Hi, all!
Ok, so, here goes. One Mega-FAQ to answer every last question I was ever asked. This time, I can answer all of them, without fail, no holding back, no fear of spoilers. Why did this character die, why did that relationship not happen, why did event A happen and how is it related to event B? All those questions and more all answered with no strings attached and no limits in words. This may be a little long therefore, so if you're not interested in a question, or already know the answer, you can skip.
Anyways… since this has every question ever asked, the first bit may have questions asked from Books 4 and 5, so I'll try to condense my answers so this doesn't end up being novel-length. If a question was fully answered in Books 4 or 5, I won't address it again. Without further ado…
IF ROWLING ANNOUNCES ALBUS' HOUSE BUT HE DOESN'T MAKE SLYTHERIN, HOW WOULD YOU CANONIZE THIS SERIES?
Interesting question. Truth is, there is no real answer. This story cannot be canonized at all. Now, if we're asking a question of how an individual reader can view this series in respect to Rowling's new words, a viable head canon basically, it depends on how the reader sees it. Already, one can point to the Scamander twins. Luna was said to have gotten married much later than Harry and co., and in Rowling's World Cup short, Albus is only around five or six and the twins are 'home with grandpa.' This may imply they were babies at the time, maybe four to five years younger than Al. This is open to interpretation, however. There is also James' age. He is now newly confirmed to be two years above Al (and Gryffindor…. Yay!) while in this series, he is one year older. I'm afraid there is no way to canonize this unless we say James flunked a year. Now, if Al makes Slytherin, great, no worries. If he makes Gryffindor, then you can accept this as a what-if story, or simply ignore the sorting since in this series, Al does actually make Gryffindor. In fact, you can argue that whether Al makes Gryffindor or Slytherin, this series does not exactly contradict that since he is touted as a champion for both and sorted into both houses eventually. Now, if he makes Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, that is where things would be wrecked and I don't think we can explain it as well. This is not something I would do though. Honestly, I am one of three Albus Potter writers who make a serious push towards completing the series, and of those three, I am the second one to complete it. Of those three, none are wholly canon. Slytherin, Gryffindor, Scamander ages, James' age, these things are seen differently and there is only one right answer to each one. In reality, none of these can realistically be considered canon, even if you consider different head-canons, it requires a stretch. My advice: Take this series and any other as different interpretations as to how the next generations live their lives. In this series, regardless of what house Al, or James, or Scorpius ever make in reality, this is my interpretation of how I imagine things to be.
WHY DIDN'T AL TALK TO JAMES WITH THE RESURRECTION STONE?
Albus has a different way of grieving. A part of it, to him, was that once someone is dead, resurrecting them feels a little strange to him. Albus isn't the sort of person to hold on to the Resurrection Stone and use it. If he holds on to it, it's just to hang on, not to really put it to use. He gave it to Neil because Neil is the type to use it. Yet, even Neil has limits. To him, the dead are dead and every time he ever used that stone, he was reminded of that. He wanted to join his sister but he never did. He lived as both his sister and James asked him to do. Deathly Hallows makes clear that some re the type to just kill themselves when the Stone fails to give them what they seek. Yet, neither Albus nor Seth are that sort of person. Neil is, but his desire to do what he knows his only friend wanted him to do trumped all of that. Plus, to be honest, even if Albus was the type to use the stone, he felt no right. Albus was honestly half afraid of facing his brother after James died. James' loss hit him hard and he didn't know what he'd say to the brother he misunderstood all this time.
WHY IS HUGO SO MEAN TO LILY? IT'S NOT HIS BUSINESS WHO LILY DATES.
God forbid! Hugo, mean to Lily? I don't think so. Hugo and Lily are among the healthiest relationship in my series. That doesn't mean they're perfect and without flaws though. Remember, they're teenagers. Hugo just saw it as sad that the cousin he knew and loved changed so drastically in a pathetic attempt to flirt with a boy who barely talks to her. He thought she was better off being herself and yes, he waged a crusade against that, frequently getting angry and mad when Lily failed to be the Lily he loved. He thought she deserved better and talked to her. Upon the conclusion of Medieval Relics, she came to her senses and agreed wit him and apologized for her dramatized phase.
WHY DIDN'T YOU PUT SCORPIUS/ROSE TOGETHER?
Sorry, it was never going to happen. I never even considered it. Well- I mean, ok, when I first envisioned the series, I considered a Scorpius/Rose relationship but when it came to writing it, the idea sort of died. However, due to the large following of Scorpius/Rose shippers, I gave it a nod of respect when they dated, and I do think they'd make an interesting couple but as far as my interpretations of those characters go, they wouldn't have been happy. And if it did happen, Scorpius would've stayed alone because Rose's death was in stone. No way she was going to live, I knew from Book 4 that she would be among the last to die, partly for Hugo. It's unfortunate but it had to happen. I mean, I could've saved her, but I would've had to kill Ron and/or Hermione instead and… I wasn't about to do that. Knowing she was to die, I gave her one legacy, Raphael, and proceeded to off her.
DID YOU EVER CONSIDER SCORPIUS/LILY?
Oh, good question. This was asked by PM a few times and… yes, I did, actually. Originally, Scorpius and Lily were going to get together in Book 6 in spite of Hugo's grievances and he would've ultimately made peace with this. I thought it was better making Albus and Scorpius best friends, and like Ron and Harry, future brother-in-laws. But, the more I wrote about Lily, the more this whole relationship just seemed like a travesty waiting to happen. Lily deserved better and so did Scorpius. Lily deserved someone calm, quiet, and loyal, someone who loved her for who she was from the get-go, not someone like Scorpius who would've had to grow into her. Scorpius on the other hand is compatible with many different girls. He would've gone well Laura, Lily, Aries even, and maybe, if fate allowed it, Rose. And I gave serious consideration to all those characters before settling on Lucy. So, yes, I considered it but ultimately settled on this which… I am actually happy with.
WHAT DOES MARK SEE IN ARIES? HE WAS BETTER OFF WITH LAURA.
Yes, he was. But see, Mark and Aries are basically the power couple. He does love her, and this love is borne from years ago. What he sees in Aries is not something readers see in her. I never showed the real Aries beyond a flashback. When she's in public, she changes completely. Some do. Yes, some people are very different in public as opposed to home. When she's with Mark, alone, she's the Aries whom Alabaster loved, and she's the Aries whom Mark loves. Unless I release a one-shot showing how Aries presents herself to Mark alone, you'll just have to take my word for it.
WILL MARK EVER CLIMB OUT OF HIS DEPRESSION?
Yes, and by the end of the book he already did. He's grieving, he's wondering why people can be so cruel, but he's recovering. Plus, it's worthy to say that unlike with Walter's death, the war is over. Mark can recover in peace and quiet, he can stay with the twins and Aries but he also has a sister, something he did not have last time. And Maria is someone Mark is deeply grateful for. No kidding, he is deeply grateful that she exists and she is grateful that she finally met him.
WILL MARK AND ALBUS EVER MAKE UP?
Yes, eventually. By Crossroads of Fate, they were already starting. It is very likely they return to the way they were before this mad fight. Now the war is over and everyone is allowed to calm down, Mark can relax, Albus can rest, and Aries can stop freaking out when the sky falls.
WILL HARRY AND ALBUS EVER MAKE UP?
As of the last chapter, they were very cordial and distant. The war sort of ruined their relationship which was once very close. But they have prodding. Neither Ginny, Lily or even Mark would want them to stay fighting and all three would push for them to at least be on talking terms. So, they talk but the trust is minimal. As for the Epilogue, they're better.
THERE IS A CONTRADICTION WITH LYCAH. YOU SAID SHE'S MUGGLE-BORN BUT THE FLASHBACK IMPLIES HALF-BLOOD.
Let me just say, I am sorry if anything about Lycah confused everyone. The flashback did a horrible job of explaining Lycah's backstory. Let's face it, it was a horrible piece of work and did her no justice. It's sad because her story is one I've always wanted to tell and it's the very one I flopped on with a half-done flashback. She was much better served as that annoying side-character from before. ANYWAYS, I digress, Lycah is Muggle-born. Her original father is largely unknown though, so she's as Muggle-born as Dean Thomas, meaning her original father might have been a Wizard but if he was, she doesn't know it. Her mother does but not her. The stepfather you saw, the Werewolf, is the father of Cherry and Lancet and is a Muggle but knows about magic since he's a Werewolf. He is sort of bitter with magical beings for keeping such dangers from him, so he took that anger out on Lycah, and even Cherry and Lancet. He was sort of abusive so Lycah hated him and ultimately, she killed him.
WHY WAS LYCAH SURPRISED AT THERE BEING TWO MUGGLE-BORNS IN A FAMILY? IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE.
Yes, the Creevey brothers, Fars, you name it. She wasn't really, honestly surprised, she was just in denial that the two she heard of might really have been the siblings she left behind. They represented the past coming back to haunt her.
WHY WASN'T LYCAH IMPRISONED?
She was largely out of Ministry-eye and Teddy, with a soft spot for Werewolves, found her pretty quickly but kept her secret on condition she work things out with him and her own life. Eventually, she was given some sort of hard labor as game keeper, which is a job she hated doing. She grew isolated there but the Scamander twins kept her company and befriended her. Then, eventually, she died.
IF ARIES IS SO SIGNIFICANT, WHY MAKE ALBUS THE MAIN CHARACTER?
What I hope sets this series apart is that the main character, while the protagonist, is not the hero. At least, not in the traditional sense. It's simple to say that without Albus, Aries never would've come into the open, and without her, the war would've stayed underground and largely out of public eye. It's also easy to say that without Albus' efforts, the war would've been lost fifty times over. Albus, as Seth made every effort to point out, works behind the scenes. Our entire cast of characters works behind the scenes. It was only near the end and up to the climax when they began taking active roles alongside the DA.
IT'S JUST, I WAS HOPING TO SEE ALBUS BEAT INCOMMODO…
I know, a lot were hoping for this. But Aries was always the one she had to find. Incommodo was far too powerful to go down to Albus. Now, yes, they did share power levels but power does not equal skill. Even if Albus had the power levels of fifty people, he cannot compare to Incommodo whose skill far surpasses Albus'. It's just not feasible that Albus could defeat him. Aries was the best bet and only managed because Incommodo had some power taken. I considered letting Albus be Dubium's killer but once Laura died, I figured this role was better given to Mark. Instead, I had Mark and Albus together take Dubium down and seal their newfound friendship. Let it be known that while Aries and Albus fought the Arsenal effectively (Aries with wands and Albus from behind the curtains), the Reservation was taken down by Mark and Seth, (Mark by wands and Seth by a clever use of his influence among them.)
SO, THE NECRAM ARE THE DEAD FROM THE BATTLE OF HOGWARTS? WERE THEY EVER PLACED BACK IN THEIR RIGHTFUL RESTING PLACES?
Yes to both question. The Necram were all aboard the ship when they went down to Seth and Maria changing the orb, so it's not difficult to find and place them where they belong.
WHY COULDN'T ALEXIS USE HER RELIC?
Not all Heirs are born knowing how. It takes a bit of getting used to. Even Seth had to explore the staff's capabilities for a bit before using it. By the end of the book, all of them displayed use of them quite well.
HOW CAN APOLLO SEE WHEN HE'S BLIND?
He's really good. When he goes blind, he goes into future mode and sets his mind to know what'll happen seconds into the future. This allows him to see, sort of. But it's risky. It prolongs his blindness, so he usually tries to keep his visions to a minimum when he's blind. It's just this book, he had to be active.
WHY DIDN'T INCOMMODO CANCEL MUGGLE-STUDIES?
It was studied by a Wizarding point of view and Hermione was the DA's outpost in Hogwarts which Incommodo hoped to use along with Rolf. Not that it lasted long anyway with Hermione out all the time. He only got rid of Astronomy because he wanted the highest tower.
WHY DIDN'T THEY DISAPPARATE FROM DIAGON ALLEY AFTER DUBIUM BLACKMAILED THEM?
Anti-disapparation Jinx. It was surrounded. Some, like the Goal siblings, got away but that was during the chaos of the battle.
SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT, ROJER IS EVIL FOR EVIL'S SAKE? NO REAL MOTIVE?
Nope. Not everyone has a motive. Rojer is simply a sick person. But for all intents and purposes, he hoped for a legacy, and he wanted Alpha to be his legacy. Rojer hated everything and everyone and looked primarily after himself. He played both sides, even fought Incommodo thinking the DA would win. He miscalculated but that's what it was. He wanted riches and power and a legacy, he quite liked an image of him sitting on a throne made from the dead. So, he has a motive but honestly, he is sadistic. Simple as that.
DOES PROXIMA GET IT FROM HIM?
Rojer was sort of right, Proxima is a lot like him. She isn't sadistic but she can be very vicious. In short, yes, she does get it from him.
HOW DID INCOMMODO KEEP THE STUDENTS IN HOGWARTS? WOULDN'T THE PARENTS PULL THEM OUT?
He made it obligatory for Hogwarts attendance. To avoid a rebellion, he expanded Hogsmeade and placed major protections on it so the parents can relocate and stay nearby, but he still made it mandatory for students to addend.
HOW DID THEY GET THE FOOD IN THE ROOM OF REQUIREMENT?
House-elf magic. Plus, just a bit of food brought in there and it can be duplicated. Food can't be conjured, but it can be multiplied. That helps a great deal. Hunger is not an issue there. For that matter, neither is thirst since water can definitely be conjured.
SO, SETH LIVED? HE DIDN'T DIE? HE WAS PERFECT TO KILL, THE PERFECT DEATH.
Nope, he lived.
DID YOU EVER CONSIDER KILLING HIM?
No. Contrary to popular belief, Seth was always, always meant to live. In fact, even in Book 6 where people will remember he was in danger, he had plot armor. He had the Relic, he was set to use it. Many correctly guessed that if he was to die, it would have to be Book 7. Even there, he lived and was always going to live. He was never going to die. Originally, before writing him, I imagined Seth as a villain and had I stayed with that course, he might've died yes, but his villainy never even got written. The second I put him on paper, I realized there was way more to him and gave him a story. This cemented his life for one reason: Redemption. Seth is a sociopath, he does whatever he likes. However, he does have a redeeming quality, and I've said it many times that is Simon and Sierra and to an extent, Sophie. Killing him would've done none of them a favor, not me, or him, or Albus or anyone. It would've just happened. There would be no purpose in killing him. I meant to redeem Seth, to give him a place in the new world, and actually give him something he never wanted or thought he'd have. Happiness and a life and even a family.
SO, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH SETH? SOCIOPATH STILL?
Eh… no. Seth changed in a forced way. Like I always said, discovering any sort of emotion would make him sick. Like Harry guessed, the Dementor had a similar effect on him to Harry's cousin Dudley. Dudley saw himself exactly as he was, because he had no traumas. Same with Seth. Seth has no traumas, he's just himself. He acts how he sees fit and the consequences be damned. When he was effected, he heard and felt the mindsets of those he hurt. He heard Simon, Albus, Samantha, Malcolm, Sierra, Sophie, etc… and having an indirect connection to their emotions on top of a Dementor's presence sort of broke his mind and showed him exactly as he was, and gave him a real fear of death while he was at it, having so nearly lost his soul.
BUT… SETH DID HAVE A TRAUMA. SIMON NEARLY DIED.
To a normal person, that is a trauma. It's a worthy question but Seth isn't a normal person. It was a one-time trauma. Something he feared that time only. When Simon lived, all misery, sadness and fear were forgotten and pushed back into dark recesses of his mind. Even thinking back to it, Seth was never really filled with fear, just an assurance that Simon would be ok as long as Seth acted.
WHO DID SETH GET WITH?
Maria. I know a lot wanted Sophie, and for a long time, Sophie was the only realistic choice. But once he was mind-blown by Dementors, he changed enough to see a bit of interest in others, and Maria was a good match for him. And yes, this means, Seth and Mark are brother-in-laws and that family is one crazy-powerful family.
SO, IT'S SAFE TO SAY SETH AND AL ARE FRIENDS? FOR REAL?
Yes. Definitely friends and as of the Epilogue, one of Seth's very few friends. They see each other every now and then and share information.
SO, KABE IS THE NEW HEIR? HOW DID KABE TURN INTO A BADGER SO QUICKLY?
Yes, and as the more confident sibling, the only reason he wasn't Heir before was because he felt Fora deserved it more. He gave up his status by will. He feels pretty bad about that now cause he feels if he had taken his role from the beginning, he would've died and his sister would be fine. Kabe turned into a badger by underage outburst. He still needs training to do it regularly though. Incommodo took that as a sign Apollo could be used too.
HOW DOES THIS WHOLE HEIR/LEADER/RELIC THING WORK?
This was pretty confusing for some so I'm going to try my best to answer this. The Relics of Kings known only by ear. One founder, two Heirs. One is the Heir and another is simply a descendant that leads the Heir to the Relic. That descendant alone knows where they are, partly because they are told and partly out of natural intuition. How is this decided? Not by who is oldest but by who is more capable. The title of Heir goes to the willing and the capable. Fauna is more magically powerful than Samuel (who was by far the most useless descendant as the sword was just given to Fauna), Seth is more powerful than Sierra (though she is pretty capable in her own right), Alexis is more powerful than Alexander (of course), and Fora… she was different. Kabe was more powerful and more confident. But, he loved his sister and didn't really want to be Heir. So, it went to his sister. Being less capable, she ultimately died. Kabe feels sort of guilty over this and has since inherited her old position. That leads to the next question…
IF AN HEIR DIED, WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED?
Same as what happened with Kabe when Fora died. The Heirship transfers to the next. If Alexis died, it would've gone to Alexander, (not that he would've done well), and if Seth died, it would've gone to Sierra and so on and so forth. If they all died, then they would've been screwed.
WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THE RELICS?
The Orb was used to separate Herpo, Voldemort and Ink, and was used to trump the Reservation and weaken them prior to their invasion. The Amulet was used to gain a lot of power over defensive spells, which saved the day a lot of times. The scepter was Ancient and was used by Incommodo. The other four were used directly and played a role in forcing Incommodo to use up a lot of his power. That was for the final battle alone, because the staff still did wonders in West End and the sword was insanely powerful during the initial incursion into Hogwarts when James died. Basically, if Incommodo had not had to defend against the Relics, he would've won outright because they were exhausting to fight. No man can go hours fighting five people at once, each one wielding a powerful Relic, and end in fighting a powerful Heir of Merlin with a regenerative Amulet. Not even Incommodo. There's a limit. He fought and faced them and they were dueled to a stalemate until Fora died. That was when Aries took advantage of weakening him and went for the kill one on one.
WHATEVER HAPPENED WITH ALPHA? DID HE GET WITH LILY? WHY?
This relationship is pretty controversial. Some seem to be with it, some are iffy, and others outright reject it. Nonetheless, like I said, Lily deserves someone who loved her from the beginning. When she married Alpha, (and they did get together, no doubt about that) both had changed and matured a great deal. Alpha and Lily took a while to realize. Both were too immature and overly emotional to think rationally about their romantic lives and come to terms with certain things. They represent the fairy tale gone wrong. Cursed girl and true love's kiss… only this time it didn't work and the girl got mad because not too many girls like being kissed while they're sleeping. Sleeping Beauty is just weird that way. With Alpha and Lily, it was meant to be sort of like James I, and Lily I. Boy has long-standing crush that girl outright rejects. By seventh year, they start dating and go strong and ultimately married. (Note: This does not mean Alpha will die for Lily and a crazed Dark Lord will kill Lily and mark her son. That has so past.
So, anyways, there are many things behind this relationship and reasons why I allowed those two to get together. Alpha was an irony. His name suggests leadership, yet he is the complete opposite. He was timid, shy, fearful, and drastic, yet also kind, loyal, intelligent when he wanted to be, and very brave. In short, he shared many qualities with any house, and could be quite welcome in any Common room. Lily went on to date many other boys including Simon and even Seth (the latter which was quite awkward) and all were either failures or done simply to effect others. Alpha on the other hand dated very few and always remained uncertain. It was not till seventh year when they started dating. Lily began to see a certain maturity that did not exist before. Eventually, Alpha's long standing fear of dying alone was proven moot. The two have five kids but live in a rather green, secluded environment, with the grass grown like a labyrinth to keep surprise visitors out. Only the family and welcome friends can find them.
WHAT'S ALPHA'S PROBLEM? WHY DID HE KISS LILY ANYWAY?
Following his trauma with Rojer, Daphne and Proxima sheltered Alpha too much, so much it did him a disservice and he had no understanding of what was right or wrong in society. Having seen during his kiss what his life was like, Lily was a little understanding for a time. In that sense, his unacceptable kiss served as a blessing in disguise and showed that first impressions are not always right.
DOES LILY EVER GET OVER HER MENTAL ATTACKS?
Yes. They stay as long as the one who cast the curse was alive. The casters were Soto and Dubium. One died in Book 6, sort of weakening it. After Book 7, it's definitely over. And hey, she's a good Legilimens and Occlumens due to that so there's one good thing. :D
WHY DOES SIMON HAVE SUCH A POOR TASTE IN FRIENDS?
He just does. Simon is, by nature, self-destructive. He doesn't really act thinking about the consequences, he acts for the present and deals with things as they come. He befriended Proxima simply because of how brilliant she was, and he rather hoped she would be of some help in getting to know the school. Simon has a tendency to not only make poor choices in friends, but the friends he does have are pretty strong. He got lucky.
DID SIMON AND PROXIMA GET MARRIED?
Yup! And had seven kids. Seven whole kids. They have their problems like anyone else but they manage, and frequently snipe at each other's habits and personalities just to have fun.
PROXIMA SHOULD BE ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER. WHY WASN'T SHE?
Neither she nor Scorpius said a word about it and Simon didn't either. It's a secret between the three, though she did tell Alpha and he wasn't too pleased with her. Proxima was mad, she was just a little unstable and almost psychotic, but she got hold of herself thanks to Simon and stopped. Don't worry, she won't show up at Scorpius' house one day and murder him in his sleep. They're not close but they're not bitter enemies anymore either. She'll just opt to stay away from him and not acknowledge his existence.
WILL SCORPIUS AND PROXIMA EVER MAKE IT UP?
Like with other questions, your choice. As of the Epilogue, they are sort of cordial but not made up. They get together sometimes and sit quietly, looking over the scenery, sometimes their kids get together, but there is usually a severe lack of conversation between the two. They're not friends and they probably never will be, though they do see each other every now and then, mainly on occasions like birthdays and holidays.
WHY DIDN'T THE MALFOYS TELL ABOUT ROJER'S MURDER OF NARCISSA?
The Malfoys were not exactly well-liked at the time. They preferred to keep this to themselves and stay out of the spotlight. A lot of people might've thought that this was foul play to get sympathy. Plus, this was sort of traumatic for Scorpius. They wanted to spare him from having to talk about it a lot to authorities. Lucius wasn't happy about this but he went along with it, intending to kill Rojer himself if ever he got the chance. Proxima agrees though, the fact that the Malfoys said nothing is her main problem and the core of the reason why she hates Scorpius so much. That and the fact that Scorpius didn't say anything when she bent down and begged him to.
DID ALBUS REALLY KILL RIDGE? CAN WE BLAME IT ON VOLDEMORT'S POSSESSION?
No, he did kill Ridge. Voldemort never possessed Al, but in a moment of emotional weakness, he had a lot of influence and grew stronger. The Imperius Curse took a dominating mind to do it, so that bit was probably Voldemort, same with the Cruciatus curse as, like Bellatrix said, righteous anger won't hurt them for long. It had to be Voldemort. But the Killing Curse was purely Albus, with or without Voldemort, he would've killed Ridge.
DOES ALEXIS LOVE ALBUS MORE THAN ALBUS LOVES HER?
Good question. I would say no, she doesn't. They love each other in different ways and for different reasons. Albus loves Alexis because she is so uplifting and considerate. Alexis loves Albus because he is good company for her to be around. She feels she can talk to him. In second year, Albus actually reminded her of Alexander sometimes. To her, helping him out in second year sort of evolved. She went from being 'my friend in Ravenclaw' to a dear loved one.
ANY PARTICULAR REASON WHY MARK/ARIES HAS THE MIXING OF MERLIN AND MORGAN?
To those who noticed, well spotted. It's not exactly significant to the story, just important as a point of unity. Merlin and Morgan were mortal enemies, so seeing their descendants get together somewhere down the line is a welcome irony.
ARE MARK AND ARIES RELATED? THEY'RE BOTH PURE-BLOOD AND ALL PURE-BLOODS ARE RELATED SO…
Yes, they are. They're not direct cousins or anything though, they don't go for that sort of thing like the Gaunts and Lestranges did. They're actually related by accident. The Walladers and the Kimbles are the sorts of families that married Pure-bloods from overseas. At some point, their families did meet down the line and since then, it has been tradition for Walladers and Kimbles to be partners. That said, Mark actually has ancestry from around the world. He's got German, Turkish, Australian, and a bit of Italian on his mother's side. Aries has American ancestry on her mother's side, but also French, Russian, German, and Greek. The commonality is German, and that is where their ancestors met at some point. Mark and Aries are fifth cousins or so.
DID THE GUARD EVER TRY TO INTERROGATE THE NEW ROOTS?
Yes, but the New Roots didn't break and the Guard didn't dedicate all that much time to interrogating them. They had plenty of other things to worry about. As established, their declared enemy was the Arsenal. The ones who interrogated were few.
WHAT'S INCOMMODO'S PROBLEM? HE SHOULD BE ACTING. HE SEEMS SO INACTIVE.
He did seem rather inactive this story. It's a contrast to how dangerous he was in Book 5. Once he took Hogwarts, Incommodo has eyes on him. He isn't like Vodemort who just killed people and didn't care what others thought. Incommodo wants power and he wants it legitimately to decrease the risk of open rebellion. He took the Ministry by issuing a petition against the Minister, thus taking power legally. He went on to fill the void Phoenix left. As far as the Wizarding world was concerned, he was the more effective force standing between them and total annihilation. He wanted to keep it that way. This is why he preferred expelling rather than killing. He was also quiet with Lysander, and didn't try too hard for something he supposedly wanted. The office and its little objects became more trouble than they were worth. Had he known what those instruments could do as Lysander used them, he would've tried much harder.
DID SETH REALLY WANT AL TO LIVE?
Honestly? Yes. Eventually, there developed a sort of trust between Seth and Al and Seth liked that, and he began liking Al. He didn't want to kill someone who sort of became something like a friend. But… being Seth and knowing how to put priorities over emotions, he ignored it in the end. He fought with himself but in the end, he did try killing Al. It just didn't work, and yes, he is very grateful it didn't work.
WERE THE NEW ARSENAL FOLLOWERS OLD HERPO SUPPORTERS OR SOMETHING?
Yes, they were. Old families from ancient clans who supported him flocked over on command. They always believed he would return one day so when he did, they went over. Some stayed in Greece, having conformed to the new ways and were against Herpo, secretly hoping he'd lose there. Nonetheless, many of the news followers who came from Greece were old supporters descended from his original supporters from ancient times.
WHO STAYS AT HOME WITH GINNY?
Hannah Abbot at times, Otto stayed with her before he died, and other noncombatants. Hannah for one is busy looking after a bunch of orphans so the two spend quite some together. Luna started staying with her when she could after she was freed from the Reservation.
WHY DIDN'T ALBUS' APPREANCE CHANGE?
Originally, because the soul of Voldemort was just a small sliver. It built gradually, so his body didn't receive such a great shock inside. It was when it was ripped out that it changed physically. Albus is the only case where he avoided becoming physically deformed?
HOW WERE AL'S PHYSICAL DEFORMITIES HEALED? IS SIMON THAT GOOD?
Simon is pretty good but the hero who healed those deformities was Maria, who had access to Alchemy. Alchemy, in my canon, can heal any physical wound. And yes, it can even heal Mark's wound. Why they don't do so? Because to bring a leg or arm back, to bring any limb back, would require a sacrifice of a limb from another. That is not something Mark is willing to do. Alchemy is dark magic in my canon, so few perform it.
HOW DID INK EVER GET THE SCEPTER?
Grindelwald, who hoped to use something as powerful as the scepter, stole it from Greece. He rejected Herpo and never consented to his invasion, handing it to Ink. Grindelwald hoped for a young apprentice but it went out of control. The scepter was left and Britain returned it to Greece, while Ink changed.
WHAT WAS MARIA'S/MARK'S PLAN?
This was a little unclear in the book. Mark initially approached Incommodo to keep an eye on him. Through very smart deduction and rational thinking, he deduced what exactly Harry's plan against Incommodo was and wanted to keep an eye on things and decide what time was the right one to strike. When Incommodo started attacking Al, Mark moved the striking point up and called the other teachers who came and fought him. That plan actually very nearly worked too, and would've if Rojer hadn't fled. If Aries had been there, things would've gone very differently too. Maria had a plan somewhat connected but a little independent. Maria is self-serving but she wants to prove herself to her brother. She joined Incommodo as a backup, so if the Guard lost, she could protect herself. Even then, she still leaned to the side of the Guard and acted to save Al by convincing Incommodo to draw the Rune on him. She hoped that Al would live if one of the souls engraved with runes were trapped in the immortalizing orb, and she was right, in a way. But it was purely theoretical on her part.
WHY SO MANY PREGNANT PEOPLE? ASTORIA, GINNY AND ROSE? WHY?
Birth means new life and I hoped to bring new life after a big war. There really wasn't any other reason than that. Life goes on, even during war, and births still happen. The Potters had a new boy, the Malfoys had a girl, and Riley had a boy. Which leads me to the next question:
WAS ROSE PREGNANT? IF SO, WHY? WHEN WHAT BROKE HER? SHE WAS NEVER THE TYPE, WAS SHE?
Yes, she was. And no, she was not the type at all. The climax in Book 6 broke her and she- sort of lost herself. She shouldn't have, but her grief over Hugo putting himself in danger by going back in time, and her near losses brought her down. She didn't 'want' to be involved in the war but she found her family in the middle of it. If she had kept herself sane for another month, she wouldn't have gone so far with Riley but that's what happened. They conceived in June and delivered in March and yes, Ron and Hermione know.
WHAT'S SCORPIUS' PROBLEM? WHY DID HE BETRAY PROXIMA LIKE THAT? WHY DIDN'T ALBUS? SAY SOMETHING!
Scorpius was just afraid of Rojer. Rojer put fear in him, and Scorpius spent the next several years afraid, however irrational it might've been, that Rojer might take something precious from him. When Rojer further threatened to have Lucy killed, and take the first opportunity he got to see the Malfoys, including his then-unborn sister killed, he quailed. Rojer agreed to let him go only after he had Scorpius shut his mouth and witness the torture. He liked the idea of Scorpius feeling pathetic. So, forced into silence, Scorpius watched Alpha's torture. When Proxima begged him, Scorpius 'wanted' to say something, but didn't out of fear he'd lose someone dear to him. Albus was simply silenced so he couldn't say a word to Incommodo. He would've otherwise. That was how Rojer got away with things. Proxima knows why Scorpius stayed silent but she won't accept it as an excuse.
HOW DOES THE SOUL THING WORK? HOW CAN SOMEONE BE PURE BUT TAINTED OR WHATEVER?
There is a difference between being tainted and cracked. A crack happens when a soul commits murder, it becomes tainted when it makes a habit out of it and does so with Dark Magic. It's a little more difficult to become really tainted because one murder doesn't do it. Plus, it's possible to be a pure soul and still be evil. Look at Aramaster. Who has he killed directly? And it's also possible to be tainted and still be good, as Aries may tell you. She has killed and she did so with Dark Magic. In fact, I could argue she is as tainted as Seth who is neither good nor evil.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ARAMASTER?
There are rumors, of course: Some believe he died trying to flee, some believe he is secretly still in Britain trying to set up a new Reservation, and some believe he fled the country. The truth is, he fled. He fled Britain and was never seen again. He took an international Portkey to France and from there, fled to the States. No one knows but he is just living normally, trying very hard to just be a normal person. It isn't fair and he didn't get justice but not every bad guy or even losing side gets justice. Many end up living in seclusion, living normally like nothing ever happened and Aramaster and his crew is part of that. He is still traumatized by what he was ordered to do and how spectacularly he failed, he is very bothered by the fact that however certain he was in his own victory, his own beliefs, and his own convictions all led to nothing.
HOW DID MARIA REPLACE ROSE WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE SAME PEOPLE AS LAST TIME?
Maria is the only one who could've replaced Rose because she's naturally drawn to the Orb anyway. There's no rational reason Rose would've left anyway. At all, really.
HOW COME LYSANDER COULD SEE THE LINE?
Because he remembers the clearest, he remembers everything. Even when his memory was erased, he always felt there was something beyond the forest so the curiosity settled on him. The original line was visible to the curious, Lysander alone retained the curiosity after the initial adventure.
DOES MARK KNOW ARIES KILLED PEOPLE?
Yes, he does. She told him in the flashback in Book 5.
DOES MARK KNOW ABOUT ALABASTER?
Also, yes, he knows. He doesn't hold it against her.
WHY WAS ALABASTER STILL IN SCHOOL?
Blackmail to his parents. It was either that, or death.
HOW OLD IS LYCAH?
Same age as the Scamander twins. A year younger than Al.
WHO WILL REPLACE LYCAH?
After the climax, it was made clear that Lancet was too young and erratic to be in control of his magic completely. The best way was to expose him to regular magic, get his body used to that sort of air, so he became gamekeeper and replaced his late sister. For the longest time, he acted under supervision by Hagrid's portrait and an adult in the hut with him, at first a temporary replacement, and for a time Lorcan when he graduated.
CAN'T THE ROOM OF REQUIREMENT JUST BE TOLD TO REJECT ROJER?
Yes, it can be and it was, but the fact he knew was uncomfortable for them.
HOW IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AL AND LILY?
Good question and it… should be enjoyable to answer. Al and Lily are pretty good, actually. Lily doesn't have much of a social life, really, beyond her own family. What makes Lily- well- Lily, is that she loves her family and puts them before everything. She's close with Hugo and that's one thing, but she loves Al dearly. Of course, that doesn't say much, does it? She's his sister, we'll see. Of course she loves Al. So, we'll go into it a bit. Before Al left to Hogwarts, he was really close with his family. Harry, Ginny, James, (yes, even James) Lily, you name it. When he got sorted, it took adaptation and acceptance. James was prejudiced so rejected Al somewhat, Harry supported him, Ginny gave moral support, and Lily was his motivation. She was his little sister and he felt protective over her.
Because he was out of Hogwarts a lot and the end of first year saw Mark join them, Al and Lily didn't continue that good relationship and was placed on hold till later. It wasn't till Book 4 when Al acted on Lily's behalf. In fact she was his driving force back then much like Alexander was Alexis' in Book 4. Her abduction worried him. Her later supposed death practically broke him (along with Alexis' supposed death, Al was seriously about to descend.) They love each other, it's just not shown very much in the early books because with Mark following Al home and giving him a lot to handle, and Lily being unable to help or even try getting involved in a fight she knows so little about, it was very hard for her to come out and be the sister she needed to be. She preferred to stick with Hugo and in Book 6, Lucy. That's just who she is. She sticks mostly with herself, otherwise, her own family. She doesn't handle society very well like Hugo or Al can.
WHAT'S UP WITH LANCET?
Lancet is a hybrid between Werewolf and vampire. He's not obliged to drink blood but he has a strong preference. Problem is, the scent or taste of blood trigger and transformation. At first, this contradictory venom in him nearly killed him by blocking a lot of his magical power. By using the dangerous but powered up Alchemical solution Maria loves, they managed to save him. However, this created a new problem. His magic is erratic and uncontrollable. They're not even sure he'll be able to attend Hogwarts and if he does, he'd have to learn privately and the results won't be positive. His magic is especially crazy when he transforms, which can be done with or without a full moon and can be triggered by the mere scent of blood. If it happens during a full moon, he is stuck as a Werewolf till the next full moon.
DID LANCET ATTEND HOGWARTS? WHAT ABOUT ALEXANDER? NEIL? SETH?
Lancet and Alexander never attended again. Nor were they forced. Hogwarts took a long time to recover and regain the students it lost. Parents lost trust, to be honest. Lancet believed, and many agreed with him, that it is simply too dangerous to place him there. He was given gamekeeper job instead, and Alexander, to this day, is trying to work on an object that helps people with magical troubles manage. No luck so far, though. Alexander left Hogwarts because he didn't believe he'd get anywhere. They didn't give a course on the only subject he really felt a passion for, and his best subjects were in limbo the following years while Hogwarts recovered. He preferred being tutored at home and sometimes, did self-study. Neil did not leave Hogwarts. He returned in spite of his earlier declaration he would not. As for Seth, he returned, but only a year later, so he was in Simon's and Sierra's year.
WHY DOES HARRY WANT TO ERASE THE MUGGLE'S MEMORIES?
My hands were tied. I am sorry, it's a horrible thing to do but while the war raged, the Muggles stayed quiet, helping to eradicate the Reservation. A silencing jinx was placed on social media and other methods of communication to stop the word escaping Britain. Afterwards, some explaining would have to be done. Realistically, the rest of the world finds out and the Ministries risk open warfare, or Britain acts. To them, it's the only viable alternative. I admit it was tempting writing a Muggle vs. Wizard book, but that would've required an eighth, maybe even a ninth book when I promised seven. On top of that, switching from a three-way fight to a Muggle vs. Wizard thing might've been a little bland, looking like a pathetic attempt at a sequel rather than a thought-out story. Since realistically, the Wizards will try to keep themselves secret, I could justify wiping memories, however bad a plan and however immoral it might seem.
HOW MANY KIDS ARE THERE IN HOGWARTS? THE DORM NUMBERS DON'T MATCH UP TO ROWLING'S NUMBERS.
Rowling says there are a thousand, but my dorms don't match up to this number. Nor do her dorms but mine definitely don't since some are abnormally small. Some say there are other dorms aside from the ones we see, and each year isn't limited to two dorms per house, one for boys and one for girls. Others simply say that Rowling added the numbers wrong since she did say math isn't her strong suit. I myself am bad at math but I could argue that mixing a rough estimate of 280 students and 1000 students is a pretty massive order. Not a likely mistake. Put simply, I don't know. Whatever explains the 1000 students rule, use that. I did the same as Rowling did and simply focused on the dorm we know. If there are any other people in Al's year, they were never seen and never will be. I am sorry, I do not know the answer to this question.
DID ALBUS EVER BECOME MINISTER?
Eventually, yes he did, if only to affirm to himself he could do a better job than Harry. He took a year off and lived in seclusion with Alexis and Alexander in Grimmauld Place. Afterwards, he helped Percy and Harry to bring the Wizarding world through the aftermath, and especially helped to crack down on the Goblins, who Albus unfortunately grew to have a prejudice for. However, Albus also acted as a curse-breaker. Sometimes, he let Scorpius take over so much of the time, they shared roles.
WHY DIDN'T ASTORIA FLEE WITH LIBRA?
Remember, the Malfoys look after their own and Astoria didn't like the idea of leaving. The idea certainly occurred to her but she never went through with it. She didn't want to leave any part of her family behind. Scorpius was still there and we all know the Malfoys sole motivation is each other. So, Astoria is not about to leave. In any case, she felt quite safe in the Manor and later the Room of Requirement where Melvin pretty much saved her before leaving.
WHOSE SIDE WERE THE VAMPIRES AND WEREWOLVES ON?
They weren't on any one side. They're human and have their own interests which can differ from other humans like them. Some vampires, particularly those in the forest, long feared the Reservation and took the side of the DA. Others were with the Reservation. Werewolves were mostly with the Reservation but a fair few chose to stay out of it. The DA had more use from vampires than Werewolves.
DOESN'T INCOMMODO KNOW ABOUT THE KIDS GOING OUT TO FIGHT/ WHAT ABOUT THE TRACE?
One or two readers wondered about this so here's my thinking: The trace, as we learned from Half-blood Prince, does not detect the specific Wizard activating it. Dobby did a hovering charm and they thought Harry did it. Using magic activates the trace. Another thing we need to remember is that Incommodo was out of the Ministry, and it was on the brink of falling, when they first left Hogwarts to fight the Reservation. So, as far as Incommodo might know, some underage kids have used magic in places the Reservation are known to be attacking. Meaning, they attacked the Lovegood tower and Incommodo knows underage magic was used there. They attacked Ottery St. Catchpole and the underage magic was detected there too. Here's another thing to consider: The Reservation drafted kids when they attacked Diagon Alley. So, this underage magic could very well be either Hogwarts students or kids the Reservation took and are forcing to do their bidding. Which, to Incommodo seemed more likely? The Reservation kids doing it. He considered the idea of Hogwarts students fighting them as plain dumb and t be honest, so did some of the Guard. I hope this cleared things up.
DID APOLLO LIE TO INCOMMODO DURING THE BATTLE? HE SAID HE'D DIE BUT HE DIDN'T.
If Apollo did lie, don't be surprised. Apollo is not above lying, especially to someone like Incommodo. However, at that point he did not lie. Apollo saw exactly what he said he saw, but knowing the future and how it would come about, Incommodo did things differently, thus changing the future. In short, Incommodo knew what a road would lead to and simply chose another road. What he did not know, and something Apollo deliberately kept from him, was that both roads led to Incommodo's failure. In that sense, you might call it a lie because an omitted truth is still considered a lie by some. Apollo usually keeps the future a secret, but he feared Incommodo so much, he didn't stop to think or second guess.
CAN APOLLO CONTROL HIS VISIONS?
Yes and no. When he's in a quiet environment, he can close his eyes and look into the future right on command. However, when he sleeps, or even at random intervals when he is awake, visions come and go. Particularly major visions and prophecies can cause blindness. In fact, he has so often been blinded, that as well spoken as he is, Apollo actually does not know how to read.
WHAT MADE ARIES THINK THE FOREST WAS A GOOD PLACE TO HIDE APOLLO?
Apollo knew it was a good place and seeing the future, he knew the odds of being attacked there were lower. Possible but still low. Aries hid him there hoping that being among fellow seers like Centaurs might help him, and the forest holding many secrets which the Centaurs alone know, it is not impossible that the Centaurs are best equipped to protect him.
IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR NEIL?
This was a question asked many times and answered in the Epilogue. However, I still put it because certain details are not known. Neil is not going to kill himself or anything. That idea has long since left his mind. The reasons for this are simple. Talking to Ink's ghost, talking to James, talking to Al or Sierra… all of that could only do good. In short, Al succeeded. However, they cut it pretty close. Had he never talked to Ink's ghost and somewhat made peace with death, he might've killed himself after losing his father. Neil's mentality is very fragile but by the time of the Epilogue, he is much better.
HOW DID ALBUS LIVE?
The rune goes to the soul. When this partnership was made, Al had himself and Voldemort while Incommodo had Ink and Herpo. Then, it was thrown in the air. Herpo gains power at the expense of Ink, Voldemort switched sides, and the Orb reset the souls. Voldemort went in and out, and on top of that, he is unable to move on. Since he was technically still part of the rune, Al could not move on either and neither could Ink or Herpo. However, the one attempt did weaken Incommodo as it cut him off from the rune, same with Al. In short, after one 'death' the Rune is useless. Had Al been hit again, he would've died but Incommodo would not have. The residue of the Rune still existed, though, and threw Al unconscious briefly.
WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO SETH?
Same as with Dudley. He saw himself, exactly as he was, for what he really was. He saw memories not of himself but of others around him, those he effected. He felt their emotions. That caused some sort of realization, he was able to put together and compare how he feels to how others felt. On top of that, his soul was nearly sucked out, so he was very shaken. The Dementor put a lot of true fear in him, fear he had never experienced before. He never had a trauma for him to remember one. Even the near-death of Simon didn't do it because Simon lived, and Seth could just push it aside and promise himself it wouldn't happen again. In short, like with Dudley, the Dementor had some positive effects as well as negative effects on him.
WHY WAS HARRY BEING SO MEAN TO SETH? HE OFFERED VOLDEMORT REDEMPTION, WHY NOT SETH?
Let's say Voldemort took Harry up on that generous offer. Would he have been kept out of prison? Doubtful. Offering Voldemort a chance of redemption is one thing. Harry does not need to offer Seth redemption because it's already there. But Harry does need to act as he was trained and told to act, to act as he has dreamed of acting since the original series when he dreamed of becoming an Auror. He's a Law Enforcement official, or at least he used to be, and he cannot hope to fix the Wizarding world if he does not give justice where it's due. Seth, regardless of how much Al, Simon and a lot of my readers may love him, has committed crimes.
He was given amnesty for what he did from the beginning till Book 5. But his mistakes in Books 6 and 7 are answerable. Make no mistake, Harry intends to keep his promise. He never intended to let Seth rot for life (though Percy wanted to), but he does want to remind Seth that what he did will not go unanswered. Not in good conscience. Rewarding Seth for his style of doing things doesn't send the right message. So, he left him there for a month, even furnished the cell and treated him well. When he got out, he was suspended from Hogwarts for a year, placed on house arrest, and got a lifelong probation, just to make sure that the next time Seth does do something over-the-top, he'll be imprisoned for life.
NOW, FOR THE DEATHS…
WHY DID YOU KILL HAGRID? HE'S EVERYONE'S FRIEND. ROWLING SAVED HIM, WHY NOT YOU?
Hagrid was the debuting death. Aside from the deaths of the Walladers, which basically serve as the Lily and James as the story, Hagrid was the real death to effect all. Hagrid functioned as the guard of Hogwarts, and when he died, Albus could feel inspired to start an entire group dedicated to guarding the castle. That was the role of the death at least. It also fit. Hagrid was the last piece of Dumbledore in the school, and the best candidate to go. Plus, it was high time to introduce his replacement. I could argue that Hagrid would not have been alive by the Epilogue, even if I let him live through the war. He was, after all, getting on in years. So, I guess it was time.
DID YOU JUST KILL FIRENZE?
Yes, I did. It was sort of pointless, except to show the extent to the Centaur's allegiance to someone like Apollo.
WHY DID YOU KILL MOLLY? WHAT WAS THE POINT?
Honestly? Nothing, and I apologize. Molly is perhaps the one death I really regret doing. I originally killed her to do something with Eric. Originally, Eric and Lucy would pursue a path of vengeance against Seth, and inflame tensions between Mark and Seth but… well, the more I wrote about Samantha, the more it became clear that her plotline would overshadow that of Eric and Lucy. In fact, those two began looking redundant because compared to Samantha, they're the moral ones. Plus, I knew that if they knew the full story, they at least are rational enough to understand why Seth did what he did, even if they disagree intensely. It would just feel even weirder to have them fight him, demand vengeance and retribution, and then do a 180 and forgive him. As that particular plotline of vengeance disappeared, the death of Molly sort of became pointless after that. I had a reason back then, it just never came to be and I really did hurt Eric and Lucy for nothing. I guess that's war but if I could do it all again, I'd delete her death gladly.
WHY DID YOU KILL WALTER? IT CAUSED TOO MANY PROBLEMS.
That's exactly the reason, unfortunately. Albus needed to lose a friend and so did Mark. Albus can't just go through a war with him leading a faction and not suffer any losses. He needed to lose someone close to him, someone friendly enough, and a kind of newborn hero who would get involved in the war and fight the good fight and die to show the true meaning of fighting in a war. Walter got himself entangled in a dispute when he saved Seth from Ridge and ever since, Rojer held it against him and intended to kill him. He is the first of Albus' dormitory to die and the character that sets off Mark's depression and Samantha's insanity, aspects of their personalities that was previously unexplored. On top of that, since Seth set Hogsmeade up, it was important to hve at least one death to show the negative side of Hogsmeade, so no one can say that good things came from the fight.
WHY DID YOU KILL THE HOGWARTS TEACHERS? TOO MANY DEATHS IN ONE BOOK.
Again, that is the reason. Book 6 was supposed to set up Book 7. Book 7, Incommodo takes over, puts him really close to our heroes so we can justify an ultimate battle with him. If Incommodo is to take over, it is only right that all the Heads of Houses, the Deputy Headmistress and the Headmaster, especially the Headmaster, die. This way, nobody can genuinely replace the Headmaster since the entire chain of command is disintegrated. That's also why I had Seth kill the Governors.
WHY DID SETH KILL THE GOVERNORS?
To solidify Incommodo's control. Seth had a feeling Incommodo would be forced to hold back once he enters Hogwarts and he also rather hoped that being so close, it would be far easier to take him out. Basically, to him, Incommodo is far easier dealt with in Hogwarts than in the Ministry. He didn't want any governors interfering cause some might've voted against Incommodo.
WHY DID YOU KILL MR. OLLIVANDER? HE WAS AWESOME.
To give Melvin a reason to fight, and a motivation to stick with the Guard.
WHY DID YOU KILL JAMES? THAT'S A LITTLE HORRIBLE FOR TOO MANY PEOPLE.
James is the single most important death in the series. They had worked together out of necessity but they were never buds or true partners. Albus never knew the real James underneath and would not learn of this James unless he met the one person who did meet that James. Neil Nott. That is the reason I introduced Neil's story and the reason I killed James. Neil would not talk to Albus unless James had died so, James died. Plus, let's face it, Neil relying slely on James was a little unhealthy. At least now he has the chance to act for himself. Now he can get better. Albus also needed to lose a brother to really harden him and get him dedicated and involved in the war with full desire to see it through. I could not in good conscience, let the entire Potter family live. Losing a friend is not enough, especially compared to Harry who lost more than just friends. James had to go in relation to Neil and Albus. James' death changes Albus and helps him to understand things. For this reason, I consider James the single most significant death in my series.
WHY DID YOU KILL THEODORE, MARIUS, DRACO AND ERNIE? ALL IN ONE CHAPTER? WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN?
Haha, it may be considered mean, yes. Once again, Hogwarts needed to lose its teachers. As the climax came up, Incommodo needed to lose those next to him. Throughout the year, he lost his allies one by one. Tyro, Rojer, and ultimately Lex. The four who fought him were significant because they were part of Harry's plan against Incommodo. Unfortunately, it failed because when Incommodo made a move on Al, they were forced to act early to save him. Their deaths allowed Hogwarts to truly go under and for Incommodo to take over in a way he never had before.
WHY DID YOU KILL FORA? I LIKED HER.
Originally, she would've lived. I quite liked her too, but she wasn't really an heir. A lot of people already wondered why Kabe wasn't the Heir since she didn't seem to be set to add anything. I thought that killing her would awaken something in Kabe and bring the truth out.
WHY DID YOU KILL MORPHEUS? HE WAS INNOCENT!
I could've killed Melvin or Morpheus. I knew one of them had to die, and I thought Morpheus dying as Melvin tried saving him would awaken a sort of selflessness in Melvin, change his priorities a bit. He was selfish, but he had priorities. I could've also killed Melvin and allow Morpheus to retain the wandshop but Melvin makes more sense here.
WHY DID YOU KILL ROSE? I HATED HER BUT SHE DIDN'T DESERVE IT.
No, she didn't. Still, she had to go. Rose was always slated to die. I gave her what roles I could but I always found her quite difficult to write. So difficult, I almost looked forward to her death. Anyways, the real reason she died was to give a sense of poetry to Hugo. Something bad and tragic apat from some recoverable insanity. Throughout the series, Hugo was the happiest of all my characters. I mean it. Some readers thought he must've had a horrible life having to put up with Rose but that was never the case. He had an ambition to play Quidditch, a smart, protective sister, a brilliant cousin who shared his Quiddith interest, another brilliant cousin he remained close with, and two parents. Till Book 7, that family remained untouched. They had injuries but always pulled through and Hugo always recovered. Rose's death would put an end to that. At least the war can end and Hugo can have a sense of loss.
WHY DID YOU KILL RILEY? HE WAS MY FAVORITE OF ALBUS' DORM MATES.
Mine too, apart from Scorpius at least. Unfortunately, he had to go too. I always had the intention to end the series with only Albus and Scorpius the survivors of their original dormitory. And honestly, if Adam from Hogwarts Hurricane had stayed, he would've died too just for that reason. Riley was smart, he was thoughtful, and his heart was in the right place. He was selfless. Being so, I always imagined a day when he would repay Lorcan for all he had done for him and his brother. It's sad, but another friend Albus had to lose.
WHY SO MANY PREGNANT PEOPLE AND WHY DID THEY DIE?
Well, Ginny's alive but good question. Astoria was to die, but not before giving birth. Same with Rose. Libra Malfoy, Raphael Blackberry, and Lucas Potter would make up the healing of Al's generation. Being the brother of Albus, they weren't exactly the next generation, but not the old one either. They're a gray area, and I thought having them orphaned stated that quite well. What's important to note is that they are also different, each of them lost something precious to them earlier than they can remember. Lucas lost a brother he never knew but has his parents and sees his foster brother and his regular brother every weekend. Libra lost her mother and father very early in life and was raised by her brother. Raphael lost his mother and father on the same day, never knew any of them, and was raised by his grandparents. I wanted to build just that to really show Al's generation healing and getting happier. Lucas, Libra and Raphael symbolize that.
WHY DID YOU KILL LAURA? HASN'T MARK SUFFERED ENOUGH?
He has suffered enough, but Laura… there isn't really an in-story reason other than the fact that I always had a nagging suspicion Laura wouldn't live too long, even as an adult. She just isn't the type. No real reason why, just a gut feeling. Killing her just felt like the right way to do things. I guess the real in-story reason was that it would really provide Mark with an alternative and destroy the Purifiers and the Reservation. They were always his enemies and so he would be the one to end them.
OK, FINE. THEN, WHY SO MANY?
I don't really know. What really makes it seem like so many is the amount in Book 6. That book has twenty-twenty-one deaths. What is worth saying, though, is that many of these deaths are either of bad guys or deaths done off screen on characters that didn't mean much at the time of their deaths. I mean. The Walladers being killed was important, sure, but as of Book 1, not really. Just a reason to bring Mark to the Potters. They were not given significance until Book 6. Book 5, one death was pointless, yes, but the other was pretty important. Once Book 6 came along, they had to go. There was no way I could justify a mass firing of all the teachers once Phoenix died and no way Phoenix would leave the Headmastership unless he died. The later books were massacres, yes, and I'm sorry, but they did have to go and writing again, I'd still do it because they still, till now, had to go.