mantis posted a comment on Sunday 26th April 2009 9:44pm for Fear and Loathing

Hagrid's getting a wand? Yay! Major coolness. Given what a rough time he gave Umbridge without one, I can only imagine what a force of nature he'll be after practicing with the Gryffindor Six for a while...

"They followed Draco, didn’t they?" Sort of says it all, doesn't it? Slughorn's a much smoother article than Draco Malfoy, and in this timeline Harry should be able to put his talent for schmoozing to good use, just as he has Rita's gift for invective. We know Slughorn's a good sort, ultimately -- he helped gather the relief force that assailed the Death Eaters besieging Hogwarts at the end of DH, and dueled against Voldemort himself along with McGonagall and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Harry really hasn't been as close with Hagrid this time, has he? His friendship with Hagrid before was driven partly by his insecurities -- Hagrid was a very comforting figure for that version of Harry. This Harry needs that sort of comfort far less, and Hagrid's utter inability to keep a secret could be a serious danger to him if he let something slip. On the other hand, Hagrid hasn't needed Harry as much, as he was never suspected of being behind the Heir of Slytherin attacks because there were no such attacks, and he won't have to defend Buckbeak to an unsympathetic Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, either.

I like the way Harry analyzed the difference between Slughorns pursuit of ambition and Snape's or Malfoy's; Slughorn obviously has a better intuitive grasp of game theory, something from which all the Slyths could probably benefit. When you have the choice, it's almost always better to make your interactions with others non-zero-sum games.

Neville's new Boggart form makes a lot of sense: he never had much fear of Snape in this timeline, and now the greasy git's been sacked, he's out of Neville's life for the time being... whereas Bellatrix will be Neville's nemesis as long as she lives. (And I really, really hope it's Neville that gets to cancel her ticket in this timeline. I'm not one of the fans that disliked Mama Bear!Molly taking her off the count as such, but it still should have been Neville -- denying him a grudge match with Bella was a bad case of Epic Fail, even if he did get his Crowning Moment of Awesome by beheading Nagini with the Gryffindor Sword.

Interesting insight about how the quality of education at Hogwarts affected the course of the war; DH seems to bear out the notion that the forces of light were far more dependent on Albus Dumbledore than they should have been, considering how fast the Ministry fell after Dumbledore's demise.

Interesting... let's see what that Boggart turns into...

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Monday 26th November 2007 2:45pm for Fear and Loathing

Good chapter.

gunny

Minerva Granger posted a comment on Wednesday 29th August 2007 1:51pm for Fear and Loathing

Uh-oh. Well, that was a fascinating end to a chapter. Very well written, and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed your portrayal of Slughorn.

fryman posted a comment on Friday 24th August 2007 6:18am for Fear and Loathing

I may rescind my obvious plot foreshadowing comment from the prior chapter. An amusing question arises here, but I'm uncertain if it's one you've considered.

Just how does old V man talk to the Dementors to get him on their side? Are they capable of speech? Are they capable of mental projection of thoughts?

While it still seems blindingly obvious that Hermione's little "note taking" exercise is going to be recovered, a fun bunny presents itself in this chapter. As the Dementors interact with Harry, and "see" his visions of the past, will they talk to each other, and assemble the full set of visions? Will they relay them to the V man when he drafts them back to his side? I find the plausibility of this far less than the one of Hermione's notes disappearing, but there the bunny is. Now how to find out whether you planned such a bunny...

truly_charmed posted a comment on Sunday 6th May 2007 4:03pm for Fear and Loathing

This story is really good and it puts a real interesting spin on things. I love how it's progressing so far. I hope that you find the time to post another chapter soon! I can't wait to read it.

~Tryly_Charmed

Kathleen posted a comment on Monday 30th April 2007 8:32am for Fear and Loathing

Hey, just re-read this in preparation for the next chapter, since it's in beta!!! can't wait!!!

Dale Dietzman posted a comment on Tuesday 24th April 2007 2:17am for Fear and Loathing

Well,

Another fine mess you've gotten Harry into...;-)!

If I had a vote for where this Boggert is going, it would Ginny as he found her in the previous lifetime.

Please take as long as necessary to produce a quality Chapter, and do take care of RL issues, but please also remember how many fans you have addicted with this story, who are checking daily for an update.

I do see it is also up on some other sites, too, and I hope you don't update those first and the get around to this one later. ;-)

Ricky Gene Thompson posted a comment on Monday 16th April 2007 6:21am for Fear and Loathing

H'mmm, What can I say but, brilliant!

Aberbadger posted a comment on Friday 13th April 2007 9:11am for Fear and Loathing

Just one small note...
I'm not sure which chapter you said it in, but I swear you said that some magical creatures/beings such as werewolves were immune to legilimency attacks? Wouldn't it then be safe to tell Remus...?

James13 posted a comment on Monday 9th April 2007 9:23pm for Fear and Loathing

Ack!! Cliffie!! Must hex!

Honestly, very good read, stumbled here by accident, but I've been stuck on this fic for over a week or so, off and on...I have to say, one of the better written "back to the future" type stories i've ever had the pleasure of reading :)

pyrodaemon posted a comment on Thursday 29th March 2007 5:55pm for Fear and Loathing

Are you going to change the Boggart? I mean since his greatest fear (in the books) is 'fear itself' I don't really see how that could change. It seems kind of...wrong to me. But I'm sure if you do change it it'll be something that will make sense and have an explanation. I have complete faith in you, lol.

I just went back and read your story again. My two favorite quotes from your story are:
"Errol was definitely not up to carrying responses halfway around the world, so Harry volunteered Hedwig. She’d given him a long withering look when he asked if she could fly to China. Evidently, according to Hedwig’s view of the world, he shouldn’t question her abilities." From chapter 30. and:
"I’ve read up on them a bit, when I was researching all my options last year. They teach Defence against the Dark Arts at Durmstrang, only they don’t worry about the defence part. They call it ‘a progressive approach to non-traditional magic’. I call it Death Eater boot camp."

I don't know why but those quotes just jump out at me.

I really like this chapter. I can already (I think) kinda see where you may be taking this Year. Since you've had Harry attack the Ministry and the Death Eaters I imagine their going to give him all kinds of hell for it. That scam about Sirius being seen near Hogwarts just makes all the warning signs go off in my head. The fact that big, black, and rotting (Dementors) being at Hogwarts makes me thinks that you're going to 'accidentally' have them kiss/attack Harry. Of course if that happens then the Ministry can be 'suitable horrified' but they still get rid of their biggest opponent at the moment. Despite what all the fan in this fandom seem to think I don't think that Fudge is a complete idiot. I mean he got into office because Dumbledore declined sure, but he still had to have climbed the ladder far enough up to in that type of position to be noticed. Climbing the ladder in politics while being a complete idiot isn't really all that probable (although I suppose it's possible). And I'm not exactly sure where all that came from...hehe your story makes me think a lot I guess.

I'm really wondering how your going to get Remus fired in this timeline. Unless you make Slughorn have a deep sated fear of werewolves or Remus attacks someone like last time.

The question I've had throughout the whole story: Is Harry going to tell Dumbledore and if yes what happens. I'm sure it'll be BIG but I know you can answer, lol.

I guess the only thing left to say is: Your betas do a wonderful job, so congrats to them and your story is beautiful and insightful and I can wait for the next update and to see how it all finally ends.

Nagol posted a comment on Tuesday 20th March 2007 5:20pm for Fear and Loathing

Once again, a fine chapter. Please keep up the good work. But do so at your own time. I was very disappointed to see that some people think that they have a right to expect updates so quickly. Perhaps they have spent too much time outside the real world. Please, take your own time, update as you see fit, and if someone doesn’t like it they can go away. You have created a fantastic alternate universe to the one J.K. Rowling made for herself, which is something that those complainers probably could never do. We who enjoy this universe as much as the other will happily wait to see how events unfold.

Varakeen posted a comment on Tuesday 20th March 2007 12:34am for Fear and Loathing

Hi,
I just read the new chapter. Wow, you really got me here. The Boggart is something that I didn't even think of, until you mentioned the problem. Please, don't have us waiting for too long to tell, what this Boggart looks like.
My best guess is, that it'll be dead people, and Remus among them... But then, perhaps it's something entirely different. You see, you even got me speculating.
Thanks so much for writing this story!!!!!!!!!

Zel posted a comment on Sunday 18th March 2007 4:53am for Fear and Loathing

Great chapter/story! Update soon!!! ~Zel*

alan g posted a comment on Friday 16th March 2007 2:44am for Fear and Loathing

great story loved re-reading it.

Louis IX posted a comment on Thursday 15th March 2007 11:01am for Fear and Loathing

I liked that. Almost groaned when seeing it was the current last, even (I re-read it whole and re-appreciated it :-).

MrRigger posted a comment on Monday 12th March 2007 8:17am for Fear and Loathing

I'm thinking his boggart could be Dumbledore, from his dream, threatening to Obliviate him.

Changer posted a comment on Monday 12th March 2007 2:24am for Fear and Loathing

Looking forward to more of this story, hope your work schedule calms down soon enough to allow it!

crawfsh posted a comment on Friday 9th March 2007 9:27pm for Fear and Loathing

omg...cliff!!!

brad posted a comment on Friday 9th March 2007 3:32pm for Fear and Loathing

After waiting months and months and years :-) for this chapter it seemed like a bit of an anti-climax. Don't get me wrong - enjoyed it muchly. But it was largely a scene-setting chapter, getting them all back to school, no big surprises revealed. Well, we can't have Harry fighting a basilisk or telling people his secret every few paragraphs, I guess.

I'm still perturbed about Harry seeming to be a bit deceitful, in that he's NOT being totally open with his friends about his foreknowledge, not giving them all the information he knows that might be useful. He should tell them that he's particularly vulnerable to dementors, so they can defend him if necessary. Like I said in a previous chapter, he should tell them that he *can* cast a patronus, if given enough warning. He should give them the gist of what happened the first time around in third year, so they'll know that dementors are a large part of it ... it shouldn't be left to luck that Hermione chances to say 'well, maybe we should put more effort into learning how to make a patronus'. Etcetera.

"Conjuring a Patronus here and now would lead to far too many questions that he didn't want to answer" ... why the hell not? At least from the rest of the Gryffindor Six?

As it is, are the others talking/wondering about Harry and his sensitivity to those monsters?

I was worried that the letters between Neville and Luna had tapered off because he'd tired of her, had been brainwashed against her, or had met another girl who'd taken his fancy. That'd he'd be holding the hand of said female (a student) come the day they met again on the Express. Didn't happen, thank God/the author. This story shines through its characters and the care they have for each other, I don't know what I'd do if there were a rift. There are people on the Yahoo group who know where you live, right? :-)

*Excellent*, having Hagrid get a wand ... that's a first, for me, in my perusal of more-than-is-probably-healthy fanfics. It might be a small detail, but it was just great, how it felt to read and how it kept my sympathy for considerate!Harry at a high. That and his helping Hagrid with Buckbeak, of course.

I thought Slughorn was done wonderfully well, great balance ... you gave him dignity, he came over as a reasoning and calculating adult, not with the hints of comical buffoon that I gleaned from HBP. It's wonderful how fanfic authors can improve on the original material like this.

Excellent little twist, changing Neville's boggart to Bellatrix. But, again, why the hell didn't Harry tell his friends his real reason for not attending Remus's class? He's reverted back to being secretive, which has disappointed me a bit. Hopefully, though, if one of the others asked him outright ... no, he tells Ron that he "wasn't feeling too well earlier", etc, *temporising*. Shame, Harry, shame!!! :-(

Thanks for continuing the story, I hope you can keep up the momentum. It's a brilliant story.