I love this story! And I love Katie's dad, what a great and understanding character :) can't wait until the next update!
Author's Response:Glad you liked it. The next chapter is already written and ready to go. Thank you for reading and reviewing. :D
~Jess
What a wonderful new chapter!
I think one of the things I love most in this story is the way you use the sports terminology and just create this whole world of Quidditch training. All the little details just work together so well and give a lovely background to the main action. I like how you can describe the differences between Blake and Oliver even in a subtle manner, for example when they “hauled off a very whiny and complaining Blake”, and “Oliver calmly dismounted”. That really shows who the better man is. I enjoyed the interaction between Katie, Oliver and Blake in this chapter. You really have a gift for writing interactions and dialogue in a very natural-sounding way, and your characters themselves are also really a breath of fresh air.
Like Katie, I was quite upset but the state of Diagon Alley, and surprised that they weren’t doing anything. It was as though you were reading my mind though, because I had just thought this when you explained about the rubbish being charmed to make it unvanishable. I have to say, I don’t really find it realistic that Death Eaters would bother to cast charms on rubbish, but I thought it was interesting nonetheless. It showed a lot about Katie’s character, it think, when you read her reaction to all this. And of course it was nice to see another canon character make an apprearence.
“It made her feel very small against a very large and very cruel world.”
This was a stand-out line for me. I think to some degree up to this point Katie had been living in her own little world, caught up in grief and trying to make it through the day. It’s nice to see that she can begin to realise that there is so much more to be done, and that everything is much bigger than her personal life. It’s the start of the real healing process, isn’t it?
The idea of her teaching defence is very interesting – it hadn’t occurred to me that you’d do anything like that. I like that you keep the reader guessing. Just when we thought the story was going to be all about Quidditch rivalries, you introduce this whole new concept, broadening the story to touch on the effects of the war. Clever. ;-)
And Angelina! Another canon surprise. I think you did a great job with her characterisation – I know she’s not in the books much, but from what little we know you certainly captured her “voice”. I liked that she brought up again how odd what Katie and Oliver were doing was. I think eventually Katie is going to realise that avoidance will only work up to a certain point, and that defining their relationship might not be so bad. It’s just easier for them, at that moment I suppose, staying undefined. Ah, having just read on, I liked that Katie has gotten to the point where she could ask that question. She’s doing a lot of growing in this chapter, and it’s lovely to see her come so far and develop.
My heart gave a little leap when Oliver said that he loved her. I love everything about that scene, especially Katie’s reaction. That’s real love, I think. Honest, straight-forward love, not some kind of fluffy overly romantic nonsense. And you know, it’s more raw, real and romantic because of that.
Oh yes, and had to mention that I loved how you explained Hannah going into the “restaurant business”. I love little missing moments like that. From now on I’m making that my canon explanation. Harry’s appearance was also sad, slightly shocking and hard to read. I think a lot of people assume that Harry’s life after the battle was just one big victory party, but you really captured just how messed up he really was.
I think the transition from the Leaky Caudron to when Katie Apparated to her parents’ house was a little abrupt. It felt a little like one second they were sitting talking and the next she was ripping flowers out of the ground. I would have liked that to happen a little slower, I think. Her conversation with her dad was just a little heart-breaking. We’ve been with Katie on the whole journey and just when we think that she’s getting over it and moving on she comes crashing down, full circle, into that state of depression again. I like the way you explore how imperfect characters are – human nature is like that, an irrational, emotional roller-coaster.
I liked that she finally confided in her father about the events of the war. I think her biggest problem has been the way she shuts people out, and letting her dad in was one of the best judgement calls she’s made in a long time. Her father’s words to her were just what she needed to hear. His attitude was just what any girl could wish from her dad, so I’m glad that Katie experienced that unconditional love. Because he is her dad, she trusts what he says more than if a friend or even Oliver would say it. She really listened to him and took everything he said to heart, which was needed. “The more she thought about it, the more the idea appealed.” I’m glad her dad let that happen.
The ending left me slightly tired, almost like I’ve been on this journey with Katie. I’m really looking forward to the next chapter now. She’s come full circle, but then again, nothing is really the way it was before.
All in all, what I love about your writing is that you make me feel. I get angry at Blake, upset at Oliver. I feel giggly when Oliver and Katie tease each other, I laugh, I tear up - I feel for the characters. And that’s really all I can ask for from a story.
Thank you for always entertaining me, with whatever you write.
XX
Elene
Author's Response:Oh, to come home to an inbox of squee!
I wanted three things from this fic when I started it -- a close look into the world of Quidditch, backstory into the Battle aftermath, and some good ol' fashioned shipping a la Katie/Oliver. I'm really glad that these goals are prevalent in the story, especially to average and seasoned reader alike. That the characters and their actions make you feel is great to me, because this is a story about emotions and reactions and how those things tend to get away from us when we're distressed or feel like everything is screwed up.
I see what you mean about the violent shift from 'yay, Oliver loves me' to 'I have to get out of here'. I probably could have made that a little less abrupt and should have done, but as I'm in a NaNo coma, I will have to save revision of that for later. Please don't let me forget to do that.
I tried to weave as much canon into the story without taking it and cramming it down your throat. I wanted to make my own canon and fit it into the pre-existing Post-Hogwarts world. After all, telling the untold story is what fan fiction is all about, n'est-ce pas?
Thank you for the lovely review, dear, and here's hoping that the RAC pixies give you a good score for this one. Cheers, and I hope your breakfast will be better than mine. XD
~Jess
Oh my goodness. This story is beautiul intriuing and lovely. There are far too few katieollie shippers so I salute you! Update often :) thank you for this treat!
Author's Response:I sort of inherited the idea of Katie/Oliver from Equinox Chick's fic Drowning, Not Waving. It sort of snowballed from there, and now they're almost my OTP. I heart them so. There are a bunch of chapters waiting to go up, and I hope you enjoy them. :D
~Jess
Great chapter as always, but gahh what horrible timing Ollie's mum has! Felt quite like a transitional chapter though, so looking forward to seeing where you're heading with the story. I really liked the interactions between Oliver and Katie though, and I can understand why everything's so confusing between them. They're both pretty messed up. XXX
Author's Response:Thanks for the review, dear. I really wanted to get inside Katie's head, because we both know what it's like to be that teenage girl who doesn't exactly know what she feels. Plus, add in the fact that she's basically traumatised, and it makes for a heady mixture of angst and sex appeal.
Yay! Heart you!
~Jess
I think what I love most about this story, Jess, is that Katie and Oliver act like real people, not glorified, fictional versions of how an author thinks real people ought to act - the way they feel about things is messy and flawed.
I adored the fact that for Katie the question of whether she wanted to sleep with Oliver and whether she loved him were two utterly separate questions and the former was in no way reliant on the latter - it was so much more real that way than some over-romanticised notion of waiting for love. Similarly, I love how Oliver is trying so hard to be a gentleman and asks her several times whether it's really what she wants, but at the same time he has to warn her that they are pretty much at a point of no return. But I think most of all, I love how Katie doesn't know if they are actually together or not, and doesn't feel she can ask, and yet she's annoyed that he doesn't say anything to his mother, even though she knows she is being silly.
You really do understand people, don't you, and it shows so clearly in this story. I love that the dynamic between the pair of them is complicated, and raw, and imperfect. It's so much more compelling than some twee, cookie-cutter romance.
Oh, and the smut was delicious, and the bed-sharing was so cute!
Awesome chapter, as ever, dear.
~Hannah
Author's Response:I have always and will always hold that people are fvcked up in the way they think (ourselves not excluded from this, either). I just think that perfect romance is just so rare and hard to find that most of us will never even come close to it. I wanted that normalcy for them, because they're just normal people with a streak of the extraordinary in their lives. I'm glad that it can be identified with.
Thank you for the lovely review. Until we cross paths again
~Jess
great story! please update!!!!!!!!
Author's Response:Glad you like it. The next update is already in the queue. Thanks for reading and reviewing. :)
~Jess
Its pathetic that I'm always checking for an up date, but I don't care I absolutely love this fan fic. Please do write more for the sake of your fans.
Author's Response:Oh, I so get the need to check for updates. I'm actually like that myself, constantly checking my mail to see if my next chapter has been validated so I can post a new one.
I'm really glad you enjoy the story, and the idea that i have fans makes me giggle madly. Thank you for that. :)
~Jess
Omg write more and more frequent.
Author's Response:No worries. The next chapter just went into the queue and should be out in a few days. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.
~Jess
wow this story is awesome! I love Oliver's character he has a great personality, and i'm looking forward to Katie finally getting what she wants!
Author's Response:I really wanted to clearly define two nearly forgotten characters with this story and make people care about them. That you want them to be happy makes me warm and fuzzy inside, because you care about them, too. Thank you for reading and reviewing, and have a lovely day.
~Jess
Hi!! I absolutely adore this fic!! It's wonderful reading something that's post DH and also about Oliver. He's actually one of my favorite characters (yes, even before Sean Biggerstaff played him in the movies). I remember feeling like a complete loser when I read and reread his only line in DH and fangirling like no one's business. So, when I found this gem of a fic, I spazzed quite literally!!
Author's Response:Well, then I'm glad that, despite this story's relatively low read count, that it is meeting a very specific demographic's need. I started it as a sort of gift to a friend of mine who is a Katie/Oliver enthusiast, but it sort of blossomed into a longer story. I really do love this story, and it's so much fun to write.
Updates will be on their way. :D
~Jess
Well, I finally have a moment to you leave you the much promised, somewhat more substantial review, Jess.
But before I launch, with gusto, into the lovely characterisation and chemistry, there's just a few little continuity nitpicks and a few Brit-picks that I spotted and may as well get out of the way first.
On the continuity front, when they are going to the restaurant, you say about Katie's aversion to Side-Along Apparition that Last time, when Oliver had brought her there, Katie had been asleep. But this time, she would be wide awake., but that just struck me as a little odd, given that in the interim he had also Side-Along Apparated her to the Quidditch tryouts when she was very much awake. Also in the restaurant, Oliver breaks his glass, but then downs his drink without it having been replaced when the waiter comes to take the order.
Brit-pick-wise, when Katie is looking for a taxi, we wouldn't say something was a couple of blocks away, we'd say it was a couple of roads away or a couple of minutes walk; Katie wouldn't be wearing a sweater in the almost-smut scene, but a jumper, sweatshirt, or just a top (probably most likely the latter as she's not wearing another layer underneath); when they go to dinner, Oliver would be wearing a jacket or blazer not a sports coat; and at dinner, they'd have a waiter not a server. That said, your use of tenner and loo warmed my little English heart.
My final little nitpick is actually more of an Oxford-pick really. When Katie is trying to get a taxi, you said that she was near the university campus. Oxford doesn't have a campus though. It's not a campus-based university; the various colleges and departments are really just an organic part of the city itself, scattered throughout the centre of town (the oldest of the colleges are about 800 years old so the city and the university sort of grew together). It would make more sense to simply say that she was near the centre of town, or if you wanted to be a bit more specific, there are big taxi ranks at Carfax (a major crossroads in the centre where the main shopping streets meet) or Gloucester Green (by the main bus station and the cinema), both of which have various parts of the university in their vicinity.
Oxford is such a perfect place to have a Wizarding pub and branch of Honeydukes though, because a large Wizarding population there would make sense – they could hide in plain sight. Wizards wouldn't stand out in Oxford at all because with so many students there are constantly people wandering around in fancy dress, not to mention that full academic dress including black gowns is required for exams, so even if Wizards walked about in robes, it would just be assumed that they were sitting Finals!
I really like the structure of the first chapter – I have a thing for non-linear story structure at the best of times, but I thought you used it particularly effectively here. The way that you started with the funeral rather than launching straight into the Battle set the more sombre mood of the chapter rather than leaving the reader to expect a high octane chapter about the Battle. It also meant that, as a reader, I already knew Katie survived but was a bit of a mess so I knew I could focus on her descent into that state rather than whether she'd live or die as events unfolded.
The back-drop of the fallout from the Battle and Fred's death, Oliver's broken engagement and the Quidditch-based plot are what successfully elevate this from just a simple romance to a truly, richly textured story. It amazes me that you have so much plot going into something that was intended to just be PWP.
There's a really nice balance between the darker elements of the fallout from the Battle, the building romance, technicalities of Quidditch and humour (Oliver's creative swearing rather suits a Quidditch player, who's bound to have encountered some choice language on the pitch, and the term 'Snitch bunny' is a wonderful creation). All of those elements are blended well, which creates enough variety to keep things interesting, and there's no overload of any particular one element to make it too dark, or fluffy, or silly or dry.
Now we get to what really captivates me about this story – the characters. You've achieved that crucial, but yet really tricky balance, necessary with minor characters and kept them true to the little we do know of them from canon, whilst putting your own stamp on them - you have a Katie and an Oliver here who are truly your own. They have the facets that I expect to see in their characters, but they also have traits that are fresh and new and not how I've quite seen them handled before.
I love the way you've really brought out the Gryffindor side of dear Mr Wood, because sometimes I think all we really see of him in canon are more Hufflepuff traits of determination and commitment, but his chivalry and slight 'saving people thing' that seems to be a motivating force behind what he's doing for Katie are very Gryffindor-like.
Katie, however, is perhaps more Hufflepuff-like that I've ever seen her and I find that a very interesting take on her character. I think punch she throws at Blake though does definitely showcase her Gryffindor streak, and I actually don't find anything un-Gryffindor in her running and hiding after watching Fred's death rather than fighting, because that strikes me simply as her being in shock, which can obviously be incredibly powerful, rather than a lack of courage.
However, the fact that what draws her out of her funk over Fred was guilt that Angelina was worrying for her, her forgiveness for Draco (where Gryffindors a often seem to hold a grudge), the fact that she doesn't want to get involved with Oliver because she's too much of a mess for it to be fair to him, and the way that her first thought on finding out about Heather was in fact that if Heather and Oliver weren't broken up she owed Heather an apology rather than any concern for the fact it would also mean that Oliver had used her, Katie, abominably too, all strike me as far more Hufflepuff-like. I think perhaps bringing out that side of her is one of the major elements that make your Katie quite unique.
I'm intrigued to see, as, being Quidditch players, they seem to both be 'very physical beings' as I think Hermione described Victor (or something to that effect at least) – Katie won't talk to her parents about the Battle when she first comes home so she flies instead because she can't cope, and Oliver kisses her because he doesn't know what to say when she's upset behind the Burrow – how that will play out within their relationship as it develops, because I could see that their unwillingness/inability to talk things out could be a source of conflict (and after all there's only so much ground make up sex can cover!).
I do think they have a wonderful chemistry building between them, that had a real spark to it in the almost-smut scene, and I like the way you reversed the roles there – I always see Oliver as the more dominant of the pair, but it was Katie taking charge there. The little comments though about how he is 'letting' her take charge, and how he's the one to put a stop to it for Katie's sake, show that actually it's really just that compulsion to save her coming through again. Oliver is still ultimately in control (and I do hope at some point we will see the situation reversed and he will ravish her finally!), but Katie lacks control in every other aspect of her life at that point so in letting her have control of something then he's redressing that balance for her, but only so far and then he takes back that control as soon as he thinks it's for her own good. Gentlemanly certainly, but I wonder if perhaps there's a slightly darker side to Oliver that could be at risk of becoming a little controlling. I may just be, and probably am, somewhat overanalysing now though, but really you've written such wonderful characters that it's hard not to search for the nuances.
Anyway, dear, as this is fast becoming a respectable one shot in its own right, I'll just end by saying thank you for writing something so lovely just to satisfy my Katie/Oliver craving, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
~Hannah
Author's Response:*sighheartattacksquee*
It's like a present, getting a review from you. I've always adored our character discussions, so going this in-depth in a story is just pure awesome.
I see your Britpicks and raise you a 'I shall go back and fix those'. :D And the Apparition thing...I realised it when I wrote it but didn't want to go back and uproot anything in the story. I think I might have them Floo to practise for the first time so Katie knows where she is supposed to Apparate. I could definitely change that with minimal editing. Laziness is what that was.
I sort of want Katie to be more submissive at first, because she's still unsure of a lot of things and is perfectly willing to let Oliver lead. After what happened to both of them, she is glad that someone else can take the reigns and he is glad to have someone to distract him. It's kind of an emotional symbiosis for the both of them.
Honestly, I never really noticed that I had made Oliver sort of bossy, but I think Katie would be so used to him like that that it wouldn't bother or offend her. He spent years being the martinet Quidditch captain that being in control of a situation is far more the norm for him than not, not to mention he plays a position in which he relies solely on himself. It just seemed to me the natural progression of his off-the-pitch personality.
That being said, I agree that they are more inclined toward action than talking, because every time she brought up anything Oliver didn't want to talk about, he slammed the proverbial door in her face. He's not comfortable with that level of verbal intimacy, as he admitted in chapter 1.
I'm glad you like the story, and the overall response to it was that people wish it were canon. So do I, actually. JKR shoudl just come out and say that Oliver Wood married Katie Bell and they had a dozen smexy children. :D
Wonderful review, dear, and as I'm sure I've missed a score of things you brought up, such is my giddy haze from reading it, please feel free to prod on AIM if you would like to chat about it further. :D
Heart,
~Jess
Write more
Author's Response:I'm planning on it. I'm glad you enjoy the story so far. Cheers!
~Jess
Love it
Author's Response:I'm glad you like it. After the project I'm working on is done, watch this space for updates. :D
~Jess
Holy crap, this is awesome. I absolutely love it, Jess. Please don't bust them up, I beg you! ;)
Really powerful bit with the nightmare. I think they can be tough to write because they are more dramatic than life... but you did it really well. I like how you turned it, with Katie being the one who had done it.
Can't wait for more!
Author's Response:Why thank you, Lori! I wanted to channel my inner canon and posit a very raw and possible scenario. I'm glad you can appreciate it, and since I love this pair so much, I'm not sure if I could bear to break them up again.
Thanks for reading and the lovely review. :D
~Jess
Gosh, Jess, this fic is so sexy. I can't believe I didn't notice it before... where have I been?!?! I love Oliver fics, and this pairing is just so delicious. Can't wait for more XD Sorry about the fangirly review but I'm not a SPEWer so what the heck, right? I just wanted to squee.
Author's Response:Would you believe that I started this fic with the intention of it being gratuitous smut for someone on my f-list? Then a plot had to weave its way into my brain, and now look what's happened. I intend to finish this story as quickly as possible so I can get back to Harmony, but for the moment, it won't leave my head. I'm glad you like it. :D
~Jess
I had the biggest crush on Oliver when I was like thirteen. I'm very excited about this.
And this might be a little nitpicky, but isn't Katie a year old than Harry? The cursed necklace thing happened in his sixth year, but her seventh? I could be wrong though.
I'm looking forward to chapter updates! Katie/Oliver is honestly a pair I never considered, but now I'm starting to really like it :)
Author's Response:Hi there.I know what you mean about the Oliver crush, because when I first watched the SS movie, he and I were about the same age and *melt*.
I've kind of always assumed that Katie and Oliver were a thing, and I have no idea why. This is the first time I've ever explored their relationship in depth, so I'mreally excited to get this one out.
And you 're right about Katie's age. I could have sworn that it was what I'd had on there, but I might have been under the influence of fatigue and missed it. I shall go back and check.
I'm glad you like the story so far, and the second chapter is in the queue. You know what that's like, lol. It should come out in the next couple of days. Thanks for reviewing. :D
~Jess
I love this!
Author's Response:Thank you!
I'm glad you enjoy it, and the next chapter's in the queue. See you thin. :D
~Jess
GAHHH
That was soo good Jess!!! I'm going to forget about being in spew and just fangirl you now. Wow, just... wow. This is my favourite thing you've ever written. I think Katie/Oliver is my new OTP. I feel like crying in relief that there are still decent writers out there. After what I read this morning, it was like stumbling through a desert and reaching an oasis of clear water which was all shimmery and wonderful.
I love everything about this fic and am saving it to my favourites right now.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Meeee
Author's Response:Aww, you are a sweet one, aren't you?
I'm not sure if this is my best work, but I really have been sucked into this fic. In fact, that I'm not working on it right now is causing me to majorly resent my QSQ reading, so much so that I probably trashed a story that likely wasn't as bad as I made it out to be because I resented it that much. Plus, it was bad.
Anyway, next chapter's in the queue, and I'm so glad you liked the story. :D
~Jess
Please keep writing! I want to know what happens. I love "Katie girl." It's a believable nickname for her from him.
Author's Response:I'm glad you like it. Truthfully, this story has me by the throat right now, and I can't seem to want to do anything else. It's not going to be long, but I'm going to be finishing it before I start anything else. The next chapter went into the queue as soon as this one came up, so it's on its way.
Thanks for reviewing and have a wonderful day/night/whatever!
~Jess
Oooh, I love this pairing! I don't seem to ever find enough of it that's well-written, but this definitely is. I love that you have Oliver calling her "Katie love"- that seems so spot on to his character. Hope to see another chapter up soon! :]
Author's Response:I'm glad you liked what you've seen so far. I started this story with a one-shot in mind for a friend of mine who loves rarepairs and Oliver/Katie, but it sort of took a life of its own.
The next chapter's in the queue and the third chapter is well on its way. Thanks for reading and have a lovely night!
~Jess
