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Reviews For The White Laird of the Mountains
I'm not so sure about Myrriden here though. Yeah, Harry hurt Severus and perhaps he shouldn't have, but I still think he had valid reason to be upset. It was just a bad situation all around, and it's too bad that Severus and Harry met right after Harry had learned the news. It would have been better if Harry had had some time to think it through, perhaps talk with Dumbledore, before he and Severus came face to face. Unfortunately for them both, that's not what happened. As for the rest of their history, Severus is more to blame for that than Harry, I think. He mocked and humiliated Harry from the very beginning, long before Harry had done anything to him. It's really no wonder that Harry disliked someone who was blatantly cruel and emotionally abusive to him, for no reason that he could see. Harry did not always behave well with Severus, certainly, but Severus is the one who began their enmity and as the adult and a professor, I can't help but place the blame on him. But I do feel badly for his pain. Severus is definitely hurting. Underneath his collected exterior, he's a mass of raw pain and insecurity. He's done all that he can to atone for the past, but he needs to forgive himself. Hopefully, Harry can help him to do this. I think if Harry forgives him, that that would mean a great deal to Severus. Looking forward to more! Author's Response: Thanks for the review. Yes, as an adult and a teacher, Severus should not have allowed Harry's physical resemblance to James to prejudice him against the child and, even if Harry had been a carbon copy of his father, Severus should have reacted proportionately. However, as you say, Severus did begin and perpetuate their enemity and, as the adult, he must be held almost entirely responsible. However, when I was crafting the character of Myrridin, I did not want to make the man a saint. This, of course, led to a quandary; what possible flaw could I give to a man who was brave. selfless, benevolent and strong enough to martyr himself? The answer was to make the ancient Headmaster a man who, in Dumbledore's words, 'had every virtue save compassion for the mistakes of others'. Moreover, as Myrridin is a guardian, he has a duty to protect his charges and, as Severus is, quite frankly, an emotionally immature, passionate and vulnerable man, Myrridin will not release him unless he knows, for certain, that Harry is mature enough to understand. Therefore, Myrridin charges Harry with his mistakes and does not allow extenuating circumstances, forcing the teenager to take full responsibility for his own actions. Of course this is unkind and unfair- as Harry and Dumbledore both comment- but a. I did not want to make Myrridin 2D, b. his fierce, unyielding and subtle nature make him a great guardian and c. there's a certain charm to giving Harry, whose challenges, thus far, have been suited to a Gryffindor, a task which relies on patience, guile and planning, all typically Slytherin skills!
I think Harry is a little hard on himself, but it is very in character for him to feel great remorse after hurting someone. I hope he can find Severus and the two of them make amends. Ah, Ron...well, he was certainly being an awful prat in the beginning, to even consider going to Rita Skeeter, but he doesn't deserve to be left to Voldemort's mercies! I hope Dumbledore and company can figure out how to save him. Author's Response: Thanks ^^. I knew that this particular plot device, Ron's decision to talk to Rita Skeeter, would be controversial, which is why I spent a good few paragraphs outlining his state of mind and also portrayed him as giving a long line of excuses; yes, Ron does know that what he's doing is wrong but he's hurt, angry and resentful. However, as you say, he doesn't deserve to be left with Voldemort.
Good chapter. Author's Response: Guilty as charged ;) I thought when I read the challenge that Harry, while rone to extremes of emotion, was not the type who would summon such a corridor because he's not one to hide; Harry always, always fights. Severus, on the other hand, is unstable- his bursts of agression seem rather akin to a tortured and traumatised animal who wants to scare potential tormentors away- and he's heartbroken and guilt-ridden over Lily. Therefore, I can imagine it's only force of will and his dignity that keeps Severus from hiding under the bed and, if something happened to cause an, albiet temporary, breakdown, his first instinct might be to hide, which is where the corridor comes in.
Author's Response: Thanks ^^ I thought it would be more natural that way- one cannot get over three years of mutual dislike in an hour, even if one wants to!
Author's Response: Thanks for the review. I know- I think we'll just have to rely on Harry, Severus and Aberforth's influence lol! Also, Hagrid probably wouldn't give Harry anything that would hurt Hedwig.
Author's Response: Thanks for the review. Yes, if cerebral people are pushed far enough, they can lash out in a rather surprising way lol!
Author's Response: Thanks for the review. I think Harry and Severus really needed to be forced, by events, into sharing a hobby they both loved, without an audiuence of minideatheaters, to actually engage
Author's Response: Thanks for the review. I think the snake-terms can, actually, stand alone if the reader dislocates their mind and thinks like a snake. However, as a matter of policy, I give translations; some people are intellectually lazy, others simply enjoy reading dictionaries lol! I use snake-terms because, as a linguist, I know that, even if one has a direct translation, it is not always immediately understandable; all cultures have idioms, the meanings of which are not immediately clear, and all languages have words which cannot be directly translated (an example is 'miko' which, yes, means 'priestess' but has other, very important connotations which would be lost if 'priestess' were used). As I delved deeply into 'snake culture' in one of my other stories, I thought I'd use the 'snake terms' in this because, actually, a lot of reviewers have told me that they really love my version of parseltongue- until now I've not had a negative response.
Author's Response: Thanks ^^ I love writing Aberforth; he's like Albus is some ways, i.e. he's brave, warmhearted and noble, but totally unlike him in others, e.g. the man's gruffer than a goat, cynical and painfully honest. |
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