Elysia

Afterword

I would just like to say firstly, this book has entirely been a tribute to the series that affected me so much in my growing years. Right about the time the movies finished I reached a new stage in my life, one that would shape me considerably, and I found the need to say good bye to the Potter universe. I started writing this book in my early teens with my best friend Chloe (HungryMachines), one of the most tumultuous times in my life, for that purpose.

This series was a thank you to the world of Harry Potter and to J K Rowling, who created that world. It was due to this fact that I have strived to affect as little as possible in the Potter universe through the creation of Elysia, she was just an insertion of my imagination into the tale.

I didn’t expect such an enormous fan base to sprout from these books, or to speak with so many varied people through the projection of my own imagination. I’m so glad that so many people liked my creation and read right up until the third book, that’s quite impressive of you all really.

So, for those of you that reached this far, you have helped me write something quite therapeutic. Elysia has been an outlet for me for years, and now that outlet is closed. It’s been a fun ride, and I wouldn’t want anyone else on that roller coaster but you, my dear reader.

 

To signify the end of this series, I have allowed for one last interview with the author/frequently asked questions.

 

Q: So, you made for us this awesome character who saves hundreds of lives, and right when she’s about to get everything she wants you KILL HER?!

A: Part of the reason Elysia died was to signify my own contribution to the Potter universe; temporary. If J K Rowling wished Neville to marry Hannah Abbott, I would never dare change that. That said, Neville and Elle would never have broken up on their own terms, so this was the answer intended. So, her death brought ultimate closure to me and you alike.

 

Q: So if Neville and Hannah’s relationship was on the rocks from the start, why did he bother? Also, why didn’t you give us some more details in the epilogue?

A: Firstly, epilogues are made with the sheer purpose of tying off loose ends and bringing finality to a novel. The series revolved around Elysia, in in her absence I wished only to show her legacy, e.g. her enormously successful hospital. Neville allowed himself to love Hannah (as best as he could) because he wanted to move forward, and also he wanted to give something to someone. This obviously had only one good result, his daughter, but it was worth a try.

 

Q: That whole time Neville loved Elysia more than Viperous loved Fred? Why didn’t he just take the potion like Viperous and live happily with Hannah?

A: By no means did Neville love Elysia more than Viperous loved Fred; no way in Hell. Rather, Viperous let herself fall in love again and recreate her life, and she was fully committed to making that life work. She couldn’t have been the best mother possible if she was still reminiscing her lost love. With that in mind, Neville didn’t really fall in love with Hannah, he loved her well enough but he wasn’t in love. He also wasn’t ready for the closure of forgetting Elysia, so he never moved forward.

 

Q: What happened to Heath and Cohen, Drew’s brothers?

A: Heath was close to prison before his little brother’s death, afterwards he joined the Ministry of Magic to become an auror. He actually worked with Harry Potter later, and went through counselling until he was a stable guy. Cohen married Hannah after her and Neville broke up and made a family of Weasley proportions, leading a much quieter life than his elder brother.

 

Q: You didn’t give us much detail about Elizabeth Longbottom, except that she (not fully sure?) had the same eyes as Elysia?

A: Yes, I did allude to her eyes being similar. This was just more of a catalyst towards Neville and Hannah’s failing marriage than any real link to Elysia. Elizabeth shared her father’s passion for herbology, but didn’t care enough for study to really get into it. She worked in the law enforcement sector of the Ministry before feeling fed up with her Dad’s influence. Of course, in history Neville wasn’t mentioned much as Elysia’s partner until the end of his life when their marriage became more public, so Elizabeth wasn’t aware that her dad would have had more influence at the hospital than the Ministry. Her husband and her were both Quidditch enthusiasts, and because of their distance from Neville he didn’t really know his son-in-law as well as he knew his grandchildren. Elizabeth was closer to Neville, partly because of Hannah’s jealousy and second family with Cohen, but again his dedication to the past kind of halted that too (he was obsessed with the ideas of Idony and Frank). Neville adored her, however, and she would later write an acclaimed biography after his death.

 

Q: Did Neville and Viperous ever see each other again?

A: Only as teacher and parent. Draco had an element of jealousy concerning Neville, and also saw him as a reminder of Fred Weasley, so he kind of silently encouraged Neville to keep his distance.  He did see her, however, in her dying days. Through coincidence she was treated by Elizabeth when she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Her age and refusal for treatment saw her become terminal within a month. In her last days Neville visited her, and for glimpses at a time she remembered what the potion had caused to forget, but only glimpses.

 

Q: Why didn’t Elysia’s statue have her memory if it had a piece of her soul?

A: She was crafted specifically to lack memory so that she could remain in Hogwarts easily without the weight of her past relationships causing bias. The statue has been predicted to be able to live hundreds of years.

 

Q: Who found Neville’s body, and was he still headmaster when he died?

A: The garden had frequent visitors and he was found the next morning by the groundsman. The magical properties of the Garden actually preserved his body quite well, no embalming was necessary for his funeral.

 

Q: How did you come up with Elysia Riddle?

A: Well, I was doing the old skim through baby names to find a character name and I found this one, Elysia, under the ‘disaster’ section. It meant lightning strike, and at the time I just thought of Voldemort creating this kid with this ‘evil’ name only for it to turn around and be good. From there, in discussion with Chloe, we decided that Voldemort would only make a kid perfect and with no physical contact; hence the inception of ‘Children of the Potion’. I suppose a lot of my own characteristics were implanted in Elysia, and most of her taste in music and books are directly mine. Yeah, she was just the perfect tribute to the series.

 

 

Sorry to all those who sent in other questions, but I thought these ones closed to wounds left the best.

Thanks again to you all, it’s been a true experience, hopefully one day you’ll pick a book of the shelf and it will be mine.

Sincerely,

Olivia.