mijan: (End is Near)
[personal profile] mijan
I'm still in London... yes... I couldn't quite bear to leave England immediately after Sectus, so I stayed.  Went to see Stonehenge with [personal profile] dragon_charmer the day after the convention ended.  Yesterday, I went around town with a group of both locals and people who were still in town post-Sectus.  (More on that later - much slashy fandom happiness.)  Today, I'm meeting up with the same group, then my sister is coming into town from Cambridge, and meeting up with the bunch of us.  But for now...

Overall, it was a good read, but there were things missing.  Not just things that were left "open-ended", but stuff JK promised to tell us.  Kinda miffed about that.  I was pleased that fandom was clever enough to figure out all the major things, such as unrequited!Snape/Lily, and so on.  As a result, a lot of this felt like a fic, but it felt like a *fairly* complete fic, with a lot of reasonable answers. 

Likes:  Dobby, Kreacher, slightly-more-intelligent!Voldy, clever-determined!Harry, very-reasonably-human!Ron.  Liked the last couple of chapters before the epilogue for the fact that it did make sense. 

Disliked:  The rambling talk with Dumbledore, but it wouldn't be a Potter book without one of those, right?  Didn't like Married-with-children!Remus.  (He and Sirius can shag in the afterlife now.)  Didn't like the drawn out way JKR wrote the drawn out weeks of them wandering in the woods.  Summarize, plz?  And some parts just needed to be "tightened up", in the literary sense.

WTF-ishness:  Weeks of wandering in the woods... I believe I already did that.  And correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I managed to keep the plot focused in the meantime.  Oh, and "Accio salmon"???  Er... mine was "Accio fish!"  *headdesk*  And Hagrid carrying Harry out of the woods, apparently dead... I should have shed a tear at that image, but I'd already had Harry carry Draco out of the woods, apparently dead.  My thought was more, "That's familiar."  Not quite dead yet, eh?  *shrugs*  Either way, it made me giggle.

I just read this article, and it says that JKR is going to write an encyclopedia sort of thing about the characters, to give us all the back-story that we never got.  Maybe we'll find answers and explanations there.  Also, in that article, she wrote that she had planned to kill Arthur Weasley back in the 5th book and couldn't bear to do it.  Naturally, I grumble because that had been my guess.

You know, I'd planned to write more, but I need to go meet a group of people at King's Cross, and I can't be late.  (Damn, doesn't that sound wierd... I'm heading down to King's Cross... huh.  *shrugs*)

I'll write more later, and try to be more detailed.  You know, I've been so sleepy, I'm sure a re-read is an order.  I'll re-read, and give a better analysis later.

Oh... and I'm DEFINITELY EWE.  Epilogue?  WHAT Epilogue?

Date: 2007-07-25 11:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] awaywithpixie.livejournal.com
*clings* Wish I could have stayed longer, but I'm now back on the other side of the planet with 664 photographs, and the fondest memories, and now a renewed desire to learn Swedish so I can move to Sweden to be with [livejournal.com profile] millieweasley

So great to see you, and because I can... squirrels!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/azhure/london/smallDSCN2184.jpg

Sorry for nearly deafening you, and miss you already!

Date: 2007-07-25 07:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zentariana.livejournal.com
That is the -cutest- squirrel picture.

Date: 2007-07-25 07:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] awaywithpixie.livejournal.com
Isn't he just? He came right up to us in Regent's Park, and I really wish I had had something to feed him, as he sniffed our fingers and wanted food.

I <3 squirrels, and now even more!

Date: 2007-07-25 11:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mijan.livejournal.com
OMFG, best squirrel picture EVER. That really was cute... and even worth the eardrum-splitting squeal of delight.

Yes, it ended too soon. And yes, I wish we'd spent more time, but there were so many people to see, and so much going on. I'm glad I got to see you. *huggles muchly*

I'll have to take a look at all your pics when I get home. I can't believe I'm STILL in London!!!

DH

Date: 2007-07-25 01:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gredandfeorge.livejournal.com
Haha, I thought of Eclipse for the majority of DH as well.

Re: DH

Date: 2007-07-25 11:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mijan.livejournal.com
*giggle* There were definitely a few small reminders, yes? Sadly, when Draco had Harry in the dungeon beneath Malfoy Manor this time... he didn't help him escape. *growls* I kept hoping!

Re: DH

Date: 2007-07-29 05:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] georgeodowd.livejournal.com
I'm going to have to second this... I kept waiting for Draco to show up and bail Harry out o_o

I think the thing I was most upset about (despite loving the whole book overall) was that Draco never got his moment of redemption... I suppose Harry rescuing him from the flames on the back of his broom was more than we should have hoped for... but Draco and his family's status all felt so unresolved at the end of it.

Re: DH

Date: 2007-07-29 07:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mijan.livejournal.com
It was unresolved... but at the same time, it's perfect, because there's so much amazing potential for us to play with the Malfoys. And that's one of fandom's favourite pastimes - playing with the Malfoys. :D

Re: DH

Date: 2007-07-31 08:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] georgeodowd.livejournal.com
Ah yes... point.

Date: 2007-07-25 02:55 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vampireanneke.livejournal.com
Albino Peacocks! And what happened to Luna? Oh well.

Date: 2007-07-25 11:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mijan.livejournal.com
*sigh* I wish she'd said what happened to Luna. In my world, she and Harry became best of friends. *sigh* Why does JKR not see what WE feel is important?

Date: 2007-07-25 03:47 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lurkitty.livejournal.com
Why not "Accio Sturgeon!" and we'll all have caviar?

I could have done with less camping myself. The forest in Britain must be pretty awful to yield mushrooms as the only food. Having grown up surrounded by forest, and with their magic skills, I could lay out a several-course vegetarian dinner. Sad. It kind of had "plot device" written all over it.

I had to giggle myself at the Kings Cross reference. On my only visit to London, my B&B was about a block from KC and I remember it fondly.

Safe travels! Make sure you get over and geek out at the Royal Observatory!

Date: 2007-07-25 11:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mijan.livejournal.com
Which B&B was it? The group of us stopped in a park, less than a two minute walk from King's Cross, surrounded by B&B's. I'll bet one of them was yours.

And yeah, plot device. And a shoddily-used one, at that. So much can happen in a setting like that, but it was poorly put together. *le sigh* And I'm sure they could find more to eat than that. Also, if I wasn't an experienced mushroom hunter, I'd feel really nervous gathering wild mushrooms to eat. So many of them are SO poisonous.

And... Royal Observatory, eh? Where's that? I have all day tomorrow to wander. :D

Date: 2007-07-26 12:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lurkitty.livejournal.com
oh - Greenwich Park. It is a lovely boat ride on the Thames, or you can use the undergound straight to Greenwich (we took the boat to and rode the tube back). The Cutty Sark is there, along with the Old Royal Naval College and National Maritime Museum. The Greenwich Meridian is right there and you can get a picture standing on it (geek out!!!!), as well as a printout of when you stood there. There are lovely book shops, antique shops and pubs in the town, too.

Agreed. You have to know your 'shrooms. Around here, we have many agarics and other delights. Although Hermioninny probably could detox whatever she found, encourageing kids to eat mushrooms like Harry Potter = NOT GOOD.

It was a tiny, hole in the wall B&B that you wouldn't know was there unless you has Rick Steve's in your hand at the time and had called a week in advance. Can't recall the name, but there was no sign in front, and it was right across the street from a hotel that was so fancy it had two footmen on duty 24 hours and only a tiny brass nameplate. The circular drive was situated behind trees such that you could not see who came and went at all. Nice, safe neighborhood, but the stairs of our B&B were murder and there was an inch of dust on everything but the bed and the nightstand.

Date: 2007-07-25 07:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zentariana.livejournal.com
I think we've kind of ruined it for ourselves.
So many intelligent people writing their ideas of what might happen, based on what was written so far is bound to come up with some right answers. There's no way she could have written something we hadn't already read.
Which is funny, but confusing. I just treat the book like The Fanfic and smile. Albus Severus. *shudder*

Date: 2007-07-25 11:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mijan.livejournal.com
Yeah. Just... yeah. Total agreement here.

Date: 2007-07-26 01:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] x-shabutie-x.livejournal.com
those lips are beautiful. are they yours?:D

Date: 2007-07-26 01:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zentariana.livejournal.com
Hee.
Yes, they are! I also have my tits as an icon sometimes.
Yay for body parts!
And thank you :)

Date: 2007-07-26 02:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] x-shabutie-x.livejournal.com
OK you got me curious so I went and had a look. Very nice :D The rest of you is very beautiful too and not just in a pervy way! Still, pervy is good. Ahem, you got me whilst wearing my NaughtyKnickers :)

Date: 2007-07-26 04:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zentariana.livejournal.com
Thank you! The pervy way is preferred these days as I've been single far too long.

Are NaughtyKnickers a real thing? I want some.

Date: 2007-07-26 06:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] x-shabutie-x.livejournal.com
Why yes they are! http://www.evans.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=20554&storeId=12553&categoryId=69531&parent_category_rn=69526&productId=256524&langId=-1 :D

Date: 2007-07-25 07:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] neru-kudasai.livejournal.com
yeah, that Epilogue was terrible. But it gave us the AS/S pairing....though i'd trade the pairing anyday for that Epilogue never to have been written.

Date: 2007-07-25 11:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mijan.livejournal.com
Yes, we have the AS/S pairing, but... we've been pairing the children of Harry and Draco for years now. And we didn't give them such stupid names. So, yes, we have canon children for both characters now, but we've already had fanon ones for a while, and we paired them well.

Either way, I'm still blissfully denying the existence of the epilogue.

Date: 2007-07-26 05:01 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] neru-kudasai.livejournal.com
yeah, i only acknowledge it when i'm complaining about it.

Date: 2007-07-29 05:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] georgeodowd.livejournal.com
...which we will be doing loads of this afternoon, my friend!
Although, I'm currently in the process of forgetting it exists.
*joins the EWE club*

Date: 2007-07-29 07:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mijan.livejournal.com
Although AS/S shipping does have a nice ring to it.

*giggles and smirks*
"AS/S Pirate"

Date: 2007-07-31 05:09 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] neru-kudasai.livejournal.com
I like the name, i haven't gotten around to reading an ASS fic yet.

Date: 2007-07-25 07:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] r-grayjoy.livejournal.com
Hi! ::waves frantically:: [livejournal.com profile] twilightsorcery and I made it back to New York last night, and now I'm back home in Philly and suffering from severe post-conference depression. It was awesome getting to meet and hang out with you. We'll keep in touch about a possible fandom meet-up type thing in Boston in the not-too-distant future! Anyway, am friending now. ::friends::

And yay for EWE!!

Date: 2007-07-25 11:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mijan.livejournal.com
Yes, DEFINITELY must stay in touch online. I'm so bad about that sometimes (I tend to get distracted or busy and thus forgetful), but I need to stop making excuses and keep up with my friends.

I'm glad you made it home safe. I still can't believe that I'm still in London. I've been having so much fun, too. It's letting me down from con-drop more gently. And then, I can jump right into Prophecy. YAY!!!

Date: 2007-07-25 08:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lunalovegoddess.livejournal.com
You've summed it up well, actually. The book needed a little "tightening up". Loved it overall, many great scenes... However, the plot read at times like a combination of your "Eclipse" and my "HP and the Hidden Horcrux".

(note: Before my computer was "misplaced" by the movers, I had finished the last fifteen chapters of "The Hidden Horcrux". Some plot similarities: Draco, Snape and Kreacher's storylines were fairly accurate, with one major difference:

There was an attack at the Weasley wedding. Tonks had been tortured by Draco to prove his allegiance, and she later miscarried. He went into hiding. Luna was kidnapped by Death Eaters. Voldy had used Legilimency on her, and discovered that she was in love with Harry. Hello, revenge.

Instead of nineteen years later, I had written a six months later epilogue, in which Harry had been in a coma and upon waking, discovered that Luna had a secret: she was pregnant with the Dark Lord's child.)

The DH epilogue was a bit unnecessary, although I like the ASS pairing.
*imagines FAP thread entitled: Score/Asp; Getting a Piece of AS/S*

Date: 2007-07-25 10:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] takutosuki.livejournal.com
i also thought alot about eclipse when they were in the woods, and when hagrid carried the "dead" harry XD that was just so... weird ^^;

i wish i could have been in london for the 7th book's release too... T_T; oh well.. maybe for the next/last movie...

Date: 2007-07-25 10:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cool-tre-cool.livejournal.com
I outright laughed at the familiarity of DH to 'Eclipse'. And there were a lot of things I think went unanswered, but some of them are just the fandom going "I want more!!". Like "Did Lavender die?" "Who the HELL married Draco and why on earth would he be so cruel to his child to name them Scorpius?" and "EWWW. Ginny? Really... did it *have* to be?" My biggest pet peeve though was the random '19 years later'. That was just awful.

Date: 2007-07-27 09:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fleurdeliser.livejournal.com
I hope your trip home is safe! I'll finish transcribing the Luna piece soonish. I need coffee first. Heh.

Date: 2007-07-28 10:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mijan.livejournal.com
Squee! Because I really want to edit that and post it. I was quite fond of it, and also want my girlfriend to read. :D

And yes, I got home safely... WORST flight(s) ever. I'll post about it later.

*thud*

Date: 2007-07-29 01:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] regasssa.livejournal.com
Arthur was my guess too. *sigh* And also, I could have done with less Forest of Dean. I hate camping...and also that was about the time that I was completely losing the will to be awake. Reading the dull bit at that time was -horrible-. I'd have killed for each death scene to be a page longer in exchange - or for Inferi parents - or for Norberta to join the battle for Hogwarts - or, you know, Voldemort not to be killed in a page.

All my theories came true, too. How sad. Except the one about Godric Gryffindor's sock being a Horcrux. *snortgiggle*

Date: 2007-08-02 01:31 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] theothernoone.livejournal.com
I was actually hoping that Neville's Mimbulus Mimbletonia would come back somehow. I guess I didn't really think it would, but I was a bit disappointed that it didn't.
I also didn't really like the epilogue, but I can see why JKR put it in. After all, last time everyone thought Voldemort was dead, he came back.

Date: 2007-08-03 05:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fleurdeliser.livejournal.com
EEK. I am made of fail. FAIL. Apparently my brain went "phbbbt" out my ear. Anyway, I finally finished transribing your fabulous story. You don't have an email address listed in your profile, so just email me at nessime.lisen@gmail.com and I'll email you the file.

Have a fabulous time at Prophecy!

Date: 2007-08-09 01:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] football-girl.livejournal.com
Hey hun!! :) Margot here. I'll be friending you now. Awesome times in Toronto, so nice to have hung out with you guys!!!

Date: 2007-08-09 09:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mijan.livejournal.com
Hi! Friending you back! And thank you for joining us yesterday. I had a great time. :)

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