Nerys Dax

I hope you feel somewhat better and are out of the hospital now. It sucks to be sick and like you said, you'd think you'd have loads of time to write, but you just can't (which I don't know how you perceive it but I find it incredibly frustrating). Anyway, best wishes and take your time getting better, fanfiction can wait.

The Prisoner, Review Reply to Siobhan: Thank you for the kind review, it's always inspiring to hear someone likes my story. Well, everything concerning number 7 will be cleared up in the next chapter, including Riddle's reaction. Depending on how long the smut will make the chapter, I will have a Ron and Hermione interaction in the next chapter at the end, or at the beginning of the chapter after that. I really am doing my best to update asap, but it's taken me long to write due to health issues. I've already written out the entire story in my head a thousand times. Now I just have to type it out. Anyway, thank you for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

The Apprentice, review reply to me Well, you're entitled to your opinion, but try not to take things out of context when you quote someone. That sentence is taken from the place "recommended stories" on my profile. I added that sentence to show that every story that's in the Voldemort-Hermione section and is not on my list isn't a story I dislike or find rubbish, but that a story might not be there because I just don't want to point readers to WIPs. I know some WIPs are on my recommended list, but that's because I know the author and am positive those stories will get finished. As for my own updating schedule, yes, I have long periods where I don't update, periods when I update less and periods when I update rapidly. I have a chronic illness that has bad and good periods, which causes me to be unable (at times) to write. Now I suppose I could hoard chapters when I have a good period and my writing is prolific. However, I feel uncomfortable sitting on my chapters when I know readers would love to read on, so I always update when I have a chapter written. I know it means that during a bad period readers will go without any updates, but that's just the way it is. If it makes my stories seem abandoned to you or anyone else, well, you're welcome to think so. If my irregular updating schedule frustrates anyone, well, I promise you that it frustrates me more and I might add that I never twisted your arm to read a WIP. Thanks for reviewing on my updating (are you paying me, btw?) and for reviewing on my profile, xx Nerys.

To everyone waiting for an update: I'm sorry about the delay. Real life's been insane. I've been sick to the point of having to go to the hospital. I've broken down my netbook, which took a while to get back from the manufacturer. My dog had major abdominal surgery after four days of him having high fevers and me having to use a large syringe to spray fluids in his mouth to get him to drink something every half hour. And now, his belly wound is leaking wound-fluid through the stitches, and he's still having somewhat higher temps. So another trip to the vet and some other antibiotics and all, as if 17 pills wasn't enough already. *head-desks* I'm keeping my fingers crossed he won't develop peritonitis. Anyway, it may be a bit longer before I have the time to write. Just wanting to let you all know why it's taking so long. xx Nerys

Chapter 7 review reply to Kohomologia: *sniggers* Actually, if I had known Lady Luck would turn against me, I probably wouldn't have stopped at such an evil cliffhanger. Maybe. But for some reason, real life sucks big time at the moment. First, I got a netbook breaking down; then, a chapter that just wasn't it got written; and last week, I got sick and had to go to the hospital all of the sudden. Grrr... However, I got home yesterday and have started on chapter 8 again. So hopefully it won't be too long now. *keeps fingers crossed and glares at Lady Luck* Thanks for reading and reviewing (and checking every day ) xx Nerys

Nah, you're too kind. It's "fucking equals fade out". And when you "fade in" again, you learn "fucking equals severe bruises all over the female body, Rosemary's baby eating its way out of you, destroyed headboards and feathers everywhere" in Smeyer's world and that's what "tru wuvv" is all about. O.o The "fade out" wouldn't be so disturbing to me if it wasn't followed by the disclosure of all that violence having taking place during The-Act-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named brought to the readers as love, especially since her target audience are impressionable teenage girls and it never gets condemned that Bella ended up like that. And no, Edward's self-loathing doesn't count as condemnation. XD And I am not against an author writing about a disfunctional or violent relationship, but that's not how Smeyer sees her leads. Twilight is scary, sparkling shit. Or I am flaming the author now?

It actually took quite a while before I got my first flame, despite that I write Voldemort-Hermione, which is not really a pairing that's socially acceptable. So, I was totally prepared for shit to come my way and somewhat surprised when it didn't happen. XD My first flame was on FFnet and the anon was called "go fuck yourself in the arse" (at least I can give points for the creativity of that name {something else than Anon}--although it showed the flamer read the chapter on AFFnet and apparently was unable to find the review button here): I couldn't respond because it was a completed story, so alas, I had to laugh all alone. Second "flame" for Bittersweet again; no name was inserted. I said "flame" between quotation marks because I can understand the frustration over the errors encountered in that story. It bothers me, too. I just haven't gotten around to fixing it. But at the time of this "review", there was a warning placed in chapter 1 telling the readers that this story was the first thing (together with Masters) that I wrote in English (which isn't my native language) after not having written anything for ten years in English, and that it was still in need of major editing to take out all the homonyms, tense and grammar errors. So, I felt the all capitals shout out was really unnecessary. If the story hadn't been finished, I'd be inclined to reply: "Those were all the errors you found? I pity your English if it were." For my latest story "The Prisoner", however, it seems flamers have found me on FFnet. Happy's flame: My response was that I actually copied a part of the flame and posted it in the summary. "Now come and read: "There are some creepy, creepy pairings in fandom but this just might be the ickiest sort of thing written in HP fandom." Eh, let's face it, ickiest is a compliment; it means you're Da Best at something. *sniggers* But I do wonder why someone would click on a story with the pairing Tom Riddle and Hermione Granger, and then, nag about said pairing. How stupid can you be? And my response in the AN of the next chapter was: "Happy: Thanks for the laugh. You certainly made me happy. XD" Anon's flame: My response: *snnnrks* A trip to the moon! Thank you for the extremely expensive gift! *places big kisses on Anon's cheeks* You're too kind. I've always wanted to be an astronaut. *runs off to bother the man on the moon* Oh! Maybe it's Riddle? XD Then, Anon returned: O.o So I fuck muslims and perhaps call them names during? *puzzled expression* I, then, decided to ignore Anon since apparently mocking didn't get the point across how she/he was showing the world what an idiot she/he is. On FFNet again, I also got a couple of progressingly ruder demands for updates from the same anon calling herself Yw/yew. It's not precisely a flame but it's getting close. It especially annoyed me because she basically spammed me, and if she'd checked my profile page (on FFnet I use my profile page to inform readers on the stories' progress), she'd known why I wasn't updating that particular story at the moment. So, there was no need to inform me all over the web that I hadn't updated it. This "review" was the one I eventually reacted, too. My not so nice response: "Oh, I am sooooo sorry, Yw, that you had to wait soooo long. I feel terrible now. Distraught. Despaired. How dare I not update! The nerve. The horror. The sheer insolence for leaving YOU waiting for a free story that I don't get paid for to write. *deep, humble bow* I will go sit in a corner and cry now, out of shame for the crimes I have put your highness through. I realise how inexcusable they've been. After all, I am the one who forced you to read a WIP, and then, utter fail, it's not completed and doesn't meet the required update deadline of the site. I shall mend my ways and forgo my real life responsibilities immediately after your reprimand. Yes, I take your "review" that seriously. To quote William Shatner: "Get a life"." I also got some PMs on FFnet, telling me how disgusting and sick I am for writing Voldemort and Hermione as a couple. Most of them come from new and empty profiles, which makes it clear they were only made to write an insulting PM. So, I shared the lulz with my friends and ignored them. But this one came from someone who had an active profile, so I replied to hers. My reply: O.o Hmm... so, I should die first and get help afterwards? Okaaay. Jo? I see. So, you're on a first name basis with Mrs. Rowling? *gigglesnort* And she's welcome to slap me across the face, she's just my type. Good luck with that report, b.t.w., I've kept to the guidelines of this site in my story contents. Just because you don't like the pairing, doesn't mean it's not allowed to write stories about them. And just for good measure, I've reported your insulting PM to the admins, too, since abuse IS a violation of the site's rules. Have a nice day. Two weeks later, the profile from that person was removed to my surprise since I wasn't really expecting anything from the mods of FFnet, but I got a message from them that this wasn't the first time they warned her. On my FFnet profile, I currently state the following about my reaction to flames: "If you feel the need to flame, go ahead. To quote LordVoldemort7 (from twitter): "I enjoy it when people hate me. You're spending your time thinking about me & I don't know who you are. Whose life is pathetic again?"." Because really, if flamers think their idiotic remarks will make me stop writing, they get exactly the opposite from me. XD

Chapter 7 review reply to MarksPet: It will be in the next chapter that I just started writing. *whispers:* I am having far too much fun with the Tom-Hermione situation now. *hides from a furious dark lord* *checks everywhere to see if it's safe to reply* I really enjoyed having her do that. *bolts hideout* LOLs about the only minorly. Yeah, too bad. But I think Hermione is right in her assessment that choice would lead to her inevitable, painful death. Besides, I already established she enjoys his company because he's so domineering au contraire to her husband; so it would be odd for her to choose that one. It would kill one of the reasons she's attracted to him. Although number seven ... *zips lips* Only in my mind. Sorry. Working on it. I apologise for the longer wait. My netbook lost a key. Since I still had warranty on it, I brought it back to the shop and they had to send it to the manufacturer, which naturally took forever. Le sigh. I did try to write some on my heavier laptop but my stupid health issues made that impossible. However, now that I got this little one back, I am getting back in the groove of writing on Prisoner. Thanks for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

Chapter 7 review reply to Elisa: Actually, you got away with it because the dark lord agreed with you. He had number 8 on his list for Hermione. XD (I'd hide for the inevitable crucios if I were you, though). *haughty laugh* I don't need to pray. See, you're making a slight miscalculation with your threat. Lemme explain it to you: When one threatens someone, one must be willing to follow through on said threat, otherwise the one being "threatened" will laugh mockingly at you. Since, in this case, fulfilling said threat would mean The Prisoner would never EVER get finished and you'd be stuck with that horrific cliffy for the rest of your life (along with everyone else who'd know you were the reason it wasn't going to get finished--yes, this is how you really threaten someone. ), I feel perfectly in the clear to do the following: MUAHAHAHAHA! Yes, that was me laughing mockingly at you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. *sniggers gleefully about the cliffy complaining* But I'll do my best to update asap. I'm a bit behind in my writing due to having to miss my netbook for a while, but now I got it back, so I can write again. YAY! Crap! Did I repeat myself? I thought I hadn't done a strangulation scene like that before. Oh well, it shows how well my memory is ... not. *grins* Why? Ermm... because you're lucky? No, my Lord, I'd never suggest you aren't the catch of a lifetime. Everyone knows how wonderful you are and AAAAAAAAAHHH! *Many, many long hours lately.* Thank you for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

Ermm... I do the same with my favourite fics. So, I suppose (if we both are doing it) that means it's not wrong at all. XD Yeah, alas, a very limited supply indeed. And of that limited supply, there are a lot of fics with fluffy! Toms, too, which always makes me shiver in fear. Glad you're enjoying the Lambs twist--I am having great fun with it. Well, locking up Tom is always ... *checks area before continuing* delicious. *hides* I'm sorry to keep you waiting for the next chapter though. I had to bring my netbook to the manufacturer and writing on my bigger notebook turned impossible with my health issues, but now I have the little one back and have started on chapter 8. Hopefully, it won't take me too long to write chapter 8 now. *keeps fingers crossed* Thanks for letting me know you like the fic.

Chapter 7 review reply to excessivelycomplex: Thank you. I am glad you're enjoying the story this much. The answer to what the number seven marriage bond entails will be in the next chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys Chapter 7 review reply to Kohomologia: *sniggers* Yes, overenthusiastic is one word for it. *sniggers again, while hiding in her warded against dark lords hide-out* Hmmm... *wonders if I can answer that without spoiling everything* Nope. Sorry. *zips lips* Since Hermione and Tom are right now discussing it (couple of chatters) I think it will come up what she declined in the next chapter. Thank you. I'll do my best to update asap. Thanks for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

Chapter 7 review reply to SarahLuvsZombehs: LOL. So now you have proof, and what do you think you can do with said proof? Really? You weren't expecting it ... from sweet, innocent MOI? *sniggers* Well, one can dream ... *grabs Hermione voodoo doll and hands one to Reine in case dream doesn't come true* Hmm... I am so not telling yet what number 7 is. You'll see in the next chapter. The pillow probably will be more inclined to cuddle than Tom. Oh, extremely pathetic, I say (sitting in my Star Trek uniform while stabbing a Hermione voodoo doll with needles for getting all the fun). I'll do my best to update asap. Thank you for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

Chapter 7 review reply to nitesfool: O.o Oh dear, shouty capitals. *bolts doors and windows; hides in personal CoS before sniggering gleefully* Mission accomplished. Drove readers crazy with evil cliffhanger, check. Anyway, I am glad you enjoyed my story this much, and I will do my best to update asap. Thank you for reading and reviewing so passionately. XD xx Nerys

Chapter 7 review reply to The-dragon-of-hell: Oh, but I am immune to those eyes. IMMUNE! I see them all day long around here. They don't work on me anymore. No sireeee. It'll be in the next chapter because I am sure Tom will want to discuss IT. XDDD Oh god, he's going to chat again ... and I so planned smut. Well, Hermione will just have to shut him up then, won't she? *sniggers* I'll do my best to update asap. Thank you for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

Chapter 7 Review Reply to Fleur K.: Number 7 will naturally be in the next chapter because, rest assured, Tom will want to discuss it. Oh god, more chatting. *head-desks* I'm sure your guess is quite adequate, but since I haven't started on the next chapter yet and am not sure if it will come up in their discussion, I can't really go into detail. I'm really happy you enjoyed the chapter and the marriage scene. Hmmm... well, it's a logical thing to wonder about. You'll see. Sorry. Oh look at Fleur, trying to trick me into letting something slip. Tsk, tsk, tsk, devious readers. *zips lips about anything relating to number 7 now* Yeah, Tom's face would've been something to watch. I am sure Hermione enjoyed it tremendously. XD Thank you for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

Chapter 7 review reply to iheartskittles: LOL. You're not used to my cliffies by now? *muffled laughter behind hand* Sorry, but I just can't resist them. They're addictive. It's far too much fun imagining the readers' faces when they reach the end of the chapter. So, I am a sadist. What else can I say? Glad you enjoyed Tom's dialogue. He's always a lot of fun to write, because you get to search for the boundaries of normal society and go over them by miles and miles. XD Hmmm... not just married to her, but also had sex with her--saw her naked... Oh dear, poor, poor Ronniekins. I'd hide if I were him. He'd need a better place than his brother's this time, though. Muahahaha! He's great when he's jealous, isn't he? lols I'll do my best to update soon. Thanks for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

Chapter 7 Review Reply to Charlotte: Thank you. I'll do my best to update once a week, but it's hard at the moment because my lighter netbook is at the manufacturer to get its missing key back and I can only carry my large notebook in my lap for a short duration of time, making writing of chapters go a lot slower. However, I have no intention to end it right here, feels a bit unfinished then. LOL I don't know where you got the idea from, but I already have the real last chapter written out and it will not take me that many chapters to get there. After which I will focus back on Apprentice. Thanks for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

Chapter 7 Review Reply to Mari: Thank you. Me? Taunting you? *checks shoulders if anyone else is present* You can't possibly be talking to me, can you? *muffled laughter behind hand*. I agree. He needs someone who can give him some arguments back and well, pwn him (for lack of better word coming to mind). Oh shoot! You'd not forgotten about those potions yet? My evil plot thwarted. Grrr... You're welcome. I am glad you're enjoying it so much and I'll do my best to update asap. Thank you for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

The Apprentice, ch. 33, Review Reply to SarahLuvsZombehs: Thank you. It's good to hear you enjoyed reading it. I'm, however, currently focusing on "The Prisoner". Once that's completely written (it will be a short story), I will give chapter 34 another go. I have like a dozen versions of it already and none are quite it. So, I took a bit of a break from it by working on another story for a while. That often helps my muse to clear its mind and see what's the problem of the chapter not wanting to come out right. I agree with you! I agree with you! Who cares about his inhuman exterior, pah! The way he holds himself and moves around with confidence is enough to make me swoon. Besides, he's deliciously evil-- like we can't be in real life. So, it's fun to read/write about people who trample over every boundary society puts in place. And he's definitely the biggest "trampler" of them all. I am glad you're enjoying my portrayal of him. Lucky Hermione indeed. *grabs Hermione voodoo doll to get even* Will do my best to write Prisoner even faster. Thank you for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

The Apprentice, Ch. 33, Review Reply to Hades Daugher: Thank you. I really appreciate feedback from readers, so I am glad you enjoyed my story. Hmm... your review came precisely at a moment when I needed it. I actually have periods when I dislike the one version and then the other, and at times, I am really not sure if the version here on AFFnet is coherent enough. I sometimes feel some of the smut was too much too soon (for the characters, that is -- I understand that for some readers here there can never be such a thing as too much smut. XDDD). Me neither. Love sick Voldemort makes me want to vomit. Ouch. Er... *hides* It will be a while longer. I am finishing "The Prisoner" first, before tackling the next chapter of Apprentice. Sorry. I know a lot of readers are waiting for it, but I wrote about a dozen versions of chapter 34 and none are good enough, so I need a bit of a break from it. Thank you for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

Masters - smasters. Don't you know the world revolves around fanfiction? Captive Audience muse... YAY!

Review Reply to crimson0707: LOL. Indeed, no sunshine and daisies, to put it mildly. And I am not even done with poor Ron yet. Sometimes, I think I am too evil to him in this fic. Meh… one can never be too evil to fictional characters, especially when they’re … (*Eric Cartman voice*) … GINGER. *grins* *grins* Well, I suppose that depends on the definition you hold of sanity. But yes, he’s not Bellatrix Lestrange’s kind of crazy; he’s more the Machiavellian sociopathic type. I’m glad you’re enjoying my characterisation. Yeah, they’re like two sides of the same coin – some things are alike and some … well, “not so alike” feels like an understatement when it concerns these two individuals. It’s not so much what and how they’d do things, which I think they can be equally opportunistic in, but it’s how they have such different world views and can both articulate their reasoning intelligently, which makes writing about them as a couple so interesting to me. Of course the latter has nothing to do with them being my two favourite characters in the series. XD Uh oh, indeed. LOL. I am not blaming her. *sniggers* Not at all. *hugs Tom plushie* ;-) Hmmm… *evil cackle* Who says that light bulb moment is necessary? Somehow, I doubt it slipped Riddle’s mind that Hermione was on fertility potions. As for Hermione … well … *zips lips* …. you’ll see. Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed that scene, I had a lot of fun writing it so it was typed in no time. Thanks for leaving a review this time then. It’s always great to hear how readers perceived my story, so I really appreciate you taking the time to write this all down. I’ll do my best to update next weekend. *keeps fingers crossed because I’m behind on schedule with chapter 7* xx Nerys

Chapter 6 review reply to MarksPet: WOW, thank you. I am glad you liked it so much, especially the spanking scene (since I wasn't sure on that one because they're just hard ones to write and get right in my humble opinion). Oh dear ... hope I didn't raise expectations too high. *shivers* I'll do my best to update asap, but as said before (although I am not sure I said it to you), I am a bit behind due to hospital visits. I hope to catch up with chapter 7 soon though. Thank you for reading and reviewing, xx Nerys

Oh, I definitely recognise this. I usually have what I call "writing spurs" when a lot comes out of my head and onto the "paper", and then, I have times when things are just a lot slower. And during those times, you definitely get complaints, sometimes even exceptionally rude ones. Readers also don't get that just because you're not updating doesn't mean you're not writing on the story. I've had more than one chapter that took me to write multiple drafts before I finally got something that was right. It especially happens more often when you get further into a story because, with a WIP that's posted, you always have to watch out not to write yourself into a corner you can't get out of. So, when I progress further into a story, I start to check and double-check everything. Does it lead to the planned ending? Does it fit with all the info I supplied in previous chapters? Etc. Right now I have a problem with a scene of one of my longer WIPs. I know what needs to happen in the scene, but it's a highly emotional one, and right now, I can't handle diving into the characters to make that scene come to life without it turning too melodramatic. So, I am waiting till I feel secure enough emotionally to write that scene. Now, I've tried explaining it and most readers get it, but some are just ... well ... all about self-satisfaction I suppose and whatever you say to them, they'll never be okay with your answer unless you can supply them with daily updates or whatever speed they can live with. So, I stopped trying and just went with: This is what I am writing now; don't like, don't read. I'm sure I'll lose a few readers due to that, but eh... my personal health comes first. However, as a reader myself, I understand the frustration at not being able to read on when you love a fic. And I, too, have seen my fair share of abandoned WIPs - though I've never flamed an author for it. What's the point? It's not like a flame would encourage anyone to write quicker or suddenly think: Oh, that was so inspiring, I'll go and write now. *snnnrks* As a writer, I say, I never forced you to press on a WIP. And when you do, you need to take into account that fanfic writers have real lives and other things that take precedence over writing fanfiction which is a hobby. It doesn't pay the bills, cook meals, etc. I also don't think I am that bad at updating. If you look at the total amount I've written over the entire period I've been posting online, I've coughed up an average of 2,8 chapters a month. Sure, there have been long hiatuses at times, but there also have been times when I would update every two-three days; nobody complains then about you going too fast. And I've every intention to finish all the fics I've started, so it can get irritating when you get reviews stating: "Oh you're not going to finish ... blah blah blah." Especially when it happens on FFnet, because there I deliberately use my profile as an information page on what's happening in the terms of progress on my fics. OK... I'll stop ranting now and focus on all the good and pleasant readers/reviewers who are an inspiration and a delight to write for. They are the majority out there, fortunately, and I love them.

Yes, I want to thank the both of you, too. I wasn't actually expecting anything to happen to the list when I posted this. I was merely venting, because at times, all this shit just gets on my nerves, and the legal idiocy you're describing or the crazy emails you have to suffer through, that just makes me even more irritated. *hands you all a big chocolate cake* And I know what you're talking about because my sister runs a site with (among others) adult contents/BDSM stories, too. However, since she's subjected to Dutch law and the stories are in Dutch, she doesn't have to dance through all the hoops you have. And her site is a lot smaller and gets less traffic, so the amount of complaints are lower. But still, some of the emails she gets about some of the stories that are posted are just plain rude, stupid and utterly hilarious at the same time. People can get so extreme over something so little, it's sad if you really think about it. Live and let live, I'd say. *shrugs* Anyway, again, thanks for taking the time to look at it. And to the morons sending you crazy emails: XD