Voldemort is Dead posted a comment on Saturday 6th January 2007 6:21am

Someone needed to talk some sense into Harry. I'm glad that Susan is making the effort.

I don't think Harry would be a murderer for killing Snape or Voldemort. Snape was an evil, vindictive person. Voldemort should not be considered a human. He may assume a human shape, but to me he is no human.

I really like your story so far.

JBern replied:

Thank you.   From Harry's pov it is tough.   He knows he crossed a line.   He knows it could happen again.   The title of the story is not just about the external war he is fighting, but the one within as well.~Jim

gadriam posted a comment on Saturday 6th January 2007 5:55am

And so, making his descent from Mount Vicious down into the Valley of Despair marched our hero, along the path well marked by his own feet, and with persistantly new scenery to behold which, of course, he didn't.
This time it seems only Harry worries about his sanity.
Tonks on a rampage turned out to be really funny, and ColdRageBill was a thing of greatness but the winner of this chapter's MVP goes to .... MOLLY!
Gotta love her.
Thanx a bunch.

g

JBern replied:

It was tempting to call the chapter Two Mummies, but it would have tipped my hand on Susan.   Might have been a bit macabre for Aimee though.   Glad you appreciated Molly actually landing a curse on Voldy.   See the author notes for my joke on that.   Thanks again for all the kind words.~Jim

Asad posted a comment on Saturday 6th January 2007 5:50am

Ooooh! Dirty tactic.. and it backfired... LOL!!!

JBern replied:

It was tempting to call the chapter Two Mummies.   It would have tipped the hand about Susan, but I don't think too many people would have figured out Aimee.~Jim

Jim_xinu posted a comment on Saturday 6th January 2007 5:40am

I liked Bill's rambling 'explanation' at the beginning. I figured out who he was talking to only a couple lines before it was revealed.

Not sure where you're going with Draco--I just hope the little ferret doesn't end up becoming a major character--unless it's as a dead character. :-)

Good chapter, thanks for sharing it with us.

JBern replied:

Glad you liked the Bill scene.   I've been waiting to write that one for about 2 months now.   It just seemed so sinister along the lines of the great ones like Poe or Lovecraft.   Maybe one day I can approach their talent.

Draco, well let's just wait and see.   There's a good chance just about any character in this story will end up a dead character.~Jim

duke_bonez posted a comment on Saturday 6th January 2007 5:14am

That reminds me - Vindictive Bill! But I've just watched too many movies where you leave the hero, or the villain alive but with an impending and inescapable death and they come back badder (though in the case of bad guys uglier) than ever. And while having a deranged, partially mummified murderess running around could prove interesting - it's also my greatest fear for this story. You've done such a wonderful job with the realism (of what is essentially an unreal story) that I have an irrational fear of movieness creeping in.

JBern replied:

Nah.   Aimee is a goner.   I was tempted to call the chapter Two Mummies, but that would have tipped my hand about Susan.   Though I think people would have appreciated the macbre sense of humor.~Jim

duke_bonez posted a comment on Saturday 6th January 2007 5:05am

Nice. Good progression from pissed Bill on a vengeance run to Susan and the Infirmary - I wonder what George and Tonks were screaming about, how are the rest of the Weasleys taking Ginny's situation and Harry anyway? - to Voldemort raising hell (it's a damn pleasure to actually see a diversion that doesn't magically disappear as soon as the main attack happens) to Draco and his reaction (I wonder which path he'll take, will he bow down to Voldemort? turn away and flee? be forced to take up the fight?) to Harry's aftermath and a Baby. I wonder what's comming next? What's Victor Krum up to these days? For that matter what about Pansy? Will she turn Draco over to the Dark Lord or try and help him or ...
Weee! So many things to wonder about. Great chapter.

JBern replied:

Actually it was Fred and Tonks.   George is pushing up daisies.   Glad you like seeing the drama unfold.   Makes you wonder what old Pansy will do when she gets that letter.~Jim

mjc posted a comment on Saturday 6th January 2007 4:54am

The horror, the shame...the utter humiliation...

Voldemort cursed by Molly Weasley!

I nearly fell off my chair!

Wow! This chapter was packed with stuff...breakdowns, blow ups and babies!

And a Thinking!Draco? Umm...what is that? Something new that crawled out of the sewers? It is nice to see...he is in Slytherin for a reason and not because it is the house of utter bastards (though, it does have its fair share). Can't wait to see how that plays out.

And finally, Harry spills it...his great fear. He's afraid he is becoming what he is fighting, and it scares him shitless. Good thing he is bonding to a 'Puff....she'll put his head on straight, I hope.

JBern replied:

Molly getting a lucky shot in on Voldy was my favorite part of the chapter.   I'm still working on what I want from Draco Malfoy.   Don't get your redmeption hopes up to high.   I don't do that....

Jim

Gardengirl posted a comment on Saturday 6th January 2007 4:40am

*loves babies*

Nicely done! I liked Bill's Egyptian revenge. Very chillingly satisfying.

The bond is designed to ensure an heir, and I must say that the timing is excellent. Any good man (and I exclude my ex from this) in a bad situation should find the news of impending fatherhood a true motivator. I'm sure she was a bit surprised that her bluff turned out NOT to be a bluff!

Thanks for the update, I hope that your Christmas and New Years' celebrations were great, and keep feeding your muse!

JBern replied:

Glad you love babies.   I was tempted to call the chapter Two Mummies (Aimee and Susan - for different reasons of course...)   Harry should be truly motivated, but I wouldn't expect this to turn into a gushfest.   I have this huge backorder of body bags for this story....   Oh well, must run.   I have to start chapter 29 tomorrow.~Jim

M. R. Moore posted a comment on Saturday 6th January 2007 3:39am

An interesting chapter and even more interesting end... Sorry I can't give a deep, meaningful reveiw my mind really isn't here this morning.

JBern replied:

One of those I've lost my mind moments?   We all have them.   Glad you liked the chapter.   I start work on 29 tomorrow or Tuesday.~Jim

Sean Dillon posted a comment on Saturday 6th January 2007 3:36am

First thought on reading about the mummy -- Excellent! Just what she deserves.

Second thought -- them Pharaohs were vindictive.

Glad to see the update and thanks for the positive ending.

JBern replied:

Thanks, though I'm not sure the ending is positive depending on who you are.   Should I have called the chapter Two Mummies (as in Susan and Aimee, but for different reasons?)~Jim

Jeff1 posted a comment on Saturday 6th January 2007 3:27am

Excellent as always. Very realistic Harry moment or week, with him locking everyone out and wallowing in self pity. Bill has a little more guts than I expected, I guess he is a little more like Bungle in the Jungle Bill than I thought. Great job I eagerly await your next chapter like a good little addict.

JBern replied:

Well, I wanted Snape's death to be a pivotal moment in Harry's life.   He now knows that he can in fact cross that line.   Glad you liked the depiction of Bill.   I still like the Bungle version better.~Jim

koppe posted a comment on Friday 5th January 2007 12:50pm

Great story so far, please update soon.
You sure put the characters through a lot of pain -- not to mention keep killing them off (I though it was particularly sad with Fleur) -- still it's very good and action filled story.
I hope well see Harry and Susan eventually marry -- and preferbly follow them to the birth of their first child (I assume that will happen before they leave school).
I of course also hope Harry will eventually beat Voldemort.
Great way to off Snape... I usually like him somewhat, but in this story he had just gone too bad.
Finally, I hope you'll run with the Harry-with-a-Harem idea for another story.
Keep up the great work.

JBern replied:

Nah, I don't do Harry and Harem stuff.   He has enough trouble with one.   Chapter 28 is now up so you'll see more of his and Susan's relationship in that one.   As for the pain, well - war is hell.   I've joked with some reviewers where in those redo fics Harry is always traumatized by the war he came back to prevent, well here you have that god awful war playing out for you without the hope of going back and fixing it.~Jim

koppe posted a comment on Tuesday 2nd January 2007 9:43am

Great so far.
Absolutly *loved* the enchanted version of "Clue"... hope Snap will catch someone playing at school -- or discover it sold at a bookstore or something.
Surprising with Penelope -- poor Percy -- hope Pen and the baby will eventually make contact with the Weasleys (if for nothing else, than to lead them into damnation).

JBern replied:

Well by now you'll know that Snape won't be catching anyone with that game anytime soon and Penny has been and gone leaving trouble in her wake.   Thanks for the review.~Jim

firestorm69 posted a comment on Sunday 31st December 2006 3:50pm

wow, great chapter, and the fight scene as well as Snape's death scene are impressive. One question, Are you making Harry into a Lunatic or is his actions a compilation of Fear, Stress, pain, anger and his feeling a need to survive? just a question, look forward to the next update and hope it comes soon. Oh and sorry I just can't seem to get into the reading of other story, I like the idea but the seeming flow and way it seems to be coming directly from Harry in some way's confuses me. But TFtCD is so far well done.

JBern replied:

Wow!   I'm a bit behind on my replies.   As you can see chapter 28 is now up and it should answer most of your questions.   Maybe some other time you'll be able to get into Bungle.

Thanks again,~Jim

Evan Mayerle posted a comment on Tuesday 19th December 2006 2:05pm

Well, that was definitely a good "death of Snape" scene, but I suspect the after effects are going to take a goodly while, that the Light may not have, to cope with. Once he regains balance and at least a semblance of sanity, Harry is going to most definitely be feeling rather horrid and I don't envy Susan the task of helping him come to terms with all of it.

JBern replied:

Thanks.   Even in victory, there is still some loss and yes Susan has her work cut out for her.   Look for her and Bill to feature prominently in the next chapter.~Jim

M. R. Moore posted a comment on Monday 18th December 2006 10:30am

The thought of the possiblity of a fanfic that includes more about Christianity and religions in general come to mind today and I thought of your Vatican Wizards.

JBern replied:

I am surprised that I haven't gotten any flames about that.   Some people have been annoying Draco664 about his use of the Catholic Church in his fantastic story.   I had expected the same treatment.   I figure if the Muggle governments are on some levels aware of the magical world, then the Catholic Church (while not the power that it once was), would also be aware.   After all, consider how many muggleborns first bout of accidental magic would be grounds for the family contacting their local priest and possibly inquiring about an exorcism.   Why wouldn't the Church have it's own magical folk?   Most people who are elevated to Sainthood have performed miracles?

Just some food for thought.   Glad it gave you pause to stop and consider something I wrote.~Jim

Tildessmoo posted a comment on Monday 18th December 2006 5:37am

Best. Snape. Death. Scene. EVER!

And 12 Grimmauld Pl. would be between 10 and 14, not 11 and 13.

I must say, I can really picture Bill stumbling through the house at the end. Something out of a horror movie: door torn down, smoke everywhere, everything falling apart... his girlfriend naked and beheaded in the living room, a charred corpse off to one side and one of his friends impaled by an icicle in the corner, a kid covered in blood and with a bone or two visible screaming imprecations at his old Potions professor while lashing what's left of said professor with a whip of fire... Am I the only one who sees this coming in the next Saw movie?

JBern replied:

Good point on the placement of #12.   I'll fix that when I do housekeeping on the story.   I actually had that Bill scene written, but it dragged on too long and started to 'weigh' the chapter down.   You will see some of it next chapter from Bill's perspective.~Jim

cyberpurple posted a comment on Sunday 17th December 2006 10:36am

This was a really great chapter, thanks for the update! Looking forward to seeing what comes next as I've been really enjoying your work so far. The quality of this shines through in every post and just gets better and better. I am very impressed!

JBern replied:

Why thank you.   I appreciate the comments on quality.   I owe alot of thanks to the people I thanked in my author's notes.   They have really been helping me make the story the best product I can put forth.~Jim

Donald McLeod posted a comment on Saturday 16th December 2006 11:42am

It's good. But sometimes I jest hate cilfies, love Snape death scene, it was maybe a little short on groe and maham (Snape's that is).

JBern replied:

Thanks.   I don't really see it as much of a cliffhanger with the exception of Harry's mental state.~Jim

MonkeyAxman1302 posted a comment on Saturday 16th December 2006 1:34am

Absolutely superb chapter! Really liked how Harry's gone a bit cuckoo its quite realistic considering the last few days he has had. Especially so when you take into account that Snape is a focal point of abuse for him really.

I was very much interested in how Susan was talking about Harry's training with Flitwick and how the diminutive little proffessor was only just managing to beat Harry.

At first I was kind of disappointed how close the battle with Snape came, I was hoping it would be a more one sided contest of Harry kicking his greasy arse. After giving it some thought though he had just fought a powerful and drugged up SuperVeela as well as two adult witches. You forget the Veela because you split the attack over two chapters which changed my perceptions a bit. Thinking about it though, wow! He still managed to take Snape out after all that. I liked the use of the portraits especially the fact that Harry felt the drain on his magic from then and could still hold his own against Snape. Makes you think what would have happened with a battle on neutral ground with a rested Harry. I re-read bits and figured that Harry bloodied Snape pretty good before the final bit in his study.

Can't wait for more, this story is superb, thanks for writing!

Monkey

JBern replied:

Thanks for the review.   There was a reason that Severus earned his place amongst the Pureblooded inner circle.   He had talent, guile and skill.   The other DEs had to know of his 1/2 blooded status, but still gave him a wide enough berth.    Though this is AU to book 6, in that one at the beginning, even in that one big bad Bellatrix didn't seem eager to clash with Snape.   What did they say Snape arrived at the school knowing more curses than most 7th years?   Makes you wonder how the ickle Marauders got the best of him?

Snape was getting the better of Harry.   He had every advantage, numbers, surprise a 'softened' opponent.   Harry spent most of his time on direct damage spells.   Snape mixed in spells to blind Harry as well as the whole bursting through the floor thing.

Harry versus Flitwick, is a controlled duel still and in 6 months Harry will be on par with him.   Harry versus Snape was a back alley brawl fought in 3 dimensions.

Jim