I'm here because kellychambliss recommended this and she's got impeccable taste.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I think your use of the prompt is very original and thought-provoking, it's hard to question people you look up to and I can understand Hermione's fears concerning the questioning of Dumbledore's discoveries. I'm currently doing a Master's myself so this really hit home. The part about truth in particular. "“Unless you believe that it is literally possible to survive for years with one’s heart locked in a glass casket, I should think it is self-evident that there is no true version. It is, after all, a work of fiction.” I think I can learn a bit from that. I'll keep this quote on top of my new dissertation this year if you don't mind so I don't spend hours speculating wildly on which version is the true version. I loved both your independent and strong Hermione (with whom I identify so much) and your inspiring Minerva in this story and I'm so glad it was posted for such an inspiring fest. I thought the portraits were a really nice touch although I don't know how Minerva manages to work under these circumstances, it's hard enough to do the right thing without being constantly observed! The humour you introduce sometimes is really excellent, concerning the portraits and Minerva's thoughts in particular "She considered pointing out that Muggle university students did not normally have to share their living quarters with children or poltergeists, but decided against it.", for example, but also her interviews with various potential Muggle Studies teachers (esp Arthur, I'm afraid to see he considers this more as exotica than should be allowed from a Professor). The end is brilliant - how to let go of one's project once it's over and how to let go of students and people. I can't let go of my dissertation so I'm writing another one on a slightly different topic but which is very much linked to the first one. I can't quite let go of school so I've decided to become a teacher. Minerva has always, incidentally, played a great part in this decision: it's when I read Philosopher's Stone eleven years ago and met her that I decided I wanted to be a teacher. This sort of fanfic also reminds me of why. Thank you so much for writing it.
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Date: 2009-09-27 08:20 am (UTC)I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I think your use of the prompt is very original and thought-provoking, it's hard to question people you look up to and I can understand Hermione's fears concerning the questioning of Dumbledore's discoveries. I'm currently doing a Master's myself so this really hit home. The part about truth in particular. "“Unless you believe that it is literally possible to survive for years with one’s heart locked in a glass casket, I should think it is self-evident that there is no true version. It is, after all, a work of fiction.” I think I can learn a bit from that. I'll keep this quote on top of my new dissertation this year if you don't mind so I don't spend hours speculating wildly on which version is the true version. I loved both your independent and strong Hermione (with whom I identify so much) and your inspiring Minerva in this story and I'm so glad it was posted for such an inspiring fest.
I thought the portraits were a really nice touch although I don't know how Minerva manages to work under these circumstances, it's hard enough to do the right thing without being constantly observed! The humour you introduce sometimes is really excellent, concerning the portraits and Minerva's thoughts in particular "She considered pointing out that Muggle university students did not normally have to share their living quarters with children or poltergeists, but decided against it.", for example, but also her interviews with various potential Muggle Studies teachers (esp Arthur, I'm afraid to see he considers this more as exotica than should be allowed from a Professor).
The end is brilliant - how to let go of one's project once it's over and how to let go of students and people. I can't let go of my dissertation so I'm writing another one on a slightly different topic but which is very much linked to the first one. I can't quite let go of school so I've decided to become a teacher. Minerva has always, incidentally, played a great part in this decision: it's when I read Philosopher's Stone eleven years ago and met her that I decided I wanted to be a teacher. This sort of fanfic also reminds me of why.
Thank you so much for writing it.