Comment on In the Shadow of my Misfortune

  1. Finexs Sat 20 Jul 2024 10:21AM UTC

    I'm so incredibly relieved that I'm no longer having trouble with writing Anne :) It's easy for the other characters in the friend group, they're all relatively well defined in their interests in the game - Poppy is friendly and likes beasts; Natty is fierce and very outgoing; Sebastian is smart, charming, and ambitious; Ominis is always very worried and very caring; Garreth is very creative, smart, and a bit of an airhead. Anne's only character trait is being sick, which made her really hard to write in the beginning. There was nothing to build her character with. My beta and I thought it would make sense for her to have some level of Depression, for obvious reasons, and then I just needed to find some kind of interest for her. Once I decided on History of Magic, writing her became startingly easy.
    It's also a perk for worldbuilding - Ominis has the political side covered, and Anne has knowledge on just about anything else. Now I don't have to use Alya for worldbuilding :)
    The whole Peverell's as almost-royals was really just a spontaneous decision, but now I'm so in love with the concept xD mainly because I feel like there had to be a first at some point, so why not the Peverells? I also love the fact that Alya is just straight up not aware of that. Her knowledge of the Peverell family extends to the tale of the tree brothers and that tale only xD
    You're right, side stories do help with writer's block xD my beta gave me the idea of writing letters (like the one from the Gaunts, or the letters between Anne and the rest of the friend group, the letter to the lawyer, etc.). I like the idea because I can worldbuild and describe things Alya doesn't care about/doesn't notice without having to actually write length chapters. Love your ideas as well, though, especially the one with Sirona and Lord Potter. Might take you up on the idea
    Seriously, thank you so much, both for the comment as a whole and the ideas of course! You have so many good ideas, it's so much fun to bounce some ideas back and forth, I really appreciate your help. Seriously. Thank you so much ❤️

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    1. Valin Sat 20 Jul 2024 04:02PM UTC

      The Peverell's as almost-royals/first magical family also gives Alya a large base of support and a precedent to work with when she wants to start making changes to wizarding society. And that's not even counting the influence she could acquire by releasing developments that occurred between 1890 and her own original time, the Wolfsbane potion (not perfected until 1982) being the one that springs immediately to mind. That is of course limited by what she knows herself or has access to knowledge of (books) in her moleskin pouch though I'll admit I am kind of hoping she has the entirety of the 1990s Potter and Black family libraries stashed in there. That said given Ominus's political knowledge I could very easily see him sitting down with Alya and the rest of their friends after the truth of her origins becomes known and going over all the developments in the intervening century she has access to and trying to figure out which ones can be released immediately to help the wizarding world. (and gain her a bunch of influence and money in the process)

      I would also love it if she had a copy of Fred and George's product development notes (as their primary investor it wouldn't be unheard of) that she could pass on to Garreth. Just imagining what he could pull with that knowledge has me both terrified and cackling. Further items from the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes defense line (shield hats, gloves, cloaks) if she can get them recreated would probably be very helpful and popular in the days before the piercing hex was invented.

      Last but not least here is the second part of my previous recommendation the rumor if you haven't already seen it, the last part between the MC, Sebastian, and Ominis is just hysterical.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCvhe6EkR6c

      Last Edited Sat 20 Jul 2024 04:04PM UTC

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      1. Finexs Sun 21 Jul 2024 01:25PM UTC

        I thought about the inventions for a while and, honestly, I don't really see Alya 'I don't like attention' Peverell release that much mind-breaking information. Right now I'm thinking about her writing a book on stirring techniques and stuff (which she would release after she's done with school because she's not going to make her Potion O.W.L.s/N.E.W.T.s harder than she needs to by releasing this information beforehand xD) and depending on how much of a little shit Dumbledore decides to be I'd say she can take his discoveries of the uses of Dragon Blood as well. But I don't want her to just mass-release every invention/discovery that had been made in the next hundred years.
        On the other hand - she's incredible rich and money makes the world go round. I was thinking of maybe organising a yearly competition where people can hand in their inventions and/or research paper and the most useful/best gets a big money prize in exchange for giving the Peverells 10% (or more?) of the income they're going to make after the Peverells start selling that shit with their name plastered on it. That way we'd have far more people becoming interested in research, especially if maybe even the top ten all get money and anything else that's interesting or eyecatching can either get funded for improvements or also sold.
        Alya would probably have to set up some kind of trading company and it would take a few years to get rolling, but I imagine that this type of annual competition would bring forth far more inventions than there were in the original time line.
        I have to think about what to do with the Weasleys' Whizard Wheezes for a little longer, though.

        I haven't watched it yet, not completely, just a few seconds in the beginning. Still, thanks for sending the link and reminding me to watch It/listen to it!

        By the way, I asked this question in the Discord, but I thought I'd ask in the comments as well: Do you have any ideas for Birthday presents? I got a few great ideas for the twins and maybe Garreth, but I just wanted a few more opinions/ideas

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        1. Valin Thu 01 Aug 2024 04:24AM UTC

          I can understand that though I would postulate that in some circumstances, her desire to help would outweigh her dislike of attention (Wolfsbane being the prime example)

          As to the Contest/Patronage/Investment idea, I think that's brilliant, and you're right such a thing would most definitely hit the accelerator on magical research and development. I could also very much see Alya inadvertently increasing her mystique by making unwitting comments on certain projects based on common future knowledge/stuff she knows. (think along the lines of her rant on potion stirring a few chapters back) The researchers then puzzle over her statements for a bit before getting eureka moments and eventually (after realizing several of their colleagues have also had a similar experience) come to the mistaken belief that Alya's words were an intentional hint to set them on the right path. All the while Alya is wondering why her researchers are looking at her with ever-increasing awe.

          In regards to gift ideas I have a few, but the only problem is that pretty much everything that comes to mind right now is only viable once the truth of Alya's future origins is out in the open amongst her friends.

          That said here's what I've got so far.

          Sebastian: One of Alya's extra Firebolts (with her paranoia/Moody's lessons it wouldn't be out of character for her to have a few spares)
          Poppy: A copy of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"
          Garreth: a copy of Fred and George's product development notes
          Anne: The latest edition (1990s) of Hogwarts a History

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