To Forgive

[texasmagic]

Author: texasmagic
Title: To Forgive
Challenge: Lines Challenge
Quote: To forgive wrongs darker than death or night, Prometheus Unbound, Percy Shelley
Summary: When the unthinkable happens, Harry finds that the sins he must forgive are his own.
Rating: PG
Genre: Angst

Comments

[charityj]

This is really beautiful. Haunting and heart-wrenching, but beautiful. Very well done, hun.

*hugs*

[texasmagic]

Thank you! I was going for the angst, but hadn't thought of it as haunting. That's interesting.

[netbyrd]

Oh my gosh! This should not be read while one is hormonal, because I was in tears by the time Harry was showing Sophie the pictures! You did wonderful with this poem! And I love the little details you include, like Ginny making tea while she spoke to Harry. I like how you made the parallel between what Harry was inadvertently doing to Sophie and what was done to him as a child by the Dursleys. Great job!

[texasmagic]

Well, thanks to you for helping me flesh out this idea. I can't tell you how many times I almost chucked it and went with the adultery things. I'm so glad I didn't.

[desi_dukes_99]

jeeze, you have me sitting here fanning my eyes and crying like a babay. That really was breath taking, the part about Hermione taking comfort in the books, and Ginny keeping the mobile and reading to little Sophie killed me. you definatly have a talent for writing tragic-but-somewhat-hopeful tales. Splendid, simply splendid work.
-Desiree

[psalm_27]

Just lovely. I agree with Nettie, the parallel between their situation and the Dursleys was pure plot genius. Actually, all of the parallels you used made this seem like a familiar story. I loved that Ginny is the Ginny we met in OotP, pulling Harry out of his despair. She was kind, yet firm and didn't pull any punches. I hate that she didn't get anytime to grieve and think you could do sequel as she deals with her brother's death. I hate that Ron died and that it was Bellatrix that stole love from Harry once again. (another parallel!). Great story, thanks for sharing it.

[texasmagic]

Bellatrix is one evil woman, isn't she?

I'm glad you picked up on the parallels. I originally started with the single thought of Bellatrix doing to Sophie what she did to Neville, and the rest just fell into place. One of my favorite debates right now is what distinguished Neville from Harry, and how Voldemort's choice to mark Harry is a result of and plays into that.

Thanks for the review!

[ladyg_funk]

*wipes a tear* Oh my, TM. That was so -- compelling and beautiful. You know, it took me about a day after reading the first part where Harry finds Ron dead until I could completely finish this fic. My heart had broken into little pieces when Harry went to the Burrow, but you concluded this story brilliantly. The way you compared Bellatrix going after Ron and Hermione with the Longbottoms and Harry's childhood with Sophie's was brilliant. I think my favorite part was near the end where Ginny laid it down for Harry -- the truth hurts and after all she said and they argued, I was sad to see him leave. But then, his explanation of finding the revised book was just so sweet. The last line was perfect, "You can’t Apparate on the Hogwarts grounds, you know" because it felt like a tribute to the Trio.

[texasmagic]

Yeah, I hated to do that to Ron. As for the last line, I hoped people would see it that way. One of the fun things about fanfic is that we all know these little trivia things, like the way Hermione is forever quoting that book. We don't even have to explain the reference. We all just know.