Title: Wisdom From The Dark 13
Author: Jyrnn
Spoilers: All four books. Wait, can't say that now can I? Okay, PS, CS, PoA, and GoF. I'll probably pilfer whatever bits I can from The Order of The Phoenix. Incidently some of it can fit. Thank you J. K Rowling. Well except the part about Sirius.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters. They are the sole intellectual property of J. K. Rowling and Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. I gain no monetary reward for this exercise and do not intend any copyright infringement.
Summery: A child has suffered enough, an intruder encounters unexpected resistance, and the careless words of Voldemort have the most unexpected results. Harry Potter is about to take a stand.
*...* Direct thoughts
Chapter 16: Until The Merging of The Parted Way
He had almost tripped over the damn thing when he stumbled down for breakfast. He hadn't noticed it lying next to the fireplace and as he walked past, he kicked it. Percy had other things on his mind. Dumbledore's plaintive message the previous night had robbed him of sleep. To see a man that his father so admired in such a desperate state had hurt Percy in a profound way. Dumbledore had always been a legend in the Weasley household, a subject of reverence and respect. The script that the letter had born was not the elegant style that one would normally associate with the Headmaster. Wild scrawling and scratched out words dotted the missive. Despite the frantic writing of the document the message was clear: Dumbledore wanted information. But he wasn't Percy's immediate concern. What concerned him was the large envelope sitting beside his teacup. It was marked "Care of Harry Potter" and bore the postmark of some hotel named The Pillar. He hadn't opened and felt reluctant to do so.
Steeling himself with a slurp of cooling tea, he broke the seal and opened the flap of his correspondence with the Boy-Who-Lived. Out spilled numerous other envelopes and one crisp piece of expensive hotel stationary. It was a letter from Harry to him.
Dear Percy
Seems you're the only person at home to whom I can send mail, probably because you were my advocate during the trial. I guess that also means you'll be on deck for the hearing next year. I also figured I'd take advantage of this loophole and sent some of my aborted letters to my other friends with yours, I hope that this is not a problem. It's night now and I see the lights of Marseilles below me. France is such beautiful place with many wonderful things, but its not home. I find myself at a crossroads that I have had a long time to ponder. Hagrid once told me that I would be a "thumping good" wizard if had some training. From now on I need to strive to prove him right. Voldemort wants me dead and I need to grow powerful to resist him.
Its funny but I thought it would be at Hogwarts that I'd learn the skills I'd need to survive in life. Obviously I was mistaken. I find that I cannot find safety in Beauxbatons either for Fudge has seen fit to blacken my name. Therefore it is to Durmstrang that I must go. Rather scandalous isn't it? That the Boy-Who-Lived will be studying at the darkest of magical institutions. I grow weary and unconcerned of scandal because there is little else I feel about it.
I must thank you. You stood up for me and fought an admirable legal battle in the face of intense opposition. You should not be blamed for failure when the whole of you government was poised against you. I will arrange proper thanks when I am settle in Bulgaria. There is good news though. The events of my exile have left me in full ownership of my family inheritance, namely control of something called the Orchard Conglomerate and estates scattered across Europe. If you need to contact me send a letter via Martine Marduk, his firm handles my affairs. I hope this letter finds you well. I have heard very little of the British Isles the last few days and, truth be told, I don't care to. The memory of home and all that I have lost is not off set by my recent gains.
Gratefully,
Harry
It was lot to take in. He merely finished of his tea and tucked the letters under his arm as he headed up the stairs to his siblings' rooms. They wouldn't awaken till at least noon. They had all been up late last night talking about Harry. Hopefully this would bring them some closure.
***
Sirius Black found the world quite painful this morning. Copious amounts of whiskey can do that to a man. Despite his dreadful hangover and pounding headache he had awoken without the gloom that had plagued his mornings the past decade and a half. He was free from Azkaban forever and safe from pursuit. Groggily, yet with a measure of cheer that he had not recently experienced, he arose from the couch he had eventually crashed upon the previous night. After a cursory search of the many rooms of Harry's suite he found himself alone. A quick shower later the ex-convict appeared more like a human than a filthy derelict. Decided less mangy he felt fresh enough to wander out in search of his errant Godson.
The lobby was vast and relatively empty. Only a few busy wizards could be seen and they paid Sirius little heed. A delving search of the dining hall found Remus and Harry hunched over a large tome speaking in an animated fashion. He managed to catch the tail end of the discussion.
"But if the golem is immune to direct spells how can you defeat one?" asked a confused Harry
"Not immune, resistant. The golem's resistance to spells only refers to direct hits or organic hexes. This means Impedimenta or personal effect spells are useless. It's only stone though. You can fire objects at it with a Banishing charm or levitate the object it's standing on. They are rare though so you shouldn't be overly concerned. They act only under he strict orders of the wizard that crafted it and the process is too expensive to be truly viable for mass production," lectured Harry's favorite Defense teacher.
"But what if the golem was jinxed so that all spells... Oh hey Sirius." The presence of his Godfather interrupted his current line of questioning. Sirius simply pulled up a seat and flipped to the front of the book. Turning his neck so that he wasn't looking at the text upside-down he read its title. "Gah, Creatures and Constructs. You have weird tastes in light reading, Harry." Looking over he saw that Lupin was in substantially better state than himself. "I seem to remember you drinking more than me last night. What's your secret Moony?" demanded a playfully irate Sirius.
In response he pantomimed baying at the moon. "Supernatural recuperative powers Padfoot. It takes silver to fell a werewolf, not alcohol." he managed through a smirk. "So what's on the agenda today Sirius? Did you get sufficiently soused last night to scratch you festive itch or are on for another binge tonight?" Sirius' head took that moment to spasm in pain and he could only shake his head to communicate a negative.
"I'm done with that now. I need to get out to see about getting name cleared back home. Once the room stops spinning that is."
"All joking aside though, that's not going to easy. Fudge is dead set against doing his job," advised Harry to his hung over Godfather.
"I know. But if takes another fifteen years I want everyone to know that it was Peter who was the traitor. I'm sick of being Wormtail's scapegoat." Sirius bit his tongue to stop the flow of curses that would follow any thought of the rat.
Something had caught Lupin's eye after he had taunted his old friend. Slapping down the Oracle in between the two he said "Maybe you won't have to deal with Fudge." The headline that streaming across the page in bold letters read: "No-Confidence Vote for British Minister." It seems your exile was the catalyst to his downfall Harry."
***
After slipping the appropriate letters under the appropriate doors, Percy Weasley apparated to Hogsmeade. The morning air was pleasant and shimmering blue-green waters of the lake were quite picturesque. He had never seen Hogwarts in the height of summer and as it lay before him now it seemed less imposing. Even the Forbidden Forest seemed less foreboding. But he could not dally beside a lake when Professor Dumbledore awaited him.
The familiar road from the village took him to the castle proper and Percy indulged himself in the fond nostalgia of his time here. His first few years were the best really, before he made Prefect. To imagine what he could have done had not buried his nose in "Prefects Who Gained Power." What power had he gained? One year in the Ministry with naught to show for it but a dismissal. His only consolation was the No-Confidence Vote that had been the big news in the Prophet that morning. *Well at least I'm not the only one being fired this week then.*
The massive doors to Hogwarts opened before him and allowed light to stream down on the cold stonework of the entry hall. As deserted as the castle was, it took Percy very little time to reach the stone gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's chamber. The fixture rotated up, stringing a twisted staircase behind it. Percy ascended. So there he was, in the inner sanctum of Albus Dumbledore standing before a slouched figure that was dozing at his desk.
"Err...Headmaster?" ventured Percy.
The slumped old man shot up in his chair sending a teacup crashing to the floor. "Mr. Weasley?" he asked as he squinted through bleary, sleep-deprived eyes. The past few days had been hard on him it seemed. The added stress of Harry's exile onto the existing worry over Voldemort's return had left him haggard. "Is it morning already. Goodness then you must tell me all you know."
"Not much to tell really. Rita had most of the details down pat. Falstaff breached the wards around Privet Drive and entered the Dursley residence. After searching the house he could not find Harry as he was in the cupboard under the stairs. Seizing the opportunity to strike back, Harry used his Firebolt to subdue Falstaff. The Minister, desiring to cover up the events and protect his aide, declared a state of emergency and swore all witnesses to secrecy. Judge Fletcher presided and sentenced Harry to exile. I could not mount a defense under such conditions, no one could."
Collecting himself the Headmaster posed a question. "Is their any chance of appeal?"
"Not as such. The rules around exile, as you know, exclude the convicted man from British soil. Every year though, on the anniversary of the sentence, the court is required to reconvene to determine if the exile should remain in effect," explained Percy.
"Then Harry can return next August?"
"Yes, provided we gather enough evidence to overturn the conviction."
"How is he faring? Its been three days, has he contacted you."
"Yes, and you as well."
"Pardon?" Percy simply handed over the one letter he had left to deliver. It was plain with only the Headmaster's name in black ink on the outside. Dumbledore wasted no time in cracking the seal and opening the contents. He mouthed the words as read silently to himself. From time to time he looked up disbelievingly at Percy. For his part Percy could only shrug, he knew nothing of the contents of Dumbledore's letter.
"Here, what do you make of it?" Dumbledore asked as he uncharacteristically tossed the letter over to his visitor. It read:
Dear Professor,
Your speech proved accurate. This, indeed, is a parting of ways. My exile makes it impossible for me to work with you and whatever group you assembled. It is obvious that I must face whatever trials I must undergo alone and without your help. Do not fear; I learned much about myself the moment I chose to defend myself. Falstaff did me favor.
It is an often-repeated muggle proverb that the best defense is an even better offense. To this extent I plan on conditioning myself into both a better wizard and a better warrior. Despite my appearance I have long since surrendered my childhood. It is time for me to accept my responsibilities. Back when Quirrell tried to steal the Philosopher's Stone in my first year, I had an opportunity to speak with Voldemort. Through his lies I spied a grain of truth. He told me something and until recently, I had forgotten it. He said "There is no good and evil, only power and those to weak to seek it." But like most things, Riddle was only half right.
My weakness was my uncertainty. I drifted through my early years, defending myself when necessary. I have cast that aside now. What makes Voldemort strong is that he is the aggressor. He attacks and then fades away. We wait and he takes from us. His Dark Marks blanketed the sky and people did nothing but cower. I have read of your war with Grindelwald. Only when you counter attacked on his soil did the battle end. I will do the same, but only when I am ready.
I will be attending Durmstrang come September. There I will begin to seek the power that Riddle so dearly covets and confront him as an equal opposite. I no longer care that he is Heir to Syltherin, or do I care about any preordained battle between him and me. Something more important than ancient prophecies or a vaunted destiny demands his blood. He killed my family. I will never know who I could have been. That is what I saw in the Mirror of Erised. He took from me a life and left me with only regrets. I will defeat him because I want to; I need to. He is a plague of hate and murder that I can no longer tolerate.
I tell you this because I think you can understand me. It would be so easy to blame you for keeping me ignorant. But I won't because it is beneath us both. I admire and respect you but I must do this on my own. My wealth well keep me alive long enough for me to gain strength. Good luck with protecting everyone.
Until the merging of the parted way,
Harry
"Why he means to challenge You-Know-Who. That's absurd. That's insane. That's..." said Percy
"Completely the way it should be." beamed Dumbledore. The worry seemed to have left his face and his eyes twinkled with unsung joy.
End 16
Author Notes:
Well thats another one. Harry finally decided on a course of action. I hope this sn't to much to soon though. I doubt it, the One on One battle with Voldemort is a recurring motif in a lot of fics I have read. I would highly surpised if it you my wonderful audience did not see this coming.
To my reviewers I must bow and offer my most profuse thanks. That means you all: Nighttime Sunshine, peeweepotter Relle, AJaKe, cricket, sil, Zaln, Lady FoxFire, Them Girl, fan, Otaku Freak, Saiyan Seker88, bostonian, ADJ, Webster, Star Mage, Lilybee2003, ZeonReborn, gallandro-83, Paul, pablo5280, Imaginaryfriend, Destruxion, kapies, rosie. Bill Weasly, Myrddin Ambrosius Jr.book worm, litine, clingon87,Siri Kat, pan, potter-man, DaBear, Potatoes, PheonixMan,GREENDAY 9829, Elessar, Jason Gregory, Renee Fay and Rachel A. Prongs. You feedback is greatly appreciated and if I have missed anyone you have my apologies. I consider all of you suggestions.
Incidently it has come up that I need beta readers. If you are interested or if you have any suggestions or questions about my work, feel free to e-mail me about them. The address in my FF.net account is accurate and I check my mail regularly. Bye.
Author: Jyrnn
Spoilers: All four books. Wait, can't say that now can I? Okay, PS, CS, PoA, and GoF. I'll probably pilfer whatever bits I can from The Order of The Phoenix. Incidently some of it can fit. Thank you J. K Rowling. Well except the part about Sirius.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters. They are the sole intellectual property of J. K. Rowling and Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. I gain no monetary reward for this exercise and do not intend any copyright infringement.
Summery: A child has suffered enough, an intruder encounters unexpected resistance, and the careless words of Voldemort have the most unexpected results. Harry Potter is about to take a stand.
*...* Direct thoughts
Chapter 16: Until The Merging of The Parted Way
He had almost tripped over the damn thing when he stumbled down for breakfast. He hadn't noticed it lying next to the fireplace and as he walked past, he kicked it. Percy had other things on his mind. Dumbledore's plaintive message the previous night had robbed him of sleep. To see a man that his father so admired in such a desperate state had hurt Percy in a profound way. Dumbledore had always been a legend in the Weasley household, a subject of reverence and respect. The script that the letter had born was not the elegant style that one would normally associate with the Headmaster. Wild scrawling and scratched out words dotted the missive. Despite the frantic writing of the document the message was clear: Dumbledore wanted information. But he wasn't Percy's immediate concern. What concerned him was the large envelope sitting beside his teacup. It was marked "Care of Harry Potter" and bore the postmark of some hotel named The Pillar. He hadn't opened and felt reluctant to do so.
Steeling himself with a slurp of cooling tea, he broke the seal and opened the flap of his correspondence with the Boy-Who-Lived. Out spilled numerous other envelopes and one crisp piece of expensive hotel stationary. It was a letter from Harry to him.
Dear Percy
Seems you're the only person at home to whom I can send mail, probably because you were my advocate during the trial. I guess that also means you'll be on deck for the hearing next year. I also figured I'd take advantage of this loophole and sent some of my aborted letters to my other friends with yours, I hope that this is not a problem. It's night now and I see the lights of Marseilles below me. France is such beautiful place with many wonderful things, but its not home. I find myself at a crossroads that I have had a long time to ponder. Hagrid once told me that I would be a "thumping good" wizard if had some training. From now on I need to strive to prove him right. Voldemort wants me dead and I need to grow powerful to resist him.
Its funny but I thought it would be at Hogwarts that I'd learn the skills I'd need to survive in life. Obviously I was mistaken. I find that I cannot find safety in Beauxbatons either for Fudge has seen fit to blacken my name. Therefore it is to Durmstrang that I must go. Rather scandalous isn't it? That the Boy-Who-Lived will be studying at the darkest of magical institutions. I grow weary and unconcerned of scandal because there is little else I feel about it.
I must thank you. You stood up for me and fought an admirable legal battle in the face of intense opposition. You should not be blamed for failure when the whole of you government was poised against you. I will arrange proper thanks when I am settle in Bulgaria. There is good news though. The events of my exile have left me in full ownership of my family inheritance, namely control of something called the Orchard Conglomerate and estates scattered across Europe. If you need to contact me send a letter via Martine Marduk, his firm handles my affairs. I hope this letter finds you well. I have heard very little of the British Isles the last few days and, truth be told, I don't care to. The memory of home and all that I have lost is not off set by my recent gains.
Gratefully,
Harry
It was lot to take in. He merely finished of his tea and tucked the letters under his arm as he headed up the stairs to his siblings' rooms. They wouldn't awaken till at least noon. They had all been up late last night talking about Harry. Hopefully this would bring them some closure.
***
Sirius Black found the world quite painful this morning. Copious amounts of whiskey can do that to a man. Despite his dreadful hangover and pounding headache he had awoken without the gloom that had plagued his mornings the past decade and a half. He was free from Azkaban forever and safe from pursuit. Groggily, yet with a measure of cheer that he had not recently experienced, he arose from the couch he had eventually crashed upon the previous night. After a cursory search of the many rooms of Harry's suite he found himself alone. A quick shower later the ex-convict appeared more like a human than a filthy derelict. Decided less mangy he felt fresh enough to wander out in search of his errant Godson.
The lobby was vast and relatively empty. Only a few busy wizards could be seen and they paid Sirius little heed. A delving search of the dining hall found Remus and Harry hunched over a large tome speaking in an animated fashion. He managed to catch the tail end of the discussion.
"But if the golem is immune to direct spells how can you defeat one?" asked a confused Harry
"Not immune, resistant. The golem's resistance to spells only refers to direct hits or organic hexes. This means Impedimenta or personal effect spells are useless. It's only stone though. You can fire objects at it with a Banishing charm or levitate the object it's standing on. They are rare though so you shouldn't be overly concerned. They act only under he strict orders of the wizard that crafted it and the process is too expensive to be truly viable for mass production," lectured Harry's favorite Defense teacher.
"But what if the golem was jinxed so that all spells... Oh hey Sirius." The presence of his Godfather interrupted his current line of questioning. Sirius simply pulled up a seat and flipped to the front of the book. Turning his neck so that he wasn't looking at the text upside-down he read its title. "Gah, Creatures and Constructs. You have weird tastes in light reading, Harry." Looking over he saw that Lupin was in substantially better state than himself. "I seem to remember you drinking more than me last night. What's your secret Moony?" demanded a playfully irate Sirius.
In response he pantomimed baying at the moon. "Supernatural recuperative powers Padfoot. It takes silver to fell a werewolf, not alcohol." he managed through a smirk. "So what's on the agenda today Sirius? Did you get sufficiently soused last night to scratch you festive itch or are on for another binge tonight?" Sirius' head took that moment to spasm in pain and he could only shake his head to communicate a negative.
"I'm done with that now. I need to get out to see about getting name cleared back home. Once the room stops spinning that is."
"All joking aside though, that's not going to easy. Fudge is dead set against doing his job," advised Harry to his hung over Godfather.
"I know. But if takes another fifteen years I want everyone to know that it was Peter who was the traitor. I'm sick of being Wormtail's scapegoat." Sirius bit his tongue to stop the flow of curses that would follow any thought of the rat.
Something had caught Lupin's eye after he had taunted his old friend. Slapping down the Oracle in between the two he said "Maybe you won't have to deal with Fudge." The headline that streaming across the page in bold letters read: "No-Confidence Vote for British Minister." It seems your exile was the catalyst to his downfall Harry."
***
After slipping the appropriate letters under the appropriate doors, Percy Weasley apparated to Hogsmeade. The morning air was pleasant and shimmering blue-green waters of the lake were quite picturesque. He had never seen Hogwarts in the height of summer and as it lay before him now it seemed less imposing. Even the Forbidden Forest seemed less foreboding. But he could not dally beside a lake when Professor Dumbledore awaited him.
The familiar road from the village took him to the castle proper and Percy indulged himself in the fond nostalgia of his time here. His first few years were the best really, before he made Prefect. To imagine what he could have done had not buried his nose in "Prefects Who Gained Power." What power had he gained? One year in the Ministry with naught to show for it but a dismissal. His only consolation was the No-Confidence Vote that had been the big news in the Prophet that morning. *Well at least I'm not the only one being fired this week then.*
The massive doors to Hogwarts opened before him and allowed light to stream down on the cold stonework of the entry hall. As deserted as the castle was, it took Percy very little time to reach the stone gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's chamber. The fixture rotated up, stringing a twisted staircase behind it. Percy ascended. So there he was, in the inner sanctum of Albus Dumbledore standing before a slouched figure that was dozing at his desk.
"Err...Headmaster?" ventured Percy.
The slumped old man shot up in his chair sending a teacup crashing to the floor. "Mr. Weasley?" he asked as he squinted through bleary, sleep-deprived eyes. The past few days had been hard on him it seemed. The added stress of Harry's exile onto the existing worry over Voldemort's return had left him haggard. "Is it morning already. Goodness then you must tell me all you know."
"Not much to tell really. Rita had most of the details down pat. Falstaff breached the wards around Privet Drive and entered the Dursley residence. After searching the house he could not find Harry as he was in the cupboard under the stairs. Seizing the opportunity to strike back, Harry used his Firebolt to subdue Falstaff. The Minister, desiring to cover up the events and protect his aide, declared a state of emergency and swore all witnesses to secrecy. Judge Fletcher presided and sentenced Harry to exile. I could not mount a defense under such conditions, no one could."
Collecting himself the Headmaster posed a question. "Is their any chance of appeal?"
"Not as such. The rules around exile, as you know, exclude the convicted man from British soil. Every year though, on the anniversary of the sentence, the court is required to reconvene to determine if the exile should remain in effect," explained Percy.
"Then Harry can return next August?"
"Yes, provided we gather enough evidence to overturn the conviction."
"How is he faring? Its been three days, has he contacted you."
"Yes, and you as well."
"Pardon?" Percy simply handed over the one letter he had left to deliver. It was plain with only the Headmaster's name in black ink on the outside. Dumbledore wasted no time in cracking the seal and opening the contents. He mouthed the words as read silently to himself. From time to time he looked up disbelievingly at Percy. For his part Percy could only shrug, he knew nothing of the contents of Dumbledore's letter.
"Here, what do you make of it?" Dumbledore asked as he uncharacteristically tossed the letter over to his visitor. It read:
Dear Professor,
Your speech proved accurate. This, indeed, is a parting of ways. My exile makes it impossible for me to work with you and whatever group you assembled. It is obvious that I must face whatever trials I must undergo alone and without your help. Do not fear; I learned much about myself the moment I chose to defend myself. Falstaff did me favor.
It is an often-repeated muggle proverb that the best defense is an even better offense. To this extent I plan on conditioning myself into both a better wizard and a better warrior. Despite my appearance I have long since surrendered my childhood. It is time for me to accept my responsibilities. Back when Quirrell tried to steal the Philosopher's Stone in my first year, I had an opportunity to speak with Voldemort. Through his lies I spied a grain of truth. He told me something and until recently, I had forgotten it. He said "There is no good and evil, only power and those to weak to seek it." But like most things, Riddle was only half right.
My weakness was my uncertainty. I drifted through my early years, defending myself when necessary. I have cast that aside now. What makes Voldemort strong is that he is the aggressor. He attacks and then fades away. We wait and he takes from us. His Dark Marks blanketed the sky and people did nothing but cower. I have read of your war with Grindelwald. Only when you counter attacked on his soil did the battle end. I will do the same, but only when I am ready.
I will be attending Durmstrang come September. There I will begin to seek the power that Riddle so dearly covets and confront him as an equal opposite. I no longer care that he is Heir to Syltherin, or do I care about any preordained battle between him and me. Something more important than ancient prophecies or a vaunted destiny demands his blood. He killed my family. I will never know who I could have been. That is what I saw in the Mirror of Erised. He took from me a life and left me with only regrets. I will defeat him because I want to; I need to. He is a plague of hate and murder that I can no longer tolerate.
I tell you this because I think you can understand me. It would be so easy to blame you for keeping me ignorant. But I won't because it is beneath us both. I admire and respect you but I must do this on my own. My wealth well keep me alive long enough for me to gain strength. Good luck with protecting everyone.
Until the merging of the parted way,
Harry
"Why he means to challenge You-Know-Who. That's absurd. That's insane. That's..." said Percy
"Completely the way it should be." beamed Dumbledore. The worry seemed to have left his face and his eyes twinkled with unsung joy.
End 16
Author Notes:
Well thats another one. Harry finally decided on a course of action. I hope this sn't to much to soon though. I doubt it, the One on One battle with Voldemort is a recurring motif in a lot of fics I have read. I would highly surpised if it you my wonderful audience did not see this coming.
To my reviewers I must bow and offer my most profuse thanks. That means you all: Nighttime Sunshine, peeweepotter Relle, AJaKe, cricket, sil, Zaln, Lady FoxFire, Them Girl, fan, Otaku Freak, Saiyan Seker88, bostonian, ADJ, Webster, Star Mage, Lilybee2003, ZeonReborn, gallandro-83, Paul, pablo5280, Imaginaryfriend, Destruxion, kapies, rosie. Bill Weasly, Myrddin Ambrosius Jr.book worm, litine, clingon87,Siri Kat, pan, potter-man, DaBear, Potatoes, PheonixMan,GREENDAY 9829, Elessar, Jason Gregory, Renee Fay and Rachel A. Prongs. You feedback is greatly appreciated and if I have missed anyone you have my apologies. I consider all of you suggestions.
Incidently it has come up that I need beta readers. If you are interested or if you have any suggestions or questions about my work, feel free to e-mail me about them. The address in my FF.net account is accurate and I check my mail regularly. Bye.