This chapter is chilling, haunting. I lived in a small, rural, mid-west town where demon possession was more believed than mental illness. A girl the same age as myself was fighting deep depression, suicidal thoughts, and an eating disorder. Her parents believed their daughter was being attacked by a demon. The church, when asked, referred the parents to a reputable child psychologist for depression. The parents, of course, did not believe the church. They found an exorcist who claimed to once be a priest. A later investigation showed that the man never had been a priest. The girl was exorcised - with insults and being beaten by fists and feet. Although the girl was rescued she died of extreme bruising to her abdomen and internal bleeding. The girl was the first child this exorcist killed; he had brutalised nearly 7 other children while the parents watched.
This chapter is brutal but hardly impossible. You did a very good job. I wept for little Harry who is so charming and sweet... and innocent.
I have 6 cats... but I need a kneazle like Marlowe!
| Title: Essays
| 11 Nov 2016 10:23 pm
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| Reviewer: Fmh (Signed)
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Very insightful thank you
| Title: The Sorting
| 11 Nov 2016 10:03 pm
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| Reviewer: Fmh (Signed)
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Loved the start lots of questions and angst
I've read this before so this is my second time reading. You did such a beautiful job. The characters were always spot-on, and the children were wonderful. Even Hermione, so insufferable, at first, I grew to like her. Your portrayed Hermione not so much as a Muggleborn that wanted to fit in with witches and wizards but as a lonely child who simply wanted friends.
Brava!
As an unfortunate witness to an exorcism in 'The Bible Belt' of Missouri, I can tell you that this scene, as horrifying as you wrote it, does happen. Thankfully, what I saw what not this horrid, but I've never gone to church since. That was over 30 years ago.
Well done! Your writing is beautiful. It is a true joy to dine at your table of words so artfully prepared.
This was a wonderful, and totally terrifying story. It made me cringe, weep, and ultimately laugh in relief and joy.
Thank you for sharing your talent.
| Title: Epilogue: Malfoy Manor
| 25 Mar 2015 7:15 pm
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| Reviewer: tb_ll57 (Anonymous)
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Another excellent one. I enjoyed the familiar elements of many of the stories on this site twisted just enough with your unique imprint... Again you brought nuance and realism and let the pace control the slow awakening of a softer relationship between Snape and Harry, to considerable benefit. The Draco/Harry/Hermione threesome felt well-reasoned and worked as well if not better for me as the Harry/Ron/Hermione trio in the book, which had little reason other than coincidence to exist. You do such a great job of making every interaction deliberate and earned.
Dumbledore casting the killing curse! I gasped a little aloud at that! It does come right to the point, though I think he was patting himself on the back a bit too much for wishing Harry would live through it. It's both entirely plausible and surprisingly surprising-- in that so much of the books is actually quite implausible, stuffed with MacGuffins and quests and ridiculously symbolic games. Dumbledore cut right to the chase with that curse, but that you brought back the theme of Harry's basic goodness and forgiveness still allowing him final triumph over Voldemort, it was lovely. I am coming to think yours is the best kind of fanfiction; you build on something beloved, tease out small elements into larger motifs, and find your way back to the original just enough that we arrive at the ending newly informed and thoughtful.
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