David Wangen posted a comment on Monday 23rd October 2006 5:27am for Harsh Words

"By Muggle standards, I’m afraid the Wizarding world would be considered hopelessly backward and barbaric."

Hurray! About time someone said it.

Can't wait to see the reactions from that little bomb of an interview.

A great part, Matt. Can hardly wait for more.

Frank Hacklander posted a comment on Monday 23rd October 2006 5:08am for Harsh Words

another great chapter...realize that harry has the burden of the future issue but quoting from a magazine on magical theory, even if he didn't understand everything...perhaps a bit much. but that's the fine line i guess you have to tread. in addition, not sure i can deal w/ rita being a good egg...well, i guess i'll have to wait until the next chapter to see if she really is (pls hurry, the suspense on that issue alone is maddening!). keep up the great work.

oom desi posted a comment on Monday 23rd October 2006 5:01am for Harsh Words

Interresting chapter. I wonder how the wizarding world will react to the interview.

Hope to see more soon.

Greetz,
Oom desi

Alkanis posted a comment on Monday 23rd October 2006 5:00am for Harsh Words

Excellent Story. Thank you for the Update. :)

Haeton posted a comment on Monday 23rd October 2006 4:58am for Harsh Words

Good chapter, always appreciated when a good story is updated. Thanks for your time and effort.

Lansydyr posted a comment on Monday 23rd October 2006 4:25am for Harsh Words

Where do I send the check, and how much do I need to make it so I can set a deadline? <grin>

Just Kidding. Enjoyable chapter. Loved the interview. Can't wait until the next update, even though I'll have to

Tim

Crazy posted a comment on Monday 23rd October 2006 4:24am for Harsh Words

Impressive... I love the smell of burning Dementors.
Ah... war against the Ministry... makes me grateful i'm not Harry at the moment.
I was happy about the reunion between Remus and Sirius.
I'm glad that Luna is feeling better though... Neville's grandmother does have a fair bit to answer for, doesn't she.
Please, Please continue. (Not that you probably need my words to make you continue)
Fred and George might be able to create some impressive items with the help of R and S now. I would pity anyone who gets on the wrong side of them, if they start a War Items section (hint, hint)
Ah well, wrapping up this ramble of conciousness, Spelling and grammar seem good and i didn't see any major problems as i was reading through it

Kevin Hendricks posted a comment on Monday 23rd October 2006 4:05am for Harsh Words

Hi,

As usual I loved it.

The only nitpick issue is with Harry's inability to push away the group of 20 or so dementors when - without a merged magical core- in canon (see chapter 20 of PoA) he drove away at least 100 dementors with one patronus).

So your reasoning for the mad dash to the Burrow and its wards and Ginny's later anger at him seems not to be plausible given what Harry remembers and what we know from canon.

Aside from that small issue, the chapter was wonderfully written and helped advance the storyline in a meaningful way.

Thank you for sharing your work.

Kevin

Viridian replied:

Thanks!

You are, however missing some of the tactical variables. It's a lot different to send in a patronus from a secure flanking position, with plenty of time to prepare and no Dementors breathing down your neck. It's quite another to cast it when the nasty beggars are right on top of you. If the dementors spread out when Prongs charged, the flankers could conceivably still get to them.

(There's also the issue of Muggle neightbors and the Ministry getting irate.)

In canon, Harry couldn't conjure a corporeal patronus with the dementors at point blank range and all around him either.

MrRobertsIII posted a comment on Monday 23rd October 2006 3:42am for Harsh Words

"Do you think the Weasleys would take it amiss if I gave Bill a big sloppy kiss the next time I see him?"
-Made me laugh.

My guess is that Umbridge is the new warden.

Nonetheless, Goldfarb hadn’t even reacted when Harry specifically requested that the wards be made capable of stopping the horrid creatures.
-Goblin magic? I'm just asking becuase the sense I got from the Books was that only the patronus had any effect on dementors. Perhaps, not goblin, but rather horribly expensive?

Ginny had it in a death-grip under the table as she sat next to him
-How sweet

I'm rather enjoying Harry's distrust of Dumbledore.

Look at Sirius." He paused. "I mean, look at how Remus turned out
-That was good.

So Sirius got the ring without the pain. I like how you have his pranking history being of some helpful use, especially when he does better than Dumbledore.

And only Wormtail could have revealed that particular piece of information.
-and so he is free once more to return to his master (most likely). I do like how your story keeps sense of the familiar.

He knew he was over-reacting, but he just couldn’t seem to help it.
-that is sure to get him into more and more trouble once Umbridge shows up. Can't wait.

"Quite," Remus replied, deadpan. Then he grinned at his childhood friend in a way that seemed to melt years off his face.
-Sudden inspiration on Remus's part to get something past Dumbledore? I would enjoy reading about Remus pranking him with something just the tiniest bit malicious.

He had a feeling things might get worse before they got better.
-How, if Neville is at Hogwarts? Great job keeping so many sub-plots going.

Perhaps," Rita agreed, "but it is the law
-So was Jim Crow in the American South. Love the touches of pure-blood bigotry that keep popping up.

As a whole, the Wizarding World is almost irretrievably corrupt...
...By Muggle standards, I’m afraid the Wizarding world would be considered hopelessly backward and barbaric."
-The whole interview with Rita had me smiling the entire way through. Muggle standards? Can't wait to see the ministry heat he gets from that. I sense that Umbridge is just around the corner.

How very in character it seemed for Arthur to sneak ice-cream and not tell Molly.

As always, hope you drop all your other stories and update this one soon.

HermioneGreen posted a comment on Monday 23rd October 2006 3:33am for Harsh Words

Fantasmic!!! I just love the way The next year has begun. I would imagine that with Remus' . . . condition . . . that he would be able to develop occlumency fairly easily . . . but then again, his disease may inhibit the way those defenses work. I hope the article Rita writes doesn't stir up more trouble than Harry and his friends can handle. Keep up the good work.

Thanks for sharing.

'Mione

john2 posted a comment on Monday 23rd October 2006 3:32am for Harsh Words

Lovely to see this up on the archive - you've been busy of late, haven't you?

Keep writing, I'll keep reading.

JEC