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This chapter especially touched my science nerd's heart. I really loved the description of AQA-913 and am incredibly envious of Lily (first time I've felt compelled to say anything like that while reading this story haha) because that really must be such a spectacular view. I Googled Gliese 876 after reading this chapter and omfg, that is one pretty planet. Ugh. I also googled TRAPPIST-1g and I think that it was sort of the perfect pick for Balthazar; the blues and greens sort of it make it look ~mysterious~. Hehe. I appreciate all the research you've clearly done—it really does make the story even better, especially now that I have concrete ideas of what the planets look like :)
I'm honestly in love with Celeste. I really love her work ethic, her intelligence, her humor (her bad puns! She's a woman after my own heart haha). I think I mentioned this in my review for the previous chapter, but her speech in this chapter sort of affirmed what I'd thought: she'd be such a good influence for Lily, helping her discover exactly what her passion is.
I also really like the social commentary woven into this chapter in particular, because it really is true, black women don't have as many opportunities in science and are grossly underrepresented. I'm glad that you didn't shy away from that at all and instead confronted it perfectly. I love that Lily is so aware of everythng that she's been given, too—her acknowledgement of her privileges make me love her even more. Ugh. Lily and Celeste are really my OTP now. Love them <333 (Marta who? :P)
Really, this fic is so real, despite its crazy premise. I love it so much. Every chapter is so fun to read, with all the drama and the melancholy and now, the camraderie; this lull in action is really nice because I have a chance to get to know the other characters and fall in love with them—and so far, I'm really loving the rest of the crew.
Thanks for another delightful chapter! <3
Author's Response:Aaah, I love that you actually looked up these planets! Just for that, I'm glad I used an existing planet and didn't just make one up :P And I love that you think TRAPPIST-1g/Balthazar looks mysterious :D
And I'm so happy that you love Celeste. And you're right, she is driven and focused in a way Lily is not but seems to be searching for that passion, in a way, and I love that you picked up on that :)
Thank you for saying the social commentary is well woven into the chapter! That was something I felt was so, so important to include (especially as a scientist myself, and often seeing a lack of diversity in the field). I'm so happy to hear that you thought the issues were confronted well and that you liked Lily's reaction.
It's wonderful to hear that you think this fic seems real, as well. I know on a large scale it's very out there - spaceships and magic and interdimensional travel - and so the fact that it is relatable despite all of that is such a compliment. And I'm thrilled that you're enjoying the lull in action and getting to know the crew.
Thank you so much for your review! ♥♥
OK, so the starting of this chapter really reminded me why I love Lily so much. After all the emotional events of the past month for her, she has still retained her marvelous wit which never fails to make me laugh. This line in particularly had me giggling: "It’ll take some adjusting to, particularly my sense of balance, but I have always preferred odd numbers to even numbers, so I can’t complain." She's full of positivity, which makes Lily even more likable. I also really liked the bit about how she feels like a leech because she's used to working hard to make sure that she earns everything that she gets. Like... what a doll. (And that sentiment, in particular, has a lot of Harry and Ginny in it, which is nice to see!)
I love Alex—they're so funny, and that sort of humor is really nice to have considering how emotional the prevous chapter was. I also think that though the band itself may not have been amazing, Defenestration is a wonderful name for a band, haha :D
I also really liked the bit about Sierra and Eric playing chess and the quip that wizarding chess isn't really that different from regular chess (which is so true; I always thought that wizarding chess was invented because wizards are really dramatic and really lazy hahaha).
Also, I appreciated Fatima's background because that is a really realistic thing especially for Arab/Middle Eastern girls. I think that's a nice touch of realism and just another way that this story is super inclusive, which I appreciate a lot :)
My little shipper heart thought that the interaction between Celeste and Lily was literally the cutest thing ever. I love Celeste so much—she is bold and intelligent and obviously caring, and I think that she'd be really good for Lily as someone who knows exactly what she wants to do with her life, and can be a really supportive figure as Lily herself tries to figure out what she wants to do with her life.
In general, the camraderie in this chapter made me smile so much :) I loved learning about the other characters, and am super curious to see what happens when they reach Balthazar. Wonderful chapter as always! <3
Author's Response::P I'm glad you enjoy Lily's wit (and that particular line). And I love that you see a lot of Harry and Ginny in the sentiment that Lily doesn't want to skate by without properly earning her stay.
Yay, I'm thrilled to hear that you like Alex and that you think their humor is refreshing. yeah, this fic is a bit of a rollercoaster sometimes :P Bahaha, thanks - defenestration is one of my favorite words XD
Wizards are sooo dramatic. And like... I don't think they use a wand for playing chess, so I didn't see any reason a Muggle couldn't play wizard chess if they had access to it. I do wonder, though, if the chess pieces can tell, and if they get snarky if they have to play for a Muggle. The things I wonder about...
Thank you, it's great to hear that you appreciate the realism of Fatima's background and that you consider this story super inclusive! ♥
I love your thoughts about Celeste and Lily. :D (I always get so happy when people ship them - especially as fast as you did haha)
And I'm thrilled that you liked learning about the other crew members and that you like the dynamic on board! Thanks so much for another amazing review!!
Okay so I really liked that Zacharias Smith is the reporter, I think that's befitting of his role as a kind of skeptic. This is just another example of how interesting and smart your alternate universe is because all the characters' alterante lives really befit their personalities and show such interesting insights about their personalities. Really, it's fascinating to read.
Meeting Iris again gave me such nostalgia for the first few chapters of this fic where everything was simple and easy for Lily. I really like that Iris's personality hasn't changed that much in the alternate universe and I think that harkens back to one of the central themes I've seen emerging: what parts of someone's personality are inherent and which parts are influenced by their environment. It seems like Iris's goodness is inherent (and Marta's selfishness is also inherent), which is really nice.
I loved that Lily trusts Celeste already. I already ship them hard haha... Celeste just seems like such a good person unlike some people (-coughs- Marta -coughs). AND I didn't mention this in the previous chapter, but I love that she's the captain of the ship, rather than some guy. Yay for women in power~
The flashback to Hogwarts made me conflicted again with Marta. I still hate her for her selfishness and for ratting Lily out to the Ministry—but at the same time, I admire how she stands up for her friends. She is really a complicated character and I hate her but I also... don't? I don't know. I think that she's possibly an example of how much environment can affect her; without Lily and Iris's stablizing personalities, Marta has become volatile and rude and all of her negative characteristics have been emphasized. The kiss only just complicated my opinion of Marta even more... it was really bittersweet to read, and I really sympathize with Lily right now, because she must be feeling so incredibly confused. Ugh. pls stop giving me so many feels.
I'm super excited to be going into space. The last paragraph of this chapter was so well-written and prety; I loved the image of the sky transitioning, as I imagine this story will now start transitioning, and I can't wait to see what happens next to Lily.
Finally, I couldn't not mention this: I loved the blatant calling out of slut-shaming, like yes, I totally agree—we shouldn't criticize women for their sex lives, however active they are. Awesome. This fic is full of representation and feminism and that's just one more reason to love it <333
Thank you for another wonderful chapter! <3
Author's Response:Hehehe, thanks, I'm glad you thought that seemed like a fitting role for him! And gah, thank you for all these compliments about the alternate universe being so smart. I'm so thrilled that you think so. <3
I like your analysis of Iris and Marta in the alternate universe and how those particular characteristics are inherent. I think also, Iris is a lot more grounded of a person, and therefore more likely to be a smiliar person in a different situation, as opposed to Marta who is always unpredictable and changing and therefore a lot more influenced by her environment. (Sidenote: It's been very interesting watching your opinions of Marta change back and forth throughout the novel :P )
:D :D :D I love that you already shipped Lily and Celeste by this point. And yay for women captains!
Hooray for space! Omg, thank you, I'm so happy that you enjoyed that image.
I'm glad you appreciated that :) This fic is often just me getting up on a soapbox and making statements about things, in a thinly disguised way. heh. Sometimes I wonder if I should just scrap the original summary of the story and replace it with: "A queer feminist space story" and leave it at that :P
Thanks so much for your review!! ♥
First off, uneaten sandwiches are truly tragic and I will gladly take that sandwich, hahaha.
Okay so I really loved the POC & LGBTQA representation. I’ve loved it in the entirety of this fic, but especially seeing such a diverse and colorful and wonderful crew is really exciting, because as I’m sure you know, most sci-fi films and novels are severely lacking in this representation. So yay, you go! :)
I also have to commend you for the research that clearly went into the Daedalus and what it should look like. Being an unabashed science nerd, I have researched a little about spaceships and everything that you said, like the artificial gravity, makes perfect sense. So well done on that front too :)
Also I really enjoyed Lily’s musings about the many ways to greet someone. I usually with the “classic but lazy Cool.” Hahaha. Lily is honestly such a treat to read; she’s so entertaining and likable and one of the many reasons I adore this fic <3
also, sorry, but I would really like to punch Marta in the face. Yup, definitely not a big fan of hers. I am just a little confused though—if Lily had to fill out all of these forms from the Ministry about her background, why are they detaining her to question her about parallel universes, when they should know everything they need to know? idk maybe I misread?
Anyway, this was a lovely chapter, as always! <3
Author's Response:I know, it's so sad! :P That was from a dare thread on the forums where people were dared to put all sorts of weird things into their stories and it was so silly I couldn't resist. Of course it became the chapter summary :P
Yay! Thank you, I'm so glad you appreciate the diversity of the crew. And YES, as much as I love sci-fi as a genre/concept, too much of it is about white, straight, male heroes. Thus, there are no white men of any real consequence in this entire fic. XD As happy as I am that you commented on liking the representation, I look forward to the day when representation like this in fics/media is so commonplace that no one thinks it's noteworthy in here. :)
Thanks! The Daedalus is partly based on spaceships I've seen in TV shows, but also partly based on my experience working on tallships. In fact, a lot about the crew's interactions with one another is based on my former shipmates as well. I'm glad it make sense and holds up with what you yourself have researched!
Hahaha, I'm glad you enjoyed Lily's asides :P I'm thrilled that you like her as a character, thank you so much!
Can't blame you for wanting to punch Marta - this is definitely not her best moment as a person. And you didn't misread, I was probably just unclear, given that Lily never really finds out who's detaining her. It's not the same people detaining her here, and they don't have the same access to information. Lily told everything to people in the Dept of Mysteries, which I imagined is pretty separate from the rest of the Ministry, so only people who needed to know heard anything about her. After the word got out though, other people without all that information or connections to the Dept of Mysteries found out, which is why this particular agency is questioning Lily.
Thank you so much for another amazing review!! <3
First off, Lily is so relatable. “I’m not short – he’s just really tall.” That is something that all short people have said at least once in their lives (speaking from experience as a fellow short person haha).
I really appreciated Lily’s reaction to the other Lily’s revelation about going to Balthazar (wow I never realized how confusing it is to have two Lilies in one story hahaha). I think it’s so true to her character that she would play a maternal role to anyone she meets, and the interaction between her and the other Lily just broke my heart. Really Kristin please stop giving me all the feels!
Also I haven’t commented on this before, but I love the merging of the Muggle and Wizarding worlds in this alternate universe—I think it’s so smart and really does make sense, like really, what’s the point of using quills anymore when pens are so much more convenient (if less aesthetic). I just appreciate all of your imaginations about what such a world might look like and find it to be a fascinating concept.
And again, this chapter makes me feel so conflicted about Marta. On the one hand I sort of hate her for using Lily like this—but I sympathize with her for her reasons and understand her desire to escape a bad situation, especially since Lily’s sort of dangled a more promising world right in front of her eyes? I dunno. I question why Lily fell in love with Marta in the first place because they seem so astonishingly different. Curious to see more about their past.
Lovely chapter, as always <3
Author's Response:Hhehehe. That is something my best friend says about me all the time.
I'm so glad you liked that interaction between the two Lilies! After everything going so wrong for Lily (II), I wanted her to have at least one moment when she can have the feeling she set out on this whole adventure for, being able to meet her grandmother and for her grandmother to understand how important this is to her. So Lily (I) being so grandmotherly towards her was probably so bittersweet to Lily (II). I'm sorry to break hearts! *hands you some duct tape* (Sorry it's all I had) :P
Thank you! I'm so happy to hear that you like the meshing of the muggle and wizard worlds. The wizarding world really was stuck about two hundred years in the past due to the fact that they don't need technology and therefore don't advance, and then of course magic would make all us muggles' lives easier, so it really would be a win/win for everyone! I'm so glad you like my concept of what that world would look like!
Because I'm evil, I'm rubbing my hands together with glee about your confused feelings about Marta. :P As for why Lily likes her - um... opposites attract? Haha. Well, Marta is very intelligent, and Lily is attracted to that, for one. (Smart is sexy!) And she's creative and keeps life exciting. But, keep in mind that Lily fell in love with a different Marta, which I think she's beginning to realize by this chapter - that this Marta and the one she knows aren't the same person. (Omg though how confusing is it to have two versions of everyone? I'm amazed people can follow this story tbh :P )
Thank you so much! ♥♥♥♥
So I loved the conversation with Miriam—the science nerd in me can really relate to Miriam! I really have to say that I love how you integrate these elements into your story, how space travel especially is integrated. It’s such a fascinating and cool idea; I love it!
I feel so sad about Iris and Marta. I think that it’s just more evidence that this universe, although characters that were dead are now alive, is still not perfect, that people are still broken—and that’s really heartbreaking, since I think that’s a side of the “What if?” questions we ask that we don’t really consider.
I really liked that the memory of Iris and Marta was what made Lily make her decision (even though in my opinion, it felt like an obvious decision—if there’s any chance of getting back, I would take it without a second thought. But also I’m rather reckless at times so perhaps I’m not the best model). The scene really did break my heart and I’m so happy that you added the note about Marta not being a role model in this situation. But I think she’s sort of right—you can’t sugarcoat an eating disorder. That was a really sensitive issue and you handled it with great care. I’m hoping to see some more indication that it did take Iris a little while to recover though because that would certainly maintain the realism in this story that I love so much (and that is also ironic considering that the story is a sci-fi fantasy story? Hahaha).
Fantastic chapter as always <3 And sorry for the slightly shorter review than usual :|
Author's Response::D I'm so glad you liked the conversation with Miriam! And that you find her relatable! (Btw, if you ever wanted to read more about her - or at least the original universe version of her - I have a one-shot that's about her adventures with Time-Turners. It's towards the bottom of my AP, called "Swept Away". (Many of the side characters in Icarus are actually cameos from my other fics XD )) But anyway, thank you! I'm so glad you like the integration of space travel into the fic!
Yes, exactly. There's so much to consider with a "what if", and it's easy to forget that, as Lily did, when imagining how you /wanted/ things to turn out.
I think it was an obvious decision once she got there, but... it'd probably be hard to make a decision like that when it also includes some component of "living in an unfamiliar place" versus "possibly dying". But ultimately she is Harry's daughter and goes for the slightly dangerous option on the hope that it will work out :P
Re: Marta - yes. That's exactly what I wanted to get across - she's kind of right, even if also kind of not. That she and Lily together are a good support system for Iris when each of them alone would have been ineffective. And thank you, it's really wonderful to hear that the issue was handled well! I was so nervous about this chapter when I posted it, just because it is that sensitive and each case is different. Due to this being a flashback, I don't recall there being anything else about Iris' healing process, but this certainly isn't the last time it's mentioned, so it's not like it goes away instantly. And omg thank you it's great to hear that you like the realism in the story (which, yeah, is pretty hilarious given that the story is about witches in space in a parallel version of reality XD)
Thanks so much for the review! <333
Okay so starting this with a structural note: I really enjoyed the flashback in the beginning, I thought that was a really cool way to start this fic. Actually, I’ve been thinking that at times this story reads sort of like a television show (especially with those awful cliffhangers!), and this flashback really fit neatly into the television show style.
The flashback really broke my heart. Lily’s realization that she likes girls, wanting to hide that she’s always sort of known it in the back of her head, is so realistic and well-done and heartbreaking. This line just shattered my heart to pieces: “For Marta was only going through an experimental phase, and I was the naïve subject.” And it also made me really angry at Marta—she is a character that I feel rather conflicted about. At times I feel bad for her, because I understand why she is as reckless as she is, and then at other points I’m frustrated and angry with her for this recklessness. And still other times, I love the hidden unexpected sides to her personality, like her love for history, as you mentioned in the previous chapter. She is such a complex character and I love that you don’t let us take a solid stand on her—that makes this story even more complex and makes me love it even more!
OK SO JILY. They were everything I was hoping they would be—charming, witty, completely in-character. Sirius was wonderful. Even Peter when he appeared for a short while. At the same time, their appearance was really bittersweet, and I think that all “what-if”s are surprisingly bittersweet in this way, because it made me really think of a world where the war didn’t happen (which made me even angrier at Voldemort). At the same time, this world isn’t the perfect utopia I thought it would be: Harry is gone, James Sirius is Ophelia, and that is sad, because those characters have effectively been wiped from history, and I have attachments to both characters. So basically after reading this, I was crying happy/sad tears? God, it was so emotional.
I loved Lily’s realization at the end; I think it connects perfectly to one of the central themes of the story, really appreciating your past.
And on an unrelated note, loved the introduction of Balthazar, and can’t wait to see it surface again in later chapters.
Really, this story is so artfully crafted. Like, you weave in the sci-fi elements so expertly, and there’s still the touches of humor, and the melancholic elements fit in perfectly too: it’s like an elaborate jigsaw puzzle where all the pieces fit together perfectly and I just love it. You hit all my feels and then appeal to my sci-fi nerd side and again, I just love it.<3
Thank you for another fantastic chapter. This is my favorite one yet! (Wait, did I say that about the last chapter too? :P)
Author's Response:Ahh thank you! I was really unsure if the flashbacks would work, but I really wanted them to, just because in the grand scheme of things we get so little time with Lily and her friends before everything goes haywire. So I'm really glad you thought it worked. And haha that's awesome that it sounds like it could be a television show, thanks!
I'm so glad to hear that the flashback was realistic and well done (though I'm sorry about the heart breaking!) I honestly love that you're conflicted about Marta and appreciate her complexities and can't decide where you stand with her. And along the same lines, that you have such mixed emotions about the parallel universe regarding some beloved characters still beling alive and happy but other ones not being born at all. (And don't worry, you're not alone - Lily also clearly thought it'd be a utopia without Voldemort, and she certainly wasn't expecting this.)
Thank you so much! I'm honestly so flattered that you say this story is artfully crafted. That sound that you hear is me sobbing. Just.. thank you so much ♥
Thank YOU for another very insightful and incredible review! <33333
Not gonna lie, I’m a pretty big fan of bad puns so this chapter summary excited me a little hahaha :D
I loved that the atrium in the Ministry has a Sphinx in the fountain and not House Elves or centaurs; I know that the latter has always been perceived as a way of asserting wizardkind’s dominance, and to me, the Sphinx seems like a symbol of curiosity and questioning and definitely not dominance because puny wizards could easily get crushed by a freaking giant lion-cat-whatever creature. I think this was a really cool choice! I also really liked the two lines for Muggles and wizards—and found it curious that Lily didn’t like it! I could understand why she liked the Sphinx because she has sort of a social-justice-bent (or perhaps I’m projecting myself on her?) but that is curious to me. I like this alternate world that you’ve built where the Wizarding World actually seems to have progressed so much more. Where it actually has progressed remains to be seen, though.
So this was actually a rather emotional chapter to read, probably because we started to see how Lily’s relationships have changed as a consequence of the alternate universe. I loved how each character’s alternate life still srawns upon fundamental parts of their personality—like, James as working in the Department of Magical Sports and Games really does make sense given his prankster personality, and on a sadder note, it’s not too surprising that Marta ends up getting into a bad situation. That especially was so sad to read because it seems like her mischief and tendency to get into bad situations has now become a true vice for her.
That leads me to my next point. I really like the tonal shift that happened in this chapter, sort of starting in the previous chapter. I can see a little more seriousness, still balanced with a fair amount of humor, but now I feel kind of guilty for laughing? Like Lily’s last comment to Marta made me laugh—but also made me sad because I could see how desperate she was to convince Marta to be friends with her.
This chapter really delved into what I can already tell is one of the central questions of the work, the question of who we would be if something went different, and how much we are shaped by our environment. As far as I can tell, Lance’s personality and Marta’s personality are not so wholly different in the alternate universe than in Lily’s universe—it seems like only their situations have changed. But I have to wonder what effect this change in situation would have on other characters. For example, Harry: he probably grew up with James and Lily, so his personality may be completely different as a result.
There are lots of other things I want to mention but I’m cutting it off here so I can keep reading. I just wanted to say on a closing note that I appreciate the complexity of thought put into imagining this new alternate universe because it isn’t completely baseless, being pulled out of thin air; I love how you’re taking existing qualities of the Wizarding World and of the characters and warping them into something not familiar—different but recognizable at the same time. This is such a creative story and I’m really glad I finally started reading it, because it is such a compelling story too!
Wonderful chapter, as always <3
Author's Response:Shreya! I've been trying to figure out how to respond to this review for a while now because it's just that good, and all I can do is simply re-read it over and over :P
I love your analysis of the Sphinx statue in the Ministry. (My first thought was "Wow, that's such a Ravenclaw thing to say about this statue" XD ♥ ) But yes, I really like what you pointed out about it! In a lot of ways this alternate universe has indeed progressed more and I think that if Lily were given time to adjust, she'd probably be quite happy about the Muggle tours line. As is, at this point in the story she has just arrived in a parallel universe and the world is suddenly so, so different, and she wants something familiar to hold on to, so she's kind of attached to what the Ministry was (she does tend to get hung up on the past). But as she adjusts to the differences and looks objectively at it I think she'd be quite happy with it. For the record, I don't think you're projecting yourself on Lily. In the beginning of the story she is still kind of trying to find herself but as you've read by now, she definitely does have that social-justice bent later that you mentioned here. It's like you were foreseeing it :P
I'm glad you like the idea of James working in the Ludicrous Patents Office, haha. I've always had this headcanon that James fancied himself somewhat of an amateur inventor, which was the reason for a lot of their disruptions and detentions at Hogwarts. I liked the idea that he might have actually got better at it if he was able to grow up.
But yeah, as a flip side to all this progressivism, things are more difficult on a personal level - it couldn't be a world where everything is perfect, because that doesn't exist. Hence, Marta. And can I just say how much I appreciate the depth of thought you put into reading this chapter? You are thinking about it exacctly the way I hoped people would think about it, re: the idea of what is innate and what is influenced by environment, and how various characters are more shaped by their environment than others. I'm super happy to hear that you think the plot is creative and compelling, and that the alternate universe seems well thought out. It means so much to know that you've thought so much about it.
This review is everything. Thank you ♥♥♥
So I did kind of expect that Lily would be waking up in her old place, but I didn’t expect that she would have lost her memory or that so much time would have passed! The memory thing didn’t happen in the other dimension hopping incidents we know about, but I’m not sure about time. I wonder if this is right after what we saw happen to Lily last, or if there are years that neither she nor us know about.
lol I like that Lily’s mind goes to aliens. Maybe her subconscious is trying to tell her something there...
SEAMUS/DEAN CONFIRMED. Always important.
With everything that’s so confusing and emotional this chapter, I’m glad there’s an adorable toddler roaming around.
I think what’s most jarring this chapter is that all of the development she’s done over most of the course of the story is just gone (for now). That’s very sad to me - lessons learned and people loved, and having no control and moving backwards.
After everything I still just want good things for Marta.
I have no idea what’s going to happen next, but I hope it’s good! =S
Sam.
Author's Response:Eheheheheheheheheheh
I know, I felt so cruel erasing all of that. She really did change so much. I had a feeling this would be a very unpopular chapter XD
At least we have Deamus.
Thanks for your review!
Aww, Kristin!
I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am for stumbling across this story (and discover your wonderful writing) in the first place!
This has been such a wonderful journey and I can't believe it's ended and I'm so glad to have been part of it! I'm so proud of you!
So, this final chapter... what can I say? I'm just so happy, I've been waiting for the reunion with Celeste and it's so thrilling! There are still questions in my head, like, will Lily ever remember? But it doesn't really matter because, like she said, things are settling down. Not back to what they were - that time is gone and past. But I'm getting used to a new definition of normal.
I think you can imagine (or mybe not)... I was practically jumping around when Louis' concert was mentioned! Ahahah, the word of mouth went wide! :P She should definitely be Louis' agent! ;)
I so wish Marta and Lance got together... but I guess that's not possible... unless... are you writing a sequel? :P Kidding! But I was so sorry for them...
The meeting with Celeste was just perfect! I loved the "What are you doing on Friday?"/"Something with you?" exchange as they part ways. I'm so happy for them!
This is such a great ending to such a great story and I'm just so, so, so happy and so proud of you, but also a bit sad that it's finished...
Love you so much!
Hugest snowball hug ever rolling your way!
Chiara
Author's Response:<33333333333333333333333333333
Ehehehe I figured you would be all over that as soon as Louis' concert was mentioned :P I was sort of grinning to myself writing that scene because it was so obvious what I was leading up to and I knew you'd love it :P
I'm really glad you liked that final scene with Celeste! It was a long time coming!
Tbh, I kinda shipped Marta and Lance too, and like to think that someday it works out for them, but I didn't want it in the story because it would have felt too neat to tie up all these loose ends like Marta/Lance and Lily's lost memories. Life doesn't tie up in a nice bow like that - there are always threads dangling. But - be proud of me - this is the first multi-chapter fic I've finished that doesn't end with almost everyone dying, so it's really a step up XD It's the closest I've ever gotten to a happy ending. So it ties up some things, but others are intentionally left as threads and ultimately it's kind of a messy bow. :P As for a sequel... I haven't ruled it out, but I don't have enough of a story to tell yet. If I ever do, at my writing speed, look for it in 2038...
Thank you so much for sticking with me the whole way through this story! It's meant so, so much to me. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ You're an amazing reviewer and an absolutely wonderful friend.
KRISTIN!!!!!!!!
Hello, my love! Here with a snowball, a hug, and to see how it all ends (so excited!) Congrats, btw! *hug* *wub*
Oh, poor Marta... :( she's not my favourite person, but I feel so, so bad at the idea that she's now sort of trapped in a group of people who don't care for her and with whom she doesn't belong... she definitely isn't made for that kind of environment and while it was her egoism to bring her there I can't help to feel sorry. She craves affection, she always has, but it's like she doesn't believe she deserves it. Oh, this killed me... :( And Lance regularly visiting her while she was in Azkaban... Did I say I adore Lance? (I must have a few times throughout the story... like, a million?) I really hope Marta and Lily will meet soon and talk it through and be friends again!
Oh, Flourish and Boots! That would be lovely! The idea of working surrounded by books is awesome! :D
I loved the conversation with Indira, and how they could link. It's so sweet!
Okay, theory time: when Marta got backwards in time, she changed history, basically destroying the universe they were living in, and so that's why Balthazar and all the crowd just disappeared and that's why both Lily and Indira lost their memories... mmmh... I'm actually not sure this makes sense, but maybe?
Moving to the next (and last... really?) chapter!
Love you!
Author's Response:CHIARA ♥♥♥♥ Thank you so much! For your congratulations and for all the many reviews. That has honestly meant so much to me, to have your consistent, wonderful feedback the whole way through <3
Sad Marta :( She never was the best at Making Good Decisions. But I think that she's learned a lot from the past few years. I'm glad to know you feel for her despite not liking her.
Lance really is a gem. I'm so glad you like him :)
Re: your theory - AHA! YES! So, honestly, this is exactly what I'd envisioned when I wrote it. I think other readers have interpreted things differently, so to see you essentially come up with what had been in my head this whole time, is very reassuring that I haven't just made a confusing mess with a plot hole in the middle. (I may have done this anyway but at least we both are on the same page :P)
All my love! Thanks for the review! ♥
/rubs hands together gleefully
I'm so psyched to read the rest of this. Time travel stories are the best, especially if it's one of those stories where the main character goes back in an attempt to fix the future, and things to massively wrong. Judging from the story summary, this story will be right up my alley.
Though this is just the introduction, I got a lot out of it regarding Lily's personality and her general way of thinking about the world. Most important, Lily dislikes being a celebrity. Immensely so. The last few lines hinted at what she was going to do later, haha. One part of her inner monologue that I found really interesting was when she was ranting about the Potter kids' names. Never had I ever thought about the relationship between the names of James II and Lily II. And now that I'm thinking about it, it's very weird.
(J.K. Rowling really wanted to honor her dead characters, I suppose.)
I think the summary of the general relationship of the family worked really well. I especially liked this line: "Nana Molly somehow manages to spoil all twelve of her grandchildren (one of whom – surprise! – is named after her)" because it sounds exactly like Molly Weasley and also because, once again, J.K. Rowling's obsession with naming kids after her dead characters is brought up.
Overall, this was an interesting start to the story! I'm looking forward to reading what comes next. <3
Author's Response:Eva!!! ♥♥ I'm sorry I'm so slow on these responses as I've been on a mountain for the past three weeks, but just wanted to thank you so much for reading and reviewing this entire story! All of your reviews were such a treat and I enjoyed every single one.
As you've figured out by now, things do indeed go massively wrong and I'm glad this seemed like an exciting idea from the start :D
It's great to hear that you got so much out of it about who Lily is from just the prologue. And I'm glad you enjoyed the rant about the names. That maaaay have been a bit of me projecting my own opinions onto the characters hahahaha. But like. Even objectively the names are not good.
I'm glad you liked the general descriptions of the family. Molly Weasley would totally be the best grandma.
Thanks so much for your review!
Random hypothesis for this chapter based on the first paragraph: Marta from Lily’s universe shows up and meets Marta, cause why wouldn’t she, especially when her best friend disappeared months ago leaving behind a mysterious cube.
Oh, Marta’s an artist? I don’t remember if we knew that, except for other!Marta’s photography
Marta certainly is determined and enterprising I’ll give her that!
She seriously wants a new life, and I relate to that feeling. But she doesn’t seem to believe it’s something that is possible to obtain in the universe that she’s in, but she also doesn’t believe that the problems with her life are about her personally if she thinks. having a fresh start will change them. I’d be curious to see more of a thought process about what she wants to escape and what she hopes to find.
Maybe I’m losing track of things a bit again, but I can’t remember when this Marta snuck into the ministry before…
Love the X Files reference!
How you’ve documented the attempts at creating time travel is interesting! I wonder why they chose a diadem instead of a necklace - seems a bit unwieldy, but maybe they have to start big before they can refine the device into smaller objects
Cool phrasing with “sets off towards her future in the past.”
Hehe @ saying good morning and wondering if it’s morning or not
Tom, eh?
Gaunts sighted. Suspicions confirmed.
Oooh is what happens here the reason there is no Voldemort in this universe??
This chapter was an interesting little diversion from Lily’s storyline, but also very RUDE considering the cliffhanger you left us with.
Sam.
Author's Response:That would have been a great plot indeed. Maybe I should write and Alternate-alternate-universe story that explores this possiblity :P
Original Marta worked part time at an art museum and did weird artistic welding in her spare time, which was mentioned like one time, in one of the early chapters. Nothing much was said about this Marta though.
For her motivations to escape - as with most things she does, it's not terribly well thought through in terms of the long run. Certainly she's strategized the actual process of breaking into the Ministry, but one thing I hoped to show about her character throughout is that she tends to run headlong towards opportunities for something exciting and different, particularly if she's bored. She doesn't like feeling held back from something. So she craves the excitement of what different experiences time travel might provide.
She snuck into the ministry at least one time that was noted by Lance (Lily wasn't there). It was sometime soon after they first met this-universe Marta. I don't remember what chapter but somewhere in the early-middle of the novel? I'm losing track of things too :P
Thank you, I'm glad you like the attempts at managing time travel! There was no specific reason they chose a diadem. I just didn't want it to be the exact same as original time-turners and a diadem seems like it would have been something that would work as it just has to sit on your head.
Lolol I know it was so rude of me, I just couldn't resist the opportunity to have 3 evil plot-twisting cliff hangers in a row :P
Thanks so much for yuor review!
Another thing I haven’t mentioned about this story that I love: Your dedications. They are so sweet and thoughtful and make me really happy to know you and all the people you thank.
Okay, so that opening captain’s log answered my question about if there was another crew on Balthazar. I think you had probably addressed that before, but I lost track of it.
Agrawal’s note name dropping Lily - #awkward
Omg, exciting questions! Does magic work differently in outer space? You said the spacesuits were maneuverable, but is it enough for specific wandwork? Does different gravity or physical properties of the world make a difference? I guess I don’t know much about the science of magic, but if it’s about manipulating elements, wouldn’t a planet where there is a different balance of elements make a difference? Food for thought.
When Fatima ran in with news about problems at the compound, my first thought was Jurassic Park XD
Lily’s moth phobia returns!
This chapter summary may be the most accurate about the contents of the chapter, but it still fits in with the rest xD
I love the Phantom Coffee Spiller thread XD
Aggghhhhh SO. CUTE.
That scene was kind of bittersweet, but in a beautiful way. They both knew it was a goodbye, but also something they would be able to treasure, and that was really lovely.
Oh, the Captain’s Log from the prologue! Very interesting that it’s happening now - I expected it at the end of the novel. Which leaves a whole world of possibility for what happens next!
Though the statement that Lily “only burned at the end” feels a bit more out of context than expected. It’s poetic, but otherwise doesn’t reflect what I’ve seen to be Celeste’s perspective of Lily, though to be fair we haven’t really seen things from her perspective.
#wellshit
Sam.
Author's Response:Aww! I'm so glad you liked them!
Those are really great questions! So, Balthazar (aka TRAPPIST-1g in real life) is assumed to have a gravity and planetary density very similar to Earth's, according to the news from NASA in March or whenever that was. So I figured that on the planet, magic works similarly to on Earth. (...It's also supposed to be like -75 degrees on that planet but I ignored that particular detail because a) it is possible for that number to be wrong, as the planet's 40 light years away and how can we be so positive about the temperature? and b) nothing was going to get in the way of Lily and Celeste kissing in front of the sunset. nothing. i had a vision, temperature be damned.) Outer space is a totally different thing though, and I love that you were wondering about it. It's certainly an interesting question. I would imagine that there are some differences in how spells are cast - something that requires technique adjusting but no drastically different course of magic needs to be learned. (however the little changes are why they are able to have microscopes and other technology on the ship). I love that you were so curious about this - there's a lot to think about! Space is crazy.
Bahahaha thank goodness no velociraptors at the research station. I saved them all for Mary Su.
There was actually no insignificant thing that happened in this chapter so I had trouble with this chapter summary, haha!
Haha thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the coffee spiller sub-plot XD
Bittersweet is 100% what I was going for there. And yeah, you picked up on everything I wanted that moment to be.
So, Celeste is a bit of a poet :P Although obviously all of Lily and Celeste's conversations throughout the past four months aren't included in the story, after that first conversation when Lily told Celeste about her past, she did open up to her a bit more about it. So by this point, Celeste knows the gist of Lily's story and its very "be careful what you wish for" sort of ideas. So basically, there was a lot of conversation off screen between Lily and Celeste, and Celeste heard it through Lily's perspective, so it's kinda like... Celeste's perspective of Lily's perspective of her story :P How very not-confusing. :P
#raiseyourhandifyoumissedmyobnoxiouscliffhangers
Thanks for the review!
Oh, I had assumed that this story was entirely the result of the science fiction challenge! I think it’s super awesome that you had this idea already!
Are there still people on the Balthazaar station, or will this crew be the only ones there? I realized I hadn’t really been keeping track of that, but it jumped out at me when I realized that nobody from the trip Lily keeps reading about was there. And if that crew or others are still on the station, what is the unique purpose of this crew? Just reinforcements, or do they bring something new to the table?
I find it a little ironic (in a good way) that when Lily was on alt!earth she had no bonds worth staying for, but now that she’s traveling away, she is connecting with this crew so quickly and deeply that she has more of a reason to stay in this reality..
“I wasn’t flirting with the captain. Only a little bit.” Yeah, me too.
I like that everyone has an artsy little hobby. Even with manning the ship they must have quite a bit of down time (thanks, magic), and hobbies sound important to keep you from going stir crazy.
I like that the hobby that Lily takes up is a bit of a tribute to Marta.
Aww, the birthday surprise was so sweet!
Rose seems very optimistic that she will be going home. I have less confidence in things going as smoothly as she hopes.
Sam.
Author's Response:Thanks! Yeah, it was originally OF, and the finished product is nothing like my first idea of what it would be. The challenge just gave me a lot more direction!
I think that question was answered for you later on, but yeah the station was empty since the last voyage there, which was three years prior.
Yeah, as soon as she knows she's leaving is when she starts to get attached XD Of course.
The hobbies - very true, in fact this particular detail is actually based on my own experience working on ships (not space, just regular ocean ships :P ) and I remember a lot of my shipmates knitting, reading, learning guitar, etc. during time when we weren't on watch. Considering that on the Daedalus they only have a limited amount of space and can probably only ever get like 500 feet away from one another for four months, these hobbies are particularly necessary haha
Aw! I hadn't even thought about it that way but yeah, it kinda is a tribute to Marta as she was into photography for a while. What a cool observation :)
You clearly know more about sci-fi than Lily does :P
Thanks for your review!
Omg no not too much filler at all! This was such an interesting chapter.
OK, first off, I love the conseqeunces that you've thought of. Myrtle as the Minister of Magic sort of makes sense to me? And Colin as the Head Auror makes perfect sense actually! I'm really curious (and a little nervous) about the other characters; I'm just hoping that this is a positive alternative universe in that Harry has ended up happy with his parents without Voldemort to ruin everything.
I really like how you set up the prospect of the Ravenclaw diadem as a solution, and the introduction of the concept of space travel (really love that the Statute of Secrecy has been dispelled) to allude to future events in the plot. I appreciate that Lily is so resourceful, thinking of ways to solve this problem; like I said before, she is so extremely likable, and the events of this chapter make her all the more likable. I am, though, feeling really sympathetic for her. I imagine it must be jarring for her, seeing her entire reality so distorted.
Also Lance is the real MVP for letting her sleep on his sofa and acting idk as normal as one could in such a situation? He's such a good guy. I love Lance.
I'm really excited to see what happens next to Lily! Thanks for another wonderful chapter.
Author's Response:Hehehe some of the changes in the alternate universe were legitimately things I thought might happen without Voldemort. Others were things that I thought were funny and that I could get away with because who's to say? Anything could happen. Minister of Magic Moaning Myrtle was definitely the second category. :P I'm thrilled that it seems plausible to you! As for your hopes about Harry, well, as you've seen... the other universe is a mixed bag :P Some things are better, but others aren't.
Thank you, I'm glad to hear you like the setup of the sci fi elements and the possibilities Lily comes up with! I really did try to not overdo it by introducing a ton of crazy ideas at once so this is great to hear. I'm thrilled that you like Lily as a character and that you appreciate her resourcefulness. And yeah, having the ground swept out from underneath you in such a dramatic way would be really difficult. She didn't really think about that before she dived in...
Lance is a diamond. Everyone needs a friend like Lance. I'm glad you like him :)
It's so sweet that you thank me for the chapters - I should be the one thanking you for all these amazing reviews!! ♥♥♥ You're the best!
Ummmm best chapter summary ever. Because it sounds 100% like something I would do.
Return of the captain’s log! That makes me feel like we’re getting towards the end (/beginning that we saw in the prologue), but I’m glad to know there’s still plenty of story left.
I think I forgot to write that I was feeling the ship at the end of the last chapter. Well the beginning of this chapter definitely has me feeling this ship!! They’ve got such a flirty rapport already and I’m really digging it.
I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it yet, but I love all the wizarding band names you’ve come up with
YES FOR HUFFLEPUFF SPACESHIP (hey, I have a book I could recommend for you - lol jk)
Wow, that’s some crazy unexpected stuff in the portal!
Okay, Celeste is my girlfriend now.
I think it would be really cool to read a story about Celeste’s journey of becoming a captain. I’m also interested in her ex with the specific jam/scone rules.
I like how honest Lily is here. She doesn’t hide her privilege, but owns up to it. I think that is a good balance of owning her privilege and admitting how she could do better, without pretending it doesn’t exist.
Aw, that last line about Celeste and Lily splitting the scone made a really cute end to the chapter!
Sam.
Author's Response:Ehehehe thank you :D
I'm glad you are on board the Lily/Celeste ship. I was really excited about this ship even since before I introduced Celeste as a character and I love when people love them :D
Ha, thank you about the wizard band names :P
Omg really? what book? (lol jk)
Celeste does feature as a main character in one of my other fics, but it's a) when she's only at Hogwarts and b) it's not set in this alternate universe, it's in the 'regular' HP universe, so spaceships don't exist, and c) it's not been transferred to HPFT yet because it's only half finished. But if you're ever curious about Celeste and Alex at Hogwarts and the beginning of Alex's terrible band, I will finish and transfer that fic. Eventually.
Thank you, I'm really glad to hear you liked that scene with Lily. It was important to me that that scene turned out well, because it's so relevant to real life, and I'm glad to hear that you liked how the conversation went and how Lily reacted.
Thanks so much for another wonderful review!!
Ooooh. This is my fave chapter yet—I love the introduction of the sci-fi elements! OK, so I really love how misleading your chapter summaries are? I mean, if someone were to read only your chapter summaries, they would really feel that this story was rather boring—but I can assure you that it is actually super compelling and I'm really excited to keep reading, especially because you left us off at another cliffhanger. *shakes fist* (though I don't have any reason to since this story is completed now haha).
I really like the development of the concept of the cube as sort of a meta version of the pensieve; I think that is such an interesting concept. I'm a little confused about the size of the cube because I don't see how Lily would've been able to stick her head into the cube? Perhaps I'm just imagining it incorrectly; in my head, it's about the size of a Rubiks Cube, but in fact, it's probably larger than that.
One thing that I am curious about is why the first alternate universe she steps into is one where she stayed with Anna—is that just because she saw Anna the previous day and might still be thinking about her, subconsciously? Or is it that Anna is more important to the story in the future? Like I said in the previous chapter, the ambiguity concerning their relationship makes me really curious about Anna.
I love the set-up of the Voldemort-less universe so far and am super curious to see what happens next, so I will cut off my review here [sorry it's uber short]. Loved the chapter, though, as always! <3
Author's Response:Hehehehe, thanks, I'm glad you enjoy the chapter summaries! I had so much fun picking out the most inconsequential moment of each chapter to use as the summary. Idk why. It just gave me so much enjoyment XD And, I'm really glad to hear that you find the story compelling (in spite of the lackluster chapter summaries) !
Great to hear that you like the concept of the cube! And yeah, to clarify the size - with pressing one of the buttons, she created a projection coming out of the cube, and that screen is sort of a hologram coming out of the cube, but the cube itself is indeed probably about the size of a Rubiks Cube. I hope that makes sense...
And yeah, having just seen Anna that night (it was the previous chapter, but the same day) and then watching Marta leave happily with a guy, her mind is still sort of dwelling on the past. I'm sorry to have gotten your hopes up about Anna when she ultimately doesn't end up having that much to do with the story :P
I'm glad you enjoy the set up of the alternate universe!
Thanks so much for another amazing review! <3 <3
That summary. I cracked up haha (partially because my sister and I have had a conversation solely through eyebrow movements, and it's such an indication of how close Iris and Lily are!).
Omg I love that James is a writer! Somehow it fits perfectly in my mind with his aesthetic, and I really like that he hasn't had a big break. The "big review" from Gilderoy Lockhart made me crack up. Again, I have to commend you for your excellent humor; it makes this story truly a delight to read! :)
I'm curious about Conor and Anna, as I always am when new characters are introduced. I especially want to know why Anna and Lily broke up; she was mentioned so quickly, my curiosity is piqued. So far, Conor is adorable and I find I can relate to him in terms of his bluntness. I really liked the part where Lily slouched so she'd seem shorter hahaha. She and Marta honestly have the best friendship. Like really. Iris, Marta, and Lily are #SquadGoals.
My favorite line: "And actually, I find the name rather appropriate for her, because she breaks people’s hearts and shakes their confidence daily. Mostly just mine, but she doesn't know that." Hahahaha! This story really does make me grin so hard; I actually giggled out loud and my sister gave me a weird look so, ah... :D
Thanks for another lovely chapter! <3
Author's Response:I am slowly making my way through these responses! Sorry it's taken me a while!
Hehehe, I'm glad you liked the summary. Coming up with these chapter summaries was one of the most fun parts of writing the chapters XD
Thanks! I was tired of seeing James written as a Quidditch star in every other fic and just really wanted something completely opposite, but the idea of him as a writer grew on me and is totally my headcanon now. I'm glad you enjoyed Gilderoy Lockhart's review as well XD (I once wrote a one-shot completely from Lockhart's POV and so relished the opportunity to write a bit from his perspective again here because it's just so much FUN.)
Sorry to say Conor and Anna don't end up being too important. Anna doesn't have much to do with the story really, but Lily has a tendency to be sentimental and hang onto things so she's still a bit hung up over a past relationship. But, eventually she won't have time to dwell because all sorts of sci-fi chaos will ensue. You know. :P Ahhh and I'm so glad that you like Lily, Marta, and Iris' friendship (at least at this point - I've seen in your later reviews that you're not as much of a fan of Marta later on :P )
I'm glad you liked that line XD
And thank YOU for another lovely review! You're wonderful! ♥♥♥
Ahhh, I just love Lily so much? Like, the first paragraph about her wanting to lounge around all day—that is absolutely me, every day when I get home from school. (And like, all the time in general, haha!)
I really love that Lily is so refreshingly honest about her family; she's obviously appreciative of them, but I like the insights she makes about how being a Weasley is sort of a burden too. That is such an interesting nuance, and honestly, this story is already full of nuances like these. (And I gotta say—there's serious undertones, but you balance it out with a great balance of humor, which is super tricky to do, so well done there!).
Marta is such an interesting character. I really like that she's sort of a foil to Lily in that she's attracted to fame and has grown up without a family, whereas Lily grew up with almost too much family and too much fame to want it anymore. Marta seems tough and likable and I especially appreciated that her flat is right next to Knockturn Alley, given her tendency to get involved in ~shady things~. Haha, that was clever placement! (Also, the dumpster diving scene was so hilarious!) I also ship her so hard with Lance omfg. I love their dynamic, him acting as a stablizing force for her, etc. They're adorable!
I also really like Iris probably because I can relate to her, and found the comment about her talking in iambic pentameter to be hilarious! Honestly, all three of the girls have such great camraderie, I really enjoy reading their interactions—though it's a little bit bittersweet since I know that that will probably change when Lily changes the future.
As a final comment, your set-up of the mystery is excellent so far; you've worked in all the elements so slyly. I like how you mentioned slyly that Lance is working at the Department of Mysteries and then mentioned the strange object, and interspered humor in between to sort of distract us from that? Very smart!
I'm in such anticipation of her going to the alternate universe heh. Loved this chapter! <3
Author's Response:Awww, thank you! I'm so happy that you like Lily and that she's relatable :)
I love your comments about the nuances and the balance between humour and serious themes - this is honestly such a wonderful compliment and definitely one of the main things I was trying to do as I wrote this so that's really great to hear, thank you. ♥
Interesting is a good word for Marta :P Sidenote, I've really enjoyed all your comments and changing opinions about Marta throughout the story. She's kinda hard to pin down :P But I like that you liked her, at least at this point in the story XD Haha and I love the instant enthusiasm of your shipping her with Lance :P
So glad to hear you like Iris too, and that you enjoy the dynamic between the three girls. I loved writing them. But yeah, I see the bittersweetness you're talking about, in a sort of "it's too good to last" sort of way. If only Lily hadn't gone and meddled with things...
Thank you so much, I'm really glad you liked the set up of the mystery surrounding the sci-fi elements! This was a huge thing for me because while writing my first novel years ago I had no idea how to plot/pace a story, so I was really conscious of that here and worked on it, and I'm just so glad to hear that it paid off :)
Thanks so much for reading and for your review! ♥♥♥♥ You leave such wonderful reviews!
Hi!
This story has been on my TBR for forever, and now that it's done, I figured there's no better time to finally start reading it and showering you with reviews as further congratulations for completing this fic :)
The start of the chapter is so intriguing and so engaging and already hints to me about some of the tragicness of this story; the idea that the crew, and probably everyone that Lily met while she was on her adventure, will now start to lose their memories of her feels like a loss—especially because I can tell that the departure was reluctant and thus that there must be some fond memories. I think that this start introduces the premise of the story in a really interesting way, but also sort of shows the underlying sadness in the story too, which is a really interesting nuance.
I feel like Lily's sentiment about Remembrance Day is such a true sentiment. (As a sort-of-side-note, I really love the concept of Remembrance Day and it is really befitting that Lily's parents—especially Harry with his tendency for nostalgia, as evidenced by Lily, Al, and James's names—are one of the few who still consider it hugely important). I think that we all don't really reflect too much on days where we get days off like the 4th of July (or even Christmas for that matter!), and it's a part of our history that we seem to take for granted, in some ways. I can already tell that part of the theme of this story is history, and this is an interesting way of bringing it up. I think this date was also a really clever time to start the story!
Lily is such an interesting character! Her bit about her name in relation to James and Al's names was freaking hilarious and so true. (Like, really, Harry, what were you thinking?). You did a fantastic job of establishing Lily's character and making her relatable and likable, which really draws us into the story more and makes me want to keep reading, if only so that I can get a little more of Lily's hilarious wit. I also like that she sort of has a feminist bent—seems befitting considering that she is the heroine of this sci-fi story (something that isn't common, as I'm sure you know).
My favorite part of this chapter were her reflections about the war and how it has impacted her life. I think that's part of why it was so smart to start this on Remembrance Day—her reflections and introspections feel completely in place and incredibly honest too; I really liked her insight that the war has made an "reluctant, reclusive celebrity". That, to me, just makes her even more real and likable—to her, the war has shaped her life by restricting her. And I really loved that she recognizes that her family would be much larger if it wasn't for the war; I think that's a wonderful way of describing the impact of the war on her life, starting from a familial point of view and then on a more personal point of view. I've already started to get a picture in my head of what the effects of her going back in time might be for her personally and her family as a whole.
I could blab for much longer, but I'm excited to keep reading, so I'll cut it off. Excellent first chapter!
Author's Response:AHHHHH so all of these incredible reviews from you were like, the highlight of my week, no joke. Thank you SO MUCH. ♥
I'm so glad you liked the beginning of the chapter! You've definitely put a lot more thought into it than I expected anyone to, and I love what you've gotten out of it - even though it's only like 4 sentences into the story! You're such a thoughtful reviewer.
Aw, thank you, I'm glad you like the idea of the Remembrance Day. It seemed only fitting that the wizarding world would have something like this, considering in the Muggle world we have so many! It's so true though, that days originally set aside to commemorate wars are now days we associate with fireworks and barbecues. And the fact that you're already honing in on the history aspect is really impressive. I mean, the story has barely started. This is still only a prologue. 10 points to Ravenclaw.
I'm thrilled to hear that you think Lily is interesting! And that you appreciated her rant about her names. (I admit this is when a lot of the author's feelings snuck into the story :P I have always thought Harry's kids' names were the worst part of the HP series :P ) It's wonderful to hear that you like Lily's wit and the feminist themes, which I'm sure you've noticed by the point you're currently at in the story that there's a lot of Feminist Statements being made throughout :P
I really appreciate your insight about Lily's reflections on her fame. You've thought so much about this story as you've read it, and that means everything to me as a writer. I'm so glad you find Lily to be a real and likeable character as well - it's so important to me that my characters feel real, so this is wonderful to hear.
Thank you so, so much! Honestly all your reviews have been amazing.
Once again, I love your chapter title XD
I’ve always enjoyed the word defenestration (whoops I just quoted Hannibal sorrynosorry)
I assumed the Weasley family of the Hogwarts Era was intact, but now that I think about it, I think Arthur and Molly had rushed to marry young with the threat of Voldemort, so maybe their family would have naturally developed differently in this universe, just as James and Lily’s had.
Eeep Neptune is so beautiful I wish I could see it
Lily, you don’t have to guilt yourself for forcing people to be your friend - Alex already said they’re your friend.
Hehe I love the banter between Celeste and Alex.
That must be crazy, watching the sun get smaller and smaller with distance.
While I of course hope for other life, I also like the idea that the signals that they were picking up from their planet had somehow traveled through the portal from the alternate universe.
Lily, chill your anxiety, nobody’s going to throw you into the void of space.
It’s good to know that Lily’s safe passage is a priority to Celeste and that she’s more than a glorified stowaway.
I can’t help but wonder if there are any changes in the mystery novel between worlds!
This review was nice and fun - like a sci fi road trip, and I liked the lull in action that allowed people to get to know each other *plugs Long Way To A Small Angry Planet again*
Sam.
Author's Response:Re: the Weasley family... yep. NOTHING IS SAFE. :P
I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter - 'a sci fi road trip' is a pretty good description, haha. And yes, I will definitely find that book! :D
Thanks for the review!
lol, hi there Zacharias Smith. Glad you found a creative use for your talents.
I thought that Lily’s involvement in the trip was Ministry sanctioned, but it’s interesting to me that the Department of Mysteries isn’t on the same page as the rest of the Ministry.
I’m curious on what authority they are holding Lily. I can see why the papers are indignant, but there probably aren’t really any laws that apply to her situation, which makes me wonder how they can legally justify holding her.
Oh no, it’s like Colin Creevey all over again! And even more annoying from a 4th year than a 1st year.
Okay, let’s get back to kind thoughts towards Marta. I prefer liking her. Yes to “She was art.”
I have fairly neutral feelings about Iris, but I like that she was first to befriend Marta.
Crafty escape contraption, Lily!
It must’ve felt really complicated for Lily to be kissed by Marta. She had had feelings for Other!MArta that hadn’t been returned, and getting something so close to what you want (or once wanted) can be really emotional.
Well, at least now if Lily ever ends up in another alternate reality in which there’s another version of her we can tell them apart by number of toes?
Nobody on the crew seems to have minded Lily’s capture and the press… Welp at least she made it in time.
Spaceship gogo!
Sam.
Author's Response:Zacharias Smith's nosiness is a universal constant.
The Department of Mysteries never seemed like it was on the same page as the rest of the Ministry :P And then the magical Ministry and the muggle Ministry aren't on the same page either, and even when they agreed on a few things (like Lily's departure being classified) when the press found out it opened up a big mess :P
They have no defined authority to hold Lily. As would make sense, there aren't really laws that exist to apply to her situation because nothing like that's ever happened before, so lots of different parties are working for themselves here. I bet they'll make laws after this, prompting future generations of people to wonder why there are laws about visitors from parallel universes, similarly to why we now wonder why there's a law in Atlanta that says you can't tie a giraffe to a telephone pole. (I guess that's a real law? I cannot fathom why it exists.)
You're totally right, and those complicated feelings were definitely something I was hoping to communicate there. She wanted that for so long, but it's not the right context and it ends up being not everything she hoped for. Kind of like her journey to the parallel universe in the first place. :-/
Lily didn't see what was going on with the crew while she was being detained, but they were worried. Celeste had it all under control though because she's a boss.
Spaceship! I'm glad you're excited about it!
Thanks for the review!
Ooh, This chapter title is promising!
Lily: “I feel like I’ve just writen an entire novel.” Me: “HEY KRISTIN, WHAT’S THAT LIKE?”
I love how you describe the underground of the ministry! It’s super cool and just mysterious enough to hold something as bizarre as this! I wonder if it was always there, or was created for the spaceship.
This chapter is really fun, meeting the crew and the ship - it feels like a typical first chapter of a sci fi story, but we have so much more context from the nine chapters before!
Did Lily just get hit with a romantic ship in front of a spaceship?
This is making me want to try my hand at writing sci fi so bad! I’ve had a couple ideas for a while, but am intimidated by trying a new genre
Who. Would. Name. A. Ship. That.
Hehe, I love the shoutout to Arthur and Albus’ plug collections
Sidebar, have you read Long Way To A Small Angry Planet? It is the most lovely hufflepuffy queer scifi ever
Tragic sandwich metaphor of missed opportunities
Nyo, let my girl get on her spaceship!
With the next chapter title Takeoff I hope things get back on track, and that doesn’t mean the ship will leave without her.
Sam.
Author's Response:Me: LILY HAS NO IDEA HOW MUCH EFFORT IT IS TO WRITE A NOVEL. All the same I don't envy her. :P
Thank you! I'm so glad you liked the description of the interior of the ministry and all the weirdness below the Dept of Mysteries. I had so much fun coming up with it - we know literally nothing about it so it's pretty open for creativity!
Also really glad to hear you thought this chapter was fun and enjoyed meeting the crew :)
Did you pick up on that romantic ship before I even started dropping hints? A+
If you ever decide to try a new genre and write a sci-fi, let me know immediately because I would absolutely read it and love it.
Re: ship names, here's a Fun Fact: I used to work on a ship (a traditional sailing one, not a space one :P) and we were headed out of port the day after there had been a huge storm and a little sailboat had gotten stuck on the rocks and all battered up, and we looked at it as we went by and discovered that the boat was called: Titanic. Like, omg you did this to yourselves.
I will absolutely look up that book at the library :D
Thanks for the review!
One week later, back for more! And I am SOO proud of you for finishing this fic!! Especially between rounds of snowball fight - that’s some serious hpft dedication!
This chapter felt a little bit like filler, but in a good way. In a Lily’s-about-to-get-on-a-spaceship-and-things-are-going-to-get-batshit-crazy way. I think I’m still adjusting to the spaceship thing. Even though I knew it was coming from the beginning, it feels unusual to me to have a story feel like it shifts to scifi mid-story. It’s super trippy!
Lily really is a bad houseguest - I think rearranging the bookshelf is a step too far for me XD But I also really like how happy it makes Lily to be called a bad houseguest and what that means for her relationship with Lance.
Lily (Evans) has a weird habit of popping up unexpectedly, doesn’t she? I was a bit surprised that Lily II changed her mind about not telling her not-grandmother the truth. She didn’t seem that surprised somehow!
Something that occurred to me, is that Lily has had no curiosity about seeking out the Weasleys. I guess it makes sense that she wouldn’t be as curious about them as the grandparents who were dead in her reality. I wonder if seeing Ginny would be comforting at all, or just way more confusing and upsetting. A mother who didn’t know she or the rest of her immediate family existed would probably be worse than a grandmother she had never known not knowing her.
Yay, Marta’s back! Her desire to spaceship herself seems kind of sudden, but I’m not complaining - I was hoping for a way to get her back into the central plot!
I really liked the line “I miss the way I felt an hour ago, when this was still a boring day.”
Sam.
Author's Response:Three weeks later, I'm back to respond to all these reviews! Thanks again for being such a wonderful reviewer! <3 And thanks for the congratulations! It really was an exciting moment :D :D
It is funny that the story feels like it shifts to sci-fi partway through when leading up to this she's literally been in a parallel universe, which is already quite sci-fi itself. But yeah, it definitely felt like a big shift at this part while writing it.
I'm glad you liked Lily's thoughts on being called a bad houseguest :P (And omg yeah she would be THE WORST. I would be irritated if someone rearranged my bookshelves too. But, I guess she's realllllly bored.
As for Lily (II) telling Lily (I) the truth, it was probably inadvisable for her, but I figured that after everything that had happened, she'd want to make the journey to the parallel universe worth it. She knew she'd have been annoyed at herself if she just kept silent and there always would have been that lingering "what if".
But, she has learnt enough from being in the parallel world that things are just not the same, hence why she doesn't search out the Weasleys. She knows that even if they're around, they won't be the same. And, btw, although this is never actually addressed in the story - Molly and Arthur eloped because of Voldemort so there's a good chance none of the Weasley children exist anyway ;)
Hooray for Marta! And yeah she wants out of the confines that are her current life. Some things about her never change :P
Hehehe thank you I'm glad you liked that line.
Thanks for the review!
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