Magical Beginnings
The scene is within a well decorated study, the walls are lined with books and a few mounted bladed weapons. The shelves, walls and carpets all a dark red, we find our kind host sitting in front of a roaring fire, a rather thin young man with brown hair tied back, a short red beard and a pair of oval glasses, in crimson pajamas, black fingerless gloves, black slippers and a red plaid bathrobe, reading a sizable book in a comfy red recliner.
"Welcome, my readers, to a small part of my mind, for this announcement," Blood Brandy motions towards a partially empty shelf, "I have begun this, my Magical Beginnings section, which will be made up various first chapters of various stories I start within a Harry Potter universe, some are my first takes on a couple of challenges I have read, others are ones that, as far as I know, are original to me and can be considered my own challenges to my fellow writers. I may someday in the future continue these stories, if the inspiration so strikes me, but this shall serve as a sort of pensieve for my Harry potter stories to help me clear or organize some of the clutter here in my head. If any of my fellow writers do begin one of my 'challenges' I simply ask that you notify me and I shall post your name and your stories name at the end of my corresponding chapter."
"To begin, though, I would like to say a few things, first is pertaining to one Ronald B. Weasley, I shall admit that in some times he was slightly helpful, but I, personally, do not care for the fellow, I do not suffer 'fair weather friends' nor do I easily suffer those who believe all worthwhile things in life should be easy, I may be lazy myself, but I know such things are worthwhile because you have truly worked for them. And I do not believe it was a wise bit of writing on the part of Madam Rowling to place him in a marriage with Miss Granger, while the two may be good friends, I believe that he is one of the worse choices for her spouse. I ask for any of my challenges, that this coupling not be made, any other involvement of Ron is acceptable, outside of an actual coupling with Harry himself, I hold no ill will towards homosexuals, and there are a few characters in the series I honestly have trouble seeing any other way, but Harry and Ronald are not such people."
"Speaking of Mr. Potter's coupling, I would like to say that, while I may in a few future instances, vilify Ginevra Weasley, I hold her no ill will either, but as I see it, there are girls who would be better suited for Harry, Hermione, for instance. The two have been through a lot together, more than he had been through with Ronald, and they are very close in the books, so much so, in fact, that Steve Cloves, the screenwriter for many of the movies, believed that the two could have ended with them together. That is not to say that Ms. Granger is perfect for Mr. Potter, or that there are not others who could be as good a match, such as one Luna Lovegood. Although Luna met Harry late in the series, the two shared a connection of two who had suffered similar pains, the loss of loved ones, persecution from those who are supposed to help them, lonely childhoods, bloodied hearts can heal each other. And most other females, in my opinion, have little enough character development that they could be written into the position as a girlfriend or spouse."
"And my final point in this little tirade of mine is Albus Dumbledore. To me there are two ends of the Dumbledore spectrum, and they are, strangely enough, to me best represented by the two actors who portrayed him. On one end is Richard Harris, who played the headmaster in the first two movies, this man seemed to just bleed the aura of a grandfather, a good man who, despite his learned years, has made mistakes and at times, as many aged people do, thought he knew what was best and believed things had not changed substantially since his own younger years. On the other end of the spectrum is Michael Gambon, I am not sure why, but there is just something about the way this man appears both in costume and more so in day to day life, that raises alarms in my head, he seems to look the part of the shadowed manipulator, the turncoat puppeteer, who sits, biding his time until he takes power. There can be grey areas on this, but these are the extremes to me."
Mr. Brandy lays the book in his hand on an end table and picks up a three ring binder, "I thank you for listening to this little speech of mine, but now I must be off to search the halls of my mind for the last few pages of this before I can show it to you. Also, within the next few months I will probably begin something else like this for Naruto stories, or other series I like, such as Artemis Fowl. Until then, my readers," a bookcase opens, allowing his exit, "Laters."