Really enjoying reading this i loved the first one and i was so sad it ended, i only just realised you'd put up a sequel thanks for this! :)

Author's Response: Oh wow, glad you're enjoying it! Thanks for reviewing :)

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No. NO. I don't want them to be done with Mary. I want Mary to spectacularly come back to life and her, Sirius, Lily, James, and Remus will have a wonderful life and live happily ever after. I DO NOT LIKE SAD THINGS AND I WANT SIRIUS TO LOVE MARY FOREVER.
But this chapter was UNBELIEVABLY cute, and I did love it, other than the moving on from Mary bit. Ah, I've been waiting for Lily to realize she is hopelessly in love with James and run away on Sirius's bike. I really love that bit, you know - about how the bike was originally for Mary, and he kept it for so long, which of course means he loved her for all of his life. (I have to think this, because they were my otp of the fanfiction world.) Funniest part?
“No,” Sirius said, “but I’m not going to fall off.”

“And I am?” I asked.

“Well,” James said, “given how you two bicker, I’m not entirely sure I trust him not to push you off.”

“No promises,” Sirius grinned, “well, Evans, are you coming?”
OH MY GOD THIS IS GREAT. I'm not sure how I feel about James turning Mary's speech political, but I like Sirius's 'To Mary McDonald and power to the muggles.'
all in all, wonderful story, wonderful chapter, still mad at you because you just had to kill Mary, even if that was in the last story, but still. Loving this. (:
ric.

Author's Response: There's a part of me that wanted them to hold onto to Mary forever, but the sad part about life is that it just doesn't always work like that. People have to keep on living and, towards the end, Mary realised that and that's sort of what she wanted.

BUT YES I've been waiting for Lily to fall hopelessly in love and then hop on Sirius's bike too, and I've had this chapter planned for such a long time it was nice to actually write it xD

Thanks for reviewing :)

-AC

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Oh Mary would've loved that! James' portrail of her as nothing more than who she was. Lovely! I feel like I've been waiting to find out what happens at the feast for ages.

And I have to say, I miss Mary too. She and Sirius were lovely in an "impending doom" kind of way and I miss that Sirius and that relationship. But you've done a lovely job of writting their grief and their mourning and their moving on!

Merry Christmas!

Author's Response: Thank you very much MissMdsty! That was sort of what i wanted to create by this - they'll both miss Mary for a really long time, but this story can't be about that forever because it's just not realistic. Merry christmas to you and Thanks for reviewing :)

-AC

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Helen! Another great chapter! I really do love this story. It feels weird hearing about Mary again as sometimes I forget that this is a sequel to TAOB but this was really good to read. Can't wait for the next chapter,

Emma xx

Author's Response: Yeah, I sometimes forget about that too. But I think there'll be less about Mary in the future. Thanks for reviewing :)

-AC

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Yay another chapter :D I've missed this story and this chapter made me remember exactly why I loved it in the first place. This chapter was so sweet and nearly made me cry again about Mary's death she was such a wonderful character. I especially loved James's speech and thought it was really fitting and brave of him. Update again soon :D

Author's Response: Yup! Another chapter indeed! I'm so glad you liked this chapter as its one of my favourites so far. More coming straight after christmas holiday closure I should think. Thanks for reviewing! :)


-AC

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Oh goodness you've got me started again. Laughing and partially crying and then laughing again because this chapter was absolutely bitterweet. Because Mary's been gone a year and I do miss her, but I feel like it's nice that Sirius and Lily have finally moved on and are happy, which is actually something that I think Mary would have wanted.

There were some paragraphs (for the sake of character conservation I won't copy and paste them into the review, haha) that were just so beautifully written. They were those paragraphs that could be found in any story, no matter the plot, only because they were wonderful and they make you think about things. About life.

And I thought of something while reading, something that I probably should have gotten a while ago, but didn't. All these characters are going to die. They're going to die fighting a noble war, but Mary didn't. Mary just died all by herself and I thought it was an interesting contrast that she really exemplifies the normalness of life and not the "glamor" of dying in battle. In the end, Mary was average and that's what makes her special.

Oh and James and Lily were adorable as always.

And I'm really excited for the very near-future "I love you" scene between them.

And finally, the Sirius and Lily scenes are spectacular and wonderful and Lily and Sirius really are siblings in pain.

Spectacular chapter, Helen. Merry Christmas!
Happy writing,
classicblack

Author's Response: Hello classicblack!

As always, thanks for reviewing and being your wonderful lovely stuff. Really, you don't know how much these reviews always make me smile :D

Mary, for all faults, began to realise the scope of life before she died and definitely would have wanted them to move on and be happy anyway they could. That's life, really, and it's sad but this is the way things work.

I am acutely aware of impending deaths at the moment and... well, I'm not sure I have another death within me in terms of writing but I guess we'll see really shortly. To me, this whole story seems to close to the end that it's unreal but... there are still quite a few chapters to go.

Thanks for the lovely review and a merry christmas to you too!

-AC

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oh I've missed this! what a nice early christmas present, merry christmas to you too! Shall be looking out for another chapter in the new year ;D

Author's Response: Thank you very much! Glad you liked your christmas present :D

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Best chapter ever! I loved this chapter. It was absolutely perfect. Your characters are so awesome!!

Author's Response: Thannnkkk yoou! So glad you liked it :D

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waaahhh, you're just perfect.

me=crying+laughing

Sirius is sort of back to normal, I'm glad. :)

I just love this so much! :D

657845745178945/10! ;D

Author's Response: Ee!

Thank you very much dear! Glad that you liked it :) :) :) :) :)

Merry christmas!

-AC

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Wow, just wow. I am speechless.
This first chapter was such an amazing first chapter, I had so many emotions running through me right then. I almost cried, everyone is so sad and you got their feelings and emotions across so brilliantly. It was just... WOW!
I am gobsmacked by the amazingness of this chapter and how everything was fitting together and how sad Lily was and her snapping, her friends being annoyed at her.
Seriously I can't stop saying wow! I can't wait to read more. It was so dark and sad and amazing.
I also can't believe that Mary is gone :-( I keep expecting her to turn up :-(
You wrote this brilliantly, you have such a way with words you should be a description Queen of some sort! :D

Author's Response: Thanks so much! This was such a lovely review to recieve and made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! You're so aces! Ee I don't know what else to say but thankythankythankthankyou and I'll take the title of description Queen with honour :D

-AC

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OMFG WHAT IS THIS WHAT IS THIS CLIFFIE WRITE A NEW CHAPTER RIGHT THIS MOMENT OH GOD.

Author's Response: WORKING ON! But it's NaNo I'm afraid so I'm pretty busy. Thanks for reviewing though! :)

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I may or may not have arrived for an R&R-spree :D Several things have contributed - I was rereading TAOB for, like, the fifth time and was halfway through when you won not one but TWO SHINY DOBBIES and suddenly couldn't bear not continuing to read this lovely part of the Marauders' story, and then just as I was on my way to your author page, I saw your fabulous blog! And since I was having fun debating which story to shower with your QTR riddles/SOTM reviews, this was perfect. So, in other words, HELLO HELEN.

Oooh it's such a lovely first chapter, especially with all the amaze parallels to TAOB! September 1st, Sirius, James, carriage things... asdfghjkl it's just so beautiful and made we want to cry ALREADY :'( it was refreshing to see how things had changed, though; some of our characters are so similar, some are so different, and most in the middle somewhere :P

Lily was characterised so brilliantly! From seeing her from Mary's POV to 1st-person post-Mary and post-Dad it's just fabulous how you've managed to cover that large a gap in such a relatively small word count.

It's nice to watch such drama brewing too :O feels like coming home haha! and you've laid down so many foundations for big, blow-up-type issues that suddenly feel as though they need addressing. especially now we can have another byotch-Brocklehurst (I FEEL MARY SO MUCH IN THIS). And though you're not overdoing the 'Mary's dead' thing, her presence is strong without Lily walking around with a sign over her head saying "I AM ANGSTY ABOUT THIS". It's just demonstrated nicely, and the camaraderie already coming is LUSH 8D

Yup, this cliffie officially kills me (minor one though it is) and sadly these reviews will be weirdly spaced because there's stuff I have to do now :( BUT I'LL BE BACK. xoxox

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Why are they making a big deal about it? They didn't care when Mary found out.

Author's Response: Wheelll, Mary was dying soo... yup.

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She shouldn't have gotten that tattoo . . . >:( I don't like that part :(

Author's Response: Ah, sorry you didn't like that bit!

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Oh my Rowling . . I loved that last bit where he hit the gate and everything . . . And his parents are AWESOME!!! Great chapter!!

Author's Response: Bah, glad you enjoyed it! I love writing about James's parents :D

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I REALLY WANT JAMES POV . . . anytime now . . .

Author's Response: Hmmm. you may be disappointed. But if you hold out a few more days I can offer you a sort of alternative?

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Hey! I've spent the entire week reading the art of breathing and then the art of surviving (yes i am addicted to hp ff) and I really think that you are an amazing writer! I've cried, I've laughed, I've smiled...
Please dont stop working on this story!
Kisses from Boston Lilylike
ps I think sirius and lily should be at marys memorial party - supporting james's speech at least :)

Author's Response: oh wow, thank you very much LilyLike! I'm so glad that you spent the week reading them (and you should know there's plenty more stories from where these came from). And I think they should be at the memorial party too, so I guess we'll see ;)

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OKAY, do they have to be so perfect? Those last 5 paragraph thingys just made me smile :D

Author's Response: Hehe, I think it's a Jily thing that just screeaammms perfection :)

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OooOOOoooOOOooOOOoooOoooOOOoooOh BROOOM cupboards . . . /:) :) /:)

Author's Response: Ahhha, nothing like a broom cupboard ;)

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mehr . . . stupid people trying to act like Mary and make a move on Sirius . . .

NO ONE WILL EVER UNDERSTAND!!! THEY'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT THEY ALL WENT THROUGH! *sobs*

Author's Response: Yup, isn't it all sads and stuff? Poor Sirius :(

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OOOH my . . . hopefully she's better now . . . or are we continuing with the Back-in-time?? . . . I'M SO CONFUSED!

Author's Response: We'll be going back to September time after this chapter :)

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"It was a doe"
...
And then you end? Why? I want to know what happens! I love this story, thank you so much for it ;)

Author's Response: Ahhha, you know me. Can't resist a cliffie

And thank you so much for reviewing!! :)

-AC

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. . . OMR . . . She's acting like Mary (R.I.P) . . .

Author's Response: Awwh, RIP Mary :(

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Great chapter as usual. It's a hard reality when someone dies, but the living do go on, living. It breaks my heart to see Sirius struggling so though. Will patiently wait for the next chapter. Also, I'll beta whenever you need.
MNF

Author's Response: oh dear! I'm so unbelievably hopeless but I'm opening my email thing RIGHT NOW to send you this chapter and I'm honestly really sorry. I'm just genuinely hopeless. THank you for continuing to review and being patient with me! :)

-AC

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OOH! Cliffy! Bum bum BAAAH!

Great job! But then again, I don't think I REALLY need to point out the obvious in every review I leave you!

I just can't get enough of this story! It's insanity! So insane that I can only use exclamation marks! Can't wait until next chapter. Am I wrong to assume that it will be Mary's 'memorial' with Lily and Sirius???

KEEP WRITING :D
Shay_Gryff

Author's Response: CLIFFY. You know me, I do love a good cliffy. Hheee, awh, thank you very much for all your lovely reviews!

Yep! Next chapter will be the memorial with Lily and Sirius yes yes yes, I'm very excited about it.

Thanks for the review! :)

-AC

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