forged of iron

Mary MacDonald. Nineteen years old. Cashier at Flourrish & Botts. Member of the Order of the Phoenix. Batmand as Astronomy fanatic.You think women are w e a k? Women are forged of iron. My body, it has bled and blazed and b r o k e n, and yet it beats on. I am i r o n. A little rusted, perhaps, but still I endure.

[forgedofirxn]

.

[canislupins-deactivated20160415]

  He felt the same as Mary did.  This was their life now. The war    had taken over their life - and moreover, they let it do that. He    couldn’t even go outside without looking around all the time, as    if he could be attacked at any second. The war was their life.                 ❝ I don’t really want to get used to this. But it also doesn’t                 seem like it’s going to end anytime soon. So yea, we’re                 probably used to it. It’s going to seem normal in a bit.  ❞ 

[forgedofirxn]

Mary had always known that this would be her reality, she’d known that since her fifth year in school. She’d had a few years to deal with it. Others? Not so much. They heard of everything, but never experienced it until graduation. Seeing it hit them so hard was...well, hard. She wished she could do more, wished she could help Remus in some way, but how?

                                      ❝I know - I doubt any of us really want to.                                        Hopefully, someday, this will all be over                                        and we’ll find a new normal.❞

[andromeda-abinitio-blog]

“I guess that’s true. I wouldn’t know what to wear if I were going to try to blend in with muggles..” she admitted reluctantly. “Okay, so the free candy part does sound great. I wouldn’t mind participating in that part of such a holiday.”

[forgedofirxn]

“Well if you ever have to, just let me know. I promise to make you look as normal - or, well, as muggle - as possible.” Which wasn’t difficult, but it was hard to adapt to a culture you weren’t surrounded with, didn’t grow up around. “Exactly! That part is always nice, especially the parents who give out chocolate. My favourite.”

[benjy-fenjy-blog]

“Ha! I knew you loved my jumpers. Glad to know they make me an eleven out of ten.” Benjy smiled at the sentiment. A day that had started seemingly horrible was beginning to become much better since Mary and him had begun their conversation over drinks. He could only hope he’d cheered her up some as well. “I’ll pass. I’m not big into talking to strangers these days either. I just don’t want to feel afraid to do so.”

[forgedofirxn]

“Enough to steal them when you’re foolish enough to take them off and leave them laying around. Between you and James, I’ll never be left without a comfy jumper to wear again.” It had actually taking a bit adjusting when she had just graduated, seeing everyone in normal clothes - god how she’d missed it. Robes were comfy and all, but in the summer? No thank you. “They say the only way to overcome your fears is to face them head-on, don’t they? So if you are, I’m afraid you have no choice.”

[forgedofirxn]

“Well, this is awkward…”

Playing with a homemade (cardboard) Ouija Board, just to see if it works.

“It may not be constructed perfectly, but - tell me you’re not at least a little curiousabout if it works or not?”

[forgedofirxn]

“Well, this is awkward…”

Carrying out a full conversation with an animal and answering for them.

“To be fair, it’s really not that uncommon, I mean - this cat could be an animagus. Then you wouldseem like the weird one for being so...judgemental.”

[canislupins-deactivated20160415]

                    ❝Good point.❞               And truthfully he wasn’t sure exactly what he was talking              about either. Everything was exhausting lately. Psychically              and mentally both. His transformations got worse and there-              fore got more exhausting. Trying to work, going on missions              for the Order, trying to have a social life - it wasn’t working.                                         ❝This war and the impact it’s having                                          on our lives.That’s what’s exhausting.❞

[forgedofirxn]

How did they get here?  From joking about eternal love one second to speaking about the war the next - was this really what their lives had become? Completely consumed by the terrors around them? When was the last time she had a normal conversation with someone? It was easier to pretend to be okay when everyone didn’t want to constantly talk about it. She missed Hogwarts. 

                                       ❝Yeah, you could definitely say that.                                         You get used to it, though. I suppose.❞

[benjy-fenjy-blog]

“Yea whatever, I’m a ten, they’re below me!” He laughed loudly at the statement, knowing Mary well enough that she would recognize his joking and not actually think that he was calling himself a ten. “I guess that’s true…” Benjy muttered, having not really thought of the dangers. “But I don’t think we can exactly live our lives in fear. Plus, most Death Eaters hangout in Knockturn Alley.” 

[forgedofirxn]

“A ten? Now you’re just undermining yourself - a ten and a half, easily. Eleven when you’re wearing jumpers. Eleven out of ten.” Mary knew from his small occasional quips that Benjy was a lot like her when it came to lacking confidence, and she always did what she could to bring her friends up. To make them feel better. She tried, at least. “We shouldn’t. Doesn’t mean we can’t. You, however, are more than welcome to try and hit it off with a stranger. You seem to know more about it than I do at least.”

[emmcline-archived-blog]

   ❝I am nothing if not practical, Mary. But honestly,      for you to even question if I still find you attractive      is ludicrous. I should be offended you would think      otherwise.❞

[forgedofirxn]

  ❝Oi, we all have our weaknesses. I ask you what     you think in my moments of doubt, you make me     feel better, and bob’s your uncle.❞

[ingridselwyn]

@forgedofirxn sent ▲ for a starter.

❝You kiss way better than my sister.❞

[forgedofirxn]

❝               I don’t know if I should be happy or horrified.❞

[andromeda-abinitio-blog]

“That’s one of the more ridiculous things I’ve heard,” Andromeda said slowly, shaking her head. “I don’t know what’s cute about it. I’ve never met a witch with green skin. And what’s with the nose thing?” she asked, scrunching her nose.”This seems like a very offensive holiday. Though at least monsters aren’t real for the most part.”

[forgedofirxn]

“I know, I mean not everyone does that. Plus, you should see how some witches dress when they’re trying to blend in with muggles - it’s hilarious. Halloween is fun, though. For a day you get to dress up as anything you want and you get free candy. It’s glorious.” Mary had gone as batgirl almost every year as a child, but she’d definitely seen her fair share of witches.

[stitchesandstutters]

My muse accidentally drank a love potion, send 💘 for your muse to be the first person my muse sees after drinking it!

[benjy-fenjy-blog]

“It wasn’t a stupid idea Mary,” he sighed watching her closely, well as closely as the alcoholic buzz would let him. He’d said something to make her revoke on her idea. “Hey…you do realize you’re the only 9 in a bar of 6.5s and below right?” He smiled lightly. Swirling his drink he looked around. “If you want to hookup with someone I can tell you they would be the luckiest person in this joint, if not the whole town.”

[forgedofirxn]

“Technically, you did say that some of the girls are 7′s.” Though she could hardly betray Em in such a way, and pointing out a technicality wouldn’t help anything. Besides, she genuinely appreciated his efforts to cheer her back up. “Thanks, Benjy. I appreciate that - though really, it wasn’t a good idea. I mean, they could have been anyone and considering how things are in our world right now, that’s hardly safe.”

[andromeda-abinitio-blog]

“So just to be clear loads of muggle children dress up on Halloween as witches and that’s what they think we look like?”

[forgedofirxn]

“Well - basically, yeah.” Mary had actually been a witch when she was seven years old, not that she was about to admit to it. “I mean - it’s kind of cute, really. As long as you...ignore how insulting it is. I mean, they don’t know any better. You should see the monsters they dress up as.”

[benjy-fenjy-blog]

“Ya I suppose that’s right.” Benjy smiled a bit thinking of it in the way she had just said. Of course he was generally nervous around most girls unless he knew them well enough. “Mary,” he snapped in front of her face to get her to stop zoning out and rambling on. “We could all die. Not really the time to dwell on it before trying to hookup with someone though. So go do those things you want to do! If hooking up with a stranger is one of those things, then do it damnit!”

[forgedofirxn]

Eyes widening at his tone, Mary recoiled slightly at his change in demeanour. Which she should have expected, really, because she certainly wouldn’t want to sit there while he debated hooking up with someone. She never knew when to stop lately and being given a reality check by him of all people, in such a state, made her want to go back to her comfy bed and never leave. Don’t let people in. Don’t tell them what you’re thinking. How hard was that. “No, I - nevermind. It was a stupid idea.” Turning back around to face the bar, she grabbed on to her new drink, downing half of it in one go.

[emmcline-archived-blog]

   ❝I’m sure that even if your hair were to fall out, a      potion could fix it. Or perhaps a wig? And a wash      could take care of the mud. Luckily, you would need      neither.❞

[forgedofirxn]

  ❝See, this is why I love you so. You boost my     ego while being completely practical about it.     An amazing feat, really.❞

[canislupins-deactivated20160415]

     Remus didn’t believe it. He had known Mary for several       years and he knew this war was hitting her hard - maybe       harder than most of them at some days. But that was fine.       She was very permitted, since this was a very bad situation.                     ❝  It was just an example. My point is I don’t mind. And I                    understand. It’s just - don’t you find it exhausting? All this?❞ 

[forgedofirxn]

Did she find it exhausting? A vague question, one that would warrant a yes depending on the topic. Fighting in a war and never hearing about anything else? Exhausting. Living only a semblance of a normal life because it could be yanked away at any point in time, so why even bother? Exhausting. Dragging herself out of bed every morning, only to face another day of constantly assuring people that she’s fine? Exhausting. Constantly needing validation despite knowing she was not worth any of it?                                                                Exhausting.

                   ❝ You’re going to have to a bit more specific.❞