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Hey there, I’m back for Round Two of the CMDC review event!
Ohh, so I was a bit hasty in my assumption that Iris doesn’t know about Harry – it turns out she does, but she doesn’t seem to be too bothered about never having met him – I guess Iris is just not interested in any sort of family drama, but her nonchalance still strikes me as a bit odd. I think if I had a cousin I’d never met who also happened to be my only living relative, I’d be dying (pardon the poor choice of words) to meet him, and I do hope you are going to explore their relationship a bit!
I’m glad everyone got into Ravenclaw! Except poor Sylvia, she doesn’t seem too happy about her sorting, but I’m confident Iris and Astoria are going to keep up the friendship with her! (It turns out I was also wrong about Anne’s Hogwarts House, maybe I should stop guessing about a character’s backstory because my guesses so far haven’t been very successful.) I also loved Iris’ sorting and her conversation with the Hat – there was never a doubt in my mind that Iris would end up anywhere other than Ravenclaw, so I was a bit surprised at how long she spent wearing the hat, but I guess the Sorting Hat quite enjoys having a good discussion with a student, so I imagine he likes to draw out the sorting it’s an interesting chat – after all, the Sorting Hat gets very little use throughout the year, so he probably soaks up as much interaction as he can on the one day a year he gets out, haha!
I’m also very pleased with myself because I managed to solve the riddle, which is very rare for me :P
Love, Julia
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Julia!
To Iris, Caer Sidi is her family. She's never really understood having a big blood family, and the closest thing she has to a cousin is Hannah, so she's at least heard a bit about Harry. I am definitely exploring their relationship. It's fun to write, especially as they get older, so I hope you enjoy it.
Honestly, Sylvia would have been way better off in Hufflepuff, but her father would never have accepted that. She, Iris, and Astoria are best of friends, don't worry, and they're not going to abandon their friend just because she's in Slytherin. Anne is a bit different from James, though a bit similar, and I hope you'll like her once I get that set of one-shots onto here. They won't be up until Iris albicans is finished, so it might be a month or two.
The Hat does like conversations, but I imagine that he had trouble getting Iris to be quiet so he can announce what house she is in. She has many questions, and the Sorting Hat has a strict schedule. I hope that Dumbledore talks to him while he's on that shelf in the headmaster's office. It's probably very lonely up there.
Well done, you! I am terrible at riddles, so I apologize if they're a bit difficult. I do poke fun at riddles eventually, and the answers that can be used, but that won't be for a few stories.
Thank you for reviewing, and have a lovely day!
-A
Hey there, I’m back for Round Two of the CMDC review event!
Again, I love your descriptions of village life! I’ve only ever lived in cities, but your depictions of how close-knit everyone is, and how they look out for each other kind of makes me wish I, like Iris, had grown up in a village, too!
I’m so glad we got to see Sylvia again, but I do worry about her! The way she talks about her family makes me think her homelife isn’t the greatest, and she’s so anxious about her sorting – I can’t tell whether she seems more scared about ending up in Slytherin or not ending up in Slytherin, from what we saw of her in Diagon Alley, I don’t think she’d fit in very well, but she’s clearly scared of the repercussions that would come with being sorted anywhere else.
I’m also still intrigued about Iris’ parentage and her family history in general – everyone she meets is clearly surprised by her last name, but she doesn’t really seem to notice that. And we know from the last chapter that she knows about James and Lily, but I get the impression that she knows very little about the war in general, and nothing at all about Harry’s existence – I wonder why Remus would keep his existence from Iris? Even when she can’t meet her cousin, why has she been kept ignorant of his existence? I’m excited to see how their first meeting is going to play out!
Love, Julia
Author's Response:Thanks for replying, Julia!
Yeah, I grew up in suburbia, so I might have been doing a little wish-fulfillment with Caer Sidi. It's just nice and homey and I would love to live in that cottage or even the village. I wish we could spend more time there, but Iris would get very cross if she didn't get to go to Hogwarts like she dreamed. For so long.
I'll give you a hint on Sylvia's homelife: her last name is Selwyn, and that's something I took straight from canon. She's not canon, but the family is. Sylvia is a bit scared of a lot of things, and, to be completely honest, there is a house that would be a much better fit for her, but her father wouldn't understand. I'll mention this in the reply to the next chapter because then you'll see where she and everyone else ends up.
I know Potter is a common last name in the UK, but I like to imagine it's not all that common in the magical world. After all, everyone knows the name Harry Potter. I imagine that most of the magical Potters are, by this point, dead. Iris knows vaguely about James and Lily, but more so in that they were close to Remus and died tragically. Anne died when she was only three, so it wasn't like she grew up hearing a lot about her aunt and uncle. She's been a bit sheltered, more so than the average child, and Remus is starting to figure out that it might not have been the best idea to shelter her for so long.
I imagine that most of the kids born after the war (so Iris and pretty much everyone a bit younger than her) only heard bits and pieces about it from their families and the like. They wouldn't know a world with Voldemort in it, and it's very interesting to look at it from that perspective. While Harry's life is defined by Voldemort, pretty obviously, Iris' is defined by him in a very different way. I can't say much about this right now because of spoilers, but this is sort of the driving force behind this series.
So, yeah, she doesn't get to meet Harry for a little bit (as you've already read). That's my b. Plot stuff needed to happen, and Harry kind of fell by the wayside. Oopsie. He's been a bit busy with Quidditch and stuff. Narratively, the meeting didn't fit in where I originally wanted to put it, so it got shuffled a little further along in the story.
Thanks again for reviewing, and I hope you have a lovely day!
-A
Hey there, I’m back for Round Two of the CMDC review event!
Iris keeps getting more and more endearing! “Karl the Knarl” is just so perfect a name, I love her! I also love Iris’ impressions of the different villagers, and I love the humour in her descriptions! Octavian towering over her is such an amusing assessment coming from an 11-year-old child, and I love the duality of Laelia throwing physically throwing people out of her pub but also making the best pasties – all of your descriptions of village life are so fun and I can really picture this charming little wizarding village in the Welsh countryside, and I love Iris’ impressions about busy London compared to her quaint village – the detail about mismatched chairs and how they seem so different in the two pubs was really sweet!
The shopping trip itself was also really fun to read about! I love Iris’ concerns about her clothes and skirts lacking pockets, and her meeting Sylvia in the book shop was really sweet, too! I hope we get to see more of her; she seems to be such an independent, adventurous person, but I’m curious to see how that plays out if her family is as traditional and restrictive as her brother’s behaviour seems to indicate.
WAIT, WAIT, WHAT? Iris Potter? Is Iris Harry’s sister? Or perhaps a cousin? I was absolutely not expecting this! So Anne, Iris’ mother, was James’ sister? I am so shocked by this, and I need to know more! And Iris doesn’t know who her father was? That’s another mystery to solve and my mind is already going a million miles a minute trying to figure out why Anne would have kept the father’s identity from her friends and family. I’m assuming that Anne was also in Gryffindor, and that’s how she became friends with Remus and the lot? Christ, the Potter family really didn’t have it easy with their two children dying so soon after each other – and poor Remus, first losing James and Lily, and then Anne so soon after.
The rest of the chapter was really sweet, too, with Iris’ adorable new owl friend and the bonding moment between her and Remus, but I’m just still so shocked by the earlier revelations! I’m absolutely hooked, and I have to find out more!!
Love, Julia
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Julia!
Karl is very grumpy, and he did not take kindly to being named. The Bowtruckles are a bit more friendly towards Iris, as are the Porlocks, though those are friendly towards her mostly due to the sugar cubes she gives them. She spends a bit more time in the forest, so the people are a bit of an oddity to her still, even though she's lived in the cottage for her entire life. Laelia is a bit terrifying, honestly, though she likes to give the children of the village pasties. I wish that I could just write a day in the life of Caer Sidi, but it would just be descriptions and no plot.
I love Sylvia. Honestly, I love both of Iris' best friends (the other one you will meet shortly), and Sylvia is a delight to write. She's a bit skittish, but she has a curious streak in her.
Anne was James' twin. Unlike her brother, she was in Ravenclaw, though she dealt with her brother and his friends quite often. She was always closer to Remus and Lily than any of the others, mostly because she was a prefect as well. Anne had her reasons for not telling who Iris' father was, though Remus knows. Remus is, at this point, the only person who actually knows the identity, having been told by Anne.
Roland is one of my favorites. I feel bad for not having him in more of the chapters, but, to be fair, he's an owl. A very cute owl, but one who can't really go to class with Iris.
Thanks again for reviewing!
-A
Hey there, I’m here for Round Two of the CMDC review event!
I adore Iris so much, she must be the sweetest, most charming 11-year-old I’ve ever seen! She’s so naturally inquisitive and kind-hearted, I had the cheesiest grin on my face the entire time I was reading this! How adorable is it that she tries to befriend bowtruckles and unicorns?!
I also love how much she clearly adores Remus, going to pick flowers for him and concerned for his well-being! She’s also very perceptive in noticing Remus’ pained expression when he gets his letter, even while she’s so excited about hers. The line about hoping “that this Professor Dumbledore figure wasn’t being mean to Remus” was simply too sweet, can I hug Iris already?
I think I’m just as excited as Iris is about her going to Hogwarts (and “a school where she wouldn’t have to do maths” is a mood, honestly!), and I’m really looking forward to reading what she gets up to at school!
I’m also really intrigued to find out more about Iris’ parents and how they’re connected to Remus in making him her godfather – if she only came to live with him when she was six, her parents must have died quite a long time after the war, so their deaths can’t really have been related to that, so I’m eager to find out more about them!
Also, if my understanding is correct, Iris at this point doesn’t know about Remus’ lycanthropy, only that he is sick? I can’t imagine that’ll stay like that for long, not with how perceptive Iris is and when Remus’ treatment is about to change – I don’t think it will take long for her to catch on to her godfather’s condition.
Love, Julia
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Julia!
Iris has lived with Remus her entire life. The cottage they live in was her mother's, Anne, before Anne died when she was three. As you've already read, seeing as I'm about to get to another one of your ever-lovely reviews. I saw the notification on my phone and I squeed. Your reviews are wonderful, and thank you so much for reviewing!!
Anne died in 1985, and Iris was born in 1982, and Anne's death had nothing to do with the war. She died of an illness. Her father is... well, you'll see (or, rather, you have seen). Anne is actually the one who came up with the lie of Remus' illness to Iris. Remus is, of course, a bit reserved about a child, especially one who lives with him, knowing that he is a werewolf. He does feel bad about lying to her, especially for so long, but he is a bit ashamed about the fact.
Iris is clever, but let's just say that Remus is a bit more clever than her right now. Time will tell if she figures it out soon.
-A
Hi Robin! I’m here for CMDC Round 2 :D
A cozy Christmas at Hogwarts for Iris and Remus seems just the thing.
I’m really enjoying how you, like JKR, tell us what everyone is eating, like the fry up on Christmas morning, and all the wonderful treats in the kitchen with the house elves—it makes the story so homey.
But WHAT IS THIS??? Iris just met Padfoot—didn’t she??!! She just met the guy who might be her dad! I wonder if Sirius knows—if he followed Iris on purpose so that he could be with her?? That scene was so exciting and bittersweet; and I especially liked when Sirius was begging for chocolate—but he was in dog form so nobody would give it to him. There are many drawbacks to being stuck in animagus form, I guess.
Your Snape at the end was quite on point. I laughed when Iris and her friend were pondering what embarassing color his dressing gown might be, and of course he emerges out of nowhere to get them in trouble. His crack about the Dementors having an early snack was exactly something he would say—and lovely job dropping a hint to Iris that she needs to look into the Selwyn’s past—and Snape’s. I don’t blame her for not wanting him to be her dad.
I also liked the similarities you drew between Snape and McGonagall—that neither of them stooped to giving holiday themed lessons. I’ve always thought these two were friends (at least until the Death Eater year at Hogwarts when Minerva didn’t know what was going on) and I love seeing people point out their similarities in fics.
Looking forward to the next update!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Thanks for reviewing, Noelle!
Iris has very particuluar tastes in food, as will be shown. It's not a major plot thing, but it comes up occasionally. This is definitely not going to be her last stop in the kitchens.
Tee hee. A suspicious doggie who tries to eat chocolate. There is a hint as to whether or not Sirius knew who it was that brought him into the castle. Watch his reaction to something that's said while they're in the kitchen. All will be explained in due time. I will say, though, that Iris was born about seven months after Sirius was thrown into Azkaban.
Thank you! I was so worried that Snape would sound a little too over the top. He's very good at sneaking around, and Iris is very bad at noticing when people are right behind her. Let's just say that this isn't the last time Snape does his little sneaky-sneak thing. He's always reminded me of McGonagall in teaching style.
The next chapter will probably be a week or so because it's still in the process of being completed and then editing will happen.
Thank you again!
-A
Hi Robin! I’m here for CMDC Round 2 :D
You’ve done such a fine job with this debate! I agree that writing both sides of an argument, from two different characters points of view is daunting—but you’ve really put together a fine example of it here. I loved how you built up the tension at the beginning of the chapter, with everyone gathering for the debate—and I also really liked how many extra, non-Ravenclaw guests wound up in the Tower for this event (and lots of them seem to be Weasleys!). The way that you evoked Iris’s feelings of nervousness—her hyperfocusing on the debating podiums, and the way she almost knocks over the pumpkin juice—really made me connect with her.
I think that my favorite part of the debate itself was that both Iris and Yukata sound like this is their first debate. Like, they have a couple of very well-rehearsed points, and they stick to them. Their focus in this moment is not on offering up a bunch of slick sounding rebuttals or retorts, but rather on keeping calm under pressure, and just learning the ropes of the thing. And the way that the audience is respectful of this initiation rite, but being quiet where in a debate between older students they probably would have been more riotous was a nice touch.
I would love to see more debating sprinkled through the story and get to witness now Iris grows in this area over time—and also get to witness some of the crazy stuff that happens during the older kids debates.
Lovely chapter!!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Noelle!
Thank you! I went towards Oxford-style debates (kinda), but the debates when the Ravenclaws are older are more like loosely-guided discussions. The prefects are there to make sure there's no hexes or anything, but the older kids get to have a lot more freedom in structure than the wee firsties. There will be more debates in the future, and you will definitely see Iris growing a bit in debating. The senior debates (aka the ones that are on the bulletin board) are for the fourth years and up, but there are junior debates. They're a bit more like this, but a little less structured.
Because of how chaotic the senior debates are, I won't be doing many of them in the earlier years. Iris does take part in debates, don't worry, and she has a lot of informal debates with her friends and such. Those are more where there will be retorts, but, for now, Iris is still getting used to arguing with people. The older students tend to fly by the seat of their pants and sound a lot more like what I've imagined these debates to sound like.
Thank you, again, for reviewing!
-A
Hey!
I love the description the cottage. It just sounds so sweet especially the wildflowers.. I have a really great mental picture about her surroundings. I think Iris is just adorable already. I love how curious that she is coming across but she obviously loves animals too. I think you've got this element of her being a little bit of mischief when she want see the unicorns considering she wasn't strict told to say away. I thought you've playing her age really well, she is just getting the hogwarts letter so assuming she is nearly eleven. I thought she had that innocent of child so she isn't quite putting together Remus' absences.
I'm looking forward to seeing her as a bit older because she seems like such a likeable and fun character from this chapter. It'll be interesting to see her as she gets older all though I'm currently unsure of the timeline this story is going to be taking.
I think it's really interesting how you've created the set up where Remus is her 'Uncle' and he takes care of her. I really like that because I feel like Remus would have a lot to give a child. She is obviously very taken care of and Remus is really protective of her which is really sweet but I wonder how that will play out in future chapters. It might be difficult to her change surroundings and be around more people as she is use to her life as it is.
I think the characterization of Remus so far it seems a line with canon. I'm really looking forward to Remus in the care giver role because that's obviously something that we haven't seen before. I think you can do some really great character development for him within the story! Interesting start!
Abbi xx
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Abbi!
She's not quite eleven in this chapter, as her birthday is in late June. I'm going to have a fic for every year of Hogwarts, so she'll be eleven or so throughout this entire fic. That being said, it will be a few months probably after I finish this fic that the next year will come out. I'm still working on a few chapters in this fic, and then I need to get the first few chapters really good before I post them.
I thought for a long time about how Remus would be raising a child, and I'm glad that you like how I've characterized him so far. I have some difficulty with keeping characters in-line with their canon characterization, so I'm glad you thought he seemed okay so far.
Thank you again for reviewing!
-A
Hi Robin! I’m here for CMDC Round 1 :D
You don’t need to apologize for saving the debate for the next chapter—it was sort of exciting to have the tension built up during this one. I really felt for Iris, who is so nervous that she’s sick to her stomach for a week. That’s such an awful feeling. Audrey clucking around her like a mother hen and wondering if she needs to go to the hospital wing was a nice illumination of Audrey’s character.
I’m glad that Remus and Iris were able to smooth things over in this chapter, especially since Iris has so many nerves right now. She needs his loving support. Interesting that she was unwilling to leave Hogwarts due to a mass murderer on the loose, but she’s entertaining the idea of leaving so she can get out of debating. I feel her pain though—this is bound to be uncomfortable.
And so interesting that Remus is giving Harry private lessons on the Patronus charm. Harry’s going to need them though if the Dementors are floating around. I can’t wait for Iris to learn the charm—I wonder what her Patronus is going to be.
I had a warm fuzzy feeling when Iris and Yukata finally broke the tension between them. It’s awesome that the whole time Iris has been thinking that Yukata is cool as a cucumber and not nervous about the debate at all, he has been totally nervous and thinking that she seems calm and collected about it. And when they both admit that they don’t really care at all about Quidditch and that they will both try to do their best in the debate—it takes the emotional stake out of it and they can just be friends. And their nerves mostly melt away! I really like how you resolved that.
I also am amused that everyone keeps poking fun at the Gryffindor’s intelligence; and that the Ravenclaws are sneaking members of other houses into their common room for the debate. The acting ‘as if’ is a good strategy here.
I’m really looking forward to the next chapter!
Nice work!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Noelle!!
Honestly, Audrey is just a mother hen to the firsties. She loves them, and she wants them to do well. Does this mean that she tried to feel Iris' forehead, and Iris tried to dodge? Yep (Audrey won that round). Iris, like me, does not like speaking in public. She's much better at one-to-one communication.
Iris does not have her priorities in order. I kid, but she doesn't really think of Sirius Black as anything more than a shadowy figure who's mentioned in the newspapers. He doesn't seem like a real threat to her, while the debate is looming. I tried to tie in canon in here, with Harry's Patronus lessons. Iris does learn it, eventually, and her form will be revealed. It is not this fic because, while Iris is clever, Remus is not the one to teach it to her.
Iris and Yukata are two sides of the same coin. As they get older, they get more similar in some ways and more different in others. Yukata seems very calm and collected, but he is an eleven year old, after all. He just has a better poker face than Iris, though Liam was sitting there like 'mate, what are you doing?'. Yukata and Iris are both a bit oblivious, and social cues are definitely not their strong suit.
Snape was being a bit of a jerk with that, and Iris' fear of going to Gryffindor isn't because she thinks they're dumb. She's not brave, and she knows it, so being in a house full of brave people is her idea of torture. Let's just say that Iris and Yukata aren't the only ones who had the idea to sneak people into the common room.
The debate will be soon, but I'm still working on fleshing it out a bit. Writing a debate is a lot more difficult than I thought, and I doubt that there will be any debates that aren't required for the plot. They're chaos and difficult to properly articulate with written word.
Thank you for reading!
-A
Hi Robin! I’m here for CMDC Round 1 :D
Public speaking? Why did it have to be public speaking? I know that learning by doing is a great way to learn, but I really feel for Iris here in this chapter. It seems like a lot to just throw the first years to the eagles and make them debate right away IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE HOUSE! And it seems like they’ve chosen a topic that Iris isn’t even really passionate about (if first years should play on the Quidditch teams or not) and put her up against Yukata, who seems to be a natural at debating.
I’m super happy with this chapter though—I love that you’ve taken this moment to show us so much about Iris and the inner workings of the Ravenclaw house. Iris, who is able to keep her cool under Snape’s scrutiny (by the way, I’m glad that he’s calmed down some and is now just treating her like the other students, even though that is still pretty poorly) is freaking out here and worried that she’s going to have to be sent over to Gryffindor if she fails. It’s pretty hilarious that this is her fear—to be sent to Gryffindor XD
But Evan and Roger aren’t going to send her in unprepared. I love how they help her practice, get her comfortable with the space, give her tips; and then try to put everything in perspective—everyone loses a debate at some point, and it’s not a big deal, the point is to learn HOW to debate and how to use logic. It’s so Ravenclaw and I love it!
I also liked how you showed us how very young Iris is in the moment when she couldn’t see over the debate podium. And I really think there need to be snacks at this debate.
Also, the Knocker as an agent of chaos made me laugh. I can’t wait to see this debate!
Nice work!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Noelle!!
Because Iris is afraid of it, and she needs to overcome this fear. Also because I wanted to write a debate, but I didn't realize how difficult it would be. The reason why Audrey and Evan picked this topic is because it's a rather standard topic for the Ravenclaws, and one that is heavily debated within the house itself. It's not that they want Iris to fail. It's a tradition at this point for the first years to debate it, and it's something that that would personally affect their lives.
I really like writing the inner workings of Ravenclaw. I try not to let it overtake the rest of the story, though sometimes that's difficult. They are a bit more tight-knit than Gryffindor seems in canon, and the debates are one way for them to bond as a house.
Snape's gotten to the point where he just ignores her. After the comment that she could be his daughter, Snape has just noped out of dealing with this child. I forgot to mention this in your review, but let's just say that Remus used his Hard Stare on Snape to get him to be slightly nice towards Iris. He may have mentioned certain events during their school years. I have thoughts about how things could have been different in the relationship between Iris and Snape (DM me if you're curious). He hates Harry because Harry reminds him of James (and, by extension, Lily), but he has mixed feelings towards Iris due to her parents. He's not always sure what to think of this snarky little girl with gray eyes.
Evan and Roger have the best bromance. I see Roger as that cool older brother figure in a lot of kid's stuff. He's a ladies' man (off-screen, of course, because he is in Big Brother Mood around the firsties), but he takes time to really mentor the younger students. He was originally just a cameo, but I like how he turned out. I was originally going to have Evan do all of this, but I liked how it turned out with Roger better.
Iris is a smol bby. The Potter height genes skipped both Anne and Iris. There should be snacks, and everyone other than Penelope wishes for it to be that way. However, Penelope won that debate the very first night, so they do not get snacks in the Official Ravenclaw Common Room Snack Basket this year. Fret not: the debate is held at the beginning of every school year, and, sometimes, they get snacks.
I love Knocker, I really do. I hate writing riddles (as you might have guessed), but I love writing snarky answers to Knocker. As for how chaotic Knocker is, let me give you a hint: Knocker is the one who lets Peeves in. Without Peeves having to answer a riddle.
-A
Hi Robin! I’m here for CMDC Round 1 :D
I’m really amused that Iris keeps mentally referring to Ron as mini-Percy. It’s a lovely tidbit that makes a physical connection between Ron and Percy; and I’m sure that Ron would be horrified to know that he’s being thought of that way. Ron is so desperate to be his own person, and Percy is probably the one of his siblings that annoys him the most. I wonder if Iris will ever get to appreciate the irony.
I thought you handled this official meeting between Iris and Harry and the other two very well. Since Iris has been raised as an only child, and Harry was raised (and abused) by the Durselys, it makes a lot of sense that the two of them would be a little awkward and cautious about each other. Harry seems to be a little self-centered at the beginning of this meeting, very concerned about who Remus is to him and why Remus hasn’t really talked to him. And Iris is quick to defend and explain. Nice hinting about Remus’s condition too with the bit about how he can’t grow aconite in his garden. But even with all of Iris’s curiosity and all the information she has (that he always goes away at the full moon and comes back more tired than he was before) she hasn’t yet put together that her godfather is a werewolf. With a father as a mass murderer and a godfather as a werewolf, I wonder how Iris is going to take it when she does find out.
The scene when Iris and Harry go for a walk by the lake was lovely. I was also disappointed that the giant squid was no where to be seen. But Iris and Harry are able to voice the way they feel to each other (that they both feel like they don’t know how to have or be a good cousin) and I think that they are really going to be able to build on that honesty. And, if nothing else, they can bond over the fact that Snape is nasty to both of them.
Nice work!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Noelle!!
I don't want to spoil whether or not Ron finds out that Iris referred to him this way. I always thought that Ron and Percy looked similar, even more than some of the other Weasleys, and Iris sees him as a mini-Percy, though definitely his own person. She knows of Fred and George, and she knows of, but hasn't met, Ginny, so the only Weasley she's really dealt with is Percy. This is not the last time these two will speak, however.
These two awkward babies. I love them, I really do, but they are so awkward, I get second-hand embarrassment with them in this chapter.
Iris could, if she thought about it, put the pieces together about Remus' condition, but she honestly hasn't thought about it because she honestly thinks that he's sick like her mother was. She barely remembers her mother, and Anne was sick for most of the time that Iris remembers her. She fears that Remus will die, and she honestly wouldn't know what she would do without him. To her, she's preparing herself for eventually losing him. The idea that he's not sick never crosses her mind because she doesn't think that he could be a werewolf.
Now, has Snape been meddling where Snape ought not to be meddling? Yes, of course. That's Snape. And, yes, he is trying to get certain children to figure out certain things. If Iris weren't so concerned about her father, she would probably figure it out. Don't worry. There is one more big secret for Iris to figure out.
There will be giant squid. Iris will not end her first year at Hogwarts without seeing the giant squid, I promise you. They have a lot more in common than they think, and I like writing their relationship.
-A
Hi Robin! I’m here for CMDC Round 1 :D
I agree with Iris, being Headmaster is a hard, stressful job. It’s very preceptive of her to notice Dumbledore looking old and tired. I also love that Remus never yells, even when he’s upset—I totally agree with this character trait. But even an upset Remus wouldn’t be able to unnerve Dumbledore—he’s been stared at by scarier people than Remus.
Nice Paddington reference :)
And we finally get a little more information about Iris’s mother. She was sickly, but kind, and Pomfery wanted her to be a Healer and work with her after graduation—which didn’t happen. It looks like Iris is a pretty healthy girl so far though.
Is Madam Pince trying to hint at who Iris’s father is? This is the second time she’s tried to direct the girl to a book about Pureblood linage. The first time I thought it might just have been her being batty, but now I’m wondering if she knows what Iris is looking for and is trying to help.
Oh man—how freaky to finally realize that you look like someone and that someone is Walburga Black of all people! (cue dramatic music) Iris knows, doesn’t she?? Is Remus going to tell her the truth now?
Man, Iris and Remus really need to have an out and out heart to heart. I know it’s his bad time of the month, but it was pretty clear that Iris knew all about Sirius and she seriously (d’oh!) needs to talk to someone about it. I’m sad that she’s alone now for the full moon.
But Crookshanks seems to have made a friend of her, and I’m glad at the end of the chapter that Hermione has invited Iris to eat with the golden trio. I hope that they will be able to cheer her up some, especially after Snape was such a jerk in the class. Good job having him pick on the hair cut that Iris had given her friend—it seems like the sort of thing he would do.
Nice work!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Thanks for reviewing, Noelle!!
Iris is not the biggest fan of Dumbledore. She certainly doesn't see him as the wise, all-knowing figure that Harry does. She sees him as she does in this: an old, tired man who is trying his best. She respects him, of course, but she does not see him as a faultless person like Harry does. It's the difference in how they were raised, I think. Harry tends to think incredibly highly of people until they do something to change that. Iris is a bit more reserved about her praise and trust. She already has her Dumbledore-like figure: Remus.
Remus and Iris have a soft spot for Paddington, though you will see Iris' opinion of orange marmalade soon enough. I like the book as well, which is why I included this, and I imagine Remus (other than being like he is in the movies) as sounding a bit like the Paddington from the movies. He's very soft-spoken, and I imagine that he tries to maintain that image. That being said, I would probably be afraid of his Hard Stare.
You will get to hear more about Anne in a story of her own. Well, a story of her and Iris' father. I mentioned it in my writer's journal, but it won't be published until I've done a few challenge entries. I can't talk about it much here because spoilers, but it will be within the next few months. She's a very interesting character, and there is a reason behind her illness. I'm glad you're picking up on that; remember that in a few books, along with something else you're going to find out soon.
Madam Pince knows exactly who Iris' father is, but she doesn't like giving out information. She prefers for people to find it for themselves, but she gives Iris hints and breadcrumbs. She's a bit batty, but she knows what she's talking about in this case. I almost thought of having Iris find out she looks similar to someone else in that family, but I want to save that reveal for a later time. Let's just say that Walburga looks like another relative who Iris will be dealing with sometime.
Iris and Crookshanks have an interesting relationship, one that I like writing. This is the second bit of it, but Crookshanks may have another reason for seeking out Iris, specifically, during the kipper theft.
Snape is nothing if not observant, and, honestly, I'm a bit influenced by how you write Snape when I write him in all of this. He's a rather clever one, isn't he?
-A
Hi Robin! I’m here for CMDC Round 1 :D
The mental image of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws peppering Remus—and probably all the other teachers—with questions makes me giggle. I wish that we saw more of these classes in the books because I bet that this house pairing would make for a totally different classroom dynamic than the one created by the Gryffindors and Slytherins.
Your ideas are really wonderful and I love it when you take this world and make it your own. If I had any tiny bit of con crit for you, I would love it if you slowed down the narrative some and really showed us some of these ideas in action as you go forward—like the classroom dynamics, or the way that the library looks/feels/acts etc. I’m really enjoying this story and Iris’s point of view—I just want to encourage you to delve even more deeply into it!
I love it that Iris has already lost Ravenclaw so many points because of her constant questions. I wonder if Snape takes points away from the Ravenclaws for questions because he doesn’t like to be interrupted by them. But, even though I love Snape, I’ll be the first to admit that he has no business teaching young children!
I can’t imagine how hard it would be to write with a quill left-handed! It’s bad enough with pencils, and it’s so Remus that he would find a way to help Iris be her best by allowing her to write with pencils instead of struggle with a quill.
I’m pretty mad at Penelope right now! Iris is behaving just fine in potions—okay maybe she’s quick with the come-back—but she’s just fine!
The scene where the girls are cutting each other’s hair is exactly the sort of relationship-building and world-building scenes that I want more of! It’s really cute to see them bonding over something that the sort of shouldn’t be doing :)
The Halloween bait and switch was nicely done. You build up this lovely day with themed Charms class and lots of candy—and then drop that little bomb about how Halloween for Iris and Remus growing up was always a bad day—and we the readers know why but she doesn’t. Nicely played.
Uh oh! Amid all the chaos created by Sirius Black’s break in, Iris is starting to get information that Remus has been hiding from her. The truth will out.
Nice work!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Noelle!!
I had a lot of trouble figuring out how Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw classes would be together. We only get to see Gryffindor with other classes, so I wanted it to be a slightly different flavor. Defense Against the Dark Arts is a very slow-moving class because the Ravenclaws (Iris especially) ask Remus a lot of questions, and he answers all of them. He really is supposed to be a close-to-perfect teacher, one who cares about his students learning.
This is one of the chapters I rushed, and I'm working on slowing down the narrative. I have a hard time not getting bogged down in the classroom dynamics and the library, so I went a little too much in the other direction. I'm not happy with how rushed some of the chapters feel, and I'm fleshing out the next few chapters because I want them to feel less rushed. In the next few books in the series, there's a lot more of them in class, but I wanted to focus more on the mystery in this one.
I have written with a quill a couple times, and, honestly, it sucks when you're left-handed. It's not any easier with a caligraphy pen for me, and, I feel bad for Iris, but I wanted her to have that little growing pain. Remus tends to use pencils at home (though I imagine he's a fan of fancy pens when he can get them), so she's not used to quills.
Penelope is trying her best. She's a bit too strict with the firsties, but she does have their best interests at heart. Flitwick's a bit indulgent with the Ravenclaws, so Penelope is the (sort-of) stricter parental figure to the house.
I'm really glad that I didn't keep with the original plan for how Ophelia would get her characteristic short hair. Originally, it was going to be the casualty of a Potions accident, but I thought they deserved a bonding scene. I have a bad habit of getting bogged down with relationship-building and world-building that I tend to not include them, but there are more in the later chapters. This fic is definitely a learning experience for me in what I should do more or less of, and there are more scenes like this later in the series, and even later in this fic. I love the relationships between the dormmates, and they really do bond tightly. I think you'll like how the next book will start because they get some time to just bond and be friends.
I feel bad for Iris, but there had to be feels. Halloween is definitely an emotional day in the cottage, but one that Iris doesn't entirely understand. She never knew James and Lily (as they died about nine or so months before she was born), and she really only knows basic knowledge about them. Remus never really talks a lot about them because it hurts him, so they don't mean a lot to Iris other than being long-dead family members. Of course, she'll have new memories of Halloween soon, and they'll be happier.
I love that you used 'The truth will out'. As you'll see (because I'm about to reply to your other reviews), the truth is sort of a theme in this series. Iris is a fan of it, but Remus... Remus has his reasons for why he hasn't told her about several things. The truth will out, and there may be a bit of trouble when it does.
Thanks for reading!
-A
Hi Robin! I’m here for CMDC Round 1 :D
Iris’s first meeting with Harry is awkward to say the least. I feel bad for her that she has to try to explain her family situation and how Harry does and doesn’t have an uncle—because she doesn’t know who her father is. That’s a lot for an eleven year old. Maybe its for the best that Harry blows off their dinner; Iris has more time to think about what she’s going to say (or just avoid saying it for a bit longer).
Um, avoiding Percy like he’s a pile of walking brussels sprouts is one of the most hilarious similes I’ve read lately XD
But not as hilarious as Iris’s comeback to Snape in potions! Snape might be up on her in terms of making her feel uncomfortable, but when she asks him if he’s worried that he might be her father—priceless!! Go, Iris, go!
I do wonder if he’s making her write about the Wolfsbane potion because he’s trying to hint to her that Remus is a werewolf, like he does in the DADA class later.
But I really want to know what Remus said to Snape to get him to back off of Iris!
This hinting that Snape is the right age to be Iris’s father is so tantalizing. But I do hope for her sake that he isn’t.
And here we are—at the hallowed Hogwarts library at last! I hope that Iris is able to read all of those books before she leaves Hogwarts. But I can’t help but feel that this visit to the library is somewhat overcast by her mission to find out who her father is. Like she can’t just go and enjoy communing with the books and the knowledge—she’s got a mystery to solve.
Madam Pince is an enigmatic figure. Although she keeps Iris away from what she wants (do first years get access to anything?) she doesn’t yell at them the way she does to other students. I’m really interested to see what you do with her character.
Does the rule book really stipulate that students are to be in bed after lights out when there is a murderer on the loose XD?
That doesn’t seem to bother Iris, but no late night library tonight. Was there really a situation in the prefect’s bath, or was Percy just looking for a snog?
Nice work!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Noelle!!
The Potters are very awkward children, and they just get more awkward together. I think that Harry has quite a bit on his mind right now, what with Sirius Black out of Azkaban and everything, and dinner with Iris just simply falls to the wayside. Iris is, secretly, glad that they aren't having dinner quite yet. She doesn't konw how to talk to him, and she avoids situations that terrify her. She wants a cousin, but she doesn't know how to deal with Harry.
I feel really bad for Percy occasionally in this story. I love him, but people don't necessarily get him. He shows up a bit more, so don't worry.
Iris inherited Remus' snark, and, occasionally, she shows it. I had a lot of fun writing this scene. It is, in fact, the first part of this chapter that I wrote. She and Snape may not like each other, but they snark at each other. I feel like Snape's face right after that line is like when you bop a cat on the nose. That's what I imagined, though Snape would never let that look be more than a flash across his face.
I don't know what Snape would do if he had a child, especially one raised by Remus. That being said, Iris and Snape do share some similarities.
Madam Pince is to Iris what Dumbledore is to Harry, though she's not using Iris as a sacrificial lamb. She's more of a stealth mentor to Iris, and she gives Iris what she needs, not necessarily what she's looking for. Madam Pince knows Iris' mother, and she, like Snape, figured out who Iris' father is. There is a reason why she knows without question who Iris' father is, and that will be covered in a different story.
Iris will try to read every book in the library before she leaves Hogwarts. Of course, there may be sections that she can't get into just yet. Give her time. She'll get to read for fun soon enough. Just one little mystery for her to solve first.
...I realize the implications of that now, and, sure, let's go with Percy wanting a snog. I haven't decided whether or not he and Penelope are still together at this point, but they are good friends. I was thinking of a way for Penelope to have to leave because, originally, Iris and Astoria were going to manage to get into the library, but I thought having Iris' babysitter escort them back would be a better way for it to go.
Thank you for reading!
-A
Hi Robin! I’m here for CMDC Round 1 :D
First of all, I think your chapter title are just fine—I think you do a fine job picking titles!
It’s really exciting to see Hogwarts from the perspective of a different house that Gryffindor. I like the way the blue curtains around Iris’s bed immediately let the reader know that we’re in a familiar place—but it’s different. I’m also excited that Astoria Greengrass is in Ravenclaw; in many fics she’s sorted into Slytherin, but I like the idea that she is in a different house. It puts more focus on how different than Draco, her future husband, she is.
It’s so nice that the prefects help the first year Ravenclaws find their way around the school so they don’t get lost right off the bat. The joke about losing people to the library was pretty amusing—I wonder how often that happens.
Poor Iris, though! She’s so excited for her first class at Hogwarts, and it’s Potions—with Snape. And she’s a Potter. It seems like Snape is actually giving her a compliment at first, but when he finds out she’s the Potter girl, it’s all nastiness. Your Snape is a cold terror for sure, and is certainly not worried about his student’s feelings. But Iris manages to keep her cool and argue back with him—although she stays in line enough to avoid detention.
If Snape knows that Iris was born out of wedlock, I wonder if he knows who her mysterious father is…
I’m glad that Charms, Transfiguration, and flying classes went better. It’s interesting that Iris prefers travel by Floo to flying.
I giggle every time Iris frets over whether something some teacher—or Head Student—says is going to be on a test or a quiz. The seminar for the first year Ravenclaws is cute; but I wonder if Percy’s doing it so he can hang out with Penelope, or if he just didn’t think he could get the Gryffindors to sit still for one.
Nice work!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Noelle!!
I like thinking about Hogwarts from a not-Harry perspective. So the one thing I've always known while writing this is that Astoria wouldn't be in Slytherin. I didn't want her to just be in Slytherin because her sister is because Astoria just wouldn't do that, or, at least, the Astoria I write. She's very independent, but she has a healthy respect for the rules (unlike Iris). She and Draco won't really be interacting on-screen in this (because they know each other from pureblood circles, they have probably said hi in the hallways or whatever) until much later, but I think you'll enjoy their conversations.
I'm glad you enjoyed the Snape and Iris interaction. Snape is very observant, and he knew Iris' mother at school. I really enjoy the arguing between Snape and Iris, and there is definitely more in store for that. I'm trying to hit a nice balance between book!Snape and movie!Snape, but my Snape leans a bit more towards the colder movie portrayal. I imagine that he's a bit different with the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs than he is with the Gryffindors and Slytherins. Snape knows quite a bit, though he has had to figure out something for himself. Now, being Snape, he figured it out within a few minutes meeting her, but let's just say that Snape is not entirely unobservant.
I didn't want Iris to be too similar to Harry in the flying aspect, and she's just not as enthralled with flying as Harry. Part of it is a small fear of heights, and the other part is that she just finds instantaneous travel a bit more efficient. She gets used to flying, but, as an eleven year old, she doesn't entirely care about it. There is another method of transportation she loves, but she doesn't find out about it until a few years from now.
The seminar was meant to have all of the first years, but I was a bit unclear in that. When I edit this chapter, that is definitely going to be clarified. I imagine that Percy decided to do it because he's Head Boy and he wants to mentor everyone. That's a big part of Percy's character for me. He wants to help others, but he doesn't always know how to do it well.
Thank you for reviewing!
-A
OH this made me so happy!!
Despite the debate having stressed Iris out to no end the entire week, I was really glad that it pushed her to the point where she just let all her complaints out to Remus in one long breath! She really covered both her major grievances in one sentence there, haha, didn’t she? I really envied Remus there, because if I had to watch over a child who was as sweet and genuine and Iris, I think I would be the absolute happiest person in the entire world. I’m really glad that he was more honest with her, as well, and that he assured her he would never be angry! I actually rather think this conversation points to Iris’s inherent talent regarding debating—she’s so curious and wants full answers to all her questions, and won’t take a half-answer for anything, and also, as soon as Remus has apologized for not taking her feelings into consideration sooner, she immediately rebuts and says his actions were “entirely sensible” hahaha.
I love how you still manage to make this story tied very closely to canon by introducing Harry to the scene! It’s just a really good way for me to get a handle on how Iris’s story parallels Harry’s.
BUT the part of the chapter that made me the absolute happiest was when both Iris and Yukata discovered they were not alone in being agonizingly nervous! I believe this chapter really speaks to the concept of “fake it till you make it,” or that other people are never necessarily as cool as they might seem, haha. Good on Yukata for opening the conversation and asking her how she felt about the debate, otherwise these two numbskulls never would’ve settled this point. (They are too cute. I just can’t handle these children omg.)
You know, I suspect that a Ravenclaw might be the best at finding loopholes in rules, as demonstrated by the group of Ravenclaw first-years sneaking their non-Ravenclaw friends into the debates. I admire their ambition and persistence, and I hope that they succeed in their endeavors! (As in, I really hope that Audrey and Evan don’t notice Sylvia and Liam hanging around, because those two are wonderful as well!)
I’m really really excited for the debate chapter!! Will be keeping my toes crossed that it comes soon!
Love,
Eva
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Eva!!
Iris does not handle stress well, as you might imagine. It just kind of burbled over, but, not to worry, Remus knows how to handle stressed-out Iris. And he's also done a bit of (accidental) mentoring of Iris in debating. She's not exactly a natural at debating, but, not to worry, she will try her best in the debate. She and Remus have several, well, not debates, but discussions that are close to it over the years, especially once Iris starts getting more into debates in Ravenclaw. I like writing their relationship because it's caring and just, ugh, they're so sweet??
I completely forgot to mention the fic about Iris' mother in the review you mentioned it, so here it is. It'll be coming out sometime after I do a bunch of challenge entries, but I already have the first one-shot/chapter complete. It's going to be thirteen sections long, and they'll all be pretty self-contained snippets of their lives. Keep an eye out for it within the next couple months. There is a small snippet of it on my journal, if you'd like to see what you're in for.
Yukata sees Iris as one of his friends, along with Liam, who is his bestie and whose relationship with Yukata I love. Iris doesn't quite realize this yet because Yukata doesn't really communicate all that well about feelings and such. I love the boy, but he does not know how to talk about feelings. He just kind of assumes that Iris knows that they're friends. They have a relationship that's really fun to write because Yukata's very sardonic and dry (reminding me a bit of Snape's humor) and Iris is one of the people who can match his wit (once they're a little older and she realizes that, yes, he likes when people make snarky retorts to his snarkiness). I can't write much more about this because spoilers, even though I could go on for hours about them, but let's just say that these two have a fun relationship that I enjoy writing. Yukata and Liam are also a package deal, and Iris has a fun relationship with him.
Oh, Yukata is definitely faking it until he makes it at this point. Of course, he thinks that Iris, who is clever like him, is all cool and collected because she seems like that. Of course, we know that Iris is internally panicking, thinking that Yukata is all chill. He is chill on the outside, but screaming on the inside. They're very similar in some aspects, while very different in others. I love their relationship because this is, honestly, the basis of it. They both think that the other one has everything locked, while both are internally screaming. Now, as they get older, parts of this change (as in, occasionally, one of them actually has everything together), but it's basically these two having some slight misunderstandings, but they actually get each other.
You will see them really find loopholes over the course of the series, especially when it has to do with Knocker. I will tell you one thing: these two aren't the only ones who had that idea in the next chapter.
The next chapter is, probably, about halfway written, so it should be sooner rather than later. I'd like to wrap this story up soon so that I can start writing more of the next one. For her second year, I'm definitely going to write more than two chapters before I start posting it, but there'll be a nice little break filled with challenge entries between the two.
Thank you, again, for reviewing. Your reviews make my day.
-A
I’ve read all these chapters before, and somehow, they’re even better the second time around! I’ve already talked about how much I love the concept of organized Ravenclaw debates, and that we’re going to get a full description of this next upcoming one makes me very, very excited. (Though, poor Iris must be infinitely less excited, given her stage fright!)
Though Yukata hasn’t had a huge speaking role in this story thus far, I think he is fast becoming one of my favorite characters. Partially because he terrifies Iris to her core (I know, I know, that’s a rather mean thing to say about our dear Baby Potter, but it’s just such an intriguing character trait of Yukata’s, haha), and partially because he seems so competent and collected. Like, so competent, in fact, that I am yearning—perhaps an unhealthy amount—for Iris to eventually overcome her public speaking fears and to then eviscerate Yukata in turn! I’m even hoping for her to land one small blow in the upcoming debate, however tiny it may be. Even if she only manages to get one solid point across, I will be so proud of her! But anyway, Yukata is a hilarious-sounding character, with that kind of competitive air that just makes him rather likable. I hope we get to see more of him in the future!
I’m kind of rooting for him and Iris to become good friends after this upcoming debate! Though I suspect that their school rivalry may hamper things a little bit. :P
When Iris saw her life flash before her eyes, I wanted to laugh and hug her at the same time omg. How can a child be that cute? How?? She continues to be equally adorable throughout the chapter, when she’s contemplating the debate as though she’s headed to the guillotine. It’s such a relatable stance, and I can completely understand her—when I was her age, I had the same petrifying fear of speaking. But looking back, and looking at Iris now, those seemingly life-or-death public speaking situations seem incredibly unimportant now, haha. Baby girl’s going to be okay, I have so much faith in her! I hope she finds her voice eventually. <3
Yet another character who’s quickly becoming one of my favorites is Roger! He’s such an amazing House-mate, helping Iris out when he really doesn’t have to. He also shot up in my opinion because he called Iris “Baby Potter,” which is THE CUTEST. Like, I think that nickname shows that he’s really quite fond of her, despite his scary passion for Quidditch and debating, and despite his slightly careless wording about Yukata “completely invalidating” her arguments hahaha. But I love how he acknowledged that crying was a reasonable response to losing one of the debates, and how he’s willing to take the take to do this for her.
This chapter made my heart grow five sizes, I’ll have you know.
Love,
Eva
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Eva!!
I love writing Yukata, especially when he gets older. I can't share too much without spoiling something somewhat major (not like serious plot-wise, but a major subplot of the whole series), but you're definitely going to see a lot of Yukata. He a bit aloof, especially around anyone who's not Liam, but he and Iris have a rather healthy rivalry, unlike Draco and Harry. It has its seeds in this debate, and it grows from there. This is the relationship I have the most fun writing (and my other favorite is Iris and Godfrey, who, I know, hasn't been around all that much due to the plot being more focused on Iris and Remus). He's scarily competent, especially in Charms, though Iris does have an advantage over him in another class.
I'm going to leave the commenting on Iris and Yukata's relationship for the reply to your review of the next chapter because that one is more connected to it.
Iris is being a bit dramatic (which her family, are you surprised?), but she takes very much after me in this regard. I hate speaking in public, even in groups of, like, five or more. I still haven't entirely gotten over it, and I get a bit rambly. This is probably the chapter where she's most like me, and it was a very easy chapter to write. Unlike the debate. The debate was supposed to be in this chapter, and then the next, and I promise it is in the chapter that should be coming up within the next week or so. Depends on timing, but it will be a much longer chapter than usual.
I didn't think Roger would be so fun to write. It's really interesting because he's a bit of a ladies' man (which we don't see in this because he's setting a good example for the firsties and keeps his lady friends out of his mentoring of the wee ones), but he also just sort of acts like the third prefect for the firsties. Honestly, the nickname sticks for the rest of Iris' life, partially because there's already a Potter, and she's the smaller Potter. He tries his best, but he has no clue what he's doing with the firsties. He's also in touch with his emotions, and crying is completely natural. He understands the necessity of a good cry every once in a while. He, Evan, and Audrey are really one of Ravenclaw's trios, and it's funny to see how he's both more and less responsible than both of the prefects.
Good. I hope you enjoy the next chapter!
-A
Can I just mention how unspeakably charming this story is!! Because somehow, you manage to place this childlike wonderment and sweetness into just about every sentence of Iris’s narration. She feels so much to me like a genuine eleven-year-old—and perhaps the sweetest one in the world, to boot—and because of this, I find myself genuinely loving her more and more with every passing chapter, despite the massive age difference between me and her! At times, I almost want to just reach through the screen and steal her for myself as my third younger sibling haha, though I’m sure that’s not the message you’re trying to communicate with Iris here. :P
But this wonderful, innocent, joyously hilarious childlike viewpoint! It appears when she calls Ron “mini-Percy,” when Iris sort of feels very uncertain around these three older students because Hermione did rather intimidatingly pull her over to a foreign table, when she tries to see if she could sneak away to the Ravenclaw table! I love it so much—reading this story really fills me with so much happiness, I can’t explain it. You know that really warm feeling that you get when you see a very cute baby make a noble attempt at gurgling a word? That’s how I feel about Iris, I feel like she’s a baby that I have to protect, hahaha. <3
This chapter yet again gave me a good walloping to the feels! I absolutely treasure Harry. He’s a child who’s gone through a great deal, and I can’t imagine the shock he must have gone through when he realized that his family wasn’t entirely gone, that he had more extended relatives than the lousy Dursleys that he’d been forced to join as a baby. I’m so happy that he has Iris! These two children are both incredibly awkward still—because they’re just by nature awkward children so when you shove them together, more awkwardness ensues, haha—but that’s okay, they have time to get to know each other.
I’m really looking forward to Harry becoming closer to Remus, as well. It saddens me so much that Harry got so little time with Remus in the original novels, and I really hope that we can see those two together more in this story!!
Iris feeling a little closer to Harry because of the messiness of his hair is the absolute cutest, most wholesome thing!! Can I hug her please! I just don’t want her to cry anymore, the poor child. That moment that the two had at the end there, agreeing that cousins can be quite nice, was very well done, and I felt like crying.
Wonderful chapter, as always!!
Love,
Eva
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Eva!!
Thank you so much!!! I'm glad she's coming across as a realistic eleven year old because I have a lot of trouble making sure she's an accurate kid. I don't want her to sound too smart, but I don't want her to sound too young. Please don't steal her from Harry. This is the first chapter where I get to show their relationship, which I absolutely love to write. They may be awkward now, but they will have a relationship I think you'll enjoy. Thank you so much for liking her! I don't know what message I'm trying to convey with her, but I'm glad you like her!!
So Iris calls Ron "mini-Percy" because I thought it would be weird if she randomly knew his name. Also humor, but mostly because Iris has no clue who most of the Gryffindors are (at least, for now). Ron and Hermione have pretty much adopted Iris as their child at this point, especially Hermione. She's a strong maternal figure in Iris' life, along with someone who Iris will meet next book (because there is no good time for her to meet this person at Hogwarts), and let's just say that Hannah's Mothering Iris senses are tingling.
Ahhh, thank you!! I wanted some fluff after that feels chapter, and I'm glad you like it!! Don't worry about Iris; bby will be able to defend herself soon enough.
Harry is one of the hardest characters for me to write, which is why he only showed up once before this. Part of it is his relationship with Iris is still so awkward, I get second-hand embarrassment from the two of them. The Potters are just awkward children, and they are more awkward together. They are babies, and Harry and Iris' relationship is one of my favorite relationships to write with Iris (and, as I'm about to reply to your other reviews, you've seen my absolute favorite).
Harry was going to hug her, but, alas, Iris did nto get hugged in this chapter. Soon, I promise. Soon she will receive the hugs she so desperately craves. She's a very clingy person, though a bit shy right now, but just wait. Soon will be hugs.
Thank you again for reviewing, and I'll be replying to your other reviews soon!
-A
Immediately, this chapter opens with such an exciting event—Remus is genuinely angry for once. He’s often depicted as a very mild-mannered sort of fellow, who becomes irritable now and then, but I love this idea that he cares so much for Iris that he’s furious about the violation of her safety! But for him to remove her from Hogwarts is a very frightening prospect, and Iris is understandably quite upset about it. (It is beyond adorable, though, that her initial thought was that her dear owl Roland couldn’t fly the distance between Ilvermorny/Beauxbatons and Hogwarts! Yet another example of how Iris was the sweetest child to have ever lived.)
This chapter gave me a number of feels omg. Madam Pomfrey’s reminiscent air when she thought about Anne in the Hospital Wing was so touching, and it made me all the more curious about who Iris’s mother was. I’m so looking forward to that future chapter when we get to find out more about her! And Sirius! (You mentioned wanting to write another story about them, right? I am so ready for that!)
But Iris finding people who resembles her in that book featuring the Black family tree… That was the part that really tugged at my heartstrings (they kinda went ploink!, if you know what I mean :P), because of how familiar she felt when looking into those strangers’ faces. And it did make me think—obviously, adopted children, or children raised by people other than their birth parents, shouldn’t need to feel uprooted and estranged, but that Iris feels that way a little bit is a testament to all the unanswered questions in her life, I think. I just want her to be happy! She’s such an adorable, sweet child, and I would give her the longest hug if I could!
I can’t imagine what her reaction would be if she actually stumbled across Sirius in real life though. How would she feel?? Would she be nervous? Scared? Excited?
Remus definitely needs to be way more honest with her! Does he not realize that he is causing the poor girl distress! (Though, it is definitely a very painful topic for him, and so it makes sense he wouldn’t want to broach it with Iris…but I think he should realize that her curiosity is not going to be sated by his deflective answers and that she’s going to go digging on her own.)
The continuing Iris and Crookshanks saga is absolutely my favorite subplot of this series. She nicknamed him Kipper Thief! What a catchy little name! I quite prefer it to Crookshanks, myself. :P One very specific thing about the ending that I liked was how Iris compared Hermione to the devious ladies in Caer Sidi hahaha. It made me smile quite widely. :P
I also absolutely love how comically awful Snape is. I actually laughed out loud when he took off points for Iris raising her hand! What a prick.
I continue to love this story! You’re doing a fabulous job! <3
Love,
Eva
Author's Response:Thank you so much for reviewing, Eva!!
I had a lot of trouble figuring out what Remus would be like truly furious. Most of the inspiration behind it is when he visits Grimmauld Place in DH, and it was very interesting, writing something where Remus is angry with Dumbledore. Dumbledore, who Remus respects quite a bit. He's always so calm, but I think that he lets his anger stew before he says something. He definitely has a long temper, I think. Iris had, until this point, never seen Remus truly angry with someone, and it terrifies her. I know she doesn't speak French, but a lot of English students probably end up at Beauxbatons when their parents don't like Hogwarts.
This is the feels chapter. This is the one that even gave me feels while writing it. It was also inspired by a song: 'I Seek the Truth', which is an outtake from Frozen II. I really like it, and it fits the vibe of this chapter. I knew that she would find a picture of Sirius Black, but I like how she actually notices her resemblance to Walburga, who she definitely wouldn't have liked talking to. She does love Remus, and he is the closest thing she feels she has to a father, but she has always wondered who her father is. Don't worry, she gets plenty of hugs. I know there haven't been any in here yet, but there will be.
I am not going to answer this, which should tell you everything you need to know.
Remus has trouble with being honest. He is trying to protect Iris by keeping the truth from her (notice a theme in this chapter?), but he's also trying to protect himself because of how painful it is for him. As to why he kept this all from her, that will be explained (though a bit more subtly than other things in this). She reminds him a bit too much of her parents occasionally, and it's a bit hard for him to tell her about her family.
I have a lot of fun writing Iris and Crookshanks' interactions. Trust me, there are plenty more of those in the works. She and Hermione have an interesting relationship. They're both clever, albeit in different ways, and their knowledge intersect in interesting ways. Remus is seen as the nice young man in Caer Sidi who has an adorable (god)daughter. Please think of Hallmark movies when you picture the devious ladies.
I try not to exaggerate Snape being mean, but this was really just a result of him having to substitute for Remus and wanting to be especially mean to Iris. He doesn't show up too often in the next few chapters, so enjoy Snape while you can.
Thank you for reviewing!
-A
Hi Robin! I’m here for the Rager :D
The exchange between Astoria and the not-so-nice girl about being in Slytherin made me laugh. You do a nice job here showing the animosity between the houses. Sometimes I really think the Hogwarts houses did more harm than good.
It’s so charming that Iris is so enchanted by all the new things she’s experiencing at Hogwarts. Although she is starting to learn more about Remus’s life—secrets he’s kept from her. Very interested to see how that goes.
I love the dialogue between Iris and the Sorting Hat. It’s pretty clear that she belongs in Ravenclaw, in spite of her realization that she can use knowledge once she gains it. She has a way of responding to questions with yet more questions that seems so very Ravenclaw to me.
I’m excited to see more of the Ravenclaw tower too! The fact that they have weekly debates is such a fun piece of world building.
Nice work!
Yours,
Noelle
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Noelle!!
I've never gone to a school with the house system, so I have no idea how it works normally. I think that, had they been just seen as equals, it might not have been as bad as it was in canon. I do, however, imagine that the Slytherins and Gryffindors have had a rivalry for a long time.
Tee hee. Remus hides a lot of secrets from her, and she's not all that keen on any of them. There is one big secret that she doesn't know, and it's probably the one that's most difficult for her to cope with, but not the one everyone thinks.
I'm gonna be real, there was only one house for Iris. I've thought about what she would be like in Slytherin, but it would have been way different from how this is going to be. I've never imagined her as being anything close to Gryffindor, and maybe?? she could have been in Hufflepuff. I don't, however, think she would have liked it all that much.
Thanks! I'm in the middle of writing one of the debates, and it is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. The Ravenclaws are so much more clever than me.
Thanks again for reviewing!
-A
Hi, here for your review request - and I'm SO glad I've discovered this story. Remus Lupin is my absolute favourite so I've no idea how this story has slipped passed me! Anyway, I love the twist on Remus's story that he has a goddaughter that he looks after, even though the circumstances are very sad. I'd like to know a bit more about her mother and why she chose Remus to be her godfather... also who is her dad and where is he? Also, I don't know whether we know this in canon and I've forgotten, or it's just me, but I've always imagined him being Welsh too! We know Remus is fond of magical creatures, so I love that he's rubbed off on Iris a little as she seems really interested in them too.
Anyway, it's really interesting that Iris doesn't know about his Lycanthropy, especially as she seems very invested in magical creatures - I wonder if she'll discover it at some point while she's at Hogwarts? Talking of, I wonder why Remus has been wary of her attending the school in the past as she mentioned homeschooling? I'm looking forward to finding what that's all about! It's interesting how Iris sees bravery as being very daring as we know bravery comes in other forms, but we'll see. I love that Remus has let her read all about magic, so I'm sure she'll be very excited when she gets there.
Also, I'm really intrigued about the time you've set this story, so it will be great to see the third book from the point of view of another character we haven't met before. I wonder if she'll get caught up in any of the drama. I'm really looking forward to see where this story is going to go, it was a really great opening chapter!
Tasha x
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing, Tasha!!!
I stole that he's Welsh from canon (I think it's from Pottermore, but it's canon to me), though the cottage they live in isn't the Lupin family cottage. It will be explained eventually, don't worry. They live in the middle of a forest that has a lot of magical creatures in it, including Bowtruckles and unicorns and Porlocks, so both Remus and Iris feel a bit at home with it all. The mother thing will get explained soon, but you have come across the big mystery of this fic: Who is Iris' dad? I've left little hints in each chapter, and it's more for Iris to figure out, not necessarily the reader because I think I made it a little too obvious.
...I'm gonna be real honest: I completely forgot to include whether or not Iris knew that Remus was a werewolf. My b. It'll be discussed, don't worry. Just not for a few chapters because I forgot. Iris may or may not know about him being a werewolf, but Remus definitely didn't tell her. He's ashamed of it, and he doesn't want Iris to grow up with the stigma of being raised by a werewolf. He's not necessarily wary of her attending school (she goes a week a month while he's getting his 'treatments'), but, seeing as he is a tutor, he doesn't entirely want to send her off to school while he's tutoring his clients. For him, it's a bit more of a convenience thing.
Remus tried to lock up some of his more advanced books, but Iris figured out how to get the latch undone using magic. He doesn't let her read every single book he has (especially not the more dangerous Defense Against the Dark Arts books), but she has free rein of most of the books. Her education isn't necessarily the most well-rounded (I always saw Remus as more of a humanities guy, so math and science are a bit... eh), but she does read pretty much anything she can get her hands on.
Her definition of bravery is a bit limited ot what she's read in books. She doesn't know too many people, and Remus has kept her a bit sheltered from the real world for Reasons. It's a bit interesting, how her definition of bravery changes over the years, but she does, mostly, see it as being daring. She has been looking forward to Hogwarts since she learned there was a boarding school for magic, and she is definitely very excited about the library.
Thanks for reading! Her story is a bit more parallel to Harry's, though they do cross over occasionally. Thanks again for reviewing!
-A
Happy happy holidays!! I was so excited to see that this next chapter of Iris had updated, so I thought I’d leave you another review as a gift. <3
Oh my gosh, poor little Iris. I feel so bad that she’s lost Ravenclaw fifty-seven points already, but it’s also almost comical, haha. :P Like, Snape is definitely an unfair, horrible teacher, without a doubt (I loved the little detail about even Hannah saying some vaguely negative things about him), and it makes me feel incredibly sorry for the dear child that she has to suffer him, but the fact that Penelope then went and gave Iris a stern talking-to made me want to laugh. Ah, if only Penelope would understand. The entire time she was talking to Iris, I wanted to give Penelope a stern talking-to herself, but alas, not everyone is privy to the delightful information that Iris’s father is, like Harry’s, someone that Snape hates with every fiber of his being.
Can I just state once again how much I love Evan and Audrey? I MEAN HE GIFTED HER A CHOCOLATE FROG. And Audrey even let her keep it, despite scolding Evan! I just love this air of authority that Audrey always carries with her, even though it always gives way to her softness eventually. Ugh I love these two so much omg.
That hair-cutting sequence was just the cutest thing!! I love Ophelia’s urgency to cut her hair—it’s kinda symbolic of living away from her family for the first time, isn’t it. :P It feels so different having short hair after having had long hair for a while! I’m glad that she’s had the opportunity to experience this lovely change. And also that Iris didn’t like accidentally chop off her ears. So I’m very proud of her!
“Uncle Remus never let me,” she said. “Halloween was a bad day in the cottage.” This line broke me a little bit. Somehow, having Iris innocently say this without really having had first-hand experience with Lily and James makes it hit harder that she witnesses her Uncle Remus’s grief. IT HURTS. And then later on, when she discovers that Sirius Black was friends with everyone omg. I’m just so anxious for her to put all the pieces together! And I hope that she and Remus don’t have a falling-out, that would just devastate me.
The section at the end when they’re all gathering in the Great Hall was written so well. A really, really wonderful chapter! <3
Eva
Author's Response:Thank you!!!!!!!! I am so glad that you're enjoying this story!
It was originally going to be, like, thirty points she had lost, but I decided that it wasn't quite enough for Penelope to go into Crisis Mom Prefect Mode. She's stern, but she cares. Penelope just doesn't really know how to show it. Her lectures are out of (somewhat misguided) worry for the Ravenclaws. To be fair to Penelope, she thinks that the best way to deal with Snape is to just ignore anything mean he does. Snape doesn't really care about Penelope (her speciality is more Transfiguration, but she's decent at Potions), so she doesn't really get what it feels like to be targeted by him. And Iris does, eventually, give as good as she gets. I promise. I know that Iris is a bit naive and soft at this point, but she is definitely Remus' goddaughter. The Snark is strong with this one.
I should be thanking you for Evan and Audrey. They only have their personality like this because of that challenge. Originally, Evan was a bit stuffy (think Percy, but worse) and Audrey was Hannah with more smothering. Now, has Audrey kept that angle a bit? Yeah. Evan is the Cool Prefect, and he won't let anyone forget that. Audrey's not so mean as to take away chocolate from a first year. Also, not a good idea to take Iris' chocolate away from her. Girl has a sweet tooth, and you will see once she gets to Hogsmeade. There may
So, a bit of tidbit behind Ophelia that may or may not show up eventually: she and Lewis (her maternal first cousin and fellow Ravenclaw first year) are from a somewhat strict pureblood (well, let's say that Death Eaters wouldn't consider them pureblood, but most of the wizarding world considers them close enough) family. Think like in Downton Abbey, but more strict. They were pressured into very strict gender roles, and this is Ophelia's first step in rebelling against those. Her relationship with her family is a bit... odd, but all will be explained when more about her family is revealed. I knew that Ophelia was going to start with really long hair, but somehow she would end up with much shorter hair. Originally, I was going to have it be in a Potions accident, but why do that when I could have the girls bond over shenanigans?
Listen, Remus tries his best. That isn't always perfect parenting, but, to be fair, he kind of had to suddenly become a guardian. Twenty-five-ish (ah, math, my old nemesis) Remus didn't really know how to take care of himself, let alone a toddler who had a proclivity for setting fire to things. Fun fact: Iris' incident with the kitchen table was not her first bout of accidental magic. Ophelia, eventually, likes to joke that Iris has an explosive temper, not realizing how accurate she really is. Iris had a rather solitary childhood, and it really shows in scenes like this. Her closest friend was Remus, and the only person her age she really regularly spent time with was Hannah. Her social skills aren't great, and it's a bit sad to see how quickly she bonds to the girls in her dorm. She and Sylvia were instant friends (and those two are very similar in that regard).
That being said, she and Remus do not have a falling-out. They clash occasionally (especially when Iris is a teenager), but the two do love each other very much, and Remus, for once, actually communicates with his goddaughter. Now, treating her like a little adult is, occasionally, troublesome, though Iris is somewhat mature. She should not be trusted to buy the groceries by herself, however, because she buys too many sweets. Explaining to a six year old that her aunt and uncle were killed by a Dark Wizard on Halloween, so there will be no trick-or-treating? not such a good idea.
Okay, so I know Harry is a tiny bit of a cameo occasionally, but that's because I really love how people say "Harry must be really upset" and Harry's just glaring at Snape. We will talk to him soon. In the next chapter or so, I think, but we will see the awkward beans again. Harry's a bit awkward, and he doesn't know how to react to this younger cousin. I think he would have talked a lot to an older cousin to find out about his parents, but he has this 'must protect' instinct with younger peeps (like Colin Creevey, kind of), so it's a bit odd for him. I know it was building up to a conversation between the two, but that will take a whole chapter on its own, and we need to get Iris' plot on for a little bit. Remus is about to use his Hard Stare (from Paddington, in case you're not familiar with the term) on someone who most definitely deserves it.
Thank you again!!! And I really hope it won't be, like, two weeks before the next chapter. I have a chunk of this next chapter written, and I think you'll like it. I will give one hint about it: Iris gets vindication for the kippers.
-A
Hi, I’m here for the holiday gift exchange!
Iris is a great character. She’s definitely a Ravenclaw, but does add a bit of daring to add to it. I love how it’s okay to break the rules if you are trying to sneak into the library. She handles pressure well. Most students would have ended up with detention after Snape, but she managed to stay (relatively) calm during his out of line comments. I can definitely see the influence of Remus in her.
You’ve done a nice job weaving Iris into the canon events and I like the introduction of the characters, but new and minor. (I love Astoria as a Ravenclaw. I wonder what her parents think when she actually ends of marrying a Malfoy. Perhaps they shouldn’t have accepted invitations to all those Malfoy parties.)
I understand why she is shy around her cousin, but I’m a bit surprised that Harry hasn’t initiated a conversation with her, as he was always desperate to learn about his parents, so I hope you address that in the near future. The conversation with Madam Pince was also interesting, particularly her suggestion of looking into books on purebloods. I predict that’s a bit of foreshadowing. Perhaps her father was Sirius. That would explain how Remus ended up her guardian.
Crookshanks’s cameo was adorable-the manipulative kipper thief that he is.
I really liked reading about the people with the Claw common room, particularly with the prefects. I never thought about it before, but it’s obvious from the books that the Gryffindor prefects were rather negligent in making sure that Harry’s year adjusted to Hogwarts. Walking them to classes and checking their points reductions are nice touches to show how the characters interact.
Author's Response:Thank you so much for reviewing!!
Iris isn't necessarily brave, but her determination to get into the library transcends things like school rules. Thank you for noticing the influence of Remus! I always thought that Remus was an exceptionally good liar, especially under pressure, and that is definitely something that Remus did not mean to teach her. Iris does have a breaking point, but bby first year Iris is more in the mindset of 'Can't get in trouble or Uncle Remus will lecture me', so she puts up with a lot of Snape's stuff. That being said, we've already seen a bit of her temper, and she is rather... quick to anger sometimes.
Ooooh, Mr. Greengrass definitely has an... interesting reaction to Draco becoming part of their family. We don't meet Astoria's parents for a while, but they are definitely not the stereotypical Slytherins. I always felt that, just because Daphne was a Slytherin, Astoria didn't have to be a Slytherin. In fact, I'm not a fan of when siblings are put in Houses just because of their older siblings (yes, I am a younger sibling), so I wanted Astoria to be in her own House. Also, writing-wise, Iris needs someone to occasionally stop her from sneaking out late at night, and Sylvia is in the dungeons. Astoria is the sensible one of the bunch, though she has her own flights of fancy.
Harry and Iris' conversation will be soon. I imagine that he wouldn't be sure how to react to having a younger relative because he could always ask an older relative about his parents. Both he and Iris aren't really sure what to think of each other, and Harry's only other example of a cousin is Dudley. He's a bit awkward, but the two do have a conversation in the next chapter or so. There is plot stuff we need to take care of before that happens. The plot stuff has an impact on the conversation, and, honestly, Harry's had a bit of a stressful autumn himself.
Madam Pince knows a lot more than she lets on. I know she's a very minor character in canon, but I wanted Iris to have her own mysterious, elderly Hogwarts member of staff to give her vague information. I picked Madam Pince because Iris loves the library, and McGonagall has her own stuff going on. I will neither confirm nor deny who Iris' father is. It will be answered by the end of this fic, but I am leaving some breadcrumbs in each chapter so that the reader can figure it out before Iris, if they so choose. There are people in this story (people we have met) who either knew who her father is before or have figured it out while meeting Iris.
I wrote Crookshanks stealing kippers a long time ago, but don't worry. He's not being greedy, and he does have the best intentions. Should he have stolen those kippers from his owner instead of an innocent first year? Yeah, probably. But Iris has a weak spot for animals. Don't worry, Iris will get vindication for her kippers.
Thank you! I like writing how the peeps interact, and I admit that it sometimes slows down the plot to a crawl. This is not only the story of Iris' first year, but also building for the rest of the series. I'm establishing the norms of Ravenclaw Tower, her friends, and the like. To be fair to Rowling, Harry's story was definitely about him eventually facing down Voldemort. She focused on that, while I have the luxury of having a character who isn't being hunted down by a Dark Wizard. I can spend words on Iris' daily life, while the prefects may have done similar things in canon for Harry. We don't see every second, but I can't speak for how the prefects were. I do think, however, that Percy was trying his best. As we learn later, he was taking twelve classes, so he was probably a bit stressed. I was originally going to have Iris and Astoria get lost and be late to Potions, but I decided it would be too much like when Harry and Ron were late for Transfiguration.
Thank you for reviewing, and I hope you have a lovely day!!
Last chapter of this story so far! It’s been such a cute tale from the beginning to now, and I’m a little sad that there aren’t more chapters out at the moment. Though you mentioned in your author’s notes that you’re trying to write more than just one chapter at a time, which I do think is a really good strategy. I’M CONFLICTED. I want another chapter as soon as possible, but that is also selfish. :P
Oh my gosh that awkwardness between Iris and Harry was so heavy haha. I read it and wanted to hide my head under a blanket, just because the two of them were such awkward beans. Of course, Harry is not a paragon of conversationalism (not a word, but that’s okay); he does in fact spend most of the books being a rather awkward bean, and Iris is a BABY. Tsk, can’t believe that Harry would be so utterly ridiculous when finding out about a FAMILY MEMBER. Though to his credit, he was likely baffled and shocked by this new piece of information—so perhaps I should be a little gentler with Harry. :P Anyway, I think Iris’s reservations are fair. I wonder whether Remus has considered how Iris would react upon meeting Harry, or if he realized that it would happen at all, so I’m really curious to see what happens if she asks him about Harry!
EVERYONE, STOP FOILING IRIS’S ATTEMPTS TO LEARN ABOUT HER FAMILY. This poor girl! She makes valiant attempt after valiant attempt, yet she somehow is always blocked by someone. Madam Pince’s response to her makes me most curious, because how did Madam Pince know about her? What ‘situation’ is she referring to here? Does Madam Pince actually know about Iris’s father, and she’s just keeping quiet about it? Which reminds me about Snape! I should’ve realized that he knew Iris’s father—since Iris has grey eyes, I feel like she must resemble him to some degree. And I doubt that Sirius’s relationship with Iris’s mother was particularly secret in Hogwarts, but I’m not positive.
This is random but I really love that Evan and Audrey were working on a letter to the Ministry. Ugh. Such good students, trying their best to do good for the world! I love them! <3
My favorite part of this chapter was when Crookshanks appeared at the end. :P I love the way you wrote him, and Iris’s reaction to Crookshanks stealing her kippers made me want to laugh and cry a little. The poor baby! She’s just so utterly adorable, I can’t handle it. I hope she succeeds in her future endeavors.
I’m really looking forward to another chapter! So sorry for this super scattered review. I love your story so much. <3
Eva
Author's Response:Thank you for reviewing!!!!!!!!!
Sorry for the delay! The next few chapters will be a bit longer as well, so the wait will be worth it, I promise. I'm writing them together so there's more cohesion, along with some plot being sprinkled in. There will also be more of the awkward beans. Let's be real, the real trait of the Potter family is not their untidy hair. It's their awkwardness.
Originally, the bit with Percy introducing the two Potters was going to be last chapter and this chapter would have been Harry and Iris having lunch. I've decided to move that until after some other plot stuff. The awkward lunch will happen, and it will also contain the owner of the grumpy ginger cat. Harry and Iris are babies, and their relationship is one of my favorite things to write. Other than Godfrey (my indecisive boy). He was Shooketh, and he will find out, along with the audience, exactly why Anne couldn't take custody of him. Remus' reaction to the Potter cousins meeeting is... interesting. You'll see it soon, don't worry.
Madam Pince is that sort of mysterious witch who knows a lot more than she lets on. She is also one of two staff members who knew Anne very well. Iris' father is obvious to those who knew both of her parents, but not even close to obvious to anyone about Iris' age. Iris looks a bit like her father, though she resembles another member of her extended family a bit more (who hasn't been introduced yet, but they will be within the next few chapters). All will be explained about Iris' father by the end of this story. Iris is going to have a few more obstacles in her path, though she will find out the truth. All I'm going to say is that perhaps Madam Pince was onto something when she told Iris to look at a certain book.
Evan likes Potions a lot (keep this in mind later), and Audrey likes helping people, so the two definitely try to help with werewolves. Fun fact: this is the year that Umbridge passed a law prohibiting werewolves from getting specific jobs. I like to think that not everyone in the wizarding world is against werewolves, and some of the students are doing their part to attempt to help them.
Snape, though mean, is incredibly smart. He knew Anne, though that will not be explored in this series. That will be in a story set in the Marauders' time. Despite Anne being a Potter, his vendetta was more against James, for the reasons we all know. He and Anne had a.. contentious relationship, mostly due to their mutual friend: Lily Evans. I don't want to talk too much about it yet, but that story will start being published after I finish this story. I already have the first chapter written. I was originally going to do it for the Open-Ended Elements Challenge, but I didn't get it done in time/well enough.
The bit with Crookshanks was the first part of this chapter that I wrote. Well, Iris' line about the cat stealing her kippers. I feel bad for her, but don't worry. Despite their auspicious start, Iris and Crookshanks will become good friends. She does not begrudge Crookshanks for stealing those kippers, mostly because she loves cats and at least Crookshanks let her pet him. Now, that being said, we have no idea what Crookshanks was doing with those kippers...
Don't apologize for your review!! It was absolutely wonderful, and the notification that I had a review made my day! Thank you for stopping by, and the next chapter should be soon(ish).
-A
Oh, I always love that first-day excitement for school, when the year is fresh and everything feels so new. Of course, that excitement generally dies down relatively quickly, but it’s nice while it lasts. :P But I love how the girls are so clearly feeling it here; the way they woke up so easily (and so early) in the morning is a clear indication of this. On first days, I always wake up like three hours before I actually need to do anything, which is the best feeling ever. (Unfortunately, it quickly devolves into me waking up two minutes before my classes like a week later, though.) So I feel really happy for these children right now! I’m glad that they all seem to be getting along—making new friends in the beginning of the year is the best!
Hahaha omg Audrey. “This way, please, so we aren’t late to breakfast”—I love her. This kind of authority is so funny to me; I love how fond she is of the little first years already, and how eager she is to make sure they know their way around the place. I mean! She wanted them to eat breakfast early! How wholesome is that! The little firsties did not quite seem to appreciate her enthusiasm and leadership, but it’s fine, I’m sure they’ll eventually grow to love her more than even me.
I can’t handle Snape. You gave me a heads-up about Snape’s behavior in this chapter, so I was already mentally prepared, but he was still so AWFUL. He was even meaner to Iris than he was to Harry! But first, I love Iris’s obsession with note-taking. :P When she was debating whether or not she needed to take notes on Snape’s introductory speech about Potions, I was about ready to crack up, because that’s just such a Ravenclaw thing! Like she was worrying about whether or not it would be on an exam! (Though I have had professors who have given syllabus quizzes before, so perhaps she’s not being too paranoid…) Ugh I can’t deal with Snape’s teaching. It’s really the mark of a horrible teacher, one who plays favorites to that degree and really makes life difficult for everyone he hates. To continuously insult our dear Iris! An affront, I say!
I loved reading through the first day of classes. It was really exciting, like reading through Harry’s first day—after all, Iris is a new character, with new intriguing things brewing around her (REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT HER FATHER STILL AHEM). The new addition about sitting down with the Head Students and listening to them talk was really great! Of course Percy’s voice is boring as heck, his entire persona was designed that way, unfortunately. I wonder if he and Penelope are still together, or if they’re suffering through that awkward post-relationship working-together stage that some people sadly have to deal with?
AUDREY’S ADMIRATION OF HER OLDER SISTER IS JUST THE CUTEST THING. AND SO IS IRIS’S NOTETAKING. <3
Another wonderful chapter! <3
Eva
Author's Response:Thank you so much for reviewing, Eva!!!!! I saw the email notification and internally screamed. In a good way.
This will be the first and only time that those five ever wake up early. The only natural morning person in that room is Ophelia. Iris is, as you saw in this chapter, is definitely not a morning person. The girls bonded super tightly, and you'll definitely see moments of their friendship. I love writing their dorm. They are my babies.
Audrey takes on her role as the Mom Friend (well, Mom Prefect) well. I have a feeling that Penelope was the same way, so it's her emulating her big sister. She looks up to Penelope very much, and Penelope loves her sister too. Penelope doesn't show up too much in this, but she does trust her sister to do important jobs, like looking after the newest members of the house. Evan is very much more laid-back, so it was definitely Audrey's idea to take the first years to breakfast as soon as it started. Don't worry, Evan has his moments of being the Mom Prefect.
I had so much trouble writing the scene with Snape! He's snarky and mean and really hard to write! Iris isn't really sure what to think when she has him, but the disdain between the two is mutual. It grows, especially in the next chapter, and Snape isn't sure what to think of this little mouthy Ravenclaw. I've had a couple of professors who have given syllabus quizzes, and, if the wizarding world did syllabuses (syllabi? idk words right now), Snape would definitely give syllabus quizzes. Snape definitely recognized something about Iris, which is why he acted so... Snape-ish.
...I completely forgot about Penelope and Percy. Honestly, they're probably broken up, but they stay good friends. It was probably a mutual breakup, and Penelope is very mature and wants to have a good working relationship with her co-Head. Percy is, per usual, oblivious. I know this wasn't an entirely kind introduction of Percy, but he is one of my favorite characters. He will be showing up a bit in this, and he is the cause of Iris meeting someone we all know and love (which you have seen, as I'm about to reply to your next review).
Iris' notetaking is a running gag in this series. Despite being rather untidy, the one meticulous thing about her is her notes. This won't be a plot thing, but maybe a sideplot thing occasionally. Thank you for reviewing! It's always lovely to see your reviews.
-A
AUDREYYY. SHE’S BACK. (Or shows up for the first time, I suppose, if we’re talking about this story. :P) She’s so funny, hahaha, especially when she has a particularly outspoken, troublemaker-y kind of person beside her, like Fred and George. Or, in this case, Roger, who seriously sounded like an old, wizened curmudgeon when he said, “See, that’s the type of enthusiasm I like to see from our newest eagles.” I thought it was brilliant; his whole little banter with Audrey was funny, and I’m sure it entertained the kids. Also, this is something I’ve never thought about before, but when you’re reading an epistolary story, you don’t get much of an opportunity to see how a character looks. So when you described Audrey as having “auburn hair” I was momentarily surprised, simply because it just never occurred to me to imagine what she looked like.
I’m so proud of our girls for getting into their preferred House! Of course Iris starts questioning the Sorting Hat about how it functions as she’s being Sorted, which is literally the most Ravenclaw thing to do. I wonder if other Ravenclaws lob curious questions at the Sorting Hat while it’s poking through their minds, or if that’s just an Iris thing. :P
Something that I really liked later on was how Audrey took them on a tour—the way you wrote it made the House seem like a really warm and inviting place. I’d imagine that new students going to Hogwarts would be rather homesick and trepidatious, but I think with this kind of school culture (at least in Ravenclaw), the kids would feel a little more soothed about their new living situation. I also loved the collaboration effort put into the Knocker! Audrey felt so much like a mom there, haha, with how she asked helpful questions without giving away the answer. And that numerous students had to contribute in order to solve the riddle together was just super sweet. I liked that it wasn’t a competition atmosphere, but more of a “let’s do this together” kind of vibe!
I was suddenly struck with the image of like ten Ravenclaw first years huddling around the Knocker, just bouncing ideas off one another. Which is just such a cute picture to have! I feel like it would really strike up a good friendship group amongst individual years. :P
There’s something so wonderful about the idea of bookshelves circling an entire tower. I can’t remember if I mentioned this in my review for Notes, but I would give anything to live in a place with that kind of aesthetic! I mean, with books everywhere? In a circle? Yes, please.
This was a really sweet chapter, and I really enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing!
Eva
Author's Response:Thank you so much for stopping by! This is chronologically the first appearance of Audrey, but I originally wrote her in something that comes long after this. So, you know the straight man and the wise guy in comedy acts? Audrey is the straight man in most instances. Originally, I was going to have Evan sitting with her at the feast, but I wanted to introduce Roger. He is, in fact, Roger Davies, famous for being Fleur Delacour's date to the Yule Ball. He's a sixth year in this, so he's practically an old curmudgeon to the firsties. We don't see all that much of him in the books, and he's very much an outspoken person, though he loves the rules in Quidditch.
Audrey definitely asked the Sorting Hat questions when she was sorted, as did a couple other Ravenclaws (Evan asked it how many Fawleys it had sorted since its creation). You'll be meeting someone who definitely asked the Hat questions about its creation, though that won't be for a few chapters. Astoria definitely didn't, but she didn't spend as much time under the Sorting Hat. Godfrey's sorting, which sort of got glossed over, is mostly him asking the Sorting Hat what house it thought he belonged in because he's so unsure about everything. Yukata asked a few, but I can't think of anyone else off the top of my head.
Audrey is their mom. She has adopted them, and they are her children. Evan is the fun uncle, though he is occasionlly serious. She definitely takes her role as prefect seriously, especially since her older sister is the Head Girl. She changes a little bit between now and her seventh year, but her caring for 'her' (as she calls them) firsties doesn't. Evan is more of the hands-off one, and he is much more likely to give them all sweets right before bedtime.
I really love the friendship between the first years. They are their own little family, and I just really love all of them. They're so innocent and naive in this one, and I just really love writing them when they're younger. The only snarky one for now is Yukata, and, occasionally, Iris. They all have very different dynamics with each other, and it's really fun to have them interacting as first years who don't necessarily want to ruffle their housemates' feathers.
So, I put the bookshelves in because that's where I would want to live. That's also why most of the cottage is filled with books. I write locations that I want to live in, and I have 0 (zero) regrets about this.
Thank you for reviewing!!
-A
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