Care of Magical Shippers Podcast Episode 12 - The Seduction of Arthur Weasley by Farbautidottir

1:43AM Sep 23, 2021

Speakers:

Care of Magical Shippers Podcast

Megs

Nathan

Megs & Nathan

Keywords:

lucius

arthur

fic

molly

hogwarts

snape

moment

affair

laughter

ship

canon

people

author

emotionally

read

characters

feelings

prefect

arthur weasley

life

Hello there listener. Yes, you specifically, you should know that sometimes due to the things we discuss on the pod, it might contain potentially triggering content. But the good news is you can always review the episode descriptions for a full list of the warnings applicable to this episode. Oh, and just so you know, this podcast is rated R for really filthy. It includes adult themes and explicit content. So if you're an adult, buckle up, Gird your loins and prepare to flood the basement because we are going down with the ships.

You're on the canon ground I'm up in crackship space. Let's start a shipping war, don't care if I get hate. Don't like my pairings? Well, then you can hit the bricks. This is my OTP - I'll go down with this ship. I don't care, I ship it. I don't care. I ship it.

Welcome back to Care of Magical Shippers Podcast. It is a Harry Potter ship culture podcast.

Yes,

this week we're doing more Arthur slass [slurred] Arthur/Lucius.

[in imitation of Nathan] Arthur/Lucciuss.

[joining in] Arthur/Lucciuss. [Laughter] Can we use that? I don't want to seem like I'm putting off any of our disabled listeners but at the same time it is very funny. With this, we're doing more Arthur slash Lucius. Yes. I call it Lucley you call it? What do you call it?

Well, Luther is like a common one. Otherwise, we were like Lucy remember? Like, I Love Lucy?

Yeah, we were like Lucy Lawless. Yeah, it got pretty out of hand very quickly. Anyway, we're doing more of that this week, because so it you'll remember in the last episode, we got carried away, we made our own fic. Also, like, I wanted to look for a very specific fic about that centered around the Muggle duel that happened canonically at Flourish and Blotts. So I went away looking for that fic. And I found it and it is phenomenal. So we have to talk about that.

Mm hmm. Yeah, definitely. So what is it? It's, we told you what is it? The seduction of Arthur Weasley, and we'll link it in the description. I think we probably mentioned it in the last episode. If not, we'll definitely make sure it's there. And so if you haven't read it, go ahead and give it a read. Because for this one in comparison, probably to the love of a good wizard. It'll be more like, hey, this ended kind of abruptly for us in our opinion. So we want to like where we think it would continue like we want to, I don't know like what we want to come of it if it were to be longer, I guess.

Yeah, exactly. Yes.

By

[Trying to pronounce the author's name] Far bouty dot 'ere. [Farbautidottir]. We think. We don't

Far bouty dotter.

So we don't actually know how to pronounce this wonderful author's name. If you are the author of this fic and you authored it and you're like "it's pronounced this way", please get in touch that we can we can correct that for you. Because you want to make sure that you're getting the proper kudos. But But whatever, whatever your name is, we loved it. Yeah, we want to we want to talk about it. Because I should say as well. The offer does stipulate in their notes that they do intend to continue this fic at some point. So yeah, they do say that they want to write more, but but nobody knows when more is coming.

Let's just say like at the end of the last chapter?

I think so. Yeah, I think so. Okay, it's definitely in the notes somewhere. You can go on to AO3 and read that. But what I am what I am excited,

it just ends.

Oh, does it? No, I definitely did read that they want to maybe it was in a comment where he was in reply to a comment somewhere.

are probably someone's like we needed more like obviously. Yeah, obviously we needed more.

Yeah, I think somebody was like, so excited to read more. And then the author replied and was like, hey, you're doing tend to write more at some stage. So yeah.

I mean, obviously, it can end where it is. And then it's like kind of open ended, like all of their relationship continues or things happen then. Yeah. So

yeah. So part of the reason I'm so excited to talk about this one in particular, is because the pod first for us, we're talking about a fic that is canon compliant, you know, this is fanfic that just expands on a Canon moment and makes it so that these characters are behaving in a totally canon compliant way, which I guess is why it ends as abruptly as it does, because after you get past a certain point, there is No more story to base this off. But but like I said it does begin with Arthur and Lucius meeting at flourish and blotts. And then there is some flashback stuff to their time that Hogwarts and yeah, I don't know what do we just want to get into it?

Yeah, yeah, let's do it.

Yeah. Okay, so so when the two of them meet each other, obviously we get we we see how things unfold from sort of inside Lucius' head And then we see I think it flashes back to 1963 and -

67.

67 Yes, he says, I did read this fic it was in sixty something.

I did. Yeah, yeah.

60s some time. Anyway, the point is Arthur Weasley is a prefect at this time, he is ushering in Lucius who has been caught in the cold. And he's like, you'll freeze to death. And they have a really, it's a tender moment, right. And I wasn't expecting something with this to hit the fic so quickly, but it really sets up their, their animosity later on. Because then you're like, Oh, they have all of this history built into this moment. And it's so clever the way that the author does that just just slips back into a memory. And you know, what I like about that is it's just triggered by meeting Arthur, right? Yeah, there's no pensieve there's no actual travel back through time, it's all just it's all just there in front of Lucius. And it's hitting him like, Oh my god, all these feelings from years ago are hitting me in the face. And I just I don't know how you felt, but I thought that was really impactful.

Yeah, for sure. And it was really interesting how Of course they portray like an easy out I guess you could say as far as like Lucius' emotional availability is like he and narcissa haven't had like, it was a marriage of convenience. They you know, never really loved each other. I guess you could say they no longer shared a bed I guess like they had different it just so he obviously had still had his feelings and emotional availability for Arthur, but then on the flip side, Arthur has Molly and all kids and like family that he loves and it's like very different for him to navigate versus obviously Lucius just trying to seduce Arthur. Yeah. And the way he does it is really, I mean, it's very Lucius like, he's like, how can I get close to him again? And how can I do that? Oh, I'm gonna throw a -. I throw a party and all the like, people from the Ministry and all these, like, big people everywhere are going to be there.

And Dumbledore Is there too.

Yeah, Dumbledore too. And the weasleys are never really invited. And so then he extends the invite to Arthur and Molly technically, and the kids, but no one's able to come. And he wants to help Arthur get back into you know, in good graces with like, social people to like, help him and then Percy. That's like another thing too, was talking about how he he's like, I know the whatever international cooperation dude and maybe Yeah, it's just it was just like you said, it follows all these things that come off, come to be later in canon that like makes sense. And it's just you're like, oh, wow, yeah, it's pulling for all these things. And this definitely could be happening in the background that you wouldn't even realize was happening.

Yeah. And I do. Part of the reason I enjoy this fic and enjoy this ship, is because it builds a layer of complexity into characters like Arthur that because we see the canon story from Hammons. We see the canon story from Harry's point of view so often, that we don't really see we just see characters like Molly and Arthur as sort of flat two dimensional characters. It's not that they're, it's not that they're not helpful to harry, and they don't progress the story, but we don't really get much development for them. I mean, the the, the Arthur we see in Book Two is pretty much the Arthur we see in book seven, you know, and so, those characters plateau. What I love about exploration like this, is it really allows you to get into what is their headspace? Are They happily married, are they, you know, what are their feelings about navigating a very complex wizarding history and their place in it? And, you know, we we've always known that Arthur and Molly, you know, come from pureblood families but have complicated histories with that, and how do they navigate that and I Loved, I loved that there was this exploration not only of Lucius' unhappy marriage to narcissa but then also Lucius sort of turning the seduction of Arthur into a game for himself -

Oh for sure.

- right where he's convincing himself it's like I'm going to break this down into stages and I'm going to slowly but surely worm my way back into his life because I've decided -

I have a plaaan. An evil plaaan. [Mirthless laughter]

and he would be that meticulous. you know we see it in Draco so why would he not have inherited that from Lucius? I like seeing that sort of cheeky mischievous side of Lucius coming through cuz, you know, he's only ever a sort of a Disney villain in the books. And, and then he's, you know, full on Death Eater. But as we said in the last episode, you know, there's a lot about that, like what if he was secretly protecting Arthur through it all. And I sort of I love, I love it when canon events like that the assumptions that we make can totally be turned on their heads that way that stuff like that, that is so cleverly conceived, just really makes me happy as a reader. And yeah, this happens in this fic to where things don't necessarily get turned on their heads, but more is built into the relationship between them. And so we really get to see, you know, the sort of the labyrinthine maze like construction of Malfoy Manor, and the sort of the sort of the quasi comedic moments between them. And then also again, when we see them in Arthur's basement office at the ministry. Yeah, yeah. What did you think of that?

It's Lucius that has him moved. Correct. Like if Lucius somehow is behind the way him moving to the basement to be by himself, like Perkins or whoever was like working with him was like, put somewhere else or like funding changed, something happened. I think that Lucius did, I'm trying to remember it's been a little bit since I read it.

But so I so I think Perkins is still working with him. But for whatever reason, he is like Arthur's on his own for the moment.

He like has a different his Yeah, he was putting in a different office, because they allude to the fact that no one's comes, they're like, no, yeah, it's gonna, you know, show up and see them do whatever they're gonna do. So it's like, I'm pretty sure it was something that Lucius had a hand in that he had that Arthur had to move and was by himself, and then he could visit him alone.

Well, I think you might be thinking of that, like the very end,

Yes, that's what I'm thinking of.

when Arthur has to go in front of Fudge, and explain why he has this flying car. And or he thinks he's going to have to do this massive, long explanation. It's gonna be really difficult. And Lucius essentially saves him from any any lengthy, problematic discussions. So yeah,

he sends the letter because he's like, what can I do to help? That's not going to make things worse and exactly like, he sends a letter. He's just like, hey, if you, you know, need me or something. And Arthur's just like, what? Like, why? Why would Lucius care or want to, you know, do anything to? Yeah,

right. But what I found really interesting is it's never explicitly mentioned that, that Lucius can't talk about the diary, because there's an imperious curse put on him, to some degree about it. But it's it but it's like vaguely alluded to it, so he couldn't mention it because of the imperious curse. And I found that fascinating, because he - so Lucius has a really clever mind. So he's obviously like, he's like, Okay, so I've been tasked with doing this thing from ages ago, that is now coming to fruition. And I can't get out of it. I can't get around it, but like, I can't get around that specific thing. But I'm going to do everything else that I can to try and help because I now regret the position I'm in, and this is all because of an of a random acts of kindness of generosity, that Arthur showed him years ago when he was prefect. And and you know, we should stipulate for anybody one, like worrying that they're under age at that that time while Lucius is 13 nothing sexual happens. So it's just -

Yeah, they kiss like it's like, oh, there's an interest and Lucius has been crushing on him apparently this whole time which of course you'd like well, Lucius has been watching this redheaded gorgeous, whatever prefect and then he's like, Oh my gosh, I never thought you would look my way. I mean it was just very like it was very kind of like it was very romantic the whole situation like it's like yeah, look, you're cold Oh no, I mean it just it seemed like so much but if it was a flashback of loose of Lucius' then he romanticizes it, you know, like he could have been like, it was this moment, and it was magical. And he was such a gentleman and it was to be kissed. And it was just

Yeah, I've definitely done that with past kisses. Like when I when I was 22. And you know, it's like, and you kiss someone and like, time stops and no one's ever. No one's ever had a kiss like it their life. It's just absolute magic. So yeah, I identify with that. I relate to that. And I feel like he absolutely could have done. And I also feel like this builds into his slow burning desire to want to get Arthur back in his life in some way. And to seduce him. Absolutely. You know, because this isn't out and out lusty from the get go. You know, it's all very simmering under the surface. There's so much tension and drama, and like feelings but then people aren't sure of themselves. I love it. I love it. It's so it is so cat and mouse and and you know Molly being all like well, why does Arthur Why does some Lucius Malfoy want anything to do with us? Like, yeah, he hasn't spoken to this family in years. He's involved in that sort of the darkest stuff imaginable? What possible interest could he could there be in our family? And then he's like, well, I'm gonna have to go anyway, to find out what he's up to. So I might as well go, but you and the kids stay here. And I'll just, I'll go on the pretext of like intelligence gathering.

Yes.

And, and so he goes, and there's this real moment of Arthur being uncomfortable at the party. So he goes off by himself. And then Lucius finds him. And there's this real moment of intimacy there, where it's like, Arthur is in licious is home. And there's this recognition that Lucius isn't really comfortable in his own home. You know, that's why he's entertaining. That's why there's this facade of this whole party and Narcissa's wise to it, right? She she knows she's like, I thought you were having an affair. There's that scene between them where she completely she doesn't have time for any of his bullshit. I thought you're having an affair, and he sort of brushes it off. But you can tell she's emotionally distanced herself from him already. So there's nothing to lose for Lucius whereas Arthur has a lot more at stake so there's a lot more riding on this for him.

Yeah, exactly. And oh gosh was oh what is it and then in that moment with narcissa was it were Lucius turned it around and was like well, do you have a thing with Snape? Was that what it was? Yeah, yeah, cuz What was he doing is like something potions or he was helping with something and he's like, Well, what about Snape huh? Like are you insane? And he's like No and it's really funny.

Yeah, those moments of light relief are so like, cuz they because that scene could have been really emotionally sore. But those moments of humor really, really make that like help that help sell that moment. That's what I mean. Use your words Nathan. There was a there was a really classy moment earlier as well where I burped into the microphone. [Laughter] I I'm sorry if that's kept in. I so for those of you that don't know, because you won't know before we recorded this, we attempted to record something else and it was a disaster. I still feel I still feel like I haven't come down from the mess. So Oh,

it was it was it was [indecipherable amongst the laughter]

Yeah, there are some things that are just not fit for public consumption. And yeah, it makes it makes my belch into the mic seem positively ladylike by comparison. Oh, anyway, yes. Yes. The seduction of Arthur Weasley.

Yes, yes. So, so Okay, so I'm trying to remember is it the Is it the moment when Lucius comes to Arthur the very end to his office right or goes with him or shows up is that the instance where they discuss or he realizes that you know like that Lucius helped get him out of the whole situation with the car or what was the reason why they

Yeah, yeah I think so i think so I'm the the the up thrust of this is anyway that it's it comes to light that Lucius has helped Arthur in a lot more ways than Arthur has been aware of he's been trying to do it clandestinely sort of behind the scenes, because publicly they work on opposite sides. And they're not friends with each other. So they have to maintain this sort of their their business like animosity, but behind the scenes Lucius is all about really trying to get him out of the mess that he's in.

Yes. Yeah, cuz what was the bit it's like, [reading from extracts of the text] "Did you plan all of this? Arthur asked walking over to his desk. All of what, Lucius? Yeah, like, having fudge sin for me while you were there that, like that ridiculous note, hang in there, the fine?" Oh, yeah. Cuz they were like, oh, how about just some, you know, 50 galleons. And of course, if there's like, 50 gallons, he's like, there should be like, 100 in here. Like, there should be one or whatever, like, oh, they're 50 should suffice versus 100 or something like that. And Lucius just like took care of the deal. Like, and all Arthur could do was just like, kind of gape and be like, [mumbles as an incoherent Arthur in character].

exactly, exactly. But I did think it was sort of it was on brand for Lucius to just throw money at the problem as well and make it go away. Like it. You know, it is just like, that's how he knows to be generous. That's his form of generosity. Yeah. And it's very, you know, he thinks nothing of it. It's like, because all of these things are a means to an end for him, right. And he has a line near the end of the fic, where he's like, "Good Lord Arthur, Lucius breathed, I didn't think I could want you any more than I already did". So he he, he has built and built and built to this moment, and then they sort of decide they reach s decision. Anyway, I don't want to spoil the thing for anyone that wants to read the fig, but they reach a decision. And then after that happens, fic stops. Yes. And both of us were like, this is really good. It was beautifully written. Part of it actually won a competition. So I can actually see why. Yeah, there was a there's a section of it in chapter two was used for a contest.

Yes, like a drabble challenge. Yeah.

Yeah. won first place in the new love Drabbles contests for platform nine and three quarters.

oh that's so good.

And I can absolutely see why. I mean, it's brilliantly written and you should go and read it. But you know, fair warning, it does end abruptly. So part of the reason we wanted to do this episode in the first place, was not just to talk about it, but then talk about where we think it would go from here.

"So my begging worked" Okay, they Well, I feel like regardless, we're gonna have to talk about what happened at the end spoilers or not, because otherwise we can't really but um, ah, what is it? Do they well,

Well then heavy heavy spoilers ahead.

Yeah. "Do you want me to bag on my knees"? Oh, Arthur! and Oh, God, okay. Yes. Oh, Arthur. Oh, that would be most preferable. There we go. Good. Lord Arthur. I didn't think I could watch you any more than I already did. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Oh, God,

I could just hear him saying that. It's just that "good lord Arthur. I think I could want you any more than I already did." Yeah, some lines just fit into character perfectly. And I you know, I absolutely see this. Of course, the problematic question that you already sort of addressed is, where does this leave Arthur and Molly?

Yes. And that's, I could see that being a reason why it stopped where it did. It was like oh, seduce Arthur. This is the side of seduction of Arthur Weasley. I seduced him the end. You know what I mean?

mission accomplished,

mission accomplished, whereas Arthur - Luther, Luther, Lucius conveniently is available technically even Yes, still would be an affair. You know, regardless of not being in love with or having a real romantic relationship with his wife. It's obviously different. For with Molly and you think of Arthur and his character. I just don't see how far This could get before guilt really got to him because it's one thing when you're like, all obviously, like horned up and you're just like, okay, yeah, yeah, I wanted you when we were young, and I still want you now. And like, "Yeah, get on your knees for me". Like, that's so great. And then you have the moment and then he probably like he's apperating home when he gets home and he just like, Fuck, what the fuck did I do? You know what I mean? Yeah, like, it's not like, oh, now they're just gonna be together secretly and whatnot. Like, I don't think Arthur could do that. Like them being together later in life post war, like they're just something dramatic would have to pull Molly and Arthur apart. And part of me goes, could this be step two of Lucius' plan - getting between Arthur and you know, Arthur and Molly. So yeah, possibly, because he sees how like his little, you know, getting his fingers and little things to manipulate things in his favor like that? I don't know. But at the same time, he's just he was very he was he genuinely wanted to reach out to and help his family like he did he you know, it's like it shows that he did did and does care about Arthur, but the whole Molly thing is definitely something that I'm like, where does how does that go away? And can it and what does that mean for them? Besides it just being this? You know, like, I mean, him having this affair for what however long and be okay with it. I just don't i don't think that Arthur could do that.

No. And I would definitely prefer it to end or it to resolve, I should say, into into a place where their marriage doesn't have to fall apart. Because I so the way I see - if it works, the way I see it working is there's the revelation that Molly because she's had so many kids or whatever. It has reached a place in her life where she's like, I've done my duty to the wizarding world. I can come out as asexual, right. And she really doesn't.

Oh! Mm hmm.

So she doesn't see sex as a part of her self expression. Right. When Arthur is then still like, "I feel like I have needs, and I kind of" -

Obviously! you have seven sons and yeah, yeah. seven children.

And you just say there were seven Weasley brothers.

I did. I did.

Did you?! Oh my God! I am off the hook. It's done. Yeah. We are. We are having the the seven Weasley brothers t-shirts merch. It's happening! We've both done it now. I'm not the stupid one. It's we were both equally addled. Okay.

No I did it *because* you say that! I didn't say it because I forgot I said it because you forgot.

Oh, yeah. Oh, sure. I believe you 1000s wouldn't. Okay, anyway. Okay, right. Okay. Right.

So interesting. So that. I don't know, what it would be like wouldn't be an interesting conversation for them to have, you know? Ah, I don't know. Yeah, I guess I don't know. I don't know. It's weird. It's just such a weird thing...

because I don't but the thing is, I don't want i i really don't want Molly to come out of this hurt. Right. That to me, would I mean, it's it for it to happen would be canonic. Well, not necessarily canonical, but I see it being a realistic development, right? Because you she's had seven kids with this guy. And I don't want their relationship to be ruined. But I also I also feel like Arthur is realizing that he has needs that for whatever reason aren't being met by Molly, and in my head At least she is - after they have a discussion And she's like, what is going on with you? Why are you being cagey? What's happened you know, why did this thing you know, you would do to have a really big inquiry at the Ministry and everything else. And like, why did that go away suddenly, and then he has to go into you know, really what happened and so I see them having like, a heated argument, but coming out of it both feeling like they're being emotionally honest with each other, and it frees up at least it frees up Arthur to go and explore things with Lucius I don't know how Narcissa will react to Lucius wanting to pursue Arthur because even though he's technically free, he's also categorically denied that he's having an affair,

right? And it's interesting that she cared, too you know, because if they if they Weren't

Yeah,

Like issues like, Oh, I thought you were having an affair, but it like it bothered her. But at the same time, it's like they don't have anything. So that was, I don't know, it could have been one of those like, even though I don't want you, I don't want anyone else to have you because we'll definitely think of it like the proudness of like, I am a Black I come from, you know, a certain family, I still have to hold up certain standards, and I married you for this reason. And if if someone were to discover that there were problems or whatever, between us, or you were having an affair that would [reflect] negatively upon her so I could see that as like a self preservation thing of like, if something like this got out, like that's, you know, you're you're putting my reputation at risk. And so I don't know, but yeah, I was just like, why do you? Why do you care? Not that you shouldn't like you're obviously his wife, like you have every right to, you know, ask him about it. And if you're curious, but also, why did she care so much? I don't know.

Yeah. Do you think then maybe Narcissa had more feelings for Lucius than she lets on? Do you think maybe Lucius is the one that distanced and she wasn't prepared to let go?

I think most likely because if you think about it, the reason they only have one child, they have one son, so I feel like he knew the one thing he needed to do was have an heir. And if they had maybe had a daughter first, then possibly, they would have kept trying or whatever, until they had a you know, a boy and

right

but with this, it's like, oh, Draco perfect born, son. I'm good. It's like I'm done. And because maybe he is gay, like maybe he is, you know, he has no interest in women. But he did his duty, you know, to equally like his family name and legacy and line and whatnot. And maybe he was clear from the beginning. Like, it's not, we're not going to have you know what you want? Or because maybe narcissa does want that, as you say, she wants to be close to her husband. She wants that, but he's just closed off to it. He's like, no, yeah, I'm never gonna be that for you. Yeah, I don't know. But then maybe she's like, you can't. But if it's not me, it can't be anyone else or whatever. And just probably just like, Fine, whatever. I mean, who knows? I don't know.

Yeah. But then but then. So two things came to mind as you were talking there. One is Who do we see Narcissa ending up with because obviously, we want her to have an emotional resolution to all of this as well. It's not fair just to to leave her dangling. And secondly, even if Lucius were gay, that doesn't mean that he necessarily has to fixate on Arthur, there are bound to be other other gay Slytherins that he knew growing up through Hogwarts or other other Death Eaters even or other people that he knows from the Ministry. But so it's very interesting that, like, I maybe don't know if he's gay, maybe he's only gay for Arthur?

maybe?

What do we think?

I don't know. I mean, yeah, maybe he doesn't, maybe his capacity for like, emotional connection is kind of limited. And we talked about him getting hurt, kind of previously, whether it's like from the fic, or just like us, our discussion is maybe like, all of his, what he had left as far as like capacity to love and give was given to Draco because like, obviously, like even he's hard on Draco, but he's still like, he's his son, he wants what's best for him and everything. And Arthur took a piece of him that no one else could take again, like, it's just like, it just belonged to Arthur and he carried it with him this whole time. And he never really opened up or let anyone else in because he was hurt so much by that instance. And then when they kind of actually interacted in a more close, intimate situation, because obviously they see each other around, obviously, they have conflict like they're just like, Oh Malfoy, oh, Weasley, blah, blah, but they roll around on the ground, then all of a sudden, it's like, boi-oi-oi-oing! [Laughter] like, Oh, I really liked you in school, and you know, whatever. And so I don't know, maybe it just like he just didn't care or he didn't find that draw. And so I don't know maybe then that's a different thing to say about his sexuality is maybe he's just like, I'm not, you know, but then when it comes to Arthur's just, I don't know what this dude does to me. But yeah, like, I just want him and yeah, so I don't know. But as far as who narcissa would be with, I mean, of course, I'm like, they lay it out there if he's denying having an affair, and then he calls her out on Snape. And she's denying who's to say that she's not having this affair with Severus, you know, like, cuz, just like, Oh, it's not about me right now. We're talking about you. And so I don't know.

Yeah, it could - there could be more there as well. I mean, they say, you know, write what you want to read. And after this, I definitely want some emotional resolution for Narcissa, - I feel like she's being hard done to here. And it isn't fair that she's so emotionally marooned and detached in this -

For her entire life. I mean,

exactly.

Yeah. I mean, even at this point, dracos 12. I mean, like, that's 12 years. I mean, that's, that's a long time. Like

Exactly. And she doesn't seem to, in all of her dialogue, she seems so detached and remote from her own sense of, you know, self experiencing life. It's really it is sad to read, I would hate to think that that's just where it's where the buck stops for narcissa. You know, but I'm just I just want everybody to have their happy ending. It's the I was raised on Disney. Okay. I want everybody to to have their emotionally rewarding ending. I don't care if we have to get through pain and hurt to get there. But I want to arrive there so I could I could see her being with Snape. Absolutely.

Yeah, cuz we -

Brewing up a cauldron full of hot, strong love.

There we go. Because for me with this ship, like, I love it. Like I ship it so hard. We talked about all the reasons why it works. And it makes sense and why they would feel the way they feel canonically throughout this, but as soon as we start getting getting into like, Okay, if we're really going to stick to cannon, and we have the wives involved, it's like you kind of freeze you're like, how do we do this without really like, destroying two lives? You know, like, yeah, I think I was talking to someone after we like, just after we recorded the last episode, and was so hyped, like, obviously, we were really hyped on Arthur.

Oh, yeah.

And then they were like, so what happens to Molly? And I'm like, Ah, I'm like, What if and they're like, if you kill her I will... If she Molly cannot die, and I'm like, I'm like, okay, so she didn't die in the Battle of Hogwarts. [Laughter] Like, Oh, my God, how do I was like, yeah, I'm like, okay, so both of them are widowers after the Battle of Hogwarts and then there can be together but them that's still sad. And yeah, I'm like, yeah, there doesn't. It's hard to you know, picture you just have to kind of be like, I don't know, I don't know.

But maybe it was this author's intention through getting Arthur and Lucius together, to be to have that transgressive act of love that goes against this generational bias. This, you know, this idea that you have to, you have to settle down and have a family and adhere to these heteronormative values. Maybe it was the author's intention to go. Yes. Within the wizarding world, there are those rules, but there is other stuff happening, as well as that. And this is where it gets emotionally complex. And I don't necessarily think that it was the author's intention to destroy - to emotionally destroy other people's lives at the very least. But it's funny, isn't it? How much we care? Yeah, we but because we're so invested in this world that you do care about the characters, you're like, Oh, no, wait, I don't want to, I don't want to make a mess. Like, I want to tidy up after myself. And make sure make sure that everything has as a has an emotionally satisfying and rewarding ending. Because Molly is a lovable character. She, we see how much she loves her kids. And even when she's perhaps mothering Harry too much, and being over protective of him, it's never from a place of, of, you know, wanting to squash him or belittle him. It's always coming from this place of the world is this big, bad, scary place?

And I know best and I'm gonna protect you and -

Yeah exactly. And, you know, I don't want I don't want Molly to feel abandoned or neglected. And I certainly I even don't want Narcissa to feel that and, you know, our exposure to narcissa has been a lot less kind, but I still feel like she is this human character with human needs. And I it would be great if she got together with somebody like Snape, because he has been so hard done to as well. What do you want to say? I can see that you're itching to talk.

Okay, okay. Okay. So, okay, so they decide, okay, we're going to do this Arthur's like hesitant, but he's just like, I cannot deny my needs for this dude. Yeah. So then let's say that obviously already Lucius has extended said invitation invited the weasleys over maybe he's like, okay. Like how, obviously my wife's not going anywhere, otherwise, obviously your wife's not going anywhere. So we have to figure out a way to like, like, interact normally. So then maybe in their instances of like, oh, getting to spend time together, but also trying to feel like to ease some of their guilt they like have like family dinners or something like, he invites the weasleys over and they do dinners together and to the to the wives, it's like, oh, they have this good friendship and they're moving in a in a positive direction, whether it be the malfoys showing signs of not being evil, you know, going away from the evil sides and whatnot. And then, I want to imagine narcissa and Molly falling in love, but unable to do or say anything, because they're like, Oh my god, like but our husbands and then of course, Narcissus same thing. What if it turns What if we had the seduction of Molly Weasley?

Oh my god, I love the idea.

Because narcissa is also emotionally available and I could see her conniving to make a plan to you know,

yes. Now, and I would love to know. I would love to know what their relationship was like in Hogwarts as well, because presumably, they're in Hogwarts at the same time?

Um, Narcissus I think a little bit younger than Lucius so she might have been 11 when Molly and Arthur were in the same year so then they would have been so would have been like a really, it would have been a significant job I don't think I mean, aside from maybe like, maybe she did, it was like a you know, friendship thing like maybe Narcissa so was getting bullied or something and then Molly being her, you know, strong self was just like, you know, like glamour alone, whatever. And they like had a genuine friendship. So it's not like an Arthur/Lucius situation.

Yeah,

like, they were aware of or knew each other, and maybe that you know, had an impact on, but also, it just could be one of those things that narcissa never really, because when you think about like the other, it was really only her, like Bellatrix. And then maybe whoever the Parkinsons were I mean, I can't say that she probably has many, like female friends. Or like females that would, she would feel like she could be like vulnerable and open with and maybe she also has a secret like queerness that she's you know, has different feelings that she's never been able to explore because of as we say, the pressures of heteronormativity and having a child and all that for the families. And who knows, maybe because the weasleys are a little bit more, like chill, and you know, it's not as rigid, their life is more like just just flexible and

Free flowing.

Yeah, free flowing. Whereas the malfoys are obviously very structured and rigid. And this is how things are. And I could see that really having an effect on narcissa to help loosen her up. And maybe it could be it could have been like a shock of cold water at first. Like you're just being like, You dare bring these crazy ass people into my house! And just like being like, I can't do this. Like, it's like, you know, what we, you know, here are maybe some way Lucius is able to manipulate some reason why they need to come over or why this is beneficial to have them, you know, be in their circle or something. But then eventually Narcissa's just like oh my god, I freaking love that I love I love that woman. I don't know. I don't know what to do about it. But so I could see that becoming a thing. You know, you could just see them like having some wine after dinner or just like relaxing in the drawing room. And then maybe just like a brush of a hand or a giggle or something. And it's just like, starting and then even maybe Lucius and Arthur are starting to notice you know, they're just like, and maybe maybe Lucius in particular, maybe not Arthur, but I could see going into Lucius his head. And him being like, Whoa, yeah, like he's like, I am like, it's like this is all working in my favor. Because if that something happens between them, Arthur can be mine. You know what I mean?

yes. And maybe, maybe Lucius knows that his wife has had these feelings all along and can't act on them. Maybe not for Molly. But she's had feelings for other women. But because of the social pressures, she's never been able to act on them, you know, it wouldn't have been deemed appropriate or whatever. But then, because of his maneuvering, he's able to go - Ah! I could get the two of them together. And I love the idea that they're all they all eventually come to laugh about it together around the dinner table and how their families interact as well. Because then Draco has to be like ugh! weasel. I can't believe I'm sharing a dinner table with you. You know,

I know. I know.

And like Ron's just throwing food at him.

Now I'm picturing Okay, so of course Malfoy Manor has like a huge ass table like, yeah, you know, like royal style like Lucius is just sitting down here Narcissa's way down here. And the Draco's just awkwardly somewhere in the middle. But they, so they'll invite I could see it starting. Whereas like Arthur and Molly come over. And they're sitting kind of awkwardly in the middle like and looking at each other. Like, this is the weirdest thing I've ever seen. And then gradually over time, they like all move to like one end to the table. So it like shows the progression of their comfort with one another.

Yeah, yeah.

it's just like, oh my god, that'd be so nice. But then you see, it's like, oh, now let's, let's invite all the weasleys over like all the kids and and then you just see all these weasleys around the table, and I could just see narcissa just being like, oh my god. And the house elves running around like, Oh my god, like it just Oh, man.

Yeah, and even the the potential for if not farce, then certainly comedy is rich here. Especially if, as we say, nobody's hearts are broken in the process of all of this orchestration. And sad as I am to say this, we are going to have to wrap this up now. I could talk about this all day. I want to talk about this all day. Do you know what if you have more to say about this, like hit me up in the discord? We'll chat because people have been had some really interesting, insightful stuff to say. And I've been like, I've had to reevaluate my own opinions. Yeah. And go Oh, yeah. Hang on a minute. I yeah, I see what you mean. So hit me up in the discord. We'll have a chat about it. I am sorry that we have to cut this short here.

We have for once in like, a long time. This will be one of the shorter episodes surprisingly. But yeah, yeah. No, but um, yeah. So if you haven't give that fic a read. It was so so good. And you have your own points of view of how you think the direction of you know the fic would go as well as what do you think will happen to Molly Weasley? Because I'm really curious, because it's just how do we you know, maybe you guys are ruthless. And you're just like, no, like, I just don't care. Like as long as they're together. It doesn't matter. But yeah, yeah.

Whatever you think we want it we want to know about it. So you know, emails at careofmagicalshippers@gmail.com, hit us up on all the social medias. You know how to find us by now. All of the links to all of that will be in the description. Anyway,

and Funny enough, you bring it you know, it'd be nice if Snape had someone. So next time, we're gonna be doing a really fun ship, which probably brings a lot of feelings from a lot of people in many different directions. It's another poly ship, Lily Evans, Severus Snape and James Potter. So

I can just hear people screaming.

Like, what how no, yes. [Mumbling] I'm excited. I'm so excited about it. I just I love all the ideas around them and what kind of dynamic could build or change especially in their, you know, Hogwarts years and things like that? I am really excited. I'm really excited about it. Let us know what you think about it. Please do and but yeah, so we'll see you next time

until next time listeners.

And abrupt stop! the end, bye, good. Yay! I Keep hitting the mic.

You do! BOOM. [Laughter] [End theme

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