Pogonia, the swamp orchid. I teach engineering in the northeastern US and am old enough to be a grandmother.

Upon reading Prisoner of Azkaban in 1999 I was immediately smitten with the Potterverse. Impatient for the release of Book Four, I began reading the Unofficial Harry Potter Fan Club message board, followed by Harry Potter fanfic on when it opened. There I met Medusa, a young (perhaps 16-17 years old at the time) English writer whose real name I still don't know. Together we wrote a full length alternative book IV, Harry Potter and the Doomspell Potion, which was illustrated by Morwen, then a doctoral student in chemistry. Doomspell was privately hosted because ffn couldn't handle the illustrations. Later, we wrote The Shepherd and the Song (see favorites below)

Medusa went on to write "Under a Dark Star", a masterful retelling of Goblet of Fire from the viewpoint of the Durmstrang students. Dark Star also created a detailed backstory of the First Wizarding War in Eastern Europe, focusing on Antonin Dolohov, his family and their retainers. Unfortunately Medusa removed this from the 'net around 2002. Bits still exist on the Wayback Machine, but alas, not the ending.

Fifteen years after this dip into fan fiction, I'm back, with a new account because I can't get into the old one any longer. Apologies for the dead link. I'm using this account mainly to help me follow stories in the HP and ASOIAF fandoms, but I also plan to post Doomspell Potion here to give it a permanent home. I'd like to post Morwen's fabulous illustrations too, but before that happens I have to get her permission to use her pictures, and figure out how to link them to the story. PM me if you have advice.