#hp dh

[pimprnell]

Inktober day 25, "Inferno"

With zero comments about my fucked up wrist.

[annabtg]

Hi, can you elaborate on how everyone is ooc in deathly hallows?

Well, no, actually, because it's been eons since I read the book and don't remember it very well. 😅

But okay, exaggeration aside, I had very serious issues with Lupin's, Tonks's and Snape's arcs.

Lupin disappointed me SO MUCH. He's so...flaky. Getting into the relationship with Tonks, getting married immediately, then getting cold feet and practically leaving his pregnant wife behind, then they're back together and happy? IDK that's not the vibe I'd gotten from him during the previous books. He's avoidance personified. I expected that even after getting in a relationship with Tonks, he'd be dragging his feet about it, not get it all done whirlwind style. I think the idea is that this was a bit how he was with the Marauders as well - thought their shenanigans were a bad idea but let himself be convinced time and again - so it's not that it DOESN'T make sense at all, it's just not how I expected it to go. And the fact of the matter is that, let's face it, this was all done to lead to Lupin dead for the Stone scene and an orphan Teddy, and while yes, it's a book, plot devices abound and *should* be there... eh. I feel like this was a cheap shot overall.

Same for Tonks. I am absolutely an advocate for the early marriage and kid when it comes to Jily, but Tonks is absolutely NOT in the same position as Lily. She is older, she is educated, she is actively in the workforce in a career that puts her in the frontline of the war, she is from a different generation... she should not be the person who gets married and pregnant immediately just like that. Again, you can twist it to work but it was done for the ending's sake and not with the characters in mind. (Side note: how much more intriguing and realistic - and truer to their characters - would this whole situation have been if they'd gotten pregnant without getting married? Have Tonks devastated, thinking Remus had been serious about their relationship, Remus being like 'I never wanted this to happen' and fucking off to find Harry. Just one detail that would have made all the difference. But we can't have a child out of wedlock, JKR, can we?)

And then there's Snape. A complex, mysterious character who has been a source of doubt for everyone and a source of grief for Harry, our central character... and turns out to have done it "all for love". PLEASE. Another super cheap shot. Presumed love for someone when he can't even see her child with the minimum of sympathy, and that turning out to be his whole purpose in life. For something that was supposed to be the plan all along, it wasn't even particularly well done. It was, again, part of a larger theme, which you can see, and it makes sense in the structure of the story, and Snape is a flawed person and he hated James even though he loved Lily blah blah blah - but I think a complex character like him merited a more complex background and motives.

All that said - DH is part of canon and of the characterization of these characters, and the fun of fanfiction is trying to work with what you have. Besides, characterization is not a strict route - people are complex, and they surprise you, and they respond differently to different circumstances and a good writer can twist the circumstances so that the characters end up doing what the writer wants. So my complaint that "everyone is OOC in DH" is more about the fact that, however justifiable all the characters are and how explainable their actions, it carries too much the mark of "this happened for plot reasons" and not because it was the natural progression of the characters' arcs.

(And again, there are even excuses for that - mainly, that they are not main/POV characters and you don't see their whole arcs, you're supposed to have missed stuff etc.. Fair's fair. I'm not dissing the book, nor am I claiming to know better. I'm not some characterization authority. But the book overall has left me with a sour aftertaste - I remember reading it the second time and thinking 'hey it's not as bad as I remember'. And it's sad that a book that's not bad upon reading, doesn't hold up after you finish it and reflect on it. Especially when it's the culmination of a series you loved. But if that's the book or just me, who knows? Matter of taste, I guess.)

[rewritingcanon]

i came running after you! i called you! i begged you to come back! oh, you're sorry! you came back after weeks — weeks — and you think it's all going to be all right if you just say sorry?

[pangaeaseas]

the Carrows at Hogwarts vs. Ginny and neville really is one of the great fanfiction genres but it always frustrates me when the fics don't include my niche specific headcanons for what went down. like where is the epic story of Daphne greengrass and Tracey Davis? guess I will have to write it someday.

[360degreesasthecrowflies]

Sorry for more Harry Potter content (I've been on a meta binge again) but I'm just annoyed with this one because as a writer it's another worldbreaking moment: how on earth did Rowling think it was remotely realistic in Deathly Hallows after painstakingly setting up over the preceding six books that a) Harry doesn't work alone to solve mysteries/challenges, but collaborates with his friends and allies, and b) that Harry's minor enemies the Death Eaters and Malfoy have on multiple occasions, both social and battlefield-based interacted with not Harry solo, but Harry with friends and allies (notably, World Cup, COS Diagon Alley, Ministry of Magic OOTP battle) and furthermore never as far as I can remember outside of GOF graveyard come across Harry on anything that could be construed as a 'solo mission' - that anyone from Voldemort to the Death Eaters would believe that Harry would be working on a solo quest now against Voldemort and that Ron would just dip out due to illness and Hermione would disappear, while Ginny, Luna and Neville just went back to school and the rest of the Weasleys went back to work, and out of the narrative focus - yet weren't at any point tortured for information or threatened or assaulted etc. as associates of Harry who were probably working together.

In DH time and time again people are surprised to find Harry working with others, or oddly incurious about who those others might be. (And while this could work as a meta commentary on fame, celebrity, or class status - that's definitely not intended and giving her way too much credit!) JKR would have us believe that the Death Eaters can get into the HQ of the Order of the Phoenix and yet somehow never look for any info or records in there of who they were or whether they're still active? Nobody questions why, after Malfoy Manor, it seemed that someone who looked quite like Harry Potter (on that note, none of the wizards there could magically DNA test him or even cure his swollen face to bring him back to his normal appearance?) was travelling with a miscellaneous Weasley and Penelope Clearwater, a student he was never known for interacting with? Come on JK. You've told us the baddies are evil, they don't have to to a person be cartoonishly stupid as well. You told us you aren't writing for an audience of small children any more, so act like it.

For all that we can (and do, and I will continue to do so!) critique her as a person for her glaring flaws, bullying and bullshittery in recent years, this is just straight up bad plotting as a writer. It increasingly feels like the Harry Potter series of 7 books is in actuality made up of 3 AUs that just carry over the same character names and situations from books 1-3, to 4-5 and finally 6-7.

[puncertainty]

Chapter 31: The Battle of Hogwarts

[polygor]

I’m pretty sure somebody already mixed the story of tonight with hp before me, but the idea of this mini comic just came into my mind while I was crying my eyes out over deathly hallows so I made it:,,,)

[rogue-durin-16]

HIS WARM EYES

Summary: Some members of the Order are reticent about letting in a Lestrange, specially after Snape's betrayal. Whilst taking Harry to the the burrow, an ambush has place. Everything points to Y/n, right?

Pairing: George Weasley x Slytherin!Lestrange!Reader

Genre: angst

Tags:

George Weasley: @meph1stophelian

Permanent taglist: @elia-the-bibliophile @randomparanoid @karlthecat15722 @thebutchersdaughtersblog @amourtentiaa @just-here-to-escape-from-reality @skarlettmikaelson

Warnings: blood, injuries, death

A/N: OH MY GOD THIS IS SO LONG AND BAD— I AM GENUINELY SORRY BUT I HAD TO

Rogue-durin-16 masterlist

Lestrange wasn't a good name.

It wasn't a good name in the streets, nor in close-doors, let alone amongst The Order.

That's why I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that they had accepted me— well, maybe 'accepted' was a strong word; they had let me in, reticent, weary, but still they had done it. Plus, after Snape's betrayal and Dumbledore's death, no one would think there was a vacant for a Slytherin and a Lestrange.

It wasn't until I found myself exiting the abandoned Grimauld's Place along with the rest of the volunteers to go to Privet Drive, that it dawned on me; they were short on people.

They were so short on people that the Order would have to swallow my name, my family and my House.

That didn't mean they would quiet down their opinions about me being there.

"I'm gonna say it." Fred announced, taking a spot in the living room's corner while Shacklebolt, Arthur and Lupin searched the place.

"Again?" Fleur groaned.

Fred had already spoken his mind about my presence before we reached Potter's house.

His and George's shocked looks had been on me since the very first moment I had walked into the old Black's home, which was understandable; last time they saw me I was joking about joining the death eaters.

Although the shock on their faces had been accompanied by very different emotions on each.

Fred's held reticence. During our school years, he had never liked me; I would dare to say he was scared of me, even.

George's gaze, on the other hand, held hope —maybe even excitement— which was comforting.

In our first year, I had managed to draw George's interest, and for three years he was adamant about Slytherins not being 'all that bad'.

George's friendship was the thread I was hanging on; he was the only thing stopping from taking the easy way and live up to my name.

The thread was cut after he asked his mother to bring me over during Christmas, which ended up in her forbidding him to talk to me. He, being George Weasley, ignored his mom's pleads and twin's scolding and still tried his best to stay close to me, so I did what was right and, at the end of our fifth year, I cut ties with him.

It hurt more than I would dare to admit.

After our drifting apart, I was forced to completely rely on Slytherins. And you see, Slytherins, as 11 year-old George would say, aren't all that bad, but the ones my name attracted were.

They were bad sort —the worst—, and keeping that company around after our sixth year wasn't the best record to have, but Merlin's sake, I was there, I had volunteered— people change.

"Son." His father warned Fred, well aware this wasn't the time, though he obviously wanted to side with him. "Don't start again."

"Someone has yet to tell me why is she here?"

"She has a name." I hissed, unable to stop myself.

"Which is why you shouldn't be here, Lestrange." The name rolled out of his tongue like poison. "She's not one to trust."

"Oi, she's willing to risk her life, isn't she?" George's words seemed to be meant to calm his twin's temper, though his warm eyes did land on mines with a reassuring look.

"Yeah but for whom?" I tried to stay quiet as Moody had asked me too, but Fred was making it quite difficult. "If something goes wrong—"

"Weasley!" Mad-eye's tone was dry as he bursted into the room. "Are you questioning my judgment?" Fred scoffed, but stayed quiet.

"If we're throwing in the surnames, you're gonna wanna know her mum's my auntie." Tonks spoke, folding her arms.

"But you're a Hufflepuff." He was quick to respond, giving me a disgusted look. "She's a Serpent."

"And you're still a mouthful, aren't you?!" I snapped, stepping forward, though Tonks gave me a lazy tug before I could get to Fred.

"Wanna fight, Lestrange?" He had taken a couple of steps in my direction already when George yanked his twins arm.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" He yelled, giving his brother a push. "She's here for Harry! She's helping! What else do you want?!"

"Oh my gosh, Georgie— get over your teen crush already, she's not on our team!" George's knuckles went visibly white, unlike his cheeks, which turned red.

"Are you done making a scene? The three of you." Bill questioned in a calm tone, resting against the window's bench. "I don't fancy the idea either, but we need help, Fred, so shut your mouth because we have things to do."

"Pity, I was enjoying the teen drama." Moody teased before grabbing his flask and the ones who would take the Polyjuice potion moved to stand in line.

"Y/n." George's hand brushed my hand, drawing my attention to him as we stood besides one another. "I'm glad you're here." He whispered with a side smile.

"Missed me much?" I couldn't help but grin back, bumping his arm with mine. I stole a proper look at him and thought I might as well ask before the mission. "So... Teen crush huh?" I wiggled my eyebrows at him, though I could feel my own face flushing.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't fancy George —could someone blame me?—, and the idea of those feelings not being unrequited was very appealing.

He only threw his head back and looked away, the half smile growing wider and more bashful. "We'll talk about it at the Burrow." He assured me, taking the flask with his right hand and squeezing mine with his left.

"If we don't die before that." I was joking, but fear was shaking me to the core.

"We won't." He looked at the potion disgusted and gave me a peeked at me saying, "You have to hear me embarrass myself first." And with a wink, he drank the potion and passed it to me.

Gosh, I couldn't get over the mission to hear him 'embarrass' himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

GEORGE'S P. O. V.

The first five minutes were calm, despite all of us being on edge. We kept checking on each other, dreading if we lost sight of someone, that someone would banish.

The storm came when we had to dive into the dark clouds.

Funnily enough, I did think it was a literal storm before entering; oh, what I would have given for it to be a literal storm.

Black, cloaked intruders flew among us, making us divide in the pairs we had been assigned to.

Lupin started casting protegos and hexes to everyone that got too close while I tried to take down as many enemies as possible.

A couple of yelled warnings were heard when both Moody and the real Harry had entered the ambush.

"WATCH OUT!" Tonks screamed, flying past me with Ron at her tail. "REMUS!" She made a signal to her husband "ESCORT!" I got the hint; we were supposed to clear Moody's and Y/n's way so it would confuse our attackers while Tonks and Shacklebolt made sure to get Harry out of there.

"ON MY LEFT!" Lupin shouted over the chaos, changing to my right for me to be by Y/n's side.

"WE'RE FUCKED!" She yelled dropping her flight to dodge an Avada Kedavra.

"WE'LL MANAGE!" I automatically dropped my flight with hers too, which was a bad decision, since we had gotten rid of the protection provided by Lupin, Mad-eye and Bill and Fleur.

Soon enough three death eaters came flying towards us.

"STUPEFY!" another Harry with the voice of Fred passed by us, closely followed by my dad.

"GO BACK UP!" Y/n was quicker than me following my father's instructions; when I did though, I realised the little formation we had going on was gone.

Suddenly, all we could hear were screams; it felt as if someone was missing but I blamed it on everyone flying around like a chicken with its head cut off.

Tonks almost crashed against me on her way down; Ron was nowhere near me, nor Lupin.

We were outnumbered, and instead of moving forward, we were stuck in the grey clouds, trying not to die.

It took me a hot second, a crash against a death eater and a couple of hexes to get to Lupin, and even when I did, it was a hard task to keep track of him.

I had just taken out someone in my way when I caught a glimpse of something my eyes refused to believe.

Snape.

Our bloody professor was trying to kill us.

I felt the need to laugh at the situation.

"GEORGE!" It was Y/n's voice snapping me out of it, although her actions shocked me even more.

Y/n casted a spell on me, pushing my broomstick to the left and consequently making me crash against Lupin and lose balance.

Then something happened, something my mind didn't quite process.

At first it felt like a slap, but the pain stung my side as if someone had sliced me with a blade.

I didn't hear my own cry, nor Lupin's desperate 'help'; I didn't feel his hands struggling to take a firm hold of me, nor my own shakily reaching to my side, searching for an injury I didn't want to find.

A second after that, everything was black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

FRED'S P. O. V.

As soon as my father and I apparated in the fields of our home, I ran into the house. For some unexplainable reason, it felt as if something wasn't right.

A couple of steps into the house were enough for that 'something' to strike me. George had been laid on the settee, barely conscious; blood was covering the side of his face, neck and left shoulder, making his hair and clothes stick to his skin.

I was left speechless at the sight, my eyes welling up while I dragged my feet towards my twin.

"Mad-Eye is dead." Bill's words, despite sounding far away, made the gears in my head turn.

Lupin was quicker than me, though, "I told you we couldn't trust a Lestrange!"

"Remus! we don't know—" Tonks tried to calm him down, just to be cut off by Bill.

"Mad-Eye and Lestrange traveled between us and" he gestured at our wounded brother, "Remus and George." His jaw twitching let me know that he was desperately trying to stay calm. "Mad-Eye is dead and my brother just lost an ear, who is it if not bloody Lestrange, Dora?"

"Bill..." Fleur held onto her fiance's arm in an attempt to ground him.

"Did you see her disapparating?" Tonks's point was logical and hopeful.

George would have sided with her.

My eyes fixed on my wounded twin again. He was as pale as a corpse now, and the absence of his ear was way more noticeable now that my mother had begun to remove the blood.

George would have sided with Tonks because he wanted to trust Y/n, and he couldn't even speak because of that same reason.

Since everyone was arguing, they missed the flash of someone apparating near the front door.

I didn't.

Before I knew it, I was running outside with my wand in hand, Lupin and Bill following me instantly when they realised what I had just seen.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Y/n's wand flew to my hand even before I could properly see her.

My rushed march came to a halt when I was a couple of feet away from her, making Bill bump into me; she was as pale as George, maybe more.

She took a seemingly calm, deep breath before attempting to walk.

Luckily, I saw the pools of blood on her shirt and stepped to reach her before she could touch the ground.

"Oh my..." Lupin covered his mouth with both his hands and Bill stood frozen at the sight of the girl in my arms. "MOLLY!!" my old professor yelled at the top of his lungs, going as livid as me.

We shouldn't talk on impulse, I told myself, rushing into the kitchen with Y/n in my arms. A series of gasps and regretful whispers broke the silence while I laid her on the dining table.

"Y/n?" George's trembling voice was heartbreaking, and, as my dad forced him to stay on the couch, I prayed the girl in my arms would survive.

"Oh Lord..." My mother muttered, examining her. It wasn't only her shirt stained with blood; her left leg and arm were too. "Oh dear..."

"She took the blow." Lupin ran his hands through his hair, understandably stressed. After a couple of seconds, her turned to my dad and commanded, "Get him up. Quick— go get him up." His eyes stared right into my soul and I dreaded the worst, but still obeyed and helped my dad drag George to the dining table.

I heard Lupin telling Bill something about Sectumsempra, and my heart sunk.

She took the blow.

"No..." George's murmur was close to a cry, but it was enough for Y/n's eyes to snap open.

"George." tears were effortlessly streaming down her cheeks at the sight of him. "You're... A-alive..."

"Please stay" My brother fell on his knees, reaching for Y/n's bloody hand with his own. We all looked away to give them some kind of intimacy, except from my mother, who was still trying to fix the poor girl.

I heard them both whispering sweet nothings with shattered voices until only one of them died out. I looked over to Tonks, whose eyes were gleaming with tears, and then to Lupin.

I couldn't bring myself to look at George.

After a moment of intense sobbing, my dad managed to pull my twin away from the corpse, and we carried him back to the settee.

I stayed with him the night, holding his hand and assuring him it was not his fault, but I knew my words would have little effect on his state; after all, he had been in love with Y/n for years.

All those years he had spent trying to convince all of us that Y/n was a good person, that we should give her a chance; all those years begging our mother to bring her over because she wanted to see our home.

Now her body was lying on our kitchen and I knew none of us would forgive ourselves for misjudging her.

READER'S P. O. V.

"Nervous?" A tall, redheaded kid appeared besides me; I supposed he didn't know my name by the warmth and curiosity with which his eyes stared at me.

"Aren't we all?" I replied with an anxious laugh.

He seemed to think for a moment before nodding. "Fair point, though I'll probably go into Gryffindor." He assured me with a proud smile, causing my head to cast down. "What is it?"

"Oh nothing," I shrugged, aware I would not be able to befriend that sweet boy with warm eyes. "I think I'll be sorted into Slytherin."

"Nonsense!" His intentions had been obviously to reassure me, but when he realised his response only made it worse, he added. "It'd be wicked to have a Slytherin friend, though." My eyes widened at his words; did he just— "I'm George, by the way."

"I'm Y/n."

"That's a very pretty name." Professor Mcgonagall led us into the Great Hall, and before I knew what was happening, George's hand was holding mine. "It'll be fine."

The lighting of the Castle changed once the Great Hall's doors opened; a bright, white light seemed to be coming out of it.

"Wait!" My hand gripped George's before he could leave my side. "Can you hold my hand? I-I'm scared." My voice no longer sounded like a 11 year old.

For some reason I didn't comprehend, my eyes were watery, making the view in front of me blurry.

"Don't be scared, darling." When I turned to George, I didn't see a kid; it was him, in the expensive suit I had seen him mere hours ago. "I'm here."

I just nodded and, swallowing my fear, took a step ahead, and then another one, and another, until I reached the Great Hall.