carolebear posted a comment on Friday 31st May 2013 11:58pm

So now, you have officially become the Evil Author you keep claiming to be. *sniff* It's not enough pain in their lives to lose George? Now we will not only lose Fred, but Dumbledore, too? And how can the Pack get Draco back, when all his memories have been so twisted by Malfoy's spell?

I can't say that I understand what Snape was telling the Bloody Baron. I get that he was keeping him from causing mental mayhem with one of the students (who?), but how did he get that authority? Was the Baron the same person he was in canon?

I'm sure I will have more questions, but ow I know that I can review again if I need to.

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Well, there's a secret about Draco. It's hinted at in chapter 30, and we'll learn more as the story goes on! It was the Smythe family Snape was stopping the Bloody Baron from harassing, and he has that authority because he is the living Head of Slytherin House. The Baron may have been somebody important in his lifetime (and was, at least in DV), but now that he's dead, he's just another ghost.

callie posted a comment on Friday 31st May 2013 10:08pm

No not Fred too!!!!!!!!!!

loved the bit about draco's broom

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Yeah, sorry. Going to be awesome if that's any consolation...

kendiara posted a comment on Friday 31st May 2013 8:17pm

God didn't need that last bit, but it makes to much sense...

I kinda love and hate you all at the same time..

Anne B. Walsh replied:

*takes bow, ducks*

ccarter posted a comment on Friday 31st May 2013 4:40pm

Wow, great chapter, as usual. Never thought of the twins as completely connected as such. I hope the interaction with Snape and the Baron means they are that much closer to realizing he is Salazar Slytherin?

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Oh, Snape knows it already. And the twins, even in canon, never struck me as quite so identical as everybody seemed to think. Not in personality, anyway.

MLM97 posted a comment on Friday 31st May 2013 3:33pm

Feels like a transitional chapter, but a good one. Nice call-back to Draco and Seamus in DwD, and an interesting development of the 'mirror twin' approach. (I remember seeing it in SarahTheBardess's stories, and it was thanks to her that I found your work.) And I thought there was something beginning between Percy and Crystal.

Two stray thoughts: Looking back over the the dialog from Luna's vision in FD Chapter 3, it makes just as much sense--if not more so--if there's been a switch between who's buried in the grave and who's approaching Luna, a la the Crouch family (both in canon and in FD). And I just realized last night that there are two possible ways to read "And lion's line contine must/ere elder serpent's falls to dust," and while everyone in-story and in real life has been reading it one way, you've seeded just enough possibilities for the other to be true . . .

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Geez, SarahtheBardess. Now there's a piece of history. (And one of my own personal secrets never told... more or less.) Nicely spotted on your stray thoughts -- hold onto them, they might well be important!

Erika Shulkusky posted a comment on Wednesday 29th May 2013 3:22pm

Holy moly, how are you going to get him out of that one?! You ARE going to get him out and back to the Pack, eventually, yes?????? I know he was supposed to die but this is worse than death!! Sigh..... well, I can only hope that the love he had for the Pack and they for him will triumph in the end. I look forward to the next chapter, as always!

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Oh, maybe, maybe I will. And he might still die. We shall see, we shall see!

tangentsferret posted a comment on Tuesday 28th May 2013 7:37pm

Life is full of chaos. This chapter is full of happy, and of sad, and of really truly awful. You write it well, as always. Well enough that I can barely stand to read some of it, which I suppose is, in it's own way, high praise.

Bought Cat Tales for my Kindle. Finished it this morning before work, and then discovered that I could not figure out how to leave a review either here, or at Amazon, on the mobile site, and Amazon is blocked at work, which is both awful and deeply stupid in my opinion.

Enjoyed all the stories. Had fun with the Legendbreakers based one matching the names to the people.

However, "Music Hath Charms"? Lovelovelovelove horribly curious what happens next can there be more tomorrow plz? I usually try really hard not to be all "More soon please" because I know it is annoying and I promise not to do it again except in the Amazon review where I am headed next, but it was just so INTERESTING! Very much looking forward to the whole book advertised as coming along later. (I think it was the sociology and the semantics. They speak to my Inner Geek.)

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Amen on chaos. So glad you liked Cat Tales! Yes, Killdeer is in process. Part Two, with Suncrest and Duskdance, is finished (mostly) and Parts Three and Four are planned but yet to be written.

oddlyalli posted a comment on Friday 24th May 2013 10:30am

"For Champions, Heirs, and Consorts all / Shall gather ere the darkness fall. / A long-awaited night of pain / Brings dreadful loss, yet also gain;" So, everyone's gonna be back together--whoo!

"Despite the words, the theft, the flight, / A secret hope hides in the light." Draco's gonna have to do some specific worrying things once he's installed as Lucius so as not to raise suspicion (but will he be completely back to himself by then?).

"But some things, do not seek to hold;" could mean Draco or the Deathly Hallows, or, combined with the line below, a battleground. "There is no shame in planned retreat, / To twine and trap your foeman's feet."

"The castle's yours, no matter who / May seek to lord it over you, / So let them think they've conquered, yet / Await the night your path was set, / O Man Who'd Win:" aka, Halloween's gonna be awesome.

"Your strangest gift" is likely Draco, so he'll be right by then, at least.

"As part of this, two Heirs must choose: / Their powers, or their cause, to lose?" Party pooper. So, probably Harry the Gryffindor, and if you're going for the poetry, Snape should help Meghan.

"The blood of wolves will change the game," you'll finally explain Voldemort's Remus obsession, "As will the things that night does name;" Whoo! Luna and Draco will rock.

"The queens shall ride the lion bold;" You and your Narnia imagery..."Glad hope, bright peace, you shall behold; / And black to red and red to brown / Shall surely bring the darkness down." Peter and Evanie will have twins whose names mean hope and peace? Or this is just the wrap-up, keep-your-chin-up bookend. That, or because of the Founders' "no repeats" rule, those colors indicate something else this time, in which case there's too much red for my comfort.

I'm only okay with the end of this chapter because I know his getting out of it will be amazing. So, yeah. Go be amazing.

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Oh yes, Halloween WILL be awesome. :-P to the party pooper comment. No, Peter and Evanie won't be having twins... but there WILL be babies whose names mean those two things! And the colors are still hair... but none of them are the same people they were the first time. Nor are the relationships romantic. More like protective...

carolebear posted a comment on Thursday 23rd May 2013 9:26pm

Thanks for getting rid of that monstrous review.so I could do this right.

Aargh! Again, you rip my heart right out with that last part. All the possibilities inherent in your AU's keep coming to mind, and I am really starting to confuse some of them with DV main, especially since many of them seem like perfectly valid ways this story could go.. Draco's new 'reality' is yet another one, set right out in the middle of this story. (" Oblivians torquere " to twist or turn the memories?) The ripple of air, which is not Neville, still must be someone friendly to the cause, or at least to Draco. (Who else has an invisibility cloak? Why didn't Daddy dearest see or hear him? A house elf? Dobby?) In a way, this evil memory spell is protecting Draco, because he won't be constantly baiting Lucius. Danger and Remus said Draco would be protected; who told them that? (Or where can I look it up for myself; was it in the last couple of chapters?) I have pretty much decided that Luna's vision WILL come true, but their potion that they (now only Luna) are brewing will cause the vision to mean something very different from what we originally thought, and one of the "possible" future-takes will come to pass. I’m so excited about SD being available for purchase — it will make things so much easier in my reread. I asked for FD for my birthday, but forgot to give out the link until 2 days ago, so my present will be last (it’s this Sunday).

What is happening with Evanie and Peter? Will we hear more from them?

Could you please refresh my memory as to where the Christmas prophecy Danger and Remus spoke of can be found? And I just reread something in FD about Voldemort really hating Remus for some reason, but I can't remember which. I think I bookmarked it on my nook, though. I'll be so glad when I get my paperback copies so I can look things up more easily! This also kind of sounds like something referenced in the last quarter of the newest prophecy.

Anne B. Walsh replied:

You ask a question (who is that by Draco's feet) and then you answer it yourself ("what is happening with... will we see more of...")! Alex told Danger and Remus that Draco would be protected. The Christmas prophecy is in Chapter 15 of SD and the bit I think you mean with Voldie and Remus is in Chapter 44 of FD.

bgoldnyxnet posted a comment on Thursday 23rd May 2013 6:16pm

Wow! Too weird for words! You've hit us with a lot of cliffhangers, but this one is *really* hard to live with. Please write the next chapter soon! Please...?

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Don't worry, the payoff is worth the anticipation. I promise!

Starqueg2 posted a comment on Thursday 23rd May 2013 4:24pm

Another great chapter! As much as I hate torturing a main character, the way you've written this plot with Draco is wonderful.

Anne B. Walsh replied:

It's necessary torture this time out. Truly.

ilovewhydouneedtoknow posted a comment on Thursday 23rd May 2013 10:32am

I'm speechless, that was pure evil, poor Draco I just hope that he will remember soon... What you've done with this whole universe is amazing I love it. How do you think if the prophesies? There really good!

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Mwahaha. And what do you mean "think of" the prophecies? Obviously Alex tells them to me! :-)

Rebel Goddess posted a comment on Thursday 23rd May 2013 9:52am

Yes, seriously creepy and seriously well done. I take it that the whole thing was a sly twist on a memory charm, turning good memories to bad and vice versa? Excellent chapter. Loved the prophecy too.

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Bingo! Nicely put. (Though do notice how Lucius has changed the bit of the story which goes "taken down by two four-year-olds"...)

Prongsie posted a comment on Wednesday 22nd May 2013 1:27am

Oh, wow. Wow. Okay, definitely evil. No, make that Evil. All right, let's see what we can get from this.

The days have come, so long foretold,When settled is the fight of old;

Yay! Wel, yay and not yay: good for the Pack that they can almost get on with their lives, not good for us, faithful readers, that are seeing the end of DV. Sniffles.

In half a year, or less, you'll seeDefeat or glorious victory.

I'm counting on glorious victory, with a dash of sorrow and suffering, because what glorious victory is there without those?

Though mourn you have and mourn you will,Hold tight to good instead of ill,

Think positive thoughts, guys!

For Champions, Heirs, and Consorts allShall gather ere the darkness fall.

Everyone gathers for the final battles

A long-awaited night of painBrings dreadful loss, yet also gain;

So, night of pain... The night Draco went knowingly to Malfoy? Dreadful loss (death, him missing and now without his Pack-memories - Evil Voldemort) yet also gain. I hope so.

Despite the words, the theft, the flight,A secret hope hides in the light.

Good news, I suppose.

Through months of heat, fight brave and bold,But some things, do not seek to hold;There is no shame in planned retreat,To twine and trap your foeman's feet.The castle's yours, no matter whoMay seek to lord it over you,

So they'll take Hogwarts (bummer, but I get it), but it'll have been foreseen/Foreseen so the retreat will be planned to make sure Voldemort doesn't realise that (too early).

So let them think they've conquered, yetAwait the night your path was set,O Man Who'd Win: when you shall hearYour strangest gift with friendly ear,

Man Who'd Win! Yay! Strangest gift: parseltongue? Friendly ear: big snake, perhaps?

Go unto those whose Oath you sworeAnd bargain well to win the war.

So, Harry will have to go and bargain with the Founders. They seem friendly folk (mostly), so he should come out on top, right?

As part of this, two Heirs must choose:Their powers, or their cause, to lose?

Damn it.

One, as his forebear, wields a blade;

I'm thinking Harry here. Ugh. He's giving up is Griyffindor powers? Sucks dude. Give the guy a break.

The raven shall the other aid.

I'm thinking Meghan. Don't know why, but I remember Snape and Meghan when she was going all freaked out by the Ravenclaw powers or something.

If all is done as all should be,Your loved ones' faces you shall see;

Loved ones' faces? Lily and James, Marcus, George, the other dead? Stone of Resurrection?

The blood of wolves will change the game,

Baby!

As will the things that night does name;

Not a clue.

The queens shall ride the lion bold;

OMG, such a Narnia-insert. Love it.

Glad hope, bright peace, you shall behold;And black to red and red to brownShall surely bring the darkness down.

Hurray! Huzzah! Great! Write the story and let us rejoice! ;-)

(oh, and have fun while doing so. Still the most important bit, I think)

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Evil is fun! For the night of pain, think of a certain vision. What else could "light" mean? Well done on the "strangest gift" but no, Harry won't be hearing it from a snake... good call on the people losing powers, though, and on the loved ones' faces! As for "the things that night does name", what night is the Final Battle going to be?

Phil Boswell posted a comment on Wednesday 22nd May 2013 12:24am

Yikes?

I have faith that you have planned a way out of this, so I'm not going to panic…nope, not panicking, not even nearly…

gibber

Anne B. Walsh replied:

*sighs, passes purring cat to help calm dragon down*

ccarter posted a comment on Tuesday 21st May 2013 9:41pm

I loved when Draco pointed out that everything actually originates with Lucius. Can't wait to see what you do with Draco Malfoy. Should be an interesting lead in to his "death" and the ramifications of it.

Anne B. Walsh replied:

That did amuse me to think about, so I decided to add it to the story.

pandabears05 posted a comment on Tuesday 21st May 2013 9:24pm

Another prophecy!! Yay!! Loved the bickering between Lucius and Draco. Though if the war is ending in about six months, what happened to Ginny needing to have a baby for the war to end? Or did she have to just be pregnant? Maybe I should go back and read that one again. Happy moment of the day: opening up amazon to see Anne B. Walsh listed in the top three slots of my recommendeds. :)

Anne B. Walsh replied:

The lion's line just has to continue -- it's enough for the new Heir to exist, she doesn't have to be born yet. Ooh, which book?

triciaelbl posted a comment on Tuesday 21st May 2013 9:08pm

Wow, did not see this one coming. I love the way you mirrored the truth for Draco. I loved the interchange with Alex, as always. Sorry for not reviewing more, my phone won't let me, and I rarely get on the "whole" computer these days. I really enjoy all your work. Cat tales was a joy! I can't wait to read the next offering, SD and originals. I liked a DInner of Herbs, but wasn't a huge fan of the other author- it was such a difference from your style I found the mix quite jarring.

Keep writing, you are one of my favorites!

Anne B. Walsh replied:

It's fine, I do understand that people have troubles... but it gets wearing sometimes. Writing the "backwards" life for Draco was a challenge, but fun!

callie posted a comment on Tuesday 21st May 2013 7:57pm

Argh? What ? No! Draco!!!!!!!!!

you're good Draco you're a black not a Malfoy!

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Don't worry too much... the truth has a way of coming out...

kendiara posted a comment on Tuesday 21st May 2013 7:39pm

Score Draco! Yeah this is going to get bad.. I can feel it.

Anne B. Walsh replied:

Yeah, Draco totally pwned Lucius. And it's not over yet...