The Measure of a Man

[gilpin25]

Title: The Measure of a Man
Author: gilpin25
Summary: I’m sixteen years old and I’m in love with a girl who thinks I’m an arrogant, bullying toerag, and I don’t know how to change her mind as everything I do just makes it worse. James Potter, who usually has all the answers, has none for this... (James/Lily)
Rating: R
Warnings: Language; violence
Prompts

Comments

[fics_by_fumph]

Oh, I loved this so much, you have a wonderful narrative style that flows so easily.

I liked how you had James reach an epiphany about the effect his casual form of arrogance had on the people around him.

[gilpin25]

Thank you very much - I got a lot of pleasure writing this, even though it did involve spending ages with the books, and the Lexicon, trying to make sense of various things, lol. I normally write R/T, but after their storyline in DH, my other big regret was that we didn't learn nearly as much about the past and the Marauders as I'd have hoped. Though it did leave me free to try and imagine how to reconcile the James in Snape's worst memory, the one who Remus and Sirius thought so highly of, and the one who was Head Boy and married Lily, and seems to have been a devoted husband and father, all into some kind of whole character! I'm very pleased you enjoyed it so much.

Thank you again. :)

[philotic_net]

That was really good. What a wonderful character portrait you have painted for James. You really have me liking him. I love how he learned at the end that people look up to him and he must set an example. I really liked your character of Euan in particular. I feel like he is someone I know. Severus was perfect, still hating James but having enough pride and decency to want to best him in a fair fight. And the bit with Lily at the end was wonderful. *sigh* They are a wonderful couple. Thanks for writing this! I am so glad they extended the deadline because I would have hated to have missed it.

[gilpin25]

Thank you very much, especially for the compliment about James! One of my big disappointments about DH was that we didn't really find out very much more about the Marauders and the past, and so were left with those (sometimes) contradictory clues about him in canon. Which did leave me trying to imagine how he could have got from the obnoxious James we see in Snape's worst memory to the one who is Head Boy and going out with Lily in year seven.

I'm very glad you liked Euan - I kept giving him more lines as I thought he was so nice! And Snape is fun to write, I liked the idea that he'd completely get James' motives wrong because they loathed and distrusted each other so much but, in his own, slightly warped way, just wanted it between the two of them.

In fact the whole thing was really enjoyable and interesting to write so it's great to hear you liked it so much. Thank you again.:D

[dorasolo]

Oh for crying out loud... that was perfect. Really. Guh.

[gilpin25]

Thank you very much.:D I got a lot of pleasure writing this (a bit to my surprise;)) so it's great to hear you liked it.

Love your icon!

[dorasolo]

I've been trying my hand at a lot of Lily/James fic lately but I have a hard time with James' voice. Lily is much easier for me.

I really like your fic because I think you got his voice right, and his awareness that he has to change even though it doesn't come naturally.

I like ALL of your Marauders :)

[gilpin25]

I always thought Lily was easier too, but I got rather fond of James doing this so I may have swapped allegiance like a fickle female does, lol.

And thank you again, you're very kind. That's another icon I like!

[mrstater]

Oh, I liked this so much! I never really went out searching for James fics, but I'd read anything by you, and you made me a lot more interested in him than I've been before. I'd always assumed that The Prank was what raised him in Lily's eyes, but obviously DH undid that. So I really like this approach you took of him having to totally humble himself for Lily to see him as he really is. And I loved Remus' role in helping him arrive at that conclusion, of course, and the way Remus pointed out how much everyone looks up to James. Makes sense so much why James winds up the Head Boy.

Also think Remus' role with stopping Sirius could play a bit into the way their relationship shifts in the future? Or am I thinking too much?

Oh, and I thought your action scene was fantastic. Really well-done duel, with just the right balance of action, dialogue, and internal monologue.

This is a really great read. :)

[gilpin25]

I always knew you were a secret James fan once you found out he let Lily have a cat. ;)

More seriously, I am very, very pleased you liked this as it gave me much brain ache! Not actually writing it, which was really enjoyable, but trying to sort out in my head beforehand (and during) where I was going with it, and how I saw James from all those well scattered canon clues. Some seem to contradict the others, but then that made it interesting to try and come up with a way his 'growing-up' could have started, and what prompted it.

Very glad you liked Remus' part in this; of course, this is my answer to writing James/Lily - give Remus a starring role and only let poor Lily actually turn up at the end, lol.

Also think Remus' role with stopping Sirius could play a bit into the way their relationship shifts in the future? Or am I thinking too much?I'd say you're spot on as I was going for the theory that it was feasible Remus would stop Sirius (although I was careful to say 'for once' as we all know he's not the world's greatest prefect

[spikesminx]

JDSKFEDSJHSFDKJFSD. You have no idea how this fic made me feel.

*is too incoherent to form words*

This is the best James characterization ever. EVER. I loved it all, all of them, Remus, Sirius, Lily, Severus. And Euan? Best OC ever.

I'll come back for a lengthier review later. Because I am too busy rereading the fic and loving it right now, I can't seem to find words to describe it ♥

Do you mind if I friend you?

[gilpin25]

Oh, I'm thrilled you liked it that much!:D Thank you - I spent a lot of time trying to make all those slightly contradictory canon lines about James form some kind of logical sense in my head, and this was the result. It must have been quite a journey of growing up from the James in Snape's worst memory, to that of admired Head Boy and Order member, and then devoted husband and father. This was something of a departure from my normal R/T, but one I might well do again as I really enjoyed writing it a lot.

Do you mind if I friend you?

Please do. As long as I can friend you back, of course! :)