We recently learned a lot more about what each dorm offers its students in terms of amenities and house culture!! I did my best to compile those details here, as well as add other bits of lore we previously knew from other parts of Twst.

My question is: What exactly makes a character terrifying?

I want to write a character that is scary and terrifying not in looks, they are not some monster either, I want them to be scary and terrifying in personality, psychological ground, in their abilities and what are they capable of with just their actions and bare hands.

So, Is that alright to with you?

Of course, that’s more than alright — I love talking about this kind of thing. :DD

What makes a character terrifying on a psychological level isn’t usually about shouting or being overtly violent. It’s often about the tension between what they can do and what they choose to do. A few key traits that tend to make people scary in fiction (and sometimes in real life):

Unpredictability: You never know how they’ll react. They might be calm one moment, and the next, they’re taking action in a way you didn’t see coming.

Control: They don’t need to raise their voice or brag about what they’ll do — they stay calm while everyone else gets rattled. That quiet confidence is chilling.

Intelligence and precision: A terrifying character doesn’t waste motion. Every word, every action feels deliberate, which makes others feel like pawns in their game.

Moral ambiguity: If their motives are just a little off from what most people accept as “normal,” but they believe in them completely, that conviction can be unsettling.

Capability without spectacle: They don’t need weapons or theatrics. Their skill with their hands, their physical presence, or their ability to manipulate situations makes you realize they could destroy someone if they wanted to — and maybe you wouldn’t even see it coming.

Think of it like this: what makes the shark in Jaws scary isn’t when you see it thrashing. It’s when you don’t see it, and you know it’s out there. The anticipation of what your character might do can be more terrifying than what they actually do.

1. 'It's fiction, it doesn't need to make sense!'

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@mysticbubbles00 @desperatelittledemon If I had a nickel for every time Y/N Cookie got a very experienced butler, I’d have two-

Crimson Berry and Camembert Cookie were in your quarters, cleaning and tidying up the place as they shared banter with each other.

△ “It’s such a pleasantry to be the ones tasked with cleaning our Sovereign’s chambers, is it not?”

△ “You would be right, not just any Cookie gets the privilege! I’m still fairly taken aback when our Sovereign requested us to take care of it. They’d normally send one of their inner circle Cookies to take care of it”

△ “Our Sovereign’s inner circle…I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I say those eccentric group of Cookies did not make me steadfast once in a while.”

△ “That is understandable. There’s our princess, who send the accused to the dungeon at a moment’s notice if she suspects unladylike behavior towards our Sovereign.”

△ “Then there is our kingdom’s general. She is a tough Cookie, a bit too tough if I may speak out. I’ve never felt so on edge when I volunteered to shine her armored dresses, it felt like I was put under a microscope!”

△ “The kingdom’s advisor is by the books and the one I will commend for her efforts, not to say the others don’t do a good job. She’s loyal to our Sovereign and sees to it that the tasks are done.”

△ “I see the need for an advisor, but our kingdom assassin is how I ponder on why we keep around. We must handle threats to the kingdom before they happen, yes. However, that Cookie of beauty might adore her job a little too much to my shock.”

△ “And let’s not forget their personal medic that they have on standby. It is important that our Sovereign gets rendered first aid on the spot, but I had the unfortunate experience of trying medicine from that Cookie. I nearly had tears come out my mouth as I tried to remain pleasant!”

△ “And our apothecary…well, I don’t have anything too much to say about her. I do believe that she gets a little too close for comfort when soothing our Sovereign at the kingdom spa.”

△ “They are quite the cast of Cookies, but I think our Sovereign wouldn’t want it any other way.”

△ “Indeed, they were their second chance. It is only fitting that they return their thanks the way they know how.”

△ “Could you pass me our Sovereign’s cape? I wish to wash it myself.”

△ “Oh no, I will wash it. I don’t wish to keep you long.”

△ “I insist. Please hand it to me.”

△ “I insist as well. Let me handle it.”

The glasses from the two glinted as they stared each other challengingly as they had a tug of war with the cape.

△ “Let me wash the cape!”

△ “I can wash it! Let go!”

I have a theory that the valued quality of each of the four Houses isn’t really about the personality of its students.

The valued quality of each of the four Houses has to do with how they perceive magic.

Stick with me a second: Hogwarts is a school to study magic. Magic as Hogwarts teaches it can be seen as many things: a natural talent, a gift, a weapon, etc.

So how you believe magic should be used will both reflect your personality and change how you handle that power.

“Their daring, nerve, and chivalry set Gryffindors apart,” Gryffindors perceive magic as a weapon. Gryffindors tend to excel in aggressive forms of magic, like offensive and defensive spells, and they are good at dueling. But a true Gryffindor knows that the power is a responsibility, and so they must always use their powers to stand up for what’s right. They are the sword of the righteous, which makes them as good at Defense Against the Dark Arts as they are at combat magic.

Hufflepuffs believe that magic is a gift and that the best gifts are to be given away. Hufflepuffs, “loyal and just,” would naturally abhor the idea of jealously guarding magic or using it to hurt someone else. So Hufflepuffs share their magic to benefit of Muggles, like the Fat Friar, to protect the overlooked, like Newt Scamander with his creatures, or to oppose those who would use magic to torment and bully, like the Hufflepuffs who stood with the DA and the battle of Hogwarts.

Slytherins are the opposite: they believe their magic is a treasure that they have been entrusted to protect. The Slytherin fascination with purity, with advantage, with cunning and secrecy–all of which were perverted by the Death Eaters–comes from the idea that people with magic in their veins have been given something special that it is their duty to protect at all costs. And perhaps they aren’t entirely wrong: power in the wrong hands can be dangerous. And power interfering at will with Muggle affairs is a gross presumption that could turn the course of history. Though the series shows some of the worst that Slytherin can be, “evil,” is not a natural Slytherin tendency. “Cautious,” is.

Ravenclaws believe that magic is an art form, one that is beautiful and should be appreciated and studied for its own sake. If “wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure,” then asking what magic is for is useless. It’s more important to immerse oneself in magic for its own sake. Ravenclaws push the boundaries of magic to see if they can, hence Hermione’s spell experiment on the DA coins being dubbed a Ravenclaw quality, but like Luna Lovegood in the pursuit of extraordinary creatures: they can also be content to plumb the depths of what already exists.

I should point out from the get-go that this is primarily focused on addressing a romance between a hero and a villain, though villain x villain ships will also be addressed in this discussion. I want to talk about what is needed to make a villain viable as a romantic interest for another character. In this case, I am primarily talking about making a villain worthy of a ship within the actual context of the medium, not just creating a thirst-worthy villain that generates a lot of smutty fanart. If the goal is to turn a villain you’re writing into someone swoon-worthy, we need to determine how this is done.

Firstly, we need to address that not all villains are created equal. Some villains are easier to convert into romantic partners than others. Roughly speaking, there are about 7 archetypes for us to address: Anti-Villains, Comedic Villains, Fallen Heroes, Partners in Crime, Henchmen, Nemeses, and Big Bads. And yes, these dynamics are allowed to overlap. With the obvious exception of the Big Bad, these villainous archetypes might be a major villain, but are rarely the endgame final boss of a story. Typically, they’re ultimately a minor threat to a greater evil, although not always. It should be noted that a big bad is not always the biggest threat in the story, just the most commonly faced one. Dr. Drakken is the Big Bad of Kim Possible and her archnemesis, but Shego is easily Kim’s biggest recurring threat.

THE ANTI-VILLAIN

The Anti-Villain is a character who is on the antagonistic side of a conflict, but is morally and personally a good person. Zuko from Avatar: the Last Airbender is a perfect example of a villainous foil to protagonist Aang. However, the story dedicates just as much time to showing his story and his arc as much as the heroes. The audience is allowed to see his struggles, shortcomings, insecurities, and his growth. That, paired with him becoming a certifiable hottie in Book 3 cemented Zuko as one of the most shipped characters in Avatar. Similar Anti-Villains like Scorpia from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Lotor from Voltron: Legendary Defender (until his contradictory and uncharacteristic re-write), and Poison Ivy from Harley Quinn are three villains with sympathetic enough desires and beliefs that the first two end up reforming into good guys by the show’s ending, while Poison Ivy is a villain in name only who keeps insisting she’s not an actual villain. Because the Anti-Villain tends to lack many traditional villainous traits, they have a high chance of redemption, and as such, frequently end up becoming late game teammates to the heroes, which increases their chance of creating romantic or sexual tension with a hero that can actually build into something.

THE COMEDIC VILLAIN

This villain is easily shipable because they’re so incompetent, stupid, relatable, or sympathetic that they’re not really a genuine threat to the heroes regardless of how evil their intentions or motivations. Jessie and James are the most iconic comedic villain ship to date, but other villains like Jack Spicer from Xiaolin Showdown, Ice King from Adventure Time, and Dr. Doofenshmirtz from Phineas and Ferb are all villains so charming, stupid, and inept that fans either actively ship them with someone, or would be okay with them finding a romantic partner in the canon of the series. Despite some of them being legitimate card-carrying villains and darn proud of it, they’re all so hopelessly harmless that their repeated failures endears the audience to how hard they try, yet ultimately fail. Many of these antagonists fall into the trope of the Friendly Enemy, such as Ice King, who can hang out with Finn and Jake to have chili together one week and then next week get into a fight with them because Ice King tried to kidnap a princess without her consent. 

THE FALLEN HERO

The Fallen Hero was once a trusted friend and colleague to the main characters, but has since become a card-carrying villain, betraying everyone and everything they have ever known, usually in pursuit of power or vengeance. I’d say a good 99% of the time, the villain starts as a good guy in the story proper and then gets corrupted by another villain, so the Fallen Hero often ends up a Dragon with their corruptor being the Big Bad as Orocimaru was the Big Bad that corrupted Sasuke… at least at that point in the narrative. But every once in a while, you get a fallen hero villain whose fall the audience doesn’t see, leaving the audience with only the villainous aftermath and their heroic past filled in with backstory or flashbacks. However, the emotions hit much harder if the audience can form a bond with the villain before their Face-Heel Turn. This is by far the most angsty and emotionally impactful villain love interest, as the sense of betrayal and the pain of lovers fighting can have a visceral reaction in the reader or viewer. It’s a large part of why this is also one of the most effective villain love interest types. The characters and the audience already have a strong emotional attachment to the character, and now that they’re a villain, that emotional angst is worked over every time the hero and villain square up.

THE PARTNERS IN CRIME

This is the only ship dynamic that is strictly Villain x Villain. Partners in Crime is when two villains aid each other in their villainous schemes, and no matter how dangerous, evil, or amoral they may be, they love and care for one another. Blowing up a wing of a hospital is hard to find endearing in a villain x hero ship, but blowing up a wing of a hospital because the guy that donated it insulted your S/O? That’s a twisted kind of romantic. This ship dynamic is the epitome of “I would burn the world to the ground just to see the light dancing in your eyes.” A lot of the appeal of this dynamic is the juxtaposition between how they treat the hero(es) or world vs how they treat each other. While the Addams family are not actively villainous in personality or role whatsoever, they often make jokes about decapitation, homicide, Satanism, human sacrifice, gratuitous violence, witchcraft, and torture, which gives them a villainous coat of paint, if only one layer thick. It’s no surprise that Joker x Harley Quinn is the most famous example of this, despite how toxic and abusive their relationship is. While Partners in Crime can be a pair of seriously nasty types, they also have a tendency to be Comedic, such as Jessie and James or Shego and Dr. Drakken, or Anti-Villains like Harley and Poison Ivy in the Harley Quinn adult animated series.

THE HENCHMAN

The Goon, the Dragon, the Partner In Crime, the Henchman is a villain who is little more than a mini-boss, though that has some exceptions. Typically, the Henchman villain will intersect with another type. The outdated stereotype is of the seductive Femme Fatale second-in-command falling inexplicably in love with the male protagonist and aiding him for no real reason other than he’s kinda cute and the hero needs a way out. This has led to the common tendency for the genuinely villainous henchman to be redeemed through love, though if it overlaps with another type, it’ll tend to resolve another way. Shego from Kim Possible is probably the cleanest example. She is a straight up villainous Dragon to Dr. Drakken. Shego and Drakken are also both Comedic Villains and Partners in Crime, helping to endear the audience to Shego’s sarcastic ragging on Dr. D. Terra from Teen Titans is a Fallen Hero with a pre-existing relationship with all of the heroes but especially Beast Boy, and we spent several episodes being endeared to her before her betrayal. Mai and Ty Lee from Avatar: the Last Airbender are this to Azula, with Ty Lee even being shipped with Azula herself. Because Mai and Ty Lee are just henchmen following Azula’s orders, it’s easy for the audience to be more forgiving of their villainous actions, especially since they turned against Azula and stood up to her. They’re more Anti-Villains, simply being citizens of an Evil Empire, with Ty Lee only helping Azula because she was threatened, and Mai because she’s so bored and helping Azula gives her something to do.

THE NEMESIS

The Nemesis is a personal foe to the protagonist. Often overlaps with either a henchman, big bad, or fallen hero variety of villain. Catra from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is a henchman nemesis to Adora, Slade from Teen Titans is a Big Bad nemesis to Robin, and Sasuke from Naruto is a Fallen Hero nemesis to Naruto. Of these three, the Big Bad Nemesis is the least common romantic choice. Catra and Sasuke get their fair share of shipping fodder, but characters like Slade or the Joker don’t tend to get paired with their hero nemesis very much, at least, not by the canon material. The Nemesis shares a benefit with the Fallen Hero. Being so closely linked to a specific hero drastically increases the sexual and/or romantic tension that plays out every time they fight. While not a canon ship in the show, Kim Possible may refer to Dr. Drakken as her nemesis, but she almost always ends up fighting Shego because Shego is the actual threat between the two of them. As such, Kim and Shego have been shipped together driven primarily by being nemeses. The nemesis tends to be more petty and emotional with the hero. There’s a more personal need to one-up each other and prove themselves superior. The nemesis is also more likely to use the hero’s flaws against them. More than most of the other villain ship dynamics, this one drips with inter-character related angst and drama.

THE BIG BAD

This is the one that only tends to work under a few circumstances. Typically, the Big Bad isn’t a very shippable character because they need to be defeated by the end of the story. So, the romantic Big Bad tends to primarily overlap with either: the Nemesis, the Partners in Crime, or the Fallen Hero. Big Bads that get a romantic subplot often end up being revealed to be the dragon to a bigger and more evil villain, such as with Lord Hordak in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. However, there is one variant that debunks this: the Big Bad with loved ones. A great example is Kingpin from Marvel comics. He is a villain, he is a legitimate threat, but he has a wife and child. In this context, the love interest of the villain does exist, but is rarely a major focus of the narrative. The villain is often driven or motivated by the grief of losing the people they love, or driven to desperation to be reunited with the people they care about. Honerva from Voltron: Legendary Defender is a very stupid and weak attempt at this, but does apply. When she becomes the end game villain, she is motivated by reconnecting with her family, even if she has to wipe out every other reality in the multiverse to do it. The last variant comes from the Only One Allowed to Kill You trope, where villains form a personal vendetta with the hero, treating their fights like some cosmic clash of ideologies, destined to remain in constant conflict. The Joker and Batman have this sort of relationship, as does Megatron and Optimus Prime. Often, this is more of a villain-sided thing, as heroes are usually surprised when villains save them to invoke this trope. It almost always overlaps with a Nemesis Big Bad, but takes it a step further because the villain is actively invested in their clashing with the hero. It’s more than just a fierce rivalry. All things considered, Big Bad villains with love interests are hard to write, and it’s easy to see why they don’t tend to show up very much.

ALWAYS A BIGGER FISH

While it’s not a strict rule, and people shipping Joker x Harley is clearly proof of this, the majority of the time, the villainous love interest is not the biggest baddest person in town. Catwoman is a small time thief, nowhere near the destructiveness of Joker. While villain love interests often convert to the side of good, that’s not the only reason why they’re typically smaller villains. For a villain to feel like a compelling love interest, they have to have an interesting dynamic with the hero. They have to be likable enough that them ending up with the hero feels like an acceptable outcome. Where they’re a small enough threat that even if their hero/villain dynamic never changes, the villain winning every once in a while isn’t the end of the world, allowing them to reach a nice equilibrium. It’s easier to pull this off with smaller villains because they don’t look as bad as the puppy kickers or world enders. If the final boss fight is between the hero and their villain love interest, it can only end one of two ways: the hero converts the villain to an ally, ending the conflict, or the pair have to fight, running the risk of turning it into a tragedy. Granted, they could be fighting because of an external thing like war, but in this context, the hero can either stop the thing that puts them and their love interest at odds, or talk their love interest into surrendering peacefully. A similar thing sometimes happens where reformed villain love interests aren’t always pushed by the love of a good woman to change. Sometimes, it’s literally jut a bigger more threatening villain comes along, and it arbitrarily puts the villain and hero on the same side, with the possibility for the alliance to end up sticking, as we see with Vegeta and Bulma in the Dragon Ball Franchise. Vegeta starts off as a Big Bad who nukes his own Henchman just to prove how evil he is, then Freeza poses a threat to all of them, and Vegeta slowly goes from Not Technically The Problem Right Now to Unofficial Token Evil Teammate, and eventually simmering down into Grumpy Anti-Hero mode.

THE TROPE IN ACTION: MEGAMIND

The entire premise of the movie is about the villain getting the girl, so what better way to address the dynamics I’ve discussed than with this movie? First things first is classifying Megamind’s villainy. He’s technically A Big Bad, just not THE Big Bad of the movie. He’s a Comedic Villain with his quirky mispronouncing words shtick and the general tone of the movie being a comedy as well. He evolves from a Big Bad to an Anti-Villain to a Reluctant Hero over the course of the film, growing tired of running rampant through the streets, only to find a new purpose in making Roxanne happy. The film also gives Megamind a Bigger Fish villain in the form of Tighten, contrasting the possessive incel mindset of Hal who feels Roxanne owes him her affections because he’s ‘the good guy’ with superpowers, while Megamind actually learns about who Roxanne is, why certain things matter to her, and then sets to fixing the city he wrecked because it’s important to Roxanne, which makes it important to him. Megamind isn’t even actively trying to win her heart. He bonds with her over how Metroman gave them both a sense of hope and purpose, and as he discovers more about Roxanne as a person, he begins to care about her, and funnels his energy into doing things for her sake. He doesn’t even technically take the credit for cleaning up the litter or returning stolen goods. She has no idea that she’s talking to Megamind, so all of these gestures come out of nowhere from her perspective, and Bernard (who Megamind is disguised as) has no connection to these little miracles as far as she’s aware. Because it’s not about proving it or winning brownie points with Roxanne for Megamind. He genuinely cares about her happiness and changes as a result of caring for her. Likewise, he steps up to being a hero because when Roxanne rejects Tighten, he decides to go full supervillain. And with Tighten threatening both the city, and more importantly, the woman Megamind was willing to change for, Megamind goes from trying to recreate his hero/villain relationship with Metroman to stepping up and becoming the good hero that rises up against the villain Tighten, save the day, and get the girl. Sorry to gush so hard. Megamind is just a seriously good movie and an excellent deconstruction and parody of the superhero genre that deserves more praise than it gets.

LOVING TO HATE THEM: CERSEI LANNISTER

Cersei Lannister is a fantastic villain. She’s undeniably evil, powerful, and dangerous, yet the viewer still finds her sympathetic to a certain extent. If you put a knife to my throat and asked me who is the Big Bad of Game of Thrones, I’d tell you it’s Cersei Lannister. She’s on screen moving the plot and serves as the political final challenge, where as The Night King is an external threat engame boss who is only actually seen in a small handful of episodes. Yet despite being a Big Bad, Cersei doesn’t easily land in any other category. You could say she’s a Partner in Crime with fellow Season 1 villain Jaime, but this dynamic doesn’t stick once he loses his swordfighting hand. She’s sort of vaguely an Anti-Villain, except she dies as a petty, jealous, vengeful woman. So, what is she exactly? Cersei is simply put: humanized. Cersei has very few sympathetic traits, but she is a loving mother, and despite her eldest son being a complete bastard, it still hurts to watch her cry in agony over his body because those screams of anguish belong to a grieving mother, not just to a villain whose evil scheme was just foiled. And as her children are taken from her one by one, the slow descent from condescending bitch to tyrannical overlord makes sense as each devastating loss makes her more and more heartless and careless about who she’s hurting. Cersei told Jeoffry in season 1 that their family are the only people in the world that matter, and now she’s alone in a world of people that don’t matter. Expendable extras to be used as pawns in her game of vengenace and petty self-satisfaction. Cersei is not a likeable person, but the failings and shortcomings of her love life are still compelling because of how she’s humanized.

INTJ

Relationships are never the priority of an INTJ, so when they have an interest in someone they're serious about the case. they give sharp and attentive compliments. They have a sensitive soul and will lower their walls for their lover showing that they're actually a little clueless in love which makes it cute. INTJ's being weirdly hot and charsmatic and love to give their partner bold compliments.

ENTJ

Passionate lovers for real. They like to keep their romance steamy and love when someone joins them on an adventure or long deep conversations. they tolerate criticism and is always looking for a way to develop the relationship more. They'l pamper you with self worth compliments and are into a lot of physical touch, giving the most thoughtful gifts.

ENTP

Curious type of people. Dont mind them asking you tons of questions about everything. They're always busy and love to get drunk. They come up with the most random hilarious ideas. Continue the conversation by debating about the most random subjects ever! They're smooth talkers which makes them natural good flirts. Theyre really easy going and open minded. nothing is weird to them... really.

INTP

Extremely complex and imaginative. no conversation will every be boring with them. they have deep emotions and are very capable of warmth and affection. theyre intelligent and love to encourage their partner. great balance between outgoing and staying inside. they're very enthusiastic about things that takes their interest. they dont demand much in a relationship, they just like the presence.

INFJ

They strive for that long term relationship. generally very selfless and always move forward on life. Sensual lovers, and will take every emotion and conversation serious, they'll do everything to make you feel worth full of yourself. Dating an INFJ will feel like you two are the only people in the world. They can put meaning in words and feelings and they'll teach that meaning to you on a deep emotional manner.

ENFJ

Top tier gentle(wo)man. They're perfect family people and love to be around family and friends. They'll cheer u on every journey and look for opportunities to support their partner in their accomplishments. they put harmony above all else. understanding and optimistic at the right times. Very great intuition and will check up on their partner. Also good at romance, they know exactly how to treat their partner with kind love.

INFP

Strong desire for an emotional/soul deep bond with their partner. they'll give you the best gifs you could every imagine. they're so extremely creative and funny in their own way. you wouldnt find someone like them. Genuine romantics and smooth flirts. very lovay people and always wanted their idea of love to come true. they love to get physical with their partner and share all their ideas and dreams with them.

ENFP

They love to explore and they smoothly go with the flow. Trying new things they've never done because is part of their great inutuive and creative mind. Lets not forget that these people are very funny and weird at the same time. They have strong beliefs and opinions are they always know what they're saying making them quiet intellectual people. very lovable and talkative people. besides nobody hates the ENFP .

ISFJ

Givers kind of type in relationships. They like to give love and attention to their lover and dont expect much back. they just need the reassurance from their partner since they're striving for a long term relationship. Very committed people who sense the emotions of their partner making them very nurturing and caring people. probably the most patient and supportive people on this planet.

ESFJ

Always bringing a lot of love and fun in the relationship. They always try to be as optimistic as possible. they have strong emotional reactions making them easy to read. They're very outgoing and love to plan everything ahead. They'll remember every detail about you and would make you feel very valued. they value traditional relationships, so they're the perfect match for marriage.

ISTJ

Values honestly with a passion. They love to plan everything ahead. no detail will be missed. They strive to help their partner to perfection. They're very predictable and are quiet romantic!. They would put a lot of effort in the relationship to work it out. They have a cliche thought of romance and marriage which makes it easy to see what their goal is and what they're longing for.

ESTJ

Bold lovers for sure. They're not afraid to say what they think. They love to keep things real and structured. They are sensitive and protective lovers who believe in hard work. they keep their promises. They love to go outside and be practical in this society. They love to see progress in life making them solid lovers. They are hard-driven people who wont give up easily, they are also big lover of physical touch as a form of affection.

ISFP

They love surprises and are always trying new things they just thought of. Easy going people who are also surprisingly good with children and people. Lovable people who love the idea of a wholesome relationship. They're the type of partner that would be your best friend and lover making them very reliable companions in life. Nothing will be too late for them!

ISTP

complex and practical. They like to be usefull in a relationship making them reliable people. Building their own life with their partner is an absolute goal for them. They value freedom and take pleasure in simple things, they're not needy and also express their love my performing romantic acts. since their actions will speak louder than words. They like to encourage their partner a lot too.

ESTP

Most fun people to be around with. They'll make you feel in the moment and make you feel all your 5 senses. they're good problem solvers and love to take action. they're essential workers who never get bored! They love physical touch and love to shower their partner with surprises and gifts. they would bring you on an adventure and are life- driven people. which makes them a good companion

ESFP

1. Knowing: Empaths just know stuff, without being told. It’s a knowing that goes way beyond intuition or gut feelings, even though that is how many would describe the knowing. The more attuned they are the stronger this gift becomes.

2. Being in public places can be overwhelming: Places like shopping malls, supermarkets or stadiums where there are lots of people around can fill the empath with turbulently vexed emotions that are coming from others.

3. Feeling others emotions and taking them on as your own: This is a huge one for empaths. To some they will feel emotions off those near by and with others they will feel emotions from those a vast distance away, or both. The more adept empath will know if someone is having bad thoughts about them, even from great distance.

4. Watching violence, cruelty or tragedy on the TV is unbearable: The more attuned an empath becomes the worse it is and may make it so they eventually have to stop watching TV and reading newspapers altogether.

5. You know when someone is not being honest: If a friend or a loved one is telling you lies you know it (although many empaths try not to focus on this because knowing a loved one is lying can be painful). Or if someone is saying one thing but feeling/thinking another, you know.

6. Picking up physical symptoms off another: An empath will almost always develop the ailments off another (colds, eye infections, body aches and pains) especially those they’re closest to, somewhat like sympathy pains.

7. Digestive disorders and lower back problems: The solar plexus chakra is based in the centre of the abdomen and it’s known as the seat of emotions. This is where empaths feel the incoming emotion of another, which can weaken the area and eventually lead to anything from stomach ulcers to IBS (too many other conditions to list here). Lower back problems can develop from being ungrounded (amongst other things) and one, who has no knowledge of them being an empath, will almost always be ungrounded.

8. Always looking out for the underdog: Anyone whose suffering, in emotional pain or being bullied draws an empath’s attention and compassion.

9. Others will want to offload their problems on you, even strangers: An empath can become a dumping ground for everyone else’s issues and problems, which, if they’re not careful can end up as their own.

10. Constant fatigue: Empaths often get drained of energy, either from energy vampires or just taking on too much from others, which even sleep will not cure. Many get diagnosed with ME.

11. Addictive personality: Alcohol, drugs, sex, are to name but a few addictions that empaths turn to, to block out the emotions of others. It is a form of self protection in order to hide from someone or something.

12. Drawn to healing, holistic therapies and all things metaphysical: Although many empaths would love to heal others they can end up turning away from being healers (even though they have a natural ability for it), after they’ve studied and qualified, because they take on too much from the one they are trying to heal. Especially if they are unaware of their empathy. Anything of a supernatural nature is of interest to empaths and they don’t surprise or get shocked easily. Even at the revelation of what many others would consider unthinkable, for example, empaths would have known the world was round when others believed it was flat.

13. Creative: From singing, dancing, acting, drawing or writing an empath will have a strong creative streak and a vivid imagination.

14. Love of nature and animals: Being outdoors in nature is a must for empaths and pets are an essential part of their life.

15. Need for solitude: An empath will go stir-crazy if they don’t get quiet time. This is even obvious in empathic children.

16. Gets bored or distracted easily if not stimulated: Work, school and home life has to be kept interesting for an empath or they switch off from it and end up daydreaming or doodling.

17. Finds it impossible to do things they don’t enjoy: As above. Feels like they are living a lie by doing so. To force an empath to do something they dislike through guilt or labelling them as idle will only serve in making them unhappy. It’s for this reason many empaths get labelled as being lazy.

18. Strives for the truth: This becomes more prevalent when an empath discovers his/her gifts and birthright. Anything untruthful feels plain wrong.

19. Always looking for the answers and knowledge: To have unanswered questions can be frustrating for an empath and they will endeavour to find an explanation. If they have a knowing about something they will look for confirmation. The downside to this is an information overload.

20. Likes adventure, freedom and travel: Empaths are free spirits.

21. Abhors clutter: It makes an empath feel weighed down and blocks the flow of energy.

22. Loves to daydream: An empath can stare into space for hours, in a world of their own and blissfully happy.

23. Finds routine, rules or control, imprisoning: Anything that takes away their freedom is debilitating to an empath even poisoning.

24. Prone to carry weight without necessarily overeating: The excess weight is a form of protection to stop the negative incoming energies having as much impact.

25. Excellent listener: An empath won’t talk about themselves much unless it’s to someone they really trust. They love to learn and know about others and genuinely care.

26. Intolerance to narcissism: Although kind and often very tolerant of others, empaths do not like to be around overly egotistical people, who put themselves first and refuse to consider another’s feelings or points of view other than their own.

27. The ability to feel the days of the week: An empath will get the ‘Friday Feeling’ if they work Fridays or not. They pick up on how the collective are feeling. The first couple of days of a long, bank holiday weekend (Easter for example) can feel, to them, like the world is smiling, calm and relaxed. Sunday evenings, Mondays and Tuesdays, of a working week, have a very heavy feeling.

28. Will not choose to buy antiques, vintage or second-hand: Anything that’s been pre-owned carries the energy of the previous owner. An empath will even prefer to have a brand new car or house (if they are in the financial situation to do so) with no residual energy.

29. Sense the energy of food: Many empaths don’t like to eat meat or poultry because they can feel the vibrations of the animal (especially if the animal suffered), even if they like the taste.

30. Can appear moody, shy, aloof, disconnected: Depending on how an empath is feeling will depend on what face they show to the world. They can be prone to mood swings and if they’ve taken on too much negative will appear quiet and unsociable, even miserable. An empath detests having to pretend to be happy when they’re sad, this only adds to their load (makes working in the service industry, when it’s service with a smile, very challenging) and can make them feel like scuttling under a stone.

Slytherin things (as seen through my life)

The good stuff:

~ Being so comfortable in your own skin that it draws people to you in a mysterious way

~ Knowing how and when to pick your fights because there are some battles you just can’t win

~ Low key teacher’s pet because you know the value of having a good working relationship with those who are in authority- except when the authority doesn’t deserve your respect.

~ Having a playlist for any and every moment, because every moment deserves the perfect mood

~ Values those who are unabashedly themselves

~ Refuses to be labeled because who are you to tell me what I am or am not?

~ Is a very good student because you believe it is important to do everything you do with excellence

~ Takes great pains to be as welcoming and accepting of everyone because you understand what it feels like to be an outsider

~ Is so good at strategy that you can actually choose whether to lose or win a board game, mostly based off of the emotional strength of your opponent (if it’s someone you like, they have better chances of winning)

~ Values family and close friends because they are the ones who know you the best, and support you no matter what

~ Keeps cards from loved ones for years

~ Gets your greatest thrills out of doing the unexpected and gaining high praise from the people you respect

~ Intuitive by nature, high level of emotional intelligence

~ Logic is a tested and true friend

~ Is only openly affectionate with your inner circle

The bad stuff:

~ Let’s emotions build up so long that the smallest thing can set you off on a rampage

~ Being emotionally distant/ doesn’t let people get too close too easily

~ Can be perceived as arrogant or judgmental because of how highly you value intelligence and wit- have very little patience for people with no vision

~ Can actually be very insecure and worries about what other people think about you

~ Being an insufferable know-it-all because you can’t help showing up idiots

 Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. From afar, these two houses can seem very, very different.

Ravenclaws are best known for their eccentricities, creativity, and open-mindedness. They can also be meticulous, analytical, loners.

Gryffindors are best known for being brave, chivalrous, and daring. However, they can be reckless, merciless, and at times, uptight.

If you put these two together, you can get an individual full of big ideas and enacting them, no matter how ridiculous or impossible they may be.

If you are a Ravenclaw/Gryffindor hybrid, then you might possess the following traits.

Traits You May Possess:

·       Explorers – Gryffindors are known for their sense of adventure; they are not afraid of risky hobbies (Quidditch, sneaking into the Forbidden Forest, or turning themselves into Animagi come to mind). Ravenclaws are also explorers in their own right, but they tend to investigate exciting ideas. Think of Luna Lovegood and her fascination with zoology & conspiracy theories or Professor Flitwick as a Charms master. As a RavenDor, you have this insatiable thirst for the unknown, and you are not afraid to tackle it.

·       Uniqueness – Gryffindors are not afraid to be themselves, though they often do this in the loudest, brashest way possible. Sometimes, they try to prove themselves through daring feats. Ravenclaws are not afraid to pursue their interests. These single-minded pursuits may influence their conversation, habits, and focus. As a RavenDor, you own up to who you are, and you aren’t afraid to share it with the world.

·       Meticulous – This can tie into Gryffindors who want to be the best as a means of achieving glory (think competitive Hermione Granger). Ravenclaws would have all their bases covered when it comes to their intellectual pursuits. As a RavenDor, you might be an organizational genius, or you might be the kind of person to overthink everything to make sure it is perfect.  

·       Arrogance – This is a shared trait between Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. Sometimes, Gryffindors are fond of sharing their dominance through physical feats (considering Ron or Harry, who aren’t afraid to get into fights) or pranks (think the Marauders or the Weasley Twins). Sometimes, this can come from their intelligence (think Hermione and her attitude towards Luna’s beliefs or Rita Skeeter). With Ravenclaws, they prize their intellect, and they believe that their knowledge puts them above others (think of Lockhart and his clever yet unethical way of gaining glory). As a RavenDor, you may put yourself above the crowd, and you may go to great lengths to prove that you are the best. You may have a competitive streak that may need to be kept in check.

Conflicts that May Arise:

·       Head vs Heart – A classic conflict. Gryffindors are fond of doing what they feel is right. Ravenclaws often run through the scenarios and what they think is right. Usually, the head and the heart come into conflict. As a RavenDor, the ‘what-if’ can be incredibly haunting. You may feel that you may miss out on something when you decide to follow logic, or you may regret your actions when you choose to follow your heart.

·       Act vs Retreat – This is an extension of the whole ‘head vs heart’ thing. As a Gryffindor, you are compelled to act. You may find yourself wanting to intervene in a situation or offer your two cents. However, the Ravenclaw side of you may tell you to stand down and that it is not your fight. This conflict is arduous as Gryffindors are not afraid to jump into a fight, while Ravenclaws are fond of staying away from conflict. As a RavenDor, there may be a constant battle about what to do: walk away or do something about it.

Many people are familiar with the four Hogwarts Houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. However, it is always impossible to put people into these categories. Nobody is 100% these houses, and that is why we have Hybrid Hogwarts Houses.

I have discussed Ravenclaw x Gryffindor and Ravenclaw x Hufflepuff, but we now have Slytherin x Ravenclaw.

Slytherins are known for being ambitious, cunning, and have a dark reputation. However, they are some of the most determined and confident people out there.

Ravenclaws are known for their intellect, wit, and wisdom. However, they are also known for being eccentric, opinionated, and passionate.

Relating to these two houses can bless you with the following traits and curse you with the subsequent conflicts.

Traits You May Possess:

·       Ambition – Slytherins are, of course, known for their ambition. They cultivate whatever skills are necessary so that they can be at the top of their game. They want to be the best of the best. Because of constant practice and knowing their strengths, they possess self-confidence. Ravenclaws can also be ambitious, but it comes from learning as much as possible about a given subject. Their confidence comes from this bevvy of knowledge. As a SlytherClaw, nothing gets in your way. You are not afraid to go down the rabbit hole and build yourself up. You aren’t afraid to take risks if it means you will be the best version of yourself.

·       Analytical – This can go hand in hand with ambition. Slytherins are known to analyse a situation and work it to their advantage. This can be learning a person’s weaknesses and strengths and using that to your advantage. Or knowing how society works and adjusting accordingly. Ravenclaws look at a subject from every angle so they can find the why of it all.  They will experiment, research, and interrogate as much as possible. If you are a SlytherClaw, you may tend to overanalyse, but this means that you are careful. You are less likely to mess things up, and you usually get what you want in the end.

·       Perfectionist – Ravenclaws and Slytherins often hold themselves to high standards. Ravenclaws need everything to be a certain way, while Slytherin’s self-confidence means that they are constantly improving. As a SlytherClaw, you are meticulous in your work, but this means you can be rigid as well. You may be able to challenge yourself, but this can also mean that it is doubly hard on you when you fail.

·       Friendships – Slytherins and Ravenclaws are usually aloof. But that does not mean they are not afraid to let others in, especially if they are people with common goals and interests. As a SlytherClaw, you may be picky about your friends, but you know who you want and how they can help you in life. And the best part: they know the real you, and they love you for it.

·       Cunning/Cleverness – This relates to Analytical. As a Slytherin, you tend to focus on the how of a situation or a person. Ravenclaws focus on the why of a problem or a person. A Slytherin would learn everything they can about a person, society, or their chosen career. A Ravenclaw would want to know everything they can, period. So, as a SlytherClaw, you have a deep understanding of the world, especially people. So, as a SlytherClaw, you may have a meaningful perception of the world, especially people. You not only know about social mores, but you also understand why they are there in the first place and how they can help you advance or how they can be taken down.

Conflicts You May Face

·       Progress vs Tradition – Slytherin is often more traditional, valuing history and artefacts. They tend to look to the past for ways to navigate their reputation in the present. Ravenclaws, however, look for alternative pathways. They think about the future and how they can change the present to match their vision. As a SlytherClaw, you may understand that the past is not always a bad thing, but you may want the future to be so much more. You may have difficulty reconciling these oft-conflicting viewpoints, paralysing you in the present.

·       Risk vs Caution – This has to do with the conflict styles of both Houses. Slytherins are more aggressive than Ravenclaws. If the situation calls for it, they will fight their way out. They do not go picking fights, but they do finish them. Ravenclaws tend to avoid the conflict altogether, sometimes by ending the battle before it can even begin. As a SlytherClaw, you may find yourself torn between taking action or stepping back. You may want to take a chance, especially if you will come out on top. But your Ravenclaw side will ask you, ‘is it really worth it?’.