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Reviewer: MollyandArthur Signed Date: 2017.02.03 - 08:23PM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
Well, that was unexpected. What exactly is happening to Ginny? Looking forward to reading the next chapter.
Reviewer: piltad Signed Date: 2008.08.20 - 07:01AM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
Very nice love your little prank war with Remus and Sirius that was great and the Howlers with Mrs. Weasley was awesome. Though would really like you to speed up a few things first the pranks with Fred and George, Second Ginny's pranks, and last telling us what exactly has been done to her it had to be something bad though I am glad you ruled out rape for us or at least I think you did. Though if you don't want to let us know I would be more than willing to see you speed up your relationship with Ginny.
Author's Response: You've left a whole chain of reviews. I'm going to lump them all together for one response . . .
Reviewer: The Seeker Signed Date: 2007.05.25 - 12:39AM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
Lots of fun with the Howler Wars with Molly, the Enthralling Edgar, and the continued development of Neville. Best of all was Ginny confronting Harry in the rain -- wonderful contrast between the two drenched students and the emotional sparks that were flying.
I'm really glad you explained earlier what didn't happen to Ginny, because they seems to be the incident you were refering to. Thank you for that. Now I can much more calmly go to the next chapter to see what happened to her (if you tell us yet) and between them.
Author's Response: Sorry for getting sidetracked with work. I'm out of town all of next week at a conference, and trying to clean my project plate up a bit before I leave this weekend. That's made it slower for me to get this lengthy response done than I expected. On the plus side, I hope to get some quality writing time in while stuck in the hotel.
You made a lot of interesting comments and observations, both in PM here at SIYE and in your combined reviews. I've amalgamated all of my responses into this one mesage, barring the private topics I'll keep in PM, so that others may find some insight or points to ponder herein.
I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much, even if it is a bit long-winded. I still believe the writing style of the first few chapters lags that of the later chapters, but it's to be expected -- it's been so long since I wrote fiction, there's little hope for it being otherwise. That said, I wanted the first chapter to be gripping, and to set the flavor for the rest of the entire arc. While I've said it here and there in places, this story will comprise three distinct parts. And yes, H/G will get together during this story, and during Part I. I can no longer offer chapter count or word length estimates, as my plot (as some may have noticed) is too complex, and the way I write has shown me my original estimates based on chapter sketches were all worthless.
The issue you raise of a perceived naivety between Harry's mentors, Harry, and The Real World is an interesting one. There are, of course, logical reasons for why this is the case. Are they really as inept as they seem? Or is there something else at play here? Perhaps more importantly, _why_ did Harry finally go to Hogwarts? And what was his motivation at the time? Was it to enter into the public arena he had been absent from, or was it something more specific? Even if he stood up and told you (as a character) why he did, would you think he was telling everything? What exactly is Cyril on his case about? Is it what seems to be his acts regarding Snape, Malfoy, et al? Or is there something more under it all?
One point you made was that Harry is a complex character, with many conflicting and cross-purpose drives. He was thrust into Chapter 1 abruptly, with no clear picture of the why, or what, he was about. You also mention that the environment about him is fluid, complicated, and not totally understood. What does that sound like to you? Can any environment be fully understood? When you stand back and throw a big rock in a small pond, what happens? Can you anticipate how the waves change based on objects just below the surface invisible in the still reflection?
The lone wolf image is, admittedly, fun to suggest. But as you know by Ch23, he's not really a lone wolf. However, he _is_ fundamentally skewed in how he sees and interacts with the world. If you knew of the pre-Hogwarts-history / timeline in full, you might find all kinds of interesting tidbits and guides for why things are the way they are. As it is, well, you'll be getting more of those dribbles for a while. On the one hand, I want the story to move forward, and on the other, I want people to appreciate that motivation of anyone is never a simple concept ... most people are a contradiction of many levels, and real characters should reflect that. Was he raised in isolation? Yes and no. You already are aware that he was in Muggle primary school, so was it isolation? Not then. Was it later? Depends, not only on how you define isolation, but also how you define social norms. When he comes to Hogwarts, who exactly is he? A very smart person with a stunted emotional capacity? Or someone forced to be an adult that wasn't quite ready for it? Or someone too angry to understand or think clearly about what happened and what is coming?
The tension between Dumbles and the rest of the universe is one that's easy to see -- either in canon, or in this AU. The actions and repercussions of those actions, as well as the blanket approach he tends to take in canon, are natural lead-ins to these things. In canon, the repercussions are often swept under the rug, or the characters don't react the way any "real" person should -- because JKR is using parts there for plot-forwarding or for key-information-relaying. That's okay, but I'm trying not to fall into the same hole. I want to be sure that repercussions of choices are felt, be they good, bad, or neutral.
Having caught up through Ch23 (note: ch24 in beta, ch25 will be very soon), how do you sit back and view Cyril, Floppy, and the others? Is it the same as you asked earlier? Are your assumptions moving forward as you expected? Or do they all have their own plans, agendas, and regions of congruent interest? Do bear in mind, we're less than _two weeks_ into the school year. Those ripples are still rolling, but the amplitude is much less. Or so it may seem. Was interference constructive or destructive? Or was it perhaps a bit of both, with isolated regions of chaos and order?
Part I is about Anger, yes. What type of anger? Whose anger? Anger abatement, or anger escalation? What is the source of the anger, what is the hand that holds the anger, and what are the strings behind that hand? These are all key questions, and no answer should be clear at this point -- I hope. How will Part I resolve with regards to the Anger? That's a Read-And-Find-Out question, you know. Taking one step back, it's obvious the emotional state cannot be sustained for a protracted period without causing further damage to an already torn up psyche. It must either move forward or backward, but either way, there are fundamental limits on what the human condition can tolerate without a major deviation away from the underlying traits of a person. How _will_ that play out? Personally, I'm quite looking forward to the reaction on the final chapter of Part I. (Not coming anytime soon, sadly. Lots of stuff between now and then.)
Oh - the three empty place settings. Yes, one is Nicolas, and one is his adoptive mother. That should be clear to all by now. The third place? I know some readers have already figured it out, but I'll not say more now. You can deduce it if you think about it, but the expressed answer is coming.
In all, I'm glad you're reading and asking the hard questions. I have to ask leading questions in return, because most of your questions really are "spoiler" material. There are answers I can allude to, and hints in the story, but if you reflect for a while, at least some of your issues should become apparent. And, of course, some can only become apparent when further chapters are posted.
Thanks for taking the time to read and review, and share some really fun thoughts. I'm glad the story is appealing to you on so many levels. You're the type of reader that makes it worthwhile as an exercise for someone other than just my betas and myself.
Reviewer: knightsbridge Signed Date: 2006.12.12 - 12:18AM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
Although the entire story is great...the best line so far was from Edgar, after saying he wasn't a blood-sucker, but a fully qualified attorney...a PROFESSIONAL blood sucker! You're going to have to go a long way to top that one.
Author's Response: I'm glad you're enjoying the story. The lines you like do seem to crop up at times, don't they? Edgar is a fun character to write as. Thanks for the feedback...
Reviewer: spaceraider53 Signed Date: 2006.09.03 - 08:25PM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
wow this story is amazing i love reading AU stories, i forget how i stumbled upon your particular story but its brilliant i love it. its just great keep up the excelent work and u work with such a fast pace it keeps me on edge the whole time, never knowing what will happen next. its a really fun change from the same old generic horocrux hunting post HBP fics flooding the market.
Author's Response: Thanks for reading and leaving feedback. I'm glad you're enjoying how things unfold.
Reviewer: Rocky235 Signed Date: 2006.09.02 - 02:37PM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
" she had lacquered her brain decades ago and was incapable of new thought patterns."
"I am a professional bloodsucker, Madam. "
I almost wish I hadn't found your story until more was done lol
I found you through a recommendation on an Harry/Ginny yahoo fan site. It was a lucky day for me.
Author's Response: I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much. As should be evident by now, take very little at face value unless it's been stated in stone. Even then, you probably want to be sure the stone hasn't change since the last time you looked at it.
Real life is seldom ever completely understood when told from one person's point of view. The interactions between characters have different meanings to different people. What one perceives as mild and non threatening may be cruel or aggressive to someone else...
I agree that Chreechree and cwarbeck deserve a lot of credit for how well polished the story is. Sometimes they don't edit much, other times they go a little wild. Either way, I'm very luck to work with them.
Stay tuned, the next chapter is coming...
Reviewer: Treecat Signed Date: 2006.08.31 - 06:49AM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
Wow, pretty good, no easily seen errors. Finally the prank war is really starting, and you're doing pretty well with it, but you have no idea how many people have written Gred and Forge turning people into clowns. I like to think they're more devious than that, and would, for instance, make someone think that Snape is hilariously funny, and start laughing every time the victim sees him, annoying 2 people at once. The twins are pretty damn smart after all.
Treecat
Author's Response: Welcome back from your vacation. That prank from the twins did seem pretty simple, did it not? (smirk)
Reviewer: Fasor Signed Date: 2006.08.29 - 05:24PM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
great story :)
Author's Response: Thanks for reading, and leaving feedback.
Reviewer: hjp74 Signed Date: 2006.08.29 - 11:26AM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
fantastic i havent laughed that hard at a storry ever y i had to stop sevral time to regain my composure and the are just to meny highlight in that one chapter alone but the crem de la creme had to be umbridege and edger that was absoultly priceless. and ginny was completly unefected by him intrestring i relly do love your ginny shes just so complex .
Author's Response: Thanks for reviewing and leaving feedback. I'm glad you're enjoying so many aspects to the story. A lot of people seem drawn to how Ginny is portrayed, since she's clearly not standard fan-fic fare. I hope you continue to enjoy the story...
Reviewer: hpz26 Signed Date: 2006.08.28 - 05:02PM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
This is appears to be a well thought out story. I can't wait for more!
Thanks for writing!
Author's Response: Thanks for reading, and for leaving feedback. The story is, as you guessed, rather planned out. I'm sorry it doesn't move along faster, but as my first concentrated effort, everything seems to take far longer and far more words than my plot plans led me to believe. I hope you continue to enjoy it...
Reviewer: murgel Signed Date: 2006.08.28 - 04:21PM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
Ah, eventually you are beginning to bring Ginny in more and the way you do it suggests a strong and fierce Ginny with wounds.
I love it.
Author's Response: There is a fascinating built-in program in most living creatures, Fight Or Flight. Is there anything as dangerous as a wounded animal trapped in a corner?
I'm glad you're sticking with the story. I hope you continue to enjoy it as it unfolds...
Reviewer: GinevraNotGinerva Signed Date: 2006.08.28 - 10:35AM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
I realy like your story. It looks like Harry likes Hermione but I guess he edoesn't after this chapter. HArry's martial arts training is really good. Did you do that stuff yourself?
Update soon plz!
Author's Response: I assume you're aware that your login name is quite entertaining. Now if only you could put it in big flaming letters in your reviews, people might actually get a hint.
Harry and Hermione? On SIYE? While I have no qualms about killing off characters, I think I'd be lynched in a heartbeat if I tried that.
As for martial arts training, yes, I spent far too many years of my life training intensely. While not bothering to figure out the exact amount of time, I believe it comes to something like 8 years before I took a bit of a holiday for Real Life. I was training at first just 2-3 hours a day, around 5 days a week, but quickly went beyond that by the end of the first year. For the last several years, I had reached 4-5+ hours daily seven days a week, and if you factor in teaching time, then it was quite a bit higher.
Hopefully people will appreciate a real description or two instead of the generic hand-waving that a lot of stories employ. That said, martial arts aren't the point of the story, but they're just another tool -- like the Owl mail system -- to get some things done.
Thanks for reading, and leaving feedback.
Reviewer: hot48cricket Signed Date: 2006.08.27 - 11:55PM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
Great story!!! I'm glad a friend told me about it!!
As to Hermione and her questions - Harry should just tell her to sod off!! LOL or at least give her some information that sends her off the other way!!
As to Ron - he's a prat and I hope you don't make him a friend of Harry's! that is just so cliche in au stories! I like that you have set them apart!
I look forward to more interaction between Harry & Ginny.
Loved what you are doing to the toad Umbridge!
Author's Response: Thanks for reading and leaving feedback. Hermione has a role to play. Harry may get exasperated with her, but once she gets what she needs, things may change a bit there...
Ron, Ginny, and Umbridge. An interesting cross section of people to note. All I can say there is keep reading.
Reviewer: aryell Signed Date: 2006.08.26 - 02:05AM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
interesting, a little on the boring side. But I like stories with tons o fluff in them so I'm not a good judge
Author's Response: Thanks for reading, and for leaving feedback. Enjoying fluff isn't a bad thing, but you may find in the long run that the fluff quota in Echoes is rather low. I enjoy the stories by cwarbeck, for example, but that type of material will never fully materialize here. I don't want to discourage readers, but since you were candid, I feel I owe you the same in return.
That said, you may find the next chapter entertaining.
Reviewer: GWeasley Anonymous Date: 2006.08.26 - 12:41AM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
OH That is not a nice place to leave it off at!!! Ths second half of the chapter was great. I can't wait to hear what Cyril has to say about Harry revealing more of what he can do just to save his ears from some howlers. I love Edgar! He is great. I love how Ginny isn't affected by his charms just like Harry and Vealas they have a lot more in comen then they know. Well you have obviously left us wanting more. The only question is... is this the start of something between them or just old fashioon teaching?? Well now that you have left us hanging you have to update fast, :)
Author's Response: You didn't like that stopping point? Well, for the record, I'm apologizing in advance for the next chapter. It may leave you with a desire for more.
The training that's coming is certainly going to make things interesting, isn't it?
Reviewer: GinnyMarie Signed Date: 2006.08.25 - 10:37PM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
Oh...damn...forgot to mention Fred and George's 'prank'...pretty funny...how nothing happened to Harry, while Hermione was turned into a clown...
the amatuers....
LOVE IT!
~Ginny M~
Author's Response: It was a rather simple prank, was it not? (smirk)
Reviewer: GinnyMarie Signed Date: 2006.08.25 - 10:29PM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
OOOOO...loved it...
i laughed soooo hard at the howler parts...that is brilliant...i can just imagine Mrs. Weasley getting her own howler back...she would not be happy in the least...and the seranade...oh merlin, if i were a fly on that wall...
I like Edgar...haha...he dyed his fur black....thats brilliant....and what was the thing with snape....and was Ginny beaten up...just at the very end?...and why wasnt she Enthralled by Edgar? is it because of that power that she used in the corridor?....wow...this is slightly confusing....but i still love it....
Snape has been reduced to little more than a pest when it comes to intimidating students...that is brilliant...no robes becuase he is afraid of the billowing and puppet shows...OH...you should put the 'bother' line in...if you have never seen Potter Puppet Pals you will not know what i am talking about, so i urge you to go watch it right now....BOTHERING SNAPE IS AWESOME!...heheh...
Umbridge...what can i say about that cow...not much...her nickname is true in every sense...is she a squib?
and Filch singing Harry's praises...that is funny as hell....haha...i never imagined him doing that to ANY student EVER! tis funny though.....
Potter Eaters? that is so Fred and George....
it seems as if Harry has found the Marauders Map...the truth that Fred and George are messing with the Heir of the Marauders will soon have them cowering...poor blokes...dont they get that he has been in millions of prank wars with his uncles?
GOOD....SO GOOD....BRILLIANT!...i want to know whats happening to Ginny...including her beat up appearence...and whatever power she has....and Harry likes her...Harry likes her (in a singsong voice)....
I loved it...bloody brilliant...update really soon...look forward to more...absolutely love it...so hilarious....love the sense of humor....updates are good things...and long chapters are too....~Ginny M~
Author's Response: I always am tickled by how your reviews can ask so many questions. I'll have to look into the Potter Puppet Pals at some point. It sounds... disturbing. It should be just my cup of tea.
Now you know I can't answer your questions on what's going on with who, where, or why. That would be spoiling the surprise later...
Umbridge and Squib status. Harry was being .. err .. Harry in his comment. Is she really? That's a fun question. Have you ever seen her do magic in any of the books?
I'm glad you still enjoy everything. More is coming. Stay tuned!
Reviewer: Darkeagle856 Signed Date: 2006.08.25 - 10:03PM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
great job so far, keep up the good work! just so you know, i, for one love chapters that are a bit longer, and i think we all do. so keep writing lots and lots! update soon
Author's Response: Thanks for continuing to read, and for the feedback. The chapter lengths will probably tend to hove in the 7012k word range, depending on lots of variables. I'm glad you're enjoying the story!
Author's Response: And this is why I need to sleep more. "hover" and "7-12k". Sigh.
Reviewer: Dragen Signed Date: 2006.08.25 - 09:25PM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
What another great chapter, I love what Harry done to Molly's Howlers. I wonder what Molly is going to do about the Howlers now, I can't wait to see... spceally to see what they say. I hope that you'll make the Weasleys get along soon.
I know that this part of the story is about Anger, but when are we going to see some Harry/Ginny within the story... not flirting but real romance. As in Anger you sometimes need love to put to rest.
At least Neville is on Harry's side.
Will I'll be, a lawer that is a vampire, I alway wondered what was the difrance were... as they are both bloodsuckers.
What is up with giny wanting to learn to fight and kill so badly, could you tell us.
Keep up the great work, and please update soon...
When you've got the time, could you read my story.
Author's Response: Thanks for reading the story and leaving feedback. A few responses, and a few comments for you...
The story plot of Echoes (and anything I write) is nailed down long before the first chapter goes up. It doesn't change by much even with incredible beta editing, as the details are too complicated. So, in short, things happen when they happen. There is a definite point when Harry and Ginny will develop beyond friendship, but just like in real life, these events take time. Similarly, the revelations behind what's motivating some characters to some actions or decisions has to be revealed in due course of time. I'm glad you're expressing your interest in seeing things happen, but you'll need to be patient. It's 110k words in for just over one week of story time...
I'm equally glad you're enjoying the story, and that you are finding lots of things that appeal to you. The prophecy, the war mage status, training for Harry, training for Ginny, prank wars, Sirius and Remus, yes, it's all a rather complicated web. And you haven't met all the characters yet, either. And this is just Part I. There are two more parts to go. And we're one week of story time in. It's all folded together, somehow, somewhere, somewhen...
Thanks for reading, and thanks for the feedback. As a mild suggestion, if you know you're going to read multiple chapters at once, you probably want to save all your comments for the last chapter you review in that session. It makes it easier to handle.
Reviewer: cwarbeck Signed Date: 2006.08.25 - 09:24PM Title: Chapter 14: Spirit
Oh my, we made Dave squee like a girl (I don't care what you say Dave, you still squeed)! I feel fulfilled as a beta. Hee.
See, Josh, I told you we needed more H/G time.
As to the Enthrallment, I thought it was great. I think however, that I would have also been immune to Edgar, since you and Christine already knows who holds me in his thrall. :)
Okay, I'm off to "fluffify" your next chapter so we can make Dave squee again.
Author's Response: It's sad, isn't it? You see your favorite intellectual trip themselves up in a moment of drama, and it all goes downhill from there... Poor Sovran. What will Bun-Bun think?
You know just as well as I do that more H/G screen time is on the horizon. Just... different... from what you want right now. I think we should set a goal of making Sovran "squee!" at least once every 5 chapters. Think we can manage that?
