Lately I’ve been feeling a bit drained by the intensity of the Harry Potter fandom. I spent many years away from online fandom spaces, and coming back after almost two decades has been… surprising. Things used to feel a lot calmer, a lot less heated, and I think I wasn’t prepared for how overwhelming the current atmosphere can be.
Part of this is simply how my brain works. I’m autistic (with ADHD!), and I have a very literal way of reading stories. I cling to what’s actually in the text, and sudden character reinterpretations or drastic changes to canon with no logic explanation tend to confuse me more than anything. I don’t mean any harm by it; it’s just the way my mind processes things. It makes it hard for me to keep up with certain debates, and even harder to “just ignore” things that feel completely disconnected from the books.
I don’t get shipping or headcanons unless they totally make sense in canon (which most popular ships and headcanons usuall don’t).
None of this is anyone’s fault, and it’s not drama. I’m just realising that my own rigidity and sensitivity make the fandom noise a bit much at times. My offline life already has enough challenges, so this space needs to stay a place where I can breathe, not another source of stress.
If I go quieter, I’m not disappearing, just taking care of myself, slowing down, and trying to enjoy the parts of Harry Potter I love without pressure.
Thank you to everyone who’s been kind. I really appreciate the empathy more than you know. 💛
Your Lupin Lover “dinosaur”.