Chapter 7:
This one had me a bit teary. I could just feel Harry's despair at Molly's outburst. It's truly heartbreaking.
(There's a point where Poppy's examining Harry where the sentence just drops off at "including," leaving the idea dangling.)
But back to feelings and such... Molly needs to understand that Ginny's likely just as volatile as Harry and if she keeps up with the disparaging remarks and her attempts to keep the mated pair apart, she's going to lose her daughter altogether, and in more ways than one. The rules have changed and Molly needs to make peace with that.
Remus truly is the best "chaperon" for Harry and Ginny. He knows what they're going through and how best to teach them to control their inner wolves and harness the natural urges the changes to their physiological makeup cause. It goes without saying that predators are dangerous, but more so when threatened or aroused.
Now this "new strain" of lycanthropy: I have to wonder if it's different because Harry and Ginny were already deeply in love and "mated," as it were, before Grayback got to them. Also I'm taking into consideration that Harry saved Ginny's life once (Chamber), which may have created some kind of connection between them. Now, in essence, he's saved her life again.
In defending his "mate," Harry killed their attacker--his sire--and took control. Harry's the new Alpha male and "leader of the pack," as it were, and as his chosen mate and true love, Ginny's the Alpha female. There's going to be something different there as a result. Perhaps Remus either hasn't considered this possibility or it just hasn't occurred to him yet. Remus was never part of Grayback's "pack" since he chose not to go feral. Instead, Remus chose to live as a human being the best he could. It's this that will help Harry and Ginny now and in the long run, especially since they're the Alphas now.
Okay, enough ranting. Good job! Say HI to Shyamal for me?
GC
Author's response
Oh, Molly. She's a tough one to portray correctly. She loves Harry like a son but then there's the fact that he has infected Ginny, her only daughter though not intentionally. Those also the fact that Molly does have some traditional and outdated views, at least, something that I perceive considering she was raised as a pureblood. Then there's the fact that she had Bill before she finished her seventh year. I actually calculated it out with the birth dates posted on the HP Lexicon.
As for the Lycanthropy strain, there are major differences. Remember from the memory that Harry saw in the fifth book when the Marauders were leaving after the exam, they were comparing characteristics that set werewolves apart from normal wolves. From what I understand, werewolves resemble normal wolves except for five key major characteristics. We know four of the five. You know, explaining my thoughts on this might take a whole page that I'm going to post this on my LJ and the forum.
That last paragraph hits upon a major point that should be coming up soon. In fact, it should be appearing in the next chapter. :D
The next time I see Shyamal, I'll say hi. It seems the little git decided to go trench diving in the back of my brain.
Spy