Title: Harry Potter: Other People's Magic by Mr. Ragtop - Rated T
Genre: Independent
DLP Category: Powerful/Independent
Pairing: None yet.
Chapters: 12 (?)
Words: 210,721
Status: Abandoned

Summary: What if surviving that Halloween night left Harry with less magic of his own, but with other abilities instead? Follow Ravenclaw Harry as he learns to borrow and command the magic and energy he sees all around him. A different Powerful! Harry tale.

Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6459372/1/Harry_Potter_Other_Peoples_Magic

Link: http://onj1.andrelouis.com/hp/Harry Potter- Other People's Magic.txt

I truly enjoy this tale, as it is honestly different from what I've read out there. The magic system that Harry uses I haven't seen elsewhere, and I found it to well described. The story starts with Godric's Hollow, and I especially loved Flitwick's character. I found the story has really gained it's stride in the last 24 chapters. The complete removal of Snape's magic by force. That part was worth the price of admission, which is admittedly slow pacing. There are a few typical Powerful!Harry cliches that were a bit irritating.

I'm giving this a solid 3/5, with reservations on the pacing and the cliches surrounding Harry's seeing magic.



Checked by Minion, Nov. 30, 2012
The story is no longer available on ff.net. I added a link to a text file.

 

I have read most of this previously, before losing the tab. I agree, the magic system is new and interesting.

3.5/5. Rounded up.

 

If you're giving it a 3/5, you shouldn't post it in For Review.

That said, this isn't a terrible story. It's really slow-paced, and the plot has only just started moving in the last ten chapters or so. At first, it seemed more like an exploration of the author's ideas in the context of the HP universe (not unlike MoR, but less pretentious).

There are some cliches, but there are some good ideas too. The writing leaves a little to be desired, but I've definitely seen worse.

Meh. Probably a 3-3.5/5 - I do follow the story, but there are other stories I'd much rather see updated.

 

First time I posted this story here the author found the thread, made his account and started throwing a tantrum in less than half an hour from the first post.

He also asked that we take down any mention of the story. Still, I liked the story, and reccomend it to everyone

 

Really? I do recall a thread being posted, but when I did a search I didn't find anything so I assumed it had been some other discussion...

 

Ah. I didn't find a thread either, but I had just happened upon it looking for different magic systems. If so, perhaps he's grown a pair since then? The story improves throughout - the writing becomes better. And anyone who can make Snape a squib like that is worth mention.

 

Yea, I think the mods decided to humor him and delete the posts about it.

I still don't understand why he complained though, I did write a nice review on it =/

 

Huh, I was sure I checked the thread later and didn't find those posts anymore. Guess I was wrong.

 

I was sort of enjoying this until it got to a Snapetastrophe and it looked like Magical Oaths were going to get prominently involved, between that and all the snooze worthy 11 year old networking I sort of gave up. I might try to finish it later since it's been said it speeds up.

...

But seriously fuck magical oaths, of all the plot contrivances people use that's the most annoying.

 

To be honest, this fic is boring as fuck. 3/5 for competent writing, but it moves so slow that there's practically no plot.

 

We have tried: https://forums.darklordpotter.net/showthread.php?p=427179#post427179

Don't link to this story. It is not good enough for the trash bin, and it can't be improved.

 

The author is one hilariously defensive motherfucker. The review I left the first chapter:

About 5 minutes later he posted a review of his own fic (he seems to do that a lot) in reply:

 

lol, I was literally five minutes to posting this in the Almost Rec thread yesterday, before I got tired and said "fuck it, I'll do it later". =P

This story probably belongs in that thread, if I had to be frank. It's not bad and does have some interesting ideas. "Other people's magic", hm.

I would have personally rated it 4/5 for the ideas, but I am a little generous with some my reviews. And I think most people here can notice that the number of problems (e.g. the Hermione thing mentioned by Taure, the strange occurrence of calling Ravenclaws "Ravens", etc.) wouldn't qualify it to the Library for sure.

It's like that Almost Rec story about Memories; interesting ideas, but requiring some pruning with regard to the execution of the concepts.

 

Disclaimer: I haven't read this story and have no intention to.

That said, what fucking right does this dumbass have to demand either reviews or links to his story be taken down, when he's posted it on a publicly accessible fan fiction site?

If I weren't such a lazy motherfucker, I'd register otherpeoplesmagic.com and make a webpage with nothing on it but links to each and every one of his chapters, in addition to links that take you to every single mention of his story across the internet.

Jesus, asshole - once you post it it's all but out of your hands. If you don't want it discussed anywhere other than a place where you control every aspect, then post it in a private Yahoo Group or, better yet, just leave it on your hard drive.

Fucking crybaby.

 

I remember posting some of my issues with this story the last time the thread went up. From what I recall (and I gave up reading it after a few chapters), aside from rampant cliché abuse, it's a super!Harry fic with only a pretense of his being hampered in any way by the titular "disability": the story is set in Hogwarts, where all Harry has to do is touch the walls of the castle with his wand and then he can go all magical Hulk Smash. Big whoop. It's as if Percy Jackson were set in a canoe in the middle of a lake.

The author's presenting himself/herself as an unrepentant twat lowers it a point in my reckoning, so I'd give it about a 2/5 based on my recollection of the story and of what I rated it in the prior thread. (I don't think it's a good candidate for the Recycling Bin). I could be wrong, though, about its alignment with DLP tastes; comparing with its peer group in For Review, it was balloting about the same as the Highlander cross and well above Darth Marrs's STtNG cross, the latter of which at least I consider more creative and interesting than this.

 

Just posted a review:

"Hey, just thought that you'd like to know that DLP (Dark Lord Potter (dot) net) have placed your story in "The Review" section. If you're interested in feedback, you should come over and have a look. We'd be interested to hear what you have to say.

Also, your story isn't very good.

Mean but true."


Maybe he's keen for Round 2? Yeah, I tried reading this story and stopped. In the end, the characterisation came off like every other "try-hard original" story from writers of that level. I'd put it in the barely recommended, with an emphasis on the barely.

 

Wow, Shezza, that was really "useful" review. It really must have encouraged author to come here if he saw your constructive critic.

Author replied to my review politely, it is updated regularly, it is fairly well-written, Snape was pwned, Flitwick is important, characterization of protagonists is extensive and they "feel" more believable as story progresses and fic has some interesting ideas.

4/5

 

Did you read this bit? He wasn't lying, you know.