Name: Hawksquill (Signed) · Date: 06 Sep 2020 01:49 PM · For: Perchance to dream

I LOVE the concept of this fic!  I've always thought that History of Magic would be one of my favorite subjects and I love the idea of a ghost professor.  Plus we get that tantalizing tease in canon about him waking up one day a ghost and going right to class again!  Taking a small detail and running with it is my favorite basis for a fic. 

The way you wrote the dream sequence reminded me of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."  The implication that he didn't fully understand the choice he was being given (to remain a ghost) is also fascinating.  I wonder if he ends up regretting it.

This was my favorite line!  

Someone had to try to tell the future of wizarding kind the truth about the past. Someone had to help them understand how to build a brighter future and that someone was Cuthbert Binns.

As a history enthusiast that really spoke to me.  :) 

Well done and thanks for posting! 

Author's Response:

Hello!

 

I totally agree--a ghost teaching History of Magic is a great concept.

 

You make a great point about Binns not exactly understanding his choice. I also wonder if he eventually regrets it. Eternity is a long time to be stuck between the living and the dead, even if you enjoy what you're doing there.

 

I loved giving Binns that sense of purpose to explain why he stayed on, even though most of the students don't listen to him. 

 

Thank you so much for this lovely review!

 

Yours,

Noelle

Name: RonsGirlFriday (Signed) · Date: 06 Sep 2020 01:15 AM · For: Perchance to dream

Hi Noelle!

Having bugged you about being able to podfic this for you I really wanted to leave a review as well.

If anyone had ever asked me to write about Binns, I would have been stumped, bu you’ve made him a beautiful, interesting character. He may be pragmatic and restrained in real life, but he has an imagination and this whole other life in his dreams -- Full of adventure! And romance! And intrigue! I found myself wondering, if this is what he dreams of, is he really happy in his real life, as he seems to be, finding facts more important than fiction, or does he just stick to that lifestyle out of a sense of duty, and it made me a little sad for him -- but on the other hand, maybe he really is happy with his life, and content to live his adventurous life in his dreams. I mean, it’s pretty relatable, actually, to be a person who is a little boring in reality but to dream or daydream of something different. Just because I might enjoy dreaming of a pirate’s life doesn’t mean I actually want to be one!

I thoroughly loved the scene with the beautiful woman urging him to come with her, floating him up to the sky, and I so so badly wanted him to go with her! To go somewhere he could perhaps be Pirate Binns for all eternity. Once again I felt a little sad when he chose to return to earth. But it was a choice, and his business teaching history is obviously important to him, important enough to give up the afterlife -- if only his students knew!

This is such a creative and thoughtful take on this character who gets little to no attention.

 

 

<3 Melanie

Author's Response:

Hi Melanie! Thanks for coming by my lil story here :D

Your podfic is awesome, btw <3

Someday I think I need to go back and write more about Binns, to explain why when he has this rich fantasy life, he can't express any of that excitement or adventure to his students. There are "reasons" but I didn't have time to get into them here. But you're right, dreaming about being a pirate king and actually being a pirate king are pretty different. 

I really wanted him to go with the beautiful lady too. I feel like it would have been better for him...but he made the choice he felt was right I guess :P

Thank you so much for this lovely review!

Yours,

Noelle

Name: dottie-wan-kenobi (Signed) · Date: 24 Aug 2020 09:16 PM · For: Perchance to dream

Hi!! I'm not great at reviewing so I'm just gonna liveblog!

 

Ohhh my gosh I immediately love this first sentence!! The whole first paragraph really. His voice is so strong so fast and it's awesome. I love how he sees himself too, "protector of the past" sounds like such a cool title to have. 

 

Up until "He tried to take a breath, but found that he no longer needed to.", I was thinking he was really just dreaming but he's remembering his past life, isn't he? YES YES HE IS omg. I love ghost fics and ghost characters but it's been a while since I read one deciding to stay on earth -- and I love this!!! I held my breath while he was falling ksdjhfkjah. Just. amazing. Thank you for writing and sharing!!

Author's Response:

Hi Dottie! Thanks for coming by this story :D

I'd never read anything about how Professor Binns became a ghost, so I thought I'd give it a whirl writing my own accounting of the events. I liked the idea of him having a rich inner life that none of the students (or teachers) know about.

I'm so excited that you liked what I did here! Thank you for reading and reviewing--it made my day :D