Honor Bound -- Author's Notes

 

June 14, 2004

 

Honor Bound, I'm sure some of my beloved readers have noticed, has

not been updated in months. This is not an issue of writer's block, or of

abandonment. I'm not lost without a way to finish the fic or discouraged

because of A) lack of reviews or B) the proliferation of Newer and Better

Marriage Law Challenge fics. Rest assured that Honor Bound is bubbling

away happily. Chapter Five (Teaser Warning!) will feature the confrontation

between Severus and Erasmus!

 

As for comments on the fic itself: I've gotten comments about Hermione being

OOC, and comments about my 'strict' adherence to the challenge.

 

1) Strict Challenge Adherence:

Though I know strict adherence to a challenge is completely unnecessary,

I like it. I could write (and have begun) a fic loosely based on the Marriage

Law Challenge, but I want to write one in the *spirit* of the challenge. This

isn't a dig or a reprimand to those who have commented -- simply a comment

that I *do* plan to stick pretty close to original challenge lines.

 

2) OOC Hermione:

This is a far more delicate concern, and one I plan on addressing at some

point in the future with an essay (of sorts). Basically put, yes, I know that

Hermoine is intelligent, and thorough, etc. HOWEVER, and this is a *big*

however, I look at Hermione as being seen somewhat crossways in canon.

 

Since we only see her through Harry's eyes, as he is the viewpoint character

in all of Rowling's books, we have sort of a skewed picture of who Hermione

is and what makes Hermione well, Hermione.

 

My thoughts:

 

A. Yes, Hermione is intelligent. It is clear that she spends a lot of time

in the library and that she likes to read non-fiction books like

Hogwarts: A History for fun.

 

B. Yes, Hermione is attentive to detail. She is logical and practical and

can aim her intellect (when necessary) like a scalpel.

 

(Here comes the divergence... and perhaps my opinion could be

considered somewhat controversial?)

 

C. Hermione is a TEENAGER. At the point of Honor Bound, midway

through her Seventh Year at Hogwarts, Hermione is eighteen years old.

She's growing up and she's maturing, but she's not an adult yet and she

hasn't (according to the story) had a lot of time to get out on her own

and grow up.

 

Her 'OOC' action is based on three aligning events:

1) Needs of the challenge

2) The 'slight' compulsion spell on the Contract (More on that below!)

3) The need to Rebel against the future that everyone has

planned out for her.

 

Not all of these events are explicitly explained. In fiction, you weave a

character much like you weave a rug or a complex tapestry. All of these

ideas are mentioned (well, except the challenge description) somehow,

however.

 

So... If you want to call 'my' Hermione OOC, that's fine. But I don't

agree. :)

 

Last comment:

The compulsion spell used in the story --

In Honor Bound I have Lucius Malfoy placing a compulsion spell

on the Contract, but only a light one. I don't want Hermione to be forced

into signing the Contract and have her wrestling with a spell -- I had

Hermione sign the Contract *knowing* that she was being reckless. Now,

as the rest of the story unfolds and she's managed to get herself betrothed

to her Potions Master, Hermione has to deal with her own mistakes, an

uncertain future, a man she doesn't like and a bunch of people who think

that she should have been smarter than she quite obviously was! The

only thing the compulsion spell did was *encourage* her to sign.

 

Of course, *we* know that the effects her actions have precipitated are

all for the best, but *she* doesn't know that. Poor Hermione, and the road

that she has to travel!

 

~End~ (for Now!)