thank you,enjoyed it very much

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Hi, Violet. I actually read your story a while ago, but I didn't review it back then. But I'm doing it now for the House Cup :)

I really like your story. It had me hooked from the first sentence. It's just really well-written. I love how Tonks is sort of Nancy Drew-alike. I can see her as someone that loves to solve a mystery.

And I aboslutely love when a Hufflepuff is the main character, and is portrayed as something other than a weak and good-for-nothing type of character. Tonks is brilliant, and this story did her justice.

And I got to say, I loved how action-filled that scene was. And I loved the whole mystery. I'm quite clueless when it comes to mysteries, so I couldn't wait to read the next chapter to see her solve the whole thing. And I wasn't disappointed.

Thank you, Violet. It was great.

Yours Sincerely
LadyL8

Author's Response: Thank you for coming back to review this story! It's lovely of you to do so, and I'm really pleased to hear that you liked this story. Too often I've come to see it as a silly thing I wrote, and it's nice to have a sold reminder that there's more to it than that, especially with Tonks, who came to life far better than I expected.

I loved being able to write about a Hufflepuff, but it was even better to write about Tonks herself before she became an Auror. It's like she was a born detective, and this - as much as her disguising abilities - would make her a successful Auror, just the kind of person that Moody and Kingsley Shaklebolt would respect. :D

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Susan, this story was just great! It's no wonder at all that it won a Dobby for Best Novella -- the question of whether it deserved it or not is forever indisputable. I've been reading this story in various lectures here and there for the past few weeks, because not too long ago I finished an Agatha Christie story and remembered that this was on my to-read list. You pulled out all the stops with this one!

How fitting, really, that Tonks would be the one to solve a mystery. She's got the sort of character that would be good at that -- not to mention her love of mystery novels here put her well up to the task. And Charlie, being a dear, going along and helping her! I love the bit at the end, when she's talking to Moody and briefly sees Kingsley; that's a delightful bit of foreshadowing, and I actually found myself grinning, reading it. She's such a great example of why Hufflepuff isn't a worthless House, like a lot of people seem to think. She's quirky and lovable, but she's also brave, and honest, and you can't be an Auror without having serious smarts. So bravo and encore to you for writing one of the best Tonks characterizations I've yet read!

The culprit totally took me by surprise -- but that in itself isn't so much a surprise. :P I read tons of Nancy Drew while growing up, and have had my fair share of adult murder mysteries as well (Agatha Christie and otherwise), and I always like to think I'd be so good at solving mysteries. But then it comes down to the time when I'm reading one, and I'm just stumped. Revelations always hoodwink me, unfortunately enough. :P You wrote this so well, though, planting clues and red herrings and the like! My next big project after finishing my Snape/OC trilogy (gulp, let's not think of that) is, tenatively, a Harry/OC murder mystery, and I know I'm going to be coming back to this story several times for help on how to make it all fit.

I'm sorry I didn't review the other chapters, as well; I've gotten into a somewhat bad habit of reading a story and leaving a review only at the end. But let it have no blight on my conveying my appreciation for this story, because I really did enjoy it very much. I'm so glad I got around to reading this! Fantastic job, Susan -- but then, I expect no less from you. Your stories always leave me extremely satisfied (if a bit jealous)! ♥

Author's Response: Ee! Seeing your review for this story - this one, of all stories, too! - was a fantastic surprise. It may have won a Dobby in the ancient HPFF past, but it's a story that even I've forgotten about it (to the extent that my memory of writing it and the dates I posted the chapters no longer align - it's very awkward :P). It's a great treat to receive a review from you, and an even greater one to hear that you enjoyed the story so much! :D

You're reminding me why it was a fun thing to write. Putting together the characters' names and the plot was a blast, and I think I spent a lot of my time giggling to myself. Tonks was the perfect character for this kind of role - now that I think of it, she's rather like the Eleventh Doctor, madly running through the train while brilliantly putting all of the facts together. Her Puff-like traits come out in the pure enjoyment she has while working on this case. She's doing it for the cause of justice and doesn't let anything bring her down - it's a big change from the moody detectives I often read. maybe that's why JKR called him Moody.
And poor Charlie tries to keep up (and does pretty well, under the circumstances), but he's not an Auror-in-the-making.

Looking back, it's a far more complex story than it seems on the surface. At the time I wrote this, there were criticisms of it not being serious enough and not handling the mystery genre in the "right" way. But you've picked out far more details and connections that many readers, reminding me why it actually is a good mystery - it fulfills the requirements and makes fun of them at the same time. That was what made it an exciting story to write, and I appreciate that you've reminded me why this story became successful.

If you do need help with your mystery story, let me know! I'm a sucker for mysteries and detective stories. One book you might want to check out is P. D. James's "Talking About Detective Fiction" - it's a short book, but it's an interesting look at the genre, and it could give you some inspiration. :) It's a fantastic compliment that you'd come back to my story to help you along, though. Wow!

Thank you very much for this review! ^_^

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This is absolutely amazing!
The plot was brilliant.
I loved it!

Author's Response: Thank you! It's great to hear that you enjoyed it! :D

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wow it is cool a lot awesome

Author's Response: Thank you very much! :)

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Now that was an action packed scene! I could really imagine it happening in my head.
Moody's there! And he wants her to be an auror!
This was such an original story and it was such a fantastic idea! I loved it!

Author's Response: Oh yay, I'm glad that the scene was so vivid for you - I imagined it clearly too, but it's hard to say whether those clear images will translate properly into words. And I couldn't resist including Moody, at the very least to introduce Tonks to the potential of becoming an Auror. :D

Thank you so much for all of your reviews! It means a lot to hear that you enjoyed the story! ^_^

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I still can't figure who done it!
Tonks is a very good detective!
:-O is beardy helping the girl out?
Oh no only one more chapter to go :-(

Author's Response: Still? You've made some really good guesses so far, though! Let's see how you react to the ending.

Thanks again! :D

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Someone moved the body! :-O *gasp* I wonder who it could be? Who is this mysterious girl? I can't wait to find out!

Author's Response: It's exciting to follow along with you on this story - it's been so long since I went over many of these details. It's awesome that you're still enjoying it so much. :D

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Go Charlie and his talent on guessing pregnancy trimesters! hehe Mmm I don't think it's the ex at all, so I reackon beardy Ravenclaw guy. He's really sticking out to me for some reason :-D

Author's Response: Charlie had to get a bit of the spotlight (though writing a whole novel on him would definitely be worth-while - he's the most fascinating of the Weasleys to me). :D That Ravenclaw boy is generally suspicious - I can't remember just whether he's involved, but you'll see.

Thanks again for reading and reviewing! ;)

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Harriet liked Gilbert? could she have been angry he turned her down? Or maybe the ex? Gah! so many suspects!
:-O That is a very good plot twist!
Can't wait to read more!

Author's Response: Everyone's a suspect! XD It's probably too much to have done that, but gosh, it was fun to keep Tonks (not to mention the readers) hopping.

I'm really glad that you want to keep reading! ^_^

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I don't think the girl did it, but I like Tonk's interregation style.
Another interesting chapter, I can't wait to read more.

Author's Response: Haha, she has learned a lot from the books she reads, hasn't she? :D It's fantastic that you're enjoying this story so much and I hope that you also enjoy the rest! ^_^

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I'm loving Tonks in this! She's such a detective and making me think of Sherlock Holmes :-D
Oh my! Poor Percy if they did get him to watch the body and I still think it's the Ravenclaw beardy guy!

Author's Response: I'm so glad that you like Tonks in this story - she's definitely playing up her role as detective, steamrolling over the Weasley brothers without any trouble at all. XD

That Ravenclaw is a shifty guy. Better keep an eye on him. ;)

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A sleeping potion?
I felt sorry for Charlie interviewing all those uncooperative people, especially the beardy guy! I'm supicious of the beardy guy. I wonder what Tonks has found? I think it's the beardy guy definately!

Author's Response: The potion would be useful to knock Gil out for a while so that he could be killed quietly - but that reveals quite a bit about how and who may have done it. ;)

lol, I got way too much enjoyment out of creating these strange characters, not to mention thinking of ways of making each terribly suspicious (or more dangerously, unsuspicious :P). Who knows who did it. :P

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Go Tonks getting into Auror mode! All those murder mysteries have done her good.
I'm really enjoying this story! Go Tonks and her sidekick Charlie.

Author's Response: Writing pre-Auror Tonks was my favourite part of creating this story - she's so much fun to write and including little details about how she would become an Auror made this more than just a silly parody. And Charlie, of course, was a dear to write. ^_^

Thanks again for reading and reviewing!

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Who could it be? This is a very good first chapter. Extremely well written and I like how you wrote the friendship between Tonks and Charlie. I can't wait to read more.

Author's Response: Wow, thank you! It was a surprise to see someone reading this story and I'm glad to hear that it's still well-written, even after all this time. :D

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I think the Adler girl might be it now... But I'm not sure yet... The story was so great that I felt like the detective myself!:)

Author's Response: It's wonderful that you've had fun following along with the case. ^_^ Thank you!

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So far what I think is that the murderer is either the prefect girl or the trolley lady, but most of the clues ad up to the prefect girl.

Author's Response: The Trolley Lady! That would have been a brilliant twist - wish I had thought of using her as the murderer!

Thanks again for reading and reviewing! :D

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I can't wait to read the next chapter! I wonder what happened...

Author's Response: You'll find out. ;) Thanks again for reading and reviewing!

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It's bloody brilliant! Even better than the last one, if possible.:)

Author's Response: Wow, thank you! It's great to hear that you're enjoying it so much! :)

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Brilliant! You left me quite hanging there. The best!

Author's Response: Thank you very much! It's fantastic to hear that you're enjoying the story! :D

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Cute, quick read! Nothing really emotional, just a simple mystery story involving the elements of Harry Potter! Mysteries aren't my thing, but this was fun, although you were kind of unclear on how she knew everything. The ending wrapped a little too cleanly.

Author's Response: It is a very simple mystery - in the end, I just wanted to finish it rather than make it more complex. It's meant to be very light-hearted, even funny, which hopefully explains why the ending was so clean-cut. Haha, my only excuse, sadly, for Tonks knowing everything is that I was making her a "Great Detective" - Sherlock Holmes and Poirot always seem to know everything, just like that. This story is more an homage to classic detective stories than a canon Potterverse piece. ;)

Thanks for reading and reviewing, though! I'm glad it was a fun story to read. :)

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I really liked this story; normally I wouldn't go for a Harry Potter detective story but you pulled it off! It wasn't too cheesy and it reminded me a lot of Murder on the Orient Express. The characters/suspects were convincing and realistic. Overall great job, it was a very good, fun, suspenseful read!

Author's Response: Thank you very much! I'm happy to hear that you liked how this story turned out, and it means a lot that you took the time to let me know. ^_^

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Oh dear me what a twist! A child of Gilbert? That cannot be good news! I am so curious as to where this new bit of information is going to lead.

The story is coming along really nice. It's fun to read, with great, humorous characters (and amazing character names) and a plot that keeps you going. I really appreciated how light-hearted the story feels. Even if it's addressing a serious matter, the mood of the story and the way the characters act/speak makes me think of a cartoon rather than a real life investigation. Everything almost feels like a game to Tonks and Charlie. It's practically impossible to stop reading it :P

Author's Response: A twist, yes. Perhaps not the best kind of plot twist, but it works. XD Oh gosh, what was I thinking trying to pull the pregnancy card? It works to shock, at the very least.

Wow, thank you very much! I don't know what to say to those compliments. It's wonderful that you're enjoying so many elements of this story - the characters (and their names!), the plot, and the light-hearted atmosphere. You're right to see it as more of a cartoon or caricature - it's not at all like my darker stories, and maybe that's what made it so fun and easy to write (I used to write chapters between classes in first year :P). That you find it addicting only makes me happier. Thank you! ^_^

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Poor Charlie! He must be so confused. Tonks keeps going on and on about Muggle books, authors and quotes. It must be really hard for him to keep up with her. She feels all over the place, ready for action! I like how dedicated he is though. And he doesn't question her methods or orders. Even if he is thinking that everything is going too fast, or they aren't qualified for the "job" he doesn't show it. This really makes me think how well they got along in school, and what involved their previous interactions. Because I believe that only good friends, with a strong friendship foundation could support each other this way.

Author's Response: Oh, you're making me miss writing Charlie! He was so cute in this story, and while he was a foil to Tonks in many ways, he had a lot going for him - like you said, his dedication, for one. He's definitely a Weasley in his loyalty and determination - he struggles, but he would never admit it.

It would be really interesting to write/read a story about Charlie and Tonks while they were in school - not a romance, preferably, but perhaps with hints of it. I wonder what made him choose dragons, in the end. ;)

Thanks again for these wonderful reviews! I'm enjoying following you through the story. :D

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That "or so she thinks" from the chapter summary really caught my eye. Even before I clicked the chapter I suspected that something would go horribly wrong, especially in Tonks's predictions. It hasn't been elucidated yet but we shall see next chapter.

I felt that Charlie missed something when he interviewed the second year girl. She might have only been frightened but she might have seen or heard something and was too afraid to speak. I think I slapped myself when Charlie left the compartment just like that lol. But then there's the other boy too. I can't imagine who did it!

What I appreciate most of this story is how well you managed to convey the mysterious aura that usually surrounds crime investigations. You almost start to suspect everyone. A sideways glance, a smile, a description, everything starts to spin and you can't help but imagine that any of the persons involved in the action could have done it.

Author's Response: You can't be sure of anything in one of these mysteries. :P But you'll see. It's fun seeing your reactions to these characters (well, suspects, if you must) because I tried to make all of them sound somewhat suspicious or otherwise involved so that Tonks, Charlie, and the readers would all be confused. Well, perhaps Tonks rather less so, but there has to be a Great Detective, right? :P

It really means a lot to hear these compliments from you, and I appreciate that you took the time to read and review this story. ^_^

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