#the dumbledore quote applies:

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Harry Potter is Really Magically Powerful

So, in continuation to this post, and my desire to show some love to Harry James Potter, this post is dedicated to showing how magically powerful Harry actually is in the books — which is insanely powerful. Harry doesn't think of himself as a great wizard, but he is — definitely powerful enough to be Voldemort's equal (and Dumbledore's for that matter).

Under the cut are some quotes from the books that prove this.

Accidental Magic

Let's start with Harry's childhood accidental magic. Tom was considered prodigious for being able to steal things with magic and make animals obey him intentionally. Neville, as a late bloomer, bounced when thrown, which is the bare minimum of childhood accidental magic young witches and wizards should be doing.

Now he came to think about it…every odd thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry…chased by Dudley’s gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach…dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, he’d managed to make it grow back…and the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn’t he got his revenge, without even realizing he was doing it? Hadn’t he set a boa constrictor on him?

(Philosopher's Stone, page 44)

Harry has:

Apparated out of Dudley's reach when in danger to get away - advanced magic only allowed to practice from the age of 16!

Growing back all his hair from not liking the bad haircut.

Disappearing the glass of the Boa Constrictor case and leashing it

not even when he’d had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying that he’d somehow turned his teacher’s wig blue.

(Philosopher's Stone, page 84)

4. Turning his teacher's hair blue.

We see Harry is capable of aparation, transfiguration, and various charms at a level that is considered prodigious. Harry was incredibly advanced as a child according to his feats of magic before even knowing magic was real. And while he wasn't as intentional as Tom, he was aware enough to know odd things happened when he was "furious or upset" that the odd things responded to him.

Intuitive Casting

I wrote later in this post about this, but I do want to write a whole essay about how magic works in the Wizarding world, but like, really in short, emotion and intention matter in magic. A lot.

And we see Harry make use of this fact to great effect. Using spells with intention to change the way they behave and they work for him because of how magically prodigious he is.

Harry raised his own wand. “Protego!” Snape staggered; his wand flew upward, away from Harry — and suddenly Harry’s mind was teeming with memories that were not his — a hook-nosed man was shouting at a cowering woman, while a small dark-haired boy cried in a corner. . . . A greasy-haired teenager sat alone in a dark bedroom, pointing his wand at the ceiling, shooting down flies. . . . A girl was laughing as a scrawny boy tried to mount a bucking broomstick — “ENOUGH!” Harry felt as though he had been pushed hard in the chest; he took several staggering steps backward, hit some of the shelves covering Snape’s walls and heard something crack. Snape was shaking slightly, very white in the face.

(Order of the Phoenix, page 591)

This is from the last of Harry's and Snape's Occlumancy lessons. What's interesting here is that from Snape's words, it seems the protego spell isn't supposed to work like that. Harry is magically powerful enough to make protego (shield charm) to defend him from Legilamancy, turn the Legilamancy onto Snape and disarm Snape.

No wonder Snape is shocked, it really isn't supposed to work. Unless you're Harry Potter, that is.

He did say in their first lesson the rules of magic don't seem to apply to Harry.

“Reparo!” hissed Snape, and the jar sealed itself once more. “Well, Potter . . . that was certainly an improvement. . . .” Panting slightly, Snape straightened the Pensieve in which he had again stored some of his thoughts before starting the lesson, almost as though checking that they were still there. “I don’t remember telling you to use a Shield Charm . . . but there is no doubt that it was effective. . . .”

(Order of the Phoenix, page 591)

What I marked here is the fact in all their occlumancy lessons, even the first, Snape always placed a few memories in the pensive. He chose memories he didn't want Harry to see and place them there.

Okay... so why is that a big deal?

Snape repeatedly belittles Harry's magical skills, and yet, he fears Harry would turn the Legilemancy connection back on him. Legilemancy as Snape explained is no easy skill:

“Only Muggles talk of ‘mind reading.’ The mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure. Thoughts are not etched on the inside of skulls, to be perused by any invader. The mind is a complex and many-layered thing, Potter . . . or at least, most minds are. . . .” He smirked. “It is true, however, that those who have mastered Legilimency are able, under certain conditions, to delve into the minds of their victims and to interpret their findings correctly...”

(Order of the Phoenix, pages 350-351)

As such, he doesn't expect Harry to be capable of it. But that’s a lie. He clearly thinks Harry is skilled enough to be a threat in this situation. That Harry just might be able to turn this around and glimpse his own memories, which is no easy feat.

And Snape is many things, but stupid isn't one of them. If he thinks Harry is uniquely magically prodigious to be capable of this, then Harry probably is. Especially considering how much Snape hates Harry and how much he'd rather think he's stupid, useless, and unskilled.

“SHE KILLED SIRIUS!” bellowed Harry. “SHE KILLED HIM — I’LL KILL HER!” And he was off, scrambling up the stone benches. People were shouting behind him but he did not care. The hem of Bellatrix’s robes whipped out of sight ahead and they were back in the room where the brains were swimming. . . . She aimed a curse over her shoulder. The tank rose into the air and tipped. Harry was deluged in the foul-smelling potion within. The brains slipped and slid over him and began spinning their long, colored tentacles, but he shouted, “Wingardium Leviosa!” and they flew into the air away from him. Slipping and sliding he ran on toward the door.

(Order of the Phoenix, page 809)

Okay, so can we talk about this Levitation Charm? Please?

Like, get this, he uses Wingardium Leviosa, like a shield charm that sends multiple magical projectiles away from him. This isn't how this charm works, but it is if you're Harry Potter. (again, this is that intention use I mentioned)

The point is, that Harry is magically powerful enough to bend the way spells are meant to work to fit his will and situation.

And when Voldemort possesses him at the end of the fight in Order of the Phoenix:

He was gone from the hall, he was locked in the coils of a creature with red eyes, so tightly bound that Harry did not know where his body ended and the creature’s began. They were fused together, bound by pain, and there was no escape — And when the creature spoke, it used Harry’s mouth, so that in his agony he felt his jaw move. . . . “Kill me now, Dumbledore. . . .” Blinded and dying, every part of him screaming for release, Harry felt the creature use him again. . . . “If death is nothing, Dumbledore, kill the boy. . . .” Let the pain stop, thought Harry. Let him kill us. . . . End it, Dumbledore. . . . Death is nothing compared to this. . . . And I’ll see Sirius again. . . . And as Harry’s heart filled with emotion, the creature’s coils loosened, the pain was gone, Harry was lying facedown on the floor, his glasses gone, shivering as though he lay upon ice, not wood. . . .

(Order of the Phoenix, page 816)

Harry kicks Voldemort out.

As I mentioned, I have a a whole theory I'm drafting about magical theory and how magic works in the Wizarding World, but emotion as Harry describes in this scene is part of it. Emotion drives childhood accidental magic. Emotion is required to cast the Patronus charm and any of the unforgivable. Because of how emotion is tied to magic in this world, this instance is Harry's magic kicking Voldemort in his full power out of his mind.

Which is an impressive feat of magic.

Advanced Charmwork

“Oh — yeah —” said Harry, quickly forcing his thoughts back to that first broom ride. “Expecto patrono — no, patronum — sorry — expecto patronum, expecto patronum —” Something whooshed suddenly out of the end of his wand; it looked like a wisp of silvery gas. “Did you see that?” said Harry excitedly. “Something happened!”

(Prisoner of Azkaban, page 238)

This is the first time Harry cast a Patronus Charm. On his very first try of this complex charm, most adult wizards fail at — he succeeds. It isn't a perfect casting. His happy memory isn't happy enough, but the problem isn't Harry's skill.

The fact he succeeded in casting it at all with how crap his life has been up to this point is a testament to his magical talent.

Hatred rose in Harry such as he had never known before. He flung himself out from behind the fountain and bellowed “Crucio!” Bellatrix screamed. The spell had knocked her off her feet, but she did not writhe and shriek with pain as Neville had — she was already on her feet again, breathless, no longer laughing.

(Order of the Phoenix, page 810)

Harry, at age fifteen, casts the Cruciatus Curse for the first time. An advanced piece of dark magic that is tricky to cast. Sure, it wasn't the best cast Crucio, but it did work.

It did land.

It worked enough for Bellatrix to stop laughing and start taking Harry seriously.

Harry raised the hawthorn wand beneath the cloak, pointed it at the old goblin, and whispered, for the first time in his life, “Imperio!” A curious sensation shot down Harry’s arm, a feeling of tingling, warmth that seemed to flow from his mind, down the sinews and veins connecting him to the wand and the curse it had just cast.

(Deathly Hollows, page 452)

Like with the Cruciatus Curse, Harry succeeds in the Imperius curse on his first try (and the second try that happens immediately after). In general, Harry learns to cast most spells (even the advanced ones) incredibly quickly — like, on his first try. That's insane!

As Amycus spun around, Harry shouted, “Crucio!” The Death Eater was lifted off his feet. He writhed through the air like a drowning man, thrashing and howling in pain, and then, with a crunch and a shattering of glass, he smashed into the front of a bookcase and crumpled, insensible, to the floor. “I see what Bellatrix meant,” said Harry, the blood thundering through his brain, “you need to really mean it.”

(Deathly Hollows, page 502)

And he gets better over time, both with the Cruciatus Curse, as we see here and his fully corporeal Patronus which is considered an unbelievable feat for a fifteen-year-old:

“Your Patronus had a clearly defined form? I mean to say, it was more than vapor or smoke?” “Yes,” said Harry, feeling both impatient and slightly desperate, “it’s a stag, it’s always a stag.” “Always?” boomed Madam Bones. “You have produced a Patronus before now?” “Yes,” said Harry, “I’ve been doing it for over a year —” “And you are fifteen years old?” “Yes, and —” “You learned this at school?” “Yes, Professor Lupin taught me in my third year, because of the —” “Impressive,” said Madam Bones, staring down at him, “a true Patronus at that age . . . very impressive indeed.”

(Order of the Phoenix, page 141)

I agree Madam Bones, Harry is impressive and is Voldemort's equal magically. Harry isn't just Expelliarmos. he's clever and talented and very magically capable with every spell he tries his hand in.

#harry potter #harry potter thoughts #harry potter theory #hollowedtheory #hp theory #wizarding world #overthinking #harry james potter #harry potter analysis #I just really love harry james potter

[annasghosts]

Secret and lies - James

For @jilymicrofics with the prompt: deserve I wrote a part 2? Companion piece? Idk. Either way, here’s a small scene from James’ POV following the mess that is this microfic: Secret and Lies.

Absence is a house so vast that inside you will pass through its walls and hang pictures on the air.

James can’t place the quote, can’t remember who wrote it, but the memory of Lily reading it to him is as clear as day. She has her feet in his lap and a wrinkle between her brows as she mulls over it. He knows she was thinking of her parents that day and his heart aches for her. She couldn’t imagine that one day it would apply to him too.

He gets up suddenly as if moving could keep him from thinking, from making his mind indulge on Lily, but her face appears behind his closed lids anyway, reminding him of what he did to her, of his betrayal. She looks like the last time he saw her, at the Order meeting and Merlin – her bravery, her strength, he loves her so much. No one thought she would show up, but he wasn’t surprised. She has always been a force to be reckoned with, the fiercest witch he has ever met, and that’s why he knows he can never tell her the truth. She would fight him over this, he’s sure of it, and he can’t allow it, not this time. He opens the liquor cabinet, cursing as the empty bottles rattle together.

“What the fuck are you doing, James?”

He turns around, dragging himself up. “Nothing.”

“It’s ten in the morning.” He shrugs, evading Sirius’ stare, but his friend steps forward, vanishing the bottles with a flicker of his wand. “We’ve known each other for far too long, you can’t lie to me now.”

“I told you. I wasn’t ready to get married.”

“Bullshit.” His eyes flash with annoyance and steps away, away from Sirius, his heart racing painfully. “What did Dumbledore tell you?”

“Nothing.”

“Some bullshit about putting a target on her back? It’s too late now anyway, Prongs!”

“SHUT UP!”

They stare at each other, James clenching the wand in his fist, but Sirius seems unfazed. “He isn’t always right, you know?” He finally says and James hates how his voice softens, how he pities him.

“This time he is.” He whispers. “And Lily deserves a good life.”

“I think she deserves the truth.”

James can’t speak for a moment and tries to swallow around the lump in his throat. “There’s no happy ending here, Sirius. If I stay with her I – I’ll get her killed, there’s no escaping it.”

“He is a Seer too, now?”

“No.” He says. “Not him.”

#jily #jily microfic #james potter #lily evans #order jily

[evernkillian]

Tomarry/Harrymort Fanfiction Recs | One- Shot Edition; Part 1

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

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

(also I have more fic recs! Here)

🍄🍄🍄

1. naïve melody by TheOnceandFutureQueenofTarts

G | 2.9k Words

Summary: “You invited me to go to a fair with you,” Voldemort says levelly. “Because we’re going to battle to the death soon.”

Well, when he puts it like that.

Fluff beloved. They understand each other the way only enemies can. Voldemort as the Drama Expert™ also accidental date 👀

Voldemort returns, looking punchably smug and carrying the largest stuffed lion Harry has ever seen. Competitive git. Harry holds his stuffed snake a little tighter and ignores the feeling of rejection. He’d meant it as a joke, anyway; there’s nothing to be disappointed about. Voldemort clears his throat. “I propose a trade.” And he holds out the stuffed lion to Harry, his other hand gesturing for the snake. Oh. Harry hands over the snake hesitantly and accepts the lion in turn. Did we just win each other stuffed animals? he thinks.

2. Breaking More Taboos by Destiny_Of_A_Dragon

M | 3.3k Words

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

But the fourth?

That��s when everything changed.

I KNOW I RAVED ABOUT IT ALREADY BUT. IT DESERVES REPEATING. LIKE PLS. THIS FIC HAD ME IN A CHOKEHOLD AJSVSHSBSHSH. Also, Deliciously Dark Harry. Voldemort saw that darkness, and moved. When I crave dark Harry who's oblivious he's dark- I read this. Sadly no favorite quote since spoilers 😔

3. Roads Untaken by wynnebat (@wynnefic)

T | 3k Words

Summary: Harry wanted to be outraged on behalf of the castle that he still considered to be his home. Hogwarts didn't deserve to have a piece of Tom Riddle lodged inside it like a particularly vicious splinter.

But there was something he was annoyed about even more than the fact that he was once again alive at the same time as a once and future dark lord. For the first time in his life, he sympathized with Voldemort, and knew that in this one instance, Voldemort might sympathize with him.

Harry looked at Tom head-on, and said, "Albus Dumbledore is a bastard."

*

Both turned down for the position of Hogwarts DADA professor, Tom and Harry have a few things to say to each other.

Ahvshsvs laughing at Dumbledore in this fic. "I am happy to have done right by you.", He says, while making another mistake. Aberforth, Tom & Harry bonding over insulting Albus. They got drunk and planned to build a new school- it was hilarious.

"Do you want to grab a drink at the Hog's Head? Dumbledore's brother works there. He can join us in insulting Dumbledore."

4. V Is For Vampire by duplicity (@duplicitywrites )

T | 13k Words

Summary: One cursed night over seventy years ago, Harry agreed to bite Tom and turn him into a vampire. Flash forward to today, when Tom hires a rag-tag group of starving film students to film a documentary about their lives as two totally platonic vampire pals.

Because Tom thinks their life as vampires is interesting enough for mainstream media.

Because he’s crazy.

Harry should have just let Tom die of old age like any other sane person would have done.

What really endeared me to the Vampire Harry and/or Vampire Tom troupe. COFFIN SHOPPING!!! (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) They're idiots who love each other very much. You know that love strengthened, and deepened with time? Yeah, like that. They're everything for each other. I love the whole crew (⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠). Harry's endearing habit of knitting clothes for Tom. Artist Harry who draws (or redraws, as Tom makes a...sketch first) Tom's coffin designs ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ. Vampire Ollivander [insert shaky eyes]. Ginny is our lord and savior for putting up with these idiots. Ron Weasley is also our savior- because of him there are no....casualties. Jealous Tom [insert shaky red eyes]. Fluff- seriously, I read this when I need a pick me up (⁠ ⁠˘⁠ ⁠³⁠˘⁠)⁠♥. Also Honorary mention to Tom Riddle's Hair Curl™

Harry laid a hand on Tom’s chest and said, “Okay.” Tom’s anger floundered, replaced with confusion. The harsh, inhuman lines of his face smoothed out as he tilted back, withdrawing from Harry’s touch like it had burned him. “I said okay,” Harry told him. “I do have you, don’t I? You’re right. I choose to be here, with you, and I’ve done that for about seventy years now.”

5. Sola Fide by crowthing (@crowcrowcrowthing )

M | 7.9k Words

Summary: Surely what he was dealing with was some level of deity, because quite suddenly the man was standing in front of him. No trace of apparition, no burst of speed. The man had parted through space and now towered over him, translucent and human-like.

Harry offered up his bleeding hand.

Hermit Harry- still magical, though. His lifestyle is so calming, no kidding (⁠ ⁠╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠). I love the world building (?) In it where it shows his simple life. Love the cute niffler and the gnome family (⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠). Harry taking care of his magical garden and Voldemort supplying the rare seeds ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ. *Screams* BWVSSGSVSGSGGS VEE AND HARRY'S RELATIONSHIP IS JUST 👌. Mutual Devotion [insert vibing emoji].

Blood glared against pale skin, ruby-bright, gathering in bunches and trickling down a bare chest. The man was so much taller than Harry, so much more, even while still so insubstantial. He eclipsed the world, staring down with those red, unblinking eyes and such pale, scaled skin.

He leaned in to rasp into Harry’s ear, “Worship me.”

#tomarry #harrymort #tomarrymort #fic recs #fanfiction recs #fanfic recs #tomarry recs #tomarry fic recs #harrymort recs #harrymort fic recs #tomarrymort recs #tomarrymort fic recs #harry potter #tom riddle #lord voldemort

[multiversallove]

Hi. I’m compiling my shifting methods. All my favourites, the ones I always come back to, the ones that feel like my own. This a journal entry of sorts.

🌞 meditation, stretching and affirmation

Every night when I go to bed, or just before, I do a quick yoga routine based on Nourished Natasha’s ‘evening yoga’ video. It’s all about release.

When I intend to shift that night, I dedicate my breathing exercises and meditation to my intention to shift. I also use the release exercises to release my pressure to shift.

Usually once I’m done with the legs-up-the-wall pose, I’m about ready to pass out. I only have to focus on my DR and on my intention; affirm that I want to shift and that I decide to shift. I try to remain in a meditative, calm state. Sleeping on my back usually helps.

🌞 the aura method

When I first learned to meditate, I was taught to picture my energy. Feel where it was in my body. Was it a ball of light? What shape? What colour? What texture?

I try to make my energy bigger with each breath. If it’s in my chest, I try and make it bigger so it fills my belly and my shoulders, then my neck and my hips, and my face and my legs and my arms and hand and feet. Once I am able to feel it all over my body, I try and make the “aura” wider, I try and make the “ball of light” bigger. So I picture it growing with each breath and encompassing every little thing in the room with me, until my aura has filled the room in every corner and with everything in it.

This grounds me and puts me in a meditative state. I fill the room with a bright white light (which purifies it at the same time). Then I make it come back to my core, and I do it all again, except I am my DR self in my DR room.

I feel my energy change when I switch to my DR self. I picture them meditating like I am now. Possibly my energy is not the same colour or shape anymore. And I try, progressively, to feel it everywhere in my body and then I try to make it bigger and to have my DR self’s aura encompass the aura of every last little thing in my DR room - until I fill it with a bright white light.

This grounds me in my DR room. It’s a five-senses method in a way, I think it achieves the same thing. It’s one of my favourite exercices to connect with my DR. If I do it as an asleep method, I’ll affirm that I’ll wake up in my DR and go to sleep peacefully and with confidence.

🌞 the birdsong method

I close my eyes and think of bird songs. As many as I can. I picture them singing by my DR room window. If I focus I start hearing them - I can’t tell if it’s real or in my head. Cue the Dumbledore quote.

🌞 the lucid dream method

I was really shit at shifting so I learned to lucid dream to spice things up and get fun results. I thought it’d be a waste of time but I just could. not. shift for the life of me, and I needed a big fat break. I learned to lucid dream to keep a connection with all that stuff. It gave me so much!!! I dream of my comfort people all the time.

I have a method for lucid dreaming and it works for me. So I thought I’d apply it to shifting.

🌙 First, my method to lucid dream:

I set my intention throughout the day. I remind myself I have the intention to lucid dream and so I need to do tons of reality checks. My go-to are looking at my hands, thumb through the palm and blocking my nose, checking if I can breathe. I do these like 50 times a day lmao

In the evening, I turn off my phone and computer and I have dinner and do my little yoga routine. If I’m ready to pass out then I do so, if not I meditate and/or read.

I have a little pouch filled with lavender. It was made by my best friend (the one who taught me to meditate) and I keep it on my bedside table. When I intend to lucid dream, I give it a good sniff lmao lavender helps with sleep stuff

I have been known to address a formal prayer to Helios or Selene or Hermes for lucid dreams.

Then I lay on my back for a little bit because it helps put me in a meditative state, and I affirm that I’ll lucid dream. What’s nice about intending to lucid dream is that you have to go to sleep. It’s just such a good way to get better sleep because you have to sleep to achieve what you want.

I often have to wake up in the middle of the night and go back to sleep in order to lucid dream. It’s sometimes a part of the process.

Once I’m lucid I have to remember to rub my hands together to get grounded. Then I try and spend time with my comfort people because it makes me so happy and silly.

🌙 If I want to shift:

I need to find a door or a window or a kind of portal. If there isn’t any, I’ll make one. I need to really focus and visualise my DR on the other side, and affirm hard af that I’ll shift to my DR when I go through. Then I go through.

🌙 Applied to shifting:

If I can lucid dream by affirming that I’ll lucid dream and going to sleep after a light meditation, then I can do the exact same thing for shifting. It works for lucid dreaming, it makes. me. lucid. dream. So meditate, affirm, be assured that it works because it has worked before.

🌞 the shifting feeling method

Lay down, close your eyes and just try and get your consciousness out of there and into your DR, like you’re launching your mind really hard through the stars. It’s like a big knot of focused energy right through your forehead.

🌙 I can compile several of these methods: first stretch and meditate - get in a meditative state - then the aura method - getting grounded in my DR - then the shifting feeling method and from there the birdsong method, affirming I have shifted and can hear my DR. I know that when I do any of these methods and set my intention, one of three things happens:

🌙 I will shift

🌙 I will lucid dream

🌙 I’ll have a dream about my DR.

#lucid dreaming #shifting journey #reality shifting #shifting realities #lucid dream method #lucid dreaming method #shifting method #shifting methods #reality shifting method

[moonlightdancer26]

What is your favorite Snape quote from the books?

(Ayyy my first anonymous ask!! Noice)

Ahhh this is hard, anon (I missed saying that), I love literally every word that comes out of that man’s mouth (not just words 🌚).

I have… two different kinds? Not sure if that’s the right word but yeah. There are the iconic quotes that’re iconic because of the emotional it holds (i.e. “Always”), and the iconic quotes that are iconic due to its humour/sass (i.e. “Ghosts are transparent”).

The emotional/iconic quotes then:

“Do not use that word”

and

“Lately only those whom I could not save”

“Always” got nothing on these two quotes. 😌

The funny/crack ones:

“That is just as well, Potter,” said Snape coldly, “because you are neither special nor important, and it is not up to you to find out what the Dark Lord is saying to his Death Eaters.” “No — that’s your job, isn’t it?” Harry shot at him. He had not meant to say it; it had burst out of him in temper. For a long moment they stared at each other, Harry convinced he had gone too far. But there was a curious, almost satisfied expression on Snape’s face when he answered. “Yes, Potter,” he said, his eyes glinting. “That is my job.”

(my mans proud of himself 😌)

“Yes, it is easy to see that nearly six years of magical education have not been wasted on you, Potter. Ghosts are transparent.”

(😭😭😭)

“Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little. If Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if ever you apply for a job.”

(this quote might just be my all-time favourite tbh. He’s so funny I can’t-)

“Would you like me to do it now?” asked Snape, his voice heavy with irony. “Or would you like a few moments to compose an epitaph?”

(homeboy’s really calling Albus Dumbledore out like it’s nothing 👌🏼)

“What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter? Your head is not allowed in Hogsmeade. No part of your body has permission to be in Hogsmeade.”

(WHY IS THIS LINE NOT TALKED ABOUT ENOUGH? It’s literally one of his best quotes)

So yeah, I think that’s pretty much it. But like I said, all his quotes are amazing. He probably has all the best quotes out of every HP character (Harry comes close though).

Thank you for the (anonymous 🥰) ask! Have a great day, anon!

#severus snape #pro snape #pro severus snape #snape #anti snaters #harry potter #hp #ask #asks

[missnight0wl]

Hi I was just wondering what you thought about Peregrine's motivations? They seem very ambiguous so far and personally I would hate it if JC went with the whole 'he's just an evil person narrative'.

Hello!

You know, I don’t think that Peregrine is simply evil for the sake of being evil. For example, look at how he talked about his career:

Frankly, I believe that it might be the only thing he was genuine about. And to be clear: I mean the parts about helping people, not about “deeply regretting” being a shitty father. He seems to be quite proud of his job, too. I imagine that in his mind, he was actually making many lives better. And let’s not forget that Rakepick told us that R’s mission is “saving the world”. The problem is that his approach to it is all wrong.

Peregrine is a megalomaniac with a bit of a god complex. Notice how he talks about joining R:

Seriously, I wouldn’t be surprised if he considers himself the Chosen One or something. And when it comes to power? Well…

But like… everything he says can be applied to R as well. Because what exactly makes him think that it’s R who’s supposed to take that knowledge and that power? Why the change is supposed to be made by them? Again, I suspect that Peregrine believes that they can make the world better. But the parts about the Ministry being corrupted etc.? Yeah, it’s mostly about eliminating the obstacles on a way to realising their vision of a better world.

Also, it’s interesting that they talk about Dumbledore in this scene. Because there’s another quote by Dumbledore that’s very fitting for this situation (well, I guess that from the game’s point of view, it wasn’t said yet…):

It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well.

Yes, we all know that Albus is no saint himself and whatnot. But personally, I really like this quote. And as I said, I think it’s quite perfect for the occasion. Because Peregrine is clearly someone who seeks power. And in the HP universe, it usually ends badly, especially when one tries to excuse their actions by “the greater good”.

As for more specific ideas about what “saving the world” might mean, I actually talked about it more in this post. In short though, it comes down to the ability to bring people back from the dead. And to be honest, I still think it’s not a terrible guess. Especially now when – minor spoilers from the datamines – it was revealed that Olivia worked at the Department of Mysteries, where the Veil is located.

Overall, I wouldn’t say it’s a super complex or original motivation for a villain – but I guess it’s better than being evil for the sake of being evil. Of course, it could be elaborated by the addition of why Peregrine is so obsessed with helping people, for example. I don't see the explanation for that so far.

Also, I said it once, but I’ll say it again: I think that in different circumstances, Peregrine could’ve been a decent villain. My main problems with him are that his reveal had literally no build-up and that MC is basically passive about… well, everything.

#long post #hogwarts mystery #hphm #hphm spoilers #hphm peregrine #hphm r #about characters #ask #anonymous

[freifraufischer]

Just to be clear, you think that having centrist/moderate politics is a crime? Asking for a friend.

No. But there is a difference between having moderate politics in real life and having moderate politics in the world building of your fantasy series that has lead up to the society rocking race war that JK Rowling has set up in her books.

JRK sets up the answer to the events of her books is that they restore the prewar structures and just now good men will be in charge. When if a society is corrupt sometimes radical change is needed because the society itself will not change on it's own. A good example of this is the House Elf slavery in the books. JKR's own website published an article that both sides slavery and characterized Hermione's activism as "going too far" and quoted actual justifications for slavery that were really made by real life southern slave owners. Slavery is bad but Dumbledore and Harry are nice to their slaves so they're good. Hell the last paragraph of the seventh book before the epilogue is Harry thinking how wonderful it would be for Kreacher who he owns to bring him a sandwich. She tells us that their lot in life would be fixed when Hermione joins the ministry and she changes the law.

Some things you can't both sides. It's perfectly fine to have a moderate view of politics but you can't be moderate about slavery.

There is a problem when any political ideology is taken out of it's situational stance. Is being a centrist or a moderate wrong on everything? No. But it is in the situations that JKR applies it in the Harry Potter universe.

[ao3feed-snape]

Choosing Sides

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2yxueSG

by Storm_Elf

Against the backdrop of the First Wizarding War, sixteen year old Sirius Black is caught in combat on more than one front. He's fighting against his prestigious family, who are determined to make him toe the family. Against the public prejudices which come with being born to the Black name and status. Against his worst enemy, Severus Snape, who is uncomfortably close to both his much-loved little brother, and his best friend's girlfriend. And against his fears for his own and his friends' future in the escalating national war zone. Oh, and he thinks he's falling in love with another close friend, who also happens to be one of wizarding society's most hated 'Dark Creatures.' Struggling to make sense of his childhood trauma and his own chaotic nature, Sirius finds himself in the conundrum of having to choose which side of the war he wants to be on -- and having to work out which side will actually accept him.

Words: 3062, Chapters: 1/30, Language: English

Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M

Characters: Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Lily Evans Potter, Minerva McGonagall, Horace Slughorn, Poppy Pomfrey, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Dorcas Meadowes, Marlene McKinnon, Euphemia Potter, Fleamont Potter, Walburga Black, Orion Black, Regulus Black

Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew & James Potter, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes

Additional Tags: Wizarding Wars (Harry Potter), Muggle/Wizard Relations, Childhood Trauma, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, The Prank, Werewolves, Marauders Friendship (Harry Potter), Quote: Mischief Managed (Harry Potter), Growing Up, Canon(ish), Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Canon-Typical Violence, Slow Burn Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Sirius Black & James Potter Friendship, Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew Friendship, Remus Lupin & James Potter Friendship, Sirius Black & Peter Pettigrew Friendship

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2yxueSG

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #Severus Snape

[ao3feed-romione]

Chaos in the Simplest Form

Chaos in the simplest form by Starkandrogersforlife

Just a Harry Potter universe texting fic, this has nothing to do with the actual series to be fair, it's just chaos and me stealing the characters. This does have a decent amount of swearing, you've been warned.

Also, FUCK JK ROWLING!

Also, do me a favor. Read the tags, you'll want to

Words: 847, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other

Characters: Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, James Potter, Lily Evans Potter, Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott, Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Barty Crouch Jr., Regulus Black, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, (Mentioned) Albus Dumbledore, Death Eater Characters, Fred Weasley, George Weasley

Relationships: Hermione Granger & Harry Potter & Ron Weasley, Harry Potter & Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Harry Potter & James Potter, Harry Potter & Lily Evans Potter, Harry Potter & Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott & Harry Potter, Harry Potter & Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Remus Lupin & Harry Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Sirius Black & Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy

Additional Tags: Crack, Chaos, Harry chill, Sassy Harry Potter, Decent Severus Snape, Everyone Is Alive, No Horcruxes, No Plot/Plotless, what's canon?, Just using the characters here, This really doesn't have much to do with the actual series, This is just me fucking with characters, Swearing, Let Harry Potter say fuck, WOLFSTAR MY BELOVED, Texting, Harry Potter please stop making chaos, Incorrect Quotes, A lot of incorrect quotes, i'm just making this up as i go, The Author Regrets Nothing, The Author Regrets Everything, Look I want Harry with a dude, No clue what one though, Gay Harry Potter, Established Relationship, Tags May Change, Albus Dumbledore Bashing, What are death eaters?, Fuck JK Rowling, written by a trans author, Harry Potter is a Little Shit

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42860814

#AO3 Feed #Romione FanFic #♡ #Side Romione #R:Teen #A:Starkandrogersforlife

[asshole-rebel-psycho]

That moment when you're applying for a video editor job and you accidentally send the Harry Potter + Dumbledore slash video you made in high school.

#dumbledore #harry potter #lol #art #lgbt #demo reel #video editing #slash #harry potter and the goblet of fire #gay dumbledore #movies #gay movie #quotes #harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban #harry potter quotes #jobs #applying #love

[tiphprince]

I was reading the Wizarding World article about the Patronus Charm, and found a couple of interesting things...

It’s described as “a pure, protective magical concentration of happiness and hope“ and that producing a Patronus is “generally considered a mark of superior magical ability“.

“In some cases a witch or wizard may choose to produce an incorporeal Patronus deliberately, if he or she wishes to disguise the form it generally takes.”

This is something that I can absolutely imagine Snape doing. We only see him using his Patronus twice, and these two times the appearance of his doe was needed, first to guide Harry to the sword and then to Dumbledore. But what about in POA, when Dementors were roaming the school grounds, and Lupin, who may have known the origins of his Patronus was around? I can see him using the less efficient version of his Patronus, both in case someone may have recognized it (or just because Snape and a doe, doesn’t really fit with his wannabe vampire reputation), or to even save himself from the pain of having to see Lily fly off to save him against the darkness of the Dementors.

“It may be that a true and confident belief in the rightness of one’s actions can supply the necessary happiness. However, most such men and women, who become desensitised to the effects of the Dark creatures with whom they may ally themselves, regard the Patronus as an unnecessary spell to have in their arsenal.”

Rowling uses here the example of Umbridge, who can obviously procude a Patronus while not being a “pure of heart” person, to show that people who “questionable morals” are also able to use this charm. But what I find the most interesting is the second part, about Dark Wizards being desensitised to the Dementors. Does this mean that they barely feel the cold and depression that the Dementors bring with them? Maybe because they don’t have as many pure happy memories to feed from? And what does it mean for Snape? He is a practitioner of Dark Magic, thus is a Dark Wizard, maybe not to the extent that Bellatrix is for example, but still. Does that make him less affected by Dark Creatures, so Dementors?

“The Patronus represents that which is hidden, unknown but necessary within the personality.”

“For it is evident [...] that a human confronted with inhuman evil, such as the Dementor, must draw upon resources he or she may never have needed, and the Patronus is the awakened secret self that lies dormant until needed, but which must now be brought to light...”

Isn’t this a perfect metaphor of Snape’s use of his Patronus? Of his secret, the biggest of the whole series, slowly cultivated for seven books? In the end, it was his love for Lily, symbolized by his doe Patronus, that was brought to light exactly when needed, and that enabled another (Harry) to fight off the darkness (Dementors/Voldemort).

And lastly, there’s this:

“The form of a Patronus may changed during the course of a witch or wizard’s life. Instances have been known of the form of the Patronus transforming due to bereavement, falling in love or profound shifts in a person’s character.”

I kept that last part in the quote because I think that all three examples here can apply to Snape, which I find very interesting. But what intrigues me the most, is what the article isn’t saying. After this quote, Rowling uses Tonks’s Patronus as an illustration, and not Snape’s. Of course Tonks’s Patronus is the most explicit one to have changed, or in fact the only one we know of for sure.

Other Patronuses are mentioned throughout the article, Umbridge’s, Remus’s, and there’s mentions of cats, horses and dogs as corporeal Patronuses. But nothing about the most important Patronus in the story, Snape’s doe.

My theory has always been that Snape’s Patronus was simply always a doe. Two people can have similar Patronuses, it’s both written in the article again, and we have the example of McGonagall and Umbridge (I always found it amusing that McGonagall’s “biggest rival” shares the same Patronus, at least same species).

“However, every Patronus is as unique as its creator and even identical twins have been known to produce very different Patronuses.”

Meaning that Snape’s doe would have differed from Lily’s. In what way, we don’t know, but it wouldn’t have been a perfect copy. A doe Patronus uniquely belonging to Snape, that would represent him, and not her. And this, I love.

#Snape #Severus Snape #pro Snape #meta #Harry Potter #wizarding world #Harry Potter Meta #My Own Spells

[crimsonbastard]

“What is better, To be Born Good or to Overcome your Evil Nature through Great Effort?”

The above Quote is said by Paarthunax, A Dragon from Skyrim. And I've been thinking about this quote a lot honestly, especially since this quote applies to Snape or literally every character who went through a redemption arc.

For Context let's Start with Paarthunax:

Paarthunax is a Dragon. Dragons or Dovah, as they're called in Skyrim are beings created solely to Dominate and Subjugate life. They're inherently "evil". I'm using the word pretty loosely here because we cannot blame the Dragons for acting upon their inherent nature. A Wolf cannot be blamed for eating meat but that doesn't mean that we'll let them eat our livestock. Same goes for Dragons, They were made to Dominate other life but that doesn't mean that we'll sit back.

Paarthunax also acted upon his inherent nature and subjugated humanity eons ago but he eventually saw the error of his ways and isolated himself from others of his kind and flew far into the icy mountains to meditate. And in that solitary exile he did the impossible. He dominated his will to dominate. He Overcame his "evil" nature and started helping humanity. He helps the main protagonist by helping him or her defeat Alduin, the very Dragon alongside whom he attempted to subjugate humanity with.

Let's move over to Snape:

Snape is a character who had a lot of Complex Entangled Reasons behind some of his questionable decisions that he took in his youth.

He joined the Deatheaters knowing that they were out to purify the Wizarding World by killing people whom they considered as filth. However he didn't join them because he believed in their ideology, He joined them because he wanted some form of companionship. All those years of bullying and isolation made him so desperate that he was willing to latch on to the first group who were willing to extend a warm welcome to him. The Death Eaters supposedly offered him that.

The Abuse at his Home, The Bullying he suffered and that coupled with the Non-Existent Empathy he recieved alongside the grooming he went through at the hands of his dorm mates pushed him to the driving point.

It's easy to sympathize with him, However that doesn't mean that we're gonna excuse his role as a DE. If he remained a DE then his life would've been a cautionary tale of how someone who's a product of a bad environment can make regrettable decisions. But Snape's Story didn't end there.

Yes, Initially his motivation was personal. He only sprung into action when someone with whom he had an emotional connection with fell into danger. However this event acted more like a catalyst to his change than simply being his primary motivation.

Snape had an entire Decade to reform before Harry turned 11. Yes Snape isn't perfect. He's Vindictive and Bullying. He can even come off as Nasty at times. But that's the point. Redemption doesn't mean that you turn into all nice and fluffy. You'll still have issues that'll take a long time to deal with. Snape's behaviour with children is un-acceptable. But if you only judge a person by looking at his faults then you're basically a part of the Cancel Culture for Fictional Characters(most of them).

It's Snape's actions in the Second Wizarding War that lead to his redemption. He could've turned tail and ran. He could've joined Voldemort again. If his motivation was Lily alone than he could've ditched Dumbledore's plan after he learnt the truth about Harry. But he didn't, Instead he stayed put and fought the good fight and gave it his all. By choosing the Wizarding World instead of Harry's life and by Killing Dumbledore thereby signing his Death Warrant Snape showed his new found selflessness. It showed that he cared about the greater good. His line "Lately only those I couldn't save" is a testament to that. And I believe that's what matters the most.

#pro snape #pro severus snape #snape fandom #snape community #anti snaters #snape defence #snape meta #snape deserved better #paarthurnax

[the-ghost-king]

So I'm not going to start like an Anti-Chiron tag because I don't find that enjoyable personally, but every so often people ask why I dislike him so here's essentially a "masterpost" of my thoughts on that situation for when anyone asks, just so I have it to explain some...

This isn't nearly a full list, and there's many more "incidents" that make me less than fond of Chiron, I don't hate the old man but he leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I'm not a fan of that. He's a very twisted character.

- The Lightning Thief

This quote is literally just after Percy's mom "dies", they're all sitting on the porch of the Big House right after he's finally woken up after days of sleeping, and that's the line Chiron pulls out on him.

That's straight up emotional manipulation which was entirely unnecessary in the context of what Chiron was trying to explain. There wasn't a single reason for that, in the slightest.

Immediately following that, and Percy, who canonically has anger issues, does his best to remain calm, he is immediately threatened by Dionysus, and Chiron doesn't even tell Dionysus off for doing that; Chiron just let's it happen. It's Grover who has to speak up to tell Dionysus off...

The only reason Chiron comes out looking like a old guy in this scene is because Dionysus was so much worse in his behavior, at one point intimidating Percy with his power over madness.

- The Titan's Curse

This is the aftermath of when Nico ran away upon confirmation of Bianca's death. When Percy is telling Chiron about the situation, Chiron wishes Nico had been eaten alive rather than recruited into an army.

He'd rather a child be dead than fight against him, and he openly tells this to other children he's in charge of. If Percy went missing would he have said "I hope he was eaten <3" as well?

I don't blame Perry for not delivering the truth here, it was done in an effort to protect Nico; which wasn't something Annabeth had planned on doing... I don't blame Annabeth for that though either, she's been beneath Chiron so long that she probably doesn't realize the shady stuff he does, and to her "going to tell" probably was the "right" move because she was a child...

But the fact that Chiron believes Nico truly would be better off eaten than alive :/

- Tower of Nero

This quote from Tower of Nero shows that Chiron lied to a bunch of young children (most of them were young because the older campers are largely dead because of the war or too old for camp now). It wasn't just a little white lie that adults sometimes tell kids either; they were walking into battle and he told them it was a field trip.

Did he even begin to explain the danger he was putting these kids in? Did the children understand their situation? And how dangerous it was?

Kayla has been blindsided over the years into thinking that telling children they're going on a field trip instead of fighting a battle is something to make a joke of and not be questioned... (Again, I don't blame her she's only like 12 in the book, but still)

Apollo also agrees, which isn't on Chiron but it's a whole mother reason why I can't stand Rick's interpretation of Apollo...

<><><><><>

This isn't me being like "oh Chiron is the worst most evil character ever" I just think that he has numerous flaws which are largely ignored in favor of the "perfect wise teacher" narrative when in fact Chiron and Dumbledore share a lot of.. Offputting qualities.

I do think that some of the situation is simply a result of Chiron having his hands tied behind his back by the gods some. And he even goes so far as to confirm this in a scene of TLT

However many of the scenes in which he exhibits behaviors like that in my first three screenshots are not related to anything the gods require and are, in fact, of Chiron's own free will.

Some things I would blame Zeus and the council for, such as how he withholds information from Percy to an excessive amount for long periods of time even when Percy straight up asks about things. I could easily see that being Zeus trying to prevent Percy from claiming the prophecy as his own, and I could see reasoning that maybe Chiron had sworn over the River Styx or something similar.

But those things don't apply to Chiron making such an unnecessary comment about Percy's mother so close to her "death". It doesn't explain why he would say he hoped Nico had been eaten out loud, and it doesn't cover the fact that he led children into a battlefield without telling them that's what was happening.

I think the context of Chiron's choices and comments would be different if the campers were older. If they were in their late teens or early twenties for the most part, I wouldn't really have much to say about how Chiron handled the situation.

But this man is in charge of children and extremely young teenagers, Percy is only 12 in TLT, maybe if he would have been 16 or 17 then I could give Chiron a pass, but he wasn't. Within the context of the comment he made in the Titan's Curse, Percy is only 14 and Nico is 10 at the beginning of the book... You don't wish a 10 year old had been eaten alive by a monster no matter how bad you think the alternative is, and if you do wish that you don't say it out loud to a group of other children. In the battle from Tower of Nero we get a quick look at the battlefield, and although Ben's age, and the age of another girl fighting alongside him are never confirmed they are implied to be fairly young, and we know Kayla is only 12 at the time too; yet Chiron told them it was a field trip instead of a battle, limiting the time they would have to mentally prepare themselves for what was coming.

On top of that, the nods the reader gets to the fact that Chiron can't act out against the gods depletes over the course of the series. After TLT the amount of times the situation involves the gods interfering with what Chiron is allowed to say lessens, and by the time the Heroes of Olympus series comes around, these limitations on his speech is almost entirely gone. Yet as seen in Tower of Nero he still does morally questionable things in regards to how he treats the campers.

Like I said, I recognize that in many scenes Chiron's hands are tied behind his back because of the gods.. But there are undeniably things he does of his own free will that are, in the nicest manner, very :/

This also isn't a full list of comparisons just a few notable scenes. I don't think Chiron is equally as bad as Dumbledore, but I think it undeniable that Chiron has some significant flaws built into his character design.

A good character has flaws, and there's nothing wrong with having a character that doesn't always conduct themselves properly or have good intentions- it's actually good writing, and I can appreciate that, but for some reason I find myself personally rubbed the wrong way by Chiron. This doesn't make Chiron badly written, or poorly designed, in fact I would say Rick's Chiron is very well designed in lots of ways, but I just don't like how it's never acknowledged by anyone in the series.

Like I said, I'm not starting an anti-Chiron situation, I just think little events like those mentioned, the way he's built a child army, and how he doesn't even try to plead with the gods over raising the ages on campers being allowed to battle is a little sus. But it more so bothers me that there's no attention payed to this problem anywhere in the books, not even by a side character or Luke, nowhere.

I don't actually care that much and this isn't that important to me, but sometimes people ask why I don't like Chiron and this is basically just my explanation to hand off to them... It's not even so much that I dislike Chiron entirely, he's well written and has his "good" moments, I just don't like the way other characters interact with him and his actions.

It's more a personal beef with him rather than an aspect of poor writing or him "being bad"... PJO in general (and HoO/ToA to a much lesser extent) shows that there's not such an inherent good vs bad in the world, and that sometimes people are victims of circumstances in some situations, or they're horribly misguided in their actions, but the series does a good job of showing those people as human still, and I applaud that.

I don't really know how to tie this up in its entirety, but there's nothing wrong with having a morally grey character who does questionable things and in many aspects it is good writing. I think Chiron is a result of Rick not thinking through the implications what he's doing in lots of situations, and I can see a fairly consistent drop in Chiron's characterization from PJO-ToA which is consistent with most other aspects of Rick's work.

I also want to clarify that if you like Chiron and disagree with me, that's absolutely 110% okay, I just personally dislike Chiron and that's on me. Like my problem with many of Rick's other immortal characters, I think he missed important aspects of them in some manner and slightly (or entirely in some cases) mischaracterized them in comparison to their original myths.. Some of these characters he came around on and fixed their character in many aspects to their more "correct" characterization (like Hera), while others (like Chiron and Apollo) he never quite figured them out. Which is a running complaint I have with Rick so I'm just adding this to his tab.

But yeah, I don't hate Chiron I just dislike him and those are different things, and I don't think it's a bad thing to have a morally questionable character, Chiron just personally rubs me the wrong way and I just wanted to explain that more fully because I've been asked about it multiple times.

Also I apologize for not adding a [read more] to this, it's a complaint of mine often when scrolling through the tags but I'm on mobile currently and don't have immediate access to a computer so~

#pjo #Hoo #Chiron pjo #percy jackson #long post

[snapeaddict]

Hi, what do you say to the people who claim Regulus is the real Slytherin hero, and not Snape? To me RAB always seemed like a plot device and nothing more so I don't get why he's being worshipped... He's just another rich pureblood kid...

I say this is a very bad take, and it is disrespectful (that's a strong word for something that isn't really important but I cannot think of a softer version) of the actual people who enjoy his character. I'm going to write down some thoughts, but there's more to it than just what I would reply to them - allow me to ramble a little on the roots of this claim and on the thought process embraced by Snaters and Marauders apologists (I've seen that some people don't like this term, so I mean people who erase the Marauders' flaws and make them morally superior to Snape, justifying them being abusers and him being abused.)

The nonsense of comparing a plot device to a complex, layered character: Comparing Severus and Regulus is ludicrous. You are comparing one of the most (I would argue the most well-written and complex, but Dumbledore is quite something as well) well-written, accomplished character of the books to a plot device. It is indeed what Regulus is, no matter if his character could have been really interesting/seems to be interesting: we know very little of him, and he exists solely for the Slytherin locket plot. The very little we know of him certainly isn't enough to express any critical judgment of his character; he is mostly made out of white pages which are filled out by his fans, which is great, and by the people making this kind of argument, which is unfortunate.

The interest in the character only stems in his usefulness: I would argue that the vast majority of people making this claim do not care at all for the character himself, despite using him as a moral high ground. It is not his character which interests them, but how useful he can be to fuel their hate and biased claims. His personality? Having being sorted in Slytherin. His merits? Being a Slytherin. This is the only fact that matters, because it allows them to 'prove' that Snape wasn't a hero (being a hero does not mean being a good person, by the way) and diminishes Severus' merits. Using a character solely for the purpose of depreciating, downgrading another is not appreciating them: it's just completely hypocritical. This is often the kind of flat argument used by people opposed to social justice movements, if you will allow the broad comparison: using something you have never cared for before (often minority populations) in an attempt to depreciate something, even though the very fact you are using them for this purpose shows how little concerned you are with the actual people you are talking about. Well, it reminds me of this a bit. The true purpose is to try and impose your own views, and here they try to legitimise them by filling an almost inexistent character with their views to carry on with their agenda.

The sudden leniency toward privileged characters: Making such a claim in fact once again proves that Snaters have an extremely biased, subjective and elitist vision of what being good means, an opinion on what is moral integrity (and superiority because they keep comparing people), which they also apply to James and Sirius. I think Regulus is loved because he is a Black, respected by the fandom because he comes from a pureblood, rich family. It is very easy to prove: look at how much love Draco and Lucius get, despite being supporters of blood supremacy, active members of a terrorist group, using discriminatory insults on a daily basis, being actively supportive of the murders of muggle borns/participating in these murders [do not misinterpret this - I'm pointing out double standards, not saying they should not be loved. One's interest in a character does not depend on the character's morals]. Look at how respected Snape was in the fandom before book 6, when people thought he was a rich pureblood from an ancient family. Social hierarchy has a great impact on how people view characters, and they tend to be much more lenient toward privileged characters, because prestige is attractive, even in fiction. Similarly - but it is more concealed - there is the usual refusal to acknowledge that social inequalities do impact one's life, choices, and opportunities to be or do good. The quote "You didn't make good choices! You had good choices" (Little Fires Everywhere) works quite well in this context, especially regarding James and Severus, but also regarding the Blacks versus Severus. Severus' survival was completely, utterly dependent on his adherence to blood supremacist values. This must be taken into account - but weirdly, this is an argument that is often used to prove Sirius' moral superiority, because his family required him to share their beliefs. This is ignoring that despite his difficulties, he still beneficiated from a support system and privileges that others did not have access to. Similarly, you cannot compare Regulus' and Severus' choices. And in my opinion, both are tragic; but if we had to take part in Snaters' silly arguments, then I would remind them that Regulus effectively had no obligation to join Voldemort, his parents were not death eaters. The pressure both characters experienced certainly wasn't of the same nature - even perhaps not of the same intensity. But does comparing them makes any sense, again...

The social biases: While Snape is blamed for his decision to join the death Eaters (rightly), Regulus is praised for his decision to leave them. While Regulus is pitied because he came from a family who brought him up with this ideology (just like Draco is), which apparently takes off all responsibility from him, Severus' background is never considered as a factor which pushed him right into extremists' opened arms. Regulus' privilege is used as an excuse; Snape's social disadvantage and familial issues are, at best, ignored, at worst, interpreted as proof of his inherently bad nature. Some people associate his upbringing with him being bad, whether they want to acknowledge it or not. While Regulus is headcanonned as handsome, Snape is constantly described as 'greasy' and 'ugly' by these same people, and you can see exactly how important appearances are to them. I'm even going to argue that worshipping a rich, handsome, privileged pureblood must sound better to them than being fond of the 'greasy git', and I am also saying these are mostly internalised biases. When you read these claims carefully, it sounds like in the mind of these people, Regulus is more legitimate as Slytherin's hero because he is better - inherently. And it is easy to see why.

The double-standards and their disturbing roots: This is also plainly ignoring the fact that Regulus and Snape defected for the same reasons, if we must make comparisons. Voldemort was targeting one of their loved ones, Kreatur for the former and Lily for the later, which made them realise, because they are humans and thus not selfless, how wrong his methods were when they turned against them. However, in Snape's case, turning against Voldemort in an attempt to save Lily is often held as proof of his selfishness/absence of morality: he wanted her for himself, he only deflected because someone he liked was in danger. In Regulus' case however, his gesture is seen as heroic and compassionate. Why? Well, there are a variety of reasons apart from Snaters' double standards, but I have noticed that most of them seem to think of Lily as 'belonging' to either James or Snape, and think Snape unworthy of having ever had Lily as a friend because of some kind of deep rooted flaws he had even as a child ('He tried to hurt Petunia with accidental magic when he was 11, he was always bad'. In fact I should make a post about how horrible this claim is.) In Regulus' case however, wanting to save Kreatur is seen as an act of compassion. Why? Not only because they want to make Regulus look better than Snape. I think it is also because Kreatur is a house-elf, an inferior being: Regulus' wish to protect him becomes praiseworthy, laudable, because house-elves do not really deserve consideration. So wanting to save him becomes an act of generosity. Even when you're not thinking of the double standards, this way of thinking is disturbing. Snape also turned against Voldemort at the age of 20, 21? Like Regulus did if I recall? They weren't death Eaters for very long. They both actively fought to bring Voldemort down. It would be tremendously hypocritical, wrong and plain bad faith to think of Regulus' action as superior to Snape's 20 years of hard work to bring Voldemort down.

So why can't Snape be a hero? I think this claim is a confession. To me it shows a very simplistic vision of heroism, of good and bad, of models, and a complete refusal to consider the grey, sometimes praise the grey- it's a failure to accept the complexity of the human functioning. Thinking that the people we praise for certain actions, or consider to be examples must be flawless is vain, simply because it is unrealistic, and we could not admire them/relate to them/like or dislike them/learn from them if they were not like us, layered and flawed - but this is exactly what this claim desperately wants us to believe. Or rather, what Snaters want to believe, while imposing their very biased views of good and bad, themselves rooted in prejudices. This is why they are using a character that is mostly inexistent: an empty, one dimensional character can fulfil this aim. This is also why so many people fail to appreciate characters such as James, Sirius and Remus without completely ripping off their flaws, and thus complexness - they cannot be loved if you can find fault in them.

#I think this ask is from July 2020 or something #I'm so sorry anon #Forgive me #Thoughts #My opinion #Meta #Regulus black #Severus Snape #Pro Snape

[ottogatto]

MASTERPOST - HP Comments

Here is the masterpost regrouping most of my analyses I had posted but were sadly invisible in the tags. This masterpost is of course susceptible to change as more posts are made.

Enjoy!

Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone

Severus Snape

Did you know that the Dursleys’ first destination to escape the letters was Snape and Lily’s original city? Severus Snape in HP 1 - Full Commentary

Rubeus Hagrid

Chapter 4 - HP & PS (Fat-Phobia, Latent Anti-Muggle, Child Assault) Funny quotes… but worrying ones as well

Forms of Discrimination

Instances of Discrimination? - HP PS

Dark Magic

Dark Magic in HP PS

Plotholes & Incoherences

HP PS - Questions and Plotholes

Unclassified & Miscellaneous

Mirroring the Boggart (Mirror of Erised vs Boggart) Applying a Real World’s Model to Hogwarts Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling. First Chapter - Anti-Muggle (McGonagall, Hagrid), Dark Magic, Unclassified Vernon’s Mimblewimble

Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets

Severus Snape

Why Snape was trying not to smile Sexualizing children (Severus, Colin, Ginny) The Werewolf Prank (How Riddle’s story ressembles Snape’s stance after the “Prank”) Everybody was in their pajamas New Snape Theory? (The Dueling Club) Snape & Compliments Snape against Draco’s M word How and why would Snape be tempted to join Voldemort? My Bully made sure I never had Friends HP & CoS - Snape - Full Notes

Arthur vs Lucius or Ron vs Draco

Like father like son

Moaning Myrtle

Harassment at Hogwarts Why is Myrtle so sensitive as a ghost?

Remus Lupin

There IS hope for Remus and the other werewolves!

Percy Weasley

Percy Wealsey and CoS’ Sex Joke

Dark Magic

HP & CoS - Dark Magic

Plotholes & Incoherences

Moaning Myrtle’s Toilet Plothole Why were Wizards almost extinguished?

Faulty French Translations:

Professor McGonagall was shouting at someone Lockhart’s Valentine

#mine :) #HP1 #HP2 #HP3 #severus snape #percy weasley #draco malfoy #rubeus hagrid #moaning myrtle #remus lupin #essays #metas #masterpost #pro snape #lucius malfoy #minerva mcgonagall #ron weasley #lily evans #harry potter

[sayruq]

It annoys me how Dumbledore tells Snape that perhaps they "sort too soon". Basically imo implying that because of his actions (protecting Harry at great risk to himself) he actually belongs in Gryffindor, and that's not the case at all. Yes Snape was brave, but he is a Slytherin through and through imo, & that's not a bad thing. That being said though although there is a lot of narrative bias against Slytherin, it's not overlooked like Hufflepuff & Ravenclaws sometimes are

it annoys me too but it’s fascinating. i bet snape thinks his life went to hell when he was separated from his only friend so dumbledore was rubbing salt in his wound. snape also craves validation and praise from authority figures which includes dumbledore, who tends to withhold affection so when he does give it, it overwhelms snape and probably made him more likely to carry out dumbledore’s plans. imo ‘we sort too soon’ applies to dumbledore who is machiavellian when it comes to snape (and to smaller extent harry).

dumbledore is jkr’s mouthpiece so snape willingly putting his life on the life finally makes him worthy enough for the golden club. i don’t know how to feel about that because slytherin is very obviously the house for evil people and snape did his best to rehabilitate it (very few students joined voldemort compared to slughorn’s tenure as head of house) but the idea that he finally elevated himself so that he was now good enough for gryffindor is so interesting because he did it by protecting harry who is canonically gryffindor’s heir.

that conversation says a lot about jkr. read this post about harry potter being colonial fantasy and realise snape occupies a different spot than harry. he’s not sporty or overtly brave, he’s a spy with features that might be considered ethnic. someone many years ago (i hope @deathdaydungeon can confirm or deny) said that in the old english books (from the 19th and 20th century), there’s usually an english male character who is athletic and often pursues the affection of an english woman who has a foreign suitor, usually french or from another european country. this person has greasy hair and hooked nose, etc. if this is true then dumbledore’s quote could be read as snape transcending his otherness to become worthy of standing on the same line as the heroes.

regardless there’s some form of elitism going on and without a doubt gryffindors are considered elite since they inherit the ministry and run it the ‘right’ way.

#sorry for rambling #severus snape #albus dumbledore #cherieelenei #edited