Thanks to your latest story I noticed that I completely missed this little gem.
It's a brilliant piece of fun with quite a bunch of hilarious moments. I won't start to list all the moments I liked. I had to copy the whole story into the review box. It was simply perfect. Overall, certainly the funniest set-up to bring Ginny and Harry together to the Yule Ball. ;-)

And now I'm looking forward to reading about The Hammer of the Witches.


Author's Response: Thank you very much! The challenge prompt was brilliant, and then the twins took over. Result? Mayhem, chaos, and amidst it all, a little moment of calm where Harry hears some things he probably really needed to hear - and just maybe, the start of something.
Hammer of the Witches? Ah, you're thinking of Malleus Maleficarum, not quite the same thing... :-D

I'm only half-way through this story and have already used three tissues to mop my sopping eyes because I'm laughing so hard I'm crying tears of mirth. My teenage son, who is taking turns with me reading your story out loud, is happily banging his hand on the table and clutching his sides while guffawing at regular intervals.

I must say that it was rather refreshing to see Professor Snape get some positive press in the second half of the story. I have to commend him for reasoning his way out of the calamity that is the three other houses by using the Pucey family's need to keep their son in his head of house's good graces. It made a very satisfactory ending to the story to see the Slytherins leave the Great Hall in an orderly fashion, even though their head of house was quite smug with himself.

Well done.

Author's Response: That sounds like a it was major success in your house! I'd love to say I had it all carefully planned out, but it just came out on the keyboard that way. For the last bit, I thought 'I bet Snape would have some way of keeping his house in line'. Well, he would, wouldn't he? Anyway, it was great fun to write, and I'm glad it went down well.
The challenge was a welcome distraction, and now I can go back to the long epics I will never quite finish with a smile on my face.

Absolutely bloody brilliant!
I was getting some strange looks while reading this as I was laughing so hard. My favourite part hadt o be poor Ron apparating from bathroom to bathroom. Oh god, I'm laughing again just thinking about it - of all the people for him to happen upon, it had to be those three. Oh, and Snape's hair - just fantastic and such an image it creates!
And I loved how nicely you slotted Harry and Ginny in there two. I really like that he asked her to the Ball.
Most amusing story I've read for a long time, and just what I needed this afternoon! :)

Author's Response: Poor Ron, indeed. Here's the thing - I like Ron! He's one of my favourite characters! And then I go and do... that to him! As for Snape, just imagine all the hip cats back when he was at school complimenting him on his killer disco look. Far out, man!
] Thanks for reading :-)

That was HILARIOUS!!! I almost died laughing! I love what you have done with all of the characters, including Snape, who seems to have had a bit too much fun at Ron's expense! Well done and thanks for sharing!

Author's Response: Thanks for the review! Snape's not the only one who has had a bit too much fun at Ron's expense (I probably ought to feel bad about that)!

Very humorous.

Thanks for sharing.

Author's Response: Glad you enjoyed it - and thanks for reading and reviewing!

Leave it to snape and think ahead to stop the madness....he does have a point, but then again life will make way to fun soon enought for him as well....as for ron well that will teach him to follow the twins.....kutgw

Author's Response: For a character I'm not enormously sympathetic to, Snape comes out of this remarkably well. Then again, Slytherin are supposed to be the cunning ones, and it does let him take part in his favourite pastime - rubbing other people's faces in his superiority. Poor Ron needs to be careful what he wishes for. If you're high-profile, your failures are every bit as visible as your successes.

Genius. Utter genius. Did you intend Ron to start in on the 's'es when he failed to manage the 'd's? Managing two in close succession before bolloximg up the third, accepting his losses and running away was quite amusing.

Author's Response: Well, Ron did just about succeed with the ‘Alternative’ D’s – Desperation (check), Defenestration (mostly – his plan went out the window, if nothing else), and Decontamination (showers: check). As you note, he also succeeded with the S’s – Shower (double-check), Shave (beards: check), Shampoo (check), and ...the other one (I’ll let you this fill in).
I don’t think Ron was prepared to succeed quite this hard.

I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard ... Ron apparating from bathroom to bathroom ... and Snape:

"Snape recovered first. “Ah, Weasley,� he purred dramatically, “How long I have dreamt of this moment-�"

ROFLOL!

Well done!

Author's Response: If that doesn’t give the poor bloke nightmares, I don’t know what will! Poor Ron. He's definitely distinguished himself now, though.