Traitor updated

[averygoodun42]

Traitor has been updated to chapter 17 (pt 2.4) on both TPP and OWL. A word of warning, though: This is the chapter the squick warning was pasted on for, and it isn't kinky in the least.

Although I still can't read chapter nine thoroughly (thank goodness for betas!), this is a chapter that, whenever I do reread it, I wonder where it came from. Okay, that's not quite right. I wonder how I managed to write it.

Sun nudged me over to WIKTT, and I was, erm, thrilled to read this post: "I have been reading the Tratior, and you are right the psychological Makeup is frightening. This tells me that the author has either 1. has put a lot of time and research into the story, 2. has someone who knows something about this field or 3. a scary imagination. While I agree that this fic isn't for the easily squicked, I love it."

This makes me so incredibly happy, for several reasons. 1. I like coming across as more knowledgeable and intelligent than I am, 2. I'm obviously doing a good job and my effort was not for naught, and 3. I am so relieved I didn't put my original disclaimer on the story. It would have been shooting myself in the foot, and blasting off my leg in the process.

I'm looking forward to seeing how people respond to the rest of the story - see if I managed to manipulate them into thinking what I want them to think. I actually doubt it, but that's because, well, there are many possibilities. Also, not much is actually said outright in "Traitor". "Closure" is a bit more revealing, but Traitor is purposefully vague. Most of the reaction is left up to the reader's own thoughts and judgment. It'll be interesting to see what people think is worse. It'll be interesting to see if people think about it at all.

But so far my reaction to the reviews has been: "I win!" It's a good feeling.

Comments

[timestep.livejournal.com]

I will, I've decided not to think or speculate. This story could go in so many different directions that I've decided to just ride along and see where you take me and not worry about the destination.

But, I'm sure that once I know where we arrive, and I take off my blind fold, I'll spend a bit of time speculating which destination would have been preferred. I think Hermione will wish she believed in Divination so she could evaluate if she made thing better or worse by her decisions and hopefully reduce her guilt over her decisions.

I hope you don't mind my version of review. It's really more of a way to say "I'm still with you"

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

That seems a good idea. Hopefully you'll enjoy, or at least withstand, the ride.

I'm not sure Divination would help Hermione here, especially as it seems to have the same effect as time turners in that everything that happens probably would have happened anyway, or at least knowing it was going to happen forced the happenstance into existence. Circular thinking and philosophy. Somehow, I can't see Hermione being big on philospphy either. ;-)

Even just a simple "oooh" is good for me! I'm not terribly picky, although I must admit to loving reviews that say what the reader really likes/hates or tickles them. But, then I feel guilty when all I can think of to respond is a simple "thank you". Just, please let me know what you think at the end?

[timestep.livejournal.com]

I know when I get out of a situation, I spend time trying to figure out if I could have changed the outcome by doing something different. I can already see that Hermione may spend some time (even if its in her own mind and not this story) trying to determine if she made the correct choices (hence the divination thought).

I will admit, my reviews are the emotion your writing created in me. They may not provide thoughts of the chapter, but the are the response your writing has resulted in. If you writing were not so strong, you could not create such a strong reaction by me.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Oh, so do I, and Hermione does seem the type as well. (obsessively going over tests already taken? No. Not one for overanalyzing a situation at all.) If she gets out alive, then she will definitely, definitely do the guilt thing.

Oh, I do know that, which is one of the reasons why I appreciate your reviews! I just hope you'll share your... your thoughts after the emotions have calmed back down. If it stays in your mind that long, that is! :-D

[vanityfair00.livejournal.com]

Will there at least be a happy ending?

And I don't mean that as in Hermione and Snape fall madly in love, but both Peter and Snape suffer horribly painful deaths and Hermione escapes?

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Erm... I don't know how you would classify the ending. I think it's rather tragic, but some may consider it hopeful or even happy. I'm actually looking forward to seeing how people view it as much as anything.

[windypoint.livejournal.com]

The chapter 17 is icky, absolutely perfect for the story, and is probably a good deal more like how such happenings would occur in a hostage situation than anything I've ever read before in fanfic. Yep, you win!

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

I had just finished writing this story (or was finishing up) when you put up that rant about sexism and hostage stories, and I must confess I cringed. I was thinking, "Oh great, now Windypoint's going to think I'm just another one of those unimaginative writers who have to make the female the victim.' Even if this is a response to those stories.

Although you are right: it does always seem to be the female hostage/male captor. Social prejudice coming out to play, or are women/girls more often targets?

[windypoint.livejournal.com]

I think maybe people don't write men as the victims with women as perpetrators because to do so just too many stereotypes about both genders have to be ignored at once. Women are nice. Men don't give up. Women take the subservient role. Women don't want to violate others. Men like sex and it makes them feel powerful no matter what the conditions it is occurs under... etc.

I've seen a few stories where Hermione has charge of a captive Severus, but always at the end there's a reason why Severus was really more in control than her all along, or he escapes or gets the upper hand or ends up dead. No stories where she turns him into her good little obedient boy for evermore and he learns to accept that is just how his life is, he's not getting his life back and must make the best of it. And such stories about Hermione settling in to a life of obedience are not terribly uncommon.