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My name is Arin and I've been a fan of Harry Potter for ages. Writing fan fiction is actually what inspired me to write other works of fiction, and I now have a published horror novel floating around out there to be bought!
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If You Leave Me Now is a story that follows the life of Evangeline Oleander, the best friend of the Marauders and the only woman to ever be able to charm Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. After Harry discovers that she has been missing since the first war, he and his Uncle Moony and Padfoot stop at nothing until they find her, even if it brings up old memories and wounds along the way.
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1. What made you start writing on Wattpad? What is the most memorable moment you have encountered here?
I've always been a writer in some capacity, but I (like a lot of others) struggle with self-doubt. I had been planning to start an original novel, but I wanted to "test the waters" so to speak so I could get feedback on my writing style. People started to enjoy If You Leave Me Now, and I can admit that I shamelessly fell in love with my characters and had to see it through. I'll never forget the moment that it hit ten thousand, it changed my entire outlook on writing. I'll also never forget the friendships that I have made through writing on Wattpad, either.
2. Your book revolves around the character of Evangeline Oleander with a little spin-off of the original Marauders. Why did you choose to retell Marauders' story in a different way? What is your inspiration?
I think it's fun to imagine different ways in which the Marauder story could be told. Since we don't know much about them from canon, I feel as though it's pretty open for interpretation. I wanted to bridge the gap between Regulus and the Marauders, and I wanted a unique character that could play off both. Evangeline is the refined and sophisticated pureblood, but she's also a misfit and a bit of a pariah when it comes to the Slytherin house. As badly as both the Marauders and Regulus don't want to be like her, they're all cut from the same cloth in one way or the other.
3. Adding your own original character, what did you consider to make your protagonist unique and especially fit in the Marauders?
I know that many people don't prefer fan fiction with original characters, so I feel like that pushed me to flesh out Evangeline and make her someone that people would cling to and want to succeed. I knew from the very beginning I wanted her to be Slytherin, and I felt as though the Slytherin house deserved to have their own hero. We have very little of house representation when it comes to the heroes, and I feel like that was deserved after all this time. I was especially worried about turning her into a "Mary Sue" but I genuinely don't relate to Evangeline at all, aside from the fact that we're both obsessed with that group of boys!!
4. What are your favorite details/scenes in your story?
Picking my favorite scenes are very difficult because I struggle so badly with picking a small number. I truly, for the first time, have completely fallen in love with something I've written. Evangeline doesn't really know what she's doing most of the time and leads with her heart more than anything else. I love the raw emotion of Sirius telling Evangeline that if they were different people, they would be together. I love the warmth of Evangeline and Remus falling asleep in the room of requirement as he read her The Picture of Dorian Grey. I love the melancholy of James finding the letter from Evangeline before she disappeared and the moment when he realized she was alive and would always be there to protect his son. I love the ending, which I will not be giving away!!
5. Favorite Marauders member and why?
Picking a favorite Marauder is the world's toughest decision for me. I've always loved Remus since the beginning, but I've found a love in James that I didn't have before writing this fic. And of course, I love Sirius Black, who doesn't? And for Peter, I just want him to have a full story that makes sense. A reason for his betrayal. That makes it all the more poignant.
6. What is your future project for you? Do you plan to continue writing Harry Potter fanfiction?
As for future projects, I have since written and published a full-length novel that is able to be purchased. I truly mean it when I say writing this fic changed my entire view of everything related to writing. I'm also working on a new fic, Like Real People Do, which is Jegulus and Wolfstar. I love to switch things up and write any and all pairings when it comes to Harry Potter in general. I'd love to become a more active member of the community, and anyone that wants advice or just wants to chat can absolutely message me!
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