(Untitled)

[bratanimus]

Title: Nothing But Fighting
Author: bratanimus
Summary: Remus/Lily, set during their sixth year at Hogwarts. Merlin, why hadn’t James told him how much fun fighting with Lily was?
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Language
Word Count: 4128
Author’s Note: My prompts were the Decemberists’ song, first fight, and lust. The fic doesn’t really have anything to do with the

Comments

[andacus]

Wonderful! This was such a fabulous piece. You're grasp on Remus is always so spot on. I really adore the way you paralelled this with the happenings in OotP, it gives it a slightly more bittersweet feeling. Remus' take on what they do there and why they do it is so perfectly executed, so in tune with both him as a character and the events of the time! I really adore this. Brava!

[bratanimus]

Thank you! I'm really glad you liked this. Thanks for noticing the parallels with the DA in OotP. You know, Harry and crew in OotP are really at a very similar point in history as Remus and friends were; so I really do imagine that they'd deal with the fear in similar ways, i.e., doing everything they can to prepare for the real world.

Thanks again for reading! :D

[shimotsuki]

Oh, wow, this is great. You capture the mood of the times so well -- It was about who lost -- brrr. The way you show characterization through duelling style is wonderful, too, especially the foreshadowing of Sirius against Bellatrix at the Ministry. And you really get the sparks a-flying in the duel between Remus and Lily.

I was particularly struck by the way you've brought out two very different meanings from the phrase nothing but fighting. That's neat.

[bratanimus]

Thank you! :D

You capture the mood of the times so well -- It was about who lost -- brrr.

Thanks for pointing out that line; it's one of my favorites, and I think it shows in a nutshell the fear and anxiety under which these kids live. (Every once in a while I manage to be succinct!) And I think Remus, in particular, would get that, given the hardships he's had to endure and the fact that he's not "pureblood."

Glad you liked how the phrase "nothing but fighting" changes in the piece. That was one of those happy accidents that I looked back on and said, "Gee, that works nicely!" :)

I'm very happy that you thought there were sparks between Remus and Lily. I imagine that she'd be a pretty fierce dueling partner and would force Remus to improve his own game. Perhaps I'll write more on this ...

Thanks again for your kind words. :D

[kerrymdb]

Oh, I really liked this! The whole concept of the secret dueling club was great. Especially the thought that all the Houses were in on it. Not just Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff like Harry had with the DA.

The fight between Remus and Lily was wonderfully vivid. I loved how you explained how the dueling occured, the rush or energies and so forth. Best of all, I loved that Lily knew Remus wasn't giving his all and it pissed her off!

Fantastic job. Adding to memories. :)

[bratanimus]

Fantastic job. Adding to memories. :)

Wow, thank you! *blush*

I'm pleased that you noticed the parallels with the DA, and that you liked the fact that all the houses were in on it. I always thought that Remus would be more apt than the other Marauders to negotiate with Slytherins (and this might add fuel to the fire for their suspicion later). And of course Remus knows (and we know) that not all Slytherins are bad, and that not all Slytherins are pureblood (and therefore might have something to lose in the war).

Best of all, I loved that Lily knew Remus wasn't giving his all and it pissed her off!

Heh heh, I think Lily could teach Remus a thing or two about dueling. He needs a challenge, just like Sirius. Perhaps I'll write more on this. :D

Thanks again!

[phoenixfyre13]

This was just wonderful! I can't say enough about it. I love how this scene took each of the Marauders, and Lily, and gave us so much information about them as people just in the way they dueled. And of course the Marauders and crew would have their own version of DA! :)

My favorite lines in this really captured the whole atmosphere of growing up pre-first war: The underbelly of the matter, however, was pale and vulnerable and quivering: simply, they were scared...It wasn’t about who won here. It was about who lost, and what that might mean in the real world.

There is so much in this fic, and any (I think) Marauder-centric piece, that is so bittersweet and ironic. We know so much about what happens that it is sad, and almost painful to look back on what came before, what to us is evident that to them was simply coincidence or normal. The foreshadowing of Peter as a traitor: Peter, on the other hand, was subtle and, frankly, sneaky...Remus wasn’t sure where Peter had learned some of those ancient spells. Oh. Academians I believe

[bratanimus]

Thank you! :D

I'm very glad you liked the parallels between the DA and this dueling club. I think Harry and friends in OotP and Remus et al when they were in school are at very similar moments in history, and very well might have the same response to the fear, i.e., trying to prepare themselves as best they can.

Remus wasn’t sure where Peter had learned some of those ancient spells. Oh. Academians I believe call this dramatic irony. I call it great.

Heh heh, thanks! I think there's a lot about Peter that the other Marauders don't know, even at this point in their lives, and I wanted to show that here. Perhaps Peter is poking around in old, dark magic without the others knowing. I'd love to write about Remus discovering this as he himself learns more about the dark arts. There would be a confrontation. And then, of course, Peter would turn the tables on Remus and point the finger at HIM.

Glad you liked how the meaning of nothing but fighting changes in the story -- from grave reality, to an attempt at a dismissal of what

[gilpin25]

Ooh, I loved this - both for what it says about the characters and the times in which they lived. It crackles with life and passion (or lust;)),and is a really tremendous use of the prompts.

I think you've captured so well that sense of awakening to adulthood on many levels; the obvious one being Remus' realisation of his feelings for Lily, but there's also them getting ready for this scary world where life can be lost so quickly and cheaply, and how so much of this story precedes the OotP with the secret society, and the duelling styles hinting at what is to come in the future.

Adored Remus in this, how he's full of logic and planning, yet rejoices in his illogical and ill-timed feelings, which give him so much strength (hint of R/T?;)). How he's too much the gentleman not to concede to Lily, even while thinking rather ungentlemanly things. How she notices his attraction to her and promptly lets her top half get soaked was a great move!

I'll try not to mention parts which have already been highlighted, but I did like these:

[bratanimus]

Thank you! Your reviews are always so thoughtful and full of detail, and I really do appreciate them. :D

You've really picked up on all the layers I wanted to fold into this story: the awakenings to love and to grown-up fears, the dueling styles and the foreshadowing of later downfalls, the secret society paralleling the DA (and the Order iteself), Remus' sense of responsbility because he knows it's not a game, etc. I'm glad you caught all that, and more. :)

Adored Remus in this, how he's full of logic and planning, yet rejoices in his illogical and ill-timed feelings, which give him so much strength (hint of R/T?;)).

You're right. He keeps himself in check so much of the time that it must be a great relief when he actually lets go and acknowledges his deeper longings. And you're spot-on about the hint of R/T. Plus, I think Lily is as much of a firecracker as Tonks later will be, so of course Remus cannot resist her. ;)

I've got a new fic up here on redandthewolf, if you are looking for a spot of fanfic on a (hopefully) lazy Sunday

[gilpin25]

if you are looking for a spot of fanfic on a (hopefully) lazy Sunday morning. ;) It's my first attempt from Lily's POV, and I'd be interested to see what you think of it.

Haven't had the best of weekends (all plans for a lazy one went astray, unfortunately), but I'll really look forward to reading it when I get a sec. Not least because the summary and those Bjork lyrics are well-nigh irresistible. ;)

[bratanimus]

No worries! As shimotsuki says, there's no such thing as a late review! ;)

I hope your week offers a little more space for relaxation. :D