So I feel like the Sexy Slytherin stereotype is only around because Slytherins are supposedly evil and sex is supposedly bad.
This saddens me.
It's also why I can't stand the whole slytherquid "we're sexually evolved" thing.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
I gots me an elder wand
Morgiana didn't like the way the shopkeeper said "interesting" like that. It was like he was saying interesting but thinking bad, and then he told her what it was made of and Morgiana knew why.
She grimaced, and took the wand. Under normal circumstances, Morgiana wasn't superstitious, but if Mr Hambledon thought it was an unlucky wand, maybe it really was. Though, on the bright side, maybe it wouldn't pick her.
Again, she waved the wand, though this time, somewhat less enthusiastically. To Morgiana's horror, instead of a dirty black cloud, this time a shining golden mist began to exude from the tip of the wand and a kind of indescribable excited feeling rushed through her.
Oh no.
No no no no no.
She was getting stuck with an unlucky wand. Unfair!
"So, um, elder. Right. That's not really unlucky for the person who has it, huh? It's more the people they duel and stuff that are, like, unlucky, right?" she asked.
She grimaced, and took the wand. Under normal circumstances, Morgiana wasn't superstitious, but if Mr Hambledon thought it was an unlucky wand, maybe it really was. Though, on the bright side, maybe it wouldn't pick her.
Again, she waved the wand, though this time, somewhat less enthusiastically. To Morgiana's horror, instead of a dirty black cloud, this time a shining golden mist began to exude from the tip of the wand and a kind of indescribable excited feeling rushed through her.
Oh no.
No no no no no.
She was getting stuck with an unlucky wand. Unfair!
"So, um, elder. Right. That's not really unlucky for the person who has it, huh? It's more the people they duel and stuff that are, like, unlucky, right?" she asked.
~~~~~
Frank liked to reassure children who came into the store. In a way, it was part of his job. He might have been a gruff man, be he had a soft spot for children, and didn't like to see them upset. There was something small and innocent about children - Frank didn't like to be a part of their disappointment, if he could help it. Still, as an assistant in a wand store, he had studied some lore. And he knew better than to cast off the questions of children simply because they were young. Especially if the young lady in question was a CUSTOMER in the store - proper work ethic would simple NOT allow customers to be cast aside, that way, regardless of age!
So, Frank looked seriously at the girl, and let a small silence envelope them as he gathered his thoughts into a coherent statement.
"I don't normally bore my customers with the humble amount of wand lore I've studied." Frank started, as a disclaimer. It wasn't COMPLETELY true, though it was in Frank's eyes - for one thing, he had probably studied quite a bit more wand-lore than the average wizard. He had a fair idea and sense of wands and their properties, and had been reading a huge volume to further his studies just in the last several weeks. But, compared to wand-MAKERS, or wand-SCHOLARS...Frank knew a very humble amount, indeed.
"Elder, like any wand wood, has admirable and reliable magical properties - otherwise, it wouldn't be suitable to channel magic as a wand." He stated, as a matter-of-course. "Now...there is myth - and many people aren't even convinced that this myth is even true! - that there was a powerful wand, once, made of elder. It passed through the hands of many dark wizards, and left a trail of sorrow and pain because of its evil wielders." Now Frank was getting to the core of his explanation. Hopefully it hadn't been too long for the young girl.
"We DO know, of course, that wand and wizard - or witch, in your case - work TOGETHER. The wand chooses the witch or wizard, and their work is a partnership; some of you will rub off on your wand, and under most circumstances, your wand will work better for you than anyone else. You will likely feel most comfortable, also, using your own wand, rather than that of another. ...so, can you really blame people, after all the dark history with evil wizards with elder wands, for looking at the wand, with so much of its dark owners in it, and thinking that they were evil? Not to mention all the old fairy tales, with a wand of elder associated with Death, and the like." Here was the turning point.
"Don't misunderstand me, now!" Frank insisted, hopefully before she could get too afraid of an evil wand having chosen her. "There were OTHER people with wands of elder during those time, I am most certain - good wizards and witches who would NEVER so much as dabble in the dark arts. But they weren't a threat, or frightening, and their wands weren't known or feared. You see? The key lies in this: the wands that people knew and feared, they were the wands of Dark witches and wizards, and had been steeped in evil and malice for far to long. But it wasn't the wands themselves! It's only that the wands of good witches and wizards don't become feared or famous. THAT is why elder can have a bad reputation." He gave the girl a serious look once again, and spoke quietly.
"Elder is a good wand wood." He told her. "It has a reputation, and that is why people think it's unlucky - and perhaps its magic CAN affect fate to some extent. BUT - and this is important! - it is what you DO with your wand, that will make the difference. Every witch or wizard ever born has had to choose what to do with their birthright and natural abilities. Even Muggle-born wizards and witches must realize, some day, that they ARE different from their families and parents, and have a power that can work for good OR evil. And those are choices that we all must make. Even Muggles, without magic, can use their lives for good or evil - it is the way of the world. Elder has properties that can lend itself well to any magical wielder - even healing, and magics of change. Perhaps it just is able to SENSE evil better - as it has also been said to be good at BANISHING evil magic, when applied against it." He held out his hand and smiled at the girl, mood lightening.
"A wand choosing you is cause for celebration! Here - if you'll hand it to me, I'll wrap and package it nicely for you. Seven galleons for a wand, if you didn't see the sign." He added quickly. He didn't like to emphasize the money part of the business - it was important, but he found it rude to be too obvious about it. "There is history, good and bad, to any sort of wand. If you read any of the large wand-history books, that becomes QUITE apparent." Frank was interested, but even to him, some of those very, VERY long and rambling explanations about wand history could be a bit trying!
"There is no reason for you NOT to be pleased and excited about your wand - elder or any other wood!" Frank assured the girl. "I'm only sorry that the bad reputation it has received, perhaps wrongly," Frank admitted, "has dampened your excitement. An elder wand is a powerful ally for a witch or wizard! And the unicorn tail in its core is telling of a more gentle nature - good for healing, charms, and subtle magics especially, though any Ollivander's wand will suit you well for whatever magic fields you study, I assure you." When he finished packaging the wand, he held it back out to the girl, a gentle and contented smile on his face.
"The wand chooses the witch, Miss," he told her, "but it is YOU who must choose what to DO with it." He concluded. "Congratulations, on your first wand!" He laughed, and, with a slightly deeper look in his eyes than normal merriment, added - but with a smile of hope (rare, for the man), and confidence in the child - "Use it well."
So, Frank looked seriously at the girl, and let a small silence envelope them as he gathered his thoughts into a coherent statement.
"I don't normally bore my customers with the humble amount of wand lore I've studied." Frank started, as a disclaimer. It wasn't COMPLETELY true, though it was in Frank's eyes - for one thing, he had probably studied quite a bit more wand-lore than the average wizard. He had a fair idea and sense of wands and their properties, and had been reading a huge volume to further his studies just in the last several weeks. But, compared to wand-MAKERS, or wand-SCHOLARS...Frank knew a very humble amount, indeed.
"Elder, like any wand wood, has admirable and reliable magical properties - otherwise, it wouldn't be suitable to channel magic as a wand." He stated, as a matter-of-course. "Now...there is myth - and many people aren't even convinced that this myth is even true! - that there was a powerful wand, once, made of elder. It passed through the hands of many dark wizards, and left a trail of sorrow and pain because of its evil wielders." Now Frank was getting to the core of his explanation. Hopefully it hadn't been too long for the young girl.
"We DO know, of course, that wand and wizard - or witch, in your case - work TOGETHER. The wand chooses the witch or wizard, and their work is a partnership; some of you will rub off on your wand, and under most circumstances, your wand will work better for you than anyone else. You will likely feel most comfortable, also, using your own wand, rather than that of another. ...so, can you really blame people, after all the dark history with evil wizards with elder wands, for looking at the wand, with so much of its dark owners in it, and thinking that they were evil? Not to mention all the old fairy tales, with a wand of elder associated with Death, and the like." Here was the turning point.
"Don't misunderstand me, now!" Frank insisted, hopefully before she could get too afraid of an evil wand having chosen her. "There were OTHER people with wands of elder during those time, I am most certain - good wizards and witches who would NEVER so much as dabble in the dark arts. But they weren't a threat, or frightening, and their wands weren't known or feared. You see? The key lies in this: the wands that people knew and feared, they were the wands of Dark witches and wizards, and had been steeped in evil and malice for far to long. But it wasn't the wands themselves! It's only that the wands of good witches and wizards don't become feared or famous. THAT is why elder can have a bad reputation." He gave the girl a serious look once again, and spoke quietly.
"Elder is a good wand wood." He told her. "It has a reputation, and that is why people think it's unlucky - and perhaps its magic CAN affect fate to some extent. BUT - and this is important! - it is what you DO with your wand, that will make the difference. Every witch or wizard ever born has had to choose what to do with their birthright and natural abilities. Even Muggle-born wizards and witches must realize, some day, that they ARE different from their families and parents, and have a power that can work for good OR evil. And those are choices that we all must make. Even Muggles, without magic, can use their lives for good or evil - it is the way of the world. Elder has properties that can lend itself well to any magical wielder - even healing, and magics of change. Perhaps it just is able to SENSE evil better - as it has also been said to be good at BANISHING evil magic, when applied against it." He held out his hand and smiled at the girl, mood lightening.
"A wand choosing you is cause for celebration! Here - if you'll hand it to me, I'll wrap and package it nicely for you. Seven galleons for a wand, if you didn't see the sign." He added quickly. He didn't like to emphasize the money part of the business - it was important, but he found it rude to be too obvious about it. "There is history, good and bad, to any sort of wand. If you read any of the large wand-history books, that becomes QUITE apparent." Frank was interested, but even to him, some of those very, VERY long and rambling explanations about wand history could be a bit trying!
"There is no reason for you NOT to be pleased and excited about your wand - elder or any other wood!" Frank assured the girl. "I'm only sorry that the bad reputation it has received, perhaps wrongly," Frank admitted, "has dampened your excitement. An elder wand is a powerful ally for a witch or wizard! And the unicorn tail in its core is telling of a more gentle nature - good for healing, charms, and subtle magics especially, though any Ollivander's wand will suit you well for whatever magic fields you study, I assure you." When he finished packaging the wand, he held it back out to the girl, a gentle and contented smile on his face.
"The wand chooses the witch, Miss," he told her, "but it is YOU who must choose what to DO with it." He concluded. "Congratulations, on your first wand!" He laughed, and, with a slightly deeper look in his eyes than normal merriment, added - but with a smile of hope (rare, for the man), and confidence in the child - "Use it well."
~~~~~
Morgiana let the shopkeeper's words wash over her. She knew he was trying to make her feel better, but really a yes or no would have sufficed. From what he was saying, she took it that the answer was yes, elder was unlucky for the person on the receiving end.
"Okay," she nodded gravely when he'd finished regaling her with his musings on whether elder could affect fate (that sounded pretty cool, actually), or sense evil or banish it or whatever.
To be honest, now that Morgiana knew her wand wasn't unlucky for her, she wasn't interested in the intricacies of its wood's properties.
She reached into a pocket and retrieved a handful of galleons, counted out seven of them onto the counter and picked up the bag her new wand was in.
"Thanks!" she added cheerfully as she left the shop.
"Okay," she nodded gravely when he'd finished regaling her with his musings on whether elder could affect fate (that sounded pretty cool, actually), or sense evil or banish it or whatever.
To be honest, now that Morgiana knew her wand wasn't unlucky for her, she wasn't interested in the intricacies of its wood's properties.
She reached into a pocket and retrieved a handful of galleons, counted out seven of them onto the counter and picked up the bag her new wand was in.
"Thanks!" she added cheerfully as she left the shop.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Language, Left hand & metamorphmagi
Langauge
I've always been uncomfortable with phrases like "wizarding world" or using "wizards" to refer to wizards and witches. In the past, I've tried to compensate by actually writing out witches and wizards, or using magical people, but it never works out because I'm too lazy. We need better slang on VH. On the blog "magicals" is the collective noun for witches and wizards.
Theory of left-handedness among magicals
From VH21, where I was explaining why Morgiana is left-handed:
My reasoning is that you used to be able to be killed as a witch for being left-handed, and even my dad got caned as a child for using his left hand to write with. The left hand is traditionally associated with evil because the latin word for sinister meant left. Or something.
Metamorphmagi
Don't really know why I was thinking about this, because I wouldn't ever create a metamorph character, but I was thinking about how when you see them on other forums, they tend to bend to the typical "Mary-sue" stereotype of using their powers only to change their hair and eye colour. And that seems pointless to me.
We know metamorphmagus powers are genetic, because JKR has said Teddy inherited it from Tonks. However, not all genetic traits automatically manifest, some need environmental factors to trigger them. The other thing Teddy and Tonks have in common is that they were both born in the middle of the wizarding wars. It's not hugely important, but it could explain why it's so rare, and why metamorphmagi exist at all.
Which brings me to my next point. In nature, what do animals change their appearance for? To hide, and to get attention.
I'm actually more interested in attention, because my cousin just had a baby, and human babies are way less self-sufficient than any other animals. Human babies need your attention. If they want to eat, if they want to be burped, if they want to get up or lie down or play or if they're overtired or whatever! And the way most babies get it is by crying.
So the way I see most RPers talking about their metamorph character, probably based on the way JKR described Teddy's hair changing colour, is that they have to learn to control their powers. Their eyes go red when they're angry (red for anger! If your character is from another culture, does that change?) and they mentally chastise themselves for slipping.
I suggest that it's the other way around. The metamorph gets control of their powers very quickly, when they're a baby, and uses those powers as an alternative or an additional way of getting the attention they need. Which would be especially useful in a situation where crying was dangerous, such as during a war.
I've always been uncomfortable with phrases like "wizarding world" or using "wizards" to refer to wizards and witches. In the past, I've tried to compensate by actually writing out witches and wizards, or using magical people, but it never works out because I'm too lazy. We need better slang on VH. On the blog "magicals" is the collective noun for witches and wizards.
Theory of left-handedness among magicals
From VH21, where I was explaining why Morgiana is left-handed:
My reasoning is that you used to be able to be killed as a witch for being left-handed, and even my dad got caned as a child for using his left hand to write with. The left hand is traditionally associated with evil because the latin word for sinister meant left. Or something.
sinister |ˈsinistər|We know enough people were burned as witches for the invention of the fire freezing charm to be useful (though I don't know how they dealt with hanging and beheading - perhaps some sort of levitation charm in the case of hanging?) perhaps the muggles were on to something and left-handedness is actually more prevalent among magical folk.
ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense [malicious, underhanded] ): from Old French sinistre or Latin sinister ‘left.’
Metamorphmagi
Don't really know why I was thinking about this, because I wouldn't ever create a metamorph character, but I was thinking about how when you see them on other forums, they tend to bend to the typical "Mary-sue" stereotype of using their powers only to change their hair and eye colour. And that seems pointless to me.
We know metamorphmagus powers are genetic, because JKR has said Teddy inherited it from Tonks. However, not all genetic traits automatically manifest, some need environmental factors to trigger them. The other thing Teddy and Tonks have in common is that they were both born in the middle of the wizarding wars. It's not hugely important, but it could explain why it's so rare, and why metamorphmagi exist at all.
Which brings me to my next point. In nature, what do animals change their appearance for? To hide, and to get attention.
I'm actually more interested in attention, because my cousin just had a baby, and human babies are way less self-sufficient than any other animals. Human babies need your attention. If they want to eat, if they want to be burped, if they want to get up or lie down or play or if they're overtired or whatever! And the way most babies get it is by crying.
So the way I see most RPers talking about their metamorph character, probably based on the way JKR described Teddy's hair changing colour, is that they have to learn to control their powers. Their eyes go red when they're angry (red for anger! If your character is from another culture, does that change?) and they mentally chastise themselves for slipping.
I suggest that it's the other way around. The metamorph gets control of their powers very quickly, when they're a baby, and uses those powers as an alternative or an additional way of getting the attention they need. Which would be especially useful in a situation where crying was dangerous, such as during a war.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Amalgamated Sorting Questions
Short Answer
If your character could know any spell or potion instantly, which one would you pick? Please explain why.
The Memory Modifying Charm, so that everyone would always remember what a good impression she made on them.
If your character could be an animagus, what kind of animal would he or she turn into? Please explain why. (Keep in mind that people cannot change into magical animals like unicorns and phoenixes)
What are some qualities your character looks for in a friend? Please explain why.
Loyalty, because loyal people stick by their friends even when they make a mistake. Gullibility, because gullible people believe things they shouldn't, like their bad friends' lies. Foolishness, because their antics can be entertaining.
What would your character stand up and fight for? Please explain why.
If your character had a choice, would he or she rather be kind or right? Please explain why.
She'd rather be right, because she enjoys winning.
What is your character's most important personality trait? Please explain why.
Her insecurity. The reason Morgiana tries to make other people feel bad is because she's so insecure herself, so it's pretty much her driving force.
If your character were to face a Boggart, which form would the Boggart take? Please explain why.
Who takes your character to Platform 9 & 3/4 for the first time and how does your character feel when they say goodbye? Please explain why.
Morgiana was taken to the train by her father. She wasn't so worried about leaving, since her grandparents are always making her participate in muggle holiday activities to give them a chance to match her dad up with the latest floozy.
Which adult witch/wizard/muggle does your character most look up to? Please explain why.
Lotilla Carlson is the prettiest girl in Odstock, and the most popular. Morgiana looks up to her because everyone in town seems to listen to her and because she's dating Owain Garrick.
The Mirror of Erised shows a person the deepest desire of their heart. The young orphan Harry Potter saw himself with his parents. What would your character see? Please explain why.
What does your character imagine his or her life will be like 5 years after graduating Hogwarts?
Long Answer
Roleplay your character breaking a Hogwarts rule. Be sure to explain in your roleplay their reasons for doing it.
Your character enters your house common room and finds a large group of older students laughing loudly. When you get closer to hear what's going on, you realize they're reading from your roommate's private diary. Your roommate is not in the room. Roleplay your character's reaction and explain the reasons behind it.
It's your character's third year at Hogwarts and it's the first Hogsmeade weekend. Unfortunately, you forgot to have your parents sign the permission sheet. You've sent it home by owl post so they can sign it for the next weekend, but you still aren't allowed to go to Hogsmeade today. RP how your character reacts to this situation and how he or she spends the afternoon.
Your character enters your house common room and finds a large group of older students laughing loudly. When you get closer to hear what's going on, you realize they're reading from the diary of your worst enemy. That person is not in the room. Roleplay your character's reaction and explain the reasons behind it.
You character is the last person awake in the Common Room the night before an important exam. You are convinced you are not prepared and will probably fail the exam. Suddenly a lonely house elf appears in the Common Room and offers to do anything you request. Role-play your answer to the house elf. Include your reasons for what you say or do.
You character is alone somewhere in the Castle and doing something that he or she considers vitally important. A house elf interrupts and offers to help in any way he can. Role-play your answer to the house elf. Be sure to include where you are, what you're doing, and why you ask for what you ask.
While sitting the final exam for your best subject, you notice that the boy or girl you have a crush on is using an Auto-Answer Quill. The professor does not seem to be paying much attention. Roleplay your character's thoughts and reactions during or after the exam.
Morgiana's Charrie Library
The Basics
House: TBA
Birthday: August
Hometown: Odstock, Wiltshire
Pureblood/half blood/muggle born: pureblood
Five words that best describe your character: resourceful,
Appearance
Hair Color: BlackEye color: Blue
Height: medium
Other distinguishing details:
Family
Father's name: Alecksander SharpstingBrief description: pureblood, mediwizard
Mother's name: Ilsabetta Lormeister
Brief description: halfblood, deceased
Siblings: none
Other key family members: Aunt Florence "Flossie" Sharpsting, Grandma Penelope & Grandpa Anton Lormeister
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