Review replies

[Guest Chlerys]

Bella.. I used to hate her.. I tend to hate her in fics.. I absolutely loathe it when someone tries to make her fluffy - on the other hand there is this song by transvision vamp called 'crawl out your window' and every time I hear it I think of Bella.

Bella in the movies is really awesome though. The whole "I killed Sirius Black" mantra in that sing-a-song voice. It always makes me shiver and want to write something about it. Alas, whenever I start to write something I never finish it. I've so many story lines in my head though...

What do you study?

Yeah..I can totally sympathise. I started writing fanfic because my masters thesis was ticking me off. Now I have another 10,000 word paper due - and while 10,000 words is like.. almost a normal chapter length for me - 10,000 words on hardcore serious referenced and valid stuff is somehow just so painful to produce. I keep telling myself i'll do it tomorrow.. do it tomorrow ..and writing fiction.

I'd be quite keen for you to beta for me maybe - after stuff settles down again. Thanks for offering! We can see how it goes!

I currently study Moral Science. First bachelor year. This year is mostly the big subjects that everyone in our faculty gets though. Like for the upcomming exams I have Modern Literature, Historic Critism (I'm vaguely translating here; I'm from Belgium.), Introduction to Psychology, Logic (<- I'll have to retake that one), Introduction to Philosophy, etc. Moral Science's first year has all but one subject in common with the Philosophy course but next year we'll have bio-ethics and stuff.

And, I'm totally with you on the paper. Only this paper is my first, ever for uni. And I got the date wrong so... I'll have to re-take the entire subject. But. Yeah. Silly procrastinating me.

I'll have time to beta after the first 4 exams. You should probably think about what method would fit you best. The previous author's I've helped out usually send me the chapters via mail and I just color coded the things I changed (spelling and grammar) and the pointers on character/plot/chapter development.

You know.. Several time's i've actually gone and updated just because someone reviewed and asked me to.

For example.. right now I have a half finished chappie of captive audience sitting there waiting for another 3000 words or so, and I should probably write another chapter on PM before everyone gets upset over the one I just posted.. but I'm tempted to go and write on 'that which we make' because someone just asked for an update.

There's a Dutch saying for this. There's an English one too but I can't think of it at the moment. We'd say "bent zeer in trek" oh wait. I know. You're in demand! That's right, right? Anyhow. Since I'm now following all of your stories I don't care which one you update first. As long as you update. But hey, no pressure. *pets* Just know there'll be a gang of rabid fans ready to kill you if you stop updating. I do admit I'm more excited for updates on PM or "that which we" or NS because you're right in the middle of interesting plot developments while CA is just starting. Okay, NS is just starting too but I just read that like yesterday or the day before and I'm curious.

[Nerys Dax]

I can totally sympathise - Personally, I can't stand Remus pairings. I don't really like remus much and the idea of finding him attractive is just bare steps above finding Weasleys attractive. He's just SO DAMN NICE.. and he's all oh poor me for being a werewolf, no one will like me, boo hoo. gah!!

*snnnnrks* Well, yeah, that whole whining thing of Remus bothers me, too. I loved how Harry told him of in DH. I wanted to applaud for Potter. O.O

*double snnnrks* about the bare steps above the Weasleys. - Eh, you'll enjoy the next Apprentice chapter. *sniggers evilly* Poor Mollywobbles and Arthur. Muahaahahaha!

With severus.. its his overall sullen brilliance and.. yes.. its all Alan Rickman's fault - it is the voice..

True, Rickman's voice is brilliant. But I had seen him in roles before Snape, so that voice is not automatically just Snape for me. Although I have to say, somehow, it does fit Severus.

Firstly - thank you! then - its easy. All you need is something you really should be doing that you really don't want to do.

AAAHH, the good ol' procrastination motivation. LOL. Unfortunately, I am all done in the essay department. Perhaps I should go for another masters? Then again, I always liked essay assignments, unless the topic was really REALLY stupid. Grrr...

I recommend essay writing as number one candidate for this kind of aversive behavior. After all - you're on the computer already. You are fully going to work right after you finish and upload this chapter. or.. this one. One of them anyway. Sometime soon. Oh look - someone on the check list has updated their fic. Better read that first - but then seriously going to get this paper done.

Oh dear, ROFLMAO, I think we're all alike. I've only knew two people in my life who had shit finished long before it was due and both of them worked incredibly on my nerves with their Hermione-ish "Best to get it done straight away".

I have an extraordinarily perverse mind?

LOL

No.. I don't know - it helps to have a lot of] fics on the go and have them compartmentalised in your head. That way you write on one and the internal motivation level dips on that one and correspondingly another one rises so you write on that next. Because they're all kind of doing different things at any given time, you don't get fed up so quickly.

It's why I prefer to work with two ongoing fics. Right now I have three (not counting Mary and Gary, since that's no fic but crazy shit), but I can't imagine having to keep track of so many plots at once.

Why do you go to all that trouble of writing/amending a G rated version then? What is the attraction for writers with ff.net?

Well, I started writing there before I found this site and I just felt like staying. But I'll admit, I won't do two versions such as with Apprentice again. Live and learn. LOL.

What I like about FFnet is that you can directly communicate with your readers and respond to their reviews via the PM system. The alert/fav system is pretty nice. And you simply get a bigger audience there, who are also more likely to leave a review than here. I also like that you don't have to do the codes thingies to post a chapter.

Another thing is that I don't write fanfiction for the smut, so to that effect, my stories fit FFnet better since on AFFnet readers soon start asking for smut if you write a couple of chapters without.

Don't forget the gold puppet either please. Your Tom there is so beautifully evil. I love it!

The Gold Puppet is a joined project of me and Serpent In Red, and I am having problems drawing her away from her SIT obsession. LOL. And I so am not going to write the last chapters all by myself. So you can harass her. XDDD

(sigh)... Do you think that tomione readers are more likely to end up in abusive relationships with gorgeous psychopaths? I've wondered before..

I imagine (without real reason for it I suppose) that those who adore Tom would be tempted to tolerate definite warning signs of evil bastard-ness in potential mates

Hmmm... depends. I think only the ones who can't see the difference between what's fun in reality and fiction. The ones who really love Tom. I've had some reviews that made my eyebrows rise; even someone stating they had a boyfriend just like Tom and my mind went: I hope not. Seriously. RUN!

Because as much as I adore him as a fictional character, in real life, his type better stay the hell away from me, because I will shoot first. OK, no gun, so I have to send my creepy large dog at him (who's more likely to lick him to death than anything else). OK, I am toast. I'll admit it. LOL

Although gorgeous psychopaths are rare. LOL. And I think Riddle is more the sociopath type anyway.

Have fun writing, I know I am.

xx Nerys

[magentasouth]

I bloody HATE the so called 15 mins of 'downtime'

H A T E it.

Its a blatant lie - its about an HOUR of 'downtime'

and that game. God.. I loathe it. The music.

It just irritates the crap out of me.

[Guest helena]

ich liebe deine geschichten :-)

lg helena

[magentasouth]

Ok.. ok.. review replies.. I need to get onto that. I've been putting it off.

Hey... do you guys actually still want to read any of these stories?? I get nervous when I don't hear any reviews for a bit. I think I've put you to sleep and I'm entirely on the wrong track and stuff.

I'm a bit sick atm.. - i.e. on meds up to my eyeballs right now - so if you've been wondering where my oh so pleasant superfast updating has gone - that's where. And also - I've been feeling more drawn to other stories than PM and TWWMFO -

I did warn twice that Necessary sacrifices was a private challenge (and therefore somewhat wtf-ish). The tentacle porn kind of just happened. (shrug)

re Precious Mudblood - Yes the parallel existence of Hermione and her horcrux is a bit distressing to some of you. You remember that before she had her little 'accident' Tom insisted she make a Horcrux. Well.. since we know that that little endeavor was a success because Tom told her it was - its also clear that Draco's lying to her reanimated horcrux about what's happened. So don't panic tooooo much.. its not at all clear what's really happening there - and after all, there are two Hermione's right now.

And..well... Would I really kill Tom off?! For real?! Permanently?! Not in twelve hells!

re That which we make for ourselves - I haven't been feeling the love this week so this one's been temporarily paused while I looked at some of the other more neglected stories. I am writing on it again now (or I was before I stopped to write reviews) so should be tonight or tomorrow I guess - depending on what else I get distracted with.

re The first horcrux. - I'm so sad that nobody likes this poor wee story. I can understand it though. It feels a bit odd.. and its all in Tom's perspective. I've never tried that before. On the other hand.. Hermione will have more balls in this story - I know some people have been bothered by how weak she has been elsewhere. But theres no lemons yet so that might put some people off.. There WILL be lemons... there are ALWAYS lemons..

re Necessary sacrifices - I have chapters banked for this story already, hence why it's been possible to update quickly again. On the other hand - but if I keep posting more than one chappie a day then that cant last forever

re Captive audience - yeah.. Hermione is whiny and needy. Annoying creature. I know i'd have her strung up by her thumbs if she kept guiltifying in the back of my head all day. But then.. he did say she can be of use to him.

and on to reviews -

TWWMFO -

Misaki - Sorry I didn't email you when I updated. I'm kind of lazy like that. Hope you checked back anyway!

worriorbookwyrm - yeah poor little Harry..

unneeded - Thanks - I bet you're a bit ticked off about my drop in updating speed now though.. I don't know if it counts as cheating if you do it with a seperate part of your partner's soul. if it were a different time turner version it surely wouldnt - technically its the same person. I doubt Tom will view it that way. The infidelity charm didnt activate because he bonded harry with a blood binding and his blood is identical to the horcrux's

ChlerysTUCCO - you're welcome for the cliffhanger. I do so love cliffhangers. I was going to leave N.S at the cliffie too but I decided to be nice and post the chapter I had ready anyway. I'm so glad I convinced you to read a slash! I love them! They're moreish.

blood_red_eyes - Thank you - it makes me happy to hear that!! Yes.. Poor abraxas.. We'll see him again in the next chapter. His world really would be simpler if Harry were to disappear into the deep Malfoy pocket, wouldn't it?!

Nasyki Ikysan - Thank you so much for your big review!! I'm really glad you like Horcrux Tom.. He's not fully developed yet but he is.. hopefully.. different enough to primary Tom. Yeah.. I'm thinking there may have to be Tomcest at some point.. I don't know if I can possibly resist the temptation. Don't worry - there will only be logically allowable alterations to history. The recorded events will still stand. Time itself cannot be rewritten - I subscribe to the paradox impossibility hypothesis.

You love me?? Awwwwwwww! Shucks!!! I'll put aside 'the first horcrux' which I was just getting distracted on, and go back to finishing the chapter for TTWMFO just for you!! Thank you for liking my fic!!

tinkita - thanks! I don't know if anyone can ever be sure of Tom's feelings, least of all Tom himself. And harry has always been fundamentally insecure and needy when it comes to others' love. But.. we'll see!

Fallen - THANK YOU!!! What a lovely thing to say!! Thank you so much!!

N.S -

cennaka - yeah.. I was a bit miffed by the challenge directive my friend set me. It was a bit far. I didn't think Hermione would actually leap ship like that...But I hope it was halfway plausible, the way I set it out. Thanks for the link btw!

The snarry moment was a bit unexpected huh?

As for snape's boon. He really should have asked for something by now. What does he think - the Dark Lord's generosity is infinite? I really doubt that it would extend to sparing Harry Potter's life - the one person fated to kill him.

Re the cloning and rosemary's baby - I actually hadn't thought of Hermione carrying the child. No.. I don't think I could do that to her and I doubt Tom would want her sixteen year old body distended with a child. Besides - she might decide to make a fuss when/if he ends up wanting to remove its essence and replace it with his own.

Debo - Thanks!! This is a bit of a darker Hermione in this fic. She is more awed and less inclined to complain or feel guilty. Which is good. Guilty people tick me off.

starlight-x-A-x - Thank you! I like the dark side too! I'm glad you're enjoying some of my fics! I'll try to keep up the updates so that you have something new on at least one of them a day. Been a bit sick lately - as noted above.

TheRoseandtheDagger - thank you - I worry about the characterisation a lot! (and the lemons - there are just over the top many lemons in PM.. and probably in all of the stories except The first horcrux. I'm glad you like them!!)

I fully understand the multi-times a day checking. I so do that. (or at least I did before I had hardly any time to read since I started writing) Now I do kind of reading chunks. I have like one hundred and forty something stories on my check back list - but it seems that so many people just cant sustain writing a fic. Only about ten or twelve of those update with any degree of frequency. I should probably cull most of the list for being dead fics now. Its so sad when a fic you're enjoying dies.

ChlerysTUCCO - thanks! Glad you're enjoying darker Hermione. She went a little poor me there in the bubble.. but don't worry. She isn't going to wuss out entirely.

I pretty much HAVE dropped my real life to update. Just.. so many of these stories are now at the event horizon of the edge of writing now that it takes longer. This is why you'll sometimes see a story uploaded and then deleted and reuploaded about four times in ten mins. I'll upload the new chappie as soon as its done and then i'll read through the online page and find formatting problems and bits that could be changed. I'll try to keep the updates snappy though.

Yeah - Dumbledore is way evil in this fic. He's a bit softer in the others. I think he's probably worst here, followed by TWWMFO. He's probably nicest in PM actually...

koolgirl18 - we ALL love Voldemort. Confess. You'd drop to your knees and kiss his hem in a second! Sucks to be a muggle, really. (sigh..)

Thank you thank you for responding to my stories - and I'm glad you like the more playful banter of hermione and Voldie in this fic. Yeah.. I know that the whole LV/HG/SS thing might tick some people off... It's a risk. But at least I know you'll like it if it happens!!

I'm also relieved you like the Snarry thing. I'd never written a snarry moment before. I tended not to like them. It was too tempting though. Sorry I made snape young in the PM story - (can't win there. Some people hate all snape pairings.. some people were all - oh poor snape will be all old now and voldy and hermione are young.) - but he does tend to spend most of his time in glamour as his older self, and he is pretty sullen and pouty in his younger form. But then.. if you didnt like a younger snape - you probably wouldnt have liked Septimus so much..

Thanks for the support on the uni procrastination. i really shouldnt but its so hard to do the things i SHOULD be doing.

Dumbledore is the most clearly evil in this fic than in any of the other fic's i've written. He is very much - end justifies the means, here. Personally - I dislike him in every portrayal. Even his nice old headmaster bit ticks me off. I blame him for a lot of things really.

I don't know if I can find a plausible way to get Voldie to allow Harry to live.. I'll have to see how it goes. Sometimes the stories surprise me. Harry may or may not die. I think Severus would be sad if he dies.. And Severus is so sulky about these things.. Look at the bloody fuss he made over Lilly.

Roguelle - do you have any idea how pleased I get when someone says they signed up with AFF just to review my story?!

VERY - that's how pleased! Thank you so much for the compliments!!! I hope you continue to enjoy all my stories.

Gabriellefree - thanks!!! I am addicted to TR/LV/HG action too - as you see. Don't worry - in the next chappie of N.S there will be more yummy LV/HG.

QueenRuby - its only natural to hate Dumbledore - even in the kindest versions of him, he's a manipulative old bastard. I loathe him. I want to kick Dumbledore!

C.A -

Dark Lady Snape - I'm glad that YOU love an inner-battle torn hermione. Several others gave me rissoles for it!

Caro09 - i'm so glad you said that! - Someone else said it reminded them of another fic they'd read. I got quite paranoid for a bit that there was some other fic out there just like it.

cennaka - I don't know if Snape is dead. I'll have to wait and see what happens. I know some things about the story but some other bits don't crystalise in my mind until i'm writing and then suddenly realise them on the page. I thought snape was dead when I killed him. On the other hand.. he is a potions master.. and he does tend to be a survivor.. We'll see.

Nerys - There's no way in hell i'm going to search out that fic and see if i've read it. If I have - I don't want to know!!! it will just destroy my mind if i read it and find anything similar at all.

yeah.. I finally updated - the chapter was displeasing me massively. I wasn't happy with it when i did upload. I actually pushed it away into cyberspace to not have to look at it anymore I think.

Incidentally - i've been LOVING your apprentice uploads this week. You are my hero, you know!

purefaith91 - yeah.. Voldie is just capable of considerable patience when he is after something for his own ends. He did mention in the second chapter that she could be useful.. She was such a whiny pain in the arse in this chapter. Waah waah.. I accidentally killed someone.. ohh. I had to torture someone with all the terrible awful curses that the nasty bad Dark Lord generously let me learn. Oh.. i am such a bad person.

SLAP.

Nah.. Hermione wasn't that bothered by Lavender at this point in this story (though she hates her much more in others) - she didnt want Ronalds so Lavender became meh to her. In this story she wanted harry. Pity for her that he wanted Ginny. Still.. Voldemort wants her. And he's way way better in bed than harry, undoubtedly.

P.M -

Ok.. I'm not sure where I left off on reviews for this story last time so if I miss you out and you feel annoyed - I'M REALLY SORRY! it was unintentional.|

Oh.. and - I was pleased not to be slapped after posting the sudden-midnight-urge chapter on the parallel reanimation of Hermione's horcrux. I think some readers were perturbed that I might have just killed everyone and ended the story. No no.. don't worry. (there there, ChlerysTUCCO, QueenRuby, LadyV and SarahLuvsZombehs )

SarahLuvsZombehs - THANK YOU!!!!!

I hope you liked the way the poor knights responded to Maia no longer being accessible. I have a chapter midway through for PM right now but i'm kind of lemoned out and had to take a break.

I dislike Slughorn almost as much as Dumbledore - I gave HIM a hard stick in this story. Still.. he is so exploitative.. I just carried it to its absolute extreme end.

I'm so pleased you like this story and i'll see what I can do toward assisting you to master your fear of excessive numbers of Peni..

As for Hermione being able to manage her condition to the extent that she can stop the attraction - It's an idea. Wonder why she can't do that. It would sure be useful.

Not a happy panda (snickers..)

Ok.. you seem a bit baffled by the whole alternate horcrux reality - no.. when she brought Lucius back she didn't split in two or anything. You remember Tom made her make a horcrux after the beach. In fact, technically she made two since she was wearing two necklaces at the time, each of which would have absorbed a small sliver of soul. Now.. one of those necklaces - the emerald one - was taken and hidden by Voldie, as he said - but the other one was the magic binding necklace that she was never able to remove - until Harry, polyjuiced as Tom, removed it in order to force her with Sev and Rod to bring back Lucius. So.. HE then had her horcrux in his hot little hand after she'd vanished into the past.

Somehow or other.. things have happened - its hard to tell what's the truth and what's not in the things that Draco has said - but it seems like the soul sliver from the binding necklace has been reanimated -and of course remembers nothing before the night she took the potion to make the horcrux. It's in Malfoy Manor with Draco and believes that it never successfully made a horcrux at all and that the binding necklace cannot be removed, since Tom is dead.

debo - no mutiny yet. Grindelwald is back.. I hope you still like him, even after he's being so nasty (and unsexy) with the poor children.

Come to think of it i've been killing a lot of children in different fics lately. And yet I punish the paedophile.. Bit of a hypocrite there i guess..

Don't cry over Tom's losing power.. He's a pragmatist, at the end of all things. He'll find a way. I doubt he'd let me kill him for real either..

LadyV - thank you for bearing with me with the parallel horcrux hermione chapter. Don't worry - its not going to be a continual addition. Just a sneak peak into a small part of the possible future, absent the necessary context to make sense of it. I was in an evil mood) I am so glad you are enjoying the story and that you've been convinced with some new pairings. Thank you for the compliments - I really worry that i'm not doing anything new. Some of the more WTF plot twists are the result of that fear.

thelovelylela - thank you! I'm pleased i've been able to keep you interested for days on end!!!

WHEW..

Ok.. so now... review. Tell me what's ticking you off so that I can try and rectify the problems!

luv Magenta..

[DemonGoddess]

FYI, I've actually timed the "downtime", which is an evil necessity. It's the daily back up routines you know. It starts at 4:15am EST (it's a cron, so I know the exact start time) and ends between 4:30 am and sometimes 4:40. That depends entirely on how much the database itself has been active, as far as how long it actually takes. It AVERAGES 15 minutes. On weekends, it takes on average 25 minutes. Weekends are busier, so there is more data to backup.

[Nerys Dax]

There's no way in hell i'm going to search out that fic and see if i've read it. If I have - I don't want to know!!! it will just destroy my mind if i read it and find anything similar at all.

Well, it's not THAT similar. It's just the feel of the fic that I found similar. The same haunting atmosphere. This was what reminded me of it and I have to say I love that you had that same "feel" in your fic. I think you can read it safely and not be worried afterward of it being a copy. If you haven't read Sionnain's Voldemort-Hermione's fics yet, then I highly recommend them. They're great.

yeah.. I finally updated - the chapter was displeasing me massively. I wasn't happy with it when i did upload. I actually pushed it away into cyberspace to not have to look at it anymore I think.

Oh, I know what that's like. It can drive you crazy if chapters don't work with you. But I gotta say, I loved the updated chapter. Often we're our own worst critics, so ... no worries about the pushed chapter. And I am glad you enjoyed the updates of Apprentice. I am now at the same point as on FFnet, so I am at the chapter that's giving me problems. (head-desk) But I hope to tackle the emo bit soon. XDDD

[Guest Chlerys]

There's no way in hell i'm going to search out that fic and see if i've read it. If I have - I don't want to know!!! it will just destroy my mind if i read it and find anything similar at all.

Well, it's not THAT similar. It's just the feel of the fic that I found similar. The same haunting atmosphere. This was what reminded me of it and I have to say I love that you had that same "feel" in your fic. I think you can read it safely and not be worried afterward of it being a copy. If you haven't read Sionnain's Voldemort-Hermione's fics yet, then I highly recommend them. They're great.

You talking about that other fic with Hermione in a cage? You mentioned it in the Lv/Hg community on Lj? I didn't respond there but it did ring a bell. Since the Lv/Hg or Tr/Hg is a pretty small community and there's not that many good and completed fics I doubt it was ever updated. The completed fics usually tend to stick around. But I do remember reading it, vaguely. Don't know where I read it though.

x

(Devryl ;D )

[Nerys Dax]

You talking about that other fic with Hermione in a cage? You mentioned it in the Lv/Hg community on Lj? I didn't respond there but it did ring a bell. Since the Lv/Hg or Tr/Hg is a pretty small community and there's not that many good and completed fics I doubt it was ever updated. The completed fics usually tend to stick around. But I do remember reading it, vaguely. Don't know where I read it though.

x

(Devryl ;D )

*snnnrks* Same here. You're probably right about it being an uncompleted WIP. And it's one of those things that drives you crazy: like having a tune in your head and not knowing the words or remembering what the song is. It's just nagging there in the back of your mind. Grrr ...

Well, as long as magenta updates hers (insert warning glare), I suppose it doesn't really matter.

[magentasouth]

*snnnrks* Same here. You're probably right about it being an uncompleted WIP. And it's one of those things that drives you crazy: like having a tune in your head and not knowing the words or remembering what the song is. It's just nagging there in the back of your mind. Grrr ...

Well, as long as magenta updates hers (insert warning glare), I suppose it doesn't really matter.

(sigh)

But I'm feeling so lazy. It's really hard.

and my mind is all mired in 'the first horcrux' somehow.. that's where my thoughts keep going. Which is counter productive since everyone would rather hear about Caedmon. Or.. Hermione in the garden.. or grindelwald.. or...

I suppose I could put up the next chapter of necessary sacrifices. I think I hadn't put it up yet.

Yeah. no. I'll do that.

That's something, right?

[Guest Chlerys]

(sigh)

But I'm feeling so lazy. It's really hard.

and my mind is all mired in 'the first horcrux' somehow.. that's where my thoughts keep going. Which is counter productive since everyone would rather hear about Caedmon. Or.. Hermione in the garden.. or grindelwald.. or...

I suppose I could put up the next chapter of necessary sacrifices. I think I hadn't put it up yet.

Yeah. no. I'll do that.

That's something, right?

We may nag and whine about what we want but seriously, if you feel more inclined to be writing for 'the first horcrux' then you should really do that. Can't control your muse, after all! Despite that it's not my favorite either I have no doubt there's interesting plot twists coming. And I do remember the last chapter ending with a cliffy. Cliffies are evil. Voldemort should kill them.

[Nerys Dax]

(sigh)

But I'm feeling so lazy. It's really hard.

YES! Vengeance is mine, MINE! Muahahhahahahha!!!

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE! *sniggers*

and my mind is all mired in 'the first horcrux' somehow.. that's where my thoughts keep going.

Well, then I would work on the story my mind was on. So, enjoy writing on the first horcrux then. I liked the idea of it, but Tom's a tad too young in looks there for me - I am not really into 14 year olds, so that's a bit of putting to me and it might be the same for your other readers.

That's something, isn't it?

Ermmm... naaaah. Maybe for two seconds, but then... where are the rest of our updates?!?! *sniggers*

They're right in the Godfather. Vengeance is a dish best served cold. Muahahaha!

[magentasouth]

(sigh)... Its so hard to stay awake...

But ok.. I'll update everything today.

Yes yes.. I realise that 14 is a bit young for most.. I just like the idea of everyone being older than him suddenly.

[magentasouth]

RE Nerys - review

"Oh dear, I think I might get used to some Snapione in this fic. What is the world coming to? *sniggers*"

And weirdly enough - I'm going off Snape/hermione pairings. Bizarre, right?!

"UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE! (sniggers; the joys of revenge!)"

I have to point out - I do

Just about every single day I update something on one of the half dozen fics I have going - unless I'm dying upwards. My update frequency is tolerable. I won't leave ANY of these fics sitting untouched for weeks - although admittedly this evening I wrote like half a chapter on everything and then instead of finishing any of the chapters to upload I went and started a brand new fic.

(grumble.. sigh..)

And on top of that - everyone is going to bitch about what i've cold heartedly gone and done to Tom in this new fic.

[Nerys Dax]

RE Nerys - review

"Oh dear, I think I might get used to some Snapione in this fic. What is the world coming to? *sniggers*"

And weirdly enough - I'm going off Snape/hermione pairings. Bizarre, right?!

Nah, not that bizarre. Sometimes you just get enough of a ship after a while.

And I am giving you a huge compliment here, because I find Snapione just ewwie, but in this particular fic I think I can stand it. Somehow the way you describe Severus makes it doable to me. Somehow you make me forget the yucky hair and the shitty personality, because I actually like him in your fic.

"UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE! (sniggers; the joys of revenge!)"

I have to point out - I do

I know ... but that doesn't stop me from demanding more. Muahahhaha! UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE!!!

Just about every single day I update something on one of the half dozen fics I have going - unless I'm dying upwards. My update frequency is tolerable. I won't leave ANY of these fics sitting untouched for weeks - although admittedly this evening I wrote like half a chapter on everything and then instead of finishing any of the chapters to upload I went and started a brand new fic.

You may want to watch out to not turn into another Chelle with a kazillion WIPs and nothing ever gets completed, which is always my horror scenario and stopped me from working on more than two stories (not counting the joint projects). But I do think I am going to feel a bit more free and do what you do, which is post another WIP myself, too. I usually only have two WIPs posted at the same time. I do work out some plot bunnies on the side, but normally I only start on them AFTER finishing one of the WIPs I got going. But I figured what you said about going from one fic to the next if you got a block on one does help. And both Masters of Manipulation Part Two and The Apprentice are such big stories that it will take me some time before they're even close to finishing. If I have to wait to write/post this slightly shorter plot bunny, it will be a long time coming. LOL.

And on top of that - everyone is going to bitch about what i've cold heartedly gone and done to Tom in this new fic.

Oh come on, you know you love it when reviewers start to bitch about a plot-line. Well, I do. It always makes me snigger gleefully when they get upset. XDDD Nah, I am no sadist at all. *believe me* Muahahahhaha!

xx Nerys

[magentasouth]

(sigh)

Well.. Ok.. I deserve to have to answer for all these things.. So i'll post the review in entirety and then work through it.

winter748-

"This story is very interesting and you write very well. However, I'm getting very frustrated as it doesn't seem to go anywhere. Yes, it's very intricate and a lot of things happen (mostly bad), but it doesn't seem to be heading to any resolution. It just seems all that happens is Tom gets mad, someone is tortured and/or killed, Hermione can kick everyone's ass but continues to be a stupid ass letting everyone control her and all she can say is "I love you, Tom". Where is Hermione's moral compass, her compassion for people that deserve it, her willingness to fight for the abused and used? Any one of the times that she got her magic back why didn't she DO something. Like heal and free all the prisoners, especially the children. I agree with Rodolphus. She needs to face realty. If she caused "Lord Potter", why doesn't she undo it? For the smartest witch of her age, she is no longer using her brain at all. She's been nothing but used, lied to, betrayed, tortured and raped but she hasn't tried to exact vengeance or revenge or just remake reality into a happy lolly pop land. Also, how can Hermione hate Ginny so much when she's done worse just because Tom asked her to. Ginny was influenced/infected by his evil when she was only eleven years old, but she has no sympathy for her but can have all kinds of sympathy for Severus, Tom & Draco for their childhood abuse. Hermione isn't even trying to make any plans to make things right, to stop the evil being done to innocents. The story is like a train wreck. You can't look away. I'm on chapter 58 but have become so frustrated that I am at least going to take a beak from it for a while. Again, you are an excellent writer and you have some amazing ideas, however, I just prefer to read stories that even though there may be gray areas & even though bad/evil things happen, mostly things balance out more on the good side and evil gets at least stopped and hopefully paid back for their deeds."

Alrighty then.

It was the first thing I wrote. I didn't intend to share it.. it was just for experimentation value. That being said though - Inexperience is no justification.

Hermione in this story is a mess.. she is weak.. insecure.. guilt ridden and makes a number of foolish decisions. She is essentially trapped from beginning to end.

I did warn 'Angst', I believe. The story IS frustrating. That is implied by Angst, to my mind.

When she first had access to this amazing little ability - she didn't know what it was or how to use it. It was all instinctive. There were only two moments (prior to ch 57) where she had a window of perhaps a few minutes to use the ability - and in both she was distracted by immediate concerns for others.. by hormones and emotional drives. She wasn't thinking rationally about nameless prisoners and the wizarding world as a whole.

On the matter of rationality in general as it applies to her.. Her interactions with Voldemort - the influence of his magic - is not particularly good for her.. and as it turns out over time her own ability to feel and reason is also rather skewed by what she is.

Why doesn't she undo what she's done to Harry?

well aside from not having access to her magic at all - she hasn't the slightest idea how to do it and is worried that messing about will make things even worse. She didn't intend to do anything to Harry - and if she messes with Harry's soul.. which was as demonstrated, connected to Tom's - who is to say that she won't damage both?!

Why was she so reactive toward Ginny?!

...Possibly she would not have been if she were bisexual. There is more to being a conduit than simply having access to infinite power - in fact, if she is not surrounded by 'devotees' she does not have such clear access to this ability at all.

Thats kind of one of the main problems with Hermione's 'rationality' in this story. She is a creature driven by unconscious needs.

It is valuable for her to attach herself to the most powerful Wizard around - in order to reduce the possibility of having to actually fight said wizard.

Ginny, as a non-potential sexual partner - and a possible rival for the affections of 'the most powerful wizard around' was interpreted as a threat.

It is also something which may be, to a certain degree, mutual. I.e. girls who are attached to the men/boys she draws to her tend to be quite hostile (for obvious reason).

No.. you are quite right.. Hermione isn't even trying to fix the world at large. Admittedly its kind of something I can sympathise with. If I had infinite power to remake the world - i'm not sure that i'd know exactly where to fiddle around to make everything smiles and buttercups.

Possibly she could start by killing Grindelwald, right?! He's a murderous jerk.. Or maybe she could tweak Dumbledore to make him get off his wimpy arse and go and deal with him already.

Somehow without changing time, obviously.

Or why not just erase Tom?! He's to blame for all the suffering and injustice in her own time, hmm?

Or she could raise all the dead and heal all the sick and feed all the starving.

That is.. kind of demanding though.. Raising ONE dead person floored her.. Just because she can do things that are not easily possible using structured magic - doesn't mean that she is infinitely powerful, necessarily - Although perhaps.. if she were using this power in CONJUNCTION with an existing sexually tinted connection (as when she healed severus) she might get further.

I have a rather cynical view of the world, in case you haven't noticed. Personally - I think that MOST people could make a much bigger difference in the world than they do. People don't because they are a) complacent and convinced of their own ineffectuality and b) lazy and self preoccupied. In other words - given the choice between taking a stand and expending energy to fight an injustice, vs. making some dinner and watching a movie - most people pick the latter.

Every. Single. Day.

Provided they are relatively comfortable and not currently being forced to confront said injustice in their face - they are content enough to waste time. After all... there's always tomorrow..

As for your preference to have the good guys win the day...and have evil and injustice all nicely balanced out with good - I'm sorry.. I just don't really share that preference naturally.

I have a disturbing tendency to actually write evil and injustice into triumphing over those gosh darn annoying forces of good. In fact.. in many cases evil becomes good and good becomes evil.

So...er.. sorry about that. Perhaps I should have made that clear at the outset. I did place a warning for 'corruption' - which seemed to me to indicate that a good guy would become increasingly bad.

I have difficulty unifying your comment 'your story is very interesting and you write very well' with the later comment 'this story is a train wreck'

(shrug)

You are freely able to read or not read it as it suits you. I just write and put it out there. Whether you want to read is YOUR side of things.

As for - taking a break - feel free. I've 'taken a break' too. I'm kind of more preoccupied with events in other stories just now. I do know where this one goes from here.. and the end is actually in sight.. but I have had little motivation to go there just yet.

[magentasouth]

Queenruby - I'll try. I tend to kind of veer away from writing on a given story after a negative review. When I do write in that state - I end up trying to 'fix' everything that has been criticised.

PM would be finished now if I'd given over to that urge last time - and you probably wouldn't have liked where I took it in the end.

Incidentally - I'm LOVING the plague.

Gosh that sentence sounds so wrong somehow.

You updated twice today. I was ON that within minutes - keep writing please!! Your brand of sexual tension is so addictive!!

[Strawberry Passion]

Hi,

In one of the other threads you wrote that you needed a beta. I answered to it. I don't know if you read the thread or if you have read the thread but have already found a beta.

If you haven't found a beta yet, I would be happy to assist you!

Just click on the link to my profile (koolgirl18) and email me if you are still interested!

Nice to see you back and updating!

Hope to hear from you soon!

[magentasouth]

@ Nerys

I can't... I'm somehow still bummed out about the poor quality of PM and the perfectly valid critique I got and its kind of getting in the way of my motivation to write.

I've written half a chapter on new skin.. half a chapter on that which we make, half a chapter on PM and I have a chapter of Necessary sacrifices sitting waiting but I'm just full of meh.

I've been reading a really exhorbitantly long Snarry fic and distracting myself instead of writing.

I'm supposed to be packing my stuff to move tomorrow.. (sigh)..

@ everyone else who reviewed for anything - you all rock. thank you massively. Especially Koolgirl, tesgura and unneeded - and anyone else who inexplicably hasnt flashed to the top of my memory right now who I nonetheless really appreciated hearing from.

Koolgirl - re betaing. Fully up for that. However I'll try to get a chapter of everything updated before I maybe send you something, ok? Otherwise i guess it will be even longer before anyone can read any more. So.. early next week? I have a lot on till monday afternoon so probably not a lot will happen before then.

[Strawberry Passion]

I am at your beck and call lol

I'm not professional by any stretch of the imagination but I know I can help you improve things and make them better.

I know how you feel--as a writer of multiple fics, I know it can be hard to get motivation up for your own.

You can send your story to me whenever your ready. Don't ever be afraid of bothering me by email--I've wanted to beta something for a while (in fact, to beta something that I'm a fan of makes it all even better!).

So again, just email me and we can chat about the expectations that you have for me.

I can't wait to hear from you!!

Love, hugs, kisses

Strawberry Passion

[Nerys Dax]

@ Nerys

I can't... I'm somehow still bummed out about the poor quality of PM and the perfectly valid critique I got and its kind of getting in the way of my motivation to write.

I've written half a chapter on new skin.. half a chapter on that which we make, half a chapter on PM and I have a chapter of Necessary sacrifices sitting waiting but I'm just full of meh.

Hmmm... I recalled getting my first rather nasty flame and it took away my motivation to write for about a month (despite the numerous positive reviews I had) before I thought, what the hell, who cares, and continued writing. After all, we don't write fanfics to make money. It's for OUR enjoyment.

Sure, if there is valid critism and I can incorporate it into my fic, then I will make changes. But if I am far into the fic and people complain about things that are now impossible to alter unless I completely overhaul the fic, then ... I will thank them for their input but continue as I have done before - even if I agree with them. The only rewrite I ever did was on MOM2 and its progress is remarkably slow now because of it. In retrospect, I think I should've finished it first, and then, done the overhaul.

Besides, you can never please everyone. With Apprentice I've got reviewers wanting Hermione to stay good and those who want her to turn dark. I can only go one way with it and it will be the way I choose. If someone doesn't like it, too bad. I'd recommend they write their own stories then.

And hating your own writings, well, I think that's normal for authors. You always see what is wrong with a chapter or scene, even when readers love it. But if you start questioning yourself too much, you'll never finish anything. If I were you, I'd take the critism to heart for the next fic I plan to write and not for the ones where it is too late to fix it.

Eh, I still need to edit my first stories for horrendous spelling/grammar errors since I hadn't written anything in English in more than ten years when I started on those. Me lazy. *places it on the long to do list* What can I say, my focus just is on my new stories these days. *shrugs* And I try to prevent my earlier errors in those new stories I write now. So, that's how I use the valuable feedback I get on my earlier work.

Hope this helps you feel less ... meh.

And uhhh... UPDATE! ( sorry, couldn't resist to tease you again ... eh, you got me many times with them).

[magentasouth]

Hi everyone

I just want to apologise for the long delays in updating.

Its been a bit real-life-intruding-ish. I don't want to be a major downer so I won't go into detail. I had job interviews, finals and my mother is now in hospital with a life threatening condition. Now with the canterbury earthquake (many of my friends live there - I lived there myself up till about a year ago) it's all been a bit stressful and I haven't had time or energy to dedicate to writing as I previously had done.

I will update everything.. except the first horcrux and new skin possibly... tonight or tomorrow I think. All the chapters for everything else are almost ready.

CrazySue - I just got your messages - if you're reading this - Sorry, I wasn't snubbing you or anything. i just didn't check this forum for a while due to aforementioned issues. I'm really pleased you're enjoying the stories. You brightened my day!

Everyone else who has reviewed. You are all awesome and I really appreciate your feedback!! I'll get back to y'all soon!

M.

[magentasouth]

Hi all.

I'm kind of.. somewhat.. back.

I still have my masters to write this week and my mother has an operation so there won't be superfast updating really yet.. but it might seem like there is because I have almost all of my stories ready to update now. (some of them twice I guess..but then i'm back to the event horizon of writing again.. so there'll be a pause.)

I wanted to really thank everyone who has reviewed. Its huge every time I get a review - I rush to go and look like a kid at christmas.

(Captive Audience)

- GEOFEO (and also Nerys for posting the review for her)

I'm sorry I haven't allowed anonymous reviews. I wasn't really thinking much when I set the settings. I didn't consider how many people dont have AF accounts. Maybe I should go and change the settings..

I'm a little worried that if I allow anon reviews i'll suddenly get a million flames somehow.

Your review was epic. And I do not overuse that word in my everyday language.

Wow.

I think Hermione has stockholm syndrome to a certain extent too. I wanted to write a StSy story after the StSy in precious mudblood was all explained away with Hermione's problematic condition.

Thank you for liking my Voldemort. I'm never sure about him. Any of them.

Don't get too upset about the chapter I just posted...

(gulps)

It's not the end. Not nearly.

Yes.. the voldemort in this story is quite capable of feeling some emotions. He just...has them completely under control most of the time...channels them to his advantage. He is rather cold blooded though in this story..

Possibly more cold blooded than i've made clear yet.

re molly - yeah I think i'm a bit anti-weasley. Maybe i have something subconscious against gingers that I wasn't aware of. I just seem to end up being rather cruel and insulting to everyone in the family. This was the first time I killed Molly though, I think. Usually Ron and Ginny end up bearing the brunt of my ire.

I'm going to TRY to write a story in which they aren't demonised. Someday. really.

I quite like Luna actually. I think she's very useful. But she is clever and I needed someone that Hermione wouldn't mind TOO much killing.

In this story Harry had no godmother (as is usual - godmother and godfather) - just two godfathers, Sirius and Remus. There was no real reason for it I guess. i could have gotten along as well without it. But it's just how it gets arranged in my mind subconsciously.

I think I was a bit unfair to Hagrid actually. I don't think he'd actually have ever physically lashed out at Hermione.. And possibly he wouldn't have discussed her down the pub either.. probably. But I gave him a very humane death so i'm not going to feel too bad about it. Poor Minerva should have been so lucky!

Yes.... I fully agree. Voldemort knows EXACTLY what makes Hermione tick. He's conditioned much of it himself. She is..useful to him. He is not the type to miscalculate on important matters. Every event is according to HIS plan..

He knew Minerva pretty well. Well enough to have a good idea of the kind of things she might say to Hermione, given the option.

PureFaith91 - I'm pleased I managed to move you. I hope the latest chapter doesn't upset you too much (s). Yeah.. I think Hermione would be incredibly upset if she had to lose Voldie forever. Now that she's figured out just how much she would rather be with him.

Much more to come.

Ok... maybe not seventy chapters of more. but enough more to be significant anyway.

DarkLadySnape - Yep, she totally does. Don't worry -you'll get your wish soon. Just don't shoot me.

(Precious Mudblood)

April - Yay - hope you enjoy the new chapter!

Blossoming Art - I'm sorry - I probably WASN'T busy writing when you wrote your review. But i'm kind of somewhat back now. Don't worry Rodolphus isn't gone forever. I'll let you wait and see about the others! It would be a shame to ruin the surprises.

Yeah.. I'm more into the cruel than the lovey dovey too. There will be more of that...

Sadly - I had initially taken the latest chapter with grindelwald in a completely different direction.. with more of the cruel and nasty - before I blinked and realised that it wasn't anything like i'd written him behaving toward Hermione thusfar. I rewrote half of it. But dont expect him to stay nice. He isn't nice.

(Necessary Sacrifices)

Keleals - Glad to hear it. Thanks!

Paparazzi - I always feel great when someone tells me they joined AF just to review. Good for you! Now you've joined you can get sucked into writing like I did. (g) Sorry i've been dragged off by real life lately. I'll try to update more so you don't have to wait so long.

Koolgirl18 - You don't like? How could I have everything end right here?! And you don't really want me to put Harry in Voldemort's grasp just now, do you!? If he got his hands on him, he'd definitely kill him. Oh.. he might think about it for a little while.. but it'd end in Harry croaking. You want me to do that to the poor little idiot?

Besides.. theres a number of things that have to happen now.

Cennaka - Oh don't worry. Dumbledore knew exactly where Harry was. But he also wants Hermione back. She is observably very useful to Voldemort. With some tweaking, she would be very useful to the order - i.e. him, too. He had the perfect opportunity to have Draco under his thumb and possibly replace Severus who he lost.. then it got better when the two tried to run. He knew Harry couldn't get out and therefore allowed it, hoping for exactly what occurred. Voldemort was foolish enough to bring Hermione with him to the edge of the wards. Dumbledore very nearly got her back AND managed to sabotage Severus' mind in the process. Pity he lost the thing he needed most by losing track of what was happening to Harry.

Iheartskittles - Thanks! good to hear!

Sarahdaye9 - pleased you like it. I think hermione really actually deserves what happened to her. She was an idiot who was nearly captured because she didn't listen and didn't pay attention and certainly didn't react quickly enough.

April - At the moment, I think Tom would still see more value in simply killing harry than using him against Dumbledore. After all - he can destroy Dumbledore himself but the only one who can vanquish the dark lord is Harry, ostensibly. Why take the risk?!

(The First Horcrux)

Thank you so much to Romanticfae, RAVEN and mrequecky!

(New Skin)

Thanks again Romanticfae and Warriorbookwyrm. Cinder1013 - its hard to tell. Harry is not entirely stupid in this story. He might have real feelings.. then again he does need something from Tom. And we saw the extent he was willing to go to to get what he wanted from Draco. Who knows at this point?!

(That which we make for ourselves)

Tacita18 - sorry about that. I had some real life issues drag me away from the computer. I've been promising an update on this story for ages now it seems like. I keep getting dragged back to one of the other stories. But i'll try to update today. Hopefully you haven't become totally disillusioned and given up.

[Guest Fleur K.]

Hi

I can't review on AFF.net because I don't have an account, so I thought I would drop a little line by on here instead. I am really enjoying your story Captive Audience! I was surprised to see that you updated with chapter 11 today, that was super quick! I have to admit that my face kind of went "D:" When Hermione killed him, it was definitely unexpected! Boy.....if he somehow manages to come back, he is sure going to be pissed. How would Hermione ever come back from that? "Sorry I killed you, it was a mistake, my bad." XD Anyways.....you must update (I know you just updated, but....I just have to know what is going to happen here!) I can't wait to see what you come up with next Your Voldemort is sexy.....I'm glad you don't write snappy!Voldemort, I think that would frighten me terribly. I think I have probably said this same thing to Nerys, but I don't think there is any harm in reiterating this fact!

Okay, I am babbling here!

-Fleur K.

[Guest Fleur K.]

Oh dear, I meant *sappy* not *snappy*. Those present two different meanings entirely.....the first being my intended meaning and the second coming across like Voldemort is doing some sort of crazy tap dance number that involves a lot of snaps. Anyway, just had to correct myself there!