What's the problem? Not to Wikibomb anyone, but The Pleiades (Star Cluster - Seven Sisters (in Greek Mythology): Daughters of the Titan Atlas and sea-nymph Pleione. Maia, Electra, Tayegete, Alcyone, Celaeno, Asterope and Merope. All of them bore sons to gods (mostly Zeus and Poseidon) except Merope. Merope married Sisyphus (he of the rolling rock up the hill in hell) and became mortal, fading away. Appropriately, Merope is the dimmest star in the cluster.

I believe Mary is being used by or helping whoever is trying to kill Alexandra. She may be Possessed, or, like Darla, a Dark Wizard is helping/using her. Personally, possessed seems more likely to me. Why? Because I think this whole business is connected to the Deathly Regiment, and having been the sacrifice, Mary might still have some connection which allows her to be used.

 

Well well, this new chapter is interesting.

Spoiler

Although I am disappointed that Alex acted like an idiot about the duel with Larry, I'm really looking forward to seeing how Mary is involved in all this.

I think Larry is alive, because it said warm and still which to be implied unconcious rather than dead. If he was dead there would be no point phrasing it like that.

edit: Don't think this was much of a spoiler, but tagged just in case.
moreedit: Added something.

 

Spoiler

I will not comment on the great reveal, because it reveals nothing certain. It may be that Mary never cursed Larry, and simply found the wand; it may be that Mary was planning to attack Alexandra, and had the wand for that purpose, but someone else attacked Larry; it may be that Mary attacked Larry, but is possessed; even so, all previous attempts on Alexandra's life may be the work of someone else.

BTW, was it just me, or did William throw the match?

 

Really? I was reminded of it when Innocence tried to join the Committee... Alexandra even mentioned it, though indirectly.

Speaking of crushes/relationships, Larry's gallant but somewhat patronizing gesture towards his girlfriend was actually very interesting, but I assume it's par for the course in the Wizarding World.

My main question for the chapter was actually:

Spoiler

The part about 'knowing what your opponent was doing, of feeling the magic in your wand's core and his' was just weird, and didn't seem to have any point. Proof of Alexandra's (and Larry's) skills as duelers? Or simply of their knowledge of each other? A hint (as later seen by Larry's offer) of becoming frenemies?

 

This is an excellent chapter, I really enjoyed how Alex showed her maturity in the latest chapter.

 

Spoiler

In the end, I think Alexandra did very well. It actually reminded me of the situation with Tomo in Second Year. Alexandra put all the cards on the table, and kept it solely between them. Because they're all still kids, none of them was able to actually kill her when given the chance. It's a dangerous tactic, and it will fail one day (as it failed against Darla, although she still couldn't kill Alexandra), but until then, I think it's the best one, allowing everybody to keep their psyche intact and healing a lot of the mental and emotional damage that led them to this point.

Alexandra convinced Mary using a lot of excellent points, and I think she learned them from what happened to her with Max. This clinched it for me: "I think she'd want you to live, more than anything else. Not destroy your life like this." This is very important - because to me, it signifies that Alexandra is starting to recover from her incessant feelings of guilt and self-loathing. she knows she's supposed to live her life, not blame herself for all the death that followed her. Obviously, she hasn't fully recovered - that can be seen merely from the fact that she still blamed herself for not managing to save Darla. But it's a very good start.

Alexandra's decision with Larry was also another sign of maturity (at least, I hope it's maturity and not guilt for not protecting Darla, so she has to protect Mary). By telling Larry he won, she admitted the whole rivalry had been stupid and due to their arrogance. I think it'll go a lot better from here. As we've seen last chapter, Larry isn't an idiot, and he can be human. I don't think he'll claim victory, or say that either Mary or Alexandra cursed him. I hope (and tend to think) that he'll take Bathsheba's solution - there was no duel with Alexandra, because they were both satisfied with the official duel, and he may even tell her she doesn't need to keep to the terms they agreed upon, since neither of them had won. I doubt they'll become friends, but I think it's the start of another something - a calmer rivalry, grudging respect for their opponent.

 

It seems like the pace of the story is finally picking up.

 

I'm currently in the middle of the deathly regiment, taking a break from it. While these are well written, I honestly don't see the real need for them to be in the Harry Potter universe.

With a few simple changes these could stand alone and possibly be publishable materials for the author to make a profit on.

I'm not really liking the few duel scenes I've read; they all seem like a shoot out from the wild west, high tension but it's really a one and done deal.

I do like the level of background the author is imbuing in these works though it's making the american wizards seem even more backwards than the british counterparts. Especially the purebloods grouping the halfbloods and muggleborns together.

 

I've been told that before. My long answer is long, but the short answer is that while yes, theoretically I could file the serial numbers off and try to sell AQ as an original series, it wouldn't be quite the same, and everyone would recognize it as Harry Potter fan fiction with the serial numbers filed off anyway. I'd prefer to just write something original for publication; Alexandra Quick is something I write purely for fun.

I talk about this a little bit more here.

I'm glad you are enjoying the series. Fair points about duels and American wizarding society - what works for some people doesn't work for everybody, and duels are one of the things I am never quite happy with no matter how many times I rewrite them. They are kind of like the fights in any series where you have antagonists regularly engaging in the same sort of battle and the author has to try to make each one somehow different and interesting.

 

I was more thinking why write this as fanfic in the first place but your explanation is fine.

With the duels and I'm sure you've heard this before but add more elements of transfiguration to it. Because while I'm not a fan of super!harry fics; they have the some of the best duels and battles and usually a main element of that is transfiguration. Barring that having some wandless duels might yield some interesting results for Alexandra and her potions/alchemy skills. Just a thought of course.

 

Ok, I've got these horrible feeling in my gut about why the Rashes act the way they act towards Florence & Constance. Don't know if it's been brought up before or if Inverarity has said so otherwise but:

Spoiler

does anyone else think that a marriage contract or something of that ilk is in the works? It doesn't seem like it's all about racism anymore, and the hint from Innocence about "we have secrets too" is making me think my gut's right here. It might explain why the Rashes really have it in for David; they realize he's interested in.... Constance(?) and are pissed that he's movin in on their girls.

Thoughts?

 

Well, I said I won't get into the whole Ozarker mystery until we know what secret they're actually hiding. But yeah, I see what you're saying. I think it's likely that they're betrothed, especially considering the way Constance speaks to them: "I told you I will not abide such hateful words." Considering what we know of Ozarker society, it seems very odd for her to say such a thing - unless they're betrothed or something.

But really, I couldn't care less. We'll find out eventually, and I can't think of anything which will really come out of it beyond what already happened.