I have read several of your stories and this one is, hands down, my favorite thus far. I liked it so much that i waited till the last chapter to review because honestly i just didn't want to wait to read. I read the whole story start to finish and I am still sobbing! How tragic! I knew going into it that it was a destined tragedy of sorts, but I still wasn't prepared for Molly's speech at Fred's funeral. You captured their romance so beautifully. Are you sure Hollis isn't a canon character?? She might as well be! I did almost expect her to make some crack about Lee being the "friend" that fancied her. I could almost imagine the mortified look on Fred's face when she (teasingly) thought it really was his friend! But that little day dream aside, allow me to praise the bits of your story that i really liked. I loved Delphine. She was very consistently and believably written character, and so delightfully annoying. I laughed at her boy craziness so many times! I liked how Hollis could always tell the twins apart (I might be showing my age here but have you ever seen Passport to Paris? I was totally reminded of the Olsen twins lol). I thought the out of order snapshot format was absolutely brilliant. And I really liked the day dreams. OK I'll stop gushing (until the next story I read, that is). In the mean time, happy writing!

Author's Response: Hi again! Oh my goodness, you have just been blowing through my stories like a tornado. I can barely keep up with you!

I'm so, so pleased to hear that this one is your favorite. "So, Listen..." is my personal favorite, too. It's not a long, action-y story, it's not an epic romance, it's just two teenagers who were sometimes friends and sometimes a little more than that, who didn't receive their happy ending. It was my goal to give Fred some semblance of romance before his death, because the idea of him dying without ever having truly been in love made me extremely sad. And at its heart, friendship is the most important aspect of the story. Hollis's friendship with Fred. Hollis's friendship with Delphine. Fred's friendship with George, which cannot be disregarded just because Hollis comes into the picture. George and Delphine's strange friendship. I'm so happy you loved Delphine, too, because it really is important for a story to be more than Person A and Person B falling in love and spending all of their time together. No matter how boy-crazy (or just crazy in general) Delphine was, she stuck to Hollis's side.

Passport to Paris, omg. I watched all of those movies! XD

Seriously, your reviews have been absolutely incredible. I feel so flattered that you've come back to read more and more of my stories. :) Thank you so much!

- Sarah

 Report Review

I have never read a story about Fred weasley. I have never shed a tear while reading an imitation of j.k. Rowling's work. I have never felt like I was experiencing a continuation of her work, what she would truly be proud of, then I have reading this story. Molly's speech reduced me to the same emotions I experienced as I read about Sirius disappearing behind the veil, dumbledore falling from that balcony, or seeing George kneeling before his other half that eve at hogwarts. Truely a beautiful piece. How tragic it is that Molly will never know what feed had, and what he could of had. I wish you had let Hollis meet the family, but I understand why you refrained

Author's Response: Hello there, A. Thank you for your wonderful review! Hollis Wright has a special place in my heart, and for that reason I could never write another Fred/OC or Fred/another character. I wrote Fred again in my novel "Run", but couldn't bear to give him any kind of romance because, for me, I feel like he and Hollis belonged together. I'm so happy you liked them, and that this story pulled at your heart strings. I find that one of my main desires in fan fiction is to give love to those who didn't get a chance to experience it before their deaths. Fred's love was more friendship than romance, but it did the job.

Thank you so much. :)

 Report Review

This has been an incredible story - definitely one of my favourites I've ever come across. It made me smile, laugh, and even cry (embarrassingly so, especially from just reading.. sheesh I should get a life). Cannot stress how much I enjoyed it - I'll give Run a read and hopefully there's a mention of Hollis in there somewhere!

Author's Response: Thank you so much! Hearing that you laughed, smiled, and cried is so encouraging and so wonderful from an author's standpoint; I always hope to get that range of reaction.

Sadly, there is no Hollis in Run. :( It's more canon in that sense. But once you start reading, it's such a different world entirely that to insert her in there would probably feel bizarre. If you do read it, I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you so much for reading So, Listen...

:) Sarah

 Report Review

Ohmigodness this is really quite amazing. Between this chapter and the previous chapter I just had tears rolling down my cheeks. Granted, that's not always saying a lot because it doesn't take much to make me cry, but it was very beautiful and touching and sad. I'm not really sure how you managed to make me feel so sad, but you did and it was pretty cool. Anyway, this is a very sweet story and you did a lovely job. :)

Author's Response: Thank you so much. :) It's the highest compliment on one's writing to hear that it produced this kind of effect in others. Strange as it is to say, nothing makes me happier than hearing that a sad chapter made a reader cry! Means I did something right. :) Thank you for reading and reviewing!

 Report Review

I literally cried through out this whole chapter. Before i got to here I looked up on HarryPotter Wiki and saw when Fred died. And when I saw the chapter name. I lost it. I read this, and it got me straight to the heart. Molly's speech was very great; J.K Rowling could have never made something like this. When I read this, I could barely see. I was weeping too much. And once I got down to George's part, I could just imagine the whole thing playing out in front of me. You are a really good writer. But even though Fred . (I cant say it :"[ ). It will always be Forge and Gred Weasley

Author's Response: *hugs* This was the most difficult chapter for me to write. I knew from the beginning that I was going to cover it, and when the time came it was just so much harder than I expected. But there was also a catharsis to it, and a sense of closure I never got after his death in DH. I'm so, so pleased you liked this well enough to get attached, and attached enough to cry. It makes me feel like I did something right. :)

Gred and Forge forever ♥

 Report Review

Wow! And I mean wow... This has left me speechless, it was just the kind of story I wanted to read. I love Fred and I'm pretty sure that given the choice, I would've traded his death for any other character's.

I am in awe of this, the romance and the drama. I'm a bad reader for not reviewing every chapter, but I just couldn't get away from the story for long enough to do so. You had me in tears by the second to last chapter.

The ending, it was just... perfect. You have a lovely mix of humor and drama and fluff an romance here and I feel so warm and fuzzy after reading this. Thank you for writting such a heart warming story!

Ral

Author's Response: Oh my goodness, thank you! You know, I think I would have done the same, trading his death for any other character's. His death hit me the hardest. But then again I hate that Teddy's orphaned and young Colin died, too. :(

I enjoyed writing this story so much. It started out as mostly fluff and then as the characters got older, darker themes began to intervene, and the end really is bittersweet. Sad because we know he's gone, but sweet because what they had was, to me, the best kind of magic. I'm so happy you liked it.

Thank you for reading and reviewing!

 Report Review

Hello there! I was searching for a story that would make me get lost in the fluff and romance of it all and Jess the Enthusiast recommended this to me on the forums.

What can I say? I already know you're an amazing writer, your grammar and spelling are flawless and your story flows perfectly.

This first chapter got me right into the mood of it all. The younger girl with a slight crush on Fred drew me in from the start and by the end of it, I couldn't wait for their next meeting.

I'm off to read more!

Ral

Author's Response: Jess the Enthusiast is the most enthusiastic reader - no pun intended. She's the reason why "So, Listen..." still gets readers trickling in, because she recommends it to people, and basically I owe her a ton.

I'm so happy you liked this! Hollis Wright and Fred Weasley will always have a place in my heart. I adored writing them.

 Report Review

Wow. This. Was. Amazing. It was so sweet ❤❤ I can't find words to express how much I absolutely adored every bit of it. You truly have a talent and I'm so glad this story was recommended to me!!
And for my first Fred/OC...wow. I don't know that anything can live up to this. It was PERFECTION ❤❤❤
The way you portrayed Fred was just so perfect, it's exactly how I would want him to be. How I think he should be based on the books. And I love what you did with their relationship. It wasn't all about the romance but about their friendship as well. The littlest things -sometimes mentioned almost flippantly, in one sentence- seemed like the most romantic or swoon-worthy gestures. I love that. And it truly seemed like they were in love. The little memories in the chapters are how I'd imagine someone who lost a loved one would remember them. Thank you, it really was a treat to read.
But I really really wish I knew what those papers said. I figure you must have a reason for not including that and I know there's meaning and importance to them (obviously) beyond that. But...I WANT TO KNOW. Gah.
I mean what would take 2 years?? Tell me?? If you were stuck between 2 ideas, never settled on an idea, whatever let me know? :) ❤

Author's Response: This was recommended to you? I'm very curious about who did that! Give them my thanks, will you? :)

Oooh, your first Fred/OC. That's exciting! I'm so glad this got to be your first Fred/OC. I started writing this story after scouring the archive for a Fred/OC to read, and was coming up disappointed. Either the Freds weren't canon or the OC's were too over the top, but I very soon decided that if I wanted to read a Fred/OC I knew I would like for certain, I would have to write it. I'm very happy I did - this story continues to be my favorite thing to go back and reread. :)

The friendship between Fred and Hollis was the dominating aspect, which I'm so glad you pointed out. It's more important than the romance, because it was longer lasting, a slow burn, and those memories will stay with Hollis forever. She doesn't have to reflect on him as just a boyfriend, but as someone who provided regular warm friendship. It will make for memories that are easier to bear recollecting. There's a lot more to romance than kissing, after all.

The paper! Well, if you insist. ;) I wanted to leave it up to your imagination, but it was Fred's note saying "I love you". He had been waiting for the perfect time to send it in life and never got the chance, so it happened after his death just because the charm broke.

Thank you for reading and reviewing!! ♥

 Report Review

So it's 3:30 in the morning and I am trying to muffle my sobbing so as not to wake anyone.

Muffle. My. Sobbing.

Not just tears. Sobbing. Agonized groans. Watery hiccups.

My fels.

Author's Response: :( -offers you box of tissues-

I'm sorry about your feels! (But secretly glad that you had them.) :3

Thank you for reading and reviewing!

 Report Review

Oh My Goodness! I can not believe how much I loved this story so much! Many stories do not make me cry but this one had me bawling! Oh it was so wonderful. I loved every minute of it , except for when Fred dies.
: ( This is the only bad thing about reading this about Fred in fanfiction. This was so amazing and has been put in my favorites. Thank you so much!!!

Author's Response: Eeep!! I must say that I'm pleased about this reaction! It means I did something right.

Fan fiction Fred is a hard thing to venture through. If it's an AU and he survives, that makes it less poignant because honestly, there would not be this many Fred-centric stories were it not for his death. And then in the stories where he dies, of course, there's this awful anguish and blergh. :(

Thank you so much for reading, reviewing, and favoriting! It means so much to me. :)

 Report Review

So I read this a while ago and I am just getting around to reviewing it.

This is such a great story. This story has made me laugh and cry. This is just an amazing story. I cannot ever express how great it is. It has left me speechless (in a good way) which is nearly impossible.

Please keep writing, you are an excellent writer. I think I will now go and read your other story.

Author's Response: Thank you so much. :) I'm so, so happy you liked it, and thank you for reading and leaving me this wonderful review. It really made my day.



 Report Review

Hehehe Every time I read a new chapter of yours, I leave with a goofy grin on my face! :-p Why can't the twins be REAL?! -le sigh-

I don't know why, but Delphine's crush on Harry, like, super fascinates me, LOL. It cracks me up. Maybe just knowing Harry so well and how uninterested he was in girls other than two his entire life, it's just funny to see the fangirling from this POV! *chuckle*

The first half of this chapter was a little slow, but by the end of it, I was a very happy camper. Again I have to mention the chemistry between Hollis and Fred. While it wasn't as flirty or romantic in this chapter (which was actually a really cool thing to see since they've gone back in time and I assume we'll actually at some point be seeing the transition from acquaintances/friends into crushes), they still fit so well together with their interactions.

Gosh, you really do have such a great handle on Fred, it's kind of ridiculous. His sense of humor and wit is exactly how it's always been in the books and how I always hope to see it continued on in fanfiction. Drawing Dumbledore on Hollis' arm cracked me up, hahaha, and it wouldn't be a work of his if his name didn't show up somewhere, leaving no doubt as to who left the marks there! :-p

I feel like getting drawn on with a quill might be pointy and painful, but beauty is pain, amiright? ^.^

Oh Fred... you are indeed Lovely. Also... I MUST know what this wand event was! You're so great about setting up these mini-cliffhanger things because I know that story is going to pop up eventually and I really want to know now! *whines*

-sigh- I guess I shall just have to continue reading until all my curiosities are satisfied... Luckily for me, it will be a very painless journey through your once again marvelous writing skills. :-)

Oh, before I wrap this up, I wanted to say that I really love Hollis' family background! A whole line of Hufflepuffs! YES. And you've created that adversity towards the entire family who's magical lineage seems to be very unstable - skipping generations and such, all being sorted into the house that so many consider the 'left-overs' (*grumbles*). It's just a very cool concept and I wonder if you'll be playing around with those facts later on... Hmm...

You're too cool for school. Stop being so talented. Thanks.

Author's Response: Eee, thank you so much. I sound like such a broken record, but I'm so grateful for your feedback!

Delphine is all sorts of delusional. The girl's brain is filled with marbles or something, I don't know. She's sort of my guilty pleasure character because I could make her say the strangest things with no shame whatsoever. It was a lot of fun. XD

I apologize for the first half of this chapter being a tad slow. I confess that some of my desire for writing this story was, to add to what I said in my previous review response, the appeal of ordinary life at Hogwarts. Like, if I had the time to sit down and write about some ordinary kid through all seven years at Hogwarts, and detail nothing but classes and schoolwork, I would be on cloud 9. I'm really weird like that - my favorite parts of the books tended to be charms lessons and the like, because it really fascinated me. I loved learning about magic while Harry did - and here I am rambling again. :P

Yep, you will definitely see every transition in Hollis and Fred's relationship! All of the sticky awkwardness, the fluffiness, the nerves, etc. I'll warn you ahead of time that not every moment is loaded with suspense and romance, though.

Depending on how long you read this story (I forget how many reviews you'll be giving as prizes, so you might run out before this), you will definitely see the wand scene! There are lots of very small allusions to events that are easy to overlook, but that are expanded upon in later chapters.

You are awesome and tops and all the other good words. All of them. :) Thank you so much for reading.

 Report Review

Another lovely chapter, Toujours! Not that this surprises me in the slightest. ^.^ Even though this is a slower paced story, it's still just so enjoyable to read and enjoy the small moments you give us. Like, if only Voldemort did where a top hat! Maybe a cane, too. And a tuxedo. A monocle, perhaps... Now that would be a classy villain. Although it might make him too reminiscent of the Penguin from Batman...

I love that Delphine has a crush on Harry! Of course pushing Hermione is certainly frowned upon, haha, but it's a really cute idea. Makes sense, of course, seeing as he is the famous Harry Potter and Delphine's personality seems to really fit into the category of girls who would crush on him almost strictly for that reason (since we learn later that they've never actually spoken). And it's nice to see that someone appreciates Harry's hair style... hehehe

OMG Are these two Hufflepuffs? That makes me excited. :-) I don't see too many Hufflepuff characters get the main OC role and it's even better to see one that will be paired with a Weasley twin! This story is right up my alley - so many of my favorite things happening here, haha I can't wait to learn more about Hollis, especially now knowing that she's a Puff.

I really love the way you describe Hollis and Fred's interactions. Their chemistry is so palpable to me as a reader, which I'm kind of surprised about because I don't feel like I know very much about Hollis yet, but I'm still rooting for her and for them! The way she can just feel that he's looking at her, that she's so aware of him - it's very real and makes me all excited to see them hopefully get together sometime!

"We soon made our way past the Hogsmeade Station, and chose also to bypass The Three Broomsticks in favor of shopping." This sentence is a little wonky around the 'chose able' bit.

Oh hey, there's Alice again! I thought she might come back in a similar fashion to this. I really appreciate how you set her up in the last chapter - it was almost like they were going to become friends at first, too, so it was fun to see how that changed into the relationship they have now. "Truthfully, we all enjoyed hating each other too much to give it up." - It's awful, but I've totally been there.

I really loved the Hogs Head bit! I've said it before, but it makes me smile every time I see little bits of canon brought into a fanfic.

Rock, parchment, sword - nice. I think Delphine's character really took shape in this chapter - I learned a lot about her. She's very human, which I love. There are no Mary-Sue's here, which is really nice. Delphine has some attitude and can be really funny and very open about her opinions and I think she and Hollis have a really believable friendship. All the little details about Delphine is what really sold her for me (her trunk full of pocket change, doing what she can to get free things from people, cheating her way into winning simple games), she almost reminds me a bit of Ron in certain ways. Maybe she and Harry would be good together. :-p

The ending was so cute! When the twins wondered how she could tell them apart, it was a really sweet moment - made me giggle for the two of them, hehehe. Honestly, the chemistry between Fred and Hollis is what's really keeping me into this story. You can't help but root for them and wonder why it takes them so long to figure it out! I mean, they clearly like each other, but we know that this is only 1995, and they still aren't together a year from now. But it's that anticipation that really stays with me and makes me all giggly about them, hehehe. I truly cannot wait to see how these two continue to develop as a couple! *squee*

Author's Response: Hello again, Tanya! You never cease to amaze me. You leave such consistently thorough reviews - I heard a few other Gryffindors talking about that earlier.

The pace of this story is a bit different from the sort of thing I usually write, because it's all out of order and I focus solely on small, quiet moments featuring Hollis and Fred together, or at the very least mentioning Fred. Just flashes of their relationship, like flipping through a scrapbook.

I loved writing a Harry fangirl. I think there are always those annoying girls who like a boy just for the sake of liking him, because he's famous or he has famous relatives or whatever, and Delphine has embraced this role with gusto. She's a silly character - almost always over-the-top, and I think that's what made her so much fun to write. I'm not sure if people like Delphine really exist, and if they do I'm sure I would hate them, but in the fan fic world it's fun to just be able to do whatever I want and make characters like that run rampant around Hogwarts. XD

Hufflepuffs! Yes! Hufflepuffs don't get nearly enough love on the archive. The other Houses get more attention, have more easily-defined reputations, and Hufflepuff gets lost in the shuffle. When I set out to write this story, my main thing wasn't even about the Fred/OC ship, but it was about showing the lives of two people who weren't important to the Harry Potter plot, who didn't join the DA or play Quidditch or were popular, brilliant, etc. I wanted to make OC's who /could/ have been in the background somewhere. The wallflowers, the rest of the population Harry didn't pay attention to. Hollis's life is by no means spectacular, and I think that's what appealed to me. There were so many people just like that in Hogwarts, going about their business as ordinary students, not having to face Voldemort every year, and I loved showing that.

Oh my goodness, it takes ages for Hollis and Fred to get it right. Even when they do know they like each other, life seems to throw a wrench in their party at inopportune moments. :/ What I've found I enjoy the most in a love story is not the happily ever after, but the slow momentum, the rises and lows they take to get there.

Thank you so much for your lovely reviews! They totally made my day. And thanks for listening to me ramble. I tend to write essays in responses. :)

 Report Review

Remember that time I thought that the difference between 1996 and 1990 was only 2 years? I'm very intelligent.

Anyway, another great chapter of this story! I really love the way that the two were introduced! I was sort of expecting Fred to be Percy in this - the one who pulls her out of trouble, because in so many of these humor/romance stories on the archive, that's the formula I see. I have to start reminding myself that when I'm reading your stories, I need to expect the unexpected, because you never do the expected, and that's what makes you such a great and original writer.

Fred, once again, was absolutely brilliant! So spot on. I can be really picky with the twins, but I swear it's like you invented the two yourself. He's so in character! His dialogue is so brilliant and the way you describe his actions and expressions reminds me so much of JK Rowling and how she would have described them, too.

I'm not sure what to think of Hollis in this chapter! I mean, she's a great character - don't get me wrong, you've written her brilliantly - but sort of jumped to conclusions pretty quick there with Alice. hehe Not that people don't do that in real life, of course! :-p I think you've probably just set us up for some really great future chapters. I expect we'll be seeing more of Alice, maybe as a common enemy for Hollis and Delphine (hilarious entry for her character, by the way! Love that the two are introduced in a way that involves Fred, knowing that they stay friends later in life).

I thought maybe there was one-too-many Cecil references that it sort of lost its humor and impact as the story continued, but it's a tiny detail - certainly nothing to worry about, just maybe a little over-played.

I thought Percy was really great, although part of me feels that with his pompous way about him, someone saying thank you to him wouldn't cause him to pause and question whether or not he should actually accept it and say you're welcome - I'm under the impression that it's more likely that he would take any praise he could get, but that's another tiny detail that is strictly a matter of opinion!

Overall, it was a great second chapter. :-)
Tanya

Author's Response: Hi, Tanya!

I like to imagine Percy fancying himself Master of the Train and bossing everyone into their seats. He really does mean well, though, and is always keen to help anyone he can. I really do love Percy. :)

I'm glad you liked Fred! He's a lot different here in his younger days - a lot more boyish, much less mature. Haha, Hollis was very quick to dislike Alice, I think, because she was embarrassed and feeling slighted. It's a bit of silly backstory to explain a bit of why they're such mortal enemies later on.

Thank you for all the feedback! I'm very appreciative of it, and I'm definitely going to go back over and look to see if Cecil pops up too much. ^ ^

Oooh, for that last part about Percy saying "you're welcome", are you referring to the very end of the chapter? Because that was George. :P At this point, Hollis doesn't realize that Fred and George are two different people. She has that scene with Fred, until he lets her into the compartment with Delphine, and afterwards Hollis sees him and thanks him for sort of helping. But she doesn't know that she's actually thanking George (this is revealed later, I think), so George, at this point, is being thanked by a stranger and has no idea what she's talking about. Percy had /just/ left the scene before that:

The boy who had locked Delphine in our compartment waltzed into the narrow corridor, smiling hugely. Before my nerves could smother the opportunity, I greeted him.

"Thank you, by the way."

I hope that cleared a bit up! Thank you so much for the detailed review! :)

 Report Review

Okay, im not easily persuaded to leave reviews but i thought you should know that i adore your writing, its brilliant, also ignore the hideous misuse of grammar. :D

Author's Response: Thank you!! Your grammar looks just fine to me. ^ ^ Thank you so much for reading. I hope you continue to enjoy. :)

 Report Review

Oh Toujours Padfoot... You are such a gifted writer, it continues to blow my mind. There doesn't seem to be a genre you can't handle, a character you don't understand, or an idea that you can't execute with precision and excellence. I hate you.

No, no, ignore that, I'm sorry - that's just the jealousy talking. Seriously, though, this is so fantastic! I remember the first story I ever read of yours was 'Siren' and how dark and gripping and powerful that was. And then when I read something so opposite, it blows my mind that the same author wrote both! You're so incredibly versatile and I'm in love with both your style and originality!

So in case you haven't figured it out yet, this is your first (and insanely overdue) review for winning the HPPC Challenge! This story was the one I chose to read and review because I love Fred and George and I love OC's and I love the pairing of FredorGeorge/OC, so as soon I saw the option, I knew I had to read it! And I'm so glad I did! Where to even begin?... From the top it is!

I love how the story just jumps right in. A lot of fics I've read here that are based around an OC tend to start out with a lot of description about who that character is, rather than simply writing them into scenarios and allowing us to find out for ourselves through their reactions and where their mind races off to. I love that you just throw her into a back and forth dialogue with Fred from the start so that we get to figure Hollis out for ourselves, experience her wit first hand rather than being told 'I am sarcastic'.

Speaking of the dialogue between the two, that was so much fun to read! LOL A lot of the time when I see a writer who wants to create a witty back and forth, they tend to either over-do it so that the conversation lacks any real purpose other than to get a laugh (which also tends to become unrealistic), or they simply haven't written it in a way that's really very funny at all! But you've found a perfect balance of believability, true humor, and actual substance that serves a purpose, moves the plot along and is also so enjoyable. And to top it all off, Fred was SO in character! And as a fangirl of Fred (and George!), I'm very picky with him, but you've done him brilliantly here. These two lines were my favorite's of his:

""Irma," he said charmingly, arms outspread as if to hug her. "How long it's been!""

""Oi! Go easy on me! I've ingested a lot of interesting things today and I might be flammable!""

LOL! Too funny, and so perfectly Fred! I also love when he pins the not returning of a book on himself while pretending to be George. :-p You're so funny.

I love that you brought in a bit of canon with the invisible hats research! It's always cool to see connections to canon being made in a new way. Oh, and later in the chapter we get to see the galleon from the DA! Again, a great combination of the canon world and your world. :-)

The way you give us details about the OC and who she is is really nice. Learning about how she's been watching Fred for so long after her friend admits that she can't tell the twins apart is exactly what I mean about showing us who your character is rather than just telling us from the top. It's this type of writing that makes me want to keep reading, because there's so much about the OC that I don't know yet, but still enough was learned about her to make me want to know more. It's the perfect balance.

Can we talk about the way in which you describe the moment when Hollis knows that Fred's watching her and she's trying to play it cool? I was reading that and thinking back on my experience with when a guy I've liked is nearby and I'm trying to act nonchalant, though on the inside I'm over-analyzing EVERYTHING, and reading your descriptions about being so hyper-aware, taking a sip of a drink just because, and just thinking 'OMG THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT!' hahaha

Omg, you just keep making me fall more and more in love with the twins! I didn't even know that was possible! I can't remember the last time a read a story that gave me butterflies because the romantic pairing was set up so well together! I got that excited feeling that people get when their actual crush is around because it's so easy to relate to Hollis and how she sees Fred! Oh, if only the twins were real...

Well I certainly can't wait to see what's going to happen in the next chapter! Fred with a surprise in the Owlery at 5am? That sounds like a recipe for awesome. Such a great way to end the first chapter because you know people want to find out what exactly Fred Weasley is up to this time! I will definitely be continuing this story. :-D

Thinking back on your one-shot that won the challenge (The Legacy of Waldorf), I have to say that it was really great to see another side of your humor. In your Peeves fic, the situations were so hilariously over-the-top and anything but subtle, but here we get just as many laughs but in a way that isn't as in-your-face as the one-shot. With the twins around, however, I'm sure we'll be seeing some Waldorf-esque over-the-top chaos in no time. It's just wonderful to see that not only can you write humor, but you can write it fantastically in differing ways! Did I mention already that I hate you?

So basically, in summation, you rock. You're an incredible author who can write about any character in any situation and make it look like the easiest thing in the world. And while I've been struggling with the third chapter of my only WIP, you seem to be an unstoppable force of nature on a whirlwind path to ruling the HPFF world of top writers. *bows to your excellence*

Thank you for this excellent story. See you in chapter two!
-Tanya :-)

P.S. I just remembered seeing the chapter titles and how the years change, so next chapter won't be the prank cause it's going two years in the past! -le sigh- Guess that means I'll just have to keep reading til I get to it! ;-) Can't wait.

Author's Response: Oh my god, Tanya. It has taken me ages to respond to this because your review is just...wow. I don't think I've ever seen a more thorough reviewer! My jaw was dropping all over the place - there was lots of flailing and squeeing and such. ♥ I can't thank you enough.

I'm glad you chose this story for the review prizes! It's fairly light and easy to get through, and the chapters skip around through various years in Hollis's life, moving forwards and backwards so hopefully the nonlinear format will prevent you from getting bored. :P

Yay, you thought Fred was canon! That's always such a lovely thing to hear because that's something I worked pretty hard on. It's great to have a fellow Fred and George fangirl! George is very prominent in this story - he by no means fades into the woodwork just because Hollis is hanging around, so I hope you like his characterization in this story, as well.

bahaha, omg, playing it cool when a guy is around; I drew on that one from experience. Just grabbing whatever is nearest and fiddling with it like there's no tomorrow, for lack of anything else to do.

Haha, you'll find that the Owlery bit's not in the next chapter because of the nonlinear format. Sorry! :3 You'll have to take a few trips back in time before you get to see that particular scene. But of course I just read this in your P.S., so I can only offer some cookies to get you through the waiting period. XD

Oh my goodness, how can I thank you enough? Your words are so, so lovely and so kind and you seem to pick up on every little detail! When you read something, you really read it! I feel so honored to have you reviewing this and so flattered that you actually liked it. Thank you so, so much. :)

- Sarah

 Report Review

Sweet Merlin, I was looking for a fic to help me with my Harry Potter nostalgia and this story just takes the cake and more. It made me laugh and cry and just filled to the brim with emotions, your story is just so wonderfully and beautifully written thank you for them. I am looking forward to reading more of your works.

Author's Response: Thank you! That makes me so happy. I'm so glad you enjoyed "So, Listen...". I've written a lot of stories but this one is the closest to my heart because it makes me feel like I'm in Hogwarts while I'm reading it, blending into the magical community. I hope to see you back again on my page!

Thank you for reading and reviewing. :)

 Report Review

That was amazing :) seriously the best one I've read...

Author's Response: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. :)

 Report Review

I cried. I think you've written Mrs Weasley's words better than even JK Rowling could have expressed. They've captured the essence of these characters. I'm in awe of your talent.

Author's Response: Wow, that is extraordinary flattering! Thank you so much. :) I'm so pleased you liked it, and thank you for reading and reviewing!

 Report Review

Oh goodness. This story was heart-achingly awesome. I love so much about this story I'm not sure where to start. I don't really review, like ever, so I guess I'll just list stuff off - forgive me if it all sounds disjointed!

Lee and George should get medals for best wingmen ever. So many of the twin-centric stories I've read sort of shove Lee to the side or ignore him altogether, so I really appreciate that you've acknowledged his friendship with the twins and given him plenty of time to shine. The detention with Umbridge scene had me cramping with laughter.

I love how you sort of flit about the canon, taking bits and pieces of the books and sticking them in different lights to make up a story. George stealing Angelina at the Yule Ball, Harry's arrival on the Hogwarts Express, Fred and Hollis' brief goodbye before the twins' departure from the school... you've scouted out a bunch of tiny blanks and filled them in with a beautiful, and very convincing, love story.

You are damn funny. Your humor feels effortless. My absolute favorite part: "Fred Fred Fred Fred Fred Fred…" Oh, I can just picture his reaction. But if I tried to list out *all* the bits of this story that made me laugh I would use a lot more than 6000 words so I'll just leave it at that and hope it covers it.

I also love that you haven't neatly wrapped up every loose end. You could have had the pair troll through their history, detailing each of their encounters and explaining their motivations to the other - "Remember that one time in chapter X where I Y? That was because I liked you and was trying to get your attention!" - but you didn't, and I'm grateful. Their relationship is strong enough without a hundred different little confirmations of their feelings.

And the funeral scene. Oh dear. There have only been a handful of stories that have made me blubber like that, or that have taken the pain I felt at a character death and made me relive that pain anywhere near as strongly as I did while reading the books. "The coffin shook once when it sank to the very bottom, and this was when George began to cry, shoulders shaking like a broken person." That's where I broke, too. Before that I was crying, but that one line just made me curl up in a quivering ball and sob. I'm tearing up right now just thinking about it. Oh George. Oh Fred. That was powerful.

Whew.

I must admit I was hesitant to read this story. I am extremely partial to the twins and pairing either of them with an OC makes me wary... but I've been reading all of your stories and they are all so fantastic that I figured this one had to be, too. And oh boy, was it. Hollis is an enjoyable narrator, Delphine is entertaining and believable, the twins are completely in character, and you've incorporated the plots of the books into the story wonderfully.

What else can I say? You are an extremely versatile and gifted writer and I look forward to making my way through the rest of your stories. I don't feel that a simple "thank you" is enough for all the amazing work you've shared with us, but I can't think how else to put it. So, thanks.

Author's Response: Oh, wow, this review. Thank you so much. :)

I loved writing about wingmen Lee and George. I feel like Fred would have involved them in any relationship he would have had - especially George. They do everything together, and I don't think Fred would have just gone off by himself, isolated with some girl all the time. I'm very glad that you agree with that vision.

I'm also pleased that you liked George stealing Angelina at the ball. Some of my reasoning behind wanting to write this story was my irritation that in fan fiction, Angelina and George is like this angst fest, and Angelina basically only gets with George because he reminds her of Fred. I was like...no, she likes George based on his own merits. George is awesome, she didn't pick him because he looked like Fred. Angelina and Fred went to a dance together in school, that's it. They never even dated. I mean, Harry went to the ball with one of the Patil twins and you don't see them falling over each other in love. It got on my nerves, so I wanted to show that the relationship between Fred and Angelina has always been - since we have no evidence to the contrary - platonic. Sorry for that little rant there. :P

I've always been curious about what Harry would seem like from an outsider's perspective. The scene on the train was very fun to write.

I don't generally tear up much when reading or writing fic, either, and I admittedly teared up at the part where George started crying. It was such a miserable image, George crying, and writing that scene left me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

I'm so, so flattered that you took a chance on my Fred/OC, and I definitely understand your hesitance. Another reason why I wrote this is because I'd been prowling the archive for a Fred/OC and didn't really care for any of them, so I decided to try my hand at it.

Oh my goodness, you are so kind. You seriously have no idea how much I appreciate this review - it's so encouraging and it makes me feel like I've achieved something. So thank you so, so, so much. :)

- Sarah

 Report Review

(Fair warning: this is a very long review, for which I'm sorry. I'd rather have sent it as a PM but I don't know if they allow those here.)

I didn't want to read this story. I didn't want to have anything to do with it because I knew how it would end. Of the many, many deaths I read about in the books, Fred Weasley's was the one that hit me hardest. For everyone else, there was some reason that they had to go: Dumbledore, Snape, Moody, Sirius, even Lupin and Tonks... But Fred. I never could understand why Fred went, and I will never, ever forgive Rowling for that.

And then you, with this story... I had to watch it all over again.

At its most powerful, fanfiction is more than just taking cues from the original and giving a life to them somewhere else- it becomes a self-reflexive exercise, reshaping the source itself. This is what your story does, and this is why it represents, for me, the very best that fanfiction can be. Because of course all of this happened. It couldn't have not happened.

Your Fred is my Fred, the one I know from the books. There's nothing out-of-character about him, nothing unbelievable about his relationship. I can see him laugh as he zooms off on his broomstick, blush lightly as he is perched on the bar stool, tease confidently in the Owlery, stare through blank, unbelieving eyes in his shop in Diagon Alley, speak bravely (but with a quiver in his voice) on Potterwatch. He can be all of these things at once, and still be Fred. And it's not just him- your George, always there, always knowing. I have never loved him more than when he turned around to look at Hollis during Molly's speech. It was an astonishingly beautiful thought, so simple, so natural- and my favourite moment in your story.

I don't know how I managed to get through Molly's speech. For a review as long as this, here's a silent thank you, said like a prayer.

But I don't want to fixate on the sadness because the sadness wouldn't have been poignant in the least had you not set up the rest of it so well. It was cruel and sneaky of you to draw us in with the rest of the chapters- but how wonderful they were. Light, fleeting, and laugh-out-loud funny. And Delphine! I loved that mad woman to bits! I roared in laughter at her satisfaction with the paltry gain of a biscuit at the end of their Gryffindor excursion, as an understanding Hollis sighs "Oh, Delphine".

And Hollis: so lovely, so lively, and familiar as anyone else. She seamlessly fits in with the world of the book because you've given her her own life (her independent association with Hagrid, for instance); her character isn't a prop that serves to highlight Fred's story. And you are the only person I've read who has made Hufflepuffs huffle and puffle believably and yet with so much majesty. They may play pranks, but will be ever so contained about it; they may go off on their own for 'adventuring', but they'll hide and watch when they do it. They may quarrel angrily, but ooh, look, a biscuit! I'm so grateful that you were committed enough to strike that balance.

And I'm so grateful that you wrote this story that I loved so much, so completely- every line, character, thought, moment. It's spectacular, and you are a spectacular author.

But I won't read it again, you know. I can't. I tried to, a few hours after the first time, but I couldn't. I don't want to think of whether Fred had ever got his swan, if it came to him just as he was dying, if he ever read it, or if he never will...

Author's Response: I'm sorry that it's taken me a while to respond to your review. I must have read it at least five times so far. I really can't express how grateful I am for your lovely review, and for reading a story that's been finished for a while and therefore usually doesn't get much traffic. Your feedback on all of the characters, on Hufflepuffs and Molly's speech and the relationships between everyone, brings a smile to my face. It makes me miss these characters and this story.

I'm sorry for the brevity of this response, but your review honestly kind of makes my brain mush, and it's difficult to articulate my appreciation. But thank you, thank you, THANK YOU.

:)

 Report Review

I've sat here reading for hours, you had me laughing and now I just blubbed like an idiot. That was absolutely beautiful, like nothing I have ever read before. Amazing.

Author's Response: Thank you so much. :) I'm so happy that you stopped by my story. Thank you for reading and reviewing and enjoying.

 Report Review

This story cracks me up, you don't even know. I sit here and laugh, its quite silly really.

Author's Response: Huzzah! Success! Hee, I'm glad you liked it. XD Thank you for reading and reviewing!

 Report Review

This was a beautifully written story. I absolutely am in love with it! Wonderful job!

Author's Response: Thank you! That makes me very happy. :)

 Report Review

Hello!!

So this story was absolutely brilliant. You are an amazing writer. I thought Hollis was an amazing character, and you developed the Fred and Hollis relationship so beautifully! I'm in the process of creating a love story between George and a muggle girl, and I wanted to incorporate Hollis into my story. Only if that's alright with you, if it's not, I won't use her. I mostly just wanted Fred to be love-stricken throughout my story.

Anyways, you're brilliant, and thank you for sharing your talent with us!

Author's Response: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! This review COMPLETELY made my day, and it would be awesome if you used Hollis (so long as you credit her origin in this story in an author's note). Eeep, this is very exciting! I'd love it if you linked me to your story later so that I can read it. :D

Thanks again!

- Sarah

 Report Review