Leah Ravenscar | Shadowhunter Fanfiction

Behind The Writing Of The Story

If the question has ever occurred to anyone of you "From where did the idea of Leah Ravenscar originate?", the answer is me.

It was my deepest desire that if I were to be a character in The Mortal Instruments, I would be one like Leah Ravenscar. Stronger than the rest. With a very kind heart. Alec's best friend. Jace's sister. A person who hates Clary. Someone with unique future foreseeing powers. Destined to die only too young. Kept secrets from everybody. Occasionally gave the idea that she was working with the devil, but was actually the good guy in the story (Severus Snape-ish)

Leah Ravenscar was me. I picturised TMI with the character (she had no particular name, then) going through the same things and having the same insane adventures with Alec, Izzy, Jace, Clary and Simon. Back then, I had listed 3 main facts about her:

- She was supposed to be invincible; faster and stronger than the others.
- She was supposed to hate Clary and treat her like shit (and she was very close to Alec).
- She had some mysterious powers (like that of having visions from the future).

This Leah Ravenscar was like my 'dream character'. If I were to be a part of TMI, I would be this character. I wished I could be her. And so, from my wild - and rather babyish - imagination, I ended up scripting my 52-chapter fanfiction novel.

I sought a 'reasonable' reason behind Leah's mysterious powers and strengths, and the answer was simpler than I had thought it would be: Brother Zachariah and Tessa. Everything summed up to make perfect sense.

That led to the invention of the demon Oskino. Initially, he was a very minor (and neglected) character in the story. When I started writing, I didn't even bother to think up a name for the demon. But later on, I realised that I must not label Oskino as a violent killer who hates Leah unreasonably.

But as a demon who wishes to stay away from demons, who wishes he could be an Angel instead. As a demon who didn't like his demonic publicity. As someone who cursed an innocent girl out of pure anger and mislead and later only realised what a grave mistake it was.

The ending (as in the part where Leah died) was chosen purely because I personally thought Leah's last words - the entire speech, in fact - was quite heartbreaking. Very very sentimental indeed.

And because, I've got a particular "thing" against those heroes who are born with special qualities, defeat the evil in the world and are now popular celebrities to everybody. Eg: Clary Fray, Jace Herondale. I dislike those heroes.

I am more about heroes who actually work hard to get what they want and sacrifice things and people in the process. Eg: Isabelle Lightwood, who was born completely ordinary, but worked her way to doing what she did. Who sacrificed so much in the process, and had to deal with loss and pain - i.e. Max's death and Simon's memory loss.

Eg: Emma Carstairs, who lost her parents, watched her best friend (and Parabatai) get crushed down with the burden of his job as the father of the other Blackthorn children, who worked so hard for 4 years to find what happened to her parents, who got betrayed by someone she trusted so much, who fell in love with someone she is not supposed to fall in love with. I like protagonists like that.

And so came Leah Ravenscar : even though a daughter of one of the fandom's best loved ships, a terribly illegitimate child, who could mean great danger to her parents. Born with readymade darkness inside her soul.

Cursed at such a young age by her own ancestral demon. Her identity could mean the imprisonment of Brother Zachariah in the same place he had served for 130 years. A girl who has unexplainable strengths - but dark strengths at the same.

A girl who lived a life of keeping secrets together inside her. A girl who only wished she could normally live a life with her parents without being shamed or exiled or imprisoned. A girl who sacrifices her life in the end for those she loves - and even for those who would treat her miserably once they know her true identity.

If you have a look at any of my other works, notice that none of them have even minutely approached a record of 1000 reads. However, "Leah Ravenscar" has now got 11K reads 770 votes and 61 comments and to me, it is an amazing record!!

So, for all those wonderful people who contributed into the following reads, votes and comments - a huge thank you. My childish imagination was the origin of this (masterpiece?). There is no reason why you too can't do the same too.

You guys brought me the biggest smiles of my day. Your contribution into my book are beyond words and beyond measure. Your like/comment notifications are the ones I look the most forward to. You people have really been great.

Special credits to Izzicle and Queenofdaworld101 for all their beautiful support throughout. It was for you both - and some others - that I posted a chapter almost every day be it sun or rain.

If any of you have absolutely ANY questions (about me, Leah Ravenscar, the book, any of my other works, about TMI/TID/TDA, or absolutely about anything!!!), then don't hesitate in asking. I'd be gratified. Any self-created edits, posts, quotations, collages, etc. are highly appreciated.

Thank you, everyone for reading this - for bearing with me and all my nonsense (it requires real hard willpower to do that).
These are probably going to be my last words to you all (so, I've made sure that they are thrilling enough) :

The demon fell into the flames, his body burning from inside out. He kept falling for miles and for hours. And when Oskino opened his eyes, he saw himself in the New York City suburbs. Alive. With heavenly fire in his veins.

Goodbye. Have fun screwing your mind about my mysterious last words until the sequel is released. Heeheehaahaahuhaahaa!!

~Lila Wayne