Cold Beboots was cold

[beboots]

The final evening at Christmas Reflections at Fort Edmonton! It ended up being like -27C in the river valley... The poor draft horses had frost all over their coats, and were brought into the stables (switched out for tractors AKA "mechanical horses" ;) ) halfway through the evening. I took a shower right before I left for work, and I put my hair in braids while wet. So after I lit the bonfires, and I realized about an hour into my shift that my braids had frozen. SOLID. Like, icicle cores. D: 

CHECK IT OUT



PIPI LONGSTOCKING COSPLAYS = NOW RIDICULOUSLY EASY. 

And for comparison purposes, here is what it looks like defrosted. SO FLOPPY



Here is a shot of the glorious bonfire I made yesterday, to warm you up wherever you are. :)

Comments

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"This also leads to Sirius jokingly calling his godson "Bambi Jr." when he wants to get Harry riled up. It works." AWESOMESAUCE. <3 I think that Harry would at least have a momentary shock at being called by a nickname: I'm certain that he's never had an affectionate nickname before. I'm pretty sure "Freak" and "Boy" don't have the same connotations. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

Sirius accidentally stumbles onto some very important thing. He's teasing Harry, and Harry is free to yell and laugh and call Sirius names ("Fluffy" comes up at some point, and later Harry thinks it's hilarious that there's a Cerberus named Fluffy), and if he really didn't like it, Sirius would stop. Sirius teases him a lot, but it's never things like "freak" or "boy." It's "Pronglet" and "Bambi" and "Merlin help me you're Lily Jr., and I barely survived the first time through-- she didn't like being pranked." Things like that.

Harry gets a full explanation of blood protections when he's eleven, since Sirius decides old enough to go to school = old enough to know the dangers specific to him, he gets a very comprehensive background about why his parents were hurt... Sirius is a softie, too. He never, ever makes Harry prejudiced against werewolves. The instant Remus breaks out (because Harry was in danger and Peter's still out there), Harry gets a fast lesson in "this is Remus Lupin. If you even THINK the moon is full you are not allowed anywhere outside at night." Sirius doesn't even consider "all werewolves are evil." It hurts too much to think about Remus, so he just doesn't.

(I think nasty werewolves can control themselves a little. Greyback set out to bite Remus for an offense by Remus's father, I'm pretty sure that was canon-- it's at least canon that Greyback liked to bite children. There's a big difference between "bite" and "maim." Neither is happening to Harry, so Sirius is very fast to make sure Harry understands when werewolves are a problem.)

Side note, the entire story starts because of Remus. He asks Alastor Moody if Harry is happy. Mad-eye has no idea and asks Black, then kicks Black into visiting, and then Harry is a happy little kid. It takes months for Black to ask Mad-eye just which Order member was asking after Harry.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Sirius teases him a lot, but it's never things like "freak" or "boy." It's "Pronglet" and "Bambi" and "Merlin help me you're Lily Jr., and I barely survived the first time through-- she didn't like being pranked." Things like that." I really like that thought. :) Lil' Harry, getting real affection for the first time in like nine years. ;_;

"The instant Remus breaks out (because Harry was in danger and Peter's still out there), Harry gets a fast lesson in "this is Remus Lupin. If you even THINK the moon is full you are not allowed anywhere outside at night."" Yeah, this isn't racism: this is one, specific werewolf that is coming after you. Big difference. :)

"Side note, the entire story starts because of Remus. He asks Alastor Moody if Harry is happy. Mad-eye has no idea and asks Black, then kicks Black into visiting, and then Harry is a happy little kid. It takes months for Black to ask Mad-eye just which Order member was asking after Harry." Oh, I really, REALLY like this idea. :) This fact could come up later... :3

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"I really like that thought. :) Lil' Harry, getting real affection for the first time in like nine years. ;_;"

Pretty much. I think Harry gets to meet the Weasleys, too, because they were Order and have five bizillion children (Sirius's perception) and one or two are bound to be the right age. (Sirius would probably pick out the twins by sight as pranksters, sit them down, and very firmly explain that Harry had been raised in a Muggle household. They can prank him if they insist, but it better not be anything remotely upsetting. Or? (Sirius never clarifies, but I think he nudges Harry and Ron into an epic prank that the twins take a long time to work out.))

"Yeah, this isn't racism: this is one, specific werewolf that is coming after you. Big difference. :)"

Right! And really, all werewolves are danger-time during the moon. If they're not, and take wolfsbane... better to be mildly offending and run away anyway. The nice guys will understand, because you do NOT trust a giant wolf under a full moon. Werewolves do play fetch, don't ask Sirius how he knows that.

"Oh, I really, REALLY like this idea. :) This fact could come up later... :3" I really like stories where it comes back to one character or one big action. Some people might not see the OMG story arcs are all pretty and sparkly and just right!!, but I do.

Besides, Snape and Black are busy enough being not-friends that SNAPE is the one to give the hint about Remus. Snape gets confused because Lucius Malfoy is about to go raid some cottage in Kent for a werewolf, it's potentially Lupin... then Black is /insane/ and apparates over when the full moon is in two minutes, grabs Remus (no time to talk), and apparates while Remus is starting to transform, because Sirius is slightly insane and on a deadline. They end up in the Shrieking Shack, Sirius is an Animagus, life is good. (Remus wakes up in the hospital wing with Sirius and Snape bickering about healing potions, and with Sirius being an utter jerk because he knew something about potions that Snape didn't realize.) He quite understandably thinks he's dead for a minute, or maybe hallucinating, because these things don't happen.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

" I think Harry gets to meet the Weasleys, too, because they were Order and have five bizillion children (Sirius's perception) and one or two are bound to be the right age." Well, the odds are in his favor of being right. ;)

"Sirius would probably pick out the twins by sight as pranksters, sit them down, and very firmly explain that Harry had been raised in a Muggle household. They can prank him if they insist, but it better not be anything remotely upsetting." I like this idea. I'm not sure how well the twins would be able to follow it, not having much perspective on what would be upsetting to muggles, but... ;)

"And really, all werewolves are danger-time during the moon. If they're not, and take wolfsbane... better to be mildly offending and run away anyway. The nice guys will understand, because you do NOT trust a giant wolf under a full moon. Werewolves do play fetch, don't ask Sirius how he knows that." XD I'm sure that there are so many crazy adventures with the marauders under the full moon that we just don't get to hear about. Like this, but somehow both more serious and hilarious at the same time: http://fav.me/de3m27

I also <3 <3 <3 that scene. Sirius has just the right notes of stupid bravery and friendship etc. ;) "He quite understandably thinks he's dead for a minute, or maybe hallucinating, because these things don't happen." YES

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"I like this idea. I'm not sure how well the twins would be able to follow it, not having much perspective on what would be upsetting to muggles, but... ;)"

I think they have the vague warning that "Harry doesn't know about magic. Don't scare him." I don't think they would actually want to frighten somebody, even if he had killed Voldemort as a baby, so they might stick with something like turning his hair red. (Which Harry might like, actually, because they can all tease that he's an honorary Weasley now.) In retaliation, Harry and Ron can dye the twins' hair black (or worse, dye ONE twin's hair black, but I think that's a little harsh since they're probably second-years at the time).

"I'm sure that there are so many crazy adventures with the marauders under the full moon that we just don't get to hear about. Like this, but somehow both more serious and hilarious at the same time: http://fav.me/de3m27"

OMG especially the bragging at the end!

I think Snape might have had a few good ones back against the Marauders, especially when he was still friends with Lily. Potions partners, she's mad enough at Potter to slip harmless pranks into the dolt's pumpkin juice... Remus might even help her, if Lily had been targeted in a prank, because prefects have to stick together.

Sirius is kind of an idiot sometimes. He freely admits that, which takes out half Snape's fun in telling the man that he's dumb, so Snape works instead on WHY Sirius is dumb and creative insults.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"so they might stick with something like turning his hair red. (Which Harry might like, actually, because they can all tease that he's an honorary Weasley now.) In retaliation, Harry and Ron can dye the twins' hair black (or worse, dye ONE twin's hair black, but I think that's a little harsh since they're probably second-years at the time)." I like these prank ideas. :3 Even something that would allow everyone else to differentiate between the twins (because let's face it, they love playing with people's perceptions and getting them to mess up who is who), like having only one of them with black hair... or even have something like their names written on their foreheads, for easy identification. Of course, the twins would figure out how to change them and walk around with the opposite names for a day or so, pretending that the trick was still working... or switch it to "Gred" and "Forge" or something. ;)

Oh yes, Snape would definitely get them back, somehow. :3 Possibly in almost nasty ways. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"I like these prank ideas. :3 Even something that would allow everyone else to differentiate between the twins (because let's face it, they love playing with people's perceptions and getting them to mess up who is who), like having only one of them with black hair... or even have something like their names written on their foreheads, for easy identification. Of course, the twins would figure out how to change them and walk around with the opposite names for a day or so, pretending that the trick was still working... or switch it to "Gred" and "Forge" or something. ;)"

That would be even better. Sirius probably figures out a way to get the name written right across their forehead, and Sirius was behind their wonderful map. He can definitely get the names to be written out on the right twin (and later the twins might wonder about the handwriting a little, looks a bit familiar). If they can change the curse around to Gred and Forge, he probably spends two minutes to draw out a fast diagram of a spell they might like.

Harry is a cute little moppet, and when he eventually gets the twins' map (not that he needs to sneak to Hogsmeade if it's that late when Remus gets out, he promised about the full moons and shady-looking people thing), he writes home... and Sirius just might tell him about a few spells he might try, just to see.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

It's so rare that a fic has a scene in which Gred & Forge realize that Sirius is actually Padfoot, one of the Marauders, their idols. ;) I love it.

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

The twins lucked out and had a great start. He had a talk with them about the wrong kind of pranks, but made no effort to stop any silliness from happening. Sirius never treats them like dumb kids, and I think they don't write him off as an adult too fast. Later, Harry can very happily tell everybody about all the spells that Sirius did on his room because it was too small. (He doesn't want to go telling everybody it was a cupboard.)

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Later, Harry can very happily tell everybody about all the spells that Sirius did on his room because it was too small. (He doesn't want to go telling everybody it was a cupboard.)" Harry, even in canon, is very circumspect about his childhood. I'm always amazed that Arthur & Molly Weasley didn't find out; I mean, maybe they thought that Fred, George & Ron were exaggerating when they said that they had to tear bars off of Harry's window when they rescued him in second year.

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

Harry, even in canon, is very circumspect about his childhood. I'm always amazed that Arthur & Molly Weasley didn't find out; I mean, maybe they thought that Fred, George & Ron were exaggerating when they said that they had to tear bars off of Harry's window when they rescued him in second year. "

The only way it makes sense to me is that the Weasley adults thought that the kids were making up a fantastic story (to get away with grabbing Harry for a vacation). There is no other way for Molly to blithely go on thinking about Harry at the Dursleys. "Not fed half of enough" would be just the first step toward Molly showing how parenting is done.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"The only way it makes sense to me is that the Weasley adults thought that the kids were making up a fantastic story (to get away with grabbing Harry for a vacation)." Trufax. I'm actually not sure what I'd have my Draco do if he found out about Harry's home life. Would he be able to do anything, even if he wanted to? After he became better friends with Harry, of course, and besides half-starving the Boy-Who-Lived for two months of the year isn't going to help him become a stronger wizard... right? Also, the Dursleys are like the prime example of why muggles suck: they'll do anything to keep wizards down. They're like the anti-Weasley, or the anti-Grangers. Crisis of faith for Draco?

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"Trufax. I'm actually not sure what I'd have my Draco do if he found out about Harry's home life. Would he be able to do anything, even if he wanted to? After he became better friends with Harry, of course, and besides half-starving the Boy-Who-Lived for two months of the year isn't going to help him become a stronger wizard... right? Also, the Dursleys are like the prime example of why muggles suck: they'll do anything to keep wizards down. They're like the anti-Weasley, or the anti-Grangers. Crisis of faith for Draco?"

'Muggles suck'... but the Grangers are okay, and it's hard to openly hate people that took you in and took you out around London and made a huge effort to help you feel comfortable. He might still be able to manage it, but Draco might be relieved to have some truly backwards Muggles that he can actively despise.

If Harry lost the first time, Draco would have enough reason to change things. If the prophecy becomes common knowledge (another huge thing to prove that he's for real, as Snape overheard parts and Dumbledore heard the whole thing), then Draco knows Harry was the one that could have killed Voldemort.

Past that, he might be far enough along to actually care. The entire time, they've thought Harry was a spoiled brat, and he's not. He's about as far from it as you can get in the suburbs. Everyone seemed to assume the Muggles would like him because the wizards all do, but... oops.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking that Draco probably wouldn't find out until the summer before their third year, or something. He was pretty busy chillin' with the Grangers during the summer before that, and so maybe he was only mildly worried about Potter not replying to his letters.

Oh wait, what about Dobby? Hmm... maybe I should just leave Dobby in, unchanged. House Elves are beneath a pureblood's notice after all, right? Unless Draco just so happens to remember Dobby's role in rescuing Potter, Granger and the others from Malfoy Manor during seventh year? But maybe all house elves look the same to him. ;)

Yeah, I think Draco would do something about Harry's home life, mostly because rescuing Potter would get him brownie points, he needs Potter alive and well for his plan to work, and the fact that he hates muggles mistreating wizards. (Or mistreatment, period, but he justifies it the other way.)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"I'm thinking that Draco probably wouldn't find out until the summer before their third year, or something. He was pretty busy chillin' with the Grangers during the summer before that, and so maybe he was only mildly worried about Potter not replying to his letters."

It might only be a concern that Hermione and Draco aren't getting letters. They do have other things to think about, and maybe Potter got distracted multiple times or something, but Draco has no idea that some house elf knows about his dad's secret plot.

"Oh wait, what about Dobby? Hmm... maybe I should just leave Dobby in, unchanged. House Elves are beneath a pureblood's notice after all, right? Unless Draco just so happens to remember Dobby's role in rescuing Potter, Granger and the others from Malfoy Manor during seventh year? But maybe all house elves look the same to him. ;)"

There's a chance that he would recognize Dobby. He's seen the house elf loads of times, there was that special time at Malfoy Manor with the faint recollection that a specific house-elf is important...

"Yeah, I think Draco would do something about Harry's home life, mostly because rescuing Potter would get him brownie points, he needs Potter alive and well for his plan to work, and the fact that he hates muggles mistreating wizards. (Or mistreatment, period, but he justifies it the other way.)"

He has to be careful about when he does it. If Harry was 11, or 12, "you saved me from the Dursleys. Thanks, mate." At 13/14/15, you get lots of thorny teenage "nobody helped me before don't use this against me"

[beboots.livejournal.com]

I don't think that Draco would have known the full story of Dobby - I imagine that all he'd really know might have been the tail-end of it, with Lucius pissed off about losing a house elf. It may take Draco a little while to put the pieces together. Then again, if Dobby actually tells Harry what's going on - who his masters are - like halfway through the year again (must reread to doublecheck my facts), since Harry is presumably closer to Draco this time around perhaps he'd just tell him? And then Draco can try to work out a way to make Dobby back off that doesn't involve calling in his father?

"He has to be careful about when he does it. If Harry was 11, or 12, "you saved me from the Dursleys. Thanks, mate." At 13/14/15, you get lots of thorny teenage "nobody helped me before don't use this against me"" That is very true. Early on in the summer before third year, though, Harry would still be twelve. There could still be a little bit of resentment, though. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

That would make sense. I think Dobby does confess that he's from Malfoy's house, so they remember Malfoy potentially slipping something into Ginny's cauldron of books (I've always kind of wanted to do that, fill a cauldron with books--no idea why). If Harry is closer to Draco, Draco can figure out a way to command Dobby (and potentially get Dobby to babble about Harry Potter long enough to hear something about the muggles?) They probably still watch Ginny and start excluding Hermione, especially if Draco already has the target objective. He and Harry are friends, Hermione was a secondary plan. If he needs her back later, he can buy her a book or something and she'll be right there. (In his mind, at least.)

There can always be resentment when somebody comes in, armor shining, and fixes this gigantic problem that you couldn't tackle yourself.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

I've used cauldrons this past summer at Fort Edmonton. The cast iron ones are ridiculously heavy. >_>

"If Harry is closer to Draco, Draco can figure out a way to command Dobby (and potentially get Dobby to babble about Harry Potter long enough to hear something about the muggles?)" Perhaps! Perhaps Dobby can be one piece of the puzzle that Draco eventually puts together regarding Harry's home life?

"If he needs her back later, he can buy her a book or something and she'll be right there. (In his mind, at least.)" I can definitely see that being his thought processes. He'll be disabused of this notion later.

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

Ick. Cast iron cauldrons sound about as much fun to carry as twenty-foot steel rowboats. (Nobody ever uses them because they are giant, bulky, awkward, and heavy, and the girls at the camp can get their kayak stuck on the bank. We still have seven that need to be carried around every summer.)

"Perhaps! Perhaps Dobby can be one piece of the puzzle that Draco eventually puts together regarding Harry's home life?"

Dobby does have two distressed settings. Draco wants to avoid the punishing-self stage (that's not going to help him get any information from the thing), but the so-nervous-he's-babbling would help-- all this insanity about locks on the outside of the door and bars on the window and hardly believing it was Harry Potter, something like that could work. It's also a huge distraction from Hermione, especially if she's already been snippy and not properly admiring of personage Malfoy.

"I can definitely see that being his thought processes. He'll be disabused of this notion later." Quite vocally, at that. Hermione does not suffer fools lightly, and it's a guarantee that someone has done this to her sometime-- they're "friends," but only when it comes to doing homework or studying for tests or writing papers. When I was more gunshy about people, I'd be friends with them for three months before letting them know that I wouldn't mind doing homework together, just to keep out the "sure we're friends now what'd you get for number seven" crowd.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Ick. Cast iron cauldrons sound about as much fun to carry as twenty-foot steel rowboats." Ooh, that doesn't sound like much fun either. :P I've had to help shift a York Boat before (not sure of the estimate size, except that it's DAMN HEAVY and can carry like 4 tons of cargo), but we didn't even attempt to lift it up. We used log rollers, and later a tractor to help us pull. :P

"Dobby does have two distressed settings. Draco wants to avoid the punishing-self stage (that's not going to help him get any information from the thing), but the so-nervous-he's-babbling would help-- all this insanity about locks on the outside of the door and bars on the window and hardly believing it was Harry Potter, something like that could work." Yeah, I believe so. I think that Draco has an acquired aversion to torture, as well, and equally knows that you don't get much useful information out of someone that way either. ;P

"It's also a huge distraction from Hermione, especially if she's already been snippy and not properly admiring of personage Malfoy." Exactly!

"Quite vocally, at that. Hermione does not suffer fools lightly, and it's a guarantee that someone has done this to her sometime-- they're "friends," but only when it comes to doing homework or studying for tests or writing papers." I'm sure that that has happened. Perhaps the only reason that she's stuck around so long with Draco was that he was her first magical friend and that he never expressed interest in having her do his homework for him? (Unlike, say, Ron.) But now he's acting so strangely...

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"Ooh, that doesn't sound like much fun either. :P I've had to help shift a York Boat before (not sure of the estimate size, except that it's DAMN HEAVY and can carry like 4 tons of cargo), but we didn't even attempt to lift it up. We used log rollers, and later a tractor to help us pull. :P"

We had to pick them up because they were in a cramped spider-webby boathouse that raccoons had claimed as a personal city. At least three boats had a furious raccoon underneath. When we scared them away from the boats, a couple got into a wall, and then the ranger had to deal with them. The boathouse had a way-too-narrow door with a ten-inch cement lip that you had to step over right before turning-- it was not designed well. We did better after lunch, though. We coaxed the head cook into releasing a couple of his guys (all the guys working at the camp that year were in the kitchen making terrible food), so they showed off by lifting canoes over their heads and insisted that we watch. The female response: you got it. I'll watch you carry canoes all day.

"Yeah, I believe so. I think that Draco has an acquired aversion to torture, as well, and equally knows that you don't get much useful information out of someone that way either. ;P"

Not that it matters if he tortures a house-elf. It's just not reliable. People will say anything to make it stop, they'll confuse whatever good information they know... bribery's better, if outright flattery/coaxing doesn't work.


"I'm sure that that has happened. Perhaps the only reason that she's stuck around so long with Draco was that he was her first magical friend and that he never expressed interest in having her do his homework for him? (Unlike, say, Ron.) But now he's acting so strangely..."

He was the first person her age that could keep up. Draco is pretty smart himself, and he has a twelve-year advantage over everybody else. He answered her questions, he wrote her letters, he didn't want her around when it was time for homework and away any other time... and then something gets weird.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Okay, I can't top crazy attack raccoons. ;)

"Not that it matters if he tortures a house-elf. It's just not reliable. People will say anything to make it stop, they'll confuse whatever good information they know... bribery's better, if outright flattery/coaxing doesn't work." And bribery is practically a family tradition! ;)

"He was the first person her age that could keep up. Draco is pretty smart himself, and he has a twelve-year advantage over everybody else. He answered her questions, he wrote her letters, he didn't want her around when it was time for homework and away any other time... and then something gets weird." Definitely. She thought that they were like equals, and then he started going about acting like he was better than her. :P

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"And bribery is practically a family tradition! "

It is! Bribery can do many, many things that intimidation alone cannot--like keep Lucius out of Azkaban and make the record state he was under Imperious.

" Definitely. She thought that they were like equals, and then he started going about acting like he was better than her. :P" And then Tom was right there being understanding, she's muggleborn so Tom had a completely blank slate on explaining how the journal works... plus, she has stories about Harry Potter, amid all the unhappiness about some jerk ex-friend that doesn't like her anymore.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"It is! Bribery can do many, many things that intimidation alone cannot--like keep Lucius out of Azkaban and make the record state he was under Imperious." It helps that they had no evidence against him. NONE, right? This generous donation to your political party and a children's ward in St. Mungo's says I didn't, minister. >_>

"And then Tom was right there being understanding, she's muggleborn so Tom had a completely blank slate on explaining how the journal works... plus, she has stories about Harry Potter, amid all the unhappiness about some jerk ex-friend that doesn't like her anymore." There there, little girl. I'm the only one who understands. Certainly not the boy who once called you a mudblood.