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Reviews For A Year Like None Other
I know how long ago this was posted, but I just felt like I had to tell you... I have done nothing but read this wonderful story for the past four days. I loved it. It is my favorite fanfiction yet. Thank you both, this was truly brilliant, and I am going right now to read all the other ones in this series. :)
And you'd think with all the plotting going on in his head, he'd come to the conclusion that he needs to change his behaviour, if he wants respect and to be treated nicely. He really needs to learn that money means nothing and looking down your nose at other people will only alienate you. It's so hard reading the chapters that are narrated by Draco. It someways, I see myself. Being a Slytherin, it is hard not to think *some* of the things that Draco seems to think, especially his way of appearing more confident than he really is. But, the difference, I think, between he and I is that no matter how confident or arrogant I may seem, I don't really think these things. I may appear arrogant if I see a group of my peers that seem to be a bit intimidating, but I do not believe myself to be completely superior to them, especially with not knowing them at all. Draco actually believes the nonsense he says. That's what makes his chapters so hard to get through...the sheer arrogance and his thinking that he knows more than everyone, and that he can plot his way out of anything. Soooo very frustrating. I think Snape should be a bit more...vocal...about Draco's behaviour. This last chapter, Draco said some pretty rude stuff, and Snape just gave a warning glare. If Draco can say three rude things in a row and ignore *Snape's* warning glare, then some other form of punishment should be implemented, despite his age. I know Draco hates being the 'bad son', but he doesn't seem to realise that he would not be the 'bad son' if he controlled his attitude and his mouth. It was easier to accept that he had changed when we just had Harry's perspective, but now that we get to read Draco's own narrative about things, it seems like he's barely changed at all. Sure he loves Harry and Severus, but other than his change of whose side he has chosen, his views seem to have not changed. It doesn't seem that Snape's parenting skills are as good as they were before the summer. I am as surprised as Harry that he never really said much to Draco about his "special shampoo". I assumed that he did not say much, because he'd show Draco what it meant to be an adult. Meaning, I thought he'd let Draco tough out things and blame it on wanting to be an adult and the such. Give him more responsibilities around the house, like more chores and stuff, and again blame it on him wanting to be an adult. But no such thing happened. I do wonder what will occur during 7th year. Because Draco has already pulled the 'adult' card on Snape. I wonder how he'd react to Snape telling him to study or punishing him or something. And this should go without saying, but your writing is truly amazing and I enjoy it a lot. I wish you could do nothing but writing amazing Sevitus/Severitus fics all day for my entertainment, but alas you have a life lol.
I couldn't imagine Voldemort strolling int a Muggle hospital for treatment, so it'd have been even better if he had 'Lucius' or one of his house elves help treat him. Because then Lupin could have made sure he was given way too much Muggle medicine so he'd be a squib for a bit longer. I mean he's not like Harry, is he? Harry took so long to get his magic back because he did not know what the key was, but Voldemort has the key. He knows exactly what he is supposed to do to get his dark magic flowing. He knows that his magic will be stronger than ever and he's no Harry Potter. He'll be cruel and ruthless with his magic. I'm surprised Albus seriously did not attack him as soon as his Muggle treatment had finished, when he'd be at his weakest.
There's a difference between being cultured, prim and proper--and being an arse. He is quite arrogant and seems to believe that everything should be about him. He'd do well with a month in a Muggle group home. He needs to have his standards lowered so completely that the cottage in Devon and Severus' rooms at Hogwarts seem a lovely place to live. Another reason Harry should not have given him that money. At least not until they left school and had graduated from Auror classes at least, so Draco would learn to live on his own and provide for himself instead of complaining and expecting things to be perfect. He is so aggravating. I come more from a life like Harry's so Draco annoys me perhaps more than he should.
This was very well written. I was a bit nervous at the end of the last chapter. I had wondered how Snape would handle it, as he has been acting a bit...Gryffindorish lately. It was nice to see that he did not automatically jump into a lecture, but decided to heal and comfort Harry a bit first. I must say I'm not sure I quite like that Harry gave Draco his vault. It may be because I am a Slytherin, but I don't think I could give that much wealth to someone that has harmed me like that before. I understand that Draco is his brother and they love each other, but I'm not sure I could have gotten over the past that easily. I did not think about how Ron would feel, until Harry thought about it. I do suppose Ron would have felt a bit angry that Draco was finally poor and able to learn to appreciate things for what they are, not what they're worth--and now he's rich again. Though honestly, I think Draco would be arrogant with or without money. On to the duel... I think the duel was a bit unfair. Snape knowingly challenged Aran without bothering to find out if he knew the traditions. He did some awful things, but at this point, he can't remember what he did and he has been humiliated enough. To issue him a duel that he did not know he was accepting and surely be irreversibly harmed (or killed) because of it...just doesn't seem on at all. In some ways, I understand. As a Slytherin, on principle, you give what was given to you in full and you do not hold back. Snape was merely repaying Aran for the bad he has done. I do think Aran could have done with a warning though. After all, what fun is a duel if your opponent is so...incapable? I have to mention *again* how much I enjoyed your writing of the self harm part of this story; from this chapter and before. I enjoyed your portrayal of how Harry first believed it to be helpful, making him brave. I also liked how dedicated he was to hiding it and the desperation he felt for a needle when he became nervous or afraid. It all seemed so dead on. It was funny how after Draco was informed, he kept thinking Harry would break out something sharp at anytime haha. The way he acted reminds me of how many people act towards people that they know cut. They think you will go full mental right in front of them lool. Despite Draco's annoying worrying, I did like how he noticed what Harry was doing to himself under the table in the Great Hall, and how he placed a hand on his to stop him and recommended they find their father. It was so loving and so brotherly. So sweet! I love this story, though it does leave me a bitter, I must say. I wish I had what Harry and Draco have in a sibling and father. It really is beautiful.
Author's Response: Hey, great to hear from you. This was covered in an earlier chapter, but the story is LONG so I'm not surprised some details get lost in the telling. Because of his adoption, Harry is in Gryffindor and Slytherin -- he is a full member of each house. When he loses points, he loses 1/2 of the total from each house. He's entitled to eat and sleep with Slytherin if he wants -- but he doesn't want that. He thinks of himself as a Gryffindor and regards the "Slytherin" thing as a legal technicality. But he is wrong to think of it that way -- it is reality, as Snape and Draco know. However, they aren't pushing him much on the issue -- yet. IF you read on into the sequels, you will see Draco getting quite a bit pushier about Harry acting like a full Slytherin as well as a full Gryffindor. Hope that answers your question!
Every few chapters, I get to a point, where I think "That is so unfair!" be it to Harry or Remus or Harry again or Ron and now this time, Hermione. The previous chapters, after finishing them, I realized that each person was somewhat fairly treated and pretty much deserved what they got (excluding Remus, I believe--as far as Snape's wrath), but they still had someone to stick up for them. And I like that about this story, how things seem to balance themselves. This chapter didn't seem to do that though. I feel pretty awful for Hermione. I do believe she did the right thing by Harry. From her point of few, Snape and Draco are just below the Voldemort and Lucius on the scale of enemies of Harry. So all of a sudden seeing Harry latched on to both of them like they're mates; well more than mates; I see how that can be a bit disconcerting. I do agree with Hermione's letter, that she could have told Dumbledore (I don't thing Mcgonagall would have listened properly, as she seems to be a horrible HoH) and Dumbledore could have put a close to the whole thing and found a way to show Hermione that with absolute certainty, Harry was more than okay. But Hermione is intelligent. She sees past lies. I don't like that Snape thought to throw lies on top of lies on top of lies, then became angry when Hermione saw through them. After 6 years of teaching her potions, he should have known how her brain works. I think it important that the three of them (and Ron) understand that from Hermione's point of view, things are wrong and there are lies being told. Not to mention she was kept completely out the loop. All those times that Ron was forced to come for dinner, Hermione should have been invited. How was Hermione to learn if she did not learn for herself, like Ron? As far as things being unfair, I think the same about Harry's punishment. I'd probably go so far as to say I don't think he deserved a punishment, simply because Snape knows that Harry needs the absolute truth about things. If he is not fully informed, he will react...and it will not be in a very intelligent way. It will be impulsive and utterly Gryffindor. I probably wouldn't have been as impulsive as Harry, but I most certainly would have told her behind Snape's back, which would have been more dangerous than he knowing right away that she was told. If Snape has a plan, he should tell Harry so Harry understands it and can follow it. This has been shown a couple of times in this story already, I don't why Snape still hasn't learned. Harry needs ALL the information he can get so he's not making impulsive decisions based on his need to save the world. And you can't fault a kid who has been charged with saving the school over and over again because he wants to make sure his friends and brother and father are safe too. Harry behaved rather well while in Snape's office having the talk discussing his punishments, because I would not have. I do believe that Harry did not get angry or shout that Snape was being unfair, because Snape played with Harry's feelings and shoved a lot of guilt at him. And despite telling Harry that what was said was a form of punishment, I think Harry was too shell-shocked to really even think that Snape was more than partly to blame for what happened. I guess what I am saying is I think Snape needs to do better. He's doing great in the father department, but I still think he needs to trust Harry more with information. He seems to trust Draco a bit more with info, I suppose because Slytherins instinctively know that another Slytherin can keep a secret, but a Gryffindor will not if they're too emotional. But anyway, I hope this doesn't bother me in the coming chapters, every time I see Harry spend a Saturday in the potions lab. He's had a lot of time away from his friends as it is, and I kind of wish Snape would have chosen a more 'home' oriented punishment like going to bed early or cleaning up after dinner the Muggle way. I think it's hard sometimes for him to separate his teaching role from parenting role. It also would have been nice if he had given Harry more tutoring on potions anyway, inviting Ron and Hermione to come down and practice too on the weekends. But Snape isn't perfect. Far from it, I might say lol But the truth is, if I had a choice, I'd totally choose your characterization of Snape as a Father. He's protective, fair (for the most part...) and caring. He's also Slytherin, and well...that's a major plus. I am thoroughly enjoying this story and I will be quite sad when it is finished. But I know there is a sequel somewhere out there I came across a few months ago, so I will move on to that and be happy. It's odd, I started reading this story months ago, but when Harry lost his magic, it was too depressing for me and I decided to read it later. I am far too emotional to be a Slytherin, I tell ya. But anyway, I kept seeing your story popping up as I searched for other fics and I decided to just sit down and read from the part I last stopped at and I fell in love. You are a great writer, and I appreciate that a lot. It is so hard to see stories with amazing plots, but the writing less than satisfactory. I have been shoving this story at all my friends "Read this, it's amazing and the writing is done so well!" Sorry for the long review, but as none of my friends have taken my advice to read this amazing fic, I need *somewhere* to voice my views!
I just wrote you a review and then had to edit it, because it contained spoilers for the next story and I didn't want someone to stumble over the review and suddenly know more then they wanted to. So here's the edited version: I absolutely loved this! I have to admit that the first story was even better, but I did already read the next story, as far as it's been written and I enjoyed it a lot. I just don't have an account on skyehawke, so I came here to review. I immensely enjoyed the way you portrayed how Snape and Harry grew to care for each other and Draco! I love him. He's not a good person, not completely and I adore you for having the guts to keep him the spoiled and arrogant guy that he is while still making him loveable! I don't think I've ever read him that way and I really, really enjoy it. Thanks so much for writing this! ai
Definitely going to read the sequel now! Well done to you and Mercredi on an excellent job! No results found.
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