Latest Posts by pinknbluepolkadots - Page 2

Draco no.

(Based off this post)

The distinctive and memorable Thailand-only covers for the Harry Potter novels.

To Be Written

Source: Steven Ingels

Fact: the Gryffindor and Slytherin trios are gay and in love with each other

I know it don’t work like that but shhhhhhh, hear me out

Harry Potter AU where they put fidelius charm on Harry himself. Because voldy can’t kill him if he can’t figure out that our boi exists

these are literally the only villain redemption arcs that are good, so if you’re a writer, take notes:

zuko

megamind

dr doofenshmirtz

I feel like the problem ppl have when constructing redemption arcs is people make 'the character realizes what they've done is wrong' the end step instead of like...one of the earliest ones. a satisfying redemption arc doesn't resolve when the character first feels sorry, it resolves when a character has really journeyed towards atonement and made enough change in themselves to achieve some kind of symbolic victory over who they used to be

Turns out that in order to post my fics, I have to write them! Shocked and upset.

#ronald weasley you fake ass bitch

“yeah can i get a 60k with everything on it”

Writing Tropes Well: Chronic Hero Syndrome

A good hero helps those in need, right? So the best heroes help everyone in need!

….Is probably what these kind of characters are thinking, but the reality is a little different. The Chronic Hero Syndrome mainly affects the good and (at least partially) naive protagonist who thinks that every problem around them needs to be solved, usually by them. Some stories like to portray this kind of character in a purely positive light since “always ready to help others” is thought of as a positive trait. Sometimes it works, often because it’s a simplistic story, deals with black-and-white morality, it’s a video game with fetch quests, etc. However, when you look beyond the surface level this “affliction” has some interesting consequences for the character.

(NOTE: This trope shares a similar name with a real-life affliction “Hero Syndrome” where someone intentionally creates bad situations in order to save everyone and appear as the hero. The real syndrome is not the same as the trope!!)

To start, let’s take a look at the trait itself. Mentioned before, the desire to help everyone sounds like a great trait, however by thinking that way you’re boxing in how you’re defining characters. Traits shouldn’t be sorted into “good” and “bad”; they should be lumped together and thought of as “strengths” or “weaknesses” relative to each situation (link embedded). Strengths can become weakness and weakness can become strengths depending on what’s happening. Flaws are circumstantial.

All aspects of a character should have consequences, “consequences” being positive, negative, and even neutral effects from who they are. Most often, those consequences are found in the choices that the character makes. Even a choice made with the best of intentions can have a negative impact, and any character with Chronic Hero Syndrome can’t be making perfect choices 24/7 because nobody can realistically do that.

A protagonist, or any other character, with Chronic Hero Syndrome may see negative consequences like (but not limited to):

Manipulation. It’s easy to take advantage of someone who’s wholly predictable in their choices. The antagonist can easily set up a trap for this type of character.

Sticky situations due to naivete. Though it’s possible for a character to be less naive by critically examining the situations they end up in, just blindly believing and helping anyone who asks for it can land them in troublesome situations.

Consequences of the Law. Sometimes helping others isn’t always legal, though legality does not have a direct correlation to morality. If this character breaks laws then it should be addressed realistically for the story.

Burnout (especially of friends). It takes a lot of time and energy to commit to the level of help they offer and it’s not easy to sustain. A friend or partner may also not be as enthusiastic about that character’s choices as it bites into their time together.

Blunders. Helping doesn’t always mean succeeding. This character can (and should) fail once in a while. Sometimes, even succeeding at a task can have negative effects, especially if the character was tricked or failed to see the big picture.

Potentially incorrect self-image. Let’s be honest, this character thinks that they can help everyone. To reach that conclusion you need to think you’re really the best choice to get something done, which anyone with a healthy sense of self-esteem knows isn’t always the case. The character may point the person in need to better help, but a good chunk of having CHS means the character personally provides aid. In some stories, the “I’m the best option” thought can be justified, especially if the character has an ability that the average person does not, but it takes a level of arrogance, tunnel vision, and/or obsession to genuinely believe you’re the best option to personally help. Even if the character is just “too nice” so they feel like they always have to offer, someone genuinely interested in helping the best way possible would be willing to admit that they aren’t the best choice, and would be willing to pass off the task to someone who is. There’s a reason that Chronic Hero Syndrome isn’t called “person who likes to help others”; the afflicted character crosses the line between reasonable help to an almost weird sense of duty.

All that said– it’s okay if you want to write a character with Chronic Hero Syndrome! This post is meant to get you critically thinking about the character trait, not say that it’s bad to have someone with it in a story. Tropes are not bad, but they need to be understood or else the writer runs the risk of writing a poor story.

When writing a character with CHS, make sure you can address these things about them to make sure they’re well-rounded and interesting (especially if they’re a main character!):

What’s the source of the CHS? It’s one thing to want to help your friends when you can, but a hero with CHS is over-willing to help strangers and maybe even those they don’t get along with. This isn’t a common trait in reality, so it’s best to have an explanation or source of why they are who they are.

Do they genuinely think they’re the best option to help or is the constant desire to help a sign of something else? One character may punish themselves by helping everyone around them, depriving themselves of personal time and fully knowing that it could have been done better by someone else. Another character might be harboring guilt and tries to take care of it by being aggressively helpful to everyone else. Someone else might be obsessed with a certain image of being useful (but they don’t create the situations and then save people from them, that’s the real-life Hero Syndrome).

How does the CHS integrate with the rest of the personality? “I want to help everyone” is not a personality, it’s a choice of values. This character still needs to have thoughts and traits outside of their Syndrome.

How could the CHS cause problems? All choices have consequences, and a character who truly has CHS is probably sacrificing a lot from other aspects of their life. Maybe their partner starts feeling abandoned, maybe the hero tries to help and makes something 10x worse! Every single trait should be free game for causing issues in a story.

Tropes can be a useful part of storytelling, particularly when done well. Because Chronic Hero Syndrome most often affects protagonists or other main characters, writing it well means understanding the reach of the “affliction”. It’s fine to write a simplistic story (a lot of children’s novels do this) where the protag wanting to help everyone is just a sign of a good, helpful person. But if you’re looking to write a realistic story, particularly with character realism, then you’ll need to address the consequences that this kind of character can bring to a story.

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Thinking of asking a question? Please read the Rules and Considerations to make sure I’m the right resource, and check the Tag List to see if your question has already been asked. If you can give back, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or via Venmo Username: JustAWritingAid

reading

remus lupin’s patronus is a wolf are you SHITTING me

like can you imagine him doing it for the first time and finally succeeding and it’s a fucking wolf and all his classmates are like “oh that’s cool” and meanwhile he walks over and kicks a desk

Harry: Draaaa-cooo?... Have you got any spare pain potions?

Draco: *Squinting suspiciously* ... Why?

Harry: My leg hurts...

Draco:

Draco: So what you're telling me-

Harry: Here we go-

Draco: -Is that when I said that trying to skateboard like a muggle, with no practice, on concrete-

Harry: It was asphalt-

Draco: Was a bad idea...

Harry: It was something I'd always wanted to do as a child!

Draco: And then not take anything after you inevitably crashed and landed in a crumpled heap on the floor-

Harry: It wasn't that bad!

Draco: And that it would hurt later-

Harry: It didn't feel too bad at the time!

Draco: I was right!

Harry:

Harry: Look, I'm sorry, alright? What do you want from me?!

Draco: *Grinning smugly* Nothing, darling. Nothing at all!

10 Letters To My Soulmate

An anonymous ask requested a soulmate-themed Drabble, here it is!

On Wednesday morning at breakfast, an owl from OSA (Owling Soulmates Anonymous) was delivered to Draco Malfoy. It read:

Dear Soulmate,

I know it might be odd that I’m contacting you now, since I’ve never tried to before, but I decided that I just have to know that you exist. Since this program started, nearly everyone I know has written to their soulmate and found something, or rather, someone, amazing. I kept wondering why you never reached out, but maybe you have never even heard of this program. I don’t know. Maybe you have heard of this program but you don’t want to know me. I just know that I’ve been through a lot through the last year, and if you’re out there somewhere feeling as broken as I do, then maybe we can help each other heal. Or something.

-Anonymous

…

On Friday afternoon, while Harry and Ron were watching Flitwick put up Christmas decorations in the Great Hall, a return owl from OSA was delivered to Harry Potter. It read:

Dear Soulmate,

The reason that I have not tried to contact you is not because I don’t want to know you, but because I feel that you do not want to know me. Trust me, whoever you are, you deserve more than me. Regardless, I hope you find happiness from someone who can actually give it to you, and I wish you a Happy Christmas. That is, if you celebrate Christmas.

-Anonymous

…

Draco was busying himself in his eighth year dorm on Friday night by organizing his books in alphabetical order of the author’s last name when a second owl from OSA arrived.

Dear Soulmate,

Please don’t push me away. I want to know you no matter who you are.

Also, I think it’s quite pretentious of you to assume that I deserve more than you have to offer. I could be anyone, even a mass murderer. I mean I’m not a mass murderer, but still.

And if you’re wondering, I do celebrate Christmas. I don’t have a family to share it with, but my friends are very welcoming. I like to think that if these letters work out, we could even spend Christmas together. But since you’re being so presumptuous and prat-like, I guess we won’t.

-Anonymous

…

On Saturday morning, an owl tapped on Harry’s dorm window. Harry rushed to open it, and when he took the letter and sent the owl off, he saw that it was an OSA letter and his heart skipped a beat.

He looked at his roommate’s bed to see if he was still there. The bed was made and it seemed that he had left for the day, which was odd, since it was still very early, and he had been up late organizing his books. ‘Oh well,’ Harry thought, and he went ahead and read the letter.

Dear Soulmate,

I don’t see how I can be the prat when you’re the one who insulted me. And, in my opinion, it is presumptuous of you to think that while you could be a mass murderer, I could not be. Of course, like you, I only point that out for the sake of argument, and I am most certainly not a mass murderer. But I am by no means a good person. For the past six months or so I have been trying to make up for all the awful things I’ve done, yet nothing I do can erase the sins of my past. If you were to meet me, know who I am and what I’ve done, you would not want to spend Christmas with me. You’d want to get as far away from me as possible.

I’m sorry that you have no family. I don’t have a great family, but I cannot even imagine how it must feel to have none at all. I’m glad that you have good friends whom you can love and trust. If you didn’t have friends like that, I’d have to send you a puppy or some other sort of pet so that you would not be alone on Christmas.

Truly, soulmate, I want the best for you, but please don’t write to me again. I am a horrible, horrible person and you should not waste your time with me.

-Anonymous

…

Draco sighed when yet another OSA owl came to him on Sunday morning in the library. He set aside the textbooks he’d been studying and prepared himself to read the message from his soulmate.

Dear Soulmate,

I believe that you’ve done terrible things. I’ve done terrible things too. I killed someone in a war and it haunts me everyday. It breaks my heart to think that you have to carry the weight of your mistakes even as you try to make up for them. All I want to do is lighten that weight and prove to you that you can be loved despite that. And I hope you know that having done horrible, horrible things does not make you a horrible, horrible person. I can tell that you have a good heart just by your statement that you would send me a puppy to keep me company on Christmas. That’s a really sweet thing to say, you know.

And if your family isn’t the best then you’re free to join my friends and I. Of course, that would mean confessing your identity, which you should only do if you’re sure that you want to meet me. Until then, I’d like it if we kept sending each other letters. Your words make me smile and make me forget about the nightmares I’ve lived through for a while.

-Anonymous

…

Harry smiled when a third OSA letter arrived for him on Monday.

“Is that from them?” Hermione asked, noticing Harry’s wide smile.

Harry blushed. “Weren’t you about to go to your dorm?”

Hermione rolled her eyes, but she left the Eighth Year Common Room so Harry could read the letter in privacy.

Dear Soulmate,

I have to admit, I am surprised by you. When I used to think of who you might be, I imagined a perfect person with no flaws whatsoever. I think I like you better now that I can tell you’re a real person. You’re understanding and thoughtful and you seem loyal, but you have made mistakes too. I’m sorry that you have to suffer because of those mistakes, though.  

I agree now that we should keep sending letters. Especially since they make you smile. (Don’t let it go to your head, but your letters bring a smile to my face as well.)

-Anonymous

Harry was just finishing up the letter with a sappy smile on his face when Draco entered the common room.

“Malfoy? You’re out late,” Harry said.

“I was in the Owlery. I had, uh, a Christmas card to send.” For some reason Malfoy was blushing. “I’ll just be heading up to our room then.” Malfoy hurried up to his and Harry’s shared room and Harry stayed in the Common Room to reread the letter a few times.

It wasn’t until later, when Harry was lying awake in bed, that he realized the implications of Malfoy being in the Owlery just before he received his soulmate’s letter. ‘Could Malfoy be my soulmate?’ Harry thought.

…

Draco got a reply from his soulmate sooner on Tuesday, when he was helping Goyle wrap his presents. Goyle looked over Draco’s shoulder, trying to catch sight of what the letter said. Draco pushed Goyle away with a laugh. “It’s for my eyes only, Goyle.”

Goyle shrugged and went back to work wrapping the wand case he bought for Pansy.

Draco left the room to read the letter alone, not able to keep a smile off his face.

Dear Soulmate,

I must, unfortunately, inform you that your comment about my letters making you smile did indeed go to my head and all day I have been strutting around with a proud look on my face. My friends tell me that I look ridiculous. I don’t care. I’ve been feeling happy lately, because of you, and I want everyone to know that. I, like you, have found a certain comfort in knowing that my soulmate is out there, that they’re a real person, who can be sweet and can also be a prat.

By the way, my offer to spend Christmas with you still stands. Now that we both know that we’re accepted by each other unconditionally, there should be little standing our way of being together. Of course, I will still understand if you want to remain anonymous. And I will also understand if you don’t want to be with me and would prefer to just be friends.

Anyhow, if you decide to not join me for Christmas I’ve decided that I will get you that puppy which you promised me. I don’t even know if you like dogs, but I have such good taste in pets that I am sure you’ll like the one I get you regardless. I’ll let you name him, but if I may suggest a name, Padfoot is an excellent one.

-Anonymous

Draco’s smile stayed all day long. When he returned to his room after helping Goyle with the last of his gifts, he found Potter already inside on his bed, flipping through a gift catalog.

“What’re you smiling for?” Potter asked, smirk on his face.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Draco said. He tucked the letter in his bedside table drawer and hummed as he looked for a book from the uber-organized bookshelf.

Draco’s humming was so loud that he didn’t hear Potter whisper, “I think I do know.”

…

Harry’s reply didn’t come until Thursday, Christmas Eve.

Dear Soulmate,

I’m sorry I couldn’t respond sooner, but I’ve been busy. My roommate has been forcing me to spend time with him. We walked through the snow and went sledding (Have you ever been sledding? It’s much more fun than I thought it would be) and made Christmas cookies. I’ve never spent too much time with my roommate before, but it turns out that he’s actually fun. He and I were laughing practically the entire day. I’m only sorry that doing all that prevented me from writing to you.

Concerning Christmas, please do not send me a puppy. I’m not allowed to have one in my room, and my parents certainly would not take of it for me until I had a place of my own to keep it in. However, now that I give more thought to the idea, I suppose my roommate might help me keep the puppy a secret.

I think Padfoot is an odd, yet intriguing, name, by the way.

Happy Christmas Eve.

-Anonymous

Harry quickly wrote out a reply and rushed to the Owlery. He wanted his letter to get to Draco before it was officially Christmas.

…

Draco got his new OSA letter while in the kitchen, helping the house elves prepare food for the feast tomorrow.

“Hold on, Tink, I’ve got to read this, then I’ll help you with the turkey.”

Dear Soulmate,

Your roommate sounds amazing. Like, the most awesome bloke in the world. I’ll bet he’s good looking, too. He probably has charmingly messed up black hair and enchantingly bright green eyes. Does he play Quidditch too? Perhaps he’s a Seeker. Perhaps he was even the youngest Seeker in a century. Blimey, he’s sounds so talented that I bet you never caught the Snitch before him. Luckily, I think he likes you despite your less than par Seeker skills. I think he likes you as much as I do. He probably wants to buy you a puppy and spend Christmas with you just like I do.

Now, after I’ve thought about it, I’ve realized your roommate and I are very similar. In fact, one might even say that we’re one and the same.

-Anonymous

“Sorry, Tink, I can’t help with the turkey. I’m so sorry, but I really have to go. Good luck!”

…

Harry was caught off guard when, while he was pacing the floor of his dorm room, Draco walked in, his face red from running and his eyes shining with- happiness?

“Did you get-” Draco started, and then a tapping could be heard on the window.

Harry went to open the window and retrieve the OSA letter from the owl. He shut the window and went to sit on his bed as he opened and read the letter. Draco was holding his breath.

Dear Soul/Roommate,

Potter? Meet me in our room as soon as possible.

-Not So Anonymous

(P.S. I can’t wait to spend Christmas with you.)

Everything in the room was silent except for the sound of parchment sliding against parchment as Harry refolded the letter and tucked it back inside the envelope.

“So, I guess we’re-”

“Soulmates? Yeah.” Harry smiled at Draco and slowly Draco began to smile too.

Harry stood up, walked to Draco, took his hand, and said, “I hope you know I wasn’t kidding about the puppy.”

Draco laughed, as he had been expecting Harry to say something more profound, and then he was surprised again when Harry interrupted his laugh to place a kiss on his lips.

To be a better writer...

If your story include characters that continuously suffer, or even occasionally suffer, write about the effects on the character’s life and the plot rather than just the suffering itself. Pain, like any other heavy aspect of a story, should move something forward or backward rather than be included just for the sake of it. Too much focus on the feeling rather than the effects make a story repetitive and boring, so keep the consequences for the character and plot in the forefront.

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Thinking of asking a question? Please read the Rules and Considerations to make sure I’m the right resource, and check the Tag List to see if your question has already been asked. If you can give back, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or via Venmo Username: JustAWritingAid

saw this on instagram and felt like tumblr should see it too

Harry Potter and the Year he thought it was Snape but it was Quirrel Harry Potter and the Year he thought it was Draco but it was Ginny Harry Potter and the Year he thought it was Sirius but it was Wormtail Harry Potter and the Year he thought it was Karkaroff but it was Moody/Crouch Jr Harry Potter and the Year everyone knew it was that b*tch Umbridge Harry Potter and the Year it actually did turn out to be Snape Harry Potter and the Year it turned out to be Harry all along.

okay but honestly I WAS GONNA GO TO BED EARLY BUT IM TOO MUCH OF A DRARRY TRASHCAN FOR THAT

Imagine Draco being so stupidly smart that Harry’s favorite activity is putting on dumb game shows and watching Draco get every question right.

Imagine Draco writing Harry notes with the most obscure quotes ever on them but they’re all rlly pretty and romantic but sOMETIMES the vocabulary is way too difficult for Harry and so Harry is all “Again. In /English/” 

Imagine Draco being fluent in four languages and mediocre and three more. iMAGINE DRACO SWITCHING BETWEEN LANGUAGES. Like, he loves going on angry tirades in Italian because it sounds better. 

Imagine Harry using Draco as his go-to encyclopedia because asking Hermione a question just results in lectures but Draco just answers the question directly and hangs up. 

Imagine Draco knowing exactly what each flower symbolizes. 

Imagine Harry being so ridiculously smitten and proud of Draco that he’s always saying “Oh im sure my boyfriend could tell you. He’s vry smart.” 

Imagine “Let me ask my boyfriend” being one of Harry’s most common phrases. 

Imagine Draco having multiple scripts memorized and cuddling harry and kissing him while reciting the enTIRE Romeo and Juliet balcony scene. 

IMAGINE GENIUS DRACO. BECAUSE ITS CANON. AND HIS SMARTS NEED TO BE IN MORE DRARRY FICS. 

So is it just me, or does every new owner of Tumblr getting announced feel like we’re getting a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?

As we know James , Sirius and Peter found out Remus’ secret around their second year at Hogwarts. I imagined that they caught Remus out going to the whomping willow and told him everything. Remus was so shocked and terrified that his secret was reveled and he might lose his friends,so he ran away hopeless without saying nothing. James, Peter and Sirius decided to wait for him (at the right distance from whomping willow) and they would help him as soon as he returned. Needless to say, that night for Remus was probably one of the worst he ever lived, he was absolutely certain that the next morning his friends, frightened by his nature, would abandon him. This scene takes place after that night. - - - - this comic took me ages to do it( something like three weeks?) because I’m not recovered at all by my elbow tendinitis and I can’t draw so much. I worked on this a little bit at time, this was so demoralizing for me, I wanted to draw but my arm did hurt so so so so much. I hope to recover soon because I can’t stand it anymore! I really need Madam Pomfrey’s care right now!😅

(Part 1)

Part 2 of the Muggle Youtuber AU in which we get to see Remus’ side of the story

Somebody said muggle youtuber AU and I just had to

As readers we only know what Harry notices/pays attention to, and although we have no idea what color Cho’s eyes are or what Zacharias Smith’s voice sounds like, we know a lot about Draco Malfoy. Consider. We know:

His hair is blond. But not just blond. It’s a particular, white-blond color that gleams in the sunlight. 

And very sleek, but loose enough that it falls around his face if he moves around vigorously enough.

He has grey eyes. Not just grey, but specifically light grey.

Harry also frequently describes them as glittering or sparkling. 

He presumably has a sweet tooth as he gets regular sweets packages from home delivered by his eagle owl.

He has very pale skin which takes on a grayish tinge when he’s sickly.

He tends to narrow his eyes when he’s angry.

He doesn’t blush when he’s embarrassed but he does flush - just enough to give his skin a faint pink tinge. 

He tends to move his hands a lot when talking animatedly. 

His speech has a very specific drawling cadence and tone that makes his voice easily recognizable (to Harry at least).

This is all in canon.

Meanwhile, even though Harry and Ron are together practically 24/7 for seven years, we only find out that Ron’s eyes are blue halfway through Deathly Hallows. 

Harry Potter in Gina Linetti pictures

Dumbledore:

Harry:

Ron:

Hermione:

Luna:

Snape:

McGonagall:

Lockhart:

The ministry of magic:

Voldemort:

something we agreed we like about uncle vernon is that despite like, personally suffering at the hands of wizards pretty significantly (dudley’s tail, marge), vernon is like, always ready to fuck with wizards? like he is SO SCARED of them but he’s always ready to fight? please take this moment to imagine uncle vernon meeting voldemort

Draco: You can't pretend I change my entire personality!

Harry: I don't want that! What I'm asking you is that you stop calling Ron "weasel"!

Draco: And I'm telling you that that's an important part of myself!

Harry: You mean being a git?

Draco: I don't know why you are so surprised about it

I need a fic where Harry is overjoyed that his two best friends are finally together and happy, but also jealous and annoyed at suddenly being the third wheel. Like:

“Hermione, he doesn’t belong to you- No, I don’t care that he’s your boyfriend. I haven’t seen him all day and I saw him first, damnit!”

“Ron, please stop kissing her, she’s supposed to be helping me research, Are you going to write my essay for me? Didn’t think so… No, wait, Hermione, I didn’t me that you were going to write my essay for me, I just- You can’t leave me here to die!… Stop laughing, Ron.”

“Hermione, it is boys night! No girls allowed… geez, okay, stop yelling at me. You can have two minutes to say goodnight… It’s been longer than two minutes, Hermione!… Hey, leave space for Wizard Jesus! Get off him Hermione! You are corrupting my best friend!”

Basically, we need more Harry “the cockblock” Potter.