Springfic: "Eight of Swords, Nine of Wands (1/3)" for phil_urich

[springmod]

Title: Eight of Swords, Nine of Wands (1/3)
Author: vegablack62
Recipient: phil_urich
Characters: Lavender Brown, Neville Longbottom, Various Others
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 3,515; ~13,550 when finished
Warnings (highlight to view): depiction of a damaged person; by the end some violence
Summary: Adulthood begins when we take responsibility not only for ourselves but for

Comments

[shiiki]

*weeps*

You show the horrible state of the wizarding world in that year so vividly, it breaks my heart.

[vegablack62]

Thank you! Sadly I did want to break hearts just a bit. (Thanks for all your reviews!)

[phil_urich]

This first part was dark and so very vividly shown here in the despair of Lavender and Neville. It almost makes it seem as if Harry, Ron and Hermione might have had it easy.

[vegablack62]

I was a little worried about writing this fic for you. I was concerned it was too dark for a gift fic, especially for a writer whose own work is so often cheerful. I admire your work for its light touch and buoyancy. (I use that word a lot to describe your writing.)

[werewolfsfan]

I was disappointed that I didn't really "feel" the pain and menace that Voldemort and the DE were causing in the wizarding world outside of Hogwarts in the last two books. Paradoxily, I wanted to know about Hogwarts in book seven while the Trio was on the run.
You've made me "feel" the terror and despair here and really care about kind Mr. Patil, Lavender Brown, a seventeen year old girl who knows she must protect her family from a danger they don't understand, and all of the patients on the Janus Thickey ward who likewise don't understand even though they feel the terror.
And of course, your portrayal of Neville is masterful!

“You’ve fought them. You were with Potter, fought alongside him. Last June, you were even wounded. I saw it in the newspaper before all of this.”

Neville supposed it was true, but hearing it made him feel like a fraud.

[vegablack62]

Thanks for your words. I love writing Neville and Lavender both. I wanted to make people believe in the reality of the characters and care about their situation. Your words were very welcome.

Nicey Nice

[rugicorrino]

I love that you show the practical (and demeaning) process involved in protecting yourself from a hostile and racist government - seeing Lavender have to rely on patently callous and unreliable people was moving but it was also nice to see the care Mr. Patel had for her. I loved that he went to speak with her parents - it was a sign of respect that should have been given before Lavender entered Hogwarts (totally agree with Lav's Dad there!). And WOW! The scene at the hospital! Creepy and sad. Particularly in light of what Mr. Patel says later.

Re: Nicey Nice

[vegablack62]

Thanks I enjoyed writing Mr. Patel. He's known Lavender for years and feels a bit responsible for her and is a kind man who feels responsible for others. I don't think he understands her though.

[mollywheezy]

Wow, this is heartbreaking, and paints what I think would have been very realistic for the wizarding world until Voldemort's control. I loved Neville's care for his parents particularly.

[vegablack62]

Thank you! I wanted to convey the complexity of Neville's relationship with his parents.