Mickey posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 8:52pm

Very nice chapter. I imagine Harry's encounter with the troll might raise some questions concerning the Headmaster's assurance of Hogwarts safety.

I liked your description of the negotiations and the Minds trying to figure out what was going on. However I do have several nitpicks:

-while we can't quite manage it today it is theoretically possible to create moving paintings using either heat sensetive pigments and lasers or electrically sensetive pigments and a grid of electrodes. Thus the Minds disbelief at the moving paintings seems quite out of place. The explanation is simple, the wizards simply hid whatever control mechanism they used so well the drones couldn't detect it.

-given the sex roles in Chinese, Indian(the sub continent) and most african cultures I do not think you meant to say the british Wizarding culture was more male dominant then those cultures.

-'immune' (as in immune to EM) is a binary condition. It is no more possible to be "more immune" then someone else then it's possible to be "a little pregnant". given the context I suspect the word you were looking for was 'resistant'

The Unicorn

Kathleen posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 7:56pm

I found the chapter quite enjoyable. I love how the Minds are freaking out over how magic is taking place.

Jeremy Desat posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 6:41pm

ok.... it's taken a while for the chapter, but I can accept that even though I don't have a life, you do.... that aside, I'm loving this story! Added to the fact that it's amazing, I now have a new book series I need to buy lol...

that said, is there any certain book I should start with in the Culture-verse?? I can't seem to find a list of what came first, etc.

Minerva Granger posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 6:21pm

I am fairly confident that Harry will manage to defeat the troll. This chapter was very funny. I know I have busted a lung this time. Thankyou.

amulder posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 6:02pm

Shoot! I completely forgot about Quirrell as I was caught up in the Narrative! That last paragraph knocked me back for sure.

I can believe that it was a tough paragraph. All the verbal sparring in Dumbledore's office... very important, but could come across as dead boring if not written well. Poor Harry, I can believe he'd be bored to tears.

So I guess that Troll is going to meet the wrath of Butch and Sylvester? Hmmmm...

And yes, you can't melt Snape's brains just yet. Soon, but not yet. Actually, much as part of me would like to see him turned into a pink stain on the floor, just repeatedly humiliating him and destroying him can be so much more fun.

Keep up the great work!

Jim_xinu posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 5:51pm

Good chapter, thanks for sharing it with us.

Banner posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 3:55pm

That last line was *stellar*!
I can't wait to see what happens next. I wonder what House Hermione is in? Or Neville, for that matter.
This story is so much fun. It's great to watch (as an all-seeing observer,) as Albus and Sma maneouver each other.

the DragonBard posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 3:27pm

What a HOOT!
A society with technology that is almost magic, encountering a society that uses 'real' magic.

Wonder how long before the Minds start accepting that what they are percieving is real.

ridgeback77 posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 3:01pm

Nice chapter. I always enjoy the interaction between the Culture ships/stations.

nkorah posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 2:20pm

Now I formally hate you...

I was having such an affective outburst of writing, after such a long time, when I wasn’t feeling like writing at all. I was really making an impressive progress — then you had to post a new chapter!

Keep on the good work!

Niv (SFD)

Bedrup posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 11:32am

Liking this more and more.

vl100butch posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 11:20am

After reading some of the reviews....

keep in mind that Harry has a knife missile under his control in addition to Sylvester and Butch...

I can't wait for the first time that Snape casts Legimens on Harry and comes in contact with Sma and Skaffy through the link....

millercommamatt posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 11:16am

I'm guessing that Harry is about to have to explain a more or less liquefied troll?

I'm loving this story. I like the juxtaposition of two cultures - wizarding and well... The Culture - that are not only foreign to the readers, but to each other.

... oh dear... You're not going to have Hermione take to Harry as her knight in shining armor are you? Or will she just look at Harry, cock her head, and drop an f-bomb or two?

Lon Huey posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 9:46am

Okay, a bit slow going in the build up, but now I see the conflict. It will be both humorus and enlightening to see how a logical culture will interact with magic. And Harry as the bridge. He will be more valuable to both societies.

Evan Mayerle posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 9:22am

Hmm, an interesting introduction for both sides and I see that there're going to be some interesting clashes as two very different cultures meeting in one small boy. Meanwhile, the next chapter should be interesting as Harry and his combat drones encounter the troll; I suspect it's going to be less one-sided than many suspect 'til the drones have to reveal some of their more intense capabilities. This is shaping up nicely into manipulative!Dumbles running into a situation he's sufficiently unfamiliar with *to* manipulate. I still say his ignorance is showing as he had sufficient data that any muggle-born or muggle-raised could've pointed out what the movements of the tracking devices suggested. Still, I wonder how he'd react to just how far those ships did travel?

Joar posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 9:04am

Love your story, im so glad you started posting again because I love your Writing style

Keep up the great work

Jerv

Geddon posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 7:18am

I'd like to point out in a conflict between a wizard useing legilmancy and sma or harry with the neural lace the wizard would most likely win.

Adrian R Brown posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 7:11am

Very happy to see this chapter. I was starting to get wrorried. ;) Great job! Really looking forward to more!

DrT posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 5:55am

Troll versus combat drones? Not much of a contest (I would hope).

The magical-raised should be pretty confused. The Muggle-raised (maybe Dean instead of Hermione?)might be able to figure things out.

"T"

redjacobson posted a comment on Tuesday 1st April 2008 5:41am

good to see another part of this story; and; honestly; I would not have any problem with Snape's brain melting at all *GRIN*

Red