The Witches of Gilford
pyjamapants438 Reviews | 6.84/10 (438 Ratings, 0 Likes, 373 Favorites )
The war and subsequent clean-up has ended, and the wizarding world is beginning to come out of its shell. Having had enough of Hermione and Severus's bookworm, introverted ways, Molly and Minerva give well-intentioned Christmas gifts aiming to push our heroes out of their comfort zones and into the arms of a well-read, like-minded witch or wizard. Will our heroes ally to survive with their wits intact? Will they overcome their personal demons? Will they find love within the pages of the detested novel?
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About pyjamapants
Author
pyjamapants
Member Since 2006 | 12 Stories | Favorited by 144 | 277 Reviews Written | 893 Review Responses
I'm a freelancing Yank who lives in the Midwest with her husband, three cats, and two dogs.
I'm a dabbler by nature. Jack of all trades, master of none. I write, run, swim, garden, quilt, bake, and so on.
Reviews for The Witches of Gilford
Drink up kids, its going to be a long eighteen weeks!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Oh yes, yes, yes it is. *grins* I'm so mean to them...I mean, um, Molly and Minerva are so mean to them. *cough*
Oh, dear. Apparently Minerva is not afraid of Snape or else she would never do something so obviously dangerous as sign him up for that nonsense. Molly on the otherhand, seems like the type who would be chomping at the bit to attend such a thing. Can't believe she was able to sign Hermione up without saving a spot for herself. I'm not famaliar with this series. Give me about 20 years and I'll fit the demographic. Naw, still probably won't be able to stomach such a thing :)
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
This does rather seem like Molly's cup of tea, doesn't it? Perhaps someday Hermione will repay the favour with something equally awful!
LOL. I love it. Oh the indignities they are about to suffer! Poor Severus, as if being bitten by that snake wasn't enough.
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Oh, yes. There will be many, many indignities ahead. Hopefully they'll manage to pull through!
Oh, PJ! Thank you for this wonderful epilogue. It's everything I could have hoped for. From Severus' doing his final packing at Hogwarts and taking a quick trip down memory lane to the passionate, home-christening sex in their new library, I was so happy to see them so happy. I laughed when I pictured Severus waddling, "trousers around his ankles and witch around his waist, to the newly-made ledge where he deposited Hermione." But their ardor could not be interrupted by a mere back ache. No, a murmured Healing Charm, and they were together in the most delicious manner.
I liked that they decided to marry that day, at a time and in a place of their choosing. Their Hand Fasting in The Lost Gardens was beautiful in it's simplicity, and with only the two of them, it could not have been better. Of course, Molly wasn't too happy about it, but a few well placed wards against Howlers took care of that little problem.
Not a bad outcome for two people who met each other again at a book club that neither had wanted to attend. Give yourself a pat on the back for a story well told, and accept my thanks for the joy you gave by sharing it with us, your fortunate readers.
Beth
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
I have the goofiest grin on my face right now. Thank you so very much for ALL of your glowing reviews, but especially this one. The parts you mentioned were amongst my favorites, especially Severus waddling with his trousers around his ankles (I'm so mean to the poor man).*hugs*
what a fabulous ride! as i am in the middle of planning a wedding myself i can empathise. thanks so much for sharing your vision and talent. smoochies forever!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thank you very, very much! I hope it was a nice little escape from wedding planning! As I told someone else, if there had been an actual wedding involved here... it might have been 2013 before this chapter poster! :D Good luck! And thanks so very much for all your reviews along the way!
I don't know if I would have had the guts to elope on Molly. Nice ending. This was a lovely story.
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thank you so very much! Glad you enjoyed the ride! (and yes, Molly is one terrifying witch!)
This was a funny and romantic journey. Well done
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thank you so very much. Glad you enjoyed the ride!
Avoiding Molly's circus = 100 points! :)
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Amen to that!*hugs*
Only 17 Howlers? That was a lovely wedding. I wanted to elope, but my mother would have never forgiven me.
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Well, it was early in the day. Molly's most prolific after lunch. ;) Thank you very, very much. I think the original wedding was worthy of good old Gilderoy. :D
Aw, you see, for a moment I thought Molly would have been pulling a prank- they turned up to a simple wedding just like they wanted, despite all the misleading mail. Rats. Beautiful alternative though!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thank you! If I'd had to write a real wedding.... this story wouldn't have been finished until 2035. :D
I especially loved it when Snape said, "pleasantly pickled." When will chapter 3 be published?
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thanks for the review!Chapter 3 will hopefully be up within the next week.
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thanks for the review!Chapter 3 will hopefully be up within the next week.
really enjoyed - please continue the great work
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thank you! I've been working furiously on several chapters this week.
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thank you! I've been working furiously on several chapters this week.
This is really funny! I look forward to reading more. Thank you!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Chapter 3 is awaiting Brit-Picking but will hopefully be posted soon!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Chapter 3 is awaiting Brit-Picking but will hopefully be posted soon!
This was thoroughly delightful, for who among us hasn't been in such a situation: surrounded by simpering, witless wonders fawning over some piece of drivel.I'm very definitely going to enjoy your story (even if I've sworn off WIPs.)
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I'm honored to have pulled you out of WIP retirement! Thanks for the review!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I'm honored to have pulled you out of WIP retirement! Thanks for the review!
See! Things are definitely looking up. Severus has been driven to drink and Hermione is about to join him in this compulsive behaviour. 
What I'm curious about is, what if they sat down and read the whole book in one sitting, would they still be under the compulsion to continue reading what they're already read?
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Yep! It's only natural that they came up with coping mechanisms.I would think that the Compulsion Charms would only allow one to read 2 chapters a week. After all, one must have the text fresh in her mind to discuss it. Additionally, one wouldn't want anyone to spoil (cough, cough) the book for others.Thanks for the review!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Yep! It's only natural that they came up with coping mechanisms.I would think that the Compulsion Charms would only allow one to read 2 chapters a week. After all, one must have the text fresh in her mind to discuss it. Additionally, one wouldn't want anyone to spoil (cough, cough) the book for others.Thanks for the review!
OMG, I am so distraught! Being a member of the +55 crowd in the US, I feel horribly slighted that I had no idea whatsoever that there was - what did you call it, a Mitford series? Instead of relaxing at home with a cup of hot tea, reading fanfiction such as yours, I too, could have been out amongst the pink-cardiganed, middle-aged, lonelyhearts, eating bad food and being coerced into group participation! Apparently, my well-meaning friends are at fault for not having seen fit to introduce me to this obvious afternoon delight! Severus and Hermione have no idea how lucky they are! 
In its stead, I will just have to continue to stay at home in the tranquil quiet and suffer through reading SS/HG Fanfiction alone... not to mention, the richer quality hors d'oeuvres that are served. 
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
I believe you owe the well-meaning friends a round of drinks for shielding you from the series! Oooooh, you serve hors d'oeuvres when reading fan fiction? May I come over?Thanks for the review!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
I believe you owe the well-meaning friends a round of drinks for shielding you from the series! Oooooh, you serve hors d'oeuvres when reading fan fiction? May I come over?Thanks for the review!
"No, this new Snape was not a calm, pacified kitten. He was a fault line that had been dormant for far too long."What a perfect description of Snape! I can't wait for the tremors to start. Your book excerpt was perfection. Mindless romantic drivel would be a compliment for it. It has to be difficult to write something horrid enough for this book club. I'm with Severus, pickled is the only way to go for these meetings. Let's hope 45 minutes of drinking is enough to get them through next week!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
It was actually great fun writing the book excerpt. The book club participant's nearly drove me batty though. *I* couldn't think of anything positive to say. :)I'm glad you enjoyed that characterization of Severus. I, for one, will enjoy seeing him transition to a 'real' post-war personality. He's got a lot of garbage to work through, that one.Thanks for the review!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
It was actually great fun writing the book excerpt. The book club participant's nearly drove me batty though. *I* couldn't think of anything positive to say. :)I'm glad you enjoyed that characterization of Severus. I, for one, will enjoy seeing him transition to a 'real' post-war personality. He's got a lot of garbage to work through, that one.Thanks for the review!
Love it! When is the next chapter coming? We don't have to actually wait till next week do we? :O
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Still drunk from writing book excerpt. *hic* I should be submitting chapter 3 to the queue in a couple days.Thanks for the review!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Still drunk from writing book excerpt. *hic* I should be submitting chapter 3 to the queue in a couple days.Thanks for the review!
*gasp* have you broken up Harry and Ginny?I liked your explanation that Snape has mellowed-it makes sense that he would be wound less tight after his stint as a spy.
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Oh, Snape hasn't mellowed yet. He's a simmering cauldron about to explode.It would break my moral code to write a story in which both Ron and Hermione were/are together along with Harry and Ginny.Thanks for reviewing!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Oh, Snape hasn't mellowed yet. He's a simmering cauldron about to explode.It would break my moral code to write a story in which both Ron and Hermione were/are together along with Harry and Ginny.Thanks for reviewing!
I've attended this book group....pickled's really the only way to go. (Okay, it wasn't exactly the same group, but the sweaters, titters, inane reading material and drinking before-hand made it feel more familiar than not!) I returned a thoroughly marked up paper the other day (to a student who's not quite as smart as he thinks.) When he suggested I at least write something nice on his paper, I took it back, wrote "nice choice of font! Thank you for typing :)" (it was truly horrible--three pages and no thesis, and many, many errors. And a rough draft) and handed it back.... The nice weight parchment internal dialogue had me snickering.
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
LOL!I hope I haven't caused you horrific nightmares of the book group!Thanks so much for sharing the anecdote about your student's horrible paper. It's so hard to find something nice to say sometimes, isn't it?Thanks for the review!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
LOL!I hope I haven't caused you horrific nightmares of the book group!Thanks so much for sharing the anecdote about your student's horrible paper. It's so hard to find something nice to say sometimes, isn't it?Thanks for the review!
WooHoo! Chapter two is even better than chapter one! Your 'pickled Snape' is hilarious while not going too far OoC.
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Why thank you! I'm especially pleased that my 'pickled Snape'. I was concerned that he might be a little too OoC, so I'm glad you think I struck the right balance.Thanks for the review!
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Why thank you! I'm especially pleased that my 'pickled Snape'. I was concerned that he might be a little too OoC, so I'm glad you think I struck the right balance.Thanks for the review!
Oh, now this is positively enthralling. I love the fact that the book Sev and Haermione are reading is not some romance novel, but a matronly novel, (you know what I mean). The fact that they are so magnificently coerced into attendance should nto give me as much pleasure as it does, but, well, you know how these things go. I am eagerly anticipating your next update! :)P.S. I think some of the words you the book's author used were too big for his readership. Also, if you give Nigel multiple middle names, or some sort of exhorbitant wealth/title to go with his special position in the ministry, I will be FAR TOO PLEASED.P.P.S.This might suond a bit nitpicky, I was curious to why all of the women in the book club are learning cooking skills? I thought most witches and wizards had house elves. Of course, I've also been reading fanfiction for many more hours than I've ever read canon, so I could be quite mistaken.
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thanks for the lovely review. I'm extremely pleased that you like it.I shan't say too much, but in the end I believe you'll be very pleased with Nigel Reese. Richmond Greenleaf, author of the beloved book The Witches of Gilford, believes that the more mellifluous the language the better. One cannot have '50 cent' words.That's an interesting point about house elves and cooking skills. I'll admit that I'm not the strongest at delineating canon from fanon. My gut response to your question was, "I thought house elves were owned by wealthy, powerful wizards and weren't ubiquitous. After all the Weasleys didn't have one. Oops, I hope I didn't screw things up horribly by having that wrong." I just looked at the HP Lexicon, and it confirmed that chapter 3 of CS indicates that they are owned by wealthy wizarding families. Whew!Thanks again for your review.
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thanks for the lovely review. I'm extremely pleased that you like it.I shan't say too much, but in the end I believe you'll be very pleased with Nigel Reese. Richmond Greenleaf, author of the beloved book The Witches of Gilford, believes that the more mellifluous the language the better. One cannot have '50 cent' words.That's an interesting point about house elves and cooking skills. I'll admit that I'm not the strongest at delineating canon from fanon. My gut response to your question was, "I thought house elves were owned by wealthy, powerful wizards and weren't ubiquitous. After all the Weasleys didn't have one. Oops, I hope I didn't screw things up horribly by having that wrong." I just looked at the HP Lexicon, and it confirmed that chapter 3 of CS indicates that they are owned by wealthy wizarding families. Whew!Thanks again for your review.
You had me laughing all over the place in this chapter, the shed scene was priceless I must say. It also goes to show that 'absence does make the heart grow fonder' Great chapter.
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thank you!!!! I'm rather fond of the shed scene too. :) The last chapter should be up within the next week. Hopefully its absence has made the heart grow fonder. :)
Lovely as always! :)
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it!
What a journey you made with us in this chapter. From a very hot scene to delving in to Severus's former love life to a very funny bookclub scene. Fantastic.I have to admid I toyed with the idea of Lockhart having something to do with the book, but I quickly dismissed it due to him being in St. Mungo.
Response from pyjamapants (Author of The Witches of Gilford)
It's a bit embarrassing how fun and easy it was to write Lockhart's dialogue. Glad you enjoyed the journey. Next chapter should post today!!!!!!