vanishingact posted a comment on Tuesday 5th February 2008 9:03am

Wow! I loved Narcissa Malfoy--err, Black. That was genius! Hehe...

I know there's plenty left to go on this story, but I figured I'd drop a review in anyways after how much amusement I got from Narcissa. Thanks for a great read!

JBern replied:

Glad you liked it.   She and Charlie show up in the last third of the story to provide even more amusement.   Thanks for being my 800th review for this story on ffa.~Jim

irker posted a comment on Saturday 5th January 2008 9:38pm

Wow.

@.@

-irker

JBern replied:

Thanks!   Jim

ily.the.cat posted a comment on Saturday 5th January 2008 10:27am

way cool

JBern replied:

Thanks~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Thursday 3rd January 2008 7:41am

Damn, that's pretty much the most evil cliffhanger an author can ever write: One without a resolution. At first, I was wondering where you going with that, with Penelope having the last scene of the story. I probably should've keyed into that hint you gave about her being in 'mortal peril' a little bit more. Great ending. Very fitting to the story.

That'll teach Harry that the next time he puts a man into power, to consider how he'll act once the war is finally over.

I gotta tell ya, all the odd pairings you threw in here were a real treat for me. Especially the Charlie/Narcissa interaction. Never seen that done before.

Your battle scenes (it would be a crime to call them duels, much more brutal) were some of the best I've ever read, and your portrayal of Voldemort is definitely the best I've come across. Despite all the power and cunning you bestowed upon him (which is a good thing), he still seemed much more... human. Almost getting killed by Hagrid really drove that point home.

Even though he was majorly insane, I loved Neville. I couldn't find it in me to dislike him for his actions after taking into account everything that had happened to him. Made for a very interesting plot revolving around him.

I feel bad wrapping this up with the generic "great story dude, I loved it." But damn, I did. Fantastic.

JBern replied:

Glad you enjoyed it even with the evil nasty ending, that I personally enjoyed writing.

Yeah Harry has his hands (one real and one fake) full, triplets, trying to be a good husband, fascist dictator he helped get into power - you know the usual.

Voldemort was my favorite character of all this.   He felt real.   I'll have to find a way to do him justice in Bungle.~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Wednesday 2nd January 2008 4:22pm

You know, despite Narcissa arranging all of this, I really hope both she and Charlie make it out of this okay. I know that their safety has already been "assured", but this is a time of war.

Can't wait for the final confrontation. Good thing I don't have to... haha.

JBern replied:

So where's the review of the final chapter?   I'm curious to see what you thought of the ending.   ~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Wednesday 2nd January 2008 10:36am

Dumbledore using the Polyjuice to become Harry was a tricky maneuver. Good stuff.

I agree with it being ridiculous that Molly kills Bellatrix. No way would that ever happen.

JBern replied:

But you can see how a more competent Dark Lord adjusted to Dumbledore's little strategem...~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Tuesday 1st January 2008 4:42pm

Wow, Neville making Pansy look like Ginny while sucking him off is just plain weird.

Poor Ginny. :'( Just when she was beginning to enjoy her life... I guess Pansy got him back, eh? That sucks.

Ten bux says Neville kills himself before the story's over.

JBern replied:

I guess you owe me ten bux, but then again you could say that his actions led to his death, so maybe you don't.~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Tuesday 1st January 2008 4:16pm

*raises hand* I'm feeling bad for her. :( Neville's become completely warped. I like it.

JBern replied:

Well Pansy comes out on top of her corner of the dungheap, but that's another story.~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Saturday 29th December 2007 8:37pm

Neville's comment about falling and breaking his neck after killing that kid made me chuckle. Good ol' dark humor. He's becoming rather cold-blooded, isn't he?

Voldemort talking about Muggles using nuclear weapons on the magical people makes me have to go read Rommel's After the Storm again, as it's about exactly that.

And as usual, Charlie/Narcissa interaction makes me squee like a little school girl.

JBern replied:

Glad you continue to appreciate the story.   I hope my characterzations of Voldemort, Neville, Charlie and Narcissa continue to stick with you long after the story ends.~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Saturday 29th December 2007 7:50pm

Loved the sorting hat song.

JBern replied:

Thanks.   I put a good deal of effort into it.~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Saturday 29th December 2007 7:29pm

Alright! There's some of the Charlie/Narcissa content I've been craving!

Also, Neville's badassery has also started. Excellent. I do feel bad for Goyle, though. Terrible way to go.

JBern replied:

Death by gillyweed.   Not the first deat and not the last.~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Friday 28th December 2007 8:06pm

Your inclusion of the paintings into the fray were inspired. I loved how the Harry/Snape showdown was more of a battle, rather than the kind of formal duel it's always made out to be. Harry going a wee bit insane at the end makes me worry a bit, though...

JBern replied:

I wanted that Harry/Snape fight to be a back alley brawl.   Not some "foolish wand waving."

Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Friday 28th December 2007 7:44pm

Dammit, you just love cliffhangers, don't you? Looking forward to the coming confrontation, I really am. I'm a little shocked at Dobby's sudden death. I could see it coming, but damn, something about that little guy just tugs at my heartstrings. I'm not as sorry for Sturgis, he went out a way any man would want to. To quote Futurama, "Death by Snu-Snu!"

I really hope that you don't have Lavender killed off. I see it coming... and I really don't want it to happen. :( She's one of my favorite tertiary characters.

JBern replied:

At least you don't have to wait for the conclusion of the cliff hangers.   Lavender amused me in this story.~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Friday 28th December 2007 6:57pm

Loved it. First time I've ever read about a bond between Harry and the Dementors. Rita's part in this chapter and her article were also very enjoyable.

I feel sorry for Emmeline/Hestia/Fleur. Whatever it is that Mulciber is doing to them... I can't be all that pleasant. Let's just hope that it's reversible.

JBern replied:

Since   I didn't use Horcruxes in this story, I looked for a different way for Voldemort to have cheated death.   In this case, I chose a deal with the Dementors.~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Friday 28th December 2007 5:29pm

Jesus christ that was great. Angry Harry really agrees with me. I was also laughing quite hard at the thought of Harry and Voldemort sitting down and having a chat.

Best chapter so far, I'd say. Though Hagrid's death comes damn close.

JBern replied:

Glad you liked the resolution of Peter's life debt.~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Friday 28th December 2007 5:12pm

Those Abbott sisters piss me off.

Such a smart plan, though we've still got a round twenty chapters to go... something tells me it doesn't work out as planned. :)

JBern replied:

Long way to go, huh.   Thanks for the reviews.~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Thursday 27th December 2007 7:08pm

Aha! Another cliche busted indeed! Though I am sort of disappointed that augmented Hagrid didn't get to stick around longer, I am content with how he went down. Like a badass. He will be missed.

So Voldemort's starting to worry about Harry... that could take away from the "take him down while he underestimates me" strategy. Though I doubt Harry can't come up with a new one. :)

JBern replied:

Hagrid likes to play with dangerous critters.   He had to have a darker side.~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Thursday 27th December 2007 6:50pm

Ohhhh ho ho, damn I'm looking forward to the next chapter. Rune-augmented axe-wielding Hagrid is awesome.

I can see Dumbledore's death looming over the horizon, though. Seems fitting, as he and Harry just got back on good terms. Though, you have busted a record number of cliches, perhaps the next one is that Dumbledore doesn't die in his first encounter with Voldie? I'll have to see, won't I?

JBern replied:

Oh darn, most of Dumbledore got out of that battle.   Better luck next time!~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Thursday 27th December 2007 6:28pm

First his parents, and now his would-be girlfriend brutally raped into near-insanity? Neville's going to go fucking NUTS.

JBern replied:

Nice to see you spotted this ahead of time.   You also forgot that the rest of his family was killed off i chapter 5 and 6.~Jim

Brian Donnely posted a comment on Thursday 27th December 2007 6:06pm

Hm, interesting going over Greyback's past. Though all that backstory, interesting as it was, seemed to be kind of pointless, as he was killed soon after.

If Harry doesn't figure out a plan to save them both, I hope he chooses Luna purely on rational resoning. Sure, Fred's going to get tortured, but Luna would be getting tortured AND raped. Seems like she's getting the short of the stick.

Little taken aback over the death of George, and how quick it came about. But this is war, and characters don't get an invisible shield around them just because we like them.

JBern replied:

I was kind of doing the whole CSI beginning there where you get a snapshot of the victims life before it is brutally snuffed out.

Lee and Katie also got whacked.~Jim