Moss Graffiti: A How To Guide

Practical Shakespeare Quotes

Do you want to quote more Shakespeare in your life but never find opportunities to say “brevity is the soul of wit”? Do you rarely hang below balconies exchanging love vows with the daughter of your enemy? This is just the list for you. “What an ass am I!” —Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2 “I am not a slut,” —As You Like It, Act 3, Scene 3 (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) “Hell is empty and all the devils are here,” —The Tempest, Act 1, Scene 2 “Commit the oldest sins the newest kind of ways,” —Henry IV Part 2, Act 4, Scene 5 “This is the excellent foppery of the world,”

–King Lear, Act 1, Scene 2

“Making the beast with two backs,” —Othello, Act 1, Scene 1 “The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool,” —As You Like It, Act 5, Scene 1 “To tell thee plain, I aim to lie with thee,” —Henry VI Part 3, Act 3, Scene 2 (Works great for courting hot widows.) “I would rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me,” —Much Ado About Nothing, Act 1, Scene 1 “I wasted time, and now doth time waste me,” —Richard II, Act 5, Scene 5 “Marry, sir, in her buttocks.” —A Comedy of Errors, Act 2, Scene 5 (No judgement here.) “My horse is my mistress,” —Henry V, Act 3, Scene 7 (Uh, there might be something wrong with that.) “Thou dost infect my eyes,” —Richard III, Act 1, Scene 2 “Better a witty fool, than a foolish wit,” —Twelfth Night, Act 1, Scene 5 (“Wit” is Shakespearean slang for penis.) “[Wine] provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance,” —Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 3 “I had rather live with cheese and garlic in a windmill, far, than feed on cates and have him talk to me in any summer-house in Christendom,” —Henry IV Part 2, Act 4 Scene 1 “Now, gods, stand up for bastards!” —King Lear, Act 1, Scene 2 “Villain, I have done thy mother!” —Titus Andronicus, Act 4, Scene 2 (This means exactly what you think it does.) “And thou unfit for any place but hell,” —Richard III, Act 1, Scene 2 “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers,” —Henry VI Part 2, Act 4, Scene 2

“Heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell.” —Othello, Act 4, Scene 2

“Out, dunghill!” —King John, Act 4, Scene 3 “This is too long.” —Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2

May We Meet Again

In peace, may you leave this shore.

In love, may you find the next.

Safe passage on your travels.

Until our final journey to the ground.

May we meet again

at dawn

presenting the gryffindor quidditch captains through the years to celebrate the new @hpquidditchnet !

It starts at dawn.

Minerva McGonagall stands broom in hand, eyes on the lilac stained sky. She feels the urge stirring in her bones, the urge to take off, to feel the cold breeze under her ribs, to fly. The smell of broom polish is intoxicating, the soft rustling as robes flutter in the wind a symphony to her ears, her heart soaring underneath the red and gold crest.

She is home.

It starts at dawn.

James Potter watches the tired faces of his team as they complete drill after drill. His eyes track their movements, scribbling notes in his head over the lists of names that burned through the evening paper the night before. He etches drills and plays over the images that haunt his dreams, filling every space in his skull with scrawling diagrams until it is just a sea of ink. Marlene sails the quaffle through the hoops, fist in the air and cheer in her throat.

This, he thinks, this is what we’re fighting for.

It starts at dawn.

Too damn early, in Charlie Weasley’s opinion. It had seemed like a good idea when the new keeper, Wood, had suggested it, but now he’s freezing his arse off at five in the morning instead of buried under duvets he’s reconsidering. The sun’s lighting up the pitch, igniting the fire that burns in his stomach.  It’s this feeling in his chest, the one he gets when he flies high above the stands, that makes him feel like he could breath fire.

It starts at dawn.

And Oliver Wood is ready. Because the feel of a broom under him and goggles holding his hair back on his forehead does something to him. Like every part of him finally settles, slotting together to make a machine of blood and bone and sinew. He is ready, captains armband tight around his arm, ready to carve his team into history where they belong. There is lighting in his bones and thunder in his heart.

A storm is coming.

It starts at dawn.

Angelina Johnson can already feel the weight balanced between her shoulder blades, already hear the fears whispering in her ear. But there is fire in her veins and she won’t go down without a fight. She watches her team, her family, fly. Katie and Alicia, laughing as they duck and weave through the air; Fred and George trying to aim bludgers through the hoops; Ron, looping the pitch slowly as he adjusts his gloves; and Harry, Harry with his eyes that have seen too much, making pulling out of a dive look like a lost art.

There is hope yet she thinks.

It starts at dawn.

Well, it should be starting at dawn but Harry Potter has never been known for his timekeeping abilities. He doesn’t know what he’s doing, he never does, he probably never will, but standing there, boots crunching under leaves that have swept onto the pitch, he feels a tranquillity he hasn’t felt in a while. The team is different from the one he entered six years ago but it’s still the same warmth in his chest as he kicks off from the ground.

The pounding in his chest reminds him he’s alive.

It starts at dawn.

Ginny Weasley bites her lip as she leans against the base of one of the hoops. The pitch is one of the few places she can come without hearing the screams of battle, without smelling the smoke of war. Her hand is still shaking though as she glances to the stands where she used to sit and watch games, watch her brothers, watch Fred. A new morning breaks as the sun rises and she walks to the huddle of scarlet clad players.

And so the game plays on.

‘This is a disappointment to the family.’

‘Join us, Lily.’

‘Yeah come dance with us.’

‘I’m disowning you both.’

James and Albus dancing outside the inn where they were staying for Teddy and Victoire’s wedding weekend taken by Lily who had been playing music on her phone

Taken December 15th 2019

The Train

The last train out of Newcastle was almost empty. It rattled across the large bridges over the black water of the Tyne, and for the most part was quiet, just one or two people per carriage, snoozing in their seats or tapping away on laptops, ignoring the ping of the intercom and the Geordie-accented voice announcing the stops.

The exception to this was the very last carriage, where a large family was making a lot of noise indeed. Dressed head to toe in green and draped in scarves and flags and badges with words like 'Harpies rangers!' and 'These witches have talons!', they stretched across two table seats and the aisles behind too, the tables themselves laden with drinks and tubs of food bought last minute from the M&S in the station.

'-And then I can't believe you just openly told me it's rude to stare!' Albus was bursting out furiously at his father. The rest of the family was roaring with laughter, and Al was occasionally laughing too, though his face was as red as his mother's hair.

'It is rude to stare!' Harry replied, holding out his hands helplessly.

'I wasn't staring!'

'You WERE!' several people shouted back at him, pink faced with laughter.

Scorpius adopted a vacant, dreamy sort of expression, staring into the middle distance. 'H...ello,' he croaked, which only made the rest of the family laugh even more. Teddy's stomach ached from it, and he could see Lily wiping tears from her eyes.

'I didn't say it like that!'

'You DID!'

'I said it normally! A normal hello!'

'You absolutely did not, and you stared for so long - I have never seen you look more like your mother,' said Harry. 'I was transported back to my first visit to the Burrow.'

'Oh!' said Ginny, with mock crossness, and she leaned over the table to place a protective hand on her son's shoulder. 'Ignore them, Al, they don't know what it's like to meet your heroes-'

Albus rested his forehead on the table, between the tub of flapjacks and bottles of butterbeer, his shoulders shaking in despairing laughter. 'Mum, it's your fault, springing that on me... Can't believe I just stared at him... Why didn't you warn me he was their coach?'

'I thought it would be a nice surprise!' said Ginny. 'I thought you'd always wanted to meet Gonçalo Flores!'

'He did,' said Scorpius, 'but I bet he always imagined he'd be very suave and witty, not just... "H...ello...", didn't you, Al?'

'I hate you all, I hate Quidditch, I hate Gonçalo Flores-'

'No, you don't.'

'No, I don't,' admitted Albus, still hilariously red in the face. 'He was so nice about it... just makes it worse...'

'Al,' said James above the family's laughter. He was grinning evilly. 'Is he on your list, Al?'

'Oh my God, shut up-'

'He is!' said James gleefully, as amused 'ooh's' filled the carriage and Scorpius nodded enthusiastically, looking positively elated. 'He is on your list!'

'You know, I was worried for about half a second when I saw him,' said Scorpius. 'But fair's fair, you gave it your best shot, Al, I'm happy for him to stay on the list.'

'What list?' asked Harry, frowning. 'I don't get it.'

'Oh, sweetheart, you're so innocent,' said Ginny sympathetically, leaning back to squeeze Harry's knee. 'You're probably on loads of lists.'

'What lists?' he asked, apparently entirely flummoxed. 'What for?'

'No one tell him,' said Teddy quickly. 'No one explain.'

'Is it a list of people to kill? If someone's on your list you want to kill them?'

'Oh my God, Dad, get more mind healing,' said Lily, which made Ted snort with laughter.

'Al definitely doesn't want to kill Gonçalo Flores...' said James, with a grin that looked eerily like Uncle George.

'Stop it; I don't want to discuss this with my parents-' hissed Al.

'Who else is on your list?' asked Ginny. She looked at Scorpius. 'Who else is on it?'

'Well...'

‘You know who’s on mine?’ said Rowan, who seemed drunker than Ted had ever seen him, ‘Cerys Twycross. That actress from that play we saw last year.’

Lily snorted. ‘In your dreams, love.’

‘Well, yes, precisely,’ said Rowan, which earned him a shriek of laughter from Ginny.

‘You know what,’ said Scorpius, with a brief smirk at Lily. ‘I could arrange that for you. I know a guy who knows her.’

‘Shut up!’ said Lily, sitting up so fast in her seat that the pack of crisps in her lap went flying. ‘You don’t, you’re winding me up, you’re as bad as James sometimes.’

‘Tell me more,’ said Rowan, leaning forward.

‘Yeah, good luck, Ro…’

'Hazel,' said Harry, leaning across the aisle.

'No,' she said at once, shaking her head frantically. The others laughed.

'What does it mean?' he asked. 'You'll tell me.'

'Don't tell him, Haze!'

'I - ask your son-' she babbled.

'Tell me, I'm your boss-'

'Not any more...'

'I'm good friends with your boss, come on-'

'Hazel, don-'

'It's a list of people you're allowed to sleep with,' she blurted out, and then her cheeks flushed pink too.

'Ahh,' said Harry, leaning back. He turned to Ginny with a grin that Teddy did not like at all. 'Like our agreement about Madeleine Marlborough?'

'I beg your pardon?' spluttered James, as Al and Lily both howled in revulsion and the others burst into renewed laughter.

'The Australian singer.'

'Yes, I know who she is, I wish I didn't.'

'Horrible,' Teddy said. 'She's my age. You're both horrible. Who - no I don't want to know.'

'It's not serious,' Harry assured them.

'Excuse me, speak for yourself,' said Ginny.

'Stop!' pleaded Albus, burying his face in his hands. 'The pair of you... I am about to leap off this train.'

'This is terrible,' James agreed. 'This is... deeply traumatising.'

'It's all right for you,' said Ted. 'You'll forget it in about five minutes.'

'Well, that's five minutes too long.'

'You all need to toughen up,' said Harry with a shrug. 'Scorpius, Rowan and Hazel don't mind.' Indeed, they were all spluttering with laughter, Hazel and Rowan exchanging shocked but amused glances.

'They're not related to you!'

'And anyway, sadly I can't imagine we'll ever meet her, our concert days are over and I don’t think we run in the same circles.'

'I think this whole experience demonstrates that just because someone is on your list, doesn't mean that you'll actually enjoy meeting them,' said Albus flatly.

'Oh, Ally, you poor thing, no wonder you were so star-struck,' said Ginny. 'You should have told me he was on your list-'

'GOD-!'

'Back in the day, when-'

'Yes - we know - you met Dad and you couldn't speak in front of him, but you were a little girl, I'm a fully grown man-'

'So's Gonçalo Flores,' said Scorpius, with an exaggerated wink.

Albus screamed into the tub of brownie bites.

The shrieks of laughter and jeers continued as the train snaked through the darkness, swaying slightly as it turned corners. Teddy liked travelling this way; they had known that several of them would be too drunk to apparate after the match, and the Knight Bus and Portkey points would likely be too full of journalists and people staring to be worth it. But Teddy liked the slowness of muggle transport, he liked the conversations that arose from lack of anything else to do, the way that they were cramped in together. He blew across the top of his butterbeer bottle to make the funny hooting noise before remembering his young daughters were not there with him, but at home with Vic, but Lily laughed and seemed to appreciate it anyway.

'If I get an emptier one,' she said, 'and someone else gets another - we should try and make the theme tune to the Bowmans.'

'Ooh, yes, let me help,' said Ginny, seizing a bottle. 'Hazel, you take this one - if we get good enough, we can save some money on the wedding band.'

'Did we book a band?' James blurted out suddenly, and he seized his notebook and began rifling through the pages. 'Did we-?'

'Yes,' said Hazel soothingly. 'It's all arranged.'

'Which one, I don't remember-'

'It's all right,' said Harry patiently, for James was starting to look a little frantic. 'No one expects you to remember everything involved in planning a wedding.'

'OK, I've found it - I wrote here that I booked them - but I don't remember doing it-'

Teddy exchanged a dark glance with Ginny, who picked up a tub of caramelized peanuts and shook them at James in offering. ‘That’s what you write things down for, isn’t it? Grab a handful of these before they’re all gone, I can’t stop picking at them.’

He must have known he was being distracted, for he gave her an irritable sort of look, but he did take a handful and returned to looking through his notebook in a much calmer sort of way.

‘Is your list in there?’ Ted asked, nodding at the full pages. ‘So you don’t forget?’

James’s brown eyes flicked up at him a narrowed slightly. ‘No,’ he said firmly.

‘You said that pretty quickly,’ said Al.

‘Almost too quickly.’

‘I don’t have a list,’ said James. ‘I’m not a pervert like the rest of you.’

‘Everyone’s got a list, Jim,’ said Scorpius. ‘Even if they don’t realise.’

‘Your father and I aren’t perverts!’ exclaimed Ginny.

‘You are, and I won’t hear any more about it-’

‘Hazel -’ began Harry, ‘obviously you both have lists, don’t you? I’m your boss-’

‘I am absolutely not talking to you about it,’ said Hazel.

There was a great, rhythmic ‘ooh’ from the amused family, and James grinned broadly at her, but Harry was also grinning, unfazed and unoffended. ‘So there is a list, then?’

There was another round of whooping, howling laughter, Rowan clapping his hands in delight. ‘He’s got you there!’

Hazel was laughing, her head in her hands, but James, still amused, was leaping to her defence. ‘Don’t twist her words - thank God you’re not an auror now, that wouldn’t hold up in court, would it? Don’t-’

‘He’s so defensive - I bet it’s because their lists are filthy!’ insisted Al.

‘Absolutely not, there’s no list!’

The train began to rattle and sway even more, slipping between towering concrete covered in graffiti. The tannoy chimed and the Geordie accent from before announced that they would soon be arriving into Kings Cross.

‘Excellent,’ said Harry happily, although Teddy felt oddly glum that their journey had come to an end.

They staggered off the train together into the almost empty station, still bedecked in green, still laughing and shouting loudly at one another, their voices echoing off the grubby white tiles. Harry, though Lily had not permitted him to drink much at all, threw open his arms and looked up at the great glass ceiling as he walked. ‘Isn’t it good to be back here, kids?’ he called loudly. Then he span and pointed at Teddy. ‘A few more years and you’ll be here every September again too!’

Ted grinned at him, though the prospect of Dora and Celeste starting school mildly terrified him. He kept walking, and as he reached Harry, his godfather slung his arm around his shoulders. ‘Watch out,’ he told Ted, ‘it goes by in a flash.’

‘Already is.’

‘Bring the girls next time, it was lovely having everyone together. They’d love it - you know it’s no problem getting tickets.’

‘I told you - it’s well past their bed time.’

‘Ah, who cares - the odd late night never hurt anyone.’

‘Easy to say when you don’t have to deal with them the next day!’ said Ted, laughing.

The ticket gates were wide open; the family walked through without reaching into their pockets for the little orange cards. ‘Right,’ Ginny was saying briskly, ‘who’s coming to Ron and Hermione’s with us? Al and Scorpius - are you still going with Ted to Grimmauld Place? Or - no, Lily, was that you two?’

But Lily was ignoring her, pulling urgently on Rowan’s hand and gesturing frantically at the others. ‘Hurry - the night tube isn’t running tonight!’

‘Ah, we’ll get a cab-’

‘Thank you,’ said Harry’s voice, much quieter now. Ted stopped watching the rest of the family chaotically argue over getting the tube or taxis, and looked at Harry. He was watching his son and Hazel; James was pointing at the barrier between platform’s nine and ten, recounting some story. ‘For joking about it all with him, for keeping it light.’

‘Of course,’ said Ted. ‘Wasn’t that what we all agreed?’

‘Yes, but I know it isn’t easy, but you always find the right words.’

‘Sort of my job,’ mumbled Ted awkwardly. ‘He seems to be doing so much better though, so it is getting easier, isn’t it?’

‘It is. It’ll be a good wedding.’

‘TED!’ Lily bellowed. ‘Come ON! We’re going back to yours!’

‘Chill out!’ he shouted back to her, and then looked once more at Harry with great exasperation. ‘What’s she like?’

Harry smiled, though it seemed slightly strained. ‘I mean it. Thank you.’

‘You don’t need to thank me for looking after my brother.’

Harry hugged him, one hand gripping at the silky Harpies flag draped round Ted’s shoulders, the other at the back of his head in his emerald green hair. ‘Good luck with writing the speech,’ he said. ‘Send my love to Vic and the girls.’

‘Will do. See you Sunday.’

They broke apart. ‘Jim! Hazel!’ Harry called across the wide expanse of the station. ‘Let’s go, if we’re too late back Hermione’ll tell us off.’

Beneath the great glass ceiling of Kings Cross, the family hugged, and made their hasty, happy farewells.

Professor Lily Potter

Imagine if Lily Potter had become the Potions professor at Hogwarts. If Voldemort had killed James, but she and Harry had survived, both shielded by the power of her love. 

Imagine how Lily Potter would encourage the Weasley twins in the things they were good at, instead of scolding them like everyone else in their lives, because she remembers what it was like growing up with the Marauders. Imagine how seriously they would have taken their studies with just a little bit of praise for the things they were doing right, because they were clearly smart boys. Imagine how much smarter they could be if only somebody realized their intelligence and encouraged it—somebody like Lily Potter. 

Imagine how gently Lily Potter would correct little Neville Longbottom, whose face looked just like his mother’s and whose eyes were filled with fear. Imagine how many of her lessons she would try to relate back to Herbology to help him understand, how patient she would be if he was having trouble. Imagine how she would praise him and boost his confidence, how she would help him with his other studies as well because, after all, Alice and Frank were practically family. 

Imagine Lily Potter teaching Nymphadora Tonks. One powerful ex-auror teaching an outspoken, quirky, auror-to-be. Imagine how much respect those two women would have had for each other, especially when Lily heard Tonks’ aspirations and Tonks heard of Lily’s time in the Order. 

Imagine how Lily Potter would have protected Harry whenever he was in danger, like nobody else in the school could. Imagine her specifically forbidding Harry from going anywhere near the Philosopher’s Stone, but knowing that he won’t listen because he’s his father’s son. Imagine her finding out that Harry had gone missing in the middle of the night, and rushing past all of the spells to get to where he’s battling with Quirrel. Imagine the fury that would have erupted from her wand. Imagine how safe and loved Harry would have felt. 

Imagine how nurturing Lily Potter would have been to little Ginny, who she recognizes as a little lost and scared. Imagine her keeping a very close eye on the only Weasley girl and becoming rather concerned, deciding to send Molly and Arthur an owl. Imagine how quickly she would have found out about the diary, because little Ginny finally has someone to confide in other than the dark lord, and shutting it down completely in the name of keeping her honorary neice safe. 

Imagine how proud Lily Potter would have been of Hermione, another muggle-born girl facing prejudice, yet rising to the top of her class. Imagine her appreciating the disadvantage that Hermione had, having not come from a wizarding family, and admiring every answer the girl could provide. Imagine how encouraging she would have been of Hermione’s intelligence rather than dismissive, how often she would assure her that blood status had nothing to do with a person’s character. 

Imagine how fond Lily Potter would have been of Luna. Luna may not look like much but she was a free spirit and a kind soul, the kind of person that a woman like Lily could appreciate in the dark ages they were living through. Imagine Lily giving Luna a fond smile every time their eyes met, and glaring down anyone who made fun of her differences. Imagine how protective she would have been of little Luna Lovegood, who had few friends and reminded her of herself before she had met Severus. 

Imagine how fond Lily Potter would be of the pranksters, but not too fond to keep them in check while they were in her class. 

Imagine the points Lily Potter would deduct from students she caught saying the word ‘mudblood.’ Imagine the detentions she would give, the long conversations she would have with the offended and offensive students, the letters she would send home to both parties’ parents. Imagine how proactive she would be in spreading tolerance throughout the younger students and stopping intolerance in the older ones. 

Imagine how much Lily Potter would have helped Ron Weasley, who was forever copying off of Hermione’s notes and essays. Imagine how thoroughly she would explain the things he wasn’t understsanding, how hard she would work to keep his attention on the lesson during class. 

Imagine how many different styles of teaching she would explore in an attempt to reach each and every one of her students, something Snape never attempted. Imagine how many great potions masters were just waiting for an opportunity to discover their talent and were provided that opportunity by Professor Lily Potter. 

Was this really necessary?- she says as her heart shatters into a million pieces

“young!james potter” lol as if he ever got old

open heart, open container

James Potter to Sirius Black: you are uninvited from my wedding. mail back your invitation

Sirius Black: i cant afford to use the post

Sirius Black: also why

James Potter: just seen the shit u left in the sink last night

Sirius Black: take some responsibility u also thought we could skull vodka through a watermelon

James Potter to groomsmen + james who isn’t: this chat name feels weirdly like a call out

Remus Lupin: its cause we have another chat called groomsmen that ur not in

James Potter: wow rlly what goes on in there

Peter Pettigrew to groomsmen without james whose not: do we have to bring a plate

Sirius Black: what

Remus Lupin: are you asking if we have to bring a plate of food to james’ literal wedding

Peter Pettigrew: is that a no

Lily Evans to James Potter: for a lol im putting an eel on the gift registry

James Potter: specify electric

Lily Evans: ur right we dont want to cause confusion

Remus Lupin to Sirius Black: why is the vacuum out whats happened

Sirius Black: i vacuumed

Remus Lupin: don’t be stupid

Sirius Black: okay i vacuumed and then tipped the vacuum bag into the neighbours to get them back for the noise complaint

Remus Lupin: dont lie

Sirius Black: alright I didnt vacumn first

Remus Lupin: knew it

Lily Evans to James Potter: what about instead of me taking ur name we swap names

Lily Evans: like u legally become lily evans and i legally become james potter

Lily Evans: im literally sitting next to u I KNOW ur getting these u bitch

Sirius Black to Lily Evans: its about a cheese toaste i know u know

Sirius Black: okay that was for james

Sirius Black: can u read it to him

Lily Evans: he says that ur forgetting about the economy

Lily Evans: what is happening

Remus Lupin to Sirius Black: lily tells me ur going to be the stripper at her hen party  

Sirius Black: news to me

Sirius Black: though obvsly I’ll do it

Sirius Black: ive already got those tearaway pants  

Remus Lupin: was quite literally joking but now this feels like a plan

James Potter to remus’ toothache is toothfake this has been a rap: rehearsal dinner starts at seven and the place charges by the hour so if ur late lil will skin u  

Sirius Black: what if lily herself is late

James Potter: she says if that happens then time is wrong

Sirius Black: the whole concept of time??

James Potter: apparently so  

James Potter to Lily Evans: does us getting married mean i have to divorce sirius on fb

Lily Evans: obvsly not aren’t you guys coming up on ur ten year anniversary  

James Potter: indeed we are

James Potter: also i love u like mad have i mentioned that

Sirius Black to Lily Evans can you tell peter honeymoon is spelt hoonymoon when he calls in a minute its important

Lily Evans: yeah sure

James Potter to Sirius Black: youve outdone urself

James Potter: lilys pissing herself its alive and everything

Sirius Black: im glad bc im def on at least 14 different watchlists now

Sirius Black: are u aware how hard it is to rent an electric eel legally

James Potter: im assuming difficult

Sirius Black: its actually impossible ive rented it illegally so im expecting u to post my bail when MI6 turns up

James Potter: seems fair  

Remus Lupin to u cant request songs during the ceremony: lilys mum is outside in a shocking hat no one comment on it

Sirius Black: ur too late moons

Peter Pettigrew: i really did think it was a pigeon i didnt mean to offend her!!!!!

James Potter to Lily Evans: want to get burger king rn

Lily Evans: gimme ten minutes to get married first and then im there

James Potter: brilliant

Lily Evans: unrelated but im really glad i get to marry you

James Potter: christ so am i

James Potter: prepare to b ravished in the burger king loos  

Lily Evans: god u know how to woo me

Sirius Black to Remus Lupin: does this pretcher not look just like justin timberlake

Remus Lupin: stop texting during the ceremony  

Sirius Black: james agrees hes fuckin humming sexyback under his breath

Remus Lupin to James Potter: just looked at snapmaps are you and lil rlly at burger king during ur literal wedding reception

James Potter: yeah you want anything

Remus Lupin: coke small fries

Alan Rickman, David Thewlis, Gary Oldman and all those are iconic in their roles in Harry Potter, but I’ll always be a bit sad about that casting, because having that ‘Marauders era’ cast be age appropriate would’ve just been so much better for the story.

Sirius wasn’t this old man who spent 12 years in Azkaban, no he got locked up at 21. He spent almost third of his life in a cell. He wasn’t this wise father figure to Harry, he was a reckless thirty-something who never really got the chance to mature past 21.

Remus was an exhausted, bone deep tired man carrying both physical and mental scars from the suffering he went through. Because he’s a werewolf, because of the war, because he lost all of his friends. And he’s only 33 when first introduced.

And Snape. Snape wasn’t an old bitter man who just hated everyone and enjoyed being antagonistic. He was 31 in Harry’s first year. He began to work for Voldemort as a teen, and as a double agent at 20. He’s a thirty-something bitter man, who never got to really live or make real connections. From Harry’s perspective he’s scary and intimidating, but really he’s just kinda…sad and pathetic. And then especially that scene where Snape is begging Dumbledore to help save Lily, and promising anything in return. (Because apparently Dumbledore needs something in return…for saving people.) He’s twenty. Barely out of his teens. Rickman was good in that scene, but having someone who actually looks twenty, would better show how scared, young, guilty and just desperate he was. That might not put Dumbledore in such a good light, though.

And then, the characters I think would’ve been the most important to cast age appropriately. And most people probably already agree and know who I’m talking about. James and Lily. They were 21 when they died. When Harry sees them in the mirror of Erised, they’re 10 years older than him. That’s the age difference Ron has with Bill. In that scene I might understand somewhat them being in their thirties, because that’s what Harry wants. He wants his life with his parents, he wants to have been raised by them. Though, I don’t know if the mirror could know what they might’ve looked like in their thirties, since they didn’t live that long. But then, in the cemetery when Voldemort’s wand spits the last spells cast, we see Lily and James as they were. 21. They’re telling their son to hold on just a moment longer. And they are 7 years older than him. In Deathly Hallows, Harry sees Voldemort kill them. They’re not this happy couple who’s got to love each other for a long time, only to have that happiness torn from them, no they started at Hogwarts ten years ago. They’re 21, and they’ve barely tasted that happiness. At the end of the book Harry talks to his parents. They comfort him and promise to stay with him, as he goes to die. Harry’s seventeen. James and Lily are four years older than him.

It wouldn’t have felt as nice. Harry being comforted by someone who looks almost his age. But it wasn’t nice. It was pretty tragic. Casting people who look 21, would’ve really made it land on the audience. It was a tragedy. They were barely adults.

I’m right and I should say it