Title: Better living through Chemistry
Author: not7real (maybe)
Genre: AU/Comedy
DLP Category: AU
Pairing: None to possible Harry/Daphne/Hermione if it ever becomes more than a one-shot
Status: One shot (21K)
Rating: PG13
Link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CaerAzkaban/files/HP_Chem2.html
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2565609/39/Odd-Ideas

Note: Can't find either the author nor the fic anywhere else but on rorsch's group. Basically it's a long one shot where Harry is being a genius chemist since long before he got his Hogwarts acceptance letter. Using non-magic to earn a bit of money pre-hogwarts and then use non-magic together with magic to do science a favour.
Obviously having someone that young be that brilliant is a bit off but you could blame it on Harry being autistic or something. I think it was the author's intention to have it turn out funny but I didn't do much more than smile at parts. I did get some personal satisfaction in seeing some of the traditionalists put in their places in a way I'd personally strive to do if I ever learned of the existance of magic.

Science + Magic = Win

All in all, a solid fic I've enjoyed reading. 4/5.


Checked by Minion, December 25, 2012
Rorschach's Blot later posted this oneshot (a revised and extended version of one of his own fics) as part of his 'Odd Ideas' - link above.

 

Yeah, this is great. It's Blot's short one-shot, only extended by someone who really knows chemistry. IMO it would have been even better if he had less respect towards Blot and removed the leftover parts from the original story (written in a bit silly, layman terms).

BTW, you can also find this at FFN, in Blot's "Odd Ideas", one of the latest chapters.

 

Chapter 39 in Odd Ideas, I think.

Personally, this hits the spot.

4.5/5

 

It's Ok, well enough written, but I got bored about half-way through.

Out of all the sciences, I always did find Chemistry the dullest, and it doesn't merge very well with magic. Physics now, that would go well enough, but Chemistry?

Also, Harry's reactions are unrealistic. Even if Harry is science-mad - hell, especially if Harry is science-mad - he should be interested in magic. There isn't a scientist on the planet who wouldn't be facinated by a completely new force they had never seen or heard of before, and that seemed to defy everything they knew about science.

 

Excelent story! I can only hope that the writer decides to continue it.

 

In response to Taure:
Might have been an intentional choice to focus on chemistry because of that exact reason. It's quite easy to imagine potions working very similar to modern chemistry with the reactive parts instead of the whole makes the combined item magical. Had he focused on physics he'd be forced to take on magic itself and how exactly that works in relation to science. Could probably take another 30k words describing that alone considering how he was going on about chemistry and the non-magical instruments that are used by today's scientists. And with regards to those topics that have popped up from time to time it's not a subject anyone agrees upon.

But yeah, would have been fun but only if he agreed upon my views on magical science.

 

Holy shite, that was a really good story. I absolutely loved it. Great characterization! 5/5 for me.

Richard.

 

I honestly didn't get anything but enjoyment out of that fic. Spot on, really, a fantastic read if you've got some time. Needs to be continued though. How lame is it to finish a first year fic and never write even second year? 5/5

 

I give it 3 out of 5. It was a good story, no doubt, but ... meh. Harry's intelligence was hugely over exagerated. It was an entertaining read though

 

This was posted like a month ago. Give him time.

 

You guys are somewhat mean-spirited. This is an incredibly funny, nay riotously funny, story. Absolutely and emphatically AU, but what fun! It is so very droll that I ma evne willing to overlook the obvious impossibility of a genius of Harry's scale in this fic. Moreover, he is no idiot savant as at least one other reviewer seemed to suggest, otherwise he would have no real ability in other areas of endeavor (Aspberger's syndrome (sp)?). An easy read, no real dialogue to trip up the author, but still a lot of fun. Hermione as a physic's genius. Oh well. Great way to spend a few minutes in an otherwise dull and boring day. Too much, I know, but it was fun and deserves a defense.

 

odanata617...don't fake a vocabulary you don't have. Right Click: Synonyms only works when you know what all the words mean.

So do run along deary, and do something healthy, like play with you reproductive organs or what not.

 

I haven't laughed so hard in weeks, repped. Good to have you back, Death.

 

Hey... I talk like that. D:

Not that it matters in any way, but... Anyways, moving back on to topic, as to give this post slightly more purpose.

The fic was good. It makes a really nice first impression, and has a concise, if a bit too much for a fic of this nature, writing style, and it's kept interesting throughout the whole piece. Close examination reveals holes in both the writing (from a grammatical sense) and some fairly extreme exaggeration (Dumbledore's absolute desperation and unconditional yielding, Snape's hatred, power of modern chemistry combined with magic, Harry's intelligence... etc.), as well as making some parts of the story seem a bit forced (Harry's friendships and indifference to magic, mainly). Though the story introduces a lot of interesting concepts, it'd be interesting to see Harry show a little more emotion... It's really fun though, and it's great as a one-shot. His intelligence also can't be explained away very well, since, neglected, a lot of the problems of a child prodigy really come to the surface. They're not exactly something that can be overcome independently. It really needs to flow a bit more, but the occasional spike isn't really extremely disruptive. A lot of it seem fairly "on the spot" and "stick to the theme" though, and that's my main antagonism of it. I really hate stories that want to push a theme so badly they neglect the storytelling aspect of it. This seems almost written to a formula, as if he really just wanted to extend Blot's piece just a bit further and smashed all the elements he could into such a small space. I hate that; I like a more free and open style, but I haven't really read a lot of one-shots so I'm not sure what the bar is. But of the one's I've read, there hasn't been a problem with this like there is here.

And it would help if Harry wasn't so goddamn Mary-Sue. And actually giving him an enemy (daily; Voldie doesn't count, and Snape's written too poorly to be of significance) would have made this a bit more than just a showcase piece. He needs his flaws, and the best way to do that is to bring out his emotions. Have a kid rub him the wrong way, or have one of his businesses fail. And then use chemisty to get REVENGE. Not just playing around with it for the sake of it. My parents are scientists, and I understand that they do what they do for the love of it, not the money (dock workers get paid more the scientists, for one...), but this really takes it a bit to an extreme. A genius science whiz-kid is going to want to use it for SLIGHTLY more leverage than finance, however noble of a calling that is. He's going to want it to affect his personal life and give him a significant edge over people he doesn't like, and those he wants to impress. However mature and intelligent, he's still 11! Write him so it shows.

It's great to pass the time with, and it's very enjoyable if only for some of the concepts (LSD plz). I had fun, and it was really great when I read is straight through. It's cool, and I wouldn't mind a sequel, but... Don't expect too much out of it. It's one shot fun; this is not something that you wouldn't mind reading somewhat regularly to pass the time, like some of the stronger pieces in the library. Appreciate it while it lasts, and anticipate a good time with it. But, personally, I wouldn't expect way too much out of it. I'd rate it a strong 4/5 or a remarkably weak 5/5, with brownie points of venturing way off the beaten track (though some themes seem to be borrowed from Child of Mercy, it's not representative in any sense). I'll go with the safe rate;

4/5

And if you made it past my block of text, this is just a congratulations.

 

This has to be continued. I don't know what makes it so good, but this story appeals to me on so many levels. If I could go higher than 5/5 I would, but I can't so I'll have to deal with that.

Aekiel

 

A very good story; I thouroughly enjoyed it. While it does have the flaws Lhefriel_Mendes mentioned, they didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the peace. 5/5.

 

The exaggerations are the best part of it imo. :banana:

Can 20.000+ words still be considered a one-shot just because the author didn't break the whole thing up into chapters (which s/he could have easily done)?

 

I generally only call something a one-shot if it is exactly that: a single scene.

A one-shot is not called so because it is only one chapter, but because it is a single tantalising glimpse into a greater untold story. Not one glimpse, a scene break, then another, then a scene break, then another...etc.

 

Spot on.

Oneshot: A single scene
Short Story: 1 chapter or something <10 pages/10k words
Novella: 10-50k words
Novel: >50k words.

Well, that's how I'd classify it anyway. I've no idea how it's decided when something's a novella and something's a novel.