So intrigued :)
Author's Response: Thanks! There will be another chapter soon.
Tease! You teasing trollop! I'm not quite sure why I'm calling you a trollop, but this entire chapter was a giant cock-tease! Oh, I don't mean it in the building sexual tension, which I plan to see lots of next chapter, but the way you're slowly unfolding information - who won the war, why magic is now known to Muggles, possibly why there is no magic anymore. TEASE! But I love you for it. What can I say? I guess I'm a masochist. ;P
The prose is wonderful, as always. Everything is straight-forward and direct, yet clothed in fine vestments of intelligence. It's always just the exact amount of detail in all the right place - to either set the scene or the atmosphere. I can never say enough about how much I love the way you write.
Again, your characterisation of Draco is utterly fascinating. He's starting to warm up a bit. He's trying very hard to cut off the valve to his emotions but you can see he's beginning to crack. He needs companionship, he needs to talk to someone. He just needs to be given the right nudge or the right ear to listen.
I'm still curious as hell how Ginny and Draco hooked up in the past. So I look forward to that reveal and, of course, the NC-17 time. :D Another wonderful chapter, Anise!
Author's Response: You know, the word "trollop" really makes me think of the Renaissance Festival and someone serving ale in one of those low-cut dresses that nobody actually WORE then... ;) Anyway. Thank you so much!! Draco does have a great need for all of those things, which is actually the way that I've always seen him in canon too. And he's been haunted by his memories of Ginny for three entire years. Now that he's found her, he won't want to let go of her again. Not that things will actually run that smoothly... ;)
Its incredibly sad what has befallen the Wizarding World. But, as always, I'm quite sure you have future chapters in which we learn about Harry's plan as a whole. What made him sacrifice magic and deal world-wide exposure to win the war? What provoked such desperate actions? Did he have some sort of political deal with the world powers to come through that failed? My mind is boggling with the questions.
But, while we're on the subject - YAY GINNY AND DRACO FOUND EACH OTHER AGAIN! I already know your NC-17 warning is going to be full of action and drama, and man I cannot wait.
Terrorists? That had to be a shock for every magical folk in the world. The poor children at the magical schools even fell victim to such accusations? Its realistic, as the real world itself fears what it doesn't understand.
Its heart wrenching and I want more!
Author's Response: Thanks! :) So I'm at home with horrible flu, which means I'm responding to all of these reviews today...
Harry's actions aren't really explained for awhile, but for most of what happened, there isn't really a reason to keep a secret at this point either. Basically, Kingsley Shacklebolt had been killed in the destroying-Voldemort operation, and the wizarding government pretty much fell apart. Harry got talked into stepping up and taking political power. (Some things just aren't a good idea...) So he tried to make a deal with the British government. Lucius Malfoy was supposed to be easily capturable. (Is that a word? It is now.) Harry's announcements were supposed to prep everyone to think of LM as the scary terrorist type, and the idea was that the "good side" would be treated fairly and given recognition and a seat at the U.N. (I doubt they would ever make it into G8, though.)
I actually have a backstory for a lot of this political maneuvering, none of which is probably ever going to make it into the fic itself. The British government wanted to make their nation into the kind of world power they used to be in, say, the Victorian age, when the sun never set on the British empire.And if they could have gotten the full power of the magical world behind them, this would have happened. HOWEVER, it all fell apart when LM disappeared and could not be found, and all magic essentially disappeared (the reason why is still unknown.) Now, as y'all may imagine, Tony Blair's attempt at an unshared power grab did not really sit that well with other world governments, even Britain's allies. (We're in 2002, remember!) I especially picture Karl Rove in a hissy fit for some reason. ;) What made it even worse was that the entire thing had been such a failure. So a scapegoat was needed... and the no-longer-magical world was a perfect target. Anyway, more soon! :)
So was it accidental magic? It sounds that there was something else besides exposure of magical world, feels like dementors.. Only here magic got sucked up along with happiness.
Author's Response: The reason why all the magic disappeared is still a secret... but we will find out eventually. More soon!
It was great to finally get to learn what happened to the Wizarding world. I definitely did not expect that to be the reason - I really didn't know what I was expecting at all, actually - but that does make some sense. I'm very intrigued about Ginny and Draco's past relationship. This fic is so unique. Can't wait for more. :D
Author's Response: Thanks! You know, I didn't originally think that was the reason why the wizarding world ended up the way it did, either... but the idea presented itself and would not go away. And there's so much more to learn about the past D/G here!! More soon. :)
Oh, thank you for the new chapter!
Well, we finally learnt something of what has happened during the war. Trust Harry to ruin everything with noble intentions. I wonder if he ran off.
Also, it's interesting how Draco thinks that Ginny left him, while Ginny in the dream accuses him of the same. Has he failed to do something and as a consequence she was left behind somehow. I hope the reason for their fallout will be revealed in the next chapter. And also how Ginny became involved with those politics guys. Though it wouldn't be a surprise for me if Harry made her go there.
Waiting for the next chapter.
Author's Response: Thanks! :) Hmmm..... you may have been peeking at some of Chapter 4, and that's all I'm going to say. ;) I neither confirm nor deny. Yes, Harry did pretty much ruin it all for the magical world, although to be fair to him, he did have good intentions. More soon!
Absolutely chilling atmosphere and beautiful prose, please update soon!! Xx
Author's Response: Thanks! The next chapter is on its way soon.
This is such a fascinating story. There is do much going on here that my brain is actually overloading. Draco and Ginny both have so much intrigue surrounding them, and this whole story has such an interesting air surrounding it. Absolutely fantastic!
Author's Response: Thank you so much! There's more coming soon... probably finished on the plane to Minneapolis. ;)
An absolutely enjoyable read, Anise. I just gobbled up this chapter. The atmosphere is dark and rich. It sort of reminds me of those old pulp fiction novels with a touch of the film noir. Everything is gritty. I can almost imagine a soft blue lens cast over streets. Very rich.
Your Draco just gets more and more intriguing, and I love how you had Millicent describe him, not as conventionally handsome but unique and beautiful in his own way.
I am even more curious about what happened at the end of the war, especially since you mentioned this: "she had been brought up on charges in the same way as the rest of them, just as shocked as everyone else at what those criminal charges had turned out to be, and who had been responsible for them". I'm biting my nails in anticipation here.
Aside from my obvious love of the ambience and Draco's character analysis, I'm really just in love with the plot and mystery. Witches and wizards becoming outcasts again, although this time they are powerless... I could go on with allusions and social commentary but I shan't. I'm having a fun enough time making all the little connections in my head. But, still, you're doing a wonderful job with this story thus far. Something I've love to see turned into a book. What can I say? I love reading about anti-heroes and a people's disenfranchisement. ;)
Author's Response: Thank you SO much for this wonderful review! :) I definitely had the *Taxi Driver* look and atmosphere in mind, and Bernard Herrmann's score for that film kept running through my head. That kind of languid-sounding saxophone... A lot of the background of what actually happened at the end of the war comes in during the next chapter. I'm not sure if I've seen this particular scenario before (although I wouldn't be surprised if somebody's used it somewhere!) And it's the one that occurred to me as the way that the end of the wizarding world (for now) actually *might* play out. As always, it's all Harry's fault-- okay, not QUITE, but I think that it's something he might actually have done without considering the consequences for everyone else. More soon!
I love that this story is set in Portland. I'm originally from the Pacific Northwest. I loved Portland the last time I was there. This story is very intriguing. I can't wait to see where you are going with this.
Author's Response: Thanks! There's lots more to come. :)
I love that this is in Portland! I'm from the area so it was very neat for imagining the story. Looking forward for your next update.
Author's Response: Thanks! :) I'm not really sure exactly why the setting seemed so important for this one... but since I live here now, Portland it is! :) I don't think I could set it convincingly in Nashville anymore. And there's a very good reason why it's here, too. If anybody would have caught the hint, it would be someone who knows the area. I'm trying to be totally accurate as far as where places are and that kind of thing (although as far as I know, Draco is NOT here. I'll tell y'all if I see him. ;) So let me know if I get anything wrong! More soon.
you know, I was trying to figure out who won the war based on the fact that wizards are now outcasts and the only one who could do such a thing in my mind was Vernon Dursley. I know, don't fall off your sit from laughing. I hope the question will be answered in one of the next chapters because I'm really intrigued.
Author's Response: Thanks! :) In a way, you're actually on the right track. Not exactly that it's one specific person such as Vernon... but it's a much better guess than anyone else has managed so far. More soon, and we'll start to find exactly what happened in the next chapter.
Somewhere half way through this chapter i caught my self thinking “may be they just had ostracized from the wizarding society, may be magic still there but just not for them”.. But then i read that there are no Muggles or Wizards so that notion was squashed We just will have to wait for you to tell us what ahs happened and why Ginny is in the better poison by the looks of it then the rest of them?
Author's Response: Thanks! :) I know, this is a mysterious question (as far as who won and why the magic is gone, why wizards ended up in the position they have), but it's kind of the foundation of the whole plotline. I think that the answer will be surprising... but I'm hoping that it makes sense once readers see what it is.
There are even more questions with this chapter. At first I thought that being thrown into nonmagical world was their punishment for being on Voldemort's side, but then if Colin and Ginny are there then I suppose I was wrong. I suppose they are a little better off though.
Also we don't really know who won. yet, I suspect that someone (Harry?) could decide that in order to finish the wizard and pureblood superiority attitude all magic should be banned.
Ginny is probably also forced into something she doesn't want and I think she tried to run away.
I wonder why she shows no signs of recognizing Draco especially after everyone comments how Draco looks the same. It makes me wonder if there really was a relationship between them and if there was, something must have gone wrong.
I can't wait for what's next. Thanks so much for the new chapter!!!
Author's Response: The question of who won the wizarding war... well, we're going to get to that. And I think that it's kind of a surprise. I will say that Harry wasn't the one who decided. ;) Ginny and Draco did have a relationship in the past, but you're right, it didn't end well. More soon!
Oh another story! Exciting! So much potential to be unlocked!
Author's Response: Thanks SO much!! Another chapter is coming very soon. I honestly think that writing this fic at the same time is what's finally making SatSD work (the ofic.)
Wonderful! I love 'Taxi Driver,' and your writing has a certain flair that definitely reminds me of the film. Will be looking forward to your next chapter.
Author's Response: Thanks! :) *Taxi Driver* has always seemed like such an iconic American film to me, and Paul Schrader's script is what really made it work. (Random bit of info: I was stuck in line at Starbuck's the other day and read a story on my new phone about his new film. Let's just say that Lindsay Lohan played a main character. =O Poor, poor man.) Anyway, more soon.
While I'm absolutely dying for Malfoy in a Glass, Darkly, and the Sequel for DDD, I must admit that your new fics always throw me for an "OMG" surprise whenever I see them. I become horrifically invested and engrossed in everything you write, Anise. Its ridiculous.
So, let's break down what I love about this first chapter:
1) WHAT AN INTRODUCTION. We get the feeling of this setting - an inner and outer despair of a wizard, powerful in his own right, losing his previous life, his magic [ I am guessing here ], his sense of time and even holding onto the threads of what remains of his identity. I love, love, love how the world around him reflects this disoriented, detached melancholy that has struck our poor Draco as well. The air of hopelessness and mundane living is tact deep within your vivid descriptions, and it makes me wonder how there will ever be a bright side to this.
2) The idea of sexuality and its reference/alignment to historical aristocracy. I've always loved how this element is used to subtly explain how powerful and rich one's genetic history is - and the Malfoys are no exception. Without throwing it directly in our face, you've given us a major on how strong their family's bloodline and lifestyle was and I cannot help but think that in a world of non-magic, the Malfoys had to be one of the hardest families to suffer through. I also love the idea of Draco not taking random women to bed to find a sort of peace through this; he acknowledges the idea, and even knows it may be helpful, but in the end, what is the point?
3) The hints of Ginny. Or, what I'd like to believe is Ginny. We're not sure just how much of a profound effect Ginny has on him in this chapter, and I adore that because it leaves so much room for skepticism. We're left to wonder all sorts of details: were they open with their relationship? Were they happy before? Why does Draco want to never think about her again? What will happen next?!
4) How you portray the side characters. This has always been one of my favorite things about your writing - because it isn't a world solely centered on the development of D x G. Blaise Zabini's entrance pretty much single-handly told me the extent of how messed up the wizarding world was at this point: moving from one of the more prestigious British families into being a rent-boy just to survive. And there are more like them. I just love how he was able to push the intrigue so much more forward, and I'm actually to see who else besides our lovely two has been affected by this mysterious incident.
So, you must now update because I am totally reading.
Author's Response: What a great review! Yay! CATCH!! (throws a review crown. Do you want diamonds, or emeralds, or...? Personally, I like tanzanite. ;) Wow, so much to think about in this review. For whatever reason, setting has ended up being crucial here. I tried to capture the seedier parts of Portland at their worst. (But I'm NOT sending poor Draco out to Gresham. some things are just too cruel...) And the setting does end up being important. This is a very despairing Draco, at the end of his rope in the way that I think he would be, just sort of slowly sinking further and further. But he does start to fight against those forces pretty soon. And we'll also see more people from the magical world. Much more soon! :)
Ooo love this so far! I was sucked in immediately at the start. I love the concept and find the setting to be extremely unique for a DG story. I'm interested to find out where you will go with this. I'm also curious to discover why magic is gone from the world and why so many from the magical world are in the same area. This is very well written and love your use of descriptive imagery. Can't wait for the next chapter!
Author's Response: Thanks! Yes, this one is a little different... and there will be a lot of twists and turns. More soon.
Ooh I am definitely very intrigued indeed. Such a unique setup for a DG story too. You've given us lots of interesting questions to wonder about with this opening.
Another standout is the strong sense of place in this first chapter evoked through your rich incorporation of details. I often wished I knew England as well to do the same for my DG stories - research alone can't beat first-hand familiarity with a place. That combined with your descriptive strength as writer really brought the setting here to life.
I'm also loving how you're characterizing Draco, and look forward to seeing where you're going to go with this. Do you know yet if this is going to be a 'shorter' multi-chapter or one of your longer epics?
Author's Response: Thanks! :) This was one of those fics where I knew right away that the setting was going to be very important. I don't know exactly why... that's one of the mysteries of how a story comes to be, I think... Anyway, I don't really see this as turning out to be ridiculously long, but it won't be too short, either. I'm guessing about ten chapters.
Oh, wow!
A new story!! When do you sleep?
I'm so exited!!! This is such an interesting premise and of course there are lots of questions like why there's no magic anymore, why Draco keeps dreaming of Ginny and so on. Draco seems to have withdrawn inside himself in this one. I can't wait for another chapter!
Author's Response: Snerky... I do sleep, but there's a lot going on right now, for sure. More in the email that will be sent very soon. :)
This was great. Your writing was so compelling and I found myself being totally immersed in Draco's character and his story.The only thing that left me a little confused was the sense of time passing as Draco went about his job. Clearly some time has passed because he's been propositioned by so many people, etc., but there is no indication of weeks or months passing, or if Draco doesn't recognise the passage of time at all. Either way, I felt as a reader this could have been an important distinction to make.
Anyway, you have some fantastic imagery here that really just gave the chapter a beautiful pace and helped give Draco's internal reflections the depth they needed to bring him to life (despite his coming across so dead inside, so extra snaps for you for pulling that off).
I'm curious to see what happens next, why so many wizards (ex-wizards? Or are they Squibs now?) in the same city (the hand of fate or just coincidence?), as well as how - if - Ginny comes into the story. I also love that tiny bit of prejudice against wizards that was leaked into the beginning of the story and I so hope you develop that particular idea further, later on.
Author's Response: Thanks! I'm so glad you were able to find the time to read this. The passage-of-time thing is a little difficult... *Draco* has a very limited feel for the passage of time because of his state of mind; it all kind of blurs together for him. But I agree that it could be more clear. And there's a reason why they all ended up in Portland. It's based on an actual nineteenth century historical mystery, in fact. Tunnels are involved, I've been in a couple of them, and that's all I'm going to say, in case anyone is familiar with the area and will figure out what I mean with a just a *little* more info. ;) Much more soon!
This is very interesting, Anise! The world that you've created here is intriguing - I love how it's the Muggles now who have prejudice rather than the Wizards - so very clever. I am not familiar with Taxi Driver, so I can't really comment on any parallel between your fic and that story, but I have to say I am really excited to read more of this. Please update often :D!
Author's Response: Thanks so much! :) Well, there are going to be some parts sort of inspired by TD, although it's not a crossover, and the plot is far from being the same. Every once in a while, we'll see a quote ("I want to work long hours" was the only one in this chapter, I think.) So it really doesn't matter if you've seen TD or not. One thing that goes into this Draco's character, though, is that just like Travis Bickle, we're never completely sure if he's a sympathetic/likable person or not. The difference is that with Travis, I think we're STILL not sure by the very end... and with Draco, we'll have a pretty good idea which way it goes. More soon!
Ah, absolutely loved the intrigue of the opening. So many questions, like why no magic, why so many in Portland and why is Ginny on Draco's mind?
Rich detail here, from the description of the moss growing on everything and reminding him of home, to the neon reflecting colours onto the rain that sluices down the window. *nods* Nicely done.
I have to say my favourite part about this is how you've characterised Draco. It really didn't take much for him to submit to his circumstances and, to be honest, when everything is taking from you, including your abilities, I can see how.
The letter to his mother was nicely done. What really reeled me in was Draco internalising his asexuality. So many authors turn Draco into a Slytherin Sex God. While it can be very fun to read (and write), it's not at all true to his character. I've always found Draco to be rather awkward with women, which he easily could have grown out of after Hogwarts, obviously. And while I do think he has the potential to be charming (when the situation calls for it), he's just too blunt and apathetic. And since we've never really seen him chase after a girl (or a boy), I do believe asexual is a perfect term here.
Colour me intrigued. I can't wait to see what happens next. You've set up some great atmosphere here. :D
Author's Response: Thanks so much-- what a great review. :) The details in this fic are accurate, btw... or at least *I* think they are... although as far as I know, Devil's Point doesn't have any ex-Death Eaters working as bouncers.;) Although they do have fire dancers. I love that you found so much to like in this characterization of Draco. I don't think that he was asexual in the past here, but I *do* think that given what we saw in canon (esp in HBP), it makes sense that he would retreat into himself in a lot of ways in times of great stress. And there's much more to come...
Interesting... What has happened to the magic? Why are they all in the same city? You surely do know how to grab get full attention from your readers:) i am looking forward to next chapter!
Author's Response: Thanks! :) Well, these questions and many more will be answered eventually... and we'll get more and more clues as the chapters go on. More soon.