{"@attributes":{"version":"2.0"},"channel":{"title":"Solve et Coagula","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/","description":"Solve et Coagula - LiveJournal.com","lastBuildDate":"Sat, 31 Dec 2016 01:49:41 GMT","generator":"LiveJournal \/ LiveJournal.com","copyright":"NOINDEX","image":{"url":"https:\/\/l-userpic.livejournal.com\/90524980\/3340740","title":"Solve et Coagula","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/","width":"100","height":"100"},"item":[{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/718289.html","pubDate":"Sat, 31 Dec 2016 01:49:41 GMT","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/718289.html","description":"PSA: After the news that the Russian owners of LiveJournal are moving the physical servers to their country, I am officially moving everything over to Dreamwidth. Same username. Instructions and link for importing your entire LJ over there can be found here: <a target='_blank' href='http:\/\/kas2umi.livejournal.com\/68479.html'>http:\/\/kas2umi.livejournal.com\/68479.html<\/a><br \/><br \/>ETA: New link - <a target='_blank' href='https:\/\/www.dreamwidth.org\/support\/faqbrowse?faqid=127' rel='nofollow'>https:\/\/www.dreamwidth.org\/support\/faqbrowse?faqid=127<\/a> thanks to <span  class=\"ljuser  i-ljuser  i-ljuser-deleted  i-ljuser-type-P     \"  data-ljuser=\"katiedid17\" lj:user=\"katiedid17\" ><a href=\"https:\/\/katiedid17.livejournal.com\/profile\/\"  target=\"_self\"  class=\"i-ljuser-profile\" ><img  class=\"i-ljuser-userhead\"  src=\"https:\/\/l-stat.livejournal.net\/img\/userinfo_v8.png?v=17080&v=915\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/katiedid17.livejournal.com\/\" class=\"i-ljuser-username\"   target=\"_self\"   ><b>katiedid17<\/b><\/a><\/span><br \/><br \/>I will be officially shuttering this journal in a week or so. It's been a real 12 years and I love you guys. Hopefully see you on the flip side.","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/718289.html?view=comments#comments"},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/717755.html","pubDate":"Mon, 18 Jul 2016 01:19:32 GMT","title":"Ghostbusters 2016","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/717755.html","description":"Go see it.<br \/><br \/>That is all.","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/717755.html?view=comments#comments"},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/715975.html","pubDate":"Sat, 28 May 2016 16:27:56 GMT","title":"Time to sell the BPALs","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/715975.html","description":"My never-ending quest to get stuff out of the house continues. I have too much BPAL and need to have less. Reply here or email me at theavidbeader AT gmail DOT com if you're interested in anything.<br \/><br \/>Shipping:<br \/>- Inside the US, perfume only - $4 for most purchases<br \/>- Inside the US, BPTP bottles - $5 for one, $8 for two<br \/>- International - I'll give you an exact quote for postage first, bumped down a little from what USPS asks<br \/>- Free shipping if you spend $50 or more<br \/><br \/><b>Bottles - priced as marked:<\/b><br \/>13 (red label, pink 13) - $17<br \/>Apple V (Weenie 2015) missing 1 decant, $17<br \/>Chaos Theory VII: Oriental 247 (a bit woody & citrusy?) - $15<br \/>Comparison of Celebrated Beauties (Luper 2014) - $20<br \/>Dead Leaves and Tobacco (Weenie 2015) - $20<br \/>Dead Leaves, Bourbon Vanilla, and Myrrh - $20<br \/>Devils Trumpet SN - $22<br \/>Evening Stock SN - $22<br \/>Frank Burns (Gentlemans Directory 2012) - $22<br \/>Glaucous Snow (BPTP Yule 2014) - $22 (PENDING)<br \/>Hollyberry & Mistletoe (BPTP) - $24<br \/>House of Night - $15<br \/>June Gloom (2009) - $25<br \/>La Vague - $22<br \/>Lick It With Consent (Yule 2014) - $22<br \/>Magnificent Autumn (Weenie 2015) - $20<br \/>Miss Addie (Gentlemans Directory 2012) - $22<br \/>Mistletoe (2007) - $25<br \/>Mrs. Emma Marsh - $22<br \/>Peacocks - $22<br \/>Poisson dAvril (2012) - $25<br \/>Sphaeromachia Gaumeri (Metamorphosis 2012) - $25<br \/>Winter-Time - $22<br \/> <br \/><br \/><b>Discontinueds\/LE Decants - $3 each unless otherwise indicated:<\/b><br \/>A Low Candle-lit Room (Yule 2013)<br \/>Blue Moon (2005?)<br \/>Eos<br \/>Gacela of the Dark Death (Yule 2012)<br \/>Halloween in Innsmouth (Weenies 2012)<br \/>Halloween in the Miskatonic University Library (Weenies 2012)<br \/>Horse Chestnut Honey<br \/>LExamen de Minuit<br \/>Loves Torments<br \/>Mother Shubs Gingerbread Temples (Yule 2012)<br \/>Mother Shubs Spiced Lait de Ch\u00e8vre (Yule 2012)<br \/>Nabby Gardners Holiday Globules (Yule 2012)<br \/>Noctiphobia (Weenie 2013)<br \/>Ops<br \/>Orange Pumpkin Floss (BPTP Weenies 2012)<br \/>Pits and Galleries of Panic (Yule 2013)<br \/>Queen of Spades (1\/3 imp) - $2<br \/>Rumpelstilzchen (2)<br \/>Samhain (Weenie 2013)<br \/>Succubus<br \/>Sugar Cooke (Yule 2012)<br \/>Sweet Lavinias Risalamande (Yule 2012)<br \/>The Adoration of the Mi-Go (Yule 2012)<br \/>The Boundless Vista of an Inner World (Yule 2013)<br \/>The Country of Eternal Light (Yule 2011)<br \/>The Temptation<br \/>Valse Finale et Apoth\u00e9ose (Yule 2010)<br \/>Village Legend Lives Long (Yule 2013)<br \/>Whispers of Monstrous Things (Yule 2013)<br \/>Wolf Spider (Weenies 2012)<br \/> <br \/><br \/><b>Imps - $1 each<\/b><br \/>Aelopile<br \/>Anteros<br \/>Arkham (2)<br \/>Azathoth<br \/>Bayou<br \/>Blockbuster<br \/>Bram Stoker<br \/>Caliban<br \/>Carnal<br \/>Cheshire Cat<br \/>Cthulhu (2)<br \/>Darkness<br \/>Deep in Earth<br \/>Destroying Angel<br \/>Dragon's Milk<br \/>Dragon's Musk<br \/>Envy<br \/>Eternal (2)<br \/>Goblin<br \/>Grand Guignol<br \/>Grief<br \/>Hades (3)<br \/>Half-Elf<br \/>Haunted (2)<br \/>Hecate<br \/>Hurricane<br \/>Judith Victorious<br \/>Juliet<br \/>Kathmandu<br \/>Kumari Kandam<br \/>Languor<br \/>Le L\u00e8th\u00e8<br \/>Leanan Sidhe<br \/>Lear<br \/>L'Ecole des Filles<br \/>Les Fleurs du Mal<br \/>Les Infortunes de la Vertu<br \/>Lolita<br \/>Love In Idleness<br \/>Lucys Kiss<br \/>Miskatonis University<br \/>Morgause<br \/>Nanshe<br \/>Nefertiti (2)<br \/>New Orleans<br \/>Obatala<br \/>Ochosi<br \/>Pain<br \/>Paris<br \/>Poisoned Apple<br \/>Pride<br \/>Queen Alice<br \/>Queen Gertrude<br \/>Ranger<br \/>Shanghai<br \/>Shoggoth<br \/>Siren<br \/>Strangler Fig<br \/>Thanatos<br \/>The Apothecary (2)<br \/>The Coil<br \/>The Coiled Serpent<br \/>The Deep Ones (2)<br \/>The Forest Reverie<br \/>The Grave-Pig<br \/>The Phantom Wooer<br \/>The Reaper and the Flowers<br \/>The Red Rider<br \/>The Sea Foamsn Milk<br \/>Titania<br \/>Titus Andronicus<br \/>Twenty One<br \/>Veil<br \/>Vice<br \/>Vicomte de Valmont<br \/>Voodoo<br \/>Yemaya<br \/><br \/><br \/><b>BPTP Sweatpants, women's XL, red Skeleton Librarian design, $35 including shipping within US<\/b> - worn and washed several times. I've decided I prefer the generous pockets of the men's version.<br \/> <br \/><br \/><b>BPTP Goodies - priced as marked:<\/b><br \/>Apple Pie hair gloss - $23 (worn a few times, level 1\/4 inch under label)<br \/>Peach Pie hair gloss - $23 (worn a few times, level 1\/4 inch under label)<br \/>Sleet hain gloss - $25 (tried once)<br \/>Spider Silk bath oil - $2 (between 1\/4-1\/2 inch left in bottle)<br \/><br \/><br \/><b>BPTP Claw Polish - $8 each, all used once for one set of hands:<\/b><br \/>Dance of Death<br \/>Devils Night<br \/>Le L\u00e9th\u00e9<br \/>Samhain<br \/>Sugarcane Me<br \/><br \/> <br \/><b>Crimson Peak Polish - $12 each, tested only<\/b><br \/>Allure<br \/><br \/> <br \/><b>Goblin Squirts - $2 each<\/b><br \/>Alchemical Laboratory<br \/>Doc Constantines Medicine Show<br \/>Exotic Bazaar<br \/>Saloon #10<br \/><br \/> <br \/><b>Possets - $7 each<\/b><br \/>Bolero<br \/>Silver Lavender<br \/><br \/><br \/><b>Miscellaneous - priced as marked:<\/b><br \/>Alchemic Muse Hair Mist - Sweet Potato - $7<a name='cutid1-end'><\/a>","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/715975.html?view=comments#comments","category":["sale","bpal"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/705309.html","pubDate":"Sat, 05 Sep 2015 22:12:34 GMT","title":"Time to de-clutter","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/705309.html","description":"I have too much perfume, especially considering that I'm wearing hair gloss more than actual perfume these days. Perhaps you can give these lovely perfumes a better home?<br \/><br \/>I take any flavor of Paypal and will consider mailed checks\/money orders if needed. I'd prefer if you bought multiple items, but I won't enforce that--if there's only one you want, then there's only one you want.<br \/><br \/>I'm more interested in selling than swapping, but I do have a wishlist <a href=\"http:\/\/community.livejournal.com\/bpal_wishlists\/14329.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>here<\/b><\/a>. Just in case we can make a deal.<br \/><br \/>My feedback is available <a href=\"http:\/\/community.livejournal.com\/bpal_feedback\/7547.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>here<\/b><\/a> or on the BPAL forums under puck_nc and I have a 100% rating on eBay.<br \/><br \/>Reviews for the BPAL items can be found at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bpal.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><b>bpal.org<\/b><\/a>--use the search engine and limit it by titles only and reviews. Reviews for the Possets scents can be found <a href=\"http:\/\/www.possets.com\/talking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><b>here<\/b><\/a>--again, use the search engine for titles.<br \/><br \/>My prices are set partially on availability and partially on what I paid. If there's something you're really eager for, make me an offer and I promise to listen, if not agree.<br \/><br \/>Unless otherwise indicated, everything is full.<br \/><br \/>Shipping:<br \/><br \/>- Inside the US, perfume only - $4 for most purchases<br \/><br \/>- Inside the US, BPTP bottles - $7 for most purchases<br \/><br \/>- International - I'll give you an exact quote for postage first<br \/><br \/>- Free shipping if you spend $50 or more<br \/><br \/><br \/>First person to (1) spend $75 or more and (2) tell me they like chocolatey scents in bath products gets a special goodie!<br \/><br \/> <br \/><br \/><b>Bottles, priced as marked:<\/b><br \/><br \/>Comparison of Celebrated Beauties - $23<br \/>Devil\u2019s Trumpet SN - $23<br \/>Eat Me - $15<br \/>Eusapia - $23<br \/>Evening Stock SN - $23<br \/>Glaucous Snow - $23<br \/>Hollyberry & Mistletoe (BPTP) - $25<br \/>June Gloom (2009) - $28<br \/>La Vague - $25<br \/>Lick It With Consent - $23<br \/>L\u2019Inverno - $27<br \/>Lovers and a Fan - $23<br \/>Mistletoe (2007) - $27<br \/>Mrs. Emma Marsh - $23<br \/>Peacocks - $25<br \/>Poisson d\u2019Avril (2012) - $26<br \/><s>Venus Verticordia - $23<\/s><br \/>Winter-Time - $23<br \/><br \/> <br \/><br \/><b>Discontinueds\/LEs\/Decants - $4 each unless otherwise indicated:<\/b><br \/><br \/>Blue Moon (2005?)<br \/>Chaste Moon 2005<br \/>Eos<br \/>Ops<br \/>Queen of Spades (1\/3 imp) - $2<br \/>Rumpelstilzchen<br \/>Succubus<br \/><br \/> <br \/><br \/><b>Imps - $2 each<\/b><br \/><br \/>#20 Love Oil<br \/>Aglaea<br \/>Akuma<br \/>Anteros<br \/>Arkham<br \/>Azathoth<br \/>Baku<br \/>Belladonna<br \/>Bliss (2)<br \/>Blood Amber<br \/>Brusque Violet<br \/>Carnal<br \/>Cathedral<br \/>Cleric<br \/>Cthulhu<br \/>Czernobog<br \/>Death Cap<br \/>Dirty<br \/>Egle<br \/>Envy (2)<br \/>Hades<br \/>Haunted<br \/>Hecate<br \/>Hedylogos<br \/>Hellcat<br \/>Hemlock Honey<br \/>Hetairae<br \/>Hunger<br \/>Jabberwocky<br \/>Jack<br \/>Jazz Funeral<br \/>Juliet<br \/>Kali<br \/>Kathmandu<br \/>Kumari Kandam<br \/>Les Fleurs du Mal<br \/>Love In Idleness<br \/>Muse<br \/>Nefertiti<br \/>Ochosi<br \/>Poisoned Apple<br \/>Roses, Pearls, and Diamonds<br \/>The Antikythera Mechanism<br \/>The Apothecary<br \/>The Coil<br \/>The Ghost<br \/>The Lights of Men\u2019s Lives<br \/>The Raven<br \/>Vasilissa<br \/>Veil<br \/><s>Veritas<\/s><br \/>Vial of Holy Water<br \/>Whip<br \/>Yorick<br \/><br \/> <br \/><b><br \/>BPTP Hair Gloss, priced as marked:<\/b><br \/><br \/>Chorion Hair Gloss - just below top of label, $24<br \/>Rose Red Hair Gloss - top of label, $26<br \/>Winter Lily and Sugarcane Hair Gloss - BNNU, $28<br \/><br \/> <br \/><br \/><b>BPTP Atmo Sprays, priced as marked:<\/b><br \/><br \/>Blue Spruce and Snow-Capped Pine - well above label, $27<br \/>The Moonlit Plum - top of label, $25<br \/><strike>Peach Candyfloss - top of label, $25<br \/>Sugarplum and Vanilla Bean - used once, $28<\/strike><br \/><br \/> <br \/><br \/><b>BPTP Claw Polish, $9 each, all used once for one set of hands:<\/b><br \/><br \/>Dance of Death<br \/>Event Horizon<br \/>Temple of Dreams<br \/><br \/><br \/><b>Goblin Squirts, $3 each:<\/b><br \/><br \/>Alchemical Laboratory<br \/>Cathouse<br \/>Doc Constantine\u2019s Medicine Show<br \/>Down the Rabbit Hole<br \/>Exotic Bazaar (3)<br \/>Saloon #10 (2)<br \/><br \/><br \/><b>Possets, $9 each:<\/b><br \/><br \/>Bolero<br \/>Silver Lavender<a name='cutid1-end'><\/a><br \/><br \/><br \/>Please feel free to comment or email me at theavidbeader AT gmail DOT com if you have any questions!","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/705309.html?view=comments#comments","category":["sale","bpal"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/698908.html","pubDate":"Wed, 17 Jun 2015 01:23:09 GMT","title":"Time to Thin the Herd","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/698908.html","description":"Too much BPAL.<br \/><br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/263512.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>The sales post is here.<\/b><\/a>","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/698908.html?view=comments#comments","category":["sale","bpal"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/691327.html","pubDate":"Mon, 02 Feb 2015 01:56:30 GMT","title":"New anniversary!","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/691327.html","description":"<a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667966.html?nc=19\" target=\"_blank\"><b>One year ago today.<\/b><\/a> *grins*<br \/><br \/>The Tumblr folks have pulled together a month-long celebration of H\/Hr. You can find related posts with the tag \"harmony month 2015\". We'll see if I have time to pull something together or not.","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/691327.html?view=comments#comments","category":"h\/hr"},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/683558.html","pubDate":"Fri, 29 Aug 2014 01:30:05 GMT","title":"One last push...","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/683558.html","description":"<a href=\"http:\/\/fandom4lls.blogspot.com\/p\/where-to-donate.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><b>Donate at least $10<\/b><\/a> to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Fandom for Leukemia and Lymphoma will send you an exclusive compilation of stories including original works and fanfic for Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Twilight! Deadline is August 30!","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/683558.html?view=comments#comments","category":["good deeds","charity","fanfic"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/682781.html","pubDate":"Wed, 20 Aug 2014 04:44:24 GMT","title":"Teaser for Charity Fanfic, \"In Vino Veritas\"","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/682781.html","description":"Take a look for the first bit <a href=\"http:\/\/fandom4lls.blogspot.com\/2014\/08\/teaser-in-vino-veritas-by-avidbeader.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><b>here.<\/b><\/a> Donate through the website link and forward your receipt to Fandom4LLS@gmail.com to get the entire collection of exclusive fanfics!","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/682781.html?view=comments#comments","category":["charity","fanfic: harry potter","fandom"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/682164.html","pubDate":"Tue, 12 Aug 2014 00:24:27 GMT","title":"The Ones That Hurt","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/682164.html","description":"People die every day. That includes famous people. I've noticed the rhythm getting a little faster, a little steadier as I get older myself and the famous people who die are less often just names I know and more often those whose work I know. Even then, it's mostly regret that they aren't here to continue doing the things for which I admired them.<br \/><br \/>But sometimes it really, really hurts.<br \/><br \/>I was a huge fan of \"Mork and Mindy\" in my pre-teen and early teen years. I wanted to be Pam Dawber because she was beautiful and she got to hang out with this good-looking and absolutely crazy guy. And then I followed along as he switched to movies, some of which I could rewatch daily as he put together yet another character that was always so much more than just funny. <i>Dead Poets Society<\/i>, <i>Good Morning, Vietnam<\/i>, <i>Aladdin<\/i>, <i>Mrs. Doubtfire<\/i>, <i>Awakenings<\/i>, <i>The Birdcage<\/i>... He spanned generations and will be sorely missed.<br \/><br \/>I wish I could say I'm surprised by the preliminary reports of suicide. Even when he was at his peak in a role, especially when playing a character with some damage, the things that drove him to drugs and alcohol were always there, under the surface. I think the only major role that fully masked it was <i>Aladdin<\/i>, since it was just his voice.<br \/><br \/><br \/><i>O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;\t <br \/>The ship has weather\u2019d every rack, the prize we sought is won;\t <br \/>The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,\t <br \/>While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:\t <br \/>    But O heart! heart! heart!\t         <br \/>      O the bleeding drops of red,\t <br \/>        Where on the deck my Captain lies,\t <br \/>          Fallen cold and dead.\t <br \/>  <br \/>O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;\t <br \/>Rise up\u2014for you the flag is flung\u2014for you the bugle trills;\t <br \/>For you bouquets and ribbon\u2019d wreaths\u2014for you the shores a-crowding;\t <br \/>For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;\t <br \/>    Here Captain! dear father!\t <br \/>      This arm beneath your head;\t <br \/>        It is some dream that on the deck,\t  <br \/>          You\u2019ve fallen cold and dead.\t <br \/>  <br \/>My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;\t <br \/>My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;\t <br \/>The ship is anchor\u2019d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;\t <br \/>From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;\t <br \/>    Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!\t <br \/>      But I, with mournful tread,\t <br \/>        Walk the deck my Captain lies,\t <br \/>          Fallen cold and dead.<\/i>","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/682164.html?view=comments#comments","category":"mourning"},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681915.html","pubDate":"Mon, 11 Aug 2014 01:38:09 GMT","title":"Home stretch on another story","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681915.html","description":"I'm on a bit of a roll, having finished the charity project (please go <a href=\"http:\/\/fandom4lls.blogspot.com\/p\/where-to-donate.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><b>here<\/b><\/a> if you're interested in donating $10 to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and getting not only my story but a nice collection of fics from several fandoms, none of which will be available publicly before December) and now close to being done with the Sherlock fanfic.<br \/><br \/>I went to add \"next chapter\" links and discovered that I managed not to post three middle chapters. *facepalm*<br \/><br \/>So...if you were interested but confused, you can now read the whole thing so far. Start <a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667407.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>here<\/b><\/a> and you'll be taken to the correct chapter to read through it all.<br \/><br \/>I'm thinking one, maybe two more chapters, and this will be done and I can concentrate on \"Perils\" for a while.","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681915.html?view=comments#comments","category":["fanfic: sherlock","writing"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681583.html","pubDate":"Mon, 11 Aug 2014 01:26:04 GMT","title":"Fanfic - Sherlock: \"Vendetta\" part 5","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681583.html","description":"And the story marches on...<br \/><br \/>Start from the beginning <a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667407.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>here<\/b><\/a>.<br \/><br \/>***********************************<br \/><br \/>Molly woke to the smell of hot tea and cinnamon. She sat up as John set down the tray and went to open the curtains to sunshine. She pushed her hair away from her face, relieved to note that she wasn\u2019t dizzy. The headache was much improved as well, more of a very sore spot where her skull had connected with the wall.<br \/><br \/>She looked over the inviting tray of tea and sticky buns, complete with a single rose stuck in a water glass. \u201cJohn, you didn\u2019t have to do all this!\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cOh, I didn\u2019t. Sherlock did. He was off to the shops the minute they opened. He is currently hovering over Mrs Hudson, who is much better at eggs and bacon than either of us.\u201d He reached into a pocket and pulled out a folded paper. \u201cSherlock texted Lestrade last night. These are the people who died and the ones in critical condition. Whenever you\u2019re ready\u2014\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cGive it here, please.\u201d She held out a hand and John handed it to her without protest.<br \/><br \/>She frowned, having a little difficulty focusing on the slashing strokes of Sherlock\u2019s handwriting, but her heart leapt at seeing Lucie on the \u201ccritical\u201d list rather than \u201cdeceased\u201d. She didn\u2019t recognise any of the names of the dead. \u201cDo you think\u2026could you call and ask after Lucie Winston?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cOf course. Try and eat something.\u201d He set the paracetamol on the tray and went back into the sitting room.<br \/><br \/>She drank the tea, relishing its warmth, and had begun on one of the buns when Sherlock appeared with a plate. \u201cJohn said you were awake. You should try some protein to go with that confection.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYes, Sherlock.\u201d<br \/><br \/>As he set the eggs and bacon on her tray, he noticed her empty teacup and shouted, \u201cJohn, start a new pot of tea!\u201d Molly winced at the sudden shift in volume and he saw it immediately. \u201cExcuse me. Also, excuse me for not understanding last night, that you would be concerned about co-workers first. I got the list from Lestrade\u2014\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYes, John gave it to me. He\u2019s following up about Lucie, she\u2019s the only person I know from reception. Thank you.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cI\u2019ll be leaving shortly to help Lestrade. He\u2019s waiting on a warrant to look into financial records of Isabella Hatley\u2019s family, see if we can trace any suspicious payments.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYou really think it had to do with that trial? It was ages ago.\u201d Molly tried the bacon and realized that she was indeed hungry.<br \/><br \/>\u201cNine months, and yes. The only thing that you all had in common was being involved in proving her guilt. And the murderer was very careful at first: Dame Hillandale and the woman who turned Crown\u2019s evidence were assumed to be accidents. The same would have been true for the prosecutor. It\u2019s only because someone got impatient and broke their method\u2014the obvious booby trap for Finnegan, the bomb for you\u2014that I was able to put it together.<br \/><br \/>\u201cWe\u2019ve got Davies, the prosecutor, staying under guard in a hotel. Would I be correct in presuming that you would prefer staying here? John will be with you and if I need him Lestrade will arrange a police guard.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cCan\u2019t I go home?\u201d Molly looked down, her hair spilling over her face.<br \/><br \/>Sherlock leaned forward and smoothed her hair back in order to regain eye contact. \u201cIt\u2019s too risky. While no names of victims have been released to the public, we don\u2019t know how the killer is getting information. You need to stay hidden until this is over.\u201d<br \/><br \/>She nodded at that.<br \/><br \/>\u201cDon\u2019t want to lose my pathologist, after all.\u201d<br \/><br \/>John entered with a fresh pot of tea to find Sherlock and Molly looking at one another and smiling.<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>\u201cHere, this could be it!\u201d Sherlock\u2019s finger stabbed the faxed bank statement from one Reginald Bancroft, Isabella Hatley\u2019s grandfather. \u201cBancroft cashed in a large number of stocks on 12 December, eight days after she committed suicide. The minute the money was in his account he withdrew almost all of it. We need to trace it.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Lestrade was already on his mobile. \u201cSally, you go to the bank. I\u2019ll send feelers out through our moles and see if they can find out who came into money around that time.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sherlock snatched his coat from the rack. \u201cI\u2019ll check my sources as well.\u201d He strode out of Lestrade\u2019s office and down to the street, heading for one of Missie\u2019s normal corners. She would put the word out to others in his network. Between his informants and Lestrade\u2019s, they ought to have a name or two to chase down within two days.<br \/><br \/>Which gave him plenty of time to stop at a bookseller\u2019s and pick up a few things for Molly.<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>Sherlock burst through the entrance to 221, swinging a Waterstone\u2019s bag in his hand. He hoped Molly would find something amusing in the chaotic selection of books and magazines. He paused, hearing two female voices coming from behind Mrs Hudson\u2019s open door.<br \/><br \/>\u201cMrs Hudson?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cWe\u2019re in here, Sherlock. Come have a cuppa with us.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sherlock entered to find Mrs Hudson and Molly sitting at her table sharing tea. Molly had showered and pinned her damp hair up. She was dressed for lounging around the flat, in yoga pants and an oversize jumper. <br \/><br \/>\u201cSherlock, I am quite put out with you. Why did it take something as awful as a bomb for me to meet this lovely girl?\u201d Mrs Hudson patted Molly\u2019s hand and rose to fetch an extra cup.<br \/><br \/>Sherlock noted that Molly\u2019s colour was not only better than during the night, she was turning pink from embarrassment. He held out the bag to her.<br \/><br \/>\u201cIt simply had not occurred to me, Mrs Hudson, that you would want to meet my pathologist. Since you often dislike hearing the gruesome details of my cases, I wouldn\u2019t have thought that you would want to hear about Dr Hooper\u2019s autopsies.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Mrs Hudson returned and playfully slapped at Sherlock\u2019s shoulder. \u201cNonsense. Anyone with proper eyes in his head can see that she\u2019s so much more than your pathologist!\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sherlock watched as Molly went from pink to red and took refuge in the Waterstone\u2019s bag.<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>\u201cI am most disappointed in you, Red. I was assured that you were one of the best.\u201d<br \/><br \/>The sweating man ran a hand through his ginger hair and pleaded with the voice on the disposable mobile. \u201cI am! I just need a few more days!\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYou got impatient for the rest of your money. You got sloppy. Now Davies is under guard and my sources say Hooper survived the bomb. At this rate the job could wind up costing me money instead of earning me a profit.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cI can do it! I can finish it! Just give me another chance!\u201d Red held his breath, knowing that the voice on the other side would almost certainly arrange to have him killed if the response was negative.<br \/><br \/>\u201cYou have forty-eight hours to find Hooper and eliminate her.\u201d<a name='cutid1-end'><\/a><br \/><br \/>******************************************<br \/><br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/676011.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Part 6<\/b><\/a><br \/><br \/>As always, feedback is greatly appreciated!","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681583.html?view=comments#comments","category":"fanfic: sherlock"},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681223.html","pubDate":"Mon, 11 Aug 2014 01:18:59 GMT","title":"Fanfic - Sherlock: \"Vendetta\" part 4","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681223.html","description":"More of my little Sherlock\/Molly story...<br \/><br \/>Start from the beginning <a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667407.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>here<\/b><\/a>.<br \/><br \/>***********************************<br \/><br \/>Sherlock stood next to Lestrade, watching as a team swarmed over the house of Ellison Davies, prosecutor for the Crown. Davies was currently sequestered in a hotel, forbidden all items from his home until any possible booby traps had been identified. At Sherlock\u2019s direction, Lestrade had the team examining the wiring first.<br \/><br \/>\u201cWhy the wiring, Sherlock? Could be anything.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYes, but the murderer has been very careful to vary the methods of death. Dame Hillandale was almost certainly poisoned through leaving a contaminated pill in the bottle she always used. Lady Millbrook\u2019s car was probably tampered with to cause her to crash. Finnegan and Molly were the only ones attacked in ways that were obviously murder, which suggests that they were the last people on the murderer\u2019s list, that he was getting impatient to be done with it. Therefore whatever might have been done to Davies was set up much earlier, a trap made to look like a domestic accident. Something in this house is set up to cause that accident, something that Davies wouldn\u2019t come across for some time\u2014\u201d<br \/><br \/>There was a thud that shook the house and shouts from upstairs. Sherlock and Lestrade sprinted to the stairs.<br \/><br \/>They found several of the forensics team working swiftly but carefully to extricate their fallen co-worker from a pile of lumber and the remains of a very heavy steamer trunk that had been loaded to the brim with books.<br \/><br \/>Sherlock nodded his head. \u201cSuch as going up to the attic to discover a poorly-stored trunk bringing the entire stepladder and part of the ceiling down on top of him.\u201d<br \/><br \/>The injured man groaned as he was helped to his feet, supporting a broken arm. \u201cI was off to the side before pulling down the ladder, just in case. I\u2019d be dead if I\u2019d been full under it.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Lestrade looked at the mess. \u201cWell, at least we know nothing will explode this time.\u201d<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>Molly awoke when she felt her arm being shaken gently. She rolled to one side to sit up, ready to dutifully recite the alphabet reversed or her grandparents\u2019 birthdays or whatever John came up with this time to test her. She decided to get a jump on him. \u201cElement number one is hydrogen, number two is helium, number three is lithium, four is\u2014\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cBeryllium,\u201d a rich baritone interrupted her in amusement.<br \/><br \/>Molly\u2019s eyes snapped open. She was able to register Sherlock sitting beside her on his sinfully comfortable bed before closing them against a wave of dizziness.<br \/><br \/>He moved quickly to steady her, his hands gently cradling her head and lowering her to the pillows once more. \u201cYou sound as if you have all your faculties, but let\u2019s make sure. Atomic number seventy-nine?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cGold.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cAnd one hundred eight?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cUm\u2026hassium.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cWell done. How do you feel?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cDizzy. Thirsty. Head hurts.\u201d<br \/><br \/>She kept her eyes shut and listened as Sherlock went to the table John had set up with a carafe of water, glasses, and anything else he thought he might need. Water splashed into a glass, the carafe returned to the table, and Sherlock\u2019s footsteps sounded as he came back to the bed. He helped her to sit up and drink.<br \/><br \/>\u201cDo you remember how long ago you took anything?\u201d<br \/><br \/>She shook her head, but John called from the sitting room, \u201cSix hours. She\u2019s due.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sherlock fetched her more paracetamol and sat beside her once more as she sat up to take the pills. \u201cWould you like to know more about what happened?\u201d<br \/><br \/>The sudden reminder of the explosion made her flash back to the moment of being hurled into the wall in the waiting room and she swayed, clamping her lips shut as her stomach roiled. Sherlock immediately leaned forward to catch her. \u201cMolly?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cWho\u2014how many were killed?\u201d<br \/><br \/>He looked slightly confused and a little put out, but answered. \u201cFour people died on the scene. I don\u2019t have information on anyone who might have succumbed to injuries later.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cDo\u2026did you get any names?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cNo, but Lestrade could probably tell you tomorrow.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Molly nodded and swallowed, trying to stave off tears as she remembered Lucie, the one receptionist she knew by name. She would have been right by the bomb. She lay back and rolled onto her side. \u201cThank you, Sherlock.\u201d<br \/><br \/>He sensed the dismissal and left.<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>Sherlock sat in his chair and pressed his palms together, tapping his fingers against his lips. He could tell John was watching him over the screen to his laptop. After several minutes of silence, Sherlock stood and began pacing. He crossed the room, his speed increasing, until he was going too quickly for productive thought. He flung himself back into his chair and crossed his arms across his chest, looking like the world\u2019s biggest petulant toddler.<br \/><br \/>\u201cWhat am I missing? Molly usually likes hearing me talk about cases. Why did she all but order me out?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cReally, Sherlock? Think about it from her point of view. She\u2019s recovering from concussion and undoubtedly is feeling disconnected, fuzzy, like she can\u2019t quite grasp reality. She knows the bomb was meant for her, but it ended up killing other people, people she worked with. She\u2019s going to feel guilty over it\u2014\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cGuilty? Whatever for? She didn\u2019t ask to be attacked for doing her job!\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cNo, but this is Molly. She\u2019s going to feel that way. She\u2019d have to, with a heart big enough to not only put up with you but actually enjoy your company. She\u2019s going to blame herself. We can tell her it\u2019s not so, but she\u2019s going to need some time before she believes it.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sherlock was poised to continue arguing, but something in John\u2019s voice made him pause and look at his flatmate\u2026his friend. John was speaking in a slightly lower register and his own posture had tensed up. This was the voice of experience, the voice of someone who had been in a situation like Molly\u2019s and had recovered. Or was still recovering.<br \/><br \/>Sherlock bowed to that experience and pulled out his phone to text Lestrade and get the names of the victims for Molly.<a name='cutid1-end'><\/a><br \/><br \/>******************************************<br \/><br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681583.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Part 5<\/b><\/a><br \/><br \/>As always, feedback is most appreciated!","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681223.html?view=comments#comments","category":"fanfic: sherlock"},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681108.html","pubDate":"Mon, 11 Aug 2014 01:11:28 GMT","title":"Fanfic - Sherlock: \"Vendetta\" part 3","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681108.html","description":"More of the Sherlock\/Molly bunny.<br \/><br \/>Start from the beginning <a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667407.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>here<\/b><\/a>.<br \/><br \/>***********************************<br \/><br \/>One glance at the florist\u2019s card told Sherlock that it was a likely dead end. He would ask Lestrade to take it just in case \u2013 it wouldn\u2019t be the first time a criminal got sloppy and left a partial fingerprint or let some tell-tale trick of handwriting show through a forgery. But he expected that the card had been lifted from the shop in question. The more likely scenario, if he was right and it was someone connected to Isabella Hatley, was that the flowers and pot had come from someone\u2019s estate and been assembled with the bomb in London.<br \/><br \/>He returned to the crowded hallways to find that Mycroft had come through: a group of men in blue coveralls were ferrying in large space heaters and raising the noise level even more. He slipped through to where Molly lay and found her huddled up, hands over her ears. Her face was tight with pain. He spotted Mike Stamford down the hall, seized Molly\u2019s chart, and made his way to him.<br \/><br \/>\u201cStamford, be a good fellow and sign Molly\u2019s release.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cWait, what? Molly\u2019s injured?\u201d He snatched the clipboard from Sherlock\u2019s hand and began to read.<br \/><br \/>\u201cHairline fracture of the collarbone at worst, but it\u2019s the concussion. She can\u2019t bear the noise levels or get a proper rest as long as she\u2019s in a draughty hallway. I\u2019ll take her home, get someone to keep an eye on her. There\u2019s really nothing more that can be done for her here.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Stamford looked up from the chart and nodded. \u201cThat\u2019s fair. Sign at the bottom.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cMe? Why?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYou\u2019re her emergency contact here in London.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cI am?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYeah. Have been for six months now.\u201d The doctor grinned at Sherlock\u2019s nonplussed look and handed him the chart and a biro from his coat pocket.<br \/><br \/>He recovered enough to scrawl a signature and drop the chart in a small pile on the table serving as a desk. He made his way back to Molly, who now had Lestrade sitting with her. Sherlock fished her coat and bag from where they had been stuffed under the stretcher.<br \/><br \/>\u201cI\u2019ve obtained her release. She\u2019ll rest much more comfortably away from here.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cAll right. I can get a squad car so we can take her home.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cNo need, I\u2019ll get a cab to my place. You have the wake to attend, after all.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYour place?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cOf course. She\u2019ll not go home as long as there\u2019s someone who wants her dead.\u201d<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>Molly drifted, dozing enough that the pain in her head and shoulder were muted, awake enough to be dimly aware of the world around her. She had finally begun to get warm under Sherlock\u2019s coat, then it had been removed and replaced with her own. She had been carried out in Sherlock\u2019s arms, her hood pulled up and her scarf masking her face from the cold, and put into a cab. She had managed to protest weakly, worried about Toby, but Sherlock had settled her against him and told her not to worry. He pulled out his mobile and reached around her to start texting, rather than move the arm supporting her.<br \/><br \/><b>Retrieve card on Molly\u2019s desk. Check for fingerprints, begin handwriting analysis. Suspect actual shop dead end \u2013SH<br \/><br \/>Molly staying with us. Will explain later. Go ask her upstairs neighbour to look after cat, pack some basics. Need paracetamol, ice packs \u2013SH<\/b><br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>John stared at the words on his mobile, then shook his head. Just another day in the life when one lived with Sherlock Holmes.<br \/><br \/>He saved his writing and logged off. At least Molly\u2019s flat wasn\u2019t far off by cab and he could walk to the chemist before grabbing one.<br \/><br \/><b>On my way. What\u2019s going on? \u2013 J<\/b><br \/><br \/>As he entered the chemist\u2019s, he got a reply.<br \/><br \/><b>Tell neighbour Molly was injured in Bart\u2019s explosion \u2013SH<\/b><br \/><br \/><i>Explosion? What the hell?<\/i> John dialled Sherlock\u2019s mobile.<br \/><br \/>To his surprise, Sherlock actually answered. Not to his surprise, Sherlock immediately began spouting off.<br \/><br \/>\u201cShort version, the bomb at Bart\u2019s was meant for Molly because of a case some months back where she testified. She\u2019s staying with us where it\u2019s safer, she needs treatment for concussion. If you can monitor her for the next few hours while I track a few things down, I\u2019ll monitor her through the night. She can stay in my room. I\u2019ll take the couch.\u201d<br \/><br \/>John groped, trying to take it all in and form the questions multiplying in his mind.<br \/><br \/>\u201cAs it seems you have nothing to add, I\u2019ll see you back at 221B.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sherlock rang off, leaving John staring at his phone with an open mouth. He was brought back to cognizance when a shopper tried to enter behind him and knocked into him. With a frustrated groan he pocketed the phone and headed for the aisle of pain relievers.<a name='cutid1-end'><\/a><br \/><br \/>******************************************<br \/><br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681223.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>part 4<\/b><\/a><br \/><br \/>Feedback is always welcome!","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681108.html?view=comments#comments","category":"fanfic: sherlock"},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/680488.html","pubDate":"Sun, 10 Aug 2014 02:56:50 GMT","title":"Fandom for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Fanfic Charity Drive","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/680488.html","description":"FLLS works to raise money in researching and fighting leukemia and lymphoma. Their goal this year is to raise $7000 through their charity auction and fanfic drive.<br \/><br \/>If you would like to read a new \"Harry Potter\" fanfic by me (unrelated to my \"Perils\" universe), donate at least $10 to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, forward your receipt to Fandom4LLS@gmail.com, and you will receive a compilation of stories and one-shots from your favorite fic authors. These written pieces will not be published anywhere else for a minimum of 3 months. But if you donate you will have a chance to read them before anyone else! Author submissions are due August 15th. All monetary donations are due August 30th. The compilations will be emailed in early September.<br \/><br \/>Full information and other ways to help can be found at <a href=\"http:\/\/fandom4lls.blogspot.com\/p\/where-to-donate.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">their website<\/a>.<br \/><br \/><img src=\"https:\/\/ic.pics.livejournal.com\/avidbeader\/3340740\/22153\/22153_600.png\" alt=\"ffllscontribauthor\" title=\"ffllscontribauthor\" fetchpriority=\"high\">","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/680488.html?view=comments#comments","category":["good deeds","charity","fanfic: harry potter"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/676768.html","pubDate":"Sat, 12 Jul 2014 04:16:39 GMT","title":"\"Vendetta\" Part 7","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/676768.html","description":"One or two more chapters and this will be done!<br \/><br \/>Start from the beginning <a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667407.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>here<\/b><\/a>.<br \/><br \/><br \/>Sherlock stayed on the edges as Lestrade worked with the local forensics team to verify all of his conclusions, texting back and forth with John and trying to get him to leave work early.<br \/><br \/><b>For the last time, Sherlock, I\u2019m the only doctor on hand until 5. LET IT GO \u2013 J<\/b><br \/><br \/>Sherlock was about to respond when a new text interrupted him.<br \/><br \/><b>Hey, Sherlock. Mike here. Thought I should let you know: some fellow was here asking for Molly, saying he was her brother. I don\u2019t remember her ever talking about a brother, do you? I didn\u2019t tell him where she was.<\/b><br \/><br \/>He paused, his racing thoughts going into a higher gear.<br \/><br \/><b>What did he look like? \u2013SH<br \/><br \/>Shorter than John, red-haired, short-sighted. Why?<br \/><br \/>You did the right thing. I\u2019ll take it from here \u2013SH<br \/><br \/>John, imperative that you leave as soon as possible to check on Molly. Assassin actively looking for her \u2013SH<\/b><br \/><br \/>He stared at his mobile, waiting for some kind of reply. When none came, he tried again.<br \/><br \/><b>Please, John. I\u2019ll text her to stay inside, but please \u2013SH<\/b><br \/><br \/>After an agonizing three minutes and twelve seconds, his mobile vibrated.<br \/><br \/><b>I\u2019ve got someone coming to relieve me. I can leave as soon as she gets here. \u2013 J<\/b><br \/><br \/>Sherlock let out a breath in relief and began typing again.<br \/><br \/><b>Molly, vital that you stay inside. Case proceeding but have reason to believe that assassin is searching for you. John arriving soon \u2013SH<\/b><br \/><br \/>He was about to drop his mobile into his pocket again and start prying Lestrade away from investigating an obvious suicide when it chimed unexpectedly.<br \/><br \/><i><b>Message delivery failed.<\/b><\/i><br \/><br \/>He felt a chill down his spine at those words. He moved further away from the feed shed and dialled Molly\u2019s number. As it rang on the other end, Sherlock began pacing, his eyes darting around the stable yard. \u201cCome on, Molly!\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cSorry, can\u2019t pick up at the moment. Please leave a message and I\u2019ll ring you back.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cMolly, it\u2019s Sherlock. My text didn\u2019t go through. Stay indoors, Lestrade and I are leaving Cheltenham as soon as possible and John should be there shortly. I have reason to believe you\u2019re in danger. Call or text me right away. Don\u2019t answer the door for anyone!\u201d<br \/><br \/>He hung up the phone and made a beeline for Lestrade. \u201cWe need to leave now!\u201d<br \/><br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>\u201cYou\u2019re sure, Red? You\u2019re sure that you can trace where she is and finish the job today?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cI\u2019m positive. Her boss at the hospital was no help at all, but I chatted up the nurses. She\u2019s got some bloke always hanging around the lab, they figure she\u2019s staying with him if she\u2019s not home. Funny name, should be easy to track down. Sherlock Holmes.\u201d<br \/><br \/>The silence on the other end of the line unnerved him. \u201cYou there?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYes. I\u2019ve heard of him. I know he\u2019s in Marylebone. But you\u2019ll have to be very fast. You are wanted for questioning in the incident at the hospital.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cI got a plan. I just need to get there.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cHis address is 221B Baker Street. Describe your plan. I want to make sure it will work.\u201d<br \/><br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/><br \/>The late winter sky was darkening outside. Molly emerged from her second bath of the day, redolent in jasmine and feeling properly pampered. Her stomach rumbled but she told it sternly to behave. <i>A, John is bringing Indian which is always a large meal and B, do you really want to poke around in Sherlock\u2019s chiller?<\/i> She glanced around for something to throw on and picked up the nearest thing, one of Sherlock\u2019s dressing gowns.<br \/><br \/>Towelling her hair, she moved to retrieve her mobile, left to charge while she bathed. She switched it on to check for messages, flicking through email first. She opened the one from Mike Stamford and smiled.<br \/><br \/><i>Molly, thought I would let you know. Lucie Winston is off life support and stable. They\u2019ll probably be able to drop critical from her status in a few days. Hope you\u2019re recovering well. Any chance you\u2019ll be ready to come back Monday? Mike<\/i><br \/><br \/>She answered that one and sorted the rest. Then she moved on to voicemail, rolling her eyes at her oldest sister\u2019s tirade about the dangers of a big city like London. The last one made her pause. If she didn\u2019t know better, she would swear Sherlock actually sounded worried about her.<br \/><br \/>She hesitated, debating whether to simply text or to actually call him back, when the buzzer for the front door made her jump. She waited, listening for Mrs Hudson to answer it, but after a minute the buzzer sounded again, followed by a voice.<br \/><br \/>\u201cDelivery from Mickey\u2019s! 221B, you there?\u201d<br \/><br \/><i>That\u2019s not right. Sherlock said John was bringing Indian. Mickey\u2019s does fish and chips.<\/i><br \/><br \/>\u201cCome on, luvs! It\u2019s getting cold!\u201d<br \/><br \/>Molly ran into Sherlock\u2019s bedroom and climbed into his wardrobe, making room to sit behind his suits, and pulled the door shut. She brought up her phone, silenced it, and began typing.<br \/><br \/><b>Someone\u2019s at the door! Where are you?<br \/><br \/>About to cross A406. Still 20 minutes away. Stay upstairs. I\u2019ll text John. \u2013SH<br \/><br \/>Unless you forgot key, assassin is knocking on our door. Hurry \u2013SH<\/b><br \/><br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/><br \/>Sherlock snapped at Lestrade, \u201cKavanagh is likely outside 221B right now!\u201d<br \/><br \/>Lestrade tossed his mobile at Sherlock. \u201cGet Sally and have her send reinforcements.\u201d He flipped the switch to power the lights and siren and stomped the accelerator.<br \/><br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/><br \/>Red tried again, putting all his effort into keeping his role. There were entirely too many people on the street for his comfort. He wished his employer had not talked him out of simply putting another bomb on the doorstep, but it was a fair thing to point out how easily it would be connected to the hospital. The gun in his jacket pocket weighed heavily. He hated using guns. They were too personal\u2014one had to see one\u2019s target to shoot them. He preferred traps that allowed him to be far away from his hit.<br \/><br \/>\u201cDo us a favour! If I take this back they\u2019ll make me pay for it!\u201d He knocked on the door again, glaring up at the lights in the windows.<br \/><br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/><br \/>John was trudging up Glentworth Street, almost to Melcombe, when his mobile chirped. He juggled the bags of takeaway into one hand and pulled it out. Upon reading the words on the screen, he paused, stared, then took off at a run.<br \/><br \/>Though traffic was light, he still had to weave through people at times. He was just about to careen left onto Baker Street when he heard someone call his name.<br \/><br \/>\u201cMrs Hudson! Molly\u2019s in trouble\u2014don\u2019t go near, take these and find a constable! Tell him your friend\u2019s being harassed by an ex! Go!\u201d He thrust the bags at her and began running again.<a name='cutid1-end'><\/a><br \/><br \/><br \/>******************************************<br \/><br \/>As always, comments are most welcome!","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/676768.html?view=comments#comments","category":"fanfic: sherlock"},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/676011.html","pubDate":"Mon, 07 Jul 2014 19:15:36 GMT","title":"Sherlock - \"Vendetta\" part 6","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/676011.html","description":"Finally! Latest installment of the Sherlock fic. <br \/><br \/>Start from the beginning <a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667407.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>here<\/b><\/a>.<br \/><br \/>**************************<br \/><br \/><br \/>\u201cMr Holmes! Mr Holmes!\u201d<br \/><br \/>Lestrade danced aside in an effort to save his cup of coffee. Sherlock simply turned toward the boy running down the pavement. \u201cAh, Wiggins. What have you got?\u201d<br \/><br \/>The boy skidded to a halt, panting slightly. \u201cWe got something, Mr. Holmes! Missie passed the word and Clive over to Shadwell come back. Says Red Kavanagh was acting all flush in the Peacock for weeks, standing enough rounds that people were actually looking for him. Then yesterday Clive sees him talking on a mobile, saying he needs more time.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Lestrade\u2019s eyes narrowed. \u201cRed Kavanagh?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYou probably know him as Gabriel Carmody. Red hair, squints, known for all sorts of creative little disruptions in the East End?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cCarmody? The little ginger rat?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYes, George, him. He\u2019s considered one of the more reliable domestic assassins of the last few years.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Lestrade stared at Sherlock for a full ten seconds before erupting into a profanity-drenched tirade as he pulled out his mobile.<br \/><br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/><br \/>Molly paced the room. Sixteen steps across the sitting room from door to window. Sixteen back. Twenty-three steps from door to dining table. Twenty-three back. Repeat.<br \/><br \/>Heaven knows she had tried. She had read everything Sherlock had brought from Waterstone\u2019s that interested her and scavenged his shelves for more. She couldn\u2019t go down to visit Mrs. Hudson, who was out to the shops. Sherlock had no telly, his computer was password-protected, and her own mobile was dead thanks to John not grabbing the charger and there not being a like one in the flat. <br \/><br \/>Her head was almost a hundred percent normal and her shoulder only sent out twinges if she raised it too suddenly. She had already soaked in the lovely deep tub, though she missed her favourite jasmine bath oil. She had even thought to try and clean a bit by way of thanks, but one look at the rainbow of growths in the sink had put her off.<br \/><br \/>So she paced, about to go spare with boredom.<br \/><br \/>Just as she whirled to cross the sitting room again, the door opened. Molly gave a shriek before registering that it was Sherlock. He looked her over and nodded as if confirming something, then held out a shopping bag.<br \/><br \/>\u201cYour charger, the toiletries John forgot, and a few books from your stack of things to read. John will bring dinner. I hope Indian will do?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Molly glared at him and took the bag. She glanced inside and saw everything he had listed.<br \/><br \/>\u201cYour neighbour says that Toby is fine, eating well. We have a lead on who might have sent the bomb. Please don\u2019t leave the building.\u201d With that he spun on his heel and left.<br \/><br \/>Molly let out a growl that grew into a scream of frustration and hurled the first thing that came to her hand. The charger cord smacked against the door and fell to the floor.<br \/><br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/><br \/>Sergeant Donovan\u2019s information from the bank had arrived, opening plenty of routes of inquiry. After cooling his heels for several hours, Lestrade obtained the necessary warrants to question Reginald Bancroft. Sherlock showed up in the car park just as he was about to set out for Cheltenham.<br \/><br \/>\u201cSherlock, you don\u2019t have to come with me. It\u2019s going to be at least two hours there, and that\u2019s if traffic is good. Traffic is <b>never<\/b> good.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cI think it\u2019s for the best. The sooner we get this wrapped up the sooner Molly can go home.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cFine! You can take notes or something. Just remember you\u2019re not official. We\u2019re dealing with someone who can make our lives miserable if we aren\u2019t strictly by the book.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sherlock glanced at his watch and his mouth twisted slightly. \u201cBest be on our way, then?\u201d<br \/><br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/><br \/>Mike Stamford dropped a set of records at the nurses\u2019 station and looked around for the next lot. Bart\u2019s was slowly returning to normal after the bomb, with the electricity restored and every patient in a room or transferred elsewhere. They even had Lucie Winston off life support and breathing on her own. Mike paused to drop Molly an email and let her know.<br \/><br \/>\u201cDoctor, there\u2019s a gent waiting outside your office. He says he\u2019s family to Molly Hooper.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Mike raised an eyebrow at the nurse\u2019s statement. Molly rarely spoke about her family other than mentioning growing up with a pair of sisters. His impression was that they had been the good girls, staying close to home and marrying young, while Molly went to uni and got herself a career. But perhaps Sherlock had let them know of the accident; he certainly had been surprised at learning he was Molly\u2019s emergency contact.<br \/><br \/>He turned down the hall to his office and paused. There was a man sitting on a bench, twisting a cap in his hands. He had a shock of red hair and as he glanced up the hall Mike noticed him peer his way with narrowed eyes, as if he were short-sighted. He stood as Mike approached.<br \/><br \/>\u201cYou Doctor Stamford? Molly\u2019s boss?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cI am. And you are?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cMonty, Monty Hooper. Molly\u2019s my sister, we just heard about the bomb and we ain\u2019t heard from Molly in days.\u201d<br \/><br \/>The fact that Molly had never mentioned a brother at all made Mike\u2019s split-second decision for him. Perhaps Sherlock was rubbing off on him a wee bit?<br \/><br \/>\u201cShe\u2019s perfectly fine, but staying with a friend. Nerves rattled a bit, you know? You should try her mobile\u2014only way I know of to get her right now. Now if you\u2019ll excuse me, must get back to my rounds!\u201d He moved past the man into his office, made a show of adding some files to the ones in his hand, and left, locking his door behind him. He made a mental note to text Sherlock as soon as he was out of sight.<br \/><br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>Two hours had been optimistic. Between the delays and Sherlock\u2019s odd obsessive checking of the time, Lestrade had developed a raging headache and knots in his shoulders. Even more maddening, Sherlock had left off looking at his watch as they passed Burford. But they were finally here at Reginald Bancroft\u2019s home, a Regency house flanked by stabling for the racehorses he trained.<br \/><br \/>As they got out, Sherlock glanced over the property and took off for the nearest stable.<br \/><br \/>\u201cSherlock, where are you going?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cFlat racing has not begun yet, it\u2019s well in advance of evening stables and I believe we will find Mr Bancroft somewhere on his property, in a storage barn perhaps. He won\u2019t be near the horses.\u201d He continued walking, long strides eating up the ground, and Lestrade had to break into a trot to catch him.<br \/><br \/>As they approached, a man came out of one of the stables and moved to intercept them. Sherlock paused a few yards away, looking him up and down. \u201cHead groom? Yard manager?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cCullins, yard manager. What you doing 'ere?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cMy name\u2019s Holmes. This is Detective Inspector Lestrade. We have a warrant\u2014\u201d Lestrade adroitly whipped out the papers as Sherlock waved at him, \u201c\u2014and need to speak to Mr Bancroft. He\u2019s in the stables somewhere, isn\u2019t he?\u201d<br \/><br \/>At the mention of a warrant, Cullins glanced to his left. \u201cI think I saw \u2019im go in the feed shed.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cShow us.\u201d<br \/><br \/>They followed Cullins to a large shed in between two long rows of stables. Cullins shouted, \u201cMr Bancroft sir, a couple of men need to see you!\u201d<br \/><br \/>There was no answer. Sherlock stepped forward to the door, hanging ajar on its hinges, and carefully pushed it open with one elbow. He looked inside and nodded. \u201cHere we are then. I don\u2019t suppose we\u2019ll be fortunate enough to claim Bart\u2019s as jurisdiction? I much prefer my pathologist.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Lestrade looked inside and clapped a hand to his eyes before running it down his face. The rafter creaked as the body swung in its noose, feet dangling next to an overturned ladder.<a name='cutid1-end'><\/a><br \/><br \/><br \/>******************************************<br \/><br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/676768.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Part 7<\/b><\/a><br \/><br \/>Any comments, constructive criticism and Brit-picking are welcome!","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/676011.html?view=comments#comments","category":"fanfic: sherlock"},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/669122.html","pubDate":"Sat, 08 Feb 2014 14:51:45 GMT","title":"Rowling threw the grenade...","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/669122.html","description":"Should she follow up with a nuclear warhead?<br \/><br \/>While replying on a H\/Hr forum, I was racking my brain trying to think of whether an author has rewritten a book with significant changes after publication and could only think of Stephen King\u2019s <u>The Stand<\/u>. And even then King only restored much of what had been cut - he didn\u2019t make any changes to the outcome. So I went Googling:<br \/><br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/io9.com\/5733869\/do+overs-10-speculative-fiction-books-that-got-major-rewrites-after-they-were-published\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><b>Turns out there\u2019s precedent after all, and some pretty significant examples.<\/b><\/a><br \/><br \/>Some of these on the list don\u2019t have massive changes, mostly SF books where the author is incorporating things from the later movie version or bringing into play later scientific\/cultural developments that the story would have addressed if such things had happened before.<br \/><br \/>But wow, to see <u>The Hobbit<\/u> on that list? And the fact that Tolkien was simply feeling his way with the publisher, who assumed he wanted the changes and just did it for the next edition? I wonder if it would have still happened like that in this day of email and texting for communication\u2026<br \/><br \/>And if Rowling did decide to rework the series, Mary Shelley\u2019s <u>Frankenstein<\/u> isn\u2019t bad company to keep. Shelley seems to have made some changes from the original 1818 edition at her publisher\u2019s urging - the character of Elizabeth was originally Victor\u2019s first cousin so their romance smacked of incest. But there is also a shift in tone from a story very sympathetic to the emerging class struggle to one considered more acceptable to nobility and power. Some of this may have been publisher pressure and some of it may be due to the fact that by 1831 Mary Shelley was a widow and the mother of a future baronet rather than the journalist\u2019s daughter she was before marriage. Either way, both editions are readily available today and have fueled plenty of academic exploration.<br \/><br \/>I have said a great many times that the Potter books as published will not endure as Great Children\u2019s Literature when compared to Lewis Carroll, Peter Pan, etc. - that in a hundred years they\u2019ll be remembered for their enormous popularity rather than their literary quality. There\u2019s certainly no harm in Rowling publishing a do-over: money and jobs for the publishing industry, fuel for academics, the chance to introduce a new generation of readers to the series with the publicity, and the only damage would be the tender psyches of those canon shippers who made being right more important than enjoying an entertaining story.<br \/><br \/>*whispers* Do it, Jo!<br \/><br \/>(crossposted to <a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.tumblr.com\/post\/76000127810\/rowling-threw-the-grenade\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Tumblr<\/a>)","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/669122.html?view=comments#comments","category":["hp shipping","hp","writing"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/668244.html","pubDate":"Mon, 03 Feb 2014 00:12:05 GMT","title":"H\/Hr Comment Ficathon starting!","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/668244.html","description":"Over here: <a href=\"http:\/\/bohemian-ann.livejournal.com\/14196.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>http:\/\/bohemian-ann.livejournal.com\/14196.html<\/b><\/a>. Check it out, leave a prompt, try a ficlet!<br \/><br \/>ETA: Fixed the link. And wrote something.","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/668244.html?view=comments#comments","category":["fanfic: harry potter","h\/hr"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667966.html","pubDate":"Sun, 02 Feb 2014 02:01:34 GMT","title":"So, yeah...something happened","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667966.html","description":"Here's the <b><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hypable.com\/2014\/02\/01\/jk-rowling-ron-hermione-relationship-regret-interview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">article from Hypable.com<\/b><\/a>, which is a preview snippet of part of an interview that the <i>Sunday Times<\/i> is running tomorrow, which will appear in full in the issue of <i>Wonderland<\/i> guest-edited by Emma Watson.<br \/><br \/>I freely admit that a bit of me is reveling in the schadenfreude. Rowling's statements will forever blunt the \"delusional\" insult that has persisted since 2005, not even completely quieted by Rowling's half-hearted \"it could have gone that way\" comment in 2008. And the canon ships that were so clumsy that they looked painful onscreen and routinely made lists of \"top screen couples with no chemistry\" but were at least still canon in the books...now look that much weaker. Not even the author agrees that Ron and Hermione should be a couple. I do admit that a part of me grins at every canon shipper I see on Tumblr posting their wails and rage and denials.<br \/><br \/>A part of me regrets. Because if Rowling had stuck to proper literary alchemy as she began to do, if she had been brave enough to kill off Ron as the Red Death in the last book or at least not have him return (mind and spirit leaving the body behind in the final stages of alchemical transformation)...then the books would have hung together better rather than fall apart at the end and would have made a series that would endure for ages. But because Rowling stuck to an original outline in her head (an idea of Harry being raised alongside Hermione) but let her characters get away from her, showing the readers the natural closeness of the pair without any impression of siblings that the original outline would have supported...and because Rowling put her self-insert Hermione with the character based on a friend she probably had a crush on all through her teen years...what could have been great is merely there.<br \/><br \/>But mostly, I'm not sure what will change. I don't expect Rowling to re-write and publish a \"definitive author's edition\". The printed canon is still there. We'll see how much effect Rowling's admission of it not being right has outside of fandom.","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667966.html?view=comments#comments","category":["fandom","h\/hr"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667844.html","pubDate":"Wed, 29 Jan 2014 03:15:50 GMT","title":"Fanfic - Sherlock, \"Vendetta\", Part 2","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667844.html","description":"Here's more of the current \"Sherlock\" plot bunny. At the moment I think it takes place between \"The Blind Banker\" and \"The Great Game\". so no spoiler issues for series 2-3.<br \/><br \/>Start from the beginning <a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667407.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>here<\/b><\/a>.<br \/><br \/><br \/>Sherlock stormed down the hall to the makeshift reception area, ignoring the chaos around him as doctors and nurses tried to triage the injured. His rapid-fire brain calculated at least seventy-five casualties and almost certainly death for those who had been within a few yards of the bomb.<br \/><br \/>He felt Lestrade\u2019s hand on his arm. \u201cSherlock, there\u2019s Molly!\u201d<br \/><br \/>Molly was lying on a stretcher, unconscious. There was a chart at her feet; judging from the entry, the intern three stretchers down the line had just checked her vitals. Concussion was almost guaranteed and she was on the list for X-rays because of a suspected fracture to the collarbone. Sherlock knelt next to her and took her hand. It was cold, colder than it should have been even accounting for the normal post-trauma dip in a patient\u2019s core temperature.<br \/><br \/>Lestrade had been speaking to a nurse and came back to lean over them. \u201cThe blast damaged the electric supply. They\u2019ve activated generators, but most of the power is going to keep life support up \u2013 no heat right now. More generators are on the way, but it\u2019s going to take time.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sherlock pulled off his greatcoat and tucked it around Molly. The residual heat from his body would help her stabilize and he could manage for a while. \u201cGive me a moment.\u201d He pulled out his mobile and his thumbs began flying across the keypad.<br \/><br \/><b>Bart\u2019s explosion probably worse than initial reports suggest. Backup needed to restore electricity, manpower needed to shift patients elsewhere. Short-term heating a priority \u2013SH<\/b><br \/><br \/>\u201cI\u2019ve just alerted Mycroft. That should speed things up.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Lestrade checked his watch. \u201cIf you\u2019ll be all right for a bit, I\u2019ll liaise with whoever\u2019s here, see what they\u2019ve learned. I may have to leave and come back \u2013 I need to at least make an appearance at Dame Hillandale\u2019s wake.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sherlock\u2019s head snapped up. \u201cDame Hillandale? The Honourable Mrs Justice Eunice Hillandale?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYes, hadn\u2019t you heard? She died last week with an overdose of some sedative she was taking.\u201d<br \/><br \/>His instincts were now screaming at him that something was very, very wrong. He waved Lestrade off and sat next to Molly, careful not to jostle her. He leaned forward, elbows on knees and fingers to temples, and began to sort the threads.<br \/><br \/><i>Finnegan, D.I. at Scotland Yard...Hillandale, magistrate for the Crown Court...two noted officials in law enforcement dead within a week of one another...not a whiff of corruption around either of them\u2026factor in Molly...where would she have crossed paths with them...Finnegan the first red flag...he came to Bart\u2019s about a case nine months ago...Molly did an autopsy for him...Hatley...the Hatley trial!<\/i><br \/><br \/>Sherlock jerked into awareness, sweeping the area for Lestrade. The inspector had been speaking to a uniformed officer, and was jotting something down in a notebook. Sherlock was next to him in a few quick strides.<br \/><br \/>\u201cI\u2019ve got it! The Hatley trial!\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cThe what? What are you on about?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cFinnegan, Hillandale, the attack on Molly, it all fits.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cWait, how was Molly attacked?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cShe texted me just before the bomb went off, thanking me for sending her flowers. I didn\u2019t\u2014\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cOf course you didn\u2019t,\u201d Lestrade snarked.<br \/><br \/>\u201cThere must have been a bomb in the vase.\u201d Sherlock began ticking off on his fingers. \u201cMolly provided medical evidence at the Hatley trial, Finnegan was the lead investigator, Hillandale was the presiding judge. What about the prosecutor, Ellison Davies, or the friend who turned Queen\u2019s evidence?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Lestrade simply stared at him for a moment before recovering from the rapid-fire onslaught of Sherlock\u2019s immense memory. \u201cHow do you\u2026how long ago was this?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cNine months. January. Surely you remember? The press made such a scandal of it, not that they had to work very hard at it. Isabella Hatley, society belle, found responsible for the death of a poor, anonymous young man through drugs and erotic asphyxiation. Hillandale made an example of her with a ten-year sentence, of course, being such a battle-axe against drugs.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Lestrade nodded as the pieces began to come together. \u201cYes, yes. And Hatley managed to kill herself in prison in August.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cStart with Hatley\u2019s family. Either someone is a natural handyman, has done a lot of research, or has hired a very clever hit man or two.\u201d He was about to go on when he heard his name and turned around. Molly was stirring, one hand fingering his coat.<br \/><br \/>He dropped to her side and took the hand, pleased that she was a little warmer. \u201cI\u2019m here, Molly.\u201d<br \/><br \/>She blinked and tried to focus on him. \u201cCard from the florist...on my desk...\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cGood girl. Anything else? Very quickly, as you need to rest and one of these doctors is sure to scold me for bothering you.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cPot was heavy.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cA potted plant, not a vase? That would make it easier to conceal a bomb. Anything else?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Molly began shaking her head, then stopped with a wince. \u201cCheck for me...\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cCheck what?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cShoulder. Is it broken?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Very carefully, Sherlock pulled down his coat, shifted her jumper, and unbuttoned her blouse far enough to bare her collarbone. He traced the ridge of it, careful to keep just the right amount of pressure, and noted the lack of a bump or tenting of the flesh that would signal a clavicle fracture. And while she hissed at the pressure, she gave no sudden reaction of severe pain in any one location. He buttoned her blouse back and straightened her clothing.<br \/><br \/>\u201cHairline fracture at worst, I think.\u201d<br \/><br \/>She nodded. \u201cThank you. Should have realized right away.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cRealized what?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cThe flowers. You\u2019ll see when you read it.\u201d<br \/><br \/>He saw her eyelids flutter as her energy flagged. He tucked his coat back around her. \u201cRest, Molly. Lestrade\u2019s here and I\u2019ll be right back.\u201d He rose to find a way around the madhouse to the morgue in order to retrieve that note.<a name='cutid1-end'><\/a><br \/><br \/>***************************<br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/681108.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Part 3<\/b><\/a><br \/><br \/>Feedback always welcome!","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/667844.html?view=comments#comments","category":"fanfic: sherlock"},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/666199.html","pubDate":"Sun, 12 Jan 2014 06:07:59 GMT","title":"Sherlock fic: \"Providential\", reworked ending","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/666199.html","description":"So I did some asking and it turns out that Molly wouldn't be allowed to accept a reward or gift for her work. Thanks to the input of a Sherlock Brit-picking comm, I rewrote the last part to better conform to British culture & laws. Does it still work?<br \/><br \/><br \/>The tabloids played up the \u201cStiletto Murder\u201d for over a fortnight until the arrest of one of Berkart\u2019s friends, a woman who had taken revenge for being the losing corner of a love triangle. She had been smart enough to take both shoes rather than leave a single one, but had not counted on Sherlock being able to deduce their presence from the empty slots in a shoe rack and a file of the charges on Berkart\u2019s credit card. She had also been stupid enough to sell said shoes on eBay since they were a by a rather posh designer and fetched a tidy sum. Once the shoes had been retrieved from the buyer, Sherlock and Molly had been able to detect blood and brain tissue left in the seams despite the attempt at cleaning. It was Molly who determined that the killer had ensured that the shoe would go through the skull by using a heavy onyx paperweight on Beckart\u2019s night table as a hammer \u2013 the partial fingerprints left from a less-than-thorough wipe proved her theory.<br \/><br \/>A few days after the verdict, Sherlock was leaving a chippy with dinner when a middle-aged man who shouted \u201cnew money\u201d fell into step beside him.<br \/><br \/>\u201cYou\u2019re Holmes, right? The detective?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sherlock didn\u2019t break stride, but began planning a roundabout route back to his flat that might take long enough to shake off this intrusion while arriving before his fish and chips got cold and required reheating. \u201cMay I ask who wants to know?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cSorry, Simon Berkart. Cicely was my niece, my brother\u2019s girl. Wanted to thank you for your part in helping catch her killer.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cNot at all.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cThat D.I., Lestrade, told me it was illegal for me to give him or the autopsy doctor or the prosecutor anything worth over \u00a320. Damn silly law if you ask me. If it\u2019s after the fact there\u2019s no issue with influence or corruption. He pointed me to some charity that tries to rehabilitate prisoners. Daft of him, but it\u2019s what he wanted. The prosecutor did the same thing, pointed me to a place funding scholarships for reading law.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sherlock refrained from pointing out the slow, insidious creep of corruption that the law was intended to prevent. He was almost certain that a windfall was headed his way, in the amount of at least a couple hundred pounds, and he didn\u2019t want to interrupt the man\u2019s intentions. Lestrade was beginning to try harder, but his superintendent still refused to allow the budget to be used for fees for an intrusive consulting detective.<br \/><br \/>\u201cBut if you\u2019ll take it, being private and all, I\u2019d just ask you to do something for that girl that did the autopsy work. Can you see your way clear to that?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sherlock nodded his assent. \u201cI believe I can arrange that.\u201d He was already listing possibilities in his head, mainly centring on the lab and equipment needs Molly had mentioned. Robinson had already proven himself to be less than concerned with the law.<br \/><br \/>\u201cGood man. Here you go, with my deepest gratitude.\u201d He shoved a thick envelope into Sherlock\u2019s coat pocket before he could juggle his food to free a hand. Beckart peeled off to cross the street and disappeared into the crowd.<br \/><br \/>Sherlock arrived home with tolerably warm food and ate before fetching the envelope from his coat. It proved to be two thousand pounds, quite a bit more than Sherlock had deduced since the man had used \u00a350 notes rather than \u00a320. This was quite helpful indeed.<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>Molly came into the lab in a very good mood. Dr Robinson had stopped her on her way in to inform her that the lifting trolley she had been begging for would arrive within the week. She hated having to plead for help from the custodians or nurses when a body outweighed her and she needed help shifting it.<br \/><br \/>She went to check her desk for any new files and stopped short. A black box with a white satin ribbon was sitting there. Gold lettering in the corner proclaimed the contents to be truffles from the very trendy, very expensive William Curley chocolate shop.<br \/><br \/>\u201cThey\u2019re from me, just in case you were worried about being poisoned,\u201d Sherlock\u2019s voice echoed from the other side of the lab. He sat at his station, peering intently into his microscope as usual...not quite as usual. It appeared that Robinson had upgraded the scopes as well.<br \/><br \/>\u201cTh-thank you, Sherlock. You d-didn\u2019t have to\u2014\u201d Damn, why must she stutter so?<br \/><br \/>\u201cOf course I didn\u2019t. That makes it a surprise, or so I\u2019m told.\u201d Now he sat up, rubbed his eyes briefly, then looked at her. \u201cYou\u2019ve been quite helpful to me and I decided it was time to show it. Consider them a late birthday gift. Or in honour of the Queen\u2019s Jubilee. Or congratulations for obtaining a cat.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Getting hold of herself, Molly took a breath to calm her elevated heartbeat. \u201cAll the same, thank you. They\u2019re lovely.\u201d She retreated to her desk and moved the chocolates to the side, off the files waiting for her. Sherlock watched her a moment longer, impressed when she didn\u2019t seek to carry on the conversation or offer him one of the chocolates, then bent back to his microscope to hide the satisfaction in his eyes.<br \/><br \/>Yes, Doctor Molly Hooper had turned out to be quite a providential choice.<a name='cutid1-end'><\/a>","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/666199.html?view=comments#comments","category":"fanfic: sherlock"},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/665288.html","pubDate":"Sun, 05 Jan 2014 02:48:07 GMT","title":"The Perils of Innocence, Chapter 23","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/665288.html","description":"Start from the beginning <a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/609115.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>here<\/b><\/a>.<br \/><br \/>DISCLAIMER: If you recognize the character, it isn't mine. Just playing in J.K. Rowling's sandbox.<br \/><br \/><br \/><br \/><b><i>1 September 1991<\/b><\/i><br \/><br \/>Dean looked the newcomer over. He wore regular clothes, but they had a somewhat out-of-date look to them, like the clothes he\u2019d seen his da wear in pictures from his childhood. Dean had no memory of the last time he had seen someone his age wearing corduroy trousers, and his jumper under a threadbare windcheater appeared handmade. Thinking that they might be meeting their first young wizard who was not a git, Dean waved to an empty place. \u201cSure, we\u2019ve room.\u201d<br \/><br \/>The boy sat, still admiring the spacious double compartment. \u201cThanks. My brothers never said that there was a compartment like this one on the train.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Hermione moved to cover for them. \u201cIt is nice, isn\u2019t it? So it\u2019s your first time going to Hogwarts School?\u201d<br \/><br \/>He nodded. \u201cI know a lot about it though. All my brothers have gone and my sister will next year. Ron Weasley, by the way.\u201d<br \/><br \/>The others began introducing themselves and Ron nodded politely until they got to Harry. At hearing the name, Ron goggled all over again. \u201cReally? The Harry Potter?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Harry nodded uncomfortably. \u201cYeah. Seems I\u2019m famous for something I don\u2019t even remember.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cBut...you\u2019re the Boy Who Lived! You\u2019re the one that killed You-Know-Who!\u201d<br \/><br \/>Hermione saw Harry\u2019s teeth clenching and the suddenly uneasy looks on their friends\u2019 faces. While they had shared that Harry was famous because somehow he had deflected a deadly curse, hearing it phrased that way with such obvious hero-worship from a stranger was disconcerting. She jumped in to defend Harry.<br \/>\u201cHe said he didn\u2019t remember it happening! And he didn\u2019t kill this Voldemort person\u2014\u201d She was stopped when the boy squeaked.<br \/><br \/>\u201cDon\u2019t say the name!\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cHonestly? You\u2019re going to let yourself be afraid of a <b>word<\/b>? Anyway, Harry didn\u2019t kill him. He killed Harry\u2019s parents and tried to kill Harry, but his spell backfired on him for some reason that no one\u2019s ever figured out.\u201d She reached over and took Harry\u2019s hand. \u201cWe know it\u2019s nothing Harry did. He wasn\u2019t even two years old yet.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Ron\u2019s mumbled apology and Harry\u2019s acceptance helped to finish Hermione\u2019s attempt to defuse the situation. Knowing that Ron was part of a family of wizards, they began asking him questions. As astonishment grew to comical heights on both sides, they turned it into a game to see who could tell the most unbelievable-but-true story about wizards or Muggles. It turned out Ron was slightly harder to shock than they expected from their experience with the Malfoys; Ron\u2019s father was rather interested in all things Muggle but sometimes had his information crossed. Ron knew that Muggles had gone to the moon, for instance, but was under the impression that there were small cities there by now.<br \/><br \/>The arrival of the trolley helped break the ice further. Those who had remembered to bring galleons pooled their money and bought a large selection for everyone to share. They listened as Ron explained things like Chocolate Frog cards and Bertie Bott\u2019s Every-Flavour Beans. The conversation was going well, though Hermione noticed Ron giving Harry glances now and again.<br \/><br \/>They had moved on to sport, with Dean and Justin arguing passionately about football or cricket being the better sport, the other boys chiming in, and Ron trying to follow the conversation. There was a knock at the door and it slid open to reveal a round-faced boy who looked upset. He blinked at the double-size compartment, but asked, \u201cSorry to bother you, but have you all seen a toad? Mine\u2019s gone missing.\u201d<br \/><br \/>They all shook their heads. Justin replied, \u201cWe\u2019ll keep our eyes out, though.\u201d<br \/><br \/>The boy left and Hermione noticed Ron sniggering. \u201cSomething funny?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cOh, just no one really wants a toad. An owl\u2019s the thing.\u201d His expression turned grumpy. \u201cNot that I have much better, just my brother\u2019s old rat. <b>He<\/b> got an owl for making prefect.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Hermione set her jaw and stood. \u201cI\u2019m going to go help him look. Anyone care to help?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sally-Anne stood with her. \u201cI will.\u201d<br \/><br \/>The two girls left and Hermione gave Sally-Anne a quick one-armed hug. \u201cThanks.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cNot at all. It\u2019s the right thing to do, even if that Ron boy doesn\u2019t think so. Where should we start?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cActually, I think we can find it quickly if we get methodical about it. Let\u2019s stop in every car and I\u2019ll try to make it come to us.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Sally-Anne stopped in her tracks with a surprised look. Then she relaxed. \u201cThis is like calling your wands, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cSort of. We just called it <i>come here<\/i> at the institute but we could do it pretty well.\u201d With that, they set off down the corridor.<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>The girls struck gold in the third car and a large toad sailed from a corner into Hermione\u2019s hands. She made a face at the feel of its skin, but tucked it into the crook of her arm. \u201cThat\u2019s the toad, now we need to find the boy.\u201d They continued toward the end of the train, glancing in open compartments as they went.<br \/><br \/>They were close to the end of the train when they saw the boy. He was surrounded by three other boys. The two large, heavy-set boys were strangers, but Hermione recognized the third one from his pale hair and snivelling voice.<br \/><br \/>\u201cYou\u2019re worthless, Longbottom, and you know it! No better than those filthy mudbloods! You couldn\u2019t work a spell if your life depended on it!\u201d<br \/><br \/>Hermione put a hand out to stop Sally-Anne and narrowed her eyes. She was determined to put a stop to this but wanted to be careful about it. As she watched, the train swayed and all the boys shifted to try and stay upright.<br \/><br \/>\u201cCan you do anything, Longbottom? Anything at all?\u201d<br \/><br \/>As the boy called Longbottom clenched his fists, Hermione acted. With a sweep of her hand the three bullies were thrown back against the corridor walls and found themselves stuck like glue. Hermione pulled Sally-Anne back a few paces as Longbottom looked around in surprise.<br \/><br \/>The Malfoy boy began yelling to be let down, struggling to loosen his arms and legs from the wall, and Hermione called out, \u201cOh, my! That was impressive. Look, we found a toad. Is it yours?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cTrevor!\u201d The boy ran up to them and took the toad from Hermione. \u201cThank you!\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYou! You girls! Help us down!\u201d<br \/><br \/>Hermione\u2019s smile curled up slowly. \u201cWhy, you mean someone as upper-crust as you can\u2019t sort out Mr. Longbottom\u2019s spell? I think if you try very hard, you\u2019ll manage before we get to school.\u201d She spun on her heel, tugging at the sleeves of her companions to follow her.<br \/><br \/>Once they were a few cars away, the boy repeated his thanks.<br \/><br \/>\u201cDon\u2019t mention it. I\u2019m Hermione Granger, this is Sally-Anne Perks. We\u2019re new to Hogwarts and rather new to this whole magic thing. How about you?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cNeville Longbottom. It\u2019s my first time to Hogwarts as well. My family goes back a long way in wizarding society, but they didn\u2019t think for ages that I\u2019d have enough magic to be let in.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cNonsense,\u201d Sally-Anne replied, having been quick on the uptake. \u201cLook how you handled those nasty bullies! I\u2019d say that\u2019s plenty of magic to go on with.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Neville reddened and smiled shyly, shifting Trevor to his other arm.<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>With the girls off to find a toad, the boys spread out a bit and continued their talk. Terry turned to Ron and asked about the shop in Diagon Alley that seemed to have sporting equipment, giving him the opening to describe the wizard game Quidditch. He enjoyed being the centre of attention, making bigger gestures and raising his voice as he described the rules and play.<br \/><br \/>One of the doors slid open and the girls returned in triumph, shepherding in the round-faced boy and his toad.<br \/><br \/>\u201cBudge up!\u201d Hermione insisted, sitting half on Harry\u2019s lap to make room. \u201cThis is Neville Longbottom, another first year like us.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Harry deliberately took charge of introductions, saving himself for last. \u201cAnd I\u2019m Harry Potter.\u201d<br \/>Instead of hero-worship, Neville gravely held out a hand. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to finally meet you. I don\u2019t know if you know, but our mums asked each other to be godmother to us.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Harry\u2019s eyes widened, placing the name. \u201cI knew your mum was to be my godmother. I didn\u2019t know my mum was yours.\u201d He took Neville\u2019s hand and shook.<br \/><br \/>\u201cI see you found the toad,\u201d Wayne offered.<br \/><br \/>Sally-Anne described how she and Hermione had found it in a corner. \u201cAnd then we went looking for Neville. When we saw him there were three boys being nasty, and Neville pushed them all against the walls and stuck them there with magic! It was marvellous!\u201d<br \/><br \/>Harry and Dean glanced at Hermione, who winked.<br \/><br \/>Neville was holding out his toad. \u201cI know he isn\u2019t much, but my Great Uncle Algie bought him for me after I got my letter from Hogwarts.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Ron reached into a pocket. \u201cI\u2019ve a rat, my brother gave him to me when my dad got him an owl for making prefect. His name\u2019s Scabbers. Pathetic, isn\u2019t he?\u201d Ron held out the rat, who seemed determined to continue his nap.<br \/><br \/>The others introduced the owls, sleeping in their cages as they swung gently from hooks under the baggage shelves. Before the conversation could drift from pets, Ron announced, \u201cI tried to turn Scabbers yellow yesterday, to make him more interesting, but it didn\u2019t work. Here, I\u2019ll show you.\u201d He produced a wand rather the worse for wear, with chips in places and one end showing the core of unicorn hair. He cleared his throat.<br \/><br \/>\u201cSunshine, daisies, butter mellow,<br \/>Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow.\u201d<br \/><br \/>He finished with a flourish of his wand, but nothing happened. Ron gave a frustrated sigh.<br \/><br \/>\u201cAre you sure that\u2019s a real spell?\u201d Hermione asked. \u201cI mean, I\u2019ve read all our course books and they seem to use incantations based on Latin words. What would a Latin word for \u2018change\u2019 be?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cHow about \u2018mutato\u2019?\u201d Wayne asked. \u201cLike the mutants in the X-men superhero comics?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Harry leaned behind Hermione slightly so his face was hidden. \u201cDean, you\u2019re the artist. Give it a try.\u201d He winked at his friend and Dean controlled a grin with an effort.<br \/><br \/>He pulled his wand from his sleeve and held it up dramatically. <i>I want to make this rat turn yellow all over<\/i>. He let the feeling in his head build a little, then released it, gesturing with the wand and shouting, \u201c<i>Mutato!<\/i>\u201d<br \/><br \/>Scabbers\u2019 fur took on a distinctly canary tone and his feet and tail turned a darker yellow. He squeaked and curled into a tighter ball.<br \/><br \/>Ron\u2019s mouth dropped open as the others gasped and congratulated Dean. His cheeks turned pink in anger. \u201cChange him back!\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cAll right, all right, hold a tic.\u201d Dean tried to feel what he\u2019d done with his magic and found it surprisingly difficult. The power shimmering around the rat seemed much stronger than the bit of effort he\u2019d put into it. <i>All right, nothing for it. Remove all the magic spells around this rat.<\/i><br \/><br \/>He had barely begun to wave his wand when Scabbers shifted, darkened, and started to expand. Dean screeched and shoved him off his lap and into the floor. As all the children looked on in growing shock, the rat morphed into a man.<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>An early tea was laid out in the sitting room reserved for staff, in anticipation of the Welcoming Feast later that evening. Professor McGonagall was discussing the schedule for flying lessons with Madame Hooch when a deep, echoing bell sounded, shaking the stone walls of the castle.<br \/><br \/>\u201cWhat on earth?\u201d Hooch leapt to her feet.<br \/><br \/>McGonagall stood as well. \u201cIt\u2019s the Express! Something\u2019s gone wrong! Grab some of the team brooms\u2014we\u2019ll have to Apparate to York and scout by air to find the train! I\u2019ll meet you at the gate with everyone I can find.\u201d<br \/><br \/>The two witches hiked up their robes and sprinted in opposite directions.<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>Scabbers, now a short fellow with messy hair, a pointed nose, and tatty clothes, looked around wildly. He spied Harry and focused on him.<br \/><br \/>\u201cYou?\u201d He spared another glance around the compartment, taking in the group of frightened children, and scrambled to his feet. He hesitated for a mere moment, then leapt at Harry. \u201cYOU! Your fault! It all went wrong because of you!\u201d<br \/><br \/>He tried to seize Harry by the throat but only managed one hand as Hermione moved to Harry instead of dodging away. She grabbed his other hand and bit down as hard as she could. The man screamed and let go of Harry to strike her across the face. That produced shouts of anger from several of the other children, jumping to their feet to pummel at him.<br \/><br \/>Harry gasped for air, swallowing painfully from where the man\u2019s thumb had pressed against his windpipe. \u201cDean, help me! We need to make him sleep!\u201d The boys clasped hands and focused everything they had on <i>SLEEP!<\/i><br \/><br \/>Everyone else in the compartment dropped like a stone.<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>McGonagall had rounded up enough staff members to fill the armful of brooms Hooch brought. They converged at the main gates and McGonagall began, \u201cYou all heard the alarm, there\u2019s something wrong on the train. We Apparate to Upper Flagley and fly to the train tracks from there. Half of us will go north and half south to locate the train.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Dumbledore and Hagrid came rushing down as they mounted brooms. \u201cMinerva? What\u2019s happening?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cDidna you hear the alarm? Something\u2019s happened on the Express!\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cI was with Hagrid at his hut. Are we ready?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201c<b>We<\/b> are! You get a broom and join us in Upper Flagley!\u201d With that, the staff disappeared in a series of pops like firecrackers.<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>Harry and Dean worked quickly, ransacking their trunks for socks to knot together and tie the man\u2019s hands and feet. They moved to Hermione and Harry\u2019s eyes narrowed in anger, seeing the large bruise developing on her cheek. \u201cWake up, Hermione,\u201d he murmured, letting out just a trickle of power.<br \/><br \/>She stirred and opened her eyes. Harry and Dean helped her to a seat. She focused and looked around. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d She looked back at Harry and saw the red marks on his throat. \u201cYou\u2019re hurt!\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cSo are you, Hermione. We\u2019ll be fine. We just need to wake the others up without waking him up, too.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Dean scanned the walls of the compartment. \u201cI don\u2019t see an emergency cord for calling for help, do you?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Hermione shook her head. \u201cI didn\u2019t see any adults when Sally-Anne and I went to find Neville\u2019s toad. Just other students.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cLet\u2019s put the compartments back before we do anything else,\u201d Harry said.<br \/><br \/>Hermione nodded. \u201cWe\u2019ll need Ron and the man on the same side as us. Neville, too, since they were talking about pets. Everyone else on the other side.\u201d After a few minutes of tugging and shoving inert bodies, Hermione concentrated and returned the wall between the compartments to its original state. While Harry stood guard, Hermione and Dean went into the other compartment, revived their friends, and explained.<br \/><br \/>Justin shook his head. \u201cSo there\u2019s no way to stop the train and there doesn\u2019t seem to be anyone in charge. How about the owls? Sending one to Professor McGonagall?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Hermione replied. \u201cWe don\u2019t know how far away we are from school. Justin, you go toward the front and see if you can find anyone in charge. Surely there\u2019s a crew at the engine! Terry, you go the other way and look for an adult. The trolley lady at least has to be somewhere. And don\u2019t give any details yet other than a rat turned into a man and attacked us. We still have to explain the compartments to Ron and Neville somehow.\"<br \/><br \/>Hermione re-entered Harry\u2019s compartment and Dean stayed in the corridor to keep a lookout. He noticed that a few students at the other end of the car were looking out. \u201cAll right there?\u201d Dean called to them.<br \/><br \/>\u201cThought we heard someone scream,\u201d a girl with auburn hair responded.<br \/><br \/>\u201cSomeone started a food fight in our car and got pumpkin everywhere from one of those pasties. Everything\u2019s sorted now.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cAh, cheers, then.\u201d The students retreated behind their doors and Dean took up his position once more.<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>In the compartment, Harry woke Neville first. \u201cAll right there, mate?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Neville looked around, frowning. \u201cThe compartment got smaller.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cNo, it didn\u2019t,\u201d Harry lied, looking at Neville pleadingly.<br \/><br \/>Neville have Harry a long, measuring stare and nodded. \u201cAll right, we\u2019re in a regular compartment. But there\u2019s a strange man where Weasley\u2019s rat used to be.\u201d He faced Harry, daring him to tell another one.<br \/><br \/>\u201cYes, and we have no idea who he is or why he attacked us.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Hermione looked closely at the man. \u201cHarry, he looks a little familiar.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cI don\u2019t see how. We never met any wizards until Professor McGonagall arrived to explain the letters.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Neville\u2019s mouth opened in surprise. \u201cWait, explain the letters? You didn\u2019t even know you were a wizard?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cNope, not a bloody clue.\u201d Harry moved over to Ron and reached out a hand to wake him. Neville\u2019s eyes widened as he watched Harry revive the other boy without a wand.<br \/><br \/><i>Wands...does HE have a wand?<\/i> Neville carefully began checking the unconscious man\u2019s robes.<br \/><br \/>Ron woke and began looking around wildly. \u201cScabbers! Scabbers turned into a wizard! Scabbers attacked Harry Potter!\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYes, we know. It\u2019s all right, he\u2019s not going to hurt us now.\u201d Hermione tried to soothe him.<br \/><br \/>\u201cBut he\u2019s my rat! He was Percy\u2019s rat! How can he be a wizard?\u201d<br \/><br \/>As Hermione continued to try and calm Ron down, Terry returned with an older student, a girl with long curly hair and a prefect badge on her robes. \u201cI\u2019m Penelope Clearwater, Ravenclaw prefect. What\u2019s going on here?\u201d<a name='cutid1-end'><\/a><br \/><br \/>*************************************<br \/><br \/>Any and all feedback is appreciated!","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/665288.html?view=comments#comments","category":["perils of innocence","fanfic: harry potter"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/664880.html","pubDate":"Sun, 05 Jan 2014 02:41:56 GMT","title":"The Perils of Innocence, Chapter 22","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/664880.html","description":"Start from the beginning <a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/609115.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>here<\/b><\/a>.<br \/><br \/>DISCLAIMER: If you recognize the character, it isn't mine. Just playing in J.K. Rowling's sandbox.<br \/><br \/><br \/><br \/><b><i>17 August 1991<\/b><\/i><br \/><br \/>Andrea Thomas had grown up in a large family and was raising a large family of her own. She had a lifetime of experience in being loud to gain attention and it served her now. Her voice rose above the clamour of people reacting to Hermione\u2019s question.<br \/><br \/>\u201cWhat do you mean, wipe memories? That\u2019s an inexcusable violation of privacy!\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cWe don\u2019t\u2014we only\u2014please, will you listen?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Dr Aymler saw the professor helplessly trying to respond. He stuck his thumb and forefinger into his mouth and let out a shrill whistle. Startled, the others began to quiet down.<br \/><br \/>\u201cLet\u2019s give her the chance to explain.\u201d<br \/><br \/>McGonagall nodded in gratitude and drew a breath to compose her thoughts. <i>Honesty. Total honesty or I lose them all at this point.<\/i><br \/><br \/>\u201cOne of our most important laws is called the Statute of Secrecy. It was enacted in 1692 by an international confederation of wizards, in response to centuries of either persecution by Muggles or demands from heads of state for assistance in keeping their power. It was used to permanently separate the two societies, to hide magic from the rest of the world. In Britain, it gradually evolved into a section of law enforcement known as Obliviators, experts in memory charms, who usually work to contain large incidents that happen from time to time, such as a dragon escaping.<br \/><br \/>\u201cAs part of this separation, should a Muggleborn child choose not to attend one of our schools, we carefully erase all memories of magic from that child and anyone in the family who was told. They are then free to continue their lives without our interference.\u201d<br \/><br \/>After a moment of silence, as everyone digested McGonagall\u2019s words, Hermione spoke. \u201cBut, professor, that child can still do magic.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cYes, that\u2019s true. There are potions that can suppress magical ability for short periods, but nothing short of catastrophic injury can permanently remove one\u2019s magic.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cSo if Harry, Dean, or I were to choose not to attend a magic school, what would happen to us? We\u2019d still be here, trying to fix our problem of having accidents, and never able to leave!\u201d<br \/><br \/>The professor paled slightly as she considered this. \u201cThat...that is true.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cAnd is the only thing you do the Obliviation Charm? What if a child was keeping a diary, writing about their accidents, and then wrote about getting a letter from Hogwarts? Do the Obliviators go through a house looking for anything like that? If they don\u2019t, what happens if a child goes back and reads about the things they\u2019ve been made to forget?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Now the colour drained from McGonagall\u2019s face. \u201cSweet Merlin...I don\u2019t know if anyone\u2019s ever thought of that! Re-introduction of erased memories takes a very skilled Mind Healer, or it can lead to complications. Some poor person could be driven insane by that.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Voicing the frustration that most of the parents were feeling, Viola Granger spoke up. \u201cWe\u2019re getting off track here. You\u2019ve told us what\u2019s usually done when students don\u2019t go to your schools and we find that unacceptable. No one is touching our memories. Now, you have said you\u2019re willing to help our children learn the skills they need to survive in our world. My question is this: in our system, a student may leave school at age sixteen, which tends to be after finishing their GCSEs. Do you have a similar situation there? Would Hermione or any of the children wanting to attend university be able to finish a certain level of magic education, keep their memories, and then move to private tutoring to prepare for university? Even if we resort to Open University for Hermione, she would still be expected to take a certain set of courses at the start to fill in missing qualifications and that would put her behind.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cOur students are permitted to leave school after they complete their O.W.L.s, Ordinary Wizarding Levels, in their fifth year. But most students who qualify continue for two more years as a great many professions require certain marks on the N.E.W.T.s, or the Nastily Exhaustive Wizarding Tests.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Several people cracked smiles at her last words and the tension in the room began to lessen. Robert Granger replied, \u201cSo, in theory, these children could attend your school for five years, perhaps working on regular coursework in the summers, and take that first set of tests. Then they would be free to choose to continue with you or leave without any sort of penalty.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cThat is correct. The only stipulation in that situation is to honour the Statute of Secrecy. And I promise to do what I can to assist them along the way. We have plenty of spare classrooms; one could be reserved for any of these students to use to work on the Mu\u2014 the regular side of their education. We could include shelves for any books they need and so forth.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cOoh, how about a few computers?\u201d Dean\u2019s eyes lit up at the possibility.<br \/><br \/>\u201cA few what?\u201d McGonagall was completely at sea.<br \/><br \/>\u201cComputers are an invention, an electronic machine that can perform calculations, store information, and communicate with other computers through telephones,\u201d Dr Aymler replied.<br \/><br \/>\u201cAh, if it is electric, then no. The amount of magical energy in the air around Hogwarts disrupts such devices. We discourage students from bringing wireless sets or television sets or the like.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cIs that just Hogwarts or would a place like Diagon Alley have the same problem?\u201d Hermione asked.<br \/><br \/>McGonagall beamed at her. <i>Already making such connections at her age!<\/i> She felt a surge of eagerness to teach such a keen mind. \u201cQuite right. Any location with a concentration of magic being performed would do, even just a house with a large family of wizards. Basic security wards are often enough to muddle electricity.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Dr Greene, who had been taking notes as usual, looked around. \u201cDoes anyone have other questions at this time?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Harry sat up. \u201cI do!\u201d He pulled out the photo album that Hermione and Dean had given him. \u201cI was looking at the pictures you sent, and thank you again for them, and saw that the uniforms have badges on them. The robes we bought don\u2019t have them. Why is that?\u201d<br \/><br \/>McGonagall held out a hand and Harry brought the album to show her. She looked fondly at the group of seventh years. \u201cHogwarts has a house system. Every new student is sorted into one of the houses and takes classes with their house year group. Each house also has a Quidditch team and the four houses compete for the Quidditch Cup every year. Our discipline system includes house points toward a House Cup that can be given for good work or good behaviour and taken away when a student breaks a rule. Severe misbehaviour results in detentions. Anyway, when a student is sorted, the badge for their house appears on their robes.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cWho is in charge of these houses?\u201d Addison Finch-Fletchley asked, remembering his own school days.<br \/><br \/>\u201cEach house is led by a faculty member. I am head of Gryffindor, for example. We have a Head Boy and Head Girl and a group of students in fifth through seventh year that serve as prefects. Harry, you can see here that your parents were Head Boy and Head Girl their seventh year from these badges, and Remus Lupin was a prefect.\u201d<br \/><br \/>McGonagall continued to identify people in the photographs as the other children gathered around her to look. The doctors seized the distraction to pull the parents together. Aymler began a quick discussion.<br \/><br \/>\u201cI believe it\u2019s decision time. Now, we are only legally responsible for Harry, but we have been working with Hermione and Dean as well. Given the information from the professor, we would strongly support the children attending this school for at least the minimum requirement. If we were made to forget what we know, and I don\u2019t know that we could stop them, we\u2019d be condemning them to years of their lives being institutionalized while we try and help them with what they can do, afraid the entire time that they might lose control of it.\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cI agree with him,\u201d Dr Greene said. \u201cWithout knowing what it was, we\u2019ve been able to help our three get a reasonable amount of control over magic, at least to the point that accidents are quite rare, but it was still quite frustrating for all of us not to be able to identify what was happening.\u201d<br \/><br \/>The Grangers exchanged looks, and Robert spoke. \u201cI think our questions have been answered. As long as Hermione isn\u2019t going to lose the option for further education if she wants it, we can manage.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Mrs Boot held up a hand. \u201cI\u2019d like to know if there\u2019s a way to make the professor our contact person even if our children aren\u2019t in her house. She\u2019s been very frank with us so far. I\u2019d certainly rather deal with her than that fellow in the brass buttons.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Most of the other parents were nodding. Mr Perks added, \u201cThe only thing we need is more details about options in the States, since it\u2019s possible I\u2019ll be taking a job there.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Dr Greene looked over to see that the professor had stopped speaking and was content to watch the children flip through the album and marvel at the moving figures in the photographs. She motioned at McGonagall, who joined them.<br \/><br \/>The doctor began, \u201cWe would like to know if it is possible for you to be our official contact at the school, regardless of houses.\u201d<br \/><br \/>McGonagall thought about that a moment. Professors Sprout and Flitwick were very easy to work with and would likely not mind. Snape, however, would see it as a mortal insult. <i>Although, how likely is it that any Muggleborn or Muggle-raised child would be sorted into Slytherin?<\/i> This would not be a hardship, especially since it would be a reason to keep a close eye on Harry if Dumbledore began meddling again. \u201cI believe it can be done. It hasn\u2019t before, but as Deputy Headmistress I am responsible for meeting families in your situation for the first time. It\u2019s a logical thing to do.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Aymler held out a hand. \u201cThen I believe we are agreed. We\u2019ll see you in September.\u201d<br \/><br \/>McGonagall took his hand and shook warmly. \u201cI am very glad to hear it. Please don\u2019t hesitate to send an owl if there is anything more I can do.\u201d<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/><i><b>1 September 1991<\/b><\/i><br \/><br \/>Harry pushed his trolley with his trunk and Hedwig in her cage while Pippa kept a lookout. Hermione and Dean had gone home for a short holiday before leaving for school and they had agreed to meet at nine-thirty at the pastry shop for a second breakfast. Harry eyed the bookstore next to it. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to keep Hermione from going in there for just one more thing to read.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Pippa laughed at that, then spotted the Thomases and waved at them. Geoffrey and Dean were lugging Dean\u2019s trunk between them while Andrea carried Picasso in his cage and Dean\u2019s satchel. They stopped long enough to fetch a trolley, then joined Harry and Pippa. They began pushing tables together in anticipation of the Grangers.<br \/><br \/>The waitress distracted them, admiring the owls, which enabled Hermione to slip up behind the boys and throw an arm around each of their necks. \u201cWe\u2019re here! It\u2019s almost time!\u201d<br \/><br \/>They chatted happily through a round of tea and croissants, filling each other in on things that had happened since they had spoken on the telephone. Hermione moaned about having to choose certain books to pack while the Thomases talked about their house-hunting and the Grangers tried to convince them to pull up stakes and come to Nottingham.<br \/><br \/>With half an hour to spare, the group gathered things up and began moving to the entrance to platform nine and three quarters. As they got closer they could see a small crowd milling about as if waiting for a train on either side. Watching closely, they could see the occasional teenager slip into the wall while the accompanying adults drifted away. Harry noticed that the clothes some of the people wore were a bit odd: one woman was in a sundress and a padded anorak and an older man was in an Indian sarong and tuxedo shirt with a deerstalker on his head.<br \/><br \/>They joined the crowd and patiently shifted with the people around them, steadily moving up. Harry itched to pull his ball cap down more firmly, but resisted.<br \/><br \/>And then it was their turn. Pippa gave Harry a tight hug and whispered, \u201cYou write often, you hear? Let us know everything.\u201d<br \/><br \/>He swallowed hard against a sudden lump in his throat. \u201cI promise. Every week.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Hermione and Dean finished hugging their parents and there were handshakes all around. Then Harry steered his trolley toward the portal, checked that he was reasonably hidden by the others, and strode into the wall.<br \/><br \/>The contrast from his previous visit to the platform was stark. The train was parked on the track, the crew going over the engine and couplings. It was a bright, shiny scarlet with gold trim. Parents and students were everywhere, checking trunks one more time and hugging goodbye. Harry moved forward carefully, trying to steer through to a car down the line without getting too far ahead of Hermione and Dean.<br \/><br \/>The three of them were almost to the car Harry had chosen when someone shouted, \u201cOi, Harry, guys!\u201d They looked up to see Wayne Hopkins dragging his trolley toward them. Harry also realized that a lot of people around them were suddenly paying closer attention. He waved at Wayne to join them.<br \/><br \/>\u201cLet\u2019s get our stuff into a compartment and then keep an eye out for the others.\u201d<br \/><br \/>They discovered compartments that looked to hold six people and decided to claim two and keep an eye out for the others. Wayne agreed to stand guard and hold them while the others got the trunks in and looked for their friends. Sally-Anne found them as they loaded the owls and instantly ran off again as she knew where Justin was.<br \/><br \/>As the time moved toward eleven without a sign of Terry, the others began to get worried. Finally Harry shooed them in. \u201cHe could have arrived before us. I\u2019ll stay at the steps until we leave and after we\u2019ve started we can check the rest of the train.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Reluctantly, Hermione and Dean went into their compartment, with the other three in the next one. Harry leaned out, watching as the last groups began to board and the train whistle blew.<br \/><br \/>Harry suddenly spied Terry, pushing his trolley through the portal and looking quite grumpy. He whipped off his cap and waved it frantically. \u201cTerry! Oi, Terry!\u201d He noticed a large group of red-headed people filing in behind his friend.<br \/><br \/>Terry spotted him and Harry jumped down to meet him, taking the owl\u2019s cage and handing it up to Justin, who had heard the shout. They quickly shoved Terry\u2019s trunk into the car as the conductor began shouting \u201cAll aboard!\u201d<br \/><br \/>Terry joined Justin and Wayne, complaining about some loud red-haired woman insisting on explaining the entrance to the platform to him, while Sally-Anne moved to sit with Hermione. They all looked eagerly out the windows as the train began to move, exiting the station and chuffing through London.<br \/><br \/>Hermione squealed and bounced on her seat. \u201cWe\u2019re going!\u201d<br \/><br \/>Harry grinned. \u201cWe\u2019re off to see some wizards!\u201d<br \/><br \/>*****<br \/><br \/>After the first hour of watching London shift into suburbs, swapping seats, and trying to fit all seven of them in one compartment and the owls in the other, Justin gave a frustrated sigh. \u201cI wish we could just make a door between the two, like that one to the shopping from the pub.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Hermione traded looks with Harry, who was next to her. \u201cYou think we could?\u201d<br \/><br \/>Harry thought for a moment. \u201cGuess it couldn\u2019t hurt to try. And we\u2019ve been able to put things back to normal for a while now. D\u2019you want to give it a go?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cSure.\u201d Hermione stood and braced herself against the rocking of the train with a hand on his shoulder. Harry put a hand to her back to help.<br \/><br \/>Hermione concentrated on the doorway to Diagon Alley. <i>We need one of those doors here, just for the train ride.<\/i> As the others watched in growing pride or awe, a golden light began at the very centre of the wall between the compartments. It grew, and as it spread they could see through to the other compartment. It stopped and the light faded, leaving an open space from the compartment doors to the middle and two seats next to the window.<br \/><br \/>\u201cBloody brilliant!\u201d Terry cried, launching himself through. They quickly rearranged the owls and spread out, everyone beaming that they could sit comfortably as one large group.<br \/><br \/>Sally-Anne was the first to ask. \u201cI know you said before that you\u2019d learned a bit about controlling it when weird things happened to you, but that was incredible!\u201d<br \/><br \/>Hermione blushed and looked at her feet. \u201cI don\u2019t know about incredible, but really all it took was observation and practice. The doctors at Esperan\u00e7a House were so helpful in getting us to feel what was happening when there was a problem and finding ways to redirect it.\u201d<br \/><br \/>Justin asked, \u201cCan you show us?\u201d<br \/><br \/>\u201cI think so. Maybe if Professor McGonagall really is able to get us a room for our own use, we can also practice.\u201d<br \/><br \/>They continued to chat, sharing some of the things that had happened when their magic flared and asking questions about one another. The subject of wands cropped up and everyone dug theirs out of trunks, passing them around and comparing the resulting feelings of \u201cright\u201d and \u201ca little bit off\u201d and \u201cutterly wrong\u201d.<br \/><br \/>They grew bored of it and stowed wands in pockets and sleeves. Dean was about to suggest some poker when there was a knock. One of the compartment doors slid open and a voice began, \u201cI don\u2019t suppose there\u2019s room to sit in here? Only my brothers told me to shove off for a bit...\u201d The red-haired boy trailed off and his eyes widened as he realized that there was much more room in here than there should be.<br \/><br \/>Oblivious to the slightly guilty expressions of the group, he breathed, \u201cWicked!\u201d<a name='cutid1-end'><\/a><br \/><br \/>****************************<br \/><br \/>As always, feedback is greatly appreciated!<br \/><br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/665288.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Chapter 23<\/b><\/a>","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/664880.html?view=comments#comments","category":["perils of innocence","fanfic: harry potter"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/664677.html","pubDate":"Sun, 05 Jan 2014 00:43:44 GMT","title":"Oh dear...","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/664677.html","description":"I may be about to get sucked into a new fandom.<br \/><br \/>I've watched the first two \"Sherlock\" series. Some good points, some poor points, but overall entertaining. Not so entertaining that I had any trouble waiting the two years for the new series.<br \/><br \/>I did feel a bit of interest in a ship. I'm not going to say yet since I don't want to spoil for anyone who's being good and waiting for the US airing. But similarly to my experience with \"Harry Potter\", certain visuals just grabbed me and wouldn't let go.<br \/><br \/>And now I'm seeing a bit of the same ship wars that the Potter fandom went through, with shippers for another pairing being all grumpy because they didn't get the same kind of fan service.<br \/><br \/>And I spent much of yesterday and today binging on fic over at AO3 and have two drabbles started and a plot bunny in my head.<br \/><br \/>I don't have *time* to do another fandom proper justice!","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/664677.html?view=comments#comments","category":["nerd world problems","tv: sherlock","fandom"]},{"guid":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/660860.html","pubDate":"Sat, 19 Oct 2013 13:18:18 GMT","title":"Quick appreciation post","author":"avidbeader","link":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/660860.html","description":"I never knew Richard II was so pretty...<br \/><br \/><img src=\"https:\/\/ic.pics.livejournal.com\/avidbeader\/3340740\/18807\/18807_600.jpg\" alt=\"tumblr_mutl5jpJ2m1ssue8xo1_1280\" title=\"tumblr_mutl5jpJ2m1ssue8xo1_1280\" width=\"580\" height=\"387\" fetchpriority=\"high\" \/><br \/><img src=\"https:\/\/ic.pics.livejournal.com\/avidbeader\/3340740\/19025\/19025_600.jpg\" alt=\"tumblr_mutm3j6A6t1qggdfio1_500\" title=\"tumblr_mutm3j6A6t1qggdfio1_500\" width=\"500\" height=\"589\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><br \/><img src=\"https:\/\/ic.pics.livejournal.com\/avidbeader\/3340740\/19204\/19204_600.jpg\" alt=\"tumblr_mutwbgFEZ41qhvtfpo1_500\" title=\"tumblr_mutwbgFEZ41qhvtfpo1_500\" width=\"500\" height=\"558\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><br \/><img src=\"https:\/\/ic.pics.livejournal.com\/avidbeader\/3340740\/19663\/19663_600.jpg\" alt=\"tumblr_muu414aWQT1raxagbo1_500\" title=\"tumblr_muu414aWQT1raxagbo1_500\" width=\"429\" height=\"600\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><br \/><img src=\"https:\/\/ic.pics.livejournal.com\/avidbeader\/3340740\/19787\/19787_600.jpg\" alt=\"tumblr_muuc1kajLZ1rcuwgno1_400\" title=\"tumblr_muuc1kajLZ1rcuwgno1_400\" width=\"374\" height=\"541\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><a name='cutid1-end'><\/a><br \/><br \/><strike>I guess it's too much to hope for that they'll do a film version the way they did \"Hamlet\".<\/strike><br \/><br \/>ETA: I was wrong - they will be filming a performance to release on DVD. Not a movie-production version like \"Hamlet\", but still...it's more David Tennant available on disc.","comments":"https:\/\/avidbeader.livejournal.com\/660860.html?view=comments#comments","category":["david tennant","fangirling","swoon"]}]}}