April's Challenge Submission: Fairy Tales

May 01, 2006 00:00

Title: "D is for Draco"
Author: lilian_cho
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: PG for blood
Genre: Draco-centric gen
Pairing(s): Draco/Pansy but not really, H/D if you squint
Warning(s): Spoilers for Half-Blood Prince. Probably makes no sense to non-Harry Potter fans.
Betas: gelsey, ruien, rea_saint
Word Count: 920 words
Disclaimer/claimer This story is based on characters and ( Read more... )

april challenge 2006

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darlas_mom January 19 2008, 21:20:56 UTC
Came here via "professional" courtesy, because you looked at and commented on mine. :-)

This was really, really lovely. I really enjoyed it. You caught my attention (and my breath, which I largely held while reading the rest) right from the first line, and kept up a fantastic dark and introspective tone that I adored, straight through to the end. I've not read your Blood of the Mind, Tears of the World story, so I don't know if/how that Draco is different from canon Draco. However, I feel that this whole thing fits PERFECTLY in canon, and that everyone was exactly in-character for how I see them in the books. Very well-done!

I've only one nitpick for the whole thing (you were open to concrit, or I wouldn't mention it):

Later, Draco hexed his thrice-removed cousin for the itching powder in his robes.

In familial terms, removes are generations. A thrice-removed cousin would be Draco's grandparents' age, a bit old to be putting itching powder in his robes. I think what you wanted was a third cousin, which is a different thing. A third cousin describes how far back you have to go to find a common ancestor.

e.g, A first cousin has your same grandparents, a second cousin doesn't share your grandparents but does share your great-grandparents, and a third cousin shares your great-great-grandparents, but shares no common ancestors with you from that point.

Also, typically, second and third cousins are still usually your same age. *g*

Just thought I'd mention that fact, for future references. [/genealogical enthusiasm] It was still an INCREDIBLY lovely story. Really, I loved it.

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Thank you! =D lilian_cho January 19 2008, 21:58:53 UTC
Thank you so much for telling me about third cousin v. thrice-removed cousin. I've fixed it ^^;;

I really, really have no idea. Because haha, in English you call almost all your relative "cousin." In most Asian languages, "cousin" always mean someone in your own generation (and therefore usually around your age). This is v. useful to know, thanks! =D

You caught my attention (and my breath, which I largely held while reading the rest) right from the first line, and kept up a fantastic dark and introspective tone that I adored, straight through to the end.

Aww, thank you <333

I've not read your Blood of the Mind, Tears of the World story, so I don't know if/how that Draco is different from canon Draco.

I've had the idea for fire_jasmine for a few years now. It actually meshes with ninebillion perfectly because it is basically an exploration of religion =D
Millenia had passed, and it was as if Harry Potter had never existed. The entire wizarding world, free ever since the fall of the Dark Lord and his Black Lady, is now united under the worship of the Pure One and His Wise Consort.

Pure One = Draco and Wise Consort = Hermione X-D

I'm co-writing this, but both me and my co-writer are v. v. slow and laid back, so we haven't posted anything publicly ahaha.

I feel that this whole thing fits PERFECTLY in canon, and that everyone was exactly in-character for how I see them in the books. Very well-done!

Yay! \o/

It's funny how many of the post-HBP fanfic that I started somehow survived DH canon. =3 Well, except for the small detail that Snape is dead. Pish.
In comparison, HBP rendered this huge post-OotP WIP of mine hopelessly AU. (Because I have this intricate back-story for Snape's lineage, and they all crumbled because Snape's a half-blood =/ In my story, Snape's mother is the one who's a half-blood. His father is a Pureblood).

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Re: Thank you! =D darlas_mom January 20 2008, 01:56:21 UTC
I really, really have no idea. Because haha, in English you call almost all your relative "cousin." In most Asian languages, "cousin" always mean someone in your own generation (and therefore usually around your age). This is v. useful to know, thanks! =D

Hehe, no problem. :-) Yes, a lot of very complex relationships get boiled down just to "cousin," because it's easier to say. But with families like the Malfoys, I think it almost does them a disservice, not to track the consanguinal lines and all their subtle nuances.

You speak Asian languages? How awesome! I can creatively swear, count to twelve and know the names of all the months in Chinese, but that's it.

I've had the idea for fire_jasmine for a few years now. It actually meshes with ninebillion perfectly because it is basically an exploration of religion =D

Ooh, neat! You know, on April 1st, once we're sure all the gift exchange assignments are in, ninebillion will be open to fic that wasn't written for the gift exchange or in response to the prompts. So if you want to post a copy there later, you'd be welcome to!

It's funny how many of the post-HBP fanfic that I started somehow survived DH canon. =3 Well, except for the small detail that Snape is dead. Pish.
In comparison, HBP rendered this huge post-OotP WIP of mine hopelessly AU. (Because I have this intricate back-story for Snape's lineage, and they all crumbled because Snape's a half-blood =/ In my story, Snape's mother is the one who's a half-blood. His father is a Pureblood).

Awww. Yeah, the wonders of being Jossed. It happens to me at times, too...I always find it sincerely annoying.

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Re: Thank you! =D lilian_cho January 20 2008, 15:53:25 UTC
Yes, a lot of very complex relationships get boiled down just to "cousin," because it's easier to say. But with families like the Malfoys, I think it almost does them a disservice, not to track the consanguinal lines and all their subtle nuances.

Yep. Plus I think the Malfoys and other Purebloods are the kind who will be anal about it X-D
"Hmph. We are related to the Weasleys, but we are eighth cousins, mind you. *sniffs* And it's by marriage and not by blood."

You speak Asian languages? How awesome!

Three, at last count =) I want to learn Korean too but my local university only offer them on a higher level =/ I guess not many non-Koreans want to take Korean...
(I grew up in S.E. Asia, and I have an aptitude for language--which I had only discovered recently as my classmates struggled through Japanese class lol)

I can creatively swear, count to twelve and know the names of all the months in Chinese, but that's it.

Ahahaha. I can't swear in Chinese X-D The only swear word I know are the regular ones like "Stupid," "Idiot," "Crazy," "Abnormal"...So not the super super rude ones.

Well my relatives swear in Chinese dialect(s), not Mandarin, so I wouldn't even know they're swearing except for their facial expressions.

So if you want to post a copy there later, you'd be welcome to!

Will it be okay to post a WIP though? Because, as I said, my co-writer and I are v. v. laidback about this project lololol. It's also a project that can potentially be never-ending X-D Since it's sort of like...the shoebox_project, in a way, because it won't be posted in a linear manner.

Awww. Yeah, the wonders of being Jossed. It happens to me at times, too...I always find it sincerely annoying.

"Jossed"--Joss Whedon? First time I encountered that word.
Yeah and also it's sad seeing writers leave fandom because they just can't reconcile the new canon with background story they've built for their characters. =(

(Whoops. Forgot an italics tag)

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