Name: RonsGirlFriday (Signed) · Date: 04 Jul 2022 04:01 AM · For: Once Upon a Time

Uhhhhhhh remember when you requested I review this 58 years ago? XD  I'm so, SO sorry. I just let my review thread lapse with all the everything else going on.

 

I recall you saying that you felt like Snamione really only works in an AU where they didn't have the teacher-student relationship, and I wholeheartedly agree. Transplanting them to this version of magical reality allows you to just play around with their personalities with a clean slate. Also I don't know if this was intentional, but making Hermione part of the nobility and situating this on her turf, while Sev is at something of a disadvantage in a new land with little memory of his own life, and more or less in her debt for rescuing him, goes a long way towards balancing the power imbalance that would still be inherent in their age difference.

 

I really liked the Ron and Hermione interactions here, they felt very themselves in this AU where they have no romance together. They're very clearly friends and they sort of bicker in a good-natured way (less fraught because of that lack of romantic spark). 

 

I look forward to learning more about the family dynamics in this world. There are thrones for 5, so definitely not enough for all the Weasleys, even though Ron is one of the occupants. This makes me think Ginny was not born into a title, but married into it (Harry)? And if Hermione earned her title by combat perhaps the same goes for Ron?

 

This is a creative setup!

 

<3 Melanie

Author's Response:

Your reviews are always worth waiting for :D

 

Oh, I don't know if I did that consciously with Hermione's status vs Severus's status, but I'll take it! I definitely wanted Hermone to be a full adult. And having Severus in a fish out of water position is always amusing to me, because he's so fun to ruffle. But I also love that it helps level the playing field between them, since he is still significantly older than she is.

 

I LOVED wriitng Ron!! It was fun to have him and Hermione being friends, and having him rib on Severus. And you're right, I think Ron and Hermione are less fraught since they don't have the romantic tension thing going on.

 

Thank you so much for this lovely review!!

Name: Felpata_Lupin (Signed) · Date: 19 Feb 2022 12:54 PM · For: Once Upon a Time

Hi, Noelle, my love! Here with a review for the rising through the ranks :) I thought I'd check out this story, since you mentioned it to me on the forums... and it's quite intriguing so far! :)

Poor Severus... I wonder what's his story and what happened to him... was he really a shipwreck victim? Did he end up with the Grimmauld Keep people by chance? Or is there a plot behind his arrival? I have trouble believing it was by accident, but if it wasn't, things probably didn't go according to plan for whoever sent him there...? Guess you'll reveal more in later chapters.

I'm liking the setting you've built for this story. It's interesting how you kept elements from canon, like magic and Inferi and stuff, but it's also a very separated environment, and I'm curious to learn more about this world/society. I get some Robin Hood, or maybe Star Wars' rebels vibes here. I don't know if any of those are fitting, but I'm intrigued by it. :)

I wonder... where's Harry? Is he safe? And what about Bill and Percy? Guess we'll find out later...

I really enjoyed all the characters, too! Severus is perfect, but that's nothing new coming from you! I always love his snarl and pride and sarcasm... and of course being at the mercy of these unknown people, as well intentioned as they might be, is not something he'd enjoy... :P And I think you did a great job with everyone else, too! Ron, Hermione, Fred and George, Ginny, Draco... I'm especially intrigued by Draco, I'm curious to see more of how he fits within this group (and it's so funny that he's a cook, I don't know why but it's a detail that amuses me! :P)

A very interesting first chapter! I'll try to come back soon! :)

Snowball hug,

Chiara

Author's Response:

Hi Chiara!

 

I love that you're getting Robin Hood/Star Wars rebel vibes. Those are excellent comparisons.

 

Ron was the big surprise for me as an author. I loved how he wound up bouncing off Severus, and I didn't realize they would have such fun chemistry until I started writing them.

 

Thank you for checking out this story and for this lovely review :D

Name: Oregonian (Signed) · Date: 27 Jun 2021 04:01 AM · For: Ever After

What an unusual, imaginative, and sweet story this is.  I was surprised because ii haven't seen you write something like this before, and i certainly wasn't able tp predict anything of what was going to happen.  A masterful job in translating the familiar story into a new setting and milieu, while overlaying it with so much that is breathtakingly original.  

 

All the details are well thought out to make this world consistently logical, and all the characters are well drawn.  Snape as a merman.  Wow! And a happy ending. I loved it all.

 

(After i have been thinking about it for a bit, the image comes to mind of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, where contemporary characters are put into a medieval and magical setting.)

Author's Response:

Hi Vicki!

 

I feel like this story was my first step into a true, off-the-map AU. I used the HP characters, but I built a pretty new world and set of circumstances for them to live in. It's very gratifying to me that it was unpredictable. I love surprising the reader :D

 

I went back and forth over how to end the story, and wound up choosing to let them live happily ever after. They had to work hard for it.

 

Thank you for this lovely review :D

Name: PinsandKneazles (Signed) · Date: 24 Jun 2021 06:51 AM · For: Once Upon a Time

Wow; what an intriguing first chapter, written entrancingly, as per all your work! I have SO many questions, starting with Severus - HOW has he ended up in what I'm guessing is an alternative reality set in the past? It's likely he has memories of Hermione from his past (her defiant posture), but she doesn't seem to recognise him. I'm LOVING the sexual tension between them already! Ron was rather rude to Severus - does he already see him as an opponent?

 

Potions mean something to Severus. Did he come from a reality where he taught at Hogwarts? He doesn't appear to recognise Draco - or does he? - just sees him as a beautiful young man, so I'm not sure whether Severus's reality is canon reality. Hmmm. 

 

What was Severus doing on the ship to start with - if it even was a ship; we don't have anyone's definite word for it - and how did it make it from one dimension to another? Or has he sailed from one land to another and there's no dimensional leap? 

 

How did Harry and Ginny become Lord and Lady? And what century are they living in? There's definitely an essence of "ye olde" about this story, so I'll hazard a guess that it's not the 21st. Loving the fact that Draco seems to be in the employment of Harry and Ginny and he's a talented chef, haha! Such a contrast from canon Draco as we know him. 

 

Love the start to this story and looking forward to reading on!

 

Pins

Author's Response:

You are asking all the right questions!! I promise you answers as the story unfolds. 

 

Thank you for this lovley review :D