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Hi!
OMG, so I was reading the entire chapter with Harry Ron and Hermione telling their story and I had a hundred things I wanted to say, but then I got to McGonagall talking to Dumbledore at the end and just, AHHHH! You blew my mind and now I'm trying so hard to think about anything else. McGonagall is such a savage queen! She said all the things to Dumbledore that everyone wanted to say after they knew the whole truth. I'm almost shaking, I agree so much.
OK, gotta calm down and try to focus here. I loved reading the whole conversation from Ron's point of view. He brings such a different mood to things. You make him so much deeper than other authors. Yes, he still has his goofy, funny side, but he's also emotional and scared and he cares so much about Hermione and Harry. It's just awesome to read.
"It made perfect sense if Ron thought about it, but he didn’t want to. Just knowing the truth hurt. Knowing that Harry had faced death to save everyone else while Ron hadn’t even been strong enough to deal with the locket and its lies." -- SEE! Ron is self-aware. He isn't just some loud, chest-pounding idiot third wheel to Harry and Hermione's brilliance.
And Harry and Hermione are brilliant, by the way. The three of them compliment each other so well and you've written the dynamic perfectly. Even Ginny plays an important role. She's the voice of that anger against Snape and Dumbledore for all their plotting and scheming when McGonagall has to stay calm.
I haven't mentioned it yet, but your Kingsley is amazing to read. He has so much prescence and he just seems to fill the scene when he speaks.
I love that nobody feels bad for Peter or for Crabbe. Good riddance to both of them.
So they're basically just going to make Voldemort's body disappear? Seems like a good idea. Don't leave any relics behind for dark wizards to worship.
Ooh, we get to see Ron and Hermione go to Australia. OK, so I might have read ahead, but when I read this I was definitely looking forward to that.
Even Snape gets a little moment to appear here. I hope we see more of him later on.
I'm sorry, I had this long, detailed review planned and then the last scene honestly just blew my mind again when I reread this. It's all so good! Thanks for sharing this with us!
-Lucy
Hello, again! It's been so horribly, unexcusably long since the last time I left a review. So sorry!
OMG, I hadn't even thought about poor George since the first chapter. He must just be so sad, so broken. And Molly sounds like she is also doing bad, she just hides it better. All of these characters are so hurt and sad and just sort of hanging on. It makes perfect sense, but I feel terrible for them.
Ha! I love that Neville and Luna got together and I love that they're hooking up and nobody really cares. "chopped the head off a great, bleeding snake" That line is just, chef's kiss!
McGonagall is so boss woman in that scene where she chases the reporters away. Amputate limbs! Ha! Fun to see Rita Skeeter on the wrong end of Hermione's anger again. Good riddance, you parasite!
So from there, things get a lot less fun. Like, after the last chapter I thought this might be when Harry would finally tell everyone about the horcrux he carried with him, but I still wasn't ready for how it happened. Hermione wasn't ready either, it seems. You think of things that would never occur to me, like that Dumbledore would have realized that Voldemort made multiple horcruxes after the diary was destroyed and he didn't die. I'd never thought about it, but I guess the idea of a horcrux is pretty horrifying to people. McGonagall sounds like she's beside herself.
Such an awesome chapter! Then next one is even better if I'm remembering right. I'll try to write a better review for that one.
-Lucy
Wow! Every time I think I can guess where the story is going, you twist it in a little different direction. I'm very impressed with your storytelling.
I gotta say it again, I love Ginny's voice in this story. The way she talks and the way she thinks, it's just so perfect for her. I mean, it's sad that she's tormenting herself about Harry, but she's also funny and sarcasting, even to herself.
Harry just will not stop beating himself up! It's like, Harry, you just saved the world! Why not take it easy on yourself for at least a day or two, especially when you're in the hospital? I never thought about how much Dumbledore must have trusted him to make Harry the center of the plan even with a horcrux inside his head. It's kind of crazy when you know everything.
Also in things I never thought about, Harry and Ginny did have that in common, being possessed by Voldemort. I really love the way you wrote that scene, with Harry seeming so sad and like he knew that the truth was going to hurt Ginny but he had to tell her anyway. It feels like you spent so much time thinking this all through. Every turn follows the one before perfectly.
When Ginny gets all sarcastic on Harry, like, I love how it's always the women in Harry's life who won't indulge his self-pity and they just sort of straighten him out. He'd be so lost without Hermione and Ginny and even Luna. Oh, and it sounds like we're gonna see Luna soon, which is awesome!
OK, last scene with Ron and Hermione. This was just great, from Ron's point of view. Actually, I wanted to stop and say that it's really neat how you always stick to the same character's point of view in a scene. It's like, total immersion in one character's head. I love that. But anyway, Ron is just like, perfect Ron. He is all about Hermione, but she also confuses him so much. He wants to get with her so bad, and like everything he's thinking is all about how do I get with Hermione and not mess that up and oh yeah Harry's probably getting with my sister but that's alright as long as I'm gonna get with Hermione. It's just perfect! Oh, wow, they're going to go to Australia? This is going to be crazy!
Ahh, there's just too much going on! I can't even talk about it all because this would be as long as the whole chapter! This story is so good!
Thanks,
-Lucy
Author's Response:Hi, there!
I do my best to keep my readers on their toes. ;)
Harry really struggles to come to terms with his own heroism because he's spent his whole life winging it and feeling as though he got lucky most of the time. And he did get pretty lucky on a lot of occasions, but what he doesn't understand is that doesn't make him any less heroic.
Harry does depend a lot on the women in his life, doesn't he? Smart lad.
I hope you keep enjoying Ron's PoV. I really enjoy using it because it's very different from Harry or Hermione.
Thank you! Hope you come back soon!
-Dan
Hi, again! I was excited to see that you replied to my first review because, idk, I guess I wasn't sure whether anyone ever pays attention when I ramble. Anyway, it was exciting.
I love the voice you've created for Ginny. She's exactly like I imagine her to be, funny and sarcastic and she doesn't take any crap from anyone. But she's also sad and she's hurting a lot, it seems. But she's Ginny, so she's not going to cry about it in front of Hermione.
Poor Hermione! She was trying to do what she things is right, but she wasn't ready for what it caused Ginny to say. The scene with her and Ron crying in each other's arms was really sad but also kind of beautiful. They're just hurting so much, but they have each other.
And then it kind of changes because I guess that's how Hogwarts students process grief, they start making out with one another? Sorry, I didn't mean for that to sound like a criticism, it's just I guess I've never been there in either way, the grief or the making out. But the emotions feel so raw and so real the way they're written. Like, everyone is just lost and looking for something to make them feel bettter, I guess.
OMG, the joke about Harry needing two Avada Kedavras to go see Madam Pomfrey! It's so funny but accurate.
Ugh. Ginny and Ron are such awful actors. I feel bad for Hermione having to sit through that.
Holy yikes! Harry was hurt really badly! How the heck did he keep going with all those injuries?
I need to stop and say that you made the teachers sound almost as good as the students. Trelawney and Sinistra were spot on and McGonagall. Oh, my, this line: "Where Potter is concerned, life has a track record unblemished by fairness or sanity." I can hear Maggie Smith reciting that and it's just perfect.
The ending, OMG, just chills. That line from Hermione about being livid, GOOD ON HER! Harry needed to hear that.
I am really enjoying this story. I'll try to leave you more comments soon.
-Lucy
Author's Response:Hello, there!
I try very hard to answer reviews. I don't always succeed, but rest assured that I read all of them.
I'm really happy that you feel that way about Ginny. Never having been a teenage girl, she's a character that I'm always worried about.
Ha! I hadn't thought of it that way, but yes, my characters do have a tendency to go straight from extreme grief into making out. Strong emotions and all that...
Also really happy that the teachers sounded right to you. I spent a fair bit of time tweaking their dialog to try to get it right.
Thanks again for all of the good commentary. It means a lot to me.
-Dan
Hi! I don't know if I remember everything I was thinking when I read this chapter first, but I'll try.
That nightmare! Poor Harry. It was chilling to see everyone dead and then Voldemort! Horrible!
OMG, Harry is such a boy sometimes. Terrified of a crying girl, even if it's one that he's been wanting to see for months.
I don't know exactly how to feel about Ginny in this. She seems like she's pretty messed up inside, too, which I guess makes sense because... Fred. The way she goes from being furious to being sexy - it was a lot going on in a short amount of time. The way you actually wrote them doing it was good. I don't know a lot about that, never having done it, but I could like imagine what was happening without it being you know, gross? Does that make sense? I hope so. What I'm trying and probably not saying too well is that you did a good job with it.
And when they're talking after, I mean, holy crap! I never really thought about it, but I guess the whole wizard world was sort of trying to follow along with what they were doing. Poor Ginny. She doesn't even know that Harry wants to be with her more than he wants medals and awards and power. I can understand why she'd think like that. He even tells her, but it's too much for her to accept. I guess it's going to take a while.
Tbh, I'm not completely sure how to process the sex scene, because it was really intense and kind of violent and like, I'm not really sure how to decide if anyone got taken advantage of or who took advantage of who, but maybe that was the point. They're two kids basically who are both messed up emotionally and they just sort of acted on their hormones without thinking too much.
I really like this story, even if some parts of it are a little to intense for me.
-Lucy
Author's Response:Hello, again!
Thanks so much for taking the time to give me such good feedback. I really appreciate it.
Totally understand about the sex scene. It's not everyone's cup of tea. Thanks for giving it a chance.
Thank you for reading and commenting,
-Dan
Hi!
I found this story a day or two ago and I wanted to tell you how good I think it is, but I had to work out how to sign up, which was kind of a pain. But anyway, I did and it's awesome!
You did an awesome job of making me feel just how tired and injured and mentally broken Harry was after the battle and the war. That moment when he's just like, it's over. I can't imagine what that felt like, but now I sort of can because of this story, which is great.
I've always hated Kreacher because of what he did to Sirius, but you make me look at him in a whole different way. He's actually looking our for Harry now, which is a new leaf for him. I still don't like him, but maybe I guess it's just better now?
Hermione and Ron are totally looking out for Harry. They're all such incredible friends and they've been through this nightmare together. I'm so happy they all made it and now they can sort of stop and take a breath. And eat. It was funny how Hermione made Harry eat.
OMG! Hermione caught a full look at Harry naked! She must have been so embarrassed! And poor Harry, having walking nightmares. What a mess. I hope things get better for them soon.
I've read a few chapters ahead, but I won't spoil it because I have stuff to tell you and I guess I should tell it a chapter at a time. I don't know whether you read these comments, but if you do, I'm such a fan!
Author's Response:Hi, there!
First, I do read every comment and I try to respond to them as soon as I can. Which, honestly, I'm kind of bad at that. But I try. ;)
I appreciate all of your comments and observations. I love the feeling that a reader is connecting with the story and I love finding out which parts strike a chord with them. With any luck, maybe I can change your mind about Kreacher. And I totally agree about Hermione. That was a horribly embarrassing moment for her.
Really looking forward to seeing what you have to say!
Thanks,
-Dan
I've really missed this story so much but at least I only had one chapter to catch up on!! You weren't wrong in your author note when you said a lot happens but also not a lot happens. Similar to the chapter before, there's a lot of moving pieces into play going on here. I definitely wasn't expecting that revelation by Lucius here at the end about Nahtaflaume, but it's genius. Like I think Voldemort in his hubris really didn't believe he would ever die, but it makes sense that he'd have at the very least allowed for a situation -- as far as he'd admit -- where he would have to disappear for a while and where the other side would claim he'd been defeated. I can only imagine what Nahtaflaume is supposed to entail.
Your masterful dialogue is again on display in this chapter; your ability to craft these involved conversations that feel natural and keep a reader engaged even when they're information-heavy or involve verbal chess (or, where Harry is concerned, I'll allow it to be verbal checkers, because he's not one for subtlety). Points to him for his verbal slapback at Lucius's "don't bring my family into this" -- little late for that, I'd say.
And not even just the dialogue, but everything that goes along with it -- mannerisms and so forth. The conversation between Hermione and her mother was perfect. How carefully and methodically Hermione went about it, and the way she was feeling every step of the way, and Monica's reactions. I also loved how in that scene you wove in all these details that built a compelling picture of who her mother is. Punctual (pre-memory charm), discerning, impatient, thoughtful, shrewd, controlled, straightforward, cultured. I like how you threw the wrench in there that, well, we're still separated (her and Hermione's dad) -- like maybe that could change after the memory charm reversal, but for now all she knows is that her marriage has really unraveled (yay, more for Hermione to feel guilty about). Hermione's emotions and reactions were played really well here; the crushing guilt and anxiety that she's done wrong, especially to someone she loves, are really eating her alive.
More soon, I hope?? I'm ready for some action and for some things to go terribly wrong in both hemispheres.
Melanie
Hello, Dan! Here for our swap!
Wow, what a chapter! :O I wasn't expecting that twist at the end... the idea that Voldemort had a revenge plan in case he was defeated... well, that was unexpected... and it sounds like something big... I really wonder what'll happen now... :O
But let's go with order...
The conversation with Hermione's mum went much better than I expected. Or at least, she accepted the possibility that Hermione might be saying the truth and she hasn't said no to the ritual, so there's still hope... I guess Hermione actually performing magic in front of her helped her suspend the disbelief... but it's already quite impressive that she didn't run as soon as she realized what Hermione was capable of... I really hope everything will work out well, and that Hermione's parents will find a way to reconcile. It is very sad that they had a separation, and that her mum believed he cheated on her... at least now she's understanding... I think you built the whole conversation so well, btw! Monica's reactions seemed all very natural, and I loved all of Hermione's thoughts and doubts about how she should go, what she should say or wait to say... I also absolutely adored how she got so confident when she started talking about magical history, and I chuckled a little when she brought up Gamp's Law! :P So typical Hermione! Have I ever told you that your characterization is brilliant?
Moving on to Harry and the tea with the Wizengamot members... what an interesting assortment you had there... lol I bet those editorials about the vampires would've been enthralling reads... :P
And the poor witch... I guess I can understand her point of view... although I would never be in favour of Dementors guarding Azkaban... aside from the unreliability, it's just so inhuman... but I'm digressing...
And then Pansy's father... surely, Harry shouldn't have come up to the provocation, and I can see why Robards lectured him about it later, but I personally can't blame him one bit. Parkinson was being so insufferable, and we all love some Harry's sass, am I right? :P A very fun scene! :P
And finally the juicy part, the meeting with Lucius... it's not easy to feel sorry for him here, not when he's being so difficult, but I guess I still have the slightest sliver of sympathy? You can tell that he's so broken, and that's sad to see, even if he does kind of deserve all of his misery, and then some more... And wow, Harry really did know how to push his buttons, didn't he? With all od his reluctance, Harry truly has a talent to convince people to do what he (or others) needs them to do... I loved all the references to the Horcruxes, that was so well played! And also the way Harry referred to Narcissa and Draco... it was all so good!
And then, of course, the big reveal... and as I said at the beginning already, now I really need to find out what happens, so you'll need to hurry with the next chapter, just saying... ;)
Brilliant job as always!
Snowball hug,
Chiara
Hello, Dan! Here for our swap! :D
I'm going to repeat myself here, but... wow! What a chapter! :O
Okay, so... let's go with order...
That conversation between Bill and Arthur... that was pretty heavy for sure... it must be so hard, knowing someone close to you is going through what Molly's been going through and not really being able to help... I know that Molly is strong and I'm sure she'll recover, but I can also see how this situation would be hard to deal with, with everything else they all are going through... Arthur's guilt at not realizing what was happening made a lot of sense as well, but Bill is right, he shouldn't blame himself... and it was very touching the way Bill reminded him that he was there to help. They are just the best family! Such a bittersweet moment, I loved it!
Ahahah! I can't blame Harry for not being able to resist the temptation of peeking at the Malfoys file... :P And I also found it quite interesting how Lucius crimes were more money/influence related than any actual brutal act... I remember you mentioned something like that in one of the reviews you left me... and I have to say that I agree with your interpretation :P
Harry being so determined not to accept the Order of Merlin unless Ron and Hermione got it, too... that's just so very Harry, and I have to say that I'm very proud of him for holding his ground like that! :P And, well, he had a point about it being awarded to not-so-deserving people before... in hindsight it is quite comical that Peter got it, isn't it? :P I do wonder how this talking-to-the-Wizengamot thing will work out, though... oh, and I so want news about the werewolves children, too... the poor things... <3
"If you truly wish for people to stop hanging medals around your neck, it would behoove you to stop being such an extraordinary human being." This was such a great line! It made me chuckle, but also Doge made a great point, didn't he? Lol!
I don't think I've said it enough recently, but I totally need to say it now... I ADORE RON WEASLEY!!! He's grown so much, and he's much more intelligent and sensible than he gives himself credit... he's been just extraordinary to Hermione through the whole Australian adventure and he's just extraordinary in this chapter, too! I loved the way he could understand Hermione's father because it was sort of the same position he was in when he was trying to find Harry and Hermione again, that was a really clever comparison. And of course he managed to help Hermione clear her mind and see that there wasn't really any other choice, and made her realize that she's strong enough to do it! I've told you before, but I just love the way you make them work as a couple! Now I'm only wondering how they'll convince Hermione's mum to go along with it... :P
I loved Kinglsey and Narcissa facing off! You wrote that whole scene so, so well! You are just so good at writing these games of power, it's so fascinating and you just capture all these dynamics so well! I can't believe Kingsley agreed to let Lucius go free, but of course Narcissa knew how to bargain, and her informations were too precious... she's so very smart, isn't she? I really loved the way you wrote her! I found it quite interesting your idea of the Veil, btw. For some reason, I never really thought that death penalty would be a thing, but they were going to give Sirius the Kiss, so probably it was? Anyway, that was interesting. And Kingsley's plan of making it look like the information came from other sources was quite smart, too. A lot of interesting elements there!
Wonderful chapter as always! Thank you so much for the swap!
Big snowball hug,
Chiara
Hi Dan, here for our swap!
Your Hermione is so interesting, and complex, and I actually really love what you're doing with her POV, the way she's portrayed as being critical of Ron and then herself, and kind of mulling every little thing about the situations, perhaps too much, and processing it like it's a math problem. It's brilliant and feels very realistic. I can also see a bit of growth there, like she has these expectations, both negative or overaly positive, of Ron, and when he doesn't meet them, when he surprises her, she gets upset or even a little angry, but I love that she realizes it's not exactly right and Ron is his own person and her expectations of him have nothing to do with his authentic self. Also, the whole deal with her being smothered a little by her growing anxiety, plus maybe also a bit of gut feeling, concocted this super unnerving mixture of emotions for her.
Ron was so brilliant in all this, his ease, his ability to take over when he sees his best friend-girlfriend struggling. It's such a lovely tribute to his character because I feel like he's done this a lot in the books. When Harry or Hermione were in control, he let them, but as soon as they've lost the plot for whatever reason, he always eagerly and without question stepped in to carry them.
Oh dear, more action! I guess just like in Harry's case, they just can't quite catch a break. So I guess their wands were buzzing because they're not theirs? That's a great way to build detection! Love the little peek at the Australian wizards here, though they've been stunned first thing haha :D
Harry's portion of a chapter was just so breathtaking in so many ways. I am really into following this developing relationship between him and Bill. There is so much mutual respect there on both sides, but also loads of tension, partly because of Ginny of course, and slight wariness I feel, it's so cool to watch them interact. Often I sympathize a lot with Harry - here's Bill, the cool guy we've always admired, only he's not that cool and chill once you're talking serious stuff with him, and he can be frustrating with his to-the-point attitude, and it's brilliantly written.
Oh my god,t he way you described magic, and the different feelings it evokes, and that whole process of Harry dismantling the Fidelius charm...that was so genius, I loved it a lot!
It runs in the family. Mum wasn’t too keen on me becoming a curse breaker, she was horrified at the idea of Charlie working with dragons and you’d have thought the twins were opening a brothel by her first reaction. - haha, oh wow, this is so true and so well put!
Bill was doing everything he could to try to hold the family together in Mr. and Mrs. Weasley’s absence. - this made my heart ache. He must be in such a difficult position. Yeah, your portrayal of Bill is just stunning here.
Loved the conversation between Kingsley and Doge, seeing the other side of politics and what's going on at the Minisry. I get the feeling Harry will have to get involved whether he wants it or not. I doubt he ever wanted any of this, but he can't help himself, whenever he gets a whiff of injustice, he just falls right into it. Oh my god, I actually really want him to go to this tea with these honored whatevers and cause havoc, like that time he had a chat with Scrimgeour and went savage on him, haha. really excited about this plotline and how it develops.
Aw, poor Ron blaming himself is so classic for him. I'm glad Hermione found it in herself to say what she did to him, veering off her original must-blame-someone-must-have-reasons-of-why-original-plan-failed. Her admission of needing him, her strength to be vulnerable and honest with herself about that, I think in the end was more important than her initial negative thoughts. I honestly didn't expect their journey to Australia to start off in this fashion, being immediately hunted by the local authorities, but it does add an additional layer of action and adventure to it that I'm excited about.
Great chapter, Dan! I LOVE your writing and your character work. This is always such a delight to read!
Eli (for PoG RvG too!)
Yessssss a new, wonderful chapter full of so much... MUCH. I devoured it. What's really interesting and cool is how each of the four scenes in this chapter revolves around a conversation between two people, with a lot of introspection or planning, nobody's doing anything at this moment in terms of what's going on in the plot, but it still feels so eventful. Like all of it serves a purpose, showing us where these characters are at, preparing us for whatever they're going to do next. And the characterization felt really rich, the dialogue perfect.
Okay fucking Death Eaters cursing Arthur's plug collection. IS NOTHING SACRED? I love and hate how put out Arthur is by them having messed with his plugs, "of all the things they could have cursed."
That was a really, really wonderful moment between Arthur and Bill, two people who are just so used to just instinctively taking on burdens and responsibility that it doesn't even occur to them to ever do anything otherwise. There was definitely a really weary, melancholy tone to that scene, particularly at the end where Bill thinks "whether he wanted to carry it or not was immaterial," which is just a perfect was to express that feeling, and also it feels very much like him.
The whole discussion of who's more at fault (if anyone, which, I don't know that anyone is) for not catching what was going on with Molly, is interesting. Because while Arthur thinks that he, as the person who's with Molly literally every day, is in the best position to be able to notice something like that, the fact is that being that close to a situation can be a disadvantage in terms of noticing it. You can be too close to see the whole picture. Because Arthur wouldn't have noticed a sudden, major change in Molly; he'd have only seen her decline little bits at a time that were probably imperceptible day-to-day. Someone having two drinks when they usually have one isn't all that weird, and someone having three drinks when they usually have two isn't all that weird, and then suddenly you wonder how you missed this person going from one drink a day to six.
Harry's little mental chess game with Doge was fun to read, and I think your characterization of Harry and how he'd respond to all of that was spot-on. I loved when he was like, 'what are you going to do to me, make me an enemy of the state?' Like seriously what can they do to him. He has literally died before. Harry may have more power here than he realizes. But like Doge says, he just can't seem to stop himself from being not only a decent person, but an extraordinary person.
The whole Ron/Hermione scene was really touching and deftly characterized. That tension when Hermione made the comment about, how can you do it if even I don't think I can do it -- which feels exactly like something she'd say, though there's no malice behind it, and on this occasion probably no condescension either -- she's just terrified. But you can totally see Ron's position here re: her dad and the ritual. There's seriously no other way. Either she's got to do it or he will, because the other alternatives aren't acceptable. And Hermione tends to let perfect be the enemy of good. Ron lives more in reality.
And then the way they worked it out!!! And didn't let this devolve into an argument. I noticed they each did something to de-escalate that situation. I mean, it sucked for Ron because while his de-escalation was not getting agitated and defensive and sarcastic, the reason he didn't is because he was just kind of... sad. Oof. But still. He responded instead of reacting. And Hermione apologized instead of doubling down.
Narcissa responded to Kingsley exactly as I thought she might. She's in a world of shit and the Ministry has the power to do seriously whatever to her husband and son, and she's still cold and disdainful. But on the other hand, I guess the kind of information she has -- which probably only she can reveal -- continues to give her a huge advantage.
I definitely hope life allows you to do more writing again, and I'll be eagerly awaiting updates!
Melanie
Hello, Dan! Here for our swap! :)
What a chapter! I guess I say it of every chapter, but this one truly was intense! There's so much to think about and the emotions are so strong and your writing is always so good! Really, so wonderfully done!
The first scene... I'm still so sad about those children... but I love the idea of Harry and Ginny taking care of the little girl, it's so sweet that Harry wants to support her, the way James and Sirius did for Remus! I really want to see where that'll go! <3 And as always, I love the dynamic between Harry and Ginny, they just work so well together! <3
Molly's section was probably my favourite, the talk she had with the healer was so interesting to watch. The stigma of mental illness is so evident, in the way Molly perceives the healer's words almost as an attack and tells herself that she isn't crazy, and that moment when the healer makes her reflect on the fact that she wouldn't feel as guilty if she had a physical affliction... we just have those ideas ingrained in our systems, so it was interesting to see how the healer was forcing Molly to challenge them. I also really loved Molly's realization of how she's always lived in relation to others, never really centering herself. Which makes a lot of sense for her character, but it's probably not the healthiest thing... sometimes you need to put yourself first, which is another interesting thought. I also really, really loved the flashback to her first use of Cheering Charms (and interestingly, it was once again due to be strong for the people around her, so yeah, a big vicious circle), and the way the second war was much harder because she had less to keep her busy while the people around her were all much more involved... it is a lot to sustain... but I'm confident she's on the right path to healing now! <3
Hermione... poor girl... I can't blame her for her reaction, I can see how she would feel too scared, how she doesn't want to risk messing her parents' minds any worse... I do hope she'll accept to do the ritual once she'll calm down, though. She's gone all that way to find her parents, and I'm sure she can make it work, anyway! But I can see how it'd be scary... On the bright side of that section, I do find so hilarious Celeste's fangirlging! :P It's so funny to imagine all the Australian folks following the war as if it was a soap-opera :P But yes, it must have been so unnerving for Hermione... :P I also really love her dad! Poor man, he's so confused, but I like the way he's so enthralled by everything. :P And Dacelorisus gives such strong Dumbledore vibes! I just love this cast! :P
Back to Ginny and Harry! That flying scene was so awesome, too! I love the way you described the feeling, the freedom, the adrenaline... And, wow! Ginny almost told him! I wish she did, but also I'm glad that Harry didn't push her. I hope she'll find the courage/strenght to open up eventually, but for now I'm happy to see them supporting each other. And calling out each other's bullshit, too! Loved their deals! Let's see if they are able to keep them! :P "You want to fix what's wrong but you don't know where to begin. I guess I never thought how other people might feel the same." I loved this! I love their bond and how similar they are and how they can connect and understand each other.
Wonderful, wonderful chapter! And now I'll be eagerly waiting for an update! :P
Thank you so much for swapping!
Big snowball hug,
Chiara
Hi Dan, here for our swap.
It was nice to see Ron find a little comfort in this other flight. I understand Hermione's concern, but let's say I've always been more like Ron throughout the series and so I'm on his side, lol. But I appreciate Hermione's sense of safety and also fairness. She does seem to become more accepting after her peanut grass. Which, by the way, the cropping up of Ron's different ways of calling pinot grigio during their quite serious conversations just made me crack up. It was a brilliant little addition to the scene, and such fun thing for his character as well. I also liked their conversation, the way Hermione went a little deeper into her reasoning for the whole thing, and Ron could see a new perspective of things, something he probably never considered because he didn't need to.
Ginny and Harry visiting Dumbledore's vault was all sorts of exciting. I also couldn't wait to see what that man had locked away, and I thought your version of it was perfect. Just some significant key items and books, nothing too flashy and fancy, but also every single thing there holding its own meaning. I was personally touched by Dumbledore's letter, being, much like Harry (since we've read the series from his perspective) still a little in awe of Dumbledore, despire everything he's done and how problematic the things were. Ginny's account of it was both amusing, harsh and very sobering. I admire, though, that she respects the fact that for Harry it isn't as easy to just judge this man and condemn him because it's all a little more complex than that.
The Mirror of Erised was a very sad and fascinating scene, I loved your spin on it here. The fact that Ginny sees Harry in the mirror is lovely, and then it goes deeper, she sees him as a man who knows her darkest secrets and doesn't judge her for it, but loves her still, if not more. The sad thing here is that Ginny considers this an illusion, and it hurts her, while I genuinelly believe that the Harry in the Mirror is not that different from the real Harry. It was interesting, however, to see the Mirror become a little sinister. When Dumbledore described its addictive nature, it sounded like a problem of the people sitting in front of it. This angle, of the mirror dperforming its own little game of beckoning and manipulation is amazing and very believable. It brings back this notion that objects infused with powerful magic become a thing of their own, as if they need to feed on the witch or wizard in some capacity. It was very brilliant.
It was definitely fun to get Luna's perspective, lol. I love how she's still this person that is not particularly shocked by anything, and she doesn't judge, but also the way she says some things are not encessarily immediately going to make you feel better. I love that she has this intense level of neutrailty, allowing you space to just make up your own mind, BUT, at least you know that she doesn't judge you. I wish Ginny will start working towards dealing with her problems, though. She is an emotional ticking time bomb right now, her approach to her own sexuality has layers of unhealthiness to it, and while I know facing her trauma will be very painful, it's the only way to go.
Loved this chapter, Dan. You are an amazing writer.
Eli
Amazing chapter, Dan! Where to begin.
I think you just really nailed Molly here, it makes so much sense that her instintive interpretation of her situation is that she's being a burden on everyone. I mean, it's a human thing to feel and so is the difficulty accepting that mental health is on the same level of importance as physical health and safety and one shouldn't blame themselves for it -- but for Molly especially, it makes so much sense that she thinks it's just her needing to pull herself together and she's placing an undue burden on everyone by sitting around in a hospital.
It also made a ton of sense when she started contrasting her current experience with her experience during the first war -- how she hadn't broken down in this way back then because she was so busy, she was raising a huge family, there was always something to do. Whereas during a lot of the past year, most of her kids were grown and off doing things and she didn't have anyone to take care of or anything to really channel her energy into and bury her emotions under. She just had to sit around worrying and feel all of it.
Healer Nakamura is a gem, and that whole conversation was just done really well.
Hermione is facing a wildly stressful decision. I don't know what person could be expected to make a decision like this. She's a brilliant witch, but there's always the possibility of something going wrong with a dangerous, complicated spell (particularly one she's never had experience with) and she could literally just make her dad insane. That's wild. The risk is huge. (I wonder if this Dacelorisus took Ron instead of Hermione to meet with the elder first -- because he knew this would be a hugely upsetting truth for Hermione to process and didn't want her breaking down in front of the elder -- wanted Ron to hear it first and then convey it to her in a relatively more private setting.)
This last scene with Ginny and Harry was really beautifully done. The flying descriptions were amazing, and a great opportunity for some introspection by Ginny -- I love that, that she's able to sort through her thoughts while she's doing this very inherently risky, fast-paced activity -- not like she's just out for a little jog. And how she uses that experience to realize all the ways in which Harry is like her and that's why they're so well suited. I hated that she had to break down and close herself off again, but the thing is, they're closer to resolution than they were before, and that's something, and they're closer to each other than they were before, and that's definitely something. What Harry says at the end was just.... ahhh, perfect. It was gorgeous. Including the way you had him pull ahead of her and turn around so he really made her hold up and he was looking her square in the eye when he said it.
Can't wait for the next!
Melanie
Hi Dan, here for our swap!
Damn, I always struggle to begin these reviews because I never know where to begin, your chapters are so packed with action, the magical whimsy, amazing moments between characters that the most appropriate reaction to me always seems just so scream in excitement. But I will do my best to put my absolute enjoyment of this into actually coherent words, watch me go!
Harry and Ginny went to see the Titanic? That's so awesome. I am also assuming they went to see it at the theater which makes me insanely jealous at this point in time because like I honestly can't begin to guess when I'll be able to go to the cinema in the near future. Anyway, I loved their little banter about boys n' boobs, lol, and how Harry playfully chides her for not being very ladylike, haha, and of course Ginny barely cares about that, she is so blunt and to the point, I think that there is very little things she can actually keep away from people (like the vulnerable things, and her trauma) and just likes to say what's on her mind, and I like that about her. It's also interesting to see her clash a little with Harry about the Dursleys' thing. To her it seems so obvious that they should be punished, brought to their senses, shown the wrong of their ways, and it's so in character and understandable that she wants to fight for Harry, show him how much she cares and also make him realize how utterly horrible they were to him. Harry's more of a realist about the situation. He thinks that they will probably not see it any different, there have been people dropping hints to them (Arthur, Diggle) how awful they've ben to him and they never blinked. It's right of him to just want them out of his life completely. Perhaps if they'll ever come round, they can begin to make the effort at something (as I imagine Dudley might), but taking any sort of 'revenge' on them really seems like the last thing Harry gives a damn about. It was just an interesting little insight into their relationship dynamics, Ginny the fierce one, and Harry's more of a 'not really worth getting angry about this anymore'. Haha but I'm still totally high-fivng Ginny if she ever does hex them.
Your transitions from calm conversations into an action chase scene was very good, it was shocking, but like you handled it really smoothly and my head was spinning as we followed Ginny in pursuit of Harry and this other shady individual. I guess your summary hined at it already, I was less scared about Harry this time and more intrigued, I thought it was a very clever way how to get his attention and still remain mysterious and all that. Again, them bickering over what is stupider before entering the bar was so well-written and made me chuckle despite the high tension and suspense of the situation.
Oh my God and then when they go in, that was such exciting stuff. Like, again I knew that this was arranged and that they wouldn't be in like an IMMEDIATE and OBVIOUS danger, but just like Ginny, it made my skin crawl and I definitely felt uneasy in such a confined space underground, surrounded by a rather strange array of partying people doing all sorts of weird things in the first room. And then, wow, ok, we've heard very little of vampires in the actual HP universe and I love that you kind of unwrapped that box a little here, gave us a very intriguing character to deal with, and also introduced this entire backstory to how they exist and operate. My heart was full of many tings when Olah spoke about Remus and how he valued him, how they were much alike in many ways, and also his mention of living on the outskirts of society becuse of prejudice was a good way to remind us tha the Wizarding Society is still so full of flaws. Though it does pose the question of - do vampires want a different life, more out in the open? They're fascinating in that you don't really know what their true agenda is. Is it to live a normal life, like Remus the Werewolf, out in the open without prejudice, or is a life in secrecy, being unbothered more suited to them? I know you said you're not sure about bringing Olah back, but regardless this truly WAS a very interesting addition to the story and your world-building, and if you do bring him back, I'll be very excited and curious to know more about these vampires and how they exist and operate. The scene, writing-wise, was perfect. Tense, full of interesting new information and perspectives. I really loved reading every bit of it.
Aw, Neville and Luna temporarily moving in with Harry and Ginny is so great :D Luna's blunt comments about Neville missing the sex if they don't sleep in the same room had me laugh out loud, bless her. And then at that point, it turned quite dark again. I so adore Harry's earnestness in trying to learn about what his friends went through, trying to understand them. Neville's stories chill one to the bone, and of course Harry's main reason for asking is Ginny. Ah, now he knows that something definitely did happen and so they'll have to talk eventually. It's hard to say if his imagination will be capable of coming up with something worse than what was the actual reality, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that him knowing something happened, but not sure what exactly, might make things a bit difficult, because humans tend to assume and make conclusions and all sorts of things. So I definitely hope they'll get to talk about it soon, yet it seems like such a delicate thing, how do you even open a conversation like that without feeling you're deliberately hurting the other person? Tough stuff.
On another note, I am very amused by your last comment that there'll be more of Neville and Luna than Harry and Ginny bargained for, lol. I can't wait to see how this new living situation unfolds. Still, though, wonderful of Harry to take them in, though of course I'd expect nothing less of him.
A fantastic chapter Dan! You are such an amazing writer!
Eli
No complaints about the timing, just happy as always to see more from you. I will confess that I'm not as interested in Hermione and Ron on their own so I haven't been reading that half of the story in any detail, but I'm really enjoying everything going on with Harry and Ginny, and their interactions with other characters. I enjoyed the opening sequence a lot as a lighter moment between them, and the broom stuff was entertaining.
I am disappointed that we got close to Ginny finally addressing whatever the heck happened and then having a breakdown. The way you handled it was really nice Iandhas me hoping this will be the last time she teases it only to back away, but this did feel like you were just teasing the readers! ???? Overall it seems like she may finally be comfortable enough to share things. Just to put it down, even once you reveal the secret, I'm still interested in seeing more of these characters together. I'm not actually sticking around for the secret at all, except to see it finally addressed.
Thanks as always for the update! Looking forward to see what comes next.
Edit: Unfortunately this website is terrible and I've tried three times now to post this review with no success, and had to rewrite my whole review once. Do you post this on any other sites?
I am Ron and Ron is me when we travel by an aeroplane. Little pillows? So useless I want to burn them. The middle seat? Makes me want to kick everything around me. The air circulation? My sinuses need at least two days of recovering after that. Existential crisis and dread while suspended thousands of feet above ground? Yes. But all jokes aside, it makes so much sense THIS would be the moment he'd be trapped with his own thoughts, plus literally feeling physically restrained, I can easily imagine how the anxiety would just build up. Plus, they're going into a foreign country on the other side of the world, into a lot of uncertainty. Add that with Ron's usual security, but also now his new self-awareness and struggle to grow up and mature as quickly as possible, no wonder mypoor boi is thisclose to having a panic attack. He's so earnest at the same time, though, looking at Hermione and just loving her with his every thought. I live for them! <3
Lol, Ginny's quick assumptions about Ron are peak sibling energy. Poor Harry had to take, what was it, five attempts to cut in and tell her Ron actually tried to help. And her first reaction is to be suspicious? :D I'm glad she listened. I don't blame Ginny for acting out at all. I think that in addition with her own deep and terrible trauma, one that she's not even beginning to process properly, she struggles with the sudden transition from being a child into an adult. So yeah, sometimes she has these flared childish tendencies, though maybe I'm wrong for calling them childish. I think she's just trying to be her own person, find her own footing, show everyone she is not, in fact, a child, and that's hard work even for some adults in their damn late twenties, not to mention someone as young as her.
You know, the way you write and describe the love between these characters feels so real to me. The romance and the complex emotions underlying it is so good in this story, I love being swept into it all. Because generally speaking I guess Harry and Ginny are both so young, maybe too young to be ready for a relationship of this magnitude, same goes for Hermione and Ron, but the experience they've all lived through is so out of the ordinary that they definitely and believably can experience this love like this, and not be wrong about it, too. Harry and Ginny are already thinking of a future together, looking for ways how to make it work for the both of them, they both take the other's needs into consideration, and here we're again at a point where these kids suddenly show this great level of maturity. I always knew that Ginny would understand Harry's desire to be an Auror, and not stand in his way, even though it scares her. It's just she gets him. Even if she doesn't always agree with him, she just GETS him, and I think that means the world to Harry. Ugh, these two also make me go completely flutter hearted.
And THEN you attack me with the Neville - Luna feels, and these two make me completely SOFT. I'm so happy I get to read about them in this fic, and I wonder what happens eventually to set them on different paths, but for now I am content with the comfort they give one another, the soothing soft love I feel blooming between them, and just...ugnjdggdmg (yes, I know, it seems this is the only way I know how to finish a review these days).
Love love love this so much!
Eli for Team Snow Fox
Are you kidding? It was plenty fun to read! I was at the edge of my seat, especially when that duel was happening, which had completely blindsided me. I am so dumb I'd have never seen through fake Kingsley, I was only thinking to myself, sheesh, why is he so rude?
Ron talking to his mum...aah, my heart, that was so sweet. I actually imagine him having quite a close relationship with Molly, even though maybe it died down a little during his Hogwarts and teenage years. But I think maybe when he was little he'd come to her for advice and comfort more than once, and now he's sort of doing the same, though gently he also doesn't want to wake her, because he's scared to face the real Molly right now, the broken one with a heart torn to shreds. And I totally understand that. Every time I think of what it must be like in her head, my heart just breaks. And Arthur too, but he just seems so much more level headed, having an important job and task to preform, able to focus on that and bury the emotions somewhere deep, while Molly's emotions literally exploded from her.
As I said, the duel was written so well, great descriptions and pace, I was initially very shocked and then worried and then pleased to see my beautiful kids still kicking ass. Also, Ron protecting Hermione at every turn was so bloody brilliant.
Ok ok ok, my new favorite part from everything is the beginning of Proudfoot and Harry's new mentor-student relationship. She's a bit like Snape when it comes to him, only, you know, a kind person probably, somewhere underneath the hard exteriro. i really enjoyed her absolute distaste at having this Crazy Boy Who Lived being assigned to her, I am already super stoked and curious to see how these two will work together. Something tells me it will be a very amusing but also interesting ride. I do really really like this character so far.
Omg, can't believe that Hermione and Ron literally had to just dash off to the aeroport with only the briefest of goodbyes, I'm honestly so weirded out by the fact that they're going to be separated now from Harry O.O Though he'll probably be busy with this new Auror training!
Yay, what a nice glimpse into Neville and Luna's relationship. Although maybe nice isn't the right word, since his Gran is being a bit mean about Luna :/ I was glad to see Neville taking a stand against her. It's nice he still loves his gran and wants to remain respectful, but he deserves some respect in return. Plus neither him nor Luna are doing anything wrong. She literally has nowhere to go and I'm honestly surprised Augusta can't show more grace, though perhaps she's just worried, maybe she judges Luna too much because of her father's actions. And after all, even though Augusta seems to be this badass character, she's also a little bit of a hypocrite, as we've seen in canon with the whole I-failed-charms-therefore-they-are-useless. Hopefully she just needs more time to come around.
As I said, this was a great great chapter, full of action, interesting new character appearances, and awesome dialogues. Looking forward to more!
Eli
Team Snow Foxes
I have tears in my eyes, damn. This last moment between Ron and his dad was brilliant, gosh, i loved it so much. I've always loved Arthur because he just seems so...understanding and compassionate. He is always trying to understand, never condemn or judge or make assumptions. He's the fairest of them all and I love him. Hearing him tell Ron he's proud of him made my soul sing and also it almost made me cry. And he's right, too. Seeing Ron speaking on Ginny and Harry's behalf was very touching. We know he himself has been a bit uncomfortable about the living situation and first and ofc also the fact that she's young and basically just moved in with her boyfriend after a very traumatic time and experience. It's not normal, but none of them really are normal, and so their needs are very different as well, and Ron I guess takes after his dad in UNDERSTANDING. So my boi Ron is just the best <3 !
And then that beginning, between Bill and George, such a small, brief glimpse, but heavy with emotion and the exhaustion Bill was feeling almost weighed on me , too, and this line is so real when you're facing someone who's really hurting:
He didn't want to say too much. He didn't want to not say enough. George wasn't the only one who didn't know where to begin
Yeah, George has a long long way ahead of him, and it hurtssss me to think of it even :'(
I am very intrigued by these new bequeaths of Dumbledore's. What more does this man have hidden up his sleeve? Also, the attack sounds terrible and very sinister. What has it been? Days? I guess this was to be expected, dark forces never sleep. Off to read more!
Eli
PS: lol i loved Hermione fuming at the apparition tests, that was so in-character for her.
There's so much I love about this chapter I don't even know where to begin. Harry's conversation with Doge was magnificent to follow, just because both characters were so perfectly executed and even the nature of their conversation was fascinating. I loved Harry in this, and you perfectly pulled of showing us a reason why Albus took Harry to convince Slughorn to become Professor, then later to retrieve the memory from him, and now Kinglsey took Harry to move Doge. It's the same reason Harry was able to pry the secret out of Helena Ravenclaw. He, much like Kingsley or Albus himself, has a certain natural affinity to read people and to feel which words can sway them which way. The cool thing is he never does it to manipulate them in an exploitative way, he always has a genuine reason, maybe that's why it works so well. I mean, going back to him being an Auror in the future, I think he will be perfect in interrogations.
Loved all Doge's insights into the politics, and Harry's own observations and ideas. In a way, it felt like Doge had found a new partner to discuss everything, Harry is almost his Albus now, and this will reignite his passion for politics perhaps.
I also shuddered when Kingsley told Harry that there will most definitely be another Dark Lord somewhere down the road, and what horror it brought into Harry's eyes. Yeah, it's hard to think that world will never be perfect, and Harry's thoughts on that, 'was magic a gift or curse' is a very valid and fascinating question.
Ron and Hermione having a bath was so fun and sweet. I love that Hermione's enjoying herself and finds the positive sides to sexuality, understands that it can be a beautiful moment of intimacy and connection between two people, and that if there is mutual love and respect, it can't be degrading. Poor Ron just needs to know when to bite his tongue so he won't keep ruining the mood, lol. Though it was nice to see her work through her exasperation and not be angry, but still I appreciate she was open with him and reminded him that when he's with her he's not in a damn locker room. So here's to hoping they'll have a better morning. Agh, can't believe they're actually leaving to Australia and will leave Harry behind, though I imagine he'll be plenty busy with....everything. And after all, I AM EXCITED to see them navigate not only travelling together (which can put the strongest couples through huge tests and trials lol) but also finding Hermione's parents and dealing with that situation.
I love love love losing myself in this story and enjoying both the emotional journeys the characters are going on, as well as the background happenings and plot of post-war Wizarding Society.
Eli for Team Snow Fox
Ron's struggle with dealing with highly sad and emotional situations really got to me, and yet he always pulls through, even if it hurts him. It was devastating to see Molly like that, yet understandable. The inevitable weakness that comes after the outburst of emotion after losing a child seems fitting for her right now, being subdued by medication, and I just hope that after a long deep sleep, she'll be able to wake up on the other side and find perhaps a little more of her strength bit by bit. I almost sobbed when Ron made the observation about how palpable the absence of her strong voice was, how strange. And the softness with which she spoke to him, how she was glad he and Hermione were together, even though maybe in the moment she didn't quite comprehend or process it, but I feel that somewhere deep down she has.
I laughed at your final author's note and indeed there was a lot of underwear in this chapter, but it all cracked me up, especially Ron's commentary on briefs, and also it was highly amusing watching our young war heroes be flabbergasted by under garments, it creates this intense contrast of the realities of their lives - they have faced death and lost friends and lived through horrors, and now suddenly they're in some kind of a 'normal' limbo world, discovering mundane every day stuff like buying socks, and it's subtle but quite poignant for them as well as they slowly begin to readjust.
HAHAHA, zip up, mate, nice bra, hermione, so busted! I love it.
I liked the little bit about Kingsley knowing how to addess Ginny to placate her. No wonder this man's the Minister, he knows how to deal with people, he's respectable, but also he does what he's gotta do, and right now that's asking Harry for help, I guess. I'm a little nervous about that myself, so I'm not surprised both Ginny and Hermione react so extremely to it. Curious to see what this Elphias Doge silence is about! Great chapter, Dan. :)
Eli for team Snow Foxes
Hi Dan! It's been way too long!
I guess I have been a little worried about reading that triggering scene, but I have to say you've handled it very well. The plunge into Ginny's nightmare was awful and disturbing, but written so well that I could feel the fear and panic turned absolute horror before Ginny woke up :( But you truly and really won me over with writing with great sensitivity and delicacy about all Ginny's feelings in the aftermath of her nightmare. Not only did it seem very realistic, also her interaction with Harry had both very sad and very sweet moments. I was glad he was there for her without being pushy about getting answers. Of course Ginny's determination to keep this a secret forever isn't healthy, but at this stage, so soon after, plus all the end-of-war bullshit that's been going on, it's clear she's not ready yet to deal with it, and that she needs to heal a little more before she can openly face it.
It also makes sense that even though being traumatised from her previous horrible sexual encounter, she still feels desire and attraction to Harry, especially because he doesn't look at her like she's meat, or something to exploit and degrade, but there is a love in his eyes and gentle yearning, and so she can focus on that and find in it some comfort.
I'm glad Hermione eased off on the lecturing a bit and they had this conversation. They're so young and still discovering a lot of things about sex and love, and it's just so good to have a soul that understands you, and can laugh about intimate things with you. I laughed at that comment of Ginny's saying 'he can tell the difference between aaaah and owwww', lol.
The scene with Kingsley was very interesting to read, this inside look from the Ministry and what situation they're in right now. It was touching that Kingsley keeps Albus' picture in his office and sort of...looks to it for some advice, or just to get things off his chest. And even if he doesn't know Harry all that much, I think he understands him more than so many others would presume they do. I liked this train of thought of his:
It was a bit harsh, but it did capture Potter's well-known history of finding trouble. Or perhaps it was trouble's history of finding Potter
It reminds me of when poor Harry himself said, I don't go looking for trouble, trouble usually finds me. Well, sure, but Kingsley's right about Harry just springing into action without much logical preparation, lol. That's why I've always found him becoming an Auror a bit weird, for exactly all the reasons you've stated here - the work of an Auror is really way more meticulous planning and observation and investigation than just duelling, and having this level of patience is never something I'd associate with Harry, lol, but I guess we can all change and grow and learn, so I'm excited to read about your take on how this transformation took place. Part of me still hopes he became a DADA teacher, lol, not over this :D
Really looking forward to the next chapter, I really need to know how Molly is doing <3
Eli for team Snow Foxes
Officially up to date! Yay! :D
(Hi, again, Dan! Here for the fairyland reviewing event! :P)
"Hermione fought on the good side. She's... brilliant. Incredible, really. We never could have won the war without her." / "You're crazy about her, aren't you?" Oh, yes, he so is! :D That was exactly my thought when Ron said that! And honestly, this closing is so cute, I loved it so much! :D And I'm so, so grateful that Ron managed to convince Wendell! I mean, I guess sharing the little details helped, a bit like how Hermione convinced him to go with her in the last chapter! It makes a lot of sense, because it would make him feel like he's not making it all up in his head. It must be so hard, having all this glimpses of memories but being unable to put them together. But hopefully it'll all work out!
Although, really, Ron had the worst timing there! Well, it wasn't really a question of timing, but you scared me for a minute with all the drama there! :O
Other side note, I loved Ron's thoughts seeing the gym, so amusing!!! :P Those crazy muggles, pedaling on a bycicle that won't take them anywhere... :P
Back to the start... I loved the conversation with Olah! I'm finding these vampires more and more fascinating! And I found so amusing how he chastised Harry for his rush and lack of manners... :P
The children werewolves... :( that bit was so, so heartbreaking! It's really horrifying, but I'm so glad that they were rescued and I hope they'll get well cared of! And, oh my, little "Harry Potter" was so, so adorable! And yes, Harry does have a natural talent, but I love that he met up with Mrs Weasley, he couldn't have found anyone better to take care of the little girl! That whole sequence was so emotional, I just really, really want to know that all those children will be okay! But as always, you wrote it all so, so well! <3
Btw... "Why don't we just call in the Beasts Division?" Auror Cheshire approached them from Kingsley's far side. In one hand, he was carrying an assortment of evidence bags while the other kept his wand warily positioned between him and the children. He had the look of a man who worried that he might stick to anything he came into contact with. "Save us all some time and paperwork." / "They aren't beasts, Agnar." In spite of the cacophony, Harry found it easy to pick out the Minister's words. They were quiet, but imbued with an unmistakable anger. The smug grin fell away from the senior Auror's face. "They are children. And we will treat them as such. Do I make myself clear?" Did I mention recently that I love Kingsley? Because I do! He's truly awesome, I'm a big fan!
Also, other side note, I'm very excited about Harry learning to send messages via Patronus! That's really cool! :D
I do wonder how Ginny will react when he gets home, and to what Harry will recount her... I missed Ginny a little in this chapter... :P
This was absolutely stunning! I loved, loved, loved it! Please, let me know when you update again, because I'm really looking forward to more! :D
Huge snowball hug,
Chiara
Hello, again, Dan! :)
Still here for the fairyland event (and to see what happened next)! ;)
And, well, such a great chapter you have here, again! It's so full and so exciting!
I'm so glad that Hermione has managed to find her father! You had me almost in tears with their encounter, it was so emotional and written so, so well! Poor Hermione, she must've felt so overwhelmed. And her father, feeling so shocked and confused about everything... but he's willing to trust her, at least for now, and I have a feeling that maybe a solution to reversing the memory charm will come up, from what happened with Dacelorisus (sorry if I'm jumping up and down) so... I'm hopeful? Maybe I'll find out more in the next chapter... :P (amost caught up! Yay! :D)
Moving on to the next section... typical Ministry move, taking it out on the other magical creatures just to show that they are in control... Kingsley is a great diplomat, although I almost wished he would just tell Fawley to sod off... I must admit that I wasn't quite sure about Kingsley and Harry's non-conversation, but it sort of made sense in the last bit with Ginny and Luna. I love how you manage to weave everything together, I can tell there's some careful planning in your work and I'm a little bit envious, to be honest... :P Anyway, I'm loving everything so much! :D
Speaking of Luna... I had almost forgot that she was still there... :P (are she and Neville going to leave for their world tour soon?) But I love how wise she is! Again, you write all your characters so well! And it's nice to see how good of a friend she is for Ginny (and viceversa). The closing line sounded a bit ominous... I hope Ginny will open up to Harry about the things that are traumatizing her soon...
Back to Ron. I'm so glad he isn't in that much trouble, after all! I guess he was lucky he was caught by Dacelorisus' folks and not by the actual authorities. :P "I... don't want you to take this the wrong way," he began cautiously, "but... does every old, powerful wizard have a secret group of followers who go about fighting the forces of darkness and so forth?" Okay, maybe not super polite (such a Ron thing to say) but he's not wrong either? :P Dacelorisus did sound a bit like the Australian version of Dumbledore, in all honesty! :P
And Celeste!!! Ahahah! It amuses me so much that Australians (or at least some of them) followed the British war as if it was a soap opera! :P I love how excited she was about meeting her heroes! :D I was a little surprised about the fact that the events of the war weren't that well known outside of the UK, but it actually makes a lot of sense, since it wouldn't really affect other countries and continents that much. Anyway, it was all so cool!
Now the big question is, will Hermione manage to convince her father? Will the ritual work? Is everything going to work out in the best way? I hope so, but you might have more tricks up your sleeve... I'll see you on the next chapter and find out more soon, anyway! ;)
Snowball hug,
Chiara
Oh, no! You didn't! :O
I should've known that Ron was walking into a trap, and now I really need to rush to the next chapter very soon to see exactly in how much trouble he is... and Hermione as well... did they catch her, too? Or maybe she's going to find her father? I'm worried and excited at the same time to see what happens now!
I always, always love how you write their relationship, btw! You just capture them and their dynamic so well! I feel so bad for Hermione, she's clearly so stressed out and it's completely understandable. But I also feel so bad for Ron, who's getting all of her frustration and rage when he's only trying to do his best to help. But also, I think it was kind of amusing how their roles were suddenly reversed, and he wanted to plan things out while she wanted to just act. "I sound exactly like you." The words tumbled from both of their tongues simultaneously. Ron took half a step back and stared at the ceiling, feeling gobsmacked. Hermione's eyebrows shot up and she looked alarmed. I just loved this bit so much!
Harry with his Auror training... :P they don't go too easy on it, do they? Can't blame Ginny for being a bit irked about it all... :P
"No, only a hopelessly noble tosser does that," I wonder if she was referring to someone in particular... :P
I've never had much sympathy towards Lucius Malfoy, but I did feel bad for poor Draco here... I hope they won't be too harsh on him. Of course Narcissa would be the one doing the bargaining. She definitely is the most far-sighted of the family. ;)
The duelling session (and all the banter accompanying it) was so much fun to read! I just love how Harry and Ginny work together, it's so cool to watch, you write them so well! :D I also really enjoy the finding of the signet ring was so interesting, too, and I wonder if it'll have any meaning later on. Also, interesting how Orion Black didn't really trust Voldemort. I liked that detail!
Cutting this a bit short, sorry, but I have a lot of reviewing that needs to be done and I want to catch up with this and especially to see what happens to Ron!
See you in a little bit!
Chiara
For the fairyland review event
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