Cold Beboots was cold

[beboots]

The final evening at Christmas Reflections at Fort Edmonton! It ended up being like -27C in the river valley... The poor draft horses had frost all over their coats, and were brought into the stables (switched out for tractors AKA "mechanical horses" ;) ) halfway through the evening. I took a shower right before I left for work, and I put my hair in braids while wet. So after I lit the bonfires, and I realized about an hour into my shift that my braids had frozen. SOLID. Like, icicle cores. D: 

CHECK IT OUT



PIPI LONGSTOCKING COSPLAYS = NOW RIDICULOUSLY EASY. 

And for comparison purposes, here is what it looks like defrosted. SO FLOPPY



Here is a shot of the glorious bonfire I made yesterday, to warm you up wherever you are. :)

Comments

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

Harry, even in canon, is very circumspect about his childhood. I'm always amazed that Arthur & Molly Weasley didn't find out; I mean, maybe they thought that Fred, George & Ron were exaggerating when they said that they had to tear bars off of Harry's window when they rescued him in second year. "

The only way it makes sense to me is that the Weasley adults thought that the kids were making up a fantastic story (to get away with grabbing Harry for a vacation). There is no other way for Molly to blithely go on thinking about Harry at the Dursleys. "Not fed half of enough" would be just the first step toward Molly showing how parenting is done.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"The only way it makes sense to me is that the Weasley adults thought that the kids were making up a fantastic story (to get away with grabbing Harry for a vacation)." Trufax. I'm actually not sure what I'd have my Draco do if he found out about Harry's home life. Would he be able to do anything, even if he wanted to? After he became better friends with Harry, of course, and besides half-starving the Boy-Who-Lived for two months of the year isn't going to help him become a stronger wizard... right? Also, the Dursleys are like the prime example of why muggles suck: they'll do anything to keep wizards down. They're like the anti-Weasley, or the anti-Grangers. Crisis of faith for Draco?

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"Trufax. I'm actually not sure what I'd have my Draco do if he found out about Harry's home life. Would he be able to do anything, even if he wanted to? After he became better friends with Harry, of course, and besides half-starving the Boy-Who-Lived for two months of the year isn't going to help him become a stronger wizard... right? Also, the Dursleys are like the prime example of why muggles suck: they'll do anything to keep wizards down. They're like the anti-Weasley, or the anti-Grangers. Crisis of faith for Draco?"

'Muggles suck'... but the Grangers are okay, and it's hard to openly hate people that took you in and took you out around London and made a huge effort to help you feel comfortable. He might still be able to manage it, but Draco might be relieved to have some truly backwards Muggles that he can actively despise.

If Harry lost the first time, Draco would have enough reason to change things. If the prophecy becomes common knowledge (another huge thing to prove that he's for real, as Snape overheard parts and Dumbledore heard the whole thing), then Draco knows Harry was the one that could have killed Voldemort.

Past that, he might be far enough along to actually care. The entire time, they've thought Harry was a spoiled brat, and he's not. He's about as far from it as you can get in the suburbs. Everyone seemed to assume the Muggles would like him because the wizards all do, but... oops.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking that Draco probably wouldn't find out until the summer before their third year, or something. He was pretty busy chillin' with the Grangers during the summer before that, and so maybe he was only mildly worried about Potter not replying to his letters.

Oh wait, what about Dobby? Hmm... maybe I should just leave Dobby in, unchanged. House Elves are beneath a pureblood's notice after all, right? Unless Draco just so happens to remember Dobby's role in rescuing Potter, Granger and the others from Malfoy Manor during seventh year? But maybe all house elves look the same to him. ;)

Yeah, I think Draco would do something about Harry's home life, mostly because rescuing Potter would get him brownie points, he needs Potter alive and well for his plan to work, and the fact that he hates muggles mistreating wizards. (Or mistreatment, period, but he justifies it the other way.)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"I'm thinking that Draco probably wouldn't find out until the summer before their third year, or something. He was pretty busy chillin' with the Grangers during the summer before that, and so maybe he was only mildly worried about Potter not replying to his letters."

It might only be a concern that Hermione and Draco aren't getting letters. They do have other things to think about, and maybe Potter got distracted multiple times or something, but Draco has no idea that some house elf knows about his dad's secret plot.

"Oh wait, what about Dobby? Hmm... maybe I should just leave Dobby in, unchanged. House Elves are beneath a pureblood's notice after all, right? Unless Draco just so happens to remember Dobby's role in rescuing Potter, Granger and the others from Malfoy Manor during seventh year? But maybe all house elves look the same to him. ;)"

There's a chance that he would recognize Dobby. He's seen the house elf loads of times, there was that special time at Malfoy Manor with the faint recollection that a specific house-elf is important...

"Yeah, I think Draco would do something about Harry's home life, mostly because rescuing Potter would get him brownie points, he needs Potter alive and well for his plan to work, and the fact that he hates muggles mistreating wizards. (Or mistreatment, period, but he justifies it the other way.)"

He has to be careful about when he does it. If Harry was 11, or 12, "you saved me from the Dursleys. Thanks, mate." At 13/14/15, you get lots of thorny teenage "nobody helped me before don't use this against me"

[beboots.livejournal.com]

I don't think that Draco would have known the full story of Dobby - I imagine that all he'd really know might have been the tail-end of it, with Lucius pissed off about losing a house elf. It may take Draco a little while to put the pieces together. Then again, if Dobby actually tells Harry what's going on - who his masters are - like halfway through the year again (must reread to doublecheck my facts), since Harry is presumably closer to Draco this time around perhaps he'd just tell him? And then Draco can try to work out a way to make Dobby back off that doesn't involve calling in his father?

"He has to be careful about when he does it. If Harry was 11, or 12, "you saved me from the Dursleys. Thanks, mate." At 13/14/15, you get lots of thorny teenage "nobody helped me before don't use this against me"" That is very true. Early on in the summer before third year, though, Harry would still be twelve. There could still be a little bit of resentment, though. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

That would make sense. I think Dobby does confess that he's from Malfoy's house, so they remember Malfoy potentially slipping something into Ginny's cauldron of books (I've always kind of wanted to do that, fill a cauldron with books--no idea why). If Harry is closer to Draco, Draco can figure out a way to command Dobby (and potentially get Dobby to babble about Harry Potter long enough to hear something about the muggles?) They probably still watch Ginny and start excluding Hermione, especially if Draco already has the target objective. He and Harry are friends, Hermione was a secondary plan. If he needs her back later, he can buy her a book or something and she'll be right there. (In his mind, at least.)

There can always be resentment when somebody comes in, armor shining, and fixes this gigantic problem that you couldn't tackle yourself.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

I've used cauldrons this past summer at Fort Edmonton. The cast iron ones are ridiculously heavy. >_>

"If Harry is closer to Draco, Draco can figure out a way to command Dobby (and potentially get Dobby to babble about Harry Potter long enough to hear something about the muggles?)" Perhaps! Perhaps Dobby can be one piece of the puzzle that Draco eventually puts together regarding Harry's home life?

"If he needs her back later, he can buy her a book or something and she'll be right there. (In his mind, at least.)" I can definitely see that being his thought processes. He'll be disabused of this notion later.

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

Ick. Cast iron cauldrons sound about as much fun to carry as twenty-foot steel rowboats. (Nobody ever uses them because they are giant, bulky, awkward, and heavy, and the girls at the camp can get their kayak stuck on the bank. We still have seven that need to be carried around every summer.)

"Perhaps! Perhaps Dobby can be one piece of the puzzle that Draco eventually puts together regarding Harry's home life?"

Dobby does have two distressed settings. Draco wants to avoid the punishing-self stage (that's not going to help him get any information from the thing), but the so-nervous-he's-babbling would help-- all this insanity about locks on the outside of the door and bars on the window and hardly believing it was Harry Potter, something like that could work. It's also a huge distraction from Hermione, especially if she's already been snippy and not properly admiring of personage Malfoy.

"I can definitely see that being his thought processes. He'll be disabused of this notion later." Quite vocally, at that. Hermione does not suffer fools lightly, and it's a guarantee that someone has done this to her sometime-- they're "friends," but only when it comes to doing homework or studying for tests or writing papers. When I was more gunshy about people, I'd be friends with them for three months before letting them know that I wouldn't mind doing homework together, just to keep out the "sure we're friends now what'd you get for number seven" crowd.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Ick. Cast iron cauldrons sound about as much fun to carry as twenty-foot steel rowboats." Ooh, that doesn't sound like much fun either. :P I've had to help shift a York Boat before (not sure of the estimate size, except that it's DAMN HEAVY and can carry like 4 tons of cargo), but we didn't even attempt to lift it up. We used log rollers, and later a tractor to help us pull. :P

"Dobby does have two distressed settings. Draco wants to avoid the punishing-self stage (that's not going to help him get any information from the thing), but the so-nervous-he's-babbling would help-- all this insanity about locks on the outside of the door and bars on the window and hardly believing it was Harry Potter, something like that could work." Yeah, I believe so. I think that Draco has an acquired aversion to torture, as well, and equally knows that you don't get much useful information out of someone that way either. ;P

"It's also a huge distraction from Hermione, especially if she's already been snippy and not properly admiring of personage Malfoy." Exactly!

"Quite vocally, at that. Hermione does not suffer fools lightly, and it's a guarantee that someone has done this to her sometime-- they're "friends," but only when it comes to doing homework or studying for tests or writing papers." I'm sure that that has happened. Perhaps the only reason that she's stuck around so long with Draco was that he was her first magical friend and that he never expressed interest in having her do his homework for him? (Unlike, say, Ron.) But now he's acting so strangely...

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"Ooh, that doesn't sound like much fun either. :P I've had to help shift a York Boat before (not sure of the estimate size, except that it's DAMN HEAVY and can carry like 4 tons of cargo), but we didn't even attempt to lift it up. We used log rollers, and later a tractor to help us pull. :P"

We had to pick them up because they were in a cramped spider-webby boathouse that raccoons had claimed as a personal city. At least three boats had a furious raccoon underneath. When we scared them away from the boats, a couple got into a wall, and then the ranger had to deal with them. The boathouse had a way-too-narrow door with a ten-inch cement lip that you had to step over right before turning-- it was not designed well. We did better after lunch, though. We coaxed the head cook into releasing a couple of his guys (all the guys working at the camp that year were in the kitchen making terrible food), so they showed off by lifting canoes over their heads and insisted that we watch. The female response: you got it. I'll watch you carry canoes all day.

"Yeah, I believe so. I think that Draco has an acquired aversion to torture, as well, and equally knows that you don't get much useful information out of someone that way either. ;P"

Not that it matters if he tortures a house-elf. It's just not reliable. People will say anything to make it stop, they'll confuse whatever good information they know... bribery's better, if outright flattery/coaxing doesn't work.


"I'm sure that that has happened. Perhaps the only reason that she's stuck around so long with Draco was that he was her first magical friend and that he never expressed interest in having her do his homework for him? (Unlike, say, Ron.) But now he's acting so strangely..."

He was the first person her age that could keep up. Draco is pretty smart himself, and he has a twelve-year advantage over everybody else. He answered her questions, he wrote her letters, he didn't want her around when it was time for homework and away any other time... and then something gets weird.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Okay, I can't top crazy attack raccoons. ;)

"Not that it matters if he tortures a house-elf. It's just not reliable. People will say anything to make it stop, they'll confuse whatever good information they know... bribery's better, if outright flattery/coaxing doesn't work." And bribery is practically a family tradition! ;)

"He was the first person her age that could keep up. Draco is pretty smart himself, and he has a twelve-year advantage over everybody else. He answered her questions, he wrote her letters, he didn't want her around when it was time for homework and away any other time... and then something gets weird." Definitely. She thought that they were like equals, and then he started going about acting like he was better than her. :P

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"And bribery is practically a family tradition! "

It is! Bribery can do many, many things that intimidation alone cannot--like keep Lucius out of Azkaban and make the record state he was under Imperious.

" Definitely. She thought that they were like equals, and then he started going about acting like he was better than her. :P" And then Tom was right there being understanding, she's muggleborn so Tom had a completely blank slate on explaining how the journal works... plus, she has stories about Harry Potter, amid all the unhappiness about some jerk ex-friend that doesn't like her anymore.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"It is! Bribery can do many, many things that intimidation alone cannot--like keep Lucius out of Azkaban and make the record state he was under Imperious." It helps that they had no evidence against him. NONE, right? This generous donation to your political party and a children's ward in St. Mungo's says I didn't, minister. >_>

"And then Tom was right there being understanding, she's muggleborn so Tom had a completely blank slate on explaining how the journal works... plus, she has stories about Harry Potter, amid all the unhappiness about some jerk ex-friend that doesn't like her anymore." There there, little girl. I'm the only one who understands. Certainly not the boy who once called you a mudblood.

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"It helps that they had no evidence against him. NONE, right? This generous donation to your political party and a children's ward in St. Mungo's says I didn't, minister. >_>" It just says that Lucius is a KIND AND GENEROUS INDIVIDUAL who will definitely vote for the Minister in the next election. And make several substantial campaign donations. But Lucius is admitting nothing.

" There there, little girl. I'm the only one who understands. Certainly not the boy who once called you a mudblood." If Draco tries to talk to Granger at the end of the year, good luck. He might not even have been paying attention to her grades (maybe he and Hermione would go over the quiz answers at least? Snape would probably be able to grade those fairly, they're next to impossible, and he can give her the Gryffindor penalty on essays if he's so inclined). If Snape gets pissed and asks Draco if he honestly intends to be Granger's friend, and Draco does make that late effort... the diary's been very happy to poison Draco and Harry and Ron as potential friends, and I bet they've given her material. Snape hates Gryffindors, she doesn't really make the bond with Hagrid until third year, McGonagall plays a little distant, and she has Tom.

So it's going to be bad, but it'll be awesome story-wise? Especially if you keep the focus over on little Ginny Weasley.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"It just says that Lucius is a KIND AND GENEROUS INDIVIDUAL who will definitely vote for the Minister in the next election. And make several substantial campaign donations. But Lucius is admitting nothing." THAT'S THE OFFICIAL STORY AND EVERYONE BETTER STICK TO IT. That includes you, Draco, beloved and only son who is acting strangely. >:(

(Of course, Lucius is much more likely to give Draco a stern talking-to in private over Christmas break if Draco looks like he's breaking ranks. The Malfoys don't want to cause a scandal.)

"and he can give her the Gryffindor penalty on essays if he's so inclined" I like this idea, of Gryffindor penalties. ;) 100% on Snape's potions essays can only be achieved by Slytherins and by God. ;) (When I took a few summer classes in France a few years ago, the grading system was explained to me: 20/20 = for God, 19/20 = for the professor, 18/20 or less = realistic marks for the rest of us.)

"If Snape gets pissed and asks Draco if he honestly intends to be Granger's friend, and Draco does make that late effort... the diary's been very happy to poison Draco and Harry and Ron as potential friends, and I bet they've given her material. Snape hates Gryffindors, she doesn't really make the bond with Hagrid until third year, McGonagall plays a little distant, and she has Tom." You're so right about it being sad... but it'll be awesome when Draco (and presumably Ron and Harry) actually realize what happened and start trying to make it up to her.

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"THAT'S THE OFFICIAL STORY AND EVERYONE BETTER STICK TO IT. That includes you, Draco, beloved and only son who is acting strangely. >:("

Son that runs away to go live somewhere nobody Lucius knows can find him, because why would he choose to go near Muggles?

"(Of course, Lucius is much more likely to give Draco a stern talking-to in private over Christmas break if Draco looks like he's breaking ranks. The Malfoys don't want to cause a scandal.)"

Really. Getting in close with Dumbledore (if it's obvious to the school) is for... other people. (Like Snape. I kind of get the feeling that Lucius wouldn't like that Snape got out of charges because Dumbles came forward and said "sorry he was working for me," even if Snape is somehow awesome enough to convince Voldemort that he was actually working for HIM (Voldie) all that time, and just tricking Albus.) Also, what kind of person needs a job? The ideal profession is to be rich and influential, not a schoolteacher. Lucius and Severus were competitors for favor, and I don't know if I ever saw evidence for friendship between them. The best sign for anything like that is that Narcissa goes straight to Snape in the sixth book when there's a problem.

"100% on Snape's potions essays can only be achieved by Slytherins and by God. ;) (When I took a few summer classes in France a few years ago, the grading system was explained to me: 20/20 = for God, 19/20 = for the professor, 18/20 or less = realistic marks for the rest of us.)"

I had one teacher in high school that was worse than that. He's the worst grader I've ever had, I laughed when people told me my college writing professors were hard. Steadily getting 17/30 meant you were actually a good writer, because anything over 20 was pretty damn good. I got a 30/30 exactly once, and that was because I wrote an absolutely deadpan satire about why absolutely no immigrants should enter the United States. I also wrote that with no preparation and in 30-odd minutes, and referenced two different English ruling houses and a decent chunk of American history, so... it was a pretty damn cool essay, and I still have that paper just to prove that it is possible for him to not tear your paper into metaphorical shreds with his red scribbles.

"You're so right about it being sad... but it'll be awesome when Draco (and presumably Ron and Harry) actually realize what happened and start trying to make it up to her."

They might need to work fast. If Hermione's letters home aren't convincing, her parents might have already been thinking about withdrawing her from the school. If Dumbledore needs another hint (because Snape might not tell him everything, Albus doesn't understand subtlety and Snape's hint about grades worked), the Grangers might write to him expression concern that none of the staff had contacted them about their daughter's hard year.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Son that runs away to go live somewhere nobody Lucius knows can find him, because why would he choose to go near Muggles?" Another point on Lucius's mental tally for "possession" as the explanation for Draco's weird behaviour and not "time travel", because, again, what son of his would act like THAT?

"Lucius and Severus were competitors for favor, and I don't know if I ever saw evidence for friendship between them. The best sign for anything like that is that Narcissa goes straight to Snape in the sixth book when there's a problem." That's one of the incidents that I find most interesting: I'm pretty sure that going to Snape meant that Snape was closer to the Malfoy family (or at least Draco) than any of the other Death Eaters. I mean, Narcissa didn't go to MacNair or anybody, right? Well, I guess it may have been because Snape could keep an eye on Draco all year, but ...

"I got a 30/30 exactly once, and that was because I wrote an absolutely deadpan satire about why absolutely no immigrants should enter the United States. I also wrote that with no preparation and in 30-odd minutes, and referenced two different English ruling houses and a decent chunk of American history, so... it was a pretty damn cool essay, and I still have that paper just to prove that it is possible for him to not tear your paper into metaphorical shreds with his red scribbles." Hardcore. That paper sounds awesome! But yeah, I hate teachers/professors like that, because yeah, it should be something pretty spectacular to get 100%, but on the other hand, if even amazing writers are barely "passing", then they're being dinged when they do things like apply for scholarships or university. :P It's a dick move to your students, because most other professors WILL NOT be marking you so badly.

"They might need to work fast. If Hermione's letters home aren't convincing, her parents might have already been thinking about withdrawing her from the school." Damn. That would suck... D:

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"Another point on Lucius's mental tally for "possession" as the explanation for Draco's weird behaviour and not "time travel", because, again, what son of his would act like THAT?" Plus, what on earth kind of future would make Draco go be friendly with muggleborns and Harry Potter? Lucius might have even been able to accept the Potter thing, if switching sides seems an option, and maybe the Granger girl will do something useful, but a Weasley might be the breaking point. (Not that they're friendly, but non-hostility would go a long way toward winning Harry over.)

"That's one of the incidents that I find most interesting: I'm pretty sure that going to Snape meant that Snape was closer to the Malfoy family (or at least Draco) than any of the other Death Eaters. I mean, Narcissa didn't go to MacNair or anybody, right? Well, I guess it may have been because Snape could keep an eye on Draco all year, but ..."

I do think Snape might have felt a little something for Draco. He might have sympathized a little, and if you pay attention, all through the sixth book it feels like Snape is trying to let Draco get out of it. Draco won't confide in him, though, so Snape knows barely anything about just what he's supposed to help Draco do. (I cannot be convinced that Snape would approve of a plan that let Fenrir Greyback into the school. It would be hard to convince me about Bella, but Snape does NOT do werewolves, let alone in his school.)

" Hardcore. That paper sounds awesome! But yeah, I hate teachers/professors like that, because yeah, it should be something pretty spectacular to get 100%, but on the other hand, if even amazing writers are barely "passing", then they're being dinged when they do things like apply for scholarships or university. :P It's a dick move to your students, because most other professors WILL NOT be marking you so badly."

It is terrible at university, too, when you have a professor that honestly doesn't want to give out a 4.0 unless you cure cancer while being a part-time superhero and reconcile quantum mechanics with relativity. Bully for them and their standards, but their students are going to get severely messed up when they try moving onto further schooling or if their GPA self-destructs. Make it challenging-but-possible and you have a deal.

" Damn. That would suck... D:" I think you'll surprise people with the "It's Hermione" twist on things, but it fits her. She never has that chance to bond with Ron and Harry, and it took a mountain troll for those two to give her the chance. (I think Harry would have been dead multiple times over without her, now that I think about it. The Sorceror's Stone would have been safe behind Dumbledore's trap, Harry and Ron would have been stuck in the potions room, but second year, Harry has no idea that it's a basilisk unless he tells everybody in the house that he hears voices in the walls (doubtful), third year Harry doesn't have a partner for his time-traveling adventure, fourth year he'd do alright... There's not a major problem until seventh year, when they really, really could use a researcher and Harry and Ron end up fighting (thank you, locket) with nobody there in the middle to blame.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Plus, what on earth kind of future would make Draco go be friendly with muggleborns and Harry Potter? Lucius might have even been able to accept the Potter thing, if switching sides seems an option, and maybe the Granger girl will do something useful, but a Weasley might be the breaking point. (Not that they're friendly, but non-hostility would go a long way toward winning Harry over.)" Yeah, the Weasley thing is just the last straw. DOES NOT COMPUTE

" (I cannot be convinced that Snape would approve of a plan that let Fenrir Greyback into the school. It would be hard to convince me about Bella, but Snape does NOT do werewolves, let alone in his school.)" Yeah, I'm pretty sure that Draco only confided the bare minimum of information to Snape (I'M ON A MISSION FOR THE DARK LORD)

"It is terrible at university, too, when you have a professor that honestly doesn't want to give out a 4.0 unless you cure cancer while being a part-time superhero and reconcile quantum mechanics with relativity. Bully for them and their standards, but their students are going to get severely messed up when they try moving onto further schooling or if their GPA self-destructs. Make it challenging-but-possible and you have a deal." I've been fairly lucky so far with my professors who will actually give out a 4.0 if the student merits it. You still have to be pretty spectacular, but there are generally several people per class who get it.

"I think you'll surprise people with the "It's Hermione" twist on things, but it fits her." I think so too! I don't like timetravel or crossover fics in which the author follows the original script religiously: that's not the point! The point is to shake things up! Also, while I'll hint at it being Hermione, since it's from Draco's POV and Draco is, as previously established, NOT the most reliable of narrators, I think that it will be a genuine twist. :3

Hermione is totally necessary. She adds a bit of Ravenclaw to the boy's otherwise regrettably Gryfindorish plans. She puts the brakes on their foolhardiness. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, the Weasley thing is just the last straw. DOES NOT COMPUTE" And if Hermione is hanging out with the Weasleys to buy school supplies, and Draco went with her, that could even be enough justification for Lucius to give the diary to Hermione. Weasleys are terrible, yes, but his son would NEVER think of such a thing on his own-- it's the girl, obviously. If she can manipulate his son, he'll see how she can do against the diary (SECRET HORCRUX OMG LUCIUS DO NOT HAND THOSE OUT LIKE PARTY FAVORS). (Except please do, if they're going to come in contact with basilisk venom.)

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that Draco only confided the bare minimum of information to Snape (I'M ON A MISSION FOR THE DARK LORD)" I just flashed right to Blues Brothers. It's a disconcerting mix. "We're on a mission from God." It also took until Spiderman 2 to damage more cars, I think. It's not an official status that I know about, but my dad and I think it's true.

" I've been fairly lucky so far with my professors who will actually give out a 4.0 if the student merits it. You still have to be pretty spectacular, but there are generally several people per class who get it." My favorite was the insane lady that used to teach at some little college where the grading system was just plain weird. Take the top two grades, average them, and set ninety-five percent of that value as the four-point mark. I lucked out with that class. If you could take notes through two hours of boring lecture, and then you did the readings and looked over your notes, you rocked the exams. Most people slept through the 8am snoozer class, or just looked at the powerpoint slides instead of writing down the things she actually said.

"I think so too! I don't like timetravel or crossover fics in which the author follows the original script religiously: that's not the point! The point is to shake things up! Also, while I'll hint at it being Hermione, since it's from Draco's POV and Draco is, as previously established, NOT the most reliable of narrators, I think that it will be a genuine twist. :3" Exactly! It's boring if things happen all the same BUT BETTER BECAUSE NOW THEIR FAVORITE CHARACTERS DON'T DIE. Actually changing things because the character changes... very much purr on that one. I've written entire stories based on "action X didn't happen at time Y," and they're very, very fun little stories. I love reading them when the author puts half as much thought into "if I send Draco back, and give him the tiniest nudge to not being a bigoted little prick, what happens?"

"Hermione is totally necessary. She adds a bit of Ravenclaw to the boy's otherwise regrettably Gryfindorish plans. She puts the brakes on their foolhardiness. ;)" She's also The Girl, and the realization (oh crap she's a GIRL) was done right on target. By the time the boy realizes that the cute female friend is indeed female, they're generally dating somebody that didn't take two years to figure it out. (Granted, he was fourteen, but he still wins an award for a no-tact way of asking a girl out. Even if she did like him right then, she probably would have said no because she could.)

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Weasleys are terrible, yes, but his son would NEVER think of such a thing on his own-- it's the girl, obviously. If she can manipulate his son, he'll see how she can do against the diary (SECRET HORCRUX OMG LUCIUS DO NOT HAND THOSE OUT LIKE PARTY FAVORS)." I'm trying to think of how that meeting would go down. Lucius doesn't want to cause a scene, obviously, and Draco probably doesn't want to talk to him... Perhaps Hermione can be the combative one, which gives Lucius a chance to dump the diary on her while Draco is hustled away by the elder Grangers? So he wouldn't notice? (Also, I'm betting that Lucius didn't exactly understand what he was just giving away. Otherwise his actions make no sense.)

"It's boring if things happen all the same BUT BETTER BECAUSE NOW THEIR FAVORITE CHARACTERS DON'T DIE. Actually changing things because the character changes... very much purr on that one. I've written entire stories based on "action X didn't happen at time Y," and they're very, very fun little stories." And the plot just cascades differently: small changes at first, which then get bigger and bigger... :3

"By the time the boy realizes that the cute female friend is indeed female, they're generally dating somebody that didn't take two years to figure it out." XD Trufax. I've been wondering how I'll address this (much further down the line, like in fourth or fifth year). I like the idea of this being a gen fic, but perhaps much, much later...? I'm not sure if Draco could ever get past his initial "ew, mudblood cooties" kind of reaction. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"I'm trying to think of how that meeting would go down. Lucius doesn't want to cause a scene, obviously, and Draco probably doesn't want to talk to him... Perhaps Hermione can be the combative one, which gives Lucius a chance to dump the diary on her while Draco is hustled away by the elder Grangers? So he wouldn't notice? (Also, I'm betting that Lucius didn't exactly understand what he was just giving away. Otherwise his actions make no sense.)"

The Grangers might react very badly to Draco's dad, too. Hermione might not know what's going on, and think there might be more to it than her parents are thinking, but it might be her parents that have some things to say about Malfoy? It would be pretty easy to slip something in with her books if Lucius knocked all of hers out of her arms, especially if she'd already finished buying them and was ready to leave, and when people were helping her pick them all up, they grab the little one without a visible title. She finds it later and thinks it's a journal, maybe her parents slipped it in for her.

"And the plot just cascades differently: small changes at first, which then get bigger and bigger... :3" Exactly! Don't start with a Mary Sue, start with the character that might just go through the same mistakes all over again, then let them SLOWLY change enough that the plot will follow.

"XD Trufax. I've been wondering how I'll address this (much further down the line, like in fourth or fifth year). I like the idea of this being a gen fic, but perhaps much, much later...? I'm not sure if Draco could ever get past his initial "ew, mudblood cooties" kind of reaction. ;)" Draco could have a couple moments of "I did not expect her to clean up so well," maybe? She usually puts absolutely no effort into her hair (which is completely foreign what a weirdo), but in Wizarding dress robes with her hair magicked into place and somewhere along the line getting her teeth fixed... not bad. For a mudblood. I still don't think he'd be interested without a few years of the right setup, but he could progress to "she's kinda pretty. Sometimes."

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, protective!Grangers? :) I like that idea. I think that Malfoy Sr. is just going to be really confused about their attitude, though, because Lucius in fact was not abusive towards his son. He just wants him BACK (so he can cure/exorcise him).

There are surprisingly few fics out there that make me glee over the changes they bring. :P

Oh, and speaking of plot changes... I was talking with my friend Cassidy on the bus today (we share a class and a rabid interest in fandom), who is looking over this fic as well, and talking to her in person I've sort of hashed out a bit of an idea for where this fic could actually lead (like, ending-wise).

I think that we'll have the whole Heir of Slytherin thing happen throughout the second year, and during the summer, especially, we'll have Draco working with Dumbledore, Snape, and possibly the Order, as well as trying to help Hermione deal with ACTUAL possession. However, I think that since Dumbledore has since gotten the case against Sirius dropped (so he's released!), third year lacks a villain. Well, perhaps I can have Pettigrew still be a villain... and/or Quirrel, who may not have actually been killed at the end of first year like he was in the books. Draco's influence, I suspect. ;)

So perhaps third year can be about chasing down those loose ends, and have Draco actually confronting the aspects of himself that he would have rather not have addressed, and dealing further with his PTSD. Possibly also a reconciliation with his parents, too. Also, extra research into the dark arts, because something wasn't quite right about Riddle's Diary... and Draco is trying to figure out what. So, with Draco's already relatively extensive experience with dark magic, and further access to the restricted section in the library, it could possibly be HIM who figures out the horcrux thing?

Hermione also has the time turner: to take all of those classes, yes, but she's also now completely paranoid about getting top marks, especially after last year... and so maybe she puts together the pieces of Draco's backstory herself, because time travel was on her mind continuously. I would love for her to find out, too. :)

Also, it occurred to me that the one thing that I haven't really addressed so far is Harry and Draco's acquaintanceship/friendship. It can't all be about Hermione! D: How does Harry deal with all of this? (Also, incidentally, Ron.)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

Muggles are crazy. They're even crazier than he thought (even if they do have the good taste to be protective of his son FOR NO REASON because they're crazy.)

"I think that we'll have the whole Heir of Slytherin thing happen throughout the second year, and during the summer, especially, we'll have Draco working with Dumbledore, Snape, and possibly the Order, as well as trying to help Hermione deal with ACTUAL possession." I think it was a fanfic, but it was an awesome line regardless. (Pretty sure it was fanfic, probably Harry Potter and the Battle of Wills on ff.net) Harry is in full angst-mode that his life sucks (true) and being possessed really sucks (also true.) Ginny instantly takes him down by yelling that maybe he should talk to somebody that understands what it's like to be possessed. Later on in the series, Hermione completely has Harry's back, and she might even be a superstar Horcrux hunter. Tom just might have fed in enough true details to make her feel very protective (orphan does nicely, even if he's a self-created orphan that killed his dad), so she can figure Voldie right out.

Pettigrew and Quirrel together for third year? The Triwizard conspiracy plot was really quite convoluted, and the two of them might have a decent shot at kidnapping Harry third year, and you might even be able to throw a Timeturner bit into the part at the graveyard, where Hermione ends up taking Draco? All crazy speculation, but Voldie wants a real body and wants Harry's blood, if Pettigrew and Quirrel meet up they have two people to help with the prep... that could be the year when time-travel is an easy option.

Yay for research! That might even be a decent way to reconcile with Hermione. It's dark as hell, and he might be worried because she still is 13, but her response to bad things or scary things is to start reading. If he can get a free pass in the Restricted Section, then she can start finding whatever traces there are of Horcruxes in that library.

"So, with Draco's already relatively extensive experience with dark magic, and further access to the restricted section in the library, it could possibly be HIM who figures out the horcrux thing?" He could figure it out if there are any books in there. Riddle didn't find much until he talked to Slughorn, and there might actually have been traces of researching horcruxes in the memories he showed Hermione. She's a year older than Ginny and quite a bit more bookish, so Hermione would be the type to reasonably remember "he was reading this book in one memory".

Poor kid, Hermione might need the time turner just to catch up. McGonagall could probably talk Hermione into going a little easier on the schedule. Muggle Studies is redundant and Divination is... um... (Minerva Disapproves of such silly areas of study.) Take those two out and she can use the time-turner to help her catch up with the previous year's work. I think McGonagall and Flitwick would meet with her once in a while to help her with several spells at a go, and Snape might just give her the occasional detention for typically Snape-ish reasons and set her to brewing anything second year that comes up on later exams. It's a little atypical for him, maybe, but I think he'd make an exception just that once. I think he'd feel a little guilty for not catching it sooner, and he's hardly going to blame a little girl for getting coaxed into chatting up Voldemort. Not even purebloods know that Tom Riddle = Voldemort.

"Also, it occurred to me that the one thing that I haven't really addressed so far is Harry and Draco's acquaintanceship/friendship. It can't all be about Hermione! D: How does Harry deal with all of this? (Also, incidentally, Ron.)" Harry will become much friendlier if Draco saves/helps save Hermione, and I think the big reaction will be Harry and Ron suddenly realizing that Hermione doesn't have any close friends in their house. I can see Hermione and Neville sticking together as the odd ones out, and maybe she can try to keep him from utter disaster every time he steps into Potions.