noise dept.
DEAR READER
Mike Driver
oozey mess
No title available
Aqua Utopia｜海の底で記憶を紡ぐ
NASA
blake kathryn
styofa doing anything
No title available
Claire Keane
@theartofmadeline
RMH
Xuebing Du
Jules of Nature
Today's Document
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Janaina Medeiros
hello vonnie
ojovivo
seen from Malaysia
seen from Singapore
seen from United Arab Emirates
seen from Germany
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Italy
seen from Russia
seen from Türkiye
seen from Singapore
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from South Korea
seen from Singapore
seen from United States
seen from Türkiye
seen from Australia
seen from Spain
seen from United States
seen from United States
@timewandererus
Ron: Sit down, I’m gonna torture you now Harry, smirking: Kinky. Ron: I think you’re sweet and beautiful. Harry: What— Ron: You deserve to be cared for. Harry: Stop, now— Ron: Your feelings are valid and deserve to be heard. Harry: I NEED A SAFE WORD!!!
My Hinny Recs
I've seen a lot of people do these, and Hinny is criminally underrated imo, so—in no particular order:
After Destiny, cambangst
Already Gone, takearisk
Arcane, SeriouslySam
Beasts, whinlatter
Brumous, SeriouslySam (one of my absolute all-time favs. It's on hiatus but you should still read it)
Cuts Series, Melindaleo
Dating Ginny Weasley, Vaffyu
Evolution, sophie_hatter_jenkins
Harry Potter and the Ritual of Love's Memory, DBow (another all-timer)
Lucida, SeriouslySam
Quidditch Is For Losers, GinFizz (this is a "drop-what-you're-doing-and-read" when it updates type story)
Scars, aebbe
Selcouth, SeriouslySam
Supplant, SailorChibi
The Hating Game, BrightlyBound
The In Betweens (6th Year), honeydukesheroine
The Red Fury, Vaffyu
Unconditional, Count Westwest
Tomorrow is Promised to No One, Cellindaer
A Second Chance, Breanie
Contractual Obligation, LegendDairy
A Taste of Honey, Gin110881
Love, I Like a Challenge, GinW-Potter
A Firecracker Christmas, BlaisedLit
Gin Fizz, Startanewdream
Made To Be Broken, StarlingFlight
Through Shadows, hp_fangal
Singing Out Of Tune, JohnMcHacker
The Path From You, takearisk
every few lifetimes, societysgot
A Firecracker Christmas, BlaisedLit
Gin Fizz, Startanewdream
Made To Be Broken, StarlingFlight
Through Shadows, hp_fangal
Singing Out Of Tune, JohnMcHacker
The Path From You, takearisk
every few lifetimes, societysgot
I'm sure I'm missing more and I'll add those as I come across them.
HINNY WIPS TO FOLLOW
1)Arcane and Vestige by @seriouslysam8
2)Cross my heart (and hope to die) by @ginnyw-potter
3)Hunted by @sophie-hatter-jenkins
4)The Red Fury and The Diary of the Mummy by @vaf
5)hufflepup by @fizzyginfizz
6)Already Gone by @takeariskao3
7)the dea(r)th of gentility by @sunlit-di-s
8)The Hating Game by @brightlybound
Do you know why I'm a couple of weeks late with more HEATED RIVALRY recs? Because literally every day, half of the time I could be reading fic is being spent going through the absolutely bonkers level of new fic being posted and organizing them onto my reader. I spend over an hour every day combing through the tags and thinking, "oh, that one sounds cool, I'll snag that one, oh, this one seems funny, I'll throw that on there, too, oh, these thirty seven other fics posted just today look incredible, I've got to save them all and sideload them onto my reader, okay, now it's 2am and I have got to sleep, I'll make time to just read tomorrow!" And then it's tomorrow and oh no the tag has updated so I start my Groundhog's Day all over again.
And the thing is that I can't stop because this fandom has been putting out so many absolute bangers and I desperately need to gather them all up and then try to force everyone else to read them with me! My current thing is time loops. Well, and the ghost!Irina fic that is phenomenal and you 10000% understand that Ilya is Irina Rozanova's son. And fics that break my heart about Shane dealing with being outed and his internal struggle with that. Or every single Boston Bears!Shane fic I can get my hands on. Or fic that gives Kip the single best internal voice I could have asked for. Or-- Look, you guys need to read with me, because I cannot be left alone with these feelings, you gotta join me.
HEATED RIVALRY - NO I WON’T BE CHILL ABOUT THE GAY HOCKEY PLAYERS SHOW:
Game Day by Anonymous, ilya/shane & centaurs, NSFW, graphic depictions of gore and violence, 30.4k On June 24th, 2022, during game seven of the Stanley Cup finals, Ilya Rozanov takes a skate blade to the thigh and bleeds out on the ice. The next morning, Shane wakes up in his husband's arms. It's June 24th again, and Ilya is still alive. Now Shane just needs to figure out how to keep him that way. Or: Shane gets stuck in a time loop.
Sinking While Swimming by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle, ilya/shane & hayden & alexei & svetlana & troy & cast, nsfw, suicidal ideation/themes, 28.2k “Maybe you don't have to-” “Uh-uh. No backtracking now.” Hayden pointed a finger at him. “If you tell Shane, fantastic. Would love that, quite frankly, but until you do, I want those goddamn pictures, Rozanov. Am I clear?” Ilya wanted to make some quip about Pike trying to get a different kind of picture out of him, but given the circumstances... He just nodded. “Good. My kids tragically love the fuck out of you, so figure this out.” Ilya nodded again. “Alright then.”
Mama's Boy, Mama's Boy by WhimperSoldier, ilya/shane & ghost!irina & rose, NSFW, 68.3k Shane's first mistake was going to talk to Ilya Rozanov before their game. His second was immediately, stupidly, meeting the eyes of Rozanov’s very much dead mother hovering at his side.
all that's built with time by laricina, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie & rose, nsfw, 25.6k "I've been looking at this all wrong," Shane told Ilya. Or - Sometimes, the worst possible outcome turns into the best thing that's ever happened to you.
(We Could Be) Something Great by Anonymous, ilya/shane & bears, nsfw, 111.8k wip When Ilya Rozanov goes down on the ice, the Boston Bears are already moving to defend their captain. No one expects Shane Hollander, captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, to be the one who throws the first punch. Or: the Boston Bears figure out Ilya and Shane’s relationship first—and decide that instead of letting their captain move to fucking Ottawa, they’ll just kidnap a his boyfriend instead. Shane Hollander would make a better Bear anyway.
Grady v. Rozanov by Pickle_Chips, ilya/shane & scott/kip, nsfw, 19.9k Kip can't believe no one else can tell how outrageously gay Ilya Rozanov is, but he's not complaining, he's happy to have someone else to talk to at all the hockey functions. Or: Perfect gaydar haver Ilya Rozanov finally gets a taste of his own medicine. A series of looks into Kip and Ilya's friendship, starting after the cottage.
you were always hard to hold by Anonymous, (ilya/)shane & hayden/jackie, 19.9k Hayden is on a one-man mission to decode Shane's mysterious and elusive romantic life. And by god, he's going to do it. And by god, he's going to make it Jackie's problem.
all eyes on me by gurlsrool, ilya/shane & svetlana & hayden & scott & vaughn & luca/oc, NSFW, 5.3k 6 times Shane and Ilya get walked in on, +1 time they walk in on someone else
heat of the moment by Anonymous, ilya/shane & david, nsfw, 2.6k They’re in bed, spooning in the afterglow but still connected. Ilya’s face is red, his eyes half-lidded. He looks almost drunk, feral and raw. Shane feels like he’s melted into the bed and never wants to leave it. Like he could lie here, claimed and had, for the rest of his life. And then there’s a knock at the door. He recognizes the pattern, which is a blessing and a curse both. Tap–ta-tap. The way his father always does.
Finisher of Holes (Allegedly) by tintatalk, ilya/shane & centaurs, nsfw, 7.9k Ilya Rozanov has been perfectly fine with keeping his relationship a secret. Mostly. He is also perfectly fine when an American reporter accidentally tweets 'Shane Holender', which Russian Twitter promptly translates into something that roughly means the 'Finisher of Holes'. He just did not expect to be outed by Google Translate.
7 Simple Rules for Surviving Hollanov as an Ottawa Centaur by rideswraptors, (ilya/shane) & troy & bood & wyatt, 2k Denny Terry and his three fellow rookie teammates are invited to Bood's house for an unofficial but mandatory "orientation meeting." No coaching staff, no Captain Rozanov, and no Shane Hollander. Why does Troy Barrett have a white board?
you were always hard to hold by Anonymous, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie, 19.9k Hayden is on a one-man mission to decode Shane's mysterious and elusive romantic life. And by god, he's going to do it. And by god, he's going to make it Jackie's problem.
Hi Lily, This is Hayden Pike from MLH's Catfish by formosus_iniquis, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie, 7.9k Hayden knows he's not the smartest guy in the world. He's got a decent hockey IQ — good enough to make him the Metros second round draft pick the year before Shane — but he doesn't read for fun like some people. He's street smart, and if this Tracie chick can be a movie star and get cat-fished that means it can happen to any celebrity. Maybe even a celebrity that lets his momager handle the bulk of his social media. Maybe especially his sweet, sheltered friend who has a secret girlfriend he's never let anyone see. Or told how they met. Or even video-called — fuck regular called — in the hotel room he shared with his best friend and teammate.
MLH's Queer Conspiracy by totearup, ilya/shane & scott(/kip) & eric & ryan & cast, 9.5k Welcome to the secure chat room. Chatting with 10 users. You are user AU08 Rozanov: I want to coordinate a mass coming out for a bunch of MLH players. If we all come out at once, no one has to be first. Or, after his father's funeral Ilya decides to gather all the queer hockey players for a mass coming out.
ten out of ten by gurlsrool, ilya/shane & scott/kip & eric/kyle & ryan/fabian & hayden & j.j. & centaurs, nsfw, 10.7k Ilya: He should buy lottery tickets because he is the luckiest man on earth Ilya: He should get on his knees and thank god everyday that he got to fuck you Shane: Oh my God stop Ilya: What? I do that Or: The man who topped Shane in Mexico posts about his experience, Ilya contemplates murder, and the other queer NHL players get caught in the crossfire.
hayden and ilya cuddle (not clickbait) by goldengalaxies, ilya/shane & hayden & j.j., 3k Then, a body slipped under the covers. Then, lightning quick, a strong, muscled arm wrapped around Hayden’s waist, and he was pulled into a warm, male, and very naked body. A hand moved down quickly to his ass before he could make a sound. He screamed, and shoved the body away. The man shouted back. Hayden froze. That was definitely not Shane's voice. Hayden ripped the covers off his head. “What the fuck-“ His voice cracked as he took in the face of the man behind him. No. Why the holy hell was he seeing Ilya Rozanov's face right now?
What The Fuck Is An Elder Queer by luulapants, ilya(/shane) & scott/kip, 5.8k wip In which Ilya Rozanov adopts himself into Scott and Kip's household and refuses to leave. Kip finds this very sweet. Scott is going to kill him.
the cockroach of your heart by Anonymous, ilya/shane & centaurs, NSFW, 13k Ilya died, yes, but then the doctors saved him. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the ambulance, three electric shocks, two emergency surgeries, twenty-six units of blood. Ilya died, but then he came back. If only Shane could get his subconscious to understand that.
something you can build by some1_around, ilya/shane & hayden & cliff & bears & cast, nsfw, 96.8k It’s 2018. Shane Hollander has to figure out his new life, in a new city, on a new team, while being out to the world but not by his own choice. Ilya, along for the ride, also has to learn what it means to be connected to a place, to a person, and to his own inner truth. (Sequel to “something you can fix,” set post-Heated Rivalry, pre-The Long Game)
The Jane from Montreal Mystery by a_stray_thief (ashtraythief), ilya/shane & cliff, 6.7k “So,” Cliff starts. “Ottawa.” “Ottawa,” Roz repeats, and the way he says it, half-amused, half-quizzical, gives Cliff nothing. “It’s not Montreal.” Roz looks offended. “Why would I go to fucking Montreal?” Cliff shrugs, going for casual. “Montreal Girl? I thought, you know, if you ever go to Canada…” Roz scoffs. “You and Montreal girl. You say I am obsessed with her, but is you who always talks about her.” “Yeah, because you’re always texting her!” “Well, I like to get laid.” And there’s Cliff’s opening.
MORE RECS UNDER THE CUT because the only restraint I have is in sparing your dashes a little. Screaming about hockey assholes will not be restrained, however.
i don't know if it's been asked before so forgive me but how poor do you think the weasleys are? are they more lower middle class? cause ron didn't get his broken wand replaced immediately in the second year but got a new broomstick in the fifth?
and on a related note do you think arthur weasley is selfish for not going for a higher paying job? " i assume it would depend on how well of they are and if the family's needs are met?"
looove all your posts btw keep up the good work.
First of all, thank you! 💕
The Weasleys and money are interesting for sure.
See, they have enough money to always have food and clothes (second-hand, but all kids are dressed, fed, and well cared for). They have a house with 6 bedrooms:
Master bedroom
Fred & George's room
Ginny's room
Ron's room
Bill's room (which Charlie uses too when he comes over)
Percy's room
And a very large yard:
The garden was large, and in Harry’s eyes, exactly what a garden should be. The Dursleys wouldn’t have liked it — there were plenty of weeds, and the grass needed cutting — but there were gnarled trees all around the walls, plants Harry had never seen spilling from every flower bed, and a big green pond full of frogs.
(CoS, Ch3)
The Weasleys read like a family that used to have money. They have land, they have many cousins and aunts and uncles who seem to be living well. The parents don't act like they grew up lacking in anything. And even now that the money has dried up, they still don't live badly. They seem to be poor, not because Arthur's job doesn't pay enough, but because both Arthur and Molly have no idea how to budget or handle money. They both act like people who grew up with plenty of money they can throw around, and therefore, don't know how to save it.
The fact that they don't have money to replace Ron's wand is proof that they don't know how to handle money. The smart thing to do when you struggle economically is save up surplus money you don't immediately need when you have it, so you'll have emergency funds. You will put some money aside for future hard times, but the Weasleys don't do that:
I couldn’t believe it when Dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred galleons! Most of it’s gone on this trip, but they’re going to buy me a new wand for next year.
(PoA, Ch1)
They win 700 galleons, spend 7 of them on a new wand for Ron and "most of it" on a long family trip to Egypt. Sure, I can understand wanting to visit Bill, but if they're strapped for cash, I'd expect they won't go all out on the trip, go for slightly cheaper lodging, or stay there for fewer days, maybe go to fewer restaurants — there are ways to go on a budget vacation. This economic decision makes no sense.
But what this shows us is that the Weasleys live paycheck to paycheck, not because Arthur isn't paid enough — they don't know how to save money.
Bill & Charlie don't live at home, and since CoS, all their other kids are at Hogwarts all year. The amount of money Arthur & Molly would need to pay for food during the year is much lower compared to when all their kids are there. So, I assume, they would have leftover money since they aren't feeding as many heads. Even since Bill & Charlie left home, they should have had more money to put aside, even just a few sickles a month, that, over time, can become a magnificent amount of money — and yet, they don't. Their vault is near empty when we see it.
They have land they can farm and sell products from (they have an orchard, they own):
“Come and have a game of Quidditch in the orchard, Harry,” said Ron. “Come on — three on three, Bill and Charlie and Fred and George will play. . . . You can try out the Wronski Feint. . . .”
(GoF, Ch10)
He spent most of his days playing two-a-side Quidditch in the Weasleys’ orchard
(HBP, Ch6)
They can rent out parts of their yard, and Arthur gets plenty of other perks from his job besides his salary (bribery):
“I like Ludo,” said Mr. Weasley mildly. “He was the one who got us such good tickets for the Cup. I did him a bit of a favor: His brother, Otto, got into a spot of trouble — a lawnmower with un- natural powers — I smoothed the whole thing over.”
(GoF, Ch5)
And seems to be well-connected within the Ministry. Enough that everyone important knows him by name, and he is in a position to write laws:
“Well, dear, I think you’ll find that he would be quite within the law to do that, even if — er — he maybe would have done better to, um, tell his wife the truth. . . . There’s a loophole in the law, you’ll find. . . . As long as he wasn’t intending to fly the car, the fact that the car could fly wouldn’t—” “Arthur Weasley, you made sure there was a loophole when you wrote that law!” shouted Mrs. Weasley. “Just so you could carry on tinkering with all that Muggle rubbish in your shed! And for your information, Harry arrived this morning in the car you weren’t intending to fly!”
(CoS, Ch3)
Arthur's position in the ministry is clearly more influential than the books lead us to believe. (I have some headcanons about that, but that's maybe for a different post). They have avenues they can earn money from, and would reasonably be able to save at least a little every month, especially after Bill and Charlie left home. We see Fred and George can save up much more than the Weasleys seem to have over a few years without having a stable job like their dad:
“We’ll bet thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, three Knuts,” said Fred as he and George quickly pooled all their money [...] “Boys,” said Mr. Weasley under his breath, “I don’t want you betting. . . . That’s all your savings. . . . Your mother —”
(GoF, Ch7)
But the Weasleys have an empty bank vault:
Harry enjoyed the breakneck journey down to the Weasleys’ vault, but felt dreadful, far worse than he had in Knockturn Alley, when it was opened. There was a very small pile of silver Sickles inside, and just one gold Galleon.
(CoS, Ch4)
This is a vault of people who don't know how to save money, but more than that, this, to me, looks like a vault of people who are used to operating in debt.
When they go shopping, Molly takes everything out of the vault:
Mrs. Weasley felt right into the corners before sweeping the whole lot into her bag.
(CoS, Ch4)
And it's enough to buy everything 4 kids need for school for a whole year, btw. Sure, the robes are second-hand, but Harry always takes out a bunch of galleons. It's either everything is really cheap, way cheaper than it should be, and Harry carries around way too much money, or the Weasleys just always operate on debt.
As in, the single galleon is not have enough to actually buy everything, and Molly had to basically promise shops she'd pay them back later, basically paying with money she doesn't have. This could explain the Weasleys not having any emergency funds, since they're always running after various debts they owe.
And we know the Wizarding World allows people to make promises over debts, even the goblins:
A gang of them [goblins] cornered him [Bagman] in the woods after the World Cup and took all the gold he had, and it still wasn’t enough to cover all his debts. They followed him all the way to Hogwarts to keep an eye on him. He’s lost everything gambling. Hasn’t got two Galleons to rub together. And you know how the idiot tried to pay the goblins back?” “How?” said Harry. “He put a bet on you, mate,” said Fred. “Put a big bet on you to win the tournament. Bet against the goblins.”
(GoF, Ch37)
The goblins were willing to take Bagman's word he'd pay them back with his bet on Harry — it's very possible shops allow this too, especially if not everyone is carrying galleons everywhere. Say, even if you have money in your vault, but you only took out enough for X you wanted to buy, the shop could write your name down and what yoy owe for you to come by and pay them later (It makes sense for their society, that is very small and getting away with such a debt is hard and seems to be a very trusting of promises and other's words. The whole betting with Ludo thing was solely based on slips of paper and Bagman's word, so I can see something like this being common for them. After all, Wizarding Britain has the population of a very small town).
I still think they're bad with money, since, if debts are the problem, I'd use some of the 700 galleon prize money to get a headstart on that, but I think the Wealseys are comfortable living with a certain amount of debt. They're used to it.
As for the broom, that might've been on a day they got the salary/didn't have many debts to pay that month. The food at Grimmauld the summer before fifth year might not have been paid for by Arthur, which allowed them to have fewer debts and therefore the money for a broom.
At least, that's my headcanon/theory about it. They are poor not because of Arthur’s job, they could've made it work better — they are just bad at managing the funds and other resources at their disposal + got into a bunch of debts due to this tendency to not manage their funds properly.
Always fascinating to think about how the Wizarding World’s economy works. Very interesting.
Bellatrix knew about Voldemort's horcruxes, or at least about the one in her vault.
This is what she told Snape in the Unbreakable Vow scene:
'The Dark Lord has, in the past, entrusted me with his most precious...'
Most precious what? She didn't say because of the presence of Severus and Narcissa but she was obviously talking about his Horcrux. Also, her reaction when she thought it was stolen was much, much worse than Lucius's who didn't know about the diary's true nature and was careless. She even thought Voldemort would kill them all (notice that the other person present in the room was Lucius, who was already responsible for the loss of one horcrux) if he came at that moment. Lucius was given the diary so that he could smuggle it to Hogwarts under Voldemort's supervision but before he could do it, the Harry Potter incident happened. He wasn't going to protect it. Only Bellatrix was given the horcrux for protection. Furthermore, it'd be wiser for Voldemort to tell her what it was so she could protect it better because Bellatrix Lestrange, of all people, would certainly protect her beloved master's piece of soul much, much more than her own life and Voldemort was no fool. I don't think he'd have felt any vulnerability since it was Bellatrix. If there was anyone he could've trusted with his life, it was her and 1/7 of his soul was not even his life. And wasn't she certain that Voldemort would come back and reward them? Why would she be so certain, when other Death Eaters were not, about a man being hit with the killing curse coming back? Because the other Death Eaters only knew that Voldemort was immortal, not how. They would've thought that his experiments had failed and that's why they abandoned him. Bellatrix, on the other hand, knew how the horcruxes worked and thus, knew that he'd come back.
This makes so much sense when I think about it.
Tomini can hardly be called an "exotic" ship: Tom and Nagini were too strongly and closely connected in the canon, and the fact that Nagini is a human maledictus (afflicted with a disease—curse) makes their story lively and multifaceted, taking it to a new level.
Tom Riddle and Nagini are one. Tomini is the base!
It is not an ‘exotic ship’ (what does that even mean?). It is just a fanon ship and that is okay and I respect that. I understand why this ship might appeal to some, but not every ship has to be canon or canon-adjacent. Nagini being a Maledictus does not support this ship at all. It only makes it even more unlikely because a Maledictus is considered an underbeing. They cannot do magic.
From Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
From HP Lexicon
Voldemort and the Purebloods he championed hated people like Nagini and oppressed them. Nagini was acutely aware of that. She even tried to hold Credence back from joining a cause championed by Purebloods because it oppressed people like her and Credence.
From Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Yet, because of her curse, she ended up losing that highly conscious mind and all her agency. The snake she never wanted to become ended up serving the very cause she was resisting. Nagini's story is one of tragedy and exploitation.
By the time Voldemort acquired Nagini, she was nothing but a snake who had lost her former human mind, according to JKR.
Even the snake was nothing but a tool to Voldemort. Yes, he showed affection to it as anyone would to a pet, but that does not mean there was anything romantic going on between the human and the pet!
Filch showed much more affection to Mrs Norris than Voldemort ever showed Nagini. Are we supposed to ship Filch and Mrs Norris too? Their connection was also very strong and unusual, almost telepathic.
When Filch thought Mrs Norris had died, he was devastated and ready to kill Harry.
From Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Look how hysterical Filch is over his cat. He is sobbing and wants to avenge her. He acts like any normal person who thinks their beloved pet has been killed would.
Voldemort, on the other hand, saw Nagini die in front of his eyes and did not even attempt to kill Neville. He just screamed, even though she was a Horcrux. That is how little he cared about Nagini. He only exploited her snake form for his own benefit, and when it was killed, he barely cared.
From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
The only death that affected Voldemort was Bellatrix's, who was a pureblooded human witch. Hers was the only death that made him lose control of himself and attempt to avenge it. He tried to kill Bellatrix's killer but never Nagini's.
From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
He shows all the hallmarks of grief there that Filch also shows when he thinks Mrs Norris is dead, only much more stoically because his emotions are inherently filtered through his stoicism and many walls. That does not mean they are not there.
They both screamed and lost control of themselves. Filch sobbed and Voldemort's magic exploded, throwing off three powerful duellists. Voldemort nearly killed Molly and Filch threatened to kill Harry.
Additionally, all Voldemort ever did was use Nagini. Her venom was special with properties akin to unicorn blood and Voldemort wanted it, just like he wanted unicorn blood and the Philosopher's Stone. Nagini lost her human mind after her transformation, which allowed Voldemort to exploit her without the resistance her human self would have offered. Unlike with unicorn blood, he did not need to kill her to acquire her venom. The Horcrux link made her completely obedient to him and curbed any resistance her snake form might have offered as well.
From Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Their mental link through the Horcrux was only ever used for Voldemort's ulterior motives, not for intimacy or conversation. He used it to attack Arthur Weasley in OOTP and to capture Harry in DH. It was not deeper than that, and how could it be? She was a snake at this point. She could hardly understand Voldemort's complex emotions and thoughts that not even most humans could understand.
Nagini carried something life-giving in her venom and was most likely immortal because of her curse, which is why she lived for over a century and did not die a natural death. That symbolism alone makes her a perfect choice for a Horcrux by a man obsessed with immortality, and the choice had practical uses too, for it made her a perfect weapon and completely obedient to Voldemort. Dumbledore was correct that it also underlined his Slytherin connection and enhanced his mystique, which is why he constantly used Nagini to intimidate his Death Eaters.
Making her a Horcrux is not evidence of affection. It is exploitative because he was using a living being as a weapon, overriding her own will and agency with his, making her a target, and extracting the venom she produced. He did all that while dehumanising her and referring to her with impersonal pronouns in his private thoughts.
It can thus be deduced that using personal pronouns for her in front of other people was a calculated choice made to instill fear in their hearts.
Again, Nagini's story is one of tragedy and exploitation by the very people she was resisting. Even the magical link with Voldemort was a result of the very exploitation her human form constantly resisted and was highly conscious of.
Nagini is perhaps Voldemort's most tragic victim.
Bellatrix and Voldemort's Intimacy
1. The Bella nickname
Tall, thin and black-hooded, his terrible snakelike face white and gaunt, his scarlet, slit-pupilled eyes staring … Lord Voldemort had appeared in the middle of the hall, his wand pointing at Harry who stood frozen, quite unable to move.
‘So, you smashed my prophecy?’ said Voldemort softly, staring at Harry with those pitiless red eyes. ‘No, Bella, he is not lying … I see the truth looking at me from within his worthless mind … months of preparation, months of effort … and my Death Eaters have let Harry Potter thwart me again …’
‘Master, I am sorry, I knew not, I was fighting the Animagus Black!’ sobbed Bellatrix, flinging herself down at Voldemort’s feet as he paced slowly nearer. ‘Master, you should know –’
‘Be quiet, Bella,’ said Voldemort dangerously. ‘I shall deal with you in a moment. Do you think I have entered the Ministry of Magic to hear your snivelling apologies?’
The nickname 'Bella' is only used by her family. It's not a casual diminutive like 'Ginny' or 'Barty' that everyone uses, and Voldemort never uses nicknames for any other follower (no, Wormtail does not count, that's an insult), so by calling her Bella, he's placing himself in the category of her family and claiming kinship-level access to her. Here, he uses it reflexively and without any deliberation while he's furious and raging and simply thinking aloud, and 'Bella' is how he thinks of her privately. In his mind, she is family.
The interaction itself is very familial and intimate. She is terrified and sobbing, convinced he's about to punish her, but even in her terror, she speaks over him and doesn't let his command silence her. She tries to continue justifying herself even after he's told her to stop, which is the paradox of their dynamic. She's submitting to him completely, throwing herself at his feet, calling him Master and sobbing, and simultaneously she feels secure enough in her position to push back and speak over him and demand he listen to her justification.
His response reveals the other side of this dynamic. ‘Be quiet, Bella’ is a command, yes, but listen to the tone. He sounds like an exasperated father, intimate in his frustration because the nickname is softening the command even as it establishes his dominance. 'I shall deal with you in a moment' completes the circle. It may be a threat, but it's also a promise of his attention, a guarantee that he will discipline her individually rather than leave her at the Ministry as part of the collective failure. She matters enough that he will deal with her separately and privately.
The sexual undertones are unmistakable too. She's in position of complete physical submission, sobbing and begging, utterly vulnerable, and he's standing over her and paternalistically promising that he will attend to her personally, and beneath all of it is the intimacy of the nickname. It’s erotic the way she submits to him, the way he commands her, the way they both understand that even in this moment there's a private connection that will be addressed later.
2. Her curious lack of punishment
Notice that he never does punish her for the prophecy disaster. We never see consequences for Bellatrix despite this being a massive failure. The Death Eaters always seem to know when other Death Eaters are punished, and they use them as examples:
‘We had better be certain, Lucius,’ Narcissa called to her husband in her cold, clear voice. ‘Completely sure that it is Potter, before we summon the Dark Lord ... They say this is his,’ she was looking closely at the blackthorn wand, ‘but it does not resemble Ollivander’s description ... If we are mistaken, if we call the Dark Lord here for nothing ... remember what he did to Rowle and Dolohov?’
And here is Amycus referencing the Malfoys' punishment in the same way Narcissa referenced Rowle and Dolohov's, but again, no mention of Bella:
'ALECTO! If he comes, and we haven’t got Potter – d’you want to go the same way as the Malfoys? ANSWER ME!’ Amycus bellowed.
This is also supposed to be after the Lestranges' vault was robbed. Yet, it's still the Malfoys' example being used and not Bella's. Not even Travers mentioned any punishment beyond the house arrest.
Bellatrix’s fear at the Ministry suggests she was afraid he'd punish her but we're never given a confirmation that he did anything beyond the cold shoulder he gave her at the beginning of HBP. We know he put her under a house arrest after Malfoy Manor. We know about the cold shoulder she hinted at in HBP. We see him mocking her in DLA, but that's all.
The others got abandoned in Azkaban for a year despite him having the power to rescue them at any time, but he went out of his way to save Bella from going to Azkaban again, risking so much in the process. Surely, if she'd been punished, Snape, who was constantly trying to provoke her, would have mentioned it. Instead, Bella comfortably blames the Ministry fiasco on Lucius, who had his only son and heir sent on a suicide mission.
It's quite curious that despite all the mistakes she made, all of them the same as Lucius's and the others who were tortured, we are given no references to her being tortured at all. I'm not saying it never happened, but there has to be a reason JKR never mentioned it and even contrasted Bella being unharmed with Lucius being injured.
‘My Lord,’ said a voice, desperate and cracked. He turned: there was Lucius Malfoy sitting in the darkest corner, ragged and still bearing the marks of the punishment he had received after the boy’s last escape. One of his eyes remained closed and puffy. ‘My Lord ... please ... my son …’
Bella was the one who summoned Voldemort, yet she is mentioned to be unharmed except for being dishevelled and bloody from battle in the very next chapter.
‘My Lord –’
Bellatrix had spoken: she sat closest to Voldemort, dishevelled, her face a little bloody but otherwise unharmed.
Voldemort raised his hand to silence her, and she did not speak another word, but eyed him in worshipful fascination.
The text seems to deliberate contrast this with Lucius's injuries, as their dialogues and descriptions echo each other. Both scenes echo each other in general and are merely a chapter apart (and chronologically mere minutes apart, depending on how long it took Harry to view Snape's memories).
3. Her expectation from him
'MASTER!' screamed Bellatrix. Sure it was over, sure Voldemort had decided to flee, Harry made to run out from behind his statue guard, but Dumbledore bellowed, 'Stay where you are, Harry!' For the first time, Dumbledore sounded frightened. Harry could not see why. The hall was quite empty but for themselves, the sobbing Bellatrix still trapped under her statue, and the tiny baby Fawkes croaking feebly on the floor.
Bellatrix remains silent through Voldemort's entire duel with Dumbledore. She doesn't cry out or panic or fight against the statue pinning her but waits. Her silence speaks to an expectation so complete it requires no reassurance, that he will come back for her when the duel ends and free her from that statue. She doesn't think she needs to save herself and trusts this with certainty that only develops if there's a repeated pattern, if he's saved her before.
When she believes he's gone, a scream tears out of her and the shock of abandonment leaves her sobbing. She wasn't prepared for him to leave her. The expectation had been absolute, and Dumbledore, hearing her sob, becomes frightened for the first time. Harry cannot understand why as the hall appears empty and yet Dumbledore's fear suggests otherwise. When Harry questions this, the text returns to Bellatrix because she is the answer. Her presence is the proof. Dumbledore knows Voldemort hasn't truly fled because Bellatrix is still there, and Voldemort will not leave her behind.
Voldemort possesses Harry and then comes back for her. He retrieves her. She was right in her expectation.
4. ‘He ... lately, we ... I am asking you, Snape!’
‘You are avoiding my last question, Snape. Harry Potter. You could have killed him at any point in the past five years. You have not done it. Why?’
‘Have you discussed this matter with the Dark Lord?’ asked Snape.
‘He … lately, we … I am asking you, Snape!’
I love how Bellatrix refers to her and Voldemort collectively as 'we' and doesn't complete her sentence. It's either because she doesn't want to admit they aren't talking or because she doesn't want to reveal much about their relationship. Maybe both. Either way, she feels vulnerable. I wonder how she would have completed this sentence.
The use of the word 'lately' is also very telling. It implies that generally, they do speak a lot and are close, and it's only recently that this has changed. It's not the norm for Bellatrix and Voldemort to be distant from each other.
Compare the familiarity here to Barty's statement:
‘The Dark Lord and I,’ said Moody, and he looked completely insane now, towering over Harry, leering down at him, ‘have much in common. Both of us, for instance, had very disappointing fathers … very disappointing indeed. Both of us suffered the indignity, Harry, of being named after those fathers. And both of us had the pleasure … the very great pleasure … of killing our fathers, to ensure the continued rise of the Dark Order!’
He maintains a clear separation between himself and Voldemort even when proclaiming their supposed closeness by referring to them collectively as 'The Dark Lord and I' and 'both of us' instead of 'we' like Bellatrix instinctively did.
5. Their shared language patterns
‘We are not playing hide-and-seek, Harry,’ said Voldemort’s soft, cold voice, drawing nearer, as the Death Eaters laughed. ‘You cannot hide from me. Does this mean you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish it now, Harry? Come out, Harry … come out and play, then … it will be quick … it might even be painless. I would not know… I have never died…’ - GoF ‘Come out, come out, little Harry!’ she called in her mock baby voice, which echoed off the polished wooden floors. ‘What did you come after me for, then? I thought you were here to avenge my dear cousin!’ - OOTP
‘Potter, you cannot win against me!’ she cried. He could hear her moving to the right, trying to get a clear shot of him. He backed around the statue away from her, crouching behind the centaur's legs, his head level with the house-elf's. ‘I was and am the Dark Lord's most loyal servant, I learned the Dark Arts from him, and I know spells of such power that you, pathetic little boy, can never hope to compete—’ - OOTP ‘Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder Wand from me! He intended that Snape should be the true master of the wand! But I got there ahead of you, little boy - I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it, I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape three hours ago, and the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore's last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!’ - DH
They mirror each other's speech patterns and tone when addressing Harry, which suggests deep psychological synchronisation, the kind that develops between people who are extremely close. They've become so aligned that they spontaneously arrive at the same strategies. Voldemort uses 'come out, come out' in Goblet of Fire, then Bellatrix uses it independently in Order of the Phoenix. She calls Harry 'little boy' in OOTP, then Voldemort does the same in Deathly Hallows.
6. Endless reminiscences
‘Hardly,’ said Snape, ‘although the Dark Lord is pleased that I never deserted my post: I had sixteen years of information on Dumbledore to give him when he returned, a rather more useful welcome-back present than endless reminiscences of how unpleasant Azkaban is….’ - HBP
The revelation that Voldemort tolerates Bellatrix's 'endless reminiscences' about Azkaban is amazing. Snape's dismissive comment, intended to elevate his own utility over Bellatrix's, inadvertently exposes a dynamic that exists nowhere else in Voldemort's interactions with his followers. The word 'endless' suggests not a single conversation but an ongoing pattern, a repeated behaviour that has become notable enough for other Death Eaters to observe and comment upon. This is not a one-time indulgence but a consistent emotional space that Voldemort creates and maintains for Bellatrix alone.
This tolerance is remarkable when contrasted with Voldemort's treatment of every other Death Eater. Throughout the series, he demonstrates no patience for his followers' complaints, grievances, or displays of weakness.
Lucius Malfoy's concerns about his son result in humiliation:
‘My Lord,’ said a voice, desperate and cracked. He turned: there was Lucius Malfoy sitting in the darkest corner, ragged and still bearing the marks of the punishment he had received after the boy’s last escape. One of his eyes remained closed and puffy. ‘My Lord … please … my son …’
‘If your son is dead, Lucius, it is not my fault. He did not come and join me, like the rest of the Slytherins. Perhaps he has decided to befriend Harry Potter?’
Snape’s whimpering before his death earns him ire:
‘My Lord knows I seek only to serve him. But – let me go and find the boy, my Lord. Let me bring him to you. I know I can –’
‘I have told you, no!’ said Voldemort, and Harry caught the glint of red in his eyes as he turned again, and the swishing of his cloak was like the slithering of a snake, and he felt Voldemort’s impatience in his burning scar. ‘My concern at the moment, Severus, is what will happen when I finally meet the boy!’
Yet with Bellatrix, he consistently permits conversations about her suffering in Azkaban, a subject that serve no strategic purpose.
7. They converse often
‘And who is this?’ he said, in his soft snake’s hiss. ‘Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?’
Bellatrix gave a delighted laugh.
‘It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?’
‘Ah, yes, I remember,’ said Voldemort, looking down at Neville, who was struggling back to his feet, unarmed and unprotected, standing in the no-man’s-land between the survivors and the Death Eaters. ‘But you are a pure-blood, aren’t you, my brave boy?’ Voldemort asked Neville, who stood facing him, his empty hands curled in fists.
When she identifies Neville, she frames it as a reminder of the knowledge they share. The expectation that he would recall specific details about her torture of the Longbottoms suggests this is something they've revisited together and her cheerful, almost eager tone indicates she's previously received positive reinforcement from Voldemort for this particular act, that he was amused, impressed, and pleased enough that she expects mentioning it will bring back fond memories for both of them.
The way she connects Neville's current resistance ('giving the Carrows so much trouble') to his parentage suggests they've discussed both his recent activities and his family history, showing ongoing conversations about relatively minor details of their operations.
Voldemort's response confirms these private conversations occurred and that he recalls them fondly enough to acknowledge the reference with pleasure.
8. She's glowing around him
‘My Lord –’
Bellatrix had spoken: she sat closest to Voldemort, dishevelled, her face a little bloody but otherwise unharmed. Voldemort raised his hand to silence her, and she did not speak another word, but eyed him in worshipful fascination.
‘I thought he would come,’ said Voldemort in his high, clear voice, his eyes on the leaping flames. ‘I expected him to come.’
Bellatrix sits closest to Voldemort because she is his anchor and he needs her beside him. This will be explored in detail later, but I want to talk about something else here.
When she speaks, he's clearly processing something and she interrupts his thoughts. His response is to raise his hand and she stops speaking, but she doesn't withdraw her attention. Instead, she's staring at him and she's enthralled and glowing.
Her submission here is so erotic. When he raises his hand and she falls silent, when he controls her that completely with that little effort, her response is to act like a woman who's glutted on his dominance and still can't get enough of it. She is intoxicated by him. This is someone who finds his control over her arousing, who loves his management of her and loves to be dominated this effortlessly by him.
The raised hand is gentle as dominance goes, but it still shows control over another person's behaviour. A single gesture from him and her body obeys. The eroticism is further reinforced by her body's reactions in this scene:
Bellatrix, who had leapt to her feet, was looking eagerly from Voldemort to Harry, her breast heaving.
Bellatrix was panting, and Harry thought inexplicably of Ginny, and her blazing look, and the feel of her lips on his —
9. The Forest
He had expected to hear cheers of triumph and jubilation at his death, but instead hurried footsteps, whispers, and solicitous murmurs filled the air.
‘My Lord … my Lord …’
It was Bellatrix’s voice, and she spoke as if to a lover. Harry did not dare open his eyes, but allowed his other senses to explore his predicament. He knew that his wand was still stowed beneath his robes because he could feel it pressed between his chest and the ground. A slight cushioning effect in the area of his stomach told him that the Invisibility Cloak was also there, stuffed out of sight.
‘My Lord …’ ‘That will do,’ said Voldemort’s voice. More footsteps: several people were backing away from the same spot. Desperate to see what was happening, and why, Harry opened his eyes by a millimetre. Voldemort seemed to be getting to his feet. Various Death Eaters were hurrying away from him, returning to the crowd lining the clearing.
Bellatrix alone remained behind, kneeling beside Voldemort. Harry closed his eyes again and considered what he had seen. The Death Eaters had been huddled round Voldemort, who seemed to have fallen to the ground. Something had happened when he had hit Harry with the Killing Curse. Had Voldemort, too, collapsed? It seemed like it. And both of them had fallen briefly unconscious and both of them had now returned …
‘My Lord, let me –’
‘I do not require assistance,’ said Voldemort coldly, and though he could not see it, Harry pictured Bellatrix withdrawing a helpful hand. ‘The boy … is he dead?’
There was complete silence in the clearing. Nobody approached Harry, but he felt their concentrated gaze, it seemed to press him harder into the ground, and he was terrified a finger or an eyelid might twitch.
‘You,’ said Voldemort, and there was a bang and a small shriek of pain. ‘Examine him. Tell me whether he is dead.’
Their intimacy is so established that she automatically assumes physical access to him, even publicly, in his most vulnerable moment. She's speaking with the intimacy of someone who has the right to that level of emotional access, someone who's checking on a lover who's been hurt. The text juxtaposes Bellatrix so well with everyone else there: first with the other Death Eaters who are all too terrified to even stay beside Voldemort, and then with Narcissa. Voldemort’s treatment of Bellatrix, despite considering her out of line, is much more lenient than his harsher treatment of Narcissa for no reason other than to tell her to check if Harry’s dead.
Her attempt to help and his rejection of it is fascinating. Voldemort is disorientated, possibly in pain, certainly confused about what just happened. He's surrounded by his Death Eaters who just saw him fall. In this moment of profound vulnerability, his first instinct is to reassert control, to show strength, to refuse help because accepting it would acknowledge weakness, but notice what he doesn't do. He doesn't send her away. She remains beside him and he allows it.
This refusal is about managing his own vulnerability, not about rejecting her. Accepting her help would reveal the extent of his need and make visible that he's weakened enough to require assistance when his entire self-image depends on invincibility. Allowing Bellatrix to tend to him would shatter that image, so he refuses her help not because he doesn't need it, but because it hurts to acknowledge how much he does need her. That need is vulnerability and the need for another person when you're most vulnerable calls back to his childhood wound of not having his mother, the wound he closed with his hyper-independence, but the need still exists because despite all his efforts, he is human, and who fulfills it? Bellatrix. That's why he refuses her help but accepts her presence.
The evidence for this interpretation is in what happens immediately after: he asks her the crucial question. 'The boy… is he dead?' Voldemort's refusal flows directly into his question about Harry with no narrative shift in audience. The text contains no marker indicating he turns from Bellatrix to address the group or even a pause or shift in tone that would signal he's now speaking to someone different. The dialogue continues as though he's still speaking to the same person. Bellatrix remains his implied interlocutor. This structural choice keeps the exchange intimate even as the narrative then expands to show the wider response.
After refusing her assistance and establishing his independence, he asks her specifically. He still turns to her for the answer that matters most. Even after rejecting her physical assistance, she's the anchor he clings to in his most vulnerable moment. After his fall, after his vulnerability, after everything, she's still the person he turns to for comfort rather than the information itself. For that, he sends Narcissa. He hexes her and sends her to examine Harry.
Why the hex?
He's panicking. The hex he throws is unnecessary and serves no purpose, but despite his pretence of cold control, he's emotionally dysregulated enough to be lashing out, and yet with Bellatrix, who is right there beside him standing closer than anyone else, who has just tried to help him, who has just spoken to him with a lover's intimacy, he does not lash out. She's in the direct line of fire, both literally and emotionally, and he doesn't hurt her.
Why send Cissy to check Harry? Bellatrix is much more trustworthy, but he sends Narcissa instead because he doesn't want Bellatrix to leave his side. Her presence beside him is grounding him. In his moment of vulnerability and panic, with his control fraying enough that he's throwing curses at random, she's the stable point. She is his anchor. She's right there and she hasn't moved away despite his refusal of help, and to send her away would be to lose that stabilisation at precisely the moment he needs it most.
The fact that he curses Narcissa but not Bellatrix, when Bellatrix is closer and has been more actively trying to touch him and help him, reveals the necessity of her presence. In his dysregulated state, he's striking out at targets that feel safe to hurt because they're not essential to his equilibrium. Bellatrix is essential. Hurting her or sending her away would destabilise him further.
His refusal of her help, then, is not about not wanting her near him. It's about not being able to process how much he needs her near him. If he accepted her help, it would make his need visible to him, but if he sent her to check Harry, it would create distance between them at exactly the moment when that distance would be unbearable, so he refuses her help but keeps her beside him.
The entire scene is structured to show that when Voldemort is at his most vulnerable, the one person who stays close and speaks to him with love, who offers help without fear, is Bellatrix and while he refuses the help, he doesn't refuse her presence. She remains there, closer than anyone else.
She's the only Death Eater we see positioned near Voldemort during this moment and earlier, when he's waiting for Harry. Their physical proximity at such a vulnerable moment speaks to a level of intimacy that's completely unique to her.
forever endeared by the aquarium scene in the heated rivalry book where hayden calls shane his daughters' brother instead of uncle. hayden's twenty four year old son who has the same age as him and also is much more famous and gets more recognized in public.
Today sucks. If anyone is willing to reblog/reply with your favorite part of Animorphs, I would be forever grateful.
Sometimes life can feel unendurable. The pain and difficulties can feel insurmountable. The Animorphs faced this kind of struggle throughout the series. I’m reminded of the conversation the Ellimist has with Jake at the end of Megamorphs 4.
“Is there anything better? Will it, at least, ever end?”
“It will end. It will end.”
Illustration for my Harron fic “heaven”02-the shelter
hayden being exactly the kind of friend shane needs 💙 (for @rachelica9 my fellow hayden lover)
Your HR lists have saved me. I think I've read almost every one on them now. Is there something you've specifically been enjoying since your last list?
Oh, man, there has been so much absolutely banger fic that I have read (and so much more I'm still trying to get to, I'm sure), but right now my big thing is either Shane or Ilya interacting more with their friends and family, especially because I WILL DIE ON THE HILL OF BEING A HAYDEN AND JACKIE PIKE STAN. AND A YUNA AND DAVID HOLLANDER FAN. PLEASE READ THESE WITH ME.
I Like Jane For You by Icopythefax, nsfw, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie, 17.6k After a mix-up leaves Hayden with the wrong phone for three days, he ends up learning more about Ilya Rozanov and his secret girlfriend, Jane. (PLEASE READ THIS ONE. Hayden and Ilya accidentally swapping phones and they kinda sorta become friends??? IT HAS RUINED ME, I NEED A MILLION MORE FICS OF THEM BEING FRIENDS.)
Ilya Rozanov's Boyfriend's Ex-Girlfriend by synchronik, ilya/shane & rose, NSFW, 4.5k Shane comes down the hall, hands shoved in his pockets, making eyes at Ilya that beg "please behave" and behind him is Rose Fucking Landry. The actress. The woman Ilya had seen in the club, her hand up Shane's shirt. The woman Shane had fucked. Twice.
Duty of Care by boopboop, ilya/shane & david, 17.9k “My father was very fair,” Ilya says immediately, and it’s got the rigid, almost mechanical emphasis of something practiced a thousand times. “If I was bad, I pay price. No problem.” “I think maybe we have a different definition of the word fair.”
the best person to be stuck in an elevator with by Sporkess, ilya(/shane) & yuna(/david), 7.2k There's no good way to be stuck in an elevator. Not when you're stuck in an elevator with someone who treats being annoying as an art form he wants to perfect, and definitely not when that person is your son's rival who you've hated for years. But, when Yuna finds herself stuck in an elevator with Ilya Rozanov, she realises there's more to the story than she'd seen.
Family Vacation by ofmonticello, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie, 8.9k Rozanov rolled his eyes. “Yes, because it is so silly to want to know where you are going. I know you looked up every last detail, you are not high and mighty.” Hayden found himself chuckling. “Yeah, Shane, you're not all high and mighty. I bet you managed to find the blueprints of the rental, just to make sure it was to your standards.” “What the fuck is this? You two are teaming up on me now?” Shane tried to sound offended, but his delight pushed right through.
hayden pike v the ‘lily’ thing by goldengalaxies, ilya/shane & hayden, nsfw, 4k “Just hang up.” A very, very familiar Russian voice. What the fuck? Ilya goddamn Rozanov was with Shane, at the cottage. With Shane. Oh, holy fuck. Lily. Ilya.
as high as i might (i can't get that high) by residentrookie, ilya/shane & hayden, 10.6k Hayden cuts himself off at the sound of something he hears so rarely, he’s almost sure he’s imagining it. He scans the room, looking for the source, and sure enough, his eyes land on his target. There, nestled in between two of his teammates on the couch, is Shane Hollander. Laughing. Out loud. Audibly.
The things Hayden will do for his wife (and his best friend) (definitely not for himself) frizzyanya, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie, nsfw, 2.8k THE MUTE BUTTON ON SHANE'S PHONE DIDN'T WORK
911, Jackie speaking by camiii, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie, 6.5k “Jackie?” Shane’s question cuts through the silence, and Jackie winces at the frantic rasp of his voice. “Right here, honey.” She tries to keep her voice light, wrapping her hand around Hayden’s wrist and meeting his worried gaze over the phone. “What’s going on?” “I need your help.” Shane croaks out. “They called, but they won’t - I need to know if he’s okay, but they won’t tell me.”
i love you, ya tebya lyublyu, je t'aime by moonlightdances, ilya/shane & david/yuna, some suicidal ideation, 10.1k “Because I can’t fucking do this, Ilya. I’m going to my parents’, I- I need a break, alright? Shit.” Shane’s gaze locked onto his keys and he picked them up, stalking towards the door.
NEXT UP: Shane wearing Ilya's jersey oh my goddddd I need 300 fics about the sex they have like that.
When Shane’s dad said “and there were no nice men in Montreal” Shane should’ve said “no Hayden is already married” just for Ilya’s reaction
I am currently vibrating out of my skin waiting for the HEATED RIVALRY finale and the cottage and the only thing that has kept me in the general vicinity of sanity has been the absolutely god tier fic. I can't tell you how many times I've had to practically shove my face into my hoodie to try to muffle the cackling laughter because I was not going to explain what I was reading to the people around me, but all the lolz-worthy fic really did help take the edge off the desperate intensity of feelings I had after episode 5.
I meant to post this sooner, but then wound up adding to it and adding to it because I couldn't stop reading and I still am further behind on my reading list than the last time I checked the tag on AO3. What an incredible fandom to get to watch explode, from this medium-sized book fandom I joined just a month before the show started, not even realizing that it was about to get such an incredible adaptation, but goddamn is there some fucking talent here. Hayden and Jackie are getting the love from fandom that they deserve! And you have no idea how many loopy!Shane or social media fics I have read and how each of them are incredible! Centaur team shenanigans! THIS FANDOM IS SO GOOD TO ME.
HEATED RIVALRY - NO I WON’T BE CHILL ABOUT THE GAY HOCKEY PLAYERS SHOW:
please leave a message by Ravenesta, ilya(/shane) & jackie & ocs, 2.4k Sarah Does anyone have the number for Shane's girl from Boston? I feel bad that they've been seeing each other for this long and we've never added her here. Jackie Oh good point! Let me ask Hayden. Jackie has added Lily to the conversation Lily what what is this
lost in translation by gurlsrool, ilya/shane & troy/harris & centaurs & oc, nsfw, 4.5k The Centaurs' newest rookie speaks Russian. It's too bad that Shane and Ilya don't know that.
it's a fine line (between love and hate) by londonfoglatte (nimbus2003), ilya/shane & centaurs, nsfw, 4.1k five times shane and ilya's friends worry they're are on the verge of divorce -- and one time they realize they're flirting.
don't ask (and i won't tell) by londonfoglatte (nimbus2003), ilya/shane & troy/harris & centaurs, NSFW, 4.2k five times shane and ilya's friends have questions about gay sex -- and one time they wish they knew less.
I'll be Your Father Figure by Signsofsam, ilya/shane & david, 1.5k Five posts David Hollander makes about Ilya, and one time Ilya returns the favor.
I'll Make It Better by imperfectcircle, kenopsia (indie), ilya/shane, 4.3k "Hey," Ilya says, magnetized and moving towards him. Shane looks — soft, he looks fine, so fucking breakable but not broken. "There's my man," Shane says, in a small voice, musical. Ilya closes the distance between them, needing to touch him and needing him to lower his voice in equal measure.
it started with a whisper by gurlsrool, troy/harris & ilya/shane & centaurs & cast, 5.8k When Adrian Dela Cruz reveals he dated an NHL player, chaos and damage control ensue. A story told through texts, tweets, and one pretentious Variety article.
The Waiting Game by Rizandace, ilya/shane & hayden & svetlana, 16k Hayden Pike and Ilya Rozanov are waiting for Shane to wake up after he took a bad hit on the ice. They get to talking.
still the best (still an asshole) by pucksandpower, ilya/shane & centaurs, NSFW, 18.2k Four times Ilya Rozanov reminded everyone exactly who the fuck they were dealing with (spoiler: still an asshole, still elite, still not going anywhere), and one time he didn’t have to be anything except soft.
Hop, Bunny, Hop by theemporium, ilya/shane, NSFW, 4.8k Or, a bet was made and Shane is a good sportsman. That is the only reason he is putting on rozanov's jersey. Promise.
Troublemaker by White_Noise, ilya(/shane) & (scott/)kip, 5k Kip's first outing as Scott's partner after the Stanley Cup results in an unexpected friendship with Ilya Rozanov.
The same number of stars by GlitterCity, ilya/shane, 2.9k “Ilya?” Shane said in that same dreamy, loopy voice as that morning. Ilya exhaled in a rush. “Shane,” he said, and wanted to sag against the glass with relief. “What happened? Is something wrong?” “Not! Any moooooooore.”
a long way to go by goldengalaxies, (ilya/)shane & hayden & j.j. & voyageurs, 2.2k "He's a fucking liar-" J.J shouted. The anger in his voice finally did it for Shane. The emotions bubbled over. "I get it okay! Yes, I lied! Fuck. But it wasn't just my secret to keep. Don't you get that?"
Concussion Protocol by cjr2, ilya/shane & cast, NSFW, 26.7k wip Instead of Shane, it is Ilya who suffers a concussion during the Boston-Montreal game in April 2017. Dazed and agitated, Ilya briefly starts speaking and responding only in Russian and the medics can’t calm him down. Luckily, Shane started studying Russian after Ilya spoke to him in Russian on the phone from Moscow.
Confidence, Poor Judgment, and a Death Wish by TheHeartWantsWhatTheHeartWants, ilya/shane & troy & centaurs, 17.5k wip “Hey, Ilya?” Troy asks, already regretting it. “I was actually going to ask you about someone.” The moment he says Shane Hollander’s name, the locker room goes quiet, and Troy knows he’s crossed a line he didn’t fully understand.
The Long Weekend by elephantshoes, ilya/shane, 2.8k A long weekend at Shane’s cottage is meant to be quiet, private, and uncomplicated. Then Ilya discovers canoes, wildlife, and the exact limits of Shane’s patience—and somewhere between turtles, bets, and stolen kisses, Shane realizes he’s already given Ilya more than a key.
The Way Hockey Is by Erisenyo, ilya/shane & cliff & hayden, 5.6k “Oh fuck,” Cliff hears himself say out loud as his brain suggests—something. “Roz and Holl…oh, fuck.”
Is Ilya Rozanov Really....? (A 5+1 story) by Ubiquitously_Ubiquitous, ilya/shane & ocs, 12k Is Ilya Rozanov really . . . ? Or after Ilya signs with the Ottawa Centaurs, five times Ilya’s new neighbors in Ottawa learned he was nothing like they expected, plus the one time he was.
All The Things He Said (Running Through My Head) by lipstickliterature, ilya/shane, NSFW, 6.7k In Episode 4, Shane leaves the nightclub with Rose. In the book, he leaves alone. But what if he had left with Ilya instead?
MORE RECS UNDER THE CUT because I have zero self-control about the amount of fic I want to shove at you all.
Some mini prints i’ll have available at AX table I50!!! Love the doggos
These are pretty cute.
One thing I’ve never exactly understood. Why did the victory on Earth in books 53/54 correspond to a total victory over the Yeerk Empire? Most clearly, we never see the Council of 13 get defeated.
Short answer: Eva.
Long answer:
This is all kind of background to the main plots of the books, but. What we know happens is something like this.
The yeerks try to take Leera, under Visser One's leadership. They meet andalite resistance, leeran resistance, and Animorph resistance — ultimately they fail (#15 - #18).
V1 gets reassigned to Sleegab Five. Not many details, but it doesn't go well. Doesn't help that Marco has been actively discrediting her within the Empire (#30).
V1 gets rereassigned to Anati (#30).
Toby et al. launch a resistance on the Hork-Bajir Homeworld (#34).
V1 gets tried as a traitor (thanks, Marco) and slated for execution (Visser). V3 becomes V1. This corresponds with the Empire withdrawing from some failed attempts to take other planets.
Eva (after being rescued; thanks Marco) points out that the Yeerk Empire has few territories outside of Earth that aren't being occupied by andalite counter-invasions (#45).
Andalites have occupied Yeerk Homeworld, Taxxon Homeworld, and Sleegab Five, taking them back from Yeerk Empire (#46). Eva knows that the yeerks are trying to convince the andalites that their focus is on Anati, and that their actual focus is on Earth.
Ax persuades Andalite War Council that yeerks are concentrating on Earth, which is a mixed blessing — it gets the andalites to head for Earth, but they plan to annihilate it when they arrive (#46).
Yeerk forces further concentrate on Earth (#51). Eva speculates that they now have 0 other planets, if they've lost Anati.
Jake, Toby, and Eva plan to blow the biggest yeerk pool on Earth to convince the yeerks "Earth isn't worth their time". They know they're making the yeerks some other planet's problem, but need to prevent the andalites from wiping out humanity (#52).
The yeerks are so overcommitted to Earth that blowing the yeerk pool has the opposite effect. New!V1 instead lands the Pool Ship on Earth and throws everything at an open Earth invasion (#53).
Eva, Jake, Arbron, and V17* conspire to both draw andalite forces to Earth and conceal that fact from new!V1. Now all the andalites' and all the yeerks' eggs are in the Earth basket (#53).
Jake corners V1 and forces him to surrender. V17 reveals to the Empire that the andalites are here, and plans to use that chaos to escape with a splinter group. The andalites accept Jake's handing over the Yeerk Empire (#54).
Rachel kills Tom, preventing V17's escape.
Ax and Alloran manage to negotiate Earth remaining independent, even as the andalites take control of the Yeerk Empire.
So, does that mean that the Council of Thirteen was present in the Terran solar system on board other Yeerk vessels? Presumably the ships keeping an eye on the approaching Andalite fleet? If so, it would make sense that they are all killed by the encroaching Andalite forces. With the Council out of play and Visser One captured, the Yeerk Empire had its head cut off. That must have been one powerful Andalite fleet that finally arrived.
