Recurring Dialogue
Chapter 4 of 19
KingPig***Winner of the Judge's Choice: Best Avada Kedavra in The New Library Awards 2008***
A conversation between two friends ignites a passion, if not an obsession, to uncover Severus Snape's dark and violent past.
No amount of consoling seemed to breech her melancholy mood as Minerva finally said goodnight to her late best friend. Albus' canvas likeness nodded to her as the candles were snuffed, and he was left among his snoring predecessors, the painted twinkle in his eye now absent. The door released a soft snick as it was slowly closed behind the retreating form of the Headmistress.
In her elaborate bedchamber, Minerva paused before reaching for her tartan nightgown, her thoughts still on the tense conversation that she had with her three former students. All full-fledged adults now, even the small girl...woman, she quickly corrected herself...who reminded her so much of herself at that age. However grown they were, Minerva was unable to properly see them as anything but their child-selves in moments like that which had transpired in her office the bickering they engaged in rapidly dispelled any semblance of maturity, however subtle (or oftentimes obvious, as was the case with Severus) the quarreling might seem.
As she slipped the nightgown on and rolled back the comforter and sheets of her four-poster bed, she reflected on the dilemma that seemed to surround two of her cubs and the sliver of a serpent. The two boys...men, she corrected herself...made no secret of past injustices and animosities that sprung from their shared childhoods within the castle; although, at least one of them had, since his graduation, tried vainly to bridge the gap with the promise of friendship. Minerva shook her head sadly, the thought of her Gryffindor professor offering a platonic relationship with all the brashness, forwardness, and unrestraint of his House that it would entail to a boy...man...who shied to the shadows of human interaction the very thought made her wince. They both seemed forever destined to be on opposite ends of the spectrum, and she wondered if at least civility, if not friendship, was too much to hope for. Knowing Severus as she did, she knew it would be too much indeed.
Which brought her mind to another track of thought: that of the young apprentice who bravely entered the serpent's den without any thought of caution. Severus had never physically hurt another student or staff member (with the exception of the string of DADA professors that Albus was ill-advised to appoint, and even then, Snape had shown remarkable restraint) since he began his teaching career at the age of twenty even while he was under astonishing amounts of stress that continued right up until the end of the War. That he had never really harmed Harry, the child of his sworn enemy and the woman who was the recipient of his deepest infatuation and possible love, the child whom Severus had seemed to project all of his own failings and mistakes as well as that of James' that no real injury was visited upon Harry had made Minerva's respect for the Slytherin reach new heights. Yes, Severus was capable of self-control, despite all those around him who harbored opinions to the contrary.
However, the recent events of the War had changed something within the Potions master, as war is known to do. The only other person who could have been affected by the events surrounding the battle as deeply as Snape was Harry himself, though it could be argued that even Harry did not have the full weight of the world on his shoulders as the Slytherin had carried, and without complaint. Harry had the support of the Wizarding world at his back, despite even the Daily Prophet's best attempts. Severus had only the unwavering support of Albus Dumbledore (though "support" might not have been the best word to describe it, she mused), and Minerva could admit to herself that even she had questioned the Potions master's agenda several times, though she was only vocal about it after the death of her employer. Yet, even then, Hermione had showed amazing faith in her professor, whispering faintly, "'Evil' is a strong word..." in reply to Harry's assessment of the man that evening.
And now this young woman was employed by the irascible man whom she had placed all her trust in which, shamefully, worried Minerva. Severus' already fragile state of mind had bent a bit more with the effects of the War, and he had confessed to her that he wished he had not ingested the anti-venom potion hours before Nagini had attacked him, that he wished he had perished on the dingy wooden floor of the Shrieking Shack. She reminded him that he had taken the antidote as a safety measure should he be bitten before he had a chance to reach Harry, but he had dismissively waved her off and changed the topic.
Now, the man lashed out at others almost uncontrollably, hid even more in shadows, and was even more difficult to draw into conversation. His eyes, while always haunted, at moments began to cloud over and empty of all emotion, reminding her harshly of the eyes of the Inferi. She happily reveled in the times when he seemed to be himself, when his unique blend of black humor rose to the surface, the way he seemed to deign himself to the company of perceived inferiors (which was everyone, she noted, herself included), the irritation he displayed at anyone who was unable to catch on to something he felt was infinitely simple that was the Severus she knew and loved, but his appearance was rare and instead often replaced by a cold, numb, ghost of a man. She did not know this side of him well, did not trust this change that had come over him, and her only solution thus far was to treat him with kid gloves. How could she expect Hermione to understand this? Hermione the former student that, even on his best day, could reduce the surly professor to primal fits of rage? Yet... yet, Minerva had more glimpses of the Severus she knew, the man hidden deep inside, since Hermione had accepted her position as an apprentice...
The Headmistress lowered herself onto the soft mattress with only a minimal creaking of joints and a contented sigh of relief. Pulling the bed coverings up to her neck, she snuggled into the soft embrace of slumber after determining that the enigma of the snake and lioness could be analyzed further after a good night's rest.
***
The air was heavy and cloying and completely still one of the most humid July afternoons she would ever recall as she wound her way around the nearby greenery to discreetly observe three children huddled together at the far corner of the park. Two girls and a boy had segregated themselves from the rest of the playing children and were intent on quietly discussing something that seemed of great importance. Cautiously, she crept closer, careful not to alert them to her presence or to engage the attention of any passersby.
The girls stood a slight distance away from the boy, shooting him looks of both disgust and palpable curiosity. The tallest child, and most evidently the eldest, was a girl of plain looks with shoulder-length, dishwater blond hair, small, squinting eyes, and a pointed nose that was slightly upturned. She stood with both hands placed on her hips, legs slightly apart, with an expression of now pure revulsion aimed at the boy. She wore a white, pleated skirt that hung above her knees and seemed to swell and stretch around her hips in a most unflattering fashion. Her top was a striped orange and yellow, short-sleeved piece that barely covered her bellybutton as it glued itself to her gangly body in the heat. She kept surreptitiously tugging the shirt down self-consciously during their discussion and peeking over her shoulder nervously to ensure the group's secrecy.
The other girl, who shared some of the features of the older one next to her (Minerva guessed they were sisters), had long, auburn hair that shone like gold in the sunlight and fell down to her shoulder blades. Her almond-shaped eyes were tinted in several shades of emerald green with yellow flecks that glittered as she stared at the young boy in front of her, her expression conveying complete awe and wonder. Her clothes fit her in a much more becoming manner, as she seemed yet unaffected by any sudden growth spurts like that of her sister. She dressed in simple earth tones that only accentuated her natural beauty, and she seemed utterly out of place between the two children surrounding her.
Minerva slowly turned her attention to the boy that captivated both the sisters. He was painfully thin, nearly emaciated, and only slightly shorter than both girls. The t-shirt he wore was stained with a dark substance near his collar, long since dried, and sported a few tiny holes. It was striped black and dark gray, and seemed as though it was a few sizes to small as it clung to his tiny chest. He wore a pair of navy denim jeans that flared slightly below the knee, dirty with the same color stain that his shirt bore. The pants hung off his skeletal frame and were only held up by a black leather belt that seemed to have been wrapped around his waist twice before being fastened. His sneakers were black canvas with white laces, white soles, and a white semi-circle of rubber covering his toes.
Minerva brought her sharp, feline gaze up to inspect the boy's face. His hair was jet black and stringy, reaching to just underneath his chin. His eyes were pools of liquid ebony that set in stark contrast to his porcelain skin. His nose was long, aquiline, swollen and colored with harsh bruises of black, purple, and blue obviously recently broken and the source of the dark stains on his clothes. As she watched, a thin trail of blood trickled down to his upper lip, which he unceremoniously licked away. Her sight gradually traveled back up to his inky eyes and was instantly taken aback at the glare that leveled back at her.
Beside the child, his two young female companions stood fixed, staring ahead, frozen in time as silence descended. Minerva took two swift steps back and away from the boy, never once dropping his gaze or blinking. Years spent among various cats that populated the Hogwarts castle had taught her how to establish dominance, as well as the small signs that indicated submission or weakness. The child before her seemed to understand this primal communication as he slowly advanced on her, always keeping eye contact. "Kitty, kitty," he maliciously purred to her.
Minerva inwardly frowned and searched from the corner of her eye for an available escape and only caught a fleeting glimpse at the other inhabitants of the park, all suspended unnaturally in time. She began to panic. The boy calmly circled her. She heard Albus' voice rising over the sound of blood rushing in her ears, chanting over and over in a matter-of-fact tone, "The boy is dangerous. The boy is dangerous. The boy..."
"Shut up!" the child screeched in visible rage, his head tilted towards the sky as if in search of the source of the words that still repeated. The bleeding from his nose resumed enthusiastically as tears began to flow down his pale cheeks. The voice droned on in the background, but the volume lessened drastically. He lowered his head slightly and sought her eyes while taking another step towards her.
Minerva was now caught between the urge to flee for safety or to stay and embrace the child who now looked at her with pleading eyes. She wanted to say his name and comfort him, she wanted to transform out of her cat form to hold him and ease his turmoil, but she was trapped in silence. She watched in horror as he fell to his knees before her.
"Why? Why did you turn away?" His sobs broke to the surface now, hoarse and soft and broken. He stared at her through his tears and asked, almost inaudibly, "Why didn't you believe me?"
Minerva tried to shout, "Severus!" but all that escaped her lips was a high-pitched wail. He broke their eye contact then and reached into his grimy jeans pocket and extracted a thin, Muggle razorblade. Once again their gazes locked as he whispered with the voice of his adult self, low and deep, "I'm sorry." Her eyes widened as the blade slid into the soft skin of his throat without resistance in a smooth, graceful, practiced motion. The arc of the dark, thick liquid carried enough distance to thoroughly shower her as it spurted from his wound; the sticky substance clung to her as her mind registered a distance scream penetrating the silence that enclosed them. She squeezed her eyelids close and allowed herself to focus on the noise, let it carry her away.
***
When Minerva opened her eyes once more, she found she was shrouded in darkness. She barely registered the scream she was hearing was her own, and the sticky substance she was coated in was not blood, but sweat. Her hands flew out to her sides and rummaged around under the bed coverings to assure her of her location and to reassure herself that she was, in fact, in her natural human form. After a few calming, deep breaths, her panic subsided marginally just enough for her to feel safe in throwing off her covers and wordlessly, wandlessly, light the candles that surrounded her bed.
She reached for her simple night robes with a quivering hand and donned them over her nightgown with difficulty. She paced a few moments before making a decision and rushing through two sets of doors to her main office that held the Floo connection. Against all reasonable thought, she let emotion guide her to this conclusion she must speak with Severus Snape, no matter what the ungodly hour.
The Headmistress took a deep breath to compose herself, then grabbed a handful of Floo powder and in her haste, upset the ceramic bowl that enclosed it and sending the container crashing to the floor. Unaffected by the amount of crushed powder and shattered clay shards that littered her fireplace, Minerva resolutely pitched the contents held in her right fist into the green flames and shouted the name, "Severus Snape!" With the standard wave of nausea that she felt every time she contacted someone by Floo, she strained to focus her eyes as she pressed her head into the fire.
On the other side, she felt a blast of cool air assault her face before she could register her surroundings. She called out, "Severus!" several times, but to no avail. The room was pitch black and nothing stirred. The feeling of panic rising again, she cried out twice more before taking the plunge and pushing her entire body through the flames.
Arriving in his office, she quickly dusted herself off and ignored the nagging thought at the back of her mind that she should not be here. Throwing caution to the wind, she strode purposely toward the back of the room and rapped her knuckles futilely on the heavy wooden door that led to his personal chambers. "Sever..." she began to call out again, but immediately silenced herself as she noticed the large door was already slightly ajar. Cautiously, she peeked through the opening and saw a dim, blue light seeping through the darkness. Immediately, and without thought, she transfigured herself into her Animagus form and slipped noiselessly into the room.
Author's Note Three cheers for the most awesomest beta ever: Angel Mischa! Any mistakes found are mine cause I ...am human! That or it's because I forgot to change something AM told me to. Which is still me being human. Hehe.
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Latest 25 Reviews for Conversations
323 Reviews | 6.63/10 Average
Wow, what a wonderful story!I've been finding those kind of stories for a long time.Love the way you describe Snape and his horrible past.This is the first time I've ever wrote a review on a fic.Please continue with your story! :)
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so very much! I'm so honored to be the first receipient of a review from you! I know I haven't updated this story in almost a year, but my RL career has had me working overtime constantly, and I'm almost finished with my all-consuming project, and around this time next month, I should have the free time available to post the next chapter. Thank you again!
I'll say that you've continued to write wonderfully. I like your plot, and the way you protray the characters. I've happily favorited this story and hope to see it up-dated soon. 
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much! The story is on a little hiatus right now, as I have a deadline for my RL work – but in the next few weeks I should have time to come back to Conversations and update! Thank you again!
I LOVE your banner!! It looks amazing! And I really like the chapter! I hope the rest of this story is this good!
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so, so very much! I hope I don't disappoint!
Anonymous
I do love Luna. What a wonderful vehicle she is for all things wise. If you need any help with chapter 20, don't hesitate to poke me. I promise there'll be no more disappearances! ;)
Author's Response: LOL! I'd be really, really, really grateful and appreciative of any help you'd offer! Kittylefish has graciously offered to beta for me, but I can use all the help I can get! LOL.
I have all but the very beginning of chapter 20 – which may be superfluous anyway (the beginning). Not sure.
I just found this story by accident a couple of days ago. Now I see that you have not updated for months. I do hope that nothing has gone so terribly wrong in your life that you cannot finish this thrilling tale. That is a selfish attitude, I know, but it is all your fault for being such a good writer. I simply must know how Hermione wins him over and helps him to realize how precious and beautiful and special he really is. Please, please update soon. Don't abandon this exquisitly written piece of fan fiction.
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
LOL, no, not a selfish attitude at all! I greatly, truly appreciate your review and encouragement! I do feel very guilty about the lack of updates, and thankfully I have no tragic excuse – I have just been extremely busy with "RL" issues regarding work, vacations, and, unfortunately, a horrible case of writer's block. However (!), I have written a bit of the next chapter, and am posting a little snippet of it on my livejournal today (I'm a bit worried that this particular section of the story might be too... fluffy, so I'm looking for some constructive criticism), which you can check, if you'd like, at http://kingpig.livejournal.com/ ... please let me know what you think if you do take a look at it, and don't mind a bit of a spoiler. Once I get it all worked out, and find a willing beta, then I should have something posted here soon. Thank you, thank you, thank you again!
I've been reading all day long to read this story in one rush and it was so, so worth it! Psychological stories are hard to write and I have to say that I love this one! Please keep going! xox
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much! I'm so thrilled you enjoyed it, and I agree, psychological stories are very difficult to write (and very draining) – but without at least some psychological aspect, a story can become very hard to read. I am working on the next chapter, but I am stretched a bit thin when it comes to RL occupation, RL in general, and the SBB project... plus the fact that Severus is just not cooperating :( But I am working on it, so please stay tuned, and thank you again!
Oh, welcome back! I just love having my empathy beaten up from all directions at once. Your portrayal of Snape's PTSD is so believable. I can imagine that he must feel like a accident victim brought to a trauma center to have his life saved. First you're found (by strangers), then immobilized on back board and hard collar to prevent further injury (whether or not you find it uncomfortable or claustrophobic), then you're poked and prodded and a mask put over your face. Transported who knows where. Everyone is talking at you all at once. You arrive at the ER and then they cut off all your clothes in front of God and everybody and proceed to expose you, open your wounds, clean them out with industrial solvents, manipulate your body, more needles but no pain meds, blinding lights, a whole cacophony of incomprehensible sound, and no control, no say in what is being done, nowhere to hide, no way to escape. And all the while, they say they are helping and you're supposed to believe them. **small animal sounds of distress**Hermione will need every bit of her very old soul's experience to help this terribly battered hero with the new soul to learn that there really is love in the world for him. Bravissima. Please continue.
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
I absolutely adore your review, and I don't think I could ever apologize enough for my response being so late. *hangs head in shame* I'm very, very sorry!I love the analogy as well, as I never really thought about it in that context, although I had quite a similiar experience! (On top of all that you described, my little sister had witnessed the car accident, and because they put me on a board with the collar, she called my mom and told her I was paralyzed, then she called my grandmother to say I was dead. She was only ten, and I 16, so you can imagine my surprise when I was wheeled out into the lobby in a wheelchair, with only superficial wounds and one cut needing a paltry three stitches, and my entire family – including some I had never before met – greeted me with tear stained faces and the expression as though they were looking at a ghost. I fear most of them were disappointed I didn't at least break a bone, LOL!)And I agree that Hermione will need to draw on her wisdom-beyond-her-age reserves, but she'll also have a few issues of her own, in regards to emotional maturity, so it probably become a "blind leading the blind" scenario for a small bit.Thank you, thank you, and thank you some more! I don't know when the next chapter will be posted, but I am spending what little free time I can to devote to it! Please stay tuned!
Minerva must have a lot of grief on hr plate. She made some serious mistakes with Severus over the years. Hopefully he will be willing to try to let her make amends.
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much for the review! Yes, I believe Minerva is just now realizing the magnitude of her and AD's past behavior. I think Severus may be feeling as though it's really convenient, that MM and RL and PP suddenly want to apologize, now that the damage is done and was ignored for so long. But, that's not to say that Severus will completely shut her, them, out.Thank you again!
Yay! I'm glad you're back!This is a great story, gripping and intense, though I found difficult to read sometimes.A lot of authors who go high on angst can't portray their characters as -well- f#cked up enough for what they've allegedly been through - your Snape is a stellar exception!It's chilling to watch him vacillate between the persona of the controlled Professor and that of a wounded child. You make it all psychologically believable - great job!My only worry is how on earth will he be capable of forming any sort of functioning relationship with Hermione.You DO have "romance" listed in genre tags for that story, albeit at the very end - is that how long we'll have to wait to see some lovin'?Do you have this story mapped out, or do you write as it unfolds for you? (I think I've read in one of your Author's Notes that it started off as one-shot. Sorry if I got it wrong, I seldom notice A/N's when on a reading binge.)Good luck in all your RL exploits, may nothing distract you from updating ASAP!Thank you for a great evening!
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so, so much! Although it can be very difficult indeed, I'm so thrilled that you stay with it. And I very, very greatly appreciate your comment about my characterization of Snape as a realistic survivor of intense trauma. I often feel, because I'm my own worst critic, that I'm not truly conveying the gravity of his circumstances, so a review like yours means so, so much to me! I also share your concern over how he and Hermione will be able to form a healthy relationship – I know it will happen, as that's the true plot and original direction of the story, but <i>how</i> and how long it will take is a little worrisome, I admit. I do know that it is possible, as I write some of his childhood directly from my own experience, and I have found and formed a healthy relationship with my husband – it just took a while to do. And, also, I sadly don't have this story really mapped out, there was no outline – you are correct, it did just start as a one-shot, and I'm letting the story write itself. Which may upset some readers, because I have no idea how long this story will be, or exactly what obstacles it will contain, and I have a feeling people can tell that it's unfolding as it goes... mostly because, to me, it seems to jump around a lot, and there are a few scenes that have yet to be really explained (what Minerva saw when she walked into his room that made him so angry, what Hermione will do with the shoebox of mementos, what kind of potion Severus was about to drink before his fight with Remus...). Sorry to make this response such an epic novel in and of itself, but I really appreciate your insightful review, and I wanted to reply to it with the respectful explanation that it is due. Thank you so, so much again! Chapter 20 is in the process of being written as we speak!
“I bet this is a strange world to him.” Luna is so remarkably perceptive! And I do hope she is right about Hermione's ability to help this poor, tortured, brave soul.I think it may be a testimony to his courage that he did not become a true psychopath, that he did what he was driven to do yet still did not break into a thousand pieces.And good for Minerva trying to get through to him, telling him of her own shame and shortcomings, as well as of her love. He may never truly believe it, but his confusion suggests that perhaps he might be able to at least know that she believes it.Who is Patsy communicating so carefully with? And how will they use the knowledge of Severus' role in the family tragedy?Fascinating!
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much! In regards to the Luna comment, I'm really relieved that you enjoyed it. Their entire dialogue (HG and LL) was something I wasn't sure of including, even up to the point of clicking "submit." It was in constant risk of being cut, and I'm so glad that you liked it!As for Minerva and Pansy, I can't really elaborate on that just yet, as it's central to the upcoming chapters, but I don't think you'll be disappointed! Thank you again, your reviews are always delightful!
This was a most interesting chapter!! I loved the 'discussion' between Luna and Hermione. Luna always has such a deep understanding of life. I think her 'knowing' always leaves people a little confused. What really surprised me was the whole bit on Pansy's letter writing. It made me laugh as it is basically the same way I write things. The rewriting, the editing, the careful scanning to make sure it says only what I want it to say... it was funny to see my own unconscious process under a new light.I was also very taken with Minerva's heart-felt speech to Severus. "And every time you proved your intense loyalty, your passionate veracity, your inherent Light that shines so blindingly bright, it casts pale shadows over all the others I had ever perceived as heroes – every time, Severus, I would stand in awe..." - Oh Yes! That is our Severus.
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you! I'm so relieved to hear that you enjoyed the scene with Luna and Hermione – it very nearly ended up on the cutting room floor. Even after it was submitted, I was very uncertain about it.LOL, yay, another person who writes things with such a neurotic process as Pansy and I do! I'm really bad about it, for because of this, it takes me forever to even type out a text message. And I see tones and inflections in emails, texts, etc., so people are always confused when I call them and say, "What did I do to make you so disappointed/angry/sad/etc?" They're like, "Wha?" and I say, "You used '...' after [insert word here], which could only mean you were slightly annoyed/uncertain/etc." It drives my friends, family, and especially my husband insane. And I'm thrilled that you enjoyed Minerva's speech to Severus, it was, admittedly, my favorite piece to write in this chapter. Thank you again!
this has to be one of the darkest fics i've ever read. but phenominally well written. everyone failed severus, everyone. and your story shows that perfectly. thanks so much and i await the next chapter.
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much! The next chapter is currently in the works, but has been delayed due to a recent death of a family member as well as current job deadlines looming over my head. I hope to have something up in the next few weeks, please stay tuned!
well, the idea of young snape having to take matters into his hands that way is fairly disturbing, and pansy sending off that article with her letter is of concern. perhaps minerva's words will somehow get through to him. very dense and complex chapter.
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so very much! Things are starting to come together, and the next chapter is in the works!
Can't wait for the next chapter! Plese don't make it too long! I've just discovered your story and I really appreciate its psychological depth. But I have to confess that so far, I really don't see how Severus and Hermione could end up together. Not that I don't want them to! Snape seems to be a "hopeless" case. But I trust you to make it credible:)
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much! I know it seems bleak for our heroes, but love often pops up in the most unexpected, even inappropriate, times. I can say it won't be all roses and rainbows – but have faith... love may not be able to heal <i>all</i>, but it can still heal.Thank you again! The next chapter is in the works, but may be delayed due to a recent death in my family in addition to a looming job deadline. I do, often, give updates to the story's progress on my livejournal – my LJ name is kingpig (I'd post the link but I don't know if I'm allowed to...)
okay, so Pansy might just be caught in a bad situation and not really doing something wicked, although she knows she needs to be careful. Minerva has finally communicated to Severus, and I hope she sticks with her intentions. the article Pansy found is heart-wrenching, and I can see a small Severus always regretting that he didn't act soon enough to save his mother's life. stupid wizarding world had no Dept of Social Services to care for wizarding orphans and maltreated kids! Dumbledore was not a good parent-figure to anyone.thank you for the new chapter, and thanks to Sonia and shellsnapeluver for stepping in to help you!
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much! I agree, a Wizarding equivalent of a Dept. of Social Services is desperately needed – hopefully, in the future, Hermione will be able to remedy that. :)
I usually can't read stories that involve abuse and rape, but your writing manages to do that in such a touching manner that I find myself helplessly reading it all in one go. Thank you for such a powerful chapter.
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you for such a wonderful review! I do apologize that it has taken this long to respond, RL has really caught up with me these last few months.RL as in real life, not Remus Lupin, lol. Just for my own clarification.
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you for such a wonderful review! I do apologize that it has taken this long to respond, RL has really caught up with me these last few months.RL as in real life, not Remus Lupin, lol. Just for my own clarification.
Just re-read this wonderful tale, well as much as you have written, and am eagerly awaiting your next chapter...
Loves you, Sonia :)
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much! I dearly appreciate your reviews. I did write a little of the next chapter, and it is turning out to be pretty dark. Grrrrr, I can't wait until things start to look up. Did you have a chance to go over the SS/HG x-change stories I sent? Did they send okay? I ask because the last time you replied to my email I didn't get it, only your message on LJ. If you haven't had a chance, I totally understand!
Response from sbrande (Reviewer)
No I went through it that night and wrote you back a lengthy reply as well as beta'ed it.
Damn it... Did you get either of them back??? I am VERY reliable and if I say I will do something I do. Shite a brick, I think I deleted it too. Please re-send.
I think you should go with the second one as the Zombie one will be too complex, unless you want to write like the wind. I like the Zombie one better for plot, but I think you will receive more reviews for the other one as that is what people want... NOT ME.
Love Sonia :)
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Aaaw :( I'm so sorry. For some reason, it seems as though I can't receive emails from you, but I can send them to you. I'll give you another email addy to try (kingpig@mac.com) when I resend you the files. I didn't mean to imply that you didn't do it, just that I'm afraid I can't receive emails from you, or that perhaps you are a little busy. I agree with what you said, and I will probably go with the first prompt (though I'm afraid to state either here, as the prompter may be reading the reviews...). It is less complex, but I really would have loved to do the, uh, more interesting one. But I agree, it is something that does not lend itself to a short story format – it is something I'd like to explore in depth. So, I'll do the the prompt that most people might want to read, and then after the exchange, I'll probably write the more interesting prompt in a chaptered format, dedicate and credit the idea to the prompter, and probably ask permission to write it. I'll resend!
Response from sbrande (Reviewer)
Okay. Have just woken up. Am feeding the dogs and then the kids are next however, I shall get right on it.
love Sonia :)
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much! I dearly appreciate your reviews. I did write a little of the next chapter, and it is turning out to be pretty dark. Grrrrr, I can't wait until things start to look up. Did you have a chance to go over the SS/HG x-change stories I sent? Did they send okay? I ask because the last time you replied to my email I didn't get it, only your message on LJ. If you haven't had a chance, I totally understand!
Response from sbrande (Reviewer)
No I went through it that night and wrote you back a lengthy reply as well as beta'ed it.
Damn it... Did you get either of them back??? I am VERY reliable and if I say I will do something I do. Shite a brick, I think I deleted it too. Please re-send.
I think you should go with the second one as the Zombie one will be too complex, unless you want to write like the wind. I like the Zombie one better for plot, but I think you will receive more reviews for the other one as that is what people want... NOT ME.
Love Sonia :)
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Aaaw :( I'm so sorry. For some reason, it seems as though I can't receive emails from you, but I can send them to you. I'll give you another email addy to try (kingpig@mac.com) when I resend you the files. I didn't mean to imply that you didn't do it, just that I'm afraid I can't receive emails from you, or that perhaps you are a little busy. I agree with what you said, and I will probably go with the first prompt (though I'm afraid to state either here, as the prompter may be reading the reviews...). It is less complex, but I really would have loved to do the, uh, more interesting one. But I agree, it is something that does not lend itself to a short story format – it is something I'd like to explore in depth. So, I'll do the the prompt that most people might want to read, and then after the exchange, I'll probably write the more interesting prompt in a chaptered format, dedicate and credit the idea to the prompter, and probably ask permission to write it. I'll resend!
Response from sbrande (Reviewer)
Okay. Have just woken up. Am feeding the dogs and then the kids are next however, I shall get right on it.
love Sonia :)
Hey Babe,
I am going to read this wonderful story again now. Just read the first chapter because I love it so very much.
Love Sonia :)
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
LOL oh no! If you read it all from the beginning, all the plot holes will become obvious!! *ducks*
Response from sbrande (Reviewer)
No, because it is not complete yet. If it were complete then sure there would be a whole heap of plot holes ;)
Love Sonia :)
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
LOL I need to remember to fill those holes at some point...
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
LOL oh no! If you read it all from the beginning, all the plot holes will become obvious!! *ducks*
Response from sbrande (Reviewer)
No, because it is not complete yet. If it were complete then sure there would be a whole heap of plot holes ;)
Love Sonia :)
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
LOL I need to remember to fill those holes at some point...
Uh oh. So many intriguing questions! What is Pansy's role in all this (and it's interesting to see her reluctance); Hermione's decidedly odd not-Hermione'ish dream certainly explains her sleeping through the disturbance Pansy caused.I really liked Poppy here. Her concern for Severus feels achingly real.
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much for the thoughtful, encouraging review! I very much enjoyed writing Poppy's scene, and I felt very saddened that I have to write him leaving like that, which only ramps up her anxiety and concern to new levels. I hope she'll forgive me.Thank you again!
I enjoyed Poppy the most in this chapter. Her concern made the chapter for me.
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Oh, I am so glad you enjoyed that! It was very cathartic to write Poppy's scene, in a way. Thank you for the thoughtful review!
Ah so, the precious, precious shoebox and its contents have once again been "found." Hermione still seems to be tangled in Severus' most intimate memories. Is he in any way tangled in hers? And Pansy Malfoy ne Parkinson, a woman who feels scorned by everyone, presented with such an "opportunity"... What will she do with it? I wonder what happens when someone hands a beyond-Hades fury a monkey wrench? Welcome back.
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much for this thoughtful review! Unfortunately, I'm not quite "back" yet... I will try really hard to update before Feb 1st, but as that is my newest work deadline, I can't make any promises. But I'll try! And, though it'll be explained more in coming chapters, I'll go ahead and answer at least one of your questions... No, Severus is in no way entangled in Hermione's memories. It's a one-way phenomenon. Thank you again!
The dream Hermione is having is quite interesting!
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you for the review! I'll be able to explain the dream more fully in the coming chapters.
Another tantalyzing chapter, filled with more questions than answers (that is not a criticism!).Poppy's concern is very touching, while Severus' near-catatonia is frightening. And what in heaven's name is Pansy up to, and at whose behest? (I know you've warned of a not-at-all-nice LM, so I'm assuming he's part of it, but part of what, I wonder?) That letter (and the box it came from) should be interesting--what is it doing there?And what's with that funky, odd dream? Who is dreaming, and how do Hermione and Severus get so mixed together, and in Lily's presence?SO many questions! Hope you have time to give us more soon--this is a dark and twisty tale, and I am hooked!
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
LOL, thank you so much!! I just adore your reviews! I had a lot of fun writing Poppy in this chapter, and I think if she had her way, she would have showed up at his doorstep intending to spend the next two weeks with him, 24/7.As for the dream, it will be explained in depth a little more later, but I'll try and clarify it a bit for you now. It's not quite so much a dream as it is one of Severus' memories, inexplicibly (for now, and did I even spell that right?) connecting her and Severus like a long-distance, unconscious Legilimency... thing. Heh. I promise, it will all become clear (...eventually)!I will try really hard to update before Feb 1st, but as that is my newest work deadline, I can't make any promises. But I'll try!
(blinks...) wha??? I need more, please!!! what did Pansy find, are Lucius-Cissa-Draco part of the thing she's in, who is masterminding the thing that Pansy is in, what is the meaning of Hermione's dream?? at least I know Severus is able to get about on his own, and he prolly feels "safe" at Spinner's End. I will cross my fingers for you to finish your yourdeadline! thanks for updating.
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! I really, really want to answer your questions right here in this response, but then I know it will take all the fun of discovery out of it. I will try really hard to update before Feb 1st, but as that is my newest work deadline, I can't make any promises. But I'll try!
so happy to see the update! and i do hope it won't be so long until the next, as what a place you've left off! i shudder to think of pansy seeing what's in that box - poor snape has already been violated enough. plus, not knowing what her agenda is, it worries me. anyway, i am still really enjoying this story. happy holidays and good luck with the work stuff. and i hope rl lets up soon so we can hear more from you on this story!
Response from KingPig (Author of Conversations)
Thank you so much for the thoughtful review! I do have a work deadline of Feb 1st, so I can't promise an update until after that date, but I will work really hard to try!