What do I do?
I dedicate the fanfiction I write and this blog to Andromeda Tonks née Black.
She is the most beautiful and most tragic character to write and I wish more people would realise how wonderful she is.
I ship her with Minerva, (fem!)Ted and many more.
How can you find my stories?
You can take a look at my AO3 profile for longer stories. If you want to read my blackcest check out blckapplejuice on AO3.
On Tumblr you can find my original work with #by emrldapplejuice
Do I love messages?
Yes, yes I do! You can always send me a message or an ask. I'd love hearing from you!
Our 'Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows' Fest Reveals!
I Just want to say, how proud I am of everyone that put an entry in so far! I had the pleasure of reading them to approve and all of them were amazing! Thank you to all of our amazing writers!!
Our Collection: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Hot_Chocolate_and_Marshmallows_26
The Heat of Winter by Lunatara
After All by @persephone13
All you had to do was stay (away from work) by emrldapplejuice:
Narcissa attends Dora’s funeral, slipping in very quietly at the back of the room on her own and leaving before the wake. She doesn't say anything or attempt to approach Andromeda, and the tiny part of Andromeda that still feels capable of anything more than a desperate, futile rage is relieved about this. It’s too little too late. She has no use for her weak younger sister, and especially not today. She's quite had her fill of sisters for one lifetime.
In five years’ time, they will meet for coffee. It will be stilted and awkward and unsatisfying - they will never be sisters again, and they will never truly be friends either - but it's the start of a thawing nonetheless.
I wanted a chance to draw Walburga as she might have been on that most famous of portraits. My plan was to capture her formidability but also a refined, older woman. This is a woman who has lost her husband and sons but still has a family legacy to uphold. She wears green to represent her family’s near spotless record as Slytherins and purple as a stylish, matching colour that fits the dark aesthetic without loosing colour. The dead niffler around her shoulders is for warmth and a show of wealth - they don’t come cheap now that there’s more interest in faux fur and protecting magical creatures.
Anyone interested in Walburga and other women in the Noble and most Ancient House of Black should go to @womenofthehouseofblack for more exciting things to come!
One completed fic selected from each month! Sorry for the separate lists. But I wanted to make one with focus on F/F because we have a lot of great f/f fics this year.
AO3 Collection
Bridgerwarts (January 2022)
by kelly_chambliss
Pairing - Minerva/Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank
Length - 13200 words
Rec because - Perfect fic for the season! Feel good mystery! Maybe read this and watch Glass Onion! From Hoggywartyxmas 2022. Great beginning, great ending(!), great pacing, great editing. In my reading experience most longfics don't really know when to end/how to end. This fic is in the mystery genre and executed brilliantly. Love the meta commentary about celebrity culture and fandom. Minerva is worried about her privacy. But because she is the Headmistress she can also do a lot of good to inspire others if she goes public about some parts of her life. This is a really classic and super relevant struggle. I am not give more details because I don't want to spoil the mystery.
Of course, some looked horrified; others were frowning and scowling. One member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors had already cornered Arthur Weasley and was gesticulating angrily. Ah, well. Minerva had always known that some sort of fight was inevitable.
Rákóczi March (February 2022)
by eldritcher
Pairing - Minerva/Bathilda
Length - 4200 words
Rec because - A beautifully lyrical and unique fic about growing up and finding out what the world is really like. This fic is set after Grindelwald's defeat. In a change from canon, he is executed. Bathilda goes to Nurmengard to bury Grindelwald because she is his last relative. Minerva is the Ministry rep who escorts her. The youthful vibe of Minerva's POV stands out in contrast with the really complicated emotions Bathilda is going through. Love the Minerva characterization in this one. Also really, really love how the location in Hungary comes alive in this fic as character.
Lilac was her scent. Brighter than the moon over Alföld was her gaze. And her hands, when they came to hold me, were not weighed by atoning sorrow.
She met me as a lover must, free of care and freely giving.
In blunt and clumsy bard's offering, I cloaked her in hope's march.
I see a great deal of myself in you (March 2022)
by @emrldapplejuice
Pairing - Augusta/Andromeda
Length - 20400 words
Rec because - this is a beautiful fic that deals with some super complicated trauma/grief/healing topics. It gets really personal about how trauma/grief can change somebody. I loved the characterizations! The pace is slow build which works for the type of topics in the fic.
"I started building my armour when Frank Junior joined the Aurors," she spoke abruptly and in a voice that was firmer than Andromeda had expected. "When my husband died, I wanted to disappear in a pile of fabric, and then Frank was hurt…Clothes became my fortress. For decades I didn't realise how destructive that was."
Icarus (April 2022)
by @thistlecatfics
Pairing - Millicent/Pansy/Parvati
Length - 20000 words
Rec because - Beautiful fic about trauma, addiction and recovery. Also great relationship negotiations and dynamics! Long read. Definitely make sure you are in the right headspace. Read the warnings on the fic!
Parvati wondered what Lavender would do in this situation. She had the better moral compass. But Lavender was dead, and so Parvati took a drink and reminded herself that this mad hell with Pansy and Millicent was of her own making.
give me the palm of your hand (May 2022)
by icarusinflight @candybarrnerd
Pairing - Lavender/Hermione
Length - 6800 words
Rec because - Sweet and slow build. Love the Hermione characterization in this fic. Lots of interiority in the POV. First time, falling in feels, happy ending. What's not to love about this?
Hermione didn't stop to think Lavender might not be attracted to women. But Lavender hadn't said no — just asked to think about it.
And now it's all Hermione thinks about.
Lavender isn't acting any different, but Hermione feels the possibility thrumming in her veins.
Dangerous Games (June 2022)
by sky_watcher_rose
Pairing - Druella/Narcissa
Length - 4900 words
Rec because - dirtybadhotwrongperfect. Fic is a great place for complicated and taboo subjects. This fic goes for it and executes it really well! Read the warnings on the fic.
If she wasn’t mistaken, her daughter wanted to be in her room to make sure that her husband couldn’t be - even though Narcissa knew fine well her husband hadn’t been in her room for years - and she briefly wondered how in Merlin’s name she’d let it get this far.
Crown Enterprises (July 2022)
by @storyof-eden
Pairing - Narcissa/Hermione
Length - 2800 words
Rec because - Darkfic. Read the warnings on this one because there are lot of triggers! Pretty complicated fic. I don't want to give spoilers. I am really impressed by how much it covered in under 3000 words!
It only took Narcissa six months to break. Admittedly, Hermione was impressed at the woman’s control, and while she might’ve preferred it to happen sooner, the circumstances around Narcissa giving in were perfect.
This pain wouldn't be for, evermore (August 2022)
by hopefullovegood
Pairing - Hermione/Luna
Length - 3100 words
Rec because - this fic is set immediately after the war and has really good themes about trauma and healing by helping each other. Love the Hermione characterization.
“Do you ever feel like we did all of this for nothing?” Luna looked up,
“No. We changed everything. You changed everything.” A pause, “Why do you feel like it was for nothing?”
(Self)Deception (September 2022)
by @anaxandria-writes, space_mermaid
Pairing - Narcissa/Petunia
Length - 58100 words
Rec because -This fic is from WLW Big Bang 2022. The first Petunia/Narcissa fic I read. Really good execution of the tropes. Definitely read the warnings. I liked the Petunia characterization a lot! Longfic. So if you are out there searching for a f/f longfic for your vacation this is it!
“I screamed at you.” Petunia tucked loose strands behind her ears and balled gloved fists in her jacket pockets. “And kicked you out of my house.”
“Understandable. I did attack your husband, though by accident.”
“It wasn’t even that.” Petunia shifted on her feet. “I have…baggage about magic. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you, I was just caught off guard.”
Death, Birds, and Marriage (October 2022)
by @mushroom-grey-scale
Pairing - Fleur/Hermione
Length - 2500 words
Rec because - Fairytale spooky vibes with a great second person POV! Don't let the POV stop you from checking this out. It works perfectly for the trope and actually makes the fic brilliant.
It was absurd. You fully knew that it was absurd to think that the woman in front of you was some kind of shifter creature that took the form of a bird. And yet you believed her. You believed her because your heart felt complete for the first time in years.
because we are linked by blood (November 2022)
by @venom0usbarbie
Pairing - Pansy/Hermione
Length - 3100 words
Rec because - Darkfic with gothic horror vibes! Loved the ending! If you love spooky Poe style fic go for this! This is probably one of my favorite fics of the year! It's really atmospheric!
It makes sense, of course—Hermione has been foolish to hope that what started in Black Hollow would stay there, rather than follow her until she’s at its mercy, lungs gasping for air and flesh necrosing under its spell.
Tension in Tinsel (December 2022)
by leftsidedown @broomsticks
Pairing - Marlene/Dorcas
Length - 2600 words
Rec because - Hot and sweet seasonal fic! Definitely go for it if you want a seasonal vibe! Love the relationship dynamic here.
“We’re not quite done decorating,” she says archly, winding the sparkly tinsel around one extended arm, and then the next. “Hold still,” she informs the squirming Marlene, “it won’t tickle quite so much if you keep still.”
3. A character I want to carry around in a little jar and study like a bug
This is a really hard one! Probably Andromeda Tonks. We see almost nothing of her in canon so the opportunities are almost endless. She was a Black, ran off, had a Metamorphmagus daughter, and then had THE most tragic ending of everyone in the entirety of the series. Fight me on that, honestly. Tell me someone who lost more than Andromeda Tonks.
I want to know everything about her.
George may have lost his twin brother but Andromeda had to bury her husband, daughter, and son-in-law in the span of about 3 months. I will defend her with my life.
