FicWad

Well, let's see if this web site allows the author to comment on reviews, and notification of said comment to be e-mailed back to the reviewer/reader. Otherwise I might have to stick to Schnoogle for my reviews; I've grown accustomed to enjoying the exchanges between you and your readers there.

Ugh. Tiny small review window.

Interesting slant on the diary. Up to now I'd always thought that Tom Junior's plan to take form was something of a co-incidence, incidental to senior's machinations. Just Lucius trying to hurt the Weasleys, no greater goal than that. Maybe I'm forgetting something out of canon? In any case, the deliberations of the DEs about the diary and its use were most interesting.

As always, enjoying the Hermione scenes and asides throughout these chapters. I've found your assertion that, in this story, this time around, she'll find in Harry the epitome of her ideal leader most fascinating. You've said that in your review comments; but the sentence in chapter 8 that she had total faith in Harry as an authority figure still came as a surprise. Just a slight change of wording, but still packed quite a punch, for me.

Also the possibility of Harry 'knocking off some of her rough edges', and perhaps making a romantic match of things with her. I just really really like this Harry/Hermione thread here -- I think we're seeing her 'used' more, her utilising her brains, much more than in the original time line. Giving her all the information, letting her get into top gear.

'"We'll figure things out," Hermione said'.

All the above said, I thought the sentence about her respecting Harry as her authority figure was a bit clumsy. It meant more to me, maybe, because of your out-of-band discussion of same in your review feedback exchanges. Most of the story is in a - will I get the term right? - 'third person narrative' style? The switch all of a sudden to Hermione's perspective, telling us what she thought, in mid-sentence like that, was jarring. Normally a change in style, from outside to inside a person's head, would occur in a new section. Just being picky.

The idea of Dumbledore still keeping things secret is a really interesting plot thread. What is his motivation; I dearly want to find out. Does he seriously believe his abilities to plan the offense against Voldemort eclipses the others'? Does he not trust them? I can see how this could lead up to a crisis at some stage in the story, maybe even have Dumbledore's secret machinations, or withholding of information, lead to peoples' deaths. And then a major H/Albus confrontation.

Harry and Draco talking about ministerial aspirations ... as mere eleven year olds? I accept that H & Hr are acting 'mature' - I think you have a reference to their 'adult' talks after the kids' games - but Draco taking an eleven-year-old Harry seriously when Harry promises to defeat Voldemort and put him (Draco) in as Minister just seemed a bit far-fetched. Necessary for the story, but stretching things a bit.

Always thought a true Malfoy would never bow down to the dark lord like that. I've often wanted Harry to walk up to Draco at Hogwarts, slap him on the face and shout "You're a MALFOY, for God's sakes, you shouldn't bow and scrape to ANYBODY, let alone a monster!". Maybe I have read that scene before; I can recall times you've come close to that in several of your other stories.

Ugh, this review window is SMALL - it's TINY. Infinitesimal. I hope what I've written above makes sense.

Thanks for sending out the updates via your Yahoo group to let us know what was happening. It was good to print up to chapter 10 here on ficwad so I could read three chapters at once tonight with tea. Cheers.