tealpeal

Im so happy you have a tumblr account !!! I am truly in love with your fanfic Ghost in the Latrine, and I'm thrilled theres a social media where you can talk about it and answer questions

I actually deleted Tumblr a couple of months ago then i saw you shared your blog and i was like ''hm... maybe making a new account is worth it...''

Anyway, i made a couple of memes a while ago that i never got to share about GITL, so this feels like the perfect occasion!!! Tumblr is refusing to let me send the ask with the memes for some reason, so I'll make a separate post and tag you, Im so sorry for the unintentional spam!!

I also have a question! I've really been hoping for Myrtle to make more girl friends and I keep sighing about how Charine will probably never make a comeback (the slytherin potion partner Avery ''stole''), hoping that Druella will came back sooner rather than later and now Miss Rowle... I dont know, i really hope Myrtle will visit the Rowle daughter, or maybe that she'll come to hogwarts or something... I am so so so curious about how Olive and Myrtle's relationship will develop and i'm hoping for a genuine friendship but i fear it'll be something complicated instead

I guess my question is, will we get to see Myrtle have some close friendship with girls soon? And if yes, who? I just want her to have a break, poor baby ToT. I feel like some girl friends would really do her good

Thank you so so so much for the update, keep up the good work! I hope you have an amazing week :)

BROOOOOO

The memes!!!!!!!! !!!!

I'm HOWLING they are SO funny.

Holy shit.

This is like the best thing ever. I love you and I love your brain. These deserve to be seen, would it be okay If I linked your post in the fic?

Re the girl friends question - I knowwwww, I feel so bad. Myrtle needs one so desperately. It's been such a boy-centric story, and from about chapter two I've had a permanent mental sticky note up that's like... dude, at least try to pass the Bechdel test. And I can't believe you remember Charine! She's such a sweetheart and I regret sidelining her instantly. Look I dont want to spoil anything, but I think you'll enjoy some of the character interactions the upcoming few chpaters . And as for Olive and Myrtle… well. Nothing in this story is ever simple, I'm afraid.

Thank you so much for the questions and support!! and for making a tumblr account again - I'm so glad you did, even if just so I could see those works of genius. You have my undying loyalty for those alone!!

If it’s alright I wanted to ask a clarifying question, like what do most of the characters in GITL look like? I’m mostly thinking in terms of defining physical characteristics, like hair or eye colors. Not face claims though if you have any I’d be interested to hear them! I’m just curious since I’ve seen a few facts throughout the fic but wanted to see if you have any set things for the Ravenclaw crew or Slytherins, or if it’s something you’d prefer leaving to the imagination!

On that note, are Riddle and Hagrids looks copies of their actors or book counterparts or perhaps a mix? I’m mostly imagining Myrtle being freaked out by the implications in the formost case.

Speaking of Hagrid, seeing a little mention of him going across the grounds was a ! :D Moment for me. I wonder if he’s gone off to visit his 8 legged friend or meet with any other dangerous creatures. It still makes me happy to think him still a student at Hogwarts, maybe he can become the Care of Magical Creatures professor sooner and Kettleburn can retire a little faster this time around. Though looking it up, he’s perhaps still early in his career right now. Here’s to hoping- OH! Oh! He’ll be a graduate this time around?? Then maybe he could maybe get an apprenticeship working with dragons or something else in that sort of professional capacity. Education opens doors to opportunities, so here’s to making his dreams come true…

I got a bit distracted but now I’ve got a few new things to spin around in my head regarding the characters futures. Anyways, lots of love! <3 Thank you for the last chapter, the bathroom scene was an actual horror scene which was so well done within Myrtle’s comedic perspective. As always im excited to see what’s in store in the future and I hope you’re able to get through both your work and writing with much success! Stay safe!

Hi, Handful of Sand! Wow, thank you so much for sticking around through this very slow journey since those early chapters!! And thank you so much for all your kind words 🥹

I am definitely happy to share my thoughts on everyone's phsyical appearances. That being said, I also love letting people create their own version of the characters in their head, and I'd hate to impose my own vision over theirs. So please take it all with a grain of salt, and pleaassseee do imagine everyone as you wish! i'll put my descriptions below under a read more :)

Yes yes yes, I absolutely echo your aspirations for Hagrid's future. He was such a victim in the original story, and it honestly hurts to imagine what the original teenage Hagrid went through. I just want my son to be HAPPY (and agreed. education changes everything! Let that man learn, let him thrive).

You're wonderful, thank you for the well wishes and support!!

PHYSICAL TRAITS:

First of all, another amazing chapter. I swear, every update somehow raises the bar.

I absolutely loved Myrtle's conversation with Bastian. It was so bittersweet. She's trying so hard to connect with him, asking all these impossible questions, and he just keeps going through the same motions... it was heartbreaking. And then she accidentally says, "Do you ever feel like you're looping through the same bad day over and over?" 😭 That line hit me so hard.

I also loved the Transfiguration section. Myrtle trying to rationalize wizarding magic will never stop being hilarious. The whole existential crisis about the hare-chair absolutely killed me. 😂 It feels exactly like what someone from our world would obsess over after being dropped into the HP universe.

I wanted to ask something completely unrelated! Would you ever consider doing a fancast for the main characters? I'd absolutely LOVE to see how you picture everyone—especially the Knights. I have mental images for them, but I'm so curious to know whether they're anywhere close to what you imagined while writing.

Amazing chapter as always, and thank you so much for sharing this story with us. 💋

Ah, so kind, thank youuu!!!

Yay glad u like the Bastian parts. I know this fic bounces between genres like a pinball on speed, but still i've been itching to fold in more gothic vibes into the story. Add a tragic ghost tale to the blender, y'know? Bastian will feature a bit more in future, not least because it gives me an excuse to play with that!

And the Transfig rant was also a lot of fun. I kept trying to picture what studying higher-level magical theory would actually be like in a culture that barely bothers to understand basic science, yet somehow remains convinced it's superior to muggles. i feel like, as a muggle, it would be...frustrating. To say the least.

Would I ever consider doing a fancast? Great question. I do have pretty clear mental images for all of them, but, off the top of my head, most of them don't really line up with any particular actor, so I'd probably have to do a fair bit of hunting to find the closest matches. I also quite like leaving readers the freedom to imagine the characters however they see them, and I'd hate to do anything that threatens to overwrite that. That said... who knows? could be a fun little project to put together! Stay tuned, perhaps.

I HAVE SOO MANY QUESTIONS TO ASK!! First of all, How many chapters do you aim for this fic to have and do you want it to be a SLOW burn?

Also, I’m really interested about Myrtle’s family dynamic, because in some fics they’re literally going through religious psychosis while in the others, they’re too innocent and sweet xd! What plan do u have for her?

Another thing is the narrator’s/New Myrtle’s past life! I’m really curious to see Tom’s reaction to it, his controlling, narcissistic personality who thinks he has the upper hand will be…shocked? Or won’t believe her? Though, I do think he will exploit her, but I can’t wait for that juicy scene ;)

I honestly expected Myrtle to dress gorgeous and for Tom to gape at her, become jealous but the circumstances never truly work for her 💔 honestly I hope to see her make some friends (maybe even Olive) to support her traumatised mental health state and for her to have amazing friends but I also get that she is trying to distance herself

Last question, what opinions do Hornby and moody have for her? Especially Hornby, because he seems to be developing romantic, caring feelings for her? I can’t wait to see Olive’s reaction to that lol

IT IS AMAZING TO READ UR FIC, ITS ONE OF THE BEST ONES OUT THERE! I CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT UPDATE :))!

Hello!!! eek thank you so so much!! okay, let me try and work through them one by one.

"How many chapters do you aim for this fic to have and do you want it to be a SLOW burn?"

*cries* The question I live in fear of. When I started this, it was my first ever attempt at fanfic. I had no idea if i'd enjoy writing fanfic, let alone stick with it, so I kinda subconsciously gave myself permission to dream up this ridiculously epic and sprawling story cause i assume i'd abandon it halfway and just let the rest play out in my imagination lolll. OBVIOUSLY I want to finish it now. Which means i eventually have to land this plane. Which means I have to think more practically about scope. Which is hard cause i keep writing MORE ideas instead of less. (someone restrain me). All that to say, I have no idea how many chapters this will end up as, but I do know there are still plenty to come.

As for the slowburn question... erm... it'll burn fast, and it'll burn slow. ?hope that clears things up 😅. I guess I can say that it will be a fair way off before we get an established tom/myrtle pairing in the traditional sense. But my foot is definitely on the accelerator from here on out when it comes to the chemistry, obsession, and connection between them.

"Also, I’m really interested about Myrtle’s family dynamic, because in some fics they’re literally going through religious psychosis while in the others, they’re too innocent and sweet xd! What plan do u have for her?"

I've been trying to imagine what kind of family upbringing might have created the original moaning myrtle charcter. what nature? what nurture? What impact would the muggle historical setting have had on her and her family? Sorry, I realise that's an annoyingly cryptic answer! keeping my cards close to my chest for now, because the home-life chapter is coming up shortly!

"Another thing is the narrator’s/New Myrtle’s past life! I’m really curious to see Tom’s reaction to it."

By the time Tom uncovers this, I think he'll know Myrtle well enough to recognise she isn't lying. I also tried to quietly sprinkle a little bit of an isekai/transmigration precedent into the lore, and i'm hoping to touch on it again, even if just briefly, in future chapters. (The textbook about the ancient wizard philosopher who threw himself into the volcano- it mentioned souls being ferried from between bodies) Now… imagine Tom Riddle discovering Myrtle had somehow pulled off a mechanism for cheating death that he didn't even know existed. It's gonna set him OFF. Not going to help his obssession levels.

"I honestly expected Myrtle to dress gorgeous and for Tom to gape at her, become jealous but the circumstances never truly work for her 💔 honestly I hope to see her make some friends"

Sorry myrtle, if you had a kinder author writing this story, that's exactly how it would have gone hahaha.

And yes!! Never has a girl needed female friendship more!! 😭❤️ She's a girl's girl through and through, and feeling the absence of that particular kind of kinship strongly.

"Last question, what opinions do Hornby and moody have for her? "

AHhh Hornby & Moody!! my first OCs, my children, my hearts.

Hornby is my sweet bby angel. He is such a good guy. solid heart in a very morallly compromised world. His instict is to meet people with kindness, and despite everything myrtle previously put him through, he still extended her kindness. Because he let her in first, myrtle practically imprinted on him lol, and I think he subsequently developed this almost sense of responsibility toward her in return. Which makes him STRESSED as frick, cause even if he doesn't fully understand whats going on , he can sense she's gotten herself into danger. However, he's not a naturally confrontational person. Bit of a scaredy-cat. So despite caring for her enormously, he can't protect her. that only compounds his stress even more. Hornby's pieced together that Myrtle knows things about the future, that she's lost the original Myrtle's memories, and that she knows far more about the Slytherin gang than she should. More than anything, he wishes she'd run from them instead of getting involved. Personally I didn't intentionally write him to have any romantic interest in her, but rather to offer myrtle a safe, expectation-free friendship.

Moody is my grumpy bby angel hahah. His affection for Myrtle is expressed almost entirely through snark and irritation. He actually likes the new version of her a lot, but is just spectacularly bad at communicating that like a normal human being. He respects that she has conviction. She's got fight, she's got spark, and she'll stand her ground. Unfortunately, he also thinkgs she is being an absolute idiot 99% of the time. But theres this growing loyalty between them, an unspoken willingness to fight for each other. The 'she might be a mad asshole, but she's OUR mad asshole' kind of vibes. He's not remotely convinced by the whole seer thing, and he has absolutely no idea what's going on between her and the Slytherins. What he does know is that she seems to have an antagonistic relationship with a group of people he already can't stand, and his thoughts on that are basically, I don't know why you're picking fights with them, but you have my full support.

.....

I can't wait for the next one—the Slughorn dinner party is going to be so juicy!

I was secretly hoping for a Princess Diaries moment where Myrtle would finally get to rediscover herself with a gorgeous dress and a proper hairstyle... and instead it was: Nope. Fuck you, Myrtle. You get isekai body dysmorphia instead. 😭😂

(You're evil, by the way. Absolutely no mercy. XD)

I also wanted to ask you something about the whole parents situation. Does Myrtle actually realize that once summer arrives, classes end and she'll have to go back "home"? It struck me that she still hasn't really stopped to question who home is... or even where home is anymore. Is that something she's consciously avoiding, or is she just too overwhelmed by everything else to think about it?

Your writing is genuinely incredible—the pacing, the humor, and the way you make Myrtle feel so vivid and painfully real are all amazing. I especially love how effortlessly you balance comedy and emotional gut-punches; it makes every chapter such a joy to read.

Love youuuu 💜💜💜💜💜

AHH that is so kind, thank you ! ❤️

The slughorn party is gonna be juicy indeed. I can't wait to share it >:)

Honestly, It WAS tempting to give her a princess diaries moment as well, but I'm all for realism (I say, while writing one of the most unrealistic, absurd stories imaginable). And realistically, Myrtle had neither the time, the tools, the skill, nor the mental bandwith to give herself a makeover. Not to mention it was pretty low down on her list of priorities. So instead shes going in looking like a moose. (but a very cute moose!)

That being said, you might be relieved to know, that she will get a small fix-up before the night is over. I didn't condemn her to look so disastrous onlyyyy because I'm evil (though that is a factor), it was also a narrative set up, it will give another character the motive and opportunity to step in and help her.

Re: the parent situation - I haven't really written much about it yet, partly because I think Myrtle's avoiding the thought of it herself. There's something deeply tragic to her about the idea that she's stolen the body of some parents' child, and she's not emotionally equipped to unpack that right now. She's also just been so distracted by... well, everything else. But it's definitely been brewing away deep in the back of her mind. And she's not going to be able to avoid it any longer. This is the start of the summer holidays. Chapter after the slugclub party, I'm sending her home. We'll finally get to see Myrtle's home life, and I'm hoping it will answer quite a few questions.

And thank you so much for reading and engaging it means the world!

Also can I ask what exactly is the Knight’s view on Myrtle? It’s she still their fun little pet sometimes prone to biting or are they maybe a tiny bit scared of what she knows?

Thank you so much for the update I love your work! <3

YAYY welcomeee!!

GREAT question. Anddd i'm in the mood to ramble, so let me answer this properly!

Okay, so It depends upon which Knight you're asking. At this stage, I would say the general consensus is that Myrtle is like a stray cat they've collectively adopted. sometimes adorable, sometimes feral. But always easy to wind up into putting on an entertaining show. Whether they think she's genuinely prophetic varies from person to person. some take seers seriously, others dismiss the whole idea. But almost all of them have become interested because Tom is interested. Myrtle is one of the only people any of them have seen consistently grip Tom's attention in ways they can't explain. It unsettles and fascinates them all. There is the uncomfortable question of what she knows with regard to their crimes. Riddle assures them he absolutely has the situation under control, and most trust him implicitly (they shouldn't. He most certainly does not have the situation under control).

NOW Let me take you more closely inside the minds of some of these boys!!

Nott, for all his class-clown performance, has a pretty layered view of her. He absolutely has ulterior motives, seeing personal value in someone who may or may not possess genuine prophetic abilities, and he's perceptive enough to recognise that Riddle's interest alone imbues Myrtle with significance. Positioning himself in her orbit is simply good strategy, and he isn't above cultivating relationships simply because they might prove useful. He is calculated, and he is manipulative, yes BUT he also just genuinely likes her! Despite all her snappiness, he knows they share a similar sense of humour, and she's one of the few people who's on his wavelength, who will meet his witty absurdity with witty absurdity of her own. To Nott, Myrtle is tremendous fun.

Rosier enjoys exerting control and unsettling people through charm/flirtation, and Myrtle is a very susceptible target, and reacts spectacularly to his efforts. He's a bit of a narcissist, so he enjoys that. He likes people to be obsessed with him, and wouldn't mind if the group pet was obsessed with him the most out of all y'know? Of all the knights, though, he's probably one of the least convinced she possess any real power beyond her ability to amuse, and one of the least worried about being exposed for his crimes. He thinks his wealth and looks would place him above consequence (unfortunately, they would).

Avery is interesting. He certainly doesn't fear Myrtle, nor does he put much stock in the idea she's got any real power, prophetic or otherwise. But he's known her longer than others, and understands clearly the depths of Riddle's depravity. He can already see where Myrtle's path is heading if she continues to attract Tom and the group's attention, and although he'd never admit it, I think he genuinely hopes she will manage to step off that road before its too late. He (secretly) cares for her, and (SUPER secretly, as in, its a secret even to himeself) feels guilty for his role in condemning her to her fate.

Orion is perhaps the most politically / strategically minded after Tom, Though he understands perfectly well that Riddle is the one who commands the room, orion's strenght lies not in competing for that role but in recognising where influence can be gained through alliances and long-term investments. Is myrtle a potential investment or just a liability?? Her value needs furhter assessing. After that hogmeade walk, and her "prophecy" about muggle technology, he's putting more weight into her potentially being an asset. She demonstrably knows things she she shouldnt. Though it would be inconvenient if myrtle spilled the beans on his less savoury activities, he knows ultimately it would be fine, his family would quickly cover it up. He's a Black. The entire system is built to serve his interests.

Abraxas thinks the seer business is complete nonsense. Myrtle is an irritating little mudblood who keeps forgetting her place, and he cannot for the life of him understand why his dear friend Tom RIddle - the cleverest, most exceptional, most handsomest wizard alive has become so distracted by her. He would elaborate further, but he has more pressing matters to attend to thank you very much, such as as brushing his hair another hundred times and ensuring he smells suitably of roses before the next opportunity to sit beside Tom presents itself.

Lestrange... ohh boy. I dont want to linger in his mind. In fact I'm just gonna hop right back out. Suffice to say, he will make his opinions clear enough in the narrative.