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lily-fox β In another life
Published: 2011-07-16 22:07:36 +0000 UTC; Views: 79702; Favourites: 2482; Downloads: 0
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I'm sorry to disallow comments, but it got out of hand for me. Maybe 8% of them actually abided my "no discussion" request, and not all of them had anything to say about the drawing. I've heard enough about Harry Potter for pretty much the rest of my life. Thanks to everyone who commented thoughtfully!Spoilers ahead, for all two of you who haven't finished the books.
Before the movies had come out, Kit and I would take turns reading chapters of the Harry Potter books aloud. Snape was my favorite from the start -- I think a lot of us saw that heartbreak coming a mile away. Sirius Black was Kit's favorite as soon as he showed up, and then Rowling killed him. Rowling lost my love when she made my sister cry.
By the sixth book, I had checked out. It felt like a shitty relationship at that point, with nothing but promises of more heartbreak. When the seventh book came out, I read it backwards from the last chapter. I didn't care. I was so angry at Rowling for killing off characters the way she did. I haven't seen the last few movies, and I won't. If I want to feel that bad, I'll just go snort some dijon mustard. I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade -- I respect anybody's Potter love -- but I'm not inviting discussion here, just telling you where I stand.
I feel like Snape deserved better. I know so many writers who love to abuse their babies, to make them suffer. I don't know if they feel like it gives their character depth, but I think that's a stone crock. And yeah, I know life isn't fair, either. When life shits on good people, I find that a pretty cheap shot, too.
Lily Potter and Snape were both martyrs. You ought to have the love you deserve. If you can't have it in this life... maybe the next one.
The style is completely inspired by the amazing Isa Melançon . Her floating couples and exquisite pattern details just kill me.
(Available as a print on Etsy )
props: characters Β© J.K. Rowling
materials: ink, paper + PS8
music: My Morning Jacket, "Thank You Too"
Please do not reproduce without my explicit permission.
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Comments: 339
I was really disappointed with how the whole Snape/Lily/Marauders story turned out. It's almost like it was...backwards. James was a jerk/bully who grows up as a good guy, gets the girl and the nice little everyday life. Snape is the smart, bullied under dog with a huge crush on his pretty bff and turns into a bitter lapdog/mole for a Manipulative Bastard headmaster. lolwat? I feel like Snape's adult life should have been James', and vice versa.
I know life sucks, but this is also the world with animated chocolate frogs and Butter Beer and MAGIC. |: THAT world's life shouldn't suck so badly, daggumit.
-elliesaurus
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I feel you, all the way. And I believe James deserved good love and fortune like everyone does -- Voldemort deserved real love, too. Them that's got, they get, sometimes.
But if there were an ounce more reality to this story, I don't believe Snape wouldn't have gotten interested in somebody else at some point. Life is too long to go without smoochin' in the back of a theater!
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It's not that James was a horrible person who never ever deserved to be happy, it's that we see him as the jerk he was as a kid who picked on people who didn't fight back, and we never got to -see- him become the good man/loving father that everyone SAID he was. We get a starting point and an ending point for the adult characters, but with all the middle Growing Up taken out of the picture it's really hard to feel for 'em. :c Maybe THAT'S what Rowling needs to do next.
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I've heard a lot of people make that complaint, and I totally agree. Like, we're supposed to like James because he's Harry's father? Because he was good at Quidditch? Throw us a bone!
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I definitely loved the books when I was younger, and the first four will always hold a special place in my heart [also, Luna and Neville. Neville could've done it in four books, and Luna's just plain Awesome.]
But I'm old enough now to realize a) there were things that I am not satisfied with in the story that was told, and b) Fanfiction will always be there to make it better.
And on that note, I realize I haven't said anything about your picture! I love it. 
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That's such sweet imagery. 
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In my imagination when snape "crossed the line white light " my cute thougth was than lily was like waiting for him
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She was waiting for him with a basket of muffins and a great big smoocheroo!
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hahaha even better! now you make me hungry d:!
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I... wanted this to happen so badly, too. ;o;
Your style is perfect for their relationship. PERFECT.
Gosh if this is your next drawing obsession, colour me EXCITED. XD
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AW! I'm so happy you like this! Nah, sadly, I don't expect to do any other Potter stuff. This was like therapy art. ;D
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Okay, this. This is just...this makes me feel like an almost sweet pain. They look so happy and peaceful, like she's let go of all the negative shit that happened to them and he's just happy that he has her again and the fact that she's not running away anytime soon...it's so bittersweet. They're happy, but at the same time I know that's not what happened to them and it was just a world of pain in the end for the both of them =C
I'm really divided with my feelings on this - on one hand, I respect the canon world of Harry Potter, and having Snape go through all the horror he did made his love for her all the more incredible...but as you said, in the end there was just so much heartbreak. AND ALL FOR MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS. Remus and Tonks and Lily and Sirius and Snape, oh god, especially with Snape. I can appreciate that there was a war and there will be losses because of it, but...it was just so painful...I still haven't had that much of a catharsis over all those deaths, even after all this time...I can appreciate and respect realism, but I still crave some happiness for these characters, y'know?
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Honey, I know exactly how you feel. And you know, drawing this was THE best catharsis for me. Any time I feel low, I draw it out. If I desperately want to hug and kiss a character, I make it happen. It feels awesome. Draw it out, write it out! If being on the page between two hard covers makes it real, why isn't it real in your writing program? C:
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I love Harry and Ginny, but screw James Potter, dude. Snape and Lily would've been damn awesome, they're one of my favorite couples, even if they are technically not canon. James was a prick, if I were Lily I would've gone with the cute quiet one with the long black hair instead. =w=
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But Snape was a miserable guy. It would have been a battle to love him. She was out of high school, probably looking to be happy without a fight. You know how i feel about Snape, but I would not want to be the one to trying to love that prickly heart.
BUT EVERYTHING IS PERFECT IN MY MIND
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Bah, he probably wouldn't have been quite as miserable had he gotten his girl and/or not been picked on so much. Not that he wouldn't be AT ALL, but at least there might've been a change. 8D
BUT WHAT AM I SAYING I need James and Lily to be together to have my other favorite HP pairing, HarryxGinny. xD
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I love that you love Harry and Ginny! I like them together, too, and I meet so many people who hate Ginny. How can you hate Ginny? She's a BAMF!
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DEAR SWEET SLOTHS OF CUTENESS, this picture makes my heart flutter like butterfly wings in the sunset. Super love for the detail of Lily's skirt and the pure smile of happiness on Snape's face is just made of win. This is so soft and full of the gentle elegance of love and just makes my night. Thank you.
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Thank you so much! Those are all the things I was aiming for. C:
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I immediately knew what this was even when it was just a tiny thumbnail on my screen. Snape is my favorite after dumbledore and I was so mad when they both died, but I read on in hope of some sort of glorification or justice for one or both of them. Still a little disappointed I have to tell you.
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I feel you there. The only thing I could do after Sirius died and it was being carefully explained why there was no bringing him back and to throw my hands up and say "Time-turner? Anybody? Nobody?"
OH, WAS THAT A PLOTHOLE I JUST FELL INTO?
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This is calming to look at, but makes my heart ache in pain Dx..
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I know how you feel. I get that way seeing other people's Lily/Snape art. This sure made me feel good to draw, though.
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I felt the same way. When life gets tough, the characters you like are supposed to get tough with it. The last books seemed a little lacking in some regards of that development. Love this picture!
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You're not alone in feeling that way!
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This is so sweet. As soon as I saw it in my daviantWATCH, I got all sniffly. Snape's chapter in Deathly Hallows is probably my favorite in the entire series, and the only chapter I'll reread of DH.
Re: the deaths, though. To be fair, I remember reading once that when JKR had just written about Sirius's death (or someone important's), she came out of her writing room sobbing, and said something like, "It's done." She was absolutely miserable about the characters she killed.
That being said... The deaths are the reason I won't reread DH. I can't think of a more emotionally-traumatizing thing to do. The first time I read it, I think I cried the entire time, and I can't go through that again.
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Oh, I don't have any doubt in the world that it hurt like a gut-shot to write his death. I know she loved him, too. It couldn't have been an easy decision. It just really turned me off, personally. But then, I collect children's books, if that gives you an idea of how I like my stories to end. ;D
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Haha, no worries, I know what you mean. Children's books are my absolute favorite. (Though admittedly, I do feel a bit silly when I'm in a bookstore and happen to be looking at the same book as a nine-year-old... It's totally worth it when I bring the book home, though. XD)
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I am crying right now. CRYING. ;_;
Yes, Rowling is significantly less awesome for killing two of my favorite characters. I mean. Snape makes sense, but. Fred? Really? He's my favorite. My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE. I know it was the catalyst for Molly killing Bellatrix, but come on. Rowling. Seriously. No.
But I digress--thank you for this awesome pic
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My pleasure! And I'm sure if we got to know James like we got to know some of the other characters, we'd find he had a lot to love about him, too.
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I was able to love to hate Snape while still feeling that he deserved better. Yeah, he was a bit of a creeper, but creepers need love too! Then they cast Alan Rickman, and there were little hearts in my eyes at the level of SNIDE, but that's a whole different story.
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The allure of Rickman is inexorable. His voice is a purr so dark, light cannot escape its surface. <3
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Just wanted to say how much I like this picture, it's really sweet and portrays what may have been if Snape hadn't gotten all tangled up with Voldemort... I guess that was his real downfall at the end of the day.
(Oddly though..... the last two books made me LIKE Snape. I wasn't a fan before hand but those two books that bittered you to the books and JK actually endeared him to me and made me love the whole thing even more! I really like that noone is black and white other than the blatantly obvious. She killed my favourite character off as well but I couldn't not still love the books.
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I'm glad you got something really nice from the last couple of books! Snape is lovable despite his dickish behavior. And you're right, actually. It's kind of his own fault for falling in with a crappy crowd. If only Lily had put her little foot down and been like, "Enough of this moping and pussyfootin' around. You are taking me to prom and IT IS GOING TO BE MAGICAL."
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Haha that would have been adorable! One of the few things that ever slightly bugged me (about the books, alot of things bug me about the films XD) is that James goes from "he was bully" to "he was a great man" with only "he grew up" as an explanation. Snape at least eventually got his explanation, as heart wrenching as the end was, most fans will have found a little love for him then.
It would have been interesting to read more of how Lily and Snape fell out and how James became so much less of a tosser that Lily ended up loving him and not Snape.
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I agree with you 100%.
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Snape deserved happiness, dammit! ):< This picture is so sweet. I love it.
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I'm so glad! We'll give him somethin' to smile about.
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I totaly understand when she kill Sirius I was so piss I renied the series for 2 years then thought of Snape and was like he's still alive lets read for him........and she kill him......I was so piss and then she dare make me love him more with the flashback........but he's still dead.........aaarrrggghhh
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They have the sweetest romance in the whole book. No offense Harry, but your dad is a dick and in my little HP fantasy world Severus and Lily ran away together and...replaced Snape with a robot. They are sipping wizard cocktails on the beach somewhere laughing about his inability to tan and toasting Harry on his Epic Voldemort Win.
Also in my world Draco Malfoy's hairline never receded because WTFNO.
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I heartily endorse your take on the plot, madam! *clinky*
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Aw I love this so gosh darn much! I agree 100% is was hard for me to read her last couple no matter how good they were they made me bawl because of how sad they were. I loved Snape from the begining too
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I think there has to be more Snape fanart out there than of any other Potter character.
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true even if it doesn't happen in canon we can find tons of other outlets that satisfy our snape/lily needs
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I cried like a baby when I read the book and saw the last one {Rickman's tears are lovely}...I wanted things to work for Severus with Lily. They're relationship was just so beautiful and it doesn't make any sense to me why she chose James. bleh.
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Ugh, I just saw a gif of Snape holding a murdered Lily, and I lost it. Fucking cried for a half hour. THIS IS WHY I DON'T GO TO THE THEATER.
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