A Distinctly Different Manner of Finding Prince Charming

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Fanfiction
Title: A Distinctly Different Manner of Finding Prince Charming
Author(s): Maya (mistful)
Date(s): 26 January 2004
Length: 9,800 words
Genre(s): Humour, romance
Fandom(s): Harry Potter
Relationship(s):
External Links: (offline)

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A Distinctly Different Manner of Finding Prince Charming is a Harry Potter story by Maya featuring the pairing Filius Flitwick/Minerva McGonagall.

It was written for Lasair's HP Flashficathon, for aldalindil's prompt: "Filius Flitwick/Minerva McGonagall (She's his student.)"[1]

The story was posted to Maya's personal LiveJournal and her website, Lasair and Maya's Fanfiction and Ramblings.

"A Distinctly Different Manner of Finding Prince Charming" was taken offline along with Maya's other fics in November 2008 when Maya went pro. It was included as part of The Complete Works of Maya, shared as a PDF before her works were taken down.

Summary: A famous duellist is coming to town.[2]

Author's Notes

The time has come for me to post my Flashfic!
And you all have to read it. You have to. Because I wept blood when I got it and it was hard to write. And yet it has turned out horribly horribly over the regulations long. *is rebel*
Ahem! So yes. Drumroll, please.
For aldalindil, I really hope you like it.[3]

Response

Beth H recced the story at hp_flashback in November 2004.[4]

The story was discussed in the "PeonCast" segment of Episode 43 of the PotterFicWeekly podcast, released in April 2008.

Feedback at LiveJournal

[black_dog]
So reading this was like unwrapping another shiny Christmas present -- what memorable new characterizaions will you give us next? I love this slightly terrifying, quidditch-mad younger McGonagall, taking on Filius as a project. And hero-Flitwick gets major points for the sheer audacity of the idea. I saw Tom coming, but Corny surprised me. Indeed, they don't make Slytherins the way they used to.

During the riding scene, I felt like a specific literary allusion was sailing over my head -- my loss; I really should sit down and plow through the rest of Jane Austen. But the romance-y elements kept up a nice, gently mocking undercurrent. As always, there were countless little asides that scored -- from Dippet's senility to Tommy's pouting to Corny's implicit crush. Great fun, all of it. For which, much thanks.

[nattish]
Oh, oh, oh! This is one of those stories you read and know that you will always remember. I didn't picture being so enthralled with it when I saw its considerable length---the pairing interested me, but when I saw how long it was! Well, let me tell you that you proved me wrong: it did enjoy every moment of it, and I wished it would have gone on for longer. But don't let that make you think I was disappointed in the ending. It was precise, endearing, and, well, it made me say "Aww."

Vivian was lovely. I had a hunch, though you likely knew the reader would, that she was one of McGonagall colleagues nowadays, but I couldn't say who. What with all the Quidditch talk, I assumed she would be Madame Hooch (as her first name is disputed over), but Professor Vector was a lovely surprise; she left more room for you to be independent about the creation of her character, and you did a good job. She was my favorite, which is appropriate when you're reading the fic through her eyes. :)

McGonagall was well done too. It sounds likely, now that I've read this set of circumstances, that she would be so, oh, feisty in her youth and had to have had a gentler companion to calm her and make her the impressively stern woman she is currently in the books. And Flitwick! Oh, how could I not have liked him? What is there to say? He was charming. Charming.

I enjoyed the weaving of Voldemort's past into this (and the creation of his sidekick, the Minister). Vector's innocence to his accomplishments at the end was both sad and satisfying. I am glad she never knew what became of him.

Well, I am sure you have noticed I approve of this story very much! I look forward to suggesting it to fellow readers in the future.
[mctabby]
This made me splutter tea over my monitor several times. Now I'm just grinning in dazed appreciation - and restraining myself from begging you to quit the H/D thing already and devote your talents to the Riddle era. :D

*applause*

Recs and Reviews

Adorable and well-paced fic about Minerva McGonagall (and a few other familiar characters) as a Hogwarts student. The walking intellect finds someone after her own heart, and through the years she is faithful. Lovely and sweet and rather funny too.

-- SQ (proteinscollide) at Dromedary Domain, 2004

A young McGonagall love story with an unexpected pairing. Brilliant. Het. Hilarious.

-- thedorkygirl at karmacon, 2005

If you haven't read, A Distinctly Different Manner of Finding Prince Charming, by Maya aka mistful, drop everything and go look it up, NOW!

-- Cat Feral, Author's notes to "I Dream of Plagiarism", 2009

References

  1. ^ aldalindil, now tartanshell, on LiveJournal. Comment on "Announcing the Harry Potter Flashficathon!", 22 December 2003.
  2. ^ c_frasch in hp_phenomenon at LiveJournal. Fan Fiction Category: HET, posted 12 June 2007.
  3. ^ mistful at LiveJournal. "I Blame You, Las! Only You.", posted 26 January 2004. Now offline.
  4. ^ bethbethbeth at LiveJournal. Recs Page Update., posted 30 November 2004. hp_flashback now deleted and rec now offline.