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Unlike most of the other chapters in this collection, this one didn’t have any kind of note to tell me what to expect, but your writing is immediately gripping. I tried to scan forward for a character name but you’re not giving me any hints XD
My best guess for who this is based on pale and blonde hair is Narcissa, but I’m not sure. I thought it might be Ariana, but I don’t remember a mirror being associated with her.
I can’t say for sure if she’s looking in a normal mirror and seeing herself as is in this state, or if it’s enchanted and she’s looking at someone else somehow or another version of herself. Honestly, any of those possibilities are pretty dark, and you’ve done a good job of channeling that creepy vibe. I think it probably is okay that I am not 100% what is happening, because that seems to mirror her own sense of confusion and fear.
Ooh, I peeked at the reviews for hints, and Kaitlin’s interpretation of it being Dumbledore at the Mirror of Erised is interesting! I can totally see that, though for some reason I interpreted the speaker and the person in the mirror being the same person somehow. It’s also really interesting how she is in the mirror, then the mirror breaks, and she is still there somehow.Questions about, but this is interesting and the emotion is strongly written!
Is this… Quirrell? I don’t remember that remember when Nagini and Voldemort found each other. Wait no, it would be before GoF, so Peter or Barty Jr, right? If I’m not remembering wrong, Peter was the one who found Voldemort, so it’s really interesting that he’s described as being not afraid here, because Peter is most often portrayed as cowardly and fearful.
At this time Voldemort is very weak and rather defenseless, but based on what you’ve described Nagini is strong enough to protect either of them, if it’s true that no human has escaped her.
Nagini seems to decide without much consideration that this is a man to be spared (or at least ask Voldemort his opinion). I wonder why that is. Is it because of what Nagini senses in him, or is she under specific instructions from Voldemort. Is he expecting someone to come looking for him? Nagini considers that this man could’ve specifically sought out Voldemort, and that leaves me curious if she thinks it’s to help him or hurt him, and if she has any preference there.
I don’t think I’ve seen anyone write from Nagini’s perspective (at least apart from the Fantastic Beasts canon, which I avoid), and you made this interesting.
I’ve always had a soft spot of Narcissa and things about the Malfoy family as a unit, and I think you did a really excellent job here.
Oohh, the contrast between Bellatrix seeing this as the opportunity of a lifetime and Narcissa seeing it as the last opportunity of a lifetime is really good. And then another great contrast, with Bellatrix’s excited breathing compared with Narcissa’ feeling of suffocation.
This story has the sense of realizing the obvious too late. Narcissa should’ve known exactly where their family was headed, but she refused to see until they were in this position. Her having mixed feelings about it doesn’t necessarily make her less culpable (though I still care for her. I’m good at loving people I blame).
I like that in her description of her husband she doesn’t oversimplify him. In fact, her description of him is quite adoring, but she sees the bad that’s come from him as well. There’s not much of a description of how she feels about Draco, but it still comes through in her reactions to what’s happening.
This does a great job of showing how trapped Narcissa feels by her family (and her previous refusal to see things as they were), but also her deep loyalty and love for them. It’s a complicated balance and you deal with it well.
You don’t say specifically yet, but the quote here feels like exactly what Bellatrix said about using crucio in OotP, so I’m assuming what the context is again here.
I don’t think we ever get too solid of a description of what it feels like to be the one casting crucio I think how you described it is interesting. It is electrifying in a way that is almost as intense as being on the receiving end of the curse, but there’s a kind of intoxicating power to it. I also like how you made everything feel connected, from Regulus’ body to his wand to the victim, with all of the energy flowing between them like a single object. I think there’s probably something interesting to be said about why you need to enjoy torture for it to work.
Uh oh, this is a Potter he’s torturing? Is it James or someone else?
That was a really good line about copper/iron and gold.
This is definitely a darker side of Regulus than we normally see. I’m curious how it plays into his overall journey.
I like that you used the same date-as-title structure as you did for your first story, even though it isn’t necessarily part of the same continuity (well, I suppose it can be if your other story is canon compliant). And this one needs to summary to tell us what happens this night, unfortunately.
This is an interesting mix of intense and calm. There is definitely a sense that there’s no stopping what’s happening, and that moment of James’ death feels so anticlimactic. We knew it was going to happen and it happens, as simple a sound as falling furniture. Lily is upset, but there is pain, but not a huge sense of shock. She’s matter of fact in a practical kind of way, doing what she needs to to protect her son.
She seems so optimistic that she can protect him, when I imagine I would be much more terrified and hopeless. I wonder what she thinks she can do. Surely she doesn’t know that her death will protect Harry. I would imagine she’d think if she was gone there’d be nothing left to keep him safe. But I also see that with that hopelessness comes a feeling of “no other choice.” She is the last line of defense, and she will do whatever she can, as futile as it may seem.
Nice job with this piece.
Author's Response:the anticlimacticness was definitely what i was going for - because from a purely oservational standpoint, nothing all that significant has happened. but emotionally, there's a hell of a lot more significance to it all, and there's a big contrast there. and we see that she tries to barter her life for harry's with voldemort, telling him to kill her instead, so i imagine that's part of her will to protect him. she's going to do whatever she can, even at the expense of her own life, because there's that very small sliver of hope that just maybe it won't be in vain.
Eep, another missing moment from a story I haven’t read. Even when I do read I get guilted for not having done it enough XD
Uh oh, is this the moment she dies? I really need to stop getting attached to characters who are doomed by canon. She checks for a dark mark, but I suppose in most cases they wouldn’t be cast until after the damage is done, otherwise it’s a rather obvious warning.
Oooh this is one of the creepiest yet. The idea of someone being in your space is incredibly uncomfortable, especially if that someone is a Death Eater. Based on the last paragraph it seems like she’s more re less known to expect this for some time. It seems to me that Travers has some kind of fication with her.
I think it was a good touch how you had her looking over her things, closet, dresser, etc and seeing nothing specifically amiss but knowing something wasn’t right, and then in the last paragraph visualizing how Travers had been there, touching each of those things.
Oh hey, I actually read another story with scottish vocabulary this week so I don’t need to google bairn this time. Learning! Having her sister and nephew nearby did contribute to the suspense early on. When I thought this would be the scene when she died, it made me nervous that there would be additional casualties that the doomed by canon knowledge hadn’t prepared me for.
This was well done - you succeeded in creeping me out almost as much as Marlene..
I haven’t read A Place Not Far From Here, and this is kinda weird to read without that context. Hello OC, what on earth are you doing sprawled across a tomb. As if that wasn’t odd enough, James’ thoughts about possible curses going wrong and death being imminent here makes it seem like they are up to something really creepy.
This really leaves me with so many questions, and is kinda effective at getting me to want to read A Place Not Far From Here (it’s on my list, but I’m not good with novels). It seems like, because the Elder Wand is still in Dumbledore’s tomb, that this is an AU of some sort. I am interested to see how you reconciled James having been born with all of the Elder Wand-specific events of Deathly Hallows. James and Amelia both seem like they’re not people to be messed with, both kind of power hungry perhaps. James seems jealous that Amelia has the wand. I am curious what the significance of the whiff of Amelia’s perfume is. I’m not sure if this is off base at all, but it makes her feel incredibly powerful, like the mere smell of her makes things more real for James.
An interesting moment!
Bilius!
I… am a fool who keeps going into these DARK Collection stories hoping for something light. However, this one really might be as light as it gets. You say you can’t do humor, but I think this story is pretty humorous. Not only because of how much Bilius overreacted to the picture on the mug and walked right into his death, but also the fact that despite that paranoia he completely missed the fact that he had walked into a cafe called the Big Black Dog. XD Very afraid but not very consistent. Also amusing was the fact that he considered saying the words “big black dog” terrifying, when that’s not actually the proper name of the thing he’s afraid of. This made me curious if this was really the only case of the grim that he saw, or if he had seen it (or thought he saw it) recently before this and that’s why he was so paranoid. Plus, he had to have seen other black dogs throughout his life… was this a particularly odd day for him or did he really go through life being this over the top? XD
I enjoyed this kind of humorous reprieve from the darkness your house came up with.
First thought: Yay, Parisian Scars! Second thought: Wait… that story wasn’t happy, was it?
You start with a beautiful line about falling being a kaleidoscope of colour. I also really like the ind of juxtaposition of saying that she’s falling too quickly, and yet in a way this moment feels like it’s in slow motion.
For a moment I was uncertain if this was focusing on Lavender or Parvatio. The part about the other girl’s screams ringing made me think that the person not falling was the one in more pain, but since your ending confirms this as Lavender about to be attacked by Greyback, those screams must have been from Parvati watching, horrified, as this happened to Lavender.
And for a second there I thought having a prequel was an opportunity for them not to be suffering… As is, you did a good job here, especially in mirroring Parisian Scars’ tone of beautiful writing mixed with unbearable suffering.
I don’t know if it was on purpose or not, but it’s interesting that both chapters so far have been in second person!
Ooh, bright side of taking a haitus is definitely how many fun new house collaborations there are to read!
This was an interesting idea, to focus in on this drabble on an event from one of your other stories. I haven’t read it, but largest mass murder in wizard history seems terrifyingly descriptive enough. I’m curious if the “you” in this piece is supposed to be a specific character that’s described in Complex, or if it’s more of a general perspective.
The fact that the character thought of their family before they even knew what was coming is extra chilling. People are always said to think of their families in desperate last moments, but in this case it feels like a bit of a premonition. The pulling by an unspoken force bit is really creep. Is it part of the premonition, trying to get them to safety? Or is it more nefarious, the dark magic that causes this attack?
Are the people who appear also drawn in the same way as this character? Where did they come from to seem to appear like that. Is the character’s inability to get their wand due to fear or more magic trapping them? I imagine more is explained in Complex, but in a way it works not to have all the answers here. It really puts the reader in the position of the character, not knowing what’s going on.
Good (and creepy) job
Author's Response:hi!
it's definitely just a generic character - no one in complex is actually there to witness this, so honestly, this is a lot more detail than anyone in the story really gets for a long time. which is... concerning, given how little informaiton is revealed too. :P the pulling is definitely dark magic, but the inability to get their wand in time is something separate entirely - there is a bit more of that explained in the larger novel, at least in the context of some of the motives for picking these specific victims.
thanks for reviewing!
Hello! I'm still going around rounding up Nifflers. This review is on behalf of Emily/Faeruhs.
This was great! I'm slowly working my way through this collection of drabbles, and so far, this has been a standout. So spooky, so creepy! You've perfectly captured Nagini's malevolence. You've also struck the balance between her human and animal intelligence. I couldn't quite figure out which part was which, and that was perfect - it really added to the spooky factor.
What's so amazing is that you've managed all of this in so few words. I am so impressed! Super well done!
xx 800
Hey Abbi! Here for January RvG (team Gold) and the Magical Menagerie!!
What a chilling, chilling piece, Abbi. It is very appropriate for the dark drabble challenge from the Halloween Maze!
The use of second person is incredibly powerful. Instantly, I am there. I am falling. Why am I falling? What's going on? "Kaleidoscope of colour" is such a beautiful image. I can imagine the rush of falling and the blur of everything around me... that, and my vision is waning, I can't focus on one thing. Already, I know that something is terribly, terribly wrong...
"Happiness is void." Ohhh man, that's a lot to take in. This line is frightening, and you summarize it well with "You can only remember being scared." Where's the hope here? (This is how wonderful your writing is here because I feel no hope, only dread of what's to come.)
The ending... feels totally helpless. Someone craving someone else? I think this is for your fic Parisian Sisters, which is now definitely on my to-read list, and suddenly I know that I am Lavender Brown, and that's Greyback wanting to feast on me. Soooo creepy. You capture this fear and repulsion and helplessness so well in this short drabble. This speaks volumes of your writing. Great job!!!
Hi Abby darling! I'm here for January RvR and for the House Cup and because you told me I had to get another review in before work :P
So what I love about this is the way it almost starts of soft, like he's in a dream. He's panicking but at the same time James is just so disconnected from the situation. It's telling, he's in a very different mental state from amelia here and the one underlying theme is JAMES DOES NOT WANT TO BE DOING THIS!
Of course then he sees the wand and agh, I worry a lot about James because even in this tiny piece from his point of view we see that not only does he feel drawn to the wand but he clearly wants the wand. It's a huge difference from the James we see from Amelia's, perhaps slightly warped, point of view.
Your language throughout this piece is also wonderful. Again, James feels detached but you show us his fear rather than tell us, you show us how he cares for Amelia in the almost intimate way he thinks of her at the start and then the fact that at the end it's the thought of her and her perfume that brings him back down to earth and tells him that this isn't a dream or a nightmare, it's real. It's very very well done in such a short snippet!
You are a brilliant writer, as always.
Love D xx
Hey there, Sarah! Here for the Janaury RvG (Go Gold!) and the Magical Menagerie!!!
Why? Why must you write about this night of all nights in the Harry Potter Universe? It's... very fitting for the challenge we had to do for the Halloween maze, and as you know, I love a good tragedy.
I like the way Lily reflects on death in the end, as an equalizer. We all die. I wanted what becomes equal? Our state of being? The balance between life and death?
That it all meets us in the end, no matter our rank, position, demeanor?
And then you bring sound into the mix. The sound of James dying. A lot of times, we get the visuals. But Lily, who is behind a closed door, can only hear at this point. And there's something remarkably ordinary about how she hears the thud. After all, she relates it to furniture and a heavy trunk. Commonplace, every day objects. Something familar to an event that is chilling and horrifying and deadly. I'm reminded of "greet death as an old friend" here because Lily is about to connect death to something she knows.
And her determination at the end. This is the final push to have her make her sacrifice, which ends up saving Harry's life and marking Lord Voldemort's downfall. She is so brave here, and I admire her for it.
So powerful and sad in so few words. Good job, Deni!
Author's Response:i almost couldn't find this review in the unresponded list because i was looking for my own name as i was scrolling. i clearly forgot about this masterpiece.
honestly, as the most hardcore jily shipper, i have NO IDEA why i decided to write their deaths. i enjoy making myself sad, clearly.
but i feel like death is treated like that in a way in the hp universe. when voldemort dies (at least in the books, not in the weird dissolving movie thing), it's described as a marked contrast to how powerful he was in life, that he dies just like the average man. there's nothing special in the way he dies, despite how he lived. and that same sentiment bled into this story.
the sound thing was interesting, because she can't see it, and so the only thing that she has to mark james' death is the sound of it. and it's tremendously anticlimactic-feeling for the enormity of it. but i wanted to end with that moment of determination, because it *is* what sets off the entire series, after all.
thanks for the review, abby! (or should i say, abbi? aubrey? tasha? sian? how many other gryffie names can i call you by?)
Aubrey! Here for January RvG and for the Magical Menagerie!!!
For a dark drabble, it starts on the tad mysterious side. Afterall, who is the disheleved and tired gentleman that so desparately needs the coffee (we have all been there, sir)?
But immediately we know that something is wrong when he starts to reject his much needed caffeine source. You capture Cindy's confusion well through the dialogue (in fact, you capture everything well in the dialogue but more on that in a minute). I love how it becomes apparent that this old man is seeing the Grim, an omen of death, and suddenly, this slightly comical interaction turns darker... Why does he have bloodshot eyes and messy clothes? Because he's tired? In a state of shock? Is he ill? Near death?
And he's determined to stay away from death. Too bad, as it often plays out in stories like this one, that in the process of avoiding death, death comes to him! There's something chilling about how you end it with "screeching tires, his body lay crumbled and dead on the road." You give a sound, a sense of motion (running to crumbled), and a visual of what happens. Very sensory focused but then... it's done. Over. As soon as it begun.
Good job!
Author's Response:Sorry that this wasn't clear (I need to work on this!) but it's Bilius Weasley "dying" from seeing the Grim. But uh yeah, how I wrote this it could be just anyone. I should have totally put in a marker or something whoops!
At this point, he's already been seeing omens, which that and his lack of sleep is causing his frazzled look. The cafe is called "The Big Black Dog" and there's a picture of a black dog on the cups. So he's just freaking out, thinking that they're omens. In the books, Ron describes Bilius' death caused by the Grim. Hermione counters that by saying that the mental conditions Bilius put himself it by thinking he was about to die from the Grim is what led to his death. In this drabble, Hermione is right, and so are you, as you put it: "the process of avoiding death, death comes to him." Bilius gets so run down from the lack of sleep and his paranoia makes him not look for cars when he runs out of the cafe. It's his fear and paranoia of the Grim that does kill him.
Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Hey Sarah! Here for RvG January (go gold!). And for the Magical Menagerie, of course!
What an intense moment to write about, Sarah!! The moment when Draco Malfoy agrees to kill Albus Dumbledore (or become a full fledged Death Eater, both work here). I think it is striking that you've chosen to write in the point of view of the mother, Narcissa. JKR gives mothers such an important role throughout the Harry Potter series; later on, Narcissa will save Harry's life because he helps her find out about her son. Being a mother is a very meaningful and powerful. But here, she is not very powerful as she watches the darkest wizard of the age recruit her only child.
That is chilling!
And you make it even more so with the reactions of Belltrix, who is practically fawning over this momentous occasion. The constrast between her and Narcissa is so striking. And you mirror that with the startling similarity between Lucius and Draco at the beginning and end, respectively. Narcissa sees Lucius for who he really is. And then she sees that in Draco in a horrifying realization. Nothing says "My life is ruined" quite like this moment. Such a complex piece in so few words. Well done, Sarah!!!
Author's Response:Hi Abby! Thank you for this lovely review! I think Narcissa is such a complex character in the series, not necessarily as straight up dark as her husband and sister, but she's definitely got her soft maternal side too. It was pretty interesting to show a couple of her contrasting sides here. She's so different from either of her sisters, with so much so explore. This moment was definitely an intersting one to do, because for her it definitely would have been one of the worst ones of her life. Very emotional! Thanks for reading and reviewing Abby, I'm glad you liked it!
-Sarah
Hi Taylor!
The first time I read this I remember thinking "Wait, this is from Complex?!" but now that i know the context WOW is this scene suddenly far more meaningful and exciting! There's so so much content in just 200 words.
It tell us a little more about the massacre than even Abby knows and yet it still tells us nothing but it's the unknown that makes this just so haunting! Who sent the parchments? What kind of spell was it and WHO THE HELL DID IT? There is so much creepy tension here, like I know you're a super skilled author but to do so much in so few words is seriously impressive! It built up and built up and then at the end we're just left without answers. It's frustrating and eugh...
Your choice of narration has worked so well here as well. I very rarely read second person but just for a glimpse here it was perfect. Incredibly well written, as always.
Now I just NEED to know more about this in Complex...
Deni xx
(Team Leucrocota and January RvG)
Author's Response:ahhhh yeah this is intense af and uhh, very different from complicated :P
but yep, there's a lot here that abby doesn't know, and a lot of things that no one in the auror department will ever know, because they've literally got so little information on this incident. which made this really fun to write, in a sort of 'haha i know something you don't' kind of way. (is this cruel/questionable? probably yeah)
gah, second perosn is weird. it's fun to try for a drabble but i'm literally never doing that for anything longer.
thanks for reviewing <3
Deni, here for January RvG (team Gold) and the Magical Menagerie event!
This is the drabble I can publically gush over its connection with Yaxley!!! This is one of my favorite bits of your novel (see "Tell My Heart to Lie" for more details), so having this drabble in Regulus's point of view is thrilling (and chilling) to read!
Your description here is amazingly haunting with Regulus's addiction to power and, unfortunately, torture."Something shot through him..." "liquid gold" "whispered lessons behind closed doors"... you really capture the senses throughout this little piece of writing. I think that's what gives this piece is emotive drive to tell a dark and horrific tale of someone successfully using torture for the first time.
Regulus crosses a line here, and we get to see that. Because of your fantastic details, we get to experience it with him. It's a dark place, one that I'm sure many people wouldnt like to admit that they'd go to for power... Oh Regulus. But we know his ultimate fate, but for now, we can understand what drives him to be so vile in this moment in time and how he will later join up with Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters.
Incredible writing here, Deni!
Aubrey! Here for January RvG (Team Gold) and for the Magical Menagerie!
A very, very story about Nagini! This was published before Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2, but it still fits no matter which way you look at it.
I like how ambiguous this man is! I think he's Professor Quirrell, travelling abroad and finding Lord Voldemort deep in the woods. Oh! Maybe he can be Peter Pettigrew, because by the time Nagini is fully in the picture, Wormtail has been outed as the traitor and has scurried back to his Master. Is this the case here?
Maybe it's a Muggle or another wizard, about to meet an unfortunate fate as the snake's dinner?
Whatever moment this is, you write it well. Nagini's perception of events is dark and leaves the reader (me) chilled. I love wandering in the woods, but I wouldn't want to be around these parts for many reasons! Whoever is there is there for a sinister purpose, and the fact that Nagini is interested in this human's motives is... well, chilling. You have done such a great job with this little piece. It's a fantastic piece of missing canon!
Author's Response:Yes, this is Professor Quirrell. He's seeking out Voldemort in the forest. Sorry that wasn't clear :/ Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Deni! Here for RvG January (Team Gold!) and the Magical Menagerie!
I feel so honored to know the backstory to this drabble, and it pairs so nicely with Yaxley. Even as a stand alone piece, this drabble is haunting, chilling, and extremely errifying. I don't want to say too much about how it pairs with Yaxley, except that I appreciate how quietly you slid this piece into the end of the collection of drabbles. I think this is a great way to end our dark collaboration! (From here on out, I'll review as if this were a stand alone piece.)
The mirror plays such a powerful role in this piece. The narrator, whomever it may be, sees someone else. That is always scary because you're not yourself. Here, this person is incredibly guilty about something, most likely whatever happened to that blonde girl.
Then, clawing at the mirror until it breaks is... like nails on a chalkboard, but it illustrates how desparate and how this person is experiencing their pain, almost like an out of body experience.
And you raise the question: what's the point of apologizing? It's already happened, and it seems irreversible... and the pity drives it all home, because now, this victim, this blonde girl, has all the power over this person. Soooo dark! Well done!
Hey there, Deni! I’ve just wrestled a Niffler for this review, on behalf of Kaitlin/TreacleTart!
I’ve read a couple of other drabbles in this collection, so I thought I’d drop by and give yours a read as well. I have a feeling that by the end of this event, I’m going to have read most, if not all, of these drabbles, haha! This is only because I am enjoying them very much.
So I just read your chapter summary, and I hope by reading this I’m not going to spoil anything too major from Yaxley. You may note that I am not, in fact, going to not read this and read Yaxley first, just to be safe, because I like living life on the fanfic edge.
Well. That was pretty dark. Firstly, I don’t think this ruins anything in Yaxley at all. It was pretty light on specifics, but still felt complete, so I think it also stands well alone, too. This was interesting for me to read, as I usually read more sympathetic characterisations of Regulus. I am also writing a Regulus story and he’s waaay more likeable and sympathetic in it than here. I hated him, here. Like, really, really hated him. Well done! Generally, I am a big fan of his, so this was quite the 180 reading experience.
It was also interesting to me to read someone actually understanding what on earth Bellatrix means when she says “you have to mean it”. After that one time she says it to Harry in OotP, it’s become a part of her character, this line of dialogue, and most of the time I read it in stories, the character who’s hearing it is all “wtf you crazy lady” even if they are a Death Eater. Like, it’s too strong a stance to take when using an Unforgivable curse. But what makes Regulus so difficult to like here is the exact opposite thing: he totally gets it. And that just makes him as intense and scary as Bellatrix.
Such a great little drabble!
Xx 800
Hey, Sarah! I return from wrestling a Niffler with a review, at the request of the lovely Kaitlin/TreacleTart.
I had a quick skim through your AP and I’m excited to return to it one day soon, but I thought I’d continue with this collection of drabbles, since I reviewed Taylor’s yesterday. I wanted to see what else you Gryffindors had to offer!
This was so sad! I really loved reading the moment where Draco accepts becoming a Death Eater and killing Dumbledore from the perspective of Narcissa. I expected more anger at her husband for the repercussions of his choices, but she’s just resigned and accepts that the repercussions will fall on her. What’s so heartbreaking is that they fall on her son instead, which makes everything all the worse. Poor Narcissa. I’ve always found her to be a complex, yet ultimately sympathetic, character. You’ve treated her here with subtlety, but angst still shines through. I’m just glad we know that everything works out alright for her, in the end. Eventually :P
This was a really great drabble, Sarah! See you at the end of a chapter soon! (Hopefully.)
Xx 800
Author's Response:Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm glad you enjoyed this moment from Narcissa's POV. It was definitely an intersting one to cover. Narcissa's such a complex character and so this was so intersting to explore. Because you're totally right--she could just as easily have been extremely angry at her husband as she was resigned to their circumstances. I'm glad you enjoyed this little drabble. It was definitely a cool little moment to explore with Narcissa! Thanks for reading and reviewing!
-Sarah
Hey, Taylor! I am very pleased that mischievous Nifflers and Kaitlin/TreacleTart have finally brought me to your AP! I’ve been meaning to visit for ages, but better late than never, right?
This was super creepy! I’ve just caught up on the latest five episode of Criminal Minds and oh, my god. This could be the opening scene of that show. I imagine this serves as a great backdoor pilot to Complex. I was under the impression that it was a fluffy, romantic story, but maybe not if there’s the largest mass murder in wizarding history involved? That sounds pretty serious and not fluffy and romantic at all! Will I basically be watching a season of Criminal Minds if I read Complex is the biggest question raised by this drabble.
Onto the actual drabble itself, it was great. I think it works well as a standalone, too. I was feeling genuine dread whilst reading it. The writing was fantastic.
I will hopefully return to your AP soon to have my question about Complex answered soon… until then!
Xx 800
Author's Response:Hi!
Complex is definitely a mixed bag, because there's the fluffy romantic parts going on, and all this stuff as well. So it's a little bit of everything, haha. Glad you enjoyed reading this!
Hello there!
I'm here for a review for the Gryffindor Red vs. Gold Review Battle for November 2018
I'll admit that I had to read this twice through to make a good guess at who the characters are in this story. My first read through I was a little confused, but on second glance I realized the hair color and eye color were clues. On the second read through, I decided that it must be Dumbledore looking at Arianna.
The way you described him beating his hand against the glass made me cringe. I could just imagine the glass breaking and cutting into his old frail skin. He must've been feeling so much to go this crazy. Usually, he's so restrained.
I thought the idea of Arianna sitting and watching him with pity was a particularly sad bit. She probably wishes he could figure out how to forgive himself. I imagine she's long since forgiven him for his mistakes. It must be painful for her to continually watch him hurt himself.
I wonder at what point in his life this particular moment took place. I mean it must be around the time when Harry is exploring the Mirror of Erised, but like what triggered this particular reaction? I imagine he must've thought of her quite often...and he never seems particularly volatile. It does make me understand why he warns Harry about the mirror though.
Good job!
~Kaitlin
Hello there!
I'm here for a review for the Gryffindor Red vs. Gold Review Battle for November 2018!
Ooh! You know I don't think I've ever actually read a story about Nagini as a main character before. I mean I've seen her as a side character, usually in pieces about Charity Burbage or Lord Voldemort, but never really as a standalone character. I really like that you chose to give her this individual piece.
I like how observant you made Nagini. You show that she's not just an animal, she still maintains her intelligence. That kind of makes her character all the more tragic, I think. Finding out that she's a maledictus and then seeing what she becomes is kind of heartbreaking. I can't imagine being stuck as a snake forever.
I'm wondering about the man she's observing. Is it Harry? I envision it being Harry walking into the forest to confront Voldemort and allow himself to be killed. How else could you explain the calmness when everyone else is panicked?
I like the idea of Nagini going back to notify Voldemort that Harry is coming to him, but I do have a question about it. In canon, isn't Nagini safely locked away in a protective sphere? I was under the impression that since she was the last horcrux, Voldemort had her locked under protective measures...at least until the final battle when he was presumably too arrogant to think that anyone else could kill her.
I'd honestly love to read more about her! *hint hint wink wink* Good job!
~Kaitlin
Author's Response:Oh no! It’s not Harry; it’s Quirrell going to find Voldemort in the forests of Albania. Sorry that wasn’t clear! Thanks for reviewing though!
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