Genres:  Coming-of-age, action-adventure, romance

Characters: Like any novel, this one involves an ensemble cast, but the central protagonist is Cedric, not Harry, which naturally skews the focus so that some characters important to the books are less important here while others barely mentioned become significant secondaries.  At least initially, all romances reflect canon.  (eventual Cedric/Hermione)

Sequel:  Dulce et decorum est

ENDNOTES

All recognizable characters and situations are the property of J.K. Rowling.
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Images:  Cover art by Puguita.  A number of manipulations appear throughout this novel, acknowledged in notes.  Please don't take any of them without the permission of their creator -- not me.

Special Notes Relating to the Books & Films:  Chapters 1-2 retell the end of Goblet of Fire with the AU shift, but the events as described are from the film, not the book, at least up to the point of divergence (after that, it's all different).  Later chapters will be based on book 5.  While this is a novel in its own right with an independent story arc, I consider it to 'run alongside' the main book and don't intend to engage in massive repetition of material from Order of the Phoenix.  In short, it is assumed that readers have seen Goblet of Fire, and read Order of the Phoenix.  Descriptions of Cedric and other characters' appearances reflect the films (where pertinent), but personalities are a blending of film and book.   Events in the short story "The Way I See It" are assumed in Cedric's personal history, but don't play a large part in the novel -- Esiban aside.

Acknowledgements:  Special thanks go to Bren Kuebler, for keeping my British (and grammar) on track, and Jocelyn, for HP detail checks and plotting assistance.  As always, novelists owe a lot of other people for their support, assistance and enthusiasm.

On wild animals as pets:  Yes, Esiban is very cute.  But taking Esiban home -- as Cedric himself tells Hermione -- was a mistake.  Wild animals should remain 'livin' free and in the wild' (to quote my son's favorite pair of naturists, the Kratt Brothers).  Raccoons, in fact, make horrible pets as they get into everything, and are one of the four major wild animal most likely to transmit rabies in the U.S. (the others being opposums, bats, and foxes).  I know just how bad they are because I grew up next to a family who had one.  Raccoons can also turn increasingly feral as they age; after all, they're wild animals.  So, cute as they seem, please, please never remove a raccoon (or other small wild animal) from its environment and attempt to raise it.  If you find abandoned raccoon babies, call animal control.  First, the babies may not actually be abandoned, and second, animal control will be able to place the litter with someone to foster then release back into the wild, where they belong.  Cats and dogs make great pets; raccoons don't. ;>

Awards: Finding Himself has kindly been nominated to a number of contests, and has won 7 awards total.

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