Happy birthday!

[shimotsuki]

Here's wishing the happiest of happy birthdays to duck_or_rabbit! I'm so glad I've gotten to know you, and it definitely feels like I've known you a lot longer than I actually have. Your insightful, quirky comments add so much to any discussion. I love the vivid and original language in your writing, and I always enjoy your take on Sirius, Regulus, and Sirius/Rosmerta. And you leave such supportive and thoughtful reviews!

I have to say, though, that meeting you last month wasn't as much fun as I expected. Because it was more. (Erm, that's a Gricean-maxims joke, for the philosopher of language.)

Let me add my voice to the chorus at the birthday comm that the amazing train_lindz has set up, duckbirthday, to wish you many happy returns and leave you a Sirius double-drabble (200 words, G).

For the Sport of It
Sirius sat on his bed and watched the three other boys sitting on theirs—the short blond boy who was staring at his hands, the thin brown-haired boy who was pretending (not at all plausibly) to read, and the messy-haired boy who met his gaze and grinned.

“How’s it feel not to be in Slytherin, then?” Potter’s tone was conversational, as if his words hadn’t just sent hundreds of years of Black family tradition spinning into dust.

Sirius had spoken to Potter on the train mostly because he knew the boy’s family was notorious. Sure enough, Mother’s face had gone that perfect shade of puce when the train pulled away and she saw her firstborn framed in the same window as a blood traitor.

But the thing was, Potter had turned out to be all right. In fact, he was bloody brilliant. The two of them were going to pull off more and better pranks than Hogwarts had ever seen.

And his being in Gryffindor would wind Mother up more spectacularly than anything Sirius had ever even dreamed of coming up with.

So he returned Potter’s grin with a wicked one of his own. “I think I’ll manage.”

.

Comments

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

I think you've got a perfect boy's teenage voice, and especially a perfect Sirius voice here - rebellion, just "For the Sport of It" at this stage, indeed. I also like the faint hint of surprise (almost slight condecension?;)) in But the thing was, Potter had turned out to be all right, and the sense of excitement and planning for the future as friends with similar thinking.

And, of course, I love Remus, looking on and wanting to be part of it all and them. See, just half a sentence, and I want to hug your Remus as usual. ;)

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

I had to make a huge effort not to up this to 300 words just so I could have more Remus in there. ;)

Thanks for the feedback on the voice. It was fun trying to imagine how a pre-Hogwarts Sirius would likely view the world. I've always kind of wanted to write a Marauders'-first-day fic, not that that's been overdone or anything. ;)

[(Anonymous)]

Man, I'm kinda late reading this. Oh, well, better now, than never, eh?

Very nice short-story. I love the Marauders, especially Sirius.

But, I'm also a big fan of Remus as well.

Who am I kidding? I love them both. And you captured their personalities very well here.

Can't wait to read more.

When are you planning on getting up some new stuff? I looked on your story-stash and you don't have anything new up since January 10th. Take your time if you must, I don't mean to sound impatient, but I do enjoy your stories!:)

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the comment! I'm glad you liked Sirius here (and Remus's little moment too), and thought their personalities were captured.

Thanks for the encouragement, also. I'm happy to hear you're looking forward to more stories! I've been very busy with my job lately (not to mention recovering from the holidays), and reading/reviewing all the great new stories posted at metamorfic_moon, so there hasn't been much time for writing. I'm working on the next chapter of "All Will Be In Order" and a Remus/Tonks story. I'll probably have one of them finished by the end of the month...I hope.