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Yes, I enjoyed the story, though maybe the word 'enjoy' is not the right one to use when focusing on Tom Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort. Thank you for applying such thought, such imagination, such care, such attention to detail upon a cast of characters that includes so many unadmirable examples of humanity.
Yoour remarks about how major religions tend to focus on death causes me to stop and reflrect, Yes, it's true. Maybe death is the thing we fear most or are the most puzzled by. The thing we most want rescuing from. But drinking foul-tasting 'longevity potions' is one thng, and doing what Tom Riddle did is quite another., the extreme of cowardice. I think that most people, in the end, face death bravely.
So now Tom Riddle has found his final horcrux, his companion snake. And we can see why Nagini would be devoted to Tom if he saved her from being killed and hung up on the door of the Gaunt family hovel. Just the description of the hovel gives me the creeps, not to mention the wretched specimen of humanity that emerges from it.
Upon re-reading the story, I wonder why Tom turned aside from the main road into Little Hangleton to go to the remains of the Gaunt domicile. I had thought that his main purpose was to murder his father and connected Riddle relatives in the mansion on the hill, which he did eventually do. I can't remember ever reading in canon where Voldemort got his snake from,( not paying attention to the the stuff in the Grindelwald movies).
but once Tom has arrived at the house and caught a glimpse of the ring that Morfin still wears on his hand, I can see that Tpm would be glad that he had taken this momentary detour.
Thank you for writing all these little Missing Moments that pertain to the various objects Tom used as Horcruxes, *shiver goes over body*
Vicki
Hi, Barbara.
I'm just going to finish up a few unfinshed review jobs now in the waning hours of the annual Review Drive.
I see that this story is a continuation in object and theme from the previous story, in which 25-year-old Caractacus craves winning the locket of Slytherin for himself, but realizes that it is going to pass to Marvolo Gaunt and his family.
Now the locket has passed to Maaevolo's daughter Merope, and it is about tocome full circle back to Caractacus when Merope, desperate for money to live on, offers to sell it.
Caractacus has changed a lot in the past 20 years that Marvolo has been in possession of the locket. The 25-year-old man who hoped with hard work and smarts to make a name for himself in Diagon Alley is now a cunnng, lying, scamming exploiter of anyone who is down on their luck, with no pity in his heart.
Cractacus contrasts so greatly with Ethel in the bookstore. I wonder if his shop and her shop were on opposite sides of the building that fronted Diagon Alley on one side of its structure, and Knockturn Alley on the other side of its structure, sharing an interior wall but with no connecting door between the two establishments. Just a thought.
I love how you end the story, with Caractacus glowing with elation at finally getting his hands on the locket, practically dancing with joy. Stories like your story here are so enjoyable because they fill out and enrich important points in the HP story that are glossed over quickly with just a few sentences in the canon boks.
Vicki
Wow! (I keep saying Wow about your stories...)
This chapter is a real jewel. I will have ro read all these chapters over again at my lesiure, but I'm so happy that I stumbled across this story with its many chapters. You characterize all the hopeful inheritors of the locket so well, ll of them different, all so desperate to get the locket. an intesting note about how some of the Sacred Twenty-Eight had fallen into squalor, how the families had decayed.
I love these glimpses of wizarding history, especially as it pertains to the objects that eventually became Horcruxes. Maybe it's one of your old stories, but it has stood the test of time!
Vicki
Author's Response:Thank you for the review. This one is one of my favorites. It allowed me to expand upon the characterization of three minor characters from the series.
What a clever idea! To write about the person who bound the book that became Tom Riddle's Horcruxed diary. I love the way you have described the old bookbinder's obsession with making these blank books and saying "Each book has a messsage." I suppose that could be whatever the owner of the book chooses to write in it. Some of those messages would mean nothing, but Tom Riddle's diary would be the most influential one.
I also like the idea that the old man believed that many people, not just he himself, were searching for the Deathly Hallows. I wonder if that was true or not.
Great little story, as ever.
Vicki
Author's Response:Thank you for the review. This isn't one of my favorites but I was trying to find a connection between the two objects.
What an exciting and ultimately sad story. At first, in my excitement, I thought that Amherst had brought back the diadem as well as the ring and the two wands, but upon reading more slowly and carefully, I realized that the diadem got left behind in the forest as Amherst scrambled simply to save his own life.
Helena Ravenclaw probably would never imagine how much trouble she caused by stealing the diadem. We know of some peoople who died because of it, and now we learn about one more who died and one who nearly died.
It is interesting to imagine the scene when Tom Riddle comes searching for the diadem. Did the sentient spiders put it back in the hollow tree? And were they extinct by the time Tom showed up, or did he, with his modern magical skill, manage to defeat them and grab the diadem? Interesting thought! I love your stories about these objects.
Vicki
Author's Response:I was imagining that Alrich never got it out of the tree. He had barely touched it with his fingers when the spider attacked and Amherst was a bit too preoccupied with his brother's death and surviving to focus on it.
Thank you for the review.
Wow! Maybe the rest of us should just delete our Author Pages and then slit our throats. (No, not really.) This is a masterful depiction of the moment when the Sorting Hat is established and given its role, and also the breakdown of the group of the four founders as their philosophical differences and their values become too divergent to allow them to continue as a cohesive group.
The dialogue is great, showing us the depths of the differences in their beliefs. And all the details of exactly how the Sorting Hat was created are so enriching to the canon, and so spot-on. Good poetry too, that lays out their intentions clearly. And this is the first time that the Sorting Hat talks!
So as the night draws on and the wine is drunk, the conversation get ugly, when we see what Salazar really thinks about Muggles and anyone with any Muggle ancestry. Helga makes a good point, that it would be dangerous to have untrained wizards and witches wandering around, but Salazar reveals the depths of his obsession and bigotry. He is setting up a poisonous traditiion in his House that has lingered down the centuries.
Also impressive: the prediction that the Founders make in the final paragraphs about what will happen to these four gifts, and your amazing cleverness in linking those predictions to what actually did happen in 1998, in a way that the Founders would never have predicted.
Vicki
Author's Response:Thank you, Vicki, for the review. I was particularly happy with the Spell/words to that poem.
This is another exanmple of your great writing, Barbara. It is spare and lean, but every sentence does its duty and brings out an impportant point about the founding of Hogwarts School. No wasted filler or insignificant dialogue. And the description is spot on.
The Founders seem to be putting the final touches on the creation of the castle. All the tables are in place, but the students do not appear to be present yet, and the food appears to be cooked by Helga. (Well, it's not a chore to cook for only four.)
I like the way you characterize the four Founders, each with only a few lines, but what you write captures their essences so well. And the gifts that Rowena gives to her fellow Founders, and their reactions to them, give extra meaning to these gifts. By the time Harry is hunting for them, they are just objects to him (especially the cup and the locket).
I liked the final paragraph -- there are so many stories behind those short sentences. Great job!
Vicki
Author's Response:Thank you for the review. I liked the last line too. You're right. It can be filled with interpretation.
No, the students haven't started yet. I'm not sure if the house elves have started, but since Hufflepuff is near the kitchens, it made sense to put her in charge of the kitchens.
Hi, Barbara! I'm stopping by for BvB!
I think you did a great job depicting how the tensions between the Founders grew over the years (most notably, of course, between Salazar and the rest). Friends who work for many years so closely together on something dear to each of their hearts become of a family of sorts, and no family is perfect. It's obvious that even though they've seemingly grown apart from one another in some ways and have different visions of the future, they still care very deeply about this magical place they've created and want nothing but the best for it.
It makes sense for Rowena to hide her daughter's betrayal from the others. She's always thinking about how the things she did for Hogwarts (like the ceiling, for example) will help her be fondly remembered, so she seems very concerned about her image. So I thought this was super in-character of her.
I really enjoyed your interpretation of how the Sorting Hat was created. Having each of the Founders' enchantments be in poetic form influenced how the Sorting Hat would conduct this ritual for the next millennium. I also thought it was poignant that Helga went last. All the other Founders had very specific types of people they wanted for their respective houses, where as Helga is accepting of all.
Though Salazar's hatred of Muggleborns is obviously unjustifiable, I like that you gave him a rationale for it. In his head, he wasn't doing anything wrong; he thought he was doing what was best for the preservation of the magical community. (And, honestly, the way humans have acted throughout history, his concerns are certainly not without merit.) Unfortunately, though, he allowed his genuine concern to spiral into pure hate, and that's where he crossed the line. That being said, though, I don't think I've ever read a fic where someone wrote Salazar as having a reason behind his disdain for Muggleborns; he's always just passed off as pure evil. Again, I'm not saying I agree with his prejudice, but I nevertheless found this take on him refreshing; it rounded him out a little bit more than what I usually see.
Nice job! Looking forward to more!
Cheers,
Reilly
Author's Response:Thanks ReillyJade. This is one of my "old ones" (re: about a year) so thanks for giving it some love.
I read justification once in a fan-fic that the pureblood philosophy stemmed from witch trials (much earlier ones than Salem) and there had been so much persecution of magical folk by muggles that the concept developed basically to protect themselves.--interesting theory.
Hi, Barbara! I'm stopping by for BvB! :)
I'm really glad I found this fic because the Founders are endlessly fascinating. Based on what we know of them from canon (which, admittedly, isn't a whole lot save for Salazar), I think you've characterized each of them well. In this short chapter, they all embody the traits that became synonymous with their respective houses: Rowena is creative and a dreamer, Godric is friendly and blunt, Helga is familial and loving, and Salazar is reserved and a bit distant (though not in negative way... at least not yet).
It's interesting to see that three of the four founders' famous objects were gifts; I've never seen this take on them before. I like the idea of them being presented to commemorate the opening of Hogwarts, and again, you matched them each with their personalities. I really liked how Salazar was thinking about charming his locket to never open; it was perfectly symbolic of the Slytherin nature to be secretive.
Rowena viewing the castle as never being done was fabulous; as a Ravenclaw, I can completely identify with this, as I always have things I should leave alone but keep tinkering with. And Godric essentially saying "seriously? it's done!" made me laugh. Classic Gryffindor. :p
This did make me somewhat sad, though. These were gifts given out of love, and it's sad to read, knowing what they inevitably become.
This was a very interesting piece, and I'm looking forward to more!
Cheers,
Reilly
Author's Response:Thank you, Reilly for the review. I was trying to make connections between the horcruxes, so two of them became gifts. Actually only the first two chapters are about the Founders. The story traces the horcruxes. In each chapter, at least two horcruxes will connect until they are all united through evil.
Tag! Here for the review tag on the forums.
I must say... wow. I chose this fic because 1. this interested me (Horcruxes before they became them? So intriguing!) and 2. this chapter was the earliest one in this fic to yet get a review. And Merlin's beard, I'm so glad I chose this fic!
This bookbinder, Mr. Gaunt, has an obsession--and it's so creepy! You do a spectacular job in showing this throughly by only a handful of repeated sentences, which are the only bits of dialogue in this vignette. This is well-crated and finely executed writing! This artistic flair really, really adds to this piece. And it's a chilling foreshadowing of the hunt for the Horcruxes and the Hallows in 1997-8.
I am a fan of the Deathly Hallows in fan fiction because while they linger in the background for the majority of the HP series, there's still so much unknown about them. I haven't come across many fics that use the Hallows, and I love how you incorporate them in your Horcrux tale. It goes to show that the Hallows extend beyong the time of Harry (and the FB movie fanchise). It's so interesting to see a Searcher in the 1860s, about twenty years before the birth of Dumbledore. You've created this dormant world, waiting for the emergence of Dumbledore/Grindelwald and Voldemort.
I also like how prophetic the bookbinder is. He knows that this diary will amount to something one day. I'm not sure if he would be as thrilled about what it's actually going to become, but I have a feeling he would be okay with it as a Horcrux but more disappointed/horrified that Tom Riddle would only go after the Elder Wand and not all three Hallows! This assumption of mine makes the bookbinder even creepier. Also, I know that he's not interested in bringing back loved ones from the dead, but I'm curious to know if he'd be interested in what Grindelwald was interested in and bringing back dead people for an army to gain power? Something tells me that he would consider it, but he'd be more interested in uniting the Hallows instead of commanding an army.
Anyway, for such a short vignette, you give this piece a lot of punch. There's so much unraveling revelations and predictions, and I love how I rethink the acquisition of Tom Riddle's diary. It ties this diary even closer to who Tom Riddle is. What an outstanding piece of writing!
Author's Response:Thank you for the review.
I think you are correct in that the Bookbinder would be fine with, even a bit enthralled, that the diary became a Horcrux, but disappointed that Tom never became a searcher, especially since the man is supposed to Tom's great-great grandfather.
I'm not sure if he would be interested in Grindelwald or not. I pictured him as a solitary figure, only aware of his own obsession, slowly sinking into madness. I don't think he was the first Gaunt to be labeled as unhinged (and he certainly won't be the last), but it more of a class example of the family's insanity. It's also the point in the Guant family line where the knowledge that the ring is a Hallow disappears.
In each of the vignette's, at least two of the Hallows cross paths. (It's the ring and the diadem in the previous one.) I hope you have a chance to read and enjoy the rest of them.
Hey Barbara, I'm back for chapter 3!
I definitely wasn't expecting to read about descendents from the Peverells, and it was a wonderful surprise! I love the build-up about the ring and the glimpse of their childhood which reveals that it's the resurrection stone. That the brothers are in search of the diadem, and essentially, this becomes the first encounter between a Hallow and a would-be Horcrux without them knowing it.
The bit with the arachnid attack was so well written, I had chills while reading it. And to know that Amherst had to leave his brother's body to escape was bone-chilling, and to think he kept it all a secret, even though he knew where the diadem was... essentially leading to Tom Riddle finding it in the same place later. I really love the connect here.
This was such a sad chapter and a great twist in the story of the Diadem! I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next. :)
- Nim
[August BvB - Team Blue]
Author's Response:Thanks Nim for all the feedback!
Each story has at least 2 horcruxes in it. The goal was to weave their stories together before their fate was determined, so I tried to put a lot of connections throughout the story. My favorite are this chapter and #5. I'm not really happy with the ending. I feel it just doesn't have the impact some of the other chapters do, so if you have any feedback on it, I'd appreciate it.
Hey Barbara, I'm back again for the next chapter!
I love how bittersweet the beginning is, with Rowena's pride over her creation combined with her feeling the loss of the diadem and her daughter's betrayal. I also really like how you've subtly weaved in her need for admiration from others as well as her hiding her daughter's actions from her friends. With just a few lines, you managed to add a lot of depth to Rowena's character and that's brilliant!
The build-up with the argument leading on to the creation of the Sorting Hat was so good! I love how you incorporated the rhythmic verses into it!
Salazar's character is really interesting in this and the fallacious arguments he puts across only serves to show how deep his prejudices and delusions about muggle-borns truly are. I love how you've written about the way the word 'Mudblood' was formed as well. That it came from such a childish, hate-filled proclamation and then got carried on for years because of it - that's a really powerful angle you took. It's also incredibly sad that his relationship with the other Founders devolved from a meaningful friendship to bitter rivalry.
I absolutely love how you've written the ending, and the smooth flow into the next sequence of events. Looking forward to the next chapter!
~Nim
[August BvB - Team Blue]
Author's Response:Thanks, Nim.
Hey Barbara! I thought I'd drop by and check out this fic since you told me about it! :)
I absolutely love the premise here. I've read a bunch of Founders era fics but never one that explores the history of the horcruxes and how it all began. It's so interesting that Rowena is the one who gifts each of the others their respective items - I never thought of it that way!
Her characterisation is brilliant. From judging the Great Hall to wanting to do something spectacular with the ceiling - just that small exchange with Godric says a lot about her. She's obviously someone who goes beyond the ordinary, and wants to stand out from the rest through her ideas and creativity. I also love the casual camaraderie between her and Godric and how he's so welcoming with each of them. Most of all, I love the various reasons you've come up with for Rowena's choice of gifts for the rest of the Founders, especially for Hufflepuff's cup. The angle that you've taken of Helga being an expert in the kitchen is wonderful, and it adds to the motherly, welcoming nature that is characteristic of Hufflepuff.
There was obviously a great deal of respect among the four Founders and the dynamic between them has been explored so wonderfully in just a single scene. This first chapter was an amazing start to your fic and I'm looking forward to reading the rest!
~ Nim
[August BvB - Team Blue]
Author's Response:Thanks, Nim.
Hey! I'm here from the review tag!
I don't read founders era fics very often, but this is really intriguing, and I like where you're taking it!
So the creation of the sorting hat was very clever. I can imagine the four founders having this discussion and trying to decide how someone would objectively sort their students after they were gone. I like that they were so concerned about what would become of their school once they passed, and that they knew the importance of Hogwarts even then. Sometimes I think that people let their house define them a bit too much, but it's good that the four of them knew the important of the sorting and that it needed to be addressed.
Salazar's characterisation is really quite chilling, he's so full of hatred - but he doesn't see it that way at all. He thinks that his house should be protected from the 'mud' and is protecting magic from these greedy and desparate muggles. It's good to know that he's alone in his ideology and that the other three don't share his beliefs. He mirrors a lot of the extremists of today who're worried about their race, but would rather let it die out than 'suffer' from multiculturalism. I really like how you made the link between 1000 years ago and today, because it shows that really - very little has changed.
I love how Godric Gryffindor really does represent his house, being so chivalrous and jumping in to defend Helga. I think he's my favourite character so far, the way you've described him I can picture him very clearly in my mind!
I can't wait to see what becomes of the founders after this!
Author's Response:Thanks for the review. This is my first founder's fiction and it's not really even that--only the first 2 chapters. I tried to have a bit of a "wrap up" connection at the end of each chapter. Some are better than others.
The entire story is done (8 chapters-last one is in the queu) I hope you enjoy the rest of it.
REVIEW TAG.
This sounded so interesting! I'm very intrigued where you take this story! The time span is truly epic, so I'm expecting this to go in directions I couldn't even think of!
I really like how you've decided to build a story around the Horcruxes, and each of their stories. I hope through these objects, what you really do is tell the story of all the people they connect through time and space. I think that's one of the true magics of such old things.
I think you've got a great start, here! The origin story of three of the horcruxes, already! And I like how you chose such a momentous occassion as the grand opening of Hogwarts - a fitting start to an undertaking of epic proportions. I also like how you've shown the four Founders to still be excellent friends at this moment. Your characterisation really shows that they're still all in this together, and have a great love and respect for each other. I am curious to know if the next chapter will explore their splintering, or whether it will take a huge leap in time.
Great start!
Author's Response:Thanks for writing (and reading.) There are so many HP stories out there. I was trying to think of a character that not many people had written about. Then I wondered if an object could be a character which immediately led to the Horcruxes. Each chapter includes at least two of them so you see how they are connected throughout the centuries.
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