Tweak

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Tweak says, "Will you marry me Shadow?"

beholder_mod (beholder_mod) wrote in hp_beholder,
@ 2011-04-18 14:23:00

Entry tags:

beholder_2011, dudley dursley, dudley/harry, fic, harry potter, rating:pg13, slash

FIC: "Principles Before Personalities for catbirdfish
Recipient: catbirdfish
Author: leela_cat
Title: Principles Before Personalities
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Dudley Dursley/Harry Potter
Word Count: ~21,000
Warnings/Content Information (Highlight to View): *alcohol abuse, addiction issues, physical violence*.
Summary: After being arrested and sentenced to a Community Order, Dudley finds help in unexpected places.
Author's Notes: catbirdfish said she liked many things that appealed to me, including character study, imperfections, characters undergoing a change or maturing emotionally, and redemption arcs and, thus, this story was born. Many thanks to my betas and my brit-picker and to bethbethbeth for giving characters like Dudley a chance to shine.

The section titles, except for the first one, come from a non-denominational version of the twelve steps, and the story title comes from the twelfth tradition.

"Principles Before Personalities"

(Don't forget to return to this post to leave feedback for the author!)

(Post a new comment)

	catbirdfish 2011-04-18 10:20 pm UTC (link)
	Oh. Oh. That was wonderful. Thank you so much. I absolutely loved it. Just-- squawk flail swoon I'll try to leave a more coherent comment later. ♥ (Reply to this) (Thread)

catbirdfish, 2011-04-19 07:34 pm UTC

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 01:24 am UTC

	meri_oddities 2011-04-18 11:58 pm UTC (link)
	Dudley redeemed. Well done. I seriously enjoyed this story. g (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 01:26 am UTC

eeyore9990
2011-04-19 12:42 am UTC (link)

Oh man, wow. There is just so much to this that trying to encompass it all in one comment is going to be a challenge of epic proportions. First, your Dudley's evolution as a character was... perfect. Not too fast, tons of bumps along the way, just exactly as it should have been written. It was realistic without trying to be anything else (I didn't get the sense that you were trying to be ~omg so edgy~ with this... it was just a character being a character and trying to change his life). The relationship between Harry and Dudley was the same. I really felt like I could see where things were leading without feeling dragged along. It was slow and steady and perfect. Really, that's what this fic is: perfect. Perfect characterizations, perfect minor characters (Dean and Arabella FTW!!), perfect pace, perfect setting. Excellent fic, perfect for this fest!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 01:30 am UTC

	irena_candy 2011-04-19 01:03 am UTC (link)
	What a wonderfully insightful look at what Dudley might have become, and how he would have worked at changing his life. Very thoughtful, very believable -- and a lovely job of writing. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 01:31 am UTC

	lookfar 2011-04-19 04:30 am UTC (link)
	What a fantastic idea! Totally original - troubled Dudley getting straightened out and sobered up by AA. I really love the structure of it after the 12 Steps, and the little romance was a nice addition. Ya just can't get enough of Dudley all grown up, and this was a great example. Nice work. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 01:46 am UTC

alwaysasnapefan
2011-04-19 07:58 am UTC (link)

This was really interesting.

I loved Harry's casual wizard speak ("Obliviated", etc.), and its contrast with some of Dean's Muggle speak (like "hoover"). And this line in particular of his seemed so absolutely perfect:
"There's a place." Harry moved in front of him and waited until Dudley looked at him before continuing with, "It's got the best ice cream ever. Flavours you can't even imagine."

I like Dean's art show. I thought it was touching to see his sketches and hear his reasoning.

I really like how British this is in parts. And I really liked Dudley's revelation to Arabella. Nicely done.

I love the little moments in this like this:
he didn't want to be cursed for being rude
Or when Dudley asks if the food at the restaurant will give him a swollen tongue or a tail and Harry says "not tonight."

Some nice turn of phrase, including:
- Insults and names that belonged to his dad
- that had been too tight before he stopped drinking and started gardening.
- Some days, he hardly remembered what it had felt like to hurt people, to hurt Harry. He didn't think it was safe to forget though.

I'm a little weirded out that all the events seemed so canonically possible. Well done.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 01:52 am UTC

entrenous88
2011-04-19 03:42 pm UTC (link)

Absolutely fantastic. I loved Dean and Arabella in this so much, and Pritha Patil as the best caseworker ever. Your Harry and Dudley together were a revelation; I've not really thought much about them as a pairing, but the two of them coming together through the harsh sufferings in their pasts and building something hopeful and enduring out of themselves (and together) in the future, so very convincing here!

All the little details were wonderful; I particularly liked Harry's twirling of his wand and rotation of the little metal ball bearings as he thought alone in his cubicle.

Very good use of Dean's artwork as well, as part of his exploration of his past and to whom he needed to make amends, but also as a way to introduce Dudley more to the people inhabiting the world of magic, both living and departed.

Lovely work!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 01:58 am UTC

	synn 2011-04-19 10:24 pm UTC (link)
	This is great - really beautifully written. Subtle. and I love dudley's uncertainty. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:09 am UTC

vividzephyr
2011-04-20 01:42 am UTC (link)

Wow! You know I had a hard time imagining how Dudley/Harry would work believably, but this was brilliant. From Dudley hitting rock bottom to his discovery that Harry was the reason he was at Barton, you really showed Dudley's struggle and progress to find himself as more than a drunk and a bully. I love how after Harry finally showed up there seemed this slow build up of hinted romantic tension and how it turned into actual romance between the two.

I also really loved that Dudley had found a love of gardening and cats! :D I hope he and Harry get a cat when they finally move in together, lol. Mrs. Figg and Dean were great as well. You took two vague characters from the series and fleshed them out. Dean especially just kept growing on me more and more even to the end. You did a wonderful job with this~!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:14 am UTC

	cinnamonselkie.livejournal.com 2011-04-20 06:11 am UTC (link)
	Beautifully written and intriguing. A realistic yet sympathetic study of Dudley's character. I very much enjoyed it :) (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:14 am UTC

songquake
2011-04-20 06:43 am UTC (link)

Oh, wow. I knew I was going to have to decide whether to rec this to the Dudley_Redeemed community at LiveJournal, so I put off reading until I knew I'd be able to read and digest the whole thing. Sadly, that meant over a whole day went by before I could post the rec! It's here, if you'd like to read it. Hopefully others will come by and give your wonderful, wonderful story some more love.

I've been squeeing my heart out over the amount and the quality of Dudley!fic created for this year's fest, and I have to say that this one struck me particularly hard. Just the way that you write about Dudley's physical symptoms (first of intoxication, then of withdrawal), and his difficulties with the Program... It's so right-on, so REAL. I just have to say, well-done on that. I also commend you for not squirming away from the ickiness of who Dudley was as a kid, which I know a lot of us Dudley-writers do (hell, I've done it myself!).

And Petunia's interaction with Dudley on Family Day, and Vernon's absence...that was painfully real, too. God. And I love how much Dudley's decided "in for a penny, in for a pound," when he finally goes to see Harry. I was so proud of him!

So yes. Brilliantly done. I know you're not wwmrsweasleydo, 'cause she doesn't need anyone to brit-pick for her, so I can't wait to find out who you actually are!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:19 am UTC

	lash_larue 2011-04-20 02:54 pm UTC (link)
	This is really, really good. So real, from the little touch of Harry getting Dudley into the program to Mr. Tibbles deigning to acknowledge that maybe Dudley really wasn't a waste of skin. A wonderful tale that I enjoyed from beginning to end. L (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:21 am UTC

katmarajade
2011-04-20 04:56 pm UTC (link)

This is gorgeous-- Dudley is so believable and so sympathetic here. I love that it doesn't gloss over his past, but allows him to be likable and move on. YAY REDEEMED DUDLEY! I think that his fears about Magic from his past experiences were perfectly expressed. I'm glad that Sheila got put in her place during that exchange and hope it opened her eyes. Dean Thomas was fantastic-- I love him in this role! Him working this kind of job is perfect and he was great at it. And Harry and Arabella were complete delights. Great job, Mystery Author!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:25 am UTC

	atdelphi 2011-04-20 07:08 pm UTC (link)
	Brilliant. Subtle, wonderfully written, and moreover, wonderfully characterized. I love stories that walk a believable line between the wizarding and Muggle worlds, and you've done it perfectly. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:27 am UTC

	mortenavida 2011-04-20 08:07 pm UTC (link)
	I'm not done yet, but I had to stop. 8 was killing me in a way I thought I couldn't be killed again. It's been a while since I've been reduced to tears. I'm so glad someone recced this to me -- I never thought I'd like a Dudley/Harry before and here you've got me all over it. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:28 am UTC

	kelly_chambliss 2011-04-21 04:35 am UTC (link)
	This is beautifully told. Your Dudley is so well-drawn, believable in all his aspects, whether violent, angry, inarticulate, or (ultimately) redeemed. His relationships ring true, from Dean to Harry to his mother (such a painful and IC scene). I also really like the connection he developes with Mrs. Figg. A very compelling read. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:29 am UTC

	saifai 2011-04-22 05:52 pm UTC (link)
	Absolutely brilliant. Love your Dudley and Harry. Very real, very painful. Plus a happy ending. Can't beat that. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:30 am UTC

	(Anonymous) 2011-04-22 07:06 pm UTC (link)
	Your fic was recced by Entrenous88, and it's a lovely, very real story that I enjoyed immensely. Nice work with this unusual pairing!! ~aimeelicious @LJ (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:31 am UTC

miramiraficfic
2011-04-23 03:20 am UTC (link)

This is certainly turning out to be a fantastic fest for Dudley. I love the way you've structured this, and Dudley's slow acceptance of who he is and realization of what he can be. You've done a beautiful job with the supporting cast: not just Dean (though I love him and his drawings here) and Mrs. Figg, but the original characters like Phil and Sheila as well. The scene with Petunia is just heartbreaking - completely and utterly believable, but heartbreaking. As for the relationship with Harry, I like how they're simultaneously the only people who really understand what it was like to grow up in that house, and yet strangers enough that they can get to know each other on entirely new terms now. Well done.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:36 am UTC

	here via entrenous88 secretsolitaire 2011-04-23 03:45 am UTC (link)
	This was a wonderful read. I was completely convinced by your Dudley (and your Petunia, ouch), and your Harry was absolutely lovely. I really enjoyed the journey Dudley goes on here. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:37 am UTC

tetleythesecond
2011-04-25 10:53 am UTC (link)

What a fantastic, compelling read! Dudley's progression is moving and believable -- redemption at its best. Love how you address the childhood memories, the building of his relationship with Arabella, and the secular interpretation of the steps. Chapter 9 almost moved me to tears. Yes, that is exactly how Petunia would react. The supporting cast are reat, too; I especially loved Dean's sketches and his reasons for them.

Congratulations!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:39 am UTC

	winterwitch 2011-05-17 12:45 am UTC (link)
	Great story! I particularly like how you show Dudley's side of the canon events. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:40 am UTC

	wwmrsweasleydo 2011-05-27 12:22 am UTC (link)
	I accidentally left this on LJ, so there's an identical comment there! This is a great story! I love the way you redeem Dudley, and have him create a relationship with Harry. Every character was a believable extension of canon. I was hooked for the whole of the telling. Thanks. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:48 am UTC

	snapelike 2011-05-29 03:39 pm UTC (link)
	Lovely read. I liked the slow development, and how Dudley finally managed to find some insight - and a nice reward waiting for him. The many details and side characters made this a vivid, rich and interesting story. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:49 am UTC

	fluffyllama 2011-05-30 02:32 am UTC (link)
	Wonderful stuff! I was intrigued by the unusual pairing but definitely stayed for the story :) (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Principles Before Personalities -

leela_cat, 2011-06-06 02:50 am UTC