don't grow up and out of it

Hogwarts, what's good? It's someone’s favorite 6th year here, Oliver Hufflepuff Hopkins. I'm a Gryffindor who posts shit-posts way too often, isn't too good at anything in particularly, and is obsessed with his friends and his majestic girlfriend ♥ almost as much as he is with "bad movies".

[oliverhopkins]

Not to sound rude but -

[ashcresthq]

I understand completely since that’s what I’ve always tried to do and tell others but I guess some will never truly change and be frowny faced for life. I’m not thinking in any way! I just meant that sometimes people like to keep gifts from their respective others to themselves since it’s nobody’s business, you know? So I figured that was the case. –Shreks what now? What the heck is that?

[oliverhopkins]

I hate to say it, but with everything that’s happening lately, a lot of people do have valid reasons for being frowny faced for life - it’s hard to picture life beyond tragedies, you know. I hope time and not-annoying-but-still-cheerful influences on their lives like you can make a difference. Oh, well, my gift is worth hollering to the world about. It’s been almost a month and I’m still geeking out about it. It was like a theme park/tribute to the best movie franchise of all time, with exhibits and shows and facts and just...all sorts of stuff dedicated to my favorite movie. And then, of course, we saw the musical together which just kind of wrapped it all nice with a bow.

[oliverhopkins]

Not to sound rude but -

[graciesgotwood]

You still make me sad, Hopkins, but it’s your birthday week so I’ll let it slide. Aww, like a going away present? I take it back, you’ve got a heart in there after all. That sounds fake – is that seriously a thing? There’s enough stuff about a fake green ogre to fill up an entire day worth of celebrations? 

[oliverhopkins]

I wish it was my birthday week every week so I could make people sad and get away with it too! Of course I’ve got a heart in here, it’s what makes my chest too big for my body - you can’t graduate without teaching the lamest birdy to spread their wings, that’d be a huge victory for you. You have to go yourself to see, but Oh Merlin, there’s enough green ogre stuff to fill up the best day of celebrations I’ve had in my life so far!

[oliverhopkins]

Not to sound rude but -

[becclawtheraven]

Right? I think he was so grossed out by the sheer amount of Shrek that he managed to keep silent about it. I love you too, Olly! I wouldn’t do this for just anybody, you know. And you know how much I love to compete with myself, which means sometime in the next 84* years I’ll hopefully hit that perfect mark. Oh my gosh, really? We can find a blackout day during Christmas since I’ll be legal then, or… Oh, I guess we might not learn Apparition until second semester, but I don’t want to have to wait too long to see this masterpiece.

[oliverhopkins]

A friend of mine, grossed out by the ogre-whelming Shrekitude? I must not have trained him well enough, then, but it helped keep the best surprise in the world so I can’t complain! Babe, you already are the perfect mark. The longer we wait, the more chance I have of actually getting good at a monologue first so I’m ready whenever you are - it’s not worth getting splinched over, though, I can tell you that right now.

[oliverhopkins]

Not to sound rude but -

[becclawtheraven]

I ordered those tickets soooo early that I swear people thought I was crazy for calling that far ahead of time, but once I had the idea I knew there was nothing else I could have done that would be a better birthday present. I did want to try and sneak you onto the stage to do a monologue or something up there asa night cap, so you could feel like you were part of the show, but I think sneaking into Muggle buildings might have to wait until I’m seventeen too and we can Apparate in.

[oliverhopkins]

I can’t believe Leo kept the secret so long! Psh, are you crazy or just genius? I vote for the genius half, because I can’t imagine a more perfect birthday, Becks. Honestly, if I had to dream up the perfect day... I think you got as close as humanly possible, which is just ridiculous. I love you. I love you so so much. And I’ll prove it with the monologue I have memorized for when we do Apparate into a muggle building someday.

[oliverhopkins]

Not to sound rude but -

[rowanpan-deactivated20181107]

Happy birthday, Oliver! Hope it was really awesome! You’re as old as I am now. We’re like crypt keepers now.

[oliverhopkins]

Thanks, Lil! Ew, no, don’t say that! I’ll never be as old as you, the universe wouldn’t allow that.

[oliverhopkins]

Not to sound rude but -

[ashcresthq]

Happy belated birthday, Oliver! I really do hope you insisting that people find reasons to smile helped people that were truly struggling. And continue to struggle, actually. What exactly did Becca get you, though? Or is it too personal to mention in detail?

[oliverhopkins]

I hope so, too; I’d hate it if that day was just a break for me, you know? The least we can do is spread smiles right about now. Oh, no, it wasn’t anything too personal to share; well, it was personal, but not in the way it sounds like you’re thinking. She just bought two tickets to the best experience of a lifetime, Shrek’s Adventures in London! It was honestly the perfect day for a fanboy like me, though I don’t know if it would’ve been so great for someone who doesn’t love that story as much as I do.

[oliverhopkins]

Not to sound rude but -

[graciesgotwood]

Happy birthday, Hopkins! Thanks for telling me not to get you a present, since I kind of wasn’t going to anyway. I was going to offer you those flying lessons again, since you never took me up on them before, but somehow I don’t think that you wanted that for your birthday either. What did you get that was so great no one else even stands a chance, though? I know for me that would be a new broom but I don’t know what you consider awesome.

[oliverhopkins]

The only gift I’d expect from you is the gift of not making me fly, so we’re both in good hands. Maybe sometime this year, before you graduate, I’ll give you the chance to transform me into a semi respectable flier, but not before then. I got the Shrektacular experience of Shrek’s Adventure in London! We got to see the swamp, shrek-trek into a mirror maze, and all sorts of cool things, and we got to see the musical together and it was just...oh, Merlin. I never could’ve asked for that experience in a million years.

[oliverhopkins]

Not to sound rude but -

[lionleos]

Happy birthday, Hopkins! Did Becca figure out how to dye her skin green and adopt a scottish accent for a day? Or did Spinnet finally confess his everlasting love for you?

[oliverhopkins]

As if Leo doesn’t confess that every day with the way he looks at me. No, in all honesty, you were closer with that first guess - she got us two tickets to Shrek’s adventure in London! It was fantastic, the geeky experience of a lifetime. When will your faves ever?

[oliverhopkins]

Not to sound rude but -

[becclawtheraven]

You never know – I witnessed Leo’s songwriting skills firsthand when he helped me with your Valentine’s surprise, if he’d used those skills to show up and serenade you with Shrek the Musical songs after we went to see it for ourselves, he could have cast a shadow over my epic surprise. So you really liked it? It was soooo hard not to keep it from you, I’m amazed I managed, to be honest. I can’t remember the last time I kept a surprise a surprise for that long. That was like seven whole months of secrecy!

[oliverhopkins]

One song medley versus the whole of the musical plus the day with you? Not to offend my best guy friend until the end or maybe even longer if forever exists, but it’s no competition, not even a little bit, and that’s saying something because his songwriting is legit. I loved it, babe! I loved it more than anything else I’ve ever loved, except you. I guess we’re a pretty good couple of secret keepers, huh? I’m proud of us, especially you! That was a hella long secret, but it was so worth it.

[oliverhopkins]

Not to sound rude but -

[becclawtheraven]

I don’t think I’ve quite told you happy birthday one time for every year you’ve been alive yet, so happy birthday again! Although… does this mean Leo managed to get you a birthday present even better than Shrek day?!?!?! That little sneak, he knew what my surprise for you was and he still managed to one-up me.

[oliverhopkins]

Thank you, thank you! Every birthday’s brought me one step closer to the extravaganza that was today. Honey... you’re adorable and the smartest girl I know, but if you think that even Leo could’ve cooked up something better than Shrek Day, you’re not thinking straight! Your present changed my life, cleaned my pores, watered my crops - I’ll never be able to top that when yours comes around and I don’t even mind, because it was that great!

[oliverhopkins]

TROLL MISS YOU! WHERE DID YOU GO?

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN HERE! 

I’ve been busy working this summer, big dude! Working and hanging out and all that - don’t worry, you’ll see a lot more of me as time goes on.

[oliverhopkins]

Not to sound rude but -

Stop being sad just long enough to wish this guy right here a happy birthday, come on!  It feels weird to celebrate in the face of such tragedy, I know, but sometimes in the dark what people really need the most is to smile, so my birthday present to all of you is to give you something to smile about. I’m officially 17 and officially accepting all sorts of smiles and well wishes for the upcoming year. No one needs to actually give me real gifts, though, because no one could possibly beat the super amazing gift the love of my life just gave me. I hope you all find reasons to smile today too.

[oliverhopkins]

Happy, happy birthday ♥

Dear Olly,

Surprise! If you actually waited until this morning to open this instead of opening it early last night, then I’m very proud of both of us for managing to keep this surprise intact for all these months :)

Inside, you’ll find two tickets to the Shrek Adventure. It’s a little sad that you can see where Big Ben once was from there, but things are up and running and I’m sure it’s still just as lovely inside as I’ve always imagined.

Don’t worry, though, this is just part one of the surprise! I’ll stop by around lunchtime so that we can be sure to go to the Shrek Adventure with plenty of time still left to make it to the evening portion of the surprise as well.

I love you so much, and I’ll see you soon. Happy Birthday, Oliver Hufflepuff Hopkins!

Yours,

Becca

[becclawtheraven]

Paris has been amazing!

[becclawtheraven]

Don’t worry, if that was going to be my first publication I’d use some cute pseudonym instead of my real name, like Miss Manners – that was an example, not an idea, since that’s obviously taken already. Have you ever gone to high tea in Muggle London? It’s really fun, and there’s a whole tray of desserts! I was very prepared for it thanks to my book. 

I think I’d be very matter of fact about it, and I wouldn’t be embarrassed unless someone pointed out later the reasons I should be. I hope. But facts are easy enough to recite, so I think I’d do it okay! Really? But you’d be the world’s cutest uncle, it would be so worth it. I can never imagine Jules with babies though so that’s hypocritical of me to say. Speaking of surprises… 12 days!

[oliverhopkins]

Everyone would so know it was you, though - who else would write a book about people that need to treat me better? - so a pseudonym would be totes unnecessary, although if it’s as cute as Miss Manners sounds it’d be good anyway. I haven’t, no, but for desserts? That sounds amazing! We’ve gotta.

I think you’d be pretty good at giving the talk, you smartie - if we’re ever in a position where one of us has to do it, I vote you giving the talk every time. Facts sound better than however Richard was mumbling it. Aww, you think Uncle Olly would be a good one? I think so too, actually, so long as my siblings actually let me hang out with the kid - I think Aunt Becca sounds pretty lovely, too. I can’t believe it’s so close to being time! I’m highkey hyped, babe! This is already the best birthday ever, because it’s with you.

[daltonpr-lopez]

Just in Time!

As I am a poor kit just outta school with no famous connections, I am obviously not in Rio this week.  However  I did manage to make the most of the last few days to completely overhaul my place to celebrate the World Cup all the same!  Anyone that’s stuck in Hogsmeade (or just around in general) is more than welcome to come by for grass seats in the living room where the wireless is on loud and the ceiling’s gotta proper projection of Italy versus Russia!  

Free booze–BYO Snacks

[oliverhopkins]

That sounds like just as fun as the real thing, dude! Even better if you’re someone who doesn’t like large crowds! I bet you’re going to have a  blast, but don’t drink so much that you don’t know who wins, alright?

[lionleos]

It appears that for the first time in my life I’ve been utterly failed by the Internet. It’s a shame. But what you chose to believe sounds much better.

Oh Merlin! Are you serious, Oliver? Antz is almost as bad as Shark Tale on the scale of almost too uncanny animations to watch without feeling the urge to vomit. The Wild may be terrible but at least the animals in them don’t look like hideous animal/insect hybrids built specifically to give an unnamed Gryffindor nightmares for six years. That’s such a terrible excuse for that practice Oliver! Don Bluth didn’t have as much money for his movies as Disney did but it wasn’t until the end of his animation career after he’d been thoroughly bested that he attempted to “reinvent” the classic Disney formula with Thumbelina and Anastasia, but those were at least beautiful films regardless. What Dreamworks did is just tacky. I’m not going to do a thing…Joe

[oliverhopkins]

Thank ya! I can be creative sometimes too.

So you’re letting your own aversion to the animation color your experience with the movies? Talk about unobjective. I didn’t have any problem with the animation, which is good because I was able to focus on the stories which were bomb-freaking-fantastic! Sorry you got nightmares, but oi, Gryffindors are suppoesd to be brave! You think Anastasia was a good movie? Then we’re definitely not ever going to agree - it wasn’t bad, and one of the songs was pretty, but it was sooooo boring I can’t watch it without falling asleep. Tacky is better than boring, John.

[liam-davies]

I was, but there’s really no thanks necessary. The idea that there’s only one way to be intelligent and that it obligatorily involves being book smart and being at the top of your classes is pretty unfair to anyone who doesn’t fit within such a narrow definition. Have you ever looked into the different types she mentioned? Uh…I’m not sure, actually. I’d like to say logical, but I’m not sure how objective that would be.

[oliverhopkins]

Dude, right? Right?! I have so many friends that are some kind of smart but not, like, the Book Smart Word Smart Genius that is my girlfriend, and I know what it’s like to feel stupid when really you might just think differently, you know? I have, actually! It’s something about the 8 Types of Intelligence? And it’s apparently a Multiple Intelligence Theory thing - spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, linguistic, logical-mathematical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal - that even if it is just a theory is at least a good reminder that there’s more than one way to be a smarty. Logical makes sense for you, I think? It feels very Ravenclawy to me, anyway. On the website, logical is described as: “ The capacity to conceptualize the logical relations among actions or symbols (for example, a mathematician or scientist). Famed psychologist Jean Piaget believed he was studying the range of intelligences, but he was actually studying logical-mathematical intelligence.’