The Time of Destiny

I just went back to look at the reviews from chapter 5. Oops! Busted! Yes, I admit it. I'm an incurable night owl. Always have been. Makes it hard to get up in the morning sometimes, but, there you go. And here it is after 3 a.m. again. This time, though, I'm going to bed.

Still enjoying this story a lot.

LOL!  I'm not a night owl, but I don't sleep much, so here I am in the middle of the night reading your review!   What were you looking for in the chapter 5 reviews (now that you're on chapter 9)??

Glad you're still enjoying the story!

Abaxan

Very good chapter.

gunny

I can't remember if I've said this before (if I have, I appologise), but stroppy is more like catty than feisty - feisty usually has positive connotations, stroppy is always negative. Not to be too blunt about it, or sexist, or whatever, but stroppy is a very good way of describing your average PMS super freak out! Feisty on the other hand has more of a vivacious feel to it. Also, I'm not sure if that is the correct spelling, but even if it is, depending on regional accent, Firenze is normally pronounced Fee-a-ren-tsay/Fee-oh-ren-tsay/Fee-a-ren-thay/Fee-oh-ren-thay....

I used "stroppy" because it's what my Brit-picker suggested as a British word for "feisty," which she said they don't use.  I don't even know why you're worried about the pronunciation of Firenze, but although I'm not a linguist, I DO know Italian, having sung opera for a great many years.   I've also traveled in Italy, and "Firenze" is the Italian name for Florence.  and it's not pronounced any of the ways you said - there is no extra vowel between the "i' and the "r" - and what the heck difference does it make in a fanfic anyway?  "Fee-rrehn-zuh" is how our Italian guide pronounced it, and from what I know of Italian, that's correct.  But I honestly don't understand why you think it's an issue anyway.

None of it matters anyway, since these stories were published between one and three years ago (depending on which story) and I've written several HP ficlets and two original novels since then (one of which will be published soon).  I'm not changing anything in my existing HP stories.

Abraxan

I've been enjoying The Refiner's Fire and The Time of Destiny because of your original ideas and creative plots, but some things have bothered me. For example, I find it hard to believe that even someone as complacent about his students' safety as Dumbledore would let Harry move freely in the corridors when every student is a potential assassin. Your Harry is pretty much in character except for one huge thing: his forgiveness. Canon-Harry is anything but forgiving, but your Harry gives second chances to his hated relatives and placidly hands over any captured Death Eaters to the Ministry while Azkaban seems to have a revolving door. I also find some aspects of the stories morally disturbing, like Hermione hexing a helpless if unpleasant squib just to hide her illicit snogging, and the use of cheering charms to curb righteous anger and stop arguments.

That said, I do enjoy your stories and think that you have a talent for writing.

Thank you for your positive assessment of my skills despite your opinion of some of my ideas.   My Harry is forgiving because he's growing up, and those who don't forgive wind up in mental institutions or with otehr personal problems.  I want him to grow up to be a healthy, happy person, so he had to learn how to forgive both himself and others when needed.  He's still interested in justice and he still fights for the right, but increasing maturity helps people see more than just one side of issues.  I worked hard to mature Harry into a fully functional adult, and I think I succeeded there.  If you disagree, that's your right.  I would not rewrite any of it - I like it as it stands, and I like the way the characters matured and developed - and so do the vast majority of my readers, so I guess I wasn't that far off the mark.

Abraxan

I knew you wouldn't throw Hermione to the wolves too much. It's going to take some piece of writing to bring Ron around though.

One more chapter. I'll tell them I had a flat tire, ran out of gas, my dog died...

ROTFL - you're making yourself late to an appointment to read "one more chapter" of my fic?? LOL! Glad you're enjoying it!

Abraxan

Stroppy, eh?
Well, I have to admit that Hermione was on my, um, SHORT-list as people I didn't like in this story. But now I'm more in Harry's boat, hoping she reforms a bit. Ron needs to wise up as well.

I hate to say this - you're a girl. Guy bonding is much different than girl bonding. Harry and Ron would bond in ways that would either disgust you or make your eyes roll. Hope we see some of that -- Harry's being a good boyfriend, and the scene with him and Arthur was nice. I hope we see some 'guy stuff' soon.

Seems to me that Harry's Cheering charm would be a bit more powerful than others. :) Maybe he's holding back.

Good work!

Harry Potter: He's not only the Boy-Who-Lived, he's also Mediator-Extraordinaire! Go Harry! Ok, that was a good chappie...but I want to slap Hermione around for at least twenty, no better make it thirty minutes. Moron. Sheesh. (I told you Ron's practically identical to my boyfriend? Except Harry is closer in looks...)

Looks like Hermione is in for a long period of explanations and grovelling before Ron takes her back (if ever - he's a pretty stubborn fellow). Lona's heart is in the right place, but sometimes I think her brain got installed sideways.