Slytherins. The elegant and cunning ones, never losing control, always knowing what they want and how they can get it.
But what about the ones that aren’t like this?
Tell me about the broken Slytherins. Tell me about those who keep their mask in public, but break down crying when they get home. Who don’t really show it, but are deeply hurt by the disgusted, terrified or angry looks on peoples faces when they realise that the person they’re talking to is a Slytherin, just because of the wrongs Slytherins have done in the past. They may keep their masks on and pretend they wouldn’t care, but after all they are only human.
Tell me about the Slytherins who are ambitious, but no matter how hard they try, they just won’t succeed. Who begin to think that maybe they are just born to fail. They are perfectionistic and it ruins them. Ambition can be great, but it can also destroy people and make them hate themselves.
Tell me about the Slytherins who were sure they would reach their goal if they sacrificed something important to them. Who thought it was necessary and still ended up failing, not reaching it. Who realize that all the sacrifices were for nothing and now they can’t bring back what is lost forever. They can’t be always right.
Tell me about the Slytherins who can’t take the pressure of all the expectations to them, because they just can’t handle everything. Who try to live up to all those expectations and are hated for what they did to achieve their goals in the end. They are no superhuman beings, they are people.
Tell me about the Slytherins who are terrified by how cruel the world can be. Who learn that showing weakness can kill people and decide to never let that happen to themselves. Who learn to pretend to be calculating and cold, so people won’t want to be friends with them, because they are afraid of losing them. One day, they look inside of themselves and realise that they can’t take off the mask anymore, because they became too used to wearing it all the time. They can’t stop crying for hours, terrified of what they are.
Tell me about all the Slytherins who aren’t like everyone sees Slytherins. Who are broken by themselves and by the constant judgement of other people. After all, no one can be perfect, no matter how hard they try. Slytherins can’t always succeed. No one can. After all, they are only human.
During the early iron age up to the rise of the Roman Empire the ancient Celts dominated most of Europe, their tribal societies stretching from Spain in the west to Turkey in the east. One ancient Cetlic tradition was the ritual of “killing” the sword of a deceased chieftain or warrior for burial. Often the sword would be heated, then bent into either a circle or “S” shape thus making it irreparable and useless. In hundreds of Celtic graves throughout Europe such ritually killed swords have been uncovered, one of the most well preserved being a iron sword uncovered near Oss in the Netherlands dating to 700 BC.
There are many possible reasons such a ritual was done by the ancient Celts. The sword could have been killed as a ritual sacrifice to speed the soul of the deceased into the afterlife. Indeed a sword would have made an excellent sacrifice considering the expense and labor needed to craft a quality iron sword in that age. In addition, it may have been a special honor for a particular brave warrior, and while the warrior rests peacefully in death, likewise his sword should be permanently retired. Kind of like how today we retire the jersey and player number of a famous athlete who passes away. Finally, killing the sword may have a more practical and down to earth purpose, to make it useless if uncovered by thieves and grave robbers.
By around the 1st century AD most Celtic tribes had been overrun by Germanic peoples and the Roman Empire. However the tradition of killing swords continued by many German tribes, and during the Middle Ages was commonly practiced by the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings.
It’s been a great couple months for women’s featherweight.
Israeli feathweight Olga Rubin (5-0) picked up the biggest win in Israeli MMA history by beating Cindy Dandois and looking damn impressive in the process.
Felicia Spencer (6-0) became the Invicta Featherweight champion, joining Megan Anderson and Cris Cyborg as Invicta FW champions, establishing herself as a top featherweight.
Macy Chiasson (4-0) won TUF 28, stopping everyone she faced in the house and at the finale to do so. Still green but she’s built like an actual featherweight (5’10-5’11), has great finishing instincts, and seems to be a pretty good athlete.
Plus we still have new faces like Zarah Fairn Dos Santos, Martyna Czech, Amber Leibrock (I still believe), Meghan Anderson (still believe), and Shaianna Rincon. Maybe Kayla Harrison eventually. Obviously not all of them will turn out to be world beats, but this is easily the best class of women’s featherweight prospects ever. It’s a division on the come up.