Wings Cannot Be Chained

I know I haven’t finished the ‘Harry’s Side of Things’, and I plan to finish those as a promotion-something when Book Two is about to be posted (Progress Update coming soon).

But I wanted to point out something, just in case anyone has been wondering.

At the end of The Incident, while Retreated, Draco overhears Harry, Ron, and Hermione talking about both Draco’s and Harry’s home life. I know in canon, I doubt Ron and Hermione knew about the cupboard thing, especially not that early.

Here’s a Harry’s Side of Things spoiler: See, in my head, Harry observes Draco when he comes back from hols. Draco refuses to have the bruises his father left to be healed. He doesn’t hide anything. He’s honest. He’s self-righteous. He refuses to be ashamed.

And it gets Harry thinking... How would his life have been different if he had done the same growing up? If he didn’t make excuses for the Dursleys? He has several layers of the regular side effects of being from an abusive home - but Draco’s reaction reaches him. So, he tells Ron and Hermione some of what goes on, where he used to sleep.

This is important. Why? Because of future things in my fic. Particularly in Book Two, concerning the relationship between Draco and his father.

But I most definitely wanted to take a minute to shout out to @timetomakeanewwish

There are some (I’m looking at a few of you, mainly you whose Tumblr begins with ‘left’ and ends with ‘paradise’... [you’re awesome; I love you @lefttidalwaveparadise ]) who have found the real Tumblr me. For all I know, it’s just a matter of double-clicking something. However, I did learn that when I try to reply to a comment on a post, it only replies as my main Tumblr.

So I don’t because I want this Tumbling to be about my fic.

However, I absolutely have to take time to address you, timetomakeanewwish. You are amazing. I love your replies/comments/whatever they’re called for Tumblr posts. I eat them up, and you have constantly inspired me to fight with ‘Book Two’. (See my latest progress update). 

Two of your responses that had particularly touched me were: the ‘young Draco’ post when you said ‘hey guys I found perfection’ and your promotion of my fic with the Harry’s Side of Things.

My god, man *said in John Lithgow's voice*

Honestly, my little poll thingy about this feels like a silly question now. Of course, Chaser Draco.

Reasons? It was unanimous.

Also,

Because @lilyinthebreeze not only brought up a fantastic point that Draco would be too young and therefore probably too small to be a Beater or Keeper, but also because they, quote, ‘always pictured Draco being a Chaser if he couldn’t be a Seeker,’ which warms my heart. 

(Thank you, lilyinthebreeze, and I’m glad you like my edited pics that try to depict Draco [and his eyes] that I see. Thank you so, so much.)

And because @expensivebee always wanted Draco to be a Chaser! I agree, Chasers are second to Seekers with how fast and agile they are, and Draco would totally make a great Chaser!

Giant shout out to @hitomicabrera , @ilysmkimtaehyung , @theuniverseisaholigram for also voting!!! Thank you so much! Hitomicabrera, you said you’d love to see a Chaser Draco, and ilysmkimtaehyung, you said you’d think it’d be great, so I hope I do it well!

I hate my life.

SO... I got through chapter eight (projected 15 chaps altogether) and had to mostly start over rework basically everything because it just wasn’t fucking working. Which is why I hadn’t posted a progress update - it kept feeling off.

Here’s the thing... Lucius isn’t a nice, jolly fellow - but he isn’t Voldemort or the Dursleys either. Draco is his only heir, his only son, even if it’s not the son he wants.

Book Two of my little thingy is going to have a lot of Lucius and Draco angst because when I try anything else, Lucius Malfoy pops the fuck up and gives me a giant finger. 

The main thing I had to tackle with this one is Lucius being responsible for the Chamber of Secrets being opened. Like I did with The Incident, I am exploring why a grown-ass, seemingly intelligent adult would do such a thing. I had originally planned on sticking the canon Lucius motives...

What are those, you might ask?

Glad you did, because since I won’t be able to explore it in my story, I’mma post them here - in another post, in case all you care about is the progress update.

Anywho, that has now since changed completely. Lucius’ motives are tied directly to his concern and opinions of his son as he is in this fic. As such, I’m having to write an entirely different first chapter because, try as I might to avoid it, I need to lay the basic groundwork for it.

Serious question - who here cares if the first chapter features mostly Draco’s home life, a little bit of ‘where’s Harry?’, and a bit of Ravenclaws thinking they’re geniuses just to have their families/Slytherin friends point out their idiocy?

Because if we go this route, I think I can close off the summer by the end of chapter two. Even so - this new angle will create additional scenes between Draco and his father as well as Draco with the Slytherins. The projection is 17 chapters. Also a serious question - is that okay? Or would you guys prefer I find a way to trim that and focus mostly on Harry/Draco. ( Also, Harry/Draco is still in there. This new angle actually creates the opportunity for Harry to see family in a way he never did in canon and makes him be the only one who’s like, ‘He’s your dad, Draco. You’d regret it if you don’t try’.)

Third serious question... How do you feel about the following:

This new angle will not color Narcissa in the usual badass-actually a good person-misunderstood person most good!draco fics do. I can’t really find a way around it.

This will be my take on it, though - Draco in this really is a good!draco. He had such a horrific trauma experience not to be. Therefore, he’s not entirely in this gray area but over there in the ‘Light’. As such, Lucius will represent the ‘Dark’, and Narcissa will represent the ‘Gray’. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll say taking this angle will result in a conversation between Narcissa and Draco at either the end of Two or the beginning of Three that will basically lay out three main things:

Sometimes it is healthiest for oneself not to save someone.

Sometimes it is healthiest for someone to take the ‘easy’ route because that is literally the only thing they have it in them to do anymore.

And, basically, just because someone wouldn’t piss on you if you were on fire doesn’t mean they would just let anyone burn. 

So yeah. That’s where this is. Reply, message, answer in a reblog, just let me know! (Even if you don’t, I’mma progress where I am anyway, so no pressure)

Otherwise, sorry... Don’t blame me, blame Lucius.

Anthony: You broke my plate!

Michael: Accidentally! I had a banana thrown at me.

Ron, from the Gryffindor table: To you! Not at you!

Ron: And you should know how to catch a banana!

I think we all know Draco was going to end up on the Quidditch team. Currently in the process writing that, but I got to thinking... 

Draco won’t be Seeker (sorry) because, y’know, future Ravenclaw Seeker things. HOWEVER, he will be on the team. It doesn’t really affect the plot if he’s Keeper, Chaser, or Beater...

So, my readers you are so fucking amazing and are following this (and those who randomly find this post and have an opinion) - what position would you like to see him in?????

I don’t know how to do official poll things, so reply/comment/message me/whatever. 

Link to the series/fic I’m talking about: http://archiveofourown.org/works/12675621/chapters/28897353