firedawg posted a comment on Sunday 23rd February 2020 3:30pm for Chapter the Sixth

Thank you for a most entertaining story. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wanderer posted a comment on Monday 24th July 2017 5:22pm for Chapter the Sixth

Still one of the best characterizations of Hermione that I've ever read.

strandale posted a comment on Friday 19th August 2016 1:45pm for Chapter the Sixth

surely, we can't get you to part with your recipe for the buns?

Kokopelli replied:

If you look around, you can find it on an old posting of my LiveJournal.

Gary the Grouch posted a comment on Sunday 3rd January 2016 12:43pm for Chapter the Sixth

You are a blacksmith!? I am in absolute agreement with the anvils being wasted as decoration. It is quite sad about Hermione; this development makes me glad that things didn't work out with Ron either. I've been up late reading this, and now I'm up early with a cup of coffee to finish it . . . .

Kokopelli replied:

Blacksmith is the hobby.  Day job is working as an attorney for the government.  Glad you liked the chapter.

Patches posted a comment on Monday 24th November 2014 3:14am for Chapter the Sixth

This is a great chapter. I'm so glad Daphne was calling for Harry's help in the barn. She would have been devastated if she had killed her sister. Of course Harry found a way to save her sister and not force his decision on Daphne. Very Harry. I like the prank they pulled on everyone. That went well. I'm glad Harry is trying to help Neville's parents. That is exactly what Harry would do. I'm so glad Daphne talked with Hermione talked and came to the understanding that they both loved Harry but Daphne was the one that would make him the best wife. I look forward to the conclusion to this story. Thanks for writing. p

Kokopelli replied:

As I've written elsewhere - the Hermione conversations - Harry/Hermione, Daphne/Hermione, are the keys to this story.

delphinous posted a comment on Sunday 23rd November 2014 4:11am for Chapter the Sixth

i really like the heart to heart daphne and hermione had. that was one of the most beautiful and moving, and realistic, showing i have ever seen of someone (actually both) willing to give upon their happiness for someone they love.

Kokopelli replied:

The Hermione/Daphne conversations are the keys to this story.

Alun Lewis posted a comment on Saturday 22nd November 2014 3:27am for Chapter the Sixth

Well now...I am more than glad that Harry was able to find a way to get to Daphne & Astoria's location at the barn and stop Daphne from killing Astoria. Because even if Daphne had managed to just wound her sister...I figured there would have been a LOT of angst between the three teens over the matter.

Daphne's conversation with Hermione was...interesting...I have to say. Lots of people think Hermione should be Mrs. Potter by the logic of being his closest female friend and 1/3 (or 1/2, really) of the partnership that stopped so many plots - that she knows Harry backwards and forwards - but here? Your take on Hermione is that the core relationship is the same but she doesn't see herself being a mother, or being the mother to only one child if the man she falls for is OK with a single child only; canon has Hermione as mother to two kids who are not twins, but this story isn't using canon. Though part of me wonders at what kind of reaction Harry could have to finding out that Hermione loved him so much that she gave up on any possiblity of being with him as his wife because she placed heavy stock in what Harry saw in the MIrror of Erised at age eleven....

Amazing work, Kokopelli :D

Kokopelli replied:

An earlier version of the barn scene had Daphne shaving Astoria bald before slitting her throat (or attempting to) but that was too much.

This story is canon compliant, but not epilogue compliant if that makes any difference.

Hermione was babbling in that scene, if she sat down and wrote it, I think she'd say something like "Harry could make me happy, but I don't think that I could make him happy."

Yes, Harry saw his heart's desire when he was eleven, but in his case, I don't think that it's changed all that much.  He wants a home (which he's never had) and wants a family.  One of the sad things about the later books is that Hogwarts is no longer home to Harry - what little feeling of home he had was eroded by betrayal and misfortune.

Glad you liked the story, thanks for reading.

Zamia posted a comment on Friday 21st November 2014 8:01pm for Chapter the Sixth

What one could say about Harry and women but as Bill said Discretion is etc. Nicely put together discussion between Hermione & Daphne. Cheers.

Z

Kokopelli replied:

Harry's clueless about women - just like Susan said.

The Seeker posted a comment on Friday 21st November 2014 4:47pm for Chapter the Sixth

What a wonderful, involving chapter! It was also a bit sad, since it's the next to last chapter in this very enjoyable story. You've created an intriguing world, with Harry and the Greengrass family, along with Andi and the usual supporting characters. You've said you like to bring in real world issues, practices, locations, etc. This story is made so much better with all of the depth and flavors these local pieces bring.

The conversations between Harry and Daphne were fantastic. I strongly feel you are among the very best in constructing dialogue that fits the characters, adds to their depth, and provides insights into their personalities. This has been true throughout this story. Perhaps the most moving conversation was between Daphne and Hermione. It really tugged on the heartstrings. I hope we see some sign that Hermione will find the guy who feels the same way about children and can support her in all other ways.

Andi velcroing Harry to a chair via her special 'tea' was disconcerting. While he needed that talk and seemed to benefit from it, I initially questioned her heavy handed approach, but then chalked it up to her being a Black and used to using controlling strategies. No harm, no foul, I guess.

I'll say this in the final chapter, too, but wanted to put it in front of you before that. I hope you will write another story after you finish this one. There are very few HP fan fic writers around these days who write at the level you do, and it has been a treat to have this story. Yes, I know stories aren't created just by people asking for one, but I hope you find an HP topic that is inspiring soon.

Thanks for this wonderful story and all the hard work you've put in. - The Seeker

Kokopelli replied:

Checks payable to me are always treated as sincere. (which is what I told my employer when they asked if I'd like a performance bonus or time off...)

The Andi scene is an homage to some of the golden age HP fanfiction in which an adult sits down to have "the talk" with Harry.  I thought it would be hillarious to have the adult be a mother figure, but Molly wasn't available in this story, so I pressed Andi into service.

Fanfiction at its best explores the "what if" element in the stories - what if Sirius hadn't gone chasing after Peter, what if Harry met someone different on the train, what if Harry had been sorted into Slytherin, etc.  Fanfiction at its worst is gormless pornography, but slightly above that is when the fanfic writer attempts to "correct" canon - this usually results in a flat, unsatisfying tale - although not always.  There are some "redo" stories that are really, really good - or if unfinished, had a really, really good beginning.

Pennywise posted a comment on Friday 21st November 2014 7:01am for Chapter the Sixth

Awesome chapter.

Kokopelli replied:

thanks

Aaran St Vines posted a comment on Friday 21st November 2014 6:51am for Chapter the Sixth

Very interesting development of the Harry - Hermione relationship. Notone I recall from fanfiction so all the more clever in its originalty.

There are a lot of little clevernesses in this tale.

Good work!

Kokopelli replied:

By definition, if you love someone, their well being is more important than your own.  By that measure, I think it's clear that Hermione loves Harry.

In canon, I don't think that Harry finds Hermione to be very attractive.  I certainly find her attractive,  but that's not the point.

So, yes, this chapter let me play with my own visualization of the dynamics of the Harry-Hermione relationship.  Even JKR admits that Ron-Hermione was a mistake, and in the fan-fic world, the Harmonians have won.

I obviously love Hermione, given the way I write her in all of my stories.  I don't think it's fruitful to pair Hermione to Harry, which is why I go with the lesser pairings.

I may even take up where you left off and do a true Harry-Millicent story, but I can't think of one right now that can improve on your story.

I enjoyed JBern's To Fight the Coming Darkness, but that was largely a plot driven story, and Susan was largely a prop, not a well developed character.  I'm tempted to play there next - if I do anything at all.

DrT posted a comment on Thursday 20th November 2014 6:23pm for Chapter the Sixth

Hopefully Hermione (and also Luna) will find some sort of happiness by the end of the story

Kokopelli replied:

If you've read through my works, you know I love to write Hermione.  I find her attractive, even if Harry doesn't.  Luna is difficult for me, I love the character, but I find it almost impossible to write Luna well, which is why she has such a cameo role in this story.

Hermione ends up as the Maid of Honor at the wedding, and goes home with what becomes her long term boyfriend.  Luna, she's in the background, making things happen.

FeNo posted a comment on Thursday 20th November 2014 9:25am for Chapter the Sixth

Oh don't worry too much... probably more than 90 percent of the anvils will turn out to be cheaply made but overprizedly sold shit.. after all those aren't honest, fire-steeled smiths choosing them for serious work but showmen choosing them for the appeal. Any workable anvil most likely will not look half as romantic as the chapels want. :)

A thrilling chapter with a big revelation... So... it was the posession that moved Harry enough to make up his heart? Both the shock how much the Damocles sword of the unfulfilled oath can take influence about the girl he's growingly fond of and the knowledge that her heart is in the right place as she still fought this spirit i guess? Yeah, sounds like Harry alright.

Thanks for adding the bit with the two girls talking it out. I can't say i'm completely happy with Hermione's reason... a lot of women don't think they'll want to be a mother when 19... Many re-decide over the next 25 years ;) but it IS solidly argumented and I can understand the fear that being not all he might search for in a women would destroy their close friendship, it's not become a so prominent motive in fanfiction out of nothing. Having him as a brilliant friend but maybe feel a bit lonely when he's not there or having him as boyfriend/husband until it grows so unbearable she'll loose both? A clever girl can only make the one decision, can she? (Another story might go the "but she's even braver than clever, she got into Gryffindor! route, but here that never was a choice and so the decision just fits and sounds pretty good.)

Slytherin sounds cool. She would never have survived 7 years there, but as a mind experiment... yes that's fitting...

Andromeda was great... I do not quite understand why she needs to trick him into magical capture for this talk though. Shouldn't he be mature and grown up enough to keep his word if she asks him to promise not to run out until she says the talk is over? Glueing him to his place makes him look 13.

Kokopelli replied:

In the blacksmith world we speak of ASOs - Anvil Shaped Objects, which are usually cast iron and don't really work well for anything other than a door stop.

Then there are the collectors.  There's a robust market of collectors who are driving up prices for real anvils.  It used to be that $2.00/pound was a fair price, but the collectors are driving it up to $4-5/pound, which is pretty much what you can buy a top of the line anvil for new.  The life of a well-made anvil will exceed that of the blacksmith by a large measure.  I suspect that I'm the 4th or 5th smith to have used my anvil, and it's no object of beauty, but it's mine.

Daphne asks Harry what make up his mind, and he replies seeing her in her nightgown, hurling magic at her sister.  Harry's attracted to Daphne, likes her family (the midget notwithstanding), likes her basic world view and where she wants to go in life.  He identifies with her in a lot of ways, given that both put everything on the line to protect the ones they love.  It's not her prefection that he finds attractive, because she's not perfect, it's her striving.

Daphne comes out of the box saying "if you marry me, I'll be a good wife and I'll never leave you" or words to that effect.  That's actually fairly effective as a pitch to Harry, which is why he didn't dismiss it out of hand.   Her "10 reasons to marry Daphne" speech was actually quite effective, and this was before she got the roadmap to Harry that Hermione provided.

The Daphne/Hermione conversations are key to this story.  At the end of the day, canon Harry doesn't find Hermione all that attractive, so the issue of H-Hr is moot.  I'm always fond of Hermione and love writing her, but I'm not the protagonist.  In real life, Harry, given how he was raised, would probably be someone who starts fires and tortures animals for fun rather than being this simplistic hero.  I try to write something in-between.  As I see Harry, he's looking for where he fits in, and he wonders what it's like to be a real boy (hence the Pinnochio references).  In some ways he's like Data in Star Trek, who also is trying to figure out what it means to be human.

As to the scene with Andi, I'm pushing 60, but the thought of a mother figure giving me "the talk" complete with anatomically correct dolls, with the focus being on how to make the witch happy is something that would make me cringe.  It was a bit of comedy that I'd thought up years ago and spliced into this story - it's not central to the plot, but it's fun none-the-less.  In some ways Harry _is_ thirteen - with the scars of a fourty year old soldier.

 

Thanks for your kind words.

 

 

Wolfric posted a comment on Thursday 20th November 2014 4:21am for Chapter the Sixth

Another fine chapter. Thanks for writing. W.

Kokopelli replied:

Thanks for reading.

sanbeegoldiewhitey posted a comment on Thursday 20th November 2014 3:41am for Chapter the Sixth

Wonderful chapter. It really made me very happy.

Kokopelli replied:

Well, happy is good, right?

WhiteElfElder posted a comment on Wednesday 19th November 2014 10:54pm for Chapter the Sixth

I like that everything is working out. It is too bad that Hermione does not get Harry...but there is always something in the future.

Kokopelli replied:

Not from this author...

diagonalpumpkin posted a comment on Wednesday 19th November 2014 9:06pm for Chapter the Sixth

Thank you so much for updating today. It was another truely wonderful chapter. The cliff hanger has been on and off my mind since I read it. And being able to read it on my lunch break today gave me a bright spot in an otherwise dim day. Thank you again, and I hope you have a good rest of the week.

Kokopelli replied:

Thanks for y our kind words - I hope your week looks up.

Michael10 posted a comment on Wednesday 19th November 2014 8:44pm for Chapter the Sixth

I could almost see Hermione as Slytherin.

so Tori got some broken bones and the couple pulled a small prank on announcing. keep up the good work

Kokopelli replied:

Broken bones in the Wizarding world seems to be a minor inconvenience.

Riegert8 posted a comment on Wednesday 19th November 2014 7:33pm for Chapter the Sixth

It good that Daphne did not kill her sister, truth is that would not shock me. I read a few storys that someone killed a brother or sister, in an couple story's that person killed most of his family.

Kokopelli replied:

Yeah, but I don't do that sort of stuff.

jilumasam posted a comment on Wednesday 19th November 2014 4:20pm for Chapter the Sixth

Just marvellous...

Interesting point about the possession...is it going to come back up again?

Thank you for writing :D

Kokopelli replied:

Daphne's comment in the next chapter is "I can't wait to get this thing out of my head."