accio lemon drop

my side blog is for saving cool art and reblogging interesting posts

[foxyx]

cardigan.

[toorumlk]

molly made them deep clean the chicken coops after catching them like this (hermione's supposed to sleep in ginny's bedroom)

[katenoteight]

And they'd clean it again and again and again 😏❤️😂

[meruz]

Harry hesitated, but after all, Ron had been honest with him, so he told Ron the truth…

one of my absolute favorite bits from the hp books that never made it into the movies. though admittedly, the ootp movie had to rly condense a lot. i think the relationship between harry and ron is super underrated/overlooked - there’s so much love, trust, and support between them in this scene.

[gnocchioli]

I love their friendship 😭😭😭

[hermioneficrecs]

Fic Rec #648

The Dark Lord Never Died by Starfox5 

Hermione x Ron Weasley

Voldemort was defeated on Halloween 1981, but Lucius Malfoy faked his survival to take over Britain in his name. Almost 20 years later, the Dark Lord returns to a very different Britain - and Malfoy won’t give up his power. And Dumbledore sees an opportunity to deal with both. Caught up in all of this are two young people on different sides.

COMPLETE: Chapters: 25 - Words: 173,287

[fyeahharryginny]

Harry Potter and the Order's Death Eater

by killtherat

Faced with an impossible mission Draco Malfoy defects to seek protection from Sirius Black and the Order - forcing Harry to spend an awkward summer in his enemy’s company. With the prophecy looming over head and suspicions of Malfoy’s true loyalty Harry must decide whether it’s safe to put his trust in his enemy.

AU where Sirius lives, sequel to my Order of the Phoenix AU.

Words: 3098, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Characters: Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Draco Malfoy, Remus Lupin, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Nymphadora Tonks, Bellatrix Black Lestrange, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Tom Riddle | Voldemort

Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Ex-Death Eater Draco Malfoy

Read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/RYCJuGb

[foreverdawning]

Like a Melted Chocolate

This is for the Twilight Christmas Exchange. This is for @percyiackson!

I am also posting this on AO3.

Leah always treasured the moments when she had her thoughts to herself. Seth and Jacob were known to sleep in soundly on the weekends—ever since the leeches had left years ago, there was no reason to do so many patrols. Leah allowed herself to get lost in the forest and feel the soft earth under her paws. In a few more minutes, she’d have two idiots in her head again but for now she could enjoy the freedom.

Unsurprisingly, Jacob’s thoughts came into Leah’s head.

Looks like you’re enjoying yourself.

Leah tried to ignore him unsuccessfully until a question entered her mind. Seth?

He’s still sleeping. He has that final coming up in a few weeks and I gave him the rest of the month off. I tried giving him the whole semester but he’s stubborn.

Leah made a thought of acknowledgement. She slowed her run to a light jog and transformed back to her human form. She could hear Jacob do the same behind her. Leah crouched down to pick up some clothes she’d stashed before her run.

“Where are you headed?” Jacob called out behind her, already dressed in his signature cut offs. Leah ignored him and finished getting dressed and started walking away. Jacob caught up with her.

Leah sighed. “I’m going to Charlie’s house. He and my mom want us to have Sunday breakfast together. But Seth’s not going to make it.”

Jacob laughed. “Oh, I’m sure you love that!”

Leah tried to smile and kept walking. Jacob kept pace with her. “Must be weird, you and Bella being almost stepsiblings.”

“Not as weird as you’re making it out to be. Aren’t you still in love with her?” Leah jabbed at him.

If Jacob was hurt, he didn’t show it. “As I’ve said a billion times, Bella and I are just friends. What crawled up your butt?”

Leah grunted and stopped in her tracks. “You’re very annoying, you know that?” Leah was suddenly glad Seth wasn’t around for this. It would have been awkward doing this half-joking, half-flirting thing with her little brother around.

“I’m known to be a bit of an annoyance on occasion.” Jacob grinned innocently before running off, “I’ll see you at breakfast!”

“I didn’t invite you!” Leah yelled back and then smiled.

…

Jacob could be the only person in the world that felt comfortable showing up unannounced to the Clearwater-Swan awkward family breakfast.

Charlie answered the door, “Hi Jacob. I didn’t expect to see you here.” His face trailed off to Bella in the kitchen standing next to Leah.

“I invited him,” both Leah and Bella said at the same time. They both pointedly looked away from each other and found the cracks in the linoleum floor much more interesting.

“Okay…” Charlie was not the type to ask questions when things got weird.

Things were already weird enough with the unspoken do-not-speak-about-the-Cullens rule. Leah still remembers Bella’s face when she got unceremoniously dumped by Edweird. Bella and Jacob had become inseparable in those months. But of course, once Bella got her bloodsucker back, it was her turn to dump Jacob. Or whatever it’s called when you dump a friend. But now that the leeches have left Bella for a second time, she’s begun calling Jacob more. And it’s really grating on Leah’s last nerves. Especially now seeing Bella sharing private jokes with him.

“Leah, how has your search for a new job been coming?” Charlie asked.

Charlie had always been pleasant to Leah and decent enough to her mother. She bit back the automatic retort she had and instead managed a somewhat nice response. “I’m still looking. It’s not like the prospects have changed much in six days since you last asked.”

Sue gave Leah a warning glance before patting her napkin against her face. “It’s alright, sweetie. This area’s not exactly crawling with jobs.”

“I recently quit working at the Newtons’ hiking store so they’re hiring,” Bella chimed in. “Since I started this new semester at Washington it’s just too hard for me to balance school and work.”

Leah wanted to punch Bella’s annoying ass face in but managed a quick smile and a considerate hum.

Jacob piped up with his usual annoying charm and directed the attention on himself, much to Leah’s relief.

…

 After dinner, Leah and Bella were cleaning the dishes. Jacob, Charlie, and Sue were laughing loudly in the living room.

Neither girl said anything to the other for a long time until Bella spoke. “You know, if I had to get a sister, I’m glad it was you.”

It took everything in Leah not to roll her eyes. “Why is that? You don’t even know me.”

“Jacob talks about you all the time.”

Leah paused momentarily before collecting herself enough to continue wiping the plate in her hand. “He does?” The softness in her voice was on full display and all the usual snark was gone.

Bella nodded. “In fact, he said you were probably his best friend.”

“No he didn’t.” Leah hated being the butt of a joke.

“I’m serious. He told me this the other night. I think he likes you.”

Leah shot a look at Bella, and Bella blushed and looked back and the plate she was drying. Leah prayed that Jacob was not eavesdropping on this conversation. “Let’s just drop it,” Leah gritted out.

…

Jacob offered to give Leah a ride back to the Clearwater residence. Sue spent most of her nights at the Swans’ anyway, but it was too cramped for Leah. Not that their house was any bigger but there was a very obvious lack of Swans that Leah particularly enjoyed.

Seth was hunched over the dining room table with his textbook propped up against a roll of paper towels.

“Hey Seth.”

Seth didn’t look up. “Hey.”

Leah reached out and ruffled Seth’s hair on her way to the fridge. Jacob stepped through the door.

“Leah, you left your phone.” Jacob held the phone up high above his head almost hitting the popcorn ceiling.

“Thanks.” Leah took the phone from him, and Jacob shifted from side to side. “You know,” she started, “you could hang out for a bit if you wanted.”

Jacob honest-to-goodness blushed, and Leah had to look away. Thankfully, Seth was oblivious to the flirtation going on around him. “I actually was wanting to talk to you.”

Leah’s heart began pounding. “Sure, we can talk in my room.”

Walking the few feet it took to get to her door felt like agony. Leah’s heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest. Once both of them were in the room, she closed the door.

Jacob took a moment to look around. Leah felt weirdly naked having Jacob looking at her childhood bedroom and preteen posters still hanging on the walls.

“I don’t know how else to say this…” Jacob scratched the back of his head and stared at the ground. “But I like hanging out with you and was wondering if maybe we could hang out just the two of us.”

Leah snorted. “Is that seriously how you were planning on asking me out?”

Jacob looked at her sheepishly. “I didn’t have some grand plan for it. It just kinda sprung to mind.”

Leah rolled her eyes and stepped closer to Jacob. “Yes, I would like to ‘hang out just the two of us’ sometime.”

Jacob grinned and grabbed her hands. “Really?”

“Yes, really.”

Jacob hugged Leah and laughed awkwardly.

Seth shouted from the kitchen, “Finally!”

———-

@twilight-secret-gift-exchange

[peterpettigrewproject]

Peter Pettigrew Fest Masterlist

Fic: Easily Overlooked | Peter Pettigrew & Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & James Potter | 2.6k | Rated G | By MidnightStargazer

Fic: My Regrets Hurt More Then My Death | Peter Pettigrew, Gen | 2.5k | Rated G | By Lucigoo89

Fic: our love exists behind locked doors and closed curtains | Peter Pettigrew/James Potter | 1.7k | Rated G | By CanYouHearMyFear

Fic: Odi et amo. | Peter Pettigrew/Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew/Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew/James Potter, Peter Pettigrew/Lily Evans | 1.4k | Rated T | By astro_zombie

Fic: Be a Good Lad | Peter Pettigrew/Sirius Black | 3.6k | Rated E | By maraudersaffair

Fic: You Only Really Knew my Name | Peter Pettigrew & Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & James Potter | 2.3k | Rated G | By SebbiGrey

Fic: it's time we stop | Peter Pettigrew & Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & James Potter | 1.1k | Rated G | By Wanderingdonut

[writers-potion]

I'm writing a story where a major character is slowly spiraling into madness where small details kinda hint into the downfall right before the bigger details appear and then it the floodgates open. Is there anything I should avoid? Anything that I should keep in mind? Anything that I should research?

1st vs. 3rd POV For Mad Characters

This may sound irresponsible for someone who gives out writing tips, but the best method to figure out the best POV character is to test 2-3 out (just try writing the first chapter) to see if it works the way you expected it to. 

Here are some factors to consider when you’re writing an MC who is mad: 

The extent to which you want to capture their internal world

The extent to which you can afford to “warp” descriptions of the external world (while not getting your readers lost)

How much you want your readers to sympathize with the character 

What you feel comfortable with. How much you actually know about the mental condition they’re going through will be REALLY important and easy to tell in 1st person POV. For 3rd person POVs, there’s more wiggle room.

First Person MC POV

The POV that takes the most research and careful balancing between actual description and the “insane” descriptions. 

Since the reader cannot see beyond a mad character’s head, it can be difficult to tell what’s “actually happening” at times.Many writers have used this as a major plot twist, given that it comes with careful structuring so that enough evidences are left for the readers which all come together at the end. 

Be ready to make use of side characters who are more capable of telling readers the truth

If the focus is more on the process of going mad, this is the best POV to fully explore how a character can live in their own bubble. 

Third Person Omniscient

Even when writing in third person omniscient, you’ll typically follow a main character from whose perspective you follow the story. 

It’s more convenient to jump into side characters to let the readers know what’s reality from the madness-induced beliefs of the MC. 

If the MC’s madness is one that is hard to justify(criminal mindset), it’s easier to use 3rd Person to distance yourself a little 

First Person Observer POV

Whether you can have an effective 3rd person observer at all will depend on the kind of madness your MC is falling into. For sociopathic insane characters, it doesn’t make sense to have someone who can follow them closely enough to provide description.

Think about why and how this narrative character will follow the MC around

I think 3rd person observers work best when you explore how mad characters are judged/helped by those around them throughout their journey. 

This may come more naturally to us since we are technically observers who will watch this character go mad. 

My final rec: start with 3rd person observer POV, then try out one other POV for the first chapter to decide.

[writers-potion]

Structuring Your Fight Scene

adapted from <Writer's Craft> by Rayne Hall

Suspense

Show your characters gearing up, readying themselves.

The pace is slow, the suspense is high (use suspense techniques)

Provide information about terrain, numbers, equipment, weapons, weather.

May have dialogue as the opponents taunt each other, hurl accusations, or make one final effort to avoid the slaughter.

Don't start too early - we don't need to see the hero getting out of bed, taking a shower and having tea.

2. Start

Fighters get into fight stance: knees slightly bent, one leg forward, abdominal muscles tensing, body turned diagonally, weapons at the ready.

Each side will usually try to be the first to strike, as this will give them advantage.

The movements in this section need to be specific and technically correct.

3. Action

This section may be quick or prolonged. If prolonged, no blow-by-blow descriptions are needed.

Focus on the overall direction of the fight

Make use of the location to make characters jump, leap, duck, hide, fall, etc.

Mention sounds of weapons

4. Surprise

Something unexpected happens: building catches fire, a downpour, relief force arrives, staircase collapses, bullet smashes into the only lightbulb and everything goes dark, hero losses his weapon, etc.

Add excitement, raise the stakes.

5. Climax

Both sides are tired and wounded

The hero is close to giving up, but is revived with passion

Move to the terrain's most dangerous spot: narrow swining rope-bridge, a roof-edge, sinking ship, etc.

Don't rush the climax! Hold the tension

6. Aftermath

The fight is over: bes buddies lying dead, bandaging, reverberating pain, etc.

Use sense of sight and smell

The hero may experience nausea, shaking, tearfulness or get sexually horny

Fight scene length

Historical/adventure/fantasy: 700-1000w

Romance: 400-700w

[writers-potion]

Writing Weapons (1): Swords

The Thrusting Sword

Type of fight scene: entertaining, duels, non-lethal fights, non-gory deaths, swashbuckling adventure

Mostly used in: Europe, including Renaissance and Regency periods

Typical User: silm, male or female, good aerobic fitness

Main action: thrust, pierce, stab

Main motion: horizontal with the tip forward

Shape: straight, often thin, may be lightweight

Typical Injury: seeping blood, blood stains spreading

Strategy: target gaps in the armous, pierce a vital organ

Disadvantage: cannot slice through bone or armour

Examples: foil, epee, rapier, gladius

The Cleaving Sword

Type of fight scene: gritty, brutal, battles, cutting through armour

Typical user: tall brawny male with broad shulders and bulging biceps

Mostly used in: Medieval Europe

Main action: cleave, hack, chop, cut, split

Main motion: downwards

Shape: broad, straight, heavy, solid, sometime huge, sometimes need to be held in both hands, both sides sharpened

Typical Injury: severed large limbs

Strategy: hack off a leg, them decapitate; or split the skull

Disadvantage: too big to carry concealed, too heavy to carry in daily lifem too slow to draw for spontaneous action

Examples: Medieval greatsword, Scottish claymore, machete, falchion

The Slashing Sword

Type of fight scene: gritty or entertaining, executions, cavalry charge, on board a ship

Mostly used in: Asia, Middle East

Typical user: male (female is plausible), any body shape, Arab, Asian, mounted warrior, cavalryman, sailor, pirate

Main action: slash, cut, slice

Main motion: fluid, continuous, curving, eg.figure-eight

Shape: curved, often slender, extremely sharp on the outer edge

Typical Injury: severed limbs, lots of spurting blood

Strategy: first disable opponent's sword hand (cut it off or slice into tendons inside the elbow)

Disadvantage: unable to cut thorugh hard objects (e.g. metal armor)

Examples: scimitar, sabre, saif, shamshir, cutlass, katana

Blunders to Avoid:

Weapons performing what they shouldn't be able to do (e.g. a foil slashing metal armour)

Protagonists fighting with weapons for which they don't have the strength or build to handle

The hero carrying a huge sword all the time as if it's a wallet

Drawing a big sword form a sheath on the back (a physical impossiblity, unless your hero is a giant...)

Generic sword which can slash, stab, cleave, slash, block, pierce, thrust, whirl through the air, cut a few limbs, etc...as if that's plausible

adapted from <Writer's Craft> by Rayne Hall

[writers-potion]

Writing Weapons (2): Knives and Daggers

Dagger vs. Sword

In many situations, daggers might be more plausible than a sword fight.

Dagger are eaiser to carry and conceal, lighter, faster, good for spontaneous action, suicide bids, self-defense and assassination.

Dagger vs. Knife

No clear distinction; terms used interchangeably

Dagger is more for thrusting with 2 sharp edges

Knife is more for cutting (slashing) with 1 sharp edge

Concealment

Carried in a leather sheath on the belt

Can be concealed under a cloak, in a bodice (sheath sewn into the bodice), in a boot, behind hari ornaments

Bodice daggers (popular in the Renaissance) had no cross guards.

Connotations

Beside its combat value, the dagger has lots of emotional and sexual symbolisms.

The closeness need to attack with a dagger creates intense personal connection. They are often used in fights where emotions are running high: gang warfare, hate crime, vengeance.

Due to its shape and the fact that it's usually worn on a belt made it a symbol of virility in many cultures and periods.

Sometimes it was the hilt rather than the blade: like in the case of bollocks daggers with two...balls on either side of the hilt.

Fighting Techniques

Stabbing:-

The dagger with long, thin blades are made to stab a vital organ like the kidneys, liver, bowel, stomach or heart.

Stabbing directly at the chest seldom works, since the blde may glance off the ribs. Position the dagger below the ribcage and drive it upwards, through the diaphragm and into the lungs. If the sword is long enough and your fighter is a professional, you can get to the heart.

If no professional, just keep going for the stomach and you'll get one of the vital organs eventually.

Slashing:-

When describing a slash wound, show a lot of blood streaming, or even spurting.

Slashing dagger fights are bloody - show your MC's hands getting slick with blood, grip on the weapon slipping.

The aim is to cut the opponent's throat or cut tendoms, muscles, or ligaments to disable. Slashing the muscles in the weapon-wielding arm is the most effective; insides of the writst or back of the knee is also critical.

Assassinations:-

Show good knowledge of the humna antatomy

Use a stabbing dagger

A single, determined, calculated and efficient stroke, probably below the ribs.

Self-Defense:-

Disable the attacker by slashing their weapon-wielding hand (elbow or wrist)

Quick, multiple stabs wherever the MC can get the blade to land; the attacker won't give time for careful positioning

If the blade is too short to do any significant damage, maek up for this by stabbing so ast that the pain and blood loss distracts the opponent.

Vegeance and Hatred:-

Someone who is motivated by raging emotions will stab the victim repeatedly, even after he is already dead.

The attacker may stab or salsh the victim's face, disfiguring it.

Contemporary street fights and gang warfare usually involves these.

Duels:-

If both fighters are armed with daggers, include wrestling-type moves as they try to restrict each other's weapon hand.

Show them trying to disable each other by slashing insides of writes, elbows, the back of the knees, etc.

Dagger + Sword

If the character is expecting a fight, they can hold a sword in their right hand, and a dagger in their left to fight with both

Sword + mace combination also common.

Blunders to Avoid:

Direct stabbing at the chest wouldn't work.

Hero cannot cut his bread with a stabbing sword

adapted from <Writer's Craft> by Rayne Hall

[writers-potion]

Writing Weapons (3): Staffs, Spears and Polearms

Staffs

The staff is inexpensive and in the hand of a skilled fighter - deadly.

Particularly useful for entertaining fight scene, or for spontaneous fights.

A seasoned fighter can fight with a broomstick or garden hoe.

Useful for petite heroine: much lighter, long enough to fight at a distance so that he can't tackle or grapple

Spears

In most period, spears were the most common weapon for warfare

spears are cheaper than swords (better for large armies&peasants)

Spears can be tipped wth metal, stone, or anything at hand (bone, glass shards), or simply have one end sharpened to a point.

The Throwing Spear

An army would throw lots of spear at the enemy to do as much damage as possible before closing in

Each soldier may hold multiple throwing spears

The 'atatl' is used for loading the spear on the shoulder and catapulating it forward. This sllows women to hurl a spear with as much strength as a man.

Some spears are designed so their tips break on impact to prevent re-use.

Throwing spears are fairly lightweight. It is sometimes called 'javelin'.

The Thrusting Spear

The main weapon for peasants pressed into military service

Very long, often made from farming implement

The first row of soldiers kneels with spears low in hand. The second row kneels with spear at hip height. The third row stands with spears at waist height. The fouth holds the spears at shoulder hieight and the fith holds them above.

The thrusting spear is sometimes called 'lance'. If it's very long, it's called a 'pike'.

A warrior can hold a spear in the right and a shield in the left.

Polearms

Polearms are thrusting spears with cleverly designed, large heads which can stab, cut, hook, twist, cleave, push or pull.

Can be used as lances or as staffs

They serve best at a distance (preventing a sword-armed fighter), but can use them close-up as well. Some are even designed to pry open plate armour.

Can add authenticity to a medieval fight scene.

Poleaxe

spear with a tip for thrusting combined with an axe-blade for cleaving.

Billhook

Originally an agricultural tool, a hook-shaped blade for clearing brush.

Billhook has a long handle, a long sharp spike as a tip, and a pronounced hook.blade which serves to pull and cut the enemy's legs and ankles.

Halerd

Axe-blade on one side and a hook on the other

Developed to repel horses and to stop swordsmen getting close.

It became a ceremonial weapon, sometimes worn by guardsmen on parade

Blunders to Avoid

Medieval battles where every soldier fights with a sword

Soldier carrying polearms and not using them

adapted from <Writer's Craft> by Rayne Hall

[writers-potion]

Writing Weapons (4): Clubs, Maces, Axes, Slings and Arrows

Clubs & Maces

Maces are refined versions of clubs, usually made from steel and flanged or spiked.

Perfect for smashing and plate armour and for crushing skulls.

When used on horseback, the rider uses continuous swining motion and leans to the side to hit.

Type of Fight Scene: gritty, historical fiction, smashing armour

Typical user: brawny male with broad shoulders nad bulging biceps

Mostly used in: historical fiction - Stone Age to Middle Ages

Main Action: smash, crush, bludgeon, batter

Main motion: downwards

Typical injury: crushed bones, crushed skull

Strategy for lethal fight: crush skull

Disadvantages: heavy, need to get closer to the opponent

Batle Axes

Used by a peasant or lumberjack

Special battle axes are bigger and heavier, with longer handles

A weapons for attack rather than defence, good at cleaving through armour

Can break through enemy shields and kill a charging horse.

They require intense training, so users are highly skilled elite soldiers, often aristocrats.

Types of Fight Scene: gritty, brutal, battles, attack, historical fiction, fantasy fiction, cutting through armour

Typical User: tall brawny male with broad shoulders and bulging biceps, courageous, elite soldier, Viking, Saxon

Mostly Used In: European Dark Ages to Middle Ages

Main Action: cleave, hack, chop, cut, split

Main Motion: downwards

Typical Injury: severed large limbs, split skulls, cleaved torsos

Strategy for Lethal Fight: severe the arm which holds the sword or the shield, or cleave torso from top to bottom, or cut off a lef then split the skull

Disadvantages: big and heavy

Bows and Arrows

They are weapons of mass use. Hundred of arrows are shot at the enemy to inflict as mcuh damagne as possible from a distance.

In the middle of the battle and for close combat, they're useless.

Castles were designed for the use of bows and arrows, with narrow windows called 'archer slits'. The top of the outer walls were desgined so archers could shoot while remaining under cover.

Arrows are relateively cheap and quickly to produce. Tips an be metal or sharpened stone, wood, bone, glass splinters, etc.

Pieces of feather at the end help the arrows fly better, but knowing which part of the feather to attach how and where is much -treasured knowledge.

Characters can learn the basics of archery can be done quickly at an emergency. However, to be really good it takes years of practice.

Most important skill is to be able to shoot many arrows in quick succession.

Stone Slings

Stone slings are cheap to make - it only takes a piece of leather, string and ammunition are simply pebbls lying around.

This makes it good for low-tech historical periods and for characters of all ages and physical capacities.

Doesn't require great physical strength, but a lot of practice is required to achieve accuracy.

Different cultures have different techniques for holding and releasing, none of which includes the continuous frantic whirling around beloved by moview makers. Rotatin is usually done once or twice, or not at all.

(1) the slinger hooks the end of the sling over her fingers (2) holds the hand above the shoulder so the sling's bag with the stone in it hangs down behind her shoulder. (3) flings it straight forward.

Blunders to Avoid

Depicting an axeman as an unkilled brute who chops blindly.

Battles where the archers shoot when sword fighters are already engaged in close fighting

[writers-potion]

Writing Weapons (5): Improvised Weapons

Using everyday and unpected objects as weapons are especially loved by readers during entertaining fight scenes!

At a desk:

Heavey paperweights and inkpots

Letter opener

Things in Bags and Pockets:

Pen: stabbing, thrusting repeatedly at throat and eyes

Pointed Key: the sharp tip poking out between fingers of a balled fist.

Cologne spray: Spritzed into the attacker's eyes

Water bottle: squeeze into the attacker's eyes for precious few seconds

Small, hard objects to lend power to punches.

Slinging the bag itself (espeically if it's heavy, like a book bag) and slamming it down on his head

Objects Used for Hobbies/Occupations:

Knitting needles for the knitter

Hose pipe, secateurs (pruning clippers), spade for the gardner

Iron frying pan, kettles, spatulas for the cook

A heavy tome for the librarian

Wire brush, hair spray, hot curling iron for the hair stylist

Sharp pointed trowel for the archaeologist

Mop, sopay water, antiseptic for the cleaner

Stethoscope, scalpel for the doctor

Oar for the rower

Stiletto heel for the model

Finger cymbals (for bursting eardrums) for the bellydancer

Pin of a brooch for the jeweller

A handful of coins, unopened roll of pennies for the cashier.

If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! 📸

[writers-potion]

Writing Weapons (6): Magical Weapons and Warfare

Material, Size and Shape

Solid, natural material like stone, wood or bone. The boen can be from a ritually sacrificed animal, a human ancestor/sacrifice, a hero or a saint, or a slain enemy.

Crystal or precious or semi-precious stone: good at storing and intensifying magical energy.

Elonged shape, like a wand or staff. May be disguised as an everyday elonged object like a pen or a walking stick.

Can be of any size, smaller objects often disguised as everyday objects; large, stationary magical items (like a statue) can be a landmark everyone knows about

A religious connection, like the weapon being sacred to a goddess, blessed in a temple, manufactured by monks, forged by a god, bestowed to the hero by a deity, etc.

Inherited through generations

It can only be given, not obtained via force or theft.

The manufacture of the weapon involves a ritual and a sacrifice.

How It Works

The use of a magical weapon is seldom purely physical - there must be a mental effect, like the user concentrating, casting a spell, or being born of a certain bloodline.

The damage incurred by a magical weapon may be invisible

Damage caused by a magical weapon may only be felt by the victim after a lag, when it's too late to seek help.

The weapon may affect the target's mind rather than the body (robbing the person of the will to live, love, or fight)

Many magical weapons are element-specific (like fire, water, air, etc.)

The weapon may be capable of hitting hidden targets

The user needs magic training (like directing energy, mental focus, power raising) to use the weapon. Otherwise, the magic of the weapon might kill him.

Charging and Cleansing

A magical weapon often needs to be magically fuelled ("charged") to be used.

This can be by a certain person, at a certain location, involving (religious) rituals, perhaps even involving sacrifices.

Sometimes, the weapon may be charged by leaving it lying in running water, or exposed to sunlight or the light of a full moon.

After use, the weapon may need to be cleansed. The ritual to cleanse the weapon can be equal to the ritual used to charge the weapon.

Fictional Complications

The weapon only works for a specific period after being charged.

The weapon only works in the hand of certain people - male virgin, post-menopausal crones, etc.

The weapon depends on the user's attitudes and beliefs. What if the weapon only works for someone who is free from fear, or has an unshakable faith in the fact that the Earth is flat?

The weapon only works if the user know the true name of the victim

The weapon only works if the user is in a state of altered consciousness - they cannot be waken up.

It takes time for the user to wake the weapon up and direct herwill at the desired outcome.

Magic requires extreme concentration, which can be difficult to get in the middle of a raging battle.

The weapon ay work only in the presence of a certain element (water, airm eath, fire)

How to Defeat a Magician

For the magician, the primary weapon is his mind, and the ability to concentrate in order to channel his/her powers to the target.

If your MC is a magician, show how he recites his spells (so that he'll be able to cast them correctly under stress) and undergoes mental strength exercises.

The best time to attack a magician would be right after she finishes casting a difficult spell and suffering the aftermaths (momentary lack of power, mental sluggishness, etc.)

Magic in Warfare

There may be a single magician serving as an advisor to the commander-in-chief, or each legion might have their own magician, with different specializations.

There may be specialized magician units, like engineering or medical units. Groups of magician-soldiers are also plausible.

Magicians can fill the role of consultants, astrologers, prophets, psychologists and priests. They determine an auspicious date for battle, bless the banners and all for the favor of the gods.

Magicians can create protective spells which deflect bullets, arrows and sword blows. They may even invent a device that places shields on the wearer.

Protection or healing spells may take time to carry out, which means only the elite or the most valued soldiers will be given the previllege - this can cause resentment and lead to interesting dynamics betwen men who are desperate to survive battle.

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[writers-potion]

MASTERPOST (PT. 2)

If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! 📸

For romance writing prompts, plotting tips & more, check out: MASTERPOST PT. 1

⭐Dialogue

Writing Dialogue 101

Crying-Yelling Dialogue Prompts

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⛰️Words to Use Instead Of...

Synonyms for "Walk"

Synonyms for “feeling like”

Words To Use Instead of "Look"

Words to Use Instead Of...(beautiful, interesting, good, awesome, cute, shy)

Said is dead

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🔠Vocab Lists

Nervous Tension Vocab

Kiss Scene Vocab

Fight Scene Vocab

Haunted House Inspo & Vocab

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👁️‍🗨️Setting & Description

Common Scenery Description Tips

2012 School Setting Vibes - follower question

Describing Food in Writing

Describing Cuts, Bruises and Scrapes

Using Description and Setting Meaningfully

How Different Types of Death Feel

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🗡️Weapons & Fighting Series:

Writing Swords

Writing knives and daggers

Writing Weapons (3): Staffs, Spears and Polearms

Writing Weapons (4): Clubs, Maces, Axes, Slings and Arrows

Writing Weapons (5): Improvised Weapons

Writing Weapons (6): Magical Weapons and Warfare

Writing Weapons (7): Unarmed Combat

Writing Female Fighters

Writing Male Fighters

Writing Armour

Writing Group Fights

Writing Battles At Sea

Erotic Tension in Fight Scenes

Pacing for Fight Scenes

Writing a Siege Warfare

Different Genres, Different Fight Scenes.

Making Fight Scenes Sound Nicer

Fight Scenes For Disabled Characters

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🌎Worldbuilding

Constructing a Fictional Economy

Homosexuality in Historical Fiction

Writing Nine Circles of Hell

Writing Seven Levels of Heaven

Master List of Superpowers

Magic System Ideas 

A Guide to Writing Cozy Fantasy

Dark Fantasy How-To

Dark Fantasy Writing Prompts

Dark, Twisted Fairytale Prompts

Fantasy World Cultural Quirks 

Fantasy Nobel Ranks: A List

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🌠Symbolism in Writing

Plant Symbolisms 

Weather Symbolisms

Symbols of Death

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🪄Writing Magic

Writing Magicians - the basics

Writing Magic Systems

Magical Training Options for Your Characters

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📋Other!

List of Fantasy Subgenres

Beauty is Terror: A List

The Pirate's Glossary

Storyediting Questions to Ask

Writing Multiple WIPs Simultaneously

Idea Generation Exercises for the Writer

Book Title Ideas

Picking the Right Story For You

What If God Dies in Your Story 

International Slang, Slang, Slang!

10 Great Love Opening Lines 

How to Insult Like Shakespeare

Serial Killer Escape Manual

Best Picrew Character Generators for Your Characters!

How to Write Faster

[floreatcastellumposts]

Any little Romione moments from DH?

The drawing room had been quiet except for the ticking of the carriage clock, and slow, rhythmic breathing, but Harry starting muttering after a couple of hours, his voice low and mumbling. Ron had been staring at Hermione, and even in the very low, orange streetlight that had slipped in from the street, he saw her eyes snap open and look over at Harry in panic. 

‘Get used to it,’ he whispered at her, with a slight grin. Her eyes now flicked down to his. ‘He talks in his sleep all the time,’ Ron reminded her. ‘I’ve told you that.’ 

‘What’s he saying?’ she whispered. 

Ron paused, and strained his ears - after so many years of sharing a room with Harry, he was more able to decipher the apparently incoherent ramblings. ‘Some of it’s parseltongue…’ he said, noting the occasional strangled, hissing words. ‘And then… something about the pensieve, something about Dumbledore… horcrux stuff.’

Harry muttered again, right on cue, and Ron was sure he could make out the words ‘tortured them in the cave’.  

Hermione looked horrified, disturbed, and Ron rolled over slightly to look at Harry’s dark, lumpy figure, his back to him, his shoulders twitching slightly. 

Ron looked back up at Hermione, and grinned again. ‘He’s pretty creepy, isn’t he?’ 

‘No!’ hissed Hermione, looking aghast. ‘No, don’t say that, that’s not what I mean-’

‘I know, I’m just teasing,’ said Ron soothingly. ‘I know you’re just worried.’ 

‘I am,’ she admitted. ‘This is why I didn’t want to be on my own, I can’t sleep for worry, Ron, about him, about you, about everyone at the wedding; I just can’t stop thinking-’

‘That’s always been your problem,’ he said, and whether it was some kind of early hours, sleep deprived bravery or whether it was simply that she was panicking and he could tell she needed it, he reached out and took her hand. 

He wasn’t sure, but he thought she gave the tiniest of gasps. ‘Why are you still awake?’ he asked him softly. 

‘’Cos that knobhead is chattiest when he’s unconscious, apparently,’ said Ron, jerking his head at the still muttering Harry. When she gave him an exasperated smile, and a slight roll of her eyes, he lowered his voice still further and said, ‘yeah I’m worried too.’

‘They’re safe,’ she said firmly, her thumb running circles over the back of his hand. ‘We know they’re safe.’ 

He swallowed, and nodded. 

‘Cup, locket, snake… hassth shee-ath… Ravenclaw…’ 

‘Should we wake him up?’ 

‘If I woke him up every time he started talking in his sleep, he wouldn’t get any at all. I only mention it to him if he says something new or weird - he’d be embarrassed if I told him he was talking about Sirius or Cedric or someone.’ 

‘Does he do that?’ Hermione asked, her voice barely more than a breath. 

‘Yeah, sometimes,’ said Ron gently. 

He saw her press her lips together, and the grip on his hand tightened. ‘What’s going to happen to us all, Ron?’ she asked. 

‘It’ll be all right,’ he said, hoping his voice sounded reassuring. ‘We’ve been left a job to do, and we’re going to get on with it, aren’t we?’ She nodded, and he nodded too. 

He stared at her silently. The light seemed to wash out her face, it gave her an eerie sort of look, but she was still devastatingly beautiful, her elegant eyebrows furrowed in concern, her hair splayed out around her like some wild halo. Some of it fell over the sofa cushions on which she lay, the twists and curls just centimetres from his face. It occurred to him that he had never slept anywhere near this close to her, never in the same room, even, and but for the couple of inches she was raised above him, they might as well be sleeping together…

With Harry still muttering spookily right behind him. The thought of it almost made him laugh, though that would be wildly appropriate when he and Hermione had just talked about how worried and scared they were, but he couldn’t help pressing his lips together in a failing effort to keep the smile away. 

‘What?’ Hermione whispered, ‘what’re you smiling at?’ 

‘Nothing,’ he said. ‘Doesn’t matter.’ He squeezed her hand. I love you, he wanted to say, but instead they simply lay there, watching one another, until he watched her eyelids droop and he too felt warm sleepiness press down upon him.