Name: nott theodore (Signed) · Date: 30 Apr 2017 01:46 PM · For: Sunlight

Hi Branwen!

 

Ah, I'm so glad that there was kind of a happy ending to this chapter and to this story!  Lavender really deserves one after everything that she's been through, and it was so lovely to read this and see her progress through the story.

 

It makes sense to me that Lavender would need some time to process the conversation that she had with Seamus about the job opportunity working to deal with magical creatures.  I think it could have been really easy for her to say that she was going to think about it, and then just retreat into her flat again and not really think about it, avoiding the topic and the opportunity to leave and start something new.  But it showed real strength of character to acknowledge that actually she needed to do something to stop herself sinking into an empty state.  

 

I'm so glad that Seamus was there, as well, making sure that Lavender couldn't just withdraw entirely into herself and that she had to face the situation and make a decision about this.  He knows her so well, and it made me laugh that she was really reluctant to admit that he was right when he tried the tough approach after the sympathetic one didn't work.  It must have helped to know that she'd find it easier to get the job, too, because of the links with Seamus and the Minister.

 

The ending of this chapter was brilliant, because while it seemed like a fairly simple and non-descript event, it was such an enormous step for Lavender to go to the Healers and get cleared so that she could start working.  I was just so proud of her and happy for her at the end of this chapter!

 

Sian :)

Name: nott theodore (Signed) · Date: 30 Apr 2017 01:16 PM · For: Nightmares

Hello again!

 

I'm so proud of Lavender for getting herself out of St. Mungo's!  I'm really glad that you mentioned how much work it took her to manage to get out of there, because when you're struggling so much with PTSD and you've just been living completely numb and unable to really cope with the trauma that you've experienced.  And of course it's not like the journey is over yet, but it's so important than she's managed to achieve such a huge step.

 

The description of the panic attacks was so believable and realistic and I think you portrayed them really well.  It's a big step for Lavender to get out of St. Mungo's, but at the same time maybe it would have been better for her to go and live with someone so that she could have company if she was afraid or panicking, because they're horrible to have to go through alone.

 

I loved the background on how Lavender had become afraid of the dark, too - it was so interesting that she hadn't been afraid of it all the way through school, and even in seventh year they had ways to get through it, but afterwards, when the danger and terror has apparently left, Lavender finds it harder than ever.

 

I'm glad that you included the mention of her scars from the Greyback attack, because she'd definitely have been scarred both physically and emotionally, and I think that's easy for people to forget - she can't even escape the physical reminders of what happened to her.

 

It was so sad, but really believable that people would get so frustrated with her when she turns down their suggestions for jobs and careers.  To them - to a lot of people who don't understand mental illness properly - it's something that they can just get over if they try hard enough, but I don't blame Lavender for not wanting to start any career that they suggest.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing how Lavender gets on with the next stage and possibly starting a job dealing with the dark magical creatures!

 

Sian :)

Name: nott theodore (Signed) · Date: 30 Apr 2017 12:25 PM · For: St. Mungo's

Hello again!

 

Lavender is one of my favourite minor characters (and I've actually written my own three chapter story about her battling with PTSD too, so I was so interested to read this and see what your take on her character would be) and it drives me crazy when people think that she died in canon because of the films.

 

The opening of this chapter was brilliant - it was really powerful:

 

"Some people had lived through the war. Other people had died in it.

And some people were left somewhere in the middle."

 

It's just so true that there are some people who are completely overcome by the war and while others who have lived through it manage to build their lives back to where they were, or move on from the trauma that they've experienced, there are others who have the shadows of war hanging over them for a long time - sometimes forever - and Lavender is unfortunately one of them.

 

I thought you did a brilliant job here of showing the numbness that Lavender was feeling - the way that she had withdrawn completely into herself to try and protect herself from the trauma that she'd experienced.  Even so, although she was numb and didn't really understand everything that was going on, I loved the way that this chapter unfolded.

 

Parvati and (I think) Seamus still coming to visit Lavender when she was in St. Mungo's made me so happy.  They're such good friends to keep coming back again and again, even when she doesn't recognise or acknowledge them, and it showed the sort of people they are - the sort you need if you're struggling with mental illnesses.  And I know that it must be incredibly frustrating for them, but I'm so glad that Lavender was able to recognise them at the end of this chapter, and that she's starting to make some progress.

 

Sian :)