(#) brad 2012-08-03
Hey, he's back! Yay!
(I was thinking the other month that it would be nice if a story from you materialised somehow, some time.)
I think Rowling's pronouncement from Dumbledore in DH - that it was "essential that Harry be let live, to test his strength" - is one of the most shameful attempts to pull the wool over the readers' eyes that I've ever encountered. It was her one-sentence attempt to answer those of her readers who were sitting back - on being told that Harry had been a horcrux all along, destined to be a sacrifical lamb, NOT the slayer of the evil dark lord - wondering "well, why in blazes have we been reading seven books about his adventures, if he was just supposed to die anyway?".
I prefer your explanation. That Dumbledore was (rightly) afraid that he would be indicted for murder. I'd never realised that!
I like your (Dumbledore's) observation that Harry's blood contribution rendered the lauded Dursley 'protection' worthless. But no-one in the books realised it! Heh. That's because the author never worked it out either. Sadly typical of the tunnel vision of the last few books, where none of the characters (like our Hermione) were allowed to have any creative ideas that either (a) Rowling never realised herself (not wanting to explore other possibilities) or (b) sundered the poor plot that Rowling wanted to write.
I love the idea of the Dementors being especially attracted to Harry because of his saturated soul payload. :-) I'm not sure I've ever seen that wrinkle before in a fan fiction story. I doubt Rowling had a clue about that possiblity - or that she even knew what a Horcrux was back when she wrote PoA.
As always I like the H/Hr friendship hints that you embed into your work, the 'corrections' that make their canon relationship even stronger. Like the idea that she did write to Harry in his fifth summer (but her missives were censored in their transmission). Nice.
The actual mechanics of taking down Voldemort is a bit of a stretch ... I think I enjoyed all the sidereal bits more than your main event!
As to the future ... a bit sad that Harry might no longer be able to enjoy magic. Maybe he can be healed rather than remain as a handicapped wizard?
And forget about using Fawkes to send letters, Hermione ... you'll be able to visit your best friend in person, phoenix!teleporting to Harry whenever you like, yay!
Nice to see something from you doctor! Thanks for writing it.
Author's response
RE: dementor bait -- I think the idea of Harry's Horcrux causing his dementor-attraction has been mentioned in passing before, both by myself and others. Now one point I haven't seen before was the idea that Dumbledore made up the idea that having a phoenix showed how 'light' you were, and it passed into the references as fact. (Of course, considering the huge amount of fan fics out there, many have probably written that, but I just haven't read those)
I think the part about draining the DEs makes perfect sense, but agree that it directly affecting V was a bit of a stretch, but possible. that's why Bones thought it might work, but wasn't certain.
And who knows, maybe Harry's condition will heal itself over time!
I'm sure Hermione will keep a close check on him!