Daily Prophet Reporting posted a comment on Monday 28th July 2008 10:02pm

One of the paragons of novel-length HP fanfiction is that Harry is always finding himself new ways to wind up in the hospital wing. I don't think I've ever seen this one before. It makes a good deal of sense, though, given pre-HBP knowledge. The desire to get the root of all his current pain has got to be strong, especially when the opportunity is thrust into his hands like that.

My instinct is to think that doing so is only going to make things worse because he's lost such a huge part of who he is in this universe and that recovering it is going to force it to all come flooding back. But I also see that the titular chapter is next, so perhaps Dumbledore's plan will work and Harry will come to terms with what's happened and perhaps even derive something positive from it to take forward.

Either way, there's a very interesting dichotomy in this chapter. You've got Harry giving such a painful and poignant eulogy (which was appropriate and really well done, I'd say), and then breaking down entirely ... right after you go on a business thread with Verre and the Creeveys. It's a very different combination, but I suppose it shows that the world is still moving and that certain things -- like finances -- have to be addressed, even if Harry isn't in the frame of mind to pay them much though. (On a total side note, you're going to kill of Verre, aren't you? Harry Potter ads all over the place? That's just asking for a Death Eater attack!)

Interesting, too, that the big dramatic moment was driven by Harry's works of art. Not that it doesn't make sense in context, but I've meaning to ask you what the motivation for the Harry-as-artist tread was for a while. I can't remember anything from canon to indicate that, so what pushed you in that direction? It's frankly struck me as a being out of character.

I'm also curious on what your thinking was with the full moon(s). Remus being out of commission twice in two or three nights threw me for a loop. Is that just a mistake or do you have a different perspective on lycanthropy than the one-night-of-transformation-per-lunar cycle that I'm used to seeing?

Anyway, I'm getting off track again. All in all, this is a very powerful and dynamic chapter. It also seems like you're coming this transition part of the story to a head, so I'm interested to see what you make of it and how you build off it.

Thanks as always!
-KC

Abraxan replied:

You'll just have to wait and see what the Refiners Fire does to Harry, LOL!   And the "business" part of the chapter is Harry dealing with things he can control as well as he can (like making Colin pay a cut of his picture profits to a fund for orphans).   Death has hit him full in the face and he realizes he wants things done the way he wants them done.

I'm glad you like the eulogy - I cried buckets while writing it!   And I cried buckets again just now re-reading the chapter so I'd be able to answer your questions!

The big dramatic moment being driven by one of Harry's works of art was deliberate.   I'm a professional sculptor.   I know how much of myself I put into each of my works (the ones I make up, not the commissioned portraits - those feel different when I'm making them).   Harry has put his heart into making that mosaic for Casey, to show her how much she means to him, and now she's gone.   If it had stayed intact, he might have brooded over it for years, who knows?   Breaking it might actually be good for him - but the timing of it's destruction was horribly painful for him.

What pushed me to make Harry an artist had nothing to do with canon but a great deal to do with character.   Harry is a gentle, sensitive soul with a heart aching for love.   He wants desperately to find someone who will love him for himself, flaws and all, and who he can love wholeheartedly.   That's one reason he's so loyal to his friends, because they love him in spite of everything (his rages, the death threats hanging over him, his lack of knowledge about both the wizarding world and himself, etc.).   Harry keeps a lot to himself emotionally - he doesn't want to be hurt any more than he has been in life so far - but he also is poignantly open in some ways, if you know how to read him.   He loves the Weasleys like the family he never had - Molly and Arthur see this and respond to it, making him their "extra" son.   He never openly says "I love you" to them, but you can see it in his eyes, in his body language, in how he simply blossoms under their care.   That sensitivity, that strong response to love and/or praise, is strong influence in many artists' personalities.  

Harry is good with patterns in canon, IMO - he can read clues in things other people miss, or else he's more brave than other people and follows the clues (I can't think of a good example of him reading clues at the moment, but following the spiders is an example of following the clues).   Being good with patterns makes it easy for him to see ways to put the chips of marble together in pretty patterns, which is how he gets started in doing mosaics.   Being good at reading patterns will play a part in the RF saga as Harry goes after Voldie and the DEs - it all works together as part of the plot.  

Another reason for the mosaics is that everyone needs a hobby, and the only one Canon!Harry has is flying.   You can't fly all the time, so he needs to find something else to do as a hobby.   As he matures, Harry will want to do something useful with his time and he doesn't have a father or older man who can teach him how to use tools to build things, for instance - but Doug taught him how to make mosaics.   He admires Casey's dad a lot and blossomed under his tutelage (sp?) just as he did under the Weasleys' care.   He will probably always have a special place in his heart for mosaics because of the many connections they have with the Asher family, and he may make them all of his life.

Dunno if that answers your question or not - I see Harry as a loving, warm, lonely soul who thrives when in a loving environment.   I gave him such an environment with the Suttons, and look how he blossomed, becoming a much more mature and well-rounded young man in a very short time, and developing a skill he can use the rest of his life for pleasure or profit either one.

As for the full moon thing - I researched lycanthropy and many of the sources I read said the werewolf is affected for the three days, not just one, so I used that because it suited my needs.

Yup, there's a transition coming up - the Refiner's Fire itself and some other things.   I hope you enjoy it!   Thanks for the interesting review!

Abraxan

Sond posted a comment on Monday 28th July 2008 5:07am

Damn, for a minute I thought you were gonna kill off Molly and Casey in one paragraph.

Too bad Casey had to go, it's probably the only OC ever in a fanfic I really liked. I'm a Harry/Ginny fan but for once I wouldn't have mind that they didn't end up together :)

Anyway you'll probably have a very good reason for killing her so early in the story (allthough I do hope that the reason is bigger than just the H/G relationship) so I'm looking forward to reading on.

Sammy

Abraxan replied:

Yup, I had a really good reason for doing what I did, when I did - keep reading and you'll find out!   And I got such a huge outcry over killing Casey off that I resurrected her character in my original novel, "Star Sons - Dawn of the Two" now available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble's websites.   Just do a search for "Lynda Sappington" and you'll find it.   She appears about 2/3 of the way through this book, then becomes a regular cast member in the next two books of what I currently see as a 3 book series.  

Glad you're enjoying it!

Abraxan

Daily Prophet Reporting posted a comment on Thursday 24th July 2008 11:42pm

First of all, thank you for replying to my previous reviews. It's nice know you're still interested in readers' input on this story even years later and I certainly appreciate your insight. I'll try to keep that as a motivator to keep me reviewing fairly regularly.

And, in that vein, I've got to give you credit. You weren't afraid to be cutthroat and reverse the tone of your story completely. It might be tragic, but it also shows me that this story has plenty of emotional depth and a plot that can go in multiple directions in a hurry. For a serious fic, I'll take that over something predictably pleasant any time.

It also throws open a whole bunch of directions for you to take this. An angry Harry, a determined Harry or a withdrawn Harry would all be logical follow-ups to this kind of emotional trauma and all bring very different plot potential. I like the fact that I can't read you well enough to know yet -- something I don't find nearly as much as I'd like in fics these days -- though it's rather obvious the contended Harry we saw in the last few chapters is gone for at least a while.

That said, you didn't waste any time getting Ginny to the forefront. She's right there when Harry needs her, just like she was in OotP, and that, plus a lot of time, is what it's going to take for there to be a believable romance developing out of the mess you've created. That -- plus Molly's rather unsubtle comments in the last chapter -- tell me you were laying the groundwork right from when Ginny first came on screen.

As for poor Casey, like I said last time, such is the fate of fringe characters -- and especially original characters. It was easy to like her because, you're right, she was the right character for Harry at the time, but you also created her in a way that made it impossible for her to play a continuing role. So, more power to you for getting all you could out of her and then getting her out of the way.

Anyway, I'm starting to ramble without really getting across what I want to say, so I think I'll leave it at that. But thanks again for surprising me and for all your hard work.

-KC

Abraxan replied:

Thank you for your lovely review!   One of the things I found seriously lacking in JKR's work was any credible reason for Ginny to end up as Harry's soul-mate and wife, which is where I could see she was going with Ginny's character.   But she didn't lay the groundwork for that relationship, nor did she build it up in any believeable way.   When she finally did get around to waking Harry up to the fact that he's attracted to Ginny (OotP), she had everything but that initial kiss happen "off-camera," which I found annoying.   We didn't get to see their relationship evolve, and I think that cheated the readers.   Of course, she's writing for kids, and I'm an adult, so that's why my stories are geared for adults - I'm writing what I wish she'd written.  

I'm glad you agree that Casey is exactly what Harry needed at that point in his life - but no further.   Harry might have gone on and married her, and a lot of readers would've loved that, but she really wasn't a "life partner" type of person, not for Harry, not the way Ginny is.

Yup, I could've taken this story in a lot of directions - and I did.   You'll see as you keep reading.   Nobody REAL is "one way" all the time, so Harry will be angry, determined, withdrawn, as you said, and a lot of other things as well throughout the story.   I want my characters to be real, living, breathing people, so Harry won't be perfect, he'll make mistakes, he'll lose his temper, he'll be sweet and charming, and he'll be everything Harry Potter would or could be in real life.   The same is true for the other major characters, and even some of the minor ones.

I'm glad you can't read me well enough to predict what I'm going to do with the story!   I get a big kick out of keeping readers guessing, so I think you'll find quite a few surprises as you go along.   Like you, I hate to read "predictable" stories (or watch predictable films - my hubby and I make a game of coming up with what the characters in a TV show will say next, and 99 out of 100 times, I'm right, so I'm pretty darned good at predicting such things).   I'm delighted when there are layers and nuances and things that surprise me in stories, and that's how I try to write. Sometimes I succeed! :D

Casey's death is a catalyst for things to come.   She wasn't put in the story on a whim - she's an important part of Harry's life even after she's gone.   She won't be forgotten.   She's even remembered near the end of The Time of Destiny, long after her death (and not in a morbid way - you'll see).  

I don't think I told you this yet - if I did, forgive the repetition - but there was such an outcry over her death that I decided she was worth resurrecting, so her personality and first name live on in a character in my original novel series, "Star Sons" - she appears about 2/3 of the way through the first book and is an important character in the other books in the series, although this time she's magical (and has a different family, different nationality, even different coloring, but it's Casey's spirit that makes her the same girl as in RF).

I always answer reviews except for those that simply say "UPDATE!"   LOL!   So have fun reviewing my stories - I'll keep answering!

Abraxan

Daily Prophet Reporting posted a comment on Wednesday 23rd July 2008 8:18pm

Now I know you've got a bit moment coming soon. Harry and Casey are getting along entirely too well for it to end by his choice, and since you say this is an H/G fic, that tells me something's going to have to go very wrong here relatively soon.

The ultimate twist to the dark and tragic would be to kill Casey off now that Harry's so happy. Skeeter telling the world where Harry is and who he's spending his time with would give you the opening to do that, but I haven't seen any of the worst-case scenario approach from you yet, so I find that unlikely. I'm guessing that means the magical world is going to continue to become a bigger factor on the story, letting them apart.

Either way, it's a bit sad. Casey might be a bit Mary Sue-ish, but she's throughly likable and she and her family have been exactly what Harry needed in a dark time. Her impending romantic downfall -- through no apparent fault of hers or Harry's -- is entirely undeserved. But such is the fate of secondary character in canon-shipping fics, isn't it?

Anyway, I'm finding myself trying to get inside your head and figure out what you've got planned, so you've obviously got me intrigued. And that's one of the things I enjoy most about fics, so good job thus far.

-KC

Abraxan replied:

LOL!   Glad you're enjoying it!   And you're trying to get inside my head???   You'll find it's a strange world in there, populated by all kinds of odd people and beasties, and with loads of bizarre ideas, both fluffy and otherwise!!!!   heehee.

As for your assumptions - Casey isn't a Mary Sue, although her father is similar to mine in personality - but that's the extent of it.   I'm an old lady in my late 50's and have known a LOT of people in my life.   Casey's an amalgam of quite a few personalities.   I'll tell you more about her later on - I don't want to spoil your reading.   Have fun!

Abraxan

Daily Prophet Reporting posted a comment on Tuesday 22nd July 2008 10:26pm

So I gather this chapter is the one last sun-lit moment for this story. ... Or at least this summer. I was thinking this was entirely to light and fluffy for a post-OotP story and that's obviously going to be coming to an end pretty quick.

I'm wondering now just how badly things are going to blow up on Harry. Will the little artist merely have to flea back to the wizarding world or are you ruthless enough to bring the wizarding world to him, say with a Death Eater attack or a sudden Order rescue? The talk about telling Casey he's a wizard has me thinking the latter, and sadist that I am, I hope I'm right. Generally, I'll take angst and action over fluff.

That said, you couldn't have picked a better character to shake paradise than Rita. She might be my favorite fringe character simply because she's so usual in so many ways, and this is no exception.

Anyway, you've obviously caught my attention now. I'm looking forward to what you do next.

-KC

Abraxan replied:

LOL, I'm glad I've caught your interest!   You'll find I insert light and fluffy parts here and there, as well as humor, because that's the way life is.   Consider this:   You're at a viewing for someone you loved dearly - your mother, perhaps - and are shocked to find yourself laughing and enjoying a chat with relatives you rarely see.   Is it wrong to laugh while at your mother's viewing?   No - your mother, if she really loved you and was a good mother, would' probably be glad someone helped ease your grief that way.   (If she's like Petunia, she would sniff in disapproval, but thankfully, most mothers aren't like Petunia.)   Such things happen in real life, and fairly often.   So I include light moments amidst the dark to not only give poor Harry as well as the reader a break from the darkness and angst, but also because it's true to life.

Keep reading!   I hope you enjoy the ride!

Abraxan

Daily Prophet Reporting posted a comment on Tuesday 22nd July 2008 9:00pm

Abraxan,

I've been lurking around FFN off and on for a while now, and though it looks like I'm about five years, 1.2 million words and an original novel or two late in doing so, I've finally decided to give your work a try. And I've got to say, those numbers are absolutely staggering -- especially considering its all in one universe. So, before I go any further, let me pass along my thanks for all the hard work you've obviously put in.

Admittedly, I've read about 0.08 percent of it so far, so I'm not going to be rushing to any judgments. But so far I'd describe this as light and enjoyable, if perhaps a bit toward the cute and idealized end (especially for this site). I like that the framework for everything I've seen comes down to a dog named Sirius and I'm enjoying the interplay between Harry's friends and the Dursleys and their ilk. And Harry trying to fit in with such a different crowd has been nice enough, too.

On the other hand, the dialogue has struck me as being a bit uneven, sometimes sounding a bit young for the characters -- though that could be in part a reaction to reading authors like Jeconais whose characters always act decades beyond their age.

Anyway, like I said, I've only just touched the earliest surface of what was obviously a Herculean undertaking, so I'll leave it at that for now. Considering that volume I'm certainly not going to be reviewing every chapter but I'll try to be conscious to pass along my thoughts, and even if I don't, you've got my appreciation for all you've done for the fandom.

Thanks a lot!
-Kevin

Abraxan replied:

LOL, that's quite a long review for having read only two chapters!   If my characters sound young, perhaps you haven't read canon in a while.- I picked up where JKR left off after OOtP and kept the characters as much like she had them as possible, then matured them as my series progressed.   If you'll recall canon, her characters are very "young" in comparison to a lot of fanfic versions of them.  

All that said - when someone's grieving, they don't usually sound or act sophisitcated, in my experience.   They'd rather curl up with a beloved "lovie" like a teddy bear or something and revert to childhood, hoping everything will be okay again when they wake from their nap (or whatever).   Harry is very inexperienced with girls, particularly Muggle girls.   Casey's a sweet, kind-hearted girl with a completely different background than anyone he's met before.   The innocence of their friendship is deliberate on my part.

And all THAT said - when I started writing Refiner's, I hadn't written any fiction at all in 16 years or so, and I'd never written anything longer than a novella.   So there will be a bump in the road here and there that you'll see, I'm sure, but I was both feeling my way and pushing the envelope with Refiner's, learning how to write a fantasy novel that kept the characters in character, had an involved and intriguing plot that kept the reader interested, and how to create original characters who fit into the world, had their own voices and body language, and deserved to be included.  

Refiner's was a learning process as well as a lot of fun for me, as were the subsequent stories.   The saga is now complete, since I finished uploading the third actrual novel in the series, "Now and Forever" last week (and I've never counted how many words were in that one, nor what it added to my total - one of my readers did that for RF and ToD, but all those other stories and N&F need to be added to see what the total is - maybe someday I'll do that myself, I dunno).   Whatever the total word count (and I"m sure a lot would've been edited out for REAL publication, but the nice thing about fanfics is that no publisher is there to tell you it isn't profitable to publish a book over 120,000 words unless you already have a huge name! - and that's the truth, by the way - that's the maximum word count for a first-time author if they're writing fantasy - if writing some other genre, publishers want you to stay at a much lower figure - they allow extra words for world-building in sf/f), you're in for a long read - and hopefully an enjoyable one.   I look forward to your comments whenever you decide to share again.

Abraxan

cpd6000 posted a comment on Wednesday 16th July 2008 7:26pm

Could you do like a alternate story where Casey doesn't die? She was the best OC i've ever read, and I can tell you'll put Harry with Ginny, she can't compare personality-wise to Casey, I don't know what they look like, they're in a story.

Abraxan replied:

Casey has been so popular with my readers that I've resurrected her in my original novels, the Star Sons saga.   She appears about two-thirds of the way through the first book, "Star Sons - Dawn of the Two" (available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and in your local bookstores if you take the ISBN number, title and my name, Lynda Sappington, and ask them to order it).   She has a larger part in the second and third Star Sons novels.   I changed her coloring and last name, and I didn't kill off her parents this time - and she's magical in the Star Sons books, too.   But she has   the same sweet, supportive personality, as well as being a bit feisty, brave, compassionate and wise beyond her years.

To answer your original question, no, I won't be writing an AU of any of my stories.   Casey's gone in Harry's world.   Now she lives in Ethan and Jake's world in the Star Sons books.

Thanks for writing!

Abraxan

Dragnew posted a comment on Monday 14th July 2008 7:28pm

It's for chapters like this that I read fanfiction. Drama, humour, fluff, Quidditch, a brilliant DA, what more could one want?

And, for some reason, after reading about Harry firing energy out of his hand, I can't stop imagining him as Iron Man, and I now have the unshakable mental image of Robert Downey Jr. as Adult Harry/ James Potter. Hmmm...

Abraxan replied:

Awww, gee, thanks!!

Robert Downey as HP?   ROTFL!   Yeah, except for the eye color (and the accent), he could play an older Harry - does he have a dimple in his chin?   I don't remember!  

Thanks for a fun review!

Abraxan

KingsleyforPM posted a comment on Monday 23rd June 2008 6:25pm

Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his blue eyes. "I have to say, honey blond hair has always been a favourite of mine, especially on young ladies."



hahahha. Way to make him sound like a pedophile!!

Abraxan replied:

Nope, that doesn't make him sound like a pedophile - it makes him sound like an old man who can remember being young and still appreciates a pretty woman.

Abraxan

Jenifer Winterbine posted a comment on Sunday 22nd June 2008 10:40pm

I would like to congratulate your Brit pickers . It is so rare - and such a pleasure - to read a fic set in the UK , written by an American but wihout having one's 'suspension of disbelief' jarringly and repeatedly challenged by screamingly 'wrong' American expressions and habits in every other paragraph.
BTW you forgot a funeral for Sirius the dog or at least some explanation of what had happened to his body.

Abraxan replied:

I'm so sorry I missed seeing this review!   Thanks a lot for your kind words about my Brit-picker!   She's British-born and has traveled the world but still lives in England.   She does a really good job.

Yup, I left out Sirius the dog's funeral, but Harry was so devastated by Casey's death that he couldn't think about the poor dog.   Since the story is from Harry's POV, I left it out because of that.

Abraxan

Jenifer Winterbine posted a comment on Sunday 22nd June 2008 9:01pm

I loved the part where Harry is explaining and demonstrating Wizardry to Casey because it brought back all my original feelings inspired by canon.

Abraxan replied:

Thanks a lot!   I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Abraxan

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Saturday 24th May 2008 3:47pm

Outstanding chapter to an outstanding story.

gunny

Abraxan replied:

Thanks!

Abraxan

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Saturday 24th May 2008 3:08pm

Good chapter.

gunny

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Saturday 24th May 2008 1:27pm

Good chapter.

gunny

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Saturday 24th May 2008 1:17pm

Good chapter.

gunny

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Saturday 24th May 2008 1:02pm

Bummer.

gunny

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Friday 23rd May 2008 5:03pm

Outstanding chapter.

gunny

Abraxan replied:

Thanks!

Abraxan

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Friday 23rd May 2008 3:46pm

Good chapter.

gunny

Abraxan replied:

Thanks!

Abraxan

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Friday 23rd May 2008 3:09pm

Very good chaqpter. Looks like it is hitting the fan now.

gunny

Abraxan replied:

Yup!   Glad you liked it!

Abraxan

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Friday 23rd May 2008 2:18pm

Very good chapter, bummer about Pansy.

gunny

Abraxan replied:

Yeah, it is too bad about Pansy.   Glad you liked the chapter!

Abraxan