This story would have been worth waiting for even if it had taken twice as long. Wonderful character developmen t and plotlines.
There are only two things with which I don't really agree. One: the almost canonization of Ron Weasley after his death. Although, since I have never lost someone I love to war, I could be missing the emotional connection and am not properly evaluating how "survivor's guilt" would affect those left behind. Especially Harry's guilt at being unable to save his first friend.
Two: the epilogue. I thought the story was good as it was and the epilogue unneccessary.
Author's response
Hello, Mistress.
I’m so glad you enjoyed my tale. It was a long and difficult journey, tying together all the little threads I’d created…and as you’ve said, developing the main characters. Something that She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named never did.
Let’s deal with the two things.
First: Yeah, Ron was kinda sainted, but people need heroes…especially in the aftermath of such a psychologically devastating war as Voldemoert had waged. Given Harry’s personality, I can see him doing that. Ron was his first friend his own age, and as you said, there is an emotional connection. While he did something stupid, Ron, became that hero. Just like Dudley, qwhenhetold the Queen he didn’t do it because he was brave. He lost his temper, think Marissa was dead. I’ve met a few Medal Of Honor Winners and each of them told me they survived doing something stupid because they were very lucky. I don’t hold the MoH, but I do have two Purple Hearts and I feel the same way. If I hadn’t been so gung-ho, I might not have been hurt. While it’s true, the last thing I can see Harry doing was saying; “Ron died because he was stupid."
I don’t think that would have gone over well.
You’re right. There would be survivor’s guilt, primarily because none of them are true soldiers. They’d been trained in as realistic a manner as I could arrange, but with a few exceptions, they’d never been blooded, and that usually causes problems. In many ways, Harry’s arrangements were because he felt guilty that he couldn’t save Ron.
Next: The epilogue sorta wrote itself and you would not believe how much cutting I had to do to get it as short as it was.
Thanks for the thoughtful words.
Alorkin