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storytellerssanctum · 4 years

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Petals & Thorns - chapter 7/?

Pairing: Fred Weasley x oc

Warnings: none

Word count: 2.6k

SONG OF THE CHAPTER - what keeps you up at night • dan + shay

When the students gathered back into the hall the next day, everyone was buzzing with excitement. The headmasters of the three schools took post in front of every pupil, but still behind the Goblet of Fire. Adalinda felt a cold hand on her leg once more, reminding her of the first night back at the school. Her eyes held Igor Karkaroff and his sickening stance. She hated him, this was bred into her mind from when she was a young girl. Her father gave names around their home of who not to hold respect for. His? It was at the very top. It was Halloween night, and the jack-o-lanterns floating by the ceiling gave them all a calming tone. Everyone at Hogwarts loved Halloween. It was one of the few holidays every student spent in the castle. Pranks ensued heavily, keeping everyone on their toes. Peeves wreaked havoc on this day. More so than he usually did.

Addy was not unlike the rest. She held a love for the day as well. The feast, the laughs, the mischief. It was something she enjoyed heavily. She didn't usually participate in the pranks themselves, but she enjoyed watching them play out. So they sat, after their dinner, waiting for the ceremony to ensue. There was an uproar of chatter as the golden plates cleared themselves. Dumbledore stood to announce the first name. He told the students that the goblet may take a few minutes to choose the name, and that when the first one was called, they were to go to the top of the hall and into the next chamber.

With a wave of his wand, all the lights in the hall went out excluding the ones in the pumpkins. The goblet illuminated the entire room. Each face was lit up by its powerful flames. Almost immediately after, the fire inside turned an angry red, unusual to its blue hue. A piece of charred parchment shot out along with a bolus of sparks. Dumbledore reached out and grasped it in his hand. His eyes read over the words before he spoke. "The champion for Durmstrang," he looked out at all of the children. "Will be Viktor Krum!" The hall erupted into cheers and clapping. Everyone made some noise, including Adalinda.

"Bravo, Viktor! I knew you had it in you!" Karkaroffs booming voice yelled. At that, the kids settled once more. The blue flames endured another change back to red, as it repeated its previous actions. Another piece of paper was spat out.

"And the champion for Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour!" Once again, booming cheers captured the filled room. This time, Addy did not clap. She followed Krums lead into the room off the side of the hall. Fleur Delacour was the girl who held Fred Weasley's attention the precious evening. Silence fell once more as the moment all the Hogwarts students were waiting for was about to ensue. As the flames turned auburn one final turn, what they thought was the last name flew out. As Dumbledore reached for it, everyone's heart was sporadic. Their breathing was silent, as everyone was scared to move. "The Hogwarts champion," everyone inched closer to the speaker. "Is Cedric Diggory!" He boomed. The Hufflepuff table was uncontainable. They were up out of their seats, screaming and crying in excitement. Even the proud Slytherin found herself clapping. Cedric was one of the more bearable Hufflepuffs. The whole hall was booming with proudness as the boy made his way into the second chamber.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore began once again. "Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real-" he was stopped short. A collective gasp sounded as the flames changed their colour one final time. Adalinda leaned forward in her seat, interested in what was happening. Everyone's eyes held the goblet in an even more intense way than before. This was something nobody expected. She watched Dumbledore's hand reach out and seized the charred paper. He opened it carefully, and looked down. He was silent for a very long time. When he finally found his words, they echoed through the room. "Harry Potter!"

This time, there was no cheers. An angry buzz filled the silence as everybody watched him. Dumbledore called his name again, ushering him to the front. "I've got to excuse myself." Addy whispered quietly. Adrian removed his hand from her leg with a nod, and she let herself out. Her chest was heavy at the information as she walked calmly from the hall. When she was clear of the room, she turned and found herself on her way to a back hallway. Noticing her sudden movement from across the way, Fred stood too. He thought it was time to make his move. Luckily, none of her friends noticed his departure. George did. He let his eyes follow his brother as he ran after the girl in green. As Fred exited, he saw the back of her skirt disappear behind the corner of a conjoined hallway. He let himself follow.

She was walking quickly with her head down. She knew of the Dark Lords plans to return, but she didn't know Harry Potter would be a part of it this time. What if he died before he made it to the final task? Clearly, the Dark Lord needed him there for a reason. She wondered, if Harry died, maybe he wouldn't be resurrected. A warmth spread at the thought. If that happened, maybe she would never have to endure the mark, that well known symbol, being burned into her skin forever. She was so caught up in her head she didn't hear the footsteps behind her. She jumped in shock at the feeling of a hand on her shoulder. She went rigid at the thought of it being her boyfriend. It couldn't be, though. This hand was too gentle.

She turned and caught those dirt coloured eyes. The ones that she couldn't shake from her thoughts. What was wrong with her? She found herself speechless as his face. The encounter reminded her of the first night they truly spoke. "What are you doing?" She asked. There was no harshness in her tone, though deep down she wished there was. She didn't want to be kind to a boy she had to hate. Trouble would be certain if she couldn't pull herself together.

"You looked a bit flustered." He admitted, letting his hand drop from her shoulder. He took in her eyes, the deep sea of blue. The pink lips that were parted in shock. He let her blonde hair fill his chest with emotion.

"I'm fine, Weasley." She tried to muster some anger, or anything that would make him back off. As hard as she tried, she couldn't.

"You don't seem fine." He narrowed his eyebrows at her response. He noticed her looking over his shoulder every now and again. She was checking to see if anyone had followed him. "Nobody saw me leave, you don't have to to worry."

"I do have to worry. If I get caught talking to you my father will have my head on a stake." She explained. Her words were rushed as she looked around his body once again.

"Let's go somewhere more private, then." She debated, wanting so badly to yell at him to leave, to get away from her. Instead, she gave a nod. He grabbed her hand and led her down the hallways. She noticed that his hand wasn't hard in hers. It was loose, so if she wanted to let go she had a choice. She wasn't used to it. They walked through the twists of the castle as she wondered where he was taking her. He brought her to an old stairwell, one that she didn't even know existed. It was far from any main hallways, and nobody would be able to seek them even if they wanted to. He dropped her hand and took a seat on one of the steps. He nodded as if for her to do the same.

She wearily took the stair next to him, turning her body to face the boy. As he watched her, he had millions of things running through his head. She wasn't disgusted by him, she was letting him touch her and speak to her. Despite every lesson she was taught as a child, she was still sitting before him with no hatred in her face. "I saw what happened between you and Pucey yesterday." He stated, reaching back for her hand. Her initial reaction was to recoil, to push him away. She couldn't, because she liked the way it felt. He held consideration in the action, not like he was forcing her to do it. She took her hand in his. It was cold against her skin. She grabbed it between both of hers, trying to warm it. He gave a smile.

"You're freezing." She stated.

"You're avoiding the topic." He said, catching her eyes.

"What do you care?" She said, harsher than intended. Adrian was a touchy subject. "It has nothing to do with you." He looked at her dainty hands encased around his.

"It must have something to do with me." He raised an eyebrow. "He only seemed to get angry when you laughed at us."

"He's just jealous is all." She casted her eyes to the ground, but kept a hold on his hands. Her stomach was bubbling with fear. If anyone saw the two her reputation would be ruined. Her father would kill her, and her mother would disown her. "He's not that bad." She lied through her teeth.

"You're lying." He reached up and caught her chin with his fingers. Her jaw hardened. "You're terrified of him." He brought her face to be level with his own. They watched each other. "That's why you were so scared of him seeing us back there."

"Terrified isn't the word," she whispered. "I shouldn't be talking to you." She didn't move, though. She made no attempt at getting away or out of his hold. He let his thumb drift over her cheek as he withdrew it.

"As long as nobody finds out, you'll be fine." His voice was soft. Watching him made her feel wine drunk. Dizzy, but blissful. After almost two months of secret glances and laughs, she was finally face to face with him again. He felt the same. He wanted to feel what it was like to kiss her, to have her in his arms. He gave her shivers by the way he was staring. "I won't tell anybody." He promised. Her eyes fell back to their hands.

"What do you want from me?" His palms were much larger than hers. She barely fit one of his hands into both of hers. She looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"I don't want anything," he said, his eyes falling on her mouth. "I just want you to know you deserve better than the prat you're with." She gave a small smile at his sentence.

"I don't, really. I haven't been kind in my years here. I used my name to my advantage. Besides, I have to marry him. That's what my parents want." She confessed. His heart fell into his stomach. She didn't know why she was being so honest with him, but he gave her a comfort beyond her understanding.

"You don't have to do anything, Addy." Him speaking her name sent butterflies to her stomach. "You don't have to do anything. You're your own person." He reminded. "And I don't think you're that bad. You're not even half as mean as your brother. You know you have power but you don't take advantage of it. You're quiet and let everyone else do the talking. You had a reputation since you got here, it's not entirely your fault."

"I'm supposed to hate you."

"Do you?"

"Not particularly," she let her fingertips dance with his. He made her feel better in the few moments they shared than her boyfriend ever had. "I'm actually quite fond of you and your brother." She swallowed hard, biting down on her bottom lip. "I thought I agreed with my parents morals." She could feel him getting closer. "Now I'm not sure."

"You're not born ignorant, you're taught it. You weren't raised to know better. That's not your fault." He wasn't far away from her face.

"I never tried to learn."

"They wouldn't let you." Their noses were almost touching. Her body was screaming at her to run away. Dread filled her. She was frozen in the moment.

"I didn't dream that this would be the way I'd disappoint my parents." She let a small laugh out.

"Maybe now, I'll be what keeps you awake at night. No bloody dreams about your parents anymore. Maybe you can have some joy in your life." She closed her eyes at his words. This was a dream. It had to be. No man had ever been this gentle with her before. Nobody had ever been so intoxicating. He was taking over her brain. The strong, powerful Slytherin was gone. He wasn't a Gryffindor or a blood traitor. He was just a teenage boy, and she was just a girl. They had no labels or blood status. His cool hands took to her face once again, resting close to her ear. His fingers laced with the hair that flowed off her shoulder. She, too, reached out for him. Her hand fell to the back of his neck, pulling him in and closing the gap between their faces.

In the moment, she was at peace. She never felt anything like it before. As his lips toyed on her own, she understood what it was like to have feelings for someone. She had never experienced someone be so delicate with her, or so calming to be around. As they parted, they held smiles of satisfaction. He let his forehead rest on hers. The moment did not last long, though. Soon the impending thought of what she had done fell on her. Panic struck her features. Even so, she didn't move.

"What is it?" Fred asked.

"I just cheated on my boyfriend."

"Not much of a boyfriend, he is." He placed his lips on hers again. "He won't find out." He said as he pulled away.

"I'm not worried about him finding out," she admitted. "I'm worried because I don't want this to be the last time." She was more honest with him than she'd ever been.

"It doesn't have to be." He assured her. It sounded nice in theory, but the risk was almost too high.

"I can't break up with him, he'll know somethings wrong. And if he says anything, or Draco finds out, you'll be a dead man and I'll have nowhere to live. If I survive, that is." She explained.

"Then don't." He said, simply. They had moved back to their original position.

"Don't what?"

"Don't break up with him, and we don't tell anyone." She almost laughed at his words.

"And when word gets out I cheated on a pure-blood with a Weasley?" He wasn't hurt at her words. He understood.

"Addy, I am a mischief master. I will make sure nobody finds out."

Tags: @play-morezeppelin

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hufflly-puffs · 4 years

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Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows

Chapter 1: The Dark Lord Ascending

Without checking, but I think this is the only book that I own that is dedicated to me. And well to everyone else, who stuck with Harry until the very end. It might be just a small thing, but I remember how much it meant to me, the first time I read Rowling’s dedication for her final book in the Potter series. Reading those books had felt like a long journey for me; read the first one with 11 and the last one with 18. Those books were my childhood/youth. And speaking of journeys: I started these chapter notes over a year ago, so this feels like another journey is ending soon.

We start the book again from an outsider POV, though with an omniscient narrator. The only other chapter written like that was “The Unbreakable Vow” (book 6, Chapter 2) and both chapters revolve around the Death Eaters, and especially Snape. Given the ambiguous nature of Snape, and that his true loyalty is meant to remain a secret almost until the end, it makes of course sense we don’t get to see inside Snape’s mind, don’t know what he is thinking or feeling. Rowling remains an observer in this chapter, never commenting the events.

What we get is a great insight of the hierarchy Voldemort has built around him. His followers live in constant fear of him and see each other as competition for his approval. The moment one of them fails, one of them shows only the slightest weakness, they all turn against him or her. They remind me of a group of school bullies, letting out their own fear and anger on someone weak, an easy target, although of course the Death Eaters are far more dangerous.

We can already learn so much from those first moments when Snape and Yaxley arrive; their first instinct is to attack each other before they recognise who the other one is. They are both anxious because they are late, knowing that only good news will justify their lateness. Yaxley even says he hopes Voldemort will be satisfied. Clearly his cult is built on fear and punishment and the constant need to do better than the others, to show no weakness, to be no failure.

“‘He always did himself well, Lucius. Peacocks …’ Yaxley thrust his wand back under his cloak with a snort.” – Ok, the fact that the Malfoys own a snow-white peacock is like something straight out of a fan fiction and how everyone imagined the Manor would look like, but that I never expected to be true.

“As their eyes grew accustomed to the lack of light they were drawn upwards to the strangest feature of the scene: an apparently unconscious human figure hanging upside-down over the table, revolving slowly as if suspended by an invisible rope, and reflected in the mirror and in the bare, polished surface of the table below. None of the people seated underneath this singular sight was looking at it except for a pale young man sitting almost directly below it. He seemed unable to prevent himself from glancing upwards every minute or so.” – I wonder if Draco did know who the woman was? Did she look familiar to him? Obviously he wouldn’t have taken Muggle Studies, but still she was a teacher at Hogwarts, so it is possible he recognized her. Draco’s behaviour shows a clear difference between him and the rest of the Death Eaters. The others know to show no interest in that woman, no curiosity, or perhaps even pity. This might not be the first time Voldemort brings a “guest” so they already know what will happen soon. Draco though had a hard course of reality check lately. He knows that Dumbledore was right in saying he is not a killer, knows that he is not as cruel and sadistic like the other Death Eaters, but also in what kind of danger this puts him and his family, because in the eyes of Voldemort this is a weakness. And by the way Voldemort taunts Lucius and Draco he is fully aware of that.

“‘Severus, here,’ said Voldemort, indicating the seat on his immediate right. ‘Yaxley – beside Dolohov.’ The two men took their allotted places. Most of the eyes around the table followed Snape and it was to him that Voldemort spoke first.” – It is very obvious that Snape is pretty high in this hierarchy. He is allowed to sit directly next to Voldemort, he is addressed first, and all the attention from the other Death Eaters is on him, because they know Voldemort favours Snape. Snape of course has been one of the most valuable spies, with access to the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore, and of course ultimately he is the one who killed Dumbledore. Of course for Dumbledore’s plan to succeed Voldemort needed to trust Snape and therefore Snape had to sacrifice almost everything. He needed to give Voldemort important information about the Order. It is possible Snape is the one who gave the Death Eaters information about Emmeline Vance, resulting in her death, sacrificing her for a greater plan. He now will give Voldemort the right information about the date Harry will leave the Dursleys, obviously putting Harry (and everyone else who tries to protect him) at risk. He has to in order to remain Voldemort’s most trusted follower; it is a very calculated risk.

“‘Saturday … at nightfall,’ repeated Voldemort. His red eyes fastened upon Snape’s black ones with such intensity that some of the watchers looked away, apparently fearful that they themselves would be scorched by the ferocity of the gaze. Snape, however, looked calmly back into Voldemort’s face and, after a moment or two, Voldemort’s lipless mouth curved into something like a smile. ‘Good. Very good. And this information comes –’ ‘From the source we discussed,’ said Snape.” – First of all we never learn who that source is. We later learn that Snape knew about the right date because Dumbledore (or rather his portrait) had told him, but I doubt he told Voldemort that, so he had to find someone else to present Voldemort as a reliable source. Second, short appreciation for the badass-Occlumens Snape is, never revealing to Voldemort his true motivation/loyalty.

Yaxley gives Voldemort a different date for Harry’s departure from the Dursleys, but it is obvious that Voldemort favours Snape and trusts his information more, or perhaps he thinks Snape’s source is more reliable than Yaxley’s. We also learn that the Death Eaters have by now infiltrated the Ministry of Magic and plan to overtake the Ministry. This will obviously give them much more control over the Wizarding World, as it gives them more tools of surveillance and the ability to change the law. Obviously Voldemort does not care if what he does is illegal, but it still makes a difference if you can rule your terror regime within the law. Fascist parties will always be more dangerous if they act legally, if their power is supported by the law they created. Because even though not everyone is as radical as Voldemort and the Death Eaters this new regime will have enough followers who share enough of the mindset of Voldemort to tag along. And yet Voldemort will never be in the open. He does not make himself Minister of Magic, but instead uses marionettes to do his work for him. He does not need to be in the open, because the whole time he is in the one in power. He knows that people fear him, but also the outright hate he creates. As long as he remains in the shadow people can silence their conscience because after all they don’t follow Voldemort.

Also, while Snape gives away the correct date of Harry’s departure (he has to for Voldemort to trust him) he does not reveal which member of the Order will take Harry in until his birthday. Of course it is possible he simply does not know, but maybe it is again calculated risk. Give away one vital information but keep another a secret. (And as we later learn, the plan to protect Harry – the seven Potters – came from Snape as well)

“Many of those sitting around Yaxley looked impressed; his neighbour, Dolohov, a man with a long, twisted face, clapped him on the back.” – Awww. I think this the closet kind of affection we will ever see between two Death Eaters.

“Again, Voldemort looked up at the slowly revolving body as he went on, ‘I shall attend to the boy in person. There have been too many mistakes where Harry Potter is concerned. Some of them have been my own. That Potter lives is due more to my errors, than to his triumphs.’ […]‘I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers of all but the best laid plans. But I know better now. I understand those things that I did not understand before. I must be the one to kill Harry Potter, and I shall be.’” – It is interesting that Voldemort blames himself, that he makes his own errors responsible for the fact that Harry still lives. But obviously the only reason why he would admit failure is to lessen Harry’s impact. Harry did not survive because he might be the better wizard, because he has powers Voldemort does not, but simply because Voldemort made mistakes. The only way he could survive was because Voldemort had been careless. There is no other way Voldemort can explain to himself why Harry is still alive, a teenage boy who is not even fully educated compared to the greatest wizard of all time. It seems like Voldemort by now has heard the full prophecy (perhaps Snape told him, because by now it does no longer make a difference), because he insists he is the one to kill Harry. But it also seems like he ignores the part where the prophecy says Harry has a power Voldemort does not know about, because to Voldemort that simply is not possible.

“The faces around him displayed nothing but shock; he might have announced that he wanted to borrow one of their arms. ‘No volunteers?’ said Voldemort. ‘Let’s see … Lucius, I see no reason for you to have a wand any more.’” – A lot of book 7 revolves around wand lore, the importance of a wand and the ownership of a wand and how it can change. It is very obvious that none of the Death Eaters wants to give away their wand voluntary – without a wand you are defenceless, powerless, in short no longer a wizard. Demanding Lucius’s wand is the ultimate humiliation for him. Voldemort insists Lucius has no longer a need for a wand, therefore saying he no longer sees him as a wizard – he is worthless. The low standing of the Malfoy family is symbolized by the fact that during the following year they will all lose their wand (Lucius’s wand is destroyed, Draco’s taken by Harry and Narcissa gives hers to her son).

“Malfoy glanced sideways at his wife. She was staring straight ahead, quite as pale as he was, her long, blonde hair hanging down her back, but beneath the table her slim fingers closed briefly on his wrist. At her touch, Malfoy put his hand into his robes, withdrew a wand and passed it along to Voldemort, who held it up in front of his red eyes, examining it closely.” – Let’s be clear here: Narcissa is without a doubt the strongest, most capable of the Malfoys. She is the one holding this family together. She will be the one who has ultimately the nerve to lie to Voldemort just to save her son. We stan.

“‘I have given you your liberty, Lucius, is that not enough for you? But I have noticed that you and your family seem less than happy of late … what is it about my presence in your home that displeases you, Lucius?’” – I think Dumbledore was right in assuming Lucius was safer in Azkaban than he is now, even though he is free. Using the Manor as a base is yet another punishment for the Malfoys. And I always liked the fan fics who would later explore the idea of Draco being unable to return home because of what happened there, how tainted the place became he had once called home.

“She sat beside her sister, as unlike her in looks, with her dark hair and heavily lidded eyes, as she was in bearing and demeanour; where Narcissa sat rigid and impassive, Bellatrix leaned towards Voldemort, for mere words could not demonstrate her longing for closeness.” – I don’t think it has ever been addressed if Narcissa had been a Death Eater as well, but I don’t think so. Of course both her husband and her son are, so she is in this mess as well regardless. But while she shares the thought that Muggleborn wizards and witches do not belong in the Wizarding World, she has never been as devoted as her sister. She only cares about the well-being of her family, especially her son, and she does not care on what side she has to be in order to protect him.

“There was an eruption of jeering laughter from around the table. Many leaned forward to exchange gleeful looks; a few thumped the table with their fists. The great snake, disliking the disturbance, opened its mouth wide and hissed angrily, but the Death Eaters did not hear it, so jubilant were they at Bellatrix and the Malfoys’ humiliation. Bellatrix’s face, so recently flushed with happiness, had turned an ugly, blotchy red.” – As I said, the Death Eaters use every opportunity to turn against one of their own, the weakest link, the easiest victim. And especially Bellatrix used to brag about how close she is to Voldemort, how deep her devotion is, so to see her humiliated by Voldemort himself is greeted with a lot of spite and malice.

“‘What say you, Draco?’ asked Voldemort, and though his voice was quiet, it carried clearly through the catcalls and jeers. ‘Will you babysit the cubs?’” – I admit I have a soft spot for fan fics where Harry and Draco babysit Teddy together. And I do wonder if after the war Draco had contact with Andromeda and Teddy, and Narcissa as well, trying to heal some old wounds.

“‘Many of our oldest family trees become a little diseased over time,’ he said, as Bellatrix gazed at him, breathless and imploring. ‘You must prune yours, must you not, to keep it healthy? Cut away those parts that threaten the health of the rest.’ ‘Yes, my Lord,’ whispered Bellatrix, and her eyes swam with tears of gratitude again. ‘At the first chance!’” – And this is the reason why Bellatrix became so obsessed with the idea of killing Tonks. She makes her responsible for her falling out with Voldemort, believing that if she cuts away the rotten part of her family she can redeem herself.

“Charity Burbage revolved to face Snape again. ‘Severus … please … please …’” – Which of course are the exact same last words Dumbledore said to Snape.

“‘Silence,’ said Voldemort, with another twitch of Malfoy’s wand, and Charity fell silent as if gagged. ‘Not content with corrupting and polluting polluting the minds of wizarding children, last week Professor Burbage wrote an impassioned defence of Mudbloods in the Daily Prophet. Wizards, she says, must accept these thieves of their knowledge and magic. The dwindling of the pure-bloods is, says Professor Burbage, a most desirable circumstance … she would have us all mate with Muggles … or, no doubt, werewolves …’” – Isn’t it fascinating to listen to those words, knowing that Voldemort’s mother ‘mated’ with a Muggle, that Voldemort himself grew up like a Muggle, so he as well ‘stole’ knowledge. Yes, he is the heir of Slytherin, but he did not grow up in a wizarding family, he did not know about the Wizarding World until he attended Hogwarts, he is more familiar with the Muggle world than all those pureblood wizards sitting at his table. Following his own thoughts he himself would not have to right to be part of the Wizarding World.

#Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows #the dark lord ascending #chapter notes #dh

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