Care of Magical Shippers Podcast: 39 | The Crack Chronicles (Part 1) w/ Phe (Crack Ships)

3:39AM Apr 24, 2023

Speakers:

Care of Magical Shippers Podcast

Nathan

Keywords:

petunia

fanfiction

crack

people

characters

filch

hogwarts

harry potter

pairings

talk

world

peeves

muggle

episode

love

mcgonigal

mags

mcgonagall

explore

feel

Hey there listener Fancy seeing you here. Look, 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 description for a full list of the warnings applicable to this episode. Oh, and just so you know, this episode is rated are 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 these chips.

Space let's start a ship big. I don't care if I get my bearings. Well, then you can get the bricks. This is my own tip down with the ship

Welcome back to Care of Magical shippers podcast. It's a Harry Potter ship culture podcast. I have Nathan.

And I'm fee I'm filling in for mix today.

Yeah, you are? Yes, you are. I'm so happy to have feedback with us fee has done some of our best episodes I love face so much. And I especially love the subject that we're going to be covering today. I listeners, I've been waiting to do this for a very, very long time, you are not prepared for what your ears are about to be subjected to let me tell you, because because we are going to be covering the weird and wonderful world of crack chips today. I have some I have some very select pairings that I want to talk about. I mean, the world of crack chips is incredible. And I'm going to hand over to fee in a minute to talk to you a little bit about like the context and the history, the you know, the founding of the world of crack. But I am just very like I have some select pairings in mind. And I'm very much about that today. I'm excited. So, so illustrious co

did you want to like chat for a little bit about like, how, like crack thick came to be in your awareness? How you started to being involved

in my awareness? At least i i started fanfiction ng quick math 20 plus years ago, I haven't been in fandoms that entire time. But like when I first started back in fanfiction, dotnet days, like the days of the very long author's notes of like, Oh, we're gonna toast our marshmallows with your flames kind of stuff. When you talked about crack, like it literally meant, like, I must have been on crack to have written this. Like, where did this idea come from? I don't know crack like that. That was the only explanation you could offer for whatever unhinged concepts you your brain threw out there. So. And since then, as it has evolved? Yeah, like beyond just the silliness for the sake of silliness or like, the bizarre because why not we can play we can play in this space, we can make these characters do whatever we want. Because we can. There is like a sub genre now I would say of crack treated seriously. Which is just like, oh, yeah, where you use read this absolutely unhinged pairing. Like where did they come up with that? But like, it's not played as a joke. It's played for serious, like, a serious exploration of how this relationship could have come to be, or whatever.

But are they playing it like dead pattern? Are they still being funny and playing it deadpan? Or are they actually being serious with the mixture?

Definitely depends on the author. I think the crack treated seriously tag is like to let the reader know like, this isn't a joke necessarily. It can be silly. It can be comedic, it can be funny, but like, you're not supposed to read this as I'll look what I did guys to be like, no, no, no, give it a second chance. I know this looks ridiculous. But like, trust me on this. Let me let me take you on this journey. Of this whatever crack concept we have come up with and explore that a little. I

love that. But I also think that the same principle is sort of true of any crack ship, right? You sort of have to trust that the author is going to do something great with the pairing, regardless of whether or not you actually ship it or you take it seriously. You're you're handing your trust over to the stewardship of the author for however long the fic happens to be. And then it's because it's happened to me many, many times in this podcast, where it might not even be a crack ship that we're talking about. It might be something that's very well it's done. published in the fandom and I still think how would that ever work and then by the end of the episode, the level of detail, or the level of emotional investment in the characters has done its thing until the under the course of an hour or an hour and a half whatever it happens to be. Suddenly I find myself invested. Now, it's a little bit of a different ballgame, I suppose when you're talking about characters that are, I suppose put together for the sake of fun, or just put together because we want to see what weird wacky wacky things we can do with these characters you know, as they are smushed together whatever strange ways you want to do that. But I mean, I still part of the reason I love this genre of of fanfiction is it is what made fanfiction accessible to me. I've talked before on the pod about how I was a text only purist for ages and I wouldn't, you know, touch fanfiction with a bargepole. And then I discovered crack thick and it was a way in for me to be like, actually know, a lot of this is written incredibly, and people do things with the characters that I would never have thought and that is wonderful. And I just I because a big part of my personality is enjoying the silliness of life. Because the world takes itself so seriously, but sometimes I really want crack. Because Because the world is a scary dangerous serious place and crack thick takes me away from it lets me lean into the silly for a while. All about that. I mean, you know,

we're on the same page about this. That's like, you know, like I've shared crack Fick with you or it's like, oh, really fee How did you come across this fic of like, Anakin Skywalker begging Jar Jar Binks, I don't know but it's time so we went there

Do you know what listeners it was a good time. I don't know if you want to link in the description. Somewhere if he can find it, we'll link it in the description and you can go and read that at your leisure if you if that's something that you want to do. Again, not strictly Harry Potter related is crap thick related so I still maintain that we are being on brand for this episode.

But like I said, it's just a good time. Like you don't have everything so seriously. Yes, a lot of there's there's a great second sector of fanfiction where it's like, really honest to God, good writing and good stories and good characters that you know, people become real authors, real authors, people get published for this kind of stuff. But there's also a subset of fanfiction where it's like, hey, you know, the funny? I would really love to see. Um, you know, Dumbledore gets seduced by Vernon Dursley like, Yeah, I think. Let's, let's see how that works out. You know?

I mean, I have to believe that that's possible as well. It's within the realm of plausibility, because they both treat hurry, awfully. Imagine that they bond over that they're like, Yeah, this child is horrible. But like secretly and so you know, outwardly Vernon is all like, chickens. Preposterous. Don't utter that word in front of me. And really, it's because it's like, it must only be reserved for done

reminds me too much of those memories. nights together

with our beards wafting together Yes, I just I really think you have to get to a sort of a special place with your creativity to do to get invested in crack. Because Okay, so I suppose the argument against it is why some people might not enjoy crack because much is that some people like fanfic as a way to plausibly not necessarily vent but explore emotions or plausibly explore like life scenarios. And that, that for those kinds of readers and writers, it can be really serious it can be really, there's a degree of, you know, I suppose, the self and their own psychology going into this as well. And so for those people that, you know, it might just seem like too, off the wall or too crazy or too, out there. But, you know, I'm one of those people that there's no such thing as too out there like I will, if you can think of a creative way to put two characters together. If you can get me in invested in a way that's gonna make me either really appreciate their characters in a new way or make me laugh chances are I'll be down before. I mean, I know that we've explored some very interesting for NZ themes on our new homes. I was all about that. They're things that we talked about before during this episode, and we class them as too spicy. So we will potentially possibly be doing a bonus episode with those themes if that's something dear listener that you are interested in, because it's something I was very excited about. But you know, what? We have to we have to slightly restrain ourselves today, because this is the this is the public episode going out for public consumption. And so we have to keep ourselves arrayed to a wide audience and a variety of

well you know, you said like, some people just don't don't enjoy crack and that's fine. That's that's totally Yeah, but I don't think it has to be an either or, you know, there you can enjoy well written emotional gut punches of fics and also be like I read where it was a crack scenario, where it was just like, Oh, it's a soulmate fake where when you when you first meet your soulmate, all your clothes vanish, like

why not?

does make me wonder, why will they live in a magical world? Why don't your clothes vanish when you're in the company? It's just handy that way. It's easy. It's like yeah, let's

Yeah, okay. Yeah, I mean, you know, let's let's not go down that road, because I'm moving on moving on. Different. Cool. Let's, let's, let's move on. Okay. Um, let me think we were discussing before we hit record some of the possible chips that we wanted to cover today. And I know that one of them had a distinctly PvZ filter

as in BNP slash Phillips?

Yes, indeed, that would that is to what I am referring. I, when Mike suggested this to me, because I was talking to mags earlier in the week, and we were talking about like, oh, you know, if you have any ideas for crack chips that you want to hear about, you know, let us know. And, and so this was one of one of the chips in Magazine's list. And when I first saw this, I was like, Why have I not thought of this before? Because it does say canonically that peeves. The poltergeist was there when the castle was built. It does say canonically that he has tormented every caretaker. Since, you know, he's been around. And, you know, maybe they take the torment to the next level to get there. Just watching your face, like steadily go up.

Yes,

Republicans are having fun on this podcast. That's my way.

Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, like we know, we know Mr. Filch has like a vast collection of Jungian apparatus. And, you know, I know he's pretty sad about it being put aside for the sake of, you know, politically correct punishments for children still enjoys the occasional, you know, string him up by the handcuffs and definitely explore that with his friend.

And the thing is, that have to be a degree of consent there as well, because Peeves can like fly through walls like news wanted to escape, he could easily so I have to think that if they're doing this, it's both the you know, they're both willing and able, and it's better it's much much better that Filch takes his frustrations out on on you know, somebody that is clearly old enough and willing. Yes,

this has to have a vision me.

Okay, okay. clue me in to what's going through your mind brain right now.

So like, you know, filter I just imagine Peeves getting in To this like cat and mouse game with Phillips where he like, sure you cheese is on because that's his job is to tease the caretaker. Yeah, whatever. But then like, he's like, You know what, he's not such a bad looking guy for whatever reason peeves is into it, okay? He's however many years old maybe he just whatever, whatever. We don't need to rationalize why people are attracted to people anyway. But then like when the like cat and mouse of like, Oh, I'm I'm running away from you but I really want you to catch me kind of thing and oh no, you found me What are you gonna do to me? I just this whole scenario, and I'm building in my head of like, they're, they're role playing slash real life slash taking out our frustrations on each other's bodies kind of thing. Just, I would read 100k of that. Yeah, let's do

100k You went from you went from I have a picture and I want to certainly, this is a classic Roman, and I need to know like, beginning middle, maybe 100k

ambitious, I barely reach 10k

So no bullet. Well, I have to think that filter has more of a backstory. You know, we know he's a squib. We know he's frustrated about the fact that he is a part of this magical world that he's not really as involved in as he would like to be and as a consequence of that his frustrations turn nasty but I have to think that there's something in his life that takes the edge off that and it's to be honest it's more pleasant to me talking about this than it would be felt slash Umbridge earring which is also possible

anything is possible Yeah.

I mean, the you know we can maybe talk about the you know the differences between what it would be like to be with a ghost that's there but not really there but then also to what it would be like to get with a sort of a self involved sociopath who really just maybe I'm not convinced that Phil chin on bridge would love each other so much as they connect over that mutual hatred of children. Yeah, I think that's just but then you know, do you know what I never understood about filters? Do you know if you hate kids that much? Why are you staying in that job? So then what I thought was okay, something else is keeping him in the castle. And then if we say that he's involved with peeves, he's like, Hey, I hate the job. And I hate my nine to five or however long he works

he lives here so

okay, but in your head though with your in your head cannon with this how corporeal is paved? Can he like choose to be in his wispy ghost form? And then choose to like manifest body? Or

I prayed any at all I do not discriminate, and I'm not the kind of person that's like no, this is the only way that it could possibly work, but like, definitely I imagine he can pick and choose when he wants to or when he doesn't. It is also very sexy to imagine like, some kind of potion or something that Peeves can like take to be you know, oh, hey, here we got an hour together with my more CO foreal former whatever. So let's let's do that. I think that would be fun. If there was like a way to switch it on and off via potion or what have you.

Yeah. And speaking of potions, by the way, just because Filch isn't magical doesn't mean he can't take potions. So I have to I have to believe that like the effects of polyjuice potion would work on him or in Love Potion would work on him. They just because he is he can't use the magic doesn't mean that he's not going to also not be affected by these. So it's possible that like, is there a potion to turn one into a ghost? So they can be like ghosts together?

There better be suffering. Yes, yes. I really, really, really, really really want this where like they both turn into ghosts and they explore all the nooks and crannies and crevices. Together. Find the secrets

of Hogwarts. That's what I was gonna say.

Find the sneakiest little place they can check up together. Don't make sound my love

with God at the top of the hour. We mustn't disturb

Yes, yes. uh speaking of filth, and like, why he's there and why he's such a mean old man working in Hogwarts or whatever I've heard or read some kind of meta, maybe on Tumblr, probably everything's on tumblr about how filters like he's got to be a very talented person at like restoration if he's caring for however many year old building like and making sure that it's all in working order and that when stupid Weasley twins destroy paintings, he's there to fix them or like the artistry of Hogwarts itself. Like, that's, that takes a lot of skill to like care for it, especially without magic. Like if you can't just spell a nose back onto a statue. And you have to like, do it the Muggle away for whatever reason, like that takes a lot of that's like he's a smart guy. He's gotta be he's just also a little creepy.

Do we? A little creepy? Yeah, okay. I see. I want to circle back to something you said about Peeves finding filter tried to show I'm not I'm not saying that. You know, people some people aren't attractive to other people like that. Like someone's got to be attracted to. Like, everybody's got to be attractive to somebody gives the sentence right? Yes. So so it's not out of the realm of possibility that filth could be considered sexy by somebody. Yeah, but but it just I have to think it's more of a an energy with felt like someone's attracted to that very, very frustrated, very angry. Very, I don't know what they're going to do with me kind of.

That's what gets Peeves off like his whole existence is about irritating people. Right? So if he can push all of those buttons, oh yes.

Rage is a good color on your today. Yeah, it's just I don't know why he sounded like Snape to me that could we do a Snape slash built or Snape walks in on them. And then he's like weirdly turned on.

Oh, I can only imagine like a young Snape when he first starts at Hogwarts teaching. And I'm like, he didn't have any idea what he was getting into. And he's like, Well, this is my life now. Great.

He's just, he's in The Owlery after dark, and he looks up. And he's like,

What? Was that dripping on me?

This doesn't feel like the consistency and texture of Jesus.

Yes, the shocked gasp and the cape twill would be everything in that moment. Yes, I do think could like could you see it being a long term thing? Could you see them like peeves and filter being in it for the long haul? With each other?

I feel like physically, hell yes. Like they would, they could definitely continue to do that. I don't know if it would ever evolve into like, a meaningful romantic connection. But definitely some level of intimacy when you interact with someone over the course of 50 years of working at this place or whatever. Like, yeah, it's there's got to be something some baseline of like, connection there. I just don't know if it would be like, what we would consider or what you know, society would consider like, oh, yeah, this is a romantic relationship versus like, they just you know, yin and yang, peeves and filth.

Yeah. See, I can hear mag screaming up near life. It would be remiss it would be remiss of me not to say that at this point, but I feel like if mags were here talking to us right now, this would be where she'd say about Filch needs a redemption and she'd be the one to write it like that that it would she take a crappy situation and turn it into the like love story for the ages. And I'm also about that because mags can seem romance and the potential for emotional development where I can only see ridiculousness, so mags if you're listening, and that's something that you want to do. I don't know if you know, but you can get in touch with magical gmail.com.

Question?

Yeah,

can we discuss Filch and crack chips in the same episode and not mentioned? Filch? slash Mrs. Norris?

Oh,

I if you want to pass weekend pass, that's fine. I feel

like this might be bonus episode content. I feel like we can maybe slide past this one for now. It's It's not that I don't want to talk about it but I just don't know if the publicly version of this episode is the forum for this discussion. So let's just let me okay okay. But I tell you what we can talk about we could talk about another Crux ship that I really really want to discuss and there is excited by it's another invention of mags is but what oh, well, I say invention of vectors I'm sure it's been around for a while but mags you know, reached out into the ether and picked up on this and I really love this one. It's kind of in your Dumbledore, Vernon territory. Except that it's Petunia and regarding.

I love this

so much.

Okay, I need you to explain this to me because I I can't see it at first glance. So take me through this. Nathan, take take me there. What do we got?

So So wait, let me open up my phone because I save the screenshot of Meghan's idea for this. And when she shared this with me, I was so annoyed. So Max said anything okay. So she said Petunia sees the stray cat and feeds it and it keeps coming back. So because many wants to keep an eye on hurry, but of course, she slowly falls for the woman and I love this idea. I love the fact that McGonagall is sort of lusting after her from afar, at least initially, you know, because she's like, we have this idea of we know that McGonagall is like the worst sort of Mughals imaginable is a very thin veneer for a more complex, emotional, storied involvement happening behind the scenes. Because I just saw Now obviously, she like peculiar has a habit of being nosy we know this. I think she's referred to in the books as being long necked because she's, you know, forever craning her head to look at the neighbors. And she's always going to want to know what's happening on her patch, especially because we know that she gets like howlers from Dumbledore. So she's in touch with the magical world. However much she might work. Petunia gets howlers from Dumbledore. Yeah, so So in the fifth book, like then, and he's going to throw Harry out. And then that this whole arrived for Petunia and it just like it's really eerie and creepy. And it just says, like, remember my last Petunia, but that's from Dumbledore being like I wrote to you, when I left Harry on your doorstep to like, take care of Harry or else essentially, because you're his only like blood relative. And that's all that's going to keep Harry safe from Voldemort. So she's still in active correspondence with the magical world as much as she might want to tune it out. And she's still aware of everything that happened with her sister. And we know that really, the reason that she had all of this rage for Lily was because she wanted to go to Hogwarts as well. But because she didn't have any innate magical powers, she couldn't go, and that grew into jealousy. And because of that, then she sort of resents the world and pushes it away. But then imagine this scenario. So McGonagall sort of been, you know, keeping an eye on things for a while, you know, watching her grow up for X amount of years, potentially, she just keeps coming back every now and again. Just make sure he's okay. But then one day, one day, she's sort of like, looking around at night, as the cat, and Petunia, keep seeing this cat. So she leaves like, a little saucer of milk out for her. And, you know, doesn't know that anything to do with mechanical whatsoever. But you know, sort of mechanical things, actually, you know, while I'm in cat form, I'd quite like a saucer of milk, something that I can appreciate. So then she starts getting like, closer to the house and closer to Petunia. And then and then one day, okay, I have to have to, I have to imagine that like, one day, mechanicals just popped back after like, a massive, really busy day of teaching. And she like she's in cat form. But she says something and a human voice like she'll be watching something. And she'll be like, you know, she'll, she'll cast a remark about something that's going on about Harry or, and then Petunia, he is it. And she's like, oh, oh, this this cat is not everything that I thought it was. And so then mechanical feels compelled to reveal herself. And of course, there's the initial shock. There's the sort of, there's the moment of, you know, two worlds colliding again. You know, maybe Petunia has that sort of PTSD moment of like, I thought I was done with this I married my Muggle man, you know, I mean, my, my semi detached house with my picket fence and my perfectly manicured lawn. But, but then she realizes that underneath all of the like, stress, the repressed the stuff that's going on, there's also an instant attraction. And so of course, she wants to explore that. And unlike, but because but I feel like mags particularly love this one. Because there's so much potential for like conflict and drama, and an among the crack Enos of it. Yes, yes, yes. And so I don't imagine that it would be frictionless. I don't imagine that it wouldn't be bumpy. But I can definitely imagine the two of them embarking on some sort of close relationship together. And I think because I will not but I find it difficult to imagine her being intimate with anybody else. But just the way they are in the books, Verdun and Petunia just seem to be galvanized around the fact that they hate hurry. Yeah. And and that that's what seems to unify them, as well as the, you know, quote, unquote, love for Dudley, but that, you know, manifests itself in weird ways. So, as it stands, Vernon and peculiar don't have a particularly close relationship, as far as I can tell, you know, they've, they've sort of been, you know, it could have been a lot closer at one point, but it's sort of cooled. And so I, like, you know, Petunia is a woman she hasn't needs, she is maybe feeling, you know, a little bit like, she wants to explore something different than all of a sudden this which materializes, and it's sort of dark and a little bit taboo for her because it's a world that she's shunned and pushed away. But she's really attracted by this woman. And so it's really intense and driven by heat. And I love that, that dynamic. And for McGonigal, it's equally weird and taboo, because, you know, this woman is a admittedly terrible guardian for hurry. And so she has to sort of like compartmentalized that away, because she's also attracted to Petunia. So it's this thing that happens, where it's like, okay, yes, I can acknowledge that what's happening is something that I don't like, but if I just ignore that, and focus on the person in front of me, I can I enjoy myself. And I feel like this is the sort of situation that would need to be happening for this to work. But I, for some reason, I am really, really, really excited about this. I just, I like, I suppose the, the exploration just in me likes reading about, about people who get bored of just doing the same thing, or they get bored of, you know, like having the same routine. And so they they go out and find something new. And of course, you know, when you bring the Harry Potter wheeled into it and bring like magic into this, it just adds an extra dimension of interest for me. Yeah. And so I just, I mean, I would I love mechanical as a character and not as wild about Petunia as a character.

I don't think so. Yeah. No,

but when I think about it, like, I'm not wild about Draco as a character, but I love fanfic Drake, yeah. And so and so like, in much the same way as we can have ordinary book Draco and then fanfic, Draco, maybe we can have fanfic Petunia, who then once she acknowledges her love for mechanical, maybe she leaves Vernon. Maybe she starts really embracing the magical world. Maybe she even like apologizes to hurry for all the crap she put him through over the years, and they start to get closer together, because now she's stopped repressing all of these feelings and images from inside her and she feels more capable of self expression. She doesn't quite feel the need to hate around so much. You know,

I have a scenario okay. For Petunia and McGonagall, I because you know, you laid it out there and that could work. Yeah, I don't know if I would. If I were McGonagall I wouldn't be able to let it go her years of abuse of Harry but if McGonagall got into the toonies life before all of that, like for instance, here's the AU AU. Au is they drop off Harry at the door and McGonagall sticks around for a little while. Petunia is younger Like she's just had Dudley and she's like an exhausted mom or whatever, because she already has one infant to deal with and you're just going to drop off another one. Rude. Rude.

Yeah, yeah. So falling. So

if McGonigal sticks around for a while, and helps temper some of that like vitriol that that builds up over the course of several years that results in her liking Harry so much. If instead, she is an alternate outlet for like, getting out those frustrations. I imagine like if McGonagall was a support person for Petunia over the years, instead of just like disappearing into nothingness and like, well, thanks, guys. I love having an extra child like anyway, it's there is something to be said for their perspective of being miffed beyond measure that they have a child dropped into their laps, but like, you know, just just if it was different, there was an AU where she had the supportive McGonigal that then grew into Yeah, kind of support, then I would definitely be able to get behind that. Yes,

yes. And, and things could get very radio voice.

Oh, gosh. Oh, sorry.

Why are you apologizing?

How would you engineered

Oh, geez, you're getting angry again. Go take a walk and come back to me.

Why is this so perfect? Okay, yes, but I have more to build on. Let's hear it. We're saying. So you were saying that mechanical work is a sort of emotional support person for petroleum. But on Pottermore. In her backstory, it's revealed that mechanical fell in love with a Muggle man. And then, you know, things went south, and that wasn't sustainable. And so she was sort of forever distraught after that. And so I think it's also possible the Petunia could be McGonigal emotional, plushy in this situation because she is a Muggle. You know, so so she is her way into this back into this world that she feels is left her behind. And then she starts to embrace some of the things that Petunia likes, like keeping a really cleanliness home, like and so she'll do things for Petunia, like tidy the house like maybe they get maybe they get like a little cottage together. And McGonagall is a little bit like spacey and so she's, you know, throwing things all about the place. And it sort of drives Petunia arbitrary, but in a in an affectionate way. But then she'll put that like part of their love language together is that she's like, Oh, Petunia, dear, thank you so much for putting up with me. I don't know why I'm doing Robin Williams. It's just sort of like so. So she'll, you know, Petunia is out doing her Muggle job, I imagine that she like once. Because once you get to bring your vision and she's like free to explore more of the person that she wants to be, as opposed to just random housewife. I'm not saying that, you know, staying at home being a housewife isn't valid. I'm just saying that for her. It's a you know, it's been a product of a kind of voluntary oppression. And so you know, whenever she's free of those constraints, maybe she explores other vocations. So let's say she's had a hard day at her vocation, and she comes back and mechanicals all been like cleaning the house and in my head, I'm picturing the scene in Sleeping Beauty. You know, with the three good fairies are like in the cottage, and they're using all of the magic to like sweep up after themselves and bake the cake. I just, I see, this is what Kruk ship does. It takes it takes preposterous elements and preposterous pairings and makes you want them and makes you crave them. And this dear listener is why I love it so much. For me crack ship is a natural extension of everything that the fanfic does already. Because it's just pushing those principles to the extreme and maybe, you know a Muggle and a which can bond over a wellmade K.

Yes, very well said.

So, we did have another pairing that we potentially wanted to discuss. I don't know very much about this. But you you raised it to me. And I don't know maybe do you want to introduce it because I feel like I will do it and Miss John.

I'm not sure I can get to do it justice either. It's a unique one. I'm so we were in one in one of the discord servers that I'm in we were writing, mayhem. And let's see, how do I introduce this? We just it there's no rhyme or reason to mayhem. It just is it just comes into existence and sometimes it's absolute nonsense most of the time it's crack.

Yeah, so I should, I should just for our listeners that don't know because it's possible that you're you know, you just enjoy our podcast but you're not on the discord and if so I understand that that's not the space for everybody but also you'd be most welcome to join our Discord and come and join the fun as well. We do this thing sometimes called ministry mayhem, where we write a story in sentences, which is to say that, you know, all stories are written in sentences. But well done. So eloquent. We do this thing where we write a story a sentence at a time among different people. So you'll get like a premise. And then you'll have, say, 90 seconds to write based on what the previous person has written as a prompt, so you only see the previous sentence. And then you build a story by you know, sort of sandwiching all the sentences together. And the premises are pretty wild, and usually very cracky. And there's no rhyme or reason to them. And they're usually exceptionally filthy. Which by the way, is why our mayhem episode is going to have to be a bonus one. Because we cannot in all good conscience share those reminiscences with you. However, however, some of the wonderful ideas that come from, we can definitely do that. So anyway, so you weren't a different server. You were playing me and

this and this is exactly what happened that we decided we needed to do Hogwarts does pride. So all of hog Of course, went to a pride parade. Yeah, it was wonderful. And included in that was the fat fryer. And we decided the fat fryer was non binary. Mostly because the method of mayhem there, there's not a lot of continuity from person to person. So pronouns and you know, whatever genitalia is very loosey goosey. Everybody has everything. It's all fine. Yeah, but we, we talked about the fat fryer and how he doesn't even have a name. You're just gonna call him the fat fryer. Really? No, no, no. Yes Alphonse now. So Alphonse is a non binary ghost fryer. And he they strike up a friendship with trans femme Hagrid, Henrietta?

Yes, I love and

for no other reason. Besides, we need more trans representation Harry Potter, like, I got a lot of trans friends and in the Harry Potter community, and one of the biggest ways we can send an fu to the Creator we don't speak of is, you know, to put more trans characters into our stories. So that's kind of what it was all about was just living in that space and having it be a happy positive place for trans characters in Harry Potter. So it Yeah, but it grew and we've reinserted Alphonse and Henrietta and several may hems hence. And it just lives in a happy place in my heart. Because what why Wi Fi? Why doesn't live in a happy place in your heart? I don't know. It's just wholesome. It's just happy. And also,

yeah, this is a big part of crack chips that I'm so glad you brought it up. Because it really it does touch that place in your soul. That because it's so ridiculous. You think, oh, you know it? Yeah. But it won't have that sort of deep emotional impact. But it does. You know it, we talk about it as though it's a flippin thing. But representation is so important. And all of these voices are so crucial to our diverse, rich human tapestry of people that why wouldn't you have as many different kinds of voices in fiction, as you call it? And I'm so I'm so glad that people do this. Because it isn't done for the sake of being subversive. And it isn't done for the sake of putting those those voices out there. It's done, as you say, with the community in mind with knowing that these people exist, that, you know, trans people are valid trans people are real trans rights are human rights. I'm gonna get political for a teensy teensy moment. But just to say, you know, I, the fact that these people, that people of all genders, ethnicities, colors, you know, whatever, are continue to be underrepresented across fiction is a thing that fanfiction is constantly redressing them. And so seeing happen within the community and seeing you know, Through character we can give the people that we know and love a chance to also be part of what we love to do. And tell that story together. That that's magical to me. Like I'm so happy that happens. So when you told me when you told me about trans femme hungry at Yeah, you know, and also out of funds, I'd love to know where that moon came. Like, it's just so perfect. I've got it, that's going to be my headcanon from now until the day, I shuffle off the incredible, incredible, like, we like so so we have to, like they're both very voluptuous characters. They're both very big and bouncy. They're both clearly full of the love of life or afterlife. Yeah, I think both occupy a sort of a space of embracing who you are, and embracing what it is to be alive and convivial and full of the sort of spontaneous vivacity of you know, being together. So I appreciate it. I appreciate it. Well, I was just gonna say that I really, you know, the fact that this happens, like, Wait, did they meet up properly?

Um, I think they they meet each other and like, reintroduce themselves to each other in their, in their new identities kind of thing at the Pride Parade.

Nice. Nice. Okay. Yeah, this is great. So if you if you've never been to a Pride Parade, I should say that this is like, in my opinion, this is a fantastic setting for this. Because if there is going to be any environment that that lets you be fully embraced and accepted for who you are. It is a pride parade. I, I love the atmosphere at Pride. I'm just this is me, Nathan speaking on a personal note, now, I am slightly I get slightly annoyed whenever I have to whenever pride is over, and then I have to go, you know, back into the ordinary world at the end of that time, because pride is such a, it's just such a wholesome, uninhibited, kind of friendly, everyone being themselves because they want to be kind of energy. And so the fact that these characters meet at Pride Parade feels right? Because Because it's like, it's the, it's the space for opening up and being, you know, bestowed with the energies of the new, you know, casting off the shackles of the old world that you thought you belong to, and starting to love yourself for who you are. Just was the only thing specific about like, the character of because we don't know very much about the fact.

Yeah. And I think that was just the reason why we decided to do what we did with them. Because you know, if there's not, even if there is fast and hard cannon, like, we get to do what we want with characters when we write fanfiction. So yeah, that was it. We just wanted to embrace that. I know a lot of sometimes there's pressure from people who are who are post Harry Potter to be like, Oh, we cannot support any Harry Potter anymore because of the Creator stances or whatever. Like, so be gone. We're done with that we've moved on. But like we don't have to, we don't we don't have to leave that no mind. So instead, like infusing it with just more transit goodness is just what we wanted to do.

Yeah, exactly. There's a I don't know if you have the saying over there. But we have a saying he, you know, you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. You know why? Like, why would you jettison all of these characters that you've grown to know and love, whenever you can do what you want with them? You know, fanfiction is is a way of sort of reclaiming the space and doing what you want to do with it. And like, why would I understand that maybe the people have had very strong emotional reactions to what's happened. And I understand why they, in particular, would want to distance themselves from an environment that they don't see as particularly positive anymore because of that, but I don't then understand the leap that some people make that say, well, because I've decided to do this. I also think nobody else should. That's the that's the point where I disagree. Because the space is full of everybody that wants it. And I think fanfiction and the community has proven time and time again, that no matter what, you know, transphobic things happen in the Big Bad outside world. Community by and large remains a really wholesome space where that is a part of what we do, frankly, because It's a part of what we do as being human, like, in my view would be ridiculous not to support trans people, because trans people are a part of what it is to be human and quiet and I think that the community reflects that like the fact that we want to make so many voices as non binary. The fact that we want to, you know, play around with what it is to be these characters, like with fanfic Draco for example, like fanfic, Draco wears platform heels has a cape, massive eyeliner is like all about his entrances and exits. And it's so dramatic, but I love that about them. Like I like I imagine that fanfic Draco is is pansexual they are, you know, gender fluid. And it works for them. You know, this is like all about finding what works for you some chips as as we know, like, some chips won't work for you. And that's fine, you know, you you, you dust yourself off, you pick yourself up and you you you move on, but but like the point is that they're there for people to enjoy. I think you were the other day you randomly message me and you said there's no fanfiction on a oh three about particular

Oh my gosh. To correct myself. Sorry to interrupt. Okay, so I searched for fanfiction for Han Solo and Chewbacca and I did not find any in the tags. So there was no tag for Han Solo and Chewbacca. But then when I went to search for works, instead of searching for a tag when I searched for works for whatever reason in any of the three there were some Han Solo Chewbacca fanfiction, so my apologies for my misinformation.

That Okay, okay, well, I'm I am glad that that exists. Right. So it is necessary. Thank you. I mean, they just spent too much time together in that cockpit for there not to be, you know, exactly, you know, but again, this is like prime content for a bonus episode. Ready? Are you ready and willing to talk about this? You know, sometimes I like I love Harry Potter and I love the universe. But sometimes you run out of characters. And there's so many characters that I love across all different kinds of thunder. Yeah, so what so what I'm going to propose to you listeners this, if there's a particular fund and that you love that maybe isn't to do with Harry Potter, but you still want to hear me talk about it. Come to me with those suggestions. You know, I'm not saying that mags is necessarily going to be done for all that. But like, we can potentially do bonus episodes

or Yeah, the fandom Yeah, depends on the fan.

But you know, we've already established that Han Solo and Chewbacca, it's, well, like, you know, that's just first of all, just come in anyway. But second of all I want to talk about so you know, let's let's do that thing. I mean, obviously, today's episode is, you know, I decided that I wanted to keep a little bit shorter purposefully, because I had so many ideas for different chips, and, you know, crack thick pairings, because you can literally go in any direction. I was like, No, we need to pick three. And we need to talk about those because otherwise, I'm just gonna go off on a million in one different tangents. And I almost did with Star Wars. See, see how I'm practicing self restraint and growing. I was so happy with myself. You know, I feel like the episode that we we have done together today is tremendous. But it's also been the product of a lot of sort of pent up wanting to talk about crack fiction for a while, that I've now been able to, you know, to add those strong feelings with you my very good friend from across the street. But no, I'm just very happy that that we got to do this today. It was a lot of fun. And listeners, if you would like a sequel to this crack chips episode, and you have particular crack chips that you're like, Yeah, you know what? I love crack chips, but they didn't talk about the giant squid. If you want us to come back and talk giant squid, we could do that. If you want us to come back and talk about anything. I mean, I think today has proven that that we can do that. So if you have suggestions for future episodes, whatever they might be, please do reach out to me at Care of Magical shippers, podcast gmail.com D. Do you have any like closing thoughts or anything that you want? I'll dismiss to take away.

I'm not really but well, maybe. Sorry. No, but yeah six to eight works posted on a oh three right now phenomenal as strict. And so I'm like I need I need a special one for 69 You need a special. So I don't know what that's gonna be my writing my spoons for writing are so minimal as it is. But something needs to happen. Something's gotta so maybe maybe I can pluck something out of here and write a little bit of Filton, Peeves or, you know, something,

you know listener? You I mean, you know that figures incredible, we've we've established this, but if you have a suggestion, potentially for fee for her next 69 Yes, writing and do reach out to phenomenal asterisk on a oh three because you can get in touch there. Whether that's by a comment on the existing thick or you know, sliding into the DMS I'm sure that that would be massively appreciated. I mean, we know that I love your where your heads up with these works. I just I think the listeners are going to be in for a treat. So I eagerly now are waiting your 69 it's going to be

good. It just needs to be created first

of all great created things start with a good idea. Yeah, this is like how do you think Harry Potter got started the first like, without that we wouldn't be doing this you know, you know you never know what a good idea can spark and I'm so excited by that but that's again why I love cracked thick because it can literally take your mind in directions that you never knew you never knew that you're going to be interested in or want to read about but you know suddenly you know does wait does does wanting 100 Solo and Chewbacca to be together i mean that I have theory leanings

you do. Wait Yeah, you do. Oh I thought we talked about this before neither

did we I do remember

you want me to put you on blast night

okay, you know what we can continue this conversation after this oh my god. Okay, listen is I'm gonna have to leave. So squandered. Look, we established that I have no sign off anyway. I'm just gonna I'm just gonna leave you with the terrifying thought that I'm into many

see you around, friend. Thank you so much listeners again, for listening. We love you all. Tune back in for the next one. It's gonna be a blast. Okay, thanks, everybody.