Gift fic for r_becca, part 2

[irislock]

The thing was too big to fit in one post, so here's the rest.

Title:  Two Days at Durmstrang
Author:  irislock
Pairing:  Ginny/Harry, Ginny/Gellert
Rating: PG
Word Count: 13,800
Summary:  Home for Christmas holidays, Ginny is called on an errand to Durmstrang.  Harry doesn't want her to go.

Many, many thanks to

Comments

[mollywheezy]

Very original story! You did an especially good job with Ginny's inner conflict between knowing she COULD NOT change history no matter what and not wanting Grindelwald to kill all those people. Excellent job!

[irislock]

Thanks so much! It was a very tough situation for her, and I'm glad that conflict came across.

[flyingcarpet]

This is such an awesome story -- thank you so much! I'm absolutely awed that my cracked-out request inspired such an intriguing, IC story. <33.

I love Ginny here, her self-doubt and her determination. Gellert is perfect, too -- just the right combination of charm and creeping evil. And the time-turner feels just right for him, given the way that the user has to twist the ENTIRE WORLD to suit their own purposes. There were just so many parts of this that were wonderful -- Harry, and McGonagall, and all the details about Durmstrang were all fantastic.

I think this might be my favorite part, though:
Time manipulation and sabotaging dark wizards single-handedly were foreign territory, but randy sixteen-year-old boys? She had plenty of experience with those.
♥

[irislock]

I'm so thrilled you liked it! Gellert was really difficult. At first, he was going to be just charming and suave, almost pre-evil, if you will. But when I started re-reading DH, it was pretty clear that he was well into his darkness by the time he left Durmstrang. I'm glad the balance seemed right to you.

And you have Mags to thank for your favorite part. I wrote it, but only after she suggested giving him an erection in response to Ginny's advances. I'd held off because I wasn't quite sure if Gellert was gay, or bi, or just willing to do whatever to whomever to get his way. Mags and I had an interesting exchange about erections in teenage boys. Anyway, I figured if she said it was okay, then I should go ahead and do it! What's the saying? Wise beta is wise, indeed.

[irislock]

Oops - I forgot to ask: do you mind if I pimp this out a little? I was going to post it at hg_silverlining and harry_and_ginny. I thought about sending it to the Quibbler Report, too.

[flyingcarpet]

of course I don't mind! Pimp away!!

[stumps101]

This was such fun to read. I love the idea - you made it very plausible. Plus it fixed my craving for Ginny/Gellert fic very nicely.

[irislock]

Thanks so much! Plausibility was a bit of a challenge at first. Heh. I didn't even know I had a Ginny/Gellert craving until I started writing this!

[seserakh]

I like the story a lot - original, in-character, creepy, unsettling, and enthralling. I love the way you wrote Ginny. She seems like herself, you know? All the characters you wrote about here seemed like themselves.

Did you pick the year 1922 for Gellert to be sixteen on purpose? I was wondering if you were taking artistic license or if you didn't know that he was sixteen in 1899. In 1922 he was 38 or 39. And the Life and Times etc is the Life and Lies, unless in your story it's an edited version? Sorry, I hope I'm not coming across as rude or pedantic, it's just that those two details stuck out a little. Overall though, it is seriously a great story.

[irislock]

Thanks for the review! I'm glad Ginny seemed in character for you

[seserakh]

er, I meant that the title of the book in DH was the Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. Sorry I was unclear!

Grindlewald was born in 1883, so that would make him 15 in 1898. Still if he turned the time turner 99 times in 1899 that would be an easy yer to remember, I think.

Thank you for your kind reply! :D

[irislock]

No, you weren't unclear - my brain fell out. I can't believe I didn't catch that. In any case, that's an easy thing to fix, too!

Thanks!

[stmargarets]

Oh, wonderful! I really enjoyed Ginny's foray into fighting darkness. This felt very much like a situation JKR would shove Harry into canon. JKR often put him in situations, not of his own making, and he had to use his resourcefulness and his sheer nerve to make things right. You did this to Ginny and it felt exactly right - and very H/G since she *is* a lot like Harry in a lot of ways.

I like how Ginny used all of her information (including how Gellert was found without the Time-Turner. These time paradoxes always make my head hurt). And Ginny had a weapon that Harry never did:

Time manipulation and sabotaging dark wizards single-handedly were foreign territory, but randy sixteen-year-old boys? She had plenty of experience with those.LOL - perfect

[stmargarets]

LOL - that's shove Harry into in canon. I don't think he was ever shoved into a cannon. :)

[irislock]

Goodness, I'm embarrassed that it has taken me almost a year to reply to this lovely review. You highlighted some of my favorite things.

she *is* a lot like Harry in a lot of ways.

My thoughts exactly. She is quite as capable as Harry, but doesn't have as much chance to show it in the books, and it was fun to give her an adventure of her own. I hadn't intended to include a lot of the political philosophy, but once I started writing, the parallels between Tom and Gellert were more apparent and it seemed natural that it would come up in their conversation.

Thanks again for the review!

[stmargarets]

Better late than never. :) I'm glad this fic. is getting some love over at the OTP awards. It's a great story.