The Fourth School

The Cupboard #4

by Stargon1

Fandom: Harry Potter
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The TriWizard Tournament has been revived and the three largest and most prestigious schools in Europe are due to compete - Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. And in a mark of respect, the newest and smallest school in not only Britain but also all of Europe, has been invited to watch. If only things were that simple.

Genres: Fan Fiction, Fantasy

581 pages, ebook

First published April 13, 2016

Reviews

[mirabilos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The difficult thing in FanFiction is that the readers already know the canon universe and events, and the author has to make it just enough different and surprising to be interesting, without deviating so much that the readers just shake their heads and leave. This story is a good example for it. I’ve been able to predict some, but not all, of the changes (oh and, someone do tell me the solution to the frog riddle, please… I got the first on my second try, and the third was solved in-situ even if I wonder about removing the ending, as singer I would pronounce it differently then), and it’s been interesting throughout. The story also took its sweat time building up things, and, while the Quidditch World Cup makes up for some, spends about half the book before school starts back up. (I somewhat miss dates for the sections, but even without any indication of how much time has elapsed, it was not difficult to follow and understand a skip had occurred, with backing up and re-speed-reading at most a few paragraphs. Also, dating the sections/events distracts, and often lead to more backtracking.) I even guessed the vehicle, although I need to read up on how they can move through land overgrown with bushes and so, which I’d see as more relevant problem; grass, gravel, earth and water aren’t immediately, perhaps because I about had the same “wanna-have!” expression when I learnt a bit about them as kid.

The villains are also much more realistic, not flat; for example, the press occasionally writes articles on their side and then returns to writing articles that hurt them, and it’s really insidious. I believe that a certain archvillain’s also a bit less unhinged (if less powered) than in canon, which will make for something interesting. Conversely, the family vault wasn’t overpowered either; worth something, yes, but not easy to access. Sentimental, though.

The tournament was done in an interesting way as well, focussing not as much on the main events (which we know about already) but the side effects. The staffing issues (one leaving, one being friendlier — although we don’t see much of him at all any more, and I’m not sure Harry realises him having become friendly even in Year 3 already) are also interesting. The only thing I wonder is how Crouch managed to wait for his turn in the tent for over twenty(!) minutes without Amelia being able to interrogate him… but then, with who heads the auror team at the tents, and his other allegations from canon book 5… but, oh, well.

I also really enjoyed what they did with the school, the three locations, and all that. But go on, read it (and its antecessors, of course, in order to be able to understand the references) for yourselves!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

4th in The Cupboard HP fanfic series. The parents/ guardians of Harry's group decide to establish a school which will provide more subjects/electives and competent teachers as compared to Hogwarts' deteriorating standards. This explores all the additional subjects offered and the multitude of extras required to start up a school.
I liked how there were consequences for Dumbledore's negligence; in canon he was always welcomed back by the public (in the 2nd & 5th books). Harry, too was much smarter here. His experience with the 2nd year Parselmouth rumors ensured that he publicly vowed his innocence in being picked as Champion and refused to participate.
This fic focused on the reunion with Hogwarts students and staff, but described no interactions with students or faculty of Beauxbatons or Durmstrang. This seemed unrealistic to me as most of the students would have been curious to hear about the other schools and the exchange students would have been eager for news about the Potter Haven school.

[Mitticus · Rating 3 out of 5]

MNe sigue enervando la presencia de Hermione, con todo su exarcebado canon, pero la idea de la escuela es buena, en otro lugar con animales y aprendiendo a su ritmo. Lo del dodo se repite en otro fic enorme (donde hay un necromancer Master of death time travel Harry aun sin termianr) aunque aqui se llame Dyricall.

me quedo sorprendida , la primera vez que veo que el ministro es quien muere en el ritual. Bravo!