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Reviews For Splinters

Reviewer: TomBombadil Signed Date: 2017.02.02 - 01:18AM Title: Hope

OOPS! I forgot I had already started the next chapter, then gone to teach class. So, excused the confluence of subjects in my prior review, please!

Author's Response: No problem whatsoever! Given some config peculiarities on this site, I've ended up with no end of late-chapter comments compiled in Chapter 1 reviews, so having a bit of feedback only one chapter early seems perfectly reasonable ;)



Reviewer: TomBombadil Signed Date: 2017.02.02 - 01:14AM Title: Hope

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Love the tension at the end! Who can be trusted, especially at the Ministry? Loved the way you brought Hermione's around! I have read so much FF in which Hermione's less desirable characteristics are emphasized and she is shown to be viciously hateful if, for even a moment, she is overshadowed. But there had to be a reason she was beaming when Harry finally pulled his head out of neutral and kissed Ginny! Thank you!

Author's Response:

The tension! Yes, in writing this story I was careful to not undermine the reticence Rowling built Harry's romantic instincts -- the struggles between a teenager's natural instincts and all of the real reasons someone like Harry has to eschew that sort of bond. Of course, JKR never (through Deathly Hallows) quite packaged Ginny as quite the whole-complement match for him that we all knew she could have been. So, given an emboldened and enlightened Ginny, shall we pay heed to canonical considerations... and let her break through?

And then there's Hermione. Anyone who stopped reading midway through PoA would have been fully justified in writing her off as a priggish pain in the neck, and that whole S.P.E.W. thing (in which JKR is supposedly poking fun at her own Amnesty International stridency) didn't help. However, the Hermione we see in Deathly Hallows is balanced, supportive, and heroic. This is a story (as you'll see) where I let Ms. Granger discover such qualities a bit early. And you'll also see that it is not easy for her to sacrifice the status as Harry's beta, but... well, you'll see :)

Thank you very much for your kind comments!



Reviewer: MisterBlack Signed Date: 2016.03.12 - 12:05AM Title: Hope

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Oh... wow...

GHL. This is brilliant. This is by far the best chapter in this story (so far). First off, brilliant chemistry between Harry and Ginny here. It is almost like they are different sides from the same coin. They appear to be at the wavelength and I do not know if that is due to who they really are or if it is some consequence from the dreams they are having to share and the brooch.

Not much was said between them but even so the little they did say (or did not say) was huge. It really tears at you because you just want to do nothing but go in there and set them straight. The brooch have given them confidence. It has given them a chance to truly experience their feelings without the use of words. So naturally once you take that out of the equation you are left with uncertainty and angst. It becomes obvious when they start questioning how the other feels. The worst part is that you know as the reader they feel the same. They know what they want but it seems like they are scared to voice it in case they are wrong.

Which brings me to the brooch itself. How DID it come to be in Ginny's possession? Why? What changed in their timeline? Who was responsible for this change? It seems to me that without the brooch Harry would still be suffering from the same visions he suffered in canon. Is this a way to end things differently? Maybe it is necessary for them to dream to change things in the present so that they would NEED to end things earlier and possibly save more lives?

If it is true (and we know it is) that Harry is supposed to win that final duel against Tom but for some reason does not then who is responsible for that and why? How does Lucius mix into all of this? If he is appearing in their dreams as well then you have to question how and why? Ginny and Harry are able to share a dream because of the brooch. Lucius should not be able to do the same. If he does share the dream then he must also know that according to the dreams, Harry will die in 1998. If so then maybe that dream isn't true and it is only there to deceive. It is possible that these dreams are not meant to deceive Harry and Ginny but Lucius. If he can report to his master that according to his dream or vision that Harry will die then maybe just maybe Voldemort will be misled and in turn that leads to his death.

If so then what is the point? He would have died any way. This is of course assuming you believe in fate and if you believe that Harry is supposed to win.

I can only feel heartbreak for Ginny. She is pretty much in the same position she was left in at the end of her 6th book. She is left with only hope. Harry can't give her what they both want because he needs to do this first. They are becoming closer together and we can start to see how it is affecting Ron. For once I actually feel bad for him. You left me with so many questions here. You are awesome, GHL.

Author's Response:

Let me first begin by saying that there is a lot of very worthy speculation and cogitation that I would love to respond to but will not, since it forms much of what motivates the rest of the story, as written. So let me compliment you on encapsulating what, to this point forms most of the premise for the remaining plot. Here, however, are some things that I can indeed respond to:

*I'm tremendously pleased to hear that you're enjoying the Harry/Ginny interplay as they truly discover each other. It is a joy to write something of that nature, and even more so to approximately get it right. And then, as the other bookend of your comment, is the melancholic response to this -- how bitter sweet is is to bring these to unto the cusp of something truly special only to hold it back. That element of adversity, of course, is the difference between a love story and a romance, wherein such challenges must be overcome. In this case, part of the barrier is circumstantial, and part is teen angst. I have timed this for a Ginny who is pre-Corner, and a Harry who is pre-Cho, so both are very inexperienced in the navigation of young infatuation. So yes, your observation (how painful it is for the reader to see how each frets over the true feelings of the other) is a very apt message to a guilty authour.

Anyway, thank you very much for your thoughts, MisterBlack! It's wonderful to see the story in such detail through another's eyes and know that what was intended is indeed being fulfilled!



Reviewer: lunagranger Signed Date: 2015.10.07 - 11:18AM Title: Hope

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A masterful chapter. Hermione is brilliant and the last scene with Harry and Ginny is perfect. And though people say that an explicit scene is bettertjan a report, I'm actually glad of being spared Hermione and Ginny's confrontation.

Author's Response:

Wonderful -- once again we're on the same page! Yes, this chapter seemed to come off well, despite having a fair bit of retrospectives and reflections (which in my other stories I generally try to avoid). As I mentioned to Martin a few notes ago, I have found value and comfort in handling some action and dialogue after the fact, because the present tends to be so very busy. And in fact my motivation for having Hermione reflect on that exchange was bang-on what you implied -- I simply wasn't very keen with dragging these characters through an awkward confrontation if the net goal was reconciliation... since even if things end well, it's hard to ignore the slogging that it took to get there. I would much rather show the characters in their better light.

I'm also glad that you connected with the final scene. Again, I cannot spare H&G (and the readers) the angst, but I can make these beloved characters honest, earnest and caring, so that we all hope for the best for them.

What an interesting adventure it has been to write this story; great to have great readers along at every step!



Reviewer: gracepark Signed Date: 2015.10.07 - 10:28AM Title: Hope

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Ooh -- Hermione's onto some interesting ideas! I guess she can come in handy after all!

A down note to end the chapter on, but the writing leading up to that was beautiful. And if the chapter is called Hope, then today's disappointment is tomorrow's opportunity, right?

I am loving this story so much. I hope you can send another chapter our way soon!

Author's Response:

Very true -- Hermione has continued to grab more of the attention throughout this story than I had originally foreseen. In part, it has been the positive attention that she had gotten from reviewers. Many of my stories were largely written before I began posting, and hence the reader-authour interplay was somewhat limited, but from chapter 5 onwards in this one, I have been improvising a fair bit, working within a general outline, but adapting the nuances based on feedback. I still guarantee that it will not end precisely as anyone as yet intuited, but conversely I think a fair number of reviewers should be able to see their various influences here and there.

Yes, hope is indeed the bookend to disappointment and, in many ways, chapter 8 (largely written but still in need of editing) is the bookend of chapter 7. Hope to not keep you waiting too long!



Reviewer: Gin110881 Signed Date: 2015.10.06 - 09:27AM Title: Hope

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It was brilliant how Harry has teased Mione regarding the revelation their secrets. The discussion of Ginny's and Harry's shared dreams was not only helpful for Mione, it also helped the reader to understand how the both of them experienced the preceding chapter (at least for one reader - me). Too bad that Mione has cut her statement regarding Harry's cheerfulness. I would have liked to seen his face. :-)

Is it irony of the canon events when Harry in his role as Publican recognizes that he is the one who needs to be rescued? But he hasn't told Ginny about the Publicans sons, right? I really hope that he doesn’t follow Dumbledore’s paths regarding the handling of secrets.

The idea that the tale about the Peverell brothers in fact is a metaphor for dealings with kind of Death Eaters is intriguing.
Good question, how exactly Ginny had found the brooch. I was already wondering about this issue for a while. She got it from the Publican Harry, but how did it appear in the present timeline… When Ginny reflects about the brooch I got the feeling that the charm will be really powerful as soon as the both of them will feel the same way for each other, no matter if Ginny has the brooch with her or not…

The end has shown why the Sorting Hat was not sure if Harry is a real Gryffindor. When it comes to the girls, he has the courage of a pygmy puff, lol.

Great Chapter, as always!
Btw., Your review section is almost as entertaining as the story itself.

I hope that your real life means well to us and it is not too limiting for your literary productivity ;-)

Author's Response:

'Courage of a pygmy puff' -- clear choice for metaphor of the week! :)

I was amused, but ever-so-slightly exasperated (does that add up to 'amusperated'?) to see you steal my thunder with your comment about the brooch. Ah well, the best readers are often those who can sneak past the authour, even when he's trying to be clever!

I'm glad you liked the 'dreams' recapitulation! In this story, there seems to be so much going on in real time that it sometimes works best to catch up with some details retroactively. I like to think that this mimics the real human process; when things are very busy, it is sometimes only when we find a moment to pause and reflect that we fully appreciate the implications of what has gone on before.

Speaking of which, in chapter 8 (coming along fairly soon) you shall see resolution to your issue about the sons...

Oh and not to fear -- the latter half of September was quite frenetic with two editorials, several contracts, and a cub scout camp. Things remain busy, but I am at least back into the routine of writing/editing for an hour or two before bed or early in the morning.

Thank you for the note and for your loyal readership, Martin!



Reviewer: Arnel Signed Date: 2015.10.01 - 02:01PM Title: Hope

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For all the hope and happiness this chapter starts out with, it certainly takes a down turn and ends on a melancholy note. I really liked the breakfast scene between Harry, Ginny and Hermione because it shows how these three characters are maturing enough to talk things out in a more mature adult way than they have in the past, especially the compromise on Hermione's part not to push her beliefs to the point where the other two felt put-upon by her superior attitude. That she could agree to a compromise and not immediately run to a grown-up when Ginny produced the broach certainly helped dispel bad feelings and memories on Harry's part.

What the three learned about the Peverelle brothers and the spell on the brooch was quite interesting and I hope this knowledge will help them with the mystery in their dreams. I'm worried about what Voldemort might want to do with Harry's dreams if he learns how to break into them. Thank goodness for Ron waking Harry at an appropriate time so that harry can pull out of the vision. I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

Author's Response:

Ah yes... and once again, Mark Knopfler is crooning softly in the background that "there will be sunshine after rain..." I do owe that man a good share of the non-existent royalties from this story :)

Anyway, several things to which your first paragraph alludes will feature subtly in the next chapter. As will a bit more thoughts on the brothers P.

Ever the attuned reader, you obviously caught Harry's insecurity about dream cross-contamination, as well as a hint of rudimentary (untaught, instinctive) Occlumency. Risks and pitfalls may indeed await on this most ephemeral of minefields...

Thank you once again for your insightful commentary, Arnel!



Reviewer: Wolfs_Scream Signed Date: 2015.09.30 - 11:12PM Title: Hope

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Well, it seems that the temporary (I hope!) lack of that silver brooch may play a significant role. :-}

Speaking of the brooch, Hermione's leads certainly do look like things that she would find intriguing.

And speaking of Hermione, Ginny & Harry seem to be pretty close to driving her 'round the twist (so to speak). Snicker! :-}

And speaking of Harry & Ginny, Harry seems to be coming across to Ginny as ... well, how about "classically clueless?"

Quite entertaining, all in all. :-)

Author's Response:

Thank you for the comments, David! Thank you also for braving the PM to pinpoint a few glitches!

Lot's of call to bring back the brooch. You're definitely correct in observing that its absence is a key part of the character development, but it's fairly obvious that the story can not move forward without it.

Hermione's definitely walking the fine line between going 'bananas', and surrendering herself to a healthy potassium-rich snack... ;)

And yes, classically clueless. Harry is that way innately, and he has now twice shown his true colours in that respect. On the flip side, however, we have already discovered that the Publican is nowhere near as naive (of course, as a thirty-something with grown children he shouldn't be), and we have also seen times when Harry has been more relaxed... Authourial inconsistency, or food for thought?

Greatly appreciating your comments and readership, Wolfs_Scream!



Reviewer: LysCsuri Signed Date: 2015.09.30 - 08:55PM Title: Hope

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Wow - the emotions come through so beautifully! Thank you for a wonderful chapter!

Author's Response:

And thank you so much for the kind review! Yes, this chapter was definitely the character drama chapter -- I'm immensely gratified that you enjoyed it, Lys!



Reviewer: MollyandArthur Signed Date: 2015.09.30 - 03:42PM Title: Hope

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Wonderful chapter. Hermione is handling everything so well, while Ron is definitely being rather left out of things so far. The relationship between Harry and Ginny is progressing nicely. I hope they pull out the brooch again soon. Looking forward to the next chapter.

Author's Response:

I'm very glad that you can say that the relationship is progressing nicely, despite the various strains and misgivings in this chapter. I agree with you fully, because the true measure of the strength of an attraction is the resilience in difficult times. I believe they passed that test!

From a plot perspective, the brooch definitely had to exit the stage for a while, but of course it will be back (and soon at that). It's far too important to the upcoming drama.

And yes, we're getting to see a bit more of Ron, but clearly he's not positioned himself well to be a major player in this particular adventure. Sometime I'm going to have to give him an honest shake in a story... I guess I never completely forgave him for being such a prat in the fourth, sixth and seventh books.

Thank you again for reading and reviewing, MollyandArthur!



Reviewer: nesciamema Signed Date: 2015.09.29 - 09:50PM Title: Hope

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SOOOO close.

Author's Response:

I know -- painfully so!

Thanks for the review! Great to have company as I string Harry, Ginny (and readers) along a bit further on the great adventure of teenaged courtship :)



Reviewer: Dreaming Haven Signed Date: 2015.09.29 - 04:59PM Title: Hope

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Can't wait for the next chapter. I just love the two of them, but it looks like it is going to take Harry a while before he gets together with Ginny.

Author's Response:

Ah -- great that I have you hooked! Hopefully I won't keep you hanging too much longer for the Ministry visit!

So, the question of how long it will take Harry and Ginny to advance to the next step may come down to the brooch. It's a source of confidence that they were obviously both lacking after breakfast, but on the flip side of things, would they have come so close so quickly if they both hadn't felt that crisis of confidence that propelled them into an awkward, impromptu embrace...?

Who knows? On one hand, I will always pledge to my readers that Harry and Ginny will never have big fights, misunderstandings, petulance or other destructive behaviour, the romance genre requires me to string them along for a while... Evil romance genre! ;)

Thank you very much for continuing to follow along and offer your valued thoughts!



Reviewer: mdauben Signed Date: 2015.09.29 - 01:01PM Title: Hope

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A very good update this time! Some interesting developments, both personally and with the broach. I can't wait for the next chapter to see what happens next.

Author's Response:

Thank you mdauben, for the kind words! I promise to dedicate my evenings and early mornings to Chapter 8, and hope to not keep people waiting as long as I did with 7.

You might have noticed my comment to GinnyWeasley777 about having just made some modest post-facto edits to the last bit of this chapter. If you might also have a chance to skim the ending and let me know if it doesn't work, that would be great. Romance is the final frontier for me, so I end up doing a fair bit of experimentation.

Greatly appreciate the comments and readership!



Reviewer: ginnyweasley777 Signed Date: 2015.09.29 - 11:54AM Title: Hope

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And what a delightful chapter this is!
From the way they handled the conversation with Hermione, to their almost kiss, it was perfect.
I certainly hope that that seemingly innocent brooch makes a come-back next chapter for the sake, well, hope. :)

Author's Response:

Thank you, thank you, GW777! Hey, could I ask a favour of you? Just today I was hit with some ideas for how to pull off the final moments of the chapter. The changes are subtle and cosmetic, but hopefully go that extra few steps toward capturing a poignant moment. If you have a chance, could you skim through it again to see if it works?

I'm always a bit hesitant to mess with a passage after several people just came forward saying that they liked it, but sometimes inspiration overrules.

Thanks again!




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