First Lines Challenge

First Lines Challenge

I was tagged to do this by @steampunkserpent27 and it looked super fun so I thought I’d give it a try!

For this challenge you list the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have fewer than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favourite opening line. Then tag some people to take part.

Inexplicable Things (wip (currently 31K)) (E) When Harry steps into the lobby of the DMLE he freezes for a second.

How to Say Goodbye (7.3K) (T) 1. The first step is running away

Attic Ephemera (.4K) (T)  Harry’s cleaning out the attic when he finds the letter.

Infiltrate the Slytherins (8.9K) (T) Blaise Zabini moved in with them on a dark rainy night.

Bonded (16K) (T) “Kingsley Shacklebolt hates me,” Harry announces dramatically stepping out of the flames into his sitting room.

Falling (1.6K) (M) They were about 10 minutes into making dinner when it all started to go awry.

Boy with a Dragon Tattoo (4K) (T) The only thing Draco remembers about his first day of eight year is Harry Potter's tattoos. 

I’m tagging @sorry-i-ship-drarry, @silver-de-vonne, @phoebe-delia, and anyone else who sees this and wants to participate! It was fun to revisit some of my old pieces and see how much my writing as grown since then. This challenge also helped me really think about how important the first line of a piece and be. 

Night Sky 

For @hdcandyheartsfest prompt: chocolate. I think this is the first fic I’ve ever written in first person so I hope you all like it! Thank you @phoebe-delia for your tips! I don’t know if you remembered giving it to me but your advice on first person writing was so helpful :) 

He’s sitting on the bed across from me. Legs crossed and head tossed back,  looking at the stars we’ve just stuck up with a furrowed brow. 

I wonder if we’re too young for playing pretend, for looking for a night sky where there is only cracked plaster. 

When he looks back at me, there’s a manic gleam in his brown eyes. “Come on Draco, turn off the lights for me.” 

Who am I to tell him no?

I flick off the lights plunging us into darkness. I flop back onto the bed beside him and listen to the sound of our breath, the soft whisper of the sheets. 

I turn my head as slowly as possible and watch his inky silhouette, skin illuminated only by the glow of stars. 

I don’t think about the ceiling above us. I don’t think about the cracked white plaster. I don’t think of the pink and red foil scattered across my sheets. 

I only think about the shape of his lips in the dark. 

When his head turns the obsidian of his eyes sinks like a hook into the depths of me.  

When he leans in it feels like capture. 

When we kiss he tastes like chocolate and I lose myself in the smooth richness of his tongue. 

A little prompty promp/inspo song for your ask:

Brothers by Pillow Queens ❤

I love writing prompts so thank you so much for this one! I had never heard this song before and really enjoyed it :) I hope you like what I've written! This piece is mostly focused on the general vibes the song gave me as I listened 💜

Sirius sinks his face into the slippery cool liquid of the Pensive. He blinks, before he's ready for it he's there.

The crowd moves in front of him. There’s Lily, spinning in James’s arms, red hair shining in the strobe lights. Her cheeks flushed, her smile a mile wide. James looks at her like nothing else matters. Like he would follow her to the end of the earth.

Beside them Mary and Marlene crowd over the buffet table. They’re giggling, mouths full of canapes, hands grasping champagne flutes, toasting the end of school, the beginning of the rest of their lives.

Sirius swings his head searching the crowd. He glimpses Peter, stooped in the corner talking to a woman Sirius doesn’t remember. He flicks his eyes away, still searching. When he finds him his face is like a sucker punch to the stomach. It leaves Sirius’s cheeks pale, his fingertips trembling. Next to him is a young Sirius, all broad shoulders and confident strides.

Sirius watches as they turn away from the crowd, slip through the side door. He follows them.

Outside, young Sirius leans against the wall. He passes a cigarette to Remus. Sirius’s breath catches in his throat. He wants to remember, wants to forget, all at the same time.

Sirius watches as Remus exhales smoke, it balloons up over his head and twists away, dancing up towards the stars.

When he looks back to the boys in front of him they’ve shifted. Remus pinned to the wall beneath Sirius’s body, gasping against the silence of the night like he’s breathing for both of them.

Sirius steps away, pulls himself back and abruptly he’s back in the study.

The air around him feels stale, lukewarm. He takes a great shuddering breath, clenches his fists.

Suddenly, he’s sobbing. Great heaving sobs that wrack his entire body, and echo against his ragged breath. It feels like he can’t bear to let them out, but he can’t catch his breath either. They tear out of him.

Omg this looks so fun I need to do this!! Reading the last lines of all your fics make them look so fun and intriguing 💜💙

First Lines

I saw a bunch of people doing this and it looked fun! So, I've decided to give it a try! List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have fewer than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favourite opening line. Then tag some people to take part. The tin roof popped and bent beneath Harry, as he shifted his legs into a more comfortable position. Mountain Sound (47K) (M) He had heard fanciful stories about gods and powerful deities, passed between muggleborn children in hushed whispers. Seven Devils (1.6K) (M) Harry’s legs burned, as he climbed up the stairs to his front door. Late nights and Surprise cuddles (577) (G) They arrived in an ornately wrapped box. Ornate Boxes and Chocolate Lions (478) (G) Draco awoke to the sound of crackling thunder. Thunder Storms and Little Hands (378) (G) He felt it first at the trial. It must be a curse (550) (T) Draco Malfoy had never had a cellphone. Attention (363) (T) Harry opened the door and stepped inside, the scent of acrid smoke hung heavy in the air, stinging his nose. My darling, my dearest (100) (G) Harry kneeled down and climbed into the blanket fort, feeling the hum of magic surrounding him. Found You (541) (G) Harry rubbed his hands together, trying to create any semblance of warmth, while he waited on the frosty street corner. A frosty street corner (836) (G) "What have you done?" Kind Hearted (345) (G) The fire was everywhere. Fiendfyre (637) (T) Harry had been watching Draco all year. Tainted Blood (100K) (M) Harry approached the edge of the dock, peering up at the large ship with wide, apprehensive eyes. Ocean Man (14K) (M) “Obliviate!” Obliviate (422) (G) Draco grasped the quill with unsure fingers, dipping it into the ink pot, dots of black dropping onto the parchment as he pulled it back. Only Love is all maroon (831) (M) Harry lingered outside the closed hospital door his hand resting on the handle. Kissed (1.6K) (M) Harry found himself hesitating at the edge of the hot tub, but the cool night air was urging him to climb in. It must be the lights (2K) (T) Father had fallen ill first. Bubonic (1.8K) (M) Draco’s head burned. Taken (2.5K) (M) Pattern: I think I either start with a short opening statement, followed by more detail. Or I start with the detail and just dive into the story. OR occasionally it's a line of dialogue. Favorite Line: Harry found himself hesitating at the edge of the hot tub, but the cool night air was urging him to climb in. Tagging (and anyone else who wants to join in! Consider yourself tagged!): @phoebe-delia @rockingrobin69 @itsfookingnyx @nelweensfic @phd-mama @drarrily-we-row-along @ronbinary @opalesqueopioid @wheezykat @ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm @corvuscrowned @orange-peony @pennygalleon @alindakb @ravena-wrote @missfreefairy If I've forgotten anyone, I apologize! I'm awful with names.

I do not want a love story

I wrote this from the perspective of an angsty Sirius having a hard time letting himself be loved. Feel free to interpret it however you want tho :)

I do not want a love story.

I do not want hands that fold gentle around the bend of my waist or, fingertips that slide like smoke over my shoulder blades.

I do not want to give you anything. I do not want to watch you take it. You with your sharp white canines, the kind that could cut right through sinew and cleave straight to my bones.

I watch as your eyes glimmer in the firelight. When I touch you it feels cliche, like fireworks or, shooting stars or, moonlight on an open lake.

While writing this I could not think of enough ways to describe a kiss.

You speak to me in glass tones. In my head a loop plays on repeat; my fathers rough hands around the neck of bottle. When it breaks, silver shrapnel rains onto the floor.

I never flinch.

Most days I feel like I am waiting for you to leave. I wonder if when you disappear it will feel like relief.

There, standing before him is Draco, towel slung loosely around his waist, hair dripping onto his shoulders. A droplet of water snakes across the swell of his chest, continues down over his lithe abdomen and disappears, absorbed by the towel. He’s so close to Harry. Close enough that Harry could lean forward just a very little bit and place his hands on Draco’s slim waist. Close enough that he could lean forward and kiss him.

“Could I borrow some clothes?” Draco says, voice all gravel and depth, so much so that it sends a spark right through Harry’s core. 

He stares dumbly at Draco blinking for a couple seconds. “Oh, yeah, um, clothes. Yeah I’ve got clothes,” He babbles nonsensically, and gestures at the dresser before fleeing to the bathroom.  

full work here