08/14/07
Thank you to Fresca for the beautiful author banner.
Hi, my name is Hannah, I'm 19 and live in the UK. I'm in my first year of university and spend more time on MNFF then I probably should. My fairly light university schedule has only made it easier to continue spending more time on here, even if I do occasionally get weighed down by essays.
I first discovered fanfiction between the publication of HBP and DH though it wasn't until after DH that I tried writing anything. I have started more fanfics than I can count but very few materialise into anything as I will often lose sight of my plot or realise halfway through that I don't like what I am writing. I am proud of the few stories I have written, however, and hope that if you take the time to read them, you will too.
I tend to be very open about what I will read and write so I don't generally have category or character preferences though if I had to pick Teddy Lupin is probably my favourite person to write about. My preferred pairing is Ron/Hermione, though you will notice a bit of Dramione on my author page. As a mod, I look after the categories of Ron/Hermione, Remus/Tonks and Post-Hogwarts so these tend to be where I enjoy spending most time.
I am quite active on the Beta Boards and am a proud Slytherin, as well as a moderator.
I have tried all sorts of new things on the forums, from writing drabbles on things I wouldn't usually to taking part in beta and bannermaking classes, as well as other more writing specific challenges. My favourite challenge on the Boards as always been the QWC and I have been in several teams, including one which we won (the story we wrote can be found posted below). If you are a member of the archives who hasn't yet found their way over to the forums yet, I really would urge you to try it out as there is so much to do over there and so many new things to get involved in.
While most of my stories work as standalone one shots, I have been planning and writing a series of Teddy Lupin one-shots. They do not fit together as such, but are all set in the same 'world' and some may make references to others. Therefore they are best to read chronologically (by the age Teddy is when they are set, rather than the order they were posted as I was inspired by different things at different times). I only have three up at the moment, but have more planned. The current best order to read them in is:
-->The Balancing Act
-->Loved and Lost
-->A Proper Goodbye
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Better than Chocolate by Equinox Chick
Rated: 3rd-5th Years •Summary: It is the Easter holiday at Hogwarts and Charlie Weasley has decided to stay at school instead of going home. He told his mother that he needed to study, but Charlie has something, or rather someone, on his mind.
Maybe this year a certain Metamorphmagus will become more than a friend?
Thank you to Natalie (hestiajones) for beta'ing this story.
Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling. She is far richer, far taller and is far more talented.
Happy Easter, MNFF'ers.
Date: 04/22/11 Title: Chapter 1: Better than Chocolate
aww, Croll, I loved this. It was a great (and very cute) story, and I liked the touch of fluff.
The characterisation was great from both of them. The interaction between the two seemed easy and natural. It's great reading about two people from different houses actually being friends. The use of memories was good and even in a short fic you made me believe the relationship between these two.
I loved the little details - especially the conversation about how their next DADA prof was going to go - it made me laugh, thinking about the fact that of course, everyone would notice that they'd been losing DADA teachers every year for years. The attention to these things is what makes your stories so enjoyable to read.
Sorry this is short but I just wanted to let you know I enjoyed reading this :)
~the cool one
Author's Response: Thank you, Robertah! How very ... cute ... of you to review. I'm glad you liked the bit about the DADA profs because it's always fascinated me. In one of my stories I have Ludo's brother running a book on it. And I don;t mind the short review - it was a short story, after all. ~Carole~
Key of the Door by Equinox Chick
Rated: 3rd-5th Years •Summary: At the age of twenty, Ron Weasley has a good career, a wonderful girlfriend and a flat of his own. But when he wakes up one morning, shortly before his twenty-first birthday, nothing can quite dispel the gloomy cloud that's been stalking him.
Could a long lunch in the Leaky Cauldron rid him of this malaise?
This story has been written as a twenty-first birthday present for Hannah/Bob (coolh5000) who is one of the most wonderful people in the world.
Thank you to Natalie for beta'ing, Kara for the line about the Knight bus and Julia for the 'firecrotch'. (I hope you like Ron's revenge for the slur)
Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling. She has the talent; I have the temerity to nick her characters.
Date: 08/14/12 Title: Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Croll I love you! And I feel like a hideously horrible person for never reviewing this and showing you the love and devotion you deserve. From now on, I will worship you above all others.
This story is completely perfect! Seriously, how are you such a genius? I enjoyed it from beginning to end. The plot is very well thought out - it makes sense that the characters wouldn't all fall into the jobs they wanted forever the second Hogwarts finished and I like that it didn't all fit as a fairytale ending for them all. It also works with what we know from canon, that Ron became an author but also that he helped George with the shop - it's just a different order of things to how others have interpreted it. I do hope that this is what Ron finally wants to do though. I did get a little sense that perhaps this still wasn't the case of him picking a job for himself but for someone else and even though it made sense for him to be quitting as an Auror, I hope that the joke shop ultimately makes him happy.
I love you for this line: “I haven’t taken seven rotten Floo connections all the way home only for you to hex me, Ron Weasley.†So many authors would have gone down the Ronald route here and you knew that this is a stupid cliche and stuck with his actual name!
I was sitting here giggling away during the scene with Ron, George and Malfoy, while my family looked at me strangely (I had my pointy hat on too though).
I feel like I should be serious instead of squeeing now. I love the characterisation in this, particularly the interaction between Ron and George - it was so natural, so brotherly and I found the conversation between the two flowed brilliantly. Malfoy is still as much of a git as ever (you know me so well to know that's exactly how I like to read him!) Hermione's appearance at the end was great too and I'm glad you showed a little snippet of their happy coupleness. I also think it's great that Geroge and Hermione could see how unhappy Ron was as an Auror even when he thought he was hiding it so well or before he necessarily admitted it to himself - it shows how much they know him!
You've probably received much better reviews than this as I've just been burbling. I feel like I could say a lot more about everything I loved in this (and believe me, I do love it all) but it would be a bit repetitive!
Hannah
Author's Response: Hannahhhhhhh,
Thank youuuuu. Ha ha - I wouldn't have insulted you this morning if I'd seen this :P. Yes, I hope Ron is happy in the shop. I do think there's an air of him wanting to find something - anything - to get away from the Auror department, and maybe he thinks this is only temporary (but taking over the shop is a biiiig commitment, Ronnieeee). However, in my head canon, he's happy here and proves successful.
Glad you liked Hermione. I wanted her to be understanding because I'm sure Ron dreaded telling her, but it's always surprising to him how much she knows because she really is quite intuitive. And, no, I couldn;t have her call him Ronald - so wrong.
Anyway, very glad you enjoyed it. Now, get back to your heavy sun-bathing schedule. :) ~Carole~
Date: 08/14/12 Title: Chapter 1: Chapter 1
P.S. Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
(I'm giddy but not drunk). I did however accidentally post that last review twice so you're going to get one too many emails - sorry!
Author's Response: I don;t get emails - t'is all coool (h5000) ~Carole~
The Unbreakable Curse by Karaley Dargen
Rated: 6th-7th Years •
Summary: In 1993, Bill Weasley is working on a tomb in Egypt with a team of Magiarchaeologists and Curse-Breakers. It is a job like any other ... or so it seems, until members of the expedition start dying, and Bill has to race against time to figure out what exactly it is that they awakened in the tomb of Mentuhotep, and how it can be stopped before it reaches him.
The following are characters from JKR’s creations: Bill Weasley, Ragnok, Agatha Chubb (QttA), and the last names of Deverill and Pilliwickle. I don’t own them and never will!
I owe a large debt to Hannah (coolh5000), Carole (EquinoxChick), and Natalie (hestiajones) for their constant encouragement and help at various stages of this story.
Fair Warning: Some of the reviews (naturally) contain spoilers, especially those towards the end. So if you want to be safe, don't read those before you read the story.
This story just WON a 2012 QSQ Award in the General category, as best chaptered story. THANK YOU!!!
¸.·ˆˆˆ(ºvº)ˆˆˆ·.¸
m m
So here we are, at last, at our journey’s end,
And it’s time for some sweets; come on, bring a friend!
Simply search for the holiday and the first thing you’ll see
Is a familiar character’s first Halloween.
Date: 03/03/12 Title: Chapter 1: Bliss
ooh, Kara, what a great start. I get the sense something bad is about to happen - Natasha and Marcus disappearing seems a bit suspicious to me. And I wonder if Althea Chubb has other motives for being there...
You've introduced the characters really well and I definitely think I'm starting to get a feel for their personalities. I like your portrayal of Bill - I've not really thought about him much before but I think you've done a good job and I love his flirtyness and obvious love of adventure and his job.
The little details you've added really make the story, and show how much care and attention you put into writing this - things like the augamenti not working as well in the desert and how the wizards cope with working with Muggles.
I'd better keep reading but loving it so far!
Author's Response: HANNAH you have NO idea how great it was to come home to that flood of reviews just now! I am so so so happy about this.
Yeah, I mean, we don't know THAT much about Bill from the books, but we know that he likes a bit of fun and that he's relatively careless. I still didn't want him to be too careless on his job though, because obviously that would be dangerous, so he does take that part seriously. And anyway, he loves his job! (Who wouldn't, at least a bit...)
I briefly considered making the archaeologists Muggles actually but that would have overcomplicated things, hahaha.
Moving on to your next review now. Love love love you!
Date: 03/03/12 Title: Chapter 2: Quarrels
Ooh, so the plot thickens! We have an actual threat now! I wonder how long it'll be before something happens.
I don't know how I feel about Marcus - I sympathise with him - I think he probably feels to Bill a lot like Ron does to Harry, as it must be very frustrating to see Bill always getting the girls and more money when they seem to be doing the same job. At least Bill is decent enough to recognise it though. There's a part of me that's definitely a little suspicious of him though - his behaviour at the beginning of the chapter was definitely a bit odd. And now we have this mysterious relationship between Mahon and Chubb too - she seems to be a bit off her head, with her mood swinging from one direction to the next!
I love all the descriptive details in the chapter, particularly of the actual process of curse-breaking. Even if you say you didn't research it much, it definitely feels like you have it pretty well thought it in your head and it comes across that you've planned what you're doing and have a reason for everything you write. I can't help thinking that when I look back at the end of the story, there're going to be all sorts of clues in these early chapters that I missed. (I'm a little suspicious now of the possibility of a rogue curse going off, given that they've already missed one (brilliant explanation for the weakening magical energy by the way)).
Now to read on!
Author's Response: Oooh Marcus... I sort of liked showing Bill as a bit more independent from his family, so he sort of knows what Marcus must feel like (though not really as badly because by the time Bill started Hogwarts, his family was probably still a bit better off, and I doubt that he really ever got the full hit of their financial troubles), but he's also managed to be good enough at his job to be okay-off, and not have to worry about money all the time between assignments. And then Marcus is just sort of stuck in that worrying place... Anyway I kind of wanted to show how their friendship works, a bit.
Mmhm, Althea's definitely a biiit unhinged. I think it happens to people sometimes when they get too famous...
I want to be a Curse-Breaker myself -- maybe that's why it was relatively easy writing them, haha! It's just what felt logical to me as I was writing, really. I'm really glad that it's working out so well!
Date: 03/03/12 Title: Chapter 3: Success
It's a trap!!
Or maybe not - who knows - all seems a bit easy to me.
Also, Bill needs to pull himself together and focus on his job and not attractive young curse-breakers.
I don't have much to contribute about this chapter because it was shorter but I wanted to review anyway.
Author's Response: I know, honestly, Bill...
Thank youuuu for the review! I know, some chapters are really quite short, but I always felt like those were the best points for a chapter break...
Date: 03/03/12 Title: Chapter 4: Shivers
Tutut, Bill getting distracted again! Something is definitely up with Marcus and I am intrigued to find out what.
This whole story gives me the creeps (in a good way). There's just something so spooky about curse-breaking and exploring tombs that makes me feel like they could all die at any minute. You write it really well, keeping up the suspense and dropping in the little hints of things not being quite right every now and then. The balance of description and detail about the work, and plot is really good too. It would be easy for a story like this to get bogged down in the details of what actually happens in curse-breaking and be quite dry, but yours definitely doesn't do that.
I realise these reviews are a bit rubbish, but I want to keep reading!
Author's Response: These tombs are such an easy setting, hahaha -- because they're so creepy and mysterious already, and everything that happens in them is ten times as scary and exciting as it would be under normal circumstances. I love them... I'm a bit jealous of Bill and his colleagues tbh. (though not the ones that die)
Aaah thank you so much for the compliments. You know how nervous I was about this all, and it's just such a relief to hear that people like you seem to be enjoying it!
And I'm loving every single one of your reviews, seriously!
Date: 03/03/12 Title: Chapter 5: Passion
Find him like that? Or push him down there? Hmm...though maybe it's too obvious that the woman who threatened him would be the one to kill him. Still, I'm glad we have our first death - now the real mystery can begin. dundunduhhhhhhhhh
Good writing for the *ahem* other matter as well. You built the mood well and I think it all flowed nicely. Bill really is a bit of a player isn't he?
Author's Response: Ah, that's the problem about mysteries in general... the reader always knows that it can't be the first person that the detective seems to suspect... Then again I once read an Agatha Christie mystery in which the first very obvious suspect really turned out to be the murderer in the end, and that really was the giant twist... because you sort of felt like dismissing her from the first moment, since it couldn't possibly be her. There were some more cover-up tricks and diversions involved, but still.
Ah yes, he is, but a player with a heaaaart. hahaha. You know that I was very unsure and nervous about this scene (and I'm still glad that I cut so much of it), but I also felt that the story needed it, structurally - as stupid as that sounds. It's kind of the point of ultimate peace before it all starts going completely chaotic.
Date: 03/03/12 Title: Chapter 6: Qualms
*shudder* I hate snakes. They're so evil. (I know I'm supposed to be at one with the snakes but they creep me out - maybe keep that to yourself).
I maintain my distrust of Marcus - there's something I don't like about him. I also think Natasha might be up to something - I hope Bill doesn't get too distracted by her to miss something important. I think I'm suspicious of everyone at the moment. The plot is really coming together and it's very intriguing. I'm also feeling a little creeped out and jumpy at the thought of curses and mummys being about all over the place.
It'll be interesting to see if this turn out to be a curse, a murder or just an accident - not sure what I think at the moment (well, I don't really believe it's just an accident but you never know).
I probably missed stuff about this chapter in this review but I'm going to move on anyway so I can keep reading!
Author's Response: Your secret's safe with me! (and I sympathise deeply!)
If I were you, or Bill, I'd mistrust everyone, too. I think Bill is a bit too trusting, actually... DUN DUN DUNNNN!
No, I wasn't being serious enough there. I'm glad that it's keeping you guessing, because that was what I'm aiming for, obviously, with a mystery!
Date: 03/03/12 Title: Chapter 7: Horrors
Noooooo but she might have been the one with all the answers! I didn't really suspect her (it's never the one who first seems guilty), but I do think she's important in some way.
I started feeling a horrible butterfly in my chest from the very first drips - I could tell it wasn't going to be anything good, but you did an excellent job of building the suspense up to the final moment of discovery. The use of the dripping interspersed with the narrative worked really well.
I'm starting to feel a bit kinder towards Natasha - maybe she isn't suspicious after all...(though maybe you're laughing at my cluelessness right now).
Bill's reaction to the scene was good, and very natural too - I was gripped reading it - it's like one of those gory scenes where you really don't want to watch, but you can't look away either.
Looking forward to finding out what's going to happen next!
Author's Response: Yeah, keeping her alive might have been useful... after all she seems to be the only person connecting the previous victims!
Ah, I'd never laugh at you! Anything is still possible though... Thank you for finding this chapter exciting/thrilling. I was even more worried about this one, I think, because the overall thrill and excitement is what the story is really all about, and if it hadn't worked, I'd have had to rewrite at some point, EEK!
I hope I didn't bring you any bad dreams, anyway...
Date: 03/04/12 Title: Chapter 8: Darkness
I'm sure he'll figure it out. It's all very intriguing though. I'm beginning to keep my eye on the healer too - you know, just in case he turns out to be up to something (unlikely I think but at the moment everyone is a suspect!)
I've run out of chapters to read now - I hope we get the next soon - I'm eagerly awaiting the developments :) My eyes are drifting off to sleep so I'm not sure that I have anything too productive to say but I wanted to review all the chapters so you'd know what I think.
Author's Response: Ah, he's Bill, there's nothing he can't do!
I'm glad that you think of everyone as a potential suspect -- if anyone ever goes insane around you, at least I know you'll be keeping an eye out! That's what makes a good detective.
Thank you so, SO much for all these reviews. I was absolutely not expecting it, especially not tonight -- I didn't even know you were going to read the story (yet)! And they definitely made my night :) I'll have to return the favour some time soon... Gah I'm so happy about all this reading and reviewing.
I should really work on getting the next chapter ready soon! it'll be either soon and a short one, or a bit of a wait and a fairly long one... hm... I'll see what I can finish tonight! Again, thank you. So, so much.
Night Terrors by Karaley Dargen
Rated: 3rd-5th Years •Summary: In their seventh year at Hogwarts, every student has only one thing on their mind: NEWTs. And Quidditch. And bickering friends. And people who are mysteriously locked away in the hospital wing... Or maybe Nymphadora Tonks and Charlie Weasley are just having a particularly unusual term.
Anything that you recognise, including names, spells, potions, and Quidditch moves, belongs to either JKR or the copyright holders of various HP games and other media.
A million thanks must be sent to Carole/Equinox Chick, whithout whom I'm not sure I'd have a story. She's a fabulous beta and one of the best people that I have ever known.
Also lots of thanks to Natalie/hestiajones for reading the first chapters and especially for making me see that they needed work!
Aaaand many many thanks and hugs to Hannah/coolh5000 for being a really fantastic friend and always encouraging me.
Date: 11/02/12 Title: Chapter 1: Slightly Drowsy
Karaaaaaaa,
I love your writing - it's all so lovely and readable and your characters are just great.
I also love the little extra touches you put into your plot - it shows how much detail you put into planning and creating the world the characters live in. The flyers are something I completely believe could happen in canon (and i also get the sense that there'll be more to them than first meets the eye perhaps.)
The friendship between Charlie and Tonks is portrayed really well and I feel like you've really mastered the first person voice of Tonks well.
I look forward to reading on!
Author's Response: Hannah!!! Thank you so, so much for reviewing! Yay I didn't know you were going to start reading this yet :D
I'm very glad that you like the voice, because that's something I'm always a bit unsure about. Yayay, can't wait for you to read on, and thanks again for the review!
Date: 11/02/12 Title: Chapter 2: So Stressed Out
Who exactly are these dancing trolls?
Poor Tonks. Snape is such a git. And seventh year sounds like no fun at all! Unfortunately I don't have anything more meaningful than that to add at the moment.
Author's Response: Hmmmmmmmm... you might find that they are familiar... uhm, faces. Troll-faces.
Snape is so evil! And I'd hate all the studying, honestly :x Can't really blame some of the students for trying to find alternative methods! Thanks for the review, Hannanannanah. It means a lot!
Date: 11/04/12 Title: Chapter 3: Under Pressure
Uh-oh - a missing student - me thinks things are about to get mysterious.
I remembered something I meant to mention in the last chapter - I love the plants! I've never really thought that much about magical plants before but of course with Tonks being a Hufflepuff, it makes so much sense to have all these plants with personalities - the waking up with water, stealing things etc - it's all so good - and a sign of your typical attention to detail which makes your stories so interesting to read.
I don't know who to sympathise with between Ed and Martha- on the one hand I'm sure it's difficult for her to have such pushy parents but on the other it's hardly his fault that he doesn't have to do as many as she does and as he said, he still has to work! It reminds me of when I was at school and the people who chose to do four subjects used to give the people who'd chosen three such a hard time because they had less work to do, but it was their own fault for choosing to do so many!
Oh I also meant to say I liked how you explained the fact that Gryffindor aren't in the running for the Quidditch Cup because even though Charlie is brilliant, the rest of the team aren't. It gets around the whole canon issues there are surrounding Oliver Wood and Charlie being at Hogwarts at the same time but not winning the cup. I did have a question though - how old is Wood here? He must be quite young to already be captaining the team.
And there I shall end this rambling and not very useful review!
Author's Response: Mmhm, I had a bit of a hard time figuring out the Gryffindor Quidditch team, because we know that this is the year before Harry starts at Hogwarts, and the twins as well as Wood must have been on the team before, because they knew his speech... Oliver would be in his fourth year here, which is quite young, but I think not unfeasible. My personal logic for them being on the team at the same time and Oliver being the captain is that Charlie wanted to focus on school more in his seventh year rather than captain the Quidditch team, and so handed the captainship over to his next oldest team member who wasn't a seventh year. But they're left with a fairly young team overall...
I feel sorry for both Martha and Ed, and for their friendship - school just ruins everything!
I'm so glad we have some pottermore info on Hufflepuff, because that gave me loads of ideas! And I do like the plants. I'll always love our tower most (of course), but I wanted to make Hufflepuff a place that anyone would feel welcome in, and I think I'd like to be there at least on some days!
Thank you so much for all your reviews! I don't know how I deserve this flood!
Date: 11/04/12 Title: Chapter 4: Completely Exhausted
I love hearing about seventh year lessons. They do seem so much more advanced than the younger years. The transfiguration of inanimate objects into animals always makes me wonder though. I wonder where the animals come from - are they real or just like...table pigs that wouldn't ever last properly. Otherwise it seems a bit sinister to think you can create something with a life and then take it away again all with a couple of spells.
Things took a bit of a sinister turn at the end there - I wonder where that will lead!
Ooh are we going to get some Quidditch writing in the next chapter? The Hufflepuff team sound like they're on fire!
Author's Response: Quidditch is coming soon - eeeep. But not quite yet! Oh I hope you like the Quidditch...
You know, ever since I started reading/writing fanfic, I've had this thought about an OC who's an animal rights activist and rescues all the hedgehogs from being turned into pincushions. Overall though I think they wouldn't be actually alive, and wouldn't have a "personality", like animals normally do. I wonder if there are advanced classes that study the results of magic and dissect animals like that etc *shudders*. But no, generally, I think they wouldn't be actually alive, and you wouldn't be able to get nutrients from the meat of such a pig either, and things like that. Only what they then actually are, I don't know... My OC would get a terrible telling off by McGonagall, of course, for being nonsensible ;)
I think the lessons make up a bit for all the stress! They would be more fun, if you can do loads of things already and don't need as much direction.
Thank you for the review! I just loved coming home to this! haha
Date: 11/04/12 Title: Chapter 5: Off Your Game
DunDunDuhhhhhh - Something very sinister is going on! I would bet it has something to do with Andrew and the dancing trolls.
I don't envy the poor seventh years - they have such a hard time of it - it sounds so stressful!
I'm still loving reading about the classes - you do it so well! And the tense/pov are working great as well - I hardly even notice it's present tense most of the time (which is good because it means it's reading very naturally.
Post more now!
Author's Response: I'm finally getting around to replying to this as well!
Glad you're still liking it. And yes, what is it about that Andrew guy... hmmmm.
I've posted another one chapter now!
Another Anniversary by Equinox Chick
Rated: 3rd-5th Years •Summary: Fifteen years after the Battle, Ron and Hermione reminisce.
Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, but I hope she'd like this.
This story was inspired by a reminder from halfaslug on tumblr - thank you. I dedicate this to her, and Lori (Weasley Mom) because they love Romione so much. (Well, what's not to love?)
Date: 05/03/13 Title: Chapter 1: Oneshot
Awwwwwwwwwww...I would like to leave my review there but I sense that might not be satisfactory for you.
I loved this - it was such a nice mix of sweetness, fluffiness and a bit of sadness as well. A perfect little snapshot of their married life - showing how they would never forget some things, no matter how much time has passed but that it's also still possible to remember the good stuff with the bad. And though you showed that everything is not quite perfect, I like that this was just a moment without any tension or arguing. A perfect Friday morning Romione fix!
Author's Response: Yes, I know they bickered a lot in HP, but they weren't at each other's throats and I think once Ron felt more secure, then he'd be less prickly. Thank you for the review. It was fun writing this - ha ha - although the posting was rather annoying ... not sure you noticed :x - thanks ~Croll~