“beyond wandpoint” 115 by gingerbred

[beyondwandpoint]

“11 12-13b Wed - Thurs - Not So Good Night”

... in which a number of people aren't having the greatest of nights, and jewellery isn't doing a thing to improve the situation.

Severus, Hermione, Slytherins: Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, Ravenclaws: Luna Lovegood, Others: Sunny

Mentioned briefly: Staff: Filius Flitwick, Slytherins: Gregory

Comments

<3 <3 <3

[buzzzinbee88]

Loved reading about an exercising Snape! I don't think I've ever read that kind of a scene before, very interesting to see a description of him being so active. Makes sense. How else would someone keep those skills sharp?

Millie.

MillieMillieMillieMillie!!!!!

It makes sense, now, why we always see her thinking the way she does. Not that I think she is an inherently cruel person, but seeing her thinking that way did not really add up considering her behavior in canon. It really humanizes her. I like knowing that she has goals, that those goals are why she would agree to wear it in the first place. I can't believe her parents just leave her behind when they travel, or that her mother is so cruel. UGH! As someone who was regularly lectured about my "tone" and unladylike behavior growing up, that hits home.

And yeah, Pansy...it was kind of her to try to make her friend feel better. Your slytherins have a lot of loyalty and courage in their way. And certainly intelligence. Hmm.

I am also enjoying this ineffectual Flitwick plotline. It really hits home that the good characters are human and flawed. It's a great contrast to Severus, who has to be very aware of everything that all of his students are up to, at all times, including their feuds and friendships, because that's a matter of life and death to the slytherin kids due to their families and politics. And here Flitwick can just tune out, but he's likely seen as kind/approachable, and Severus is, uh, not seen that way at all despite the depth of his caring. Life is unfair for our slytherins. Very interesting to see someone play that out for them. Love them getting the air time they deserve.

Also not sure I mentioned this but I really love the younger Hutchinson brother, and his utter joy in being on a first name basis with Hermione, and seeing him and his friends from other houses. He is so cute! I hope things turn out well for the Hutchinson brothers. And most of these characters.

- Bee

RE: <3 <3 <3

[beyondwandpoint]

I figure *I* try to stay fit at the things I do, there's no way *Severus* isn't given the stakes he's facing are a lot higher. It could literally mean the difference between life and death one day.

If we assume Millie has the 'Slytherin ambition' gene... She canonically isn't mentioned in Hermione's NEWTs classes, so I pictured her in CMC, and I could totally see her Thestral wrangling.

Yeah, but I'm sneaky. You always get one side of the story with characters and then later learn a little more that fleshes them out. Millie and her mum are very different people with very different priorities. A woman who has always been praised solely for her looks could have trouble connecting with a daughter who holds no stock in what her mum might consider her single asset. (And let's not forget disappointment.) Likewise a daughter in those circumstances could resent the mother nontrivially. It might not be a precisely differentiated view. Particularly coming from Millie... lol

Very glad it didn't ruin her for you. Now you can see this is where it was going with her all along, and things slot into place. Ideally I'm trying to give readers the same sort of experience Hermione has in seeing the Slytherins first as a unit from the outside with often murky motivations and then more and more as the individuals they truly are from within as time passes.

Siege mentality means they stick together. The key difference to the 'Puffs being a willingness to turn on you if you violate the 'rules'. Of course, those rules are complicated and undocumented and liable to change to reflect the politics. (Lots of luck to 'em...) This was *not* a good time to have been a Slytherin.

There's this scene of Flitwick being inadvertently sent flying by practising students in the books, and it's funny, but it's also very much a wtf? from someone who is supposed to have won no end of trophies at duelling. (It made me question some of those skills, tbh.) He also teaches a full load, including more NEWTs students than Severus has (grading!), and then has orchestra and chorus... (Does the math...) When is he taking care of his House? And is this how Luna's (canonical) bullying slips under his radar?

Thanks! 😊

Not everyone can be the perfect Slytherin, and I like the idea of the outliers, the oddballs and seeing how they fit and again how they don't. And I like watching the others try to cope with that, because if they are under siege and need every last wand, then they need to find a way to be tolerant of their differences as well. (Actual tolerance doesn't come anywhere near as naturally to them as the 'Puffs, so it's a struggle. Fortunately they can negotiate a working peace.) Hunter has a nice little scene 'Thursday' that I liked. Glad you like him, he's a good egg. (With a willingness to hex Ron. He sort of won me over right there, really... lol)