04/19/06
http://www.maiamadness.com
Hi. I've been gone for a while… Really would like to come back… Hope you'll welcome me when I do, I do want to update some of my stories and write some new ones.
Some info about me... My name is Maia, I'm 21 years old, I'm a human female and I love to write, especially HP fanfiction, and especially slash. Not all of my stories are SSPs, but a lot of them are.
I love writing, so it goes without saying that I also love reading. My favourite works of fiction apart from Harry Potter include The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud, His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell by Susanna Clark, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman and The Temeraire Series by Naomi Novik.
My second love is music, and I don’t think I could live without it. As you will see, pretty much all my one shots are song-fics. Music inspires me in every way. My favourite bands include Tool, Sonata Arctica, Pink Floyd, Blind Guardian, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Nighwish, Placebo, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Led Zeppelin, Them Crooked Vultures, the occasional moment of Deerhoof and a whole bunch of others, mostly within the rock genre in one way or another. I am also a music student, and a singer. On my website, you can listen to some do my tunes, though most of them are bad live recordings, so don't give them too much weight.
I also love comic books, movies, TV shows, anime, pen & paper RPGs and all other manner of geekery. I am a dedicated Mac user (or iWhore, as we like to call ourselves) and I love all kinds of tiny gadgets and electronics that I gladly screw apart but can never put back together again. :)
I am a
:: PI Beta :: Duellist :: Drabbler :: Artist ::
What you will find here:
WIPs:
Maia in the Mirror:
This story is most likely discontinued. I haven’t really felt inspired to write it for some time, but I might pick it up again eventually. It started out as one of those “put myself in the Potterverse”-things, the main character is based on me and a lot of the other characters are based on my friends. In the end, however, it became too much work and I just don’t enjoy writing it as much as I enjoy writing other things.
Too Much Love Will Kill You:
This was meant as an alternate ending to my one shot Bohemian Rhapsody, and was supposed to be about ten chapters long. The bunny ran away from me, and I had to follow, and now this story is halfway along and already nine chapters. It never turns out the way you meant it to… But I’m sticking with this one until the end. Harry/Draco is my OTP! ;)
And I know the title is a mouthful… I’m considering shortening it to just Too Much Love, but I’m thinking it might be a little late for that now.
Severely Moonstruck:
Severely Moonstruck is my first attempt at writing a particular pairing I’ve grown quite fond of lately. The whole story started with a tiny conversation in TMLWKY and grew from there. For those who were wondering whom Remus’ secret lover was, this is the story where you find out. Actually it’s not much of a secret… I think everyone has figured out what ship this really is by now, anyway…
Short Stories:
A Night at the Opera Series
This is a series of one-shots all based on songs from Queen’s album A Night at the Opera. I wrote them as a personal challenge, to see if I could find a Potterverse plot to every song on the album. I almost got there. I have bunnies for all of them except Good Company. We’ll see if I ever bother to write them all down… A Night at the Opera consists of the following stories:
Death on Two Legs (slash)
This is the second Snape-centred story I ever wrote. The first one I’m afraid was taken down from this site (it was a one-shot with rape in it, and it was decided that these were not allowed by our lovely modlies), however this one remains.
Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon
This story has a very rare main character: Fudge. It’s actually more like a monologue than a story… I might be entirely alone, but I actually felt a little bit sorry for Fudge in HBP. Yes he was arrogant and foolish, but to err is human, as they say, and in the first chapter of HBP, Fudge admits his mistakes.
I'm In Love With My Car
You know, I always wondered what the back story was with the Ford Anglia… Since we get no real explanation, I decided to write my own version. Only piece of humour I’ve ever written, apart from a few drabbles. It really isn’t my forte…
You're My Best Friend
I swear to Godric, I really meant to write a Ron/Harry, for a lark. I just couldn’t do it! So I wrote a fluffy little friendship fic instead. :)
Thirty-Nine (slash)
Here’s the only Sirius/Remus I’ve ever written, at least the only one purely so. I used to fancy myself a Wolfstar shipper, but lately I’ve decided that what Remus truly needs is someone more sensitive. Sirius is too brash and blunt for Remus. Anyway, this is a grief fic, which is one of my other favourite genres.
Bohemian Rhapsody
And this is the story that started it all. Two “alls”, actually. It was the first fic I wrote for A Night at the Opera, and it’s what started TMLWKY. This one is much sadder, but in a way I prefer this ending, because I like tragedy, and I like relationships that don’t work out. I like to see them fail, especially with Harry/Draco. When I say it’s my OTP, I’m really lying a little, because I have no delusions of it ever working out… I just find the dynamics interesting, the idea of it all. That’s why I write it.
The Tool Song Fics:
For those who know me, I don’t think I need to say that I love Tool. This band has given me so much. Their music has given me whole new thoughts and ideas and literally changed changed my life, I recommend everyone who is into any sort of more complex and progessive music to give them a listen. There’s nothing else quite like them in the world.
Wings
This story is based on the song 10,000 Days from Tool’s album by the same name. Maynard wrote it for his mother, Judith Marie, after she finally died after years of pain caused by a stroke. She was a Methodist (if I remember correctly), a good Christian and a remarkably selfless and good person. The songs Wings for Marie and 10,000 Days are Maynard’s thoughts after this loss, and the hope that if there is a God, Judith Marie has indeed got her wings, because no one deserves them more than she. I wanted to write a fic based on it, because death and grief are subjects close to my heart. My father died when I was eleven, and I too desperately cling to the hope that he is in a better place, and that he’s looking down on me and watching me.
Vicarious
Vicarious is a song which represents what I really like best about Tool; the cynicism, the idea that there is no hope for mankind. It’s not that I necessarily believe this myself, but sometimes I wonder. With all the bad things that go on in this world, can people really be inherently good? It also focuses on the hypocrisy of that which is politically correct, as they say. Because there is a certain fascination to the macabre, to death and war and suffering. That’s why we watch horror movies. But it’s not politically correct to admit it. That’s what it’s all about.
Schism
I love this song. Schism gives me thing special feeling; the instrumentation is amazing, the lyrics are absolutely fantastic… It’s so special to me that I felt it was the perfect song to use to illustrate poor Dumbledore’s relationship with Gellert Gridelwald and with Aberforth. Schism is about lost love, lost feelings, pieces fallen way… I don’t think I can explain it in any other way.
Borderline
This story is based on the song Stinkfist, from Tool’s album Ænima (1996). There should be no surprise as to why I chose to change the title. Stinkfist is an amazing song. I think that if you want to know what a person is really like, look at what kind of music can move them. Surprisingly enough, this song moves me deeply. If you read the lyrics, this information will probably creep you out a little… Anyway, the story is about dear old Remus, and his problems coping after the deaths of Lily, James and Peter, and the revelation that it was Sirius who murdered them. It is a story about what that kind of pain can do to a person’s soul, how it can take away all feeling, and how that damage can be lessened by connecting with another human being, in the right way, if only for a moment.
The Patient
The Patient is another of my favourite songs. Quite apart from the beautiful music (I just love 5/4, don’t you?), the lyrics take my breath away. It occurred to me a while ago that this song really applies to Neville’s situation in a unique way. In the books we see the really brave side, the loyal side of him; how he loves them so much even though they barely know who he is. But even heroes feel discouraged at times. I guess I just thought that Neville must at some point grow weary of it all, and that’s when this idea popped into my head. Hope people like it; I appear to be writing a lot of grief fics lately… I’m the queen of angst! Yes! :P
What you can expect in the future:
I have a few more Tool fics in mind that I will write and post. I might get back to A Night at the Opera and Maia in the Mirror eventually, but for the time being I will focus on TMLWKY and SM, and on my original fiction.
Thanks to all my betas, who have helped make these stories possible! Thanks also to all the banner makers who have made me beautiful banners for my stories!
Extra special thanks to Bridget for being a nazi when it’s needed, Kelsey for being ever supportive, all the wonderful and brilliant moderators of MNFF and last but not least, my better half for allowing my obsession.
Thank you all!
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Bedtime by Vindictus Viridian
Rated: 1st-2nd Years •
Summary: The Malfoys are entertaining, and it is time for little Draco to go to bed. He, of course, can think of better things to do than sleep.
Date: 07/29/06 Title: Chapter 1: A Story
Well, I do love reviewing your stories as well; you give good replies and you'ree an intelligent person; I'd say we both get something from this.
It is something funny there. I don't like Lucius either, but I love writing him. There's something about writing someone who's so purely evil... And not in the way Voldemort is. He's evil and twisted and angry, and really somewhat of a destroyed person. No, Lucius is evil in the bureaucratic sense of the word. Evil politician. Vile. Intelligent. Very intelligent, and manipulative. He knows how to get exactly what he wants. Really scary character. But fun to write, lol.
I'll stop spamming your review page now. =)
Author's Response: Well, as I\'ve been discussing in about fifteen different places, a good plot needs conflict, and Lucius seems to create plenty of it. Maybe that\'s why he brings in the bunnies. What he wants is going to be something that someone else doesn\'t want him to have.
And a little spam never hurt anyone, right?
Blue Eyes Scheming by Vindictus Viridian
Rated: 1st-2nd Years •Summary: For Spring Challenge 4: Lamb to the Slaughter. Pigwidgeon brings a note to the Malfoy manor in the summer after Draco's fourth year of Hogwarts. This is a sequal to Blue Eyes Reflecting and Blue Eyes Reproachful; the boys are back again by popular demand. Thanks to Slian Martreb for beta-reading and garyf, joanna, and MrTibbles for a helpful canon check!
Date: 06/03/06 Title: Chapter 1: Ron/Draco III
Hm... I do like it, and it's cool that you haven't jumped on the bandwagon of Lucius being an abusive, horrible person with not a hint of fatherly love to him. I have always been under the assumption that Luciuas, although not the abusive git everyone makes him out to be, is almost incapable of loving anyone (as I point out clearly in my fic Death of Two Legs) as well as rather sadistic. But we don't know what Lucius is like intimately, and everything's allowed.
I very much liked Lucius' line of, "I would have tolerated a poorer companion for you, but never a weaker one." That was very in character, the way I see Lucius, and you haven't made him completely mushy; it annoys me to no end when people write Lucius too mushy.
Draco's reaction to recieving the note nearly made me cry, and it's such a Draco thing to do, to decide to take revenge the next year; it makes so perfect sense. Very nice! Are you planning to write any more on this series? If you did, I would be so happy. It would be interesting to see what happens if they meet again when they're all grown up, for instance.
Never stop writing, I adore your work!
Author's Response: Thanks for reviewing some more! If you keep reading my stuff, you will find that I think Lucius is an abusive, horrible person, just not with his own son. It gives him a little complexity and fits with what we see of him in the books. I\'m still not sure if there\'s more to this series or not. Sometimes first love just doesn\'t have a follow-up, after all. It may be that they end up interacting just exactly as their fathers do...
You know, I hadn\'t really intended to become a slashwriter, but those do seem to be my most-read stories. Hmm.
Ready To Accept by MaraudersAffair
Rated: Professors •Summary: After Tonks's early death, Remus is fed up with losing the people he loves and doesn't want to live anymore. There is only one man who can save Lupin from himself and make him accept who he is. Pairings: Lupin/Snape, Lupin/Tonks.
Date: 04/21/06 Title: Chapter 1: Your Salvation
This is really great! I hope you will continue it soon. You write with beautiful language. I love the last line. This promises a good story.
Author's Response: Oh thank you so much! Your opinion means a lot to me and I hope you continue reading once the next chapter is up. Again, thank you for your review.
Date: 08/06/06 Title: Chapter 3: Damned To A Life Of Solitude
As beta, I must review. :P
That was a good way to do it. Good job on working it all out! It turned out really beautiful. Cutting the graphic part was a good idea, I think. Congrats on validation, and on finishing this fic! :)
Maia
Author's Response: Hehe - thank you! You really do think it\'s better this way? I suppose you are right - I changed and edited it so much it better be good. XD Again, thank you so much for beta\'in it. :]
Date: 06/12/06 Title: Chapter 2: Very Wrong Indeed
I'm sorry I haven't gotten around to reviewing this chapter until now. One has been spewing fanfiction left, right and centre with little time for reading inbetween the writing. =P
Ah, very, very brilliant chapter! I loved the exchange between the two in the hosptal wing, and also the *cough* other scene *cough*. Very capturing!
I love the way you describe feeling and emotion metaphorically: It was like a scorching iron rod being stabbed into his head, the unbearable sensation thundering around his eyes, up to his temples. Very nice. I likes!
No that I have praised you sufficiently to boost your ego a couple of notches; Constructive Critisism!
In the Scene of Unadulterated Teenage Lust above, I felt myself getting slightly confused because you kept switching around between using first and last names. If you're going completely omnipotent third person, I would go for using first names only. If you're going for angled third person, from, say, Remus' point of view, I would refer to Remus as Remus and Severus as Snape, much like you did in the Hospital Wing bit.
I also noticed another thing which bugs me in fanfiction, which is the extensive use of "the Gryffindor" or "the Slytherin". It wasn't so bad here, so it's not really worth mentioning, but i would keep in mind that this is somewhat cliché, and that one should try not to over do it.
Once again, great chapter! I have this in my favourites, so I'll be waiting patiently for the next chapter.
Maia
Author's Response: Oh wow, I applaud you for writing a great review. I\'m always opened for real criticism. For what you said, I already know. See, this was my first completed fan fic. I was experimenting through out the whole thing and when I go back and read it, I realize some of my mistakes. Why don\'t I change them? I feel that even if it\'s bad writing, it\'s process and I like to see how I\'ve processed over the months or years. Being naive, I thought use of a characters name over and over again was not right, even if it was how the pov thought. Makes sense? No -- umm I thought using Snape, Snape, Snape over and over was wrong, so I tried to change it up a bit by saying Snape, Severus, the slytherin. I didn\'t realize that Snape nor Lupin thought of each other that way. Am I just babbling?
Actually, I\'m very surprised you didn\'t have more to say. See, I had to edited my two stories a bit and I feel the love scene is quite confusing.
Well, thank you so much for your review. It means a lot to me when someone cares enough to think and respond.
Thank you!
A Weekend with Tonks by RhondaWeasley
Rated: 3rd-5th Years •Summary: Girl crushes just happen sometimes. This is something Ginny learns when she and Hermione spend a weekend with Tonks.
Date: 10/29/06 Title: Chapter 3: Chapter 3
I swear that's the sweetest story I have read on this site so far. It was really well-written. Your characterisation of Tonks was excellent. I also kind of had the feeling that Tonks might be a lesbian before the whole Remus thing. She reminds me a bit of myself, and I kept thinking that she, like me, is the kind of person who likes to surround herself with beautiful girls.
You know, I wonder what house Tonks was in... Wish JKR would tell us.
Ginny is very sweet in this. Her reaction was very believable, and it's a very Ginny way to act when she has a crush. She's super-cute. Hermione was also well-written. I can see it. I can see Hermione at least wanting to experiment. And you managed to keep her very in character when she was talking to Ginny at the end.
All in all, great fic. I'm so glad I took the time to read it! :)
Ocean Soul by AstroFire
Rated: 3rd-5th Years •Summary: They say no one is born being evil. Is Tom Riddle an exception? A one-shot about the night a boy lost his innocence; the night everything changed for everyone. A story about how a boy turned into man... HBP spoilers. Please review. I'm very, very sorry for the weird problem with the format. It is now fixed, but I'm sorry if you had to read it without any spaces D:
Date: 07/29/06 Title: Chapter 1: Ocean Soul
Very nice. Very well written. I do love that song... I never thought of how it could apply to Tom Riddle, but it makes sense. You managed to fit the text very well with the story and the plot you had in mind. I applaud you; this is definitely one of the better tales of this kind I have read. I like the imagery of Tom beingb lifted off the cliff and sinking into the sea. It's very powerful.
This whole story is very powerful, and being based on one of my favourite songs certainly didn't hurt. Well done!
Hm... I could do one like this with Bless the Child... My God... Must think up a plot now.... Very good story!
Author's Response: Oh another Nightwish fan \\W/ ! Well, I don\'t why I got that idea, but I really enjoyed writing it. It\'s nice to know you think it did fit the story and plot :D Aw, thank you very much! You know, that imagery is the real structure or body of this story. I like it very much :)
I\'m glad that you liked it! This is also one of my favourites songs :) Thanks!
Ah, Bless the Child. It\'s such an excellent song! Unfortunately, I don\'t seem able to get inspired with it :/ The only part would be the very end, more accurately the line: \"Why is the deadliest sin to love as I love you.\" I\'ve gotten some ideas for that part, but nothing concrete... yet ;)
Thank you very much for your review!
Date: 08/11/06 Title: Chapter 1: Ocean Soul
By the way, I recommended your fic in the following thread: http://fanfiction.mugglenet.com/forum/showthread.php?p=42012#post42012
When it comes to Bless the Child, I always thing of the Gone Back in Time bit... Oh, my, another plot-bunny.... Must write.... Promise you'll read it when it's done!
I'll stop spamming you now. c(=
Author's Response: Ah, I don\'t know what to say! I think no one has ever recommended one of my fics :) Thank you very, very much! I feel... special! (lol)
Oh, another plot bunny! Yes, go ahead and read. I most certainly read it when it\'s done :D Hmm... now that you mention that bit, I think that\'s a very important part, too. Actually, probably the whole lyric is very deep and meaningful. We just have to see it ;) Please tell me as soon as it is ready. I can\'t wait! :)
Hahah, no, I love your spam :) Thank you so much for reviewing and recommending my story! It is truly appreciated :)
The Right Questions by Vindictus Viridian
Rated: 6th-7th Years •Summary: Severus has an apology to make to a first year student, in spite of misgivings and several personal rules of conduct.
This is rated for some shadowed implications of events past, none of which quite fit in the warnings.
Date: 11/14/06 Title: Chapter 1: -----
You really are leading up to an eventual Severus/Ginny romance, aren't you?
I really loved this. Superb characterisation, as always! (I wonder how many times I can elt you that before my reviews start getting spammy.) It was very interesting to read the quoted conversation from Severus' point of view, and to see paralell events the way you portrayed them.
And, of course, the conversation between Severus and Ginny is utterly heart-breakingly sweet! You keep surprising me by writing these cute, fluffy things. It's confusing to go from the dark and angsty to the cute and fluffy so suddenly...
As always, you manage to keep a red thread throughout all of your fanfiction. It's not easy to keep a universe so consistent when one also has to pay attention to canon facts along the way.
Very nice story anyway. Gold star and cookies for you! :)
Maia
Author's Response: *happily nibbles cookies*
Thanks for reviewing! I think, if you get right down to it, I love flangst. A little humor to sharpen up the dark edges, a little cuddle to make the angst hurt more, a little fluff to make the hard blow harder... Contrasts are cool. (How\'s that for a rambly reply?)
I think the canon facts help keep me anchored in this little Veridiverse; I\'m consistent by working around these lovely little hints and details Jo gives us, or at least I try to be. Once I have a theory about what was going on offscreen, then that theory is entrenched. We didn\'t see where Severus went from the staff room in CoS, or what happened with Ginny in the hospital, so there wasn\'t anything to say they were not in the same place. Neither of them is likely to tell Harry, after all!
Amor Non Mutuus by Dumbledore Prince
Rated: Professors •Summary: “Amor Non Mutuus” is Latin for “Unrequited Love”.
This is the story of the tragic love life of Merope Gaunt, Voldemort’s mother. It is told in first person from Merope’s point of view. She has deep feelings for Tom Riddle Senior, the son of the village squire; and tries to make him fall in love with her. However, Merope learns the hard way that a “love” potion can create only a powerful obsession, not true love.
Additional warning: bad language.
Date: 10/28/06 Title: Chapter 1: One-shot
Yay, I finally got round to reading one of your stories! *grins* Well, concrit first is my way, so here you go:
The ending is a bit abrupt. I feel like there should be something following, or that you should have ended it in a different sentence, but I have no suggestions.
“You fucking witch,” said Tom coldly, “you used me in order to satisfy some pathetic desire of yours. Enchanting me in some damn foolish way and having no second thoughts about it,” he took a deep breath after saying this.
I spotted a dialogue error here, which I thought I should point out. It ought to be:
"...and having no second thoughts about it." He took a deep breath after saying this.
Only end in comma if a) the sentence is followed by "he said" or similar or b) the sentence is broken in two.
In the sex-scene in the middle you have something not quite correct time-wise. After all, this takes place some time in the, what, 1930s or 40s? The word "boxers" is a rather modern term, and most certainly not one I would expect Merope Gaunt to use. I think you should replace it with simply "underwear".
Now I will praise you.
I liked the beginning best. The bit with the water was well-written. Tom's suspicion seemed very in character and so was Merope's uncertainty and self-doubt. Also, the ending was ecellent, just not very final, I feel...
I think this story describes excellently how Merope and Tom's relationship (if you can call it that) might have happened. I enjoyed reading it very much! Good job! I need to get round to reading more of your work...
Author's Response:
Thanks for this long and lovely review, Maia! I knew their \'relationship\' might have been very angst-ridden and certainly not fluffy. I\'m quite pleased with the way the fic has turned out to be. I\'m also happy that Merope and Tom don\'t seem OOC to you!
Also, the ending was excellent, just not very final, I feel...
I understand. You see, I had read a very powerful story about Merope\'s last moments on this site (I think it\'s Resplendence by Wings of the Morning) and I didn\'t have the inclination to elaborate on that aspect.
I shall fix the dialogue error and modernism as soon as I can. Thanks for taking the time and patience to point them out!
~Mini.
Even Fallen Angels Love by Vindictus Viridian
Rated: Professors •Summary: Who was Lucius Malfoy's first love? Someone who stole his heart caused him more trouble than ever he expected and introduced him to romance in winter.
This story has been nominated in the hurt/comfort category in owl.tauri.org's awards for 2006 fanfics. It has also recieved a Runner-Up award for Best Romance in the Mod Quicksilver Quills.
Date: 09/15/06 Title: Chapter 6: Afterward
My God.... You did it. You made me feel sympathy for Lucius Malfoy, the single most evil and unsympathetic character in the Potterverse, and you did it so well you almost made me cry.
I think I've never read anything quite so fiercely sad and romantic all at once. It's a good story. You're stuck in this now, you know. I want to know what happens to Bill when Lucius dies. I swear, if you don't write it, I'll have to write it myself, with or without your permission. =P
Great work, however you may view it. You put real feelings into a man who cannot feel. You built onto Molly's character bneautifully. In the beginning, my first urge was to call her OOC, but I realised eventually that the Molly Prewett of Gryffindor was a somewhat different person than the Molly Weasley we meet in the books.
All in all, I think you did a wonderful job!
Author's Response: You have permission, because now I wonder how you\'re seeing this happen. I\'m not sure, myself. I do have visions of a Malfoy Mansion full of Weasleys (including Ron and Draco in their own suite, of course.) So far an actual story hasn\'t materialized, though. Molly worried me -- but she\'s a rather impetuous redhead even when we know her, so I assumed if the mature version was that lively, her teen self must have been really something. Thanks for the review! I\'m glad you found this special.
Harry Potter and The Process of writing Fan Fiction by Purplemage
Rated: 3rd-5th Years •Summary: A hilarious ride inside an author's head as he tries to write the best fic ever written by a fan. Unfortunatley, things don't go as planned and the author must get himself out of a sticky situation before he ruins the joy of writing Fan Fiction forever.
WARNING: Random and Bizarre humor ahead.
Date: 10/28/06 Title: Chapter 1: Harry Potter and The Process of Writing Fan Fiction
Oh, my, I haven't reviewed this one... Not that you don't already know that I like it, lol.
It turned out very good, I must say! I love China... "Isn't that ironic? A gay couple shagging in the closet..." It's the best line ever!
Going to make this short, I think. You're a good writer. Keep up the good work, darling!
Author's Response: Maia! *hugs* You\'re opinion means a lot to me, you know that right? Thanks for the review! PS: I really like that line too.
Date: 10/28/06 Title: Chapter 1: Harry Potter and The Process of Writing Fan Fiction
By the way, I read through all the reviews... I would like to add that all the negative reviews came from people who have zero stories in their accounts.
Author's Response: Is that so? I had no idea. You know what they say \"That critics are frustrated artists\"
Brave Little Cabbage by Vindictus Viridian
Rated: 3rd-5th Years •Summary: Simone Cheney has a moral dilemma to solve: explain the horrible mess, or betray her dearest friend?
Date: 09/13/06 Title: Chapter 1: Peeves
I don't.... know.... what I can say, except maybe...
Awww!!
Sorry, I had to get that out of my system. So cute! I loved this fic, it was alltogether too cute! Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but it's far cuter than anything I thought you could possibly produce, lol.
There, done joking. I loved the idea with the Poltergeist. Not a theory I would have used myself as to the creation of one of those buggers, but very amusing, and it served its purpose in this story.
I could definitely go with the idea of Minerva being into girls. That would actually explain very well why she never got married or had kids. I never considered it before, though... Then again, femmeslash was never really my genre (though I'm working on a Narcissa/Lily fic for Jenna :P), and I'm far more likely to make up unusual maleslash pairs. Funny, that... I guess I'm straighter than I thought.
Anyway, like I said, loved the story, and the ending was super-cute. I feel all fluffy inside now! :) Never stop writing!
Maia
Author's Response: Femmeslash doesn\'t seem to be much of anyone\'s genre on MNFF -- it\'s sadly empty in here. I\'m not sure why this wanted to be cute, exactly, but it demanded to be. Simone herself, I think, is cute, in her own tough little way. As for Minerva, it just seemed to fit, somehow. I\'m glad this gave you a good read! This was one I wasn\'t all that sure about.
Date: 09/13/06 Title: Chapter 1: Peeves
Poltergeists are indeed traditionally manifestations of the repressed energies of teenaged girls, so whose was he?
Really? And I thought you just made it up... I never knew. Then there's even more to this story than I thought. I retract my previous statement.
Author's Response: *giggle* I wondered about Peeves right away, and then figured he made sense for a boarding school. When Minerva started telling him which way the chandelier unscrewed (and how does she know, anyway?) and loaning him her walking stick, though, suddenly I had all sorts of amusing ideas about Peeves. The question was just where they fit in the grand scheme of things. Thanks again!
Potter by Vindictus Viridian
Rated: 1st-2nd Years •Summary: Severus pauses in his eternal grading to ponder a student who could be getting better marks.
Date: 07/31/06 Title: Chapter 1: Colour-Change Ink
Very brilliant.
I love the feeling in this fic. Once again you have managed to incorporate humour into a serious work in a tasteful and good manner. I love Harry being all sullen and stupid, and I love Severus' mixed thoughts and feelings about Harry's behaviour.
The letters are a great touch. You seem to like letters. The last one says so much about Severus' relationship with Harry it's almost scary.
I would write a more substantial review, had I found anything to really critisise... But i didn't. And I'm tired, so there you go.
Congratulations on once again writing a sublime piece of fanfiction. It blows me away!
Author's Response: *huggles Maia* You\'re right; letters can say a lot between the lines, as well as within. Thanks bunches, as always, for a lovely review!
Jinxes by Vindictus Viridian
Rated: 1st-2nd Years •Summary: Ginny has had just about enough to do with boys. To her surprise, she's not the only one who thinks the males of Gryffindor could use a good hexing.
Date: 08/26/06 Title: Chapter 1: -----
Absolutely brilliant. You've done it again!
Wonderful Snape characterisation. There was something almost Dumbledore-esque about the way he subtly told Ginny what to do, although it was, quite naturally, somewhat more evil and conniving than anything Dumbledore would say, lol.
I also very much loved the following little subtlety:
Ron was acting strangely anyway, prying into her life if she asked how he was, blushing about nothing, and sneaking off. It couldn’t possibly be a girlfriend; someone would have told her that ages ago.
I do love it how you've got your own Potterverse, where all your stories weave together to form a whole. That's part of what I love about reading your work.
This story is, of course, also a brilliant explenation of how Ginny learned her excellen Bat-Bogey Hex.
Hm... Can't think of anything else at present. Very good work, anyhow! Keep writing, you know I love it! :)
Author's Response: Thanks! Now that all the stories weave together, I\'m stumped -- what if I want to AU myself all of a sudden? This came about because I joked that SS/HG didn\'t work for me as well as SS/GW, and here came the plotbunnies on parade. Funny how kidding around can do that.
Preparations by Vindictus Viridian
Rated: 3rd-5th Years •Summary: On the night before her wedding, Lily has second thoughts.
Date: 09/13/06 Title: Chapter 1: Of Tea and Brandy
Oh, if only it had been so... That would have been a story worth reading. That would have been a better life for everyone. Maybe she would have lived... Then again, there would never have been Harry Potter.
It's a good story, I really liked it. You describe Lily's doubts wonderfully. I love the thing with the brandy. So very Severus to brood like that. And then tea. Of course, then tea.
I'd say more, but I'm too tired and my tail bone hurts too much to let me think. However, your story made the pain go away for a bit. Thank you! Keep writing! :)
Maia
Author's Response: The brandy is with a hat-tip to Slian Martreb, who thought it was a Severus sort of drink. I could see him liking the ritual, but somehow I can\'t see him as a drinker -- too mind-fogging for him. And so there he sat, staring into it and wondering how much good it was going to do in the glass.
I have no idea what happens next for them, but that was some of the fun of writing it, for me. Lily stepping into the void and taking the chance was more interesting to me than what followed, which is probably the other reason the brandy panned out as it did.
Thanks for the review!
A Different Sort of Peace by Vindictus Viridian
Rated: 6th-7th Years •Summary: At some point there had to have been a choice.
The logical place to begin a story is at the point of the first decision. But what if there were no decisions? What if, at every point, there was only one possible act? What if the story simply cannot be told?
Completed (though not posted) entirely pre-DH.
Date: 07/03/07 Title: Chapter 22: Night
It's 1 o'clock in the morning, and I'm literaly at the edge of my seat. I think "awesome" is the only word which can truly describe this story. That and "moving". This truly is highly moving.
I'm way too tired to be writing anything that makes sense now. I really love this story. The ending of the chapter was stunning. Light... I can't wait for the next update; I must know what happens next.
Your Potterverse is as real to me as Rowling's. Sometimes I find myself mixing the two. I actually wrote a Psychology assignment about Severus, with your description of him in mind at all times. There really isn't enough in the books for me to be able to really understand him, but with your stories he makes sense as a character. I titled the assignment "Severus in Profile", a small tribute to you, if you will. You see, I think you've figured him out, and if he turns out differently... Well, then JK is wrong. This is the real Severs for me. :)
Maia
Date: 07/05/07 Title: Chapter 23: Sometime
*dies a little* What a relief! When I read the previous chapter I was, for a little while, worried that that was it... But then I realised you'd never leave us hanging like that.
So the trial is over and Severus is free. Yay! But... does that mean we won't get to hear from dear Lucius after all? And I was so looking forward to seeing him testify... What would the maddened Lucius of Azkaban have to say about poor Severus' misfortunes that could be even remotely helpful?
Waiting eagerly for the next chapter.
Maia