#he snakin'
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Sneaky-snakin' my way back to the lab, and trusting none of my friends. THIS IS FINE.
Thinking about it, I realized something. Shinigami said we should keep Fubuki and Vivia's abilities in mind but didn't necessarily say they're complicit in the crime.
I may have been onto something when I was musing on Fubuki. Neither of their powers allow them to do things but both of their powers allow them to know things.
I've been circling this idea that Yakou might, himself, be our killer. Yakou may have been the person who did not beat the gas chamber. He may be dying of the poison, with his stabbing (by Jawline?) masking the cause of death.
If that is true, it's possible that Vivia and Fubuki know. Vivia's been saying that solving this case doesn't matter because it won't help us in any way. I've been under the impression that he means "Yomi doesn't give a shit about the truth so what will it matter?"
But if Yakou killed Huesca? And Vivia knows? Then "The truth won't help us" takes on a completely different meaning. Because. Like. That means we did it. Yomi's decided apropos of nothing that we did it. That's why we're in this mess. If we in fact did it, that's not helpful information for our predicament.
Fubuki's been practically catatonic since we found Yakou's corpse. She's barely said anything substantive. She may have found out what Yakou allegedly did in time loops we didn't get to see. As a matter of fact, the first thing she's contributed at all since we reached this room was volunteering to come with us and find the security logs.
If she knows? Halara might have saved us from having Fubuki save-scum the destruction of evidence behind our back.
...there is a non-zero possibility that Fubuki has already save-scummed the destruction of evidence behind our backs.
This is tense.
Yeah, these two chuckleheads. Fortunately, they seem to be distracting themselves by searching for more bankable eBay loot. Police corruption sure is convenient sometimes.
Shit! Yuma kicked a can. Unlike Huesca, these guys aren't deaf, which makes sneaking around this room tricky.
Sure would be nice if we had our time-rewinding (and possibly evidence-destroying) bestie right now, WOULDN'T IT!?!?
HOLD UP, we may or may not have murdered the doc but I'd hardly call that--
Oh. Right. The bombing attacks. Yeah, okay, Terrorist Detective is an apt title. Well. We're doing this all by our lonesome so. Um. Don't suppose I could bribe you guys to look the other way?
I. Have. No money. But I can pay you in debt to Halara. I'm flush with that! It's like accepting a bribe only backwards!
VIVIA YOU SWEET BEAUTIFUL MAN YOU.
What did I say? What did I fucking say!? There is no problem-solving resource more valuable than another goddamn human being!
Man, if we get out of this, I promise to carry your casket!
...unless you're here to obstruct the investigation because you don't want me finding out what Yakou did. In which case, I hope you live to be 1,000.
That is absolutely terrifying and I would like you to not elaborate, nor ever bring it up again.
Also, please dispose of it and acquire a new syringe. It's been used. Don't share needles.
...those guys on the floor shared that needle. But they're fascists so fuck 'em.
Oh, he does not, Shinigami. We both know that Vivia rarely does any walking. He's been more vertical in this one case than he has since we met him.
He knows. He's not uninterested in the truth of this case. He's aware of it. That's why he keeps saying it won't help us. He knows what Yakou allegedly did.
Thank goodness for lazy assholes. Huesca was exactly the kind of person to be like, "I'm the only person who can even access this room without dying horribly. What's the point of locking my computer? It's an inconvenient nuisance!"
Well, this is the point, asshole. Now outsider spies can easily access your data. I'm in your lab committing corporate espionage because you didn't want to spend half a second jamming out 8 digits of keystrokes.
My home laptop is more secure than the most confidential research console that our Corporate Overlords possess. Do you know what they call that? Hmm?
They call it entirely realistic. Our digital security is a shitshow. Every leader in both the political and corporate hierarchies should be ashamed of themselves.
But Huesca checked that while we were on the comm with him, and he said that security never faltered.
Yeah, we know that. Let's look for things we don't know. Otherwise we wasted a perfectly good syringe full of what might be sedatives but, knowing Vivia, there is an equal possibility that he killed those two guys.
Right. That's about three months ago, when that one scientist was tasked to bring Huesca his shipment of food supplies. Yakou/Jawline/Fink was not hiding in this room for 90 days. Absolutely not.
This isn't new information. It corroborates what we already knew. The killer didn't deactivate the security features. They either got around them or went through them.
There has to be more here.
Never crossed my mind that the logs could have been tampered with, but it might have crossed someone's so it's good to close that avenue off.
This might have something to do with Huesca's plan to flee the city. He had an arrangement with someone to get him out. That might be what Jawline was doing here. Or it could be what Yakou was doing here.
Either one of them could have been trying to save Huesca, rather than kill him. That would especially click with Yakou's behavior earlier. He was adamant that we need to beeline it to the lab and take Huesca into custody.
So perhaps I had Yakou right the first time. After causing a distraction to buy us an opening to reach Huesca, Yakou tried to hunt down Fink the Slaughter Artist and take him down. He lost the fight because he is a stick figure doodled on the label of a beer bottle, and that's how he ended up where he was.
That could make sense of why he was here. One way or another, this all connects to a personal motive. The woman in the picture. But it wouldn't explain why the letter was sent to our sub to begin with. Also, while the killer could have waded through the gas chamber and accepted death, that still wouldn't explain how they bypassed the--
No. No, Yakou could bypass the panel room if he had Fubuki to help him. I said before that the only way we knew of to beat the Panel Room is temporal brute-force, which the killer couldn't have done. But if the killer was Yakou, then he could have beaten the panel room the same way we did.
So maybe the person on the other end of this message was Jawline. He attacked Yakou to protect Huesca, but was too late to stop it. Maybe.
But. That still doesn't work. Huesca was alive when we reached the intercom. We separated from Yakou, with him going the opposite direction while we bee-lined it to the lab. There's no way Yakou could have gotten past us then, and Fubuki was with us at that time.
Oh, Huesca wanted out 'cause he's been committing corporate espionage. I want to be surprised by this but I'm not.
Okay, dude on the other end probably isn't Yakou. But they may have hired Jawline as a silencer, to keep Huesca from ever talking about what they've been doing here. That would explain why a hitman was sent in the first place. But if it's as straightforward as that, why the uncharacteristic death threat letters?
Oh yeah, this guy definitely sent Jawline. Or is Jawline. Or something.
Well, now we know why Jawline was here.
I thought he was talking about some kind of conspiracy to undermine him. But this now suggests espionage was the cryptic topic.
Someone at Amaterasu. I suggested before that if Yakou's our killer, he could have sent the letters to pin the blame on the famous hitman Fink. But if Jawline is the man that Huesca was working with, he could have done it for the same reason.
On that note, we cannot prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Makoto isn't Jawline but. C'mon. There is no way he has a rounded, muscular jaw. This man weighs 45 kg/152.6 Furbies. A stiff breeze would carry him away.
Huesca's been selling company secrets since before Makoto even arrived. Wow. Six months ago would be enough time for the food shipment 90 days ago to be messed with in some way. But we already know the killer hasn't been chilling in the lab for 90 days.
He could also be the hitman. We can't be certain Fink the Slaughter Artist was ever here.
Oh, hey! Uh. Hi, again. *glances at computer* Yeah. This. Uh. This is exactly what it looks like. I'm not even going to try and bullshit you.
I like to think of myself as a carefully placed thumbtack on your chair.
Suppose it's time for Mystery Labyrinth, then. There's no getting out of this otherwise.
Ha! Shinigami can possess the doc's body once this is all settled. Huesca himself can suddenly stand up and explain, "This is how I was killed, thank you!" and then fall back down. That'd be even funnier than when the killer does it.
I'm gonna hold you to that. When I get back to the sub, I expect to see Kokohead Sewage opened up on the map.
Kurumi will be super jealous. She's never pissed off the Peacekeepers enough to have a waste treatment facility named after her.
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TPS Part 7: Mother Nature's Son
Ah finally wake up after who knows how long Ah was sleepin. Ah sit up real slow an' Ah look at Trevor. He's jus' lyin' there in his tank an' it looks like he ain't moved at all since Ah last saw him. Ah'm a lil confused bout how mah stuff an Ah got here. Somebody musta brought 'em while Ah was sleepin.
"Ya doin good lil buddy?"
He ribbits so Ah get up real quick an Ah hobble on over ta Trevor's tank. Ah put some type a worm inta Trevor's tank an Ah see em suck it up. It makes a real mess a his face. Trevor looks at me real concerned an Ah know Trevor's worried 'bout mah well bein' so Ah smile a lil for 'em.
"Yer a good froggie, Trevor. Even if ya got a wormy all over yer face. Ah'mma wipe ya clean."
Ah go ta get a paper towel but when Ah look at Trevor Ah see him cleanin’ the worm off a himself. Ah giggle an get closer ta his tank.
"Ya oughta be a good boy, Trevor. Ah'm gonna be goin downstairs fer mah first day a wizardin' school. Be nice ta the other froggies."
Ah finish puttin' on mah uniform, pick up mah backpack an' head out the door.
"Toby? Are you alright?"
Ah notice Jacklin an' the cauldron. It doesn't look like Jacklin's had much sleep either, but Ah don't wanna say anythin' yet. Ah've gotta start the day nice.
"Ah'm real confused bout wha happened last night. How'd Ah end up in mah new bed?"
"Our prefect carried you upstairs after I brought it to his attention that you fainted."
Ah nod then look at the cauldron an' dunno what else ta say, so Ah ask a question.
"Wha's wit the cauldron?"
"I’m bringing it to our Potions class today. I don’t want Professor Snape to take points away because we’re not prepared."
The name "Snape" sounds like someone's mispronouncin' "snake." Like "Snakin' around" or somethin'. But Ah don't wanna say that ta Jacklin jus' yet, since we jus' got up an' Ah wanna be nice ta Jacklin till mah day goes sour.
"Ya sure do seem prepared."
"I also took the time to look through our schedule and put everything that you need in your strange human device."
Ah raise mah eyebrow cause Ah got no idea what she's sayin.
"Mah what?"
"Oh. That big thing there."
Ah look at where she's pointin an Ah realize wha' she means now.
"Tha's mah backpack. It ain't that strange. Jus bout every kid uses 'em."
"How do you use it?"
"Ah jus' put it on like this."
Ah pick up mah backpack an put it on carefully.
"Tha's how Ah do it."
"Marvelous."
Ah'm glad Ah somehow managed ta impress 'er. Ah ain't realized that showin 'er somethin simple like a backpack'd do that.
"How'd ya usually carry thangs if ya ain't got a backpack?"
"I put everything in my cauldron. We're not allowed to use magic in the corridors here, so on Potions days I just use that. My wand and quill are in the pockets of my robe."
"So ya really gotta know what ya need fer what day."
She nods at me.
"Yes that’s why I carefully planned how to carry everything last night."
"Well... yer real smart."
Ah look at 'er books in the cauldron an' think maybe it's a good idea.
"Ya know, Ah never woulda thought a that."
"So where did you get this backpack? I noticed that it had a lot of little zippers on it and wasn't sure if it's common."
Ah look at mah backpack.
"Pop bought it fer me. It's real tough. Ah could drop it outta one a these windows an' it jus' wouldn't break."
She picks up another cauldron an Ah figure it's gotta be mine.
"Do you think you can put your cauldron in there? I wasn't exactly sure how to get it to fit."
"Sure, Ah'll try it."
Ah open up mah backpack an' try ta make room. There's a buncha' magic stuff in mah way but Ah move it round an' eventually manage ta fit mah cauldron in. When Ah finish Jacklin's lookin up at me wit these big eyes all lil girls get when they're 'mazed.
"That’s amazing. Humans are so crafty without magic."
"Yeah. We get crafty, tha's fer sure."
Ah close mah backpack an' get ready ta head on downstairs.
Time Skip
"Do you have any special interests Toby?"
"Well, Ah like pancakes a lot, but Ah think tha's jus' normal."
Ah shove as much pancake as Ah can fit in mah mouth.
"Does that mean you like cooking? I was thinking that if you had any special interests you might be able to find classes here that relate to them."
"Nah Ah don't cook."
"Have you ever thought about what you want to be when you grow up?"
"Not really."
Ah feel bad 'cause Ah jus' don't got any thoughts 'bout mah future.
"That makes sense. It’s hard to figure out how to use your magic if you haven’t learned anything about it yet."
"Yeah. Ok."
"Do you want to read our Potions book together?"
Ah look at Jacklin an' she's got a book open.
"Ok. Ah dunno if Ah'm gonna understand it though."
"I think this first chapter is about our supplies and why we need them."
"Oh, tha's good. Ah could use some supply learnin'."
Ah start lookin' at the book an' it looks like it's letter based. Ah know how ta read, but these're real small an' Ah gotta look real hard ta know which letter's next.
"Did your Pop ever get your vision checked?"
"No. Do Ah need ta have em checked?"
"I'm not sure since I have no idea why reading this book is difficult for you."
"Sometimes the way the book's printed makes it hard ta read. Ah don't like books that got all these words an nothin ta break it up like pictures."
"Oh. So it’s a reading problem and not a vision problem."
"Yeah."
She goes back ta readin like Ah never said it. Ah guess tha's good cause it's better than laughin at me.
"I never thought that a cauldron’s metal would make a difference in how fast a potion’s brewed."
Ah finally get ta a page tha's got pictures a cauldrons on it. It looks like the cauldrons're the place where all the magic happens in 'potion makin.'
"How do ya know when yer doin' it right?"
"With potion making you have to read everything carefully. Each potion is different so a lot can go wrong. From what my father told me, smoke is normal but nothing should explode or boil over."
"Yeah."
It looks like Ah got the basics. Ah think Ah'm all set for the first potions class. It's scary but... it's ok. Ah hear the bell ring.
"I think we can go right to the dungeons for Potions with Professor Snape."
"Why'd Mr. Snape wanna have Potions class down in the dungeons?"
"You have to call him Professor Snape. The dungeons are a great place for potion making. They’re well ventilated and also act as a storage space for ingredients that are sensitive to sunlight.
"Oh. Well, tha's okay then."
Ah try ta imagine it better but Ah still mostly see spiders an' bats.
Time Skip
"It looks like we made it to class a little early today."
"How much time d'ya think we have?"
"I believe we have just enough time to organize everything we could possibly need for today’s class."
Ah sit back straight in mah chair an' watch Snape walk in. He looks real grouchy. This class seems like it's gonna be harder than Ah thought.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes bewitching the minds, and ensnaring the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death."
Ah watch Snape talk an' Ah feel a lotta magic words jus' fly inta mah head.
"I can see some of you have brought all of the required ingredients and equipment as if you expected to produce a potion on your first day. Well done. For those of you who brought everything you will be given a point for Gryffindor. You all also should have read the introductory chapter of your book prior today's class. So if I were to ask what the difference is between a brass, copper, and pewter cauldron I would assume you would all know the answer."
"The difference is the brewing speed. First years normally use a pewter cauldron because it brews at the slowest speed."
Ah look over at Jacklin. Ah guess she knows all the answers.
"Correct. Now can anyone tell me what a bezoar is?"
Somehow Ah know that answer an raise mah hand. Ah remember thinkin bout it last night cause it was our password.
"Mr. Kwimper."
"It's a stone found in a goat's stomach. Also an antidote."
"To what?"
"Most poisons."
Snape looks at me. Ah guess he can tell Ah ain't British but he don't look like he's mad.
"Correct. The only thing a bezoar can not do is neutralize the effects of Basilisk venom."
Ah write all this down cause it sounds real important. Ah dunno how ta spell baslick but Ah do mah best.
"Turn to Chapter 2: Elementary Potions. Our first lesson will be about making the Cure for Boils Potion. This is your first test to see if you have any skill in potion making. A beginner worth teaching will successfully make such a basic potion before the end of class. You will be working in pairs to complete this potion. I will not tolerate students who backpack off of others."
Ah get paired up wit Jacklin. Ah hope Ah don't let 'er down.
Time Skip
Ah'm readin of the final steps ta the potion. Ah ain't screwed up anythang an even kept Jacklin from makin a big mistake. She awmost put porcupine quills in the cauldron before takin it off the fire which coulda melted our cauldron.
"1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Awright turn the heat down."
Jacklin turns down the heat an uses the potion makin spell wit 'er wand.
"Curious Boilus!"
Ah get a little nervous when Ah see the potion boilin'.
"I see pink smoke. We did it Toby!"
Ah see Snape comin up ta us.
"Pour the potion into the vials."
Ah listen ta Snape an' pick up the vials, fillin' em wit our potion. Ah'm a lil nervous bout what he'll say ta us.
"This is a textbook perfect potion. You and Mr. Kwimper will each receive 5 points for Gryffindor. You may start cleaning up."
Tha's it! Ah made mah first ever potion an Snape says it's perfect. Ah notice Jacklin's pretty happy too. She's lookin' over at me an she's givin' me a real nice smile as we start cleanin.
"Class is dismissed."
Ah notice a couple a kids givin' me funny looks as we leave the room. Ah don' think Ah've ever got so much attention jus' from doin' potion work.
"Let me see now. Defence Against The Dark Arts is our next class. We just need to go through the Transfiguration courtyard. The temporary classroom should be located just inside there."
Ah'm so glad Ah'm wit Jacklin. She's like a book a knowledge bout this school.
"What did you learn today during our first Potions class, Toby?"
"Well, Ah dunno much bout why we gotta use wha' we used. But Ah got a lotta experience in pickin' out non-venomous snakes. Like if ya wanna find a snake who ain't venomous ya don't wanna find no copperheads cause they got venom. Does that count fer somethin'?"
"Why of course that is an important skill to have. The snake fangs we used have to be from non-venomous snakes otherwise the potion wouldn't work. I'm not familiar with a copperhead. What type of snake is that?"
Ah repeat everythang Ah know from mah book on snakes.
"It's a type a water moccasin that're real common where Ah'm from an' compared ta others they're more likely ta bite. They're medium-sized an venomous, but they don't really kill people that much."
"What other snakes do you have there?"
Ah realize she ain't gonna know a lotta thangs Ah do.
"Ah'm from Florida, Jacklin. Full a snakes. We got big black ones. We got orange an' yellow ones. Ah even had a python in Pop's yard once, but it was only a lil one. They're not the real bad snakes, but they're not the good ones, either."
"I understand why you know so much about snakes now, Toby."
Ah get a real nice feelin’ inside when Ah hear this from Jacklin.
"So how exactly do you know what an Adder looks like?"
"Oh Adders're dark. They got like an "x" on their necks. They look mean, even if they really ain't. Ah mean Ah think snakes're real beautiful lookin’. They jus don’t want no people hangin’ round when they’re sunnin’ themselves like Ah saw a few do in Florida. Snakes don’t like company."
"I hope you won’t take this the wrong way when I say I do not plan on visiting the States during our winter holidays."
Ah dunno if Jacklin jus made a joke, so Ah try ta sound like Ah got a good sense a humor, even though Ah don't have much a one.
"Ah don’t blame ya."
"Are there any animals you are afraid of then?"
"Ah'm a lil afraid a raccoons. They can be real mean if they get mad at ya. Most're friendly an’ they leave people alone, but sometimes Ah gotta scare off a mad raccoon when it gets ta thievin' stuff or botherin' our chickens."
"What’s a raccoon?"
Ah oughta make a list a thangs we got in Florida an she's only got here.
"A raccoon's kinda like a cat, except it looks a lil like a small bear. Ah see a lotta raccoons livin' in the woods. They get in places they ain't supposed ta be, so Ah get mad at ‘em for thievin' stuff an' then the raccoons’ll get mad an' then we'll have a lil war a words."
"At least a raccoon can’t eat you the way a python can."
"Can probably out-run a raccoon, too. Just try ta stay away from the young'uns, an' tha raccoons probably won't bother ya. Don't call ‘em "trash pandas" though. Ah mean, you'll be right ta call ‘em that, but they don’t like it at all. They get real mad."
Somethin bout wha' Ah said caused Jacklin ta raise mah eyebrow an Ah dunno why.
"How would you know that as if you can talk to them like a person?"
"Ah know ‘cause when Ah’m chasin' ‘em away from our chickens, Ah yell “you trash pandas,” an’ they act real mean. If Ah call 'em, “sweet lil trash pandas” they don't get nearly as upset wit me."
"So you can talk to all animals?"
"Well, Ah talk ta the animals Ah like. Ah talk ta froggies, turtles an toadies, fer sure. Ain't nothin' really special 'bout talkin' ta animals. Ah think they like hearin' kind words, though. Ah know gators never say much, but they seem ta listen when Ah'm talkin'."
Ah dunno why Jacklin's lookin at me like Ah'm a dummy.
"Nothing special? Talking to animals is a rare skill for wizards to have. It can’t be taught."
"Oh… well then Ah reckon Ah'm special after all."
Time Skip
We make our way outside when Ah hear this weird hissin noise.
"Huh. Sounds like a snake."
"Where is it coming from?"
"It sounds like it's comin' from 'em bushes over there."
"Is it a snake?"
"Yeah."
Ah think the snake is goin' ta try ta scare us by hiss'n again.
"Do you think you can try talking to it as we walk by Toby?"
"Ah can try. Ah can try talkin' real nice. We just wanna get on by."
Ah see this big snake coiled up in tha bushes an' Ah start talkin'. Ah keep walkin' while Ah’m talkin', an’ Ah try ta sound as non-threatenin as Ah can.
"Here, Mr. Snake. We jus' wanna go on through the door. We wanna keep movin' an' we don't wanna fight ya. Can we jus' move on, Mr. Snake?"
Ah don’t see any signs tha the snake's movin'.
"Mr. Snake, we don’t wanna be late fer class. We gotta get ta class in ten minutes. Can Ah move ya?"
The snake let's me pick 'em up. Ah gently move 'em away from us so he can't scare no more kids. He's real calm while Ah do this.
"Thank ya, Mr. Snake. Ah hope ya have a good day. We gotta go now."
Ah hear the snake hissin an look back. Ah guess tha’s a kind a snake wave. Ah turn back ta the door an’ Ah smile 'cause Ah’m proud that Ah handled the snake situation so good.
"Toby you spoke Parseltongue just now."
"What're ya talkin' bout? Me speakin' ta the snake?"
"Yes. You thought you were speaking English, but it just sounded like hissing sounds to me."
Ah stop dead in mah tracks. Ah stare at Jacklin like she's lost 'er mind.
"Ya mean tha’s really what Ah sound like?"
"That’s what it sounded like to me."
Ah'm stunned an' Ah can't think a anythang ta say.
"Tha's just... tha's... Ah dunno what ta say, actually. Ah got nothin' ta say ta that."
Ah pick back up on walkin' as Jacklin an Ah make our way down the path ta class.
Time Skip
"There's Professor Quirrell the new professor for this class."
"Than-thank you for be-being on time. Th-that's a p-p-point for ea-each of you."
Ah smile as we go an sit down.
"Than-thank you all for ma-making it. My na-name is Prof-professor Quir-Quirrell. To-today we're go-going to be ta-talking about Imps."
Ah know Ah should be payin' attention but Ah jus can’t stop thinkin' about this thing with tha snakes. Ah just sit there lookin' at his weird scarf hat.
"M-make sure to-to copy th-this in your n-notes."
Ah start ta take some notes as Quirrell stutters through class.
Time Skip
"For ho-homework, please wr-write a short essay about the-the Knock-knockback Jinx. You ha-have until next we-week to fi-finish it.."
Ah’m not happy ‘bout gettin homework. Ah know Quirrell thinks it’s easy, but Ah can be a little slow sometimes. Ah can get stuck on one thing fer like... forever.
"Toby I was just about to ask if you wanted to start working on our essay during our free period after we get back to Gryffindor Tower."
"Sure. Ah don’t wanna waste no time gettin it done."
Ah smile 'cause Ah feel tha Jacklin's bein' real nice an' patient with me today. Ah ain't used ta people bein' all that nice ta me.
"Thanks Jacklin."
Ah keep walkin' an' Ah feel the stairs underneath me movin'.
"Be careful, Toby."
"Why? Ah ain’t afraid a stairs. It don’t even feel like Ah’m movin' much when they move anyway."
One a the steps disappears. Ah almost lose mah balance, but Ah ain’t at all bothered.
"See? It ain't no big deal."
"Now if only we can say that going down the stairs."
Ah smile at Jacklin an' think it was a lil joke Ah can laugh at.
"Do you remember the password Toby?"
"Yeah it's bezoar."
We go up the stairs an Ah start ta take deep breaths cause Ah ain't used ta doin all that climbin yet.
"Are you alright, Toby?"
"Yeah... Ah'm fine... Le's get started on our work."
Time Skip
"Do ya understand this Knockback Jinx stuff, Jacklin?"
"Yes. When you say the word "flipendo" and do the right wand movement, you can force your opponent to fly backwards away from you."
"Oh... Ah see. So, it's jus' one word an' then you gotta wave tha wand like this."
Ah make a wild, flickin' motion with mah wand.
"No Toby. It looks more like this."
Ah follow Jacklin's instructions wih mah wand movin' down... up... then makin' a U.
"So ya do that an then what? They'll go flyin' away?"
"Yes it's an important spell to use when you're in a duel."
"So, uh... if Ah was in a duel wit a dark wizard an' Ah froze up, would that be a real problem?"
"Yes. You could end up getting killed."
Ah feel like Ah could puke. Ah don't wanna be a total chicken so Ah try ta keep mahself tagether. Ah jus focus on mah writin.
"So uh... how ya likin Hogwarts so far?"
"Oh I love it. My father told me so many stories about his time at Hogwarts, and it's still so incredible to be here as a first year. The only thing I'm concerned about is my Veela magic. You haven't noticed any of the boys being affected by it, have you Toby?"
"Uh… not really, no. They're jus happy ta see you. Sure don't wanna do anythin dangerous ta impress ya."
Ah see some boys round us as we talk an Ah know they're jus' wonderin' if a romance's startin'. Well they're wrong cause Ah'm too smart ta be fallin fer some girl Ah jus met.
"Then again... Ya gotta have some kinda magic goin fer ya if ya look like one a 'em chubby naked angel babies."
"A what?"
"Ya know in paintin's. Ah think they're called cherubs but Ah call 'em chubby naked angel babies cause they look like 'em."
"And why on earth do you think I look like one?"
Ah dunno if she's mad or jus confused so Ah think Ah gotta be honest bout it.
"Ya got one a 'em soft chubby faces. Specially in yer cheeks. Ain't like it can't be pretty but it ain't like yer so perfect like ya say Veela can be."
She starts ta laugh an Ah feel better now cause Ah woulda thought a girl'd be sayin Ah'm a dummy fer callin her chubby.
"Now I know for sure I can trust everything you say Toby."
"Why's that?"
"I can trust you because I know no other boy would ever be able to say something like that. They would only talk about how pretty I look because of my magic."
"Well whatever works fer ya."
Time Skip
"Can you believe it, Toby? We just finished our first day of classes and can do whatever we want until dinner."
"Yeah, Ah'm really startin' ta like it here. Can't wait ta write mah letter ta Pop."
"Great. I'll meet you down here when you're done. We can go to the Owlery together."
Ah go up ta mah room an sit on mah bed. Trevor ribbits when he sees me.
"Hi buddy. Ah'm gonna write Pop a letter."
Ah try writin thangs tha'll make sense ta Pop.
"Dear Pop. Ah’m doin’ real good. Ah jus got ta school las night, an Ah ain’t bein’ picked on yet, which Ah’m real glad about. Trevor's doin good too an ain't gotten in trouble wit the other froggies an toadies here. Ah got sorted inta Griphindor. It's the Lion House an they got this big paintin that talks. Oh, an Ah met this one girl. Her name's... J-A-C-K-L-I-N. An she tol me she's a... V-E-L-A. She keeps sayin' she's gonna control me wit 'er womanly ways but Ah don't buy it. She's only 11 like me an' got one a 'em chubby baby faces some girls got. Ah figure it's jus gonna be good ol' fashioned friendship."
Ah gotta ask how mah Pop an all mah family see Veela. Ah don't wanna find out we's in a feud.
"How do ya think folks’ll feel if Ah tell 'em Ah met a Vela girl? We ain't in a feud wit 'em are we? Ah don't wanna have y'all be mad but Ah also don't wanna lose mah friendship wit Jacklin. Pacer ain't in the same House as me so she's mah only friend. So tha's pretty much it fer this letter anyways. Ah'll write ya somethin' later, an' Ah love ya. Say hi ta everyone back home."
Ah sign mah letter, Ah get ready ta take it down ta tha Owlery as soon as Jacklin finishes 'er letter.
"Hey, Trevor. Is it okay wit ya if Ah take mah letter an’ head down ta the Owlery now?"
Trevor jus' blinks at me a few times. Ah figure tha's as close ta a "Yes" as Ah'm gonna see from mah froggie.
"Hey Jacklin? Are ya ready ta go ta the Owlery yet?"
"Oh yes. I'm ready, Toby."
"Great. Le's go."
We start walkin ta the West Tower an Ah didn't realize it's gonna be real far.
"So how's this suppose ta be the best way a doin thangs? Owls ain't exactly fast."
"Well it's because the magic world is so small that despite the great distances between Scotland and London, owls are the most reliable method of communication. All wizards can use them regardless of their age, economic status or blood status. It's really the most reliable method if you don't have any urgent messages that need to be passed on."
Ah gotta think through this. If Ah got this right then owls're really good fer most types a communicatin but it ain't good fer emergencies.
"Good thang Ah ain't in no rush then."
"Yes if my father ever had any urgent messages for Headmaster Dumbledore he would have to use other methods. The grounds are charmed so that no one can apparate in or out."
"Wha's apparate mean?"
"It basically means to teleport. Not every wizard can do it so even though it is faster, it's not as reliable as owls."
Ah think Ah'm startin ta get it. Wizards use owls cause it works fer em.
"So how'll Ah know which owl's the right one fer the job?"
"It depends on where you live. Since we're in the Highlands of Scotland, father made sure to buy an Eagle owl named Arthur. I would use one of the school's Eagle owls too since it would have to cross the Irish Sea."
"Well, Ah guess Ah better be startin' awready."
Ah start lookin round tha Owlery fer an owl. Ah try ta remember what an Eagle owl looks like when Ah find one an' walk over ta it. It looks real cute an Ah feel like it's the right one.
"Heeeey, buddy."
Ah give the owl a good ol' head rub while Ah speak.
"Wha's yer name, fella?"
Ah wait in eager anticipation, but the owl don’t respond.
"Tha's okay. Ah’m sure yer a good owl in any case."
"Hoooooot."
Ah smile as Ah finally hear from somethin. Ah decide ta try one more time.
"Ohhh. Yer name's Buckbeak. Ah reckon Ah'll call ya Buck fer short. Ya think ya can help me?"
"Hooo-oot."
Ah get excited an Ah hold out mah letter fer Buck ta pick it up wit his beak.
"Buck? Ya wanna take this letter fer me?"
Buck looks at me all confused.
"Right. Sorry. Go ta Uncle Travis Kwimper's cabin in the woods in Cork, Ireland."
"Hooo-ooot."
Buck takes mah letter finally an Ah kinda like 'em now.
"So tha’s all Ah needed ta do?"
Ah coulda swore he nodded at me as he gets up. Ah decide ta wait an watch Buck fly away. Ah watch em slowly get smaller till Ah see em disappear.
"Take this to Gryffindor Manor please, Arthur."
Arthur starts flyin away.
"Thanks fer yer help, Jacklin. Do ya know when Ah'd be gettin a letter back?"
"I think you should be able to get a reply by Friday."
"Ah can’t wait ta hear from Pop. Ah'm gonna tell ‘em bout Buckbeak when he writes back."
We leave the Owlery an jus wanna take a nap before dinner.
Time Skip
"Ya know there's somethin Ah do got a special interest in?"
"Oh really? What is it?"
"Well... is knowin bout plants an gardenin important fer magic?"
"Oh yes! Herbology is a very important subject. In fact if you're not an excellent Herbology student, Potions would be just as difficult. They often go hand in hand."
Ah gotta think bout that. Ah know bout schools havin gardenin clubs but Hogwarts ain't a normal school. Ah don't wanna get mah hopes up over somethin that don't exist.
"They got any type a plant club here?"
"I remember some of the fourth year students were talking about being assistants to Professor Sprout. It's not exactly a club but you get House points for helping a professor outside of class."
"Ooh. Ah gotta talk ta Sprout then. Some a mah earliest memories was a me helpin mah momma wit 'er plants."
Ah start thinkin bout what helpin Sprout'd look like. Ah don't wanna be takin care a Venus Fly Trap plants. But maybe Ah won't be gettin that type a job right off the bat. Either way Ah gotta ask the teacher cause Ah wanna show Ah can be good at somethin.
Tagging: @arrolyn1114, @nemos-rapture, @xanatenshi, @briefpandatimemachine, @hooked-on-elvis, @vintagepresley, @aliengoth3, @smokeymountainboy, @bigdaddyelvislover, @mercsandmonsters, @pledgingmylovee, @presleysgirl6, and @thetaoofzoe.
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Toby's First Day
Ah wake up an' Ah feel like Ah'm gonna throw up. But Ah feel a lil better 'cause Ah'm layin' down on ma bed an it's a whole lot less scary. Ah can't see anything. Ah try an lift mah head up an' Ah fall right back down.
"Ow."
Ah try an get mah head up so Ah can look at Trevor when he ribbits an' see how he doin', but Ah can't. Ah feel like Ah jus wanna curl up in a ball. Ah remember the things Ah said ta Jacklin an Ah wish Ah didn't. Mah head still feels a lil woozy so Ah think Ah'll just lie here an... uh... an...
Time Skip
Ah finally stop snorin' an' wake up a little. Ah sit up real slow an' Ah look at Trevor. He's jus' lyin' there in his tank an' it looks like he ain't moved at all since Ah last saw him. Ah'm a lil confused bout how mah stuff an Ah got here. Somebody musta brought 'em while Ah was sleepin.
"Ya doin good lil buddy?"
He ribbits so Ah get up real quick an Ah hobble on over ta Trevor's tank. Ah open tha door an' Ah feed 'em. Ah take tha blood worm outta tha fridge an' Ah put tha cold, bloody wormy thing inta Trevor's tank an Ah see em suck it up. It makes a real mess a his face. Trevor looks at me real concerned wit tha wormy mess on his face an Ah know Trevor's worried 'bout mah well bein' so Ah smile a lil for 'em.
"Didja see who brought ya an mah stuff up here lil buddy? Cause Ah sure dunno who did."
Ah pet Trevor’s head.
"Yer a good froggie, Trevor. Even if ya got a bloody wormy all over yer face. Ah'mma wipe ya clean."
Ah go ta get a paper towel but when Ah look at Trevor Ah see him cleanin’ tha worm offa himself. Ah giggle an get closer ta see what he looks like witout tha worm.
"Ya be a good boy, Trevor. Ah'm gonna be goin downstairs fer mah first day a wizardin' school. Be nice ta the other froggies."
Ah finish puttin' on ma uniform, pick up mah backpack an' head off ta tha Great Hall.
"Toby? Are you alright?"
Ah notice Jacklin an' tha cauldron. It doesn't look like Jacklin's had much sleep either, but Ah don't wanna say anythin' yet. Ah've gotta start tha day nice.
"Ah'm real confused bout wha happened last night. How'd Ah end up in mah new bed?"
"Our prefect carried you upstairs after I brought it to his attention that you fainted."
Ah nod then look at tha cauldron an' don't know what else ta say, so Ah ask a question.
"What ya do'n with tha cauldron?"
"I’m bringing it to our Potions class today. I don’t want Professor Snape to take points away because we’re not prepared."
Tha name "Snape" sounds like someone's mispronouncin' "snake." Like "Snakin' around" or somethin'. But Ah don't wanna say that to Jacklin jus' yet, since we jus' got up an' Ah wanna be nice ta Jacklin till m' day goes sour. Ah look "prepared" ta take tha class wit m' friend Jacklin.
"Ya sure do seem prepared."
"I also took the time to look through our schedule and put everything that you need in your strange human device."
Ah raise mah eyebrow cause Ah got no idea what she's sayin.
"Mah what?"
"Oh. That big thing there."
Ah look at where she's pointin an Ah realize wha' she means now.
"Tha's mah backpack. It ain't that strange. Jus bout every kid uses 'em."
"How do you use this?"
"Ah jus' put it on like this."
Ah pick up mah backpack an put it on carefully.
"Tha's how Ah do it."
"Marvelous."
Ah'm glad Ah somehow managed ta impress 'er. Ah ain't realized that showin 'er somethin simple like a backpack'd do tha.
"How'd ya usually carry thangs if ya ain't got a backpack?"
"I put everything in my cauldron. We're not allowed to use magic in the corridors here, so on Potions days I just use that. My wand and quill are in the pockets of my robe."
"So ya really gotta know what ya need fer what day."
She nods at me.
"Yes that’s why I carefully planned how to carry everything last night."
"Well... yer real smart."
Ah look at tha books an' cauldron an' think maybe it's a good idea.
"Ya know, Ah never woulda thought of tha."
"So where did you get this backpack? I noticed that it had a lot of little zippers on it and wasn't sure if it's common."
Ah look at mah backpack.
"This one's giv'n ta me by Pop. It's real tough. Ah could drop it out tha window an' it jus' wouldn't break."
"Do you think you can put your cauldron in there? I wasn't exactly sure how to get it to fit. Your books were easy enough to put inside since they're rectangular."
Ah shrug since Ah jus know she's tryna help me.
"Sure, Ah'll try it."
Ah open up m' backpack an' try ta make room for tha cauldron. There's a buncha' magic stuff in tha way but Ah move it around an' eventually manage ta fit tha cauldron in. When Ah finish Jacklin's lookin up at me wit these big eyes all lil girls get when they're 'mazed by thangs.
"That’s amazing. Humans are so crafty without magic."
Ah don't fully understand wha tha means, but Ah like tha sound of it.
"Yeah. We get crafty, tha's fo sure."
Ah close m' backpack an' get ready ta head on downstairs.
"I hope I don’t lose my balance going down these stairs, Toby."
"Why'd ya think ya'd lose ya balance?"
"I need to use both hands to carry this cauldron. It’s too heavy if I tried to use one hand."
Ah look at tha cauldron an' then look at Jacklin.
"Ah think Ah should carry tha cauldron for ya. Ya can jus' put yer hands in tha pockets of yer robe."
It ain't tha big a deal, but Ah don't want Jacklin fallin' down tha stairs. Ah hold out m' hands ta take pick 'er up an tha cauldron.
"Toby are you sure you can handle both me and your backpack?"
Ah manage ta carry tha cauldron, Jacklin an' m' backpack down tha stairs.
"Ah can handle it. Ah got big muscles in tha farm boy arms."
"Very well then."
Ah walk down tha stairs an' toward tha Great Hall as tha breakfast crowd parts ways for me an' Jacklin.
"Ah'm okay."
Ah like carryin' Jacklin an' tha cauldron an' don't think anythin' about it till suddenly Ah hear some'un callin' out my name loud.
"We're at the bottom of the stairs Toby."
Ah see tha Great Hall in front of m' an' hear Jacklin callin' me. Ah know Ah can't carry Jacklin an' tha cauldron much longer. Ah stop walkin' for a second an' set Jacklin on tha floor.
"Jacklin?"
Jacklin turns to me.
"Yes?"
Ah try ta catch m' breath an' lean against tha wall of tha Great Hall. Ah feel a little tired.
"Thanks."
Ah look at tha empty cauldrons in Jacklin's hands an' feel real foolish.
"Can Ah ask you a question?"
Ah'm wonderin' if Jacklin noticed somethin' while Ah was carry'n her.
"Ah know Ah'm a little slow, but Ah can't help feelin' like Ah done wrong while Ah was carry'n ya."
Ah look at Jacklin's face real close an' look for a sign tha somethin' bad happened.
"You didn't do anything wrong Toby. I just was worried about you getting hurt. I thought my Veela magic was making you want to impress me."
Ah feel relieved.
"Oh. Well, Ah was jus tryin' ta do the right thing."
Ah sit down an look tha table. There's a lot a kids here an' for a second Ah wonder if Ah'm even gonna find m' seat. Ah get a feelin tha Ah'm gonna say someth'in wrong or do somethin' weird an' it's gonna ruin tha day. Ah feel real worried about tha day an' want it ta go slow. Ah start lookin' real worried ta Jacklin 'cause Ah don't wanna make her mad an' Ah don't wanna make the day go bad. Ah can't stand tha not be'in in tha right seat feel.'
"I think those are our tables there, Toby."
Ah look in tha direction Jacklin's pointin' an' see tha tables. Ah feel good 'cause Ah'm findin' m' way an' Ah don't wanna get lost here.
"Let's sit down here. This spot's open for us."
"Okay."
Breakfast foods start to appear on the table. Ah look for tha pancakes an' eggs so Ah can start eat'n them.
"Do you have any special interests Toby?"
"Well, Ah like pancakes a lot, but Ah think tha's jus' normal."
Ah shove as much pancake as Ah can fit in m' mouth.
"Does that mean you like cooking? I was thinking that if you had any special interests you might be able to find classes here that relate to them."
"No, Ah'm not good with cook'n."
Ah shove tha rest a' tha pancake a' in m' mouth an' look around tha hall real worried tha Ah ain't been able ta ask about somethin' Ah need ta know about. Ah finally decide m' need ta ask m' question is so important tha it's like tha whole day depends on it.
"Jacklin."
Jacklin looks over at m' when Ah call her name an' Ah get a real good feelin' tha things are gonna go right.
"Yes Toby?"
"Well, how do Ah fit in here? Ah dunno how we even make it onta the platform ta get ta the train if we ain't spose ta be seen by humans. Ah think Ah jus ain't meant ta be here."
Ah feel like m' whole day's gonna jus' crash an' all tha bad feelin' jus' keep buildin' an' buildin'.
"Everyone in this part of the Great Hall are part of the Gryffindor House. That’s how you fit in. Not everyone here has to be a pureblood like me. I don't think the average wizard in general knows that Platform 9 and 3/4s is charmed so that only those with magic blood can even get near it."
Ah start ta calm down a lil bit. Ah'm a Gryffindor. Ain't so bad. Ah look around tha Great Hall an' most people are wearin' tha Gryffindor colors an' Ah think tha's cool.
"Thank yuh! Nice ta know."
But tha silence jus' feels so loud. Ah feel like tha food is gettin' cold an' tha food smells an' tastes diff'r'nt. Ah know tha's how Ah am an' it's tha way Ah am but it's jus' so quiet right now.
"Have you ever thought about what you want to be when you grow up?"
"Not really."
Ah feel bad 'cause Ah dunno whut Ah wanna do an' there's so much time an' so many things Ah don't know. Ah've been so worried this tha day was fallin' apart tha Ah jus' haven't had any thoughts 'bout tha future.
"That makes sense. It’s hard to figure out how to use your magic if you haven’t learned anything about it yet."
Ah clean m' face an' hands real good so Jacklin won't think Ah'm sloppy. Tha pancake was real good though.
"Do you want to read our Potions book together?"
Ah look at Jacklin an' she's got a book open an' she's sittin' right next to me.
"Okay. Ah don't know if Ah'm gonna understand it though."
"I think this first chapter is about our supplies and why we need them."
"Oh, that's good. Ah could use some supply learnin'."
Ah start lookin' at the book an' it looks like it's letter based. Ah know how to read, but tha letters are real small an' Ah gotta look real hard to know which letter's next. Ah also gotta think real hard 'bout how tha letter sounds.
"Did your Pop ever get your vision checked?"
"No. Do Ah need ta have m' eyes checked?"
Ah keep read'n m' letter very slowly an' Ah'm startin' ta feel a little better 'bout tha day. This isn't so bad.
"I'm not sure since I have no idea why reading this book is difficult for you."
Ah don't wanna give Jacklin tha wrong idea, so Ah try ta explain m'self. The more Ah talk, the more Ah realize tha Ah do have m' problems, but they're jus' part a me.
"Well, when Ah see tha letters Ah can see 'em fine, but Ah dunno. Ah get through 'em real slow an' sometimes Ah... sometimes Ah don't remember what tha letter sounds like an' Ah gotta go back an' re-read it. An' it jus' takes a long time ta... ya know finish."
"Oh. So it’s a reading problem and not a vision problem."
Ah look down an' Ah get a little nervous 'cause Ah notice tha everybody at tha table's watchin' m'. So Ah finish m' lett'der fast an' look up real quick.
"I never thought that a cauldron’s metal would make a difference in how fast a potion’s brewed."
"Well, tha cauldron sure looks real important."
Ah look at tha pictures again an' it looks like tha cauldrons are the place where all tha magic happens in 'potion making.' Ah feel interested an' tha books is startin' ta make sense. M' nerves seem ta be leavin' an' Ah relax jus' a little bit more.
"There's jus' so much tha m' brain's gotta know all at once. So how long d'ya think it's gonna be before Ah figure out tha right way ta use m' magic?"
"As long as we take notes and do all of our assignments through all seven years, our professors will give us passing marks. Magic can be easy as long as you try."
"But how do ya know when you're doin' it right?"
It feels like there's gonna be a lotta mess ups in 'potion makin' an' other magic usin'. It's jus' too much to figure out an' some of it doesn't make any sense so far.
"If you try to say an incantation and you’re saying it wrong, then nothing will happen. With potion making you have to read everything carefully. Each potion is different so a lot can go wrong. From what my father told me about potion making, smoke is normal but nothing should explode or boil over."
"Oh, yeah."
Ah picture m'self at 'potion class. Ah see smoke an' m' mind starts to wonder. M'self an' tha others jus' watchin' 'potion boilin' up an' down an' tha smoke's makin' things seem jus' a little bit different. An' m' body's startin' ta sweat jus' a little bit. Ah imagine the fumes from tha cauldrons makin' m' head spin jus' a little bit. Ah try ta hold it together bu' Ah'm jus' a little nervous about tha whole thing.
"That was the bell. I think we should leave for the dungeons now. Are you feeling better, Toby?"
"Yeah Ah'm ok."
Ah start walkin' but Ah see Jacklin watchin' me an' somehow tha makes me feel a lotta bettah. Ah don't know why really. It jus' does. Maybe 'er Veela magic's hittin me after all. Ain't so bad then.
"Let’s see. I have my wand, our cauldrons, my potion book, and I think everything else is in your backpack. Is that right?"
"Yeah."
It looks like Ah got the basics. Ah don't really know what all Ah'm gonna need yet, but Ah think Ah'm all set for the first potions class. It's scary but... it's ok.
"In that case, I think we can go right to the dungeons for Potions with Professor Snape."
"Why'd Mr. Snape wanna have Potions class down in tha dungeons?"
Ah try ta picture it an' Ah can't see it. All Ah can imagine is some creepy dark place down tha stairs with spiders an' bats an'... who knows what. Ah start gettin' a little nervous agin.
"You have to call him Professor Snape. The dungeons are a great place to teach potions. They’re well ventilated and also act as a storage space for ingredients that are sensitive to sunlight.
"Oh. Well, tha's okay then."
Ah try ta imagine those places better but Ah still mostly see spiders an' bats. Ah shake m' head an' try ta get rid of tha picture.
Time Skip
Ah'm lookin' round tha dungeons. It's dim an' Ah can't see far. Ah notice it's jus' stone an' dirt under tha ground. Looks cold, but it's quiet. Ah think Ah like it.
"It looks like we made it to class a little early today."
"How much time d'ya think we have?"
Ah look over tha classroom door an' Ah start wonderin' what's in the potions room. Ah guess it's the place where the potions class is gonna take place. Maybe it's nice like da classroom. Ah hope so, but tha whole potions class' too much ta figure out.
"I believe we have just enough time to organize everything we could possibly need for today’s class."
Ah look back at tha potions table. Tha potions teacher probably starts teachin' right on tha bell. Ah don't want stuff in a mess when tha potions teacher walks in. Ah get busy try'n ta get tha stuff organized.
"Welp tha's all mah stuff."
Ah sit back straight in mah chair an' watch Professor Snape walk in. He looks real grouchy as Ah watch tha class sit down. Ah don't do anythin but jus' sit there lookin'. Ah figure tha's the smart choice right now. He starts lookin' over m' backpack an' Ah start feelin' kinda nervous again.
"We do not leave objects in the aisle. Move it to the other side of your chair."
Mah head starts ta spin as Professor Snape moves on. This potions class seems like it's gonna be harder than Ah thought. But Ah ain't gonna give up. Ah look around tha classroom an' notice tha other students all look like they knew to move tha object before tha potions teacher started teachin'. That's okay. Ah'm not like m' head's filled with a lotta magic like some of the others. M' job's jus' to get through tha potions class an' learn something.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes bewitching the minds, and ensnaring the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death."
Ah watch Professor Snape talk an' Ah feel a lotta magic words jus' fly into mah head. Ah wanna have m' own bottled magic.
"I can see some of you have brought all of the required ingredients and equipment as if you expected to produce a potion on your first day. Well done. For those of you who brought everything you will be given a point for Gryffindor."
Ah take a deep breath an' Ah get ready for Snape ta start teachin' me stuff. Ah think he's gonna like me.
"Now you all should have read the introductory chapter of the Book of Potions in preparation of todays class. So if I were to ask what the difference is between a brass, copper, and pewter cauldron I would assume you would all know the answer."
Ah know tha a copper cauldron is good as it'll melt tha metal at tha right temp. Ah know that tha pewter doesn't get hot enough. But that's all Ah remember about tha cauldrons right now.
"The difference is the brewing speed. First years normally use a pewter cauldron because it brews at the slowest speed."
Ah look over at Jacklin. Ah guess she knows all tha answers an' Ah can't remember what Ah already know. M' shoulders start ta relax an' Ah listen in. Ah think it'll be safe enough ta just sit back an' let Jacklin tell tha right answers.
"Correct."
Ah see that he looks like he's a little pleased wit tha right answer. Ah hope that Jacklin knows most a tha answers. Ah like her an’ Ah don’t wanna see her get yelled at.
"Turn to page 394. Our first lesson will be about making the Cure for Boils Potion."
Ah find tha page and Ah look up real quick when Ah see it.
"This is your first test to see if you have any skill in potion making. A beginner worth teaching will successfully make such a basic potion before the end of class. You will be working in pairs to complete this potion. I will not tolerate students who backpack off of others."
Am Ah skilled enough ta make tha potion? Ah don't wanna fail this first test. Ah get paired up wit m' friend Jacklin.
"How do you want to divide the work Toby?"
"Well, Ah can read everythang ta make sure we ain't doin nothin wrong."
"So you can read each step and get all of the ingredients together?"
"Uh huh."
Ah point ta m' potion book sittin' on m' table an start readin the first step.
"In that case, I can start the fire. What does the first step say?"
"Well, it says ta take out a pewter cauldron."
Ah see 'er get it.
"What do we need to do next?"
Ah know what tha next step is!
"We gotta add 6 snake fangs an crush 'em in the mortar."
Ah start countin cause Ah can obviously count ta 6 then start crushin 'em.
"How's this look?"
"I think you crushed them enough, Toby. They needed to be a fine powder and it looks a lot like dust."
Ah read the next step.
"All righ', four measures a' tha snake fangs."
Ah see Jacklin count out tha snake fangs an' get all four measures in tha cauldron.
"Alright then. We just finished measuring the crushed snake fangs and added them to the cauldron."
"Ok so now we gotta take the cauldron up ta 250 fer 10 seconds."
Ah see Jacklin turn tha fire up.
"1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Awright turn it down."
She turns down the heat an uses the potion makin spell wit 'er wand.
"Curious Boilus!"
Ah get a little nervous when Ah see the potion boilin'.
Time Skip
"I see the pink smoke. We did it Toby!"
Ah see tha pink smoke come outta tha cauldron an' Ah feel better an' better about mah first potions test.
"Pour the potion into the vials and clean up."
Ah listen ta Snape an' pick up the vials, fillin' em wit tha cure for boils potion. Ah'm a lil nervous bout what he'll say ta us.
"This is a textbook perfect potion. You and Mr. Kwimper will each receive 5 points for Gryffindor."
Thas it! Ah feel real proud when Snape takes tha vials. Ah notice that Jacklin's pretty happy too. She's lookin' over at me and she's givin' me a real nice smile.
"Class is dismissed."
Ah hear tha bell. We're done wit potions! Ah notice a couple a' kids givin' me funny looks when we walk out of tha potion room. Ah don' think Ah've ever got so much attention jus' from doin' potion work. Ah feel good walkin' out wit Jacklin.
"Let me see now. Defense Against The Dark Arts is our next class. We just need to go to the Transfiguration courtyard. The temporary classroom should be located on the ground floor level."
Ah'm so glad Ah'm with Jacklin. She's the only one who seems to understand where all tha stuff is. She looks at me an' then Ah feel like Ah understand too. Ah don't know how she does it, but Ah follow her.
"I hope the other boys weren't too distracted by my Veela magic."
When Ah hear her say "Veela" Ah remember one a' tha things she told me about what they can do. Ah try to think of her as jus’ normal Jacklin, even though Ah can tell tha boys were distracted an even a little scared by her.
"What did you learn today during our first Potions class, Toby?"
Well, Ah dunno much bout why we gotta use wha' we used. But Ah got a lotta experience in pickin' out non-venomous snakes. Like if ya wanna find a snake who ain't venomous ya don't wanna find no copperheads cause they got venom. Does tha count for somethin'?"
"Why of course that is an important skill to have. Especially when working across the world. I'm not familiar with a copperhead. What type of snake is that?"
Ah repeat everythang Ah know from mah book on snakes.
"It's a type a water moccasin tha looks a little different. They live mainly round the eastern coast a North America an round the Mississippi drainage. They're real common here an' compared ta others they're more likely ta bite if they're all scared. They're medium-sized an venomous, but they don't really kill people that much."
"What other snakes do you have there? We don't have a lot of snakes here in the UK or in Bulgaria where my mother's from."
Ah realize she ain't gonna know a lotta thangs Ah do.
"Oh, Ah'm from Florida, Jacklin. Full a snakes. We got big black ones. We got orange an' yellow ones. Ah even had a python in Pop's yard once, but it was only a lil one. They're not the real bad snakes, but they're not the good ones, either."
"So you know what a Common European Adder is?"
"Common European Adder? Yeah, Ah know ‘em. They’re mean little critters, but they ain't as dangerous as rattlesnakes."
"Just how dangerous are they? Adders are the most dangerous snake native to the UK."
Ah jus know this'll get ugly real quick cause she jus ain't used ta dealin wit nature.
"Yep, but they use tha poison in their bites. It don’t hurt as much as tha venom a dangerous kinda snake's got. Now tha rattlesnake'll kill ya deader-than-thou, but Adders ain’t as deadly. ‘Course, Ah ain’t sayin’ Ah'd wanna get bit."
"I understand why you know so much about snakes now, Toby."
Ah get a real nice feelin’ inside when Ah hear this from Jacklin.
"So how exactly do you know what an Adder looks like?"
"Oh Adders're dark. They got like a kind a "x" on their necks. They look mean, even if they really ain't. That's good, cuz Ah think snakes are real beautiful lookin’. They just don’t want no people hangin’ round when they’re sunnin’ themselves like Ah saw a few do in Florida. Snakes don’t like company."
"I don’t know what I would do if I ever saw a snake in real life."
Ah know if Jacklin's like a lotta girls she'd be screamin but Ah don't wanna tell 'er cause she'd probly get all mad.
"Well, if tha snake jus sees ya an' don't do nothin' ta you, then jus' leave it be. They get angry 'cause they're real scared of being stepped on. Jus back away from it or stand real still. Snakes wanna go where they're goin', but they don't bite less they get scared by somethin’. Ah don’t think Ah’ve ever been scared of a snake before, jus' annoyed by ‘em."
"That’s probably because you were raised in an area full of them."
After a little while, Ah notice that Jacklin has a kinda worried look on her face. Ah wonder what she's thinking so Ah ask her, 'cause that's what Pop always says Ah should do when Ah wonder.
"You okay, Jacklin?"
"They don’t have snakes that are as big as pythons native do they Toby?"
"Yeah Ah think there's a whole lotta big snakes in Florida, like the Burmese pythons. They can get as long as twenty feet. But that's jus a big snake in the wild. There’s also boa constrictors. They get pretty long, too. They got a lot more snakes than just pythons in Florida."
"Those are invasive species why are they in Florida?"
"Ah reckon some people wanna keep 'em as pets, an' then tha pets get out or let go. When they breed wit other snakes it can start a lotta trouble. Like, it could be real bad for tha other kinda snakes if they got mixed wit big python snakes. Ah guess someone shoulda thought a' tha before they tried to have tha big snakes for pets."
Ah see 'er try not ta shudder outta fear cause Ah know this' really freakin 'er out.
"What would you do if you saw something that big?"
Ah think real hard an' Ah can see that Jacklin is expectin' a real good answer from me.
"Ah probably wouldn't do much if Ah saw one in the wild... jus' walk real quiet an keep movin', or Ah'd stand still. Ah don't think Ah'd ever do anythin' tha's real dumb like touchin' it."
"So you can’t just run away from snakes?"
"Well, Ah guess Ah could try to run away. But Ah don't think Ah could get very far if a snake like tha was after me. They can move real fast when they want to. An’ they'll chase ya an’ swallow ya a lot of times. It's best ta leave ‘em alone or stand as still as Ah can an' hope they'll jus' move along."
"They can eat people?!"
Ah think Ah'm startin' ta make Jacklin worried wit all the snake talk.
"Yeah, tha big snakes can eat people. That's why they're always on the news when tha snake hunters catch ‘em. It's real rare for tha snakes ta eat people, though. Ah bet news stations go lookin' for big snakes so they can put ‘em on TV an get big ratin's. When they do, it ain’t real good for the snakes. A lot a' people get scared and they’ll want tha snakes killed."
"I hope you won’t take this wrong when I say I do not plan on visiting the States during our winter holidays."
Ah dunno if Jacklin just made a joke, so Ah try ta sound like Ah have a good sense a humor, even though Ah don't have much a one.
"Ah don’t blame ya. Snakes an alligators don’t make fer very fun winter holidays."
Sayin stuff bout gators jus seems ta scare 'er more.
"Alligators?"
"Yeah. We got gators in Florida, too. Ah think it's jus' cause Florida's a real warm place, so it's a real nice place for snakes an' gators. But they ain’t gonna bother you if you leave ‘em alone."
"How is that not scary to you? You have so many dangerous animals that we don’t even have here in the UK."
'Er eyes're gettin all big an Ah know she's freakin out.
"Well, they ain't dangerous if they ain't mad. They only want food an' a place ta rest. Ah gotta say, they're pretty fun ta see if they ain't botherin' ya. Ah do like ‘em better than snakes. You can see ‘em comin', ‘cause a gator don't slither round like a snake."
"Are there any animals you are afraid of then?"
Ah try to think of somethin', but Ah can't think a' nothin'. If Ah say snakes it'll seem like Ah'm afraid a' them, so Ah can't do tha. Ah gotta think of somethin'.
"Oh, yeah. Ah'm a little afraid of raccoons. They can be real mean if they get mad at ya. Most of ‘em are friendly an’ they leave people alone, but sometimes Ah gotta scare off a mad raccoon when it gets ta thievin' stuff or botherin' our chickens."
"What’s a raccoon?"
Ah oughta make a list a thangs we got in Florida an she's only got here.
"Oh. A raccoon's kinda like a cat, like Ah told ya, except it looks a little like a bear kinda, just real small an' wit a long tail. Ah see a lotta raccoons livin' in the woods. They get in places they ain't supposed ta be, so Ah get mad at ‘em for thievin' stuff an' then tha raccoons’ll get mad at Ah an' then we'll have a little war of words. That's why Ah'm a little afraid a' raccoons."
"At least it can’t eat you like a python can."
"That's right. You can probably out-run a raccoon, too. Just try ta stay away from tha young'uns, an' tha raccoons probably won't bother ya. Don't call ‘em "trash pandas" though. Ah mean, you'll be right ta call ‘em that, but they don’t like it at all. They get real mad."
Somethin bout wha' Ah said caused Jacklin ta raise mah eyebrow an Ah dunno why.
"How would you know that as if you can talk to them like a person?"
"Ah know ‘cause when Ah’m chasin' ‘em away from our chickens, Ah yell “you trash pandas,” an’ they act real mean after Ah say tha. Like Ah said, they're a lot like people. If Ah call 'em, “sweet little trash pandas” they don't get nearly as upset wit me."
"So you can talk to animals?"
"Well, Ah talk to the animals Ah like. Ah talk ta tha froggies an’ tha turtles an’ tha toadies, fer sure. Ain't nothin' really special 'bout talkin' ta animals. Ah think they like hearin' kind words, though. Ah know gators never say much, but they seem ta listen when Ah'm talkin' ta ‘em."
Ah dunno why Jacklin's lookin at me like Ah'm a dummy.
"Nothing special? Talking to animals is a rare skill for wizards to have. It can’t be taught."
"Really? Ah wasn't aware of tha'. How come tha's rare?"
"Wizards have to be born with that type of ability."
"Oh… well, then Ah reckon Ah'm special."
Time Skip
"Did you hear that Toby?"
Ah hear this weird hissin noise.
"Yeah Ah heard sumthin'. It sounded like a snake."
Ah listen real hard an' look around. Ah don’t see anythin’, but Ah hear the snakes hiss again.
"It sounds like it's comin' from 'em bushes over there."
Ah think tha snake is goin' ta try ta scare us by hiss'n again.
"Do you think you can try talking to it as we walk by Toby?"
"Ah can try. Ah can try talkin' real nice an' explainin' tha we ain't interested in startin' nothin' with tha snake. We just wanna get on by."
Ah see this big snake coiled up in tha bushes an' Ah start talkin' to it soft. Ah keep walkin' while Ah’m talkin', an’ Ah try ta sound as non-threatening as Ah can. Ah also try ta keep movin’.
"Here, Mr. Snake. Hey, here, here. We jus' wanna go on through tha door, tha one behind ya. We wanna keep movin' an' we don't wanna fight ya. Can we jus' move on, Mr. Snake?"
Ah don’t see any signs tha the snake's movin'. Ah keep talkin’.
"Mr. Snake, we don’t wanna be late fer class. We gotta be in class in ten minutes. Please move fer us."
Ah see tha the snake is moving away from us. Ah keep up tha friendly talk as Ah keep movin’.
"Thank ya, Mr. Snake. Ah ain’t tryin’ to upset ya. You've been a real nice snake, an’ Ah think it's great tha ya got a nice cozy place ta relax an' keep warm, an' Ah hope ya have a good day, Mr. Snake. We gotta go now."
Ah hear the snake hissin an look back. Ah guess tha’s a kind a snake wave. Ah turn back ta the door an’ keep movin’ toward tha door. Ah notice tha tha snake ain’t in tha bushes no more, Ah think it moved off somewhere else. Ah smile 'cause Ah’m proud that Ah handled tha snake situation so good.
"Toby you spoke Parseltongue just now."
"What're ya talkin' bout? Me speakin' ta tha snakes?"
"Yes. You thought you were speaking English, but it just sounded like hissing sounds to me."
Ah stop dead in mah tracks. Ah stare at Jacklin like she's lost her mind.
"Ya mean tha’s really what Ah sound like?"
"That’s what it sounded like to me."
Ah'm stunned an' Ah can't think a anythang ta say.
"Tha's just... tha's... tha's... tha's... Ah don't know what ta say, actually. Ah got nothin' ta say ta that."
"We can talk about it later then. Right now we need to get to class on time."
Ah realize tha Jacklin’s right. Ah can't discuss this now no matter how much Ah wanna know tha answer. Ah pick back up on the walkin' as Jacklin an Ah make our way down tha path ta the DADA class.
Time Skip
"There's Professor Quirrell the new professor for this class."
We're right on time an Ah'm happy bout it.
"Than-thank you for be-being on time. Th-that's a p-p-point for ea-each of you."
Ah smile as we go an sit down.
"Than-thank you all for ma-making it. My na-name is Prof-professor Quir-Quirrell."
Ah try ta focus on tha professor but Ah can’t stop thinkin' 'bout tha snake talk. Ah look at Jacklin real quick ta see if she’s actin’ any diff'rent. Ah try ta read her face but Ah dunno if it's good Ah can’t read 'er face like Ah can a "regular person’s."
"Now to-today we're go-going to be ta-talking about Imps."
Ah know tha Ah should be payin' attention to tha lesson but Ah just can’t stop thinkin' about this thing with tha snakes. Ah just sit there lookin' at his weird scarf hat.
"M-make sure to-to copy th-this in your n-notes."
Ah start ta take some notes as Professor Quirrell stutters through tha assignment. By now Ah been so used ta it that Ah can understand him perfectly fine, even when he stutters.
"For ho-homework, please wr-write a short essay about the-the Knock-knockback Jinx. You ha-have until next we-week to fi-finish it.."
Ah’m not happy ‘bout the homework assignment. Ah know tha Professor Quirrell thinks it’s easy, but Ah can be a little slow sometimes. Ah can get stuck on one thing fer like... forever.
"Toby I was just about to ask if you wanted to start working on our essay during our free period after we get back to Gryffindor Tower."
Ah look up an see Jacklin in front a me.
"Well, Ah’d be happy ta meetcha in tha common room 'cause Ah don’t wanna waste no time. Besides, it'd be good to get the homework over an’ done wit."
"That sounds great Toby."
Ah smile 'cause Ah feel tha Jacklin's bein' real nice an' patient with me today. Ah ain't used ta people bein' all that nice ta me.
"Thanks Jacklin."
Ah keep walkin' an' Ah feel the stairs underneath me movin'.
"Be careful, Toby."
"Ah ain’t afraid o' tha stairs. It don’t even feel like Ah’m movin' much when tha stairs move anyway."
Ah feel tha sudden movement under mah feet when one a tha steps disappears. Ah almost lose mah balance, but Ah manage ta get back ta stable footin an' Ah ain’t at all bothered by tha missin step.
"See? It ain't no big deal, Ah tol ya Ah don’t mind the stairs movin’."
"Now if only we can say that going down the stairs."
Ah smile at Jacklin an' think it was a little joke Ah can laugh at. But Ah'm ready ta get tha homework done so Ah keep followin' Jacklin.
"Do you remember the password Toby?"
Ah think it's "Alohomora."
Ah smile real big when it opens an' go through tha door. Ah look fer Jacklin an’ see tha she's comin' in too. Ah just hope tha tha homework ain't too hard.
"Are you alright, Toby? You look out of breath."
Ah start ta take deep breaths cause Ah ain't used ta all 'em stairs yet.
"Yeah... Ah'm fine..."
Ah catch mah breath an start ta have a weird vision bout a floatin feather. It jus came an went real quick so Ah don't mind it.
Time Skip
Ah'm lookin at tha page with tha Knockback Jinx but Ah'm still stuck on it. Ah look over at Jacklin who's readin' tha DADA assignment like it's jus' normal speakin', but Ah know Ah'm not understandin' tha stuff even a bit.
"Do ya, do ya understand that Knockback Jinx stuff, Jacklin?"
"Yes. When you say the word "flipendo" and do the right wand movement, you can force your opponent to fly backwards away from you."
Ah'm thinkin' all this stuff Ah'm readin' looks like a bunch o' gobbledygook.
"Oh... Ah see. So, it's jus' one word an' then you gotta wave tha wand like this."
Ah make a wild, flickin' motion with mah wand.
"No Toby. It looks more like this."
Ah follow Jacklin's instructions with mah wand movin' down... up... then makin' tha U at tha end of tha movement.
"So, jus' say tha word an' do tha wand movement. Then they'll go flyin' away?"
"Yes it's an important spell to use when you're in a duel."
Ah feel like a total coward. A dark wizard might wanna duel an Ah might not even be able ta say tha word "flipendo" an Ah might be a total sittin duck.
"So, uh... if Ah was in tha middle of a duel wit a dark wizard an' Ah froze up, would that be a real problem?"
"Yes. You could end up getting killed."
Ah feel completely lost like Ah could puke. But Ah keep lookin at Jacklin tryin' ta hide how scared Ah am. Ah don't wanna be a total chicken in front of 'er, so Ah try ta keep myself together.
"So, uh... Jacklin, what's next with tha homework?"
"Now that we know what the Knockback Jinx does, we just need to explain why it can be used against Imps."
Ah think fer a second then say somethin tha sounds smart even if Ah'm guessin' a few words.
"Well, if ya think bout it, an imp's really small an' light like a rat. If Ah ever seen an Imp an Ah hit it wit a Flipendo... Ah mean tha Knockback spell Ah mean... well, it's like a real giant kickin' a real small creature. So, that'll knock tha Imp back an outta tha fight."
"That's right, Toby. Imps can't fly so we can use that to get them to fall into a hole or a cage."
Ah look at Jacklin an’ Ah'm amazed tha Ah'm sayin' tha things Ah'm sayin' an' knowin' bout stuff and even impressin' her. But Ah try ta keep tha positive feelings goin'.
"Oh yeah, tha'll work. Thanks fer lettin' me learn longside ya."
Ah look at Jacklin an' notice we both got it finished wit all tha homework done on it.
"Well, how're we gonna show tha professor that we learned it?"
"Next week we would turn in our scrolls and see if he asks us to do the spell."
Ah look over at 'er an Ah feel tha heat on mah face an hear tha poundin' in mah chest.
"Well it's almost time for lunch. I'm going upstairs to feed Tiger. How often do you need to feed Trevor?"
"Oh... 'bout once a day. But Trevor does like ta stay fed an Ah've been feedin' Trevor a couple times a day now, jus' so he's always full."
"Well, I'm sure your frog would love to see you for a few minutes before lunch."
Ah jump up outta tha chair up ta tha dorm an visit Trevor. Ah got some food an' Ah wanna check tha temperature an' make sure everythang's alright fer him.
"Hey there, Trevor. Ya doin' awright in here? Ain't too hot in here?"
Ah see Trevor startin' ta move round the corner ta me an Ah feel really happy tha Trevor responded.
"So, ya wantin' lunch? Is tha it?"
Ah smile when Ah see his tongue an' Ah realize tha's the best answer. Ah scoop up a few pieces a mealworm an Ah put it in the little area where Trevor is. Trevor jumps outta tha water ta grab the worm an Ah get tha feeling he's enjoyin' tha food.
"There ya go, Trevor. Tha oughta hold ya for a little bit."
Ah smile when Ah see his froggie eyes an' Ah feel like Ah did tha right thang by talkin' ta him. Ah notice tha it's time ta leave, so Ah turn tha light off an' Ah close tha lid of tha tank.
"Bye buddy. Ah'll be seein ya later."
Time Skip
Jacklin an Ah're walkin down the stairs wit our arms looped. Ah dunno why but it sure does help feel like we're friends.
"So uh... how ya likin Hogwarts so far?"
"Oh I love it. My father told me so many stories about his time at Hogwarts, and it's still so incredible to be here as a first year. The only thing I'm concerned about is my Veela magic. You haven't noticed any of the boys being affected by it, have you Toby?"
Ah don't want her ta feel awkward so Ah try findin a different answer.
"Uh… not really, no. It's like they're just happy ta see you. Sure don't wanna do anythin dangerous ta impress ya."
"That sounds good. My mother told me that it's common for the boys to feel the need to look at me."
Ah see tha boys round us as we walk. They're lookin at our linked arms an Ah know they're jus' wonderin' if a romance is startin'. But Ah know tha it ain't, cause Ah understand wha's goin' on. Ah'm too smart ta be fallin fer some girl Ah jus met.
"But that's just a... tha "charm" thang yer people got goin' on. It's jus' some kinda spell tha makes it so tha boys like you, tha's all."
Ah give Jacklin a lil smile as we approach tha door ta tha Great Hall.
"I wouldn't call it a spell. A spell would mean that it can be taught and Veela magic can't be taught like regular magic."
Ah stop an' look up at her before we go through tha doorway.
"So it ain't a spell then. But, uh... it's still somethin' tha ya do a lil naturally an', uh... Ah don't really know how ta put it. Ya gotta have some kinda magic goin fer ya if ya look like one a 'em chubby naked angel babies.
She looks real confused by wha Ah said an ta me it's better than feelin like Ah said somethin mean.
"A what?"
"Ya know in 'em paintin's. Ah think they're cherubs but Ah call 'em chubby naked angel babies cause they look like 'em."
"And how on earth do you think I look like one?"
Ah dunno if she's mad or jus confused so Ah think Ah gotta be honest bout it.
"Ya got one a 'em soft chubby faces. Specially in yer cheeks. Ain't like it can't be pretty but it ain't like yer so perfect like ya say Veela can be."
She starts ta laugh an Ah feel better now cause Ah woulda thought a girl'd be sayin Ah'm a dummy fer callin her chubby.
"Now I know for sure I can trust everything you say Toby."
"Why's that cause Ah'm jus tryna be honest?"
"I can trust you because I know no other boy would ever be able to say something like that. They would only talk about how pretty I look because of my magic."
Ah'm startin' ta understand a little better how all tha Veela magic works.
"Well whatever works fer ya."
Ah still feel awkward talkin' bout it, so Ah switch the subject.
"So what'd we get assigned next after lunch?"
We go over ta tha lunch table where Ah see tha other Gryffindors sittin' down. Ah give tha Gryffindors a little wave ta let them know Ah'm comin' ta sit by 'em.
"After lunch we only have Magical Theory today. Once we finish that class, we have a free period all the way until dinner. I can go over our full schedule later today if you want me to, Toby."
"Ok. Tha sounds nice. Ah don't know what tha Magical Theory's gonna be like tho. Ah hope it ain't as hard as DADA homework."
"I think a lot of it is reading and note taking. As long as you pay attention and read the book, you should get an O in that class."
Ah start to feel a little bit better now. Ah feel like tha day is turnin' out right after all. Ah smile an' Ah listen ta Jacklin.
"Tha sounds like an easy class ta get tha O."
Ah'm tryna figure out wha' ta eat fer lunch an look round the table.
"Could ya do me a favor, Jacklin?"
"What is it, Toby?"
"Ah was wonderin' if ya could grab me a bowl a tha chicken noodle soup. It's all the way down by ya an Ah can't reach it."
Ah know it sounds a lil foolish since Ah ain't sick or nothin', but it looks good ta me.
"Oh. Of course I can."
She gives it ta me an Ah notice 'er eatin a weird lookin sandwich.
"Whacha eatin?"
"Oh this is a cucumber sandwich."
Ah raise mah eyebrow at 'er.
"I... gather you don't eat these in the States do you. No matter. This is meant to be a light snack usually eaten during the afternoon. I'm so used to eating them for afternoon tea that I suppose it was out of habit."
"Oh Ah weren't judgin ya Jacklin. Ah jus ain't seen a cucumber sandwich. How's it suppose ta fill ya?"
Ah see she's lookin a lil better an Ah think it's cause she knows Ah ain't thinkin she's weird.
"It doesn't. Since it's meant to be a tea sandwich, it's only a snack meant to hold you over until supper. I'm sure not everyone does this anymore since we're no longer in the 1800s."
"Well if yer one a 'em wizard princesses Ah guess it makes sense ya still do thangs old people do."
She smiles a lil an Ah'm happy Ah ain't made 'er mad.
"Well this really turned out ta be tha perfect lunch fer me. Ya wanna know why?"
"Why is that, Toby?"
"Cause a tha chicken noodle soup ya got me."
Ah raise tha spoon and take another sip of tha soup. Ah let tha spoon down an' look at Jacklin.
"Why, Ah woulda been too stubborn ta try an' eat it until tha end a the day if ya hadn't give it ta me. But a got a little soup in me, an' now it's actually startin' ta taste good. Plus Ah ain't melted yet so maybe tha's how yer Veela magic's treatin me so thank ya."
Ah see 'er smilin an Ah realize tha first day a school ain't turnin' out half bad after all. So Ah try ta say somethin' ta make a joke.
"Guess what, Jacklin?"
"What, Toby?"
"Chicken butt!"
"What?"
Ah hear the confusion in 'er voice an' Ah look up at 'er again. Ah give her a lil laugh.
"Ya know... chicken... chicken butt. Nothin'.
Ah go back to eatin' tha soup. Ah realize tha Jacklin keeps lookin' at me like Ah'm a lil crazy from tha joke.
"Ain't it a joke 'round here?"
"I don't believe it is."
Ah feel bad 'bout tha joke now. So Ah think bout the next thing tha Ah want ta ask Jacklin.
"Well... Ah was wonderin'... could ya do me another favor, Jacklin?"
"What is it?"
"How do ya send people letters here? Ah wanna write mah Pop an tell 'em Ah'm doin good."
Ah see 'er eyes light up.
"Oh! We can go to the Owlery. There's plenty of owls that can send your letter."
"So ya can show me how ta get there?"
"Of course, Toby. We can write our letters after Magical Theory."
Ah'm glad Jacklin's game fer tha idea a writin' letters together. Ah smile at 'er again an' Ah get back ta eatin' soup.
"Thank ya, Jacklin."
Ah take a lil sip a soup while watchin' Jacklin eat as tha two of us sit together at tha Gryffdor lunch table.
Time Skip
"Lunch is over. We need to find Class 67 for Magical Theory."
"Ok. Ah got mah backpack an Ah'm ready."
Ah finish up tha last of tha soup an stand up.
"Do ya wanna go first, Jacklin? Ah dunno where tha Magical Theory room is an' Ah don't wanna get us both lost."
"I think my father said it was on the 4th floor in the Astronomy Tower."
Ah give Jacklin another nod before Ah start followin' her up tha stairs ta tha Astronomy Tower for tha Magical Theory class.
"The stairs are moving again Toby."
Ah look up tha stairs, but Ah still keep walkin' wit Jacklin up them. Ah kinda try ta ignore tha fact tha stairs are movin' in tha way they are, but Ah wonder why they have tha stairs movin' like that.
"Well, Ah don't like tha stairs, but Ah like tha walkin' wit ya."
"All we have to do now is go up the stairs to the 4th floor."
Ah follow Jacklin up tha stairs to tha 4th floor an' Ah notice tha doors to tha Magical Theory class. Ah see a sign on tha door tha says: "Magical Theory" an Ah follow Jacklin through 'em into tha class.
"I wonder if our first lesson will be on Adalbert Waffling."
Ah look at her curious. Ah don't know nothin' bout Adalbert Wafflin. So Ah ask tha question tha way Ah always ask 'em.
"Who's Adalbert Wafflin?"
"Adalbert Waffling was a famous wizard who created the idea of magical theory. It’s because of him that we even have this class."
"Oh. Is tha why it's called "Magical Theory" Jacklin?"
"Yes. This class talks about how magic is created and who can use it."
Ah nod my head, but Ah don't really understand all tha much about it.
"Ah guess Ah'll find out bout all this magical stuff, huh?"
"Of course. It’s important to understand this topic if you want to learn how to use spells and make potions."
"Well, hopefully Ah can learn ta take care of mah self with tha spells an' potions, but Ah gotta tell ya tha Ah don't really plan on usin' tha spells too often. Ah mean no harm ta anybody, Jacklin, so Ah really don't want ta be usin' any spells tha do 'em harm. Does tha make any sense?"
"Yes Toby."
Ah take up a seat just as tha teacher steps up in front of tha class and Ah can feel Jacklin sittin' right beside me. Jacklin startin ta write. Ah see her writin' an' Ah can see she's writin' pretty fast. Ah try ta write mah own notes tha' best Ah can.
Time Skip
The bell goes off an we start ta leave.
"Can you believe it, Toby? We just finished our first day of classes and can do whatever we want until dinner."
Ah nod mah head an' Ah close mah books.
"You know, Jacklin, Ah'm really startin' ta like tha idea a writin' that letter ta Pop, but Ah'm not so sure what Ah'm gonna say."
"We can write our letters in the common room and go to the Owlery in the West Tower together. I can show you how to give your letter to the owl."
Ah get this big ol' smile on mah face. Ah didn’t know Jacklin was tha kinda gal tha liked ta do somethin' like tha.
"That’d be great."
Ah look at Jacklin then see tha Slytherins comin' up behind her. Ah realize she may not see 'em. So Ah tap her on tha shoulder an warn her bout tha Slytherins.
"Hey Jacklin, be careful. There're some Slytherins comin' up behind ya."
"Oh. I see. That's Draco Malfoy, Toby."
Ah can see Malfoy look like he'd like ta punch me, but Ah ignore tha look an' Ah try ta be friendly wit tha other Gryffindors and tha Slytherins alike.
"Oh, uh, howdy there Malfoy."
Ah extend mah hand ta shake his.
"Well what do you know? He actually has manners."
Ah'm glad tha Malfoy accepted ma hand an' Ah shake it, while lookin' over at Jacklin. Ah try ta speak in a way tha won’t be too dumb.
"Yeah, Ah figured Ah'd come over and say howdy ta all, uh, tha folks in tha other houses too, 'cause Ah mean no harm ta none a 'em."
"I see the Veela's sullying the Gryffindor name and all pure-bloods everywhere as usual. Can't even go five minutes without hypnotizing some poor boy that comes your way."
Ah notice he jus ignored me like he was talkin ta jus Jacklin.
"Godric Gryffindor wanted children of all magical backgrounds to study magic. I’m carrying on the traditions and values of the Gryffindor family just fine. Just because you developed a tolerance after all these years doesn’t mean others are completely helpless Draco."
They go inta this back an forth while Ah'm jus standin there.
"Well, uh, that's exactly what Ah was just thinkin' about. Ya know... how everybody should have an equal shot ta get ahead round here, 'cause Ah think all the kids at Hogwarts should do good, regardless of what house tha belong to. Ah mean... Ah can understand how a person can get inta a house jus' by bein strong or the brains they got, but what really matters' how good a person is. Ah mean... Ah really hope all the folks in tha Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin families could all be good friends."
Malfoy turns ta leave. His friends are still starina at me. He yells fer them.
"Crabbe! Goyle! Let’s go!"
"Ah was jus' tryin' ta say "howdy" is all. It's really hard not ta get nervous around some of tha Slytherins, but Ah really wanna make friends wit 'em. Jacklin, Ah gotta know... Do ya think it's possible ta get tha people at Hogwarts ta like ya more, despite ya bein' a, uh, a Veela?"
She looks a lil sad after talkin ta Malfoy.
"I can never know for sure Toby. Draco is able to resist it because we practically grew up together."
"Well, uh, thanks fer tha explanation. Anyway, Ah'd like ta spend more time wit folks like ya, who ain't gonna look at me funny or treat me like a loser. Ah mean, Ah know ya said tha Slytherins got all these ideas bout how we oughta be, but Ah wanna try ta get ta know some people, even if it means tha Slytherins'll hate me forever."
Ah just laugh at tha idea tha Slytherins would hate me. Ah wonder ta mahself if tha's really true.
"A lot of Slytherins are half blooded or human born just like the other Houses. It’s just that except for the Gryffindor family all of the powerful pure-blooded wizards went to Slytherin and believe children like you shouldn’t be allowed to learn magic. Even if you were pure-blooded like me, you were raised as a human."
"Really? Ah didn’t know tha, Jacklin."
Maybe Ah don’t know as much ‘bout Hogwarts as Jacklin do, but Ah’m pretty glad she’s takin' tha time ta explain tha history of tha Houses ta me while we walk together. Ah think that’s mighty kind a 'er.
"I’m not sure if I can go to the Owlery right away, Toby."
"Oh, okay. Ya mean, we won't be goin' ta tha Owlery today at all?"
"No no. We can still go today. Just not as soon as I originally planned."
"Oh? Why's tha?"
"I have a longer letter to write than I thought."
Ah nod Ah see. Ah feel it'd be best not to ask too many questions, so Ah just follow Jacklin along da path, takin' advantage of the time Ah'm with her to ask a couple things here 'n there bout 'er personal life.
"So, you gonna write a longer letter ta ya folks?"
"That’s right. I’m sure you have a lot to write to your father too."
"Oh, yeah, Ah figure Ah got a lot ta say ta Pop. They been waitin' a long, long time to hear what Ah got ta say. So Ah guess Ah'll be writein' a pretty long letter too."
Ah smile at Jacklin an Ah can't help but wonder what it is she has ta say ta her father in tha letter she's writin'.
"I’m going to my room to write it. How long do you think it will take to finish your letter, Toby?"
Ah think for a quick second 'fore Ah answer.
"Well, it usually takes me most of tha day ta write a letter tha long, but Ah could probably get it done sooner if Ah work real hard. So Ah figure it'll probably take me most of tha day. Why'd ya ask, Jacklin?"
"I want to make sure we can go to the Owlery together without having to wait for the other to finish. We should be able to finish our letters at the same time."
Ah nod at Jacklin an' Ah give her a big ol' smile.
"That's a good idea, Jacklin. Ah can work hard at writin' mah letter faster if tha's whatcha wanna do. Ah'm sure Ah could get mah letter done pretty soon if Ah just work hard at it."
"In that case I’ll meet you down here when we’re finished."
Ah turn ta walk off ta start writin' the letter but Ah stop just fer a quick moment cause Ah know Ah shoulda asked what she was sayin' on tha letter she was writin'. Ah turn back around.
"Hey, uh, Jacklin, jus' wanna ask... whatcha writin' yer folks 'bout anyway? Is it important?"
"Yes there’s a lot of important information I need to tell them."
Ah think bout it for a moment, but Ah know it don't do no good ta pry. Plus, Ah'm jus' too grateful ta be spendin' some time wit Jacklin. So Ah figure Ah'll jus' let it be.
"Ok see ya when we're done."
Ah go up ta mah room an sit on mah bed. Trevor ribbits when he sees me.
"Hi buddy. Ah'm gonna write Pop a letter."
He ribbits in a way tha' tells me he's ok wit it.
"Ok. How do Ah start mah letter?"
Ah try writin thangs tha'll make sense ta Pop.
"Dear Pop, Ah hope this letter finds y'all doin’ okay. Ah’m doin’ real good mahself. Ah jus got ta school las night, an Ah ain’t bein’ picked on yet, which Ah’m real glad about. Ah been takin’ tha subjects they teach here, 'cause all Ah want's ta learn as much as Ah can 'bout tha world an how it works, an so far people say Ah'm doin’ okay with tha spellin' an' stuff. Trevor's doin good too an ain't gotten in trouble wit the other froggies an toadies here."
Ah think Ah'm doin real good by mahself.
"As far as school goes, Ah gotta tell ya that it's like gettin' two schools in one wit how the four families got split up. Ah got sorted inta Griphindor, along wit some of tha really cool people who awready took me under their wings. Ah thought tha teacher who sorted us wanted us ta get ta know each other, 'cause tha more ya know more yer prepared fer tha surprise thangs life throws at ya. Oh, an Ah met this one girl."
Ah realize Ah dunno how ta spell 'er name.
"Her name is... J-A-C-K-L-I-N. An she tol me she's a... uh, V-E-L-A. So some folks keep sayin' she's gonna control me with her womanly ways. Ah ain't too worried 'bout it really, 'cause Ah think she's gonna be more' like a big sister ta me, 'cause when Ah think about it, she sorta reminds me a little bit of tha older sister Ah never had. It ain't like she's awready a woman cause she's only 11 like me an' got one a 'em chubby baby faces some girls got. Ah figure it's jus gonna be good ol' fashioned friendship."
Ah smile an' Ah write tha question down. Ah realize tha's pretty important if Ah wanna know wha the folks think about havin' a Veela at Hogwarts.
"How do ya think folks’ll feel if Ah tell 'em Ah met a Vela girl? Think tha teacher might've known what she was doin' when she sorted us in tha same house? Hope Ah ain't lettin' tha family down cause it turns out we're suppose ta be enemies."
Ah sit fer a moment tryin' ta figure out what else Ah wanna say 'bout Hogwarts. Ah get an idea an' Ah know this is gonna be a little embarrassin ta write, but it's important 'bout how tha folks think of me.
"Okay... so there's one thing more Ah should write 'bout tha girl Ah meet at Hogwarts. Ah ain't exactly bein' treated like tha boy Ah used to be back in Florda. Jacklin well she keeps touchin' me. Ah ain't mad bout it, but Ah dunno if it's somethin only Vela girls do or people're right bout 'er. She ain't been mean ta me none but she jus thinks we gotta be holdin arms when we're goin down the floatin stairs. Kinda weird ta me, Pop."
Ah read tha letter over to mahself an Ah’m pretty satisfied it says everythang Ah wanna say.
"So that's pretty much it fer this letter anyways. Ah'll write ya somethin' later, an' Ah love ya an Ah hope tha folks are takin' care of 'emselves. Say hi ta everyone back home."
Ah sign tha letter, and Ah fold an' seal it up and Ah get ready ta take it down ta tha Owlery as soon as Jacklin finishes her letter. An' Ah hope that'll be very soon.
"Hey, Trevor. Is it okay wit ya if Ah take tha letter an’ head down ta tha Owlery now? If I don't hurry up, Ah might get in trouble for comin' back too late.
Trevor jus' blinks at me a few times. Ah figure tha's as close ta a "Yes" as Ah'm gonna see from mah froggie. Ah take tha letter an' Ah head out ta tha hallway.
"Oh, hey, Jacklin. How's it goin'? Ah figured Ah'd take a trip ta tha Owlery so Ah could mail tha letter off ta Pop like Ah said Ah would. Ya ready fer tha trip yet?"
"Oh yes. I finished my letter."
"That's great! All that writin' must be wearin' ya out. Ya sure ya don't wanna take a rest first?"
"I sat long enough writing the letter so I’m fine, Toby."
Ah nod at Jacklin.
"Fair nough. Well, Ah guess Ah'll just head on down then, so ya won't have ta rush. Ah'm gonna run it down ta the Owlery right quick so Ah don't get in any sorta trouble."
"It’s only 3:00 pm. We have a few more hours before dinner."
"Oh, yeah. So Ah member ya was talkin bout tha West Tower. Do ya really have tha Owlery up there? Ah mean... ain't tha too high up fer tha owls? Ain't they bein' bothered by tha wind or anythin' like that?"
"The owls need the wind and height so they can be able to fly. They can just glide on it and save energy."
We start walkin ta the West Tower an Ah didn't realize it's gonna be real far.
"Ah ain't thought a it that way. So, there ain't no problems wit tha owls not bein' able ta read what people write?"
They’re trained to understand directions so long as you tell them where to go. My family has their own owl so I can simply say “Gryffindor Manor” and Arthur would be on his way.
We get ta the door an Ah'm a lil outta breath.
"I know that this is different than what humans do so be careful trying to find an owl."
Ah nod as Ah start ta worry a lil bit cause Ah got no experience tryin' ta find an owl.
"So Ah jus' gotta look round for tha right one? How'll Ah know tha right one?"
"It depends on where you live. The Gryffindor Manor is in Godric's Hollow, which is in Cornwall, England. Since we're all the way north in the Highlands of Scotland, Arthur was bought because he's Eagle Owl."
"How's Ah gonna know if tha right one's a Eagle Owl or some other kinda owl?"
"You can use one of the school's Eagle Owls, Toby. As long as you tell them your address, it should be able to make it to your house."
Ah look at Jacklin wit real excitement 'cause Ah had no idea Ah could do tha. Ah had no idea there's an easy way ta get this done.
"Well, Ah guess Ah better be startin' already. Hope one a these owls can make tha trip."
Ah start lookin around tha Owlery fer a owl ta talk ta. Ah figure it’s gotta be one tha's awake. Ah find a owl an' Ah walk over ta it. Ah notice it's jus' sittin' on tha perch. It looks real cute and Ah feel like it's the right one. Ah approach tha owl slowly an Ah kneel down in front a it. Then Ah member tha instructions Jacklin gave me an Ah decide to give it a try.
"Heeeey, buddy."
Ah give tha owl tha ol' head rub while Ah speak ta it.
"Wha's yer name, fella?"
Ah wait in eager anticipation, but tha owl don’t respond. Ah try ta give tha owl a pat, so Ah’ll know for sure tha he’s gettin' attention.
"Tha's okay. Ah’m sure yer a good owl in any case."
Ah smile as Ah finally hear from tha owl. Ah decide ta try one more time as Ah speak ta it again.
"That's a pretty neat name, Buckbeak. Ah reckon Ah could call ya Buck for short. Ya think Ah could be use your help?"
Ah watch as Buckbeak looks at me an’ Ah'm not sure tha he's gonna say anything.
"Hooo-oot."
Ah get excited once Ah get tha impression tha Buckbeak's agreed ta carry tha letter. Ah find tha letter Ah wrote an Ah hold it out fer Buckbeak ta pick up wit his beak.
"Buck? Ya wanna take this letter for me?"
Buckbeak looks at me all confused.
"Right. Sorry. So Ah'd like tha letter ta go 59A, S. Road, Croom, County Limerick, Ireland.
Ah look over at Buckbeak to see if he's startin' ta get it or not.
"Hooo-ooot."
Ah look down an smile at Buckbeak. Ah hold tha letter up fer him ta pick up wit his beak. As Buckbeak picks up tha letter, Ah feel a real sense a relief, but tha next concern Ah have is whether Ah’ll ever see Buckbeak again. Ah mean… Ah kinda like tha fella now.
"So that’s all Ah needed ta do?"
Ah coulda swore he nodded at me as he gets up. Ah decide ta wait an watch Buckbeak make his way out tha window. Ah watch Buckbeak slowly get smaller in tha distance an’ then Ah see him disappear.
"Take this to Gryffindor Manor please, Arthur."
Ah nod an' Ah smile again at Jacklin as Arthur starts flyin away.
"Thanks fer tha help, Jacklin. Do ya know when Ah'd be gettin a letter back."
"I think you should be able to get a reply by Friday since you live in the Southern Mid-West of Ireland."
"Ah can’t wait ta hear from Pop. Ah'm gonna tell ‘em bout Buckbeak when they write back."
We leave the Owlery an go back ta our Tower.
"Do you need a break to catch your breath Toby?"
Ah nod my head an’ Ah try ta catch my breath. Ah feel like Ah’ve been runnin all day just ta get tha letter delivered.
"One times one is one… two times one is two…"
Ah look up at Jacklin.
"Ah… Ah feel a little nervous… Ah need ta go lay down… Ah think it’s gonna help."
"I understand, Toby. It’s only our first day of school and we have about two hours before we need to go for dinner."
Ah head fer tha dorm room.
"Ah jus' need ta spend a little time by mahself... jus' quiet time... Ah can start feelin a little normal again."
"Croak."
Ah look over at Trevor as he ribbits. Ah try to calm myself down by lookin' at him. Ah smile at him.
"Ah appreciate it, Trevor. It was a nice ribbit.
Ah lay back down an look back at tha ceilin. Ah close mah eyes ta try ta force mah muscles ta relax.
"Zzzz."
Ah find mahself wanderin' in a field. Ah got tha feeling that Ah know tha way back to tha homestead, but as Ah look around, Ah notice tha field don't look the same. It seems tha grass has been overgrown and tha sky is much darker than normal. Then Ah hear a rustle from tha trees behind me and Ah look behind, Ah notice a dark shadow stalkin me.
"Who's there?"
Ah quickly back away from tha shape. Ah know Ah shouldn't be here an Ah don't understand how Ah got here, but Ah still need ta get out of here quick. Ah make tha shape out a little more and see tha figure standin' there in tha darkness wit its arms behind its back… lookin' like it's watchin’ me.
"Nyakoĭ ni nablyudava."
Ah feel kinda funny. Ah can't understand anythang an Ah realize Ah don't got many choices. Ah step forward ta tha shape, not sure if Ah’m makin’ a mistake or not.
"Zdraveĭte."
Ah'm caught a little of guard by how beautiful tha figure is. Ah step backward, but tha Veela keeps comin' forward. Ah notice tha Veela is still talkin' to me even though Ah still can't understand tha words.
"Do not be scared of me little boy."
Ah smile when tha Veela speaks ta me in English. Ah'm a lil scared, but Ah feel comfortable round tha Veela now tha Ah can understand tha words she's sayin'.
"I am friend with Jacklin's mother."
Ah listen well, cuz Ah'm really feelin' lost here in tha dream. Ah notice one thing Ah feel comfortable wit tha Veela. Ah think maybe she kinda likes me too. Maybe Ah'm just lonely, but it seems like tha Veela cares about me. Ah smile ah bit at her. She smiles back.
"What you normally dream of?"
"Usually Ah dream of livin' wit Pop. Ah don't dream much, but Ah guess if Ah do dream, it's usually just a lil more comfortable place than everywhere else."
"Why dream of open grass?"
Ah think about tha question for a little bit. Ah see that tha Veela look like she wants me ta answer, an' Ah don't wanna let her down.
"So Ah wouldn't have to worry bout anythin' in tha field. It's jus comfortable, ya know."
Ah get a feeling there's somethin else Ah could say, but Ah figure tha's fine for now.
"I have no need for dream. No energy to fuel powers here."
Is it okay if Ah ask a question before ya go?
She nods.
"What's yer name?"
Ah ask tha question even though Ah feel kinda funny askin'. Ah think she's been so nice ta me Ah wanna know her name.
"Sonia. You tell Jacklin I visit you."
Ah smile back.
"Sonia... tha name suits ya. Ah’ll be sure ta tell Jacklin. Will Ah ever see ya again?"
"Visit Bulgaria. I live in Veela village."
"Bulgaria? Tha's a long way away but Ah'll visit ya if Ah can."
Ah see tha Veela is startin to fade away. Ah don't want her ta leave, but Ah also don't want ta hold her up.
"Well, Sonia, it was real nice meetin' ya."
"Ding dong."
Ah slowly raise mah head and look around ta see if anyone else's up. Ah check tha time and notice the bell just tolled. Ah know dinner's gonna be soon. Ah get up an stretch out. Ah can't wait ta eat somethin.
"Awright, Ah'm gonna go, Trevor. Ah'll be back later when Ah get a chance. Go on an eat yer worm like a good froggie."
Ah walk out the door an Ah notice tha castle's real quiet. Ah walk down tha hall and Ah'm in tha mood for somethin to eat, so Ah make mah way towards tha Great Hall.
"How was your nap, Toby?"
"It was good. Ah jus' needed a chance ta rest. Ah'm feelin' better an' tha dream was real nice. Ah can still see tha Veela in my mind. She's pretty. She was nice ta me. Ah even asked her her name. It's Sonia. She said ta tell ya hi."
"Sonia is my mother’s friend from Bulgaria. She has the powers of a succubus."
Ah pause for a second when Ah hear tha word succubus.
"What’s a succubus?"
"They’re magical women who feed off of men’s dreams. You're 11 years old and wouldn’t have the right dreams to feed her."
Ah feel confused when tha word “feed” is thrown in there. Ah don't really understand how dat works.
"So... they feed off men's dreams?"
"Well they feed on what comes from those dreams."
She turns a lil pink an Ah dunno wha' she means.
"What comes from those dreams?"
Ah start ta blush an' Ah look away when she tells me in mah ear. Now Ah know why Veela get called dangerous. They can really give ya ticklin feelins in yer tummy.
"Ah, ok. Ah gotcha."
Ah can feel tha blood runnin’ through mah ears.
Time Skip
"Do you eat roast beef in the States, Toby?"
Ah nod now tha' we're at tha table.
"Yeah a lotta people use it fer sandwiches."
"I can slice a piece for you if you want to try it tonight."
"Uh, sure. Sure, Ah'd like that."
Ah try ta make mah smile a lil bigger.
"Just tell me how big you want your slice to be, Toby."
Ah look at tha roast beef an Ah try ta guess how big Ah should ask fer. Ah notice Jacklin is lookin' at me, so Ah just ask fer whatever Ah think Ah can handle.
"Ah, uh... could ya give me a small piece? A lil piece?"
"Of course I can. Now hold your plate out so I don’t drip gravy onto the table."
Ah hold mah plate out ta tha side an Ah notice Jacklin's cuttin' tha meat real close an' Ah get a little nervous. Then Ah see gravy dripin' from da roast beef but Ah don't wanna look stupid, so Ah don't move mah plate. Instead, Ah take mah fork and catch tha drops of gravy and lick dem off. Ah hope Jacklin doesn't notice, but she does an she laughs a little bit. Tha laugh makes mah stomach do a flip, but Ah still don't wanna move tha plate so Ah can catch all tha gravy.
"There you go, Toby. If you want another piece, I can pass the tray over to you."
"Ah, no, no. This is a lot."
Ah start ta eat tha meat and Ah notice it’s really good. Suddenly, Ah want more, but Ah still dunno if Ah should ask fer any or not. Ah start ta fidget a little bit an Ah look over at Jacklin, as if she might be able ta help.
"Do you like the roast beef or the gravy that’s on it, Toby?"
"Ah like the gravy Ah think. Maybe ya can gimme some more."
"Oh yes, I can pass you the sauce boat."
Ah look back at tha roast beef an Ah notice tha gravy drippin' on the plate. Ah can tell that this gravy's the best thin' Ah've ever tasted an Ah wanna drown every piece a meat Ah get in it.
"That’s a mushroom gravy and goes well with roast beef since it has beef stock in it."
Ah nod an’ Ah start ta eat.
"Mmmmmm. This stuff… is reaaal good. Mmmmmm. Ah like this. Mmm. Mmmmmm. This gravy is… mmmm. Ah gotta have some more."
Ah keep shovelin' tha gravy an' tha roast beef inta mah face and Ah notice Jacklin's lookin' at me in that way Ah can't quite describe. Ah look up and realize Ah’ve eaten tha roast beef in a couple bites. Ah feel real stupid, but Ah gotta have some more of that gravy.
"Do they have mushroom gravy like this in Florida, Toby?"
Ah pause fer a second. Ah swallow tha gravy down.
"Naw, this ain't nowhere near tha food in Florida. They jus eat grits an' shrimp an' catfish an’ Ah gotta have more gravy. Ah’ll finish all tha roast beef so Ah can have more gravy."
Ah start tha process again pourin' gravy over tha meat Ah jus ate. Jacklin still looks real interested. Ah start ta wonder what she's seein' that's so interestin.
"What are grits?"
Ah pause a second, as Ah try ta explain what grits are.
"Well uh... they're a kinda porridge. Like oatmeal, only it don't got any sugar. An' uh, usually they put a lotta butter wit tha grits. We eat 'em fer breakfast a lot. They make 'em outta cornmeal."
"That would explain why I never heard of it. We don’t really use cornmeal in any food here in the UK."
Ah nod an' Ah keep eatin' tha gravy an' tha roast beef. Ah notice Jacklin is back to eatin' chicken an Ah feel a bit better. Ah look down at tha roast beef an' tha gravy. Ah make a huge mess, but Ah finish tha meat an now Ah got all tha gravy tha Ah want. Ah hope Jacklin notices a big boy like me can eat a lot. Then, Ah see tha desserts comin'.
"What do you want to try tonight, Toby?"
Ah look up at Jacklin an Ah clear mah throat.
"Ah always thought chocolate cake was tha best kinda cake, but Ah dunno much 'bout cakes. So could ya tell me what yer favorite cake is?
Ah take tha risk an Ah look at Jacklin. She looks up from tha dessert table an Ah notice when she looks at me Ah feel real good, but Ah also feel real scared. Did Ah say the right thing or the wrong thing?
"I suppose if I had to pick one that was originally made here in the UK it would be a Victorian Sponge Cake."
Ah nod a couple times, even though Ah don't know anythin' bout tha cake she's takin' about. Then Ah take a bite of a chocolate cake.
"Mmmm. This is pretty good. Mmmmm. What kinda cake's this?"
"Oh that’s technically not a cake. It’s a bombe glacée. That top layer you’re eating keeps the ice cream on the inside from melting."
Ah notice the cold ice cream under tha chocolate. Ah swallow tha chocolate an then Ah look at Jacklin an' Ah feel like a big dummy.
"This is a fancy dessert that I wouldn’t expect the average person to know. I wouldn’t expect you to have something like this in the States since it's very famous in France."
"Could ya tell me bout tha cakes from France? Ah thought tha ice cream was cake.
Ah look at Jacklin an’ Ah hope she don't think Ah'm too stupid ta listen to her. Then Ah take another bite of tha chocolate and then Ah wait for Jacklin to tell me all she knows about tha French cakes.
"Yes well this cake right here is exactly what I want. It’s an Opera cake which is an almond sponge cake."
Ah nod an’ Ah look at Jacklin an’ Ah wonder what she means about an opera cake.
"Why's it called an opera cake?"
"Look at the layers, Toby. The cake is so tall because of the number of thin layers. The cake was called an Opera Cake because the layers look like an opera house."
Ah look at tha cake an Ah understand why the layers remind Jacklin of an opera house.
"Is that a... is tha cake somethin' ya would make on... on Valentine's day?"
"I suppose you could since it’s a complicated cake to make and it would be considered something special."
Ah nod an’ Ah look at Jacklin. Ah feel good that Ah asked that.
"So what kinda cake would ya make on Valentine's Day?"
"I suppose I would make a tarte Tatin. Then again warm apples is more of an autumn treat so that might not be in season in February. I have to think about it."
Ah nod a couple times an' Ah feel a little bit better. There didn't seem ta be any problem wit tha tarte Tatin. Of course, Ah dunno what a "tarte Tatin" is.
"Do you know what Crêpes Suzette are, Toby?"
Ah shake mah head an make that dumb look Ah’m so good ta make.
"Nope. What're those?"
"A crêpe is a very thin pancake. Crêpes Suzette use citrus fruits as the sauce. Citrus fruits like oranges are in season during February so it would perfect for Valentine’s Day if someone doesn’t like chocolate."
Ah keep makin’ tha dumb look and Ah try ta think of a question ta ask.
"Hey, Jacklin... how do ya make tha tarte Tatin apple cake wit warm apples?"
"The apples are warm because you cook them in a pan of caramel before baking it."
Ah nod a little bit like that makes sense.
"So what kinda cake would ya make if ya don't use tha tarte Tatin or tha Crêpes Suzette?
"If those don’t work out I guess I can always make some petit fours."
"What's tha difference between a petty four an a cake?"
Ah look at Jacklin an' Ah don't wanna get Jacklin angry by askin' too many questions.
"A petit four doesn’t necessarily have to be a small cake. It can be sweet or savory."
Ah hear Jacklin say somethin' about them bein' small an' Ah realize she might be talkin' bout small cakes.
"If ya don't mind explainin', what other kinda cakes might ya make?"
"A nonnette. Around Christmas. It’s basically a gingerbread cake."
Ah look at Jacklin an' Ah wonder bout this cake. Ah don't know what tha word means, so Ah'll get to tha bottom of dis once and for all.
"What makes that cake unique from any other cake?"
"It’s filled with orange marmalade or honey. You would also pour a glaze over it that’s made of egg whites, sugar and lemon juice."
Ah nod a couple times, just to let Jacklin know Ah'm listenin' good.
"Sounds nice."
Ah look at Jacklin andAh feel like a dummy 'cause she's startin' ta eat again. But Ah don't wanna ruin it fer Jacklin an Ah'll just be satisfied tha Ah gotta learn a bit more bout cakes.
"This' a real nice dessert. Ah really like tha way it gets all creamy."
Ah notice Jacklin's cake is almost gone. Ah think that's what tha girls do when they wanna end a conversation or a date.
"So... so do ya like talkin' 'bout cake?"
"I like to share a lot about what I learned from my family’s travels. When your father is an ambassador for the British magic world, you have to travel a lot."
Ah nod an’ Ah feel a little relieved tha Jacklin is sharein' so much about herself.
"Sounds like ya travel a lot an get ta do a lotta fancy eatin' an learn a lot bout other countries."
Ah think that was a pretty good compliment.
Time Skip
"Jacklin wha's our classes gonna be tomorrow?"
"Oh. Have a look at this. It's our weekly schedule for the year."
Ah look at tha' paper she hands ta me. She's real organized cause Ah can understand all this real well.
"Thank ya. Ah think Ah know how ta divide everythang. Ah'll get mah books fer tomorrow."
"Great. I already have everything organized so I can help you make sure you have everything in the right day."
We go through everythang an now Ah'm in a chair readin mah Charms book wit Jacklin. Ah'm real happy she ain't ever said Ah was bein a dummy.
"Now Charms is similar to Defense Against the Dark Arts in that it relies a lot on spells. You have to be able to know how to pronounce the incantations and memorize wand movements."
"Ok. Ah think Ah can do that."
We keep readin through the book 'till Ah start yawnin.
"Gettin tired Jacklin."
"Yes it is close to lights out. I think we better start getting ready for bed."
Ah yawn agin an close mah book.
"Ok. Ah'll see ya tomorrow then."
"Alright then. Good night Toby."
"Night Jacklin."
We go ta our dorm rooms an Ah look at Trevor one last time.
"Night Trevor. Yer a good froggie. Ah'll feed ya breakfast in the mornin."
He ribbits an Ah turn his light off. Ah get changed an go ta bed. Ah fall asleep an start dreamin bout seein Jacklin flyin round on a broom. She's real good at it an Ah'm happy she ain't gonna fall any time soon. It's a real good dream.
AN: Thanks for sticking with this story. This is a really long chapter lol.
Tag list: @arrolyn1114, @aliengoth3, @vintagepresley, @comebackep, @thetaoofzoe, @presleysgirl6, and @bigdaddyelvislover.
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NLE Choppa Track Has 50 (Fifty) Cent Labeling New Generation of Artists "Crazy"
50(Fifty) Cent is not one to mince his words, but that is part of what keeps him headlining. Yesterday, 50 Cent had some things to say about the new generation of Hip-hop/rap artists. What he had to say could ruffle a few feathers, but then again, maybe not.
Fifty Post's
July 20 Fifty (Curtis Jackson) hopped on Instagram, after which he posted a clip of a track. The track entitled "Shotta Flow 6" had 50 Cent calling the new artists out as insane, but more specifically, NLE Choppa and he wasn't the only one who shared the sentiment. A few others raised their eyebrows in disbelief after listening to Choppa's "Shotta Flow 6." But why? Because the lyrics of the track are, shall we say, incriminating? One poster had this to say about the track:
"Damn, he couldn't wait to the end of the trial; shit, it might not be free Melly, but instead R.I.P Melly."
What exactly is the issue?
One listen to "Shotta Flow 6," and the issue is apparent. Some lyrics go something like this,
https://youtu.be/f9zkBcZZ-1Y
"Assaulted a cop when a n-gga was seven/ When I turned 11, I turned to a felon/ My n-gga was snakin', I knew I could smell it/ When I'm feelin' threatened, I turn into Melly/ Free Melly/ One pop, we pop, we made him drop,"
That says it all.
Fifty's Response: Admiration or Disbelief
One can't be sure whether Fifty was admiring the gall and guts of Choppa or just pointing out the lack of rationality when he commented,
"Yo, these little 's crazy, LOL WTF!"
But one thing is sure, Choppa got the multi-media mogul's attention. And if he got Fifty's, he sure to have the ears and eyes of a lot more.
Is it Insanity?
Jackson makes a solid point. Whether he intended to hype Choppa or call him out is not the most significant thing here. The primary issue here is the extent to wherein artists will go. This poses the question: does the new brand of artists really suffer from a mental deficiency, or is it something far worse?
What Could be Worse?
The only thing worse than a collective of artists suffering from a mental deficiency are those who are strategic beasts. They are so Machiavellian that they don't care about the what, only the outcome. But to determine that, one must ask whether this song's release was a sign of irrational thinking and behavior, factors that well-define insanity. Or was this a strategic stunt, a deliberate effort to push the envelope as far as possible to get more eyes on a project? That is the question.
What are Choppa's Sentiments
This track appears in Choppa's project entitled" Me vs. Me." It's a project in which the artist has spoken well. According to a source he once said about the "Me vs. Me,"
"This Is A Mixtape. I'm grateful for what I have. I'm in competition with no one. This Is perfect for me and my plaque still coming, watch."
That's something to consider.
Tying it Up
Everyone has their opinions about the artists of today, and Jackson has expressed his. What is worth watching is whether Choppa's track will genuinely impact YNW Melly's trial. As HipHopDX notes,
'He currently faces life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. If convicted, he could get the death penalty."
Truly things that make you go, umm!
Written by Renae Richardson
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AHEM
Kitsune Scaramouche!!!!
Warnins: NSFW, somnophilia.
▪︎He's always somehow hidin his ears under that hat of his and he usually keeps all but one of his tails hidden, due to his looks people think he's really young and innecperienced, often tryina take advantage of him, little did they know they walked themselves into his trap.
▪︎He still has an electro vision but now also have some level of control over Pyro, he's definitely given you several heart attacks with how much he likes to prank you by gettin the two elements too close to eachother.
▪︎He never allows you to see or touch his ears, you wonder if he even has them, the reason why he hides them is because, one: they're really sensible so people could use his enhanced hearin against him and two, while he has calculated milimetric control over his every movement and body language, his ears always give away his true feelings.
▪︎He also never allows you to touch his tails, in fact he himself doesn't touch you with his tails either, well that was untill one fated day after his feelins for you got too much to deal with, his heat hit him like a Primo Geovishap's elemental shower and next thing you know is that there's 6 tails softer than Barbatos' wings all over your body, curlin and touchin and squeezin in just the right places and oh you're panting on the floor, Scaramouche himself is no better, all hot and bothered everywhere.
▪︎This man fucks and I mean it, he won't last too long but in turn he'll go for so many rounds, and his tails still won't stop roamin all around your body, he uses them so well, it's like they're extra hands just touchin in the perfect ways, you're so overwhelmed with pleasure that you might as well pass out right on the spot. Spoiler alert, you do and he keeps on fuckin his heat out with you.
▪︎While in his heat he'll want nothin but you everywhere, touch his tails and he'll curl them around your arms, snakin them under your shirt and pants. Touch his hears and he'll moan, bite them and he'll cum in his pants while desperately gridin the air. He'll bite you and if you put a muzzle on him he'll act like he hates it but in truth it has him rock hard.
▪︎During his heat, he'll sleep with you on your bed and it's then when you realize he has a pretty strong somnophilia kink. He'll start just starin at you while you sleep and his mind will instantly drift to fantasies of what he would do to you, your ruined face twisted in pleasure, how you moan his name under him...he'll bite his lip as he starts palmin himself thru his shorts while starin at you, as the pleasure builds up, he'll have his tails wander thru your body, just to feel a bit more of you and get a bit more of pleasure, his fantasies long forgotten, now he's just fixated on the present, on how he's doin this while you're asleep. Soon enough he'll slip a tail between your legs and start rubbin you, matchin his own hand's pace, hand which at some point sneaked inside his underwear and is now tightly wrapped around his lenght, as soon as you start moanin and whimperin he cums and then he'll pull down his shorts and underwhear and replace the tail in between your legs with his still hard member, he'll start humping you, relishin in the heat you're givin off and on the sounds you're lettin out. He'll make you cum like that and instantly climb on top of you to rub his cock on your sleepin face, he'll make sure you don't wake up while humpin you more and more desperately chasin his own high, he'll pull on his own ears, have his tails touch you everywhere, slip one of them inside your undewear and start masturbatin you with it once more he'll make you cum again as another one of his tails grabs whatever item is the closest that could be used as a makeshift dildo and he'd fuck himself at an unforgivin pace, his moans will get more and more high pitched, his body tremblin in pleasure and anticipation as he scrambles to open your mouth and slot his dick inside it, he'll fuck your mouth and make you cum one last time as he releases inside your mouth.
▪︎He'll forget to clean up in his haze and when you wake up next mornin, scoldin him for his actions, your looks will make him instantly pop a boner that you'll very happily help him with. Afterall, who could say no to him when he looks at you with pleadin eyes and lowered ears beggin you to suck the daylights out of him.
"Y/N pleaseeee~~ It hurts so so so mu--AHH~~!!"
~Regisviolin🎻
NSFW !! 18+ ONLY !!
yO Regisviolin anon, you went hard on this, goddamn 😩🙏💦
akjsdnasd Kitsune Scara with the heat? And the somno + the sucking him off in the morning?? and the action with the tails??? Fuckk whoA.
Damn, when you said you were rotting over Scara, you weren't kidding— not complaining in the slightest tho, whoo 💦💦
#Regisviolin🎻 anon#Catcze.Lingerie 💦#Scaramouche Smut#Genshin Impact smut#Kisses from Catte 🦩#Cw;GN reader
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MADDIE... DEATHSLINGER GUNPLAY...
OKAY
synopsis: you deepthroat an evil cowboy so he doesn’t blow your brains to smithereens
warnings: dubcon/implied noncon, threats of violence
The Deathslinger x Reader | Gunplay + Blowjob
Just a few more inches. Just a few more inches. Just a few.
You reach out in front of you again, fingers splayed as they meet splintered wood, huffing as you drag yourself another inch across the floor of the Saloon. Your eyes flutter closed as puffs of unsettled dust swirl around your face. A tickle builds in your throat and you can’t stop it—pain screams through your shoulders and swells in your chest as your body seizes with a cough. The warm red seeping from your abdomen glistens like rubies on the floorboards and in the dirt. The smell of your own blood is nauseating.
Reason tells you that in fleeing from him, you are only prolonging your own torture; but your body, stubbornly, refuses to roll over and die. And so you crawl.
You tell yourself things as you crawl. Hopeful things. Maybe if you can just make it around the corner of the bar, or wedge yourself beneath the table, your death will be swift. The Entity will take you in a sharp, sudden pain—impersonal, merciful—and that will be it. You won’t be left with one more nightmare to bear at the campfire.
Your face pulls into a grimace as your fingers meet wood again. All your muscles flex as you prepare to pull yourself along across the filthy floor, just a few more inches...
...you can’t.
You can’t because your shirt has snagged on a nail jutting out from between old splintered floorboards. Fate has damned you to this spot.
Letting your head thump against the wood, you stare with glassy eyes up at the piano plucking along without a player. Its ghoulish, heavy notes flood the saloon, unnatural in a way that churns your stomach.
You are already beginning to fade when you hear his boots clacking up the stairs outside the Saloon. Somewhere behind you, rusted double-doors squeal open.
The clacking stops and his shadow engulfs your body. He clicks his tongue dryly. You wince and choke back a sob when his bootheel comes down between your shoulders, digging in deep.
“Reckon it wouldn’t ‘ave been so hard to stay put right where I left you,” Caleb jests, beginning to reload his gun, slow and deliberate. “‘stead of snakin’ around the whole place.”
His voice is gravelly, cruel as a knife. You’ve heard him speak once or twice before but his words are always overshadowed by his other sounds; the explosion of a musket, the whizzing of a deadly bolt tearing through the air—and that dry, mirthless laughter.
You’ve come to accept a harsh truth in the Entity’s realm; some killers carry out their task mechanically, impersonally, as though running on a program. Other killers enjoy watching you bleed and die.
It became apparent very quickly which breed of murderer Caleb was. You carry his vicious laughter in your mind even when you sleep.
When Caleb speaks again, something in his voice tells you he’s talking at you, rather than to you, like a hunter studying a lifeless buck.
“Impressive y’even managed to get as far as ya did, considerin’ how much yer leakin’.”
He prods you suddenly with the bayonet tip of his gun, just beneath your ribs—right where he shot you. You cough hideously, writhing beneath his boot. He presses down harder until you lie still.
“Was proud of that shot.”
Go to hell, you want to spit at him. You might if you were braver. This is not a man whose mercy you want to test. Instead, you pray that when his gloating is finished, he fires that bolt straight through your head.
“But, seein’ as you got some fight still left in you,” The pressure in your back ebbs as Caleb lowers the gun. “How ‘bout an offer.”
You are far too weak to be surprised by his words, far too tired. It is obvious from just his tone that the “offer” is not really an offer. Whatever he has in mind, you are going to participate.
“Now, a man has certain needs, and not all of ‘em he can provide on his lonesome, try as he might.”
A short, dry chuckle builds in Caleb’s throat. Your world dips in and out of focus, the playerless piano now a hazy blur of black and white. You consider his meaning; certain needs. Alright, you understand. You know what he wants. And you are certainly not above whoring yourself out to a murderer for the promise of an easy death.
“Get up on your knees.” Comes the demand, gruff and sudden, any hint of that false laughter sucked dry in an instant.
“And turn around so I can look atcha.”
You suck a deep breath into your lungs before you comply. You grunt hard as you push yourself up on your knees, shuffling slowly around in a circle until you face him. Tears spring to your eyes. You don’t want to look up at him; you do anyway.
Caleb wears the grin of a fox. His face bears cunning, vulpine features. The brim of his hat dips low over his brow and nearly shades his eyes from view in the dirty light of the saloon—but you can just see them, can just make out their sinister white glow. The effect is utterly inhuman.
And yet, clearly, this man is not without human urges.
You can’t help it when your eyes stray to his groin. His arousal strains his trousers. You want to be sick, but can’t quite muster the strength for it.
“Course, you already know what you’re gonna do, dontcha?” Caleb mutters, seeming to notice where your attention has drifted. Your eyes fall to the floor.
“There’s a clock on the wall over there.” He gestures his gun to the far wall of the saloon.
“Don’t know if it works quite like where I come from—lots o’ things don’t seem to work right in this place, but ain’t none o’ my concern. You got ‘till that little hand strikes three to get me satisfied.”
He settles the spear of his gun against your forehead. The tip digs sharply into your skin, wetting you with fresh blood.
“Else I pull this trigger.”
You see it happening in your mind, so vividly—your skull splitting like an eggshell, your brains spraying out the back, staining the bar behind you with chunks of pink and red. Your vision swims.
It doesn’t feel like you should be speaking to Caleb. It feels wrong on the most primitive level. You lick your dried lips and force the words out anyway.
“What do I get?” You rasp. “If I do?”
Caleb stares at you from beneath the brim of his hat, almost caught off guard. Then, something sinister curls across his face.
“What do you get?” He laughs again. It’s not as dry this time—there’s a hint of genuine amusement. “Well, that hatch o’course. I’ll take you straight to it.” Your mouth twists with disbelief.
Caleb’s hand flies from the barrel of his spear gun, gripping your chin harshly. He tweaks your jaw until you look him in the eye.
“What—think I’m lyin’?”
Your silence speaks a thousand words. The tears tickle as they slip down your cheeks. Of course you don’t believe him; you aren’t stupid.
Caleb shakes his head, rapping your jaw with his index finger.
“I’m a man of my word. But I s’pose you’ll just have to trust me, seein’ as that clock is already tickin’.”
When those words leave his lips, the decision is easy, and you hate yourself for it. You’re going to suck this vile man off like you god damn mean it.
Your fingers tremble violently as you reach forward to scrabble around the leather of his belt. Undoing his pants, you pull the last button so hard that it rips from its fabric, rolling away across the floorboards.
Caleb’s dick is long, the base of it completely unshaven. The flushed head already beads with pearlescent precum—he’s enjoying this.
You turn off your thoughts as you grip his hips. Dipping forward, trying to ignore the barrel of the gun pressed damningly against your forehead, you wrap your lips tight around the tip.
Caleb grunts. He throbs against your tongue, filling you more than you were prepared for. You choke back a tearful gag and begin to suck obediently, bobbing your head back and forth. The man above you lets loose a hard breath. Widening his stands, he slants his hips impatiently forward, pushing more of himself into your mouth. Your eyes begin to water fiercely; the point of the gun against your skull is a dull numb ache now, secondary to the pain of breathlessness. Caleb seizes a fistful of your hair, forcing you to be full of him. Spit begins to drip down your chin. He holds you in place while you choke on his dick.
With a throaty growl, his hold eases. You cough violently as you pull away from his groin. Glistening saliva strings between his shaft and your lips. Taking him in your mouth again, you swallow down his cock until it bulges in your throat. He fists your hair in one hand, muttering curses.
“Deeper.” He snarls, fingering the trigger of his rifle. You obey. Your chin meets his balls, wet and warm with drool. You bob on him breathlessly. In and out. In and out. If the playerless piano still hammers away, you can’t hear it beyond your own ugly gagging.
Caleb growls suddenly, deep and low in his chest. The fist in your hair snaps painfully shut. Before you realize what is happening, he has taken his release into his own hands, ramming you along his shaft. Your head jerks violently as he fucks your face. Your throat is full of him again and again.
Caleb spits out a sudden hoarse “fuck.” Hotness floods your mouth. He pulls out to gush along your tongue. You gag at his bitter taste.
The man above you pants heavily, head tilted back, eyes closed, chest rising and falling.
“Swallow it.” He hisses, clenching his teeth. “Get it all down.”
Tonguing the head of his penis, you swallow. It nearly comes back up. Caleb looks down at you and the scowl on his face deepens. You realize you’ve missed some—you can still feel a bit of wetness dribbling down the corner of your lip.
“I said all of it.”
Your tongue flits out obediently, drawing the rest of him into your mouth. The fist in your hair relaxes, and Caleb begins to stroke your head, petting you like some obedient animal. It almost feels good, you think, too tired to take it back.
“Well then,” Caleb begins, sneering. You feel your blood run cold. “Let’s see about that hatch.”
The ropes bite into the flesh of your ankles and wrists and rub your skin raw with every feeble tug. You understand now why they call your current predicament “hogtying”—because with your squirming, your squealing, the way you roll helplessly around on your belly in the dirt, envisioning yourself as a hog is easy. Beneath you, the ground gives another violent quake. It won’t be long now before the Entity claims this place.
In the end, Caleb had only been partially lying—he did carry you to the hatch.
He also tied your limbs, dropped you down like a sack of bricks mere feet away from your last chance at escape, and stomped it abruptly shut.
With tear-soaked eyes, you watched him saunter away to sink down on the steps of the Saloon, procure a rag from his pocket, and begin to wipe his rifle. He whistles now as he works, looking up at you occasionally from beneath his hat. His vicious grin flashes for just a second whenever your gaze meets.
You can tell what Caleb is thinking about every time he looks up at your tied, squirming body—that he could take you right now, right in the dirt. Maybe get a quick one in before the Entity claims you. Or maybe hunt you down later and take his time with it.
Letting your heavy eyelids flutter shut, you hope you hurry up and die already, if only to get the lingering taste of his cum out of your mouth.
#caleb quinn#the deathslinger#dead by daylight#slashers#writing#horror#fanfiction#caleb quinn x reader#reader insert#tw: dubcon
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C2E129
So... this episode went downhill (emotionally) very quickly. Honestly, this is probably the episode of Critical Role that has gotten me the closest to crying, and I’m still feeling a little numb from it. They really haven’t caught a break in such a long time. I feel like everyone deserves a breath of fresh air, but I know that’s not coming any time soon! Here are my liveblogs about Campaign 2, Episode 129 of Critical Role!
- “we’ve been sleepin’ on my snoopin’” yasha i love you
- Ashley Johnson is personally promoting my “Ashley please play a bard in Campaign 3″ agenda
- OH GOD 25 POINTS OF FIRE DAMAGE, SOMEONE GET TRAVIS HIS RING
- the thieves tools are broken??? oh no.....
- “This place has been ransacked, probably by--” WAIT Matt got interrupted, who was it ransacked by?? Yussa??
- Fjord headbutting the gem without the armor of Agathys has such himbo energy
- Seeing the technical difficulties in “real time”... oh the joys of socially distanced broadcasting! As a teaching assistant for classes this term, I understand the frustration lol!
- That went much more smoothly than I thought, but now I’m nervous for Team Fire Storm aaahhhhh someone please help them, where are they? Plane of Fire, right?
- SNAKIN’ IT’S WAY
- Wait, if Caleb gets a long rest and Beau doesn’t (because Happy Fun Ball), could it be that he gets a third eye and she doesn’t?
- Awe, we don’t get Caleb and Caduceus moments very often, that was sweet :)
- The Luc and Caduceus moment is super sweet as well, Uncle Duce-y indeed!
- THAT MADE ME JUMP OH MY GOD MATT MERCER STOP DHJFHKLJGLD
- the lava map looks so nice though!
- I’m so frustrated on Laura/Jester’s behalf now, especially since she did specifically ask before she cast it... 😭
- NOT CALEB GOING DOWN OH MY GOD
- WAIT IS LUC DEAD??????????? IF LUC IS DEAD I WILL FIST FIGHT GOD
- veth rolling not one but TWO natural 20s after her husband and son are possibly hurt, i’m so proud of her
- guys i’m not having fun anymore i hate it here so much i am genuinely going to start crying right now 😭 😭
- THANK GOD HE’S OKAY but i guess this is why i don’t usually watch live sometimes so i can still have some warnings about who dies 😭 i agree with everyone who is saying that maybe we should have content warnings on episodes now that they are pre-recorded
- JESTER GO JESTER PLANE SHIFT
- oh phew i really thought that team fish market would get left behind!
- Well, that episode was really rough.... it went downhill so quickly, and tbh I think I blocked out most of that second half because I was still just numb and in shock about what happened to Luc... at least he is in a place of safety now (I hope) but I definitely think that Veth is going home after this arc. I don’t think she can justify staying away any longer, however much she might want to.
- I love you all and is it Thursday yet? <3
#critical role#cr spoilers#c2e129#my liveblogs#cr2#that was so rough time to go to sleep and re evaluate everything in my life good night loves <3#queue#tw death mention
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I guess this is slightly smutty, not 100 percent sure but we’ll see. Tom takes his shirt off for a scene(cause of course) and forgets he is covered with scratches and hickeys that he gets teased for the remainder of the shooting day, when reader visits and gets wind of what’s happening they turn the tables by saying how great a lover Tom is which results a lot of marks in exchange
Thank u for the request darling💖💖
Summary: Tom shows the wolrd some of your art on his body.
warnings: nsfw
Masterlist | Requests
•
Peace of Art- Tom Holland x Reader
Tom was on the set of Spiderman Far From Home today. He had to film the scene at the hotel where MJ and him are at his hotel room amd his changing in front of her.
Well let's just say that it didn't go as planned.
"So Tom youre standing there and Zendaya you are staying here. Tom I told you what you're gonna do. So, are you ready?" Jon asked them while he wss telling them what they should do foe this scene.
"Yeap."
"Yes."
Tom and Zendaya said together.
"And... action." The director shouted.
Tom rushed over the windows closing the curtains.
"I can't believe that I gave Beck those glasses, I mean how can I do that stupid thin-- he's probably spying on me right now or sending a drone to come and kill me." He said panicked.
"You had access... to... killer drones." Zendaya said shocked.
"Yeah I didn't really want them especially after I almost killed Brad." Tom said in a hurry.
"You almost killed Brad?" Zendaya said in the same tone, while Tom moved to other side of the room.
"Look, I have to call Mr. Fury and tell him that Beck's a fraud but... I think he tabbed my phone." Tom said standing in front of Zendaya.
"Okay so what are you gonna do?" She asked looking at him.
"Ohh... I need my suit and I have to go to Berlin, talk to Mr. Fury in person." Tom said rushing over to grab his back pack so he can fond his suit, Zendaya's eyes following him.
He hurried to take off his shirt and immediately looked at Zendaya. He waited for her to turn around but she didn't. He looked confused while Zed was looking in shock at him while the crew and his friends started laughing.
He frowned.
"What... did I do?" Tom said looking more confused than ever.
"Looks like someone had fun the previous nights." Jake joked laughing so hard that he couldn't breath.
"That's why you cancelled our boys night out the day before yesterday." Jacob laughed too.
"I... don't understand." Tom said still with a frown.
"Hello." You said when you on the set. You immediately got confused as you saw everyone laughing.
"What's going on?" You asked as you approached them.
"Speaking of the devil's cat." Jake smirked and everyone laughed even harder.
You looked confused over him before glancing over to Tom, but when you saw him your eyes went wide and you blushed so hard.
"Oh my..." You gasped.
"Y/n..." Tom asked anxiously.
"You've got a talented woman here Tom." Jon laughed.
"Wha--" You cut him off by grabbing his hand and rushing to his dressing room.
When you reached your destination you got inside and slammed the door behind you locking it.
"Tom what were you thinking." You asked furiously.
"I really have no idea what's going on Y/n, I swear." He pleaded.
"Of course you don't, because if you did I would never let you fuck me again." You said serious.
"What?!" He asked shocked.
"Look at you in the mirror Tom." You said while pointing the mirror in front of him.
When he turned to look at himself his eyes widened. He saw all the scratches and the hickeys you had given him the previous nights. He gasped at first but then a proud smirk made his way on his lips. You looked at him as if you were mad.
"You're laighing." You threw your hands in the air looking at him.
"Well of course, that is a peace of art." He said pointing at his back.
"I'm gonna kill you, honestly." You groaned.
"Well what do you say before you kill me, to give me more of them?" He grinned making his way over to you.
"No way Tom." You said taking some steps backwards.
"Why not?" He pouted while snaking his arms around your waist pulling you closer to him.
"Tom." You wanred him.
"Shhh darling." He smirked again while he started kissing your neck.
At first you tried to push him away, but once his hands found their way southern your body, soon or later you gave in. You wrapped your hands around his neck moaning, as you felt his hands above where you needed him mostly.
"Tom..." You moaned.
"Yes love?" He said not stopping kissing your neck.
"Mmhmm touch me... please." You begged.
"As you wish princess." He smiled.
As he was ready to slide his hands in your jeans, you heard whispering from the other side of the door.
"Looks like Tom is going to get even more scratches." You heard Jake saying making the others laugh at his comment.
Tom immediatelly pulled away from you, making his way across the door.
"JAKE!" He yelled making you giggle.
"Oh shit..."
#peter parker#tom holland imagine#tom holland x reader#tom holland x you#far from home#homecoming#marvel#spiderman#tom holland#tom holland fic#tom holland x y/n#tom holland fluff#tom holland smut#peter parker imagine#avengers
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Making Sure
Pairing: Human!Reader x Werewolf! Bangchan
Genre: Fluff/Smut
Warnings: language, mentions of intercourse, mentions of pregnancy, mentions of knotting, intercourse, mentions of overstimulation
You stared at the bright pink paper in awe, heart thrumming with force inside your chest enough to make your fingers tremble with the echo.
That was impossible. You couldn't be-
Well, it wasn't exactly impossible and you actually would very much like to be- Sigh. You were scared to even complete the thought. False hope after all those years would break your heart.
The issue to trust that thin strip of testing paper was that everything you convinced yourself to be conformed with, every built hope after all these years would crumble to dust. Because history haven't been kind to some beings in matters of love.
And it wasn't a problem of your own body, gods forbid. It was because of who you loved - what he was.
Christopher Bang - your Chris, your Bangchan, the love of your life - was a werewolf, coming from a secular pure-blood family, to top. It didn't bother you the kind your boyfriend, actually was even something you've pointed out as a joke for him being from Australia, a country that withheld the most dangerous animals in the whole world.
The only thing that was surprising was the incompatibility of genes between his kind and your simple, feeble human species. Of course, there was a reason for that, which when you first decided to go steady and live together, he made sure to explain, in a way giving you option to back up from the whole relationship. So silly of him. What mattered that humans had, over the centuries, developed their genes in a way that made it almost impossible to be mated with other species that not their own? You loved him, anything else was manageable. If you or him wanted kids in the future you could always adopt, was it a little were-baby or a human one. Or both.
But it was weird. You had an irregular cycle naturally but didn't really worry about that - for obvious reasons - and maintained a really healthy sexual life with your mate, for his instincts of breeding you couldn't be suppressed, and you wouldn't want them to for the world. The weird thing is that you haven't been late for this long ever. It's been four months already and not a sign of blood.
At first you didn't pay any mind, only sighing at the thought of the cramps that would come once your period decided to show up - the longer it took, the worse they were - but no more of that crossed your mind. But after the third month, it started worrying you, and you went to the doctor but nothing was wrong with you, apparently.
One day, you started piecing some things together. Christopher had been away for around two months - three actually, with a little break he took to see you for anniversary - and you were already late for close to a month at that time. You had sexual relations as usual and, as always, he had 'impregnated' you, just for the sake of his instincts, nesting with you afterwards. The memory made you smile sweetly, even if you felt a blush creeping up your neck at the replay of that afternoon in your mind.
Either way, it was impossible. Wasn't it?
So there you sat atop of the toilet, staring at the former white strip of paper you had peed on almost with sarcasm, watching as it turned a hit pink shade gradually, eyes widening at the same rate. Still, you couldn't believe it.
A ping echoed through the bathroom and in the back of your mind you recalled the date, your birthday, and also the date that your boyfriend would be arriving from work, for a well-deserved break. And you weren't exactly sure of how to breathe, what to say act. Not wanting to believe a blessing but desperately wanting to be proved wrong, for once.
---
When Chris arrived home, it was quiet. Of course, he could clearly feel your presence in the house - probably napping - and smiled to himself while placing the bag on the floor, right behind the door. "I'm home," he whispered to himself, chucking his shoes off.
It wasn't till he reached the corridor, stripping off his coat that he smelled it. The scents of jasmine, orange and... Something else, a sweetness he couldn't quite place filled his nostrils and made him halt, right in front of the bathroom door. Whatever you were planning, Chris was already enjoying it a lot.
"Take off everything before entering," your voice instructed as his fingers barely touched the door, bringing a shudder through his whole body. Not hesitating he practically tore his clothes off, excitement coursing through his body heating immediately like a fever, then pushing the door open at once, eyes zeroing on your figure, sitting inside the tub in your birthday suit, water the only cover around your body. As he breathe in again the scents, it almost made him dizzy, that unknown particular tang stirring something inside of him.
"Hi handsome," you smiled at him, and his heart leaped, grin widening and shoulders relaxing, thought his gaze grew hungrier at the sight of your bare skin. "Are you going to stand there the whole night or come bathe with me?"
And that prompted him to move with a small grunt, seeing the glint in your eyes as the now full-standing need hit his navel with every step. But that could wait, he needed to feel you in his arms again, it had been so long. Too long.
"How I've missed that smart mouth," he said, dipping into the warm water right in front of you, hands immediately reaching for your sides and pulling you towards his body, happy with how your legs instantly wrapped around his waist, skin meeting skin almost merging together, lips connecting with yearning after a chuckle had escaped you at his response.
And then you was everything he could taste, everything he wanted to drink, to drown in, all he could feel. Your hands on his body were soothing, fingers mapping territory already claimed, grounding themselves back into their place. It was you, but... This time it was more, for some reason. He knew you inside out and was deeply familiar with all your scents, capable of recognizing your presence a mile away. And it was present, but had something that made his nose itch a little. Wasn't a threatening scent, just... Different. Nothing bad, his gut told him, just unknown. Later on he'd dwell on it further, now he had a different task in mind, and from the way you were teasing him, hands roaming downwards often, you too were focused on something more interesting.
Carefully, you were lifted from the bath and carried to the bedroom, not minding the wet state of your bodies as he laid you on the bed, hovering over you with adoring eyes roaming your figure. It always made you flush, just at if it was the first time, the first encounter.
"Hi," Chris once again smiled, your heart stuttering at the sight of his beautiful face, knowing you were the cause of the expression. "Happy birthday, beautiful."
At that he leaned, pressing his lips back to yours rather briefly, before nuzzling his way to your neck and downwards, tongue laving at you mating scar, nose pressed, inhaling deeply and a low, pleased rumbling inside his chest that somehow only made the inside of your thighs damper. Your eyes fluttered close when one of his hands that supported his weight at either side of you went to tease your chest, fingertips running as light as a feather over a nipple and coaxing a hum from you and a sniffle from Chris, still amazed at how he affected you.
Eyes trained on you he kept silently tasting you, pushing your body towards madness and reveling on your noises, almost torturing himself on the process.
"Chris, I need you... Please-" your breath hitched as finally, his fingers reached the scorching heat between your legs, parting them to give him better access and instantly intoxicating Chris with your needy scent, vision almost blackening and mouth salivating. He too, needed to be sheathed inside your warmth, but not yet. There was a process to avoid hurting you with his girth, as it had been a while since you two were together and barely could fit three fingers inside your wetness.
"Shh love, I know. I too need you terribly, but I don't want to hurt you, babygi-" He felt choked up as he, after retracting his fingers from you, to pop them in his mouth, the instinct in him needing to taste you to know if you were fertile. You always though it was hot and had your eyes wide open to look at the scene, so witnessed the reaction he had, brow furrowing with worry.
"W-what's wrong, Chan?" You tried to ask, voice practically lost and hoarse, hearing a growl starting at his chest, eyes closed and body tense. He'd never growled at you, certainly not in the bedroom, so the behavior was preoccupying to say the least.
At the other hand, Chris was trying to deal with the unknown, at first the scent and then the taste, anxious enough to break into a low growl right in front of you. He couldn't ignore that change anymore. But what was it? It wasn't another male, completely out of the question - you both loved each other to bits - but somehow it was another being.
Another... Being?
"Christopher Bang what is going on?!" You were starting to get annoyed at his lack of response, getting up to your knees to cup his face and maybe snap him out of the trance he found himself in. "Chris-"
"...nant?" All of a sudden Chan stopped growling, choking up half a word that somehow you were able to figure, eyes meeting yours with such intensity and emotion that it felt like a punch to the gut.
"Say it again?" Still you insisted, wanting to hear the truth from the only one that could give you that assurance, that could be sure there was a life growing inside of you.
"You're..." Chris breathed out shakily, as scared to speak as you were to hear it, a rare whimpering undertone to his voice that broke your heart, but made you understand instantly how emotional that made him. "You're pregnant, love. With my pup." Chris broke the news with a cracking voice and teary eyes, arms snaking around your waist to pull you flush to his body, the inferno that was his skin feeling soothing against yours, body relaxing instantly.
"Are you sure, Chan? Is it really true?" You dared to ask, breathless as you hugged him back tighter. While nuzzling your neck he nodded, giving the sensitive skin a peck that made you hum, happy and calm.
"But I," and he had to lean back and look at you, lustful glint back on his deep brown eyes. "I wanna make sure... That you're full of me," Softly, he pushed your body back down to the mattress as you chuckled, predicting that as much. You wanted too, to be sure you were positively pregnant.
"Then by all means, Chan... Knot me." You gave him the push needed to start moving again, palms previously holding your hips sliding further down to knead plumper flesh, the previous worry of stretching you out beforehand flying off the window as you teasingly ground up to his crotch, prompting a pleased hum and a quick pump just to coat himself further with both your juices and lining to yearning entrance, sluggish movements covering for the eagerness you could see stamped on his face.
"You know better than to fuck- Than to say those things to me babygirl," with one push he entered your heat at last, the pain of the stretch always there and present, but something you secretly loved so much it took your breath away, eyes rolling back as he moved, pounding your insides slow and deep. "I'll fuck so many more babies into you Y/N, do you want it?"
"Yes Chris- I want you to keep fucking pups into me," you breathed out, feeling his fingers sink on your butt cheeks as the words sank in. It was so much more than some fetish coming true, it was almost a miracle. Something he had inwardly wished to come true, even if settled with the knowledge that it would probably never be achieved. But the chances weren't zero, as it turned out.
Hips snapping, Chris drew out a loud groan from you as he started a faster pace, your walls clamping around him claiming his seed and from the way the was wound up, it wouldn't take so long.
"Fuck- I c-can't wait to see you so round and plump with our ch-children," you noticed that it was starting to get hard for Chris to speak, the stutter of his voice a clear telltale that he was about to spill at any second, and you probably never wanted his knot so much in your whole life.
"Then - ah! - cum and p-plug your mate... your mmh b-bitch," his whole body shuddered at your words, a grunting mixed with a moan bouncing off the walls as he pushed himself one last time deeply inside of you, hitting that one spot inside so perfectly that it made you see stars the next second, growing orgasm released just like that, in waves of heat that made you blind. Chris, further coaxed by your orgasm, couldn't help the howl that left him while cumming, so hard his whole body shook.
As his knot started to swell, doing exactly its work of plugging you so none of his seed escaped, Chris maneuvered your body from underneath to on top of him, with the pretense of serving as a pillow for you, as always. But even feeling weak, you weren't having it and, at the mere feeling of shrinking you sat up, grinding down to Bang, trying to get him ready for the next round.
"Whoa, I'm still a little sensitive love, just wait a little bit-" you pressed a finger to his lips, dealing with your own sensitivity, but used to the feeling already.
"Weren't you the one wanting to make sure I was full of your pups?" A twitch inside of you made you grin, and you watched his face blushing slightly, grinding again. "Besides, it's time you pay for all those times you fucked orgasm after orgasm out of me."
Biting his lip to stifle a whimper, Chris grinned at you. "Oh but that's just because my mate loves it, right?"
You snickered, leaning to quickly peck his lips. "Yes, and I'll make sure you love it, too."
___________________
masterlist
#chris bang#bangchan x reader#werewolf!bangchan#werewolf!bangchan x reader#bangchan smut#bangchan fluff
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Pretty much the best thing I have ever seen in my life was in my old neighborhood in southern California a few years back. It was a poor neighborhood, and had some relatively minor crime issues (ok so I got mugged walking home and like one guy got murdered a few houses down and one time the SWAT team used our roof as a sniper's nest while raiding our neighbors' place but MOSTLY it was p quiet) Not the happiest place generally, is my point. Except maybe Sunday nights when like half the block would be rocking karaoke mariachi parties. But I digress.
But then, this one day, down the road comes this guy. He's enormously fat, like my size easily, probably 400 lbs, and he's riding a motorcycle. He's swerving from side to side in that 'enjoying the road' sort of way, just sorta snakin along. He's got his visor up, his eyes half closed, his head thrown back as happy as a dog with his head out a car window, just totally blissed out. And absolutely blasting from a sound system I can't see, he's listening to Solisbury Hill by Peter Gabriel.
Like if you somehow distilled the essence of human joy into a single moment, it was this dude right there. I think about him all the goddamn time, even years later. I hope he's still takin it easy, living his best life.
#boring personal bullshit#like that one dude did more for me than half the work on myself has accomplished#look at him go#he's just enjoying things#his motorcycle his music the wind on his face#he doesn't care about looking ridiculous or listening to the wrong genre for the neighborhood#or being fat in public#you go dude#show us the way
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In late November, Dad rolled the wagon into the shed, scotched the wheels, and wired the shaves to log barn rafters. This signaled the time when horse and mules got a short season of rest. In spring, summer, and harvest time our mule, Kate, worked every day in the fields except Sunday. After harvest, she rested in the pasture until it was time to get winter firewood.
The time came when Dad took the crosscut saw down from the barn rafters to sharpen its mighty teeth with special files. My oldest brother, Edward shouldered the sharp saw, and he and Mama took off for the woods. Dad gathered the leather harness from the gear room and then went to fetch Kate. Walking into the pasture, Dad caught her by the halter and then led her to the barn. He checked her teeth, feet, and ears, assuring himself that she was in good health. Slowly he worked a sugarcoated metal bit into her reluctant mouth. Usually the mule backed away and flinched. "WHOA KATE!" echoed about the home place. Next, he slid a worn bridle over her ears, and then buckled it into place under her neck. He tied the bridle reins to a post while he strapped a U- shaped, padded collar in place around her neck. Next, he swung the harness onto her back, then straightened and buckled it to the collar. Moving to the rear of the mule, he pulled her tail free from the end strap. Slowly, he loosed the trace chains from the end of the harness and hooked them to the singletree with a swivel attached to it, protecting the mule in case the log rolled. He swapped the cotton plow lines on the harness for twenty-two-foot long leather check lines that would not snag on roots and rocks as she pulled heavy logs. Wrapping the check lines around his callused hands, he gently flicked Kate's side with the lines, saying, "Git up!" The two of them headed into the woods to the site where Mama and Edward had timber on the ground ready for the mule to pull to the wood yard.
Edward now recalls, âFirst, I'd chop a wedge out in the base of the tree, then sink the blade as deep as I could in the cut. The handle would point the direction the tree would fall.
You couldnât pull a crosscut saw with Dad because he would ride the handles. That meant extra work on the other end of the saw. Mama and I had the rhythm figured out. We could cut faster than a chain saw today. Usually we felled five or six trees, then cut them into eight-foot logs. It's hard work. I've blooded my knees a many of a time pulling a crosscut saw all day long.
We didn't trim any limbs off, so there was no brush to fool with. Dad backed the mule up to a log, hitched her up, and dropped the check lines. Kate went by herself to the wood yard where brother Ellis waited to unhook the mule and lead her back to the cutting site. Once all the logs were snaked out of the woods, I and Mama cut the trees into three foot sections of firewood and Ellis busted them.. The brush was used for cook stove wood. If it got wet we'd stack it in the oven to dry it out so breakfast would cook faster."
When the chore of "snakin out firewood" ended, Dad walked the sweaty mule back to the barn and put her in a stall away from cold winds. We all knew a good work mule like Kate was vital to our survival.
https://www.homesteadingtoday.com/threads/snakin-out-firewood.541991/
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What's New, Pussycat? (branjie) - writworm42
A/N: For Holtzmanns, who asked for Brooke helping Vanjie get over a fear of cats. Thanks a million and a half to Meggie for beta-ing <3
(1)
Brooke expected to open the door to a hug. She expected to open the door to a high-pitched yell, little arms thrown around her neck, a big, long, excited kiss on her lips. She expected to open the door to a ball of pure joy and energy, one that would make her feel excited and giddy, too.
What she didn’t expect was for Vanessa to stand stock-still and stare right past her.
“Babe, are you okay?” Brooke frowned. She turned around, worried, to see what Vanessa was staring at, but there was only Apollo washing himself contentedly, while Henry sat and observed the scene.
Suddenly, it clicked.
“Jo, are you… Are you afraid of cats?”
“No!” Vanessa protested loudly. There was a beat, Brooke staring Vanessa down with a bemused look, and Vanessa looked down, sheepishly admitting, “Yes. It’s not my fault, though!” she interjected when she noticed the smirk spreading on Brooke’s face. “They got the third eye!”
“Baby, they’re just animals.” Brooke tried and failed to hold back her laughter, giggles coming out in snorts as she tried her best to keep them in.
“I know that! Don’t mean they ain’t carryin’ some kind of demon-type juju bullshit!”
“Oh my God.” Brooke wiped her eyes, still laughing. “But you’ve seen them before, you knew I had them.”
“Well, yeah, but I didn’t expect them to greet me at the motherfucking door! Starin’ at me like that. Shit. Might as well just try an’ kill me right here.”
“Well, unless you want to sleep outside tonight, you’re gonna have to come in.” Brooke slung her arm around a hesitant-looking Vanessa and steered her inside, pushing a little to offset the suddenly heavy, stubborn drag of Vanessa’s feet.
“Relax, babe.” Brooke cracked a smile, giggles escaping once again, “I’ll protect you.”
(2)
The truth of the matter was, having a boyfriend who was afraid of cats just wouldn’t do. Henry and Apollo liked seeing Brooke around, liked being able to know where she was in case they needed her. They liked having full reign of the house and being able to go where they pleased, whenever they pleased. They liked to sneak up on Brooke and butt their heads against her shins and liked to stare at strangers, daring them to touch their human.
Vanessa, on the other hand, spent their first day together holed up in Brooke’s room with the door closed, insisting that it stay that way overnight, yelling back every time she heard the cats meowing on the other side of the door. At one point when she had to go to the bathroom, she insisted Brooke come with her and guard the door, adamant that she didn’t want ‘some bitchass whisker monster’ sneaking up on her and ‘snakin’ me with its claws while my drawers are down.’
No, it was absolutely unacceptable–something had to be done. And Brooke had ten more days to do it; ten days she was sure she could take full advantage of.
On day two, Vanessa went out with Kameron while Brooke stayed at home to “finish up some work.” Vanessa hadn’t been too happy, but when Brooke promised her with a wink that she’d make it up to her later, she got over it pretty quickly. Vanessa had barely closed the door behind herself before Brooke whipped out her laptop, furiously Googling animal phobias and how to get over them.
(3)
Vanessa was still so blissfully fucked out the next morning that she didn’t even notice that Brooke had left the door wide open when she’d gotten up to make breakfast. It was just as well; Brooke needed Vanessa nice and calm if her plan was going to work.
“Hey, baby!” Brooke smiled widely as Vanessa wandered into the kitchen, eyes still bleary with sleep. “I made pancakes.”
“Mm.” Vanessa yawned and slid up beside Brooke, wrapping her arms around her waist and nuzzling into her side. Brooke leaned down and kissed the top of Vanessa’s head, breathing in her smell: faint traces of Old Spice mixed with the lingering musk of linens soaked with sex filling Brooke’s mind with memories of lazy mornings in bed and cuddles on the couch, kisses over home-cooked meals and the weight of Vanessa on her lap while watching their friends perform at the club.
She was so wrapped up in breathing Vanessa in that she failed to notice the other smell building up in front of her until Vanessa pulled away suddenly, diving towards the grill.
“Shit, babe, the pancakes!”
Okay, so maybe Brooke’s original plan of cuddling up on the couch to eat breakfast while psychoanalyzing Vanessa’s fear didn’t work out. But, on the other hand, Vanessa was so busy trying to scrape the smoking remains of burnt batter off the grill that she didn’t notice Henry and Apollo creeping over to watch the action.
(4)
“I can’t believe this.” Vanessa huffed, slumping back against her seat dramatically.
“It’s just a quick stop.” Brooke kept her eyes on the road, suppressing a flash of irritation. She knew that this was all part of a plan Vanessa didn’t necessarily agree to, but did she have to be such a brat about it?
“Pet stores smell, Mary! I can’t be stinkin’ up all of Nashville! I got a reputation to uphold.”
“I think you’ll be fine.” Brooke responded dryly as they pulled into the parking lot. Her tension dissipated, though, when they got out of the car, Brooke grabbing Vanessa by the wrist and pulling her into the shop maybe a little more urgently than was necessary.
Pet Club 96 was small, and cluttered, but it was Brooke’s go-to for anything cat-related. The store carried lesser-known cat food brands that pleased even the pickiest of cats, and their toy and sweater prices were much lower than any Petsmart or Petco this side of the county. The lone staff member was a tried-and-true cat lover, and always had the best stories to tell. Brooke was excited to share all of that with Vanessa, of course, but the real agenda for the day was a little more specific.
“Look, baby, kittens!” Brooke gasped as she dragged Vanessa over to the back of the store, to the single, large cage where three tiny, mewling balls of fluff wriggled around, sticking their noses through the bars of their cage and stepping over each other to greet the action going on outside. Vanessa looked like she was going to say something, probably call Brooke out on her reason for bringing her here, but Brooke didn’t give her the chance.
“Aww, aren’t they cute?” Brooke grabbed Vanessa by the hand and yanked her down face to face with a tiny gray one, clearly the runt of the litter, who mewed pitifully at Vanessa. “Look at him, so tiny. Hi, buddy.” The kitten responded by sticking out a paw and catching Vanessa’s hand. Brooke expected her to jump back, maybe to yell, and tense, but to her surprise, Vanessa barely moved. Rather, she cracked a little smile.
“Aw, he a little rascal, ain’t he?” Vanessa stuck a single finger out towards the cage, watching with a surprising amusement as the kitten stuck out its paw and batted at Vanessa.
“Not very scary when they’re that small, are they?” Brooke grinned, and not even the venomous look Vanessa shot her could ruin the smug satisfaction that swelled in her chest, buoying her mood and egging her on.
(5)
Vanessa jolted upright in bed the minute she heard the scratching. “Did you hear that?”
“Mm, hear what?” Brooke stirred beside her, blinking hard and yawning.
“That scratching noise. Shh! There it is again.” Indeed, a little scuffing sound followed, barely audible but no less ignorable to anyone who knew what it signified.
Brooke sighed deeply, but chuckled a little despite herself. “That’s just the cats, baby. They miss us.”
“Oh.” Vanessa seemed to be placated at the answer, but stayed upright, continuing to stare at the door intently.
“Can I let them in? They’re not going to stop otherwise.” As if to illustrate Brooke’s point, a loud, plaintive meow sounded from the other side of the door. Vanessa groaned.
“Fine, but I better not wake up with no scratches on my face, bitch. It’s too expensive for that.”
(6)
Vanessa didn’t wake up with any scratches on her face, but Brooke had to bite her tongue hard not to point out that the smaller queen had woken up with Henry’s furry body snuggled in her arms.
(7)
By day seven, Brooke hadn’t just leaned in to her reputation as a master manipulator; she’d started to wear it as a badge of honour. They were halfway into The Notebook, Vanessa wrapped in a Snuggie while resting her head in Brooke’s lap, when Brooke decided that right then was the perfect time for popcorn.
“No, don’t get up, baby, I’m the one who wants it, I’ll get it.” Brooke slid out from under Vanessa, stroking a gentle hand through her hair before gingerly escaping to the kitchen. She worked fast–swapped out the plain kernels for pre-buttered, quietly took the margarine out of the fridge to coat the bowl lightly before dumping the popcorn in on top of it.
She’d barely sat down again before the cats had appeared, their tails twitching and throats rumbling as they waited for someone to inevitably drop a kernel.
“Gross, why’s it so greasy?” Vanessa scrunched up her nose and wiped her hand off on the fabric of her snuggie, practically inviting Henry to jump up and start sniffing at the oily smear left near her legs. Vanessa kicked him away, but otherwise didn’t react, and to Brooke, that was progress.
(8)
“GET ONE PAW CLOSER, BITCH, I SWEAR TO GOD!”
“Brock? Is everything alright?”
Brooke popped her head out of her room to see Vanessa holding a plate of pasta above her head and Apollo scrambling across the room, his claws scratching against the floor.
“Yeah, mom, everything’s fine.” Brooke went back in and closed the door. “Jo’s just getting used to the cats.”
“Oh. Is that… Does he normally react to things that way?”
There was a clatter outside, a voice growling out some Spanish curse-words, and then silence, followed by a quiet concession. Fine, I’ll pick you up. Fucking bitch.
Brooke shrugged, suppressing a giggle. “It’s not unusual.”
(9)
When Brooke woke up the next morning, Vanessa was sitting on the couch with Henry on her lap.
“Do mine eyes deceive me?” Brooke gasped in mock surprise, “Are you, Jose Cancel, otherwise known as Miss Vanessa Isabella Vanjie Mateo, hater of all things feline, sitting on my couch with a cat on your lap?”
Vanessa rolled her eyes. “I don’t want him here, he just jumped up on me.”
“Uh-huh.” Brooke cocked and eyebrow, holding back a smirk. “So why don’t you just get up?”
Vanessa blinked, her face completely blank.
“But… he’s on my lap.”
(10)
Brooke had to admit, she’d never seen Henry or Apollo adjust to a person as fast as they’d taken to Vanjie. Maybe it was the fact that at first, she’d left them alone; maybe it was that she was secretly (allegedly) smearing the waistband of Vanessa’s shorts with just a smidge of butter every night. The details weren’t important. What mattered was, when Brooke and Vanessa went to bed on their second-to-last night together, they left the door open, and the cats slept at the foot of their bed.
(11)
“Awww, bye, little guys!” Vanessa crouched down to meet Henry and Apollo, who had padded over to sniff at the suitcases gathered next to the door and give Vanessa’s ankles a few last licks
“You’re not afraid of the demon-type juju bullshit anymore?” Brooke couldn’t resist teasing the Vanessa as the small queen leaned down to pick Henry up, snuggling into his fur and giving the top of his head a little kiss.
“Okay, maybe I was being a bit dramatic.” Vanessa conceded through a mouthful of fur, rolling her eyes dramatically. “But they’re not that bad, actually.”
“I’m glad you’re finally seeing reason.” Brooke winked, taking Henry from Vanessa’s arms and letting him down onto the floor. “Ready to go?”
Vanessa hesitated for a moment, looking sheepishly from Brooke back to the cats and back to Brooke again. Brooke grinned, a bubble of affection rising up in her chest, forcing its way out in a little laugh.
“It’s okay, babe,” she teased, pushing Vanessa out the door and giving her a quick kiss, “You’re coming back next month.”
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NLE Choppa Track Has 50 (Fifty) Cent Labeling New Generation of Artists "Crazy"
50(Fifty) Cent is not one to mince his words, but that is part of what keeps him headlining. Yesterday, 50 Cent had some things to say about the new generation of Hip-hop/rap artists. What he had to say could ruffle a few feathers, but then again, maybe not.
Fifty Post's
July 20 Fifty (Curtis Jackson) hopped on Instagram, after which he posted a clip of a track. The track entitled "Shotta Flow 6" had 50 Cent calling the new artists out as insane, but more specifically, NLE Choppa and he wasn't the only one who shared the sentiment. A few others raised their eyebrows in disbelief after listening to Choppa's "Shotta Flow 6." But why? Because the lyrics of the track are, shall we say, incriminating? One poster had this to say about the track:
"Damn, he couldn't wait to the end of the trial; shit, it might not be free Melly, but instead R.I.P Melly."
What exactly is the issue?
One listen to "Shotta Flow 6," and the issue is apparent. Some lyrics go something like this,
https://youtu.be/f9zkBcZZ-1Y
"Assaulted a cop when a n-gga was seven/ When I turned 11, I turned to a felon/ My n-gga was snakin', I knew I could smell it/ When I'm feelin' threatened, I turn into Melly/ Free Melly/ One pop, we pop, we made him drop,"
That says it all.
Fifty's Response: Admiration or Disbelief
One can't be sure whether Fifty was admiring the gall and guts of Choppa or just pointing out the lack of rationality when he commented,
"Yo, these little 's crazy, LOL WTF!"
But one thing is sure, Choppa got the multi-media mogul's attention. And if he got Fifty's, he sure to have the ears and eyes of a lot more.
Is it Insanity?
Jackson makes a solid point. Whether he intended to hype Choppa or call him out is not the most significant thing here. The primary issue here is the extent to wherein artists will go. This poses the question: does the new brand of artists really suffer from a mental deficiency, or is it something far worse?
What Could be Worse?
The only thing worse than a collective of artists suffering from a mental deficiency are those who are strategic beasts. They are so Machiavellian that they don't care about the what, only the outcome. But to determine that, one must ask whether this song's release was a sign of irrational thinking and behavior, factors that well-define insanity. Or was this a strategic stunt, a deliberate effort to push the envelope as far as possible to get more eyes on a project? That is the question.
What are Choppa's Sentiments
This track appears in Choppa's project entitled" Me vs. Me." It's a project in which the artist has spoken well. According to a source he once said about the "Me vs. Me,"
"This Is A Mixtape. I'm grateful for what I have. I'm in competition with no one. This Is perfect for me and my plaque still coming, watch."
That's something to consider.
Tying it Up
Everyone has their opinions about the artists of today, and Jackson has expressed his. What is worth watching is whether Choppa's track will genuinely impact YNW Melly's trial. As HipHopDX notes,
'He currently faces life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. If convicted, he could get the death penalty."
Truly things that make you go, umm!
Written by Renae Richardson
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Snakin' Around
read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/32RBKpq
by Lamia of the Dark (VisceraNight)
Crowley in Naga form, playing in a mud puddle and annoying the Dukes of Hell while he's at it.
Words: 182, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English
Fandoms: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Categories: Gen
Characters: Crowley (Good Omens), Hastur (Good Omens), Ligur (Good Omens)
Additional Tags: Crack, Crowley (Good Omens) in Naga Form, Humor
read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/32RBKpq
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The Unicorn
The Unicorn by Shel Silverstein A long time ago, when the earth was green and there was more kinds of animals than you've ever seen, and they run around free while the world was bein' born, and the lovliest of all was the Unicorn. There was green alligators and long-neck geese. There was humpy bumpy camels and chimpanzees. There was catsandratsandelephants, but sure as you're born the lovliest of all was the Unicorn. But the Lord seen some sinnin', and it caused him pain. He says, 'Stand back, I'm gonna make it rain.' He says, 'Hey Brother Noah, I'll tell ya whatcha do. Go and build me a floatin' zoo. And you take two alligators and a couple of geese, two humpy bumpy camels and two chimpanzees. Take two catsandratsandelephants, but sure as you're born, Noah, don't you forget my Unicorn.' Now Noah was there, he answered the callin' and he finished up the ark just as the rain was fallin'. He marched in the animals two by two, and he called out as they went through, 'Hey Lord, I got your two alligators and your couple of geese, your humpy bumpy camels and your chimpanzees. Got your catsandratsandelephants - but Lord, I'm so forlorn 'cause I just don't see no Unicorn.' Ol' Noah looked out through the drivin' rain but the Unicorns were hidin', playin' silly games. They were kickin' and splashin' in the misty morn, oh them silly Unicorn. The the goat started goatin', and the snake started snakin', the elephant started elephantin', and the boat started shaking'. The mouse started squeakin', and the lion started roarin', and everyone's abourd but the Unicorn. I mean the green alligators and the long-neck geese, the humpy bumpy camels and the chimpanzees. Noah cried, 'Close the door 'cause the rain is pourin' - and we just can't wait for them Unicorn.' Then the ark started movin', and it drifted with the tide, and the Unicorns looked up from the rock and cried. And the water come up and sort of floated them away - that's why you've never seen a Unicorn to this day. You'll see a lot of alligators and a whole mess of geese. You'll see humpy bumpy camels and lots of chimpanzees. You'll see catsandratsandelephants, but sure as you're born you're never gonna see no Unicorn https://youtu.be/_EPsuOEH1fY
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