There was a very significant change to chapter 8: We finally get to see a bit of Snape’s point of view. Originally, when I first wrote this story, I swore to myself that there would be no Snape POV. I was afraid it would give too much away. I wanted Snape’s actions and reactions to remain a surprise, and I felt that letting you all in on his private thoughts concerning the whole matter would jeopardise the surprise. But I constantly got requests for Snape’s POV. So I had to learn to write a Snape POV that was satisfying, that let the reader feel as though they were gaining some insight into his persona, without giving anything away. Which sounds easier than it is, for me at any rate.
The main concern I had was that once I wrote his POV, I wouldn’t be able to stop. And that was partly true. I keep trying to fit his POV in to more and more chapters. I love writing this Snape. He’s sarcastic and scathing, utterly Slytherin, and a lot of fun to write. I have a lot of ideas and thoughts concerning my Snape, and many of them don’t mesh perfectly with canon. However, I am able to explore these thoughts fully in this story, which is quite addicting, really.
I don’t want to give anything away, but I’ll give you a brief peek into my Snape’s persona. As I said, he’s scathing and sarcastic. But he doesn’t do it to be funny. He doesn’t do it to be mean, or witty, or because he’s a Slytherin. That’s just how he thinks. The fact that some people find his sarcastic wit funny puzzles him, because as I said, he doesn’t do it to be funny. That’s purely him. He’s also purely Slytherin. I have a very interesting take on the whole Slytherin persona.
For me, Slytherins are the ultimate pragmatist. They can be practical to the point of ruthlessness, though to them, they both mean the same thing. For my Slytherins, ninety percent of the time, the ends do justify the means. Why are many Slytherins bisexual? Because they’re equal opportunity lovers. Having sex with both males and females gives them twice as many partners to choose from. Slytherins see the grey in every situation. There is no only black or only white, nothing is either purely right or purely wrong, ultimately good or ultimately evil. They’re ambitious, of course. They aspire to high positions. For money, for power, for connections, yes, but mostly to prove it to themselves and others. The challenge is what they relish. The chance to show others, look what I can do. Look what I have. Look at me.
Yes, Slytherins will use you if they need to. From a Slytherin perspective, if you’re weak enough to be used, that’s not their problem. Yes, they can be sneaky. Yes, they can be cunning. But those aren’t bad things, in and of themselves.
Slytherins are opportunists, pure and simple. Why did Lucius defect to the side of the Order? Because they were obviously going to win. Self-preservation ranks high on the list of Slytherin needs. Another reason he defected was because of his pride. The Malfoy line is an ancient and pure family. He would not tolerate being used by a Dark Lord who was less than himself. He would not tolerate being a lackey, and Lucius was smart enough to realize that Voldemort didn’t have followers, he had slaves. And no Malfoy would ever stoop so low. Least of all him.
So, what makes a Slytherin? Self-preservation, pragmatism, pride, cunning, ambition, and the ability to see all the many shades of grey. In the end, Slytherins don’t care for right or wrong, for good or bad. They care for themselves most of all. To be a Slytherin is practically to be family. They are fiercely loyal to their own, so long as the Slytherin in question is fit to be called a Slytherin. And that, readers, is what my Slytherins are made of. Not all of them, of course. And not all of them will feel all of the above. But hopefully, this may give you some insights in to my favourite playmates of all: the Slytherins.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Notes: Chapter Seven
There are a couple big changes in chapter seven, things that make it more obvious that Snape is going to get revenge. But first, the minor changes.
“This…I hesitate to call it your paper, since it’s on…amethyst coloured parchment,” he unrolled the parchment, grimacing with distaste, “with little hearts all over it.” He stopped, shook his head as if to clear it, tightly shut his eyes, then looked at her paper again. “It’s still there. Why is your paper on coloured parchment covered with hearts?” he asked, his voice dangerously soft.
I just loved the thought of Snape being handed this ridiculously girly parchment that he would be forced to come in contact with in order to grade. I still laugh at the thought of Snape shaking his head as if to clear it, tightly shutting his eyes, then looking to see if her paper is still there. This was one of those scenes that I can see so clearly in my head. It’s not the best, or the funniest, but it’s still, even after all this time, so vivid. I can absolutely picture Snape sitting there, wondering what the hell had possessed the stupid Gryffindor to turn in her paper on such parchment. I also imagined him wondering why such paper was even produced and what sort of horrid establishment would have the gall to sell such rubbish.
“I ran out of—”
He cut her off by saying, in an incredulous tone, “Is it scented as well?”
I can also clearly picture him asking if it’s scented. I can just see his face, this wonderful mixture of outrage, disbelief, and surprise that they even produced scented paper.
“Sir,” Harry began, his leg shaking from nerves, “Hermione just ran out of parchment, and then had to borrow some of Lavender’s. She didn’t do it to purposely get to you, or whatever it was you were rant–erm, saying,” he cut himself off before he could accuse Snape of ranting like a lunatic.
In the original, Harry didn’t almost accuse Snape of ranting like a lunatic. But I realized that Harry was probably the most likely to do so in that situation.
Lavender silently congratulated on her improvisation. She had never been terribly good at thinking on her feet, especially when confronted by Snape.
I’m not a big fan of cannon Lavender, but I thought that maybe I could make her a bit more than a bimbo who was once in love with Ron, of all people. And I like to think I did an okay job. I like to think that this Lavender has a bit more substance, a bit more flair. She’s no Hermione, but then, she doesn’t want to be. Being Hermione is very hard work, and Lavender likes fun. That doesn’t necessarily make her brainless, or only concerned with silly things such as makeup and clothing and boys. Yes, she likes those things. But they aren’t her life.
The only major changes to the chapter are the following:
She remained seated as Snape paced back in forth in front of her desk. She wasn’t sure why he had detained her. Would he deduct points? Give her detention? Threaten her, yet again, with expulsion? She watched him pace; four steps one way, pivot, four steps the opposite way, repeat. His hands were clasped behind his back, his head bent, a look of deep concentration upon his face. He didn’t look angry, exactly, but he certainly didn’t look any less imposing for that fact.
He stopped abruptly, his head turning sharply to stare at her, his face unreadable. She raised her chin, meeting his gaze. It was small comfort that he had claimed she would know if he used his Legilimency against her; she might know if he was using it, but she had no defence against it. Yet, she sensed nothing, no foreign presence in her mind, so remained quiet, continuing to meet his gaze.
As I’ve said before, I really don’t quite understand how Legilimancy works. But I’ve decided that Snape can’t perform real, intrusive Legilimancy without the victim being aware of it, much as Harry was in Phoenix. In this fic, the most he can do undetected is skim the surface of emotions, not unlike an empath, just to sort of read what emotion someone is experiencing.
“You have no idea what you’re playing at, Miss Granger.” She almost jumped, his voice came so suddenly, sounding louder in the silence of the room. She continued to meet his gaze, though her neck was starting to hurt from the awkward angle. Snape seemed a lot taller when he was standing and she was sitting.
“Whatever do you mean, sir?”
“Do not play the innocent with me. Deny it all you want, but cease with this act.” His voice was low and stern, but not harsh. She did not know how to react, so she merely said nothing.
“I am not as oblivious as you would like to think, Miss Granger,” he said. “I have deduced that there is some sort of contest or bet; that it concerns me is no big secret. I do not know why, though I can hazard a guess. I am, after all, the resident greasy git; who better to play such childish pranks on?” he asked. She felt momentarily ashamed to know that he was aware of his nickname amongst the students; how awful, she thought, to know just how disliked you truly were.
“But I will give you this last warning, Miss Granger,” he said, his voice low and even, leaning down, his hands gripping the sides of her desk, until his face was level with hers. “Continue with these little games and I will be forced to retaliate. I could lie, and say that I would not find that pleasant, but the truth is this: I would find it pleasant indeed. Whether you would be of the same opinion, however, is doubtful.”
She stared at him, his face inches from hers, and could read the truth of his words in his eyes. She knew he meant what he said and though the thought should have scared her, it did not. A small part of her, perhaps, but most of her saw the challenge. There was no one her own age who challenged her. Yet here was the chance to match wits with a Slytherin, a man older and more powerful than she. Such a thing would be dangerous and scary and everything she knew should not tempt her, but did. The thought was terrifying yet she could not deny the allure. In the end, she gave into the temptation.
“Well, Miss Granger?” he asked, moving a fraction of an inch closer to her. His eyes were on level with hers, his face a breath away. The incongruous thought that, should anyone walk into the dungeon at that moment, they surely would think Snape was about to kiss her, briefly crossed her mind.
I’m a Snape/Hermione shipper at heart. What can I say?? I think this bit ups the tension a little. Whether that tension is sexual or otherwise remains to be seen.
“Why bother warning me?” she asked, the knowledge that she had already accepted his challenge making her bold. “Why not just give me detention and be done with it?”
“That is none of your concern. But I can see that you have not changed your mind. So be it.” He straightened, glaring down his nose at her. “Do not say later that I did not warn you.”
When he said nothing more, she asked, “If that is all, sir?”
“That is all. You may go, Miss Granger.”
She nodded once before standing and walking towards the door. “Until later, Professor.” Before he could respond, she was gone.
Hermione found she was shaking once she exited the dungeon, though whether it was nerves, adrenaline, or both, she couldn’t say. She found it hard to believe that she had just accepted Snape’s challenge. She should have taken his warning to heart and stopped the tasks. Instead she had gone so far as to disregard his warning entirely and accept his challenge. What would the others say?
But she soon decided not to tell them. Not yet, anyway. Eventually, she would have to explain, but for now, the information was too new. She still could not believe she had found the courage to accept. Where had her bravado come from? She hadn’t been the least bit nervous; apprehensive, perhaps, but not nervous. She couldn’t imagine how she had found the nerve to stand up to Snape in such a way.
She tried to analyse her feelings towards the situation she now found herself in, but found she was unable to. She was still running on adrenaline now that the whole thing was over, making her want to giggle nervously and dance joyously, all at the same time. Deep down, she knew why she had accepted his proposal. She relished the chance to match wits with such a brilliant mind. It was the chance to go up against a Slytherin, to use power and cunning and all the skills at her disposal to see that she came out on top. That she would lose was almost a given; however, it was not about winning or losing. It all came down to the challenge.
There were no boys her age–and at that age, that’s exactly what they all were, boys–capable of such a thing. The very thought that Ron or Harry could go up against her was laughable. They had their strengths, but they did not concern wit or logic. Snape, however, was not a boy. He was a man, and a powerful one at that. That he was a Slytherin made the whole thing more appealing; she supposed it was the natural Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry coming into play. Snape, she knew, would not disappoint. A challenge he had promised and a challenge she would get.
Again, this is more to make the point that Snape has laid down a challenge and Hermione has accepted said challenge. This gives a little insight as to why she accepted. Also, it is something that can be built on later, should I decide to turn this into a romance, but that isn’t indicative of romance on its own.
Though she knew she should be anxious or scared of what he might do, she could not bring herself to get over her excitement. Later, she would worry. Right now, she simply wanted to revel in the fact that she might just have found her match.
A sly smile upon her lips, Hermione made her way to her room. She had plenty of research to do if she wanted a chance to beat Snape at his own game.
I hope that cleared things up about the whole Hermione vs Snape challenge. The first time I posted the fic, there were quite a few people who weren’t sure whether or not there really was a challenge. Hopefully, this proves beyond a doubt that Snape did challenge her, Hermione did accept, and it is now war.
“This…I hesitate to call it your paper, since it’s on…amethyst coloured parchment,” he unrolled the parchment, grimacing with distaste, “with little hearts all over it.” He stopped, shook his head as if to clear it, tightly shut his eyes, then looked at her paper again. “It’s still there. Why is your paper on coloured parchment covered with hearts?” he asked, his voice dangerously soft.
I just loved the thought of Snape being handed this ridiculously girly parchment that he would be forced to come in contact with in order to grade. I still laugh at the thought of Snape shaking his head as if to clear it, tightly shutting his eyes, then looking to see if her paper is still there. This was one of those scenes that I can see so clearly in my head. It’s not the best, or the funniest, but it’s still, even after all this time, so vivid. I can absolutely picture Snape sitting there, wondering what the hell had possessed the stupid Gryffindor to turn in her paper on such parchment. I also imagined him wondering why such paper was even produced and what sort of horrid establishment would have the gall to sell such rubbish.
“I ran out of—”
He cut her off by saying, in an incredulous tone, “Is it scented as well?”
I can also clearly picture him asking if it’s scented. I can just see his face, this wonderful mixture of outrage, disbelief, and surprise that they even produced scented paper.
“Sir,” Harry began, his leg shaking from nerves, “Hermione just ran out of parchment, and then had to borrow some of Lavender’s. She didn’t do it to purposely get to you, or whatever it was you were rant–erm, saying,” he cut himself off before he could accuse Snape of ranting like a lunatic.
In the original, Harry didn’t almost accuse Snape of ranting like a lunatic. But I realized that Harry was probably the most likely to do so in that situation.
Lavender silently congratulated on her improvisation. She had never been terribly good at thinking on her feet, especially when confronted by Snape.
I’m not a big fan of cannon Lavender, but I thought that maybe I could make her a bit more than a bimbo who was once in love with Ron, of all people. And I like to think I did an okay job. I like to think that this Lavender has a bit more substance, a bit more flair. She’s no Hermione, but then, she doesn’t want to be. Being Hermione is very hard work, and Lavender likes fun. That doesn’t necessarily make her brainless, or only concerned with silly things such as makeup and clothing and boys. Yes, she likes those things. But they aren’t her life.
The only major changes to the chapter are the following:
She remained seated as Snape paced back in forth in front of her desk. She wasn’t sure why he had detained her. Would he deduct points? Give her detention? Threaten her, yet again, with expulsion? She watched him pace; four steps one way, pivot, four steps the opposite way, repeat. His hands were clasped behind his back, his head bent, a look of deep concentration upon his face. He didn’t look angry, exactly, but he certainly didn’t look any less imposing for that fact.
He stopped abruptly, his head turning sharply to stare at her, his face unreadable. She raised her chin, meeting his gaze. It was small comfort that he had claimed she would know if he used his Legilimency against her; she might know if he was using it, but she had no defence against it. Yet, she sensed nothing, no foreign presence in her mind, so remained quiet, continuing to meet his gaze.
As I’ve said before, I really don’t quite understand how Legilimancy works. But I’ve decided that Snape can’t perform real, intrusive Legilimancy without the victim being aware of it, much as Harry was in Phoenix. In this fic, the most he can do undetected is skim the surface of emotions, not unlike an empath, just to sort of read what emotion someone is experiencing.
“You have no idea what you’re playing at, Miss Granger.” She almost jumped, his voice came so suddenly, sounding louder in the silence of the room. She continued to meet his gaze, though her neck was starting to hurt from the awkward angle. Snape seemed a lot taller when he was standing and she was sitting.
“Whatever do you mean, sir?”
“Do not play the innocent with me. Deny it all you want, but cease with this act.” His voice was low and stern, but not harsh. She did not know how to react, so she merely said nothing.
“I am not as oblivious as you would like to think, Miss Granger,” he said. “I have deduced that there is some sort of contest or bet; that it concerns me is no big secret. I do not know why, though I can hazard a guess. I am, after all, the resident greasy git; who better to play such childish pranks on?” he asked. She felt momentarily ashamed to know that he was aware of his nickname amongst the students; how awful, she thought, to know just how disliked you truly were.
“But I will give you this last warning, Miss Granger,” he said, his voice low and even, leaning down, his hands gripping the sides of her desk, until his face was level with hers. “Continue with these little games and I will be forced to retaliate. I could lie, and say that I would not find that pleasant, but the truth is this: I would find it pleasant indeed. Whether you would be of the same opinion, however, is doubtful.”
She stared at him, his face inches from hers, and could read the truth of his words in his eyes. She knew he meant what he said and though the thought should have scared her, it did not. A small part of her, perhaps, but most of her saw the challenge. There was no one her own age who challenged her. Yet here was the chance to match wits with a Slytherin, a man older and more powerful than she. Such a thing would be dangerous and scary and everything she knew should not tempt her, but did. The thought was terrifying yet she could not deny the allure. In the end, she gave into the temptation.
“Well, Miss Granger?” he asked, moving a fraction of an inch closer to her. His eyes were on level with hers, his face a breath away. The incongruous thought that, should anyone walk into the dungeon at that moment, they surely would think Snape was about to kiss her, briefly crossed her mind.
I’m a Snape/Hermione shipper at heart. What can I say?? I think this bit ups the tension a little. Whether that tension is sexual or otherwise remains to be seen.
“Why bother warning me?” she asked, the knowledge that she had already accepted his challenge making her bold. “Why not just give me detention and be done with it?”
“That is none of your concern. But I can see that you have not changed your mind. So be it.” He straightened, glaring down his nose at her. “Do not say later that I did not warn you.”
When he said nothing more, she asked, “If that is all, sir?”
“That is all. You may go, Miss Granger.”
She nodded once before standing and walking towards the door. “Until later, Professor.” Before he could respond, she was gone.
Hermione found she was shaking once she exited the dungeon, though whether it was nerves, adrenaline, or both, she couldn’t say. She found it hard to believe that she had just accepted Snape’s challenge. She should have taken his warning to heart and stopped the tasks. Instead she had gone so far as to disregard his warning entirely and accept his challenge. What would the others say?
But she soon decided not to tell them. Not yet, anyway. Eventually, she would have to explain, but for now, the information was too new. She still could not believe she had found the courage to accept. Where had her bravado come from? She hadn’t been the least bit nervous; apprehensive, perhaps, but not nervous. She couldn’t imagine how she had found the nerve to stand up to Snape in such a way.
She tried to analyse her feelings towards the situation she now found herself in, but found she was unable to. She was still running on adrenaline now that the whole thing was over, making her want to giggle nervously and dance joyously, all at the same time. Deep down, she knew why she had accepted his proposal. She relished the chance to match wits with such a brilliant mind. It was the chance to go up against a Slytherin, to use power and cunning and all the skills at her disposal to see that she came out on top. That she would lose was almost a given; however, it was not about winning or losing. It all came down to the challenge.
There were no boys her age–and at that age, that’s exactly what they all were, boys–capable of such a thing. The very thought that Ron or Harry could go up against her was laughable. They had their strengths, but they did not concern wit or logic. Snape, however, was not a boy. He was a man, and a powerful one at that. That he was a Slytherin made the whole thing more appealing; she supposed it was the natural Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry coming into play. Snape, she knew, would not disappoint. A challenge he had promised and a challenge she would get.
Again, this is more to make the point that Snape has laid down a challenge and Hermione has accepted said challenge. This gives a little insight as to why she accepted. Also, it is something that can be built on later, should I decide to turn this into a romance, but that isn’t indicative of romance on its own.
Though she knew she should be anxious or scared of what he might do, she could not bring herself to get over her excitement. Later, she would worry. Right now, she simply wanted to revel in the fact that she might just have found her match.
A sly smile upon her lips, Hermione made her way to her room. She had plenty of research to do if she wanted a chance to beat Snape at his own game.
I hope that cleared things up about the whole Hermione vs Snape challenge. The first time I posted the fic, there were quite a few people who weren’t sure whether or not there really was a challenge. Hopefully, this proves beyond a doubt that Snape did challenge her, Hermione did accept, and it is now war.
Notes: Chapter Six
I remember when I first read the list I am now working from. Yes, every task was hilarious. Yes, every one was crazy. But very few of them made me laugh out loud. Two of the tasks in chapter six are such tasks: to accidentally call him Buzz every now and again, for no good reason and to sneak up behind him. Go 'Boo!' and giggle and then walk away mumbling that you 'got him good'. I remember reading the list all those years ago and just laughing out loud at the insanity of it. Eventually, after reading some of these laugh out loud tasks, a plot bunny reared its fanged head up (yes, all my plot bunnies seem to bear fangs) and burrowed its way into my brain. Not a pretty thought, no, but that was the start of what I’d like to think was a beautiful relationship between me and my crazy little fic.
I think this was one of the chapters I changed least. All I did was clean up some grammar and typos, and add a little bulk. I really don’t have anything to add.
I think this was one of the chapters I changed least. All I did was clean up some grammar and typos, and add a little bulk. I really don’t have anything to add.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Notes: Chapter Five
Again, there are no major changes to this chapter. The only additions are those concerning Snape's better looks. Hermione notices them for the first time.
His hair is cleaner, no longer looking greasy. Of course, I don't know what Snape's hair, sans grease, would really look like, so I took an educated guess. I used to have oily hair when I was younger (thankfully, it's not anymore), so it wasn't too hard. I know when my hair was oily, it looked heavier and, obviously, greasy. But when it was freshly washed, it looked soft and wispy, and not at all heavy. Because Snape's hair is so greasy, I took the liberty of assuming it is very fine. So I made his hair appear soft and wispy and fine. And, of course, very clean.
I made his face less oily as well. And I made him lose the sickly yellow tint. I figured Snape, pre-Voldemort's demise, wouldn't have very many opportunities to take care of his health. Nor the inclination. Not that he was necessarily sick, but he was certainly unhealthy. Did he care? No, he always figured he would die either way. But now that he hasn't died, he cares. Not a lot, of course. He's certainly no Lucius, or even Draco. But he cares.
Hermione notices that Snape looks healthy. Pale, yes, of course. He lives in a dungeon, of course he's pale. But only now that he looks healthy, does Hermione realize how truly sickly he looked before. She also assesses his looks. It's a little hint that, should I choose to make this a romance, I can go back and build on.
The next change is Hermione's realization of his Legilimancy. I started this fic, for those of you who don't know, before Order of the Phoenix was out. So there was no legilimancy originally. But I figured that, once I changed the canon compliancy of this fic from post-GOF to post-OotP, that I needed to address the legilimancy some time. So I went back and added this bit. It doesn't completely take care of the legilimancy aspect, but it's the best I can do, at that point in the fic. Besides, I'll be honest. I'm still not fully certain how, exactly, legilimancy works. And since I don't fully understand it, I don't feel comfortable writing it.
Snape says the following: A skilled Legilimens I may be, but even I am not so skilled as to enter one’s mind without them being aware. I honestly have no idea if this is true or not, in the books. I somewhat think it is, just because it seemed like Harry was fully aware of what was happening, and it wasn't taking him by surprise. Of course, in HBP, Snape knows what Harry will cast before he casts it. Whether Harry can feel this intrusion or not remains to be seen. But I took a chance, and decided that, for this fic, Snape can purposely delve into the mind with the specific intent to find memories, but he cannot do so without being noticed. The victim will also 'see' the memories, much as Harry did in OotP. They can feel the intrusion. As I said, I don't know if that's exactly how it works. But that's how it works in this fic.
Hermione also shows a bit of defiance. I like this aspect of her character. She won't let him scare her into submission, even though, truth be told, he does somewhat scare her. And Snape, of course, shows derision and scorn, though also a bit of surprise. And, because this is Snape, veiled threat as well.
And that's it. Like I said, nothing major, but things that needed to be said and done.
His hair is cleaner, no longer looking greasy. Of course, I don't know what Snape's hair, sans grease, would really look like, so I took an educated guess. I used to have oily hair when I was younger (thankfully, it's not anymore), so it wasn't too hard. I know when my hair was oily, it looked heavier and, obviously, greasy. But when it was freshly washed, it looked soft and wispy, and not at all heavy. Because Snape's hair is so greasy, I took the liberty of assuming it is very fine. So I made his hair appear soft and wispy and fine. And, of course, very clean.
I made his face less oily as well. And I made him lose the sickly yellow tint. I figured Snape, pre-Voldemort's demise, wouldn't have very many opportunities to take care of his health. Nor the inclination. Not that he was necessarily sick, but he was certainly unhealthy. Did he care? No, he always figured he would die either way. But now that he hasn't died, he cares. Not a lot, of course. He's certainly no Lucius, or even Draco. But he cares.
Hermione notices that Snape looks healthy. Pale, yes, of course. He lives in a dungeon, of course he's pale. But only now that he looks healthy, does Hermione realize how truly sickly he looked before. She also assesses his looks. It's a little hint that, should I choose to make this a romance, I can go back and build on.
The next change is Hermione's realization of his Legilimancy. I started this fic, for those of you who don't know, before Order of the Phoenix was out. So there was no legilimancy originally. But I figured that, once I changed the canon compliancy of this fic from post-GOF to post-OotP, that I needed to address the legilimancy some time. So I went back and added this bit. It doesn't completely take care of the legilimancy aspect, but it's the best I can do, at that point in the fic. Besides, I'll be honest. I'm still not fully certain how, exactly, legilimancy works. And since I don't fully understand it, I don't feel comfortable writing it.
Snape says the following: A skilled Legilimens I may be, but even I am not so skilled as to enter one’s mind without them being aware. I honestly have no idea if this is true or not, in the books. I somewhat think it is, just because it seemed like Harry was fully aware of what was happening, and it wasn't taking him by surprise. Of course, in HBP, Snape knows what Harry will cast before he casts it. Whether Harry can feel this intrusion or not remains to be seen. But I took a chance, and decided that, for this fic, Snape can purposely delve into the mind with the specific intent to find memories, but he cannot do so without being noticed. The victim will also 'see' the memories, much as Harry did in OotP. They can feel the intrusion. As I said, I don't know if that's exactly how it works. But that's how it works in this fic.
Hermione also shows a bit of defiance. I like this aspect of her character. She won't let him scare her into submission, even though, truth be told, he does somewhat scare her. And Snape, of course, shows derision and scorn, though also a bit of surprise. And, because this is Snape, veiled threat as well.
And that's it. Like I said, nothing major, but things that needed to be said and done.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Notes: Chapter Four
There was one change to chapter four, and it was a pretty major one. Not so much a change, actually, as an addition. Near the end of the chapter, Lavender and Parvati bring up an interesting point: Snape's looks are improving. "Just because his looks are marginally better--" is what Parvati says.
She also points out that his skin and hair aren't as greasy anymore. Lavender points out that his skin isn't as sallow anymore. Both girls, along with Ginny, agree that the changes are not overly dramatic, but noticeable if you know what to look for.
They theorize about why he suddenly changed, and the opinion was that, with the war over, he is starting over, so to speak. No more stress and worrying and wondering if he would be caught in his role as double agent has left him free to focus upon more mundane matters, such as personal hygiene.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Parvati asked. “The war is over. He has the time, ability, and the will to make an effort. He probably feels the freedom as much as anyone else.”
There is also a smaller change to the chapter that I hid among this change. That would be Harry's feelings towards Snape and his sacrifices. We learn that Harry does know and honor what Snape has done during the war.
“He was a spy, as you all know. Think about it. Who would have the least freedom while Voldemort was still a threat? He could do nothing without fear that Voldemort, his supposed lord and master, would find out and learn of his duplicity. He lived in constant fear of his life. Now that he’s gone, Snape is probably enjoying his hard won freedom more than anyone. We all make sacrifices during war, of course, but I can think of few who made quite so many as Snape.”
Everyone was quiet for a moment, lost in their own thoughts. Hermione knew there was no love lost between Snape and Harry. Harry–and even Ron–may have learned and finally believed that Snape was on their side, but that didn’t mean they were suddenly friends. The only thing that had changed was now, in place of Harry’s contempt, there was a grudging respect for the man who had done so much to help their cause. Harry and Ron might still refer to him as a ‘greasy git’ but they both remembered what he had done.
These changes are very different from each other, and the latter may not be what one would necessarily expect to find in a parody fic. But I feel they are both necessary.
I had always planned to have Snape better his appearance. I have always thought that he looked the way he did because he simply didn't care. He had no will to look better, because he was far more worried about his double agent role. I think Snape was one of those who believed Dumbledore when the older man claimed Voldemort was not gone for good. No matter whose side Snape is really on (in canon, he's obviously on our side in my fic), the news that Voldemort would return must have weighed heavily on him. I feel that Snape is a Slytherin in every sense of the word. Not good or bad, he just is. I think if given the choice, Snape would not ally himself with the 'good' side or the 'evil' side; he would go with whoever was most likely to win. I think saving his own skin is his first concern. Having power and freedom is his second. When he was younger, I think his priorities were different; he still wanted to be on the winning side, of course, but he let himself be manipulated by the promise of the power he might acquire.
But I'll get more into his psyche in a later post. The main point is that I've always planned on him improving his looks. Now that Voldemort is no longer a threat, now that he doesn't have to constantly worry about his chances of impending death, now that he can simply live as any other wizard, I truly believe he would now have the energy and the will to improve himself. I doubt he would ever be a 'metrosexual' type of man (though that would work nicely in a parody fic), mainly because he is very involved in his work and research. Men like that simply don't remember or think of small things like getting their hair cut regularly and such mundane things. But the basics he could handle. So he does.
As for the addition of Harry's grudging respect for Snape, I realized that it seemed very insensitive for Harry to be a part of a group that would so torture poor Snape. Harry likes to think that he understands the man better than most students--not necessarily true--because they have shared some of the same experiences. I had to show that Harry is not heartless, is not a bastard or trying to be deliberately cruel. No one in the group is doing this with a cruel intention. It is meant to be a little revenge, yes, but not in a cruel manner. None of the tasks will harm him, either emotionally, physically, or magically. Might make him uncomfortable or dent his dignity, yes, but nothing he can't easily recover from.
So, now you hopefully understand why I added what could be considered a cliche. And why I added something that seemingly has no real place in this story. Trust me, both have a purpose. You shall see what that purpose is soon.
She also points out that his skin and hair aren't as greasy anymore. Lavender points out that his skin isn't as sallow anymore. Both girls, along with Ginny, agree that the changes are not overly dramatic, but noticeable if you know what to look for.
They theorize about why he suddenly changed, and the opinion was that, with the war over, he is starting over, so to speak. No more stress and worrying and wondering if he would be caught in his role as double agent has left him free to focus upon more mundane matters, such as personal hygiene.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Parvati asked. “The war is over. He has the time, ability, and the will to make an effort. He probably feels the freedom as much as anyone else.”
There is also a smaller change to the chapter that I hid among this change. That would be Harry's feelings towards Snape and his sacrifices. We learn that Harry does know and honor what Snape has done during the war.
“He was a spy, as you all know. Think about it. Who would have the least freedom while Voldemort was still a threat? He could do nothing without fear that Voldemort, his supposed lord and master, would find out and learn of his duplicity. He lived in constant fear of his life. Now that he’s gone, Snape is probably enjoying his hard won freedom more than anyone. We all make sacrifices during war, of course, but I can think of few who made quite so many as Snape.”
Everyone was quiet for a moment, lost in their own thoughts. Hermione knew there was no love lost between Snape and Harry. Harry–and even Ron–may have learned and finally believed that Snape was on their side, but that didn’t mean they were suddenly friends. The only thing that had changed was now, in place of Harry’s contempt, there was a grudging respect for the man who had done so much to help their cause. Harry and Ron might still refer to him as a ‘greasy git’ but they both remembered what he had done.
These changes are very different from each other, and the latter may not be what one would necessarily expect to find in a parody fic. But I feel they are both necessary.
I had always planned to have Snape better his appearance. I have always thought that he looked the way he did because he simply didn't care. He had no will to look better, because he was far more worried about his double agent role. I think Snape was one of those who believed Dumbledore when the older man claimed Voldemort was not gone for good. No matter whose side Snape is really on (in canon, he's obviously on our side in my fic), the news that Voldemort would return must have weighed heavily on him. I feel that Snape is a Slytherin in every sense of the word. Not good or bad, he just is. I think if given the choice, Snape would not ally himself with the 'good' side or the 'evil' side; he would go with whoever was most likely to win. I think saving his own skin is his first concern. Having power and freedom is his second. When he was younger, I think his priorities were different; he still wanted to be on the winning side, of course, but he let himself be manipulated by the promise of the power he might acquire.
But I'll get more into his psyche in a later post. The main point is that I've always planned on him improving his looks. Now that Voldemort is no longer a threat, now that he doesn't have to constantly worry about his chances of impending death, now that he can simply live as any other wizard, I truly believe he would now have the energy and the will to improve himself. I doubt he would ever be a 'metrosexual' type of man (though that would work nicely in a parody fic), mainly because he is very involved in his work and research. Men like that simply don't remember or think of small things like getting their hair cut regularly and such mundane things. But the basics he could handle. So he does.
As for the addition of Harry's grudging respect for Snape, I realized that it seemed very insensitive for Harry to be a part of a group that would so torture poor Snape. Harry likes to think that he understands the man better than most students--not necessarily true--because they have shared some of the same experiences. I had to show that Harry is not heartless, is not a bastard or trying to be deliberately cruel. No one in the group is doing this with a cruel intention. It is meant to be a little revenge, yes, but not in a cruel manner. None of the tasks will harm him, either emotionally, physically, or magically. Might make him uncomfortable or dent his dignity, yes, but nothing he can't easily recover from.
So, now you hopefully understand why I added what could be considered a cliche. And why I added something that seemingly has no real place in this story. Trust me, both have a purpose. You shall see what that purpose is soon.
News
I know I've been neglecting this blog lately. I promise to do better. I've also decided to change the way this blog works. Instead of posting the chapters and their notes, I will just post the notes. Then, I will respond to questions left in reviews. Not all of your questions, mind you, but the ones I can answer without giving too much away.
I am recovering from the surgery and seem to be doing well. With any luck, I will be back to writing by the end of this week. I have a lot of ideas for the next chapter; I only hope I can manage to work most of them in sooner rather than later. Thank you all for your kind wishes about my health and recovery. I'm convinced I have some of the best readers in the entire fandom. And thank you as well for being understanding about the delay between chapters. I hope to repay your kindnesses with even more outrageous action in the fic!
That's all the news I have at the moment. I'll be hard at work updating this blog for the next day or so, adding all the notes and questions. Be sure to check back often, as I will actually keep it updated now :)
Thanks again!
Magelet
I am recovering from the surgery and seem to be doing well. With any luck, I will be back to writing by the end of this week. I have a lot of ideas for the next chapter; I only hope I can manage to work most of them in sooner rather than later. Thank you all for your kind wishes about my health and recovery. I'm convinced I have some of the best readers in the entire fandom. And thank you as well for being understanding about the delay between chapters. I hope to repay your kindnesses with even more outrageous action in the fic!
That's all the news I have at the moment. I'll be hard at work updating this blog for the next day or so, adding all the notes and questions. Be sure to check back often, as I will actually keep it updated now :)
Thanks again!
Magelet
Thursday, April 12, 2007
4/12/07
To anyone who is wondering why Chapter 14 has not yet been posted to Fanfiction.net, it is because the site is experiencing problems (again!). I tried to upload the chapter, and it won't let me. It keeps logging it as an error. I tried to go to the link provided for help (support.fanfiction.net) and the page isn't available. So there's nothing I can do. I'll keep trying, but that's all I can do. Hopefully, this will be resolved soon!
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