i like the lore that piandao trained zuko but i don't think it was exactly the wholesome adoption that people like to do with zuko and any father figures. like in my mind piandao receives a letter from the fire lord like "the crown prince sucks at firebending and you're the best swordsman in the nation so we are sending him to be trained. this is non-optional" and piandao's legitimately contemplating committing treason rather than compromise his values and then the end of the the letter is like "we know you're usually selective we'll pay whatever" and piandao's like. okay FINE please pay me an absolutely ridiculous amount. and ozai agrees bc anything to get his failson out of his hair and piandao sends the money to the white lotus to fund a resistance group in the earth kingdom
and baby zuko, that turtleduck-loving mama's boy theater nerd, arrives on his doorstep and this is where most people would have him change his tune but piandao's just like "sure he seems cute now but he'll grow up to do imperialism". he teaches zuko the dual swords, a commoner's weapon, bc the ideal path for this kid who seems way too nice to be part of the royal family is to give it all up. but he doesn't think that's gonna happen. like iroh comes for a visit and he also seems nicer than the rest of the royal family but he did the siege of ba sing se so like. what does it matter that zuko likes theater and turtleducks and his mommy? he can still hate the earth kingdom and water tribes.
all of this is going on in his head, of course. in his actual interactions with zuko he's a very kind and patient teacher. he knows ozai's a bad dad and he wants to at least try to help this kid onto a better path. but it's not until he hears about the banishment and reports of a guy in a theater mask with dual swords committing treason that he's actually like "oh shit maybe there's some hope for this kid after all"
and he only really adopts him post-canon when iroh fucks off to ba sing se and SOMEBODY needs to help this poor kid navigate fire nation politics and i guess that's gonna be me. okay actually i like him now :) maybe i'll set him up with sokka
((Affectionately))
Glory and Gore go hand in hand
Can't wait to revisit this series. to absorb everything i can and incorporate it to my art, to my writing. it was just amazing. Glorious if u will.
U can get prints if u want here:
If you were to want the tarot card version just tell me in the comments and i will upload it for you :)
(kofi request) izuku beat her comphet <3 they're girlfriends <3
When in doubt, draw Jackrabbit (Post-easter version)
Ah, your atla arts are lovely!
Can you maybe draw young adults kataang with painted lady Katara, and a tall Aang pleasssse 🥹
anon is this good
my sweet SWEET man
This is a dedication to all those who say that class has nothing to do with the bullying that James exerted on Severus, to those who claim that James couldn't be classist because "he never proactively despised anyone for being poor" or because "he was friends with Remus," to those who say "Snape also attacked him" or suggest it was a "rivalry" and that they were on equal footing, or simply to those who say they are "fictional characters" and that fiction has nothing to do with reality, blah blah blah. This is something I have written with bibliographical references because, once in a while, I can stop being a simp goof and show off my university degree in political science. And yes, I am going to be an authentic pedant because I can, and because many people seem to live in a candy-coated world regarding these issues, and it wouldn't hurt them to get a bit educated. That said, here goes my essay:
When analysing the interactions between James Potter and Severus Snape in the "Harry Potter" universe, it is common to find vehement defences of James, arguing that his bullying was not class-motivated. However, it is crucial to untangle how class dynamics operate structurally and how this influences interpersonal relationships. James Potter, as a member of a wealthy, pure-blood family, represents the dominant class, while Severus Snape, coming from a poor, working-class background, embodies the subordinate classes. In the magical world, pure-blood lineage is associated with inherited privileges similar to aristocracy in the real world, where blood purity is a marker of status and power. Authors like Anderson and Löwe (2006) have explored how heritage and lineage have been determining factors in the distribution of power and privileges throughout history, both in fictional and real contexts. This socioeconomic background plays a crucial role in the power dynamics between characters like James and Severus, highlighting how class structures affect their interactions and perpetuate inequality.
Social class, according to Marxist analysis, is a structural category that determines individuals' positions within society based on their access to the means of production. In "Harry Potter", pure-blood status equates to magical aristocracy, while Muggle-borns, Half-Bloods with muggle parent and those from humble origins, like Snape, represent the working or marginalised classes. James Potter, on the other hand, embodies the privileges of the elite, not only through his wealth but also through his lineage, which grants him a status that influences his interactions with others.
The bullying James exerts over Severus cannot be disconnected from its socioeconomic context. Although James may not have explicitly expressed disdain towards Severus for being poor, the way he exploits his superior position to humiliate and subdue Severus reflects power dynamics based on class. Pierre Bourdieu describes how power structures are reproduced through symbolic violence, where the dominant classes impose their cultural and social legitimacy over the subordinate ones, perpetuating inequality. In the context of 'Harry Potter', this symbolic violence is reflected in how the magical aristocracy imposes its values and norms on those of humble origin. The public humiliations James inflicts on Severus are not just acts of bullying but also manifestations of a structural power that favours the privileged like James. Besides Bourdieu, other theorists such as Michel Foucault could provide complementary perspectives on how power is exercised and perpetuated in institutions, in this case, Hogwarts as a microcosm of magical society.
In James and Severus's case, this symbolic violence manifests in the public humiliations James inflicts on Severus, using his status to ensure there are no significant repercussions. James's position as a popular and privileged student grants him social immunity that Severus, due to his humble origin, cannot counter. This demonstrates how class structures influence the dynamics of school bullying, where resources and social capital determine which behaviours are acceptable and which are not.
The "Harry Potter" fandom often minimises James's actions, portraying him as a mere prankster without malice, while pathologising Severus's response, attributing it to resentment and bitterness. This narrative reinforces the whitewashing of the actions of the rich and popular to the detriment of the poor and marginalised. Theodor W. Adorno and Max Horkheimer, in their "Dialectic of Enlightenment", explain how the culture industry and hegemonic discourses contribute to naturalising domination relationships, presenting them as inevitable or even fair. Their analysis reveals that modern media perpetuates class dynamics by presenting power structures as natural and immutable. This can be observed in how the dominant narrative in the 'Harry Potter' franchise tends to glorify high-class characters like James while marginalising figures like Severus, whose resistance to the system is viewed with suspicion or disapproval. Contemporary studies, such as Mark Fisher's "Capitalist Realism" (2009), also highlight how media reinforces the current economic and social status quo, making it difficult to imagine alternatives to the existing system.
By justifying James's bullying as mere youthful pranks, the fandom perpetuates a narrative that excuses the abuse of power and classism, ignoring the impact these actions have on individuals like Severus, who are already in a structurally disadvantaged position. This reinforces social hierarchies and strips victims of their agency and dignity.
Severus's portrayal as a bullying victim is intrinsically linked to his social class. His marginalisation is not just a product of his actions or personal choices but a consequence of social structures that privilege figures like James Potter. Antonio Gramsci's theories on cultural hegemony are useful here to understand how the dominant class's ideas are imposed as normative, silencing the oppressed voices and legitimising the violence they suffer. In the 'Harry Potter' narrative, this hegemony manifests through the glorification of the values and behaviours of pure-blood characters like James, while the perspectives of the marginalised, like Severus, are dismissed or vilified. For example, the Marauders, led by James and Sirius, both rich pure-bloods, are portrayed as mischievous heroes despite their aggressive behaviour towards Snape, who is depicted much more negatively even when acting in self-defence. This reflects how cultural hegemony shapes public perception, perpetuating a value system that favours the privileged and marginalises the oppressed. Authors like Stuart Hall have explored how media and popular culture reinforce these hegemonic structures, underscoring the need for critical analysis to dismantle these dominant narratives.
Severus, in this sense, represents those who are constantly repressed by power structures and whose narrative is distorted to fit a worldview that favours the privileged. His resistance and eventual adoption of extreme ideologies can be understood as a response to this marginalisation, a desperate attempt to reclaim agency systematically denied to him.
To fully understand the relationship between James Potter and Severus Snape, it is essential to acknowledge the influence of class structures on their interactions. The narrative that minimises James's bullying and blames Severus perpetuates a simplistic and biased view that ignores the complexities of social inequality and power. By applying a critical analysis based on Marxist theories, we can unravel how classism permeates these relationships. Studies on young adult literature, such as those by Maria Nikolajeva, and the analysis of victimisation frameworks in popular culture by Henry Jenkins provide a theoretical framework that reinforces the need to re-examine fandom's conceptions to avoid perpetuating these structural injustices. These investigations highlight how narratives of power and oppression are often shaped by dominant interests and how this affects the public's perception of marginalised characters like Severus.
studio ghibli movies must have:
old ladies
cool lesbian aunt
gorgeous forest/garden
little guy(s)
I love the idea of Snape being the most amazing baker ever because of his potion skills.
He makes Lily a cake nearly every year when they are at Hogwarts because he can’t afford to get her anything else, she doesn’t mind and looks forward to the cake every year. Sometimes if she’s really upset he will make her cupcakes and wish her a ‘happy quarter till your birthday’ to make her laugh
Xenophilius asks Snape help to raise money to save Dragons from being used as training devices. Severus just sighs but shows up to the event with just an obscene amount of fucking cookies. They all sell out, he lied and said Xeno made them because he knew if he said he did people would think they were poisoned, but it wasn’t until the next day that Xeno hears this and corrects someone who complimented his baking skills. Minor freak out, but people ask Severus to bake for them too once in a white for money, especially younger year students who miss their mothers treats.
Snape on multiple occasions have left a wolfsbane potion/Healing potion, and protein based cookies shaped in dog bones near his hospital bed or desk. Remus in retaliation brags about how Snape makes him cookies every month.
Severus Snape woke early that day, as if his body instinctively knew the internal clock was marking something different, something dreaded. The faint light of dawn barely filtered through the tattered curtains of his bedroom in Spinner’s End. Outside, the January wind moaned softly, dragging dry leaves and memories he would rather not have. There was nothing special about this day, at least not in the way others celebrated birthdays. For Severus, the 9th of January was just another reminder of everything he had lost and all he would never have.
He rose from the bed, and as his feet touched the cold floor, a shiver ran down his spine. He didn’t turn on the lights. He didn’t need to see the reflection of time in the mirror. He knew his face was a mixture of invisible scars and shadows accumulated over years of internal and external battles. He moved towards the kitchen, where silence was his only companion, save for the creaking of the wood beneath his feet. He prepared a strong cup of tea, without sugar, without milk, just as he preferred, and sat by the window.
From there, he could observe the grey-tinted river, moving slowly, almost as if it too were trapped in an inescapable routine. In the distance, the factory chimneys exhaled their columns of smoke, as if they were the only ones who deigned to sigh for him on this day. The aroma of the tea rose in a fleeting cloud, a brief caress that dissolved before it could be fully enjoyed.
Severus took the first sip slowly, letting the warmth of the liquid spread through his chest. In his mind, memories slid in with a persistence he hadn’t invited. He couldn’t help but return to the days of his childhood, when birthdays were ignored at home, or worse, were days when violence seemed more prone to erupt. His father, Tobias, had never congratulated him, and his mother, Eileen, only cast him a look of pity mixed with exhaustion. Those days taught him that expecting something special was folly.
The clock on the wall struck nine, and Severus stood, leaving the tea half-finished. There was no reason to prolong this inertia. He wrapped himself in his black cloak and stepped outside, where the cold air bit his skin like a reminder that he was alive, though that sensation brought no comfort. He walked aimlessly, letting his steps take him through the deserted streets, past houses that seemed to have surrendered to winter.
He stopped in a small park where he used to play as a child. The metal structures were rusted, and the frost-covered ground crunched under his feet. He sat on a bench and observed the surroundings, almost expecting to see the ghost of his younger self running among the trees, chasing dreams that never came true. Nostalgia tangled in his throat, but there were no tears, only a void that seemed to grow with each passing year.
Around him, the world kept turning, ignorant of his suffering. People came and went, immersed in their own lives, while he, as always, remained on the sidelines, observing but never participating. He wondered if anyone, somewhere, would remember his birthday. Probably not. Even at Hogwarts, his students feared him more than they appreciated him. He wasn’t a man who inspired affection, and he knew that well.
The minutes slipped away like sand through his fingers, and when the sun reached its zenith, Severus stood, feeling he had completed his melancholy ritual. He returned to his house, where the dimness awaited him like an old friend. He removed his cloak and returned to the window, where the river continued its unchanging course.
The day would pass, like all the others, and in the end, the 9th of January would be just another number on the calendar. But, although Severus hated his birthday, he recognised it was part of him, an indelible mark that defined him. He couldn’t escape himself, but neither did he want to. In his pain, he had found a sort of solace, a bitter acceptance that his life was like the river: constant, cold, and always moving, even when it seemed stagnant.
Severus sighed, the sound breaking the silence like a dry leaf underfoot. And then, with a determination he barely understood, he decided that perhaps, just perhaps, next year the day wouldn’t be so grey. But that was a thought for another time. For now, he simply existed, and in his existence, he found a kind of peace.