tetleythesecond (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} tetleythesecond) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} hp_beholder, |
When I saw this come up last night I immediately dropped what I was doing, dashed to the kitchen, poured myself a wee dram, and sat down to savour this thing of beauty that you've created, slowly so as not to miss a single word, a single breath of those marvellous two women you've brought us! Does this have enough realism and theoretical magic, you ask? It absolutely stunned me with its beautiful, old bodies, with Augusta's physical insights (honestly, I once spent a whole train ride with a physics book trying to work out how to make sense of this whole Transfiguration thing; I simply loved reading Augusta's findings!), and the scorching hot, honest, frank, sexy old lady sex! Hooray for two women who know exactly what their pleasures are and act upon it!
I love the structure you give this, with the glimpses from every year, fitted neatly into Canon, and it was wonderful to see their perspectives on the events. I also love the voices you give them -- Minerva, intelligent, witty, ever the Gryffindor, who can however also drop her guard when she's with her friend and lover and show just how much of a toll those events take on her. And Augusta as an intellectual, physics-savvy dildo-maker extraordinaire -- by Circe's areoles, I'm willing to forgive her the vulture hat for that alone (but I'd forgive her the vulture hat anyway, given to what glorious use you put it. Sparkles? Sparkles!!!)
Your Aberforth is a triumph, too ("Just one old goat looking after another," *g*), and Ariana is wonderful to see. Love that Augusta arranges for their meetings in the Hog's Head (not at the tea shoppe for 'eccentric' old ladies) -- and that both women were instrumental in helping the Resistance at Hogwarts by directing the passage where they did! Also, the end made me sigh with happiness!
More bits I loved:
- "Bottle of Wizarding Aglianico, Taurasi if you have it."
Aberforth rolled his eyes. "Nobody asks for that kind of overpriced swill round here, lady. House red or house white."
"Red it is, then," Minerva cut in. This time Augusta was the one to raise a brow. "I have no interest in hearing your discourse on vintages today, Augusta, nor Abe's on public house economies of scale." -- Ah, I could hear and see them in front of me! Great fun to read and a perfect way to introduce us to the constellation of characters.
- Minerva's fondness of hygiene and the visual image of her irradiating the room. "You know how I feel about vermin," she said. "Especially those I would not eat in tabby form. -- *g*
- Addressing what a haunted bathroom might do to a young girl. Love that Augusta does not mock but lightens the mood with humour.
- Augusta's outspokenness. My, I do love an old woman who keeps an uncivil tongue!
- The entire, believable, loving, caring, non-domestic, non-possessive relationship you give them.
- Your great, IC, lively dialogue.
- Acknowledging their heroism!!! And the entire last three paragraphs, with exactly that acknowledgment, with the "cloak-and-wand business" being given up in favour of a coming-out (as much as I loved, loved, loved all their cloak-and-wand business!) and the choice of a drink. :)))
Mystery Author, this is absolutely fantastic! Thank you so much for this wonderful, long, thoughtful, sexy story, thank you for letting the old ladies shine, and for brightening a rainy day (for yes, I shall be re-reading)!
I love it!