Chapter 39 *spoilers*

[MrRigger2]

The new chapter of NoFP is up. Go ahead and use this thread to discuss the chapter and future speculation. Spoilers may be unmarked for those who haven't read it.

And of course, a great thanks to Viridian for getting it out to all of us.

MrRigger

[JamestheFox]

Yay, my first time participating in new chapter discussion!

The most interesting thing here is that Harry hasn't told Ron that he once pulled the sword from the hat, sorta letting Ron think that he's done something that even Harry never saw done. I wonder what the repercussions will be if Ron finds out the truth...

It doesn't sound like Pettigrew is serving Voldemort here. It sounds more like Lucius. Who else would be most ticked off that a Weasley got the spotlight performance?

[gman391]

Makes sense, I do wonder about the overall ramifications and I'm not sure I like the dirty politics at the end..still a good chapter.

[MrRigger2]

The most interesting thing here is that Harry hasn't told Ron that he once pulled the sword from the hat, sorta letting Ron think that he's done something that even Harry never saw done. I wonder what the repercussions will be if Ron finds out the truth...

I can't imagine there would be a big misunderstanding, as Harry wasn't saying that he'd never seen the Sword pulled from the Hat, Harry was saying he'd never seen anyone in either timeline kill a Dementor.

I wouldn't really call what happened dirty politics, just politics.

I want to read the whole chapter again before I do a more extensive review, so expect something tomorrow on that, most likely.

MrRigger

[Shiwacca42]

The last lines of the chapter are:

"But that was when the whole thing fell apart. Instead of pictures of students who'd been Kissed, the papers were full of stories about the students driving them from the grounds. Even more, there were claims that an heir of Gryffindor had emerged during the battle. The youngest Weasley boy. That last detail drove his master into a rage that left Peter Pettigrew twitching on the fine carpet, desperately trying to maintain control of his bodily functions... Peter wondered if he might be safer serving another..."


I'm not quite sure but i beieve this is refering to one of two people as Peter's "master" (and its definately not Voldemort!). I think it is either:

a) Lucus Malfoy: He's an obvious candidate by his former death-eater-ness, the fact that he is wealthy (fine carpet), and his hate for all things Weasley.

b) Cornelius Fudge: While this may not be obvious it would make sense for several reasons: He could easily be using Peter as he had him locked up in the ministry and could easily be using him to plot terrorist attacks to control people and kill his enemies, as a Minister he is probably rich (fine carpet... again), and one more reason; It is just the kind of twist you would expect from S'TarKan after all he's done.

[Kodra]

Loved this chapter, great to see it up. It was a fantastic plot and a great climax for the third year. The description of the Dementor battle was very well done as it did a good job portraying the chaos and fear, as well as the heroics of Ron.

Was GREAT to see Ron finally get his moment, and I enjoyed the political subterfuge going on in Dumbledore's office.

You made a comment at the end about wishing that one of your Beta's had found something to stretch out. I understand why the scene with Ron and Harry waking up was abbreviated and evasive (because they weren't in a secure place) but I really do want to see more of that discussion. Ron is being seen as a hero in the same way Harry often is. This is a great opportunity for them to discuss what that means, and given that Dumbledore brought it up, discuss what ways they can use this to their advantage (and whether or not Ron is comfortable with that).

Dumbledore basically told Harry he should use Ron's fame as a pawn to be traded for something they value more (keeping the Muggle part of the attack out of the news). Harry doesn't seem like the guy who would do something like that without first consulting Ron on it, and I think that would be a very interesting conversation to see.

I'll wrap up with the fact that I thought Ron's instant reliance on Hermione over Harry or Neville (who would both be likely better suited for making sure letters followed wizarding protocol) was cute. I wonder if he is conscious of his preferences at this point, or if this is still all subconscious. Either way, I always appreciate a bit of fluff.

[Atarlost]

With Peter working for ¬Voldemort Voldemort probably won't return "on schedule," so it appears he has been completely replaced as the prime antagonist. He may even silently die next time he tries to switch hosts depending on how horcuci work.

The current antagonist is escalating much faster and smarter than Voldemort did. It doesn't look like Harry is going to get to wait until he attains his majority before open war erupts since we're already in the terrorist phase Voldemort didn't get to until year six.

[Joe]

You have no idea how much my day was cheered up by finally getting a new chapter

Some thoughts;

1. So I was right about the IRA's recruitment purpose being to breach the wards, but I was wrong about everything else.

2. It seems pretty clear at this point that Wormtail was working for Lucius, but now he's planning to leave to find Voldemort. So we're looking at a fourth book ressurection, which is interesting as another plot point will probably be coming to a head around then;

3. Harry's magic is reaching the point where he gets stabbing pains in his chest if he unleashes his magic at full power. Now I know that Harry has a lot of raw power even in canon and doubling that power would grant him huge reserves of magical power. But even taking that into account, his raw power seems to be enormous.

How much more of future Harry's power does he still have to assimilate?
Is merged Harry's potential raw power double non merged Harry's? Or is a case of the whole being greater of the sum of it's parts?
How does Harry's current raw power compare to Dumbledore's or Voldemort's?
Are the sharp pains in Harry's chest the result of Harry's power increasing faster than his body can adapt, or is his magical core still unstable from the merger?

[Atharyn]

For the stabbing pains in his chest, it is entirely possible you're over-analyzing the situation. The human body can only take so much before something gives. Thus heart attacks in times of extreme stress. It doesn't seem out of place for the magical core to have similar problems. Looking at the cannon Potter-verse, Harry typically experiences a lot of pain and then passes out whenever he over does something - like fighting Quirrelmort in the first book's climax.

It is possible that Harry was just over-exerting himself magically.

Thoughts?

[someone]

Now I know that Harry has a lot of raw power even in canon.

Any form of magical cores/power levels is fanon.
Canon Harry is just very good at DADA and duelling.

[Joe]

Now I know that Harry has a lot of raw power even in canon.

Any form of magical cores/power levels is fanon.
Canon Harry is just very good at DADA and duelling.

Not really; in HBP Voldemort has an enchantment on the boat in the horcrux cave that measures the amount of magical power crossing the lake. Dumbledore notes that sixteen year old, unqualified wizard Harry's power won't register in close proximity to highly experienced Dumbledore's.

This implies that wizards have measurable levels of magical power that increase through experience.

[jgkitarel]

I seriously doubt that Lucius was the one who came up with the plan. It's too far outside what his MO seems to be. He would be the one to capitalize on things, but this kind of plan is too direct for what seems to be in character for him.

While the use of such proxies would certainly tickle his fancy, I doubt that his prejudices would allow him to use muggles for such a thing. There are plenty of others who would be far more pragmatic.

[Psalm Of Fire]

It was a joy to catch up again to read the chapter. It snowed today, just as I began to read. I read most of the story the first time when it was snowing, so I could practically surf the waves of nostalgia!

The story feels... more focused now? The fast scene changes flowed together well, and it weaved a great intensity. That, combined with what feels like a sharpening of the old suspense really adds momentum.

Loved the super, window-cracking sonorus, too.

Nice work!

[TheAmazonMan]

OK... SO I am new here. Just made an account because of how much I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this fanfic. Right now I am deployed and have a lot of downtime. A couple days ago I came across fanfiction.net and this story. Needless to say two days later I have finished chapter 39. (yes I am a fast reader) Matt I can not say enough just how powerful this story is. I got emotionally "attached" as it were around the first few chapters. The hell Harry has been through, with all of the wars and friends he's lost, really hit home. I think I have shed a few more tears through this then through JKR's. I mean I didn't even get this attached to the JKR story-line until HBP. And even then, I was hoping Harry would become a badass! But sadly, he never did. And once I started reading yours I knew, just knew you were going to make him what he should have been. I mean someone who has gone through what he has SHOULD be messed up! But at the same time there should be some added power that he can not really control. It is quite a good balance friend.

So anyways i'm rambling... lol! When I started reading the story I thought it was a completed one. Once I started getting to the latest chapter I was starting to get really annoyed! I was like, "ok there's NO way he can wrap this epicness up in a chapter". And once I found out it was still a work in progress I was so ecstatic! I like how his changing certain things in this timeline changes certain outcomes and events. It makes it continuously refreshing!

Please keep going! You have quite the fanbase (me included) and I am seriously very happy to be here with all of these cool people that support you. I wish I could pay you enough to not have to work so you can just dedicate all your time to writing this, but that's just me being selfish. :)

Thank you Matt

-Adam N.

[jgkitarel]

Ron's CMOA was worth it as well. There's something to be said about him charging a dementor and wrestling it long enough to get Gryffindor's sword and then killing the dementor with it.

[thefrizznit]

When I started reading the story I thought it was a completed one. Once I started getting to the latest chapter I was starting to get really annoyed! I was like, "ok there's NO way he can wrap this epicness up in a chapter". And once I found out it was still a work in progress I was so ecstatic!

-Adam N.

I had the COMPLETE opposite reaction! I usually only look for completed stories on fanfiction.net because I got let down by too many abandoned stories when I was younger. So maybe this time I might have forgotten to put 'Completed' on my search parameters and only looked at length. I don't know what happened, but it wasn't until a few chapters in that I realized it was incomplete and I was...a little concerned. I wasn't too worried because I thought, "Well he might update before I get to the end." Then I looked up and saw the date it was last updated and I realized there had been no activity in a year...and I was fucking PISSED!!!!! I knew I couldn't stop reading. I knew this was one of the best fanfics I had ever read! So with very little hope, I added the story to my 'follow' list, so if it was ever updated, I could read it. And here we are. When I got the email it was like someone had punched me in the face. I NEVER expected an update after this long of a time. Of course, I had to read most of the story again because it had been over a year since I read it, but still. It was just as awesome.

I'd like to say that I am still amazed by the details of this fanfic. It is a literal dream come true for fans who wish things might have turned out better. Granted, Deathly Hallows didn't end so morbidly, but still. I love the 'what ifs?'. What if Harry had befriended the others earlier on? What if he had started training earlier? What if he hadn't lived with the Dursleys? I like that it is an alternate universe, but not a completely different universe. Maybe this is how the Star Trek fans felt with the recent movie, when the different canon was explained very neatly in the first ten minutes. I can't say since I don't watch a lot of Star Trek. My point is that the characters are the same, but they are merely reflecting how they would grow under different circumstances. I also enjoy the budding hormones and the intelligence of the group. I am 21 years old and I know I see 11 year olds as immature little kids. But then I have to think back when I was 11. I was madly in love with my best friend. I cursed like a sailor. It was when I was 11, that I started to question my religious beliefs. It was then that I really started to assert my philosophical, political, and moral beliefs as well. I forgot how much I already knew and felt at that age. I have different feelings now and I have a better understanding of myself, but that doesn't mean my feelings and thoughts then were any less valid. I guess what I'm trying to say is that even though some people might find these kids written a little too mature, I disagree.

Sorry for the rant. I'm the only one in my group of friends that reads fanfiction so I can't talk to them about it.

[jgkitarel]

Even better, the Evil Authorlord actually got quoted in a news periodical on fanfiction.

[Tempest Kitsune]

Link?

[jgkitarel]

Gonna have to dig it up, reimaged my hard drive recently. If I recall correctly, the link had been posted back in the original Yahoo group.

It has been awhile since that article was written.

[Kitty-Chan]

*hands jgkitarel a shovel* I want to read it, too.

Man, but I squee'd hard when I saw that there was an update. Kudos for Ron finally getting his moment! I loved that Dumbledore actually brought the parents in on the discussion for once; too often in HP the parents are ignored.

[Greatlimmick]

I'll wrap up with the fact that I thought Ron's instant reliance on Hermione over Harry or Neville (who would both be likely better suited for making sure letters followed wizarding protocol) was cute. I wonder if he is conscious of his preferences at this point, or if this is still all subconscious. Either way, I always appreciate a bit of fluff.

Hermione is basically the smartest person he knows. He's been studying with her for a couple of years and is pretty much accustomed to the fact that if he can think of a question, she probably knows the answer. And he's recently been clued into the fact that, when he asks her a question, she fixates on the fact that he wants to know rather than the fact that he doesn't know. Finally, as both a peer and a good friend, she's more approachable than teachers who may be more knowledgeable or experienced. So it's pretty reasonable that, when he doesn't know something, his first impulse is to ask her.

On the other hand, Harry pointed out that Hermione considers studying to be a form of socialization, and she wants to study with Ron. This was just as likely to be an attempt (conscious or otherwise) to finagle some alone time with Hermione. (Which may have backfired, but it's the thought that counts.)

I loved that Dumbledore actually brought the parents in on the discussion for once; too often in HP the parents are ignored.

I don't think he had much choice. Or, at least, I don't think he thinks he has much of a choice. Arthur and Molly have already chewed him up one side and down the other a couple of times over their children's safety, so he wants them to hear his version of the story first. He also needs Harry's help playing spin doctor, since lies and silence aren't options at this point, but so far he has a slightly better track record getting the adults to cooperate, and Harry listens to them.

[Wittgen]

The line about never seeing a dementor killed was weird. Harry killed a crap ton of Dementors via wards. I don't get why that doesn't count.

Nice chapter, I suppose, but everything feels so crazy safe and low stakes. There was an elaborate, perfectly executed plan by Harry's enemies. It caught him completely off guard. And it cost him...nothing. He and his friends stopped it no problem. They foiled not just the assault objective but also the long term political objective of their foe.

It's not necessarily bad. It is odd though. This was a man vs. himself story about Harry struggling with the ethics of time travel and his ptsd. Now it's shounen. There is great power in friendship and Harry uses his super magic core to shatter glass with his voice. His power is over 9000!

[jgkitarel]

Harry also knows just how lucky he was, considering how close Ron and Hermione came to getting kissed. As for the killing of dementors, Harry could have easily forgotten about the wards he used to kill them, or he is simply not thinking that his exploits counted. Also, he used wards to kill them, so he was in a defended location, not going out, wrestling one and then stabbing it with a big ass sword.

Is Harry rightly impressed with Ron? Damn straight he is.

Also, still looking for that article, but having some trouble finding it. It has been several years, after all.

[viridian]

The line about never seeing a dementor killed was weird. Harry killed a crap ton of Dementors via wards. I don't get why that doesn't count.

Nice chapter, I suppose, but everything feels so crazy safe and low stakes. There was an elaborate, perfectly executed plan by Harry's enemies. It caught him completely off guard. And it cost him...nothing. He and his friends stopped it no problem. They foiled not just the assault objective but also the long term political objective of their foe.

It's not necessarily bad. It is odd though. This was a man vs. himself story about Harry struggling with the ethics of time travel and his ptsd. Now it's shounen. There is great power in friendship and Harry uses his super magic core to shatter glass with his voice. His power is over 9000!

Regarding dementors - One, it was the wards that killed the dementors, not Harry. He just pushed them into the really nasty "Best Gringotts can Do" specials. Big stationary magical fixtures would have to have some sort of effect on Dementors, otherwise how did the Ministry ever get them to behave?

Two - The incident with the Improved Wards at The Burrow is not publicly known. So, even aside from the differences between hiding behind the shiny wards and sticking a sword in it's craw - it's still big news.

Yes, Harry's PTSD is fading - unnaturally so. And he's resolved some of his qualms (with the help of his friends). But there are a couple of things that happened in this chapter that ought to be concerning the reader... (Unless maybe my foreshadowing needs to be less subtle?)

[Wittgen]

By that logic, it was the sword of gryffindor that killed that dementor, not Ron. Ron just pushed the dementor into a really nasty ancient artifact. I mean, come on. Tools are tools. To clarify what my confusion was, the passage read like Harry was amazed to see a dementor killed. Like it was shocking that one died. But dementors in this story have already been shown to be mortal, so it caused some confusion to me.

I don't get where this attitude that I am saying Harry shouldn't be impressed is coming from. Of course it was impressive. That's not what I found odd about the passage.

It's totally possible that there are hints of danger to come. I missed them. That could just be how long it is since I've read post-basilisk chapters or poor reading skills. My criticism is more that there is no conflict which I feel at all engaged in. I don't feel the heroes are in any danger. I don't feel like there's anything at stake. So when "cool" things like giant patronuses or super loud voices happen, I don't feel like the characters are really accomplishing anything. To me, recently, there hasn't been any weight to the actions, and that has created an odd dissonance with what are clearly meant to be awe inspiring acts of magic.