Wow - thank you so much for this detailed and thorough comment. I'm speechless from the amount of thoughts you've put into it. *glomps*
I've never said it before, but the arrangement of the characters is derived from the events in book seven. I simply used the time-line of DH to decide where to put which scene in this story. But looking back at it now, I can see how the drama is rising with each scene, just like in the books.
I like exploring Umbridge. I find her efficiency and self-righteousness extremely scary, and the whole regime she installed at Hogwarts and at the MoM reeks of Third Reich. I believe happiness, for her, means lording over underlings and putting everyone to their place.
The Hermione-drabble - I like your observation that it was probably closest to canon and least "inventive". It's true, because Hermione and Ron are the characters we have most information about apart from Harry. So I guess that showing new sides of Hermione would mean more exploration time that I gave her. And I'm glad that you like Hermione in canon just as much as I do. :-)
Bella is a believer, oh yes, she is. I don't believe she started crazy, but that Voldemort actually pushed her over the edge, recognising her potential. I started thinking more about Bella because of a meme, actually. Someone asked to name a character we don't like and pick one trait that we admire about them. Very cool task - very interesting new perspectives.
Heheh - I was expecting that some readers would feel weird about Minerva's connection. I was first shocked, too. But then I decided that Minerva is more than a dried up old lady - she knows life, and she knows the juicier parts, too. And she is a teacher at heart. That bit of canon, where she almost thanks Harry for his gallantry - it shocked me when I read it. It made no sense to me with what I had seen of Minerva until that moment, and so I really needed an explanation for why she wouldn't address her concerns.
SQUEE - you liked the Pansy-drabble! *happy dance* I think your observation why JKR allowed her loved characters to be brave is spot on: the books are romantic, and this means that most characters are pictured as clearly black or white. And those few characters who aren't have a hard time, almost as if JKR wanted them to pick a side in the end. There are no greys in Harry's world.
Re: Eight Harry Potter women, pt.1
I've never said it before, but the arrangement of the characters is derived from the events in book seven. I simply used the time-line of DH to decide where to put which scene in this story. But looking back at it now, I can see how the drama is rising with each scene, just like in the books.
I like exploring Umbridge. I find her efficiency and self-righteousness extremely scary, and the whole regime she installed at Hogwarts and at the MoM reeks of Third Reich. I believe happiness, for her, means lording over underlings and putting everyone to their place.
The Hermione-drabble - I like your observation that it was probably closest to canon and least "inventive". It's true, because Hermione and Ron are the characters we have most information about apart from Harry. So I guess that showing new sides of Hermione would mean more exploration time that I gave her. And I'm glad that you like Hermione in canon just as much as I do. :-)
Bella is a believer, oh yes, she is. I don't believe she started crazy, but that Voldemort actually pushed her over the edge, recognising her potential. I started thinking more about Bella because of a meme, actually. Someone asked to name a character we don't like and pick one trait that we admire about them. Very cool task - very interesting new perspectives.
Heheh - I was expecting that some readers would feel weird about Minerva's connection. I was first shocked, too. But then I decided that Minerva is more than a dried up old lady - she knows life, and she knows the juicier parts, too. And she is a teacher at heart. That bit of canon, where she almost thanks Harry for his gallantry - it shocked me when I read it. It made no sense to me with what I had seen of Minerva until that moment, and so I really needed an explanation for why she wouldn't address her concerns.
SQUEE - you liked the Pansy-drabble! *happy dance* I think your observation why JKR allowed her loved characters to be brave is spot on: the books are romantic, and this means that most characters are pictured as clearly black or white. And those few characters who aren't have a hard time, almost as if JKR wanted them to pick a side in the end. There are no greys in Harry's world.