["Kaleidoscope" update] Breaking Point

[shimotsuki]

Believe it or not, this fic was originally inspired by the last rt_challenge ficathon, back in March (although I've forgotten what prompt it was supposed to be for). I've been working on it off-and-on ever since. Tonight, I decided to celebrate the end of a nastily busy work week by hauling it out and polishing it up to post.
Title: Breaking Point
Author: shimotsuki

Comments

[katyhasclogs]

Oh dear, that was cheerful! ;)

Seriously though, I loved it. This particular bit of DH has always been a bit confusing to me (why didn't the Death Eaters just kill them all?) and I've always struggled to decide quite what Ted and Andromeda think of Remus - your take feels spot on. I really liked the way you showed so many different aspects of Remus' personality in such a short fic. Andromeda's point of view really worked for that too, since she enables us to see him through fresh eyes.

What a way to find out you're pregnant though, that's got to be awkward. Poor Tonks.

(And thanks for thanking me. What did I do?)

[shimotsuki]

I know, it must've been a perfect cheery morning read! ;)

Thanks for the kind comments. It is really puzzling why the Death Eaters didn't just wipe out the Order right away, although I guess the whole plot of GoF shows that Voldemort isn't much for simple, economical plans, heh. I'm also happy you thought the Andromeda POV worked for exploring her (and Ted's) relationship with Remus. I'm planning to do a few more DH-era Kaleidoscope fics from her POV, actually.

And you're welcome for thanking me for thanking you! :) I wrote that author's note back right after the relevant discussion happened, so I wouldn't forget to thank people, but now I'm a little fuzzy on the details. I think there were a few different discussions with subsets of the people named, about the relative timing of Bill and Fleur's wedding vs. the pregnancy coming to light, and about what exactly happened after the wedding. I think I'd been confused about whether Ted and Andromeda were at the wedding, and you and mrstater straightened me out on that.

[hrymfaxe]

March, eh? LOL Well, I'm glad you didn't give up on it

[shimotsuki]

March, yeah...this is why it takes me so long to make progress on my fic series, heh. And this is the first time I've been brave enough to invent a Patronus for a character, so I'm glad you liked it. ;)

I'm sort of writing the the whole Remus-meltdown sequence in reverse order, so I still need to write another installment exploring more about how things turn difficult after Remus and Tonks get married. But I'm glad it makes sense to you for this story that the combination of all the physical and emotional pressure, plus the sudden shock of a pregnancy they clearly can't afford in terms of either money or time, might lead to the panic and ridiculousness we see in the Grimmauld Place scene in DH.

I'm happy you liked Andromeda's POV, too. I think I'll use her again...

Thanks so much for the comments!

[gilpin25]

I always like a different take on R/T by seeing them through another character's eyes, and it works so well seeing them through Andromeda's here. I love the way how, as we progress through the story, she gradually warms more and more to Remus, and is more and more impressed, until he undoes all that in one moment by doing about the worst thing a mother could observe - turning away from her daughter when she needs him

[shimotsuki]

Thanks so much for the thoughtful comments!

I've really come to like writing Andromeda. I haven't entirely figured out how I'm going to flesh out the Ted situation, but I've had a plotbunny for a long time for Andromeda's pre-Teddy reconciliation with Remus, and (this is sort of cheating but) I think I'll rewrite my old pair of "meet-the-parents" fics for DH compatibility too. I'm imagining it's not the werewolf issue per se that is the major sticking point, but Tonks's parents worrying whether this marriage will let their daughter live a happy and comfortable life. (I think it's likely Remus only saw "disgust" from Ted and Andromeda through the lens of his own shame and self-disgust.)

I'm glad you liked the St. Bernard, and I'll think about trying to channel Celestina. ;)

[duck_or_rabbit]

I really enjoyed this chapter. Because I love the Blacks, I love Andromeda, and you presented her with that sharp, suspicious edge I think she has.

This scene in the book was questionably credible to me and agree with katy, 'why weren't they murdered?' Showing the after effects through Andromeda's POV is nicely handled and brings home that she and Ted were victimized as a result of their attempt to help. She, of course, would have known this was a risk, which makes her brave to have offered.

I noted a few favorite lines for their aptness to set the mood and put us in Andromeda's head:

She didn't recognize the Death Eater behind the white mask, but it was a man-so at least she knew that it wasn't Bella.

He knows what to do, she understood suddenly. He's seen this before.

and

-I will wring your neck with my bare hands.because we know she would, and she would say it like that, too

[shimotsuki]

Thank you so much for reading and thinking about this!

I'm glad this Andromeda feels realistic to you, since you're more up on Black family relationships than I am. I always pictured her as having rather a sharp tongue even before DH -- just look at Bellatrix and Narcissa -- so I was excited to see that borne out when we finally met her in canon. I like it that she looks like Bella, too; it reminds us how complicated all the family relationships and loyalties are.

Thanks for commenting on the dialogue, too; I'm very glad to hear you thought it worked for getting information across. I'm going with the idea that Remus had planned to go looking for Harry all along. He just didn't plan on trying to run off with him or saying idiotic stuff until the shock of the pregnancy hit, heh.

Yay St. Bernard. ;)

[sspring92]

What a way to find out you're pregnant! I really did enjoy this despite the darkness. Andromeda's take on Remus and his shifting emotions was refreshing. You can tell she really still doesn't like him, but is starting to respect him. I'll have to go check out All that I am.

Oh, and congrats on the General all around winner for Changing minds! Glad to see my vote counted in the election and Metamorfic_moon!

[shimotsuki]

Yeah, poor Tonks is about to have a really bad three or four days. :( And I think this version of Andromeda is concerned about the quick marriage and worried about her daughter -- she doesn't know Remus very well and isn't sure quite what to make of him.

All That I Am starts out pretty angsty, but it gets a lot brighter if you stick it out, heh.

Oh, and thank you! :)