Nice update. I liked how you settled the "calm before the storm", so to speak. I think Harry has many reasons to be somehow 'bitchie' during the conversation with Dumbledore: the preasure he may be feeling retourning to Hogwarts, the high expectations he created for himself (I must win, prove myself, etc), how those expectations are interwiened with the social relations with those that reside at England (Nathan, his parents, Dumbledore, to name some people); it's a 'combo' affecting his mental state. And don't forget, he just suffered a very bad journey.
The continuation of the chapter it's going to be very interesting; the challenge that implies outsmart Dumbledore's Age Line will be fun to read.

Maybe, maybe not. Philosophically, the path to the "darkness" was initiated when he set a foot in Durmstrang. I could be wrong, because I read the entire fic long ago, but we are talking about a character that is going to be a Dark Lord. I think that what you are implying it's more related with a loss of trust, something that will break his inner core of trust, the very idealization of people he thought were his family. If this happens (and it's going to), it could left Harry very open to the manipulations of people who are no inclined to care emotionally, like Rosier for example. That leads more towards infamy, like you said, than simply lose faith.

 

I'm still talking about it because someone responded and didn't seem to understand what I was actually saying. Now as to why I started talking about it was because it was brought up in the forum and because the story is literally the predecessor and perhaps The Santi earliest attempt at writing a dark Harry story. Which is relevant because it could shed some light on The Santi opinions on certain characters and how he views the magical world. For instance, in the DLPP1 the unforgivables are all unblockable, their is serious hate for Ronald Weasely, and their is a dislike for Hermione that slowly changes into something more positive. Notice certain parallels with the current story. That's why I was talking about it so stop being such a dick.

 

No, I actually did understand what you were trying to say. I only picked up on your vilification of cliche's as it was the only part of your post worth responding to.

Your bashing of Santi's old fic wasn't worth talking about. Neither is your sudden pretense that you were actually trying to foster intelligent discussion.

 

Hey how many words is this fic long?

 

210,000 so far.

 

If you believe that the main point of my post was to bash Santi's old fic than you most certainly did misunderstand my post. The ending chapter on it was posted 2-15-09 and the first chapter of of this story was posted 9-3-09. That means that in less than seven months Santi's skill as a writer vastly improved. The second part of my post had to deal with how after realizing how quickly a writer can improve that I as a reviewer should probably be less harsh of my critiques on inexperienced writers. The last part of my post dealt with the fact that even as flawed as the story was I still enjoyed it and wished for it to be continued.

In terms on whether or not I'm trying to foster intelligent discussions, I suppose that is up for debate. I believe that my reasoning for discussing the earlier story was valid and that it can shed some light onto the current story, and that by sharing my self realization that the community as a whole might be better for it.

 

Can somebody, anybody post something intelligent that will put this thread back on track?

 

I liked this new chapter very much, the part on the ship was simply funny and a bit of relieve from Harry obsessing over his training and the tournament.

The talk between DD and Harry was believable, even Harrys somewhat bitchy remarks.
He is under enormous stress and pressure to find a way to enter in merely a day, he returns to his old school and faces his hated peers, he just had an exhausting journey and has been excessively training for the tournament for months.
Now that his dream is so close it is understandable that he can't keep his composure and cracks under the pressure when an easy way around the age-line is being denied to him.

Even Harry has some moments of weakness.


And I took Dumbledores advice as really meaning to help Harry and not somehow hinder him through some underhanded manipulations to make Harry waste his time.

 

I don't know if anyone has brought this up yet, but what if Harry doesn't become champion? 24 hours is a very short timeline to research flaws in a ward and figure out the magic to exploit them. It also might represent a great turning point in Harry's relationship with his family and his brother. Imagine how bitter he would be if (when) Nathan gets to compete and if he didn't. After all, Harry has put so much effort forward and is by far the superior wizard. To be denied his chance to compete would be an utter slap in the face. I image he would subsequently support Victor in the tournament in every way he could, just further widening the rift between him and his family.

Thoughts?

 

Until the last few updates, I thought it would be a possibility, but I think now it'd make for a rather boring 4th year story if Harry weren't to enter.

All the clues are there for him to be chosen: his obsessive training, the Durmstrang professors' help, the special exceptions made for him, the clue from Dumbledore, the time spent describing wards and how to go about beating them, etc. It'd be a pretty serious authorial letdown on The Santi's part if Harry were to go from this auspicious setup to crashing and burning on the age ward or, worse, if he were to beat it, only for the cup to choose Viktor instead anyway. Sure, it'd add drama, but it'd be unsatisfying--there's plenty of ways to up the drama stakes without disappointing readers so.

 

It would be like showing a bone to a very hungry Doberman and then not giving it to him. Not a very smart move.

 

I do not think that in any fanfic that i have ever seen Harry this determined. Even to the extent of trying to manipulate his own 'Grampa' so to speak. That was a cheap shot, but i do think that Dumbledore understood that he could sway his own grandson by giving him such warnings, but it was still a subtle hint for Harry to work with.

 

If he doesn't get in, I think it'll still be okay. Desperate men are always driven to the most interesting extremes.

 

I don't know which I would enjoy more. It would be fun to see Harry so utterly disappointed. It would only act to drive him that much harder. Plus, we would get to see new and improved Victor Krum doing the challenges.

I would hope for a confrontation between Harry and one of the other's school Champtions. It would be hilarious to see a non-champion Harry humiliate Fleur or Diggory by out classing them magically.

 

But why would that be any more interesting to read than a champion Harry doing the same? The problem with not having Harry selected is that we all know he's the best wizard in the Durmstrang delegation. Somehow writing it so that Harry isn't the one chosen can only be a let down to us.

I would personally find it a bit lulzy if Harry were chosen as the Durmstrang champion and then again as the champion for Mystery School #5.

 

Even if Harry is not chosen, I doubt Krum will be the Durmstrang champion. The fact that he doesn't want to be chosen should be enough reason for the Goblet of Fire not to pick him, I think. Of the developed characters in the Durmstrang delegation for the Goblet to choose from, we have only Krum, Kira, Harry, and Calypso, if the latter two can get their name in. With Viktor not wanting to be chosen and Kira the likely weakest competitor of the 4, it would come down to Harry and Calypso only.

On the issue of getting their names in. What do you all think in regards to Harry sharing with Calypso the method of bypassing the age-line, if he can work it out? Would he be confident enough he would be chosen over her to share it with her just to keep out of the doghouse with his girlfriend? If he finds a way and doesn't tell her, and she is unable to enter, undoubtedly that would be the end of their relationship, knowing what we do about how competitive she is (flashback to the dueling practice in which the two nearly killed each other).

Also, suppose Harry helps her to enter her name and she is picked instead of him? What would be the fallout?

Finally, two more likely scenarios I've thought of - the first being that Harry and Calypso solve the age-line problem cooperatively and with the help of the other. This would lead to 'no hard feelings' when one is chosen over the other. The second scenario is that Rosier senior aids his daughter to become champion, although I'm uncertain if he insisted she be in the delegation to Hogwarts for the reason of the tournament or to allow her to gather information on Nathan. Thoughts?

What I'm looking forward to the most about this arc at Hogwarts is the interaction between Harry and his brother after Nathan is drawn into the tournament and, finally, realizes how much danger he is in. Will he finally stop listening to Ron and go to his brother for help improving his skills? How much will Harry help him if they are competing against each other?

More questions I'm dying to see answered:

How will the students of Hogwarts receive Harry if he is chosen to compete against Hogwarts? There was no love lost when he was a student there.

Will Crouch Jr. perceive Harry as a threat? If Harry is too strong a competitor, it seems unlikely Nathan would take the cup first. Crouch Jr may have to take a more direct approach to assure Nathan is the one in the graveyard. This is also an issue if Krum or Calypso are in Harry's place, too. I can't see Nathan outperforming any of them.

Also on the family front, with Lily and James watching the tournament...what happens when, backed into a corner, Harry pulls out one of the spells from Rosier's list? Their concerns about the kind of magic he is studying at Durmstrang will come to the fore and Harry can no longer downplay the types of spells he's been taught.

...Calypso. If she is not chosen as champion and with Hogwarts not providing the kind of education fare she is used to, will she continue her projects on her own? Will she pursue her desires for control of fiendfyre and earth golems etc. under Dumbledore's nose? How spare will she go if she can't, and instead has to transfigure pincushions all year while someone else gets to play champion? Watching her simmer and finally snap on, say, Weasley, will be something to read for sure.

How eager is Flitwick to get a second chance to teach Harry? I feel The Santi has been working up to this. Enchanting and warding are high on Harry's list and, Flitwick did say he would help... Also, being back at Hogwarts is a good opportunity for Harry's working relationship with Snape to continue, perhaps to fine tune and get his legilimency under control.

 

I find it unlikely that even if Harry does that, it would end their relationship. Calypso admits to herself that she is not as skilled as he is. Also, it is because of her competitive nature that allows her to look at this whole event as a competition, even between her and Harry.

Definitely not. Even few updates ago we saw Calypso block her father with Occlumency. Her relationship with him is strained at the moment, especially after she accused him of sending students after them.

Going further with this, how do we even know that Romulus has any further interest in the Potter family. As far as we know, he wanted reports only because his daughter wanted to marry Harry Potter.

What I'm looking forward to the most about this arc at Hogwarts is the interaction between Harry and his brother after Nathan is drawn into the tournament and, finally, realizes how much danger he is in. Will he finally stop listening to Ron and go to his brother for help improving his skills? How much will Harry help him if they are competing against each other?

I agree that neither her nor Harry plan to halt the study of dark magic, but I got the feeling that even they are not so stupid to attempt to learn Fiendfyre by themselves. The way I read it Fiendfyre is impossibly potent magic that is forbidden to cast, let alone try to master it.

However, for Harry, who has talent rivaling Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald rules no longer apply. I am sure it will not occur within Hogwarts, he is too young now, but I fully expect him to master such magic, as well as Grindelwald's ability to put up most powerful wards by himself.

I'm not sure how this would be looked upon by other people, but I wish something like that would happen, either now or later on in the story.
The way Harry progresses, it is apparent that he will be one of the most powerful wizards in the world sooner rather than later. To make it believable, I am sure he, like Tom Riddle before him, will use any way to learn as much magic as possible from any source. Thus, appear to "charm" all of them. I kind of think that's how other students in Durmstrang see his close relationship to pretty much all the teachers.

 

I do hope Santi writes in a scene where Harry rubs his achievements in his former Housemates' collective faces.

 

I wouldn't expect Harry to share the method for bypassing the line with Calypso. I suspect she'd be rather displeased with him for doing so, even - viewing it as a weakness, or as him considering her unable to meet the challenge herself.

Maybe I'm wrong, but she's fiercely competitive, and I just don't... see her tolerating merely being handed the answer.