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Hello!! So nice to be back at Hogwarts!
I can so identify with Howard on the smell of the air. I grew up on a coastal town, and the first thing I notice when I drive back is the salt in the air. There’s really nothing like it.
Yay, it’s Fang!!! I’m not sure this interaction is going to make Howard comfortable, or homesick. Haha I wrote a story about flobberworms once. Nice tactic, starting with them for the younger students. And aww, he misses the dogs, of course he does! Especially if they are like constant companions. I hope Howard will continue to visit Hagrid and the animals. I think that would be good for him, and also give him more contact with natural things that he misses from home, even though the creatures are vastly different. I’m sure two naturalists like Howard and Hagrid will find the similarities more comforting than foreign.
I’ve also wondered how to get around in the Hogwarts Library. There’s got to be some magical way of sussing out the books and whatnot.
Ah, yes! Labeling notebooks! I used to love doing that.
It was noble of Howard to put forth a new foot towards Ginny. I like that he intentionally didn’t apologize and just came out and said what happened, explaining his missteps. Ginny’s friend seemed to take it well, but it seems that Ginny’s still very emotionally wrapped up in worrying for her brother and Harry and Hermione, which is fair to her. I’m sure Howard will get the picture filled in eventually. It’s a big, big world he’s stepped into, having lived on an island for so long.
Neville is really lending a hand here, by his roundabout way of writing his own letter to his own family. That was very smart of him, and also gives Howe’s family another person to contact regarding the school. Even though he started out on unfriendly terms, Neville is genuine and caring, and all this effort for the new student brings it out in concrete ways. And who better to catch someone up on the war than Mrs. Longbottom?? I’m sure Neville’s gran has a LOT to say about what’s going on in the world and will catch them up in a jiffy!
Another fun chapter with Howard learning more and more about his new world!
Pix
Author's Response:Hi, Pix! Thank you so much for coming "back to Hogwarts" and leaving me this lovely review. I'm glad to know that you throught it was fun. There are certainly a lot of threads in this story, and I hope I will be able to keep them all straight and not drop any of them or make my chapters sound choppy by trying to keep too many balls in the air simultaneously. I've never written a story as complicated as this one, nor as long as it is going to turn out to be. Thanks for commenting on so many of the various topics and scenes that make up this chapter.
There will be a fair amount of Hagrid in this story and a fair amount of the library, so you will see Howard making his way around some special places in the library. Thanks for approving what Howard did to get back into Ginny's good graces (sort of). It must be awful to be in a place where you don't know any of the customs or accepted ways of doing things, and right off the bat you do sometning wrong and give offense to the people you're trying to be friends with. And yes, I'm sure that Mrs. Longbottom had a LOT to say to Howard's parents about what their son is up against! This will be important for them to know, later on. But until the Christmas holidays come, poor Howard can't talk to his parents freely and at length. What a Christmas holiday that will be!
Vicki <3
Hey, Vicki,
Another really fine chapter! Chiara's review hit most of the points I thought needed flagging, but of course I have my own peculiar perspective on them. I wonder if Howe and Tracy have noticed each other at all yet. It seems like they've had opportunities but nothing much has happened. I guess wartime tension hasn't quite gotten the best of them yet.
I'm not at all surprised that the old text the boys are decyphering includes information about experiments in cooking the adobos - in the fourteenth century, with all the disruption to social and economic systems going on from war, plague, and technology changing people would be checking out how to make use of any possible protein source they stumbled across. Hell, that's probably how people started eating some less palatable delicacies they might not otherwise think about.
I reckon those essays exploded to provide an excuse for punishment, since that's what the Carrows are all about. The charm that prevented combustion just made it easier to prove the destruction was deliberate - without the charm, if they'd burned it might have been an accident. The Carrows might be stupid, but Snape isn't.
So what can the adobos' secret power be? They must have one for the Ministry and the British Society of Magizoology to want the boys to believe that what they have are not adobos. We're having lots of fun as we eagerly await the reveal!
Author's Response:Hi, George!
Thanks so much for reading and reviewing my new chapter. I just finished posting a response to Chiara's review of this chapter, commenting on some of the points she raised, so I urge you to read that response, which will enlighten you further about those points, especially concerning the destruction of the essays.
If you are looking for romance in this story (which is of course a possibility), it will be more like a slow burn than a blazing fire. As you suggest, they don't know each other at all well yet, though they don't dislike what they see. You mention ''wartime tension" getting the best of them, and I know what you're talking about. I have some good visuals in my head which I will probably manage to work into the story line, since I construct much of my stories around visually dramatic images.
It's true that various cultures around the globe have historically eaten some stuff that to us would seem strange and unpalatable. And you're right, a reliable source of protein, especially during times of scarcity, would be invaluable. But apparently the adobos weren't it! :)
Thanks again for reading and reviewing!
Vicki
Hello, Vicki! Here for our swap! :D
This was a very exciting chapter! I'm really loving the development of the adobos subplot (I still have loads of questions about that) as well as the Gryffindors organizing their resistance! I think you're doing a wonderful job building up those themes and keeping a veil of mystery, too! It's so much fun to watch unfold! :D
Poor Tracey... will we get more from her POV in the story? I think it would be fascinating to get a glimpse of what's going on within Slytherin House... I can see how she would be judged for working at a project that doesn't actually involve her, just to help two people from houses that they tend to disregard... I fully agree with Howard there, what's the point of the Gryffindor/Slytherin rivarly in the first place? There's enough trouble in the world, without the need to build useless animosity for the sake of it... but I suppose when two groups have such vastly different core values and have been in a feud for such a long time, it's hard to step away from it... of course for Howard it would be hard to comprehend, since he's so new to Hogwarts' reality.
Wayne straightened up and shook his head. "There's all sorts of ideas about what's fun. I'll leave you to it. Let's go, Neville." Ahahah! I mean, I think it would actually be fascinating, trying to decipher an ancient text like they are doing... but I guess I can understand Wayne's POV, too! Probably not everyone's idea of fun, lol! :P
Why would anyone put so much effort in trying to find a way to cook the adobos? They don't seem particularly appetizing to begin with... :P I loved how Madam Pince was like, "of course I've already read it all, but you'll have to work on it and figure it out on your own, no spoilers" :P But yeah, it's true what she said about learning other languages. We tend to apply the rules of our mother tongue to the new language, forgetting that every language has its own. And when we overcome that tendency, it all becomes much more straightforward. I know I still do that occasionally with English, trying to apply Italian rules to it... :P It's why I struggle so much with prepositions, I guess... :P
I love the way the Gryffindors are trying to organize their guerrilla, and the idea of the two lists. I like that they aren't just trying to sabotage the Carrows, but also making moral boosters behind the common room's closed doors... the idea of staging a parody of the lessons is so cool as well! :D
I do wonder, though... why didn't the parchments burn? Did Alecto expect that they'd try something like that and put some kind of charm on them? Did she somehow get word of their plans? I hope not, that would be bad news for the kids... maybe it was just a coincidence... I hope no one will get in trouble for the essay destruction, though... :/
I'm curious to see what role Howard will have later on. Right now he's trying to stay out of it for the most part, but he's also feeling the obligation to help to an extent at the same time. I bet he will get more involved the more things will get serious. But we'll see.
I just realized something... why are the Creevey brothers at school, since they are supposed to be Muggleborns? It's not a critic to you, because I think that's canon... just one of the many things that don't make sense in JK's universe, I guess... :P Or am I forgetting something here? Sometimes certain canon details escape me, but you are usually very attentive to those details, and I'm just curious, so I thought I'd ask... :P
I'm always more convinced that the Ministry of Magic has nothing to do with Hagrid receiving the adobos... Joel's dad doesn't know any Reginald working at the DRCMC, and the response they got from the Magizoology Society makes it sound as if no one has any idea about even the existence of adobos... I mean, the DRCMC might've forwarded the message on purpose, because they have secret knowledge they don't want to share, but that seems a far-fetched explanation. I suppose we'll find out in due time... I wonder if Hagrid knows more than he's letting out, too?
Another wonderful chapter! Thank you so much for keeping this fascinating story going! :D
Big snowball hug,
Chiara
Author's Response:Hi, Chiara! Thank you so much for this lovely review. And thank you for saying that it was exciting. When I'm writing, I always feel as if the scenes are very disjointed, and I can't really judge the manuscript until I have it finished and typed and can read it all of a piece. Yes, we'll soon be seeing more of Tracey and Howard/Tracey, getting into some already-written stuff.
Still more stuff about Madam Pince and the old book coming up.
As to why the parchments didn't flare up and blaze to ashes, no mysterious reason. I researched how leather burns, how hot it has to get, what the combustion process is like, and so on. It turns out that leather doesn't burn easily at all. (That's why blacksmiths wore leather aprons.) The fire has to be hotter than a fire that will burn paper, and the leather tends to just curl up and shrink without blazing. If you leave it on the coals longs enough, it will eventually begin to scorch and char, but not with a cheerful flame like a Christmas-time fire in the fireplace. And it will smell like burning hair.
Actual sheets of parchment or vellum, being fairly thin, might do a little better than just plain old leather, but it wouldn't be like what Neville was lookng for.
I'm assuming that no one will get in trouble for not saving their old essays. (Surely nobody plans to visit Alecto Carrow during her office hours, essay in hand, to complain about the grade she gave them and try to negotiate a better grade!) When you think that Muggle Studies is mandatory for all students (which is a lot of students, even with the reduced enrollment this year), and Alecto Carrow has to teach all of them each week and mark their homework, that would add up to a lot of work for Alecto, even if she gives each essay only a brief glance. So I doubt that she would ever ask the students to turn in the old essays a second time (rewritten for "improvement," for example).
You are right about Howard's level of involvement. When he first arrived at Hogwarts, not wanting to be there, he was stubborn about not wanting Hogwarts to change him in any way. But he's beginning to sense that he can't be physically present in this community without being, to some extent, a part of the community, and he can't be a part of the community without participating, at least a little. Maybe he thinks of his contributions as just "token" suggestions, but that's the first step on the slippery slope to becoming more and more involved. As you say, we'll see.
Thank you for noticing that the Creevey brothers are described in canon as being the sons of two non-magical parents. I had overlooked (forgot to remember) that fact about them. So what to do now? I don't really want to take them out of the story, so I will invoke a little bit of literary license and fall back on a story (Family, posted by ChelsHarp in Mugglenet Fanfiction on 1-17-2012) which I read and saved back in 2012. In ChelsHarp's story, Hermione learns that her paternal grandfather, Marius Granger, was originally Marius Black, the son of Cygnus and Violetta Black, whose name was blasted off the Black family tapestry. Grandfather Granger tells her that he was a squib. "My father was furious. Outraged that I would dishonor the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black in such a way, he disowned me, dropped me off at a muggle orphanage, and never looked back.....So there I was, left to make my way in the muggle world, which I knew knew nothing about. When they asked me my name, I lied and told them it was Granger. The last name of a man I saw on a muggle advertisement....I had never wanted to have children. I couldn't bear the thought of them being magical and having to face that awful word as a muggleborn...Though, to my relief, when your father's eleventh birthday came, there was no owl. I thought we were safe. I had no idea that your father carried the genes If I had known, I would have warned him. No one told me that you go to Hogwarts..."
So I can postulate that Mr and Mrs Creevey were non-magical, technically making their sons Muggle-borns, but that there was a squib (which they were aware of) a little higher up in their family tree, so they were able to prove that the boys' magical ability was inherited, not stolen, and the boys managed to evade the Muggleborn Registration Commission. Kind of AU, but not impossible.
Yes, the backstory of the adobos is getting more mysterious. Someone is playing a game, but who and what and why?
Thanks again for this lovely review. I'll try to not have such a long gap between chapters again. :S
Love/Hugs
Vicki
It interesting, I've never read a more strategic thinking character. I understand he's older and would also be more wary considering his situation but sometimes it doesn't feel natural. I wonder if it's because I'm not used to his personality.
There were also a few moments that felt repetetive with the tie and school supplies.
I'm glad Seamus was helpful to him, he always did seem friendly, I wish we read more of him in the books to be honest. I'm wondering what Neville is up to and why it seemed like he didn't want to interact with the prefects.
The True False method of writing to his parents were interesting, was it already communicated between them that he would write that way for them to know what is going on secretly? I'd like a small scene/flashback explaining that. It would also give a little more context to his personal relationships, he seems so aloof right now, even if it is out of neccesity.
Thank you so much for the swap!
-Heather
Author's Response:Hi, Heather!
Thank you so much for offering a swap and leaving a review.
I would say that you are correct in concluding that you are not used to Howard's personality. The origin of this story was a class I took on the subject of Writing Missing Moments, back in 2013 on the site Mugglenet Fanfiction. (MNFF had a lot of classes.) During this class the participants were instructed to pick a Missing Moment from the canon books and expand it into a story. I picked the Moment on page 210 of Deathly Hallows,where Lupin tells Harry, Ron, and Hermione that the Ministry, controlled by Voldemort, had decreed that attendance at Hogwarts was now compulsory for every young witch and wizard without exception. No more homeschooling or attendance at foreign schools. I had never seen a story written about these students, who are canon because they are referred to in DH, so I decided to write about one of them -- older, not steeped in Hogwarts culture, having lived a very different life, and resentful about having been plucked out of his life and plunked into this school, but trying to make the best of it and manage to survive. And to top it off, I made him a farmer's kid, and they are different from non-farming kids.
I hear what you say about the parts that seemed repetitive. As I recall, Noelle/InMyOwnLittle Corner had a similar perception of too-much-detail in Chapter 11. My purpose in writing as I did was to depict how Howard is desperately trying to catch up on all the minutiae of Hogwarts life that his agemates know but he doesn't. When you compare his initial experience with that of Harry and Ron, you realize that Harry and Ron were clueless also, but so were the other 18 students in the newly-arrived Class of 1998, so they all learned together how to adapt to Hogwarts. Howard, on the other hand, is in with a bunch of students who already have 6 years of Hogwarts under their belts. But to him everything is brand new, and I try to show that through his eyes.
I agree with you -- it would have been nice to see some more of Seamus (and Dean too, but he wasn't at school this year). There will be more of Seamus.
Other reviewers have also been curious about the coded letters. You can see what I had to say about the codes if you read my responses to other reviews. Yes, the various codes were set up by Howard and his family before he left for Hogwarts. This was because he and his family didn't know exactly what was going on with Hogwarts, but they didn't have good vibes, and they wanted to ensure that they would have a way to communicate that didn't rely on magic. It make sense, if you're going to write in code, to have confidence that the recipient of the message will be able to recognize that it is coded and to decipher it. There will be more disussion of other codes in future chapters, and you will see more about Howard and his family in later chapters. And if you keep reading, Howard may seem less wary/aloof as he makes friends and gets accustomed to the other students.
It's a challenge to write original characters; you can make them exactly what you want, but on the other hand you don't have the support of an established background as you do when writing about canon characters. Big sigh.
Thank you so much for reviewing. I will write more reviews for your WIP What Matters Most!
Vicki
Hi Vicki! I’m here for our swap :D
First of all, I love your Middle English title of The Boke of Ful Rare Bestes. This whole plot with the adobos is super fun, and I am enjoying going along with Howard and Joel as they try to figure out this mystery. It is so funny (but totally in character) that the Ministry gave these creatures to Hagrid and said they had no idea what they were, and did he want to find out. Of course Hagrid says yes.
Hagrid’s comment that the adobos aren’t dangerous—at least not right now—is pure Hagrid. I love it.
Oh good call to weigh the adobos every day to see if they are losing (or gaining) weight. Also good call on giving them names. Makes them less dead and makes everyone feel more invested in them.
The scene with Madam Pomfrey was fun. I liked how indulgent she was with the boys, and how she encouraged their questions and taught them some useful skills. Very interesting that the creatures are room temperature, and that they have no detectable heartbeat. I wonder if their temperatures will fluctuate with the external temperature or not.
Howard, please do not try to sneak out to go to your vet. Statute of Secrecy aside, I think things would be very bad for Howard if he got caught trying to sneak out or back in.
The scene in the Gryffindor common room was well done. I loved that Neville was holding this meeting where they all tried to figure out how they were going to handle Muggle Studies. Neville makes a good point that it would be fine if just the older students were being fed lies, they could just lie on their homework and be on their merry way. But the younger students are also being fed those lies, and they don’t want a generation of students to grow up in ignorance. But Neville is smart—they can’t do an overt resistance right now. They have to be sneaky. If they get caught, especially this early in the year, things would be very bad for them. I loved Ginny talking about doing subtle mistakes in her homework. And Howard drawing the cartoon villain on his (I hope that doesn’t get him in trouble). The whole scene had a warm feeling at the end, when Seamus was helping Howard prepare his transliteration of the adobo manuscript.
Lovely chapter! Thank you for swapping with me :D
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Hi, Noelle,
Thank you for doing this swap and for this lovely review! I have written Hagrid only once before, in the Hallowe'en story Maggots, but it is very enjoyable to write him becaause there is so much scope there. I'm glad that you think that the plot about the adobos is super fun; they did not exist in the super-short version of this story that I composed years ago. They are fun to write. No Howard is not really going to sneak over the perimeter wall and take Adam to his vet on Skye -- that was (mostly) a joke. But I wouldn't put it past him to do some off-the-wall stuff.
And thank you for saying that the scene in the Gryffindor common room was well done. Nothing is simple about this school year, it seems, and the Gryffis (and the Claws and the Puffs) will just have to make it up as they go along.
Always nice to get a review from you!
Vicki
Hi there! Thanks for swapping with me! I'm back to your lovely story, to see how Howard is getting along in his new world.
The owls flying around in the Great Hall is one of the fascinating images I carry with my from first reading the books and the movies as well. It is quite a spectacle, and it was cool to experience that with Howard again (for him, for the first time). His ‘mature’ thoughts about how the cat would have made a mess and the unhygienic circumstances make me believe that he truly is an old soul.
Neville’s nonchalant, “Hey, let’s fill you in now” comment caught me a little off guard here. I mean, I was expecting them to talk soon-ish, but he’s all “hey, now that that’s over, let’s get down to business.” It’s good for Howard though, because he seems to be a direct sort of guy. Just serve it up to him straight, please.
Okay, so this seems like a Big Problem. I’m glad you pointed it out, how there are whole factions of wizarding society that remained completely and utterly oblivious to the wizarding war. Strange, because other countries of wizards got word of it, eventually, I guess. But there are some people out there who either stay out of politics because they choose to, or are so isolated that news never comes their way. I guess there wasn’t an opportunity for spreading the news to these people - the wizards in the thick of things probably didn’t want to spread more information than they thought necessary to the people even inside their circles, since no one knew whose side anyone else was on in the first place. The whole exchange of information thing was extremely dangerous.
And here were are, with everything laid out, and Howard coming to the full understanding of where he is and why… and weird as it is that his family hadn’t pressed for more information about the edict to send him away from home… this is a very dramatic way to find out you’ve been thrown into an alternate universe with a megalomaniac in charge. Hell indeed. Horrific revelation for anyone.
“And me? I’m not a child.”
No, and Howard hasn’t acted like a child at any moment in Hogwarts at all. His crash-course in reality is going to take a little time to settle in, but definitely, this is his turning point. His decision to act is strong, but he seems to know that he needs more information - and Hagrid is a great place to start.
Though a small, selfish part of me does hope that he will go back and label his notebooks… because labeling notebooks is fun, and even though Howard has a strong impulse to Help, he still needs to act his part. I’m sure he’ll get there.
Now that Howard has a clue about what he’s really up against, it will be an interesting journey to see what he’ll do about it.
Pix
Author's Response:Hi, Pix. Thank you so much for offering this review swap and for this lovely review. Crofter/Snake is actually a rather odd story, or at least with an odd protagonist, based on an odd premise -- that there exists a community of wizards so far off the wizarding grid that they have almost no connection with the wizarding culture or community at large. As you suggest, the wizards in the mainstream probably assumed that everyone read the Prophet and was aware of what was going on, and they had no idea that there were outliers in the Scottish Isles. And, as you say, notbody knew whose side anyone was on, or whom they could trust.
We have not seen the letters/communications that the Death-Eater-controlled Ministry sent to the few (relatively speaking) wizarding families who homeschooled their children -- probably a combination of orders and veiled threats, along with a laudatory description of Hogwarts that made no mention of the dark side. Sufficient to cause some famiies to emigrate to New Zealand, and others to cautiously, tentatively, dare to send their children to Hogwarts (5 of those in the latter category). So up until this moment, Howard and his family have no inkling of the war or Lord Voldemort.
Yes, he does eventually go back and label his notebooks. He's stuck at Hogwarts now, not knowing what he will do about this new state of affairs, but meanwhile classes will be starting soon, and he has to keep his head down and play his part.
I hope that you will find the further chapters interesting also. It's kind of like Alice in Wonderland for Howard, where everything is so strange and different from what you're used to. Thanks for this thoughtful and detailed review!
Viki
Hi Vicki, I'm here for our swap <3
I love how you described the green house scene. I thought it clever that the students are talking about the project at hand one second and then discussing whether or not dragonhide gloves and then Howard relating it to his past uses of gloves and then moving on to everything going with the war. It just felt like a very realistic conversation that a group of teens would be having while in class. Like, yeah there's this war going on and that's heavy, but they're at school, and small talk is going to continue to be a thing amongst them.
I also think it's lovely how much they care about the younger students. I mean, it's obviously not lovely that they're in that situation, but I love that their first thought of concern is for those of them that are younger and more innocent. It just says a lot about how they are and gives me a lot of hope for how they will handle everything that's to come.
I thought Howard's view on the war very intersting. Honestly, it makes sense. He doesn't see this as his world and so I can can understand him not feeling like needlessly involving himself in a war that has nothing to do with him/his family. Also, I think this speaks to his youth, and how it's very easy, at that age, to see big things happening in the world and feel like "nope, not problem" because it hasn't/doesn't directly affect you. I'm very curious to see how/if his views will change as time goes on.
This was another lovely chapter. I eagerly (though patiently of course) await your next chapter <3
Thank you for the swap opportunity,
Quilly.
Author's Response:Hi, Quilly,
Thank you so much for offering a review swap and for leaving a review on this chapter. It makes me feel all warm inside when you say that that you love the greenhouse scene. It's still early enough in the school year that the really oppressive and disturbing stuff hasn't started happening yet within the walls of Hogwarts, and everything keeps reminding Howard of his home and life on Skye.
I think that it is natural that the older students in Gryffindor House (and in the other Houses also, I suppose) would be solicitous of the welfare of the younger students because in the absence of adults who take a close interest in the welfare of the students, the older students would step in, in loco parentis, to guard the younger ones. A situation that I always felt was a shortcoming of Hogwarts, and I wondered how much it reflected the actual conditions in real-life British boarding schools.
I think that it is realistic that Howard wouldn't jump in, gung-ho, into taking an active part in a war/conflict that he doesn't seem to have any connection with. Maybe some kids would, finding themselves in this situation and feeling eager for adventure, almost like mercenaries. But that isn't Howard. As we know from Canon, conditions did get steadily and definitely worse as the months went on, and that was bound to affect everyone. Stay tuned.
I appreciate your wry comment about waiting patiently for the next chapter. I am as much agonized over the slow progress as the rest of the people on FFT, and my son and daughter also. Life just doesn't seems to be kind to me in allowing me to have free time for writing :( :( :( Spring has burst forth in an explosion of yard work to do, after a cold, wet, and extended end-of-winter, and I have to get that done, but since I can't do it in the dark, I should just go to bed early (brain fried after 5 p.m.) and get up very early in the morning before the sun rises, to write for an hour before being at work by 7 a.m. I think that other people do that, so I should also. Lovely reviews from people like you help me to overcome the feeling of "this story is garbage and I shouldn't keep trying to write it because nobody will want to read it" -- it's like having Peeves inside my head, insulting me. Grr! Also the unhelpful thought that everyone else's story is better than mine -- we should not compare our stories to other peoples' stories; each one of us is unique! Thanks for being a friend.
Hello, Vicki! Here for our swap! :D
I was going to check one of the stories you suggested, but then I noticed that you had a C/S chapter I hadn't read yet... how did I miss it??? :O Anyway, I had to stop by here! ;)
It really changes the perspective, reading these scenes after having read some of your other "spin-offs" (I suppose calling them spin-offs is improper, considering they are earlier stories... but still fitting in a way?) Like, that first scene in greenhouse seven... knowing what Sprout is actually attempting to do puts it in a completely different light, and I love it! :D
In the same way, that reference to Hannah and Ernie and their different reactions to the Muggle Studies issues, it reminded me of that adorable one-shot you wrote about them, and it made me smile to catch that little nod here :)
I really enjoyed the conversation about Muggle Studies in general, actually. I'm looking forward to see how the resistance will play out! I know Howard is trying to just keep his head low for now, but I also know that's going to change, right? I'm also curious to see what Tracey's role will be in all this? Will she take part in the resistance, too? Will the Slytherins form their own resistance group?
Looking forward to learn some more about the adobos... I'm still doubtful about how Hagrid got them? Who is this Reginald? Is he actually from the Ministry? Why did he send the adobos to Hagrid? I agree with Howard and Joel, something's fishy about it... and yes, prudence is probably for the best, they shouldn't give too much away, especially now that the Ministry is basically in the hands of Voldemort... I wonder if the DRCMC will be of any help at all... probably not, but no harm in trying, I guess? :P
Poor Howard... stuck in this place against his will, not even able to have a proper communication with his parents... I can totally understand his feelings towards Hogwarts at the moment... :/ And also, yeah, what is it with wizards and their allergy to modernity? Why would they choose to use quills, when ballpoint pens are so handy? That, and a thousand other things that make no sense... :P
Wonderful chapter as always! Thank you so much for swapping with me! <3
Snowball hug,
Chiara
Author's Response:Thank you so much, Chiara, for this review. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Thank you for following it so faithfully.
Interesting how you say that having read some of the one-shot spin-offs from the C/S universe changes the perspective, knowing what other people are doing in this scenario, or how some other bits of the story are turning out. They really are spin-offs, even though they were posted first, because they all come from the main story, which until now has existed mainly as "oral tradition" rather than written text. Hopefully some of your questions will be answered, at least partially, in the next chapter.
With affection,
Vicki
Oh, here’s the talk that I was fascinated about!! Howe is rightfully candid. I mean, if you’re not going to spill the whole situation, you’re not going to get the right kind of help, yeah? Howe is astute, and I am happy seeing him concerned for himself socially as well as everything else. He is just a student trying to fit in with everyone else. I bet the Hufflepuffs gave him some things to think about.
I’m glad David candidly told Howe that these boys aren’t usually like this. I was wondering that too. Neville didn’t seem to be the standoffish type, but from David’s point of view, his explanation makes sense. I also wonder if there isn’t some added secrecy between Neville and Seamus regarding the year’s professor line up that they choose not to share with the rest of the class, so to speak.
But yeah, this makes sense too. If Howe is open about his perceptions, Neville will likely come to trust him more and open up. I can totally see that. I also feel for Howe. He’s stepped right into the middle of a big puddle of Neville’s insecurities, and that’s no fun for anyone.
And awww… he likes the sheep drawing!
I wonder about these Crofters who have coded messaging systems already set up for themselves. I bet they knew the political dumpster fires they were sending Howe to, and tried to prepare as best they could. Good on them! I know that most people wouldn’t think to do that. But given the history of Skye, and the way their forefathers had to dea with oppression, it makes sense that they would think these things through. I am certainly glad they did!
I’m also glad that he’s made a little progress with Neville and Seamus. It looks like he will at least get an abridged version of what went down in the castle over the last year, and that ought to prepare him for the nasties to come.
Intriguing!
Pix
Author's Response:Hi, Pix!
Thank you so much for this thoughtful discussion of the things that happened in this chapter. It made me happy to hear you say that you thought that David's point of view made sense. Other readers have assumed that Neville's and Seamus's behavior was due simply to their not knowing how trustworthy Howard was, but I thought that Neville was also affected by a lifetime of being made to feel, by his relatives (such as his grandmother), that he wasn't good enough and was a disappointment to them. Being treated like this from a young age leaves permanent scars on one's psyche, as I wrote about in my first fic The Baby in The Closet, and yet my daughter, who is very astute about most things, once told me that she didn't realize that childhod abuse could have long-term effects until after she had read that fic.
So David gives Howard what he needs to go boldly into that not-easy discussion with Neville and Seamus, open, frank, unthreatening. What you see is what you get.
I think that the crofters did not know the details of what was going on in the wizarding world to the south, but as you say, they could tell that it was a political dumpster fire they were sending Howe into, and they tried their best to protect him with the codes and with some other stuff also. Because the codes are not magic-based, they are probably pretty much unbreakable, and the wizards in their arrogance will not comprehend that non-magical (i.e.Muggle) methods have any value. The book code was a hard code to work with!
I'm glad that you find the story intriguing! Thank you for the swap offer!
Vicki
Hi Vicki! Here for our review swap! :)
Another enjoyable chapter! I really feel like you touched on the various plot lines that unfolding within this story, but are not always addressed in every single chapter. I mean, you can't address everything all at once, so that's not at all a criticism. I just like that this one had a blend of the schoolwork regarding the adobos and also the larger plot of "we have to protect the kids from propaganda," and "there's a war at hand and we must resist," kind of thing. It was all very well balanced.
I love all the little world building details you've included. The magically temperature controlled sheds, the placard outside of McGonagalls, all very well done to make this world your own! :)
I think it's interesting Howe thinks this battle isn't his to fight. He is physically there where a lot of the encroaching upon everyday life is occurring. But he's not seen the slow rise of restrictions and stuff that the other students have. So I feel like it makes sense. But then, he remembers the Sorting Hat's words, and I think it's so clever a reminder. We see that he will eventually get there with this reminder and that he will stand with the rest of the resistance. But in what way? I can't wait for you to show us! :)
One other thing I thought you did well was have Howe draw the conclusion that the fact the Ministry sent the adobos to Hagrid was suspicious. It speaks to his maturity once again. Just as it speaks to Joel's innocence whenever he forgets the significance. Still, I am excited to see what else they learn from the Ministry about these things! I don't know, with the name Reginald...I immediately thought Reginald Cattermole and then I immediately thought they were sent to Hogwarts as some kind of defensive mechanism for what's to come. Maybe I'm totally jumping to wrong conclusions, but that was my gut reaction to finding this out hah.
Anyway, I really liked how you handled this chapter and I'm looking forward to what comes next! :)
Also, congrats on your nomination for best long form story! :)
<3 Courtney
Author's Response:Hi, Courtney!
Thank you for leaving such a lovely, thoughtful review for our Review Swap. I was afraid that this chapter would come out sounding like a mish-mash, but apparently the readers were able to deal with little bits of various plot elements without getting twisted up. :)
Thanks for mentioning the little world-building details. I put them in whenever it seems that they make perfect sense and seem to be needed. I'd like to think that some things that go on at Hogwarts are just common sense.
I think that Howard feels as if he's visiting a foreign country where a factional conflict or mini-civil war is going on. To be in such a place might well be somewhat dangerous for a visitor, but the visitor might be seen as a non-combatant and decline to choose a side, or at least to interfere.
As for the adobos, Howard is not accustomed to dealing with the Ministry of Magic or their Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, but he is accustomed to dealing with branches of the Muggle government concerning the care and raising of farm animals, and he knows that the Muggle Department of Agriculture provides tons of information to farmers/crofters about best practices. So this present situation feels very strange to him. I had forgotten that Mr. Cattermole's first name was Reginald. As I recall, he's usually referred to in the books as 'Reg.' Anyway, I lifted the name Reginald from a character in KJ Cartmell's novels.
Hopfully, now that the Review Drive is just about over, I can work on Chapter 21 a little more expeditiously. Just in time for the beginning of The Planting and Growing Season. :/
Thanks for the congrats! <3
Vicki
Hi Vicki,
So excited to see that you have another chapter up!
I love how much inter-house chatter goes on in this chapter. Tracey gets to talk with Neville and Wayne, not just Howard, here, about Muggle Studies. It's good to know that Slytherin House is at least split, and that she acknowledges that it won't really affect them. I found that parallel with how Howard thinks about the war interesting -- they both sort of feel outside the influence of it. I wonder if that will change, as Howard ponders the hat's message.
I also like how Howard and Joel are finally questioning who gave Hagrid the adobos. If it was the Ministry, why wouldn't they provide the information needed to completely analyze them? I think prying is a good idea. Hagrid might know a lot about creatures and their behaviors, but he misses some things when it comes to talking with people.
It's good that Seamus and Neville are thinking to include Howard in their plans to defy against Muggle Studies, even though he decides not to go. That's a good indicator that they trust him! It also only makes Howard miss home again, which is so sad. I forget every once in a while that he's so far from home and everything that he knows :(
I hope they'll figure out exactly why the adobos are so important and elusive soon! And I also wonder if he'll start to be more involved with the resistance at Hogwarts or not...
Thanks for a great update, Vicki!
Cat
Author's Response:Hi, Cat!
Thank you so much for writing a review for this chapter and telling me the parts you particularly liked. I was afraid that it would come out sounding like a mish-mash. Tracey sees that her House is divided about the Muggle Studies class, but I'm sure she sees that the other Houses are pretty firmly against it. This makes it less of a slam-dunk for her as regards taking a stand, at least for now.
I like what you say about Neville and Seamus trusting Howard enough to invite him to the secret meeting. But he is feeling overwhelmed with his work and also doesn't have a good idea of how he could help. You recall the bit of verse that he reminded himself of, on his first night at Hogwarts ("...some rude guest would change, where'er he roam, the manners there professed to those he brings from home"). He's not ready to start to try to change the way things are done at Hogwarts until he knows a whole lot more about how the place runs. But as time goes by and the troubles ramp up, it will become easier for him to see what is happening and what needs to be done.
What you say about Hagrid is very true. He knows a lot about creatures and their behaviors, but he doesn't pick up on some things when talking with people so he learns some things the hard way. He's confident about the correctness of what he says about the adobos, but he's not suspicious enough of the people (Death Eaters) at the Ministry.
Glad you enjoyed it, and I'll try to get the next chapter our a little faster, now that the Review Drive is essentially over.
Vicki
Lots of development in this chapter - no wonder it took you a little more time than usual. I like how you weave the technical bits of the herbology lesson into the conversation about how the houses and the individual seventh year students are coming to grips with the death eater regime running the school. With all that going on, Howe still manages to keep Tracey in mind for something more than platonic thoughts, too. Teenagers, right?
Howe and Joel keep making progress on the adobo project - I like how they manage to pull a few more details from Hagrid, but I wonder what kind of surprise the response to their letter to the ministry will bring. I can't imagine it will be entirely pleasant.
It seems like Howe needs to spend a little more time thinking about the Hat's message. I can hardly wait to find out, myself.
Author's Response:Hi, George!
Thank you so much for commenting so quickly on Chapter 20 and not chastising me for the long gap since the previous chapter appeared. I wondered if readers would think that the chapter was a mish-mash (and it seemed that way to me as I tried to put all the pieces together), so I'm glad that it did not seem so to you. We'll soon see the response to the letter that Joel is writing to the Ministry.
As for the Hat's message, Howard spends time ruminating over what it means and what he is supposed to be doing, but sometimes you just have to wait for a while ("sleep on it") until you gather more information and can see how things are shaping up. So Howard doesn't need to be too hard on himself, but of course he doesn't know that.
Vicki
Hello! Here for our swap! I just kept reading, so this will cover two chapters. Hope that’s okay!
There are definitely some things going on here! The other students find out about the letters being censored, and Howard gets an earful from Ginny!
Whew!
You know, I think she’d do just that. Ginny is carrying around a lot of worry for her brother and Harry and Hermione, and to be in a place where she can’t just talk about it, where it’s dangerous for her to talk about the people she cares about, much less how they’re missing and all… that’s a lot. It’s too bad that Howard gets the brunt of it, and he doesn’t even know what’s going on yet with them. I wonder how much the other students are going to trust him. I mean, he is the new guy and all.
I’m relieved that other students are also being careful with their mail. Numbering the letters sounds like a great way to make sure they are getting through.
I keep forgetting how new Howard actually is to the castle. All the little things that I , and of course all the returning students take for granted are unusual and a lot of times surprising to him. The bit with climbing the stairs when he forgets one little thing is probably only going to happen a few times before he figures out strategies to prevent that from happening. I lived on the third floor of a college dorm with no elevators my freshman year, and can sympathize with the lesson learned. Seven floors is a lot. Though he’s right: it’s great exercise! Combine that with the moving staircase, and I can imagine how the Gryffindor students in particular, would avoid multiple trips a day. Ed and Steve sound like good guys. I’m glad they are helping him sort things through.
Ah, another anomaly. Hogwarts does not teach geography in the way that Howard expected the school to. I wonder how much Hogwarts students miss out on, how much is taken for granted,and how small the wizarding world really is when you look at it from a world-view.
It’s interesting to see the grounds through Howard’s eyes, and how he sees the clear lack of sheep on the lawns. That part was kind of funny to me, because I wouldn’t think that way at all, but I can see Howard’s thoughts going straight to that.
Hagrid’s questioning about how the sheep aren’t magical was a humorous touch. The conversation between a Muggle sheep caretaker and a Magical Creatures caretaker would probably bring up fascinating subjects!
Also, I would not be as successful remembering all the new names as Howard is. It takes me a long time to remember names. I’d have to fill the notebook with them. Lol! Oh wait. There he goes! And awww… a sheep drawing! Howard is so practical and thoughtful of everyone. And also very confident inside his own head.
I enjoyed the way you described how the Hufflepuffs had acclimated their new members in contrast to what Howard has experienced. He’s been leading the charge, so to speak, so far. Even though his roommates have been very kind and helpful, it seems like they’ve let him take the initiative. Oir perhaps they have allowed him to continue the initiative, since he’s been exhibiting qualities that make him seem quite self-sufficient from the get-go. People like that don’t generally seem like they need a lot of help, and others might assume that they’re getting in the way if they offer too much directed assistance.
I am very curious to see what kind of private issue Howard is going to bring up to David. He’s been so transparent thus far, so something’s got to be bothering him greatly. If I had to guess, I’d think it would have something to do with him trying to piece together what’s going on at the school that has the older students off, or perhaps the security,
Or maybe it’s something else entirely that hasn’t come up just yet…
Looking forward to the next chapter!
Pix
Author's Response:Hi, Pix,
Thank you so much for this lovely review that touches on so many points as Howard tries to get his bearings in this new and strange place. It's just one strange thing after another, and he probably doesn't fully appreciate how strange he may seem to the other students. But everything reminds him of how he's not on Skye. I'm glad you don't think that Howard's habit of writing names down to try to learn them is silly. I was afraid that readers might think that. But, like you, I have trouble remembering names and faces,, so I included that notebook with Howard because he really does need to learn names as quickly as he can.
It was fun to think of how the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs would welcome the new students and help them to fit right in. But it was harder for Neville and Seamus for several reasons -- their loss of their classmates who are absent, and their feelings of responsibility for dealing with the unknown dangers of the upcoming year. They were not ready for all that has been happening so quickly. And it's a delicate balance, knowing how much help to give a new person without giving either too much or too little. Does Howard's poise really mean that he feels confident in this new situation, or is it just a façade that he is maintaining to protect his dignity? They don't know. Theywil have to learn to trust one another.
Glad that you are looking forwrd to the next chapter!
Vicki
Hi again, Vicki
Back for the FFT review event
This is a great chapter for Howard and Joel. I think that, before he was given this mision by Hagrid, Howard didn't really feel like he had a place. For someone who has never translated middle English before, he's done quite well with this text. I think it's good that he and Joel get together to compare notes and ensure that they're not missing anything.
It's so funny how most of the students at Hogwarts who had wizard/witch parents don't have education before schooling! At least, not formal education with any curriculum.
And good on Hagrid for knowing that the creatures are hibernating. Could it be that Hagrid actually knew about the adobos? And he was testing Joel and Howard's research skills? That wouldn't be a bad assignment, I guess, for such a practical class with only two students. The adobo itself actually sounds a bit formidable for other small creatures!
Although they still have the monotony of the other classes, at least Howard is feeling a bit better about being at Hogwarts. The way he says "and tell them that I'm doing things I've never done before." actaully sounds kind of positive. Maybe he can share a bit more through Augusta, but only time will tell.
Thanks again!
Cat
Author's Response:Hi, Cat!
Thank you so much for writing reviews on all the chapters of Crofter/Snake. That's an interesting observation you made -- "...before he was given this mission by Hagrid, Howard didn't really feel like he had a place." You're right, that's true. Howard's not just floating around like a dry leaf on the surface of a pond; he has at least one specific and important project to do, and a partner to do it with. That must make him feel more grounded at Hogwarts, and he expresses it when he says "...I'm doing things I've never done before." He is savvy enought to realize that doing things you've never done before, though with no practical application at the moment, just might turn out to be handy later on. We will see this in a dramatic scene in November (but you get an advance notification of its imminent arrival because you are a faithful reviewer!)
Howard and Joel do feel more reassured about the adobos' lack of activity after reading in the manuscript that people in 1366 believed that the adobos did hibernate in winter, as Hagrid has been insisting. But Hagrid is just going on his wide knowledge of animal behavior in general, so we will just have to keep waiting and watching. There are plenty of ways in which adobos are not exactly like other small animals.
I very much appreciate your reviews!
Vicki
Hi Vicki,
back for the review event!
It seems the the Ministry has something else up their sleeves...why else call out Hagrid and ask him specifically to look at these creatures? Usually Howard is a bit over-cautious and suspicious, but I think he has a good reason in this situation. Not even knowing or sharing where the adobos are from is kind of strange.
It makes sense, the way you explained the issue that Madam Pomfrey has with not being able to x-ray the adobos. At least they can take their temperature, but how do they not have heartbeats? I guess it's magic, but I'd love to know what's going on with them!
The conversation in the Gryffindor common room is sad, but productive. It's hard to see the kids at such an impasse. But they're right, they can't let the eleven and twelve year olds just start learning all of that. I think their plan to make all the pages blank is good for the time being, but I hope a more-solid plan comes into play soon! that class must really drain people.
And yay, Seamus is helping Howard out! It wasn't too long ago that they didn't even want to live with Howard, never mind help him. I'm glad that they're becoming real friends now :)
Thanks again,
Cat
Author's Response:Hi, Cat!
Thank you so much for another review on Howard's story. It is easy to come up with all sorts of imaginary, wild hypotheses about what the adobos are and why the man from the Ministry (if he is in fact from the Ministry) gave them to Hagrid, but collecting enough evidence to whittle these hypotheses down into truth will take a lot of time and work. Meanwhile the boys can't X-ray them, observe any behavior, or even hear a heartbeat (maybe their anatomy is so different that they don't have hearts as we would envision them). The boys will have to pin their hopes on the medieval manuscript to help them find a path to learn the truth.
I really like your line "It wasn't too long ago when they didn't even want to live with Howard..." So true, so true, but they're coming around, helping him reformat the manuscript and including him in the common room discussion about how to handle the disaster of the Muggle Studies classes. Still, hard tines ahead.
I'm so glad that you are enjoying the story. <3
Vicki
Hi Vicki,
Back for another review for the event!
I forgot to say how much I love that you've given the creatures the makeshift name "rugby balls." It gives Howard and Joel a good name to call them while they wait!
I'm glad that Tracey found the rugby balls easy enough to draw. Though they were pretty simple, I'm sure that she included detail that isn't easy for the average person to decipher! As Howard imagines, she captures things that his chillike drawing would not.
I like their attempt to get to the Hufflepuff dorm, as well! I think it again highlights how little the students know about each others Houses. I know that they're supposed to be secret, but you'd think that Tracey might have asked a Hufflepuff in all her years! But not with the way the students are so segregated.
I love the whole scene where Madam Pince shows them to the Archives. I would love to visit an archive with such a rich history, that's amazing! It's also a great little tidbit that the book is not in modern English and that they have to translate it by hand. It's so accurate, something I love about your writing.
And yay, Tracey is officially in on the plan to figure out the Adobos :) I can't wait to hear more from this trip, and figure out if the Adobos are actually hibernating or not.
Thank you!
Cat :)
Author's Response:Hi, Cat!
It's so kind of you to follow the chapters of this story and write a review on each one. <3 Yes, Howard and Joel had to call the odd creatures something, and 'rugby balls' was as good as name as anything. After i had envisioned them and was writing this story, I happened to see a tropical fruit that goes by the name of 'jackfruit,' and it was brown and nubbly and shaped like the boys' odd creatures, and I looked at it and exclaimed, "There's Howard's mystery creature!" So that's why I had Howard say, when he first sees them, "Are you sure it's an animal? Not some kind of tropical fruit?" although I doubt that Howard would have ever seen a jackfruit on Skye. (Little inside joke.)
It was fun to write the scene where Tracey draws the picture of the rugby ball for Howard and he pays her a knut for it. There's just a little soupçon of intimacy in that gesture of paying for the two drawings so as not to sever their friendship. I wondered if Tracey recognized that, or if she just thought that Howard was being a little weird.
You have a good observation there, "...how little the students know about each other's Houses." I think that it is canon that they didn't go into each other's Houses, although one sees that prohibition breached in various fanfictions in which the authors have their characters going into each other's common rooms frequently for parties or general socializing. I prefer to stick with what I perceive to be canon, although in my one-shot The Hogwarts Storm I had the few students remaining on campus over Christmas holiday take refuge in the Hufflepuff common room during the night when the hurricane was at its height and the towers were unsafe. But that was seen as an unusual exception to the established custom. Yes, the students were pretty much segregated by House, both in living arrangements and in classes, at least up to the NEWT level. That's too bad, really.
Like you, I love the archives becuase they are such an unexpectted treasure trove of history about the school that few people but Professor Binns and Madam Pince are fully cognizant of. I can see that certain few students, such as Tracey and Howard, would really like to spend hours in there, getting lost in all the fascinating material. (You see that in a scene of my screenplay Relics, also on this site, where Denis Paridelle gets sidetracked by reading centuries-old records of his manorial estate when he's supposed to be looking for something else.) I try really hard to make my writing accurate, although I do discover later on that I have made some factual mistakes.
Yes, the mystery is opening up and widening out, which is so common when you start to investigate one little thing. I'm so glad that you like this story!
Vicki
For the FFT Review Fest
Vicky,
I love this type of story. Pulling one line from the HP universe and created amazing world building with it. The seventh year at Hogwarts is such a mysterious time and this looks like a premise.
We can already see the leadership qualities emerging in Howard as he takes care of the other ones. He's also very observant, like questioning why the Deputy Minister of Education was sent to pick them up.
I have a feeling that he will be working with Luna, Ginny and Neville to be creating a lot mischief in the future.
Author's Response:Hi, Barbara,
Thank you so much for beginning to review my very-slowly-emerging story about Howard from Skye and his experience at Hogwarts during the final year of the Second Wizarding War. This story has been in my brain since about 2013, so that's ten years, stemming from a class at Mugglenet Fanfiction on the fopic of writing Missing Moments. It is a challenge to balance Howard's qualities of being a boy only 17 years old with the qualities of being a responsible member of an agricultural family, and his balance in living with a foot in both the magical and non-magical worlds. Then add the challenge of being thrown into the unknown milieu of Hogwarts and the magical world as lived by the families close to the Ministry of Magic and the mainstream magical culture. Lots of balls to juggle in the air, especially during these dangerous times.
I hope that the story will keep you guessing. There are many visions of what this year at Hogwarts was like (JKR tells us very little). Mugglenet Fanfiction had many such stories, all excellent and all different.
Yours,
Vicki
Hi there, I’m climbing the mountain and coming back to your story! And I got Review #100 on this story!!! I hope there’s cake…
So I did expect Howard to be an early riser, what with his upbringing, that just makes all kinds of sense, as well as his observations of the floor not being pitted with dirt. I’m glad to see the fifth years dealing with the first years and having to make them do all the things. Corralling 11 year olds is no joke, and having them be in a place far from home has got to be a big adjustment. I’m sure Toller got very little sleep.
It’s good to see Howard’s got his mind set on the ‘just a year’. He’s only been there a day, and I can see he’s counting the rest of the days until he can get out of there. The first night was not a great impression on what he would have to deal with that year. I’m sure he has a boatload of surprises coming up, though, and not many of those surprises will be good ones, I assume.
I’m glad that Seamus is helping Howard out. Neville seems like he’s busy with something. Is it bad that I’m very curious as to what that is?
“Maybe she’s going to let us go home,” Andrew ventured. “Maybe they changed their minds.”
Oh no! I can sense a lot of homesickness in this line. Poor Andrew is already having a hard time!
McGonagall and her meetings! I believe that she’s just trying to keep these kids out of as much trouble as she can, and since they don’t really understand what’s going on, it’s good that they see this stern side of her first. A tour of the grounds sounds like just what these five students need! I do hope Howard gets the hang of finding the Gryffindor Tower pretty quickly. The castle must feel like a maze the first few weeks new people arrive.
Interesting cipher that he has there, I assume that it’s a known thing within his family, and wonder when they have had to use it before. Very interesting upbringing this Howard has had, with ciphers and such!
Pix
Author's Response:Hi, Pix.
I love your reviews with comments about a whole lot of little things in each chapter (or 2 chapters). Yes, you certainly deserve cake!
I try to emphasize the ways in which Howard, as an offspring of a working farm, would be a little different from the kids who didn't have that experience growing up. Such as getting up early to do chores before eating breakfast and going to school. Yes, Toller has his work cut out for him. I also like your perception that Howard is already counting the days until he can get back to the life which he feels (knows) is the right life for him. And I see that you are already picking up on Andrew, for whom this year will not be easy. (For that matter, it's probably not easy for any of the formerly-homeschooled students.) Everyone who reads this story thinks that McGonagall cones off as being very stern (which she is naturally, anyway) because she is worried about keeping the students safe during these perilous times. And there probably is some of that in her thinking and behavior. But of course Howard doesn't know any of this, so he is more likely to take it personally. The ciphers that Howard uses are unique to his family and were devised to be used as necessary while Howard is at Hogwrts. His famiy doesn't know exactly what is going on, or why the homeschooled students were ordered, under pain of dire consequences, to attend Hogwarts this year, but of course they suspect the worse and are trying to be prepared.
Hi Vicki,
Back for another event review!
Oohh, what a great scene of them trying out various methods of research. I think Howard's met his match in Joel, who seems just as meticulous and thoughtful as our lovely main character. I also like how Howard's like...Madame Pince is here to help, no? When it seems like everyone else is afraid of her. He hates the status quo :) and yay, more Tracey! one positive thing about his bravery is that he's not hesitant to ask for help. <3
Wow, that was a horrible class to even read about someone atttending, never mind actually having to attend it. That parallel is very true to some of the themes in th universe, which is hard to swallow, but is most apt. I think this is the best way that Howard will learn about how bad it actually is here, and when Neville said "resistance" I had a bit more hope that they would start to invovle him soon.
And that reconciliation was a good scene, I knew that her intentions were good. I'm sad to see that Howard is slowly learning more about how deep the rivalry and near-hatred goes between houses. At least he was able to get final confirmation that his family is there and receiving his letters, now. Let's go Augusta!
thanks,
Cat
Author's Response:Hi, Cat!
Thank you for saying that the scene in the library was great. I think it's natural that Howard and Joel would try to find the information for themselves before finally admitting defeat and asking for help. You hate to admit that there's something important that you just can't do. And of course Howard doesn't know enough to be afraid of Madam Pince. The secret is to ask for her expertise in finding what you need, not in eating cookies in the library or talking loudly and making a disturbance. Madam Pince functions much better in the story as a powerful figure of knowledge than as a shrieking figure of ridicule.
Howard is naturally confident in his own milieu (Skye), and that innate self-confidence begins to show again as he slowly becomes more familiar with Hogwarts. When he asks for things, he expects people to react positively because that has been his experience in his previous life.
Yes, Muggle Studeis is bad, and things will get worse. The only possible response right now is resistance, and it will start to show up.
I'm glad you liked the scene in McGonagall's office when she and Howard were trying awkwardly to reconcile. A difficult moment for both of them, but it was a moment of clearing the air (sort of), reminiscent of the moment when Howard tried to clear the air with Ginny and Demelza in the Gryffindor common room. Poor guy, you wonder how many more of these 'clear the air' scenes he will have to go through (there are more in the planning). So good to know that Howard's family got the letter from Augusta. Now at least they know the basics, as much as Augusta knows. :)
Thank you so much for following my story. <3 <3 <3
Vicki
Hi Vicki,
Back for another review for the FFT event!
I am so glad that we get to see Howard interact with McGonagall again! I definitely have questions about why you wrote her the way you did so thank you for leaving that resource at the end of the chapter. I have my own theories, too! Clearly, McGonagall is under a lot of pressure, stress, and a watchful eye. She's probably also just generall paranoid in this time. She sort of reminds me of a teacher who understands what is right, but also knows that the rules are in place to keep everyone safe. Maybe not the favorite, but the one who enforces the rules. It's a hard job to have!
I do also understand Howard's frustration. She's essentially telling him that he can't do anything from back home. That must make him feel like he can't be himself, which is just horrible.
I'm glad they get back to talking about their strange CMC assignment! I think that's the best thing that Howard can focus on right now. and hopefully, as he predicts, Muggle studies is actually easier for him. He could use it afer that class!
Thanks Vicki,
Cat
Author's Response:Hi, Cat!
Thank you for another review of my story. It is always good to read what the various readers think about my concept of how Mc Gonagall is acting, and why. The combination of her feeling intense pressure to keep the students safe from the dangers inside the castle as well as outside of it and her inability to tolerate any behavior/activity outside the limits of what she permits, leads to the situation that develops in her classroom in this chapter. And of course Howard, not knowing anything different, takes it personally. As you say, he feels as if he can't be himself, and that is just horrible. And just when he thought things were going pretty well for him. But he can't avoid interacting with her because all his incoming and outgoing mail is funnelled through her. it's hard.
Hi Vicki,
Back for another review event review!
Oooh, I almost forgot he wanted to talk to Ernie outside of class! Aww, I was wondering if he was going to ask about the strict separation that most of the students stick to, but he's concerned abuot the other transfers! He's clearly a very caring friend, even after only knowing them for a short amount of time.
I love this theme that you have with Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures allowing for more independent, outside research. I would also be a little hesitant if not even my teacher knew what the creature was, but that's almost par for the course for something that would happen to Hagrid. I like Joel, too, and I hope they continue collaborate. What could they find out about these creatures?
And once again, Neville to the rescue! I guess they figured that Howard's not leaving, and he's in a desperate situation, too, so why not just enjoy each other's company? I like that decision.
Two questions: Will McGonagall find out about this covert communication? and When will Howard find out exactly how intertwined they are with the war?
Time will tell! thanks again,
Cat
Author's Response:Hi, Cat!
Always nice to read a review by you.
Herbology and Magical Creatures are the only classes where Howard will have independent research, and in the case of Magical Creatures it is really by accident, since Hagrid was not expecting to receive the rugby balls. But it's really good for the students to have the chance to do some independent thinking and planning. Most of the curriculum in the early years was just memorizing stuff.
You are correct in noticing that when Seamus and Neville collaborate to get the textbooks for Howard free of charge and faster than he could have done it himself, it really did illustrate that they had accepted him as a member of their group. Otherwise, they could have just let him continue writing his letter to Flourish & Blotts I don't expect that McGonagall will find out about this covert communication. It's not obvious in any way, at least not so far, and they are being careful to keep it strictly within the permissible limits.
Thank you so much for continuing to read and review!
Vicki
I'm back for the FFT review event!
YAY a Tracey POV chapter. Ooohhh, I love her consideration about showing Howard the customs of Hogwarts, and how she's never done it before. And then she gets to tell him that they, unfortunately (?) typically pair up by houses, and that they can't be partners :/ I would have loved that!
But it was also good for her to have her own chapter, sort of! I like that moment, also of Tracey watching him being evaluated by Slughorn, knowing that he was only waiting for Howard to say something interesting enough to be collected. Alas, for Slughorn, sheep breeding was not enough.
I'm always curious about potion making and how much of it is science and how much of it is actual magic. I love the detail you put into this chapter about distillation, even though I don't truly understand most of it lol.
And Tracey and Blaise seem like good friends! I wonder how much that will ruffle feathers with Neville, Seamus, and the others in the future. I wonder what Tracey truly thinks baout everything, where her allegiances lie, seeing as she's definitely privy to the war. But either way, she's clearly capable of taking care of herself as much as Howard is, and I'm expecting her to stand up for what she thinks is right :)
Thanks again!
Cat
Author's Response:Hi, Cat!
Thank you for another review! No, sheep breeding was not enough! But Howard got to yank everyone's chain a little bit by describing how he used specialty potions in the business of raising sheep. A whole new realm of endeavor in which the other students in the classroom had no experience.
I like pairing Tracey with Blaise in this class because it's good to see her working with yet another student -- a Slytherin even -- who is competent and not a jerk. I've often seen him depicted in fanfics as smart, mature, and not given to the teenage silliness that some of his Slytherin classmates are. I can see that he would be willing to work with Tracey, who is steady and competent in her own way. They understand each other. Blaise knows he can depend on Tracey. And it was fun to describe fractional distillation.
I'm glad you are continuing to enjoy this story. <3
Vicki
Hi Vicki,
Back for more FFT event reviews!
hmmmm, what an interesting chapter! I think that this really highlights the division that Howard's been seeing ever since he came to Hogwarts. When he plans out his day, it's as he does everything else -- meticulously and thoughtfully. After that, though, it's like a whirlwind for him again.
I like that line during the Herbology class about being like a dck, calm on the surface, apddling like hell beneath. It seems that Howard is more comfortable opening up to Neville, and I think the way that he treated Tracey helped Horward get on board. I have the sense that Howard's uncomfortable with the separation of the houses and all, as he specifcally notes that he wouldn't have decided to trade house members to make a monoclast if he were in such a position.
and also, I love that he loves Madame Sprout and her class! I like the way that you've introduced probably his two favorite professors. He clearly spends more time thinking about them because he simply likes them better than the other things he's witnessed so far.
Also, also, I think Neville is opening up to him more, too! I hope that continues, and I can't wait to see how daring Tracey who doesn't want an early marriage fits in :))
Thank you!
Cat
Author's Response:Hi, Cat!
Thank you for continuing to read and review my story.
To extend the duck metaphor, Howard is striving to keep all his ducks in a row (maybe a lifetime of herding sheep helps him to herd ducks, okay, bad humor) so that if he structures the framework of his day, he wil have a place to hang all the unexpected and unpredictable things that are bound to happen. The stuff about the four Houses and their characteristics and the divisions between them is all new to Howard; he hasn't really seen anything like that on Skye.
My sense has always been that during the NEWT years, when the Houses are more mixed together in their enrollment in the various classes, there is more free-and-easy interaction between the individuals of different Houses, such that a team like Howard's group in Herbology is more commonly seen than in earlier years, and the NEWT students can become accustomed to this increased House interaction if they so choose. Thus theyn can make new friendships that they wouldn't have done earlier, and learn from one another in new ways.
(I hope that makes sense...)
I'm glad you're continuing to enjoy this story.<3
Vicki
Hi Vicki,
Glad to be back for the FFT review event!
Oh, whenever I read one of your stories I feel like I'm entering a new world. I just love how Howard looks at nature and the world, the decription in those first two paragraphs is breathtaking.
I'm so glad that he and Hagrid are getting along well. Their conversations feel so peaceful and easy. I felt so bad when Howard said that he misses Rocco and Mackie every time he walks outside -- like they're supposed to be with him but they're just not there. You captured the hole that a dog can leave in your heart so well!
I laughed at his thought about the sparseness of the calendars, it's so like him. I'm glad that Howard is feeling comfortable enough again to try his hand at making friends. I like his apt assessments, as always, are fair and judicial.
AWW, this makes me so happy! Not only is Howard getting closer with Neville and Seamus, he also might get to have some uncensored contact with his family. I think it's a great sign that he didn't even prompt them with this conversation, they kind of just stumbled upon it. This chapter was definitely great for him in terms of making better connections that make him feel like his own person again.
Great to be back!
Cat
Author's Response:Hi, Cat.
Thank you for this lovely review. I'm glad that the story feels like a new world for you. Howard is a new kind of student, he comes from a new environment, and most everything about the 1997-98 school year is new because JKR tells us so little about it. It makes sense that Howard and Hagrid hit it off so well right away, and Howard really needs a go-to person at this strange school. Everything at this place is hard, so making amends with Ginny and Demelza is just one more hard thing to do.
I really liked the part in this chapter where Howard realizes that Neville can help him get messages to his father, because until that moment Howard felt essentially helpless to direct any of his affairs in the way he wanted them to go. His codes are so limited in how much information they can carry, but now he has been able to take a big step, with Neville's help. That boosts his confidence that he will be able to function with at least a little bit of autonomy in this restrictive environment.
I hope you will enjoy the upcoming chapters just as much!
Vicki
Hi Vicki! I'm here for our swap <3
I enjoyed Howard's inner voice as he worked through the translations and how he kept reminding himself to stay on focus. That felt very relateable. And it, onoce again, shows just how dedicated and discplined he is.
This is such a strange place, Howard thought, I don't belong here.
This line made me feel so sad for Howard. He's homesickness is very obvious and it's completely understandable that he should still feel out of place at Hogwarts, where things are so much so much different from the home he so loved. He remains open-minded, and that's important though. Like when he and Joel are reflecting on the differences in their education, Howard doesn't judge which is better or worse, but rather sort of just reflects on the gaps that might've been left by both pathways.
I absolutely love the friendship Joel and Howard had formed. I don't think there are many teenage boys who would take on such devotion to translationg Middle English but Joel and Howard really do well bouncing ideas off of each other and working as a team to get to the bottom of the translations. It's nice to find to find people who care about the things that you care about. They're both such sweet boys and exude such innocence, and I want them to be protected from the horrors that the students at Hogwarts go through that year. But I'll try not too dwell on the terrors that are currently happening in the wizarding world at the time and instead focus on this translation project of theirs which is quickly coming along and I'm very excited for.
This was such an enjoyable chapter. It's always a great experience jumping back into Howard's world. I'm excited to see what you have planned next for us <3
Love, Quilly.
Author's Response:Hi, Quilly! It was such a treat to check my Reviews Received and see your review here. :) I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter. It was a lot of work to write, but with the use of the Middle English Dictionary I eventually found everything I needed. (It's online from the University of Michigan.)
I think that Howard and Joel felt some desperation at the necessity of translating these pages because they had absolutely no other source of information about the strange animals. They had been hoping and searching for information, and now that Fate had given them some sort of information, they had to do the best they could with what they had. But it's also like solving puzzles or cracking secret codes or solving riddles, an intellectual challelnge we have fun in working with.
I liked your line: "It's nice to find people who care about the things that you care about." There was a time, a long time ago, when my husband and I were sitting together reading some of the Middle English text of The Vision of William Concerning Piers the Plowman (commonly called just Piers Plowman), which is a little harder to read than Chaucer because William Langland was writing in the Middle English spoken in the north of England, whereas Cahucer's work was in the Middle English spoken around London (more like modern English). and I was thinking to myself how neat it was that the man I was married to would be happy to sit down and try to read Middle English. How many men would do that? I felt very lucky. So I guess you could say that it is fortunate for Howard and Joel that they are both so compatible. I think they sense that they need each other because there are only the two of them in the class. But you are right -- harder time are coming up.
I really need to put my nose to the grindstone and start cranking out the chapters that are crowded together inside my head. i will try to do that, even though we are in the middle of the Review Drive now. <# <3
Vicki
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