PopeYodaI posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 12:41pm for Ambush and Prank

Actually surprised that the 'prank' wasn't more lethal... or that he hasn't jumped Snape in a dark corner somewhere and blown his head off. I suppose that's just part of his character, though.

Beyond a few grammatical errors, it was a great chapter. Keep them coming

BJH posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 12:09pm for Ambush and Prank

Hang on a sec... When it was Harry attacking Draco the punishment was expulsion and confiscation of his "chattel" but when it was Draco attaching Harry the punishment was points and a detention? And this was with Ministry representation in the room all along?

It is not just the Headmaster that is biased if everyone else backed this.

BJH

P.S. I liked the actions with Snivellus.

Crys replied:

That punishment was suggested by ONE of the school board members.   The other school board member (and McG and AD) nixed that immediately.   Just trying to point out that even on the school board, there are enemies of Harry and/or allies of Malfoy.   Nobody else backed him.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

irishfighter21 posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 11:31am for Ambush and Prank

Awesome chapter

brad posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 11:02am for Ambush and Prank

Hmmm. Several times in the post-prank debriefing Draco's crime was referenced as 'attempted murder' of Harry and his two ladies. I thought that was exaggerated, given that only *stunner* spells had been detected by the magical scan, and nothing more dangerous - in magic or intent - had been discerned. I'm surprised the pro-Malfoy people present didn't immediately object.

I've read a few fanfics where the Hat can either breeze through Harry's Occlumency barrier with ease ... or bounce off it ... but never one where it has offered to help fix Snape's damage. What a good idea!! It was never mentioned again, but I trust that Harry took the hat up on its offer afterwards?

> Lack of proof isn't proof of lack

Harry and Flitwick are wrong. It's surprising what you can learn in a HP forum ... it was pointed out to members in one in which I participate that 'absence of evidence' IS, indeed 'evidence of absence'. One nice mathematical proof is at this URL:

http://oyhus.no/AbsenceOfEvidence.html

... but you can find other discourses on the subject on the web too.

Of course, Harry uses the word 'proof' rather than 'evidence', which maybe makes his statement a different matter entirely than the 'absence of evidence' case.

You're painting Ron rather simplistically ... but I guess that *is* Ron, after all. :-) I dare say we can assume that his resentment had been building up over the previous month of his 'continuing jealousy'; maybe you could have written it slightly more that way, as if he'd reached his limit. Maybe you did and I'm just too picky. :-)

Harry's 'act' was cool, but - again! - Hermione was only too ready to believe the worst of her best friend, which made me unhappy. :-( Maybe this is a result of her always thinking that she's right and her peers wrong; she hasn't adjusted yet to the realisation that her friends have matured quite a bit recently. Ah well, at least you had her there in the thick of things, protecting Harry, along with Neville.

Crys replied:

A group of children of deez try to stun Harry.   Everyone KNOWS it's an attempted kidnapping (which is tantamount to murder where Voldy is concerned).   You're correct, though, that Malfoy's advocate on the board should've spoken up.   Mea culpa on that.

I've always felt the Hat is under-utilized.   I've tried to give it a small part in my stories (unlike JBern's starring role for it).   Yes, Harry let the Hat "fix" his shields.

As for the "lack of evidence" conversation, I'll leave that to theorists and  lawyers.   My main point is that with magic and memory charms, the normal rules are invalid.   Plus, lack of evidence could just mean that the evidence hasn't been unearthed, not that it doesn't exist.

Ron.   Yes, his resentment has been building.   See the "continuing jealousy" line you pointed out.   I suppose I could've expanded on it, but it would only be gratuitous Weasley-bashing at that point.   And I've been (and will) bash Ron quite severely as it is.

Hermione tends to leap to conclusions (canon).   Yes, it makes Ron look bad, but she's spent much more time with him recently (they DID date!) than Harry has.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Sarah5 posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 10:47am for Ambush and Prank

Will Ron turn dark will Deatheaters recruit him? Have you decided who will join Harry Hermione or Susan? Will Dumbledore step down Can Augusta Longbottom step into Hogwarts?

Crys replied:

Three yes, four no, but not going to tell you in what order.

Hey, you didn't actually expect me to answer, did you?

Thanks for reading.

Cenladil posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 8:48am for Ambush and Prank

That was both hilarious and still serious enough. Classic chapter coming from one of the better authors in fanfiction.

Thanks

troyguffey posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 8:47am for Ambush and Prank

LOVED the "prank gone wrong".....

Hawklan posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 8:42am for Ambush and Prank

nice new chapter, malfoy and snape bashing is always funa shame that there wasn't more money left to take.

Peter Clark posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 8:24am for Ambush and Prank

Wonderful, as always!

Stonewar posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 7:29am for Ambush and Prank

You've lost track of Scrimgeour in the begining. He was in the hospital wing mad a comment and was never mentioned again. Did he leave with lucius or stay and hear flitwick's report. As Dumbledore invited him I would assume the later but it is not clear.

no such thing as an injunction or countersuit in the wizarding world? of course not that would have solved Tracy and Daphne's problem without Harry's "romantic" self sacrefice.
Malfoy can file all the motions he wants on a matter still under investigation .... ug I can do this any more its too frustrating. You aren't even trying to make this in anyway realistic. You want blood on the highway dispite there only being a minor rearending. No law is ironclad.

Crys replied:

Huh.   You're correct.   Good catch.   He could've left right after Slytherins or heard Flitwick's report.   Either way is fine.

No, the WW legal system is an anachristic (sp?) mess, more suited to protecting the pureblood politicians than the populace.   How Fudge bends laws around Harry is canon proof of that.   Yes, it it fundamentally unfair.   I don't like it, either, but I'm using it in the story to suit the story.

Thank you for reading.

Wonderbee31 posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 7:29am for Ambush and Prank

Well. This was a most excellent chapter, with a lot of good high points for me, including: Albus seeming to finally recognize that maybe he's not the be-all end-all of creation like he seems to want everyone to think he is, that, and maybe finally realizing that Snape has such an idiotric hatred of Harry that the man might not be quite as worthwhile as he wants him to be. The Malfoy's seem to slither away again somewhat, though now that Draco has been hauled off, that will at least make Narcissa scream at Lucius for awhile, hopefully, and distract him form Voldemort's missions. Sad to see that Ron seems to have just committed one of his last idiotic moves, and if he's still let off with just a warning, then maybe he needs to be 'pranked' next time. Curious about the dynamics here, and you know, you've done to Neville what JKR kept hinting at, but never did, and that's let him grow up, and beyond Ron also, who very much deserved to be left in the background by the time the 3rd book came around, as he wasn't much help and more hindrance, and not even a major player by the big wrap up. Liked how Hermione seems to be leaning towards Harry somewhat, and will be curious as to what role she may play in his future relationships with her and the two others.

Crys replied:

*snort*   Not hard for Neville go grow up beyond someone who is actively regressing in his maturity.   Can you tell that I disliked how JKR treated the two characters? :)

Hermione . . . You think she'd be better trying to get together with Harry or Neville?   Or someone else entirely?

Thanks for reading

Minerva Granger posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 7:18am for Ambush and Prank

I love this chapter! Good going on getting rid of the Deez in disguise (Student Deez, in other words!), nice solution on the Snape issue, and well done on the Draco-mort issue. Yes, I said Draco-mort. I consider draco just one step below Volde-shmuck, and therefore am happy to call him Draco-mort.

Dakaath@TTH posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 7:17am for Ambush and Prank

I love the excuse 'Checking for Plague.'
Great idea.

Ken Warner posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 7:06am for Ambush and Prank

wonderful chapter - way too much goodness to applaud every detail, but the vanishing prank and the way you told it, was masterful

thanks so much for a great story

Gardengirl posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 7:03am for Ambush and Prank

Detention in the library, eh? No, no, don't make me go back into the briar patch!

Love how Harry's misfired prank exposed the little wankers. Hermione and Neville as guardians and protectors works really well for me! Ron... he needs a serious rectal-craniectomy, stat. Loved McG's suggestion that he contemplate his future with some intensity.

Great chapter, thanks!

Crys replied:

"Not the briar patch!" indeed.   Which is, of course, why McG "punished" her with it.

Thanks for reading.

Jeffrey Meehan posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 6:59am for Ambush and Prank

I'm sorry but they prank malfoy for trying to murder Harry what kind of ducked up logic is that?

Crys replied:

They publicly expose him as a DE and get him arrested.   Harry just called it a "misfired prank" to avoid getting expelled.

Mikko posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 6:42am for Ambush and Prank

I enjoy your writing, though it does lack something, it doesn't build really any atmosphere around the story.

The premise is reasonable and all the story telling is quite good. You really don't need to go out of your way to include lemons, actually writing them poorly as most are done would go a long way to ruin it.

That doesn't mean that there shouldn't be any development in the relationship department, just make it romantic cuddling in front of a fire, not explicit descriptions of harrys penis entering daphnes arse.

Just keep away from the usual super harry cliches and you'll do fine. No animagus, or if you do that, make up some silly, but usefull forms, nothing that can be really utilized in combat except as a form of evasion.

As for Snape, something ignoble would suit his death quite well. Like a death eater attack on hogsmeade and harry casting a cutting curse on a random death eater and it turning out to be Snape after combat would suit me well.

Imo malfoys death should be something self inflicted by his stupidity or bigotry, something from mugle origins like explosives or firelegs.

Crys replied:

Unfortunately, it's difficult for Harry under the circumstances.   He is getting comfortable with the girls, but so long as they can't say "no", then "yes" is meaningless.   How do you romance someone who cannot refuse you?

You and I may know that it's still possible to do,  but Harry -  from the "inside", so to speak - can't see the situation nearly as clearly.

Glad you don't need the lemons.   Cuz I can't write them to save my life.   Not to mention I don't want to bump the rating.

Promise, no super-Harry (just an above average power and dueller), no animagus forms.  

Snape and Malfoy senior will be dealt with.   Never fear.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

gunners posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 6:28am for Ambush and Prank

A very good chapter. At last somebody put the Malfoys in their place, but still they outmaneuver Harry.

Any chance to see the relationship of Harry/Daphne/Tracey improving more than it is now?

howard kammerer posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 6:09am for Ambush and Prank

nicely done, very nicely done! I have to admit, it's a pleasast surprise to see Albus actually learn something and admit that he screwed up!

Thanks for the speedy updates and I'm really looking forward to more of this story.

red

DJ posted a comment on Friday 11th September 2009 6:05am for Ambush and Prank

So was Ron so dumb as to bocome a DE? Any way fun chapter keep it up and tanks for writting.