Title: A Hero
Author: Celebony
Rating: T
Genre: Drama
DLP Category: General I guess
Pairing: None
Words: 18,108
Published: April 2, 2008
Status: One-shot
Summary: Dudley begins to see his family in a different light. Warning: strong language and themes of child abuse.
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4172226/1/A_Hero

This is actually a pretty good one-shot, despite the cliche child abuse. Told from Dudley's perspective. I'd give it a 4.5/5


Checked by Minion, August 19, 2013

 

I think I saw this already. And if not, I apoligize then because I red it somewhere.

I do like this, Dudley finally showing that his brain can atleast be used for something. It's a oneshot so there is plenty that hasn't been explored or explained but it is more than adequite for the point to be made.

And even though I dislike Dudley on more than principle, I like it. 5/5.

 

It was in Almost Recommended three months ago. Might be why you saw it already.

As for this? It's well written. It's almost mildly interesting. But to me there's little difference between recommending the most inventive story focusing on Dudley learning the psychological ramifications and effects of abuse and recommending the most inventive story featuring Harry/Snape buttsecks.

At the end of the fic, it's still just a story about Dudley learning a life lesson about abuse and his cousin Harry.

3/5 because it succeeds at what it tries to be and I really just don't care.

 

Dudley’s character development is perhaps the only interesting thing in this story; I can envision an older Dudley protesting against his parents’ treatment of Harry, so this fic wasn’t too unrealistic. However, a HP story that discusses the Dursleys’ home life, while portraying Harry as an overwhelmingly-abused child and Dudley as a “hero”, isn’t all that appealing...
<O</O
Final rating: 3/5

 

I remember when I first read this how impressed I was with the subtle development that Dudley undergoes. I've read some fics where the tub o' lard turns around, but in general they seem to be comprised of quick shifts in personality, written with the possibility that Dudley isn't as bad as his parents.

However this change in personality was filled with personal flaw. Dudley doesn't start wondering if his parents should treat Harry better out of kindness to his cousin, but rather because he is worried that the neglect and abuse is making his parents, i.e. himself, look bad. That only evolves into a more empathic personality. Really it was amazingly well done. I don't think I've ever seen Dudley written better. And, perhaps best of all, Dudley doesn't completely cast off his family's prejudieces. He doesn't start thinking magic is 'cool'. A very realistic piece on how peope can have thier eyes opened to the situations around them.

Perhaps on the negative end, the story does feature a very weak Harry, which was perhaps the only grating aspect. It was necessary for the plot of the fic, but just for my personal tastes it was a little frustrating to read.

And while I'll admit to venturing into the 'abusive Dusley' scenario from time to time, and thusly as perhaps not the best judge, but I thought that Petunia's justification was perhaps represented here the best as I have seen. Her logic makes sense, in a disturbing way.

Really, I'd reccomend this, it's a oneshot so even if you can't handle a weak Harry characters, it might be a good change to see a Dudley that doesn't make you cringe. And also so well throught out character development.

Della

 

This isn't something that should be on DLP, certainly, but it was well liked by the part of me that wants something a bit deeper than killing dark wizards.

I also loved the slow change in Dudley. I liked how- even when I'm screaming in my head for him to do it- he never physically tries to stop his father or calls the cops.

He now understands that what his parents are doing is wrong, but he hasn't suddenly changed so much that he thinks they need to be punished for it. He simply wants to separate Harry and his parents so that they can stop being his abusive parents and can go back to being just his parents again.

He isn't a hero really, but he is as close to a hero as someone who grew up in such a household ever could be.

I would never read this again, and I certainly won't think back on it or use it in one of my own never-to-see-the-light-of-day fics, but I did enjoy it somewhat for what it was.

Given that I was only looking at it in the angle of what is was aiming for, I would give it a 5/5, but in reality I would give it a 3/5. It was good for what it was, but there was nothing great or even really interesting about it.

 

I agree with Della Couer, this is the best Redeemed!Dudley fic I've seen. All the others I have read have Dudley have a very sudden personality shift where he finally understands that his parents are bad people.

I would agree that this is a very well done oneshot, but I also have to say that it does not belong on DLP. This type of story just does not fit in here.

 

Written well, but still crap.

Because this is Harry Potter fanfiction, and Harry isn't the main character.

And because Harry's weak.

 

Longish review.

"A Hero" is one of the best one-shots out there, along with, I think, Memorium and Concentric Wavelenghts. This is justifiable on a number of grounds:

1) It does discuss a moral issue - and is for that reasons interesting - same as Memorium. It isn't what we usually see in HP fandom, and its intrinsic novelty makes its a good story.

2) It presents an inner conflict. It isn't angst, beause Dudley's concern is obviously real and not utterly contrived. This could be a personal preference, but inner conflicts (as oppsoed to external conflcits i.e. fighting Voldemort) are interesting, if done well, since the character becomes a person we can relate to and understand.

3) The characterization is excellent. Dudley's opinions change slowly, and doesn't become "zomg my parents are evil". A key part of his personality (his love for his parents) remains even as his views change.

A poster above mentioned, this is Harry Potter fanfiction, and thus fics shoulld be Harry-centric. But I submit that what's interesting about HP is its world, not its characters. Rowling built an extremely fascinating world we can play with. Her characters, on the other hand, can be rather shitty. Face it: the reason why most DLP fics alter Harry is because he is a) clinically retarded and always seems to be competing in the Special Olympics, and b) bland as a character. A fic that attempts to improve upon its characters (i.e. explores them in greater depth and detail), like this one, is a good fic.