What�s a 41-year-old mother of three doing writing Harry Potter fan fiction? If you�re here reading my bio, then you probably already know. It doesn�t matter how young or old we are; we�re all here because Harry Potter inspires us to write, to read, and to learn more about Rowling�s world and the people and creatures who inhabit it.
My true immersion into HP fandom came with the discovery of Mugglenet and Mugglenet fan fiction. Before long, I was hooked, visiting almost daily for updates on my favorite authors, to search for new favorites, and more recently to seek writing advice and fellowship over at the Beta forums. Finally, inspired by my rereading of HBP, I decided to offer my own interpretations of various characters and events.
None of us makes any money writing fan fiction, but it�s amazingly satisfying all the same. I�d like to think, moreover, that with each new offering I have validated my writing skills improve a little more. In any case, I�ll keep writing and hopefully so will you, and together we will fill the spaces between and around the action depicted in Rowling�s celebrated series!
House Affiliation: Ravenclaw
My ships: Albus/Minerva, Remus/Tonks, Severus/Narcissa, Severus/grown-up Hermione, Severus/grown-up Luna, Severus/various OC�s: Clancy, Maeve, Patricia (see LariLee�s A Right Bastard)
I am a proud Potions & Pineapple shipper, a devoted follower of S.I.C.K., and a first-time participant in S.N.A.P.E.! Visit Vocalion's Highly Improbable Journal for more information.
Concerning Snape: I was right!
Well, I finally finished, and I think this story will forever color my picture of the marauders and Lily! I love how it all holds together so well, balanced between the two dreams and nicely embracing all the flashbacks. The writing itself was quite engaging, and I often felt myself laughing or tearing up as I followed the group through their various adventures. Only negative criticism I have is the problem with italics in the last couple chapters...but the story itself was superb!
Author's Response: ARGH! i HATE formatting!!! I ahven't looked on VR for ages, maybe I'll go back and see what I can do about the italics. ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for reading, lunafish, it really means a lot to me. ARGH. I'm really glad you enjoyed it, and I am honored to know that my interpretation of the characters will be with you in some way as you go on to read bigger and better Marauder stories...ARGH on to the italics...
Finished chapter 9, and just wanted to say that I, too, love the flashbacks, here and in earlier chapters. You've integrated them so smoothly into the main story line that we get all the back story without needing 7 books to cover the 7 years the Marauders spend at Hogwarts.
Author's Response: aww thank you, lunafish! it's been a while since I read a review for VR (that would be because it is tres difficult to respond to them...:( ) the flashbacks, i must say, are my favorite things to write. I can get as much as I want into them without having to worry about continuing on afterwards. I can stop whenever I've got what I wanted to done (which is why I'm going to write one-shots next)
Just finished the first chapter, and I like seeing this other side of Hermione. She's pretty realistic as a teenage girl, even if she isn't the Hermione I'm used. One thing--sorry to sound prudish: you might want a warning about the language.
Author's Response: Thanks for the review. The warning has been added. :)
Just went over to the other site to finish the story and came away smiling. I very much like the diary format (though, yeah, it is unbelievable sometimes--she was writing on her date?!); Bridget Jones has nothing on Hermione. As I might have mentioned after chapt. 1, I really like seeing below the surface of Hermione's "Miss-know-it-all" facade!
Author's Response: Thanks. :) (And, uh, I figured she'd always have books/writing with her since she's Hermione and Ron would be used to it...*nods* Yes, that's it...*ahem* Can we tell that realism was not my particular goal? Lol.)
I love how you kept it so light. Despite the loss we suffered in book 6, I think that's how Dumbledore would want life to be now--"crafty old puss" indeed. Poor Severus, though, that both Remus AND the damned Jarvy received an Order of Merlin before him! LOL! And I'm glad they both returned to the Kilty Pleasures--what a perfect place for their reunion. Oh, I'm going to be so sad when this story is over. But still one more chapter to look forward to!
Author's Response: Hi lunafish! Yes, this was intended as a comedy, so I must press on and try to keep it light, in spite of the events of HBP. :-)
*sob* I can't even imagine how this must feel for you and all your long-time readers. I only got caught up with everyone this summer when I came to Highly Improbable via Sigune's art work, but I've been hooked since the moment I laid eyes on Aunt Hilly. I've been a Pineapple Pal ever since! You introduced me to a Snape I never realized existed, one who has become completely real to me: Clancy's Snape. And Clancy herself is, I think, exists in my mind just as much, if not more than any canon character JKR gives us, and I mean that with the greatest respect to both of you!
Though I mourn that I've come to the end of your tale, I love how you've wrapped things up. It's better than "happily ever after" because it's an ending we can believe in. Nightmare's still exist, teenage daughters sneak out, and wives grow chin hairs, but love and teasing continue until the end of their days. I began this review with a sob, but I end your story with a sense of lightness and hope. Snape and Clancy are together, and all is right with the world. I don't think I'll be waiting until after book 7 to reread--the dancing pineapples already beckon!
Author's Response: Thank you, lunafish. As larilee likes to say, I'm going to print your review out and sleep with it under my pillow. :-D
I just finished the second chapter, and had to stop and say how much I'm enjoying your story. The characters seems so real to me already and, even having just met her, I mourn the loss of Aunt Hilly. The letter she wrote had a particularly strong effect on me; I'm jotting down that passage about jumping in head first because it strikes me as so true. Wish I'd thought of it a long time ago myself. Well, I've got to get back to the story.
"With a look of revulsion and hatred, he regarded his own reflection in the one-way mirror."--Ah, I like your version of the tower scene so much better than...well, the alternative. Because I know with your story it will all turn out well in the end. I'm so glad you've updated! You do a great job showing the confusion and despair Clancy feels right now. And Severus...that mirror was almost as cruel on DD's part as the altered potion was on Snape's. The characters do stay true to form, though, don't they? Clancy is just as blunt and funny as ever, even in her current state of mind and Snape as self-absorbed. But I feel bad for them both.
Just got through the first meeting with Mr. NOT Wonderful! Very funny and true to character. I'm sitting here smiling. Poor girl. But lucky girl, too! How many of us would love to be in her place?! I know I would. Can't wait to see what happens next!
Just finished Valentine's Day. You're making me see how this attraction could actually happen, and I find myself charmed by the greasy bastard in spite of myself!
"The Boy Who Must Be Famous For Something"--I am never going to have the sympathy for Harry that I used to. I just had to say it....
Finally! The dancing pineapples I've heard so much about!!! Now I truly understand what "lol" means! But abbreviating just won't do: I'm truly Laughing Out Loud!
Finally! The dancing pineapples I've heard so much about!!! "Hardly a day goes by that one isn't called upon to make a pineapple tap dance." I just savoured that line! Now I truly understand what "lol" means! But abbreviating just won't do: I'm truly Laughing Out Loud!
I hereby eat my words: I swore I would never enjoy a time-traveler fic. I was wrong. Now if that pineapple doing the conga would just show up again!
I think the assertion that this isn't one of your better stories is completely wrong! It is different, but so is its protagonist. Using flashback and vivid (and, at times, breathtaking) imagery, your story really captures for me how different and special Luna is. I esp. like how you keep playing with her name to emphasize her other-worldliness.
Not much too add to the other reviews, as they say pretty much what I want to (i.e. that the story is a delight to read). However, I just had to add my pleasure at the following: "Then it gave way to something much more pervasive and sinister. It kissed the former silence. It giggled in her ear. Yes. I could. It wouldn’t be so bad, would it?" Beautiful imagry here; you've successfully made the intangible tangible--a rare feat in my experience!
I see below that you have a few very long, detailed reviews. I have no intention of leaving the same, I'm sorry to say. (Being a member of SPEW looks like hard work!) Really all I wanted to tell you is that I like your story very much. JKR gave us a flat character in Mr. Ollivander, and you've made him round. And the job...the way of life...it's very scary in a way, but somehow sensible. Who else but THE Mr. Ollivander could carry out this most sacred duty? You answer the question: no one. A last thought: have you ever read Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality? As in your story, the person becomes the job in that series, and it's a heavy burden. You've definitely given me plenty to think about!
Author's Response: Thanks for your review (being a member of Spew is hard work and scary, if you don't do it mj starts oiling up the thumbscrews.).
I have read (and enjoyed) the Incarnations of Immortality series, and they were a base model for this chapter, so I think it worked. yay, and thanks.
I'm so glad you didn't take it to a higher rating. It's an awesome story; Snape's transformation is subtle and completely believable (and I say this after having read HBP).
Author's Response: Thank you so much, lunafish! I am so happy you enjoyed this! You know, when I read HBP, I'm still convinced that Snape is Dumbledore's man. There's too much ambiguity for JK Rowling to do it any other way. Of course, I may be delusional as well. :-)
~Lisa
I'm so glad you didn't take it to a higher rating. It's an awesome story; Snape's transformation is subtle and completely believable (and I say this after having read HBP).
"Also, I can't expect to travel without Mr. Snuggley-boo, my teddy. Did I just admit that?! Oh well, it's not like somebody is going to steal this diary and post it for a bunch of people to read..." LOL!!! Another fun chapter! In addition to the above, I especially like the torturing of Wormtail for exercise--very funny (and satisfying). I'm so glad you've continued this story; I've become attached to that snake, thanks to you!
Author's Response: I'm so glad you've continued this story; I've become attached to that snake, thanks to you!
Lol. Thanks! I guess we'll all have a different perspective of Nagini when we go to see GoF in November, lol. :-D