I’ve been thinking about this for forever but mostly in bed on my way to sleep so I had to piece together the idea from sleepy fragments and I think I finally have it. An alternate way Shen Yuan and Liu Qingge “meet” inside the Lingxi Caves.
First, Let’s make an assumption here that I’m too tired to check the canon to confirm:
Before encountering the War God in the Lingxi Caves himself, Shen Yuan doesn’t know about Liu Qingge’s Qi Deviation. He knows Shen Qingqiu killed him in the Lingxi Caves but nothing else surrounding the War God’s death. He doesn’t know Liu Qingge was Qi Deviating, that Shen Qingqiu was trying to help, that Liu Qingge may or may not have turned the blade onto himself to prevent himself from killing Shen Qingqiu.
So let’s tweak something:
What if Shen Yuan was feeling a little more helpless, was a little less sure that being kind to Luo Binghe would save him in the end, was a little more certain the whole world would find a way to punish the body he was in, and in general, was a little more pessimistic about his whole situation. Maybe someone - Mu Qingfang or Yue Qingyuan - accidentally mentioned in his hearing that if Shen Qingqiu would stop getting into situations, it would be easier on everyone. Maybe Shen Yuan took that as it would be easier on everyone if Shen Qingqiu was removed from the picture entirely. And since this Shen Yuan is more jaded by his circumstances, he doesn’t consider anything like running away in disguise but something more … extreme.
So let’s set the scene:
Shen Qingqiu / Shen Yuan enters the Lingxi Caves as directed by the plot and the System. He is theoretically making his way deeper inside the cave system to find a spot to cultivate. He - in practice - is actually listening. And when Shen Qingqiu / Shen Yuan hears someone else in the caves, he puts the only plan he’s been able to come up with to remove Shen Qingqiu from the equation into practice.
Shen Qingqiu / Yuan rushes into the cave where Liu Qingge is cultivating normally and definitely not Qi Deviating inside with Xiu Ya raised in an attack.
See, Shen Yuan didn’t realize that his attack on Liu Qingge was supposed to happen on schedule, specifically when the War God was Qi Deviating. And this time, the System isn’t strong enough (or mean enough?) to force the Qi Deviation. So this Shen Qingqiu / Yuan faces the full force of Liu Qingge’s might.
As he planned.
And he isn’t planning to get out alive.
See, Shen Yuan decided the best way to remove himself from the situation is to have Liu Qingge kill him in the caves, instead of the other way around. This would remove the weak, hated, corrupt link and strengthen the sect by keeping the War God alive.
(There also may be some notes left in his bamboo house with instructions for what to do on Qing Jing if / when he’s gone that include sending Luo Binghe to train under someone who had previously shown he wanted the boy - Liu Qingge - to give the protagonist a chance to experience a real teacher - disciple relationship and hopefully lessening the little lotus’ hatred of the sect)
Liu Qingge is definitely surprised by the attack but it’s not unexpected in his opinion for Shen Qingqiu to attack him. He is, however, started than some people give him credit for and knows losing the second ranked Peak Lord would weaken the sect. So while Shen Qingqiu in front of him is silently and furiously attacking with Xiu Ya with what appears to be intent to kill, Liu Qingge is looking to demobilize his Shixiong.
Liu Qingge soon realizes something odd about Shen Qingqiu’s fighting style. First of all, the older man isn’t using his leaf technique or even any of his underhanded trick to get the upper hand. Second, it almost appears the Qing Jing Peak Lord is moving himself in the way of Cheng Luan instead of out of its path. He IS moving himself in the way of Cheng Luan.
When Liu Qingge pulls his sword out of Shen Qingqiu’s shoulder - his glancing sword strike almost became a strike to the heart when the other moved right into the sword’s path and even the War God couldn’t completely avoid the resulting hit - Shen Qingqiu / Yuan finally breaks his silence.
“Just stab me already,” he babbles, half drunk on the feelings of adrenaline and pain and blood loss. “Just kill me already and finally get rid of your evil Shixiong. Put the sect out of its misery of having a lecher, a scum, and make the world a better place.”
Liu Qingge just stands there stunned as he watches his cool, aloof Shixiong fall to his knees, blood trailing down the wall a sign of his movement, eyes wide and frantic and turning red with tears.
“Kill me, end me. Make sure my horrible reputation and evil deeds don’t spell the end of Cang Qiong. Do your duty as the War God and protector of the sect to get rid of its doom. Those who claimed I’m an evil star are right and if I stay,” here Shen Qingqiu chokes, “… stay alive then everyone on the mountains will die.”
He stands, shakily and bloodied, sword in his hand and aiming at Liu Qingge.
Liu Qingge tries to distrust the string of words but only manages “what…” before they are trading blows again, this time one side far more frantic.
“They’ve called me a lecher for seeking comfort from the only people who never sought to hurt me. They called me a lazy student for first being beaten instead of allowed to train then taught methods to harm myself by the man who called himself my teacher. They called my attitude a sign of my rich and idle upbringing instead of seeing the mask of a terrified fake, trying to fit in.”
Maybe it was the ghost of the original who could finally spill his mind that allowed the second Shen Qingqiu to reveal secrets he should have never known. Maybe it was the System putting words in the delirious man’s mouth to move the plot into a new direction. In any case, Liu Qingge was fighting against the distracted craze of a man preventing the War God from helping the Qing Jing Peak Lord’s sudden Qi Deviation.
Shen Qingqiu’s face is covered in tears and blood and he still keeps talking. “Let the Old Palace Master know he’s right to put me in the Water Prison like he’s long since wanted to do. Let the demons have my body to rend apart and feast on my severed limbs as payment for failing to help their leader. Let the boy…” he chokes again, this time on blood after Chen Luan’s hilt strikes his abdomen, but also on his grief and regret regarding the one he speaks about, “the poor boy, let him know his revenge is satisfied, his tormentor is gone and received the punishment deserved for horrible acts upon a child…”
Shen Qingqiu collapses now, a combination of blood loss and fatigue and Liu Qingge’s own actions to disable his Shixiong. The War God now leans over the smaller, older man who slumps against the cave wall, restraining his arms a preparing to something - inject qi to stop the deviation, knock him out so a healer can look at him, hug him… - when Shen Qingqiu looks Liu Qingge in the eyes with an unexpected clarity from a man speaking madness moments before.
“I never wanted to kill you. Please let me die before I have to. ”
And Shen Qingqiu slumps, unconscious and bleeding out his eyes and ears and mouth and the numerous cuts and wounds he received and Liu Qingge can finally contemplate the paradigm shift his worldview is experiencing.
Though not for long, his Shixiong’s Qi Deviation inexplicably ended but he’s still left with unsettled Qi and losing blood. Liu Qingge needs to take him to Mu Qingfang as soon as possible. He needs to have a serious conversation with the Sect Leader to discuss the safety of Cang Qiong if anything Shen Qingqiu said might be true. He needs to find his Shidi in charge of the artefacts to get permission to borrow the Talented Visionary’s Memory Viewer so his words cannot be doubted. And he needs to gather the Peak Lords so they can discuss what their Strategist believes - about himself, about how others see him, and about what to do with the tidbits of past and future he claimed. Especially since they’d likely need to work together to convince their apparently (and how long had this been the case) suicidal Second in Command that he is not disposable even in for the safety of the Sect.
Been sick and shockingly Tumblr free so here’s one of many SVSSS plot bunnies that’s been harassing me in these days of sickness:
Shen Yuan, transmigrator and little brother to Shen Qingqiu, is struck with Without-a-Cure. Somehow, Shen Yuan accidentally reveals that the cure is duel cultivation with a Heavenly Demon and he expects his brother to be enraged. However, this is the world of an 18+ novel where duel cultivation is the cure to like 80% or more of all afflictions.
Shen Qingqiu is rightfully upset. But he wants what’s best for his little brother and that means keeping Shen Yuan alive. So while Shen Yuan stays in the care of Mu Qingfang, Shen Qingqiu goes to find the only Heavenly Demon he knows about. Unfortunately that demon is trapped beneath a mountain and probably hates all humans, so Shen Qingqiu decides he needs more information.
Using all his resources (Shang Qinghua, cashed favours, & his Red Pavilion spy network…), Shen Qingqiu goes to Bailu Mountain with first and second-hand accounts of what happened with Su Xiyan and the Old Palace Master, and a whole lot of blackmail. He uses an ugly snake demon (that’s he’s 90% sure is Zhuzhi-lang) to find the way to where the almost corpse of Tianlang-Jun and just info dumps everything he’s found out. Shen Qingqiu then leaves the piles of documents supporting his claims of whose fault the previous war had been and goes off to give the demons time to absorb the information.
A week later, Shen Qingqiu is back with an offer to free the former Demon Emperor, as long as he very professionally aids Shen Yuan with his Without-a-Cure problem, and some other non aggression agreements between Cang Qiong Sect and Tianlang-Jun’s people. Tianlang-Jun agrees, although he notes it’s going to take a bit of time to heal and regain control of the demon realm. They shake on it (or do some other binding agreement ritual) and Shen Qingqiu goes back to his sect while the two demons leave for the demon realm.
This may or may not take a lot of time, depending on how long the information gathering, deciding terms of the agreements, and the actual work of getting Tianlang-Jun free from his mountain prison.
Meanwhile back at Cang Qiong Mountain, Mu Qingfang is a busy guy and can’t spend all his time watching Shen Yuan, who has taken his poisoning with the same indifference as any of his hospital stays in his previous life. He’s used to a life where his death could happen any moment and this makes his doctor worry about his mental health, especially being alone in the medical ward. So when another Qing Jing disciple tries to sneak into the ward, Mu Qingfang takes it as an opportunity to give Shen Yuan a companion and someone else who seems invested in the younger’s health.
So Shen Qingqiu comes back to find not only his most hated disciple is his precious little brother’s new best friend (and project?!) but Luo Binghe has actually become an indispensable help to Shen Yuan. Unfortunately, the little beast is actually doing a good job with feeding and caring for Shen Yuan, and Shen Yuan looks less like he accepts his death, so Shen Qingqiu reluctantly accepts his disciple’s help caring for his brother.
(He tries to ignore the budding romance, especially since Shen Yuan himself seems oblivious…. But subconsciously he knows Luo Binghe is going to be in his little brother’s life for a long time)
So time passes as Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe get closer, and Shen Qingqiu keeps in touch with the old and once again Demon Emperor, hoping the time to cure his brother will come soon.
And of course this leads to the Immortal Alliance Conference.
Shen Yuan is on the sidelines, watching with his brother and the other Peak Lords, and Luo Binghe is on the ground, fighting for his life against monsters too strong for a juniors tournament. Shen Qingqiu once again gives Mu Qingfang orders to watch over Shen Yuan (who ends up helping in the medical tents), while he joins the other Peak Lords and Sect Leaders who go into the competition to save the young cultivators.
And as it goes, Shen Qingqiu is faced with a Luo Binghe whose seal was broken by Mobei-Jun. Except there’s also a Tianlang-Jun who appears cause now’s the perfect opportunity to find and kill the Old Palace Master for his past crimes. And Shen Qingqiu recognizes the Demon Emperor’s features in his (once?) hated disciple, and realizes that said disciple has the Heavenly Demon blood to cure Without-a-Cure AND is already in a relationship with Shen Yuan, and maybe there wasn’t a reason to make any agreements with Tianlang-Jun after all.
(I’d like to imagine this realization comes at the same moment Tianlang-Jun decapitates the Old Palace Master and Shen Qingqiu also realizes what a disaster of a man he invited into his life)
(Shen Yuan is very mortified when he finds out his brother’s machinations to cure him and can’t be in the same room as anyone who was part of that conversation without blushing for a good week)
(Shen Yuan also doesn’t want to force anyone into anything just for his health when he’s been /handling/ it so far and ends up in a blushing and crying puddle of sappy cuddling with Luo Binghe after they finally discuss their relationship and yes it’s more that friendship, it’s called “I never want to part with you, I always want to stay by your side, you are the most important person in my life, I’m not getting married to one woman - let alone hundreds, I just want you”.)
(They get married in spring)
(Mu Qingfang confirms Without-a-Cure is gone the next day)
I call this my Izuku goes off on people who deserve it AU. He deserves to. As a treat.
XxX
“And you muttering over there, with the curly green hair. Are you trying to distract everyone around you? If you didn’t come to take this exam seriously, you should leave!”
Izuku shot up as the unexpected call out interrupted his thoughts. He hadn’t even realized he was muttering. But who gave this blue haired glasses wearing kid any right to call him out? Isn’t he just another examinee?
With the presence of his friend beside him, Izuku felt confident to talk back for once.
“N…No.” A hand on his leg cemented his determination.
“Actually, I was trying to analyze the situation as any hero or hero hopeful should. Strong flashy quirks are not enough to make it in the hero industry despite what the Hero Commission obviously wants society to think. That’s why they obviously adjust the hero rankings from a straight popularity or efficiency poll to one that favours not only spotlight heroes but the spotlight heroes with flashy quirks. There’s several online analysts who agree with this statement, HeroWatcher, StatsMan, and, uh, GreenCryptid, all have evidence showing the unofficial polls compared to the one the Hero Commission puts out and there’s a very clear trend in the differences.”
Oh dear. He was on a roll now.
“This exam,” Izuku gestured to the screen that still showed the three robots, “obviously favours the types of quirks the Hero Commission likes to promote. There’s hardly any chance for those with non physical quirks or quirks that affect human senses to pass. Heroes Midnight, Glittertouch, Long Shot, KindAss, Nedzu (may I have the Overlords’ favour), and even the underground hero Eraserhead all have quirks proven to aid in decreasing crime, apprehending criminals, tracking down villain operations and supporting victims in the aftermath of not only villain attacks but also after natural disasters. I wonder how many of these heroes would have failed this test when they were fourteen years old? In fact, one of them did fail and it took winning the sports festival to get into heroics!”
The auditorium is silent except for Izuku. Not even Present Mic has picked up his jaw from the floor and was included in the number of people staring at this tiny green child in shock and disbelief.
“And what does the Hero Commission have to gain for this type of discrimination - and yeah it it’s discrimination, keep your mouths shut and listen. Well, if we have heroes we need villains for them to fight. If the heroes have strong flashy quirks, the villains must have weak or undesirable quirks. There are no goddamned hero r villain quirks. There are just quirks! Yet the Hero Commission is literally promoting this… this societal discrimination for their own benefit! The more villains, the more control the Hero Commission gains! They are literally on par with the Army but while the head of the Army is in the end the President and someone the people voted for, the President of the Hero Commission is chosen internally. Who knows what their agenda is!”
Wide eyes are even wider and Izuku suddenly remembers he’s not on a discord call with his friends and instead in front of hundreds of stranger. He’s gotten off track.
“Oh, obviously the Hero Commission can’t look like they’re being so blatant in their discrimination, that’s why there’s likely a hidden component the judges can tell people about for those who they want to include in heroics who otherwise didn’t get in, or to exclude from heroics if they don’t want them. Let me see, there’s a fourth robot but according to this it’s worth zero points. - you should have just turned the page and you’d have seen it yourself. The diagram in the leaflet doesn’t include scale but just my looking and comparing the eye size of the three pointer to the zero pointer, the zero pointer is at least two, no maybe three? times larger. Yet worth zero points. If it was worth points I’d say they want us to use teamwork to take it down but zero points… hm, maybe something about stopping collateral damages? Prevent the zero pointer from crushing buildings? Or, no wait. Rescue? Helping other examinees get out of the path of the zero pointer? And prevent or treating injuries? That might be it…”
The last bit turned into unintelligible muttering before the hand on his leg gave a little flick and Izuku straightened again. He lost track for a moment there but he had a point to all this.
“So Rescue or Search and Aid or something along those lines is the hidden test so the Hero Commission isn’t sued by those with quirks supposedly unsuited for heroics. But guess what, some of those top heroes would likely fail that part of the test. They *do* regularly fail that part of the hero audits but that’s swept under the rug with the Hero Commission’s other dirty secrets. But Death Arms clearly las a low score on civilian aid. Arachne Lass was once called out on her damage to public and private properly when she uses her spider army. And don’t let me get started on Endeavour. Highest Villain deaths, highest civilian deaths, highest civilian injuries, highest fear among civilians for a hero, second highest property damage - first place there actually goes to All Might, who knew? - yet Endeavour is second in the ranking. Because he’s got a strong and flashy quirk, perfect for heroics. And I bet cause he can melt the stupid robots with his stupid fire to pass this stupid, biased test.”
Izuku looked up from his hands clenched around the exam leaflet to stare the kid who started this in his shocked eyes. He narrowed his eyes.
“And you probably have one of those strong flashy quirks that the Hero Commission would think is perfect for heroics. Let’s see, a mutation to your legs. Not for strength or jumping, the shape is wrong for that, it almost looks like metal, kind of familiar l so maybe like a hero I’ve seen before? doesn’t matter right now, uses arms a lot so maybe has to brace against things cause it doesn’t seem like there’s a mutation there so… speed quirk? And that’s a yes judging from the widening of your eyes. And a familiar hero with a speed quirk, Ingenium. Part of a family of heroes. You’ve probably been told you can be a hero if you just try enough your whole life. Just like any one with a strong flashy quirk has heard.”
There is a glare coming from two rows in front of him that Izuku has been ignoring since he opened his mouth. Almost done his impromptu speech and then he can have a mental breakdown in the bathroom.
“So you, and most of the people here probably, have just assumed you can become a hero. You’ve always been told you can. But there are people here who haven’t been that lucky. Some of us have never had support and have had to do everything we can to get here, kicking and screaming against all the naysayers. So I don’t think you have any right to judge me for doing what I can to try to level the playing field for my friend and I and to do what I can to have at least a chance in this biased exam. Also, if you had listened to that muttering then you’d know the weaknesses of the three robots worth points in this exam but I guess I’ll leave you to figure it out on your own.”
Izuku was turning to sit again when he thought of one last thing to add. “Oh, and it’s no good trying to be a stickler for the rules. Villains will use that and tear you apart for it, seeing as you wouldn’t be able to think outside the box.”
He sat and there is silence. The other examinees around him are blinking, brains trying to process everything they just heard. A couple kids started clapping but it was silenced by the looks others gave them.
But the clapping seemed to snap Present Mic out of whatever trance he was in.
“Ah yes, Examinee 4616 was correct about the last robot being with zero points. I can neither confirm nor deny anything else about the exam. You have twenty minutes to find your busses to the examination sites. Good luck.”
Present Mic fled, hand on his earpiece to the observation room, trying to muffle Nedzu’s cackling, as the eyes of the students all turned to analyze how they’d fare against this knowledgeable green haired kid.
October 31st 1994. Harry James Potter’s name comes out of the Goblet of Fire, despite having been missing since October 31st 1981. But the Triwizard Tournament’s Magical Contract means he must compete or risk losing his magic. Here enters Hal Leblanc, an unassuming Gryffindor student known only for his protectiveness of his adoptive sister Rosie Leblanc, and Harry Potter in disguise. Raised by a hidden Sirius Black and hidden from Dumbledore in plain sight in Hogwarts, Hal must navigate through a deadly tournament, new offers of alliances and an unexpected discovery of a secret society older than Hogwarts herself.
The year is 1981 and a very different war is being fought. There is Lord Voldemort and the Knights of Walpurgis, advocating the Blood Supremacy and the annihilation of Non-Magicals. Opposing him openly is the Order of the Phoenix, lead by the so-called Leader of the Light, Albus Dumbledore. The Ministry of Magic is being being torn apart in the midst of Voldemort’s open warfare against Muggles and Dumbledore’s Guerrilla Tactics. But behind the scenes, another battle is being fought, by two opposing factions of an organization founded by Merlin himself, the Ouroboros Circle. Since the end of the Grindelwald War, the then younger Augusta Longbottom opposed the older Arcturus Black III. Augusta stood for the Origins, relying on the old ways, keeping power with those who knew what to do with it and keeping the New Bloods separate from the Old Bloods to keep both pure. Arcturus differed, having seen the ideals Augusta believed in used to fuel Grindelwald. He felt while knowledge and respect of the old ways was important, Wizardkind needed to innovate and create new paths, power needed to be spread out so one single person could not control the rest and the New Bloods needed to learn the old ways to remain pure. Caught up in their own struggle for control, they missed Voldemort’s decisive grab for power.
Because of the Circle’s turmoils, Fleamont and Euphemia Potter decided against inducting James and his friends into their lifelong commitment to keep Wizardkind safe from those without magic and vice versa. Sirius never learned of their mission because his parents’ radical opinions meant Arcturus never brought his son into the fold, and was too distracted to induct Sirius. When Albus sought new members for his organization, they were free to join and in doing so became enemies of Voldemort.
But James and Sirius know as purebloods of influential families that there is something influencing this war other than the obvious. When tensions rise in the Order due to rumours of a spy, they stage a break up to assess the reactions of others, drawing the other Marauders into their fallout without telling them anything. Their suspicions means Dumbledore’s suggestion of a Fidelius Charm falls on deaf ears. The prophecy is enough to worry all the Marauders, convincing Peter he was right to defect to the Dark Lord.
Regulus, more cautious than his brother and less radical than his parents was a little more discreet than he might have been in another world. His discovery of Voldemort‘s Locket Horcrux came at the same time he heard rumours of Voldemort‘s other ‘priceless treasures’ and he remained at the Dark Lord’s side to find out the truth.
Frank Longbottom had joined the Circle in his Hogwarts years, but before he even knows to warn her, Alice follows her Gryffindor roommates Lily Potter nee Evans, Marlene McKinnon, and Mary MacDonald to Dumbledore’s Order of the Phoenix. As they were engaged to be married, Frank joins the Order with the intention to spy on them for the Circle and tell Alice the truth of his allegiance once he is certain of her occlumancy skills. Unfortunately, this never happens.
October 31st 1981. Voldemort decides to go after Neville Longbottom as only a pureblood could oppose him in his mind. He gets the secret of his location from Frank Longbottom, whom he killed leaving the ministry after planning to go into hiding after hearing the prophecy from Dumbledore. Voldemort found found Neville silently, casting the killing curse before Alice awoke, but the curse rebounded, killing Voldemort instead. A frantic Alice and Neville is found by Augusta, who shares enough Circle knowledge that remaining in the Wizarding World where Dumbledore’s influence will only grow after Voldemort’s defeat is dangerous for Neville and urges Alice to flee to the Muggle world.
Desperate for a sacrificial hero, Dumbledore goes to the Potters, only to find James and Lily unconscious from overexposure to the Crucio Curse and Harry gone. It is discovered that it was Sirius Black who took Harry and Albus assumes it was on the Dark Lord’s orders. But a Ministry search can not find either Sirius or Harry.
So Neville Longbottom is named the Boy-Who-Lived, lost to the Wizarding World and Harry Potter an unfortunate victim to the Dark Lord’s minions.
But the Members of the Nights of Walpurgis, known by the young as Death Eaters, know that Sirius Black was not on their side. However, they cannot prove so with their Master gone and they bribe their way out of Azkaban to watch and wait for an opportunity to strike next.
Because they were not caught during their attack on the Potters, Bellatrix, Rodolphous and Rebastan Lestrange escape Azkaban with Barry Crouch Jr. Bellatrix and Rodolphous have a son but are caught a few years later attacking the Weasleys for information on the Dark Lord. Rigel Raban Lestrange was left to his uncle Rebastan’s care. He would later be sorted into Slytherin to no one’s surprise.
Molly Weasley was killed in the attack, leaving a mourning Arthur and seven young children. The children’s Great Uncle and Aunt, Ignatius and Lucretia Prewett came to help with the younger children, leading to an improved Burrow and closer familiar ties. In a Light family, Percy surprised everyone and no one who knew him by being sorted into Slytherin, having clung to his Great Aunt after the attack and learning some of her Black Ways. It would surprise no one when Ron was sorted into Ravenclaw, and Ginny into Hufflepuff.
After Voldemort’s disappearance, Regulus knew it would not last and, lacking any other options, went to his Grandfather. Both Arcturus and Regulus were surprised by the resulting conversation, Arcturus because he would never have believed Voldemort’s insanity in splitting his soul and wondering how he had missed the signs and Regulus because of the secret organization his Grandfather was a part of, trying to prevent abominations like this from occurring. Having risen to a stable position in the Dark Lord’s inner circle, Regulus reluctantly agreed to remain close to the other former Death Eaters while trying to find out the exact number and locations of the Horcruxes. With Sirius missing, on the run and supposedly kicked out of the family by their parents, Regulus remained the Black Heir. He married a fellow Slytherin Lucinda Talkalot pureblood and they had three children, rare in the Wizarding World. Arista Melania Black, Alcyone Cassiopeia Black, and Leonis Orion Black were all Slytherin and would break tradition by allowing Arista the Black Heirship despite having a younger brother. Although he kept his wife in the dark about his true allegiance, Regulus would eventually tell his children after trying to prepare them growing up. Even so, Lucinda definitely knew he wasn’t as firm a believer in the Dark Lord’s ways as others would believe.
Peter Pettigrew on the other hand had the opposite problem as Regulus. Having followed the Dark Lord in secret, he didn’t have to hide when Voldemort vanished. His relationship with others in the Order of the Phoenix was strained however, because of all the secrets he kept in the war and he found himself surprisingly joined by Barry Crouch Jr. in looking for a way to bring the Dark Lord back. However, as suspicions arose about what he was up to, Peter married a weak-willed Hufflepuff Maria Boyle and the two had a son, Timothy. But Maria would eventually leave Peter, taking Timothy with her, because of their differences and his secret obsession with the dark arts. During the few visits he got with his son, Peter impressed the knowledge of something greater than the Light to him, leaving behind a dark seed. Timothy Peter Boyle would go on to be a Hufflepuff and a supporter of not only the pureblood ideals but Voldemort himself.
Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. But their two children were not. Not saddled with an unwanted freak, Petunia and Vernon gave Dudley a younger sister named Peony, and when both ended up displaying signs of magic at a young age, Petunia realized she could live her childhood dream through her children. Luckily, their neighbour, Mrs. 7 Privet Drive also known as Mrs. Eleanore Martins had a sister ‘in-the-know’ Emmeline Vance. Emmeline helped keep the Dursley children’s magic manageable, taught the Dursley’s what they needed to know about the Wizarding World, and became a well known friend of the family. However Emmeline was also a spy, not once but twice over. Emmeline’s squib sister Eleanore had been placed at Privet Drive to give cover for Emmeline to watch over the Dursley family by Albus Dumbledore, having both feared the Dark Lord’s followers - namely Sirius Black - might come after them for the relation to Harry Potter and Lily Potter nee Evans. But Emmeline had another allegiance. A few years younger than the future Alice Longbottom, she was tutored by Alice and protected from other student who mocked her for having a squib sibling. When Alice disappeared with Neville after Voldemort’s downfall, she went to Emmeline for help on navigating the muggle world. In return, Emmeline learned about Augusta’s suspicions about Albus and agreed to help both Longbottoms in their quest to protect Neville. Knowing Alice meant Emmeline knew Lily and from Lily, knew of Petunia and agreed to help Augusta keep an eye on Lily’s extended family. After seeing her devotion and her increasing suspicions on Dumbledore herself, Augusta inducted Emmeline into the Origins Chapter of the Ouroboros Circle. Thus, Dudley and Peony learned of more than Albus may have wanted them to know about the politics of the Wizarding World. Dudley would go into Gryffindor and Peony in Hufflepuff.
Draco Malfoy would grow up with not only other Death Eater children as playmates but pureblood cousins as well. Being the oldest of the Black cousins, he believed himself his younger cousins’ protector. With this experience, and with his Uncle Regulus’ teachings, Draco learns discretion and subtlety as well as how to evaluate his father’s words. The Draco who comes to Hogwarts is a quieter Slytherin, at the top of the food chain for his year, but second to his cousin Arista. When rumours of the Dark Lord’s expected return reach him, he is given the choice to spy on his peers or be granted protection, not by the Light, but by the Drake Chapter of the Ouroboros Circle by Uncle Regulus. He chooses the first, never having completely rid himself of his Gryffindor tendency to do reckless things.
Born before the Fall of the Dark Lord, Draco’s godfather was his father’s close friend in Voldemort’s inner circle, Severus Snape. But after realizing that by telling the Dark Lord the beginning of the prophecy had put Lily in danger, Severus regretted his actions. But the one he went to was not Dumbledore. He went to Lily herself, to beg forgiveness for everything he had done in the past and that he would like to help in any way he could. She of course forgave him, always having mourned their past relationship as siblings, especially with Petunia pushing her away. Without consulting James, she repeated the godfather ceremony, giving Harry a second godfather. With this bond, there was no way Severus would be able to cause harm to Harry without risking his own life. Forgiven, Severus went to Albus, seeking help but keeping his arrangement with Lily a secret. But Albus wanted Severus to continue to work with the Dark Lord, as a spy, claiming passing on information the best repentance there could be. When Voldemort asked his inner circle their opinions on which child could be the one in the prophecy, Severus could only say Neville, his bond to Harry preventing him from causing harm even in this indirect way, despite dooming another child. But the spy in the Order condemned him, as Severus didn’t know who the spy was but the spy had discovered Severus and told the Dark Lord. Severus was imprisoned and tortured by his former allies, including the father of his other godchild, Lucius Malfoy. It was luck for him that Voldemort disappeared that night, causing the wards around the manor to fall and Aurors resume him from death. Severus was revealed to have been Dumbledore’s spy in the ranks of the Dark Lord, and protected from legal prosecutions. He mourned for Lily because despite not being completely dead, her mind was unlikely to recover, same as with James. When Albus offered him a job at Hogwarts teaching potions, he nearly refused, but was convinced due to easier access to the potions ingredients he would need to search for a cure for Lily. Becoming Slytherin head of house was something no one wanted, not him, nor the other teachers, nor his students. The Slytherins felt he could betray them like he betrayed their parents, even those who didn’t believe in the Dark Lord’s ideology. But what Albus wanted, Albus got.
Which is why it was so frightening when Severus discovered Albus’ search for the Deathly Hallows, even more so when he realized only the stone was missing.
Two boys switched places that October night, not because of a whim but many many happenings.
Neville Longbottom grew up with his mother Alice in the middle of Muggle London. Along with Emmeline’s help, Alice found help from Remus Lupin, or rather, they helped each other. Remus knew more about the muggle world than Alice, and helped her settle down in a small bookshop and flat. He had become disillusioned with Albus when he realized Albus was doing nothing to keep the Marauders from tearing each other apart, as it appeared James and Sirius were doing. Others in the Order had feared Remus for the curse he bore and Albus had also done nothing to stop it. When his school year girlfriend turned mutual platonic friend Emmeline come to Remus looking for help for Alice and Neville with the need to keep it secret from Albus, Remus agreed. Alice herself had needed another person around, someone to help keep an eye on Neville and the shop while she was busy with the other. She had never minded Remus, a distant cousin of hers had had the same affliction as many a pureblood could trace in their lines, and his gentle nature reminded her of Frank. It was also a miracle she had gotten through those months without Remus, so distraught with the loss of her husband and the only life she had ever known. Over time they became closer, not romantically - for Alice felt she would never forget her love for Frank - but as close as a brother and sister. Soon, Alice claimed Lupin as her maiden name, both to protect her and Neville and as a lifeline of family. Augusta was not too far however, visiting during holidays when she could claim the loss of her family as reason enough not to host holiday parties and to remain secluded from society when not required to be present for Wizengomot sessions. She brought both Alice and Remus into the Circle, impressing them with the knowledge that there was more at stake than Light and Dark. Neville also got training, having been told about the prophecy and a meddling old fool. He would still tremble when he put the Sorting Hat on his head, but this time with the weight of more than just an old woman’s expectations that he follows in his father’s footsteps. He would be placed in a very different and exactly the same Gryffindor house. But this time, with a friendship already formed. Attending a muggle school, Neville recognized the signs of accidental magic. He was unsurprised to find bullies, who scattered upon seeing him. Only their victim was left, a young girl his own age. Hermione Granger. So clever and brave, she would leap into Gryffindor after her longtime friend Neville.
In his seventh year of Hogwarts, Sirius Black found himself growing up just a little. He had flirted with the girls of Hogwarts almost since he had arrived in first year, had chased girls and been chased, but this time, he felt something different. He, Sirius Black, has a crush on a girl. It may have been because of James and Lily’s recent relationship but all of the Marauders found themselves spending more time with the Gryffindor girls. And now, Sirius was developing an attraction to one of Lily’s best friends, Marlene McKinnon. For months they danced around each other, oblivious to the obviousness of their attraction to each other to everyone except themselves. But when they were going to graduate and the war was suddenly real for them, they disagreed on what should be done. Sirius wanted to take Marlene and run off, keep her safe and out of the war but she would have none of it. She would not be helpless and protected while her friends were in danger and she joined them in the Order of the Phoenix. Their on-again-off-again relationship was off as they both did what they could and tried to forget each other. Finally, they got caught up in the war and stopped the longing touches in the private moments of Order meetings. Sirius and James were staging their fight, hurting Lily because she didn’t understand what could have come between them. After Harry was born, she finally got them to sit still in the same room and got a garbled telling of their plan to rat out the spy, and that was why even though they were still going to pretend to be fighting, they wanted Sirius as Harry’s godfather. Lily was silent, she had met with Severus the day before and maybe this would work out for them all? She agreed, Sirius was bonded to Harry as his godfather and he left, feeling elated and suddenly missing the company of the woman he loved. He met with Marlene and they took the night for each other before she revealed she was going back to her family home to help out for a while. It was all Sirius could do to watch her leave and all he could do to comfort Lily as news of the attack on the McKinnon’s family home was reported with no survivors. They cried together into the night. When Sirius got wind of Voldemort’s attack on Frank Longbottom, he feared for Harry. He had just calmed James and Lily down and gone up to check on his sleeping godson when the Lestrange’s attacked. He heard James cry for Sirius to take Harry and run and the need to protect Harry won over his desire to help his brother in all but blood. He ran.
Only later did he find out that Voldemort was gone and he himself was declared an enemy for kidnapping and possibly killing Harry Potter and his parents. Without options, he hid from the Wizarding World before coming to the realization only one person had the political power to help him. Reluctantly, Sirius returned to Black Manor to find help from his grandfather, only to be stunned by what he found inside.
Marlene McKinnon had discovered she was pregnant four weeks after her night with Sirius. Fearing her unborn child and remembering what he wanted to do when they were about to graduate, she secretly left her family home, planning to make arrangements before springing the news on Sirius. But when her family was attacked and killed, she suddenly found herself at a loss. When Sirius was declared a follower of the Dark Lord a short time later, Marlene did the only thing she could think of, seek refuge from the great grandfather of her unborn child. Arcturus had been surprisingly welcome when she arrived on his doorstep, listening to her story before granting her request. She could stay in the Black Manor until they came up with a plan of what to do with Sirius’ child. When Sirius himself turned up with Harry Potter in tow, Arcturus once again had to rethink his plans. Hearing for the first time about the prophecy and connecting it with the knowledge Regulus had just recently shared about Voldemort’s immortality, Arcturus knew Harry needed to be protected. Neville Longbottom has disappeared and someone was going to have to defeat the Dark Lord. So the three adults made a plan.
Members of the Drake chapter of the Ouroboros Circle, Marlene and Sirius adopted the surname of a Black branch family in France and moved their with Harry and their newborn, Rosemary Aelia. They gave Harry a nickname based off his full name Harold Jame Potter, for they knew he would one day attend Hogwarts and didn’t want to give up the game too quick. When a chance meeting between Regulus and Severus revealed Severus’ secret status as Harry’s other godfather, Severus was granted knowledge of their location so he could also aid them on their quest. This was how Arcturus learned of Albus’ obsession with the Hallows. Knowing this was part of why the Circle was founded in the first place, they tried to find a way to keep the Stone away from Albus and protect Harry. He grew up loved with his father Sirius, mother Marlene and sister Rosie, despite knowing he was adopted he loved them like a real family. He learned of the politics in the United Kingdom and what role he might one day play in the not yet over war. When given the choice though on whether or not to attend Hogwarts, he knew he would go, for it was o my a matter of time before they found him anyways. But they wouldn’t make it easy for their enemies. So, in 1991, a famous newly emerged Neville Longbottom the Boy-Who-Lived was joined in Gryffindor by one unassuming Hal Leblanc.
The Stars in Her Eyes She dreams of a life unlived: Not all at once but at multiple times throughout a peaceful childhood, and haunting her still. She dreams of herself, but not: A person alone but growing up fast with great magical ability to be taken away. She dreams of a town in peril: And her-but-not arriving as hero to save this helpless town and pass the last test. She dreams of a fortune, such sadness: Of leaving friends to wander alone unable to say hello— Then, suddenly, nothing. She does not dream: does not know for certain, but guesses, her other-self is gone and inside she cries. She has stars in her eyes and dreams in her soul: her tears are unshed for she cannot properly mourn for someone unknown.
On one hand, going to bed “early” last night meant wow I actually got a lot of sleep to recover from the not a lot of sleep from the night before.
On the other, since I’m out of practice going to bed at any time that’s not “oops I’m going to bed late” it left a lot of time for my brain to think.
Luckily, I could manage to mostly not think about Real Life Problems ™️ and instead think about world building. Which led me to some funky rabbit holes …
Thinking about a list of important federal infrastructure of Canada (energy & utilities, finance, food, transport, government, information technology & communications, health, water, safety, manufacturing) and how that could translate to pre-modern societies.
Ie: transport could be roads / rivers but also vehicles of transport, carts or boats or by foot… OR IT & communication could be archives of information plus historians plus mail delivery or messenger birds for distant communication… OR energy and utilities, what would that look like when gas and oil aren’t a thing? Would that translate to coal or wood or be completely absolved by a different category and something else be more important? OR safety and would that just be military / warriors or also include town defence like barriers or moats or what about police forces and criminal holding….
Which led me to thinking about things that are important for countries / kingdoms / communities that aren’t just infrastructure? Justice, Education, Housing, Government owned land / buildings (or would that be included somewhere in infrastructure) and relations with in the community and other communities …
And some of these have fascinating implications, like land. In some societies, land was a community assist, and everyone lived in a communal space and worked in a communal space, in others, land was owned by a king and sectioned off for the peasants to hold or lease or work without ownership. In a case like historical Canada when settlers were coming, the government sectioned off land and sold it off for housing or commerce purpose, while keeping land for specific government purposes. In all these cases land and housing is the responsibility for different groups. It’s similar for justice / law, in which the responsibility can be with the group as a whole, a council of representatives, the rich / people with influence or a single person on top.
Which led me to: if thinking about a single society and how it grows over time, and say that society has councillors or ministers for each category, how would those categories grow over time? Would it be possible to follow the exact same number of ministers and the duties may adapt over time as, say, the technology changes (wood / coal for heating TO old / gas). Or does the amount of ministers adapt as thing become more or less important (following how in Canada for example the cabinet ministers change with each new elected leader: ie minister or war becomes minister of national Defense and the like)
Which was all interesting and such but wow not a topic for bedtime. Why is it so hard to just shut off the brain and appreciate the comfy cozy feeling of being a blanket cocoon that will have to transform into a sad work butterfly come morning?!?! 😓💼🦋
(Something I wrote and want to continue but also wanna share cause this image is too funny to get out of my head)
Tim wakes up somewhere he knows he didn’t fall asleep. In fact, he doesn’t remember falling asleep at all. The last thing he remembers was patrol.
Red Robin had been swinging through the Gotham streets, Red Hood in his ear requesting backup for a warehouse full of suspicious equipment. He had been fighting the warehouse bad guys and asking Oracle if she had gotten into network from the usb he plugged for her yet. He had been running for the exit after someone, Red Hood? Nightwing? - (when had he arrived?) - Oracle? had shouted that the place was rigged to blow. There had been heat on his back and his vision turned electric blue and green - not the normal colours of an explosion - before couldn’t see and… that was all he knew.
It was then Tim realized he was still in his Red Robin suit. And, strangely enough, tucked into bed?
