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A Pensieve Affair by Imogen Adult What do you get when you cross a pensieve game devised by Fred and George, a best friend bearing chocolate cake and a disillu...
Daddy's Girl by Drie All (takes place in 'Home is Where the Heart is')) Hope won't stop crying, so what's a father to do? Featuring yodeling Harr...
OK, so I really think that if Hope would finally just ADMIT that she loves Matthew, he'd be up for some serious physicality! hello?!!! I thought she was smart--figure it out, Potter!
Be Careful What You Wish For by rzieve All Did the Sorting Hat get it wrong? How Matthew Belford wound up in Slytherin House. Takes place during chapters 2-5 of Nil Desperandum....
Date: 14 May 2006 - 06:01PM
Title: Chapter 22: Mind on the Job
Hmph, no Matthew in this one, grumble.
What you showed of Yaxley during the fight really did make him out to be utterly nuts. I gather the whole thing was hi s very own one-wizard show. I wonder if he'd even thought about what would happen after mega-monster hatched. He must have been fairly powerful to maintain an illusionary army while dueling himself. The illusion was good if Hope never realized it (beyond a faint "gee, guess I'm being lucky today") until the fight was over; the fake wizards must have been going through the motions of dodging and casting spells.
Do we ever find out more about what exactly the beast was?
The Orion Williams bit took me by surprise. None of that attitude showed up when Hope saw him at the Ministry a few chapters back.
I assume that Hope won't be too upset by her role in the mission now that it's over. She had the chance to make some key decisions under fire, but having several teams did prove crucial. Then again, being Hope, she may never stop to think about it.
Seriously, I liked the action, but I want Matthew back! I hope we aren't stuck at St. Mungo's while he's in Tintagel for ALL of the next chapter!
Author's Response: Oh, but there was a little bit of tension between Hope and Williams back at the ministry. He was pretty scathing about Hope and the storms of love, and she didn't even look at him when she gave him the paperwork. They can certainly work together, but neither of them like it.
I think I could have done the Yaxley thing a little better. I've never really been completely happy with this chapter - very powerful wizard, and "utterly nuts" - no prizes for guessing who the creature's first meal would have been if the Ministry lot hadn't been there ;) Although having said that, Kingsley did point out that one of Yaxley's great strengths was communication with dark creatures, so you never know...
Hope's pretty self-critical (believe it or not) as far as her professional life goes. I suppose it's because she can reflect on that dispassionately. She's got a week off, then I'm certain Kingsley will give her a case all of her own to play with!
And don't worry - you get Matthew back part way through next chapter!
Date: 14 May 2006 - 11:03AM
Title: Chapter 22: Mind on the Job
Glad to know that Hope's safe, though I do worry about Herbert. He sounds like a really nice chap to me...I'm betting he know Della quite well too, having been in Ravenclaw himself? I wonder - in this mental state - how she's going to get her lingerie! ;)
Lovely fight scene, slow and steady and then building up in momentum (and - in both literal and figurative sense - heat). Nice balance of workers...you have your Herberts and then you have your Williams'!
Author's Response: Hope's injury in the mission is very minor - unlike Herbert's. We'll get the full on St Mungo's scene next chapter and find out what happens there.
Herbert was in the same year as Della, so he did know her very well at school, and he'd have had some classes with Hope and Matthew as well (especially in their NEWTs years) - so this injury's going to have quite an effect on Hope.
Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews - they must have taken you ages. I've really enjoyed reading what you've thought :)
Date: 14 May 2006 - 03:49AM
Title: Chapter 22: Mind on the Job
OK, I hope the review feature is working... That was wonderful, definitely worth the wait. It is great seeing Hope working with the other Aurors, and being intimidated by them, although she would never admit it. We know she is very powerful and smart, and so does she, but here she is worried about how she will do on the mission, about failing. I hope she remembers this feeling when she is one of the old-timers, (so probably her next mission) and there are other young hopefuls in the field trying to prove themselves.
Poor Hope, she really has had bad luck with men, although she does seem to pick lousy partners. (Not that Flint was necessarily lousy, but they never had a future). I really wanted to see Hope show up Williams. Oh well, I guess that's for another mission.
I'm thinking Herbert's going to be alright, if for no other reason than his death would put a damper on her later rendezvous with Matthew. Has she had time to but that lingerie yet? I'm eager to find out.
Author's Response: The review feature is working so well, I've got it twice ;)
Date: 14 May 2006 - 03:48AM
Title: Chapter 22: Mind on the Job
OK, I hope the review feature is working... That was wonderful, definitely worth the wait. It is great seeing Hope working with the other Aurors, and being intimidated by them, although she would never admit it. We know she is very powerful and smart, and so does she, but here she is worried about how she will do on the mission, about failing. I hope she remembers this feeling when she is one of the old-timers, (so probably her next mission) and there are other young hopefuls in the field trying to prove themselves.
Poor Hope, she really has had bad luck with men, although she does seem to pick lousy partners. (Not that Flint was necessarily lousy, but they never had a future). I really wanted to see Hope show up Williams. Oh well, I guess that's for another mission.
I'm thinking Herbert's going to be alright, if for no other reason than his death would put a damper on her later rendezvous with Matthew. Has she had time to but that lingerie yet? I'm eager to find out.
Author's Response: Yup - she managed to do a little lingerie shopping - so all we need to do now is get Matthew back again! I'm impressed you found the chapter - even I hadn't realise it had actually posted. I think we'll have to give you the 'Most Dedicated Read of the Week' award!
Hope will explain a bit more about Williams later in the story, but he's got quite a lot in common with Flint, which is what attracted her to him, but he's actually nowhere near as nice. The fall out there was fairly fast and left them both feeling bitter.
We pick up at St Mungo's next chapter. Matthew's actually headed back to Cornwall for the night by this time, so Hope's really not having much luck!
Date: 10 May 2006 - 08:41AM
Title: Chapter 15: A Shoulder to Cry On
Hope's really in a state! She's really a treasure, confused between wanting to think she's not in love with Matt and wanting to confess to him that he still means a lot to her. God, if I were her my head would explode (thank God she has stopped short of that, what with all her random magic!). I love Julius already (but I leave him to you! Y'know, me being the self-sacrificing martyr and all that ;) )
Author's Response: No exploding heads. I don't think anyone would ver forgive me if I did that to Hope ;) She's definitely very confused - she doesn't really 'do' emotions, and she thought she had Matthew pigeon-holed so well as a friend. But we know different. Hehehe.
Date: 10 May 2006 - 08:21AM
Title: Chapter 14: Consequences
I sort of expected Matt's reaction. It's like trying to build something without having much material provided to you, putting your heart and soul into it, seeing it almost work its way into being something tangible and then BAM! It crashes down the very next minute. Hope didn't know what she was saying while trying to quell those jittery nerves of hers'. It's so apparent that she said the "nothing" out of nervousness - she's so afraid of herself and of Matt at this moment...the very fact that Matt's lovemaking meant "something" to her frightens the guts out of her. For Matt to understand this so soon after being "rejected" (from his PoV) a second time, would not only make him a saint but also a bit of a Gary Stu. Matt was definately spot on about Hope's stupidity...she hardly gave him a chance to wait. Did her impulsive actions the night before fool him into thinking that she was ready for some kind of a relationship?
In any case, love this story. I think it's high time Hope went through a bit of angst.
Author's Response: This kind of confrontation was almost inevitable from the start. Hope's terrified, and so is Matthew, but for very different reasons: he fears that she could never love him back in the same way and that he can only ever be rejected by her, and she's completely at sea about what she feels and what exactly Matthew is to her. No easy answers to any of that, but at least Matthew taking a stand forced Hope to confront the issue face on - or this might have gone on for another eleven years!
Date: 10 May 2006 - 07:58AM
Title: Chapter 13: Hook, Line and Sinker
Poor Matt! Poor Hope! Poor Harry! Funny Holly! Hysterical Ginny! Goodness, cracking us all up when we're as anxious as hell is a Potter/Weasley/Belford trait (or maybe just an "Imogen" one!).
I'm sure they were just trampolining: God, it's going to be forever before I recover from that one!
On the other hand, it's sad that Hope had to get rid of Matt like that...that "Hope, please..." that he uttered before climbing the window sounded a little desparate.
Author's Response: The thing that really got Matthew was the total lack of physical contact before he had to leave. If she'd kissed or hugged him, he'd have been much more ok with the whole thing. I couldn't resist getting them caught like that. It was begging to be done!
Date: 10 May 2006 - 07:22AM
Title: Chapter 12: Caution to the Wind
It's so amazing how you can just combine emotion with sheer sexual enjoyment here - the sexual banter's amazing! Gosh, and the I still love you...simply beautiful. BTW, I know this sounds out of place here, but will we see Della in person at some point? It may be too much or something, but I've always wanted to see how she coped, especially after running herself down because Matthew was in love with someone else. No matter how much Matt tried to convince her of her worth, she was only able to see in terms of whether Matt loved her or not...like Matthew doesn't love me = I can't love myself because I'm not worth it. I wonder how things have worked out with that Lionel chap of her's. I hope she's not doing it in a desparate attempt to "just" move on.
In any case, you've done a great job with these characters, and I really hope that the site returns back to normal so that I can enjoy chapter 22!
Author's Response: No, we don't get to see Della in real time in this fic, although if you want to write it, you're more than welcome! Matthew doesn't know much about how she's doing these days, other than what he's heard from mutual friends. She isn't talking to him any more. Della is apparently happy, and is marrying someone who loves her back. I don't *think* it's a rebound thing, but you never know.
Date: 10 May 2006 - 07:11AM
Title: Chapter 11: Three Little Words
She narrowed her eyes at him. He really could be stubborn sometimes.
Gosh, Hope can really be blind sometimes. Trust her to go straight for the jugular! I loved Matt's confession especially while describing all the mad things she does! They're definately rather contradictory in the way they view how Hope can treated him - Hope thinks she has "taken [him] for granted", and Matthew says in this chapter: you're the only one who's been there and never once let me down. It's wonderful how the two have such variant views of their relationship. Hope's affection for him (even as a friend) was so much, that she probably thought she couldn't give him enough as a friend?
I loved this particular line especially: "But why?" she gulped. "Why do you love me so much?"
I'm from India, and there's one particular movie back home which echoes this line...the storyline was of a man who loved a girl who was his neighbour (and who loved him too) but wasn't able to express it because he knew he was going to die soon. When he finds out that his feelings are reciprocated, he pretends that he's a married man and encourages her (to the extent of even planting a few white lies) to marry her best friend...who just happens to be interested in her. The storyline may sound a little corny, and some of the acting really looked like hamming to me, but when the heroine found out the truth and cried out "why do you love me so much?" to the man, I remember a whole lot of us in the room holding back tears. That line was such a beautiful one, it holds so much cluelessness and understanding and love that it reached out to even those of us who had probably never experienced this before. I'm not lying when I say that it's so much more poignant and beautiful right here to me, when Matthew is faced with the same question. I can literally feel Hope's pain and joy mixed here...don't you think this line is simply magical, whereever it's used?
Thanks. This is a wonderful read.
Author's Response: I think, to some extent, we've got a bit of selective memory going on with both of them. Hope has let Matthew down - quite spectacularly after Christmas, but he chooses to ignore this. She can't understand how he can love her - I think in some ways she feels very unworthy of him. He's been a much better friend to her, than she thinks she's ever been to him. I just loved the first quote you gave because she's blaming him for being stubborn, when that's really her personality trait!
Date: 10 May 2006 - 06:16AM
Title: Chapter 10: A Leap of Faith
I really loved this. I don't know how you managed to combine the emotion in the scene with four different (yet identical) people involved, and manage to bring it out so brilliantly. Goodness, Hope is so involved it's amazing! And what was she thinking while presuming that Matthew manipulated the situation into happening. It might have been easier to suppose if she knew - at the very least - that he was definately very powerfully attracted, but as far as I can see she never even considered that! I wonder, was that particular thought (of Matt manipulating the situation) something that was just a stray thought that she brushed away because it was too un-Matt-like to contemplate, or was it a presumption she subconciously used just to block her own feelings for him? I hope I can find the answer for that.
Matt, you sneaky boy, you! He definately seems better than Flint to me!
Author's Response: This scene was pretty much the most complicated thing I've ever written. It had my poor betas going cross-eyed trying to keep track of the different characters!
Hope put the blame onto Matthew trying to displace her own feelings and not have to think about them. She *knew* it wasn't true. She knows Matthew well enough to know he'd never have manipulated that situation, but it's always easier to blame someone than it is to look at a situation honestly - especially when it's a situation you can't face.
Date: 09 May 2006 - 02:00PM
Title: Chapter 7: Sins of the Father
Sins of the Father...interesting title. Could it be because he learnt from his father what not to do with a woman, loved the affection given (for once) to him - which is only natural - treasured his moments with Della (to an extent) that she was convinced he loved her back (after all we've been through, how can you not love me?) and when he found it hopeless, had to let go? Were his relationships with Cora and Della for filling the gap inside, probably like how Ginny in OotP and HBP dated Micheal and Dean, but on a more serious scale?
Hope is so dense it's unbelievable. Poor Matt: it must have hurt to hear her say that it's finished, but it's so obvious that he understands that she doesn't really know what he's saying there, smart lad.
Author's Response: The title really came out of the fact that Matthew is acutely conscious that he doesn't want to repeat the mistakes his father has made. He's got to be honest with Della because he knows what could happen if it carried on when he knew without question that he could never love her. He wanted for it to work, but when it didn't, there was no other option.
Hope is remarkably dense, but it's difficult for her to see any possibility beyond her very good friend, Matthew.
You know, I'm really happy I'm able to see the real version here, because Hope is also a sexual being and her attitude towards it - and romance - is what forms a very important part of her personality and the story as a whole. It also help explain what kind of "theory" (in chapter 10") Matt had about her and Flint. What I noticed here is that apart from a few minimal reactions (which is natural when anyone watches a sexual scene) Hope is quite dispassionate to it, and therefore, none of us are too emotionally invested in it either. The tone used here is rather dry and neutral, a reflection of Hope's own feelings towards Flint in the present. And Matt - well, you can definately see a bit of his Slytherin streak. It's very apparent, though, that his investment is so much more different...probably why Matt and Flint could never get along very well. These men are on two completely different planes.
Author's Response: I wanted this scene in it purely for the contrast with the later chapter. You're right in that Hope is very dispassionate about it all now - it's something with no emotions involved in it at all. The most emotional reaction we get out of her here is when she tells Matthew not to look!
There's a fair bit of old antagonism between Matthew and Julius - it's not just over Hope, although in recent years that's definitely been an issue. There's the whole Muggleborn issue, plus a bit of a personality clash as well. The feeling is mutual on both sides!
Date: 09 May 2006 - 01:39PM
Title: Chapter 8: Julius Flint
On one hand I feel young Hope was acting stupid, and on the other I do feel sorry for her. Coming from a place where girls are protected and rarely allowed to go out alone, I can identify with Hope's lack of patience with Harry. You've written it so well that you can't help but give poor Harry a hug for wanting to protect his precious baby girl, having lost her once (or many times, if the hints that she'd had a near-death experience in school are any indication).
Julius does his research well! No wonder Hope has to suffer vanilla with nuts.
Author's Response: Julius is very good at that sort of thing. He's been chasing Hope for a while, and there's quite a lot he's learnt about her in the process.
The near-death experience at school is part of 'Nil Desperandum' when I get there. There's definitely a problem with writing these fics out of order!
Date: 09 May 2006 - 09:57AM
Title: Chapter 6: Trouble in Paradise
"Listen," she said, more gently, "Julius was a phase in my life. The unsuitable boyfriend I could do the rebellious thing with. I could break the barriers with him and explore myself as much as anything to find out more about who I was and what I wanted to become. I didn't like Della any more than you liked Julius, but they've both helped to make us into the people we are now. Maybe I didn't turn out so well, but I think you're amazing."
I think Matthew needed that - as in really, really needed it. For all his closeness to her as a friend, I think he feels he doesn't mean that much to her - something that intensified after Christmas IMO. The part where Matthew's still shocked about Hope telling Julius that she'll choose the former over the latter any day seems to point to this...I really feel sad for him at this point - he's undervaluing his own magic! (Definately got the whole lot of us under his spell. Somehow I'm getting this slightly stupid image of all the ladies in this site - me included - doing the "swooning plus damsel" routine - standing in one straight line - when Matthew enters. Lame, but...er, yeah).
Julius is a prat in this chapter, but I like that you don't keep him that way!
Author's Response: Yes, there seems to be a bit of a queue forming for Matthew. I think he'd be mortally embarrassed and have no clue what to do with all of the attention LOL
It's a funny line that Hope and Matthew are dancing across - some things are so incredibly secure, but there are so many elements of doubts and insecurities at the same time, mostly due to Hope's panic at Christmas. Matthew does know that she cares about him, but her reminding him how much is definitely needed.
Date: 09 May 2006 - 09:46AM
Title: Chapter 5: Never Tickle a Sleeping Potions Master
KNICKERS!
This must be the umpteenth time I'm reading this chapter, along with all the others, and it still cracks me up! I love how you've combined Matthew's fierce protectiveness of Hope with the sheer hilarity of being given an anonymous pair.
"Just the ball," he said with a little smile. "Unless, of course, going out with Flint was a traumatic experience. I can understand that it would be."
Given the hints you've given about what ended Hope's relationship with Julius and Alphie's The Best of Intentions, Matthew doesn't seem to know how right he is...
Author's Response: And knickers to you too! Poor Snape, although I dare say he's seen a lot worse in his time as Head of Slytherin!
There's a lot about Hope's relationship with Julius that Matthew doesn't know, and some of it is going to take Hope a while to tell him about. One particular part, she doesn't even want to remember. You're right. Matthew's joke is actually far more accurate than he imagines.
Date: 09 May 2006 - 09:35AM
Title: Chapter 4: Young Love
"Nothing," he said, his laughter bubbling up again.
Sigh. Little did Matthew and Hope know how latched on the word "nothing" was to their future...it would stick to them like the strongest mixture of glue ever used.
Only joking! Loved the whole Robert-Hope/Matthew-Cora inversion...ironies rule your universe! I really wonder about the Matthew-Cora relationship. Sounds like it wasn't too hot-and-heavy, yet not something they want to remember anyway...maybe because it was too bland or some such? They don't seem interested in talking about it. In any case, it's done a world of good to them as friends.
Author's Response: Matthew and Cora was really little more than a snog, which both of them found intensely embarrassing afterwards. Just like with Hope and Robert, there was nothing to it, but it's fun for the odd bit of teasing from both sides.
Date: 09 May 2006 - 09:24AM
Title: Chapter 3: Past Shadows
Holly my dearest, I love you! Even she sees it happening! (boyfriend, indeed!). Hope, wake up and pay attention!
As fo Matt, he reminds me of so many kids out there who have to face domestic violence almost every day of their lives. This scene brought me back to a book called Two Women written by a writer called Martina Cole, dealing with this sort of violence, though on a more graphic scale. In one particular scene the protagonist talks to her Beldford-like husband about how they'll raise their son (who is still a foetus at that point of time), and when she mentions that she wants her boy to live respecting women, to have quieter pursuits, the man flares up and gives her a rant on how he will never become a "man" (Funny, Matthew turned out to be more of "a man" than John would ever give him credit for). Do we get to meet Mrs. Belford in future chapters, after the assignment's over? (the present one, not the future [hopefully] one ;) ) I really like her, from what I've seen of her here and in Be Careful What You Ask For.
I've taken a look at my earlier reviews and just realized I sound extremely incoherent. I'm still struggling with coherence for this one as well. My sincerest apologies ;)
Author's Response: You're not incoherent at all - it takes a lot of effort to get me laughing before the morning caffeine is in my system ;)
That chapter surprised me when I was writing it, because I'd never given much thought to Matthew's background before (other than him being Muggle) and it really did come out of nowhere. But it makes so much sense of him as a person and why he's grown to be the man he is.
I'm not sure if Holly's entirely got it. Mostly she says it to wind Hope up ;) And I've not written Matthew's mum in again, but I might be able to tweak something later so we can see her. They've been talking about a trip to visit her in chapter 24. Maybe... I'll see if an idea hits me!
Date: 09 May 2006 - 09:11AM
Title: Chapter 2: Playing Games
What I really love about this Chapter - other than the revelation that despite the dark sides to her more-charmed-than-Harry's upbringing and little Hope herself, is the princess and frog-prince images that you keep bringing back often in the story (the irony being that she's completely giving up on it and denying it). When Matt - how completely involved he is in this memory, awww - moves forward to protect little Hope, only to be stopped by adult Hope herself, he is really manifesting himself as the knight in shining armour, the unlikely prince. Matthew the frog (*giggle* or the Muggleborn Slytherin whose rightful place used to be best-friend, turning into prince/lover) is an image I'm latching on to right now. Honestly, he's so cute!
Author's Response: LOL You've got me choking on my morning tea with that one! Brilliant! Well, frogs are Slytherin green ;)
Date: 09 May 2006 - 09:02AM
Title: Chapter 1: A Pensieve Affair
I've read A Pensieve Affair over at Sugar Quill and Phoenix Song, so I'll be reviewing all these chapters knowing what's going to happen next (at least until Chapter 21...or Chapter 22 if I ever manage to read it today, which is doubtful...).
Firstly, as a fan of Hope and Matthew since ND days, I was really happy we got the chance to see them like this. I had a feeling that the problem between the two would be...well, what it was in Chapter 10, mostly because of how Hope flinches when he touches her for the first time in four months. Poor Matt. I love him to bits, it must be really tearing him up inside knowing how she responded to him at Christmas and how she responds now. Is the flinching mostly because she's ashamed of herself, or because she thought he was manipulating (ouch! That must really hurt for Matt), or because she wasn't used to it (what with four months separation), or because the "hugeness" is still hard to grasp...or combination of them all? I really love it that they can still tease and laugh and be comfortable after something as life-changing as that...it's really a testament to their long-lasting friendship, no matter what happens.
I know this is a bit too early, but I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of Chapter 22 today (or tomorrow, when I can read it).
Author's Response: I've just got to say thank you SO much for all these reviews and I'm SO sorry I've only just noticed they're here. I really do appreciate them!
The flinch was caused by a combination of factors like you said, but mostly because they've been so intimate it's impossible to carry on as normal (at least initially), and it's easy to panic about little things that would be completely normal in other circumstances. It would have hurt him, but then again, the four months apart hurt him as well. He's mostly focused on re-establishing what they had again, and making her feel secure with him again.
Date: 09 May 2006 - 05:48AM
Title: Chapter 21: Settling In
You know, I promised myself that I was going to review every chapter since I write myself and absolutely adore reviews. And you know what? I broke my promise, but only on the principle that the story was just too damn good and I absolutely COULDN'T bring myself to stop and tell you how wonderful I thought everything was because I couldn't bear to leave the next chapter waiting.
And that's how I am with ALL your stories, Ms. Imogen. I snuggle up to my computer in my hard chair and don't even realize that my butt has gone completely numb three hours later because I'm so wrapped up in your work.
All these savage plot bunnies that bite you- no wonder! You've taken the time and had the patience to create your own universe and I respect that SO incredibly much. I went back and re read all of "Home is Where the Heart Is" because I lost it for so long that I didn't remember where I was, and did the same thing with "Nil Desperandum". I might just do the same with your entire universe.
Thank you SO much for sharing your talents with us, and if you don't mind me asking- which bookstores publish your personal 'non-HP-work' because I MUST go out and buy them IMMEDIATELY!!!!
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