Aelita posted a comment on Sunday 27th January 2008 3:45pm

I would like to say that i love all of your stories and this one was no exception, but I do think that you could go more places with this. So I hope you decide to do a sequel to these Vignettes. Thank you for a great story.

Aelita posted a comment on Sunday 27th January 2008 11:18am

I think that this is a great story but I also think that you should write a real sequel that explains what happens when they come out of hiding. Great Story though!

hpfirecracker posted a comment on Wednesday 23rd January 2008 5:31pm

I found this very good and entertaining. I hope you have more Vignettes planned for here. I hope you write more soon if you are. Hope all is well with you.

Jayjay133 posted a comment on Monday 21st January 2008 9:30pm

Is there going to be another part?

bobman posted a comment on Monday 14th January 2008 6:27pm

Great story. Much different from anything I have ever seen. The only thing it's missing is the dragon attack against the Death Eater's (from the dragon's perspective, of course).

But we can't have everything. Thanks for all the great stories you have written.

Kalen Darkmoon posted a comment on Tuesday 1st January 2008 8:02am

Its good to see Snape's brilliance put to work for the good of the world as penance for his crimes. His home, while also his jail, is certainly far better than Azkaban and much better than he deserves.

I've read this chronologically rather than posting order and this is the last chapter thus far. This has been an enjoyable read.

I hope to see Dumbledore also pay for the harm he inflicted upon Harry when he essentially kidnapped him from Sirius and drove Sirius to confront Pettigrew. Even if you want to somehow believe that he was ignorant** of the enslavement, neglect and cruelty that the Dursleys inflicted upon Harry, he is still every bit as responsible for that harm. The moment he took Harry from his rightful and legal guardian due to his own plans b/c of the prophecy, he became a kidnapper of children. His actions in placing Harry with the Dursleys were criminally negligent if not outright an accessory to child neglect and abuse.

**I argue that he was well aware of Harry's living vonditions but chose to ignore them as unimportant. After all he had a squib watching Harry grow up and be treated by the entire neighborhood as a criminal child who attends St. Brutus. Most damning though was when revealed in HBP that he was well aware of the "neglect and often cruelty" Harry suffered at the hands of the Dursleys. That it was his belief that it was necessary to keep Harry "level-headed" - or in more clear terms BRAINWASHED into a submissive personality. One of loyal servitude to an old man's plans for his death.

Ultimately, JKR's world is both great for its potential and creativity but absolutely loathsome for its unrepentant cruelty to an innocent child. There can never be a "greater good" in brainwashing an innocent child into throwing their life away for the wars/conflicts of adults. What Dumbledore did with Harry was little different than religious extremists who brainwash young children, strap them full of explosives and then send them off to die "for the greater good." Dumbledore proved to be every bit as disgusting and loathsome as Voldemort. The only difference were the number of victims.

Kalen Darkmoon posted a comment on Tuesday 1st January 2008 3:52am

A wedding should always have class and style - not be something quick and cheap in Vegas. While most guys may not care much, anything less is an insult to the woman they purport to love.

Kalen Darkmoon posted a comment on Tuesday 1st January 2008 3:50am

Woot! Snivellus finally got his just desserts.

Daily Prophet Reporting posted a comment on Monday 24th December 2007 3:43am

This was different, and I like that. I was starting to think your chapters were falling into a pattern, and while it was a fun pattern, it was somewhat predictable. Presenting the perspective of a character who could respect the Potters but wouldn't bend to them was a nice variation on that.

I also liked that this chapter presented McGonagall with a true, deep moral dilemma. And I think you made the right call having her turn away from Harry and Daphne. I couldn't see her with any first loyalty but to that of her school and her students.

I think it's that shades-of-gray factor that really draws me to this chapter. You've shown that a character can align him/herself with the establishment without being blind or evil or even misguided. I can't recall seeing that in your novel-lengths before so kudos for being willing to take a step away from your everything-comes-together approach.

So, anyway, thanks as aways.
-KC

Daily Prophet Reporting posted a comment on Sunday 23rd December 2007 5:08am

You guys seriously know how to kill me. Newscorp? Newscorp!?! As Harry so aptly put it:

"I’m confused, how did Rupert Murdoch end up in this story?"

Too funny. And so was BJH Enterprises, the internet porn powerhouse. I might have to go back and read A Fairy Tale Ending again. It could have a whole new meaning now. ...

Anyway, thanks for another entertaining chapter!
-KC

Daily Prophet Reporting posted a comment on Saturday 22nd December 2007 3:29am

Well, you've never been afraid to throw in a major twist, and this is about as twisted as it gets. ;) Absolutely hilarious, though ... right out of the glory days of TMW!

I think it's safe to say that you're the only author in the fandom that could have Fred and George plan a wedding and have it fit logically into the story. And that's saying something with the Weasleys in drag, gambling, strippers, and cameos of Tommy Lee Jones and sundry fandom celebrities mixed in. Only in Vegas (and, as I said, your stories)!

Anyway, I enjoyed that throughly. Bravo!
-KC

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Daily Prophet Reporting posted a comment on Friday 21st December 2007 3:50am

As someone in the newspaper business, I can't help chuckling at this. Beezelbub? That's not who we worship, but we do bow down before his brother, the dollar (or pound, Euro, etc.), so I do rather get the point.

And I love the idea of the Quibbler going serious to challenge the Prophet. That it took a moment of 'weakness' to bring it about makes it all the more appropriately Lovegood.

Again, interesting. I can't way to see how this law blows up on Dumbledore and Scrimgeour.

-KC

Daily Prophet Reporting posted a comment on Friday 21st December 2007 3:24am

You know, when you portray Dumbledore this way in these terms, it's not so hard to buy it. It's still a leap to get here from his dark side Jo showed us in OotP and DH, but it's one that's much more conceivable to me.

What brought out the change? I think it was this line:

Power always corrupted, well, except with him; he’d resisted corruption.

That really sums up Puppet master!Dumbledore, doesn't it? Eyes always on the whole board. So much faith in himself that he can rationalize anything. The road to hell, and all that ...

About the only thing that doesn't jive with this angle is Dumbledore's oft-repeated belief in second chances (though I suppose that could be, to your Dumbledore, an expedient for keeping certain people where he wants them).

I do appreciate, though, that Dumbledore's bird and 'his' castle are the ones seeing through the deception. Are going to see Hogwarts' reaction? I hope so.

So anyway, another though provoking chapter. Thanks!
-KC

Daily Prophet Reporting posted a comment on Friday 21st December 2007 2:59am

This has got to be the oddest, most convoluted piece of writing I've seen from a real author in a long time. Half the time I wasn't sure whether to roll my eyes, laugh of gag. But it's very, very Luna. And very courageous, too, because who else would take this approach?

So, thumbs up. This is another interesting one.
-KC

Daily Prophet Reporting posted a comment on Thursday 20th December 2007 2:26am

Hey Tim,

So my ever-cyclical fic-reading style has drawn me back here again and I'm finally giving this a try. And I have to say, this is some of your best writing yet. I think it's great that you can take your recurring theme -- Harry meets the perfect girl and kicks Voldemort's arse -- but give it just a slightly different spin and come up with something so profoundly different.

I enjoyed the way you presented Perfect Situations. Of course the final twist was completely transparent, but I throughly enjoyed Daphne's smugness as a narrator and liked that you came up with a way to tell the story and mix in immediate character reaction as well. Plus, you deserve a lot of credit for stepping away from your comfort zone and coming up with a way to make things come out right without making a happily-ever-after ending.

But, based on what I've read so far, the vignettes really make the overall story. I love the concept of variations on a theme, and with Ginny, Ron and Hermione you do it so well that I've found it quite profound. Seeing truly broken characters come to terms with the depth of their mistakes, hitting bottom and then rediscovering themselves through understanding and hope and compassion worked out brilliantly each time. I couldn't help feeling for all of them. Like I said, profound -- and so different from Hope or TMW.

But I like that it hasn't all different. Neville's loyalty, compassion and force-of-will bravery all ring true to canon and continuity. It's perfect that he's the first person Harry lets in on the secret because he's earned it. And, your Snape's spot on, too, even if I did find his first 'reward' a bit more enjoyable than the last.

I can't say everything I've seen so far sits perfectly for me. Flirty!Harry took some getting used to, and I still struggle with seeing Dumbledore as darkly as you portray him in this or in Hope. Plus, the way you bring across Neville begs the question of why Harry didn't turn to him in his time of need. But that you've made your characters -- even Harry, to an extent -- think and come to terms with who they are and who they want to be takes this at least a full step above your other main stories in my eyes. Great work!

So anyway, I've become rather bad about reviewing in my old age (as I'm sure you can tell considering how much I've gone over here), but you have my sincerest thanks for all your hard work. As ever, you are the very best.

-KC

David Thacker posted a comment on Wednesday 12th December 2007 11:55pm

Is the more to this?

vasilis01 posted a comment on Thursday 29th November 2007 7:33pm

I loved this story and especially the way you used the Weasley twins. Men my head aches from all the laughter with them. Brilliant work. I didn't expect a follow up after "Perfect Situations" and i hope that you and your co-authors will finish this. Pleaseeeeeeee!!!!!

dzio posted a comment on Wednesday 28th November 2007 8:25am

I want to be like Luna when I grow up...

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Monday 26th November 2007 7:46pm

What did they ever find in that crypt?

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Sunday 25th November 2007 9:13pm

Haha, wow, I love Luna. She's always a treat. :) Great job at writing her character so well.