That's a fairly common exercise, actually. I once had to rewrite a myth/fairy tale-- I don't mean Jack in the Beanstalk, these were obscure-- from a modern perspective; and my mother regularly takes a published short story, lops off the last four hundred words, and makes her class write new endings. Then they pass them in blindly, reshuffle, and have a contest to try and pick out the original-- or best-- ending. She usually sends the results to the author of the story. (!)

Back in the bad old days, I had my ninth graders choose and re-write a fairy tale. One student asked if he could use a thermonuclear device somewhere in the story*. Before I could say anything, another student chimed in with: "Well, that gives new meaning to the name 'Cinderella', doesn't it?"

*Unless something was truly warped or disturbing, I tried not to censor content too much in student assignments. The school where I taught was a fairly conservative (but not insanely so) Christian school. One girl, who was in the full throes of teen rebellion, asked if she could do her term paper on Aleister Crowley. "Sure," I said.

Pause.

"You know who he was, right?" she asked.

"Self-styled 'most evil man on Earth' and a big influence on Led Zeppelin. Speaking of which, Dean's doing his term paper on them, so you may want to share some sources," I replied.

I think she was expecting to get in trouble. The final paper included a rather graphic retelling of an incident involving a goat. I honestly think this girl was hoping/expecting to get suspended or expelled. IIRC, I think I pointed out that she used improper formatting for an extended quotation.

Bwah.

Thank you, fic enablers. That toolbar at the top of the screen never loaded.

"He was acquitted on all charges."

"I like that in a man," Mrs Longbottom observed dryly.

Oh, my god. I'm trying to guffaw quietly.

t struggles Must do work. Must not read LOP again.

Oh, Liz-zard ....

"I don't think my grandfather losing out to your brother in a piece of industrial espionage sixty years ago counts as being related."

"It does in East Lancashire."

grins. whistles smugly. admires reflection in polished surface of new toaster.

This is why I'm AJ Hall's bitch. I like Lust Over Pendle far more than Rowling's books. I mean, I do like Rowling's books, but I prefer LoP.

Should you be interested, Raincitygirl and I cast our own virtual film version of Lust Over Pendle thus

I'm just saying, I'm staying away from the LotR fic. I swear, I am.

No, really.

Dear lord, Martin Shaw. And Harriet Walters.