Name: Vilja (Signed) · Date: 20 Jun 2017 11:55 AM · For: Companion

I think we share a love for minor characters, I so love the idea to write about Garrick Ollivander, I mean he is such a central figure, yet we know so little about him.

Also I think your story has apparent connection to our real life, forests and wildlife disappearing is a serious problem. This story feels like a fairy-tale, so magical (also above the magical world we know from Harry Potter), so positive. I love the idea that Bowtruckles were bonded with the Ollivanders, it makes perfect sense that they would gain part of their knowledge this way. I also love the little snippets you give us about the Bowtruckle’s knowledge, that the trees are different (how trivial, yet never pointed out) and that they absorb what is near to them – they are living beings after all! I also like that Bowtruckles have a different name for themselves, it emphasises how people don’t understand their language and knowledge.

Actually it bothered me a little that I did no know what vox ligna was, and even if you give the translation in the end notes, I’m not sure I know what it does (if it is a spell known for wizardkind, if it is something exclusive for the Ollivanders and the Bowtruckles) so you could have maybe given some more details on that.

 

Your story as always has a wonderful style, at some times I felt that the dialogue was too simple, but I guess that’s just because I’m used to your perfectly fitting descriptions.

Author's Response:

Howdy! Thanks for the R&R!

Name: Dojh167 (Signed) · Date: 15 Jun 2017 02:36 AM · For: Companion

Omg, little Ollivander is so precious. So much inevitable wisdom in such a tiny little package. I want to hug it.

You’ve done a really good job with details here. I like when Garrick goes into his father’s study and notes the absence of books on the desk. The context you give there tells us a lot about both of the characters and their world.

Wow, Garrick had a really intense upbringing. The way his father talks to him is so intense and formal. It makes sense that he would be trained from a young age, but I still want my little wisdom package to get hugs.

I do like that the directions specify both Garrick’s favorite path and favorite alders. Those details create a more gentle familiarity between the two, and show that Garrick takes genuine pleasure in his odd upbringing.

Haha, I love that Garrick considers this is a diversion because his father forgot to wrap his gift.

Wow, good point that Garrick knows more about wandlore than most people do in their lives and he doesn’t even have his own wand yet.

Aw, the parallels between Garrick and Wyldreek are really cute and interesting.

Wow, what an original take on bowtruckles! I had never considered they would be anything like that.

Sam.

Author's Response:

Howdy Sam! It's only been two years since you left this so I decided that it was probably time for me to respond. >_<

 

I'm glad you enjoyed the story. It was a weird one, trying to do this for an old HPFF House Cup, but this was the idea I came up because I wanted it to be a sort of miniature origin story for both Ollivander and the bowtruckles who, at the time anyway, didn't really have one. Truth be told there are a myriad of weird such stories (not about bowtruckles) on my AP so it seems that stuff like this just pops into my brain. :p

 

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

 

Name: Stella Blue (Signed) · Date: 16 May 2017 01:00 AM · For: Companion

*Transferred from HPFF*

 

Hello there! I'm glad to finally read something of yours, especially as you wrote about Ollivander, who is one of the most minor of minor characters, and I love minor characters. And what a cute story too, about the special covenant between a wandmaker and a bowtruckle, sharing the knowledge of the trees. It had this kind of old-magic feel to it, what with the talking animals and the focus on cooperation/understanding with each other and with nature. Also, it really helps explain just how Ollivander had this fantastic ability to remember everything about every wand ever, which always seemed like a very peculiar skill to have - but perhaps Wyldreek has taught him some sort of wisdom of nature :P

I must commend you on writing young Ollivander as well - sometimes it can be difficult to write kids convincingly but I thought this was good. One of the best ways you showed his age was how Ollivander didn't question the fact that animals could talk to him, and just had a conversation with a bowtruckle :P

This was a lovely story and I'm glad I read it! Great work on it!

House Cup 2014 Review

Author's Response:

Thanks for transferring this, Kristin!

Name: victoria_anne (Signed) · Date: 14 May 2017 10:32 AM · For: Companion

Hey Kevin! I just couldn't resist a story with a title like this.

I love little Ollivander! Calling him by his first name makes him seem more like a real character, as weird as that probably sounds. I love the idea of a Bowtruckle giving advice and knowledge of the woods to make wands from. The name Wyldreek is beautiful too. Much better than Pickett, which is what this reminds me of :P

This is so creative and wonderfully original, I really enjoyed it :)

Author's Response:

Howdy again, Bianca! It seems you've gone for my more unique stories (IMO anyway...others can be the judge of how unique they really are :P), but I very much appreciate it because like with the other, I'm never quite sure about them.

 

Less so than wandlore, wand MAKING has been something of a fascination of mine in the series. I've always been of the belief that theoretically, anyone who knew the process could make wands and thus you wonder how the Ollivander family attains such longevity. Thinking about that, and knowing how bowtruckles are said to guard trees good for making wands with, I thought it would be a cool fusion to add clearer sentience to them and have them be the reason they're so able to differentiate themselves from other wandmakers.

 

Thanks again!