Evan Mayerle posted a comment on Thursday 1st February 2007 12:06am

About those spells on the coach, if Harry figures out a way to make them last for several hours without any further input, the UK MOD, as well as other national defence establishments, would pay him quite handsomely for his services. In combination with natural methods of signature reduction, it could do wonders for "stealth" and associated combat and reconnaisance capabilities. *smile* I should know, I've worked a number of low-observables programs over the years.

Patches posted a comment on Tuesday 30th January 2007 4:41pm

I am really enjoying these stories. I like them both but I am a pretty solid H/G fan. I like the way Ginny sticks up for Harry's ideals and doesn't argue with him about everything the way Hermione does. I also enjoy the contrast so please continue with both stories. I really liked the Vampire negotiations. That was great. I like Fudge looking like a fool, however he is really going to be insufferable over this one because Harry didn't make him look good. I'm glad Dumbledore told Harry about the island where so many suffered and died. It explains a lot about Dumbledore and why he is the way he is. I think it also made Harry feel better about forgiving Dumbledore. I am glad Dumbledore comforted Harry after the negotiations. That would be a hard thing for anyone to get through not to mention a 16 year old who already feels the weight of the world on his shoulders. That was a great description of Harry protecting the Vampire's after one had almost bitten him. What a great scene. Please keep writing. I really want to read the "rest of the stories." You are doing a great job. Thanks. pms

Rich posted a comment on Tuesday 30th January 2007 11:04am

Not really got time to write much (its now 1 am and i have a 9 oclock lecture tomorrow morning!)
But just wanted to quickly post and say how ive enjoyed this chapter, the historical background was excelent as usual, and the politics very well done.

Loving this more frequent update pace :) and really look forward to the next chapted.

Jason9 posted a comment on Tuesday 30th January 2007 5:53am

Just wanted to get caught up on reviews if I haven't already. I may have already reviewed this chapter, but I can't remember, so I'll do it again. I never realized that there was such prejudice and hate against Christians in fanfic. This is currently my most checked for updates fanfic, and Kokopelli is one of my all time favoirite authors, who doesn't update NEARLY enough. To hear that the both of you suffer the absolute idiocy of such closed-minded bigotry is upsetting to me to say the least. I thought it was bad enough that I'm told constantly by my pastor and other christian friends that I shouldn't expose myself to the "sin" that these types of stories represent, but to be kicked off what I thought was a respectable fanfiction site upsets me greatly. Personally I have been working on a very religiously heavy fanfic, and was about to start trying to get it posted now that I am approaching completion, and I'd always hoped to be able to start a correspondance with other authors who shared the same views and values that I do. Now I'm concerned that my story will be denied and removed because of its focus on Christianity. If you ever need someone to rant at about people giving you a hard time about your beliefs, feel free to contact me, I attend a University that has a disturbingly small number of active Christians for such a large school. Unfortunately, what we seem to have an abundance of are people willing to belittle us, tear us down, and try to corrupt and pull good people into doing disturbing things. I try to remain open-minded in all things, but I'm starting to get sick of the anti-christian attitude that seems to be everywhere now. So please, continue writing your stories with as much faith as you feel, and know that you'll always have a reader in me.

-J

speedy_86 posted a comment on Tuesday 30th January 2007 1:35am

Hey there fabulous chapter, I love the way you write.

Concerning your rant at the end of this chapter...well I understand you. I may not be overly religious and in my opinion everyone is free to believe whatever they want as long as they don't act on the more violent manifestations, like the satanism you mentioned, which in some extreme cases asks for lives to be taken etc. Additionally everyone who thinks pentagrams are satanic symbols should visit wikipedia and take a look.

Well thats my 2 cents referring to your rant.

Keep up the good job and don't let idiots like those on this other site bother you, they just don't know what they're missing.


Greets

speedy

Matt T posted a comment on Monday 29th January 2007 9:00pm

Hey, nothing against the use of religion.... hey, if it gives some of the characters more depth without fundamentally changing their personalities, i'm all for it. If you make Voldemort a catholic priest with a prediliction for youngsters, we might have a problem, but till then keep up your excellent work so far. Oh, one quibble.... the satanists corrupted a perfectly respectable symbol of the "pagan" faiths, and are usually represented by an inverted or irregular pentagram. Just in case it comes up as a plot point in future, consider this an extinguisher for any future flames :P

Kal posted a comment on Monday 29th January 2007 4:56pm

Wonderful and fantastic! I love your charaters, and your ideas. Love your Ginny -- she is good for Harry, and your Remus is quite sweet. I thought that your concept of ADs fixation on the good in everyone is a very unique take, and one much more paletable than the manipulative basterd angle that is rampid in fanfiction (not that a good manipulative!Dumbeldore isn't a fun read...) that still explains SO much of the unexplainable in cannon. Bravo! Your vamps are a blast and I love it whenever Fudgy get's his. I look forwards to reading many more wonderful chappies!


And I truly delighted in the rant at the end! So terribly true! Thank you for continuing this enteraining and well written story.

Viv posted a comment on Monday 29th January 2007 2:58pm

Let me start this off with an expression of my gratitude. I've been reading your story since about chapter three, on various sites, and was terribly excited to find your name listed here on FFA. You do not just play at writing; you are a writer. This is story is possibly the most finely crafted and well thought out piece I have read in Harry Potter fan fiction, and certainly better than much original published prose.

I love your characterizations. This is the Harry I have long pictured, the idea of Harry that first sent me searching into fan fiction. Your Dumbledore as well feels both the most human and most realistic I've read. Your mention in this chapter of his bout with madness throws all of his actions into a new light. Further, I love how you handle the house elves. They are more complex as characters than most give them credit for, and your deft handling of this truly adds to the story.

Also, I love the bits of history you've thrown in. The history of the vampires and the Spell Mongers, the vivid anecdotes like that Apparation and Apparition; these are the pieces that allow readers to feel as though they are peeking into another world, into characters lives. I have never encountered this sort of almost casual indulgence in back story before in fan fiction.

So overall, thank you. While there are parts I sometimes feel ring a little clichéd, and other portions where the transformations and conversations seem a bit contrived, I have come to rub my hands in glee whenever I encounter another update of your story. It was a treat to find another so quick on the heels of the last, and I eagerly await the next. Thank you for the time and effort you’ve put into this story. It’s appreciated.

I'm sorry that you've received flames on the religious content of your stories. Though a (perhaps ironically) devout atheist myself, I try to respect the beauty and intent behind all religions. Your inclusion of religion in this story doesn't bother me at all. It meshes well with the story; it isn't simply thrown in because you yourself might feel inclined toward those beliefs. I ask, however, that you don't judge all us secularists too harshly. As bloody religious wars, on behalf of most all faiths, can attest, extremism in any sense is debilitating. And calling for an exorcism of any religious reference from the public forum is exactly that: secularist extremism. Just know we don’t all seek that same end.

Viv

harryp123 posted a comment on Monday 29th January 2007 1:28pm

Good chapter. Can't wait to read what the next chapter.

Aaron Blackwell posted a comment on Monday 29th January 2007 10:04am

This was a wonderful chapter. I enjoy all that you write Aaran. You have a wonderful talent. I look forward to more of this.

Tumshie posted a comment on Monday 29th January 2007 9:29am

Wow, what a fantastic chapter. I'm not sure if I've reviewed on here before, if I haven't I apologise for not doing so, but I have to thank you for your wonderful, original story. I hope your muse stays active and encourages you to continue with your writing.

Jarrod posted a comment on Monday 29th January 2007 7:42am

Awesome story and excellent chapter. The more elements pulled in (eg. religion, science, history) make them simply more appealing and a much more full read. Thanks and keep it up.

Cliff Bryner posted a comment on Monday 29th January 2007 5:55am

Dear Aaran St. Vines,

This chapter was marvelous. I feel I could read it a dozen times and learn something each time. It makes me want to read more history, a class wherein I was rather mediocre. I have no critcisms at all. Well, perhaps that you write in-frequently. I watch with baited breath for the next instalment.

Ciao.

tula posted a comment on Monday 29th January 2007 4:07am

Nice chapter, i like the difference between ginny/hermione in your two different versions.
Now let's talk about religion in HP for a bit:
The Potterverse as written by JKR is RIPE with religious symbols. Obviously many of those symbols are featured prominently in the common Myths also, but if you read the books carefully you can easily see the close connection to Religion also.
Sirius Black is Harry's Godfather. While the title of Godfather is also sometimes used for a Guardian (mostly by people influenced strongly by the Hollywood Film ;)) it is most of all a religious title. Being jewish instead of Anglican Faith i have no real idea if the title is even used in that church, but a truly secular couple DOES NOT DESIGNATE A GODFATHER!
So please take your idle flames elsewhere and get a clue, if you detest religion in fanfiction then don't read it, but don't try to come off as holier than thou since quite simply put, THIS is what fanfiction is about, expanding elements featured in the original.

Oh one last comment about the Pentagram:
A Pentagram is a symbol representing an occult worldview outlawed by the medieval christian church. As such it has been "adopted" by the Satanists. The reason why the medieval church outlawed it, is actually pretty complicated and has little to do with satan and much more to do with the missconceptions of the "female" in the medieval church. Therefor it is a very logical symbol to use in combination with magic since the more occult worldview fits quite a lot better than the rather strict catholic worldview.

Now that i have gone off my soapbox, let me just repeat that i love your story (very much so including the fact that you integrate religion) and hope that you continue writing it :D

Gardengirl posted a comment on Monday 29th January 2007 1:57am

Well said, Aaran, and nicely backed up, Kokopelli! I see no reason to leave Christianity out, and many reasons to include it in our fan fiction. I'm glad I'm not alone in doing so!!!

Oh, and I enjoyed the negotiations as well. It's always nice to see Fudge thwacked.

Keep the updates coming, please?

mad_maudlin posted a comment on Sunday 28th January 2007 3:56pm

In regards to your end author note I simply say Bravo! I am not a christian and at best could charitably call my self agnostics or on my bad days an out an dout atheist. However nothing annoys me more than when someone rights a truly entertaning story like yours then people complain because the don't like the religous leanings or this and that. Forgive the phrase but "MY God,' what a bunch of idiots. Just because an author expressees a religous belief in a story dosen't mean jack. If it bothers you that much then stop reading. Me personanlly, I can't stand slash stories. So I simply don't read them. I don't demand the author change them. I certainly don't complain that the author is trying to force homosexuality upon me. I except the simple fact that fanfic writers don't get paid to do so. So I in turn have no right to complain about their work.
As a friend of mine once told me, " To have the right to complain about something, One must first have paid the price to open your mouth."
So if anyone that reads this wants to order any of the fanfic writers out their to do something. I say they should first have to pay a quarter for every thing they want changed. And that quarter buys them the right to have the author actually read their complaint.

Jeff1 posted a comment on Sunday 28th January 2007 3:05pm

Great chapter. I must say that I love the addition of Christ to the Harry Potter world. More than once I have wanted to write a story melding my faith and the Potterverse, but find I lack the talent. Thanks for writing this story and please keep it coming.

Ken Warner posted a comment on Sunday 28th January 2007 2:57pm

Whether or not the story is "spicy" is of no consideration as to the quality of story telling, plot, sheer skill and dialogue which entertains and feels as though one is eavesdropping on real conversations. Please ignore the critics, and know that I for one, very much enjoy and appreciate your writing, and knowing that I can give it to my sub teen daughter or my clergyman with being ashamed or worried.
thanks so much for sharing your skills and interests in such an excellent manner.
warmest regards

Mickey posted a comment on Sunday 28th January 2007 2:21pm

Very nice. I especially liked your descriptions of Christianity in the HP universe, despite the fact I do not believe Christianity would have as central a position as a religion in the Wizarding world as you and Kokopelli seem to hold. I did find Harry's conversation with the Headmaster somewhat stilted but I suppose that might be simply the two of them trying to work out their new relationship.

Mickey

P.S
Who's the third author who tries to accuratly enter Christianity in their stories?

NuvaChaos posted a comment on Sunday 28th January 2007 2:06pm

This was a very good chapter in a very good story. Although I'm not religious myself, I don't really understand why anyone would flame someone for putting religion into a fanfic. The heavier philosophy among Christianity and other religions is something that I don't really enjoy reading in fanfic stories, so I tend not to read those ones. In the case of this story though, I don't think that religion has actually played that major a role, and in some senses it even seems reasonable to include it. There are many novels and fanfics out there that inlcude Holy Magic, or magic based on prayer as a reasonable type of magic, and I have absolutely no problem with that. If other faiths have magical symbols that are used, then there is no reason that Christianity should not. That being said, I'm certainly no expert on any religion and I hope I've not offended anyone.