My Stories

After the Ball

It's mostly a bit of fluff. After the Yule Ball, Harry goes for walk on the grounds. He meets Bulstrode, they get to talk, they realize they are both trapped by people's expectations; Harry is the Boy-Who-Lived, Bulstrode is the trollish girl no one wants to cross.

I liked the idea of trying to depict a budding friendship with a character that mostly got the short stick in the books. Book 1 pointed out how Slytherins looked like an unpleasant lot. Book 2 had her likened to a hag. Book 5 had her as Umbridge's enforcer. Giving Bulstrode something of a different personality to the brutish muscle to Parkinson's bit of brain had been my intention, hoping some other writers might try playing with established character interpretations and might dare leaving the well-treaded paths in favour of the occasional experiments.

Insights into his Mind

Severus Snape, after overhearing a prophecy and relaying it to his master, realizes it might cost him as well and tries to avert the harm to himself as much as possible, even if it means playing both sides.

The unfavourite child, basically. It was an experiment to see whether Snape's love could be given a different interpretation. Instead of pure love, it's corrupted desire and twisted obsession driving him because, quite frankly, canon Snape might just be obsessed. Due to his background, he might have latched on to the only person to show him any kindness; not wanting to lose her, he might have tried to keep her for himself later on. Of course, it failed, partly because he could no longer control Lily as well as he could before they went to school. In a way, it makes Snape a tragic character in being unable to grow up and let go. Quite frankly, his supposed love might explain his actions, but for me, it doesn't excuse anything he did. It just adds another aspect to his character.

The Legacy

Harry learns Occlumency and through it, realizes how to deal with the Horcrux. While he prepares for the war, his year mate Daphne Greengrass finds a solution to a marriage contract she is faced with. Their lives get tangled up, and Greengrass gets pulled into Harry's mess just as Harry is affected by her problems. Together, they embark on the journey of slowly becoming friends.

While it started with the very simple premise of Harry and Daphne stumbling into the contract, it evolved from there by gaining additional plot points. The result is a web of threads built around a slowly changing Harry who tries to get ready for the war he is a part of, and a Daphne Greengrass who is not quite the typical Ice Queen. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the Ice Queen. I also don't dislike ice cream, but I wouldn't want either each day. While I did incorporate some popular themes - marriage contract, Harry growing into his role as the hero - I also tried to give each a bit of a spin of my own. Reviewers seem to agree that it's getting better once some things settle, but I see the growing friendship between Harry and Daphne as an important aspect, and as such, a lot of time is given to that.