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Magical Menagerie Review.
WHAT!? Like seriously WHAT? Albus broke up with Scorpius? I am broken this is terrible. Why? I mean seriously... I'm just, I"m beyond words. I did not see this coming at all. I mean I could see the friendship cracking some considering what happened between Albus and Holly but breaking up with Scorpius. I am shook, and I don't know where to find words. I mean. *gestures inarticulately* *flails a bit*
There were things I think I wanted to say about other parts of the chapter and yet I am failing to remember them because you left me with such a big bomb. I don't think I've been hit with a literary bomb like this in a long while and that is saying something as I've been reading a lot lately not just fanfiction but actual books. Seriously, what are you doing to me here? I have to know what happens next what comes from this fallout.
Magical Menagerie Review
There are a lot of little things that have happened in this chapter. I am amused that Alfie and Rose go to be bed together to wake up early to be able to study and then they sleep past lunch. While it strongly seems that Rose is going to be a teacher after all despite my inclinations that she might do something else I am not sure that Alfie and Rose will have anything lasting at this point but it is still fun to see them together and depend upon one another for support in various ways.
I am also amused at how Rose is getting singled out for some things while the others are being ignored that is classic friendship right there. Though I am glad that they can admit their shit which is also a sign of a good friendship. I also like how you resolved and handled the whole idea of Rose letting the cat out of the bag and how she can't entirely participate. While Louis will be using the Felix potion I do hope that he does get his comeuppance all the same.
I'm back with another Magical Menagerie Review.
Wow, this chapter while it wasn't action-packed it was intense. You did the panic attack quite well. I don't suffer from anxiety regularly but I have experienced a panic attack and the escalation there was nicely done. It was powerful and yet wasn't overly powerful, way to balance that.
As I've said before I'm not Ravenclaw but I do get the whole being attracted to someone's mind. Maybe not quite to the full extent of your characters but honestly a man who quotes Shakespear, particularly Othello would have my attention. (Othello is my favorite Shakespeare play and with it being an Iago soliloquy - ug. Iago is the reason why I love Othello his brilliance and how the good guys don't win was groundbreaking to me when I read it in high school.)
And ooo, a potions fellowship for 6 grand! I wonder what Rose will do. How will she break it to the rest of the Order of Raven. Will they go on without her? This is so interesting! I will say it again I am loving this story.
Magical Menagerie Review
So Rose finally gets a romantic interest. I'm glad she is finally getting something/someone. I feel like she is long overdue for a bit of fun as it were. However, I don't feel that Rose and Alfie will be long lasting I just get this gut feeling that Rose and Emily will end up being a thing and I don't know why it's just my prediction which could be totally off and totally wrong.
Kudos on taking an actual bit of wizard lore and mix it up for Rose's translation that is a nifty idea. I wouldn't have thought of doing that. I do feel bad for Rose that she has to stay at the castle and I am most curious about the results of the bunnies, I'm just glad that Rose' wand is not tied to it. If someone is going to get in trouble and caught I don't want it to be here as she already had a black mark on her record.
Anyway, this will be my final review for the night but rest assured I'll be back for more later!
Vector finally catches onto something while I'm surprised she doesn't know who the Order of Raven is by now, it is probably for the best. This has been interesting to see how things have been developing and changing and I wonder where things are going to go for Rose.
I admit I've known from the start that the story has been told from Rose's point of view but it feels like the story is starting to zero in on her more and more. Not that this is a problem just a subtlety that I've happened to notice as I continue to read on.
I like the new name for the potion that Rose came up with. It sounds better than Hollyjuice. I also love that you have credited a magnet for a quote. I would have left it as creative commons and not worried about the credit, so kudos to you. As always, I am immensely enjoying this story.
This is a review for the Magical Menagerie.
Magical Menagerie Review
Huh, I did not know "my sweet summer child" came from Game of Thrones. I've heard it fairly often in conversation and I thought it was just part of regular vernacular so that is something new I have learned today. Thank you. Anyway, I loved the end of this chapter as well with the mention of it being Beauxbatons all over again. I could see that being a fun one-shot if you were so inclined.
It is too bad we didn't get to hear Rose's sonnets but I don't blame you for not writing them. They are terribly hard to write. Still, the idea is amusing. This was another great chapter all and all and I am still very much enjoying the read.
I will say the association of pomegranate juice to Persephone and Hades and it being nefarious made me sad. I'm a hardcore shipper of Persephone and Hades and think things were not overly nefarious between them. After all Persephone was not forced to eat the seeds. Sorry bit Hades fan here. Honestly, I thought you listed pomegranate juice as an ingredient, not because of its connection to that mythology but because it was the fruit of marriage. I was Hera's fruit and she is the goddess of marriage. Which to me added significance to the fact that of the food that Persephone consumed in the Underworld it wasn't just any fruit/seed but rather that of a pomegranate. Sorry for the mini Greek mythos lesson. (I can't help myself sometimes.)
Despite my mini rabbit trail, and my dislike of shade on Hades and his relation to Persephone, your description of Amortentia and Hollyjuice potion were rather clever, so kudos on coming up with a magical theory.
Magical Menagerie Review
As a non-Ravenclaw, I do not fully get the excitement that the character experience at the learning and figuring out they do and yet at the same time they do. Learning can be fun but I guess the subject matters that they love so much are not my forte. Still, their excitement is almost contagious and I can really feel it along with them in your writing.
I am very curious to see what Rose has come up with when it comes to Valentine's day and I am also intrigued to figure out what their final prank will be. I also like how you are showing the study burn out that they are each experiencing. I don't remember getting this burned out in my final years for exams to get into college. I was an overachiever in my school days though maybe not quite to the same level as your characters. I am not a person who wants to spend her life in an academic field, I love writing and wordsmithing but that is different than learning all there is to know about words, which your characters kind of do. I respect it though and it has been interesting to read and see in your story.
Magical Menagerie Review
I am so excited to realize that I am giving some of your first reviews on some of these chapters. I feel like you deserve the love because these chapters are amazing the story is amazing and I am looking forward to reading more which rest assured I will! This story is too good to put down for too long.
Anyway, almost every Nex Gen fic I read has a Weasley Christmas but yours by far is one of my favorites, you did a very nice job of presenting it without it being overwhelming to read. I am also very amused by how turned on Scorpius is by Albus quoting Ovid though the translation is pretty romantic. But I don't think it was the translation that made Scorpius more crazy for Albus I think it was the fact that he was quoting the Ovid and in Lattin.
I am very intrigued by the hints you seem to be dropping about Rose going in a different direction than a teacher. If you are dropping hints that will be interesting to see what she does end up doing.
Also, I'm so sorry about earlier thinking Dean became History of Magic Teacher. I have no clue where I got that idea from. I am blaming a food lacking brain as I hadn't eaten in over 6 hours or more. But Dean as DADA professor makes a whole lot more sense.
Magical Menagerie Review
Hey lovely. Another fabulous chapter. Again and I again I keep saying how much I love this story because I honestly do. I cannot count the number of times I've laughed out loud with this story or cheered the characters on. This has been an absolute blast to read thus far.
I will say that I am impressed that Louis and Lucy came up with an actually inventive prank for once but it was so great when it was turned on them. That made me laugh so much. Poor Nevile though getting confused as to why that was suddenly happening. I can only imagine what the power ballad sounded like particularly when Louis' language got colorful. I admit though, I am surprised that Vector hasn't realized that the Order of the Raven includes Scorpius and Rose when the student body already knowns. Typically if the student body as a whole knows the teachers know too. (Please don't take that as a critique you have your reasons and it is not making me enjoy the story any less!)
Magical Menagerie Review
Another amazing and fun chapter and I am loving all the small references you are poking in such as the reference to the Inferno. You have added some additional nice layers to this story. The alliance with Emily is interesting and I am hoping it is not a ploy that would make me very sad because in some ways I'm starting to like her a little bit.
I also very much like the fact that there is scandal among the group with Lester kissing Lily though I'm very surprised you placed her in Slytherin that is an interesting choice. I am always intrigued by the houses people pick for characters. I am loving that you included a transgendered character in this story as well. It just adds more depth to the world and I love that too! You are certainly hitting all the sweet spots with this story. I can't wait to see what comes next.
Magical Menagerie Review
Okay, so this time I'm not going to start with the end of the chapter. Legit have to remark Dean Thomas is the History of Magic Professor? What happened to Binns? I love it but am in shock here. Also, the discussion was awesome. I am not a Ravenclaw by any stretch of the imagination but I will 100% agree there is nothing worse than Alexandria. It guts me still all of that lost. It was books or rather scrolls but reading stories it was ug. So much lost there!
Anyway, the prank rolled out beautifully and I fully enjoyed it. It made me smile and I cannot wait to see what Scorpius and Albus do in the coming chapter(s). This is so exciting and has been a blast to read. I mean seriously you are weaving magic here what with pranks, emotional connection representation is so many ways. I love this and as I said before reading this is my happy place right now. Thank you for writing and sharing this story!
Magical Menagerie Review.
Goodness lovely. I am so enjoying this story. This is my happy place right now. I didn't think I would be willfully spending my Friday Night reading fanfiction and yet here I am. (Seriously I'm not just reading for the reviews for the competition, I'm truly enjoying your story that I want to keep reading - a massive added bonus for me!)
Anyway, I love the pranks that are developing! This is getting to be more prank like. I love that they are going to get the general populous with the toilet paper to doves. The numbered bunnies is a classic prank and I love it too. While I have never pulled a prank in my life I have a deep appreciation of them. They make me smile particularly when they are harmless. Those are my favorite and honestly, you have got the market on it thus far at least with the Order of the Raven. The Enemy is not being harmless at all.
Also, I love how the pranks are now not just for five thousand galleons but for the future students. It was indeed a moment and that made me happy too.
Magical Menagerie Review.
Wow, the ending of this chapter was mighty powerful. I'm just awed and quieted by the final statements and agreement that the Malfoy line should die out. It is chilling and sad in some ways - partly because I'm a huge Malfoy family fan but at the same time I get it and I'm happy for Al and Scorpius. I love that you addressed that concept too. I don't think many people address how Scorpius and Al being together generally means the end of the Malfoy line. Not that that should have any impact of the two being together. You love who you love.
I realize that I kind of work my reviews backward remarking on the end of the story first and then going back up to earlier events sorry if that is confusing I guess I just like getting down last impressions first seeing as I don't write these as I read. What Louis and Lucy do is rotten and dirty and I hate them for it that is Rita Skeeter levels of low and that isn't a prank that's just vile nastiness. Ug makes me so mad.
My heart really goes out to Scorpius in this and his reaction to everything I love how Rose points out the good he inherited. Not a lot of Next Gen Writers address how the war impacts the parents still and the kids of the parents so thank you for doing that too.
However, I will say there were moments that this story particularly this chapter has made me laugh out loud. I particularly love the line where Scorpius states that if all else fails he'll tell his parents that Rose is pregnant and maybe they will prefer him gay. That was horrible to say but funny all the same.
Fantastic work, am loving this fic more and more, chapter by chapter.
Magical Menagerie Review.
"Oh frick" is right! (Language changed to keep the review very G rated). The Order of the Raven is in so much trouble now. I was not expecting that at all - just wow that makes the next chapters to come all the more interesting and intriguing.
Also, I absolutely adore Holly now! I was actually cheering in my home at Holly's cold hard shut down of Sean. That was a horrid trick he tried to pull but I'm glad it didn't work. I love that you have an asexual character in your story and the simplified answer is great too. Just you have totally made my day with that admission in the story. It's nice to see characters who are Asexual as I'm pretty Ace myself. I'm a romantic grey-ace. I find myself attracted to people and talk like I am interested in certain things when really I'm not. So I totally get it and love that there is a character representing at least some of that.
Of course, this is not to downplay the display of Scorpius and Albus that made me grin so much and honestly was probably the best coming out I've ever read - not that I've read a lot of stories where the characters are coming out. (Most stories I've read the characters are already out.) Still, that made me smile quite a bit and I love how this scholarship is changing everyone the Order of the Raven is starting to learn to live a little. This makes me happy and I am even more excited to read the coming chapters.
Magical Menagerie Review
So that is how they get known for retaliation to occur. I'm surprised the truth hasn't gotten back to Madame Vector after the reveal for them to get in trouble. I'm sure more with her will come up.
While Rose was very embarrassed in regard to her potion the prank against her was mild compared to the one she used against Louis. Still, I know the heat of being proved wrong. I may not be a Ravenclaw but I hate being wrong.
I am certainly curious as to what idea Holly has this will be fun. While I'm not typically big on Next Gen fics I am big on pranking stories, so I am really glad I came upon this story, and I love that I'm only just getting started on your story. Sometimes that's the best part of a read snuggling in for the long haul as you start to get into a good story and this story is going pretty good!
Another Magical Menagerie review.
So, the game is afoot! I love how the Order of the Raven likes to chant the amount of money the scholarship is for. That did indeed amuse me. I will say I absolutely hate Louis, but I know that was the point and goal, so job well done!
I am inlove with Scorpius for taking points away for fowl language and for hate speach. Particularly for taking points in regards to hate speach.
I will admit that Ibam a little confused as to how Rose got Lois to suffer so many Pygmy puffs but that maybe because I failed at being observant, my apologies. However the prank was still cute and clever. I am curulious how the name the Order of the Raven will be known as our group of Ravenclaws but still nicely done to potentially avoid retaliation at least for a time.
I am looking forward to seeing what more pranks and hijinks will ensue.
Hello, here for a Magical Menagerie rewview.
Just reading the start of this chapter and my hands are rubbing together gleefully. This is an epic start to what I am sure is going to be an epic story. I mean the goody-goodies having to make mischief! This will be epic but sadly they are the presumed targets at least according to the average students?
I cannot wait to see what mischief and hijinks The Order of the Raven will get up to. I wonder if they will succeed or fall flat - particularly at the start. There are so many questions I have that I know will be answered as I read on in the story which you can bet I'm going to read on! How could I not? The premise is already fun.
I will say that I find it interesting that you put all the characters in Ravenclaw it is not how I imagined all of the next Gen characters but still it shall be fun.
So onwards to mischief and hijinks! I already cannot wait!
I thought this was super clever and funny. The character development was very well done and they seemed like real seveneteen year olds with all of the problems that entails. I only wish I could read more about this crew because this was a lovely ride.
*Transferring this review to its new home*
Okay! I've now read the whole thing. Apologies on not reviewing more of these chapters - when I read a fic that's got a lot of chapters I tend to just click right on through rather than reviewing, and I did that in this case because your story is addicting. I know, I'm terrible. BUT. This story was so, so wonderful and I am going to try to find the words to describe just how wonderful.
The way you handled LGBTQ characters, first of all, was just lovely. I also liked that within this group of Ravenclaws, four of the five of them were queer so it was the norm and Lester was the one who stood out as he was straight. Not that it mattered to any of them because they're just all good friends who love each other for being good friends. But I loved that because hetero was the minority here, it turned the tables on heteronormativity. That's so important.
Also, anxiety. I think you handled the subject so well, and as this is a big deal for some people it's especially important to handle tactfully and you really did. Rose's panic attack in the staffroom was heartbreaking and while I knew what was happening outside her head, (i.e. I could tell that the teachers weren't trying to expel her), seeing it all through Rose's eyes was so powerful and I felt so badly for her. It really did feel like a scary moment and you did so well portraying anxiety in this.
Albus and Scorpius were seriously amazing. I kind of had a mini-heart attack when they broke up for that short time there. I just loved your characterisation of both of them, and their obsessions with Latin and Ancient Greek made me smile every time. Please tell me they stay together forever.
All of your characters, though, were really impressive. You put such thought into their personalities and back stories and what makes them who they are, and it shows. They were all just such a delight to read, particularly all of them interacting together as a group. What an awesome group of people. :)
I can 1000% understand why this story won a Dobby. You totally deserve it. Thank you for writing this.
Chapter two!
Here we get to see the start of the pranks begin to develop. The pygmy puff thing was pretty cute, though I get the feeling that it’s very tame compared to how things are bound to escalate over the span of the story.
One thing I love about your writing, is that it has the best most hilarious call out culture for your characters and the universe. Like the sass that Scorpius gives about the knocker on the Ravenclaw’s common room door. I think Scorpius also had I line I loved in chapter one about life not being a coming of age novel. Okay, maybe I like Scorpius a lot.
One thing I feel like I’m kind of missing so far, is characterization of Holly and Lester. Beyond them being part of the group, I don’t know enough about them to make them stand out as unique, which makes keeping track of them a bit harder.
I loved your description of The Others/The Enemy. Everyone in this is so petty, which is a prerequisite for a full prank war and I’m so ready.
Sam.
Hello! So I started reading this story a couple years back and got through the first couple chapters without really reviewing, which was uncharacteristic of me, but it’s such a cozy little story that I would read it as I was falling asleep, which wasn’t the best setting for reviewing. And last night I did the same thing, and read the first two chapters before falling asleep, but now I’m back to drop off the reviews for those!
This story just feels so fun and original to me. I love how you’re focusing in on a group of students who would never ordinarily act out and throwing a wrench into their typical routine (by having them throw wrenches into everyone else’s). I also like the balance they have of seeming kind of on top of the food chain, but also knowing how universally hated they are. And through all of that, having golden sense of humor, which is probably the most important thing XD
You’ve done a good job of setting up the family dynamics of a large family here, and how many different kinds of relationships can develop there - close, distant, indifferent, and contentious.
It did seem odd to me how the scholarship was such a secret, when it happened every year.
I’m really looking forward to seeing what antics these crazy (“not crazy”) kids get up to!
Sam.
Hey there! I'm here for the winter wonderland event.
I hope that you know by now that I am a most ardent fan of your stories. Especially this series and these characters. They might as well be the love of my life. And I wish I were exaggerating... actually no, I can't do better than this. So I decided that it's about time I put all these feelings into words, but don't expect anything coherent. I'll basically be gushing all over my favourite chapters to prove my love.
I've never gotten over how snarky your dialogue is. I mean putting a twist on Polyjuice potion and then letting Rose call it after Holly? That's absolutely brilliant! And I think that this is the moment where we really knew that Rose was meant to do great things in the field of potion-making. Not that I ever doubted her abilities, but still. And my favourite comment on her achievement is Albus's, mocking her inner poet. And of course, Scorpius would be the one to comment on whether they were meterically correct or not.
I do have a bit foresight having read this story countless time (okay, 4 times), but I just noticed Scorpius's comment here about how Albus failed to live up to the glory of his ancestors and made that backhanded comment about his intelligence. And I think it's brilliant that you've speckled this around given that this will be a crucial point of conflict later on.
I don't have to tell you how much of an amazing writer I think you are. You should already know that by now.
LEFT BOOB. I'm dead. And I'm definitely with Holly, Floo all the way. I really just want to be best friends with her, she's such a precious angel. All she does is care about people and rabbits and whether she'll be a good teacher (she reminds me a lot of one of my friends who just finished her teaching degree and is also a precious angel who cares about people intensely, and so I imagine Holly will be one of the best teachers Hogwarts has ever seen)
I am really interested to see where the toilet-paper-into-dove prank goes, because that sounds hilarious and horrifying. That would definitely be enough to give some poor soul a lifelong fear of birds! The contrast between the kind of pranks these guys pull and the kind Lucy & Louis are up to is so extreme - none of these pranks are cruel, or at someone else's expense. I hope they find to mitigate the response from Louis to their pranks, poor Scorpius has been through enough already he just needs a warm bath and a hot chocolate.
Ok Lucy and Louis are something that the language restrictions on reviews prevents me from saying. This goes so far beyond pranking and into the realm of horrifying, what were they thinking?
Albus and Scorpius on the other hand are adorable and wonderful. It's so amazing and refreshing to read such a pure, happy men-loving-men story like this. They just love each other so much. Honestly the reason I kind of drifted away from fanfic for a while was because I couldn't find anything like this, so thank you so much for writing such excellent lgbt content (and mental health content as well)!
Poor baby Scorpius though, he's got so much to deal with. I've always wondered how the shadow of the war would affect him going through Hogwarts, and I've never thought that it would go particularly well for him. Even when Draco is reformed (and I've always assumed he would do better as he aged and learned), such a legacy would be really hard to live with.
I'm so happy for both of them that their parents took it so well, although I never expected any less!
so yesterday when you mentioned you were writing tfwms-verse albus and scorpius, it inspired me to read just the first chapter of this fic again. naturally, that turned into all of the currently posted chapters, and since I read the whole thing straight through the first time which sort of cheated you out of reviews (because I couldn't stop reading) I'm leaving one now just to say that this story is just as enjoyable the second time through.
Also, the scene in one of the early chapters, where Rose, Holly and Lester are on the sofa covered in rabbits and laughing about holly's apparation mishap cracked me up and I was trying so hard not to laugh out loud in the library, that the laughter came out my eyes in the form of tears. everything from the most hilarious hijinks these five get up to, to their lowest lows when they rely on each other for their sanity, these characters are amazing and the story is fantastic.
I haven't been on the forums in a while but the fact that you're writing twfms-verse for nano (? right?) has me very intrigued and i am so thrilled and if I have enough time this morning I'll be by with questions for your novel nest because golly gee this is the best news.
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