TRUE FANGIRLS

katniss: i go to a place and do a thing using a skill. also everyone hates me. oh you want to know more about myself? here are four straight paragraphs just describing food instead.

haymitch: so the baker’s in love with my best friends girl and my girlfriend’s uncle is gay and secretly dating the town window-fixer and she’s actually related to lucy gray and has beef with the mayors daughter who bullied me and her social security number is—

haymitch, as a cancer: everyone's tea and his undying love for lenore dove

... so this one got away from me.

Because, okay. We joke that Dumbledore can ignore a lot, and it's true. But a *teacher* killing a *student,* in broad daylight, in front of witnesses? Dumbledore goes out on a limb to try to protect Draco during Book 6, because he's a child and a student. It'd be the same here.

BUT, Moody is also the closest thing Dumbledore has to an actual friend during the main timeline. (At least - Moody's the only one who feels comfortable sitting next to Dumbledore and playfully giving him a hard time. Dumbledore also gets scary-angry on Moody's behalf at the end of Book 4.) So, he'd probably assume that that Moody had killed Draco accidentally, and... and then would start projecting his own issues/motives onto him BIG time, because of the Ariana thing. I'd like to think that this would clue him into the fact that Moody is an an imposter, but honestly? I don't think it would. His reaction would be to get Moody away from Hogwarts, and then like... either bring him to trial or turn a blind eye while he escapes. Wherever his head is at that day. He would also absolutely, absolutely be blaming himself... since hiring Moody was his call.

Enter Lucius Malfoy. Lucius stays pretty quiet during Book 4. He's aware that... even IF Moody is targeting Draco... considering his and Moody's respective reputations... there's no way he can go up against Moody and actually win.

But if Moody KILLED Draco? He and Narcissa would be like - we're taking down Moody, we're taking down Dumbledore, and if we go down with them - we don't care. (That might actually be preferable.)

Lucius is going to burn every cent he has, call in every favor he has in order to do this. And a 14 year old child did die (at least Cedric wasn't a minor, by wizard standards) so yeah he gets the governors to unseat Dumbledore. The Ministry has the authority to send in a High Inquisitor? Great, that's Snape's new job, he can be headmaster too. A lot of the Book 5 plot would happen - Dumbledore being dragged through the dirt by the press, losing his various positions. You bet Lucius is getting him off the chocolate frog cards, no matter how much it costs in bribes. I like to think he calls in Rita Skeeter, and she gives him all the Grindelwald dirt.

The real question is how would Dumbledore react to all of this. Because on one hand - as far as he's concerned he did this, and he does hold a parents love for their child as this sacred thing. I think that to him, it's the only pure, unadulterated, love there is (he has issues.) I also think that on some level he WANTS to be punished and held accountable for the Ariana thing, and he'd be in a very bad headspace and projecting Ariana onto Draco HARD by this point. They were both 14 when they died.

But on the other hand... Lucius is an Death Eater, and Dumbledore wouldn't want to die/be imprisoned if it means leaving a (very unstable) Lucius Malfoy in a pretty uncontested position of power.

One relevant question is - Does Dumbledore know Voldemort is coming back? I say yes he does, since Karkaroff and Snape know, and Snape would have told him. And here's how I would Wastonianly explain Dumbledore's extreme lack of action during Book 4: He thinks Voldemort is possessing Harry. It's basically what he thinks is happening during Book 5, and there's some circumstantial evidence in Book 4 that's not on Harry's side. Harry's found standing underneath the Dark Mark, which has been cast with his wand. He enters himself in the Triwizard Tournament, when he shouldn't be able to either pass the Age Line OR confund the Goblet. I think Dumbledore is waiting Voldemort out, letting him get a body that ISN'T harry, (which does seem to be his endgame) and then react accordingly. And if Harry dies, well. It wasn't like Dumbledore wasn't expecting that outcome. He only comes up with his plan for an endgame where harry LIVES post-Graveyard.

So. While there there is part of Dumbledore that literally can't look at himself in the mirror... Dumbledore has been thinking he was a terrible person for kind of a while now, and has bigger fish to fry. I think he probably does find some way give Moody to Lucius as an apology/peace offering - and Lucius doesn't care. But... this probably results in LUCIUS finding out that Moody = Barty Crouch Junior. Time to throw him in the manor dungeons (and make life very, VERY unpleasant for him...) Then blackmail Barty Crouch Senior into giving him more political favors. Like the "dangerous" Triwizard tournament? Oh that's not happening.

Which means that Dumbledore no longer knows what Voldemort's plan is (Voldemort's plan is kind of dead in the water.) So... his MAIN focus becomes building up that collection of Voldemort memories. He's using horcruxes, but how many? Dumbledore is going to fin out.

He lets himself be run out of town, basically lets Lucius "win." Dumbledore can be patient. He's giving the Voldemort shade that he thinks is possessing Harry time to make a next move, and he's giving Lucius space to implode and/or dig his own grave. I like to think that he gave himself a few days at Nurmengard in order to fall apart, because I will always find a way to get in some Grindeldore content. But after that, he's going to find Slughorn.

Homunculus!Voldemort and Peter are going looking for Barty. I don't think Lucius will bother to make him especially hard to find. So - my next question is: is Voldemort arrogant enough to think that Lucius is STILL loyal? I acutally think... no. In the Book 4 graveyard scene he already considers Lucius "slippery," and like... Barty's the loyal one, and Lucius has him locked in a dungeon.

Peter can get through the Hogwarts wards as rat, so he can absolutely get into Malfoy Manor and free Barty. Lucius will not be expecting him. Part of me thinks that Voldemort just kills him... but no. I think at this point, Lucius is too valuable. Voldemort doesn't trust Snape, Barty's cover is blown (he's also probably not doing that well, physically, after Lucius and Narcissa have gotten their hands on him...) And Voldemort still needs a man on the inside to get to Harry.

I think the plan is:

Get Lucius re-instated as a school governor

Either Imperius Lucius OR disguise Peter as Lucius

Have "Lucius" go to Hogwarts and kidnap Harry

Do resurrection ceremony, kill harry

Blame Harry's death on Lucius Malfoy snapping, no one suspects Voldemort. He's risen again, no one the wiser.

However, this plan doesn't actually work. Snape is still at Hogwarts, still loyal to Dumbledore, and keeping an eye out for this sort of thing. Harry & Friends also still have the Marauders map... and knowing how laser focused Harry tends to be on Malfoy, they probably think SOMETHING is going on. So - some combination of Harry, Snape, and/or Dumbledore is going to apprehend "Lucius" - and it doesn't matter if it's Peter or Lucius, he's going to crack and tell Dumbledore everything.

So - Dumbledore now has Voldemort's weak physical body, Peter Pettigrew (who is terrified of him, and he always commits to the most powerful person in the room), a incapacitated Barty Crouch Junior, and the Malfoys, who he has just gotten out from out from under Voldemort's control. I also think that by nowww... having spent a little more time with zealot true believer Barty.... they're maybe thinking that Draco's death isn't exactly Dumbledore's fault, and Dumbledore does have a plan to defeat Voldemort properly, which they don't. (Also, Dumbledore clearly hates himself, just like, SO much.)

So Dumbledore has a little breathing room. He leaves Snape as headmaster, that's fine. He gets Slughorn to tell him how many horcruxes there are, and it IS scary. Dumbledore already has a little could've-been-a-dark lord energy, and it's only getting worse the longer he's cut off from public support, his routines, and his people (especially Harry, who he is ignoring for Harry's own good, Book 5 style). I think his recklessness has definitely alienated people like McGonagall, Hagrid, Aberforth, and the real Moody (or at least, Dumbledore THINKS it has.) He's spending time only around people he thinks he can't corrupt or hurt - the Malfoys, Snape, Barty, Voldemort. I'm picturing like, insane mental duels between Dumbledore and the depowered Voldemort he's got at his mercy... and I don't love Voldemort's chances. I think Dumbledore does gets the location of the remaining Horcruxes. Can't promise you that Voldemort's making it out in one piece, mentally speaking.

I think, with the Malfoys in his corner, Dumbledore can get the Cup out of Gringotts pretty easily, and Snape can get him the Diadem. The other two are harder. This might be a Dumbledore who is in bad enough shape to go to Grindelwald, after he decides he needs backup to get the locket. Like who else can he trust? Maybe Snape, but he can't spare Snape.

I like to think that the two of them, Albus and Gellert + the Drink of Despair, reliving Ariana's death together... helps them work through some stuff? Psychologically? It's either that, or Dumbledore sends a patronus to Snape, telling him the locket is a fake and Regulus took the real one - and he and Gellert die in some kind of murder/suicide. Either way, Lucius absolutely curses himself putting on the Ring, trying to bring Draco back. It's Severus and Narcissa who actually destroy it, and the Locket (which Kreacher just gives to Narcissa.)

Which leaves just Harry, and Voldemort, on the table - and the horcruxes inside both of them.

And I kinda wrote Gellert back into the story, so lets give him a hero moment. They make it out of the cave, or at least Gellert does. Albus wants to save this kid? Okay. He knows more about the Deathly Hallows than anyone alive. He will find a way to set things up so that Harry Potter ends up master of all three of them. At which point Gellert kills homunculus!Voldemort... and Voldemort DOES try to possess Harry's body, since that's the last power left to him.

really good points from @land-of-frogs-and-dragons because... yeah... Voldemort and Harry have this psychic connection that Dumbledore doesn't really understand because it's basically unique... but if Voldemort does become Dumbledore's punching bag, that is going to affect Harry in ways that Dumbledore is not going to immediately pick up on, because he's keeping Harry at arm's length, emotionally and physically.

I think Dumbledore fell first, and Grindelwald fell harder.

Eighteen year old Albus is… lonely. It’s a loneliness coming from a few places. One is his own brilliance: Nicolas Flamel is maybe at his level, he’s a mentor slowly becoming a professional peer... but he’s all the way over in France. Elphias Doge? Half in love with Albus, half in hero-worship. That’s a problem Albus will have his entire life. He’s got people who worship him, and people work for him. But very few people who actually consider themselves to be his equal. 

Albus’ other problem is the way he’s hiding a pretty brutal home life. Ariana is dangerous and unstable (the rumors are that his sister's a squib, but he can’t confirm or deny that.) The only reason people don’t think of Albus as the son of Percival Dumbledore the Muggle killer is because Albus’ own accomplishments really are that extreme. He is the shining golden child so people don’t look too closely at what's going on within his family. No part of Albus wants to be at home with them - he wants to be away at school, he wants to be on a European tour with Elphias Doge (and don’t tell me Elphias wasn’t low-key footing most of the bill for that trip…) 

But then his mother dies/is killed by Ariana, Albus becomes responsible for his brother and sister. Because Ariana can’t be moved, that means he’s also effectively tied to Godric’s Hollow. It’s stressful. It’s boring. Albus has no one to talk to.

And then Gellert moves in. It must’ve felt like the sun breaking through clouds. He’s beautiful. He’s fascinating. He’s on Albus’ intellectual level. And he’s not suck like Abus is. No, he’s driven, he has plans, he has incredibly grand hopes for the future. Albus would take one look at him and be - this is it. You are the answer. We are going to discover the secrets of the universe together.

Now Gellert has recently been kicked out of school for dark magic related activities, and is effectively lying low in Godric’s Hollow. But honestly, he kind of wiggled out of any serious consequences. If anything, his mindset is probably more “I’ve already learned everything Drumstrang had to teach me. Good riddance. Now I just have to wait, and think about my next move.” 

Seeing Albus for the first time probably wouldn’t have blown his socks off. Gellert (as Harry tells us, multiple times) is very handsome, while Albus is probably more… interesting looking. Good looking in an unconventional way. But Albus is clever, and would have found out who exactly his new neighbor was very quickly. He’d hear about the dark magic and… not care. Probably just be more intrigued. Albus is desperate for someone to talk to, and whatever dark magic Gellert was up to, I’m sure it had to at least be interesting. 

So Albus tracks down Gellert, and he’s asking all of these questions. All these really good questions. At first Gellert is flattered (also, he can tell that Albus has a crush on him. That’s not especially unusual, if you’re Gellert Grindlewald.)  

But once he spends a little more time with him, I think he starts getting a little awed by Albus. This isn’t like Elphias Dodges’ hero worship, this is 'I want to put Albus Dumbledore in a jar and study him.' How can he be this good? How can his well of knowledge be so deep? How does he pick up everything I show him so fast…and immediately start adding improvements. How is he able to solve these magical problems and conundrums that I’ve been struggling with so easily?

Albus starts trusting him a little bit more. He doesn’t tell anyone about the details surrounding his father attacking the muggles, or about what’s going on with Ariana. But he tells Gellert. He tells him about the pressure he feels being responsible for them. How he can’t help resenting the way his family ties him down. He wants things to be different so badly, but doesn’t know what he's supposed to do.

I think that getting to see Albus’ vulnerability this way, his darkness, his cracks - things which he doesn’t show anyone - is what gets Gellert properly falling in love with him. Albus saw his darkness and didn’t back off, and now Gellert gets to return the favor. He probably starts getting a little romantic about all this, starts attributing the fact that they met to fate, thinks of Albus as this wonderful gift the universe is giving to him… but then Gellert’s perspective kind of shifts, and he starts believing that really he’s Albus‘ gift. He’s meant to save Albus, because it’s a crime that anyone this extraordinary should truly think that they’re trapped, and that their life needs to stay so small. 

He convinces Albus to leave, says they'll be able to take Ariana with them. I bet Gellert believes it too. He and Albus are so powerful, so talented, so knowledgeable, so off the charts in every way - what could Ariana possibly do that the two of them wouldn't be able to handle? 

But then, of course, the duel happens. Ariana dies (and I do think it was probably Albus who accidentally killed her.) We know that Gellert ran right after this. But I think  this is a situation where Albus is in shock, Gellert is grabbing his arm, dragging him towards the door, saying - we’ve got to get out of here. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine, I can fix this.

Albus can’t do it. He did wrong, and he has to face his punishment (a punishment I don’t think he ever feels he actually received. The closest he gets is Aberforth breaking his nose at the funeral, which is why he lets it stay broken.) There’s a lot of dark, sticky stuff in Albus Dumbledore's psyche. Stuff I don’t think he’ll ever let anyone see - both because he’s so hyper-competent he can mask it, and because it is his job to protect people (that’s the only thing he thinks he’s good for…)  Showing people his darkness and weakness, the way he showed it to Gellert - that is the opposite of protecting them.

If he’s honest with himself, I do think there’s a part of Albus that wishes he had been weaker, that he had run with Grindelwald that day. Best case scenario - maybe he could’ve influenced him, steered him down a better path (does that mean the blood of Grindelwald‘s victims is on his hands?) Or maybe it would have gone the other way, and without Ariana's death he would have ended up a worse Dark Lord than Grindelwald ever was. But more realistically… I think Albus knows that he and Grindelwald would have eventually had a falling out. But maybe not for a couple of years. Maybe Albus could’ve ignored the red flags that long. Maybe he could have had a few years - running around Europe, being young, powerful, and in love. 

Instead, Albus goes back to Hogwarts to hide. Because he can’t trust himself anymore. He can’t trust his judgment, he can’t trust himself with any kind of power. News of Grindelwald comes every day. He’s becoming more powerful. Dumbledore could stop him - but doesn’t. I think he’s worried that he saw Grindelwald again… (if Grindelwald is still in love with him…) (of course Grindelwald is still in love with him...) If Gellert asked him to leave Hogwarts and come with him, Albus is worried that he might say yes.

But in the end, Dumbledore does face him. Grindelwald fights him with the Elder Wand, but Dumbledore still wins. I like to think it’s because Gellert just cannot bring himself to kill him. Cannot bring himself to imprison him. He loves Albus too much. Albus is a work of art he cannot bring himself to destroy or lock away.

10-pause-10-pause-10-long pause, lean down to kiss-10-pause-10-pause-10.

Compilation of every dress, attire, armor, jewelry and/or accessory used in the House of the Dragon a knight of ths Seven Kingdoms & Game of Thrones [in constant updating]

CRONWS of Kings and Queens of Westeros

Kingsguard ARMOURS through the ages

Weddings GOWNS in the Seven Kingdoms

Mourning GOWNS of Ladies, Princesses & Queens

Ladies NIGHTDRESSES and NIGHTGOWNS

Ladies COATS and CLOAKS [ Part I - Part II - Part III - Part IIII - Part V ]

House Targaryen

ARMOURS of House Targaryen

GONWS of House Targaryen [ PART I - PART II ]

Great ARMOURS of House Targaryen thgough the ages

Aemma Arryn JEWELRY

Rhaenyra Targaryen JEWELRY [ YOUNG - ADULT - QUEEN ]

Rhaenys Targaryen JEWELRY

Baela Targaryen JEWELRY

Rhaena Targaryen JEWELRY

MALE WARDROBE of House Targaryen [PART I - PART II]

Viserys Targaryen ATTIRES

Daemon Targaryen ATTIRES [ PART I - PART II ]

Jacaerys Velaryon ATTIRES

Lucerys Velaryon ATTIRES

House Hightower

ARMOURS of House Hightower

GOWNS of House Hightower [ PART I - PART II ]

Alicent Hightower JEWELRY [ YOUNG - QUEEN - DOWAGER ]

Helaena Targaryen JEWELRY [ YOUNG - QUEEN ]

Hobert Hightower ATTIRES

Otto Hightower ATTIRES

Aegon Targaryen ATTIRES

Aemond Targaryen ATTIRES

House Velaryon

ARMOURS of House Velaryon

GOWNS of House Velaryon

Laena Velaryon JEWELRY

Corlys Velaryon ATTIRES

Vaemond Velaryon ATTIRES

Laenor Velaryon ATTIRES

House Strong

ARMOURS of House Strong

WARDROBE of House Strong

Lyonel Strong ATTIRES

Harwin Strong ATTIRES

Larys Strong ATTIRES

House Baratheon

ARMOURS of House Baratheon

GOWNS of House Baratheon

Great ARMOURS of House Baratheon thgough the ages

WARDROBE of House Baratheon

Robert Baratheon ATTIRES

Renly Barahteon ATTIRES

Joffrey Baratheon ATTIRES

Tommen Baratheon ATTIRES

House Lannister

ARMOURS of House Lannister

GOWNS of House Lannister

Great ARMOURS of House Lannister thgough the ages

WARDROBE of House Lannister

Tywin Lannister ATTIRES

Jaime Lannister ATTIRES

Tyrion Lannister ATTIRES

Lancel Lannister ATTIRES

Joffrey Baratheon ATTIRES

Tommen Baratheon ATTIRES

House Stark

ARMOURS of House Stark

GOWNS of House Stark

WARDROBE of House Stark

House Arryn

ARMOURS & WARDROBE of House Arryn

GOWNS of House Arryn

House Tully

ARMOURS of House Tully

Great ARMOURS of House Tully thgough the ages

House Tyrell

Great ARMOURS of House Tyrell thgough the ages

GOWNS of House Tyrell

The little Book of Fashion [GoT/HotD/akotSK]

Compilation of clothing, armor, jewelry, and accessories from the minor houses in House of the Dragon, a knight of ths Seven Kingdoms & Game of Thrones [in constant updating]

We have #ourshane who is dripped out in his "I'm in my millionaire hot shot outfit that I hired a stylist to pick out specifically to woo my man's pants off, you think this gives off 'I want you to rearrange my guts and then rearrange your opinions on us being together' " outfit, beelining to #ourilya who looks like death has warmed over despite wearing his "look at me, I am so nonchalant, in my floral print shirt and short shorts that I got as an inside joke only I know, #bitchface #russian-smoulder ...haha, I'm not pining for a man who's joggers I've shoved my face into to breathe in his scent after he made me meet god on my couch and left me there to rot in memories of us as our cum dried on my stomach" outfit.

Shane in his mind is already 5 steps ahead, he's had a honest talk about himself, has had his epiphanies and he's already quietly worked out a plan to execute in the background and is ready to have.a.talk.with.his.man. ain't nothing gonna stop him from bulldozing the wall that ilya has built up. He's determined 💪 he's got a one track mind. Win ilya back and Win the all stars game. PERIODT.

Ilya on the other hand is fucking bracing for impact going, awh fuck he's gonna break up with me and I'm wearing a floral shirt.... he's gonna tell me he's gonna marry rose landry and I'm wearing a floral shirt...he's gonna tell me he doesn't need me anymore and I'm wearing a floral shirt... I'm gonna lose him forever and I'm wearing. a .goddamed. floral. shirt. ....*record scratch* wait a damn minute, He what?

.....oh my fucking god, this beautiful fucking idiot got himself a stylist!?

(Gif by @mistress-gif​)

Full Shelby Clan

Thomas Shelby

John Shelby

Polly Gray

Ada Shelby

Finn Shelby 

Alfie Solomons

Isiah Jesus

Teddy Shelby

Shelby Sister Reader

18 year old Absalom Shelby gives himself the impossible mission to save his half-brother, Duke, from his own stupidity even at the cost of the crown Tommy Shelby left his legitimate son.

companion fic to Always Something Left to Love