Frosty posted a comment on Saturday 29th August 2009 6:59pm for Bartering the Truth

I have to say that I really loved the interaction between Sirius and Harry. I also felt like letting you know that some of the stuff you write well surpasses JKR. I have a feeling that all of that interaction between Sirius and James, as well as the reason why Sirius "pranked" Severus will be one of things that I remember and have to stop to figure out if it's canon. Fantastic chapter.

fyrecat posted a comment on Thursday 20th November 2008 6:40pm for Bartering the Truth

This is awesome, I can't wait to read the next chapter. BUT it's well after midnight and I have to be up before the sun is... Dammitall! I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow to read the broom race.

JBern replied:

Thanks for all the reviews.~Jim

FeverFudge posted a comment on Tuesday 19th February 2008 8:54pm for Bartering the Truth

I was going to leave a review at the end of the next chapter, but I love this chapter so much! I love your stories. There is something raw about them that make you feel all of your characters injustice and emotions and what not.

I don't know that where your going with the relationship with Harry and the Weasley's but I'm really likeing the new dynamic with them. Usually it's either 'I hate you all cuz you betrayed me' or 'its I love you cuz you're nice.'

Harry's a little bugger isn't he? But I like that he has a spine. It's not that he didn't before it's just - I guess it comes from his lack of social upbringing but he really needed to stop letting people walk over him.

The thing with Remus is a bit iffy and I'm curious as to where it goes. I'm also glad that you don't have Lily and James as the wonder couple. It makes for a nice change. They are real people with real problems.

I really like the little bit here at the end with Sirius! People always say that he had trouble acceptting Harry as Harry and not James. After his stint in Azkaban I wonder if this just makes him a bit more crazy. I never really agreed with that argument but I wonder if thats an angle you're going with. I'm probably way off base here. You'll come up with something completely unexpected and brilliant and blow whatever i'm thinking away.

I love reading your stories! I'm looking forward to the next updates!

JBern replied:

Thank you very much for very long review.   I'm happy that you actually the rawness of the writing.   HJ does make mistakes in this story and they do come back to haunt him.   That's probably one of the more interesting aspects of the story.

Glad that you like both the dynamics between HJ andthe Weasleys and HJ and Sirius.   Look for chapter 11 in about seven days I've been working on some material for my original novel this week and while I have chapter 11 outlined I haven't written a single word yet.

Regards,
Jim

The Resident posted a comment on Friday 25th January 2008 6:56pm for Bartering the Truth

I almost feel like I'm channeling Artie Johnson. Very interesting. I'm really looking forward to what other surprises you have in store. Keep up the great work.

JBern replied:

I'll have to google Artie.   Not really sure who he is, but it must be a compliment.~Jim

Songoku55 posted a comment on Sunday 20th January 2008 7:06pm for Bartering the Truth

I LOVE IT! The summary had me unsure, but I thought, Harry/Fleur, why not? And man... Best decision for the week! I enjoy your writing style and the story / plot / premise are simply top notch. I also particularly enjoy the Sorting Hat's vulgar mouth. Nothing like some quality shit talking to set the mood right. All in all, I love that everyone is getting put in their place, nothing is held sacred (except Harry and the basic tenets of manliness), and there is no shortage of action while maintaining plot, witty dialogue, and a sequence of events that makes sense (instead of randomness). I look forward to reading more!

JBern replied:

The basic tenets of manliness must always be held sacred.   The wild ride continues soon with chapter 10 set to come out over the weekend or early next week..~Jim

BCM posted a comment on Friday 18th January 2008 12:20pm for Bartering the Truth

Unpredictable, original, and highly entertaining. I'm trying to figure out which part of the fight I liked best: Winky attacking HJ with a wyvern's skeleton, or HJ attacking Crouch with a transfigured lion. This is some seriously good stuff, along with Bungle and TML. I think I've reread JBern's stuff as much as I've reread Jeconais'. Keep up the fantastic work, JBern.

JBern replied:

Thank you for the large compliment.   In a bizarre twist of fate, Lie 10 will be coming out before TML 5.   Look for it this Sunday or Monday.~Jim

Luan Mao posted a comment on Thursday 17th January 2008 6:44pm for Bartering the Truth

This story is listed as "Harry/Fleur". From the previous chapter, we have "I've got your 'leetle boy' right here, Princess!" Is this what we call one of those inauspicious beginnings?

Love the story, and especially love Hat. I've changed my style of workplace interaction by asking myself "What would Hat say?" (I'm trying to get my contract ended early...)

JBern replied:

You could say it's an inauspicious start and it promises to get more interesting.

Glad to hear that the Hat has had a profound effect on how you conduct your day to day life.~Jim

thangmo posted a comment on Thursday 17th January 2008 11:38am for Bartering the Truth

Wow , I just finish reading this story and very impress about your plot. I hope to read you next chapter soon. wish you luck

JBern replied:

Thank you.~Jim

Tom Mathews posted a comment on Tuesday 15th January 2008 11:06pm for Bartering the Truth

Well, the loss of the map is unfortunate, but the map doesn't have the Room of Requirements or the Chamber of Secrets on it, so a new one needs to take its place.

HJ knows about things like X-Rays and other muggle inventions that can help him make a much better map. Hidden things like pipes and corridors hidden inside the walls would be useful to know.

Having something that can detect basilisks or trolls on the grounds might also be a good idea.

The Marauder's Map was created to aid in pranking. If HJ creates one, it is to aid in keeping him safe.

JBern replied:

Don't forget, HJ doesn't know about the Room of Requirements.   Chamber of Secrets - yes, but RoR no.   He'll be looking at crafting his own map, but things may get in the way...

Jim

scaryisntit posted a comment on Tuesday 15th January 2008 2:26pm for Bartering the Truth

Interesting. Very interesting. Quite the plotline you have going here. While the Sorting Hat is a little too crude for my likings, I really want to know what happens next! Keep up the good work.

scaryisntit

JBern replied:

Sorry you don't care for the Hat all that much, but I'm having too much fun with it to overhaul it at this point.~Jim

Ianmacian posted a comment on Monday 14th January 2008 5:58pm for Bartering the Truth

I've been enjoying this story so far. There is one issue I have with this chapter, though. Why did Harry agree to go along with the "official story"? It seems like he got the shortest straw by a large margin, everyone else got a much better deal. Seeing as how the story wouldn't work without his cooperation, he should have been able to hold out for more. Forcing Fudge to have Lucius examined for the Dark Mark, demanding that they accept a magical oath that Pettigrew was alive and had confessed to framing Sirius, etc. It just feels like he let himself get the shaft end of the deal, which doesn't seem in character with the HJ persona in this story.

Wolf

JBern replied:

HJ got the wheels in motion to get Sirius cleared of all charges.   He got an "unofficial manhunt" started for Peter.   Did he really get anything for himself?   Not really.   He did make the point to Fudge that Harry Potter will be an adult before the next election and that the combined Black and Potter vaults have as much loose change in them as the Malfoy vaults with significantly less "stigma" attached to them.

Then again, look at Fudge.   He has to "eat it" and call off the search for Black.   Eventually clearing the man.   He has to knuckle under and release a statement to the ICW stating England's "Concern" over recent levels of Dark Activity.   Moves that jeopardize both his donations and his political standing.

The point of the bartering scene is that very few got "everything" they wanted and most had to do something they'd prefer not to do in exchange for what they did get.   It's backroom politics.~Jim

Meghan posted a comment on Monday 14th January 2008 2:20pm for Bartering the Truth

I've missed emailing back and forth. How are things? I just saw that this story is Harry/Fleur that's exciting! "Hez juzt a leetle boy!"

JBern replied:

Everybody bug Meghan!!!   She's already seen the rough draft of chapter 10!   Neener Neener Neener!   :-)

warpwizard posted a comment on Sunday 13th January 2008 2:43pm for Bartering the Truth

Good chapter. Very meaty.

JBern replied:

Thank you.   I try pretty hard to give my stories the edge that keeps the reader interested.~Jim

muzster posted a comment on Sunday 13th January 2008 9:27am for Bartering the Truth

A fantastic story - I look forward to seeing how it progresses.

JBern replied:

Thank you.   The next chapter is coming soon.   It is already rough drafted.~Jim

Shadez44 posted a comment on Saturday 12th January 2008 12:44pm for Bartering the Truth

Awesome i like where this is going

JBern replied:

Thank you.   Next chapter coming soon.~Jim

vasilis01 posted a comment on Saturday 12th January 2008 10:29am for Bartering the Truth

Excellent chapter. I love the hut and i can't wait to see how are you going to use Sirius further up the story.

JBern replied:

Thank you.   There are plans for Sirius down the road.~Jim

dwilken posted a comment on Saturday 12th January 2008 5:43am for Bartering the Truth

Rather stiff dialogue in your scene with the Bloody Baron / HJ.

Floo dialogue with Lupin - HJ becoming his own man, he's not James, he's not Harry. I like it.

As always the Sorting Hat interactions are superb, although some of the visuals may haunt my nights. (shrunken hat as a Dobby condom? shudder!)

Great fight scene with 'Moody'. Love the idea that James Potter knew the weaknesses in the magical eye and the idea that eves have limited amounts of energy available to them in their itty-bitty bodies. Your characters get injured and they *hurt* in believable fashion.

The wheeling-dealing over Crouch Jr's corpse is excellent, as is the Harry
/Albus follow-up interaction.

Good scene with Hermione and Harry in the broom closet.

Harry and the Katie, Alicia, Angelina. Nice character development you've been doing here. If only JKR had done as much .....

And the scene with Sirius. Clearly you see James Potter as having been the leader in the old days, which makes sense. This is simply an excellent scene. Personally, I loved the reference to Caesar and Gaul.

And of course you just had to end the chapter there, didn't you, you malodorous heap of bird droppings! Cthulu will get you for this!

BTW, regarding HJ ultimately getting paired-off with Fleur - the way you've developed the story so far, you don't need it. Keeping them sniping at each other every step of the way until she goes back to France could be highly entertaining. Think about it.

All in all, a top notch chapter.

- Doug

JBern replied:

Conversations with the Baron always seem to bring out the formalness.   HJ has finally accepted that he isn't either James or Harry.

Yeah it'll probably be awhile before you get the Dobby condom image out of your head.

The eye and elves should have limits and it was high time that Harry Potter had to face a derranged elf trying to protect her master.

Remus was the "Brain," Peter the synchophant, that left James and Sirius as the leaders.   Sirius had all that rebelling at his family thing going on.   James seems like he had to have been the leader.

It's tempting to keep up the sniping, but we'll see.

Thanks for the long review.~Jim

thewisesirivanthes posted a comment on Saturday 12th January 2008 5:38am for Bartering the Truth

This is a great chapter! I love the action, revelations,and plot and character development. I am really looking forward to the next chapter. Till then have a good day and may the muses always whisper in your ear.

JBern replied:

Thanks.   Next chapter coming in 2-3 weeks.~Jim

Logan_MacLeod posted a comment on Saturday 12th January 2008 4:51am for Bartering the Truth

DUDE THIS IS FRELLING AWESOME!!!!! I SO LOVE THIS STORY. THE Harry and the Hat then Harry and everyone else dynamic is so refreshing and well drawn out . The Hat is just the bomb

JBern replied:

Glad you like it.   There's a lot of hard work by several other people that goes into each chapter.~Jim

Stygius posted a comment on Saturday 12th January 2008 12:11am for Bartering the Truth

nice... i really did want the griffin for suffer though.... whilst most did it out of being scared for fred and george, there were some there that truely held animosity against harry... payback is a bitch, i recall...

hoping to see ron get his as well, well all of the weasleys.

otherwise great... all the dialogue with the hat was a bit much for me in the earlier chapters, but this is great....

awesome work with mooddy, though this does make the rest of the yr more interesting...

and can't wait for some fleur action...

JBern replied:

Well, he's still not wearing his house colors.   He forgave Katie, but didn't really give a pass to any of the upper years especially the rest of the Quidditch team.   Ron will have a tough time apologizing.   He's pretty stubborn.~Jim