#the humdrum eats magic

[paper-beats-writers-block]

Having very many thoughts about Simon Snow today. Tl;dr only some of Simon’s magic was his but altogether it was too much for him to hold by himself: an essay. (Things we as a fandom know about his magic but I just wanted to write it all out comprehensively)

The main reason I think Simon was so bad at magic was because he couldn’t let go of it little by little. We know from the rest of the series that spells use up magic, and it takes the caster a little while to recharge from big spells or lots of spells. And it would make sense that the only way Simon could really let go of his magic was going off. I don’t think he was conscious of it, but he was more focused on holding everything in and not going off, which made casting his spells harder, and it makes sense why his successful spells were bigger. The closest metaphor I can think of is like a balloon without a knot will only release as much air as your own pinched fingers let it, and Simon was so scared to let the balloon go off (lose all the air at once and fly all over the room) that he didn’t even let a little of the air out, so it just built up and built up continually. Like in the beginning of the book when he casts “out, out damned spot” to get the blood off his pants and it doesn’t work (because he’s “rusty” and not letting enough of his magic go to make the spell work) but “into thin air” does—for the most part, but again it’s a successful spell that works bigger than he meant it to because it made the whole road disappear. But he’s also frustrated his first spells didn’t work and that anger probably let more air out of the balloon than he meant it to hence the road disappearing completely. 

Which is also why at the end of the book he can cast without words and make things happen (magickally fabricating his wings and tail, and making himself warmer midair on the flight to the Bunces’ from Baz’s).  He’s intentionally releasing so much magic into the atmosphere at once he doesn’t need the words. This is also why the magic sharing works so well with Baz, because all Simon is doing is letting the magic go. He’s not controlling it; Baz is. 

And the whole concept of the humdrum is brilliant. Because here’s this kid that has more magic than anyone, but only because he was conceived magickally and connected to the magickal atmosphere with a series of rituals and spells. Literally in chapter 58, the mage (the fuckwad may he rest in pain) gives us a line from his Greatest Mage research saying “a magician that draws his power from the centre of the earth”. And Simon does that. That’s why the Humdrum Holes appear. The weird magickal sex ritual or whatever the hell the Mage did (and Lucy participated in) on the autumnal equinox 1996 in the tower of the White Chapel (chapter 79) literally linked their fetus to the power and magic of the earth. And Lucy gives us a line “like there’s something inside of me, and it isn’t just eating me, it’s eating everything” (Chapter 84). And it did consume her. That’s why she died after giving birth. Because it ate her magic first (she mentions not having the energy to cast anything), and then it started to consume her humanity. But it wasn’t Simon (at least imo) it was the sucking hungriness inside of him that the ritual put there from the very beginning. The humdrum was a part of Simon until Simon was powerful enough to separate himself from it, aka, the first time he went off in the care home at eleven. There were small holes that were probably from tantrums he’d had over the years, but the grotty jeans and ratted tshirt with “that infernal red ball” impression that the humdrum is personified as in the book was what came of his Nothingness metasizing when Simon came into his power. 

Final thing (sorry this got long). Chapter 82 when Simon does the magic sharing with the humdrum and gives up all his power, he feels the same control over his power as he does when he shares with Baz, but only at the beginning. Once the river flows into the humdrum and he starts to fade, Simon notices the switch from his power flowing into the humdrum to the humdrum sucking his power out. And I think the magic that flowed was the excess power trapped inside him that he was drawing from the centre of the earth, whereas the magic being sucked and pulled out of him at the end was his own; the natural power that he would have been born with if he hadn’t been conceived with a ritualistic spell. Because he still would have had a TON of power because the mage and Lucy were both powerhouses as well. 

Man I wish someone could have explained all of this to Simon before shit hit the fan. Kiddo deserved better than that. (Fuck the mage)

Thanks for sticking with me this whole time :D 

#simon snow series #snowbaz #carry on #simon snow #baz pitch #awtwb #wayward son #fuck the mage #no seriously I hate that guy more than I hate pickles #And that’s literally a ton of hate I promise you

[valeffelees]

HI HELLOO 📓 !!!!

HELLO HELLO! 🖤🖤

okkk, lemme think... OH, ok. i've got one, and i think i'm just going to have to accept the reality that i have no true "unwritten" AUs 'cause i do have a couple thousand (yes, thousand) words of this fic in a docu somewhere, but i can't even remember what the working title for it is at this point.

i think it might be "There's a Werewolve in London" or something? but really, who knows. LOL and so, yeah, the plot is about werewolves.

i'm gonna hide the rest of this under a cut tho bc turns out i don't know how to be normal about my fic ideas??? and this is just, so fucking long. like, i-would-not-blame-you-if-you-didn't-read-it fucking long.

but hey, at least i had fun! 😂

i dunno if i've already talked about this fic before? i'm nervous i have just on account of how OLD this idea is, it's one of my early early early snowbaz fic ideas bc i went through a phase where i was just, desperate for werewolf!Simon content??? but n e way, the tune of the plot goes: at the beginning of seventh year, Simon goes out on a mission and disappears without a trace, so of course the WoM has to assume the worst bc there's just no way for a magician with that much magic to blink off the map unless he's... well, yeah.

but life goes on. the Insidious Humdrum stops attacking Watford, the holes in the magickal atmosphere stop spreading, so really, what else is there to do?

Baz plays football. he studies in the library. he turns nineteen. he finishes at the top of his graduating class, wins a half-dozen academic awards, and skips the Leaver's Ball. he moves to London by himself and adopts a cat. what he doesn't do is think about Simon Snow, because he's twenty-three, and in university, and life goes on.

and then one day Baz is on his way to class and he sees a familiar mop of bronze curls and okay, fuck, sure life goes on, yadda-yadda, whatever, he knows those curls. he knows those shoulders, those freckles. he knows—

Simon Snow. older and healthier and standing there in the middle of the library, browsing fucking books. after a moment, Simon's nose flares and his head snaps up. "... Baz?"

and Baz thinks that, really, it's a bit cruel of the universe for him to still be in love with Simon Snow, even after all these years. (he thought, at least for a while, that he wasn't anymore, bc it didn't ache so deep when he thought about him) (but that was when Baz thought he was dead and Simon wasn't in front of him with his eyes and his mouth and that little pinch between his eyebrows, alive alive alive.)

Simon asks how Baz found him, and Baz says, "found implies i've been looking for you," and Simon replies, "right," and is clearly just, so fucking uncomfortable, like this boy wants to get the fuck out of there, but Baz knows that if Simon leaves now he'll never see him again, he's so fucking sure of it, so as Simon is bumbling his way through something to the tune of, "haha well funny catching up, see you around, mate—" Baz blurts out, "do you want to get coffee?"

and Simon stops, and stares at him for a minute, and looks down at the takeaway coffee cup Baz is clearly already holding, and then shoves his hands in the pouch of his hoodie and is like, "yeah, okay."

so they go for coffee, right, and Simon of course eats his body weight in pastries (but he's funny about it) (Baz doesn't comment, but he won't touch things with chocolate, with raisins, with nuts or seeds, and he doesn't actually order a coffee, or even a tea) while Baz sits across from him trying to figure out what to say, but Simon has always been the brave one and starts up with some small talk, polite things, like they're old friends or something, asking what Baz is studying, if he still plays the violin, and then strangely, "do you have a cat?" and Baz is like, "... i do. Olivia. she's orange." and Simon just nods, and keeps eating, and Baz realises Simon isn't going to be the one to bring it up so he finally asks, "Snow, where the fuck have you been?"

but Simon like, dodges the fuck out of that question, he doesn't even acknowledge it, he replies with something like, "i like these," about whatever baked good he's shoving in his face.

Baz: "Snow."

Simon: "i love pumpkin, i make a thing sometimes, like a butter. pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup. s' good."

Baz: "Snow."

Simon: "this has been nice," and then he's pushing back his chair and brushing the crumps off his lap and shrugging into his coat and he drops two ten-pound notes on the table and then he's turning to leave, he's leaving, so Baz lurches forward and grabs his sleeve and says, "Simon," and Simon stops, and takes a breath, and mumbles, "please don't ask me again. i can't say no to you, Baz. so please, don't. because i'll tell you. and i can't."

and Baz doesn't ask again. but he tells him, "the whole World of Mages thinks you're dead," and Simon replies, "i know," and looks back at him over his shoulder, "do me a favour and keep it that way."

Baz: "then let me see you again. i don't want this to be the last time."

so Simon agrees and they start meeting there, at that coffee shop, every day, the hour between Baz's morning and afternoon classes, and he doesn't ask about it again bc Simon is here, showing up, and that's fine, that's enough, he doesn't need to know, and if Simon is a little different, well, that's fine, too. and they carry on like that for a whole month, or just about, and one day they're wrapping things up and like usual Baz says, "tomorrow?" and Simon's face falls a bit as he replies, "i—can't, tomorrow. or the day after, i'm, well, i have a thing but, Tuesday?" and Baz wants to ask, but he doesn't.

"Tuesday, then."

and so—holy shit, am i still talking? i'm gonna have to add a cut to this at the top, i'm sorry. but n e way, it is by the pure chance power known as 'this is a fanfiction' that that night Baz goes out hunting later than usual. had a friend-date with a girl in one of his classes and had to stay up later than he thought to catch up on studying, so he goes out and instead of going poking through catwalks for rats and shit, he decides to take a drive so he can get his hands on something more substantial and maybe go on a bit of a walk, so now Baz is in an ambiguous Forest location and it is the middle of the night, and the weather fine, and the moon is full, and... it's very quiet.

nature is never this quiet, even around him. and that's when Baz hears it. a low, thick growl that makes every hair on his body stand, and before he can think better of it, fight or flight has him sprinting, and something is giving chase, something fast enough to keep up with a vampire, snapping at his heels, and Baz isn't stupid, but Crowley, that's just his luck, isn't it? the one time he decides to hunt in the forest at night on a full moon, there's a fucking werewolf in London. teeth catch the ankle of his jeans and Baz goes down, and instantly rolls himself onto his back and hikes his legs up to catch the wolf on the chest and hold it back from his throat, his back drags and drags and drags into the ground until he slams into a tree, and there are teeth snapping for his face, and through the dark, its eyes are sharp and bright as moonlight and narrowed to a point and blue blue blue—

and he knows that blue, like he knows the toffee-brown of its fur, the dappled pattern of spots in its coat—

"Simon?"

and it, he, stops. Simon is panting, and staring at him, and still baring those huge (fucking huge) teeth at him, and so Baz says his name again, and he blinks. and blinks again, his eyes blowing in the dark, softening, recognising him, just for a moment. and then he's gone, disappearing into the trees, the sound of his paws pounding the ground echoing in Baz's head long after he's stopped hearing them. or maybe that's his heartbeat.

Baz gets the fuck out of there as fast as he can, but he doesn't sleep that night. he stays awake until dawn, and then he's back in his car, back out at the forest, waiting. the sun comes up, and Baz almost thinks he has it wrong, but then the trees shift and Simon Snow comes stumbling out looking like he's been run over by a fucking train, he's in joggers and a zip-up hoodie, his chest is bare and so are his feet, and he doesn't notice Baz at first but when he does, he stops walking and glances behind him like he's thinking about running back into the trees (LOL), so Baz is like, "come on, Snow, i don't have all morning," and Simon does the world's most awkward monster-walk-of-shame in history, toddles the fuck up to Baz's car and gets into the passenger's seat without a word.

in the car Baz asks Simon if he remembers what happened. Simon says, "a little. m' sorry for, um—" and Baz tells him it's okay, and they don't speak again until they're pulling up outside Simon's flat where Simon opens the door, and gets out, and then stands there for a second before ducking his head back in and asking if Baz wants to come up for breakfast. "i won't be awake very long," Simon says, "but we can eat. and you can stay, if you want."

Baz, of course, does, so he follows Simon up, and this is kind of where the idea starts to fall apart and the details turn to mush, but i know Simon makes breakfast and Baz sits on the kitchen counter and lets him talk about things at his own pace, and that Simon has a roommate, an older werewolf from his pack named Drew who comes in while Simon is in the shower and tries to tear Baz in half, and prolly would've succeeded if Baz wasn't a magician, and the gist of the story from there is mostly about Simon and his pack, who've come to England from Wales to help a local pack whose youngest wolves have been going missing during the full moon, and Simon and Baz running into each other and doing their whole... thing, has really just been a chance encounter in the middle of something much bigger, and of course, now that Baz knows about it, he's hell-bent on helping.

there's also a neat scene (and actually, this is the scene that inspired the entire idea of this fic) where Simon and Baz go to the Bunces at some point and Penny is going on and on about how, "this doesn't make sense, there haven't been werewolf packs in England since the 1750s," and Simon laughs and opens her kitchen window and leans way out and cups his mouth and howls... and a minute later, a dozen voices howl back, and then he rests his elbows on the windowsill and grins over his shoulder at her and Baz and says, "turns out magicians don't know everything."

and yeah, i think i should stop talking now, but that is my werewolf!Simon fic. 😄

#I'M SORRY THIS IS SO FUCKING LONG i just really like telling people about my fanfic ideas in like excruciating fucking detail #like i am really just having the time of my life rn #*sighs heavily* i should go back to writing this fic i forgot how much i enjoyed it #(simon fucking loves being a werewolf btw) (like i don't do the whole emo monster thing) (simon likes being a wolf and having a pack sm) #n e way #ask game #imagineacoolusername

[forabeatofadrum]

Just Some Guy (2/9)

Notes: Welcome back to Matty's second year at Watford! This year, he and John will meet some new friends and I am happy to introduce them to you. They were all named by @raenestee. Thank you Raen!

AO3

--

Year 2

MATT

It’s time for another year at Watford and I already miss the summer. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind being at Watford, but I am not looking forward to classes, especially Greek.

At least John is here. He couldn’t hang out during the summer due to ‘not existing outside the main story beats’ or something. He said he’d look into it for next summer.

Look, I like John. He’s probably my best mate at the moment, but that’s because he’s my only mate. I don’t mind. I’ve met loads of people last year, but we never became friends. Now it’s time to change that. This is going to be my year!

Sports might not be it for me, though, but according to John there is a Watford Chess Club.

“I’m joining,” he says one day, “You should come along.”

“I don’t know how to play chess,” I say, “I didn’t even know you played chess.”

John shrugs.

“Learnt it over the summer ‘off-screen’,” he uses air quotes when he says that last word. I have no clue what he means. “I can teach you. Come on, it’ll be fun!”

To everyone’s surprise, I am amazing at chess. John teaches me all his tricks but after a week at chess club, I surpass him. Chess club is huge. It’s actually quite nice to be part of something. I recognise some other members from our year. We hang out at chess club, but also outside of it.

Friends. What a concept. I had friends before Watford, but living at an exclusive boarding school does put a damper on those friendships. I saw my mates during the summer, but it’s different.

We’re sitting on the Great Lawn, eating crisps and drinking soda.

“Did you all see Agatha Wellbelove at lacrosse?” Arnold says.

“Don’t start,” John says, “You have no chance.”

“No one does,” I grumble. I admit I like looking at Agatha Wellbelove too. I think every guy in our year does, except Ryan, who is gay.

As a result, Ryan rolls his eyes in an exaggerated way.

“Please, let the poor girl live!”

“That’s because you have a little crush on the Chosen One!” Leslie teases.

“I do not!” Ryan sputters back.

Scott, his roommate, snorts. “Sure, mate.”

“You did seem to be interested during Magic Words,” Sam adds.

“Well, that’s because he was fighting that Pitch guy again!” Ryan says. He has a point. The Chosen One seems to have an ongoing rivalry with the Pitch Heir.

Politics, amirite?

Others agree with Ryan as well. You cannot ignore the Chosen One. If he’s not out there leaking magic, he’s fighting our classmate Tyrannus, or he’s doing some weird shit. The other day, the Humdrum sent counting sheep. I luckily wasn’t affected, but John was. The Chosen One broke the spell on his friend and Agatha Wellbelove and for some reason that broke the entire spell.

I’m glad he saved John, but apart from that, I do not really keep track of the Chosen One’s antics. That’s what I tell my friends when Sam asks me for my opinion on him.

“Honestly, I agree,” Luis says with a shrug, “Simon Snow can do all that saviour stuff. I just want to pass the upcoming Magickal History exam.”

I almost choke on a crisp.

Shit. I completely forgot about it.

--

“Aren’t we breaking the rules?” I whisper to John. The two of us are roaming the grounds past midnight.

“It’s common decency to stay in the dorms after a certain hour,” John answers with a mischievous grin, “But there is no hard rule. Look.”

He holds out his lantern in a certain direction and I see more people sneaking around. I wonder if we’re going to a party or something. John was very vague, or more vague than usual. He just insisted that we had to go outside.

“John, where are we going?”

“Shhhh,” John stops abruptly and he pushes me behind him. I look over his shoulder and I see the Chosen One. He looks like he’s been crying and he’s walking towards Mummers House.

“Do you think he’s okay?” I ask. Unlike Ryan, I do not really pay attention to the Chosen One outside of class, but he looks harrowed. It would be an asshole move to not worry about him.

John shrugs, which is odd. He’s usually so in tune with everyone.

“I think he’s going through some shit,” John answers.

“What could he be going through?” I ask, “He’s our hero.”

John raises an eyebrow, as if I said something stupid.

“He’s still a boy, Matt. I think he’s realising that being the hero is not all fun and games.”

We watch the Chosen One walk away and he does look awful and beat up. John is right. He’s my age. I can’t imagine having the weight of the world on my shoulders and being a twelve year old at the same time.

The Chosen One.

Simon Snow.

Maybe I should stop referring to him by his title and start thinking of him by his name. We will never be friends. We pass each other in the corridor of our rooms and we know each other from classes, but that’s it. Because of that, he’s always been this elusive entity in my life. The Chosen One, the Saviour of the Magickal World, the Mage’s Heir and all that jazz.

But when I see him like this, cheeks wet from the tears, shoulders hunched, I am reminded that he’s just Simon Snow.

I heard that he’s chasing two snakes for the Mage. What kind of snakes must they be? Simon Snow really looks terrible.

When he enters the building, John and I snap out of weird concentration. We look at each other and I shrug.

John shrugs too.

What else can we do?

“Well, let’s keep going,” John says and he starts walking. Really, what else can we do? “The others are waiting.”

“What?”

That distracts me from my Simon Snow sadness.

John and I walk to the drawbridge. My friends from chess club are there as well. Luis is holding ice cream.

“Gentlemen, let’s indulge!” he says.

“What’s the occasion?” I ask.

“My twelfth birthday.”

My eyes widen, but it’s clear I’m not the only one who didn’t know this fact. Leslie throws her arms around him.

“Luis! Oh my God, congrats!”

Luis hands out his treats and the eight of us have an impromptu party. The Chosen One- I mean, Simon Snow is long forgotten. How can I care about him when I have my own life with great friends? I am so glad I joined chess club.

--

I did it!

Well, I had to bitch and moan for it, but I did it! I convinced my parents to gift me one of those fancy smartphones for my birthday. Now I can surf the internet on my phone and send memes to John in the summer. John looked into his situation and he says he exists in the summer as long as I keep messaging him, or whatever that means.

I’m just glad I have an easier way to talk to all my new friends.

Another year has gone by and we’re at our last breakfast for the school year. We’re sat relatively close to Simon Snow, and it’s noticeable. His magic is leaking, as usual, and he’s pushing scones down his throat, it’s almost grotesque. He’s eating as if he’s expecting to go hungry in summer.

Huh.

Where does he go during the summer? He’s famously an orphan. He has no family to go to. But then I see his chatty friend sit down next to him. I assume he’s going to her place in the summer.

I push any thoughts about Simon Snow out of my mind. I don’t have to see him for weeks.

#story: just some guy #holy fuck I wrote #2022 #2023 #2024 #multichaptered #carry on

[theexceptionaleccentric]

Is Hufflepuff filled like 90% by autistic students?

Sooo... my friend and I have been talking about autism and our childhood and the inflated sense of justice and loyalty that comes with it when an idea struck me.

Justice? Loyalty? Fairness? Naively kind attitude that can easily be exploited? Special connection with animals? All sounds like the traits of Hufflepuffs (and autistic people)!

And as we're both neurodivergent that idea judt seemed too nice not to share.

Autistic people value fairness and loyalty a great amount. I would even say it is one of our core values. And therefore I think the Sorting Hat would most certainly put a lot of autistic students into Hufflepuff.

We may be too awkward to speak up for ourselves, but if we witness a great (or small) injustice happening around us we sure won't be leaving that be. Autistics are also known to be naive and almost child-like in their grasp of emotions. Hate, jealousy and generally bad intentions towards people aren't really in our vocabularly, which seems pretty well suited for a House that is known for its kindness. A lot of autistics also connect with animals and have a soft spot for them which has me thinking that this would absolutely extend towards magical creatures. I mean, look at Newt Scamander!

I believe that this would also work well with the general bad stereotypes and outside perception of the House. At worst Hufflepuffs are seen as pushovers, people-pleasers and cry-babies. We are not any of that, but the social awkwardness that comes with autism, the higher likelihood to be exploited by others, meltdowns, or the possibility of feeling emotions of others too much due to hightened empathy could have others believing that.

Finally, if there is to be a place at Hogwarts that would be great to meet one's autistic needs (other than the Room of Requirement) it would be the Hufflepuff common room. Just think about it! Hufflepuff is all about comfort!

The place is all soft fabrics and soft light so ideal for sensory needs, it is in a less frequented part of the castle in the basement so removed from the everyday humdrum and noise of Hogwarts, and it is right by the kitchens. I'm absolutely certain that the Hufflepuff students would make friends with the house elfs and we could eat our comfort food for seven years straight if needed.

The final point I find funny is - unlile the other houses, our password is a series of knocks on a barrel. The knocks have to come in the right sequence, make the correct pattern of noises - and honestly what better password for autistics that a pattern, especially an auditory one?

That is all I have for now! Feel free to add anything you want to this headcanon, I just found the idea really sweet as most of my neurodivergent friends (and myself) would actually be sorted into Hufflepuff.

#hogwarts #harry potter #headcanon #hufflepuff #autism #autistic headcanon #neurodivergent

[hushed-chorus]

WIP game: I want to read literally all but will limit myself to one ask at a time: 4. The Wild Ones

Hey Lemon, and thanks for the ask! And boy, you chose the chonkiest, messiest beast of the lot and I am, frankly, delighted 😂

The Wild Ones (90% sure this will be it’s title) is a WIP with 28k already written with no further progress made since *checks last date modified* 22nd September 2022.

It’s a canon-divergence that postulates “what if Simon and the Humdrum became friends and ran away from magic, and Baz finds them two years later?” It features rave culture, squat living, and themes on class and childhood trauma.

Also, pranks. The Humdrum likes to prank.

It’s paused because I might have bitten off more than I can chew with this idea, but it just won’t let me go, sooo... Maybe one day.

The title comes from the song The Wild Ones by Suede.

Here, have an (exposiiton-heavy) excerpt!

When Snow disappeared between seventh and eighth year, the Coven went into meltdown. However would they defeat the Humdrum without their Chosen One? I shouldn’t mock - I had a slow meltdown of my own - but the Mage’s distraction left him utterly unprepared for the Visitings and my subsequent investigations. And, in all the hullabaloo, it was some time before anyone stopped panicking and started listening to Martin Bunce.

No new dead spots had opened since Snow's disappearance. Some speculated that the Humdrum and Snow finished each other off. Over time, speculation became conviction, but Bunce and I held out the longest. Bunce finally let herself mourn, but I never did. I quietly keep the faith, even as it eats me from the inside out.

But now new dead spots are being discovered. Though they’re all in remote locales, it’s getting harder to dismiss them as spots overlooked pre-Snow’s disappearance. Part of me hums at the thought, as though they may presage the return of Snow, but I try not to focus on this. Instead, I think of the summer ahead. Aside from a sojourn to Italy, I will investigate. Perhaps, through these efforts, I may take up my mother’s mantle. More people are saying that the Coven can’t function without a leader.

#wip tag game #simon snow fic

[axdently]

𝑱𝑼𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑪𝑬 𝑺𝑴𝑰𝑻𝑯, 𝑯𝑬/𝑯𝑰𝑴 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑵𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑺, 𝑫𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑴𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑫𝑬

To KYLE TODD, the whole world looks like an open page. With a leap of faith, their ability of EQUID ( HORSE ) SUMMONING grows a little stronger. They are a HORSE shade aligned to NO ONE. For TWENTY TWO years, they have survived a world of magic with both their CRAFTINESS and OVER-CONFIDENCE. They work as an INSURANCE AGENT, but if they could change their fate, they’d want to BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL FOR HIS CLONES.

─── 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒.

As the winds of change sweep through the landscape, the cadence of "Welcome to the Party" by Diplo, French Montana, Zhavia Ward, and Lil Pump seems to accompany you and your little army of Toddlings, but this is nothing compared to the times when Old Town Road by Lil Nax X pumps through the stereo speakers. The echoes of your presence multiply with the presence of your Toddlings – clones born of a serendipitous encounter with a cloning mushroom. A product of eating the wrong thing at the wrong time is what allows the miracle that is replication. Their presence lends an illusion of fatherhood, disguising the temporal intricacies of their origin. You grace State Farm as an insurance luminary, ever-willing to bestow a deal upon those in need, and your diligence fuels your work to support your toddlings. You have help–– your adopted mother, Jessie, who embarked on a flight from Sombertown alongside you when you were just 16 loans her efforts as an adopted mother to all three of the extra Toddlings ( Aged 5, 7, and 12 ) Your lexicon dances in memes, your speech a modern linguistic web of internet culture. Uninhibited in your pursuit of the extraordinary, you've etched a reputation as a maestro of audacious exploits, a quality inherently you. Yet, within the bold facade simmers a traitorous overconfidence and capriciousness, a yin to your yang. Beyond the humdrum, you revel in clubbing and treasure hunts within thrift stores, savoring the simple joys.

─── 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒.

NAME: Kyle Todd NICKNAME: Kyle, or Todd DATE OF BIRTH: November 2nd GENDER: genderqueer– doesn’t follow binary gender norms and uses any pronouns.  HEIGHT: 5’10” MARKINGS: a scar on his forehead from liquid stitches, and a couple of marks to suggest he’s once had a broken arm. TATTOOS: none PIERCINGS: he’s got a couple he takes out for work, he once had an eyebrow piercing for a couple of years, but it’s currently healed up. DECORUM: when he’s not at work it’s T-shirts from Goodwill which he un-ironically likes, socks and sandals, he also likes his denim jacket, also whatever Gabs and Ren dress him in.   SCENT: stolen samples of Kenneth Cole’s Black, Gain dryer sheets, & faint lingerings of ketchup on his fingers GOALS: To become a role model for his Toddlings, to pay Jessie back for all her kindness and generosity, and to find his twin, Annabelle FEARS: Losing his Toddlings & Imprisonment. POSITIVE TRAITS: loyal, confident, daring NEUTRAL TRAITS: deceptive, mellow, unaggressive NEGATIVE TRAITS: finicky, hubristic, over confident ZODIAC: Scorpio Sun, Leo Moon, Taurus Rising  ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil TEMPERAMENT: sanguine ELEMENT: Fire PRIMARY VICE: Greed PRIMARY VIRTUE: Humility TROPE: Big Eater, The Trickster,, The Sleight of Hand, Desperately Craves Affection, Hurricane of Puns, Hidden Depths, Adult Child, Brilliant But Lazy, Daddy AND Mommy Issues INSPIRATION: This guy & this guy.  OCCUPATION: Insurance Agent at State Farm RESIDENCE: With Jessie & Ren, depending on if Jessie needs help with the Toddlings HOBBIES:  Tennis, card tricks, chess, beatboxing, dinosaur enthusiast, video games, electronics– he used to be a part of the robotics club in High School & DnD. HABITS: chewing with his mouth open, falling asleep during any kind of lecture, pretending not to speak english to get out of speaking to people he doesn’t want to talk to, saying yo un-ironically, and calling dibs or not it for the smallest of things.

─── 𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒.

EQUID SUMMONING

The power to call forth Equids from anywhere no matter where they are to help them with a task. The user can create or summon large forces of horses to overtake an entire area and to overwhelm an enemy with vast numbers. The large force is connected through a Hive Mind. The strength of the resulting horde is associated with the very large quantity and is not necessarily reflective of any coordinated actions or tactics. Individual members of the hoard/swarm are usually treated as expendable.

VARIATION 1. EQUID COMPANIONSHIP

The users can form a powerful connection and bond with an equid companion or multiple Equids. The bond between the user and their Equid companion is so strong that nothing can drive them apart. The user either has a natural connection to Equids or is proficient in training and forming a bond with them. This ability doesn't just apply to the Horse (Equus caballus); this ability also extends to any and all other members of the Equine Family. E.G., the Donkey (Equus asinus), Mule (Equus caballus), Pony (Equus ferus caballus), and the Zebra (Equus zebra), etc. in addition to mythical members of the Equine Family such as Abadas, Alicorns, Bicorns, Carnivorous Horses, Fire Horses, Hippalectryons, Hippocampuses, Hippogriffs, Kelpies and their eviler and advanced version Each-uisge, Longmas, Pegasi, Sleipnir, Qilin, Uchchaihshravas, Unicorns, White Horses, etc. in addition to Horse-like creatures.

VARIATION 2. EQUID EMPATHY

The user can sense and/or understand the emotions of equine beings (Horses, Donkeys, Zebras, Mules, Unicorns, Pegasi and Hippocampi and others) and vice versa. This also works as Hive Mind where the herd "share" the same mind. In some cases, one person could take control of another separate body to add to the hive. Each can work autonomously, though they think the same thing at the same time. The members have little individuality, more or less they are only marionettes controlled by a puppeteer.

─── 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘.

LIAR'S LOCKET: This locket holds a small illusionary gem that Todd can use to create minor illusions. He can project images, sounds, or even mimic voices to deceive enemies or manipulate situations.

CHAMELEON CAP: This ball cap can change its appearance to match its surroundings, effectively granting Todd invisibility when he wears it. Perfect for slipping past enemies or hiding in plain sight.

INFINITE SNACK BAG: This bag always contains Todd's favorite snacks, magically replenishing itself. It serves as a source of comfort and nourishment during his adventures.

MIMIC'S COIN: A coin that can transform into an exact replica of any object it touches. It allows Todd to create decoys, forge documents, or even mimic magical items temporarily.

KETCHUP SLINGER GAUNTLETS: These gauntlets shoot streams of magical ketchup, allowing Todd to create distractions, blind opponents, or leave slippery surfaces in his wake.

DABBING CAPE OF EVASION: When Todd flips the cape dramatically while dabbing, he gains increased agility and evasion capabilities for a short duration. It helps him dodge attacks and escape tricky situations.

LUCKY RABBIT'S PAW KEYCHAIN: A keychain adorned with a rabbit's paw that brings luck to Todd when touched. It grants him advantages on skill checks and saving throws, emulating his reliance on luck and chance.

DICE OF DECEPTION: These dice allow Todd to manipulate outcomes by shaking them and willing the desired result. However, the dice have a mischievous nature and might sometimes backfire with unpredictable results.

─── 𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒.

CHARMED CONVERSATIONS: This spell allows Todd to enhance his natural charisma, making him irresistibly charming in conversation. People are more likely to open up to him, share information, or be swayed by his words.

GUILT TRIP: With this spell, Todd can amplify feelings of guilt and remorse in others. It helps him manipulate opponents or extract information by making them feel morally responsible for their actions.

POCKET PORTAL: Todd can create a small temporary portal that leads to his favorite food place. This allows him to grab a quick meal or snack, no matter where he is, which can provide comfort and sustenance during his journeys.

POCKET DIMENSION STASH: Todd can open a small pocket dimension where he can store items, allowing him to carry a vast array of supplies without the burden of weight. He can retrieve items by reaching into thin air.

EGG CONJURATION: This spell creates a delectable hard boiled egg in Todd's hand that he can use to distract enemies or offer as a gesture of peace. The egg’s smooth exterior and aroma have a calming effect on those nearby.

LUCK'S GAMBIT: With this spell, Todd can manipulate luck in his favor for a brief period. He gains advantage on rolls and can reroll any failed checks, representing his reliance on fortunate outcomes.

SIBLINGS' LINk: By casting this spell on his Toddlings, Todd establishes a mental connection with them, enabling them to communicate telepathically over short distances. It ensures they're always in sync during missions.

SPECTRAL SIBLING: Todd can summon a ghostly image of a horse to temporarily fight by his side. The spectral sibling mimics his attacks and can provide support in combat, reflecting his protective nature.

#cag: intro #cagintro #⸻ 𝒏𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉-𝒊𝒔𝒎𝒔 ; INTRO

[fatalfangirl]

Thank you everyone who has tagged me for Six Sentence Sunday, you are lovely people with lovely words. Since I do not have anything shareable today, I decided to take a page out of @captain-aralias's book and share six fic recs instead. Below we have a mix of new, not-so-new, and new-to-me:

In A Bind - NSFW - by @im-gettingby

I read this ages ago, but I recently thought of it again and realized I never recommended it. @im-gettingby writes some of my favorite smut. Their characterization is always so good and it plays into the sex of this bondage fic perfectly. The way Simon takes control is incredible hot, as is the way Baz's walls come down. Very them, extremely sexy, and worth multiple reads.

A Pint's a Pound - NSFW - by @stillmadaboutpetra

I love @stillmadaboutpetra's brain. It is a work of art. Every single fic I've read from them is 100000 out of 10, and this raunchy bakery AU is no exception. Here we have deranged pastry chef Baz, stressed baker Simon, and a downtown Watford that isn't (is) big enough for the both of them. Every chapter is like you favorite sweet covered in crack. You will hoover this shit up. Hilarious in a way that makes you say "WOW" and hot to boot. So good.

5 Days, 5 Nights, All-Inclusive - SFW - by RooBadley

What a treat, Roo is. This fic is kick-your-legs-as-you-roll-in-bed-and-squeal levels of enjoyment. Featuring the infamous singles tour of Magickal Britain, this get-together later in life fic takes us to a haunted Tesco (excuse me, Tesco Extra), crystal caves, castle ruins, and a hotel room featuring a statement bathtub. Roo's banter is so goddamn good and the development of Simon and Baz's relationship is sweet and savory. It goes down easy, so eat up.

Out Of This World - SFW - by @mostlymaudlin

I 👏 love 👏 this 👏 fic! Baz works retail and Simon is a weird (but hot) customer in this sci-fi short story that has heart and laughs and a very memorable scene involving cutting spaghetti with a butter knife. As someone who worked retail, this fic hit me with unexpected nostalgia and I pictured the entire thing taking place at the Club Monaco in my local mall. It's amazing how much story there is in only 2.5k. Quirky, cute, and perfectly titled.

How to Avoid a Scandal - SFW - by @you-remind-me-of-the-babe

Fake-dating friends-to-lovers with a side of hollywood! Baz and Simon are the stars of the hit series The World of Mages who end up in a fake relationship in order to counter the threat of a different relationship scandal. The way the fic plays with canon elements in both the main storyline and the CW-esque show is really clever, and I LOVE the celebrity element. It's fun, it's cute, it's smart, and it has the best fake ship name for snowbaz.

(Also if fake relationships are your jam - check out Unintended from @captain-aralias. Includes engagement rings, a cool family magic plot point, kisses that come with convenient excuses, and Shepard-the-wise.)

What's Left - NSFW - by @cutestkilla

This fic lives in my bones. It is one with my marrow. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself when it's over. This now the third time I've included this in my recs, but I people are sleeping on it, so I'm going to continue to scream about it in hopes more folks will bite. The plot revolves around the In(Sid)ious Humdrum and Baz teaming up to hunt down the Mage after he killed Simon at the White Chapel, and it takes us through an emotional and extremely well crafted journey that explores grief, love, guilt, and forgiveness - all served up with a side of choice pop culture nods. It is top tier. One of the best fics I've read.

And there we have it!

See you, space cowboy.

#fic rec #six sentence sunday #but not really #thank you for all you do fandom authors #these fics have helped me out on shitty days #this is getting sappy but I’m really grateful for this community

[badass-at-fandoming]

Fandom: Ikémen Revolution

Pairing: Seth Hyde x gn!Alice x Sirius Oswald

Tags: PWP, Semi-Public Sex, Threesome - Sharing is Caring

Thank you to @voltage-vixen and @xxsycamore​ for organizing this event!

As if to demonstrate his prowess with secrets, Seth doesn't give you a peep of a hint as to what your reward is for your performance the previous night. You'd been heated, flushed, fevered with effort to not cum before your partners: it had been hard work! He must have planned something.

How he planned something amongst the chaos of moving is another matter. Last night was your final one at this resort. When morning dawns, you and Seth dress in traveling clothes, munch a quick breakfast of acai bowls with paiai, re-pack your bags, and load your things into a carriage. The Army procession will travel into the mountains. Rumor reports on a hot spring, or a cold spring, or a massive crater in the earth. Either way, promises of a more relaxed schedule float in the morning's airy chatter. Hope springs eternal.

The morning turns late before you settle into the carriage with Seth. You pat the tiered lunchbox of poke for the road. "They never let us go hungry, do they?" you say, happiness filling your voice.

"Mmmhmm," Seth says, settling in the same side of the carriage as you. "But I was thinking of eating something different for lunch. 💚"

Your eyes may narrow in suspicion, but your smile widens. "Is that so?"

Someone knocks on the carriage door. Seth laughs. "There's lunch now."

Like magic, Sirius is one who opens the door. "Uh, hi, Jonah said I should ride in this carriage. I hope it's okay—oh, it's you." The Queen's neutral face of authority transforms into a genuine smile when he realizes just whose carriage he's been assigned.

"You're right on time 🎶" Seth says. "Come sit on Alice's other side."

Sirius scrunches his long body into the carriage's interior and settles on your other side. You're sandwiched between the two men. A giggle escapes at the image. This big roomy carriage, with two long cushioned seats, and you're all squished together. The lunchbox sits all alone.

Anticipation coils. Sirius taps long fingers against his knee. You're the last carriage in the entourage, and an eternity of minutes pass before the driver signals the horses to move. The carriage lurches forward and steadies into a rocking humdrum. Breath catches in your throat. No one's touched you, and your heart already hammers.

"Unbutton your trousers, Sirius," Seth says. "Alice, sit on my lap."

"Oh thank god," Sirius groans. He lifts his hips and undoes his belt with sloppy fingers. "I thought you were going to kill me, Hyde."

Seth wags a finger. "Anticipation is an important part of the process, my Queen. ⭐️"

Sirius' cock is already half-hard. Adrenaline racing, you make quick work of Seth's belt, and he frees his cock. Because you can, because it's fun, you take one cock in each hand and stroke rough and fast. Sirius jerks, and Seth bites his lip to muffle any tells.

He fails. A moan escapes. "Alice, be good."

You stand and ready yourself in the unsteady carriage, ducking your head to avoid bonking the ceiling. With as much sex as you've been having lately, you want to tell Seth he needn't bother with the lube. On the other hand, the sound of plastic ripped with teeth makes arousal spike up your spine.

You slide and sit like a monarch on Seth's cock. "You're not wearing any underwear," Seth teases. "Did you predict my plan, clever Alice?"

"Maybe," you sigh. Your inner muscles squeeze Seth, and he sucks in a breath. Pleasure embers and flares. You're filled and easy.

Seth nuzzles into your neck. You think he's going to leave a hickey, but instead he grips your knee, lifts, and tips you over onto Sirius's waist. You balance with an arm propped up and over the Queen's hip bone. Your fingers naturally drape over his inner thigh. When you dig into the meat of his leg, Sirius whines short little popping breaths.

You can't tell if Seth's body or yours held on tighter; was more desperate to keep your connection. Either way, his cock remains strong and hard inside you. He presses against your back and returns to nibbling and teething your neck. "Everyone, ha, okay?" Sirius asks.

"Good—" you start, but the carriage jolts and transforms your confirmation into a cry. This new angle hits new places inside you, and the unfamiliar feeling dizzies. Seth keeps aloft your leg, enhancing the sensation of being shared and split apart.

"Don't leave Sirius behind," Seth commands, humid breath spreading goosebumps on your wet neck. Your mind about disappears. You wrap your fingers around Sirius' cock again and rub.

The carriage bounces the cock deeper, Seth's teeth dig in; Sirius' pre-cum leaks and drips. No conscious thought in your head besides one: more. You put the cockhead in your mouth, hollow and fill your cheeks; suck the liquid down.

Little moans punctuate the air. Overboiling flesh, endless heat, the musk of masculine sex scent: these are your world now. The pace of slow, easy, endless arousal rolls deep in your stomach. Your own sex is not neglected, but the questing fingers demand in soft touches. You feel Seth's chest press against your back and the long strands of his hair tickle. Sirius must have undone his ponytail.

You hear the spit sound of kissing behind you. "Can't get enough," Seth says. "Can you?"

You whimper and burn. You throb with sweaty ache. Sirius pulses into your mouth with a shout. Seth pushes into you one more time and it's too much—you burst like a star. He pumps through waves of orgasm and past that, when it's too much and too sensitive and you writhe for mercy. He cums with Sirius muffling the sound with his own mouth.

You lay draped across your partners with heavy, boneless breath. What a good vacation.

#summer of smut #summer of smut writing challenge #summer of smut content creation challenge #ikemen series #ikemen revolution #ikerev #seth hyde #ikerev seth #sirius oswald #ikerev sirius #text post #a03

[kathyreviewsbooks]

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Rating: 4/5

Summary: Simon Snow doesn't believe that he's a good chosen one. He has defeated everything the Insidious Humdrum had sent at him but has yet to defeat the Humdrum. His roommate Baz says he's the worst chosen one there could be and maybe they're right. Half the time Simon's wand won't work or spells tend to go very literally with him. It's Simon's last year at Watford and he has a magic eating humdrum running around with his face. The worst part? His nemesis, his worst enemy, his room are Baz doesn't show up this year.

Review: Look, I'm aware that this isn't an amazing book. It's very much Drarry fanfiction and reads like it for the first few chapters. I absolutely fell in love with this book. It's not the best writing and objectively looking at it compared to the other books I've read it's not great. But it's definitely a guilty pleasure to read.

The plot moved slowed in the beginning but it picked up quickly once Baz showed up. I love Baz and Simon, they are amazing. They are the best couple. They work so well together. So many kisses, so much cuteness. I grew very attached to them and Penny made the trio complete. Penny, Simon, and Baz are the best trio. I love them so much. They made me laugh a lot and they got me through a rough night bringing up my happiness.

The plot and world development of this book is by no means perfect. There so much more that could've been done, so many plot lines that deserved more attention. This book reads very much like a Drarry fanfiction, and I loved it. I definitely recommend this book.

I recommend it because it's not perfect. It's a silly book and has a very fanfiction feeling to it. But it's amazing and definitely a book that I'm not ashamed to admit that i enjoyed

TWs: Bullying, character death, murder, paranormal creatures, racism, violence

Rep: Queer main character, gay side character/love interest

#book reviews #book tumblr #books #kathyreviewsbooks #bookish #bookworm #book reviewer #carry on #rainbow rowell

[bookish-bogwitch]

Happy Sunday! Work was too busy for me to write for a few months, but that has passed and I'm so excited to be back at it. Thank you to everyone who kept faithfully tagging me.

Under the cut, tags and a snippet from Basil Pitch's Diary, a Bridget Jones AU I'll probably start posting after Christmas. Here, seventh-year Baz is struggling with temptation. (I promise no family pets will be harmed in the making of this scene.)

*Sorry if I tagged you twice, I accidentally posted this first under @snazzlebaz, my sideblog for pretty pictures.

11:00 p.m. Cursed chocolate is staring at me from heart-shaped box. But must not consume dog blood. Is wrong.

11:02 p.m. But, is it? Dog meat is a traditional delicacy in some parts of the world. Perhaps dog-eating stigma is merely Western prejudice. 

11:10 p.m. After all, pork is taboo throughout the Middle East, yet Britons eat pigs in their millions. Pig blood is in black pudding! Is patriotic. No one cares if I drink pig’s blood.

11:13 p.m. Suppose some might care, a bit. About the vampirism.

11:15 p.m. Will just google intelligence of pigs.

11:29 p.m. Oh bloody hell. Apparently pigs use simple tools. A pig once saved a child from drowning.

11:30 p.m. Snow saved a child from drowning last year. The Humdrum sent swearwolves and one harangued a first-year right into the moat. Snow didn’t jump in—I don’t even know if he can swim—just scooped the kid out with some wild surge of magic.

11:32 p.m. Are pigs smarter than Snow? Probably. He’s a git. If it is morally acceptable to drink pig’s blood, what about Snow’s? Ha ha.

11:33 p.m. Ha.

11:49 p.m. Oh fuck. This says rats are even smarter than pigs. Rats bond with humans. Rats have self-awareness and empathy. I suck down four to six of these sages every night.

No dogs, no pigs, no rats, no Chosen Ones. What else is there? 

11:51 p.m. Worms?

Thank you @captain-aralias for giving away swearwolves on the server the other day, much appreciated.

Tagging @facewithoutheart, @palimpsessed, @martsonmars, @takitalks, @johnwgrey, @bazzybelle, @you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @fatalfangirl, @cutestkilla,  @forabeatofadrum, @ivelovedhimthroughworse, @ileadacharmedlife, @moodandmist, @urban-sith, @captain-aralias, @aristocratic-otter, @aroace-genderfluid-sheep, @artsyunderstudy, @excalisbury, @mostlymaudlin, @confused-bi-queer, @creepyspice, @otherworldsivelivedin, @whatevertheweather, @sillyunicorn, @mrskrementz, @frjsti, @shemakesmeforget, @basiltonbutliketheherb, @technetiumai, @dragoneggo, @j-nipper-95, @raenestee, @nightimedreamersworld, @foolofabookwyrm-activated

#carry on rainbow rowell #my writing #six sentence sunday #baz pitch #basil pitch's diary #bridget jones au #it's not like i'm a militant vegetarian

[my-snowbaz-shit-idk]

Something Is eating Our Magick!

The Watford Gazette

~ News for Mages of all ages and stages ~

(A/N: this is part four little mini project I did of turning the events of Carry On into newspaper articles)

A disturbing discovery shocked Magickal scientists last week. Until today there wasn't even such a thing as Magikal scientists. It all started when 23-year-old Mage Bridgette Hagertty attempted to cast an "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust" to spread the remains of her deceased dog. She found that she couldn't despite not having used any Magick that day. She says:

"As soon as I entered the place I knew something was off. It felt like an itchy dry sucking feeling. Like it was taking something- I don't know what- away from me and I'd never be whole again. I was so confused and it was so unnerving that I left right away and then I drove back to my house to scatter old Perri's ashes in my own backyard. When I tried the spell again there it worked perfectly. It was strange so I called up some of my friends and asked around. One of them knows Mitali Bunce and now here we are having the whole thing investigated and I and a lot of my friends are curious to see the results."

The place mentioned has been coined a "Dead Spot". A Place where there's no Magick, different from Quiet Zones. Plenty of Normals live in the area, but there isn't any Magick. The team analysing the spot says it seems as if there was Magick here but it's been sucked away. How or by what they don't know. Dr. Richard Manning, the head of the team investigating the incident told our reports: 

"As soon as I walked into the spot I could feel it, in fact even before we were at the exact location I could feel it. The crushing mundanity. The lack of Magick. It felt like I was being bled dry and emptied like the spot was so mundane and so desperate for something that it was going to take that something from me." It was then that Dr. Manning coined the name for the phenomenon: "The Insidious Humdrum" He continues "Because that's what it is, an insidious humdrum, a mundanity that creeps into your very soul. It was eating away at me looking for something. It was hard to stay in that place and not leave immediately. When we tried diagnostic spells they failed just as Mrs. Hagertty's had so we've had to go and do things manually which is both an annoying yet refreshing change. Either way, it is important that we document this phenomenon and learn all we can''

He is right about that. The few Mages who know about this are already in a panic. Is this an isolated incident or a prediction of more to come? Will the hole heal itself or is the Magick gone forever? And if our Magical atmosphere is growing thin what do we do to repair it? Is Magick a limited resource and if so how can we conserve it?

These are the questions that our team is investigating. Martin Bunce however has another theory.

"It's the theory of carrying capacity." He says, "Many of us will know this from Biology but the carrying capacity of an area determines the size of the population that can exist or will be tolerated there. Biological carrying capacity is an equilibrium between the availability of habitat and the number of animals of a given species the habitat can support over time. That's how it is for all species, including Mages. Magick is our resource. If there is only a set amount of Magick and a growing population of Mages the population is going to have to even out eventually. Let me say it less scientifically. What if, Magick is like fossil fuels no, not fossil fuels, like water? There is only so much accessible drinkable water on earth, but there are lots of humans so in overpopulated areas water is spread thin and sometimes runs out or dries up completely. However, water does get recycled back into the system via the water cycle. I think that that's how it is with Magick. There are too many of us using too much Magick and not enough Magick. But just like water when a Mage dies their Magick gets recycled back into the Magickal atmosphere. But back to carrying capacity. If we want to avoid levelling out our population we must expand our carrying capacity, or how much Magick is in the Magickal atmosphere. Just like how we try to tap into sources of drinking water that aren't yet considered accessible. Some who have heard my theories suggest taking Magick from lesser powerful creatures who can't speak Magick. I don't personally agree with this practice seeing as many of those beings are protected by the Magickal Species Act. Taking Magick from those creatures would effectively be killing them and the Magickal ecosystem needs them, we need them. However, it's better than some alternatives I've heard." Some of these alternatives he says include the "idea that was passed around the table was harvesting Magick from unprotected Dark Creatures, many say this would solve our dark creature problem but is Magick safe to use? There's just so much we don't know that we can't make any decisions just yet"

The proposed Magick harvesting ideas that Dr. Bunce mentioned have become popular through the Magickal academic community but many still raise questions. Is dark creature Magick really safe to use, if it is how would we even go about harvesting it? How will we know if it's safe? How will we know it isn't? What happens if it isn't safe? And more importantly, who will test it and how?

Is this ethical?

#simon snow series #simon snow trilogy #the insidious humdrum #magick #Carry On

[rofelsstuff]

Carry On (book review)

Author: Rainbow Rowell Rating: 5/5 Synopsis: In this book, we follow the story of Simon Snow who's worst Chosen One who's ever been Chosen (that was his roommate Baz said). Simon Snow was the Chosen One who was prophesied to defeat the magic-eating-monster named, the Insidious Humdrum.

Note: This is mostly me being messy because I love this book so much!

If you read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, of course you'll be familiar with the fanfic book that Catherine was writing there. This book (Carry On) is basically a story of a fictional character in another fictional book.

Okay so here goes the one word that could describe this book: AMAZING!

Rainbow Rowell didn't disappoint again with this story. My god, I don't even know where to start or where to find the words for me to describe this book. This isn't my Top 1 favorite book, but this book made me feel a LOT OF THINGS. And I won't complain!

The few pages and chapters of the book were slow paced but after Baz showed up and made his grand entrance EVERYTHING BECAME SO MUCH BETTER. He completes the book!!! (And Snow) I loved him very much. He made me love vampires again! And I love Simon! And Penelope! These characters made me laugh so hard and made me care for them so much that I did not want to finish this book at all.

I loved how Rowell made this book so fun to read and enjoyable. This is like a Drarry fanfic but so much better! (At least for me, please don't attack me). It was amazing how Rowell made this book like a similar of Harry Potter but at the same time, so different! The spells were so clever that they actually come from songs, and god, nursery rhymes! I can't count how many times I laughed at the spells.

And the SnowBaz syndrome! I wanted more! The kissing, the romance, the confessions, and the lines they throw at each other--I wanted more! I didn't expect myself to smile from ear to ear and giggle because of their cute romantic scenes! I am fangirling a lot of times because of them and will never ever complain.

“You were the sun, and I was crashing into you. I’d wake up every morning and think, ‘This will end in flames.”

I also love the ending! It was so realistic (not really realistic because it's fiction) but what happened in the end was so perfect yet so bittersweet that I don't know what to feel. But I absolutely love it. There were still many questions left unanswered, but I wouldn't mind reading the second and third book.

But if you do not like trilogy or series, you can read this book without reading the others because this book can stand alone as it is!

ANYWAY! I'm still not over this book. I am contemplating whether I will re-read this right now!

#snowbaz #book reviews #bookreview #book nerd #bookworm #book recommendations #book blog #book review #books and reading #reading #book lover

[forabeatofadrum]

Thank you @martsonmars and @you-remind-me-of-the-babe for the tag, reminding me it’s Sunday. I am here to make up for last Wednesday, when I had nothing to show. I have three things for you today!

First, six sentences from Time After Time/“damn Baz, you live like this?”. It was pretty hard to pick them, since I don’t want to spoil where the story is heading to, but I think these are vague enough:

I tilt my head and raise an eyebrow, silently asking what is going on.

“Simon?”

“I love you,” he blurts out. I can’t help it. I start to smile, even though I notice that he doesn’t smile along. In fact, he looks desperate, as if he needs to me to know that he loves me.

The full chapter will go up tomorrow, because I finished it in time! In fact, I have finished writing the fic! I can’t believe it either, because I’ve been stuck on this fic for over a damn year, but I have @facewithoutheart (and Doctor Who season 9 oop) to thank for shoving me in the right direction. I think I also know what to do with the two endings: both. I added an eleventh chapter called [REDACTED] so that I could still sort of post ending no. 2 as a separate thing from ending no. 1! Excited!

And look who’s back, back again? Klaine! I really want to participate in the Klaine Word Scramble, and a random idea came to me. I haven’t written anything else but these six sentences, so I definitely will not post the story according to the schedule, but that is okay:

Blaine is proud of his position within the community. Everyone loves his homemade scented candles. His stand is a staple in the local farmers market. 

But now a new neighbour has opened his own business. Kurt Hummel sells his handmade soaps and all of Blaine’s clients are flocking his stand. Jealousy does not look good on Blaine, but he can’t help it.

Now I just need to find a damn title.

And lastly, my dude MCD (Matt Christopher Davis) has thoughts on Simon:

I take a look at the Chosen One. He has only been part of the World of Mages for a few months, but he’s already gotten himself in a lot of trouble because of this whole Insidious Humdrum shit. He’s constantly missing classes and Miss Possibelf says he’s on missions for the Mage and the Coven.

But honestly, I don’t care. I mean, I care about the Humdrum, because that thing eats magic, but our Chosen One can be the hero who saves the day. The rest of us just lives here, you know?

Tagging @quizasvivamos @blurglesmurfklaine @coffeegleek @esperantoauthor @otherworldsivelivedin @bookish-bogwitch @caramelcoffeeaddict @sillyunicorn @wellbelesbian @artsyunderstudy @bazzybelle @dragoneggo @captain-aralias @ivelovedhimthroughworse @cutestkilla @raenestee @takitalks @urban-sith (Tumblr tried to make me tag undertale for some reason) @facewithoutheart @tea-brigade @thnxforknowingme​ @confused-bi-queer​ @tectonicduck​ (I don’t know if you write, but you always like my damn Baz stuff, so here ya go!)​

#six sentence sunday #i am... emotional #over finishing damn baz #i mean as always i will probably make some small rewrites every here and then #but the main story is def finished #as in i see it as finished #it is done #TIME TO DELVE INTO THE MCD FIC #no i jest i kinda wanna try and figure out what to do with the klaine one #i want it to have a similar vibe to the bakery fic but i have zero (0) plot points in my head so we'll see #tagged in

[cookingmywaythroughcarryon]

Magic Bars

Continuing to scrounge for recipes to add to the blog during a pandemic. There are a lot to choose from in the book but my kids demanded I make something specific that they were craving this week and it fits the theme of this blog, so here it is: Magic Bars. (I don’t even know where I got this recipe. It’s written on an index card and pasted into my dessert cookbook so it’s probably from when I was a kid.) (yes, I have a dessert cookbook. It’s one of those old photo albums with the plastic sheets you pull up to put the photos under and I put index cards or scraps of paper or recipes I've cut out of magazines or newspapers or printed off the internet.) (the plastic protects the pages from drips and messes when I cook.)

This blog is all about recreating or remixing food or mentions of things that can be eaten. Hence the sage brownies post, which was a mix of how Baz and Simon describe Penny. And the ‘blood’, which was featured in the most recent post. The Humdrum ‘eats’ magic, so this seemed a fitting recipe to add to the collection. 

“Agatha folds her arms. “but the Humdrum’s still out there eating magic, isn’t he?” Carry On, Chapter 23. 

Magic Bars: 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs (you could probably use any plain biscuit--biscoff, mcvities, whatever is available)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup salted caramel chips (you could use butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips instead or in addition!)

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (I’ve made this with regular sweetened condensed milk and coconut non-dairy sweetened condensed milk--both work well.)

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (I omitted this when I made it as I do not do well allergy-wise with nuts as of recently.)

Method: 

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside (or you can just butter the pan) (not with the butter you are saving for the recipe)

Melt the butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave. 

Remove butter from heat and stir in graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. 

Press into the bottom of the greased 9x13 pan

Evenly sprinkle the remaining ingredients one by one over the crust to form layers, beginning with the chocolate chips then the other flavor chips you have chosen, then the coconut flakes, and then lastly the nuts (if you choose to use them)

Pour the condensed milk evenly over the top and spread with a rubber spatula if needed (it got messy when I did that so I bailed)

Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes until edges are just slightly browned.

Cool completely before cutting. Store remaining pieces in an airtight container to prevent drying out. Enjoy!

Here is the recipe without the photos.

Magic Bars:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs (you could probably use any plain biscuit--biscoff, mcvities, whatever is available)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup salted caramel chips (you could use butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips instead or in addition!) (the more the merrier.) 

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (I’ve made this with regular sweetened condensed milk and coconut non-dairy sweetened condensed milk--both work well.)

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (I omitted this when I made it as I do not do well allergy-wise with nuts as of recently.)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside (or you can just butter the pan) (not with the butter you are saving for the recipe)

Melt the butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave.

Remove butter from heat and stir in graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined.

Press into the bottom of the greased 9x13 pan

Evenly sprinkle the remaining ingredients one by one over the crust to form layers, beginning with the chocolate chips then the other flavor chips you have chosen, then the coconut flakes, and then lastly the nuts (if you choose to use them)

Pour the condensed milk evenly over the top and spread with a rubber spatula if needed (it got messy when I did that so I bailed)

Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes until edges are just slightly browned.

Cool completely before cutting. Store remaining pieces in an airtight container to prevent drying out. Enjoy!

#cooking my way through carry on #the food of Carry On #carry on recipes #carry on food #magic bars #the humdrum eats magic #now so do we

[cutestkilla]

Thank you for the tags @martsonmars @facewithoutheart @you-remind-me-of-the-babe and @bookish-bogwitch. I'm so in to everything you all shared!

I'm back with more of my "the Humdrum lived and Simon didn't" story, which seems to be turning in to a Before Sunrise AU (probably more like a buddy comedy called "Baz and The Humdrum", actually) since I can only seem to write dialogue right now. And with that, I present 8 sentences of conversation.

“We’re all monsters, though, aren’t we? I think your mum was a bit of a div. What makes one creature's needs evil and murderous, and another's just wanting to have a meal, like we are right now? Killing yourself over something so random is daft. We're all just trying to live, and sometimes we need to eat each other to do that. Like, it's the circle of life, or whatever.”

“I've let you watch too many Disney films this week,” I sigh, ignoring his assault on my mother's intelligence since I think his intention was actually to make me feel better, and we've been having a nice time today. “Besides, I don't remember that monkey from The Lion King ever holding up a baby vampire or a magic annihilating parasite in the sunlight.”

Tags for @creepyspice @fatalfangirl @johnwgrey @whatevertheweather @takitalks @angelsfalling16 @technetiumai @mrskrementz @urban-sith and anyone else who wants to share!

#six sentence sunday #my writing #they're bonding

[theotherhufflepuff]

Simon Snow Trilogy Tarot Cards...

Ok so, a little while ago I saw this frankly stunning artwork by @vkelleyart and I started thinking about the Major Arcana archetypes and how characters from my favourite book series could fit into them.

So I made this list. It took a lot of thought and I’m still not 100% sure on some of them but I have explained my thought process for each card.

I don’t know how much crossover there is in the Venn diagram of “Simon Snow fans” and “tarot readers” but I’d love to hear your opinions and/or alternative suggestions (be respectful though, obviously). I’ve left “visual prompts” for most of the cards explaining what they looked like in my imagination and if anyone wants to draw any of these (or their own alternative version!) please tag me; it would make my day! I can’t draw for toffee so I am 1000% never gonna try to illustrate any of them myself.

List under the cut because it is loooong.

Spoilers ahead for the whole series!

0 The Fool - Shepard - Shepard just follows magickal creatures around and says “yes” to everything... he is the pure embodiment of the Fool archetype to me; care-free, innocent... prepared for everything and yet totally clueless. Visual prompt: Shepard about to (attempt to) step into the fog as he follows a fairy into the forest.

1 The Magician - Penelope - “Penelope Bunce is a fierce magician, I don’t mind saying” Baz, at least once in each book. Penny never worries about not having the power or words available to do whatever she wants; she is comfortable in her power and it is always there, ready to be wielded however she sees fit. Visual prompt: Penny wearing her Stevie Nicks cape, standing by a chalkboard in the classic “Magician” pose, ring clearly held aloft.

2 The High Priestess - Dr Mitali Bunce - Dr Bunce is possibly a more formidable magician than her daughter. Highly intelligent, straightforward and, let’s be honest, judgemental. But she does have all the answers. Visual prompt: Dr Bunce carrying around her laptop, phone sandwiched between her ear and her shoulder.

3 The Empress - Lucy Salisbury - Lucy exudes the nurturing, Earth Mother vibes that are central to the Empress archetype. She saw the best in everyone and all she wanted was to love Davy and live with him in their cottage with her chickens and their child. Visual prompt: Lucy, barefoot and pregnant, feeding the chickens outside of their cottage.

4 The Emperor - Lamb - This is one of the ones I’m not totally sure about. I went through a few different ideas but ultimately settled on Lamb as the “Vampire King of Las Vegas”. He is an imposing figure, ruling his city with an iron fist; if you are in his favour, Vegas is your playground, but cross him and you will suffer the consequences. Visual prompt: Lamb sits on an antique chair in his opulent suite at the Katherine, the lights of night time Vegas visible through the window behind him.

5 The Hierophant - The Mage - Again, this one took some thought and I’m sure some people will disagree with this interpretation... I’m not completely sold on it myself. The Mage was all about reforming the old traditions of the World of Mages and he amassed a following by doing so. But he turned out to be somewhat of a false prophet; abusing his power to oppress those he deemed “the enemy”. Visual prompt: The Mage in his Robin Hood costume, sitting at his desk at the top of the Weeping Tower, surrounded by his piles of banned books.

6 The Lovers - Simon and Baz - Obviously. As stated at the top of this post, I love @vkelleyart’s version of this card, but there are a lot of scenes across the series that could be used to illustrate this archetype. I personally always love to see the original “and then he kisses me” scene.

7 The Chariot - Fiona Pitch - I struggled with this one a bit and I don’t really think that this is the ideal version. But the image of Fiona, rolling up to Blackfriars bridge in her vintage sports car to rescue Baz from the Numpties really stuck with me so that’s what I went with, for lack of a better idea.

8 Strength - Ebb - Ebb is often dismissed and underestimated by other magicians but she is wicked powerful. But more than that, the Strength card is about inner strength, self control and the wisdom to know when to fight, and when to rest. Ebb is highly intuitive about the people - and goats - around her and is always careful not to talk about her twin brother, only conceding that she knows of his presence once a year and never giving in to the temptation to talk directly to him. Ebb saw the war coming and knew that she could probably end it all by herself with the power she had; but she also knew that she didn’t want that and she had the strength to say no, to eschew the expectations the rest of the World of Mages placed upon her and live quietly, instead. Visual prompt: Ebb in the hills behind the school with the goats, she wears a flower crown that the Dryad made her.

9 The Hermit - Agatha - the Hermit eschews the outside world in order to take an inner journey of self discovery, knowing that this is the only way to find real answers and achieve real growth. Agatha, jaded by the World of Mages, took herself off to California, leaving her wand at home. She didn’t know what she wanted but she knew it wasn’t magic. Visual prompt: Agatha sits on the beach at twilight by a small campfire, Lucy the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel by her side.

10 The Wheel of Fortune - The Crucible - The Crucible’s decisions, like the Wheel’s, are unpredictable and inevitable. Once it’s happened, you’re stuck with the consequences - sometimes bad (being stuck with a toff vampire who hates you) and sometimes good (getting the best room in Mummers house).

11 Justice - Natasha Grimm-Pitch - Natasha needed justice to find peace; her whole story is about justice. She was swift to act when the vampires attacked Watford, dispatching them without hesitation. When she came through the veil to find Baz and ask him to bring her murderer to justice, she knew that would also provide some closure for him, too, both for her death, and for his. Visual prompt: Natasha Grimm-Pitch appearing from beyond the veil, looking for Baz and finding Simon.

12 The Hanged One - Nicodemus - The Hanged One is about feeling stuck, but also about finding peace where you are when there’s nothing you can do about it. Nicodemus chose to cross over for eternal life, but he was stricken from the book; his (considerable) magic effectively taken from him and his fangs removed. He was stuck in between - not a full vampire, not a magician; he exists on the fringes of both communities. He got himself there and then he had to figure out how to get by, carve out a place for himself in order to survive. Visual prompt: Nicodemus sits in the tree in the garden of his mother’s house in South London, waiting for Ebb to come and sit on the empty bench beneath him.

13 Death - [scene on the Great Lawn] - Ok, so.. this might need some explaining. My immediate thought for this card was that it should be the Humdrum but Death is all about clearing out the old junk in your life that doesn’t serve you in order to make space for the new. And the Humdrum isn’t making space for anything. So I was thinking about times that has happened in the story and I thought about how the death of the Mage made room for real progress and an end to the war with the old families. Visual prompt: Penny and Baz (literally) run into a fleeing Agatha on the Great Lawn; the Weeping Tower looms in the background, the Mage and Simon visible through the blown-out stained glass windows.

14 Temperance - Simon and the Humdrum - Temperance is, as you might expect, about balance and harmony. Simon used so much magic at once that he couldn’t control it and it tore holes in the magickal atmosphere. Simon had to fill the Simon-shaped hole to restore equalibrium and stop the magickal firmament from collapsing altogether. Visual prompt: Simon kneeling in the Weeping Tower, pouring his magic into the Humdrum as he fades away.

15 The Devil - Smith Smith-Richards - The Devil is about feeling trapped by temptations in your life, often because we’re afraid of what we would do with the freedom we’d have if we let them go. Which got me thinking about Smith-Richards (that name never gets any less ridiculous) and all the magicians who were taken in by the temptation of “fixing” their magic. But it was a false promise and those magicians who narrowly escaped taking Smith-Richards’ spell were all freed from the idea of their magic being “broken” in the first place. Visual prompt: Smith-Richards (looking like the guy who would be cast to play Simon in the Netflix series) standing on a stage in the packed-out White Chapel, rapt audience hanging on his every word.

16 The Tower - The Humdrum - Originally I wanted to use the Weeping Tower for this card because the imagery is on point but the meaning doesn’t match. The Tower is about absolute destruction, the crumbling of something you thought core to your being. The Humdrum steals magic and renders magicians homeless because of it. The Tower is about having to start again from the ground up - just as the Grimms did when all the magic was drained from Hampshire. Visual prompt: The Humdrum, wearing Simon’s face, stands in the grounds of Pitch Manor, laughing. (I have always thought of the holes looking like a burn in a piece of paper - sort of glowing and smouldering at the edges as it eats away the atmosphere. I know the holes can’t actually be seen - the Normals would freak out - but that is imagery I would use here)

17 The Star - Lady Ruth’s candles - The Star is about hope and healing after the devastation of the Tower. Lady Ruth’s candles were a symbol of hope that kept her going when she thought she had lost her children. They provided comfort and, at the end when it became clear the Lucy was gone, the healing of knowing that her child had finally found his way home to his family. Visual prompt: Lady Ruth’s candles in front of a window, a bright star can be seen through the window.

18 The Moon - Agatha and Simon - So, the Moon is all about examining blurred lines between illusion and reality - nothing looks totally clear in the moonlight. It reminded me of how Simon never really seemed to have a clear view of his feelings for Agatha and what their relationship was. When he properly examined his feelings, he found that he didn’t love Agatha and was going through the motions because he thought it was what other people expected of him. Agatha was doing the same. It also brought to mind Simon, going out of his mind worrying about Baz when he was missing - as well as basically every other thought Simon ever has about Baz before Christmas Eve 2015 - and somehow mistaking it for hating him?? Simon is not stupid but sometimes he’s real dumb. Visual prompt: Agatha and Simon meet on the ramparts, both looking for Baz, and break up.

19 The Sun - Simon - This card is all about innocence, optimism and joy. Nothing about this series personifies this more than Simon flying above Shepard’s truck in America, feeling free and hopeful about the future for the first time in over a year. Visual prompt: Shepard’s truck drives through the vast empty desert, the sun beating down. Simon flies above the truck, joy on his face.

20 Judgement - Niamh and Agatha - Ok, this one was hard to figure out and this is maybe not the right solution, but I was very stuck. Judgement is about self improvement through self reflection. As a small twist on that theme; Niamh and Agatha challenge each other’s view of themselves and their interactions with the world around them. Visual prompt: Agatha and Niamh, sweating to death in Niamh’s “shitty Ford Fiesta” (I’m very salty about that line; my Ford Fiesta is lovely and it has aircon). Niamh is frowning, obviously.

21 The World - Simon, Baz, Penny and Shepard - The World is about completeness, the ending of a story, fulfilment and belonging. At the end of AWTWB, Simon has finally found his biological family, he is starting to accept that his boyfriend and his found family love him for who he is, magic or no, and he can finally start to imagine a future for himself. Baz has learned new information about his vampirism, Penny has found new confidence and Shepard is finally fully accepted into the group. Visual prompt: Baz, Penny and Shepard sit on Simon’s sofa (possibly still pink from Baz’s spell, possibly he spelled it navy blue again) Simon sits on the floor. They’re all eating leftover sandwiches and cake from Lady Ruth’s.

#carry on #carry on rainbow rowell #rainbow rowell #simon snow #simon snow trilogy #wayward son #any way the wind blows #awtwb #tarot #tarot cards #major arcana #baz pitch #Penelope Bunce #shepard love #snowbaz