As I can't find an easy way to respond to the previous review on this site anymore, I'll touch on that first.
When I tried the tape recorder trick my own tape recorder was 1 foot by 6 inches by 3 inches. The one I borrowed from my grandfather had been an expensive piece of equipment and it was slightly larger than a TI-8X series calculator, (TI-81 82, 83, 85, 86, or 89). I don't know why he was allowed to keep it when he retired, but he was. I do know it had been used in his office and was expensive for '80s technology.
I realize that the TI-80s calculators were mid-90s technology, but they are common enough among high school and college students for the last 15 years as to make a good comparison.
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I wonder why the Queen is demanding an explanation? Didn't Harry tell her that he needs time to train his forces because they are virtually all pretty much untrained children and the normal wizarding forces aren't under his command?
I'd say they were fortunate that the Death Eaters had a textbook case of murphy's law, as I understand normally live ammunition would be tightly secured at a training facility and would take time to open the armory and distribute it, during which the casualties would be much higher. Yet they happened to strike on the one night they are doing a live fire exercise. Not to mention picking the wrong target.
That might actually be something to consider, letting them hit a regular military base to prove that there must have been traitors to cause such horrendous casulties for so few dead muggles. They'll still take casulties in the end, but have the attack go well at first with many other soldiers getting killed because they have unloaded rifles or no weapons at all in the barracks (whatever is normal for the British Army).
Amelia on the other hand has more to answer for, such as why the Aurors didn't respond to spellfire in a muggle area. They can monitor muggleborns for underage magic, but they can't monitor Death Eaters for unforgivable in other muggle areas? Just how does that monitoring work? That should be a good question for Amelia. Perhaps they should refocus their survalience from penalizing muggleborns from using magic to monitoring for killing curses and other dark magic? Especially since Hogwarts is in session and presumably all the muggleborns are in school.
Author's response
Yeah, during the seventies, my my cassette recorder was the same one. Panasonic, I believe. I'd imagine your grandfather had one of the first of the micro-tape recorders.
My 'good stuff' was on my Stereo, or on my 8" Reel to reel. (a machine I found busted n a dumpster and repaired.)
The Queen is less interested in Harry's explanation than Amelia's. She know little about the force. I'
d imagine she's seen one or all of the three Star Wars films, but in those first three, the force is presented as an all-knowing font of information that can help the Jedi take over people's minds and guide them in the use of magical swords. It really wasn't that well explained. What she wants, is to know why nothing was done to prevent her people from dying. She's pragmatic and understands that in war, men die, but she is more concerned for her people than monarchs.
Harry's explanation is going to be pretty much along your line. In addition, Harry has six functional lightsabers, (Harry built the rest as training units only.)and only Dobby has the qualifications he needs to go into battle.
Yeah, the Deez screwed up badly and the idiot who made the mistake, paid with his life. Unfortunately, Voldy ain't gonna be satisfied without his pound of flesh. This is why Blue-Cross won't cover the Death Eaters.
Unfortunately a regular army base wouldn't stand a chance. Not because they are not well trained, but as you said, the arms and ammunition are kept separate. They would also be facing a nearly invisible enemy far more mobile than they and well-used to striking and fading. By the time a tangible defense was arranged, it would be too late. Spec-ops, on the other hands are trained differently. More: they were already engaged in a live-fire exercise. The terrorists in the airplane were special mannequins, filled with sand and having cameras to record performance.
They didn't choose the 'one day' the SAS was doing live fire. Training facilities like hat base are in use pretty much all the time. Live fire exercises are quite common in such situations.
I intended to have Voldy draw back a bloody mitt every time he strikes. Having him hit an army base would guarantee him a solid victory. As for the wrong target, the Deez are bigoted purebloods, for the most part. It's not surprising that Selwyn mixed up the words 'special operations' and 'special needs'.
Just now, Voldy is going to have a temper tantrum, He'll try again with somewhat better results on the winter solstice.
Actually, Amelia was as much in the dark as Harry. I'll explain in this next chapter. Also, the Antiterrorist training area is a real one, and though it is 'nearby' a town, it is still very much isolated from said town.
BTW, your thoughts on monitoring mirror my own.
Alorkin