Ramblings from the 'goblinn

Just thought I'd take time on this wintery night to point out a new community for recc'ing HP fics that are new or not as well known as they should be. I just recc'ed Malora's "Never Say Remember" there and thought I'd post the link here for anyone who missed my first rec or wanted more info.

The community is the_new_library, and the link to my post is here.

Ah, I love the sound of scraping snowplows in the evening. I suspect I am going to be housebound tomorrow with a Wee Hob. His doc already cancelled his appointment for tomorrow (bummer). He seems to be doing better in school so far, though. No suspensions this week yet-- gotta love that.

Peace, warmth, and safety to you, friends.

Title: Lost Boys, 2/14 - Little Boy Lost
Rating: FRT (PG)
Distribution: Sure. Let me know where it’s going.

Summary: Past and present are about to meet in the dungeons of Hogwarts. Set not long after the epilogue to Deathly Hallows.

Thanks to lady_clover and clavally for comments on early versions of this section, and to sniggs for a fascinating extended discussion that helped me quite a lot.


DISCLAIMER: The characters are the property of J.K. Rowling, Scholastic Books, and whoever else may have a hold on them. I own nothing in the Potterverse, or anywhere else, for that matter. Strictly for entertainment, and no profit is being made. Please sue somebody else.

The boy introduced here, though-- he is mine. Please ask before you borrow him.

Prologue - Two Dads
Part 1 - Visions of the Afterlife
( Little Boy Lost )


Part 3 - Detention

I'm close to the end of my first Harry Potter fic now. "Close" meaning, I think I have an idea where it's going, how it ends and what it's about. The "Two Dads" thing I posted this weekend was really a prologue for the story I'm talking about now.

But I'd like to ask friends who feel like it to have a look at some of my musings about Snape, in terms of how this story ends. Any takers?

I'll put it behind a cut.

And hey-- every once in a while, the iTunes Free Single of the Week is actually decent. The song listed under "my music" just now is really, really nice. I've been coming back to it since I downloaded it this morning. If you have iTunes, go to the iTunes store home page and get this while you can.

( Story ramblings-- very boring. You've been warned. )

Just surfacing for a quick rec for a post Deathly Hallows fic that makes that epilogue seem almost worth it. This is funny (WARNING-- do not sip your beverage of choice while reading, unless your monitor screen is in need of a shower), with great middle aged AND child voices, but it also slips in some thoughtful points. Beautifully, beautifully done. Go read it now: mistful's Coda to an Epilogue: Twenty Years Later, Or The Kids Are All Right:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

(ETA: note that these links will expire by Sept 2008 when the author goes on to professional status and pulls down her fanfic. In which case, go buy Sarah Rees Brennan's The Demon's Lexicon instead.)

I'm going to go now and supervise wee hob and his little friend, who have announced their intention to spend this overnight watching every movie we own and a few the visiting goblin brought with him. That and eat us out of house and home. Hope everyone is staying cool. I've got two WIPs to rec, but that will take more time than I have, what with the intermittent internet connection (someone has been trying to tap into my line, we think. The company should be out tomorrow to look into it.)

Hope all is well with everyone. I'll try to catch up more soon. Or post readable fic.

Hob

I've had occasion of late to ponder the naming of characters. In my case, an original story I'm working on got me to thinking how much work needs to go into picking the right name to convey the kind of person this is, to make a reader want to find out what happens to this character. Some names are very old sounding (to my ear): Vernon. Some are almost too common: John. Some carry historical or literary connotations: Benedict (Arnold, though the current pontiff might spring to mind for some people, too). Some are incredibly pretentious: Percy.

It's all subjective, of course, and cultural as well-- it's sure there are names which are odd sounding to Americans that seem perfectly normal to those across the water.

What's got me thinking about it again is, whatever else you may think of JK Rowling, she has an uncanny grasp of names-- their meanings, sounds, potential for characterization. Dudley Dursley. You know all you really need to about this kid as soon as his name's introduced. Severus Snape just fits. I don't need to go on, I'm sure.

So why are the kids named so horribly? I posted something here about this very issue earlier tonight. It's really giving me fits, trying to imagine this story I'm starting to catch in my head, only to keep tripping over the boy's name, not unlike Trelawny over her luggage. The girls aren't so bad, but I'm not writing about any of them just yet.

In other news, I do have an offering for Summer of Giles-- something I wrote a couple of months ago, before potterdammerung madness sucked out my brain. It has the virtue of being short, at least. If anybody'd like to take a quick look at it for me and suggest a title, I'd be forever grateful. I somehow doubt it will get any more added to it before Wednesday. My head's just not in that space just now.

Hob

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

Well, I'm moved, though there is still an impressive mountain of boxes in my living room. If I've missed anything vital, please let me know. If I'm flaking on something I promised, please e-mail me or comment here and I'll get the message. I've had some technical difficulties, some real life distractions, and a whole lot of brains sucked out by Harry Potter fanfic over the past couple of weeks, when I have been able to get online. Kudos to clavally for her fic recs list (see her journal sidebar), which I have exhausted now. Didn't read all the Harry Potter ones, but I started most of them and was pleased with the new ideas and fantastic writing. I was also humbled to find that my two long fics also made her list under Buffy recs-- thanks! (I'd read most of the Buffy ones and add my voice to hers-- go check them out.)

I saw antennapedia's predictions, so I'll also make some Harry Potter DH predictions behind the cut, for your mocking pleasure:

( Speculation/ Spoilers )

That's enough for the moment. I'd be interested to hear what questions you'd like the final book to answer (spoilerish or not). I apologize for the lack of comments of late, and hope everyone is well. I also hope, and somewhat fear I won't be able, to write my Summer of Giles something soon-- time is getting close and I really have nothing worth sharing yet. Meta, anyone?

Hob

(by the way-- the new Harry Potter soundtrack Rocks! As does the itunes store.)