/me dies from orgasm

moar

 

I hate to say it but I do not like this new version at all. I felt compelled to try and write some of my thoughts down.

One thing that I have enjoyed about this story is the ambiguity when it comes to Meciel. Before this we never truly knew the truth about Meciel. It seemed cool that she was such an evil bitch but still seemed to care about Harry. It made her a complex character. She was not just one-dimensional evil corruptor but rather more like a real person(if evil one). But now we learn that it was all nonsense and from the very beginning Meciel has never cared about Harry. But more, she was never actually capable of feeling love and that she had actually somehow enslaved Lilys spirit.

Except that now she has suddenly been "merged" with Lily and lo and behold. Lily miraculously manages to alter an immortal eternal fallen angel and give her the ability to love. She is not truly Meciel anymore is she? She is now some bizarre Meciel-Lily hybrid. She has no free will in this matter anymore. Is it truly love if she is forced to feel it against her will?

I cannot help but feel that this whole thing greatly cheapened Meciel and made her a lot less impressive and admirable. Now when Meciel says she cares for Harry we know its not truly her saying it. If you wanted to redeem Meciel I think it would have been a lot better if she arrived at the realization that she loved and could love on her own instead of having some wizard force it on her by altering her basic essence.

I also find the idea that Dumbledore has the power to do this somewhat weak. I mean if its so simple to alter a fallen angel then why has it never been done before. I mean sure Dumbledore is powerfull but is he truly the most powerfull being ever to have existed? If all it takes to brainwash a fallen angel is a few minutes of preparation and a skilled and powerfull wizard then why are there fallen still around? Even God did not alter the minds of the fallen angels but merely banished them. In renegade you say that Meciel is as powerfull as the old gods and now suddenly Dumbledore&Lily can just alter her very nature when not even God could? This does not sit well with me. It makes Dumbledore feel more like a super-god instead of a mortal man.

There would have been so many ways to redeem Meciel. For example having her remember the power and goodness of heaven due to the power in the sword or many other ways. However having her redeemed by what is essentially a mortal man(Dumbledore) slipping her (an angel that has existed for eons) what amounts to a love potion for Harry was just cheap. I guess thats my greatest problem. That you removed Meciels free will and turned her into Dumbledores puppet.

Sigh. I suppose I shall continue reading this story but I must confess I really hated this chapter and something wonderfull has vanished from the interactions between Harry and Meciel(or should I say Mecilily). Dumbledore brainwashing Meciel just plain sucked to me. Sorry Nuhuh. Still it seems that everyone else thinks it is indeed epic so I guess it is just me. Ohwell

 

I'm afraid I must concur with Datakim; I really, really, really can't stand this new direction the story has taken. While it is well written - it wasn't written by you, and it totally stands out as such. I personally thought that Meciel would eventually perhaps be redeemed, ever since you had Harry made a Knight of the Cross.

Datakim has essentially already rattled off all of the arguments that I would have, so I won't repeat them. I think you should scrap this omake and remain true to whatever your original visionwas.

 

EDIT: You are not alone Datakim, not alone at all.

In my humble opinion Meciel is very underpowered here.

Summoning and binding her, sure I can see that happening. But somehow affecting Meciel, that is quite a bit of a stretch. She is a fallen angel, a being of enormous powers, you bargain with her you do not start showing emotions of dead family members down their throats.

Even if such a thing was possible to do, how long time would it really take a Meciel to get rid of "Lily". She does after all barter in souls.

This could of course have other interesting effects, Harry is after all not the most agreeable host. This could literally be the drop... that caused Meciel to finally possess Harry.
This scenario would be highly amusing, think of the guilt Dumbledore would feel.

A bit of a rant, actually I became so annoyed with this chapter that I finally registered just to post this comment. So in a twisted way this is actually very high praise, since it means that I have formed an attachment to this story that is strong enough to overcome my tendency to lurk.


On another note, what will happen when Harry reaches maturity? The protections did fail then after all.


As an ending note I just want to say that I really like this story. It is both well written and frequently updated, in other words Gold.

 

I don't much care for Lily combining with Meciel in some fashion to change her personality. I believe Meciel has consistantly helped Harry.

I see it as an attack by Dumbledore, for the greater good, that should properly blow up in Dumble's face.

The only negative thing I see in the story is Harry's consistance avoidance of other people, and I can't see any influence from Lily Potter helping with that. Harry's mouth will get him killed.

 

Personally I loved this chapter. I don't see how Meciel could ever feel real, true love for Harry on her own.

So, does this mean that the Harry/Meciel ship is now a Harry/Meciel/Lily ship?

 

I'm pretty sure it was mentioned earlier that Dumbledore is also on the old-god level (i.e. the old gods were a little overrated).

I like the corrupter being corrupted bit. Something analogous happened in the Dresden files, so it's not totally crazy. I would guess that Meciel could probably shed the Lily influence by leaving Harry, so she's confronted with a bit of a dilemma.

Something like this had to happen eventually if the story wasn't going to be "Harry happily condemns his soul to hell and becomes the tool of an evil demon."

 

lol, I love how poralizing this chapter is.

 

Isn't there also the little fact that Meciel actually resides within the Outside and reaches Harry through the coin? Are we to believe that Dumbledore was able to do a ritual that not only briefly switched her connection from the coin to his circle. But, was able to force his magic through to the Outside to affect a being as powerful as Meciel in a realm where the rules of physics and magic are not even the same as his end?

I just don't buy it. The only thing he would have a chance of affected is an impression of Meciel that is left in Harry and the real Meciel would see the changes and be able to either reverse it or just destroy that impression and Dumbledore's spell with it.

I can see why you like the idea but it is inconsistent with what preceded this event.

 

How can we realistically say that an immortal human soul cannot overwhelm a fallen?

After all, in the old testament the angels and the original fallen were made to pay homage to God's creation, MAN! (doesn't that sound egotistical?)

At the very least we had a match up of a protection derived/powered by an immortal soul vs. a demon.

I was wondering if there was going to be a "redemption" of Merciel, I just wasn't expecting it to go down like this. First, we are shown that Merciel it is perfectly capable of dumping Harry's ass. Then Dumbledore, gives her a heart, against her will. Between that and Dumbledore providing a small taste of freedom, she is going to be one pissed-off fallen angel. I almost pity Harry, but he's just a better character when he's suffering.

In any event, I really like a well done, kick-ass Dumbledore. Which, in my opinion, comes along once in a blue moon.

*edit*

Remember Dumbledore also has a summer Faye to fall back onto.

 

I liked it.

*shrug*

 

I agree with RJ Stone2. Great addition, though I still think Meciel was capable of caring for Harry before.

 

I have to agree here. Did any of you really think that Meciel actually loved or cared for Harry more that she did for her other hosts?
And until now we don't even know the exact extend of Lily's presence in Meciel and how much it influences her. Maybe she'll become even more vicious because now she really cares for Harry?

Personally I wouldn't have liked a story either where Harry just condemns his body and soul to hell just because he, thanks to Meciel, loves to destroy and burn everything.

Nice chapter by the way Shezza

 

While the idea is...okay Shezza, it just wasn't written by you. And it shows.

As all the reasons Meciel shouldn't be effected have already been stated, I'll just say this. At most, this should be an Omake, not a part of the story.

Tarnished Blade: As someone who couldn't care less about the Bible having never read it, I say this.

Look at the fucking World. If were are God's creation, I'm not impressed. I don't see why or how we should have power over all things. I also don't get why a fuck Archangel's, which are some of the strongest creatues in the Dresden verse, should bow to us. I also don't see any protection any where, except for the Knights. And why should God protect us any way? He doesn't have to. He's God.

Also DD is as strong as a low class Old God. Meciel is as strong as a Strong Old God.

Add to the fact that DD has to hit her from another Universe...

At best Shezza, your using the 'Powa of Luv' to do this.

Please don't do this Shezza. I beg of you.

 

Hmm...it's still a bit of a jump. This chapter really came out of nowhere - there was nothing leading up to it to signify a major event was approaching, and the story will feel odd when you return to it after this interlude.

Like some others, I wasn't a fan of how Meciel's character was handled - it doesn't really match up with the rest of DR/DK. Same with Dumbledore, to a lesser extent.

 

To be honest, I can't really say I mind either one.

But I have to admit the second version does flow a good bit better with the rest of the story.

@ Ryuugi Shi
I never said anything about 'men' being perfect or having control over any thing whatsoever. I even mentioned that it was egotistical in the first place. Hell, even catholics consider mankind sinfully corrupt. And thats before the pervert priests.

Mom's a saint for never sending me to her old catholic school.

 

I just want to see Dumbledores punishment. This should be good.

Should we understand from it than only mortal humans posses free will? Or does some near-human species posses it also (centaurs, merpeople, goblins)?

 

Well, the updated version certainly explained in a little more detail what Dumbledore was actually doing, but I don't think that Dumbledore is actually capable of performing a spell that's that powerful.

The sudden change in Meciel's character sticks out like a sore thumb when compared to the rest of the story. Would Meciel now be like Lash - capable of understanding something like love and would 'die' for her host?

Perhaps it would be better as an Omake rather than a part of Denarian Knight canon. Or maybe not, because nuhuh's addition is just so damn good.

Franki: If it's based on the bible's version of God(as in the Dresden Files), I would think that only humans have 'real' free will. Near-humans are all locked into certain habits that they have to do, but humans aren't.

 

=/

Is this Denarian Knight or Sighs of a Denarian Flower? It can't be both.

 

Better. Much improved from the last--but still a bit awkward.