|
|
Reviews For Lily's Charm: The Gift
Good lord, where do I start? This chapter was so calming and subtle, yet there were so many things implied that ripped my emotions to shreds. Did you intend for that to happen? *shakes head* You're tearing me up with this story, Tabitha. I'm pulp. One of the things I love (and appreciate) so much about your version of Severus is that he still retains his stony facade (often feigned harshness)...whatever you want to call it...when he speaks with Narcissa about Draco's betrayal. He was so protective of Harry in that scene, I just wanted to melt. And throw my arms around him..jostling him and telling him what a good dad he is. LOL. That would go over well, I'd imagine... But one of my most treasured moments of this chapter was when Severus held Harry's face in his hands to analyze his storm. The whole storm/flame connection they have is brilliant by the way, and I don't think I've told you that before... "Do not hide from me. The gentle command confirmed the fear that was now ringing sharply on the surface of the obsidian pools. Harry swallowed once more, either from guilt or because he felt overwhelmed by the rush of emotions he could feel radiating from his father; he wasn’t certain. He nodded though, thoroughly meaning the promise, and Severus’ rough fingers pressed against his skin, very lightly, before they pulled away." **This scene was so straight-forward, but Severus has a way of being commanding and gentle at the same time (hence the gentle touch of 'rough' fingers on Harry's face). This small moment right here was the ultimate confirmation of trust. And I adored it. Quite brilliant, I must say. (How's my attempt at being British coming, by the way...still acceptable?) Okay, and then your characterization of Ginny... She's a solid, static character, but you don't make her out to be too valiant...or too stubborn, and I could hug you for that. Ginny started out as one of my favorite characters in canon, and I just thought it was disappointing that we didn't get to see more in-depth scenes between Harry and her. So this story, of course, makes up for that. Yay, you :) I really meant it when I said that you had worked out the discussion about Draco very nicely. Severus' assurance that Lucius will not "beat Draco" really confirmed the whole idea that Lucius is not abusive, mainly because I trust Severus in this story. And if he tells Harry just that, then Harry can't help but believe him. I also thought it was interesting that you mentioned James and Sirius having been punished like that. It's easy to forget that they came from Pure-blood families as well. And I have a hard time believing that James' father (who unfortunately was never named..lol) would have let James get away with so much mischief unpunished. And finally, do I even need to say how much I wanted to rip out the last two paragraphs from the screen and cry over them? Damn, that was a beautiful moment. And no one writes those tender Sev/Harry moments like you ;) Congrats on another fabulous chapter. This story is shaping up to be something really special, and I can't wait to see what you have in store for it. By the way, can we just take a *moment* for the new Harry/Ginny poster? Yeah...it's pretty much the crap. Go, Cathy, go! LOL. Oh, how I love LC. Author's Response: Thanks Jade! And thanks again for helping me that scene. I actually really like it now. LOL It was all about contrasts. Sev vs. Lucius. Draco vs. Harry Love vs. Hate Gentle vs. Harsh Well, yeah, you get the idea. LOL Well, yeah, I do sorta enjoy making people into mush. LOL I really enjoy the fire/storm parts. They are some of my favorites. And Severus, well dear Severus--for me, he's not all cold and horrible, but he has a mask. To cover himself and keep himself hidden from almost everyone. And even Dumbledore, who knows him so well, he hides from him, though he knows Dumbledore sees through him. He just can't bear to be seen for who he really is because quite frankly, he doesn't like who he is. Even after all this time, he won't forgive himself for his past sins. It's really quite tragic and sad and I have to admit...I love to write it. LOL And you're British is great. :oP The relationship between Sev and Harry here is one I am really proud of. Sev does have a special way with Harry by now. I love how you put it--gentle and commanding. That's him to a tee. I"m glad you like Ginny here. She's really the rock for Harry. The presence that eases his mind. I had a lot of fun with those scenes of their budding romance. LOL And no, I don't think Lucius is abusive here. I see him as a very harsh man and yet he loves his son. And Draco loves him back. They are mired in a world where expectations are everything. And they know nothing else. Lucius was treated the same way and unless something changes for Draco, draco will carrry on those same rigid pureblood traditions. And as i said, I was trying to illustrated differences with that scene. It was fun to write as well. Oh, the whole chapter was fun. Poor James. LOL I think his father wouldn't have been harsh, like Lucius. But Sirius' certainly would have been. I think his father even worse than Lucius in a lot of ways. Thanks Jade so much. I'm so happy you liked the chapter and for your wonderful compliments and yes, Cathy is awesome. I love that Harry/Ginny poster. *sigh*
Author's Response: Thanks! I will update soon. Glad you enjoyed it. :o)
Author's Response: LOL Thanks! :o) Glad to hear!
The imagery of the storm, the fire and the ice remains so hauntingly real. As Severus looks at Harry's memories, it's as if I can "feel" the ice as it continues to show its chilling presence. As in here: "This is burying you," the fire disagreed. "I could have helped you." The flames felt doused with ice again at the pain radiating in furious waves through the storm." I suddenly felt doused with ice too - the words paint such a picture. And Severus telling Harry: "And we will deal with it together. You do not have to do anything alone. Not ever again." Oh, big lump in the throat on that one. And an even bigger one when Sev sat and thought on the previous night's events and showed how vunerable and hurting he was...as much as Harry. These lines brought it all home as to how he felt: "For the pain and guilt the void had soaked him in. For the things he didn't wish to remember. For things he would never allow himself to forget..." Wow. This was telling of that same headspace too, I think, when he addressed Narcissa: "...but he wasn’t willing to leave Harry alone at the moment. (Not just for the moment...) And man, can Severus spew venom! When he told Narcissa she could bring Draco back to school in no uncertain terms he was fierce. "He betrayed my son." Oh, Draco...I'd hate to be you in potions class from here on out. Ginny and Harry are adorable. I can't say more. Oh, never mind, I will at the end. Harry's wanting to keep his promise to Draco has me curious. Is it just in his nature to be so forgiving? Or is feeling that way because of own current traumatized headspace? He even seemed to surprise himself. Hmmm.... "I really do worry about you, you know" was my FAVORITE line. And Severus accepting it was perfect. Go to bed, boys, and hopefully you'll feel a bit better before you have to go talk to Scrimgeour. I hope Sev hexes him if he gets out of line with Harry. Sigh...loved the dialogue. I know I said it earlier; it bears repeating. And the hug for this chapter goes to GINNY! A first time, I think. Because she called it Severus' attention that Harry was experiencing something more than fatigue, and was just "there" because Harry needed her to be with her presence alone, never asking for more. I have a feeling this is a lull before the next storm. I'm battening down the hatches. Author's Response: I'm glad you still enjoy the fire/storm interactions. I love writing that so much. it's one of my favorite parts. Severus really is suffering here, in a way even more than Harry. as you noticed with all those horrors that were brought back to his attention with Voldemort's taunts. Cause, see...Harry can let that go more easily now than he could before he has evidence that Severus loves him, even though they had a hard history together. Severus though has to continually deal with the feelings of guilt and remorse. And even though he knows that Harry forgives him, he really doesn't forgive himself and then almost losing Harry. Again. Well that was just too much for him. He's suffering, no doubt about that. LOL I love venon-spewing Sev. He's just fun. LOL No, you wouldn't want to be Draco. hee hee Yes, I do believe those two are quite adorable. Another part I just love to write. I think Harry has been surprising himself all along as it regards Draco. I'm lazy so I'll paste a reply to another review on ff.net about this same issue: maybe it's easier to understand if you remember that only a day ago, Harry was certain he was about to die. So he knows what Draco has had to endure for months now, with the threat of death hanging over him and then to have the DEs come and tell Draco Voldemort is ready to torture and kill him, well Harry can understand that. He's seen his father being tortured and was quite ready to die himself by Voldemort's hand. And Harry knows Draco is weak. It's not that he really say, oh well, Draco is wonderful and I will let everything slide, it's just that he has empathy for the kid and he doesn't want him to be without a father, even if Lucius is a jerk. He knows what it feels like to a lose a father as well. I don't know. I see Harry as being amazingly emphathetic. And you have to remember too that Lucius SAVED Severus on Halloween. And he tried to save them again with Voldemort. So Harry has a mixed up gratitude for him. Harry also can forgive. He forgave everyone else. And don't worry. Lucius and this issue will crop up again. Awww. you picked out all my favorite lines of the chapter. I love when you do that. A Ginny hug! YAY. And she did call it to Sev's attention and she did it in such a gentle and loving way without being know it all-ish like other friends. LOL I love Hermione, but the girl's too pushy. And yes, you should batten down those hatches. :oP
Author's Response: Thanks! It's really fun to write this budding romance between Harry and Ginny. I'm glad you enjoyed that as well as the rest of the chapter and thanks so much for the review, Silver! :o)
Great, great chapter.
I felt really bad for both Harry and Severus again here...all the wildly swinging emotions and both of them so exhausted and worn out, and probably not even really knowing how they feel a lot of time. But at the same time, it really does wear on your nerves to be around someone experiencing that, and with both of them in a similar condition, it's no wonder they're impatient with one another. But I loved the ending of this chapter, where they can both calm down a bit, and explain things to one another. (I was feeling a little frustrated with Sev myself about the not sleeping, but when he explained about his nightmare, that really broke my heart. He does feel things so deeply and almost losing Harry forever, in such a horrific way, has to have shaken him as nothing has before). It was wonderful to see them reaffirm how much they love one another (as if there could be any doubt), and even be able to lighten the mood a little bit. And who cares if their relationship is never 'typical'? What is a 'typical' relationship anyway? Their relationship is so amazing, so rich and so heart-warming, because they can be so close and open with each other. They've both been isolated and starved for love and affection for too long...they truly need one another, and I for one am glad to see that they've finally found each other and can heal their wounds. It was good to see Harry's friends again, too! Author's Response: YAY Remus and Tonks!!! YAY!!! And yep, you'll see the wedding. How could I not? We missed it in canon; it's definitely happening here! This was one of the most difficult chapters for me of all LC. They are both sort of out of character here with all that is going on in their heads and it was hard to make Severus snappish toward Harry when he hasn't been in so long. It was draining. LOL I know! Poor Sev with his nightmares but at least he admitted it to Harry. And that's just one of the examples of how their relationship isn't normal. They can share with each other and especially Sev. Be vulnerable with Harry like no one since Lily. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. And you're right. No relationship is typical. They do need each other. I'm glad they found each other as well. YAY. thanks for the review!
The beginning is wonderful, how you opened with Lily and Severus finding the house at Godric's Hollow, so happy and excited about the future and raising a family...and then the flash forward to the present with the ruined shell. It was a jolt, and a reminder that even though Voldemort is gone and the Death Eaters defeated (for the most part, I suppose), that there are still losses and some things can never be recovered. I could so sympathise with Harry...only a short while ago he was caught in a battle for his very soul, and of course his emotions are going to be raw and all churned up...and Severus' too, though perhaps he can handle it slightly better due to age, experience, and his own different personality. The poor guys are just really still all torn up and need quiet time to recover. Of course the reporters would pick just the wrong time to turn up...don't they always? But it makes me angry for both Harry and Severus, that they can't even have some privacy to heal their wounds, to grieve for the lost, without the press trying to exploit it all. It sounds like they both might have some difficulty adjusting to the world post-Voldemort, and I look forward to seeing what you have in store! Author's Response: Thanks Kristeh! I love writing Lily and Severus so much. They are just fun. And it is pretty horrible all that changed for them, when they could have been so happy. *snif* They are both torn up and both of them are suffering. It will take them time to work through it. I don't think they're gonna get much quiet time however... The press will turn up more and make things even more difficult. They always do, you're right. I'm glad you're excited for the sequel. Thanks so much for reviewing. I love to hear from you. :o)
Author's Response: Thanks so much. So glad you enjoyed that. :o)
FYI-I've updated, so if you're in the mood for some major emotional angst and drama . . .check it out. Author's Response: Thanks, Snapegirl! I need to read a bunch of chapters of Never Again. I've been a slacker and sick lately, so sorry about that. But, I will get to it! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this chapter. :o) And you're right. All parents and children have issues so it's no surprise these two do as well. :o) |
|
Powered by eFiction 3.5 |