Name: phoenix_tearPatronus (Signed) · Date: 10/05/14 5:12 · For: Chapter 2: The Resuscitation of Edward Fletcher

What a lovely idea to get the Review Circle up and running again =) I'm glad you did decide to, otherwise I never would have read this, and then I would have missed out on an incredibly interesting rare-pair fic.
I really enjoyed reading your characterisation of both Figg and Fletcher. Mrs Figg was incredibly determined in her search for him, and considering she was wandless the entire time, I think she was very brave to do so. As for Dung, I really liked the way you made him unexpectedly endearing but at the same time maintaining the characterisation we saw of him in the books.
There were a few grammatical issues throughout, such as some of the sentences being rather long which made them a bit difficult to read. Other than that and a few misspellings here and there I though it was a very interesting piece. I'd love to know more about Fletcher's past as a Quidditch player, and what made him become the drunk he is today. I look forward to seeing more =)
~Abi~

Author's Response: I'm glad you liked it! VV once said my stories should come with the warning "Old People Kissing" and it is true that I've been interested in pairing off the less likely folk for years now. I've got two others with Dung and Figg - Dung was very loyal to Dumbledore and there had to be a reason for that - I have one, and it may come out eventually. I'm glad to read that I've kept them in character - as much of the character as we see in the books, which really isn't very much, all in all. It did take a great deal of bravery for Mrs. Figg to go look for him - bravery of several kinds, as I'm placing her here as really rather poor and the trip eats considerably into her small savings, as well as exposing her to the possibility of things no wandless person could combat. I was thinking of the Mrs. Figg who tells Harry not to put his wand away, rather than the one on the witness stand... I will go look for those misspellings. I'll also check the sentences. I am prone to very long sentences - they are often technically correct, if difficult to follow, but not always. I should really print these out to proof them - I am pants at proofing my own stuff onscreen... Thank you so much for the review!

Name: ElmFeather (Signed) · Date: 07/17/13 23:47 · For: The Apparation of Arabella Figg

I did indeed read until the end, and look, here is my review to prove it!
I must say, this was very interesting! Personally I've always found Dung to be a fascinating (if that is a word that could be used to decribe him..?) and highly underused character, and I am looking forward to seeing where this thing goes between him and the indomitable Mrs. Figg. Plus, it's quite refreshing to read about these more peripheral characters, and it will be fun to see what directions you decide to go in with them.
Great job! I can't wait to read more!

Name: dmbw7052 (Signed) · Date: 06/26/13 19:00 · For: The Apparation of Arabella Figg

Hello there! I’m Georgia. I really enjoyed this story, as Figg is a character that is not written about much. As it was written for the Cotillion, I presume the pairing is Figg/Mundungus. They’re so hilarious together. In some ways, they’re complete opposites, yet they have quite a bit in common, including not being the neatest.


I really like the way Figg’s mind works. She goes off on all these bunny trails which is exactly what one would expect from a cat-crazed older lady. Her language when she was yelling at Mundungus did seem a bit strong though, as she is not a particularly violent person. Mundunus was quite endearing, in his own way. The description of him by Figg was so perfect.


I think the idea of Figg searching all over the place for Dung was right in character, especially since Figg’s reason was solely survival. I would have loved to see what exactly happened after Figg tried to Apparate. Did she succeed? One question I had was how did Figg get around. You mention her walking from Dovetown, but she is rather old. Perhaps the Knight Bus picks up Squibs too.


I just wanted to point out your spelling of Hogsmeade. I think you forgot the “e” on the end.


I really enjoyed this story, as it is a rare pair to the extreme. The characterization was perfect and I loved Figg’s search for Dung. Great job!


-Georgia

Name: Equinox Chick (Signed) · Date: 01/23/13 17:49 · For: The Apparation of Arabella Figg

OHHH, intigued, am I!

Thea, your characterisation is a dream, as always, and I love the set up here. You really do write these under appreciated characters so very well, and I never fail to be carried along by the situations you place them in. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with the rest of the story now she's found him. For now, though, I'm wondering about the first dead body she saw . . .

Great job. ~Carole~

Author's Response: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! And I am SOOO glad you like it because I do respect your opinion! The first dead body she saw, ever, or the first dead body lying around somewhere you'd rather not see one? It's implied in one of the earlier stories... Dust, I think. It will be coming up in here, though, possibly more directly. I really do love writing these characters. VV once said my stories needed an "Old People Kissing" warning and it is true - I sort of want to pair off all the lonely ones with someone who will appreciate them. They're nice people, really, why should they be alone...

Name: Gmariam (Signed) · Date: 01/22/13 13:26 · For: The Apparation of Arabella Figg

Hi there!
Yay, you're dancing in the Cotillion, and with a couple you know! Good start. It's nice to think someone might have actually cared about Mundungus, especially after he jumped ship like that in book seven. Mrs. Figg seems like a really good choice. I haven't read your other two stories, so I don't know if there is more to their relationship already, but I can sense from this that there is and hope we get a bit of background here and there to just fill it in.

Figgy is strong and determined, isn't she? Good job with that, since that's how we meet her in OotP. Loved her name-calling, that was brilliantly creative. I wonder what readers will think about her pulling off an Apparition like that? I think it could work because she's desperate and has Fletcher's wand. I do hope they don't end up Splinched, though.

I did notice two things: you misspelled Hogsmeade as 'Hogsmead' twice and the Hog's Head as 'Hogshead.' Also, there were a few sentences that seemed a bit on the longish side, mostly that fourth paragraph, which I had to read a few times to put together. But that's just my preference for shorter, more deliberate phrasing as opposed to a stream-of-consciousness sort of flow, so you can take that comment with a grain of salt, so to speak. The latter does fit Figgy's point of view, to be sure. I just wouldn't go overboard.

Good luck as you continue! Maybe you can go back to Prefects Imperfect when you're done. ;)
~Gina :)

Author's Response: Oh, I love Mrs. Figg, and I have been shipping her and Dung for a long time now... There is a bit more of a relationship - not a ship, exactly, but a grudging half-friendship or something in the earlier stories, and yes, there will be background, dropped in bit by bit in what I hope is a natural way, rather than the "Gotta get his in here even though it doesn't fit" way they do it in really cheap Romance Novels... I see Arabella as very resourceful. About the Apparition - Dung is still holding the wand when she does it - and maybe he is willing it along with her, or maybe she is directing his magic - I think it's a bit like when a mother pulls the door off a burning car to get her kid out - in some desperate situations, you just do things that are normally impossible. Thanks for the spelling corrections - I had a deadline for posting this chapter, and my betas couldn't get it back to me in time, so I will go back and edit it. Spelling has never been my strong suit, I'm afraid... I do go for longer sentences, and sometimes i do get myself caught up in a mess with them not flowing. It's odd, because I am actually a very direct person, but you'd never know it from my sentence structure alone... Thanks, and hmm... I actually have more chapters of PI that haven't been finished off that I can go back and polish, but I also have another pairing for the Cotillion... There are those two other Figg and Fletcher stories.. (winks audaciously and hopes to inspire a rush to read... ;-) )

Name: Oregonian (Signed) · Date: 01/22/13 11:12 · For: The Apparation of Arabella Figg

Yes, I do read through to the end; as you know, I have an interest in developing the character of Arabella Figg (if you read my story through to the end). The last two paragraphs were not completely clear to me. Who is Edward? Another name for M. Fletcher? I am sure it will become clear as the story proceeds.

Author's Response: Yes, I did read your story through to the end! And I loved what you did with Arabella in the Epilogue. I love the characters that are fairly well defined withing a very small window, like Arabella, and Dung, and Moody - they are very real, there is a personality you have to respect, but they can be expanded in logical directions outside of the small angle we get on their lives. You'll find out a bit about Edward in the next chapter.The earlier two stories show them interacting before things get so terribly tense in the Wizarding World, and I think I am keeping true to my elaborations of their characters. The two of them are outsiders in two different ways - I like to think that at least gives them some point of commonality to work from... I see Dung very much as he is in the books and the illustrations, rather than in the Movie - I think that Dung has some things in common with Book!Dung, but has way too much energy, and is way way too clean...

Name: Dad (Signed) · Date: 01/22/13 6:27 · For: The Apparation of Arabella Figg

Different. I liked it.

Author's Response: Than ks for reading and reviewing! This story follows two others which also feature this pairing. I figure that there are reasons Dung is the way he is, and that there is more to Arabella Figg than the Wizarding World might imagine. I'm glad you liked it, and hope you continue to read as the story progresses.

Name: Spottedcat (Signed) · Date: 01/22/13 3:17 · For: The Apparation of Arabella Figg

Go Mrs. Figg!

And yes, I read this chapter through to the very end, and I am waiting patiently for the next chapter. Well, as my mom used to say, "Nobody waits patiently." But... I am waiting for the next chapter!

I have always liked Mrs. Figg. And you're making me like Mundungus. Darn it! I don't want to like him!

Author's Response: Well, when you get to know Mundungus better, I think you'll relent a little... He's not a strong man, and he's made mistakes, but he does feel them, and where there's life, there's hope...