I don't think you read your reviews anymore, but I'd thought I'd point out a couple of mistakes in case you were going to edit your story. You put "read-head" in the description of Scarlet. Also, it's more coincidental than ironic that her name is Scarlet. Pardon me, but that's just one of my peeves.

I really love this story, and I hope I haven't pissed you off.

Author's Response: Hello!

Thank you for your review that you wrote several months ago. I do log onto this site and read my reviews now and then, but I didn't think that anyone read my stories anymore.

Anyway, you did not piss me off at all. I wrote Dying to Live when I was, like, 15 or 16, and I'm almost 21 now. And English is not my native language, so I there are errors both here and there, but I appreciate that you liked my story!

Sam M

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I have been searching for an unusal story I can sink my teeth into and I think I have found it. I always wondered about Riddle during his Hogwarts years, and now with your help, I am free to imagine a mapped out love story.

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Very good. I loved how she was RAB. I will read the sequel.

Author's Response: Thank you so much :)

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This was sort of anticlimactic after the last chapter, but it was worth it for the 'living to die' and 'dying to live' comments, which really just struck me. I think you did a fantastic job with the story as a whole.

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Ahaha, wow, can't believe I didn't see that one coming. When I realized which cave they were in I had to stop and think - you know, the one person to a boat thing, the initials - and I must say you had it all worked out very well. I was wondering how Myrtle being her friend might come into play later, but I figured it was just to make her feel guilty about everything that had happened. You really did a good job of giving everyone a double purpose.

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Wow, lots of history. I knew all of those little tidbits but Walpurgis Night, which I suppose was the most important one in this chapter (I was going to comment on the Knights of Walpurgis if you didn't). You've certainly done your research. Very actiony, but I don't think it's the sort that "makes up" for the other chapters, because all of them were interesting, too. It could have been more charged with emotion and drawn out a bit longer, but I think that the shortness may have added to the frantic feelings Ruby was having.

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I like the involvement with actual history - it's weird to think that WWII was going on during all of this. Tom seems to be leaning more towards drastic measures now ... I wonder how he figured out how to make an illegal portkey? And what would be so important for him to want to? I wanted to see more of a reaction to finding out that Dumbledore knew everything, but I guess it'd be silly to expect much emotion from Tom.

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I liked this chapter - that Tom had never been loved is certainly a valid concern for her, but I hadn't thought of it like that. I guess he never could really fall in love. I think it's fitting that they met in an old muggle studies classroom; that was such a throwaway line that I had to reread to absorb, but it seems important in an ironic sense. It seems like Myrtle would seek Ruby out instead of just hanging around in the bathroom waiting, since we know that she took an active role in tormenting Olive. I guess this is just where she fit into the story.

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I rather liked the beginning - where we realize that Ruby is old as she looks back on this, and therefore hopefully not dead! That'd be kind of creepy. At first I thought Dumbledore would come and talk to the old her about Horcruxes, but I think it makes it more complicated that he did it earlier. I do wonder who was knocking on her door, though. Vespin is interesting - does he like her? Or is he just looking out for her? I hope his character becomes more clear in the future.

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I still don't understand why the newspaper would be delivered during the welcoming feast? The timing of this chapter felt weird. Anyway, I really want her to figure everything out! And with Dumbledore helping ... well, she seems so close to it. Hadn't the other boys left before Tom asked about Horcruxes? It just seemed to sort of jump out there while of the other students were still in the room, which doesn't seem like a risk Tom would be willing to make. None of the Death Eaters seemed to be aware of his plans, except maybe to some extent Sirius' brother.

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Anne Boleyn? I thought that last name sounded familiar. =P I like the little clues you've strewn about in this chapter, even if it was short. I felt so bad for Ruby when Tom wouldn't talk to her. The years sound off in my head - didn't they start in 1938? So wouldn't the sixth year start in 1943, so that Tom would graduate in the spring of 1945? But maybe I'm mixing things up again.

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I like the chapter title. =) It's really hard to read this and not want to shake some sense into Ruby, but she tells her story so innocently, blaming herself even, and it's hard to balance the two opposite feelings towards her. I think that is almost enough for characterization, but it still doesn't seem like the complete her - probably because we've only seen her act like this as a result of Tom's actions, and no one else's. Oh well, she has an important story to tell and I can't blame you for not bringing out her unique character earlier, since I can assure you that I'm much worse with OCs, and she's already better than mine.

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I really like the fact that Ruby blames herself for all that's happened, especially when, from an outsider's point of view, we can clearly see that all of it is Tom's doing. To answer your question about her fitting in - I think she works well in the context of the whole CoS story, but I hope that her character gets developed more in the coming chapters. I think you mentioned last chapter that she lived with her grandparents, which is an interesting aside that I hope gets explored as part of the background that brought her to be the bitter storyteller we get to meet.

Speaking of which, I really like that she keeps telling me to go away, as it only makes me want to read more. It isn't too overdone, but it's just enough to feel melodramatic in a mild Myrtlesque way. I thought she really fit well into the story (not just this story, but the overall story that we know) when she mentioned Aragog, since I always sort of wondered how Tom figured out about him. I think it's weird that Dumbledore would set an essay about the founders, unless they were Animagi or something related to Transfiguration. I liked the little hint that he didn't trust Tom.

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Well, I was going to say that Eileen would be too young to be at school with Ruby, but then I actually thought about the math, and it looks like you could be right. I guess I just think of the difference between Tom and the Marauders to be more than one generation. Anyway, I didn't really get the tales under the robes? And I hope the locket comes back later, as it was a good event to include around Christmastime, but other than that it should still have some significance.

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I think that by this point, Tom would already know that his father didn't attend Hogwarts - but I may be mistaken, and in any case it was a nice little tidbit to include that Ruby wouldn't fully understand. I really liked her conversation with Rubeus (it's weird to all him that ...), and it was even more interesting that Myrtle didn't approve of him. It's nice that not all of her friends like each other, as in so many OC fics. I can see Myrtle being that shook up over nothing, and it's nice to see a shadow of what will later, obviously, get blown up so much that even a compliment can send her into tears.

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I really liked this! It's very well-paced, and I like the letter breaking up the events. It has a very honest tone, but it's also written well, and the speech actually reminds me of Dumbledore - which I suppose is good, given the timeframe of the story. The dialog is also quite good - nothing spectacular, but I noticed that it moves the story along well and sounds natural.

There were a few inconsistencies that I hope you don't mind me pointing out, though I'm not sure that you regularly come back to HPFF to check your reviews. The headmaster showed an expression of slight boredom as he sat leaned back in his throne-like seat (sat or leaned back? one or the other); Professor Dumbledore shot her a look which usually meant “See me after class,” (this should end in a period); The read-head, who was ironically named Scarlet, shrugged, “No reason,” (again the period at the end, and read-head should of course be red-head). Also, Tom was sorted before Ruby? But in the books, they're sorted alphabetically by last name.

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i loved this story and can not wait to read the sequal. you are a very brilant writer sam and i encourage you to keep writing and yes i do understand writers block but you have a wonderful gift . congradeulations on a book well written.

Author's Response: Aw, thank you so much for those encouraging words, Robbie, I really appreciate it :) Thank you.

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A fabulous story! I like it. I can't tell you exactly why, but it's brilliant.
Gen

Author's Response: Thank you Gen, I appreciate it :)

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This was long too long to keep my attention i just skimmed really i want action

Author's Response: This is exactly the kind of review I don't have a reply for... I mean, what am I supposed to answer? Ok...? Your review doesn't catch my attention...choose an action story if you want that. This is drama, in case you failed to notice until the very last chapter :S

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Good,very good find your own idea and write your good so good i love your little deatails.

Author's Response: Thank you!

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This is really good! It is one of the best stories I have ever read. You are an amazing author.
~Aly

Author's Response: Aw, thank you so much, that's so sweet of you :D

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but still. its a great story.

Author's Response: Atleast that's something! ;D Thank you!

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im pretty sure R.A.B. is regulus a. black. maybe since hes related to the malfoy it'd be 'abraxis' which is draco's granddad's name, in book 6?

Author's Response: I don't know how many times I've been through this with readers. And I'M convinced it's NOT Regulus, it's probably someone who is not yet mentioned in the books... but then again I could be wrong and it turns out that it is Regulus after all. I would get so much crap for that :D

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Nice story! But I think that in the real book, the initials could stand for Regulus Black, Sirius' younger brother. Remember him? He was killed under Voldemort's orders.

Author's Response: Yeah, I know, I've been through this with so many readers already. I do not believe it's him, though. Thanks for the review :D

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good job

Author's Response: Thank you

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