Chapter 4 Drop

[Uriel_spook]

If I hadn’t already read the excerpt that came out from Entertainment Weekly a while back, I would be feeling even worse than I do right now.  Heavy stuff out the gate for Harry, per usual.

[Walter the skull]

Yeah.  I wasn't expecting that, but it makes perfect sense.  Ebeneezer owes Harry an explanation as to why he didn't adopt him. 

Ebeneezer and Harry definitely have a generational gap, and that effects how they think about raising kids.  We know what Harry knows that Ebeneezer doesn't, but what does he know that Harry doesn't.  He's dropped hints about the Svartelves being more than just sticklers for the rules and in this chapter he says that Harry doesn't know what they're capable of.  He's also really jumpy.  He doesn't feel safe there and we know someone or something is going to becoming for Harry.

Also, when will Harry see evidence of Maggie's magic?  How strong is it?  Who will train her?  What types of gifts will she have?

[Dina]

I am actually very happy with this chapter, as I was disappointed with the previous one. Still, I think that it makes no sense for Harry

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not introducing Eb to Maggie immediately, before beginning to eat pancakes

. That should have been the priority.

[Mira]

I am actually very happy with this chapter, as I was disappointed with the previous one. Still, I think that it makes no sense for Harry

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not introducing Eb to Maggie immediately, before beginning to eat pancakes

. That should have been the priority.

  Me too, makes sense something I've written about for years.

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Apparently Eb did know or the implications are that Eb knew that Malcolm had died, then decided that Harry was better off in an orphanage than with him.  Best of intentions maybe, but you know what the road to Hell is paved with.  Eb didn't raise his own daughter either, who did? Did he and his wife split up when she was born?  Did her mother raise her or did she also die in childbirth? If no mother, who raised Margaret?  It makes more understandable the tension between Eb and daughter when she became his apprentice.  Margaret may have have felt just a wee bit of resentment towards her father for not being there in her early years and now as her teacher was trying to tell her what to do.  I get the impression that the elves were on Harry's side in the matter of raising his daughter or trying to anyway.  Now we know where Harry gets his tendency to go on a guilt trip about things.  Eb calling him the common denominator in all three deaths was a total low blow, especially since Harry was new born to about six when the first two happened. That was a total defensive attack because Eb still feels that he failed on several levels.  Eb is still clueless about Thomas and given his paternal history of neglect, not surprising.   I have a feeling that the family dynamic is going to get a lot more complicated before it is all over.

[123Chikadee]

Gosh, I liked this chapter so much more than 3. Wow it got so real and I'm so here for that. I am curious as to who raised Maggie Sr then.
I'm also wondering about the microfiction 'Journal' now and Eb's relationship to it. Does Eb know what Morgan knew? Did he read it and if so, is this something that would have shocked him? I mean, 'Journal' pretty much implied/inferred that Harry was hidden away to disappear into the system by/with magic, so what, Eb wouldn't be able to find him no matter what?
I mean I get what Eb is saying, like I even agree to an extent but oh wow...just wow. This is the kind of messy family dynamics that I love.

[Walter the skull]

Mira: Who raised Harry's mother is a great question.  I think Eb had to know about Malcolm.  I think he alluded to meeting him or at least watching him in Blood Rites.  We know Morgan knew.

[123Chikadee]

Maybe a family friend? Someone who could recognize that she'd develop magic and be able to tell Eb. I mean maybe his wife's family or his side? Yeah I dunno.
I get why he's freaking out about Maggie Jr. I mean now a lot of people know who she is. That whole line Harry said about people trying again...feels like foreshadowing, especially when combo'd with Eb's nervousness/dislike/warning about Svartalves. I mean, I remember that bigfoot story where Irwin was bullied by Svartalves kids and that was explained by them learning how to be predators in 'safe spaces'. Just ugh. No. Do not want.

[morriswalters]

Harry's wrong on one count.  Margaret died at or around 180.  So in that sense Eb achieved his goal. Nobody took a run at her when she was ten. And Eb took responsibility for what she became.

And Eb is right, in that, Harry's existence is the cause of the deaths of his family and Susan.

A little foreshadowing if you needed it.  Does anyone think that Eb is coming to Christmas dinner at the Carpenters?

@Dina
If little Maggie is traumatized then Harry might have been wiser to let her decide if she wants to come out.  Maybe. 

[123Chikadee]

@morriswalters: Yeah and she died in a situation that was probably of her own making as well, at least in part, by hanging out w/ the wrong crowd. Maggie Jr got targeted b/c of who she's related to. So yeah, some differences there. Harry's a danger magnet and I think his desire for a more nuclear family is overriding more important things.
Lol no, but this chapter indicates Eb might not show up b/c he died.
Yeah, Harry should have let her decide. He didn't exactly sound enthusiastic to have them meet anyway!

[Walter the skull]

123Chikadee:  I was thinking about that story too.  We don't know much about them.

[Mira]

Harry's wrong on one count.  Margaret died at or around 180.  So in that sense Eb achieved his goal. Nobody took a run at her when she was ten. And Eb took responsibility for what she became.

I think you are totally missing the point, it doesn't matter how old Margaret was when she died.  If Eb had been a parent when she was growing up, she may have never developed the resentment that made her apprenticeship with him such a disaster, nor ultimately causing her to rebel the way she did.  Heck, she might even be still alive but for that.

And Eb is right, in that, Harry's existence is the cause of the deaths of his family and Susan.

Total cheap shot, for starters was it the infant Harry's fault that Lord Raith killed his mother?  Really? How much say does a six year old have in his father's living or dying by natural causes or other?  As for Susan, while Harry had very little say there as well, he didn't even know Maggie existed, and Susan came to him to save her.  Actually if anyone is the blame there it would be Eb, the reason behind the kidnapping was to do the generational spell to bump him off in the first place.

A little foreshadowing if you needed it.  Does anyone think that Eb is coming to Christmas dinner at the Carpenters?

You never know..

If little Maggie is traumatized then Harry might have been wiser to let her decide if she wants to come out.  Maybe. 

Actually he did let her decide, he tried to treasure her, Mouse lent support and protection, but at no point was she forced to come out.  Again once Eb heard the sound coming from her room Harry had very little choice, because Eb was so on edge he was ready to storm the room staff a blazing, all Harry could do was defuse the situation by introducing her.

[Dina]

I agree with Mira. And just one thing

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I think Maggie needed to know Eb. She should have met him before, actually.

About Christmas, of course I don't believe

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he is coming to dinner, that is a straight foreshadowing of him being dead at that moment.

Still, my main fear about that story is that Mister is not mentioned.

[123Chikadee]

@Walter the Skull: Yeah and now that I think on it, they do have some shadiness to them.
@Mira: So many good points. If Eb had done a better job raising her she could have ended up in a different place. But there comes a time when an adult has to stop laying the blame of their bad choices on their parents.
Oh a definite cheap shot. Like, I didn't expect him to say that. I reeled back when I read that. You know, I bet Eb knew that she was targeted due to him and this is just (hopefully) lashing out and he does need to apologize for that.
Maybe he does. As much as I love to see the drama, I need to see the make up too.
Oh, yeah good point about Maggie. Sheesh, is it just the svartalves, Thomas, or WC business that's got him so jumpy. Lol answered my own question. Huh, I guess he's just feeling really wrong footed.
@Dina: Yeah, I'm wondering why they didn't meet sooner and yes that is some total foreshadowing.

[knightedbishop]

A lot of shading of Ebenezer's character that I enjoyed. Which I wager ups the likelihood of his death being imminent. How and its impact are up in the air. It will be the second senior council member lost in a short span (as far as wizard life times go), and the Blackstaff at that. The Council will go into upheaval as wizards jockey to fill the power vacuum left behind. This may be the beginning of the end for the White Council as it has existed. Losing McCoy and/or a vote to expel Harry are more than enough to lead to a schism.

McCoy is old and set in his way. He reminds me of my grandfather. He was a product of the life he lived, which is very different from mine. He spouted horribly racist things, but hired a lot of Black people to work for his company at a time that was not the norm. He spouted horribly anti-gay things, but came to love my husband like his own son. McCoy thought he was doing the right thing. To have his judgment questioned by someone else- probably when he's questioning it himself, is sure to ruffle his feathers.

Old prejudices die hard. And McCoy has had multiple lifetimes from a mundane perspective to develop them. Whampires, svartalves... I think McCoy has a human-centric perspective, where Harry is much more willing to take allies and make friends where he can get them. McCoy spent his whole life protecting humans against supernatural threats. I think any supernatural race had plenty of time to cross him and get on his naughty list. Not surprised he has issues with the svartalves. At this point I'd be surprised to hear of anyone McCoy doesn't have issues with.

I also think this showed Harry's growth too. He expressed himself clearly and without devolving to shouting, shooting, or storming off. Sure, the exchange got heated, but there was no actual fire summoned. And ultimately he's right. It's his choice how to raise his child. And as others have pointed out, he destroyed the entire species of the last villain who tried to harm his daughter. He's killed multiple immortals. Only a fool thinks coming at Maggie is a good idea- like Nicodemus, who was goaded to rage by Harry after murdering Deirdre. And look how well that ended for Nicodemus.

[Dina]

Yes, I believe Maggie is safer with Harry than without him. I see the point of having her wth the Carpenters, but Maggie needs a dad. And Harry has many enemies but he also has several allies. He even has human friends, and remember, humans are the nukes for the supernatural world. Besides, Harry¿s reputation of hothead and not easy to predict would probably make anyone think or twice about attacking Maggie. Consequences are not easy to foresee