Good grief....

[persephone_kore]

I would like to clarify something.

Without denying anyone's right to run their own website or write (or not write) however they doggone well please, I can still think that they're overreacting. I can still be rather put off by having fanfic put down at a site I was originally attracted to for the sake of the stories. (Of course, I got into HP because of discussions and fanfic, so my perspective is probably a little odd.)

I am... saddened by the people who are saying "It's not fun anymore" and who are discouraged by what happened to their favorites. Seeing writers whose work and discussion I have enjoyed -- and especially whom I've come to like to the extent I know them as people -- feeling downhearted and discouraged is naturally saddening.

I am bewildered by those who suddenly seem to disregard all the clues from the first few books and go almost solely by the new ones.

I am slightly scared by those who say "You can't say you're the same person after reading this!"

Well, maybe not. I mean, I've passed through a little more time in my life, and I've read something I hadn't read before, but that was true after every other book I've read too. Some have had more effect than others. The people saying this will probably be offended if I suggest that the intensity of reaction to the Harry Potter books is in fact largely social -- of course it's possible, even common, to be blown away by books in the absence of such concerns, but I do think the social aspects of being involved (however actively, reactively, or whatever the heck you want to call it) in the fandom magnify the effects considerably, especially if you've invested a lot of time and effort in them.

I think I'm developing more of the detachment Arabella and Zsenya seem to be appalled by partly in reaction, recoil perhaps, from the way some people are reacting.

And yeah. With some tweaks, Alan and I will be writing essentially the same stories as we had planned before. (Heck, we even have confirmation -- again -- that the Founders used to be friends as well as colleagues. Nyaah!) Of course, we spun happily AU after CoS, and I wasn't sure if the Time's Riddle stories were acceptable to SQ at all. I really wouldn't have been surprised, based on their original guidelines, to have had someone write back with "I'm sorry, but we don't accept AUs like this. We thought we should let you know so you don't keep bothering us with submissions."

I went into OotP a bit nervously because I wanted to like the book, and I knew the author had said it was supposed to be darker and more depressing. Frankly, if the whole series goes ultimately to the Dementors then any fanfic I write after that point will take on "fix-it" characteristics. But I don't think it will, and I've still found things to like, and I am going to try to avoid people who are gloating unpleasantly or generally being nasty and play with people who are still enjoying themselves.

But I'm also going to spin and snatch up clues for Percy (well, other people are already doing that well enough) and Filch if I can. ;)

And for crying out loud, people, I know what the new song says about Helga, but whether you're sneering or cheering, claiming it means "leftovers" or "equal treatment/democracy/fairness," could we please remember that there are two other songs indicating that she DID have qualities she valued/looked for/favored/encouraged/tried to instill?

Comments

[narcissam.livejournal.com]

Hey! Well, you know what I think.

Besides, I think my opinion of Helga went through the roof with that sorting song. (Which incidentally didn't scan: my biggest gripe with OotP ;-)What I see her as saying was that everyone should be loyal and hard-working. In that respect, Hufflepuff is the model house.

NM

[persephone-kore.livejournal.com]

(Which incidentally didn't scan: my biggest gripe with OotP ;-)

Thank you so much. I needed that giggle. :)

And... yeah. On first reading, I confess, I flinched and thought "Don't tell me JKR's doing the Hufflepuffs-as-leftovers theory!" -- and I've no doubt that contingent of the fandom is probably ecstatic -- but it's also clearly rather approving and presumably a reference to the mention of her valuing fairness, before.

What I see her as saying was that everyone should be loyal and hard-working.

And just. Which is not a bad idea at all.

And I cheered for Ernie MacMillan moments later, of course. Good kid, can be relied on to say what he thinks quite plainly (and if he finds out he's wrong, say that just as emphatically as he said the other). I was already rather fond of him and pleased to see him like that again.

[angua9.livejournal.com]

Yes, Ernie was still his same outspoken-but-fair self from CoS, wasn't he? He ROX (even if he is a little pompous).

I'm doing the same as you, I think -- the more I see people getting all emotional and dramatic about That Book, the more calm and matter-of-fact I feel. And I'm highly motivated to integrate this book smoothly into my understanding of the entire series.

[persephone-kore.livejournal.com]

I can deal with pompous. I tend to go very formal sometimes when trying to make public statements, myself, and I'd imagine a bit of pomposity to probably be easy to fall into when saying the sorts of things he does sometimes. *grins* Sometimes the important things are hard to say naturally without getting either gushy or pompous.

[rexlapinii.livejournal.com]

And I cheered for Ernie MacMillan moments later, of course. Good kid, can be relied on to say what he thinks quite plainly (and if he finds out he's wrong, say that just as emphatically as he said the other). I was already rather fond of him and pleased to see him like that again.

I'm actually a little sorry we're having Cedric get annoyed with him--but then, Cedric probably does, and he is getting an Ernie MacMillan Trademark Turnaround out of the deal.

Whoops, there I go, heartlessly thinking about the fanfic again. ;)

I found the book tremendously fun, came out of it with a great sense of hope given how much Harry matured during it, and on rereading am noticing much more the high points, Neville and Ginny and the twins and McGonagall. I think once people have (as Angua put it) integrated the book into their understanding of the series, things will settle down. Right now I think a lot of people are making OotP more important than it is simply because it's new.

[wabbitseason.livejournal.com]

I guess I was more afraid that this book will be used as justification for certain fandom characterizations, especially from the pro-Slytherin camps, mostly evil!Dumbledore and bullying-jocks!Gryffindors. Grr. *sigh* (Sorry, the series are specifically the *Harry Potter* books, not the Hogwarts books, so they're *his* story. The focus is going to be more heavily on his House and his friends. How is he going to know what happens in Slytherin or Ravenclaw?)

And you know my opinion of Helga, which has expanded rather radically from non-entity to practical planner and organizer. I hated the implication that she was taking whoever was left, because then *why* she would have *any* traits she valued. Unless the argument was that they came up with those after the fact.

[persephone-kore.livejournal.com]

Similarly, this is why we don't seem to see all that many Muggles, I guess... though I WOULD like to meet Hermione's parents again sometime. Er, anyway. Yes, a lot of people are taking the flashback as the sole definitive moment for MWPP. Bah. But then, probably most of the same people took the Whomping Willow prank similarly...

I think your Helga and the one from the Sorting Song aren't necessarily incompatible -- yours is, after all, snapping about not excluding people. I'd say that there are qualities she valued in people in general and in her students, and perhaps she did lay early claim to students who shared them -- but also was willing to take anyone with the slightest ability and encourage -- instill -- teach the qualities she appreciated.

Anybody can work hard, after all.

[jesidres.livejournal.com]

Helga doesn't take the leftovers. Durmstrang does. I think Hufflepuff is the the strongest of the houses. It'd be the hardest one to make anything stick that might dmage friendships. That, I say, makes them a rocking house.

I actually was more emotional BEFORE reading the book. But now, I'm much more interested in what it gives to the whole, and thus I'm very pleased. Personally I think this supports my theory that the houses are like Political parties, switching roles as the years pass. (sorry, History major is being evil here).

I was upset we didn't get Percy's reaction to the end. That was the one thing that actually made me go "HEY!" at the end.

[persephone-kore.livejournal.com]

*blinkblink*

Durmstrang?

Hadn't thought of that one. How exactly do you get that theory?