Name: manno-malfoy (Signed) · Date: 19 Dec 2017 09:55 AM · For: Chapter 1

So since I've mentioned in the previous post that I love how refreshing your sense of humour is in the face of all the angst, I thought it's only logical that I move on to read at least one of your angst you pieces. And I was not disappointed. It was just as well-thought out and just as vibrant and jumping off the page. The characters felt so real and the suspense had me on the edge of my seat. I have never even thought about Cornelius Fudge but here I am, sat feeling sorry for him. 

 

I'm certainly sad that I didn't get to meet Amelia. She sounds exactly like the kind of woman who'd be a very interesting main character to read about. And slept her way to the top or not; it doesn't say anything about her capabilities, competence or lack there of. If men were stupid enough to promote people in exchange for sex, then I can't judge women for clasping the opportunity. I would certainly love reading a story by you about her and the vision you have of her. That's how much you've gotten me interested in her from you brief description of her.

Name: MuggleMaybe (Signed) · Date: 08 Apr 2017 10:15 PM · For: Chapter 1

Hello, lovely. I'm here freeing Sam for CTF.

 

What an unusual ship! Oh, I see - for the random pairing challenge. Well, it was cetainly random! You really made it work though. Not that I'm surprised, but I am impressed.

 

It's hard to imagine anyone wanting to have this kind of relationship with Fudge. I think it was smart to take his point of view. We don't have to think about whether or not he's desireable when we're in his head, focusing on Amelia. And his affection and love for her comes across as truly genuine, even if he is also very fearful, perhaps a bit cowardly. (And hey, in the Face of Voldemort I'd be cowardly too!) I think I genunely like Fudge more after reading this. And I'm glad he understands how powerful and talented a woman Amelia is. I really like that she wanted to keep their relationship private to protect her professionalism, bt he knee no one would ever think she'd gained her position unscrupulously. (spelling? hmm)

 

I really liked the pacing of this. We're in his head, but we're also moving. It can be hard to strike a balance between the inner life and the outer life, so to speak, when writing about a character so intimately. At least, I think so. You did a nice job of that.

 

Another thing that's cool is thatyou do, as I said, increase my sympathy for Fudge, But you don't do it by sugar coating his flaws. He's still in denial of Voldemort's return. He's still rather cowardly. Just, you show how those traits mae him human rather than merely inept. You know?

 

This was really inteesting and I actually enjoyed it a lot. (I admit, I was not sure what to expect with this ship!) But how could I ever doubt you, lovely?

 

xoxo Renee

 

Name: Dojh167 (Signed) · Date: 08 Apr 2017 09:48 PM · For: Chapter 1

Hufflepuff CtF Review

 

I’m all for rarepairs! And this is certainly one I’ve never heard of! I am also a fan of humanizing unpopular characters. I’m not convinced how much I think you can humanize Fudge, but I’ll give you a shot here ;)

 

Okay, so I already like Fudge a bit for his guilt here, how he perceives Elia as accusatory even though he knows it’s not the case due to his own guilt.

 

For some reason I am tickled by Cornelius internally referring to the lifts as fickle. It both speaks to his familiarity with the building and to his attitude.

 

“Cornelius, you know what’s coming right?”  “Breakfast? I’m starved.” Smart***. I like it.

 

Oooh I really like this layer, of Cornelius’s lover believing Voldemort is back and the way he can hardly believe his own insistence that he’s not.

 

You did a good job with the dialogue here, making Cornelius and Amelia’s relationship feel so natural and gentle. I’m a bit resistant to it because I want her to have good things and I don’t believe Cornelius is a good thing, but from what you show their relationship seems to be (mostly) good.

 

Okay, and you are more and more successfully humanizing Fudge, bits with romantic bakery yearnings and certainty of death, but even more with his conviction that he is doing what he needs to to protect people, that he believes everyone is better off not knowing what he fears. I can’t really forgive him or translate this version to canon Fudge, but I can at least grant him a break in this story.

 

I was kinda confused about Cornelius leading Edgar to the pensieve. It seemed like he was going to show him something, but he didn’t want Edgar to see the memory? It didn’t make very much sense to me. If he wanted that memory to be private, why would he do that in front of Edgar?

 

Does Kingsley know about Fudge and Amelia’s relationship? His trying to spare Cornelius from seeing her body suggests so. I suppose it could make sense that Kingsley knew if he served as bodyguard for either of them.

 

And welp, bringing things full circle with that ring. Rude.

 

I think part of what works so well about this story is that it both humanizes Fudge by showing a softer side of him, and then shows that part of him hardening. While I wish he would have honored Amelia by openly seeking justice for her and the things she believed, it also seems in character that instead he shuts down and returns to his base principles more stubbornly than other.

 

Good job with this story! It is certainly unique and I really enjoyed that.

Sam.

Name: Rhaenyra (Signed) · Date: 19 Feb 2017 08:04 PM · For: Chapter 1

Paula!! I saw this pairing in the list of ones for the rare pair challenge and I figured that, of all of them, it would probably be the one I was most intrigued by.  When I saw that you snatched it up and wrote it so fast, I just had to read it.  As usual, you did not disappoint.

 

The thing I liked about this pairing was that we actually know very little about the lives of Fudge and Amelia Bones, all things considered.  There is certainly the possibility - however slim - that this relationship could be canon.  I thought that before reading this.  After, I have to say that I am super impressed and choose to believe that this is true.

 

Fudge as we see him in Order of the Phoenix seems so weak.  He refuses to see what is right in front of him, blaming Dumbledore and a million other dumb things because of it.  Here you show us just enough of his thought process that it doesn't seem as cut and dry.  He recognizes that his protesting sounds weak.  He is living in fear of being the Minister of Magic when he remembers how things were during the First Wizarding War.  He doesn't want to face it, because he knows how bad he can be and he is hoping he can will it into not happening.  Amelia, on the other hand, fits into what we know about her from canon beautifully: she doesn't believe it is a lie.  She is prepared to fight.  She knows everything will be dangerous, but she has not only wrapped her mind around that but accepted that she and the man she loves are unlikely to make it to the end of a second war alive.

 

Do we know if Edgar Bones is Susan's father?  It seems like it could be a canon brother of hers (the name fits in with the others' styles).  Either its a great slip of a minor canon detail or it's a name you picked that feels like it could be canon.  Either way, great job.

 

The end... I want to know what happened to her, but at the same time I don't.  Clearly there was more than a "simple" Avada Kedavra, since she was bleeding.  Was she tortured beorehand? (Seems likely, given her job.)  Did she hit something on the way down, cutting her head?  (Very possible?)  Was there a duel?  (If anybody was going to fight back, I can see her being the one.)  All of these options seem likely so we don't actually need to know the whole truth, but it puts a tiny twist on the deaths that we often see.

 

I love that not only Edgar Bones but Kingsley know about their relationship - presumably - at the end.  It helps to add depth to some minor characters.

 

- R =)

Name: abhorsen (Signed) · Date: 18 Jan 2017 12:47 AM · For: Chapter 1

Ooof. This was so tough on so many levels.

 

I mean, first: to be totally and entirely shallow, come on Amelia, you are awesome and could do way better than Cornelius Fudge, position as Minister of Magic aside. (Which, admittedly, is a fairly big thing. But still!)

 

Okay, putting my shallowness aside: once I got past being judgmental of Amelia's taste in men :P, that's actually something I really enjoyed about this story. I feel like Cornelius Fudge is probably one the canon characters with the fewest positive depictions of him, largely because we only get a very limited and negative perspective of him. It's probably not fair to dismiss him based on that, though, and looking at him through this lens really, really humanized him.

 

Part of that is just the fact that Amelia Bones, who I think most people have a positive opinion toward, actually had a relationship with him - but a big part of it is that you really made the reader feel his pain and anguish. I felt awful for him, and it gave a lot of depth to a character I've always thoroughly disliked.

 

Amazing job. <3

Name: LunaStellaCat (Signed) · Date: 15 Jan 2017 09:36 PM · For: Chapter 1

This was an interesting idea.  I kept thinking throughout this that Edgat Bones is dead.  The man has been dead.  Wasn't Fudge married?  I think I remembrr they said this man had a wife.  The first part of this is confusing because it's not clear whether that's a flashback.  If it's not, it's off because he's dead.   

 

The part that I do like about yhis is the last few lines with Shacklebolt; you give true clarity and taw emotion there.  It's a nice discovery scene.  I wish this was more fleshed out to explain it more because it seems like brief flashes in a pan, you know?  The ending is great.  

 

LSC

 

 

Author's Response:

I don't think my fics will be something you're interested in if any of these matters caused you to rate my story so low. I write fanfic so you'll find that many of the pairings I write aren't from the books and yes, I bring characters back from the dead.  If it's not your cup of tea just don't drink it.

Name: WindingArrow (Signed) · Date: 14 Jan 2017 02:38 PM · For: Chapter 1

Paula, I don't think I've ever read such a riveting one shot like this. The power, the emotion, the sheer edge-of-your-seat anticipation you put into this story is absolutely stunning. I've never read much about many minor characters, so that in and of itself was a pleasant surprise and as the Minister ran to get the information, to find her, to make sure she was safe- the suspense was awful and gut-wrenching. I can see this as canon. I can even see it as a reason why Cornelius stepped down as Minister.

 

Just the brief glimpse into his time with Amelia speaks volumes. Despite personal reservations about the Minister, I can see that he really loved her. And despite canon, I found myself desperately hoping for him to find her alive. Darn it, Paula, I was looking for a feel-good romp one-shot for my Saturday and now I'm depressed. T_T It's still very wonderfully written. Just beautiful. :)

 

-Liz