David Thacker posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 1:20pm

Why dose portkey.org have more chapters than you have here?

seraph7221 posted a comment on Sunday 7th May 2006 1:08pm

This is great stuff...can we expect more soon?

Elizabeth Garcia posted a comment on Sunday 7th May 2006 5:01am

Well, this is my first review on this site. I read your story out of the whim of it, and I REALLY, REALLY like it so far. I like the background info that you have on Mr. Granger, it's awesome. :) Anyways, I just thought you should know I'm reading and liking what I'm reading. I guess... :/ I'm saying keep writing. lol. bye bye.

Donald McLeod posted a comment on Monday 1st May 2006 5:06am

I like the story with Hermione as Harry's love intrest. Fro me, they fit better than Ron and Hermione.

Manatheron posted a comment on Tuesday 25th April 2006 12:39pm

Hah!

Awesome! Out of courisity, when will the Paladin Program start going in full swing, and exactly when does harry start mongering spells in ernest?

Anaknisatanas posted a comment on Monday 24th April 2006 11:10am

I really enjoy this story. I love this plot and hope that you update very soon!

Frank Cadena posted a comment on Wednesday 19th April 2006 1:56pm

A very good chapter overall. Just a few mistakes you have to fix. You repeated the two paragraphs where Dumbledore asks Harry to expand the DA. Also, you wrote that Remus was unable to create a corporeal patronus. In PoA, Remus demonstrated that his patronus was the Full Moon. (A silver orb.) Those two were the only mistakes I could find that was obvious. I'm too lazy to nitpick. As lazy as I am to sign in to review :) Keep up the good work and I await the next chapter.

Ishtar posted a comment on Sunday 16th April 2006 5:11am

"If you remember, Harry, when Mr. Ollivander told you of the start of magic as we know it, his ancestor had to learn Latin. Almost all of our spells, charms, hexes, jinxes, and even curses use Latin as a basis for their expression. That realization, when I helped Mr. Ollivander with his inventory these many years ago, caused in me a lifelong fascination with the linguistics of magic."

I find this attitude to be remarkably limited and short-sighted. Surely Dumbledore isn't implying that nobody in the world did magic prior to the Roman Empire and the growth of Latin? Or that people in the Americas or Africa or Asia couldn't learn magic until someone brought Latin there? Or has Dumbledore fallen victim to the "not invented here" school of thought that says anything outside his own cultural experience doesn't count? It's especially obvious that this attitude is false given that he is clearly wrong on the origins of spells: "Avada Kedavra" is derived from Aramaic, a Semitic language; "Alohomora" is a combination of Hawaiian and Latin; "Anapneo" is Greek; and "Animagus" has a Persian root ... and that's just going through the A's of the Encyclopedia of Spells in the Lexicon.

A discourse on how if one is going to cast spells not in one's native tongue one should learn how to think in the foreign tongue would have been better here, I think. Have you ever read Poul Anderson's "Operation Chaos"? In that book, to be effective, spells had to be cast in a language that was strange to the caster, so American students learned Greek and Aramaic, while African students came to the U.S. to learn American slang ... That would have worked here, too.

Christopher Estep posted a comment on Saturday 15th April 2006 1:52am

Albus Dumbledore stoops to *blackmail*. (Not Harry, but *Vernon Dursley*.) Amazingly, it works. The amusing part is that *Petunia* is coming around to Harry's side. Meanwhile, the DA members foil several (in fact, *all*) the attempted dementor raids (which HAS to be driving a certain Dark Lord rather barmy). But *what* is Harry going to do about the *Hermione Situation*?

cmzanna posted a comment on Friday 14th April 2006 10:29am

this story continues to fascinate me - I enjoyed the first incarnation of it on its own, but this one, with the backstory, the plot and the twists -- I can't wait to see what will happen next!

Ken Warner posted a comment on Friday 14th April 2006 7:49am

excellent chapter - although I doubt that even having his nose rubbed in it like he did could cause Vernon to repent of this evil ways.
I do hope that Harry and Hermione get to chance to talkwhen neither is befuddled, and that it leads to the age appropriate snogging that they should be doing.

Thanks for your fine work - warmest regards

Christina C. Keimig posted a comment on Tuesday 11th April 2006 1:31pm

I love your Dumbledore...especially that last bit. Great so far, although it's a bit confusing trying to keep up with both versions...to read it all or not to read it all, that is the question. But then I'll miss out on something. Grrr!

Aaran St Vines replied:

Harry and Dumbledore will have difficulties along the way.   They will not break ranks or
be improbably simpatico.

I am attempting to draw out the distinctions between the chapters.

Cheers.

Manatheron posted a comment on Tuesday 11th April 2006 9:16am

... that is a rather evil place to stop you know.

Aaran St Vines replied:

I am not opposed to a cliffie at all.

Sonicdale posted a comment on Monday 10th April 2006 5:43am

Finally, some definition to the Paladin program.
A few notes:
Harry's reluctance to allow Slytherins into the program was a bit interesting.
Ron's reaction was nice to see as well.
The most poignant moment was with Mr. Granger and Harry's promising to not spare Hermione if need be. Nicely done.

Good work. Anxiously awaiting more!

Aaran St Vines replied:

The difficulties and benefits of Slytherins in the Paldin Program will be developed over the course of the tale.

Sacrifice in war is horridly tragic and yet, sometimes necessary.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

shlager_5321 posted a comment on Friday 7th April 2006 9:40am

great story so fat
update soon!!

Christopher Estep posted a comment on Friday 7th April 2006 8:24am

Percy Weasley wants to apologize (which explains Penelope's owl), and Ron is worried about offending Hermione. As bad as Ron is at Potions, he actually thinks that POTIONS are easier to understand than women.

Aaran St Vines replied:

The fairer sex can be confusing, even to those of us married for such a long time.   I'll be very happily married 25 years in December.

Ron can be quite sense, but he'll have his moments.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

PhoenixAnkaa posted a comment on Friday 7th April 2006 6:43am

I recently came upon this story and have been enjoying it immensely but I do admit to being a tad confused on one thing in particular. What exactly is the difference between "The Granger Defense" and Great Scott, Potter, This is War!"? I have not Read "Great Scott" but they seem very similar in form and story.

Keep up the excellent work.

Thanks
PA

Aaran St Vines replied:

Perhaps you've found that Great Scott and Granger Defense are H/G and H/Hr.   They start similar, but diverge quite a bit at times.

You may want to read my three Parallel Universe Explanatory Drabbles.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Christina C. Keimig posted a comment on Friday 31st March 2006 1:08pm

Very intense chapter. Such memories for Ted to deal with. Such things all our soldiers have to remember and deal with.

Aaran St Vines replied:

Thanks for seeing all of the implication of this chapter.

Manatheron posted a comment on Monday 27th March 2006 10:06am

Ooohh... that REALLY had to be hard for him to say.

Aaran St Vines replied:

I am glad you found this compelling.

Sonicdale posted a comment on Monday 27th March 2006 7:42am

Wow. I have been reading this - I saw it on another site. Good work. All around. The story Mr. Granger tells is riveting.

Good work again. I am reading all of your works and hoping to see more.

Aaran St Vines replied:

Thanks for being such an avid reader, and for reviewing so often.