Editors’ Notes
I. Preface
With this facsimile edition of carefully selected entries from the probationary diaries of prisoners #19-09-1979 and #09-01-1960 we honour both the 150th anniversary of Severus and Hermione Snape’s release from Azkaban prison and the 30th anniversary of their deaths in 2129.
The purpose of this publication is to make accessible two of the fundamental and most poignant sources for a period of painful transformation in the wizarding world in a single, definitive volume.
Due to its sensitive and extremely personal character, this material has never before been made available to the public. That this book could be published at all we owe to the most gracious permission of the current head of the Malfoy-Snape family, Scorpius Malfoy-Snape, Minister for Magic.
The aim of this project has been to present these extraordinary sources with absolute accuracy and authenticity. In the diary entries themselves, editorial comments have therefore been kept to an absolute minimum.
At the same time one of the utmost concerns in preparing this publication has always been to not exclude the average witch or wizard from an understanding of and appreciation for this authentic evidence of troubled times. The nature of the sources as private diaries—with their limited, sometimes skewed perspectives, their natural breaks and omissions—as well as the circumstances of their creation, necessitate further notes. For this purpose, the second part of this book offers editors’ notes with annotations and clarifications of the diary entries, and with additional explanations of still not widely known or acknowledged historical facts, as well as their political context. Thus the evidence presented in the diary entries may be more easily intelligible to a wider audience.
Nevertheless, it must remain the reader’s task to draw their own conclusions, and, finally, to pass their judgment based on this raw testimony of two extraordinary lives devoted to the freedom of the wizarding world and the liberty of us all. A critical bibliography has been added to this work to aid the interested reader with further investigations.
The words of the ancient wizard Tacitus summarise the ultimate goal and highest hope for this publication and its intended contribution to wizarding history:
“…to let no worthy action be uncommemorated,
and to hold out the reprobation of posterity
as a terror to evil words and deeds.”
Something bothered me about the two lists of names, and it took me a while to figure it out. Minerva McGonagall’s name is not on Hermione’s first list of the fallen. There are 95 names listed, but none of them is Minerva’s. With hers on the list there would have been 96.
Please forgive me. I am cursed with an analytical and technical mind. *shakes head* Not good for much else, I afraid. LOL!
Beth
Of course it’s rather sad that you have nothing at all to say besides a rather minor nitpick. However, I am naturally grateful that you pointed this tiny glitch out to me, and I’ve been happy to correct it.
I’m so sorry that I came across as such an asshat. That was never my intention. I have inhaled this story in the last couple of weeks (first on TPP and then finished on OWL today), and I left what I hope were intelligent comments for each chapter.
There were such tantilizing hints in each chapter that kept me going from one to the next, and I love trying to connect all the dots. I am an analytical person by nature and by training, and I let that side of me take over when I came here to see the lists. I had read some of the comments that other readers had made about the Editor’s Notes on OWL, and was interested in combing through the data to see if I would recognize any of the characters missing from Hermione’s first list. I felt like Hemione with her counting.
You are one of my favorite writers, and Prisoners of Azkaban is one of the most compelling and uniquely constructed stories I’ve ever read. I got carried away with my “dot connecting”, and I apologize for my comment here. I feel terrible about this and hope you will accept my apology. I am humbly sorry.
Beth
aka beffeysue
It’s okay, no worries. *hugs* In a way, I’m really thrilled you paid such close attention! I mean, in more than a year (!) of having the story posted here, you’re the first person who noticed! I just had this moment of disappointment when I thought “Wow, someone came all the way to my website for the story, wonder how they liked it” … and then it was only about the missing name. 🙁
I still have to get caught up on replying to comments on the other sites, and I have to admit it’s very difficult for me to keep all names and addies straight between FFNet, OWL, TPP, AO3, and my own site at all times. I guess for you it felt like just one of ALL the comments you left. While for me, I’m sorry to say, it just didn’t connect with all the other comments. Lately I’ve been having an awful time with keeping even the people I interact with more regularly with straight, what with most people having different names on Buzz than on LiveJournal or the archives. I hope that explains my reaction a bit.
And I’m so glad that the counting didn’t put you off. When I set out writing, I wasn’t sure if that “tick” I chose for Hermione wouldn’t drive people crazy. I have to admit, during the writing process, there were times when I felt it was driving me round the bend. (But I promise I never started counting squares.)
Thank you again for reading and noticing my mistake; if you look at the list again, you’ll find the name where it belongs!
Thank you for being understanding, and forgiving the “ticks” we analytical types are apt to have.
I read this story over at least once a year at FanFiction.net, and this time I decided to check out the CSS3 version on your site – I loved it! All the extra little details that you just don’t get over at FF really contribute so much to the story, and the amount of time and attention to detail you’ve put into this is mind-blowing. I’ve always been a big fan of your work, but this story will always be truly outstanding to me.
Wow, thank you! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the story, and it’s really the best compliment a writer can get if a reader comes back to re-read. *beams* And I’m really really happy that you’re also enjoying the web design. Hooray!