Title: The French Affair
Author: Sesc (Me)
Rating: M
Genre: Action/Adventure/Noir
DLP Category: General
Pairing: Harry/OC, Harry/Fleur
Chapters: 4
Words: 45,201
Updated: January 8, 2011 (ff.net), December 10, 2012 (DLP-WbA)
Published: September 7, 2008
Status: Work in Progress
Other Links: FF.Net :: WbA

Summary:
Five Years Later: All is not well. After the Final Battle with the Dark Lord, Harry’s life has settled down and left him unsatisfied. But suddenly, there’s a murder, and then, a chance meeting with the beautiful Fleur Delacour changes things completely. In midst of political tensions, schemes start to involve Harry, with more than one obscure agenda. Intrigues, secret projects and lies – and who could resist a fatally alluring woman again?


Yeah. Figured that with the last update, it was long enough to put it up here. Originally, I thought it would be light and a bit humorous, basically James Bond-style, and even though that is still there, it really turned more serious and darkish than I first imagined.

By now it’s my most thoroughly planned out story, with more details and ideas I could possibly fit in there, so depending on how things (time) go, a sequel is entirely possible; set in Germany and perhaps Egypt – I found a very appealing ending for this part the other day ...



Checked by Minion, June 20, 2013

 

Well, at least someone actually wrote what his problem with the story was, and not only left a rating.


Hm. I'm trying to pinpoint the problems more exactly, since for me, it's not problematic at all (well, obviously). The first chapter is a prologue, and the story takes place two weeks before that -- and is basically about how things got to that point, that is all. I'm a bit confused about your usage of "changes of times" as in, plural, and flashbacks. There is and will be only this one time jump (marked with "Gassin, Southern France, about two weeks prior") and no Flashback whatsoever.

Harry isn't remembering anything; I'm only telling it that way. And it really has nothing to do with making it more mysterious, the mystery aspect would work just as well without the prologue; better, even, since I'm forestalling a few things there that would otherwise still be unknown.

I think the real reason was that I simply wanted an action-packed start (which included Fleur throwing fireballs and culminated in the fun-to-read, but otherwise completely irrelevant fencing-scene).

In hindsight, perhaps it would have been better to start with the actual first chapter, but I can't change that now


However, I can learn from reactions for future stories.

So, is it only the time-jump that bugs you, or is there something else that makes the mystery-aspect not work for you? Was there anything else that you meant ("changes between times, flashbacks")? And in particular, confusing, how? You didn't know what was going on?


Edit:

For KrzaQ the same where his points are the same, obviously. Regarding Fleur and OOC compared to GoF, that might be possible, since it's been some time since I read it. Although I do remember her distaste for anything English, and as for the rest ... well, it's been eight years since then. Any particular instance that stood out to you?

And what great changes did I make to the Canon Universe? It isn't Harry Potter anymore? Wut?

 

Thanks. Yes, the spy-thriller feel was intentional indeed, I'm glad that atmosphere came across. There'll be more of that later on; and there'll be all of the Canon characters we know as well (featuring more or less prominently), once Harry is back to England (in the next chapter).

As for Fleur's character ... I've thought about that a bit, and I guess she's different from Canon to an extent, but the reason for that is that I need her in a very specific role. Hopefully, I can make plausible how she got there in the further course of the story. If not, you're stuck with HawtSpy!Fleur, without much further explanation >_>

 

Already sent a review, but I might as well put something here as well.

I enjoyed it. I found a few things weird - like the random sword fight - but for the most part, it was interesting the whole way through, with the exception of the Floo Tour in the latest chapter. However, I can tell a lot of the information revealed will probably be relevant in the future in some way.

Interesting concept with the Floo Powder, as well. Even though canon has given us something already on it's origins, I liked the change. Something so minor doesn't bother me all that much.

I look forward to more.

 

I've started writing on the new chapter (which means just about nothing, but it does sound good )


But the noir thing -- I took it in the original meaning, as in Noir Fiction. You know, those novels from the 1930's and 50's. And the reason I labelled it such is that I eventually realised I was borrowing a few elements from there, which was funny in a way, because I hadn't really read any Noir Fiction at that point, and started on them only after that (currently, I'm at Black Wings Has My Angel -- epic title is epic).

Mainly, it's the 180° turns in the story, and bits of characters as well -- Noir has never a clear cut good guy/bad guy, but rather how or what the character is only depends on the angle you look at it, and it shifts in the course of the story.

Add to that the strong female counterpart, which is always very much attractive, but otherwise usually cold, manipulative and dangerous (one guess as to who takes that role here) and I thought the category'll fit.

The style isn't quite the same (which is mostly due to a lack of planning on my part -- originally, I never intended it to become like that) and it won't become completely stereotypical, but the atmosphere should be getting there, eventually.