This was a fun read. The story was well written and had good use of both cannon and oc characters. I do wish that there was a sequel or epilogue as many subplots were left unresolved such as Ron's gitness, Ms. Rae's job, and the whole Snape/Nott issue.

Author's Response: Hi Ronald8472, Thanks for the positive comments, especially since the story was written about ten years ago. The many threads left unresolved was intentional, since the story was always intended to be a small slice of Harry's life. As you can imagine, there are no current plans for a sequel or epilogue. - Jim, The Seeker

Excellent job Jim.

The quality of the words exceeded the expectation and the price I paid for them. I'm glad you decided to write an original work. Can I at least get a hint at the title, if it's been published? (Feel free to send me a PM if necessary.) Also, very happy to hear that you're leaving an option open for a sequel to Saving Harry.

Saving Harry was believable and realistic, I enjoyed reading the interactions between the characters minus the Dursleys. The Dursleys actions are expected and a given, and I was adequately warned as what to expect... I'm still mad at Albus and it's been weeks since I finished reading the story. I'm not saving you did a bad job at the angle you took with Albus, it was a new approach that I'd never seen, very believable and filled so much with logic and reasoning, you'd wonder why it hadn't been done before. You did a great job with it. So I'd say you are good at writing characters and situations like that. I just don't like Albus for his choices, not as a character, or you as the author. :)

I suppose the first six and half chapters are necessary to set the stage/scene, but I don't think I'll ever read those chapters again. It's too hard to read it and get the disconnect that it's fiction. Having recently been inside a cupboard under a staircase, I was strictly in there to reorganize some items, I had a real life point of view. So those chapters where no fun at all. I understand they are necessary, there's no rainbow without the storm clouds, which makes the rest of the story that much more of a happier uplifting book to read and experience.

I realize that this portion of the storyline is done and final, but I do have two questions. What happened to James and Sirius's mirrors, why didn't you let Remus give those to Harry and Ginny before September 1st? Who kissed Harry at the end of Chapter 22, in the scene were everyone was celebrating his posting to the position of Seeker?

I think it's cool that you haven't forgotten about the story and the readers/reviewers.
Blackfoot.


Author's Response: Blackfoot, Thank you for your wonderful and literate review. It is much appreciated. As for my real life writing, the story is with my editor, so please forgive me for not giving you a title. It may change at some point - it already has once - plus I don't want to jinx it. Saving Harry was created to examine the question of what type of Harry would arrive at Hogwarts after ten years of physical and emotional mistreatment at the hands of the Dursleys. The first six and a half chapters reflect that approach. Just to let you know. I've not been able to read those chapters since I first uploaded them onto the site. I also wrote the Weasley section before I could even approach writing about Harry's time with the Dursleys. Suffice it to say, those chapters are the hardest I've ever written. So, I understand very well you not wanting to revisit them. But you're right. These chapters created the environment from which this different Harry emerges. Along with the different Harry, I felt it was necessary to show a different Dumbledore. Many of the reader/reviewers expressed very strong emotions and sentiments about his actions, so I understand how this Albus could make you mad, even three weeks later. Your questions: I didn't want to use the mirrors. I wanted Harry and Ginny to be seperated and figure out themselves how to continue communicating. I don't think the story would be as strong if all they had to do was pick up the mirror and call out the other's name. Their writing back and forth, especially with Harry including the lessons and what the professors had said, also formed the basis for Ginny being invited to Hogwarts to help Harry once he'd been attacked by Malfoy and the other Slytherins. It also formed a basis for Harry's Hogwarts friends to easily accept Ginny. As for who kissed Harry? That was a throw away line, almost a tease, if you will. I never had any witch in mind when I wrote that. I have to admit the reaction was much stronger than I anticipated. If I were to pick someone, it would be between Lav, Parvati, and Katie Bell. The line was a throwaway simply because Harry always was going to be with Ginny, so the interest of any other witch would be thought of in terms of a friend only. Blackfoot, the reader/reviewers made writing and publishing Saving Harry a much more rewarding exercise than I anticipated. Their comments about various aspects of the story - some having had real life experience with what I was writing about - made me feel much more responsible for the contents, especially how I had Harry act and react. That type of dialogue created a level of interaction that still amazes me. Thanks for that! - The Seeker/Jim

I've read this story before, but I don't remember if I left a review. If not, shame on me. Amazing, thank you. I like that you didn't have all of Harry's problems disappear as soon as he moved in with the Weasleys. I am disappointed that you went the very cliched JealousRon route, but that was the only real downer. Also, there was one part in the story where you had "Ginevra" as being French for Guinivere. I have been reliably informed it is, in fact, Italian.

Author's Response: Thanks for taking the time to read the story and leave a review (or two). The intent from the start was to leave Harry with many unresolved situations and paths he could take at the end of the story, so his stay at the Weasleys was created to move him from his Dursley-based mentality and toward those new possibilities. When I wrote the story, the 'very cliched JealousRon route' was not the overused cliche it is today, at least in my HP reading experience. As for 'Ginevra,' I'd seen both sources. Not that big a deal, is it?

Hey!!I I LOVED THIS FREAKING STORY!!! Please continure!!! I honestly wanted to know though what the whole teddy/snape subplot was all about. If your not making a sequel can you tell me? Please?

Author's Response: Thanks for leaving such an excited, inquisitive review! The primary reason for the Snape/Teddy plot was to cast doubts on the sincerity of Snape's about face towards Harry. Since I may write a sequel, I'll just have to leave that thread unresolved for now. - The Seeker

I've so enjoyed this story and want to thank you for investing the time and energy to bring it to life. The vision of Harry that you bring us is so much more likely to have been the case than the one JKR gave us. You've created an intellectual construct in which a damaged, yet wonderful, child could emerge and grow into HARY POTTER. But it would take more than, "You're a wizard, Harry, and a thumping' good one ..." to bring him to the surface, fully capable of giving and receiving love. So, kudos to you, and my greatest respect and admiration! And thanks so very, very much for choosing Ginny as the agent to assist in his transformation! Superbly done!

Author's Response: Tom, thanks so much for one of the kindest - and I'd like to say most perceptive - reviews I've received for Saving Harry. It is amazingly rewarding when someone really understands what I tried to achieve with the story. I wanted to explore an alternative in which Harry came out of his decade with the Dursleys with a much different personality and qualities, and this story was the result. Ginny, of course, had to be the catalyst that enabled the necessary changes to take place. Again, thanks so much for such an incredible review. - Jim/The Seeker

An absolutely brilliant piece of work..

Author's Response: Thanks for reading Saving Harry and for leaving such a complimentary review!

That was amazing... is there going to be a sequel?

Author's Response: Hi evra, I have to ask, is that short for Ginevra?

I keep repeating myself over the last several reviews, but it's a great feeling to receive a wonderful review almost three years after the last chapter was posted. It's wonderful to know people are still reading Saving Harry and appreciating it. So, thank you for doing both!

As for a sequel, I am still working on original stories, but if some time makes itself available, you never know. Cheers, Jim

It's been a long time since I've lost so much sleep over reading a story here. I actually read until 3:30 am once (and still got up before 8:00). Anyway, it brought up a lot of emotions and is quite well written overall. The only flaw I could find might be the huge gap between things that go very right (like Harry's friends, his magic) and things which go very wrong (like Albus, Harry's self-control). It's so extreme as to loose a bit of credibility in some places. I think Harry and Ginny have it a bit easy too ;-)

I was of course a bit sad to reach the end of the story but I think you made a good choice of cutting it there. The major parts of the plot have been pretty much dealt with by then, Harry being himself again. I do wish we'd found out what's going on with Snape and Nott however, even if only briefly.

Author's Response: alterdream, thanks so much for reading Saving Harry and leaving an overall review. Both are appreciated! The story, especially once Harry is brought to the Burrow, is very compressed, so the large chunks of good or bad actions seem to be over a greater amount of time than is reality - if reality in fan ficiton is even possible! Since the time at the Burrow and Hogwarts is only a little over two months long, the feeling that large sections of time were spent is really more related to the amount of detail I used instead of the actual number of days. Hope this helps, and again thank you for your comments.

I'm very impressed! Probably the best story with a realistic portrayal of what Harry would be like after years of mental abuse by the Dursleys. The way adult characters are actually questioning the actions of Albus "Everyone must do as I say" Dumbledore is very welcome as well. I hope that you'll find time to work on a sequel. I'm guessing that Lucius will be disappointed by the results of the Diary ploy, since all the students are much more involved with each other and the Professors, but I'm dying to find out what's up with Snape...

Author's Response: Hi misteryman 526, Thanks for such a wondeful review and for reading the story. As you know, my focus in Saving Harry was to examine another way Harry's time with the Dursleys could be portrayed. I am very pleased that you feel it succeeded in creating that realistic portrayal. I also wanted to place Albus at a time when his automatic "I am right; do as I say,' approach is being questioned, first by Harry, then by some adults due to DD's reaction to Harry's questions.

You may have read in other reviews that I would love to write a sequel, but i have several original works that need to be given their shot, before I return to the SH-universe.

Good insight into the Diary, but I had several alternatives that i hoped people would find intriquing. Snape is so much fun to write, especially now that I have him literally acting for his life. He's the consummate Slytherin, so use that as your compass.

Again, thanks for taking the time to leave such a great review. It is much appreciated. -- Jim/The Seeker

Noooooooooo! Not the end! I must say, I have thoroughly enjoyed 'Saving Harry'. I was wondering how long it would take for Ron to be resentful, I like what happened with Percy, and this Harry and Ginny made a lot more sense than canon, but thats just me. I always thought Harry should have been much brighter than he was, all that time in the cupboard should have ensured that so I like how you explored that here.
I really do hope that there would be a sequel eventually as I would like to know what side Snape was on. Never did find out whether Ginny told Harry about Snape's late night visit or did she forget? A part of me now thinks that it would be difficult for Ginny to get fooled by the Diary as she wont be as negleted as she was in canon but then again, the Malfoy's don't know about her early admittance to Hogwarts do they? In that case, who would get the diary? Now that I think about it, you've left far too many loose ends for my imagination to cope with so I think its only fair for you to put me out of my misery by doing a sequel (lol!)
Thank you for sharing this stoy with us though, it has been a wonderful read.

Author's Response: Hi Tindual, I hope you know how much I appreciate your not wanting to reach the end of Saving Harry. Poor Ron ended up being the odd man out. Harry immediately bonded with Ginny, then Ron's treatment of Hermione sealed the deal. I wanted someone close to Harry to play a kind of antagonist role, and Ron got nominated. He'll mature and find his place. I had fun with Percy, trying to bring out his few good canon characteristics.

Ah, you're on to one of my favorite topics with Harry's intelligence. No child of James and Lily would realistically be anything but smart and probably very talented magically. Despite his time with the Dursleys, he was able to retain that 'hidden Harry,' through reading all the time, doing a perfect paper and one that wouldn't get him in trouble, and not answering every question correctly when called upon. The Weasleys, especially Arthur and Ginny, encouraged Harry to not hold back, so he was primed when he entered Hogwarts.

With Ginny, I tried to bring forward the strong qualities we saw much further into the series, as opposed to the 'elbow in the butter' girl that dominated the early books. Suffice it to say, they really 'got' each other, and it was so natural Harry's myriad defenses didn't have to kick in. I'm glad you liked my take on their relationship.

Speaking of Ginny, your comments on her and the Diary are very good, and that's all I'm saying. At this point, I'm working on original material and preparing for major spinal surgery, so no sequel is planned at this point, even though I'd love to write it. Oh, the loose ends were intentional, because that's how life is. Thank you for your two wonderful reviews. - Jim/The Seeker