of boys asking her out. Only this time, she accepted.

When he heard, Orion challenged him to a formal duel. Atticus laughed, rolled his eyes at his fourteen years old opponent.

“Quick!” He was shaken awake by Abraxas, in the middle of the night.“Orion is killing Bulstrode in the trophy room! You have to stop him!”

He reached them just in time, he disarmed Orion, and rushed Bulstrode to the Hospital Wing, where they found Dumbledore asking the Matron for a sleeping potion.

Atticus was lucky- Dumbledore was more often than not away from Hogwarts, chasing Grindelwald, rumour went, but he was there that night, apparently suffering with insomnia.

The professor kept Atticus alive until the Healers from St Mungo arrived and took the boy with them.

“It wasn’t me,” he said, hurriedly, stained in Bulstrode’s blood, lingering in the Hospital Wing. Dumbledore peered at him from under his half-moon glasses. Dumbledore always liked to blame everything on him. “I only brought him here after-”

“I know,” Dumbledore assured him.

The next morning Atticus’ father came thundering, his yells easily heard from where Voldemort was spying, near the Headmaster office.

He wondered if maybe this will be the time when a Black actually suffers consequences. After all, Bulstrode’s name was ancient, they were a rich, influential family, and surely, at least on account of that, Dippet would do something more than detention and points taken, which was the usual punishment for Blacks.

Only, this time it wasn't Arcturus that came to fix his son's issues.

It was the infamous Sirius Black. A tall man, with wide shoulders, long black hair hanging around his face, deep circle under his too intense eyes, mouth twisted in a snarl. Orion walked behind him, his gaze fixed on his older relative. Voldemort watched them, hidden by a pillar. Orion never seemed small; he carried himself with such arrogance and pride, his head held so high he seemed a foot taller than he was. Yet right then, Orion looked small, trailing after his grandfather, quietly, as Voldemort observed them disappear up the stairwell leading to the Headmaster's chambers.

They left Dippet’s office not even a quarter of an hour after they entered it.

As soon as they emerged from it, the gargoyles closing the door behind them, old Black slapped Orion, the noise echoing down the hallway.

“Next time you pull something like this, do it on a weekday, you fool! If I’m woken up again at this ungodly hour on your account on a Sunday, you will be very sorry for it.”

“Yes, Grandfather,” Orion answers, in that unfazed tone of his.

The old man narrows his eyes. “What was it about, anyway? How did he provoke your ire?”

A second worth of silence. “He tried stealing from me.”

Orion gets hit again, harder this time. The heavy family ring rips the skin at the corner of his left eye, and that pure blood of theirs makes an appearance.

“Then why does he still have hands?” the old man hisses, enraged. “If someone attempts to take what is yours, you cut off their hands, boy!”

He slaps Orion again, just as harshly.

“Yes, Grandfather.” Orion doesn't take his eyes off his grandfather, doesn't wipe away the blood running down his cheek, his hands held behind his back.

Sirius Blacks huffs in displeasure, before turning on his heels and marching down the hallway. “Weakling,” he mutters.

Nothing happened to Orion. Not even the usual detention. No points taken.

Sirius Black insisted it was a formal duel, that the challenge had been accepted, and it was all done honourably, Slughorn told Voldemort, when he called him into his office to give him the Head Boy badge, temporarily, until Atticus recovered and would be able to return to Hogwarts and his duties.

“When Armando reminded him duels are illegal at Hogwarts, formal or not, Mr Black said rules are just words on parchment; that he’s a wizard, and he follows laws of magic, not of men.” Slughorn sighs, rubs at his temples, and then he takes a caramel out of his newest bribe-sweets bag that Abraxas gave him. “He told Mr Bulstrode that if he wants justice, then he should challenge him to a duel, and solve it like wizards ought to. Of course, Mr Bulstrode has more than one brain cell, so he refused and let it go.” He sighs again, points a sugar coated finger at Tom. “This is why I always told you not to seek trouble with Blacks. We’re lucky he’s apparently taken to drinking lately, locked up in his Manor, that he lets Arcturus handle most of their affairs, who is much milder and reasonable. But, once in a while, he gets out and you do not wish to run afoul of him.”

No one in the common room talked of it; only Walburga complained she was looking forward to going to the newly opened teashop in Hogsmeade, and demanded to know what was Orion’s problem with Atticus.

“A Quidditch thing,” Orion told her, with a shrug. “Don’t worry, Waly. I’ll take you to Madam Puddifoot’s.”

“I don’t want to go with my baby cousin, don’t be ridiculous! Malfoy, you will take me!”

Abraxas backs away, slowly. “I can’t, Walburga. I’m busy, I have to study,” he says, hastily, when Orion glares at him from behind Walburga.

It was the only time mild-tempered, well behaved Orion did something so outrageous that his unhinged grandfather had to come and solve it, so it was the only time Voldemort saw the man.

[forestdeath1]

(x)

#lesbian history

[forestdeath1]

I generally agree with you! Especially about the self-hatred. And the fact that without Lily's death, it's very likely he wouldn’t have reconsidered his views at all!

I’ll just add that moral growth often happens through difficult moments. Sometimes you need to hit rock bottom before you can rise to something better. There’s more effort in that than just being "naturally good person."

I don't know why he gave his memories to harry. Did he wanted to be redeemed by lily's son.

Yes, I think that was his confession.

I sometimes find it hard to believe that there are still people who can't see that Snape really deeply regretted his views and his bullying of children had nothing to do with blood purity

“Headmaster! They are camping in the Forest of Dean! The Mudblood — ”

“Do not use that word!”

#severus snape

[forestdeath1]

Then why did Snape give all his memories to Harry? He was only supposed to give information about Harry. Why did he give those memories where he's shown in a clearly bad light?

Snape's quite a complex character, and his motives aren't just about him being evil and wanting to kill the man who killed his loved one.

Besides, he always carries some of the blame for her death. Part of the responsibility for her death lies with him

I sometimes find it hard to believe that there are still people who can't see that Snape really deeply regretted his views and his bullying of children had nothing to do with blood purity

“Headmaster! They are camping in the Forest of Dean! The Mudblood — ”

“Do not use that word!”

#severus snape

[forestdeath1]

I sometimes find it hard to believe that there are still people who can't see that Snape really deeply regretted his views and his bullying of children had nothing to do with blood purity

“Headmaster! They are camping in the Forest of Dean! The Mudblood — ”

“Do not use that word!”

#severus snape

[forestdeath1]

"And it’s funny that outside of family relationships, these two people are only two people Sirius got truly close to "

It doesn't really seem to me that James and Remus were Sirius's closest people. James, yes, but not Remus.

It seems like Peter was actually closer to them all during the war than Remus. Lily doesn't mention Remus in her letter, in the Order of the Phoenix photo he stands apart from everyone else, Sirius didn’t trust him, etc etc

There's no evidence to suggest that Remus was close to Sirius emotionally, beyond just being part of their childhood friendship as Marauders—which started to fall apart during the war. It seems Peter was closer, as much as I dislike this character, but that's the way it is. Not exactly close, but closer. And Remus was even more emotionally distanced from Sirius. But he was a little closer to James.

I’m talking about Sirius's emotional openness. I think Sirius opened up to Peter a bit more than he did to Remus.

Although Sirius respected Remus more than Peter. I mean he truly respected him. That's one of the reasons he suspected him. But Peter… You know that feeling when someone seems pathetic to you and you can’t respect them, but because of this, you start to feel a bit of pity? Especially if the person hasn’t done anything bad to you and tries to befriend you. Peter was so nice to all of them 🤌🏻😘 So I can quite see how Sirius might have worried about Peter or cared for him to some extent.

#sirius black #remus lupin #peter pettigrew

[forestdeath1]

Yes, Remus and James are extremely similar. They both have arms, legs, a liver, and even a brain.

Not only we don’t talk enough about Remus’s and James’s friendship we also don’t talk enough about how similar they actually are lmao like yea they come out as very different but they are EXTREMELY similar actually

[forestdeath1]

Can I ask if your British or not?

You definitely can

#ok jokes aside but #it’s pretty obvious that I’m not British