rate_review Reviews

I had been finding this story very interesting. But then I read a line that made me so upset, and rather disappointed, that I wasn't able to enjoy it anymore. I felt I had to respond to this line:

"something evil like a snake waiting to rise up and attack"

Snakes are *not* "evil," and they don't attack people unprovoked, in any case: they're not out to get you. A snake will only strike at a human being in self-defence, because the person either (1) accidentally stepped on the snake (or otherwise touched it without seeing it, like by reaching into a dark hole where the snake was curled up), or (2) deliberately tried to capture or kill the snake. (In most developed countries it's nearly always (2), often fueled by the potentially deadly combination of alcohol and testosterone.) Often, venomous snakes will use little or no venom in a defensive strike: they're just frightened and trying to get what they perceive as a predator to go away. When they kill prey animals (small animals such as rodents, for the most part), they are not doing it out of evil, but because they need to eat! (Prey-predator interactions are thought to be one of the major forces that drive evolution, and they are definitely a necessary part of the balance of nature.)

I'm not trying to be mean or anything, I just happen to like snakes and it bothers me how so many people have these horrible misconceptions about them. There's no reason to be scared of snakes, they're really just shy little animals. (Well, usually little: there are a couple of python species, in tropical climates, that can grow to reach more than 6m (about 20ft) in length. Green anacondas can get that big too, but there probably aren't any remaining in the wild that are that big, because of habitat destruction, over-hunting, etc.) I'm not saying people shouldn't use caution around potentially venomous or very large snakes, but killing them just for being there - as many people still do, even people who are supposedly educated and should know better - is neither morally right, nor is it in the best interests of humankind.

As for the rest of your story.... Some of the technical aspects of your writing could use some work (grammar, word usage, etc.), but I was very impressed with your talent at getting inside the characters' heads. (Have you been performing legilimency on your characters?! :>) I don't always agree 100% with your interpretations of canon characters, but I'm always intrigued by them.

One has to wonder how you came to know so much about the motivations underlying compulsions like self-injury or masochism. Whether your ideas are right or not - and I don't claim to know if they are - you obviously have opinions on these subjects and have given them a lot of thought.

I hope that later on I'll be able to finish reading this story (and enjoy it properly).

Pensieve, thank you for writing this story, I enjoyed reading it. I did feel very sad at Valerie's suicide, but I can't say I was surprised, especially knowing her Patronus and the fact that she had nobody left she cared about. I did have to swallow a lump in my throat and felt my eyes tearing when I read that scene, as it was very emotional.

Also interesting was the epilogue. Rowling does not describe the funeral, but it was good to read about it. It really brings home the fact that even a victory in battle isn't really a victory, as so many heroes are lost.

Sjauthor: I am glad you came back and enjoyed the end! I am also glad to hear her death was emotional for you. I had another nice reviewer on another site complain that she felt nothing when Valerie died! :( I am writing to please myself, but I am considering her words nevertheless. I am glad you also liked the Epilogue! I got many ideas for it from Star Wars! But it's only the details not plot of course!

You are most welcome, MarinePotterfan!

Thanks for finnishing this story, I enjoyed reading it.

MPF

To LadyFireCrab:

Thanks for reading. I am glad you find the storyline good, as I put a lot of thought into it. I am almost done with 'Dark Gryffindor' and will be relieved when I finish. I am eager to see what you think of the second half of the story. As after 25, this story becomes very different and there will some interesting m/m pairings! I would also recommend for you The Pureblood Coup which also has a bit of m/m pairings as well being a very disturbing story. Also Occlumency at Grimmauld Place is my only m/m ship story.


I never heard of that song. Maybe I will look for it on youtube. Please tell me what you think when you get further in.

I have only made it to chapter 25 so far, but I really like the story. Most of the stories on here aren't very creative with their kink or very involved with their storylines. I can't wait to see what's in store next and plan on checking out your other writing when I'm done with this. I usually stick to m/m fics on here (and never review until I'm done) but this story sounded too good to pass up and so far it hasn't disappointed.



p.s. I keep getting Placebo's cover of "Running Up That Hill" stuck in my head while reading this. Odd?

Ohhh, that was very exciting! I am glad they made it out themselves, and Snape didn't have to blow his cover (although if he had, maybe he would have lived beyond DH?).

Brilliant! I've enjoyed this story so much and I've missed the regular updates, so I was really pleased to see the new chapter up! can't wait to see how this ends. sorry for not reviewing before but I have been a fan for a while.

Hi! I decided to come back to this. I will have something written between now and the next few days. I am not abandoning this, ever. I never planned to. Especially now, when I'm near the beginning of the end!