Name: MJ_Padfoot (Signed) · Date: 01/07/16 12:03 · For: Chapter 1

Wow. That was amazing. Great job! xo MJ

Name: bellatrix_weasley (Signed) · Date: 09/24/13 15:41 · For: Chapter 1

I love this! I am obsessed with Les Miserables, so I just had to read it, and I'm glad I did. Poor Remus.

Author's Response: Hi, thanks for your review. Yes I rather like Les Mis too and I've always loved this song, and it has struck me how similar the barricade is to the first wizarding war. Also Remus is one of my favourite characters and I think he possibly has the most tragic character trajectory of anyone in the potterverse. ~Katrina

Name: xxbabewithbrainsxx (Signed) · Date: 07/14/13 7:40 · For: Chapter 1

Oooh, Katrina, I liked this story :) I watched Les Mis a few months back, being totally unfamiliar with the musical or the book, but I recognised the song immediately, and I thought it was very fitting given the circumstances of everyone in this story. I could see the parallels with Remus as Marius, as being a survivor when his friends died, or, in Sirius's case, went to prison.

I think you used first person really effectively here too. I'm not always a fan of first person just because I think getting into a character's voice is often not the easiest thing, but you did it very well in this story and I could hear Remus's voice in the narrative. And I think, given the emotional nature of the story, it was definitely the best choice, because I could really feel his pain at his friends' death and his anger at Sirius for betraying them -- and it makes me even sadder because Sirius wasn't really guilty.

The only thing I will say (and I noticed this in another songfic of yours) is perhaps to use song lyrics more sparingly. I get that you were influenced by the song and no doubt I appreciated them being there, but I do think they were a bit extraneous at times, especially as your one-shot was quite short and you had entire verses quoted. I find it's often better either to have verses at the beginning and end of your story, or to use maybe one or two lines per section, if that makes sense.

But that's quite minor, as overall I really enjoyed this story, Katrina, and I miss your work. I'm only just catching up now, ha, but I will try to read and review the other stuff you've posted recently over the next few weeks. :)

Soraya xxx

Author's Response: Soraya!! Thanks for reviewing this, good to see you back. I'm glad you liked the connection between Marius and Remus, I've always thought their situations were very similar and this is possibly my favourite song from Les Mis (although that's a tough call for me) because of the emotion it evokes. I used the first person following the song, so it's good that worked. I did it because like you said, this is about his emotions in this particular situation, rather than a plot-driven story. I totally get what you mean about the song lines, I found it hard choosing lines so ended up putting the whole verse in, I might have a look at that again. But glad it didn't interfere too much with the story and you still enjoyed it. I think I first wrote the story a couple of years ago but never finished it, so it was good to finally get it up on here. ~Katrina P.S. I hope your exams went well

Name: ElmFeather (Signed) · Date: 06/10/13 23:04 · For: Chapter 1

Oh, dear... I saw the title of this and was compelled to click on it. I immediately opened a new window and went to Youtube, and played Eddie Redmayne's version of this song. After the first paragraph, I had tears in my eyes. When I reached the middle, and I realized that this was Harry's little sister grabbing Remus's hand, and his brother in the background - the other children Lily and James never got the chance to have - I was bawling like a baby. But don't feel badly about it - there are very few people who can make me sob, so please consider it an achievement!
I agree with another reviewer who said that you really captured Remus perfectly. He is also one of my favorite characters, and I always love to see him characterized well.
Thank you for this, it was wonderful. Great job.

Author's Response: Thank you for this lovely review! I'm glad you thought it worked well with the song, because songfics haven't always been my strongpoint. I've always seen a connection between Remus and Marius at this point of their stories, because I think the initial order were a bit like the revolutionary students, because in the end they really didn't have a chance, but they wouldn't not fight. And both Remus and Marius basically lose everyone in one night (although Marius does still have Cosette so he's better off). I'm sorry you were bawling - but then like you said, that's really the point of the story. I think Remus possibly has the hardest life of anyone in the books, he's had to deal with so much, so thanks for saying that his character really came across. Anyway thanks again for leaving such a wonderful review, I'm glad you enjoyed the story. ~Katrina

Name: Equinox Chick (Signed) · Date: 04/14/13 15:17 · For: Chapter 1

Katrinaaaaaaa. thought I should return the favour as you leave so many fabulous reviews.

This was very touching. You caught such a tender moment for Remus and one that fits so well with Marius in Les Mis. I can picture him there mourning them all and getting overwhelmed with sadness at the loss of all his friends and comrades. REmus is a man who doesn;t seem to show muchy emothion, but when he does it's overwhelming, and you brought that to life very well.

I will admit to being a little confused when I first read the story and suddenly all these different children were in the story, but obviously it was his longing for much much happier times, and I ached when I realised that.
,br> Nicely done, well-characterised and with a good twist. ~Carole~

Author's Response: Carole, thanks so much for this! I'm glad you thought it was touching, and that I characterised Remus well - he's one of my favourite characters, so it's nice to know he seems believable to other people. This song has always struck me as like Remus' position - having finally been able to build a life and have friends, and then he loses everything, and I think it would be in the moments when he was by himself, or something reminded him of his friends, that he would really show his emotion. I hope the part with the kids wasn't too confusing- it's always struck me that there was so much life in these characters and it's so heartbreaking that their lives all got cut short. Because even Remus and Sirius (and Peter, but he doesn't really count) stay alive, they never live the way they did with all their friends. Anyway, thanks for the lovely review, and I'm glad you enjoyed it :) ~Katrina

Name: shewolf2000 (Signed) · Date: 04/13/13 3:31 · For: Chapter 1

Well now I'm just sad. Great idea incorporating the song in with the fic. It fits together really well. I like the part in the middle with the imaginary kids. Good job

Author's Response: Thanks for the review! Sorry I made you sad... but then I guess the story worked, because it is supposed to be sad. I'm glad you thought the song worked well - the student revolutionaries in Les Mis have always struck me as being like the first Orde of the Phoenix, and I've always thought this song really reflects what Remus must have gone through after James and Lily died. I'm glad you liked the imaginary future - I love the Marauder era characters (well maybe not Peter) and it always makes me sad that they got to live so little - even Sirius and Remus, who stayed alive, lived pretty miserably after the end of the first war. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to leavea review! ~Katrina