HellsMaji posted a comment on Friday 30th October 2009 5:55pm for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

Awesome story. The only disappointment so far is that Cho is the center of Harry's thought's so much. I hope it's not the case for much longer ^^

TxA_GunFighter posted a comment on Tuesday 17th February 2009 9:15am for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

Good chapter.

gunny

Lady Alchymia replied:

Thank you.

Lady A

brad posted a comment on Wednesday 11th June 2008 6:27pm for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

And so Potterfest-16 begins! I've been looking forward to reading this all over again. Like I keep saying, you capture the teenage humour and atmosphere beautifully ... something that's missing in most fanfics (which have the kids acting as too adult or serious) and the last two canon books.

Which makes the contrast with the 'serious' elements of your plot - Harry's labours in dredging through his memories, and everything else that's coming - all the more effective when they are presented. Like Harry's 'truth' dare with the wheel in this chapter. Good stuff.

"casually summoning contraband alcohol from disapointed boys' bags" - heh.

Trivial grammar mistake, I think - "he'd only drawn it a few of days ago".

I had to smile at the image of Harry's two pets meeting each other, extending claw and head. Nice.

Loved Hermione's protecting Harry with the wheel. As I did Harry's answer as to his feelings about her. You pushed a real button with that ... I got quite vexed with canon!Harry - particularly the lethargic, somewhat self-centred Harry of the last couple of books - in that he NEVER acknowledged what a good friend Hermione was. Hmmm. Well, I think in DH once or twice the boys might have congratulated her on being prepared, saving Harry from Lovegood. Still, I felt warm feelings when your Harry said all that.

Plus what came next was all the more sombre/dramatic in contrast with the fun and frivolity that had preceded it. Good show.

"Only when all its victims had been sufficiently mortified did the Wheel of Destruction voluntarily jmp off the wall and roll itself out the door" -- you know, never in a million years would I have the imagination to think of something like that. I really admire your ability to adapt to Rowling's world of magic so well and use it to generate so much fun and whimsy.

Lady Alchymia replied:

Brad: "And so Potterfest-16 begins! I've been looking forward to reading this all over again. Like I keep saying, you capture the teenage humour and atmosphere beautifully ... something that's missing in most fanfics (which have the kids acting as too adult or serious) and the last two canon books."

LA: That's really kind of you to say, Brad. I think the kids in HBP act their age, but, yes, everything gets more intense in Deathly Hallows (but then look at what they're dealing with).   Canon aside, I think you're right in that there is a woeful tendency for people to apply adult sensibilities to young teens in fanfic.   And not just behaviours.   I sometimes wonder if people really believe what they are writing, giving mid-adolescent kids twisted porn-star physiques and hyper-sexuality.   Many mid-teens do experiment, but rarely with any amazing skill, confidence, or success.   And no parental-figures in the vicinity are ever likely to encourage them. I remember watching, amused and impressed, as my country-based brother-in-law (father of two very beautiful teenage girls) carefully staked out separate girls and boys tents for a big party which involved a sleepover. Wisely distrustful, he felt that at least there was safety in numbers.   He must have gone out to 'stoke the fires' outside the tents at least twenty times that night, and his bobbing lantern could be spotted patrolling the grounds well till dawn.

Brad: "Which makes the contrast with the 'serious' elements of your plot - Harry's labours in dredging through his memories, and everything else that's coming - all the more effective when they are presented. Like Harry's 'truth' dare with the wheel in this chapter. Good stuff."

LA: Thank you kindly!   What I love best about Rowling's Harry is that he strives to apply good humour to his own tragic life, and he prizes that quality in others.   And I don't just mean cracking jokes, I mean true good humour and empathy.   Denied it all through his childhood, I think readers underestimate just how much it is behind his love of Ron and his choice to see past the more prickly aspects of Ron's personality (just as Ron chooses to see past Harry's moodiness).   And this is what I think (in canon) attracted Harry to Lupin during Prisoner of Azkaban     It's a very Australian sensibility, isn't it: finding ways to laugh no matter how grim the situation. (Not an exclusively Australian sensibility, of course, but very common with us.)

Brad: "casually summoning contraband alcohol from disappointed boys' bags" - heh.

LA: *smiles*   I did like that line :).   My brother-in-law would love to have a spell for that.

Brad: "Trivial grammar mistake, I think - "he'd only drawn it a few of days ago"."

LA: Cheers!   Now fixed.

Brad: "I had to smile at the image of Harry's two pets meeting each other, extending claw and head. Nice.:

LA: Thank you :). It's not always about us, is it?   It's fascinating watching different species deal with each other, with humans being quite irrelevant to the transaction.

Brad: "Loved Hermione's protecting Harry with the wheel. As I did Harry's answer as to his feelings about her. You pushed a real button with that ... I got quite vexed with canon!Harry - particularly the lethargic, somewhat self-centred Harry of the last couple of books - in that he NEVER acknowledged what a good friend Hermione was. Hmmm. Well, I think in DH once or twice the boys might have congratulated her on being prepared, saving Harry from Lovegood. Still, I felt warm feelings when your Harry said all that."

LA: *chuckles*   Now, Brad, you know canon!Harry loves Hermione.   But I'm glad you enjoyed that passage :).

Brad: "Plus what came next was all the more sombre/dramatic in contrast with the fun and frivolity that had preceded it. Good show."

LA: Thanks!!

Brad: ""Only when all its victims had been sufficiently mortified did the Wheel of Destruction voluntarily jump off the wall and roll itself out the door" -- you know, never in a million years would I have the imagination to think of something like that. I really admire your ability to adapt to Rowling's world of magic so well and use it to generate so much fun and whimsy."

LA: *blushing* what a really lovely thing to say!   Thanks so much!

Lady A

Ken Warner posted a comment on Sunday 9th December 2007 8:08pm for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

I was really hoping for a Susan romance - as you had hinted at in version 1 - while I should know better from the days that I was a teenager...lo those many years ago... the old song "Love the one you are with" does about sum up those hormone soaked years.

thanks for continuing this work.
warm regards

Lady Alchymia replied:

Hi Ken,

"Hormone-soaked years" is such a great expression!   LOL.   So apt!   The roads of romance shoud never be too straight and narrow :).

Kind regards,

Lady A

wana10 posted a comment on Thursday 6th December 2007 10:22pm for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

well, lets see if i can give a review without spoilers this time, shall we? heh.
anyways, frank made his appearance. awesome. he may not be the biggest character but i loved him none-the-less. as for harry and cho hooking up i like it better this time. last time you were creating the harry/secret ship so strongly with such a minimum of harry/cho that it felt forced and unnatural. this time, however, while you have set a basis for the harry/secret ship one would have to know what they were looking for in order to see it, and therefore the harry/cho doesn't seem as forced. well done. still can't wait to see the harry/secret ship though...don't make us wait too long ;)
-wana10

Lady Alchymia replied:

Hey there,

Thank you for your comments about Frank!   He is such a great little character to write -- loads of fun.   I'm glad you're enjoying the Harry and Cho rollercoaster LoL; thanks!!

I hope you enjoy the upcoming changes :).

Cheers,

Lady A

gadriam posted a comment on Wednesday 5th December 2007 11:03am for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

Incredibly ... nice, i think. The characters feels real and alive, and i believe the flow has improved from the first edition. Thanks for illuminating my night.
g

Lady Alchymia replied:

Thank you  very much, g!   I'm gratified that you can see an improvement from the first version!

Kind regards,

Lady A

Memory King posted a comment on Monday 3rd December 2007 8:02pm for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

Great update, the party was a lot of fun. I'm not really liking Cho here so far, despite being a massive Cho fan. Nonetheless, excellent work on this and I can't wait for more. Keep writing!

Lady Alchymia replied:

I'm so pleased to hear that you are a Cho fan!   They seem very rare!   Cho and Harry have a few troubles ahead -- not a lot of smooth sailing, but I hope you'll enjoy the ride.

Many thanks for your compliments!

Kindly,

Lady A

beauty01021 posted a comment on Sunday 2nd December 2007 8:40pm for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

yeah great chapter can't wait for more so please update again and soon.

Lady Alchymia replied:

Thank you.

Lady A

Wonderbee31 posted a comment on Sunday 2nd December 2007 11:54am for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

Nice, and glad to see more of this. The party was a fun read, and went like I wish JKR could have done for Harry at least once. Going to be looking forward to seeing how things go in the aftermath of the party, and the Panic Room again.

Lady Alchymia replied:

Many thanks, Wonderbee!

It is fun to indulge in fun and games.   I think that's what draws me to Rowling's writing the most: just the sheer fun and whimsy in  the things she conjures for out entertainment.

Kindly,

Lady A

grovepjp posted a comment on Sunday 2nd December 2007 8:10am for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

I think i read the original but cannot imagine finishing.

Why that is i do not know.

Anyway at the moment it is slow going with not much really happening.

I am assuming you are setting a scene.

Anyway currently it seems to be a stage of healing. You should just be sufficiently Leary of suddenly changing the tone.

Alas, it is very good work.

Some of the things i read screamed at me as it being a personal experience on some level as they were just to real.

Anyway, keep it up

df

Lady Alchymia replied:

It is a long read, that is very true, so I sympathise there,   And my story varies considerably from Rowling in that it isn't an action/adventure story.   This story is really just about Harry's mind -- and me messing with it, poking and prodding it to feel different emotions and seeing where they take him.   I enjoy exploring inner conflicts and character faults and strengths without indulging too much in the glamour of Death Eater action, which can certainly make things rather dull!   You could say I am scene setting for some more intense conflicts coming up in a couple of chapters, but this (the current chapter) is pretty much what the story is like the whole way through -- me putting Harry in socially/emotionally loaded situations and seeing how he performs.   Not for everyone, I concede, but I have fun with it.   If you read the story as a romantic comedy, it might make more sense -- or perhaps think of the Seinfeld-esque 'show about nothing' concept.   There is a great deal of 'nothing' that happens in my writing (and in my life!).   Is ‘nothing’ worth writing about with Harry Potter?   For me, yes.   We already know how Rowling's plot panned out, so (for me) all that's left to explore are the characters themselves (rather than grand solutions to threats of Wizarding World domination), hence taking a spin with the Wheel of Destruction rather than the Elder Wand.     However, all that rationalising does not excuse me having boring bits, so I’m trying hard to make sure that each ‘nothing’ has a point and illuminates some aspect of Harry’s personality in an entertaining way.   I don’t always succeed at that, but I’m trying :).

Lady A

Infin1x posted a comment on Sunday 2nd December 2007 3:04am for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

Very nicely done, one of the better Harry's Birthday Parties I have read.

Lady Alchymia replied:

Thanks very much!   That's a lovely thing to say :).

Lady A

bookaholic_au posted a comment on Sunday 2nd December 2007 12:25am for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

"This goes straight to the poolroom!" - either you watch a LOT of movies or are just rather lucky. That's a quote from a rather obscure Australian film called "The Castle" - everything of any value goes unopened to the pool room (we saw it in English).

A fantastic chapter, but it's beginning to become familiar, I think I read the previous version ages ago and loved it. This is shaping up to be even better!

Lady Alchymia replied:

Hehehe ...   Whilst I do consider myself a very lucky person, the answer is that I did lift that line from The Castle.   Such a top little movie!

Thank you for your compliments!   Yes, it probably is sounding familiar LOL -- I remember you as a reader from the first version.   I'm pleased to see you here on FFA!

Lady A

 

morriganscrow posted a comment on Saturday 1st December 2007 10:41pm for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

Oh dear! That last bit heralds doom and gloom!
I have to be honest - I dislike the Harry/Cho pairing - but it won't put me off reading your excellent story.
Your description of a teen party was spot-on and most entertaining.

Lady Alchymia replied:

LoL, yes, Cho is quite unpopular.   I appreciate you looking past that :), and your compliments on teen-partying -- thank you!

I really enjoy throwing characters in a room and messing with their heads LOL.   I'm delighted you found the party entertaining!

Lady A

ily.the.cat posted a comment on Saturday 1st December 2007 8:19pm for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

I liked this chapter. It was really good. Can't wait for the next one... I never can. it seems like as soon as one chapter gets here, I need the next one. Oh well.
Sammi

Lady Alchymia replied:

Glad you enjoyed it, Sammi!

Lady A

PadyandMoony posted a comment on Saturday 1st December 2007 5:39pm for Chapter 7 — The Wheel of Destruction

Great chapter. I loved the changes.
This was definitely my favorite passage:
"Mayhem is serious business," Fred declared solemnly, pacing like a general before his troops, "but we know you’ve got it in you!"

Mad-Eye Moody just grunted and continued strolling through the crowd, casually summoning contraband alcohol from disappointed boys’ bags.

Lady Alchymia replied:

Thanks kindly!!

I'm delighted you liked that bit -- I've always been rather fond of the twins and  Mad-Eye.

Cheers,

Lady A