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+Terms of Matrimony
+##################
+
+:date: 2019-02-07T23:48:04
+:category: literature
+:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit
+
+(my comments on “`Terms of Matrimony`_” by Galad Estel)
+
+First of all, this story has broken link on `Fanfiction.net`_, so 
+I have had to look up and down all over the Internet to find that 
+only working copy known to me is at ff2ebook.com link shown 
+above. Even the dump on archive.org is incomplete and plain text 
+only. Thank you fflai_ on Reddit for pointing_ in the right 
+direction.
+
+This is obvious another example why serial writing is quite 
+problematic. It seems to me that the author after writing 
+introduction (first 23 chapters or so) lost interest and the end 
+is stitched together with a very very hot needle (Czech saying) 
+and it shows.
+
+Having said that, the setup of the story is really nice. It is 
+one of the most persuasive stories of Petunia-Snape relationship. 
+It is dramatic (not like crazily talkative and generally absurd 
+“`A magical love affair`_”) and generally persuasive: one Death 
+Eater (Macnair) uses Imperium Curse on Vernon Dursley to try to 
+get to Harry (who is then six) and kill him. However, Vernon is 
+stopped in the attempt by the magical protection by Harry’s 
+mother and he kills himself (still under the influence of the
+curse, in order to cover tracks). Petunia with kids is on the run
+and she must hide in the magical world. However, her status as
+a single Muggle mother is very uncertain in the Magical world, so
+Dumbledore decides and manipulates her and Snape into a marriage
+to get her some standing.
+
+Petunia and kids are hiding for a month at Weasleys’ and while
+staying there she decides in the end to take a little bit of
+control over her life and (charmingly with the help of
+ten-year-old Percy Weasley) drafts eponymous marriage contract,
+which she sends to Dumbledore, so she accedes to the pressure but
+still keeps some of her dignity and autonomy. What follows is
+nice and quite persuasive but already a bit brief struggle of all
+involved to find their role in the new situation: Petunia is
+forced to be suddenly real mother and wife, Snape has to learn
+how to care about somebody else, Dudley suddenly has a father who
+strictly requires following orders, and Harry has somebody who
+cares about him.
+
+Unfortunately, in this moment, when one would say that it is well 
+prepared for nice story (how could at least reasonably working 
+family containing one very smart wizard face the challenge of the 
+Dark Lord and how could they resist the machinations of Albus
+Dumbledore? etc.), so when the reader looks forward to start of
+nice story, it ends abruptly with Remus *ex machina* showing up
+and discovering immediately that the rat is Peter, and we get
+brief collaboration of two former enemies, just to be interrupted
+by the evil Veela (interesting concept, but why not?) sent by
+Lucius Malfoy, who immediately kills Pettigrew in order to
+protect the mystery and keep Sirius in Azkaban. Next chapter,
+whole family (& Remus) runs away to America. End of the story.
+
+It’s a pity, it really has a foundation of good novel, but it
+never fulfils this promise. I would suggest reading it at least
+for the exposition, but be prepared to dream about continuation.
+
+.. _`Terms of Matrimony`:
+   https://ff2ebook.com/direct/?id=9931566&source=ff&filetype=epub
+
+.. _`Fanfiction.net`:
+    https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9931566/13/Terms-of-Matrimony
+
+.. _fflai:
+    https://www.reddit.com/user/fflai
+
+.. _pointing:
+    https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/anwh68/looking_for_two_stories_lost_on_ffnet_terms_of/efx4vv6
+
+.. _`A magical love affair`:
+   https://www.wattpad.com/story/138566101-a-magical-love-affair