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The opening with the dream wasn't what I expected, but it definitely is to be expected. Harry often dreams in canon (as do a lot of us) whenever something particularly traumatic is happening, about to happen, or already happened. So I think for Harry to continuously experience dreams makes a whole of of sense this early on in the story.
Yeah that definitely was NOT the type of reunion I was expecting between Ginny and Harry! But I think it works. Sometimes when you've gone through significant trauma your emotions overrun all other judgment and that's sort of what I saw happening here with them both lashing out with magic here and then coming together for sex. It's very clear that Ginny is one of the few people that Harry trusts with everything that he is, and I appreciated your depiction of that. And he does sort of owe her an explanation/apology for pushing her aside (though in his young mind he is 'protecting,' her, so I get it) and then for refusing to leave when she asks him to here.
I think the ambiguous ending of how they'll end up makes sense. And I'm glad Ginny told him that he has to be sure about them, she definitely deserves that much! And they're oh so young...so they have time...and this story is over 40 chapters long, so I am sure you will give them bandwidth to figure it all out ;)
Another great chapter!
~ Courtney
Finally getting around to reviewing this story after seeing it mentioned several times on the forums! Also, congrats on being a finalist and continuing this story for as long as you have!
Your descriptions are exceptionally vivid, both of tactile things (the blood, dirt and grime in the shower) as well as the psychological trauma they're reliving in the aftermath of the battle. There's a quietness you manage to convey in how it takes them so long to perform basic functions such as moving towards Gryffindor Tower and taking a shower. But there's also a shakiness too because they've been living in these extremely tense life/death circumstances, so to perform "usual," daily functions feels very difficult and clumsy. I think you showcase all of this in a really meaningful way.
I'm looking forward to seeing where they go from here!
~ Courtney
That was an interesting comparison of Hermione’s reaction to Harry and Ginny being caught in bed and then she turns the tables by doing the exact thin with Ron in the public common room. It makes us question why? Why is she viewing her relationship with Ron (thus giving herself more permission) than Ginny and Harry?
I loved how Madame Pomphrey asked him a question to check his identity. (and she expects him to remember a bean flavor from six years before!) But she doesn’t suspect him because they’ve just fought a war and he mysteriously disappears. No, she is suspecting because Harry Potter never voluntarily comes into the Hospital Wing. (Actually, come to think of it, most of the times, someone drags him in because he is unconscious.)
That was an interesting comparison of Hermione’s reaction to Harry and Ginny being caught in bed and then she turns the tables by doing the exact thin with Ron in the public common room. It makes us question why? Why is she viewing her relationship with Ron (thus giving herself more permission) than Ginny and Harry?
I loved how Madame Pomphrey asked him a question to check his identity. (and she expects him to remember a bean flavor from six years before!) But she doesn’t suspect him because they’ve just fought a war and he mysteriously disappears. No, she is suspecting because Harry Potter never voluntarily comes into the Hospital Wing. (Actually, come to think of it, most of the times, someone drags him in because he is unconscious.)
I knew it was a dream, but you did it so well. First the description of the snow was beautiful “ Only the trail of footprints behind him marked the difference between past and future.” That was a great line that has so much potential for interpretation. Then having him walk from memorial to memorial and each description of Harry’s reaction was potent but individual to the person who had died. You kept it interesting despite the repetition of the scene. Knowing you had deemed this a story with lots of psychological trauma and recovery, I assumed it would turn into a nightmare but you still surprised me with the last two memorials—nicely done.
This is one of those stories I always meant to read, but never quite got to. Perhaps it was the almost 400,000 words that felt daunting; however, I’m trying it now! First I love the first line, how you pulled it from the last line of the book (sans epilogue) and just pretended that the story kept going. I know many of us were sad when it ended.
Your description of Harry’s weariness, physical, mental and emotional left a vivid image in my head and then when the crash of reality with two little words: “It’s over.” No wonder Harry broken down in sobs. He deserves it. Nice job then balancing it with a bit of humor about their current lack of hygiene and giggles.
Love the password: lightning scar and the realization about everything appearing smaller. Obviously they’ve had a big education this year and no doubt feel “more than” Gryffindor Tower now.
Hi Dan! I am so eager to get to your last posted chapter! Believe me, I have read everything, but I feel like I need a refresher before I dive in.
You have put your characters through a whole lot of grief and agony over the last (mumble mumble) words, so it’s not surprising that Paisley isn’t going to respond to a little poking when she’s so tired. I love the way you bring out her grumpiness in the best characteristic way! Is it bad that I had to look up the word “minge”? Umm… am I even allowed to use that here? Oh well.(ducks mods)
You have a great way of bringing her thoughts back into focus from what appears to be a very deep, much needed rest.
“The elf had a bomb”
That would wake anyone up! I love how you draw out Paisley’s observations as Harry deftly maneuvers them through the battle scene, how she notices him doing the things he would normally do, because he’s had experience, and I wonder if she’s picking up on all the skills she might have thought he didn’t already have. Her ping ponging thoughts are hilarious as she is obviously trying to suss out the kind of person he is, based on his actions. You’re also aces at showing how, through the weakening shield charms, she’s almost done for.
I love action scenes. I love your action scenes, to be specific. I’m sure Paisley learned so much more about Potter in that battle than in any training exercise she could have devised.
Oh gosh, poor Ron and Hermione are at it again, with their awkwardness, but I really needed a small dose of refreshing cuteness after that tense battle. Nice tonal shift here, so we can all catch our breath and step into…
“Hermione rolled her eyes, not looking especially menaced.”
Ahem. I think we’ve all been menaced enough with that first scene. I am worried about how Hermione’s parents are going to recover, but at least they did the best they could under the circumstances, which are pretty dire, Dan. don’t you care about these characters at all? Don’t you want them to be happy and succeed??
I know, I know. They have to earn it, first.
The whole section where Ron is contemplating how Hermione needs his support is so telling of the emotional growth they both have had over the short time after the war. I mean, I’m sure in our heads that Hermione and Ron and Harry have grown up in big ways in that last year being on their own, but it’s so gratifying to bring us back to these moments when the characters themselves reflect on that growth and how they are dealing with things as responsible people. Ron is right. They don’t belong at Hogwarts anymore, not as children and not as students, and in Harry’s case, not as someone who can be treated like he doesn’t understand the consequences of a well-placed hex. This is what I admire the most about this story. You allow these characters to do their growing up fast, because they’ve earned that.
“Perhaps there was a tickle fight in his future after all.”
And of course, there’s still a bit of growing up to be done.
“What I mean to say is that this is not how Potter’s training program was meant to play out.”
Honestly, I was waiting for someone to say that. :P I am slightly appalled, and at the same time relieved to know that whoever is still out there isn’t a ‘true believer’, but that doesn’t make the danger any less dire. Sheesh!
Robbards’ concerns would normally be valid. However, knowing that Harry has secrets in his brain, knowing that he’s basically been out in the world, romping around prior to the final battle (or wait, does Robbards even realize this? Maybe not.) all of those worries have been a possibility for a lot longer that Robbards realizes. I think Kingsley understands this. I think Kingsley understands that if they try to keep Harry bottled up, the danger is just going to be coming directly to them.
Oh, goodness. An Occulmency lesson. Is Robbards going to have the same experience as Paisley? I think Kingsley knows exactly what he’s doing here. What a great way to show what Harry is capable of and add tension to it.
And then Charlotte. Poor Harry has another helping dumped on his plate.
Great chapter!
Pix
Hey Dan! Back for Chapter 4!
Oh, Ginny. It’s hard when even your mental distractions from grief give you more trouble than comfort. I would envy Ron’s ability to lose himself in his interests too. And also, it’s hard to see your parents when they’re not in control. At some point, there’s going to come a time when everyone’s grieving at the same time and the only comfort to be gained is knowing that they aren’t going through it alone.
You’ve given Ginny so much to think through here. She has all this time on her hands,and I can see how she’d rather spin her wheels about Harry than delve into the recent losses. I mean, it’s been a Day for them, so it makes sense. I love how she’s reasoning through it, and the way you show her impulsivity - when she goes back and forth, literally, to the Hospital Wing - trying to make a decision for herself. I’m glad she’s thinking about what’s best for her here.
I have always loved the idea of Ginny and Luna forming a strong friendship with each other. And yes, Ginny has a good idea that Luna will give her (mostly) unbiased opinions, and be a good person to straight up talk to. But under the circumstances, I wouldn’t disturb her either.
“There was only one palace to get the answers she needed…”
Yes, Ginny. You’re right.
“And it wasn’t in Neville’s bed…”
LOL. NO. That’s not where the answers are.
Impulsivity. Definitely a trait I’d stamp on Ginny.
Ah, and Harry is still under the impression that he has to fix everything. How, Harry? How is it your responsibility to pick up the pieces after everything you’ve been through?? This niggling doubt… this voice inside his head sounds suspiciously like a leftover echo from Voldemort’s horcrux. Is that what’s happening to this poor boy?? He’s so consumed by the pictures he sees. Maybe that’s what’s keeping him from seeing the Big Picture. Because if he hadn’t been so isolated for that year, he’d realize that those people who had fought for him were really fighting WITH him. Not because they thought he’d save them, but because he didn’t need to be the only one to step up and take a stand.
Harry’s definitely not there yet. I have a sinking feeling that he won’t discard his guilt until you have him work through it. And Dan, I have to tell you, you make these characters WORK for it.
At least he’s thinking about what Hermione told him. That’s a start.
And I love the way that Harry starts putting pieces together about what he and Ginny shared, and what it could possibly mean, and also how this one shared experience could lessen some of his guilt, some of his isolation.
Okay, so I wasn’t expecting the POV shift for this conversation. I’m excited to see what you do with this.
Of course. I should have realized that Ginny didn’t know about horcruxes or the full truth about that diary! This is an excellent way to bring Harry and Ginny onto the same page with shared secrets, and also include her on the road forward. And Ginny sets aside her reservations because this is big stuff. And it also gives Harry the means to include his friends in something he’s been carrying all by himself for so long.
“We spent most of today trying to undo all the damage…”
I think Harry takes this to heart. I think Ginny got a whole lot more than she bargained for. She’d always wanted a front row seat in Harry’s life, and now that he’s offered it… wow. That’s a lot to take in.
Only a day.
Oh gosh, all the awkward discomfort when Hermione is trying to say what she’s not trying to say, and all Ron can think about is Hermione. Which is fair. And yes, a change of topics is in order.
The penny discussion was a great mood lightener. Ron’s not as bad at this as he thinks he is. He’s certainly trying his best.
Drop Bears are the best reason to go to Australia, Ron. But really, he’s stepping up here. I really love the way you give him this mix of confidence and uncertainty, which is so Ron. And I can see that it’s also exactly what Hermione needs right now. Loved the cheering portraits!
Another excellent chapter!
Pix
Lovely bit of tension among the Weasleys in this one... is there a confrontation at GP coming?
Oh gosh, I have to tell you that every time I read about Harry holding a quill, I get PTSD flashbacks from that awful Umbridge scene, and even though the sun is shining, I’m so so nervous.
Okay, well, there was something to be nervous about, it just was the natural progression of last chapter, which, strangely enough, caught me off guard. Good job, Dan. And yeah, Ginny, it’s going to be way awkward. Welcome to awkwardness.
Poor Hermione!
Actually, I take it back. Hermione… wasn’t she just in the boys’ dormitory?? I guess it can be more embarrassing when you’re faced with someone elses’ embarrassment… like, she’s right there delivering a message so she can’t just run away from that. Skinny bums and floating underwear aside, is there a writer’s manual somewhere that I haven’t read which dictates that all teenaged trysts end in abject embarrassment? I mean, the war… and the death… and the small moments of comfort… and then this. But I guess you’re not writing this story to make things easy for them. It’s probably the complete opposite of of that.
Harry’s survived Voldemort, and he still has to sneak out of the girls’ dormitory afterwards. Okay, now I get to say it and mean it. Poor Harry!
So this next part really showcases the love that Hermione and Ron share, her wanting to go to him immediately after learning of Fred’s death, for her own comfort, and for his. It shows they’ve learned to value the important things, and even more, they’ve learned to share them.
And Hermione perpetuates the lie, because telling Ron that his sister is shagging Harry… or anyone for that matter… is a Bad Idea. She is a good friend. They’ll sort out the other messy stuff later, I’m sure.
Oh my god, can I smack Trelawney now??? I mean, okay. She’s not wrong. Harry technically died, and I GUESS her cards and leaves and stars picked up on that, but that is SO INSENSITIVE that I am slightly… okay, a little more that slightly enraged over here.
“You have to understand my suspicion, what with you appearing willingly instead of being summoned or carried in.”
Amen. I love the distinct voices you give to each of the characters. Like now, I want to shake Pomfrey’s hand.
But there’s no time for that. Harry needs healing. I’m sorry, I’ll say that better. HEALING.
And I suppose this is the wrong time for me to go on a rant about wizards and magic and still needing glasses… you’re just upholding canon, so it’s respectable. Just… okay, moving on.
It is SO GOOD to hear Ron and Hermione’s voices from behind McGonagall, just like they were Summoned for that very purpose. They’re a good team. They’ve been a tight unit for a long, long time, and after the year they’d had, I wouldn’t expect them to break it up anytime soon. But yeah, the malnutrition, dehydration and other injuries should be addressed. For all of them. Pomfrey has her hands full, and I am confident she will prevail.
“Prepare for the meeting tomorrow with the interim Minister of Magic, and also… take it easy.”
I see how this is going to go.
Glad that Hermione has the fortitude to say those words to Harry. This is why Hermione needs to be on Harry’s team. He really needed to hear those words. I hope people keep saying them to him until he starts believing it.
Pix
Hi Dan!
(checks watch) Oh my goodness, look at the wordcount! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Your magnum opus has really grown up, and review-wise, I am so far behind. Let’s see to that.
Oh, what a horrible nightmare! It was so insidious, really reaching all the way inside Harry, giving him a false sense of security (as good nightmares do) before it grabbed hold to strangle him. You really pulled out all the stops here, playing on his exhaustion, his need for silence, his grief, and finally, the one thing he could never be able to live with. All of his guilt wrapped up in his greatest fear. Wow.
I love the way you revealed him to Ginny. She just knew it was him. Just like she needed to lash out. Just like he needed to let go of his own anger. Oh gosh, just reading about how they’re trying to one-up each other in this heated moment is so hard, because it’s so necessary for them to say what they feel right now, but I’m reacting very badly to all of this.
Especially when Ginny stops herself at the end… and WE know something Very Wrong happened to her, which she’s not going to talk about, not even here, not even with Harry. You’re probably saving that for a different time, but I bet it’s going to be horrible for her, and horrible for him. Ugh!
This. Fight. Also, the actual fighting, with wands and spells and hexes, and what strikes me the most here, besides all the tension and emotion and no-one-wants-to-back-down-here-ness, is that Ginny is an excellent duelist with her wand. She knows what she’s doing. But Harry… he’s been fighting for his life, and everything she throws at him just gets batted away because he’s so good at what he does… of course he doesn’t see it like that, he’s not that guy. But I do. I see how nothing touches him. And Ginny, underneath all that anger, sees it too, which probably doesn’t make it any better. She’s trying to hurt him, and she can’t even touch him. And maybe that feeds into what happens later, when she tells him afterwards that things will change.
Unfortunately for her, the fear that he will leave her behind after this is very real, possibly because of this thing… that he’s just that good… that the world is going to sweep him away from her again, and he’s going to go. Because he’s that guy.
Backing up though, I love how you mixed the upper hand with the desperation, and threw in some can’t-trust-that-you’ll-stay-give-me-what-I-can-get and made it emotionally messy, yet somehow almost sweet and yielding at the same time.
But this…
“Do you hear that?” … “... is the sound of you not apologizing for anything.”
… makes me think there’s a little hope left in there for the both of them.
Also Neville.
I’ll just leave that there.
Pix
Hi, Dan! Back again for our swap! :D
Wow! So much deep stuff going on in this chapter, too! This fic is such a rollercoaster... in the best possible way, of course! :P
(Okay, I read your end note, and now I'm very curious where you're heading to wrap up this story... it does have the feeling of potentially going on forever, lol! :P Only 100k more words? So little? :P Anyway, however long this will turn out to be, and wherever you'll head it for a close, I'm sure I'm going to love the rest of the journey! 500k is impressive, anyway... I admire your dedication!)
But let's start with the actual review... ;)
Wow, Charlie! :O He's really feeling a lot of bitterness here... and I suppose it's understandable... feeling pressured by his work bosses on one hand and by his family obligations on the other, and at the same time feeling unseen by his own family who don't seem to see him as indispensable, and almost as an outsider, since he's lived away from their lives for so long... which I'm sure it's not at all true, but I can see how Charlie would feel that way... (maybe, Charlie, if you opened up more to them, if you properly communicated, these feelings could've been eased somehow?)
Also, poor George... of course he's still struggling... but again, he doesn't have to be Charlie's sole responsibility. I agree with Bill and Arthur here, he's underestimating Ron and Ginny... which, again, makes sense! There is a big age difference between Charlie and the youngest siblings, and it's natural that he would always see them as children... but they are really not at this point, not after everything they've been through...
But mostly... wow! I had no idea that Charlie felt that way for Tonks? :O Poor Charlie, the grief he's feeling for her must be devastating, even more so if he'd never told anyone about his true feelings... thinking about all the missed opportunities, ouch! That final scene, when he was talking to her grave... that was so emotional and heartbreaking... poor, poor Charlie... :(
(Side note: "So her husband... he crossed over, right? He's not haunting anyplace around here?" / "As far as we know," Bill replied, feeling a bit baffled. / "Good. We can talk about the old times." This bit made me laugh... but also, of course Remus crossed over! And knowing him, he probably wouldn't have minded anyway... :P)
Yay! Harry is starting his Occlumency lessons! I'm so excited about this! :D
Robards was nothing if not direct. Yeah, that sounds a perfect description of his character!
Poor Harry, though... can't blame him for not giving the book as much attention as he probably should... he was still recovering from a very bad experience, and so many other things were going on in his life at the same time, so... but I can see that Robards wouldn't be impressed... :P
I like your interpretation of what the principles and dynamics of Legilimency and Occlumency would work. I love the idea that it is all about associations of ideas, and creating paths between your memories, and the more intricated the path is, the harder it will be for an external invader to find a certain information... it's not exactly how I imagine Occlumency, or how I've seen it interpreted in other stories, but still it makes a lot of sense to me, and I like the way you explained it! It's very fresh and creative and clever! I'm looking forward to more lessons, and especially to the more practical ones! :D
But wow! Poor Harry! Another unexpected dark turn in his life! I cannot imagine how it would feel like to cause the death of another person, even if by accident or self-defence... and knowing Harry, he's going to struggle a lot to digest this... I couldn't help but draw a parallel with my James here, and I'm very curious to see how Harry is going to process this new information... I loved how Proudfoot dealt with it, by sharing her own experience of killing someone for the first time... I think it was the best way to approach Harry there, telling him that his feelings are valid and that he's not alone. I hope he'll forgive himself. <3
Ron and Hermione... :P Well, wow! The idea of Hermione stealing one of her mother's forbidden romance books and rereading and rereading that certain scene to the point that the book would just open up there on its own... :P And of course Ron would find its hiding spot and get invested in it... :P And wow! Hermione was just devilish in this scene! :D I love the way you've built up their relationship, they just work so well together in every aspect, and it's great to see! Ron's picture books, lol! :P
Such a wonderful chapter, as always! You've been so prolific recently, I really hope your muse will keep being collaborative, and that we'll have another swap chance soon! :P
Thank you so much for this update, and for swapping with me!
Snowball hug,
Chiara
This was very well done. It covered the entire gambit of what can happen after a traumatic event and I appreciated all of it. I also have a post war story I'm working on and there are similarities but I was really happy with the differences here. I laughed with them and I cried with them. It was so sad to read that part with the Patil twins about Lavender and how Seamus was with her. I feel terrible for Hermione that after she tried to save her, was still too late. But I giggled about how much they smelled and how innocent that Hermione sounded to Harry, enough for him to wonder if she was okay.
PTSD would surely be an obstacle for any one of them, especially Harry. It didn't occur to me that he still got hit from the killing curse in the woods, I just thought about how he hadn't gotten hit in the great hall.
I really enjoyed this chapter with just the three of them being together as we'd read them throughout book 7, truly ending their journey together and starting anew together as well.
I hope to read more in the future and would love some more feedback on my story, I am fairly sure you at least started mine.
Thanks!
-Heather
Hey, Dan! Here for our swap! :D
I LOVED this chapter!!! It's just brilliant, so emotional, so rich! I just loved it all!
The first scene at Andromeda's was the sweetest thing! Loved little Teddy, and Charlotte, and how the two couples were interacting with them... Ron's terror at seeing Hermione being so into the kids was really amusing, lol! I can see how that would worry him... don't worry, Ron, you still have time... ;)
I like your Andromeda. Of course, she's still very hurt about her daughter's death, but she's doing her best for her grandson and that's lovely to see! I also love how you point out the ways she's different from the classic pureblood, it's interesting to focus on those little details. She's such a caring woman, and it's lovely to see that! <3
The scene at the Dursleys was so powerful... I can see how Ginny would get so angry at witnessing the cruelty and injustice of the treatment the Dursleys reserved to Harry as he grew up, especially when you compare it to the way they spoiled Dudley. It is enraging. Her little vengeance was so amusing to watch :P Shagging on their bed... lol! No, they wouldn't have liked that... :P
It's hard to feel any sympathy for Petunia... I do think that she did care for Lily in some way... enough to keep those letters, but not enough to read them? I mean, isn't that absolutely petty and stupid? "Hogwarts didn't steal my mother from you. My dad didn't steal her from you. Nobody stole her from you, Aunt Petunia. You made that choice yourself. You cut her out of your life. And you'll never have the chance to make things right. It's sort of sad." Yeah! This! 100% this! No one took Lily away from her, it was Petunia who never made the effort to save their relationship! And I bet Vernon's influence didn't help... urgh, I hate that man so much!
But at least Harry and Dudley could reconnect? It was lovely to see how much Dudley has matured during that year in the hiding! I'd love to see them keeping in touch and see Dudley grow even more! I love what you've done with his character! :D
Molly's section was so painful, but so brilliantly written! I loved the way you portrayed her reviving her memories of the battle, almost as if she was truly back there again! And I don't think I ever stopped to consider how much killing Bellatrix would've actually affected her? You know, reading that scene has sort of inspired me to write another therapy session with James and Ludwig, I think I might add that to my next TSW chapter... :P But back to Molly... of course that event would have impacted her strongly! I loved her denial, how she had sort of blocked the memory of it, because it was something that she just wasn't ready to face about herself. The way she explained that, how as a little girl she wouldn't want to hurt any living creature... it's an interesting side of her and I agree with the Healer, it's a part of her that's obviously still there, or she wouldn't hurt so much about what happened with Bellatrix... at least she's starting to confront it now, and that's a big step, indeed, right?
(Side note: who doesn't just swat mosquitoes? I'm not one to hurt living creatures either, but for mosquitoes I do make an exception... :P)
I need to go now... as always, I feel there's a lot I'm not addressing that I should, but just... brilliant job on this, as always! This chapter was just wonderful, I really loved it a lot! <3
Thank you so much for swapping!
Big snowball hug,
Chiara
Hello, Dan! Here for our swap (a bit later than I was hoping... sorry about that... :P)
Oh, wow! That ending was harsh! :O But I suppose sort of deserved, too? I mean, I don't know if I would blame Slughorn exactly for certain Slytherins' behaviour, but also when you encourage a certain mindset instead of calling it out, you can't be surprised when people act on it, right? And Harry is clearly furious after what Ginny shared with him... so, yeah, I can see where he's coming from, even if I did feel slightly badly for Slughorn, too...
But back to the beginning... ;)
Ah, little Charlotte!!! <3 She's just so adorable! <3 But how heartbreaking, the way we know she's destined to live her life... child werewolves are the most heartbreaking thing, and I hate that she doesn't really have anyone to look after her, either... I'm sure her muggle relatives aren't like the Dursleys, but asking them to take care of a little werewolf, when they would barely understand magic, is a lot, especially if they aren't even close relatives... I hope things will work out for the little one! I know that Harry will make sure she'll be well cared for, at least! <3
"Bill and Charlie must have been a handful" / "That's what I thought, at least until the twins came along." Ahahah! Yeah, I can totally imagine Bill and Charlie being a handful as children! :D (Nothing compared to Fred and George, though, of course :P)
"How do you do it, Harry? How do you not just give up? How do you pick yourself up and keep going whenever something terrible happens?" / "I'm not sure, I don't think I ever felt like I had another choice." This reminded me of something you told in one of your reviews to me about Remus... when you stop and think about it, Harry's life has really been a long series of tragedies... :/ His response is sort of sad, too, but also weirdly relatable. Sometimes bad things happen that break our spirit, but we don't really have any other choice than stepping up and facing the world anyway, as hard and draining as it can be... :/
Speaking of relatable... I just tell people everything is fine until they get frustrated and stop asking. Yeah, that's very much Harry, and also an approach that I can totally understand, too :P
I am so proud of Ginny for finally opening up to Harry! <3 I mean, it was heartbreaking hearing her tale, but she needed to confide in him, for both their sakes! <3 I loved the built-up to it, btw! Harry panicking because he didn't quite know where the conversation was going... that's so him, too! <3 And of course I loved his reaction, and how Ginny sharing what happened only strenghtened his feelings for her, how she feared he would think of her as dirty and disgusting, while all he can see is her strenght and courage! <3 And yes, they told the words! Such a big moment, for sure! <3
Okay, I'll stop quoting things back at you, but... sometimes other people can see the right of things because they don't hear that voice inside your mind that's telling you all the terrible things. Sometimes they see you clearer than you see yourself. Harry has so many clever, wise lines here! And I love what he's expressing here, it's so true! <3
But let's move on to Ron and Hermione... poor things... they missed quite a lot while they were away in Australia, I didn't even realize how much... :/ it must be so hard, after everything they've been through, coming home and finding out about this new attack... :/ it is horrible and shocking, that the war is over and yet they are still just as much in danger as before... they deserve some quietness in their lives at this point... but hopefully they only need to hold on a little bit more...
Ahahah! I bet they weren't expecting what they walked into... :P Poor Neville, how embarrassing... :P did they even know that Neville and Luna had been staying at Grimmauld Place? I can't remember if that happened before or after they left... not that it is important... :P
Only Ron could make a parallel between sex and chess, lol! But it is lovely to see him and Hermione finally being so comfortable together! <3
And of course Ginny would come and interrupt :P Finally the two girls are reunited again, they have a lot of catching up to do ;) I love that they have that sort of girl friendship with each other, it's precious and they both need it! <3
I sort of already expressed my feelings about that last scene with Slughorn. I wonder what kind of effect Harry's words will have on him, if any... I liked that little nod to Lily's eyes you threw in there, I can totally picture how that would make Slughorn feel. There's probably a lot more I could and should say about this scene, and the chapter in general, but I think I'll just stop here and once again say, brilliant job as always! And I'll be looking forward to the next update! ;)
Thank you so much for the swap!
Snowball hug,
Chiara
Hello, Dan! Here (finally) for our swap! :D
Wow, poor Ginny... she's really going through a lot of difficult emotions, isn't she? And I can't completely fault her point of view... the war is over, people have died to defeat Voldemort, but the dangers never seem to stop, and those who should keep people safe don't seem to be too good at it... they were supposed to find peace, and they can't get any respite ever... on the other hand, I guess a settling period was to be expected, but still, I can see how this would make feel Ginny hopeless...
And of course, the anger at Harry for putting himself in danger. Although Harry has no fault here, and rationally she knows it, but knowing something rationally and the way you feel are two very different things, right?
Honestly, she could've done more foolish things than a broom race in the city, so all in all not that bad reaction, lol! But also, given the outcome, and the possible consequences if she got caught breaking the Statute of Secrecy, not exactly wise either... speaking of which... I also had to agree about some of her thoughts about the Statute of Secrecy... it's just a big annoyance, isn't it? Anyway...
That conversation with Neville and Luna was a very deep and interesting one. Oh, Ginny... :/ but again, I can't fully blame her for fearing that that piece of news might change the way Harry sees her... not because there's any possibility that it might happen, we all know there isn't, but experiences like that break something inside you (I believe, I fortunately have no direct experience) and so, if she doesn't feel fully comfortable with herself, she can't expect others to be... I love how Neville made her see that Harry's opinion of her wouldn't change by turning it the other way around with the Horcrux thing. It was a very clever argument. I wonder if Ginny will now find the strenght to confess Harry everything... Harry's going to be livid (and feel super guilty) when he learns it all, but they'll work everything out together, right? <3
Ahahah! Hermione's mum trying to give her The Talk! Lol! :D "So four teenagers, two couples, living in a secret house in the middle of London, by yourselves?" Said like that, it doesn't sound very recommendable... :P
Despite the awkwardness of some of that conversation (side note, I didn't notice the chapter title when I read the chapter the first time the other day, but I'm seeing now how fitting it is :P) it was really nice to see Hermione and her mother having that bonding moment. And there was something so precious in seeing Ron and Hermione's father hitting it off so well, too! <3 You can tell Hermione's mum is still struggling with all these memories that aren't truly her memories and reconciling her life before the ritual with everything that she's discovered now... but I love how protective and fiercely proud of Hermione she already is, despite all that. The way she said "My daughter deserves quite a lot" and the way she reassured her about the whole memory erasing mess... <3 <3 <3
I wonder what is up with the Australian authorities? It's a bit sad that Ron and Hermione had to leave so suddenly, but at least we know that Hermione's parents will be back soon, too, and everything will return back to normal? Mostly? I love that her parents have decided to take some time for themselves first, to make this little trip just to get accustomed to each other again... it's very romantic... <3
Oh, little Charlotte... she's so cute! And yes, it's good that she has someone like Mrs Weasley to look after her! <3 It was a really cute moment for Harry to wake up to! :D
And wow! I loved the conversation with Robards! And it did put things into perspective... "My job, Mr. Potter, is to expect bad things. My job is to find the cloud around every silver lining. My job is to start thinking about the next attack on the Ministry while everyone else is thanking their lucky stars that this one didn't turn out worse. My job is to imagine the worst possible outcome of every situation, and plan for it. I like to think that I am very good at my job. / Which brings us back to you, Mr. Potter. A seventeen-year-old trainee who spotted a bomb that the Unspeakables have only read about. Who never took Runes but recognized one of the Dark Lord's safe houses based on an old bit of Ogham. Who got the truth out of Lucius Malfoy in minutes after we'd been trying for days. That's quite a silver lining. Now I'm looking for the cloud." I'm feeling bad for Robards now, to be honest... it must be a harsh life, always expecting the worst in every situation... but at least now it makes sense why he would be so wary of Harry... he's too good and it doesn't compute :P I'm oversimplifying here, I know, but the concept sort of amuses me, lol! :P
I loved the honesty in the conversation, and I loved how dutiful and honourable Robards appears here. He doesn't hide his reserves, but he's still going to treat Harry like any other trainee and do his best to see him succeed, and that's a big commitment he's taking, I believe. I really have to admire him here. Not that I didn't before, I liked him already, but it was nice to see his perspective in a bit of a clearer way.
Harry's reaction to the idea of Occlumency lessons was priceless, lol! :P No, that hadn't been Dumbledore's smartest idea... :P
"Professor Snape just pointed his wand at me and yelled Legillimens and then he told me I was rubbish when I couldn't keep him out of my mind." / "Mr. Potter, I know you wouldn't have any way of knowing this, but that is not how you teach Occlumency." Ahahah! No, I had a feeling Snape's approach to "teaching Occlumency" wasn't exactly how it was supposed to work... :P
This was another brilliant, eventful chapter! And I'm looking forward to the next update (and our next swap :P)
Thank you so much for writing and sharing! :D
Big snowball hug,
Chiara
Hello. Dan! Here for our swap! Sorry if I had you wait a bit longer than I intended... *hides*
I really, really loved this chapter! Totally worth the wait! So many exciting things happening, and I'm so, so curious about what will happen now... but let's go with order... :P
Ah, poor Paisley... I really enjoyed getting the point of view of someone out of the main cast. I think it was you who told me in a review "always pick the pov of the character who knows less or has most to lose" and here she works perfectly! Thrown into this unexpected and dangerous situation, with very little control over it because she's too hurt to be able to fight properly, having to rely on this strange boy who is seen as a hero, but he's also so young and inexperienced and a bit of a mystery in himself... at least, Harry seems to know what he's doing, but also not quite... I'm assuming his wand is acting on its own accord a lot here? Which is why when Paisley looks at him expecting triumph, what she sees is confusion instead? Either way, they are very lucky they both got out of it alive... :/ I think you wrote the action of the scene so well, and the feeling of urgency and anxiety surrounding it as well!
Ron and Hermione... I keep loving their blossoming relationship more and more! The beginning made me laugh. How embarrassing must it be to have your girlfriend's father telling you how handsome you are, lol! :P I suppose the side-effects of the Bamburr will take a while before settling down... poor Hermione's parents must be quite overwhelmed, but it seems it worked as well as it could, and they are planning to go back, so that's great, I guess! :D
But poor Hermione... still so full of worry and guilt... I didn't even consider that aspect of her constantly eradicating her parents' lives, but yeah, it makes sense... although, to be fair, they weren't having the best time in Australia, were they? And there most likely won't be any need to put them through something like this ever again... even if the situation back in the UK is much messier than Ron and Hermione are aware of... :/ I don't think anyone has started another war in the past week. Kind of ironic, isn't it? Although I'm with Ron, generally speaking... :P
He imagined trying to explain to eleven-year-old Ron that someday he'd long for one of Hermione's lectures and the thought almost made him laugh out loud. Okay, I just love the mental image of this! :D But also, there's something so soft about Ron missing the bossy Hermione, the Hermione sure of herself, who knew the right thing to do and could push him in the right direction. <3 And I love how you applied that to their first time! <3 (I'll confess that I sort of speed-read through the sex scene... totally my fault, has nothing to do with the quality of your writing... but I love how you captured their characters there, and both their insecurities. It's so like Hermione, being scared that she'd mess up because she doesn't have enough knowledge, and that's what restrained her all this time... but she's been through so much she had no control over recently and it worked out, so now she feels like she can take the risk. And Ron, on the other hand, not quite understanding and taking it personally, but also trying to keep his emotions in check not to ruin the moment... ah, I love them so much! <3)
And back to Harry, and his guilt! I mean, he couldn't have done much better or different than he did, could he? He's an Auror, and dealing with dangerous stuff is in the job description, right? But I can understand why he'd feel like he'd betrayed his promise to Ginny... :/ I bet that's the last thing Ginny is thinking about at the moment, though! She's just grateful that he's safe, right? <3
Aww, little Harry Potter! <3 Actually, little Charlotte! <3 I look forward to see how she's going to impact the plot further, if she is at all! Either way, she's so adorable, the poor thing! <3 <3 <3
The weight of responsibility settled onto him, but for reasons he couldn't completely understand, Harry welcomed it. He would make sure she was taken care of. He would keep his promise to Ginny. He would fix all the things that were wrong. Soon. He was tired. So tired. He resolved to fix it all as soon as he woke up. Then everything around him faded away. Love, love, love this closing line! There's so much Harry in it! Just brilliant! :D
Okay, confession, I was going by memory, and I totally thought the Kingsley and Robards' scene was the last one, which is why I sort of skipped it... but that's good, because it was my favourite bit! I'm loving the political subplot and Kingsley and Robards' conversations more than anything, they are always so brilliant and so full of depth! You are just wonderful at writing them! :D
"I know that Potter's life will never be normal. Potter's story is not normal. His skills are not normal. He is not a normal wizard. What I had hoped to offer him was stability. A respite from the chaos that's plagued most of his life. / Now I find myself wondering whether that was too much to ask." Uhm, yes, Kingsley, that was wishful thinking... don't you know that Harry is a magnet for trouble? And if you wanted to give him stability, probably making him an Auror wasn't the best choice... but yeah...
I can't blame Robards for being puzzled by Harry and for not trusting him completely... he is another character who likes to be in control, and with Harry that's practically impossible, right? He can't understand him at all, but he can't really find any fault in him, and that must drive him crazy even more... :P And Kingsley, once again, manages to make things even more awkward for him, with this idea of the Occlumency lessons... :P I bet they're going to be interesting... I can't wait to see how those go! :D
Brilliant chapter, as always! Thank you so much for writing and sharing! I'll look forward to the next update!
Big snowball hug,
Chiara
Author's Response:Hi, Chiara!
I suppose "worth the wait" is in the eye of the beholder. It was a pretty long wait. ;)
I liked showing the fight at the Ministry from McTavish's point of view because she really doesn't understand Harry or what motivates him. I think she picked up on some things that I couldn't have focused on if we were seeing the fight through Harry's eyes.
The hardest thing about writing Ron and Hermione and their "first time" was making it suitably awkward for a pair of inexperienced teenagers while not having it turn into a slapstick comedy routine. To be honest, there were sections of that scene that I rewrote 2 or 3 times. Both of them are exploring their wants and desires, but the lack the vocabrulary and the self-confidence to do so in a completely adult fashion. What I thought was best was giving them that space to be open with one another.
I'm not sure whether Harry will ever be free of guilt. It was drilled into him at such a young age by his relatives and then reinforced by all the tragedy that surrounded his teenage years. It's going to be an ongoing struggle.
Kingsley had his faith in his idea shaken to the core in this chapter. He feels quite strongly that giving Harry a better life is something he owes to Dumbledore, and now Harry's nearly gotten killed again.
I know that some readers will see Robards as a sort of continuation of the type of "adults" who've plagued Harry's school years. The type who doubt him and limit him and fail utterly in their attempts to keep him safe from harm. I see him a little differently. He's the Head Auror. It's his job to keep all of Britain safe from dark witches and wizards. The Minister has handed him this mysterious, strange, underqualified young man who has a wealth of important information about the Death Eaters, but also told him that he's not allowed to pry. It has to be incredibly frustrating for Robards, who's just trying to do his job. We'll see how their relationship progresses.
Thanks again for the swap!
Hugs,
-Dan
Wow what a fantastic chapter. I loved how you were able to seamlessly able to transit from the battle scene to the scene between Hermione and Ron. They were both written so extremely well. I especially enjoyed the hallway fight between Harry and the death eaters. There were some really creative spell usage by Harry.
Author's Response:I'm really pleased that you enjoyed it. You're so kind. I'm not sure that I'd call that transition seamless, but I'm happy that it worked well for you. Harry is learning, although he still relies more on curses and brute force than he'd like. There will be some aftermath once he learns about the wizards he killed.
Thank you for the comment!
I loved the way you had the Granger's get their memories back. It was such a great ritual that feels very true to the area. Can't wait to see the battle within the ministry.
Ok I lied in my last comment. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Doge. He is my favorite character in this story! I absolutely love everything about his reactions and behavior towards Harry. Kingsley is no longer my favorite relationship with Harry like I previously stated lol. I love how you turned the Doge we "knew" from Hallows and turned him into a brilliant politician.
Ok I lied in my last comment. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Doge. He is my favorite character in this story! I absolutely love everything about his reactions and behavior towards Harry. Kingsley is no longer my favorite relationship with Harry like I previously stated lol. I love how you turned the Doge we "knew" from Hallows and turned him into a brilliant politician.
I just need to say how much I love your Kingsley. It's a refreshing take on him in which he is surprised by most of what Harry does. This chapter really highlighted that for me. The respect he has for Harry is really well written as well and I love the interactions Kingsley has with Robards and Proudfoot in which he has to explain Harry.
Author's Response:Hi, there!
So for some reason, the archives site has stopped sending me email notifications of new reviews. I didn't want you to think I wasn't responding; I just hadn't seen it until today.
Kingsley is a fun character because he's important, but we don't know much about him from the books. That leaves a lot of room to play with his personality and the dynamics around him. He's leading the Ministry at one of the most pivotal times in its history. You'll see a lot more of him!
Thank you for the comment!
Hey, Dan! :D
I had to stop by and check this last chapter... :) Also, consider this a little birthday present! :D
(Apologies in advance if this review won't be super detailed... it's late and my brain is half asleep, but I couldn't leave this unreviewed... I'll try to do my best... :P)
Great chapter as always! Loved the opening scene with Ginny and Fleur! I love that you're building some complicity between the two sisters-in-law, I really love what you're doing with Fleur's character. She's so fierce and wise and pragmatic, it's interesting to see in this light! And I love that she's so strongly on Ginny's side when it comes to her relationship with Harry. Ginny definitely needs an ally like her! :P Also, so amusing how Fleur she can keep all the Weasley boys in line, lol! Ginny is right, Fleur is probably the only one with the ability to intimidate all of them... ;)
I'm so relieved about the Bamburr! I love how you built the ritual, and all the built-up to it. And, urgh, Dacelorisus was truly irritating... although I can't really blame him for thinking that going through with the ritual would be too risky... just leaving things as they were would probably have been a sensible choice, but when feelings are involved, sensible might not be enough, right? I love how it was Monica's question of "And what about the risk of not attempting it?" that finally put him off. Because she's right, how could they just go on knowing that there was such a big hole in their memories they would never be able to fill? The ritual in itself was so fascinating, and I really loved the way you described it and all the detail you included for it! And once again I have to commend Ron, I love how he managed to reach out to Hermione and guide her to success. Ron has matured so much through this journey, and I can't get enough of the care and faith he feels for Hermione! He's wonderful, and I adore the way you write him!
But what was that ending??? I can't believe they sent a house elf to do their dirty work... or, actually, I can totally believe it, but... what's going to happen now? I hope the Ministry will be able to hold off the menace, whatever that is exactly... :/ Yes, you really need to hurry up and write more now, after that cliffhanger... :P
Wonderful job as always! And happy birthday once again! :D
Big snowball hug,
Chiara
Author's Response:Hi, there, Chiara! Thank you for the present!
One of the hardest parts about writing a story with a large ensemble cast is that you never feel like any character is getting enough "screen time" except for the Big 4. Fleur is a character I could write an entire novel about. There were obviously so many special things about her. She didn't wind up being the Beauxbatons champion by accident. She was certainly a character that JKR filled with promise and then sort of didn't do much with, aside from making her a comic foil for Hermione and Ginny at the start of Deathly Hallows. Anyway, I could go on, but I'm glad you liked that scene. Ginny needs more people to open up to.
I still feel so uneasy about the entire scene with the Bamburr. To unpack that a little, I do feel good about everything that happens up to the point the actual ritual begins. As a parent, or even someone who wants to be a parent, the job never comes without risk. Quite a lot of risk, if you think about it. Children are their own people, they never grow up to be exactly who we imagined they'd be. The actual ritual itself... I'll admit, I was struggling to come up with ideas at the end. So I'm happy that it played well for you, because I'm still not sure what I think of it.
I've tried to avoid cliffhangers over these past few chapters because I'm writing them so slowly these days that I don't want it to drag on for months and months. But here, I couldn't resist.
Thank you so much!
-Dan
Hello, again! I have some free time and I'm making the most of it.
Kreacher is amazing in your story. Most authors don't take any time to grow and develop minor characters like house elves. In this story, his feelings and the way he acts are so well thought out and you really bring him to life and I love it. He's been dealing with so much guilt and so many terrible memories plus the locket for years and all by himself besides. He's obviously going to need time to recover. I want to give him a hug, but we see what happened to Hermione so maybe not.
And Harry. It totally get where Hermione is torn between wanting to help him talk to Kreacher and also kind of wanting to strangle him because everything he's telling Kreacher also applies to him. He gets it, but he doesn't get it. Frustrating!
Then Kreacher bounces and like, I'm sure most characters have wanted to do that at some point during one of Hermione's teaching moments. Hah!
I love how Ginny is thinking so much farther ahead than the others. Of course she wants to share a room with Hermione because if her dad or her brothers visit, she's like, well I'm sharing a room with Hermione. Nothing to see here. She's brilliant.
And her strategy keeps going from there. She's working Hermione for information in that way that makes it clear that none of it can get back to Harry or Ron. I admire her game so much.
“Whose definition of bad are we using?” Hah! She's covering every angle.
OMG, I love all the girl talk. I mean, I assume that's how some girls talk because honestly it's not really within my experience, but it sounds right from what I've heard and overheard. “Of course. Hermione, he’s a guy. They always do.” I mean, I can see why Ginny thinks that but I'm not completely sure it's true. And she's getting Hermione all hot for Ron! This is so brilliant. Turning up the temperature in Grimmauld Place!
I had never thought about how hard it was for Hermione to be friends with Harry sometimes. His impetuous nature goes against all of her life experience before Hogwarts. She would rather have died than been expelled, and here she is being friends with the boy who's constantly in danger of both. It took a lot of courage to be friends with him and it seems like Ginny is starting to understand what that means for her. Good on you, Hermione!
OK, the little joje Ginny plays on Hermione is hilarious. "I'll come and ask your opinion." Hermione must have died a little inside until she realized it was a joke.
“Ginny and Ron’s brother made a choice, too. Respect it.” YES, HERMIONE! Serving up the truth to our boy!
I mean, personally I don't think I'd be shagging Harry (is it OK to say that in a review? I mean, I just did, so we'll see) as soon as I got back together with him, but that's just me. Ginny's done it once already, so I guess we know she's OK with it on some level.
And she's still working out that strategy so Ron doesn't stop her from doing what she wants. She knows how to control her brothers so well!
Oh, Harry! Without planning it, he says exactly the right thing at the right time. Our boy is an unintentional genius when it comes to winning Ginny's heart.
I loved this chapter, mostly just because it narrowed the focus in on just Ginny, Harry, Hermione and Ron. Well, Kreacher too, but that was also about Harry. I hope we get to see more of them just being teenagers in love!
-Lucy
Hi, there!
OMG, that nightmare! I hope Harry starts to feel better soon. I can't imagine not being able to sleep without seeing Voldemort every time.
I liked how Ron and Hermione reacted. They're worried for Harry, but they are also giving him some space.
The whole scene with Harry and Molly was so sad. Not just sad because of how much they're both hurting, but it's like neither one really knows what to say to the other one. Molly still wants Harry to be that shy, sweet little boy that she used to take care of, but he's basically a grown adult at this point who's had to fight a war and watch people die and he can't ever go back. I'm sure that was painful for her to realize. I was a little surprised that Harry expected her to be mad, but the more I read what he was thinking it made sense, at least with everything he has going through his head right now.
Gotta stop and say that the portraits arguing with each other were hilarious. I guess if all you do is hang on the wall at Hogwarts for a few hundred years, you'd get kind of bored and testy too.
Ugh. Why won't people leave Harry alone? Like, he just saved all your lives and won the war. Let him sit down and eat in peace. It was really neat to see George kind of come out of his funk for a little bit and save the day. I also like the idea of the enchanted flying camera letter bomb things. Because of course the reporters would try to find another way.
I was kind of on the edge of my seat when Ginny and Molly were having it out. Talk about two people you don't want to fight with. And again, my boy Ron is the one to step in and make the peace. I am really starting to fangirl him hard in this story!
I think it's going to be fun to see Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione outside of Hogwarts and away from some of the insanity for a while. Maybe they can start to talk things out and deal with all the terrible things they've seen and survived.
I'll try to be back soon!
-Lucy
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