#they're not afraid to just progress and do big things and bring in people as opposed to keeping things isolated until the last minute

[booasaur]

The Capture - 2x02

#thecaptureedit #the capture #rachel carey #khadija khan #ed polczynski #holliday grainger #indira varma #sam hoare #the capture 2x02 #khadija x rachel #femslash related stuff #but subtext #man so if you remember last season I was lukewarm on it at the start but then got really into it #and this season has been way better like AMAZING so far #they keep setting up typical tropes and then subverting them #they're not afraid to just progress and do big things and bring in people as opposed to keeping things isolated until the last minute #like most thrillers #unfortunately while when this ep first aired I was a bit hmm? at this scene between them and then again later #the next eps have killed off any hopes of them going There #I guess indira varma just has chemistry with all women and you can't do anything about it #probably wouldn't have given rachel a different love interest every season anyway #though speaking of which while I get the role shaun served last season in having to be mysterious enough we might think he'd done it #isaac and khadija replacing him are SOOOO much more interesting and fun

[archivalofsins]

It's probably not something many people want to hear or even attempt to internalize.

However, if the way a person engages with any media is making people actively fearful, afraid, or anxious to engage with said media that's not good. If a good deal of people's response to trial two coming to a close is like they're clocking out of a long work shift, finally getting that vacation they've been hoping for. That's not healthy or fun.

I want it to be known that if someone cannot personally handle being around others with different opinions than them, if someone is asking why these people can't just see this how they see it- It's not even an issue of Milgram not being a healthy series for them to engage in anymore. At that point being a part of big fandom spaces may not be a healthy thing for that person in general.

Look I know that throughout trial two a vocal minority of fans have made Milgram a completely horrid experience for a good deal of people. Mostly fucking twitter users. Some of which are here now and like to bring their drama with them. I don't even use the fucking thing anymore. This ceased to be just a western fan problem and turned into a global one a long time ago.

Fans on twitter to my personal memory,

Complained about other countries being allowed to vote at all stating that Milgram should only let people who live in Japan vote, the same person who said this on twitter made a poll after the end of Amane's trial to figure out if it was just western fans that wanted her innocent. Consistently gave inaccurate information about dissociative identity disorder (focused primarily upon one person's individual experience with it multiple times in various spaces). Resulting in presenting the disorder as a monolith in order to push their own theories setting back progress for the millions of people who actually have it. Literally the western audience heavily headcanoned Mu's victim as half black while making fun of her death/how she died during her second trial. Along with using racist rhetoric/dogwhistles in order to push for an innocent verdict for the girl. Made a Kazui guilty shrine. Directly incentivizing people to vote the man guilty by giving them stuff each day they did-

Bitch I'm not paid for this. Hell I would like to be- Incentivize me real quick. Honestly, since they got paid just saying where's mine? People on tumblr write elaborate theories and analysis for free. Because they genuinely enjoy the media. Twitter is the fucking platform that's telling people how they should fucking vote and trying to decide who has the right to since trial two started. Then fucking whining when their piss poor behavior doesn't get them the verdicts they want. It's so bad that eastern fans have actively sought help from western fans to combat some of these problems on multiple occassions.

There are people in the east who wanted Amane innocent and celebrated when she was innocent just like there are people in the west who wanted her guilty. Whether the fandom on twitter believes it or not. This part of the fandom is so detached from the rest of it that they only dream about knowing what the fuck we do over here. They've created a fucking echochamber. Yet the people literally going think for yourself, this is my opinion what's yours are getting the most flack because the vocal minority doesn't like the fact the logic they share makes their feelings hurt.

That in the face of the actual facts of the situations presented to us none of the prisoners look completely good or completely bad. Yet, they're definitely not looking that good either. That some of the facts directly conflict with the squeaky clean always right image they've created of the prisoner they like in their head. Then they go online and make that the issue of whoever's take they like the least that day instead of I don't know not bothering others. Then the worst part is these people whine and play victim harder than the prisoners in their interrogations as soon as consequences present themself for their behavior usually as tangible trial results in Milgram.

Because they've continually thrown these fits publically just to have the verdict they didn't want happen over and over this trial.

Pushed for Mu innocent-

Pushed for Kazui Guilty-

Pushed for Amane Guilty-

I don't even give a fuck what Twitter is pushing for with Kotoko at this point because she's pushing up daises from the bottom of hell-

By audience choice. Literally by audience choice. Fuck the only thing I've heard about Kotoko's trial from twitter was from Star about how they're once again attempting voting fraud in an attempt to get her innocent. Though even I can admit this is fucking embarrassing. This is like really fucking sad. Everything Twitter has fucking pushed for this trial has not won. Meawhile I think maybe tumblr took one loss with Haruka this trial and just vowed never again.

I think everyone can realize how fucking wild that is. Can you fucking imagine how at your wits end you would be if you kept publicly losing like this? How dejected? It's only reasonable to think why isn't anyone listening to what I have to say or how I feel in this sort of situation. Yet, at the same time some of the fans on twitter have actively alienated the other fans on there they have no fandom unity. Which makes sense given they do the shit up there. They are literally eatting eachother over there for sport.

Because it's fucking twitter. That's how it's always been.

Hell, I fucking wouldn't even know these were losses for them if they didn't announce on every verdict post on twitter that's what happened. Or even go back to the comments of Purge March where they're still complaining about Amane's innocent verdict primarily blaming you guessed it the west.

Then they want to go I'm just trying to have fun why are people so mean- Without ever asking who their fun is at the expense of. What it says when they blame everything on overseas fans, state they shouldn't be allowed to vote, and Milgram is different now. This is the platform people are letting impact their experience and encite them into bothering people on other platforms?! People who are actually just trying to have fun in a way that is unique and personal to them? This is the platform running the milgram fandom narrative?

This is what people want the history of the fandom to be when all is said and done? I don't because I know the fandom is better than this. I know it can be better than this. The worst part of trial two is the fact that we let people with no intention to understand make us believe it couldn't be better than this. People who most of the time actively sought out someone who's privately enjoying themselves in the fandom to just go "um, actually you're doing that wrong" or picked someone from the tag to have bad faith discourse with.

Newsflash nobody asked, nobody fucking asked for a Milgram referee, nobody asked who's watching the watchmen, who's guarding the guard. If anyone's fandom hobby is trying to micromanage how others engage with media they're in a different book now and they deserve to stay in it alone or with people like them. Because the only thing people who act in this way want is for others to shut up. For them to stop saying the things that make their favorite look bad and there's only one thing to respond to that with after a while.

I hope you grow up someday~

Think about what makes people who do this more entitled to having fun discussing the things they enjoy than the person(s) that they're currently behaving in this way to? What makes them different from the others that they look down on and treat as an enemy from square one. All because they read a post and decided to define whether a fan was a good or bad person based on that alone. It's not different from coming to that conclusion from just listening to a song or watching a music video really.

Plus, I promise anyone who is doing stuff like this nobody is going to magically change their mind because someone behaves this way towards them. Because the people who do this shit are usually no different from the people who do the same shit listed above. Now everyone is not like this. This is why I said the vocal minority. It's still bad that people are behaving in this manner and treating others like this regardless of how little people are doing it.

At a point the Milgram fandom globally is going to have to reckon with how the way many have treated other fans in this space has been harmful and sown division. The solution to this hostility should not have to be disavowing an entire part of the fandom on a different platform and going we don't do that shit here. However, at a point that becomes the only correct response. Because at the point the behavior being exhibited by some fans is making others feel unsafe and anxious about enjoying the things they enjoy it is only right to go-

We don't do that shit here. We don't engage with people who do that shit here. I have no respect for anyone who mistreats real people over Milgram. If people want to have fun and not have these serious discussions the door is right there go out of it. Communication is a two way street and if you come to someone else with disrespect and hostility you should expect right back. The time of having both while some have none is fucking over. People who behave in this way, whining and bitching about how we don't need nuance it's not that serious one instance just to pivot into how can you not take this seriously are disngenuous and ultimately driven by serving only theirselves.

I myself am sick of pretending like they don't fucking realize that. Because the biggest kicker here is they treat themselves like prisoners but unlike them no one is forcing them to be here or engage at all. People who enjoy anlayzing these things and asking these questions aren't forcing them to fucking do that too. So, no one who enjoys Milgram that way is responsible for the feelings of those who do not enjoy engaging with the series in that way.

Every individual is responsible for currating their own fandom experience. Anyone entitled enough to bother another person into currating their personal fandom experience around them and only saying things that they like is the one being the issue. It's probably disappointing to hear but if the ways up there are how fans want to enjoy Milgram on Twitter and I don't like that I stay away from fucking twitter. Like I said I stopped going in the milgram tag on here and I don't go on twitter either.

I'm not going to act like the tumblr part of the fandom doesn't have problems or even a lot of the same ones as twitter. It spreads misinformation as though it's fact, the fans here can be just as hostile, a lot of fans on tumblr are from twitter as well or use it too. More fans from twitter are coming to tumblr. I can't imagine why-

On tumblr I've personally been messaged some of the rudest most guilt trippy shit by multiple people in this fandom and then blocked immediately. One of the reasons I made that post explaining what grooming is by definition was because someone condescendingly direct messaged me stating I had misused the term. Then when it boiled down to it they're entire issue was simply I don't think Kotoko is that and I don't like how you're stating that she is.

If people keep making they're interpretations your responsibility that's a personal issue not a failing on you the person they happen to be taking that out on today. Because if they feel emboldened to do it once they'll do it twice- Hell, they'll do it as many times as they can get away with doing it until someone stands firm and goes I'm not engaging in this anymore if this is the behavior that brings you joy fine go have fun. However, this isn't what I want my fandom experience to be and I'd appreciate if you respected that and if you can't we just won't talk.

Engaging with your own personal interests is meant to be fun. It's meant to be honest to how you feel and what you personally believe. Anyone making you feel bad about that for no reason by centering themselves and their enjoyment first and foremost in a shared space, regardless of how understanding you want to be, is taking advantage of you. They're saying you have to pay for my fun by giving up your own and being less of yourself publicly because the way you have fun is messing up mine. That's not fair to you and anyone who wants you to respect their fun by dampening your own fucking knows that and doesn't care.

Because if they did they would respect what you enjoy as something that makes you happy first and foremost and talk to you about like a person instead of a problem. Yet if others can't do that if they can't give you the good faith back that you extend to them. You just have to cut them off at a point. Because I'm not cutting off my own hands to put a smile on a strangers face. I'm not silencing myself just so others can applaud. That's not how this works and no one should ever think it is. Fandom while it can be personalized to one's own needs is about community and no community can be good when anyone in it is being mistreated.

Sadly we can't control others the only thing we as individuals can do is try to be kind and understanding of the other fans that share this space with us. And- when people do the things above extend the benefit of the doubt say they're having a tough time and then extend consideration towards yourself and ask is this something I want to see or engage with in any capacity. That's all. The prisoners may have to go through hell by the end of this but that doesn't mean we have to make this hell on each other.

#gunsli rambles

[harurio]

guardian ep4

i just started new meds and am overcome with the need to be horizontal at all times so we're gonna watch some more guardiannnn @oneiro-nautical please lmk if the tagging gets annoying tho lol

and right away shen wei, who has clearly never done anything wrong in his life, is getting arrested. look at him. that man's never even rolled through a stop sign

'your confidence and composure reminds me of someone i know' do lao chu and shen wei have a past? i'm interested now

so is this face remover like. flaying these women? is it magic? how gory is this about to get? (edit: okay it's fine)

lmao see i thought shen wei was just really gentle and solemn, like a lan xichen type of person, but here he is bothering chief zhao smirking up a storm. maybe he's truly just a little shit. love him

look at them walking like they're attached at the hip!

look how much space this man is choosing to ignore in favor of letting his arm brush against zhao yunlan's sometimes. shen wei baby i see you

i like how the running gag so far has been situation occurs, shen wei is somehow involved, situation escalates to levels that would injure or kill a human being, shen wei is neither injured nor killed, and zhao yunlan arrives just in time to say are you okay? and shen wei just says im fine :) and you can hear chief zhao go HUH. in his head. progressively louder each time

idk if there is an equivalent of a bedside manner for interviewing suspects but zhao yunlan's is........ not great lol

poor guo changcheng. ma'am do you realize you're flirting with a whole baby

OHHHH so he's stealing the faces and she's putting them on! i see

zhu hong is gorgeous!!!

'don't you know you could get TETANUS' ohhh zhao yunlan your tough act isn't fooling nobody!! you care about him!!!!

awww ik xiao guo is a nepo baby but i'm glad he's starting to find his place on the team (edit: team quit bullying him dear god)

see this is so interesting. before watching this i thought zhao yunlan was a kind of wwx character, really lighthearted, fiercely chaotic good, and he's both those things but he's got an edge on him too. he's not afraid to be mean for the sake of efficiency. whereas i thought shen wei was very lwj, very solemn and hard to read, but he's so damn gentle and he's got such speaking eyes he really reminds me of lan xichen. so far at least

awww chu shuzhi shielded damn cat from the blast. he's just a big ol teddy bear isn't he

i love dramatic conversations held in normal tones of voice between two people facing away from each other standing at least eight feet apart in the great outdoors

ancient!yunlan NAMED HIM??? and (if i've been spoiled correctly) shen wei kept that name for ten thousand years waiting to see him again? just in case that name sparked even the ghost of a memory of their connection? STOP

AUGH

at least this episode didn't bring me perilously close to tears. though i did feel bad for that kid with the dead girlfriend and the revenge molotov. he was annoying but he had a good heart i think. it's sleepy time for me now

#guardian #liveblogging #i just keep connecting it back to the untamed because that's the other bromance cdrama i've watched. i haven't seen a lot of word of honor #but zhao yunlan does remind me a little of wang kexing #good night!

[greentrickster]

Hi!! Just dropping by to say I love your Saturation fic! It’s probably the only AA fic I repeatedly read myself, since I think your writing for the characters is so strong and in-character, and you change details that make sense/fix problematic issues (such as the Trucy panties thing) also it just has the right tone of the AA series. Usually in fanfic people it’s their own writing style, the tone of the media they’re right for can get lost, so I like how you actively try to keep AA’s wacky funny tone while also being heartwarming. It’s just. Great. Makes it really fit you know?

Also!! I find it very cool you made Phoenix and Edgeworth get together during the disbarred era, I haven’t read a large amount of AA fanfic so i don’t know if it’s common for those two to already be in a relationship in other fics, but I think it’s really interesting you made that decision! Not just with AA, in pairing fics you don’t usually have the characters get together until the end since that’s the “goal.” I see very few of fics that actually explore how the relationship changes/morphs when they actually are together. That’s usually just a thing for most couples getting together in media now that I think about it.. You have any thoughts on that?

First off, thank-you so much, I'm both honoured and flattered, thank-you! ^U^ ^///^ Hearing that I've really captured the tone of a setting and its characters always feels wonderful! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

I've never seen them get together/be together in the disbarment era during a fic in quite the way I'm doing it - that's honestly a big part of why I am doing it as I am. Like... if AO3's a potluck, then I tend to devour all the yummy stuff everyone else has made, then try and cook any dishes I'm craving but no one else has made myself.

Except in this case I thought I was making a nice spaghetti dinner and discovered too late that I was, in fact, making an entire banquet and also desert.

Such is life.

In regards to Phoenix and Miles getting together and it not being the end of the fic... it could just be me being an aromantic (which I am), but I generally don't find 'they get together and then the story ends' stories very satisfying for long-form stories. Like... I can enjoy it in movies, but once we start getting past the hour and a half mark the snail in my ear shouting "NOW KISS" gets progressively louder.

Also, I just like seeing the post get-together relationship grow and develop! I've been cheering for these characters to become a couple, I want to see them actually get to be a couple, you know? It's more fun that way, a much more satisfying pay-off! And it's fun getting to follow them on their path, see how they relate to each other, how this shifts things in other aspects of their lives - it's really great! One of my favorite manga is called Otomen, it's eighteen volumes long, and the main couple get together for realsies in volume two. It's a series with its flaws, they all are, but dang is it a satisfying read in regards to their relationship and getting to watch these two grow up and grow closer together as they learn more about themselves and each other! This is my jam, I absolutely in no way want to ever date or be in a queer platonic relationship with anyone else (though I do have a BFF whom I love dearly), but I adore reading about other people being in love and enjoying being in love; makes me happy to see happy couples in real life, too!

As to why I personally think mainstream media doesn't tend to do this, honestly? Cowardice. Not because they're afraid to try new things (we've had some awesome shows recently that some fantastic creators have worked so hard to bring us), but because 'will they won't they' story lines historically sell, and sell well, and it's an easy way to get people tuning in week after week. I think a lot of people who call the shots and do the marketing research for shows believe that, if given the satisfaction of seeing their ship get together (or get together and be happy), then they'll stop watching or tuning in, because they've gotten what they wanted and don't need to watch anymore. They're afraid that giving the viewers any lasting satisfaction will cause them to lose interest in a show. I could be wrong, I'm in no ways an expert on this stuff, but this is the general vibe I've gotten over the years.

Anyways, thank-you again, I'm really happy to hear that you're enjoying my fic so much! ^_^ <3

#ask #anon #aa saturation #I am small and full of opinions

[mlobsters]

supernatural s13e1 lost and found (w. andrew dabb)

metallica's nothing else matters for the road so far recap? mmmk. i loved the black album.* it's in my big playlist right now! and nothing else matters was very teen angst sad boy shit appropriate for me (album came out when i was 11 and i remember it featuring at middle school dances) but this song is way too downtempo for the clips/editing as it progresses before we get to the loud parts. weird choice. and maybe shows do this all the time and it's not with songs i know well enough to notice, but splitting the song up midway through is very jarring. i get cutting down the long instrumental intro, but segueing into lyrics differently? buh. stranger things did it with atmosphere by joy division and it wasn't terrible, but noticeable. but the scene/song combo was so impactful to me i didn't care because i was a mess

the overriding theme here with this song and clip selection is like 🚨FAMILY 🚨okay bro, i get it. calm down. is this why i see people harping on how the show is about family, not just sam and dean? is this gonna be A Thing? or am i projecting? both?? i have literally nothing else i might want do if i don't watch this. but i also don't really want to watch this. sigh.

and now i'm all distracted by them using some new fancy filming technique while they're driving where they're being paced and we're seeing the conversation from the outside and it was cool at first but it keeps going and now i'm just too busy trying to figure out where the camera is and where it's going and getting vaguely dizzy.

i get what and why they're doing this thing with jack being at the station with the sheriff but also. im tired

all right. this also reminds me of hmm. combo leo in titanic and ...josh hartnett in pearl harbor?? o.0

glad sam is totally freaked out and afraid of jack, as he should be

JACK (still fondling the wall) Lucifer? No, that's not his name. My father is Castiel.

LOL transcriber! fondling?? how about touching. anyway. papa castiel it is

MIRIAM I don't know what he's told you. I mean, I can guess. Some line about how he and his brother… (deepens voice) save the world. Grr. So macho. (she sighs and speaks in her normal voice) But really, he's not a hero. He's Becky. DEAN Becky? The roommate Becky? MIRIAM You take things and break things and piss people off, and just do whatever you want, no matter who it hurts. Also, you're a giant super bitch. DEAN Well, it takes one to know one. MIRIAM So, yeah, you're Becky, and Becky needs to die.

really odd choice to go with becky for this whole story business, unless they're invoking the actual becky from the show it's just confusing. i really hope it's not show-becky.

i think these are the angels that were in the script in 12x23? got 'em in now, i guess. so i thought carver was around for s12 but apparently it switched to dabb/singer as showrunners that season

....why did the angel just stab the sheriff's kid...? i know they're generally not big on humans but stabbing one for no real reason other than some distraction seems a bit excessive.

MIRIAM: Oh, sweetie. Almost anything. Castiel, he's dead. All the way dead, because of you.

rolling my eyes. that's a reach to try to induce a guilt trip

conveniently got confirmation that jack can't be killed easily, as expected being how they talk him up like he's more powerful than anything basically for whatever reason

DEAN Okay, Chuck… or God, or whatever. I need your help. See, you– you left us. You left us. You went off. You said… You said the earth would be fine because it had me… and it had Sam, but it’s not, and we’re not. We’ve lost everything. And now you’re gonna bring him back. Okay? You’re gonna bring back Cas, you’re gonna bring back Mom, you’re gonna bring ‘em all back. All of ‘em. Even Crowley. ’Cause after everything that you’ve done, you owe us, you son of a bitch. So you get your ass down here and you make this right, right here and right now.

being a cynical asshole but ok scenic backdrop for this praying to chuck that he could have done in the car. and he's giving my kids when they want something. need some foot stomping. punch something and risk breaking your hand instead, good choice

i think there's a handful of reasons** but i have never emotionally connected with cas and this... angsting and preparing to burn him and all, knowing that it's all going to be walked back at some point, it's just frustrating and exhausting. and now we're mourning cas, kelly, mom, crowley....

i didn't want to be sitting and stewing over pondering the logistics of how cas comes backs so i went and looked it up. and um, okay. i'm sure i'll have some thoughts about when it rolls around.

well, suffice it to say, i didn't particularly enjoy this episode. and had surprisingly little (for me) to say about it.

**his characterization that seems to change week to week is part of it and how the show talked up his relationship with the boys but didn't match up to what they were showing us for seasons on end. and unfortunately, how some sectors of fandom are about him also i think has an effect. which is a bummer all the way around

*oh james. i do enjoy your voice. i saw them live once or twice i think, but i don't really remember it. it was in the days of the album with the blood and jizz on the cover, which people didn't like. the songs or the jizz, i think

according to wikipedia, james also didn't like the blood and jizz artwork, and says homophobic shit in his explanation. great!

#supernatural #spnwatch #spn 13x01 #spnwhinge #andrew dabb

[bookwyrminspiration]

Why do you think that everyone was upset that Sophie burned the warehouse down? I understand that they are afraid of the retaliations that the Neverseen might resort to, like burning down some of their important buildings, but something had to be done. The Neverseen and the Black Swan were stuck at a standstill for years, so if anything, this accelerates the conflict and will bring then one step closer to a desired end. I notice that the Black Swan want the Neverseen to be defeated but they never put in any actual effort to do this. They never give Sophie any actual direction and expect her to just know these things. It seems hypothetical that they are upset at Sophie for doing this when it will most likely help them solve their issues.

Based on how I interpreted everyone's reaction, I think a big part of it hinges on the offensive vs defensive point that Tiergan makes (p. 727). For the most part, the Black Swan haven't openly and intentionally attacked the Neverseen; the Neverseen have openly attacked them on numerous occassions, and they have then defended themselves from that.

The Black Swan views themselves as morally superior to the Neverseen. They're fighting for good, they have morally pure intentions. They do the best they can for the best reasons they can. But to them Sophie burning down the warehouse is a move that feels like the Neverseen. It shows a shift away from trying to be good towards trying to be productive regardless of the means. It's something their enemies wouldn't hesitate to do, and they had a sense of superiority knowing they were "above" that.

I think that's what is making a lot of her friends and family uncomfortable. They associate that kind of thinking and an action like that with the Neverseen, but it coming from Sophie. It shows a split in their thinking they never anticipated and they don't know how to respond.

Another aspect may be how this action reminds everyone that Sophie wasn't actually raised like them. She's part of the group and they're all relatively close, but she isn't like them. They forgot that. She's physically elven, but mentally still very human. She was made to bring a new perspective and is now putting that perspective into action, and it's an obvious change/difference that the people around her weren't ready to be comfortable with.

We can see in Mr. Forkle's reaction that he supports her and agrees with her (one of my favorite Forkle moments), and he was the one who told her she was meant to be a new perspective. Everyone else has their own hopes for her, but no one else has as expressly shared how they hoped for something new. So I think everyone else had different hopes for her--ones that may align with more elven thinking--and that's why they're disappointed/shocked by her actions. It was Mr. Forkle who had the "something new" hope, not them.

That's at least my interpretation of it! Sophie reminded them of the Neverseen, reminded them she's more human in thinking, and is defying the doing things the "right" way method we've seen a lot of. Even if she's making more progress, it unsettles them how she's doing it.

#kotlc #keeper of the lost cities #quil's queries #thepinkdove #the black swan feel very 'do it the right way or not at all' in methodology #and sophie is more 'get it done however you can' #within limits #i don't think she'll go around committing murder. but burning down a storehouse? who cares about whether it's right #it's productive #does that distinction make sense? #her perspective is one that isn't used to time #while the black swan are used to infinite amounts of time for things to happen. so they can wait to do things right

[wild-aloof-rebel]

Do you ever look back at things you've written and think you're never going to write something as good as that ever again? (I mean, not in a self-absorbed way, obviously.) I've been in a rut for 6+ months now and I find myself thinking that often. I'm afraid to even finish things because I feel like people will be able to tell I've been struggling.

you are definitely not alone in that feeling. ruts and i are intimately acquainted, and i'm sure most other writers would say the same. we pretty much all go through them at some point or another.

the first thing i would say though is that if you manage to push through it and publish something, most people probably can't tell that you've been struggling (unless you tell them, of course). and, presuming we're talking about fic writing at least, the rare few who might actually notice on their own aren't going to comment on it. because the thing is that people have to be pretty big fans of your writing if they're going to be familiar enough with it to notice that it's vaguely different rn. and people who are that invested in your work are just going to be excited for more of it, in whatever shape it takes.

the second thing i would offer is just a reminder to be kind to yourself. writing is hard. even on the best days, when you care about it, as you obviously do, it still requires a lot of your time and energy, and we don't always have those things available in the combination required to produce our best work. maybe work sucks right now. maybe you've had a shake-up in your personal life. maybe it's just the state of the world, or it's all of the above, or maybe there's no reason you can identify at all. either way, our circumstances and moods shift all the time, and our ability to create shifts with them.

when we write, we give over pieces of ourselves to the process, and sometimes you just don't have any pieces to give, for whatever reason, and that's totally okay. you don't need to beat yourself up over that. it's okay to step back and say i can't do this right now. this is supposed to be something you do for fun, and if it's not fun—if it's making you feel worse than not doing it does—it's more than okay to put it on pause and do other things for a while. 

it's also okay to say i'm gonna keep doing it anyway, but it kinda sucks. progress is still progress, even when you know you're going to have to do a lot of editing and rewriting later. every word is still bringing you closer to a completed project, even the ones you might delete later. 

and it's also okay to say i know this isn't my best work, but i'm publishing it anyway because sometimes we just need to let things go. sure, maybe if you sit on it for another [x amount of time] and come back to it, you might be able to make it better, but sometimes good enough is fucking good enough. obviously there's a lot of really excellent fic out there, and i certainly understand the need to feel like you're doing good work. but at the same time, it's also "just" fic, by which i mean, not everything you write has to be a nobel-caliber literary masterpiece. sometimes it's just about getting the idea out there and moving on.

we all want to put out our best work, but our best work looks different every single day. maybe your best right now doesn't look the same as it did six months ago, but that doesn't make you any less of a writer. and whatever you publish, whenever you feel ready, whether it's because you've busted out of your rut or just decided to let your work be less than perfect, you will have an audience happy to read it. 💗💗💗

#anon #replies #writing #long post #about writing

[ordinaryschmuck]

What I Thought About "Eda's Requiem" from The Owl House

Salutations, random people on the internet who certainly won’t read this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.

...

...

...HOW IS SEASON TWO SO GOOD?! WE'VE HAD SEVEN EPISODES SO FAR, AND EACH ONE OF THEM WAS A HIT!

Take "Eda's Requiem," for example. It's yet another episode where I have NOTHING bad to say about it! That's two weeks in a row where that happened! HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?!

HOW!

HOW!

...But anyways, "Eda's Requiem." It's another fantastic episode, and I'm about to dive into explaining how and why. Just keep in mind, it's gonna require spoilers to do so, so be wary of that as you keep reading.

Now, let's review, shall we?

WHAT I LIKED

Eda’s Checklist and Grom Photo: Within the first second, "Eda's Requiem" perfectly sets up Eda's central conflict in the episode. Despite spending years being on her own and looking after herself, she now has two kids that she's constantly caring over. Eda can try all she wants to say that she doesn't care, and I bet she has in the past. But given the hard work she's putting into getting King and Luz what they need and having a grom photo of the three of them together pinned in her mirror, it's pretty clear that those two knuckleheads wormed their way into her heart and are never getting out.

Eda’s Worried About King and Luz Leaving: And thus, that's precisely why something like this bothers her so much. Eda inadvertently adopted two rambunctious rapscallions (Yeah, I know. I'll get to it), so the idea of them not being around her anymore is going to be terrifying. That is a situation most parents, especially mothers, can identify with. It’s called empty nest syndrome and it proves just how much Eda loves Luz and King that she can't stand the thought of her babies leaving the nest. It's yet another well-made, wholesome, found-family moment that this series continues to excel at each week, making me extra excited for more like it to come...while also readying myself for heartbreak when one of them eventually does leave Eda.

Eda and Raine’s Music: Ok, I don't know the exact instruments that were played during this episode, but I also don't care because it was all (for lack of a better term) music to my ears. Every time Eda and Raine played resulted in melodies that are so beautiful and filled with so much emotion and feeling that I'm honestly tempted to listen to them again, multiple times, on repeat. Shows rarely do that for me, as background music doesn't always draw me in as much as lyrical songs do. Usually, it takes something so extraordinarily composed to give me the desire to listen again, and that's the case here. So huge congrats to Brad Breek for doing so. Seriously, the man's been killing it this season.

Eda’s Bard Magic Causing Things to Turn to Ash: This was assuredly a surprise side-effect of the curse. The fact that Eda can sort of do magic at all was its own shock. To then reveal that a specific type can do dangerous things to people and environments is...Well, it definitely brings up its own fair share of questions. Like, how can she do this? Will she do it again, one day? And are there other types of spells that can be negatively affected by Eda's curse? We don't get answers for any of these questions, and odds are, we never will. But that's alright with me. Because if a show makes me consider these many possibilities after a brief amount of time, it is a show that has to be doing something right. Even if I don't get the answers I want, the fact that it caused such a reaction makes me less willing to care.

Raine Whispers: Hey, would you look at that. Another fun, interesting, and compelling character added to the list of this shows' other fun, interesting, and compelling characters...how is this series so good at this!?

Joking aside, Raine's pretty good. I like Raine. They could have been this super serious leader who lost all their fun after years apart from Eda, but I'm glad that they're not. There are moments when Raine takes their job as leader of the BATs seriously, as one would, but I still prefer the fact that they kept a jovial nature despite how grim their situation is. It's an admirable trait to have, and it avoids the trope of making leader characters boring just because they're the ones who have to take things seriously.

Oh, and also, Raine's Disney's first non-binary character who has a stake in the plot. This is a tremendous deal, as you don't usually see that many non-binary characters in children's animation, let alone ones that hold importance to the story. So it's pretty cool for the writers to feature Raine, as it helps several kids feel as though they're finally seen and respected. And the fact that Disney of all companies gave the thumbs up is even more impressive. I hear people say that Dana Terrace should have pitched The Owl House to more progressive networks to avoid pushback, and while I absolutely see your point, I'll have to respectfully disagree. Disney is the largest entertainment industry of all time, so if you want to make LGBTQA+ representation normalized, you gotta stop making splashes and start making waves. Because if the same company that made three racist cats in the span of a few years manages to say that being gay is a-ok, then you know there's something wrong with you. Yes, Disney ended up screwing over the show anyway. But for that one moment, when kids felt pride after seeing a character like Raine, then, in the end, it's kind of worth it.

Also, if you're still having issues with more representation like this popping up in kids' shows, then allow me to redirect you to the complaint department.

...I made that post earlier today for this bit. YOU HAVE BETTER APPRECIATED IT!

Day of Unity is meant to be a Secret: At least, that's what I got when Raine stumbled over their own words. So if it's true, then I wonder why? Why does Belos want to keep the most critical change in the Boiling Isles a secret? Does he want to make it a surprise for his grateful subjects, or does he not want to spread worry and fear amongst the wild witches? It has to be something big if he doesn't want his followers to even say the words "Day of Unity." Whatever reason he has, we most likely won't know until the future. A future that I grow more and more afraid of each week.

Hooty Eating Echo Mouse: My heart sank in that brief moment when I thought that Hooty intensely screwed Luz over in getting back home. But looking back...it is pretty funny.

Just the suddenness of Hooty eating the poor creature that Luz desperately tried to earn its trust is priceless in how shocking it was. And also, Luz's expression.

That was the look of a young girl who immediately shoved her hand down an owl demon's throat the second the scene cut away. The Owl House may not always be a hit in the comedy department, but scenes like this prove that when it's funny, it is hilarious.

Luz and King Entering the Grand Prix: Not much to discuss here. It's just a cute subplot that adds frivolity to the intensity of what's going on through Eda and Raine's story. But I will say that I love how both stories occasionally interconnect with each other through the many moments of Eda being worried about King wanting to leave to find his father and avoiding any conversation about it. It helps both plotlines feel like they belong together, without being something like "Through the Looking Glass Ruins," whereas both stories could have been in their own episode. Which is neat.

How Bard Magic Works: I really love how this season is diving into how the other magic types work. More specifically, the ones that seem a little vague. I mean, stuff like healing, potions, and plants are easy to figure out, but what does it mean when a witch's talents are construction, beast keeping, and bard magic? We've been getting a lot of clearing up lately, with bard magic looking like a witch can control their environments and enemies through the power of music. Which is fair. Music is pretty powerful in the metaphorical sense, and I actually love that it's powerful in the literal sense when in the Boiling Isles.

The BATs: Not much to comment on these three either. The BATs have the potential to have an entertaining dynamic, but they do very little in this episode that I can't say much other than I hope they make a return in the future. But I will make this claim: Amber is my favorite. I'm sorry, but her screaming "You're not our mom!" to then go, "Bye, mommy Eda" is just too precious for me not to love.

I'm a simple man who falls for cute s**t. Leave me alone.

Raeda (RainexEda): Well, EdaxCamila, you were a fun crack ship while it lasted, but I'm afraid that this is now goodbye. The current canon has provided an incredibly adorable and believable relationship that I would be a monster not to support with my whole bi-heart. It's been real.

Ok, back in serious mode: I love these two together. Eda and Raine are grown-ups, and they still act all flustered near each other as if they were still Luz and Amity's age. It's definitive proof that you're never too old to get flustered near a crush, and seeing them interact adds a sense of wholesomeness when seeing them together as well as heartbreak when they're forced apart. Plus, we get confirmation that Eda's LGBTQA+! Whether she's bi, pan, or whatever, now that we know Eda can catch feelings for someone like Raine, it's yet another case that The Owl House is the most important series to the community. Because having the main character be queer is fantastic in its own right. But having the same apply to the motherly mentor figure? That's is an extra bit of normalization that anybody would be willing to appreciate.

Unique Guard Designs: Not many fans are going to appreciate this, primarily compared to everything else this episode does perfectly. For me, I actually like that you see a few Coven Guards looking differently from the others, as it helps make them less like clones and makes it seem like anybody of any body type could be a part of the coven.

Gus Looking Uninterested when Presenting Grand Prix with his Dad: I am positive that you didn't notice this (I didn't even notice it until someone else pointed it out), but there's something to dissect here. It hints that perhaps Gus isn't as interested in his father's field of work as one might think. If he did, he would look a lot less bored and much more excited to be helping Perry Porter present the race. It could just be the race itself, but judging from Gus' expression, it really seems like the kid would prefer to be anywhere but there. And why would he have that reaction to a race that his best friend is competing in? To me, this seems like an inkling of what Gus' relationship with Perry could be, which may not actually get time to shine, what with how little wiggle room the series has now (Thanks Disney). Regardless, it is interesting to notice, and it will certainly have fans thinking for a while.

Bump Being Smug of Luz Being in the Lead: That's it. Principal Bump looking smug as his human student is beating the students of his rivals is yet another moment that proves why Bump is easily the best cartoon principal.

Darius: First of all, this guy is f**king fabulous, and I love him. *Snaps*

Second, he is definitive proof that you do NOT want to f**k around with Coven Leaders. Lilith may have had her intimidating moments, but none of them compare to the guy who can turn himself into an abomination monster where only magic that hasn't existed before can take him down. It's genuinely scary to see Darius lose control, and I fear for the day when Luz inevitably ends up in his crosshairs.

With that said, Darius' still a ton of fun! He may be threatening, but he's just a flamboyant guy that hates the idea of getting his outfit the tiniest bit dirty. And I love that. I love that these Coven Heads have actual personalities instead of being generically evil. I consider it preferable to make villains entertaining rather than blatantly scary as I'll remember the personalities first and the villainous acts last.

Eberwolf: But this one's my favorite. I told you: I'm a simple man who gets easily swayed by cute s**t. And Eber? I mean, just look at her:

She's just a cute widdle rascal! I just want to pinch her cheeks, give her a belly rub, and--

...Eberwolf is not a cute widdle rascal. She is a strong, independent woman, and I will respect her as such from this moment forward...lest I feel her wrath.

That is all. Let's move on.

Eda and Raine Attempting a Final Performance: This was the best scene of the episode. It looked gorgeous, it shows the dedication Eda and Raine have for stopping Belos, and it says so much through so little. Go back and look at how Eda and Raine regard one another when performing Eda's requiem. Through their expressions and a few short words, you know they understand that if they complete the song/spell, they probably won't make it in the end. And yet, they don't care. They both know bad stuff will happen if Belos wins, so Eda and Raine put everything to the side, both their feelings for one another and the people they leave behind if it means putting an end to a tyrant. That level of dedication...Words can't fully describe how powerful that is.

Raine Sacrificing Themselves Instead: But in the end, Raine can't do it. Not when they know the life that Eda has and the people she'll be leaving behind. It's an extra bit of nobleness to the character seeing that Raine refuses to take away a woman from two kids who need her the most. A tad bit selfish, sure, knowing what Belos has planned. But when it comes to love, the romantic, familial, or platonic, the best decisions aren't always the logical ones.

Eda Crying: Luz crying tears me up, but seeing Eda cry is a whole different level of heartbreak. Like Lilith, Eda has her emotions locked up tight, with the closest she came to weeping were those two tears in "Young Blood, Old Souls." In "Eda's Requiem," she cries but almost quickly stops herself. As if she knows that doing so isn't going to save Raine. That is...even worse than seeing Luz break down after losing Eda. The fact that Eda refuses to give herself time to mourn losing someone she loved is tragic because crying is the most natural way of showing grief. Turning that off isn't healthy, and seeing her do it with little resistance is sad to me. It's sad to see a character I love can easily shut off all emotions despite how badly she may want to embrace them. It's one of those moments that, again, by doing so little, it shows so much.

“No one watches Crystal Balls anymore. It’s all about streaming.”: Oof. Even I felt that burn towards cable.

King’s Message: King's message was the pick-me-up I needed after the heart-wrenching sadness this episode put me through a few minutes ago. Seeing King say who he is and listing all the things he loves is nothing short of adorable. On top of that, I adore that Eda willingly recorded the whole thing. She may not want King to leave, but that doesn't mean she'll sabotage the one thing he wants. Especially not after Raine gave up everything so Eda could be with her kids. The opening scene may prove how much Eda cares about a rascal like King, but this heartwarmingly sweet moment reveals just how far she'll go to make him happy.

King’s Dad Reveal: ...ok, I'll be honest, I did not think we'd get that reveal this soon. Dumb of me to say, considering the number of times I've said that these writers don't waste time getting to the s**t, I know. But still, it's pretty cool knowing that King's dad is alive and well, added with the fact that we've got a fair idea of what he looks like. At this point, it's only a matter of time before we see him figure out where the Clawthorne residence is and witness the tear-jerking moments that will follow.

King Changing his Name to King Clawthorne: Not the official adoption I was expecting Eda to make...but DANG IT, is it still diabetes-inducing levels of sweetness!

Personally, I feel like the main reason why Eda breaks down this time is not only because she shouldn't be worried about King leaving her life, but also because Raine's sacrifice wasn't in vain. Her kids really do need Eda because no matter how far apart they'll be, she will always be a part of their life...dang it, I'm going to cry too!

What those Coven patches really do: Well...that was horrifying to see.

...Writers, if you kill off the best non-binary character in animation (it's a short list, I know), we are going to have PROBLEMS!

IN CONCLUSION

"Eda's Requiem" is--surprise surprise--another A+. The emotions hit hard, the representation hits harder, Raine is a fantastic addition to the cast, and it was all surprisingly cute at times. Season Two is currently on a hot streak, constantly winning with every episode that's come out so far. When a bad episode does eventually show up (IT'S GONNA HAPPEN!), I'll be sure to sing my requiem then. For now, I'm just gonna enjoy the ride.

#the owl house #the owl house season 2 #the owl house reviews #eda clawthorne #raine whispers #raeda #king of demons #toh darius #toh eberwolf #what i thought about

[gastersans]

I'm not sure if this message will get to you because apparently either the Tumblr itself is eating messages I send to people or they prefer to delete them without an answer for some reason but...anyway.

I guess I wanted to initially say "hello, how have you been in these past few years we haven't talked?" but it felt...wrong. I apologise for such a shitty beginning, and wording itself, I'm not exactly best with reconnecting with people from the past without feeling out of place. I'm writing this anonymously for several reasons, one of which being that I do not wish for our common "acquaintances" to find me. Initially, you might not remember me at all (which might be the best thing tbh), but I was a part of a skelefamily of your Discord server more than 5 years ago and used to partake in our little group of friends almost daily until a conflict brew and I had to leave. I do regret my past actions and behaviour that led me to lose so many friends and disconnect completely from the gang, but at the same time I guess it was for the best that I've been forgotten.

The reason why I decided to message you again after so many years is because I found one of your fanfics and I had to do a double take to actually realise it was -really- you. It felt...nostalgic reading through the work and remembering the past conversations we had once.

I love your works, they're comforting in their own way and bring joy to the lonely evenings when depression takes hold. You're an amazing writer and while it may sound as a weird praise coming from someone from the past but I'm being absolutely sincere here. Thank you for everything you do, for everything you will do in the future. It will be a lie to say I didn't miss you and your company but...I wish you all the best, truly. You're a great person Ali and I wish I could be as great as you one day.

I apologise for such immense message. I wish I could say so much more but I'm afraid I already overstayed my welcome.

Stay safe and I hope you're safe and loved in these hard times.

Aw, hey there!

I can’t say I’m sure of who this might be (as with any group of strangers getting together, conflicts happen, so it certainly occurred from time to time), but I’m glad you reached out!

Being that I’m not sure of who this is, I can’t really speak to what happened (and to be transparent, I myself had very little (if any?) conflict with anyone I can recall). That being said, whatever it was, it sounds like you’ve reflected and changed, and I think that’s radical! I hope you’ve been kind to yourself; every human on this earth makes mistakes—the most important thing is what we do after the mistake, so I hope you take the time to be proud of the progress you’ve made.

Oh jeeze, that’s incredibly kind of you to say all that about my fics, and that sincerely means more than you know! I say that a lot to the comments on my work, but truly—the idea that my silly fics could help anyone (even for a moment in the smallest of ways) is the reason I have any drive to write in the first place. So, sincerely, thank you.

That’s also nice of you to say I’m great, but I’m certain you’re great yourself! We’re all just small creatures doing their best in a great big universe, and the amount of good you do in this world is probably more than you’ll ever know. And also—once a skelefam always a skelefam! Even if that means something a bit different now.

Thank you again for reading my fics and taking the time to reach out! If there’s anything you’d ever like to request, please let me know. And I hope one day you feel comfortable enough to rejoin! There’s a discord for one of my fics; if you ever feel ready to dive back in we’re here! Please take care of yourself and I hope things continue upwards for you c:

[giorgiastastes]

버닝 / Burning (2018)

"It's too close, you might not see it"

What to say about this movie...

The film itself is quite simple, even too easy at first sighting I'd dare to say, but the meaning behind, the interpretations and smart details is what makes it unique and pretty much a masterpiece.

I'm sure that most people, or at least those who usually watch unchallenging to elaborate movies, won't like it. If you're looking for something what will be "explained to you", for the director to give you that big plot twist or long monologue, you won't find it here. But if you want to watch a work of art that'll make you think, reflect and crash your minds, you have a good journey in front of you.

I remember that as soon as I've finished watching it I went online to look for theories, to see if someone else had the same idea as me, if I got it right and what I've missed, and then I planned to write here my thoughts on the real explaination, but after rewatching and searching I've figured it out BURNING doesn't really have a "true" explaination in my idea, or better, the director definitely knows what he believes is the so called truth, but the strength of it is how free of interpretations it is. I've read hundreds theories and honestly all of them could fit just right, so for once I've decided to do something different.

In here I will summarize all the theories, under layers and explaination that I've read, figured out or found, and I will leave to you, the reader, to believe your own "truth"

This will be full of spoilers, it's actually a summarization of the after watch, so read at your own risk, and since I'm taking for granted that you've watched the movie and remember it quite well too, I won't always repeat the plot when not necessary.

• Ben sells organs on the black market. That's how he gets his money and Haemi is aware of this, and decided to sell her own organs to pay off her debt. She even says I'D SELL MY ORGANS IF I WERE YOUNGER. She could also be unaware of this and that's why she dissapears.

• Ben is a serial killer. He seduces fragile women who are very easy preys to such an handsome and carismactic young man, and then gets rid of them after he gets tired. This happens about every couple of months, which corresponds to his journey in Africa timeline. They are the greenhouses he burns, because he knows nobody will look for them, and in fact the police does not care about the greenhouses, just like they don't care about missing women nobody knows about.

Ben also owns all the qualities of a maniac sociopath who's keen on control and feels no emotion or empathy. He never cries for example. He also feels pride in his crime and he's almost tempted to confess them to show how good he is. That's why he says to Jongsu that he will burn a greenhouse close to him, but he didn't mean it in a special terminology, but more like in an emotional sense. He will kill the the closest thing the other has, which is Haemi. He also states that she dissapeared like "smoke".

This would also be justified by the creepy call the protagonist receives by Haemi before she dissapears. The biggest evidence placed by the director to prove that this theory is the most correct one is in the last scene, where Ben is putting makeup on a new girl. For a non Korean speaker it's quite hard to get the reference but Makeup and corpses' cremation are spelled in the same way in the hangul language, therefore the movie showing us Ben doing the girl's makeup is the alternative way to say he's killed her and is now cremating the body, hence his obsession with fires.

He's the one who cleaned Haemi's room and took her cat. He also keeps his victims personal objects as a throphy of some sort.

• Ben is a pimp. He's the trainer for these beautiful, young but poor women who are ready to sell themselves when he convinces them to do so. This is shown as Haemi also become less and less shy as the movie goes on, as seen in the undressing scene, while being more bold and provocative too. He changed her drastically, or maybe only let her discover a different, more free, part of herself. He also applies makeup on them how he would do to a doll, playing dress up for a woman who's now becoming just an object of desire that can be bought.

• Ben is a human trafficker. He sends women into slavery while promising them a life of luxury and happiness. That's why he shows off his idyllic lifestyle, and then sells them in Africa (where he goes frequently), where they'll never be found.

• Ben is a life guru. He teaches unsecure and frustrated women to feel liberated and less oppressed, to leave it all behind and start from scratch. They pay him, that's why he's rich. He also keeps a "souvenir" of every woman he has turned. This could explain why he shows up to the meeting with Jongsu in the finale. If he actually killed or sold these women he wouldn't fall into the other man's trick.

• Ben doesn't exist. He's just the symbol of everything Jongsu is not but aspires to be. He's rich, confident, cultured and attractive. Every flaw and layer of insecurity Jongsu seems to have, Ben lacks. And in the end, when the protagonist finally becomes brave enough to mature, to actually chase the woman he loves, he's able to kill the shadow of himself that only reminded him of how miserable he was.

• Ben and Jongsu are the same person. Much Fight Club like, they're the same human being, just different, extreme sides of one. Jongsu could have a personality disorder or maybe we're just shown two sides of him that prove his mental health issues. That's also why Haemi seems to be involved with both of them without choosing a side, because one is the gentle but insecure fraction, the other the bold but arrogant one. And then, in the end, when such division is making him go insane, he decides to kill his alter ego.

• It's just a love triangle. One of my favorite songs of all time had a similar topic. There's the main character, a shy and quiet boy, who falls in love with a girl who feels foreign and unreachable to him. But he's not the only one in her life. She also has another lover who's much more attractive and manly in a way, and all three start to share this peculiar poliamorous love story, mostly platonic. She's very pretty and feels as free as Venus, torn between two men. Then one day she leaves, and she'll never come back. But while the second boy easily moves on with his life, figuring out it was just a näive fling, the singer remains stuck, obsessing over her day and night, trying to find answers and solutions just not to deal with the realization of her not loving him enough to stay.

• Every character represents a social stereotypes and criticism of modern South Korean classes. I think this is very straightforward, especially Jongsu's jealousy of Ben's wealth, and Haemi's attempt to RISE in the social pyramid, surrounding herself with high class people like Ben or his friends, even letting them make joke of her, to mock her, all of it just to feel part of their group and reality.

• It's all in Jongsu's head.

• The disappearance of Haemi, whether it happened or not or HOW it happened are not the main focus on the movie, which instead is the characters dealing with such loss and lack of knowledge on what happened. Much like the Russian movie Loveless (2017), where the event is only used as an artistical device to let the story progress and the characters' grief culminate. Maybe we really don't need to know what happened to her, maybe she's dead, maybe she's alive and better than ever, but to the movie's intent such information is superficial, it's just the human need to fill our curiosity when were too afraid to deal with the pain of remaining unaware of it. Jongsu is sure she's been killed and that brings him to his next move, but the viewer, he doesn't need to know, because he doesn't need to act, to keep the story going.

• Haemi might have killed herself. Ben is the only one who knows about this and that's why she gives him her cat. She also shows multiple signs of advanced depression, for more than half of the movie is almost like she's not there, like she's already just the memory, the ghost of a girl who once was there.

• The movie itself is just a metaphor. The metaphor is many times used by the characters and maybe not only as a word, part of a dialogue, but the overall film might be A BIG, CRIPTIC METAPHOR.

• Everything is hereditary. From family's fortunes and richness to behavior and inner rage. Jongsu was born poor and will die as such just like his father, and even though he seems like the most innocuous being, he's able to take out his rage on other just like this father. I guess it's in the genes.

• Jongsu is the calf. The calf represents Jongsu's pureness and naivety. And when he sells it, he's also selling his soul in a way.

• Haemi represents South Korea, Jongsu North Korea, Ben is the new Korea, the one always more and more Westernized.

• We're just reading the plot of Jongsu's book. When Haemi leaves for Africa he has plenty of time to write the story he's planning to put into words, and that's what he does. Everything we see after she comes back from her journey is just the plot of the book, and the creation of Jongsu's imagination.

• A modern reinterpretation of the Great Gatsby. Yes, obviously a VERY liberate view of the novel, but many details seem to be quite evocative.

• A criticism to how South Korea treats women. Even the movie itself does this, probably on purpose. The one who disappears is a woman, but the ones who are the main centre of attention are men. She's only a story device, never the real protagonist.

• Ben wanted Jongsu to discover his crimes so he could reach fame if the other ever made a book out of it. He's so full of himself he'd rather be punished for his crimes than never showing off how good he was at covering every proof. That's why he dies almost peacefully, and shed a tear, which he claimed to have never done before.

• The well Haemi reference to, symbolizes falling into prostitution. That's why Jongsu's mother knows about it too, since it's quite obvious she's now an escort. But she states the well is dry, as a way of saying that it's not how easy and fun it might seem.

• This is just the tragic story of a boy who's lost every possible source of love. From his father in jail, his mother who abandoned him, to the only girl that ever showed him affection disappearing, and a new friend who he decides to kill.

• Ben is Death or maybe the devil personified. He helps Haemi get the courage to end it one for all, and even pushes Jongsu to kill, cursing his soul.

#burning #burning 2018 #lee chang dong #Steven yeun #steven yeun #yoo ah in #jeon jong seo #beoning #버닝 #버닝먹튀 #south korea #cannes

[oikirstein]

Scene:A neighbourhood on a street called Privet Drive. An owl, sitting on the street sign flies off to reveal a mysterious appearing old man walking through a forest near the street. He stops at the start of the street and takes out a mechanical device and zaps all the light out of the lampposts. He puts away the device and a cat meows. The man, ALBUS DUMBLEDORE, looks down at the cat, which is a tabby and is sitting on a brick ledge.Dumbledore: I should have known that you would be here...Professor McGonagall.The cat meows, sniffs out and the camera pans back to a wall. The cats shadow is seen progressing into a human. There are footsteps and MINERVA MCGONAGALL is revealed.McGonagall: Good evening, Professor Dumbledore. Are the rumours true, Albus?Dumbledore: I'm afraid so, Professor. The good, and the bad.McGonagall: And the boy?Dumbledore: Hagrid is bringing him.McGonagall: Do you think it wise to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?Albus: Ah, Professor, I would trust Hagrid with my life.There is a motor sound, and the two professors look up to see a flying motorcycle coming down from the air. It skids on the street and halts. A large man, RUBEUS HAGRID, takes off his goggles.Hagrid: Professor Dumbledore, Sir. Professor McGonagall.Dumbledore: No problems, I trust, Hagrid?Hagrid: No, sir. Little tyke fell asleep just as we were flying over Bristol. Heh. Try not to wake him. There you go.Hagrid hands a baby in a blanket over to Dumbledore.McGonagall: Albus, do you really think its safe, leaving him with these people? I've been watching them all day. They're the worst sort of Muggles imaginable. They really areDumbledore: The only family he has.They stop outside a house.McGonagall: This boy will be famous. There wont be a child in our world who doesn't know his name.Dumbledore: Exactly. He's better off growing up away from all that. Until he is ready.Hagrid coughs and sniffles, he is crying. He clears his throat.Dumbledore: There, there, Hagrid. It's not really good-bye, after all.Hagrid nods. Dumbledore takes a letter and places it on the baby, who is now at the foot of the door. The baby has a visible lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead.Dumbledore: Good luck...Harry Potter.The camera pans into the scar and the opening title shows:HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE

Almost ten years after the: DURSLEY's home. The camera pans on a sleeping boy, almost eleven, with a lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead.

There is a click, and knocking. Outside, a tall woman, PETUNIA DURSLEY, raps the door.

Petunia: Up. Get up. {Knocks} {sighs} Now! {Smacks door of closet which is the boys bedroom}

A large, tubby boy, DUDLEY DURSLEY, suddenly comes running down the stairs above the closet. He stops half-way down and goes back, jumping on the staircase.

Dudley: Wake up, cousin! We're going to the zoo!

Dudley laughs, comes down the stairs and runs for the kitchen. The boy, HARRY POTTER, tries to come out of the closet, but is pushed back in by Dudley.

Petunia is in the kitchen, where Dudley has gone.

Petunia: Oh, here he comes, the birthday boy!

A larger man, VERNON DURSLEY, is sitting at the kitchen table.

Vernon: Happy birthday, son.

Petunia and Dudley giggle together. Harry comes into the kitchen, dressed in rags.

Petunia: Why don't you just cook the breakfast, and try not to burn anything.

Harry: Yes, Aunt Petunia.

He sets to work.

Petunia: I want everything to be perfect for my Dudley's special day.

Vernon: Hurry up! Bring my coffee, boy!

Harry: Yes, Uncle Vernon.

Petunia leads Dudley over to the family room, where there are a vast amount of presents. Dudley stares.

Dudley: How many are there?

Vernon: Thirty-six. Counted 'em myself.

Dudley: Thirty-six?! But last year last year I got thirty-seven!!

Vernon: Yes, well, some of them are quite a bit bigger than last year!

Dudley: I don't care how big they are!

Petunia: Oh, now, now, now. This is what we're going to do, is that when we go out we're going to buy you two new presents! How's that, Pumpkin?

Scene:

Outside, morning. The happy family is heading to the car. Harry goes to get in but is stopped by Vernon.

Petunia: This will be a lovely day at the zoo. I'm really looking forward to it.

Vernon: I'm warning you now, boy. Any funny business, any at all, and you won't have any meals for a week. Get in.

Scene:

The zoo. The family is in the reptile house, looking at a large BOA CONSTRICTOR.

Dudley: Make it move.

Vernon raps the glass of the cage.

Vernon: Move!

Dudley raps the glass much harder, and Vernon winces.

Dudley: MOVE!

Harry: He's asleep!

Dudley: He's boring.

Dudley and his parents retreat to another enclosure. Harry is left with the snake.

Harry: Sorry about him. He doesn't understand what it's like, lying there day after day, having people press their ugly faces in on you.

The snake looks up and blinks.

Harry: Can you...hear me? {The snake nods} It's just...I've never talked to a snake before. Do you...I mean...do you talk to people often? {The snake shakes its head} You're from Burma, aren't you? Was it nice there, do you miss your family? {The snake turns its head in the direction of a sign which says, Bred in Captivity} I see. That's me as well. I never knew my parents, either.

The now awake snake has attracted Dudley's attention. He rips over to the cage, knocking Harry to the floor.

Dudley: Mummy, dad, come here! You won't believe what this snake is doing!!

Dudley puts his hands on the glass wall. Harry, from the ground, glares at him. Suddenly, the glass disappears. Dudley wretches forward.

Dudley: Whoa! Ahh! Ahh!!

Dudley falls into the snake enclosure, sputtering in a pool of water. The snake gets out of the exhibit, stopping in front of Harry.

Snake: Thankssssssss.

Harry: Anytime.

The snake starts off.

Man: SNAKE!

There is a lot of screaming as the snake heads for freedom. Dudley gets up to get out, but the glass is now back over the enclosure. He is stuck. He pounds the glass.

Dudley: Mum, mummy!

Petunia: {Sees him} AHH!

Dudley: Mum, help! Help me!

Petunia: My darling boy! How did you get in there?!

Harry: {Grins and giggles}

Vernon glares down at him and Harry's grin disappears. Petunia continues screaming: How did you get in there? Dursley, oh, Dursley!

Scene:

Back at the Dursley's. Petunia and a bundled up Dudley come in.

Petunia: It's all right. It's all right.

They disappear around the corner. Harry and Vernon enter. Vernon slams the door and shoves Harry against a wall, taking his hair.

Harry: Ow!

Vernon: What happened?

Harry: I swear I don't know! One minute the glass was there and then it was gone! It was like magic!

Vernon: {Scoffs and shoves Harry into the closet} There's no such thing as magic!

Scene:

Outside, some time later. An owl flies by the house and drops a letter, which zooms in the letterbox. It lands away from the house and hoots.

Harry, inside, goes to collect the mail. He sorts through the letters and sees his, addressed to him. He goes into the kitchen, hands Vernon the rest of the mail, and walks around the other side of the table to see his letter.

Vernon: Ah, Marge is ill. Ate a funny whelk.

Dudley: {Sees Harrys letter. He runs and grabs it} Dad, look! Harry's got a letter!!

Harry: Hey, give it back! It's mine!

Vernon: {Laughs} Yours? Who'd be writing to you?

The family gathers to look at the address. There is a broken seal on the letter. The family looks up and Harry gulps.

Scene:

Another owl flies by with a letter and drops it off. Inside, Vernon grabs a handful of letters and rips them up.

In the closet, Harry hears a whirring noise. He looks out at Vernon drilling wood over the letterbox opening.

Vernon: No more mail through this letterbox.

Scene:

Outside, Vernon and Petunia appear. Vernon is about to head off to work. Petunia kisses his cheek.

Petunia: Have a lovely day at the office, dear.

She stops, looks and sees a bunch of owls.

Vernon: Shoo! Go on!

Scene:

Inside. Vernon is tossing letters into the fireplace. Harry comes around the corner. Vernon grins evilly and tosses more in.

Scene:

Living/Family room. The family is sitting around, Harry is serving cookies.

Vernon: Fine day Sunday. In my opinion, best day of the week. Why is that, Dudley?

Dudley shrugs.

Harry: {Hands cookie to Vernon} Because there's no post on Sunday? Ah, right you are, Harry. No post on Sunday. Hah! No blasted letters today. No, sir. {Harry sees a shadow outside the window. Outside, millions of owls are perched.} No sir, not one blasted, miserable---

A letter shoots out of the fireplace and zips across Vernons face. There is a rumbling and then zillions of letters come shooting out of the fireplace.

Dudley: AHH! Make it stop! Please make it stop! {He jumps on Petunias lap}

Petunia and Vernon: {Screaming}

Vernon: Go away, ahh!

Dudley: What is it? Please tell me what's happening!

Harry jumps onto the coffee table to grab a letter. He gets one and starts to run away. Vernon jumps up as well.

Vernon: Give me that! Give me that letter!

He chases Harry and grabs him before Harry gets into his closet.

Harry: Get off! Ahh!

Vernon: Ahh!

Harry: They're my letters! Let go of me!

Vernon: That's it! We're going away! Far away! Where they can't find us!

Dudley: Daddy's gone mad, hasnt he?!

Scene:

A house, on a rock island somewhere out at sea. The family is sleeping, with Harry on the cold, dirt floor. He has drawn a birthday cake which reads, Happy Birthday Harry. Harry looks at Dudley's watch, which beeps 12:00.

Harry: Make a wish, Harry. {Blows}

Suddenly, the door thumps. Harry jumps. The door thumps again and Dudley and Harry jump up and back away. Petunia and Vernon appear, Vernon with a gun. The door bangs again and then cracks open, and a giant man appears.

Vernon: Who's there? Ahh!

Hagrid: Sorry 'bout that. {He puts the door back up}

Vernon: I demand that you leave at once, Sir! You are breaking and entering!

Petunia: Ooh.

Hagrid comes over, grabs the gun and bends it upwards.

Hagrid: Dry up, Dursley, you great prune. {The gun fires}

All: Ahh!

Hagrid: {sees Dudley} Mind, I haven't seen you since you was a baby, Harry, but you're a bit more along than I would have expected. Particularly 'round the middle!

Dudley: I-I-I'm not Harry.

Harry appears: I-I am.

Hagrid: Oh, well, of course you are! Got something for ya. 'Fraid I might have sat on it at some point! I imagine that it'll taste fine just the same. Ahh. Baked it myself. {Hands Harry the cake} Words and all. Heh.

Harry: Thank you! {Opens cake, which reads: Happee Birdae Harry.}

Hagrid: It's not every day that your young man turns eleven, now is it?

Hagrid sits down on the couch, takes out an umbrella and points it at the empty fire. Poof, poof! Two sparks fly out and the fire starts. The family gapes.

Harry: {puts cake down} Excuse me, who are you?

Hagrid: Rubeus Hagrid. Keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts. Course, you'll know all about Hogwarts.

Harry: Sorry, no.

Hagrid: No? Blimey, Harry, didn't you ever wonder where your mum and dad learned it all?

Harry: Learnt what?

Hagrid: You're a wizard, Harry.

Harry: I-I'm a what?

Harry: A wizard. And a thumping good one at that, I'd wager. Once you train up a little.

Harry: No, you've made a mistake. I can't be...a-a wizard. I mean, I'm just... Harry. Just Harry.

Hagrid: Well, Just Harry, did you ever make anything happen? Anything you couldn't explain when you were angry or scared? {Harry softens his expression} Ah.

Dudley: {whimpers}

Hagrid hands Harry the same letter that has been sent the past while. Harry opens it.

Harry: Dear, Mr. Potter. We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!

Vernon: Hell not be going! We swore when we took him in wed put an end to this rubbish!

Harry: You knew?? You knew all along and you never told me?

Petunia: Of course we knew. How could you not be? My perfect sister being who she was. Oh, my mother and father were so proud the day she got her letter. We have a witch in the family. Isn't it wonderful? I was the only one to see her for what she was. A freak! And then she met that Potter, and then she had you, and I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as ... abnormal. And then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up! And we got landed with you.

Harry: Blown up? You told me my parents died in a car crash!

Hagrid: A car crash? A car crash kill James and Lily Potter?

Petunia: We had to tell him something.

Hagrid: It's an outrage! It's a scandal!

Vernon: He'll not be going!

Hagrid: Oh, and I suppose a great Muggle like yourself's going to stop him, are you?

Harry: Muggle?

Hagrid: Non magic folk. This boy's had his name down ever since he was born! He's going to the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world, and he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts' has ever seen: Albus Dumbledore.

Vernon: I will not pay for some crackpot old fool to teach him magic tricks!

Hagrid: {whips out umbrella and points it at Vernon} Never insult Albus Dumbledore in front of me.

Hagrid sees Dudley eating Harry's cake, and points the umbrella at his rear. A grey tail grows.

Dudley: Ahh!

All: Ahh! {family chases Dudley}

Harry: {laughs}

Hagrid: Oh, um, I'd appreciate if you didn't tell anyone at Hogwarts about that. Strictly speaking, I'm not allowed to do magic.

Harry: {Nods} Okay.

Hagrid: {checks a clock} Ooh, we're a bit behind schedule. Best be off. Unless you'd rather stay, of course. Hmm? {Leaves}

Harry grins, looks back, and grins again.

Scene:

Streets of London. Hagrid and Harry are walking.

Harry: All students must be equipped with...one standard size two pewter cauldron and may bring if they desire either an owl, a cat or a toad. Can we find all this in London?

Hagrid: If you know where to go.

They go to a corner store and enter, The Leaky Cauldron.

{Music and talking}

Barkeep Tom: Ah, Hagrid! The usual, I presume?

Hagrid: No thanks, Tom. I'm on official Hogwarts business today. Just helping young Harry here buy his school supplies.

Tom: Bless my soul. It's Harry Potter.

The pub goes silent. A man comes up and shakes Harrys hand.

Man: Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back.

A witch comes up and shakes Harrys hand, as well.

Witch: Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter. I can't believe I'm meeting you at last.

A man in robes with a turban on his head appears. It is PROFESSOR QUIRRELL.

Quirrell: Harry P-potter. C-can't tell you how pleased I am to meet you.

Hagrid: Hello, Professor. I didn't see you there. Harry, this is Professor Quirrell. He'll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts.

Harry: Oh, nice to meet you. {Puts out hand. Quirrell refuses}

Quirrell: F-fearfully fascinating subject. N-not that you need it, e-eh, Potter? Heheh.

Hagrid: Yes, well, must be going now. Lots to buy. Heh.

Harry: Good-bye.

The two leave into a back room winery in front of a brick wall.

Hagrid: See, Harry, you're famous!

Harry: But why am I famous, Hagrid? All those people back there, how is it they know who I am?

Hagrid: I'm not exactly sure I'm the right person to tell you that, Harry. {Taps the brick wall clockwise with his umbrella. The blocks shift and open up to reveal a hidden, busy street.}

Welcome, Harry, to Diagon Alley.

Harry grins broadly as they step into the street and walk down it. An owl screeches.

Hagrid: Here's where you'll get your quills and ink, and over there all your bits and bobs for doing your wizardry.

Harry is amazed as they pass by shops and owls and bats. The camera pans on a broom store, where a group of boys are crowded around a shiny broom.

Boy: It's a world class racing broom. Look at it, its the new Nimbus 2000! It's the fastest model yet.

Harry: But, Hagrid, how am I to pay for all this? I haven't any money.

Hagrid: Well there's your money, Harry. Gringotts, the Wizard Bank. T'aint no place safer, 'cept perhaps Hogwarts.

Inside the bank, they walk down the shiny aisle, passing tiny creatures working.

Harry: Uh, Hagrid, what exactly are those things?

Hagrid: They're goblins, Harry. Clever as they come goblins but not the most friendly of beasts. Best stick close to me. {Harry sticks to him.} {Hagrid clears his throat as they approach a counter with a goblin in it.} Mr. Harry Potter wishes to make a withdrawal.

The goblin looks up.

Goblin: And does Mr. Harry Potter have his key?

Hagrid: Oh. Wait a minute. Got it here somewhere. Hah. Here's the little devil. Oh, and there's something else as well. Professor Dumbledore gave me this. It's about you-know-what in vault you-know-which. {Hands Goblin letter wrapped in string.}

Goblin: Very well.

Scene:

Racing down the depth caverns in a cartlike structure. The cart stops, a goblin, GRIPHOOK, clambers out.

Griphook: Vault 687. Lamp, please. {Hagrid hands him the lamp and he walks to the vault} Key please. {Hagrid hands him the key and he unlocks it}

The room is filled nearly top to bottom with coins. Harry is amazed.

Hagrid: Didn't think your mum and dad would leave you with nothing, now didja?

They continue on through the cavern.

Griphook: Vault 713.

Harry: What's in there, Hagrid?

Hagrid: Can't tell you, Harry. It's Hogwarts business. Very secret.

Griphook: Stand back. {Slides finger down the door. Clank. Clank. The vault opens to expose a small white stone package. Hagrid hurries in and scoops it up. The eerie light it was shining with disappears.}

Hagrid: Best not mention this to anyone, Harry.

Harry nods.

Scene: Outside in the street, walking.

Harry: I still need...a wand.

Hagrid: A wand? Well, you'll want Ollivanders. No place better. Run along there, but wait. I just got one more thing I got to do. Won't be long.

Harry goes into the store, quietly. He looks around. There are shelves of wands, but no people.

Harry: {Softly} Hello? Hello?

There is a thunk. A man appears on a ladder and looks at Harry. He smiles.

Ollivander: I wondered when I'd be seeing you, Mr. Potter. It seems only yesterday that your mother and father were in here buying their first wands. {Picks a wand} Ah. Here we are. {Harry holds it but just stands} Well, give it a wave.

Harry: Oh! {waves. All the shelves come crashing down. Harry jumps and hurriedly puts the wand back on the counter.}

Ollivander: Apparently not. {Gets another wand.} Perhaps this. {Harry waves at a vase, which blows apart.} No, no, definitely not! No matter...{gets a wand} I wonder. {Hands wand to Harry. Harry glows under it.} Curious, very curious.

Harry: Sorry, but what's curious?

Ollivander: I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. It just so happens that the phoenix, whose tail feather resides in your wand gave one other feather, just one. It is curious that you should be destined for this wand when its brother gave you that scar. {Points to scar}

Harry: And...who owned that wand?

Ollivander: Oh, we do not speak his name. The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter. It's not always clear why, but I think it is clear that we can expect great things from you. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things...terrible, yes, but great. {Hands Harry his wand.}

There is a knock on the window.

Hagrid: Harry! Harry! Happy birthday! {Has a snowy owl in a cage which hoots.}

Harry: Wow.

Scene: Later, eating supper. The two, Hagrid and Harry, are at a long table, eating soup.

Hagrid: You all right, Harry? You seem very quiet.

Harry: He killed my parents, didn't he? The one who gave me this. You know, Hagrid, I know you do.

Hagrid: {Sighs and pushes bowl away} First, and understand this, Harry, 'cause it's very important. Not all wizards are good. Some of them go bad. A few years ago there was one wizard who went as bad as you can go. And his name was V-...his name was V-...

Harry: Maybe if you wrote it down?

Hagrid: No, I can't spell it. All right. His name was Voldemort.

Harry: Voldemort?

Hagrid: Shh!!

{Harry looks around}

A flashback ensues, consisting off a cloaked man walking towards a house, breaking in with his wand, and proceeding to terrorize. Hagrid narrates.

Hagrid: It was dark times, Harry, dark times. Voldemort started to gather some followers, brought 'em over to the dark side. Anyone that stood up to him ended up dead. Your parents fought against him, but nobody lived once he decided to kill 'em. {Harrys mother, LILY, screams as she is killed by Voldemorts wand} Nobody...not one. Except you. {close-up of baby Harry.}

Harry: Me? Voldemort tried to kill...me?

Hagrid: Yes. That ain't no ordinary cut on your forehead, Harry. A mark like that only comes from being touched by a curse...and an evil curse at that.

Harry: What happened to Vo-...to You-Know-Who?

Hagrid: Some say he died. Codswallop in my opinion. Nope, I reckon he's out there, still, too tired to go on. But one thing's absolutely certain. Something about you stumped him that night. That's why you're famous, Harry. That's why everbody knows your name. You're the boy who lived.

Scene: London Train Station. Up on a crossing bridge, Harry (with cart and owl) walk beside Hagrid.A couple look at Hagrid.Hagrid: What're you looking at? {Looks at watch} Blimey, is that the time?? Sorry, Harry, I'm gonna have to leave you. Dumbledore'll be wanting his...well, he'll be wanting to see me. Now, uh, your train leaves in 10 minutes. Here's your ticket. Stick to it, Harry that's very important. Stick to your ticket.Harry looks at his golden ticket.Harry: Platform 9 ¾? But Hagrid, there must be a mistake. This says Platform 9 ¾. There's no such thing...is there? {Harry looks up and Hagrid has vanished.}Scene: Harry is walking down lane between trains. A man rushes by.Man: Sorry.Harry sees a train master.Harry: Excuse me, excuse me.Trainmaster: {talking to woman and child} Right on your left, ma'am.Harry: Excuse me, Sir. Can you tell me where I might find Platform 9 ¾?Trainmaster: 9 ¾? Think youre being funny, do ya? {Leaves}A woman, daughter, and four boys walk by, pushing carts.Mrs. Weasley: It's the same year after year. Always packed with Muggles, of course.Harry: Muggles?Mrs. Weasley: Come on. Platform 9 ¾ this way! All right, Percy, you first.A tall boy with red hair comes forward and runs towards a brick wall. Amazingly, he disappears right into it. Harry is amazed.Mrs. Weasley: Fred, you next.George: He's not Fred, I am!Fred: Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother!Mrs. Weasley: Oh, I'm sorry, George.Fred: I'm only joking. I am Fred. {He runs through the wall, and is followed by his twin brother.}Harry shakes his head in disbelief.Harry: Excuse me! C-could you tell me how toMrs. Weasley: How to get on the platform? Yes, not to worry, dear. It's Ron's first time to Hogwarts as well. {pan to a red haired boy who smiles} Now, all you've got to do is walk straight at the wall between platforms 9 and 10. Best do it at a bit of a run if youre nervous.Ginny (daughter): Good luck.Harry takes a breath and runs at the wall. He shuts his eyes and emerges on the other side a magnificent station with a red train and bundles of people. A whistle blows, and Harry sighs with relief.Scene: The train is traveling through unknown country. Pan to inside compartment, where Harry is sitting. The red headed boy, RON, appears, dirt on his nose.Ron: Excuse me, do you mind? Everywhere else is full.Harry: No, not at all.Ron: {sits across from Harry} I'm Ron, by the way. Ron Weasley.Harry: I'm Harry. Harry Potter.{Ron goes agape.}Ron: So-so it's true?! I mean, do you really have the...the...Harry: The what?Ron: {whispers} Scar...?Harry: Oh, yeah. {lifts up hair}Ron: Wicked.A trolley comes by the compartment, full of sweets.Woman: Anything off the trolley, dears?Ron: {Holds up mushed sandwiches} No, thanks, I'm all set. {smacks lips.}Harry: {pulls out coins} We'll take the lot!Ron: Whoa!Scene: Eating bundles of sweets.Ron's rat, Scabbers, is perched on Ron's knee, a box over its head.Harry: Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans?Ron: They mean every flavour! There's chocolate and peppermint, and there's also spinach, liver and tripe. George sweared he got a bogey-flavoured one once!Harry quickly takes the bean he was chewing out of his mouth.Harry: {picks up blue and gold package} These aren't real chocolate frogs, are they?Ron: It's only a spell. Besides, it's the cards you want. Each pack's got a famous witch or wizard. I got about 500 meself.Frog: Ribbit. {The frog jumps onto the window and climbs up, then leaps out the window...disappearing.}Ron: Oh, that's rotten luck. They've only got one good jump in them to begin with.Harry: Hey, I got Dumbledore!Ron: I got about 6 of him.Harry: Hey, he's gone!Ron: Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day, can you? {Scabbers squeaks} This is Scabbers, by the way, pitiful, isn't he?Harry: Just a little bit.Ron: Fred gave me a spell as to turn him yellow. Want to see?Harry: Yeah!Ron: {clears throat} Ahem. Sun-A girl, HERMIONE GRANGER, with bushy brown hair appears at the doorway.Hermione: Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one.Ron: No.Hermione: Oh, are you doing

magic? Let's see then.Ron: Aghhhemm. Sunshine, daises, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!{Zap. Nothing happens. Ron shrugs.}Hermione: Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it? Of course I've only tried a few simple spells myself, and they've all worked for me. For example...{Hermione goes over and sits across from Harry. He points her hand at his glasses and Harry tenses} Oculus Reparo. {The glasses, which noseband is battered, are repaired. Harry takes them off, amazed.} That's better, isn't it? Holy Cricket, you're Harry Potter. I'm Hermione Granger...and you are...?Ron: {full mouth} I'm...Ron Weasley.Hermione: Pleasure. You two better change into your robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon. {Gets up and leaves, then comes back and looks at Ron.} You've got dirt, on your nose, by the way, did you know? Just there. {Points} {Ron scratches his nose, embarrassed.}Scene: Darkness, the train blows its whistle and pulls into an outdoor station. Hagrid walks along the side aisle, with a lantern. People begin pouring out of the train.Hagrid: Right, then! First years! This way, please! Come on, now, don't be shy! Come on now, hurry up!Harry and Ron walk up to Hagrid.Hagrid: Hello, Harry.Harry: Hey, Hagrid.Ron: Whoaa!Hagrid: Right then. This way to the boats! Come on, now, follow me.Scene:A number of boats are plugging across a vast lake, where up ahead a huge castle can be seen. People are in awe.Ron: Wicked.Scene: On a higher level, Professor McGonagall is waiting. She raps her fingers on a stone railing, and then goes to the top of the stairs to greet the newcomers.McGonagall: Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Now, while you are here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you house points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cupNEVILLE LONGBOTTOM, a scared looking boy, spots his toad sitting near McGonagall. He jumps forward.Neville: Trevor! {McGonagall stares down at him} Sorry. {He backs away.}McGonagall: The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily. {leaves}DRACO MALFOY, a slicked back evil looking boy speaks up.Draco: It's true then, what they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts. {Students whisper, Harry Potter?} This is Crabbe, and Goyle {nods to thugs} and I'm Malfoy...Draco Malfoy. {Ron snickers at his name} Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask yours. Red hair, and a hand me down robe? You must be a Weasley. Well soon find that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. Dont want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there. {extends hand.}Harry: I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks.Draco glares. McGonagall returns and smacks him on the shoulder with a paper. He retreats with one last glare.McGonagall: We're ready for you now.She leads everyone through two large doors and into the Great Hall, where there are four long tables with many kids, as well as floating candles. The roof appears to be the sky.Hermione: It's not real, the ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History.McGonagall: All right, will you wait along here, please? Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbldedore would like to say a few words.Dumbledore rises from the main table.Dumbledore: I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce. The first years please note that the dark forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch {signals to ragged old man with a cat with red eyes} has asked me to remind you that the 3rd floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you.McGonagall: When I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will

be sorted into your houses. Hermione Granger.Hermione: Oh, no. Okay, relax. {She goes up}Ron: Mental that one, I'm telling you.Harry nods in agreement.Sorting Hat: Ah, right then...hmm...right. Okay...Gryffindor!!(Cheering)Hermione jumps off with a smile.McGonagall: Draco Malfoy.Draco saunters up proudly. The tattered hat nearly freaks before touching down on Dracos head.Sorting Hat: SLYTHERIN!Ron: There isn't a witch or wizard who went bad who wasnt in Slytherin.McGonagall: Susan Bones.A small, redhead goes up.Harry looks around and spots a black haired, pale teacher, SEVERUS SNAPE, looking at him. His scar hurts.Harry: Ahh! {puts hand on forehead}Ron: Harry, what is it?Harry: Nothing...it's nothing, I'm fine.Sorting Hat: Let's see...I know...Hufflepuff!McGonagall: Ronald Weasley.Ron gulps and walks up. He sits down and the hat is put on.Sorting Hat: Ah! Another Weasley. I know just where to put you...Gryffindor!!Ron: {Sighs}(Cheering)McGonagall: Harry Potter.Everything goes silent. Harry walks up and sits down.Sorting Hat: Hmm...difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage I see, not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes, and a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?Harry: {whispers} Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin.Sorting Hat: Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know. Its all here in your head. And Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness! There's no doubt about that! No? {Harry whispers: Not Slytherin...anything but Slytherin} Well, if youre sure...better be...GRYFFINDOR!!There is an immense cheering and Harry goes to the Gryffindor table.Fred and George are also there, and cheer: We got Potter! We got Potter! Harry sits down.McGonagall: {dings on a cup} Your attention, please.Dumbledore: Let the feast...begin.Food magically appears on all the tables, and the hall is filled with awe and chatter.Harry: Wow.Draco looks at all the food, raises his eyebrows and digs in.Ron stuffs his face.SEAMUS FINNIGAN, a tiny boy, speaks.Seamus: I'm half and half. Me dad's a Muggle. Mam's a witch. Bit of a nasty shock for him when he found out.Neville laughs.Harry is sitting next to Percy. He leans over.Harry: Say, Percy, who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?Percy: Oh, that's Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house.Harry: What's he teach?Percy: Potions. But everyone knows it's the Dark Arts he fancies. He's been after Quirrells job for years.Ron, having just finished a chicken wing, reaches into the bowl for more, and a ghostly head, SIR NICHOLAS, pops out.Ron: Ahh!Nick: Hello! How are you? Welcome to Gryffindor.Numerous ghosts come pouring from the walls, sailing along.Hufflepuff ghost: Whoo-hoo-hoo!Girl: Look, its the Bloody Baron!Percy: Hello, Sir Nicholas. Have a nice summer?Nick: Dismal. Once again, my request to join the headless hunt has been denied. {Begins to leave}Ron: Hey, I know you! You're Nearly Headless Nick!Nick: I prefer Sir Nicholas if you don't mind.Hermione: Nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?Nick: Like this. {Grabs head and pulls it to the side. His head is hanging on just by a thread.}Ron: Ahh!Hermione: Eugh.Scene:Percy is leading the Gryffindors to the staircases.Percy: Gryffindors, follow me please. Keep up. Thank you.Boy: Ravenclaw, follow me. This way.Percy: This is the most direct path to the dormitories. Oh, and keep an eye on the staircases...they like to change.The camera pans up and we see a vast amount of staircases, people walking on them, and some switching places.Percy: Keep up, please, and follow me. Quickly now, come on. Come on. {They begin walking up the stairs}Neville: Seamus, that picture's moving!Ron: Look at that one, Harry!Harry: I think she fancies you.Girl: Oh, look! Look! Who's that girl?Man in painting: Welcome to Hogwarts.Girl: Who's that?Scene:Approaching the Gryffindor dorms. They come up to a large painting of a large woman in a pink dress.Woman: Password? Percy: Caput Draconis. {The woman nods and the painting opens to reveal a gape in the wall.} Follow me, everyone. Keep up, quickly, come on.Girl: Oh, wow.Percy:

{Inside common room} Gather 'round here. Welcome to the Gryffindor Common Room. Boys' dormitories, upstairs and down to your left. Girls, the same on your right. You'll find that your belongings have already been brought up.Scene: Mid-night. Harry is sitting by a window in his pj's, with his owl, Hedwig. He pets the owl and looks out the window, sighing with content.

Scene: Morning. Harry and Ron are running through the stone halls to their class. They rush in. In the class, a tabby cat is sitting on a desk.Ron: Whew, amazing, can you imagine the look on old McGonagall's face if we were late?The cat jumps off the desk and turns into Professor McGonagall. The two boys are amazed.Ron: That was bloody brilliant.McGonagall: Thank you for that assessment, Mr. Weasley. Maybe if I were to transfigure Mr. Potter and yourself into a pocketwatch, maybe one of you would be on time.Harry: We got lost.McGonagall: Then perhaps a map? I trust you don't need one to find your seats.Scene: Snape's potions class. The students are chattering, sitting near steaming cauldrons. The door slams open and Snape comes rushing in.Snape: There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to enjoy the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However, for those select few {looks at Draco, who smiles}, who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper {Draco looks on} in death. {Draco raises his eyebrows.} {Snape sees Harry, writing this down, in, his view, not paying attention.} Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confidant enough to not...pay...attention.Hermione nudges Harry in the ribs. He looks up.Snape: Mr. Potter. Our...new...celebrity. Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood? {Hermione's hand skyrockets. Harry shrugs.} You don't know? Well, let's try again. Where, Mr. Potter, would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar? {Hermione's hand shoots up again.}Harry: I don't know, Sir.Snape: And what is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfbane?Harry: I don't know, Sir.Snape: Pity. Clearly, fame isn't everything, is it, Mr. Potter?Scene: In the great hall, probably midday. The students are all working on homework.Seamus is trying a spell on a cup.Seamus: Eye of rabbit, harp string hum. Turn this water, into rum. {Looks in cup and shakes head.} Eye of rabbit, harp string hum...Harry: What's Seamus trying to do to that glass of water?Ron: Turn it into rum. Actually managed a weak tea yesterday, before...ZAPOOF! The cup explodes. There is laughter amongst the students. Suddenly, a flock of owls start coming into the hall from the rafters above.Ron: Ah. Mail's here!The owls soar by, dropping parcels to students. Harry gets nothing. He sees the newspaper Ron has put down.Harry: Can I borrow this? {Ron nods} Thanks.Neville is unwrapping a gift. It is a clear ball with gold around it.Seamus: Hey, look! Neville's got a Remembrall!Hermione: I've read about those. When the smoke turns red {the smoke turns red}, it means you've forgotten something.Neville: The only problem is, I can't remember what I've forgotten.Harry: Hey, Ron, somebody broke into Gringotts. Listen, Believed to be the work of dark witches or wizards unknown, Gringotts goblins, while acknowledging the breach, insist that nothing was taken. The vault in question, number 713, had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. That's odd. That's the vault Hagrid and I went to.Scene: Outside, flying practice. The students, Gryffindor and Slytherin, are lined up in two rows with brooms by their sides. The teacher, MADAM HOOCH, comes down the line. She has short hair and hawk yellow eyes.Hooch: Good afternoon, class.Class: Good afternoon, Madam Hooch.Hooch: Good afternoon, Amanda, good afternoon. {to class} Welcome to your first flying lesson. Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick. Come on now, hurry up. Stick your right hand over the broom and say, Up!Class: Up!Harry's broom flies into his hand.Harry: Whoa. {Hermione stares as the class continues.}Draco: Up! {broomstick flies up and Draco smugly grins.}Hooch: With feeling!Hermione: Up. Up. Up. Up.Ron: Up!! {His broom flies up and conks him on the nose} Ow!

{Harry laughs} Shut up, Harry. {laughs}Hooch: Now, once you've got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it. And grip it tight, you don't want to be sliding off the end. {Class mounts} When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, and then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle...3...2...{tweet!}Neville immediately lifts off. He looks quite frightened.Neville: Oh...Hooch: Mr. Longbottom.Girl: Neville, what are you doing?Students: Neville...Neville...Boy: We're not supposed to take off, yet.Hooch: {Neville begins soaring away} M-M-Mr. Longbottom Mr. Longbottom!Neville: AHH! Hooch: Mr. Longbottom!Neville: {soars away} Down! Down! Ahhhh!Harry: Neville! {shouting}Neville: Help!!!Hooch: Come back down this instant!Neville: AHH!He soars through the sky and hits a wall, conking along it and then swooping off. All the while, he is screaming. He begins to zoom back towards the group of students. Hooch holds out her wand to stop him.Neville: Help!Hooch: Mr. Longbottom! {Neville approaches. The students scatter and Hooch dives out of the way. Neville goes through the scatter and up a tower.}Neville: Ahhhh! Whoa! Ahhh! {zooms past a statue of a man with a sharp spear. Neville's cloak catches on it. He is flipped off the broom and hangs there.} Oh. Ah...help! {He wavers, then the cloak rips, and he falls, catching on a torch, but then slipping out and falling to the ground.} Ahh!Hooch: Everyone out of the way! {She runs through the group, and they scatter.} Come on, get up.Girl: Is he alright?Neville: Owowowow.Hooch: Oh, oh, oh, oh dear. It's a broken wrist. Tch, tch, tch. Good boy, come on now, up you get. {Draco reaches down and grabs Neville's Remembrall, which has fallen. Hooch begins to lead Neville away with her.} Everyone's to keep their feet firmly on the ground while I take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing. Understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say, Quidditch. {Exit.}Draco: {snickers} Did you see his face? Maybe if the fat lump had given this a squeeze, he'd have remembered to fall on his fat ass. {Laughs.}Harry: Give it here, Malfoy.Draco: No. I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find. {hops on broom and soars around group, then through.} How 'bout up on the roof?? {soars off and hovers high in the sky.} What's the matter, Potter? Bit beyond your reach?Harry grabs his broom and runs to get on it. Hermione stops him.Hermione: Harry, no! You heard what Madam Hooch said! Besides, you don't even know how to fly. {Harry flies off.} What an idiot.Harry is now in the air, across from Draco.Harry: Give it here, Malfoy, or I'll knock you off your broom!Draco: Is that so? {Harry makes a dash for him, but Draco twirls around his broom in a 360.} Have it your way, then! {He throws the Remembrall into the air.}Harry zooms after the ball, speeding towards a tower. Just as he is about to hit a window, from which McGonagall is working/watching, he catches it, and then heads back to the group. The students all cheer and run to see him.Boy: Good job, Harry!Boy 2: Oh, that was wicked, Harry.McGonagall: {appears quickly} Harry Potter? Follow me. {Harry sullenly follows her. Draco and his goons laugh.}Scene: Professor Quirrells classroom. He is inside, teaching, holding an iguana.Quirrell: An iguana s-such as this is {McGonagall approaches the class and stops Harry: You wait here.} an essential in-gredientMcGonagall: Excuse me, excuse me, Professor Quirrell. Could I borrow Wood for a moment?Quirrell: Oh. Y-yes, of course. {a boy, OLIVER WOOD, gets up to leave and Quirrell continues.} And the vampire b-bat...{eerie roar.}McGonagall: Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood, I have found you a Seeker!Scene: Harry and Ron are walking through crowded halls. Sir Nicholas and a lady ghost float by.Nick: Have you heard? Harry Potter's the new Gryffindor Seeker. I always knew hed do well.Ron: Seeker? But first years never make their house teams! You must be the

youngest Quidditch player inHarry: A century, according to McGonagall.Fred and George approach and walk along with Ron and Harry.Fred: Hey, well done, Harry, Wood's just told us!Ron: Fred and George are on the team, too. Beaters.George: Our job is to make sure that you don't get bloodied up too bad. Can't make any promises, of course. Rough game, Quidditch.Fred: Brutal. But no one's died in years. Someone will vanish occasionally... {They break off from Harry and Ron, who walk across a courtyard.George: But they'll turn up in a month or two!!Ron: Oh, go on, Harry, Quidditch is great. Best game there is! And you'll be great, too! {Hermione jumps up from her work and comes to join them.}Harry: But I've never even played Quidditch. What if I make a fool of myself?Hermione: You won't make a fool of yourself. It's in your blood.Scene: The three approach a trophy case. Hermione points at a plaque of Quidditch players. One lists Harry's father as a Seeker.Ron: Whoa. Harry, you never told me your father was a Seeker, too.Harry: I-I didn't know.

Scene: The three are walking up a staircase. A railing pulls in...Hermione looks, but continues walking.Ron: I'm telling you, it's spooky. She knows more about you than you do.Harry: Who doesn't?The staircase shudders and begins to move. The three grab the railings.Ron: Ahh!Hermione: {Gasps.}Harry: What's happening?Hermione: The staircases change, remember? {The staircase stops, in a new place.}Harry: {taps Ron} Let's go this way.Ron: Before the staircase moves again. {They all open a door and walk into a spooky, dark room.}Harry: Does anyone feel like...we shouldn't be here?Hermione: We're not supposed to be here. This is the 3rd floor. It's forbidden.Suddenly, a flame lights on a tall stone support. At that moment, the caretaker's cat, MRS. NORRIS, comes running in and meows. The group jumps.Harry: Let's go.{meow}Ron: It's Filch's cat!Harry: Run!The group runs. Flames are lit as they go. They get to the end of the corridor, to a door. Harry grabs the handle, but it's locked.Harry: It's locked!Ron: That's it, we're done for!Hermione: Oh, move over! {pushes through and pulls out wand} Alohomora. {The door opens.} Get in. {They bustle in.}Ron: Alohomora?Hermione: Standard book of spells, Chapter 7.Filch appears at the start of the corridor with a light. Mrs. Norris looks at him.Filch: Anyone here, my sweet? {meow} Come on. {exit.}Hermione: Filch is gone.Ron: Probably thinks this door's locked.Hermione: It was locked.Harry: And for good reason. {Ron and Hermione turn to stand with Harry. There is a massively huge three headed dog sleeping in front of them. The dog, FLUFFY, begins to wake. It growls, yawns, and growls more...noticing the intruders.}All: AHHHHHHH! {The three bolt, running out of the door. They turn quickly to shut the door and battle against the dog. They get the door shut and run.}Scene:Back in the Gryffindor room. They are breathless.Ron: What do they think they're doing?? Keeping a thing like that locked up in a school.Hermione: You don't use your eyes, do you? Didn't you see what it was standing on?Ron: I wasn't looking at its feet! I was a bit preoccupied with its heads. Or maybe you didn't notice, there were three! {they begin to climb the stairs to the dorms.}Hermione: It was standing on a trap door. Which means it wasn't there by accident. It's guarding something.Harry: Guarding something?Hermione: That's right. Now, if you two don't mind, I'm going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed...or worse, expelled! {turns and leaves, shutting the door to her dorms.}Ron: She needs to sort out her priorities!Harry nods.Scene: Outside, day time. Oliver and Harry appear, carrying a trunk. They put it down.Oliver: Quidditch is easy enough to understand. Each time has seven players, 3 chasers, 2 beaters, 1 keeper and a seeker that's you. There are three kinds of balls. {picks up a red one} This one's called the Quaffle. Now, the chasers handle the Quaffle and try to put it through one of those three hoops. {Points to a faraway Quidditch pitch.} The keeper, that's me, defends the hoops. {throws ball to Harry.} With me so far?Harry: {throws back} I think so. What are those? {points to two squirming chained down balls.}Oliver: ...You better take this. {hands Harry a small bat. He bends down and releases one ball. With an angry growl, it flies off into the air. The two boys watch it.} Careful now, it's comin' back. {The balls comes whizzing down, and Harry cracks at it with the bat. The ball soars off through a statue.} Eh, not bad, Potter, you'd make a fair beater...Uh-oh. {The ball zooms down, and Oliver grabs it, wriggling to get it back in the box. He succeeds and is out of breath.} Bludger. Nasty little buggers. But the only ball I want you to worry about is this...the Golden Snitch. {hands Harry a walnut sized golden ball.}Harry: I like this ball.Oliver: Ah, you like it now. Just wait. It's wicked fast and damn near impossible to see.Harry: What do I do with it?Oliver: You catch it...before the other team's seeker. You catch this, the game is over. You catch this,

Potter, and we win.{The ball flutters out two delicate wings and jumps into the air. Harry keeps an eye on it.}Harry: Whoa.Scene: PROFESSOR FLITWICK's class. The teacher is very short, and is standing on a bunch of books.Flitwick: One of a wizard's most rudimentary skills is levitation the ability to make objects fly. Uh, do you all have your feathers? {Hermione raises hers.} Good. Now, uh, don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practicing, hmm? The swish and flick. Everyone. {All} The swish and flick. Good. And enunciate. Wingardium Leviosa. Off you go then.Draco: Wingardium Levio-saaa.{All practice.}Ron: Wingardrium Leviosar. {whacks with wand numerous times.}Hermione: Stop, stop, stop. You're going to take someone's eye out. Besides, youre saying it wrong. It's Leviosa, not Leviosar.Ron: You do it then if you're so clever. Go on, go on.Hermione straightens up and swishes her wand.Hermione: {crisply} Wingardium Leviosa. {The feather glows and lifts up. Ron puts his head on his books dejectedly.}Flitwick: Oh, well done! See here, everyone! Ms. Granger's done it! Oh, splendid!Seamus begins swishing at his feather.Seamus: Wingard Levosa. Wingard Levosa. {Flitwick to Hermione: Well done, dear.}BOOOM!!! Seamus' feather explodes. Flitwick gasps.Flitwick: Whooaaa! Ooh.Harry: I think we're going to need another feather over here, Professor.Scene: Neville, Harry, Ron and Seamus are walking through a courtyard with other students all around.Ron: It's Leviosa, not Leviosar. Honestly, she's a nightmare. No wonder she hasn't got any friends!Hermione bustles past, sniffling.Harry: I think she heard you.Scene: Night, in the great hall. It is Halloween. Everyone is eating candy, and Jack O'Lanterns are keeping the place lit. There is chatter.Harry: Where's Hermione?Neville: Parvati Patil said that she wouldn't come out of the girl's bathroom. She said that she'd been in there all afternoon...crying.{Ron and Harry exchange glances. Suddenly, Professor Quirrell comes flying into the room, screaming.}Quirrell: TROLL! IN THE DUNGEON! T-TROOLLL IN THE DUNGEON!! {stops and there is utter silence.} Thought you ought to know. {falls over in a dead faint.}The room is silent, and then everyone freaks, screaming and running.Dumbledore: SILLLLLEEENNNNCEEEEE! {Everyone stops.} Everyone will please, not panic. Now, Prefects will lead their houses back to the dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons.Girl: Hufflepuff, this way!Boy: Stay together!Snape looks aghast, and he disappears through a doorway.Scene: Percy is leading the house down a hall.Percy: Gryffindors...keep up please. And stay alert!Harry: How could a troll get in?Ron: Not by itself. Trolls are really stupid. Probably people playing jokes. {Suddenly, Harry stops and pulls Ron aside.} What?Harry: Hermione! She doesn't know!The two run off, down corridors. They start running down a hall when they stop, because there is a grunting noise. Harry pulls Ron into a doorway and a large, ugly TROLL thunks by into a room.Harry: He's going into the Girl's Bathroom!Scene: In the bathroom, Hermione emerges from a stall, wiping her eyes. She stops when she sees something. The troll is standing there. Hermione backs up, into the stall just as the troll raises its club and smashes the top part of the stalls. Hermione screams. Harry and Ron come bursting in.Harry: Hermione, move!The troll smashes the remaining stalls.Hermione: Help! Help! {The boys start throwing wood pieces at the troll.}Ron: Hey, pea brain! {Ron throws wood and hits the troll on the head. Hermione escapes from the stalls to under a sink, but the troll sees her and goes to smash her. It cracks the sink and barely misses Hermione. Harry cringes.}Hermione: Ahhh! Help!Harry gets out his wand. He runs forward and grabs the troll's club, and is lifted up.Harry: Whooa! Whoa, whoa! {He lands on the troll's head, and is hurled forward, then back, and his wand goes up the troll's nose.}Ron: Ew.The troll snorts, and whips around.Harry: Whoa, whoa whoa!The troll gets Harry off its head and is holding him by one leg, upside

down. It gears up its club and swipes at Harry. He pulls himself up, then down. The troll swipes again.Harry: Do something! {swipe}Ron: What? {swipe}Harry: Anything! Hurry up!Ron grabs his wand. Under the sink, Hermione waves her hand.Hermione: Swish and flick!Ron: Wingardium Leviosa! {flick. The club is lifted out of the troll's hand and hovers above its head. The troll looks up, confused, just as the club comes crashing back down. (Ron: Cool.) It hits the troll's head and the troll wavers, then drops Harry, who crawls away, and comes crashing down, hard.Hermione approaches carefully.Hermione: Is it...dead?Harry: I don't think so. Just knocked out. {He grabs his wand...which is covered in goo.} Ew. Troll bogies.Suddenly, McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell come rushing in.They all gasp.McGonagall: Oh! Oh, my goodness! E-Explain yourselves, both of you!Ron and Harry: Well, what it is...Hermione: It's my fault, Professor McGonagall. {The teachers, and Ron and Harry, gape}McGonagall: Ms. Granger?Hermione: I went looking for the troll. I'd read about them and thought I could handle it. But I was wrong. If Harry and Ron hadn't come and found me...I'd probably be dead.McGonagall: Be that as it may...it was an extremely foolish thing to do. {Harry looks at Snape's leg...which has a large cut on it. Snape notices and covers it up, glaring at Harry.} I would have expected more rational behaviour on your part, Ms. Granger. 5 points will be taken from Gryffindor for your serious lack of judgment. As for you two gentlemen I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many students could take on a full grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale. 5 points...will be awarded to each of you. For sheer dumb luck. {Snape and McGonagall exit.}Quirrell: Perhaps you ought to go...M-might wake up...heh. {Exit Ron and Harry and Hermione.} {Troll roars.} Ahh! Hehe....Scene: The next morning, in the great hall. The gang is sitting, eating. Harry is twirling his food on a fork.Ron: Take a bit of toast, mate, go on.Hermione: Ron's right, Harry. You're gonna need your strength today.Harry: I'm not hungry.Snape appears.Snape: Good luck today, Potter. Then again, now that you've proven yourself against a troll, a little game of Quidditch should be easy work for you...even if it is against Slytherin. {Leaves, limping.}Harry: That explains the blood.Hermione: Blood?Harry: Listen, last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion so he could try and get past that 3 headed dog. But, he got himself bitten, that's why he's limping.Hermione: But why would anyone go near that dog?Harry: The day I was at Gringotts, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults. He said it was Hogwarts' business, very secret.Hermione: So you're saying...Harry: That's what the dog's guarding. That's what Snape wants.{An owl screeches. It is Hedwig. She is carrying a very large, long parcel. She drops it off.}Hermione: Bit early for mail, isn't it?Harry: But I-I never get mail.Ron: Let's open it.{They open it.}Harry: It's a broomstick! Ron: Thats not just any broomstick, Harry. It's a Nimbus 2000!Harry: But who...?{He sees Professor McGonagall up at the head table, stroking Hedwig. She smiles and Harry nods.}Scene: Inside a Quidditch tower. The Gryffindor team is marching towards the starting gate. They reach it and stop, behind a closed double door.OIiver: Scared, Harry?Harry: A little bit.Oliver: That's all right. I felt the same way before my first game.Harry: What happened? Oliver: Er, I don't really remember. I took a bludger to the head 2 minutes in. Woke up in the hospital a week later.Harry gulps and looks straight ahead as the doors open. They mount their brooms and zoom out onto the enormous pitch. There is cheering. The commentator, LEE JORDAN, is talking from a tower.Lee: Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season! Today's game Slytherin versus Gryffindor!!!{Cheering. Close-up of Gryffindor students. They are cheering. Neville: Gryffindor!}The players take their positions in the air in a circle. Harry weaves in, highest

amongst. He looks down.Lee: The players take their positions as Madam Hooch steps out onto the field to begin the game.Hooch: Now, I want a nice clean game...from all of you. {looks at Slytherin. She kicks the trunk, and the bludgers zoom out.}Lee: The bludgers are up...followed by the Golden Snitch. Remember, the snitch is worth 150 points. The seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game.The snitch zooms around each Seeker's head, then disappears. Hooch grabs the Quaffle.Lee: The Quaffle is released...and the game begins!Gryffindor takes possession of the ball and a chaser, ANGELINA JOHNSON, zooms past Slytherins towards their goal, and throws the ball, and scores! There is a ding.Lee: Angelina Johnson scores! 10 points for Gryffindor! {He presses a button and a 10 shows up beside a plaque with Gryffindors name.}Harry, in the air, claps.Harry: Yes! {a bludger zooms by him.} Whoa!In the stands, Gryffindor cheers.Hagrid: Well done!Lee: Slytherin takes possession of the Quaffle. Bletchley passes to Captain Marcus Flint.Flint dodges people and throws for the Gryffindor hoops. Oliver appears and whacks the ball away with his broom. He smirks at Flint, who glares. Johnson and KATIE BELL pass the Quaffle back and forth as they strategize to score. Johnson takes it, throws, and once again scores!Ron and Seamus: Yay!Harry: Yes!Lee: Another 10 points to Gryffindor! {ding.}Gryffindors: Yay!The Slytherins decide to get messy. They dodge, kick, and try to score. Once again, Oliver blocks.Flint: Give me that! {he grabs a beaters bat from one and whacks a bludger right at Oliver. It hits Oliver in the stomach and he falls to the ground.}Crowd: {Booing}Harry is visibly upset.Slytherin laughs.The Slytherin members head off. One jumps over George (or Fred) and scores. Harry is upset again. Slytherin cheers.Flint: {to other members} Take that side!They box Johnson in and sent her into the capes covering one of the towers. She falls down in and is out. The crowd boos. Slytherin scores once again. Suddenly, Harry sees the Snitch. He starts to head off after it and then his broom starts bucking and turning.Harry: Whoa! Whooa!Hagrid: What's going on with Harry's broomstick?Hermione looks through binoculars at Harry, then at Snape, who is muttering something.Hermione: It's Snape! He's jinxing the broom!Ron: Jinxing the broom? What do we do?Hermione: Leave it to me. {She hands Ron her binoculars and leaves.}Harry is knocked around, then falls, dangling by one arm from the broom.Ron: Come on, Hermione!Hermione is hurrying up a tower. She appears underneath Snape and touches his cloak with her wand.Hermione: Lacarnum Inflamarae.A spark ignites and Snape's cloak catches fire. Hermione leaves.Man: Fire! You're on fire!Snape: What? Oh! {knocks the man back, who falls into Quirrell, who then also falls. Snape bats out the fire and acts as though nothing happened. The broom stop bucking, and Harry climbs back on. The Slytherin seeker is after the Snitch. Harry takes off.}Ron: Go!Hagrid: Go go go!Harry rams the Slytherin Seeker, then is butted out. He returns, smashing the Seeker again as the Snitch dives. The boys follow, but they approach the ground quickly. The Slytherin Seeker backs out, and Harry pulls up his broom as he follows the Snitch, feet above the ground. Harry stands up, and steps forward, trying to grab the ball. He goes too far, and topples off the broom with a yelp, tumbling on the ground. He gets up and lurches.The crowd gasps. Hermione appears beside a tower to see.Hagrid: Looks like he's gonna be sick!Harry lurches and the Snitch pops out of his mouth. It lands in his hands.Lee: He's got the Snitch! Harry Potter receives 150 points for catching the Snitch!Hooch: {Blows whistle} Gryffindor win!All: YAY!Draco: No!Hagrid: Yes!Hermione: Whoo-hoo!McGonagall: {Giggles happily}Harry raises the Snitch into the air and the crowd, and his team, cheers.Crowd: Go go Gryffindor! Go go Gryffindor! Go go Gryffindor! Go go Gryffindor!

Scene:

Harry, Hermione and Ron are walking along a path with Hagrid, talking.

Hagrid: Nonsense. Why would Snape put a curse on Harry's broom?

Harry: Who knows. Why was he trying to get past that 3 headed dog on Halloween?

Hagrid: Who told you 'bout Fluffy?

Ron: Fluffy? Hermione: That thing has a name?

Hagrid: Well, of course he's got a name. He's mine. I bought him off an Irish feller I met down at the pub last year. Then I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the

Harry: Yes?

Hagrid: Shouldn'ta said that. Don't ask any more questions. That's top secret, that is.

Harry: But Hagrid, whatever Fluffy's guarding, Snape's trying to steal it!

Hagrid: Codswallop. Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher.

Hermione: Hogwarts teacher or not, I know a curse when I see one. I've read all about them. You have to keep eye contact. And Snape wasn't blinking.

Harry: Exactly.

Hagrid: {sighs} Now, you listen to me, all three of you. You're meddlin' in things that ought not to be meddled in. It's dangerous. What that dog is guarding is strictly between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel.

Harry: Nicholas Flamel?

Hagrid: I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that. I should not have said that. {Exit.}

Harry: Nicholas Flamel...Who's Nicholas Flamel?

Hermione: I don't know.

Scene: Christmas. The camera pans up to a snowy castle, then to Hagrid, who is bringing in a large tree. Inside the great hall, students are leaving and ghosts are singing (Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, ring the Hogwarts bell. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas...) Hermione approaches the empty tables, wheeling a cart. She goes to Ron and Harry, who are playing chess.

Harry: Knight to E-5.

A piece moves across the board.

Ron thinks for a moment.

Ron: Queen to E-5.

A queen walks over to E-5 and clinks the knight away.

Hermione: That's totally barbaric!

Ron: That's wizard's chess. I see you've packed.

Hermione: See you haven't.

Ron: Change of plans. My parents decided to go to Romania to visit my brother, Charlie. He's studying dragons there!

Hermione: Good. You can help Harry, then. He's going to go the library for information on Nicholas Flamel.

Ron: We've looked a hundred times!

Hermione: Not in the restricted section...Happy Christmas. {exits.}

Ron: I think we've had a bad influence on her.

Scene:

X-mas morning. Hedwig is perched in the boys' room, and Harry is asleep in bed.

Ron: {calling from downstairs} Harry, wake up! Come on Harry, wake up!

Harry gets up and runs to a balcony overlooking the common room, where Ron is standing next to a tree. He is wearing a sweater with an R on it.

Ron: Happy Christmas, Harry.

Harry: Happy Christmas, Ron. What are you wearing?

Ron: Oh, Mum made it for me. Looks like you've got one too!

Harry: I've got presents?

Ron: Yeah!

Harry: Oh! {Harry runs down the stairs.}

Ron: There they are. {Ron sits on a couch arm and eats jelly beans as Harry picks up a silver wrapped package. Harry takes out the card.}

Harry: "Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well."

Harry opens the present. It is a cloak.

Ron: What is it?

Harry: Some kind of...cloak.

Ron: Well, let's see then. Put it on.

Harry puts the cloak on, and all of him disappears except for his head.

Ron: Whoa!

Harry: My body's gone!

Ron: I know what that is! That's an invisibility cloak!

Harry: I'm invisible??

Ron: {gets up} They're really rare. I wonder who gave it to you.

Harry: {comes over} There was no name. It just said, "Use it well."

Scene:

Late at night. A lantern and hand appear, but nothing else. The ensemble walk through the dark library and into the Restricted Section. The lamp is put down, and the cloak removed. Harry appears.

Harry: {Reading books} Famous fire eaters...15th Century Fiends...Flamel...Nicholas Flamel...where are you?

Harry picks up a book and opens it. A man's face appears.

Man: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Harry slams the book shuts and puts it back.

Filchs voice: Who's there?! {Harry whips around, grabbing his cloak. The lamp falls and shatters.} I know you're in there. You can't hide. {Harry puts on his cloak and creeps around Filch.} Who is it? Show yourself!

Harry runs from the room, breathing heavily. He gets into the hall, where Mrs. Norris is. The cat meows and begins to follow him. Harry runs around a corner, just as Snape and Quirrell appear. Snape pushes Quirrell into the wall.

Quirrell: Severus...I-I thought...

Snape: You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell.

Quirrell: W-what do you m-mean?

Snape: You know perfectly well what I mean. {Snape senses something. Harry stops breathing. Snape reaches out to grab something, but doesn't. He whips his finger back in front of Quirrell's face.} We'll have another chat soon...when you've had time to decide where your loyalties lie.

Filch appears, carrying the broken lamp.

Filch: Oh, Professors. I found this, in the Restricted Section. It's still hot. That means there's a student out of bed.

They all dart off. A door opens, and closes. On the other side, there is a vast, empty room that has a large mirror in the center. Harry appears and walks over to the mirror. In it, he sees two people appear.

Harry: Mum? {the woman nods and smiles} Dad? {nods and smiles. Harry reaches out to touch them, but only gets the mirror. Then, his mother puts her hand on his shoulder. He puts his own hand on his own shoulders, as if trying to feel her there.

Scene:

The boys' room. Harry comes whipping in, invisible.

Harry: Ron! You've really got to see this! Ron! You've got to see this! {pulls back covers. Ron wakes up.} Ron, Ron, come on. Get out of bed!

Ron: Why?

Harry: There's something you've got to see. Now, come on!

Scene:

Back in the mirror room. Harry and Ron appear as if magically and Harry runs to the mirror.

Harry: Come on. Come. Come look, it's my parents!

Ron: I only see me.

Harry: {moves over} Look in properly. Go on. Stand there. There. You see them, don't you? Thats my dad

Ron: That's me! Only, I'm head boy...and I'm holding the Quidditch cup! And bloody hell, I'm Quidditch Captain too! I look good. Harry, do you think this mirror shows the future?

Harry: How can it? Both my parents are dead. {Harry smiles sadly.}

Scene:

Another night. Harry is sitting in front of the mirror. Dumbledore appears behind him.

Dumbledore: Back again, Harry? {Harry turns around and stands up.} I see that you, like so many before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised. I trust by now you realize what it does. Let me give you a clue. The happiest man on earth would look into the mirror and see only himself, exactly as he is.

Harry: So, then it shows us what we want? Whatever we want?

Dumbledore: Yes...and no. It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desires of our hearts. Now you, who have never known your family, you see them standing beside you. But remember this, Harry. This mirror gives us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away in front of it, even gone mad. That is why tomorrow it will be moved to a new home, and I must ask you not to go looking for it again. It does not do to dwell on dreams, Harry, and forget to live. {Harry looks back at the mirror.}

Scene:

Daytime. It is all snowy. Harry is out in a main courtyard, bundled up, with Hedwig on his arm. He stops and she lifts off, soaring away into the sky. When she returns, it is spring time.

Scene:

In the library. Harry and Ron are seated, reading. Hermione comes up with a huge book. She thumps it onto the table. Harry jumps.

Hermione: I had you looking in the wrong section! How could I be so stupid? I checked this out a few weeks ago for a bit of light reading.

Ron: This is light?

Hermione: {glares} Of course! Here it is! "Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"

Ron and Harry: The what?

Hermione: Honestly, don't you two read? "The Philosopher's Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. It will turn any metal into pure gold and produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal."

Ron: Immortal?

Hermione: It means you'll never die.

Ron: I know what it means!

Harry: Shh!

Hermione: "The only stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist, who last year celebrated his 665th birthday!" That's what Fluffy's guarding on the 3rd floor. That's what's under the trapdoor...the Philosopher's Stone!

They all look at each other.

Scene:

Nighttime. Hermione, Ron and Harry are running across the wet ground to Hagrids hut. They knock on the door and it opens.

Harry: Hagrid!

Hagrid: {clad in oven mitts and an apron} Oh, hello. Sorry, don't wish to be rude, but I'm in no fit state to entertain today. {Closes door.}

All 3: We know about the Philosopher's Stone!

{Door reopens.}

Hagrid: Oh.

{They all come into Hagrid's small hut.}

Harry: We think Snape's trying to steal it.

Hagrid: Snape? Blimey, Harry, you're not still on about him, are you?

Harry: Hagrid, we know he's after the Stone. We just don't know why.

Hagrid: Snape is one of the teachers protecting the Stone! He's not about to steal it!

Harry: What?

Hagrid: You heard. Right. Come on, now, I'm a bit preoccupied today.

Harry: Wait a minute. {Ron and a big black boarhound, FANG, meet. Fang sniffs Ron.} One of the teachers? Hermione: {sitting in a large chair} Of course! There are other things defending the Stone, aren't there? Spells, enchantments.

Hagrid: That's right. Waste of bloody time, if you ask me.

{Hermione looks at Ron, who is being sniffed in the face by Fang. Ron shuffles away.} Ain't no one gonna get past Fluffy. Hehe, not a soul knows how. Except for me and Dumbledore. I shouldn't have told you that. I shouldn't have told you that. {A cauldron over a fire begins to rattle.} Oh! {Hagrid hurries over and grabs something} Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! {puts the thing, an egg, on the table. The group crowds around.}

Harry: Uh, Hagrid, what exactly is that?

Hagrid: That? It's a ... its um...

Ron: I know what that is! But Hagrid, how did you get one?

Hagrid: I won it. Off a stranger I met down at a pub. Seemed quite glad to be rid off it, as a matter of fact.

The egg rattles and cracks. Pieces fly off as a dragon emerges. It squeaks and slips on an egg piece.

Hermione: Is that...a dragon?

Ron: That's not just a dragon. That's a Norwegian Ridgeback! My brother Charlie works with these in Romania.

Hagrid: Isn't he beautiful? Oh. Bless him, look. He knows his mummy. Hehe. Hallo, Norbert. {The dragon squeaks as it looks at Hagrid.}

Harry: Norbert?

Hagrid: Yeah, well, he's got to have a name, doesn't he?

Ron: {laughs}

Hagrid: Don't you, Norbert? {raises fingers back and forth across Norberts chin} Dededede.

Norbert backs away, hiccups and blows a fireball of fire into Hagrid's beard.

Hagrid: Ohh! Oooh, ooh, ooh, well...he'll have to be trained up a bit, of course. {Norbert hiccups. Hagrid sees someone looking in the window.} Who's that? {The person scampers away.}

Harry: Malfoy.

Hagrid: Oh, dear.

Scene:

The three are walking back through a corridor. An owl screeches.

Harry: Hagrid always wanted a dragon. He told me so the first time I met him.

Ron: It's crazy. And worse, Malfoy knows.

Harry: I don't understand. Is that bad?

Ron: It's bad.

They stop as McGonagall, in her nightgown, appears.

McGonagall: Good evening.

Malfoy appears smugly beside her.

Scene:

McGonagall's classroom. The three accused are standing in front of McGonagall's desk, while Malfoy is feet away, smirking.

McGonagall: Nothing, I repeat, nothing gives a student the right to walk about the school at night. Therefore, as punishment for your actions, 50 points will be taken.

Harry: 50?!

McGonagall: Each. And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all four of you will receive detention.

Malfoy nods, then his smile vanishes.

Draco: Excuse me, Professor. Perhaps I heard you wrong. I thought you said..."the four of us."

McGonagall: No, you heard me correctly, Mr. Malfoy. You see, as honorable as your intentions were, you too were out of bed after hours. You will serve detention with your classmates.

Harry, Ron and Hermione grin, and Draco sags.

Scene:

Outside, at night, the four students are being led to Hagrid's hut by Mr. Filch.

Filch: A pity they let the old punishments die. There was a time detention would find you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I miss the screaming. {Draco gulps, and Hermione rushes by.} You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the dark forest. {Hagrid appears with a crossbow. He sniffles.} A sorry lot this, Hagrid. Oh, good God, man, you're not still on about that bloody dragon, are you?

Hagrid: {sniffs and sighs} Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live in a colony.

Hermione: Well, that's good, isn't it? He'll be with his own kind.

Hagrid: Yeah, but what if he don't like Romania? {Filch rolls eyes.} What if the other dragons are mean to him? He's only a baby, after all.

Filch: Oh, for Gods sake, pull yourself together, man. You're going into the forest, after all. Got to have your wits about you.

Draco: The forest? I thought that was a joke! We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are...{a howl sounds}...werewolves!

Filch: There's more than werewolves in those trees, lad. You can be sure of that. {Draco looks frightened.} Nighty-night. {Exit.}

Hagrid: Right. Let's go.

Scene: In the forest. The group walks along a path to a tree. Hagrid stops, bends down and dips his fingers in a silver puddle. He pulls out his fingers and rubs them together. A silver trail smears with his fingers.

Harry: Hagrid, what's that?

Hagrid: What we're here for. See that? That's unicorn's blood, that is. I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's been injured bad by something. {Harry suddenly sees a large cloaked figure walking through the trees. He looks at Hagrid.} So, it's our job to find the poor beast. Ron, Hermione, you'll come with me.

Ron: {weakly} Okay.

Hagrid: And Harry, you'll go with Malfoy. {Draco grimaces, and Harry nods.}

Draco: Okay. Then I get Fang!

Hagrid: Fine. Just so you know, he's a bloody coward. {Fang whines.}

Scene:

Harry and Draco are walking through the forest, Fang leading. Draco has the lamp.

Draco: You wait till my father hears about this. This is servant's stuff.

Harry: If I didn't know better, Draco, I'd say you were scared.

Draco: Scared, Potter?! {Scoffs} {howl} Did you hear that? Come on, Fang. Scared.

Scene:

The group approaches a flat ground with gnarled roots all over. Fang stops, then growls.

Harry: What is it, Fang?

Up ahead, a cloaked figure is crouched over a dead unicorn, drinking its blood. The figure raises its head, silver blood dripping from its mouth.

Harry gasps and grabs his scar, which is hurting.

Draco: {A look of pure fear} AHHHHHHHHH!!! AHHH! {runs away, with Fang} HELP!!!!!

Harry is left by himself. The figure slides over the unicorn and rises erect. It advances towards Harry, who backs up, but trips. He crawls backwards. Suddenly, there is the sound of hoofbeats. A figure leaps over Harry and lands near the cloaked figure. It is a silver centaur, FIRENZE. It rears, and the cloaked figure retreats, flying away.

Firenze: Harry Potter, you must leave. You are known to many creatures here. The forest is not safe at this time. Especially for you.

Harry: {rises} But what was that thing you saved me from?

Firenze: A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn. Drinking the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive even if you are an inch from death. But at a terrible price. You have slain something so pure that the moment the blood touches your lips, you will have a half-life. A cursed life.

Harry: But who would choose such a life?

Firenze: Can you think of no one?

Harry: Do you mean to say...that that thing that killed the unicorn...that was drinking its blood...that was Voldemort?

Firenze: Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?

Harry: The Philosopher's Stone.

Suddenly, a dog (Fang) barks. Harry looks up and sees Hagrid, Hermione, Ron and Draco appear.

Hermione: Harry!

Hagrid: Hello there, Firenze. I see you've met our young Mr. Potter. You all right there, Harry? {Harry nods}

Firenze: Harry Potter, this is where I leave you. You're safe now. Good luck.

{Close up on the dead unicorn.}

Scene:Gryffindor common room. Right after 'attack.' The group is around the fire. Hermione and Ron are seated, but Harry stands.Hermione: You mean, You-Know-Who's out there, right now, in the forest?Harry: But he's weak. He's living off the unicorns. Don't you see? We had it wrong. Snape doesn't want the stone for himself, he wants the stone for Voldemort. With the Elixir of Life, Voldemort will be strong again. He'll He'll come back. {Sits down.}Ron: But if he comes back, you don't think he'll try to kill you, do you?Harry: I think if he'd had the chance, he might have tried to kill me tonight.Ron: {Gulp} And to think, I've been worrying about my Potions final!Hermione: Hang on a minute. We're forgetting one thing. Who's the one wizard Voldemort always feared?{The boys shrug.} Dumbledore! As long as Dumbledore's around, you're safe. As long as Dumbledore's around, you can't be touched. {Harry smiles slightly.}Scene:Some time later. In the outdoor courtyard. The three are walking.Hermione: I've always heard Hogwarts' end of the year exams were frightful, but I found that rather enjoyable.Ron: Speak for yourself. All right there, Harry?Harry: My scar. It keeps burning.Hermione: It's happened before.Harry: Not like this.Ron: Perhaps you should see the nurse.Harry: I think it's a warning. It means dangers coming. Uhh! {He rubs scar and then sees Hagrid across the field, at his hut.} Oh. Of course! {runs for hut.}Hermione: What is it?Harry: Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger shows up and just happens to have one? {They approach Hagrid, who is playing the Harry Potter theme on his flute.} I mean, how many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pockets? Why didn't I see it before? Hagrid, who gave you the dragon egg? {Hagrid stops playing.} What did he look like?Hagrid: I don't know. I never saw his face. He kept his hood up.Harry: The stranger, though, you and he must have talked.Hagrid: Well, he wanted to know what sort of creatures I looked after. I told him. I said, "After Fluffy, a dragon's gonna be no problem."Harry: And did he seem interested in Fluffy?Hagrid: Well, of course he was interested in Fluffy! How often do you come across a three headed dog, even if you're in the trade? But I told him. I said, "The trick with any beast is to know how to calm him. Take Fluffy, for example, just play him a bit of music and he falls straight to sleep."The three gape.Hagrid: I shouldn't have told you that. {The three take off.} Where you going?! Wait!Scene:McGonagall's classroom. The three come tearing in and run up the aisles between desks. They pass a ghost and stop at the desk.Harry: We have to see Professor Dumbledore, immediately!McGonagall: I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore is not here. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left immediately for London.Harry: He's gone?! Now? But this is important! It's about...the Philosopher's Stone.McGonagall: {shocked} How do you knowHarry: Someone's going to try and steal it.McGonagall: I don't know how you three found out about the stone, but I can assure you it is perfectly well-protected. Now would you go back to your dormitories? Quietly. {They leave.}Scene:After exiting McGonagall's class, they walk down the hallway.Harry: That was no stranger Hagrid met in the village. It was Snape, which means he knows how to get past Fluffy.Hermione: And with Dumbledore gone{Snape suddenly appears behind them}Snape: Good afternoon. Now, what would three young Gryffindors such as yourselves be doing inside on a day like this?Hermione: Uh...we were just...Snape: You want to be careful. People will think you're {Harry glares madly at Snape, who looks shocked} up to something. {Exit.}Hermione: Now what do we do?Harry: We go down the trapdoor. Tonight.Scene: Nighttime. In the Gryffindor Common Room. The three friends come down the stairs and begin to walk across the floor. They stop when they hear croaking.Harry: Trevor.Ron: Trevor shh! Go, you shouldn't be here!Neville: {appears behind a chair} Neither should

you. You're sneaking out again, arent you?Harry: Now, Neville, listen. We wereNeville: No! I won't let you! {stands} You'll get Gryffindor in trouble again! I-I'll fight you. {holds out fists.}Hermione: Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this...{takes out wand} Petrificus Totalus.Neville is frozen and falls backwards onto the ground. Hermione puts her wand back.Ron: {Gulp} You're a little scary sometimes...you know that? Brilliant, but scary.Harry: Let's go. {Walks by Neville} Sorry.Hermione: Sorry.Ron: It's for your own good, you know. {Exit.}Scene: The three are under the Invisibility cloak, sneaking along the corridor.Hermione: Ow! You stood on my foot!Ron: Sorry. {A flame lights. Hermione draws out her wand and points it at the door.}Hermione: Alohomora.The door opens and they go in.Ron: Wait a minute...he's....{a blow of air, and the cape flutters off them.} Sleeping.Harry: Snape's already been here. He's put a spell on the harp. {They approach the sleeping dog.}Ron: Uh. It's got horrible breath!Harry: We have to move its paw.Ron: What?!Harry: Come on! {grabs paw, which is blocking the door.} Okay. Push! {They strain and move it. They open the door.} I'll go first. Don't follow until I give you a sign. {Fluffy's eyes open.} If something bad happens, get yourselves out...Does it seem a bit...quiet?Hermione: The harp. It stopped playing.Drool from one head comes down on Ron's shoulder.Ron: Ew! Yuck! Ugh. {All three kids look up and see Fluffy standing there. Fluffy barks and growls, thrashing. It breaks the harp and dives at the three.}Harry: Jump! Go! {They all jump through the trapdoor.}Ron: Ahh! {gasps as he lands on some mushy black ropelike vines.} Whoa. Lucky this plant-thing is here, really.Harry: Whoa! {The plant begins to move towards them.} Oh. Ahh! {The plant ties them up.}Hermione: Stop moving, both of you. This is Devil's Snare. You have to relax. If you don't, it will only kill you faster.Ron: Kill us faster?! Oh, now I can relax!Hermione manages a smile as she is sucked down below.Ron and Harry: Hermione!!Ron: Now what are we gonna do?!Hermione's voice: Just relax!Harry: Hermione! Where are you?!Hermione (from below): Do what I say. Trust me.Harry relaxes and is sucked through.Ron: Ahh! Harry!Harry falls through and lands on the hard ground. Hermione goes over to him and he stands up.Ron: Harry!Hermione: Are you okay?Harry: Yeah, yeah, I'm fine.Ron: Help!Hermione: He's not relaxing, is he?Harry: Apparently not.Ron: Help! Help me!Hermione: We've got to do something!Harry: What?Hermione: Uh! I remember reading something in Herbology. {Ron: Help!} Um Devil's Snare, Devil's Scare, {The snare shuts Ron's mouth} it's deadly fun...but will sulk in the sun! That's it! Devil's Snare hates sunlight! {takes out wand and points upwards.} Lumus Solem! {A beam of light shoots out. The Snare shrieks and recoils. Ron falls below.}Ron: Ahhh!Harry: Ron, are you okay?Ron: Yeah.Harry: Okay.Ron: {stands} Whew. Lucky we didn't panic!Harry: Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology.There is a sound.Hermione: What is that?Harry: I don't know. Sounds like wings.They enter into a room filled with golden "birds."Hermione: Curious. I've never seen birds like these.Harry: They're not birds, they're keys. And I'll bet one of them fits that door. {They come upon a broomstick, suspended in the air.}Hermione: What's this all about?Harry: I don't know. Strange.{Ron creeps over to the door and takes out his wand.}Ron: {rattles lock.} Alohomora! {Shrugs} Well, it was worth a try.Hermione: Ugh! What're we going to do? There must be 1000 keys up there!Ron: We're looking for a big old fashioned one. Probably rusty like the handle.Harry: There! I see it! {points} The one with the broken wing! {He looks at the broom.}Hermione: What's wrong, Harry?Harry: It's too simple.Ron: Oh, go on, Harry! If Snape can catch it on that old broomstick, you can! You're the youngest seeker in a century!Harry nods and grabs the broom. All the keys suddenly go one direction, right at Harry. He climbs on, swiping at them.Ron: This complicates things a

bit!Harry pushes off into the air. He flies off, after the key. The others follow him. Harry grabs the key.Harry: Catch the key!He zooms by and throws the key to Hermione, who catches it and heads for the lock while Harry distracts the other keys. Hermione puts it in the lock.Ron: Hurry up!The door opens, and Hermione and Ron rush through, followed by Harry. They shut the door just as the keys slam up against it.Scene:They enter a dark room, with broken pieces all around it.Hermione: I don't like this. I don't like this at all.Harry: Where are we? A graveyard.Ron: This is no graveyard. {sighs} It's a chessboard. {Walks out onto the marble board and flames light, illuminating the board and GIANT players. Harry and Hermione come up with him.}Harry: There's the door.They walk across the board, towards the door. Suddenly, as they reach a line of pawns, the pawns bring up their swords. The three jump and back up.Hermione: Now what do we do?Ron: It's obvious, isn't it? We've got to play our way across the room. All right. Harry, you take the Bishop's square. Hermione, you'll be the Queen's side castle. As for me, I'll be a knight. {They all take their places.}Hermione: What happens now?Ron: {aboard a horse.} Well, white moves first, and then...we play. {A pawn on the other side moves forward. Ron studies the game.}Hermione: Ron, you don't suppose this is going to be like...real wizard's chess, do you?Ron: You there! D-5! {A black pawn moves forward, diagonal to the white pawn. The white pawn raises its swords and smashes the black one. The three jump.} Yes, Hermione, I think this is going to be exactly like wizard's chess!The game continues. Pieces smash each other, boom! Boom!Ron: Castle to E-4! Smash! Ron: Pawn to C-3! Smash! Boom! The Queen turns, and smashes a piece! Harry, Ron and Hermione wince. The Queen turns again. Both Ron and Harry study the game.Harry: Wait a minute.Ron: You understand right, Harry. Once I make my move, the Queen will take me...then you'll be free to check the King.Harry: No, Ron! No!Hermione: What is it?Harry: He's going to sacrifice himself!Hermione: No, Ron, you can't! {Ron closes his eyes.} There must be another way!Ron: {turns to face Hermione.} Do you want to stop Snape or not? Harry, it's you that has to go on. I know it. Not me, not Hermione, you. {Harry nods.} Knight...to H-3.Ron's horse moves forward, slides and stops.Ron: Check.The Queen turns and advances. Ron breathes faster, clutching the steel reins. The Queen stops. SMASH! Ron goes flying off the horse and lands on the floor, unconscious.Ron: Ahhhh!Harry: RON! {Hermione starts walking to him.} NO! Don't move! Dont forget, we're still playing. {Hermione moves back. Harry walks the diagonal in front of the King.} Checkmate. {The Kings sword falls onto the ground victory. Harry breathes out and then the two run to Ron. They bend beside him.} Take care of Ron. Then, go to the owlery. Send a message to Dumbledore. Ron's right...I have to go on.Hermione: You'll be okay, Harry. You're a great wizard, you really are.Harry: Not as good as you.Hermione: {smile} Me? Books and cleverness? There are more important things. Friendship, and bravery. And Harry, just be careful.Harry nods and stands, walking away.

Scene:Harry walks down a long staircase to an empty room with pillars around it. The Mirror of Erised is in the middle of the room, and a man is standing before it. It is Quirrell. Harry yelps and grabs his scar.Harry: You? {Quirrell turns around.} No. It can't be...Snape. He was the oneQuirrell: Yes. He does seem the type, doesn't he? Next to me, who would suspect, "p-p-poor s-stuttering Professor Quirrell?"Harry: B-but, that day, during the Quidditch Match, Snape tried to kill me.Quirrell: No, dear boy. I tried to kill you! And trust me, if Snape's cloak hadn't caught fire and broken my eye contact, I would have succeeded. Even with Snape muttering his little counter-curse.Harry: Snape was trying to...save me?Quirrell: I knew you were a danger right from the off. Especially after Halloween.Harry: Th-then you let the troll in.Quirrell: Very good Potter, yes. Snape, unfortunately, wasn't fooled. While everyone else was running to the dungeon, he went to the 3rd floor to head me off. He, of course, never trusted me again. He rarely left me alone. {Quirrell turns back to the mirror and Harry's scar hurts.} But he doesn't understand. I'm never alone. Never. Now...what does this mirror do? I see what I desire. I see myself holding the stone. But how do I get it?{A raspy voice, VOLDEMORT, calls.}: Use the boy.Quirrell: Come here, Potter, now!Harry walks forward shakily.Quirrell: Tell me. What do you see?Harry looks in the mirror. He sees himself. His mirror self brings his hand into his pocket and takes out a red stone! The mirror self winks and puts the stone back. Very subtly, Harry reaches to his pocket. There is a lump. He gasps.Quirrell: What is it?! What do you see?!Harry: I-I'm shaking hands with Dumbledore. I've won the house cup.Voldemort's voice: He lies.Quirrell: Tell the truth! What do you see?!Voldemort's voice: Let me speak to him.Quirrell: Master, you are not strong enough.Voldemort's voice: I have strength enough for this. {Quirrell unwraps his turban and on the side opposite his face, another face is planted. It is Voldemort who appears kind of like a snake. He stretches out and faces Harry via the mirror.} Harry Potter. We meet again.Harry: Voldemort.Voldemort: Yes. You see what I have become? See what I must do to survive? Live off another. A mere parasite. Unicorn blood can sustain me, but it cannot give me a body of my own. But there is something that can. Something, that conveniently enough, lies in your pocket!Harry turns and runs.Voldemort: Stop him! {Quirrell snaps his fingers and fire erupts all around the room. Harry is stuck.} Don't be a fool! Why suffer a horrific death when you can join me and live?!Harry: {shakes his head} Never!Voldemort: Haha. Bravery. Your parents had it too. Tell me, Harry, would you like to see your mother and father again? Together, we can bring them back. {In the mirror, Harrys parents faces appear.} All I ask for is something in return. {Harry takes the stone from his pocket.} That's it, Harry. There is no good and evil. There is only power, and those too weak to seek it. Together, we'll do extraordinary things. Just give me the stone! {Mother and father vanish.}Harry: You liar!Voldemort: Kill him!Quirrell soars into the air and smashes into Harry, one hand on Harrys throat. They fall to the steps. The stone falls out of Harry's reach as Quirrell chokes him. Harry strains and squeaks. Suddenly, Harry puts his hand on Quirrell's, trying to get him off. Smoke furls from under his hand.Quirrell: Ahh! Ahh! {backs up. His hand is crumbling into a mountain of black ash.} What is this magic? {hand dissipates.}Voldemort: Fool! Get the stone!Quirrell: {Walks forward, but Harry puts both hands on his face.} Ahhhhhhhhhh!Quirrell backs up, then his face, which is horrendously burned, crumbles as he walks forward. His whole body is ash. He falls to the floor. Harry gasps. He looks at his own hands and hurries over to the stone. He picks it up and sighs, when he hears something. Turning, Harry sees a dust clouds with Voldemort's face. The cloud rushes forward, right through

Harry!Voldemort: Arrrhhhhhh!Harry: Ahhhhhhhhh! {Voldemort flies away. Harry falls to the ground, unconscious. He holds the stone in an outstretched hand.}Scene:The hospital wing. Harry is bandaged, lying in bed. He awakens, puts on his glasses, and sits up. There are cards and candy all over. Dumbledore approaches him.Dumbledore: Good afternoon, Harry. Ah. Tokens from your admirers?Harry: Admirers?Dumbledore: What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. {Both smile.} Ah, I see your friend Ronald has saved you the trouble of opening your Chocolate Frogs.Harry: Ron was here? Is he all right? What about Hermione? Dumbledore: Fine. They're both just fine.Harry: But, what happened to the Stone?Dumbledore: Relax, dear boy. The stone has been destroyed. My friend Nicholas and I had a little chat and agreed it was best all around.Harry: But Flamel, he'll die, won't he?Dumbledore: {sits on the bed.} He has enough Elixir to set his affairs in order. But yes, he will die.Harry: How is it I got the Stone, sir? One minute I was staring in the mirror, and the next...Dumbledore: Ah. You see, only a person who wanted to find the Stone, find it, but not use it, would be able to get it. That is one of my more brilliant ideas. And between you and me thats saying something. {Smile both.}Harry: Does that mean, with the Stone gone, I mean, that Voldemort can never come back?Dumbledore: Ah, I'm afraid there are ways in which he can return. Harry, do you know why Professor Quirrell couldn't bear to have you touch him? {Harry shakes his head.} It was because of your mother. She sacrificed herself for you, and that kind of act leaves a mark. {Harry touches his scar.} No, no, this kind of mark cannot be seen. It lives in your very skin.Harry: What is it?Dumbledore: Love, Harry, love. {Pats Harry's head and stands up.} Ah. Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. I was most unfortunate in my youth to come across a vomit flavoured one, and since then I have lost my liking for them. But I think I could be safe with a nice toffee...{takes brown bean and eats it.} Mm. Alas. Earwax.Scene:Harry approaches a room where up on a stairwell balcony Hermione and Ron are talking. They stop when they see Harry and lean over the railing.Harry: All right there, Ron?Ron: All right? You?Harry: {shrug} All right. Hermione?Hermione: {smile} Never better.Scene:In the great hall. All students are seated, and green banners with snakes on them are around the ceiling.Dumbledore, at the head table, nods to McGonagall.She dings her glass and the chatter stops. Dumbledore rises.Dumbledore: Another year gone. And now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarding, and the points stand thus. In fourth place, Gryffindor with 312 points. {Clapping. Harry and Hermione hide their heads.} Third place, Hufflepuff, with 352 points. {Clapping.} In second place, Ravenclaw, with 426 points. {Clapping.} And in first place, with 472 points, Slytherin House.There is immense cheering.Students: Whoo! Yeah!Draco: Nice one, Mate! {sees Ron looking at him and sneers.}Dumbledore: Yes, yes, well done Slytherin, well done Slytherin. However, recent events must be taken into account. And I have a few last minute points to award. {The Gryffindor students look up.} To Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool intellect when others were in great peril, 50 points. {Applause.}Harry: {Pats} Good job.Dumbledore: Second, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best played game of chess {Ron looks at Harry and mouths, 'Me?' Harry nods, and mouths, 'You!'} that Hogwarts has seen these many years...50 points. {Applause} And third, to Mr. Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house 60 points. {Immense cheering.}Hermione: We're tied with Slytherin!Dumbledore: And finally, it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. I award 10 points to Neville Longbottom.Immense cheering erupts. Neville is unbelieving, and sits there while cheering

gets louder. Draco is downfallen.Dumbledore: Assuming that my calculations are correct, I believe that a change of direction is in order. {Claps. The green banners change to Gryffindor red and yellow.} Gryffindor wins the House Cup!Cheering.Hagrid: Yes! {grins}All students stand and throw their hats into the air, except Draco, who smashes his down onto the table.Seamus: Neville! {Shakes his hand.}All rub each other's hair and jump around, cheering and laughing.Lee: Yeah! We won!! {Jumps with Harry, who looks back and grins very widely.}Scene:The outdoor train station. Students are walking around, getting in the train.Hagrid: Come on now, hurry up. You'll be late. Train's leaving. Go on. Go on. Come on. Hurry up.Harry hands Hedwig to a train man, and walks to an open door of the train with Hermione. Hermione waves to Hagrid, who waves back. Hermione gets in the train.Hermione: Come on, Harry.Harry: One minute. {He walks over to Hagrid.}Hagrid: Thought you were leaving without saying good-bye, didja? {Hagrid takes a red album out of his coat pocket and hands it to Harry.} This is for you.Harry opens the album and sees a picture, moving, of him as a baby with his parents. They are all smiling and waving. Harry smiles.Harry: Thanks, Hagrid. {Shakes Hagrid's hand, then hugs him tightly.}Hagrid: Oh. Go on...on with you. {Harry lets go.} Oh, listen, Harry, if that dolt of a cousin of yours, Dudley, gives you any grief, you could always, um, threaten him with a nice pair of ears to go with that tail of his.Harry: But Hagrid, we're not allowed to do magic away from Hogwarts. You know that.Hagrid: I do. But your cousin don't, do he? Eh? {chuckle} Off you go.Harry walks away, back to the train door where Hermione and Ron are waiting.Hermione: Feels strange to be going home, doesn't it?Harry: I'm not going home. Not really.The train whistles and they climb aboard. As the train starts to leave and the camera pans up over the whole scene, Harry waves out the window to Hagrid, who waves back and then waves more to other students as the camera pans far back, then the credits begin.

omg. everyone is going to hate me for flooding the dash. i KNOW i’m gonna lose a follower from this. but yknow what? harry potter is love and harry potter is life.

#gel’s letterbox #anon.letters #draco pls hmu #ily

[theculturedmarxist]

An old adage known as Betteridge's law of headlines asserts that "Any headline that ends in a question mark can be answered by the word no."

There's a Bloomberg story trending on Twitter right now about China having the ability to control the weather, with the headline reading "Has China Mastered Weather Modification? Should We Worry?"

According to Betteridge, no.

It just goes on and on and on. Every single day the western mass media are bashing us in the face with stories about horrifying scary things other countries are doing which we all need to be afraid of, and from which we must turn imploringly to our own kind and beneficent rulers for protection.

Today China is controlling your weather. Yesterday the Russians were hacking your mind. The day before it was Kremlin microwave guns. Before that it was Chinese super soldiers. Tomorrow Venezuela will be using communist gamma rays to ruin your performance in bed.

And on and on and on and on. And, strangely, at no time will these media institutions warn you about the fact that your government is constantly murdering people in other countries every single day while you and your neighbors struggle to survive.

Right now the hot topic in US lefty discourse is the fact that Americans are struggling financially and medically as a result of Covid-19 and the ensuing lockdowns, yet the US government is doing virtually nothing to help with this. Americans received a piddling one-time $1200 payment eight months ago, and now after all this time they're looking at receiving an even more ridiculous one-time $600 stimulus check.

There's also the debate that's been raging in US left circles over the call initiated by commentator Jimmy Dore for House progressives to force a floor vote on Medicare for All legislation, a big part of the argument being that it's more important than ever to start pushing for a normal healthcare system in the United States right now. Millions of people are being thrown off their employer-provided insurance during the economic downturn and it is both a necessary and opportune time to either implement universal healthcare or at least draw public attention to which elected officials are standing in its way.

Both the campaign to get the US government to implement a proper healthcare system, and the fight to get meaningful financial support during the pandemic, will fail. Necessarily.

They will not fail because there's a lack of public support for these things. They will not fail because of the number of seats controlled by members of a given party in the House or the Senate. They will not fail because "It's just not realistic right now".

They will fail, ultimately, because an entire globe-spanning empire depends upon keeping Americans struggling financially.

The US has a system of deliberately institutionalized poverty because if wealth were more evenly distributed in the most powerful nation on earth, there'd be no ruling class to ensure the domination of the globe-spanning empire. Plutocrats wouldn't be able to use their massive wealth advantage to buy up influence over the political class and control public thought by purchasing mass media outlets and other mechanisms narrative control in order to ensure the continuation of the global status quo upon which those plutocrats have built their kingdoms. The system would belong to the people.

This is the real wall US progressives keep crashing into in their fight for economic justice in America. Ultimately their efforts to work within the official political system to implement economic justice fail because that system is set up to preserve economic injustice. It's not ultimately about this or that political faction or any one particular politician, it's the fact that there's a massive amount of power riding on the ability to keep Americans too poor and powerless to interfere in the operation of the nation which serves as the hub of a massive global empire.

It's like attempts to end the war in Afghanistan. Anyone who isn't a brainwashed dupe knows there's no legitimate reason for western forces to continue that 19-year occupation, yet whenever there's a major push for withdrawal something always comes up. We can't leave because of Al-Qaeda. We can't leave because of women's rights. We can't leave because of Russian bounties. The official talking heads of the political/media class agree that it would be great to withdraw from Afghanistan, but for this or that blah blah reason, "It's just not realistic right now".

The unspoken reality is that those troops are in Afghanistan primarily due to that nation's prime geostrategic location relative to the most powerful nations who oppose the dictates of the US-centralized empire, namely China, Russia, and Iran. The fall of those unabsorbed governments is the only thing that could ever bring about a military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

In the same way, the American left is fed all kinds of reasons for why they need to remain impoverished for a few more years until conditions change in some way, when really the only reason is because there's a massive globe-spanning power structure which depends on their remaining impoverished. It's a larger-scale version of the real reason why Palestinians need to remain oppressed instead of treated as equal citizens in Israel: there's just too much power riding on the control of that crucial geostrategic part of the Middle East for a population with no loyalty to the empire to be given any control over what happens there.

American leftists and progressives will keep crashing into this wall, over and over and over again, every time they try to work within the official US political system to ease the crushing poverty and inequality in the wealthiest nation on earth. If by some miracle they are able to overcome all the many, many, many obstacles built into the plutocrat-controlled system and put themselves in a position to implement policies of economic justice by following all the rules to a 't', there will be an antisemitism scandal. There will be a Russia scandal. Someone will say they were raped. Whatever needs to happen to keep the people from obtaining wealth and power which could disrupt the global world order which depends on endless warmongering that benefits zero ordinary Americans.

Americans will never succeed in fighting economic injustice by appealing to the official US political system, no matter how many charismatic lefty politicians they find and no matter how energized their grassroots campaigns are. Only direct action outside the system, with the people using the power of their numbers to force real change, stands any chance of changing this.

But the bastards have bolted shut that escape route as well. People are prevented from using the power of their numbers to force real change by a highly sophisticated domestic propaganda operation controlled by the media-owning plutocratic class and heavily influenced by sociopathic government agencies. As long as people are being successfully propagandized by mass media manipulation into accepting the status quo, they will never rise up and make it change.

So the US left needs to address the problem of establishment narrative control first, before any change can even begin to occur. This can happen by way of a grassroots information rebellion with a sufficiently forceful push to help their countrymen realize that they are being propagandized. Trust in the mass media is at an all-time low and our ability to network and share information is at an all-time high, so we absolutely do have the ability to pry the rapey fingers of the establishment manipulators out of the minds of the public and help people see that they can have something better. If enough people awaken to the lies of the propaganda machine, they can shrug off the oppression machine like a heavy coat on a warm day, without a shot fired.

But it needs to happen soon, because our rulers understand this as well. This is why we've been seeing escalation after escalation in internet censorship protocols being rolled out by government-aligned Silicon Valley tech giants; they know they need to cut us off from our ability to wake each other up. And they know they need to hurry, because we're already rapidly beginning to do exactly that.

That's where you need to place your emphasis if you ever want economic justice, America. On overthrowing the establishment propaganda machine, and doing it now. Save yourselves and you might just save the entire world.

#imperialism #institutional poverty #medicare for all #universal healthcare #manufacturing consent #narrative control #jimmy dore

[firstumcschenectady]

"God's Peace – In the Midst of the Storm” based on Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32 and Mark 4:35-41

Two years ago at the Upper New York Annual Conference, Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball guest preached for the ordination and commissioning service. She preached on this text, and what she said was memorable enough that I can no longer hear this passage without her interpretation of it.

You may remember that two years ago the United Methodist world was in turmoil over the passage of “The Traditional Plan” at the 2019 Special Session of General Conference. That is, our denomination has been explicitly homophobic since 1972. Thanks to the decades of work by organizers, activists, and people of conscience there was sufficient pressure to create change. A special session of our denomination's global legislative was called to respond to the church's continued exclusion of God's LGBTQIA+ people. There were several proposals on the table that brought positive change, and one that multiplied the harm already being done.

I still remember standing in shock after the final vote was taken, and watching my phone explode with the global news outlet alerts that – as the NYTimes put it “United Methodists Tighten Ban on Same-Sex Marriage and Gay Clergy.” The homophobia of this denomination had already been an abomination, yet people stayed knowing that the best way to bring change was from the inside. It was long, hard work, but we had felt confidence that God's Spirit of Love would win in the long run. The decision to pass the Traditional Plan changed all that, and made it clear that over the long run people of conscience CANNOT stay in a homophobic denomination.

That was February. We were still reeling, grieving, and furious when Annual Conference came. Thanks be to God, we'd also organized, and Upper New York will be sending a very different delegation to the next General Conference (whenever the pandemic allows that to happen). Nevertheless, the conviction remained for progressives and even many moderates: one way or another, we will NOT STAY in a homophobic denomination. One way or another, we will be part of a church that welcomes all of God's people, and soon.

It was into that reality that Bishop Steiner Ball preached. And she did so as a guest preacher in an Annual Conference whose Bishop had been a leader in writing and passing The Traditional plan. She took this passage and asked us to stay in the boat with Jesus. She acknowledged the storm raging around us, she named the reasons we would have to simply bail on the entire endeavor, she made space for hurt, anger, and fear. At the same time, she claimed that Jesus was in the boat with us, in the midst of the storm, and powerful enough to respond to the storm. She believed that Jesus could bring resolution, IF we just stayed in the boat. She offered that while the storm was raging so strongly it could be tempting to just jump into the sea, that the sea itself was not without its own issues. She urged us to stay long enough for Jesus to act, to bring resolution, to find a way forward for the people called Methodists.12

Here we are, two years later, still in that storm, and still with Jesus. The biggest change is that with the global pandemic, we are dealing with multiple storms at once. The storm that is the pandemic keeps United Methodists from gathering to split into different denominations that will be able to live their own faith with integrity. The storm that is the church's homophobia prevents the denomination from being able to speak with moral authority, even of issues of death and dying brought on by the pandemic.

So here we are, in a boat, in the midst of raging storms. But, Bishop Steiner Ball says that Jesus is in the boat with us. Further, she reminds us that Jesus is able to calm the storms.

I am aware that the global pandemic storms, and the global church storms are themselves far from the only storms attacking our boats.

In truth, I suspect that for many of us the storms raging most strongly are inside us. Narratives and traumas from our childhoods continue to attack within. Existential anxiety has its way with us, often in ways we don't even see. Assumptions about others, fear of the the unknown, and a tendency to see enemies were there are only people who are different also keep us on the defensive. The whole world turning upside down on us, not yet being righted, and likely to find a balance somewhere other than where it used to be obviously doesn't help either. People are comforted by the familiar, which means that the past 15 months have been particularly discomforting at exactly the time we've most needed comfort.

Which is all to say that I think there are storms raging within us, probably all of us to a greater or lesser extent.

To support this theory, mental health professionals have never been so busy. Now, I'd say that in an ideal world, we'd all get regular mental health care as a means of simply being healthy. But most of the time, most people don't seek mental health care until they're well into a crisis/storm and can't find their way out alone. So very busy mental health care professionals is a signal that many people are really struggling.

There isn't anything wrong with struggling. It is a human reality. The “Disciple Bible Study” curriculums call such things “the human condition.” There isn't actually anything wrong with being in a storm. It is also a human condition, and quite often it is well out of our control.

That said, being in the midst of a storm, particularly one like our scriptures talk about today are NOT comfortable. These are the sorts of storms that make it seem more likely that death is on the horizon than life.

And Jesus sleeps through it.

Either he was beyond exhaustion, or he was living non-anxious presence or both. Impressive, Jesus.

The story says Jesus awoke, rebuked the storm, and rebuked the disciples. I feel like it forgets to tell us that he then curled back up and went back to sleep. The storm was silenced. The disciples were awed.

I wonder if any of the storms that rage within us are ones that God would be happy to silence and bring to peace, if we were willing to let God do it. I suspect so. Some storms we are aren't ready to let go of. Some storms just aren't done yet. But some of them are only causing us harm, and are ready to be silenced.

Can you tell? Can you feel any of them that have run their course and would be response to “peace, be still!”? Can you even imagine what life would be like without that storm?

To go back to the storm we started with, I learned about the church's homophobia when I was 13, and started working against it then. I have worked for and dreamed of being a part of a big-C Church that welcomes, affirms, and loves all of God's people. You have too. This church has been explicitly committed to changing the UMC's life-denying policies for 25 years now, and was already committed to it before then too!

Yet, it boggles my mind to try to imagine life without this fight – or at least changing this fight from one fighting explicit policy to fighting implicit bias. My identity will need a reboot.

And I think that's often true of our internal storms too. We're used to them. They're familiar. They're a part of who we are, and we aren't entirely sure who we'd be without them.

But, friends, that's exactly what God is there for. God doesn't want to leave us in the pain of the past, or even the anxiety of the present. God is a source of healing, and energy of revival, a vision for wholeness, a hope for the future. Some of the things we're afraid to give up, God is ready to take away.

God's peace is stronger than the storms. God's peace can hold its own EVEN in the midst of the BIGGEST storms. It has a different kind of strength. It has a deeper kind of being.

So I invite you, to hear the words of Jesus resound in your soul. “Peace, be still.” And I invite you to listen to see what storms God has silenced. Because God is up to good in you, in us, in the world, and when we make space for it, God can transform even the most hurting parts of us. Thanks be to God!

Amen

1Please note that these are my memories of a sermon I heard 2 years ago. As memories are faulty, and tend to have holes filled in with one's own assumptions, this is likely a high bred of what she said and what I wanted to hear and remember.

2 I take no authority to tell anyone they need to stay in the UMC boat. There are good reasons to leave, all the more for people who are LGBTQIA+. I'm sharing that it was meaningful to me, knowing that I'm not the center.

#Thinking Church #Progressive Christianity #Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball #Upper New York Annual Confernece #FUMC Schenectady #schenectady #umc #Sorry about the UMC #Rev Sara E Baron #Stay in the boat with Jesus