Name: RonsGirlFriday (Signed) · Date: 29 Dec 2019 09:24 AM · For: Immeasurable

Wow wow wow, this is gorgeous - Marauders at their finest, so breathtakingly sad, but strangely uplifting in its nostalgia.

 

I am a real sucker for stories exploring the recently departed's reception in the afterlife, whatever that may be as you envision it in your fic. This is just as touching a story as I could ever imagine, and so thoughtfully and richly done. I love especially the lack of perfection here - while James and Sirius have manifested as their youthful selves, it's clear that this life is far from idyllic and has its own challenges and worries. There is an overtone of sadness and worry here, as these souls have to watch their loved ones struggle in life.

 

I also really like how you have highlighted James as the protector - that is how I like to envision him, for all his Marauding and goofiness and arrogance, he is a leader, and not unlike his son after him he had great burdens heaped upon him at a young age and he rose to the occasion because he loved his friends and family.

 

The dialogue is engaging, warm, funny where appropriate, but subtle. The repetition at the end of "for old times' sake" is just fantastic. I just want to cry and smile at the same time. Amazing.

 

Melanie

Author's Response:

Howdy!

 

Thanks a zillion for the review! I'm sorry it's been three months before I saw and responded - I've been garbage at replying to reviews for a while now - but I'm trying to get better. Anyway, I am really glad you found the tone of the piece well done here. That is exactly what I was going for was sort of that these friends are all still together, but they it's not all sunshine and rainbows - they are still looking down, waiting for the ones they love to join them. I definitely also wanted to try - the best I could anyway - to keep the Marauders themselves in-character even under the circumstances. They'd all have taken on a little more serious tone than they had in life (or as we see them in fic), but are still themselves. This is a particularly somber moment because of their core is coming back to them and while there's a need for a help adjusting there's also a welcoming. I always imagine Remus's return to (a) have even more struggle as Tonks follows soon after and (b) even though he needs his FRIENDS now, he'll need James AND Lily in particular because they can understand what it's like to come here and leave your infant child behind.

 

One again, thanks for stopping by - I really appreciate it!

Name: TreacleTart (Signed) · Date: 05 Dec 2018 06:16 PM · For: Immeasurable

Hey Kevin!

 

 

I'm here to leave a review for the Gryffindor Red Vs. Gold Review Battle for December 2018! Go team red!

 

 

This was a very bittersweet piece. On one hand we get to see James, Sirius, and Lupin finally reunited. On the other hand, Lupin has just died and been separated from his family. I can't imagine how difficult it must've been for him to know he'd left his son without a father. It's sadder still because he doesn't know Tonks is dead yet, so I imagine he'll feel worse when he knows Teddy is an orphan. 

 

 

I'm glad at least that James and Sirius (and eventually Lily) are there to cushion the blow for him. I know it doesn't fix the problem, but at least they've been through what he's going through and will help him adjust.

 

 

I really loved the idea of them playing exploding snap to kill time. It's a nice throwback to their youth. I thought the snapping for knits to bet was cute too.

 

 

I have to say that I don't really believe in dead loved ones looking down from heaven, but I can see why it's an appealing thought. At least if Lupin can't be physically with Teddy as he grows, he can be there in spirit. I like how James was explaining that you can feel it when they need you or want you to see something.

 

 

Little do they all know that they'll be seeing Harry soon, but not necessarily in the fashion they imagined. I wonder how that is for Lily and James. Do they want Harry to keep living because he's young...or do they want him to die and be with him?

 

 

Lovely job on this! It's a very nice missing moment.

 

 

~Kaitlin

Author's Response:

Howdy Kaitlin!

 

I am here for the review response spree of early 2019! First off - thanks for the review! It was detailed and thoughtful as always. With the story, I had to look back and see what I wrote it for to be honest and I have no idea was that prompt was. Maybe I should take that part of the summary off... :p

 

Anyway, as you know I'm a big Marauders fan so when given the opportunity I wanted to explore a little bit of how they might interact in the afterlife - and in the short window of time (because I'm just saying he died first) before Tonks was tossed into the mix. Them being husband and wife and all I wanted to see what this dynamic would be without that complication. I also wanted to set it in a calm, obvious setting rather than go the road of the foggy, mysterious, or heavenly/hellish place. Though I didn't wind up developing it at all here, that's part of my thinking that the afterlife may - for the "good" souls anyway - be a reflection of their world, but without strife after settling. A place to reunite with loved ones, but not all shining light and paradise as far as a setting goes.

 

I definitely wanted to bring back the familiarity of their youth though. I don't recall if I addressed their appearances specifically, but I imagine people appearing "in their prime" if you will, their best image of themselves as adults if grown. I chose exploding snap as the game because I imagined it hearkening back to their days in the dorms and as a simple game they could all play together.

 

Anyway, I really appreciate the review! Thanks for reading this little old nugget!

Name: Vilja (Signed) · Date: 20 Jun 2017 05:03 AM · For: Immeasurable

I love Tonks/Lupin, so checked out this story with great expectations. Then I see Tonks is only in the summary, so this was totally unexpected, but I still liked it very much!

The summary gives away something of what’s going to happen, but I think you did perfect to just tease the readers to be guessing about what’s going to happen. So, we are at the forest scene (with the resurrection stone), but then the story starts with a transformation (would it be a transformation to be “called back” with the stone? Comparing the werewolf transformation to dying (the transition from life to death) is also an ingenious idea, and your descriptions make it perfectly believable. “Rather than struggling with what had happened, it all came rather naturally.” I love this line!

 

It is really heart warming that they are all looking down at Harry when he approaches the Forbidden Forest to give up his life. It is good to think that moments after this story all of them will appear and talk to Harry. “"She's not in. Felt she needed to get some fresh air given what might be coming."” This is such an everyday sentence and yet saying so much!

 

Your description of James and Lily’s home in the third paragraph really gave me the feeling of actually being there. It all feels so real, the way Lupin remembers old times, the way he recalls James and Lily’s reaction to the wedding gift.

 

 

This was a short story with not so much happening throughout, but as it fits to what is told in the books, I think that’s totally fine!

Author's Response:

Sorry it's taken so long to respond to this, Vilja, but I very much appreciate this review!

 

I'm typically someone who includes a ship tag if it's a relevant part of a character's story even if both parties to the ship aren't actually present (or one (1) is reflecting on it). I'm glad you enjoyed what the story turned out to be though - I definitely think over time that the afterlife would have become more "normal" to all involved and that the characters would fall back into their more typical behavior. It's something that they very much want to welcome Remus to, but also of course have to treat him a bit differently because he hasn't adjusted and because they've seen what he's been through and deeply understand it - perhaps James most of all. I'm glad you found it immersive too.

 

Thanks again for sharing your feedback!