Many thanks for the chapter! I hope that your and your sister can work out the finacial problems soon....... Harry and Dobby did a wonderful job at Ollivander's shop, and I'm glad that the dragons got their snack! As always, seeing Harry and goblins together is wonderful. It was also good to see Michael Wood treating the goblins with respect. The talk between Harry and Ollivander was also interesting, and I enjoyed the tie you created between the Pottverse and Middle Earth! I love the Lord of the Rings! Are Aragog and his family descendants of Shelob? Hmmmmmm..... it seems like Voldy and his new best friend just can't get enough of each other....... (whistles) Is Nagini considering dumping the nutcase already, or will she just start planning for a quick getaway if needed? It seems that both would be "Masters of the Universe" will lose their familiars soon. It looks as though Snape's life has become very interesting. How long before he starts complaining to Dumbles that the other students are being given points for breathing? Will Dumbles even care about that right now, or will he be too intent on his reputation? The scene with Ableforth was great; laughter is good for both one's health and one's soul. The Dusleys are getting their well earned dues; but Dudley at least might actually improved. It will also benefit other students if the little pack of bullies and the teacher who supported them are dealt with properly. Corolyn is definately a lawyer to reckon with! As for Ron, Earnie, and Seamus I'm glad that Harry gave them the necessary talking-to. Hermione's talk with him afterwards was just right; reminding him that while he had a great resposibility he also had friends and family to support him. As always, your chapter was filled with a mix of the serious and the amusing and left me looking forward to the next! :)
Author's response
Heya Teresa!
Thanks for your thoughts. We will work to settle this debt, and then we're done.
The saber action was necessary to rescue Ollivander, and so, I tried to portray it as it would have happened in a real battle.
Dragons: Well, the Deez were just lying there. It would be a shame to see a perfectly good meal go to waste, wouldn't it?
Harry/Goblins/Michael: I'd imagine Michael isn't as stupid as most of the wizards. He offered his respect because he understood that true respect is mutual. Graswold was willing to meet him half way, and Harry started the whole thing off.
The tie-in with LoTR, was unintentional. I was looking for 'high elves' and this was the best match I could find. but I did need a viable ancestry for Ollivander. Since elves are involved, I can see the high elves being revered by the lower forms of that species.
My other choice was Lestat, or someone like him..
Voldy and his best friend: (Sings off key)"OH ho ho, you and me, little brown jug, how I love thee...!"
Nagini has a well developed sense of self-preservation. She'll be using it. Besides, I need to subvert her. BWAHAHAHAHA!
As for the other 'Master'. he's already lost his. Fawkes is just playing a role...and spying on Ol' Twinkles.
Snape: He doesn't have much chance of that, as Minerva has taken over the running of Hogwarts. Any complaint he gives will go to her. Oops! Round file!
Dumbledore's far too busy to be worried about the minutiae of running a school. After all, he has his public image to reconstruct.
Abe is far too unused. He needs a life.
Vernon and Petunia: I figure the wost punishment they can have is a public humiliation, that never ends.
Dudley: I had a brother who was very much like him. That brother died alone in prison, for something that he was trained and conditioned to do...by my father.
I've given Dudley a hefty dose of reality, and a chance to turn things around. Being on the receiving end of the bullying he used to force on Harry (and the other neighborhood kids) is a harsh lesson, but really, it's the same as I'm doing to his parents. He's only dealing with it better. Being nearly killed...or worse, and having the person he so despised, save his life would tend to do that, I think.
Branck is a walk-on, character. We may see him later, but I doubt it.
Carolyn is a lot of fun to write. she's absolutely ruthless in court, and carries out her legal duties with the same ruthless precision.
The slackers: I'm going to reform them, but I already have things written for each.
~~Hermione's talk with him afterwards was just right; reminding him that while he had a great resposibility he also had friends and family to support him.~~
Thanks especially for this. As I said to Zamia, any good leader worries. It's the ones who think they have everything under control, you have to be careful around.
Hermione's support, along with that of several other people, most notably Luna, will help to keep him from sinking to self-doubt.
Alorkin