Happy Ravenclaw Pride Day To All My Fellow Ravenclaws

happy Ravenclaw pride day to all my fellow Ravenclaws 🩵💙🦅

Changed my brain chemistry, this work did <3

March 22, 2023 - March 22, 2024

One year ago to this day, I started writing Green is the Color. I fell in love with Hogwarts Legacy from the moment I played it, and found such a kindred spirit in Ominis that I wanted to honor the character by writing him a fic. Ofc, I didn't expect the fic to be 70 chapters long, but my I poured my entire heart and soul into the work, and I couldn't be happier that I did.

I'll also be posting GITC to Wattpad, one chapter each day.

Happy birthday to GITC. Happy birthday to my fic. Happy birthday to my MC Allegra, the creation of whom inspired me enough to get me out of a creative rut.

Thank you, too, to all the people who read my fic(s). You are always in my memory--I've never stopped thinking about the people who I share this beautiful, amazing fandom with!

i love the way you draw your sebastian !! i don’t know if this is weird to say but i can definitely imagine him having some stretch marks on his stomach or arms

THANK YOU! ♥️ and oh my god I love this little detail YES 😭 I had to implement this in a drawing

Sebastian fresh out of shower and wondering where the f are his clothes (his wife hid them)

A Bouquet of New Beginnings Chapter 22: Vine

Summary: Another nightmare, a conversation on Unforgivables, and a calmer introduction to the Undercroft.

Floriography: Connection & Friendship

Full Chapter: [AO3] //6.5k words

*There are trigger-warnings in this chapter. Below excerpt does not contain the items, but read carefully if reading the full chapter.*

Excerpt Below:

“Artie!”

Artemis looked up from the boathouse docks as her feet dangled above the Black Lake. Natsai came over with a few bottles of water and pumpkin juice in her arms.

“What are you reading?”

“Alice in Wonderland,” said Artemis as she slipped the purple hyacinth bookmark inside. “A fun read.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Natsai took a seat next to her. “Poppy said she’ll join after getting a few more snacks. I’m glad to see that you are doing better than last night, my friend.”

“Motion sickness is a bane.”

Natsai gave her a sympathetic look as she gestured toward the small basket. “How did you manage to bring lunch this early?”

“I made it,” answered Artemis plainly.

“You…made it?”

“I mean, it’s just throwing together sandwiches, but yes,” explained Artemis as she opened the small basket. Deek had been more than happy to get her the ingredients, especially after introducing him to all the beasts this morning. “Plus, I didn’t think our conversation would be good for the Great Hall.”

“True,” agreed Natsai. There was a pause. “So, about what you asked last night.”

“About you being a gazelle?”

“No, about my uniform,” said Natsai sarcastically as Artemis chuckled. “Yes, about being a gazelle. How did you know?”

“Poppy and I saw a gazelle hanging around the Hog’s Head. Frankly we thought Harlow’s poachers had brought the gazelle from Africa. Then I saw the gazelle melt and change into a person that looked like you, but then that would be barmy right? Because we were in the forest. But then you were actually there, and really, how many gazelles are running around Scotland,” said Artemis.

Natsai laughed brightly. “Of course, the first people to spot me is you. Does Poppy not know?”

Artemis shook her head. “She was facing me when you turned back. I’m assuming that’s magic?”

“Yes, yes,” laughed Natsai as she placed a hand on her chest. “I’m an animagus.”

“Animagus?”

Natsai nodded. “It’s a branch of self-transfiguration not often practised in Britain, and not taught at Hogwarts. It’s a complicated process, but I can change into a gazelle at will. Professor Weasley has… ‘gently discouraged’ me from it, or discussing about the subject since it’s considered dangerous here, but I find it freeing.”

“Sounds very handy, especially for a quick escape.”

“Somehow I knew you’d say that,” said Natsai. “I’d been sneaking around the Hog’s Head more so recently but have been travelling around the forest since last year – it reminds me of when my father ran with me back in Matabeleland. My father transformed into the most beautiful giraffe.”

Artemis recognised grief like a glove. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you,” said Natsai. “It’s been a few years but, some days, it is harder than the others. Running as a gazelle helps me to feel closer to him.”

“Did you choose to become a gazelle?” Artemis asked as Natsai shook her head.

“Oh no. When you go through the process, you become the animal that represents your personality. My mother is convinced that my form is a gazelle because I adapt well to any situation. I believe it is because I can sense danger and keep my wits about me. I would appreciate it if we kept this between us. My mother and I are both registered because we need to be, but I’d rather not have everybody know.”

“Of course,” Artemis readily agreed. “But in return, could you show me some wandless magic? Just until Poppy comes.”

“Truly? Well, you’re easy to please,” teased Natsai as she pointed to Artemis’ book. “I can do better. I’ll teach you basic wandless magic, especially since you asked me to show you our first Charms class, and I’ve been neglecting you.”

“Really?” Artemis asked; she didn’t think her friend would teach her.

“Of course! Wandless magic isn’t too different aside from the obvious. There’s no spell that is tied to a particular hand gesture, but there are tendencies. Levioso.”

Natsai held her hand out, palm up, and gently curled her fingers as the book levitated from Artemis’ lap. Artemis watched with fascination as the Gryffindor did the same movement for Accio, and the book went into Natsai’s open hand.

“But because there’s more overlap, the intention becomes much more important, and knowing where your magic comes from. At Uagadou, before we learn how to cast magic, we learn how to gather magic into our palms. Like this.”

This time, she held both her palms up, and Artemis gasped mutely as she watched a ball of red with golden hues coagulate. It reminded her of the colour of the Secret Sharer. Natsai spun the magic as it floated and expanded, flicking like a fire before extinguishing it.

“Try it,” encouraged Natsai. “Hold your palms up like you’re cupping water. Then, concentrate getting your magic from your core to your palm, and hold it for as long as you can.”

“Um… any guidance on that, Professor Onai?”

Natsai guffawed. “Please don’t. I feel like my mother.”

Artemis rolled her eyes as she chuckled. “Teacher Natty?”

“Acceptable. When I first learned, I thought about the savannah and running. How my heart would pump, the golden beauty under the sun, and the freedom I felt. I imagined my heartbeat pumping the blood – and my magic – into my palms. Maybe something like that?”

Artemis hummed as she looked down at her hands – an illusion of matching, unmarred palms. Since Natsai’s magic was the same colour as the Secret Sharer, theoretically, hers would be as well. She closed her eyes slowly. She enjoyed running through the forests around home, but that didn’t seem right.

No, what it sounded like was the need to direct and control her magic. Maybe it was like preparing to plant the garden, to find the perfect bit of fertilised soil. To dig just enough to plant the bulb. The more she imagined her the process of planting through the Briar Greenhouse, the more she felt her magic tingle throughout her body; like it needed room to breathe. She imagined how she felt when she first stood at the greenhouse entrance with everything finally planted.

Breathe In. Two. Three. Four. Out. Two. Three Four.

As she breathed out, a cooling sensation coursed from her chest through her arms, and centred in her palms. Keeping the slow, controlled breathing, she opened her eyes and let out an elated gasp as a blob of iridescent blue-green shimmered with a silvery hue within her hands.

“That’s it Artie! You’re doing great!”

It only lasted for three seconds before the warble fizzled away, but Natsai clapped cheerfully.

“You did really well! Not many people can get it in the first try, and certainly not for that long. It gets easier with practise, I promise.”

“How long do I need to be able to keep it before moving onto spells?” Artemis asked.

Natsai hummed. “Our professors had us hold it for three minutes. Our first spell, by the way, was levioso.”

“I’ll keep working on it then,” agreed Artemis.

Natsai held up her fist; Artemis bumped hers.

“And I will help you of course.”

“Artemis! Natty! Sorry I’m late!” Poppy’s voice carried as Natsai and Artemis lifted their heads. In her arms was a large bag, undoubtedly filled with sweets. “The house-elves were really nice and gave us the rest of the Halloween desserts.”

Poppy sat to Artemis’ right with an excited huff, and Natsai chuckled from her left. With sandwiches and sweets in hand, the three started their cobbled outdoor picnic. The November air was crisp and cool, though it didn’t feel that way with the company kept.

“Highwing’s safe. The place I had in mind worked,” started Artemis.

Poppy beamed. “Really? What about the other hippogriff? And the thestral?”

“Them too.” Artemis nodded. “I can bring Highwing out anytime you’d like.”

“Thank you. Truly, both of you. Let me know if either of you ever need help.”

Natsai and Artemis both smiled.

A few moments of silence passed before Artemis brought up the question.

“The spell that Harlow casted… the one with the green light… it killed that owl, didn’t it?”

In the lake’s reflection, Artemis saw Natsai and Poppy both pause in their reverie as they looked at each other. A small fish popped above the surface momentarily.

“It’s called the Killing Curse,” started Poppy.

Artemis whipped her head toward her. “The what curse?”

“The Killing Curse,” sighed Natsai. “An Unforgivable.”

“… unforgivable…?”

“It’s a collection of three of the most powerful Dark curses,” continued Natsai. “We learned what they are last year, obviously just the name and what they do. The green one last night is the Killing Curse. Avada Kedavra. The effect is self-explanatory – instant, painless death.”

“There’s also the Imperius Curse and the Torture Curse. Imperius, or Imperio, puts the person completely under someone’s control. And the Torture Curse, Crucio, well… it’s also self-explanatory. Intense, excruciating pain,” explained Poppy.

The memory of the red crackling lightning by that Ashwinder as she cackled at the centaur’s pained screams flitted back. Artemis pressed her thumb against her scar and let the pain keep her steady – that witch had cast a torturing curse on the centaur.

“Who would make such spells?” Artemis managed to squeeze out.

Poppy huffed. “A medieval sadist. If you can believe it, they weren’t always illegal; they became illegal in 1717.”

“That’s less than 200 years,” pointed out Artemis.

“Morality took its time,” said Natsai bitterly. “They can’t be blocked, so you have to be able to stop the cast beforehand or dodge it. Otherwise… you suffer. Or, die.”

Poppy picked off a bit of her sandwich and threw it for the gathered fish. “The one good thing is that not everyone can cast Unforgivables. Because they’re so… you know, powerful, whomever casts it needs to have a high level of skill and willpower. Remember I said the creator was sadistic? The curses are more effective if the castor has a clear, deep desire to use it. They have to mean it. Mean that they want to hurt someone, want to control someone, want to kill someone.”

“What happens if someone casts it? Consequentially, that is.”

Natsai swallowed her sandwich bite. “Azkaban. Lifetime, plain and simple.”

“But only against humans. Apparently, they don’t count as ‘unforgivable’ if cast on beasts or other beings, like goblins,” spat Poppy.

Artemis blanched. So the witch cursing that centaur was legal? The Depulso she’d casted suddenly didn’t seem strong enough… not that the witch could do that anymore. An arrow to the neck tended to put a stopper to things.

“Is that… it?” Artemis held her hand up as both girls looked at her incredulously. “I mean. The effects are horrid, yes. But, does it hurt the caster? Other than their conscience, if they have a shred of it left. It just, it seems like it’s more than just morality and some degree of sadism that made it Unforgivable.”

Natsai and Poppy both looked at each other before Natsai sighed deeply.

“According to Professor Hecat, successfully casting an Unforgivable on a living soul damages the caster’s own soul and magical cores.”

“Like we said earlier, you have to mean it. That means it’s premeditated, and if we’re talking about the Avada, that’s premeditated murder,” finished Poppy.

Poppy’s acorn eyes were steeled, and she was subtly hugging herself. Artemis didn’t comment.

Aaaa Richard!!!

I will never not cry over this ghost he deserved better than the guardian statues 😭😭

Richard Jackdaw

He lives 🥹

It's so interesting to see his game model without the transparency! His skin is sort of sallow and clothes are rather dull to get the right effect as a ghost. I was also surprised his hair is so dark!

"In the Shadow of Our Ghosts" by @betheckart.

Chapter 13. "The Haven" (English ver.) Audio Excerpt.

Full chapter located here on Wattpad.

Thank you for giving me permission to once again bring this scene to life, and I hope that I did some justice for your beautiful writing of Beth's tale 🩵

*Note: I own absolutely nothing except from the undying love for this tale and the hyperfixation upon HL.*