In high school, my pastor told us not to go to the movies. Not because a specific movie was evil, but because someone might see us walk out of the theater and assume we'd just watched something immoral. The sin wasn't the movie. The sin was being seen and letting someone assume the worst.
There's even a verse for it: “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” And the beauty of it (if you're the one running the church) is that it doesn't even require anyone to *actually* sin. Just the appearance is the crime, so you can be punished for how a thing looked like to someone else.
I got two comments with AI accusations this week. One said a lot of sentences that "sounded AI" to them. It simply sounded a certain way to one reader, and then the sound got treated as a verdict. There it is — the appearance of the evil thing.
Another one said they genuinely liked my fic and listed scenes they enjoyed, and then turned around and said I should tag my work with AI because there is more irrefutable proof that it's "AI slop." But you can't list everything you loved about a story — the dynamic, the ache, the one scene that got you — and then call it “AI slop” in the same breath. Slop moves no one. That's what the word means. So if it reached you, the accusation already answered itself.
But I guess someone went in to count how many instances of Claude code there were in my works (no doubt using AI as a tool to get an exact count — ah, the irony). But I've already been open that I do use AI as a tool. That I had literal hundreds of Google docs and word docs of writing that my adhd brain could not organize.
The Claude code isn't irrefutable proof, it's just me walking out of a movie theater. So I went and removed it. Not out of guilt, not because I did anything wrong — because I felt like my pastor just saw me walking out of the movie theater.
I now realize that it was a complete waste of time because that Christian lady who gossips about her neighbor being a sinner doesn't care if they didn't actually do anything wrong. They just want to point at what looks wrong and feel self-righteous about it.
Warn the pure. Mark the impure.
I thought about including an author's note explaining how I use AI, but a note offered to head off suspicion is the same posture of somebody standing in front of a tribunal, explaining themselves. I'm not actually a teenager trying to prove the movie I just walked out of wasn't immoral. I don't owe anyone a purity statement about how my own work gets made, and I'm not going to perform a ritual to buy a peace that a hunt was never going to hand me anyway.
I left one purity culture already. I'm not signing up for another version just because it swapped scripture for detector screenshots and Claude code counts and "sounds like AI because of how many em dashes there are."
The suspicion is the same suspicion. The shame it's fishing for is the same shame.
This is a road that leads to people erasing themselves before anyone can accuse them of a sin they'd have no way to disprove. Appearance-of-evil doctrine never stops at "tag it" or "write a note explaining why this wasn't AI-generated." Because it ends at: don't. Don't go to the movie because someone might see you walk in. Don't post the story because someone might decide a sentence looked wrong (or count how many instances of Claude code appear).
The problem was never the work. It was never me. It's the purity culture, and purity culture is toxic. If you feed it, it'll only ask for more.
I am absolutely losing my mind over this 😭 This is so beautiful, and I’m so honored my fic inspired you to make art. Thank you so much, this is SO SO gorgeous!
ALSO, I saw the animation you made on TikTok — I don’t have an account, so I couldn’t repost or like it there, but it was absolutely STUNNING. I watched it on loop like 20 times. I genuinely cannot believe that was your first attempt at animation??? And as soon as I get a chance, I’ll link your art on the fic too!!
I knew this was coming. Every fic writer I know said it would.
Someone left a comment on one of my stories saying, "really disappointed to find most of your works are AI." No lines quoted. Nothing pointed to. Just the verdict.
I replied and then deleted their comment and my reply both. Not out of shame, for my own peace of mind. I'd rather put that energy into the next chapter than spend it litigating sentences I've already bled over.
So here's what I actually want to say:
I LOVE writing fanfic. The chapters I post are mine. My characters, my choices, my too-many hours and too much coffee. And yes, I've used that em dash since long before a chatbot made it suspicious.
Honestly, I believe there's a real difference between using a tool to support your creativity and using it to replace your thinking. Brainstorming, untangling a plot, gut-checking whether a character would actually say the thing — that's NOT the same as handing the whole draft over. The second one is what people are actually repelled by, and honestly? Same. I completely get it. That totally bugs me too.
But I'm not going to be cagey about it. I use AI, and I use it that first way, as a tool. I'm ADHD, and it helps me clears the friction in my brain.
The reason there were literal years between some of my updates was not because of writer's block. It was the opposite. I had SO MUCH already written — hundreds of pages of thoughts and outlines and half-drafts — and absolutely ZERO organization. All my stories were scattered across a hundred-plus Word docs and Google docs and at least two different note apps in my phone. The stories existed, but I just couldn't hold any of them. Every time I sat down to try and edit a chapter, I'd drown in the mess of my own work and close the laptop. AI is how I finally got all of it organized so I could edit and post again. AI didn't write those chapters. It handed me back the ones I'd already written and lost to the chaos my ADHD causes.
All this to say that blanket accusations with no evidence don't really do anything. They don't sort the honest from the hollow. They just hit whoever's standing there. And they land hardest on the people pouring their whole hearts into this, who are also the ones most likely to take it inward and quietly stop sharing.
So, if something feels off to you as a reader, you can just say so. Like a person. "This didn't quite land for me, can I ask about your process?" That at least opens a door. A disappointed drive-by just slams a door in someone's face.
Readers: please be kind. Fellow creators: I see you. Your work matters. Keep going, even when the comments try to take the wind out of your sails.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
After a very long hiatus, the new chapter of my Loki Adopts Draco fic is up! Thank you to everyone who has left kudos and comments on my story—every single one helped motivate me to find time to write.
Chapter 14 Summary: Harry is Helpful, Blaise is Baffled, Mils is Mad, and Draco is mostly just really happy that Dobby has been giving him snacks. And pockets. And tea.
If you want to try out the drink that inspired the "Alfheim Tea" described in this chapter, you can get a coupon using this referral link: https://tinyurl.com/43zvv8jh.
Draco reaches for his bag for one of the snacks Dobby has stocked it with daily. Thank the Norns for Dobby, Draco thinks and remembers how famished he was between meals the first day. Then, he suddenly realizes that he’s already spoken without Allspeak, the day before in Herbology when he said...
“Eikthyrnir!” Draco nearly shouts in his enthusiasm. But Harry just looks startled and confused.
Could it be that the nonexistence of eikthyrnir on Midgard means that Allspeak won’t translate it? Or was it something else that allowed Harry to hear the Asgardian word yesterday? Draco stares at his friend trying to decipher whether or not he was understood while Harry just continues to look confused. Did it work? Is he embarrassed because he has no idea what I am saying? Draco wonders.
Draco says slowly and carefully, “I’m so hungry I could eat a whole eikthyrnir.”
Awkwardness gives way to comprehension and Harry laughs, “Oh! Yes, you said that yesterday too. If anyone could eat a whole deer, it’d be you.”
“But you looked confused for a moment, I thought you heard me say—”
“The strange word you said yesterday? No, I...it was just that…” Harry stammers and then adds quietly, clearly embarrassed at the misunderstanding, “It seemed like you were suddenly calling me ‘Dear.’” After a moment he snaps his head back, “Wait! That means that you spoke without Allspeak!”
Draco just shrugs in response. It doesn’t matter because he doesn’t know how he did it and it appears that he can’t replicate it.
A/N: Still diligently trying to finish the next chapter update and starting to edit out parts that aren’t quite working. This scene was supposed to be a set up to another attempt at solving the problem of Allspeak getting in the way of Draco’s casting. In addition to Draco listening to the difference between Latin and English, he learns that thinking of the “true” essence/meaning of the word eill make it come across without Allspeak. For example, he was super hungry the other day and thinking about the essence of eikthyrnir (i.e. what makes it what it is to him) when he said it and Harry heard the actual word and not an Allspeak translation. But as I started to try and write out more of this, it was getting too complicated to explain and hindering my writing more than helping.
Mischief’s Child Chapter 15 preview and story status update!
When Harry arrives in the Great Hall, Draco is already situated in the far corner of the Slytherin table in what is becoming their usual spot. He’s sitting with legs crossed and a large old book in his lap, scowling down at the pages. And somehow, in the few hours they’ve been apart, Draco has managed to look as if he’s spent the day battling gnomes.
“What have you found?” Harry asks as he takes the seat at the end. Draco startles slightly, having been too absorbed in his study to notice Harry’s arrival. It’s not surprising that his approach went unnoticed. Draco can become remarkably preoccupied and, more than once, Harry’s had to call Draco’s name repeatedly before he’d look up from something. At first, he’d been a bit hurt at being ignored before realizing that his friend genuinely couldn’t hear him because he was so thoroughly engrossed and in a sort of reading trance. Harry still can’t quite imagine what that must be like. Growing up with the Dursleys, failing to pay attention had always earned him bruises.
“Comparative study of…charms from around the world,” Draco answers slowly, still distracted in the transition from his focused reading. “Indigenous languages. Different wand movements. Cultural connotations.” To Harry’s amusement, he can see the exact moment when Draco comes back into the present after a handful of rapid blinks. He shuts the book, makes eye contact, and continues speaking at his usual speed, “I think that means that intent matters much less in charms than it does in other kinds of magic.”
“That makes sense.” Harry nods in agreement, “I was reading about a Wizard who mispronounced a charm incantation and—”
“Wizard Baruffio, right? That story is hilarious!” Draco laughs then sighs. His next words are cheerless, “I think my options are either: learn how to not speak Allspeak or to create new variations of charms based on Allspeak.”
Harry hums in thought and wonders if there’s anything he can do to help. Draco’s Allspeak ability is like Harry speaking parseltongue — it just happens without any thought. He doesn’t know how to speak it without looking at Jör and wouldn’t even know how to begin not speaking it while looking at her.
Harry notices a twig in Draco’s hair and pulls it out.
“So…” Harry ventures, “Did you fall out of a tree or something?”
He means it to be a lighthearted jab, but Draco’s brow furrows and he runs a hand through his hair, self-consciously looking for more twigs. After a couple of passes, he grasps Harry’s shoulder and exclaims in a voice filled with false fervor, “I care not to dwell on such things!” Harry’s heard this odd tone from Draco before. The first time was after he confided that the magic that made him an Odinson also killed his mother. Immediately following the revelation, Draco used this same too-loud voice to suggest they "seek out glorious battle” against the garden gnomes. His friend’s usual bright smile is just as dimmed as it was that day.
Understanding of Draco's need for a change in subject, Harry entices Jör out of his sleeve by offering her an egg so he can look at her while he tells Draco about his experience in the common room along with everything Zabini said about their classmates. As expected, Draco is sufficiently distracted. To Harry, the information seems random, but to Draco, it’s another puzzle. When he’s not able to solve one problem, Draco is happy to figure out another.
Zabini arrives soon after the food appears on the table and takes the seat across from them. A dark owl that has been circling the hall swoops down and lands next to him, pecking at his fingers impatiently. He takes the note from the owl and frowns at it.
“Stop it, Fama. I will write a reply to Mother presently.” Zabini snaps as he pulls out a quill from his bag with a scowl and scribbles something before folding the paper up and holding it out for the owl who takes and flies away immediately.
“Your owl is named for the Roman personification of gossip?” Draco chuckles, “Oh, I get it. Rumor flies. Clever.”
“Yes, yes, fama volat and all that,” Zabini says with his usual air of haughtiness.
Draco rolls his eyes, “I just said that.”
Zabini ignores the comment and continues, “More importantly, alterutra clarescere fama; sive bonum, sive malum, fama est.”
“True.” Draco says at the same time that Harry asks, “What does that mean?”
“To become famous in one way or another; whether it be good or bad, it is fame.” Zabini translates, then adds, “Circe, Potter, your Latin is abysmal.”
Draco’s eyes sharpen, “You could teach him a few more phrases and say the English translation right after the Latin. Might as well give him something useful instead of whatever it was you were doing earlier.” As Draco finishes his proposal, he makes a specific movement that draws Harry’s eye. To anyone else, it would have looked like Draco was simply brushing something off his sleeve with the back of his hand, but Harry recognizes the gesture as one of the many hand signs he had learned during his time on the Odinson Estate.
Avoid.
So, Harry follows Draco’s lead just as he did in the gnome battles and interjects before Zabini can respond, “I don’t know. Latin doesn’t seem very useful,” even though he has an idea that Zabini’s Latin lessons might actually be very useful to Draco finding a solution to his Allspeak problem. “And do you even know enough to properly teach anything or do you just recite Latin sayings?” he adds.
Zabini’s offense at Harry’s doubt in his abilities and the usefulness of learning Latin is immediate and his face is pinched as if he’s just bitten into a lemon. He forcefully insists that he will be teaching Harry Latin whether he thinks it useful or not because it is a disgrace for him to remain so ignorant about the language that serves as the basis for most spells and how dare he accuse him of not being perfectly fluent in the language of his ancestors. Impressively, Zabini says all this to Harry in alternating Latin and English.
Earlier in the day, Harry had thought Zabini was strangely easy to talk to and is surprised that this ability seems to carry on even when another language is included. Zabini falls easily into conversation even as he speaks in both languages, somehow making the alternating sentences seem natural. The interspersed translations do not feel at all jarring. Harry picks up some Latin phrases and looks for opportunities to use them, sometimes earning a pleased hum or, more often, a correction in pronunciation.
Zabini doesn't question that Draco only ever speaks in English despite understanding every word of Latin perfectly.
Harry catches Draco tapping out another code on his plate with his spoon while Zabini continues his rant.
v - i - c - t - o - r - y
*****
A/N: Thank you everyone for sticking with the story even though it's been so long since the last update that it looks abandoned >_> I've been trying so hard to finish the next chapter but it hasn't been coming out right. I keep changing POVs and changing the order of events around. I have the ENTIRE story outlined and have been alternating between writing future chapters and trying to finish this one... but I know it's just been too long and I need to finish this chapter so I can move on already. This is the only part of the chapter that I feel satisfied with and it's too short to be an real chapter update so I decided to post it here as a preview. Here's hoping that I can finish the chapter and get a real update out soon~!
Hey, I just want to tell you your writing is fantastic and I love your Mischief's Child story 😊
Thank you so much!!! I’m SO SORRY it took so long to respond to this! Life is crazy and even crazier and weirder in recent months. But we’re all in this together! I am constantly amazed that people are still liking and commenting on the story, but so so thankful. it means a lot to me that you would take the time to send me a message and helps fuel my determination to finish the story no matter how long it takes!!! <3 It also spurs me on to post some stuff that’s been sitting on my computer for literal months so updates will be coming soon!
I’m SO SORRY it took so long to respond to this. I honestly haven’t logged into Tumblr for a while because life has been pretty crazy. I hope everything is okay with YOU in these strange times of social distancing <3
If you ever want to engage in villainy & undermine the social order: Be especially kind to the people society has rejected. Care about the ones the world would convince you don’t ‘deserve’ your kindness.
I genuinely mean this when I say to you: the ultimate act of rebellion is insisting on compassion and grace in a compassionless world.
Hi! I was just wondering what you think the tri-types are for the main HP characters? I know the golden trios main types, but I was curious what you thought their full tri-types were :)
You instigated a long discussion between the E. mods, just so you know. And the order of these may change for Ron when we reread the books.
Harry Potter: 8w9 7w8 2w1 (872: The Free-spirit)
Harry hates the idea of being controlled and reacts against it with anger. He starts asserting himself at Hogwarts from day one, regardless of the potential conflict (esp. with Malfoy and Snape) due to the abuse he has experienced at the hands of the Dursleys that makes him sensitive to nuances of power play in his interactions with Ministry officials as well. Harry also has a passive, gentle, nurturing, peaceful, and emotional side (9). He’s adventurous, opportunistic, fearless – but also aggressive in defending his friends (7 + 8 wing). Harry’s protective nature is a result of his 2 – his willingness to be useful. He also has a slight influence of 1 – his sense of duty, his willingness to carry out his role.
Hermione Granger: 1w2 6w5 3w2 (163: The Taskmaster)
She’s the walking embodiment of a 1 (rule-abiding, hard-working, truth-telling) who eventually moves to 7 (when she announces in a later story, “Breaking the rules is fun!”). Her 2 wing takes on common social causes – she pushes Harry to teach a private DADA class, she drives everyone nuts with S.P.E.W. etc. 6 is what makes her super analytical, able to anticipate and prepare for risks, both trusting of teachers and distrusting of their motives (and happiest when she has friends / is not going against them), but also allows her to be emotional and turn to others in times of distress (crying to Hagrid about losing her friends); 5 wing is where her “book learning” / self-reliance comes in. Her 3 shows in how hard-working she is, how she can be highly competitive, how much she hates failures, and how driven she is; 2 wing makes her inclined to ‘mentor’ without being asked.
Ron Weasley: 7w6 4w3 8w7* (748: The Messenger)
Many type Ron as a 6, but in our opinion he’s not cautious or forward-thinking enough – when Hermione points out the problems accepting a broom of uncertain origins he tells her to stop being such a stick in the mud and wants to take it out for some fun; it never even crosses his mind it could be hexed. He wants to have fun. But he also has an anxious side that wants to be liked (6). Ron has intense emotions and doesn’t shy away from them. He is always jealous, always overshadowed by his brothers and then Harry, then Hermione and then his own little sister (Slug Club, romance department) (4). He also wants a degree of success / achievement, which is why the Mirror shows him victorious and praised for being a winner (3). His reactivity toward his friends / his desire to protect them is 8-fixed; 7-wing makes him extroverted, materialistic, and risk-taking.
* ENTP mod thinks 4w3 could come before 7w6, ENFP thinks the opposite.
Can't wait for the next chapter of mischief's child! Was wondering if loki is going to visit draco at hogwarts soon?
I’m happy to hear you’re enjoying the story~!
It’s hard to say because writing out the first week at Hogwarts is taking a lot longer than I had first anticipated. There’s a lot of setting up of things and introducing characters (and it seems like all the characters are so demanding about how they make their first impressions!) But, the way I have things outlined/drafted right now, we’ll see Loki visit Draco in about 2-3 more chapters ^_^
