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hp-fanfic-archive · 4 months

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A-Z AU Rec List

Saw this A-Z list of AU writing prompts and decided to make a rec list based on it! This has a little bit of everything, pairings wise, so hopefully there’s something for everyone.

A: Apocalypse AU Love In A Time Of The Zombie Apocalypse by rizzlewrites [dramione, E, 356k] After Voldemort, there was this. The clock is ticking to create a cure to the unimaginable horror that currently grips the world. Hermione finds herself unwillingly allied with the most hated man in Wizarding Britain. (also available as a podfic)

B: Bounty Hunter AU Bounty Hunter by SnippyandSnarky [drarry, M, 32k] Set after the 7th book. Voldemort is nearly defeated. A familiar bounty hunter is picking off Death Eaters one by one. (also available as a pdf or e-book file)

C: College AU Wannabe Your Lover by Maraudererasmut & shadow_prince [wolfstar, M, 15k] Somewhere in America, Fall of 1997 - Returning to University, James refused to room with Sirius in the wake of The Great Cheez-it Battle of '96. They must adjust to living with someone new, Mr. Potter worried they'd both get scurvy, James unsuccessfully continued trying to court one Lily Evans, Snape got what was coming to him, and Sirius was the most confused of them all.

D: Do-Over (Second Chance) AU Do It All Over Again (Series) by DracoWillHearAboutThis [drarry, E, 468k] All he wanted was a way out. A way to do it all over again, and to erase his mistakes. He stared at the crackling blue flames so hard they imprinted in his vision. At age eleven, Draco receives a letter from the future, which will make him change the path he has set out upon and lead him into a life he'd never dared to imagine. (also available as a podfic)

E: Emergency Responders AU Oh, We Lost Magic by nerakrose [wolfstar, jily, G, 4k] The year is 1985 and Sirius, Remus, James and Lily are working as paramedics in muggle London, living seemingly normal lives…except there's really an awful lot of weird things going on.

F: Fake Dating AU Distractions by morningsound15 [hermione/ginny, T, 86k] Ginny sighed and slumped back in her seat. “You’re letting him win. He’s winning the breakup!” “Everything you’re saying is ridiculous! You can’t win a breakup.” “Obviously you can, and Ron is doing it!” “You’re being childish. Not everything is about winning and losing.”

G: Ghost AU Another Day in the Sun by REwrites [wolfstar, T, 19k] Is it haunted? I suppose that depends on who is telling the story.

H: Historical Fiction AU Blood and Brimestone by calanthe_fic [drarry, E, 42k] The Inquisition claims it reforms and cleanses Prodigals of their demonic heritage, but Captain Harry Potter learns that the Church has lost its way and is worse by far than the devils in Hells Below. (also available as a pdf or e-book file)

I: Investigation AU Caught by Phiso [wolfstar, G, 4k] Sirius Black was the thief no one could catch – at least, not until he met his match in Detective Inspector Remus Lupin.

J: Jazz Club AU A Specter of The Night [+Podfic] by writer-or-whatever [wolfstar, T, 1k] Roaring 20s Wolfstar AU OR The one where Sirius turns up out of the blue as a Jazz singer and Remus is confused and still very much in love.

K: Knitting AU Charmed Wool by winnett [drarry, E, 11k] Draco works for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department (MMAD). Tracking down an illegal knitter of charmed jumpers takes him to County Cork where he never expected to find the missing Chosen One. (also available as a pdf or e-book file)

L: Lycanthropy AU seventeen moons by we_built_the_shadows_here [snily, G, 6k] “The scar is small, at least,” Pomfrey says, pulling the bandage snug around the cleaned wound. There’s a pity in her voice that makes Severus want to throw up again. “It will be easily covered.” Dumbledore catches him inspecting it, as if mesmerized. ��You are lucky to have survived at all,” the Headmaster says. Severus does not say I don’t feel very lucky because it is stupid and obvious. Instead, he says unsteadily, “I want to press charges, sir.” Pomfrey stills, tightening the bandage to the point of discomfort. “Remus Lupin would be executed,” Dumbledore says. “The Ministry takes a dim view of werewolves who infect other wizards.”

M: Musician AU Bubblegum Blues by reachthetree [wolfstar, M, 5k] Remus actually looks down as she smiles, like a shy teenager in a first kiss scenario, and it gives Sirius deja vu. She’s lived this exact moment before. Only in another life. When Remus lifts the bass, Sirius sees a tattoo on the back of her upper arm, and drops her little notebook on the sticky floor. She’s only known one other person with a tattoo like that. But it can’t be… Can it?

N: No Voldemort AU Sing Me a (Christmas) Love Song by andromedablacc [James/Sirius, G, 1k] James is a famous Quidditch player, and once upon a time Sirius was famous in his own right.

O: Office AU Of Tinsel and Nice Starts by nerakrose [wolfstar, G, 2k] Mysterious clouds and strange coffee abounds. Office romance.

P: Photographer AU Rule of Thirds by bluepeony [wolfstar, G, 2k] Modern AU: Sirius Black, star of the university's football team, only wants one thing: a teensy-weensy, harmless little kiss.

Q: Quidditch Player AU our kiss is as the moon to draw by blackkat [lily/narcissa, T, 1k] “Problems, cousin?” Narcissa calls to Sirius, cool and sugar-sweet. She’s smirking, braid of pale hair coming loose, and Lily should absolutely be cheering for Gryffindor, but she can't help herself. As Narcissa turns into a sharp dive, snatching the Quaffle right out of James's hands as she passes, she whoops, clapping her hands together. “I think this is the part where I'm supposed to call you a traitor,” Remus observes from the seat beside her, as dry as dust, though he hasn’t even lifted his gaze from his book.

R: Receptionist AU They don't love you like I love you by moonlightgalleon [wolfstar, G, 5k] Hospital receptionist Remus Lupin usually invites superheroes as guests for the kids. That is, until he gets the unusual request of inviting villain The Canis.

S: Soulmate AU Amare Series by ABlackRaven [harry/cedric, T, 173k] Cedric feels drawn to protect Harry Potter. Whether this be from Dementors on a Quidditch pitch or the tasks of a life-threatening tournament, he's determined to help him. He can't help but worry about the younger boy. Eventually friendship takes root and potentially…something more? Harry feels drawn to Cedric, safe when he is near. He certainly has no shortage of dangers in his life, from an abusive home life to the growing threat of Voldemort. He cant help the guilt that he puts Cedric in danger by proximity. Eventually friendship takes root and potentially…could he hope for something more? And when the end of the third task goes horribly wrong, will either of them survive? A rewrite of Book 4 revolving around Harry and Cedric.

T: Time Travel AU Escaping the Paradox by Meri [snarry, E, 35k] After Harry is thrown back in time to 1971, he has several choices to make. (also available as a podfic)

U: Undercover AU The Chosen One & The Halfblood Prince by waitingondaisies [Harry & Severus, T, 93k] Severus Snape was discovered as a spy mere days before the start of the school year. Thankfully, Albus had been working on a vague contingency plan for this possibility. It had been inspired by the question, “What would it take for Severus Snape to see that he was wrong about Harry Potter?” The answer? Force Severus to go undercover as Alfonse “Eli” Hopkirk, a sixth year Gryffindor.

V: Vampire AU Immortal Claim by ladyofsilverdawn [snarry, E, 16k] Harry needs Snape's cooperation to solve a case, but navigating vampiric culture and Snape's powerful allure proves more challenging than he anticipates.

W: Western AU Hell and High Water by Krethes [susan bones/pansy parkinson, T, 7k] Pansy is the daughter of the leader of a notorious band of outlaws that's been running this dusty old town for as long as she can recall. Then one day a new sheriff rides into town with her pretty little niece at her side who keeps making pretty little eyes at Pansy and -- aw, hell. (also available as a podfic)

X: N/A

Y: Youtube AU real life has no appeal by orphan_account [wolfstar, G, 7k] In which Remus is Lily's roommate and Sirius, James and Peter break into places.

Z: Zombie AU Love In A Time Of The Zombie Apocalypse by rizzlewrites [dramione, E, 356k] After Voldemort, there was this. The clock is ticking to create a cure to the unimaginable horror that currently grips the world. Hermione finds herself unwillingly allied with the most hated man in Wizarding Britain. (also available as a podfic)

Yes, yes, I know. The first and last list items are the same, but there are only so many zombie and/or apocalypse AUs.

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ofgentleresolve · 2 years

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@jeoseungsaja sent:

"It's you, isn't it." At this point, it's no longer surprising to catch a shadow plastered on the dilapidated wall. At this point, he can recognize said shadow; take note of the outline of unmistakable hat. There's a long pause after something that might sound like a revelation; his back facing the vigilante as fingers carefully graze long leafs of Lily of the Valley. A little, saddened smile tugs at his lips, before letting out an elongated sigh. "The one who puts water in this plant once in a while." Touch releases itself from the damp green, turning about so he can address the Black Knight.

He doesn't understand. Doesn't understand why the masked vigilante does these things: comes around whenever he pleases, for as long as the door remains with that shabby lock (a lock Hyuk himself hasn't even changed due to a million penurious excuses; it almost feels like the detective welcomes him through actions, even if his stubborn words might say otherwise) and, on top of that, is observant enough to tell when this plant needs water.

Hyuk knows Nakamura uses the watering can to give the Lily of the Valley much needed showers whenever he forgets to do so, but it's almost impossible for the plant to remain this damp after hours of its last round of water. Plus, he doesn't think it's a coincidence that the leaves have fresh droplets of liquid on occasions he's found the Black Knight inside his office. Truly? He could question him about it, be relentless and ask why he's doing this, why does he even care; continue with worded brawls until one of them lurches forward.

But he doesn't. Instead, he looks down, pretends that he's busying himself with something else as he walks to his desk and takes a paper crane that wasn't there earlier. Suki must've folded some papers around here. Again. He's too tired to mind tonight.

"Thank you." He finally says, in the shape of a whisper more than anything else. "That plant...the--flower---" What is he doing? Is he about to tell him what it symbolizes? God, he must be losing his mind now. Head lifts, looking at the Black Knight and those eyes that unnerve him.

A hand waves in dismissal. He can't. He'll be too vulnerable.

"Nothing. Just...thank you."

(IDK WHAT THIS IS BUT KASHDIUWEDH PLS TAKE IT, I HOPE IT'S OKAY; AS ALWAYS PLS FEEL FREE TO DISMISS IF YOU'D LIKE, HAVE A FANTASTIC DAY FERRE C:!!!) || flowers!! + pain ( unprompted. )

For once, he does not flinch when the detective calls to him. How strange it has become, this ritual between the two of them to convene in Hyuk’s rundown office when the city trades its certainty for the illusion of peace. They both know better; a single lock, even one sturdier than the one Hyuk still has not replaced ( perhaps Patrick should nag him on it although most things roll off his dear friend’s back like water, irritants included. Inspector Im would know; Miss Nakamura would too ) doesn’t guarantee any safety. The best mechanism against danger is AWARENESS.

And yet, here the Black Knight is again, slipping through a window into the office awaiting one exhausted, bitter detective who has lost the plot according to his former co-workers, maybe even the public in general. He winces, a twinge of pain shooting up from his back, where the sutures he received the last time they spoke haven’t quite dissolved, the thread, pulling the skin there taut.

And yet, the Black Knight knows this tenderness isn’t only a physical sensation. Sometimes when he looks at his dear friend, it makes Patrick ache. The source of the pain is never clear in those instances and while he can pinpoint his back as one of the sources this time around, the whole picture remains blurry. The line between tangible and intangible blurs.

Sometimes, Hyuk reminds Patrick of an old wound, crusted from the passage of time. And yet still raw even after all these years: the way phantom limbs will ache even when the said ligament has been severed years ago.

Patrick remains leaning against the wall, the shadows obscuring half of his face, where his hat will not. His gloves are slightly damp from handling the watering can. If Hyuk were to check, there would be reminiscences of warmth wrapped around the handle in turn. The soil seemed on the dry side when he had slipped in through the window. Winters are never kind of flowers such as these. Patrick follows Hyuk’s gaze.

He hadn’t noticed it the first time around, that pot of flowers. He had been too busy, too focused on taking that USB Drive to pinpoint the source of that scent in the office. But it made sense the second time around, that coy scent of spring, lemons, and REBIRTH. A fragrance brave enough to make its presence known, but humble enough to avoid saccharinity. Coy, but not cloying. It settles over the office the same way the grief has settled over Hyuk in a heavy coat.

The Black Knight should be practical. He should tell Hyuk to get rid of that pot- doesn’t he realize it gives him away? Not everyone smells like a lily of the valley, this mute flower that not even the deftest of perfumiers can replicate. To keep such a plant in the vicinity will only invite more danger to Hyuk. And his colleagues.

And yet.

“If you’re going to take care of it, do it right, or don’t try at all,” he says, half-heartedly. Perhaps in their earlier days, there would be more bite behind those words. And besides, Hyuk would most likely know better than anyone else how difficult it is to protect someone.

The flower jostles gently under Hyuk’s coaxing. The buddings rustle the way bells might and for once, he imagines something pleasant to accompany it- something like her laughter. Or maybe Hyuk thinks of him. Not the Black Knight, but of a Patrick Grace long since buried.

Patrick hasn’t seen one in years; his favorite flower- a native wildflower to the English countryside that signal the start of spring, a symbol of starting anew. And yet there is one more reason, in a box of memories he stashed away, he can recall for adoring this meek blossom-

“…Do you know you what it’s supposed to represent?” He pushes off the wall and approaches the pot as Hyuk takes his usual seat at his desk. A light scent washes over the smell of smoke and burning for the briefest of moments as his thumb grazes the top of a leaf. “The coming of spring. Humility. Purity of heart. A return to happiness.”

In other words, starting over. Coming to terms after mourning.

Moving on.

( That’s not something Patrick deserves, but he knew that when he put the mask on. The greatest mercy he can ask for is sweet oblivion in the end. )

Hyuk gives something akin to a smile and something in Patrick clenches. ( If it feels something like guilt or regret even, he won’t acknowledge it. ) He lets his hand drop and turns away from his beloved friend, sharply.

“You should take a lesson from it.”

#jeoseungsaja #jeoseungsaja ( lee hyuk. )#( myungdae. )#( verse: a knight is but a gentleman with a sword. )#answered ( myungdae. )#everything changes everybody changes ( answered. )#going to you without any reason ( patrick & hyuk | black knight verse. )#you & hyuk: *tries to have one soft moment in this painful verse*#patrick: *defense activated*#I AM SO SORRY YOU BOTH....😭#BUT ALSO HE'S KINDA?? REFLECTING HYUK THERE :'D #just in being a little softer/kinder but still veiled and coarse :'D #HE GOT A POTENTIAL BONDING MOMENT AND HE SAID 'i don't like this'#PATRICK YOU KNOW HYUK WOULD NEVER TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT 😭#it's okay to you know feel something right?? 😭#okay BUT ALEX THE WAY HYUK IS LIKE....COARSE BUT YOU CAN SEE THE EMOTION LEAKING OUT HAS ME 😭#C'MON PATRICK HE TAKING A FEW STEPS FORWARD HERE #HE TREATED UR WOUNDS TOO ( not me SOBBING OVER UR RESPONSE BTW 😭- will yell about that more in depth i promise )#give a little too okay D-:#but also i said: i don't usually write in metaphors...they are tricky #patrick vc: wanna bet #JFKLSJDFLKSDJ he and myungdae really do....bring out the metaphors and similes in me :'D #but also alex!! THANK YOU SO MUCH?? FOR SENDING THIS IN :'D #this was so much fun to respond to much like all of our dynamics :'D #i put this as a continuation of sorts to our current thread if that's okay with you??#but if not I can definitely change things and anything else u would like me to tho!!#but for now PLS HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY AND I HOPE YOU ARE WELL AND CARE YOU LOTS <3 <3 <3

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malarki · 3 years

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Harry Potter FanFiction I greatly enjoy (it’s just tomarry and sevitus)

Fair warning, I’m not good at describing stuff, and most of these are not complete (yet) but if you have similar tastes as I do then you’ll definitely like these stories.

Meddling of a Mischief Maker - by Athy

https://archiveofourown.org/works/5380535/chapters/12427268

I enjoy this fic because it shows a more human Voldemort with him still being an asshole as per usual. They do a good job of having Voldemort believably change into a not crazy murderous bastard haha. It also has Sirius interacting with Voldemort and for some reason I find those scenes hilarious in any fic I read.

“Harry's being a horcrux is a bit reworked here in this AU Story set during the summer after 5th year. A Mischief Maker intervenes in the Ministry during Voldemort and Dumbledore's duel, changing the course history. MorallyGrey!Dumbledore, Sirius, Restored Souls, HP/TR”

Draw Me After You (Let Us Run) - by ToAStranger @toast-ranger-to-a-stranger

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22327684/chapters/53334382

This story is a delight, it’s tone is very good and they do a great job of writing in the characters ‘voices’ for their pov’s. I especially like the posh way Voldemort talks and acts. This story is also hilarious on top of just being a very good slowburn, AND it has Sirius, which as you might have guessed, I love dearly. They also don’t bash any of the characters, and instead make them well rounded but flawed individuals, which I really appreciate.

“Harry Potter,” comes the soft, sibilant hiss of a voice he has heard in his dreams, in his nightmares, in his waking hours for years.

Slowly, carefully, Harry twists over and pushes up onto his hands and knees. He stays there, short breath fogging in front of his face, and his pursuer lets him. Harry has no doubt of that; he’s being allowed this respite. This small moment to catch his bearings, heart pounding in his ears, blood singing.

“It seems I have finally caught you.”

Consuming Shadows - by Child_OTKW @childotkw

https://archiveofourown.org/works/7040089/chapters/16011331

I’ve read two of childOTKW’s fics and both of them are fantastically written and attention grabbing stories. This one was the first one I read, and it has a very interesting take on lily Potter (one which I really enjoy) and the plot can leave you on the edge of your seat at times. The characterization is great, and the process of Harry and Tom getting to know each other is done very well.

“His attention skipped passed the students and moved to the politicians’ pavilion. His gaze locked with crimson, and he nearly faltered under the sheer hunger in those eyes.

It unnerved him how fixated the man was on his dirtied, exhausted figure.

But what troubled him more was the slight smirk he could make out on the man’s lips. It was almost pleased.

On the night of the attack, Lily managed to escape with her infant son, but at the cost of her husband’s life. Distraught and distrusting of her friends, she fled to France with Harry, to raise him away from the corruption in Britain and the rising influence of the Dark Lord. She trains him to the best of her abilities, shaping him into a dangerous, intelligent and powerful wizard.

But when Britain re-establishes the Triwizard Tournament, and Harry is forced to return to his once-home, he finds himself questioning whether he really wants to kill the Dark Lord. Voldemort finds an unexpected challenge in the child, and as his intrigue and amusement grows, so too does the desire to possess the spark in those defiant green eyes.”

A story that is kind of similar but not really: The Train to Nowhere

You Belong To Me (I Belong To You) - by child_OTKW

https://archiveofourown.org/works/11270490/chapters/25203408

This is a story inspired by the manwha ‘At The End Of The Road’ by Haribo. A comic I read before reading this, which is very good I recommend it. They do not take the exact plot from the comic though, obviously changing significant details for it to work properly as a Tomarry Fic, but one main thing stays the same, which is that this is a body swap. Honestly I really enjoy childOTKW’s works, and this is no exception. The characterization is wonderful as always, and Harry is Fantastic. Plus I’ve always been a fan of time travel fics. (Fair warning this is another slow burn and Harry centric)

“What I find absolutely fascinating,” Riddle said, stalking closer, “is you.” He marched forward, backing Harry up until he was pinned to the cool wall of the common room. “Do you know why?”

“No. And I’ll be honest here, Riddle, I don’t particularly care.”

The taller boy grinned at him, small yet infinitely pleased. “That. Right there.” One hand rose and brushed some of Harry’s fringe from his face. “Nathan Ciro was a spineless little boy too afraid of his own shadow to dare even glance in my direction. But you…”

He leaned closer, “You look at me like you want to stab me.”

“After an accident, Auror Harry Potter wakes up in the body of fourteen year old Nathan Ciro, a tormented Slytherin who recently tried to end his own life. Seeking answers to his strange predicament, Harry returns to Hogwarts, and causes quite the stir through staff and students - especially when they come to realise he is not the same boy as before.

He tries to avoid suspicion, but as his quest for the truth draws more and more attention to him, Harry begins to think that he might not like what he will discover.”

Some Bonus AU tomarry

A Thousand Paths Among The Stars - by Haplessshippo @haplesshippo

https://archiveofourown.org/works/12015060/chapters/27191238

This is a star trek au and it’s honestly my favorite tomarry au fic. Granted, I am a huge sci-fi fan. There’s also a bit of a twist at the end, or at least it surprised me, due to the way we usually expect tomarry plots to go.

“Harry Potter, newly appointed Captain of the Marauder and son of the famous Captain James Potter, was falling apart at the seams. His crew didn’t respect him, he was lost in the empty expanse of space, nightmares plagued his sleep, and his Commander deserved the Captain position more than he did. Good thing multiple attempts on his life and a vicious warlord after his head was all it took to turn it all around.

Alternatively, that space fic in which Harry Potter almost dies too many times, Tom Riddle slowly becomes the most smitten fool on the ship, and the rest of the crew are all just a bunch of assholes with popcorn watching the show. And exploding ships, don't forget the exploding ships.”

The Matchmaker - by TanninTele

https://archiveofourown.org/works/16507676/chapters/38664089

I am ALSO a huge true crime fan, and this story has a criminal that kinda reminds me of one that might appear in Hannibal (but with less murder). I enjoy the characterization, though tom is pretty tame in this compared to more cannon fics, considering he’s not the criminal and instead an investigator. Harry is also different from how people usually portray him, but I still like it.

“'The Matchmaker' is a serial abductor whose modus operandi consists of pairing two same-sex individuals together in a coffin, six feet underground - buried alive. He isn't a killer. He's a kidnapper with morals, and Detective Chief Inspector Tom Riddle finds himself obsessed with solving the case.

Unfortunately for Tom, the Matchmaker is just as intent on knowing him.”

And on to the Sevitus Stories

Far Beyond A Promise Kept - by oliversnape

https://archiveofourown.org/works/547431/chapters/974693

A classic, Harry stays with snape and unintentionally proves all his assumptions wrong and makes snape care about him. Both the stories have this aspect, but this one has snape a bit nicer from the get go. Probably because it takes place during the third book, so they’ve only known each other two years. It’s quite wholesome though, and I rather enjoy the progression of their relationship.

“Snape never wanted anyone to know of his promise to Dumbledore, but has realised that he can protect Potter much better by taking a less passive role in the boy's training. Actually liking Harry Potter has never been part of his plan. mentor/guardian.”

Crime And Punishment - by melolcatsi

https://archiveofourown.org/works/24102232/chapters/58018174

Snape and Harry have way more of a rocky start in this one, and Snape having to pick Harry up from the police station Really Doesn’t Help Snape’s opinion of him. This story very realistically shows the progression of their relationship, going from enemies to family, and near the ‘end’ (it’s not finished) it becomes very wholesome with Snape trying to help Harry with his mental and physical health after years of abuse/ neglect.

“Harry is accused of burglary. The Dursleys leave him to rot. Dumbledore sends Snape to remedy the situation. Harry finds himself in the care of an irate Snape. Not slash, gen-fic w/ focus on Sevitus relationship. Angst galore. Warnings: coarse and suggestive language, mentions of abuse/neglect. Un-betaed and un-Britpicked.”

#tomarry #tom riddle #harry potter #sevitus #severus snape #fanfic #fanfic reccomendation #ao3 fanfic #ao3 #archive of our own #tom riddle x harry potter

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221bshrlocked · 3 years

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Nature’s Altar

Pairing: Inspector Marcus Pike x Witch!Reader (Victorian AU)

Warnings: None. General spookiness.

Words: 1906

A/N: This is for this week’s WRITER WEDNESDAY challenge held by the wonderful @autumnleaves1991-blog & @clydesducktape. One day I won’t post this late but today is not that day. There is an angsty ending for those of you that like your hearts broken. It’s to be read instead of the last paragraph. You’ll find it at the end of this post. The quote in the alternate ending is one of Maya Angelou’s. Enjoy and do let me know how I’m doing in the comments please and thank you.

He was never afraid of the occult, mostly because he never had time to believe in it. Well, that’s not entirely true now was it? He never believed in the supernatural, until exactly ten minutes ago when he started walking through the graveyard and his mind began to play tricks on him. There was something eerie about graveyards, especially around this time of year where he noticed unnatural things taking place around him. But he was determined. He needed to scout this area now that he knew there was a high chance the gallery was, in fact, in this place. He just hoped it would be above ground in one of those abandoned mausoleums and not buried six feet under. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to go deeper into this part of the estate without any backup. When he began to hear owls hooting and flying above his head along with the cracking branches not too far from him, his hand moved swiftly to the revolver hanging on his belt and he pulled back the hammer to prepare for the worst.

Suddenly, the foggy grounds grew quiet and he began to make his way towards the woods, praying to the Almighty that this was all in his head and there weren’t any supernatural beings spying on him. He was just beginning to brush the thoughts aside when he saw a figure moving across his peripheral vision. Knowing that he couldn’t wait for the worst, he ran towards the sound of the rustling leaves and held his revolver ahead of him in preparation. When he came to a halt, the air around him felt different but he had no time to dwell on the sudden change, his eyes finally making out the shape of the figure he saw not a moment ago.

There, beneath a dying willow tree, you stood dressed in a dark green and black dress and he was about to ask you to face him when he noticed you setting lilies upon a grave. He slowly began to lower his revolver, knowing that you were not dangerous to him. But then a passing wind came through the graveyard as soon as you lit candles near the tombstone and he realized that he may have been mistaken earlier.

“Do not worry Inspector Pike, they will not hurt you.” His eyes widened in horror and shock when you spoke to him and he wondered how you possibly knew who he was. As he was about to ask you why you were there, you stood up and turned around slowly, not giving him a chance to say anything as you approached him with caution so as to not scare him. It took him a few seconds to react and when you were not five feet away from him, he took out his revolver again but kept it aimed to the ground, knowing that you understood what he was willing to do should you try anything.

“Neither will I if I may add. Although, if it makes you feel safer, by all means, aim it at my head.” Your smile was soft but predatory and he wondered for a moment why he didn’t accept the help of the constables when they asked him earlier before he left the station.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?”

“Well, I am no one of concern. My identity will not help you in your investigation. However, I do believe you and I have a similar goal.” The more you spoke, the more difficult it became for him to focus on anything but the softness of your voice. God, this was not how he thought the day would go.

“And…what would that be?” He was cautious with his questions, hoping that you wouldn’t find offense in the way he was speaking with her.

“You are looking for the missing gallery, are you not?” You asked him and smiled when he realized that you probably knew the answer to your question but were feigning ignorance.

“H-how do you know about that?”

“I may be cut off from this world Inspector, but I do occasionally read the papers.” Your laugh would have been music to his ears had he not been absolutely terrified of what you were capable of. Something told him to be weary of you and even though he repeated in his mind over and over again that your kind couldn’t possibly exist, he was beginning to doubt his entire belief system now that you were present before his eyes.

“Why do you wish to find the gallery? Is there something that belongs to you?” As reluctant as he was, he decided to put away the revolver, knowing that such a weapon would probably do nothing to you.

“Far from it. You see, this place is…very dear to my heart. And I’d hate if more people like you came around snooping where they shouldn’t. It would anger them.” You removed the scarf from around your neck and he found himself drawn to the exposed skin of your jugular. When he forced his eyes away from your skin and held your gaze, he flushed with embarrassment at the smile that was gracing your features. God, you caught him.

“Anger who?” His brain finally registered your words and he gulped nervously when you stepped towards him until you were only a foot away.

“You know who. As much as you would hate to admit it…Marcus…they are all around you. In every sacred and non-sacred space, but mostly, in the forgotten places where people like are you afraid to enter for reasons other than death.” Chills ran down his spine and he willed himself to remain still and not run far away from you. When he shut his eyes and took a deep breath, he began to understand what you were referring to. The coldness that seeped into his skin. The unfamiliar sounds that increased and decreased depending on his own movement. The strange sensation of being watched.

They were here.

And then he opened his eyes slowly, and he swore he’s never seen a prettier pair of eyes in his entire life.

“You haven’t told me why you want the gallery to be found.” It was more of a statement than a question and he noticed the exact second your opinion of him changed. Your smile was no longer daring but welcoming, a little teasing even, and he couldn’t help but lick his lips as his attention descended down your features and zeroed in on your plump lips.

“It is nature’s altar my dear Inspector, it is meant to be peaceful and free of worldly problems. I would not see it be used to hide stolen property.” He missed your scent the moment your moved away from him and he was about to ask you where you were going when he felt the fabric of your scarf beneath his fingers. He looked down to inspect it before he returned his focus on you again, only to find your standing too far away to his liking from him.

“This will help you find what you are looking for. As for the thieves, I do believe the two youngest constables in your station already hold that information. Careful with whom you share this with though. Not everyone is as they seem.” Marcus couldn’t believe what he was hearing and as you turned around to walk away, he felt his heart almost beat out of his chest with how anxious he was of losing you.

“Wait, please.” He called out for you and thanked the heavens when you stopped and turned around for him once more.

“Is this not enough?” You asked with a frown and Marcus shook his head as he nervously played with the olive green scarf in his hands.

“I- I know this is all too soon, and I would understand if you are reluctant to do so, but…I wish to see you again.” He was tripping over his words and you couldn’t help but search his features for any signs of malice. When you recognized genuine interest written across his handsome countenance, you stepped closer to him and slipped one palm across his neck while the other rested on top of his chest.

“We can only meet again if you find your thieves. Then I will know that you truly want me.” You could feel his heartbeat raging inside his chest and before he could say anything else, you leaned up and touched his lips with your own, not caring for propriety as you slipped your tongue past his sweet mouth and slid it across his own curious flesh. Marcus was still for a moment but when you deepened the kiss and moaned against him, he couldn’t hold back anymore and he wrapped his arms around your back and pulled you in as close to him as possible. He knew he should probably break the intimate touch, for your sake at the very least, but the more you sought him, the weaker he became. Nothing mattered in that moment except making sure that you knew what he was willing to do to look upon you again.

When the need for air grew, you pulled away and rested your forehead against his, smiling at him when you see the deep shade of red that spread down to his neck.

“Anything for you.” The confident response would have brought you to your knees had he not been holding you in his arms and you silently nodded before you let go of him and silently asked him to remove himself from the grounds.

“I will see you soon my Inspector,” you teased him one last time and almost hid behind your hands when you saw the absolute love-stricken expression that took over his features soon after.

“You will wait for me then?” He asked one last time, praying that you weren’t just playing with his feelings.

“Always,” you nodded immediately and began to walk backward away from him. Neither of you wanted to break the other’s gaze but you both knew that it was time for him to leave. When he was out of sight, you turned back and walked through the graveyard, and you hated the way your heart anticipated for the next meeting with him. You were never one to pray but in that moment, you pleaded with the old gods and the new to allow Marcus to find his way back to you. And when you heard the familiar whispers of your friends from the beyond grow in number, you smiled and made your way home, knowing that they were trying their hardest not to tell you of the future they already beheld.

So much for sworn secrecy.

~Alternate Ending~

“Always,” you nodded immediately and began to walk backward away from him. Neither of you wanted to break the other’s gaze but you both knew that it was time for him to leave. When he was out of sight, you turned back to the tombstone you left the flowers on previously and kneeled before it, barely managing to silence the tears as you read the words engraved onto the stone until you could no longer bear it.

Here lies Marcus Edgar Pike. Beloved Husband and Father. “In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours. In all the world, there is no love for you like mine.”

---

Taglist (some aren’t working): @pastel-0-princess @feelmyroarrrr @libbymouse @its--fandom--darling @spideysimpossiblegirl @princess76179 @cheekygeek05 @miraclesoflove @purple-mango @freeshavocadoooo @metalarmsandmanbuns @acthenerd @greeneyedblondie44 @cannedsoupsucks @purplepascal042 @talesfromtheguild @f0rever15elf @vibin-hippie @onesmokinbabe @leaiorganas @words-way-of-life @kideyz @lovesickmadsadpoet @niall7inches @rosiefridayrogersunday @sleep-tight1 @itsfreeekinbats @cybergroupie @marsplsstop @ezrasbirdiealso @diogodxlot @janebby @juletheghoul @bii-aan-ckaa @nohartandsole-blog @djjarins @giselatropicana @maziken @blackmarketmummy @laviipopii @ew-erin @fan-of-encouragement @melody13522 @clydesducktape @planetariumx @thirddeadlysin @leannawithacapitala @fangirl-316 @thou-creature-of-the-deep @what-iwish-you-knew @nabootycall @pascalsky @pedrostories @anaaaispunk @monocromaticstaircase @severinsnape @elegantduckturtle @gothicxbarbie @revengeisaconfesionofpain @hypnoash @pedritopascalito @eri16 @andiesturgss @kotemorons @christina-loves @tintinn16 @persephones-garden @sequere-mei-callipygian @heykathchuu

#Writer Wednesday #marcus pike #pedro pascal #marcus pike x reader #marcus pike/reader #marcus pike x fem!reader #marcus pike/fem!reader #witch!reader #victorian au

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choperfect · 3 years

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One of the reasons why I think about taking my Twitter, the guys ooze an absurd hatred against the people who ship Remadora besides attacking the character herself saying that Remus used her to forget about Sirius and that, if Sirius were alive, Remus would betray Tonks.

I’ve already read a thread something like this “reasons why Remadora is problematic” that indirectly trivialized homophobia by leaving between the lines that anyone who doesn't ship Wolfstar is homophobic. What makes me angrier about this whole mess is that these guys who bang their heads to justify Wolfstar seem to have never read anything about HP or consumed the books (I hate to use a JK as an argument, but she's credited) about characters besides completely ignore the psychological aspects Remus.

This happens a lot on twitter like when they say "oh Remus waited for Sirius to die to get married"?? Sorry for the language, but FUCKING the character is all sequel, he lived in fear of himself, he went through a fucked up depression, he was marginalized because of Lycanthropy, he lived most of his life in total misery, but the rosemary Swear it took him to be with Tonks because I still liked Sirius. Remus Lupine only has traumas when it's convenient there. Which raises another issue, as you mentioned, about Remus' bisexuality, people are using this “oh he Gay” speech as if the idea of Remus being bi was absurd. Why the people are freaked out.

At these times I take a deep breath and say “each one with their fanfics”, but these guys seem to do nothing but be a third-party shipp inspector just because it doesn't fit with a fanfic that only exists in the fandom bubble.

I have had less contact with the HP fandom because of that, trying to get in touch with other groups so I don't get too stressed.

It’s always the same thing. "Remadora is a problematic couple name because Tonks hates her name", "Remadora is homophobic and only exists because JK doesn't create gay couples", "Tonks took advantage of Remus in a fragile moment", "Remus abandoned Tonks and the baby, so he didn't love them" and variants.

The whole concept of gay Remus came about because of the Prisoner of Azkaban adaptation, and it's a stereotyped concept. The director read the books and thought "um he looks gay, I'm going to ask the actor to act like he's gay". And because of a hug, that was it, Remus turned gay. Ah, they always ignore multisexualities.

That’s it, ship what you want, but they don't come and piss me off.

People want so much to force their couple for sure that they use any argument. They want to say that Remadora is problematic, but they don't even realize that the ship itself is problematic. I love Remus and I love Sirius, but I can't see them as a couple for a lot of reasons. Sirius' "joke", in addition to almost killing Remus, revealed to their "enemy" Remus' biggest secret, which I'm sure Remus kept under lock and key because he feared being despised and ridiculed, ie Sirius shit for feelings at this time just to provoke Snape. Sirius and Remus believed for over a year that the other was the undercover traitor and Remus continued to believe that until he saw the rogue's map in 1994. If the guy I like believed I would be able to betray my best friends and not even ask me about it and instead trust others, for me that person is not a boyfriend. Not to mention that Sirius, after leaving Azkaban, didn't go after Remus. He only went after Remus in 1995 at the behest of Dumbledore. And the main reason: wolfstar fans made me hate wolfstar more than anything.

On Remus being "sequelae": Remus almost attacked Harry, who was the son of his best friends in 1994. It was the reason he left Hogwarts and I believe that fear accompanied him for many years in the form of nightmares. No wonder his bogeyman was the moon. Add to that his being poorer, older, and a social outcast that everyone feared and despised. Lupine always thought of others. It was obvious that he would put the well-being of the woman he loved above himself and want what was best for her. Many don't remember, but the same night Sirius died, Tonks was seriously injured. And I believe that this, and not Sirius' death, which made Remus recognize that he loved her.

If Remadora was homophobic because JK doesn't create gay couples, then ALL couples should be homophobic. Because there's no hint that Remus and Sirius are attracted to each other. The book makes it very clear that they hugged like brothers and in the movie I never saw another intention in the hug.

Tonks taking advantage of Remus is the most absurd thing I've ever read. Who has never tried to win the person you love? And if Tonks was a little "pushy" it's because she knew that what made Remus hesitate was because he wanted to protect her and not because he didn't love her.

It is interesting to see that Snape causing Lily's death and regretting it and then protecting Harry is proof of love. But Remus was afraid of harming his own son, tried to run away, repented and died to save his son and give him a better world is because he didn't love him enough.

I love Sirius, but what he did with Remus just proves how much their relationship is just friendship and the brotherly love Black had was for James. The problem is that people have a habit of always putting romance into friendships and toxic enemies (cough, cough, Drarry, cough, cough). These people have fetishes and want to shove it down the throats of others.

I believe that if you ship the couple a lot, you like the people who make it up, then to say that Remus would betray Tonks is literally saying that the character you like has no character, the same goes for saying that Remus didn't love his son.

#remadora #remus lupin #sirius orion black #harry potter #wolfstar #marauders #hogwarts #the order of the phoenix

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sussex-nature-lover · 2 years

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The Week in Pictures

Sunday 8 May 2022

We went into town this week and had to park about a mile from the beginning of the shops, which was also the opposite end of town from where we needed to be. I tell you what, my feet are definitely not made for pounding pavements even though I was wearing comfy footwear, so I had to find pleasant distractions enroute and here’re a couple of examples - town colour decorating a rather austere wall and in the case of the photo below: spectacular colours in a church hall car park. My phone didn’t do it justice at all.

Back home, the colour is primarily purple. Oh yes, for no-mow May, the Bugle is certainly going from strength to strength. Here’s some in the background while a new fox is in the foreground. When I say new, I mean one we haven’t seen before. In fact we haven’t seen many foxes at all for a couple of years now.

Looking for some colour in the visiting birds, you can’t get much more vibrant than the great spotted woodpeckers and the handsome great tits, both of which are seen multiple times daily.

This female has very recognisable markings and I liked the picture showing the ‘third eyelid’ that and the beige buffer pad above her beak, which gives her protection when chopping away at the trees - and we’ve heard a lot of that lately.

I like this photo too, think she was stashing or retrieving some suet from a hole in the palm trunk. It looks like an avian yoga pose to me.

Handsome Great Tit at the bird bath

The National Trust recently hosted the Blossom Watch hashtag on Twitter but the trees in our garden weren’t quite in time to join in. Even the Apple tree that’s more or less uprooted and falling over in the woods has come into bloom.

It was quite breezy yesterday and I watched from an upstairs window as the petals floated down on to the lawn like slow motion snow.

Hawthorn Blossom on Instagram, such a good picture. Hawthorn’s also known as May Blossom, which gave rise to the old saying ‘Ne’r cast a clout ‘til May is out’ - that said, in our garden it’s been and gone now.

*“Ne'er cast a clout till May is out,” the saying goes. Many believe this to mean that you can be “clouted” or caught out by a cold spell up until the end of the month of May, but in fact the old English meaning of the word clout, means cloth or clothing.

Of course, the fact that you see the blossom during the month of May causes a confusion of ambiguity, but certainly at the moment, you need to keep your cardi on and the evenings are particularly chilly.

10.40am on Saturday - not the weather for a BBQ

To be honest we should’ve done our work in the garden yesterday rather than Friday when it was hot and sunny. The task in hand was, and will be, hard work. Years of neglect had turned this

into a horrible boggy puddle known by our girls as The Swamp. Several efforts to restore it had stalled multiple times, but at long last we’re determined, so wellies and rubber gloves on, I found myself stood right in the middle with a bucket. Luckily for me it wasn’t as whiffy as the last time I had a go. In the thick clay mud at the bottom I did find some stones from my wildlife ‘beach’ but goodness knows where most of them are now, along with the willow logs, the wood surround and the bark, they’re gone the same way as the Iris and Lily of the Valley. We seem to have lost the Buddleia too and I thought that was an impossibility!

It’s bright and sunny again right now and I shall be on my way out again to keep calm and carry on. We’ll get it as tidy as we can and then lay a new membrane on top of the old one before we decide how to proceed with the surrounding area. By the way, apart from bugs we found just one large newt and preserved some of the water and mud for it.

When we’ve finished I don’t think it’ll be as big and we won’t go with so many pebbles on a slope, just so long as there are still some shelves and accessibility for wildlife.

All our gardening efforts have, of course, been subject to scrutiny and supervision. Here’s the Inspector pondering a lone stick - that shouldn’t be there.

Finally I have to make honourable mention to the tulips Ms NW tY bought for us a week yesterday. I don’t think I’ve ever seen tulips stay as fresh and stand as proud for so long. I put them in my late Granny’s vase and they’ve looked fine in the hallway - maybe the shape of the vase has helped keep them in such good condition. I wonder?

FOOTNOTE FROM THE KITCHEN:

I haven’t done one of these for as long as I can remember, but for Sunday brunch we had homemade peppered and smoked mackerel rillettes with toasted sourdough bread and a mixed leaf salad with radishes and chilli beetroot and although I say so myself it was delish. I don’t know about traditional recipes but mine is to flake the fish and mix through a combination of plain Greek yoghurt, horseradish cream, finely chopped gherkin and lemon juice. I also season to taste with just a little salt and white pepper.

That should set us up for more swamp action!

#garden nature blossom flowers birds recipe #pond

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nomanwalksalone · 3 years

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ALTERNATIVE STYLE ICON: JIMMY WANG YU IN THE MAN FROM HONG KONG

by Réginald-Jérôme de Mans

There are things we always want to reclaim from our past, even from its most confused, bittersweet moments. In my case, the thoughtful moments driving home late at night down Santa Monica Boulevard decades ago from an essay-writing extension class at UCLA. With the top down on my coincidentally Australian-built convertible (a deathtrap, a future girlfriend would call it, and refuse to get in), those summer evenings seemed flower-scented, ripe with potential that would go wasted, still and quiet and beautiful in a city that was not mine.

I was taking this after-work class after feeling like I was losing my marbles, wanting to find a way to collect myself after college. College had beaten any confidence in my ability to write for personal expression out of me. I would not rediscover that in that class, in fact not for decades until blogs like No Man Walks Alone reached out to me and I could process and piece back together parts of myself, those disjointed, uncalm, uncollected pieces of myself. At the time, I was young and unmoored, and the station at the lower end of the dial I’d listen to on those drives back reflected that feeling of unreality and detachment. It played everything, ironically or not, everything from the Laverne and Shirley theme to what would have at the time been cutting-edge electronica. And one-hit wonder Jigsaw’s strange “Sky High”, whose refrain “You’ve blown it all sky high” was sung altogether too casually for someone to be expressing the upheaval of their entire life.

I was pleased to rediscover the song playing as the main theme to 1975’s The Man From Hong Kong, whose star Jimmy Wang Yu is today’s Alternative Style Icon. The song’s strangely flip attitude towards destruction works perfectly in this bizarre, bizarrely interesting movie, which ends on the climax of Wang Yu blowing former James Bond George Lazenby and an entire floor of Lazenby’s apartment building to kingdom come. After setting Lazenby (yes, Lazenby himself, in a practical effect that actually did leave him with burns) on fire by kicking him into his open-plan 1970s fireplace…

Lazenby had blown his own career sky high by walking away from a multi-picture Bond film deal to instead star in 1971’s Universal Soldier, a confounding mashup of Easy Rider and The Dogs of War whose chief point of interest is that feminist writer Germaine Greer plays a minor role. Lazenby claims that his friend Bruce Lee was set to star with him in The Man From Hong Kong until Bruce met his mysterious end at the hands of either a Dim Mak death touch or a medication allergy. Jimmy Wang Yu stepped into the role and Lee’s vacant shoes and acquits himself well in all respects except the unfair and unwinnable one of being in the shadow of a deceased legend, deceased so very much larger than life.

The Man From Hong Kong showed how exploitation films could be strangely liberating, indeed subversive. It was a so-called Ozploitation film by dint of its Australian production, going so far as to have its first scene a fight atop sacred landmark Ayers Rock, where a future Mad Max actor actually beats legendary martial artist and fight choreographer Sammo Hung. It also exploited many other period trends: the Kung Fu, international thriller, and loose cannon cop fads, with Wang Yu a polished Hong Kong police inspector able to charm very white Australian beauties out of their hang-gliding pants and bikinis. Nearly a half century later, moviemaking still is rightfully criticized for emasculating Asian men, yet in this 1970s exploitation film an Asian man got to carry out the old seduction tropes of the regressive, lily-white British spy movie, even if (as Alice Caldwell-Kelly has observed) the characters do engage in racist banter about it.

This is very much a Jimmy Wang Yu showcase. It’s certainly not Lazenby’s fits that stand out in this movie. As my friend Matt Spaiser of The Suits of James Bond has pointed out, Lazenby has to dress the part of a playboy bigwig villain, and wears old playboy clichés like gold-buttoned blazers with draggy 1970s long collars and fat ties, all in combination with the long sideburns and Zapata ‘stache that make him look like a more butch Peter Wyngarde. Wang Yu, instead, makes a deep blue his theme color, first in a rollneck with light salt-and-pepper tweed jacket in his suave arrival scenes in Australia, then as the color of the jumpsuit he wears in a viciously violent car chase and final fight where, as agent of the most chaotic good, he smashes through the windows of Laz’s penthouse apartment. That jumpsuit could have been iconic, were it not eclipsed by the yellow jumpsuit that would turn up in Bruce’s boss fights in Game of Death, released infamously long after Lee had died. In the shadow of the legend, shadows of legend. In contrast, Wang Yu’s dark green corduroy suit that he wears for his first confrontation with Lazenby is iconic and uneclipsed. Despite its 1970s exaggerations of style and details, its material, color and dash are very much contemporary, corduroy being one of the casual materials in which suit designers are trying to lure us out, even if might wear a bit warm for hot girl summer or whatever the current name of this current uncertain, tentative summer is. Perhaps hang gliding should make a comeback, although not in Sydney airspace.

Uncertain and tentative, you do what you can to collect yourself, invest at the time in what you can of yourself, and decades later maybe, maybe, you get somewhere, even if you can never stop looking back.

#rjman #reginaldjeromedemans #alternativestyleicons #features

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glowstar826 · 3 years

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Fanfiction Year in Review!

Let’s do this, boys! (and thanks very much for the tag, @xxiamaclichexx)

LIST OF FICS COMPLETED THIS YEAR IN THE ORDER THEY WERE FINISHED:

THE WINDOW TO THE LIVING (05/18/2020, 4320 words) - After Severus Snape finally succumbs to his venomous injuries and wakes up in the afterlife, he meets an old friend and discovers a most peculiar window.

THE BRAVEST MAN I EVER KNEW (05/27/2020, 5429 words) - When Albus is having trouble in Potions class, he confides in a certain greasy-haired Potions Master.

THE FILTHY HALF-BLOOD SPY (06/24/2020, 11886 words) - After Snape arrives at Number 12 Grimmauld Place from a Death Eater meeting with a ghastly injury on his arm, Remus makes it his personal mission to find out exactly what the feared Potions Master actually has to endure.

I WILL ALWAYS BE A DEATH EATER (06/30/2020, 1418 words) - When Voldemort assigns his most loyal Death Eater to deal with Peter Pettigrew, he has the perfect opportunity to exact his revenge for selling out the one woman he loved.

ZIGEUNERWEISEN (07/29/2020, 3102 words) - After Lily's parents are killed by Death Eaters, she starts to find comfort in a certain Slytherin's violin playing.

MERCY-KILL (08/15/2020, 4519 words) - Instead of leaving without explanation, Snape decides to tell Harry the secret behind Dumbledore's murder. Shocked with alarming new revelations, Harry turns to Ron and Hermione for advice.

GREG LESTRADE: MASK ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (08/28/2020, 3393 words) - When Greg sees a man on the empty streets of London without a mask, the detective inspector makes it his mission to get one on him.

I’VE REACHED MY BREAKING POINT (09/21/2020, 2989 words) - After killing his only friend and ally, all seems hopeless for one Severus Snape. Until there is an unexpected knock at his door and an even more unexpected visitor.

AN UNEXPECTED RECONCILIATION (09/27/2020, 3679 words) - When Hermione decides to take a well-needed break from life at a Muggle pier, she runs into her, Ron, and Harry's old nemesis from school: Draco Malfoy.

A MOTHER’S LOVE (09/27/2020, 502 words) - Severus meets his mother in the afterlife.

I MUST THINK THINGS THROUGH (10/31/2020, 2348 words) - Sirius, freshly escaped from Azkaban, struggles to find his footing in a new environment.

YOU MEAN EVERYTHING TO ME (11/19/2020, 1688 words) - After an Order meeting, Severus finds out just how much he is loved.

MY DEAREST FRIEND, MY DEAREST LOVE (11/30/2020, 4298 words) - While cooped up in 221B, John decides that it's time Sherlock taught him how to waltz.

NO LOVE LOST (12/31/2020, 2819 words) - Two rivals meet in the dead of night to settle a long-overdue score.

NUMBER OF WORDS WRITTEN:

In total, I have written... *whips out calculator*

*punches in a million numbers*

*calculates*

*recalculates*

136,712 words!

YOUR MOST POPULAR FIC:

Albus Potter and the Journey Through Time on all three sites.

FanFiction -

Reviews: 34

Favorites: 55

Followers: 97

Communities: 0

Archive of Our Own -

Comments: 64

Kudos: 196

Bookmarks: 45

Wattpad -

Votes: 82

YOUR PERSONAL FAVORITE:

I’m not entirely sure, really. I love all of my fics, but at this point, I think my favorite fic is my self-insert, Manizeh Rahman and the Three Riddles.

YOUR FAVE SCENE:

In my fic, Manizeh Rahman and the Three Riddles, I love the part where I tell Remus about the bracelet. (Coming soon in a future chapter!)

A FIC OR SCENE THAT CHALLENGED YOU:

No Love Lost was definitely a challenge for me, but I’m proud of the results. It was my first time writing a third-person present-tense fanfiction while also incorporating a few twists and staying below the word count maximum (I was writing this for a competition).

A LINE OF WRITING YOU’RE PROUD OF:

Goodness, there are so many! Hmm. Maybe this one from You Mean Everything To Me:

"It is," agreed Severus with a lewd smirk. "And besides—" his lover gestured to Remus's unbuttoned shirt, running his fingers over the multitude of scars on the werewolf's unclothed chest, "—you've already prepared for it." The feeling of Severus's pale hand on his skin made Remus blush furiously. As soon as Severus stopped talking, he pulled Remus towards him and caught the latter's mouth with his own.

A COMMENT THAT TOUCHED YOU:

Again, there are so many! Of course, all of @snivellussnoop‘s comments really touched me, especially the one where she said she looked up to me. That really meant a lot. But there is also another HUGE comment that a reviewer left me on Albus Potter and the Journey Through Time that really struck a chord (WARNING FOR SPOILERS):

this whole fanfic is so perfect! i absolutely love it! i'm so so glad that i found it, you deserve waaaaay more kudos and hits <3

you portray each character just how i imagine they would be and you're able to make everything so believable and compelling. i totally believe that al is an (admittedly genius) first year who's scared and innocent and wants to please ppl but still stands up for what he believes and is proud of who he is,, and don't even get me started on snape!!! i'm so on board for him being recognized as being a complete jerk (at the beginning) but we also kind of get his thought process and we see some growth thanks to the kids

i loved james being a protective big bro, and them stopping for pizza and ice cream?? hilarious and something my 11 year old self would definitely do (even with a huge death eater attack lol)

i'm a huge fan of you making the kid's presence something that'll bring out the best in the adults (love the slowly-unlearning-grudges-but-totally-well-meaning sirius). also!! that wig thing!!! such a good idea and a fun lighthearted way for sirius to be able to go out for a little while,, great idea!!

i'm so excited to see what al and james' stay might mean for the past, will they change a lot? as we already saw with the big death eater attack something has to be changing! so many possibilities! i am also 100% super excited for the kids meeting the order!! like squeaked-out-loud excited! and they'll probs be curious abt the future-- anddd omg dumbledore doesn't know about them!! the drama!

anyways, i know this has been long and rambley but i just wanted to let you know how much i love this fic and how i appreciate all the work you've put into it (you even researched the stations and pubs). thank u thank u thank u! keep up the good work <3

SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED YOUR WRITING:

The clichéd second-generation time travel trope where James Sirius and/or Fred II break a Time Turner and literally send every freaking kid in their family into the past (which is like 15 kids lmao) inspired me to write something to defy that cliché, which you may likely guess as Albus Potter and the Journey Through Time.

YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT:

My proudest moment was when @snivellussnoop said she looked up to me. I’m still in shock, to tell you the truth.

DO YOU HAVE ANY WRITING GOALS THIS YEAR?

Of course I do!

Finish Albus Potter and the Journey Through Time before 2022

Write more Snupin

Do well in the Houses Competition on FanFiction

Do well in the International Wizarding School Championship on FanFiction

Work on my WIP Sherlock post-Reichenbach fic

Finish most of the WIP one-shots I have

This was a lot of work but very fun! Tagging @snivellussnoop @deadpileofants @ottogatto @professorss19 @bunny-bopper @malakian @paracosim and anyone else in the Snapedom who writes fanfiction!

#writing #fanfiction #archive of our own #wattpad #2020 has been a blast #writing 2020 #new year 2021

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lizabethstucker · 3 years

Text

The Misadventures of Nero Wolfe edited by Josh Pachter

Subtitled: Parodies and Pastiches Featuring the Great Detective of West 35th Street

I loved this collection of stories, with only a few exceptions. Overall, I would give it 4.5 out of 5.

Introductions: Trouble in Triplicate

“At Wolfe’s Door” by Otto Penzler ~ about the characters.

“A Family Affair” by Rebecca Stout Bradbury ~ Rex Stout’s daughter provides a peek at the author.

“Plot It Yourself” by Josh Pachter ~ how the collection came to be.

Pastiches (Respectful imitations of the original works)

“The Red Orchid” by Thomas Narcejac

Translated from French, the story was written in 1947. The first English publication wasn’t until 1961. A young woman comes to hire Wolfe to discover who is trying to kill her uncle, a man who claims to have developed a red orchid. More creepy than respectful, especially how Archie hits on the female client. Too offensive for me. DNF

“Chapter 8 from ‘Murder in Pastiche’” by Marion Mainwaining

Published in 1955, this novel can also be found under the title of “Nine Detectives All at Sea”. A notorious gossip columnist is murdered during a sea cruise across the Atlantic. There are nine famous detectives on the ship as passengers. Trajan Beare, aka Nero Wolfe, is the focus of this particular chapter. It is hard to judge the whole book based on just one chapter. However, the characterization should be noted as being extremely close to the original source material. A nice read. No rating as it is just an excerpt.

“The Archie Hunters” by Jon L. Breen

Written in 1968, but never published until now. A cross of Nero Wolfe and Mike Hammer. Mock Himmler beats the crap out of anyone he encounters, particularly if they disagree with him or do something he doesn’t like. After beating up a news seller for carrying a “commie” magazine, Mock discovers an ad in the back requesting a private investigator for a missing person case. The ad, placed by Nero Wolfe, leads Mock to presume the missing person is Archie Goodwin. I’ve never been a fan of Mike Hammer nor his creator, Mickey Spillane, finding both of them to be disgusting in their love of violence, misogyny, and attitudes in general. I did enjoy this story nonetheless. 4 out of 5

“The Frightened Man” by O. X. Rusett

Gave up early on this anagram-stuffed story, even to the author’s name. More annoying than clever or cute. DNF

“Chapter 1 from ‘Murder in E Minor’” by Robert Goldsborough

I read the whole book when it was first published and, frankly, wasn’t too impressed. I do know that Goldsborough was selected by the Stout Estate to be the official author of the novels and I have read a few of his more recent books. I may try and reread it sometime down the road to see if my opinion has changed. No rating as it is only one chapter.

“The Purloined Platypus” by Marvin Kaye

While Goldsborough has the exclusive novel rights, Kaye asked to write short stories and was given the Estate’s permission as long as no novels were ever written. Benjamin Moultrie, president and board chairman of the Museum of the Strange, Odd and Peculiar, wants to hire Wolfe to investigate a robbery at the museum. As I wasn’t reading the magazines such as Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock, I missed reading any of these stories. Which is quite a tragedy. Excellent portrayals of not only the characters, but the case itself. 4 out of 5.

Parodies (Exaggerated imitations intended to poke fun at the source material)

“The House on 35th Street” by Frank Littler

Originally appeared in The Saturday Review in 1966. Little is known about the author, despite Pachter’s research attempts. A crowd is assembled in the Brownstone in a murder case, wanting to see some of the detective’s famous actions and quirks. There is an undercurrent of a very personal nature, especially at the end. 3.5 out of 5

“The Sidekick Case” by Patrick Butler

Another entry from The Saturday Review, this time in 1968, and another case of little information on the author. Wolfe objects to Archie being called a “sidekick” in a listing of the latest book. Cute. 3.5 out of 5

“The Case of the Disposable Jalopy” by Mack Reynolds

America has turned into an illiterate welfare state, Wolfe and Archie are old and sometimes forgetful, and things are beyond tight financially. Reynolds uses the last names of some of the biggest authors in Science Fiction in the story. These men want to hire Wolfe for a case of sabotage and the disappearance of a key developer. What a weird world Reynolds has built. As to the updates on the normal cast of characters in the series? Well, I never liked Orrie anyway. 4 out of 5

“As Dark as Christmas Gets” by Lawrence Block

An unpublished manuscript written by Cornell Woolrich is stolen during a Christmas party. The owner hires Wolfe wannabe Leo Haig and his Goodwin substitute, Chip Harrison, to recover it. I’ve come across stories in this series before and loved them, both for the obvious affection for the source material as well as the excellent characterization. 4.5 out of 5

“Who’s Afraid of Nero Wolfe?” by Loren D. Estleman

Arnie Woodbine, currently on parole, was fired from his last job for gambling on company time. He needs a job and finds an ad looking for an assistant sharp of wit. He finds himself hired by Claudius Lyon, a corpulent man with delusions of being Nero Wolfe. Arnie is hired as his Archie. Now all they need is a case. Since Lyon doesn’t have a private detective license and Arnie’s felony record prevents him from ever getting one, they would not be able to charge for their services. No problem as Lyon is actually quite wealthy. Their first case is regarding a poetry award that carries with it a $10,000 prize. One winner doesn’t appear to actually exist. Seriously one of the best sendups that I’ve ever read! This was a delight to read and deserved more stories. 4.5 out of 5.

“Julius Katz and the Case of Exploding Wine” by Dave Zeltserman

A friend of Julius’ that has a champion bulldog and heads a dog food company comes to see Julius with the dog in tow, asking for help to find someone to prevent Brutus from being kidnapped. He also asks that Julius find his murderer if he’s killed. Sure enough, the man is killed. Julius had agreed to investigate, but only after he gave the police a week to solve it themselves. Just as the week is up, an adversary calls to warn Julius that there is a bomb in his house, contained in a box of wine. Julius allows almost everyone to believe he is dead after the townhouse is completely destroyed from top to bottom. I absolutely loved this sorta tribute to Rex Stout. I’m particularly intrigued by Archie, an AI who is installed in Julius’ tie pin. That alone has me eyeing the book collections, but to be honest, this is a damn fine mystery. Julius is definitely not Nero Wolfe, at least in size, athleticism (martial arts), and loving women (a former womanizer who now has a regular girlfriend). He definitely is in the aspects of intelligence, laziness, and cutting Archie out of the loop. His collecting focus is wine rather than orchids, but both can be very expensive hobbies. 4.5 out of 5.

“The Possibly Last Case of Tiberius Dingo” by Michael Bracken

Age and diet are catching up to Tiberius Dingo’s body, but his mind and deductive reasoning is still as sharp as ever. His long-time assistant, Jughead Badloss, brings a client he dances with at the Senior Center, a woman who is certain she is being stalked. Family ties and age-old secrets are ripped out into the open before the case is done, for their client and for Jughead himself. The names are a little lame, but the story made up for it. 3.5 out of 5.

Potpourri

“The Woman Who Read Rex Stout” by William Brittain

Gertrude Jellison was the fat lady at a carnival sideshow, an intelligent woman whose extreme weight, over 500 pounds, kept her from her dream job of teaching psychology. Her partner, Robert Kirby, is the thin man, barely weighing seventy-five pounds. As a stunt, the carnival boss gave her Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe books to read during the shows. Surprisingly enough, Gert loved them and continued reading. She never expected to use what she learned to solve a murder, but sadly a newer member of the troup, a beautiful woman named Lili who was like a daughter to Gert, is murdered and the older woman knows she can solve the crime. This is a character that I could seriously have loved to read more about. A good little mystery as well, even if I quickly realized who the murderer would turn out to be. 3.5 out of 5.

“Sam Buried Caesar” by Josh Pachter

Police inspector Griffen had eleven children, each of whom was named after a famous fictional detective. Nero, just eleven years old, had set up his own detective agency, aided by his best friend and neighbor Artie Goodman. Their latest client, Sam, came to them after his dog, Caesar, was hit and killed by an out-of-state driver. Not wanting the poor animal to be left coldly abandoned on the street, he buried the dog in an empty lot. Coming back a short time later to get Caesar’s collar, the body is missing. He hires Nero and Artie to find the killer and recover the body. Sad and cute and inventive, but how Artie puts up with Nero will always be a mystery. 3.5 out of 5.

“Chapter 24 from Rasputin’s Revenge” by John Lescroart

The basic premise is that Nero Wolfe is the son of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. I’ve not read this particular book, but it appears to be the last chapter in which Archie and Wolfe, going under his original name, are in Russia, appeared to have come up against Gregori Rasputin (although the author has it as Gregory), and was helped by Holmes and Dr. Watson after they were wanted for murder. I’m not going to rate it as I don’t consider it fair to rate a novel based on just one chapter.

“A scene from Might as Well Be Dead” by Joseph Goodrich

Adaptation of the story into a play. Once again, not rated.

“The Damned Doorbell Rang” by Robert Lopresti

When their fourteen granddaughter came to visit in a snit because her parents won’t allow her to go with friends to a concert in New York City, Eve and Jack decide to tell her about why they left the City. When they were younger, they had a brownstone in the City. Their neighbors were definitely different, all men living there. Jack didn’t much like any of them and keeps disparaging Eve’s stories about what they saw while living there. But Eve tells a tale of how she saved the men’s lives. Too many close calls are the reason that they moved to New Jersey. How could I not love this outsider’s look at Nero Wolfe? 3.5 out of 5.

#book review #Nero Wolfe #collection #The Misadventures of Nero Wolfe #Josh Pachter #mystery #short stories

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rottenprincessshura100 · 3 years

Text

Something new I’m writing

A Good Evil

Rock Bottom Chapter 1

This is of course a demon story. But very different from what I usually write.

This story is about a failed visual artist. Lily gives up her hopes and dreams for a man that doesn’t love her and winds up in a soulless office job. It isn’t until she hits rock bottom, that Lily realizes that the end is a new beginning.

She isn’t really human at all, but the most powerful demon that ever lived.

Sample Chapter.

Lily partied with her companions until the wee hours of the morning. She was happily drunk and smelled like a joint too many. At closing time, her friends had piled into a city cab to head home. Jen had begged Lily to join them, but she had decided against it. The hotel was only a couple of short blocks away; surely, she could safely walk the distance.

"Lily, are you sure?" Jen shouted from the car. "It's awful late out! We've got a spare bed!"

"It's fine." She assured. "It's too cold for rapists. Things would freeze."

"True, true." Jen nodded drunkenly. "Do we at least get a hug?"

Lily crossed the road, and leaned in the cab window.

"I'll call you tomorrow?"

"Will do. Cheer up, eh?"

"Don't worry about me. A good night's sleep will do me a world of good."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lily strolled along the snow-covered sidewalk. She checked her phone; it contained a single text message from David.

Are you okay?

Lily threw her head back and laughed incredulously, stuffing her phone back into her pocket.

"Why do you care, arsehole! The best way to insult a person: pretend they don't exist!"

She smiled with fake bravado, swallowing back a wave of emotion. Soon, however, Lily's lip quivered, and a drunken tear slid from her eye.

You rotten bastard! I loved you.

And now I'm all alone...

------------------------------------------------------------------

Lily rounded a darkened corner, and the hotel's bright lights flashed reassuringly into view like a guiding beacon. She was almost there.

Suddenly, a bright flash of colour and a scuffling noise caused Lily to jump with a start. She cried out in fear as she was roughly grabbed by two meaty hands and dragged into a dark alley.

The man was large and powerful, dressed in a filthy orange survival jacket. He reeked of piss, cigarettes, and alcohol.

"Well, shit! Aren't you a hot little bitch!" He laughed lecherously. "Today, just ain't your day, is it?" He clamped one greasy hand around her slim neck while the other hand ripped clumsily at her skirt.

"Let go of me, you sick fuck!" Lily gasped. "This is so NOT happening!"

He increased pressure on her windpipe, lifting her off the ground by her neck. Lily struggled desperately for air.

"Aww, is that all you got? He then pushed her forcefully against the wall, Lily's skull cracking against the dull slimy bricks. Sticky rivulets of blood trickled along her cheekbone from an open gash.

Lily was temporarily stunned from the searing pain. The world blurred out into a murky haze of swirling black shadows—a hiss of voices scattered within her mind like dry branches scratching a windowpane. Finally, one of the voices broke through the fog.

"LILY! What the fuck is wrong with you? KILL HIM!"

The man continued his violent assault without a shred of empathy. His dirty fingers found their way between her legs. He stabbed at her roughly.

This gross violation jolted Lily back to reality.

"I SAID NOOOOOOO!" Lily lashed out in a dazed fury, fight or flight responses kicking in. With desperation, she clawed at his face like a caged predator, digging her fingernails deeply into his eye sockets. Instantly, the rapist froze, an abrupt and sickening scream piercing the night air like a mortally wounded animal.

Long black spears punctured his pupils, throat, and mouth. Face paling in shock, Lily realized that the long boney protrusions had sprouted from her very own hands.

Immediately pulling back, her fingers returned to normal human digits. The rapist's body fell to the ground, convulsing with the nervous twitches of an unexpected death.

Dripping with the scarlet blood of her attacker, Lily made a strangled noise of anguish, shaking with a mixture of fear and confusion.

No! It was impossible!!

"Oh my god...oh my god..." Lily rattled, her voice brittle with shock.

"Oh, dear. That's quite the mess, isn't it?" A dark figure chuckled from deep within the gloom.

"Who's there!?" Lily barked, rounding on the intruder.

"We should probably call the police." He mocked with fake seriousness. "What do you think?"

"I...., " Lily's voice trembled as she fought to form words, "I didn't mean to kill him!!

"Well...Lilith, that's not entirely true." He laughed softly. "You are a killer by nature, but honestly, he was asking for it. He was on my list, so thanks for saving me the trouble."

"Who...who are you...?"

"I'm a friend." He affirmed. "I'm here to help you."

An impossibly tall man materialized from the murky recesses of the alleyway. Only it wasn't a man at all, but a shadow with glowing crimson eyes and a smirk of carnivorous incisors. Lily retreated slowly in astonished silence, eyes wide with fear.

She could only describe the creature as a terrifying cross between an unholy devil and Slenderman. He flapped his raven-like wings briefly before folding them neatly onto his back.

"Lilith, I need you to come with me. I can explain everything."

In response to his words, Lily released a blood-curdling scream, turned on her heel and ran for her life.

"Fuck me...!!" The creature groaned. "Lilith, come back here!! You are not making this easy!!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Lily raced to the alley's end, across an abandoned parking lot and into King City Park. She didn't have time to think as terror and adrenaline urged her into the densely treed blackness.

She fought her way through thick underbrush, thorny branches scratching her face like a hundred tiny razors. Lily searched in anguish for a light source to illuminate her path, instinctively heading toward the reassuring glow of streetlights.

Heart hammering in her chest, she glanced furtively over her shoulder. The fiery red eyes were still in pursuit, gliding disembodied through the forest with nightmarish speed. Lily forced her injured body onward in a life or death panic. Racing toward a clearing, she sped across a snow-covered field to a nearby pedestrian bridge.

The walkway extended over an eight-lane expressway, the traffic below illuminating Lily's tiny frame with rhythmic strobing of intermittent light. She hoped in vain that brightness would frighten away the demon. It was her only chance!

Backing tentatively over the bridge, Lily held onto the worn metal railing; she couldn't see the horrid eyes anywhere. Had she finally lost him?

"LILITH!"

The red eyes flashed into view, mere inches from her face.

Lily released a scream of horror as she tumbled backward over the railing, falling toward the steady rush of traffic below.

Suddenly, the firm grasp of clawed fingers latched onto her wrist, yanking her to safety.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The demon gazed into the face of the fragile woman held within his arms, now unconscious.

Wait!? Did she faint? Seriously!?

He sighed painfully. "I find it hard to believe you're Lilith. My Lilith was a warrior, not a woman afraid of her own damn shadow. I have my work cut out for me this time."

The woman's eyes flashed open as she suddenly came too. '"LET ME GO!!!" She smashed her knee into his groin.

"Lillllly.....dammmmit!!!" He wheezed in pain, releasing her. The demon crumpled to his knees, wincing in agony. "Was that necessary! I'm trying to save you!"

"Save me?" She answered groggily.

Lily stumbled backward, falling next to him in the snow.

"Lily!?" The demon hissed, nudging her with his hand.

The girl did not respond.

Noticing the blood matted thickly within her auburn hair, he realized she was severely injured.

"Jesus Christ, Lily!" The demon shouted in distress. "Could this night get any worse!"

He unfurled giant bat-like wings and lifted her into his arms.

With a paranormal burst of speed, they launched into the night sky, becoming one with the darkness.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two detectives pushed open the double doors to the intensive care unit at King City General, flashing badges. They headed directly to the waiting room, where a lone man sat quietly.

"Are you Mr. Sam Coleman?" The first detective inquired with a huff of self-importance.

Mr. Coleman replied calmly in a deep soothing baritone. "What can I do for you, gentlemen?"

"We'd like you to come down to the station to answer a few questions regarding the woman you found."

"I'm free now. Let's have a discussion."

The detectives took a seat across from him in the worn vinyl hospital chairs.

"Mr. Colman, what happened to Lily Foster?"

"Oh, is that her name?" He smiled dangerously. "Well, what a lovely name. Thank-you for the extraneous information. Are you gentlemen new at this job?"

The head detective laughed incredulously and crossed his arms.

"So, is this how we're going to start this conversation, Mr. Coleman?"

"There isn't much to say." Sam continued, without a hint of worry. "I found the girl lying in a pool of blood on the bridge. I brought her to the hospital as any good Samaritan would."

"How did you get here, Mr. Colman?" One of the detectives inquired, his voice full of suspicion. "You didn't call an ambulance."

"Well...I carried her."

"It's five miles from the park to this hospital. Surely calling an ambulance would have been faster."

"I assure you. I'm very fast."

"Your story just isn't adding up. I find your timeline highly unlikely."

"Do you think I'm lying?" Sam sighed ruefully, a slight smile gracing his lips. "Tell me, detectives, can you tell a liar by looking into their eyes? Do I look like a person that would deceive you?"

The men instinctively glanced into Sam's stoic face. They were instantly mesmerized by the glow of his emerald gaze. Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, the two inspectors found themselves unable to look away.

"Now, gentlemen, you will do as I say." Mr. Coleman cautioned, "I suggest you pay attention. I will only say this once."

Both men stared blankly, unable to respond.

"The girl was attacked last night by a drunken predator and had nothing to do with his untimely death. A semi-truck hit him after he fell from the overpass. I found Ms. Foster on the bridge and brought her here. I'd appreciate it if you treated her kindly; she's been through quite the ordeal. She needs your sympathy instead of your accusations. Do we have an understanding?"

Both men nodded in unison.

"Now, I suggest you leave. Your mere presence greatly annoys me."

The two men stood robotically and staggered from the room.

No sooner had the large double doors swung shut, a group of women burst back into the ICU, aggressively charging the nurse's station.

"Hey!" A tall, athletic blonde raised her voice in a panic, "We're here to see Lily Foster. Is she okay!?"

"Are you family?" The charge nurse answered dourly.

"What!? No! Lily has no family. I'm her best friend, Jennifer."

"I'm afraid I can't release any details to you about her condition."

"Somebody called me!" Jen shouted. "They told me she was here!"

"A man admitted Lily Foster to the ICU an hour ago, but I can't release her medical status."

"Ah c' mon! That's total bullshit!" The blonde growled. "I don't want to leave her in this shitty place all alone!"

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait here until she gives us permission to let you in." The nurse replied dismissively.

"I'll take that as a positive. At least I know she's alive, right!?"

"Ladies, perhaps I can answer some of your questions?" A man in the waiting area offered.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Sam," He announced. "I'm the guy that found her."

Sam held up Lily's cellphone.

"I called you... with this."

https://www.wattpad.com/794312575-a-good-evil-rock-bottom-chapter-1

#new book #demons #crappy jobs #starting over #lots of smut #gratuitous violence

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ginnyzero · 4 years

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Completely Harmless Ch. 8

Completely Harmless An SSO SilverGlade Re-imagining Story (Or Fix it Fan Salt fic) By Ginny O.

When Lily and her friends wanted to buy horses and were directed to the Silverglade Manor and its myriad of problems, they didn’t expect to start a revolution. They were just a bunch a stable girls. Completely harmless. Right?

A/N: Things are only canon if I say they’re canon. Pre-Saving the Moorland Stables compliant for the most part. Posted in its entirety on my website. Posted in 2000 to 4000 word bits here. Rated T for Swearing Word Count 177,577

Chapter Eight Designer... Duck Coops?

The ducks had gotten out and were all over the gardens and vineyard.

“They must be feeling better,” Elsa said dryly.

Tyra put her hands on her hips. “We can’t have them running all over taking over the joint,” she said.

“Even if we are the Silver Drakes,” Regina giggled.

“We’re going to have to coop them up somewhere then until we have a good water feature to keep them occupied.” Lily bit her lip.

“Someplace quiet,” Abigail said.

“And it needs to match the Manor so the Baroness doesn’t get mad at suddenly owning a lot of ducks!”

They all burst into giggles.

“All right, to the internet!” Jennifer said.

Grace pulled out her phone and started searching.

“Maybe the library has some ideas.” Theresa suggested.

“Let’s take a gander,” Regina started.

“Gander are geese,” Elsa pointed out.

“And we better look up composter ideas too. I know that a lot of the manure goes to the local farmers,” Pauline said but she looked like she was fretting. “Along with the extra grape skins and seeds that don’t get used. There isn’t a lot of those since some have to be dumped back onto the dirt to keep the right salinity and the rest get used in making the oil.”

“Right,” Lily rubbed her forehead. “You know, maybe we should introduce ourselves before we get too carried away here.”

“Well, at least, we need to run these ideas past Linda and Judy,” Pauline said.

“I agree,” Tyra nodded. “They are in charge of the stable.”

“Do ducks really fall under stable?”

“We’ve got a lot of ducks. We might need to make several,” Tyra fretted. She wrung her hands.

“Doesn’t one of the gardens outback have another water feature,” Lily asked. “It’s also dry as a bone. But we can mention to the gardeners that we need spaces for the ducks.”

“I hope Agnetha is open to ducks,” Pauline murmured.

They split up again. One group to go round up the ducks who got in the damnedest places. Another group to go research about duck coops and composters. And a third group to go look for good quiet places to put the duck coops.

Linda caught them returning the quacking ducks to the huge tubs.

“Escapees,” Elsa said.

Linda raised her brows. “Uh huh.”

“We don’t want them to get sick again,” Brittany put her hands on her hips.

Tyra wiped her brow. “Would it be okay to put in a duck coop somewhere?”

“We’ll make it nice!” Brittany said.

“Just to keep them from running all over during the night and maybe getting eaten by weasels or raccoons,” Tyra added.

“That’s not a bad idea.” Linda pushed up her glasses. “Let me run it past the Baroness.”

Lily ran out. “We’ve got plans!”

Linda started.

Lily stopped, rested her hands on her knees and panted bending over. She held her phone out to Linda. “Here are some ideas for duck coops. They’ve got to be low to the ground with a wide door and they like straw.”

Regina came running up next. “You know, there’s a nice area behind that little temple thing near the empty reflecting pool. It’d be great because they’re going to want to swim anyways when they want to go free range.”

Pauline rode up after her. “Yeah, there are two water features down behind near the old Gardener’s cottage. If you really want to call it a cottage. We could put another coop down there if we need it.”

Linda looked at them. “You girls don’t do anything halfway.”

“Linda! Linda!” Tyra ran out. “Where do you think we can put a composter?”

“Gardener’s cottage!” Pauline said.

“Oh, excellent!” Tyra beamed. “Should have thought of that. The gardeners will be the ones wanting it the most.”

“A composter,” Linda said slowly.

They pointed at the piles of dead leaves and thick thorn vines and the roots they’d pulled out.

“Right. Composter,” Linda said. She gave Lily her number and Lily sent her the photos. “Okay, I’ll go talk to the Baroness. You stay here.”

“We’ve still got plenty of gardens to weed out,” Lily said.

“I bet we could make it look like a little Greek temple,” Tyra said.

“And then put some barrels around it with straw in them,” Brittany bounced on her toes.

“Then, then, have you seen the ‘castle tower’ types. They’re so cute.” Lily said. “We could make it a rounded dome type with columns instead.”

Linda shook her head. “Give them an inch. They’ll take a mile,” she muttered and walked off.

Linda was very careful to broach both topics of the duck coops and the composter as needs for the manor long term. Making suggestions about where they could go and that they would blend in with the manor’s overall look rather than being something slapped together.

The Baroness listened. She pressed her lips into a thin line. Her hands she folded in front of her on the desk.

“We wouldn’t want to simply buy something from J-Kea,” Linda said weakly. “And there is a lot of garden debris to take care of.” The Baroness had informed her that morning about the Inspector’s demands. Linda showed her the pictures.

The Baroness’ lips twisted and Linda couldn’t tell if it was a grimace or a smile. “We definitely wouldn’t want something from J-Kea,” she said.

“You’ll have final say on all the plans,” Linda reassured her.

The Baroness reached for a paper and started writing. “Very well. I’m assuming you have the hands lined up already.”

“Yes, some girls from the Moorland Summer Camp are helping out,” Linda said with a wince. She didn’t know the Baroness would feel about it at all.

The Baroness’ hand paused above the paper. “Thomas sent them?”

“No. Um, Justin did,” Linda tucked hair behind her ear. “They wanted to buy horses and, well, they just started coming back to help out.”

“Hmm,” the Baroness said. “I’d like to meet them.”

“I’ll pass it along.”

She finished writing. “Here is your budget.”

Linda’s eyes widened.

“I want final approval.” The Baroness nodded.

Linda gulped. She took the paper. “You have it, Lady Silverglade.”

The Baroness returned to her paperwork. There was plenty of it to get G.E.D. off her lands for good.

Linda knew that it was her dismissal. She got up and left.

The girls convened around her, taking off gloves and leaning against tools.

“We have a budget,” Linda said sternly. “No J-Kea. And everything has to be approved by the Baroness.” She cleared her throat. “She’d also like to meet you.”

“Tomorrow morning,” Lily said. “I think that will be good.”

Linda pushed up her glasses. She wasn’t sure what to make of that.

Tyra texted Linn down at the Arena.

Lily bit her lip. “So, we need actual plans.”

“Designer duck coop?” Regina wrinkled her nose.

Pauline sighed. “I hate to say it.”

“Anastasia,” she and Lily said together.

Lily texted her.

Her phone rang.

Lily set it to speaker. “A designer… duck coop?” Anastasia sounded intrigued and offended at the same time.

“Ducks are getting caught in the oil fields spillage from the G.E.D. Until it’s cleaned up they need someplace to stay safely.”

“And duck eggs are good eating,” Anastasia said. “What kind are they?”

“American Pekin,” Grace said. “Good egg layers, Dame Anastasia.”

“Don’t call me Dame, darling. It makes me feel so old.”

“Sorry,” Grace squeaked.

Linda spoke up. “The Baroness has given her approval and a budget.”

“We might need more than one coop, but we want to talk to the gardeners first before deciding on where they go.” Lily added.

“Any luck with that?”

“There seems to be a husband and wife pair that might suit, Bjorn and Agnetha,” Lily said.

“Agnetha is a wonderful gardener. Overbearing, but wonderful. Of course, with my mother, you’re going to need someone with a strong will so that the new gardens aren’t a photocopy of the old gardens. How tiresome,” Anastasia said. “Hmm, do you have any ideas? Meet me at the Jorvik Mall Café. I could use a good coffee. I’ll have a list of names by the time you get here.”

“Thank you, Anastasia. Oh, um, Aaron is considering putting in a wine and gelato or frozen Greek yogurt bar in the Wine Cave.” Lily added.

“He had an idea.” Anastasia sounded aghast. “Well, we’ll have to get together to work out how to coordinate the menus if we’re going to get that restaurant on the roof actually going anywhere. Ciao, darlings.”

She hung up before they could say good-bye.

“Speaking of overbearing,” Elsa mumbled.

“No joke,” Melody agreed.

Lily sighed.

“You have Anastasia’s phone number,” Linda said blankly.

“We better sluice off and change into something better before meeting her.” Lily looked down at herself.

“The only better thing we have is the Silverglade Clan outfit,” Pauline said.

“If we wear it twice, she’s going to call us out.”

“Then that should encourage her to get us some new clothes that the Baroness will like.” Pauline raised a brow.

Lily turned to Linda. “Meet us at the bus stop in half an hour?”

Linda blinked.

Regina looked at her nails. “You are the manager and have the budget.”

Linda bit her lip. “All right, half an hour. But I’m not changing.”

“No worries,” Lily said. She hadn’t expected Linda to change anyways.

Anastasia looked Lily and Pauline up and down and sighed. “Not that old thing again.”

Lily shrugged. “She likes it.”

Anastasia rolled her eyes. “It’s time for her to expand her fashion horizons. And you are?”

“Linda Chanda, the Silverglade Equestrian Center manager,” Linda said.

Anastasia already had coffee for them. So, they all sat down right away.

“All right, darlings, catch me up on what is happening at dear mother’s bumpkin estate,” Anastasia drawled.

So, they did, quickly.

Anastasia nodded. They showed her the pictures. “All right, I know the fellow. Not his usual bailiwick, but he’ll get the job done. I’ll give him a call before you leave here and give you an introduction so you can meet him today and he’ll ship you the materials and plans tomorrow. Most likely to Fort Pinta.” Anastasia sipped her coffee. “Now, darlings, I had an idea for that rooftop. There were plans to put in a fine dining establishment. Nothing happened of course. Mother brushed it off. So, I think we should have a chef call. I want you to find a bunch of chefs from around South New Jorvik County and perhaps a manager. They can present their different menus to my mother and let her choose what she feels is the best food to serve at the manor.”

Lily and Pauline blinked rapidly. “A chef’s call,” they said blankly.

“Yes, set up a bunch of tables. Have them bring their menus. Do a tasting. Whoever gets the approval of my mother, gets to open a restaurant on the roof.”

“Shouldn’t she have some say in that?” Linda asked. Her heart felt quite low in her chest. This was much too fast.

“If my brother can have an ice cream bar, I can have a restaurant.” Anastasia waved her hand breezily.

“Right,” Linda said voice even weaker.

“I’ll make it okay. You just get me the chefs,” Anastasia said.

Lily and Pauline looked at each other. “Okay,” Lily said slowly. “We haven’t really explored much of the county though.”

“Now is your chance,” Anastasia said brightly. “Surely somewhere out in the boonies is a bright young chef looking to make their mark.”

Oh boy, Lily thought. “We can look,” she said.

“Excellent, then I’m sure it’s all in capable hands.” Anastasia smiled. “All right, you need to go to Aideen’s Plaza, my contact is there.” She handed them a paper with the name.

“Thank you,” Lily said.

But Anastasia was already on her phone and waving them away.

They took the tram to Aideen’s Plaza in silence.

Once they got off, Linda spoke up. “The apple really doesn’t fall too far from the tree does it?”

They burst into giggles.

They went to a furniture store. The man wasn’t overly surprised to see them. He was expecting them after all. They explained their ideas showing him the pictures and their budget. He got it right away. Lily texted Regina to get pictures of the areas they thought might make good places for duck coops.

As soon as he saw them, he brightened and used them to make sketches.

“The winery does have barrels,” Linda said helpfully.

The man just laughed.

Linda took pictures of the designs and texted them to the Baroness. The Baroness texted back her approval of the plans.

“All right. I’ll get in contact with my suppliers and ship the materials to Fort Pinta by tomorrow afternoon,” the man said.

“That would be great,” Lily said. “Thank you.”

“It will be just for the one by the Wine Cave. Getting the stone for the one down in the gardens will take longer. And you’ll have to tell me if you need another one by the riding arena or not.”

“We will,” Lily said. “We do want to talk to the gardeners first before building.”

“Then I’ll get an order in on hold for the materials and once you have approval of the gardeners, fussy folks gardeners, you get a hold of me and I’ll them shipped as close as I can get. Stone’s heavy.”

“Deal,” Pauline said. “The closest village would be Silverglade. There’s a post office there.”

“Then, that’s where I’ll direct the stone. Just have a truck or plenty of horse power to pick it up.”

“We will,” Lily smiled at him. They left. Lily wrinkled her nose. “Now, where in heaven’s name are we supposed to find chefs?”

Pauline laughed. “I’ll take you around,” she said. “I know all the towns.”

Linda nodded. “If you do chores at the different stables while you’re out, it will cover transport costs. And you can get to know the different stable masters.”

“Good idea,” Lily said.

They took the bus back to Fort Pinta and that’s where Lily and Pauline started their chef quest.

FOR THE ACCOMPANYING IMAGES PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE MY WATERMARK AND CONTACT INFORMATION. THANK YOU. I get it. Some of you might get excited and want to see this stuff in the game, especially the clothes, tack, and pets. However, the only way I want to see this in the game is if I get paid for it. If I see it in the game and I’m not paid for it, there will be hell to pay. You think I’m salty. I’d be angry. Personally, I’m not going to send this info to SSO. If you do, leave my contact information there! Don’t give them any excuses to steal.

Now, I’ll know you haven’t read this note if you leave me comments about how ‘salty’ I am about the game and if I hate it so much I should do something else. I am doing something else. It’s called Mystic Riders MMORPG Project. Mystic Riders however is a very baby phase game. You can check out our plans on the game dev blog. (Skills, Factions, Professions, Crafting, Mini-Games, 25+ horse breeds!) If you know anyone who would be interested and has money or contacts about game making, direct them to the blog.

#star stable #star stable online #sso #fanfic #star stable salt #completely harmless #jorvik reimagined #silverglade reimagined #many nods to ruth westside #i'm terrible at posting schedules

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knownconsortofthedoctor · 5 years

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Crossover Verses

MCU v: shield

River was born in 1918 in London England to Rory and Amelia Williams. She moved to America when she was sixteen so that her Mother could get published. During the second world war she did her bit and even became friends with Peggy Carter. When she was 26 she planned to marry one of the Doctors that she had worked closely with; John Smith and she did. The pair were married for twenty years with River carrying on to work with Peggy and SHIELD. Then River went missing. She was found trying to bomb SHIELD in 2009 and stopped by Phil Coulson. She had been brainwashed by a cult named the Silence. However one thing no one would realise for a few years was that River hadn’t been ageing since she went missing nor could she remember any of her life before the Silence. She was reformed and became a SHIELD agent once more. She still isn't ageing and it discomforts her more than she lets on.

DCTV v: kryptonian criminal

Mel was born on Krypton, she would have lived and died there if she hadn’t met General Astra. Like her friend she had been concerned about the state of Krypton, she joined Astra in her attempt at a coup. Because of that she got sent to Fort Rozz with her. She was trapped in the Quantum Zone for years. When the ship fell Mel did her best to adjust to life on Earth. To begin with she hated it. She wanted to go home. Kara and Alex helped her to adjust and she currently she works alongside the DEO and is trying to study at college to learn archaeology.

OUAT v: ouat

Cora and Madame Kovarian where friends and so when Kovarian gained custody of her niece, River, it was natural that River became friends with Cora’s daughter. However when River reached sixteen Kovarian moved her to another country so that she could take her apparent rightful place on the throne. She was a puppet for her Aunt just as Regina was for her Mother. She had no magic to bring her own power but after falling in love with a Lord (John Smith) she became more independent something which Kovarian could not allow. She had Lord Smith killed but instead of having River in her place it caused her to rebel and she exiled Kovarian from the country. Over the following years River reigned her country strictly, although never being outright cruel and traveling to the different regions, she did soon join the ‘Queens of Darkness’ by association. Once again this reunited her with Regina. She became closer with Maleficent too and was charged with protecting her daughter. She was sent through the portal with Lily, Cruella and Ursula. Along with the others she decided it wouldn’t be best for them to take the child but she still looked after Lily from afar working in a security company to get an income. Following Lily soon brought her to Storybrooke where she now stays.

HARRY POTTER v: hogwarts

River was born into a pure blood family. River didn’t know her maternal family, they had ostracised Amy after it became clear she would have nothing to do with their views on blood lineage. Her Mother’s Aunt (River’s great Aunt) was a death eater and could see the power that the child held. She took her from them and killed the pair before raising River as her own. Years later River was sorted into the Slytherin House she was in the same year as Lily Evans and they became friends despite the house difference. During her time at Hogwarts she met a young wizard named John Smith; the two did not immediately get along as she felt he was someone who judged her for her Aunts beliefs. However soon in a class they were sat together and soon realised that they had many of the same likes (Care of Mythical Creatures) and dislikes (blood discrimination) and grew closer; especially during their O.W.L.s where River’s talent for herbology and John’s for others meant they could help each other. After they left Hogwarts River and John married but during the First Wizarding War John was killed and tortured by Bellatrix along with the Longbottoms; his ghost still wanders Hogwarts. River was pregnant when he died but did not have the child, it was a big taboo for her family and she was then ostracised as well. If any John’s (doctor’s) would like to rp in this verse then he would not have died or would be the ghost, if any OC children would like to rp then River would have kept the baby. River returned to Hogwarts when she was older to teach Potions alongside Professor Snape. She tries to be kind and accepting to all however she does have a tendency to hold no acceptance for those who discriminate. Any student who dares to utter mudblood in her presence would not be treated well.

PERCY JACKSON/GREEK MYTH v: camp half blood

River Song was a young, greek demigod who never knew either of her parents. She was raised by a foster parent who didn’t really care about her and so when she was six years old and a Satyr came to collect her the older woman gave her up willingly.River stayed in Camp Half Blood from then on turning twelve when Percy Jackson turned sixteen and so it was then that River found out her parentage. She is the daughter of Nemesis.Like her Mother River has a strong sense of right and wrong/ good and bad but she tends to understand more that the balance is flexible and sometimes you need to do something wrong to be good.

SHERLOCK v: sherlock’s consultant

Sherlock has various extra people who have different skills that help with his investigations. River’s is archaeology. She also works with anthropological aspects too. River works across the world but will often come to New York if needed.

She is completely human in this verse, has a life firmly on the ground of Earth.

DETECTIVE SHOWS (I.E LUTHER, B99 ETC.) v: di river song

River is an ordinary human in this verse. She was born to Amy Williams, a writer, and Rory Williams, a nurse. They were a normal happy family but her parents passed away in a fire when she was 14. She was put into foster care. At that point River’s life went downhill a little. She acted out for attention even stealing a bus at one point. This moment was when River decided to become a police officer mainly because one officer took her under their wing. She did well and soon raised the ranks to Detective Inspector.

SENSE8 v: last of her cluster

River Song is a sensate who was a part of a cluster who nicknamed themselves ‘the sixes’. They were all born at 6:06am on the 6th of June 1966 and there was six of them. Three girls; River, Anita, and Missy, and three boys; John, Dave and Other Dave. Their cluster was born when they were sixteen years old, at the time River was in the care system in England. Due to this her cluster Mother, a woman named Amelia Williams, worried that she would be vulnerable to being misunderstood by people who wouldn’t realise what was happening, and so travelled down from Scotland and adopted her along with her husband Rory who was apart of Amelia’s cluster. As the cluster connection grew romantic connections began to form, although highly unusual all six members were attracted to one another and by the time they reached their twenty-first birthday they all considered themselves in a relationship with the others. For years they felt no need to hide and met up throughout the years forming connections with other sensates as they travelled. They were aware of the changes within BPO after 2011 but it didn’t really affect them very much until 2013. Missy, a corporate lawyer, had been investigating the company and then disappeared. The remaining five did their best to find her and then Other Dave went missing, then Dave, then Anita, then John. By 2015 River was alone. She permanently takes blockers in an attempt to shield herself. She hates BPO and is well aware that it is because of them she has lost the people who meant the most to her. Due to this she is unlikely to connect with another sensate due to feeling unable to trust them.

#indie mcu rp #dctv rp #indie ouat rp #indie hp rp #pjo rp #elementary rp #sherlock rp #luther rp #brooklyn 99 rp #sense8 rp

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bbclesmis · 5 years

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The inside story of the BBC adaptation of Les Misérables... by the man who sexed up War and Peace

On a summer’s morning in a park outside Brussels, one of European literature’s most wretched characters is having a laugh. In Victor Hugo’s gargantuan 1862 novel Les Misérables, the naive young Parisian seamstress Fantine is dealt a rotten hand: she loses her wealthy boyfriend, her daughter, her job, her hair, her two front teeth and her life – all within the book’s first act.

If you are one of the 130 million people to have encountered Fantine in the world-conquering stage musical (or 2012’s big-screen incarnation of it, in which Anne Hathaway enacted the character’s misery through an Oscar-winning outpouring of tears), you will know her as a figure of abject tragedy.

Yet here she is in the Belgian sunshine, as played for the cameras by Lily Collins – the 29-year-old daughter of musician Phil – bonnet off, flirting on the lawn with her lover, Félix (Johnny Flynn), while her giggling girlfriends lark about on a swing, like a Fragonard painting come to life.

In her pale empire-line dress, hair plaited with flowers, she looks almost bridal: untroubled and in love. Later this month, you’ll have a chance to meet this unfamiliar Fantine for yourself, in the first episode of the BBC’s lavish new six-part series. With a screenplay by Andrew Davies, it attempts to show us an aspect of Hugo’s classic we’ve never seen dramatised before; one that is, well, less miserable.

Until last year, the director – 50-year-old Tom Shankland, best known for the lost-child drama The Missing – was ‘one of those few people in the universe who didn’t know much about the musical or the film’, he says. But after receiving Davies’ screenplay, he plunged into the novel and found a story bristling with ‘so much life and drama and violence and tragedy that the label “costume drama” just can’t contain it’.

Setting out to make a version that would ‘bring a level of 21st-century psychology to the realm of 19th-century melodrama, keeping one foot in then and one foot in now’, his spiritual guide would be David Lean, who, in cinematic masterpieces such as Lawrence of Arabia, proved ‘so brilliant at judging when to be intimate and when to be epic. I think that was always going to be the game with Les Misérables: how not to lose our heroes against this vast historical canvas.’

It’s day 79 of the 89-day shoot and sitting in front of a monitor – headphones clamped to his ears, an approving smile on his face – Davies is the first to admit to being no fan of the musical. ‘I hated it,’ he tells me, ‘couldn’t bear it.’ Yet when he first read Hugo’s book six years ago, he was struck by a sophistication that, he felt, no adaptation had come close to capturing.

In the sprawling saga, set in a nation discombobulated by Napolean’s defeat at Waterloo, Davies says he found ‘such a lot of resonances with our time now. There are the haves and have-nots, the extreme strata of society in terms of riches and poverty. I thought how good it would be to show that on television.’

At the moment we join the narrative, in 1815, he says, ‘France thought it’d had a revolution, now it’s got a monarchy again and it’s back to the bad times. So while people like Fantine can have fun for a bit, they are always in danger of dropping through the cracks. There is no safety net, no welfare state. If you take one wrong step, you’re f—ed, basically.’

To anyone else, the prospect of reducing Hugo’s 1,500-page leviathan to six hours of primetime drama would have been daunting. But to Davies – who, at 82, is British television’s undisputed doyen of the literary adaptation, as the brains behind such memorable series as 1995’s Pride and Prejudice, 2005’s Bleak House and, in 2016, War & Peace – it was an itch that just had to be scratched. ‘I felt it had never been done properly before,’ he says. ‘But then I always think that. “Hmmm, you need my version of it.”’

His first step towards reclaiming the story from the musical (‘a very partial version of the book, more concert than drama’) was to introduce the viewer to Fantine not when she is plummeting into the abyss, but, as Hugo does, before she has the slightest inkling of her fate. ‘As for Fantine, she was pure joy,’ writes the author early on. ‘Her magnificent teeth had clearly been given her by God with one purpose only, and that was to laugh.’

During a break in filming, Collins, towelling dressing gown now slung over her dress, tells me she spent her childhood summers in Switzerland (‘where I would dream in French’) and begged the filmmakers for an audition the moment she heard the project was in the pipeline – with Davies’ emphasis on this happy phase of Fantine’s story part of the appeal. Not only did it free her from the spectre of Hathaway’s portrayal, it also deepened her sympathy for the character. ‘Because you get to see just how in love she was with Félix; it heightens the heartbreak.’

The result contributes to a telling of Les Misérables that the bullish Davies suggests may rank as ‘the most psychologically satisfying version there has been so far of the book’. Having set out to improve upon the musical, he now finds himself wondering if, in places, he’s also surpassed the novel. ‘We tell Fantine’s story more fully than I think Hugo did,’ he says. ‘We’ve explored the Javert and Jean Valjean relationship more deeply, too.’

If Fantine is the book’s emotional heart, then the intense cat-and-mouse struggle between Jean Valjean – the convict who serves 19 years’ hard labour for stealing a loaf of bread before rehabilitating himself as the mayor of Montreuil – and Inspector Javert, his jailer-turned-stalker, is its moral centre. While the lawman is a monstrously rigid incarnation of the unbending principles of justice, Valjean, who works his way back from brutal to beatific, represents the possibility of grace.

As Javert, David Oyelowo, the British actor who made his name in BBC drama Spooks and forged a Hollywood career with such acclaimed performances as Martin Luther King in Selma (2014), was the first cast member to sign up for the new Les Misérables, on which he also served as executive producer.

‘Partly why I really wanted to play Javert is that, having read Andrew Davies’ script and then the book, he remained enigmatic to me,’ Oyelowo says, speaking over the phone from his Los Angeles home about a character often dismissed as more archetype than man.

‘I didn’t see him as a simplistic villain, but as a very complicated human being. I felt there was a lot of work for me to do in order to explain some of what one might call his malevolence, his drive, his ambition and especially his attention towards Jean Valjean. I found something primal in his fastidious, continuous, inexorable need to get hold of this man.’

Back on set in Belgium, I spot that man – or at least the actor who plays him, Dominic West – loitering in his breeches outside Vilvoorde prison. With its brick-vaulted ceiling and cracked paintwork, the abandoned 18th-century building south of Brussels is an atmospheric kind of place. Shankland says it has a ‘melancholic aura’; a production assistant says it smells of ‘dead rat’.

Inside, in a recreation of the book’s Montreuil bead factory, Collins’ Fantine is sitting with her fellow grisettes (among them Lily Newmark and Erin Doherty) at long wooden tables strewn with black beads, waiting for make-up designer Jacqueline Fowler to give them the once-over. This seems to involve her making sure they haven’t washed behind their ears. ‘I like to see sweat,’ she explains afterwards. ‘And neck hair. None of the girls have make-up on today; it’s a very natural, realistic look.’

Later, the costume designer Marianne Agertoft says that she, too, favoured a pared-down style, so historical pedants had better beware. ‘We’ve kept bonnets off the women quite a lot of the time, even at moments when they would have worn them then,’ she tells me. ‘Why? Because they can very much get in the way.’

Outside, West (also an executive producer), who slotted in Jean Valjean between shooting seasons four and five of American melodrama The Affair, admits he found Tom Hooper’s 2012 film of Les Misérables so ‘bloody awful’ that he walked out of the cinema before it had finished. So when he was first approached for the new series, he hesitated. ‘I thought, “It’s a musical, it’s been done, we’ve just seen the film and why do it again?”’ he explains, while Fowler (previously seen applying her make-up brush to the abs of Poldark’s Aidan Turner for his notorious topless scything scene) attends to his stick-on sideburns. ‘Then I read the book and it just knocked my socks off. Best thing I’ve ever read.’

West is similarly enthused by his character, whom he describes as ‘the greatest superhero in literature, a strongman who spends the whole time rescuing children and saving entire communities’. He treasures Valjean as an anomaly in television drama: a public servant celebrated as a figure of high moral standing. Isn’t it also pretty rare, I suggest, for West, a 49-year-old Old Etonian who sealed his reputation playing a morally dubious Baltimore cop in The Wire, to be the good guy? ‘It is,’ he says. ‘I’ve played a lot of villains and I don’t want to do it any more. [Portraying] Iago and Fred West in one year was annihilating. To live with Valjean, as I have for six months, is invigorating: it opens your soul.’

Oyelowo acknowledges that there will be those surprised to see him cast in ‘the kind of role which, to be perfectly frank, even 10 years ago probably would not have been afforded me’.

Born in Oxford in 1976 to black Nigerian immigrants, he says, ‘Something I have found problematic with period drama over the years, in terms of what we have done in Great Britain, is to deny just how long people of colour have been part of the fabric of British life – and European life as well, as it pertains to Les Mis.’

To those viewers who struggle to reconcile him with Hugo’s ‘slimy spook’, Oyelowo would say, ‘I am sure a lot of French people think it’s not right to transpose Les Mis on to British culture, which is what we’ve done by having the characters speak English and talk in London or posh English accents. But if you are going to make something that doesn’t stink of mothballs, you’d better be speaking to the world that we live in. And I think the show that we have cultivated absolutely does that.’

For all that the series strives for contemporary relevance, it also remains an epic feat of historical reconstruction that required a roving six-month shoot across Belgium and northern France, a principal cast of more than 100 (which also includes Olivia Colman and Adeel Akhtar as the dastardly innkeeping Thénardiers, and Sir Derek Jacobi as the irreproachable Bishop of Digne), a tapestry maker, a horse handler and 3,000 extras.

For producer Chris Carey, the high point of the process – its literal pièce de résistance – was the episode at the barricades, inspired by the 1832 French uprising which, in Hugo’s words, ‘turned the centre of Paris into a sort of colossal, impenetrable citadel’. To shoot those scenes, says Carey (whose last production was the thriller Apple Tree Yard), ‘We used a real street in a real French town, Sedan in northern France, which looks how Paris looked pre-Haussmann. And we blew it up over the course of two or three weeks. You can imagine the complications of keeping the town happy and on side when you are running through the streets at 5am with bayonets and cannon firing.’ I can also imagine such an operation burning through the kind of budget of which most BBC dramas could only dream. ‘You can’t do that stuff on a shoestring,’ concedes executive producer Faith Penhale, ‘but I won’t tell you a figure.’

West gives a less guarded assessment. ‘In terms of American budgets, this is nothing. This whole series is probably costing less than an American pilot would cost,’ he says. ‘We do these things very cheaply, which is not a good thing… For what we have to do, it’s peanuts.’

Does he in turn receive a significantly smaller fee for a drama like this than for something like The Affair? ‘I couldn’t possibly tell you,’ he says. Perhaps because they’ve blown a sizeable chunk of the budget on the services of a certain Mr West? ‘No, they have not,’ he yelps, before offering an answer to my previous question: ‘Yes, I do, very much less.’

If money is in relatively short supply in Les Misérables, then so too is sex. One of the most curious aspects of Hugo’s book is that, although it was written by a man known for his erotic appetites (it is said that on the day of his funeral, on 31 May 1885, the brothels of Paris pulled down their shutters as a sign of respect to a valued client), sex scarcely gets a look in. ‘It’s odd,’ says Davies. ‘We had this sudden realisation when talking about it that both Javert and Jean Valjean appear to be virgins.’ You might have assumed that Davies, who has long since had a reputation for sexing up the classics, would set that right – he is, after all, the man who injected incest into War and Peace and whose Pride and Prejudice planted the image of Colin Firth’s Darcy in a figure-hugging wet shirt in the nation’s consciousness – but no.

‘I don’t have to have sex all the time in things,’ he laughs. ‘I’m an old gentleman now.’ And indeed, although Fantine is taken to bed by Félix more than once in the first episode, their scenes together are characterised by a coyness that borders on prudery. In fact, the only real nudity to speak of in the drama’s first hour – which opens with jaw-dropping aerial views of the battlefield of Waterloo, a grim patchwork of uniformed corpses and dead horses – is a disarming shot of Valjean’s bare bottom. ‘Yeah, when I leave prison I get stripped off and thrown my old rags, so we thought it was a good excuse to get my ass out – somebody did, anyway,’ West tells me with a wolfish grin. ‘Let’s hope they can CGI it all right.’

Talking of ideal forms, before I leave the set I ask Davies if at any point in the process he felt the story of Les Misérables had already found its perfect expression in Hugo’s pages, and that the act of wrestling it on to the screen was always doomed to feel like a succession of compromises? ‘No,’ he says, with unwavering confidence. ‘It’s just finding its perfect medium now. If TV had been around at the time Victor Hugo wrote, I believe he would have made it as a six-part television show.’

Les Misérables starts on 30 December, at 9pm, on BBC One

Benjamin Secher, The Telegraph, 08.12.2018

#les mis bbc #bbc les mis #Interviews #Lily Collins #fantine #david oyelowo #javert #dominic west #Jean Valjean #Andrew Davies

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stampederealty · 5 years

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Thing I Wish I Knew Before Building My First House...

Back in 2012 myself along with my now ex-wife embarked on building our first home together in a small Florida town by the name of Lake Wales, quaint little town at the southeast edge of Polk County. Back then I was a buyer, a very uneducated buyer (except for my HGTV Real Estate License LOL) and was in a rush to put my new wife into a house, so we did very little research and pretty much went with the first builder that would take us without a ton of stipulations. Looking back on the experience and getting underway with building my 3rd house (first in Alaska), and now armed with knowledge from being a licensed agent and hindsight, I’d like to offer you some of the things I wish I had known at the time BEFORE entering into that deal.

1) THAT REP IN THE MODEL CENTER DOESNT REPRESENT YOU!

If you’re like me circa 2012, you walk into the newly build model home and you’re taken aback by the engineered wood floors, the chef’s kitchen with Santa Cecilia granite countertops, the master bedroom with tray ceilings, huge walk in closet with the premium organizer, and upgraded master bathroom with the jacuzzi tub. YEP, THAT WAS ME TOO! You finish touring the home and the lady or gentleman is there to answer all of your questions about options, financing, timeline, the building process, home warranties, the different communities they can build in, everything your brain can come up with. While they are very helpful to you, just remember THEY REPRESENT THE BUILDER, NOT THE BUYER! They will be very helpful to you, yes, however their working on behalf of the builder, and the builders’ interest will come in mind first. It is best for you to find a licensed real estate agent who is familiar with the New Construction field that will be able to represent you, there is no fee to you as a buyer to have an agent represent you during the buying and building process.

2) YOUR WANTS NOW VS YOUR NEEDS NOW!!!

Ok, so now you’re sitting at the model home, you’ve chosen the model you wanted...BUT WAIT, THERES MORE...SO MUCH MORE!!! Now you get to choose things like elevation packages, the house color, cabinet colors and packages, door knobs, handles, carpet or wood or vinyl, bathroom packages, A TON OF UPGRADES, the works. Now, you remember when you first walked in and fell in love with the house? Yeah, that home isn’t what you’re getting, you’re going to get the basics, depending on the builder can be builder basic or some minor upgrades like granite instead of formica. Also, your choices will all be tied to other choices, so there’s lots of give-and-take when it comes to what you pick out. Example, I wanted darker cabinets, ex-wife wanted lighter cabinets, but the lighter cabinet color meant we had to choose the gold colored exterior. If we wanted white cabinets we’d have to upgrade to a different flooring package. This is where you have to make a list of the things you absolutely need now, what you can add later, then break that list down to what you know you can do yourself and what you know you’ll have to hire someone else to do. Flooring is usually an area that most can live with “builder beige” or vinyl for a few years then replace, screening in the lanai is something that could wait but you’d rather do it now than wait. If the option to have granite or quartz is there, make sure you cover your needs first, then go ahead and get the few splurge items you want. Usually builders will run a promotion to get people into the model that can deeply discount upgrades, if you’re not in a rush to build then wait until then. If you’re working with an agent, that agent can negotiate quite a bit into the asking price for the home the builder rep is asking...and speaking of which...

3) THAT PRICE IS VERY NEGOTIABLE IN SOME CASES!

Sometimes it’s the price that can go down, sometimes it’s the options that can be included at the price that’ll make it worth asking price. Yes, just like the price of a home already existing can be negotiated, the price of new construction can be negotiated as well. This is where working with an agent representing you comes handy. That agent knows the neighborhood, knows what the homes are worth, and can negotiate the price down on your behalf. As for the options that can be negotiated in, don’t expect a pool or jacuzzi in the backyard, however, upgraded countertops, air jet tub, upgraded flooring options, upgraded slider doors or French doors, yes, those can be negotiated into the builder asking price. You may be able to negotiate a couple items on your own, a licensed agent goes in on your behalf to help you get close to what you want at a better price.

4) ORDER YOUR OWN INSPECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE BUILD!

Think because it’s new construction that everything is perfect when the house is done? NOPE! After we closed and was handed the keys, we couldn’t get the hot water in the kitchen to work, one of the living room windows wouldn’t open correctly without force and later part of the mechanism fell apart, the pantry door fell apart on its own in the middle of the night within 3 months of barely any use, the stucco started to crack within a few months, and a digging up debris left by the trades in my lawn when I went to put in tiger lilies and new trees. This is where inspections come in. Yes, the builder will get things inspected in the end and at major milestones, however, you can hire your own inspector to go in behind that inspector to ensure the work and corners weren’t cut to minimize time on site. The inspector you hire works for you on your behalf, he is there to protect your investment, not the builder. If you are working with an agent, that agent can recommend an inspector that is top rated and deals with new construction and knows exactly what to look for.

5) FINAL WALKTHROUGH IS EVERYTHING!!!

So you made it through the build process, all of the trades are finished, and what was once a dirt lot and a pile of bricks and lumber is now the beautiful home of your dreams. You have stars in your eyes, visions of backyard barbeques, game nights in the living room, kids sleepovers on weekends, those rainy summer nights everyone is huddled around the TV with pizza and popcorn. Come back down to reality for a day, in particular, the final walkthrough. While the builder will come back for the first 2 years to fix anything, this is the time to flush every toilet, turn on the hot and cold taps, open and close windows, doors, turn on every light switch, open and close the garage door, do a thorough walkaround the house. The builder rep will have all of these things fixed before you and your family move in, reducing headaches and any downtime you may have to experience once you move into your new home.

There’s one last thing I want you to do...ENJOY THE RIDE! Yes, drive past the house (but don’t go in unless you have permission). Take plenty of progress pictures, imagine where you will place furniture, paint colors, the memories you’ll make in this new home. During the build, don’t think about mortgage payments, insurance or taxes, enjoy the build process and what’s to come positive. This is a great time for you, you should enjoy it!!!

#Real Estate #Real Estate Agent #Realtor #Alaska Real Estate #Florida Real Estate #New Construction #New Construction Home #Home #House #Dwelling #Residence #Semper Fi Home Guy

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the-relentless-inspector · 5 years

Text

The Inspector shot awake, instinct driving him to secure Lily even as the dreams that had plagued him left him still gasping for breath.

“Are you all right?” squeaked the rat frantically, her paws digging into his nightshirt.

“You- you fuss.” The weight of the accusation was somewhat diminished by the fact it was gasped out between frantic breaths, yet slowly, the Inspector steadied.

Finally, still cradling the trembling rat to his chest, he rose. The course before him now was clear: to examine himself for changes that might prove the presence of a Fingerking, or otherwise reveal what these creatures had taken of him.

His duty as a guard in the Labyrinth of Tigers had taught him the surest sign: the eyes were infallibly changed in such cases. Thus, he lit a candle - beeswax, not foxfire, as the latter’s greenish sheen should have distorted the color - and retrieved his shaving mirror.

Pain pierced his eyes, burrowed into his lungs. He recoiled, only barely retaining his hold on the candle and the mirror. Yet what he had seen had not sufficed for an evaluation. Slowly, deliberately, he turned his gaze to the mirror once more.

Twisting fire filled his lungs; his vision swam; he staggered. He had seen a glimpse of the usual gray in his eyes, yet it did not suffice. He should obtain a second opinion.

Here, however, the next issue arose. Could he visit Inspector R____-H______, or would his visit only serve to endanger her? But this thought was swiftly dismissed - she was a competent officer of the law, and would do what was necessary.

“...please, won’t you tell me what’s the matter?” Given their difference in size, it posed evident difficulty for Lily to shake his shoulder, yet she attempted it nevertheless.

“That... would presuppose the issue was known.” He ran his hand over his braid. “I require someone to examine my eyes.”

Without another word, Lily scrambled up his neck; then, dangling off his nose and his ear, she subjected his eyes to a close inspection. “What are you looking for? It doesn’t look different to me.”

“...the symptoms of possession,” he confessed.

“Not even a snake could be as impossible as you,” sighed Lily. “Whatever is happening to you.. it’s not that, at least.”

“That leaves the matter of the mirror.” He scratched his whiskers in his usual manner. “I shall have to confer with Inspector R____-H______... once I have shaved.”

Yet though the Inspector had ever prided himself upon persistence, though he should never have given up a chase so long as he only were in sufficiently large pieces to crawl, shaving proved an insurmountable difficulty. Trembling with exhaustion as he stumbled from the kitchen, nauseous from the headache that had eventually set in, burning with shame at his body’s cowardly reflexes, he at last was forced to concede defeat.

It was unsurprising, therefore, that when he called upon Inspector R____-H______ in such a state, he was immediately maneuvered to the nearest chair, bundled in a blanket and provided with copious amounts of tea. Almost as swiftly, an assortment of animals draped themselves over his feet, on his lap, and wherever else they thought they might prevent his departure until he had steadied and begun to restore order to his doubtless shattered world; only Mary kept her distance, hissing from the safety of a shelf, seeming like an uncharacteristically irate cloud of soot. Yet though the tea was excellent, and the company - whether human, canine or confusedly musteline - far from unwelcome, he found no answers beyond the conclusion that it was time to seek out the aid of an expert.

The identity of such an expert, however, proved a more difficult question. Various stage magicians were considered and rejected; the cats of the Shroud were to be only a last resort given the amount of superstitious nonsense they were involved in; even poets were discussed in more than a single syllable.

Finally, duty put an end to the discussion. Yet the issue persisted. It was not enough that his colleagues treated him with a caution that came near to confused pity; the question remained, and the Inspector found himself wasting time pondering it.

When something distressingly resembling an option presented itself to him, however, it was as disagreeable as the question.

Citizen Bowler was an expert on the matter of Fingerking possession. Citizen Bowler was also a suspect, and in a manner of speaking, something resembling a younger sibling.

Both of these facts made them exceptionally ill-suited as a source of information. It was certainly improper for an officer of the law to request the aid of a suspect; and as for their other relationship, an older sibling, if only in metaphor, should be more experienced than the younger.

And yet the thought remained.

#fallen london #in which there are headaches #(Fate locked)#the magician's dream

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