Operation Homeward (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Eleven

Okay, I updated.

And a request on the behalf of not only myself but all fanfiction authors everywhere -

Don't comment demands for updates. It's rude and you don't know how much pressure it can put on someone. I don't take as much offense to it as some people,  but I know authors that have literally quit because of these comments. You never know what an author could be going through in their lives, and you don't need to add more to it by forcing that kind of pressure. You can always be kinder. Say something like, "I'm really enjoying this story, and I eagerly wait for your next update when you're finished with it." Guys, updates take a lot of time. 10 minutes of reading for you could be hours worth of work for an author. In all honesty, a few weeks of drought shouldn't be that big of a deal. I've read fics on ffn and ao3
that have been left longer than most of you (and sometimes I) have been alive.

Anyway, just asking that you be more aware of it if this is you. There are so many better ways to support a writer without demanding for updates. I'm writing 2 other stories right now. If you want to support me, go read one of them while you wait and comment something besides "PLEASE UPDATE!!!" Even if it's just a heart emoji or something. It's more annoying for me than pressuring, but it can really affect someone else.

That's my challenge for you. Go comment on your favorite story (it doesn't have to be mine) something you like about it. I'm not asking for a 500 word essay (although those are appreciated), just a simple thing that you like about it. If you're wanting an update so badly, there must be something they're doing that you like.

On the other hand, there are lots of people on my stories that give good, quality comments that I enjoy and start up conversations. I'm not talking about you. You know who you are.

I don't want you guys to think I'm upset or mad if this is you. I'm not. Like I said, I'm a case where it just annoys me a bit. I still love you all and I like that you want more from me. I'm just asking that you be more aware of it. Sometimes I'll get a notification for a comment, get super excited to hear what you guys had to say, and it's just a demand for an update. Like I said: annoying. And it's mainly my Wack-A-Harry readers that do it, but I wanted to get that out there in all my stories, too.

Anyway, thanks for listening. Here's your update.

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"So ... let me get this straight," said Teddy the next day, rubbing his temples, "you all think that Harry's annotation was actually a ridiculous pun calling back to a boring ghost party he went to when he was twelve years old, that somehow that is the exact favor he talks about in the third annotation, so now we need to break into Hogwarts, arguably one of the most protected places on Earth."

"Yeah, pretty much," said James as he leaned on Harry's old mahogany bookshelf, attempting to feign steadiness while his heart beat a million miles a minute. Don't get your hopes up, don't get your hopes up -

"You do realize that, even if we managed to break into Hogwarts, we still don't even know that Nick's favor isn't really the one he's referring to?" Teddy paused and leaned forward in the desk chair. "We don't even know what the favor Harry's Seventh Year was. Don't you think this is a little ... risky? That you're not jumping to conclusions?"

You got your hopes up.

James swallowed at the realization his brain oh-so-kindly supplied. Honestly, he'd asked these questions himself, held the possibility these five-year-old footnotes meant absolutely nothing but what their desperate minds wanted them to mean. Since the moment Lily had charged to his bedroom the day before, he had feared none of this time as real because ... because he knew that the moment the truth came out, it would be like losing him all over again. And that scared him more than any dark wizard that might be following their path.