Update 7-26-09: Hello to everyone again! For those reading this, thanks for not abandoning me. Life has sort of tried to kill me...in more ways than one, and sometimes literally. But I'm doing much better and I'm really excited about writing again. I can't promise lightning-fast updates, but I'll at least work on trying to churn out one per month. And before unforseen circumstances, I shouldn't go on another long hiatus.

Just an update on the status of my incomplete stories, for the curious:

Grey Maiden V: Sacrifice: I'm finishing this even if it kills me.

Grey Maiden VI and VII: I've every intention of bringing this series to its conclusion. How and when I can't really tell you right now; my life and imagination have been far too unpredictable so far to make any promises, but I'll do my best.

Altered Destinies: Dead, sadly. Could hypothetically be resurrected, but Star Wars has sort of vanished from my conscious mind and I was never entirely sure where I was going to begin with. Don't expect much.

To Heed the Call of Destiny: This was a really fun and great story idea that I ran with until I just...didn't. I started writing while simultaneously re-reading the LoTR trilogy, which sounds like a great idea, except it's much easier to read than to write. Yes, I'd love to get farther on this one, but I'm really not sure. Maybe I'll revisit it at some point. It's got a better chance than AD.

That's all for now. Enjoy Chapter 13, and 14 is on the way, I promise.

Update 1-16-09: Well, it's been a while since I updated, and I apologize for that. I remain determined to finish this story, and hopefully the whole series, as I have lots of excitement planned for the future. Unfortunately, as insane as my last term ended, I've been just as strapped for time since getting back to school. I've got about half a chapter written, and it's really a matter of finding the inspiration and energy to pound it out. As for other updates, I really can't promise anything. Just know that I haven't abandoned the story.

Update 7-14-08: Chapter 10 is up!

Update 6-30-08: Chapter 10 is complete, and is in the process of being Beta'd. I'm trying to keep up the momentum on this series, but sometimes that isn't easy. Thanks for being patient.

Update 5-14-08: Chapter 9 is up! Break out the bells and whistles! Have the band play "Pomp and Circumstance"! Bring out the dancing kangaroos!

Update 5-7-08: Okay! I've just sent the first draft of chapter 9 off to my Beta. It should be up by the end of the week if all goes well. It's a good one, I promise. A pink fluffy nasty thing is making a return. Thank you for your patience. My creative energies, as they are wont to do, decided to return when I least expected them.

Update 4-15-08: Alas, my life has not become any less insane, nor have my creative energies returned to the point where I'm willing to sacrifice other bits of my life to get these chapters done. I'm trying, really. So apologizes for the wait, but it might be a while until I get going again. I'm hoping to make major progress this summer.

Update 3-20-08: Fact #1: When one goes to college, one has less free time, especially if one enjoys a moderately-active social life. Fact #2: Writing 9,000 word chapters is a somewhat time-and-energy-consuming process.

It's been a little while since I updated, and it's probably going to be a bit longer before anything new pops up. I'll try to finish this next chapter by the end of the month, but the reality is that I simply can't sustain the update pace I'm used to while school is going on. Thank you for your patience.

Update 12-06-07: I apologize for the lack of updates recently. It's a combination of me trying to figure out exactly where this story is going (this is in many ways my first voyage into uncharted waters - very little of Sacrifice is going to be follow Order of the Phoenix) and my Beta facing the challenges of that dreaded Real Life thing. So sit tight, and hopefully the update pace picks up once he's got more time. The Star Wars thing is sort of on hold at the moment as well.

Update 10/24/07: Remember how, a ways back, I mentioned an alternate project? Yeah. Well, the first chapter of what I hope to be a decent sized Star Wars AU fic is now up. It goes without saying that this story will take a backseat to Grey Maiden. Still, I've got these ideas bouncing around in my head, and they have to go somewhere.

Update 10/22/07: Grey Maiden V: Sacrifice has been posted.

Update 10/03/07: Note to self: don't post chapters without checking to make sure you actually cleaned things up first. Yes, I'm aware that Chapter 23 was a grammatical travesty. My sincerest apologies to those forced to wade through that abomination.

Update 9/17/07: I created a forum so that if you felt so inclined, readers such as yourselves could discuss my work. I welcome feedback, short of blatant flaming. And the next chapter ought to be up in the next few days.

All the thanks in the world to my Beta, Ihatesnakes.

Well, a little about me. I'm an avid Harry Potter and Star Wars enthusiast. I have a passion for military history, especially WWII, and spectator sports. My favorite sport is baseball, and I'm a die-hard Yankee and Cubs fan (odd combination, ain't it?).

My current project (and it’s an ambitious one), is the Grey Maiden Series. It’s a AU that reflects both my own ideas about the universe JKR has created, and also explores what would have happened if Harry is raised not by the Dursleys, where he was (at least) belittled, neglected, and maltreated, but by a woman who thought of Lily Potter as her sister: Daphne Artemis O’Connor Dressler.

Daphne was an Auror in the first war, and achieved legendary status for both her tremendous skill and exploits such as killing some of Voldemort’s best Death Eaters. A Ravenclaw at Hogwarts, she is intelligent, observant, and fanatically loyal. However, she is haunted by a tragic past that has seen the loss of her husband, family, and best friend to the Darkness. My AU begins when she arrives minutes before Sirius and Hagrid, and takes Harry from his mother’s lifeless arms.

With an entirely different upbringing, Harry is changed greatly. Rather than the innocent and wide-eyed youth severly lacking in self-confidence, he grows up a studious and observant individual.

So ends my basic introduction to the Series. What I’ve attempted to do is create an AU where I exploit undeveloped characters (such as Daphne Greengrass, Theodore Nott, Terry Boot, Mandy Brocklehurst, etc.), unexplained events (what did happen that caused Remus Lupin to leave England before his friends met their fate?), and empty timelines from JKRs canon to create something much different. While the Series will follow canon through Book 5, I intend to alter some events, while stripping down others to a skeleton and rebuilding them with my own imagination. I’m try to make something new, not regurgitate Rowling’s brilliance. It’s hers, not mine.

While this story will feature a Harry/Ginny pairing, it's certainly not the focal point of the story. This series is about war, and Harry becoming a leader, going through many trials and tribulations in the process of fulfilling his destiny. He will have to cope with loss, tragedy, pain, and his own Dark tendencies.

Hermione and Tonks play older sister to the Boy-Who-Lived. Hermione is my favorite character, so I won't be getting rid of her or villifying her. Tonks will provide experience, companionship, and comic relief from time to time. Luna and most of the other main canon characters will have important, if different, roles.

This series is not only about Harry. Daphne is a powerful, disturbed character whose past, present, and future are inexorably linked with her ward's. She's also important in that in many ways, she is perfect, yet at the same time, she has failed in all of her most important tasks. The only thing keeping her alive at this point is Lily's son.

Ron will be featured prominently (though you may not like him much), and will stay as in-character as possible. In-Character Ron possesses pettiness, closed-mindedness, ignorance, and jealousy in varying degrees. He’s also very loyal, and he’ll grow up eventually.

While I’m going to play around with the canon characters Rowling neglects to develop, the personalities of those she does won’t change without a good reason. Pureblood society, Goblins, politics, and some of the inner working of the Ministry are only a few of the things I'm going to develop using little but a few outside inspirations and my own imagination. While this story is Harry-centric, I won't hesitate to give a full panoramic view of the prelude to and fighting of the Second Wizarding War.

I'm also striving for a more realistic series of events. In my opinion,Voldemort did not mark anyone who could hold a wand straight. In my universe, six teenagers with mediocre training would have been cut to pieces by Voldemort's crack Death Eaters. If you are looking for a story where Harry makes Dumbledore look like an idiot, throws Death Eaters around like confetti, and is obnoxious and rude, look elsewhere. That said, Harry is going to need to be much more powerful than he is in canon to be victorious.'The Power He Knows Not' is no guarantee of victory.

Overall, the series is going to be significantly darker than canon. It will be violent, bloody, and angsty. In 1864. Union General William Tecumseh Sherman told the mayor of Atlanta before burning his city, “War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it…War is Hell.” You’ll find out why in this Series.

The Grey Maiden Series

Summary: Raised by Lily's best friend, a legendary ex-Auror haunted by her tragic past, Harry must learn to survive to fight the war that he was born to fight. For to vanquish the Dark Lord, Harry must conquer both his own fears and inner Darkness, batle loss and tragedy, and learn to love, all while becoming the leader that is needed to unite the fractured wizarding world.

Note: All titles are subject to change.

Grey Maiden I: Philosopher's Stone

Taken from the lifeless arms of his mother on Halloween, 1981, Harry's life is forever altered. Lily Potter's best friend, a legendary ex-Auror with a tragic and dark past, has pledged her life to raise and protect Lily's only son. But how will an entirely different upbringing change the Boy-Who-Lived? Because whatever Harry has become, it's much different than what everyone expected...

Grey Maiden II: Slytherin's Heir

After saving the Philosopher's Stone, all that Harry, Hermione, and Daphne want is an uneventful year. But yet another Weasley, a crazed house-elf, and a series of strange occurences destroy any chance of that. But as students begin to be attacked by the mysterious Heir of Slytherin, Harry finds himself one of the primary suspects. But as the attacks mount, and with them, the coincidences, Harry is forced to answer the most difficult question: What if they are right?

Grey Maiden III: Servant of Darkness

As Harry slowly recovers from his ordeal in the Chamber of Secrets, he is forced to confront both his actions and those of his guardian.An overheard conversation leads to a revelation that shocks him to the bone, and makes his destiny clear.With his best friends standing firmly beside him, Harry slowly begins the monumental task of becoming the leader the wizarding world needs him to be. New allies and friends will pave the road to victory, but it is a long and difficult road. But as the first stones are laid, Harry is forced to deal with a ghost of his past, a maniac who seems set on his destruction...But as it always is with the Boy-Who-Lived, things are not always how they appear to be...

Grey Maiden IV: Darkness Rising

Harry's training has begun at last, and so has the difficult task of gathering allies. Daphne and his friends will prove invaluable in this effort, but when Harry finds himself hurled into a legendary and deadly competition against his will, the challenge becomes even greater. Because before he can build a force to fight the Dark Lord, Harry must endure the rigors of the Triwizard Tournament, because the penalty for failure might just be death.

Grey Maiden V: Sacrifice

After 13 years, Lord Voldemort has risen again, and set his sights on conquering the Wizarding world. All that may stand in his way is Harry Potter, who must heal, train, and learn the lessons of life on the fly, while friendship, romance, alliances, and his own life hang in the balance. On top of all of this, Harry must cope with the consequences of his guardian’s inevitable fall into Darkness, and a Ministry determined to bury the truth.

Grey Maiden VI:Fall of Night

Plot summary to follow Sacrifice

Grey Maiden VII: Dawn of Light

Plot summary to follow FoN

I may or may not write a 'prequel' of sorts, that details Daphne's life. I'll probably run out of gas before then.

Special Glossary of Curses, Hexes and Spells for Grey Maiden Series

Just for your comprehension, I thought I should add this. Yes, some of these curses are rather nasty. The incantations are in Latin. This is by no means a comprehensive list, as I’ll likely add new spells. A number of basic canon spells I left out for obvious reason. (D) indicates a spell classified as Dark by the Ministry of Magic. The use of some of them (it should be pretty obvious which ones) is punishable by imprisonment. (And yes, I made that up). Maximum power is defined by the wizard feeding more power than is necessary into the spell. Normally, that's associated with strong emotions.

Name: Incantation – Effect – Maximum Power

Cutting Curse: Diffindo – Minor cutting spell – Max: Medium-sized wound

Stunning Spell: Stupefy – Knocks target unconscious (if direct hit) – Max: Can force target into a coma

(D) Slicing Curse: Abrumpo – Powerful cutting spell; used in combat – Max: Can cut straight through armor and flesh

(D) Severing Curse: Discerpo – Cuts straight through solid materials – Max: Slices through magical shields and any objects in its path

Bludgeoning Hex: Everbero – Powerful physical blow – Max: Can hit hard enough to kill

Blasting Curse: Reducto – Destroys solid objects (can be used on living creatures) – Max: Powerful enough to kill

Burning Hex: Incendio – Sets fire to target – Max: Can cause severe burns

(D) Slashing Curse: Sectumsempra – Wound similar to sword slash; difficult to heal – Max: Similar to Severing Curse (Invented by Severus Snape)

Striking Curse: Percutio – Strong physical blow – Max: Equals Bludgeoning Curse

Stone-Throwing Spell: Silex Iacio - fires stone projective with considerable force; can be modified to shoot more than one stone

Creature Control Spell (Domestication Charm): Creatura Tempero - Can cause even the most aggressive magical creature to become temporarily docile and non-threatening; not effective on stronger magical creatures, including dragons, trolls, and giants.

(D) Bone-Breaking Hex: Diffractum – Breaks bones on contact

(D) Bone-Shattering Curse – Perfringo – Blasts bones into fragments (extremely painful) – Max: affects more than one bone

Demolition Curse: Confrigo – more powerful version of Blasting Curse; obliterates solid objects; direct hit can be fatal – Max: can vaporize target

Stinging Hex: Spiculum – Brief flash of concentrated pain Max: Causes intense, debilitating pain

(D/U) Killing Curse: Avada Kedavra – Kills target (Leaves no marks)

(D/U) Cruciatus Curse (Torture Curse): Crucio – Causes horrific pain – Max: Drives victim insane

Impediment Jinx: Impedimenta – Neutralizes forward momentum of target – Max: Hurls target backwards with force

Disarming Spell: Expelliarmus – Disarms target wizard (includes objects other than wands) – Max: Blasts target backwards

(D) Rupturing Curse: (nonverbal) – Thin beam of purple fire that causes severe damage to internal organs, often resulting in death – Max: Kills Target

Movement Charm: Locomotor _ – Moves Object – Max: Throws objects at great speeds; similar to Banishing Spell

Shielding Spell: Protego – Depending on power, blocks most spells

Deflection Spell: Reverto – Deflects most spells directly back at caster

Melting Curse (D): Fervefacio - Fires bolt of magical plasma that can liquify solid objects or inflict horrible burns

Servos Shield: Servo – Absorbs energy of incoming spell and feeds power into caster’s wand – Max: Can double or triple return spell

Vanishing Spell: Evanesco – Vanishes object and sends in to place where user desires (objects only)

Patronus Charm: Expecto Patronum – Creates a guardian of pure light; requires happy thought (Primarily used against Dementors and Wraiths)

(D) Entrail-Expelling Curse: Extractum – Removes innards of target - Keeps target alive for slow, painful death

(D) Flesh-Shredding Curse: Diripio – Causes painful mutilation by ripping apart flesh and tissue of targeted area

(D) Lesion Curse: Vomica – Causes body to break out in painful, bleeding sores

Nightmare Curse (D) - Vivor Timor - Causes the target to experience terrifying hallucinations that take the form of the victim's worst fears - Max: Can drive victims insane, or induce suicidal behavior

(D) Fire Whip Curse: Flagro Flagello - Creates a thin coil of fire to be used as a whip; though classified as Dark, private use is not strictly prohibited

Blinding Curse: Caecus – Temporary loss of sight – Max: Permanent loss of sight

(D) Mind-Death Curse: Mentis Mortis – Causes slow, painful death by systematically attacking the target’s brain while forcing victim to relieve most frightening memories (So widely used that countermeasures were developed)

Bat-Bogey Hex: Bates Mocos – Animates bogeys and causes them to attack victim in the shape of large bats (Easy to block)

(D) Compression Curse: Coepio – Exerts crushing force that can break bones and cause severe injury while impairing movement – Max: Powerful enough to kill

Blood Bursting Curse (D): Sang Quasso - explodes blood vessels, causing painful internal bleeding and slow, lingering death

Strangulation Curse (Garroting Curse) (D): (nonverbal) – closes off victim’s trachea and causes slow and painful death; often used to torture, as well as to kill

Drowning Curse (D): Aqua Suffoco – causes the target’s lungs to fill with fluid; often used to torture as well as to kill; counter-spell is Sicco Anapneo

Depression Spell: Deprimo – More moderate form of Compression Curse; creates enough pressure to break through solid objects, or temporarily paralyze a living target

(D) Hellfire Curse: Fiendfyre – creates raging inferno of unquenchable, magical fire; can consume and destroy magical objects and humans alike

Flinging Hex: Jacio – Hurls target backwards with great force

(D) Incineration Curse: Ardeo Corpus – Creates unquenchable fires that progressively incinerates the victim