Rereading I saw it was really rough writing (I really had to hurry to get the deadline), and arranged it a little, and gave a little more depth to Snape's "canniness" per your comment. Which was dead on, as usual.
Actually I "get" Dumbledore...totally "a clever, powerful, manipulative old spider", but that's exactly what's needed to save the Light... kind of a Churchill whose real worry for the World at large leads him to terrifying callousness towards his entourage. Maybe I'll expand on it sometime..
It is a fascinating dynamic, and I think your analogy is spot on. Sometimes it takes the benevolent dictator whose not afraid of sending his soldiers into battle. His callousness is essential, but we don't love him for it, and the lovely dichotomy of the character is that he does it with such charming ruthlessness.
Very painful, and sadly, very plausible. There is canon support for this sort of manipulative, self-serving Albus. I'm particularly chilled by this line -- I'll never know whether the thought, the urge, was planted or not. Here you've captured exactly some of the ethical dangers of magic, something that the books (often understandably) rarely address beyond the obvious DE evil. The implications are far-reaching and terrifying.
Will I confess? I had you very much in mind while writing the MMSS part, of which you are the undisputed Bard, and the "sleeping together" duality from "Time after Time" echoed I think in this story, so... thank you adn you ARE entitled to see this as a tribute to you, too!
BTW (and that's also right for TR's comment), Albus here did wait for her to be at least one year out of school. But maybe he can't see the difference between the Greater Good and his own any more. That's, how you put it, the far-reaching and terrifying ethical dangers of magic/power Thanks
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I have never had any love for Dumbledore - he was a clever, powerful, manipulative old spider.
This Minerva is so very human, so young, and Snape, already knowing, already canny, sees so much more than we realise.
It's a powerful story, not always easy reading, but so real and raw that it bristles with truth.
You are such a talented, inspirational writer. Brava!!
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Rereading I saw it was really rough writing (I really had to hurry to get the deadline), and arranged it a little, and gave a little more depth to Snape's "canniness" per your comment. Which was dead on, as usual.
Actually I "get" Dumbledore...totally "a clever, powerful, manipulative old spider", but that's exactly what's needed to save the Light... kind of a Churchill whose real worry for the World at large leads him to terrifying callousness towards his entourage. Maybe I'll expand on it sometime..
Thanks for your insightful and kind reviewing
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Great characterizations overall. Thanks!
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Will I confess? I had you very much in mind while writing the MMSS part, of which you are the undisputed Bard, and the "sleeping together" duality from "Time after Time" echoed I think in this story, so... thank you adn you ARE entitled to see this as a tribute to you, too!
BTW (and that's also right for TR's comment), Albus here did wait for her to be at least one year out of school. But maybe he can't see the difference between the Greater Good and his own any more. That's, how you put it, the far-reaching and terrifying ethical dangers of magic/power
Thanks
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