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The opening of this chapter has me cracking up as Wally and Arthur try to communicate, because it feels almost like they're speaking two different languages! hahaha You do a great job at making that section land with the readers, as each take turns getting confused about things they probably think are rather simple and basic. So good. I can't believe Wally is gonna catch air with Arthur, though! LOL I totally understand Mrs Weasley's reaction, seeing a not-so-young Arthur flying on a Muggle contraption! I'm glad everyone else found it hilarious and that no one was injured! haha Bit of a shift change when we realize the last time the bike was taken out and how it got damaged in the first place was the night George lost his ear. I really like this section, the way it brings Wally a little more into the past of the magical world and what they've been through and how detrimental it may have actually been for something he never even knew had happened. That was a really nice tie back to canon, too. And I'm glad Wally's taking the job officially and will get the chance to spend even more time with the Weasley's. I looke forward to more interactions and more inclusion of them!
Author's Response:Hi Tanya! You're right, Arthur and Wally are effectively speaking two different languages. Arthur is thinking and speaking in magical terms while Wally is thinking and speaking as a mechanic - and never the twain shall meet, I reckon. Remember, Arthur's the guy that can't remember how to pronounce electricity for at least seven years. Wally does keep trying, though. As for fence jumping, you have to remember that Arthur is Fred and George's dad and they had to have "gotten it" from someplace.
I was having second thoughts about the bit where George tells Wally a bit of what he did during the war, so I'm glad to hear you think it works. At first it just popped up organically as part of their conversation, and when I went back and read over it I figured it hadn't been all that long since the war ended, so George is certainly still trying to deal with losing Fred and all the rest of the memories. Ultimately I decided to leave it with very little editing.
Thanks for another helpful review!
George
"...are ya a wicked witch?" hahaha That's so cute, I love that line. That's such a perfect Muggle question to have asked, too. The scene where Verity bores Wally to sleep it just wonderful. And then she make s a REAL move this time with a real kiss! And even Wally lets down his wall quite a bit as well by the end, I love it! They're so sweet together. When she speaks to George about him, you can tell that she's maybe not had a life of commited relationships before now, but that Wally is special, and she's trying to keep him around. So excited to see that Wally gets the job with Arthur, and then we get a Weasley scene at the Burrow! The Ron comparisons are too accurate, hahaha, and I'm sure Wally will learn soon enough what they truly mean by it. I hope he becomes close to the whole family, and this chapter was a great opening towards that. Great stuff once again!
Author's Response:Well, Tanya, ya got me - I couldn't resist that line no matter how hard I tried. I could even see Wally doing the one eyebrow thing when he said it, you know? I don't think Verity bored Wally to sleep, she just outlasted him! LOL She does have a ridiculous amount of energy, after all.
I hadn't really given it a lot of thought, but I suspect you are correct that Verity hasn't got a stellar dating history - I was thinking she'd just been too busy chasing music to bother with dating, but that seems unfounded considering her character and her general milieu; she must have had some boyfriends or other interests by the time she meets Wally. She's not clueless like he is!
I don't know how many Weasleys will be close to Wally, but Arthur will certainly have a big influence on him and of course Molly will at least keep his belly full. I'm sure he'll get on well with George, but I have no idea whether he'll have much to do with the other siblings.
Thanks again for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it.
George
Hi George! I just love Wally, have I mentioned this? I love that in the opening of this chapter, all Verity has to be like is "Wally doesn't think you're friendly", and even though we know he's a gentle giant, this guy just sees a big, strong, intimidating man in front of him, and that's enough to change his tune. It's just adorable, the physicality of Wally versus the personality, I absolutely love it. That said, he seems like for the right situation, he'd kick some serious ass! The ending of the chapter he's got some serious rumblings going on and Verity has to gently coax him down a bit, make sure he doens't do anything irrational for the sake of her or the band. Not sure what Zuckor's problem is, though! How are you his level of success and still feel the need to sabotage a small time band? Some people. But Verity getting that improv moment was really great, and the audience joining in - good thing Wally packed those bells after all! I love the influence music has on this story, it's not something you see often in HP fanfic, and it feels really special. Great chapter!
Author's Response:Hi Tanya! I'm glad you enjoyed Verity's first real gig with the guys - it was way harder to write than I expected it to be, and I still wonder what more I could have done with it. I guess I'll find out soonish, as I'm working on the next show now LOL!
You're right about Wally. He will get a bit annoyed if he thinks someone is messing with Verity or anyone else he considers special. Zuckor will eventually have his attitude adjusted, never fear. He's a bully, that's all.
Thanks so much for reading and leaving your thoughts!
George
Hi George! I really liked this chapter, my favorite so far! Firstly, I love the idea of bringing Wally and Arthur Weasley together due to Wally's experience with Muggle mechanics and Arthur's love of them and profession! Such a clever idea, and I'm excited to see them meet in the future. I also adored the scene with Wally in the Verity's flat. He is just the most innocent big hunk of a man ever. I think you've created the perfect guy, I've got a big crush on Wally developing myself! I also just love how bold Verity is in opposition to him, when she brings him to the appartment just for a meal, but has to rile him up some, and he's just pure as ever even as she's sat on his lap teasing him! haha He's got a heart of gold, and I wish only good things for him! His lesson with Flitwick is so cute, too, I love seeing him begin to learn and thrive and transition into this magical world. Great chapter!
Author's Response:Hi Tanya! Thanks for reading and reviewing again!
I'm happy to hear you like the idea of Arthur as a mentor for Wally - I thought it was a natural fit, what with Wally being able to mentor Arthur on Muggle machines in exchange for Arthur's advice about magical stuff. Plus Wally's never had a father figure, so there's that.
Wally still hasn't figured out how Verity tricked him into her lair! Ha! He really hasn't figured out that she means what she says yet. He gets impressed by Flitwick, too, which will be helpful eventually. Anyway, I'm glad you found this chapter fun - hope you'll like a few more of them along the way, too. Thanks again for the review, too!
George
Poor Wally! He knows he’s got some explaining to do, but I can tell he’s still unsure how to go about it. Good thing Flitwick gave him some ideas so he wouldn’t be so lost about it… oh wait. Wally’s still kind of lost. I had to laugh when Verity exclaimed “six months?!?” because, yeah, that’s a long time to be thinking about things. Obviously, it could only be like this because it’s Wally, and this is who he is. I loved that Verity has a sense of humor to just roll with it, and her exclamation of “you’re perfect” really showed that she likes him just the way he is.
Guess he’s done thinking now. ???? I am glad. Verity’s been waiting for this for a long time.
Pix
Author's Response:Hiya Pix!
What cracks me up about Wally is that even when he finally gets it (whatever it is), he doesn't quite think he gets it. No self confidence except for working on a bike. Verity does seem to have a ton of patience, though, doesn't she? I guess this was pretty fluffy, huh? Oh, well. Thanks for reading and reviewing - as always, it's really appreciated.
G
Ha! Wally is very intent on his breakfast, and also extremely intent on not telling Verity what’s going on inside that thick skull of his. I think if I was Verity, accustomed to Wally’s directness, I’d be taken aback too. Poor guy thinks he can just walk away from the questions, but that’s not the way it works at Hogwarts. Guess he’s going to find out the hard way. I wouldn’t be surprised if his clothing was a casualty of the wreck!
Oh? His clothes survived! Guess it’s magic, lol! But man, that’s a rude way for someone to find out about magical wards.
Awww…. It’s a little girl!
I’m so glad Wally is having this conversation with Flitwick. He’s so kind and understanding, and also encouraging, which is just what Wally needs right now. It was super brave of him to just lay everything out there to a veritable stranger. I can see why he wanted this conversation without Verity present. But boy, if he’s turning green now, he’s going to have a hard time coming face to face with Verity again…
Pix
Author's Response:Hey Pix!
You should know by this time that there's very little that holds Wally's attention more than food! Of course Verity does, unless he's trying to dodge a question cause he's still scared of the conversation. I reckon the elves fixed up his clothes for him - it wasn't like he got blown up or anything, after all. He just had some turf burns and rock rips and probably some blood stains that needed washing out. That sounds like a happy house elf to me.
I think Flitwick's a bit of a romantic. That and he was Wally's first real magic teacher - I always thought he really got students more than any of the other faculty, too. Anyway, Wally's had so little in the way of role models or mentors, it came down to Arthur and Flitwick to give him some advice, and I figured he needed them both. One of these days maybe he'll figure out what Verity sees in him, but I'm not holding my breath on that front.
Thanks for another kind review!
G
awww, wally's got magic :D
i'm super curious to see what his options are re: learning magic and what he'll ultimately decide in case he does have options. also his history?? like why he never got his hogwarts letter...that's strange as well, though i feel like in every beaurocracy there's room for mistakes happening, even in magical ones oops which sucks for wally...but at least he met verity who'll seemingly support him no matter what so that's definitely a bright spot!
george made me laugh this chapter as well -- the twins are always great for comic relief.
kris
Author's Response:Hello again, Kris!
Wally's history is still mostly mysterious. I think his Hogwarts letter may have been ignored by the orphanage, and he just wasn't important enough to get the Harry treatment (at one time many kids were home schooled, so maybe the lack of reply was just written off as another home schooler - I dunno). He'll find out his options, or at least some of them, shortly. New options may come along later. Figuring out what Wally can do with his "new" life is kind of entertaining, though, at least for me!
George is almost always fun to write, at least I think so. Of course, I write him like he's me, so there you go.
Thanks for another review! I love getting them.
George
hah, verity is very invested in discovering whether wally is magical or not and i love that about her - her curiosity and that she ended up asking george and eventually hermione. it's just a trait i really love in people!
of course hermione would first think of all the potentially difficult and/or complicated ways how to test whether wally is magical and then only come up with a simple possible solution at the end of her letter, almost as a sidenote...it's a small thing but i feel like the way you wrote it ties in quite well with her character (can't help but remember first year when harry and ron yelled at her to light a fire because of the devil's snare and the whole "are you a witch or not?" scenario heh)
it's absolutely great that verity and her lil band got a real gig, that's exciting!
looking forward how the next ride with wally goes!
kris
Author's Response:Hi Kris, thanks for another nice review!
Verity shows that she can at least recognize a few rules in life when she starts asking advice on how to find out whether Wally's magical or not without violating the Statute of Secrecy. I suppose she might have learned to pay attention to that sort of thing by having one foot in each world most of her life. Whatever made her ask, though, she's lucky to have had the right people to ask, I guess. I did think Hermione was the perfect person to answer Verity's question - although like Hermione I only thought of using the Leaky Cauldron as a test after going through all the other difficult crap. I left it the way it popped out cause as you say, it seemed like the Hermione thing to do.
Thanks again for reading and reviewing. I'm very grateful.
George
well, wally hasn't quite hadnit easy in life, has he? i'm not surprised that he's not as confident as people might expect from a guy like him (at first glance) but it's supernnicento see verity trying (and succeeding) in getting him to relax a bit around her and talk a little bit about himself!
i wonder if he indeed is magical (and to me it seems like that's a pretty fair bet) if there is like..a school for adults? something like when irl you don't finish school but there are still ways to get an education and finish it later, y'know? though i'm not sure whether wally would even want that...huh
verity is still pretty cool, i love that she's so up front and open about what she wants, there's no ruminating or whatever when she considers first talking to wally and then asking him out -- she's interested in him so she jumps in head on and i like that, it makes for an interesting dynamic between the two of them :D
Author's Response:Welcome back!
Funny thing about Wally, at least the way I picture him, is that he doesn't really think he's had a tough life - or an easy one, I guess - he just thinks it's how life is and goes along about his business. He's shy because he's always been in situations where nobody expected him to stand out. Again, he's more about going with the flow. About the only time he gets away from that is if he feels like someone or something he's supposed to look after is threatened. Then his business is to take care of who or whatever needs it. As for education, he might take a bit of convincing. LOL
Verity is definitely a woman who hasn't got any problem letting the world know what she wants. Wally hasn't figured out what hit him yet! She's not quite a force of nature but she's certainly not a wallflower. I'm glad you like her.
George
hi george! i saw this story got nominated for the inkys and it looked so interesting-- this first chapter definitely did not disappoint!
i really like the idea of a story featuring verity about whom we know nothing except where she works, it's always fun when people dive into these minor characters and expand on the story we all know and live already :D
and i love verity -- she seems like such a fun and cool person. i'm definitely not objective when it comes to musicians hah but still, i love that you decided to write her as a drummer in muggle bands, it's a really fun twist!
i'm super curious to see what's up with wally and the weird electric tingly thingie that happened between him and verity :eyes: sounds a lil sus, if you ask me
great first chapter and i'm looking forward to reading more!
kris
Author's Response:Hi Kris! Thanks for reading and leaving your review.
Verity just got in my head at some point, and I don't know why, but anyway once she did this story has done nothing but grow on me. I started out to do a one-shot just to get myself writing again after nearly four decades off. Then Wally showed up and Verity hit it off with him, and you know how it is when characters get sassy on you. The muggle band thing was mainly because that seemed to be her opportunity - we don't know much about the magical music scene between Celestina and the Weird Sisters, after all. I think she'd be happiest playing clubs with a small jazz combo, but she gets a little nuts in jam bands too. Her being a drummer wqs me wanting her to be more out of the "girl musician" stereotype - I'm really pleased to see so many more women showing up playing instruments besides guitar or keyboards (so many fine drummers coming along these days), and it gave me a chance to stretch myself trying to describe the music, too. It was hard but I think I learned a lot from trying.
I hope you make it back to read more and continue to find it fun. Thanks again.
George
Author's Response:Hi Kris! Thanks for reading and leaving your review.
Verity just got in my head at some point, and I don't know why, but anyway once she did this story has done nothing but grow on me. I started out to do a one-shot just to get myself writing again after nearly four decades off. Then Wally showed up and Verity hit it off with him, and you know how it is when characters get sassy on you. The muggle band thing was mainly because that seemed to be her opportunity - we don't know much about the magical music scene between Celestina and the Weird Sisters, after all. I think she'd be happiest playing clubs with a small jazz combo, but she gets a little nuts in jam bands too. Her being a drummer wqs me wanting her to be more out of the "girl musician" stereotype - I'm really pleased to see so many more women showing up playing instruments besides guitar or keyboards (so many fine drummers coming along these days), and it gave me a chance to stretch myself trying to describe the music, too. It was hard but I think I learned a lot from trying.
I hope you make it back to read more and continue to find it fun. Thanks again.
George
Ah, Wally is in his element here, on his bike. It’s clear that this is his ideal thinking place, even if his thinking seems to be taking him in circles. And he’s getting proficient in magic! Look at that, a motorcycle in his pocket!
“He blinked a cinder out of his eye…”
You know, I never thought about the repercussions of traveling in a fireplace before, but that makes total sense. I have thought about all the dust and soot and such, though, but you know those wizards have those convenient cleaning charms.
George is a good friend. I’m glad he’s going with Verity as backup. She’s definitely in a funk and needs that, since Wally looks like he’s about to get himself into some trouble.
Oh, and he did get himself into Big Trouble here! I guess he wasn’t alerted to the wards around the castle. And his poor bike! But also, poor Wally!
And the timing of all of this, at night when the professors are the least likely to be expecting visitors, too. Wally must really want those answers badly!
Interesting how Wally goes from being in his element to having his element in pieces in a ditch. Something something Icarus… something something wake up call… Also, Verity gets to show him how much she cares now.
So much action!
Pix
Author's Response:Hiya Pix hiya! Thanks for stopping by again.
So yeah, Wally's picking up a few tricks, even if his learning is a little scattered. I guess that can happen when you just learn what looks useful. Dust and soot, dust and soot - you'd think these folks would clean their fireplaces with spells all right, but you know in all the books they're always having to brush their clothes when they come out of the floo. I always wondered why they didn't wear goggles - they wear them for quiddich, don't they?
Wally does get a little bit single-minded sometimes, I guess. He also doesn't seem to be on a diurnal clock like most people - he also eats at all hours, you might have noticed. I doubt it ever occurred to him the Flitwick wouldn't be available to answer his questions whenever Wally showed up. Also, I suspect he's finally decided he needs to do something besides stare at his boots to make progress with Verity. Or at least he needs to figure out whether he thinks progress is possible. Or something. Oh yeah, and he never expected wards cause nobody told him they're a thing.
So yes, I had to let Verity get all intense about him cause the flirting wasn't working. Plus I like the idea of Wally pretending he's Evel Knevel. Thanks for the kind words!
George
Hey there! What’s with all the free-range children in the shop today??? Where are the parents? Lol.
You know, I think Wally is getting comfortable with the Weasleys. He’s actually talking in full sentences around them, which I haven’t seen him do much. Maybe he’s just tongue-tied around Verity. :) Or maybe the bike-fixing is just bringing out his confidence.
Arthur gives Wally some very sage advice. It’s good to see him opening up to someone and being so candid. But Wally’s right. That’s a pretty up in the air place to be, when he fears losing the opportunity to be around Verity if things get awkward. Though, at this point, she’s pretty much given him a lot of clues. Ah, okay. There’s shy Wally again. I guess it’s just Verity.
Looks like Wally is starting to grab a hold of the story here, with all the bike fixing. It’s good, because I’m happy to see another side of him here!
Pix
Author's Response:Free range children! What a lovely idea - I needed something to add to Verity's frustration level, I guess, and I think I'd read a scene in somebody else's fic with kids running roughshod through WWW and thought that would be a handy solution.
Looks like you've figured out the Wally formula. The more Verity's around the less he talks. The more his bike is around or the subject of conversation, the more he talks. Put both conditions together and he can speak sentences. He also really likes Arthur because Arthur asks him about things he knows, instead of asking about things he likes. He's way shy about putting his preferences out there. So this chapter was mostly moving Wally along so he might one day catch up with Verity, and I'm glad you enjoyed seeing more about him.
Thanks for a nice review, Pix, it makes me happy to get one like this.
George
I’ve always wondered about that record shop. I know it’s located next to the Leaky Cauldron, but wondered how much longer it would stay in business with modern technology.
Wally is about to get the shock of his life. At least, it’s Hannah he meets first. Couldn’t ask for a nicer witch who wouldn’t tease him and look at him with pity. That description of the bludger to the head but perfect description of how I’m sure Wally felt.
Wow! He got the pebble to wiggle with the summoning charm. That’s a 4th year spell. I’m impressed. I would guess, he has quite a bit of magic in him.
George’s snarky reply cracked me up. I had no idea that he treasured his sleep so much.
Author's Response:Thanks for the review! I dunno about the record shop either - I guess London has enough vinyl collectors to support a few old school shops, though. Maybe I can sell some of mine there. I kind of like Hannah, too. She takes things in stride, but then if she's gonna buy a pub as busy as the Leaky she probably has to do. I figure Wally might have an affinity for summoning charms. Besides, he's got to have more magic by this age than the average fourth year. And George will always be snarky - and in this instance he treasures his sleep cause I do and in this story he's as much me as he is the original. Hope you had fun reading.
George
I think George isn’t giving himself enough credit. Yes, he and Fred drove McGonagall crazy, but I think she still likes him and is proud of his accomplishments. I’m betting she would have answered his owl; however, putting Hermione on the case is an excellent idea. I can tell from the first sentence that she says that she is a bloodhound on the hunt.
Great idea about testing him to see if he is a squib. I was wracking my brains you listed all the reasons they couldn’t test to see if he is magical. I never thought out testing to see if he is a squib.
Yay! They got a real gig. Perhaps they shouldn’t quit their day job yet, but maybe cut back on a few hours.
Author's Response:I'm sure you're right, whether or not George underestimates himself, because I think McGonagall would respond to any of her Gryffindors who reached out to her, and I'm confident that any Weasley can count on her support regardless of the circumstances. That said, of course Hermione is always the obvious call when you want something unusual studied. I almost missed the idea of testing Wally to see if he was a Squib - like Hermione, I recognized it as an afterthought and then spent several minutes kicking myself for almost missing it. Have to wait and see how the gig goes before they start cutting back on hours, eh?
Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope it was a fun read.
George
Well, Wally’s past is mysterious. I wonder if he actually is part (half? quarter?) giant? You’ve delineated the characters very well, so I’m starting to picture them and their mannerisms in my mind.
I’m also developing sympathy for Wally: Mom who disappeared, orphanage (two of them!), let go from his last job and can’t find one now. This guy can’t get a break can he? Then he’s so surprised that she wants to see him again. With the line “Of course it’s a good idea, it’s yours, innuit.” actually made me sad. This boy needs some self confidence that he doesn’t even think he can have a good idea.
I’m curious to see her “test” to determine if he has magic.
Author's Response:Wally has so many ways to make us curious, doesn't he? He is definitely a very large human - so much that he makes Verity think of Hagrid. I dunno if he's actually part giant, but it's possible I guess. As far as we know, there's no record of who left him at the convent so . . . if somebody is going to figure out his heritage I guess that'll take another story sometime. Maybe he's muggleborn, maybe he's a foundling from a witch who didn't think she could care for him or maybe just didn't want a baby. Or maybe some wizard didn't want to take responsibility and forced his girlfriend to give him up. I can see him becoming curious someday, but I don't believe it'll be before this story ends. He does need some self confidence, though, and Verity's hard at work on helping him with that.
Thanks for reading and reviewing!
George
I love stories about rare characters. The one we only get a glimpse of in HP and then writers spin them off to create their own story and world building, so I’m interested to see your version of Verity.
Nice balance of magical and non-magical in her life, from the location of her apartment to the locks on the door-Silencing Charms. I’m sure your neighbors are so thankful for those with her drumming. (Even if they don’t realize it.)
I love Wally! I love the description of a “new wall” appearing to him talking to his scuffed shoes more than her. His lack of self-confidence is endearing. I just hope Verity doesn’t scare him away with her forthrightness.
Author's Response:Thanks for stopping by! I agree with you about rare characters - they can allow so much scope for the imagination while staying pretty safely within canon. With the tiny glimpse of Verity we get from the books (well, book) or film, she's perfect for a complete character workup. Added to that, she's within the same age range as the main characters so her life experiences would be similar enough to make sense in context. Having her with "one foot in each world" by having half-blood heritage was helpful, too, and fit just fine with what little we knew about her. Yes, I'm very fond of her. And I'm sure you're right about the silencing charms (without them she might have had trouble with the Ministry, too, if her neighbors got too curious). Wally just sort of showed up - at first I thought he might be some kind of troublemaker, but no, he's too bashful for that. Verity is a bit of a handful but I think she's going to be careful not to scare him off. Besides, she's kinda cute and I think he noticed.
George
Hi George! I have to start by commenting on this exchange that make me crack up, and I'll explain why after:
“All righ’, Verity?” the keeper of the keys called back to her.
“All right, Hagrid."
So simple, I know, but when I first moved to England, this is legit the way my husband's family speak to each other, and I had such a hard time coming around to it, because every time someone asked if I was "all right", I always felt like "What? Yes, why wouldn't it be? Did someone say something?" LOL So anyway, the HIGHEST of marks for accurate dialogue. It's so perfectly fitting, I about rolled out of my chair.
Anyway, the rest of the chapter is great! So much fun seeing Wally slowly getting immersed in the magical world! Using the floo network, meeting Hagrid (who I'm still holding out mild hope for that they have some shared lineage), seeing Hogwarts for the first time, meeting McG, getting his first wand... Really interesting experience to watch an adult go through, when it's usually an eleven year old! And Verity, of course, is there as his rock, supporting him through all the crazy events now going on in his life.
I'm actually so curious about his birthday now, too. September 1st! Perhaps, then, we had a young mother/father/couple who were actually Hogwarts attendees as students, who needed to be back to school that day, perhaps with a secret pregnancy that was Wally? That they dropped him off the morning of the 1st before the train? I wonder if that backstory will come out. In my head I'm trying to see if the timeline matches for him to have been Hagrid's secret son, but I don't think it does. Still, I hope this gets expanded on, unless I'm literally just reading into things and his being found on Septemeber 1st is just a large coincidence! haha
Author's Response:Hi Tanya, and thanks for reading and leaving such a kind review!
I probably should have footnoted that exchange of greetings between Hagrid and Verity, since it's directly lifted from pretty much every time Hagrid greets Harry in every single book (and most of the movies LOL). But yeah, it's also the best way I could incorporate local color into dialogue. My secret's out now, alas!
I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter - I found it great fun having Wally go through the new kid experience as an adult, too. I'm still pretty chuffed that I thought up the wands acting like puppies in a pet store when Wally showed up at Ollivander's. I love your idea about Wally's parents being star-crossed NEWT students, too! Of course that would probably need to be some kind of prequil - I think it's way too angsty for this story and most likely needs someone angstier than me to write it. I'd probably read it, though!
Thanks again for stopping by! Hope you hang around for the rest of it.
George
Ahh I do enjoy a good "like calls to like," trope when it comes to magic and how it can be used as a form of attraction. I like how you revealed that in the previous chapter and sort of carried it on throughout in this one. It really glossed over the smutty bits in a way that suited these characters. And I was surprised by how things progressed so quickly, but then again, the intimacy has been well established on one end, so this didn't feel rushed or like unexpected. That probably doesn't make sense. But I was sort of just like OH WELL THEY'RE DOING THIS xD But again, the way you handled it really was fitting for these characters and how you've portrayed them throughout. I don't think a super slow, stretched out build would work for the tone of this story, so for it to build through conversation and then go out with a bang (forgive my double entendre xD) really worked so well!
Wally's meandering and stalling about this whole "I like you," conversation is very Wally. I do enjoy people who are kind of awkward/anxious about expressing themselves. There's something really endearing about that dynamic.
So now that it seems that the romantic conflict is resolved...what's going to happen with Verity's musical career? It would be cool to see the band catch a good break and for Wally to be able to enjoy the music backstage as Verity's boyfriend now. But you're the writer, so I'll just have to wait and see! And I'm more than happy to! :D
~ Courtney
Author's Response:Hi Courtney! Thanks for another review! Like Wally, I had to do a lot of stalling on the romantic aspects of this story because it wasn't planned to be a romance of any sort - Wally just showed up and Verity liked him. By the time I figured out some sort of resolution for them, I really couldn't see getting too hot and heavy in the smut department. As you say, it wouldn't really fit the characters (well, it might work for Verity but never Wally) and I doubt it would have meshed with the rest of the story, either. As it is, I'm still not entirely pleased with the solution I managed to translate to the page, but I think it's at least coherent. Maybe. At the end of the day, I'm just happy if readers see Verity and Wally as likeable characters who don't seem contrived. The rest of it is just fun (again, I hope).
So now that we know they're okay with being romantic partners, I guess they'll have to sort out the rest of their mismatched lives to find out if they'll live happily ever after. Verity's dreams are still pretty big, after all. Thanks for hanging around to find out.
George
Hi George back for some more reviews for the reviewing event! :)
First of all, I really liked how you described the wards! I thought that was such a clever piece of worldbuilding!
Wally's undergone some pretty big revelations this chapter. I'm glad he received the idea from an unbiased source that Verity likes him because he has a hard time believing it from her. I thought the mini tour of Hogwarts was a great way for him to see this world from a different angle. Evelyn was super cute and I love that you took inspiration from your own life and inserted a character based on someone dear to you! Its those little touches from our own experiences that we bring to our own writing that truly make it ours.
I thought the ending was pretty humorous too with Wally turning green at the notion that Verity likes him. I do hope he finds a way to accept her affections and to truly believe he is worthy of them! Because he is!
Anyway, very nice chapter!
~ Courtney
Author's Response:Hi Courtney! Thanks for the kind review. Wally is slowly making progress on self-esteem, I guess, but I'm pretty sure he'd lose a race with most glaciers. Glad you liked Evelyn - she just happened along at the right time (the RL Evelyn had explained her new school to me the weekend before I worked on this chapter LOL). Oddly enough, Wally seems to be afraid of letting Verity down even though he can't figure out why she's interested in the first place - she's got him very confused. Verity, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be confused in the slightest. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter - thanks again for your kind words.
George
Hi, George! Here for some research and development! And because I've been away from Verity and Wally's story way too long... :P
Wally keeps being absolutely adorable! He's so humble and naive and I love his fierce devotion to Verity! Those girls who didn't think much of him had no idea what they were missing... :P That waking up scene was so sweet! She made him kiss her! Well, that's some big progress, isn't it? :P
I also keep adoring George! I love the way he teases Verity, they really have a beautiful friendship! And he just feels so in character, you write him so well! :D
And Molly was so perfectly in character, too! I love how the first thing she thought upon seeing Wally was "this guy hasn't eaten enough, I need to fix it" :P I love the idea of Arthur "hiring" Wally to help him fix Sirius' motorbike, it's such a cool idea and has so much potential for plot development! Plus, I love how you are including more and more of the characters we love! :D
Absolutely adorable chapter as always! I'll try to be back in not too long! ;)
Big snowball hug,
Chiara
Author's Response:Hi Chiara! Nice to hear you're still reading Verity's story and enjoying it.
Verity did manage to trick him into a kiss all right. He probably still thinks it was an accident, though - she's got a lot of work yet to build up his confidence. Thanks for your kind words about George - he and I have much in common LOL! I think he's a real natural as a friend and mentor for Verity, as well as the Diagon Alley local grouch. And Molly - I think you might be spot on about her idea for Wally, too. After all, he's such an underfed little thing! And Arthur struck me as a perfect magical mentor for Wally almost as soon as he manifested himself as a magical person. I'm so happy to hear that you're having fun with this story. I always enjoy hearing from you, whether it's comments on my work or reading your own stories. Thanks!
George
Yer a wizard, Wally! haha Is it possible he could be Hagrid's secret child? LOL I mean, he's got the build of a quarter-giant and the same accent and the same gentleness! Just playing with some ideas here. :-p
So awesome that he has magic! It's crazy to imagine being told this at his age. I mean, it was surreal enoug for 11 year old Harry (and I'm sure most Muggle-borns), but to learn it as an adult, that there's an entire world you've been missing your entire life? Crazy. He took it extremely well, though, I have to say. Obviously he's got a perpetual cheerleader in Verity to help him adjust, though. It's really cool to think about the places this story could go from here, as you've created such a unique situation. I hope he chooses to learn magic, but it's good of Verity to assure him she'll be there for him no matter what he decides.
Great chapter!
Author's Response:Thanks, Tanya, for stopping by and the kind words. Yes, Wally's a pretty level headed bloke, and there's also a very real possibility that he'd believe anything Verity told him. I hope you'll find the places this story takes the two of them amusing - I certainly have had fun translating them to prose. Hope you'll continue to enjoy it.
George
Hi George! This is such a fun chapter! I love that Verity is going out of her way to figure out if Wally has missed magic in him, and she really reached out far to make sure she found some answers. Hermione's suggestion at the end is obviously brilliant, and I'm very excited to see this next bike ride of theirs and what happens! I hope he sees it! How interesting and rare that would be! Like, what do you do at that point if he had magic in him his entire life that what missed? Perhaps if I keep reading, I will find out!
Also, how exciting for Verity's band to get that opportunity! Honestly, it's kind of the dream to be approached like that. I hope the gig is followed through on and they have a good time of it - they're all so excited, and it's the worst to have hopes that high only to have it either taken away or go poorly. Something to look forward to for both her and us readers!
Author's Response:Thank, Tanya! Fun is really important. Verity hasn't quite figured out why she's so curious about Wally, but she's certain that she is. I liked how Hermione made the right suggestion as an afterthought! That girl thinks too much. I think the next bike ride may be very fun. I hope you do keep reading - it makes my day when someone does. And the band may have a good time at the gig once they get to it - you'll have to tune in and find out! Glad you enjoyed this chapter.
George
hi
here for more of my girl verity! she's so cute and curious as ever! i saw how you said that in your review response that this story took on a life of its own but i love that and it's basically the best stories that come around like that i think. i like she's got a nice relationship with george that she feels like we can speak to him about things. i thought the conversation had a nice balance of getting some george humour/banter in there but also taking her seriously in her question. he obviously cares about her. hermione also making a similar cheeky assumption as george :P
verity is on a mission now! the idea of wally being a squib is interesting one. i think verity wouldn't reallty mind either way but perhaps it's quest that has her imagination and wanting to know a bit more about wally. i feel like i missed wally a bit in this chapter but v is obviously still hanging out with him a lot. also an exciting update for verity's band and moving up in the world to chelsea! woo! =D i love how they call her princess like it's in such a beautiful fond way!
abbi xx
reviewed for r&d
Author's Response:Nice to see you back, Abbi. Thanks for spending a little more time with Verity!
One thing people sometimes forget about drummers - they're used to driving the bus when it comes to their music, and that attitude can carry over to the rest of their lives. Verity has the beat under control, so she knows when to speed it up or slow it down - that's what I try to keep in mind when I'm waiting for her to show me where the story is going. She was particularly open about passing that information along in the early chapters! Her relationship with George is pretty well established by the time this story happens, since she's been working in the shop since it opened (more or less), and George is a bit more of a grownup after the Battle of Hogwarts - I think that those factors are responsible for the dynamic between them. Also, I have always read George as someone who likes people as long as they're not twerps (or worse), so he will warm up to Wally fairly soon.
Verity is definitely determined to figure out Wally - and you're right that she isn't likely to care much what she finally discovers, at least so long as Wally still wants to hang out with her. Sorry Wally was a little scarce in this chapter. I don't think I noticed when I was breaking up the original monster chapter into chapters 1 - 5, but Wally makes a pretty good comeback soon! The band's first real gig is one of the few elements from the original story that survived in the published parts LOL - this was supposed to be about Verity's dream of being a professional musician, after all. I'm finally working on another real gig for the band now before I run out of story. Hope to see you again and thanks for your review!
George
hi,
i love verity's character! she's amazing, so lively and vivid. i think you do a great job at building up her character in this chapter. i think some of the dialogue you've used really shows her humour off which is very charming. i love the scene when she's trying to get to know wally better. it's a bit like talking to a brick wall at some times but she doesn't know. she obviously sees something in wally that really interests her and she wants to find out more about him. you've obviously given his backstory thought with his details about his upbringing noted in your notes.
i really like the dyamic between verity and wally, i think they are a bit opposites attract at the moment. i think wally is very interesting character. i want to know more about him so it's not just verity whos interested :P, i wonder if it's just verity's nature to be very curious. verity feels those 'shocks' so maybe wally is magical. the story about the little girl and the lorry was very interesting and how wally looked at that. i look forward to see more of verity and wally!
abbi xx
reviewed for r&d
Author's Response:Hi Abbi, and thanks for stopping by and leaving such a kind review!
I'm very fond of Verity, too, so I'm always glad when folks like her. Since this project began with my thinking I needed to work on how I portray women in my writing, I'm really happy when someone thinks she's successful. She's been working for Weasley's Wizard Weezes since the war - we don't know from canon but I've always thought she was one of the twins' first employees - and I figured she'd have a personality appropriate for a shop girl who sold stuff like Skiving Snackboxes and the like. She one of the girls that wanna have fun. She also loves her music more than anything else (except, all of a sudden, maybe Wally). She obviously knows there's something she likes about Wally, but I don't think she has figured out exactly why yet.
I gave a lot of thought to Wally's backstory - I probably could have done more, but this story was originally a one-shot that got out of hand (the original story wound up being the first five chapters after it became clear that no one would read a one shot that ran 15000 words). Anyway, I agree that Verity and Wally have an opposites attract vibe going on early, but that's because they're still figuring each other out. Wally's having a tough time understanding why Verity would be interested in him cause nobody's had much interest in him for most of his life. Verity's just as surprised that she hadn't noticed him sooner. I thought it might be fun to play with their story and it turned out that it kept being more fun as time went on. Glad you're having fun reading so far. Thanks again for your review!
George
Author's Response:Hi Abbi, and thanks for stopping by and leaving such a kind review!
I'm very fond of Verity, too, so I'm always glad when folks like her. Since this project began with my thinking I needed to work on how I portray women in my writing, I'm really happy when someone thinks she's successful. She's been working for Weasley's Wizard Weezes since the war - we don't know from canon but I've always thought she was one of the twins' first employees - and I figured she'd have a personality appropriate for a shop girl who sold stuff like Skiving Snackboxes and the like. She one of the girls that wanna have fun. She also loves her music more than anything else (except, all of a sudden, maybe Wally). She obviously knows there's something she likes about Wally, but I don't think she has figured out exactly why yet.
I gave a lot of thought to Wally's backstory - I probably could have done more, but this story was originally a one-shot that got out of hand (the original story wound up being the first five chapters after it became clear that no one would read a one shot that ran 15000 words). Anyway, I agree that Verity and Wally have an opposites attract vibe going on early, but that's because they're still figuring each other out. Wally's having a tough time understanding why Verity would be interested in him cause nobody's had much interest in him for most of his life. Verity's just as surprised that she hadn't noticed him sooner. I thought it might be fun to play with their story and it turned out that it kept being more fun as time went on. Glad you're having fun reading so far. Thanks again for your review!
George
Hello there! It’s chapter 10!
So it does take Wally a bit of time to sort through the boxes. I imagine it would be a lot like sorting the pieces of a puzzle into corners and sides and whatnot. Magic is an incredible thing. It’s a wonder that the bike ran without all the electrical things and I can feel Wally’s confusion and mixed amazement that such a thing is even possible. It’s good that he was informed ahead of time, or it’d be likely his head would pop off trying to reason through how a bike could run on anything besides petrol.
Aww, it’s so nice to see how proud Wally is of Verity and how much he wants to support her and be there for her when she plays. I mean, it’s his job, too, but he really wants to be there for her.
“He only talks about two things, and the second one is motorcycles.”
Ha! Yes, that’s true. But food is also true. LOL! Poor Verity is really fretting over things. I’m glad she has Angie to boost her morale.
I do love your descriptions! I don’t exactly know what “rugger scum” is, but it’s got such a vivid ring to it that I can imagine. Also, calling the guitars “axes”. I haven’t heard that term in an age.
Oh, and Wally uses magic! I wonder if he’s ever done that before in his work and just not known that was what he did.
Pix
Author's Response:Hello again, Pix! Thanks for sticking with this bit of fluff and leaving another review.
Wally's still getting used to magic as a deliberate tool, I think. Otherwise he'd probably figure out how to magically sort the hardware instead of doing it all by hand. All the purebloods'll be teasing him. Seems like he took the magic for petrol substitution pretty well and maybe he's already had the "electricity isn't reliable around magic" thing explained enough times that he doesn't worry about that part, either. I dunno. I bet it makes assembling the parts when stuff he's expecting isn't there a real trip, though. Oh well, I needed an excuse for how long it's taking him, didn't I?
Wally's sure around the bend about Verity, isn't he? I don't think he remembers that showing up for her gigs is one of his jobs. He's more groupie than roadie, if you want to get technical about it. LOL! To be really fair about his conversational proclivities, I think the two things is actually 100% accurate - he doesn't so much talk about food as he responds in the affirmative to offers of victuals to consume immediately. Talking about it, not so much. On the other hand, he's convinced the world doesn't need any other drummers cause Verity can play anything. And all bikes should be Triumphs.
Thank you for the compliment on the descriptions. I need to go fix a typo though - "scums" should be "scrums", as in the initial gang rassling match to start a rugby play. I didn't know anybody called guitars "guitars" - I haven't called them anything but axes since, I don't know, 1967 or so I guess. I have a moderately antiquated vocabulary.
Wally is smarter that he thinks he is, and he has slowly been incorporating magic into his muggle-oriented tasks, whether it's motorcycle repair or pub security. I dunno how much accidental magic he might have done before Verity claimed him, but I'm guessing he did a bit now and again and that's what got him fired from the garage in Yorkshire. Or maybe it was his magic leading him to her? That's some mysterious stuff, ya know. Anyway, thanks Pix, for reading and for the kind review.
G
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