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Abbi! Hello, my friend! Here for some Halloween reviewing! :)
How did I not realize that you had a new chapter of Blue Skies up??? :O Well, I'm here now to fix it... :P
Ahahah! Yes, there is A LOT of art portraying Mary, lol! :P It can get tiring, I confess I prefer later art where religion is not so involved, but I also can see Lavender's point, how it can be interesting and fascinating to see the different interpretations of the same subject, how each one is unique and a reflection of the artist... art has a magic of its own, doesn't it?
Did I mention before how much I love Rome? I can just imagine them sitting by the Trevi Fountain at midnight. Rome at night also has a magic of its own... ahahah! Loved the little fight about travel times :P (not sure if I mention this as well, but time zones give me a headache... :P)
Urgh, Isolde! Why did you have to come and ruin it all??? I mean, I get it, she's just doing her job, but poor Oliver... and she doesn't seem to be very understanding either... she's not exactly being very helpful... mental health is delicate and maybe sometimes it's hard to understand... Lavender has been there and she does get it, instead. I think they can really be a great support for each other. :D
Oh, I forgot Archie :P She's such a fun and interesting character, I'm very curious about her backstory and what her role in here will be (except for haunting Oliver's house and teasing him/pushing him in the right direction). I like her "advice", though. Sometimes we tend to be overly critical of ourselves, but that doesn't mean that people around us see us that way... and yes, he should definitely ask Lavender out again! If not for themselves, then for us readers, because they have such great chemistry, and it's so fun to watch them together! <3
Sorry for another mess of a review... :P But lovely work on this as always! And I'll be rooting for you to keep this story going! <3 <3 <3
Lots of love and biggest snowball hug,
Chiara
Hi Abbi, here for our swap :)
Aww, I'm so happy we got to see more of Lavender and Oliver's date and from his POV. I love how chaotic Lavender appears to him and how he kind of just lets her do what she wants -- studying the art, running to catch for a kiss (*swoon*). I feel like it's the exact kind of distraction that Oliver needs right now and I'm glad they both seem to be comfy with each other <3
I loved the bit about the international portals closing at a specific time. Reminds me of catching a train, but for wizards, which makes so much sense. And how delightful that it meant that Lavender and Oliver should just spend the night together, even though all they did was sleep <33 How freaking adorable are they?? I feel like they really understand each other on a fundamental level, even after a first date
Ughhh, but of course freaking Isolde had to ruin it. And ruin Oliver's mood which makes me want to hug him. I can't imagine how difficult it is to not know if he wants to play Quidditch anymore -- a sport he's loved for so long -- and if he'd be any good at it either. I like that she didn't exactly judge Oliver for having Lavender over but the little "this isn't you" line hurt a bit.
Also, this Archie person is very intriguing and I can't help but wonder who she is. I love that Oliver compares her to a house cat because that's exactly what she is, but I have a feeling their friendship is going to help Oliver a lot. I liked her frankness and quite frankly (haha) I feel like Oliver needs a bit of that coming from someone who isn't Lavender or Isolde, someone who can really see him. I'm curious as to why she hasn't told him her first name either and it's got me wondering if maybe we know her from somewhere else? :eyes:
Another excellent chapter! A nice blend of fluff with the date and the angst of Oliver trying to figure out his life. The tone definitely shifted to a bit heavier in the second half of the chapter but I think you wrote that really well because sometimes life really is like that, y'know? It just makes me want to hug Oliver, honestly. And Lavender. Both of them deserve the world's biggest hug. (Preferably from each other, but you know, we'll get there eventually XD)Thank you for the swap! <3
Nice internal monologue for Oliver, especially in the date sequence. The rhythms there ware espcially helpful to making everything work, too. Your flow was fine through the whole chapter, I thought, despite a couple of hiccoughs where you seemed to hesitate (example: ~"Oh, shit," he exclained suddenly "that's the time?" He said putting himself out of his hazy train of thought.~ might have been easier to follow as "Oh, shit,' he exclaimed, putting himself out of his hazy train of thought. "That's the time?"). Anyway, the soft spot were minor and infrequent and the chapter was another fun one to read, moving this very nice story along beautifully. Thanks.
G
"Then why didn't you contact me?" Bahaha Lavender, girl, what are you doing here? hahaha I like that you followed that question up with her admitting that it was a stupid one to ask, because they both already know the answer to it! She was the one meant to call! Goodness me. But that's so relatable, isn't it? To try to get away with something like that when you're feeling a bit on the back foot. And I love Oliver's response, he grew into a good man, it seems. I love the history you gave the painting The Unknown here. I think you've done a really great job at a establishing the world your characters live in with details like that. Also, can we talk about Rome for a first date? Jealous!
I love the second section, where we get to see Lavender really succeed with this big client and payout. It's really nice to see her go from a recent depression to thriving in the art world, and Oliver isn't even really the reason. Like, she was chosen by reputation, not favoritism, becasue Oliver didn't choose her himself, and impartial party did, and I love that for her. I also love that you kept Lavender's scars from the war, but war tattoos?? Jesus lady, what?
The third section is just adorable. I really enjoyed learning about their romantic histories here. I mean, poor Seamus getting jumped, and he clearly has a big heart because he got attached to someone he knew from the start not to, but he's got an old love back in the picture already! And it's nice to hear Lavender admit that she thinks she likes Oliver, something she was clearly hiding from, probably because of the hardship of the breakup with Parvati. First loves are hard to get over, but I hope they both find happiness in this story!
Lavender is killing it this chapter, she's a great saleswoman! Although, to be fair, the magical art you created souonds absolutely sick, and I would totally buy it myself if I could! haha I love the magical spin you placed on, it's so cool. And I personally love that she took a mental health break. And I hope she does reach the point of realizing she doesn't need to apologize for her depression. I'm so glad she and Seamus found a new place that they love! That will hopefully benefit her mentally too, both living somewhere she's happy in, and with her best friend. Then the ending! Oliver Wood is the client! Yay! I love that he's obviously going to be a fan of art, something that is so close to Lavender's heart, and that he isn't just Quidditch all the time always anymore. It sounds like he has room for other focuses these days, and that will hopefully be something that allows them to come together and get closer later on!
I love the way this story opens, your writing in that first paragraph is really beautiful and as Lavender paints a picture with brushes, you paint a picture with words, and it captivates right from the start. I also really enjoy the foundation you've established already for Lavender and Oliver, that they actually have some history already, that he let her talk about art, that she's the one with his number and in control of what happens next between them! And Seamus is making sure she doesn't get to fully hide from the truths here, as she seems inclined to do! haha The friendship between them is really cute, they're clearly very involved in each other's personal lives, and I love that they're going to move in together now that he's staying in Paris! And they're even gonna get a new place together, start afresh! I think it will be good for both of them. Really cute start, and I suspect I know who this mystery customer might be! I'm excited.
Haha, I love how Lavender is trying out “first date” thoughts with Seamus. Yeah, he’s right. There are some things you save for later. But also, the blue eyes thing will definitely work in her favor! I love this friendship they have going on, so much! It’s so good when you have a history like that and the inside jokes only serve as a stepping stone to newer more wonderful things.
I love how Leavender ‘sees’ the art around her and can read things about the artist in the visuals. Ah, recognition from her old life! It’s nice when talent recognizes talent, though. I hope Lavender is taking these notes for the future. People think highly of her, as they should.
Haha, I love how Lavender is already stressing about the tea vs coffee… ah, he’s on the right team!! Her inner freakout monologue is hilarious, which just goes to show how much she really wants this to be a good thing. Lavender deserves a good thing. I hope this next thing is just as wonderful as the first thing. Eagerly awaiting the rest of this date!
Pix
Ah, Oliver! He’s on the cusp of transition, and I bet it’s a hard decision, but when you feel it, you know it’s time. I wonder how hard his publicist will fight to keep him in a place he doesn’t want to be. Oh, yeah. She’s going to make it Very Difficult. It’s good he has Izzy. She knows how to do her job, and is excellent at stalling.
Go buy your milk, Oliver, while you figure stuff out.
Ah, haha. What a way to wake up, in a stranger’s apartment, hungover, with no trousers on. Perfect! What are the odds that Oliver would find a random witch at a bar?? Archie sounds like a wonderful person, and I’m really glad she saved his arse. She deserves a very nice breakfast!
Pix
Hey! Back for this amazing story!
“Let’s go to Rome, then.”
Uh, excuse me?? That was peak escalation from brunch to Rome, but of course it can be that simple, because Magic. But also, Spark, which is probably more like insane burning under the skin level magnetism. The only thing keeping this guy from seeming arrogant about all this is the way he clearly left things up to Lavender to begin with, and that he clearly waited for her to show interest in him before he said “Rome”. Well played, Oliver.
I love that Lavender is secure enough in her profession to be all professional with Isolde, until she wasn’t, and oh boy, that exit wasn’t what she had in mind.
Awww, Seamus and his big feeling are adorable, but I’m sure it’s painful for him to love so big. But also, five years isn’t something to sneeze at, either. And oh! There’s a Michael on the horizon!
Pix
Hi! Since this has been nominated for best friendship, I thought I’d focus on Seamus and Lavender. This conversation jumps right into how they have no secrets. Seamus knows her secrets practically before she does (as when she admitted that she might like Oliver.) I like how he grabs the attention with “We’re getting drunk” and she doesn’t bat an eyelash at it (or how the “unstable human” was lying on the floor.)
Your description of them needed people and how the war snatched people away from them leaving them in constant fear of loss was well explained and really helped develop your characters.
And Michael walking back into his life. Well, it was selfish reason to bring of Parvarti and I’m questioning his reasoning, but I’m sure she’ll forgive him. That’s what friends do over a bottle of whiskey.
i love love their lil date *_* it just feels so chill and wholesome and like they've known each other far longer because there's no awkwardness or anything like that but at the same time there's definitely a distinct feel of a lil nervousness, like they're still testing the waters and seeing where things go, but so far things are going in a great direction heheh :D
oliver offering up amber wiley's number made me laugh and idk, it just was a great teasing interaction between the two of them re: lavender's type, made me grin
i'd love for lavender to open up a gallery of her own someday -- it's obviously something she'd like and i want that for her and for her to be happy
this was just an adorable chapter *_*
i want more pls soon???
Author's Response:ahhh hi kris!
this made me really smile! thank you for taking the time to give me a little review! the date is tricky to get the balance right about how they interact with each other. they've met each other at a good time when they were both quite open to meeting someone new. i think the trope is all women want tall, dark and handsome men is a little overplayed but that's lavender's type in women really but at the end of the day she's not too bothered about appearances in her partners but you know oliver is still gorgeous (as we know from her journey, it's probably her own appearance that means more). it was fun to write them together as this is the first time they've interacted for longer periods of time and the date will continue into next chapter. i'm working on the next chapter and broken over 1.5k words so hopefully i won't be leaving it so long between updates this time! thank you again!!
Abbi xx
hey abbi! i'm back for more of this lovely story *_*
you've really made me feel super sad for oliver in this chapter -- yeah, canonically he takes loss *hard* so seeing him like this in the chapter after scotland lost and he was at his absolute best is not surprising but arghghsghsdshg he's a lil bit dramatic as well, isn't he -- wanting to quit and so on? i both hope he doesn't end up quitting and that he does if it will make him feel happier, so i'm very conflicted
i also loved how he couldn't just stay in and mope around all day because that's just not who he is, and waking up in archie's flat -- that whole scene made me laugh, feel sorry for oliver again, and then laugh again once he realised that nothing happened, he was just being a drunk idiot :D hopefully archie sticks around, i think she might have potential to be a nice friend mayyybe? we'll see i guess
i'll be backkk for more soonish!
kris
Hi, Abbi! Here for some research and development, and to catch up with this adorable fic! <3
Well, if they are both team coffee, they picked the right place for their date, lol! Italy is not very tea-lover friendly, lol! (I love when the team tea/team coffee debate comes up in fics, it just amuses me a lot... :P)
I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but I love the friendship between Lavender and Seamus! I love their complicity and playfulness and the way they know each other so well and enjoy to tease each other a little. It's really lovely to see! I hope things with Micheal will work out, or at least that Seamus will find his happiness at some point, too! <3
It would be very cool, if Lavender managed to open her own gallery! And what a coincidence, that Hanna would remember her from when she was working at Parvati's exhibition...
The date in Rome was absolutely lovely! They really seemed so well matched! It was lovely to see how at ease they seemed to be with each other, how natural their conversation was! I'm feeling a bit sad for Oliver's mum... it's never easy when you lose a parent... loved the joke about little Oliver's masterpieces, btw! :P
Such a lovely chapter! Thank you for writing and sharing! <3
Big snowball hug, my friend!
Chiara
Author's Response:
hi chiara,
thank you for this wonderful review, always means so much to me that you make an effort to keep up with my writing and leave such lovely motivating reviews for me. yes, italy doesn't strike me as a tea kinda place and lavender is totally coffee person. is oliver as coffee loving as he appears? he is scottish after all! i'm glad that you're enjoying the friendship between lavender/seamus. they're probably the scenes that are most fun to write and engage with. it's nice that they're coming across well to the readers as well! seamus/michael will have a bit of their own side plot so you'll get to see more of how that pans out. the date is probably the trickiest part to get right, the balance in their conversation/banter. oliver's backstory will make an appearances after on too. so pleased with some of the little details of their conversation came out well. many thanks for your time! love you, abbi xx
Hello! It's been an age, but I'm back for chapter 2!
Ah, I love seeing someone truly in their element. This is a job made for Lavender, and it’s so good to see her ‘taking the reins’ on it and doing her thing. Ha! I love how she focuses on selling the paintings she dislikes the most the fastest! I wonder if that’s actually a thing. “Here, please buy THIS ONE so I don’t have to look at it anymore!” Lol.
Ah, Matilda’s job sounds a lot like gambling, but if she’s as good at it as Lavender is at hers, I suppose the gamble is worth taking. Oh wow! A magic painting! That is so cool, and the buyer just got doubly interested! Win win for everyone!
Ah, the polite conversation with people we don’t want to be polite with… and just as quickly as Celeste was there, she was gone. Probably a relief for Lavender, but still. People like that can be exhausting.
I know everyone is commenting about the light, but how can they NOT? Light is such an important part of living, and I’m excited that Seamus is there to find it with her. She needs a good friend right now.
“And nothing would be painted bloody yellow”
Lol!
London? Why is she going to London? Is it job related? She’s pretty nervous about this, and frankly, so am I. Iconic water. That is definitely a thing. Can I borrow that phrase? It’s fabulous! The details about the Portkey are wonderful! Tin can. Quivering. Interesting choice for a high profile client to give to a high end art expert. But it still feels like the right item.
Oh, um… That was awkward. I have many questions for Isolde Lightfoot right now.
Pix
hiiiiiiii it's me!! for the project tempus linea event! :)
i'm so so glad to be back and ahhhhhhh lavender and seamus' friendship is so great and so sweet and so funny and real #friendshipgoals. that sense of being understood, of history is so clear - and i love the way that they've clearly both changed over the years and how lavender bringing up an old joke is such a sign of her starting to heal and look forward and everything. it's really really nice!! (also lavender is definitely right, seamus needs to call michael - preferably before his invented fiancees become invented wives :P)
i actually really liked that lavender's wondering about whether to tell oliver about her therapy. it's often a hard question for people and i think a lot of people wouldn't even consider mentioning it because there's still the stigma, so that lavender kind of wants to tell him says a lot both about her bravery, her view of her therapy, and about the way she views oliver too (which is like, not just as sex on legs :P)
i lovelovelove the way lavender and oliver interact. they're so funny and so cute with the way they flirt-and-tease each other and there's this real sense that they both kind of know what's going on but they're both letting it carry on and seeing how it goes, perhaps both (ironically) a little nervous to make the first real step. and they're so good for each other - like, he makes her happy and she seems to be making him happy and there's just something really wholesome about that :)
also i really really get lavender's thing of falling in love with cities when you visit them because i do that too :P so many pretty cities, so little time in life alas... :P
oooohhhh i love the hints of lavender wanting to open her own gallery - and the casual way hanna suggests that if lavender did, she'd want to be part of that. it's really cool and i love for lavender that she's getting opportunities she's dreamed of and being able to look at doing those things and pushing forward to a place she probably hasn't really imagined she could be. it's so so nice and i'm (oddly, given she's just a character haha) so pleased for her yk?? :)
ahhhhh i'm super excited about this and super excited to see where this goes :)
laura xx
Author's Response:
hi laura,
thank you for your wonderful review, you always leave such brilliant detailed reviews. i'm glad you love their friendship so much, it's important element for the story for me. i always have fun writing their scenes together. now they're back together and able to been more honest with each other. i can't imagine them not being around each other. they bounce off each other's energy as both big personalities with dramatic flare as this chapter proves.
lavender and oliver's date was fun to write but tricky to get the balance right. i think their trope is quite 'love at first sight' in this story. they're both very interested in each other because i think they met each other at a point when they were both really open to the idea of having someone new in their life. oliver hasn't really ever been looking for love as his career has come first but he has met lavender at a tipping point in his life. lavender has also met oliver at a point when she felt most confident in a long long time.
lavender's career will obviously also be a focus on this story so we'll be seeing more of her getting to grips with where her career could possibly take her in the future so there'll be development in that area for sure. i'm very pleased for her too. i'm very glad that she's becoming a character that my readers can really root for/care about too!
abbi xx
Back again with a review for the reviewing event!
Yay for more Seamus/Lavendar friendship! I loved your description of them always having to talk one another out of the wild fantasy scenarios their overactive imaginations cook up hah. Everyone deserves a friend like that.
I appreciated the bi rep you had going on throughout this chapter. It made the quip at the end about Amber Wiley even funnier. ;) I also loved this line so very much: "Art was her passion but she had nearly walked away from it more times than she could count. Sometimes passion wasn't enough but if she had learnt anything then it was passion that can be re-lit in the right circumstances."
^^ This is so very true! Passions don't fizzle out entirely, you always find a way to come back to them whenever the timing is right and you need it. I really liked the way you wrote that. I also wonder if this will be an argument for them in future if Oliver truly gives up Quidditch and Lav tries to argue that passions never go away. Anyway...I think it's a great line regardless if it ends up being foreshadowing or not :)
LOL the "please be team coffee," inner thoughts was funny. Good thing Oliver chose wisely ;) I wonder what he has planned next!
Great chapter and I look forward to seeing what happens next here! :)
~ Courtney
Author's Response:
hi,
i'm glad that you're enjoying their friendship so much, it's very fun to write and a part of the story thats important to me. this story is meant to show lots of different elements of her life not just romance side. seamus and lavender are big personalities and always have been. they get each other because they're both passionate, emotional and impulsive personalities but shaped by their traumatic life experiences as well. i'm so pleased that you think that i'm doing well with the bi representation, while no-one's personality is defined by their sexuality. i think it's important part of lavender's story. i wanted to make it clear that just because she's not in a same sex relationship anymore that it doesn't change that she's bi and it's part of her identity. she's always going to notice beautiful women.
the next chapter does leave off from this chapter so you'll see the rest of the date and beyond. part of oliver's journey from this story will cover his relationship with quidditch, his mental health and discovering new passions and opportunity with lavender's help. lavender has come along way on her journey towards self love, acceptance and improvement with her mental health and not everyone is far along that road as her. oliver will see some changes but it's still mostly lavender's story. thank you for your review <3
abbi xx
Abbi! Here to catch up on Blue Skies a bit!
I really enjoyed this chapter about Oliver. You've made him more complex than we get in canon, which I loved! Even the little details, like about the "dance like no one's watching," sign his Mom has and it maybe being ironic but also being kind of a thing that stuck with him and inspired this love of dancing? Great character building, there!
I also liked the bit with Archie at the end. How embarrassing to take your pants off in front of a stranger whenever you're drunk hah. There's a little awkward, dorkiness to Oliver in this as well, which I can appreciate. I mean he definitely was cheeky and smooth in the previous chapter with Lav, but seeing him here, brings more to his character and I really enjoyed that relatability.
Great job with this chapter and yay there's another one!
~ Courtney
hi abbi!
excited to see you back at this story. i'm, of course, really loving the lavender and seamus vibes. i've always adored their friendship in this piece but i loved how easily they were able to joke about things in the past with each other - gotta love a bisexual dynamic duo :high five: and i also loved that even though they were teasing each other, they were still able to bring a dose of reality to each other as well, something that i think is important in friendship
it's so nice to see lavender pursuing othe art galleries, and i'm gonna eyeball hanna here because i feel like she's going to crop up again. lavender seems really keen on the idea of potentially having her own gallery. and i loved that little mention of parvati there but that lavender didn't seem to dwell too much on it - it shows growth and i'm glad that she's in therapy and trying to work on herself <3
ahhh the date sounds so cute!! i giggled at the whole coffee/tea debate because SAME, girl. and of course, the mention of instant coffee being worse than if he'd liked tea. lavender knows what she likes, at least :P and i'm glad their banter is just as cute on an official date as it was before; i'm excited to see where their relationship flows. the whole joke about having amber's number really sold it for me haha, not much seems to faze oliver and in a really good way
happy to see you back, dear! <33
* written for R&D
Author's Response:
hi jill, thank you for the review. it's always pleasure to swap with you. i'm glad that you really enjoy the friendship between lavender and seamus as friendship is often underrated in romance stories. i enjoy reading their scenes as dialogue. they are bi besties, i always imagined that they really helped each other in their journeys with discovering their sexuality and were quite lucky to have someone by their side which part of what helped them become more confident at an early age. lavender's sexuality is literally something that always made sense for me.
hanna may pop up again but lavender's career will be a strong focus within the story. it's been around 8 months since parvati/lavender's breakup and lavender's come along way in that time to be in a better place and ready to explore new relationships. lavender knows what she wants. she has always known that that. we chatted briefly about lavender's disconnect with some of oliver's personality which is very natural as they don't know each other that well at the moment though they're very very taken with each other. oliver is not bothered by lavender's casual mention of her sexuality and i think it's always nice to get subtle representation. lavender is very lucky that she's comfortable to share that information freely. we'll see more lavender/oliver date this chapter!
Abbi xx
I was happy to see a new chapter in this story because I really liked the previous ones. Then I got confused because I realized I'd never reviewed it! I review everything I like! After several days' cogitation, it dawned on me that I nominated it for SOM last fall but forgot to review it. I then felt even older than usual.
So anyway, this is a really fun chapter. I always enjoy the banter between Lavender and Seamus - they crack me up. Plus it's always nice to be reminded that friends can be many things to each other. The budding romance with Oliver is cool, too, without becoming saccharrine - and that comes down to Lavender's character. The way you've written her shows real fondness, and is much more worthwhile than the treatment most fanfics give her. I'm looking forward to more of her successful career, too. Thanks for a fun story.
George
Author's Response:hi george,
thank you so much for your support on this story. it's been so lovely to see new support on this story and lavender's journey. she's an important character to me. I wanted to give her more layers and personality but use some of her canon characterization as well. she's very feminine character who does enjoy generally female hobbies but I wanted to show more motivations for her actions and behaviours so she is a more rounded character than anything JKR ever did with her character. she was done dirty imo!
i dislike the fact that a lot of female characters who show traditional 'female' traits can't be brave and strong, generally badass. i'm glad you're enjoying the friendship between semus and lavender, they've been a lot through a lot together and I just really wanted this story to explore her life in general not just the romance factor too. there will definitely be more career focused plot for lavender in the coming chapters too.
abbi xx
Abbi! Trying to dive back into some stories that I have left on unread for a time. And yours is definitely one of them. I have forgotten how much I enjoy your writing! It's just...lovely!
There is a wryness here that makes me smile. The way that Lav and Oliver banter back and forth with one another without shame or reservation, it tells a lot about their connection. I can feel them practically sizzle already ;)
"She could barely remember being there - the memories had faded and been replaced by a blur of mismash colours and sounds. She was once told that was trauma in physical form. It felt like trying to untangle particularly messed up Christmas lights in her head."
^^ Ok, so I just really love this. It's almost like you have blended the artistic vibes of this piece and turned it into a metaphor for trauma that totally works. Well done there!
I also really love your worldbuilding and lore in this. The Unknown is a wonderful backstory tidbit and I really enjoyed learning about it.
Oliver quitting Quidditch?! Wait, what?! Well...this is interesting. Because who is Lavender Brown without her looks and who is Oliver Wood without Quidditch --- canonically speaking, of course -- I know you are going to make them so much more than those parts of their personality. But oh my gosh, I am really excited now that they're both going on this journey of self-rediscovery if you will!
And as always, I am HERE for the Seamus/Lav friendship. I really do think it was important you bring up Parvarti in this, because you have built such an extensive history between them. It feels like that relationship got the wonderful closure it deserved in this last scene.
An absolutely stunning chapter! I loved everything about it and am so glad you are going to continue writing this! :)
<3 Courtney
abbi here for our swap!!
ah, oliver. always a tad dramatic - i'm thinking back to that part in book 3 where they lost the cup and he couldn't come out of the shower XD but even if this reads a little dramatic, it also totally makes sense. quidditch is his whole world, his one bright spot after the darkness of war. he wants to love it again and he just doesn't - not when it doesn't feel like his best was good enough. he fails, big time, and he's absolutely allowed to wallow and be as dramatic as he wants
i did love the narration bit about how boring his flat was. it was a delightful look into his personality and that little bit of sarcasm that we know and love <3
isolde really is something, isn't she? but she's doing her job, something that oliver seems to constantly be reminding himself of. i'm glad oliver can appreciate her for being good at what she does even if he's not always 100% on board. and i do love that he doesn't want to lie to his fans, but isolde is right; they'll want to know an answer and they'll probably harass the poor guy until they get one, so it's really for the best
ooh i loved this end bit. i loved that oliver let himself get loose and dance and drink and maybe help himself forget a little bit. and he met himself another witch who potentially has his back. i can't decide if she's going to come back later and have a larger role in the story of if this is just one of those "these things happen" moments, but they spent enough time together - and getting to know the witch a bit - that makes me think she'll be back. or maybe we'll meet her girlfriend, poppy. either way, i am super curious to see how she fits into the larger portion of the story & where oliver is going to bring himself from here
another excellent chapter, dear! thanks for the swap - you'll have to let me know when you post the next chapter <3<3
hey abbi! here for our swap :]
this was a fun chapter. i love the dynamic between oliver and lavender; there's definitely a spark between them, and obviously some history that you kind of toyed with us, and i'm here for that. i wonder if oliver tried to make a move while she was still with parvati, or maybe directly afterward, and that's why she was scared to say yes? but i love all of the self reflection lavender does here and that this time, she says yes to going to oliver with rome
is oliver really quitting quidditch tho??? i am very curious about this development, if it was a spur of the moment thing or if seeing lavender was the straw that broke the camel's back. i did notice that even though lavender overheard the declaration, she didn't say anything to seamus about it when he called oliver a rich-arse quidditch player. so i'm definitely eager to see how true this is
and i loved, loved the reflection on her relationship with parvati while she was drinking with seamus (and i love their friendship, it's so wonderful). and how parvati would always be the first love and she wouldn't be able to erase that, but she was disappointed if that was all life had to offer for her. we love a girl who knows she's destined for more and she seems to be accepting her self-worth and taking the chance with oliver - we love to see it. and the entire conversation lavender and seamus had was fantastic as well, i love judgement-free friendships. they really seem to get each other and can be completely at ease with each other and i hope their friendship lasts a long time
another delightful chapter, friend! thanks for the swap <3 <3
Hi there! I’m climbing up the mountain to see what you’ve got going on with this story!
I love that painting is a relaxing hobby for this girl. She seems like she is at peace, but also that she needs this peace, you know? And I love that it’s Paris, where great art is at home. Lavender does have a few things on her mind, but I’m glad to see that she’s giving her thoughts time to breathe, and isn’t in a hurry to rush into anything. Pacing is good. ????
Oh wow! I have thoughts about who that client is. But going back to London isn’t really what Lavender wants. Hmm… that could be a snag.
I’m all for new-starts stories, and this sounds like it’s shaping up to be one of those. I assume that the whole apartment thing with Pavarti is due to an expired relationship, which is hard, but also there’s this excitement of getting a different place with her best friend!
This opener leaves me wanting more, and also is a great setup to whatever comes next. I feel like Lavender is also ready for more life to happen!
Pix
Hi, Abbi, my dear! :D
I'm here to buy a ticket for the gondola, and also because I wanted to check out this new chapter! I'm so happy you've updated! :D
Oh, poor Oliver... he's feeling so alone and empty... it's interesting the way you present it, how the life of famous, rich, successful people can be still deprived of some deeper meaning and feel unsatisfactory... and yeah, design and comfort rarely get along well... that bit amused me a little... :P
And I can also very much relate on that feeling of not being enough, even when you're giving something your best. I understand why that would be disheartening, especially when Oliver has dedicated so much of himself and his life to Quidditch... I mean, it might be a bit childish, wanting to throw it all a way because of a single loss... losing a match happens in sports... but I guess I can also understand his point of view... and I can understand how Lavender suddenly entering his life has given him a glimpse of something beside Quidditch, and that it felt like a breath of fresh air... it makes sense...
And it makes even more sense if you consider that he's used Quidditch as an anchor, as a way not to think about the trauma of the war. Maybe being so deep into something and neglecting everything else becomes toxic in the long run, so taking a break from the sport could actually be a good thing for him...
(I think it's amusing, though, how he decided to ignore his obligations and spend the whole day in his pajamas, just because he could... except that he's too active to actually put it off... lol, love it! :P)
Also, another side note, I love London too! Maybe it isn't beautiful in the way Paris or other cities are, but it is pretty and it does have this special atmosphere! I've been there a few times now, and I've always enjoyed the stay. It's really lovely! <3
How many chances were there that Oliver would end up in a witch's home? I'm curious to see how Archie fits into the story, but it was really nice of her to take Oliver in when he was too drunk to find his way home :P I'm also glad that nothing happened between them, I think I would've found it a bit sad otherwise... :P
"The short version, my girlfriend. She's a muggle. I think I might love her enough not to bring her into the dumpster fire that is our world," Well, that's a mood for sure! :P
Lovely chapter! I always love reading your stories, there is something so comforting about them! Thank you so much for writing and sharing! <3
Big snowball hug,
Chiara
abbi!! :) i'm so so excited to see this story updated :D (also here for the up the mountain event)
poor oliver. ughhh he really seems to be sunk into a bad way - and i get it, it's hard when you've dedicated yourself to something so all-consuming for such a long period of your life only to find out it doesn't feel the way it's meant to feel and you're sort of not getting where you want to be. it reminded me of the scene in gof when oliver tells harry he signed for the reserve team and he's so excited- like a puppy haha - and i dunno the idea of him ending up here, like this, so clearly struggling with depression and lethargy, is so sad.
(i gotta add, i really love the way he thinks about how the way he lives - his flat and the decorations and the stuff in it - is all designed to say "i have money" and not to be how he actually likes it. it was a small part of this, but i loved that)
i kinda like isolde?? like, i don't know, there's something about her very no-nonsense approach i kinda like haha - the way she doesn't really question his feelings or him saying he wants to quit quidditch but just accepts it (even if she doesn't believe it) and just instead handles the bits of the situation she can handle, like the pr and the club. for all her "is it lavender" comment - which was a bit rude - she's being pretty helpful, leaving him his space to deal with things the way he wants to. sometime people need that.
haha archer sounds super fun!! i love how she rescues him haha and is so blunt about "i have a girlfriend, i'm very gay, you stripped yourself off" lolol but at least it puts his mind at ease :P and camden definitely has good food options, can confirm :P
ahhh i'm so excited about what happens next - the idea of oliver and archer through camden is super fun and i'm just so curious to know what happens next :)
laura xx
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