the commentators saying colin “played like a man reborn” actually makes me so feral because the thing about chameleons, as they call him in reference to his playing style, is that chameleons actively blend into their surroundings to avoid detections. like it’s never anyone saying that he’s lacklustre or forgettable, but that he willingly makes himself invisible. previously, it was thought to be for the betterment of the team, but now it’s seen for what it is, which is colin hiding parts of who he actually is. hiding his identity. willful concealment. and when he comes out, immediately something is just UNLEASHED within him. this sigh of relief he feels at the core of his system translates to him playing like a fucking firecracker. it’s amazing, and it is a rebirth in a sense! he’s reborn from someone who bases so much of his identity on the act of hiding to someone who doesn’t need to anymore. he switches from prey in hiding to predator out in the open, able to charge full force through the wild of the pitch in his true form— no colour tricks, no self-preservation methods, just him.
ted lasso, you’ve been having a bit of a shaky final season, but you did this right. you did this so incredibly right.
Thank you to all my mutuals that have made the past ten years on this hell site amazing. I know I’m not on here as much as I used to be, but I still cherish the memories I made with all of you, and the memories I made being a part of the multiple fandoms this site allowed me to be included in.
Tumblr literally changed my entire life for the better when I first got on this site 10 years ago, and I’m so happy I stumbled upon here and met all of you lovely people.
Lily turned around to find James Potter standing in front of the Transfiguration Classroom. Severus, who stood beside her, made a noise of contempt on seeing who had interrupted them.
“Yes,” Lily replied, frowning.
“Well, Happy birthday!” Potter shouted.
“Thanks, Potter,” Lily replied and watched as he walked away with his small band of hooligans.
30th January, 1973
Lily was on her way back to the Great Hall when she collided head first with James Potter. His mates ran past them quickly but James stood looking at her.
“It’s your birthday today, isn’t it?” he asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
Lily blinked. “Yeah.”
“There you are, you insolent little blighter! ”
Both of them whipped their heads around to see a furious Mr. Filch at the end of the long corridor, running towards them.
“Happy birthday, Evans,” Potter grinned before dashing after his friends.
30th January, 1974
Lily entered the Great Hall with an empty stomach but good spirits after a long day. She spotted her group of friends in the far end of the table; she walked towards them when James Potter called her name.
“Hey, Evans, wait!”
Lily turned around and saw Potter smiling at her as he approached her, hands behind his back.
“What?”
“Here,” he said as he stood in front of her, “Happy birthday!” He took his hands from behind his back and presented Lily with a bouquet of roses, beaming brightly as he did so.
Lily felt herself blush as she took the bouquet. “I- they’re beautiful,” Lily stuttered. “Thank you-”
Right at that moment, the bouquet exploded in a puff of smoke, covering them in a foul smell. Through the smoke she saw Potter laughing loudly, soon joined by his friends.
“Go to hell, Potter,” she snapped, stalking away.
30th January, 1975
Lily placed her bowtruckle drawing in the pile inside the carton that Professor Kettleburn had kept aside and turned around, finding herself face to face with James Potter.
“That’s a neat drawing,” James Potter said, enthusiastically.
Lily gave him a polite nod. “Thanks, Potter.”
“You’re welcome!” he said and stood there beaming at her.
Lily looked around before asking, “Are you going to let me go, or…”
“Oh, sorry!” James said and he stepped back a few feet. Lily started to walk towards the edge of the forest when he shouted, drawing the whole class’s attention; “Happy birthday, Evans!”
Lily ducked her head as she felt her face heat up, mouthing ‘shh!’ at him.
30th January, 1976
After parting ways with her partner for the night, Lily made her way back to the portrait hole, finishing her prefect rounds. She turned a corner and saw the retreating back of a guy, strutting casually through the moonlight.
“Hey! What are you doing out now?”
The guy flinched as he heard her voice and turned around. “Uh, getting back from Quidditch practice?”
“Potter?” Lily frowned, walking towards him. “Are you telling the truth?”
“Cross my heart,” he said, placing a hand over his chest. Once Lily caught up with him, he resumed walking, hands in his pockets, broomstick strapped to his back. They walked in silence until he spoke again.
“Are you alright, Evans? You look a bit… tired.”
Lily raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Oh, it’s nothing,” she said. “It’s all the stress of the OWLs classes and the prefect duties getting to my head.”
“Well, I can manage being Quidditch captain and the OWLs just fine,” Potter said. When she glared at him, he laughed. “I’m joking, I’m joking!”
“Just… stop. I have had an awful day already, and I don’t want to hear about your academic competencies,” she sighed. Potter seemed to listen to her for once and kept his mouth shut. It was completely silent for a while except for their footsteps and the fire crackling in the brackets. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.
“Oh.”
Lily turned around cautiously. “What?” Potter was looking at her strangely.
“It’s your birthday.”
Lily blinked. “Yeah, it is,” she nodded.
“Well,” he continued, shuffling awkwardly on the spot. “Happy birthday.”
“Thanks,” Lily muttered and resumed walking.
“Why were you having a bad time on your birthday?” Potter jogged up to her. “What happened?”
“That’s none of your business.”
30th January, 1977
Lily was laughing at something Mary said when she heard someone walking up to her.
“Lily?”
“Oh, hey, James,” Lily replied, turning around to face him. He was almost a head taller than her, and she looked up at his face to find that he was looking at her expectantly.
“I have-” James cleared his throat and started again. “I have something for you, here.” Lily didn’t notice he kept his hands behind his back until he pulled them around, holding a roughly arranged bunch of wild roses.
He took a quick breath through his mouth and handed them to her. “Happy birthday, Lily.”
Lily narrowed her eyes at him. “Did you really think I’ll fall for the same joke twice?”
“No!” James added urgently. “No, this is not a joke, it’s - it’s real.”
“Oh,” Lily said, accepting the roses, feeling heat creeping up her neck.
“Yeah,” James spoke again and Lily thought he almost looked nervous. “I got them from the forest.” He ran his hand through his hair, not meeting her eyes.
“Oh,” Lily repeated. “You’ve been running around the forest?”
“Well, that’s -” He looked up at her face before averting his eyes again. “Yeah, but that’s not a- nevermind about that..”
“They’re beautiful,” Lily said and James stopped fidgeting and looked at her. “Thank you, James.” She gave him a shy smile.
James mirrored her expression, putting his hands inside his pockets. “You’re welcome.” He gave her a nervous smile.
Lily twisted one of the roses’ stems as they stood in silence for a moment. Then James coughed. “I’ll see you around, then,” he said and walked away, turning around the corridor.
30th January, 1978
Lily felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist from behind, right when she got down from her dorm.
She laughed, “Hello, James.”
James rested his chin on top of her head. “Hello, Lils,” he said, and Lily heard the trace of a smile in his voice. Lily turned around and twisted her arms through his, looking up into his eyes.
“You look a bit different today,” James mused out loud.
“I do?”
“Yeah…”
“What is it?” Lily asked curiously.
James narrowed his eyes in thought. “I think you look a little bit old today.”
“You prat,” Lily pinched his arms, but couldn’t stop the smile from taking over her face. James pulled her close and kissed her slowly.
