Name: Oregonian (Signed) · Date: 12/29/13 21:59 · For: premier et final

Hi Ellie. I always enjoy reading what you write, but this piece is really different from your other stories, which are straightforward narrations of events.

Like most readers, probably, I couldn’t figure out who you were talking about until the end, where it seems to be Bill and Fleur. But then, looking back, I could pick up on the little clues: her native language is more smooth and lyrical than “rough” English, people consider her beautiful, she is called a flower. The line in the summary refers to the story of the wolf and the flower.

The reference to the wolf also confused me. Did it refer to Bill, who was attacked by a werewolf but wasn’t a werewolf himself, or did it suggest that the cuts and scars on her stomach were caused by a wolf, perhaps during the final battle? I finally decided not, because it seemed that the cuts on her stomach, old scarred cuts and new bandaged cuts, were self-inflicted, and that this was a case of self-injury, as some people do. But why does she do it, and why does she feel that she is ugly and twisted inside?

Perhaps there is a clue in the line “…people used to tell me I was nothing more than a pretty face.” This line suggests that it can be damaging to praise a child’s good looks rather than his/her deeper and more valuable qualities. The end of the story suggests that Bill’s insistence that he loves her in spite of everything has had a healing effect on her feelings of worthlessness.

I do not recall seeing any reference to self-loathing or self-injury in the Harry Potter books, so I suppose that this story is an original extension of her personality as imagined by you, the author. In trying to fit it into the Harry Potter canon, I conclude that it must occur during Harry’s fifth or sixth year, when supposedly Fleur was working at Gringott’s Bank “in order to improve her English” (as the reason was given in canon), and getting to know Bill a lot better.

When I read this, I wondered if you wrote it simply to try out something new, a new style or approach, since I don’t see it connected to other stories you have written. Well, it’s fun to try something very different. I have found that to be true for me too.

Name: LoveYouAlways (Signed) · Date: 09/01/12 14:48 · For: premier et final

This story was written beautifully. I wasn't sure how it was HP related in the beginning until it hit me in the end. Amazing.

Author's Response: Wow. Thank you for the review! :) I tried to make it that way ...I'm a sucker for suspense.

Ellie