Name: poppunkpadfoot (Signed) · Date: 02 Mar 2020 06:29 AM · For: Pax

Hi Laura!

 

Beautiful writing, as always. I think what really impresses me about your stories is the way that you seem to be able to pull poetry out of really everyday things, that a lot of people would pass over or not spend very much time describing. You also have a way of describing emotions and physical sensations that's so unique and that really gets at the heart of the thing in a really pretty way.

 

This is a pairing that honestly would never have occurred to me, but you made it make sense. It's such an interesting idea to explore, this figure from Voldemort's past who is succumbing to a "weakness" that Voldemort is giving everything to rid himself of, and who is simultaneously a "weakness" of Voldemort's. It's a very rich dynamic and you were able to draw so much complexity out of it. I didn't exactly feel sympathy for Voldemort, but it was definitely really interesting to see a different side of him explored, a background where he had like. Meaningful human connections, and such. But even then, he was viewing the whole thing almost as a sort of game, as something to be one. I thought it was a really interesting window into the psyche of this very broken and cold person.

 

Nicely done!

 

-Kayla

Author's Response:

Hey Kayla! :) Thank you so much for stopping by! :) 

 

Ahhh thank you so much! :) It's always so so nice to hear from people that description works and isn't too much and things because honestly, I think I worry with almost every story that it'll be too much and overload or kinda swamp everything else that's going on - or that there won't be enough of anything else going on, because I've taken up all the space with description :P especially because I always hate getting rid of any of it ;P This one was really fun to write because it's not emotions or a setting that I've really written before, so it was an interesting challenge, especially with the hospital setting because there's only so many times you can say something is white and clean :P 

 

Yea it probably makes less sense since it takes the pairing from another story, tbh, but I really liked when I wrote it in the original story that it was a bit of a weakness for Voldemort - because he's so typically portrayed as being so invulnerable and so devoid of emotions other than ambition and anger :P and it's fun to expand that and explore it, because that can't be it, yk? It is a fun dynamic to write, so I'm so so glad you liked it - even without all the kinda background knowledge - and that it worked without needing that too! (I'm never sure on these things tbh :P) Yea, he definitely views things as games - people are just things, really, to him, and Cygnus is a thing he once had and lost, like a toy you forget about and find years later and perhaps you sit and reminisce a bit about all the good old times, even keep it for a few weeks or so, before eventually you throw it out. Which is oddly fun to write about? 

 

Thank you so so much for the lovely review! :) 

 

Laura xx

 

For the sandcastle event in the HC finale 2020

Name: sunshine_locks (Signed) · Date: 17 Jun 2019 11:40 PM · For: Pax

Hi, I’m here for the last part of our review swap!

 

Ooh, the way you can make such simple things so interesting amazes me to no end. As someone who gets bored of most things easily, I really appreciate this. Not to mention, you characterize Voldemort so well too; it’s easy to see that he carries himself with high regard and has little time for things other than himself.

 

I may be a little wrong on the latter descriptor though. Voldemort looks to have some sort of affinity towards Cygnus, though it seems wrong to describe it as affection, as I’ve never thought Voldemort to be capable of that.

 

Their conversation—there almost seems to be humor, in it, a few inside jokes perhaps? Cygnus and Voldemort (Tom?) seem to be fond of each other, and I suppose it might be good, but it’s in the loosest sense of the term. Cygnus proves to me that Voldemort does have a shred of humanity left, however small that is, though it seems to be overpowered by the person Voldemort has become now. He has weakness, and though he was eager to crush it, he almost… hesitates? But of course he does do it, in the end.

 

You wrote about an interesting couple, and you’ve managed to add layers of depth to Voldemort that I didn’t know he was capable of having.

 

Thanks for writing! xx

Author's Response:

Hey! :) Thank you so much for dropping by - and for the review swaps! It was so so fun! :) 

 

Ahhh thank you! I have a similar sort of problem, haha - I'm really easily bored, and I tend to write slowly so I end up having a lot of time thinking about things, haha, whether or not it's related to the story :P I love writing Voldemort, too - I think he's probably a surprisingly easy character to write simple things with? Because the way he thinks about things is so distinctive to him, yk? He really, really is so self-centered :P just... he never thinks about things beyond how they would affect him and what he thinks of them - which is interesting to write, but would be terrifying and annoying in real life :P 

 

Mmmm yea, I don't think it's really affection as such? It's more that he prizes the affection Cygnus has (or had) for him, and that matters - and that means Cygnus matters to him, but not because of anything particular about Cygnus? It's a bit like a favourite toy, in a way - while you like it and still prefer it to other things, it's good, but once you don't, you just get rid of it because you don't want it any more. 

 

Yesss! So, I have to admit, one of my favourite things is humanising Voldemort a bit, because I think it's easy to see him as kind of a really boringly evil psychopath with no other emotions or feelings and no thoughts other than killing people :P But he's still human, even if he's a psychopath, and it's fun to kind of see how that works out and how he would connect - to whatever degree and in whatever way - with other people, yk? Because he would do, even if it was very superficial and self-centered as a relationship. And there's a level of respect there, and a real kind of understanding - Cygnus has never been scared of Tom the way other people were, and he's still not scared even now he's Lord Voldemort. It was super fun actually to write about them when they're older - and Tom is Voldemort and super-powerful and dangerous and a fully-fledged pscyhopath at the height of his powers. It was a slightly different dynamic to how I wrote them before, which was interesting :) 

 

Thank you so so miuch for the lovely review - I'm so glad you enjoyed the story! :) 

 

Laura xx

Name: potionspartner (Signed) · Date: 10 Jun 2019 09:30 PM · For: Pax

You immediately grabbed my attention with two things: In the summary suggesting that Voldemort might be merciful and the quote from Jeremiah 51.

I love the quote from Dumbledore about the doors and the fact that Riddle is now experiencing it himself. It must be a very humbling experience for him. Great language describing it: sentimental drivel and treacherously true. I’m interpreting the door as a gateway to death, a door that we know Voldemort has great fear of. I love the way he’s trying to convince himself that he has no fear of doors and death, yet we still see the hesitancy in his step.

I feel like this experience is almost surreal for Voldemort. Here’s a “friend” whom, I assume, he grew up with at Hogwarts and because he’s not bound by those laws of mortality, how strange it must feel to him to watch Black in that bed.

“The body betrayed the man and the man, the man suffocated inside it.”---It gave me shivers!

And Cygnus himself. There are few that would be so snarky with Lord Voldemort but he dares. Of course, what does he really have to lose at this point in his life.  “Did you come to gloat or mourn” Ouch! Sometimes the truth hurts and even Riddle flinched a bit.

 

Getting inside of Voldemort’s head is always challenging, but particularly when he’s talking about an ex-lover. You did a great job showing the turmoil within the man, even a hint of a possibility of something we never thought he was capable: love. Did he ever have feelings for this man? Or was it merely a game to get back at others. We will probably never know. Perhaps Cygnus does, but at this point, he can no longer say.

Name: MegGonagall (Signed) · Date: 29 May 2019 05:11 AM · For: Pax

Hello love! 

 

It’s been a shamefully long time since I’ve read your gorgeous writing. And this was just as amazing as everything you write. Such a gift you have, love. 

 

What an insanely interesting pairing. I kind of want to beg you to write them again. Like, when they were younger. Kind of like a companion piece/prequel to this. Because, the more I read, the more I wanted of these two. 

 

I really love the little shreds of humanity you’ve given Voldemort in this. He’s still true to his character, but seeing that he had someone that he actually did care about in any capacity gave even more depth to him, and it was such a pleasure to read. It makes you wonder if that was why he took Bellatrix under his wing. Almost as a way to stick it to Cygnus and Druella. Making sure their daughter loved and admired him more than her own parents. It was just a random thought I had reading this. 

 

The imagey here and your descriptions were flawless as always. My heart was beating more and more quickly as I read on. I kept waiting for Voldemort to just end him. I kept waiting to see if he was going to kill him due to their past, and also because of the repeated thoughts of illness and death being a weakness. And we all know how Voldemort feels about weaknesses. Which is funny, because clearly Cygnus is a weakness of his. He was even able to get away with calling him Tom. 

 

But yeah, I really want more of their backstory. I’d love to see some of the moments Voldemort remembered. Like how he always let Cygnus get away with speaking to him in a way he’d never allow anyone else. And I’m super curious about how they first managed to sort of get together (kind of) in the first place. You can see that an older Voldemort is still struggling with the fact that someone has even a little bit of power over him, even if he doesn’t acknowledge it in quite those words. The fact that he had the thought that he would have considered going home to Cygnus, or making a home with him at all showed that. 

 

I’m right in thinking that he did kill him, in the end. So sad, yet also unsurprising. Just because Voldemort had a moment of feeling something, doesn’t make him not Voldemort any longer. He’s too far gone at this point. Regardless of the tiny shred of humanity we saw here. 

 

This was an amazing piece. I love the unique pairing. Your writing always flows so beautifully, and is always, always such a joy to read. I’m glad we got to do a swap! It’s been ages. 

 

Love and hugs, 

Meg 

Name: Chemical_Pixie (Signed) · Date: 29 May 2019 01:54 AM · For: Pax

Hey Laura! Here for our swap.

 

Oh. my. god. This is such an incredible piece. The description breathes so much life into this piece in such unexpected ways. You make Voldemort's walk down the hallway into a story in and out itself. It's like his world is constantly moving and shifting as he makes his way down the corridor. You portray is arrogance in such a chilling manner as well, with the lazy confidence and the pomp in the way he carries himself.

 

My favorite lines is this: The lock turned with a soft click and he slipped in, smoke up a chimney, cloak whipping round the door-frame just before it shut again. It gives Voldemort a powerful and mysterious presence, giving a passerby the doubt of whether or not they've seen someone. And Voldemort is like smoke, in a way. He's powerful and deadly, full of warning. But impossible to catch, nearly impossible to stop. What an amazing description mixed in with characterization.

 

The conversation between Tom and Cygnus is also incredible. I had to read slowly and carefully to make sure that I was able to catch everything--tbh, I'll probably catch more on a re-read, which is indicative of amazing writing. They have such a complex relationship, layered with cringeworthy and despicable motives. It's interesting to see Voldemort--or Tom, in this case, for I believe that Cygnus draws out Tom Riddle--muddle over his emotions when they concern Cygnus. It's not quite love, but there's almost a fondness. And I got chills when they kept on mentioning Bellatrix and then Tom's disdain for Druella. It truly shows just how manipulative this is.

 

I love how you tie in the celestial imagery with Cygnus. Of course, he's tied to stars and constellations due to his family ties, but this also means something to Voldemort/Tom. Even though there's darkness all around him, his light is Cygnus, and that closing line: with moonlight glinting off his bone-white wand, goes to show the impact that Cygnus has made on this Dark wizard.

 

What a wonderful, wonderful piece. Thanks for swapping!