The Forbidden Forest

Draco convinces Harry not to let the thestrals eat him, but it takes the whole chapter to do it. Rho and James look into the duality and similarities between Draco and Harry. 

Harry stomps off into the forest with no magic and has thoughts on life, death and Draco Malfoy. Rho and James talk about the concept of a waiting room, death personified and the type of comfort that comes from being around others who have experienced significant trauma. 

Welcome to Season Two! This episode is the introduction to Part Two of the Blood Magic series, The Forest. Harry wakes up in what is very similar to but not quite King's Cross Station. There will be no discussion here, just swift apparition on to Chapter Eighteen. 

Draco has a serendipitous moment that leads him to Harry, and he saves Harry's life. What now? James and Rho discuss what happens next. Just to be clear, I was being glib when I said the half life of naloxone is 10 seconds, it's 60-90 minutes. For more information about Naloxone: https://emj.bmj.com/content/22/9/612

Harry chooses to die. It's an ugly, sad thing, and James cries through Rho's reading. In 290,000 words, there is resolution.  Warning: this episode contains descriptions of suicide.

Draco gets approval to take a one year sabbatical in the forbidden forest. Luna helps him celebrate. Everything seems to be looking up for Draco. Rho and James are cautiously optimistic. 

Harry hallucinates, and the first thestral of the story makes its appearance. Afterwards, Rho and James talk about Sirius and Regulus Black, Fred and George Weasley, the uncertainty of the afterlife and suicide. 

Draco problem solves with everyone's favorite Headmistress, then gets curry at his favorite dive, which just happens to be a mainstay of the queer community. Who might he see there? Rho and James joke about being queer in a small town during lockdown. 

Harry is finding it more and more difficult to keep to his routine, and his efforts to curtail his habit only result in more and more uncontrolled magic. Rho and James talk about Indian! Harry and open a small door into discussing the mythology of Grimmauld Place’s entryway. The discussion gets cut short due to unforseen circumstances, but don't worry we'll be picking up talk of trees, enchanted w...

Draco sweats through 15 minutes without his shirt on. Luna Lovegood is a therapist who treats both muggles and wizarding folk, as well as runs group sessions for those struggling with substance abuse and addiction recovery. She's also a wonderful friend. Rho and James talk about it after. 

Harry's drug use escalates, and this chapter is so short because he spends most of it unconscious, missing Hermione giving birth to Rose. There's about a half a second where he shoves past Draco in the St. Mungo's atrium. We warned you this was a serious slow burn. A quick chat afterwards has us talking about why James cries every time Hermione comes up in this fic and how functional Harry appears...

Draco tries to come up with affirmations for the post-it notes that are valiantly keeping his life together. Greg invites him to tea, and so does Hagrid. There's discussions of alcoholism and unicorn blood, which may or may not be cursed. Rho and James talk about their accents, James's inability to read and the power of affirmations. 

Harry gains experience with heroin. Don't listen to this episode if you're feeling iffy on your own recovery, feeling overwhelmed or might be on the edge of a relapse yourself.  Rho describes all the wonderment of trying opiates for the first time, and the power of it's allure. (Then the next 300,000 words of this fic are about the negative consequences and fighting the uphill battle away fro...

Draco struggles. Neville is a good friend, Greg is an alcoholic and his mother is living in denial. Eventually, he rides the elevator with Harry Potter. James struggles to read latin, and we talk about it after. 

Harry struggles to function at work and in his personal life, seeking comfort in the form of a warm body and numbing substances at The Gallows instead. Afterwards, Rho reluctantly talks about escapism.

Draco does his best to move on to a functional life, while both overthinking and avoiding all his thoughts. Charlie Weasley doesn't help. Afterwards, James and Rho talk a bit about panic attacks, vulnerability and the Dark Mark, as well as give some warnings about the chapters coming up next. 

Flashback to two years before the previous chapters, Harry is struggling to cope with the aftermath of the war. In our discussion, we talk functional depression and I make brief allusions to the link between unhealthy sex as a coping mechanism and addiction. 

James introduces their version of Draco Malfoy, Healer and specialist in blood magic and medicine at St. Mungo's. Afterwards, we discuss a bit about anxiety and therapy, in all it's permutations.  Feel free to contact us with questions, comments and constructive criticism via tumblr at SpinnersendSlytherin (James) and houseofhebrideanblacks (Rho). Should there be more interest, we'd also be happy...

This is our introduction, reading of the first chapter of the Blood Magic Series, and subsequent discussion. Come for the thestral lore, stay for the brutally honest discussions about life, death and everything in between. With magic.  Warning: This podcast will contain discussions of explicit sex, violence, death and suicide, drug and alcohol use, addiction and recovery.